Photo credit: Alisha Silver Photography

“What’s that one mommy?” I asked curiously, pointing to a bright pink box holding a doll in a white dress.  “That’s Wedding Barbie sweetie!  Do you want to see her?”  Of course I did.  She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.  “What’s wedding?”,  I wanted to know next.  My mom took me home and with the help of my Ken doll, she showed me the walk down the aisle, the vows, and the first kiss.

From that day forward, I dreamed about my own wedding day. I pictured the flowers, the dress, and most importantly, the groom.  It wasn’t until I met Matt my freshman year of college that I saw the possibility of my dream becoming a reality.  He was like no guy I had ever met before, exciting, super funny, and extremely good looking!  Most importantly, Matt challenged me.  He had his own opinions and wasn’t afraid to tell me what he was really thinking.  He encouraged me to be a better person,  and for that, I loved him.

Fast forward 5 years.  WE ARE ENGAGED!!!  It is finally time to plan our wedding, the wedding I have been dreaming of since I was a little girl.  YEESSSSSS!!!!  Now, where to start?!  I had been envisioning this wedding my whole life, but making the actual decisions for this day was harder than I thought.  There were hundreds of options and like many brides, I was quickly overwhelmed.  How was I ever going to get everything done?

Photo credit: Alisha Silver Photography

If I could go back and give myself advice, here is what I would say…

1.  Relax!  Treasure this time.  This is hopefully the only wedding you will ever plan so make sure to enjoy every second of it.

2. Hire a wedding planner.  Booking Kat Mendenhall of Merrymaking Events was the best choice I made.  She acted as my day of coordinator and really helped execute every detail I had been planning for the last 10 months.  Because of her, I was able to enjoy my day without worrying if the place cards were in order or if the candy bar was set up and ready to go.

3.  Choose an AMAZING photographer.  This was on the top of my list…obviously!  Make sure you do your homework.  I wanted a photographer who shot photojournalistically, one who would capture every moment of our wedding day in a creative and beautiful way.  When I stumbled upon Alisha Silver, something moved inside of me.  I could feel the emotion in her work and I knew within minutes of being on her website that she was the one for me!  Her enthusiastic personality was an added bonus.  Best advice, trust your gut.  If you like your photographer, I guarantee you will end up LOVING your photos.  If you feel awkward around your photographer, chances are you will feel awkward on your wedding day.  Look for someone you LOVE almost as much as you love your future husband or wife.

Places to start?  The Knot. I totally trust them to feature the best of the best. Style Me Pretty.  Check out the weddings they feature in your area and look for a post that speaks to you.  Then find out who photographed it!  The best place to go?  Your married friends. 🙂  Ask them about their photographer.  If they did an exceptional job on your friends wedding, start by contacting them!

4.  Splurge for video.  Your wedding day goes by SO FAST and there is no way to see everything that takes place.  Watching our wedding video was honestly better than looking at our pictures… (did I just say that)?!   Matt and I were so moved by the way Alan Daly of Crown Alley Films captured the energy and emotion of our wedding day.  A year and a half later, I am able to feel the love and joy I felt October 16, 2010, just by popping it in the DVD player.  An added bonus, the customer service we received from Alan was unparalleled!

5. Get on The Knot.  Right away.  This website has it all.  Check lists, inspiration, and most importantly, all the tools you need to effectively plan your wedding!  From online RSVPs, a guest list organizer, and seating charts, The Knot will help you organize your wedding simply and efficiently.

6.  Wait for the perfect dress.  I mean PERFECT!  You didn’t settle on your man…why settle on your dress?!  You will know when you have found the right one because you won’t want to try on another.

7.  Take advantage of Pinterest.  You will find so many amazing details on this site.  Beautiful details.  Pinterest will allow you to keep all of your ideas in one place, allowing you to view them at a glance.  Better yet, each pin will directly link you to a site where you can discover how to make every unique idea a reality.

8.  Prepare for the stress of the final month.  I feel like this is something no one every told me about and I definitely wasn’t ready for.  There are certain things that can only be done a month before your wedding day.  You must have every RSVP back before you can start on your seating chart and place cards right?  Wrong.  Make a template for place cards before that final month.  That way when it arrives, you will literally just have to add the names.  Think about the gifts to your guests and wedding party at least four months before the wedding.  This snuck up on me and I felt rushed to come up with creative ideas.  Buy your garter, wedding jewelry, ring bearer pillow, unity candle, etc when you have a lull in your planning.  If you don’t, these small details can feel OVERWHELMING right before your big day.

The plus side to the stress of the final month?  It is literally impossible to gain weight.

9.  Make sure your wedding party only consists of your closest friends.  Too many people can add a whole lot of unwanted DRAMA.  I was lucky to be surrounded my six of my closest friends, Ali, Lori, Jenny, Alyson, Stephanie, and Kelli.  I love these girls and their presence brought true happiness to my wedding day.

10.  Take a few minutes alone with your husband to enjoy the excitement of being MARRIED!  With so many close friends and family waiting to congratulate you, it can be hard to find time to yourselves.  At one point in the evening, Matt and I stepped away from our reception to take in everything.  Our friends letting loose on the dance floor, our family members enjoying the beauty of the lake from the open terrace, and all of our carefully planned, personal details, perfectly placed around us.  Taking it in together was one of our favorite moments of the entire day, second only to saying our vows.

I want to share this very personal video with you, the video of our wedding day!  I hope you enjoy this sneak peek into the most memorable day of my life to date.   

Crown Alley Films

Whew!  Watching that video brings tears to my eyes EVERYTIME!  I hope you have found this advice helpful.  If you have already taken your walk down the aisle, I would love to hear the one thing you wish you had known before your wedding day.  If you are planning your wedding now, let me know what your have found to be helpful in your planning process.  Still waiting for the ring?  What are you looking forward to the most?  Leave your advice and comments in the box below…you never know who’s life you will impact. 🙂  HAPPY WEDNESDAY!