We are so pumped to have music and fashion blogger, Haley Schrauben, from the Houston/Seattle based blog, Style Sound, dish on her VERY recent wedding. This idea of a recent bride giving wedding planning tips, while fresh off the big day, is going to be a new series here on Inspirations Daily. Get excited!
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Hello Langford lovelies! I am so excited to be contributing to the blog today! I am coming off of a wedding high, being newly hitched this past October. With the wedding planning and day still fresh in my head, Langford asked me to throw out a few pieces of bridal advice.
Here are a few helpful tidbits based on my recent experience:
1 Pre-ceremony first glance – I know that it is technically tradition to not see your significant other until the ceremony, but trust me, having a first glance prior to the ceremony REALLY helps take some of the edge off during the day. Not only do you get to have your photographer capture this meaningful moment with just the two of you, but it gives you a chance to have a one-on-one moment with your best friend to fully appreciate one another and the amazing commitment you are making. Plus, it’s probably the only private moment you will get all day.
2. Research potential bridal dress salons – we all know the dress is a close second to the actual marriage itself in terms of wedding priority. Perhaps that is a bit of an exaggeration, but you get what I mean. THE DRESS IS A BIG DEAL. And with Pinterest at your fingertips, it is easier than ever to find a plethora of gorgeous gowns that fit your personal style. The problem is they are often out of our price range. So do your research. Find designers you like and figure out which stores in your shopping area sell them. And then call ahead for info before making an appointment or busting in unannounced. Ask the store what their general price range is, and what the average dress sells for. Confirm if they have the dresses in stock that you are interested in. You want dress shopping to be a happy memory with your girls. Doing some research will make things less stressful and will help you avoid blindly falling in love with a piece way outside of your budget.
3. Etsy is your friend – from jewelry to hair pieces to decorations to invitation designs to gifts – Etsy has it ALL. And at a wide variety of price ranges. And for you DIYers out there it’s a great source for inspiration. If I could total up the number of hours I spent on Etsy during my 1.5 year engagement I’m sure I would be horrified. But you know what… it was worth it. And the shop owners are typically very flexible, so don’t be afraid to reach out to them if you want to tweak something and create a customized order.
4. Last minute RSVP changes – I was still getting wedding list changes a few days before the wedding. And it wasn’t that people who initially weren’t coming changed their minds (which admittedly would have annoyed me), but instead people who were supposed to come suddenly had to back out. Which is fine – their reasons were legit. But I spent quite a bit of extra money on food that I didn’t need to. So when you are finalizing numbers with your caterer/bartender/baker/etc, I would recommend giving a slightly lower number, depending on when you need to provide that information to them.
And of course, have fun – you’re about to marry your favorite person followed by having a party with all of your favorite people. And nothing that goes not-as-planned will change that!