Weddings

Nick + Hali, Wedding

The doors open, the bride walks up the isle, holding onto her dad's arm, and looking absolutely beautiful. She is glowing as her groom sees her for the first time that day, and he smiles-- a reassuring, confident smile, that says there's my girl. Hali's dad gives her away, and she and Nick take each other's hands. All the noise and craziness of the day seems to fade, from hunting down the bow ties that went missing momentarily, to trying to keep everyone on schedule, to getting everything ready for the ceremony.... Nothing else matters at this moment except this couple becoming husband and wife. They say I Do in front of their closest friends and family, surrounded by green trees whose leaves seem to clap for them in the wind. And when it comes time to seal their vows with a kiss, they don't settle for any ole kiss. Nick dips his bride and made their first kiss as husband and wife one to remember! :) 
I love that I got to see Nick and Hali both before and after the ceremony. Nick was so anxious to see her, he kept threatening to just turn around when we took some pictures of them together (but not looking) earlier in the day. And Hali was so quiet and seemed a bit nervous-- that is, until they were finally together. He couldn't have been happier to finally be with his bride, and all her nerves dissipated when she was with him. This is when you know this couple is meant to be together! 

Congratulations Hali & Nick! Thank you so much for letting us be a part of your sweet day. It was wonderful working with you all! 
Special thanks to Michelle Fisher for being my assistant/second shooter on this day. You're the best! 
 

Catering & Cake - French's Catering (Dyersburg)
Hair - Amy Moore at The Pink Noun Salon (Dyersburg)
Makeup - Brittany Tate (Younique Presenter) & also one of the bridesmaids
DJ - Matt Willis
Dress Designer - Madison James
Dress Shop - The Barefoot Bride (Memphis)
Venue- The Barn at Snider Farms
Florals- Hali did their florals herself! 

Justin + Lauren, Wedding

This was our very first wedding of 2017, and we started off with a good one! Lauren, Justin, and their families were absolutely wonderful to work with. They treated us more like friends than vendors, making sure we got a bite to eat at the reception and checking in with us often. Just the sweetest! 
I love the way these two act around each other, they truly seem like best friends. Justin's eyes never seemed to wander far from Lauren, and she smiled and laughed most around him. Though the morning started off with cloudy skies and rain drops, throughout the day it kept getting prettier and prettier, and ended with a beautiful sunset during the reception. The glow of the sun matched the glow on Justin and Lauren's faces, as they said I Do and became husband and wife. After their kiss they just beamed, happiness shining so brightly on their faces! Everyone celebrated the union together downstairs, and after a bit of cake, dancing, and catching up with their friends and family, they were sent off with lots of congratulations ringing in the air.  

Lauren and Justin, thanks so much for letting us be a part of your special day! 
Also, special thanks to Nicka Smith for being my wonderful second photographer. 

Venue- The Opera House, Humboldt TN
Cakes- L&T Cakery, Jackson TN
Catering- A Matter Of Taste, Jackson TN
Vows Wedding and Event Rentals, Humboldt TN supplied some decor
 M And M Rentals, Humboldt TN supplied the tablecloths and pub tables

Why Hire a Wedding Planner?

If you are a soon-to be bride, I’m so excited for you! Planning a wedding can be such a fun process, it is all our little girl dreams come true. If you are anything like me, you have been planning your wedding since you were about five years old. Though my tastes have changed since then (I remember wanting a wedding dress surprisingly similar to Cinderella’s gown in the cartoon, complete with the fluffy skirt and sparkles) the thought of picking out my flowers and colors and making this day our own never lost its excitement. Since being a bride three years ago though (where has the time gone?!), I have realized a few things about planning a wedding that I never really thought about before our special day came to be. While there are so many fun things about planning a wedding, there are a ton of things to consider. And that is why hiring a planner may not be such a bad idea! 

I talked with two of my favorite local wedding planners, Susanne Marsidi and Keisha Norwood, while putting together this post. I’m grateful for their insight, and highly recommend both of them if you are looking for a planner in this area! 

1. Planners Are In The Know
Both Susanne and Keisha meet with their clients as early as the engagement to get to know their tastes, what they hope for their wedding to be like, and even to offer suggestions for vendors. A good wedding planner will know how things are done traditionally, while being up-to-date on the newest trends, so they can help you make decisions that will best fit your wedding. This doesn’t just apply to flowers and colors, but to vendors and venues as well! It’s not a bad idea to make hiring a planner the first thing on your list, because they have a wealth of information that can be useful in the rest of your decisions. 

2. Planners Are All About The Details
Most venues will not let you start decorating and setting up until the Friday before or even the day of your wedding, and, as Susanne pointed out, that is when the bride, her mom (and future mother-in-law!), and her girls are usually the busiest. Will you have time to take care of all the decorating and last-minute details, while also getting ready for the rehearsal dinner? Or even while you are having your hair and makeup done on the wedding day? And if you don’t have time, will your family or friends? Do they know where to hang the flower arrangements, where to set up the tables for your programs, and where those carefully chosen decorations go? A wedding planner and team can take care of all these details so you can relax and know that these things are getting done— and getting done beautifully! “You can't put a price on a bride's wedding day going smoothly, or their peace of mind knowing that everything is being taken care of while they are getting ready for one of the most important days of their lives,” Keisha wrote.

3. Planners Are The Guides
As a wedding photographer, I thought we would be fine without a planner for our day because I had seen it all before. I’ve followed couples through their wedding days lots and lots of times, so I was prepared for anything! But then, during our rehearsal, I realized I hadn’t thought about the order our family needed to be seated for the ceremony, or even where we wanted each of them to sit. There were about fifteen minutes of me feeling completely frazzled and crazy over something that, looking back, seems like it should have been simple. But when you are the bride, and you’ve made about a million and three decisions the week of your wedding, that one last thing can push you past your limit. This is where a planner would have been a breath of fresh air! Yes, please just tell me where to stand, where to seat everyone, and decide who walks in with whom. “I've now done over 1500 weddings”, Keisha said, “So I can see issues that most do not see.”  Even if you have the ceremony seating down pat, there are a ton of other details to think about. What is the order of a typical ceremony? When would be best to cut your cake during the reception? How long should you expect your reception to even last? A planner knows how things are best done, and can be the guide when you feel a bit lost! 

4. Planners Are the Go-To’s
Finally, the best part about hiring a wedding planner is, as Susanne put it, “You get to be a guest at your own wedding”. While you are having your first look with your groom, your planner can be the person to call if a vendor needs anything last-minute, and you can enjoy that special moment as a couple. When you are having your first dance as husband and wife, your planner can make sure the DJ is ready for the Best Man and Maid-of-Honor toasts. You will be free to be in the moment, chat with your guests you haven’t seen in forever,  laugh with your bridesmaids, and enjoy this day of celebration with your groom. Let your planner be the go-to person, and you be the bride! 

No matter where you are in your wedding planning process, I hope this helps you understand the role a wedding planner plays and maybe moves you to consider one for your special day. From a bride who has tackled a wedding day on her own and remembers that frazzled moment during the rehearsal, among a few other crazy moments, take it from me— it would be worth the consideration. :) 

Susanne Marsidi may be contacted at smarsidi@gmail.com or 731-736-5027.

Keisha Norwood may be reached at knorwoodevents@gmail.com or 731-223-9761.