12 years later: Looking back to our wedding days and what we wish we did!
I’ve been married for 12 years now so my wedding day really isn’t on my mind anymore, well until a Client asked me what regrets I had about my wedding day. Let's be clear, I prefer to consider it as a reflection back and what I would do differently if given the chance. I really I had to stop and think about it and then I realized that this young beautiful bride was asking ME so she could learn from my planning experience. Even though some of us wish we could change our colors, our hair style and or trends, there is always a lesson to be learned and unfortunately, we often learn it post wedding day.
So I asked my girlfriends what they would change about their wedding day so I compiled our Top 5 post wedding revelations maybe just maybe to help put a different perspective on things.
Regret #1. I WISH I WOULD HAVE EATEN WHILE I WAS GETTING READY: Everyone told me to but I didn’t listen! You WILL be so busy during the reception greeting your guests, taking photographs and dancing that food will be the last thing on your mind. Keep up your strength by eating something (at least a little something) before all the fun begins.
Regret #2. WE SHOULD HAVE HIRED A WEDDING PLANNER! We didn’t have one and I truly wish we did. A wedding planner takes care of all the small details you shouldn’t have to worry about on or before your wedding. I have many friends who had one (I regrettably did not!) and it made ALL the difference! It doesn’t matter how organized or detail oriented you are, there is only one of you and you can’t be everywhere on your wedding day. The only place you should be is next to your husband having the time of your life!
Regret # 3. I REGRET NOT HAVING A FAMILY DANCE: My parents ended up separating and divorcing a few months later and I regret not being able to have that one last moment as a family. Weddings are a special time for just not the bride and groom but the entire family. Make sure you take advantage of the occasion and capture the moments you want whether it is through photography or a dance.
Regret #4. I REGRET NOT HAVING A FULL PROSPECTIVE OF MY VENDORS: I came to find out that our florist shut down her shop two weeks after our wedding! I’m glad it didn’t affect my wedding, but I hate to think of all the brides whose wedding it did affect. Read up on your prospective vendors, ask questions and get referrals from people you trust. Don’t entrust a family friend to do your video or your cousin’s best friend to be the photographer. Make sure you hire professional quality people who come highly recommended to capture and help execute the most important day of your life. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Regret #5. I regret not wearing better shoes! My feet hurt during the ceremony and I just kept thinking “I just want to take these off!” Make sure to spend some time in your wedding shoes pre-wedding! It’s also a good idea to spend some time in all of your undergarments that you are not used to wearing just to make sure everything fits and sits exactly the way you need it to.
Hopefully, this will give you a little insight on things to remember for your wedding day. No matter what changes I'd make or things that were forgotten (and believe me, there were a few!) I still look back on my wedding day as one of the best days of my life. We laughed, we danced, we made memories and at the end of the day, THAT really is the most important thing along with the hosted bar, food, great people and CAKE!
Questions, Comments or suggestions?
Email me at care@sterlingweddingsandevents.com
