Vintage Rustic Pink and White Illinois Wedding

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Oct 18th

by: Sammantha

I am simply in love with this pink and white Illinois wedding! The photos from Cassandra Photo are absolutely gorgeous, and every single one of the details in this wedding just makes my heart happy. Plus, the bride has some great advice for brides-to-be!

What (or who) helped you most in your planning process and/or on your wedding day?

My mom and sister helped me the most throughout my wedding planning process and wedding day. I could not have done it without them! From helping scour flea markets with me to find mason jars and vintage pieces or writing out the place cards, they were instrumental in all of the DIY details of our day.

What was the most important thing to you when deciding who to work with for your wedding?

One of the things I looked for when picking my vendors was their responsiveness. We didn’t hire a wedding planner, so I had to juggle communications with multiple people on a daily basis. Knowing that I could rely on them to get back to me in a timely manner helped tremendously.

What was your inspiration for your wedding details and/or design?

My inspiration for our wedding day stemmed from my love for all things vintage and shabby chic. I knew I wanted an outdoor wedding and when we found Oak Hill, I knew it was the perfect farm venue to pull my vision together. Our wedding was in May, so we went with very light spring colors of blush and light grey for a soft romantic feel. And while I had a lot of my own ideas, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t frequent Pinterest and Loverly to get more ideas!

What is your best piece of advice for other brides?

My best piece of advice for other brides would be to be confident in your decisions/choices throughout the planning process. There are so many little things that you have to decide on that you have to be able to make a decision and move onto the next thing. You’ll drive yourself crazy if you second guess everything. Just go with your gut and trust that it will all come together :)

How gorgeous was that?! And I love how she knew her inspiration and what she wanted and went for it! Its great advice brides- find what you want and go for it. My favorite piece of advice from this bride? “You’ll drive yourself crazy if you second guess everything”. Find what speaks to you and make it your own!

What are you doing to find inspiration for your wedding day?

Until next time!

Samm

Vendors who made it all happen…

Photographer: Cassandra Photo / Reception Venue: Oak Hill Weddings

10 Things You Need To Know Before Your Wedding Day!

Category: WEDDING PLANNING 1 Comments

Oct 17th

by: Lauren

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Happy Thursday lovelies! As some of you may know, I’ve just returned from Bridal Fashion Week, where I was surrounded by the most beautiful wedding dresses and accessories. Let’s just say I’ve been dreaming of sparkly things for the past few nights! Next week I’ll be sharing all about the bridal fashions I saw- once I get all of the photos in!

Now that Fall is finally here, I can’t help but think of all the amazing Fall weddings that are going to be taking place soon! And with that, I’ve realized that SO many of these weddings will be happening in just a few weeks! So I wanted to make sure that those of you getting married soon are as prepared for your wedding as you can possibly be, so I’ve put together 10 things that you need to know before your wedding day!

1. Your wedding day timeline is one of the most important things needed for your wedding day to run smoothly.

[Read more on timelines: Creating A Wedding Day Timeline]

2. Everything will not go completely according to plan- it never does. However, chances are good that you won’t even know about it (unless you don’t have a wedding planner), and it’s going to be amazing no matter what. :)

3. Keep your bridal party and family members in the loop. I recommend sending out an “itinerary” the week of the wedding containing important times and places for them to know about.

4. An easy way to make sure your wedding will run smoothly is to ensure that your guests know where to sit. How will your guests know this? You assign them to a table and tell them where to go!

[Read more here: Why Alphabetical Order Is So Important!]

5. Have all of your projects “just about” done 2 weeks before your wedding, and absolutely completed 1 week before. You definitely don’t want to be working on things the night before your wedding!

Image by Brit Croft Photography

6. Consider what the transportation situation will be for your guests and your bridal party.

[Read more here: Wedding Guest Transportation]

7. Try to make all of your payments before the wedding day. One less thing on your mind just means more enjoyment for you!

8. The question of whether or not to tip your vendors is probably going to come up. There’s really no right or wrong answer to whether or not you tip your vendors- it’s just based on the quality of your experience with them!

[Read more here: Tipping Vendors]

9. Don’t forget to pack a bag for your wedding night! You’ll probably be getting ready somewhere other than where you’re spending your wedding night, so make sure to either have someone drop your bag off there, or ask someone to remember to send you away with it.

10. You are marrying your best friend, and the best part of a wedding is what comes in the days, months, and years after! :)

In addition to just *knowing* about things, there are also things you have to DO before your wedding day. And since I don’t want you to miss anything important, I have a little checklist of what to do before your wedding day! Click here to download the checklist!

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Do any of you have anything else to add of what someone should know before their wedding day? I know there are WAY more than just 10 things… feel free to share your own insight!

Wedding Planning Advice: Research Is Key!

Category: 0 Comments

Oct 17th

by: Lauren

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“I would love to say “don’t sweat the small stuff”… but I’m not sure there’s a bride in the world who doesn’t worry about everything related to her wedding – big and small. So instead I’ll say that research is key in planning your wedding… create a planning timeline and stick to it so you don’t feel overwhelmed as the wedding day approaches. Talk to friends and family members who’ve gotten married recently to find out what vendors they used and who they loved, and what they may have done differently. If you can, hire a planner. A good planner will help you through the process while ensuring that every detail is taken care of, and can offer immeasurable insight and experience. And, when the big day finally arrives… then, don’t sweat the small stuff! Remember that what’s really important is the love you’re celebrating… seize the moment, and enjoy your day!”

– Karen of Karen Harrison Photography

Karen Harrison Photography

email: karen@karenharrisonphotography.com

phone: 813.495.5135 | website: http://www.karenharrisonphotography.com

facebook: “Like” Karen Harrison Photography!

location: Florida, New Hampshire, West Coast FL | type: Photographer

style: Classic, Eclectic, Modern | price: $$$, $$, $

A Romantic, Timeless Champagne and Blush Wedding

Category: REAL WEDDINGS 7 Comments

Oct 16th

by: Lauren

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Inspired by the timeless style of their grandparents’ wedding photos, Jenna and Matt’s champagne and blush wedding is absolutely gorgeous! Captured beautifully by Frenzel Studios and taking place at the stunning Franciscan Gardens, this romantic California wedding is full of some amazing details that you are going to love!

What (or who) helped you most in your planning process and/or on your wedding day?

My mother and my groom were both a huge help with the planning process.

What was the most important thing to you when deciding who to work with for your wedding?

The most important thing was that we felt comfortable with the people we were working with. We had a large wedding party so we knew we needed vendors that could tackle our crazy group. We chose to work with people that we could see as friends, not just as wedding vendors.

What was your inspiration for your wedding details and/or design?

My inspiration was to stay away from anything too trendy. My husband and I looked back at our parents’ wedding pictures and his dad was in a baby blue suit, my dad in a white suit. We knew if we picked anything too trendy we would regret it in 10 years. We styled our wedding after our grandparents’ pictures- black and white tuxedos, a lace wedding dress, and neutral flowers. They were married in the 50’s and it is still in style today.

What was your favorite thing about your wedding?

My husband performed a dance for me at our wedding… back up dancers and all. It was so memorable and meant so much to me.

What is your best piece of advice for other brides?

Make your day just as you want it. There are so many people to please, but it isn’t their wedding. Sit down with your partner and discuss they way you want your day to be. Whether it’s casual, classy, barefoot on the beach, create your day to fit your relationship.

I really love how Jenna and Matt were inspired to do things that would be timeless and true to themselves. It certainly turned out beautifully, don’t you think?

What is your favorite part of this gorgeous California wedding? I’m loving the flowers the most I think…