5 tips for stress free wedding planning

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Stephanie in Advice | Leave a comment

1. Delegate + ask for help: You don’t have to do everything! Even if it feels like you’re taking on this whole thing alone, it’s way more productive (and more pleasant) if you enlist friends, family, and your fiance for their help.

2. Have an outlet: Have a go-to stress relieving activity? Use it — especially when you’re planning your wedding. It’s nice to punctuate your wedding planning time wtih

3. Talk to friends about something other than your wedding: When your best friends have become your bridesmaids for the next year, it’s hard not to talk to them about anything but your wedding. But take the time and effort to stop thinking about your wedding and talk to your friends about something else — it’ll take your wedding stress of your mind, and your friends will appreciate it too!

4. Limit your Pinterest time: A recent survey by the Today Show has shown women are reporting increasing levels of stress. Why? They’re comparing themselves to the “perfect” images and lifestyles that Pinterest is so good at portraying. I mean, it is hard not to want the perfect Pinterest wedding — but you gotta remember it’s your wedding, which is better than anything on Pinterest.

5. Keep everything in perspective: It’s just one day! You’re going to love your wedding day, but it’s really just the first day of your marriage — which is even more important.

Photo courtesy of onelove photo.

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Wedding Advice: How to serve food at your wedding even if you’re vegetarian

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Stephanie in Advice | Leave a comment

QUESTION: If my fiance and I are vegetarians. Do we have to serve non-vegetarian options to our guests at the reception?

Kaella’s Answer: When this question first came to me, my initial response was “it’s your wedding, do what you want.” But, the more I thought about it, I realized there are some items to consider before you make this decision. As the host of an event, dinner party, etc., you want your guests to feel comfortable and welcome, right? How does it feel to be invited to someone’s home only to find out they didn’t provide any vegetarian options for you? Not very welcoming, I would assume. Do you want the guests at your wedding to feel the same? When I think of this perspective, I lean towards providing one non-vegetarian meal for your guests to select if desired. However, I believe you should do what you feel most comfortable with. If that means serving all vegetarian food to your guests, then go for it. Just make sure you select an excellent caterer who knows how to cook hearty vegetarian dishes, so your Carnivorous guests will not miss a beat (or their meat). Also, be sure to ask your guests if they have any dietary needs, i.e. food allergies, so those can be accommodated in the form of a vegetarian dish as well.

Need more wedding advice? Read Kaella’s previous posts:

About our Kaella: Kaella Wilson is the founder of Kaella Lynn Events, a wedding planning and design boutique based in San Francisco. She believes the difference is in the details. Whether you’re planning a grand event or an intimate celebration, Kaella combines artistic design with meticulous planning and management to produce a memorable event that represents your style. Follow her on twitter @Kaellalynn.

Image from Jose Villa via Style Me Pretty

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Pics your photographer should take: Redefining The Wedding Shot List [Guest Post]

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Stephanie in Advice | 2 Comments

In traditional terms, a shot list refers to the run-down of photos and moments your photographer will strive to capture on your wedding day. How necessary is having a shot list and how much detail should it cover? The best thing about hiring a professional photographer whose work you love is that they are professionals. From capturing moments like your groom’s adoring eyes when he tells you you’re the love of his life, to the awaited first kiss, to spontaneous wedding day shenanigans, you can trust that your photographer is primed to capture every juicy memory.

That being said, creating an all-encompassing playbook shot list is not something you need to add to your to-do list. Phew! Since we don’t need to go into minute detail, let’s work on redefining the shot list and thinking of it more as a discussion of details. What then are some things you should make sure to communicate to your photographer? Here are four things to let your photographer know before your wedding:

1. Tell your photographer about about the unique, meaningful, and perhaps unexpected details you have woven into your wedding day. This includes tangible details like family heirlooms, rituals, and your personal must-have shots.

2. A complete list of desired family portrait combinations (names included) and a designated person to help round up the fam!

3. A timeline for the day. This way you can work with your photographer to ensure you have enough time and gorgeous lighting for the type of portraits you’re looking for.

4. A list of the vendors who are helping create your spectacular celebration.

This communication beforehand will give you wedding day peace of mind. Ok, you might still have butterflies, but you won’t have to spend a second conveying shot details to your photographer on your wedding day. Every moment from mascara wands in the morning through the sparkler send-off under the stars will be covered!

All images courtesy of Linnea Paulina Photography.

This was a guest post by our friend and wedding photographer Linnea Paulina. Linnea is a wedding and lifestyle photographer drawn toward simplicity and honest joy. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband Zachary where some of their favorite things are conquering home improvement projects and planning travel adventures. Online, you can find Linnea on her Blog,Twitter, or Facebook.

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Wedding Advice: Get the bachelorette party you want without being a bridezilla

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Stephanie in Advice | Leave a comment

QUESTION: If I’m not pumped about the bachelorette party that my MOH and maids are planning, should I say something? And how do I suggest what I’d like to do without sounding like a bridezilla?

Kaella’s Answer: I recommend having a conversation with the host of your bachelorette party. Not everyone wants to go to Las Vegas or see men dancing half naked on-stage. Since this is a bachelorette party for you, it’s perfectly reasonable to have a few boundaries. Though avoid micromanaging them, so they can have fun with the planning and maybe even incorporate a couple surprises for you.

Another suggestion to avoid sounding like a “bridezilla”: don’t let the planning get to far underway before you speak up. I highly suggest setting your boundaries and providing a few ideas that interest you right at the get go to give them the foundation for what type of bachelorette celebration you would like. Consider the budget when making recommendations. Not everyone can afford a flight to Bali for a week long bachelorette vacation. At the same time, they are expected to spend some money on your bachelorette party, so the reasonable part goes both ways. Either way, try to go with the flow on your bachelorette party night, and just enjoy spending time with your close friends.

Rachel’s Answer: YES! They want you to have a good time and would be disappointed to find out later that you weren’t happy with the plans. Best-case scenario, they’d ask you what you want before they start planning, but if they don’t, there’s nothing wrong with telling them what you want (or don’t want) when the topic comes up. For example, when my friends brought up bachelorette party ideas, I said things like, “A penis hat is not something I’d like to ever wear” and “I’d rather take a cool workout class with you girls and then get manicures and pedicures than have a guy putting his banana hammock getting all up in my face.” As long as you aren’t demanding they plan something super elaborate or expensive (once they’ve already planned something else), it won’t be a problem.

About our Kaella & Rachel: Kaella Wilson is the founder of Kaella Lynn Events, a wedding planning and design boutique based in San Francisco. She believes the difference is in the details. Whether you’re planning a grand event or an intimate celebration, Kaella combines artistic design with meticulous planning and management to produce a memorable event that represents your style. Follow her on twitter @Kaellalynn Rachel Wilkerson is a writer and community manager living in sin in Houston, TX. She also happens to be planning her wedding! You can see more of her writing on her brand-new blog The House Always Wins. Follow her on twitter @RachelGettingIt.

Need more wedding advice? Read Kaella and Rachel’s previous posts:

Image: Lane Dittoe via Bridal Musings

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