In the end, you got married to the man of your dreams and actually made it through the wedding planning. You are glowing that newlywed glow for a few months before you really start to think about that day. Smile about the best day of your life.
A few months ago, I told you the 10 Things I would Do All Over on My Wedding Day. Every single one of them, still would do if we got married again. On the flip side, there are a few things that I would definitely reconsider when planning the wedding.
Things I would now like to pass onto future brides. Who probably won't listen anyway because let's be serious, do brides ever listen to other people's advice?
Venue-Looking at Plan B
While I absolutely loved my venue, I wish I would have really looked at the rain option. We feel IN LOVE with our venue for the sheer fact the outside ceremony would be right in front of a fountain AND our cocktail hour would be outside. Something very unique to weddings.
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| Plan A |
We got so wrapped up in Plan A, we didn't research Plan B as much as we should have. Unfortunately, it did decide to have a tropical storm the day of our wedding and we had to go with Plan B. And I will say, with Plan B we were way overcharged. Our guests were cramped during cocktail hour (Was told it would fit 150 and we only had 125), the windows were open during our ceremony with a nice view of umbrellas (Oh, and a man was running back and forth outside multiple times during our ceremony)
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| Plan B |
The service we received didn't quite make up for the deficit. Oh, and apparently bubbles weren't allowed inside so I was stuck with 200 unused bubbles that I tied ribbons to...I know it's hard to even think about rain on your wedding day, but make sure to plan for it. And then plan again in your budget.
Favors
This is somewhat of a hot topic when it comes to weddings. Some people say it is rude not have something for your guests to take home. Others say it is a waste of money because all people do is throw them away or they collect dust. I was one of the latter. My original plan was to make a donation to a charity rather than spend the money on favors. Lets just say, in the end the favors won out but I would not do this again. Just say no.
Researching Vendors
Fact: I saw my photographer at one bridal show and was hooked. We went to a visit 6 months later, they offered us a deal if we booked then and we jumped at the chance. I mean, we already loved them what was the wait? I had researched others but couldn't get over their "show" at the bridal show.
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| One of the good ones |
We should have waited. Seeing our final wedding album, the final pictures. Our money could have been better spent I'm sure even though we got "a deal." My photographer didn't listen to my shot list on our phone call, there is ONE shot of our first kiss as husband and wife and our wedding album left a lot to be desired. In the end, the upgrades (second photographer, larger wedding album, groomsmen getting ready) would have cost us an extra grand. Which definitely was not in out budget and what I had been awed by during the bridal show.
However, our minister and DJ were two vendors we loved and would choose again and again for our wedding.
Experimenting with Different Hairstyles
When I went for my hair trial, I had 3 different pictures that I wanted to try. She tried the first one but told me it was "too 90's." On to the next one. That was it. The next one was the one I picked for my wedding day.
I never tried a half-up do or a completely down hairstyle. I was concerned with the summer heat which led me to an updo. Thinking back, I wish I would have asked to just see the down option because I have serious hairstyle envy when I see weddings now.
Even with all of this, this handsome fella, still mine mine mine.
What would you have done differently during wedding planning?
Not sure yet! I will let you know in about two weeks!
ReplyDeleteThere are SO many things I would have done differently... maybe 90% of the whole wedding. I was so frustrated and planning what was easiest because I didn't want to have to plan (I wanted to elope, remember) that it really took a lot of the fun out of the day. I'm so glad that I married my love, but I wish I had paid more attention to what would make me happiest in that situation.
ReplyDeleteFunny thing, I look back at my hairstyle and it's one of the few things I still love. All up! (Don't have hair envy of hair down, remember it gets hot, stringy, AND it gets caught on everything. Imagine how many times that day your hair would have been pulled by hugs and such) :)
Kevin and I were just talking about this the other day. He randomly asked me if I would have changed anything. I mean, besides having an unlimited budget ;) After reading some other blogs of weddings, I've heard a few good ideas I wish we could have done. One was to have "to-go" boxes for cake for people. We had probably 80% of our cake left at the end of the night and we didn't know what to do with all of it. To-go boxes probably would have helped get rid of some.
ReplyDeleteI've also heard of brides and grooms eating alone before they enter the reception. I like this idea for two reason. One, so you have a little bit of time alone on your wedding day, even if it's just to eat for 15-20 minutes. And two, then while all of the guests are eating, the bride and groom can go around table to table and thank everyone for coming. I still regret that I didn't talk to everyone that night, but we had so many people, and I wanted to enjoy myself dancing too. We would have had to re-work our day-of plan to make that work, but I think I would do something like that if I ever had to do it over.
Oh, it's getting close!! It will fly by, be ready :)
ReplyDeleteTruth: I wanted to end the whole thing with...ELOPE. But didn't want to hurt Brian's feeling too much (he read the blog) It was what I wanted to do right after we got engaged. It's something I might just encourage for my kids ;) I too got wrapped up in details and went over budget and ended up stressed.
ReplyDeleteAnd you are right about the hair, just wish I had at least tried it to see. I'm sure my hairstylist would have loved a last minute hair change!
I did always want to elope, so some of these might have to do with that. And I didn't even think about all the cake left from mine. Didn't even see it after we cut it up. Definitely would have been cute to send it home with the guests.
ReplyDeleteWe were also shuffled around a bit after our ceremony. I was trying to get my dress bustled, our photographer wanted more pictures and trying to mingle a little bit. Something I look back on and gives me anxiety about the whole situation.
Can't wait to plan for our 25th and fix all these things ;)