Romantic Blue Wedding Cincinnati’s Renaissance Hotel

Were there specific flowers or items you wanted to incorporate into your bouquet?

Garden roses are effortlessly elegant so I wanted those incorporated into my bouquet. That was about the extent of my floral knowledge going into wedding planning. 🙂 Unfortunately, I did not incorporate any items into my bouquet but I find it so sweet when brides are able to do so.

Did you do anything special with your bouquet or your florals after your wedding day?

We asked that our floral arrangements were donated after the wedding to allow more people to be able to enjoy their beauty past our special day!

What was the most challenging part of wedding planning? What surprised you?

I think that I was very lucky during the wedding planning to have my mom who is organized and detail-oriented. She honestly made wedding planning so straight-forward, there was not too much that was challenging about the actual planning of our big day. I do believe though, the Cincinnati area houses so many talented vendors that all have something unique to bring to the table.

Deciding between vendors was a challenge for me because they are all so talented and skilled at their craft! What surprised me about wedding planning was the downtime I experienced. I always thought it would be go-go-go during for the 9-month planning process but it really wasn’t. There were times when I needed to make important decisions and then there were times when I could sit back and just enjoy being engaged.

Overall, the planning process was pretty seamless. I realize that I am lucky to say this as I know other brides encounter stressful situations during planning. For me personally, the number one piece of advice I would give is to try to envision the day from the perspective of your guests. Everyone wants their friends and family to enjoy the day as much as you do. Considering the overall experience ultimately helped me to make decisions when I was torn and allowed us to plan a day that was enjoyed by everyone.

Describe your floral vision going into wedding planning? Did you start with a particular color scheme or flower?

My floral vision going into wedding planning would best be described as ‘simple elegance’. Personally, I do not know the names and types of flowers so I decided to start with a color scheme, leaving the specific flower selection to the experts. I knew that I really liked a soft and delicate feel to floral arrangements so I wanted to stick to white and blush flowers accompanied by beautiful greenery to add texture.

Looking back, what moments stick out from your wedding day?

The one moment that sticks out to me most vividly would probably be our first dance. Our first look was emotional and sentimental, but that moment was still shared with so many people from the bridal party to our photographers. Our first dance really felt like the first time in the day that we could catch up and laugh together in a more one-on-one setting. That is probably the moment that I cherish most.

Another moment that really stuck out to me was walking with my dad down the aisle. We are very close, and he took that moment to give me a final pep talk on our walk. Needless to say, thank goodness for waterproof makeup!!

What is your advice for future couples?

I would tell other future brides is to try and maximize the usage of particular items. For example, we used centerpieces to decorate our altar during the ceremony. Then during the room flip, they took the alter pieces and put them on the tables to act as tall centerpieces. It felt like a practical way to reuse some of the beautiful pieces that were created for us so that we were able to enjoy them even longer!

Creative Partners

Photography: Megan Noll Photography | Venue: Renaissance Cincinnati Hotel