5 Tips for a Seamless Wedding

We all want to have a stress-free and seamless wedding day, right? RIGHT! No one wants to be running around, forgetting timelines, losing focus, and most importantly not enjoying the big day. So below I am sharing my 5 tips for helping you to stay in control and stress-free in order to treasure this special memory.

  1. Celebrate: After you first get engaged, your brain is running wild with the endless possibilities for your big day! Cherish that. Don't rush in to planning the day after you're engaged. You need to be able to celebrate and share this special news without worrying about diving too fast in to the crazy that is called wedding planning. Your engagement is a special time and you will only have it for a short while!
  2. List Out Your Vendors: Start by listing any and all vendors that you or your partner have been interested in, and start contacting them! Going down the list of vendors and checking each off the list is the best first step of the process. If you're not sure about who you think would fit your style, budget, and needs, contact your coordinator FIRST! We are here to help you with the process from the very beginning! Once your "team" is created it is so much simpler to begin the aesthetic process and nitty-gritty details that come along.
  3. Set Aside Allotted "Wedding Planning Time": Since wedding planning can sometimes be a very time consuming process, it's so important to remember to set aside certain times in the week to work on everything. For example, "Monday, Wednesday and Friday will be my days allotted to emails, appointments, cake tastings, etc.!" This will help you stay focused when you need to, and relax and decompress for the rest ;-)
  4. Make Time for Yourself: For the months leading up to your moment, it is so crucial to make sure you give yourself some alone time. Whether this means taking a small relaxing trip, catching up on old or current hobbies, enjoying some quiet time, etc.! You're about to spend your life with the person you love, so take moments to reflect on that, who you are and how this person, yourself and others have shaped you to be the individual you are today.
  5. Trust Your Coordinator(s): Sometimes it's hard to sit back and let go of the reigns... we get that! But we are trained and ready to handle anything that flies our way to ensure that your day runs as seamlessly as possible. We've seen all kinds of craziness that happens at weddings through the years, but that doesn't mean you have to too. Trust that we got it under control and have you and your partners best interest in mind!

Unplug Your Ceremony

Have you ever attended a wedding where everyone seems to be snapping cellphone photos during the wedding? I know I have!  I can tell you that it is one of the most frustrating and heart breaking moments of any ceremony. So many times I have seen photographers miss the first kiss because someone is standing in the aisle, or lose memories of those special dances because guests will walk in front of the camera or miss other precious moments due to guest interference.

As best I can I try to remind guests to refrain from using their cellphone during the ceremony, but there's always at least one person who slips through the cracks! Wedding couples can spend thousands of dollars on photographers to capture those memories, so photographers want to follow through on their promise to deliver their best quality work. It's disrespectful not only to the couple, but to the professional photographers as well.

Thomas of Thomas Stewart Photography took the words right out of my mouth with his recent Facebook post. You may view his post below, and I encourage you to browse through his stunning photos!

Right, I've had enough. I want to talk to you all about guests using mobile phones / cameras at weddings. I want to...

Posted by Thomas Stewart Photography on Thursday, November 5, 2015

Cheers!

Amanda and Will | 9-6-15

This past labor day we had the great pleasure of coordinating Amanda and Will's adorable "I do's"! Amanda and Will met when they both attended Virginia Tech, but didn't start dating until after Will had graduated and moved away! Luckily (as fate will have it), Will came back for a birthday party and these two love birds hit it off and started their journey together! Soon after Amanda's graduation, the two packed up and moved down to Baton Rouge to pursue her Chemical Engineering and his Wood Science career!

The two decided to get married where it all began, in good ol' Virginia :-) They chose the beautiful Mill at Fine Creek for their nuptials. Though it had rained the days leading up to the wedding, we were still able to have their ceremony on the lawn in front of the Mill! Their wedding was filled with blush tones, dusty browns, and gorgeous greens, not to mention, all of their beautiful friends :)

We are so happy we were able to work with this wonderful couple and get to know them more throughout the process! Happy 2 month anniversary you love birds you!

 

Cheers!



Mallory + Irving | 8-29-15

Burgundy, purple and blush, oh my! Mallory and Irving's wedding this past August was filled with not only these captivating colors, but with laughter and love! It was such a treat working with the quirkiest, coolest, self-proclaimed nerds I've ever met! Getting to know their hobbies, how they share quality time together (this includes comic-con!), and getting to know them as individuals was so much fun. 

Their wedding was elegant yet relaxed at the same time, taking place at the wonderful Williamsburg Winery in Virginia. The couple chose to decorate with gorgeous flowers by Norfolk Wholesale, pearls, custom numbered wine bottles, and candles galore! I don't think there was ever a moment during the reception that the dance floor was empty! It was just such a fun group and joyous occasion!

Scroll through the pictures below to enjoy their beautiful day with me! And look for Mallory's special surprise grooms cake for Irving ;-)

Best Man Duties

You’ve just been chosen as Best Man for your buddy’s wedding.  Congrats!  Being the Best Man is an exciting time, and comes with its own set of responsibilities.  There's probably a reason you were chose as the front man, whether that means you've been best friends for 20 years, he's your brother, or you are someone he truly respects and appreciates!  If you're unsure of what is expected of you for the wedding, here’s a quick checklist to help you out: 

  1. Help the Groom With the Tuxes: If the groom has decided on going the tux-route for his wedding, help him pick out and decide on the color, fit, and details of his and each groomsman’s tux. Once this has been decided, help him with organizing the fittings for all of the other groomsmen, and make sure everything is on schedule (fittings, pick up time, drop off time, etc.).
  2. Bachelor Party: Here it is, probably what you're looking forward to most! You’ll want to plan a bachelor party for the groom and his groomsmen that allows all to feel included and welcome, especially if there are out-of-town groomsmen, or some of the guys haven't met each other.  Coordinate with the other men to see what would interest everyone the most that would ensure a great time for all.  I recommend starting a closed Facebook Group or email thread is ensure everyone is in the loop.
  3. Groomsmen Gifts: Traditionally, the groom will give gifts to all of his groomsmen at the rehearsal dinner before the wedding. In the case that he is blanking on ideas, help him out! It's always helpful to bounce ideas off of another person.
  4. Scheduling: Try to stay ahead of the game and keep in close contact with the wedding coordinator about any scheduling or timeline changes. Help coordinate the couple’s wedding night departure, and confirm all hotel reservations for that night.
  5. Toasts: Be sure to prepare a toast for the rehearsal dinner and the reception itself. For the rehearsal dinner, be sure to wait until after the mother or father of the groom gives a toast if they chose to do so.
  6. Day of Payments: Collect any outstanding payments or tips for the vendors the day of the wedding and disperse to the appropriate vendors after the ceremony.
  7. Rings and License: One of the most important jobs for the wedding day is to make sure you have the rings held and safe for the ceremony, and remind the groom to have his wedding license on him. We don't want to lose these things!
  8. Sign the marriage license as an official witness

Photo by: Jeffrey Ocampo Photography 

Cheers!
The Jack Rabbit

Styled Wedding Shoot | Midsummer Night's Dream

Considering it is now midsummer, it is time to share some beauties taken by Kait Winston Photography! Kait, Shana (of Sassy Snap Dragon Florals) and I created this shoot to embody the whimsical and dream-like summer romance of William Shakespeare's phenomenal play. Shana created enchanting floral details that popped beautifully with the romantic, earthy river-scape. Pearl's Cupcakes designed and provided the sweetest cupcakes that were not only pleasing to the eye, but absolutely delicious! The model of the shoot was yours truly! It was so fun to design, style and model for this shoot:) So without further a-do, please enjoy the photos below!

 

“I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.” 
-William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Nights Dream

Photographer: Kait Winston Photography / Event Coordination + Design: The Wedding Rabbit / Cake Designer: Pearl’s Bake Shoppe / Floral Design: Sassy Snapdragon Floral / Model: Kelly Harrison of The Wedding Rabbit / Model: Todd Baker / Published: Sweet Violet Bride