There are countless decisions that will need to be made when planning your wedding. Some will be easy, like choosing to have an indoor or outdoor ceremony. And others will bring your plans to a screeching halt. No matter where you are in the process, you've likely hesitated a few times on saying "yes" or "no," picking this or that, and are ready for an easier way to come to a decision.
Photo by Kelly Anne Photography
When planning your wedding, there are two questions you will want to ask yourself with each decision: "Will this work logistically?" and "Will this work stylistically?"
The answers to the former question are going to drive most of your wedding planning and determine how your ceremony and reception will flow, but it's equally as important to plan what your wedding will look like. Keep in mind, however, that sometimes a beautiful idea isn't always the best idea. The goal here is to be honest with yourself when considering the answers to these questions. Without two "yesses," you'll end up with an idea that sounds great in theory but is a logistical nightmare.
Marilisa Schachinger, Senior Planner and Designer at Chancey Charm, recalls an idea that could have been lovely if the couple took logistics into consideration. The inspiration was a Pinterest-esque sendoff with a cascading fireworks display as the couple drove away in a vintage car. However, to cut costs, the couple wanted to run down the driveway as the fireworks went off. Despite the safety hazards, can you imagine timing the fireworks perfectly and ensuring the photographer and videographer were able to capture it? A word to the wise: always run your ideas by your planners for their expert insight. They might be able to help you come up with a better alternative -- or determine that it's best to do it right, or don't do it at all.
Another one of our favorite examples, as seen on Brides.com, is a remote wedding outdoors. While the idea of getting married in a scenic spot outside sounds super dreamy, when you consider the logistics (no shelter for inclement weather, travel time for guests, no restrooms, etc.) the idea becomes a whole lot less glamorous.
This leads us to another important point -- styled shoots are meant for inspiration, not necessarily design duplication. Although that mountaintop shoot may look flawless, logistically it might not be practical for your nuptials. It's all about focusing on your own wedding brand and how you can create a cohesive look and effortless event from start to finish.
A wedding brand, or wedding theme, helps you stay focused when designing each element of your wedding. For some, a simple color palette and adjective like "vintage" or "whimsical" will do. But we recommend going a step further and creating a highly styled and custom design that reflects who you are as a couple. Some of our favorite wedding brands we're currently crushing over include this 1950s brunch elopement, a dark garden affair and this "fly me to the moon" wedding.
Once you've decided your wedding brand, it's time to plan those small, yet important details that will need to work both stylistically and logistically. Tag team to keep yourselves in check -- have your fiancé play the part of determining what works logistically while you handle the design details. With this system of checks and balances, you're more likely to come up with even better ideas that you might not have normally thought of.