The Wedding Planner as a Bride!

So here I am on the other side of the fence ... me, the Wedding Planner, as my own client. And perhaps my own most challenging client at that! I hope that as I blog through my planning process, you, as a bride yourself (or simply a future bride!), will feel a kinship with me and realize that I am just one of you... a bride trying to create her perfect vision with the budget she has. And when you're building a house at the same time, that budget can get pretty miniscule!

Day 4 of being engaged and I know, with a little over 3 months to plan, that getting my venue is Step 1. Michael & I have whittled down our guest list and know we need a venue that can hold 100 ... not just seating capacity, mind you, but there have to be allowances for a DJ, a dance floor, a buffet, a gift table, an escort card table and a cake table. And let's not forget the photo prop area I plan to create! Whew!

In trying to find your perfect venue, there are several factors to consider: aside from budget and space, it's also important to find a venue that represents you as a couple ... your personalities, as well as your vision for the day.

For Michael & I, that means a rustic barn. Why a barn? ... after all, we're not cowboys, we're not farmers, and Michael doesn't even like country music (but I do!). We chose a barn because of what it represents. We love to take pictures of old, falling-down barns; we love all things old & rustic (even though we may differ at times on which things); we are not formal people, nor are our families. We want a venue that can be fun & casual, while also being dressed up to feel romantic & elegant.

Can those seemingly opposite words co-exist in one environment, you ask? Absolutely! In the world of weddings, there are no rules and everything is possible!

That's not to say that we haven't already had our share of naysayers, or people who give us that blank or quizzical look when we say we want to get married in a barn ... but guess what? This is our wedding, and we couldn't be more excited about our vision!

So tomorrow it's off to see three different barns ...

And for you naysayers, Now is this picture cool or what??