How is everyone doing since we last connected last week? Still on survival mode, but maybe with a little more rejuvenation with the long weekend? Hope so! And for my super hustling friends that worked the holiday, cheers to you for working so hard! I feel like this is the season in our industry that any kind of encouragement- cheesy or not, is welcomed :) 

I realize this today's post may or may not be my most popular one, but I feel there are some things that need to be said as I'm sure many other planners may feel the same way. Something that has come to my attention as we've been in full swing this spring and summer wedding season has been the opportunity to work with so many great vendors, and as we all know how I like to keep it honest here, some not so great. This has nothing to do with the talent or services offered. I strongly believe every single one of our businesses fits a certain bride's taste and needs, so we all are very valuable. It's the ability to work together with another vendor to make a wedding the most memorable event for the couple that sets you above the others. 

Let's break this down. There are several components to make a wedding truly successful: the venue, the planner, the photographer, the beauty team, the florist, the caterer, the DJ or band, the rental companies, and the list goes on depending on the extent of the event. Each of these components are moving parts on the Big Day and someone has to manage it all. Strongly hoping it isn't the bride herself, she has hired a planner or coordinator to make sure this all runs smoothly while she gets to relax. If the planner hasn't sent you a timeline of the day the week before the wedding, it might be a good idea to reach out to her and see if she has one. This is a good opportunity for you to connect as well. If she has, it is very important you do read this and make sure things match up on your end. Many times when couples meet with their vendors, different things can be said which is only natural since they probably have all sorts of things running in their minds. The main goal and point of this is to get on the same page so that when it is showtime, everyone is clear on what to do. The worst thing in my opinion that can happen at a wedding is when vendors don't work together. That is a controllable factor that the couple has paid us to do! 

Sometimes, you're not going to get to work with your other vendor friends- sorry. The couple themselves or along with their planner have done their research and hired vendors that fit their style and budget. Although I do think it is beneficial to go along with a vendor's preferred list because of the existing chemistry and trust, this is not always going to happen. This does not excuse you to only communicate with the vendors you do know and dismiss the ones you don't. Use this as an opportunity to network! There is so much value to gaining more business on the job as there are so many potential clients attending a wedding. I feel like we are all professional enough to handle this, but take this as a friendly reminder :)

An image Courtnee Murphy Photography snapped of me styling our recent shoot together. Can't wait to share the pretty! See what beauty teamwork can create? 

I think it's easy as small business owners to get comfortable in what we know and not want to venture out of our zones, (being creatives only add to the stigma!), but we have to understand that a wedding can be a huge production. It requires so many hands on deck and lots of teamwork. Keep in mind we have the same objective: to serve and deliver for our couples!

Hi there! Taking a little break from wedding talk and going into some personal business talk. I'm just going to come right out and say it- anyone else out there feeling like they've got little to no fuel left? Like you're running on auto pilot because that's the only way you can function at this point in the season- I'm with you! Running a business is tough. It's tough to cater to every single demand and you feel like you're being pulled in a million directions. 

Let's take a moment here and choose our battles. I whole-heartedly understand the need and desire to fulfill every single client's wish and to bend over backwards so you can get that praise of satisfaction. Maybe that's the 1000 pound weight of perfectionism I tend to wear on my back talking, but if you own your own business, you can relate to pouring your heart and soul into a client or product. But let's think about this- is it worth losing ourselves over? Is it worth putting husbands, families, or our own self care on the back burner? Sounds pretty extreme when it's actually put into words, but that's what tends to happen sometimes and I've been a big offender! 

By all means, hustle and do the work you love- just don't lose yourself in it because that is so easy to do. Take a moment each day to enjoy the things you love to do- run, watch a show, or go to Target without being in a rush. Maybe even sit down to drink your coffee without answering emails. Cook a full meal. Actually pray and spend time reading a devotional. Truly spend time with family and friends- without thinking about your work or checking your phone. I really want to do all of this. I should be doing all of this! It's time to turn this around and let my business work for me, not work for my business. With that said, I'm going to sign off and watch an episode of Downton Abbey without feeling guilty :)

Photo from Ginny Au's Dallas workshop. She's a styling master and I hope to share more of what I learned from that soon! 

Our first wedding of 2015 was so full of joy, laughter, and a good celebration. Samantha and Josh said their vows at Hidden Springs Events in Aubrey, Texas and although it was an overcast day, the beauty of spring was still prevalent. These two lovebirds are such a sweet and light-hearted couple and when you see them together, you know their loves run deep.

We did month-of coordination and floral design for their wedding and I will say the bonus of this process was working with Samantha's darling mother- she was a blast to be around. I always love a good mother/daughter duo! And a double bonus? Working with our dear friends at The Tarnos Photography! My inbox is always so happy when I get stunning images from them! 

Hello, friends! It has been quite some time since this blog has gotten any love and that is about to change. Resolutions aren't only created at the beginning of the year, right? Well there are some changes to my business and I feel I'm at a pivoting point (as Ginny Au would say) in my career, which I will share more about in a later time. For now, this journal is finally going to get some attention as I try to be a little more transparent about my business and myself (scary!).

Image by The Tarnos 

It's always interesting to me how phrases catch on and get popular. I'll be the first to admit I'm one of those people who tries to make "fetch" happen, but nobody else finds it cool... Well I decided to force one of phrases to stick and even turn it into my career.

So here's how this questionable word, "wedfully" manifested:

When I was planning my nuptials to my own prince charming Mr. A, I loved every single second of it. I had dreamed of putting those ideas and plans to life since I was little girl. I was one of those brides that sent out a weekly email to my bridesmaids giving them updates (I'm sure they loved reading every single detail). I always signed them with "Wedfully yours, Linda". That is really how I felt- full of wedding bliss! On our honeymoon trip, we decided that I needed to take this into a business because I just loved planning our wedding so much, I couldn't let my passion end there. So there in Charleston, A and I mapped out a business plan for Wedfully Yours and registered it when we got home. 

Wedfully Yours stuck with me because I knew I wanted to share that same feeling I had during our engagement to other brides out there. It wasn't just about being any bride- it was this excitement of being a bride to the best man in my life and feeling this pure love. And today, as I'm 2 years into this "wedful" life, not only do I want my business to celebrate marriage, but I want to bring the focus of a pretty wedding to an intentional marriage. I want to love on my clients and cultivate authentic relationships. 

Image by The Tarnos 

There is a lot more to how this business got started, but that can be a whole post within itself. Let's just say there are many late nights, agonizing tantrums, and more vulnerability than I'd like to be comfortable with- I guess you're not supposed to be comfortable when you're vulnerable, huh? But there is the beauty about owning your own business- you can call it what you want, cry when you want to, and run it all on your own terms. 

Have any other questions about me or how this baby of mine got started? Give me a shout, I'd love to get to know you!

It brings me great mounds of joy to finally reveal our new look! Rebranding has been tough- lots of soul searching, edits, and patience. When I started this business a little under two years ago, I just wanted to get something out there quick to get my name on the scene. I wasn't really sure what I wanted the identity of my business to look like or how I wanted to make my mark. A large part of this may be due to me not really knowing myself. Not that I have it all figured out now, but I know the direction I want to go in life and with this little passion of mine. So here it is! Refined, classic, and simple. A small boutique company that encourages authentic beauty, believes less is more, and mostly, cherishes marriage. I'm excited for what is to come next in this venture and grateful for all that have and will come along with me on this journey. Cheers!