Wedding Planning Dream Date

The content in this blog post first appeared in my monthly newsletter in June of 2024. Sign up here for first access to more content like this!

Hi Friend!

Your monthly dose of sustainable wedding and elopement planning tips has arrived! I usually try to get these newsletters out the first of each month, but ya know what? Sometimes life happens, and I’m 100% okay with it. Since last month’s newsletter, I have traveled to Mexico and back (I just wrote a blog post all about that trip – check it out!), shot an elopement and a few sessions, edited my booty off, and worked a bunch of crazy shifts in the emergency department. Oh, and survived a tornado. Like I said. Life happens. 

Today’s newsletter is all about wedding planning dream dates! This is something my now-husband Keith and I did when we were planning our wedding, and it brought us so much clarity and we definitely wouldn’t have had the amazing wedding we did if it wasn’t for our dream date! I’ve written about it a little bit on the blog before, but newsletters are for diving deep and getting juicy, so here we go! 

Why have a wedding planning dream date? 

When we first got engaged, elopements weren’t even on my radar. I was trying to choose between getting married in Fort Worth, TX (near where I grew up) or in Northwest Arkansas (where Keith grew up and where we were living). On the hunt for the most unique wedding ideas I could find, I was scouring the internet for venues and vendors. Somewhere (probably on Pinterest) I came across a photo of an elopement in Arches National Park, Utah. Since it wasn’t what I thought I was looking for, I quickly kept scrolling. 

But I couldn’t get that image out of my head. It was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. 

So when Keith and I sat down for our wedding planning dream date (his idea, I’m so lucky to have him!), I presented him with all the options I’d found so far. I’d even gone so far as to book tours of venues in Fort Worth on an upcoming weekend visit. I guess he could tell that I wasn’t really excited about any of them and that I was just trying to make everyone else happy, and at some point I think I even started crying. And he took me into his arms and asked me one simple question that changed everything for me. 

“Forget everyone else. If we could get married anywhere, where would you want it to be?”

I surprised myself by answering immediately. I must have been thinking about it for weeks. 

“In a national park.”

And he said “Okay.” 

This has become the basis for all advice that I give to any engaged couple, whether they have hired me to photograph their wedding or not. It’s why I can’t shut up about planning your dream wedding, not someone else’s dream wedding. And planning your dream wedding starts with a wedding planning dream date. 

How to have a wedding planning dream date: 

Step 1

Set the mood. Treat this as an actual date, not a “work” date. Put on your favorite record, light some candles, make your favorite meal, sip on a beverage, and cuddle up with your partner on the couch. 

Step 2

I have created “The Wedding Planning Dream Date Worksheet” freebie, and all you have to do to access it and all of my other wedding planning freebies is to sign up for my email newsletter (I just send out one newsletter per month -never spam!). *It’s important for both you and your fiance to each fill out a worksheet on your own before sharing them with each other. It helps you to each recognize the things that are truly important to you and what things you want to prioritize as you plan your wedding.*

“The Wedding Planning Dream Date Worksheet” will help you to narrow down your vision for your wedding and get really clear on what you want your wedding to feel like. 

Having an idea of where you’re going can help guide you along the way. But I want you to take it one step further and dream about what you want your wedding photos to look like. You might dream of seeing yourself walking out of city hall, or in a field surrounded by wildflowers, or on the top of a mountain. Whatever your dream is – and there is no dream too big when it comes to your wedding – don’t be afraid to make it happen!

Step 3

Take turns telling each other what you want your wedding to be like. How you want it to feel, look, smell, and sound. Changing your answers on your worksheet is not only allowed, it’s encouraged. Knowing your own vision is important, but it’s also important to allow yourself to be inspired by your partner. If something comes up that you don’t agree on, be respectful of your partner’s dream and calmly explain your point of view. More than likely, once you’ve both heard each other’s reasoning you’ll be able to come to an agreement. 

Remember, the most important thing is that you’ll be marrying the love of your life. Everything else is just details.

Step 4

Make your dreams come true! Once you’ve figured out what your dream wedding would look like, things will start to fall into place for you. Planning a wedding is a lot of work, but when you’re planning the wedding of your dreams you will feel so energized and excited. There’s nothing harder than trying to plan the wrong wedding – trust me, I know. 

Here are a few resources I’ve created to help you plan your wedding after you’ve had a dream date: 

Blog Posts
How to Choose Elopement Vendors
How To Have A Sustainable Wedding Gift Registry
I Just Got Engaged! Now What?
Intimate Wedding & Elopement Custom Timeline Creation
How to Find Your Perfect Photographer
Leave No Trace (LNT) Wedding Guide: Tips & Resources
Sustainable Weddings: Tips for Planning an Environmentally-Friendly Celebration
A First Look on Your Wedding Day: Exploring the Debate
How To Create A Unique Experience For Yourself on Your Wedding Day
The Pros & Cons of Common Wedding DIYs
Wedding Day Detail Photos

Freebies (click here to access)
Sample Wedding Day Timeline
The Wedding Day Family Photo Shot List Worksheet
Wedding Budget Breakdown
Couples Session Style Guide
Non-Hiking Elopement Location Inspiration
Leave No Trace Wedding Guest Guide
Wedding Day Details
Buffalo National River Elopement Guide
Boudoir Session Style Guide
Wedding Planning Dream Date Worksheet
Wedding Planning Timeline

Final thoughts …

Having a dream date before you begin to plan your wedding can save you so much time and emotional energy. I hope this newsletter was helpful to you as you begin your planning journey! I have such a passion for inspiring couples to plan the wedding of their dreams, and I’d love to hear back from you how your dream date went. Leave me a comment below because I’d love to encourage you during this time! 

*All my blog posts contain a selection of images that I’ve taken. If you are interested in booking a wedding or session with me, I am more than happy to send you a full gallery upon request!

I’m a wife, a dog mom, a foodie, a wanderer, a registered nurse, and a couples/intimate wedding/elopement photographer … and this blog will cover it all! If you enjoyed this post, first of all thank you, and second of all please follow me on Instagram + Facebook and sign up for my monthly newsletter to get exclusive wedding planning advice and access to all of my new (and old) freebies! If you have any questions about elopement photography, my journey from nursing to photography, or my time spent as a full-time RVer, drop a comment and I just might write a blog post answering your question (but I definitely will)!

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