Archive for the ‘Wedding Tip Thursday’ Category

Wedding Tip Thursday! Budgeting

May 11

When creating a budget, sooner is better than later. Meaning: it should be one of the first five things you do after you are engaged. Setting expectations early on will help avoid confusion, heart ache and lots of drama. If your parents are going to be involved, I like to suggest that each person – the bride and the groom – meet separately with their parents to discuss this sensitive subject. Then, the two of you can regroup and go from there. But remember, those who contribute financially to the wedding usually expect to have a say in the wedding plans. So don’t forget to also discuss roles and involvement in decision-making when the budget is discussed. Get it out in the open early on! After hearing the expectations of involvement from your relatives, you may decide it is best to pay for it on your own!
As far as who pays for what, there are a lot of traditional “rules” that you can follow…but the modern bride and groom can also feel comfortable making their own rules. Budget etiquette is quite flexible and there are several combinations of who is paying for what which are completely acceptable. If you’d like something to go on, a contemporary option is the “FLOP” method. Using this rule of thumb, the groom’s family pays for flowers, liquor, orchestra (music) and photography. In addition, the groom’s family also pays for the rehearsal dinner. The bride’s family would then pay for everything else.
Whatever you decide, decide early, stick to the plan, and don’t let money issues ruin your day. No matter what the budget or who is paying – you’ll still end up marrying the person of your dreams!

Happy Planning!!

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Wedding Tip Thursday! Outdoor Wedding

May 3

Now that the heat has hit North Carolina, I’ve been thinking about summer weddings – specifically outdoor summer weddings. If you’ve always dreamed of having your ceremony and/or reception surrounded by the beauty of the outdoors, you may want to consider a couple of things while planning.

You absolutely must have a “Plan B” indoor space for your occasion. A tent with walls is one option – but an actual building is best. Even a tent can’t protect you and your guests from gusty winds or torrential rains. You can also plan your wedding to be either early or late in the day – not while the sun is in full heat-blaring mode. Evening is probably your best bet, so look up the Farmer’s Almanac online and see when sunset is planned for the day you are considering. Plan your wedding at or after sunset and plan your wedding accordingly (such as hors d’oeuvres instead of dinner if it’s late and open up the dance floor right away).  Choose light, airy fabrics for yourself and the bridal party (satin in the sun is a disaster and the guys will be miserable in suits…go for chiffon, linen, even sandals or flip flops could work) Some fun ways to deal with the heat: Have a beverage station of personalized water bottles – or perhaps tie them to each chair – at the ceremony (a great Triangle-Area company for this is Aquatise – check them out!).  Print your ceremony programs on the back of fans. Serve sorbet in edible cups as guests enter or exit – my favorite is lemon sorbet in ginger snap cups!
My number one piece of advice is to simply not plan an outdoor wedding when it will be too hot – for NC, that usually means May-early September.  If you really want to wed outdoors, you must be comfortable with risks and have flexibility. After all, you can’t control Mother Nature, but you can plan around her!

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Wedding Tip Thursday- Wedding Music!

April 26

Whoaaaaa, listen to the music! Don’t overlook using music to personalize your wedding. It’s tempting to just use traditional music – especially for your ceremony. But let me encourage you to take the time to pick a soundtrack for your special day that really means something. This means not waiting until the last minute if you are using musicians because they will need time to learn the songs you request. I suggest picking your music about 6 months in advance for this very reason. Mixing traditional with contemporary is another option that can give your ceremony a classic yet modern twist. Think about your relationship – did you go to a concert together? Have a favorite band? Love a movie with a memorable song? Music is such a part of our lives and can bring up wonderful memories. I’m certain if you take the time to think about it, you’ll have unique ideas for ceremony music. I also like the idea of using your recessional music as the same song that is used for your introduction at the reception – it creates a nice flow between the two events. And the recessional is a time that you can really think outside of the box. It could be something fast, silly, sentimental…anything goes! And what about getting the guests involved? If you choose something everyone will know, put it in the program that the guests should sing along. Who wouldn’t enjoy chiming in on the “ba, ba, badaba” during “All You Need is Love” while the two of you exit? After all, you’re going to be making beautiful music together as husband and wife – why not start now?!

Happy Planning!

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Wedding Tip Thursday: Wedding Food!

April 19

Food, glorious food! One of the most important parts of a wedding reception – and probably the most memorable to your guests – is the food. This week’s tip is short and sweet and to me, goes without saying. However, I’ve run into several times through the years to thought it was worth posting. Here it is:  DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, do the food for your reception yourself…or plan to have your mother do the food. I don’t care if you are a professional caterer, or perhaps your mother studied culinary arts in France. No matter what your skill levels, it is absolutely not worth it to have yourself or your sweet Mom handling the food on your special day. It is simply not possible to make the food very far in advance and by the time you do have to make it, you’re up to your eye balls in last minute planning, hosting out of town guests and guess what? You are actually going to want to have some down time before the wedding! On the day of the wedding, you and your Mother should be basking in Bridal glory and not stressing about if the canapés were taken out of the freezer on time.  I absolutely will not tolerate one Bride handle their food, I simply won’t have it!! Now, go find a nice caterer and spare yourself the heartache. Bon appétit!

Happy Planning!

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Wedding Tip Thursday! Incorporating Family Heritage!

April 5

Looking for a way to include some family heritage in your wedding? Consider using family recipes to make sweets as your favors! I love the idea of using traditional cookie, candy, breads, etc. recipes from the bride and groom’s families to bring in that personal touch at the end of the night. Think about what you remember from your childhood that was always around for special occasions or just makes you think of home. Zucchini bread, sugar cookies, even popcorn balls would work! Even more fitting is something unique to where you grew up – what about buckeyes if you are from Ohio or peanut brittle if you are from the South? You get the idea!
Picking something that you and your family and future in-laws could make together in advance would make it just that much more special. Package the items in a cute box, bag or tin along with printed copies of the family recipes. These favors are sure to be totally adorable and something your guests will certainly remember as a fantastic fond farewell.

Happy Planning!

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