For starters...plan the day for you and your fiance, no one else. Of course you will take advice, suggestions and ideas from friends and family but remember, this is YOUR day. This is a day to celebrate the love and union between you two, make sure your day reflects that.
Spend a lot of time with your new husband at the reception. I am very traditional in the belief that every bride and groom should try to greet each table and thank them for coming, but…you may not get to every single table and that’s ok. We had a 300+ person wedding so we made sure to at least get to the tables of people we don’t see often. After that we danced our asses off and talked to people as the night went on. Don’t loose out on time you won’t get back.
Mimosas are a wedding morning must have. Or, in my case as you will see below, a game of pass the bottle..either way. Enjoy a morning cocktail with your gal pals!
Let your fiancé help with the planning too but don’t push him to do anything he doesn’t want to do. Can we say pre-wedding fights? No thanks. Derek told me his idea of a perfect wedding is whatever I wanted. But, he of course wanted to be involved in the cake tasting, venue selection, menu choices…include your man on things he will enjoy.
If you have great food and a stocked bar, your wedding guests will be happy. On this topic, choose a signature drink. We had a fall wedding so we offered captain and cider as our signature cocktail (everyone LOVED it). The hall manager called me the next day because she found it hysterical that my 350 person wedding went through 26 fifths of Captain Morgan alone..not including the other liquor/beer/wine people drank. She said we drank the equivalent to a 700 person wedding! Now, choosing a unique cocktail doesn’t mean your guests too will get shift faced, but it’s a cute touch! And as far as the food…people remember bad wedding food!
Just say no to cheesy wedding music. Need I elaborate?
Be thoughtful when choosing guests seats. Keep the drinkers by the bar and the old folks away from the speakers.
Feed your vendors..How did you feel the last time you went 8 hours without eating?!
Limos are classic but are usually very cramped…and hot..you don’t want to sweat off your beautiful makeup. Look into buses or a trolley for your big day. This was my only regret..We had a limo, the driver was an asshole and not to mention he showed up with the wrong limo..but if that’s the only thing that goes wrong, no sweat.
Discuss bridesmaid attire with your gals before any decisions are made. These girls are your best friends, you want them to stay that way. I told my girls, “only you know what makes you feel beautiful.” So, if they wanted to do their own hair and makeup, fine by me..and they were a big part in the dress selection. Remember, they have budgets too. Don’t give them a gown selection of outrageous prices. That’s just mean.
Have a professional style your hair and makeup. You will be too nervous, excited, jittery, etc…I loved everything about my hair and makeup. But, I almost went down the aisle with no makeup at all! My makeup artist had a death in the family the morning of my wedding, someone very close to her. She was an hour late and I hadn’t heard from her. I was crying and researching on the fly airbrushing I could get done..she finally called (I felt horrible for throwing such a tantrum) and she sent a backup girl to do it. And, it turned out amazing.
Make a “must have” wedding photo list for your photographer and a “do not play” list for your DJ. SOOO glad I did this. But, tell your DJ if he does get a request to go ahead and play it. You want your guests to enjoy themselves.
Choose your wedding favors wisely. No one wants an ornament with your name on it. We bought $1 Michigan lottery tickets, attached a brand new 2011 penny and made awesome velum envelopes with our wedding date and monogram on them. They read “wishing your riches from the Mr. and Mrs.” PEOPLE LOVED THIS!! Some people won money!
Water-proof mascara is a brilliant thing. I cried like a baby..and still looked flawless :).
DON’T FORGET YOUR MARRIAGE LICENSE! We did..yep..I forgot the damn thing at the house. Luckily, one of the groomsmen’s wives was still around when we were taking photos and ran back to our house to get it. We were fortunate the house was so close to the church. Don’t make this mistake.
Pick a first dance song that has a special meaning to both of you, not just one of you. Ours was “lost in this moment,” by Big and Rich. When we had first started dating we were in the car and that song came on. Derek looked at me and said, this would make a great wedding song someday. I always remembered that, and every time we heard it, we thought of each other. It was a no brainer.
Enjoy planning, this is the most exciting time of your life. I truly miss being a "bride," you can't get this time back so have fun and be true to yourself! Happy Wedding Planning!!
Also, check out my Esty page! We make beautiful custom seating charts for your event! Printed in our office and shipped to your home :)
