What's your best tip for a bride planning her wedding?

 

First and Foremost HAVE FUN and include your husband!  Our wedding was the perfect mix of the two of us and Hunter had so much fun planning with me.  It was such a fun, special and memorable time for the both of us.  It goes by so fast so make it memorable and fun.

 

Communication is very important – if you don’t like something be honest and let your vendors know. This is your day and you deserve to be happy with every detail!  Also, it is a lot easier to know budgets, etc. beforehand.  Vendors want the bride to be happy and a good vendor will do the best they can to make the bride’s dreams come true.

 

Find a good planner, period.  I was able to tell my planner what I was thinking and she somehow made everything work within my budget.

 

Tell me about your dress selection.

 

I am the type of person that doesn’t like to do anything too far in advance because I am a little superstitious and I don’t want to “jinx” anything.  I also change my mind frequently so there is no reason for me to make a decision until it is time to make the final choice.   I had also heard from many people that you will see something you LOVE in a magazine and then try it on and feel nothing like what you see in the picture.  That being said, I had no idea what kind of dress I would be looking for.  I tried on many dresses and I knew I had found the one when both my nana and my mother started crying.  I had no doubt in my mind that was the one!

 

 

How did you choose your location?

 

- I wanted to have a small, intimate destination wedding and I had always dreamt of a romantic wedding in Napa Valley.  Hunter and I both like to travel and we love food so we knew that had to be one of the main focuses.  After much research, I chose to get married at the Meadowood Resort in St. Helena.  The food and atmosphere was spot on to both mine and Hunter’s taste.

 

 

Tell me something special about your wedding (heirloom, musical performance, a special guest, whatever!)

 

I would say the most special thing about my wedding was during the rehearsal dinner when my nana gave me her and my pawpaw’s first wedding band.  I had no idea she was going to do this.  She walked up and asked me if I had anything “old”, and when I said “no mam” she handed me the most precious, simple gold band that I have not taken off since that night.  My grandparents are so, so special to me and they have been married for almost 60 years.   If Hunter and I can have a love like theirs then we have it made!

 

What is the best memory you have of the wedding day?

 

Walking down the aisle to marry Hunter.  I was so happy, I could feel myself glowing.  It was the best feeling in the world.  Also, that we were surrounded by 70 of our closest family and friends.  It was absolute perfection.  A close second was when everyone hit the dance floor as soon as the band started.  It was so cool to see everyone having a wonderful time.  I have never seen either of our parents so happy, everyone was dancing with everyone.  It was perfect!

 

What is the best thing about Benfield Photography being there on your wedding day ?

 

  - OMG, I could probably go on and on this one.  I love that Dale truly turns into a friend so he is in no way the odd photographer walking around making you pose for pictures. He is someone who is dancing around with you, hanging out with you, and taking pictures that are truly in the moment.  Every single picture that Dale took was actually capturing the feeling of the night.  Nothing was “fake” or “staged”…..the pictures were us being us, the moments captured were natural.  Dale makes it fun.  Hunter hates getting his picture taken and he is usually a little impatient (like most men).   And let me tell you, Dale has some killer dance moves!