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March 22, 2011

Wedding Planning Mistake #6: Trying to Please Everyone

Every wedding website and book on wedding planning seems to know the “right way” to do plan a wedding.  You’ve family and friends are more than happy to tell you what THEY think you should do. Trying to make everyone happy is exhausting.  Plus, it’s an effort that’s doomed to failure. Choose your battles.  If something is really important to you, stick to your guns.  You won’t be able to make everyone happy anyway. Make sure you make yourself happy. If you’ve already made some of these mistakes, never fear.  Now that you know you can fix them.  Just being prepared is the best way to avoid a wedding day disaster. And if you haven’t made any of these mistakes…CONGRATULATIONS!  Learn from the bride sisters who have gone before you.  Have fun planning your wedding and decide to make it your best day ever, no matter what. You’re marrying the one you love.  In the ...

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Posted in: Blog, Tips

March 21, 2011

Wedding Planning Mistake #5: Having an Unrealistic Day Of Timeline…or No Timeline at All

Everything takes more time than you think. Even some of our smartest brides, the ones who are always on time for everything, end up rushed and panicked on their wedding day because they didn’t allow extra time. If you fall behind schedule on your wedding day, there is no catching up.  You can’t get those minutes and hours back.  Your party ends at the contracted time and there is nothing more painful than watching a bride who doesn’t relax and enjoy her day. Get realistic estimates for the time it takes to do something, then add on some extra time for good measure.

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Posted in: Blog, Tips

March 15, 2011

Wedding Planning Mistake #2: Hiring Amateurs or Friends for Your Wedding Day

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of including your guests in the wedding day.  By all means, have Aunt Sally sing “Ave Maria” for your ceremony or ask your brother to perform a song he wrote on guitar. But don’t expect amateurs and hobbyists to deliver a professional performance at your wedding. There will be awkward gaps.  They will miss some of those important moments.  An amateur won’t know what to do when something goes wrong…which usually means things get worse. If you like your friends and family…and you’d like to keep it that way…don’t hire them for your wedding day. *WARNING:  If you decide to hire an amateur or a talented friend to provide a service for your wedding day, make sure you adjust your expectations.  If less than perfect performance in that area is going to make you unhappy, please don’t do it.

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Posted in: Blog, Tips

March 14, 2011

Wedding Planning Mistake #1: Having NO Time Between Your Ceremony and Reception

In life…and especially when it comes to planning a wedding…everything takes longer than you think. If you have your ceremony and reception at the same location… Or if you leave exactly enough time for the 8 minute drive between the church and the reception hall... You will be stressed, miserable and end up with a wedding album where you are frowning on every page. Do yourself a favor and allow MORE time than you think you will need between the ceremony and reception.  Your guests are creative enough to find something to do with themselves. Use your wedding professionals as the expert resources they are.  Ask them how long they recommend for getting ready, receiving lines and photos.

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Posted in: Blog, Tips

September 16, 2009

Choosing Wedding Invitations

When it comes to wedding invitations, couples nowadays have a huge range of options and styles to choose from - reflecting everything from budget-conscious choices to gorgeous, one-of-a-kind designs. Many couples will explore local stationery stores to generate ideas for their own invitations, while others are turning to the Internet to find unique invitations, save the date cards, and other custom paper needs. Not only can ordering wedding invitations online save a lot of money, the turnaround time is often faster than a local dealer. Invitation design can range from casual and fun, to elegant, traditional, modern, or you can even have cultural wedding invitations created to suite the theme of your wedding. To help achieve your unique look and set the tone for your overall wedding style, consider different textures, colors, fonts, inks, etc. As you begin to look around online, you'll come across different printing techniques and options. A very popular trend today is William ...

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Posted in: Blog, Tips

September 14, 2009

Choosing a Caterer

Selecting a good caterer for your wedding is one choice that your guests will definitely notice and appreciate. Be sure to interview at least a couple of different caterers, and schedule a tasting with each one if possible. Some caterers will charge for a tasting, but the expense is well worth it if you consider the amount of money you'll have to spend on catering overall. Also, ask your prospective caterers if they have worked at your reception venue before, as well as whether the food will be prepared on site (this is preferable) or offsite and then reheated for the wedding. Some important items that should be addressed on the final contract should include: Deposit and payment policy Cancellation policy A detailed description of the services to be provided for your wedding A breakdown of the overall cost by cost per head for food and beverages Number of onsite catering staff that will be at your wedding ...

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Posted in: Blog, Tips

September 12, 2009

Choosing a Wedding Photographer

Researching wedding photographers online first can save a lot of time before setting up any actual appointments. View different photographers' portfolios and read about their experience and approach -- from this, you'll quickly be able to tell if this is someone with whom you share a similar vision. Ask how many weddings the photographer has done and whether or not he or she has photographed at your wedding venue. Familiarity with the space ahead of time will allow for more efficiency on the part of the photographer, who will be able to plan for different shots and situations unique to that venue. Also, make sure that the photographer you choose will be the one who will actually be photographing your wedding. If you're dealing with a large company who has several photographers available, they may send whomever is available on your wedding date. Be sure to get this in writing, as part of your contract ...

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Posted in: Blog, Tips

September 11, 2009

A Few More Wedding Tips

1. To have a smooth running wedding, plan enough time, for what's important to you. Ask the professionals you are hiring how much time they will need to perform their duties and then make up a tentative schedule. You can also ask your wedding photographer for assistance in this area, because he/she is one of the few professionals that sees every wedding from start to finish. 2. When ordering services for your wedding and reception, make sure you get all the details "in writing!" No matter how small the details, make sure it is in your contract. There is nothing worse then expecting something to be a certain way and finding out at the last minute that you have to pay extra for it or that it is unavailable on your special day. 3. When ordering wedding invitations, keep in mind that you need only one per couple/family. You may want to ...

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Posted in: Blog, Tips

September 7, 2009

Choosing your Ceremony and Reception Sites

Here are several things to think about before booking your ceremony and reception sites: * Size of your wedding budget * Whether you want to provide your own food or caterer. * Wedding theme * Whether you want your ceremony and reception at the same location. * What type of wedding you want to have. Let's take these one at a time: SIZE OF YOUR WEDDING BUDGET The most common wedding sites are churches, synagogues, private clubs, halls, restaurants and hotels. If money is a bit of a problem, however, you may want to consider these less expensive alternatives: Historical sites (call your local Historical Society for suggestions.) City, county or state facilities (senior centers, parks, rose gardens, museums, library or courthouse grounds, marinas, clubhouses, university or college facilities, etc.) Sites available through the Chamber of Commerce (private mansions, art galleries, Elks halls, privately-owned gardens, ranches or farms, yachts, botanical gardens, clubhouses belonging to gated or retirement communities, private campgrounds, etc.) National ...

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Posted in: Blog, Tips

September 4, 2009

Backyard Weddings & Receptions

Planning and hosting a backyard wedding and reception can be very enjoyable and to some degree less expensive. A great deal of the plan is very much like a backyard party. It gives you several freedoms yet, can add to your frustrations and work list. The following guidelines may help. Decide why you want to host this in a backyard. It is usually comparable to an inside wedding. Add up your costs and figure out if you would be spending less at a local hall or church. If you are hosting this in a backyard because it is lovely, well suited to celebrations, a special memory, or you are planning to use the hall funds on a landscaping project goal, then maybe this is a very wise decision. Early Considerations Does your yard size and number of guests work well? Tables, chairs, a ceremony area are all part of the plan. Will your neighbors ...

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