What I Learned from MOH L's Wedding

Not only did I have a lot of fun participating in L's wedding as a bridesmaid, I also learned a few things that have made me feel better prepared for my own wedding, which will be here before I know it! Here are my main take-aways:

1. It doesn't really matter what the reception looks like.

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I mentioned in a previous post that while L and I are similar people, our weddings are very different. While I've been working on DIY paper products and figuring out what other little details I can add to make our reception unique, L just had the basics at her wedding. The table numbers, programs, menus and favor boxes didn't all carry her navy and pink color scheme. Instead, they were simple and chic black fancy text on white paper. The tables each had one large floral centerpiece and a few votive candles. There were no tissue pom poms, lanterns, bunting, Christmas tree lights, etc. that I frequently see in the wedding blogosphere. This isn't to say the room wasn't gorgeous. It was. The centerpieces were lush. The votive candles gave the tables a pretty glow. The flower-adorned cake stood to the side with its own little spotlight. My point is that L didn't plan a million details. She did the bare minimum and it was all that was needed. The way the room looked didn't add or take away from the real point of the wedding--which was the fact that L and her fiance were getting married and we were celebrating it. I don't think anyone thought too much about what the room looked like, or whether it looked different or more unique that the last wedding they went to. We were there to celebrate L and Groom B's wedding. The pretty room was just an added bonus.

What I noticed about L the day of the wedding is that she wasn't even (outwardly, at least) worrying about or thinking about the reception decor. It was so simple; there was nothing to fret about. It allowed her to enjoy the day and just be happy. I've already been worrying about how everything is going to look, which I'm realizing is pointless.

My takeaway: have as little or as many details as you want, but don't stress about them! I'm still going to have color-coordinated paper and other details at our wedding because I want to and they'll reflect Steve's and my personalities. But I won't spend time worrying about them. If something goes wrong, I won't cry over it. So long as we get married, that's what matters!

2. What makes a fun wedding are the people, yummy food and good music.

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Like I said, the details don't matter but what does? Definitely the people, food, and music. What I mean by people is, if the guests are the type who like to have fun, and the couple is out dancing on the dance floor, the wedding will be fun. L and Groom B danced with their guests for the whole reception.

The food also matters. I ate so much during that cocktail hour and it was delicious. Good food equals happy people, and happy people make for a fun wedding! Alcohol doesn't hurt either. I'm not a huge drinker but the other guests took full advantage of the open bar. The dessert was amazing and I'm still thinking about that cake and the chocolate bowl with sorbet. Yum.

Finally, the music. L had a live band that played songs we all could rock out to--Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Madonna, etc. The band was amazing. They had a few singers and one of them even came onto the dance floor a few times and danced with us while he sang. They were entertaining and kept us dancing.

My takeaway: If you're going to focus on a few elements to ensure your reception is a good party, make sure the food and music is on point. Then have fun on the dance floor! If the bride and groom are dancing, the guests will follow suit.

3. If you can afford it, it's totally worth it to use a makeup artist.

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Before L's wedding, I contemplated just doing my own makeup. Plenty of other brides have done their own makeup and there was no reason I couldn't figure it out for myself as well, and save a few bucks. But after L's wedding, I've changed my mind. L's parents were gracious enough to pay for us bridesmaids to have our makeup done by a professional makeup artist, who came to the venue. It was awesome getting our makeup done and we all looked amazing. It looked flawless (and not like an amateur trying to look professional, which is how it would have looked had I done it myself!) and I felt glamorous and confident.

Also, in watching L get ready, I saw how nice it was to get pampered and have things taken care of for her. Her MUA stuck around after applying our makeup to do touch-ups while we took pre-ceremony photos, so L never had to worry about whether her makeup looked okay. That was the MUA's job. During the photos, she went up to L and applied more lipstick and powder as necessary. This means L looks flawless in all of her pictures. When L was running around taking photos and doing her thing as a bride, it was one less thing for her to worry about.

My takeaway: I don't think it's absolutely necessary to use a MUA, and if you're good at applying your own makeup, it may not be worth the cost. But if you're like me, and not 100% confident applying professional-quality makeup, it's definitely worth it. I'm currently looking for an affordable MUA to do my makeup for our wedding.

These were the main things I picked up from L's wedding, and I'm glad I was able to gain some perspective as a result of being part of her day. I'm sure L will have some more tips for me before my day comes. It's a perk of having one of your best friends get married right before you!

Have you learned anything from witnessing/being part of another wedding?