Guys, I forgot how fun it is to blog. The storytelling aspect is one of my favorite parts of being a wedding photographer. And I LOVE it when couples incorporate an overall theme – it really just helps set a tone for the day. Julia & Adam executed their vineyard wedding vision so beautifully & cohesively. They also made their wedding day intentional, for group photos we snuck away to the nearby winery that Adam proposed (That rose arch down there? That is where he got down on one knee)! The staff at Parallel 44 invited them in for a celebratory glass of wine and stocked them up with bottles to go (Talking my language here). Back at the reception you felt like you never left the vineyard. They brought in a wine barrel to serve as their guest book, decorated their venue with merlot and blush which complimented Julia’s blush ballgown. Vines for greenery. And of course plenty of wine!!

Julia was sweet enough to put together her tips/advice. If you’re a planning bride-to-be, be sure to scroll down and give it a read. She talks her favorite part of the day, having an open mind when it comes to dress shopping, what she could have done without, and MORE. Enjoy your scroll! 😉

ADVICE FROM THE BRIDE:

What was your FAVORITE memory of your wedding day?
Julia: That’s so hard to chose, but I think that my most favorite memory is our balloon send off at the end of the night. It was a perfectly clear and warm night and it was amazing to see hundreds of balloons from all of my friends and family.

How far in advance did you book vendors? Which 3 did you book first?
Julia: I booked most vendors over a year in advance. I actually booked photography first which was the easiest by far because I knew I wanted Meghan from our first email convo. Then came the venue (Sepia Chapel) and third was the catering (Angelina).

Any tips on dress shopping / saying yes to THE dress?
Julia: Try on stuff that you don’t initially think of and let the stylist suggest options. I assumed I wanted white and sparkly, but because of my skin tone, it ended up looking weird on me. I actually ended up with a blush dress with very beautiful lace detail which I didn’t even know existed!

What was the hardest part to plan?
Julia: Guest list was hardest for me. My husband and I have huge families and lots of friends, but we had to draw the line somewhere.

What detail (or vendor) did you NOT include but wish you had?
Julia: I wish I had included a videographer. By the time I thought of it, everyone I could find was booked up!

What detail/expense could you have done without?
Julia: The $150 shoes that I wore for the 20 minute ceremony and that’s it. I thought I would wear them more during pictures and the reception, but I don’t think they touched my feet after the ceremony.

Overall, what is the best advice you can give to planning brides?
Julia: Wedding planning really wasn’t stressful for me because I already planned for things going wrong or not being how I imagined. Remember it’s about the two of you joining together. You will be so busy the rest doesn’t matter anyways!