Feb 27, 2017 | Weddings
I worked with this really fun couple last fall on their wedding at the Levy Center in Evanston. They did everything to their own personal taste, so it turned out really wonderful. Check out these photos.
You could tell right off that this was not going to be an entirely traditional wedding. Photo by Danielle Heinson Photography.
Rabbi Debra Nesselson was their terrific officiant. Photo by Danielle Heinson Photography.
The bride carried a decorated lantern instead of a bouquet. Photo by Danielle Heinson Photography.
Can you tell that they were a little excited? Photo by Danielle Heinson Photography.
Since both bride and groom are gamers, here’s the bride with her wedding dice. Photo by Danielle Heinson Photography.
Instead of spending a lot of money on decorations, they asked their guests to dress up. Here’s their MC. Photo by Danielle Heinson Photography.
Table decor was appropriately goth. Photo by Danielle Heinson Photography.
Here’s another look at the decor. Photo by Danielle Heinson Photography.
The MC helps a member of the wedding party give a toast. Yes, it’s actual toast. Photo by Danielle Heinson Photography.
Of course there was dancing. Photo by Danielle Heinson Photography.
Photo by Danielle Heinson Photography.
There were also games for the guests. Photo by Danielle Heinson Photography.
There was no cake at this wedding, but this is what decorated the ice cream bar. Photo by Danielle Heinson Photography.
Feb 20, 2017 | Weddings
I am so fortunate to work with wonderful clients. I was privileged to work on some exceptional weddings in the last year, and I’m very grateful to have been able to help such terrific people get married–in all sorts of settings and in all their own different styles. I’m looking forward to working with even more lovely clients this year. Will you be one of them?
(Photo credits: 1 & 2 by anonymous photographers; 3: Photo by Studio Finch Photography, www.studiofinch.com; 4: Photo by Ryan Timm Photography; 5: Photo by Danielle Heinson Photography.)
Feb 14, 2017 | About me
Here’s a pretty picture of summertime in Chicago to distract you from all the blog glitches. Courtesy of sprungphoto.com.
If you’ve been following closely, you might have seen all the articles I had posted in 2017. And then you would have seen a database error. And now there’s nothing back to the beginning of the year. What’s going on with my blog??
Well, as one of the posts that never appeared said, I’m in the process of getting a new website, and I have a lovely new website hosting company to go with it. I’m very happy about all these things. But transferring a website from one hosting company to another can be tricky, and sometimes it doesn’t work perfectly. Ah, the things you learn being a small business owner!
I’ll try and catch all of us up on what got lost in the next few weeks, so please check back. I hope to be back to business very soon, writing about weddings and events, rather than about technical issues. Thanks for hanging in there with me!
Dec 26, 2016 | Weddings
Happy New Year! Courtesy of sprungphoto.com.
Happy New Year to all! If you just got engaged, please accept my congratulations. Enjoy your engagement. There’s no time like it. And remember to leave plenty of time to spend with your spouse-to-be, even while you are busy planning your wedding.
Dec 19, 2016 | Weddings
For those who celebrate holidays right around now, I’d like to offer my best wishes for your holidays. May all your dreams come true!
Dec 12, 2016 | DIY
It’s time to revisit some articles about DIY weddings. Here’s a good one:
Of all the things you might want to do yourself for your wedding, the one I would recommend against without hesitation is catering your wedding reception yourself. You might think this would be obvious, but I have talked to people who thought they could do it.
Did I mention that presentation is a professional catering skill? Photo courtesy of Artisan Events.
I have actually heard of self-catered weddings that were pulled off with a lot of help from friends and family. I know it can be done, especially if there are people with special skills involved. So, I won’t say you should never, ever do it. I’m just going to give you a lot of reasons not to.
Caterers do a lot more than cook in quantity. They also manage the kitchen; order and return rental items; keep the food (and so your reception) on schedule; hire and manage serving and bar staff; set up tables, chairs, and linens; set the tables; and clean up and take the garbage out. Caterers also have food sanitation licenses, meaning there is a low probability of spoiled food or food poisoning from their kitchens. They know how much ice to buy and bring. Some of them own serving equipment that they provide at no charge. And that is just the minimum of what a professional caterer has to offer.
On your wedding day, you are going to be very much occupied with, first, getting married. Second, you will want to spend as much time as possible greeting your guests. You’ll probably also want to have your photograph taken with many of your friends and family, not to mention with your spouse. These things will take up most of your day, leaving you no time to be the caterer at your own wedding.
I would say that unless you are able to provide everything a caterer brings to the table, and unless you can also delegate all the catering on the wedding day to a trusted party, hire a professional and save cooking for a crowd for another day.
Dec 5, 2016 | Budget Planning
Photo by Studio Finch Photography, www.studiofinch.com
Just a reminder: My prices increase on January 1. If you want to book my 2017 wedding planning or coordinating services at 2016 prices, call me or email me now so we can get everything signed and sealed before the end of the year. Wouldn’t it be great to have one more thing out of the way now?
Nov 28, 2016 | wedding planning
A planner can ensure that everything is in place. Photo by hannahelaine photography (hannahelaine.com).
You’re planning a wedding, or any large event, and you’re thinking of hiring a planner, or at least a day-of coordinator. But you’re also wondering if it’s really worth paying all that money when there will be nothing to show for it. After all, when you hire a florist, you get beautiful flowers; when you hire a caterer, there’s delicious food. But when you hire a planner, what do you get?
Let’s look at that question in reverse: What do you get when you don’t hire a planner?
I’m in a lot of online groups for wedding vendors, and one thing I see happening constantly is musicians and florists and hair stylists asking the group to recommend other vendors. Just today, a musician was trying to help out her client by asking for recommendations for flowers, uplighting, and a chuppah. Now, a musician is no expert on those vendors. But a planner is. If the couple had hired a planner or coordinator–like, say, me–they would have the benefit of my extensive vendor list at no additional charge. But because they haven’t hired a planner (yet), it takes much longer to get recommendations.
There have been occasions when I have been hired very close to the wedding day, when most of the major decisions have been made already. There’s nothing really wrong with that, but if I had been hired early and had input into those decisions, I might have helped my clients make better or easier decisions. In this case, what my clients didn’t get was expertise to make their planning process easier.
And, of course, if you don’t hire a day-of coordinator at all, what happens? Someone has to do the work that a coordinator does on the wedding day: putting out place cards, making sure the tables are set properly, starting the processional on time, keeping photographers informed, alerting people making toasts, adjusting the temperature, calling cabs…and so on. If you don’t hire a professional, who will do all the things I do? Either you will press one of your guests into service or wheedle a vendor whose job it isn’t to do them, or they just won’t get done.
These are just a few examples of what happens when you don’t hire a planner. And just because they are intangible doesn’t mean they aren’t important. Sometimes, the things you can’t see are the most important ones of all.
Nov 21, 2016 | wedding planning
Is this your vision? Image by theblondephotographer.com.
Do you hesitate to call a wedding planner (even though you know you need one) because you just don’t know where to start? What questions should you ask? What are you likely to hear from her/him? Well, I can’t tell you what every planner does, but here is how it usually goes when I answer the phone.
When you call a planner, whether you need planning services or coordinating, the first information I want to know is your name and when your wedding is. Or, if you don’t have a date, that is also very useful information. Why do I want your name? Because I want to get to know you and your needs, and that seems like an essential first step. Why the date? Because if I am not available, then I don’t want to waste your time. Feel free to ask me if I am available on your date.
If you’re shopping around, you probably also want to know about prices and services. If you tell me what you need, I can tell you if it is a service I offer and, if so, at what price. If not (or if I am already booked), I might be able to refer you to other people I trust.
After I have that basic information, I’m likely to ask you a few questions about what you need, so I can get a fuller picture of your plans. This is also a good time for you to ask questions of me.
After you’ve had this phone call (which sometimes happens by e-mail), what happens next? If I think we can work well together, I am likely to suggest an in-person meeting. I always offer a complimentary 30-minute meeting so that we can get to know each other. We are going to be working closely together, so we need to know a little bit about each other. I think sitting down over coffee is the best way to find out. Or, if you live out of town, we can always settle for a long, detailed phone conversation. That works, too.
That meeting is a good time to lay out your plans in detail and find out how I will address the problems you foresee. You can ask about my background and experience, and how I approach various situations. Find out if the way I see your wedding is the same as the way you see it. Make sure I have the skills you think are important in a wedding planner. See if you think you will enjoy working with me.
If you are ready to move forward, that is the point at which I can send you a contract and a firm price for the work you need accomplished. And then you will have booked your planner or coordinator. Easy!
Nov 14, 2016 | wedding planning
“Shall we tip the limo driver?” Photo by Happy Buddy PhotoArt.
Here’s something I haven’t touched on in a while: I am asked by clients sometimes about tipping wedding or party vendors. Now, I’m not an etiquette expert, but here is what I know:
It is customary to tip people who provide a service to you if they are employees of a company. For example, servers, bartenders, hair stylists, and drivers who are employed by a caterer, a service company, a salon, or a limo company are very usual recipients of tips. If those people are self-employed, however, tips are not customary. In other words, if your limo driver is the owner of her own company, then she sets her fees, so it is not required to tip her. That is in contrast to the hair stylist who works for an hourly wage at a salon. He is generally tipped.
At the same time, it is never wrong to tip someone if they have provided you with exceptional service. If someone goes above and beyond the call of duty, you will never be wrong to show your appreciation in a tangible way.
Be sure to read your contracts, though. Some vendor contracts (especially catering) already include a gratuity. Some contracts will specify that a gratuity is appreciated but not required. Some, of course, won’t mention it at all. If a self-employed vendor’s contract requires a tip, you might want to discuss that provision before signing.
I also understand that it is not customary to tip musicians. But the rule still applies: Anyone who gives exceptional service might merit a reward.
And how much should you tip? That is up to you and depends on several factors. One way you can gauge the correct amount is as a percentage of the total you are paying to a vendor. 10% to 20% is the usual range. You probably also want to take into account the level of service. At a recent wedding, the bartenders did lots and lots of extra work to keep the guests happy. The bride and groom made sure their tip was generous. You can also ask your planner or coordinator if anyone working on the day of your event merits a tip–or doesn’t.
These are, of course, only general guidelines. Common sense will help you figure out the rest.
Recent Comments