From finding the perfect venue to narrowing down the guest list, wedding planning takes a lot of effort and time. That’s why it’s essential to start early, don’t get wrapped up in every detail, and to hire the right vendors who can help you through it all! They say brides know best, and when it comes to advice, I think it’s safe to take it from someone who has already been in your shoes. We ask every bride that we feature to share advice for couples who are still in the planning process, and the results are golden! Hear what these Philadelphia brides have to say as it may help you on your own journey to tying the knot!
Shea: “Enjoy yourself! It’s very easy to get caught up in the minute details of the day, but they truly don’t matter. No one cares about your centerpieces or the way you do your hair. If they do, then they probably shouldn’t be invited to your wedding! Don’t lose focus on what the day is really about – celebrating your love and commitment to one another. Undoubtedly, things will not go perfectly the day of, and that’s okay. You’ll laugh about it later. It’s no easy feat planning a party for a large number of people, but take each task step by step and get an early start on things so that you aren’t scrambling weeks before the wedding.” – Romantic Winter Wedding at Hotel du Village
Meaghan: “Advice for other couples – get a videographer! I know so many couples that did not (it can be expensive) and regret not being able to watch their first dance, speeches, or just random candid moments. Also – we booked/planned so many things in advance it made the whole process a lot more seamless. Anything you can do ahead of time DO IT. Don’t forget that you’re marrying the love of your life and that you’re not just preparing for a wedding but for your lifetime together – enjoy every moment of it.” – Classic Philadelphia Wedding at Ballroom at Ben
Jodi: “My advice would be to plan early and try to get the small details situated a week before the big day. During your wedding week, you’re filled with a lot of emotions. You want to spend that week getting excited, not bogged down in stress. Try to leave at least the last couple of days before the wedding free to decompress and get ready for the best day of your life.” – Bohemian Backyard BBQ Wedding in Washinton Crossing
Emily: “As many couples will tell you, having a day-of point person is a tremendous help. We were very lucky to have two individuals (one from our caterer, and one from our venue) who helped make our day run so smoothly. I would also remind the couple that while at times it may feel like you have to make all these people happy, like parents or siblings or members of the bridal party, at the end of the day it’s your one and only most special day. You have to remind yourself that this is YOUR wedding.” – Elegant Wedding at The Washington at Historic Yellow Springs
Kate: “I have two pieces of advice: 1) Don’t stress about wedding day weather – you can’t control it! 2) Have fun during the wedding planning process. Our wedding day forecast called for rain and I was stressed out because I had no indoor backup plan for photography. On the wedding day, it ended up raining only during our photos (figures!). When it did, I didn’t even care. We had so much fun taking pictures in the rain and the sun even came out by the time we arrived at our final photo destination. The weather made our photos so interesting and unique. The second piece of advice – make sure to have fun planning the year before the wedding. The wedding itself is only one day, so enjoy the ride along the way, picking out your flowers, dress shopping, and meeting with vendors. You’ll love being able to look back on those memories!” – Blush and Gold Wedding at Tendenza
Jen: “The best advice I can give is to simply enjoy the planning process. There were so many times when I wished the wedding would just be here already! Then I tried to remind myself that soon it would all be over, so just enjoy the planning and anticipation. It can be stressful, but remember that the day is about marrying the love of your life and not about every detail being perfect (I know this is easier said than done).” – Classic Philadelphia Wedding at the Downtown Club
Cristina: “Remember that your vendors are business minded and it’s okay to talk realistically about your budget from the beginning.” – Mediterranean Wedding at the American Swedish Historical Museum
Laura: “I mentioned this earlier, but my advice for planning your wedding would be to really truly do what you want. Family, friends and even vendors will have opinions. At the end of the day, you only have one wedding day and you don’t want to have any regrets. A lot of money goes into this one day, so if you want a destination wedding, go for it! If you don’t want to have children present at the reception, hire a babysitter. No plus ones? Totally fine. As for the actual wedding day, make sure to go around to every single table with your husband. We made the mistake of splitting up and there was a good hour where I didn’t even see him! That’s one regret I have, although we did end up having great conversations with all of our guests.” – New Year’s Eve Wedding at The Barn on the Bridge
Jenni: “Figure out what matters to you and prioritize that. For us, that was cocktails, live music, and flowers. Especially if you don’t have family locally, then a planner is totally worth it. As much as you can, don’t sweat the details — remember that when you are in the middle of planning some tiny details will feel super important, and you will look back later and realize they didn’t matter at all.” – Jazzy Garden Party Wedding at the Morris House Hotel
Emma: “Please, don’t stress the small stuff. We as brides, seem to get quickly caught up in the moment and want every detail to be perfect. But, in the end, these little things are not what matters, and nobody notices the little things anyway! What’s important is that you’re happy, you feel beautiful, and you get to have the best day of your life and spend the rest of your life with your favorite person!” – Romantic Wedding at the Fairmount Park Horticulture Center