WEDDING WEDNESDAY: JIN'S BEAUTIFUL BIG DAY

I love that she called her wedding "My Big Fat Jamaican Wedding". I'm pretty sure that's what made me stop and take a look at Jin's wedding photos. I loved how she detailed her soon-to-be walk down the aisle and shared what really goes on behind the scenes for a bride. And then, there was the overall look of the day. From the beautiful berry colored theme, to the picturesque ceremony location, Jin planned a beautiful big day. Here is her story.

Jin's Beautiful Big Day

Wedding Date: Saturday November 14, 2009

Wedding Location: Plantation Preserve Golf Course & Club

How did your husband propose?

My mom is big on entertaining and throws parties for just about every occassion. In May of 2008, she was hosting a Mothers Day dinner with about 30 of us in attendence. After prayer, we were all still standing and were asked to each say something to our mothers. My husband was last, and after he said his speech to his mom, he said that he had one more thing say. He then proceeded to pull out the ring, drop to his knees and asked me to marry him. I was in such shock that I don't even know the exact words he used. I didn't hear or see anything - I just remember crying. Everyone was else was crying too - happy tears though :)

Did you begin planning right away or did you wait some time after your engagement?

I started brainstorming and collecting ideas right away but it took a few months for me to officially start planning. I'd decided that I wanted to go back to college around that time as well, so I had a lot of other things going on.

 How did you choose your wedding location? Was it your first choice or did you look at other places?

If I remember correctly, I found my venue in my local Perfect Wedding Guide. I visited quite a few places, but when I went to Plantation Preserve I just knew that I had to have my wedding there. It was one of the first places that I visited but I didn't think that I was going to be able to make it happen so I continued looking around but I compared everywhere else to there. By the grace of God, I was able to have my wedding there and I couldn't have been happier - I loved it! I got my first choice!

Did you always have an outdoor wedding in mind?

I didn't always dream of an outdoor wedding, but once I started visiting venues I knew I was going to go that route. A lot of places had decor that wasn't my style. Most of them were too over the top or simply outdated - an outdoor ceremony just seemed so more serene and simple. Besides we were married inSouth Florida, so we had lush lawns and palm trees as backdrops - nature was the best decor.

What was your Plan B in the event that there was inclement weather?

Our venue didn't have an alternate indoor area for a ceremony, so we did reserve a ballroom at a nearby hotel. Although it was beautiful, I really didn't want to use it. However, it would be foolish for us not to secure an alternate space. Lucky for us, the weather on our big day was gorgeous!

I see that your bridesmaids were dressed in different styles. Did you have specific styles in mind for them or did you let them choose?

My bridesmaids ranged all the way from size 4 to around size 20, so I didn't think it would be fair to have them all in the same dress. I wanted each girl to be in a gown that complimented her body and personal style. At the time of the wedding, I'd had a few years of experience working in a bridal shop, so I had a good idea of who I wanted in each dress based on their body type. Fortunately, everyone agreed on the styles that they were given and were happy with the dress they wore.

 You had a "dilemma" about whether or not you would wear your glasses down the aisle. What did you decide?

Looking back, I don't know why I made a big deal about my glasses because I don't think anyone cared besides me. Ultimately I chose to not wear them down the aisle or during my professional portraits, but I wore them throughout the duration of the reception.

 Overall, how would you describe your wedding day and what advice would you give to someone who's making preparations for her Big Day?

Overall my wedding day was fun and a big party - just like I wanted. It was the best day of my life. I wish I could do it over and over again (with the same person of course, lol).

Advice I would give to a future bride is to not sweat the little stuff. A lot of the minor details that we stress over as brides no one else notices anyway. To be honest, the bride herself won't notice those small details on the big day because she's going to be pre-occupied with more important things. Also, make sure you have help during the wedding planning process, be it your bridesmaids or a family member. Although I planned the wedding with my mom, we did decide to get a Day of Coordinator to help us out with rehearsal and the day of - she was a tremendous help and allowed us to relax.

Most importantly, don't forget what The Big Day is really about - making a lifetime commitment in front of your friends, family and God to the one that you love. The wedding is only one day, but your ultimate goal should be to make your marriage last forever. What the decor looks like, whether you caterer is on time or not is not going to matter the next day - as a matter of fact, it won't have an effect on your marriage at all.

See more of Jin's beautiful big day here

Photo Credit: All professional photos by Captured Moments Photography; 

non-professional pics provided by the bride