Kaitlin was my October 10th bride this year and her wedding definitely falls into the top five category for me. I swooned the whole time over all the sentimental and well thought out details she had planned. But at the end of the day, my favorite part was how Kaitlin and her new husband Jared really focused on the whole purpose of the day: To get married and start a wonderful journey together. Here's what Kaitlin had to say about planning her wedding.
Introduce yourself! And your husband!
I’m Kaitlin and my husband is Jared. I’m originally from Kalamazoo, MI - yes, there really is a Kalamazoo! I attended the University of Michigan, which makes me a proud Wolverine - I bleed maize n’ blue! After graduating from college, I took a job in Norfolk, VA and I’ve been here ever since. I’m currently the Marketing & Design Coordinator for a Property Management Company here in Hampton Roads. When I’m not working, I enjoy getting crafty, trying new restaurants, hanging out with friends, being in the sun n’ sand and cuddling with our cat, Leo and puppy, Scout. Jared is originally from an itty bitty town called Montrose, Pennsylvania. Jared joined the Navy after graduating from high school - Last September marked his 8 year anniversary! Jared is a damage controlman, or what civilians would call a firefighter for the ship. Through the Navy, Jared has traveled the world and been to places such as Brazil, Peru, Korea, Malaysia, Dubai (three times), China, Australia, India, the Philippines and Haiti. When Jared isn’t working he enjoys playing sports, eating chicken wings, goofing around and hanging out with friends.
How did the two of you meet?
Jared and I met through online dating, we had both joined the site in hopes of meeting new people. Our initial conversations were typical; filled with questions, flirting and a glimmer of hope that it could be something special. After a week of talking through OkCupid, I grew impatient that Jared had yet to ask for my phone number, so I took matters into my own hands and gave him my number with the hopes he’d take the hint. A couple of days went by and we had transitioned from talking through OkCupid to texting and phone calls. Again, I grew impatient that Jared hadn’t yet asked me out on a date… so I asked him if he wanted to meet up for ice cream. We met for the first time at Skinny Dip, a frozen yogurt bar near my house; I remember seeing him and thinking to myself, he’s even cuter in person. We spent the next two hours walking around and talking, just getting to know each other and from there the rest is history. Over the next several months, we continued getting to know each other, spending more and more time together. We’ve been inseparable from that point on.
How did he pop the question?
Jared and I had just returned from Michigan, after spending the weekend with my family for the holidays. After eating dinner he asked if I wanted any ice cream, and mentioned that he thought there were some ice cream sandwiches leftover from when his Mom was in town the weekend before. I got up and basically ran into the kitchen, frantically looking through the freezer trying to find the ice cream. After moving everything in the freezer (twice) and finding no ice cream, I was bummed and yelled to Jared “There’s no ice cream in here! You owe me!” I slammed the door shut and turned around to find him down on one knee with a little red box in his hand. It took him a couple of seconds before he said, “Will you marry me?” and of course I screamed “Yes!”
What 5 words would you use to describe your wedding?
Romantic, Classic, Elegant, DIY and Fun :)
Where did you go for your honeymoon?
Playa Mujeres, Mexico. We knew we wanted to stay at an all-inclusive resort because we wanted to be able to relax and enjoy each other after all of the work, effort and stress that went into planning the wedding. Originally Jared and I were thinking about Jamaica, but after finding the Secrets Resorts in Playa Mujeres and falling in love with the setting and all their amenities, we knew we had found the right place for us!
What were your favorite/least favorite parts of wedding planning?
My favorite part of the wedding planning process was actually the planning! I’m a planner at heart, so it was a fun not only planning our dream wedding, but doing it with Jared. Through the wedding planning process we really grew as a couple, making each and every decision together, big or small. Whether we were adding items to our wedding registry, finalizing our menu or picking out napkin colors - we made those decisions together. Sure there were disagreements and times when it wasn’t easy to compromise, but at the end of the day, it made us a stronger couple and made the big day that much more special!
My least favorite part of the wedding planning process was trying to please everyone! To be honest, you just can’t do it - you’ll drive yourself crazy. It took a few months for me to realize that I wasn’t going to please everyone and be ok with that; I’m a people pleaser so it’s hard to me to accept. At the end of the day, Jared and I were the ones who needed to be happy - after all the day was about the two of us, our commitment to one another and our future together. You just have to remember that during the planning process - It’s easy to get caught up in all of the other details that go into planning a wedding.
Who were your vendors?
Ceremony & Reception: Founders Inn
Photographer: Kirstyn Marie Photography
Videographer: Big Dreams Entertainment
Ceremony Musicians: Harbor String Quartet
Officiant: Chuck Daniel
DJ: DJ CanRock
Cake: Jenn Cakes-A-Lot
Caterer: Founders Inn
Florist: Studio POSY
Linens: Waterford Event Rentals
Dress: Jingles
Wedding Coordinator: Just Dandy Events
If you could do one thing differently throughout your entire wedding planning journey, what would it be?
If I could do one thing differently, it would be not stressing the little stuff. These days with Pinterest, it’s so easy to get caught up in the super cute, little details that everyone swoons over. Pinterest is great for inspiration and collecting your thoughts and vision into one place, but it also sets super high standards that are often hard to reach given budget restrictions, time, energy, etc. I frequently found myself pinning until 2:00am and then stressing about how I was going to be able to finish all of these little details that I had obsessed over. Remind yourself that the big day is about you and your husband, your love for one another and your future - It’s that simple!
Do you have any advice for future brides?
My advice would be to have fun with it and enjoy each and every moment! You only get to experience it once and for most girls, it’s a day that you’ve dreamt of for a long, long time! You’ll be surprised how quickly the months turn to days and the days to hours before the big day arrives, and it’s over in what feels like the blink of an eye. So enjoy each and every moment of the planning process; enjoy being the center of attention during your bridal showers, calling your man ‘your fiancé’ every chance you get and have fun planning this very special day the two of you will remember for the rest of your life.
share this on » |
{Facebook} | {Twitter} | {Pinterest} |
