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This is a collaborative post. All opinions are my own.
When you dreamed of your wedding as a little girl, you probably had an overall vision. Perhaps you imagined a romantic outdoor garden wedding under twinkling lights, as the sunset turned the sky pink. Or maybe you envisioned an elegant event at a beautiful, high-end hotel, with rose petals lining the aisle and chandeliers sparkling overhead. Or you may have dreamed of a fun and laidback party in a big red barn, with country music, barbecue, and guests drinking signature cocktails out of mason jars. But no matter what, I bet you never realized how much of wedding planning is composed of nitty gritty details and dilemmas. Here are some ideas for four things you may be grappling with (but I know there are soooo many more).
How to find a wedding band that goes with your engagement ring
When searching for bridal jewelry, one way to ensure your rings "go" together is to purchase an engagement ring and wedding ring set. They will have been designed to be worn together, so they will certainly match and coordinate beautifully. However, this requires advance planning even prior to the proposal. If that ship has sailed, you can still find a wedding ring that looks totally meant to be with your engagement ring! Find a quality jeweler with a lot of knowledge and expertise, who can recommend what style of rings look good together. These days, your rings don't necessary have to be matchy-matchy. Your engagement ring can be the center of attention, and your wedding band can complement and enhance it. Perhaps your wedding band will have small diamonds around the entire hand, while your engagement ring features a stunning center stone. Or you have a vintage engagement ring, you might look for a delicate wedding band with ornate details like an engraved floral pattern. Just like with furniture, you don't have to get a matching set...and in fact, the pairing of two complementary pieces can be even better!
How to find a wedding planner that is a good fit
If you decide to hire a wedding planner, be prepared to spend a lot of time with them. You're entrusting them with one of the biggest days of your life, so this is not a decision to make on a whim. Just because your coworker or friend recommended a wedding planner that they loved, doesn't guarantee that this person will mesh with your personality and style. So make sure to interview lots of different wedding planners, to find someone who you feel comfortable with. You should feel confident in their skills and trust their abilities, but at the same time you shouldn't feel pressured or intimidated. This is still your wedding and you should feel like you can speak up, voice your opinion, and have the last say if you disagree with their suggestions. You should also be able to bounce ideas off of them, laugh with them, and have some fun with the process. Besides making sure that your personalities are a good fit, you also need to check their credentials. Look at their reviews online, ask past brides for references, and check out their portfolio to see past weddings they have successfully planned. Is their design style somewhat similar to yours? It should be! After all, you'll be making a lot of decisions together, everything from the venue, to the caterer, to the entertainment, to where you get your wedding cake (Anges de Sucre is a great choice).
How to find an unusual venue for your wedding
The venue you choose is one of the first and most important decisions you will make in this process. It will set the tone for the occasion and help guide the theme and decor. And if you go with a traditional wedding venue, it will likely eat up a significant portion of your budget. But it's still possible to find a unique and unusual venue that's beautiful AND affordable! You just might have to look outside of the "wedding" box. Consider looking on Airbnb and reaching out to hosts with beautiful properties, or posting on social media asking if anyone in your extended circle has a property they'd be interested in renting out for the day. You never know, you might find someone who has been considering starting a venue and would be willing to test out the idea with your wedding. Maybe you can give them a testimonial and professional photos to use, in exchange for a budget-friendly rate! If you can narrow down your guest list, you will also option up lots of other options for smaller, nontraditional venues for your ceremony: places like public parks and gardens, restaurant courtyards, coffeeshops in a cool old buildings, and more. To find the best unusual venues, try searching online. There are venue finder websites which will let you enter your criteria (such as location, price, and number of guests) and bring up relevant options. This will bring up lots of options that you might not think of on your own. And they might even offer discounts and special deals!
How to make basic, budget-friendly rentals look amazing
When you're planning where to spend your budget, it's expected that the big things will take up the majority of it: things like the venue, the photographer, and the food. But don't forget about the little things! They can really make a difference in the look and feel of your wedding. Here's an example: wedding chair covers and tablecloths. They're probably not the number one priority on your list, right? But imagine walking into your wedding venue and seeing an array of plastic folding chairs and folding tables staring back at you. Not exactly the mood and ambiance that you were going for. However, really beautiful chairs and wood tables are crazy expensive to rent. So what's the solution? Covers! You can make basic rentals look elegant and glamorous if you pair them with some lovely covers, tablecloths, and decor. That way, all those chairs and tables actually add to the vibe of your wedding instead of being a big distraction.
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I recently got engaged to my partner, and we're going to start looking for wedding bands next month. I loved how you noted that buying an engagement ring and wedding ring combination is one method to make sure your rings "go" together while looking for bridal jewelry. They will match and complement flawlessly since they were made to be worn together. While searching for jewelry stores that provide stunning diamond wedding rings, I'll make sure to keep this in mind.
I loved how you noted that buying an engagement ring and wedding ring combination. Thanks for sharing with us.