As the Club Director at The City Club, I’m surrounded by events day to day, week to week, year after year. In other words, inspiration is around us all the time and we have the luxury of building some really wonderful events in this gem of a place. We’re lucky, and we know it.
When I got engaged in April, it would have made perfect sense to get married at The City Club – after all, I’d seen plenty of weddings over my tenure and I knew that I’d be in the wonderfully creative hands of our fabulous Catering team. However, given that my then-fiance/now-husband and I had over 400 people on our “A List” (did I mention he’s the youngest of 10 children??), we decided that we need a wide open space for our festive affair…a large open pasture to be exact. That being decided, I vowed to myself and to my better half that planning a wedding in 6 short months would not get the best of me, nor sabotage our relationship.
I won’t go into detail about all the trials and tribulations of planning a wedding in a pasture that was not exactly equipped for the party that we were dreaming up – some might say that sounds like heaven for a creative genius (and at times it was!) but time and efficiency was of the essence. What I will share with you are my tips on how to get through the wedding planning process with ease, however much time you have to plan, and the resources that I found to be most helpful and inspiring:
1. Hire a coordinator. Our coordinator, Ryann, was truly our saving grace. Not only was she in command of every detail, but she was a neutral voice throughout the process, offering insight and recommendations, and kept us on track throughout. If you don’t have the budget or feel the need to have a coordinator throughout the planning process, I highly recommend you consider a Day-of coordinator – someone who will corral your vendors and coordinate everything onsite so that it’s the farthest thing from your mind the day of!
2. Blogs, blogs, blogs. As much as I wished I’d had the time to read every bridal magazine cover to cover, make collages of my dream wedding (i.e. inspiration board), etc….time did not allow whatsoever. I found blogs to be particularly helpful in giving me a daily dose of inspiration and since they are updated everyday, there was always something new to check out. Here are a few of my favorite blogs and planning websites:
a. Style Me Pretty – for the style-obsessed bride…what’s not to love about that tagline? And it’s pretty safe to say that I did become obsessed with this site. I started my planning days with a cup of coffee and Style me Pretty. The “vintage chic” section of their real weddings and I became the best of friends.
b. Snippet and Ink – similar to SMP and a real treat for your eyes. I particularly loved the guest bloggers that they would feature from time to time. Lots of style and creativity throughout.
c. Etsy – SMP turned me on to Etsy and again, I became obsessed! I ordered that fabulous ring dish from an artist that I found on Etsy. And the inner-artist was all about supporting those out there who are doing some really creative things.
d. Alison Events blog- Alison Events is a local SF-based event planning company that specializes in fabulous destination weddings – and we’re talking fabulous! As much as I liked to think that my pasture-chic wedding in Chico was a “destination wedding,” I couldn’t hold a candle to what these talented ladies do but I did have some fun perusing their blog from time to time for some very helpful tips.
a. Style Me Pretty – for the style-obsessed bride…what’s not to love about that tagline? And it’s pretty safe to say that I did become obsessed with this site. I started my planning days with a cup of coffee and Style me Pretty. The “vintage chic” section of their real weddings and I became the best of friends.
b. Snippet and Ink – similar to SMP and a real treat for your eyes. I particularly loved the guest bloggers that they would feature from time to time. Lots of style and creativity throughout.
c. Etsy – SMP turned me on to Etsy and again, I became obsessed! I ordered that fabulous ring dish from an artist that I found on Etsy. And the inner-artist was all about supporting those out there who are doing some really creative things.
d. Alison Events blog- Alison Events is a local SF-based event planning company that specializes in fabulous destination weddings – and we’re talking fabulous! As much as I liked to think that my pasture-chic wedding in Chico was a “destination wedding,” I couldn’t hold a candle to what these talented ladies do but I did have some fun perusing their blog from time to time for some very helpful tips.
3. Take a Marriage Prep course. If you are not getting married in a Church that requires a pre-marriage course or retreat, a non-denominational marriage prep course may be something to consider. My then-fiance/now-husband and I took a course in San Francisco called Marriage Prep 101 and found it to be the BEST money spent towards planning the wedding, hands down. It’s taught by a husband-wife team of psychologists/couples therapists – click here to check out their website.
4. Use your Wedding Party. I mean that in the most sincere of ways! It’s an honor to be a part of a couple’s most special day and the people that you select to stand up for you are those who are most important to you – and most likely would do anything for you. So put them to work! Delegate tasks, errands, DIY projects - anything that does not absolutely need to be managed by you. Planning a wedding is a true labor of love in many respects, and most people are more than happy to contribute a helping hand.
5. Keep it all in perspective. Remember why you’re planning this great big event after all. The end result is far more important than any drama along the way. Remind yourself that everything will come together beautifully and most importantly, stay present in each moment. You’ll enjoy and remember the journey that much more.
6. Do the Hustle. When all is said and done and your wedding day arrives, get out on the dance floor with your people, queue up "The Hustle" on your setlist, and have fun.
Go with the flow, take it all in stride, and you too, can be the “Bridechilla” that you want to be. It’s far more pleasant than the alternative.
I’ve included some photos from my big day…just for fun!
Happy Planning to you!
-Victoria Welch (Piluso)
