We're gathering helpful ideas, tips and lessons from the most respected wedding bloggers and thinkers in the country. We hope to compile enough advice to actually make an e-book titled, 'Say I Do-Over: If I Could Go Back To My Big Day.'
If this happens, we'll distribute it for free so that future brides-to-be everywhere will avoid learning some lessons the hard way. :)
We asked everyone the same question:
If you could start your wedding planning process over, what three things would you do differently?
We were delighted when Cheryl Rhody asked to contribute her story after reading our last post from Nicole at The Plunge Project. Here's what she had to say:
I had the most amazing, magical wedding ever. The sort of wedding that you dream about as a little girl. I married my wonderful husband on November 13, 2010 in a traditional, yet romantic church ceremony at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Tequesta, Fla. After we exchanged vows and became "Mr. & Mrs.", we held our tropically infused reception at the Key West-inspired Sugar Cane Island Bistro in Jupiter, Fla.
Now that I've told you how absolutely perfect our Big Day was, you can only imagine how difficult it was for me to come up with my wedding "do-overs". However, I took a shot at it anyway, in the hopes that my experiences and insight may help future brides-to-be.
1. Waiting on a Woman
In my attempt to become the queen of all things wedding-related, I crafted an extremely tactical playbook for our wedding festivities. It included everything from a detailed schedule and contact information (from the immediate wedding party, to the vendors, to just about anyone affiliated with the wedding in one way or another).
According to plan, the morning of my wedding began with my glam team getting me primped for my trip down the aisle. My lucky husband-to-be was instructed to show up promptly at a certain time, suited and camera-ready for our "First Look" photo session. The only problem was, while he was incredibly punctual, I was not.
I was completely lost in the moment, everything felt so surreal. I lost all track of time while he sat in the lobby of the resort and waited....and waited...for nearly 2 hours! Needless to say, we were able to salvage what was left of the schedule I had created (and then paid absolutely no attention it myself) and he married me regardless (whew!).
But the lesson learned? If you create the rules, you must follow them yourself. And be sure to designate someone to make sure the bride stays on track!
2. Beauty & the Bustle
After the aforementioned snafu, our ceremony went off without a hitch. Then we were off to the reception to begin the festivities. Once our formal portraits and bridal party photos had been taken, it was time for me to be bustled. Well, my dress that is.
My bridesmaids went into action, but to no avail. They were encountering difficulties and the clock was ticking...and ticking. With our "First Dance" right around the corner, I went into full-on bridezilla frenzy (which I had been trying to avoid).
Fortunately, one of our groomsman (yes!) came to the rescue and was able to maneuver the bustle, my bridesmaids forgave me and I was able to dance into the evening. However, I truly wish I could have remained calm and kept it all in perspective. Again, lesson learned.
3. Little Miss Can't Be Wrong
When I got engaged, it became my mission to transform into a wedding planning diva. All by myself.
This came as no surprise to anyone that knew me; I've been this way since I was a toddler. Some call it stubborn, but I call it ambitious. Well, perhaps overly ambitious.
I am a public relations and marketing professional by day, so why couldn't I moonlight as a wedding planner? In my midst of planning, I read a magazine that regarded a bride's wedding as her first opportunity to host a formal event and celebrate her new status as a married lady in front of society. It was deemed a way to set the tone for all future festivities as a married couple. No pressure at all.
Call me crazy, but I actually took this to heart, somewhat regrettably. Although everything (for the most part) went off without a hitch, I wish I would have relinquished a bit more control to my family and friends or even hired a wedding planner. Although I received a tremendous amount of support and collaboration from my inner circle, I could have relieved a bit more of the inevitable stress that comes with planning a wedding.
Ultimately, the best piece of advice I can give to future brides is no amount of wedding planning can ever adequately prepare you for your wedding day. And that's okay. The experience is so surreal, just enjoy it! As all brides ultimately end up saying, it goes way too fast! And besides, it's not the wedding that defines your marriage, it's your relationship!
If you would like a sneak peak at our wedding photos, here you go! Our photographer Alexi Shields of Palm Beach Wedding Photography is extremely artistic and a fixture in the South Florida wedding circuit. Enjoy!
Do you want to contribute? Participating is simple! It's just the one question and you can write as much or as little as you want. But the more you share, the more helpful it will be! Email your submissions to Matthew at miles@ninashoes.com or leave your tips in the comments below.
