Introduction
Lesson 1: The Philosophy of Style
Welcome! I’m so happy you’re here. I can’t wait to share my styling method with you, and see the photos of your wedding day (make sure to tag @jenharrisonweddings in your photos so I see them)! But first, a little bit about my wedding styling philosophy:
Styling is storytelling. The unique way you celebrate your wedding is a part of your love-story with your partner. It’s like leaving your stylistic fingerprints on a moment of your shared history, leaving your mark on a day when you invited everyone you hold dear to attend a ceremony in celebration of joining your history, ancestry, and futures together, all because you fell in love. It’s a really beautiful thing.
Dreams are the currency of weddings, and the space you create through design is the container that holds all the emotions of the day. Styling creates an atmosphere for the ceremony, ritual, rite of passage, and celebration of hope that weddings are meant to be.
And yet, because weddings are also expected to be sharable on the socials; because weddings are an industry, it’s easy to forget the reason you’re doing all of this in the first place. The thing is, weddings are ultimately about saying yes to what you already have right in front of you: yes to the person you love, yes to the lives you’ll live together, and yes to the moment you’re in right now. Staying present with the reason you’re planning your wedding in the first place is a great way to prioritize the things that feel right to you right now, and keep you from overreaching in terms of budget, doing too many things (especially DIY projects), or trying to make your wedding anything other than completely yours.
Scrolling through Pinterest or Instagram can easily move from making you feel inspired to causing you to feel like you’re competing with the internet’s ideas about how your wedding is supposed to look and feel. It’s easy to lean into comparing your wedding ideas to someone else’s, wondering what your friends and family will think of your taste, and can sometimes feel incredibly anxiety inducing. Comparisonitis is a true modern affliction, and I mean that sincerely.
I’m here to offer a deep breath, and to remind you to shift your focus from what it feels like your wedding is “supposed” to be, to what you really want it to be (which I hope is a helpful reminder both in designing your wedding and in your everyday life). My hope is that, as we move through the process of styling your wedding, everything about it becomes more deeply meaningful, more honest, and more true to you, your partner, and your unique love for each other.
Good styling doesn’t mean your wedding has to be crazy expensive. A focus on design can actually help you direct your funds more efficiently and effectively in a clear direction that will create an experience you’ll remember fondly for the rest of your lives together. Meaningful design creates an experiential container for your entire day, and I can’t wait to guide you through the process of creating yours, while focusing on what makes you happy.
Xoxo,
Jen