July 14, 2025

Hello my dears!

After 20+ years of planning events in the River Valley, I've seen it all. The Pinterest-perfect tablescapes, the viral TikTok trends, the "must-have" lists that seem to grow longer every season. And here's what I've learned: the couples who have the most magical weddings? They're usually the ones who threw half their checklist out the window.

The Wedding Industry Wants You to Think You Need Everything

Let's be honest—weddings have become big business. Social media feeds are flooded with luxury installations, signature cocktail menus, outfit changes, and dance floors that look like they belong in a nightclub. It's fun to get inspired, but here's an unpopular (yet totally liberating) truth: you don't need all the things to have an unforgettable wedding.

I've watched couples stress themselves into exhaustion trying to check every box, only to tell me afterward: "We wish we'd done less and just focused on what mattered."

Your Wedding Isn't a Performance—It's a Celebration

Somewhere along the way, weddings became productions instead of celebrations. The pressure to impress, entertain, and curate a flawless day is exhausting. But here's what I remind every couple I work with: your guests are coming to witness your love story—not judge your menu, critique your seating chart font, or count how many signature drinks you serve.

I'll never forget one bride who spent weeks agonizing over whether her welcome sign was "Instagram-worthy enough." On her wedding day, she was so busy worrying about details that she almost missed her own first dance. That's when it hit her—and me—that we'd lost sight of what really mattered.

What You Actually Need for a Meaningful Wedding (Spoiler: It's Less Than You Think)

After planning hundreds of weddings, here's what I've learned creates truly memorable celebrations:

• A place to gather (doesn't have to be fancy)

• People you love (quality over quantity)

• A way to say your vows (the heart of the whole day)

• Good food (satisfying beats Instagram-perfect every time)

• A moment to celebrate together (this is what your guests will remember)

Everything else? Completely optional. Yes, really.

The Wedding "Must-Haves" That Actually Aren't Must-Haves

Here are some popular wedding elements that couples think they need (but absolutely don't):

Decor & Design

• Custom calligraphy for every sign

• Matching linens, napkins, and chargers

• Elaborate centerpieces on every table

• Professional welcome signs and seating charts

Wedding Party & Photos

• A 10-person bridal party

• Matching robes, slippers, and champagne flutes for getting-ready photos

• Multiple outfit changes throughout the day

Reception Elements

• Four-tier cakes plus dessert bars

• Custom neon signs and cold sparklers

• Choreographed entrances

• Late-night snack stations

Love these ideas? Do them! Only doing them because you saw it on social media? Let it go.

The Real Cost of Trying to Do Everything

Every added detail costs time, money, energy—or all three. What starts as fun planning quickly becomes overwhelming when you're juggling 42 mini-projects and watching your budget disappear faster than cake at a reception.

I've seen couples spend their entire wedding morning running around fixing details instead of enjoying getting ready with their closest friends. That's not the memory you want to create.

Simplifying your wedding frees you up to:

• Invest in what truly matters (like that dreamy photographer you've been eyeing)

• Be fully present instead of managing a packed timeline

• Focus on your partner and the people you love most

• Actually enjoy your own celebration

How to Plan a Wedding That Feels Authentically You

When couples ask me how to cut through the noise, I have them answer these three questions:

1. What are our top 3 priorities for the day?

2. What do we want to feel when we look back on this?

3. What traditions or details don't feel meaningful to us?

Then we build from there. For some couples, that means a full weekend of festivities. For others, it's an intimate backyard ceremony followed by dinner at their favorite restaurant. Both approaches create equally beautiful, memorable celebrations.

Real Wedding Wisdom from the Trenches

One of my favorite couples decided to skip the elaborate cocktail hour and instead had their ceremony at sunset, followed immediately by dinner under string lights. Their guests still talk about how magical and intimate it felt.

Another couple ditched the traditional reception timeline entirely. They had their first dance right after dinner, cut the cake when they felt like it, and spent the evening actually talking to their guests instead of rushing through a rigid schedule.

The result? Both couples felt completely present on their wedding day and created exactly the celebration they wanted.

Your Permission Slip to Simplify

If you're feeling overwhelmed by your wedding checklist or questioning whether you're doing "enough," this is your official permission slip to simplify and stay true to yourselves.

Your wedding doesn't need to be perfect—it needs to be yours.

Strip away what doesn't serve you. Get clear on what matters most. Let go of the rest.

Trust me—when you're dancing under the stars (or string lights, or even fluorescent bulbs), surrounded by your favorite people, celebrating the love you've built together, you won't miss those monogrammed cocktail napkins one bit.

Happy Planning My Dears!