End of Summer Wedding Update!

Hi Y'all!

I have SO many plans to share from a summer FULL of wedding planning progress! Here's an overview of our most recent strides.

First off, I’ve found that having my wedding plans laid out on paper has been a great tool to organize my thoughts. Having a separate page for each component of the day is helping me tackle all of the necessary logistics for our wedding!

Now about the vendors...

Photography - We've booked a highly recommended Nashville wedding photographer. I love her style and look and I'm so excited to work with her. I think that the photos we have from are big day are going to be some of the most special details to me for years to come.

Videography - Similarly, we've booked a stellar videographer to create a highlight film and ceremony film from our wedding. I get such a sweet rush of joy whenever I watch wedding videos, so I'm over the moon to be able to hire a pro!

Bridesmaids and Groomsmen - We have selected our wedding parties and will be inviting them to stand beside us very soon. I've already made the cards and am working on envelopes and writing messages to each of my girls!

Music - We are in the final stages of booking a DJ for our post-dinner wild dance party! I'm also in discussion with a few musician friends to see if we can have some live instrumentals for the ceremony. We shall see, exciting options though!

Guest List - We are working hard to narrow down our guest list and have begun collecting addresses for...

Save the Dates - I've long-since designed these babies, and am working with a local printer to see if we can't have some sort of fancy printing options. I've got my envelopes picked out and am ordering them as soon as we solidify our guest list!

That’s all for the moment! Lots in the works and I’m so thrilled to be moving forward with our plans! Thanks for reading, until next time!

Nine Essential Tips for Creating Your Wedding Day Timeline : Part 3 : You & Your Man

Welcome to the third and final installment in my series on creating your wedding day master timeline! Since it is YOUR wedding we're talking about here, it's important to craft your timeline to ensure your comfort and enjoyment on your big day. Here are a few tips!

Shall we?...

Consider a Pre-Ceremony Buffer for YOU

The last thing you want to be on your wedding day is stressed and rushed. Plan for the unpredictable and give yourself an extra 15-30 minutes before the ceremony starts. You can use this time to rest, pray, meditate, or give your family an extra hug before embarking on your new life.

Set Aside Time for Portraits

Plan for plenty of time to take photos! It will be such a joy to look back not only on the in-action candids of your big day, but also the more formal portraits! Think about...

Pre-Ceremony

• Getting ready photos with your girls
• Family photos
• First look shots (if you choose to have one)
• Romantic alone-time shots with you and your boo

Post-Ceremony

• Bridal portraits and groom portraits
• Couple's portraits
• Combined family photos
• Photos with his family
• Photos with both bridal parties
• Consider different locations: outside your ceremony venue, inside the ceremony space, stopping in a nearby park or riverfront, outside the reception space, etc

Mid-Reception

• When the dancing is in full swing, take advantage of different aspects of your gorgeous reception venue and get a few more formal portraits!
• Also consider getting more candid poses with your dancing guests. These can be fun, goofy, and extremely memorable.

Plan Some Quality Time for You and Your Man

Whether it be after photos and before the reception, or even the day before your wedding, be sure to set aside some time to connect with your guy. I've heard from just about every couple that the big day goes by SO quickly, so why not budget in some slow time to connect to and savor the day with your man?


I hope these ideas and tips are helpful to you! I know it can be overwhelming to juggle so many factors, but it will absolutely be worth it on your big day. If you have all of these factors figured out beforehand, you can pass off your coordinating responsibilities, sit back, and enjoy your big day to the fullest! Happy planning!

Nine Essential Tips for Creating Your Wedding Day Timeline : Part 2 : Your Vendors

Welcome to part two of my three part series about things to remember when creating your wedding day timeline! Last week we talked through four important timeline factors to think about that will directly effect your guests' experience on your big day.

So now that your guests are nice and cozy, let's talk about some of the more logistical details concerning your vendors. When you've got all of these factors in order before your big day, passing off your work to the professionals should be a breeze! Having a clear timeline in place will allow all of the various moving parts to fall into place, leaving you at ease to enjoy the day with your loved ones.

Let's get going!

Keep Your Timeline in Mind When Booking Vendors

Think about how much time you need with each vendor. Do you really want your hair and makeup stylist present the moment you start getting ready for your big day, or do you want some time alone with your bridesmaids first? Maybe your fiance isn't too keen on the idea of having a camera in his face while he's getting ready. Perhaps you've already hired a musician for dinner and you don't need a 5 hour dance party afterwards with your DJ. It's important to have a sketch of what your timeline might look like in place before you begin booking vendors.

If there are several factors up in the air, and you don't have all of the details on exactly how long your vendor will be necessary, reach out and explain the situation and see if you can put a deposit down to save your date without having figured out all of the package / timeline details. I'd recommend giving a minimum and maximum of what you'll be booking if you're in this situation.

For example...
"We know we want to hire you for at least 6 hours to capture 1 hour of getting ready, our ceremony, dinner, and dancing, but we're not yet sure if we are going to have a cocktail hour and how long our dance party is going to be. We can guarantee we will hire you for 6 hours minimum, and up to 9 hours maximum... are we able to put a deposit down to save our date and work out the details later within these parameters?"

Chances are your vendors will be willing to work with you even if you are waiting for factors out of your control to fall into place.

Think Through Each Vendor's Timeline

How much time does each one of your vendors need to set up? If they have to set up before their time, is the break time in between their setup and when they're needed included in what they offer?

For example, let's say your guests and vendors have to pass through your dinner space to get to the dancing space. You don't want a live band or a DJ milling through your dinner reception while people are eating to setup their equipment. Figure out how much time each vendor needs to setup, when they'll set up, and when they'll enter the space as to not disrupt any part of your big day.

Don't forget about break down time and any time restrictions your venue has! Consider this before you book your vendors for a set number of hours!



I hope these two quick tips are helpful in coordinating your vendors' needs and your own master timeline! The pro's know what they're doing and will do everything they can to make your day as easy for you as possible... as long as you are clear and detailed about exactly when and where they need to be! Good luck, and happy planning!

Next week, we'll go through a few tips to consider for YOU... and by YOU I mean the you and your beau! Scheduling in little pockets of time to amplify your experience of the day will help you savor this special time with the ones you love! Check back soon and all the best!

Nine Essential Tips for Creating Your Wedding Day Timeline : Part 1 : Your Guests

Welcome to part one of my three part series about putting together your wedding day master timeline! It can be a daunting task but I've put together information I've gathered from hours of research and my personal experience as a guest at several weddings!

We'll start this whole thing off with considering your guests and how they fit into your timeline. Here are four factors to consider that may get lost in the busyness and bustle of getting all the details in order. We'll focus today on ideas to help ensure the comfort of your guests! Being a hospitable and gracious hostess sets up your married-life relationships well and helps ensure that everyone will have a good time on your big day. You can be sure that the time you put into considering how you structure your guests' path through the day will pay off!

Let's get started!

Imagine Your Guests' Experience

Walk through your wedding day from your guests' point of view; how will they experience your big day? If you only consider your own timeline, you may run off to take post-ceremony photos and leave your guests behind scratching their heads and wondering what to do next. Is there a cocktail hour? Where's dinner? Are we supposed to wait here until we hear from the wedding coordinator?

Usually couples are mindful of taking care of these details if the ceremony and reception are happening at two separate locations, but it's just as important to be clear about your timeline in a single-venue wedding. Which room to go to next may not be so obvious to your guests without a little guidance. Consider...

• Sending out a timeline card with your invitation suite OR including one in your ceremony program
• Creating signs to point your guests in the direction they need to go
• Having your officiant or coordinator announce what's next at the end of each wedding event
• Having a post-ceremony receiving line to not only connect with your guests but also to guide them to their next destination

If you're having a long break between your ceremony and reception in lieu of a cocktail hour, consider giving your guests different ideas or options for what to do in the meantime. You could...

• Offer up a list of local coffee shops, bars, or parks where guests can have some downtime 
• Provide a rest space with snacks, water, and coffee to keep your guests occupied: somewhere with plenty of seating so they can rest before the reception
• Make sure the hotel room blocks you reserve are close to either your ceremony or reception space so your guests can head back and recharge before the later festivities

It's easier to keep track of where guests are at if you have a shorter period of time between and ceremony and reception. I love the idea of hosting a cocktail hour. This 60 to 90 minute period is a good way to get your guests socializing and keep the energy and momentum of the day building. For longer breaks, make sure your reception start time is clear to all your guests.

Think About Transition Time

Give yourself and your guests plenty of time to transition from one part of your big day to another. Allow for plenty of commute time, considering traffic, parking, and navigation time between venues. Consider hiring a shuttle to make things easy for your guests, something that will bring them from the hotel through the ceremony and reception, and then back home at night.

Even when it comes to moving from room to room in a single-venue wedding, consider how much time it will take for however many guests you have to, for example, move out of the ceremony space, up the stairs, around the corner, and order their cocktail hour drinks. I'd recommend at least 15 minutes so that guests can figure out where they're going and get settled before the next event begins.

Don't Forget to Greet Your Guests

Similarly, budget in some time to say hello to all of your loved ones! People who have traveled to experience your big day will appreciate at least a few moments of getting to wish you well. You can...

• Host a receiving line after the ceremony 
• Go around the room before or after dinner to say hello to everyone 
• Wait at the reception entrance to say hello to everybody as they're entering the space 

Setting aside the time to do this can be so meaningful to your guests and helps ensure that they feel seen, welcome, and essential to they day!

Budget in a Pre-Ceremony Buffer for Your Guests

Think about putting in a buffer time between when your guests are to arrive and when the ceremony actually starts. I'd say 15 minutes maximum, but you want to make sure that everyone arrives on time with plenty of time to drop off cards and gifts, sign your guestbook, greet each other, and get situated before the processional starts.



I hope these tips are helpful! Curating your timeline to ensure your guests' comfort is absolutely essential for a fun and hospitable wedding day!

Next week, we'll move on to part two of this series and talk through a couple important timeline tips to consider when working with your vendors. Stay tuned!