We here at Magnificent Moments Weddings get to work with some pretty amazing couples and we love nothing more than helping them make their wedding dreams come true. So it is time again to shine our client spotlight another amazing bride! We want to share how awesome they are with you and give them the opportunity to relive their special day! So this month we reached out to Hilary Tate and asked her to share her greatest memories and any tips she may have for soon to be brides!
Hilary and Kevin were married at Vivace in midtown in Charlotte, North Carolina, with a beautiful view of Uptown Charlotte off of the balcony. Their unique wedding was full of amazing events that brought both families together in so many ways (Want to know all the details about Hilary’s big day? Check out her real wedding feature on the blog here!). Since Hilary was so much fun to work with, we wanted to sit down and ask her all about her experience, from the high to the lows, and here’s what she shared.
Photography by: Rob + Kristen Photography
What was your greatest memory of your day?
In the 20 or so minutes prior to the ceremony, we were with the family and bridal party and were all waiting in the curtained off chef’s table corner of the restaurant. Having done our first look and formal portraits already – we had some downtime final touches. Our friends kept peeking through the curtain and remarking on the final touches of decor coming together, hearing the DJ start the music, and commentating on the guests’ reactions as they arrived – it felt so rewarding! I Kevin and I kept locking eyes across the tiny room and just smiling so hard and silently telling each other “can you believe this is about to happen?” Knowing that everything was taken care of by our rock-star vendor team and just getting to sit back and watch our closest family and friends just delight over it coming together was so special and rewarding. We will forever be grateful for how present we could both be to savor those fleeting minutes.
Do you have any advice for brides still in the planning process?
Wedding “traditions” and expectations vary so much between regions and cultures, you will be surprised at how differently your family and friends may view a wedding and all that comes with it when compared to the family and friend group you are joining! Ask good questions and learn what about the wedding day is most important to both your parents and in-laws so you can honor what is meaningful to them while tactfully steering away from elements that don’t feel authentic to your own wedding vision.
Is there anything you would change about your wedding day?
Fortunately, no! THAT is the sign of having a wedding true to you. 🙂 If we could have ordered the temperature ten degrees warmer, we would have! But, MMW was able to find rental patio heaters so guests were still able to enjoy the outdoor cocktail hour!
Why did you choose MMW?
Their brochure tag line “We take wedding planning off your shoulder but not out of your hands.” I have heaps of event planning experience and I have family members that work in hospitality from wedding planning to catering, so there was a strong argument to be made that I could have done it myself. I wanted to be very “hands on” with the planning but felt strongly that the execution and day-of should be left to people being paid to be there. For a once in a lifetime opportunity like this, we felt it was crucial to have the ability to confer with the pros. Kevin and I wanted to maximize every second of the day and not have to worry about timelines and logistics. MMW struck the perfect balance and graciously allowed (OK, let’s be honest mostly me!) the ability to get as “in the weeds” as I wanted during planning, but then seamlessly picked up the slack on matters I was less interested in. On the day of they executed flawlessly and never bothered us over small details, we could not have asked for a better planning and design team!
Would you recommend hiring a wedding coordinator/planner to other brides?
YES! It is such a relief to respond to pestering relatives: “The planner can handle that, let me send an email.” On the day of when your bridal party is frantically looking for something you suggest: “Have you asked Amanda?” Having zero concerns on your wedding day about if it is time to make the speeches yet, or if your hair has fallen out while dancing is so worth it. I’m sure that things did go wrong on our wedding day, but my husband and I have no awareness of it. Thanks to having a planner and coordinating team, we were able to remember our day as a total dream. That alone is worth every penny.
Photography by: Rob + Kristen Photography
Thank you, Hilary, for all your kind words! You and Kevin were truly an inspiring couple and just a dream to work with! Your wedding was truly one to remember!
Thinking about hiring a wedding planner? Contact Magnificent Moments Weddings! We would love to make you part of the family!
Happy Planning!
Shelby