Wedding Planning Advice From Past Brides: Kelly Hawkins
Being a bride can be a tricky business! Planning a wedding is something you probably have never done before and something you hopefully won’t do again, so knowing what to expect or what you wish you could have done differently is hard knowledge to come by! That is why I have started a new blog series where past brides can pass on their wedding wisdom to you! Starting off the series is bride Kelly who got married last June at the Fort Worth Club. Here is what she had to say about planning her big day!
Kelly’s top pieces of advice:
trust your vision
Trust you vision, and do not let others tell you anything different! It’s hard to compare our weddings and ideas to others, but we are all different and have different styles, so stay true to yours!
no first look
I did not do a first look, and I do not regret this at all. I loved seeing my husband when I walked down the aisle for the first time. Your girls and your family will keep you super distracted and it’s fun to have the morning celebrating with your ladies and family!
don’t worry about weather
DO NOT WORRY about the weather. We had rain in the forecast all week, I was a nervous wreck. The forecast then showed sun the whole day of our wedding. WELL it ended up pouring rain and hailing right after our ceremony....my hair fell, oh well! Still married, still have gorgeous pictures, and it makes for a hilarious story!
do a sneak peak
If you can - take a sneak peak of your reception space while everyone else is at cocktail hour! This was the most amazing experience being able to see the whole space-you worked hard for your vision, and you should be the first one to see it all!! Also some of my most favorite pics came from this!!!
prioritize your budget
Go big on what matters to you most (within your budget and means of course) I LOVE flowers and wanted to put in a show stopping floral halo around our chandelier, I HAD to have this! It meant taking away some florals from our cocktail area to have this, but well worth it because this is what everyone saw the whole evening! You don’t need to have EVERYTHING, so focus on the areas that truly matter to you💗🌸🌷
get a videographer
GET A VIDEOGRAPHER! I have watched our video almost everyday since then. Videographers may get some shots that photographers don’t, and it’s amazing to see everything in action!
have a private meal
The day does go by super quickly! My husband and I ate a quick dinner (aka our apps from cocktail haha) alone instead of eating while everyone else did. It was nice to spend 15-20 mins with just each other before our reception started. It was private and intimate, and extremely special for us!
hire a wedding planner
LAST but NOT LEAST - get a wedding planner, preferably full time if you can. Wow I’m honestly not sure what I would have done without ours! They will take care of everything and leave you stress free. I did not have to worry about coordinating vendors, creating timelines for that day, etc. Our wedding planner knew everything going on about our day because we were working with her for about a year, and they will truly do it all for you.