Our Wedding: A Few Things We Could Have Done Differently

I've already shared what I feel Sean and I did absolutely right during wedding planning. Here are a few things that we could have possibly done differently looking back.

Not have gotten married during college football season (yeah right!) - Okay, so maybe we couldn’t have done this differently because I was dead set on a Fall southern wedding. We lucked out not having a South Florida game on the weekend of the wedding, but Alabama and Florida didn’t fare such luck as predicted in a previous post. And now that we’re three months away from our one year anniversary, a HUGE USF game is scheduled for our weekend. Hmmm!

So back to our wedding day where a fourth of our guests were diehard Alabama fans and another fourth were Florida fans. Lucky for everyone they were scheduled to play each other that day …lovely.  We have some of the classiest UF alums as friends and class was indeed shown when Bama won the game.  And it was pretty neat seeing all the Alabama fans dancing and singing when the DJ played “Sweet Home Alabama.”

Start the day an hour earlier - Is there every enough time during the day of anyone’s wedding? Ours was no different and I wish we had started getting ready an hour earlier. As soon as my hair and makeup were done, I felt like everything kicked into high gear and the day flew by. Had we had even one extra hour, we would have had a few moments to take it the day in as well as spend more time with our guests at the reception.

Not have left for our honeymoon the morning after the wedding – While I know it’s tradition to leave for the honeymoon right after the wedding reception, I wish we had stayed back an extra day. Since we technically had a destination wedding, almost all our guests traveled and stayed at our hotel. It would have been nice to spend the day after the wedding with everyone and leave for our honeymoon that following Monday.

Some say hines sight is 20/20 but in reality, no wedding will ever be perfect no matter how much planning goes into it. Our day was as perfect as could be in our eyes and my only wish is that I could go back to relive the day!

Reader question: Did you have any hines sight moments after your wedding?

Love, 

Our Wedding: 10 Things We Did Absolutely Right

I saw this idea on the Hollywood Housewife blog about her own wedding experience and thought it was great insight for other brides to read. I've been meaning to write my own 10 things to share what we did absolutely right during wedding planning. So, here it is!

1. Hire a videographer - Crazy enough, we were against the idea until about nine weeks before the wedding. We racked our brains trying to figure out who could just “tape it” for us and came up unsuccessful. That’s when I went out on a limb and hired White Dress Media without even meeting them. There was something about them that made me feel completely comfortable with the decision. To this day, hiring a videographer was the BEST money spent on the wedding. We value our pictures highly but having a video capturing the raw emotion and love cannot be beat!

Sean + Meagan // Cinematic Film from White Dress Media on Vimeo.

2. Provided Guest Transportation - Our wedding was in a small rural town of Georgia. In other words, it was foreign to even the Georgia natives. The hotel that everyone was staying at was 15 minutes away and didn’t offer shuttle transportation. THAT’S when you know you’re far away from the city! I was dead set on hiring transportation for our guests so they wouldn’t have to drive a) in an area late at night that was unfamiliar and b) after partaking in our open bar. A lawsuit against us was not the way I wanted to start our marriage. We hired coach buses to pick up guests and return them back to the hotel. Money definitely well spent.

The funniest thing: Sean and I NEVER saw these buses. Had it not been for a story [we heard months later] about my matron of honor having a “MOVE THAT BUS” moment, we would have never known the buses really showed up! !

3. Did a First Look - Sean and I bounced the idea of having a first look verses staying traditional many times. We paid a pretty penny to have an amazing photographer so we felt that it was only right that a first look be captured. And, we are so thankful we did! Having those few moments alone seeing each other for the first time that day was priceless and I LOVE the photos that came from it!

4. Had an After Party - Sean and I included information about the after party we arranged at the hotel in the guests' Welcome Bags. The surprise was that no one knew we were going to be there and thought we were leaving for our wedding night destination immediately after the reception. When we walked into the party, the surprised looks on our family and friends’ faces were priceless! My mom arranged for left over grooms cake, Chick-Fil-A lunch, and the open bar remainings to be transported from Victoria Belle to our hotel. We spent a couple more hours with everyone before really leaving for the Westin Peachtree Plaza. 

5. Wore My Shoes the Entire Night and Changed my Style - I was obsessed with my wedding shoes and hunted for the right pair the entire wedding planning process. With that being said, I was determined to wear my shoes the entire wedding. I wear heels almost every day to work so when it came to my wedding shoes, I looked to my most comfortable pair of heels and modeled my wedding shoes after the comfy characteristics. Platform sling back heels are my go to signature heels for comfort. I'm proud to say I remained my bridal glam the entire night.

I also planned ahead with my jewelry and style. My hair has a mind of its own and knew that it would need to be up for the reception. The last thing I wanted to see in reception pictures was me dancing the night away with big, frizzy, out of control hair! So, my amazing planner (who was also a hairstylist) left my hair down for the ceremony and pulled it up for the reception.

My jewelry also changed throughout the night. For the ceremony, I wore my grandmother’s Mikimoto pearl necklace and my late mother-in-law’s diamond earrings. These priceless, precious, and delicate pieces of jewelry would not be chanced at the reception. To go with my reception updo, I chose simple reception jewelry.

6. Provided Lunch for the Wedding Party - Chick-Fil-A catered our wedding party’s lunch on the wedding day. Lunch was brought in to the mansion as everyone was getting ready. If you’re going to hold people hostage that day, be sure to feed them!

7. Donations as Favors - I personally am very against favors, especially the cliché ones that people get and want to leave at the reception. We donated to my favorite charity instead that way everyone knew that their “favor” went to a good cause.

8. Bought Wedding Insurance - Wedding insurance, what’s that? I’m the expert in such coverage because that’s what I do currently for a living. I protect brides’ biggest days against unforeseen unfortunate events. And don’t tell me that “oh nothing is going to go wrong at my wedding’ because I have seen it many of times and Sean and I lived it.

           

Our rehearsal dinner venue [and bridesmaids’ tea venue] closed its door and turned off its phone three weeks before our wedding. We also had someone fall down the stairs during our reception splashing wine all over the mansion’s beautiful walls. Thankfully, no one was hurt and nothing was damaged. Our rehearsal and tea indeed went on with help of my planner. I am the biggest advocate for wedding insurance and think anyone would be crazy not to buy it. There is too much time, money, and emotion for that one day to leave to chance.

             

9. Planned Ahead and Delegated - I have a strong Type A personality and have a hard time not being in control.  I knew that once Sean and I hopped into our wedding getaway transportation that I would have no control over what happens as guests leave for the night and weekend. So, I planned ahead! Here was what I knew would need to get done/noted prior to the last person leaving the venue and the hotel the next day.

• I wanted as many people as possible to enjoy the day and not have to drive back to the hotel at night. Out of the wedding party, I was the only one that had a vehicle at the venue. I drove my SUV to the venue the morning of the wedding (with my mom and bridesmaids. Sean and his groomsmen were also driven to the venue.) After the wedding, I needed someone to drive my car back to the hotel (who I knew wouldn’t take advantage of the open bar!) Wedding gifts, wedding décor, and all the wedding party’s personal items needed to be loaded into the car. 
• The top wedding cake tier needed to be boxed and wrapped to sustain a year in the freezer to be enjoyed on our first year anniversary. I provided a cooler because it had to make it back to Florida the next day.    
•  Our wedding party needed to ride back to the hotel on the bus.
• Someone had to drive my car back to Florida since Sean and I drove it up to Georgia and were flying out of Atlanta to St. Lucia. We would be flying to Tampa on our way home from the honeymoon. [Mental note to bring my spare key!] My dress, cake top tier, wedding gifts, and all personal items would need to be in that car. [Another mental note, I had to pack two suitcases prior to leaving Florida on the Wednesday before the wedding. One suitcase for Wednesday-Wedding Day Saturday and a second suitcase just for the honeymoon. Keeping things completely separated kept me from going insane!]
• Tuxedos needed to be returned the day after the wedding. My matron of honor took charge and collected them all the morning after to ensure all 10 were properly and timely returned.
• My two cats that were being watched by a friend during our wedding festivities, were going to be kitty sat by my mom when she returned to Florida while we were on our honeymoon.

Our family and friends were amazing at making sure everything got done.

10. Blogged! - I am so thankful that I decided to blog through my entire engagement/wedding planning experience. It’s a great way to look back and remember the moments that lead up the greatest day of my life. I’ve also been given tons of kind words and love seeing how other brides took my wedding and used it for inspiration as for their weddings!

Reader question: What are the things YOU did right at your wedding? Comment and let me know.

Love,

Post Wedding Blues & Bliss

Six months ago my whole life changed for the better when I said, “I do” to my best friend. And I can officially say I feel married and “wife” has sunk in. To be honest, it seems like years ago that we got married because we have been so busy merging our lives together and creating our home. 

I’ll admit, and so will any of my close friends and family, I had the post wedding day blues like no other. It was especially hard for me being that I work, breathe, sleep, and live weddings not only in my current job of wedding insurance but also in my aspiration to be a wedding planner. For almost a year and a half we had been looking forward to the big day and it was literally gone in the blink of an eye. We came home from our St. Lucia honeymoon to a brand new apartment that was filled with unpacked boxes (remember we moved in only a few days before we left for the wedding) and unwrapped wedding gifts. My dress was neatly hung in its garment bag, the top tier of our wedding cake was wrapped in our freezer, and my bouquet was already half dried. Our wedding was officially over and put away. I did not want to accept that I was no longer a bride and my life had completely turned upside down.

How someone could feel so incredibly happy to finally be married but oh-so-overwhelmed with "the wedding is over" disappointment simply cannot be described. I think we as a society focus so so SO much on the wedding day and forget that the day is just the first day of marriage. Marriage is what we all should really be preparing for as that is the beginning of your lifetime adventure. Why does society brush off pre-marital counseling? I certainly did as I'm sure many others did too! My thoughts? “Excuse me, we are planning our wedding and that itself should say we’re committed to each other. We do not need that counseling stuff!” Am I alone in this thinking? I’m thinking not. Wedding planning and pre-marital counseling should go hand in hand together. Maybe had Sean and I gone through those motions my mind wouldn’t have been so consumed with just the wedding day. (Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always known and been excited to have THE best husband in the world!) I would have just been more prepared for life after cake tastings, vendor negotiations, and dress fittings!

My post wedding blues have faded and I’ve settled into my new life. I’ve realized I have WAY too many credit cards when I started the fun process of changing my last name! Heck, that was more than enough motivation to pay them off and cut them up before our address changes again! Whew! Our apartment has turned into a home, our home. We’ve got everything unpacked, put in its place (a challenge with our one official and one unofficial closet!) and furnished/decorated each room.We've learned each others quirks and accepted each others imperfections. We're working on life that happens after the wedding and I LOVE IT! This Bride has turned Wife!                                       

David Tutera and the Crazy Cat Lady

You know that feeling that you sometimes get when you know something big is about to happen? This girl right here has it and has no earthly idea how to deal with it. It also doesn't help that I have a feeling two big "things" (for the lack of a better word) are on the horizon. 

Top Photo: David Tutera Wedding Courtesy of Allergo Photography * Bottom Photo: Courtesy of Food Inc

My passions in life can pretty much be summed up in two words: Weddings {and} Animals. I find these two photos to the right completely inspiring and fascinating for two completely different reasons.

 I know what you're thinking, "This girl is insane!" and sometimes you're right. When you have a knack for something you know it and I've known for a very long time I have a knack for wedding planning and animal welfare. 

So bring on David Tutera and the veggie burgers because those feelings I have are about to turn into reality really fast. I'm just not sure how to get from where I am now to where I want to be. 

This wedding planning fever started awhile ago. I'm talking like when I was little and comprehended that I was a perfectionist. In elementary school I first noticed that I would rewrite/restart my notes if I messed up (and I still do to this day!) My Lisa Frank binder was completely organized and I matched my hair ribbons to my outfit. I looked forward to art class and absolutely hated anything to do with math. In high school I obsessively scrapbooked and couldn't get enough of HGTV's Trading Spaces.

Fast forward many years, lots of parties later, and the discovery of David Tutera. I found myself planning my own wedding and it clicked. I was meant for this insanely detailed organized creative industry. Attending one of David Tutera's planning sessions was just icing on the cake!

So now we are here at present day and I am getting things together to start my own wedding planning business. And. It. Is. Scary! I have so many great resources and ideas but it's almost overwhelming. Websites, logos, trademarking, certifications, networking, referrals, venues, etc! My head is spinning but I'm getting there a little at a time. I'm not known for having patience but one of my two big feelings is this new opportunity! Get ready because here I come ...soon!

Yes, this is MY desk!

My next big thing is my love for animals and their welfare. Get caught up on my recent post, The Glamorous Vegetarian. 

Every day I am learning new ways to better the lives of animals as well as my health. It goes beyond factory farming too. I've earned the infamous nickname of The Crazy Cat Lady because I am such a sucker for kitties. Dogs don't be jealous though! 

{side story here...}

Picture me driving home from Georgia with Sean in the passenger seat. I see a dog running loose on the side of the interstate so I immediately pull off onto the shoulder of the road, jump out of the car, and run after the dog. I know, "That girl is REALLY insane!" Come to find out, there were three dogs that had been dumped onto the interstate left for the unthinkable. THREE. One full grown German Shepherd, one half grown Bull Mastiff mix, and one Pit Bull puppy. It took a couple Pop-Tarts and cheese crackers but we got those three dogs into the back of my SUV and drove the three hours back to Tampa. My mom wasn't too happy to find three huge strange dogs in her backyard that night but I could not have left them. Three weeks later, we had successfully found loving and forever homes for them. That experience was probably one of the dumbest but best decisions I have ever made. But, it's what I do.

 

Many other lives have been spared since then and I blame it on my heart just not being able to take the heartbreak. I have a wonderful group of people that aid my efforts (I'm not the only crazy one y'all!) and I give back to many organizations through fundraising and volunteering.

That's where big feeling number two comes into play. I feel like I've got a job to do and that's set an example of someone who wants to change the world. C'mon, who doesn't want to change the world?! In the grand scheme of things my goal would be to plan fabulous weddings in a world where there is no more animal abuse, hurt, neglect or animals without homes. (I feel the same way about people, I'm just the Crazy Cat Lady, remember?)

So now the question begs, just how do I focus my attention on my wedding planning business while actively working on bettering the lives of animals more than I currently am? (I'm a perfectionist, I can do better and more, duh!)

Whew, this is just too much for one gal to handle! I think I'm going to leave it up to faith to take it from here. I've been told I can plan a heck of a wedding and today someone said they wanted to live a passionate life like I do. I guess I am right where I need to be. Just call me "The Crazy Cat Vegetarian David Tutera Lady" in the making! Jesus take the wheel!