What to say about Kellie’s wedding? Well. Sometimes your weddings make me cry. Sometimes they make me ooohhh and ahhh. Well. Kellie and John’s wedding? It made me grin. Grin and grin in a warm-in-your-tummy, my-face-hurts, why-do-I-feel-so-inexplicably-happy kind of way. When I told that to Kellie, she said, “that is exactly how I felt. I expected to cry and sob and be all blubbery, but when the day arrived, all I could do was smile and laugh. It was such a great feeling – during such an emotional event, the emotion that overtook me the most was pure happiness. Quite frankly, it kicked ass.” And f*ck yes. You never know how a moment like your wedding is going to hit you until it hits you, but I love you ladies who grin down the aisle. Take it, Kellie:
What made our wedding creative: Simple – We discovered etsy. The world of wedding blogs (like APW) led me to etsy, and I owe so much of our day to the amazing sellers I found there. Literally almost every detail was etsy born – our wedding bands, the amazing table runners, my veil, my jewelry – and the list goes on. 
One of the greatest finds of all was being introduced to the work of Miss Christine of {cevd} and Pretty Pretty Paper. I dabble in graphic design, and it was my dream to create all of the paper pieces for our wedding. I really could not have done this without Christine (Editors note: Christine did our invites, and seriously let me add my voice to her praises. Working with her was a high point of the planning process for me). Even from across the country, she helped me put together an incredible line of invitations, menus and programs, and was kind enough to handle all of my printing. Another creative twist I have to mention is my dress – It was made completely from scratch by a local seamstress. This was SUCH a fun experience, and let me see the gown as it came together bit by bit. The seamstress was even able to use buttons from my Mother’s wedding dress, which was an extra special detail.
What made our wedding thrifty: We prioritized. The first thing we did when we got engaged was book our photograher, because great pictures was pretty much top on our list. Corey O’Connor of Oco Photos had shot our friends wedding, and we knew he wouldn’t disappoint. After that, we really sat back and thought about what was most important to us – in short, throwing a great party.
By skipping the tradional “wedding package” (which included four courses, a champagne toast, etc.) we were able to afford our number one location, Gibbet Hill. They worked with our budget, and were able to put together an absolutely fantastic menu. And since Gibbet Hill is already stunning, we didn’t have to worry about decorating the space much at all. We also have some pretty awesome friends who helped make our day.
The cake was gifted by a friend with bakery ties (yes, it tasted as good as it looked), another friend offered to be our videographer, and yet another gifted his services as a DJ. In addition to being truly thoughtful, our friends literally saved us thousands.What made our wedding sane: Remembering the point of it all. John and I love to throw a good party, and reminding ourselves that our wedding was to be just that helped A LOT. Having extremely supportive family and friends was crucial, as well.
We planned our wedding for 160 guests in just under 9 months, and that is not something we could have done without help. Don’t get me wrong – I cried. I cried a lot. I even screamed while punching the couch (more than) a few times. But planning a wedding is scary and stressful, and I think you need to just have a private meltdown every once in a while. Then the smoke clears, and you remember why you are getting married – not because you owe your parents a steak dinner, not because you enjoy packaging wedding favors, but because you want to celebrate the start of your marriage. When it was all said and done – we did just that. And I have to say, it was pretty freaking awesome.
And Finally, My Best Advice:
Planning a wedding is what I like to call a ‘horribly wonderful’ experience. It’s true that weddings can bring out the inner-beast in all of us, and those are the times when you have to sit back and remember who you are. I really cannot stress ‘prioritizing’ enough. It is SO EASY to get wrapped up in planning, and before you know it, you are making decisions based on what David Tutera thinks is best. Then there is the flip side, where you are telling yourself “nothing should matter, because I love my fiance and that’s all this is about”. True as that may be, you are allowed to enjoy your wedding for God sakes. Did I need a new pair of Louboutins for my wedding day? Nope – I wore shoes I already owned. Did I want a Monique Lhuillier crystal belt being sold online for $200? YEP – I bought it, and had no regrets. My point is – everyone is different, and it’s okay to splurge and save on different things. Just because you want to hire a makeup artist for your wedding day doesn’t make you a Bridezilla. I think it’s also important to look to those around you for support. I was lucky enough to have my two younger sisters as bridesmaids, and I gotta tell you – they really put things in perspective.
Try telling a 14 year old that you *need* matching chiavari chairs for the ceremony, or your color scheme will be ruined. Sometimes just sharing your feelings out loud with another person is all it takes. 
Bottom line, just enjoy it.There is no right or wrong way to get married – so go ahead and laugh at the altar, raise a glass of whiskey for the toast, and shake your ass on the dance floor with your friends and family. It’ll be fun – I promise.Pictures: OCOphotos (of Massachusetts)
