Photo: Dan Krauss, Location: The Last Bookstore

Dear New Engaged Couples, 

Allow me to be the 500th person to congratulate you on your engagement – Welcome to Wedding World! You’re going to love it!

You are going to love planning your wedding. Eventually. 

First of all, at the end of all this, you’ll be married to the love of your life. That’s cool. Second of all, Wedding World is very, very pretty and very creative, so you’ll have a lot of neat stuff to look at for the next few months. Third of all, you are going to learn so much. Not just about weddings, but about yourself, your relationship with your partner, and more importantly, about what you do and do not want to do or experience. 

Here’s a hint: Just like in real life, you can more or less have whatever you want at your wedding, using whatever it is that you already have. Yes, I’m talking about money, but I’m also talking about personal skills and time. Time is very important in Wedding World – and you have plenty of it. Even if you don’t think you do, you do. And if you’re pretty sure you don’t, you can find someone to help you –  You can find me if you’re getting married in Southern California.

Ah, yes, money.

Things can get expensive in Wedding World. This can be daunting for those who can’t spend untold thousands of dollars on one day. Bottom Line: If you can’t afford it, don’t spend it. REFUSE to spend it and find alternatives that work. This is why God made Etsy. And Ebay.  And Instagram. And TikTok. And Pinterest, especially the tutorials.

As I said, you have many resources to find what you need. Plus, I LIVE for wedding planning questions, so don’t hesitate to email or call me.

Don’t give up. Giving up is stupid.

Will it be stressful?

Yes, at some point, you will want to run screaming away from everything. So, take a break and run away. Your wedding will still be there when you return. Step back and remember what’s at the end of the aisle: Married to the love of your life, surrounded by your favorite people, eating cake, dancing, all while wearing a great outfit. At one point on that day, you may find yourself doing all five simultaneously. When it’s over, you will say to yourself, “Wow, that went by really fast,” and it will. Enjoy it as much as you can, even if that means occasionally not dealing with it at all.

Did I mention all the Pretty and the Creative?

Yes? Good. Did I mention how much fun you’re going to have? You are going to have such a good time. You are going to try on gorgeous dresses and cool suits, and you’re going to have that Christmas Morning Moment when you see yourselves in the perfect one of each. You’ll taste really good cake (I did mention the cake, right?).

You are going to laugh with the love of your life, with your wedding party, and with your PHOTOGRAPHER even, over some inside joke or something hilariously freaking funny/stupid thing one of you did or said. You will laugh about these for the rest of your life.

On your wedding day, you will be surrounded by everyone you love and everyone who loves you.

Your favorite music will be playing, your favorite foods will be served, and I’m not exactly sure what else you’ll need to have a great time. It’s all there waiting for you.

And at the end of it all, you will have accomplished so much more than you ever thought possible. You are going to feel like a Superstar. And you’re right. You are.

If you couldn’t tell, I’m very excited for you. And I can’t wait to hear all about it.

See you at the end of the aisle,
Liz Coopersmith