What I wish I Had Known Before I Planned My Own Wedding

Tip 1: Anything can be found cheaper if you are willing to put some effort into finding it.

 See that veil? I rented it for 25 dollars. 

I don't profess to being an expert DIY-er, but one thing I do know, is how to wait for or find a good deal.  People who buy full price clothes? I don't get you.  My philosophy has always been to wait on an item to go on sale.  This is no different with wedding planning.  Find a great veil in the expensive store?  Surely you can locate one very similar on a number of places like Etsy or Rent the Runway.  Don't buy something at an elevate price for convenience.  If you are wanting to watch your pennies, spend some hard earned Google time in trying to find a suitable alternative. Love a certain designer?  Try to find a dress that is a sample and call around until you can find it.  And my most favorite wedding planning take away is Netbride.  I was able to find the bridesmaids dresses I wanted at a FRACTION of the price the stores quoted me for the same dress.  All it required of me was more leg work and I saved my girls about 150 dollars. 



Tip 2: Bridal Shows and bridal magazines are a waste of your time and money.


As a newly engaged fiance I was really excited to pour into bridal magazines dreaming of our perfect day.  What those bridal magazines need on the front is a huge label with the price tags of all those high end items to warn wide-eyed brides.  While I was able to get a lot of great ideas from those magazines, it also caused a lot of heartache realizing some of those things I loved and lusted after, were well beyond my price range.  I had a few moments where I wondered if I would ever find the type of decor that fit my tastes and the price I wanted to stay within.  In retrospect, I wish I had steered clear of getting my heart set on any of those magazines or bridal shows.

Tip 3: Photographers blogs are a great source of inspiration

 Not quite beauty magazine material but this candid shot is one of my favorite's of the day.

I had the most fun trying to decide on a wedding photographer because it meant I got to look through pictures of REAL weddings from REAL folks.  Unlike the magazines that often are staged inspiration shoots, the photo blogs of my favorite local photographers had real vendors I could use in my own area.   Once I shifted my attention away from the pretend to the tangible my imagination and my productivity flourished. 

Tip 4: Clarity is key.  Clarify expectations at the beginning.

Everyone needs a few good ladies who are willing to go up your dress for you. Right?

As a bride and groom you have a lot of latent expectations.  For yourself, your family, your friends, society.  Not getting an idea if these expectations are fair is a fertile ground for some major disappointment.  So many brides expect a certain thing from their loved ones and never share those expectations only to become disappointed when they are not met.  Sharing your expectations in a loving way also gives those close to you a chance to let you know if they cannot meet those expectations and everyone benefits! 

Tip 5: It's only as hard as you make it. 

 Not really the face of someone pleased with his first bite.  But we embrace the imperfection around here. 

In our society you hear a lot about how stressful and hard a wedding is. You won't hear much disagreement from this former bride on that one.  Weddings are a breeding ground of emotion, expectation, stress, family, and cost.  But just like anything, it is only as hard as you make it.  Share the load, outsource, lessen your expectation of "perfect" and make it "perfect for you".  At the end of the day, the only folks that need to be pleased with your wedding are you and your new spouse. After all, it is the day you will remember the rest of your life!  Chances are your friends, family may not give many after thoughts to your wedding. I would strongly encourage you to "take yourself out of the running" for perfect wedding.  You will be so glad you did.