wedding talk

by Kaylah Stroup

Since getting engaged at the beginning of November wedding thoughts have consumed my mind, when I’m awake and even while sleeping. I’ve literally had nightmares about forgetting important stuff like hiring a photographer. I didn’t really expect my brain to be completely overrun with wedding things. To be honest, I never really thought much about a wedding before this.

I’ve definitely wanted to marry Jeff for a while. I specifically remember walking around Target with my mom about a month after starting to date Jeff and exclaiming “I’d marry him today if he asked!” I’ve thought a lot about what marriage means to me, and how important it is to me commit myself to him but I’ve never really thought about what our wedding would look like. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve definitely made comments in passing like “Oh my gosh, what if we got married here?!” But I guess I never pictured the actual wedding. Does that make sense? What I’m saying is that I’m not the type of person who has fantasized about their wedding since they were a kid, and I most certainly do not have a wedding pinterest board. I am not dazzled by the wedding industry. It feels very much like a huge money grab and there are so many other ways I’d rather spend my money.

All of that to say – Holy smokes, I am overwhelmed. Wedding planning is not fun.

Things we have figured out –

The date! June 2018!!! It’s coming up SO fast. We orginally wanted to do it right after tax season (since Jeff works in the tax department) but there were a few hang ups so the date we chose is the soonest possible. There are less than 160 days! Really sweet side note here, essentially right after we got back in the car the evening Jeff proposed he was like “so I was thinking May sometime?” I was so emotional I couldn’t even talk about setting a date yet. I sobbed so hard every time he’d try to talk about a date.

The ceremony site. Part of me just wants to keep this a secret until after the whole shebang and the other part of me wants to scream it from the top of mountains. I’ll give you some hints though – It’s not in Ohio. It’s somewhere we discovered on one of our road trips and fell madly in love with. Perhaps best of all, it’s free… because we’re planning on just showing up, exchanging vows, and leaving shortly after! It’s very much exactly what you’d expect from the two of us. Definitely not a traditional wedding in any sense!

Things that aren’t 100% in place yet but mostly figured out and only stressing me out a bit –

Post ceremony food + party. After the very short ceremony we’ll be heading to one of our other favorite spots we discovered while roadtripping around the west! This is really special because it’s somewhere, just like the ceremony site, that I had mentioned to Jeff would be a really rad spot to have a wedding. Now we get to share this place with all our favorite people. Literally just thinking about everyone being there makes me tear up.

The reception! Since we’re having a destination wedding we’ll also be throwing a reception back at home to celebrate with everyone who couldn’t make it out of state. My parents gratiously offered to convert their annual fourth of July party into our reception which is perfect because that’s already one of my favorite weekends of the year. Food, fun, fireworks, and hammocking! I am SUPER stoked. I would really like to decorate, and of course, pick up a cute casual but kinda fancy dress for that day but honestly planning for all of that is completely overshadowed by planning for the actual wedding.

Honeymoon! We have nothing set in stone yet but we do have a general idea of where we’d like to go. We’re looking to do an all-inclusive trip somewhere tropical. We usually take super hectic trips, which I absolutely love, but I’m very much looking forward to taking a trip where we do nothing but eat, lounge, swim, and relax! If you have any suggestions I’d love to hear them! Bonus points if there are animals!

Things that are still freaking me the heck out –

The dress! I’m torn here… It is very important to me that I don’t waste a ton of money on a dress I will literally only be in for like half a day. It’s also important to me that I look amazing, duh. Right now I’m still thinking I want a long white dress preferably something with lots of volume in the skirt but I could change my mind completely. I’ve been spending lots of time browsing websites that have wedding sections but aren’t necessarily wedding sites, like Modcloth, ASOS, and Lulus. (If you have any other suggestions, I’m all ears!) I have wasted so much time scrolling through dresses! I’m so ready to just find ~the one~ and call it a day! I think my next step is to actually head to some bridal boutiques and at least try on some things to get a better sense of what I like the best on my body.

Our photographer. This was like the first question all our family asked. Who is gonna shoot your wedding?! Jeff is a wedding photographer and I consider myself fairly knowledgeable so we have really high standards. Photos are a huge deal to us, perhaps one of the most important puzzle pieces to this whole thing. We found a couple people to reach out to but we have nothing set in stone yet. There’s so much back and forth, it’s driving me nuts. I’m ready to just sign a contract and pay a deposit.

Hair and make up. This would be scary enough if I were looking for someone local but trying to find someone in another state makes it even worse since I can’t meet them and do a trial run before hand. Luckily I happened to discover WeddingWire! In general I had been avoiding wedding websites since we aren’t going to traditional route and I find that most sites are overwhelming but WeddingWire is really rad because you can search for whatever service you need by area. Clearly a function that is coming in very handy for someone trying to book things in a different state. They have lots of other great planning tools too but I can’t get over how convenient being able to browse vendors has been.

Um… everything? I sat and stared at this list with just three items on it for a while and realized I was having a really hard time figuring out what was stressing me out because I can really only think of those few things. I’m not sure what else is stressing me out. Because of the route we’re going – just kinda showing up, saying I do, and then vacationing with everyone, we have SO much less to plan than other folks. Still, we’re both feeling overwhelmed by the idea of planning. I’m sure even after everything is ‘figured out’ I’ll still be nervous but whatever happens or doesn’t happen is cool because I’ll still be marrying Jeff and hanging out with all my favorite people.

Look at those colors! Gah!

We were both a little nervous about having a destination wedding because we didn’t want to put any one in an awkward position financially but our familes have been so supportive. I’m so excited to have all our closest friends and family members together at two of our favorite places in the world. I’m obviously super stoked about the wedding but also just about what an awesome vacation it will be for everyone. Not many people take family vacations as adults, and here we are doing it with both of our families.

I’ll be SO much happier as soon as we get a few more details ironed out but y’all I cannot wait to marry my best friend. We’re planning a really unique wedding, one that could not be more ~us~ and I am beyond excited!
xoxo

This post is sponsored by WeddingWire, an incredible online resource for couples planning their wedding. All opinions are my own, obviously. I mean who else would plan a wacky wedding like this one… Heh! Thanks for supporting the companies that help make The Dainty Squid possible. Also, if you are engaged, it should be noted that WeddingWire is giving away $10k to put your dream wedding. Share your #JustSaidYes engagement moment to enter. For more details, read here.

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111 comments

Lauren January 4, 2018 - 8:45 am

A great location for a honeymoon would be Costa Rica! You can do the lounge by the beach and eat tons of great food and not worry about anything, but if you want to get a little adventurous any of the days there’s amazing hiking and water activities. I’ve traveled there once 2 years ago, my friend and I rented a car and drove along the coast line, and then this summer I’ve got an internship studying sloths (I’m a Zoology major) in their natural habitats. So there’s also TONS of animals and incredible animal sanctuaries (if you want help on which are humane and safe for the animals feel free to ask!). It’s also an incredibly inexpensive country, I flew round trip from Chicago and it was about $450 in July. Have so much fun and good luck! Again, if this interests you at all let me know and I can send you more information! I love Costa Rica so much <3

Kaylah January 4, 2018 - 8:59 am

Shoot! I didn’t even think of Costa Rica! I just did a quick search for resorts there and yeah, I’m basically sold!

Thanks so much for the suggestion!! I will definitely look more into that.

Bonnie Luhman January 4, 2018 - 5:09 pm

CAN’T WAIT FOR WEDDING PHOTOS!!!! 🙂 I am on pins and needles! 🙂

I adore the little sloths. They are like me….they move s-l-o-w-l-y. 🙂 A friend of mine found a place there that will let you actually hold a baby sloth…………be still my heart!

Will there be macaroons there? 🙂

Hugs! Sharing in your JOY!

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 7:54 am

If I could hold a sloth on my honeymoon my heart might EXPLODE!!!! 😀

Jodie January 4, 2018 - 9:02 am

You should check out Playa del Carmen Mexico for your honeymoon. Beautiful place, great downtown area to walk and photograph, cool nature excursions and historic sites. Also, the food is amazing!

Kaylah January 4, 2018 - 9:40 am

Will do! 👍 Thanks for the suggestion!

Crystal January 4, 2018 - 9:06 am

Ah I’m so excited for you two! I can’t wait to see pictures! ❤️

My husband and I did a similar thing – we got married at a little island park near our house with our immediate family present. It was free, took about ten minutes, and it was raining! Which I loved. And then we all went out to eat. And then later, Vince and I saw Mockingjay in theaters lol. It was the best day. My only regret was not having our dog there, but I didn’t want anyone to miss out by having to keep an eye on him.

Oh and maybe check Etsy for a dress? That’s where I got mine and it was only $160. Good luck with the rest of your planning!

Kaylah January 4, 2018 - 9:25 am

That sounds so lovely!

Was your dress vintage? Or handmade?

Katie @ Royalty Soaps January 4, 2018 - 9:33 am

I’m so excited for you! Ive been a silent reader for over three years now but just had to reccommend a honeymoon destination to you. I know Hawaii is cliche, but we loved Kauai. It was clean, everyone was friendly, the westher was perfect (even in January) and wasn’t very touristy either. We bought flights 3 months out so they were not very pricey either. Don’t let this wedding planning get to ya, girl! You will do an amazing job!!!

Kaylah January 4, 2018 - 9:51 am

Hawaii is definitely on our list of places we REALLY want to go. I guess what makes me nervous is I’ve basically only heard things about how expensive it is! We’ll definitely have to look into how much it’d actually cost. Thanks for the recommendation! 🙂

Mary January 4, 2018 - 10:19 am

So exciting! I am not sure what photographers you have contacted but look into Diamond Eyes http://diamondeyes.com Matt Miller is my dream photographer if/when my daughter gets married. I have those super high standards too. And of course, I have to suggest Costa Rica for you vacation but there is not a heck of a lot of all inclusive there. We stayed at one for part of our trip and there were tons of animals. Monkeys, giant iguanas, sea turtles and wild horses to name a few and your favorite tidal pools! Plus if you decided you want to go adventure, there is a lot of options. it doesn’t feel like a touristy place. I would also suggest the Domincan Republic. We stayed at an all inclusive there and it was super relaxing. Not a tons of animals though and it is a touristy spot but there are tons of super affordable options and if you want to go out and see the country for a bit, take the country excursion. I think you would appreciate it. Just my 2 cents! I hope you got my engagement card! Ah I am so jealous of your wedding ideas. I just know it will be insanely great!

Mary January 4, 2018 - 10:26 am

ps. The only bad part is June is rainy season in Costa Rica, but toward the end of July is the dry part of the rainy season. That is when we went, and it is more affordable to go in the rainy season. It does not rain 100% everyday but June can be very very wet.

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 9:51 am

We’re actually planning on honeymooning in July! So maybe that’d work out!

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 9:50 am

Ahhh! Costa Rica is sounding more and more appealing! I would love to see every single one of those animals you named!

Yes! I got your card! Thank you so much! Sorry I’ve been such a lousy pen pal. I’ll write back soon, I promise! ❤️❤️❤️

Emily January 4, 2018 - 10:29 am

I feel this post so much! Got engaged around the same time you did and randomly picked August. Its coming so fast! The dress is causing so much unneeded stress, I’m about to just order a white pair of overalls.¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Every dang website basically expects you to have been planning this since age 5 and have a limitless amount of money. I’m very excited to see what you have planned, It sounds like it will be very unique and special.

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 8:24 am

Hahahah. Jeff suggested I just buy white overalls! I loved the idea but remembered how dang how it’s gonna be in June otherwise I’d totally be rocking white overalls!

Congrats on your engagement! ❤️❤️❤️

Nina Lu January 4, 2018 - 10:29 am

Modcloth has an amazing collection, chill, because the stress can make you lose weight and mess up with the dress measurements 😝. Everything is going to be fine, I planned my wedding in a month and it turned out pretty decent.

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 8:36 am

🙂

Tara January 4, 2018 - 10:33 am

if you still need ideas for a photography I love these guys:

http://www.thewayfarers.co/

they are based out of Cincinnati and shot a wedding of a friend of mine. I just love their style and they do a lot of destination weddings.

Kaylah January 4, 2018 - 6:42 pm

👍

JESSICA H January 4, 2018 - 10:41 am

My husband is a photographer and does a lot of urban exploring, we spend a lot of time together taking photos and hanging out, we decided to get married in one of those spots before it was demolished, and it was amazing. It felt like a great way to seal our relationship honoring the thing we do most together. I am sure you won’t regret it.

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 8:21 am

Aw! How sweet! 🙂

Karen January 4, 2018 - 10:43 am

I had a super small wedding and wanted a bridal dress, but couldn’t fathom the price tag. So I went to a sample sale, and got a beautiful satin ball gown for 80% off — $200. It has been tried on by people, but only the bottom was a bit dirty (and I had it hemmed!) Might be a good option. 🙂 Congratulations and good luck with the planning!

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 8:20 am

NICE! What a score!

Kimmy January 4, 2018 - 11:35 am

Check out michael liedtke photography, he is amazing. He is based in South Dakota but loves doing destination weddings and usually cuts deals if it is somewhere he wants to travel, too.

Kaylah January 4, 2018 - 6:58 pm

Daaang! Love his work!

Kate January 4, 2018 - 11:39 am

Planning a wedding is just… so stressful, no matter how committed you are to not going overboard & crazy or being “that bride” or any of it. It’s just… so much. Like you, I was having nightmares, stress dreams about forgetting major things, waking up in a tizzy totally freaking out. I didn’t even realize until it was all over just how stressful it had all been.

But like everyone else will tell you: IT IS SO WORTH IT, & when you’re all done & married, you will hardly remember how terrible (& terribly stressful) the planning was. Wishing you lots of calm as you continue the planning process. xoxo

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 8:17 am

Thank you so much, Kate! 🙂

Josi savzyn January 4, 2018 - 12:08 pm

You are passionate about Brazil and we are in the summer, there are several beautiful beaches and several places to photograph, it is an incredible place.

Kaylah January 4, 2018 - 7:31 pm

I’d love to visit Brazil! 🙂

Rebecca January 4, 2018 - 12:09 pm

So happy for you! My husband and I did a very low key wedding too about 5 1/2 years ago at a winery on a Tuesday night with just a handful of people in attendance.

I only spent about $100 on my dress. I found a seller on Etsy that made it out of reclaimed cotton. I just had to send her my measurements and it came out beautifully. Plus it was so lightweight for it being an outdoor July wedding in the midwest. So Etsy may be an avenue to explore.

Kaylah January 4, 2018 - 6:43 pm

That sounds lovely!

I guess my only concern right now with ordering something handmade is that I don’t have my mind made up on a style yet so there would be a great possibility of me not loving it.

Jessica January 4, 2018 - 12:53 pm

I love your rings it’s so pretty!
For honeymoon, we traveled to St. Croix US Virgin Islands. It was great because it is a US territory (no passport needed) and it’s on eastern time so since we’re in Ohio there was no time change to get used to! It’s not all inclusive but restaraunts aren’t super expensive.
For dress, I got my dress from BHLDN. I got the Annabelle ($260) and the Savannah topper (no longer sold – $180). They have other toppers to choose from and other reasonably priced dresses too.

Jessica January 4, 2018 - 12:58 pm

Oh I also wanted to add about St. Croix was that it’s considered the “big” island of the Virgin Islands but it’s still small enough to drive around in an afternoon. But I would say there is plenty to explore if you don’t want to just hang at the beach. They obviously make a lot on tourism but when we went it was just tourist everywhere. A favorite thing we did was touring the Cruzan Rum distillery! It was around $10 a person to tour but you get 2 or 3 sample mixed drinks and a couple of small shot samples.

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 8:17 am

👍👍👍

Kaylah January 4, 2018 - 7:30 pm

I’ve been drooling oer BHLDNs skirts and tops! Sadly, every skirt I fall in love with on there ends up being more than I want to spend total. I check in almost obsessively just to see if they have anything new.

Morgan January 4, 2018 - 2:13 pm

For the dress! I found my black lace dress on dressific.com. It was $150! I also added an orange petticoat underneath (we got married in october). I love dressific, they have beautiful formal dresses but they aren’t really a wedding dress site. So if you’re looking for something a little different, check it out!
My second pick, if I were to go traditional was also modcloth. Good luck with wedding planning. If you haven’t checked out the Rock n Roll Bride magazine I highly recommend it!

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 8:38 am

Nice, I’ve never heard of dressific. I’ll definitely check them out. Thanks, Morgan! 🙂

AmY January 4, 2018 - 2:20 pm

Congratulations! This post made me cry lol. https://www.bhldn.com has beautiful unique wedding dresses. They are on the expensive side, but soooo pretty.
Also, I had a destination wedding and did my own make up and hair, it was way less stressful than trying to find someone and saved a ton of money! But, I never do my hair, so just curling it made it look super fancy 😂

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 9:47 am

I had my makeup done by someone else for the first ever a few years ago for a magazine shoot and I LOVED it so much that I basically have to get it done for my wedding. It was just so nice to be pampered and I guess if any days calls for pampering – it’s your wedding day!

Heather Webb January 4, 2018 - 2:20 pm

First of all, your ring is gorgeous!!

Second, I relate SO MUCH to the overwhelming feeling over wedding planning! I’m getting married in April and it took me a long time to figure out the kind of wedding I wanted (which isn’t as traditional as most). I found an indie art gallery that hosts weddings, got a dress in a fun color, and am my own DJ. It’s little things but it makes it feel less like I’m giving in to the wedding industry as creating the kind of wedding I want.

I love the beach resort idea and can’t wait to see what you pick!

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 8:39 am

Aw, that sounds perfect! I love hearing about people’s unique weddings, just further cements my ideas! 🙂

Mary January 4, 2018 - 2:30 pm

Check out unique vintage for dresses. If you’re coming to CA for the wedding there are so many great hair dressers in the Burbank area. The Yodsukars are pretty fantastic traveling wedding photographers https://www.theyodsukars.com
Very excited for you! It’s been awesome watching your relationship grow!

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 8:16 am

Thanks, Mary! 🙂

Diana January 4, 2018 - 3:35 pm

Your ring is gorgeous! Congrats to the both of you!

Kaylah January 4, 2018 - 6:41 pm

Thanks, Diana! 🙂

Marine January 4, 2018 - 3:39 pm

I like that you guys aren’t having a big to-do kinda wedding… one, it’s not you, and two, it’s so not worth all the money and planning, in my opinion! Shawn and I still talk about how we wouldnt have done our ceremony any other way. One thing I regret a bit is never having a reception… I’m actually thinking I’d really like to have a small one for our five year anniversary next year. We never took a honeymoon either, so enjoy yours!!! I’d recommend Hawaii, if you go from the west coast. Kauai is AMAZING. Eat the pineapples too. Also, as far as photographers go, I can’t ever recommend ours enough – Jessica Oh, if you haven’t looked into her yet 😉

The most important thing is that you’re committing yourself to your best friend. Remember that, in the grand scheme of things, nothing else really matters. It’s you and Jeff 4 Eva <3

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 8:00 am

I LOVED your wedding photos! Seeing and hearing about weddings like yours further cements my ideas of how I’d like my wedding to look. Even the most non-traditional of wedding sites still feature such ~extra~ stuff. I just wanna say ‘I do’ in front of my friends and family. Nothing crazy!

We’d love to go to Hawaii. I guess I’ve always just been scared of how expensive it might be. I feel like thats the only thing people talk about. Buuut this is the second time someone mentioned the pineapples. LOL. Gosh, I can’t even imagine how tasty!

Marine January 5, 2018 - 1:51 pm

Awwwww, this comment gave me all the feels. I selfishly love hearing about other people’s reactions to our elopement because I know it’s so not traditional. Your wedding is going to elicit the same kind of amazing responses, I’m sure!

Kaylah January 6, 2018 - 11:14 am

❤️❤️❤️

Amber S. January 4, 2018 - 3:54 pm

I had a couple of other wedding dress ideas: shopruche.com has pretty dresses also, you could totally just have a seamstress make something – check out wedding dress patterns at the fabric store, or find vintage ones on etsy. I know whatever you wear will look gorgeous! And whenever you get stressed just remind yourself, it’s only one day, the important part is that you’re going to spend the rest of your lives together! So happy for you, can’t wait to see the pictures!

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 9:36 am

Great ideas! Thanks! 🙂

Katie January 4, 2018 - 4:13 pm

Oo oo! I hope you are getting married in that museum (I think it was?) in New Orleans. Congratulations! Can’t wait to read more about it all coming together.

Katie xx

Kaylah January 4, 2018 - 6:37 pm

Hah! No, but that’s a super fun idea! New Orleans would be my second choice. I LOVED that city!

Beth January 4, 2018 - 4:50 pm

The best way to deal with the Wedding Industrial Complex is just to ask yourself “will doing/buying this make me, my fiancé or anyone else we love happier or more comfortable?” If the answer is no then you can just turn down the printed cocktail napkins or whatever froufrou somebody else is pushing.

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 7:56 am

Oh, believe me, I’ve been REAL good about saying no to all that stuff. I’d much rather have that money to take a trip with my future husband instead of spending it on things that will ‘impress’ people.

Kamiya January 4, 2018 - 6:50 pm

Ahhh I love hearing other people’s wedding planning stories! I haven’t been in that situation yet, but I could see that planning could get very overwhelming and stressful, but there definitely is magic to it. I just recently found your blog since I’m new here (not even a week old), but I’m definitely looking forward to more updates on your wedding! 😍 I know Philippines is on the other side of the world, but the beaches are lovely and you should check them out. You may want to look into this article I found while searching for suggestions: https://www.brides.com/story/philippines-honeymoon-destination-ideas

Best Wishes! ❤️

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 9:35 am

Thanks, Kamiya! I’d LOVE to go to the Philippines!

ALEXIS Spanos January 4, 2018 - 8:44 pm

My twin sister’s wedding was beautiful- her photographer was Autumn Harrison out of Raleigh,NC. She is willing to travel as well.

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 8:13 am

Thanks, I’ll look into her. 👍

Adrienne Dominicali January 4, 2018 - 9:33 pm

I feel like y’all would gwt married in Roswell! So exciting. I recently got married to my best friend and had similar thoughts as you about it. It was all new to me because I had never given it much thought before. I measured myself at home and purchased a vintage dress on Etsy. If you haven’t looked on Etsy for a dress yet, give it a looksie!

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 8:15 am

Haha! I would definitely be down to get married in Roswell! Not where we picked though! 😉

I plan on looking more seriously on Etsy AFTER I get a better idea of what style I want. I’ve kind of just been browsing everything and that’s super overwhelming.

Chanda January 4, 2018 - 10:39 pm

So, my husband and I ended up having a small ceremony with only our immediate family and best friends… it happened at a restaurants private room, we bought dinner for everyone… and a year later we had a huge ‘reception’ with all of our other friends and family…. so low stress and awesome! Good luck with your adventure!

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 8:43 am

That sounds perfect!

Morgan January 4, 2018 - 11:33 pm

I know you literally said in this post that you’re avoiding wedding websites, and I totally respect that but would like to offer Offbeat Bride as a potential solution!

It’s a wedding website for Offbeat humans — cosplayers, LGBTQ+, non-traditional, funky coloured hair, and guerrilla show-up-and-say-vows kinda folks! They even have an amazing resource roundup called Engaged & Confused complete with spreadsheets. Anyway, it might be helpful if you and Jeff are feeling overwhelmed and decide you’d like even a bit of help 🙂

Congrats and good luck!

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 8:06 am

Thanks, Morgan! 👍

Chandler Lasch January 4, 2018 - 11:43 pm

You might like Chotronette for a dress! They’re beautiful and quirky and relatively inexpensive. 🙂

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 7:52 am

Hehe! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been sent that link – even before I was engaged. I’ve always liked that ivy garden dress! 🙂

Annie January 5, 2018 - 4:51 am

Anthropologie have a wedding line called BHLDN which carries a range of dresses, from full glam to more casual/affordable (but still beautiful!) pieces. They even have a selection of bridesmaids and party dresses! Everything has got vintage vibe to it, especially the accessories. Check it out – https://www.bhldn.com

And congrats! Can’t wait to see how it all comes together!

Kaylah January 5, 2018 - 7:47 am

Oh, I am well aware of BHLDN. I’ve been drooling over their stuff since the second I started looking for a dress! I wish they had a retail store a bit closer to me, I’d love to try some things on.

RubyChristene January 5, 2018 - 12:20 pm

Congratulations To You Sweetie I Wish You & Jeff All The Happiness In The World, Weddings Can be Stressful But Try To Relax and With The Love You Share It Will Be As Beautiful As You Are, The Ring is Beautiful & So Unique A Fire Opal Wow Lovely. Best Wishes To You Both, Cant Wait To See the Pictures 😀
xo Ruby

Kaylah January 6, 2018 - 9:21 pm

Thank you so much, Ruby! ❤️

Kaili | Weirdwonderfulwanderlust January 5, 2018 - 2:19 pm

First- congrats! Definitely look into Costa Rica (SO many animals, pretty affordable, and tropical!) or Hawaii! I’ve never been but they’re beautiful.

This post is so insanely relatable I feel I could have written it myself?? lol. We just got engaged last year and are looking to do a very similar type of wedding. Destination in PNW, super small + a party with friends and family and hopefully honeymoon in Japan. <3 I'm excited to follow your updates!

Kaylah January 6, 2018 - 9:49 pm

Congrats on your engagement, Kaili! 😀

Amanda January 5, 2018 - 3:02 pm

My friend Victoria owns Victoria Stanbridge Photography in Lakewood – I’m not sure if her portfolio is up your alley, but I can vouch for her being a rad human who likes to do non-traditional stuff! Happy planning! <3

Kaylah January 6, 2018 - 9:51 pm

Thanks for the recommendation, Amanda! 🙂

Kim P January 5, 2018 - 4:57 pm

Thanks for sharing this post! I’ve been engaged for a while now (since last Feb) and have been feeling the same way, I’m so excited to get married but the details and the options overwhelm me, so much pressure for the one day to be perfect! Agh I’m sure everything will turn out fine, its just getting there/planning is the tough part >_<

Kaylah January 6, 2018 - 9:57 pm

Good luck planning, Kim! 🙂

Briony January 5, 2018 - 5:51 pm

So excited to hear details of your wedding, Kayla! Lovely way to start the new year. I married my husband 3 years ago in a similarly minimal ceremony, wearing a vintage 50s knee length dress. I like in the UK, so not sure if this will be any use to you, but there’s a British website called Monsoon, they do interesting, pretty, reasonably priced wedding dresses you might like. Worth a browse if nothing else! Good luck with your wedding planning!!
http://uk.monsoon.co.uk/uk/wedding/bridal/dresses

Kaylah January 6, 2018 - 9:19 pm

Thanks so much for the link! 😀

E January 5, 2018 - 10:08 pm

I felt the same way before I got married–completely overwhelmed. I’m a professional who feels like she has her act together generally–but wedding stuff is it’s own thing that made me feel like I had no idea what I was doing. My mom gave me the best advice when I was feeling like “should I be doing x?” She told me, if you don’t want to do x, don’t do it. We didn’t do programs (no one noticed), or a guest book (no one noticed), or escort cards (you guessed it, no one noticed). We spent money on the aspects we cared about–not what other people thought we SHOULD do. And it was the most perfect day ever. Your wedding will be too. Congrats and enjoy the happy! You’re going to love being married.

Kaylah January 6, 2018 - 9:58 pm

❤️❤️❤️

Claire January 6, 2018 - 10:00 am

Congrats!!!

For the honeymoon destination and because you love animals: Costa Rica! It hosts five per cent of the world’s biodiversity, there are many eco-friendly hostels and tour operators attempt to be as low-impact as possible! Oh and there are beautiful beaches, amazing surfing spots, spectacular rainforests and volcanoes (if you like hiking) and the best reason to go to Costa Rica: they have sloths! <3

Claire, Switzerland

Kaylah January 6, 2018 - 12:01 pm

Guh! Costa Rica is sounding more and more amazing!!!

Lb January 6, 2018 - 10:34 am

Would you consider designing something yourself and then having it made for you? I keep thinking about the crazy/perfect wedding dress from Parks and Recreation. Yeah fiction, I know, but still . . .

Kaylah January 6, 2018 - 11:51 am

If money wasn’t a factor, of course!

Kimberly January 6, 2018 - 11:12 am

I just got married in October and I had a 2 year engagement and was still stressed about it all and you will be a little up until you see your fiance.. Just remember who it’s about, you two!
For the dress, I would definitely recommend going to a boutique just for you to see what you will like. I went in with one idea and walked out with something completely differently that I feel in love with. A less expensive alternative would be to try bridesmaids dresses in white or blush or whatever you’re feeling! My friend went to BHLDN and walked out with a bridesmaids dress with a lace illusion top that was a separate.

Check out WeddingBee https://www.weddingbee.com/. Literally saved me…it was amazing to hear from other brides planning and calmed my nerves. Also check out Offbeat Bride for non-traditional weddings! http://offbeatbride.com/

Good luck, breath deep, don’t stress to much and DELEGATE! We didn’t have a bridal party so it was all up to my husband and I, but we still had some family and friends who we ended up relying on for some of our bigger issues, especially day-of.

Congrats and enjoy this process as much as you can!

Kaylah January 6, 2018 - 9:18 pm

Thanks, Kimberly. 🙂

JoanaP January 6, 2018 - 12:55 pm

Hi there,
Since you love nature and animals, Costa Rica seems the perfect destination for you.
Plenty to see, between mountains, volcanos, thermal spots, beaches, tropical forest, parks…
Check it out!!!!

Kaylah January 6, 2018 - 9:17 pm

I will definitely be looking into Costa Rica!

Stephanie January 6, 2018 - 1:10 pm

I took a little break from the blogging world, so I am a little late here, but congratulations on your engagement!

Kaylah January 6, 2018 - 9:15 pm

Thanks so much, Stephanie! 🙂

Jennifer January 6, 2018 - 7:36 pm

I love this blog so much so I will give the same recommendations that I give all my friends- apracticalwedding.com and offbeatbride.com I feel like Offbeat Bride is right up your alley. Though A Practical Wedding has some cool weddings and you know, practical stuff.

I was pretty much the same about the whole wedding thing. I wasn’t a person who dreamed about their wedding day, we kind-of knew we would have a wedding at our CSA. And DUUUUUDE was it an expensive choice because of the catering. But we got endless compliments about the chill environment of the wedding and the awesome food. But the industry totally rubbed me the wrong way. Have you read One Perfect Day? It is a great book talking about the various industries for weddings. If you email me I will happily mail you out my old copy.

As for dresses, have you considered vintage? I think it might mesh with your style to check out some vintage dresses. Etsy is great for checking out stuff, though you need to know your measurements and you would have to feel comfortable looking for tailors. Also it doesn’t hurt to try on dresses. We don’t get to try on fancy dresses, so it is always good to try them on. I THINK David’s Bridal has it so you don’t need to make an appointment. That way you can at least know if you can rule out a style. I hear so many people saying they wanted a poofy dress, and found that they hated them. I think shopruche.com USE to have a bridal section, not sure if they still do.

Kaylah January 6, 2018 - 9:15 pm

I’ve absolutely considered vintage just not 100% sure what I’m looking for yet so looking is just kind of overwhelming! Definitely need to go try things on first.

Nicole January 7, 2018 - 9:27 am

Why does it have to be so soon??! Fast movers!
I saw a dress on Say Yes To The Dress that was a two piece. A crop top with a full skirt and when youre looking for one that’s exactly what I think off. A beautiful gown with a jackalope peeking out!! How cool!
If this happens to be taking place in Colorado give me a holler if I can help!!

Kaylah January 12, 2018 - 9:33 am

LOL. Because why not?

🙂

Sarah January 7, 2018 - 3:08 pm

Wedding planning is definitely totally overwhelming! I aimed for a low key wedding when I got married, it was mainly a huge feast of all of favorite foods with friends and family which was pretty awesome.

I definitely recommend trying on all types of dresses to narrow down what you want. I thought I had picked out the dress I wanted online, it was perfect! But when I tried it on I hated it. The one I ended up getting was definitely different than I thought I would get, but I loved it.

I can’t wait to see what you guys end up doing! Try to enjoy every bit of it as much as you can! It will all go by so fast 🙂

Kaylah January 12, 2018 - 9:34 am

Yeah, I have a feeling that’s what will happen with me – I’ll choose something totally different than what I’m picturing.

Laura January 7, 2018 - 3:53 pm

ahh, june is so soon! good luck with the planning – i’m sure you’ll figure everything out and have the most wonderful and most ‘you’ wedding. and that ring and the pictures of it are gorgeous! xx

Kaylah January 7, 2018 - 4:15 pm

thanks so much, Laura! 🙂

MarLena mayfield January 9, 2018 - 2:35 pm

I’m getting married in March, and I still haven’t found a dress yet. It’s going to be more of a forest elopement, so there’s at least a little less pressure when it comes to planning. I’ve been taken aback just by the price of wedding dresses: I was hoping to spend under $400 for a simple bell-sleeve, floor length gown, but apparently that isn’t reasonable?! A friend told me about reception dresses that bridal boutiques carry. They’re a little bit more casual, and a fraction of the price. You should check them out!

Kaylah January 14, 2018 - 9:21 pm

Ah! Good idea!

Cristina January 15, 2018 - 7:25 am

I know a million people have said this, but I am suggesting Costa Rica as well. Ziplining over the cloud forests in Monte Verde. Yep, a cloud forest, it is a rain forest so high on the mountains that you’re in clouds. Volcanoes, crocodiles, iguanas, and monkeys everywhere, I would suggest flying into Liberia airport and exploring the Guanacaste peninsula and then going south to Manuel Antonio National Park for sloths and such. Also head out to the beach, surf, I can happily suggest Choco’s Surf School at Playa Samara, I actually surfed because of them! You could even stay at a resort and relax if that is your thing. Other notable things to do: coffee plantation tours, kayaking, La Fortuna waterfall, a wildlife sanctuary, and hot springs.

Kaylah January 17, 2018 - 7:31 am

Gah! Costa Rica is sounding more and more amazing! We definitely need to get there sometime.

Emiliy January 17, 2018 - 10:40 pm

Totally recommend the Mayan Riviera in Mexico for a great tropical vacation spot – Akumal in particular! It has a much more laid-back vibe than some of the resorts or the super touristy areas like Cancun – but it is still geared somewhat toward tourists which makes things convenient. You can rent bikes and ride around, and I saw a wild anteater there!

Kaylah January 18, 2018 - 8:22 am

Oh my goodness, I’d be SO excited if I saw an anteater in the wild!!! Thanks for the recommendation. 🙂

samgarden January 30, 2018 - 7:14 am

SUPER LATE HERE, BUT
I bought my wedding ‘dress’ (top and skirt) from Fanfaronada, via etsy. My skirt had pockets, which was basically my number one priority. Super comfy and super cute- I got the grey, and it was a wonderful soft colour.

Maybe the Bahamas would be a good honeymoon spot- there are swimming pigs! Otherwise I recommend Australia- we have seriously kickass beaches, and awesome wildlife. There’s a tiny island just near my city that has the cutest animals ever (Quokkas).

I hear ya on the stress, I felt the same. We were married an hour and a half from home, at a place without phone reception. I wasn’t even looking forward to it because I was so worn out from stress. But it turned out to be one of the most fun days of my life, and I wish it had gone longer! Plus heaps of animals turned up- kangaroos, beautiful parrots, lizards, and a baby bat. I wish you guys the same wedding day fun-ness, and as happy a marriage as my husband and I have (being married is seriously the best)! x

Kaylah January 30, 2018 - 7:41 pm

Awesome, thanks for the recommendation! I would LOOOOVE something with pockets!

I’ve been obsessing with that swimming pig spot ever since I learned about it! Also, Australia is definitely somewhere we’re like to go at some point, even if it’s not for our honeymoon. It’s pretty high on both of our lists.

Laura February 1, 2018 - 5:25 pm

I really enjoy reading about your wedding. I know you don’t want to give anything away since it’s a surprise or w/e but I hope you continue to blog about the wedding frequently!

Kaylah February 1, 2018 - 8:21 pm

I’ll definitely sharing more soon, and LOTS more after everything is said and done.
🙂

wedding talk pt. 2 - THE DAINTY SQUID March 5, 2018 - 8:15 am

[…] been about two months since my last post talking about wedding plans. I’m not sure I have too much to report back on but I also feel like if I don’t share a […]

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