If you're a bride-to-be planning a wedding or shopping for a wedding dress in Southern California or Los Angeles, you've probably realized pretty quickly that wedding planning is a constant exercise in deciding what matters most to you.
There are endless places to spend your time, energy and wedding budget, but not everything can be the number one priority.
Last week, I shared the five things I wouldn't do if I were a bride planning my wedding. This week, I'm flipping the conversation and sharing the six things I personally would prioritize if I were getting married today.
As a wedding fashion expert, bridal stylist and buyer at Lovella Bridal in Glendale, California, I've spent years behind the scenes at weddings and working with brides throughout the planning process. I've seen what works, what causes unnecessary stress and what can make a huge difference in the overall wedding experience.
So, if I were planning my own wedding, these are the things I wouldn't want to compromise on.
Watch the Video: 6 Things I Would Never Compromise On If I Were Getting Married
Watch the full video below to hear all six of my personal wedding priorities and why they would matter so much to me.
Of course, these are my priorities. Yours might look completely different.
The point isn't to copy my list. It's to think about what your own non-negotiables are before you start making major wedding decisions and spending money in categories that might not actually matter that much to you.
#1 I Would Hire a Wedding Planner First
If I were newly engaged, the very first thing I would do is hire a wedding planner.
Yes, even before choosing my wedding dress.
Working in the wedding industry has shown me just how much goes on behind the scenes that couples don't necessarily know about. Wedding planners understand venues, logistics, restrictions and which vendors work well together.
That last part is incredibly important.
Your florist, venue, caterer, photographer, videographer and other wedding vendors don't operate independently on your wedding day. They're all working together to create one event. Having a team that communicates well and understands the venue and overall vision can make a huge difference in how smoothly everything comes together.
I've seen couples hire vendors individually and later discover that their planner would have recommended someone different based on the venue, logistics or specific wedding vision.
That's why I would want the planner involved first.
I would establish the vision, understand what is realistically possible and then build the right vendor team around it.
A Wedding Planner and Wedding Coordinator Are Not the Same Thing
I completely understand that hiring a full-service wedding planner isn't going to be a priority or fit within the investment every couple wants to make.
For me personally, it would be.
Even though I work in the wedding industry and could probably navigate much of the planning myself, I wouldn't want that responsibility. I would want someone else handling those details so I could actually enjoy being the bride.
At the very least, I would want a wedding day coordinator.
A coordinator and planner serve different roles. A coordinator is primarily focused on executing and coordinating the wedding day, while a full wedding planner can be involved in the planning, design, vendor selection and overall logistics leading up to the event.
Personally, I want nothing to do with managing my wedding day timeline.
I want to enjoy my wedding.
#2 I Would Be Extremely Selective About Who I Include in Wedding Planning
My second priority would be protecting my inner circle.
I would be very selective about who gets invited into the intimate decision-making part of wedding planning.
I've watched too many brides become heartbroken or overwhelmed because they included someone out of obligation who ultimately brought negativity, stress or too many opinions into the experience.
I don't want ten people telling me what they would do.
I want a very small group of people who genuinely know me and, eventually, know us as a couple.
There's a big difference between someone saying, "I wouldn't choose that," and someone saying, "I wouldn't choose that for myself, but this makes complete sense for you."
Those are the people I want around me.
I want people who are excited, positive and capable of separating their personal preferences from what's actually right for me and my partner.
#3 I Would Prioritize My Wedding Dress
You probably thought the wedding dress would be number one.
It's number three.
But yes, my wedding dress would absolutely be one of my biggest priorities.
I'm a fashion girl. Of course it would be.
I would want my planner and overall direction established first, and then I would focus on finding my wedding dress. For me, the dress would help set the aesthetic tone for so many other wedding decisions.
Your wedding dress can inspire your linens, florals, cake, venue styling and overall décor.
Maybe it's romantic and ethereal. Maybe it's clean and architectural. Maybe it's heavily embellished and glamorous. Maybe it's incredibly classic.
Those fashion details can become a jumping-off point for the visual language of the entire wedding.
And because fashion is personally so important to me, this is one area where I wouldn't want to compromise simply to allocate more money toward something I care about less.
#4 I Wouldn't Compromise on Hair and Makeup
Hair and makeup would be another major priority for me.
I want to look at my wedding photos and feel like myself.
That's actually one of my biggest concerns with professional makeup. I've had my makeup done in the past and felt like it was too bold or too over-the-top for me. I didn't feel comfortable with how I looked, particularly in photos.
I've learned how to do my own makeup in a way that makes me feel like myself, but I also don't want the responsibility of doing my own wedding makeup.
So finding the right hair and makeup professionals would be something I would want to figure out and book early.
My goal wouldn't be to look like a completely different person.
I'd want to feel polished, beautiful and elevated, but still unmistakably me.
That's what I would communicate during trials, too. The most important thing isn't recreating someone else's bridal beauty look. It's finding the version that makes you feel your absolute best.
#5 I Would Prioritize the Wedding Day Vibes
This category is cheating a little because I'm putting a lot of things underneath it.
But I would call it the wedding day vibes.
I want the experience to feel incredible.
Music would be a huge priority because I want the dance floor packed. I want people having fun. I want amazing food and drinks. I want the cake and desserts to be delicious.
I care about all of those sensory details that create the feeling of an event.
But the wedding day vibes also include the people documenting it.
Photography, videography and a wedding content creator would all be priorities for me because these are the things that allow you to revisit the wedding after it's over.
And it's not only about whether you like a photographer's portfolio.
You spend a lot of time with your photographer and videographer on your wedding day, so I would want people whose personalities and approach fit the experience I want.
Decide How Much of Your Wedding Day You Want to Spend Taking Photos
This is something couples don't always consider ahead of time.
How important are photos to you compared with actually being at the party?
There isn't a right answer.
Maybe you want an enormous number of portraits and you're perfectly happy dedicating a significant portion of the day to creating them.
Or maybe you want beautiful photos, but once you've captured the essentials, you want to get to cocktail hour and enjoy your guests.
Have that conversation before the wedding.
I've watched couples become frustrated by how much time wedding photography can take because they hadn't really considered that tradeoff ahead of time. Your photographer, videographer and planner should understand your priorities so they can build the timeline around the experience you actually want.
Would I Hire a Wedding Day Bridal Stylist?
Absolutely.
Technically, I didn't put this on my original list because, given what I do for a living, I know I would have bridal stylists around me.
But if I weren't in the bridal industry, I would seriously consider hiring a wedding day bridal stylist.
Think about everything that happens to your wedding dress after you leave your bridal salon.
Who makes sure the train is perfectly positioned in photos? Who handles the bustle? Who notices if something doesn't look right? Who helps if a zipper breaks or something spills on the gown?
And do you really want your mom or bridesmaids spending the wedding worrying about your dress instead of enjoying themselves?
A wedding day bridal stylist is there to pay attention to those details, help keep your overall bridal look photo-ready and handle potential wedding dress malfunctions.
It's certainly an additional investment, and it won't be a priority for every bride. But knowing what I know from working behind the scenes at weddings, I see tremendous value in it.
#6 I Would Enjoy My Wedding No Matter What Goes Wrong
This might actually be the most important thing on my entire list.
I would make the decision before the wedding that I am going to enjoy it.
Something will probably go wrong.
Maybe it's tiny. Maybe it's something you don't even know about because your wedding planner handles it before you notice.
But if I do notice something, I don't want it to steal the day from me.
I've seen how incredibly quickly a wedding day passes. You can spend a year or longer planning one day and then suddenly it's over.
I don't want to spend that day thinking about something that didn't happen exactly as planned.
If something goes wrong, I want to move past it.
I want to be present. I want to have fun. I want to look around the room and actually experience the people who are there.
You can spend so much time trying to create a perfect wedding that you forget the point is to actually live it.
How Would I Prioritize My Wedding Budget?
My list also gives you a pretty clear picture of how I would approach the wedding budget.
I wouldn't begin by asking, "How much should I spend on each category?"
I'd ask, "What matters most to us?"
Then I would research what those priorities realistically cost and decide how much of our overall wedding investment should go toward them.
For me, that would mean putting significant value on an experienced wedding planner, my wedding dress and beauty team, photography and videography, music, food and the overall guest experience.
Your list may be completely different.
Maybe florals are everything to you. Maybe you want an incredible venue and couldn't care less about elaborate décor. Maybe photography is your number one priority. Maybe food is what your family will remember most.
The goal isn't to adopt someone else's priorities.
It's to know yours.
Final Thoughts: My 6 Wedding Planning Priorities
If I were getting married today, these would be the six things at the top of my list:
1. Hire my wedding planner first.
2. Be selective about who I include in the decision-making process.
3. Prioritize my wedding dress.
4. Find the right hair and makeup team.
5. Invest in the wedding day experience, including music, food, photography, video and overall vibes.
6. Decide ahead of time that I'm going to enjoy my wedding no matter what happens.
Could this list change when I'm actually planning my wedding? Absolutely.
But right now, after years of working with brides and seeing weddings from behind the scenes, these are the things I know would matter most to me.
And that's really what I want you to take away from this.
Before you start planning everything, figure out what matters most to you. Your wedding doesn't need to prioritize the same things as someone else's wedding.
Wedding Dress Shopping Tips from Lovella Bridal Los Angeles
We hope this guide to the top wedding dress trends helps you feel inspired as you begin your bridal gown shopping journey. At Lovella Bridal, we share expert bridal styling advice to help brides feel confident and prepared every step of the way.
For more wedding dress inspiration and helpful tips, explore these related posts:
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About Lovella
If you're shopping for your perfect wedding dress, come visit us at Lovella Bridal in Glendale, CA. We carry wedding dresses in all sizes and styles, including plus-size bridal gowns and a full selection of veils and accessories. Lovella Bridal is the premier, luxury bridal wedding dress shopping boutique located in Los Angeles, California. Lovella features couture, feminine, modern and chic bridal gowns in all sizes from the best wedding dress designers. Schedule an appointment to find the wedding dress of your dreams at Lovella Bridal. We can't wait to help you!
Meet Lovella’s Wedding Fashion Expert in Los Angeles
Our wedding dress shopping tips and advice are from Nayri, Lovella's own, in-house wedding fashion expert. Nayri is truly the expert when it comes to bridal fashion and wedding style. As the Wedding Fashion Expert, Nayri is the top bridal fashion stylist and the best-selling author of the book "I'm Getting Married And I Have Nothing To Wear," the ultimate guide to helping brides find their wedding day style and their perfect wedding dress. You can subscribe to her YouTube channel or listen to her podcast for more helpful and practical advice on wedding dress shopping.
