Join us in welcoming Shaun Gray, the wedding planner extraordinaire behind Gray & Associates Events, to the Houston Wedding Blog! Shaun and his team strive to help wedding couples “celebrate well,” sometimes with a grand, traditional wedding in Houston, other times with a beachside-blowout in Galveston… and always with a well-stocked supply of Champagne. We asked Shaun to explain exactly what it means to “celebrate well,” and for his advice to wedding couples who want to do just that!
Photo: Courtesy of Gray & Associates Events
At Gray & Associates Events, we know that you want to host a wedding celebration that your family will cherish and your friends will love, and one that both you and your partner get to enjoy — without having to do excessive work! That’s what we call being able to “celebrate well.”
Here are my five tips to assist you in doing everything you can throughout the planning process to ensure you and your beloved get to celebrate well at your wedding:
1. Do You — Don’t get caught up in what your bridesmaid did at her wedding last year, or pay too much attention to Aunt Linda’s constant reminders that peonies are so beautiful during this time of year. If you don’t want peonies, then it doesn’t matter. If you keep trying to find ways to appease your family and friends, your wedding will look more like a thrown-together version of 50 other people’s weddings, and less like a celebration to honor your new union.
2. Go Big Before You Go Small — Worry about your venue, your wardrobe, your food and your photographer first. If you haven’t selected a venue yet, then stop Pinning “5 Farm Tablescapes Everyone Will Swoon Over,” especially if you aren’t set on having a rustic-style wedding. If you try to force a preconceived theme on a venue that doesn’t lend itself well to your theme, then it’s pointless to book the venue, so keep looking.
Photo: Courtesy of Gray & Associates Events
3. Hire A Planner — Weddings In Houston is a great resource to find our great city’s top event planning experts. Even if you’re not looking to “celebrate well,” any professional planner will assist you with navigating the many tasks, that, without professional help, can get you really stressed out during the months before you say, “I do.”
4. Rest The Night Before — I cannot stress this enough! If you’re a bride, make sure that your makeup and hair team don’t put you in the chair first, and take that time to relax. They’re just going to have to come back and refresh you anyway, so you can afford to have them start on you a little later and knock out some of your bridesmaids first. For guys, make sure not to get tanked the night before your wedding. You’ll wake up groggy (and probably a little sick!) and that isn’t a good look for anyone, especially on the day of your wedding!
5. Stick To Your Budget — We always make sure that we don’t put a bride in a $10,000 gown when she only wanted to spend $6,500, because, knowing all of our luck, she’d get emotionally attached to the higher-priced gown, and then be disappointed when it was too far outside of her budget. The same thing goes for your overall wedding budget. If you’re spending $50,000 on your wedding, don’t let your floral designer work you up a proposal for $25,000. But for Champagne, now, that’s a different story…
Shaun Gray (middle) and two of his associates | Photo: Karie Marie Photography
Shaun and his team really know how to make the magic happen. Interested in getting his tips and expertise throughout your entire wedding planning process? Set up a consultation with Gray & Associates Events today! Be sure to mention you heard his tips first on the Houston Wedding Blog!
