I still remember the first time I met Katrina. After a quick hello and introduction, we grabbed a table outside of Starbucks. There were sample albums covering the tiny iron rod table, traffic buzzing by on Route 40, and Katrina so well organized in her thoughts and wedding day ideas. It’s no surprise that following her September 2014 wedding, she launched her wedding day coordination business K. Kess. I knew from the moment we met, that Justin and Katrina’s wedding was going to be incredible, and I’ve been waiting with great anticipation to share their Rustic Wedding Chic feature! Check out some of my favorite photos from their wedding day and Katrina’s priceless wedding advice for “brides to be” here on the blog. She has incredible insight and planning skills. So if you are in search of a day of wedding day coordinator, check her out at K.Kess! Then, head over to Rustic Wedding Chic to see their feature and a little more about their venue and wedding story!
Katrina’s experience & advice for the DIY bride. I am very pleased with the DIY projects I did. However, a few pieces of advice:
- Don’t DIY the first idea you see. Keep a picture on your phone and sleep on it for a few weeks to make sure it is definitely the project you want to do before spending money and wasting time on any project.
- Don’t DIY everything. Yes, Pinterest has 1000 projects to do but just choose a handful of special, intimate DIY projects that will either save you money or wow your guests.
- Sometimes DIY is not cheaper: do your research. In many cases, DIY is cheaper but not always. Etsy is a life saver!
Some of my favorite budget DIY projects were:
- Favors that doubled as drinking glasses- I attached mason jars to candlestick holders, tied twine around the neck of the mason jar and attached a heart for people to write their name. Guests were able to use these during the night and then take them home to keep!
- Photobooth: Instead of renting the $1500 official photobooth, I made my own with the help of my photographer. She rented me equipment and I made props for the guests to use. This was a big hit and the photographer gave me all the photos on zipdrive. I used these photos to make the thank-you cards. People LOVED it!
- Centerpieces: Collected and bought mason jars in different sizes. We painted them lavender and white and filled them with baby’s breath and lilac to save money! We also used my grandparents and mother’s old books to place the mason jars on.
Additional Advice: Enjoy 15 minutes alone with your significant other. Eat breakfast. Wear a veil for part of the day (it is the only time in your life you get to do this!) Don’t ask for everyone else’s opinion, especially while dress shopping. Only bring a few people to go dress shopping with you. Hire a Day of Coordinator. Make your wedding day reflect you and your significant other’s personalities.
Bride’s Favorite Moments:The first look was amazing. My husband is shy in front of big groups so this was a way to ease both our nerves and have some alone time. It was fun, silly and made me feel at ease even with a potential storm threatening our outdoor ceremony. I also really enjoyed my short but sweet ceremony where my college friend sang Adam Sandler’s, “Gunna Grow Old with You” song. It was perfect. Lastly, dancing to “We Found Love” by Rhianna as our last song was amazing and so fun. Everybody was on the dance floor, laughing and dancing.
Lasting Memories: As I mentioned before, I had just recently lost my Papou so I was very heartbroken he wouldn’t be able to attend the wedding. We then found out my other grandfather was very sick and only had weeks to months to live. I was so worried he wouldn’t make it to my wedding. The week of my wedding, the doctors told him he may only have days to weeks left. I decided I wanted to share a special dance with my grandfather if he could make it and feel healthy enough to do it. I prayed night after night that I could share this special dance with my Granddad. I was so blessed that my wish came true. During the dance, we laughed but we cried because we both knew it would probably be our last dance together. I’m so grateful for it and all the special photos/videos I have of this moment.
Walkers Overlook Wedding Feature: Rustic Wedding Chic
Flower Wholesaler- Doepken Farms
Bridal Salon- Gabriella New York Bridal Salon
Dress Design- Legends By Romona Keveza
Second Photographer- Arica Gonzalez