Hindsight is always 20/20 — unless you’re lucky enough to get some great advice along the way. That’s the idea behind our new Bridal Diaries series — who else is better equipped to hand off gems of wedding planning wisdom than someone who’s just experienced it all? Today we’re featuring an interview chock full of great tips from Caitlin Moran of Style Within Reach. As the Editorial Director of Glitter Guide, Caitlin’s amazing taste and organizational expertise have helped her plan the wedding of her dreams — but she learned some important lessons along the way, too. Keep reading for her tips, along with shots of her gorgeous engagement session!
Photography by Abby Jiu
Q: What do you wish you knew before you started to plan your wedding?
A: I wish I would have delegated more tasks from the beginning (everyone is offering to help, so take it!) and I also wish I would have given myself a rule about not changing things. I’ve changed everything in our wedding so much and it’s made me so behind in planning. I even changed our wedding logo after I had a custom stamp made!
Q: What has ended up being the most difficult part of planning your wedding? Has anything been surprisingly easy?
A: The guest list was by far the most difficult task for us as a couple. I was surprised at how quickly I found a venue I was happy with -— I saw images, went in person and was sold!
Q: Is there anything you would’ve done differently so far?
A: I would have spaced out the work and DIY projects. We are down to less than 2 months from our wedding day and I’m still up to my ears in projects. I do have a goal to get everything done a month ahead of time so the month of our wedding can be spent relaxing, tying up loose ends and not running around like crazy. I’d suggest this goal to everyone!
Q: What has been your most invaluable resource?
A: Advice from my married friends. From everything on what to spend your money on to how to handle sticky situations with your future in-laws — my friends have been so supportive and helpful!
Q: What are you most looking forward to on your big day?
A: I’m so looking forward to seeing my vision come to life and to be in one place with all of the people I love — and of course marrying my guy!! Caitlin’s extra advice for brides: If your budget allows it — pay for anything you can to be done for you (like making your invitations — bad idea!!), order pre-made DIY projects on Etsy and try to cut down on the tedious craft projects you sign yourself up for. A wedding planner takes care of all these details, but if you can’t afford one try to limit the projects — it can be stressful. Like I mentioned above, I’ve given myself a deadline of September 1st to get everything wrapped up for our wedding (9/26 is our big day) — it’s my mental deadline and I hope to have all of my projects wrapped up and everything organized so I can really take a few weeks to relax, soak it all in and focus on myself!
