As Oct. 14, 2022, gets closer, Kaitlyn Phillips can barely contain her excitement. She constantly tells her family how many more days: 251 if you’re curious. Although she is planning her wedding on her own, she’s lucky enough to have professional help from Lauren Fitzmaurice. Fitzmaurice has found her calling in wedding planning. “I’ve always loved weddings. Planning my own was the best time of my life. But I honestly never thought about doing it professionally until the opportunity presented itself,” she said.
Phillips showing off her sparkly engagement ring, moments after Rokitowski popped the big question.
Fitzmaurice began her career as the manager of Wild Blooms Bridal, a boutique in Wappingers Falls, New York. Now she is a professional wedding planner and she couldn’t love it more. Fitzmaurice is Phillips’ soon-to-be cousin. So both women were extremely excited to start this adventure.
Phillips and Fitzmaurice both agree that one of the most important parts of planning a wedding is the budget. “It is important to set an ALL IN wedding budget to help guide you in your decision-making. It is also very important to manage your expectations of how far your money will get you,” Fitzmaurice said. They both agreed that vendors are extremely important, as well. “You have to have an idea of how many people will be attending before booking a venue to make sure everyone can fit. You also need this number to get an estimate from the caterer as well,” Phillips said.
Phillips also thinks that the first thing a couple should do is pick the date. Without that, they cannot get any estimates or bookings. Phillips remembers sitting down with her fiancé, Steven Rokitowski, and trying to pick a date. “We couldn’t decide if we wanted to try for a 2022 wedding, but it all fell into place,” Phillips said.
