Five Quick Tips from Lily Harrington of A Charmed Wife

I'm so thrilled to introduce a new feature on my blog called, "Five Quick Tips". The idea behind this new feature is to ask wedding pros and people in the industry what their five quick tips are for brides (and grooms!) in planning their big day. There is so much good advice out there (and obviously countless blogs, books and websites) but I love the idea of boiling it down to a few, easily digestible tips.

So, without further ado, I'm pleased to announce our first tipper, Lily Fink Harrington! I had the pleasure of meeting Lily a few years ago when she worked at Martha Stewart Weddings (dream job!). She was planning her own wedding at the time, and my interest was even more piqued because she grew up in Santa Barbara, not far from where I'm from. Lily now is a freelance writer with a great blog called A Charmed Wife. She writes witty posts about being a 29-year old housewife in New York City. She is also now officially planning weddings too (website to come soon). I recently asked Lily what her Five Quick Tips for brides would be, and here's what she shared:


1. Hire a planner, at least for the day-of. You will have enough to think about and do on the wedding day without having to put down the placecards or make sure the cake gets delivered on time. And once the wedding starts (even if the placecards are all wrong and the cake never makes it) just relax, go with the flow, and have a good time.  If you're happy and having fun, your friends and family will be, too.

2. Even though it's "your day" it's also a big day for your spouse-to-be, your parents, in-laws, siblings, and close friends. Even the most joyful weddings bring up a lot of emotions for those close to the event. Try to remember to look beyond yourself and to be sensitive to their feelings, as well. (Basically, don't be a Bridezilla).

3. There's nothing better than a great band. But if you can't find one that fits in your budget (or in your space), a great DJ is better than a mediocre band.

4. Don't spend a lot of money on shoes, especially if any part of the wedding is taking place outdoors. They will likely get ruined, and hardly anyone will see them under your dress, anyway.  Just get a pretty, comfortable, practical pair that you can easily walk and dance in all night. Buy a great pair of stilettos for the honeymoon, instead!

5. If you have a lot of out-of-town guests traveling for your wedding, it's really nice to include them in weekend activities beyond the wedding itself. You don't have to throw major events -- a backyard volleyball game, a picnic in the park, or a morning jog on the beach don't take a lot of money or planning, but go a long way to make your guests feel welcome and included. As a bonus, you'll get to spend more time with all your favorite people while they're in town.

And a few more questions for Lily....
 
What was your favorite thing about your wedding?My favorite thing about our wedding was having it in the backyard of the house I grew up in. Having an outdoor wedding at a home takes a lot more planning and effort (think porta-potties, outdoor lighting, and hourly weather.com checks), but if a place means a lot to you, it's all worth it.  It can sometimes be a challenge to find ways to "personalize" a wedding at a hotel ballroom or event space, but a wedding at home is automatically very personal. And now my parents' house has special significance to my husband, too.

What would you change about your wedding or do differently?
If I could change one thing about my wedding I'm not sure I would, since I loved every minute of that day. Even the things that went "wrong" ended up being some of the more memorable and fun moments. But there is one thing I still debate -- I loved seeing my husband for the first time as I walked down the aisle, but we missed most of our cocktail hour while we took portraits (and we both started getting antsy to get to the party). If you aren't superstitious or too traditional, I would recommend taking your formal pictures before the ceremony (when your hair and make-up are still fresh) so you don't miss a minute at the reception.

Thank you Lily for sharing your tips!


If you're interested in being featured in an upcoming "Five Quick Tips", please email me at info AT amynichols DOT com