“We do not remember days. We remember moments.” -Cesare Pavese

It’s no secret that we have a lot of “favorite parts” of the wedding planning process. We’re living the dream over here. But there’s one piece of what we do that we feel especially privileged to experience, and that is getting to know our couples’ families.

Much of what we do during the planning process and on the wedding day itself involves keeping things running on time, ensuring the day unfolds exactly as we planned, and bringing the couple’s vision to life (and then some). Makes sense, right? That’s our Planner Hat. We wear it every single day. But underneath our Planner Hat lies another hat — smaller, not as obvious, but much more colorful. Let’s call that the Family Hat.

We wear our Family Hat when mothers join us for catering tastings and their happiness can almost literally be felt, filling the entire room with their joy.

We wear our Family Hat when we watch the groom’s mother brush tears away as she dances with her son that somehow grew up overnight (and then we cry, too).

We wear our Family Hat when it’s not in the production schedule, but we know that the bride’s father needs another scotch on the rocks.

We wear our Family Hat as the bride tells us that she shares her wedding date with her grandmother’s 90th birthday, so we build in a non-negotiable Happy-Birthday-cake-presentation into the timeline.

We wear our Family Hat when we see the wide-mouthed, ear-to-ear grins on the faces of our couples’ loved ones, making every single second of what we do totally, completely, utterly worth it.

The Planner Hat is essential; the Family Hat is a gift. We are incredibly blessed to be a part of the special moments our couples share with their closest families and friends.

As we head into the holiday season, we are reminded of how lucky we are — time and time again — to be involved in the most personal and cherished days of our couples’ lives. During this season of gratitude you’ll often find us in reflection mode, gathering together with our closest friends and family and truly appreciating those who mean the most to us. Remember to pause and enjoy every small moment, for it’s the smallest moments that add up to the most meaningful memories.