Non-Traditional Brides - Any Regrets?

We had a non-traditional 5pm cocktail wedding at our house. It was a lot of work to pull off but I loved it. We have a victorian home and rented a clear party tent with a dance floor which was awesome to see the stars at night especially with a candle centerpiece hanging from the top. The bar was open on everyone's arrival and we had white chairs around where we were getting married for some people to sit but not all as it was a cocktail party. The only real structured seating areas we used were renting bar tables and chairs for the patio areas. We served champagne right after our quick ceremony. It was beer and wine only except I had the bar tender make a special drink of the hour... chocolate martinis, mango champage cocktails, etc. finishing with bailey's in an edible chocolate shooter cup.

We had an appetizer style dinner so no seating was required. We had a high end restaurant make some of the best food I've ever had and was surprised they could pull it off with my kitchen. Food was served all night long. We rented a high energy band, not a DJ, who played a great mix of songs and people said it was one of the best parties they have been to but they felt bad holding a drink while we were saying our vows of which I said nonsense, or we wouldn't have had the bar open before then. The band made it very intimate with built in entertainment versus a DJ.

Things I regret:

1. Not hiring extra people the day of the wedding to help set up although I had lots of people hired to clean during the party. I underestimated how long it'd take to put the flowers out, beer on ice, etc.
2. Letting my Grandmother talk me into posed wedding photos right after my ceremony - I missed the cheese platter and it took way too much time to do when I had hired a photographer to take candid shots all night because it was a short wedding as it was starting at 5pm. People will always try to impose their crap on you and I didn't hold my guns and missed out enjoying my moment right after the ceremony while everyone else was having fun and I was stuck doing photos for an hour!!!!!
3. Not having enough cold platters as it took time to get the hot stuff out and people were waiting for food.
4. Inviting certain people - again not sticking to my guns about it and doing what I thought I "should" do. I missed the last song at my wedding because my neighbors wanted a tour of my home and I had some friends there I've never spent time with since. I would have liked even less people at my wedding.

I loved it though because I put all my efforts into the decadence of the event and not into the number of people I invited. Less gives you the time for more and you get more time to actually interact with everyone at your wedding when there are less people. Everyone has a different idea of what their perfect wedding is and you'll regret not making it special in the way that suits you best. It's a very special day and it goes by so fast. Do everything you can so that you are free to just take in your special day. Congrats!

1st husband Courthouse My sister and His Friend

Did I regret it Yes the marriage and the wedding-

watching my friends picking out dresses walking down the aisle at the time it made me feel like I missed something.

So second marriage nice wedding at a Country Club outside in a Gazebo - 115 People at the reception awesome DJ - I loved it that was 24 years ago.