By Perfect Wedding Guide ‘National Wedding Expert’, Susan Southerland

Patience can be a real virtue when it comes to wedding planning. The couple featured in today’s wedding blog decided over a year before their wedding what their perfect wedding venue would be: the beautiful Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando. However, the ceremony site they wanted wasn’t able to be released for their intimate wedding so far in advance.

Their patience prevailed, however, and a month before the wedding, they were rewarded with the site they wanted! Please read on to find out whether it all turned out how they envisioned. And thank you to Ginger Midgett (www.gingermidgett.com/) for sharing these lovely images with us!

Susan: How did you and your spouse meet?
Menal: I met my husband through my cousin; she set us up on a blind date. We both were quite reluctant in going, but now we’re extremely happy that we did.

Susan: Tell us about the proposal.
Menal: The proposal was beautiful and completely unexpected. It was the last night of our holiday in Orlando and we went to CityWalk to see the fireworks as it was 4th of July. And whilst the fireworks were going off that is when Mike went on one knee and asked me to marry him.

Susan: Why did you choose your particular wedding location?
Menal: We both knew we wanted to get married in Orlando, as that is where we got engaged and we [go on] holiday there at least once a year. I searched through quite a few locations to get married, but when I came across the Portofino, I knew that was the one. It looked so authentic and beautiful and I just knew I wanted to get married there.

Susan: What was it like for you on the morning of your wedding?
Menal: The morning of my wedding was lovely, as I had my two bridesmaids and my mother by me at all times. I felt really pampered as I had people come to the hotel to do my makeup and hair. Whilst I was getting ready, I did feel nervous as I just wanted my day to be how I’ve always dreamed it– perfect!

Susan: What were your thoughts as you walked down the aisle?
Menal: I felt emotional; as soon as I saw Mike, I was filled with happiness and knew it felt like “this is it” and my life is now beginning with the man of my dreams.

Susan: What was the most memorable part of the day for you and your spouse?
Menal: Saying our vows, and for our families to be part of such a memorable day of our lives.

Susan: What was your biggest fear about the wedding day?
Menal: That I would trip over [walking] down the aisle– my train was so long (I didn’t, thankfully).

Susan: What was one delightfully unexpected moment on the wedding day?
Menal: Our reception party. Our families had organized this for us and we didn’t know what to expect till we got there– it was beautiful, they went to so much trouble in making sure that our day was perfect.

Susan: Based off of your experience, would you share some advice for other brides and grooms who may still be planning their weddings?
Menal: In my own experience, the hardest thing for us was choosing the venue; however, once that was chosen, everything else just seemed to fall right into place. This is the one day of your lives to go all-out, so my advice to other brides and grooms is not to hold back on anything, as it may never happen again.

Thank you again to Menal and Mike for sharing the intimate details of their special day with our readers! Do you have a real wedding story you would like to share? If so, please email me at the address below with your experience and some photos. You might be the next bride featured on our wedding blog!

If you have questions on this or any other wedding related topic, please post for me here one the wedding blog or send me an email to susan(dot)southerland(at)pwg.com. Also become a fan on Facebook (search: Susan Southerland Secret) or follow me on Twitter (@Susansoutherlan).

Your partner in perfect planning,
Susan