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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Details

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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Details

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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Details

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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The right floral arrangements can add a special flare to the décor of your event. Deciding on the right floral arrangements for your big day is one of the main checks off your planning list. The process of choosing the right floral designs can depend on your budget, color scheme or theme, the season, and your unique style.

Budget

A budget can seem very confining when your Pinterest board dreams are bigger than your wallet. However, a set budget can help determine which floral pieces you will want to focus your funds on. You will have bouquets, boutonnieres, center pieces, and other floral accent arrangements that you will need to prioritize. If you have a particular arrangement in mind, but it is out of your price range, you should work with your florist to see if there is a more cost effective flower choice that will still achieve your desired look.

Color Scheme/Theme

Most brides will design their floral arrangements to reflect and add to their overall color scheme or theme. This allows your floral pieces to enhance the...

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How do you know for sure that the man you are about to marry is “the one”?

Personally, I don’t believe in “the one”. There are simply too many crazy circumstances in this world for that to make any sense. This post is inspired by the wonderful love guru Matthew Hussey, I’ll post his website link below. He’s recently become a new favorite of mine. What Matthew determines as “the one” is finding someone with the qualities we are looking for, who also happens to be at a stage in their life where they are ready to commit to a serious relationship.

We are not trying to find one person in the world, instead we are trying to determine if the person we are with has the potential to be the one we should choose. So, if you’re someone still searching for the one, or if you’re a soon-to-be-bride avoiding cold feet -- find reassurance by asking yourself these five questions to determine if he is the one for you!

#1 Do you want to jump him?

I hope this doesn’t come across too crude, but what separates a friendship from a relationship is sex. Chemistry...

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Everyone will have that time soon after getting engaged when someone sees you and says “When’s the big day?!”. Though you might have dreamed of your fairy tale wedding from the time you could read, this will still be one of the biggest decisions to come along with your wedding planning. The date will set the theme, style and most likely the cost of your wedding. Here are a few tips to help you and your future spouse decide what time of year is best for you.

Decide What Season Suits You

One of the easiest ways to decide the season is by pin pointing what season the two of you both feel most comfortable in and usually look forward to all year. Do you love bundling up outside by a bonfire with a cup of hot cocoa? Fall it is. Do you anxiously await building a snowman or snowboarding? It sounds like Winter. Do you love the look of all of the fresh blooms and warmer weather? A spring wedding seems to be in order. Choosing be what you are relaxed and happy with during a regular year, sounds like the exact emotions your wedding day should bring to...

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One of the first orders of business that you have to decide when planning your wedding is how many people are you going to invite. How big does your venue need to be? How much food will you have to order? How many chairs and tables will you need? What amount of favors needs to be ordered? Before you can answer any of these questions, you need to decide which people you want to be a part of your special day.

Big and small weddings each have their own pros and cons. To each person, these different pros and cons may hold different weights of importance. When deciding whether or not to make your wedding big or small, here are a few pros and cons to help you choose!

Pros:

  • Getting to share your special day with more people
  • You don’t have to shave guests from the list
  • More gifts and cards
  • Involve more people in your special day
  • Creates a more lively atmosphere

Cons:

  • Spending more money in certain areas to accommodate more guests
  • Not getting to spend as much one on one time with your guests and having...
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As a wedding planner, one of the most frequent questions I get asked is who should pay for what. Some people think the responsibility falls completely on the bride. Others argue that the bride and groom should pay for a wedding themselves.

With the traditional rules constantly changing, I wanted to help out the modern bride and groom to know who is expected to pay for what!

The old rules lay out that the bride’s family determine the size and style of the wedding and reception and carry the full responsibility of paying. The groom’s family may pitch in to make the wedding bigger, but most of costs come out of the bride’s parent’s pockets. Today, the rules have changed a bit and allow for a more flexible division of costs. Both families can contribute to the total expenses and work together with the bride and groom to pay for the wedding. Ages of couples getting married is rising which allows the brides and grooms to pay for more or all of their wedding. Read the fine print though, these rules only apply for first weddings.

Second weddings and beyond, you are on...

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Your ceremony backdrop can be an amazing focal point for your ceremony and can make for some pretty amazing photos. At Hoopes Events, we specialize in making your wedding unforgettable. We have many beautiful backdrops to choose from. Draping and florals add a soft elegant feel. When choosing your ceremony backdrop, take into consideration your surroundings and how much space you have to work with. Match the look and feel of your backdrop to the look and feel that you want for your reception.

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“I’ve found my perfect guy, but I still need my girls by my side.” Some of the most frequent questions I am asked as a wedding planner are regarding the wedding line. “How many bridesmaids and groomsmen should I have?” “Should they all wear the same thing?” “How should I ask them to be part of the line?” “Do they need to be part of the receiving line?” The list goes on and on … and for good reason. The people you choose to be a part of your line will be in every wedding day picture. Feelings have the potential of getting hurt as they always do when relationships are involved.

I love this article because it gives six short and sweet tips to consider when choosing your bridesmaids. This little nudge of guidance for brides can get them started in the right direction and help them to choose the people who they want as the bridesmaids by her side. That is easier said than done, because we all have that one cousin who expects to be your maid of honor but really just isn’t that close to you...

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1. Sage. Sage. Sage.

Every bride has to decide on her color scheme, and this year we are seeing a minimalist side of brides that we love. This year's big color is Sage. A light green decorated with a light color palette is the trend that so many brides are going for. It also looks good on just about everyone, even your pasty grandmother. This palette demands a lot of greenery to tie in the look. Look out Blush Pink, because Sage Green is able to give you a run for your money.

2. Lights, Hanging, Action.

Whether it’s window frames, edison lights or planter pots, we are loving this year's trend of more hanging things. Not only can we decorate the tables, but the empty space above them. It makes such a difference in really any wedding and the possibilities are endless. We especially love the softness of the hanging edison lights. We are lighting our way through 2017!

3. Embracing Copper, Rose Gold, Pewter, Silver, & Gold.

Everyone and their dog knows that...

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I really liked how everything turned out for my wedding except for 1 thing. My invitations. Although I’ve gotten over it, at the time I wasn’t really thrilled about how they looked. In hindsight, I don’t think assigning my husband to invitations was such a great idea. I can laugh about it now. With an invitation, you have some very important information to get out. You also want them to look nice and reflect your wedding style. Most couples would rather spend more of their budget on other wedding items rather than invitations so cost is often an important factor as well. Make sure and start the invitation process early. You need time to create the wording, find a style, and proof them. It is usually better to get your engagement photos printed and then insert them in the invitation. Photos printed on an invitation often don’t look as clear as they would on photo paper. If you are printing a photo on the actual invitation, get a hardcopy proof first. Provide the necessary information, but don’t make them like a novel. A pretty and well worded invitation will get your guests...

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Music is crucial to create atmosphere for your reception. No one wants a dead silent reception. Thankfully, you have options when it comes to music. There are advantages and disadvantages to DJs, bands, and solo musicians. There is no right way or wrong way, but determining the kind of reception you are having as well as your budget will help you make the best decision. Always interview potential musicians and DJs. If possible, watch video samples of their work. DJs are generally less expensive than bands. They typically have an extensive playlist and can play any type of music that you want. A great DJ can get the party going. A con of a DJ is that no matter how skilled the DJ is, they won’t have the same effect and wow factor as a band with live instruments. Bands add a lot of excitement to your reception. Live music provides a great atmosphere and a sense of sophistication. Since bands are typically more expensive than DJs, you should factor that in when deciding on your budget. Solo musicians can often be more cost effective than either a band or a DJ. They generally have a...

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While some overly-organized brides can get by without a wedding planner for the pre-wedding business, it is still always vital to have one on-site the day of the wedding. Even if the venue offers an event coordinator, it’s important to hire an outside wedding coordinator. These event coordinators are often only there so they can make sure everything runs smoothly for the event center, not necessarily for the bride’s wedding. And when those inevitable hiccups eventually arise, no bride wants to be the one having to handle it.

I believe that no wedding can occur without at least one thing going wrong. That is the nature of the event, with so many moving pieces and unreliable people. Having a wedding coordinator you know you can rely on is imperative so that when an issue comes up, he or she can handle it. That way when a problem does come up, it is solved before the bride even notices a problem happened.

There are a number of different problems that can arise on the wedding day. Sometimes a vendor gets lost, the flowers show up and they are all wrong, or the DJ forgets...

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It’s not uncommon for a couple to say: “We’re having our wedding outside during the summer in Utah so the weather should be perfect, right?” We’ve heard the same thing being said for Quinceaneras, corporate events, birthday parties or any other type of an event. Utah is a mountainous state and it’s likely that there could be a sudden rain storm, extreme wind, etc. on your perfectly planned day. Or maybe you are one of the brave people who are having an outdoor ceremony or outdoor photos during the winter in Utah. How do you save your event if a storm comes through?

This is the kind of situation where a wedding planner or event planner can really help. A planner can help you come up with a backup location and ways to make the most of a less-than-ideal situation. Having a backup location already reserved — such as a cultural hall or community center — is a good idea. That way you won’t have to worry about scrambling at the last minute. On a rainy day last summer, Hoopes Events pulled off a beautiful cultural hall reception that was originally supposed to take place in a...

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Do you want a wedding ceremony without a specific religious influence? It’s your day and you deserve to have the wedding ceremony that you want. So how do you feel completely comfortable with the ceremony and the officiant? Hoopes Events can recommend denominational, nondenominational and secular wedding officiants. Meeting with your officiant beforehand and discussing what direction you want the ceremony to take is extremely important, and it will help you achieve the best outcome. Get some ideas with this article from The Knot, which provides different scripts you can use as a starting point to discuss your ceremony with your officiant.

Check out The Knot for more inspiration

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Alcohol can make your wedding a lot of fun but it can also make your wedding extremely costly. This article has a lot of great money saving tips if you want to include drinks without breaking the bank. In addition to the advice in this article, there is another way to save money on alcohol. There are certain venues that will allow you to bring in your own alcohol if you have a licensed bartender serving the alcohol. A wedding planner can help you navigate the ins and outs and look for ways to help save you money in the long run. Your planner can also help you know where to budget your money so that you have the experience that you want on your very important day.

View Borrowed and Blue (now Zola) for more inspiration.

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When people think about wedding receptions, they typically think of an elegant evening affair complete with dinner and dancing. However, the dinner reception may not fit everyone’s needs. A brunch or a lunch reception can be just as fun as a dinner reception. When I was planning my own wedding, my mom told me that I’d better have a late lunch reception starting around 1:30 in the afternoon and that a dinner reception wasn’t going to be a good idea. I was taken aback because I had never been to a lunch reception. I thought that receptions were supposed to be in the evening. In the end, my mom was right. The lunch reception turned out great and everyone enjoyed it. I had to get up at 5:30 in the morning on my wedding day but it was worth it. I only had around 50 guests and dancing wasn’t a huge priority for me or my husband. I also had a lot of guests who had to drive 2 hours to the ceremony. They weren’t planning on spending the night so having a lunch reception gave them the ability to get home at a reasonable hour. You may be wondering what kind of reception you should have....

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“Maid of Honor” can be a tricky title. While some brides are very forthcoming about the responsibilities they hope their bestie will handle, others are too afraid to ask. It is up to the Maid of Honor to be proactive about how to help her over-stressed bride. There are two main parts to every Maid of Honor’s role: The first is to help handle all of those pre-wedding tasks; the second (and possibly most important) is to be an emotional support for the bride.

The first role can include many different aspects, from being the tag-along to vendor meetings and helping the bride make difficult decisions, to keeping track of bridesmaids and making sure they all get their dresses in time for the wedding. It may seem like a fine line between being helpful and being invasive, but all of that can be solved by simply asking. Ask the bride if she’d like assistance or help on any pre-wedding item. If she happily welcomes it, then you know you’re fulfilling your Maid of Honor responsibilities. If she hesitates, give her some space, but let her know you are there and willing to help...

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Face it—most of us were not blessed with one solid group of friends that stuck by our side from kindergarten through college. As much as we all loved “The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants,” that’s just not often reality. No, reality is having everything from childhood buddies that never fade, to different cliques we flitted around with in high school, and college roommates who have seen us through the good and bad. If that’s not the case, then it’s more than likely true for the groom.

The question is then: how do brides choose a wedding party without offending one of these various groups? Well, there is no easy answer—but there are some tips and tricks that can make this selection process a lot less likely to turn into The Hunger Games.

First things first: find out how many groomsmen your groom would like to choose BEFORE sending out “will you be my bridesmaid” gifts. If you want an even number on both sides of your wedding party, this is a must. Often the groom will care more about this then he initially lets on, as he doesn’t want to hurt his friends’ feelings any...

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Not only do you need a wedding planner, you deserve one. As an event planner myself, I know how overwhelmingly, unbelievably stressful planning a wedding can be. You are getting ready to make the biggest commitment of your life and shouldn’t have to worry about whether the florist arrives on time, finding the missing groomsmen or figuring out how to cut a very intense wedding cake. That’s what we are for! We are there to deal with any and every problem that comes up without having you worry or even know about it.

This article I found is perfect because it addresses common thoughts and concerns people usually have about hiring a wedding planner! “I’m on a tight budget” – wedding planners can fit themselves into that and still keep your budget in tact. “I want to plan my own wedding” – we let you do the fun part but step in to do all of the stressful, tedious things that nobody actually wants to do. “I have my own vision for my wedding” – we don’t take that away, we want to...

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Choosing a wedding hairstyle is probably one of the most difficult decisions for a bride. I had a hard time with choosing a wedding hairstyle and even second-guessed myself after the wedding. I didn’t know if I should have an up-do or have my hair down. Eventually I chose an up-do. My wedding day was a little windy so I wasn’t sure how my hair would look in the photos. Once I got the photos back, I was relieved that my hair looked good at least in most of the photos. I would suggest having your photographer take photos of you from several different angles. If you have an up-do, this is especially important because your hair may look better from a different angle than from straight on. Ask your wedding planner or a trusted friend or family member for suggestions for a good wedding hairstylist. Always do a trial run with your hair and makeup before the wedding. Remember that your opinion is the most important, and that your wedding day is a time to show your personality.

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Don’t be afraid to incorporate colors into your wedding. Colors make everyone feel like they have transformed into a totally different world. If everything is all white or cream, it will be very difficult to see contrast or dimension to your look. One thing to remember is that everyone has their own unique style, and just because your friends and family don’t like your colors, it doesn’t mean you should change them. Too much of a dark or bright color can be a bit overwhelming. A better option may be to mix pops of a dark or bright color with a more subdued color. It is also possible to mix different shades of the same color. Metallic items for weddings are in right now. Metallic items now come in all different colors and you can get metallic tableware, linens, chairs, etc. Getting color swatches is always a good idea. It is often difficult to see how a color looks in real life if you only see it on a computer screen. For my own wedding colors, I chose mint green and peach. I love this color combination and since the venue was white inside it went perfect. Your wedding colors are...

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Should you hire a wedding planner or a wedding coordinator and what is the difference?

Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life!! You want the day to be perfect, you want your family and friends to enjoy the day, and you want to enjoy the day. Thus you are thinking of hiring a Wedding Coordinator or Wedding Planner. But how do you know if you need a Coordinator or Planner. Below you will find a brief description of a wedding coordinator and a wedding planer.

Wedding Coordinators:

Most Wedding Coordinators are hired for the month or day of the wedding (but don’t think that means you should wait until the month or week before your wedding to hire your coordinator). A wedding coordinators main goal is to make sure the weeks leading up to and the day of the wedding runs smoothly. With a wedding coordinator you do all of the planning and hiring of the vendors. As the wedding approaches you pass this information off to your wedding coordinator who then communicates with all of the vendors, helps to create a...

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Wedding Wisdom

We recently planned an adorable first birthday party inspired by Mommy Blogger, Emily Klaparda. The bright blue and green color scheme set the mood for a day of fun, and the mini cake was perfect for the baby to dive into. Stay tuned for more event recaps throughout the summer!

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