Real couples share tips, tricks and what they wish they’d known before their own weddings.
Danielle and Chris Rosser
Wed May 1, 2016, at The Lakes Golf and Country Club.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
Danielle: In order to save money for our wedding, we got married on a Sunday afternoon … in hindsight we think it would have been better to get married on a Saturday evening. Many guests were from out of town and left our reception early in order to be home for work Monday morning.
Did you experience any wedding-day snafus, and how did you handle them?
Chris: Our groomsmen had their suits tailored to fit for our wedding. … At 2 a.m. the day of the wedding, one of the groomsmen decided to try his on for the first time, only to discover that the pants were sized to fit a 10-year-old child. … He ended up spending his morning at Kohl’s buying five different pairs of pants to find ones that matched his jacket best. No one could tell his pants were different, and the wedding was saved.
Any tux shopping advice?
C: Buy your suits. Ours were the same amount as renting would have been, and they got to keep them. Also, TRY ON THE SUITS!
What about the dress?
D: Keep in mind when dress shopping that you need to consider alterations in your budget for your dress. My alterations were considerably more than I expected them to be (and my alterations were necessary).
Halle and Chris Kost
Wed on Aug. 5, 2016, at Strongwater Food & Spirits.
What are you happy you spent money on?
Halle: Video of wedding … we’ve heard so many say they wished they had video of their wedding, so we made sure we did.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
Chris: Fans. An August outside wedding must have fans, no matter how “cool” the forecast says it should be.
What do you wish you’d known before you started planning?
H: To assign someone to write out checks at the end of the night for vendors if they haven’t been paid and to make the decision on tips.
Do you have any general advice for couples?
H: Make time to chill and have a beer with your fiancé right before the ceremony, just you two at the bar. That’s what we did, and it was a moment all ours. The best!
Ashley and Kevin Stephan
Wed on May 29, 2016, at the Columbus Museum of Art.
Any dress shopping advice?
Ashley: I recommend taking only a few close people with you and making it a more intimate experience. While you want some feedback, having too many people involved can become overwhelming and can take away from exactly what you want.
What about tuxes?
Kevin: Tuxes are easy. The only advice would be to confirm that your groomsmen pick up and drop off on time.
Did you experience any wedding-day snafus, and how did you handle them?
A: The bustle on the wedding dress would not stay together, which resulted in Kevin having to adjust his dance moves and step around it during our first dance. To all future brides, I recommend having a few bridesmaids practice bustling your dress and be available for any adjustments.
Do you have any general advice for couples currently planning their weddings?
A: Pick and choose the areas of planning your wedding that you really enjoy. Focus on those, and don’t be afraid to ask for help on the additional items that you don’t enjoy as much. Don’t stress. It’s easier said than done, but all the planning and the wedding itself goes by so fast. Enjoy every moment.
