After a brief hiatus, I am back a married woman! Planning my own wedding was extremely all-consuming for 9 months, so I decided to put my business on the back-burner for the time being. To be honest, this made me feel super guilty! I love having my business, planning weddings, writing posts about my very favorite topic, and working to expand my knowledge and client base. But, I knew this was the best choice, both for myself and for my clients. I had a feeling I would not be able to give the focus needed to plan others' weddings, while constantly thinking about and planning my own. I have come out on the other side a better, and more compassionate, planner!
Throwing my own wedding was SO different from planning someone else's. The planner has the easy job of finding fantastic ideas and vendors! The bride really does the dirty work of sticking to budget (no matter how AMAZING overhead chandeliers would be!), making tough decisions, keeping track of all the little things that need to get done, and keeping the family happy. It was the most fun and beautiful learning experience of my life and I am so much better for it.
I CAN'T WAIT to post photos from my wedding once I get them (damn beautiful film and it's long wait time!), but until then I'll have to patiently wait.
For now, here are some lessons learned from one planner-bride to the next.
1. Spread out your day as long as you can
You'll hear it time and time again, but it's because it's so true! This day flies by, and it was hard to pinpoint why. Once my girls zipped me into my dress, life moved in fast forward! We took photos here, we took photos there. Next thing I know I am walking down the aisle on my dad's arm breathing heavy and looking at my fiancé at the altar! The ceremony was about 5 seconds long (in my mind), millions of family photos were over in a snap, and before I knew it I was (a bit drunkenly) climbing into bed with my new husband! I am glad we took one point, while taking photos on the beach, to stop and tell each other to soak it all in- this is our wedding day- we just did this! Because that was, literally, the only time in the night that we were able to do so.
2. Put in the time to make it truly the most special day
As I have mentioned (and is somewhat obvious in itself), planning a wedding is HARD work! All of the decisions, phones calls, emails, payments, creativity-- it's draining. There were times when I wanted to say "F*ck it!" because I just had so much on my plate. I was tired and busy and had no free time! For example: taking dance lessons with my dad for 6 months was difficult on my schedule and honestly was super stressful! If we were taking the time to learn this Waltz, we wanted it to be good! Nonetheless, we put in the time and practice and we pulled it off without a hitch! My guests told me they loved the dance and that we did it so well, which made it all worth it in the end. Plus, it was a great bonding experience for my dad and I. Is there anything cuter than a Waltz with your tuxedo-adorned father? Mush.
"Extra" aspects of a wedding, like this, can be easy to pass on when feeling overwhelmed, but it's these extra amounts of effort that really show through to your wedding guests and make for an even more memorable day.
3. Make an extra effort to keep a balance between budget and vision
When I started my wedding planning, I had a basic vision but the smaller details came together as I got a feel for what I wanted our wedding to be like- the vibe I wanted to give off- the theme I wanted to develop. I started to delve into years of my
Pinterest boards to find what I needed to have to make our day phenomenal.
However, as the planning got underway, there were certain things I was a little heartbroken to let go of to make room in the budget for other items. I had to reconcile the fact that sticking to my budget meant hard decisions, but that, ultimately, it would make for an event that I could live with once it was all over. Indeed, I opted for a custom made, humongous 'W'
marquee light in lieu of hanging elegant chandeliers over the reception space. While both were my (expensive) "must haves," I could not incorporate both and am glad to say I am happy with my choice!
Things to think about when making a tough budgetary decision: What will your guests notice? What will they love? What will make the biggest statement? In 20 years when you look back at your wedding photos, which one will stand out more to you?
Our wedding was perfect, this process was FUN, and I could not be more grateful to have found an industry and job that truly speaks to me! Plus, my new hubby is pretty darn cute too!
