I started planning my wedding at the end of 2020 the world just started opening after the height of the Pandemic. I knew weddings and or gatherings would look different but pressed forward anyway. I can firmly say I think that made the wedding planning process just a little harder but let me tell you the outcome was so worth it. I enjoyed seeing everyones face light up as I walked through the curtain to meet my husband, as well as seeing family and friends dance until midnight in my honor! I would go through the planning process all over again, stress included to relive the evening of my wedding- it was glorious!
KEEP YOUR GUEST COUNT TO A MINIMUM
My one regret from our wedding day was our wedding size. This is nothing against anyone invited to our wedding, however if I got a do-over, I’d probably stand more firm on the number of friends, coworkers and guests invited. We had a final guest count of 255 and when I looked at the guest list the morning before the wedding I thought to myself, there is no way I will be able to walk around and thank everyone personally for coming or say hello. The obligation to say hello to each guest that we did encounter before taking photos or after dinner felt overwhelming at times, and by the end of the day, we still weren’t able to give everyone a proper thank you like we wanted. We would have rather given those really close friends and family more dedicated love and attention on our day because after all, many traveled to Atlanta to witness us get married!
ASK FOR HELP
You want to enjoy the process of wedding planning & all the bliss that comes on your wedding day. You don’t have to do it all on your own! Invest in vendors that you trust to take some of that burden off your shoulders. Find a really amazing florist and decor company that will do all the installations for you. Find a planner or month of planner that will handle all the pre-wedding communications & or logistics on the day of. Find a coordinator that will set up all your personal items and safely pack it up at the end of the night. Book a photographer that will keep your timeline running smoothly, I can not stress how important that is. If you decide to DIY some of your wedding decor pace yourself and do not be afraid to tag in your bridal party to assist, make a fun day of it! I say all of that to say…. Your time is valuable, ask for help!
GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR MENUS
As a wedding guest I always remember the quality of the meal and the cake amongst other details. In my opinion, it is hard to prepare a steak to the liking of every guest’s preferences and a chicken breast gets old. With my husband being a corporate chef we decided to do get creative with what we served our guests and gave them as many options as our budget would allow. Our guests got to enjoy the food we love most such as Scottish Salmon, Prime Rib and a host of vegetarian options like ratatouille. We still hear to this day that people remember and really enjoyed the food at our wedding as well as the 6 cake flavors!
STAND FIRM ON WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU
Most wedding days follow a similar structure. But don’t feel pressured to succumb to the norm! I’ll let you in on a little secret. I hate attention. I get really heightened anxiety when I’m in a large group of people and everyone is looking at me. I didn’t even walk at my college graduation ceremony because of it. I knew that if I got married in front of our 300 wedding guests I would be so anxious that I wouldn’t be able to fully enjoy the moment. Because of it, it was important that our ceremony would be family-only (+ bridal party!). I was lucky that Aaron and our families agreed and honored that wish. Our ceremony was so special, and I was able to enjoy a stress & anxiety-free day because of it. We celebrated with a large group of family and friends at the reception!
DON’T GET LOST IN TRENDS
Be careful on Pinterest, that platform can be your biggest friend and hindrance. Do not get lost in the beauty that you see online so much that you lose part of yourself in the process, stay true to your style. You will save yourself plenty of headaches if you do not subscribe to the notion of being a copy and paste bride. When I was planning my wedding, micro weddings and minimalist was really on-trend. When I was explaining to my mother that I wanted opulence and black tie she was rooting me on but all I saw online were trends pushing me towards minimalistic and outdoor weddings. Make decisions that will you’ll love long-term. I wanted to look back at my wedding photos and be proud because I chose every little detail with intention.
