Introducing our guest blogger this week, Mrs. Porsche Adamas. Porsche is a Finishing Touch bride who just got married on April 24, 2010. After her wedding, we met up with Porsche and her new husband Micah to wrap up the event. Porsche and Micah couldn’t stop talking about how much fun they had planning their wedding, and how enjoyable the entire wedding planning experience was. Our conversation lasted almost 2 hours! It also dawned on us that she will be a perfect bride to feature on our blog: giving advice to future brides! So here it so, in Porsche’s own word, a bride to bride moment…
Image by Frank Amodo
“There’s just something about weddings that has always fascinated me. Maybe it’s the big beautiful gowns, the colorful bouquets, or just the thought of being the center of attention for the day. My husband may not have realized it at the time he proposed, but I had been planning our wedding for years prior to us even meeting! Can you imagine? Single and subscribing to wedding magazines and websites; if there’s such a thing as pre-bridezilla…it was me. Oh yeah, and I already had a wedding binder put together. *Note: my husband was not aware of the wedding binder until after he proposed; he wasn’t pressured!
So you can only imagine how excited I was to finally start planning our special day. I had considered every detail you could think of, from welcome baskets for guests to personalized favors and designers for custom-made gowns. I knew which websites had the best deals for this kind of ribbon, or that kind of favor bag, and even ring pillows for dogs.
There are a few things, though, that I learned during the “engagement” journey that I wish someone had told me. Here are a few tips for future brides.
1. Don’t forget the groom! Sounds silly but it will make the day even more special if you can make decisions together. Learning to compromise and communicate more effectively what you like/don’t like and what he likes/doesn’t like can only strengthen your relationship as a couple…because remember, you’re marrying that man ‘til death do you part!
2. Have ideas ready for vendors and bring them to the meetings. Meetings are more productive if you have sample pictures or a running idea of bouquets, linen, lighting, etc. You will most likely get instant feedback and ideas from the vendors, which can save a lot of back and forth emails. It’s also helpful to have a list of what you do NOT like – that way vendors have a clearer understanding of your wedding vision.
3. Make the best of the situation. For example, I had my heart set on big, lush peonies being the highlight of the bouquets and centerpieces; every time I saw a peony in a magazine or at other weddings I would get excited for our big day. THEN, about a week or so prior to our wedding day the airports in Holland shut down and we were not going to have the exact florals that were planned. Needless to say I was super bummed that week. But that day, our florist did a great job substituting other similar flowers and even surprised me with a bouquet of peonies! I’m not sure where or how she got them…but things just worked out!
4. If you can afford it, hire a professional planner. Now I know this may sound like an endorsement of some sort, especially because this will be on a wedding coordination/planning blog…but really…I would highly highly recommend a professional, non-family member to help plan. For one thing it makes that day run smooth – you do not have to worry about a thing! The coordinator(s) will tell you where you have to be and troubleshoot on that day so you don’t have to. AND, what was such a big help for me was that our coordinator helped streamline my millions of ideas into an elegant, polished, and cohesive event. If it wasn’t for her our wedding had the potential of being over-done and gaudy.
5. Last but not least, enjoy the process. It may sound strange to be giving this as a piece of advice but that’s really the only thing I would have changed about my engagement/planning process. It is easy to get caught up in the details and fixated on this shade of linen or having that type of favor. You will save a lot of time and unnecessary stress (and avoid potential disagreements) if you stay a little flexible with your wedding vision. Remember that some things just can not be helped or avoided. Ultimately your special day will be what you make of it, and you will probably forget that little detail you sulked over because you’re having so much fun!
I hope this was helpful, and the best of planning/engagement luck!
Porsche
*Note: you can find me on FB if you have any questions!”
