A favorite photo from my own wedding, not because it’s picture-perfect, but because it’s not! (Photo by Emily Tebbetts Photography )

We all dream of a wedding full of happy tears, delighted guests, magically romantic moments with your newly betrothed, and no shortage of Pinterest-worthy details. And sure, planning a wedding and getting married is one of the most exciting and magical times of your life in so many ways, but I’m going to level with you: it also comes with its challenges, learning experiences, and there’s-no-way-I-ever-could-have-predicted-this-what-the-heck-do-I-do-now?! moments.

While my favorite parts about weddings are undeniably those beautiful and awe-inspiring experiences full of pure love and joy and romance, I’ve also (unexpectedly!) fallen in love with that other side: the side of weddings that teaches you more than you ever thought possible about yourself, your significant other, your family, friends, and life and love in general. There is so much to be said for the behind-the-scenes and the unexpected of planning a wedding – not to mention the wedding itself! – and I have found myself intrigued and enchanted time and time again with those nitty-gritty moments just as much as the magic and romance and wonder of it all.

With that being said, I’m thrilled to introduce you to a new series of mine: Authentically Wed. We’ve all seen countless pins and posts and advice columns listing the “Top 10 Questions to Ask Your Photographer!” or the “15 Bridal Registry Must-Haves You Won’t Want to Forget!” or even “The Best Wedding Dress for You Based on Your Zodiac Sign!”, but I truly feel that there’s so much more to wedding planning that can only be learned from real people, real couples, and real wedding professionals who have been through it all before.

Authentically Wed is a weekly series of wedding-related blog posts by yours truly, and while you might still see Top 10 Lists and a fair share of advice, they’ll be accompanied by real life stories. These stories may be crazy, happy, sad, or even downright hilarious, but my promise to you is that they will always be from real people with a real perspective to give you the most honest (and hopefully helpful!) approach to planning a wedding that is oh-so-authentically you.

I’m so excited to share these stories and experiences with you as you navigate the treacherous (but well worth it!) waters of wedding planning, and my most sincere hope is that I’ll be able to help you plan, prepare, and most importantly enjoy your big day! Now, let’s get you Authentically Wed!

xo,
Kelly

PS – the first Authentically Wed post can be found here: You’re Engaged. Now What?

Authentically Wed is a weekly series of wedding-related blog posts by Kelly of Kelly Golia Events intended to provide you with an honest approach to planning your own wedding by highlighting stories of real brides, wedding professionals, and experiences from Kelly herself in her roles as a bride and as a wedding planner. For real, customized advice on a wedding-related topic of your choice, contact Kelly at kelly@kellygolia.com or fill out the contact form here and let us know what you want to read about!