What a day! Our wedding day turned out to be better than we could've ever imagined. I'm SO happy to finally be married and not sure what to do with myself without wedding planning now! Long breakdown of my thoughts below that I hope helps some of you. Happy to answer any questions!
The good: - Everything was right on schedule without being rushed. Things happen, but creating and sticking to a schedule/itinerary is key- The day of coordinator provided by the venue was an angel in disguise. I've seen on here that venue coordinators don't do anything except make sure guests follow the rules...definitely not true at my venue. She navigated the wedding party where they needed to go, set up all our decor and placecards, made sure the favors were put out, gave us drinks during pictures, the list could go on- Our DJ!!! He was the #1 reason for such a great night. There were people dancing in their seats during dinner and after dinner, the dance floor was packed for hours straight. He knew how to read the crowd and keep the hype up. I 1000% recommend spending the money to get a DJ to keep control of the night. Their job is more than just to play music
The not so good: - One of my bridesmaids tested positive for covid a day before the wedding and I had to replan hair/makeup schedules, reorder the wedding party lineup, etc. I was so disappointed and worried for her, but with everything going on, I just had to keep things moving and couldn't dwell on it- We had 3 no shows from people who rsvped yes and 2 uninvited plus ones show up. It worked out but I was annoyed- There was no one to direct guests to go to the lawn for the ceremony, so they were all in the clubhouse lobby. We came inside from taking pictures and a whole bunch of people saw me in my dress before the ceremony - Either someone stepped on my train or it got caught on something while taking pictures and it got a rip in it before the ceremony. Hopefully I can get it fixed to preserve it!- We wanted the blessing done before we ate (because why would you bless the food after you eat...) but the coordinator kept telling the DJ to wait until after the salad for toasts and the blessing. Miscommunication? Not sure, but no one else noticed so we moved on- We didn't get any hors d'oeuvres at cocktail hour. We did a first look and had a couple family pictures to take after the ceremony. After that I got my dress bustled and we went out to cocktail hour where we were getting pulled in every direction to talk to guests so we didn't get to eat. Someone today said the sushi display was so good...I didn't even see it lol
Things to expect/recommendations:- No matter the hard work you think you put into your wedding, your vendors are hands down what will make for an amazing wedding. Do your research, make sure your hired vendors fit your needs and the vibe you're going for, and if you can, spend the extra dollar for quality. Good vendors WILL relieve your stress.- Unless you have significant time before hair/makeup, do NOT plan to set up anything yourself. I didn't do anything DIY, but I couldn't imagine having to fit in setting up centerpieces, placecards, etc.- No need to extend the reception time in my opinion. We added an hour to end at 11 instead of 10, and guests started leaving around 10 before our sparkler exit. It was a long evening and many guests had an hour drive to make, so I completely understood why they left- Grand exit - cool, but not needed. It wouldn't have been missed by me or my guests- Noted on here many times, favors aren't taken. Nice gesture that I don't regret doing, but again, I don't think they would've been missed- Stay in a separate hotel from your guests! I tried to argue my husband (so weird to say) down on this, but he was right and I'm happy I gave in. The wedding party kept texting us to come drink and we easily said nope and no one knew where we were to come banging on the door- Tell whoever is bustling your dress to take a good video and notes lol. My mom and sister thought it was 1, 2, 3 and while they only took like 10-15 mins, it seemed like forever when I wanted to get to cocktail hour - Remember last minute expenses that add up. I ordered a Panera spread for breakfast and Chick fil A for lunch for our wedding party and that was $250, hotel rooms that your don't pay for upfront, nails/brows, it all adds up!
