Illuminating your Love

One way to transform the look of your wedding and reception venue is the magic of lighting. There are several ways to take advantage of setting the mood by lighting your dance floor, up lighting columns, walls, or fabric, underneath tables, in or under centerpieces, chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and soooo much more. The possibilities can be endless depending on your budget and venue. Lighting is especially a consideration when doing an outdoor/rooftop wedding. These are some of our favorite ways to use lighting:

Lighting against a column/curtain, texture on the floor and stand alone chandeliers

 Chandeliers

 Custom monogram on your dance floor

 Lights under your table

 Lanterns

Romantic lighting under your tent

Sweet Succulents

One of the more popular flower trends isn't actually a flower at all. It's a succulent. Succulents come in all shapes, sizes, and shades of traditional greenery. 

To find out a little more about them I asked local floral artist Tony Foss what he thought about them. Tony is a creative genius when it comes to floral arrangements and we like to go to him for our flower questions. 

According to Tony, succulents are very vogue; they're in fashion and very trendy. Many people have the misconception that using succulents in your bouquet will make it cheaper. Actually, succulents can be $5-$10 a piece which can get pretty pricey if you're ordering multiple bouquets. 

Succulents are popular right now because they can go with modern or vintage style weddings. Using these will give a fresh feel to a loose, casual bouquet. The great thing about succulents is that you can use them in most any month although Tony doesn't suggest them in the winter season.

Before you run off to tell Tony that your wedding must be covered with this all the rage plant, take a minute to think about your pictures. If when looking at your pictures in 2o years you want to see something classic that never ages, succulents may not be for you. But if you want to see something unique and you don't really mind that it was only in fashion at the time, succulents could be the perfect greenery for your wedding!

The Big "B"... Budget

After talking with local florist Tony Foss last week, I realized what a hard time some brides have coming to terms with that big... scary... BUDGET!

I want to shed some light on this situation to clear some misconceptions about specifically your floral budget. Flowers are a must have in every wedding but most people don't realize how much they actually cost. PS, having fake flowers can cost just as much as real flowers if done correctly. You could easily spend $10,000 on flowers alone. If that just made you want to throw up, just stay with me! 

Before you rush to get a second and third job just to pay for your flowers, I want you to think about a couple things. First, what is most important to you? If flowers are a top priority, then they need to be so in your budget as well. If linens and having a live band are more important to you, then maybe you have different types of center pieces and most of your budget goes to personal bouquets. Second, there is a difference in the cost of what you want your flowers to be and what your florist can give you based on the budget you give them.

Don't panic yet! Wedding professional Tony Foss suggests that you be realistic and honest about your budget. There is no reason to walk out of a meeting with your florist embarrassed about your budget and feeling like you can't have something beautiful. Your florist can only work with what you tell them. When you give them your true budget, they'll let you know what's realistic and what's not. That may mean adding more greenery, smaller bouquets, or nixing the floral arch but most florists are willing to work with what you give them. You never know until you try, right?

Groovy Guestbooks

One way to set the tone for your unique wedding is to personalize your guestbook. If uncustomary is your style then one of these ideas may be perfect for you! Just make sure that you're prepared for everything they entail. A great example would be the "Fingerprint Book." Guests will have inky fingers so make sure you have something they can clean their hands with or clear ink that turns black on paper.

Go for Gold This Fall

If you're looking for a light and airy fall wedding, champagne and gold are your colors. You can incorporate tones from soft pink, peach or coral for a classy, vintage feel.

 

 

 

Bringing Diversity to your Dresses

A new trend lately is to have all your bridesmaids in different dresses. We've seen everything from the same dress but with slightly different accents, to completely different dresses and colors. This can be a great way to make each bridesmaid feel comfortable and unique in a dress that suits them. Here are a couple of our favorite ways to keep the dresses individualized and classy.

Colorful Cakes!

This summer cakes with color are very in. Here are a few of our favorite colorful cakes!

  

Wait a minute, I don't need a coordinator?!

Happy Independence Day! In honor of the 4th, check out these spectacular treats from 42nd street candy company!

Those look just delicious! 

So after wrapping up my series on why you might need a wedding coordinator I decided to give you some insight into the 3 instances when you would not need one, Yes that's right I'm about to tell you when it's OK NOT to hire a coordinator.  Example 1: if you're having a small and intimate afternoon reception where you are only providing sweet treats instead of a meal, this usually means that your guests will only stay for 1 to 2 hours after the ceremony. This type of simple and sweet reception is usually held in the fellowship hall at the church, where the church ladies can help with the few things that  you need . Example 2: an all inclusive wedding chapel. A chapel is actually different than a your typical church. A church normally has a staff that is there to oversee your event and help you get down the aisle. An all inclusive wedding chapel is a place that has a coordinator that will confirm all your wedding professionals (vendors) for you before the wedding. Most of the time they have a list of professionals for you to choose from and are there the entire night. Example 3: is an all inclusive destination wedding. If you're a 'budget bride' and think the destination wedding is your cheapest option, I encourage you to just have one meeting with a coordinator to help you compare a destination wedding vs. a traditional wedding. In each of these examples, All inclusive would be the key term. Make sure that you are getting everything you want and need and that all of your questions are being answered. 

So if you decide not to go with a coordinator or do not choose an all inclusive location, you'll need to start enlisting family and friends to help out on wedding day. Here is a short list of the big responsibilities that you will need to delegate out, so that you can relax and enjoy your special day.

Who will...

Set up your table decor? (Center pieces, napkins, place settings, chairs, linens, etc.)

  Run your rehearsal?

  Get your wedding party down the aisle? (Making sure the timing is right with the musicians or the DJ?)

  Keep in contact simultaneously with the DJ, catering staff, photographer and videographer while you're doing all the fun stuff like cutting your cake, dancing and visiting with your guests? 

  Stay late to clean up after the event and make sure all your personal items and borrowed items are returned properly?

  Serve your cake, food and keep your drinks refilled?

If you are going to an all inclusive venue and they can answer each one of these questions for you, fabulous!!!! But if you're thinking of asking friends and family to do these things, I would urge you to sit down and have a candid conversation with them and start delegating out the above list, which I'm sure only makes you think of more things that need to be done.  Before you grab a paper bag and begin your panic attack, just remember, you are marrying the man of your dreams and that everything will be beautiful and wonderful, but you WILL need a little help.

I hope this provided some helpful insight! We would love for you to share your past experiences good or bad, to give guidance to future brides. Visit us again on Tuesday for some fabulous wedding inspiration!

In the meantime, Happy Planning!

Do I really need a wedding coordinator?-Part4

Hello again! 

For my final blog in the “Should I have a coordinator?” series I want to talk to you about a common misconception and complaint: My venue has a coordinator already. While trying to tread carefully on the subject and be upfront and honest, I’m just going to tell you why an individual wedding coordinator can be more helpful than just having someone who works for the venue. 

Most venues have a quota of events that they need to fill. That being said, some venues will have 4-5 weddings per weekend. If that same coordinator has 4 events other than yours that same weekend, how could they possibly give you the attention that you need? In their defense, it is normal to have multiple weddings in one weekend. BUT, in my experience, if a coordinator has another wedding that overlaps with yours, they will make sure that another coordinator is there with you while they can’t be. 

As your coordinator we make it a priority to anticipate your needs and be there immediately. A coordinator who is attached to a venue may not be able to give you the same individualized attention that you want and deserve. 

It’s very popular right now to have your ceremony and reception in different locations. If your reception venue has a coordinator, then who runs your ceremony? Even if both venues have separate coordinators are you sure that they’ll be in communication with you, each other, each vendor, and know the separate venue policies? That’s a lot to keep up with and a lot to coordinate. So why not let one person/one company handle it all for you? In that case, your coordinator communicates with all vendors. They make sure the timeline is in order.

In summary, A good wedding planner is always there for you, a great coordinator knows what you need before you do and has already taken care of it. It’s what we love, and we do it well, so let us help! Finding the right coordinator is important so remember when you have your first meeting that it’s an interview for you both. Having good chemistry with your coordinator will translate positively on your wedding day.

Now it’s your turn! Tell us what you loved about your coordinator and what you found most helpful.