guest blogging with Good Life Events

I'm happy to welcome back Aleah and Nick of Good Life Events on the blog today to share with you their top 5 tips on what you shouldn't do during the wedding planning process. So, here are Aleah and Nick . . .

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We often write about fun tips and tricks and what you should do to make for a fun wedding planning process and wedding that’s true to you. Today we wanted to provide our tips on what you shouldn’t do. Although the list is long, these 5 "shouldn't' tips are all too common.

1. Over the years we’ve heard many a client focus on what “Katie” did at her wedding. Or how “Jackson’s groomsmen…” wore this or that. While it’s fantastic to take notes about what you love or don’t like about another’s wedding or to draw inspiration, you should not let this fuel your own vision. Your wedding should not be a competition. Your expectation of your own wedding shouldn’t rely on what you see in the pages of a magazine or blog, or experienced at a friend’s wedding. Your wedding should be a reflection of YOU. Like we’ve said before {and will say again}, craft a celebration that’s just that: a celebration of your entrance into a lifelong marriage.

above photo courtesy of Frank Ross Photographic

Photo Above: This wedding was coordinated by Good Life Events and the bride and groom wanted their wedding their way, at Stephanie's parents' home so Aleah and Nick worked closely to bring in the accoutrements to make it a successful, unique event.

2. Please do not assume that your long-lost family from another country will not attend your big day and send them an invitation anyway. We have seen this before and forewarned clients who have made that assumption. The result can be devastating; our couple was stunned when 30 guests {whom they expected wouldn’t show} announced they were all flying in from Belgium, maxing out our venue space! If you are comfortable with inviting 500 guests to your wedding and both the budget and venue’s capacity allow for this, by all means invite them. But, it’s impossible to predict who will and will not attend. If you’re in this predicament, please send a wedding announcement to your long-lost childhood friends or distant family, rather than making this assumption.

3. Don’t use scented candles. Candlelight often plays such an important role in the ceremony and reception ambiance. How terrible would it be to ruin your delectable {and so well-thought-out} 5-course gourmet dinner for your guests than overpowering the room with the smell of fake vanilla?!

4. When creating your bar menu, know your crowd. Don’t choose one signature drink too complex in terms of ingredients or on color alone {hello, neon purple too-sweet concoctions}. This will likely result in wasted drinks, money, and a very long bar line {as well as headaches in the morning for those who do choose to over-indulge in them}. Rather, focus on drinks you know your guests will truly enjoy. If the bride {or groom}-to-be is married to that neon purple drink, have a separate bar space and menu where best friends can especially order that drink, rather than making it the drink of the night.

above photo courtesy of Frank Ross Photographic

Above Photo: Aleah and Nick wrote that "Stephanie and Coby served up vodka lemonades at their sizzling August bash. Easy to make and a can't-go-wrong summer cocktail, they were a big, refreshing hit!"

5. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Planning your wedding should be fun. It shouldn’t be a burden or a stress. Delegate the minor details to the professionals and tick daunting tasks {like that guest list or seating chart} off your checklist sooner, rather than last-minute. Focus on the fun elements you’re incorporating as a couple. Hire the professionals. Speaking as pros, we have seen the difference between weddings in which the couple took on too much and didn’t hire seasoned professionals, and those who did. We’ve never, in over 7 years, heard someone  say “boy, I wish I wouldn’t have hired a pro” or “man, we’re so happy we stressed ourselves out!” Remember to enjoy the process!

above photos courtesy of Frank Ross Photographic

Above Photo: Aleah and Nick wrote that "Stephanie was a wonderful bride who just let go and trusted in her team. The result was one of the happiest brides and grooms we've seen!"

Thank you Aleah and Nick for joining me today - to see more from Aleah and Nick, please be sure to visit Good Life Events online. And, Aleah and Nick's blog has even more wedding planning tips. Plus, they have a new blog too called Valley & Co.

The photos above are from the wedding of Stephanie and Colby that Aleah and Nick of Good Life Events coordinated. The photographs are courtesy of Frank Ross Photographic.