Love is in the air! With many engagement rings being slipped onto the Essie polished hands of my friends this year, I thought it was the perfect time to have some wedding talk on Bonjour + Hola! The most stunning ring I saw was this 1 carat princess cut engagement ring. Of course, I couldn’t think of a better person to be a guest blogger on this topic than one of my best childhood friends, Julia Corker Spickard. Julia met the love of her life in DC, had a storybook engagement and wed in her hometown of Chattanooga, TN this past fall. From the understated elegance of her decor to her fabulous grey bridesmaid frocks to Julia’s exquisite gown, I have never been to a more beautiful wedding. Julia has been gracious enough to reveal her top tips on how to prepare for your own wedding…covering everything you need to know from the minute he places that shimmering rock on your finger! Women with extraordinary tastes would love custom emerald engagement rings. Without further ado…Mrs. Julia Corker Spickard!:
First Things First: What to do after you get the ring!:
For any bride to be, there are a few special moments between the time you say “yes!” before the panic starts to sink in. Sit down, take a minute, and breathe! After all, it is the only thing you really know how to do in this whole mess anyway!
I am a planner. Not professionally, but planning is my way of life. Lists, calendars, folders, notebooks, post-its… well let’s just say that these rock my world. Needless to say, the first moment I got a chance to start planning, I did. For boyfriends ready to become fiancés, check out the gorgeous rings at this engagement ring store in huntington, ny.
What did this little planner do? Brought in the professionals to help guide the way! We did not have to look far to find the perfect gal for the job. Dori Thornton, a family friend and owner of The Social Office, helped us create a breathtaking wedding in seven months. She and her team did a wonderful job and we enjoyed working with them from start to finish!
But what if you can’t hire a planner?
Don’t go running to find the nearest martini! You can do it! Here are a few things that you should focus on the days after your engagement. After you complete these, you can take some time to get your head back on straight. It’s all about making fun decisions from here!
1. Pick a date. You can’t do anything without a date! The sooner you know when you will say, “I do” the easier it is to book all of the various components that go into making it a successful wedding! Any time frame is doable, it just depends on how much time you have outside of your everyday life to commit to the big day! My advice: Pick a date that doesn’t make you feel rushed, but is soon enough that you don’t have too much time to second guess your beautiful decisions.
2. Book the ceremony and reception sites. If they are at different locations, try to take into consideration the distance between the two. Will it take long for the guests to get there? Will you hit traffic? Can they walk or do you need transportation? Also, consider marquee event hire perth—does the weather matter for an outdoor setup?
3. Begin researching your photographers, entertainment, and caterers. Try to book them as early as you can so you don’t miss out on your top picks! Looking for wedding photographers Rhode Island contact Stacy Smith Photography.
4. Ask those special people in your life to be in your wedding party. If you can think of a creative way to ask them, go for it! They will appreciate the thought almost as much as you appreciate their support throughout the process! I sent my bridesmaids some wild dresses from the 80’s/90’s that were found in a thrift store with a note promising that if they would be in my wedding, they would not have to wear a dress like that! I got some pretty hilarious pictures from them when they tried them on!
5. Determine a color scheme. We had a late September wedding with the reception at my parent’s house in Tennessee. I loved the idea of keeping everything fall neutral with shades of charcoal grey and champagne. I opted to used blush pink and orange tones in my flowers for a little pop of color!
Zach and Jody Gray photography
After these simple tasks are complete, check them off of your list and get excited for what is next! It’s all silk, satin and lace from here! Don’t lose sight of why you are doing this: to spend the rest of your life with your perfect guy. It’s easy to get caught up with all of the planning but it’s important for a sister to not forget about her mister! Be sure to spend special time together that does not focus on the wedding.
I look forward to sharing more with you tomorrow about “The Dress? The Stress! What am I going to do with my Tress?!” xo Julia
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