Michelle McCulloch

Cindy Messerly, whose daughters, Anna and Kate, were married in 2018 and 2020, respectively.

What was your biggest challenge, and how did you resolve it?

The guest list is a challenge because the more you invite, the more expensive the wedding will be. It’s also tough because you want to invite anyone who has invested time, love and effort into your child’s life. As a parent you have to not think of your own friends, but the people who are important to the bride and the groom. It’s hard when you don’t want to hurt feelings or leave anyone out, but you have to realize you can’t invite everyone to everything.

What advice would you give someone who is planning to get married?

Once the wedding day gets there, just enjoy. You’ve done all you can do - the planning is over. Now is the time to be there for your daughter or your son, and focus on them.

Another suggestion is to repurpose flowers from the wedding ceremony to use at the reception. Make the flowers a keepsake instead of throwing them away. And have the photographer make a detailed list of who should be in each picture grouping and call out names so everyone knows when they are needed.

If you could, is there anything you would do differently?

Yes! When the bride and groom leave the reception, make sure they have a to-go box of food and cake, in a place where they can get to it easily. Make sure that silverware and napkins are packed with the meals.