She Said: Check Out This Wedding!

I recently completed a wedding at the legendary Banff Springs Hotel. The couple envisioned an elegant, classy affair that provided their guests with an amazing experience and a truly special memory.

But how do you get from the drawing board to the actual wedding?

I always start out my conversations with couples by asking them for the descriptive words that they would use to describe what they want their wedding to look and feel like…

And then I dig a little deeper.

You need to make sure that you are getting your vision across to the people that are involved in your wedding. As a bride when you say, “elegant,” “classy”…. What does that actually mean?

Remember that your version of elegant and classy may be completely different from what someone else envisions. That’s why it’s really important that your vision is clear and easy for your vendors to understand.

So how do you convey your concept?

When we sit down with couples we have a décor consultation. To me, décor is about so much more than just the linens on the tables. It’s about the overall atmosphere of a wedding and all the elements that make up that atmosphere. Yes the linens play a part but there are also the centerpieces, the wedding day stationary, the food, the beverage, the music, and the lighting to name a few.

Each of these elements lends to the overall experience that you and your guests will have.

In our décor meetings we pour over all the wedding books that I’ve collected and I also pull up websites to show the couple. If I hear them say elegant I want to make sure that I know what their version of elegant is. Elegant could be a room filled with candelabras dripping with crystals OR it could be clean, modern lines and the look could be quite minimal.

Here are 3 ways to get the wedding look and feel you want:

• Get Descriptive- I’ll often tell the bride and groom a story of what I envision their wedding day to be based on their initial thoughts. I take their descriptive words and I start to add details like lots of candlelight and tall centerpieces overflowing with white flowers and greens. You can write the story of your wedding day to gain clarity with your vision.
• Illustrate Your Story- Has your wedding planning book become a dumping ground for all the pages you’ve ripped out of bridal magazines? It’s great to collect ideas but now you have to start editing this collection of random wedding things. I find that a bride can really narrow down her vision to a couple of pictures and then things are less confusing.
• What’s The Experience?- The wedding day is about you but it’s also about the guests that have gathered to be a part of your wedding day. So what kind of experience do you want your guests to have? Stating black tie required on your invitation creates a different expectation of experience than sending out a funky invitation with bright colors and a non traditional font. So figure out the experience you want your guests to have and make sure that each element is chosen to enhance that experience.

Ciara’s Bridal Advice

When you’re figuring out how you want your wedding to look and feel I know that it helps immensely to do the above exercise as a couple. Remember that you’re both involved in the wedding so it’s important that the wedding is a reflection of both of your personalities. Once you’ve created a plan for your wedding and you know how you want it to look and feel then you must commit to that vision and make sure all your wedding decisions are aligned with that vision for it to become a reality.

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