‘Let your wedding be true to who you are’

Advice from a 2022 bride

Story by Shannon Serpette

Often, when a bride is planning her ceremony and reception, she faces a common dilemma: Should she plan her big day exactly as she sees fit, even if it means she might alienate some guests who don’t like her decisions? Planning a destination wedding, for instance, can be criticized by those who don’t have the extra money to travel. Choosing not to allow children at the wedding or reception can upset relatives who feel their children are being excluded from the fun. One recent bride urges other brides not to worry about the criticism they may face; instead, they should feel free to plan their wedding day exactly how they would like it to be.

When Ashley Geiger and Casey Bailey of Ottawa were married on Sept. 30, 2022, at Camp Aramoni in Tonica, she wanted her day to be exactly how she envisioned it, even if it broke with the traditional wedding many guests have come to expect.

“Let your wedding be true to who you are. It’s okay to break traditions to make it your dream day. Make your guest list 21 and older, skip speeches and traditional dances, curate your whole wedding day playlist. I did all of those things, and the day felt like it was truly mine,” she said.

Like many brides, Ashley said she felt overwhelmed at first when planning her wedding, which had a turnout of about 75 guests.

“As the months went on, I was able to organize my planning and work on things little by little. Once I hit the threemonth mark, I had almost everything finished,” she said.

She was surprised by how much actually goes into planning the wedding.

“You think of the main things – venue, dress shopping, bridal shower. Then you realize there are a million tiny things you have to decide on, like what kind of chairs you want and which specific photos you want your photographer to capture. It wasn’t until the reception ended that I was able to stop making decisions,” she said.

One of the things Ashley learned during her wedding planning was how to use her creativity to budget and save money.

“I hand-dyed and cut all the fabric for the runners and napkins. I also designed and made my own signage, place cards, programs, and table numbers. I even made a personalized denim jacket,” she said.

All brides need help, though, and one of Ashley’s resources was Andrea Mason, the event manager and coordinator at Camp Aramoni.

“She made the wedding planning process easy and stress-free. She had every- thing set up and looking beautiful hours before the ceremony started. Thanks to her, the day flowed seamlessly, and I was able to enjoy my wedding day without worry,” Ashley said.

While wedding planning can be stressful, the end result is worth it for most brides. For Ashley, all her planning resulted in a gorgeous day she’ll always remember. Her favorite part was when she and her husband-to-be read each other the vows they had written, only to find out they were quite similar.

“It was the perfect day filled with love, family, and 70-degree weather. We couldn’t have asked for more,” she said.