First off, CONGRATULATIONS!! 

You are about to begin planning one of your most memorable days, that is over in a blink of an eye.  The reality is – the day goes by really really fast. 

It’s a whirlwind –  but we promise, the guests see all those details that you won’t notice on your big day. But you do remember spending hours upon hours scrolling Pinterest, meeting with your planner, sending text message images to your bridal party, and showing them what your (or their) next DIY project is.  Trying to figure out how you’re going to make time for everything that needs to get done…all while trying to enjoy this magical time 😩

Are we overwhelming you? Maybe… but we’re here to tell you what’s important, and what’s not.  Where to spend your money, and where to save…that it really is ALL worth it, even though the time feels as if it just slips away. 

So – where do you start!? 

First – how do YOU want to feel that day? How do you want your guests to feel? How do they feel when they leave? 

You need to identify YOUR VIBE…and from there, the venue comes next. Cohesiveness begins when your vision can come to life in the venue. Don’t just look at one, and don’t look at the venue images on their website. Check out IG photos that they are tagged in. These photos come from the guests themselves…this is what they see! 

Now that you know your vibe, and you’ve placed your deposit on your venue – it’s time to begin the vendor list! (don’t worry the details are coming) 

For vendors – the most important is your photographer! This is all that you have left with at the end of your day. 

Next, is your florist.  Remember,  this is the background of your photos! This is what gives the venue YOUR personality and truly reflects that feeling you want the guests to have! 

Then, it’s your DJ. This is the vibe that will set the tone. Notice the first two priorities are about you! You are celebrating a union of you and your someone, not just throwing a party for your college friends. 

When it comes to details, we totally recommend doing this in stages…one thing per paycheck. This creates less stress on your budget and you won’t have to sacrifice on details because you have time! 

The most important detail here is your dress, your someone’s suit or dress, and then the rest of the bridal party! You are more likely to frame a photo of just the two of you, versus the whole party. From here, think about the details that make up the backdrop to your photos. Again, all that you are left with are photos! 

Find a company that does it all, and knows how to bring a cohesive vision together (total plug right here for us at OPD!) 

Then comes the secondary details in our opinion — uplighting, food trucks, open bar, favors, monograms, etc! Think about and prioritize what is most important to you. For Dianne, it was a memorable favor! She wanted something special her guests could take home with them. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box here. Creativity and individuality are key components for a memorable favor. Also, a donation is a pretty cool thing to do too! 

Schedule your meetings with your vendors, save your money and pay in stages, and lastly, get off Pinterest! Once you have your vision and have begun the work, don’t keep searching. You will go down a rabbit hole of scrolling and before you know it, you have made 32 changes, overspent the budget, and you probably feel like your hair’s on fire. It might be … or you might take a few of our best practices and have the most relaxing and enjoyable wedding experience possible! (outside of COVID that is). 

So if you’re looking for a wedding designer, who will see your vision and take it to the next level…all while relieving your stress by making sure that every last detail is executed to its fullest- then look no further!

Schedule your consult with us today-  we can’t wait to create your most beautiful day!