Jul 16, 2012 | Eco-Friendly Events, wedding planning
A tent wedding can be a green option.
One concern I hear about having eco-friendly events is that it is going to be too expensive to be eco-conscious. While it is true that some environmentally friendly choices are more expensive, others are less expensive. There are always trade-offs, and, in the end, it is up to you to make the choices.
Organic food and flowers are almost certainly more expensive than conventionally grown or raised food and flowers. Organic growing is more labor-intensive, and so the price goes up. Also, retailers raise the price of organics when they can because it is a niche market. But much of the increased cost is due to the high quality of the product. On the other hand, local food and flowers in season may be less expensive than their counterparts from distant locations because of the lower transportation costs. You can get local, organic; local, non-organic; or organic, non-local products. Each of these is more environmentally friendly than non-local and non-organic products, so you can figure out what best meets your budget and your expectations.
When you’re thinking about decor, you can save money and go green by reducing the quantity of decor items at your celebration and by reducing the potential waste. For example, edible or grow-able favors with minimal (or reusable) packaging might save you money over an elaborate knick-knack that may end up in the landfill. Finding a location that doesn’t require much decoration can save you a lot of money (and time) on decor.
A little creative thinking can both save you money and increase your green quotient. And you don’t have to have a perfectly green event. There are always trade-offs and purity shouldn’t be the goal. But if there’s something you can do that suits your style and your budget, you can be just a little more green.
Jul 9, 2012 | wedding planning, Weddings
Even if you're accomplished dancers, dance lessons are fun. Photo by Happy Buddy PhotoArt.
A client of mine wanted me to share with you her best stress-busting tip. She had a short engagement and a rather stressful time planning her wedding (on top of a demanding job). She said that the best thing she and her fiance did was take weekly dance lessons. Sure, it takes some time out of your week, but it’s a time to enjoy being with the one you love and it really blows off some steam. And then, come your wedding day, you can show off all your new dance moves!
Jul 2, 2012 | wedding planning
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 more of them:
It's not your average wedding cake, for sure!
Make your wedding personal. Everyone knows what a wedding is “supposed” to be like, but some of the nicest weddings I have been to have broken the rules. Brides don’t have to wear white, nor do grooms need to wear tuxes. There is no requirement that a wedding be a formal affair. If you want to have a picnic in the park, just make sure you have a rain plan. Wedding cake doesn’t have to look like the classic wedding dress. In fact, if you don’t like cake, serve pie or jello, instead. I’ve never been to a wedding where there were no flowers, but if you don’t like the idea of carrying a bouquet, there are lots of other ways to work flowers into your day. Everyone from your mother to the lady at the grocery checkout will tell you how your wedding ought to be. Listen politely, but if you have other ideas, follow your heart until you get the wedding of your dreams.
Jun 25, 2012 | Budget Planning, DIY, wedding planning
After decor, the most frequent kind of DIY I see at weddings is in the music. I have coordinated many weddings where all the music was provided by a laptop or MP3 player. At the risk of alienating my musician and DJ friends, I have to say that this is one area where you can get away with doing it yourself. But there are definitely things to be aware of if this is your plan.
The important thing is that everyone is having a good time. Photo by Magical Moments Photography.
A professional DJ or band brings to your wedding two very large advantages: a sound system and a Master of Ceremonies. These things can be arranged for otherwise, but by paying professionals you are also obtaining these two important things.
Sound systems can be rented (for a price), but you also need someone to set up and run the sound system. You will have to put in a good bit of time in advance making play lists. And someone needs to press “play” on the MP3 player. One drawback of DIY music is that the play lists are all made in advance and they can’t respond to the mood on the dance floor the way a DJ can.
You might have a friend who is an appropriate choice for MC. You will need someone to make announcements at your wedding. Typical announcements include: introducing the bridal party; announcing the cake cutting; introducing those who are making toasts; announcing the bouquet and garter tosses; and any other important events that happen at the reception. If you have a friend act as MC, it might be important to impress upon her or him the necessity of remaining fairly sober until all the announcements have been made.
DIY music is definitely a viable option for your wedding reception. (And don’t overlook another way to do it yourself: If you have musician friends, ask if they can play for the ceremony or the reception.) As with any kind of DIY project, it requires forethought and planning and some extra time to make it happen.
Jun 11, 2012 | wedding planning, Weddings
You might need a little help to get to this point. Photo courtesy of christytylerphotography.com.
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 more of them:
Hiring a wedding planner is the same hiring as any other wedding vendor. Have an idea of the kinds of help you need before you call. You probably won’t have all the answers yet, but that is why you are hiring an event planning professional. If you want someone who knows all about bridal fashion and the latest trends, be sure they are credentialed by one of the bridal planning associations. If, on the other hand, you have your own ideas about style, keep looking until you find a wedding planner with an open mind and innovative ideas. Experience counts, too. It is possible to learn a lot about event planning from books and lectures, but nothing beats hands-on experience. Also, find out if the wedding planner you are thinking about hiring has ever been married. I think that a wedding planner who has gotten married has a better understanding of the process of getting married–and a better understanding of the pitfalls along the way.
Jun 4, 2012 | wedding planning, Weddings
Get what you love for your wedding, not what someone tells you that you need.
Have you ever run across one of those “wedding etiquette” web pages? Some vendors of wedding products have etiquette tips on their websites. Many of them have useful information. But some of them are wedding planning traps.
Watch out for sales pitches disguised as etiquette requirements. For example, an invitation seller might tell you that etiquette “requires” you to have a second, inner envelope for your invitation, which they will be happy to sell you. Or a florist could push etiquette as the reason to have corsages for every female member of your family. I’m just making up examples here to give you an idea of what to look out for. There are many forms this trap could take.
If you want solid etiquette advice, I recommend borrowing an etiquette book from the library or buying one, if you think you’ll use it again. Emily Post has the classic guides to etiquette. You might also enjoy Miss Manners on Painfully Proper Weddings. I’ll write more on real etiquette another day. In the meantime, keep your eyes open for the fake kind.
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