“Don’t sweat the small stuff”: Standout advice from our wedding series

0:08This episode of Stylish is brought to you by Michael Hill. Whether you're planning a wedding, celebrating a milestone or searching for a piece that's uniquely yours, Michael Hill is here to help you mark life's most meaningful moments. There were so many golden moments from this year's wedding series, our three-part series on wedding culture that Rhea and I hosted. We decided to pull together the parts where we spoke to what brides actually care about right now. This first clip is from our episode with Andy from The Bridal Journey. I think what brides are going to be doing is really personalising their weddings with these really cool brand touch points and I want to reference this wedding that we featured on the Bridal Journey their names were Sophia and Dan and they had a two-part celebration and I really loved this wedding because it was just entirely unique to them so I had a Burning Man wedding they got married in the desert and they had their guests like riding bikes it was like this Burning man theme.

0:59It was like incredible. And then they had a second wedding and it was the theme of lucid dreaming. So it was like you were entering this lucid dream and the guests were in sparkles and bright colors. And it was at this kaleidoscope garden, like this amazing garden. And they had bubble guns on the dance floor. So it was just this really cool theme and this Y2K feeling to their wedding. And I don't know what it is because I couldn't find anything written about it, but they had this bar where they were making like these, they had like these takeaway big slushy cups and they were kind of rolling, they had all these activations.

1:34They're rolling like this amazing sprinkle design and giving out these drinks. And it was just like all really like personalized and branding to who they were as a couple. We've also done a survey on you. We asked you all about your regrets and how that shaped your experience when it came to your weddings. This is from our biggest wedding regrets episode. We'll pop all the links to the full episode in the show notes. Our survey revealed that 69 % of you have regrets about your wedding. Is this more or less than we expected? I think it's, oh God, I'm going to say it's slightly more. I thought it would have been around 50%.

2:10I thought it was going to be like 80%. Oh, okay. Why? Oh, because I just think you can nitpick little things from the day. Like everyone has got one little thing, even if it's not major, it's like one tiny little detail. Someone could think of a regret. Yeah, that's fair. That's fair. Let's talk about what people actually regretted though. We gave our listeners 12 categories to choose from, but the most common was other at 33.1%. Jo, what was the next most common response category was? The second most common category our audience's regret centered around was guest lists. And that was followed by your chosen photographer at 8.9%, dress at 8.6 % and makeup and hair at 7.7%.

2:49I thought dress would have been higher. Photographer, what do you guys think about that? Do you think that's higher than what you thought? I think that's lower than what I thought. Yeah, I think lower. Because I think photos, like that's kind of what you have after, like you've got the memories, but physically like you have the photos. So yeah, I think that is a common regret because if it's not what you thought or like the photographer's style isn't what you wanted. The guest list being the highest isn't a huge surprise for me. I think back to our original wedding series and also the previous episode that we did, guest list came up a lot.

3:17I also think the reality of it is that is reflective of a certain time in your life and as much as you can try to nail it we had this really good method to the madness as I would put it or Cassie famously would put it in my team she always says that is past present future they have to be in at least two of those camps that's a good one it is good but it's not bulletproof like there's no foolproof way that you can guarantee every single person on your list will be in your life in the future already we've got people that broken up with their partners. They were there. We might've been closer with one than the other.

3:50You know, we haven't had any falling outs, but that's a really normal thing that happens. You know, people can fall out with their bridesmaids. It's not uncommon. Yeah. Yeah. I actually didn't have a bridal party, not for that reason, because I was scared I was going to fall out with anyone, but I was just so cognizant of like dynamics and the pressure that weddings put on things. And that's why we had that intimate guest list too. Like obviously budget was number one, But I remember thinking like our litmus was family and friends who feel like family. There were so many beautiful friends that we have who we would have loved to have been there.

4:21But when we really like narrowed it down, narrowed it down, we were like, this is like our family essentially. So bridal parties, I also didn't have a bridal party. So you and I were on the same kind of mindset there. But that came through as a major regret for a lot of people was their selection of their bridal party. So we had a listener write in and say, bridal parties are one of the only times in your life where you're tasked with drawing a line with your friends. Separation of who's your bestest best and who doesn't quite make the cut. Even then, my experience with the ones you do ask is that they then see further ranks.

4:57Feeling lesser because they weren't asked for a speech or because they felt they got the least flattering cut of dress. I regret having a wedding party because it was just too much about politics and people pleasing. I would have rather had none and let everyone be equal. Long after the flowers have wilted and the photos have been posted, there are a few reminders of your wedding day that stay with you forever. Your jewellery is one of them. An engagement ring, a wedding band, a special piece you gift to mark a milestone. These aren't just beautiful pieces of jewellery. They're symbols of a moment, a memory and a chapter you'll want to hold on to forever.

5:28Which is why finding the right piece matters. At Michael Hill, they understand the most meaningful jewellery is personal. That's why they offer bespoke services, allowing you to create a piece that's uniquely yours. From choosing your diamond shape and carrot to selecting the setting and precious metal, you can bring your vision to life with the support of their expert team. Whether you're planning a proposal, choosing wedding bands, thanking your bridal party or simply marking a special moment, Michael Hill has a piece for every occasion. And if you're looking for a little inspiration, their collection of diamond tennis bracelets, necklaces and bridal jewellery is filled with timeless pieces designed to be treasured for years to come.

6:02Visit Michael Hill online or in store to explore their bridal collections, discover bespoke services and find the perfect piece to celebrate your next chapter. Thank you so much to Michael Hill for making this episode of Stylish possible. And finally, this was from our first episode that was all about the details that actually mattered on our wedding days. Cindy, Rhea and I all went through the things that genuinely shaped our weddings into being the best days of our lives. So let's get into that. Let's finish on, I would say, one of the most important parts to share. what was the biggest lesson of the day oh you go first Cindy okay I think the one thing that I really took out was don't sweat the small stuff I feel like you know it might rain on your day your dress will probably get ruined like both of those things happened to me but what I remember was just how fun it was and like the love in the room and the energy in the room I think pour your energy into how the day will feel rather than like how it will look more aesthetically I think like the atmosphere and like, you know, how your guests were welcomed and moments that feel like really personal to you and your husband or wife.

7:12Yeah, and that's what people will remember. I think we tried to really personalise every aspect as much as we could. We had our friends involved in the ceremony and the MC. So I feel like it just felt like us. I kind of regret being stressed right before the ceremony. So my lesson from the day was kind of like, calm the fuck down. Yeah. Because once the ceremony was over, I was like, it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders. I think there was just so much like anticipation for the ceremony and it being such a big moment in your life. Like the pressure is just unbelievable. And you think you're going to be fine.

7:47And then it starts to approach and like, oh, my God. Yeah. Hyperventilating. So I would have just tried to keep myself a bit more calm, like maybe have a little bit of rescue remedy and just have a swig of champagne. and maybe just cool it a little bit because I think I would have remembered walking down the aisle a little bit more clearly and just enjoyed that few minutes a little bit more, whereas I was quite worked up during that time. Yeah, sneaky little wreck there. The rescue remedy goes a long way in days like that. I actually use them before presentations as well. It's so good. My biggest lesson.

8:19Honestly, I think it's both of those things that you guys said. Cindy, I really resonate with what you said about the love in the room. Everyone I spoke to going into my wedding was very adamant on that bit presence and being really present for me. Again, because I had the luxury of having the day before, it made that possible. And I felt like I got to the end of our wedding night and I was like, I remember everything, every detail, every conversation in the car on the way back to our hotel, because it was a 40 minute drive, the debrief between Louie and I. Oh, yeah. It was so lovely. So my biggest lesson would be definitely carve out time for you and your partner to really be present and soak it all in and talk about what is happening.

9:04What are the things you're seeing from each other's perspective? That was so special. And yeah, just the smile and lose face and that conversation is just, yeah, I love it. I think that was a really key part of me not having a bridal party because the time that we were taken away by our photographer, videographer, content creator, I just had that time with Adrian. so I didn't have to worry about whatever anyone else was doing and what photos they were getting taken it was just us so we could be like oh my god so it was just really exciting and I would also say like a lesson from this whole process as well I have never again thought about the money that I've spent yeah because it genuinely as you said before it sounds cliche but it really is one of the best days of your life

9:53This podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri land. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.