The Best Day of Your Life is Worth It But Focus On the Marriage Rather Than the Wedding

It’s our first anniversary! It’s easily been the best year of my life! I wanted to share some planning details of our wedding and reception and then some tips for the first year of marriage.

Engagement and Wedding Details 

We got married on May 6, 2016 in the Orlando LDS Temple. There was A LOT of planning involved since we were engaged since New Year’s Eve Day of the previous year. Taz proposed to me with my ring inside a pineapple. I can’t tell you why I love the fruit but I am obsessed with anything pineapple.

The Dress

A month later, my mom and sister flew to Utah to help me pick out a wedding dress. Three shops and fifty dresses later I ended up mixing a slip from one design with the lace of a Maggie Sottero. My blush slip is my favorite part of the dress since it isn’t the typical white color. It made the lace stand out so it could be photographed well. The train spilled out a couple feet behind me which got annoying on carrying it around on the wedding day. However, the pictures made it all worth it.  

The Venue

We scheduled the venue at a country club near my house in Florida. It overlooked the golf course in every direction and was the place we could have the most guests. Taz and I grew up in Florida our entire lives. That means we knew more people than we could count. Finding a place to fit a large amount of people is harder to find than you would think. I will admit the first one or two months of our engagement were incredibly stressful since we had to make all the big decisions then. I promise it did get easier over time, but at the end we just wanted to be married.

We got home from school a couple weeks before the wedding so we could finish our last minute details. At the country club, we had a tasting for our dinner and a tour of the building. We found a guy who does light and fabric draping along with another guy who has chairs for rent. This spruced up the venue a lot and gave the ascetic I always wanted. My mom helped with everything and is truly the mastermind behind it all.

Floral Arrangements

I ordered my flowers from Publix which is the best grocery store in the South. If you have never been, go there because it is amazing! They did a fantastic job with everything. The one downfall happened only days before the wedding. I wanted succulents inside my bouquet but they didn’t arrive in time. Regardless, the bouquets were gorgeous and better than I could have ever hoped for. 

I let Publix take care of the bouquets, but my bridesmaids and I conquered the centerpieces…the night before the wedding. I highly don’t recommend that even though I did take a floral design class one semester in college. Making them two days ahead will work fine. I ordered flowers in bulk from Costco in different shades of cream and blush along with greenery. Some floral foam, clear drinking cups, and 25 lanterns later we were finished! Those girls saved me from completely losing it during the process and through the entire weekend. They’re the best!

I almost forgot! My mom ordered 50 succulents from the Succulent Source. We spent an afternoon with her best friend and we all replanted them into square glass containers. It’s truly amazing and ridiculous how much time we all spent putting together a reception for only one night, but it was the best and you only get married once!

 The Wedding Cake

My aunt, Gaylyn, made my wedding cake. I sent her a couple pictures from Pinterest and she created the most beautiful wedding cake I have ever seen. She included intimate details about Taz and I into the cake such as our initials, my favorite flower, and pineapple earrings around the ribbon. It truly blew me away. I didn’t get to eat anything other than the piece Taz shoved into my face, but I heard it was a winner.

Bridal Pictures

We took bridal pictures one week before the wedding. I know many people want to wait until the wedding day for the groom to see the bride. However, I didn’t want to be taking pictures for four hours after the ceremony. Nathaly Blalock Photography took our photos which turned out beautifully! We got to take pictures at my favorite place: the beach! The lighting was gorgeous and I love how they all turned out.

Wedding Photos

My cousin, Alyson, took our pictures on our wedding day. She did an amazing job as well! It was so sunny and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky but she had an eye for where to go to get the best shots. It was a blast and I’m so happy she came down from Virginia to shoot for me.

The Wedding Day

Our wedding day went off without a hitch! I got ready in time and most importantly: Taz showed up! I had no doubts, but I am still glad all the same. The stormy weather during the week cleared away and we had a wonderful day spent with family and friends. I will never forget how special it was. The most important part wasn’t the cake or the flowers. It was being able to celebrate beginning our lives together with the ones we love. So many people came from all over the nation just to congratulate us as we start married life. We are incredibly blessed! A wedding is about starting a marriage and sharing the love not throwing an elaborate party (even though it was a blast!) Being married is the best and I highly recommend it.

First Year of Marriage

Our first year of marriage wasn’t easy but it was worth it. I love living with Taz! He’s my favorite person in the world. We had a crazy busy year: an internship, graduating college, getting accepted to college, accepting a full-time job, making big decisions, break in Florida, vacation in California and enjoying every minute we have together. I won’t say we never disagree, but having someone to rely on and have your back is the best feeling I’ve ever had. I would suggest a few things for not only the first year but to carry on throughout your relationship. 

First is to make decisions as a couple and not with anyone else. Your family doesn’t need to have a say in how many kids you have and your friends don’t need to pick where you are going to live. It’s about your relationship and how you will work together to make it the best for your family.

Next, I would suggest to let go of things. In the long run, it doesn’t matter whose turn it is to wash the dishes or pick up the their socks from the living room floor. Showing love and having good communication are the two things that I notice keep marriages thriving.

I’m positive I left some many details out. If you would like any help, please don’t hesitate to reach out and I’ll point you to the best people I worked with in Florida or who I know of in Utah. I won’t say I have a perfect marriage, but Taz is perfect for me. I’ve never felt so lucky and I am glad he chose me to be his wife. Cheers to one year and many more to come.
XOXO Kayla