A letter to the overwhelmed bride
As a wedding photographer and a former bride myself, I know firsthand that wedding planning can be an exhilarating yet incredibly stressful journey. If you're planning a 2025 or 2026 wedding, I urge you to take a deep breath and savor the process. You are not just planning the best day of your life, you are also preparing for a lifetime committed to your best friend. This is something to celebrate!
Wedding planning is a whirlwind of decisions, dreams, and endless inspiration. You'll spend countless hours envisioning your perfect day, carefully selecting which traditions to honor and which to ditch, and also creating unique touches that reflect your personalities and story.
While planning, it's easy to get lost in the noise. The internet overflows with wedding advice, from people on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. While much of this advice is well-intentioned, it sometimes comes from a narrow perspective, or even from some with limited wedding experience.
My advice? Tune out the noise.
Once you've booked your vendors and made key decisions, resist the urge to constantly search for new ideas and trends. The wedding landscape is constantly changing, and what's "trending" today may feel outdated next month.
Instead of endlessly scrolling when wedding planning, here is my practical and realistic advice for brides:
Book wedding professionals whose values align with yours and who prioritize building genuine relationships with their clients. Then, when you have a question, turn to these wedding professionals for advice. These trusted vendors will provide valuable, personalized advice that reflects your vision for your wedding day. Amazing wedding professionals work to make your wedding day experience as personal, smooth, and enjoyable as possible. They will want to see you enjoying your wedding day.
Have a candid conversation with your fiancé to determine your shared wedding day values. Talk through different parts of the wedding day and how you envision the day feeling. Here are some questions to get you started:
How do we prioritize intimate moments with loved ones and with each other?
How do we honor our faith through the ceremony and reception?
Is our primary focus enjoying each other's company?
Do we want a traditional wedding, or do we want to do things our way?
What do we want our guests to feel when they attend our wedding?
What should we prioritize in our budget? What is most important to us?
Let your values guide every decision. Don't feel pressured to conform to trends or follow advice that doesn't resonate with you. I also see so much advice given about the aesthetics of the day, don’t forget to consider how you will feel on your wedding day. Consider aspects like what you will wear, if your timeline feels too packed, and if you have time to eat and relax.
When planning my wedding, I was feeling the urge to have a smaller, more intimate wedding, influenced by industry trends circulating at the time I was wedding planning. However, as we started compiling our guest list, I realized that a truly small wedding would mean excluding many cherished friends and family members. Ultimately, we opted for a celebration with around 150 guests, and it was the best day of our lives. We were surrounded by so many people we love. Looking back, I'm incredibly grateful that we trusted our instincts and prioritized celebrating with the people who meant the most to us.
Final Words
Your wedding day is a reflection of your unique lives and families joining together. The key to having the wedding day of your dreams is to stick to your dreams. By staying true to yourselves and focusing on what truly matters, you'll create a celebration that is both beautiful and unforgettable.
