Wedding Planning with Less Stress

As I've been recapping my wedding & sharing it with all of you, I thought it was important to also share some other perspectives. Throughout the next year as I continue to share my experience I am going to bring on other amazing women who had gorgeous wedding days, to spill the details & give you all the advice you brides to be are looking for!

If you are planning a wedding, are a bridesmaid, or love scrolling Pinterest, dreaming of your big day, I would love you to join my new Facebook Group "Brides, Bridesmaids & Bachelorettes" for more amazing tips & inside secrets! Now onto the guest post! Let me introduce you to Claire...

I invited Claire Anderson on the blog today to give us her 5 top take aways from planning her own wedding last fall. I watched Claire (via Instagram lol) plan her wedding & loved the way she made each piece of the day her own. She is insanely creative & multi-passionate so head over to her Instagram & see what she's all about. She posts about beach life in Hawaii (I know, how rad?) & has a lot of amazing fitness tips & healthy meal ideas. Fun fact, we went to the same high school & graduated together, GO LANCERS lol. Her style is super different than mine, especially when it comes to all the wedding details, but that is EXACTLY why I wanted to have her on the blog! I love the insight she gave & think that her advice can be applied to any event you are planning. I'll let Claire take it from here!!

Let’s be honest planning a wedding is basically code word for stress. But it doesn’t have to be! It’s such an exciting time so here are a few tips from me to make things go smoothly.

Write in Your Journal

Throughout planning your wedding day, document your thoughts, action plans, feelings, & the moments between you and your partner. I suggest this so you can ALWAYS remember how you felt during this special time of life. I love looking back and reading about the excitement I had leading up to & on the big day.

Lighten Your Load

Ask friends and family if they can help with writing wedding invitations, hair & makeup, be on the lookout for great dresses your bridesmaids could wear, they could accompany you when looking at venues, etc.

Get a Bigger Bang for your Buck

I spent less than $300 on my entire wedding day outfit. A lot of people think because it’s their one wedding day, that they have to break the bank. But it’s simply not true, I found so many quality items that I LOVED for such a great price. I’d recommend looking into bhldn.com for wedding dresses. They are constantly coming out with new designs & unique dresses. We also found an amazing deal for my ring on Etsy.com from a shop called the Fox and the Stone and it’s literally all I could’ve hoped for! There are plenty of other options, just spend the time finding them!

Your day is about YOU and your Partner

If you don’t want to stand in the meet and greet line, don’t. If you don’t want a videographer, don’t book one. If yoU don’t want to have a reception at all, don’t. Want to elope? Go for it. So many people I’ve talked to have said their wedding day was a blur, or they didn’t even get to eat the food that was catered, or they regretted something from their day. My husband and I didn’t do a reception, just a small intimate luncheon with our closest family and friends. Don’t forget to find pockets of time for the two of you so you can cherish this day forever.

Invest in Documentation

I’d say the most important investment you could make for your wedding day is finding a photographer and videographer who is invested in you. Someone who truly cares about capturing this pivotal moment in life. Research! Browse! Read reviews! I found my photographer searching through page after page of photographers, trying to find a style I loved and someone I could trust to capture our moments. After hours & days, I found out photographer, Montana! Her instagram is @montanaleephotography and I couldn’t have been more happy with the outcome of our day! She was personable, kind, and truly cared about what we wanted. My videographer was @kallieryanfilmandphoto and she was just as amazing!! Find someone who doesn’t just treat you like a business, but authentically cares!

I hope you enjoyed that guest post from Claire!! Let me know if there is anyone you would love to hear from. I would love to get new guests on the blog!
​xoxo, Lexie