Cool It, Bridezilla!

Some of the top wedding planners from the Washington, D.C.-metro area have advice and insight about the preparation process, changing trends and stressful situations that often characterize the months leading up to the big day. These experts shared their thoughts with The Georgetowner.

Showing Your Personality in Your Wedding
Finding a planner that clicks with you, I think, makes a big difference, so that you’re picking someone who will guide you through the process and understand you, and has similar tastes to you.– Aimee Dominick, A. Dominick Events

Pick things that are your tastes, don’t try to impress other people. Oftentimes brides are young, and they are trying to make their parents and in-laws happy, but it’s like shopping for shoes – you pick what you like. Genuinely stick to things you like. Don’t be sold by fads.– Michele Hodges, Michele Hodges Events

There are so many ways to do this, and it doesn’t always have to be a major statement. The little touches are often what guests remember most. Whether it’s tying in an aspect of your heritage, the story of how you met or a shared passion, the key is to think about how people would describe your personalities and relationship and going from there.
— Whitney Press, Bella Notte

New Wedding Trends for 2013

We find that people are either going much more nontraditional: they want a standing reception and small plates; or, they are going in the direction of more traditional: they want their invitation to look like their grandparents’ did, they want it to be more elegant and classy, they want swing bands instead of wedding bands. — Aimee Dominick, A. Dominick Events

Vintage glamour is being taken to the next level. People are mixing more glamorous elements, like fine linens and crystal settings, with a homier atmosphere in a rustic outdoor setting.– Stephanie Hughes, Diamond Events

Couples are loving lots of greenery. Whether you suspend laurel branches from the ceiling, create a wall of succulents or line your aisle with boxwood topiaries, it makes things feel fresh and modern.– Whitney Press, Bella Notte

Hand-painted dance floors can make the party unique and help brand a wedding – branding the wedding with a logo or initials that can be duplicated in your invitations and programs. A lot of brides are including letterpress in their invitations with those logos. Also, putting furniture on the sides of the dance floor with big ottomans with comfy pillows.– Michele Hodges, Michele Hodges Events

We are definitely seeing more and more couples forego the idea of a wedding cake in lieu of a table presenting all of their favorite desserts done in miniature. Things like fruit cobblers baked in mini weck jars, s’mores, whoopie pies, profiteroles and even mini layer cakes make for fun presentations.– Allison Jackson, Pineapple Productions

Most of my brides want their wedding somewhere between being of the moment and being timeless. So, even if they love some- thing really trendy or something potentially considered out-of-date, the decision always comes back to their personal connection to an idea and how well it reflects their ideal wedding.– Elizabeth Duncan, Elizabeth Duncan Events

General Advice for Couples

The pieces of advice I give the most to newly engaged couples are “Make Informed Decisions” and “Be True to You.” A wedding is a big moment and a big investment no matter the budget, so it is key to figure out what is most important to the different decision makers and to identify a general budget before making any decisions. Many things can and will evolve and change over the months of planning, but if everyone is on the same page in the beginning, the process is much more enjoyable and productive.– Elizabeth Duncan, Elizabeth Duncan Events

Brides forget the silliest things, like put- ting stamps on their RSVP envelopes. A lot of times they don’t necessarily forget the small details, they just don’t realize how much time these things take. Sometimes, it’s overwhelming, all those little tiny decisions take longer than people anticipate.– Michele Hodges, Michele Hodges Events

Try not to get bogged down by all of the information and ideas out there. Look within before turning to outside resources. Think about your personal interests, your style, your wedding season and venue type before searching magazines and blogs. That will help you create a celebration that is personal and distinctive, rather than something inspired by someone else’s style and ideas.– Allison Jackson, Pineapple Productions

In this day and age, people feel comfort- able working with email. The best advice is to meet with vendors, or at least Skype, so you get the face-to-face experience. Email is great, and people feel really comfortable developing relationships that way, but you want to feel like you are friends with vendors so they can understand the experience that you want to happen on your day.– Stephanie Hughes, Diamond Events.