Planning a wedding is no easy feat! Deciding on the exact style of each element you want and making sure that they all fit together with one another is time consuming. What’s to say your style won’t change throughout the process or when you begin comparing… you’ll want to change your course all together? We reached out to #AnnaliseRealBride Alexis who surprised herself in the changes she made throughout the planning process. Her resounding message to soon to be brides: stick with your gut and decide on your venue!
When Alexis began her wedding planning process she thought her wedding would be all things bohemian. She wanted unique design elements and “was really trying to find a lot of different things to make it stand out”. This urge was only amplified as she searched Pinterest for all the different options and started comparing her vision to what she was seeing online. It wasn’t until she picked the venue, Great Marsh Estate, that Alexis was able to breathe a sigh of relief, stop comparing, and really trust her gut intuition. When reminiscing on that decision Alexis states, “that really helped me see my vision and I started to stick with my gut and not get sucked into everything out there”.
This wouldn’t be the only time she was beyond thankful for the venue she chose. It served as the perfect spot for her big day and even the night before! Alexis’ getting ready photos were so dreamy! When we asked her if there was a particular moment of the getting ready process that really stood out to her, she circled back to just how amazing the venue was and how perfectly it fit her wedding needs! “Great Marsh allowed us to stay the night there the night before the wedding which was so.much.fun. I felt like I got a ton of time with all the girls that night after the rehearsal dinner and then it just continued into the next morning, and the house is
BEAUTIFUL!” Spending time with the people you love before the most important day of your life gives us all the feels!
As the bohemian vision she had for her wedding evolved and “actually turned out to be more traditional”, classic bridal elements such as a veil came to fruition! Alexis had a pretty long veil and an outdoor ceremony, which is always a combination that brides worry about. When we asked Alexis her personal experience with the veil and if it was easy to manage, she emphasized how important picking your venue was! “No trouble for me luckily! I would just make sure you have your venue locked down and know what length may or may not work for you. If there is a lot of landscape (bushes) or other opportunities for your veil to snag – you may not want a full-length veil. We also did not have a windy day so my veil stayed put. “
So brides, as your planning your wedding know that it’s okay to change your mind. And if you find yourself trying to change your mind too often that likely means that you need to knock a big decision off of your plate (like your venue) before you can make more progress. We know that wedding planning is stressful, but being married is worth the worry! Alexis can also echo that now that she’s married. When we asked how it feels finally being a Mrs. she excitedly shared, “It feels amazing!!! Ryan and I are beginning our married life in Richmond with our dog Bennie, and we absolutely love it here”.
Scroll through to all the beautiful wedding details of Alexis and Ryan’s big day!
Wedding Dress – Made With Love “Harlie” from Annalise Bridal Boutique
Photographer – Kait Winston Photography
Hair/MUA – The Highlight (Make Up) Bobbypinsandbalayage (hair)
Venue – Great Marsh Estate
Planner – Amelia Lawrence Weddings
Florist – Everlasting Flowers
Seamstress – Fariba’s
Caterer – Purple Onion Catering
