3 Things I wish I knew when I planned my wedding
Looking back on my wedding day, there really isn’t anything I would change. As far as weddings go it was as close to perfect as one could get, even still, there are definitely some things I wish I had known or advice I wish I had taken (Truth bomb, your mother is right about whatever you’re disagreeing with her on).
In general, I consider myself a practical person but when it came to making decisions regarding my wedding there were a few things I refused to compromise on:
#1 Photographer: A sizable portion of my overall budget went to my photographer and I don’t regret it one bit.
#2 Venue and Food: The venue had a lot of personal significance to me and having good food is a no brainer (My venue was a fine dining restaurant similar to Bon Appetit in Dunedin, FL).
With my photographer and venue picked well in advance, I wasn’t overly obsessed with the details or terribly concerned that my wedding dress wasn’t *gasp* designer, but there are a few things I wish I had paid a bit more attention to throughout the process…
Here are the 3 Things I wish I knew when I planned my wedding:
1.The Small Stuff will Stress You Out
Earlier I mentioned that I wasn’t overly obsessed with the details and I wasn’t until I was. On the day of my wedding, a few things didn’t turn out exactly how I had expected. It was my own fault because I never verbally expressed how important a few of those details were to me – partly because I didn’t realize they were until I saw them – and I certainly never expected to have a bridezilla moment, but it happened anyway. And honestly, I think it’s only natural.
So, word to the wise, when the day comes, be prepared something may not go your way. Regardless of how laid-back you think you are or no matter how meticulously you planned everything. Try to remember whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. No one will ever know that something isn’t going exactly how you wanted it to. Besides, all that matters is that you’re surrounded by people who love you, care about you and want to celebrate with you!
2. Embrace the Full Experience
After getting engaged, I didn’t immediately run to the nearest bridal boutique to pick out my wedding dress. In fact, I bought my wedding dress online because I knew exactly what I wanted and knew my seamstress could make the alterations. I saved a ton of time and money this way, so much so, that I actually had a ceremony dress and a reception dress (woo hoo). Only problem, I missed out on the entire wedding dress shopping experience! I didn’t get to try on the different styles or make it a fun girl’s day with my bridesmaids.
So, if you’re thinking of purchasing for your wedding dress (or anything else for that matter) a little less traditionally, like online, make a point to schedule time to experience things the traditional way too.
3. The day really is over before you know it
Okay, everyone and their brother’s sister’s mother warned me that the actual day of your wedding is a whirlwind. I took that advice and went into to my wedding day with scheduled breaks where my husband and I could sneak away to live in the moment of our special day.
(TIP: For beach weddings, sunset is a natural part in the day to slip away from guests for a special moment your photographer can capture).
Even still, the day still flew by! Which is why, if you’re considering a videographer, go for it. And if you’re not, reconsider. Seriously, just do it even if it’s your Uncle Bob with his 90’s VHS camcorder. I didn’t think a videographer would really be necessary, I figured I’d never watch a wedding video. But to my surprise, I look through my wedding album all the time and I can only now imagine how awesome it would be to relive my wedding day through watching the whole day again on video.
I realize the 3 things I wish I knew when I planned my wedding aren’t new concepts or revolutionary ideas, but sometimes we ignore the advice we’re given from our mothers, sisters and friends and it just helps when you hear it from a person not directly involved in the planning process. So, why should you listen to a word I say? I just went through all of this planning my own wedding two years ago! Plus, I work closely with the wedding coordinators at Sand Key Beach in Clearwater, FL and Honeymoon Island and Bon Appetit Restaurant in Dunedin, FL.
If you’re currently planning your wedding or recently had a wedding, let us know if there is anything you think we’ve missed! We’d love to hear your thoughts.