When a couple gets engaged, it’s SO beautiful and SUCH a special time. And as the engagement sets in, so does the planning. It’s important to find a way to balance the planning with the pure joy and anticipation of marriage. I truly never realized how much time and effort it takes to plan such an event until I began working in the industry. And I hope that Megan’s tips can be of help to you.
All of the couples that I work with me mean so much to me; and I learn so much from them. One bride that I met with sticks out in my mind when it comes to planning; this is Megan. When Megan came to meet with me, it was just she and her mom. And they arrived with binders in hand. 🙂 Megan had her binder organized by categories and labels; being the interior designer that she is….I imagine this comes as second nature to her. I asked her what her color palette was and instead of describing the colors to me, she pulled out actual color samples (I knew in that moment we were a match). 🙂 She was a pleasure to work with from the start and I thought she might have some valuable insight into her wedding day planning as she did such a wonderful job in the execution.
She took particular care in making sure that everything was ready and beautiful prior to her wedding day so that she and Josh could simply enjoy each other….their family + friends….and the WOP. 😉 So, I asked Megan a bit about the planning process and she was happy to respond with the comments below:
Are there any shops that you would recommend?
I would definitely recommend Bustle, where I got my dress, the bridesmaids dresses, and some accessories. They’re really nice and helpful and you really feel like they’re focused on YOU when you go in. I would also recommend the Queen Bee in Towne Center. They have a great selection of invitations, stationery, and gifts. I also got a beautiful custom guest/memory book from there with our monogram embroidered on the front, and of course an etiquette book =) The ladies there are so great!
What’s one thing that you wish you would have known before planning your wedding?
I don’t really have a good answer for this one…I guess I would’ve liked to have a better idea of what things cost before hand. My mom and I had major sticker shock on some things like the flowers and the invitations.
What was your favorite part about planning?
I loved looking through bridal magazines and websites to get ideas, and I loved spending time with my mom. The whole process was fun for me. I loved choosing colors and making sure everything coordinated perfectly.
About how much time did you spend planning your wedding and did you have any help?
I spent about a year planning, and I had a lot of help, mostly from my mom. She was with me through everything and every decision!
Is there anything that you would change about your wedding day?
No, not a thing!
Any words of advice to a currently engaged bride?
I would just say to start early, make lists, and stay on top of everything. If you do that, there’s less chance that you’ll ever be stressed.
TheKnot.com has a very detailed list with the time frame that everything should be done in. I tried to stick to that throughout the process, and it really helped me.
I also suggest using an established venue because it takes the guesswork out of everything. I never had to worry that something wasn’t going to get done. I knew they had a routine and that everything would be perfect.
Another great thing to have is a wedding coordinator to take care of everything the day of the wedding so you and your family can just relax and get ready. My venue provided one so that was great!
And most of all…just try to have fun and stay relaxed!!
Megan + Josh were an absolute JOY to work with and as their photographer I can say that I truly observed and documented a couple in love and able to enjoy their wedding day.
They were surrounded by their closest friends and family members in a beautiful environment without a care in the world. It was such a fun process working with Megan and I hope that her insight has been able to help another bride today! 🙂
Happy Planning!
Catherine
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Great perspective! Love hearing about the planning process from brides.