Some Advice From a Few of Our Former Brides

Planning a wedding can be an overwhelming process as there are a lot of things to book, order and consider. Hiring a planner or day of coordinator can definitely ease some of the stress, but having a solid plan and detailed budget can really help.

Photo courtesy of Candid Moments Photography

But in some cases, even with a planner and a well planned out day, there may be things you wished you had done or hadn't done. I know when it came to my wedding, I was just so happy to be marrying my now husband that I didn't care about a lot of the details. Looking back, I wished I had. It was a beautiful wedding, but it wasn't necessarily a reflection of us.

We went back and talked to a few of our past brides and asked them if there was anything they wished they had done differently; any professionals they wished they had hired or not hired; what their favorite moments were, etc. Maybe hearing about their experiences can help you when it comes to planning and preparing for your wedding.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Estes Photography

 There were a few common themes that came from each conversation; be organized, and no matter how organized you are, hiring a professional is a good idea; wedding planning can be stressful, try not to let the little things that wouldn't ordinarily bother you, get to you; hire a solid group of professionals, and it is helpful if they've worked together before; and splurge on the things that are important to you, whether that's the food, the music, the photography, etc.

Photo courtesy of 217 Photography

"Okay, so looking back on my wedding, I feel like the only thing I would have done differently is to organize everything I needed the week before the wedding, instead of last minute," bride Casey said. "I was living in New York, and we were having the wedding in Philadelphia. My entire family is from Delaware, so I didn't have anyone in the area that could help organize and bring things down. The night before I came down to the area I was sort of scrambling...and I ended up getting locked out of my house, and later breaking my finger, hahaha. The wedding was perfect, it would have just been nice to relax the few days leading up to it!"

Wedding planning can be hectic, and there are a number of things need to not be done the week of the wedding. If you're out of the area, or don't have family around to help you, considering hiring a professional, not just to keep things in line on the day of the wedding, but to help you leading up to it as well.

Photo courtesy of Barton Paul Photography

I asked bride Kara about the professionals she hired and if there were anything she would have changed. She said "I'm so, so, so, glad I hired the vendors I did because I was not disappointed one second on the day of the wedding. People who know me thought I was crazy for hiring a wedding planner since I organize for a living but that has it be one of the smartest things I did. I am not just saying that for this...having the Proud to Plan team present brought me so much peace and comfort. I felt like I had an entourage that day and everyone was there to make sure the wedding went perfect. Would not have been the same without everyone."

Bride Devon reiterated how important it is to hire solid professionals, get some help with the planning details, and it doesn't hurt if your professionals have worked together before. "I would definitely attribute much of the weddings success to working with Erin and Proud to Plan. Knowing she was there to look out for all the details I had planned and make sure everything went smoothly, was such a mental relief for me; not just the day of, but all of the planning leading up to it. I didn't have to check on things, I could just enjoy the day."

"I also loved how so many of my vendors had worked together in the past, and had great relationships with each other," Devon said. "My photographer and videographer often work together, same for the florist and caterer, coordinator and DJ. It definitely helped me to ask my vendors for advice, and look at the folks they recommended. If your vendors are able to work well together, it's going to make things run smoother."

Photo courtesy of Leave It To Me Photography

These brides had amazing days, with a lot of perfect moments, from being announced as husband and wife for the first time, to seeing their reception space, to their first dance, to their new husband serenading them. But no matter how much you plan and prepare, things can still go wrong.

There were a few things Devon said she would have done differently, "my flowers definitely did not turn out as I had planned. While they were still beautiful, they did not match the mental picture I had been creating for myself all along. If I could do it over again, I would have met with my florist again, in person, and brought photos of what I was looking for, and left those photos with her. While I had originally met with my florist when we were first booking everything, that meeting was about a year before our wedding date. I think within that time, the original communication we had was lost."

Photo courtesy of Studio K Photography

This is a great point. When talking to any of your professionals, be sure to be clear on what it is you want and bringing pictures is never a bad idea. That way there is little room for interpretation or error.

No one wants to think of things going wrong on their wedding day, but remember, regardless of these little issues, these were very happy brides. They had amazing days and married the men they love. And at the end of the day, that's what matters.

-Becky