The OurWeddingDay Blog

Celebrity weddings and glamorous bridal magazines are a lot of fun, but nothing’s more helpful than learning how real brides plan their big day.

Meet OWD's Real Brides: real OurWeddingDay.com Brides-to-be sharing their experiences.  It’s not about the “right” way to plan; it’s about each bride planning the wedding that’s right for her.

Brooke from Corolla, North Carolina writes:

Seven months out and I am still surprised to run down my checklist and see that we have most of our wedding-related bases covered. For someone who prefers junk drawers to filing cabinets, this is a pretty big accomplishment. We have beautiful ceremony and reception venues, a delicious menu, a DJ known for getting the party started, and photographers who understand what we want (more candid, less posed and plenty of beach shots).

Most of the big decisions were surprisingly easy for us. In the weeks after our engagement, when discussions about our wedding were vague and completely uninformed ("It can't be that expensive to have be to have 200 guests"), I nearly drove myself insane with the thought of all of the overwhelming options. How will two people who REALLY love food ever choose a caterer? Do we want a DJ or a band? Formal church event or casual beach ceremony? I was literally losing sleep thinking about all of the future decisions we would have to make for our wedding.

When we finally started the planning process, my fiance and I were able to visualize the kind of day we wanted, which made all of those tough decisions I was stressing about pretty simple. We picked a few key elements that reflected our relationship and our personalities and just went from there. We knew we wanted it to be casual but elegant, intimate, romantic, and most importantly, fun. We pared down the guest list to 75 people, found a small historic chapel in the Outer Banks for the ceremony, and rented a giant beach house for our reception. Most of our wedding party will stay with us at the house the week before the wedding, and the rest of our friends and family will be nearby. I haven't second-guessed any of my decisions and I'm so excited that our wedding is all coming together so smoothly.

Yep, we've got everything covered. Everything, that is, except for the cake.

For some reason, my fiance and I are having an absurdly hard time choosing a wedding cake. In my opinion, the way the cake tastes should matter much more than the way it looks, and I am not opposed to something less traditional like cupcakes or a pie bar. He is leaning towards a more formal, three-tiered, white wedding cake that will cost more than we can afford to spend (and will more than likely not be eaten). I sort of think he only wants it because that's how he's always thought wedding cakes should look, but the rules are a bit different now. Not many aspects of our wedding are terribly traditional, other than the church and the white dress, so I don't see why our cake should be. The sad fact is, neither of us have strong enough opinions on the subject to argue about it, which also eans that we are completely ineffective when it comes to making this decision. I always thought this would be one of the easier things to check off the list, but I just can't seem to get excited about it. Hopefully that will change soon, or our guests will be wondering where their dessert is.

Has anyone else run into a similar problem? Maybe it's not the cake, but is there a certain element of your wedding that you can't decide on?

We just posted a new article about what brides forget to rehearse: Most wedding couples expect to rehearse the processional and recessional before their big day, but what about the big kiss?  The receiving line?  Reception toasts?

These "little details" and more should be practiced in advance, and we'll tell you why and how.  It may feel a little silly to practice your kiss, for example, but you don't want to both turn your heads the same way and hit each other's noses or foreheads at the altar!

Check out the full article here.

We just posted a new article about stopping guests from stealing your celebration thunder!

In the film “Rachel Getting Married,” Anne Hathaway’s character turns a wedding toast to her sister into a celebration… of herself. It’s a squeamish scene because most of us have witnessed similar “wedding crasher” moments. On your big day, you’ll want to do your best to prevent unwanted interruptions from friends and relatives.  You will also need to know how to subvert them should they occur.

Most friends and relatives who seize your day to announce big news of their own (a new job, a new house, and, most common of all, a proposal) aren’t deliberately trying to steal your thunder; they simply don’t realize it’s in bad form. They may have gotten caught up in the excitement, or thought that it would be easier to make an announcement while the family is already gathered together.  Head these people off at the pass: If you find out that a guest is bubbling over with big news, get their permission first and make the announcement yourself, at a rehearsal dinner or pre-wedding party... Check out the full article here.

In addition to love and joy and health and happiness, your wedding will feature another important element: Food. Whether it’s filet mignon or clams on the half shell, finding the perfect caterer for your affair is one of the biggest steps of your wedding planning.

Hungry for help? Well we just posted a new article all about hiring your weddoing reception caterer!

Check out the full article here!

We just posted a new article by wedding expert Robbin Montero, all about wedding toasts and rehearsal roasts!

Robbin Montero is the wedding planning expert and owner of A Dream Wedding who Travel & Leisure magazine calls, “The expert wedding planner in the California Wine Country.”  Now she shares her advice on wedding toasts and roasts at your rehearsal and reception with the OurWeddingDay.com community.

Check out the full article here!

We just updated our Houston Wedding Guide with a brand new article: Our Houston DJs Guide

Houston’s always been a little bit country, and when it comes to the music, that’s never going to change. In addition to torch and twang, though, there’s a mix of local indie artists, hard-rock bands, and a booming rap scene. DJ’s hit this town because of its proximity to more trendy Austin, so finding a Houston wedding DJ for your big day means you might just latch onto the next best thing (the first being that guy standing at your side!).

Check it out!

And check out our other regularly-updated local wedding guides as well: New York, Miami, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles the San Francisco Bay Area and the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

We just posted a new article about how to find your wedding reception caterers in Las Vegas! It's the latest addition to our Las Vegas Wedding Guide.

Las Vegas is the City of Dreams, the City of Fun, and the City of Weddings. When it comes to finding your perfect caterer, it’s the City of Sin-Fully Delicious Food. Not only have top-rated chefs opened up restaurants on the Strip, the best caterers have come here, as elaborate weddings in Las Vegas have become almost as popular as showgirls.

Check out the full article!

And check out our other regularly-updated local wedding guides as well: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, the San Francisco Bay Area, Philadelphia, the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and Houston.

We just posted a new article with expert advice on choosing your wedding reception wines!

Wedding wines are a chic, elegant part of your momentous occasion. Should you be an expert on all things grape, follow your nose when making decisions. However, if you’re Napa-impaired, take a few vino tips from Chef and sommelier (or, wine expert) David Brian Sanders. Your guests will be as impressed with your vintages as they are with your dress.

Check out the full article!

We just posted a new article considering the pros and cons of a buffet-style wedding reception dinner.

A buffet meal will create a far more casual “vibe” at your reception, and generally speaking will be more cost-effective than a seated dinner. (On average, a buffet meal will cost $15 per person as opposed to $25 for a seated dinner.)

Check it out! Come and get it!

We just posted a new article about planning the cocktail hour of your reception.

There are several advantages of incorporating a cocktail hour into your reception: they give your guests a chance to loosen up and meet friends and relatives that they haven’t yet been acquainted with, and to catch up with old pals. Should you be having a formal dinner, guests will have time to relax after your ceremony, and before being seated again.

Check it out!