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Things to Consider Before You Start Planning Your Wedding


Wedding Planning Advice

Engagement Photo - Ampersand - Braden Harris

Photo courtesy of Braden Harris Photography

 

So… You got engaged, you told everyone you know, and now it’s time to start planning! I know what you’re thinking, where do we start!? Don’t panic, you just need to think about the kind of wedding you want. The biggest thing to ask yourselves is, “What makes the most sense for us?”

 

Location:

When I say location, I don’t just mean venue. I mean where in the world do y’all want to say your vows? Consider where you are from, is there a specific place one of you has always wanted to get married, can your family and friends you want at your wedding get to this place?

 

Outdoor Wedding portrait - Bride & Groom - Kylie Crump photography

Photo by Kylie Crump Photography

 

When my husband and I were talking wedding, we had to decide between his hometown and mine. We considered the fact that we both now live in Dallas, so it made it easier that we can plan in state. While the convenience is nice, my husband’s HUGE family, here in Dallas, sealed the deal on us having ours here. It would be so much easier to get my 10-15 family members here and lodged then to get his 50-75 family members there!

When deciding who you want present on your wedding day, it’s important to think about how they will get there. Can your grandma, who you can’t imagine not being there, fly on a plane? If you want to walk down the aisle with grandma Jo, then maybe consider doing it closer to her.

 

Wedding Reception - Dancing at a wedding - Dot & Anchor

Photo by Dot & Anchor Photography

 

Guest Count:

Consider if you prefer being in your small group of friends or if you like the big crowd scene? Are you an introvert or extrovert? If you love the thought of having all your family and friends in one place, then go with the big wedding! Some people cringe at the thought of 150 people staring at you all night. Are you that person? Then do a smaller wedding. Remember, you don’t have to invite every person you ever came in contact with!

 

Lauren Peele Photography - Wedding Table - Tablescape from wedding - Pink Centerpieces

Photo by Lauren Peele Photography

 

Dancing, Food, Alcohol, and The Whole Shebang:

When people think of weddings a lot of times they think ceremony, then seated dinner, followed by dancing with occasional visits to the open bar. This is definatly not the only option.

Let’s go back to what makes sense to y’all. If you a morning person, you can always do a morning ceremony followed with a brunch. If you like the idea of an evening wedding, but not the crazy party, skip the dancing and open bar, and just do the dinner. There are many ways to celebrate and make your wedding perfect for you and your fiancé. 

 

All in all, try to stay true to who you are as a couple and what makes sense for you. After all it is your day! If you need help figuring out the details to get you wedding plans moving contact us!

 

Creating a Unique Wedding Ceremony


Wedding Planning Advice

Church Wedding Ceremony - Black and white ceremony

Photo courtesy of Feather & Twine Photography

 

We reached out to some of our favorite wedding ceremony officiants to answer a pretty big question:

“What are some elements you can suggest to make a ceremony unique to the couple?”

 

Alternative Wedding Services - Bride and Groom outside wedding ceremony

Photo courtesy of Allen Tsai Photography

 

Arianna Gray, from Alternative Wedding Services, had some great options for making your ceremony unique:

“While there are many elements out there that can be included, knowing the couple’s personalities, backgrounds, beliefs and so forth are helpful in finding just the right elements for them to include. There are the “joining” elements, such as a handfasting, unity candle, sand ceremony and so forth. These all represent the act of bringing two lives (or more in the case of the sand ceremony) together into a marriage or family and can be a lovely inclusion into any wedding ceremony.

There are the “threshold” elements like jumping the broom or breaking the glass. These represent a breaking with the past or leaving the past (single lives) behind and jumping or crossing into the future together.  It shows a couple’s commitment to face the unknown together.

And there are ways to honor the ancestors, whether it is a remembrance of those who have passed, a general honoring of those who came before or honoring the couple’s parents. These are very moving and meaningful and really lend a “family is important” vibe to the ceremony.”

For other tradition recommendations be sure to check out her website!

 

Jewish Wedding - chuppah - Outdoor ceremony

Photo courtesy of Dot & Anchor Photography

 

David Gruber, an interfaith wedding Rabbi, tells us about how he officiated a wedding that not only had various traditions from several cultures but also was featured on MTV’s hispanic channel as a part of a series:

“The ceremony included elements from both faith traditions, with vows, a New Testament reading, and a Unity Candle from the Christian tradition, and the Ketubah, the Seven Blessings and the breaking of the glass from the Jewish tradition. My favorite parts of any wedding ceremony, and this was no exception, are the traditions that both faiths share: the ring exchange, the shared cup and the Priestly Blessing. For the latter I wrapped the couple in my tallit, which always makes for a “warm and fuzzy” moment, and I blessed them in three languages, Hebrew, English and Spanish. I then pronounced them esposo y esposa. As I usually do, I included short explanations of all the various customs and rituals for the benefit of those at the wedding, and those who would watch it on TV.”

Read more about this unique ceremony on David’s blog. Your ceremony should be customized to what you and your fiancé prefer no matter how unconventional the combination of elements are!

 

Love Notes - Outdoor Vineyard Ceremony

Photo courtesy of Krystle Akin Photography

 

Chris Marx, from Love Notes, tells us how he incorporated two cultures to create a ceremony both the couple and family was happy with:

“I met with a couple where the bride, while growing up in America, was of a Persian heritage.  Her parents migrated to the States before she was born.  She wanted to have a wedding that incorporated many of the American traditions but also wanted to bring into her wedding a lot of her Parent’s Persian traditions.

I spent a lot of time discussing with the bride, groom, the brides parents and my own research on Persian weddings.  After gathering a host of information I wrote a wedding ceremony that met the request of the bride and groom. The ceremony was reviewed by her parents and some adjustments were made.  However, when all was said and done, it was a wedding that no one will forget.”

Mixing traditions, customs, and ceremony designs is a great way to make your union unique to you and your fiancé and highlighting the beauty in cultures. Learn more about Chris here.

 

There are as many traditions and variations of ceremonies as there are individuals. You should focus on creating the perfect ceremony that fits you and your partner. These are just a few officiants that work with couples everyday to make their union exceptional. We would love to hear about your unique ceremony!