An incredibly moving story came across my desk recently that I’d like to share with you. Last December, San Jose, CA hairstylist, Jen Bulik, received the worst news possible and was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. She and her boyfriend of six years, Jeff Lang, a yoga instructor, decided to marry as soon as possible. Due to time constraints, her illness and limited finances, they planned to have a very low-key backyard barbecue.

That is, until Jen’s friend, Emily LeDeau, posted Jen’s story on a Facebook group page for wedding professionals. Enter wedding planner Erica Ota (right), who spotted the post and immediately responded. She offered her services, met with the couple and was so moved by their story that she decided to give them a wedding they could only dream about. “As a former social worker, I met countless people with terminal illnesses but was only able to offer emotional support. However, as a wedding planner, I now had the ability and resources to do a lot more for them,” says Erica.

As any bride-to-be will tell you, planning a wedding is no cakewalk! According to a recent survey of BG brides, 40% of couples spend between 13 and 18 months planning their wedding, and over 90% opt to create and organize their big day without the help of coordinators or planners.

Although couples are certainly devoting the time and energy to turn their dream days into realities, occasional planning fiascos are bound to occur. Between juggling countless vendors, appointments, and schedules — along with their everyday priorities — couples are spread paper-thin. We reached out to brides about the challenges they faced and how they powered through to have their perfect weddings.

1. Disappearing Baker

Theresa Roma searched for a local baker who could create her ideal wedding cake. She received quotes averaging $750 until she met a relatively new baker who offered to provide the cake for $400.

"She was young and just beginning," Roma says. "But her pictures were beautiful, she was willing to be flexible and do what we wanted, and she provided samples of her cake." She signed a contract that day (November 10) and put down a $200 deposit.

But when Roma's mother tried to contact the baker in April to order a cake for the bridal shower, all of the phone numbers they had were disconnected, and both the website and the storefront were gone. All emails to the vendor went unanswered.

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Move over, plain white card stock, and make way for the new trends in wedding stationery! These days, couples are opting for bold colors and eclectic fonts, throwing their own personality into their entire invitation suite. Today, we’re sharing a few of our favorites and giving you tons of inspiration to make your wedding day one to remember — right from the very beginning!

1. Forget the standard A7 size paper and use any shape you want!