The 4 things you HAVE to do before you start planning your wedding!

June 23, 2015

It is the moment you have been waiting for for years, or for some of you, your entire life! It was romantic, beautiful, and just perfect. Your man has popped the question and you said "Yes!" to a lifetime of ups and downs with your other half!

So now what?

It's a funny thing, but the first question you will get from just about everyone as soon as they see that shiny new bling on your hand is, "When is the wedding?"

Really? I just got engaged last week and you expect me to have my wedding planned already? You've got to be kidding!

You may have your Pinterest wedding all planned out but let's be real, you have more ideas on there than one wedding can handle. And who is going to make all of those ideas come to life? There is a lot to plan, and plenty of time! So before you start with any wedding plans, there are a couple of things you need to do:

1. Tell your closest family and friends!

You don't want anyone close to you to find out via Facebook, so do yourself a favor and personally call those who are closest to you to tell them all about it! And make sure to remind each of them to NOT post anything about the engagement on their own social media, because they may spoil it for you!

2. Announce it on social media!

There is nothing more exciting to me than seeing engagements announced on Facebook and Instagram. When I see an engagement announcement, I can't help but smile! So if your friends are anything like me, do them a favor and bring a smile to their faces by announcing the engagement :)

3. Take a break!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't start the wedding talk for at least two weeks! Your engagement is a time of happiness, love, and romance (at least it's supposed to be!). It's a time to celebrate, pop a bottle of champagne (or two) and just be happy with each other and the lifetime you have ahead of you!

Planning a wedding can get stressful...if you hadn't already heard. And there is a lot to do in order to get your wedding plans together! So take a little breather before the excitement (and madness) begins!

4. Discuss (and finalize) your budget.

You cannot do ANYTHING without first having a budget in mind. Talk to your parents, your family, or whoever will be pitching in! If your mom says she is going to pay for your photographer, discuss a specific number. If your dad says he will pay for everything, discuss a specific number.

Weddings are a numbers game and there is nothing more stressful than owing $5,000 the week before your wedding, and having no clue where it is going to come from!

So come up with specific numbers, time frames of when those amounts are able to be spent, and who is going to pay them. And you can always raise the number later if you win the lottery :) I know you're excited, but I PROMISE (and I don't break promises) that you cannot begin without this!

You can thank me later :)

Now, let the planning begin!!

Peach Wedding Inspiration

June 22, 2015

Peach season is finally here so I thought it would be nice to show off some of our favorite peach wedding inspiration! Peach is a soft and feminine color and is nothing less than dreamy. It is a perfect color to incorporate in your palette for a summer or spring wedding!

The Custom-Made Venue Machine

June 21, 2015

The custom made venue making machine...now don't you wish that was actually a thing??

You would select the flooring, the ceiling height, select no ceiling at all, plant the trees where you wanted them and create the perfect space size to fit your guest count. And with this machine, we would all be happy!

Oh, and I forgot to mention, it would always fit within your budget, no matter what the budget was.

Wishful thinking, right? ;)

But in reality, there is no magic button to create that perfect venue. You've got to give and take. We all live in different areas, with different potential wedding venues and unless your venue search is expanded to anywhere in the world and your budget is unlimited, then I'm going to have to break some bad news to you:

You are not going to get everything you're looking for.

It's all about a little compromise, and deciding on your top must-haves.

So here is my advice to you: Create a list of "must-haves" that both you and your fiance want. Maybe he definitely wants vaulted ceilings and you just have to have an outdoor, garden ceremony. Maybe you don't want your guests to have to drive anywhere (aka a hotel) or possibly it is just important to you that you stay within a 10 mile radius of your house.

Whatever it may be, begin a list in order of importance. Then anything that is below #5, you can cut right off of that list. While they may be doable, but they are not a must have - rather, a WANT.

Then when you begin venue shopping, keep that list of musts and begin to determine what you can compromise on, based on seeing it in person. Can you go for 10 foot ceilings instead of 15 feet if you have everything else on your list of musts? Does the carpet really matter since it will be dark in the room and covered in tables? Would you compromise your garden view for an ocean view if all of the others are there? Or what about a 5 minute drive for guests to get from reception to their hotel at the end of the night?

It's all about compromise.

And at the end of the day, if you've got three out of your top five musts, then believe me, you've found your perfect venue :)