5 Things I Wish We Did at Our Wedding

When looking back at Henry and I's wedding, it truly was the perfect day. Given our 5 month engagement and the fact that I toured our venue without Henry, it could not have been more seamless.

However, I frequently meet couples who are nervous about making decisions that they might regret later. My advice? Do your best to BE DECISIVE. Research the style you'd like to accomplish, but don't dwell on the "what if's."

On the contrary, looking back on our own wedding has offered some valuable takeaways. So, if you are in the midst of the planning process and doubting your abilities - below are 5 things I might've done differently if given a second chance.

Time to Greet Each Guest at Their Table

When our wedding was all said and done, it FLEW by. I'm not sure if the guests felt that way, but we did not have enough time to thank all the people who flew in from out-of-state to be there. If we were able to add a private dinner before our grand entrance, and utilize the dinner time to go around and greet everyone, we would have been able to take photos with guests who stole us away from the dance floor later on.

More Candles for the Tables

This one is silly, but as a girl who LOVES an aesthetic, the tea candles did not give as much "vibe" as I would've liked. This was one of the last things that I planned and budgeted for, and at the time, I didn't think I would care what the tables looked like...but I did (lol). So many people told me that I wouldn't remember what the decor looked like, and that I should focus on the more meaningful parts of the day, but I remembered every detail (and I have pictures to help with that). So, yes, I totally would've budgeted $2,000 more for tall candles - and they would have complemented the budvases so well.

Walking Slower Down the Aisle

This concept seems SO OBVIOUS, but when my dad was leading me down the aisle, I was so eager to be right next to Henry at the altar that I did not even pay attention to how fast I was walking. So, make sure that your escort is aware of a slow pace, and attend your rehearsal (I did not attend that because I wanted to decorate the reception space myself - this is my toxic trait lol).

Budget More for Bridesmaid Favors + Personal Touches

Bridal party favors are not something that you have to do, let alone spend thousands of dollars on, but my bridesmaids truly were such an important part of the wedding day and my life in general (+ I love giving gifts!) If I could go back in time, I would be more intentional with the gift selection and get each of them something personal that spoke to their personality and what they enjoy doing. I think I got so caught up in the bridal party being uniform that I forgot to prioritize their differences.

Personal touches throughout the wedding were expressed through speeches, thank you cards, Henry's display of poetry, our written ceremony script, and "do not play list" for the DJ (this was something we spent days making sure that we did not leave out a single song that is overplayed at weddings lol). However, I wished that I had budgeted a little bit more for an interactive seating chart, better champagne bar signage, something that highlighted our time dating at each table, and maybe incorporated a "museum" of our creative work.

On the realistic side, I would've had to rent a Uhaul for all of this decor or hire a vendor and when coming from out-of-town, it probably would've been more of a stressor for the people tearing down. But it's a nice thought!

More Disposable, Polaroid, and Video Cameras for the Bridal Party

When looking back at the photos from our wedding, our photographer (@madisongracephoto) did an INCREDIBLE job of capturing every single moment. As for the non-digital photos, we assigned 2 bridal party members with a disposable camera to capture the reception from a more "vintage" perspective - and these photos are some of the most nostalgia-esque images we have to look back on! I absolutely love the timeless, grainy disposable photos and wish we would've given out more of them to see the wedding from multiple perspectives.

I think it is so fun to incorporate a disposable at each table and instruct guests to take their photo

and polaroid photos are another fun way of creating an interactive a guest book!

When it is all said and done, your wedding day will be brimming with love, joy, laughter, tears, and celebration. I hope my experiences can offer you some guidance, which you can tailor to suit your own vision for this special day. After all, my wedding day is not going to be yours and vice versa.

Happy decision-making!