When it comes down to it, planning your big day is not just about your "vision". For most couples, it is about making your vision come to life in a way that doesn't pull too hard on your purse strings. This can be a challenging task for most couples to conquer. Many times the "Pinterest Wedding Vision" out weighs reality. This is the day you have always dreamed of... how do you possibly alter your dreams to fit reality? The most effective and stress free way to make this happen is to hire a planner that can help you get there!

Your planner will be your right hand & your guidance. Any good planner will adapt to your needs and find the vendors that fit best with you and your fiancé. A really good planner will have a database of vendors that holds a variety of options for your budget, and style! One of my favorite parts about planning a wedding is the first time I meet the couple. I love seeing their excitement and enthusiasm - there's something about the word "wedding" that makes amplifies a couples' happiness times ten!

Here are a few things I recommend you arm yourself with prior to meeting with your planner:

• A fairly solid idea of your budget
• Number of guests
• 3-5 of the important wedding day elements
• A bit of inspiration & even you Pinterest boards

The answers to these questions will help immensely while prioritizing where to spend and where to save. Is the food most important? The atmosphere, ceremony, or guest list? What would matter most at the end of the day? The amount of guests for a wedding has a huge influence on how much can be spent and where.

But, budget aside, think about the story that you want your wedding to tell. Be honest and share those feelings with your planner - thinking about what truly will matter to you when you wake up the next morning and think back on your day.

Follow your gut feeling when selecting what matters most, even more so when selecting your planner. As with your photographer, make sure you pick someone you'll enjoy working with and seems to understand your vision. If you have a funny feeling that your attitudes won't mesh then absolutely keep looking! There is no right and wrong, there is no "normal", but there is what will work best for you in the long run. A dream wedding may be hard to reach, but if you prioritize and keep an open mind you might be surprised at what reality can bring!

Wedding Feature | Love Life Images

Parting Pinterest Tip:

Keep in mind that a lot of the pictures you see in the wedding section of Pinterest are the result of styled shoot and not real weddings. Sometimes these looks are hard (and expensive) to create for your vendors. When interested in a particular look you see, search more into that look and see what other pictures you can find and compare to capture a "real life look" that is obtainable for your big day.

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Adriana Del Sesto is head Event Coordinator at 2hands Studios & Director of Events at Historic London Town and Gardens in Annapolis, MD. In addition to planning 80+ weddings a year she is a total foodie, lover of painting, & dancing, and is engaged to her middle school sweetheart! She now gets to be her own bride as well as plan many other weddings in the middle of it all! Adriana graduated from Johnson & Wales University with a degree in Sports/Entertainment/Event Management.