Meet Amanda! One of my favorite brides EVER! Pink margaritas and taco salads were the background to our wedding talk. This girl is seriously the best, and I’m so happy we have stayed friends after her big day.  

1. When did you get married? How many guests did you have? What were your venues?

My husband Mark and I were married on 1/14/17. We had a grand total of 240 guests attend the wedding out of 270 invited (more than we had initially planned on inviting, but I think it always works out this way :)). We had our ceremony at the University of St. Thomas chapel and our reception was at the Semple Mansion in Minneapolis MN.

2. What was your favorite thing about your wedding?

I think one of my favorite things about our wedding day was seeing all of our hard work and planning come together. Up until the big day, your wedding planning is just an image in your head. It is so much fun to see the image become a reality. Another amazing thing about the wedding day is being able to spend it surrounded by friends and family who come from many different places to support you in your marriage.

3. If you could do one thing differently, what would it be?

If I could go back and change one thing, I think I would change the amount of time I had set aside for getting ready the morning of. I had 8 bridesmaids so getting everyone ready to go for pictures was A LOT to coordinate. That being said, I feel like our morning was slightly rushed and I ended up running late for Mark and I’s first look photos. I would recommend creating a detailed schedule for the morning of so that everyone has a time slot for hair, makeup, photos, etc.

4. What was the most stressful part of planning the wedding?

When you are planning a wedding you receive a lot of input from friends, family etc. about how your day should be. For me, this was one of the most stressful parts of wedding planning. I felt like I needed to take everyone’s opinion and try to please everyone. However, at the end of the day your wedding should be about you and your future husband. Plan your wedding based on what makes you as a couple happy.

5. What advice would you give to someone planning their own wedding?

Enjoy the wedding planning! Wedding planning can be a very busy and stressful time. I know that when I was planning my own wedding I often wished for the planning and stress to be over.  Now looking back I realized how much fun it was to be able to plan such an important day. You only get to plan a wedding one time, so try to savor and enjoy the process!

6. Favorite thing about working with Poly?

What initially drew me to working with Poly was her undeniable talent for the work she does. Each photo she takes looks as if it deserves a spot on the front cover of a Bride magazine!! But after meeting Poly you can see that her photography skills are not just a job to her but a true passion. I think it is so important to find a photographer who truly cares about the content they create on the biggest day of your life. 

Working with Poly was an absolute pleasure. She has such an infectious personality and makes all of your wedding sessions a fun and relaxed event. I can truly say that I hired a photographer and got a friend out of the deal 🙂 I can’t wait to work with her again in the future!