The Before the Big Day Bridal Q&A - Cindy was kind enough to fill in our questionnaire, aimed at helping other brides with their planning process. Feast your eyes on her answers for helpful hints and tips from someone on the other side of her big day!
Where and when did you get married?
We got married at Hidden Chateau & Gardens on 8-8-09Where and when did you get married?
What was your thinking behind choosing the venue and the decoration of the reception?
Our main desire was to have an outdoor, intimate wedding, and Hidden Chateau & Gardens fit that perfectly. The venue already had so much greenery and plants and flowers that we did not need to decorate much. It had a gazebo so we added some plumage to that as well as hanging some orange lanterns to bring out the flowers in the centrepieces. The venue already had a lot of twinkle lights as well that added to the ambience as night fell. The venue itself had a bit of a Spanish mission feel which we loved.
Did you have a theme, colour or motif in mind?
Both my husband and I are outdoorsy, earthy people so we chose colours in nature, green, orange, yellow. The colours fit the already existing landscape of the venue and accented the wedding party attire. Our wedding invitations featured bamboo, as did the name cards for the tables, so we chose to give small bamboo plants to each guest as our gift. The lanterns added to this kind of Asian feel.
Who made your wedding outfit and how did you come to that decision?
My dress was bought at Alfred Angelo (stockists available in the UK). I loved the lace back - that's what sold me. I did not have a veil, and my shoes were chosen for comfort more than style. My accessories were pearl earrings of my paternal grandmother, a pearl necklace of my maternal grandmother, and a pearl bracelet of my Mom’s. It was a way to honour my grandmothers who were unable to be there.
What about your husband’s outfit? Where was it from?
He wore a tux from Men’s Wearhouse. It was black with an ivory vest. It was chosen to match my dress.
And how about your bridesmaids’ outfits?
They wore “clover” (green) dresses to match the outdoorsy feel. We really loved all the greenery that was present at the location. It was enhanced by the bridesmaids’ dresses. Since all bridesmaids were different body shapes, they got to chose their own style of dress as long as it was clover, and for shoes, their own style as long as it was silver.
What type of cake did you go for, and how did you come to that decision?
We had a 3 tiered cake with 2 different types of cake which was decorated with ivory butter cream and green trim with real gerbera daisies. The flavours were Strawberry Shortcake & Mocha. We wanted a choice for guests.
Who was your florist, what flowers did you choose, and how did you come to that decision?
Our florist was Michael Holtzer of Floral Designs by Michael. I carried a bouquet of calla lilies since lilies are my favourite flower. Greg had a boutonnière of a lily, as did our fathers, brothers, and my grandfather. The bridesmaids carried bouquets of orangish roses as I like the way orange and green (dresses) look together. The groomsmen also had boutonnières of the orangish roses. My Mom, mother-in-law, and grandmother had boutonnières of gardenias. The type of flowers for the centrepieces was gerbera daisies. This was to honour my best friend who passed away. Since she was unable to be there by my side, this was a small way to have her present.
Who was your photographer and how did you choose them?
Alders Photography did our wedding photography. A friend of mine knows a friend of Jenny Alders Smith and put me in contact with Jenny. She had a lot of great ideas and beautiful photos to show us. She also was very accommodating of our requests and worked with our budget. She did an amazing job. Our wedding album is so beautiful. I get compliments all the time that our album is some of the best work my friends have seen.
Did you enjoy planning your wedding?
Yes, I did. It was fun to get everything together.
What advice do you have for brides planning their big day?
To enjoy the process. I did not get too obsessed about everything and was able to enjoy the actual day and see all the details that I helped create. This is a fun time, not a stressful one. Rely on family and your husband to be.
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