As a professional wedding planner and the CEO of my planning company, I understand that a wedding is not just an event; it’s a celebration of life that brings together friends and family with the sole purpose of witnessing the union of two souls. Yes, they also come to eat and raise a toast or two, or three, or…. However, the magic lies in your hands to ensure that from the very start, even before they receive the formal wedding invitation, they are excited about attending your special day.
Make them feel that their presence matters, not just for a few hours of the celebration, but that their opinions and feelings hold significance to you both, starting with your wedding dress.
Let me share a secret. It’s something that many couples discover only when it’s too late. Every aspect of your day matters: the dress, the accessories, the venue, the catering, the entertainment, the music, the photos, the DJ, the video, the decorations – everything. However, there’s only one thing that will etch your wedding day vividly in your guests’ memories for years to come: emotions. If you manage to transmit genuine emotions to your guests on that day – not just laughter or tears, but a profound sense of importance in your lives – and if they feel they’ve shared in unique emotions far removed from their everyday lives, believe me, they will remember your wedding. And so will you.
My goal is to ensure that your wedding, no matter how you’ve envisioned it – be it traditional, casual, formal, or fun – leaves both you and your guests saying, “Wow, that was amazing.”
To achieve that, you must remain in control of the situation at all times. This means it’s not advisable to stress over a dress that needs a minor alteration or a train that doesn’t sway as you envisioned. These things can be fixed. Keep a cool head, know what you want, plan how you’ll communicate your needs, and most importantly, don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. Because a piece of fabric doesn’t convey emotions. In fact, that dress hanging on the rack might only speak to you, the bride. Try this experiment: leave your dress hanging in the bridal shop and invite your companions to walk in with you and see if they start crying, cheering, or hugging you when they see your dress among the fifty others on display – without giving them any hints that it’s yours. Remember, they are with you because they care about you – at least that’s what we assume – and they will get emotional if they see you emotional about the dress. Without saying a word. Hanging on a hanger next to fifty other dresses worn by fifty other brides. Only you will feel the emotion, and it won’t be because of the dress itself. It won’t be due to the seams or the stitches that hold the fabric together. You’ll be moved because you’ll imagine yourself walking down the aisle, hand in hand with your father or chosen companion, stepping onto the red carpet with your chosen music playing softly in the background, as all your guests rise to applaud you and your future husband waits, moved to see you so beautiful and happy, walking towards him.
So, dear couples, as you embark on the journey of planning your wedding, remember that it’s the emotions you infuse into every moment that will be etched into the memories of your guests. Let your love story be a symphony of emotions, a narrative that they’ll carry in their hearts long after the music fades and the decorations are taken down. Make your wedding a day to remember, not just for the two of you, but for all those who share in your joy.
José Levy
CEO, Spain4Weddings.com