Katie Kortebein is the Head of Editorial at Love Stories TV, a video platform for wedding planning and inspiration. Katie is an expert in social and editorial content and has built Love Stories TV's 500K+ TikTok following from the ground up, curated the largest and fastest-growing YouTube account in the industry at nearly 400K+ subscribers and tripled their Instagram following. Before joining Love Stories TV, Katie wrote for and helped manage the editorial team at The Knot.

See this [boho Joshua Tree wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/van-madeline-wedding-video-november-2021) in Episode 1, featuring the most touching vows. 

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1. Madeline + Van by Viby Creative

This [romantic Nigerian and Ghanaian wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/efua-gabe-wedding-video-july-2021-2) at the D.C. National Cathedral will inspire your day in everything from their lush florals to the adorable first look and wedding gifts.


2. Efua + Gabe by Iris Films

Episode 2 opens with this fun [Santa Barbara beach wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/brandon-zailey-wedding-video-june-2021) with an utterly charming love story.

3. Zailey + Brandon by Roman Howell Films

This [snowy elopement](https://lovestoriestv.com/rob-emily-wedding-video-february-2019) in Norway actually occurred on Valentine’s Day and you have to hear the bride's vows.

4. Emily + Rob by Cinemate Films

This [beautiful outdoor wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/drew-brittany-wedding-video-march-2021) in Roche Harbor, Washington in Episode 3 features a stunning lace gown and a seriously cute toddler.

5. Brittany + Drew by Brooklyn Holden Films

This [adventurous Moab, Utah wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/chloe-tyler-wedding-video-may-2019) showcases an emotional groom reaction as well as nostalgic home footage of the couple and their proposal.

6. Chloe + Tyler by A Little Long Distance

This [rustic Vail, Colorado ranch wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/dallas-jeff-wedding-video-august-2022-2) proves that rain on your wedding day really is good luck!


7. Dallas + Jeff by Tia Lorae Storytelling

This upbeat and chic [Australian wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/georgie-dave-wedding-video-april-2021) kicks Episode 4 off with non-traditional attire and glamorous details.

8. Georgie + Dave by  New Age Films

This [earthy forest wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/nadine-nathan-wedding-video-december-2020) in Victoria, Australia features the most delightful first look and an emotional groom.

9. Nadine + Nathan by Once and For All

Come for the thrilling fashion in this [contemporary Tasmania, Australia wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/lauren-alison-wedding-video-march-2022), stay for the heartfelt speeches and beautiful vows.

Watched the full Valentine special and want more? Watch the newest episodes of [Wedding Talk](https://www.chickensouptv.com/watch/bf2dfa0c-e783-4382-8100-fff469222bda/wedding-talk/sparkly-exits) free on Chicken Soup for the Soul for the inside scoop on how to throw the best wedding ever! Plus, get wedding inspiration from stunning wedding videos 24/7 on [The Love Stories TV Channel](https://lovestoriestv.com/live).

10. Allison + Lauren by The Beginning Studio

Watch The Love Stories TV Channel

Who doesn't love to watch rom-coms at this time of year? And what's better than a movie? Real-life romance, of course! We picked our ten favorite Valentine weddings and teamed up with famed NYC wedding planner and TikTok star, [José Rolón](https://www.joserolonevents.com/), LA-based event planner and host of The Rheeality Podcast, [Jason Rhee](https://www.instagram.com/jasonroars/?hl=en), and founder and CEO of [Something Borrowed Blooms](https://somethingborrowedblooms.com/), Lauren Bercier, to create this [seriously charming Valentine's special](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnMvMRQEVZj7K3rhyGR8_6y2CLYPV9aPj).

The hosts watch gorgeous wedding videos, share wedding tips and tricks and just generally gush over these amorous affairs. 

This [four-episode series](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnMvMRQEVZj7K3rhyGR8_6y2CLYPV9aPj) features Rolón, Rhee and Bercier as they watch real wedding films from the Love Stories TV library and share engaging commentary about each love story. The hosts chime in on the décor, fashion and overall style of the weddings. Looking for advice on how to throw a standout wedding? They've got you covered! 

Watch Love Stories TV's Most Romantic Weddings on [The Love Stories TV Channel](https://lovestoriestv.com/live). Available on Sling, Rakuten TV, Samsung TV Plus, Local Now, The Grio, and more. Find your local channel [here](https://lovestoriestv.com/live). 

The Love Stories TV Most Romantic Weddings features our co-hosts as they watch real wedding films and share engaging commentary about each wedding. They also discuss the décor, fashion and overall style of the weddings.

10 Valentine Weddings to Get You In the Proposing Mood

See this [snowy Washington wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/annie-matt-wedding-video-january-2020) in Episode 1, featuring a horse-drawn carriage and touching first look.

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1. Annie + Matt by First And Foremost Productions

This couple inspired us on [Wedding Talk](https://www.crackle.com/details/bccf5133-699d-4b49-aea4-9aae843d5644/wedding-talk) and [their touching vows](https://lovestoriestv.com/hanna-jerod-wedding-video-december-2021) will get you in your feels.

2. Hanna + Jerod by Slye Films

This couple held their Christmas wedding in their home, which is a converted church. Their wedding, featured in Episode 2, showcases classic holiday details, plus a cameo from Santa who delivers a surprise announcement!

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3. Abby + Darryl by First Twin Films

[This elegant, emotional wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/makayla-allison-wedding-video-december-2021) at an Oklahoma ranch is the perfect inspiration for a subtle holiday wedding.

4. Allison + Makayla by Taylor Longcrier Videography

In Episode 3, you'll see an [intimate wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/sean-janet-wedding-video-december-2021) at Lake Minnewanka where the groom's brother officiated during a blizzard.

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5. Janet + Sean by Sam Wild | Wild Ridge Photo + Film

This [festive Florida wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/sierra-joe-wedding-video-december-2021) proves you can truly have a Christmas wedding anywhere, even on the beach!

6. Sierra + Joe by Lexi Rabelo Films

These teachers had a [sweet, rustic wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/katie-tony-wedding-video-december-2019) in the Vermont forest, featured in Episode 4.

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7. Katie + Tony by Something Blue Creative

Get your emotional and personal wedding vow inspiration from [this winter wonderland wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/dillon-nicole-wedding-video-december-2021) at a cozy Colorado lodge.

8. Nicole + Dillon by Tia Lorae Storytelling

If you're looking for New Year's Eve wedding inspiration, Episode 5 is where it's at! Especially [this New York ballroom wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/sandy-neil-wedding-video-december-2019).

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9. Sandy + Neil by Kammer Creative

You don't want to miss this couple's adorable daughters at [this Oklahoma City New Year's Eve wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/aimee-kellen-wedding-video-december-2021).

Watched the full holiday special and want more? Watch [Wedding Talk](https://www.crackle.com/details/bccf5133-699d-4b49-aea4-9aae843d5644/wedding-talk) free on Crackle for the inside scoop on how to throw the best wedding ever! Plus, get wedding inspiration from stunning wedding videos 24/7 on [The Love Stories TV Channel](https://lovestoriestv.com/live).

10. Aimee + Kellen by J+K Films

Who doesn't love to watch holiday movies at this time of year? And what's better than a movie? Real-life rom-coms, of course! We picked our ten favorite holiday weddings and teamed up with famed NYC wedding planner and TikTok star, José Rolón, and Jason Rhee, LA-based event planner and host of The Rheeality Podcast, to create this [fabulously festive holiday special](https://youtu.be/TIO8eWj0m-0).

The hosts watch holiday wedding videos, share wedding tips and tricks, and look good while doing it thanks to Men’s Wearhouse. 

This [five-episode series](https://youtu.be/TIO8eWj0m-0) features Rolón and Rhee as they watch real wedding films from the Love Stories TV library and share engaging commentary about each love story. The pair chime in on the decor, fashion and overall style of the weddings. Looking for advice on how to throw a holiday wedding? They've got you covered! 

Watch The Love Stories TV Holiday Special, presented by Men's Wearhouse, on [The Love Stories TV Channel](https://youtu.be/TIO8eWj0m-0). Available on Sling, Rakuten TV, Samsung TV Plus, Local Now, The Grio, and more. Find your local channel [here](https://youtu.be/TIO8eWj0m-0). 


The Love Stories TV Holiday Special features our co-hosts as they watch real wedding films and share engaging commentary about each wedding. They also discuss the décor, fashion and overall style of the weddings.

10 Holiday Weddings to Get You In the Holiday Spirit

There are so many benefits to planning a destination wedding, but, according to Aruba Tourism, the number one thing that couples tend to forget when planning is the flexibility of having your wedding and honeymoon in one location. Combining both allows you to enjoy your wedding destination and cuts down on additional travel and booking costs. 

Bonus: In Aruba, you will have access to top-notch wedding planners and vendors already on the island who can make your special day just as you envision it.

What is the number one thing couples tend to forget when planning a destination wedding?

With a destination wedding, the possibilities are truly endless for couples looking to make their special day one to remember. Not only can you bundle your wedding ceremony and honeymoon into one exciting, romantic trip but you also get to experience unique tourist attractions and experiences, maximizing your time on the island while celebrating your love.

When planning a destination wedding, soonlyweds can also be more discerning with their guest list than they might be when having a domestic wedding. For instance, not that close with Aunt Margaret? No worries, for a wedding that involves a little more travel, you can get away with inviting only those truly special to you. This allows for additional time to celebrate and relax with loved ones and create lifelong memories within a smaller, more cost-effective group (which also means possible group discounts!), as opposed to the few hours during a traditional wedding.

On the savings front, with a smaller guest list, you're able to spend money on more experiences while at the destination instead of being bogged down with booking expenses.

Another tip? Consider saving up your credit card benefits to help out with flight costs or accommodation expenses, bringing the overall wedding cost to just the ceremony. Between bundling your honeymoon and ceremony, a smaller guest list, utilizing credit card benefits and all-inclusive meal options, a destination wedding can be well within the budget for most couples. 

What are the top benefits of having a destination wedding?

Just like with real estate, location, location, location is everything. While there are traditional venues in Aruba like The Alto Vista Chapel, many destinations have natural and unique wedding spaces that you can only utilize while in that specific location. While some venues charge a booking fee, many properties can be cost-effective options while capturing the essence of Aruba on your special day.

Other properties on the island that serve as venues have options to wed on the beach, while others overlook the ocean from a function room or outdoor area. The experienced wedding professionals are with you every step of the way to ensure that you are able to have a perfect day.  

Timing is also important for wedding planning as well. For instance, Aruba’s peak season is January through March, though the island has become busy year-round post-pandemic. Couples hoping for a more cost-effective and private experience can book their wedding or elopement during the months of April to August. This will allow for peace of mind while trying to book accommodations for the whole wedding party, but also to know that some attractions and locations might not be as crowded as opposed to other months during peak season.

What are some of the most important questions to ask your destination wedding venue?

The best part about hosting a wedding in Aruba is that it’s not just one special day to celebrate your love. Stay for your honeymoon and extend your happiness as well as your budget! There's a reason their motto is "One Happy Island."

Aruba is filled with gorgeous resorts equipped to host all your wedding events, as well as honeymoon. Select properties are involved in the One Happy Honeymoon Program, which offers exclusive packages and deals at participating retailers. Some properties even provide an incentive to book both, such as a free additional night or a bottle of champagne waiting for you in your room.

You'll also love the benefits of a well-planned photoshoot, which can cover the wedding as well as part of the honeymoon. In Aruba, you can take unique wedding photos around the island—in front of the murals in San Nicolas, while hiking Arikok National Park, at the California Lighthouse, while relaxing on the picturesque Aruban shores and more!

What are the biggest benefits of having your destination wedding and honeymoon in the same location?

It depends on whether or not your wedding will be religiously affiliated or civil, as there are requirements for each. Your wedding planner will be the one best equipped with this knowledge and can help you decipher which venue is best and what steps you and your partner will need to take to make your marriage in Aruba official.

Note: In Aruba, all civil weddings must be registered at Historic City Hall in Oranjestad.

What are some of the things couples should ask to ensure they can legally wed during a destination wedding ceremony?

When planning a wedding that involves a heavy amount of travel, it’s always a good idea to provide a detailed itinerary for your guests so they can have the opportunity to plan their own stay at the destination. Guests could have a mini vacation on their own while there to celebrate your love. That's one of the major benefits of a destination wedding, after all! In Aruba, there are various itinerary options available for adventure lovers, families, wellness aficionados, and more.
 
Climate and weather conditions are also very important for all guests to know as it will help them plan accordingly when packing and scheduling their days. This could also include any limitations to tourist attractions and experiences at the destination during the time period when you plan to host your wedding. Other key details for guests would be to let them know which airlines fly into the airport at the destination and how they can rent a car or get a driver upon arrival.

What are the top things couples should make sure their guests know when planning a destination wedding?

All venues have their unique advantages and when it comes to beach or urban weddings, however, there are definitely some things to keep at top of mind.

First, it's important to note that at destinations like Aruba, many times ceremonies are not official on public beaches or locations unless in a designated area. Additionally, as the beach is a public space, beachgoers may have access to your ceremony, which could affect photos. However, there is nothing more beautiful than getting hitched by the ocean, so be sure to consider all the options if your dream wedding includes feeling the sea breeze while saying your vows, such as a ceremony on the cliffs overlooking the ocean or at an oceanfront property, organized and decorated just to your liking.

Finally, our biggest tip? Make sure you don't forget that one element that can truly make or break a destination wedding and honeymoon...your passport!

Anything couples should know or think about when planning a beach destination wedding vs. a more urban destination wedding?

Find a Venue for Your Destination Wedding

Do you and your fiancé love traveling together? Is there an international location that's important to you, maybe where you got engaged? A destination wedding could be perfect for you!

While we love a hometown or backyard wedding, there are so many positives when it comes to destination weddings—a built-in honeymoon, an adventure with all your favorite people, unique memories that will last a lifetime...but there are also a lot of things to think about. We spoke to Angela Restivo, the Sales Manager (Western U.S.), at [Aruba Tourism Authority](https://www.aruba.com/us) for their top tips on planning a destination wedding. They truly cover everything you'll ever need to know!

We spoke to the experts to break down everything you will need to know when planning a destination wedding.

Everything You Need to Know to Plan a Destination Wedding

Let's talk about why you want to plan a destination wedding. Did you and your partner visit a spot that you want to cement as an important place in your relationship? Do you want to go all out with the most epic wedding weekend your guests have ever seen? Or maybe you both just want a quiet trip away with your closest loved ones. Have you two always wanted to visit this particular area? Whatever your reasoning, you can't go wrong with a destination wedding. 

However, there are some important things to remember when planning a destination wedding. If possible, you want to try and visit at least once, if not twice, before your wedding. You'll definitely want to see the venue and meet a couple of your most important vendors.

Speaking of vendors, you may love the florist your sister used in her Kansas City wedding but you'll want to stick with local vendors. Otherwise, you could end up paying for the travel expenses of all your vendors and that will *quickly* rack up your costs. Trust the locals and know that they know how to throw an authentic wedding in your chosen area.

Finally, destination weddings can be a big expense for guests. Because of this, you'll want to let them know far in advance about the date so they can start planning and saving. We suggest sending your save the dates a year in advance and invitations should be sent closer to 12 weeks prior to the wedding instead of the usual six to eight weeks.

Why choose a destination wedding?

The first step in planning your destination wedding is choosing a location. [Mexico](https://lovestoriestv.com/video-results?loc=mexico) is quickly becoming one of the most popular destination wedding locations in the world—and it’s easy to see why. Mexico has plenty to offer, from gorgeous year-round weather to breathtaking natural vistas and all-inclusive venues. 

Whether you’re looking for a vibrant city celebration, a rustic countryside wedding, or a stunning oceanfront ceremony, look no further than Mexico. 

Why choose Mexico for your destination wedding?

One of the top reasons couples choose to host their destination weddings in Mexico is the country’s abundance of pristine coastline. Mexico’s white sand beaches stretch for miles and dazzle with crystal-clear turquoise water.

The Riviera Maya, located on the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula alongside the sparkling waters of the Caribbean, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. The area is dotted with ancient ruins to explore as well as plenty of opportunities for adventurous excursions.

Due to its long history as a travel hotspot, the country’s eastern coast is home to many all-inclusive resorts that offer comprehensive wedding packages, allowing you to leave the planning to their in-house teams. 

Some of the most popular wedding locations in the Riviera includes Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Akumal. 

Playa del Carmen has a laid-back vibe that makes it a perfect destination for a bohemian wedding.

Located in the southern stretch of the Riviera, Tulum has recently turned into a trendy hotspot due to its popularity on social media.

Akumal is a snorkler’s dream, since it’s home to a coral reef and a community of sea turtles. 

Cozumel is an island nestled in the otherworldly blue waters of the Caribbean Sea off the Yucatan Peninsula.

It’s home to Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park, which is known for its incredible scuba diving, where adventurers can see coral reefs and even an underwater art museum. 

Riviera Maya Destination Wedding locations

Los Cabos, also known as Cabo San Lucas, is located on the Southern tip of the Baja Peninsula. It’s an exciting resort city that offers an eclectic mix of vibrant nightlife, dramatic coastlines, and relaxing beaches.

Couples can plan their ceremonies right on the beach or at a venue that offers spectacular ocean views. While your wedding can be hosted at a single resort, there are also many hotel options in the area at a wide variety of price points.

The area is known for its water sports and activities, so couples can easily plan excursions for their friends and family. Since Los Cabos is full of restaurants, clubs, and shopping venues, guests won’t have a hard time enjoying themselves when they’re not attending wedding-related events.

Los Cabos Destination Wedding locations

Riviera Nayarit may not have the same level of name recognition as some of the other popular destination wedding locations in Mexico, but it’s a hidden gem that’s worth exploring. This 200-mile stretch of coastline is located north of Puerto Vallarta and is home to charming beach towns like Chacala Bay and Chacalilla.

The region is known for its surfing as well as its stunning views of the crystal clear Pacific Ocean. Some popular wedding venues offer a gorgeous cliff-side setting, while others provide an eco-friendly oasis. Many parts of Mexico’s coastline are well-trodden, but this region is somewhat off the beaten path, providing a unique destination for a one-of-a-kind wedding. 

Riviera Nayarit Destination Wedding locations

While Mexico may primarily be known for its stunning coastline, it’s also home to vibrant cities that are ready to play host to your destination wedding.

Thrill your guests with a trip to Oxaca, an bustling city in the southern part of the country that offers incredible food and a wealth of potential wedding venues.

The center of Oxaca has been designated a World Heritage Site and features colorful architecture that acts as a perfect backdrop for wedding photos. The city’s streets make for an ideal location for a Callejoneada or Mexican wedding parade, which traditionally takes place after the ceremony. 

Oaxaca City Destination Wedding

Located in Mexico’s highlands, San Miguel De Allende is colonial-era city that’s perfect for art lovers, as it’s home to a thriving artistic community.

It’s listed by UNESCO for its historical significance and visitors will experience ​​baroque Spanish architecture in the cobblestoned town center as well as the imposing presence of the Gothic cathedral Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel. 

San Miguel De Allende Destination Wedding

Mexico’s natural beauty isn’t confined to its coastline. Consider traveling inland for a rustic countryside wedding.

Located just 70 miles from the US border in Baja, California, the Valle De Guadalupe has garnered comparisons to Napa Valley because of its prolific wine production. In fact, about 90 percent of the wine made in Mexico is produced here.

The area is still up and coming, and hasn’t yet reached its peak as a tourist destination, making it a great choice for couples looking for a more relaxed and laid-back location. It’s important to note that the region is best enjoyed between May and October, whereas many restaurants and wineries may be closed in the colder months. 

Would you consider a destination wedding in Mexico? If so, check out gorgeous [wedding venues](https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding-venues/mexico) from around Mexico, get inspired by [Mexican weddings](https://lovestoriestv.com/style/mexican) on our site and [find vendors](https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding-vendors/mexico) for your Mexico wedding.

Valle De Guadalupe Destination Wedding

Find Venues for Your Mexico Wedding

Destinations weddings are rising in popularity every year. In fact, 25% of couples today are opting for destination weddings! Are you wanting to whisk your loved ones away to a wedding they will never forget? Whether you are looking for a beachfront wedding, a countryside wedding, or a fun and vibrant city wedding experience, we got you. Let's explore the most popular [destination wedding locations in Mexico](https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding-venues/mexico)!

The first step in planning your destination wedding is choosing a location. Mexico is quickly becoming one of the most popular destination wedding locations in the world with its gorgeous year-round weather to breathtaking natural vistas and all-inclusive venues.

The Best Mexico Wedding Destination Locations for 2022

These Are the Best Mexico Wedding Destination Locations for 2022

At Love Stories TV, we're always encouraging our couples to hire a videographer. After all, there's no better way to capture those touching vows, your partner's emotional reaction to your wedding day look or your long-rehearsed wedding dance. 

In fact, the number one newlywed regret is not hiring a videographer. Don't make that mistake and check out our directory to [find professional videographers in your location](https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding-videographers).

Get inspired for your own wedding video by viewing our most-watched wedding videos this year. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll definitely want to hire your own videographer! Watch all the videos below, plus stream them for free in special episodes of [The Love Stories TV Channel](https://lovestoriestv.com/live).

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## 10. [Breann + Joe](https://lovestoriestv.com/breann-joe-wedding-video-september-2021-1) by [Happy Sappy Films](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/happy-sappy-films)
Breann and Joe wanted to kiss each other so badly they tried to skip the whole ceremony at their romantic fall wedding in Indianapolis, Indiana. We can't stop laughing at Breann's reaction when she realized what just happened! 

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## 9. [Lee Ann + Joe](https://lovestoriestv.com/lee-ann-rice-joseph-solis-wedding-video-june-2022) by [Sarmiento Media](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/sarmiento-media)
Joe got Lee Ann the absolute cutest wedding gift at their elegant celebration at The Hay-Adams Hotel in D.C.

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## 8. [Tinisha + Douglas](https://lovestoriestv.com/tinisha-douglas-wedding-video-october-2021) by [JB Horn Film](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/jb-horn-film)
We are LOVING Douglas's vows to Tinisha at their luxe, fall wedding at the Belle Mer in Newport, Rhode Island—he definitely spoke his truth!

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## 7. [Whitney + Bryan](https://lovestoriestv.com/whitney-bryan-wedding-video-november-2020) by [BSR Wedding Films](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/bsr-wedding-films)
This couple has been together for seven years and, before they had even started dating, Bryan told his friends that Whitney was the woman he was going to marry. True to his word, years later, they had a romantic, rustic wedding at Classic Oaks Ranch in Mansfield, Texas and played this emotional slideshow.

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## 6. [Hannah + Tyler](https://lovestoriestv.com/tyler-hannah-wedding-video-october-2021) by [A Girl & Her Phone](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/a-girl-her-phone)
We're dying over Hannah's maid of honor's speech. Their videographer met the couple in 2019 while filming Hannah's brother's wedding. She remembers seeing Hannah and Tyler dancing at the reception together and thinking "I have to film their wedding one day." Two years later, she got the chance at their natural, elegant wedding at Amadeus Ranch in Seneca, Missouri. 

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## 5. [Shelby + Randall](https://lovestoriestv.com/randall-shelby-wedding-video-october-2021) by [Dukes Films](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/dukes-films)
Any true crime fans out there? Because we know you'll love this MOH speech twist! Shelby and Randall met working at a local restaurant. Five years later, they tied the knot in a natural, rustic wedding at Terrain in Devon, Pennsylvania.

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## 4. Kendra + Connor by [BSR Wedding Films](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/bsr-wedding-films)
Kendra and Connor tied the knot in a dreamy, rustic wedding at Hotel Drover in Fort Worth, Texas. Connor had his brother as his best man and his nephew, Shep, was the couple's ring bearer. Luckily, the best man knew his son all too well and had a blue Tootsie Roll Pop ready to go as a bribe!

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## 3. [Chasity + Zach](https://lovestoriestv.com/chasity-zack-wedding-video-november-2021-2) by [Fuse Media Studios](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/fuse-media-studios)
Chasity did a first look with the groomsmen in her and Zach's charmingly classic country wedding at Carriage Trail Farm in Lexington, North Carolina and we're kind of thinking this should be the new reaction to get!

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## 2. [Karli + Ty](https://lovestoriestv.com/ty-karli-wedding-video-august-2019-2) by [Sea Jay Films](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/sea-jay-films)
Ty is colorblind, so Karli got him EnChroma colorblind glasses as a wedding gift. He saw color for the very first time at their rustic wedding at Vintage Oaks Banquet Barn in Delphi, Indiana.

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## 1. [Leah + Nate](https://lovestoriestv.com/leah-nathan-wedding-video-august-2022) by [K. LaFleur Films](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/k-lafleur-films)
Nate thought he was having his first look with soon-to-be wife, Leah. Instead, he turned around to see their sweet daughter, Frankie. After the couple's original wedding was postponed, they decided to elope in December 2020. In order to celebrate with their loved ones, they threw a rustic celebration at Walker Homestead in Iowa City, Iowa this past August.

*Ready to start your search? Search our site for [wedding videographers](https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding-videographers) in your area and get inspired by [thousands of wedding videos](https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding-videos) on our site.*

The Love Stories TV Channel is available on multiple streaming platforms around the world—find out where you can watch at [lovestoriestv.com/live](https://lovestoriestv.com/live).

These were the videos that got the most views across all our social channels this year.

These Were the Most Popular Wedding Videos in 2022

Hello everyone! My name’s [Katie K](https://www.instagram.com/heyheyitskatiek/) and I am the Head of Editorial here Love Stories TV. Love Stories TV is the only video platform in the wedding industry. We have over 20,000 real wedding videos that are just waiting to inspire you and to give you ideas for your own wedding. Not only that but we have over 60,000 wedding professionals just waiting to work with you. In today's episode, I purchased the top-rated bridesmaids gifts on Amazon and I'm going to go through them all right here, for you.

By the way, are you doing a first look with your wedding party? It's literally one of my favorite moments that I see in weddings. People get so emotional, there are so many tears. Our social channels are full of them, so if you want to check them out afterward you can find us everywhere [@lovestoriestv](https://www.tiktok.com/@lovestoriestv).

Wedding party in nude gowns celebrating couple with confetti and bright fall flowers

### Gift #1: Accessory Set
This first option of a number of bridesmaids gifts comes with a scrunchie, which I am a big fan of. I know it's trending right now or maybe we're on the tail end of the trend but I always have a scrunchie on hand so I'm definitely a big fan of scrunchies for a bridal party. This particular one came in either rose gold or light pink, I went with rose gold because my engagement ring is rose gold, so couldn't say no to that one. It also comes with a rose gold bangle that has a little knot, ya know, tie the knot, of course, so that’s cute! Keep in mind, this is Amazon so the jewelry is not going to be, you know, the most high-quality jewelry you'll ever find but hey, it's cute and budget-friendly! And then finally, honestly this might be my personal favorite part, but this pen with the little - how cute! I actually just got one of my friends these for her engagement gift or a "celebrate you're engaged" gift so, yeah, I'm a big fan of this. I think these are really cute, like I would actually totally get these for my bridesmaids like in their bridesmaid proposal gift. Probably not on the day of the wedding ‘cause I wouldn’t want them to like wear these at the wedding but yeah I would get these in like a bridesmaid proposal and they also come with these cute little cards that say “ I can’t tie the knot without you”, which is very fitting for the bangle. I mean hey you can't really tie the knot without your friends, right? Those people are there for you, they're going to help you go to the bathroom in that wedding dress, you need those friends there.

### Gift #2: Jewelry Kit
This bridesmaids gift, surprise to no one, is obviously a popular thing to get bridesmaids but it's again the knot, so you're tying the knot, so we have a necklace here and then little studs. Personally, I kind of think they look like pretzels, which is not a bad thing, if you have a pretzel cart as your late-night snack, um yeah those are perfect, go for it.

### Gift #3: Scented Candle Set
Look how pretty those are! I am a personal fan of doing similar things for friends but then if there are slight variations like again, there are different patterns, I like choosing the one I think fits each friend best so I think that's actually perfect for a bridesmaid gift. So this one’s like a pearly, pink—ooh that actually smells really good, kind of floral but also sweet. Ok lets do, ooh, this is like a dark green, moody, marble one. This would be a fun one for a fall wedding, or your Scorpio friend, it smells like lemon, ooh ok so they all smell different. This is lavender, perfect for your friend who may need a little bit of soothing, maybe this one's for you on your wedding day. I am a big fan of these, I think they're super cute. You can’t go wrong with candles like truly, I have a million candles in my home, all different sizes, from different events, yeah I don't think you can go wrong with these, they're cute.

### Gift #4: Makeup Bags
These are makeup bags that say bridesmaid on them. They also have a maid of honor one, a bride, so you can match your girls, although the bride one doesn't have the little flowers, which I think is kind of the cutest part of the bag. And then a matron of honor, which maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but I hate that term, we're in the twenty-first century like we don't need to be called matrons anymore. Frankly, I am not a fan, ok - i'll just say it, I don't like them. But, I am a huge fan of giving your wedding party containers of some sort and if they're all female, yeah, I think a bag is a great way to go, a makeup bag. Especially if you stuff it with little goodies, like tweezers and a nail file and little lipsticks, like things they might need to touch up their look on the wedding day. I think that's so cute. I love that stuff. Another reason I don't like these is because they just have the, I mean again were back to the matron, just hate the matron thing. They just have the title and I don't think that's cute. I think you should personalize each bag for your friends, like have their name or at least have their initial on the bag. I think having just bridesmaid is not as cute. Now i do want to note one thing with all of these, they are kind of just assuming that you're going to have all bridesmaids. Here Love Stories TV, we are a big proponent of doing your wedding completely your way and if that means having a mixed-gender wedding party, yes - we say go for it! I'm actually having my brother in my wedding party so I will not have all bridesmaids, so I will be mixing it up for the gifts and such. I just wanted to note that.

### Gift #5: Wine Glass
The last review is a wine glass that says b**** please, you're obviously going to be my maid of honor. Uhh, yes, I would give this one to my maid of honor and how much fun would this be to drink out of on the morning of your wedding with some mimosas. Ok, so those were all the Amazon reviews but I did want to give one honorable mention and also mention that I actually was supposed to get robes and review those in this video but they never came, so you know there's another little maybe issue was getting things from Amazon. But it was just a normal satin robe, I totally think you should get your girls something to wear on the morning of, preferably something that either opens from the front like a robe or a flannel or, talking about a flannel, something that buttons, like a button-up shirt, or like cute PJs, something they can take on and off without messing up their hair and makeup. I just think it's really cute and it looks super cute in wedding photos. I know I don't have a matching set of PJs, I would love if one of my friends gave me a matching set of PJs.

### Honorable Mention 

Um hello, these Birdy Grey sunglasses! How cute! These are from Birdy Grey, one of our favorite bridesmaid dress brands. They have a ton of bach party accessories, like these glasses, I think even have floaties. If you're getting married you should definitely go check out their site ‘cause they have a ton of fun stuff like this.

Thanks so much for watching! If you liked that video, make sure to give us a thumbs up and please leave a comment below telling us the best bridesmaid gift you've ever seen - seriously the crazier the better, actually the cuter the better, I want to hear them! Make sure to subscribe to our channel for more wedding advice and visit lovestoriestv.com for ideas and inspiration for your wedding. Don't forget to follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lovestoriestv/), [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@lovestoriestv) and everywhere else [@lovestoriestv](https://www.youtube.com/lovestoriestv). See you next time!

*So there you have it—the five top-rated bridesmaid gifts from Amazon. We hope this is helpful and make sure to check out all the real wedding inspiration on lovestoriestv.com. Looking for [bridal shower gifts](https://lovestoriestv.com/bridal-shower-gifts)? Or how about more general [wedding party gifts](https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding-party-gifts-a-special-token-for-your-a-team)? We've got you covered there too!

Get inspired by our collection of beautiful wedding videos

Here at Love Stories TV, our goal is to help every couple plan their dream day without stressing so much over every decision. In fact, our little secret? You should do exactly what you want to do as a couple—it’s your day!—no one else’s opinions matter. However, we know it’s easier said than done to not stress over a wedding so we’re sharing some of our best wedding planning tips with you. 

Our Head of Editorial, Katie K, reviewed the top five bridesmaid gifts on Amazon. She shows you them in real life and gives her opinions and explanations on why she likes or dislikes them. Watch the video for all of Katie’s reviews below.

{{video|media_id=FrWVlRF-diM|type=youtube}}

Looking for gifts for your bridesmaids? We reviewed the top-rated gifts on Amazon that you should consider gifting to your girls.

We Reviewed the Top-Rated Amazon Bridesmaid Gifts

Planning a wedding is a serious undertaking, but there are many chances to get creative. You should start small and expand your ideas gradually.

For many people, there are so many things to keep in mind that they soon get stressed out, but here’s an idea: make a checklist, starting with the necessary steps first.

Here are a few examples to start with:

1. Do you want a large or a small wedding?
2. How many people do you want to invite to your wedding?
3. How many people do you *need* to invite to your wedding?
4. What kind of venue are you looking for?
5. Do you want your wedding ceremony to be traditional or relaxed?

{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/9bf62c347c45-3e91eaf8a974c8ac0dc28a25f84fb12d3542d7b1-orig.jpeg|alt=Lesbian couple at outdoor Hawaii hotel wedding|credit=Alos Films|credit_link=https://lovestoriestv.com/amber-cristina-wedding-video-june-2021}}

Once you have some general ideas of what you want your wedding ceremony to look like, think about the theme. Are any holidays around the corner? What is typical of you and your partner? For instance, some people simply want a traditional, religious wedding, even if they aren’t religious (it’s a common wedding style for a reason, after all!), while others want to customize every step of the ceremony.

The more traditional your wedding is, the fewer options for customization there are, but you can always add a touch of personality and individuality at some point.

Let’s take a look at some ideas that can serve as inspiration.

{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/bea20f38ce3c-d35b90bf372ea453c29f7aa5dc730b57625390b1-orig.png|alt=Couple exchanging vows in intimate, California mountain elopement|credit=Focused Journey Media|credit_link=https://lovestoriestv.com/joey-emelia-wedding-video-october-2020 }} 

# Cultural & Traditional Wedding Ceremony Ideas
As mentioned above, traditional weddings simply come with a couple of unavoidable steps, but you can add or subtract certain components. Here are some tips.

## 1. Serving Tea
A number of cultures observe the tea serving ceremony as a sacred ritual. The tradition originates in Asia but is nowadays widespread in many European countries and the multicultural U.S. For example, in China, couples serve tea to their parents to show gratitude. The tea ceremony in Japan is so famous that it hardly needs to be expanded on. Among those in the west, serving tea is simply a nice habit, so you can mix the customs and add a touch of creativity to your wedding ceremony.

## 2. Lighting a Unity Candle
This ritual is common in Christian weddings, but in truth, candles stem from the pagan days, so there’s no harm in customizing the ritual as you see fit. Usually, the couples’ mothers place a candle in a pillar, and the couple lights them after saying their vows.

## 3. Break the Glass
Breaking a glass is customary in many cultures’ wedding ceremonies, notably Jewish and Slavic. Jewish weddings traditionally have the groom step on the glass, while in Slavic tradition, both partners can break their glasses.

## 4. El Lazo
The El Lazo ceremony, roughly translated as the lasso ceremony, is common among Spaniards and some other cultures. You’ll need a floral rope (see, rope again!) and some friends to wrap it around you and your spouse in the form of the number eight. The ritual, again, symbolizes unity, literally and otherwise.

## 5. San-San-Kudo
San-San-Kudo (“three three nine times”) or the sake- sharing ceremony is customary in Japan. If you want to add a touch of tradition, you can opt for this ritual. The ceremony is, in fact, one of the oldest ones in Japan, where there are a number of customs related to sake drinking.
In Japan, this ceremony symbolizes bonding. Commonly, only the couple participates, but in some cases, the parents can join, too (as Japan is a traditional country and bonding between families is important).

You’ll need three sakazuiki (sake cups) from which both the couple are to take three sips (both drink three sips from three cups, hence the name).

## 6. Crowning
Crowning is as traditional as it gets and is usually seen in religious wedding ceremonies (Christian, that is). The tradition originates from Greek Orthodox Christianity and has spread far and wide. The couple’s crowns are connected (symbolizing unity).

## 7. Saptapadi
If you want to go one step beyond lighting a fire, you can add a touch of Hinduism. The saptapadi (“seven steps”) takes place around a fire beneath a mandap, but you can customize the place. The couple is to hold hands and walk seven steps around the fire. Half of the way should be led by one partner and the other half by the other. Hinduism isn’t patriarchal, so it’s a nice touch in a modern setting.

## 8. Burying the Bourbon
This is a Southern tradition that was originally performed to prevent bad weather on the day of the wedding ceremony. It goes like this: one month before the wedding ceremony (one month exactly, mind you), dig a hole in the ceremony site and bury an unopened bottle of bourbon upside down. After the wedding, dig the bottle up and serve it to your guests.

## 9. Jumping the Broom
Jumping the broom is an African wedding custom that has been customized in Neo-Paganism as well. The ceremony takes place after the vows have been exchanged. The couple jumps over a broomstick to symbolically leave their old lives behind and welcome a new joint one.

## 10. Handfasting
Handfasting is the joining of the soonlyweds’ hands. The official then binds the hands with a fabric. This also symbolizes unity—it’s a common theme in case you hadn’t noticed!—and the ritual is of Celtic origin.

## 11. Say the Vows Under a Canopy
Saying the vows under a canopy is a Jewish tradition but, just as many others, has spread to all corners of the world. This can be traditional or nontraditional, depending on the setting but it is always romantic and heartwarming.

{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/cf7cca618d3c-555ab3328c0e25ce7c9f3f7532a2d54d4feda4aa-orig.jpeg|alt=Couple at outdoor Jewish Hawaii elopement|credit=Alos Films|credit_link=https://lovestoriestv.com/andrea-adam-wedding-video-march-2021}}

# General Wedding Ceremony Ideas
 
Moving on to some creative ideas that can be added to your wedding ceremony regardless of its structure and religious background (if any).

## 1. Tying the Knot
Is there anything more symbolic than tying the knot? You can use a rope or a ribbon and literally tie them together. The motive is more than obvious, but you can add a touch of personalization. Get creative!

## 2. Planting a Tree
Another obvious allegory is planting a tree after the wedding ceremony. You can use a pot or your garden if you’re staging your wedding there. The symbolism of roots is ancient and easily understandable across cultures, so this may be a nice traditional touch everyone will appreciate.

## 3. Passing a Rope
Ropes are, well, extremely popular when it comes to wedding ceremonies. They can be used in a number of creative ways, and one of those is rope passing. Similar to the ring warming ceremony, the passing of a fisherman’s rope serves for the soonlyweds to receive wedding guests’ blessings.

## 4. Tug of War
Tug of war is a fun activity no matter the occasion, but it can be especially thrilling during a wedding ceremony (especially because not many guests will expect it!). As for the symbolism, well, you can pretend it will help you tie the bond (jokingly) if you really need an excuse. Otherwise, it’s just fun!

## 5. Log Cutting
Log cutting was a wedding ritual in some parts of Germany. It symbolizes the couple’s willingness to help each other in all kinds of challenging situations. It’s best done after the vows. However, if you’re down to put in a little work before saying your vows, who are we to stop you?!

## 6. Releasing Doves
This ceremony can be either traditional or not, depending on your family background. It is well-known but rarely seen, simply because you would need to find someone to properly handle those doves.

## 7. Lighting a Fire
The good old pagan tradition of lighting a fire on any kind of occasion has engraved itself in wedding traditions across the globe. While you won’t normally see couples setting a fire in front of a church, you can do so in your garden or anywhere outside. Just remember to prepare the spot.

## 8. Ring Warming Ceremony
A ring warming ceremony has the wedding guests pass on the wedding rings. This symbolizes their blessings and well-wishes for the couple. The ritual can be performed either before or during the wedding ceremony (obviously not after!).

## 9. Proposing a Toast
This is one of the best-known wedding rituals. Toasts are usually made by the hosts, certain close family members and close friends. The ritual symbolizes good health and happiness for the couple and can be fun if you choose the right people to propose a toast!

## 10. Drinking Wine
Drinking wine is often expected, especially during the toast, but there’s another way to perform this ritual. Namely, you can put out a glass of red wine and a glass of white wine. The couple should mix and drink from both glasses to, yep, you got it, underline unity.

## 11. Time Capsule
Lastly, the couple can write a love letter to one another before the wedding and seal them inside a box (or any other vessel you like). Letters can be accompanied by any items you like, and many also choose to add a bottle of champagne.
The box can be opened at any time after the wedding, but preferably not immediately after the ceremony. An anniversary or any other milestone may be a suitable date.

As you can see, there are plenty of ideas on how to customize your special day, no matter your cultural background and the type of wedding ceremony you’re planning to host. Many of these rituals and customs originate from various cultures. That said, you should only use the traditions from cultures that relate to your family, country of origin or background. We do not suggest you take from traditions simply because you like the look of them. Once you’ve found those that speak to you and your partner’s history, you can combine them and add your own touch for some added creativity and individuality.

*And as you start the planning process, take a look at our [wedding videos](https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding-videos) for inspirations!*

{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/808e2d74fd21-b2bc586285af88a901c46b7d545ad193d200e85e-orig.jpeg|alt=Couple embracing at white vineyard wedding with floral details|credit=High Up Films|credit_link=https://lovestoriestv.com/alycia-jacob-wedding-video-march-2021}}

Love the tips you received here? Check out these other popular posts:
[How to Choose a Videographer](https://lovestoriestv.com/how-to-choose-a-videographer)
[Top Three Wedding Videographer Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Day](https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding-videographer-tips)
[Why You Shouldn't Hire a Cheap Videographer](https://lovestoriestv.com/why-not-to-hire-cheap-wedding-videographer)
[Everything You Need to Know About Wedding Videography Packages](https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding-videographer-package)
[12 Genius Tips for Writing Your Own Wedding Vows](https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding-vow-tips-write-your-own)
[9 Amazing Officiant Speeches That Will Seriously Inspire You](https://lovestoriestv.com/inspiring-wedding-ceremony-officiants)
[How to Plan a Lesbian Wedding](https://lovestoriestv.com/how-to-plan-a-lesbian-wedding)
[Everything You Need to Know About Hiring a Wedding Planner](https://lovestoriestv.com/how-much-is-a-wedding-planner )

The more traditional your wedding is, the fewer options for customization there are, but you can always add a touch of personality and individuality at some point. We've listed various ideas that you can use in your own wedding ceremony.

22 Wedding Ceremony Ideas for Throwing a Unique Wedding

22 Ideas for Throwing a Unique Wedding Ceremony

By [Katie Kortebein](https://www.instagram.com/heyheyitskatiek/)

Since our launch in 2016, Love Stories TV has featured and celebrated love stories from around the world. On lovestoriestv.com you'll find real wedding videos from over 100 countries tagged with the incredible videographers and pros who brought these weddings to life. We've always prided ourselves on highlighting a diverse set of international couples on our site and social channels. 

We're thrilled to share that we've launched our first channels dedicated to a non-English speaking audience: [Love Stories Espanol](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgMjsSo53UYsK6lZwAc2Gxw) on YouTube and [La Boda Perfecta](https://story.snapchat.com/p/aa956842-eed0-4636-8690-4b21545ce80a/1336074818172928?timestamp=77&chapterid=1030410585735168?share_id=MDFCQjkw&locale=en_US) on Snapchat.

Love Stories TV has both the largest and fastest-growing [YouTube](youtube.com/lovestoriestv) and Snapchat channels in the wedding industry, reaching nearly five million subscribers per month, and we're thrilled to be growing our presence on these platforms beyond English-language content. 

‘La Boda Perfecta’, Love Stories TV’s new Spanish language show composed exclusively of Mexican weddings, debuted on Snap Discover on August 10th. The first season features 10 episodes of the best, most emotional moments from the Mexican weddings published on lovestoriestv.com and features the work of Mexican creators like [Meraki Weddings](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/meraki-weddings), [Yossuana Films](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/yossuana-films), [Dreamers Filmhouse](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/dreamers-filmhouse) and [LunArts Films](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/lunarts-films). The episodes will be released weekly so make sure you’re subscribed to our channel!

Our new YouTube channel, Love Stories TV Espanol, will feature these incredible Mexican creators, but also weddings from all over Central and South America, Spain, and other Spanish-speaking regions across the world.

Watch and subscribe on Snapchat [HERE](https://story.snapchat.com/p/aa956842-eed0-4636-8690-4b21545ce80a/1336074818172928?timestamp=77&chapterid=1030410585735168?share_id=MDFCQjkw&locale=en_US) and YouTube [HERE](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgMjsSo53UYsK6lZwAc2Gxw). Are you a wedding videographer working in a Spanish-speaking region? We'd love to feature your work. Get in touch [here](mailto: videos@lovestoriestv.com).

Plus, check out the first video on Love Stories TV Español below.

{{video|media_id=QN55bZsDWN8|type=youtube}}

Love Stories TV has launched a new suite of Spanish language programming: ‘La Boda Perfecta’ on Snap and ‘Love Stories TV Español’ on YouTube.

Love Stories TV Now Has Spanish Language Programming

Here at Love Stories TV, our goal is to help every couple plan their dream day without stressing so much over every decision. In fact, our little secret? You should do exactly what you want to do as a couple—it’s your day!—no one else’s opinions matter. However, we know it’s easier said than done to not stress over a wedding so we’re sharing some of our best wedding planning tips with you. 

Are you stressing about your wedding shower—how do you quickly (but thoughtfully) open gifts without boring your guests? Our founder and CEO, Rachel Jo Silver, gives her biggest tips for throwing a stress-free wedding shower. However, as we said, ultimately, you do you! Watch the video for all Rachel’s tips below.

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I'm going to teach you how to unwrap gifts at your shower in a way that keeps your guests entertained and things organized. I'm Rachel, the founder and CEO of Love Stories TV, the leading video platform for wedding planning and inspiration. I've worked with brides, grooms and couples from all over the world. I know a ton about planning a wedding and a ton about setting the events that go on with the wedding. I’ve put together this guide for opening gifts at your shower that will keep you organized, keep things moving quickly so that it's stress-free for you and fun for your guests.

{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/90628216da48-93b618fd1355e78fa14a174ef4c4c8d3084ff70b-orig.jpeg|alt=Wedding party balloon décor with neon sign|credit=Jainé Kershner Photography|credit_link=https://lovestoriestv.com/business/jaine-kershner-photography}} 

I'm so excited to be finally making this video. I have wanted to make a guide about how to open gifts at your bridal shower for so long. This is something people really struggle with and it's actually kind of complicated so I don't even blame you if you got to your bridal shower and panicked because you didn't know what to do, or you attended a bridal shower and you were like “I can't believe how disorganized this is.” This actually happened to me at my own bridal shower, I had like a big traditional bridal shower my cousins threw me—it was so beautiful and, leading up to it. my mom kept saying, “Okay here's how we're going to open the gifts in a way that keeps things organized. Make sure you don't forget anyone when you write thank you notes and keep things moving quickly,” and I didn't listen to her. I showed up to my shower and there were all these people there and I got really overwhelmed and I started to panic and luckily my mom explained it to me again and saved the day. I don’t want that to happen to you so watch this entire video so you learn how to open gifts at your bridal shower in a way that keeps things organized and prevents your guests from getting bored. 

## 1. Do I actually need to register for physical gifts and do I need a shower?
The answer is yes, I know lots of people get married once they've already been living with their partner they have everything that they want and need for their kitchen and for their bedroom so they only want to register for a honeymoon or to receive cash. The truth is it’s really not polite if you only register for those things because what if somebody can't afford to give an amount at your wedding that they feel comfortable giving in cash or a cash amount towards a honeymoon and they want to give you a physical gift because it feels like they're giving you something bigger and of more value even if they didn't spend that much on it, so truly it’s polite to register for a wide range of items. Plus, you might have friends of your grandmother or friends of your mother or your aunt or whatever and they want to and are used to handing you a physical gift and I'm used to going into a store, so I say do both you can absolutely register for a honeymoon your friends would love to contribute to that but maybe some of the older people attending your wedding or more traditional and want to give you a physical gift you should definitely do both. You can always register in a store where there are other things that you want and a place that you shop at a lot that if you return some of the things you registered for you can spend that money in the future. 

## 2. Who should be invited to the shower and who should host?
So traditionally showers were called bridal showers and they were hosted traditionally by friends or relatives of the mother of the groom or the mother of the bride, they were typically attended by females who were invited to the wedding. It is 2021: we have weddings with two brides, we have weddings with no brides, we have people getting married who don't identify with the term bride or groom, you do you, whatever feels right to you is great and we should celebrate that. I do think that you should allow friends and family to throw you a shower if they want to. It's nice for people to get together before the wedding and get to know each other. People want an excuse to celebrate you. People like to give you presents and they like to see what you got. It's fun to see what types of things you want to put in your kitchen, what types of things you want to put in your home. The idea of a wedding and celebrating with your family and friends is that people want to set you up for your life together. No matter what that means for you and so if people want to throw you a shower you should absolutely let them do it. An alternative is a couples shower that can also be hosted by friends of the couple or sometimes a couples shower is even thrown by the couple themselves. If both of you are equally interested in home decor or equally interested in cooking then that might feel right to you however you want to do it that is great. But I do strongly suggest that you have a registry with physical items on it so that people can choose what type of thing they're comfortable giving you for your wedding or shower and if people want to throw you a shower, you should have it. You and your partner and your friends and family should do what feels right to you in terms of who the shower’s being hosted for and who's in attendance. 

## 3. How do I open my gifts in the best possible way?
No matter who is there and who hosts it, the tips I'm going to give you about opening gifts will apply and make your life easier. So you set up your registry, you are at your shower, here is how you are going to open your gifts in a way that keeps things running smoothly, organized, and when you go to write your thank-you notes it will be stress-free. You are going to have yourself, or it might be you and your partner, and then 4 other people who are going to help you do it. You're going to sit in a line, and I'll tell you the order you're going to sit in, facing the guests. You might sit behind a table if you have the right table at the right height and it is easy to hand things along the table and it looks pretty or you might sit with no table in front of you, in which case just make sure you think about the types of chairs you're sitting in and the type of outfit you're wearing so that you're comfortable sitting facing a room full of people. 

{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/b5eace85eca7-eb93204849de9ae3e05ff94ba228186b353124c0-orig.jpeg|alt=Wedding event desserts|credit=Jainé Kershner Photography|credit_link=https://lovestoriestv.com/business/jaine-kershner-photography}} 

The first person in the gift opening assembly line is the opener. You will have all of the gifts in a pile or on a table next to the opener. The opener literally unwraps the gift, unwraps the card, and puts the open card on top of the gift. The opener then passes the gift and the open card to the secretary. I highly recommend the person who's the Secretary is someone who's really responsible and someone who's not drinking mimosas. Maybe find a pregnant person, they're often very good secretaries. The secretary will then write down the gift and the person who gave it to you. Something you can do to make the secretary's life easier is to actually do a printout of your registry so they're just writing the gift-givers name next to the item on the actual printout. Once they’ve recorded the gift, the secretary will hand the unwrapped gift and the open card to the bride or groom for per person for whom the shower is for and they will actually say to them quietly, “This is a toaster from your Aunt Maria” and then you hold up the toaster and say, “Oh, a beautiful toaster from my Aunt Maria”, find her in the crowd say, “Thank you, Aunt Maria,” look her in the eye and you don't have to read the card aloud, but it's nice for Maria to see you reading her card. Then you take the toaster and you take the card and you hand it to the displayer. The displayer takes it and actually displays the gift out on the table and takes the card and puts it in a big manila envelope, which I recommend you use duct tape to the table so it doesn't get lost, so that there is a backup copy of the secretaries list of gifts. The final person in your group, your fourth helper, is the roving cleaner. This person is kind of walking around, behind, picking up envelopes, picking up wrapping paper, making sure no cards get lost, maybe they're helping the displayer or moving a gift along the assembly line if it's heavy. If you're having a really traditional bridal shower and you're making one of those bouquets out of wrapping paper and bows, the roving cleaner can also be the wrapping paper bouquet maker. 

So let's recap who is in your gift opening assembly line so that you keep things organized, fast-moving and stress-free. First, you have the gift opener: they unwrap the gift, they open the card, they put the open card on top of the unwrapped gift, they hand it to the secretary. The secretary writes down the gift and who gave it to you. The secretary hands it to you: the bride, groom or whoever the shower is for and whispers to you what it is so that you can quickly repeat that, “Ah, a nice butter dish from my Aunt Henrietta”. Then you actually find Henrietta in the crowd, look at her, make eye contact so that she feels thanked, you read the card to yourself, then you hand the card and the gift to the gift displayer, who puts the gift out on the table so people can walk around later and see it and puts the card in a manila envelope which, like I said, I would actually fasten to the table so that it doesn't get lost. Then you have the roving cleaner, who's walking around, cleaning things up, picking up wrapping paper, making sure no cards get lost. 

{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/a66a85ed6cde-d7f16327a20107024b3f9ce575ad2f3f0d021c7a-orig.jpeg|alt=Bride at wedding event, founder and CEO of Love Stories TV Rachel Silver|credit=Jainé Kershner Photography|credit_link=https://lovestoriestv.com/business/jaine-kershner-photography}}

Something I also recommend is that right before the gift opening portion of the shower starts, have the opener actually open one or two gifts so they're ready to go so that the line is running quickly. Listen, people want to see what gifts you got, they want to see what plates you registered for, people like it, it's fun, it's like shopping, shopping is fun but they don't want to sit there for two hours and you will get sweaty and you will get stressed and anxious if you're unwrapping, no one needs to see you unwrap, they just want to see what the gift is and people want to be thanked in front of a room of other people and it’s anxiety-inducing for you if you're trying to unwrap and read and write down and find the person in the crowd. Finally, when you go home and it's time to write thank-you notes, if you have this nice list of all the gifts it is going to make your life so much easier.

So those are my tips for hosting a shower that keeps things moving quickly and stress-free. Let's recap: 1. You should do a registry with physical items on it of varying prices, you can also register for a honeymoon and also let it be known to your guests that you are happy to receive cash but you do need to register for things that people of all different levels of comfort can find something they are excited to give you for your wedding. 2. If your friends and family want to host a shower for you or for you and your partner, let them! It’s fun! It's fun for people to get together ahead of time, people want to see what you got. Remember, if the shower is being hosted for you, your partner does not necessarily have to be there. They can show up later and say thank you or not. That's totally acceptable. Whatever feels right and makes the most sense for your friends, your family and yourselves as a couple. Finally, you are going to need a team to help you unwrap the gifts at the wedding, it's going to be yourself plus four other people and I hope that you found my guide to creating that assembly line useful. If you have any questions put them in the comments below and let us know what other videos and types of advice you are looking for for your wedding. I hope you subscribe and I'll see you next time. 

{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/b60bb597664f-867d276550b097b364e3685a40537c14ce9318d3-orig.jpeg|alt=Wedding event flower décor|credit=Jainé Kershner Photography|credit_link=https://lovestoriestv.com/business/jaine-kershner-photography}} 

*So there you have it—the top wedding shower tips from a past bride and the founder of a wedding planning platform. We hope this is helpful and make sure to check out all the real wedding inspiration on lovestoriestv.com.*

Are you planning your wedding right now? You're going to want to check out these tips because we're going to teach you how to unwrap gifts at your shower in a way that keeps your guests entertained and keeps organized.

How to Throw a Stress-Free Wedding Shower

**By [Katie Kortebein](https://www.instagram.com/heyheyitskatiek/)**

Here at Love Stories TV, our goal is to help every couple plan their dream day without stressing so much over every decision. In fact, our little secret? You should do exactly what you want to do as a couple—it’s your day!—no one else’s opinions matter. However, we know it’s easier said than done to not stress over a wedding so we’re sharing some of our best wedding planning tips with you. 

Do you know how to kick off wedding planning? Or the very first thing you should do after the proposal happens? Our Head of Editorial, Katie Kortebein, took a break from her own wedding planning to advise you on the five things you should do immediately after getting engaged. Watch the video for all Katie’s tips below.

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Hello everyone! My name is Katie K and I'm the Head of Editorial here at Love Stories TV, which is a video platform for wedding planning. I’ve been in the wedding industry for over six years so trust me when I say I know what I’m talking about. And, not only that, but I'm also currently engaged so I'm planning my wedding right along with you!

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So I'm the first person to tell any engaged couple that they should do their wedding completely their way. No rules, no traditions. None of that matters except for what you and your partner want to do. However...today, I'm going to talk about the five things you should do right after getting engaged. My partner and I got engaged in December 2020. We were visiting my parents in California and decided to take a little trip to go skiing at Lake Tahoe. He suggested we go for a hike around the lake while there. It was absolutely gorgeous—there were snow-covered mountains in the background—we wandered around taking cute little selfies. I literally had no idea what was happening. He didn’t even seem nervous. We got out to the very end of the pier and he gets down on one knee. My lovely response was, “What are you doing? Is this real? This is not real. Stop it.” I'm a delight. It turns out photographers are taking photos the whole time—he really knocked it out of the park.

{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/adcf69737436-35984ee7a31a06f78a921f464b9023899c012184-orig.jpeg|alt=Couple kissing with morganite marquis engagement ring}}

### Tip #1: Celebrate!
After the proposal, we drove back to my parents and popped a bunch of bottles of champagne and just like really reveled in the fact that we are engaged. That night we started calling our closest people, really mostly family. The next day we called our best friends and a few others. We also decided to take a couple of other bottles of champagne and go have an outdoor picnic because a bunch of our friends had surprised us by sending bottles. (Thank you to those friends, we really appreciated it!) We've been together for over six years so, trust me when I say I have been getting the “When are you getting engaged?” question for literally YEARS. People were very happy and we had bottles on bottles of champagne for probably four days straight. It was amazing.

{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/7e3235853b05-9a713b879edc08fef7212afcb0212a8e96f50848-orig.jpeg|alt=Morganite marquis engagement ring with champagne bottle}} 

### Tip #2: Figure Out the Location
I'm from Arkansas, my family lives in California, my partner and all of his family are from New Jersey, plus that's what we currently live, so, naturally, even though I thought I was crazy at the time, people were asking, “Are you going to get married in Arkansas, California, New Jersey?” Ultimately, my partner I talked about it, and we just really want to get married in New Jersey. It's where we made our home, where we moved in together, where we got our dog, and I just personally really want to show all my friends and family, since they're all spread out throughout the country, what a beautiful place it is that I now call home. The biggest thing for figuring out location is you have to really figure out, do you want people come and see you? Do you want to travel? Do you want to make a weekend out of it and have a destination wedding? Do you have a beloved hometown chapel you've always dreamed of getting married in? Just figure out what is most important to you and your partner. That's the only thing that matters. That is my be all, end all for wedding planning.

### Tip #3: Figure Out Your Priorities
Your top three priorities will affect your entire wedding planning moving forward and, most importantly, your budget. Say you and your partner are really big foodies and the wedding details you’re most excited about is the cocktail hour appetizers, signature drink and, of course, reception meal. Those are going to be items you want to prioritize in your budget, aka you can spend a little bit more on catering and bar service and then say save a little bit on floral and décor, for example, if those are details you're not as excited about. Naming your three priorities will the biggest thing in helping you figure out what you want in your wedding. For instance, my partner and I really just want to prioritize video, obviously, music, food and drink because we want a big party atmosphere. We basically want to throw a music festival, brought to them by us.

{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/bf4ad76cc558-1ff57f4aa28046f931a4e76b7e4d51e64c17e3a0-orig.jpeg|alt=Morganite marquise engagement ring at winter proposal}} 

### Tip #4: Figure Out Your Wedding Budget
You literally cannot do anything without knowing your wedding budget. The venue alone could be anywhere from 20% to 50% of your budget, depending on how much they offer and include, like catering, linens, rentals, etc. Now I know I keep mentioning the priorities, and I'm going to keep mentioning that, because it really is important. For instance, if you are prioritizing video like I am, then you're going to want to prioritize your videographers. Now, if you're looking at videographers and you fall in love with one but realize they are a little bit out of your budget, you can now look to those vendors that you're not as excited about, take a little money out of that category and apply it toward your videographer. This way, you can splurge a little on those categories you are most excited about and save on categories that you're just don't really care that much about. So, again, you really can't do anything without a wedding budget. In fact, if you talk to a wedding planner or venue, one of the first things they ask about is your budget so make sure you figure that out as early as you can.

### Tip #5: Research Your Priority Vendors
Priority is coming in again. I am telling y’all, this is super helpful. Once you know your location and priorities, you can start researching all the vendors that you know are going to be most important on your wedding day. That way, when you figure out your specific wedding venue and your date, you can reach out to your favorites for their availability, as soon as possible. Trust me when I say this is extremely important especially right now...think of all those 2020 and 2021 weddings that were pushed back… Let's just say it's going to be a very hectic couple years for weddings and you're going to want to lock in your priority vendors ASAP.

{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/d8be86dd455d-c115e69748765dca346e4f1728b9f27647f06667-orig.jpeg|alt=Lake Tahoe winter proposal|credit=Blue Lotus Photography}}

*So there you have it—the five things you should do immediately after getting engaged from a wedding expert and current soonlywed. We hope this is helpful and make sure to check out all the real wedding inspiration on lovestoriestv.com.*

We break down the five things you should do immediately after getting engaged so you’re on the right track for wedding planning.

These Are the 5 Things to Do Immediately After Getting Engaged

**By [Katie Kortebein](https://www.instagram.com/heyheyitskatiek/)**

Here at Love Stories TV, our goal is to help every couple plan their dream day without stressing so much over every decision. In fact, our little secret? You should do exactly what you want to do as a couple—it’s your day!—no one else’s opinions matter. However, we know it’s easier said than done to not stress over a wedding so we’re sharing some of our best wedding planning tips with you. 

Are you afraid you’ll regret not doing something on your wedding day or worried you’ll realize later that you should have done that one thing? Our founder and CEO, Rachel Jo Silver, breaks down her five biggest wedding day regrets so you won’t make the same mistake. However, as we said, ultimately, you do you! Watch the video for all Rachel’s tips below.

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I'm Rachel and the founder and CEO of Love Stories TV and today I am going to name my five biggest wedding regrets. I loved my wedding, I'm one of these people who is like “My wedding was the most fun wedding I ever went to.” It was perfect. I don't have any complaints, but I do think, when I look back, there are a couple of things that I would have done a little bit differently. If I can pass them on to you and you can benefit from those and not make those same mistakes, that's what I want to do.

### Regret #1: Not hiring a wedding videographer
The number one thing I obviously regret (because I started a company completely based on video!) is when I was having mother help me plan my entire wedding and she asked me if I wanted a wedding videographer. I was picturing some guy with a camera on his shoulder shining a light in people's faces on the dance floor and I was like, “No, I don't need a wedding video.” Flash forward to my wedding and my family surprises us with the most insane amazing flash mob. I've never been more surprised by anything in my life. The photos are amazing but there's no professional video. Luckily, many of my friends had the wherewithal to grab their phones but I can't believe that it’s not professionally recorded. And that's just the flash mob. What about the vows? Don't remember them at all. No recollection of the ceremony. Would love to see what it looked like when we walked into our wedding. It’s definitely my number one regret and I've read article after article and survey after survey where brides and groom say their number one regret is not hiring a videographer or not spending more money on the videographer. If you get one thing from Love Stories TV, hire a videographer for your wedding! You will regret it if you don’t.

### Regret #2: Not having more bridesmaids
The number two thing I regret about my wedding is going to be a little surprising, I think. I actually regret not having more bridesmaids. I feel like people are usually like, “Oh my God, I spent so much time figuring out who my bridesmaids were going to be.” I actually felt the opposite. So I had my very best friend in the world, Katie, as my maid of honor and she was perfect and amazing. I thought trying to identify the next group of people after Katie was going to be hard. What if I hurt somebody's feelings? Would have my husband has a different number in his party? I figured it wasn't that important. Our friends know we love them and we would all celebrate at our bach parties. However, I have this really specific memory on the day of my wedding thinking, “I should have just made my best girlfriends my bridesmaids.” It would have been fun to give them presents. They came to visit me when I was getting my hair and makeup done and getting ready but it would have been fun to have them there the whole time. I actually sent my very best girlfriends some champagne to their hotel room because I was so grateful that they have celebrated with me along the way at my shower, my bach and, looking back, I think it would have made them feel good to be bridesmaids also. Plus, all my friends and family are like really fun and we had an amazing dance party, which the other reason that I really recommend people have bridesmaids. It’s just like you have built-in hype people for your wedding. Their actual job on the dance floor is to get people having fun. I think that that's something people really underestimate.

{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/848c33f4d038-159929405207d67dcbb8fcd4400beef8e122c4a8-orig.png|alt=Gorgeous bride with all-white florals and pink bridesmaid gowns|credit=Timeline Video Productions|credit_link=https://lovestoriestv.com/brianna-michael-wedding-video-january-2021}}

### Regret #3: Not going on a honeymoon right after the wedding
My third regret was that we didn't go on our honeymoon right after the wedding. So basically when I think back about my wedding planning journey, I was so lucky my mom basically planned my whole wedding for me and the only two things that I did myself were my wedding bands and my honeymoon. And I remember both of those things being really hard and really stressful! My husband and I just figured we didn’t have the bandwidth to get ourselves together for a honeymoon so we just didn't plan one and then, when the wedding was over, we started looking around at where we wanted to go. We found this resort we were really really excited about and ended up going in April. Our wedding was in June so it was like almost a year later. I don't even want to use the word “regret” necessarily in association with my honeymoon because I had such a good time and it was amazing and perfect. But I kind of wish I had gone right after my wedding. You know, your wedding is this big epic amazing thing and then it's just sort of over when it's over and I think the honeymoon is a really nice way to keep it going and reflect and relax. I think you only get one opportunity in your whole life to be the person getting married and having this celebration together, I think going on your honeymoon right after is just fun and keeps the whole thing going. It makes the whole entire celebration bigger and more special. So I would just figure out a way to organize it and go on your honeymoon right away

### Regret #4: Not understanding out-of-town guests’ needs
My fourth regret for my wedding is not having a better understanding of what it meant for people who traveled in for my wedding who had kids. We only had two kids at our wedding—one is my first cousin and one is the son of my first cousin. They were both around 5 years old at the time and both of them traveled in—one from California, one from Oregon—and we're really close to them. I don't have anything against having kids at weddings, I love kids at weddings. Actually, the reason we didn't include kids is because we were at capacity. We didn't have any space left and so we said no kids outside of those two. I don't think there's anything wrong with that necessarily but, again, if we'd had more space I would have had all the kids. What I really didn't take into account (which I realize now that I'm a parent) is how hard it is to travel in from out of town for a wedding and not have the option to bring your kids. I think you should just say to people, “If you're traveling in for my wedding and you want to bring your kids, you should bring your kids. If you don't want to bring your kids, I’ll help you find a babysitter.” I just think it's really not kind and not understanding of your guests to not make it as easy for them as possible but, like I said, I think kids are really fun so if I could do it again I think I would have liked to have made more of a point to reach out to people were traveling in from the wedding and just ask, “Do you want to bring your kid? Would it make your life easier? Would you prefer it?” And then just find a way to fit them into the venue. Kids are little! I'm sure we could have done it. It certainly wasn't intentional but, now that I'm a parent, I really understand that better.

{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/ffdf0c5fc8c0-f55c1b2f51fa7b8efb31efd1e1a62c0a6ef00a04-orig.jpeg|alt=Gay waterfront wedding with shocked groom|credit=Robert Michael Films|credit_link=https://lovestoriestv.com/hubert-laszlo-wedding-video-august-2019}}

### Regret #5: Not helping the wedding officiant more
My fifth regret for my wedding is not being more helpful with my cousin who officiated. Like so many of you we wanted someone we love to officiate our wedding. We looked at our family and friends and thought, “Who do we love so much who really knows us as a couple and would enjoy this? Who is a good public speaker?” And we chose my cousin. He did an amazing job but I don't think we really appreciated how much work it is to create a wedding ceremony from scratch. If I could do it again, I still would have had him as the officiant but I would have found a ceremony coach or found a template online. I would have given him more resources because I wouldn’t want to make it harder on him than it has to be! I feel like we could have handed him more of the ceremony already done instead of asking him to do this massive, really overwhelming task. It's a lot of pressure so my advice to people is, if you're going to have a friend or family member officiate your wedding, get a ceremony coach or be a huge help to them so you're not asking them to do too much 

*So there you have it—the five biggest wedding regrets of a past bride and the founder of a wedding planning platform. We hope this is helpful and make sure to check out all the real wedding inspiration on lovestoriestv.com.*

We break down the five biggest wedding day regrets so you won’t make the same mistake.

These Are the 5 BIGGEST Wedding Day Regrets

<em><strong>By <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/heyheyitskatiek/\">Katie Kortebein</a></strong></em>\r\n\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/NxlDuMbv-LDty3DAW.js\"></script>\r\n\r\nSo you’re engaged, congratulations! Now comes the fun, but slightly daunting task of actually planning your dream wedding. Between choosing the right venue and finding the perfect wedding attire, it may seem a bit overwhelming. And if you’re a part of the <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/lgbtq/\">LGBTQIA+</a> community, things may seem even more strenuous because your wedding may not follow the template of a “traditional” wedding. We also are very aware that the wedding industry still has a ways to go in getting with the times.\r\n\r\nBut, don’t stress, we’re here to help you enjoy the process because, no matter what, your wedding day will be magical—we want the journey to be fun as well! Now let’s get started with some basic pointers.\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/KadiaJessica_RawShootsPhotography.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"https://www.rawshoots.com/\">Raw Shoots Photography</a></div>\r\n<h4>1. Who Should Pay for the Wedding?</h4>\r\nOk, so, historically, the bride’s family is expected to pay, but that’s an outdated notion. Many millennial couples are paying for their own weddings, and the number goes up when it comes to same-sex couples. Really what it comes down to is the wedding should be paid for by someone who can afford it. Yes, it’s a special day, but don’t go into debt because of it! If your familes are supportive, talk to them about how they imagined the wedding would be paid for and, if they were planning on paying for some, discuss how exactly you’d like the split the cost.\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/GigiNats_YvetteRomanPhotography.png\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/photographer/yvette-roman/\">Yvette Roman Photography</a></div>\r\n<h4>2. How Do We Find Inclusive Vendors?</h4>\r\nYou can find wedding pros on <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/\">lovestoriestv.com</a>! Start by watching wedding videos from your wedding location, or venue if you already have one, and see which vendors have worked at those locations. You can even contact them directly from <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/\">lovestoriestv.com</a>.\r\n\r\nImportant note: If during your search you come across any vendors who refuse to work with you because you are a LGBTQIA+ couple, please <a href=\"mail to: help@lovestoriestv.com\">contact us</a> and let us know, so we can ensure these businesses are not listed on lovestoriestv.com. We do not endorse vendors who are not inclusive of all couples.\r\n\r\nYou may not want to reach out to vendors directly to see if they work with or specialize in LGBTQIA+ weddings because who wants to put a damper on the joy of planning by contacting a vendor only to have them refuse you? Instead, here are a few ways to research yourself before you even send a message or pick up the phone:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Watch the wedding videos on their <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/\">lovestoriestv.com</a> channel and see if they have any LGBTQIA+ weddings</li>\r\n 	<li>Peruse their website photo galleries and social media to see if they proudly showcase work from a past same-sex wedding of theirs.</li>\r\n 	<li>Check their “About Me” page to see if they use gender-neutral language or stick specifically to brides marrying grooms—same with any forms on their site. If they’re equality-minded, they’ll make an effort to show this in their wording.</li>\r\n 	<li>Browse vendor guides on sites that specialize in LGBTQIA+ weddings like <a href=\"https://loveincmag.com/\">Love Inc.</a>, where every vendor featured has been personally confirmed by the blog’s editors for their inclusiveness.</li>\r\n 	<li>See if they’re certified through <a href=\"https://hallsofivyworkshop.splashthat.com/\">Halls of Ivy</a> and <a href=\"https://www.gayweddinginstitute.com/\">Gay Wedding Institute</a>—two credited workshops geared toward educating wedding professionals on making their businesses LGBTQIA+ friendly.</li>\r\n 	<li>You can quickly scan the vendor’s site to see if they mention having taken either of these courses or have the badges to prove they completed them.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/BirnaEve_JulietteRowlandPhoto.png\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/photographer/julie-rowland/\">Juliette Rowland</a></div>\r\n<h4>3. What Should We Call Our Wedding Party?</h4>\r\nSo, yes, traditionally, there are bridesmaids and groomsmen, but, these days, more couples are having mixed-gender parties and, of course, more same-sex couples are getting married. Here are just a few alternative terms to consider: I Do Crew, Friends of Honor, Adventure Party, Bridesminions, Matrimony Homies, Honor Guard, Commitment Crew or simply, entourage, attendants or posse.\r\n\r\nOf course, if you have a themed wedding or inside joke with these honorees, you can think of something even more unique, but those are just a few that make us smile.\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/ChristinaRichelle_JoshuaMichaelPhotography_ShellyBeckPhotography.png\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/photographer/joshua-michael-photography/\">Joshua Michael Photography</a> &amp; <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/photographer/shelly-beck-photography/\">Shelly Beck Photography</a></div>\r\n<h4>4. What Should We Wear?</h4>\r\nAre you really asking this question?? We’re kidding, there are no wrong questions here! But, seriously, what do YOU want to wear? Have you both always dreamed of a massive princess ballgown on your wedding day? Amazing! We suggest you go to the same bridal salon (on different days if you don’t want to see each other’s look!) so that the consultants are aware of what each of you is wearing. That way you can have a cohesive look, while still keeping your dress a surprise.\r\n\r\nIf you’re not a dress type of gal, that’s cool too! There are so many great jumpsuits, pantsuits or even rompers out there! Take a look at our <a href=\" https://bridalfashionmonth.com/davids-bridal\">event playback with David’s Bridal</a> for some inspiration. We love an all-white suit—so chic!—but if you don’t love the color white, don’t feel limited. You can wear black, purple, splashy florals, any kind of print or color that speaks to you and makes you happy. As long as you feel comfortable and confident, that’s all that matters.\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/BrianaTiahna_JenniferGoodletPhotography.jpeg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/photographer/jennifer-goodlet-photography/\">Jennifer Goodlet Photography</a></div>\r\n<h4>5. Who Should Wait at the Altar?</h4>\r\nWe spoke to New York-based vow coach and officiant, Tanya Pushkine, aka <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/speech-and-vow-writer/the-vow-whisperer-speech-and-vow-writer/\">The Vow Whisperer</a>, to get her expert advice based on weddings she’s officiated and vows she has helped write. Probably the most well-known and documented moment in a wedding is the moment the bride walks down the aisle toward the groom. There are movies created around this moment. However, what if you’re a same-sex couple? As Pushkine says, “This is a fun opportunity to make an entrance, and a good time to involve your families in your special day. In same-sex ceremonies, there are a few ways you may want to approach this:\r\n- Both partners walk up the aisle together or with the officiant.\r\n- One partner walks first, escorted by one or both parents. The other partner and his or her family follows.\r\n- One partner approaches with the officiant, as in a traditional heterosexual wedding, and the other partner follows.\r\n- Instead of one aisle, you have two or even three. You both approach at the same time, with or without your families.”\r\n\r\nYou can get so creative when it comes to your processional, and really your ceremony. We love the idea of a ceremony in the round so all your guests are in a circle around you and this gives multiple entrance points so you can enter at the same time, as Pushkine noted in that last point!\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/AliAshlyn_LuvRoxPhotography.png\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/photographer/luvrox/\">LuvRox Photography</a></div>\r\n<h4>6. How Should We Say Our Vows?</h4>\r\nOnce again, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/speech-and-vow-writer/the-vow-whisperer-speech-and-vow-writer/\">The Vow Whisperer</a>, is here with her tips on the readings she would suggest and any other vow-based advice. “The top three readings I’ve used in weddings are: Justice Anthony Kennedy’s majority opinion in Hodges v. Obergefell, ‘The Art of Marriage’ by Wilferd Arlan Peterson and ‘i carry your heart with me’ by ee cummings,” she said.\r\n\r\nShe also noted that a majority of same-sex couples choose to write their own wedding vows compared with about a third of opposite-sex couples. This likely comes with the territory of not having many “traditional” weddings to look to for inspiration. We love her tip on swapping the traditional “to be my lawfully wedded wife/husband.” “For gender-neutral vows, this wording can be changed to something like, ‘to be my partner, my best friend.’ If ‘partner,’ sounds too much like you’re establishing a law firm together, other words to consider are ‘better half,’ ‘life partner,’ ‘lover,’ ‘other half,’ ‘significant other,’ ‘soulmate,’ ‘spouse’ and ‘sweetheart.’ ” she said.\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Screen-Shot-2020-11-02-at-1.17.45-PM.png\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/eyeoverlens/\">Mouhsine Idrissi</a></div>\r\n<h4>7. Is There a Difference in Wedding Speeches?</h4>\r\nNot really! However, as with every wedding, it’s worth noting the uniqueness of the couple. So, in that regard, you may want your speakers to acknowledge that this is a different and special relationship and to announce it to the world. Some of our favorite speeches we’ve heard have gone along the lines of: “The rest of the world is finally realizing what everyone in this room already knows—love is love.”\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/KadiaJessica_RawShootsPhotography2.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"https://www.rawshoots.com/\">Raw Shoots Photography</a></div>\r\n<h4>8. Who Should Change Their Name?</h4>\r\nUmm, whoever wants to! You can also hyphenate your names or create your own new last name together, or maybe no one wants to. You can quite literally choose whatever names you feel most comfortable using and the one that you are proud to live with.\r\n\r\nIn case you haven’t caught on yet, a wedding is YOUR day, which means you get to do whatever you want, however you want! Do you like the idea or a more conventional wedding, go with that. Would you prefer a drag queen officiated your wedding? Do it!\r\n\r\nYes, there will be a lot of pressure from loved ones who think you should do something one way or another but, listen, thank them for the advice and, ultimately, do whatever you want.\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/GigiNats_YvetteRomanPhotography2.png\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/photographer/yvette-roman/\">Yvette Roman Photography</a></div>\r\nWatch some of our favorite <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/lesbian/\">lesbian weddings</a> for inspiration below:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/jessica-kadia-wedding-video-november-2019/\">Kadia + Jessica by AlunnaFilms</a>\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/NxlDuMbv-UNFgwk3K.js\"></script>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/eva-birna-wedding-video-november-2019/\">Birna + Eve by Kaco Films</a>\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/B8sfRusI-UNFgwk3K.js\"></script>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/richelle-christina-wedding-video-december-2019/\">Christina + Richelle by Emerald Media</a>\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/8eEBhIBE-UNFgwk3K.js\"></script>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/gigi-nats-wedding-video-july-2019/\">Gigi + Nats by Hoo Films</a>\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/hU6f9Q2P-UNFgwk3K.js\"></script>\r\n\r\nIf you are still having trouble planning your wedding, email bff@lovestoriestv.com and we can reach out to our network to find your perfect vendors to match your ideal style, budget and location!\r\n\r\n<em>Once your wedding is over, don’t forget to share your wedding video on lovestoriestv.com to inspire couples who are planning their wedding and to show your appreciation for the talented videographer you end up hiring.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Need help finding a videographer, venue, vendors, or ideas for your wedding? Browse our massive library of real wedding videos tagged with all of the pros who made the big day happen to find your wedding dream team. Here are a few popular categories to get you started: <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/state-country-region/new-york/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New York weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/state-country-region/california/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">California weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/style/bohemian-wedding-style/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">boho weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/style/rustic-wedding-style/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rustic weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/culture-religion/south-asian/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">South-Asian weddings</a>, etc. Still can't find what you're looking for? Email <a href=\"mailto: bff@lovestoriestv.com\">bff@lovestoriestv.com</a> with your wedding questions or to get personalized vendor recommendations.</em>

By [Katie Kortebein](https://www.instagram.com/heyheyitskatiek/)

While wedding planning is mostly lots of fun, we’re not going to lie: It can also be stressful at times. Between choosing the right venue and finding the perfect attire, the process can be a bit overwhelming. And if you’re a part of the [LGBTQIA+ community](https://lovestoriestv.com/style/lgbtq+), the process may seem even more strenuous because your big day may not follow the template of a “traditional” wedding.

Don’t stress, we’re here to help you enjoy the journey and make sure your wedding day dreams become a reality. With that in mind, here are some answers to the most common questions when planning a lesbian wedding.

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## Who should pay for the wedding?

Traditionally, the bride’s family is expected to pay, but that’s now an outdated notion. Many couples are paying for their own weddings, and the number increases when it comes to same-sex couples. But remember that although it’s a special day, you don't want to start married life off in massive debt. Set a realistic budget for your big day. If your families are supportive, talk to them about how they imagined the wedding would be paid for and, if they were planning on contributing in some way, discuss how exactly you’d like the split the cost.

## How do we find inclusive vendors?

Of course, you can find wedding pros right here! Start by watching videos from your wedding location, or venue if you already have one, and see which vendors have worked there. You can even contact them directly via lovestoriestv.com. Important note: If during your search you come across any vendors who refuse to work with you because you are an LGBTQIA+ couple, please [contact us](https://lovestoriestv.com/contact-us) and let us know, so we can ensure these businesses are not listed on our site. We do not endorse vendors who are not inclusive of all couples.

If you don’t feel comfortable reaching out to vendors directly to see if they work with or specialize in LGBTQIA+ weddings, here are a few ways to research before you even send a message or pick up the phone:

- Watch the wedding videos on their lovestoriestv.com channel and see if they have any LGBTQIA+ weddings.

- Peruse their website photo galleries and social media to see if they proudly showcase work from past same-sex weddings.

- Check their “About Me” page to see if they use gender-neutral language or stick specifically to brides marrying grooms—same with any forms on their site. If they’re equality-minded, they’ll make an effort to show this in their wording.

- Browse vendor guides on sites that specialize in LGBTQIA+ weddings like [Love Inc.](https://loveincmag.com/), where every vendor featured has been personally confirmed by the blog’s editors for their inclusiveness.

- See if they’re certified through [Halls of Ivy](https://hallsofivyworkshop.splashthat.com/) and [Gay Wedding Institute](https://www.gayweddinginstitute.com/)—two credited workshops geared toward educating wedding professionals on making their businesses LGBTQIA+ friendly.

- Quickly scan the vendor’s site to see if they mention taking either of these courses or have the badges to prove they completed them.

 {{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/77a2bf80be07-179593d5cda990a66e8305bfc8272cda2d53c6ad-orig.jpeg|alt=Brides under a floral arch|credit=Alos Films}}

## What should we call our wedding party?

These days, more couples are having mixed-gender parties. With that in mind, they’ve come with some alternative terms for their wedding party, including I Do Crew, Friends of Honor, Bridesminions, Matrimony Homies, Pew Crew, Crew-Mates, Honor Guard, Commitment Crew or simply, entourage, attendants or posse. Of course, if you are throwing a themed wedding or have an inside joke with these honorees, you can think of something even more unique, but those are just a few that make us smile.

## What should we wear?

The simple answer: Anything you want! Have you both always dreamed of walking down the aisle in a princess ballgown? Amazing! We suggest you go to the same bridal salon (on different days if you don’t want to see each other’s look!) so that the consultants know what you each picked out. That way you can have a cohesive look, while still keeping your dress a surprise. You can check out [wedding dress designers](https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding-dresses) to get an idea of what you like.

Of course, you don't need to wear a dress. There are so many great jumpsuits, pantsuits or even rompers out there! We love an all-white suit—so chic!—but you can also go in a completely different direction by wearing black, purple, splashy florals, any kind of print or color that speaks to you and makes you happy. As long as you feel comfortable and confident, that’s all that matters.
 
## Should we get ready separately or together?

This is entirely up to you. Many couples have a first look where they see each other before the ceremony, while others want to meet up for the first time at the altar. Discuss it and figure out what will be the least stressful option for you before your swap vows.

## How do we handle the guest list?

The people invited to your wedding should be those that support your relationship and are genuinely happy for you. With any wedding, sometimes family members (namely, your parents) can pressure you into inviting distant relatives or family friends because they don't want to offend anyone. But if you want a more intimate affair—or to simply have more control of the guest list—don't be afraid to speak up. This is especially true if you are paying for the wedding on your own.

{{video|media_id=lBfMMF7P|type=jwplayer}}

## Who walks us down the aisle?

You can follow tradition and have your father—or both your mom and dad—walk you down the aisle. If that isn't possible for whatever reason, you can always ask a close family member or friend to do the honor. Or you can simply both walk down the aisle individually or together.

## Who should wait at the altar?

Probably the most well-known and documented moment in a wedding is the bride walking down the aisle toward the groom. In fact, there are movies created around this moment. However, what happens if you’re a same-sex couple? New York-based vow coach and officiant, Tanya Pushkine, aka [The Vow Whisperer] (https://lovestoriestv.com/business/the-vow-whisperer), explains that this is a fun opportunity to make an entrance—and a good time to involve your families in your special day. In same-sex ceremonies, there are a few ways you may want to approach this:

- Both partners walk down the aisle together or with the officiant.

- One partner walks down the aisle first, escorted by one or both parents. The other partner and her family follow.

- One partner approaches with the officiant, and the other partner follows.

- Instead of one aisle, you have two or even three. You both approach at the same time, with or without your families.

You can get creative when it comes to your processional, as well as your vows. We love the idea of a ceremony in the round so all your guests surround you—and this gives multiple entrance points so you can walk to the altar at the same time.

{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/0306f0fa87c7-b72dbeac15f4b8998b1d125223ab4e69ffd55b3c-orig.jpeg|alt=Brides near a waterfall|credit=Lucas Weddings}}

## Where should we each stand?

Traditionally, the bride stands on the left side of the altar and the groom on the right. For your ceremony, you can feel free to stand wherever you each feel comfortable, but just be sure to discuss it at the rehearsal so there's no confusion on the big day.


## How should we say our vows?

Your wedding vows are such an important part of the wedding ceremony. You can include a special reading and ask a beloved family member or friend to recite it. “The top three readings I’ve used in weddings are: Justice Anthony Kennedy’s majority opinion in Hodges v. Obergefell, ‘The Art of Marriage' by Wilferd Arlan Peterson and ‘i carry your heart with me’ by ee cummings,” said Pushkine.

She also noted that a majority of same-sex couples choose to write their own wedding vows, compared with about one-third of opposite-sex couples. This likely comes with the territory of not having many “traditional” weddings to look to for inspiration. We love her tip on swapping the traditional “to be my lawfully wedded wife/husband.” 

“For gender-neutral vows, this wording can be changed to something like, ‘to be my partner, my best friend.’ If ‘partner,’ sounds too much like you’re establishing a law firm together, other words to consider are ‘better half,’ ‘life partner,’ ‘lover,’ ‘other half,’ ‘significant other,’ ‘soulmate,’ ‘spouse’ and ‘sweetheart,’” she said.

{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/45b44d87f4c4-671b300828d4f0def3ca74f6c8d9f9f8204faa54-orig.jpeg|alt=Modern industrial lesbian wedding with moody details in Vermont|credit=Julia Luckett|image_cta=https://lovestoriestv.com/aja-alex-wedding-video-october-2020}}

## Is there a difference in wedding speeches?

Not really! But every wedding it’s worth noting the uniqueness of the couple. So, in that regard, you may want your speakers to acknowledge that this is a different and special relationship. Some of our favorite speeches we’ve heard have gone along the lines of: “The rest of the world is finally realizing what everyone in this room already knows—love is love.”

## Who should change their name?

There are no rules when it comes to changing (or not changing) your name. Of course, you can also hyphenate your names or create your own new last name together. 

And remember, this is your day, so ultimately you can do whatever you want, however you want! Don't allow any pressure from family members to get in the way of your wedding day vision. You want to look back on this day and realize the event was the perfect reflection of your relationship and love for one another.

*Ready to start planning? Browse through our collection of [wedding videos](https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding-videos) for plenty of ideas and inspiration! If you're planning a lesbian wedding, peruse [these videos](https://lovestoriestv.com/style/lesbian) for even more relatable inspo. And, finally, if you're ready to hire your own wedding videographer, find pros near you [here](https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding-videographers).*


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Planning a wedding can be stressful, and if you're a member of the LGBTQIA+, there are even more things to consider when planning your big day.

How to Plan a Lesbian Wedding

<em><strong>By <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/heyheyitskatiek/\">Katie Kortebein</a></strong></em>\r\n\r\nSo you’re engaged, congratulations! Now comes the fun, but slightly daunting task of hiring your wedding vendors. Between choosing the right venue and finding your perfect dress, finding the perfect wedding stationery to match your day may not seem high on the priority list. But, trust us. If you’re looking to have a cohesive day, stationery is huge! Truly nothing brings your wedding style together like making sure every paper details is in line with your style.\r\n\r\nBut, don’t stress, we’re here to help you enjoy the process because choosing your wedding stationery is seriously fun! Plus, we spoke to Chicago-based painting and design studio, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/stationery-designer-or-calligrapher/clementine-studio/\">Clementine Studio</a>, who specializes in watercolor, illustration and stationery to get the best tips for finding the perfect wedding stationery match to bring the style of your entire day together.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CS6.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/stationery-designer-or-calligrapher/clementine-studio/\">Clementine Studio</a></div>\r\n\r\nFirst, let’s talk a little bit about wedding stationery. There’s a wide variety of elements you can include when it comes to stationery. Of course, the single most important element is your wedding invitations, but save the dates are up there as well, especially if you’re having a destination wedding or your wedding will be around a holiday. If you’re looking for the most basic stationery package, this will likely include save the dates, wedding invitations and maybe place cards. By the way, yes, there’s a difference between escort and place cards. Escort cards are typically where you have a little more fun with the items and design you use and they’re what get your guests to their table. Place cards are already at the table and designate guests’ specific seats. \r\n\r\nNow, if you’re looking to include a little more in your wedding stationery package, there’s almost no end to the pieces you can include from engagement party invitations, wedding party proposal cards, wedding shower invitations, an actual invitation suite—which will include things like an RSVP card and accommodation card, ceremony programs, table numbers, menus, wedding welcome bag notes and thank you cards. Truly, you could go all out with the options available to you! The main takeaway is that you should use the same stationer for as many components as possible, at least when it comes to actual wedding paper details. For wedding events like your engagement party, shower, bachelor(ette) party, you may be looking for something a little different, though it could be fun to keep one or two colors the same throughout so there is a similar thread running through all your stationery.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CS5.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nClementine Studio</div>\r\n\r\n<h4>1. Color and design is THE biggest factor!</h4>\r\nThe two most important angles to come from are color schemes and design styles. Color is an easy place to start because you usually have an idea early on of what you envision your wedding day looking like aesthetically. What flowers are there? Will there be a lot of greenery or are there any pops of color? Incorporating florals into your invitation design is an easy way to set the tone for your wedding. Is it tropical? The florals and colors used on your invitation can be palms and bright colors that instantly tell your guests they're in for a fun vacation. Winter wedding? Go for moody gem tones like deep greens, blues and dark reds. \r\n\r\nIf you’re not into using florals at all, that’s where design style comes in. Take cues from your venue: is it warehouse-chic? Classically elegant and ornamental? Fonts and type can depict design styles really well. If you prefer to go minimal with your invitations, focus on using really beautiful, modern fonts. I have a board on my Pinterest where I save amazing graphic design styles (soap packaging, a standout logo, etc.) that inspire me to use fonts and layouts in creative ways.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CS4.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nClementine Studio</div>\r\n\r\n<h4>2. Details mean everything when it comes to matching a style.</h4>\r\nIf I'm designing a rustic wedding invitation I use florals that create a more casual, overgrown look. Maybe a few branches sticking out, wildflowers, things that appear in nature organically that I can mimic by creating an asymmetrical design. No perfectly trimmed hedges on either side of the invitation, but more of a cascading design with florals poking out in more natural ways. For a glam wedding, I would 100% go for gold foil! Best way to instantly elevate any invitation. For boho, I might crossover with some of the rustic details mentioned above, but use a loose, flowing script font to make it feel really romantic and ethereal without feeling too traditional.\r\n\r\nThere are also other details you can think about like the type of paper you use, or even the shape. A rectangular invitation with soft, raw edges is much more romantic, whereas a geometric heavy paper is likely for a contemporary, formal affair.\r\n\r\nBy the way, confused by foil? Let’s break it down. Foil stamping, or foil application, is a printing process where metallic colors are applied to a surface using heat. The heat causes the foil to stick to the surface permanently. They can come in almost any color, but the most popular for wedding invitations are gold and rose gold.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CS3.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nClementine Studio</div>\r\n\r\n<h4>3. Envelope liners will make your wedding invitations stand out.</h4>\r\nPlay around with your envelope liners! They’re the first thing your guests see when opening your invitation and create a fun opportunity for a beautiful surprise or statement moment.\r\n\r\nEnvelope liners are probably one of the least-appreciated elements when it comes to stationery. But think about it, if you’re having a modern, industrial wedding and your guests open their invitation envelope to see bold gray and black gears with gold detailing, they know what they’re in for when it comes to your wedding day. It helps really set that tone in a fresh, unexpected way.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CS2.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nClementine Studio</div>\r\n\r\n<h4>4. A great invitation suite doesn’t have to break the bank.</h4>\r\nEvery couple has a wedding budget and, generally, about three percent of said budget should go to your wedding stationery. Of course, if you’re really excited about all those paper details, you can spend more here and cut back elsewhere! That said, if you have a tighter budget, here’s a few tips on having great looking stationery without breaking the bank. One, play with your envelope liner as we discussed before! Two, fun or personalized stamps. You can get vintage stamps for a vintage-inspired or romantic wedding, or stamps with coastal details for a waterfront or yacht club wedding—you can have so much fun with these. Three, skip the foil and insert cards. Ultimately, if you’re working with a tighter budget when it comes to stationery, all you really need is a save the date, wedding invitation and envelope, anything else is a fun extra, which we totally recommend, but you can have fun and still not go over budget.  \r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CS.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nClementine Studio</div>\r\n\r\n<h4>5. Always communicate!</h4>\r\nWe’ve said it before and we’ll say it one hundred times more. Communication is key when it comes to wedding planning—especially when it comes to things like budget. Be very upfront about your budget from the beginning. If the stationer you reached out to is outside that budget, they may be able to refer you to a colleague or they can work with you to figure out where you could cut back so you can still work with them. It is always better to let your vendors know what you are able to pay before you get too far into planning.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Screen-Shot-2020-08-26-at-3.40.38-PM.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nClementine Studio</div>\r\n\r\nSo, pretty straightforward, right? If you are still having trouble finding a stationer, email bff@lovestoriestv.com and we can reach out to our network to find your perfect stationer with your ideal style, budget and location!\r\n\r\n<em>Once your wedding is over, don’t forget to share your wedding video on lovestoriestv.com to inspire couples who are planning their wedding and to show your appreciation for the talented videographer you end up hiring.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Need help finding a videographer, venue, vendors, or ideas for your wedding? Browse our massive library of real wedding videos tagged with all of the pros who made the big day happen to find your wedding dream team. Here are a few popular categories to get you started: <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/state-country-region/new-york/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New York weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/state-country-region/california/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">California weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/style/bohemian-wedding-style/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">boho weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/style/rustic-wedding-style/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rustic weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/culture-religion/south-asian/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">South-Asian weddings</a>, etc. Still can't find what you're looking for? Email <a href=\"mailto: bff@lovestoriestv.com\">bff@lovestoriestv.com</a> with your wedding questions or to get personalized vendor recommendations.</em>\r\nclementine

So you’re engaged, congratulations! Now comes the fun, but slightly daunting task of hiring your wedding vendors. Between choosing the right venue and finding your perfect dress, finding the perfect wedding stationery to match your day may not seem high on the priority list. But, trust us. If you’re looking to have a cohesive day, stationery is huge! Truly nothing brings your wedding style together like making sure every paper details is in line with your style.



But, don’t stress, we’re here to help you enjoy the process because choosing your wedding stationery is seriously fun! Plus, we spoke to Chicago-based painting and design studio, [Clementine Studio](/business/clementine-studio), who specializes in watercolor, illustration and stationery to get the best tips for finding the perfect wedding stationery match to bring the style of your entire day together.



{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/2c8b73db5b99-7d7b96daca8477e0b8ad20afc807822f38e38e8f-orig.jpeg|credit=Clementine Studio|credit_link=/business/clementine-studio}}



First, let’s talk a little bit about wedding stationery. There’s a wide variety of elements you can include when it comes to stationery. Of course, the single most important element is your wedding invitations, but save the dates are up there as well, especially if you’re having a destination wedding or your wedding will be around a holiday. If you’re looking for the most basic stationery package, this will likely include save the dates, wedding invitations and maybe place cards. By the way, yes, there’s a difference between escort and place cards. Escort cards are typically where you have a little more fun with the items and design you use and they’re what get your guests to their table. Place cards are already at the table and designate guests’ specific seats. 



Now, if you’re looking to include a little more in your wedding stationery package, there’s almost no end to the pieces you can include from engagement party invitations, wedding party proposal cards, wedding shower invitations, an actual invitation suite—which will include things like an RSVP card and accommodation card, ceremony programs, table numbers, menus, wedding welcome bag notes and thank you cards. Truly, you could go all out with the options available to you! The main takeaway is that you should use the same stationer for as many components as possible, at least when it comes to actual wedding paper details. For wedding events like your engagement party, shower, bachelor(ette) party, you may be looking for something a little different, though it could be fun to keep one or two colors the same throughout so there is a similar thread running through all your stationery.



{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/95ab66360735-d5d3d4a015922b90758bdebf92153c5c9493c6d2-orig.jpeg|credit=Clementine Studio}}



#### 1. Color and design is THE biggest factor!



The two most important angles to come from are color schemes and design styles. Color is an easy place to start because you usually have an idea early on of what you envision your wedding day looking like aesthetically. What flowers are there? Will there be a lot of greenery or are there any pops of color? Incorporating florals into your invitation design is an easy way to set the tone for your wedding. Is it tropical? The florals and colors used on your invitation can be palms and bright colors that instantly tell your guests they're in for a fun vacation. Winter wedding? Go for moody gem tones like deep greens, blues and dark reds. 



If you’re not into using florals at all, that’s where design style comes in. Take cues from your venue: is it warehouse-chic? Classically elegant and ornamental? Fonts and type can depict design styles really well. If you prefer to go minimal with your invitations, focus on using really beautiful, modern fonts. I have a board on my Pinterest where I save amazing graphic design styles (soap packaging, a standout logo, etc.) that inspire me to use fonts and layouts in creative ways.



{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/e3f0ec126c98-490df9c2d326160c27775800be358bc1059f5973-orig.jpeg|credit=Clementine Studio}}



#### 2. Details mean everything when it comes to matching a style.



If I'm designing a rustic wedding invitation I use florals that create a more casual, overgrown look. Maybe a few branches sticking out, wildflowers, things that appear in nature organically that I can mimic by creating an asymmetrical design. No perfectly trimmed hedges on either side of the invitation, but more of a cascading design with florals poking out in more natural ways. For a glam wedding, I would 100% go for gold foil! Best way to instantly elevate any invitation. For boho, I might crossover with some of the rustic details mentioned above, but use a loose, flowing script font to make it feel really romantic and ethereal without feeling too traditional.



There are also other details you can think about like the type of paper you use, or even the shape. A rectangular invitation with soft, raw edges is much more romantic, whereas a geometric heavy paper is likely for a contemporary, formal affair.



By the way, confused by foil? Let’s break it down. Foil stamping, or foil application, is a printing process where metallic colors are applied to a surface using heat. The heat causes the foil to stick to the surface permanently. They can come in almost any color, but the most popular for wedding invitations are gold and rose gold.



{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/edabd51a4ec7-969e7096119ec432f50b4483fd8207ab57b7b105-orig.jpeg|credit=Clementine Studio}}



#### 3. Envelope liners will make your wedding invitations stand out.



Play around with your envelope liners! They’re the first thing your guests see when opening your invitation and create a fun opportunity for a beautiful surprise or statement moment.



Envelope liners are probably one of the least-appreciated elements when it comes to stationery. But think about it, if you’re having a modern, industrial wedding and your guests open their invitation envelope to see bold gray and black gears with gold detailing, they know what they’re in for when it comes to your wedding day. It helps really set that tone in a fresh, unexpected way.



{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/59ff06846a73-8ee5defdd337a77b08e2dc28705181fd3b3edd64-orig.jpeg|credit=Clementine Studio}}



#### 4. A great invitation suite doesn’t have to break the bank.



Every couple has a wedding budget and, generally, about three percent of said budget should go to your wedding stationery. Of course, if you’re really excited about all those paper details, you can spend more here and cut back elsewhere! That said, if you have a tighter budget, here’s a few tips on having great looking stationery without breaking the bank. One, play with your envelope liner as we discussed before! Two, fun or personalized stamps. You can get vintage stamps for a vintage-inspired or romantic wedding, or stamps with coastal details for a waterfront or yacht club wedding—you can have so much fun with these. Three, skip the foil and insert cards. Ultimately, if you’re working with a tighter budget when it comes to stationery, all you really need is a save the date, wedding invitation and envelope, anything else is a fun extra, which we totally recommend, but you can have fun and still not go over budget. 



{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/9247d0a96840-0e0bd9224cae3992bdb822021f1daed06a2e0a72-orig.jpeg|credit=Clementine Studio}}



#### 5. Always communicate!



We’ve said it before and we’ll say it one hundred times more. Communication is key when it comes to wedding planning—especially when it comes to things like budget. Be very upfront about your budget from the beginning. If the stationer you reached out to is outside that budget, they may be able to refer you to a colleague or they can work with you to figure out where you could cut back so you can still work with them. It is always better to let your vendors know what you are able to pay before you get too far into planning.



{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/6f362dd46dbc-22326b5bab77040fd0744c4aa6a3151f3ad87209-orig.jpeg|credit=Clementine Studio}}



So, pretty straightforward, right? If you are still having trouble finding a stationer, email bff@lovestoriestv.com and we can reach out to our network to find your perfect stationer with your ideal style, budget and location!



*Once your wedding is over, don’t forget to share your wedding video on lovestoriestv.com to inspire couples who are planning their wedding and to show your appreciation for the talented videographer you end up hiring.*



*Need help finding a videographer, venue, vendors, or ideas for your wedding? Browse our massive library of real wedding videos tagged with all of the pros who made the big day happen to find your wedding dream team. Here are a few popular categories to get you started: [New York weddings](/location/united-states/new-york), [California weddings](/location/united-states/california), [boho weddings](/style/bohemian), [rustic weddings](/style/rustic), [South-Asian weddings](/style/south-asian), etc. Still can't find what you're looking for? Email [bff@lovestoriestv.com](mailto:bff@lovestoriestv.com) with your wedding questions or to get personalized vendor recommendations.*

clementine

If you’re looking to have a cohesive day, stationery is huge! So we gathered the best tips for finding the perfect wedding stationery match to bring the style of your entire day together.

How to Match Your Wedding Invitations to Your Wedding Style

<em><strong>By <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/heyheyitskatiek/\">Katie Kortebein</a></strong></em>\r\n\r\nSo you’re engaged, congratulations! Now comes the fun, but slightly daunting task of hiring your wedding vendors, like a photographer. In addition to choosing the right venue and finding your perfect dress, hiring the right wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions you’ll make because those memories will last a lifetime.\r\n\r\nDon’t stress, we’re here to help you. We talked to expert wedding photographer, Brooklyn-based <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/photographer/jaine-kershner-photography/\">Jainé Kershner</a>, to get the best tips for finding your ideal photographer.\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/05262018-MeganSamWedding-0153.jpeg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/photographer/jaine-kershner-photography/\">Jainé Kershner</a></div>\r\n<h4>1. Ask for recommendations and use Instagram</h4>\r\nTo start your search for a wedding photographer, I would suggest a few ways to narrow down your options. First, ask your friends and family if they have any recommendations for you to contact and what their experience was like. A word of mouth referral is always a great place to start. Next, I would look on Instagram and start searching hashtags in your area (ie. #nycweddingphotographer). See what images come up and create a favorites collection. After you’re done, I’d look at your favorites to see what kind of images you connect with (light and airy, dark or moody, or somewhere in the middle) to understand what kind of photography you are looking for. Afterward, I would visit each photographer's website, read their reviews and then contact them via their contact forms to get the conversation started and see who you connect with the most.\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Screen-Shot-2020-08-10-at-9.41.59-AM-1.png\" alt=\"\" />\r\nJainé Kershner</div>\r\n<h4>2. Just start researching—use social media</h4>\r\nThe best way to begin your research is to do just that, start researching. My go-to places are Instagram, Pinterest and Google search. Search your local area and the venue you have chosen to celebrate your marriage and see what pops up. I would also suggest visiting wedding blogs, picking up a few magazines that are still in print, and doing a deep dive into finding out your photography style, which will help you narrow down what photographer you’ll ultimately work with on your wedding day.\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/04232019-KellyJared-Engagement0068.jpeg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nJainé Kershner</div>\r\n<h4>3. Figure out your style by pinpointing what you gravitate toward</h4>\r\nOnce you’ve done your research, you’ll be able to look at the collective of images and see a pattern or preference to the type of photography you gravitate towards. Do you like more candid or posed images? Do you want your images to invoke emotions? Do you prefer lighter images vs. darker more edited photos? Once you know what you like (or don’t) you’ll be able to communicate your preferred style to yourself and, most importantly, your photographer.\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/09032017-Meredith-Tyler-67.jpeg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nJainé Kershner</div>\r\n<h4>4. Build a relationship with your photographer</h4>\r\nThe best way you can know if you are a perfect fit with your photographer is to chat with them over the phone, video conference or meet in person. The chemistry between you will be revealed within the first few minutes and you should know if you can see yourself working with this person on your wedding day. Couples should 100% get along with their wedding photographer because you will spend more time with them than any other vendor on your wedding day. (Editor’s note: This goes for your videographer as well!) A few helpful questions to ask would be: How long have they been in business? Have they worked at your venue before? (Not too important, but it’s nice to know) What would they do in case of an emergency and what is their favorite part about a wedding day? If you aren’t a photography aficionado, I wouldn’t ask about their gear or how they edit their photos but do ask to see full galleries after your call.\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/10122019-KellyJaredWedding-0481.jpeg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nJainé Kershner</div>\r\n<h4>5. Schedule an engagement session!</h4>\r\nAn engagement session is going to be your best friend! This is by far the best way to get to know your wedding photographer and get comfortable with them way before your actual wedding day. I always encourage and recommend to my clients to include an engagement session because of the benefits they will receive. Not only will you work out any kinks, nerves or wariness before your wedding day, but you will also build your trust and relationship with your wedding photographer. You’ll start to see how they work and in return, your photographer will see how you interact as a couple and what you are both comfortable with doing. If you like to hold hands or not. If you are affectionate or not. What poses, positions, and cues work best when you work together. These will all come in super handy on your actual wedding day because you will feel 100% confident and comfortable with your wedding photographer because you know what to expect and know you are going to be well taken care of.\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/HamptonsCoverPhoto.jpeg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nJainé Kershner</div>\r\n<h4>6. Make sure you clearly communicate</h4>\r\nCommunication is key when it comes to wedding planning—especially when it comes to things like budget. Be very upfront about your budget from the beginning. If the photographer you reached out to is outside that budget, they may be able to refer you to a colleague. But it’s always better to let your vendors know what you are able to pay before you get too far into planning.\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Screen-Shot-2020-08-11-at-11.11.56-AM.png\" alt=\"\" />\r\nJainé Kershner</div>\r\nSo, pretty straightforward, right? If you are still having trouble finding a photographer, email bff@lovestoriestv.com and we can reach out to our network to find your perfect photographer with your ideal style, budget and location!\r\n\r\n<em>Once your wedding is over, don’t forget to share your wedding video on lovestoriestv.com to inspire couples who are planning their wedding and to show your appreciation for the talented videographer you end up hiring.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Need help finding a videographer, venue, vendors, or ideas for your wedding? Browse our massive library of real wedding videos tagged with all of the pros who made the big day happen to find your wedding dream team. Here are a few popular categories to get you started: <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/state-country-region/new-york/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New York weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/state-country-region/california/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">California weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/style/bohemian-wedding-style/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">boho weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/style/rustic-wedding-style/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rustic weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/culture-religion/south-asian/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">South-Asian weddings</a>, etc. Still can't find what you're looking for? Email <a href=\"mailto: bff@lovestoriestv.com\">bff@lovestoriestv.com</a> with your wedding questions or to get personalized vendor recommendations.</em>

***By [Katie Kortebein](https://www.instagram.com/heyheyitskatiek/)***\r\n\r\nSo you’re engaged, congratulations! Now comes the fun, but slightly daunting task of hiring your wedding vendors, like a photographer. In addition to choosing the right venue and finding your perfect dress, hiring the right wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions you’ll make because those memories will last a lifetime.\r\n\r\nDon’t stress, we’re here to help you. We talked to expert wedding photographer, Brooklyn-based [Jainé Kershner](/business/jaine-kershner-photography), to get the best tips for finding your ideal photographer.\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/b43b7a3bcf06-2f113b802b7ab006975f0ead7415227bc9c1ab30-orig.jpeg|credit=Jainé Kershner|credit_link=/business/jaine-kershner-photography}}\r\n#### 1. Ask for recommendations and use Instagram

\r\nTo start your search for a wedding photographer, I would suggest a few ways to narrow down your options. First, ask your friends and family if they have any recommendations for you to contact and what their experience was like. A word of mouth referral is always a great place to start. Next, I would look on Instagram and start searching hashtags in your area (ie. #nycweddingphotographer). See what images come up and create a favorites collection. After you’re done, I’d look at your favorites to see what kind of images you connect with (light and airy, dark or moody, or somewhere in the middle) to understand what kind of photography you are looking for. Afterward, I would visit each photographer's website, read their reviews and then contact them via their contact forms to get the conversation started and see who you connect with the most.\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/0a4647596934-e9279ecc45b1d0389d3a18c713da7d70ef52bc5e-orig.png|credit=Jainé Kershner}}\r\n#### 2. Just start researching—use social media

\r\nThe best way to begin your research is to do just that, start researching. My go-to places are Instagram, Pinterest and Google search. Search your local area and the venue you have chosen to celebrate your marriage and see what pops up. I would also suggest visiting wedding blogs, picking up a few magazines that are still in print, and doing a deep dive into finding out your photography style, which will help you narrow down what photographer you’ll ultimately work with on your wedding day.\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/7c688fe336cc-867fb5e15ee76ba4bfdb0c6fe5762a44eef91c0b-orig.jpeg|credit=Jainé Kershner}}\r\n#### 3. Figure out your style by pinpointing what you gravitate toward

\r\nOnce you’ve done your research, you’ll be able to look at the collective of images and see a pattern or preference to the type of photography you gravitate towards. Do you like more candid or posed images? Do you want your images to invoke emotions? Do you prefer lighter images vs. darker more edited photos? Once you know what you like (or don’t) you’ll be able to communicate your preferred style to yourself and, most importantly, your photographer.\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/9cf5a00cfd2a-29c94a97ac823c36a5f857617c57816ddc9a4e34-orig.jpeg|credit=Jainé Kershner}}\r\n#### 4. Build a relationship with your photographer

\r\nThe best way you can know if you are a perfect fit with your photographer is to chat with them over the phone, video conference or meet in person. The chemistry between you will be revealed within the first few minutes and you should know if you can see yourself working with this person on your wedding day. Couples should 100% get along with their wedding photographer because you will spend more time with them than any other vendor on your wedding day. (Editor’s note: This goes for your videographer as well!) A few helpful questions to ask would be: How long have they been in business? Have they worked at your venue before? (Not too important, but it’s nice to know) What would they do in case of an emergency and what is their favorite part about a wedding day? If you aren’t a photography aficionado, I wouldn’t ask about their gear or how they edit their photos but do ask to see full galleries after your call.\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/e85a642e3966-d80866a28159156ac84fae0e08e2cf799b1cc902-orig.jpeg|credit=Jainé Kershner}}\r\n#### 5. Schedule an engagement session!

\r\nAn engagement session is going to be your best friend! This is by far the best way to get to know your wedding photographer and get comfortable with them way before your actual wedding day. I always encourage and recommend to my clients to include an engagement session because of the benefits they will receive. Not only will you work out any kinks, nerves or wariness before your wedding day, but you will also build your trust and relationship with your wedding photographer. You’ll start to see how they work and in return, your photographer will see how you interact as a couple and what you are both comfortable with doing. If you like to hold hands or not. If you are affectionate or not. What poses, positions, and cues work best when you work together. These will all come in super handy on your actual wedding day because you will feel 100% confident and comfortable with your wedding photographer because you know what to expect and know you are going to be well taken care of.\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/ad84674cfb10-c0bafd13aed90993ca875e4526b593bdffed655f-orig.jpeg|credit=Jainé Kershner}}\r\n#### 6. Make sure you clearly communicate

\r\nCommunication is key when it comes to wedding planning—especially when it comes to things like budget. Be very upfront about your budget from the beginning. If the photographer you reached out to is outside that budget, they may be able to refer you to a colleague. But it’s always better to let your vendors know what you are able to pay before you get too far into planning.\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/6eee7bb04045-5b954e7640aaba6735ae238d7f7c225a701dcac8-orig.png|credit=Jainé Kershner}}\r\nSo, pretty straightforward, right? If you are still having trouble finding a photographer, email bff@lovestoriestv.com and we can reach out to our network to find your perfect photographer with your ideal style, budget and location!\r\n\r\n*Once your wedding is over, don’t forget to share your wedding video on lovestoriestv.com to inspire couples who are planning their wedding and to show your appreciation for the talented videographer you end up hiring.*\r\n\r\n*Need help finding a videographer, venue, vendors, or ideas for your wedding? Browse our massive library of real wedding videos tagged with all of the pros who made the big day happen to find your wedding dream team. Here are a few popular categories to get you started: [New York weddings](/location/united-states/new-york), [California weddings](/location/united-states/california), [boho weddings](/style/bohemian), [rustic weddings](/style/rustic), [South-Asian weddings](/style/south-asian), etc. Still can't find what you're looking for? Email [bff@lovestoriestv.com](mailto:bff@lovestoriestv.com) with your wedding questions or to get personalized vendor recommendations.*

We’ve gathered up the best tips to help you find your dream wedding photographer, from how to research to figuring out your style.

How to Find a Wedding Photographer—Tips From an Expert

How to Find a Wedding Photographer

&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/6FRg9uir-24ane4MY.js\"></script>\r\n\r\nOn July 15th, 2020, Love Stories TV hosted the <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/fashion-designer/dress-designer/eddy-k/\">Eddy K</a> 2021 Virtual Bridal Fashion Tour. <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/fashion-designer/dress-designer/eddy-k/\">Eddy K</a> is a bridal gown brand designed in Milan, the fashion capital of the world. Manufactured with the highest quality fabrics, Eddy K has the perfect wedding gown for every bride. From sophisticated couture gowns to elegant destination dresses, Eddy K’s attention to detail flatters all figures and offers styles for any taste or special occasion.\r\n\r\nDuring the event, our founder and CEO, Rachel Jo Silver, hosted Eddy K., the brand’s founder, along with his son and co-owner, Addy K. Our audience was given a front-row virtual view of their stunning new collection. They shared details and styling suggestions for each featured gown and answered bridal fashion questions live. This type of access is typically reserved for editors and industry insiders, so we were excited to bring it straight to our community of soonlyweds.\r\n\r\nWatch a playback of the event below to see all of the dresses in the collection. See something you love? Visit <a href=\"https://eddyk.com/#collections\">EddyK.com</a> to get a closer look at each dress and find a specific Eddy K dress in your area <a href=\"https://bit.ly/2AYhx8h\">here</a>.\r\n\r\nPlus, if you trying to make conscious purchases throughout your wedding planning, Eddy K’s <a href=\"https://eddyk.com/my-day-her-future/\">#mydayherfuture</a> is perfect for you. Every Eddy K dress purchase helps fund their commitment to supporting Plan International’s <a href=\"https://plan-international.org/because-i-am-a-girl\">Because I am a Girl</a> initiative to end child marriage.\r\n<h4>Eddy K 2021 Collections</h4>\r\n<em><strong><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/eddy-k-dreams-2021-collection/\">Dreams</a></strong></em>\r\nItalian designer Eddy K. invites you to find your Dream dress in a desert oasis. Each style stands out over stunning earthy tones to highlight all its details. The new Dreams 2021 Collection embraces every bride’s vision of the perfect wedding dress and brings it to life with a new selection of daring, unique gowns. Featuring jaw-dropping silhouettes and distinctive materials, the new Dreams 2021 Collection materializes a bride’s vision of her wedding dress and brings it to life. Just dare to dream with Eddy K.\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Blog_DR.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nEddy K</div>\r\n<em><strong><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/eddy-k-2021-italia-collection/\">Eddy K. Italia</a></strong></em>\r\nEddy K. Italia 2021 collection is simply glowing, made from only the finest materials and fabrics and the most luxurious laces. These gowns are the epitome of grace and beauty, giving you classic and timeless designs with a whisper of modern elegance. This collection brings assorted sleeve styles and so many stunning silhouettes to choose from, leaving you with a glimpse of Italy’s finest. Heavenly, alluring and timeless, Eddy K. Italia 2021 is truly unforgettable with gowns that never go out of style.\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Blog_EKI.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nEddy K</div>\r\n<em><strong><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/eddy-k-2021-milano-couture-collection/\">Milano Couture</a></strong></em>\r\nRadiating a mystical aura, Italian designer Eddy K. presents his new Milano/Couture 2021 Collection in the majestic Oberoi Hotel in Marrakech, where the splendor of every gown is complemented by exquisite architectural design depicting the ancient red city. Intricate beading and exquisite lace take the center stage at this vibrant location.\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Blog_MC.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nEddy K</div>\r\nLooking for more bridal fashion inspiration? You can watch similar events we've hosted with designers like Morilee and Eve of Milady <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/from-the-editors-desk/\">here</a> and real wedding videos featuring brides wearing Eddy K below.\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Blog.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nEddy K</div>\r\nIn addition to browsing Love Stories TV’s massive library of real wedding videos to find products, services and ideas for your wedding, couples whose weddings or wedding planning have been impacted by COVID-19 can email <a href=\"mailto: bff@lovestoriestv.com\">bff@lovestoriestv.com</a> for help with personalized vendor and venue recommendations.\r\n\r\nTo watch wedding videos featuring real brides wearing <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/fashion-designer/dress-designer/eddy-k/\">Eddy K</a>, click below.\r\n<script data-channel=\"cfb111aa-f271-11e8-8c14-0a67b819700a\" data-limit=\"12\" src=\"https://d2ef41pp6js8z8.cloudfront.net/js/lstvembed.js\"></script>\r\n\r\n<em>Need help finding a videographer, venue, vendors, or ideas for your wedding? Browse our massive library of real wedding videos tagged with all of the pros who made the big day happen to find your wedding dream team. Here are a few popular categories to get you started: <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/state-country-region/new-york/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New York weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/state-country-region/california/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">California weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/style/bohemian-wedding-style/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">boho weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/style/rustic-wedding-style/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rustic weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/culture-religion/indian/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Indian weddings</a>, etc. Still can't find what you're looking for? Email <a href=\"mailto: bff@lovestoriestv.com\">bff@lovestoriestv.com</a> with your wedding questions or to get personalized vendor recommendations.</em>

 \r\n\r\n{{video|media\_id=6FRg9uir|type=jwplayer}}\r\n\r\nOn July 15th, 2020, Love Stories TV hosted the [Eddy K](/business/eddy-k) 2021 Virtual Bridal Fashion Tour. [Eddy K](/business/eddy-k) is a bridal gown brand designed in Milan, the fashion capital of the world. Manufactured with the highest quality fabrics, Eddy K has the perfect wedding gown for every bride. From sophisticated couture gowns to elegant destination dresses, Eddy K’s attention to detail flatters all figures and offers styles for any taste or special occasion.\r\n\r\nDuring the event, our founder and CEO, Rachel Jo Silver, hosted Eddy K., the brand’s founder, along with his son and co-owner, Addy K. Our audience was given a front-row virtual view of their stunning new collection. They shared details and styling suggestions for each featured gown and answered bridal fashion questions live. This type of access is typically reserved for editors and industry insiders, so we were excited to bring it straight to our community of soonlyweds.\r\n\r\nWatch a playback of the event below to see all of the dresses in the collection. See something you love? Visit [EddyK.com](https://eddyk.com/#collections) to get a closer look at each dress and find a specific Eddy K dress in your area [here](https://bit.ly/2AYhx8h).\r\n\r\nPlus, if you trying to make conscious purchases throughout your wedding planning, Eddy K’s [#mydayherfuture](https://eddyk.com/my-day-her-future/) is perfect for you. Every Eddy K dress purchase helps fund their commitment to supporting Plan International’s [Because I am a Girl](https://plan-international.org/because-i-am-a-girl) initiative to end child marriage.\r\n#### Eddy K 2021 Collections

\r\n***[Dreams](/eddy-k-dreams-2021-collection)***\r\nItalian designer Eddy K. invites you to find your Dream dress in a desert oasis. Each style stands out over stunning earthy tones to highlight all its details. The new Dreams 2021 Collection embraces every bride’s vision of the perfect wedding dress and brings it to life with a new selection of daring, unique gowns. Featuring jaw-dropping silhouettes and distinctive materials, the new Dreams 2021 Collection materializes a bride’s vision of her wedding dress and brings it to life. Just dare to dream with Eddy K.\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/0e949a1d9ed9-df7c9fbf98eab881cb4d7373aab8466104fd08e1-orig.jpeg|credit=Eddy K}}\r\n***[Eddy K. Italia](/eddy-k-2021-italia-collection)***\r\nEddy K. Italia 2021 collection is simply glowing, made from only the finest materials and fabrics and the most luxurious laces. These gowns are the epitome of grace and beauty, giving you classic and timeless designs with a whisper of modern elegance. This collection brings assorted sleeve styles and so many stunning silhouettes to choose from, leaving you with a glimpse of Italy’s finest. Heavenly, alluring and timeless, Eddy K. Italia 2021 is truly unforgettable with gowns that never go out of style.\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/cfc1dc407ed9-13f89acec272d3c0f856bb9734b997c931724791-orig.jpeg|credit=Eddy K}}\r\n***[Milano Couture](/eddy-k-2021-milano-couture-collection)***\r\nRadiating a mystical aura, Italian designer Eddy K. presents his new Milano/Couture 2021 Collection in the majestic Oberoi Hotel in Marrakech, where the splendor of every gown is complemented by exquisite architectural design depicting the ancient red city. Intricate beading and exquisite lace take the center stage at this vibrant location.\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/c3b7ce9975f7-0b94845d1a5bb59916877ae056a7c7a8bbad821a-orig.jpeg|credit=Eddy K}}\r\nLooking for more bridal fashion inspiration? You can watch similar events we've hosted with designers like Morilee and Eve of Milady [here](/style/the-highlight-reel) and real wedding videos featuring brides wearing Eddy K below.\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/423428473188-0b9d2b2362bc33581ba11fddcb0cf0590ebd3a7a-orig.jpeg|credit=Eddy K}}\r\nIn addition to browsing Love Stories TV’s massive library of real wedding videos to find products, services and ideas for your wedding, couples whose weddings or wedding planning have been impacted by COVID-19 can email [bff@lovestoriestv.com](mailto:bff@lovestoriestv.com) for help with personalized vendor and venue recommendations.\r\n\r\nTo watch wedding videos featuring real brides wearing [Eddy K](/business/eddy-k), click below.\r\n\r\n\r\n*Need help finding a videographer, venue, vendors, or ideas for your wedding? Browse our massive library of real wedding videos tagged with all of the pros who made the big day happen to find your wedding dream team. Here are a few popular categories to get you started: [New York weddings](/location/united-states/new-york), [California weddings](/location/united-states/california), [boho weddings](/style/bohemian), [rustic weddings](/style/rustic), [Indian weddings](/style/indian), etc. Still can't find what you're looking for? Email [bff@lovestoriestv.com](mailto:bff@lovestoriestv.com) with your wedding questions or to get personalized vendor recommendations.*

Get a front-row view of Eddy K’s stunning 2021 wedding dress collection from mermaid gowns with trains to A-line strapless gowns with ruffles.

Watch the Eddy K 2021 Virtual Bridal Fashion Tour

Watch the Eddy K Virtual Bridal Fashion Tour

So you’re engaged, congratulations! Now comes the fun, but sometimes daunting, task of hiring vendors <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/state-country-region/florida/\">for your Florida wedding</a>. In addition to choosing the right venue and finding your perfect dress, hiring the right wedding videographer is one of the most important decisions you’ll make.\r\n\r\nWhether you’re having a <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/style/rustic-wedding-style/\">rustic</a> wedding in the Panhandle or a <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/style/bohemian-wedding-style/\">bohemian</a> wedding in South Beach, there is the perfect wedding videographer out there to capture your big day. While your wedding is only one day, the photos and videos from the event will last forever.\r\n\r\nYou’ve probably seen wedding videos from friends’ and family members’ weddings and admired the way the videographer captured the couple’s first look, vows, first dance, speeches and toasts.\r\n\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/CaJO0RyF-LDty3DAW.js\"></script>\r\n<em><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/alyssa-braden-wedding-video-november-2019/\">Alyssa + Braden by Shannon Kelly Films</a></em>\r\n\r\nNow it’s your turn! Here’s what you need to know:\r\n<h4>Why hire a videographer for your wedding?</h4>\r\nDid you know the #1 regret of newlywed couples is not hiring a wedding videographer? Your wedding will go by so quickly and while photos can capture some of the most important moments, only video can record the speeches, vows, toasts, dances and other emotional moments that you’ll want to remember forever.\r\n\r\nWhile wedding videographers have always been a part of the wedding team, hiring a wedding videographer has gone from a “nice to have” vendor to an essential element of the wedding.\r\n\r\nLuckily, no matter your wedding size, style, location or budget you can find a videographer who matches your wedding style and personal taste. On lovestoriestv.com, we showcase the work of thousands of wedding videographers from all over the world.\r\n\r\nBut how do you choose the right wedding videographer? Here are some tips and some of our favorite wedding videographers in Florida:\r\n<h4>How to choose a videographer for your wedding?</h4>\r\nYou’ll want to choose a videographer who is based in, or frequently works in, Florida. Here are 10 Florida wedding videographers that we recommend. We asked each of them to tell us what makes their business unique, what they love most about filmmaking weddings, and which of their films they think best showcases their style.\r\n<h3><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/ricker-films/\">1. Ricker Films</a></h3>\r\nBased in Jacksonville\r\n<em><strong>What makes Ricker Films special?</strong></em>\r\nI always describe Ricker Films as being authentic, intimate and fun. Every wedding and couple is different as are all of my films! I strive to capture the real, organic moments as they unfold throughout the day while also adding in some cinematic elements to each of my films. I am also a solo shooter 99% of the time! I just find it a little easier and less obtrusive to your guests!\r\n\r\n<em><strong>What do you love most about filming weddings?</strong></em>\r\nI just love getting to meet new couples, film in new areas and be able to not only witness but capture such an important day in their lives! It is such an honor to create a keepsake for them in years to come!\r\n\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/OLdcBs1l-nZd2Ouzy.js\"></script>\r\n<em><strong><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/rachel-dan-wedding-video-november-2019/ \">Watch: Rachel and Dan’s intimate and elegant wedding in Montverde, Florida by Ricker Films</a></strong></em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/ricker-films/\">Contact Ricker Films</a> about providing their videography services for your wedding.\r\n<h3><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/pineapple-films/\">2. Pineapple Films</a></h3>\r\nBased in Jupiter\r\n<em><strong>What makes Pineapple Films special?</strong></em>\r\nWe take a film school approach to breaking down and constructing our wedding videos. Camera movement, lighting, directing and the use of the closeup are all aspects of cinema that we bring to the world of wedding videography! All wedding videographers are filmmakers, but not all are cinephiles. Fun fact about us - we have over 100 foreign and classic independent films in our home collection.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>What do you love most about filming weddings?</strong></em>\r\nDiscovering new ways to visually tell our couple's love story.\r\n\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/BpHSM7M9-nZd2Ouzy.js\"></script>\r\n<em><strong><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/lishan-yosy-wedding-video-march-2020/\">Watch: Lishan and Yosy’s emotional, rustic wedding in Jupiter, Florida by Pineapple Films</a></strong></em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/pineapple-films/\">Contact Pineapple Films</a> about providing their videography services for your wedding.\r\n<h3><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/kemari-lyn-films/\">3. Kemari Lyn Films</a></h3>\r\nBased in Tampa, serving central Florida\r\n<em><strong>What makes Kemari Lyn Films special?</strong></em>\r\nWe're a husband and wife wedding videography team and we absolutely love what we do. We are personally there for you the whole way from emails and meetups to filming the day-of to editing and delivering your special wedding films. We focus on capturing real moments and emotions and creating wedding films that truly reflect who you are and that you and others can cherish for years to come.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>What do you love most about filming weddings?</strong></em>\r\nWe really value relationships, and our couples typically become friends that we go through wedding details with, celebrate life accomplishments with, and keep up with long after their big day! It is our mission to love and serve our couples well and it is our heart to show your heart through films!\r\n\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/pmxHVDcc-nZd2Ouzy.js\"></script>\r\n<em><strong><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/joelle-abram-wedding-video-june-2019/\">Watch: Joelle and Abram’s elegant wedding in St. Petersburg, Florida by Kemari Lyn Films</a></strong></em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/kemari-lyn-films/\">Contact Kemari Lyn Films</a> about providing their vid=eography services for your wedding.\r\n<h3><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/pear-thorn-productions/\">4. Pear and Thorn Productions</a></h3>\r\n<em><strong>What makes Pear and Thorn Productions special?</strong></em>\r\nPear &amp; Thorn is more than an adventure elopement film company. We are artists specializing in guiding, preserving and encapsulating love stories.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>What do you love most about filming weddings?</strong></em>\r\nAllowing the couple's story to take the front and center role in their film is our favorite quality of shooting weddings. Knowing that their film could one day save their marriage. Being a part of the present and future is such an enormous gift!\r\n\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/oN8nsVCz-nZd2Ouzy.js\"></script>\r\n<em><strong><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/ellie-josh-wedding-video-november-2019/\">Watch: Ellie and Josh’s fishing-themed wedding in Vero Beach, Florida by Pear and Thorn Productions</a></strong></em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/pear-thorn-productions/\">Contact Pear and Thorn Productions</a> about providing their videography services for your wedding.\r\n<h3><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/key-moment-films/\">5. Key Moment Films</a></h3>\r\nBased in Palm Beach and Newport, RI, serving South Florida, New England, the Bahamas and destination weddings\r\n<em><strong>What makes Key Moment Films special?</strong></em>\r\nWe are an all-female videographer duo for couples with a sea-loving spirit. We service South Florida, New England, the Bahamas and destination weddings. Our mission is to make a wedding film as unique and charming as the day itself.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>What do you love most about filming weddings?</strong></em>\r\nWe believe in creating stunning visuals as we look for the perfect way to tell real and emotional stories. We promise to be loving and warm and to treat each couple as if they are our only couple.\r\n\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/Pl6PVKnS-nZd2Ouzy.js\"></script>\r\n<em><strong><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/rachel-austin-wedding-video-february-2020/\">Watch: Rachel and Austin’s rainy Miami, Florida wedding at the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens by Key Moment Films</a></strong></em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/key-moment-films/\">Contact Key Moment Films</a> about providing their videography services for your wedding.\r\n\r\nKey Moment Films is a member of the Love Stories TV Love Club, our featured vendor list. Click <a href=\"https://mailchi.mp/ec26a8cab13f/vpmzdykq0w\">here</a> to learn more.\r\n<h3><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/bridges-cinema/\">6. Bridges Cinema</a></h3>\r\n<em><strong>What makes Bridges Cinema special?</strong></em>\r\nWe are a husband and wife team with a creative style.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>What do you love most about filming weddings? </strong></em>\r\nWe are forever capturing this happiest moment.\r\n\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/JEdPQhHw-nZd2Ouzy.js\"></script>\r\n<em><strong><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/valisha-phillip-wedding-video-april-2018\">Watch: Valisha and Phillip’s fun and flawless Orlando, Florida wedding by Bridges Cinema</a></strong></em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/bridges-cinema/\">Contact Bridges Cinema</a> about providing their videography services for your wedding.\r\n<h3><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/modern-love-productions/\">7. Modern Love Productions</a></h3>\r\nBased in Miami\r\n<em><strong>What makes Modern Love Productions special?</strong></em>\r\nModern Love Productions is a woman-led and LGBTQ+ owned business. Our philosophy is to focus on emotional/authentic moments, while not over directing or posing our couples; instead, we encourage natural movement, so couples feel free to be themselves (and have fun). We love getting to know our couples by taking them to lunch, coffee, or having a video call. This connection helps us create a wedding film that couples cherish because the film reflects their personality and style.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>What do you love most about filming weddings?</strong></em>\r\nWe love filming weddings because as a married couple our favorite day of our lives so far was our wedding. We want couples to be able to remember the emotions of the feeling of the day many years into the future by watching our films. We didn't have a videographer on our wedding day and know what it's like to wish we had a video.\r\n\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/1P2fXtp2-nZd2Ouzy.js\"></script>\r\n<em><strong><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/katharine-brian-wedding-video-february-2020/\">Watch: Katherine and Brian’s magical and elegant wedding in Boca Raton, Florida by Modern Love Productions</a></strong></em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/modern-love-productions/\">Contact Modern Love Productions</a> about providing their videography services for your wedding.\r\n\r\nModern Love Productions is a member of the Love Stories TV Love Club, our featured vendor list. Click <a href=\"https://mailchi.mp/ec26a8cab13f/vpmzdykq0w\">here</a> to learn more.\r\n<h3><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/narlee-films/\">8. Narlee Films</a></h3>\r\nBased in Orlando, serving Florida and Missouri\r\n<em><strong>What makes Narlee Films special?</strong></em>\r\nI am a female filmmaker with some second shooter help from my husband, Chris. I come from an entertainment &amp; dance background specializing in visual arts and movement. We love the outdoors and travel, and specialize in outdoor &amp; travel weddings amongst the gorgeous destinations of Central Florida and beyond. We're both Florida natives, born and raised, and know each region and area of the state and Greater Central Florida area like the back of their hand!\r\n\r\n<em><strong>What do you love most about filming weddings?</strong></em>\r\nThe energy &amp; love of the wedding day! By the time of the wedding day, we've already gotten closer to our couples through social media so we're shedding a tear or two just like their family and friends are. Aside from that, I love getting creative shots - always looking for unique angles, and then creating a wedding film that balances raw, heartfelt moments with the breathtaking cinematic shots.\r\n\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/gVtI4uXq-nZd2Ouzy.js\"></script>\r\n<em><strong><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/astrid-robbie-wedding-video-march-2019\">Watch: Astrid and Robbie’s bohemian chic, Orlando, Florida wedding by Narlee Films</a></strong></em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/narlee-films/\">Contact Narlee Films</a> about providing their videography services for your wedding.\r\n<h3><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/shannon-kelly-films/\">9. Shannon Kelly Films</a></h3>\r\nBased in St. Petersburg, serving Florida and all over the world\r\n<em><strong>What makes Shannon Kelly Films special?</strong></em>\r\nOf course, the day of the wedding is important, that's the whole reason why couples hire a wedding videographer, to capture the day. But in every highlight, I create it is my goal to tell a story. And oftentimes, that story extends beyond the day of the wedding and tells a narrative of their love and how it led them to their wedding day. Each couple has a unique story and love and that's my favorite part, getting to know what makes them special and showing it in their film.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>What do you love most about filming weddings?</strong></em>\r\nThe letters that couples often choose to exchange before their ceremony. This is such a private and intimate moment that really sets the stage for what's to come and again, what's led them to that moment.\r\n\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/CaJO0RyF-nZd2Ouzy.js\"></script>\r\n<em><strong><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/alyssa-braden-wedding-video-november-2019/\">Watch: Alyssa and Braden’s backyard Odessa, Florida wedding by Shannon Kelly Films</a></strong></em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/shannon-kelly-films/\">Contact Shannon Kelly Films</a> about providing their videography services for your wedding.\r\n<h3><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/luxe-filmography/\">10. Luxe Filmography</a></h3>\r\nBased in Lake Mary\r\n<em><strong>What makes Luxe Filmography special?</strong></em>\r\nMy business is socially and ecologically conscious. I'm a vegan animal rights activist and an ally of the LGBTQ+ community. I also support Black Lives Matter. My ideal client values high production value and elegance, but isn't exclusive to a particular social demographic.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>What do you love most about filming weddings?</strong></em>\r\nI love creating friendships with my couples and giving them lasting memories both in their films, as well as in their experience of working with me.\r\n\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/B2k60lqU-nZd2Ouzy.js\"></script>\r\n<em><strong><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/chanel-timmy-wedding-video-january-2020/\">Watch: Chanel and Timmy’s romantic wedding in Winter Park, Florida by Luxe Filmography</a></strong></em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/luxe-filmography/\">Contact Luxe Filmography</a> about providing their videography services for your wedding.\r\n\r\n<em><a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/location/state/florida/videographers/\">Now that you know how to find a videographer for your Florida wedding, browse and explore even more wedding filmmakers in Florida here.</a></em>\r\n\r\n<em>Once your wedding is over, don’t forget to share your wedding video on lovestoriestv.com to inspire couples who are planning their wedding and to show your appreciation for the talented videographer you end up hiring.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Need help finding a videographer, venue, vendors, or ideas for your wedding? Browse our massive library of real wedding videos tagged with all of the pros who made the big day happen to find your wedding dream team. Here are a few popular categories to get you started: <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/state-country-region/new-york/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New York weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/state-country-region/california/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">California weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/style/bohemian-wedding-style/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">boho weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/style/rustic-wedding-style/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rustic weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/culture-religion/south-asian/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">South-Asian weddings</a>, etc. Still can't find what you're looking for? Email <a href=\"mailto: bff@lovestoriestv.com\">bff@lovestoriestv.com</a> with your wedding questions or to get personalized vendor recommendations.</em>

Now that you're engaged (congratulations!), the wedding planning process can officially begin. While it's usually pretty fun, we're not going to lie—it can also be stressful, especially when it comes to finding the right local vendors to help you put together your big day. Luckily, you can search for all of your wedding professionals on [lovestoriestv.com](https://lovestoriestv.com/), including those in [Florida](https://lovestoriestv.com/results?q=&loc=united-states/florida). And as you're going through your list of people to hire, you'll definitely want to include a [videographer](https://lovestoriestv.com/how-to-choose-a-videographer) who can capture every moment of your special day. 

So whether you’re having a [rustic](/style/rustic) wedding in the Panhandle or a [bohemian](/style/bohemian) wedding in South Beach, there is the perfect [wedding videographer](https://lovestoriestv.com/results?q=wedding-videographers&loc=united-states/florida) out there to film it all. 


{{video|media\_id=CaJO0RyF|type=jwplayer}}

*[Alyssa + Braden, captured by Shannon Kelly Films](/alyssa-braden-wedding-video-november-2019)*


## Why hire a wedding videographer?

Did you know the number one regret of newlywed couples is not hiring a wedding videographer? "Photography is amazing because it is, quite literally, freezing a moment in time, to never be replicated again, while video allows you to feel the emotion when you hear your partner reciting their vows to you, the reaction at your First Look, your loved ones' expressions as you walk down the aisle—it brings you right back to that very moment and allows you to relive the day in a way a photo never could," explains the pros at [Dock House Digital](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/dock-house-digital).

So it's no surprise that hiring a wedding videographer has gone from a “nice to have” vendor to an essential element of the wedding. And no matter your wedding size, style, location or budget, you can find a videographer who matches your wedding style and personal taste. On [lovestoriestv.com](https://lovestoriestv.com/), we showcase the work of thousands of wedding videographers from all over the world.

{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/ef5577f689bb-5e589adba86199c0d34bd396b59fe09526bd1bf7-orig.jpeg|alt=Bride and groom at the ocean|credit=Video Reflections}}

## How do you find the right wedding videographer?

The first step should be to find a videographer who is based in, or frequently works in, Florida. To help you narrow down your search, we've selected our top 10 Florida wedding videographers and asked them to tell us what makes their business unique, what they love most about filmmaking weddings, and which of their videos best showcases their style.

## 1. [Ricker Films](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/ricker-films)

Based in Jacksonville

***What makes Ricker Films special?***

I always describe Ricker Films as being authentic, intimate and fun. Every wedding and couple is different as are all of my films! I strive to capture the real, organic moments as they unfold throughout the day while also adding in some cinematic elements to each of my films. I am also a solo shooter 99% of the time! I just find it a little easier and less obtrusive to your guests!

***What do you love most about filming weddings?***

I just love getting to meet new couples, film in new areas and be able to not only witness but capture such an important day in their lives! It is such an honor to create a keepsake for them in years to come!


{{video|media\_id=OLdcBs1l|type=jwplayer}}

***[Watch: Rachel and Dan’s intimate and elegant wedding in Montverde, Florida, captured by Ricker Films](/rachel-dan-wedding-video-november-2019)***

[Contact Ricker Films](/business/ricker-films) about providing their videography services for your wedding.


## 2. [Pineapple Films](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/pineapple-films)

Based in Jupiter

***What makes Pineapple Films special?***

We take a film school approach to breaking down and constructing our wedding videos. Camera movement, lighting, directing and the use of the closeup are all aspects of cinema that we bring to the world of wedding videography! All wedding videographers are filmmakers, but not all are cinephiles. Fun fact about us - we have over 100 foreign and classic independent films in our home collection.

***What do you love most about filming weddings?***

Discovering new ways to visually tell our couple's love story.

{{video|media\_id=BpHSM7M9|type=jwplayer}}

***[Watch: Lishan and Yosy’s emotional, rustic wedding in Jupiter, Florida, captured by Pineapple Films](/lishan-yosy-wedding-video-march-2020)***

[Contact Pineapple Films](/business/pineapple-films) about providing their videography services for your wedding.



## 3. [Kemari Lyn Films](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/kemari-lyn-films)

Based in Tampa; serving central Florida

***What makes Kemari Lyn Films special?***

We're a husband and wife wedding videography team and we absolutely love what we do. We are personally there for you the whole way from emails and meetups to filming the day-of to editing and delivering your special wedding films. We focus on capturing real moments and emotions and creating wedding films that truly reflect who you are and that you and others can cherish for years to come.

***What do you love most about filming weddings?***

We really value relationships, and our couples typically become friends that we go through wedding details with, celebrate life accomplishments with, and keep up with long after their big day! It is our mission to love and serve our couples well and it is our heart to show your heart through films!

{{video|media\_id=pmxHVDcc|type=jwplayer}}

***[Watch: Joelle and Abram’s elegant wedding in St. Petersburg, Florida, captured by Kemari Lyn Films](/joelle-abram-wedding-video-june-2019)***

[Contact Kemari Lyn Films](/business/kemari-lyn-films) about providing their vid=eography services for your wedding.



## 4. [Pear and Thorn Productions](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/pear-thorn-productions)


***What makes Pear and Thorn Productions special?***

Pear & Thorn is more than an adventure elopement film company. We are artists specializing in guiding, preserving and encapsulating love stories.


***What do you love most about filming weddings?***

Allowing the couple's story to take the front and center role in their film is our favorite quality of shooting weddings. Knowing that their film could one day save their marriage. Being a part of the present and future is such an enormous gift!

{{video|media\_id=oN8nsVCz|type=jwplayer}}

***[Watch: Ellie and Josh’s fishing-themed wedding in Vero Beach, Florida, captured by Pear and Thorn Productions](/ellie-josh-wedding-video-november-2019)***

[Contact Pear and Thorn Productions](/business/pear-thorn-productions) about providing their videography services for your wedding.


## 5. [Key Moment Films](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/key-moment-films)

Based in Palm Beach and Newport, RI, serving South Florida, New England, the Bahamas and destination weddings

***What makes Key Moment Films special?***

We are an all-female videographer duo for couples with a sea-loving spirit. We service South Florida, New England, the Bahamas and destination weddings. Our mission is to make a wedding film as unique and charming as the day itself.

***What do you love most about filming weddings?***

We believe in creating stunning visuals as we look for the perfect way to tell real and emotional stories. We promise to be loving and warm and to treat each couple as if they are our only couple.

{{video|media\_id=Pl6PVKnS|type=jwplayer}}

***[Watch: Rachel and Austin’s rainy Miami, Florida wedding at the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, captured by Key Moment Films](/rachel-austin-wedding-video-february-2020)***

[Contact Key Moment Films](/business/key-moment-films) about providing their videography services for your wedding.

Key Moment Films is a member of the Love Stories TV Love Club, our featured vendor list. Click [here](https://mailchi.mp/ec26a8cab13f/vpmzdykq0w) to learn more.


{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/0c0d6249df77-f5d25bed2bcd5079e0f1c847155202570ea6a069-orig.jpeg|alt=Bride and groom on the beach|credit=Ricker Films}}


## 6. [Bridges Cinema](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/bridges-cinema)

***What makes Bridges Cinema special?***

We are a husband and wife team with a creative style.


***What do you love most about filming weddings?*** 

We are forever capturing this happiest moment.

{{video|media\_id=JEdPQhHw|type=jwplayer}}

***[Watch: Valisha and Phillip’s fun and flawless Orlando, Florida wedding, captured by Bridges Cinema](/valisha-phillip-wedding-video-april-2018)***

[Contact Bridges Cinema](/business/bridges-cinema) about providing their videography services for your wedding.


## 7. [Modern Love Productions](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/modern-love-productions)

Based in Miami

***What makes Modern Love Productions special?***

Modern Love Productions is a woman-led and LGBTQ+ owned business. Our philosophy is to focus on emotional/authentic moments, while not over directing or posing our couples; instead, we encourage natural movement, so couples feel free to be themselves (and have fun). We love getting to know our couples by taking them to lunch, coffee, or having a video call. This connection helps us create a wedding film that couples cherish because the film reflects their personality and style.


***What do you love most about filming weddings?***

We love filming weddings because as a married couple our favorite day of our lives so far was our wedding. We want couples to be able to remember the emotions of the feeling of the day many years into the future by watching our films. We didn't have a videographer on our wedding day and know what it's like to wish we had a video.

{{video|media\_id=1P2fXtp2|type=jwplayer}}

***[Watch: Katherine and Brian’s magical and elegant wedding in Boca Raton, Florida, captured by Modern Love Productions](/katharine-brian-wedding-video-february-2020)***

[Contact Modern Love Productions](/business/modern-love-productions) about providing their videography services for your wedding.

Modern Love Productions is a member of the Love Stories TV Love Club, our featured vendor list. Click [here](https://mailchi.mp/ec26a8cab13f/vpmzdykq0w) to learn more.



## 8. [Narlee Films](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/narlee-films)

Based in Orlando; serving Florida and Missouri

***What makes Narlee Films special?***

I am a female filmmaker with some second shooter help from my husband, Chris. I come from an entertainment & dance background specializing in visual arts and movement. We love the outdoors and travel, and specialize in outdoor & travel weddings amongst the gorgeous destinations of Central Florida and beyond. We're both Florida natives, born and raised, and know each region and area of the state and Greater Central Florida area like the back of their hand!


***What do you love most about filming weddings?***

The energy & love of the wedding day! By the time of the wedding day, we've already gotten closer to our couples through social media so we're shedding a tear or two just like their family and friends are. Aside from that, I love getting creative shots - always looking for unique angles, and then creating a wedding film that balances raw, heartfelt moments with the breathtaking cinematic shots.

{{video|media\_id=gVtI4uXq|type=jwplayer}}

***[Watch: Astrid and Robbie’s bohemian chic, Orlando, Florida wedding, captured by Narlee Films](/astrid-robbie-wedding-video-march-2019)***

[Contact Narlee Films](/business/narlee-films) about providing their videography services for your wedding.


## 9. [Shannon Kelly Films](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/shannon-kelly-films)

Based in St. Petersburg; serving Florida and all over the world

***What makes Shannon Kelly Films special?***

Of course, the day of the wedding is important, that's the whole reason why couples hire a wedding videographer, to capture the day. But in every highlight, I create it is my goal to tell a story. And oftentimes, that story extends beyond the day of the wedding and tells a narrative of their love and how it led them to their wedding day. Each couple has a unique story and love and that's my favorite part, getting to know what makes them special and showing it in their film.

***What do you love most about filming weddings?***

The letters that couples often choose to exchange before their ceremony. This is such a private and intimate moment that really sets the stage for what's to come and again, what's led them to that moment.

{{video|media\_id=CaJO0RyF|type=jwplayer}}

***[Watch: Alyssa and Braden’s backyard Odessa, Florida wedding, captured by Shannon Kelly Films](/alyssa-braden-wedding-video-november-2019)***

[Contact Shannon Kelly Films](/business/shannon-kelly-films) about providing their videography services for your wedding.


## 10. [Luxe Filmography](https://lovestoriestv.com/business/luxe-filmography)

Based in Lake Mary

***What makes Luxe Filmography special?***

My business is socially and ecologically conscious. I'm a vegan animal rights activist and an ally of the LGBTQ+ community. I also support Black Lives Matter. My ideal client values high production value and elegance, but isn't exclusive to a particular social demographic.

***What do you love most about filming weddings?***

I love creating friendships with my couples and giving them lasting memories both in their films, as well as in their experience of working with me.

{{video|media\_id=B2k60lqU|type=jwplayer}}

***[Watch: Chanel and Timmy’s romantic wedding in Winter Park, Florida, captured by Luxe Filmography](/chanel-timmy-wedding-video-january-2020)***

[Contact Luxe Filmography](/business/luxe-filmography) about providing their videography services for your wedding.


*Need help finding other pros for your wedding? Browse all of our amazing [wedding videos](https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding-videos) tagged with all of the vendors who made the big day happen. And you can also search for [Florida wedding vendors](https://lovestoriestv.com/results?q=&loc=united-states/florida) to create your own wedding dream team.*

Looking for a wedding videographer in Florida? Here are our top 10 recommended videographers no matter your budget or style.

Check out the 10 videographers we recommend to cover a Florida wedding

Our Top 10 Recommended Wedding Videographers in Florida

Amanda and Danny had a romantic wedding at The Ebell of Long Beach in Long Beach, California with vintage wedding details and an epic dance party.

Bride Had Crush on Groom In High School—Minimalist California Wedding

This Bride Had a Crush on the Groom All Through High School

<em><strong>By <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/heyheyitskatiek/\">Katie Kortebein</a></strong></em>\r\n\r\nThere are some wedding videos that are just so emotional, so over-the-top or so absolutely stunning, we feel they deserve a bigger accolade on our site, like the title of <strong>Love Story of the Week</strong>! We love Kadia and Jessica’s natural, destination celebration, but it was their amazing back story that really got to us.\r\n\r\nWatch <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/jessica-kadia-wedding-video-november-2019/\">the video</a> by <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/alunnafilms/\">AlunnaFilms</a> and then scroll on for an inside look at Kadia and Jessica’s planning process, tips and vendors!\r\n\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/NxlDuMbv-LDty3DAW.js\"></script>\r\n<h4>1. How did you two meet?</h4>\r\nWe met in 2010 on a summer internship in Harlem, New York teaching kids reading and softball. We met on accident because Kadia, who didn't play sports, had applied to the wrong internship. We noticed each other in the first weeks of the internship and when we finally spoke, it was about a set of rainbow bracelets on Kadia's arm. She was missing the color yellow. Weeks later, Jess would surprise Kadia in a dugout with a yellow bracelet and from then on complete her rainbow.\r\n\r\n<h4>2. How did the proposal happen?</h4>\r\nJess set up a whole surprise at the High Line, a beautiful park built elevated above the streets on Manhattan's West Side. She invited (and flew in) our family and friends, and told Kadia that she was going to dinner with Jess's colleagues. When I walked up the stairs to the High Line, I didn't expect to see my sister standing at the top with a rose in her hand—she was supposed to be in Brooklyn getting a car fixed. Then, standing a few yards away, I saw a dear friend also holding a rose. As I made my way down the high line’s path, more and more familiar faces turned to me. New, longtime and long-distance friends, \" whom Jess had gathered, gave me roses and words of affirmation. One hugged me and whispered, “You’re ready.” And I said, “I am.” Shaking, I tried to keep from crying as strangers watched and waited to see what was happening. I tried to understand why I was collecting roses and a crowd on my walk to whom I assumed was Jess. Nearing the end of the line, I completely broke when I saw my little brother, who had just moved miles away to start his own family.  He returned for the day to give me a rose; and with tears in his eyes, he wrapped his arms around me, kissed the top of my head, and repeated, “I love you,” before letting me go. Not far behind him stood my partner, my best friend, my dream girl. The person who’s given me literally hundreds of flowers over the past eight years. Lined up in front of her were photos of us from over the past eight years, reminders of all of the places we’ve gone and things we’ve done. The home stretch to her felt like a walk into the rest of our lives. In each step I felt closer to our future—future moving days, dog adoptions, overseas flights, new job titles, not-so-chill anniversaries, not-so-chill kids, and major life events with our families. By the time I reached her, I had a full bouquet in my hands. Just like I did after I graduated, after my first day at work, after I quit my job to go back to school after I de-boarded a flight from a work trip after I gave a speech after I did anything that scared me or made me feel alive. That day, that moment, felt special because it felt like any other day loving and being loved by her. I am grateful to everyone* holding up our relationship and giving me my roses. I’m grateful to get flowers that remind me I’m living.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/KadiaJessica.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"https://www.rawshoots.com/\">Raw Shoots</a></div>\r\n\r\n<h4>3. What are each of your favorite things about your relationship?</h4>\r\n<strong>Kadia:</strong> How much we laugh! We laugh a lot together. Whether that's from an inside joke or Jess making up silly songs or sharing crazy stories from our day.\r\n<strong>Jessica:</strong> We have a strong desire to explore: to learn more about each other, travel the world, and challenge each other in ways that we have never explored before choosing one another. \r\n\r\n<h4>4. What was the first thing you did as an engaged couple?</h4>\r\nWe celebrated Pride 2018 in New York City. Ever since we met about 10 years ago, we make a huge point of celebrating Pride, including World Pride, which has taken us to Toronto, Madrid, and back home to New York City—and hopefully Copenhagen next year!\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/KadiaJessica10.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nRaw Shoots</div>\r\n\r\n<h4>5. What was your budget and how did you decide on it?</h4>\r\nWait, we were supposed to have a budget?! Just kidding. We definitely had a budget. And it came to a little under $40,000, which is not half bad considering we originally set one at $35,000 for a destination wedding. We decided on the budget by sitting down with giant poster paper and at the same time said what was the most reasonable amount we could spend and agreed on the same number. \r\n\r\n<h4>6. What were your top three priorities when planning your wedding?</h4>\r\nOn that giant poster paper were our top priorities: DJ, Lighting, and Photographer/Videographer. These were the non-negotiables. We had our wedding at a resort in Guanacaste, Costa Rica and much of it was at nighttime, so lighting was a must. We love to dance and so do our guests—we even got a clear dance floor set up over a pool—so the DJ had to be better than good. They had to be amazing. And we wanted to truly capture our special day, especially for the people who could not make the trip; so we spent a lot of time—mostly Jessica—searching for the right people.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/KadiaJessica8.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nRaw Shoots</div>\r\n\r\n<h4>7. What did you each think the first time you saw each other on your wedding day?</h4>\r\n<strong>Jessica:</strong> \"Oh my goodness, don't cry.\"\r\n<strong>Kadia:</strong> \"Oh my god, is that Jess?\"\r\n\r\n<h4>8. Did you write your own vows? If so, what personalized details did you add? If not, how come?</h4>\r\nYes. Kadia wrote hers. She actually brought with her to our wedding day an old piece of folded paper where she'd written vows over five years earlier. She read from that paper. Jessica didn't write her vows. I thought about what I wanted to say but just spoke from the heart the day of our wedding.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/KadiaJessica3.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nRaw Shoots</div>\r\n\r\n<h4>9. Can you each talk about your dress shopping experience and how you found THE dress?</h4>\r\n<strong>Kadia:</strong> Nine months before our wedding, I went with my bridesmaids, mom and closet friends to Glamour Closet boutique. I was nervous about trying on dresses because I'd spent the previous three months working out to get in shape But when I tried on the dress, picked out by my twin sister, it fit like a glove. And the way the boutique works is that whatever is on the rack is what you take home. So they only had sample sizes. When that dress slipped up, with no clipping or alterations needed, and I looked at myself in the mirror, I knew it was the dress I wanted Jess to see me in. As for my jumpsuit, I found that on ASOS over a year before the wedding and fell in love. I tried it on once and knew it was the one.\r\n<strong>Jessica:</strong> I went to visit my hometown of Chicago to visit Bijou Bridal with my bridesmaids to find their dresses. As they tried on many wine-colored dresses, I decided to take a look at their bridal gown section. The very first dress I laid my eyes on was so beautiful, and I immediately had to try it on. That dress ended up being THE dress. I knew that I wanted to get a second bridal garment for the reception, and I fell in love with Mika Inatome's Bridal work in New York City. Mika consulted on my bridal jumpsuit idea and created the perfect garment for me on our special day! Both outfits were perfect and were a stress-free experience for me.\r\n\r\n<h4>10. Can you both also talk about how you decided on your wedding hair and beauty?</h4>\r\nThis was very tough. We, as the brides, have very different skin tones and hair textures so we had to find someone super skilled in all types of beauty. Our bridal parties were also very diverse. So we narrowed down artists in the Costa Rica area. We went through their social media portfolios to see how they've worked on a diverse group of people and were able to find an artist who could help make everyone in our wedding party feel and look beautiful on our wedding day.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/KadiaJessica4.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nRaw Shoots</div>\r\n\r\n<h4>11. You were married in such a gorgeous location, what made you choose this venue?</h4>\r\nWe travel a lot and wanted to get married in one of the countries we first visited as a couple. Costa Rica was the country we fell in love with as we fell deeper in love with each other. We had three locations in mind for where we wanted to get married. A year before our big day we planned to fly to Costa Rica to check these places out, but plans changed when Kadia had to fly to another country for work (where she would be for 3 months!). We didn't want to cancel the trip to CR so, Jessica went on her own, documenting all of the places she went and video calling Kadia (despite very different time zones). Once we reviewed the three locations, we sat on Skype (Jessica in Costa Rica and Kadia in London) and wrote down our top choice. After a countdown, we showed each other the location we'd picked after writing them on pieces of paper and screamed when we realized it was the same. When Kadia returned from her travels, we went back to Costa Rica and stayed at Dreams resort. We fell in love. And knew we'd made the right choice.\r\n\r\n<h4>12. What would you say was the most difficult thing about planning a destination wedding?</h4>\r\nAccepting that there would be some family and friends who we really wanted to join us on our day couldn't make the trip, whether that was due to health, immigration status, or finances. We felt guilty at some moments that we were having a destination wedding, but also knew that those people wanted us to celebrate our wedding the way we truly wanted. And they were there with us in spirit.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/KadiaJessica7.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nRaw Shoots</div>\r\n\r\n<h4>13. How did you choose your officiant? Did you include any special readings/poems/essays/etc. in your ceremony?</h4>\r\nOur officiant was Kadia's college mentor who's also like a father figure. He was also the biggest supporter and fan of our relationship beginning the summer we met in 2010. He's our biggest fan and a role model for a long, loving marriage. While he officiated, our bridesmaids read poems or their own speech. Having them read spoke to how much we wanted to include all of our community in our union.\r\n\r\n<h4>14. Why would you suggest hiring a videographer?</h4>\r\nIT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. Our videographers were like our friends on that day. They were incredible storytellers, but, more importantly, they treated us and our guests like family. They were flexible and patient and shared in our joy and anxieties (when we were running late). They captured special moments from our big day that we would have missed and that we want to remember forever.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/KadiaJessica2.jpg\" alt=\"\" /></div>\r\n\r\n<h4>15. What is your favorite memory from your wedding day?</h4>\r\nOur first dance and jumping in the pool are our beloved memories from our day. We danced to \"You're the reason I come home,\" by Ron Pope, a song that has been dear to us since we met. The song played as fireworks—a surprise from Kadia—lit the night sky above us. By the end of the night, almost all of our guests were in the pool! Then we jumped in, holding Jessica's father's hands. We now say, whenever you get the chance to jump in the pool, take it. \r\n\r\n<h4>16. What's your top tip to all soonlyweds out there planning their weddings?</h4>\r\nPractical advice: get a bomb-ass wedding coordinator! Our wedding coordinator saw our vision, knew what we wanted, and left some elements of surprise for us to enjoy on our wedding day. Because we trusted him and the planning we'd put in, we were able to spend more time enjoying each other leading up to the wedding than stressing the small details of our big day, like chairs, napkins, or small hiccups with tech or music. We were totally focused on ourselves, each other, and our family and friends.\r\n\r\nPersonal advice: we were constantly told our wedding was about us. And that advice proved monumental! Other people's opinions, complaints, traditions, or demands should not dictate your special day. Spend your wedding how you and your partner want and make sure to do things that you and your partner love to do. So if there's a certain way you want to walk into your ceremony, do that. If there's a certain crazy song you want to dance to, put it on. If there's a tradition you want to skip, create your own. It's your day and the worst thing would be to look back on it with regrets that you didn't enjoy it the way you both wanted.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/KadiaJessica12.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nRaw Shoots</div>\r\n\r\n<h4>17. Who were your favorite wedding vendors and why?</h4>\r\nThe entire resort, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/reception-venue/resort-reception-venue/dreams-las-mareas/\">Dreams Las Mareas</a>, was an incredible vendor. They took care of everything we needed. We also had amazing photographers, <a href=\"https://www.rawshoots.com/\">Raw Shoots</a>, and videographers, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/alunnafilms/\">AlunnaFilms</a>, who were the perfect team to capture our relationship, our community, our love and joy.\r\n\r\n<h4>See all the vendors <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/jessica-kadia-wedding-video-november-2019/\">here</a></h4>\r\n\r\n<h4>18. Anything else you'd like to share about your wedding or some details I didn't ask about?</h4>\r\nOur wedding day was magical. After spending the past nine years together, we've come to know what the other person loves to do in the morning, how they get ready, where they're headed—the little things that we look forward to and cherish. On our wedding day, we spent it thinking about each other. Wondering if our love was laughing, smiling, watching the clock and feeling the butterflies as the ceremony grew closer. When we saw each other, after nearly nine hours of being apart, it felt magical. From the way it did NOT rain, to the people who made it from thousands of miles away to our love song being played and meeting each other at the altar. Every part felt magical (and was described that way by guests) because every part of our wedding day felt like every other day—just with extra stars, extra warmth and extra love.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/KadiaJessica13.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nRaw Shoots</div>\r\n\r\nTo watch more wedding videos by <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/alunnafilms/\">AlunnaFilms</a>, click below.\r\n<script data-channel=\"47f33c32-6aaa-11e9-8c14-0a67b819700a\" data-limit=\"12\" src=\"https://d2ef41pp6js8z8.cloudfront.net/js/lstvembed.js\"></script>

***By [Katie Kortebein](https://www.instagram.com/heyheyitskatiek/)***\r\n\r\nThere are some wedding videos that are just so emotional, so over-the-top or so absolutely stunning, we feel they deserve a bigger accolade on our site, like the title of **Love Story of the Week**! We love Kadia and Jessica’s natural, destination celebration, but it was their amazing back story that really got to us.\r\n\r\nWatch [the video](/jessica-kadia-wedding-video-november-2019) by [AlunnaFilms](/business/alunnafilms) and then scroll on for an inside look at Kadia and Jessica’s planning process, tips and vendors!\r\n\r\n{{video|media\_id=NxlDuMbv|type=jwplayer}}\r\n#### 1. How did you two meet?

\r\nWe met in 2010 on a summer internship in Harlem, New York teaching kids reading and softball. We met on accident because Kadia, who didn't play sports, had applied to the wrong internship. We noticed each other in the first weeks of the internship and when we finally spoke, it was about a set of rainbow bracelets on Kadia's arm. She was missing the color yellow. Weeks later, Jess would surprise Kadia in a dugout with a yellow bracelet and from then on complete her rainbow.\r\n\r\n#### 2. How did the proposal happen?

\r\nJess set up a whole surprise at the High Line, a beautiful park built elevated above the streets on Manhattan's West Side. She invited (and flew in) our family and friends, and told Kadia that she was going to dinner with Jess's colleagues. When I walked up the stairs to the High Line, I didn't expect to see my sister standing at the top with a rose in her hand—she was supposed to be in Brooklyn getting a car fixed. Then, standing a few yards away, I saw a dear friend also holding a rose. As I made my way down the high line’s path, more and more familiar faces turned to me. New, longtime and long-distance friends, \" whom Jess had gathered, gave me roses and words of affirmation. One hugged me and whispered, “You’re ready.” And I said, “I am.” Shaking, I tried to keep from crying as strangers watched and waited to see what was happening. I tried to understand why I was collecting roses and a crowd on my walk to whom I assumed was Jess. Nearing the end of the line, I completely broke when I saw my little brother, who had just moved miles away to start his own family. He returned for the day to give me a rose; and with tears in his eyes, he wrapped his arms around me, kissed the top of my head, and repeated, “I love you,” before letting me go. Not far behind him stood my partner, my best friend, my dream girl. The person who’s given me literally hundreds of flowers over the past eight years. Lined up in front of her were photos of us from over the past eight years, reminders of all of the places we’ve gone and things we’ve done. The home stretch to her felt like a walk into the rest of our lives. In each step I felt closer to our future—future moving days, dog adoptions, overseas flights, new job titles, not-so-chill anniversaries, not-so-chill kids, and major life events with our families. By the time I reached her, I had a full bouquet in my hands. Just like I did after I graduated, after my first day at work, after I quit my job to go back to school after I de-boarded a flight from a work trip after I gave a speech after I did anything that scared me or made me feel alive. That day, that moment, felt special because it felt like any other day loving and being loved by her. I am grateful to everyone* holding up our relationship and giving me my roses. I’m grateful to get flowers that remind me I’m living.\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/4def475a6f9b-e4cdca42f97e9e4010ea509ca1824339f6725216-orig.jpeg|credit=Raw Shoots|credit_link=https://www.rawshoots.com/}}\r\n\r\n#### 3. What are each of your favorite things about your relationship?

\r\n**Kadia:** How much we laugh! We laugh a lot together. Whether that's from an inside joke or Jess making up silly songs or sharing crazy stories from our day.\r\n**Jessica:** We have a strong desire to explore: to learn more about each other, travel the world, and challenge each other in ways that we have never explored before choosing one another. \r\n\r\n#### 4. What was the first thing you did as an engaged couple?

\r\nWe celebrated Pride 2018 in New York City. Ever since we met about 10 years ago, we make a huge point of celebrating Pride, including World Pride, which has taken us to Toronto, Madrid, and back home to New York City—and hopefully Copenhagen next year!\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/f66d32579506-69072d9449f402dd0afcda0ac923f9a07fd255cb-orig.jpeg|credit=Raw Shoots}}\r\n\r\n#### 5. What was your budget and how did you decide on it?

\r\nWait, we were supposed to have a budget?! Just kidding. We definitely had a budget. And it came to a little under $40,000, which is not half bad considering we originally set one at $35,000 for a destination wedding. We decided on the budget by sitting down with giant poster paper and at the same time said what was the most reasonable amount we could spend and agreed on the same number. \r\n\r\n#### 6. What were your top three priorities when planning your wedding?

\r\nOn that giant poster paper were our top priorities: DJ, Lighting, and Photographer/Videographer. These were the non-negotiables. We had our wedding at a resort in Guanacaste, Costa Rica and much of it was at nighttime, so lighting was a must. We love to dance and so do our guests—we even got a clear dance floor set up over a pool—so the DJ had to be better than good. They had to be amazing. And we wanted to truly capture our special day, especially for the people who could not make the trip; so we spent a lot of time—mostly Jessica—searching for the right people.\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/671718b24f9e-a2fa62f071d3afe2aef52add66daf677f848d804-orig.jpeg|credit=Raw Shoots}}\r\n\r\n#### 7. What did you each think the first time you saw each other on your wedding day?

\r\n**Jessica:** \"Oh my goodness, don't cry.\"\r\n**Kadia:** \"Oh my god, is that Jess?\"\r\n\r\n#### 8. Did you write your own vows? If so, what personalized details did you add? If not, how come?

\r\nYes. Kadia wrote hers. She actually brought with her to our wedding day an old piece of folded paper where she'd written vows over five years earlier. She read from that paper. Jessica didn't write her vows. I thought about what I wanted to say but just spoke from the heart the day of our wedding.\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/c7d5718b8f1b-08425bff603f0dfa0956788da7280390f47b2867-orig.jpeg|credit=Raw Shoots}}\r\n\r\n#### 9. Can you each talk about your dress shopping experience and how you found THE dress?

\r\n**Kadia:** Nine months before our wedding, I went with my bridesmaids, mom and closet friends to Glamour Closet boutique. I was nervous about trying on dresses because I'd spent the previous three months working out to get in shape But when I tried on the dress, picked out by my twin sister, it fit like a glove. And the way the boutique works is that whatever is on the rack is what you take home. So they only had sample sizes. When that dress slipped up, with no clipping or alterations needed, and I looked at myself in the mirror, I knew it was the dress I wanted Jess to see me in. As for my jumpsuit, I found that on ASOS over a year before the wedding and fell in love. I tried it on once and knew it was the one.\r\n**Jessica:** I went to visit my hometown of Chicago to visit Bijou Bridal with my bridesmaids to find their dresses. As they tried on many wine-colored dresses, I decided to take a look at their bridal gown section. The very first dress I laid my eyes on was so beautiful, and I immediately had to try it on. That dress ended up being THE dress. I knew that I wanted to get a second bridal garment for the reception, and I fell in love with Mika Inatome's Bridal work in New York City. Mika consulted on my bridal jumpsuit idea and created the perfect garment for me on our special day! Both outfits were perfect and were a stress-free experience for me.\r\n\r\n#### 10. Can you both also talk about how you decided on your wedding hair and beauty?

\r\nThis was very tough. We, as the brides, have very different skin tones and hair textures so we had to find someone super skilled in all types of beauty. Our bridal parties were also very diverse. So we narrowed down artists in the Costa Rica area. We went through their social media portfolios to see how they've worked on a diverse group of people and were able to find an artist who could help make everyone in our wedding party feel and look beautiful on our wedding day.\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/77399daa230a-7623a3ac6eef6f70948420f50ca042baf81bf285-orig.jpeg|credit=Raw Shoots}}\r\n\r\n#### 11. You were married in such a gorgeous location, what made you choose this venue?

\r\nWe travel a lot and wanted to get married in one of the countries we first visited as a couple. Costa Rica was the country we fell in love with as we fell deeper in love with each other. We had three locations in mind for where we wanted to get married. A year before our big day we planned to fly to Costa Rica to check these places out, but plans changed when Kadia had to fly to another country for work (where she would be for 3 months!). We didn't want to cancel the trip to CR so, Jessica went on her own, documenting all of the places she went and video calling Kadia (despite very different time zones). Once we reviewed the three locations, we sat on Skype (Jessica in Costa Rica and Kadia in London) and wrote down our top choice. After a countdown, we showed each other the location we'd picked after writing them on pieces of paper and screamed when we realized it was the same. When Kadia returned from her travels, we went back to Costa Rica and stayed at Dreams resort. We fell in love. And knew we'd made the right choice.\r\n\r\n#### 12. What would you say was the most difficult thing about planning a destination wedding?

\r\nAccepting that there would be some family and friends who we really wanted to join us on our day couldn't make the trip, whether that was due to health, immigration status, or finances. We felt guilty at some moments that we were having a destination wedding, but also knew that those people wanted us to celebrate our wedding the way we truly wanted. And they were there with us in spirit.\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/0d6f94b4bf3a-132c16941645ebc64bdc9e44b7747942e854c544-orig.jpeg|credit=Raw Shoots}}\r\n\r\n#### 13. How did you choose your officiant? Did you include any special readings/poems/essays/etc. in your ceremony?

\r\nOur officiant was Kadia's college mentor who's also like a father figure. He was also the biggest supporter and fan of our relationship beginning the summer we met in 2010. He's our biggest fan and a role model for a long, loving marriage. While he officiated, our bridesmaids read poems or their own speech. Having them read spoke to how much we wanted to include all of our community in our union.\r\n\r\n#### 14. Why would you suggest hiring a videographer?

\r\nIT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. Our videographers were like our friends on that day. They were incredible storytellers, but, more importantly, they treated us and our guests like family. They were flexible and patient and shared in our joy and anxieties (when we were running late). They captured special moments from our big day that we would have missed and that we want to remember forever.\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/45bd93f99f7f-945f0f96b33d0340fa733baab0760b0210f01bad-orig.jpeg}}\r\n\r\n#### 15. What is your favorite memory from your wedding day?

\r\nOur first dance and jumping in the pool are our beloved memories from our day. We danced to \"You're the reason I come home,\" by Ron Pope, a song that has been dear to us since we met. The song played as fireworks—a surprise from Kadia—lit the night sky above us. By the end of the night, almost all of our guests were in the pool! Then we jumped in, holding Jessica's father's hands. We now say, whenever you get the chance to jump in the pool, take it. \r\n\r\n#### 16. What's your top tip to all soonlyweds out there planning their weddings?

\r\nPractical advice: get a bomb-ass wedding coordinator! Our wedding coordinator saw our vision, knew what we wanted, and left some elements of surprise for us to enjoy on our wedding day. Because we trusted him and the planning we'd put in, we were able to spend more time enjoying each other leading up to the wedding than stressing the small details of our big day, like chairs, napkins, or small hiccups with tech or music. We were totally focused on ourselves, each other, and our family and friends.\r\n\r\nPersonal advice: we were constantly told our wedding was about us. And that advice proved monumental! Other people's opinions, complaints, traditions, or demands should not dictate your special day. Spend your wedding how you and your partner want and make sure to do things that you and your partner love to do. So if there's a certain way you want to walk into your ceremony, do that. If there's a certain crazy song you want to dance to, put it on. If there's a tradition you want to skip, create your own. It's your day and the worst thing would be to look back on it with regrets that you didn't enjoy it the way you both wanted.\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/7414ba4b626f-929cfbb1809eef71f304f87b21244f0b9ee96c6d-orig.jpeg|credit=Raw Shoots}}\r\n\r\n#### 17. Who were your favorite wedding vendors and why?

\r\nThe entire resort, [Dreams Las Mareas](/business/dreams-las-mareas), was an incredible vendor. They took care of everything we needed. We also had amazing photographers, [Raw Shoots](https://www.rawshoots.com/), and videographers, [AlunnaFilms](/business/alunnafilms), who were the perfect team to capture our relationship, our community, our love and joy.\r\n\r\n#### See all the vendors here

\r\n\r\n#### 18. Anything else you'd like to share about your wedding or some details I didn't ask about?

\r\nOur wedding day was magical. After spending the past nine years together, we've come to know what the other person loves to do in the morning, how they get ready, where they're headed—the little things that we look forward to and cherish. On our wedding day, we spent it thinking about each other. Wondering if our love was laughing, smiling, watching the clock and feeling the butterflies as the ceremony grew closer. When we saw each other, after nearly nine hours of being apart, it felt magical. From the way it did NOT rain, to the people who made it from thousands of miles away to our love song being played and meeting each other at the altar. Every part felt magical (and was described that way by guests) because every part of our wedding day felt like every other day—just with extra stars, extra warmth and extra love.\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/b30fab5dd497-8ef7353da585ec3d44fb11fa35cef4a5717c6d86-orig.jpeg|credit=Raw Shoots}}\r\n\r\nTo watch more wedding videos by [AlunnaFilms](/business/alunnafilms), click below.\r\n

Jessica and Kadia had an intimate, tropical wedding at Dreams Las Mareas in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica with emotional wedding vows.

Bride Wrote Her Vows to Her Wife Before They Were Even Engaged!

This Bride Wrote Her Emotional Vows to Her Wife Before They Were Even Engaged!

Whether you’ve been dreaming of your wedding since you were little or you never thought of it till the ring was on your finger, you’re going to want a wedding planner. Seriously. It doesn’t matter if you’re having a wedding for 400 or for 10, a wedding planner will take care of all the details you didn’t even know existed. And did you know they’re actually more likely to <em>save</em> you money since they know the best vendors for your budget and can get you the best packages? Well, now you do!\r\n\r\nSo how do you find your dream wedding planner? That’s where our Love Club member and one of our fave luxury wedding planners, Ali Barone, comes in. She is behind <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/event-designer-or-planner/ali-barone-events/\">Ali Barone Events</a>, the go-to planner for industry icons, luxury brands and couples who value high style, detailed expertise and a warm, no-nonsense approach to creating one of a kind events.\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/sfHy57nE-LDty3DAW.js\"></script>\r\n\r\n<h4>1. Ask Your Venue for a List of Referrals</h4>\r\nThe decision to hire a wedding coordinator likely means you're looking for someone who is organized and experienced to step in and help you organize all of the moving parts leading up to and on your big day. Therefore, starting with a list of recommended professionals who have worked with the team at the venue and know the area is always a good place to start.\r\n<h4>2. Ask The Experts</h4>\r\nIf you have already booked your floral designer or photographer, they may have a recommendation as well. Many vendors work three times the amount of events an actual coordinator or planner would so you could say they have seen both the good...and the not-so-good. They may have a suggestion for you based on who they think might be a good fit for your location, style and budget.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/KellaMcFeePhotojournalist1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"http://kellamacphee.blogspot.com/\">Kella MacPhee Photojournalist</a></div>\r\n\r\n<h4>3. Get Specific</h4>\r\nOnline searches via Google or Pinterest with keywords might leave you feeling overwhelmed with choices if you just use words like \"wedding coordinator Palm Springs\" so it helps to get specific. For example, add more specific keywords like \"LGBTQ, boho, desert, tent wedding\" and <em>then</em> \"wedding coordinator Palm Springs.\" This should narrow your search down or at least lead you in a more focused direction to start your Instagram deep dive!\r\n<h4>4. Do Your Research</h4>\r\nSure, you can and should check out reviews, but it's important to go beyond that and check out the social media platforms and websites of anyone you're interested in. Why? Because with paid platforms, advertisers come and go. Some will not have a current portfolio or reviews uploaded if they didn't continue to subscribe. Often, their most current body of work will be elsewhere. So do a Google search on the company and spend more than three minutes learning about them. You will be surprised at what you find!\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/cphotographyy2.jpeg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"https://www.caroline-wirawan.com/\">Caroline Wirawan</a></div>\r\n\r\n<h4>5. The Three P’s</h4>\r\nPersonality, Portfolio and Pricing—they are all equally important! If you lead with \"What's your pricing and packages?\" you are doing yourself a disservice. Pricing should never be your driving or, hopefully, deciding factor. It's important to take a few minutes to connect with a potential planner, see if you like their personality and feel like you could really connect with them and, more importantly, TRUST them with one of the most emotionally and financially significant days in your life. If you are interested in someone's work, reach out to them to see if you can schedule a free consultation. You can always ask for a general idea of products, services and pricing, but definitely TALK with them. This leads to their PORTFOLIO. Do you like what they have represented in their portfolio? Are their weddings making you swoon? Now is your chance to ask questions! Make sure their portfolio is 80% real weddings and not just a series of beautifully styled shoots—planning a photoshoot with a table setting and models is NOT the same as coordinating a wedding with 200 guests in real-time with multiple moving parts. Finally, ask what services they offer and get an idea of pricing. Many planners will offer a variety of services and one is bound to be a good fit if you really connect and would like to work together.\r\n\r\nTip: The cheapest vendor is often the least experienced, which MAY be ok for you, but, in the grand scheme of things, you are investing in your big day so it's ill-advised to just choose the vendor with the lowest price. Value and experience is the name of the game and that never comes \"cheap.\"\r\n<h4>6. Ask About Their Process</h4>\r\nAsk about their business structure and what the process would look like. A few great starter questions include: Who is on their team, how long they have been officially in business, how many events they have produced as a company, how many events do they take in a year, do they carry liability insurance? So many people bill themselves as experienced coordinators but that means different things to different people. We are unfortunately in a \"fake it till you make it\" era in this industry but experience matters, just like in any other profession. Being an assistant on a few events and planning their own wedding may or may not be enough experience for the scope and sequence of your event. It's vital to ask questions and see how their answers sit with you. If you have any reservations, reach out to another coordinator for comparison. After all, you are putting one of the biggest days of your life in their hands!\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/HendrickMoyPhotography.jpeg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"https://hendrickmoyphotography.com/\">Hendrick Moy Photography</a></div>\r\n\r\n<h4>7. Invest in a Wedding Coaching Sesh</h4>\r\nThis has been a recent addition to my services at <a href=\"http://www.alibaroneevents.com\">Ali Barone Events</a> and it's become wildly popular. I started doing it as a way of giving back during this COVID-19 pandemic and offered free coaching sessions to eight couples who were referred to me by industry colleagues. Couples can speak with me via Zoom one-on-one and get the integral guidance they need, especially in the beginning when they are just starting on their planning journey or hitting a planning plateau and feel stuck. It supports the couple wherever they are in the planning journey and the best part is that it's cost-effective and pay as you go! Just book an available time slot on my calendar, fill out the initial inquiry form which asks you to list your three most pressing questions and payment is collected through an online portal. That's it! Why a wedding coach? Because a coach is there for YOU and only YOU to help you create a road map or action plan to get started and help you navigate big decisions such as finding vendors, signing contracts, etc. It's a great way to receive expert help and guidance while developing a rapport and trust. If my clients decide they would like to move to a more formal in-person planning offering, than the cost of their coaching sessions is prorated. If I am already booked for their date, I am happy to refer them to someone I trust would take excellent care. It's an AUTHENTIC way to work together and truly a win-win!\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/christian_oth_studio_191005briari0114.jpeg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/photographer/christian-oth-studio/\">Christian Oth Studio</a></div>\r\n\r\nTo watch more gorgeous wedding videos featuring <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/event-designer-or-planner/ali-barone-events/\">Ali Barone Events</a>, click below.\r\n<script data-channel=\"e1b912fe-4ed2-11ea-985b-0a67b819700a\" data-limit=\"12\" src=\"https://d2ef41pp6js8z8.cloudfront.net/js/lstvembed.js\"></script>\r\n\r\n<em>Need help finding a videographer, venue, vendors, or ideas for your wedding? Browse our massive library of real wedding videos tagged with all of the pros who made the big day happen to find your wedding dream team. Here are a few popular categories to get you started: <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/location/state/new-york/videographers/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">New York weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/state-country-region/california/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">California weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/style/bohemian-wedding-style/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">boho weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/style/rustic-wedding-style/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">rustic weddings</a>, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/culture-religion/south-asian/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">South-Asian weddings</a>, etc. Still can't find what you're looking for? Email bff@lovestoriestv.com with your wedding questions or to get personalized vendor recommendations.</em>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/PhilipVN.jpeg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"https://phillipvn.com/\">PhilipVN</a></div>

Whether you’ve been dreaming of your wedding since you were little or you never thought of it till the ring was on your finger, you’re going to want a wedding planner. Seriously. It doesn’t matter if you’re having a wedding for 400 or for 10, a wedding planner will take care of all the details you didn’t even know existed. And did you know they’re actually more likely to *save* you money since they know the best vendors for your budget and can get you the best packages? Well, now you do!\r\n\r\nSo how do you find your dream wedding planner? That’s where our Love Club member and one of our fave luxury wedding planners, Ali Barone, comes in. She is behind [Ali Barone Events](/business/ali-barone-events), the go-to planner for industry icons, luxury brands and couples who value high style, detailed expertise and a warm, no-nonsense approach to creating one of a kind events.\r\n{{video|media\_id=sfHy57nE|type=jwplayer}}\r\n\r\n#### 1. Ask Your Venue for a List of Referrals

\r\nThe decision to hire a wedding coordinator likely means you're looking for someone who is organized and experienced to step in and help you organize all of the moving parts leading up to and on your big day. Therefore, starting with a list of recommended professionals who have worked with the team at the venue and know the area is always a good place to start.\r\n#### 2. Ask The Experts

\r\nIf you have already booked your floral designer or photographer, they may have a recommendation as well. Many vendors work three times the amount of events an actual coordinator or planner would so you could say they have seen both the good...and the not-so-good. They may have a suggestion for you based on who they think might be a good fit for your location, style and budget.\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/6bfdcbefe3f1-1e1644b77181737b04d8033deeb93c87e556c3fb-orig.jpeg|credit=Kella MacPhee Photojournalist|credit_link=http://kellamacphee.blogspot.com/}}\r\n\r\n#### 3. Get Specific

\r\nOnline searches via Google or Pinterest with keywords might leave you feeling overwhelmed with choices if you just use words like \"wedding coordinator Palm Springs\" so it helps to get specific. For example, add more specific keywords like \"LGBTQ, boho, desert, tent wedding\" and *then* \"wedding coordinator Palm Springs.\" This should narrow your search down or at least lead you in a more focused direction to start your Instagram deep dive!\r\n#### 4. Do Your Research

\r\nSure, you can and should check out reviews, but it's important to go beyond that and check out the social media platforms and websites of anyone you're interested in. Why? Because with paid platforms, advertisers come and go. Some will not have a current portfolio or reviews uploaded if they didn't continue to subscribe. Often, their most current body of work will be elsewhere. So do a Google search on the company and spend more than three minutes learning about them. You will be surprised at what you find!\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/74e48b8bd86b-bac367952adfaaf85019ff8bbd9b53f5539556c1-orig.jpeg|credit=Caroline Wirawan|credit_link=https://www.caroline-wirawan.com/}}\r\n\r\n#### 5. The Three P’s

\r\nPersonality, Portfolio and Pricing—they are all equally important! If you lead with \"What's your pricing and packages?\" you are doing yourself a disservice. Pricing should never be your driving or, hopefully, deciding factor. It's important to take a few minutes to connect with a potential planner, see if you like their personality and feel like you could really connect with them and, more importantly, TRUST them with one of the most emotionally and financially significant days in your life. If you are interested in someone's work, reach out to them to see if you can schedule a free consultation. You can always ask for a general idea of products, services and pricing, but definitely TALK with them. This leads to their PORTFOLIO. Do you like what they have represented in their portfolio? Are their weddings making you swoon? Now is your chance to ask questions! Make sure their portfolio is 80% real weddings and not just a series of beautifully styled shoots—planning a photoshoot with a table setting and models is NOT the same as coordinating a wedding with 200 guests in real-time with multiple moving parts. Finally, ask what services they offer and get an idea of pricing. Many planners will offer a variety of services and one is bound to be a good fit if you really connect and would like to work together.\r\n\r\nTip: The cheapest vendor is often the least experienced, which MAY be ok for you, but, in the grand scheme of things, you are investing in your big day so it's ill-advised to just choose the vendor with the lowest price. Value and experience is the name of the game and that never comes \"cheap.\"\r\n#### 6. Ask About Their Process

\r\nAsk about their business structure and what the process would look like. A few great starter questions include: Who is on their team, how long they have been officially in business, how many events they have produced as a company, how many events do they take in a year, do they carry liability insurance? So many people bill themselves as experienced coordinators but that means different things to different people. We are unfortunately in a \"fake it till you make it\" era in this industry but experience matters, just like in any other profession. Being an assistant on a few events and planning their own wedding may or may not be enough experience for the scope and sequence of your event. It's vital to ask questions and see how their answers sit with you. If you have any reservations, reach out to another coordinator for comparison. After all, you are putting one of the biggest days of your life in their hands!\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/c394b8f56dba-439cf2a0356f12a3f37b6557daa2bfcda9731a03-orig.jpeg|credit=Hendrick Moy Photography|credit_link=https://hendrickmoyphotography.com/}}\r\n\r\n#### 7. Invest in a Wedding Coaching Sesh

\r\nThis has been a recent addition to my services at [Ali Barone Events](http://www.alibaroneevents.com) and it's become wildly popular. I started doing it as a way of giving back during this COVID-19 pandemic and offered free coaching sessions to eight couples who were referred to me by industry colleagues. Couples can speak with me via Zoom one-on-one and get the integral guidance they need, especially in the beginning when they are just starting on their planning journey or hitting a planning plateau and feel stuck. It supports the couple wherever they are in the planning journey and the best part is that it's cost-effective and pay as you go! Just book an available time slot on my calendar, fill out the initial inquiry form which asks you to list your three most pressing questions and payment is collected through an online portal. That's it! Why a wedding coach? Because a coach is there for YOU and only YOU to help you create a road map or action plan to get started and help you navigate big decisions such as finding vendors, signing contracts, etc. It's a great way to receive expert help and guidance while developing a rapport and trust. If my clients decide they would like to move to a more formal in-person planning offering, than the cost of their coaching sessions is prorated. If I am already booked for their date, I am happy to refer them to someone I trust would take excellent care. It's an AUTHENTIC way to work together and truly a win-win!\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/239a5cd17e79-0fd3ad178b0eab5824b4be073b1dfb8ca81a772b-orig.jpeg|credit=Christian Oth Studio|credit_link=/business/christian-oth-studio}}\r\n\r\nTo watch more gorgeous wedding videos featuring [Ali Barone Events](/business/ali-barone-events), click below.\r\n\r\n\r\n*Need help finding a videographer, venue, vendors, or ideas for your wedding? Browse our massive library of real wedding videos tagged with all of the pros who made the big day happen to find your wedding dream team. Here are a few popular categories to get you started: [New York weddings](/results?q=wedding-videographers&loc=united-states/new-york), [California weddings](/location/united-states/california), [boho weddings](/style/bohemian), [rustic weddings](/style/rustic), [South-Asian weddings](/style/south-asian), etc. Still can't find what you're looking for? Email bff@lovestoriestv.com with your wedding questions or to get personalized vendor recommendations.*\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/48a195ad0e43-c9801b18452357d8e4b2aef07080fee3a4626ed3-orig.jpeg|credit=PhilipVN|credit_link=https://phillipvn.com/}}

We spoke to New York-based wedding planner, Ali Barone of Ali Barone Events, for her top tips for couples searching for a wedding coordinator.

How to Find the Right Wedding Coordinator for Your Wedding

<em><strong>By <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/heyheyitskatiek/\">Katie Kortebein</a></strong></em>\r\n\r\nThere are some wedding videos that are just so emotional, so over-the-top or so absolutely stunning, we feel they deserve a bigger accolade on our site, like the title of <strong>Love Story of the Week</strong>! We love Greg and Nelson’s chic, modern celebration, but it was their clear love for each other that really spoke to us.\r\n\r\nWatch <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/greg-nelson-wedding-video-december-2019/\">the video</a> by <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/the-creative-fox/\">The Creative Fox</a> and then scroll on for an inside look at Greg and Nelson’s planning process, tips and vendors!\r\n\r\n<script src=\"https://content.jwplatform.com/players/wCYayhP2-LDty3DAW.js\"></script>\r\n<h4>1. How did you two meet?</h4>\r\nWe met at a social gathering with a group of friends. Funny story is we met the first time, but it was a simple \"nice to meet you\" and that's it. We didn't see each other nor spoke until a year later where we saw each other again at the same social event and that's when we hit it off.\r\n\r\n<h4>2. How did the proposal happen?</h4>\r\nThe proposal took many months of planning because I (Greg) wanted it to be the most perfect proposal...and it was! I planned a trip to London (our favorite vacation spot) to pop the question. I hired a car service (Tesla) to come pick us up at the airport and drive us to the most romantic five-star hotel (Limewood) located two hours outside of London in a town called Lyndhurst in The New Forest. I had originally planned a picnic proposal, however it started to snow as soon as we got there and I had to change plans. It was a good sign and added a magical touch because it hadn't snowed like that in over five years according to the hotel staff. I booked the library of this amazing hotel where I asked to have our picnic moved. We had the library to ourselves while the fireplace was crackling, surrounded by amazing books watching the snowfall over the beautiful forest landscape. It was magical and the perfect setting to pop the question!\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/RiversideWharfWedding-TessaMaxinePhotography-GregNelsonWedding-20-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\n<a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/photographer/tessa-maxine/\">Tessa Maxine</a></div>\r\n\r\n<h4>3. What are each of your favorite things about your relationship?</h4>\r\nOur favorite things about our relationship are how effortless it is. Everything happens so naturally and we both have many things in common.\r\n\r\n<h4>4. What was the first thing you did as an engaged couple?</h4>\r\nFirst thing we did as an engaged couple was call all of our friends and family to give them the news! When we got back to Miami, we booked a meeting with our jeweler at David Yurman in Bal Harbor Shops to pick out our wedding bands.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/RiversideWharfWedding-Reception-TessaMaxinePhotography-GregNelson-1074-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nTessa Maxine</div>\r\n\r\n<h4>5. What was your budget and how did you decide on it?</h4>\r\nOriginally our budget was around $30K, however because we are such perfectionists and wanted everything to be perfect and memorable, that budget was significantly increased to about $52K.\r\n\r\n<h4>6. What were your top three priorities when planning your wedding?</h4>\r\nTop three things were location, entertainment and ambience. Location was very important to us because we wanted a location that would reflect our personalities. We wanted a place that was different, classy, modern and very Miami. Entertainment was also important because we are a phone couple and our families love to party, therefore we needed to ensure that they would be entertained for several hours and most importantly, have fun. And we also wanted a classy and sophisticated ambience, which is why we asked everyone to come in black gowns and black tie attire.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/RiversideWharfWedding-Reception-TessaMaxinePhotography-GregNelson-373-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nTessa Maxine</div>\r\n\r\n<h4>7. What did you each think the first time you saw each other on your wedding day?</h4>\r\nWell the wedding day was a bit hectic, but that moment when I saw him for the first time fully dressed in his tuxedo was magical. It was something out of a movie!\r\n\r\n<h4>8. Did you write your own vows? If so, what personalized details did you add? If not, how come?</h4>\r\nWe did write our own vows. I (Greg) started mine about a week prior and added details about when we first met and how I knew Nelson was the right one from the very beginning. I wanted to highlight special moments and feelings that Nelson gave me, but I also didn’t want to get too detailed because I'm very emotional and didn’t want it to be too sentimental. It was a combination of sweet, funny and heartfelt moments. Nelson, wrote his the day of the wedding at the barbershop LOL. They were the most perfect vows because he included details on the characteristics he loves about me and how he wants to take care of me for the rest of our lives.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/RiversideWharfWedding-Reception-TessaMaxinePhotography-GregNelson-785-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nTessa Maxine</div>\r\n\r\n<h4>9. Tell us about your suit designers and your suit shopping experience.</h4>\r\nWell, this was definitely an experience that was a little stressful. We went with this vendor through a friend recommendation. The location was about a 45-minute drive from our house. We encountered a huge problem about three days before the wedding when we received the wrong tuxedos. We drove several times to the location during those three days to get new tuxedos tailored just in time for the wedding. It wasn't exactly what we had ordered, but we were able to pull it off on the wedding day.\r\n\r\n<h4>10. Did either of you include any special or personalized accessories? If so, why?</h4>\r\nWe each got each other a beautiful cufflink set from David Yurman. The funny part is that we both shopped for these on our own as a surprise and still ended up getting each other the same exact cufflinks. We are both shoe lovers; therefore, we wanted to make sure we made an entrance with style, so we decided to treat ourselves to Christian Louboutin shoes!\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/RiversideWharfWedding-Reception-TessaMaxinePhotography-GregNelson-1019-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nTessa Maxine</div>\r\n\r\n<h4>11. Did you two get ready together? If so, what made you decide to do this?</h4>\r\nWe did get ready together in some sort of way. We rented a suite at EAST Miami that had two bedrooms. We wanted a place where our wedding party would be comfortable getting ready and have enough room to spread around. When it came down to getting ready, Nelson grabbed one room and Greg grabbed the other. Therefore, we were in the same suite but getting ready in different rooms. We didn’t see each other until the photoshoot for the first time.\r\n\r\n<h4>12. Did you personalize any reading in your ceremony? If so, what did you choose and why?</h4>\r\nWe did not personalize the readings for the ceremony. We had a good friend of ours (Rizwan Zaman) officiate the wedding. He quoted lines from Lin-Manuel Miranda and added personal touches of how he knew from the very beginning that this was meant to be.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/RiversideWharfWedding-Reception-TessaMaxinePhotography-GregNelson-734-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nTessa Maxine</div>\r\n\r\n<h4>13. You had such a modern, chic reception! Can you talk about what inspired your wedding details?</h4>\r\nYes, we had a very modern and chic reception...it was a reflection of our personalities and we wanted to showcase that. We don't like average and we don't like doing what’s trending in the rest of the world; therefore, we wanted something that would reflect us. I love orchids because they are modern, bold and delicate with lots of personality and that was our main flower choice. We also wanted to blend in the modern venue with the décor so everything would flow appropriately. Between the Miami skyline, the modern venue and the beautiful décor, it was the perfect reception.\r\n\r\n<h4>14. Why would you suggest hiring a videographer?</h4>\r\nWe highly recommend hiring a videographer because the day of the wedding is so hectic that you probably won't remember lots of details. The videographer is able to capture those details so you can enjoy them for the rest of your life.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/RiversideWharfWedding-TessaMaxinePhotography-GregNelsonWedding-5-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" /></div>\r\n\r\n<h4>15. What is your favorite memory from your wedding day?</h4>\r\nMy favorite memory from the wedding was walking into the ceremony to see all of our family and friends there to celebrate our union but, most importantly, remembering Nelson's face as we stood there listening to our vows. It was amazing that we had so many people that love us there to share our special day. \r\n\r\n<h4>16. What's your top tip to all soonlyweds out there planning their weddings?</h4>\r\nEnjoy the planning process and remember that it's about you and your other half. Lots of people want to give opinions and suggestions on how and what you should do for your wedding, but it's about you and what makes you feel good. A wedding should be a reflection of both individuals getting married. I would also say, give yourself enough time to plan. This allows you to plan everything to perfection and plenty of time for research.\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/RiversideWharfWedding-Reception-TessaMaxinePhotography-GregNelson-788-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nTessa Maxine</div>\r\n\r\n<h4>17. Who were your favorite wedding vendors and why?</h4>\r\nA tip before we go into my favorite vendors...hire vendors that are easy to work with, that you have a connection with and that understand you. Our favorite vendors were our photographer, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/photographer/tessa-maxine/\">Tessa Maxine</a>, videographer, <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/the-creative-fox/\">The Creative Fox</a>, and wedding cake designers, <a href=\"http://www.rickybakery.com/\">Ricky Bakery</a>. It so happens that our photographer and videographer knew each other which made the experience smooth and effortless. They are wonderful individuals and very talented! They knew exactly what we wanted and captured everything we wanted. They were also VERY patient with us when it came down to details because we knew we wanted to capture every single detail from that day and wanted a very specific final product. The cake designers were our very good friends from Ricky Bakery. They designed exactly what we wanted and we enjoyed the process of designing the cake together. They are very talented, but best of all, we had our friends create our wedding cake!\r\n\r\n<h4>See all the vendors <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/greg-nelson-wedding-video-december-2019/\">here</a></h4>\r\n\r\n<h4>18. Anything else you'd like to share about your wedding or some details I didn't ask about?</h4>\r\nPlanning a wedding is stressful but we are glad we had each other throughout the process to keep each other grounded and sane. We wish we could relive it all over again!\r\n\r\n<div class=\"lstv-post-img-div\"><img src=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/RiversideWharfWedding-Reception-TessaMaxinePhotography-GregNelson-883-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" />\r\nTessa Maxine</div>\r\n\r\nTo watch more wedding videos by <a href=\"https://lovestoriestv.com/wedding/videographer/the-creative-fox/\">The Creative Fox</a>, click below.\r\n<script data-channel=\"7a08fac7-397f-11e9-8c14-0a67b819700a\" data-limit=\"12\" src=\"https://d2ef41pp6js8z8.cloudfront.net/js/lstvembed.js\"></script>\r\n

***By [Katie Kortebein](https://www.instagram.com/heyheyitskatiek/)***\r\n\r\nThere are some wedding videos that are just so emotional, so over-the-top or so absolutely stunning, we feel they deserve a bigger accolade on our site, like the title of **Love Story of the Week**! We love Greg and Nelson’s chic, modern celebration, but it was their clear love for each other that really spoke to us.\r\n\r\nWatch [the video](/greg-nelson-wedding-video-december-2019) by [The Creative Fox](/business/the-creative-fox) and then scroll on for an inside look at Greg and Nelson’s planning process, tips and vendors!\r\n\r\n{{video|media\_id=wCYayhP2|type=jwplayer}}\r\n#### 1. How did you two meet?

\r\nWe met at a social gathering with a group of friends. Funny story is we met the first time, but it was a simple \"nice to meet you\" and that's it. We didn't see each other nor spoke until a year later where we saw each other again at the same social event and that's when we hit it off.\r\n\r\n#### 2. How did the proposal happen?

\r\nThe proposal took many months of planning because I (Greg) wanted it to be the most perfect proposal...and it was! I planned a trip to London (our favorite vacation spot) to pop the question. I hired a car service (Tesla) to come pick us up at the airport and drive us to the most romantic five-star hotel (Limewood) located two hours outside of London in a town called Lyndhurst in The New Forest. I had originally planned a picnic proposal, however it started to snow as soon as we got there and I had to change plans. It was a good sign and added a magical touch because it hadn't snowed like that in over five years according to the hotel staff. I booked the library of this amazing hotel where I asked to have our picnic moved. We had the library to ourselves while the fireplace was crackling, surrounded by amazing books watching the snowfall over the beautiful forest landscape. It was magical and the perfect setting to pop the question!\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/e8880f06bd73-bd09384ed73b2d391ffeaa49e843a4b89099c81f-orig.jpeg|credit=Tessa Maxine|credit_link=/business/tessa-maxine}}\r\n\r\n#### 3. What are each of your favorite things about your relationship?

\r\nOur favorite things about our relationship are how effortless it is. Everything happens so naturally and we both have many things in common.\r\n\r\n#### 4. What was the first thing you did as an engaged couple?

\r\nFirst thing we did as an engaged couple was call all of our friends and family to give them the news! When we got back to Miami, we booked a meeting with our jeweler at David Yurman in Bal Harbor Shops to pick out our wedding bands.\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/f5ee4851ff84-8927d70864d66ede169106a129526c6beea47f17-orig.jpeg|credit=Tessa Maxine}}\r\n\r\n#### 5. What was your budget and how did you decide on it?

\r\nOriginally our budget was around $30K, however because we are such perfectionists and wanted everything to be perfect and memorable, that budget was significantly increased to about $52K.\r\n\r\n#### 6. What were your top three priorities when planning your wedding?

\r\nTop three things were location, entertainment and ambience. Location was very important to us because we wanted a location that would reflect our personalities. We wanted a place that was different, classy, modern and very Miami. Entertainment was also important because we are a phone couple and our families love to party, therefore we needed to ensure that they would be entertained for several hours and most importantly, have fun. And we also wanted a classy and sophisticated ambience, which is why we asked everyone to come in black gowns and black tie attire.\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/78ba83d0c7e2-251809136b6a44f6182ec8106e12c6d5cac55089-orig.jpeg|credit=Tessa Maxine}}\r\n\r\n#### 7. What did you each think the first time you saw each other on your wedding day?

\r\nWell the wedding day was a bit hectic, but that moment when I saw him for the first time fully dressed in his tuxedo was magical. It was something out of a movie!\r\n\r\n#### 8. Did you write your own vows? If so, what personalized details did you add? If not, how come?

\r\nWe did write our own vows. I (Greg) started mine about a week prior and added details about when we first met and how I knew Nelson was the right one from the very beginning. I wanted to highlight special moments and feelings that Nelson gave me, but I also didn’t want to get too detailed because I'm very emotional and didn’t want it to be too sentimental. It was a combination of sweet, funny and heartfelt moments. Nelson, wrote his the day of the wedding at the barbershop LOL. They were the most perfect vows because he included details on the characteristics he loves about me and how he wants to take care of me for the rest of our lives.\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/39af7c0717d2-010f599945150e45945c24e59872d8f9043b2079-orig.jpeg|credit=Tessa Maxine}}\r\n\r\n#### 9. Tell us about your suit designers and your suit shopping experience.

\r\nWell, this was definitely an experience that was a little stressful. We went with this vendor through a friend recommendation. The location was about a 45-minute drive from our house. We encountered a huge problem about three days before the wedding when we received the wrong tuxedos. We drove several times to the location during those three days to get new tuxedos tailored just in time for the wedding. It wasn't exactly what we had ordered, but we were able to pull it off on the wedding day.\r\n\r\n#### 10. Did either of you include any special or personalized accessories? If so, why?

\r\nWe each got each other a beautiful cufflink set from David Yurman. The funny part is that we both shopped for these on our own as a surprise and still ended up getting each other the same exact cufflinks. We are both shoe lovers; therefore, we wanted to make sure we made an entrance with style, so we decided to treat ourselves to Christian Louboutin shoes!\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/fcbbbd9eed1b-c6a6b5fe68ed8063712e734e170b8376d3ce160c-orig.jpeg|credit=Tessa Maxine}}\r\n\r\n#### 11. Did you two get ready together? If so, what made you decide to do this?

\r\nWe did get ready together in some sort of way. We rented a suite at EAST Miami that had two bedrooms. We wanted a place where our wedding party would be comfortable getting ready and have enough room to spread around. When it came down to getting ready, Nelson grabbed one room and Greg grabbed the other. Therefore, we were in the same suite but getting ready in different rooms. We didn’t see each other until the photoshoot for the first time.\r\n\r\n#### 12. Did you personalize any reading in your ceremony? If so, what did you choose and why?

\r\nWe did not personalize the readings for the ceremony. We had a good friend of ours (Rizwan Zaman) officiate the wedding. He quoted lines from Lin-Manuel Miranda and added personal touches of how he knew from the very beginning that this was meant to be.\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/0af5853cba50-77bdd154a8c6d67995a52e3edeee2668a8af0b93-orig.jpeg|credit=Tessa Maxine}}\r\n\r\n#### 13. You had such a modern, chic reception! Can you talk about what inspired your wedding details?

\r\nYes, we had a very modern and chic reception...it was a reflection of our personalities and we wanted to showcase that. We don't like average and we don't like doing what’s trending in the rest of the world; therefore, we wanted something that would reflect us. I love orchids because they are modern, bold and delicate with lots of personality and that was our main flower choice. We also wanted to blend in the modern venue with the décor so everything would flow appropriately. Between the Miami skyline, the modern venue and the beautiful décor, it was the perfect reception.\r\n\r\n#### 14. Why would you suggest hiring a videographer?

\r\nWe highly recommend hiring a videographer because the day of the wedding is so hectic that you probably won't remember lots of details. The videographer is able to capture those details so you can enjoy them for the rest of your life.\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/d687de8e0c1b-5a66c03fd6232da7fd5459498d159ce35975efbd-orig.jpeg}}\r\n\r\n#### 15. What is your favorite memory from your wedding day?

\r\nMy favorite memory from the wedding was walking into the ceremony to see all of our family and friends there to celebrate our union but, most importantly, remembering Nelson's face as we stood there listening to our vows. It was amazing that we had so many people that love us there to share our special day. \r\n\r\n#### 16. What's your top tip to all soonlyweds out there planning their weddings?

\r\nEnjoy the planning process and remember that it's about you and your other half. Lots of people want to give opinions and suggestions on how and what you should do for your wedding, but it's about you and what makes you feel good. A wedding should be a reflection of both individuals getting married. I would also say, give yourself enough time to plan. This allows you to plan everything to perfection and plenty of time for research.\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/bc55a59fe76a-9fc4a1610be88da8f395c4032e894f934948a6f8-orig.jpeg|credit=Tessa Maxine}}\r\n\r\n#### 17. Who were your favorite wedding vendors and why?

\r\nA tip before we go into my favorite vendors...hire vendors that are easy to work with, that you have a connection with and that understand you. Our favorite vendors were our photographer, [Tessa Maxine](/business/tessa-maxine), videographer, [The Creative Fox](/business/the-creative-fox), and wedding cake designers, [Ricky Bakery](http://www.rickybakery.com/). It so happens that our photographer and videographer knew each other which made the experience smooth and effortless. They are wonderful individuals and very talented! They knew exactly what we wanted and captured everything we wanted. They were also VERY patient with us when it came down to details because we knew we wanted to capture every single detail from that day and wanted a very specific final product. The cake designers were our very good friends from Ricky Bakery. They designed exactly what we wanted and we enjoyed the process of designing the cake together. They are very talented, but best of all, we had our friends create our wedding cake!\r\n\r\n#### See all the vendors here

\r\n\r\n#### 18. Anything else you'd like to share about your wedding or some details I didn't ask about?

\r\nPlanning a wedding is stressful but we are glad we had each other throughout the process to keep each other grounded and sane. We wish we could relive it all over again!\r\n\r\n{{photo|src=https://cdn.lovestoriestv.com/images/site/content/b5f97899d87a-383a2f7cdbc09d71ea804956feefe629834959c5-orig.jpeg|credit=Tessa Maxine}}\r\n\r\nTo watch more wedding videos by [The Creative Fox](/business/the-creative-fox), click below.\r\n\r\n

Greg and Nelson had a modern, black-tie wedding at The Penthouse at Riverside Wharf in Miami with emotional wedding vows and chic suits.

Katie Kortebein

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