What a great movie. Not Matthew McConaughey's best look, but let's face it- he's always dreamy. And no one ever looked at M&M's the same way again. Or teal bridal gowns either, for that matter. But this post is clearly not about that movie. It's about helping you make the right choice of a wedding planner. And even if you choose not to hire one, you'll undoubtedly still have one. Wedding's don't happen without them. Even small, simple, courthouse weddings. The way I see it, there are three different kinds of wedding planners: professionals, trusted friends and family, and brides. And really, the choice that's right for you depends on your particular situation.
Frankly, I would never recommend that the bride do all the planning, tasting, booking, visiting, ordering, visioning, and worrying all by herself. I mean, think about it. Would you really want to handle all of that on your own? The only case I would consider this even feasible is in a small (under 30 person attendance) backyard/home setting. And if that's your goal, then I won't try to stop you. But I will tell you that when you're three weeks away from your big day and it suddenly dawns on your caterer that he did, in fact, have a prior booking for the night of your nuptials, you will most definitely need some help with last-minute stress-management.
If your wedding is particularly large, extravagant, or expensive, you may choose to hire a professional wedding planner. True wedding planners cost a hefty amount, but are often worth the expense, as they usually do all of the planning, ordering, and yelling for you. You tell them your personal style and sign-off on all the big decisions, and the pains of long hours of research and price-haggling are spared. This is always an excellent choice for those brides out there who tend to be easily stressed-out. (Trust me- the weeks leading up to your wedding are not the days that you want to be wound so tight that you're pulling your hair out. Frankly, no one likes a bald bride. Unless she's making a statement for her best friend who's struggling with cancer-that is a very beautiful thing.)
My personal choice for a wedding planner lied largely in my mother. I can not tell you how many countless hours she spent on helping me with every last detail (and every big or minute decision) that was involved in my planning process. As my wedding was mostly a DIY affair, she also functioned as my own personal Martha-Stewart-meets-Vera-Wang project consultant. She was absolutely wonderful. And I tend to think that this works across the board- people who love you and know everything about you (from your food preferences to your emotional breaking-point) work best. They're honest about what those designer dresses look like on you, they'd do anything short of committing murder to help you, they love to be your shoulder to cry on, and they know without a doubt that you absolutely hate those 'phoofy' flowers. You just can't get any better than that.
Showing posts with label general planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label general planning. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The Most Helpful Tool Ever...
Okay... now that you have those intimidating first things done, the big fun starts! Yay! From here on out, you're either going to be up to your ears in wedding details, or purposefully stretching the planning out so that you can have some later. (Either way, it's exciting!) Your next big task: make a plan about planning. I know that sounds ridiculous (and I know that's what gets Joy in trouble in What Happens In Vegas), but things will go much more smoothly for you later if you map the process out now! (Sometimes, it's okay to 'plan to make plans'.) Sit down tonight or sometime this week and figure out your planning priorities: Do you absolutely have to have a designer dress? Can't live without a certain caterer? Have a friend in a band that books up really fast? Set the most important things first- what things are you going to plan your wedding around? The details and big items about your day that are most important to you are the ones that you should guarantee to be there- you have a picture in your head, and we (I mean... you) need to make it work!
If you've chosen a long engagement (more than 9-10 months), pace yourself. Don't plan everything now- your mid-section will be boring. (And no... I don't mean your personal midsection. I mean the middle portion of your engagement.) I have a friend who's getting married this fall that was engaged for about two-and-a-half years. (Personally, I admire her patience... I never could have done that! We'd have been too stressed, both physically and emotionally, to go through with it.) Anyways, we discussed planning and found that it was much better to have something to plan every month... otherwise you get all your planning done in the first few months, and then sit around waiting for a long time until your wedding. My advice- get your dress one month, pick your napkins and favors the next, look at wedding rings after that, follow up a few weeks after with the cake... have something to look foward to every month that you can do. (If you have a short engagement... way to go! Let's get moving!)
The greatest help you can possibly give yourself: get a membership (most are free) on a wedding website that has an interactive to-do list. (I chose theknot.com, simply because I found it so easy to navigate and super-helpful with every topic. Check it out!) This planning website is also where you'll set up your personal 'wedding website', keep track of your budget and guest list, and spend almost all of your work lunch-breaks (and likely a few hours during the day... don't tell your boss) from here on out! With a guided timeline, you're bound not to miss anything big. (And that kind of insurance is a huge relief.) In fact, I'm kinda shocked that you're still here reading this- leave. Go find a website. Sign-up. Tell them I sent you. :)
If you've chosen a long engagement (more than 9-10 months), pace yourself. Don't plan everything now- your mid-section will be boring. (And no... I don't mean your personal midsection. I mean the middle portion of your engagement.) I have a friend who's getting married this fall that was engaged for about two-and-a-half years. (Personally, I admire her patience... I never could have done that! We'd have been too stressed, both physically and emotionally, to go through with it.) Anyways, we discussed planning and found that it was much better to have something to plan every month... otherwise you get all your planning done in the first few months, and then sit around waiting for a long time until your wedding. My advice- get your dress one month, pick your napkins and favors the next, look at wedding rings after that, follow up a few weeks after with the cake... have something to look foward to every month that you can do. (If you have a short engagement... way to go! Let's get moving!)
The greatest help you can possibly give yourself: get a membership (most are free) on a wedding website that has an interactive to-do list. (I chose theknot.com, simply because I found it so easy to navigate and super-helpful with every topic. Check it out!) This planning website is also where you'll set up your personal 'wedding website', keep track of your budget and guest list, and spend almost all of your work lunch-breaks (and likely a few hours during the day... don't tell your boss) from here on out! With a guided timeline, you're bound not to miss anything big. (And that kind of insurance is a huge relief.) In fact, I'm kinda shocked that you're still here reading this- leave. Go find a website. Sign-up. Tell them I sent you. :)
Friday, July 24, 2009
Welcome to Reality...
I married my best friend about a month ago.
It was picture perfect. My best friends stood up with me, my Daddy walked me down the aisle, I had an altar full of candles and a church full of my favorite people, there were fun ribbons on everything that could be detailed, and I had such a good time that my smile muscles are still sore. Picture. Perfect. Okay, so Clinton took forever on the aisle runner, I got called by my sister's name at first, and the rings put up a fight to fit on our fingers... but those things make for a light and fun ceremony. All in all, I wouldn't have changed a thing. Well, I might've done some things differently if I'd been the only one that mattered.
But contrary to today's typical bride, I wanted my husband to look back on our day and know that everything about it was how he had wanted it too. Given, it makes for harder planning, but it does teach lessons about communication, patience, and compromise that most people wait until after the wedding to learn. Personally, I'd advise my route to anyone. (But then again... every person with either integrity or vanity would recommend their own way of doing things to anyone. I don't know what that really says about me. Take from that what you will. Haha.)
In short, my intent with this blog is to have a positive (and hopefully productive and instructive) outlet for my planning-withdrawal. (Which perhaps I'll do an entire post on eventually.) Put shortly, I'm writing my advice and thoughts in here so that I don't start planning all of your weddings and insisting that I do everything except wear the pretty white dress. I promise not to do any of that... if you promise to send me an invite... and read my stuff. :)
It was picture perfect. My best friends stood up with me, my Daddy walked me down the aisle, I had an altar full of candles and a church full of my favorite people, there were fun ribbons on everything that could be detailed, and I had such a good time that my smile muscles are still sore. Picture. Perfect. Okay, so Clinton took forever on the aisle runner, I got called by my sister's name at first, and the rings put up a fight to fit on our fingers... but those things make for a light and fun ceremony. All in all, I wouldn't have changed a thing. Well, I might've done some things differently if I'd been the only one that mattered.
But contrary to today's typical bride, I wanted my husband to look back on our day and know that everything about it was how he had wanted it too. Given, it makes for harder planning, but it does teach lessons about communication, patience, and compromise that most people wait until after the wedding to learn. Personally, I'd advise my route to anyone. (But then again... every person with either integrity or vanity would recommend their own way of doing things to anyone. I don't know what that really says about me. Take from that what you will. Haha.)
In short, my intent with this blog is to have a positive (and hopefully productive and instructive) outlet for my planning-withdrawal. (Which perhaps I'll do an entire post on eventually.) Put shortly, I'm writing my advice and thoughts in here so that I don't start planning all of your weddings and insisting that I do everything except wear the pretty white dress. I promise not to do any of that... if you promise to send me an invite... and read my stuff. :)
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