My husband and I went to an amazing wedding of our closest friends this past weekend. It was the epitome of lovely and as usual, weddings put us in a nostalgic mood for our own wedding, which was almost five years ago. We were talking about what our wedding would be like if we were getting married NOW; as in, in 2013 instead of 2008.
While our wedding was one of the best days of our lives, would it be different if it were being planned now? Yes. In 2008, it was perfect, so I’m not regretting much of anything. But it’s interesting to think about what the aesthetics might be like, who the vendors would have been, and the make up of the guest list in our fake 2013 wedding.
Take the guest list, for example. There are people in our wedding photos who are no longer as close to us for various reasons (changes in life, distance, etc.). More importantly, there are lots of people MISSING from the photos because we hadn’t met or reconnected yet. One reason we wish we could do it all over again is so that we could include those people who, just five years ago, were not present in our inner circle of wedding guests. We’ll make sure they make the list for the 50th anniversary party in 2058. They’ll arrive by flying car, right?
Photo booths were just coming into play in 2008. I wish I would have had one! I had no idea it was a “thing!” And now that I get the privilege of reviewing hundreds of weddings a year for publication on The Wedding Yentas, I now feel inspired to wear colorful peep toe heels at my fake future wedding! I wore white sandal heels and looking back, I wish I’d worn a pop of color on my shoe. There are vendors I’ve connected with since that I would have hired because I’ve come to love them as people as well as their work. Little things would have been different. Other things would stay the same. Loved my venue, for example (Spanish Hills Country Club) and I’m still obsessed with our florist (Happy Flowers).
When it comes down to it, your wedding day is really a snapshot in time. It’s a living museum of who’s important to you and what your style is like. Embrace the timeless traditions you will uphold and make your mark to represent you and your partner as a couple. Your wedding will be the most perfect reflection of you … ON YOUR WEDDING DAY. You’ll fast forward years later and find that things would be different if you were doing it all over again and that’s OK! Make your wedding day the best version of life as you know it. You’ll have fun reminiscing about what you’d change and what you’d keep in years to come.
So all this is to say: Put your heart and soul into your wedding — that’s fine! But don’t fret about making sure you’re making all the right choices to represent your lifetime as a couple. In a handful of matters, trends will be different, priorities will change, and your lives will be going in unpredictable directions. Care only about the moment of now.
The only thing that really stays the same over time is who you kiss goodnight at the end of the day.
This photo would have been more adorable if I’d been wearing a hot pink shoe! (photo by: Eight20 Photography)
