Well, lovebirds, we hope you are having a happy, sappy, love-filled Valentine’s day! And honestly, it doesn’t get more love-filled than today’s blog! We loved doing the florals for Ali & Dennis’s wedding day at Alden Castle. ?We just adored meeting Ali. We even got to take 3 generations of her family to the flower market?to pick out her blooms!?So when we found out Ali & Dennis had been to over 40 weddings TOGETHER, we immediately hit her up for tips on planning her own big day. Enjoy these stunning pictures from?Sweet Jane Photography and then check out Ali’s wedding tips below..from inspiration to budget tips, this lovely lady is a pro at planning wedding perfection and enjoying every moment! xoxoxoxo and congrats to Ali & Dennis!
From the bride:
What was your favorite part of the wedding day?
Ah! It’s so hard to choose! I had three “first looks” which was so amazing! I saw my dad for the first time after getting into my dress and it was so emotional and amazing.. it was a moment that most daughters dream of! Then, I had my first look with Dennis which was obviously my MOST favorite moment of the day. It was truly perfect.. more special than I could have ever imagined! He was so sweet and it was so fun and special for us to have that moment to ourselves before all of the partying began! Then, we had a “first look” with our bridal party. This was awesome! It wasn’t planned, but because we were running late, it worked out that Dennis and I saw each other before seeing the bridal party once we were all dressed up. ?It was so exciting to walk into the room and see everyone’s faces.. the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and our parents. Each face was so memorable for me… so priceless! That is what it’s all about — your favorite people all in one place, celebrating you two as a couple. ?It was really special.
What was most important to you when planning your wedding?
Dennis and I have been to a LOT of weddings, so when it was our turn to plan, we had it almost all figured out 🙂 Decision making came easy to us for the most part. It was really important to us to have an event that everyone would enjoy as much as we would. The most important thing for us was to always remember to enjoy all of the little moments along the way, because it would be well worth it. ?It is easy to get stressed with all of the to-do lists floating around, so remember to remind yourselves and each other to take it all in. Have fun with it! After all, when else can you plan an amazing party that’s really all about YOU!?
What inspired you?
We had a big wedding, so our venue options were fairly limited around this area. ?We only saw two other places before seeing Alden Castle… and once we saw our venue, we realized it was perfect! Alden Castle had so much character and it felt so elegant and romantic! ?After deciding to get married there, everything sort of fell into place. ?The room itself inspired us to keep the rest of the decor elegant and fun, but simple and personal to us all at the same time. Everything was perfect.
What was the most challenging part of the planning process and how did you deal with it?
The hardest part of the planning process was making sure that our style and ideas worked well with hosting a formal event. ?We wanted to have a personal and memorable ceremony as well as a classy reception. Sometimes it got tricky planning for a variety of people and age groups. ?As much as the wedding is about the couple, your guests are looking for a great night out as well. It was important to us for all of our guests to enjoy the night.
?
What advice do you have for brides tying the knot this year?
Relax!!… and remember to enjoy the WHOLE process … from engagement parties, to bridal showers, dress shopping, family and friend celebrations, and whatever else you have along the way. ?All of these special moments will become just a memory before you know it.. make sure you live in the moment! It will be well worth it once it’s all over to be able to look back and realize that you had not only had an amazing wedding, but also an incredible planning process! Also, take TONS of pictures .. you’ll be happy you did once it’s all over!
Any tips and tricks for the budget conscious bride?
Tackle the absolute must-haves for your wedding first! Then make a list and budget for extra things that you may want and REALLY try to stay within that budget. ?Ask around and search websites for easy ways to save money… there are some great ideas out there! You’ll come up with ways that will best fit your wedding day. ?Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you have family or friends that want to help out, take them up on the offer!?One way that we stayed within our budget was by using the bridesmaids’ bouquets as?centerpieces?for some of?the tables. ?Since we did a first look before the ceremony and took all of our pictures prior to the reception, the girls didn’t need their flowers after the ceremony.. we saved a ton of money by doing this and we were so pleased with how gorgeous the room looked! Of course Whim helped with making it so perfect for us 🙂
