There are so many small details that go into a wedding. And while those details are important, the big picture is what seems to last a lifetime. Our brides look back on their friends, family, and the experience. And that misspelled place card that was earth shattering two days before the wedding… well it just didn’t cross their mind day-of.
Don’t believe us? That’s okay, take it from #AnnaliseRealBride Annie. Her southern soirée was straight out of a fairy tale and one of her takeaways from everything, “When the day/night finally arrived, the small stuff sort of fell away and everything important fell into perspective”.
An element we adored of Annie’s big day was her color palette. Which surprise, surprise she was fairly relaxed about! She knew from the get go that blue was her bridesmaids color of choice and narrowed down the vast options to three shades: Navy, Slate, and Ice. Each bridesmaid got to pick their gown style and color, some even pulling from their closet if they already owned a dress that worked. Annie explained her decision by saying, “My bridesmaids are each uniquely beautiful, and I wanted their dresses to be uniquely ‘theirs’ while still looking cohesive together”. Once the bridesmaids gowns were chosen the official color palette decisions came into play… yes, blueberries on the cake was a part of that (not to mention the groom’s favorite fruit).
So the wedding had its color set and the bridesmaids were ready to go, but no amount of planning prepared Annie for the day of… and that’s okay because that’s where the true beauty and magic of the day came to play! Annie’s personal favorite photos came from the hilarious attempt at getting their ring bearer and flower girls (all under 3) to smile… much less stay still. Annie sings her praises to her photographer, Rachel May Photo and her husband Justin, who captured “those authentic moments (big and small) throughout the day, as well as our emotions and personalities”. She reminisces on those “blissfully chaotic moments” and knows that “they will continue to make us smile when we look back at them in the years ahead”.
Another blissful and albeit chaotic candid came from the couple’s reception, which ultimately morphed into one giant dance party! We may or may not have cracked a smile when we saw a limbo game break out while scrolling through their gallery. In response to us asking how that all came about, Annie laughed and said, “We have the best, most fun-loving and big-hearted friends and family. And YES my friend Catherine leading the charge with the dress-limbo was definitely a dance floor highlight. Iconic, really. But honestly, our friends helped us have a great time by just being there, bringing their appetite and dancing shoes, and celebrating with us
throughout the weekend”.
We’ve covered the colors, the candids, and the chaos so all we have left… THE DRESS! When we asked Annie about her dress shopping experience she is the first to admit that the gown she chose was nothing like what she had originally envisioned. She was stuck on a Kate Middleton-like style, but gushes now that “My dress was beyond, beyond perfect for me — looking back, I can’t picture having worn anything else that day”. If that response didn’t make our hearts flutter enough, the next one sure did. “So moral of the story: Keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to try something on that strays from your ‘vision’ of your ideal dress — the result might surprise you. (Oh, and listen to Lindsey!).”
Keep an open mind and don’t let the tiny details get in the way of your big moment.Weddings are meant to be a celebration after all! If you ever find yourself in the middle of full on wedding panic… we’re always but a short email, phone call, or DM away!
