The Difference...

The hot topic for the week, wedding vs. marriage.  In one form or another, the topic has come up a few times in different settings.  As a wedding planner, of course I'm all for weddings!! I love them, I love the different ideas and styles that can be created. Plus I honestly believe that with the correct type of planning and realistic outlook, an outstanding wedding can be pulled together.  It was upsetting to me that people acted as though I don't know the difference. Yes planning & designing is my job but I'm not blind to the big picture, the purpose or the reason. 

90210 TV Show Wedding

Marriage is the life after the wedding.  This is the long lasting relationship, everyday life, and continuing story of the couples love. This should be the reason WHY you had the ceremony part of the wedding in the first place. The ceremony doesn't take more than the couple, someone to marry them, and a couple of witnesses (or being surrounded by their friends and family).  At times, we've taken part in creating private ceremonies for couples. (This might date me, but I'm sure a few of you just thought of the 90210 marriage of Dylan and Toni's wedding, private ceremony, and party with friends and family after.) I personally feel that a ceremony should be an example of who you are and where you have come from.  A ceremony should be magical, life changing, and very personal for the couple getting married.

Amy Salerno Photographer (and one of our cute cute couples)

 Now when it comes to a wedding, you need to do it right, and what is right for you as a couple!!! To have a quality reception, you first need to figure out a budget, one that works for you.  See earlier blogs on budget, but I'm going to say you shouldn't invite 200 guests & then be upset that you need to feed them and that you can't afford to have the other things you wanted.  In the words of Valeen from Sweetest Days Photography, "Cut the guest list down to a manageable size, say no to the mom's bridge club or the dad's hunting buddies and whoever else it is that really isn't close to you and then do a quality reception where all the guests really love you and enjoy the day with you."  A wedding can be held anywhere, in a backyard, someone's home, the beach, hotel, or a hall.  While location doesn't matter, it is what you do with the location. It is how you bring together your voice as a couple and create a wedding that is an example of the two of you!

Thank you thesweetestdays.com

Plus, it has been my experience (professional and personal) when a person short changes themselves in a wedding, they tend to regret this for years to come. I've planned wedding renewals because the bride missed out on having her father give her away, or the couple didn't get a chance to have their first dance and the reasons keep coming.  


A ceremony is the act of coming together as a married couple, the wedding reception is the party celebrating this fact and the marriage is the years that follow!!  (I will be celebrating 15 years of marriage this April. :)