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Real Wedding at The Highland Manor – Taylor Welsh and Brian King

At Dubsdread Catering we love being dedicated members of the team that makes your big day your best day. While we are masters at the planning and executing the behind-the-scenes work, we know our clients have their own unique perspective on their event. We thank recent couple Taylor Welsh and Brian King for graciously sharing their experience to benefit others.

BRIDE AND GROOM: Taylor Welsh and Brian King
WEDDING DATE: December 10, 2022
VENUE: The Highland Manor
EVENT COORDINATOR: Michelle Edmiston, Event Specialist/Sales Representative

VENDORS: 

Photographer: Photography by Greg
See our Dubsdread Catering Vendor Profile on Photography by Greg
Florist: Fairbanks Florist https://www.fairbanksflorist.net/ 
See our Dubsdread Catering Vendor Profile on Fairbanks Florist
DJ: Junction 88 
See our Dubsdread Catering Vendor Profile on DJ Mike and Junction 88
Hair/Makeup: Grace Ha & Presila Pilar 
Draping: W Draping 
Dessert:Tru Cakes 

ONE YEAR OUT:

How/where did you get engaged? 
Brian proposed to me in July of 2019 in front of Cinderella's castle at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. Before the pandemic we were annual passholders and made the two-hour drive once or twice a month to visit the parks. I had a feeling that the proposal was coming so it was nerve wracking to act 100% surprised but I still loved every minute of it. It was also my birthday weekend, so we finished off the evening with dinner inside the castle, taking photos with all of the princesses as they came around to our table. 

What are you most excited about for your wedding day?
Brian is super excited about the food, and I have to say I am too - we are huge foodie people! But in all seriousness, we are mostly excited to come together with family and friends and finally just celebrate our marriage. Postponing and rescheduling our wedding three separate times was taking a toll on everyone involved but we wanted to make sure we could be inclusive of all our loved ones. I am dreaming of what he is going to look like in his suit, and I know his curiosity about my dress has been killing him - in a good way! 

What aspect are you excited to plan the most? (Ceremony, food & beverages, photographer, DJ)
Did I mention we love food – oh, and the cake, of course! I could also talk about the decor and flowers all day long if given the chance. It's difficult to choose just one aspect that we are excited about because I just know the entire day will be wonderful no matter what happens or what we choose. We just can't wait to get married! 

A FEW MONTHS OUT / PLANNING PROCESS:

How do you feel the planning is going?
We have thankfully had a lot of time to prepare for our ceremony and that has given us breathing room. With less than four months to go we have a lot of small items left open that Michelle Edmiston, our wonderful Dubsdread Catering coordinator, has kept us on track with ideas, updates, and reminders that that I never would have thought of on my own! I created a checklist based on our conversations to help us stay on track. Being able to visualize what's outstanding has been a huge help. 

What have you found to be more difficult than you expected?
Ensuring that everyone received a save the date and formal invitation in the mail has been a lot harder than I expected! Brian has lived at the same address (until we got engaged) for nearly two decades, and I also had been in the same location for nearly ten. That just isn't the norm anymore and I learned the hard way once mail either did not arrive at a guest's address or I had it being returned to me. Never assume just because a few months ago someone lived in one place that they haven't moved! I think that if we were to do this over again, I would save paper invites for family and look more into digital options for other guests.

What has been more fun about the process than you expected?
With our families being on the small side these days, it's been so nice to see everyone just generally be excited for the big day. Normally the bride's dress shopping is a huge deal - and it was a lovely day - but personally seeing my future mother-in-law pick out a gorgeous gown of her own made my heart so full. Brian's father had a suit custom made and my mother is also having her gown created by a family friend. Weddings and formal events are something none of us typically find ourselves a part of and so we wanted everyone to feel special and confident in what they were wearing. We can't wait to see the photographs in the end when it all comes together. 

WEDDING DAY:

What was the best, most memorable part of your big day?
Since the sun sets rather quickly in December, we had to do a first look and take the bulk of our photographs before the ceremony. I was caught up in the whirlwind of the bridal party being awake since the sun rose that morning, afraid that we would run out of time. When I came downstairs to meet Brian and our families I had to pause and take everything in. His reaction to seeing me in my dress was emotional and so special. At that moment the photographs didn't matter, I didn't hear the buzz of guests arriving down the hall, I just felt like only he and I seemed to exist in that moment. We could have gotten married right there in the entryway of the manor and it would have been perfect. 

If you could change one or two things about your event, what would they be? 
I should have asked someone to record the cocktail hour musicians that we hired, even if it was on a cell phone. Our photographer was wonderful at keeping a tight timeline while making sure we had lots of lovely pictures but it's simply just impossible to be in so many places at once when you are the bride and groom. I did manage to watch and listen from a distance while my dress was being bustled in a corner and snuck in a couple of tunes!

I also should have researched how to preserve a wedding bouquet a lot sooner than a month after the event. My bouquet has been drying on a towel on our dining room table since we arrived home and I am still unsure of what to do with it! 

 Is there any advice you would give other couples planning their event that you wish some-one had told you?
When planning a wedding - no matter how big or how small - there will always be someone that is not accepting or approving of the choices you are making about your day. You will not please everyone no matter how hard you try. Your wedding is about you and your future spouse and what makes the two of you happy. The only thing you can control about your wedding day is how you react to what is happening around you. Focus on your own needs and those of your partner. This can also apply to unexpected hiccups that may happen throughout the process or even the day of. We definitely had to go with the flow as we had multiple members of the wedding party suddenly drop out for various reasons with about a week to go. They were missed dearly, but in the end, we had each other and that's what truly matters. 

Photos courtesy of the bride, groom, and Photography by Greg.

When you book a wedding with Dubsdread Catering at one of our exclusive venues, we provide wedding coordination at no additional charge. Our coordinators become dedicated members of your team bringing experience and expertise to help you execute your vision. Contact them today via our Contact Us page to make our team your team in making your dreams come true.