No matter how you choose to celebrate it, your wedding should be a true reflection of yourself, your partner, and the love that you two share. My husband, Peter, and I had an unbelievable wedding day (and weekend) at the historic 1880 Union Hotel in Los Alamos, CA, on May 7, 2022. Think chic western meets modern vintage. We had an intimate ceremony and reception with our closest friends and family. Here’s a fun fact. My older sister, Donna, and her husband, Kenny, celebrated their special day in Carpinteria (South Santa Barbara County). I loved their wedding photographer and floral designer so much that Peter and I were ecstatic that they became a part of our wedding team.

Last month, we took a road trip down to Santa Barbara for a dear friend’s wedding, and naturally, we had to make the obligatory pit stop in Los Alamos. A wave of wedding nostalgia hit me the second we parked on Bell Street. I thought it would be fun to share some wedding reflections to help anyone in the wedding planning process right now!

My Wedding Planing Advice
1. Invest in a photographer and say “YES” to an additional shooter. If photos truly matter to you, I highly recommend having an additional photographer.
2. Invest in a videographer. We love watching our highlight reel and from time to time, the raw wedding footage! I know I would have personally regretted not having a videographer.
3. Have a smaller guest count. Every person on our guest list was and still is deeply important to us.
4. Have someone close to you be your officiant. It adds such a personal component, and I’m so thankful my brother-in-law served as our officiant.
5. Create some of your own décor / DIY elements. I created most of our wedding signage on Canva and here’s a pro tip: I printed most of the signage at Walgreens and Staples to save some costs (the coupon codes you find online are always helpful!). We also made our succulent centerpieces and displayed them at our Welcome Event the evening before our wedding and for our Wedding Reception. I’m a huge baker, and I had to have my chocolate chip cookies included in our ice cream station. I made the cookie dough, and the fantastic team at 1880 Union baked ‘em fresh :)
6. Write your own vows!
7. Treat your inner circle to hair and makeup. It takes a village to produce a wedding, and I wanted my gals and family to feel appreciated and extra special. 8. Have an audio guest book. There’s something so incredibly special about hearing a loved one’s voice.
9. Check out your local Dollar Tree store. I was pleasantly surprised to find decorative frames and Bride Squad stemless glasses.

I’ve included a list of our wedding team vendors, links to some of the details, and wedding photos below. I love to share wedding ideas and recommendations. Feel free to leave a comment or email me at hello@cheryllcanhelp.com with any questions.

Cheers!
Cheryll