So wedding talk. We were in California for one week which was definitely not enough time. 90% of it was spent doing wedding stuff. Next time we fly to California we have to stay for at least 2 weeks. EVERYTHING was done last minute. A lot of it was because I wanted to make all decisions for my wedding so I put off so many things like buying candy, making placecards and decorations and all that. Seating arrangement was done so late but only because people were constantly cancelling and then uncancelling their previous cancels, it was hectic. But somehow it all came together. Like my mother in love says, Those who are meant to be there will be there. The cancels even came in seriously the morning of the wedding, like before I even woke up, which was completely annoying but woosah- relax.
Our rehearsal dinner was at the Hotel Sutter in Sutter Creek, about 15 minutes away from our venue in Ione.
I loved this little hotel because of it's history. It used to be a brothel! Sutter Creek is an old mining town and this building use to house prostitutes on the 2nd floor and miners on the 3rd floor. Hotel Sutter recently revamped the entire place, getting rid of the "shared bathroom" experience on the 3rd floor. I was a little disappointed because I thought that historical fact that miners used to share a bathroom was gone, but for a business/hotel standpoint, it only makes sense for each room to have access to a private bathroom.
Dinner was delicious. Pulled pork, cheese raviolis, garlic mashed potatoes, and green beans almondine. For dessert it was yummy cheesecake and triple chocolate brownies. There was a round of "Stand By Me" by my groom and his childhood friends who were all in choir together. Their choir teacher was our officiant. We ended the night running through the streets chasing the special Honey Moon making its debut after 95 years on Friday the 13th! The next one won't be until 2098!
Saturday- THE BIG DAY! My Maid of Honor, Danielle, and I woke up early and worked out. But not before a quick delicious breakfast on the hotel balcony - cheesy eggs, fresh fruit, and yogurt. We started our uphill climb because Danielle was convinced the gym was "right around the corner." False! I knew it was a bit further than right around the corner, but I needed the workout. Some abs and arms for the wedding dress! Proceed to the venue where we all get ready. I was mostly stressed because we had such a tight timeline but I had to keep reminding myself to relax and enjoy it. People always say your wedding flies by but to be honest, I felt like it went by at the right speed. I didn't feel like I missed anything. Well I take that back, I missed all the details, how the tables turned out, the candy bar, all the coming together. But as far as the music, the speeches, the atmosphere, I took it all in. It was perfect. I could not ask for a better day. With that being said, I did learn a few things about wedding planning that I would like to impart.
1. Get started early.
I can't tell you how many times people kept asking me to make decisions and I continued to put it off. Right when I got engaged I hit the ground running. I went to bridal expos, toured venues, and went food tasting. It was fun! But it can also be very draining! Take advantage of getting your bridesmaids together and putting together programs, gift bags, all that. Since I planned my wedding from the other side of the country, I missed out on that fun! I can see how it would have all been very beneficial now. Plus, it's better to eat all those free cakes and cupcakes now before you have to fit into your dress!
2. DIY really means DO IT YOURSELF.
There are some pros and cons to DIY. If you are on a tight budget, it can definitely keep costs down. Also if you are particularly crafty, it is a great opportunity to personalize your wedding. However, this is very time consuming. For example, I "hired" my aunt to do the flowers for my wedding. In reality, that meant my Mom and my aunt. Though my mother and aunt loved getting all of that stuff together, it took away from her time with me when I was home a few days before the wedding. Also, my aunt didn't end up arriving to the venue with the flowers until 20 minutes before the ceremony- causing my parents to last minute scramble to unload and prep the tables. I missed out on calm family time with them before my big day and also some photo ops. Also, in the rush, my father forgot to set out the video camera so we didn't get any video. Luckily, my mother in love was able to capture the whole thing on her phone! Sometimes, it is definitely worth it to pay someone to handle these tasks on your big day.
3. Assign an MC.
We had a friend DJ the wedding and yes, I was aware of that risk from the start. He did a great job but just wasn't comfortable formally MC'ing the wedding. Fortunately, one of our guests with a big personality stepped up to the plate and really helped streamline the day. It is important for guests to know what is happening at what time and where things are. Example: "Time for desserts! The photo booth is in the back! Time to throw the bouquet, will all the ladies please line up?" Also, print a Timeline of the day for the MC, venue coordinator or wedding planner, and photographer, to give everyone an idea of how your wedding is supposed to go. Heck, give it to your immediate family/wedding party and all of your vendors. It's good to have all those involved on the same page.
4. Consider a reception dress.
My wedding dress was an organza/chiffon mermaid style puffy mess. It bustled but because there were so many heavy layers of chiffon, the outer bustle actually broke and I had to carry my dress most of the night. It wasn't terrible but people were constantly stepping on me and it was just a lot of dress to deal with for an entire day. My dress was beautiful and I loved wearing it all night but perhaps consider something easier to dance in once all the "festivities" are done and it's just dancing til everyone goes home.
5. Stores do not stock bridesmaid dresses.
Having never been married before I was completely unaware of this one. I knew it took months for a wedding dress to be ordered but bridesmaid dresses? I had no idea!! I knew what I wanted my bridesmaids to wear for at least 5 months before I told them. And I withheld the information for no good reason. If you know what you want, tell people early. It will give them time to shop around for a cheaper tailor if they need to get it altered.
6. When you know something, share it.
Like I said before, if you know what you want, tell people early. I knew how I wanted my entire wedding to look but for no good reason, I kept it all in my head. Make lookbooks, timelines, etc and share them with the wedding party and vendors. When everyone involved is in the know, your wedding will go so much smoother.
7. Consider a wedding planner.
I couldn't afford one so this was out of the question from the beginning but consider it. Or consider appointing a good friend or even a bridesmaid to be your official time keeper for the day. Have all last minute questions forwarded to them, shut off your phone and be the bride. I was so stressed with trying to stick to the time line for the day that from the morning of to about 30 minutes before the ceremony, I was constantly on edge, looking at the clock. Know that even if you are the most meticulous and prepared planner, things can still go awry and nothing ever goes according to plan. But it will all work out! Somehow, everything got done on my wedding day and even though we ran about an hour behind, it turned out just fine.
That's all I can think of for now. I'll try to add to this post as things come to me. Happy wedding planning!
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| It's getting hot in here! |
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| My bridesmaids, locking it up! ;) |
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| Childhood friends forever. Pre ceremony relaxing. |
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| Walking down the aisle with my Pops. |
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| Being traded for a goat and some coin. |
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| Officially married! (again) |
Venue: The Heirloom Inn
Caterer: Motherlode Catering
Photographer: Chris Howard Imagery
Accomodations: Hotel Sutter
Florist: Lee Wright (family)
DJ: Neil Casquejo (friend)
Cake: Leslie Sallady (family)
Bride: Dress - Vera Wang; Belt, veil - David's Bridal; Shoes: Betsey Johnson
Hair & Makeup: Selene Yebra
Bridesmaid Dresses: David's Bridal
Groom & Groomsmen: Tuxedo - Black by Vera Wang
