Now that she's officially Mrs. Hamish Daud Wyllie, Raisa Andriana is here to help other brides-to-be on making their dream wedding come true with a series of dos and don'ts of wedding planning. "I've always dreamed of an intimate celebration with closest friends and family. The idea of my dream wedding also has always been about people enjoying good music, good food and a room filled with love," explained the newlywed.
Her dream was then translated into reality by the wedding vendors who were involved on her big day in form of flower-full modern rustic decoration, classic and timeless-looking attire and makeup, and a series of ceremonies and rituals that are close to the couple's hearts.
Raisa and Hamish have proven that making a dream wedding into reality is not impossible and that every bride-to-be should dream as big as they can in order to create magical moments on their wedding day. As doable as it can be, planning a dream wedding is also tricky and not as easy. Raisa then shared her personal dos and don'ts on how to do it:
1. Find out what you really want
A wedding celebration should reflect the couple's personalities and preferences. So, before deciding on a theme, dig deeper to find out what you really want to do and have on your wedding day. "I love everything romantic and feminine, while Hamish is someone really close to nature. We incorporate those elements into a modern rustic theme that is full of flowers yet natural and simple," she explained.
2. Don't follow trends that are not you
With hundreds and thousands of inspiration and trends you could find in magazines, wedding websites or social media, it can be overwhelming for brides-to-be, especially ones who want to follow all the trends. Remember, just because it's trending and popular, doesn't mean it will suit your personality. "I've always been leaning to things that are simple, classic and timeless. I know I will be looking at my wedding photos in the years to come and I don't want to regret any of my decisions regarding trendy things," she revealed.
3. Prioritize on what's important
"For me and Hamish, celebrating this special moment with our loved ones is the most important thing, even beyond the party itself. From the start we prioritized on how to spend the most time with them, instead of throwing an ultra-glamorous party to wow other people or fishing for compliments," Raisa said firmly.
4. Don't comply with other people's expectations or peer pressure
Undeniably, some brides-to-be feel like they have to follow some wedding rules simply to fulfill other people's expectations or bow down to a peer pressure. This is your big moment, so don't throw a wedding for other people. "It's your party and you can cry if you want to. Don't hesitate to stand up for what you want and speak up when someone pushes you to do anything you dislike. You can't please everyone, but you should try your best to make you and your loved ones happy," she advised.
5. Don't try to be someone else
"As I said, a wedding should reflect the couple's personality, so don't try to be someone else. Simply try to be the best version of yourself," she said. She also underlined the importance of picking out the wedding attire & makeup style that suit you and avoid trying to look so different than you usually do. "Hamish even forbade me to wear contact lenses as he wanted to see me as I am, instead of somebody else he wouldn't recognize."
6. Get Help from the Professionals
Especially for busy couples, don't hesitate to get help from experienced and professional vendors. Don't push yourself to tackle all DIY projects or finish the tasks yourself. Being busy with their schedules, Raisa and Hamish was overwhelmed at first. "Hamish and I rarely met, even to plan our wedding. Thankfully, we got backups from the pros to help with all the planning process," she explained.
7. Don't compete with other people's wedding
Your friend might have a grand wedding, wearing a certain type of dress from a particular designer, and eating cake with a certain amount of tiers, but you should refrain yourself from competing with other people's wedding. "Weddings are not a competition; don't focus on the things you saw on other people's events. Stick to your own personality and budget, that way you can have a personalized wedding no one else had before," said Raisa on this matter.
8. Always be positive and grateful
Wedding planning can be stressful and exhausting. If you focus on the things that are lacking, tasks that are not done or something that is different from your request, the negative energy will rise and suck up the mood of the couple. "I got bored and tired sometimes, but I reminded myself about our goal which is to become husband and wife at the end of the day. That's what matters the most. We also tried to be grateful for all the blessings we've received, prayers from the family and other supporting vendors. We feel so loved this whole time and that's the ultimate mood booster."
9. Don't have unrealistic expectations
It is important for a bride to dream as big as she can during wedding planning. But to have a realistic expectation, is just as important. "I'd love to have an outdoor wedding under the stars, but looking at the number of guests invited and the space provided by the venue, it's just not doable. So we have to be happy with an outdoor ceremony and move the party inside to an indoor ballroom," as told by the mogul.
10. Enjoy your moments
This all will be an once-in-a-lifetime experience for you. Though tiring, please do enjoy every moment you go through as it will be a lifelong memory to cherish forever. "There was a time when I wish this whole process will be done and over with. But then I realized, the wedding day will pass without me even knowing it, so it's better for me to cherish the moments while I can," said Raisa.
11. Embrace your identity
"We Indonesians are so lucky to have countless variety of culture and traditions as part of our identity," said Raisa, who inherited Sundanese roots from her family. Even though she's a modern bride, Raisa didn't want to forget and skip all the cultural rituals on her wedding day. "In the middle of our wedding ceremony and lunch reception, we went through a series of Sundanese wedding rituals. To my surprise, all of the guests including foreign family and friends were enjoying the whole procession and even gave praises on how beautiful the Indonesian cultural values are. They've never seen anything like it," she said happily.
12. Avoid unnecessary stress
During wedding planning process, don't forget to spend some time for a date night free from wedding talks, dinner with your best friends or indulging in your hobbies and beauty treatments to help you relax. "To avoid stress, I spent a lot of time in the gym to train. It helps me relax and as a bonus, I got the body shape I dreamt for," she said as she revealed her secret. On the day, don't focus on the flowers' colors that are different from what you wished for or unwanted weather. Be sure that the guests won't notice those minor errors.
