{Remember when I said I was 9 months preggo at this wedding? Love those pregnant chubby cheeks!}
Here are Lucy and Cynthia's Wedding Woes and Wisdom for you brides and moms out there....
From your own experience, what advice would you give other women for their wedding day?
Listen to the expert (Jenessa) for wisdom she’s gained from experience, but if you feel strongly about something, remember that this is your day! Tear out as many pictures of things you like and don’t like (from flowers, table arrangements, paper products, etc…). This makes it easier to figure out your style and vision for the day.
Looking back, are there any details from your wedding you would have changed or excluded?
Absolutely not. My day was actually exactly how I imagined and hoped it would be. ☺
In your opinion, what are some good ways to keep costs low when planning a wedding?
Prioritize. I LOVE flowers, so that was a priority for me. I was not as concerned about other things. Also, be willing to do some work yourself. I know we saved money because I was willing to type up my “guest booklets” that we put in everyone’s rooms and then we had an expert (Sincerely Yours) make what I wrote look pretty.
In what ways did you make your wedding and reception different from all the rest?
-We served some of our favorite foods (queso, chips, salsa, bread pudding),
-we had 3 types of personalized cookies as party favors,
-we used our save the date as sort of a ‘theme” and carried it through onto our guest boxes and cookies,
-we had a “day of the wedding” bbq lunch so that all of our guests could get together
-we brought in a cigar roller for the men to enjoy
-we had a photo booth which entertained adults and kids
-signs that said “Sparklers to light the Semple’s way” and “Sweets to send you on your way” on our departure table that included sparklers, personalized matches, and cookies.
-we had pizza brought in about 45 minutes before we departed as a sort of “late-night treat”. It was a hit!
What was your favorite detail about your wedding and reception?
The flowers!!! I had torn out so many pictures and had described as best I could what I wanted it to look like and the flowers were beyond my wildest expectations. They were amazing!
What was your favorite experience or memory from your wedding and reception?
Taking a few minutes to walk around just my husband and me and take in everything at the wedding. We took a few minutes to talk to eachother and walk around the entire reception without talking to guests…..those are the pictures in my mind that are not a blur. I also remember dancing a lot – I wanted to have fun at my wedding and I did! ☺
What is the best way to keep your guests excited and involved at the reception, so they won’t leave early?
Surprise them by having some things that are “special” and not like all the others……We had a few:
The pizza that we brought in a little bit before our departure was one fun part.
Our band was REALLY great, so people wanted to keep dancing.
The photo booth helped the children stay entertained so that they weren’t ready to leave.
My mom kept telling her friends that they shouldn’t leave because the sparklers were going to be so pretty! ☺
What do you suggest as good wedding music? Is it best to use live music or a DJ?
I think it totally depends on budget. If you can afford it, a live band always helps to get the party going and get people on the dance floor. They can also “Read” the crowd to see what type of music they should go to next. If you have a DJ or a CD playing, just make sure to consider what type of music you want playing when. Be specific with whomever you work with so that they know what YOU like and what music YOU enjoy. I remember that our band played a couple of songs that weren’t our style, so we went to them and asked them to go another direction and the problem was solved.
What is something that stressed you out while planning, and how did you alleviate that stress and what solution did you find for the problem?
Most of my stress was because I was planning a Fayetteville wedding from Dallas and I felt out of the loop sometimes. Jenessa always did a wonderful job of calming me down and getting me back into the loop. ☺ Other than that, the most stressful is the budget, for sure! My advice for both issues is just to communicate with everyone you are working with. Our flower budget was a bit higher than we wanted it, so my mom had a long phone call and went through all of the expenses with our florist. They were able to compromise on some changes and the problem was solved.
What is something you did not expect about planning a wedding that you experienced?
Bonding with so many of the vendors we worked with for those months. We were lucky to have worked with wonderful people who I now consider friends! It was also special bonding for my mom and I because we did so much of it together. It can be stressful, but it also has so many fun parts!!!
Thanks, Lu! Now on to Cynthia...
What did you enjoy most about your daughter’s wedding day?
I loved the whole day, but especially the actual wedding and reception. It was all we had planned for and hoped it would be.
Was there any detail about the wedding and reception that made it unique to your daughter and her personality?
Both venues (a small chapel and the barn) were perfect for her.
What would have made wedding planning an easier and more enjoyable experience?
It was an enjoyable experience, and I wouldn’t change anything.
What expense was well worth the cost?
Flowers
If a mother of the bride is not seeing eye to eye with her daughter when planning a wedding, what advice would you give her?
It’s the daughter’s wedding, not hers.
How involved were you with the wedding planning? Do you wish you would have been more or less involved?
I was very involved in assisting and carrying out plans, but my daughter made all the major decisions. I wouldn’t change it at all.
I hope you have enjoyed learning all about Lucy and Chris' wedding day from start to finish! Leave some comment love or any questions you have below!
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