Here is my very first “Top Ten Questions” entry from one of my very favorite Brides this year Brandi (Caldwell) Lee
If you would like to submit your wedding for Top 10 Questions, email me at info@adreamweddingbysharon.com
1. Was finding your venue difficult or did you have the perfect place in mind before becoming engaged?
- I did not have the perfect place in mind that fit my budget, but knew that I wanted an outdoor ceremony and indoor reception. I knew I wanted a lot of green around the ceremony site, and I wanted to stick to my budget. Before looking at venues, I did a lot of research on-line and created a comparison checklist. On the checklist I compared price person, tax rates, and included amenities (champagne toast, floor length linens, wine with dinner, etc.) Once I narrowed the results down to 5-7, I went to see each of them to determine in person which venue was right for my husband and me.
2. How involved was your fiancé during the planning of the wedding?
- My fiancé did not see the venue I picked until the day of the food tasting. I made all the final decisions and consulted him only about the menu and the music. He didn’t care to be involved with the rest of the planning, which was fine by me. I knew I wanted things my way, and his opinions would only interfere with my exact vision.
3. Did you go above or below your estimated budget? Which family members were involved with contributions?
- We went above our estimated budget. The budget was originally set at $40,000, but I knew from research that I couldn’t get exactly what I wanted for $40,000, so I had a stretch budget of $48,000 and hit exactly that in the end. The $48,000 also included $15,000 from my parents and $3,000 from other family members. I had my grandmother, god-mother and aunts involved by asking them to pay for the wedding cake, the chocolate fountain, the ceremony musicians, and the dove release. I also received an additional $500 dollars from a family friend.
4. What was the one element of your wedding that you felt, no matter the cost, really enhanced your wedding?
- I had a few items that were non negotiable in enhancing the wedding. One was the White Chocolate Fountain. It was a deal breaker for me and very well worth it. Also the Chiviari Chairs and White Dance Floor were mandatory items. The level of class and elegance the chairs and dance floor brought to the wedding décor was irreplaceable. Lastly, I think the dove release was a must have item for me. It was something that my guests wouldn’t expect and created a great photo opportunity at the end of the ceremony.
5. Looking back, what element of your wedding would you have changed or deleted?
- There are no moments from my wedding that I would change or delete. I was very hands on and very specific in exactly what I wanted all the elements to look like for the wedding, and it turned out to be exactly what I always imagined. If I could have, I possibly would have added a passed signature drink and an ice sculpture, but those were mandatory items for me so we didn’t include them.
6. Was there one moment during the day that was exactly as you had dreamed it would be?
- The one moment that knew everything was coming together exactly as I dreamed it to be was when I first saw my ceremony site. I got to peak at the ceremony site before everything began, and it was amazing! 100% of what I had envisioned plus the blooming flowers and green leaves of the resort’s garden made the ceremony site completely exceed all my expectations. It was beautiful, elegant, and classy.
7. What unique touches did you add to your wedding that made it personal to you and your fiancé?
- My fiancés last name begins with an L, so I thought it nice to have a lot of elements surround the letter. We created “Lessons of Love” which were printed cards placed as décor during the cocktail hour. The Lessons were Love, Life, Loyalty, Longevity, and Laughter. Each lesson had the definition in relation to marriage printed under the word, and all were over a watermarked L on the printed card. We also incorporated the L with the same font as the Lessons of Love cards into the seating chart, the cake topper, the menu cards, the personalized favor boxes, and the dance floor gobo.
8. If money were no object, would you have changed the guest list to a more intimate affair or invited everyone you knew to attend?
- If money were no object, we would have had about 100 more invited guests attend our wedding. My family is very large, and many of them were left out because we could not go over 150 people per budget constraints. There were also several of our friends that were sadly omitted from the list. Also if money were no object, we would have had the wedding at the St Regis in Dana Point.
9. What song did you chose for your First Dance, and why?
- We chose Everlove by Eric Benet. I actually did not choose it, but left the song choices up to my fiancé. He picked the song and shared it with me. I started crying instantly listening to the words and melody, so that was that.
10. Where was your Honeymoon destination?
- We honeymooned in St. Lucia at the Sandal Regency La Toc. It was amazing with great good, great excursions, and a wonderful time to relax and unwind. Sandals is always fun though, so we knew we wouldn’t be disappointed. Here is a the photo from Brant Bender Photography of Brandi and Jaion’s ceremony site. The moment Brandi saw it, I knew it was going to be a wonderful day. She never stopped smiling from that moment on…
