They say Virginia is for lovers and it’s hard not to fall in love with this sweet wedding from Lauryn Galloway Photography. Set in Historic Richmond, Connie and David’s adorable celebration is full of Autumn’s explosion of color, local details (love the vintage Richmond Dairy milk bottle centerpieces!), pops of “Tiffany” blue, and a hint of sparkle. The bride, Connie, is here to give insight on planning her big day:
What (or who) helped you most in your planning process and/or on your wedding day?
I was unbelievably lucky and had a ton of help from several different sources. I had my 3 closest friends (and without them I know that the wedding would not have been finished), my Husband was so amazing, patient, and understanding because he knows how much of a perfectionist I can be. My family – my Brother and my Mom, and also a couple of my vendors more specifically, my photographer who was able to calm my silly fears, and my caterer.
What was the most important thing to you when deciding who to work with for your wedding?
That is an interesting question that really has several answers as it changed through out our progression to the day of the wedding. Initially it was price because my Husband and I paid for the majority of our wedding and didn’t want to start our marriage out with debt from the wedding. After talking about a few things we decided that there were a few aspects of the wedding that were the MOST important to us and knew that we were going to have invest a little more money into than we originally expected. For example, both of our families are Italian and we knew that if our food wasn’t good or there wasn’t pasta mixed in there somewhere, we would hear about it. Plus, you are inviting your closest family and friends to celebrate with you. You need to feed them well! Also, the photography and someone understanding our vision was very important to me. We met with another photographer who was extremely nice and competitively priced however, I knew that on the day of the wedding I would feel like I would have to check after each picture to make sure it was what we wanted to see and have for years to come. I knew that Lauryn understood what I had in mind, she understood our style and theme, and most importantly could make the crazy people in my wedding party and family listen to her! I knew that she could take control of things and I wouldn’t have to worry about it for a second that day and just enjoy our day!
It was well worth the extra money to have a professional taking care of things for you on this super important day rather than someone you don’t trust. I am in sales and know how important it is to be able to trust a vendor, follow through with promises, etc. and so that is what I was looking for in my vendors as well.
What was your inspiration for your wedding details and/or design?
My inspiration came from several places. First from our monogram that a co-worker of mine designed. I love how he captured my new last name and made it into something elegant and a symbol for us. I wanted it to be something that was recognizable for years to come and that was just for me and my husband.
My Husband and I love Richmond and we both love the look and feel of classic “old-timey” Richmond, so I definitely got a ton of inspiration from the milk bottles we used as our center pieces. Also, David gave me a Tiffany bracelet for our first Christmas together and so I thought it was appropriate to incorporate that color into the wedding (not to mention how amazing it is!).
Our ultimate goal was to make the wedding a reflection of just the two of us and the things we enjoy and to then share that with our family and friends.
What was your favorite thing about your wedding?
My favorite thing about my wedding was the fact I got to marry my best friend, this incredible man, and all of the planning and worrying, time and money spent had paid off. I loved that I was surrounded by the most important people in my life while I made the biggest commitment to the best person I have ever met. It was so special!
What is your best piece of advice for other brides?
So much! But here are a few things: know what you want and try not to let others deter you from your dream wedding. It WILL in fact turn out better than you anticipated even after the million hours of time and planning you put in to things. A few things will go wrong that day but at the end of it, you are married to your best friend and on to the next chapter in your life and for that, you are extremely grateful and excited.
Also budget permitting, HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER! I wish I did – at least a day of wedding planner to make sure things run smoothly and you don’t have to worry.
Finally – enjoy the day. It goes by so very very fast and it’s one of the most incredible days of your life!
Great advice, Connie! I love that the Valentino’s decided to use a non-traditional color scheme for their Fall wedding. Is your wedding palette seasonal or are you planning something outside of the box? I’d love to know!
XOXO,
Carlee
Vendors who made it all happen…
Carlee
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YAY!! Loved this wedding so much, and love Connie and David even more!! Thank you Lauren!!