Believe it or not, spring is just about here – and with the sun shining all this week I couldn’t help but share some spring wedding fashion inspiration! An effortlessly stylish combination of peach, coral and gray, these three unique bridesmaids’ looks simply emanate springtime. What I love most – the floral print bridesmaids dresses and eye-catching statement necklaces give each maid a look that’s all her own. We just can’t deny a girl her own personal style!
Being newly engaged is such a joyous moment, but what happens after the tears of joy, congratulations and champagne? If you’re wondering where to start planning your big day, we’ve asked wedding planner extraordinaire Christopher Confero to share his 12 month wedding planning timeline with us. Take it one step at a time, and before you know it you’ll be walking down that aisle! From finding your venue, to your final dress fitting, to the honeymoon preparations, we’ve got you covered!
12 Months: Find a place and set the date You should be looking at venues 9 – 12 months in advance. Go see your venue at the same time of year as you are planning your nuptials to get a feel for how it will look. If you can’t visit at the same time of year, ask for pictures of the venue taken in the same season.
10 Months: Time for bridal fashion It might sound crazy, but given the number of designers and gowns out there, it might take you a while to find the one. Keep this in mind, and do some extensive research to narrow down the type of dress you like. Take along a friend or your mom, but only if they really know your style and will encourage you. This is your one time to really go all out, not to please other people.
9 Months: Finalize your guest list and wedding budget Unfortunately, there is no hard and fast breakdown of a budget. It all depends on you and what the most important elements are to your big day. Prioritizing where to spend your money and remember what is important to you. Remember that every single guest adds more to the over all budget.
8 Months: Secure your creative team Start looking for for photographers, caterers, bakers, florists, stationers and entertainment. Decide quickly and book them. Now is the time for indulging in every wedding fantasy you’ve ever harbored. The internet is a sea of beautiful blogs and dreamy design inspiration but don’t limit yourself to wedding imagery. Look to fashion, architecture and interior design. Inspiration can come from anywhere.
7 Months: Wedding party fashion Start shopping for your bridesmaids’ dresses, groom and groomsmen’s attire. This is also a good opportunity to decide on their gifts as well. By now you should have chosen and had your first fitting for your own dress. This will give insight to the style and color palette of your bridesmaids’ dresses, too.
6 Months: Start your wedding gift registry Remember to fill your list with a range of items, and be realistic about your guests’ budget. If your grandmother wants to treat you to the high-end china set, that’s great, but make sure you choose some smaller gifts, too.
4 Months: Approaching the home stretch Time for the last few pieces of the puzzle. Order your wedding rings and book transportation to and from the ceremony, reception and honeymoon. With only a few months left, are you feeling stretched yet? Remember that over half of all weddings go over budget. Avoid feeling like your back is against the wall by allowing yourselves a contingency fund.
3 Months: Hair and makeup Book the trail run with your hair stylist and makeup artist. Don’t be afraid to take pictures and ask them to imitate, but remember that not all styles suit every face, and the good artists will be able to interpret a look to suit you. A good rule of thumb is to ask for you as you naturally are, just better.
2 Months: Invitations Save the dates should be sent six to nine months from the wedding date and the formal invitation is 6 to 8 weeks. Try and order your save the dates and invitations at the same time if possible to reduce printing and freight costs. And don’t forget to factor in cost of postage!
1 Month: Final headcount Work out your seating plan and let your caterers know the final number of guests. Make sure there is ample space. Beware of falling in love with a venue that can’t hold your lengthy guest-list.
3 Weeks: Apply for your wedding license You will need to give notice of marriage at your local courthouse no less than 15 days before your wedding. Saying “I Do” doesn’t mean anything if it’s not legal on paper!
2 Weeks: Final honeymoon preparation Order your honeymoon currency, check tickets and passports and, if you’re feeling really organized, pack your suitcases.
1 Week: Get things in order Collect the wedding rings, dress, veil and the groom and groomsmen’s outfits. Call all participating vendors and confirm everything for the big day. Just remember to dot your i’s and cross your t’s.
Day of the wedding: At this point all you can do is let it all happen. Learn to let go if anything doesn’t go exactly as planned. In the end, you’re going to be married. Remember that you’re planning a marriage not just a party.
Effortlessly stylish and epically romantic, Katie and Dallas’ Tuscany elopement was inspired by the expansive natural beauty of the Italian countryside, and the unbelievable food, wine and atmosphere that goes with it. From the sunset ceremony to the candlelit dinner, Roberto Panciatici captured every magnificent moment – if his images don’t make you want to jet off to Italy, like right this second, I don’t know what will. Enjoy!
The Goals: As an event floral designer in Los Angeles, my job is to plan elaborate events and dive into endless details. For our wedding, because it was just going to be us and two of our closest friends, we wanted zero stress and to really embrace beginning our lives together as husband and wife in the overwhelming beauty of the Tuscan countryside where we had always dreamed of traveling together. Incredibly delicious fresh food, copious amounts of Prosecco and red wine, and crazy romance was everything we wanted! Our décor was no-fuss and completely influenced by the land. I made my bouquet from the loveliest lavender we had picked up in a little village while wine tasting earlier that week, and I arranged vases of loose, lush fresh olive branches from the trees on the property for our dinner table along with lots of white candles. Simplicity is so often the best and is “us” as a couple at our core.
The Planning: We knew from the very beginning that we wanted to elope in Italy and have a trip of a lifetime instead of having a traditional wedding. Our friends Megan and Bryan had recently honeymooned at Podere Finerri in Tuscany and instantly convinced us it was the perfect place for us to get married. Dallas completely took the reins and planned our travel itinerary through Paris, Venice, Tuscany and Rome, and Daniela at Podere Finerri graciously handled the day-of details.
The Moments: The entire day truly was magic and ridiculously romantic! We soaked up every second of the beauty at Podere Finerri, but one moment will stay forever closest to my heart… Just after I finished final makeup touches and slipped into my dress, I stepped outside to take in the view and some fresh air. A large beautiful butterfly floated toward me, landed on my belly, and literally stayed looking at me for several minutes before floating back off into the olive grove. This moment was so special because we had chosen our date in honor of my late grandmother Yvonne’s birthday who I was incredibly close with, and ever since she passed several years ago, I believe she shows up in my life from time to time as a black and gold butterfly. It was such an emotional moment! And we are STILL reminiscing about our insanely delizioso seven-course meal prepared for us by Malcolm, the owner of Podere Finerri and chef extraordinaire.
The Photographer: We were looking for a super artistic photographer that had obvious taste and style, in addition to being very professional and responsive. We could not have been more pleased with Roberto Panciatici and his comfortable, fun demeanor on the day of our wedding, as well as his follow-up and our incredible photos!
The Advice: Plan the wedding of YOUR dreams together, not what you feel pressured to plan! If you’re going all out with a traditional wedding, hire a planner and the best possible vendors to ensure all of the details are completely covered!
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