5 Things I Don't Regret About My Wedding

As a bride, EVERYONE has advice for you when it comes to your big day and every bridal expo has vendors of different services they convince you that you cannot have a wedding without – hors d’oeuvres,  photo booths, sweet tables, etc. Here are some details about my wedding that truly made it a special day. 1.  Writing our Own Vows.
I didn’t want to lose out on the classic wedding vows, so my husband and I decided to do a combination of both. We both wrote vows we read to each other and repeated the classic wedding vows you often hear at ceremonies. Writing our own vows added a personalized touch to our ceremony and allowed us to peer into each other’s true heart’s desires and promises for our new life to come.
2.  Not Doing a First Look.
Call me old-fashioned, but nothing was more special than that moment my groom’s eyes met mine as I walked down the aisle with my father. It’s a tender moment that will forever be imprinted in my mind as I remember how blown away we were by each other. If you’re concerned about a timeline, just make sure to build in some extra time for photos between the ceremony and the reception. Your guests may have to wait, but that is what cocktail hour is for!
3.  Booking a Videographer.
When I was first planning my wedding, this was one service I was FOR SURE eliminating, thinking it would be a quick way to save some cash in our wedding budget – until a recent bride convinced me otherwise. Now that we have our video in hand I am extremely THANKFUL we decided to spend the extra money and get a videographer! As you will learn, the day flies by extremely fast! Going through our video allowed us to see different parts of the day, more aspects from our guests’ perspective, and relive so many sweet moments that sometimes a photo cannot do  justice. Our video has now become a treasure that the two of us can watch and revisit each anniversary.
4. Dancing. Dancing A LOT.
I have been to way too many weddings where I watched the bride and groom being pulled from left to right, that they hardly get to enjoy the dance floor. I didn’t plan a party for the past year to spend it talking on the sidelines! Although it is nice to be able to catch up with family/friends, make sure you spend the duration of your wedding on what is most important to you! My husband and I made it a priority to say hi and thank each one of our guests after our meal, but if you were looking for us any time after that, you would find us on the dance floor!
5.  Doing a “Day After” Photo Shoot.
With relentless rain, the cold wind, and the cool temperature, we were not able  to capture the photos I was hoping for outside on our actual wedding day. Although slightly unconventional, I began looking into some potential options which ended up being a home run. We booked a freelance photographer for a portrait session, put our wedding gear back on, bought some flowers from Jewel, had a coworker do my hair on lunch, and headed out for a mini shoot!
 
Some quick pros about our session:

• you both are more comfortable in front of the camera having done this before
• you have seen the wedding photos you didn’t get and wish you would have (i.e. pics of the groom by himself, up close photos of your rings, etc)
• you get to wear your wedding dress one more time
• you are not rushed! And have no one waiting on you to be somewhere.

 
I absolutely ADORE our photos we took on our day after shoot – and they are the ones that have been put on the walls in our home. Too many brides don’t like their wedding photos and don’t do anything about it. If you are unhappy, please I beg you – take the time to shoot some more! You only get married once, you won’t regret it.
 
Although these are personal favorites from my wedding, I hope it helps some other brides decipher what truly matters most to them on their wedding day. Please feel free to comment some major wins from your big day that helped make it truly special!