My clients often feel isolated as they plan their weddings. They can’t talk about the hard parts because people think they’re complaining, ungrateful, or second-guessing their choice to get married. But I know something my clients don’t: They’re not alone. Hear it from people who’ve been there.
Khadija F.
Married December 31, 2017
When it comes to your wedding, what was your...
Worst surprise?
We wished we had more one-on-one time with everyone. It’s just not really possible in the short time span of your wedding with speeches, dancing, etc. We knew it was going to go fast, but it went faster than we imagined!
I highly recommend next-day brunch plans with out-of-towners, activities with the family before/after the wedding, after-wedding party plans with some friends (we went to the bar next door and then had an after-after party in our hotel room), and the like to maximize your time with everyone around the wedding. That helped us feel like we were giving everyone the attention and appreciation they deserved.
Biggest regret?
I would probably be a bit more vocal on the kind of angles and pictures we want to take.
Photographers have their own vision and have a set of poses they like, but I should have felt more comfortable saying exactly what I wanted. That said, I am picky and didn’t expect to love every picture. Having a big handful of pictures that we do love and can look back on to remember the day is all we need!
Best advice?
This is your day. Do whatever the hell you want even if it’s different than tradition.
If you don’t want a wedding party, don’t have them! If you want to take all posed pictures before the wedding so you can mingle during cocktail hour, do that! If you want to hand out drinks before the ceremony, it’s your choice!
Some people feel bound by the ‘normal’ plan, but make sure the day is what you want it.
Also, do yourself a favor and hire someone to help with planning or day-of coordination. That help was worth its weight in gold and the best decision we made to alleviate all stress.