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Tag: Wedding planning

  • 7 Business Lessons I Learned While Planning My Daughter’s Wedding | Entrepreneur

    7 Business Lessons I Learned While Planning My Daughter’s Wedding | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    My 26-year-old daughter recently got married. I’ve been to dozens of weddings and have enjoyed them, but this was the first time I was involved in putting a wedding together. In the months of planning for this week with my wife, I learned seven valuable lessons that can relate to business.

    We thought about having a traditional wedding, so we searched for a wedding venue to hold the reception. However, we ran into a problem. Our guest list included about 500 of our closest friends — most of them were my daughter’s network of fans, friends, students and others.

    Paying $50-$150 per plate for a reception venue was out of our budget for that many people. We had a choice: We could whittle down the list or put the wedding together ourselves. We did both.

    We got the guest list down to 300 people, and to still save as much money as we could, we did the wedding ourselves. My wife was the wedding coordinator, and I was her assistant.

    What does a DIY wedding look like? Well, we bought custom stickers and placed 400 stickers of the bride and groom on 400 water bottles. We borrowed vases from friends and had many of our own from previous events. One of our friends is a design hobbyist, so she made dozens of table settings and bouquets from real flowers and fake flowers. I could go on.

    However, what was MOST important about planning this wedding were the lessons I learned in doing it:

    Related: 8 Important Lessons From Leading Entrepreneurs

    1. Communication is essential

    We had several WhatsApp groups to facilitate communication. We had regular meetings for status updates and planning various elements of the wedding. My wife and I were in constant communication. We went to the venue, our church, many times to prepare and plan.

    Poor communication is one of the biggest barriers to success. Miscommunication and misunderstanding will sink your business.

    Maybe my wife asked me to “put vases on the table,” but I didn’t ask which vases. This can result in the wrong vases being on the wrong tables.

    Your business is the same. Communicate clearly — in fact, when the task is highly important, you should over-communicate.

    2. Be clear on the goals you’re trying to accomplish

    As we went through the weeks leading up to the wedding, we kept in mind the key goals we needed to accomplish. We knew the bride and groom had to get married — that was most important. Other goals we had were good food and a fun environment, among other things.

    Your business is the same.

    Be clear on what goals you want to accomplish in your business, including the various projects and tasks that are a part of your business. If you’re not clear on your goals, it’s going to be very hard to know what success looks like and how to even be successful.

    3. Get help

    While my wife shouldered the bulk of responsibilities for the planning of the wedding with my support, we could not have done the wedding by ourselves. We had friends and family helping us at various stages of the wedding.

    One couple helped us for weeks leading up to the wedding. Other friends also offered assistance on the day of and in the weeks before the wedding.

    Running your business is the same. It’s very difficult to serve your customers and grow your business if it’s just you. Seek help by building a team, and seek help from friends, mentors and even your family. You’ll need help in different ways from different people.

    Help could take the form of paying a lawyer to help you draft a legal agreement the right way. Help could take the form of a good business friend giving you advice on a new hire.

    Don’t be afraid to get help in starting and growing your business.

    4. Who you partner with is important to your success (or failure)

    My wife and I were partners in ensuring a successful wedding. We trust each other and do our best to work together. It’s the same in business.

    In order for a partnership to be successful, you must understand what’s important to your partner. Understand how they communicate and their styles of working.

    A partner can be a POWERFUL asset to your business as they can help offload the thinking and actual work that needs to be done in order to grow a business. However, the wrong partner can be detrimental to your business.

    Related: 25 Lessons Business School Won’t Ever Teach You

    5. Prioritization is essential — Don’t major on the minors, and don’t minor on the majors

    Prioritization is important, especially as the complexity of your projects increases. There’s only so much you can get done in a given day. Time is finite. Hence, being able to prioritize is essential. In preparing for the wedding, we had to constantly prioritize. For example, today, we’re going to set up tables. Tomorrow, we’ll set up vases. As we got closer to the wedding, we had to “let go” of some things and scale back on other things.

    You’ll need to do this in your business as well.

    What needs to be done TODAY? What can wait until later? What MUST be done this quarter, and what can be held off to another day?

    As you work with others, also understand that YOUR priority might not be their priority. Hence, having shared goals and an understanding of what’s important to you, your partner and/or your team is important.

    6. Who are the stakeholders?

    For the wedding, we knew there were several important people or groups of people we had to consider. The bride and groom were the most important. The groom’s parents were also important, so we had to consider their needs and concerns. We also had to think about our church ministry and their concerns and needs for the wedding.

    Your business is the same. You’re NEVER solo in your business. There’s you, your employees (or team members), your customers, possibly government agencies, vendors and others.

    Consider the stakeholders who are important to the success of your business, and think about their needs and concerns.

    Related: 5 Lessons From The Most Successful Entrepreneurs

    7. Get advice from others

    Critical to the wedding’s success was our wedding coordination team. This team was made up of my sister, my daughter’s best friend, my wife, my daughter, my daughter’s fiance and me!

    We had regular meetings with this team to get their input and their help with much of the planning for the wedding — cake, clothes, housing and so much more.

    You also need advisors in your business. You can get advice from peers who are fellow business owners. You can get advice from books and podcasts. You can join a mentorship community. You can also hire a consultant to guide you with certain aspects of your business.

    My daughter’s wedding was a success, and now you know why. A wedding is a one-day event. However, your business can take years to grow and be successful. You can’t build a successful business alone — it takes guidance, purposeful planning and a bit of luck.

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    Ramon Ray

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  • Marijuana Gummies Can Make Weddings Easier

    Marijuana Gummies Can Make Weddings Easier

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    The term Bridezilla started in the mid 90s and, by now, many people have seen the unfortunate cross between a bride and Godzilla in person. TicTok, Redditt and other social media are full of horror stories. And the newer phrase in the Mozilla who wants to recreate the event in her image. And this isn’t to mention other drama which can wrap around the event. According to a bride’s study, 71% believe planning a wedding is more stressful than finding a new job.  Maybe marijuana gummies can make weddings easier?

    RELATED: What You Should Know About CBD Topicals

    Most brides and some grooms have a a concept of their ideal day, and the want the whole event to be perfect. Unfortunately, rarely is anything perfect and you have to roll with mishaps and be in the moment. It also involves, for most people who don’t handle complex events or tasks, a large amount of decisions, energy, and money. It can be overwhelming and not everyone can rise above with a gracious outlook. Low dosages of marijuana can help reduce the “heat” of the process.

    A key reason marijuana gummies can help is it can reduce the anxiety. With gummies you can have a low dosage and slow roll so you can be productive, focused and calm while dealing with details, decisions, the wedding party and potential in-laws. THC bring a soothing calm by reducing the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. The nervous system induces a “fight-or-flight” response during stressful situations.  Somewhere around 2.5-5 mg during the process can make months or weeks of planning bearable, even if others are not.

    Additionally, it is far better for your body (and maintaining a wedding photo body, than alcohol).  If unfamiliar with cannabis, it is much less addictive than alcohol, And alcohol use can result in significant and potentially fatal physical withdrawal, whereas marijuana has not been found to produce any symptoms of physical withdrawal.

    RELATED: What You Should Know About CBD Massages

    There are thousands of stories about weddings which went wrong due to over stressed wedding party members.  A little gummy can keep make the planning stage easier and the day of the event much more calm and way more fun.

     

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    Sarah Johns

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  • Inside This Jewelry Designer's Stunning Destination Wedding In Bermuda

    Inside This Jewelry Designer's Stunning Destination Wedding In Bermuda

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    Welcome to Who What Wear Weddings, the destination for style-minded weddings. Expect insightful tips straight from the newlyweds, shoppable elements, and plenty of must-save imagery as we share the nuptials of our favorite fashion people getting married. For upcoming features, share your submissions here.

    Octavia Zamagias and Mathew Joanou met the old-fashioned way—at a bar on the dancefloor. During a night out in Venice, California, the two locked eyes, exchanged numbers, and have been together ever since. “From [that point on], it always felt like he was my person and I was his,” shares Zamagias. Joanou is the CEO and Co-Founder of Stakeholder Labs and Zamagias is the jewelry designer and founder of Octavia Elizabeth which makes the story of their proposal quite untraditional. Jonaou proposed in Malibu, California with a ring designed by Zamagias herself, “but I stayed true to something I tell all couples or grooms,” she explains—”the moment you get engaged should be a surprise, the ring should not!”

    After contemplating whether or not to plan their wedding in California where they both live, the two ultimately landed on Bermuda, a place that has sentimental value to the couple. “My family has been going to the island for over four decades and we’ve spent our summers there since I was a little girl. Over the last seven years, Matt has also fallen in love with the island and it became clear that it would be the perfect place for us to have our wedding as summer is particularly beautiful,” shares Zamagias. And so the planning commenced.

    The wedding weekend was filled with an array of events including a boat day, a welcome party, and of course, the wedding itself. “I am that person that never wants a party to end. I stay to the end. So a destination wedding was really special in that it encouraged us to have multiple events and evenings to celebrate and be with our friends,” explains Zamagias. “It was all about us, but at the same time, it wasn’t. I mean that in a beautiful way. It relaxed us to know we had multiple days and evenings to spend time with each one of our guests and friends.” Scroll through to read more about the wedding weekend with words from the bride herself and to explore the details of this stunning Bermuda celebration.

    “We kicked off the wedding celebrations with our bridesmaids and groomsmen on board a 77-foot catamaran.” 

    “The boat sailed around the beautiful island of Bermuda and stopped for lunch, cliff jumping, and snorkeling.” 

    “Lunch was catered by our favorite casual spot on Bermuda, Devil’s Isle. I surprised Matt with his favorite chocolate chip cookies for dessert.” 

    “Before we planned any of the evenings and actually before we even had booked our planner, I knew I wanted to start the wedding weekend off with a sail around the island. The Zara was such a beautiful part of the whole weekend and I booked it as soon as I could!”  

    “By the afternoon, the rest of the guests arrived on the island and began to take over the Coral Beach Club, a private members-only club and hotel dating back to 1948. Once we decided on Bermuda, we immediately confirmed the Coral Beach Club for our wedding festivities. My family has been going there for years and we felt there was no better representation of the island than the CBC with its quant Bermudian traditions coupled with its relaxed island feel. 

    The entire club was occupied with our family and friends throughout the wedding weekend. Guests were welcomed to the club with afternoon tea, a long-standing and daily tradition on the island of tea, crumpets, and sandwiches.”    

    “Thursday’s dinner was a classic Bermudian seafood feast on the Coral Beach Club’s Longtail Terrace. Guests were encouraged to wear Bermuda formal attire and the men donned their traditional Bermuda shorts and long socks, which were given to guests in their welcome baskets.”  

    “It was surreal to see the lobby and beach chairs filled with our friends and family. We felt so loved. Walking down the beach on the first day was hilarious. It truly took me an hour to cover what is usually a five-minute walk because I got to stop and hug and see everyone.” 

    “After an open day spent by the beach or in Bermuda’s charming town of Hamilton, guests gathered on the CBC’s South Shore beach where Matthew’s family hosted a traditional Bermudian pig roast and fresh catch dinner on the beach. The evening included live music with guests dressed in ‘beachy chic’ attire. Bare feet were mandatory!”   

    “Walking down the stairs of the CBC to the beach was such a memorable moment. The combination of the band playing, our closest friends and family waiting for us, and the noise from the crashing waves made this moment one of our favorites of the weekend.”  

    “I wore a one-of-a-kind bracelet, The Front Street Bracelet, which was inspired by Hamilton’s Front Street which features iconic pastel-colored buildings. Casa Mestansa used the bracelet in the design to clip up the train of the dress.  It fastened into my train.” 

    “We wanted Friday evening to feel relaxed and unrushed. Growing up, we would go to dinner once a week in Bermuda at an old inn called Horizons and Cottages. They would have live music, a pig roast, and dancing. It was very casual and felt very Bermudian. Horizons and Cottages has long since closed, but I had told Matt about how memorable those evenings were. I wanted to recreate this for our guests. We had live music playing throughout the night with one long table that seated our 150 guests on the beach. My other favorite design detail from this evening was the copper tiki torches that lined the beach.”   

    The bride and dress designer, Carlota Salvadores Calero of Casa Mestansa. 

    “I worked with Indigo by Boutin owner, Antonia, on the custom 250-foot tablecloth. She is a fabulous textile designer. My planner in Bermuda recommended her and then by chance after I reached out I found out she was based in Venice, CA! Antonia got to come to my office in Brentwood and I just felt the proximity was kismet. I think we will have the tablecloth made into curtains for our baby’s room one day because I don’t know when I will ever use that length again!”   

    WWW Weddings tip: “If you do a destination wedding, I highly recommend doing a pre-wedding trip there to iron out the details. I loved meeting all of the vendors on the island and met such talented people.”  

    “I got ready with my mother, sisters, and the designer of my wedding dress and dear friend, Carlota. Matt got ready on his own. He felt like that was the best way for him to stay calm and present.”  

    “I opted to keep my beauty look really simple, clean, and natural. The dress was so classic and romantic, I wanted there to be minimal fuss with my hair. I created moodboards for each day and I reviewed them with Helen Hening before we got to the island. I’ve worked with Helen for years and she is also a friend so I didn’t feel the need to do multiple tests or trials, but we did do one before we left for Bermuda. Helen brought along Ardree Merriweather (hairstylist) and Keri Kemper (assistant makeup) to help me, my sisters, mother, and mother-in-law all get ready.”

    WWW Weddings tip: “For hair and makeup, if you have a great team, let them know ahead of time how important efficiency is to you. Ardree, Helen, and Keri were amazing because they truly got that I wanted to be on the beach and swimming with friends until the very last moment. Come with a mood board and clear reference photos. If you provide that and have the right creatives working with you, they will be able to execute it efficiently. Don’t overcomplicate it.”  

    “I am an extrovert so I loved having my sisters and family all around me for the entire wedding day. One of my favorite moments amongst the business of getting ready was when my younger sister, Gabrielle, gave me a handwritten letter from Matthew. It was so thoughtful of him and allowed me to take a moment of calm before the ceremony.”  

    “Six years ago, I made the engagement ring for the designer behind Casa Mestansa, Carlota Salvadores Calero. It was in the early years of Octavia Elizabeth, and the couple, Christopher Nolte and Carlota entrusted me to make their significant piece. Fast forward several years, Carlota and I worked together to create my dream wedding dress. 

    I wanted something one-of-a-kind and bespoke, something old-world and feminine yet functional. I knew I wanted to dance. After a few conversations with Casa Mestansa, Carlota came up with three amazing concepts (of which I chose one). It was not easy, all of them were genuinely iconic. Like my jewelry, the materials, fabrication, and finishes were so important. I love texture and originally I was envisioning a linen texture, but with wrinkles that just was not going to work. We ended up sourcing a few different dupioni silks which have a lovely texture and choosing one of them. To bring texture into the gown, Carlota had the dressmaker hand tear the silk for a raw edge. All of the buttons on the dress (over 100 of them) were fully functioning—to me, details like that are so important.” 

    “Matt was less specific about his outfit. After trying on a few different suits on his own, we decided to spend a day in Beverly Hills trying on different options. After lunch at South Beverly Grill, we made a few stops nearby and ended up at Ralph Lauren. The team there was great and super accommodating. While we weren’t planning on doing green or a tux, we saw a beautiful green tuxedo and I knew it would perfectly compliment the Unfinished Cathedral.” 

    WWW Weddings tip: “Have your partner try on their suit or tuxedo before they take it home with them after their final fitting. Matt and I shopped and went to his fittings together—it became a fun ritual. It was on a final fitting day that we had planned to just swing by and pick up his tux—it was 4 days before we left for Bermuda. We ran into the shop and I insisted he try it on one final time. I am so happy he did because the alterations had not been made and the pins were still in the tuxedo. Ralph Lauren ended up doing the tailoring while we went to lunch and all was well, but I truly cannot imagine what we would have done if we had not noticed this until we got to Bermuda.” 

    “We personalized the veil with a small heart with our initials. It was so small that unless you really looked, you wouldn’t see it. I hope my daughters will wear it one day and add in their own initials.”  

    “The dress transformed from highly formal (worn down the aisle and shown here) to a mid-length (worn while dancing with my dad).” 

    “The house I got ready in is historic. The property served as the official Bermuda residence of the United States Consul General for 30 years.” 

    “With most wedding festivities at the Coral Beach Club and all of our guests staying there, we knew we’d want our ceremony to be slightly removed and we fell in love with the Unfinished Church the moment we visited the open-air space. We visited the ruins in the UNESCO World Heritage town of St. George on the island. Funny enough, it was not really on our radar. I was in Bermuda a year before with just my parents and my dad and I went to check it out. He started tearing up and I knew it was it.” 

    “The church itself is iconic and the ruins are stunning on their own. I didn’t want to work against that with something hyper-modern or sleek so instead, with the help of Helen Sawden, we worked to create a lush and overgrown landscape. Something that felt natural. Give me a beautiful space to work with, with amazing bones and historical significance and I’m a happy bride.

    From day one, I was deadset on not bringing stuff onto the island. I wanted to use what was there. That goes for everything from tableware to florals. I had to get a little more flexible as time went on, but I am so proud that 80% of the plants and flowers from the church were ‘living’ meaning the florals and trees were re-plantable and thus re-usable. I wanted to limit waste and use on-island plants and florals whenever possible. Helen Sawden was amazing and coached me on what was possible and what wasn’t.”  

    “We didn’t have a bridal party or groomsmen so the walk down the aisle was brief.” 

    “I walked down the aisle to ‘Unchained Melody’ played by Stephen Crawford, a local Bermudian musician.  I will never forget when I saw Matty. We locked eyes and throughout the entire ceremony it truly felt like it was just us.”  

    “Upon arrival at the church, guests were welcomed and offered water and icey, cool towels. Straw fans were laid on each seat  to combat the August sun.” 

    “Matt keeps a book of poetry, The Prophet by Kahill Gabran, on his bedside table, and for years every once in a while we read from it together. We knew we wanted traditional vows with readings from that same poetry book. Matty and I had a family friend as our celebrant, followed by two readings of our favorite poems by our childhood friends, Meredith and Taylor—’Love without Possession’ by Charlie Child and ‘On Marriage’ by Kahill Gabran.”  

    “I felt like my dress told a story. The foundation of the dress was a luxurious Dupioni silk that had a beautiful texture to it. Casa Mestansa shirred the edges of the dress which I thought mirrored our invitation which were torn edge and I felt that played so well with the Unfinished Church.”

    WWW Weddings tip: “Make a conscious effort to be present. Prior to our wedding weekend, Matt and I had a thoughtful discussion about this. Both he and I knew that throughout the weekend, we were going to be pulling each other aside and saying out loud how special the feeling or moment was. You can actually see this in a lot of our photos, where it is just the two of us. Some of the key moments I will never forget are from when we both just whispered to each other to take this in or feel the moment.” 

    “We tried to keep the ceremony short, but meaningful. I’d say it was about 25 minutes in total and guests were then whisked back to the club for the cocktail reception!”

    WWW Weddings tip: “Matt and I both have our own companies so hiring a great planner was a must, but you still have to do a lot of the work and have a clear vision. For Matt and I working on our wedding after a long day of work was not realistic, we started to block off whole Saturdays once a month and it worked so well for us.”  

    “Our cocktail reception was hosted on a beautiful lawn overlooking the entire club and ocean.”  

    “My actual wedding dress transformed throughout the night. So much so that guests thought I was changing each time! In reality, I was simply shedding a layer to reveal a new silhouette.”  

    “Our wedding to me was all about beautiful ‘moments.’ Bringing two people and two worlds together. Matt and I have many friends that have never met from various chapters of our lives. He has always worked in the tech industry and many of his friends come from when he lived in San Francisco, most of my friends are in the creative world, and I met a lot of them through my college community of friends in L.A. It was so fun for us to see everyone meeting and bonding throughout the different events. Not so surprisingly as they’re all wonderful humans, many new friendships were formed. It’s been beautiful to see how even after the wedding the two groups have become one.” 

    “The dinner was hosted on the iconic Longtail Terrace. Once our guests were seated for dinner, Matt and I were announced and we danced through swinging doors onto the veranda and down the stairs to the reception. We wound through all of the tables and ended up on the dance floor.”  

    “For dinner, it was the Club’s signature tuna tartar to start followed by Bermuda’s fresh catch and fillet. I didn’t want anything too heavy that would impair our guest’s ability to dance all night. Dancing and music were a priority to me.” 

    “Matt and I worked with an amazing dance teacher before our wedding day. We didn’t want to have a choreographed first dance, but we wanted to give our guests some sort of show! The dance lessons we took were some of our favorite moments leading up to the wedding. It was scheduled time for Matt and I to be together.” 

    “For the after-party, I did a proper outfit change and a last-minute impulse buy, to be honest. I switched into a Zimmerman dress. I was shopping for my honeymoon when I saw this dress that felt very inspired by the coral reef and the intricacies of marine life. I paired it with sky-high Valentino sandals which I swear were more comfortable than my Dior kitten heels I wore down the aisle. My hair was taken down and let loose. Helen and Ardree know me well so I had them stick to a 15-minute turnaround time because I didn’t want to miss anything more. And of course, the jewelry changed too! 

    The after-party to me was a top priority. When Matt and I decided on Bermuda we met with five of the top planners on the island. We ended up going with Nikki Beg because she just got it and was able to verbalize what I was envisioning for the afterparty in particular. The Club has these iconic winding stairs that lead to the beach. I wanted the band to play their final song and then for there to be party music playing in the distance. I wanted guests to kind of meander to the DJ and get so excited for more dancing. That’s what happened and guests were greeted by espresso martinis and sliders of all sorts once they made it down the stairs.” 

    “We danced and partied until about 1 AM and then without any announcement everyone just kind of was like it’s time to get in the ocean! We all ended up skinny dipping and swimming. I can’t stress how amazing the Club was. As about 70 of us emerged from the ocean, the Club had warmed towels for each of us. We were all laughing and just so grateful for that.”  

    WWW Weddings tip: “Give your photographers and videographers a dossier of the ‘most beloved’ guests. Not in a cringey ‘whose-who’ way, but in the way that you would really hate it if you didn’t see these people in your albums after the wedding. Since Matt and I didn’t have bridal/groom parties, the dossier saved our photography. It meant for us that we got so many photos of our best friends and family and fewer of our parent’s guests etc.”  

    “Even before we designed the dress, I had the design for my earrings. I knew I wanted seafoam emeralds and South Sea pearls. The King Palm Emerald and Pearl Earrings were hand-carved in wax before being cast in 18K Yellow Gold. Each stone is unique. We continued the design into the wedding dress using 10 of the emeralds as buttons on the back of it.” 

    “The back of my dress had emerald buttons we made especially for this detail. All of the buttons on the entire dress were fully functioning meaning they all had to be closed by hand. Today, most dresses are zip-up or superficial buttons. To me, the beauty in the dress is in the details.” 

    “So here is how a jewelry designer gets engaged! I was having a coffee with one of my favorite diamond suppliers, Gil Katz. He always has some amazing unique diamonds. We were looking at stones for my clients and as he often does, he asked me if I wanted to see a really special stone. As I always answer yes to these questions, he pulled out a stunning 5-carat fancy yellow diamond. It was nothing that I thought I wanted. It was an elongated cushion cut. I always wanted an emerald cut. It was a fancy yellow. I always wanted a white diamond. But right when I saw that diamond I knew it was the one. I had never done this before, but I called Matty and asked him if he could jet down to my office to see a stone. He didn’t even question who it was for. He came right away and he adored it, but whispered, ‘You know it’s yellow right?’ It was such a happy day.

    I designed the ring and used my mother’s white diamond side stones to create what is now a classic we call ‘The Octavia.’ It’s an untraditional three-stone engagement ring that could not be more perfect for me. I entrusted Matt and Hayley (VP of Marketing and Sales of Octavia Elizabeth, as well as a friend) to make the ring. It took over 6 months, but it was well worth the wait.” 

    “My latest collection for Octavia Elizabeth was called ‘Coral Beach.’ It was inspired by the island that I love so much with many of the pieces influenced by native plants, places, and beaches on the island. All of my family and my non-traditional bridal party all wore pieces from the collection. Hayley who is VP of Marketing and Sales at Octavia Elizabeth was both a guest and stylist that weekend—helping my crew of women find the perfect jewels for their outfits.” 

    The bride’s friends donning Octavia Elizabeth jewelry. 

    Makeup: Helen Hening

    Makeup Assistant: Keri Kemper

    Hair: Ardree Merriweather

    Florist: Helen Sawden 

    Venue: The Coral Beach Club 

    Catering for Friday & Saturday: The Coral Beach Club, Chef Michael Scott

    Rehearsal Dinner Linens: Indigo Boutin

    Planner: Nikki Beg

    Rentals: Big Fish Events

    Lead Photographer: Alexander Masters

    Photographer: Amanda Temple

    Jewellery Photographer: Nhuri Bashir

    Videographer: Burnt House Productions, Andrew Kirkpatrick, and Nhuri Bashir

    Stationary: Twin Rocker

    Letterpress: Aardvark Letterpress 

    Calligrapher: Juliana Leslie

    Dance Instructor: Willem De Vries

    If you’re interested in having your wedding featured on our site, please fill out our Who What Wear Weddings submission form here.

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    Lauren Eggertsen

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  • A Backyard Wedding Complete With ShuShu/Tong, Antique Plates, and DIY Details

    A Backyard Wedding Complete With ShuShu/Tong, Antique Plates, and DIY Details

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    Welcome to Who What Wear Weddings, the destination for style-minded weddings. Expect insightful tips straight from the newlyweds, shoppable elements, and plenty of must-save imagery as we share the nuptials of our favorite fashion people getting married. For upcoming features, share your submissions here.

    “As soon as I saw Brad, I was in love,” shares Hannah Anderson as she reminisces on the beginning of her relationship with her now husband, Bradley Mackeson. A group road trip to Joshua Tree prompted the couple’s initial meeting in addition to a little scheming from mutual friends and a shared career in music. “I lived in Texas at the time,” recalls Anderson. “Our mutual friend Tyler kept telling me about Brad and all the cool work that Brad was doing. We’re all musicians, so that was our common thread. Tyler, Brad, a few friends, and I took a road trip to Joshua Tree. Brad only had one seat in his truck, so of course, I jumped into the seat as fast as I could. On the three-hour road trip, there was never a moment of awkward silence. We flowed.” After a couple of months of visits between Texas and L.A., moving in together, and a proposal, the rest is history. 

    Mackeson proposed six years later near a natural spring on Makalawena Beach on the Big Island of Hawaii. “It was an impromptu proposal with some cute little rings I had found at a vintage shop in Hilo a few days earlier,” shares Mackeson. “I kept the rings on my person knowing a time would present itself, which it did!” Although the couple had been together for quite some time, Mackeson recalls that the two of them hadn’t extensively discussed the idea of getting engaged, “so there was some real suspense there.” Anderson adds, “I think we both went into shock, and after I said yes, we just stood there holding hands and shaking.”

    The two decided to get married in Mackeson’s parents’ backyard in Troutdale, Oregon—a property that backs up to the gorgeous river where the ceremony was held. The day was filled with the true personality of the couple, hands-on support from their community, and tons of creative details that really set this wedding apart. Scroll down to read more about the day from the perspective of both the bride and groom, including the antique plates, outfit details, and more.

    “The night before, we had an intimate rehearsal dinner with just immediate family and whoever was in the ceremony.”  

    “We did a walk-through of the ceremony, and then Brad’s parents provided dinner for us.” 

    “I wore a Hill House dress, and my shoes were from Hereu. I wanted to keep it really simple and easy! [My friend] Anica gifted me the bow at my bridal shower, so I thought that would be fun to wear for the rehearsal. [She] also helped me coordinate the day of the wedding [and] threw a beautiful bridal shower for me the week prior to the wedding for the L.A. girls. It was perfect! One of her best friends, Alana Jones-Mann, made a vintage-style wedding cake that said ‘Mrs. Mackeson’ on it. I wept when I saw it.”

    WWW Weddings tip: “Go with the flow!”



    “I got ready with a few of my girlfriends. We didn’t have a bridal party or groomsmen, but I at least wanted the experience of getting ready with my girls! My friends Caileigh, Carly, Emma, and Anica all helped me prep tablescapes and décor and then stayed to get ready with me. It was so much fun!” 

    “I wore a vintage yellow slip dress that I thrifted. It was so chic and delicate! Unplanned, a few of the other girls wore vintage slips too! It was meant to be.”

    “I wanted the beauty to feel kind of ’60s mod but didn’t want to feel like I was in a costume. I did my own makeup and hair and felt really good. I felt the most me I have ever felt.” 

    WWW Weddings tip: “There is a lot of pressure when it comes to planning your wedding. Choose your battles! Find things that you’re willing to be more relaxed with, and find the things that are the most important to you and stick with them. For me, that was my dress and my guest list!”

    “Being that the wedding was going to be outside, I wanted something shorter. I have been obsessed with ShuShu/Tong for a while and started scouring the internet for a white piece from them and ended up finding this piece on Ssense. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was the one.”

    “Since the dress was cropped, I almost went with an extra-long veil until I saw this cropped veil on Etsy and loved it.” 

    “My outfit came together so perfectly—it was meant to be. I had tried on more traditional gowns, but they didn’t feel like me.”

    “The shoes I got online at Pêche. The floral, the jacquard—what more could you need? I paired the shoe with a sheer white knee-high sock. I made my earrings! My pearl mini purse is vintage. I thrifted it in Palm Beach the week after my Miami bachelorette trip this summer.”

    “How we dress and our fashion choices are a form of nonverbal communication to the exterior world,” says Mackeson as he shares the details of his look. “It’s a way we can subtly communicate our values to others. As an artist and person, I’m especially inspired by the people and art of the mid-’60s the early ’70s. Peace, love, freedom, and open-mindedness. I also love the sophistication and clean lines of late ’50s and ’60s mod.”

    “Another defining aspect of my person is a resilient ‘never say die’ independent attitude and gusto, so I knew I wanted to get a little Western grit in the mix. I’m all about peace and love, but I still want people to take me seriously. You know what I mean? A distinguished gentleman who likes his LSD and isn’t afraid to rough it when he has to.

    “With that in mind, I went to work browsing used vintage suits on Etsy and eBay. I knew I wanted something a little big for me so I could tailor it to my needs. After much searching, I ran across an ivory ’90s zoot suit that had a mod vibe to it! After taking a considerable amount of length off the jacket (if you’ve seen a zoot suit, you know what I’m talking about), I had the tailor add a subtle flare to the pants. Not enough to be the focal, but enough to let you know. I also knew this would pair well with my boots and link the Western aspects of the look.”

    “My favorite part of the look, other than the snakeskin boots, is the vintage Western ribbon tie. I found both the ribbon tie and boots on Etsy. In 2020, my wife and I founded our record label SlickPony Records as a place to release our music. The tie has a hand-stitched mirrored image of two horses. For me, this represents the duality of our feminine and masculine energy coming together and joining in union.” 



    “Our venue was Brad’s parents’ backyard. They live on a river, and it felt like the perfect setting.” 

    “Brad’s parents, Dean and Shireen, did a lot of work to prepare the property. Shireen planted this wonderland garden that bloomed perfectly for the wedding.”

    “We had gone between doing a Joshua Tree wedding (where we first connected) to a Hawaii wedding (where we got engaged) and ended up landing on the river.”

    Hannah and Brad at the venue.

    “Because we didn’t use a venue, we had to source everything from tables to kitchen gear for our chef to tables and chairs. Brad’s mom sourced all of our vintage dishware from estate sales, Facebook Marketplace, and thrift shops.”

    WWW Weddings tip: “I didn’t hire a planner for my wedding and think it would’ve actually been amazing to have a third-party mediator for details, seating, etc. Tensions may get high during planning, so whatever you can do to alleviate those tensions I highly recommend.”

    WWW Weddings tip (from the groom): “Weddings can be very overwhelming—not only for you but also your parents and family. At some points, it may not even feel worth it. My advice to you is that it is worth it. Once the ceremony starts, it’s all love. Stay present and enjoy the beautiful moment with your loved ones.”

    “Although we both grew up in religious families, we aren’t religious in any way now. We have done things quite differently from our families, and in planning the wedding, my friend Emma sent me this quote from Bert Hellinger called ‘The Black Sheep.’ When I read it, I wept. Brad and I both agreed this would be the theme of our wedding, which is why we put the black sheep illustration on the invitation.

    “‘The black sheep, those who do not adapt, those who cry rebelliously, play a basic role within each family system. They repair, pick up, and create new and unfold branches in the family tree. Thanks to these members, our trees renew their roots. Its rebellion is fertile soil. Its madness is water that nourishes. Its stubbornness is new air. Its passion is fire that reignites the light of the heart of the ancestors.’”

    “Jonpaul, who officiated, also wanted to photograph throughout the night. He asked if he could shoot photos during the ceremony. It was so sweet and playful.”

    The couple celebrating post-ceremony. 

    “My nephews were the ring bearers, and I had three flower girls. The boys wore matching baby-blue plaid vests and trousers with little patent black-and-white schoolboy oxford shoes. The girls wore white puffy dresses with knee-high navy socks that I embroidered baby-blue flowers on.”

    The bride’s and groom’s families. 

    “The overall vision was an end-of-summer garden party. I knew the garden and outdoor scenery would really make the night, so apart from that, I didn’t want to have too much additional décor.” 

    “Everyone got an embroidered napkin for dinner. This was the take-home keepsake from the evening. I spent weeks and weeks embroidering these! Thankfully, a friend let me borrow her embroidery machine so I didn’t have to do each one by hand.”

    “I made paper flowers and paper-mache vases to put throughout the dinner tables. I realized at the last minute that I didn’t buy sign holders for the table numbers, so we propped up the numbers with river rocks. It ended up being a nice natural touch.”

    “I hand-painted the entry sign and the seating chart with watercolor.”

    “I also made this paper-mache angel that I hung at the entrance. He was the guardian angel of the night.”

    WWW Weddings tip: “Remember why you’re doing this when it gets stressful! There’s a lot to plan, so many details, so many things to juggle. Just remember that this is about you and your partner and about sharing the love you have for each other with the most important people in your life. So special!” 

    “For us, this whole wedding felt like a time and opportunity to showcase everything we are about—love, creativity, and community.”

    “For our first dance, we danced to ‘Out the Blue’ by John Lennon. Our dog, Rufio, danced with us the entire time!”

    “[Something] that was really important for us was a family-style meal. Our friend Natalia Pereira of Woodspoon came to cook for us. We created a makeshift kitchen in Brad’s dad’s barn for her. My friends, Julie and Lori, and a couple of Natalia’s friends all rallied to make it possible for us. We had salmon, lamb, seasonal vegetables, Natalia’s signature potato salad, rice and beans with crispy pork, Asian pear salad, yucca fries, and more. It was phenomenal.”

    “For our cake, we had a GF chocolate cake with a whipped coconut cream icing and loaded with seasonal, local fruits. I made the cake! We got all of the produce from Burns Farm in Troutdale. They grow some produce and work with local farmers to supply other meat and produce. It’s the cutest place ever.”

    “The main vision I had for the reception was the dance party of the century, and I think we pulled that off.”

    Guests dancing at the reception. 

    “I kept the same look on through the night—I just removed my veil and added my little grill. I had it custom-made for a video earlier this year and always love wearing it for parties! Brad’s mom had given me this antique floral crown that I had revamped and added gingham bows to, but I forgot to put it on!”

    “Me and a few of the ladies ended the night with an icy river dip.”

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    Lauren Eggertsen

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  • I Get Paid Thousands as a Bridesmaid-for-Hire at Weddings | Entrepreneur

    I Get Paid Thousands as a Bridesmaid-for-Hire at Weddings | Entrepreneur

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    This story originally appeared on Business Insider.

    When I was in my early 20s, most of my friends at the time were getting engaged. I quickly became familiar with serving a new role in their lives as a member of their bridal party. Being a bridesmaid has a rhythm to it — though every wedding is different, the role is mostly the same.

    I ordered my bridesmaid dress early, helped plan pre-wedding events, and took the bride out for monthly coffee and venting sessions. I also stayed sober so I could be the bride’s go-to person for any pop-up problems.

    Eventually, even people I had lost touch with started asking me to be a bridesmaid in their weddings. When I complained to my roommate about this, she nicknamed me a professional bridesmaid and told me it was likely people heard I was good at being a bridesmaid and wanted my expertise at their weddings, too.

    I decided to become a bridesmaid-for-hire

    I realized then that if distant friends needed me as their bridesmaid, perhaps strangers would as well. After all, I was reliable, helpful, and, above all, drama-free.

    In June 2014, I posted an ad on Craigslist offering my services as a hired bridesmaid for strangers. Within 48 hours, I received hundreds of emails from people eager to hire me. I started the business Bridesmaid for Hire a few days after the ad was posted. Since then, I’ve been hired as a bridesmaid for people all over the world.

    The rate for my services depends on a few factors, including how many pre-wedding events they want me to attend, how many phone chats they want before the wedding, and how many hours they want me present on their wedding day. The price starts at about $2,700 for three phone calls and eight hours in person on the wedding day. The most I’ve been paid is $5,700 and that included more services, such as attending the bachelorette party and going wedding dress shopping with them.

    Being a hired bridesmaid for a stranger might seem sad or pathetic — it’s anything but that. Not everyone has close friends. According to YouGov, only 55% of Americans have between two and five close friends. Even if it seems like someone has a lot of friends based on their social-media presence, it doesn’t always mean they have a close group of friends who will show up for them when they really need something.

    So when people getting married start to think about who will be in their bridal party, it can feel overwhelming if there’s nobody that comes to mind, or if your fiancé has more close friends than you do.

    There are a few reasons people hire me to be their bridesmaid

    When people reach out to hire me, they usually write me a message that shares too much information about their life. What they’re trying to tell me is that because of a variety of reasons, they don’t have close friends right now to stand by their side.

    I often hear people say that they’ve grown apart from their good friends, have friends scattered all over the country, or find that their best friends are really busy and they don’t want to bother them.

    In those instances, people are reaching out to me because they want a support system before and on the day of their wedding. Often, these are people who have felt lonely during other major events in their lives, and they’ve realized they don’t want to feel that way on their wedding day.

    However, there are also people who reach out even though they do have other bridesmaids, they don’t feel like they have enough support or the right kind of support. Sometimes my clients are people whose friends just aren’t super reliable. If a bride feels like her friends aren’t being helpful or creating too much drama, she might consider hiring me to step in and join the bridal party.

    I have been hired by all kinds of people with different backgrounds and jobs. I’ve worked at a $500,000 wedding for a CEO of a company and I’ve worked at a $20,000 wedding for a retail employee.

    I’m often undercover and keep my job a complete secret

    Most of the time, when a client hires me they want it to be a secret. They often don’t tell anyone that they paid me to be their bridesmaid. I usually have a fake name and backstory that helps me go undercover. I spend a few months learning about the person who hired me and really becoming that person’s friend. The relationship we build is real. My goal isn’t to be their fake friend for the day, it’s to be an authentic support system. Because of this, I sometimes stay in touch with clients and have continued being friends with a few of them for years. But most of the time, I keep strict boundaries, and once the wedding ends, so does the communication and relationship with the client.

    I do everything for my clients that a real friend would do. I help them pick out their wedding dress, call them weekly to listen to challenges, plan a bachelorette party, and ensure they are stress-free on their wedding day. I wear a bridesmaid dress, walk down the aisle, and sometimes give a toast at the reception.

    It’s not sad to hire a bridesmaid — it’s brave

    Getting married can be overwhelming and stressful. For some people, having friends by their side can make a big difference in how they feel throughout their wedding adventure. If someone doesn’t have close friends to turn to or doesn’t have as many close friends as their fiancé, it’s not weird to spend money and hire a professional who can step in and help with everything that’s needed. People hire wedding planners to help with logistics all the time, and what I do isn’t all that different; I emotionally support the people who will be front and center at these weddings.

    The author. Courtesy of Jen Glantz

    Friendship isn’t always so fluid. Sometimes you meet someone who stays in your life for a long time. Sometimes people you hoped would be there for you just disappear. But during your wedding time, everyone deserves to have a supportive friend by their side, even if it’s someone they end up hiring.

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    Jen Glantz

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  • From Wedding Dresses to Table Settings, Every Major Bridal Trend to Know in 2023

    From Wedding Dresses to Table Settings, Every Major Bridal Trend to Know in 2023

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    All that’s to say that destination weddings in far-off locations have never been more desirable, with all the necessary proof coming from Sofia Richie Grainge’s Antibes wedding at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc to record executive Elliot Grainge, which many dubbed this year’s royal wedding. Of course, not every bride will be dressed in custom Chanel for an extravagant wedding in the South of France, but that doesn’t mean that a destination wedding is off the cards. “Internationally, we are seeing a growing interest in Portugal,” says Tombs. According to the planner, the country offers couples and their guests a charming, off-the-beaten-path option that hasn’t yet taken off on a major scale, therefore pricing out people who don’t have an extravagant budget. “There are incredible floral designers, rental companies, and venues in Portugal that are often offered at lower costs than other more regularly sought-after European destinations,” he explains. “We also see continued interest in Mexico, Morocco, France, and the UK.”

    Travel editor Monica Mendal, whose job it is to find the coolest, most beautiful locations around the world before they became major tourist attractions, adds that Florence and Tuscany in Italy and Mallorca in Spain are both great options for couples to consider given how easily accessible they are compared to smaller, more quaint destinations. “It really depends where most people are traveling from because I do think it’s important to make it easy on everyone traveling and not overcomplicate things,” she says. She’s also expecting the Dolomites in Northern Italy to take off, with the luxurious resort Forestis Dolomites quickly becoming a hot spot for both weddings and honeymoons during the offseason for hikers and the high season for skiers. “The spa is insane,” she notes. Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, Bahia in Brazil, José Ignacio in Uruguay, and Liguria in Northwestern Italy were among the other destinations that rolled off her tongue when we asked her for the most impressive destinations stamped in her passport. 

    If you do plan to hold your wedding away from home, Tombs says there are some important details to consider. For starters, you need to remember that not everyone does things the same way that you’re used to, so it’s essential that you’re flexible with what you want and respectful of local customs. “Understand the sense of urgency and workflow will vary based on the location of your event,” he says. Also, be sure to select a location that offers accommodations at a variety of price points. “Guests should not have to go into debt to attend your wedding,” he notes. “So be mindful of the flight costs, hotel room costs, and other transportation costs.” He also suggests that you consider choosing a location that your guests can easily turn into a family or personal vacation in order to make the cost of getting there more worthwhile. 

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    Kristen Nichols

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  • HelloPrenup & the Knot Inspire Financial Confidence With Prenuptial Agreements

    HelloPrenup & the Knot Inspire Financial Confidence With Prenuptial Agreements

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    HelloPrenup has been featured as the prenuptial agreement (prenup) thought leader on The Knot’s blog for ‘What Is a Prenup? Here’s How to Get One’

    Press Release
    –

    May 26, 2022


    BOSTON, May 26, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    HelloPrenup has been featured as the prenuptial agreement (prenup) thought leader on The Knot’s blog for “What Is a Prenup? Here’s How to Get One.” The article reviews what a prenup is, why couples should invest in one, and how to actually get one (without ever leaving their couch).

    In addition to covering the tremendous benefits of prenups for separating premarital assets, debt, property, inheritance, gifts, etc, the featured article reveals the power a prenup has to “correct unequal power dynamics” that can occur in a marriage. In particular, the overwhelming statistics that show women as the most likely spouse to risk their peak career years for childbearing, rearing, and household management.

    “The loss of financial opportunity for [women] and the widening wealth gap over time create an unbalanced power dynamic in a marriage that is almost impossible to recover from in the event of a divorce without a prenuptial agreement. A prenup can correct the course of the wealth gap by allowing parties to contract to financial obligations that help even the financial playing field in a marriage,” said HelloPrenup’s CEO and family law attorney, Julia Rodgers. 

    HelloPrenup is the first online platform to offer prenuptial agreements at a fraction of the traditional cost, access within hours instead of months, and promotes a collaborative process that greatly improves a couple’s prenup experience. 

    Prenuptial agreements provide overwhelming benefits for couples no matter how big or small their assets and debts are. By getting on the same page prior to marriage (literally), couples propose opportunities to mitigate some of the leading causes of divorce (like money and kids) and obligations during the marriage (like financial responsibilities, property division, etc). Visit HelloPrenup.com to learn more. Use code “TheKnot” at checkout for a limited time offer of $50 off your prenup. 

    HelloPrenup has been featured on Shark Tank, in CNN Business, Forbes, The Boston Globe, GeekWire, among others. 

    Source: HelloPrenup

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  • International Wedding Festival Kicks Off 2020 Season in Santa Clara Jan. 5

    International Wedding Festival Kicks Off 2020 Season in Santa Clara Jan. 5

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    Hundreds of brides will plan their wedding with Bay Area’s favorite wedding professionals to plan their big day in just one day at Santa Clara Convention Center

    Press Release
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    updated: Dec 26, 2019


    SANTA CLARA, Calif., December 26, 2019 (Newswire.com)
    –
    On Jan. 5 from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. at the Santa Clara Convention Center, the International Wedding Festival will make its debut into the 2020 season. This bridal show will feature unique products, services, and fashion shows that will provide a full day of education, entertainment and enjoyment for brides and grooms of all types. This festival is like no other in the Bay Area and welcomes engaged couples from all walks of life to plan a day that is as unique as they are. 

    The International Wedding Festival features the area’s most elite providers. Couples can not only arrive and plan their big day in just one day, but one lucky couple will walk away with a 10-day Alaskan Cruise Grand Prize courtesy of Lisa Balistreri Travel.

    Other highlights include:

    • live fashion shows featuring the latest in bridal gown, tuxedo, and wedding party trends;
    • tastings, samples, live entertainment, and informational seminars led by industry experts so couples can learn how to skip those common wedding-planning mistakes and get straight to the heart of the wedding day fun; 
    • the first 50 brides will receive a free veil to celebrate their engagement in style;
    • the first 100 couples will receive $1,000 Bridal BucksTM to spend inside;  
    • KRTY Country Radio will be on site to welcome couples to enter their drawing for a $20,000 wedding. KRTY’s We Do You I Do Wedding contest provides one lucky winner with a beautiful wedding package and couples can enter when they attend the International Wedding Festival Jan. 5 at Santa Clara Convention Center. 

    $20 tickets can be purchased online at www.internationalweddingfestival.com or at the door at the Santa Clara Convention Center | 5001 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, California 

    ​About International Wedding Festival 

    Produced by Kimberly Vaughan Enterprises, LLC, a Mariposa-based company, the International Wedding Festival has enjoyed more than 100 events in multiple markets since its debut 14 years ago. The event is a high-energy affair that is all about wedding planning. With rows and rows of the area’s most elite providers, couples know they can arrive and plan their big day in just one day. In 2020, the International Wedding Festival will expand to include new California shows in Elk Grove, Redwood City and Hayward. The International Wedding Festival produces nearly 20 shows in Northern California each year.

    Source: International Wedding Festival

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