I Planned Their Wedding Before I Ever Met Them

I planned an entire wedding for two people I didn’t meet until their rehearsal.

Yep. You read that right.

Paul and Nick got married on June 18 at O’Malley’s on the Green in Anchorage, but most of my planning conversations leading up to the wedding weren’t actually with Paul or Nick.

They were with Paul’s mom, Suzanne.

Paul and Nick knew what was important to them, but they weren’t exactly interested in spending their free time debating centerpieces and wedding-day logistics. Suzanne, on the other hand, was ALL IN.

Suzanne was ready to dive into the planning, and from the very beginning, she and I worked closely together to organize all the moving pieces and bring the day to life

Brooke with Fairytale Blooms was one of the first vendors brought onto the team and quickly became a trusted part of the creative process as we worked through the florals and overall design.

Meanwhile, I exchanged maybe two emails with the actual grooms.

Totally normal. 😂

Meeting the Grooms… at Their Rehearsal

I’m used to walking into a wedding already knowing my couple pretty well. Even with Day-of Coordination, we’ve usually had meetings, emails and plenty of conversations before wedding weekend.

This time, I walked into rehearsal and introduced myself to the two people whose wedding I was running the next day.

I was definitely a little nervous.

Thankfully, it took about five minutes to realize I didn’t need to be. Paul and Nick were laid-back, trusted the people around them and were really just ready to get married. After months of planning with Suzanne and building out every part of the day, we already had a solid plan in place, and once I finally met Paul and Nick, everything just clicked.

I left rehearsal feeling excited and ready for the next day.

A Sunny June Wedding

And the next day, Alaska gave us SUNSHINE.

Paul and Nick had their ceremony and reception at O’Malley’s on the Green, with catering handled in-house. Paul’s sister officiated the ceremony, which I loved. After watching how involved their family had been in bringing the day together, it felt only fitting that one of them would be the one standing up there with Paul and Nick when they made it official.

And then I finally got to see all those months of planning take shape.

The room came together with tons of greenery, beautiful blue florals and tall centerpieces that added just the right amount of drama. Mixed with the warm glow from the table lamps, everything felt polished and layered without feeling overdone.

And Brooke Absolutely Nailed It

I have to give Brooke her own moment here because Fairytale Blooms was such a huge part of bringing this wedding together.

This wasn’t a situation where we handed her a floral order and said, “See you on wedding day.” Brooke was part of the process with Suzanne and me from early on, and having a florist who was willing to dream up ideas with us and help figure out how to bring them to life made such a difference.

From the statement centerpieces to the florals wrapped around the table lamps, she took the ideas we’d talked through for months and made them even better.

And this is exactly why I love working with vendors I trust. Some of the best ideas come from throwing things around, figuring out what works in the actual space, and trusting everyone to bring their own expertise to the table.

The Seating Chart Everyone Actually Wanted to Read

One of my other favorite details had nothing to do with flowers or decor.

Paul and Nick wrote individual letters to their guests.

Instead of walking up to a traditional seating chart and finding a name and table number, guests found handwritten notes from the couple waiting for them.

And their guests LOVED them.

For two guys who weren’t particularly interested in adding wedding details just for the sake of having wedding details, this one said a lot about what was important to them: the people in the room.

Forget Me Knot brought the whole idea together beautifully, taking those handwritten letters and turning them into one of the most memorable details in the room.

The People Who Helped Make the Day So Good

Once the ceremony was over, the room was set and everyone was where they were supposed to be, it was time to celebrate.

Kari with K. Charine Photography was incredible throughout the day. She made Paul and Nick feel completely at ease in front of her camera while capturing so many of the moments happening around them. And she had one of my favorite photographer touches I’ve seen.

She printed Polaroids throughout the day and tucked them into a tiny booklet for Paul and Nick to take home that night. Before they even had their full gallery, they already had this little collection of moments from their wedding day in their hands. Such a thoughtful touch.

Ray with 907 Entertainment took it from there once the party started, keeping the night moving, the energy up and the dance floor going. I also brought my friend and trusted assistant, Kathryn Jennings, with me for this one, and I was VERY thankful to have her. Wedding days have approximately 700 things happening at once, and having someone beside me who already knows how I work makes such a difference.

By the end of the night, it was kind of funny to think that less than 48 hours earlier, I hadn’t even met the grooms.

After all those months of planning behind the scenes, Paul and Nick got to walk into a wedding that felt like them, celebrate with the people they loved and actually enjoy it.

Which, really, was the whole point.

And I’d happily plan another wedding with Mom. 🩵

Paul + Nick’s Anchorage Wedding Vendor Team

Venue + Catering: O’Malley’s on the Green
Planning + Coordination: SL Creative
SL Creative Assistant: Kathryn Jennings
Florals + Floral Design: Fairytale Blooms | Brooke
Floral Assistant: Elevated And Refined | Alysha
Photography: K. Charine Photography | Kari
DJ: 907 Entertainment | Ray
Stationery: Forget Me Knot | Katie
Wedding Cake: AK Cake Studio