Episode 37 "From Consultant to Bride- Kassidy’s Journey Down the Aisle"

Description

🎙In this heartfelt episode of Every Body is a Bridal Body, Natasha sits down with Kassidy—Versailles Atelier’s beloved store manager and now a newly married bride! From helping hundreds of brides find their dream gowns to choosing her own, Kassidy shares how her experience in the bridal industry shaped her wedding journey. They dive into the emotional side of saying “yes” as both a consultant and a bride, the behind-the-scenes moments that made her big day unforgettable, and the real advice she wants every newly engaged bride to hear. If you're starting your bridal journey and want insight from someone who's been there and helps brides every day, this episode is for you.

🎧 What You'll Learn:
How working in bridal shaped Kassidy’s own wedding dress experience

• The unexpected emotional moments she didn’t see coming—even with years of industry experience
• Her biggest takeaways now that she’s seen both sides: consultant and bride
• What Kassidy would tell every newly engaged bride before their appointment
• Tips for navigating dress shopping with confidence, joy, and realistic expectations

💍 Ready to start your own bridal journey?
Visit va-bridal.com to book your appointment and meet our team of real brides, real experts, and real magic

📱Follow us on Instagram: @va_bridal
Get inspired by gowns, behind-the-scenes stories, and our amazing community of brides.

Have questions or episode ideas? Email us at everybodypod@va-bridal.com

Episode 37 "From Consultant to Bride- Kassidy’s Journey Down the Aisle"

This automatic transcript is brought to you by  AI technology.

Okay, guys. Take two. We were just recording an intro and she did and hit record. All right, let's try this again, Cassidy, are you ready to have this episode surrounding you about being a consultant to a brad.

Bomb bomb bo bomb bomb bomb pop bomb Good job, do my best. We nailed that. I'm sorry, guys if I sometimes when I'm talking about myself, I get confused. I'll be caught off guard.

But be patient. But yes, I got married in October, she did. It's wild, yeah, especially since you've been engaged. Should we determine it was two years ago Sat Patty's Day? Mm hmmm it was twenty twenty three, and then we designed my ceremony dress in twenty twenty two.

Yes, and you got your ring designed in twenty twenty two. Mm hmmm. It was like, I think it was around like Black Friday. No, we did it on Black.

Friday, went out Black Friday. Yeah, So it's crazy. It is crazy because I felt like that was such a long time coming, right, and then it. Just like showed up.

Yeah, because yeah, and you know it's really cute. Is she made sure well one that she already loved the month of October. So it worked out. Yeah, But two she was like, it can't be before a certain date because we need to make sure Sean's home because he was on deployment.

So and he made it in time, so we're really excited about that. Yes, Sean and Natasha were my efficiants, sure were. I had a Celtic ritual and then my traditional ritual. Yes, which Cassidy decided to say, hey, you want to do a Celtic handtying not ritual thing for me? And I was like, girl, I don't even know what the hell that is, but sure.

I mean I had to go with somebody who's got a little bit of Raikia in them. Yeah, it's true, but still I was just like, uh, this is crazy. What worked about? We did? And it did work out fortunately, between a book she got me and the internet and videotos all the things. We figured it out.

And the good thing was because the thing I'm always worried about when it's not just a like it's a spiritual thing that you do for yourself, but like it's rooted in history. You're like, am I going to ruin this? Mmm? I thought you were gonna say, like, are you gonna upset those that are around the culture. What but I mean that too, but like, yeah, just making sure that I'm doing it appropriately to not offend anybody and not look stupid. Yeah, which I don't even know if we've mentioned it was a hand fastening hand fastening, not that she had done, which is a Celtic pagan ritual.

Yeah, which I love. And it was super cool and I wish that was something. I would have known about. Yeah, because back when I got married, I feel like.

Everyone did a lot of the like sand. Yeah thing, or like the candles, the unity cannibal like what was with the sand? I don't know, I don't understand it. And then it just reminds me of like those people that collect the sand of their vacations and. They collect the sand of their enemies bodies.

That's where whoa Okay the truth have thought there? Hello, I love that too. So I have some little guidelines slash questions to kind of ask you your perspective. Okay, you started as a bridal consultant HM, and you've done it for years prior to getting engaged planning a wedding yep, so your influence is very different from the everyday bride yes, who knows absolutely nothing. Yeah, you unfortunately know too much.

And I think that was your downfall. Absolutely, My expectations and the stress level I had put on myself was way too much. She was a nightmare sometimes, guys. Oh, I'm so sorry.

And the most body that helped me, I love you, guys, dearly. Shout out to everybody, thank you in. The most loving way possible. She was a nightmare.

But you know, I'm sure I wasn't a bridezilla. You were not a Bridezella. I was just the stress that I had put on myself was crazy. Yeah, and then sometimes you just couldn't.

Get through to you and you would hyper fixate and it was like, hey girl, go take your your second dose of your meds and like let's let's off yet minute. Will be okay, Yeah, okay. So how does it now feel to be on this side of the bridal world? And was it everything you expected? I feel like leading up to the day, I was so scared. Yeah, but the day of it was more than what I expected.

Shout out to my mother, Oh, your. Mom, you guys, the shit this woman pulled out of her ass and made mm hmm. Cassa's wedding was stunning, and the fact that it was like not real flowers. Yeah, and it was you know, homemade quote unquote, Yep.

My mom is a di queen, a wedding planner, master, a flower extraordinary. Your mom was actually a mom that like when we get right to tell us my mom's die, wied a bunch of weddings and she does great, You're just like, sure, honey, yeah, whatever makes you feel better. Your mom legit. Do I white a wedding and it looked fucking great.

Yeah, it's wild. She has once put a wedding together in two weeks. Yeah. I don't know how the hell she did that.

It's insane. So this leads nicely into my next question. Okay, did you always have a clear vision of what your wedding day would be or did it evolve over time? It evolved. Everybody evolves.

I feel like, yeah, because like if you look at back when I started with my Pinterest boards and everything, it did not match what I had. Are you talking about like back in twenty twelve starting? Yeah, oh okay, but no one's okay except for people who got married in twenty twelve. High. I was engaged in twenty twelve, Did I have a Pinterest board.

I don't know. That's a good question, Boom, we should look. I mean, I still have all of my boards in my profile, but I don't know if I had anything specific to my wedding. Yeah, I'll have to say that would be weird to see what I saved.

But I mean, even leading up to before working in the industry, I felt like, I don't even know if I had a direct vision back then. But everything I saved is vastly different to what I ended up going with. Yeah, and that's fair, but I think again, you just used it as like an inspiration of compiling a bunch of things that you were interested in, and then it was kind of like, okay, let's take a step back after it kind of just threw everything. At the wall.

Yep, what actually is going to work together? But I feel like when you guys started shopping, like going out to find little things, like you stuck with your color palette. Which what was your color palette? It was black, white, and greens, yes, and I feel grays and silver, So. Yeah, there were some grays and silvers down in there. But I feel like you really stuck to that.

So as you guys looked for items to use. The colors were pre chosen, which I think. Helped absolutely because then you kind of know, like as you're looking, because we get a lot of brides and I felt like my colors when we design my dress, I think my colors were set. Yeah, you've had your color set for a long time.

Yeah, And we've had a lot of brides lately that will come in and say like, oh, I don't have colors picked yet. I've got a bunch that I'm thinking, or my color palette will depend on the dress I pick, and that could be just very stressful, yeah, and not help. I was gonna say I had my colors chosen. Yeah, but I mean Sean and I had have the same favorite color.

It's purple. Oh I didn't know Sean's color was Yeah. His favorite colors purple, also love, So we both loved purple. And then hey, if you come in my store, are you gonna learn that my other favorite color is gold.

I don't know if you've looked at our shop. I'm sitting here in the office and like everything's a fucking. Gold details, gold calendar, gold table, gold lamp, and there's lots of gold that so choosing colors was easy for us. It was just those two.

And then we just ran with it. Mm hm. And that was it. Like yeah, but I mean, I guess it didn't influence my dress because I saw my dress the first day of work hanging on a hanger in a plastic bag, and I was like, dang, if I really liked that, if he asked me to marry him, I'd probably wear that.

Yeah. And then I tried it on and I was like, oh shit, I really like this, okay, And then I don't know, like five and a half months later, I knew a proposal was coming, and I said, you know, I'm just gonna buy the damn dress. I love it. And that was my whole last process.

I love it. I mean mine was through an Instagram photo. Well, and that's how this lad was. How did working in bridle shape or influence the vision you had for your gown an overall wedding style.

It it helped a lot. We get a lot of brides that don't know what they want and everything, and I'm grateful to have the access to a bunch of gowns to try on to know what style I wanted, what neckline, what shape, which was really nice, and I knew kind of generally what I was going for, and so when I saw the photo of the like the bass dress fabric, I told Natasha. I was like, you have to bring this in. Like guys, like literally, if she could have like twisted my arm behind my back and held it in that position until I said yes, she would.

Just call up the designer and buy it with your card. Been like, yes, this is Natasha. I mean a lot of people think we sound the same on the phone. It's true.

People can't tell us apart on the phone. Yea. Sometimes she'll give me a look of like, how the hell do I answer this question? And I just come in yeah, and they have no idea. They have no idea.

And then I was like, thanks for answering my questions, Cassidy, And I'm like, oh my god, you're so welcome. But it was fun designing the dress I even had for my main appointment. I mean, we kind of knew what I was going for, so I gave because my sister didn't really have the wedding experience that a normal person does. Yeah, she definitely did it, and so I wanted my family to have that experience.

Because I'm the last girl in the family, and so I tried on a bunch of dresses that I loved leading up to the main design. And what was so fun was the husband of the designer duo was in town for my appointment, which not many people get to say. Yeah, it was fun so and that man's just like, oh, yeah, it's never no. And I was like, I know, it's never no, but like, give us your expertise, I'm sure.

Okay. So what were the easy decisions you made and what were the hardest. My dress, okay, was the easiest. Yes, which a lot of people, I feel like, overthink the dress or make it so complicated that I'm like, how is this so hard? Yes, but you have a confidence in the things you like and you don't second guess when you like something.

If you like it, you allow yourself to like it and not overthink. Yeah, other areas you overthink. But absolutely no, the dress was the easiest part, hands down. My color palette was the easiest.

I knew what I wanted and loved. Riley's outfit was the easiest. And he looks so good. Oh my gosh, mom, man looks so good.

But what the hardest was was finding the venue. Yeah, that was a wild rollercoaster. Oh my gosh. The venues in Utah are very interesting.

With us being like one of the biggest wedding capitals, you would think it would be different. Well, I think a lot of venues bank on the fact that we have a high volume of weddings. Yeah, and they can just. Charge whatever astronomical which you know, I don't look at their books.

I don't know what it is. You just hear a number and your insides kind of like shrivel up. Absolutely, and then I take a step back and I'm like, Okay, as a business owner, I'm going to like just catalog all the things in my head and then I run the numbers and I'm like, honestly, it makes sense. It just sucks because it is a high number and most people don't realize probably how they got there, right.

But if you only have so much of a budget and you're hitting that wallet every turn. Yeah, And that was really hard. Was I don't have a lot of money. I'm not rich, my family's not rich, and so having a champagne taste water budget was really hard.

That was really and finding the vendors because a lot of the venues that I liked that would fit my aesthetic were over ten thousand dollars and I'm like, holy crap. Or they would require food by them, which drove it up even more. And then finding like the other venues within Utah that would fit my aesthetic but aren't a barn or Oh my gosh. I was like, I can't the way your family was pushing you to do the draper day barn.

No, thank you. I fought that one for a while. You did like, I don't care if it's a discount. No.

Yeah, But the way I had found my venue, we got lucky. We did. It was crazy. We had never heard of this venue.

And we had a bride come in saying, oh, I'm getting married at Hidon Orchards and we were like, what is that. That must be California or something. Yeah, And we looked it up and it was in Utah, and I was like, I need to look into that love. And so my wedding was in an apple orchard.

Under duns and sparkly lights, and it was so cute and it was so warm during the day. Yeah, for when you got married in October and then night hit. Oh, it was great for me though, because I sweat so easily. Yes, yes, I was a frozen individual.

Most were. But I loved it. I know you did. It was a great place.

Yeah. Okay, so now we're going to go into the dress experience itself. Okay, so this section. The first question is you see brides trying on gowns every single day.

Did that make choosing your own dress harder or easier or did it influence. You at all? I don't. I don't think really seeing brides try things on really influenced me because I mean, I get to try on the dresses all the time, and it's more of just seeing things on my body and seeing how I feel confident and how I feel beautiful because everybody's body is shaped so differently that I was like, oh, well, she looks good in this, so maybe I should try that. But then it just doesn't work with me.

So it's like I wasn't really looking at brides thinking oh let me try this, let me try that. Yeah, I feel And the reason I asked this because I feel like I've had people be like, oh my gosh, you probably see every single dress and it's probably hard to make decisions. Yeah, But I feel like It's only that way if you are someone who is easily overwhelmed, easily influenced, which I am in certain situations. Yeah, it depends, It depends.

But when it comes to. My style in a sense of like a formal type wear, I have less worries. About a decision I make. Oh yeah, because I over time have learned these are my assets.

Yes, the way I'm shaped, my ass is my asset. So I'm gonna usually go for something fitted because I'm small busted, and if I wear something that's like a flowy a line like you can wear where I have no boobs, I feel like a child bride yeah, or like just a child in general, I don't feel womanly. Yeah, So it has. To be fitted, which I feel like We've told a lot of people that it's it's really interesting to see where you'll put on a fitted and you'll rocket and people can see that.

If I put on a fitted, I feel so weird, and then it's reversed. When I'm in an a line, You're like, how the hell are you killing that? And then you put it. On, You're like I can't and we just laugh. Yeah.

Like I'll come out in something that like cash just had on and she looked phenomenal in it, and I put it on and she'll just bust up laughing, and I'm like, no, this is not funny, it's not it. So, so yeah, I figured I already knew the answer to that question, just because I think where you know yourself, it's four four four, by the way, where you know yourself, you weren't going. To be influenced by how other people look. I know.

One thing I advocate if you're going to work in this industry is you need to one be okay if someone looks better than you. Yeah. There are people who can't handle that where they're just like and they can't handle if someone in their mind is prettier than them and complains about something about themselves. Yeah, that's a hard thing.

So I think a lot of the times people get this in misconception that you are going to worry how you're going to look in something because of how others looked right, When really it's like, but if that's the type of person you are, you shouldn't be working in this industry. No. You need to be able to lift up no matter how the bride looks. Yeah, and every single bride that locks on the stoor is beautiful.

Absolutely, It just depends on the way people are perceiving vibe and how maybe the industry's influenced it. But right, and that's why we have this podcast. One hundred percent and why we do all the things we do because we want you to feel good about yourself. Absolutely.

Okay, So next question, was there a specific moment when you just knew you found the one, which you know you're kind of already touched on that. But yeah, I can't even remember when it was. I can't remember if it was twenty one, twenty two, but Elizabeth Lee had posted a photo of their Madison gown and I instantly fell in love. Oh my gosh, you lost it.

And when it it took me a while to convince her to bring it in. But when I brought it in as the normal dress, I sold it like three times that year. You did, because it was the highest priced gown the way it was that we had in store at that time, and I was so worried. Where it's just like, God, we're trying to build up to this.

I hope, I hope that it's worth it, but like, literally the day this thing showed up, ups brought in the package. We signed for it. Yep, as I'm signing, I toiled that. He took the box and ran and she went to the back room where we had our steamer at the time.

She unboxed that girally hung her up, immediately steamed her, immediately stayed on and I think we went outside to film content of you while in the sunlight, because that. Was a little bit later, was it. It wasn't the same day. No, the photos that I have on my Instagram up in that first dress, that was that day.

But I think we took it out back like a couple weeks later. We did when it was a little warmer or something else. Yeah, But it's kind of funny how it works because there's a cute girl who does like water painting, watercolor painting for weddings, and I had talked to her at a little tiny expo at a venue and because I had mentioned that it was so interesting, she had glitter watercolor paints. Oh yeah, it was super cool when she saw me in that dress and when I posted it, She's like, I instantly have to draw you, and she drew me and so it was like it was meant to be.

It was really cute. Okay. So were there any gowns you loved on the hangar but didn't love on your body or vice versa. Oh, all the time, Yeah, but.

I mean you put things on for content all the time. Yeah, And there's a lot of times you'll put something on and if it's an immediate where you're just like, I can't even pretend to love this. Yeah, you don't even film yourself. No, there's some gowns where it's beautiful, but like I have sensitive skin, and so it's like if it's itchy, it's hard, and then there's somewhere I'm like, I just can't feel this today, and I can fake it for the most part.

You're really good at faking shit. Thank you. You're welcome, really good on it. So no wonder you can sell things on the internet.

People thought of Amsterdam for oh my gosh, you guys. There was this one dress, very boho and bishop's sleeve and very much not Cassidy. I had posted it and for some reason that video got the most comments of people telling me that. Is your dress.

It was insane and I was like, oh, it's not, but okay. People felt that way. I think about the Paris gown, the Tanya greg One as well with the sparkles. Because that video had gone crazy viral.

We had people around the country calling us for that day. It's true, and that was another one like it fits you so flawlessly that everyone was like, oh my god, was this made for you? And it's like, now I just happen to be perfectly proportioned. Thank you. All right, So last question about dress experience.

Okay, now that you've worn a gown down the aisle, what do you think bride should really prioritize when choosing their dress. Prioritize not only budget and what you're looking for, but look at the things you want to highlight on yourself. Yeah, don't look at other people and be like, oh my gosh, I want to look like this, because everybody's different. Yeah, honey, you don't look like that, and that's fine.

You don't need to. Let's show off you and who your significant other fell in love with. Oh you're so cute, Oh my god, the soul know what you love about yourself? Yeah, and let's highlight that. Don't focus on negatives.

Don't be like I want to look like this celebrity or I want to look like my friend or this person that I've found focus on you. Yeah, I like that. Okay, So advice from a consult and a newly win which is that's you. What's one piece of advice you now give differently to bride since becoming a bride yourself.

I would order what vendors and style and things you want to prioritize, being like, this is where, this is what matters to me most, so that's where most of the budget would go. So really map out what you want for sure and then go from there. And I think that's great advice because I feel like the top three things people usually want to spend money on and prioritize is venue, dress, and photographer slash videographer. Yeah, those are the three things because most people all hear photography videography is the most important because they want so many pictures, so many videos to remember the day absolutely.

Or you could also shout out hire Taylor from Badged and let her do all the bts for you see, have things immediately because it's so good to have. And then the venue. Most people will be in love with a certain venue and a certain aesthetic and they just have to have the venue with the catering and all the things absolutely out that space and or the final piece is the dress, which there's a lot of people who are still prioritizing elopements or super small backyard weddings, but they will not sacrifice the dress like I have to have the gown. Or there's some people who probably don't think it through and then they go and book the venue first and it ends up being very pricey, and so you come in with a lower budget for a dress, but you're wanting so much.

Yeah, and that's really hard really. Think about what you want and prioritize. Yeah, Because what I would say is whatever the priority is, So say the dress is the most important thing to you, I would make that appointment first. I would order the dress first, alutely a lot the money for it, because you can still go and tour a bunch of different venues, venues.

Know that you're going to tour multiple before you sign a dotted line on a contract. Yeah, it's not the same type of turnover or I guess turnaround. Excuse me that, like a bridal shop expects. Absolutely So I would say, if the dress is the most important thing, get that ordered first.

Know how much you've spent on it out of whatever your total budget is. And then after that, if the next priority for you is the photographer, then sign on the dotted line. And then if the last thing is the venue, sign on the dotted line. From that, and then whatever money you have left you can really prioritize and all the little things in if you want someone to paint, if you want flowers, if you want some type of bar service or yeah.

So but yeah, definitely prioritize. Absolutely, and then go from there absolutely. Okay, what do you wish more brides new before coming in for their appointment? Oh gosh, where did it begin? I need? Well, I'm like, I don't know. I mean, I wish a lot of brides would research the time it takes for making dresses.

Yeah, guys. It so as we're recording this, it's March and March and we have brides. Who are still submitting for May weddings. Yeah.

Do we know that is in eight weeks the time that you want a wedding to be or nine weeks? Yeah? You know what I mean? Girl? Yeah, So it's like right now, we're recording in March and dresses are coming in earliest July to August, and if you're wanting this extravagant gown, you're wanting custom I'm willing to spend this much money. No, like it also could be eight months, depending on what you want. Yeah, one hundred percent. Okay.

So what little bridal shops secrets or insider tips would you pass along to newly engaged brides. Oh face, just secret tips. I don't I mean, I don't know. Here's some ideas throw at you.

Okay, see if you agree. One, if you know that you've overspent money elsewhere and you don't have a lot and you're giving yourself time and reach out to stores and find out if and when they're doing a sample cell. Oh yeah, that works. That's a good thing.

Or you could also see if shops because we do this, but we offer payment plans. Yes, so if you have a specific address you want, but you need to space out the money because weddings cost a lot. See if they offer payment plans. Yep.

And we definitely do. Another secret And I don't know if it's necessarily a secret. I think it's more of a hot take. Okay.

You don't need to invite a lot of people to your appointment. You can actually just come by yourself and that's okay too. Yeah, I understand wanting support. But we're there for you.

We cheer you on. We get a lot of people who actually ask us. They're like your professionals, you see this every day, what's your opinion? Which I always love, but I also like makes my heart stop because I get scared. I'm like, girl, I just meant you I don't know, but like, yeah, based on the way you look, I can tell you I think this will look nice on you, but I don't know if the details are yours right.

Just like the case with the Amsterdam dress, that is not Kasa's personality. It just happened to look really good on her. But if anyone knew her for longer than the two seconds they're watching the video, they'd be like. They're like, oh, that's a cool dress, but not it.

Yeah, I will say in those little secrets we talk about not having too many people at an appointment. We did do yours like a private appointment, yes, so that you could have all the people you wanted there. Yeah, but I feel like one piece of advice we could give is you did a good job communicating to family absolutely about I need you to be on your best behavior, like, yeah, I won't tolerate it, Tosh and Sean definitely won't tolerate it, and Maddie and Maddie and Jared. Yep.

So, if you feel the need to have a big bridal party, inquire with stores near you, whether that's US or others within your area. If they offer private appointments where you can have more than maybe what the guest limit is for a normal appointment. But however money you are allowed to bring and or choose to bring, make sure you do have a conversation with them ahead of time if you do have any fears around their support. Yeah, and choose, Like it's okay to yeah, choose wisely.

But at the same time, if there's somebody who you know can be a negative opinion or very opinionated or just not the greatest, you can steal them, invite them. But if you need us to step in, let us know or try to find the time to have a conversation with them, being like, this is my expectation, and I hope that you can do that. Yeah, And obviously you setting an expectation doesn't have to come off in any sort of non or negative way. But it's you just voicing this is what I'm hoping.

Yeah, you can provide for me in this moment that's very significant in my life. It's a big moment. It is a huge moment. It's your big day.

You don't want it. You don't want to be called fat, you don't want to stress or fall in love with a dress, and then you walk out and they all hate it. Yeah that's the worst. Yeah.

Well that leads into this great next question. Okay, how can brides best prepare for their appointment emotionally and logistically? Emotionally pick those you love and trust around you, yes, and then logistically really map out your budget and what you're looking for and try to do the research on Okay, well this is what I like. Can I afford that? Yes? I think those are both really great points. Yeah, okay, here's some real talk moments.

Was there anything about your own planning process that totally surprised you, even as someone in the industry. I don't. I mean a lot of the planning it was more of like I knew what I want and it was hard to like get like prices back, being like I'm sorry, like I can't do that, Like I had one photographer I loved, but I couldn't afford her, so I had to change my planning and figure out what way, like, what else to do? And I don't know if I really foresaw a lot of hiccups, but they happened. Yeah, I would.

Yeah, I think that's fair. I don't think anything was. I think the only thing that was super surprising to me, Oh god, what we called the first venue you wanted? And they said the minimum is twenty five thousand and I was like. No, I was twenty seven oh twenty And that was with a discount.

That was with a discount. Yes, it was going to be I think it was like twenty nine thousand. Yeah, and I was just like, okay, what if we cut the guests in half, you can save like five thousand. And I was like, that makes no sense.

And guys, this was only for four hours. Yeah. It came with tables, linens, chairs, food, and beverage and that was it. Twenty seven thousand dollars.

Yeah, but the food options were basic. It wasn't anything elaborate. So and they have a very nice kitchen upstairs. They sure do.

I should be good some caviar, yeah, because we know you love that. I've never had it. I don't like fish eggs, but I hair it's different, But I don't know. Hair's really salty.

I like salt. I mean I do too, right, But it was funny because I was like, well, good luck booking of wedding and you watch their instagram. I think they've only had a wedding and it was recent and it was like one wedding and I'm like, I wonder why I eat? Yeah, it's wild. Okay, So did you ever have a moment of decision fatigue or stress that you didn't expect and then how did you work through it? All the time.

That one is like spot off for you? Yeah, I mean outside of wedding planning, I'm always like that. Yeah, I overthink things and get in my head and stress out. But thankfully it was everybody around me that helped kind of get through that. And I knew that with the timeline, like things have to get done whether I like it or not, and so it's like I really had to decide things.

Yeah, And I feel like you did a good job because you did have the right support around you, even if there was like headbutting and not in a negative way. But just like you're being stubborn, why can't we do this? And you're like that doesn't match what I'm asking for? Why can't you just yeah, why can't we just find something that matches better? Right? And then I think there were certain moments that there were too many options said to you that it was just and then it was a Okay, here's every option. Now I need you to immediately heart the picture of the one you want, and it's like WHOA. Yeah, no, definitely, And I think it just trying to like like I have a clear vision and just trying to explain it.

For some people it was kind of like a rough but once they finally got it, everything started to fall into place. But I think you used can but didn't you to make something. Just the color and pinterest? I know my fancy was really stressing about colors, and so I had to make a giant color pale for her And it was funny. It was funny, Well, what was something you thought mattered a lot? But in the end it did.

It was there anything that you like, were super like this has to be a certain way, and then it you ended up not caring at the end. I feel like I didn't really like over obsess No, you didn't thing, so I don't think so. Yeah, and everything in the end. Yeah, I was gonna say, you knew exactly your outfit, Riley's outfit, and those didn't change.

Yeah, the color Pilotte, like you said, you had that figured out and then you just based everything around it. Yeah. I think one thing that was very interesting, just because I work in the industry and I know that we've had people do it. It's a really common thing outside of this state.

But I required everybody to there was a dress code. I didn't care if it was formal or semi formal, but I had certain colors I wanted people to show up, which was black, greens, grays, and silvers. And from the older generation within my family, they didn't quite understand that. Oh yeah, they were really struggled dressing out.

But then the day of, everybody looked so good and I loved it. I was really glad to say that no one showed up in jeans to your wedding, because the amount of people that showed up to my wedding and jeans was more than one. Which is interesting. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, So okay, what's something small that turned out to be a big deal in the best way. Oh small but big, I would say, Oh dear, small but big but big? Is there anything I don't know? I mean, I was really a lot of the I stressed out a lot about the bartender just leading up and the drinks and all of that. But the day of when I had some of the drinks and I was stressing out beforehand, I actually loved it. Yeah.

Her parents found a McCormick. McCormick vodka and whiskey. Yeah, and so we did drinks around it and one was one was apple flavors yep. Because I was in an apple or child and they were like, how fun would that be? Oh? Yeah.

Her parents were so excited when they found this, and they bought a ton, and Cass was living guice. I was like, okay, you want me to pick a drink, but then you're I'm not asking me what drink I want. It was the whole thing, and I was like, what the hell? But then I was like, whatever, well, let's just roll with it. And then I ended up loving it.

Yeah. No, the drinks were really yummy. Yeah. Okay, So now we're into final reflections.

We have four final questions. And then we'll be wrapping up. What would you say to yourself if you could go back to your engagement day? Is there, like any advice you'd give yourself or do you feel like. My engagement day? Uh huh? Now I love my engagement day.

Well, not about your engagment day, but like after you got engaged, Like would you go back in time and say, hey, I know what happens in the future, be sure to do this, or don't worry about. This, or maybe that, don't worry about this and just take a breath, like it'll be okay. Yeah, but yeah, yeah, Now your engagement day was my favorite. Oh my gosh, happy to say Patrick's day.

Will you marry me? And the outfit? I'm like, nobody has an engagement like mine, and I love it. No, yours is very unique. Okay, So now that you're married, what does bridle mean to you? Be on the dress? It just I don't I feel like everybody's got a different definition. Yeah, but bridal, I just feel like it's a big day of just you found your person and you get to celebrate that.

I love that. That's cute. Yeah. Hey, I mean I've been married almost twelve years and My husband still calls me his beautiful.

Bride everything to day. I hear it. So if I want to wear something that says bride on it, I damn well, yeah, We'll do that absolutely, even though I'm not a bride. It's okay, we were bridle true.

But I remember telling my dad as we were about to walk down the aisle and when I came out, I was tearing up and choking up, and I flat out told them, I can't believe this is my wedding. I never thought it. I like, I never thought I would be getting married just because of like everything I've been through with relationships. It was weird that my day was there.

It's a very surreal moment. Yeah, have your wedding day there, and it's something you've hyped up for so long. Yeah, and no matter how long your engagement process is or the pre planning to the engagement and it shows up and you're just like what the Yeah? And it was really just like, I know, I didn't cry like my appointment day because I was like, oh, I know my dress, that's fine. Yeah, But I think it was when my dress showed up, Oh my god.

I was on FaceTime with my mom and I was in my actual dress. That that is when I broke down. Oh my god, we were sobbing. Oh my god, ugly cried.

The ugly cried like the ugliest of Christ. Yeah. Yeah, it was weird. Okay, So what's your favorite memory from the big day? Oh? I think my favorite it's it's a weird, it's a little memory, but it's this means so much to me is my niece and nephew.

Just seeing how they were that day. They are my favorite. Oh my god. They were both so cute.

Oh my god. I love your niece loved her sparkly dress that look like the night sky. Oh yeah, and she asked if she could keep her little flower basket, so absolutely. And then your nephew was just his own personality the whole night.

His personality that day. I was like, you do you? You are living your best life right now. He was so damn cute. Oh my gosh.

I love both of them. But they were my favorite part of my wedding. I can see that. Yeah.

All right, here's your final question. Okay, So finally, what's one message you want every bride to hear, whether they're just starting or already deep into planning one thing. I mean, it's just prioritizing in research. Yeah, absolutely, like you never when you work in the industry, that's when we know.

But when you don't, I think you get caught off garden planks. It's true because budget talking is the same as money talking, and it's one of the biggest stressers for anybody, for anybody in this. World with the economics and inflations, and it's hard. It is hard.

But I like that that sound advice. So prioritize and research and research and give yourself time. Oh you sound like such an adult. My god, you're an old married lady.

Now, Oh gosh, how does it feel? It feels great? Does it? I love it? Just wait one day, you're gonna be like, wow, I've been married for twelve years, like me with kids. I think, honestly, that's the weirdest thing for me. Oh my gosh. There's a lot of days, you know, when you have that out of body experience.

I don't know if you've ever experienced this, but I'll have these out of body moments where sometimes I'm just like I'm in a body and I'm like living a life, and like it just it feels like alien oh kind vibe. It was my wedding day. Yeah, it was the first time that I was like, this doesn't feel like is this real? But have you have you ever thought that we're like almost like you have this weird internal, like conscious thought of like I'm in a physical body and I'm like just doing daily things. Mind blowing.

But then you wake up and you got your kids screaming at you, and they're screaming at each other, and your oldest is calling everyone a goddamn girly pop and slay queen, slay queen. There was something else la girly pop? Yeah mmmm twelve year old or eleven year old? Eleven? Yeah, But then I look at them and I'm like, how did I get here? Yeah? Yeah, there's so many moments like that. Well, and life immediately starts after your wedding day. Well, just in case people want to know, but like, but the differences with us we lived with our person prior to the wedding absolutely so that I think made the transition different.

Yeah, because Regley and I had had our house for almost a year, and so when everybody's like, oh, how's married life, I'm like, well, I've already been doing it for a year. It's just a new name. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, So I think I can imagine that being a shock for someone who doesn't live with their person.

Yeah, and then they're married and all of a sudden you're actually with them twenty four to seven and you haven't had, yeah, the awkward period of getting used to. That, and then you're just married. Maybe you find out some behavioral things they do and you're like, oh my gosh, I probably should have lived with them beforehand and figured that out. Yes, So if you need aunties to tell you it's okay to live with someone before marriage, just ask us.

Absolutely will bless that union, yes, because it's good. It's good to do. Oh, it was so nice. So and I think that makes married life less scary.

Yeah. Yeah, at least it was for me because we had already bought a house. Yep, we had already been living together. We knew exactly where we wanted our life to go.

So the wedding was just a bonus and a lot of fun and then a name change. Yeah, and then you're just doing the. Thing every damn day, absolutely still doing it every damn day. Oh yeah, it's not gonna change.

Not gonna change. It's nice. It is nice. I mean the one thing I regret, well, I don't regret, we just couldn't do was honeymoon.

But I know one day I keep telling Riley, I was like, we didn't get a honeymoon. So in the future, we're going to take a nice trip just. Us as you should start thinking about that. Yeah, start scouring the internet.

That's what you get when your house poor. Which is most of the United States, so. Yeah, which did also didn't help with the wedding. But I would pick a house over some things.

Oh a thousand percent. Yeah, a house one hundred percent over all of those little things. Oh yeah, yeah, just don't even have the wedding if you don't want guys, like buy a house and then have a party in your backyard and wear a pretty dress from us. Yes, and then we'll show up and make your day amazing.

Or shout out to the bride that we had that wanted a really nice dress for her Ireland vow renewal. Oh that was so good. Loved it. It was so fun.

We meet some really cool people. We do. Yeah, and I love it. Hey, guess this was a normal episode.

Link It's forty four minutes look at us. Oh we're bad. So all right? Any final thoughts before I and this, I don't think so. So I hope this was helpful for current brides future brides to kind of hear from someone who works in the industry.

Yeah, but if you have any other questions, be sure to reach out on social media. Through DMS, you can email us all of our informations and show notes. Absolutely well, go ahead, casts and this lady. Let's just remember that everybody is.

A bride of body. Love you guys. Bye, Ramban Banduba, Nada Bank, Nababana, Nath Bank,.