Last week, we sat down with our friend Jeannene of Jeannene Lillie Events to chat all things wedding planning and bring you some of her best tips! Jeannene’s company specializes in wedding and event planning + design, serving couples throughout the Midwest + destinations worldwide. Jeannene truly brings dreams to life – her work is absolutely stunning!
She started in wedding planning as an associate for a local planner in Michigan. “Once I had my first season, I felt like I really fell in love with it, and so I started my own business and fully launched in January 2020. That’s when I started getting my own clients, my own weddings, and it’s been growing ever since!” Since 2020, Jeannene has planned numerous beautiful weddings for brides across the Midwest, and continues to plan intentional and meaningful days for all kinds of couples.
“So, what does a wedding planner do?” we asked, to lay a foundation for our conversation. Jeannene laughed and said “Well, it’s more like what don’t we do? My job is to be prepared for everything, to make sure that everything is seamless. I am my clients’ biggest advocate and cheerleader on their big day.” Jeannene went on to explain that she takes care of the wedding party in front of and behind the scenes, anticipating needs and ensuring there’s a ‘Plan B’.
After covering all of the details about what it is wedding planners do, or don’t do, we had to ask “What is one thing you think every bride should know going into planning their wedding?” Jeannene expressed that this is a great opportunity for the couple to really become a team. “Remember that it’s supposed to be fun!”, she said about planning for your big day.
As we chatted more, we were interested to know how she helps brides choose a wedding aesthetic, especially when there are so many directions to go in! Her advice is simple yet so smart:
“What I usually share with folks is this: When you’re thinking about a design aesthetic, and this may be kind of odd, but look at your house! What do you like decorating with? What colors do you use in your home, what’s kind of the overall vibe? You live there every single day, so obviously the vibe of your house fits you!”
As we chatted about this idea more, she expressed that of course, your wedding won’t look exactly like the inside of your home, but if you love to decorate with a lot of neutral colors, that may be a good route to take for your wedding aesthetic. If you love color, incorporate lots of color into your wedding design! “What I generally hear from brides is that ‘I don’t want to regret my wedding. I don’t want to look back in 10, 15 years and wish I would have done something different.’ The thing is that there are always going to be trends, but there are some things that are always timeless. The way that people decorate their homes is generally in a timeless manner.”
“The one thing is, is if you love it, you’re always gonna love it. If you know yourself and you know you love it, you’ll always love it.” she said in addition. Lastly, she said “have fun with it, this is a party!” She talked about bringing the elements of your relationship into it and making it very personal. “It doesn’t have to be rocket science. The information is there, you just have to unveil it!”
Chatting with Jeannene was a highlight of our week, and we loved getting the scoop about all things wedding aesthetic! You can learn more about Jeannene on her website + on Instagram. We have more to share from Jeannene – stay tuned for her incredible advice for choosing your bridal gown at La Jeune Mariee Bridal Collection!
Photo credits: Christina Harrison Photography, Starling Studio
Our bridal shop serves brides throughout the Midwest + beyond, including Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Covington, Dayton, Detroit, Indianapolis, Lexington, Louisville, Pittsburgh + Toledo.