Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Should of, could of, I'm so glad I did...

If I had to describe my wedding using only one word, it would be:

"classy"

What a surprise, no? Well. It was a very classy venue with just under a hundred people sitting down for a five course gourmet dinner overlooking Lake Michigan. There is so much that I love about that day in 2000 and now that my baby sister is newly engaged she is curious sending me hundreds of emails each day about everything wedding related.

Nine years after getting married I thought I would compile a list of things that I would have done differently and things that I am glad I did. It was much easier coming up with a list of things I loved. Because, I loved!

I am glad that I:
1. Decided to upgrade to filet and salmon for the main course. Because I ate a lot on my wedding day.
2. Hired a driver and Rolls Royce for the time between the ceremony and reception for half the amount a huge limo would have cost to transport our bridal party. And the pictures with the car are oh so classy.
3. Found the most awesome 12 person band at the Wisconsin State Fair 1999 while devouring a corn dog and paid an enormous amount of money for them to entertain our guests. They rocked!
4. Invested in a talented photographer.
5. Picked a classy dress from a fancy Michigan Ave store that still looks timeless in pictures. Pre-digital camera pictures that need to be scanned in...

6. Traveled half way across the world to Moorea for our honeymoon on frequent flyer miles. I don't foresee us going back anytime soon. Not because it wasn't beautiful but because it was difficult to get to.
7. Crafted my own wedding invitations by hand.
8. Found cute little white stilettos on sale for under 25 dollars since I never again wore them again in bed.
9. Stumbled across sensible lavender dresses at Ann Taylor for the bridesmaids and didn't worry about tiny details such as shoes, hair, and accessories.
10. Worked two jobs, daytime inner-city school teacher and night time restaurant hostess, to pay for as much as we could because lord knows we appreciated everything.
10.5. Oh yeah and... I am glad that I married my husband *smacking* my forehead.


I should have:
1. Had just my sister and best friend stand up as bridesmaids. No offense girlfriends. Just would have made it more intimate.
2. Not spent so much time/money on the flower arrangements.
3. Cut the guest list even more. There was no reason that our most favorite bartender from Lake Park Bistro had to be there with his random slutty date.
4. Not served martinis during the hor'dourve hour. It looked really fun in the Martha Stewart bridal magazine and didn't look so good spilled over lavender bridesmaid dresses.
5. Remembered to reapply my lipstick more throughout the day.
6. Gone on a much longer honeymoon. Didn't realize that after nine years of marriage I would have chaos three kids.
7. Not served martinis at all, simply because the word "martini" rhymed with my new married name.
8. Embraced my Polish heritage into the ceremony and reception a little more.
9. Not obsessed over the fine details such as ribbons. No one remembered if my ribbons were pure silk or from the dollar store.
10. Kept a journal or blog during those childless years planning a wedding. How I would love to go back and see how much I have grown a muffin top since then.

click on picture to enlarge for details

YOUR turn
. What did you love and what would you have change about your wedding day?

125classy comments:

beck'sthree said...

I would change most everything. I think we should get a do-over every 10 years or so. I suppose that's what celebrities do, but I actually meant with the same groom.

Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] said...

I love that we had our wedding in my parent's back yard. I would change NOT giving in to my parents, and I would have had it as a BBQ party instead of a whole 'deal.'

I know... SO unclassy, but I don't wear stilettos to bed.

Laski said...

Nothing. I can't believe I'm saying this, but nothing. Seriously, I am racking my brain.

My mom picked my dress (I gave up the dream of picking my own long ago). A friend did the flowers. My sisters helped with the invites. Some quirky elderly lady made my cake. I showed up.

And so did he (thank God).

And in only a few hours it was all over.

But, I'd totally do it again. Minus the dress (I'd wear SOMETHING), on a beach, with J as our best man. Yup. Totally.

The Daily Stroll said...

My husband and I were married in Venice, Italy in a 14th century church and then honeymooned in Italy, Greece and Turkey for a month. It was fabulous and I wouldn't change a thing!

MommyTime said...

Things I'd do again: my mother made my gorgeous dress; my friend (the florist) did our arrangements as a wedding present with flowers I bought at the farmer's market; my sister made the cake; we only invited close family and friends, so we knew and loved everyone ther; I made the invitations, which I still love.

What I would change: well, this is kind of cheating, but my husband and I did all of the cooking for the dinner for 125 people (though we did hire servers and people to heat, carry, etc). We did it out of practicality, because we'd just graduated from PhD programs and couldn't afford a fancy catered dinner but didn't want the yukky bland chicken in white sauce that we could afford from caterers. So we had FABULOUS food (we actually rented a spare fridge to put in our garage for the month before the wedding, so we could prepare and freeze all kinds of things). But it was very stressful. Now that I have more money, I'd pay caterers.

This is a great question, and I"m looking forward to the other answers.

The Daily Stroll said...

Forgot to add...you look beautiful in your wedding picture and you both look very happy!!

Dennis and Leslie said...

thanks for posting this! These things will be great to remember when we start planning our wedding!

MsMommy said...

I would change EVERYTHING. This is gonna be a long comment. You know what, girl? Since it is so long, I wil,l just post it on my blog and you can read it there. Some funny stuff and some oh-no-she-di'int!!! stuff. Don't worry, I will credit you for the idea!

Chelsea said...

I have been wanting to see pictures of your wedding! It is so lovely. There are a few things I would have changed as well, but not much. What a sweet couple you two are!

Simply AnonyMom said...

I have been married 2 times. Both times were really small affairs. First was elopement in Vegas and second was just 6 guests a boat on Lake Washington. I would have liked to share (at least once) with friends.

I am glad however that I wore comfortable dress the second time. I hand sewed it and it was a halter dress. It was simple yet elegant. I LOVE it and wish I could still wear it.

tiarastantrums said...

lovely photos - gorgeous dress OHMommy . . . my husband and I WERE going to get married at Cuneo Museum(I know you know this place). BUT future MIL got a bit to 'involved' and too 'loud' . . . so we went to Jamaica and eloped! Had the dress and shoes and veil because I was going to have the PERFECT garden wedding . . . oh well. We're happy we did it. Because NOW we have a big arse house instead!

Chelsea said...

I read the post, but somehow missed that you asked us for what we would do... :) Well, since you asked...
I wish we had done the "grand send off" with everyone waving good bye or holding sparklers or something. We had a sit down dinner with 60 or 70 guests and then a "come and go" reception, receiving line thing. My husband and I were some of the last to leave the reception. Lame.

Also, I wish I had done something with my hair. It was pretty much like my everyday style and I wish it looked different for that special day. I got married at like 1 in the afternoon - I probably would have had time.

The wedding party was a little bit controversial. My husband and I each had one sibling, one of the other's siblings, and a best friend. Three bridesmaids, three groomsmen. That meant that I had one sibling left out and my husband had two siblings left out. His were married and it wasn't that big a deal to them but I think my little brother was a little sad. Ouch.

I wouldn't have lost so much weight before the wedding either. Ew, I was a waif.

Also, the food at dinner wasn't the best but that doesn't bother me that much. My mom made my cake. Who does that to their mother??

Fun question, fun post.

Jessica said...

What BEAUTIFUL wedding pictures! You're right...that dress is timeless! Very classy!

samantha marie said...

Everything, I think.

My husband and I got married in Japan, but there was nothing awesome about it, except our huge fancy wedding certificate.
I was going to get married at a huge resort on the beach and it was going to be awesome, but then I got frustrated and my husband deployed, so I gave up.

sigh.

Kash said...

Um, YAY, what a FUN POST! I am looking forward to all the responses and am alrrady surprised but I all the things people would change. I wonder if I should cancel the order for African bonsai trees as our centerpieces...is that too much of an expense?

And about the phone calls...wait until I am pregnant. Actually, can you move in then? That would save me on the phone bill.

Kash said...

Just wanted to add how OH so classy your wedding was. And man, that picture is GORGEOUS, as you are and the dress to.

carrie said...

Thank you! I love looking at wedding photos! I just recently found one of my wedding albums whilst searching for funny pics to post on Facebook! Talk about memory lane...

I would have stressed less over choosing the food - even though it was divine, I hardly ate ANY of it! So I make it a point, at every wedding I go to, to eat the foods I didn't at my own wedding - it is so much fun!

I loved that we were married at a golf course, and that it rained until our first dance as a couple when the sun peeked through the clouds and flooded the entire reception room with warm light. It was dreamy.

carrie said...

ps - congrats to your baby sis! :)

Gretchen said...

For me, I'm glad we got married outside. I'm glad we wrote our own service. I am so happy that I was able to balace practicality with my dreams.

Things I'd do differently: I would have either hired a band or done a better job with the DJ. He sucked. Also, I'd have hired a videographer. Also, I'd have had fewer guests... my parents kinda felt that since they were paying for the party, their guest list could encompass 50% of the guests (me, hubs, and the inlaws split the other 50%). I know, it sounds selfish but really I had the people there I wanted to. I just wish my parents had invited FEWER people.

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

I love that picture! Your wedding sounds wonderful.
My wedding was lovely. Intimate and small. The only things I would change, is I would NOT have worn my mother-in-law's headpiece just so I wouldn't offend them (it was ugly) and I would have looked harder to found a shawl I liked more.

Kash said...

just want to post another comment because i forgot to click the "email follow up comments."

Half Gaelic, Half Garlic! said...

You were such a beautiful bride!!

I would not change a thing about our wedding day......Pat and I planned and paid for every last detail of our wedding and it was perfect in our eyes!!

Lisa

Okay...maybe one thing....after this weekend, I think we could have had a better photographer...LOL!!

Anonymous said...

You know what I would have changed? Doing the entire wedding on what we had in cash. I would have gone into debt for the affair I would have dreamed up (now). That is so much more like me anyway. Now, though I kinda laugh about it all. We were so young and silly and foolish. I won't try it again on a big budget to renew vows...but when Missy B gets married?! Hold on to your stockings! It's going to be a doozy!

Indy said...

Great post. I would change a lot and it would be so much more expensive this time around. Or I would take my family on a destination wedding somewhere beautiful. I don't know. We had so much fun at my wedding dancing that I don't know if I could pass that up for a vacation. Hmmmmm. I am glad that I don't have to decide again.

Hailey said...

I didn't have a big wedding. Just me, Ry, our parents and two of our best friends. I wish now that I would have had a bigger wedding.

Unknown said...

Beautiful wedding pictures! As for me, I think if I had changed the groom, things would have worked out much better for me.

Melissa @ I Pick Pretty said...

SUCH a great post. I may borrow this idea myself (crediting/ linking to you), if that is OK.

I am also so happy I spent money on my incredible band and quality food. The reception choices I made to make the GUESTS happy & comfortable, or in that attempt, were the best ones.

And that wedding picture - your dress! Your DRESS! Not that I'm surprised that it is lovely, but how lovely. And how happy you two look.

designHER Momma said...

I actually loved most of my wedding. I would have spent less on my dress. I also would have talked to the minister (my brother-in-law) about the actually ceremony more...

this post is great, I'm gonna send it to my newly engaged sister. good tips!

amanda said...

i love that list. and i noticed that your bridesmaids didn't have matching shoes..and loved it. my girls all had matching flip flops we made ourselves for under two dollars from hobby lobby. then we all painted our toes one color of the rainbow. it was kind of fun. except we got married in november. in wisconsin! that's one of my favorite things actually...and i loved that my friend could lead worship for our wedding, made it a bit more personal for us. one of the things i would change would be a better photographer. we went for cheap...and some of the pictures are like that. oh well. thanks for sharing your list!

Unknown said...

Oh I hope she gets the whole thing about NOT worring about the details...Great food, great music, great people...and great pictures...Oh yes...the honeymoon should last long...cause it could be what get's you through the next 10 years...lol.

Good luck to her, and enjoy reliving the wedding fun.

Kaci said...

AWhhhh Happy Anniversary!!

Karen said...

I would have done the reception differently, but the wedding was wonderful. Flaws and all. Oh, and the videographer. He would have never been hired. Someone competent would have taken his place.

idahomurphy said...

you were classy, it beautiful and the martinis were all part of the fun;)...and the band WAS a blast!! ;)

Ronda's Rants said...

I had so much fun helping my daughter plan her wedding...she said she wouldn't have had the eight bridesmaids...she spent too much time helping them!
Your wedding looked beautiful!

Jess said...

I LOVE that I:
found my own dress
designed my own invitations (this was NOT as complicated as it sounds)
coordinated the whole shebang whilst in the States (I was married in Canada)
found something for everyone to do so noone felt not included
bought wine bottles for the table with special labels on them
had two bouquets so I could toss one
Took wedding pictures at a nearby park (I have great photos of me and the Atlantic Ocean)

I HATE that I:
gave in to several different people about the decorations (It ended up looking muddy with several themes going on)
Went with the more traditional flowers (I had this vision of sunflowers)
Was so tired at the reception I didn't want to dance all night
(note to your sister: DON'T be too tired to have fun at your reception. You'll regret it!)
Had too many bridesmaids

And the number one thing I regret: My wedding was too long. I cringe at the wedding video...IO wanted to include several things from my childhood, and it was...just...too long. People were getting restless.

Musings of a Housewife said...

What a fun post! I don't know that I'd change much of anything. I loved my wedding day. :-)

(Hey, this post would fit in PERFECTLY with the What I Learned This Week carnival I'm hosting today. *wink*) Of course, this is what you learned 9 years ago, but you know, minor details. :-)

Musings of a Housewife said...

I changed my mind. I"d change the honeymoon venue. That is all.

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

Actually, I wouldn't change a thing. Our was fancy without breaking our budget and still gets called the most fun wedding our friends have been to. I spent money on what mattered to me, (pictures and music) and not on what didn't (small cake and minimal flowers).

Oh, wait. I WOULD change going to the OTHER side of Jamaica, so as not to have incredible guilt during our entire honeymoon to the point of buying tons of crap from poverty stricken vendors. Nothing spoils a romantic mood faster than a woman begging you to buy a coffee mug to help her feed her baby (who is sitting on the dirt behind her.) Good times.

Nell said...

Beautiful shots and neat post :)

I loved it all and wouldn't have changed anything.

We eloped and it was amazing.

Nell

Dodson Family said...

We would have scaled down....way down
I would have taken mroe time for myself. I was too worried about details and bridemaids dresses that didn't fit cause they could get to fitting....sorry tangent.

I look back at pictures and don't like my hair, and needed more makeup. A pale Irish girl in a white dress with a flashing camera =WASHED OUT!

Heather said...

I will be posting about my own wedding on my blog tomorrow. So look for it then!

Looking forward to hearing about some classy wedding planning going on soon!

Amy said...

Well since I was fortunate (heehee) enough to get married twice, I took everything I learned from the first wedding and I think my 2nd totally kicked butt!

You, of course, were a beautiful bride and it looked like an amazing affair!

Stephanie said...

I would have hired a good photographer. We skimped...my uncle claimed to have done a few weddings and the pictures we saw were pretty good. Come wedding day, what he did was crap. We have ZERO framable pictures of our wedding. They just looked like snapshots, complete with red eye. And now that hubby does photography, I realize how absolutely horrible they are even though I knew they were bad before. I think I'll be bitter about it until the day I die!

Tiffany @ Lattes And Life said...

Seriously? I wouldn't change a thing. My husband got off work early that day and called to ask if I wanted to go ahead and get married. We called his parents and they met us at the courthouse. Then we were sent to some old lady's house where there was a Pastor who could do a Christian ceremony (instead of a civil one at the courthouse). It was a rainy, hot, humid June day.....I had on khakis and a T-shirt. My husband wore his work clothes. But it was quick, cheap, and funny (my son...7 months at the time) had gas during our vows. But like I said...I wouldn't change a THING. The marriage is what's important, and I'm sooo glad we didn't blow any money on a wedding.

Diva's Thoughts said...

I'm glad that I chose the church and country club I did.

I am glad I had amy aunt make my cake because it was extraordinary.

I would have chosen a different hairdo.

I would have reapplied my lipstick throughout the day.

I would have decorated the bridal table more.

Amy - playhereoften.com said...

You wedding looks beautiful. I would change my photographer, the pictures are uninspired.

Christy said...

Happy Anniversary! I loved our wedding day - I suppose I would have changed our dj, because he showed up two hours late - haha! But we just kept our live musicians there longer, to make up the difference.

Jeni said...

My own wedding was extremely small -less than 25 people invited/in attendance. That's fine. My daughters though -I wish my older daughter would read this not because she is planning another wedding -a marriage yes, but wedding now since it is her 2nd trip to the altar -but so she could learn for her life in general that it is not always necessary to obsess over name brand stuff for everything little thing!
My younger daughter and her husband had a nice wedding -medium size -but she did everything within her power to keep the expense at an absolute minimum and she was quite successful with that game plan too! She and her hubby did not go into debt at all for their affair and it was beautiful, very tasteful while still being quite economical. Proof that weddings don't have to cost an arm and a leg to the couple and their parents and big loans to from banks/credit companies, etc

r.a.w. chronicles said...

Love the pictures, beautiful. And I'm not married... yet. But I am hoping for a small, intimate wedding. Hopefully, somewhere outside with a gorgeous dress and gorgeous flowers.

Mommin' It Up! said...

This was a very fun post to read! There's not much I would change about my wedding except for LESS bridesmaids. I had way too many!

Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? said...

I would have kept most of it the same. I'm glad that I kept the bridal party small...and the guest list. I'm glad that I didn't care about shoes/hair/accessories. I'm glad that I didn't have to make a lot of decisions (florist and baker were already picked out). I'm glad I bought $12 shoes. I'm glad that my sister found my dress (and has good taste) because I don't know what I would have picked out.

I wish that we would have had a photographer that shot in digital. I wish that we would have spent the extra money to make the reception longer.

This was a good one. Thanks for sharing.

And, you look STUNNING in your pictures (not that you don't now)!

jen said...

i would have it completely the same (almost).
bbq, campfire, tents (for sleeping!), awesome photographers (completely worth the $), heels for ceremony, fancy flip-flops for reception ...
i would have ordered more champagne. we only had 2 bottles left after the party and now i can't find it anywhere.
and i would have friend's girlfriend not get (quite so) drunk that she woke everyone up the next morning. early.

Becca said...

Your wedding looked absolutely beautiful! Looks like you did a fantastic job.

Things I would change if I could would be 1. Make sure my grandparents and great grandma could have been there *she was in the hospital and that just broke my heart* 2. The music, I should have definetly hired entertainment.

Other than that, it was my dream wedding! Your sister is going to have a fabulous wedding with you helping her and I bet it will be so much fun!!

Unknown said...

mine was simple and sweet in my inlaws home with my mil,fil and the minister....I would love to a recommittment ceremony with all my children tho'

Kelly said...

I got married in 1995 so of course styles were different then. I would definitely do my hair and dress differently. But I liked it then so I guess that's what's important! Other than that, I would have stressed less and enjoyed more. Being the center of attention all day was hard for introverted ole me!

Amy said...

Pretty pictures! I loved the flowers and the music and the location.

I would change my dress in half a heartbeat. And I would have had maybe my sister only or maybe no one stand up for me.

Tara R. said...

If I had to change anything it would have been to stick with my original plans for the reception and not let my mother talk me into stuff I didn't want.

Jessica said...

Congrats to your sister. I actually would change almost nothing about my wedding. This is contrary to most of my friends who in retrospect would have invited less people etc. 99 guests, under a gorgeous tent at a little B&B in Vermont...closest family and friends. Just my sister at my side and just Hubby's brother at his...we didn't even include our other siblings. 7 "flower children" (all nieces and nephews) stumbled down the aisle in nantucket reds and gymboree dresses.... Don't have an album...that would be my only regret.

Tami said...

Love this post! You look gorgeous!! I loved my wedding, our friends still say it was their favorite all time (even that hour and half Catholic mass)! We were young and on a limited budget. It was not fancy, we did a buffett that my aunt and uncle put together for us. We had a live band and went through alot of alcohol.

The one thing I would change is the photographer, hubby's uncle did it and not the best pics (I have one on my blog somewhere.) Also I can't ever stress enough to everyone to:
MAKE A LIST OF PHOTOS YOU WANT!!
This is the one thing I did not do and so I don't have a picture of my siblings and I, and a few others I would really like to have.
Also we did not take a honeymoon and I would change that also!

Lynette3boys said...

Just curious, but why were all the groomsmen in their boxers in one of those pictures? Or maybe I don't want to know.

Anonymous said...

you say your wedding was classy and looking at the pictures i know exactly what you mean. those pictures are beautiful. you are a classy mommy.

Melissa ♥ Spoiled Mommy said...

I wish I would have HAD a wedding, I wish that I had a wedding dress, there is a lot I wish that I did but being 19 and supporting ourselves we were penny pinchers and just didnt see the point on spending it on a lavish wedding-did want to start our life out with a buttload of debt. lol

btw: I love the picture w/the umbrellas!!

Lisa said...

I, like you, love about everything about my wedding. Love my classic dress, reception venue, the string quartet, the honeymoon to Hawaii, etc. I, however would change TWO things. I would get more pictures with my grandparents. I was in such a hurry & that wasn't enough of a priority. I would have had two bridesmaids instead of just one...I left out my best friend from college, and she's now Aunt Robin to my kids. Should have been in the wedding. AND...I would have eaten the glorious food. I was so afraid that my clumsy *ss would spill everywhere that I didn't eat a thing. And I was STARVING!
Beautiful wedding pictures. Both of my brothers are getting married this year, and as I watch my soon-to-be sister-in-laws prepare for the big day, I'm so glad mine was exactly the way it was!

Unknown said...

Oddly enough, I would have had Bride's Men. I am still good friends with some friends who are boys that got left out of the bridal party and it is the only detail i would change!

3 Peanuts said...

Mine was perfect and classy too. I love my very simple and classic dress. I too chose Ann Taylor bridesmaid dresses. Black cocktail length sheaths with a tailored jacket---no puffy taffeta things. They all chose their own black heels.

i invested in who was a good photographer at the time (13 years ago) but I am still disappointed in the photos. Photography was different then. We spent A LOT of money on flowers. All roses and all pale shades of cream and pale pink. It was worth every cent.

The reception was at an old European style mansion that is now a five room boutique hotel....very classy indeed. We had about 80-90 people. It was perfect.

Kim

Skiplovey said...

Gorgeous photos, I love way you arranged them all (I'm totally doing that next time I have "scan" anything).

The only thing I'd change about our wedding, which was as close to perfect for us as you can get, would be the drinks. We had a signature drink, Sangria, as well as a open bar and I think the Sangria was a bit much. Everyone tried it, nobody finished it and my mother complained about the bar bill for six months after the wedding.

Miss said...

Um Happy Anniversary? HA! ;-)

What would I have done differently... hmm... does NOT doing it at all count??

(Dont listen to me little sis, I'm super duper jaded. Just ask your sis.)

You looked beautiful babe!

TheScrappyMama said...

Love your wedding photos!

For my first marriage, the only thing I would change is the groom. I would turn him into my current husband. LOL

My second marriage (to my current husband) we just went to the courthouse and stood before the judge. Not really romantic, but it fit. I guess I wouldn't change a thing!

Unknown said...

I'm always telling my husband I want ANOTHER wedding now that I am older and wiser! HA! But I did love my day, we had a very sweet ceremony and a great party after! And the cake was SO good. {I LOVE wedding cake!!}

Yours looks absolutely gorgeous and like you said, totally "classy." But then I would expect nothing less! ; )

Kate Coveny Hood said...

I LOVED my own very classy wedding.

What I wouldn't change:
-The venue - The St. Regis in DC (which was The Carlton when we booked it), with their beautiful old ballroom that fit our 140 guests perfectly.
-The food - hands down, best wedding food I ever had. Okay - maybe the wedding I went to at the Willard with the lobster entree was better - but other than that MINE
-Wearing a good friend and bridal designer's dress.
-Finding an amazing florist
-Making sure that a giant piece of my incredible wedding cake would be waiting for me in my room after the reception.
-I could go on and on...

What I would do differently:
-Not feel like I had to be on the dance floor every second (god forbid people weren't dancing - the world might have ended!)
-Asked for more on the day (i.e. Okay groom, I haven't seen you all night, you need to dance now - Okay friends, enough hanging out on the patio, the party is inside). It's amazing how people hop to when a woman in a white dress snaps her fingers. Too bad I wasted twenty minutes fuming over something stupid before I realized this.
-Not let my fabulous bridal designer friend convince me that we HAD to walk over to the White House to take pictures. I missed the whole cocktail hour with all the picture taking.

Briya said...

The husband and I eloped...we got married on the beach in Hawaii..I kind of think sometimes that I should have had a wedding.

But our 20th anniversary is in a few years (holy moly, I am an old married broad!) and we may just have that "wedding" I want.

Jill said...

I loved my wedding. Loved my dress. Loved every single thing about that night. It was the most perfect day ever imaginable.

With that said... I would have eloped - or at least had a destination wedding with only immediate family.

All that really matters in the end is that I got to share that special day with my best friend.

wac4645 said...

I LOVED our wedding! I wouldn't change: having wine served before the ceremony (we weren't married in a church), having the wedding favors be a pretty box guests could fill with candy from our candy buffet, having a ceramic vase for guests to sign instead of a guestbook. I also wouldn't change accepting the ideas of my parents and in-laws - they had great ideas and the day was special for them too!

Unknown said...

You went on your honeymoon to Moorea?!?! My dad served a mission for our church there, and his eyes still glaze over with visions of heaven when he talks about it, and his mission was in the mid 70s! Tahiti holds a special place in my family's heart. I'm not married yet, but I like learning what I would and would not do for my own wedding someday.

MIT Mommy said...

I wouldn't change much. Mine was also a "classy" affair, if I can be so bold as to borrow your word. Jay's uncle just the other day mentioned the string quartet, which was my sister's surprise for me.

Since I lived in Japan, my husband to be in England and my father in India, I hired a wedding consultant who worked with my sister to plan the wedding (with my input by email).

I'm glad I didn't stress about the details. I'm glad I spent hours and hours making beautiful paper cranes for each guest (which I still find in curio cabinets in their homes). I'm glad I bought a very expensive dress, which I thought at the time I might regret, but I don't.

But, perhaps, if I did it all again, I would have a more adventurous photographer and bring clothes to the hotel room for the next day.

Yeah, I had to go back to the rental apartments (we rented apartments, it was SUCH a great idea) in stilettos and my new hubby's sweats. Fortunately, even at the time I thought it was pretty funny.

I also thought I might regret not leaving immediately for the honeymoon, but I'm SO glad we stayed and celebrated his grandma's 80th birthday and went to the baseball game with all our guests (especially those from Japan).

Oh, and I don't regret my shoes either. I bought them before the dress because they were perfectly simple, elegant and comfortable (a little pricey, but worth the dancing).

I don't even care that my hubby forgot the rings . . . he proposed to me again after the honeymoon, which will be burned in my memory long after the wedding pictures fade to dust.

And, no, I don't feel guilty that my comment is longer than your post. It was just a great post =).

Everyday Goddess said...

Well considering I am now divorced I may have to write a long post about my wedding day. It was pretty unreal.

I am very happy for you though!

MIT Mommy said...

Oh, my, I've taken a trip down memory lane and forgotten my manners! Congratulations Kasha!

Roxane said...

I love this post an will do the same thing on my blog later this evening...I will be sure to mention you!

WackyGrandma said...

um, I would maybe choose a different groom, lol.

Noob Mommy said...

We also went to Moorea for our honeymoon...just another one of our classy similarities :) It was a fabulous choice. We decided to splurge and get one of those bungalows above the water.

Elisabeth said...

I loved that my wedding was a small simple one. I would have changed nothing. It really was perfect for me!

Unknown said...

From my wedding...
What I still love: husband, menu, venue, church, my dress, the $60bridesmaid dresses, colors, trolley, all the Polish touches I incorporated throughout the day, photographer (although would make sure to do an album, cause 3.5 yrs later I still haven't done it), chose flowers based on cost instead of what i loved in bridal magazines (thanks mom for changing my mind), the funky tie for groomsmen instead of tux rental crapola, my $5 pair of strappy stilletos...the cushion inserts i bought cost more, my favors (i love going to people's houses and seeing the pint glasses in their collection), did as much as i could myself, the blackhawks jersey groomscake and cubs garter...hubby LOVED them both!

What I would change: have only my 2 BFFs and SIL stand up, make sure flower girls/ring bearer are in more pics, make apps more filling instead of fancy (everyone is STARVING when they arrive), cut the guest list in half

my advice to kash - the personal touches are important...but keep the costs down, cause they only really matter to you and hubby-to-be. best idea EVER - i went to a wedding where they printed a menu for each place setting...every menu had a different sepia photo of favorite chicago places on top. you can do this with all your photos from abroad...it'll by DIY while being very "You." also, no one remembers what wine you had, as long as it doesn't come from a box :) (or that the guests don't see the box. if you need help prepping...i can totally help!! i love that nerdy crafty stuff!!

Michele said...

mommynotes: for some reason wordpress will not let me always use my blog ip so: I loved everything about our wedding. I had a large bridal party and I don't think I would change that because each of those people were instrumental in our lives at that time. Only a handful do we still have contact with. Everything was beautiful about that day except I had strep and did not know it until we were several thousand miles away on our honeymoon. The vows sickness and health really applied here. You can look at the pics before I got antibiotics and the pics after and there is a night and day difference. It gives me a great story though. We have wonderful family memories too because several of our close family are no longer with us. Both said it was the best day they had. Our friends even commented on it. Oh that reminds me I would have hired a different DJ. My uncle was supposed to do it and bailed for whatever reason and we hired someone else and while everyone had a good time he had no clue.

On our 10 or 20 year I would love to go to Hawaii and renew our vows just my hubby and I and our children on the beach.

Susan said...

Great post! Like you, I wouldn't change much about my wedding day or honeymoon except maybe a few of the people that I invited and didn't invite.

Anonymous said...

oh gosh... i'd change... NOTHING !
6 yrs have passed and my wedding day still stands out as the most classy elegant over the top under budget affair EVAH !!!

My mom made my elegant slim style dress sewing on hundreds of swarv. cystals.. black & white tailored bridesmaid dresses.. I did the invites and ALL the floral arrangements.. A classic 1920's car for us.. The Wadsworth mansion as our reception.. raw bar.. FAB caterer that went above and beyond.. dancing.. classic black and white photo's in journalistic style..

ahhhh... absolutely PERFECT...

oh... and i married my sweetheart..

Aimee said...

I still want to win

Sarahviz said...

Our DJ sucked. But other than that? Perfect.
It will be 10 years in April.

Tonya said...

We just celebrated 9 years in Dec and I loved my wedding. The only thing I wish I would of done differently was stand up to my future mother in law about what I wanted and not let her bully me. We get a long great but it was MY day not hers and she was trying to plan/arrange things from 2 hours away never seeing the place. But it was a great day nonetheless!

Kari said...

Let me see....My husband and I got married in a courthouse snack room. NOOOO JOKE. We said our vows right between a KNIT 1989 style couch {on our left}....and 2 vending machines {on our right.} I do believe that we were also standing smack dab ontop of a HUGE stain on the carpet, while the Magistrate {who looked like Santa in his 50's} was wearing a red POLO shirt and khaki's. Did I mention the STAIN on HIS shirt!? HA! Now, THAT, my friend, is the EPITOMY of CLASSY! Yep. So, your question was what would I change? EVERYTHING but the groom! Thank goodness we are getting our chance next year. I have actually started planning our vow renewal for August of 2010!! YAY! The dress, the church...him in DRESS BLUES...Oh baby! It is going to be beautiful! {let's just hope I don't get pregnant again right before that!}

Lynn C Mama to 3 said...

I loved how I did my bridesmaid dresses. I picked a color and specfic fabric so the red would be the same red on each girl, but I let them pick the dress that flattered them best. I had a size 6, 16 and 22 as my ladies and my size 6 didn't deserve a tent and my 22 didn't deserve arm flab. All looked gorgeous.

I did not pay enough attention to my photog. I should have made a list of "must have" shots, because they got artsy and I love the pics, but there is not one of the back of my gown with the 6 foot hand beaded train that made me love the dress.

Ash said...

I had an insanely simple wedding and for us it was perfect. I liked the way it was all about us and not having to listen to my friends and family's opinions! You have beautiful pictures!

Kelly said...

Is this the Lake Park Bistro in Milwaukee? Did you take your wedding pictures in Lake Park? I recognized it as that is where I took mine and absolutely LOVED having my pictures taken there. That is one of my favorite parts of the wedding...the pictures. I look at them all the time and it was well worth the $$$$$$ spent on them. Now my kids look at them. I don't regret anything except that I never hired a videographer as I thought it would be tacky to have some dude with a video camera in my face. Now I 100% regret that. Oh well.

mamatulip said...

If I could change one thing about my wedding, it would be to have my mother there. She died four months before we got married.

There are so many things that I'd change, but if I could magically make it so that she was there, I'd do that in place of all those other things.

Your pictures are gorgeous.

Qweenie said...

I would do a complete do over but then our wedding was rushed and badly planned and spontaneous, we've talked about "doing it right" at 20 or 25 but we'll see...

Your wedding photos are gorgeous BTW!

More comment love for the giveaway!

April said...

I would've changed the man I married!

Nan Patience said...

That photo coming out of the church, you look like royalty!

I wouldn't change anything about my wedding.

Avonlea said...

The one thing I would change would be if I/we could have afforded to pay for a longer event with a dinner instead of just drinks, snacks, and cake. But otherwise, I loved our wedding -- the location, my dress, the cake, our friends. We had amazing weather (it was outdoord). Oh, and if I could have afforded more flowers, too..

SCREAMING FOR CHOCOLATE said...

My wedding was simply going before a judge. Now my daughters wedding was a different story. Whew...I was ready for the psyche ward before, during and after.

Coco

Colleen - Mommy Always Wins said...

(Did you get married @ St. John's Cathedral? SO PRETTY!)

The only thing I would have changed about our wedding was keeping my Mom from saying those horrible things to my Dad (they're divorced) that made him leave early. Thankfully I didn't hear about the situation until years later, but what a major bummer to have to leave your only daughter's wedding for fear that if you didn't a fight would break out?!?

Other than that, our wedding was perfect for us - a great celebration with lots of friends and family...and hubby ripping his pants off. (To reveal "just married" underwear underneath.)

Kari said...

I LOVED the place that we were married, and our honeymoon - also in Moorea!

I would have not worried so much about the details that no one really noticed anyway, and I can't even remember now - except that there were a lot of them I was worried about back then.

Angela said...

I would un-invite the in laws!

GypsiAdventure said...

Looks like a lovely wedding...me, I enjoyed mine but I would definitely taken the time to stop and eat at mine DURING dinner instead of scarfing down left overs at the end of the night. Oh well!
~K

C and C Mommy said...

Definitely would change some things about my wedding, but some things I am glad I did!!

Sarah said...

I loved my location - right by the ocean. Hate that it was so small - no music, few people.

BTW, I'd like to be entered for the contest!

Miss M said...

I would have made it later in the day. It was super early at the San Francisco City Hall, and we were the only straight couple there. It was super cool! BUT the only time we could schedule was 9am! That's all, it was gorgeous, and we had an amazing photographer, and I soooo love my husband!

Scary Mommy said...

I loved my wedding. It was the perfect New England affair and I really wouldn't change much. The one thing I would lighten up on was my NO CHILDREN allowed rule. I was a mega bitch about not wanting the spotlight stolen from me, and now as a parent, I realize how fun it is to get the kids all dolled up. But other than that, not a thing. And you made a gorgeous bride, of course!!

Elizabeth Byler Younts said...

i would probably only change 1 major thing...A DIFFERENT PHOTOGRAPHER!

Darci White said...

EXCITED about this blog giveaway! How cool.

And.....what I would change about my wedding day: would have hired a much better photographer

Wouldn't change: the man i married!, the location....beach wedding and that it was intimate and small with a group of less than 25. loved it.

.jimaie.marie. said...

you look just gorgeous in your wedding photo, your wedding sounds so dreamy!

the mama bird diaries said...

Oh, I loved my wedding.

And I have definitely grown so much since then.

Love the photos.

Unknown said...

I would have forced myself to diet instead of always regretting how fat I was ... and being that I weigh the same now...maybe I should diet now.

Eloise said...

You looked so beautiful on your wedding day! Love your dress.

The best thing I did was to wear my mother's beautiful, timeless wedding gown. At the time I mainly wore it because she wanted me to, but now my pictures look so much classier and less dated than others who married in the 80's, IMHO. Plus now I think it's very cool that my mom, my sister and I were all married in that dress (along with an aunt and two cousins).

ladybugsnkatydids said...

I loved this post. Although Martha Stewart I am not, I think that I am a frustrated wedding planner at heart. I enjoy looking at/ thinking about all wedding "things", although I don't think that I could ever do it in real life because I'm not sure if I would be able to keep my comments (classy, of course) to myself when a client wanted to do something reallly unclassy.

That being said, I loved my classy silk dress that I found for under $100, the fact I only had 2 bridesmaids, everything about our reception, and the groom. I would not have a wedding coordinator who, besides giving me the name of an awesome cake maker, did nothing and charged an arm and a leg; I would have had a even smaller reception (smaller than the 150 we did include); and would have liked to have signed my married name for the first time on something besides ER forms the next evening because my new husband got food poisoning from the breakfast that was served at the B&B where we spent our wedding night!

All that being said, it still was a very lovely (and I hope, classy) day for all.

Elisa @ Globetrotting in Heels said...

wow, gorgeous pictures! which brings me to what I should have done: hired a better photographer!!

PsychMamma said...

What a fun post!

I'd have to think hard to think of something I'd change about our wedding. I LOVE that it was in a garden full of flowers with only our immediate family.

Maybe a more exotic honeymoon spot (we did Mackinac Island)

Dennis and Leslie said...

Here's my comment for the day, still loving your post ;)

Tyne said...

What a fantastic post... I am going to think it through (for 10 more months) and then post similarly to this for our anniversary.

ACH said...

Thank you for sharing those wonderful photos!

ww said...

Thanks for sharing - what a classy bride and dress! We were married in 2000 too and had many similarities to your wedding. Agree with you that looking back we would have invited less people to make it more intimate and because we don't even talk to some of the people anymore!

Kristina said...

I would change the weather, we got married on the 4th of July outside and it was so HOT, we were all sweating like pigs....so not attractive to stink on your wedding day!

4chalseys@blogger said...

Wouldn't change a thing!

Katie said...

Wouldn't Change:
Got married far, far away with a few choice guests then had a big reception a month later for everyone (bonus - I wore my dress twice)
Hit every sale under the sun and found my dress for less then $300 (I found it elsewere for nearly $900 and wasn't willing to pay that much)
That we paid for it (mostly) ourselves
Had a fantasic photographer at the wedding and a killer, yummy cake at the reception

Would Change:
I would actaully EAT at the reception - we were so busy that we hardly ever sat down!
Longer honeymoon

Jaina said...

I'm not even engaged, so I'm going to file away all this classy advice from you to help when I plan MY wedding someday. :)

Mama Smurf said...

Your dress is stunning!

My only regret is the photographer we chose. We were very disappointed in our photos.

Jessica said...

I liked my dress, my flowers, and the colors of the wedding. I would change who did our cake as it was chaos even getting the cake finished. We also got some really great pics. but I would have hired a photographer.

I think I just found your blog, feel free to stop by and say hello at my blog as well!

 

Blog Designed by: NW Designs

Original Header and Concept by: Judith Shakes