Sneak Peek: Inside Chase and Kelianne's Summer Wedding Vision

Kelianne Stankus and Chase Mattson are still months away from their big day, but they’ve already made some big decisions: They have a date set, venue and photographer booked, and a wedding planner hired.

In fact, Kelianne and Chase met their wedding planner just as they met each other—on Instagram! “She has been really nice and really easy to work with and is making this process a lot of fun,” shares Kelianne of their planner, Christine S. Chang of Live. Love. Create Events. “I was looking at different wedding planners and their Instagrams. We met with a bunch of different people, and I just really loved her energy. She was very excited, and I was like, ‘Yes, I definitely want you part of this process.’” 

Of course, the couple is very excited, too. “We both definitely just want it to be a really good time for everyone,” Kelianne says. “We want to have a fun party, basically just celebrating us!”

Read on for what the couple has to say about wedding planning, from the hardest tasks to what they’re most excited about, below. 

The Planning

Kelianne’s parents are very kindly helping to pay for the wedding, but Kelianne says she and Chase are making decisions entirely on their own. “They don’t really have any big opinions on what it looks like or any of that! They have stepped back and let us take control, which is really nice," she adds. "I know sometimes parents can have all these opinions and it can be stressful. But both of our parents have been really supportive and just want whatever we want.”

While the couple has been enjoying planning, Kelianne says it hasn’t all been easy. For her, narrowing down and managing the guest list has been the most challenging task, while Chase says finding the venue was definitely the hardest part. “Once you find a venue, it’s easier from there,” he adds with a laugh. 

Her number one piece of advice? Try to take your time and try not to be so stressed! “It hasn’t been super stressful for us, and I think that’s why we’ve been able to enjoy it,” she says. “Also, at the end of the day, it’s your wedding and it’s your day. Everyone else’s opinions don’t really matter. You’re going to look back in 10 or 20 years and you should want it the way that you wanted it, and not how everyone else wants it.”

Chase agrees, adding that, as a groom, you have to be willing to step in and say, “No, that is not happening!” He explains, “I’ve always spoken my mind and put my foot down. If anybody tells me differently about my wedding, I’ll be like, ‘You can leave. I don’t care. I’m not marrying you!” 

The Details

Given that Chase and Kelianne both grew up in California, the wedding will also be in the golden state. “All of our family and all of our friends are basically in California, so it’s really nice,” says of their guest list, which will be about 125 people. The event will take place this summer, as Kelianne explains she didn’t want to be too chilly as she says her vows. “I knew we both wanted it to be outside and I didn’t want to be freezing cold at the altar, shaking,” she adds with a laugh. 

The Look

“When it comes to planning, we both have the same vision, '' says Kelianne. “We are pretty much on the same page, which has been nice. I want it to be very neutral with flowers everywhere. I always say, ‘like an enchanted fairytale forest wedding.’” Come summer, this will translate to an outdoor venue complemented with a palette of whites, greens, golds, and blacks, she adds. 

Naturally, Kelianne is keeping her dress a secret, so much so, that she won’t reveal any hints while in Chase’s presence. It’s the part of the day he’s most looking forward to, he says—but she is willing to share that she's already found the one! “That was the first thing I did! I thought it was going to take me a long time because I had no idea what I wanted, but I found it at the second place I went to,” she explains. 

Chase is still finalizing his attire (check out the next story for more info on that!) but one thing is for sure: Everyone will be in black-tie. “We want everyone to be dressed to the tens,” Kelianne adds. “We want everyone to look good and have fun.”

The Party

Kelianne and Chase are already thinking about the food. On the menu? A chicken, steak, and a veggie option, for sure. Cake tasting is still on the wedding to-do list, but for their flavor, they’re “pretty much set” on strawberry shortcake. However, they are both “definitely down to try them all.”

More frontrunners: Margaritas and maybe a dessert table, too. “We also want to have a late-night, as everyone’s leaving. We wanted to have a food truck—either tacos or In-N-Out,” Kelianne says. “Or pizza!” adds Chase. 

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