Elizabeth Gonzalez is a fellow studio-mate at The Bell Jar and the fabulous owner of After Yes, a wedding planning boutique. Elizabeth and her team of pros offer personalized wedding planning services for the stylish bride. After Yes is a member of NACE and ABC and was voted The Knot Best of Weddings 2011. After Yes is also featured in CRAVE Dallas Guidebook, a go-to resource for the best women-owned businesses in Dallas. Check out her helpful tips for brides-to-be below!

Q: How important is it to hire a professional wedding planner as opposed to have an organized friend help you with your wedding? What are the benefits to the bride and groom?

A: It is absolutely crucial to hire a professional. Using a friend can often lead to loosing that friend. Weddings are high emotion and high stress — It’s never a good idea to mix business and friendships. By using a professional, the bride and groom have someone with real experience and expertise. They are trained to be put in difficult situations and know what to expect and how to work with vendors.

Q: What is the difference between the service a venue coordinator offers and what you offer?

A: A venue coordinator is typically only responsible for what goes on at the venue — catering, linen, etc. — and making sure their rules are followed. They may have some role in helping put together a timeline as well. Our services are all encompassing of every aspect of the wedding. We’re with the bride and groom from start to finish and are a true advocate for them. We help with the design, budget and vendor selection as well as offer our Wedding Day Emergency Kit for any on-site needs.

Q: What aspects of your own personality help you in wedding planning?

A: I am very caring, patient and sweet. I truly care about all of my brides and have an invested interest in them. Nothing makes me happier than to see them enjoy their day because I was there to help.

Q: Besides planning and organizing a wedding, what are some of the behind the scenes tasks you do to benefit the couple?

A: There are so many small details that happen behind the scenes on the wedding day — we make the day run smoothly without anyone ever questioning what’s going on. Probably the biggest benefit to the couple is that we help pack up all the gifts and personal items at the end of the night and make sure they get to the right place. If we have access to the couple’s honeymoon suite, we like to leave flowers and treats as a nice surprise!

Q: Do you see a common thread among the weddings you’ve worked on like a certain style or trend?

A: The style we love and attract is the “Anthropologie Wedding” — laid-back, typically outdoors or rustic — really different and fun. We like to say we cater to the not-so average bride.

Q: Having been a bride yourself, what’s the best piece of advice you can share with other brides-to-be?

A: Relax and enjoy the day — really take the time to soak up every moment. You do so much to prepare before the wedding, when it comes, just let it happen and leave the details to a planner!

Interview and Photographs by benqphotography.com