Miscellaneous Tips:

• Make your guest list first before your budget. This is the most variable part of your wedding budget. A wedding of 100 guests compared to 150 guests will greatly affect your costs for items priced per number of guests (as with chair covers, catering and etc.).
• Book your venue first, whether the venue can be all-inclusive or non-inclusive. You can always add the items you need after you have secured your venue and date.

Venue Tips:

• Do not underestimate how lighting will affect your event. Light creates atmosphere. Picture the progression of lighting as your event takes place. For the ceremony and after ceremony pictures high light is important. For the reception dinner lower lighting is usually best. When the dancing begins very low lighting is a must as it will set the tone for the rest of the evening.
• Why have your Ceremony and your reception at the same venue?

a. Depending on the venue, you could save a considerable amount on your wedding budget.

b. Most venues allow you and your wedding party to arrive several hours before the ceremony to get ready. This will eliminate the possibility of you or  your wedding party getting stuck in traffic and being late for the wedding. Not to mention sitting in a car will cause wrinkles in your clothes, the less wrinkles the better everyone looks.

• Think twice before having your ceremony and/or reception at the home of a family member or friend unless they host large parties often. Your guests will be everywhere and has the restroom ever seen as many people in one day as it will on your special day?
• With an outdoor venue you will need less décor to bring your wedding to life. The beauty of nature does most of the decorating for you.

Tips for the bride:

When a venue has done weddings for as long as we have there are tricks that come in handy on a regular basis. Here are a few we give often:

• If you are wearing a floor length gown avoid shoes with embellishments as these (although beautiful) tend to catch on your dress making your walk down the aisle look less than graceful. No one will see your shoes anyway.
• If your dress and/or your bridesmaid dresses have loops to fasten the buttons, you will save a considerable amount of time and stress if you purchase a large crochet hook. Use the crochet hook to fasten the loops over the buttons. You can thank me later for this little tip.
• Lip balm, bar soap or a candle will work wonders on a stuck or fussy zipper.
• Remember to enjoy the day. Do not get so caught up in worry and your guests that you can’t enjoy the happiest day of your life. Everything and everyone will be fine.

Bar Tips:

• You have a champagne toast and have several bottles of champagne left. After the cake cutting take half the left over punch to the bartender. Instruct the bartender to use the punch and champagne to create a make-shift mimosa. You can also use wine in place of the champagne to create some rather tasty wine cocktails or a sparkling white wine to replace champagne altogether.
• Don’t have a cash bar. I know it saves on the cost for your wedding however; it is inconsiderate to your guests and will usually look tacky.
• Plan on serving alcohol at your reception unless your religion or family traditions strictly forbid it. This is a celebration and your guest will expect the opportunity to have a few drinks. Your reception will die quickly if your guests start to depart for a livelier atmosphere.
• Find a venue that will allow you to bring in your own alcohol. You will save on your overall bar costs.
• If you are leaning toward beer and wine only you may want to add a signature drink to your budget for guests who may not enjoy a cold beer or glass of wine. Anything made with vodka tends to go over well in most cases.
• Look into purchasing the wine from a local winery. You may save by cutting out the middle man.

Cake tips:

• Specify which is more important to you, the flavor or the look.
• I want cupcakes, but how do we have a cake cutting ceremony with cupcakes? You don’t. When the time arrives to cut the cake the bride and groom will each take a cupcake and slowly (for pictures) remove the wrapper and offer a bite to the other as with a traditional cake cutting ceremony. A little tidbit for you; if you choose cupcakes you will not need cake cutting and serving ware or a cake server.

DJ, Band and Dancing Tips:

• Even though the bride and groom are the main attraction, the entertainment will be the essence of the evening. Know what you want and what your entertainment budget will be.
• Do you want a party with lots of dancing or do you simply want to be able to visit with family & friends with music in the background? Knowing this will help you decide on hooking up an ipod to a sound system, hiring a DJ or forking over the big bucks for a live band.
• Be careful of the songs you put on a do-not-play list. Unless everyone at your wedding has the same taste in music you may miss the chance to see grandma & grandpa dance to a tune or two on your wedding day. Make the music mainly about you (it is your day), but be aware of the age differences of your guests. Leave some room for them too.
• Discuss how you desire your reception to unfold with your DJ or band. Give them as much information as you can and don’t forget to give them an idea of the type of crowd they will see. Let them know what might be offending and considered inappropriate by your guests.
• Trust your DJ or band. You gave them a must- play list and a do-not-play list – relax and let them do their job. If you are wise you will not put them in a box. Allow them the room to feel out the crowd and be creative. They do this for a living and have a better idea of what a crowd will dance to.

Floral Tips:

• Know what your floral budget is. This is the most important piece of information you need to have.
• Fresh Flowers and candles bring life indoors. If you are planning an indoor event the use of fresh flowers and lighted candles will transform the entire atmosphere. Don’t believe it? Try it at home and feel the difference.
• Centerpieces do not have to be flowers. Fruits, vegetables and striking greenery can create beautiful additions to your tables.
• Where and how you plan to use flowers can go a long way in defining your event. Have an idea of what you want. Clip pictures from magazines or describe in detail your vision to your florist.
• In season flowers and foliage costs less. Here are a few: Spring – daffodils, azaleas, hyacinths, poppies, lilies, violets, lilacs, primroses, peonies, pansies, tulips, sweet peas, camellias, anemones, mimosa, iris, lilies of the valley & viburnum. Summer – roses, zinnias, daisies, bachelor’s buttons, sun flowers, cosmos, dahlias, daylilies, hydrangeas, clematis, baby’s breath, gladiola, stock, honeysuckle and delphiniums. Fall – hydrangeas, chrysanthemums, asters, statice, marigolds & cockscomb. Winter – poinsettias, paperwhites, jasmine, amaryllis, phlox, holly, cyclamen, pussy willow & heather. Year round – Rose, calla lily, stephanotis, gardenia, & lily.
• Use local potted flowers or plants as your centerpieces. Just wrap the pots and tie off with ribbon for a simple and inexpensive fresh floral appeal.
• Real flowers on your cake or cupcakes are cheaper than if the cake designer makes them.
• The size of your wedding party can make a significant difference in your floral budget. Before you ask anyone to be in your wedding figure your floral budget. Now you know how many maids you can afford to have.

Officiant Tips:

• Ask the Officiant to remind guests prior to the beginning of your ceremony to silence their cell phones.
• You forgot the marriage license. Don’t panic! Send someone to get it after the ceremony or make arrangements to meet again with the Officiant with in the week (don’t forget your witnesses) to sign the license.

Photographer Tips:

• Decide what pictures are most important to you and make a list before you speak to photographers.
• Decide how many hours of photography you will want.