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Hey ladies! We  know in the midst of all of the planning and festivities, there is always several tasks that need to be dealt with before the big day. One of the most stressful and off-putting tasks is the dreaded guest list that leaves you with questions like, “Who do I invite?”, “Should I allow a plus one and hope people don’t bring 5 friends with them?” And our personal favorite “ We were friends in middle school but I haven’t talked to her in years, should I invite her anyways!?”

You are not the only bride on the planet asking yourself these questions! We have put together a list of the dos and don’ts of creating that stress free guest list.

1.Do consider your venue size: If you and your fiancé must invite a certain number of guests, make sure your venue of choice can accommodate them comfortably. This includes accommodations for both the ceremony and reception. 

2.Don’t start a list without deciding on a budget first. This will help you determine how much you have set aside and how many guests you can invite. Intimate weddings aren’t always budget friendlier the more elaborate weddings, so calculate all of your expenses and compare the costs.

3. Do write down all of your guests and divide the names into the following groups: Family, Friends, Coworkers, Other Social Groups. Once you have jotted down all of your potential guests, now you can start considering additional guests like children, significant others, and unexpected guests. Yes, you read that correctly. Like it or not, uninvited guests is wedding day mishap that your amazing wedding planner will make sure to prepare for. Discuss this situation with your wedding planner and have a plan such as a few empty seats and extra food just in case!

4. Don’t let others guilt you into adding guests to your list. This is YOUR day and it should be celebrated with the ones you and your fiancé hold dearest!

5. Do HAVE FUN! This is such a fun season and should not be filled with stress and worry. Make sure to prioritize and set aside time to work on the guest list. Don’t try to do it all in one sitting. If your feel overwhelmed or unsure of what to do, ask your wedding planner and let them take the stress off of you! 

We hope that if you are in the midst of planning your BIG DAY that you take our tips on how to create a stress free guest list to heart! We truly believe that these tips will ensure a stress FREE guest list creating experience!

xoxo,

Kendal

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Whew. 2021. Honestly, this is going to be a long one and quite personal. Get ready.

As most of you, I was looking forward to a fantastic 2021. After we experienced 2020, it had to be better, right? I was geared up and ready to plan gorgeous weddings for my amazing couples.  I had goals for my personal life (start a family), goals for business (expand my team and create new systems for my clients), and growth as a person for my friends and family. Well, to say the least, that didn’t happen.

Unfortunately I was faced with one of the hardest decisions of my life. I was struggling in my marriage, which I know people often do, and I thought nearly everyday, “I can do this. Marriage is just hard. We’ll get through this” but I tried so hard for so long and it simply wasn’t enough. Honestly, it was hard on both of us. After countless counseling sessions, books read, journaling, etc. I knew I gave what I could give but it wasn’t enough to repair our brokenness. People say God can repair anything, He can fix a broken marriage. And He can, I’ve seen it. However, the consistency of having to rebuild trust was unbearable. I cried, I cried and I cried. I was so tired of crying. It was the hardest decision of my life because it didn’t just include me, it was also affecting someone else’s life.

I was so alone, I kept SO much to myself. I didn’t even tell my mom, my sister or my best friends. Nobody knew the struggles I was dealing with, I can’t explain how alone I was. I thought to myself that would be far easier to work on this together and not include the many opinions from family and friends…but wow. That was the most unhealthy choice I could have made.

After a year full of challenges I never thought I’d experience due to the global pandemic, I didn’t want to add more stress of a failed marriage. But when is a good time for added stress? We can’t plan these things in advance. Wouldn’t it be cool if God could give us a timeline of our life? “Okay Kendal, in 2017 you’re going to get married, start a business, buy a home, and get 2 dogs. BUT in 2021, you’re going to get divorced. So, prepare your finances, life-style, and heart for this.” That would have been cool! But, life doesn’t work like that. I had to process the heartache, and the many many changes that I faced. Even silly things like changing your last name. *Eye Roll*, Social Security is STILL closed due to Covid (they say), so….I had to mail in my paperwork and Driver’s License only to get lost in the mail. Oh well, my to-do list has gone from 115 items to about 7 now. So, I’m making it!!

I also had to face challenges in my business. Sadly, it was so hard being happy for my clients, I was so unhappy. I remember crying on my way to my car after meetings with my precious clients, knowing I was so sad, I was so tired, I was so alone. How could I look at these brides and tell them about my sadness? They are SO excited. They couldn’t wait to marry the love of their life, meanwhile I was ending my marriage. I felt as though I didn’t serve my clients well. The grace that my 2021 and 2022 clients have given me is UNREAL. When I say I have the best clients, I truly mean it. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

All of this to say, I never thought I could learn so incredibly much about myself. My mom, Toni, & my counselor, Tina, (who I wish I could bring home with me in case I have a meltdown at 2am) have opened my eyes to who I really am. Which is honestly a badass. Let’s get out of bed, face this decision and get stuff done. It was totally acceptable to take time to process and grieve my marriage, it was healthy to fully go through the process, but I had to choose myself and choose happiness or I would have been stuck in that funk forever. It took me about 2 months to remind myself that I was going to be ok.  I still had my moments, it was the constant reminder of memories we made and the routines we had that I found challenging to get used to alone. So, I made new routines, alone and with my family and my friends. And guess what? I’m surviving and thriving 😉

After the most challenging year of life, I am so thankful for it. I have learned who I am, figured out I could be independent, and I have met an amazing and incredibly patient man, Daniel, who has opened my eyes to so many new joys in life.  Our relationship is so refreshing and he has helped me realize I can trust and love fully again.

As a wedding planner, I want to assure you I still love marriage. Marriage creates a safe relationship where you can authentically be yourself, build intimacy, and a deep connection. I look forward to the day I can become a bride to my future husband.

I hope & pray that 2022 is MY year.

Xo,

Kendal

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Hello friends!

Whew, you’ve made it! After all of the planning building up to the wedding every precious couple needs an amazing honeymoon! 

I have a few helpful hints when planning your honeymoon. While you get wrapped up in the wedding planning details, still take time to do your research for honeymoon destination spots. First, find your ideal location. Whether you’re traveling to the mountains to go skiing or relaxing on a tropical island, find the place that will be the best for you and your new hubby. After finding the destination, search for a few options of hotels or resorts. I of course do suggest working with a travel agent if you are traveling out of the country. Travel agents give you the reassurance that everything is taken care of for you before heading out for your honeymoon!

When researching hotels or resorts, look at their options for excursions, dining, and amenities. I suggest to pick a place that offers a few things for you to do! After the wedding, you are just looking for the perfect place to simply relax. When hotels and resorts offer on-sight dining and activities, it makes the honeymoon much more relaxing. 

Another suggestion is DO NOT book your plane to leave earlier than 8:00am the day after your wedding. If possible, wait until Monday to catch your flight. I promise it is so nice to not have to rush to the airport immediately after an exhausting wedding day. 

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Hi friends!! Today I wanted to chat with you about something we actually don’t ever want to talk about, but really need to, which is how to plan for your wedding day rain plan. Here in Alabama you really never know what’s going to happen. If you chose an all outdoor wedding venue, it’s great to have a just-as-perfect rain plan. Although you don’t hope for it to rain, it’s great to plan ahead. 

When choosing a wedding venue, it’s important to make sure there is an alternative option in the case of rain. Review your options, whether it’s an indoor facility or needing to tent the area, try to decide on what option will be best for your venue, guest count and budget. After securing your venue, it’s great to go ahead and book those rain plan options. I know it’s tough to book the vendors or items ONLY if it rains, however I promise it will give you some peace of mind.

My suggestion is to get your rain plan completely planned and booked at least 6 months out from your wedding day. Unfortunately if you wait to the last minute, it is often hard to find an alternative option because tents or other indoor facilities may have been booked before you, especially if there is a high chance of rain in the forecast.

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Key information to understand:

• Their style
• If they emcee and make announcements + what is their style
• Number of hours of service + charge for overtime
• Requirement for breaks
• Stage requirements
• Greenroom requirements
• Meal and alcohol requirements
• Ability to provide music / amp / mics for ceremony and cocktail hour

• Do they provide a lapel mic for the officiant?
• Do they provide a handheld/wireless mic for toasts?
• Do they provide a mic stand and mic for readers or soloists?

• If they have back-up equipment in case any fails
• If they have lighting options

Additional questions to ask:

• How do you motivate the crowd if they aren’t dancing?
• What is your back up plan if band members get sick or have an emergency?
• Will we meet again before the wedding?
• Can we visit you at a performance?
• How involved can we be in selecting the music for our day?
• When do we need to finalize those selections?
• Do you take requests from guests?
• Can we submit a “do not play” list?
• What will you wear?
• Do you play recorded music during breaks?
• Do you set up a sign or banner with your table?
• Are you able to learn songs, and is there a cost?
• Are my VIP songs (first dance, father/daughter dance, mother/son dance) in your current repertoire? If not, can you play them recorded?

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