Wedding Inspiration Series // Aaron and Stacy // The Enchanted Barn

Let's just say,  Aaron and Stacy made my Boho Wedding dreams come true. I loved hearing their Enchanted Barn wedding vision from the start but what really impressed me was....they STUCK TO IT!  That is HUGE when it comes to wedding planning.  So many opinions, ideas and pinterest and opinions and well opinions! and yet, they held strong and I LOVE that about them.  So I hope you really listen to their wedding advice here!  

A little advice from me, if your the kind of bride who wants to get your wedding noticed and possibly published, I would go for bold statements, a very unique dress, venue, decor and wedding party attire! 

What was your favorite memory?  

 So hard to pick! Sounds cliche but the entire weekend was perfect. My absolute favorite memory was our "first look". So many feelings leading up to finally seeing each other on the big day and I was just so incredibly happy when I saw his handsome face (Dani captured the moment perfectly!) We also snuck away to have ten minutes together to totally geek out on the fact that we actually took the plunge. It's amazing to be surrounded by those who love and support you, but equally important to have those moments alone. 

What could you have done without? 

I might have gone a little overboard with the desserts and alcohol but people left fat and happy, so I have no complaints. Just a lot of leftover pie... 

What was the best advice you received? 

Stay 100% in the moment. The day flies by faster than you can even imagine.. During dinner I remember looking out to the crowd and seeing all of my favorite people conversing and laughing...how amazing is that!?? Enjoy the little things and feel the love, it's all around you! Second for all my perfectionist friends, I can assure you that you're the only person that realizes when something doesn't execute exactly to your vision. Don't sweat it.

What did you book first? Venue, Dress, Photographer.....what order would you suggest? 
Booked the venue first as it set the actual date and the vibe of the day! Photographer was a close second...book quickly as the good ones go fast!

What were you nervous about and was it worth it?

So embarrassing...my friends would tell you I am awkward. In general I use it to my advantage to be funny and do weird dances, etc. Unfortunately, awkward isn't the first word you want people to use when talking about you on your wedding day. When it came to pictures, my husband and I were both so camera shy at first, but Dani was so great at making us feel comfortable and hiding our awkward sides. 

What tips do you have for planning brides?

Pinterest is your pal - its a great way to take the ideas in your head and bring them to life! Etsy is equally amazing! In the beginning I had grand plans of killing the DIY game, but I travel a lot for work and to be honest I just got lazy...so I supported small businesses and bought a lot of fun and personalized things off Etsy. 

If you could do it over again what would you change if anything?

We got married in a small town based on the venue (which was amazing). I didn't think early enough about hotels for my guests...My biggest piece of advice would be to see how many rooms hotels allow you to book and make sure there are actually enough rooms for everyone. We ended up having people in 2 separate cities, which meant funding additional transportation. It all worked out, but something for all you small town brides to consider. 

Tell us about how you chose your dress and bridesmaids dresses

I am boho by nature and knew I wanted a dress that was all things flowy. Unfortunately Wisconsin doesn't carry a lot of the brands I found with this vibe. So, over a few glasses of red wine (how all good purchases happen) I ordered my dress online and it ended up being perfect! My bridesmaids wore Free People, only ask was that they picked ivory for the color. It was great to see them all rock a dress they'd actually wear again and that fit each of their styles...and the pics turned out amazing! 

How did you stay organized? 

I’m a planner and had a binder and spreadsheet going at all times. Once we landed the venue I worked at checking things off my list early, doing one thing per week. It felt great, helped me balance my budget and kept me from getting overwhelmed as the big day approached.

Anything you'd like to add? 

Congrats to all starting your wedding planning journey!!!  It is some of the most fun, stressful, and ridiculous times I've had in my life. Find the joy in the process and remember to love and appreciate all those around you who are so incredibly supportive with their time, money, and words during your hectic planning. Remember the end game most importantly includes marrying your best friend and hopefully a few honeymoon cocktails on a warm beach! 

Vendors:

Ceremony and Reception: The Enchanted Barn
Florist + Rentals: Jennifer Joyce Design
Wedding Dress: Grace Loves Lace 
Bridesmaids Dresses: Free People
Bridal Accessories: BHLDN
Bridal Shoes: Steve Madden
Make-up: Tina Beaupre
Invitations: Minted
DJ: Open Bar Entertainment

Wedding Inspiration Series // Michael and Erica // Silver Oaks Chateau// St. Louis MO

When Michael and Erica contacted me , I was so blown away by these two and their vision and outlook on the wedding.  We let at Devils Lake State Park for engagement photos and they were so fluid together, and didn't want any posed photos rather they just hung out together and I photographed it. It was magic, these two are magic.  Later in the wedding process Erica emailed me about some changes to the wedding location and vision.  She shared with me that plans change (they almost always do at weddings!) and they we able to have a bigger wedding than expected, it would be at Silver Oaks Chateau in St. Louis Missouri.  A wedding where everyone can attend and they can make it a whole day to enjoy rather than a quick ceremony.  When I looked up this venue and seen Erica and Michael's vision I was taken over.  I mean  truly, this wedding with all their loved ones present and the feel of St. Louis and this chateau and the design behind it absolutely blew me away.  Here's Erica's words:

What was your favorite memory? 

Michael and I have the same favorite memory! Our favorite memory is our wedding vows we said to each other during the first look. Sharing our vows together in private made them that much more personal and intimate. We were able to hold each, laugh, cry, wipe away tears, and comment on them before we shared them at our ceremony. It was something we were able to share between us two, and I will cherish that memory for the rest of my life.

 What could you have done without?

I know this sounds silly, but I could have done without my wedding shoes. I purchased Jimmy Choo shoes, but I switched out of them immediately after the ceremony. They were so uncomfortable! They were beautiful, but definitely not worth it in the end. 

What was the best advice you received?
Take some time to be alone with my husband, because the day goes by so fast with so many people wanting to shower you with love and affection. I really made it a point to enjoy all of our wedding activities together and have alone time in between the moments of being with friends and family. They day still went by fast, but we still got to enjoy the day together. 

What did you book first? Venue, Dress, Photographer.....what order would you suggest?

I booked the photographer first! I knew I wanted Dani to photograph our day before we were even engaged! If you have your heart set on a wedding photographer, I recommend booking them first and then your venue shortly after. Or the opposite if you have your heart set on a venue. I think the dress can come after the main vendors are booked, because photographers and venues need to be booked in advance in order to guarantee a date. I also picked my dress after we finalized our venue, because I wanted my dress to match the venue. Personally, I think you could have the nicest venue and most beautiful dress in the world, but you need a photographer who can capture it all. 

What were you nervous about and was it worth it?

I was most nervous about our ceremony. It was supposed to thunderstorm during our outdoor ceremony, but it turned out to be sunny! We had to decide by early morning whether we would move our ceremony inside. We took a huge risk by not moving it, because the radar was not looking good. It all worked out though! We also wrote the ceremony ourselves and selected our readings, so I was worried it would not be enjoyable for our guests. It was perfect in the end! The ceremony fit our personality and style, and we got so many compliments on it. 

What tips do you have for planning brides?

It can be really overwhelming to fully articulate what you want, especially when you are not 100% sure. Creating a vision board helped me see what I was really going for! I took images I loved and copied/pasted them onto a single collage. This helped me in making most decisions, and it saved me from overthinking things. I also went with vendors that I fully trusted. I sent them my vision board and they did the rest. Going with trusted vendors who knew exactly what my vision was saved me so much headache and planning, and I never once doubted what they were doing.

If you could do it over again what would you change if anything?

I wish I could have taken home all of the leftovers! We had so much food at our wedding. I really made it a point to eat throughout the day, but I was so full by the time I had our wedding cake...I only had one bite of it! We also forgot to grab our leftover cake and didn't designate anyone to get the leftovers. For our anniversary we are going to get a small cake with the same flavors from our baker, so I am excited to eat some of our cake then. 

Other than that, I would not change anything else! Sure, I can look back and think of how I *could have* done things differently, but then it would not be our wedding! Trends will come and go over time, but our memories will last forever. And brides...there will be things that do not go as planned, and that is okay! I was so happy on our wedding day, so the bumps and hiccups never once bothered me. 

Tell us about how you chose your dress and bridesmaids dresses
I am incredibly picky when it comes to fashion. I wanted something timeless and elegant while also very modern. I originally wanted a long sleeve gown with lace and tulle, but a late June wedding in St. Louis would not allow for that! I ended up with a body-hugging lace dress with a plunging neckline. It came with a pearl and crystal belt, but I had a vision of a giant bow belt. I looked around forever and could not find anything. So I had my tailor attach the belt to organza in order to create the dramatic bow I was dreaming of! It took my dress to another level and made it unique to me and my individual style. 

I knew I wanted a French countryside theme with the central colors of lavender, mauve, blush, and cream with elements of gold, plum, navy, and greenery. I had a very specific vision! I wanted my bridesmaids in the main colors with one or two in a patterned or floral dress. At the same time, I wanted them to feel beautiful and comfortable in what they were wearing and with what they were spending. I selected approximately 30 dresses of various colors, patterns, and budgets from Asos, Bhldn, etc. They were all different, but they all went together. I told them they could pick whichever dress they wanted and to use the dresses as inspiration if they did not like any of them. Two of them selected from the list, one asked me to pick one from the list based on her budget and my vision, and one found a similar dress on Ebay for less than $50. 

ow did you stay organized? 

I had a wedding planner/coordinator, Events Luxe, and they kept me organized. Seriously, I do not know what I would have done without them! I sent them my vision board, and they made it come to life. They helped me stay organized with a budget spreadsheet, to do lists, and reminders to send out our save the dates and invites. 

Anything you'd like to add?

There will be things that will go wrong and minor details that were missed, but do not sweat it! Just enjoy your special day, live in the moment, and celebrate the love you and your partner have! It will be perfect in the end, because it is your wedding.

Wedding Inspiration Series // Kristen and Drew Rogers Minnesota

I'm SO happy to get this preview on the blog, finally!  When I shot this amazing September wedding I was taking a serious social media break.  And although I loved this wedding and editing it and sharing it with the couple, I didn't share it with the world so now is my chance!  Kristen and Drew are an AMAZING couple I met as a fellow wedding vendor, they are super cool and talented Videographers behind Drew Gilmore Photo and Video and beyond that they are SUPER fun and they love the office and they have the sweetest pup named Boomer and well I could go on and on about them. I just love these guys and their wedding was a perfection reflection of them at  a private residence in Rogers Minnesota.  A perfect September day in the country was the backdrop of this rustic yet sweet fairytale wedding!  Kristen found her prince!  Here's what she had to say about wedding planning....

What was your favorite memory? 
Favorite memory from my wedding day was our First Look.  It was so wonderful to just have some moments alone before all the crazy happened! And it was just as meaningful when I saw him when I walked down the aisle.

What could you have done without?
I am having a very hard time with this question. I'm not sure there was anything I could have done without!

What was the best advice you received?
Best advice I ever received was to give your phone to a personal attendant/friend so you know where it is all day, so she can take pictures for you, etc.

What did you book first? Venue, Dress, Photographer.....what order would you suggest?
We booked our photographer first because we loved Dani SO much! This made it harder to find a venue with our date open. I would recommend finding the venue first.

 What were you nervous about and was it worth it?
I was most nervous about the weather because our wedding was entirely outside. It turned out to be a beautiful weekend and was so worth it!

What tips do you have for planning brides?
Don't be afraid to delegate tasks! You need helping hands.

If you could do it over again what would you change if anything?
I would make sure out tent sides were down because having a blank white background took away from the scenery.

Tell us about how you chose your dress and bridesmaids dresses
 I chose my dress on the first day I went shopping - MISTAKE! I found one I liked more later and was able to sell the first one but still lost money on it.

How did you stay organized? 
TheKnot.com has great resources to help you stay organized!

Anything you'd like to add?
 Just remember to breathe and have fun. Take it all in, this day only comes once - and it'll be the best day of your life!