As much as I would love to live in the land of denial, sometimes it rains. Wedding planning 101 teaches: have a back up plan. Having an alternate ceremony location is not a back up plan. It's a big bold note at the top, yes. But that's it. Basically, your back up plan needs to be an exact duplicate of your fair weather plans, only with all the alternatives laid into place. There's more to it than where you'll ceremony will be if it's too hot & humid or cold and windy outside. A great back up plan is plans for a the wedding you would have loved to have inside. Not a compromise. Just a short list to get you thinking...
} Are you still able to have your formal photos in the same locations?
} Are the new locations going to cross paths with guests before the ceremony?
} Are you going to run into another wedding party?
} Are your guests going to get mixed up with another bride's guests?
} Is it going to take longer to transport all your guests, meaning that some elements will start later, and you'll need to extend end times?
} If it's too windy, will your amazing, totally unique, omg-I-can't-wait-to-see-it escort card display still work? And where will it go if it's inside?
} Do you have umbrellas ready to go? How will they be displayed and who's going to be responsible for them?
} Are the perfect apple green sheer overlays the same color inside the ballroom?
} Who will update all your vendors on all the changes?
} How will your guests know where to go to?
} How late can you order the heaters, and where do you want them placed?
} Does the rain plan cost more money? ick.
Back up plans are a puzzle - make sure yours has all the pieces in the box and they all fit together. Start with the flat edges, and work your way into the details! Gang, don't think for a minute this is a list of all the questions that need answered. Remember, its all about making sure there are no loop holes. That's what makes your wedding day smooth and seamless so that you have nothin' but love and fun celebrating the day away. If you invest the time into planning for ill weather, you can rest easy that you're having a fantastic wedding no matter what.
Oh, and do this way way way before wedding day. Better yet, call your planner and let her/him figure it all out, and don't think about it again.
Thursday, 4 December 2008
Sunday, 30 November 2008
Annie+Paulo=Style
I think it was Lance Armstrong who said "If you ever get a second chance in life for something, you've got to go all the way." Well, that's exactly what Paulo did when he got the opportunity to meet up with Annie again - a girl he just couldn't get out of his head, even though they hadn't seen each other in ages & the timing wasn't quite right when they originally met.
But the second time around, they made it happen. And on their wedding, their timing was perfect!
Some of our favs from this great day with an amazing couple.
Manolo Blahniks and Christian Louboutins? Gotta love a bride with that kind of shoe devotion :)
Annie. Striking.
Getting ready for the big day involved some extra-special gifts for all the bridesmaids!
Paulo's no shoe slouch himself - check out his gift to all the groomsmen.
The guys rocking the cigars, the shades, and the Nikes.
A little attitude from the stylin' wedding party.
Paulo was so psyched to get to the church & marry his girl! Love this fun page from their album.
Some of our favs from ceremony (& just the cutest little ring-bearer you could ever ask for!).
A gorgeous blue-sky day for the happy husband & wife!
Loved the florals - the warms browns & greens were perfect for a fall wedding.
Under the boardwalk.
Last shoe shot, I promise!
Beautiful details at the Westwood Plateau, all coordinated by the very wonderful & helpful AlannaV at A Sweet Beginning. Always-fun-to-work-with Bruce from CloudNineCreative rounded out the team and of course, it would not be the same without the amazing Edmond (the most dedicated makeup artist ever!)
Almost forgot all the lovely print work! Which tied the colours and themes together so seamlessly - gorgeous design by Vincent of Medium Print.
What better way to make a grand entrance than to do your first dance? Love the drama of this image.
Congratulations, Annie + Paulo!
Thursday, 27 November 2008
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Spotlight on Ashley Brockinton PhotographyBig Color Photography with edge
Today: The ceremony
Tomorrow: check back for guys & gals
Remember this summer I was working on this years showcase? Yeah, I really got behind on it because of our early fall weddings. Still, this was one of the finished pieces that came in and what better time to post it than now?
Photographed by Ashley Brockinton of course! The bride is Ashley Perkins and her planner was Mary Hines.
All photos from here down were taken by me, so yeah, they aren't so good because I am not a photographer who knows everything about lighting, angles, speed and all that stuff I find unfathomable to remember all at one time. But you get the point. To see better photos- always check out the photographers websites & blogs!
Yesterday I had a visit from Sam Brockinton from Ashley Brockinton Photography. He stopped by to drop off images from our most recent wedding together (Writer brides wedding at South Seas Resort) along with a cookie bouquet that was nearly too cute to eat. But we ate it anyway, and we ate the cookies on top of these super cute napkins Ashley made as well!
Sam had the cutest little helpers with him, Baby Olivia and her big sister Isabella. My little Emily (the one with the crazy hair that 100% matches her personality) was ecstatic to have a few visitors to the studio that were more interested in drawing on the floor than looking at wedding books and watching wedding videos.
Tomorrow: check back for guys & gals
Remember this summer I was working on this years showcase? Yeah, I really got behind on it because of our early fall weddings. Still, this was one of the finished pieces that came in and what better time to post it than now?
Photographed by Ashley Brockinton of course! The bride is Ashley Perkins and her planner was Mary Hines.
All photos from here down were taken by me, so yeah, they aren't so good because I am not a photographer who knows everything about lighting, angles, speed and all that stuff I find unfathomable to remember all at one time. But you get the point. To see better photos- always check out the photographers websites & blogs!
Yesterday I had a visit from Sam Brockinton from Ashley Brockinton Photography. He stopped by to drop off images from our most recent wedding together (Writer brides wedding at South Seas Resort) along with a cookie bouquet that was nearly too cute to eat. But we ate it anyway, and we ate the cookies on top of these super cute napkins Ashley made as well!
Sam had the cutest little helpers with him, Baby Olivia and her big sister Isabella. My little Emily (the one with the crazy hair that 100% matches her personality) was ecstatic to have a few visitors to the studio that were more interested in drawing on the floor than looking at wedding books and watching wedding videos.
Monday, 24 November 2008
The winners
Yep, I totally lost track of time. So for that reason...everybody that entered wins the Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine! Just email me your mailing address and I'll get them right out to you.
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
How a wedding planner is a financial investmentand a giveaway too!
Anyone can tell you easily that having a wedding planner just makes things easier. Obviously, that's probably one of the main reasons you're considering having one. That's because before you got engaged, you already had a pretty full schedule. Adding a +200 hour project to your plate is probably not going to fit in easily. Well, maybe it would if you could plan it one hour a day for six and a half months. Not possible; wouldn't that be something though?
Okay, so besides the time saved, let's talk a bit about some things that are a benefit financially. I always get asked,
With that said...
1. Wedding planners, especially those who also do design work, often have "stuff". Stuff left from previous weddings. What does that mean to you? That means that the rehearsal dinner and/or welcome reception (that you forgot to budget decor for- oops) might actually turn out to be amazing because your wedding planner happens to have some custom linens that a previous bride didn't want, a dozen very cool lanterns that would make perfect centerpieces, about 100 luminaries to light the path. So when interviewing your potential wedding planner, ask if she has "stuff"! Note: I am in no way saying that you should only hire a planner who has "stuff". It's just a nice little budget booster if she/he does.
2. Wedding planners know the key to contracts is not the fine print, it's the missing print. Everyone knows to read the fine print. If you don't know what is missing, you don't know what you'll be paying for later down the road. It's a planners responsibility to draw your attention to these things. Example: Let's say you are having an outdoor welcome reception in the evening. An event for which you are paying a $500 site fee. Your contract says that this includes the space, chairs, tables, linen, set-up and breakdown. Sounds all inclusive right? Wrong. There's a list of at least six things that I can think of off the top of my head that you are going to need for this event. And nope, they aren't free. So what is going to happen? A couple weeks before the event, you'll get a call from your venue saying,
Every professional planner should be able to do this for you.
3. Your wedding planner knows when to call it a night. How many weddings do you go to a year? Your wedding planner goes to lots of them. Because we've experienced it so many times, we can tell when your guests have just about had all the fun they can. So when you've been able to enjoy all the champagne, and you're having a great time on the dance floor, we're watching the door, and who is walking out of it- we know what the sign is. The time has come when we walk up to you and say, it's time for the last dance per your contracted end time. Well, you're still having a great time, and you turn around and see there are still 30 people having a great time. So perhaps you say,
4. Myth: Super small or "intimate weddings" (under 20 guests) don't need wedding planners. Myth with a capital M. While many people are having small weddings because they like the intimacy of it, many people are doing it because it is just so much less expensive. Here's what I can say- it's the small weddings that planners are often able to get the best deals for their clients. It's these weddings where we can pull from different resources that we can't do for larger events. Why? Just one reason: because we can do so much of the work ourselves instead of having to outsource. This is just one reason, but boy do I have a list for this one!
5. Believe it or not, not all the really good and well priced vendors are where you are looking for vendors. An established wedding planner knows many many professionals, beyond the current popularity list. You're going to have to trust us on this one- but this is usually the Ace!
This is just a short list of benefits, but I thought it would be a good time to share this kind of information.
How about I save you $5 right now? Send a comment, and we'll draw 3 names to send the current issue of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons to! I'll announce the winners on Thursday.
Okay, so besides the time saved, let's talk a bit about some things that are a benefit financially. I always get asked,
"Exactly how can you save me money?"My answer is the same,
"I can't guarantee any specific savings, but I can tell you some things that seem to be pretty consistent"
With that said...
1. Wedding planners, especially those who also do design work, often have "stuff". Stuff left from previous weddings. What does that mean to you? That means that the rehearsal dinner and/or welcome reception (that you forgot to budget decor for- oops) might actually turn out to be amazing because your wedding planner happens to have some custom linens that a previous bride didn't want, a dozen very cool lanterns that would make perfect centerpieces, about 100 luminaries to light the path. So when interviewing your potential wedding planner, ask if she has "stuff"! Note: I am in no way saying that you should only hire a planner who has "stuff". It's just a nice little budget booster if she/he does.
2. Wedding planners know the key to contracts is not the fine print, it's the missing print. Everyone knows to read the fine print. If you don't know what is missing, you don't know what you'll be paying for later down the road. It's a planners responsibility to draw your attention to these things. Example: Let's say you are having an outdoor welcome reception in the evening. An event for which you are paying a $500 site fee. Your contract says that this includes the space, chairs, tables, linen, set-up and breakdown. Sounds all inclusive right? Wrong. There's a list of at least six things that I can think of off the top of my head that you are going to need for this event. And nope, they aren't free. So what is going to happen? A couple weeks before the event, you'll get a call from your venue saying,
"Did you want to get _____? Because you're going to need it. Yes, we can provide it at a cost of $$$$$"
Every professional planner should be able to do this for you.
3. Your wedding planner knows when to call it a night. How many weddings do you go to a year? Your wedding planner goes to lots of them. Because we've experienced it so many times, we can tell when your guests have just about had all the fun they can. So when you've been able to enjoy all the champagne, and you're having a great time on the dance floor, we're watching the door, and who is walking out of it- we know what the sign is. The time has come when we walk up to you and say, it's time for the last dance per your contracted end time. Well, you're still having a great time, and you turn around and see there are still 30 people having a great time. So perhaps you say,
"No way wedding planner, we're still having a great time, look at the dance floor!"It's at this moment that we're going to save you $$$$. Because we've seen "the sign", and know that the cost for you to add on that additional hour to the bar, band, and venue is going to be $$$$ for just an hour. And if you were to extend that hour, within 15 minutes, there will only be 8 people left. So basically what it comes down to is that we're not going to let you make a rash decision that will cost you a great deal money that you could be spending extending your honeymoon 3 days instead! So drink your champagne, we'll watch your back (and your wallet!).
4. Myth: Super small or "intimate weddings" (under 20 guests) don't need wedding planners. Myth with a capital M. While many people are having small weddings because they like the intimacy of it, many people are doing it because it is just so much less expensive. Here's what I can say- it's the small weddings that planners are often able to get the best deals for their clients. It's these weddings where we can pull from different resources that we can't do for larger events. Why? Just one reason: because we can do so much of the work ourselves instead of having to outsource. This is just one reason, but boy do I have a list for this one!
5. Believe it or not, not all the really good and well priced vendors are where you are looking for vendors. An established wedding planner knows many many professionals, beyond the current popularity list. You're going to have to trust us on this one- but this is usually the Ace!
This is just a short list of benefits, but I thought it would be a good time to share this kind of information.
How about I save you $5 right now? Send a comment, and we'll draw 3 names to send the current issue of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons to! I'll announce the winners on Thursday.
Friday, 14 November 2008
Here's to Another Great Wedding!Writer Bride's Cheerful Celebration
Everything about Writer Bride makes me smile. Truly, she is one of the giddiest people I have had the pleasure to know. Why Writer Bride? She earned that title with the 1st email I received from her. Most inquiries I receive have a name, a wedding date, and maybe if I'm lucky- a possible location or city under consideration. Not Writer Bride though, her initial email took me twenty minutes to read and had me cracking up the whole way thru. Hilarious descriptions of everything from the way she and Mr. Writer met, to the planning chaos that she had been dealing with. The girl has had me laughing for months via over 300 emails we exchanged. By the way, 300 emails is on the low side for our clients (which is why we are a boutique firm). Writer Brides emails were longer, so we had fewer.
Her wedding reception was full of life. It was a rare occassion where we were able to use bright colors that just exuded happiness.
All photos in this post were taken by me, so yeah, they aren't so good because I am not a photographer who knows everything about lighting, angles, speed and all that stuff I find unfathomable to remember all at one time. But you get the point. To see better photos- always check out the photographers websites & blogs!
Location: South Seas Island Resort, Captiva, Florida Yes, we love doing weddings here!
Photographer: Ashley & Sam Brockinton, they ROCK!
CupCakes: Flour Cupcakes, kind of an addiction for me.
It was a busy day and I didn't get a picture after the entire room was complete. But weren't the colors awesome? Color changes everything gang! Check out the difference between white/ivory linens and color. For sure something to consider.
We did half low centerpieces and half high
Custom napkin rings! A simple detail that got lots of "Oooohhhs!"
Fun table numbers
This is the tall centerpiece
Fun lights in the boogie down room.
The little details table
The sign says it all. Writer bride loves Candy corn, so this was a little surprise for her.
The escort card table(notice we transformed it over the weekend!)
Engagement photo guest signature frame was a surprise from the Maid of Honor
Milk shots accompanied the cupcakes! We also used the milk shots for the after dinner toasts. That was so cute!
Unfortunatly, we got pretty tied up and were not able to get any pictures of the happy couple and their wedding ceremony. I'm sure though that photographers Ashley & Sam Brockinton will have plenty though. I had a sneak peek at a few pictures and I am certain you'll see that they are off the charts once they get a couple posted on their blog. Speaking of their blog- they just launched a new website and blog that I adore. Please check it out. They are amazingly talented and as fun as their bubble gum pictures.
Her wedding reception was full of life. It was a rare occassion where we were able to use bright colors that just exuded happiness.
All photos in this post were taken by me, so yeah, they aren't so good because I am not a photographer who knows everything about lighting, angles, speed and all that stuff I find unfathomable to remember all at one time. But you get the point. To see better photos- always check out the photographers websites & blogs!
Location: South Seas Island Resort, Captiva, Florida Yes, we love doing weddings here!
Photographer: Ashley & Sam Brockinton, they ROCK!
CupCakes: Flour Cupcakes, kind of an addiction for me.
It was a busy day and I didn't get a picture after the entire room was complete. But weren't the colors awesome? Color changes everything gang! Check out the difference between white/ivory linens and color. For sure something to consider.
We did half low centerpieces and half high
Custom napkin rings! A simple detail that got lots of "Oooohhhs!"
Fun table numbers
This is the tall centerpiece
Fun lights in the boogie down room.
The little details table
The sign says it all. Writer bride loves Candy corn, so this was a little surprise for her.
The escort card table(notice we transformed it over the weekend!)
Engagement photo guest signature frame was a surprise from the Maid of Honor
Milk shots accompanied the cupcakes! We also used the milk shots for the after dinner toasts. That was so cute!
Unfortunatly, we got pretty tied up and were not able to get any pictures of the happy couple and their wedding ceremony. I'm sure though that photographers Ashley & Sam Brockinton will have plenty though. I had a sneak peek at a few pictures and I am certain you'll see that they are off the charts once they get a couple posted on their blog. Speaking of their blog- they just launched a new website and blog that I adore. Please check it out. They are amazingly talented and as fun as their bubble gum pictures.
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