Alexandra will be marrying Jordan this coming Sunday (!) at The Grove in Cedar Grove, New Jersey. Click here to read all Alexandra’s planning posts to date.
THREE FACTS: (1) Alexandra and Jordan met in college and have been together ever since. (2) They are planning a romantic fairy tale garden wedding inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream – LOVE! (3) Alexandra’s wearing Galia Lahav for the big day – one of our absolute fave Israeli designers!
My 5-days countdown
Hey STG community – Alexandra here for my final post before I say “I DO” on May 26th! Our wedding is quickly approaching and there is a seemingly never-ending list of to-dos. At the one-month-out point, brides are likely crazed with hair and makeup trials, dress fittings, food tastings, final conversations with the officiant, venue, band, photographer, florist, etc.!
Aside from plans for the wedding, there is also likely much to do for the honeymoon. For our trip to Greece and Paris, we have been researching and booking wine tours, cooking classes, ATV tours, boat days and much more! It is natural to be stressed, but I think that it is important to go with the flow (or at least try your best to) and remember to ENJOY these beautifully precious moments of your life.
Jordan and I in a heated baguette fight at the Eiffel Tower. We cannot wait to go back and also experience Greece for the 1st time!
Bond on a girls trip!
I decided to celebrate my bachelorette party (aka hen party) with a small group of my best friends in Cancun, Mexico. I knew that traveling outside of the U.S. would limit the group size, but it was important to me that my 18 year old sister/MOH could participate (with the legal age of alcohol consumption in the U.S. being 21, she wouldn’t have been able to go to bars or clubs, even if she wasn’t drinking) and I actually ended up preferring an intimate trip allowing time to bond with each of the five women celebrating with me!
We stayed at Breathless all-inclusive resort which was great because we could eat or drink anything we wanted and never had to worry about paying a bill! Aside from a few hiccups with the staff, it was an unforgettable time!
Nacho average BACH – get it!
Cherish moments with family
For me, nothing more than my last name will change regarding my relationship with my family. I moved from New Jersey to Boston nearly five years ago and see my family whenever possible, which will never change! Even if you’re not moving out of your family home, it is an emotional journey for parents and siblings to see their daughter or sister officially start a “new” life outside of the family that raised her.
I am going to be heading home one week before our wedding and am hoping to spend some quality time with my family, especially my parents. My mom has been working ferociously at both her job and our wedding plans, so I hope we have some time to unwind and relax. I am also beyond excited to practice my father/daughter dance with my dad and reassure him that I will forever be his baby girl.
My mom, sister, and I playing dress-up at my beautiful Parisian-themed bridal shower!
Be present and remember what a wedding is all about
As I earlier mentioned, it is natural to feel wedding stress, especially as it is (abruptly) approaching. Stress on both brides and grooms can easily impact relationships and lead to conflict.
Throughout the most testing times, my fiancé and I always try to take a moment to ourselves to remember what all of the chaos is actually about. Despite popular opinion, it is not the “perfect” details (i.e. your names printed on cocktail napkins) that guests will remember, but rather it is YOU, YOUR FIANCE, YOUR LOVE for each other and for all of them! It is often said by couples that their wedding was an “unforgettable blur”, which is why Jordan and I are going to try to take 5 minutes per hour to truly be present and grateful at our wedding (probably easier said than done!)
I will be walking down the aisle in just a few days, and will certainly miss sharing glimpses of my wedding journey with the STG community! Many thanks to Karen Cinnamon for creating an honest, helpful, inclusive space for brides across the world to feel inspired and at ease!
May 26, 2017
My Wedding Priorities in the past weeks
1. Wedding wording: We wrote our ceremony program, vows, and speeches!
2. Bridal Party gifts: We finalized gifts for our bridesmaids, groomsmen, and parents!
3. Honeymoon details: We confirmed reservations and booked special experiences for our post-wedding trip to Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, and Paris!
Click here to read all Alexandra’s planning posts to date.
Alexandra & Jordan’s Wedding Vendors booked so far:
Venue – The Grove
Photography and videography – Gabelli Studio
Band – Frank Simmons from Hank Lane
Makeup – Lauren Vena
Bride’s dress – Galia Lahav found and fitted at Bridal Reflections
