What I Would Do Differently {Jen}

Let me start off this post by saying that my wedding was one of the happiest days of my life. The day was incredible and I was just so happy to be marrying my husband. However, after almost 2 years of marriage, and working numerous weddings, there are a few things I would have possibly done differently. 

Hire Proud to Plan

Our wedding is perfect example of how you can't plan for everything. The day of our wedding was a crazy snowstorm...in October! I never could have imagined as we were planning our beautiful fall wedding that it would snow! It would have been extremely helpful to have the Proud to Plan coordinators onsite to assist with dealing with all this craziness...vendors that were late due to the weather, cars that wouldn't start, etc. Since we did not have a wedding planner, this fell to me, my mom, and my sister to handle. It would have been much less stressful to have this extra support. 

Photo List

There are a few family pictures that we did not get the day of my wedding. Granted, our photo process was a little crazy due to the weather and limited timing to take photos indoors at the church and reception. It is so important to have the conversation with your photographer about what pictures are important to you. I didn't even realize until after our wedding that I didn't get a picture with my parents and sister, or with my sister and 4 cousins (the 6 of us have grown up like sisters). Looking back, I definitely would have been more detailed with my "Must Take Photo" list. 

Add a Candy Buffet

This is such a minor detail, but in working so many weddings, people love candy buffets! I have seen so many creative displays and I think it is such a fun gift for your guests!

Looking back, I have the best memories from my wedding day. The important thing is to remember what is important and not stress over anything that didn't go perfectly!

-Jen

What I Would Do Differently {Nicole}

I absolutely loved my wedding day. It's one of my favorite days and I have such great memories that I wouldn't want to change a thing. However, if money was no object, I think I would add a few things to make the day even better. 

Bridesmaids "Getting Ready" Outfits

I loved getting ready with my bridesmaids the morning of my wedding. I would have loved to have gotten ready with them in cute matching robes or comfy sweatpants like these: 

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Signage

We didn't do a whole lot of signage for the wedding. I would have loved to create fun ceremony signs, menus, or chair signs like these at our ceremony and reception. 

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Place Cards

We had simple place cards for our guests. I think these would have been fun alternatives. 

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Cake

We had the most delicious cake at our wedding. I would not want to change that! However, the design was simple and elegant. If I wanted to spice things up, I think these would have been some fun cake designs to have at the wedding. 

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My wedding was a great day and the perfect way to kick off married life with my husband!

-Nicole

What I Would Do Differently {Annemarie}

When my husband and I think back to our wedding day, November 26th, 2011, we remember our heartfelt ceremony, very tasty food, excellent music (the dance floor was packed the entire time), and beautiful weather. Overall, the entire day was executed exactly how we imagined it and our guests still talk about how much fun they had the entire night. We look at our pictures all the time and have a 24x36 canvas hanging in our living room with us standing on the jetty on the beach. I still can't get over how beautiful our pictures are and how perfect the day was captured.

When it comes to changing something about the day, I can honestly say I wouldn't change a single thing. I loved my dress, my jewelry, hair and makeup, the guys tuxes' and sneakers, the location, and every single vendor- when you hire the best, you get the best. However, I would add a vendor if I did it all over again- a videographer. I think being able to see a video of the entire day (even if only watched a handful of times) would bring our pictures to life. 

For example, my little sister (14 years old at the time) was my maid of honor and gave the funniest, most animated speech I have ever seen! She made everyone laugh a LOT, cry a little, and then laugh some more. Some days I wish I could listen to her speech word for word because it was that good. During the planning stages, we decided we had to decide where to spend our money and what was most important to us. At the time, we thought there was no need to spend money on a videographer because we didn't think we would watch the video more than once. Now, almost two years later, I know we probably only would have watched a video a couple of times, but I still think it would be nice to have. 

In the end, nothing will ever take away from our incredible day. Still to this day, I cannot find the words to adequately thank the vendors who were with us on our wedding day. Every single one of them helped to create our perfect day. There are just some days when I wish there was a videographer to add to that thank you list...

-Annemarie

Sharron's Dream Wedding

Being an event planner has it perks. The world of entertainment and events is constantly changing and we get to see the new styles and trends firsthand. Since the industry is forever changing, my idea of my perfect wedding is forever changing! Here is a look at my dream wedding...for now. 

Location: The Biltmore Estate- Asheville, NC

The Biltmore has been one of my favorite venues for a very long time. It represents many of the things I want to capture at my wedding: classic elegance, grand decor, and breathtaking features. If you've never been to the Biltmore, it is worth the trip to walk this amazing estate for yourself. Words don't do it justice. This property house 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces, waterfalls, and views of the mountains. A glimpse into a Biltmore wedding can be seen here. 

Fun fact: You may have seen The Biltmore in Hannibal, Patch Adams, My Fellow Americans, Richie Rich, Mr. Destiny, Private Eyes, Being There, or The Swan, as these movies were filmed on their property.

Decor

What woman doesn't love that perfect Tiffany blue color? If there is one thing that is constant in my future wedding plans, it is that the decor will be that color. I love Tiffany blue with red, white, or a platinum/blingy accent. Large floral centerpieces will adorn each table; each centerpiece will be unique but will have to be tall and dramatic to match the venue. Each seat will be draped with white linen, accented with a Tiffany blue bow. I have always loved the idea of having cupcakes with a one-tier cake for cutting instead of a 3 or 4-tiered wedding cake. The display below is similar to the design I'd like to have for my Tiffany cupcakes. Lastly, guests will receive a mini bottle of champagne as a favor; the bottles would be clear with a custom blue label. 

Wedding Attire

I'm always toying with the idea of having two dresses. I know I'm too indecisive to decide on just one so I won't be able to pick between the slim-fitting mermaid and the beautiful ball gown. I saw this Tara Keely convertible dress while watching an episode of Say Yes to the Dress and fell in love. It would give me the best of both worlds but I'd want it customized to make the bottom dress longer as opposed to the mini lace pictured. My hair would be a loose up-do similar to the style Eva Longoria is wearing and finished with a long floor-length veil. OPI has a nail polish that matches the Tifffany blue almost perfectly; this nail style would be perfect for me. I love a little sparkle!

Special Touches

I'm always thinking of different ideas that would make my wedding unique for my guests. A signature drink is a must, everyone knows about my love for a great cocktail, but I'm definitely always thinking of different ideas to make that day memorable. One thought is to use a customized music CD for a Save the Date instead of a magnet or postcard. I would also like to offer some sort of snack related to my favorites or a Philly staple such as Rita's Water Ice truck, a donut or Philly pretzel truck, or even a truck serving Philly cheesesteaks. That last little something is important for me to have to thank my guests for participating in our day. 

Ultimately, my dream wedding is a day that will perfectly mesh my vision and my likes, with his. I want a ceremony and reception that people walk into with amazement that captures who I am, who he is, and who we are as a couple, in the details. 

-Sharron

*All images found via Google 

Christie's Wedding

My dream wedding took place a short time ago on September 22nd, 2012 when I married the love of my life, Sean, on a gorgeous fall day in the Philadelphia suburbs. 

Our ceremony took place at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Doylestown, PA, where I walked down the hydrangea and lantern-lined aisle to the beautiful sounds of Shaw Strings, lead by Sean's cousin playing viola. 

Our wedding party wore deep turquoise with gold accessories. I also wanted to include a touch of my favorite color, so I donned turquoise peep toes, reflecting my bright and outgoing personality. Our bouquets were all ivory hydrangea and ranunculus, and each was wrapped in a different vintage silk scarf, all in coordinating ivory and gold tones. My bouquet also contained a very special gold leaf shaped brooch which was once a gift from my grandfather to my grandmother. 

Throughout our traditional Roman Catholic ceremony we wove in several personal touches, including a unity candle ceremony, and a ring warming ceremony in which our guests passed around our wedding bands tied to a leaf charm, blessing them as they went from person to person. Once we were pronounced husband and wife, we headed outside the church doors, where we released a dozen white doves to mark the beginning our of new life together. The doves were also foreshadowing of our rustic and nature-themed wedding reception, which featured various branch and love bird decor. 

Unexpectedly, we found an awesome rustic red barn right near the church for formal photo ops captured by Shari DeAngelo Photography. 

The bridal party and guests headed over to an outdoor cocktail hour at the Knowlton Mansion in Northeast Philadelphia. Everyone enjoyed delicious appetizers and drinks including seasonal soup shooters and a signature fall drink we named "Caramel Apple Kiss". The talented members of CTO Grand Central set the scene by playing background music during our cocktail hour, including an acoustic guitar on the patio and a pianist playing inside the mansion. Paper by Proud designed beautiful custom invitations and matching signage and menus, creatively displaying our nature theme.

Our guests raved about the lovely, historic grounds of Knowlton Mansion and everyone thought it was one of the most unique wedding locations they had ever experienced.

The rustic, natural, and romantic theme of the night carried through to the reception, which featured elaborate willow branch, river rock, and lantern centerpieces complemented by beautiful hydrangea flowers designed by Petals Lane. We chose to install draping which made the reception area seem very intimate and allowed us to showcase an entire wall covered in romantic ivory pillar candles. Amber uplighting and a branch design dance floor wash, provided by Synergetic Sound and Lighting, really added to the warm, intimate atmosphere. 

Everyone raved about the delicious food prepared by Conroy Catering, especially the desserts, which included an extensive ice cream sundae station and a beautiful bananas foster torte wedding cake showcasing a simple, rustic buttercream design. 

The incredible artists of CTO Grand Central kept the dance floor packed as we celebrated by dancing the night away. Sean and I had a few very intimate slow dances to some of our favorite songs, including our first dance to Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" and our last dance to Jason Mraz's version of "I Won't Give Up", in which all of our friends and family members gathered around us in one of my favorite moments of the evening. 

Another unique feature of Knowlton Mansion is its underground wine cellar, which is entered via an iron spiral staircase just off of the reception room. We lined the entire cellar with romantic pillar candles and invited guests to enjoy a wine tasting while being able to socialize in a quiet, intimate setting away from the dance floor. We also showed our love of wine by using split bottles of a Chardonnay from a local Bucks County vineyard as favors for the evening, which also functioned as seat assignments with rustic wood-burned tags. 

By far, the most special part of the day for me was being surrounded by all of our closest friends and family members, all there to celebrate the love that Sean and I have for each other. Another favorite moment was when Sean and I wrote love letters to each other and read them aloud privately, which was captured stunningly in our wedding video. Overall, our wedding was more beautiful and perfect than I ever could have wished for. The entire day ran so smoothly, in large part due to hiring Proud to Plan as my wedding coordinators. Erin and Lisa devoted so much attention to help us plan and prepare for our big day and contributed so many creative design ideas as well as suggestions regarding logistics. Sean and I were easily able to relax and thoroughly enjoy ourselves knowing that all the details of our wedding were in excellent hands and that our special day would turn out exactly how we had dreamed!

After our dream wedding, we celebrated with an amazing honeymoon at Zoetry in Los Cabos, Mexico. We really enjoyed the beautiful, private resort, which was all-inclusive with some of the most delicious food, frozen drinks, and the best spa in the region. Aside from relaxing on the gorgeous beaches, we also loved our time golfing, zip-lining, mountain biking, riding dune buggies, and all of the other adventurous activities Cabo has to offer!

-Christie

If you'd like to see our recap of Christie and Sean's wedding, you can go here.