With bright pops of color and delightful DIY details (homebrewed beer favors!), this eclectic pink and champagne wedding from Ashley Daniell Photography is super fun! As a hopeless shoe addict, I’m absolutely in love with the bride’s sparkly hot pink Kate Spade kicks. The gorgeous bride, Emily, is here to share her planning insight:

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

What helped me the most in planning was probably the internet in general. I was addicted to looking at wedding blogs daily like Style Me Pretty and Every Last Detail :). Of course, Pinterest was a great place to get inspiration, too; it was the perfect place to save photos, get ideas, and really figure out the overall theme of our wedding. Aside from the internet, my twin sister/maid of honor also helped a lot. It was good to have someone who could just tell me opinions honestly, without worrying about hurting my feelings. Especially with wedding planning, you need a person to tell you straight up what is going to look good or bad.

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

When deciding who to work with and what vendors to choose, my husband and I considered a few things. The first was, obviously, price. We paid for most of the wedding on our own, so many vendors were immediately out. After that, the biggest thing was whether we felt the vendor was organized. I am a teacher, so I know that organization can make or break different events and situations. As soon as we met Karen from our reception venue and Ashley, our photographer, we knew they had their stuff together and would not disappoint. Lastly, we wanted to feel comfortable around our vendors. Whether it was on the telephone or in person meetings, if we felt awkward or pressured, we knew it wasn’t the right vendor for us.

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

My inspiration for the wedding was neutrals with pops of color. If you know me, you know I love bright colors and accessorizing, and this felt like the perfect reflection of my style. From there, I narrowed the style further into being both classic with modern touches. While I love pops of color, I didn’t want the wedding to be too trendy or tacky.

What was your favorite thing about your wedding?

My favorite thing about my wedding was definitely the reception – everyone I talked to said it was one of the most fun weddings they had ever been to. I think this was a combination because we kept it to an even 100 people – everyone knew each other – and our great DJ. He knew exactly what to play to keep people on the dance floor the entire night from the first to the last song. It was the best feeling in the world to have all of my favorite people in one room, supporting Nick and I, and I will remember it always.

On a side note, my Kate Spade wedding shoes were definitely my favorite purchase part of my wedding. I had been dreaming of these babies for months, and for most of the reception, I constantly kept lifting up my dress to show them off.

What is your best piece of advice for other brides?

My biggest piece of advice for future brides is to not cut corners on a photographer. We definitely saved money in many areas, but a photographer is not one area to do that. Even though it is a crazy amount of money for pictures, it is worth it to spend a little more than you want to. You will never look back and say “Wow, my pictures are so great – I wish I didn’t have them.” It is literally how you will remember the best day of your life, and if you pictures aren’t good quality, everything else you spent money won’t be documented well. Aside from that, don’t be pressured by the “trends.” Stick to what is your style and you love, not just what is “in” at the moment.

I love that groom, Nick, got involved and handmade beer for the party favors. Homemade items, such as Nick’s beer or cookies from a family recipe, are great favors and add a super personal touch your guests won’t soon forget.

So how about you- are you planning any fun DIY favors? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

XOXO,
Carlee

Vendors who made it all happen…