Saturday, January 26, 2019
Let me kick off this blog by addressing one of the questions I get asked most frequently: Are you ever able to relax and enjoy a wedding not as a coordinator? And the answer is most definitely “yes!”
I’m at that age where my friends are getting engaged and beginning to plan and have their weddings. It is such a blessing to be involved and help them make their dreams come true, but it’s also so much fun to sit back and enjoy. When attending as a guest, I mentally check myself at the door and allow myself to let go of anything that “I may do differently” or would rather see. If I don’t, I wind up mentally tweaking and not being present to enjoy the big day you’ve worked so hard to plan. I plan to enjoy it as a guest and turn “off” the coordinator switch. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t stop getting new ideas.
While I do not plan to write about all the weddings I attend as a guest, I have to write about this one. Once you’re done reading, you’ll know why. It was just too good to not share with the world. Enjoy!
This past weekend was definitely a wedding (or should I say concert?) for the books! Over the holidays, the description of the wedding was this: pre-ceremony cocktail hour, killer band, pizza and tacos, and no formal seating. Considering the couple had been to 34 weddings in the past four years and knew what they wanted, this was definitely not going to be any ordinary wedding.
Ben and Alison hosted their day at The Assembly Room in Baltimore, MD which in itself was amazing! There’s high ceilings galore, brick walls backdrops for days, even graffiti on the walls! There was a ton of space to move around, with food, a bar, or cater waiter around every corner. Seriously, if you’re looking in Baltimore for an industrial-chic vibe, check it out!
Let’s talk about that pre-ceremony cocktail hour.. This was one of the aspects I was most curious to see go down, but it was perfect. Guests were welcomed into the ceremony space with two signature drinks (named after the couple’s cats) or champagne. All paired with popcorn and caramelized bacon twists (yep, you read that right). My sweet and salty taste buds were very happy.
Then came the brief ceremony where the couple was surrounded with friends and family… and I mean surrounded. The Assembly Room had a balcony overlooking the ceremony space where friends and family were encouraged to stand. I can’t wait to see the photography from that angle and it felt so cool to feel everyone looking down from above.
Now onto the main show. I already know that the words I will use to describe the reception will not do it justice at all. I mean, there was confetti, rave noodles, glow sticks, light shows, Chick-Fil-A, and a fire truck. Like, I can’t make this up. It was incredible.
One of the biggest apprehensions about the reception was that there was no formal seating plan for guests. There was intentionally not enough tables for guests to sit at, and dinner wasn’t served, it was stations of street tacos, pizza and sliders.
Let me say this: the whole reception would not have worked had there been seating for everyone. The party started immediately and I’m not gonna lie, I was dancing while eating and I’m totally okay with that. The food was delicious and plentiful and perfect. Did I mention Chick-Fil-A? Oh yeah, that was delivered and served as late night snacks. My jaw was on the floor (but I picked it back up to eat it!). The seating planned forced everyone to dance, but that was not hard at all because…
GO GO GADJET WAS IN THE HOUSE.
Let me repeat: Go Go Gadjet was the entertainment. Yes, they brought out the plastic-barrel-turned-drums that's coordinated with a light show and there was water flying. See my Instagram for a front row video. They are fantastic musicians with such a high quality of showmanship, it was the best live band I will ever see at a wedding. I’ll take you up on any offer to beg differently.
There were so many highlights of the day and I am so happy for Ben and Alison. They had this vision for their big day, and despite some concerns, they stuck to their guns. And it was so much better than anyone could have imagined.
Lessons learned:
1- Stick to your guns and your vision, even when not everyone else can see it the way you do.
2- Just because it hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean that it can’t. The sky is the limit.
3- Have fun! Your wedding day should be an extension of you as a couple and have your personal touches all over it. Do what feels right for you.
Thank you Ben and Alison for allowing me to tag along for your big day! Congratulations and much love!
Cheers,
Alyssa
Comments