Wedding Wisdom

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There are many venues that require that you hire a wedding coordinator. You might ask why, especially if the venue’s package includes an onsite coordinator. The reason is the venue's site coordinator is typically responsible for the items pertaining to the venue and the venue only. They are not responsible for coordinating your outside vendors, making sure your ceremony is queued or that your speeches happen on time.

When hiring a wedding coordinator different companies will offer slightly different packages. But in general you should expect to receive the following services from your coordinator:

1 - Creating or reviewing your wedding day timeline. It is important your wedding coordinator takes the time prior to the wedding to either work with you to create your timeline or review your timeline with you. A great coordinator will let you know if they see any issues with the timeline and assist you in making adjustments that will allow your day to run smoothly.

2 - Connect with the vendors at least a week prior to ensure they have and understand the timeline....

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DJ Cam Reeve

Music is an essential part of the wedding as it sets the tone for the event and helps to create a lively and celebratory atmosphere. This is where a great DJ comes into the picture. As a wedding planner I believe, hiring a great DJ is crucial to ensuring that the wedding runs smoothly and is a memorable experience for the couple and their guests. Here are the things I believe make a DJ great.

Professionalism

A great DJ brings professionalism to the table. They are experienced and know how to conduct themselves at weddings. They know how to interact with the guests and create an atmosphere that is fun and engaging. They are always on time, and know how to dress for each particular event. A professional DJ is reliable, they will always have a backup plan in case of any unforeseen circumstance

Versatility

A great DJ is versatile and can cater to different musical preferences. They know how to read the crowd and play music that will keep everyone on the dance floor. They can play different genres of music, from oldies to...

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DJ Cam Reeve

Tell me a little about yourself?

DJ Cam's Story

Cam Reeve was born and raised in Logan, UT. Cam attended Logan High School and could often be found at local events throughout Logan like the Logan Country Swing Nights. It was there, while he was dancing and having a good time with friends, that his interest in music and DJing were piqued.

“I quickly found out that I was good at recognizing different styles of music, and when we would hang out as a group of friends I would be placed in charge of the music for our random dance parties.”

Down the road, Cam found himself as the DJ for a friend's party, and it was there that he fell in love with the idea of being a DJ for a living. After High School, Cam spent his college savings on a car and a DJ setup. He spent all of his free time finding parties to DJ at and attending any dance or event that had either music or a DJ.

“For about a year I attended Country Night on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday...

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Why You Should Hire a Wedding Planner:

Engagement Season is in full Swing! After the excitement of the engagement settles, stress levels rise as couples contemplate the full scope of planning their dream wedding. A common question among newly engaged couples is “should I hire a wedding planner?” and being a wedding/event planner myself, my answer is always going to be, “yes, you absolutely should!”

But in case you need a little more convincing, here are a few of many reasons why I believe you should hire a wedding planner:

Wedding Planners Make it so You Can Enjoy the Planning Process and Your Wedding Events:

Your wedding is a special day and you should be able to experience each element without having to worry about the details. In 2019 it was reported that the average wedding took 528 hours to plan. Most of us lead very busy lives and we can’t always take time off work and life to fully dedicate ourselves to the planning process. A great wedding...

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As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week I thought it would be a great opportunity to write about a few of the ways you can give thanks to others at your wedding. Below are a few examples of ways in which couples can show their appreciation:

Destination Weddings:

Many guests who attend a destination wedding are spending money on flights, rooms, food, gas, rental cars, and more to attend the wedding. Not to mention they might be taking time off work or using up a precious PTO day, to attend your wedding. A nice welcome bag that they can enjoy upon their arrival at the wedding is always appreciated. Some great items to include are:

  • Drink: this could be water, Gatorade, lemonade, or something unique to the destination.

  • A Savory Snack: this could be nuts, chips, popcorn, or crackers.

  • A Sweet Snack: this could be a cookie, chocolate, candy.

  • A Breath Freshener: this could be mints, a small bottle of mouthwash, or gum.

  • A Hangover Kit: this could include...

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Aly and Sampler

Tell me about your business?

Carrie’s cake has been in business for over 30 years. I worked for Carrie for almost 8 years before becoming the owner in 2018. Carrie trained me which allows me to continue to provide the same quality of cakes. We specialize in fondant and buttercream techniques; pretty much anything that has to do with cakes. It is important to me that cakes taste just as good as they look. Because of that, I am always trying new flavors and keeping up with current trends.

Tell me a little about yourself?

I am originally from Brazil, but I have been here for 21 years. I love baking and spending time in the kitchen with my kids. I have 2 kids at home. My husband and my kids love when I am baking cakes as the entire place is filled with delicious smells. The business runs out of a commercial kitchen which is located in a separate part of my house. This is nice because it allows me to be home with my kids and also be a business owner doing what I love.

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Our vendor spotlight today is with Kenzie Evans, head florist at Fleur + Stems, a floral company based in Salt Lake City. You can find them on Instagram @fleurandstems or at www.fleurandstems.com.

A Little About Fleur and Stems

Fleur + Stems offers floral services for any occasion, but most of their clients are engaged couples and corporate partners. Fleur + Stems prides themselves on customizing each floral order to meet the needs of their clients, whether that means working within a specific budget or a unique style. They are always excited to work with a client that wants a unique look which allows them to showcase their talents and abilities in a new way.

What should a client look for when booking a florist?

Most couples will look over a potential florist’s portfolio prior to contacting them to get an idea of a florist’s past work and to see if their style...

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A decor inspiration board can be a great asset to you while you organize your vision for your decor and discuss details with various vendors. Now I know what you are thinking…. I have a Pinterest board that I’ve been pinning to for months so that counts right? A Pinterest board is a great way to start gathering ideas but, in most cases, it can become a mixture of various ideas that don’t necessarily come together to create one cohesive décor look. I would encourage each bride to go one step further and create a separate inspiration board. This will give you a specific direction for the items you need to start looking for and help you stay on track as you start speaking to various vendors who may assist you. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can’t adjust your vision if needed, but you’ll have a place to track all changes you do make.

Two great formats to use when creating your inspiration board are: google docs or google slides. Both are user friendly and easily shareable with your planner, designer, and florist. Create an individual page for each décor area so you can...

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Interview 4/6/2020 - DJ Cooper Brown

Today we are starting a new Blog Series where we will be interviewing some of our favorite vendors. Through the interview we will not only introduce you to these wonderful vendors but they will give you some of their tips.

We start today with an interview with DJ Cooper Brown, the owner of One Above Entertainment. You can find him on instagram @OneAboveEntertainment or at www.OneAboveDJ.com

Cooper grew up in California where at a young age he loved watching Ryan Seacrest and wanted to be like him. At the age of 13, he got a unicycle and started riding at parties while juggling and making balloon animals. He discovered he loved being in front of people and loved entertaining others. In 2009 he started his DJ & MC business, One Above Entertainment, and his DJ career took off. In his free time he loves to play volleyball and go on runs with his wife...

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Reception

When it comes to putting your décor plan together, an important first step is understanding what is already included in your contract with the venue you’ve selected. Each venue should outline the specific items that are available to use during your event and any rules for décor within their space. It is fairly standard for the venue to include at least standard round or rectangle tables, along with chairs (often a folding or banquet style chair). Not all venues will include table linens and napkins, and if they do, it is often a standard polyester linen in white, ivory, or black. Most venues will also have guidelines for the décor you can use within their space. For example, they may not allow real candles at all or they may just require all flames be fully encased. You may find that your venue will not allow glitter or confetti, things nailed or affixed to the walls, flower petals or rice thrown during the ceremony, or they may require their staff to do overhead hanging of decorations at an additional fee.

Once you’ve reviewed your venue contract you can now outline the...

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How to pick your color palette?

When it comes to your décor, often the first step in the décor process is picking out your color palette. Your color palette will guide a lot of decisions throughout your planning process - flowers, wedding party attire, linen selection, and possibly even the venue you decide to book. However, selecting a color palette doesn’t need to be stressful. In fact, it should be fun to research, narrow down, and select a palette you love! Here are 4 areas that may help you decide on your color palette:

Venue – Your venue can impact the color palette you select. If your venue has strong color tones or designs, you may want to select a palette that compliments the venue. Selecting a venue that is a blank slate allows you to have creative freedom. You may have already booked your venue, or you may still be looking. No matter where you are with your venue search, keep the surroundings of your venue in mind as you select colors.

Your Style ­– Your personal style should be incorporated into your wedding day, and...

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Ceremony

Surprise is an understatement for how the past couple of weeks have unfolded with COVID-19. There have been unlimited surprises as we navigate through the unknown and evaluate how this is going to affect our lives. Surprises can be exciting, they can be challenging and present a new opportunity, some surprises are wonderful and others not so great. Reflecting on the past couple of weeks I feel it has presented an opportunity for us to take a step back and reflect on all the good things and push the reset button. What a wonderful chance to make plans for the future and prepare because we have the time to think and reflect as we have been forced to slow the pace down. It reminds us of the simple and important things in life, our families, friends, the privilege to work, conveniences and the many other things we enjoy daily. This is a time to choose to see the positive things in our life in a different light.

What have you been reflecting on? Having hope and moving forward is important because this moment in time will be a memory soon but the future is waiting....

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Unique and Unusual Wedding Party Gifts | Wedding Wisdom

How do you find a gift to give your mother and the friend of your hubby-to-be on the same day? That guy who keeps forgetting your name and instead calls you “blue eyes” is somehow getting the same present as the woman who raised you?

And yet, finding something that works for everyone is the dream. There is so exhaustingly much to think about for a wedding, and adding yet another aspect, getting specific gifts for everyone, is so hard. The goal is finding a beautiful, special gift that doesn’t have to be particularly “male” or “female,” “old” or “young.”

But we are in the days of internet searches, and anything is possible!!!

Are you ready!?

You can communicate something truly special, whimsical, and personal. At the end, it’s up to you what kind of memory you’d like to gift each person who helped make this day the most important day of your life so far.

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Hoopes Travel | Sandals Resort

Destination Wedding Dream

When most brides dream of a perfect, destination wedding, it usually includes warm, powder-white sand beaches, fragrant, tropical flowers and guests dressed in casual, laid-back beach attire. Of course the picture quickly becomes obscured with dollar signs popping up all over that perfect picture. The dream pops, turn the page...right?

Not so fast, what if we were to show you how you could have the beach wedding of your dreams at an affordable price on almost any budget? Let’s break down a destination wedding and figure out how to make it happen.

A wedding consists of five parts: the couple, the guests, a location, decor and food.

First, the couple - the couple will be traveling to their honeymoon location anyway so getting them to the wedding is pretty simple.

Second, the guests - the guests want to get away as much as anyone else. You just need to plan your wedding at a location where they want to go.

Third, a location - a...

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A Destination Wedding could actually save you money and stress and who doesn’t want to sit back and enjoy their ceremony and reception, knowing it will all be flawless?

Why Should You Drop Your To-Do-List and Glittery Craft and Get Married in Paris, Care-Free?

Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic… maybe not Paris! But seriously. What is your favorite place in the world? A place that your childhood self would swoon over getting married at while she played dolls and dreamed of her fairytale wedding? Do her a favor and do it! Drop everything, drop the stress, and do it!

Here are some reasons why.

They Can Literally Be Stress Free

But really, I am not pulling your leg. Whether you’re doing a destination cruise or running away to a resort with your closest loved ones, there are people seriously made for your peace of mind through this… Wedding Planners! Most Wedding Planners will travel for your date. There are even Planners that permanently work at your dream spot.

At some point, you will sip on a milkshake and get massages with...

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