Real Bride Perspective: Make it a Weekend! {Steph Killip of Bubblerock Studios}

While I am out enjoying the company of my parents, likely driving up to Tamalpais Bay for some fresh oysters today, and limiting my online time this week, I’ve invited a few guests to pop on by the blog to say hello. Today, we’re lucky to have the loveliest and sweetest friwi {french-kiwi} you’ll ever meet, Steph Killip of Bubblerock Studios, to stop by and give some bridal perspective from her own big day. I am super excited to not only have met Steph virtually, but lucky me, I get to meet her in person this coming August when we work together on Meleesa’s wedding in Cabo! {more on that later!} So let me step aside and hand the blog over to Steph for the day, starting with a video to summarize her wedding weekend just perfectly.

When Jacin asked me to guest post on her blog this week and maybe think about something that I learned from planning our wedding, I have to admit – it got me thinking. Yup. But first, I want to thank you Jacin for the opportunity to share what I think is the biggest thing I have taken away from planning a wedding.

So, the more I think about our wedding (and a few weddings I have been involved in lately) the more I realise and know one thing: if you can do it, make it a weekend-long celebration.

You will have heard this before, the wedding day itself goes so fast: in a blur. The days leading up to it end up being a little stressful, whether you have a planner or not, or everything is under control or not. Yes. You will not be able to avoid a little stress and nerves. It’s part of the experience.

So when the day is all over, the night is out and it’s time move on, you feel like you haven’t had a chance to chat with everyone, party with everyone, thank everyone, enjoy everyone’s company. It’s not the rule for every wedding but I am sure it is pretty much the case for a majority of them.

• So make a weekend of it. We did it and I am glad. We even made it last further with extra time spent with family and friends the following week.
• Take your wedding at least an hour away from home – makes you have to stay away for it.
• Have it on a Friday and stay the rest of the weekend where you are getting married and enjoy some chill-out time with your family and friends with no more agenda, no ceremony to attend, no photo shoot to go to: just you, your family, your friends and some really awesome, fun-times.

I loved my wedding day, don’t get me wrong: but the night after, the ‘after’ after-party was such fun – we didn’t have to worry about anything, we didn’t have to make sure things were going according to schedule, we could just relax, party, laugh, play, have fun and make the most of the rare times we have with each other!…

I really feel that I created the best memories of my life with my friends and family, not only the day I said ‘I do’ to the love of my life but also the days after when we were all together, relaxed and in a super happy mode. I will never ever forget my wedding weekend and the days that followed.

And sure, we still haven’t had our honeymoon but if all goes to plan, this August we will enjoying the sun and the cocktails in Cabo San Lucas, and with no other than our dear Jacin [and our lovely bride Mel!} – I cannot wait to see you missy!

Oh, and if you haven’t checked out Bubblerock Studios website yet, you need to. Not only will you get lost in the images and video, but they also  just launched a new Wedding “Holi”-day package that includes both video AND photography, because a wedding is always a celebration that lasts more than one day, and every moment is worth recording!