We’ve all gone down a rabbit hole and lost hours of our lives in that scrolling motion, saving thousands of images to Pinterest boards or phone galleries. All in an attempt to gather inspiration for your wedding day. Questions run through your mind, “What do I like? What colours are in? What are the latest trends? Must I give guest gifts?”. The list is endless, and it can leave you confused and overwhelmed. Are we remaining authentic while doing so?
Here’s the one thing I tell every couple when we begin planning their wedding…you have to have the courage to be authentic and remain true to who you are as a couple. Tradition can have quite a loud voice, so you need to be firm in yours to ensure you get what you want for your wedding day.
Authenticity means to remain true to your own personality and values. Isn’t that lovely? The very courageous and powerful act of knowing who you are and what you like, individually and as a couple, can make your wedding day a magical experience.
Traditions are a beautiful thing, though, and a wedding is chock full of them! However, suppose you do not understand the meaning behind each tradition and believe in its significance. Why are you doing it? For the sake of tradition in theory, or because you relate to and believe in their meaning? In my opinion, it should be the latter. (Stay tuned to my MODE blog for an article on traditions and their meanings coming soon).
So, how can you ensure that you have an authentic wedding experience? I have a few tips and suggestions that you can mull over together and see if they resonate with how you’d like to curate your wedding day.
RESEARCH, RESEARCH AND MORE RESEARCH
I mean, I know we’re out of high school, but this is a good homework task! Read up about wedding traditions and their meaning to see if they resonate with your beliefs and values and what you want to ‘say’ and feel on your wedding day.
Full disclosure… You may fall in love with many of them once you understand why it’s done and want to keep it in your day. At least now you’ll feel it more in the moment!
CHECK THAT GUEST LIST…AGAIN.
Yup, here is where the obligatory invite happens. And we get it; really, we do. However, to truly curate an authentic, heartfelt wedding, is it not better to have the people around you who truly know you? Proper, heartfelt connections between you and your guests will make for a magical day.
be selective and intentional
When it comes to styling your wedding day, make sure that every element you discuss with your planner or stylist is something that makes you happy. Make a list of small moments that you want your guests to experience. For example. a Polaroid table with a notebook, an audio guest book, a welcome drink, a thank you note…all these little moments make them feel special and loved, and that’s what you want! You want them to walk away feeling loved on a day when you’re celebrating your big love! They won’t forget that. (And don’t forget about your partner…there are lovely ways to make their day special with little love notes or gifts too!)
Leave your stamp throughout the wedding aesthetic. Incorporate your personalities and what your guests know you for in each moment of the day.
WRITE VOWS THAT RESONATE
Vows are the beautiful promises you make to each other for your marriage. They are your heart’s most profound thoughts and desires for your partner. Be thoughtful about what you’ll say, intentional in the meaning behind it and as you read them to each other, take a moment to make sure you’re really listening to what your partner is saying. You could still be a little nervous or feel anxious if you don’t like all eyes on you. So close your eyes, take a breath, and look straight at your partner when you open them and focus on the moment.
This wins every time.
LET GO!
Perfectionism is the enemy of authenticity. Now, I don’t mean to not try your best to create a near-perfect wedding day. What I mean is, don’t allow yourself to be robbed of a beautiful day and wedding experience if something does not go as planned. If you need to do Plan B because of rain, if all your bridesmaids’ dresses’ zips broke, if the rings were left in another Province, if the little flower girl gets overwhelmed and cries down the aisle, if the cake topples over … these are all things that have happened to brides! It can be heartbreaking, and you may get emotional about it (we understand). Still, the beauty of stepping into an authentic experience is accepting that it’s okay. Life happens, things happen, and none of these things detract from why you are really there and the love of your life who is waiting at the end of the aisle for you!
The bottom line is, your wedding is precisely that…YOURS. There is truly no right or wrong way to get married. Remember that traditions are made. They are passed down from generation to generation. While some have significant meaning, they may not apply to your values today. So, create your own. Put your stamp of heartfelt meaning on something at the wedding filled with significance for you both, and voila! You’ve created an authentic moment that no one will forget.
All my love,
Lee xoxo
Image Credits
Publication + Concept @bowsandchic
Planning +Styling @modeweddings.sa
Venue @cipresso_venue
Photography @hazel_and_kin
Stationery @typingtheknot
Makeup Specialist @michelledraperpmc
Cake @dirtypeach_cakeboutique
Private Chef @toast.finefood
Dress @albaandstardust
Suit @london_royal
Female Model @mathabo_matlou
Male Model @broempie105
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