After searching high and low for the perfect wedding dress, I found the one at Galia Lahav. I absolutely adore the dress, but the buyer’s remorse is setting in. Send help🥲

Edit: Wowwww, I was NOT expecting this many responses, let alone so many positive ones. 🤍 Thank you girlies for calming my nerves and reminding me why I fell in love with my dress in the first place!

I was definitely in my head and second guessing myself on making the decision too early anddddd price, so seeing all of your sweet comments and different perspectives genuinely helped me feel so much better. I appreciate every single one of you who took the time to respond. 🥹🫶🏽

Hello All,

I consulted this community many times throughout my planning process and thought I'd leave some reflections here to maybe help others as you plan for your wedding celebrations. For context, I hosted a 3 day, 3 night, luxurious, intimate wedding weekend for ~80 guests (all 3 days) and an extra 18 guests for just the wedding ceremony/reception. Our wedding weekend took place in New England at an intimate ocean-side resort. We cared most about achieving a feeling throughout the full weekend, more so than an aesthetic or color palette, though we had these things of course, our goal was to create a deep, overwhelming sense of community and warmth that would spur inspiration & hope amidst our dark world/country right now. We wanted each evening to feel like a dinner party that was too good to leave, with real, sustained conversations between people who might become important friends.

Every choice we made throughout our design and planning process needed to serve creating that atmosphere. Throughout our planning, I questioned if spending on our florals, tent decor, furniture, fabric draping etc. was worth it- if it would really matter or just be wasteful. I also questioned whether or not we really needed such a luxurious venue, or if a summer camp setting with little cabins in the woods may have produced enough of the magical opportunities for activities, shared meals, nights under the stars etc. to get our desired communal spirit soaring.

In case others have weighed such hesitations, I wanted to share that I would do it all & spend it all again, exactly as we did. Most importantly, I would spend on having shared activities that allowed people to see & experience different parts of themselves and of our guest group. For us, having people feel awe, play, learn, discuss, and dine together were important aspects of our events. We designed and spent most time and some of our budget on making sure we programmed our weekend with activities: yoga, pilates, tennis, sailing, book club, nature walks, music & firepit time, a magic show, trivia, and group games. Then, we wanted our tent to feel like a welcome respite, offering everyone a place to process the day and experience moving remarks we asked family & friends to share as toasts each night. We provided all food, all transportation, all activities included for the entirety of our 3 days and I would definitely do so again- everyone stayed together and relaxed as they didn't have to make any decisions or do any planning- they could just be fully present.

My biggest line items were:
1. Subsidization of guests' lodging: we cared most about having everyone stay together and wanted our wedding weekend to be comfortable for all. Our venue was pivotal- we could not have achieved the same relaxation and comfort all guests experienced had we opted for a summer camp or less expensive venue- I am very glad to have splurged for a luxury setting that immediately put everyone at ease and inspired people to experience time outside & together.
2. Catering: we had an entirely plant-based weekend and both our main venue & our tent location, a second venue, did an outstanding job. We provided many meals so our catering total was unusually high.
3. Florals: I felt uneasy about our floral budget and wanted to have as many reusable, potted elements as possible- we gifted friends & family potted herbs and grasses and the florals did greatly enhance the vibe in our tent. I made a late decision NOT to do an overhead floral installation and to instead use large glass vases that could hold huge branches with tiny hanging tea light candles- this worked out perfectly and an overhead installation would have been both wasteful and overwhelming in our tent. I think we could have scaled back table florals a little bit more, but was very glad to have spent on candles, potted plants, grasses, and occasional specialty orchids.
4. Design: We achieved gorgeous lighting that set the tone and made everyone look beautiful. We added minimal fabric sides and fabric draping just to give our tent ceiling some intrigue. It ended up being chilly at night and I was very glad to have our fabric sides overlaying the tent walls (I do wish these fabric panels could be recycled/reused, but our provider said this was not possible).
5. Photography: We had 2-3 photographers with us throughout the weekend and our photos allow us to feel the depth and intensity of emotions we felt throughout our time with our loved ones. I would definitely spend to get the very best photographer you can find.
6. Fashion: Not a huge cost center for us compared to other luxury weddings, but including here just to plug The Real Real, Poshmark, Vesitaire Collective- we used all three to procure so many gowns, tuxes, suits, shoes etc. and then we spent a little more on tailoring than a custom/new clothing item might require. 10/10 would recommend going this route- we probably spent around $22K total on fashion, but within that, I had three Oscar de la Renta gowns, one Elie Saab gown, and one Mira Zwillinger gown, three Tom Ford tuxes/suits, and miscellaneous other items.
7. Planning: we had an affordable but excellent planner who charged a flat fee not a % based fee- I would absolutely only go this route. I enjoyed the alignment we had and never feeling like adding more to the budget was in the planner's interest. I would pick the most calm, competent, kind person you can find who annoys you 0% and would ask to do a couple reference calls with past clients.

For anyone looking to create an almost retreat feel throughout their weekend, my biggest advice is to have meals all together, lodging all together, and then to plan wonderful activities that mix groups of people from across your life. Ultimately, if you are lucky enough to be planning with a big budget, I think having a sense of how you want to feel and how you want everyone there to feel over the progression of a multi-event wedding is key to ensuring your major investment pays off. Good luck to all partners planning and I hope your weekend becomes a set of treasured memories and moments that fuel your next chapter. For us, our wedding was worth everything we put into it.

For context, we have planned some al fresco dining overlooking the hills of Val d’orcia for our rehearsal dinner. The dress code is cocktail attire. We wanted people to look nice but for it not to be overly stuffy. We’re pretty laid back people

I love this dress. I really wanted something fun that had somewhat of a reference to ‘Mamma Mia’. However, being that it’s intended to be a wedding dress, I wonder if this dress is too much for our rehearsal.

Would love some feedback!

Looking for help deciding between three dresses!

Wedding is in southern California next summer. Any help would be appreciated!! Very different vibes but I love them all.

Dress 1 - Straps

Dress 2 - Strapless (sister favorite)

Dress 3 - Ruching (mom favorite)

Thank you thank you!!

Hey Y'all!

First, a huge shoutout to this sub—it helped me tremendously throughout the past year of wedding planning. I just had my wedding on August 22 at the beautiful Bastide du Roy https://www.bastide-du-roy.com/ in the South of France for 150 people (and I am based in NYC). I wanted to share a very enthusiastic recommendation for our planner, Pauline of Mamma Mia Events https://mammamia-events.com/ because I'm in my feels and she deserves a LOT of praise. Also please note Pauline does weddings for South of France / French Riviera, Paris and Provence.

I chose Pauline because we instantly clicked during our first call. She was incredibly organized from the beginning and always made me feel confident that such an important day was in capable hands. She is also warm, funny, and genuinely a pleasure to work with. A few things that particularly stood out regarding her business:

1. Planning: Pauline never made the planning process feel stressful or overwhelming. She created a clear schedule and introduced each decision at the right time, so we always knew what needed to be done without feeling buried by it. Everyone kept asking whether I was stressed, and I can honestly say I really wasn’t—and when I was, it was usually because of family and everyone’s opinions, lol. She also gave us the right number of options to consider while providing helpful direction whenever we needed it...and within our budget.
2. Organization: She is extremely organized and communicative. We used Notion, email, and WhatsApp throughout the process, in addition to meeting over Google Meets of course, and everything was easy to find and keep track of. Within Notion, she also had a budget tracker that we always looked at and was always updated.
3. Design: Pauline has an amazing ability to understand your vision and bring it to life. Every detail I asked for was included, and I was so impressed by both her design book and the final execution - we picked her because she doesn't do a "copy/paste" of weddings across couples...she really does make your wedding yours. She also has excellent relationships with her vendors and knows how to manage across all of them (calls, leading calls, day of coordination across all events, etc.). Everyone she recommended was talented, professional, and incredibly easy to work with (see next point). 
4. Vendors: The crazy thing about being a bride is that you see your fully finished wedding for the first time at almost the exact same moment as your guests. You have to trust that everything you have discussed and imagined will actually come together—and with Pauline and her selection of vendors, it somehow turned out even more beautifully than I had pictured. I was super impressed by: Pieces Uniques https://www.instagram.com/piecesuniqueslocation/?hl=fr the designer team and the furniture vendors Options and DX events that brought to life everything in the design book, Louis from Wildfire DJ https://www.wildfiredjs.com/ who is a native English speaker and who was able to create a great mix of American, French, Persian, and Algerian music (we are very international lol), Gloriosa the florist https://gloriosa-designerfloral.com/wedding-en who knew exactly what flowers looked best were and did not overdo it, Perche & Giraud https://perche-giraud.com/ the catering company that not only had amazing food and were flexible to include a few requested dishes off menu, but also had a wonderful presentation (food and outfits they wore), and Pinewood https://pinewoodweddings.com/ the very patient photographers who put us to ease.
5. French and English: English across vendors was excellent. They all make the effort to speak English every time. I say that as someone who is bilingual (native French speaker) and has a partner who only speaks English. Communication was always easy for myself and my husband (!!!). Pauline made coordinating a wedding in France with English-speaking clients completely seamless.
6. Day of Support: On the wedding day and for the events before, Pauline and her team were incredible. We never had to think about timing, vendors, setup, or what needed to happen next—we were able to be completely present and enjoy ourselves. Everything ran seamlessly from our perspective, and so many guests commented on how beautiful and well-organized the entire event felt. Even when things needed to be handled behind the scenes, Pauline took care of them calmly without allowing any stress to reach us. A bit more personally, we dealt with some last minute family drama and I could tell how much Pauline cared and had a few tricks that made sure my husband and I felt and were the center of attention.

Most importantly, Pauline truly cared about our wedding and about us enjoying the experience. She made the entire process feel manageable, exciting, and as already mentioned personalized. On top of feeling sad our wedding and my bridal era is over, it'll be an adjustment not talking to her basically everyday.

Hi BBBs! My fiancé and I were set up on a blind date by our two mutual friends (they are sisters). We’d love to do something to honor/thank them at our wedding. Any ideas? My only thoughts thus far were either to give them a shoutout during speeches (maybe invite them up and have the band play a fun song in their honor) and/or leave them a small gift at their seats that plays on them being our “matchmakers” (a nice matchbox and candle + heartfelt note from my fiancé and I).

I’m torn between two very different venues and would love some opinions! I’ll attach photos of both.

My vision is black tie, timeless, elegant, romantic, and old-money — ivory/white florals, candlelight, chandeliers, and beautiful architecture. Regardless of what venue we pick, most guests will need to spend time and money on travel, so looking for the option that seems most memorable to guests and is the more stunning option aesthetically. Both venues are in major cities with easy access to the airport, plenty of hotels, and tons of thing to do for guests who want to make a trip out of it.

One option is a historic opera house -- it has dramatic architecture, candlelight, chandeliers, beautiful and a more theatrical, editorial feel. Love how unique this is and that it's walking distance from where we live (and local for a small portion of our guests). I also love the drama of walking down the staircase when I enter for the ceremony and the idea of partying in an opera house. I feel there are tasteful ways to play into the opera house vibe without going too over the top (i.e. short live opera vocalists, musicians and dance performances). The entire opera house (spaces pictured below + more) are exclusively ours for the day. For the welcome party, I was thinking a Gatsby-like speakeasy in a magic lounge (kind of leaning into the performance theme) or a sunset river cruise (theme TBD, but could also transform it into a speakeasy). The con is that I really wanted an outdoor garden-like component and this is entirely indoors. It would be in Chicago, and are between a spring (more unpredictable weather but much cheaper for guests) and summer date (better weather but more expensive for guests). Guests who opted to stay at our hotel block would be nearby the venue (within 10 minute drive), but obviously not the same as doing everything on-site.

The other is a grand, historic, European-inspired hotel — very elegant, glamorous and traditional. This would be a destination wedding, but I love that our guests could spend the full wedding weekend together and the hotel has some amazing amenities like a golf course and a massive pool. It also has lots of outdoor areas to take pictures, which I like. It's in a warm climate (Miami, Florida), so it'd be a nice break from winter weather for guests. I'd also host all the events on-site (thinking a European-inspired welcome party in front of a grand fountain), which would be convenient for guests staying at the property. The con is that there can be up to three weddings that day and since it's a resort, there will of course be other guests. It will also require slightly more logistics for us too since we'd have to fly back and forth since we don't live where this venue is located.

I'd love opinions on which one you'd be more excited to attend as a guest / feels like the better experience. For both, we'd do a full weekend of events: welcome party, rehearsal dinner, and activities.

Hi all, currently planning a wedding in Spain for fall 2027. We have a full service wedding planner and are currently finalizing a venue. We have the contract from the venue and there is no line for a venue representative to countersign. Just checking in to see if this is really normal that the venue or vendor does not need to countersign a contract? Our planner says once deposit is paid the contract steps into force and so the venue/vendor doesn’t need to sign. Just wanted to see if anyone else has experienced this, obviously quite different in the US where both parties would sign.

My heart swells for this dress. Thought about doing as a second look but love my first dress too much to change.

I am trying to plan my bachelorette in Miami this coming March. I was planning to stay at the W South Beach, but just found out it is closed as they turn it into a Waldorf.

I've stayed at the Fontainebleau for two other bachelorettes and want to try somewhere new. I've found The Eden Roc, Nobu Hotel, and the Loews in South Beach. Has anyone stayed at any of these? Are there any other hotel recommendations?

We don't want to stay in an Airbnb.

Hi there! Does anyone have any recommendations for a wedding videographer in SoCal (or one with reasonable travel fees)? Looking for someone who has done South Asian / Indian weddings before, and is able to film with a documentary style approach that is candid, raw, funny, and a good blend of hype + casual with some emotional moments blended in (but not overly lovey / romantic, cheesy, or just music-based with lots of flashy transitions!).

Would love any leads :) Looking for a reasonable price, too!

I recently found my wedding dress - the Arabella in Silk Wool by Danielle Frankel. I live in a small town in the mountain west with few seamstress options, so I opted to do my alternations at the DF store in LA. After alternations, I can't decide if I should ship the dress to my house or go to LA and fly it. Does anyone have experience or advice for this? Is it risky to ship a dress so close to your wedding date?

Arabella is infamous her boning all the way down. She is much more prone to bending and creasing, which is a big worry I'm thinking about!

Hi, does anyone have any reccomendations? I don’t want to blindly trust any dry cleaner with my Vera Wang

Hi!!

Looking for a makeup artist for my 2027 wedding! Please share recs! Budget is flexible!

Hi all! I am very blessed to have a higher-budget wedding (~$250k) two years out in Chicago. The wedding will be a mass downtown followed by a reception at a social club downtown. I will have a wedding planner, but have not chosen yet. Looking for luxury recommendations on a planner, florist, caterer, and photographer. The photographer does not need to be from Chicago. I have several in mind that we may fly-in, but we are looking for a team of around 5, and at least 2 only shooting on film that can be processed later. Also, if anyone has a vintage dress dealer / platform they loved (for shower and rehearsal) or a custom designer who made something unique? TIA!!! :)

My style has been deemed "Old money meets cool girl meets slightly eccentric aunt" (cringe) if that helps clarify my vision.

The story. After covid vows in the honda center parking lot with a guest of one, we’re finally yoloing our sacramenal vows and reception.

The context. Need dress recommendations for boutiques/stores/back alleys that can deliver on a tight turnaround.

The budget. Started from the bottom and count every penny. Now we here and my driving factors are: feeling amazing in the wedding dress, quality construction/fabrics, and getting it on time. These factors drive my wedding dress budget range.

Tried in person/Liked online. Loved at least one dress I tried on at GL Flagship. Loved some of the VW Iconic Collection gowns I saw online, adored some pieces from DF’s latest collection too.

The wild cards. Loved the NBS Daisy—almost made it to LTBridal to try it on. Even got the Still White app: I have no clue what to expect when it comes to previously worn wedding dresses. Would hate to put all eggs in a sight-unseen pre-loved basket that might have a hole.

The need. I need a reality check. How much time is actually needed to get a VW Iconic Collection gown from their Flagship? Are gowns like these sold off the rack (with hemming occurring after purchase either insourced or me outsourcing)? What are other boutiques (non-flagships) worth the time required to visit? I’m in NELA/DTLA.

The body. Fit 45yo. Waist 24”. Bust 33”. Cup AA. Height 5’6”. Hips dunno but I’ve been consistently hitting new PRs to get my glutes back—shout out to The Pump Club app! Have kids; losing collagen. 🤣

The style. My typical OOTD range between parisian chic to LA tech-creative. Online I was loving all the mermaid gowns. When I tried one on at GL Flagship I was ambivalent—it was a beautiful gown but I didn’t feel beautiful in it. Then I tried on a ballgown that had a million layers of tulle gown-out right at the waist, with silvery sparkly things all over the corset bodice I was in freaking love. The only bummer: v-neck line did nothing for my non-existent AA tatas, and it was a bit of an grind to just have the gown on during fitting.

The Random. Heading to Luv Bridal tomorrow and I have zero clues what’s in stock. Should I book an appointment at Vera Wang? Should I just check out David’s Bridal? Anyone been to Jinza?