Aug 15, 2016 | About me, Weddings
I just looked at the calendar and realized that it has been ten years since I booked my very first wedding. It has been a long and interesting road since those days. I can say with some confidence that ten years of planning and managing weddings has given me insight into the process that I didn’t have in the beginning. So, here’s a journey in pictures through the last ten years of weddings. Some of my favorites:
Photo courtesy of Artisan Events, Inc.
Photo by Magical Moments Photography.
Photo by Happy Buddy PhotoArt.
Photo courtesy of christytylerphotography.com.
Photo by hannahelaine photography (hannahelaine.com).
Photo by Peter Coombs.
Courtesy of sprungphoto.com.
Photo by Allison Williams Photography.
Photo by Agnes Malory Photography.
Jun 20, 2016 | Non-Traditional Weddings, Weddings
Wedding biking! Photo by Johnny Knight.
If you’re a cyclist (as I am), you might be interested in incorporating bicycles in your wedding plans. To keep things simple, you could just have your bikes as props in some photos. Or, you can use your bike as some or all of your wedding transportation.
Here’s a blog post from Seattle written by someone who organized a ride for his bride, himself, and their guests as part of the wedding day festivities. The bride is wearing a dress of an appropriate length for cycling, some of the bikes are decorated, and everyone is smiling. Looks like a lot of fun!
I’m sure there are plenty of ways to bring your enjoyment of cycling into your wedding day. Of course, if you need a planner who also cycles, you know who to call!
Jun 6, 2016 | Weddings
I worked on the sweetest wedding recently. Here are a few of my photos to give you a taste. There will be more later.
The bride and groom are in place for the processional.
Musicians lead the processional across the lawn.
The bride’s sister offers a toast.
The cake was from Lutz Bakery.
Cutting into that beautiful cake.
The first dance of a couple who love to dance together.
May 9, 2016 | etiquette, wedding planning, Weddings
Serving a buffet might mean some savings on catering. Photo courtesy of christytylerphotography.com.
One of the biggest expenses of your wedding (or any large party, really) is feeding your guests. After you’ve asked your friends and family to travel and spend their day with you, you probably feel obligated to make sure they are well fed–and rightly so. But that’s a big expense. What do you do if you just can’t afford to feed everyone you want to invite? You have several options (as well as several things that I can’t recommend).
You can invite fewer guests. This may not be the easiest way to solve the problem, but it is the most direct. After all, you have family obligations and friends you can’t leave out. But one way to solve the food budget problem is to invite fewer people. Sometimes, it is necessary to take an axe to the guest list.
You can find less expensive ways to feed your guests. At a certain level of service, it is hard to cut costs, but one way is to have an early wedding. Breakfast and lunch are generally less expensive than dinner. Depending on your caterer, you might find that a buffet costs less than a plated meal. Likewise, depending on your caterer, a buffet of heavy appetizers might give you some savings over a full meal. And, of course, if you don’t have to serve sirloin and wild-caught salmon, you can have a good meal that doesn’t break the bank.
This next recommendation is a tough sell sometimes, but another way to cut costs drastically is not to serve alcohol. The bar tab adds a lot to catering costs. You might find this easier if you’re having a morning or early afternoon event, but I’ve been at plenty of dry weddings, and there’s nothing wrong with them.
I do not recommend cutting costs on service. If you have a restaurant deliver pans of food, it is certainly inexpensive, but you will still have to find people to do all the invisible work: setting up chairs for the ceremony, moving those chairs for the reception, setting the tables, setting up the buffet, keeping water glasses filled, clearing tables, packing up rental dishes, cleaning the venue, and generally keeping your guests happy. It generally works out better to have a full-service caterer to take care of those things and so many others.
Finally, please do not ask your guests to chip in for their meal. You are the host of the party. If you have invited people to be your guests, please treat them as your guests, and not as paying customers.
May 2, 2016 | vendors, wedding planning, Weddings
I just worked with a band again recently, and I have to tell you about them. The Lisa Rene Band is definitely one to consider if you want a great wedding band. They have everything you need. Not only will they play all your favorite songs and keep the dance floor hopping, but they will do it with style. They bring their own sound and lighting equipment, set it up, and create a fun party atmosphere.
The thing that warms my logistical little heart, though, is their utter professionalism and ability to keep everything on track. Need to finish your family dances before the photographer leaves? With this band, it will happen on time. They show up early, set up, and do their sound check long before your guests arrive. And then, they make your party come alive with great music!
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