How Angela Planned Her Wedding

“I planned our wedding in 9 months and had our coordinator on board from November onward (minimally at first, and then a lot more hands-on right before and the day of). I reached out to over 100 vendors in all categories and slowly narrowed them down to my dream team. We used the Wedding Wire app, Google Docs, and separate email folders for each vendor to keep them organized. I also had a wedding binder that held contracts and such once we booked a vendor.”Her advice to future brides: “Please, please hire a month of a coordinator! We loved working with @eventsbythecea. I also found that keeping mood boards, checklists, vendor information, etc., on Google Docs was a lifesaver as they’re so easy to share and collaborate with others. Write as many things down as possible – it’s easier to have it on paper or your phone than trying to remember everything!”

How to Choose Wedding Vendors When Timeline is Tight

Now, you know what you need for your wedding but how do you decide who to hire. Sometimes it has to do with who is available. Angela says, “Being a florist myself, this aspect was critical to me. Finding a florist turned into an unexpected…adventure. But it all worked out in the end when our angel of a florist, Michelle from Creative Light Design (@creativelightdesign), was miraculously still available three months before our wedding. I fully trusted her and was so excited to have her magic grace my wedding day.” Sometimes it has to do with the unique vision you, as a couple, have for your wedding (and some help from Mom!) “Jared and I decided early on that we wanted to get married on a mountain, under pine trees. My mom and I scoured every wedding website imaginable to find a venue that met our needs and vision. Nestled in the quaint town of Julian, CA, Sacred Mountain was our first venue visit, and we were sold! The ceremony site, suites for both Jared and me, the grand stone staircase leading from cocktail hour to reception, and the option to bring any of your own vendors were all major selling points. The staff went above and beyond for us as well. It felt private and was such a gorgeous, serene backdrop for our day.” Angela also decided she had two primary goals for her wedding (besides actually getting married).

Infusing Your Style to Create Your Dream Wedding

We asked Angela to describe her personal style. She said, “This depends on whether we’re talking about fashion or home. I am enjoying a lot of cozy, traditional interior designs that have a French/European flare. For clothing, I either want to be cozy or dressed in something classic or streetwear, which normally looks like a lounge set, a unique pant/shoe find, and lots of gold jewelry. However, I will always be drawn back to a retro/mid-century modern touch in clothing and design.” Their wedding theme was “lush European garden” with shades of deep mauve, cream, smoke gray, olive, and blush, vintage gold accents, and TONS of candles. This theme was a great way of turning your personal style into a wedding theme. In keeping with the lush, wedding florist vibe she had “10 centerpieces that looked like mini gardens spilling over with lilac, an extra-large bridal bouquet with dramatic trailing ribbon, and our custom ceremony installation, aisle markers “growing” up from the grass that led you to 8 lush ground pieces in a half-moon shape which sat in front of a gold pipe arch (that Jared and I made and nicknamed the “Mountain Peak Arch”). “More than anything, we wanted the day to feel like us.”

The Love Story – Angela & Jared

At the end of the day, your wedding should be about celebrating the joy of love between you and your spouse. This is Angela and Jared’s story. “My husband Jared and I met at our small high school. Even though I had befriended his sister earlier in the school year, Jared and I’s friendship and the subsequent relationship started to blossom in January of my Freshman and his Sophomore year.

The Proposal

“It was magical! Although it wasn’t a complete surprise (Jared asked how I pictured the moment happening – he knew I’d have ideas in mind, haha), it happened exactly how I had hoped. It was just us and our photographer (@thereintime) surrounded by candles and flowers with towering redwoods above us (don’t worry, the candles were LED). He recited some sweet words, including a line from “our song” Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley (which I would later walk down the aisle to an instrumental rendition of), got down on one knee, and slipped my dream ring on my finger! We then joined our families for a lovely dinner, as I had requested.”.

The Conflict Test

“My great grandmother passed away the day after Christmas a year or so into Jared, and I know each other. The days leading up to her passing were long and hard for my family, and Jared made himself available at any hour, day, or night. In my mind, it was one of the moments that solidified our relationship and his love for me and my family. We’ve walked each other through more family members passing in the years since then, as well as some ongoing health issues. We remain each other’s comfort and support with each new challenge.”

The Vows

“Jared and I both chose to write our own vows.” An excerpt from the beginning and end of Angela’s vows: “I have prayed for you since elementary school, but only once did I ask for something specific. That request was that my husband and I would be friends in our childhood. I tucked that prayer away in my heart, and even after meeting you, I only let it come to mind from time to time… It’s hard to think of a day that didn’t include you in my recent memory, and I hope I don’t have to experience one without you again. I have confidence and peace that you want the best for us and will continue to look for me. Our lives are an adventure. We work hard and dream harder. We are already a team, but I am excited to see what God has in store for us when we become one.” An excerpt from Jared’s Vows: “You’re a desert flower amidst my sandy plains. You bring beauty into my life, color where I had none. You are the bright star in my night sky. Every day I’m with you, I can’t help but cherish you….” “You are most certainly the best part of me.”

Wedding Vendors Who Will Help You Plan a Wedding in 9 Months

Angela’s floral business: @sprigandstem
Photographer:@mallorycarlsonphoto
Venue: @juliansacredmountain – Julian Sacred Mountain
Audio Guestbook: @afterthetone.co
Florist: @creativelightdesign
Cake: @vics.cakes
The month of coordinator: @eventsbythecea
Dress: @dreamersandlovers_