Like many things in life, there are obstacles that we have to overcome, but once we do the results can be flourishing! Wedding planning can become overwhelming if you don’t strategically organize your thoughts into effective preparation. Like Mahatma Gandhi said, “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” Likewise planning your wedding can be one of the happiest moments in your life, so get rid of that stress, and hear it from brides who have already walked in your shoes. Considering, brides know best! We can always find something to learn from those who have shared similar experiences. Beyond any doubt, these wedding planning tips from real Philadelphia brides is truly inspiring and helpful for any bride-to-be out there who just needs a little help!
Real Philadelphia Bride: Dana- Chic and Effortless Wedding at Cescaphe Ballroom by Pat Robinson Photography
“Don’t get so caught up in the details! When you’re planning, it seems utterly impossible not to, but those are the things that will bog you down and cause unnecessary stress. On my actual wedding day, I was so much in my own happily married world that I literally didn’t even notice any of the things I was stressing about prior to the event.
Also – and this advice is for the actual wedding day – after the ceremony, take a few minutes to yourselves and soak it all in. Everyone told us to do this, and we were SO glad we did! A really special, personal moment to just be alone as newlyweds before all the celebrations begin.”
Real Philadelphia Bride: Anu- Pretty Flourishing Wedding at The Yardley Country Club by Papertini
“The best advice I have is to never let the wedding get bigger than you, your friends, your family and most importantly, your partner. Throughout the whole thing, Paul and I kept a sense of humor about things. Ultimately, whatever you do, wherever it happens, in the end you are proclaiming your love to someone and that means inherently, the day will be beautiful. It’s about taking things with a grain of salt and going with the flow. Like I said we had a venue change the day before. Things happen. But our wedding day was undoubtedly the best day of our lives. So just know that going in!”
Real Philadelphia Bride: Teri- Classic Philadelphia Wedding at Hotel Monaco by Black, White and Raw Photography
“Advice for couples planning a wedding would be to stick to your vision and to your budget. It was so much easier going to vendors once we had a theme/style in mind. Also, setting a budget made it easy to decide the difference between what we really wanted to splurge on and what we could do without. Pinterest is great. But use sparingly. It can be overwhelming!”
Real Philadelphia Bride: Phan- Phan and Johnny’s Modern Wedding at Tendenza by Anastasia Romanova Photography
“The best advice I can give for couples planning their wedding is to make sure to take a step back and remember what the day is about and to also communicate with one another throughout. Every planning [process] will have stressful moments whether it’s the guest list, input from future in-laws, or budgets, but once you remember that this day is just about the commitment you’re making to each other, the rest of the details become less critical.”
Real Philadelphia Bride: Tiare –Tiare and Justin’s Modern Industrial Wedding at Tendenza by Danfredo Photos + Films
“My advice to couples would be to take everyone’s comments and suggestions in stride and do whatever makes you happy. It’s your wedding! Also, don’t sweat the small stuff on the big day. The results of months and months of planning will fly by in a few short hours. So savor every single moment of it together!”
Real Philadelphia Bride: Kristina – Black and White Wedding at The Downtown Club by Ashley Gerrity Photography
“The best advice I could give another bride is – don’t sweat the small stuff. Things seem so much more stressful than they actually are when you are wedding planning! The day is going to be beautiful no matter what happens along the way and it comes and goes so quickly. Also, stick together! On the day of the wedding stay with your husband! Thank everyone as a couple and enjoy your wedding day as a couple. If you split up you may not find each other again because everyone will want your attention!”
Real Philadelphia Bride: Ali – Winter Wedding at Cescaphe Ballroom by Lori Foxworth of George Street Photo
“One piece of advice I would give to a bride planning a wedding is stick to your guns! As you begin planning, you will realize that a lot of people have their own idea of how your wedding day should be, how your wedding day should look (even how you should look lol), so it is really important to remember that this day is about you and your soon-to-be husband. From wedding colors to music selection, all of those minor details should come from you and your fiancé because when it all comes together on your wedding day, it will be YOUR dream come true.”
Real Philadelphia Bride: Katie- New Year’s Wedding at the Loews Hotel by Melissa Kelly Photography
“As for advice, I’d say…do your best to keep calm and try to enjoy the process. It’s a lot to take on but the day goes by so quick that the planning needs to be fun too. Phil and I would make [“Date Nights” to go over] different tasks we needed to finish, which adds some enjoyment to the parts that get stressful. Also, remember…this is one day of your entire life. Don’t take things too seriously and trust that everything will get done :)”
Real Philadelphia Bride: Sarah- Purple + Pink Wedding at the Power Plant Productions by Alison Dunn Photography
“Don’t stress out over any one thing. Your wedding day will be a masterpiece of planned and unplanned things, and the only thing you can really control is how mentally present you are. When it’s over, what you’ll remember most are the moments you shared with people that day.”
Real Philadelphia Bride: Kelly – Romantic Rose Quartz Wedding at The Manor House at Commonwealth by Isabel March Photography
“Take time for each other in the process and do things not wedding related (Date Nights!). Learn to laugh when the little things go wrong. They aren’t worth your stress and no one will notice anyways. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! You chose your closest girlfriends to be bridesmaids for a reason and they all have your back. Between them and your moms you’re never alone. Don’t forget the day is about you and your partner. You can’t please everyone and you deserve the day you’ve always dreamt of. And most importantly, breathe and ENJOY THE MOMENT. So many people told us this and it couldn’t be more true. Stop every once in a while, look at how happy your husband/wife is, look around at your family and friends, and just soak it in. It’s a once in a lifetime day.”