The love story of Heather and George has completely stolen my heart. Being from very different backgrounds, this spirited couple’s love grew through travel and their own cultures, and they wanted to incorporate that passion in their special day. With the help of wedding planner Michelle Amarillo, their Virginia wedding combines their cultures perfectly- Italian charm and good ole southern hospitality- and the amazing Lindsay Fauver Photography was there to capture it all. Heather is here with us today to share more insight into her wedding day…
What (or who) helped you most in your planning process and/or on your wedding day?
We did a lot of the big decision making ourselves- we knew going in the kind of venue and overall feel we wanted. We did hire a wedding coordinator for partial planning as I knew when I started getting into the details I would need someone in my corner- she was part planner, part therapist at times! Early on I put together my own wedding binder and spreadsheets as well which helped me keep together my checklist, swatches, contracts, etc- I tend to be over-organized. Our families were a huge help particularly in that last week before the big day- we had so much support from both our families which really meant a lot to us.
What was the most important thing to you when deciding who to work with for your wedding?
Reviews were a lifeline when searching for vendors, but more than anything, we had to click. If I felt someone was not listening to what we really wanted or had their own vision for our wedding without even getting to know either of us, then it became a matter of questioning whether we could trust them to provide what we needed. Luckily we didn’t face that too often- we had some incredible vendors.
What was your inspiration for your wedding details and/or design?
Simple, timeless, and elegant are really the best words to describe what we wanted the day to be. There are so many beautiful weddings out there with a lot of color or with that rustic charm, but that didn’t really fit who we are. I pulled inspiration from all over, but especially from our own personal relationships and experiences. I knew I didn’t want a “theme” for the day but rather a feeling- the warmth and love that we look forward to in our marriage. Every little addition to our wedding had a personal touch from the owl cake toppers (actually salt and pepper shakers that my sister fancied up) to the groom’s navy tux- inspired by James Bond.
What was your favorite thing about your wedding?
I can honestly say I’m not sure I can pick a favorite thing! Seeing all our friends and family there together celebrating with us was an incredible feeling. After all the work and planning put into this one day, to see everyone enjoying themselves as much as we were was incredibly gratifying. Most of all it was personal- it was truly our own day and we’re still talking about how amazing it was.
What is your best piece of advice for other brides?
Take it one day at a time. It is so easy in a world inundated with “pinspiration” and wedding shows to get completely overwhelmed. It’s not a competition and if you treat it as such, you lose sight of the most important part of the day- getting married! When you do start getting stressed, it’s important to give yourself a stop day and refocus on the importance of what your wedding day truly is- a beginning to sharing your life with another person. Last but not least, make sure on your wedding day you stop for five minutes with your spouse and take it all in- you spend so long planning this day, that you don’t want to miss it!
I couldn’t agree with Heather’s advice more! This one is definitely one of my favorites… I especially admire the love between these two! Their life and love story is the true theme here and it really made their day special.
Vendors who made it all happen…
Michelle
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