Many of our past blog posts have been all about how our brides chose their gowns & what advice they would give future brides. That being said, when we reached out to #AnnaliseRealBride Kate, her responses blew us away and we felt like they may add a different kind of content to our blog. Her heart is huge & that’s ever so evident in her answers. We love wedding dresses, but we LOVE what weddings are all about. Listen as Kate explains why her big day was so special & how to make the most of every moment.
Kate & her now husband, Ryan, looked so joyful in each of their photos. There was no sign of worry or stress, which is amazing considering how stressful this day (and the days leading up to this day) can be. Kate explains, “Our wedding guests are our favorite people and biggest fans – how could I be anything other than joyful surrounded by them”. As for how she stayed present & how to help other brides stay in the moment, “With all the planning involved leading up to a wedding weekend, it’s tempting for your mind to want to think ahead to make sure you didn’t forget anything. On Friday, you think about your wedding party getting to the rehearsal on time. At the rehearsal, you think about the rehearsal dinner. Getting ready with your bridesmaids on Saturday, maybe you calculate how much more time everyone has to get hair and makeup done, and count backwards to when the trolley is coming, and how long until the ceremony. After the ceremony, you’re trying to get through family pictures so you can go to the reception, see your friends, and dance. If you’re constantly thinking “what’s next?” (even in an “I can’t wait for what’s next!” sort of way) you’ll blink and it will all be over. The whole weekend is “it,”not just the wedding. Enjoy it all, but enjoy the people over everything else. “
Wow, I mean we could just end this blog right there, but Kate had a few other nuggets of wisdom you might just appreciate. We hear a lot of our brides debating whether they want to do a first look or not. Usually, they like the idea of a first look for that intimate moment and timeline flow, but also fear that if they decide to do a first look they may miss out on their groom’s tears as they walk down the aisle.
From Kate’s experience, her first look didn’t change the first few moments of her ceremony at all… (if anything it may have even added to the surprise). “Some people are worried that a first look eliminates the “big moment” when the bride and groom see each other for the first time in the church, and everyone likes to look at the groom’s face when the bride is walking down the aisle. But it’s more than just the moment between the bride and groom that creates the drama – it’s also the enormity of being surrounded by all the people you love.” Kate goes on to reminisce about Ryan’s reaction when he watched her walk down the aisle, “When the organ started playing, the church doors swung open, and I saw my friends and family in the congregation, my breath caught and I burst into tears. Ryan’s face watching me walk down the aisle is pretty priceless, even though we had already seen each other. He was probably surprised I was crying”.
And now we’re surprised we’re crying! The moral of this post: no matter how much you plan, you’ll only truly enjoy your wedding day if you allow yourself to be present. All the details & decisions can become overwhelming, but knowing that you’ll be surrounded by all of your family and friends makes any obstacle easy to overcome. Check out the gallery below to see all the “feels” from Kate & Ryan’s big day!
Photography: Jen Fariello
Venue: The Commonwealth Club
Flowers: Blooms at the The Jefferson
Lighting: The Lighting Professors
Band: Affirmative Groove (Sam Hill Entertainment)
Videographer: Gardenia Wedding Cinema
Bride’s Dress: Made With Love “Sasha”
