Calling All Future Brides

This time last year I was gearing up for the biggest event of my life… my wedding! I was a lucky bride, because I had this amazing team of women who wanted to make my dreams come true! If you know me though, you would know I’m a little bit of a control freak and a perfectionist. Combine that with planning the biggest event of your life, and well, you can imagine. So brides, I know what you’re going through, and I’m here to offer help.

The greatest tip I can give you is to find your tribe. The one’s that you can count on to come through and who will not let you down. On the big day you’re going to need to trust these key people, and learn to let go. Some of the best advice I received before my big day was that at least one thing will not go as planned. Sit back, relax and let someone else take care of it. If your dream team is as good as mine you won’t even know what went wrong till way later!

We live in a world of informality anymore, and while email and social media are great, it’s not the only way to do business. Call me old school but I think it’s extremely important to schedule in person meetings with ALL your vendors. Is it time consuming to meet with every single one of your vendors? Of course it is! It’s listed as my second piece of advice for a reason. I am positive that meeting with my vendors in person and sharing my vision is what contributed to the cohesiveness of my wedding. I wanted elegance in the purest and simplest form, and I can honestly say my vendors delivered!

When booking your photographer make sure you allot time for bridal suite pictures. These ended up being some of my favorite shots! It’s where all the precious moments are captured, like the sweet shots with your mama and best girls! Make sure your man gets captured in the groom’s room too, he’s just as important on wedding day!

Photographers would kill me for saying this, but decide if you can cut bridal portraits out. It saved me so much money by opting out of bridal portraits. In the end my photographer captured so many bridal portrait worthy shots that I didn’t even feel like I missed out on the bridal portrait experience.  

Brides, make an entrance! Arriving in this classic A-Model Ford was not only a sentimental factor for me, but man did it make an impression on my guests! I highly suggest arranging a wow entrance, something like a cool car, or a horse-drawn carriage, even a motorcycle would be neat! It made the day feel extra special.

This next tip is more for your guests, I promise they will be secretly thanking you. Once the reception has begun let the guests eat right away. I know your guests are there because they love and adore you, but lets be real, they also came for the food! As someone who’s attended a lot of weddings, I love when we can eat right away. The mood of the reception feels much more carefree. Once you and your new hubby make your reception entrance, I highly suggest going straight to the cake for pictures! That way you can get all the good shots, and then your guests don’t have to wait all night to have dessert.

Brides, be in the moment. I know you hear that from everyone right before your wedding day, but it’s a solid piece of advice. The day after your wedding day will be a blur. Take a moment either before the ceremony or during the reception to step back and appreciate all your hard work. For me this moment happened once I saw all the candles lit on the banquet tables. I was really proud of myself, because my wedding was exactly how I had envisioned it.

Being a bride is one of the most wonderful times of your life. Don’t let the stress of planning steal the joy that comes with all things bridal. There are so many special moments that lead up to your big day.

Now girl, go get your wedding planning on!