May 14th, 2012
Healthy Green Goods in Evanston is not a wedding vendor, but Marny Turvil, the owner, is someone you should know if you are interested in environmental topics.
The store on Main Street stocks a wide variety of non-toxic and environmentally safe items for the home, including linens, paint, furniture, air and water purifiers, and personal care items. Marny is also available for in-home consultations on indoor air quality and keeping a healthy home.
If you are looking for a high-quality, environmentally friendly, non-toxic gift (for a wedding or for any occasion), Healthy Green Goods is a good place to start. They will even ship anywhere in the US.
Posted in Eco-Friendly Events, Other Events | No Comments »
May 7th, 2012
I am asked sometimes why anyone should hire a wedding planner.
Beautiful wedding day. Photo by Magical Moments Photography.
After all, you can probably do all the planning yourself. With some time, a few organizational skills, and the ability to see the project through, you can plan your wedding by yourself. Of course, it is a large job that takes a lot of time and attention. Most people find the process momentarily frustrating. At the same time, it can be very rewarding. You might even find that it is a lot of fun.
On the other hand, when it comes to day-of wedding coordination, almost everyone needs someone to do the job. In the past when brides were typically younger, the mother of the bride often took care of the coordinating. Sometimes the Maid of Honor does all the work. These days, though, most couples want to allow their families and friends to enjoy the wedding day and not have to deal with the details.
Even if your wedding is simple and straightforward, if you hire a day-of coordinator, you are also hiring a professional consultant who can help you with the planning. When I am working with a couple, I tell them that once they hire me, they can call me or send me an e-mail any time if they need guidance or a vendor referral or just someone to bounce an idea off of. My function is to make sure that the wedding goes smoothly, and that means that I start working toward that goal as soon as I am hired. If I can prevent costly mistakes or solve a problem months in advance, then I am doing my job as day-of coordinator.
Also, I have resources that you might not have. Especially if your wedding is non-traditional or if you want to make sure it is environmentally friendly, I have access to vendors and other resources that you might not know about.
Maybe you have been to a wedding and thought it all went so smoothly that there was no need for a coordinator. That is actually the highest compliment you can pay to a day-of wedding coordinator. From the point of view of the guests, it should all look effortless, and that means that someone has put all the details together into a beautiful wedding day.
Posted in Day-of Coordinating, Wedding Planning, Weddings | No Comments »
April 30th, 2012
Make sure everyone you hire is someone you want to see on your wedding day.
Every wedding planner has a calendar or timeline laying out the important steps necessary to plan a wedding and reception. The timeline is an important part of planning your wedding, but there are other equally important things to think about in order to have the wedding you really want. Here is one of them:
When you are hiring vendors, I can’t stress enough how important it is to find people who are easy to communicate with. Any vendor who implies that they know better than you what you need is not someone you need at your wedding. Find people who listen to what you want and are enthusiastic about your ideas. Only hire people you feel comfortable calling if you have a change of plans or a new set of ideas. Make sure they are the sort of people you would want to invite to your wedding.
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April 23rd, 2012
Try a beautiful outdoor location for your celebration. Photo by Magical Moments Photography.
Yesterday was Earth Day so I’m thinking about locations for eco-friendly weddings and events. There are many choices you can make to have a sustainable location for your event.
For example, you can choose a LEED certified building, or rent from and support a location that has an environmental mission, such as a botanic garden or organic farm. You can also look at the Green Hotels Association to find a hotel with an environmental commitment. Or you can find an eco-friendly restaurant through the Green Restaurant Association. Celebrating outdoors, of course, reduces the power needed for lighting and air conditioning. If you’re having more than one event on the same day (such as a wedding and reception), have them in the same location to reduce the amount of transportation needed.
There are lots of easy things you can do to make your wedding or other celebration more eco-conscious. Every little bit helps!
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