It's been a few years since people very close to me (other than clients with whom I grew close over the months of getting to know them) have been getting engaged and planning their weddings. I am so excited that at least two very special ladies in my life will be having weddings in 2013. I'm filled with joy for them that they have found their soul mates, met their matches, and said YES!
Talking to them about their big days and helping them (in some small way) with their journeys also gives me a different perspective on wedding planning that is often easy to lose sight of when I am actually being paid to do the planning and am in the role of being the fearless leader, guiding the bride and her family through the trenches of budgets, contracts, linen swatches, and menu tastings. It reminds me of the excitement, energy, and optimism that fills a new bride - and also of the vulnerability, emotion, and stress that a bride can often feel.
Planning a wedding can be daunting for even the most organized bride (or groom, or mother) with even the best binder filled with the most colored tabs, and heaps of knowledge gleaned from hours reading Style Me Pretty and watching reality wedding TV. (Hopefully TV is not where the bulk of any one's information is coming from!) All this to say, that it's important to ask for help. Even if you don't have a big chunk of your budget set aside for a full service planner, or you really don't want one because you have the time and interest in planning your own wedding, the very best thing you can do is put some of your (or your parents') hard earned and saved funds for a wedding "Day Of" coordinator.
It is of the utmost importance that you and your family be guests at your own wedding. You want to feel the magic and happiness of your wedding day. The same magic and happiness that you felt on the day he proposed. And the way to do that is to not be the one who is receiving last minute phone calls from vendors.
XOXO
grace