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\ Full Service Planning: @ ashleynicoleaffair Venue/Bar/Catering/Dessert: @mattiesaustin Photography: @matthewmoorephotography Videography: @philipdangerfilms Florist: @remiandgold DJ/Band: @loveandhappinessband @moontowerentertainment Hair/MUA : @beauty_by_april_rk Kosher Catering: @gailscatering Rentals: Element Staging Photo Booth: @pixsterphotobooth Getaway Vehicle: @austin_pedicab

It’s no secret that planning a wedding can be a monumental task. One would think that hiring a professional to plan your big day would be a no-brainer, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes DIY sounds like a fun project to take on and spending as little money as possible is the name of the game! Friends or family members may sound like a great, cost-effective option; I mean they're offering, so hypothetically why wouldn't you take all of the help that you can get? In the wedding industry - you get what you pay for. Let us explain why having a zero dollar cost planner could have a more negative effect on your big day than you anticipated. FRIENDS AND FAMILY DESERVE TO CELEBRATE. Whether its running the timeline, shopping for caterers , or setting up the tables/chairs/decor, your family and friends should be able to relax and enjoy the day alongside you. When you have that family or friend take on the role of a professional, you are removing them from the celebratory aspect of your wedding and giving them a task that you rely on and is crucial to the operation of your wedding. Carrying the weight of planning ahead of time AND executing an event can be taxing, and holding a relative responsible can be stressful for both parties. Let them enjoy the day, pay the actual money to the someone who you don't feel bad disagreeing with on colors! ATTENDING A WEDDING AS A GUEST DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE QUALIFIED TO PLAN ONE. There is an art to wedding planning. For someone to actually just show up on the day of to execute your plan without being involved in any of your meetings, emails, or phone calls is an unrealistic expectation. Not only do you have to calculate timelines, directions from multiple vendors, but you have to be discreet about things when guests are present. Behind every successful wedding is a planner fixing a button, lining up bridesmaids for a picture, putting out potential fires, all while keeping an eye on a sentimental mother in law that’s taken comfort in the bottomless mimosa bar. The end goal is to create a seamless flow from the second the guests arrive to the ceremony through the grand exit. It may be a little naive to assume that your friend or family member won’t get caught up in the social aspect. A wedding is a place to catch up, celebrate and mingle! Remember that the wedding planning cousin, aunt or friend may not have the ability to separate their personal life from their new business role of the night - and rightfully so, they shouldn't have to get off the dance floor to cut your cake! Photography by Wolfheart Weddings WEDDING PLANNERS ARE THE WEDDING PARTY GUIDES. Shepherding a wedding party is no easy task. Getting 10-30 people to be in the same place, at the same time, and walk the same walk and talk the same talk is no easy task. Getting that group of people together promptly can be much like herding cats, but now imagine those cats are also all inebriated. Fortunately for you, wedding planners excel at this and they do it twice; at your rehearsal and on your wedding day. You’ll be relieved to see that your party is not only in the right place, but they are also on time. They've got their coaching voice on and will successfully send those inebriated cats to the altar for a complete ceremony victory. NO STRAINED RELATIONSHIPS. The favorite quote we get to use is, "Tell me what you like or don't like, WE get to be the bad guy!" When hiring a family or friend, the relationship almost always gets strained in one way or another. Imagine having a completely different opinion on something than your loved one and having to defend your case or tell them to stop convincing you all of the bridesmaids need pink dresses and flowers. Hiring a professional alleviates this possibility, and you’ll likely end up building a pretty great relationship with your planner! Having someone close to you plan your wedding for free or cheaper than usual leaves someone feeling like they got the short end of the stick. It stops them from celebrating and you likely have to sell them on the decision that has always been up to you and only you. A WEDDING PLANNER IS TRAINED TO HANDLE EVERY TYPE OF EMERGENCY. Imagine this - you're surprising your guests with a firework show, during your first dance outside. You wake up on your wedding day and the forecast says there will be a tornado.. Yes, a tornado, in Texas, where there has never been a tornado your entire life and it's going to hit right at the time your first dance is scheduled. We ask you to imagine this because it happened to us. ​How would a friend or family member who was executing your timeline handle it? What did we do? We stopped the buffet service when only 125 out of the 250 guests had gone through the buffet. We made the DJ, photographer, and videographers stop eating. We told the bride and groom things are going to move quick, to trust us, but we don't have a second to spare. We had the DJ convince the guests that they needed to leave their hot plate of food to go outside immediately to watch the first dance and hour earlier than anticipated. We had to find every single person who was giving a toast, that we had already prepped to toast, that they are now operating on a delay. Within minutes, we got 250 people out of the reception hall, surprised them with a firework show as the couple danced for the first time. After the fireworks show, we got everyone back inside the reception hall only for sideways rain and hail to start within a matter of minutes. But, on a lesser level of tragedy imagine running out of hairspray, breaking a zipper, losing your bridesmaid, or your bustle breaking. We have seen and conquered it ALL. Your needs will be met before you even have to ask because we have been there. Mistakes are made, and disasters happen, but having a professional in place that is at the center of every aspect of your wedding helps ease any stressful situation that may occur. DO(N'T) IT YOURSELF! Sticker shock is a REAL thing and when you don't have a professional to help you with your budget and expectations, they may convince you that fake flowers are cheaper than real flowers. They may convince you that they can make that $800 wedding cake with $50 worth of supplies. In the times of a pandemic, do it yourself catering, cakes, and bartending is a huge no-no. There are so many rules and restrictions that change by the minute and only a licensed professional can stay up to date on each task. You can certainly take on a DIY role during your wedding when it comes to things like making your own signage, perhaps even bridesmaids bouquets, but when it comes to anything bigger than that task - you need the professional and their expertise. Transporting a 40 pound cake for 100 people may sound easy, but it's not. It's also not easy to put together 20 tables, 200 chairs and put linens, decorations, and florals on those within a venue's one hour before the ceremony time limit. There are plenty of reasons you could come up with to convince your fiancé to hire your bossy best friend or type-A cousin, but it is better to decline that offer now more than ever. You politely decline by telling them that you don't want this to have a negative effect on your relationship or that somebody is gifting you the stress-free experience a planner can promise. Save the headache, the arguments, and stick to the pro's - you won't ever find a person who says they regretted hiring a planner. If you have any questions about planning your big day, shoot us an email at hello@ashleynicoleaffair.com. We’re always happy to help and putting out unexpected fires is what we specialize in!

There are many wedding traditions we are sure you’ve heard of. Something old, new , borrowed and blue are just a few, and we are here to break them down for you as well as discuss if these traditions are for you! WHITE WEDDING DRESSES Having a white wedding dress is perhaps the biggest wedding tradition of all, but is it for you? According to brides.com , the white wedding dress tradition started in 1840 with Queen Victoria when she married Prince Albert. It had previously been tradition to be as “showy” as possible to show off your wealth, but she chose a more modest approach to show she was a bride to her husband who she loved dearly, rather than a Queen to the lesser status fellow she was marrying. But do you need to wear a white wedding dress? Absolutely not! There are SO many styles and options these day. Definitely pick something that represents YOU! SOMETHING OLD, NEW, BORROWED & BLUE According to theknot.com , this tradition came from an Old English rhyme. Something new was meant to offer optimism for the future. Something old was a sure way to ward off the evil eye and protect any future children the couple may have. Something borrowed was supposed to bring the couple good luck. Something blue stood for love, purity and fidelity—what the Old English considered were three key qualities for a solid marriage. But do you need to incorporate these items into your wedding day? If you want to, sure! But definitely do not stress about it! You can keep it super simple like counting your dress as the something new, or wearing a family member’s earrings for something old or borrowed, etc. SAVING THE TOP TIER OF YOUR WEDDING CAKE Multi-tiered wedding cakes have been the norm since the 19 th century according to food journal Gastronomica. In summary, when Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth II) married Prince Philip in 1947, each tier of her cake had a different purpose: one for the wedding, one sent off as a gift, and one preserved for a future occasion. Some people saved the cake to celebrate their first child’s christening, which everyone believed would be during the first year of marriage. Now the top tier is saved to enjoy in celebration of a couple’s 1 year wedding anniversary. Saving the top tier of your wedding cake is definitely not necessary these days. Some couples don’t have cake, and if they do, a lot of bakeries offer a free slice/cupcake of their flavor of wedding cake on their 1 year anniversary. If you have a cake a choose to save your top tier, it is imperative that you do it correctly! Head over to this article by bridebox.com for step by step instructions! NOT SEEING EACH OTHER BEFORE THE CEREMONY According to brides.com , this tradition dates back to when arranged marriages were the norm. Weddings used to be more of a business deal, and it was normal for the couple to not see each other before the ceremony (the veil-over-the-face thing comes into play here too) so if the groom didn’t find his assigned bride attractive it would be too late for him to back out, which would cause shame to the bride’s family. WHOA. Thankfully that is not the case anymore! These days first looks are pretty popular. Having a first look can help calm your nerves and help you to get most of your photos out of the way before your ceremony leaving more time to celebrate afterwards. Waiting to see each other until the ceremony can also be extra special and add to the excitement of your special day. Whatever you choose, there is no wrong way! Whether you choose to incorporate some of these traditions into your own wedding or not, your wedding day will be special and unforgettable! Photography: @honeygemcreative | @alexandrawhitephoto | @creatrixphotography | @nathalynorman_ | @britnideanphotography | @madisonkatlinphotography | @moodyography

**Attention Dog Lovers!!** We’ve compiled some of the simplest ways you can incorporate your furry friend into your wedding day! But before you let the dogs out, first take a look at your pet’s personality and your venue and their pet policies. If your venue allows you to bring your dog with you on the wedding day, notify your vendors so they can assist in planning ahead and ensuring a pet-friendly environment for your pal. You may also want to assign one specific friend or family member to be responsible for them (making sure they are fed, well hydrated, get bathroom breaks and have a place to take a little siesta). You may also consider hiring a dog-sitter to come pick up your pet, if you don’t plan on having them at the wedding all day and night. If you decide against having them at your wedding day, they won’t be forgotten, and there are several ways to still show their lovable face and personality and it might be a little less stressful for you! FIRST LOOK The first look can be one of the most anticipated moments of your life, but when you’ve got your fur baby by your side, it could help calm those nervous feelings you may have. Don’t forget to accessorize with a bow tie or flower leash. We can almost hear Moose saying “my parents are getting married!” TAKE THEM ON A WALK DOWN THE AISLE Grab the leash and take them down one of the most important walks of your life…the walk into your forever! Whether they serve as your best friend, or your flower girl/ring bearer, including these pals into your ceremony. It’s almost a guarantee that all of your guests will love it, and it will make you smile for the camera! INCLUDE THEM IN FAMILY PICTURES What’s a family picture without the entire family?! 4-legged family members included & always welcome! MAKE THEM A PART OF THE RECEPTION Step back straws! These custom doggie drink stirrers were one of the cutest things we’ve seen this year and it is one easy way to include your best friend into your big day! You also add on some personalized napkins or koozies or cups - let’s get this PAWty started! NAME A COCKTAIL AFTER THEM It’s a simple, yet unique way to name a signature cocktail and include the pup into the party! Whether you get super creative with a spin on their name and drink ingredients or just add in their sweet face on a bar menu, your guests will want to take a sip of whatever they are drinking! LET THEM EAT CAKE Actually, don’t let them eat the cake! But instead, customize a dog figurine and showcase your best friend on the wedding cake or the grooms cake. You can even ask the bakery to cut out a little piece of cake or put a little frosting on their nose to look like they’ve enjoyed it! Photography: @theteaguesphoto | @madisonkatlinphotography | @sarahkjphoto | @sarahtribettphoto| @britnideanphotography | @moodyography

Full Service Planning: @ashleynicoleaffair Venue: @thevineyardsatchappellodge Photography: @barefoottim Florist: @fleuraffairco | @threemoonempress DJ/Band: @thepremieraustindjs Catering: @sterlingeventsaustin Dessert: @raynedesserts Hair/MUA: @lolabeautyatx Rentals: @premiereeventstx Photo Booth/Draping/Lighting: @altared_weddings

Full Service Planning/Design: @ashleynicoleaffair  Venue: @villa_antonia Photography: @jessicaschumakerphoto Videography: @purelyfilms Florist: @fleuraffairco | @threemoonempress DJ/Band: @exodussoundco Catering: @sterlingeventsaustin Espresso Cart: @lunaespressocart Cake: @michellespatisserie Hair/MUA: @katyreddellbeauty Rentals: @premiereeventstx Bartending: @specs1962 Glam Booth: @ashleynicoleaffair

The Rehearsal Dinner / Welcome Party - Friday, The Videre Estate The Wedding Day - Saturday, The Videre Estate Elite Planning/Design: @ashleynicoleaffair Venue: @thevidereestate Photography: @barefoottim Videography: @matthewreidfilms Florist: @florafetish Band: @moontowerentertainment | @loveandhappinessband Catering: @vestalscatering Desserts: @lapatisserieatx | @_rollinginthymeanddough Hair/MUA: @luxbeautyandbridal Rentals: @premiereeventstx Officiant: @forevervowstexas Alpacas: @texaspartyanimals Cold Sparks: @bigdogpyro Stationery: @greengirlatx Sketch Artist: @voguevignetteofficial Photo Booth: @ashleynicoleaffair

Full Service Planning: @ashleynicoleaffair Venue: @elreycourt Photography: @mollymorganphotography Florist: @artichokes.and.pomegranates DJ: @djmikegaets Catering: @posaselmerendero Cake/Desserts: @clafoutis505 Hair/MUA: @bettyrosebyalanna Rentals: @copartyrentals

Planning + Signage: Ashley Nicole Affair Photography: Briana Nicole Photo Venue: El Rey Court Florist: Bagels Florals Catering & Cake: Mila's Mesa Hair/MUA: Make It Jacque Rentals: Colorado Party Rentals

Planning/Design: @ashleynicoleaffair Venue: @villa_antonia Photography: @lightasgold Videography: @huckleberrystudios Florist: @reveriefloristry DJ/Band: @thepremieraustindjs Catering: @peachedtortilla Dessert: @mochinut_austin  Cake: @uncletetsu_us Boba Bar: @happylemontx Hair/MUA: @thestylistabroad Rentals: @monarcheventatx Officiant: @officiallyoaks Photo Booth: @homesteadphotoboothco Performances: @tddtaustin Transportation: @flyridesatx