Photo: Jeffrey Mosier
Brides, did you know that the more control you try to exert over your big day, the less in control you'll actually feel? That's because certain aspects, such as the weather, are simply out of your hands and nothing, we repeat, nothing is perfect, despite you and your wedding vendors' best intentions! Instead of setting yourself up to fail, take the advice of these wedding planners, who've witnessed firsthand the unhappiness obsessing over things like flowers and colors causes brides.
The Flowers
"Many brides have a tendency to obsess about the flowers, when in actuality, the colors and types available are dictated at the whim of Mother Nature. For example, who would have thought that temperatures on the West Coast would reach record highs in early March of 90 degrees? Those growers hit by the drought may have some damaged crops, and flowers that are shipped from all over the world may not come in the quantities that were originally planned for your wedding. Thus, changes will be necessary." — Greg Jenkins, founder of Bravo Productions
The Day-Of Details
"I've seen far too many brides obsess about perfection, to the point where they make themselves miserable on the one day that they should be their happiest. Just like no relationship is perfect, so too are weddings and wedding vendors. Keeping in mind that you are marrying the man of your dreams and having your friends and family there to be a part of that is what the day is really all about. If the timing is a little bit off or if something that isn't of critical importance should go missing, don't harp on it. Take everything in stride, and you'll not only feel the love and admiration of those all around you, but you'll also be that much happier and healthier." — Aviva Samuels, founder of Kiss the Planner
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The Color Scheme
"In my experience, a lot of brides get fixated on needing to pick specific wedding colors. The idea of designing a wedding around one or two random colors is odd to me. I think it's much better to think of the big picture atmosphere you're trying to create at your wedding. And then you can start thinking about an overall color palette that supports this look and feel." — Amy Kaneko, owner of Amy Kaneko Special Events
The Wedding World's Expectations
"I think brides obsess too much about what the wedding 'should' be like versus designing a wedding that authentically represents the couple. They so easily get caught up in every wedding blog, magazine or vendor website. This causes paralysis by analysis. I ask my couples to make a list of what is hugely important to both of them. We focus on the priorities and then supplement where needed. There is no cookie cutter recipe for what a wedding should look like. Brides and grooms should embrace that they have the freedom to design the day they both want." — Nicole R. Matthews, Founder of The Henley Company
The Weather
"As the wedding nears, brides are often very concerned with the weather and start checking the forecast obsessively. As a planner, I've worked on weddings where it rained, where there's been an unexpected heat wave (108 degrees!) and everything in between. When you book your venue, be sure there's a backup plan in case of rain, then let whatever happens happen. At my own wedding we moved the ceremony indoors at the last minute due to rain and it was every bit as wonderful as it would have been outside, even though I'd initially hoped for an outdoors wedding." — Samantha Spector, founder of Milk & Honey Special Events
The Timeline
"More specifically, the bridal party and guests being on time! Remember though, even if everyone's doing their best, you can't always account for traffic jams or mixed up directions. We always expect that people will show up late. Real event pros take this into consideration and pad the timeline accordingly so a few ceremony stragglers or slightly tardy groomsmen won't throw the whole schedule off." — Erica Taylor, co-founder of Tinsel & Twine