When we first met, it felt like we were separated at birth. No, really... we were finishing each other's sentences, laughing at each other's jokes and rocked some serious chemistry. It was totally love at first sight. She was the best.bridey.ever. Until she changed. Until she morphed into what I call "the bridal transformation." And, I 100% should have seen it coming, but I was way too wrapped up our honeymoon phase (no pun) to look beyond our initial attraction. And I paid for it...
Fast forward a year? I'd cringe at the sight of her name in my inbox, and then hold my breath as I read page after page of ideas and questions. I mean, you'd think we were plotting our next heist instead of planning a wedding! And the texts? Holy shit with the insane, almost drunk sounding stream-of-thought texting... UGH. So, what changed over the course of a year? A lot. Here are the top five reasons (there are several other reasons, but we don't have that kind of time) why this bride went from being my favorite to my least favorite bride:
1. I hate to say this because I find a ton of inspiration on Pinterest too, but, damn if this bridey didn't become Pinterested... Yup! PINTERESTED! That's how I refer to brides who fall down the deep and very lovely Pinterest rabbit hole of wedding planning. She would fall in love with these extravagant, over-the-top and very pricey wedding scenes adorned with amazing décor, have her heart set on mimicking the feel, and then become completely deflated when I would rain on her parade with reality. Pricing. Everyday, I became the bearer of bad news. And everyday, she would be less and less excited to plan her wedding. I swear, Pinterest should have price ranges attached to each pin so that brides-to-be would know immediately if what they are seeing in the photograph is realistic (price-wise) for their wedding!
2. In many ways, self-education is pretty awesome. Right? I've learned how to do many things simply by watching a YouTube video or reading about what I am trying to learn. But, self education while planning a wedding can be dangerous because there is a lot of bad advice out there, and the pushback wedding professionals see because of this is insane. Our brides stop trusting our advice and experience because suddenly she knows more than we do. And, my bridey? Well... Girl went nuts with self education, and came at me for pretty much every decision we made instead of trusting why she hired me in the first place. For my experience and network of vendors who get shit done! I started to resent her for constantly questioning my judgement and therefore making everything so fucking difficult.
3. Wedding planners and event specialists at venues have established relationships with particular vendors for good reason, bridey. We trust them, and we know they will do a great job for you, and for us too. And, while you're more than welcome to use a vendor outside of our network, one you find on your own, don't look to us when things start falling apart. It's a slippery slope, and it's incredible how just one inexperienced vendor can wreck havoc on your wedding day.
4. Anybody home? It was crazy, this bride went from being the most overly communicative bride I've ever worked with to pulling a disappearing act as soon as I needed answers from her. The venue would need meal counts or the photographer would need a final deposit, and I couldn't for the life of me find the fucking bride. Honestly, this was a first for me. I'm pretty sure she was hiding under the covers wishing it all away, and I was seriously about to show up at her apartment, when she surfaced. Needless to say, when I found her, she didn't like my tough love. But, when you don't get back to your vendors a few weeks away from the wedding, it becomes very difficult to put on a successful event. So, please, don't disappear on the people trying to help you!
5. Attitude. 'Zillatude. Plain 'ol bitchiness. Bridey, none of your vendors, bridesmaids or family members want to be around you or help you when you're being a bitch. So, please lose the 'tude. It just makes everything feel worse.
In the end, the wedding was beautiful and the bride was surprisingly relaxed and sweet on her wedding day. I got to see the girl I met a year ago, and it was a relief for all us involved in her planning. But, everything in-between certainly made the planning more difficult. And, really? Was it worth it?