{Weddings Weddings Weddings!}

The first wedding that I ever shot I can remember the groom making a funny, yet true statement about his bride-to-be having their house engulfed in wedding spreadsheets all over the walls for months.

Now on the cusp of my own 6 month countdown to becoming Mrs. Jeremy Combes, I realize exactly what that groom meant. Prioritization is the {KEY} to a smooth wedding planning process.

{Don't want to have just a signing book? DO A SIGNING BOARD!}

When i say smooth I do not mean stress free

Through my own experience in this wedding planning journey

I've accepted that people go crazy when they know a wedding is in the future

Something will ultimately not go your way

& compromises will have to be made

But at the end of each day leading up to the 

{Big Day}

You have to remember that despite all the stress

You still get to marry your best friend 

& as long as you stay true to the pieces of your wedding that describe 

Each of your personalities

 & the love between you Two

Then nothing else is necessarily worth picking a fight over

Or pulling your hair out 

  Or possibly crying {lol}

{Love my Save-The-Dates?! Handmade by Lonnie Peterson of "Gifted By Design" -Check her out on Facebook}

{Tips for smooth wedding planning}

#1- Get the big pieces done ASAP

- Set your date

     - Find your venue

 - Get a caterer

& last, but never least...

                         - GET A PHOTOGRAPHER!

Many think that booking a photographer is easy

{It isn't}

Especially in areas like Washington where it rains 9 months out of the year

Most weddings are set for the summertime

{June-August}

Almost all great photographers are booked at least a year in advance by a bride+groom for their wedding date. If you wait till less than 6 months from your wedding date, you may run into not being able to find a photographer

#2 Tip- Don't just let one of your friends capture your wedding for you if they aren't professional!

One of the problems brides run into is waiting too long to find a photographer

This can cause you to be unprepared for the cost of a decent photographer

Or be in-able to book one

The quicker you book them the more time you can give yourself to budget that cost

It almost hurts me physically when I hear of brides who don't get a professional photographer for their wedding day

With all the elements and thought that go into capturing such beautiful moments as a wedding

You want to have confidence that your photos are going to come out breathtaking

If you can- Don't sacrifice quality due to cost!

{Can't afford real flowers? Get creative! Don't just go for fake- make your own out of Burlap!!!!}

{Personalization of the little things on your wedding day will stick out the most- Like your napkins!}

#3 Tip- GET CREATIVE!!!

Make a Pinterest account and {PIN} ideas to your hearts desire!

Once you start the creative juices flowing you can start to see all the great ways 

that you can hand-make many wedding pieces yourself and save a penny or two!

And with all those extra pennies- you can get that photographer you were hoping for! ;)

Cheers!

Blue June~