Nick and Aleah of Valley & Co offer up their best wedding tips for you. In our time working with Nick and Aleah, we have been impressed with their passion for weddings and their creativity. These two know how to pull together a showstopping event. Plus, I bet you didn’t know that Nick also enjoys riding bikes with Aleah at the beach in a suit!
About the experts: We are the husband + wife wedding and event planning and design team™ since 2003 and consider ourselves very fortunate to not only do what we love, but to have worked with hundreds of really amazing coupes over the years. We love to travel, entertain, and relax on any beach together!
FIVE TIPS EVERY BRIDE SHOULD KNOW:
1. Take in each moment on your wedding day; it goes by in a flash!
2. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Prioritize what’s most important to you and your fiance on your big day and delegate planning tasks to each other based on your priorities.
3. Invest in a really great photographer!
4. Be flexible when planning out the timing of the wedding day. Give yourselves a lot of padding and know that it will become fluid. Let events happen in a comfortable way.
5. When talking to your reception venue, understand the terms of their minimums and what exactly this entails. Be sure you get an estimate including tax, gratuity, and any rental fees. If you don’t have a seasoned planning team who is looking our for you, be sure to ask for detailed fringe stipulations from outside vendor fees, strike fees, electrical outlet charges, and possible penalties, to what is included in the venue’s services like china, candles or any other items.
Still have a question? Nick and Aleah will be answering your questions all day. Leave a comment and check-in later for your personalized advice from our expert. You can also see more of Nick and Aleah’s advice, tips and inspiration on the Valley & Co. Blog.
Photo above by Shannon Lee Images
Love the advice! Here’s my question: I have divorced parents, mom, dad, step dad, step grandparents, etc. What is the best way to have everyone be involved in something without there being too many hands in the cookie jar?
Hi Jenny!
This is such a great question and it’s certainly not an uncommon one! Think about what might be important to each set of parents and grandparents and ask them to participate in that activity.
Does your mom have an amazing eye for decor and floral design? If so, let that be your project together. If she and your step-dad really enjoy food, invite them along to your catering tastings and take in their input.
Ask dad if he has some fun ideas for tying in music or any traditions he’d like you to incorporate. He can also offer up some ideas for tying in your family roots and heritage.
Each set of grandparents would surely love and appreciate being included in any way. You can also ask them to each contribute something special they hold dear. We’ve had couples dish out Grandma’s famous chocolate chip cookies as favors {some with recipes, some don’t want to give that up!}. If your Grandpa has something he can lend to your groom-to-be, that’s a sentimental element that both can enjoy. Think a pocket watch or handkerchief.
It really is important to involve your family in your big day, regardless if it’s a large or small task. They’ll all appreciate you wanting to include them. So hone in on what each are known for, could contribute, or have expressed interest in. By doing this you’ll certainly have a great time with them all in a unique way and you’ll put that personalized stamp on your celebration. Cheers! Aleah + Nick
Great site. A lot of useful information here. I’m sending it to some friends!
Thanks for the post, keep posting stuff
Great work keep it coming, best blog on earth