Y’all… today’s blog post is such a special one! While I love sharing my tried and true tricks to help you during your wedding planning, that is NOTHING compared to the advice of a veteran bride! They have insight and experience that I just don’t have myself, and they can let you know what exactly they loved about their wedding planning process and what they wished they prioritized during the process too! They’ve got such valuable experience with the in’s and out’s of wedding planning, and I am SO grateful when my brides choose to share feedback from their experience! Now… a little background for you on today’s post!
If you didn’t know, I have an exclusive online community for my CKP brides on Facebook. The group is a place for the CKP crew to connect, chat & to receive unique content from me that is only available to my brides! This past week, Kerri shared a few amazing points with the group, and I thought Kerri’s advice was so valuable that it should be shared with the rest of the world! I asked her if creating a blog post with her advice would be okay, and she gave me an excited yes! How lucky am I to have amazingly kind brides that are SO excited and willing to share what they learned during their own wedding planning to help others?!
From first looks to delegation… dealing when things inevitably go wrong and so much more, Kerri is sharing ALL her knowledge with you today! (PS you can see her & Matt’s amazing wedding day on the blog here!) Let’s dive on in!
- TAKE TIME OFF! If you can, take at least 3 days off prior to your wedding date for any fire drills. It also is super good for your soul to relax and unwind before the craziness commences.
- BE TRANSPARENT. Be completely transparent! Your vendors will respect you and are fully committed to you and your partner. You owe it to yourself to express how you feel.
- YOU DO YOU. Oh ladies, this is so critical. We paid for most of the wedding so that I wouldn’t be swayed by any family member’s input of how my wedding goes or transpires. While I understand this may not be feasible for everyone, you can always communicate financial expectation. It may be a difficult conversation, but if the decor and all around theme and vibe are important to you, you should have full control of your wedding. Don’t want favors? Don’t have favors! Want a Christmas in July? Have your Christmas in July.
- THINGS WILL GO WRONG. Ah, ’tis true. No matter how much of a control freak you may be! You will laugh down the road. My brother’s heel to his shoe fell apart while we taking bridal party photos. SHOUT OUT CKP TEAM for saving us with glue! And….we didn’t have napkins! Last minute my father in law ran out and picked up napkins! (CKP note: I thought I was crazy for sticking super glue in my bag a few weeks ago! There is a chance that something will go wrong on your wedding day, and as stressful as it may seem in the moment, Kerri is proof that you will most likely look back on things with a giggle. Keep this in mind and have a little grace in the moment, should something go wrong!)
- OH PLEASE DO A FIRST LOOK. I respect if brides want to be more traditional. I chose a first look because I knew it would set the tone and help shake my nerves. And it did. Seeing my husband was spellbinding. Seeing the man I’ve loved for five years was surreal. (CKP Note: Kerri was so excited for her first look with Matt that she literally sprinted towards him in her gorgeous ballgown!)
- DELEGATE DELEGATE DELEGATE. This tidbit seriously took me experiencing debilitating stress in order for me to take action. People love you and want to help you. Trust in them and delegate a simple task. It helps them feel connected, and those personal touches will be remembered.
- STICK TO YOUR BUDGET. Your wedding will be special, I promise. Do not overextend yourself, your family or friends over unique or interesting ideas. Plan around your budget.
- EAT. The excitement was too much for me. I barely ate at my own wedding. Remember to eat!
- FIND 5-10 MINUTES OF ALONE TIME WITH YOUR PARTNER. Can’t stress this enough. My husband is an introvert and I knew he needed to decompress from the height of the wedding. No one noticed. We ran off an had a quick warm embrace and just looked at each other and took in the moment that we were married.
- YOU AND YOUR PARTNER ARE WHO TRULY MATTER. It may sound selfish, but it’s so true. This day is so much more than a party. It is about you and your soulmate. The next umpteen years are what matter. Your love and devotion will withstand the test of time. Love is easy, marriage is hard. You will grow and you will change, and most certainly at different paces. This day is about you and your partner.” (CKP Note: YES THIS 110%!)
Thank you, Kerri, for sharing SO many helpful tips! I hope you found her words of real wedding day advice helpful! Still have questions?! Send me an email!
If you enjoyed this blog post, you may also like:
