Recently, when working with a client to help her decide whether or not a destination wedding would best fit her vision without sacraficing the priorities for the wedding. I began exploring ways to maximize her budget, minimize the added stress and ensure her wedding would be unique and incredibly memorable. Here's a helpful article I felt may be helpful for anyone else seeking a unique destination.
Be Creative: A destination wedding really opens up some possibilities. If you still want to have a fairytale wedding, then go for it. But if you're open to other options, great. Simply by having a destination wedding, you're not doing the conventional. You've already altered people's expectations, so you might be less likely to feel bound to a wedding template. And if your setting is particularly nice, you may be able to simplify other aspects of your wedding. For example, we got married in a beautiful historic inn, which needed no additional decoration or flowers. We saw some weddings in Jamaica where the natural flowers and outdoor setting were so beautiful, just having a bride and groom and officiant looked perfect. Whether you choose to simplify or not, do feel free to rethink some of the typical wedding traditions.
Send a Save-the-Date Letter: If you are having guests, consider a "Save the Date" letter. Invitations to traditional weddings are supposed to be sent 4-6 weeks before the event. But more lead time is helpful. Your guests might also want to ask for vacation time to better enjoy the special place you've chosen! In some areas, accommodations fill up way in advance. For all these reasons, you should consider getting in touch with your guests early. A friendly little form letter with pertinent info (place and date) will do nicely. If you've begun to set up accommodations, include that too, along with any other travel info. Otherwise, promise to get back to them later with that information. Would you like to see an example? Here's our Save the Date letter.
Let Some Things Go: Ideally, this destination wedding should be a vacation for you, too. Don't get so caught up in little details that you can't enjoy the weekend in a special place. Figure out what's important to you, and label the rest of it "small stuff" that you won't sweat. That will free you up to sight-see, relax, play, and join in what your guests are doing!
Do As Much As You Can Before You Go: If you can, get wedding details finished up while you are still at home. For example, I decided to have silk flowers made at home and shipped to the wedding site. It was one less thing to worry about that weekend--and I already knew they were exactly as I wanted them. I also planned my wedding hairstyle before I went, so I would not have to rely on an unknown stylist when I got there. Of course, you might choose different things to "do ahead" -- do what works for you!
Plan Your Packing: Get advice from your dressmaker or retailer on how a dress should be packed for travel. Make sure you have the right-sized suitcase or box ahead of time. If you're flying, plan to carry it on if you can, along with any other wedding apparel you'd find hard to replace on short notice! We found that packing for the wedding AND the honeymoon added up to a lot of luggage. If you can, farm out some of your important things to guests and family who are traveling down there. If you are shipping anything, leave extra time. I shipped my flowers down ahead of time, and they took over TEN days. I got some grey hairs wondering why they weren't there yet. They made it for the wedding, but it was close.
Don't Over plan for Your Guests: You've probably gone to a lot of trouble to choose a nice place to get married. Let your guests enjoy it! Don't plan so many get-togethers, family dinners, rehearsal dinners, and so on that your family and friends have no free time. We did plan a few things on different nights, to guarantee that we'd spend quality time with different groups of our guests, but no one (save us) had something wedding-related planned EVERY night. We had one family dinner on one night, a parents' dinner the next night, followed by a night out with friends only. We skipped a rehearsal dinner. I know that it has become a nice tradition for people to plan huge wedding-related activities and social gatherings all weekend, and I think that's super when you have a bunch of people in your hometown who otherwise wouldn't have much to do. But in your case, your location can do a lot of the entertaining for you--and you should let it!
What about the people who won't be there?: When you have a destination wedding, you're probably going to leave a lot of people out. That might be by design, or just an unfortunate circumstance of getting married far away. There are ways to include them. One option is to have a reception at some point after the wedding. You can plan something very much like a traditional wedding reception (formal invitations, cake cutting, dancing, even wedding attire) or something more like a party. We had two, one an open house in my hometown, the other a more formal catered party at my husband's parents' home. We invited the local people who would have been invited to the wedding had we held it in those towns. We brought our wedding photos to both, and I'd carefully prepared them in a scrapbook with good labels and captions.
Consider using announcements: You don't see too many announcements mailed these days, because most people use their invitation to "announce" their marriage. But they are a great way to let important people know you've been married! Announcements are very similar in appearance to invitations--just the wording (and the timing) are different. You send these after the wedding takes place. The format generally lists the location your wedding took place, so rest assured that recipients will understand why they weren't invited.
What about showers?: And gifts from others who are not invited?As modern wedding traditions have evolved, we have tied wedding gifts to wedding invitations. For example, etiquette holds that those who are invited to a shower should also be invited to the wedding. If you have a limited guest list, that can make showers (and other times you receive wedding gifts) feel awkward. However, please realize that many people give gifts simply because they are happy for you and that is their traditional way to celebrate the marriage of someone they care about. We received many gifts from people after we sent out the announcements (even though this wasn't expected). And I--the one with the tiny wedding--had TWO showers! One was given by co-workers, the other by the nice ladies in my mother-in-law's church. It was what they sincerely wished to do, and the fact that they weren't a part of the wedding didn't seem to matter a bit. On the other hand, when a girlfriend wanted to hold a shower for me with plans to invite other mutual friends, I nixed it because it felt different. Play it by ear, but understand that there is a time to receive gifts graciously.
(Source:http://www-personal.umich.edu/~kzaruba/dest.html)
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Tag! You're it......
I have been tagged by a wonderfully talented planner, Meredith with Elegant Engagements. This is a fun way to get to know your friends and colleagues. Here's a little about me:
Four things I did today:
1. Tent or no tent.....ordering rental items for a partial outdoor wedding for this weekend. Where are the rain Gods when you need to consult with them?!
2. Ran 5 miles followed by a yummy Starbucks Latte.
3. Knocked out a few administrative/bookkeeping tasks from my "to-do" list.
4. Took out the trash.....
Four things on my to-do list:
1. Finalize room blocks for a destination wedding coming up next year.
2. Type up my company description for Grace Ormand 2009 Platinum Listing.
3. Attend a walk-thru & tasting for a November Bride at Maggianos. YUMMM! I love their food.
4. Send in my race entry for my very first full marathon EVER.
Four of my guiltiest pleasures:
1. Desert.....anything desert.
2. Sleeping in past 6:00AM. Doesn't happen too often, but sometimes I let myself do it.
3. Facials, manicure, pedicures, massages....anything to pamper myself. Every once in awhile I will pick at least one service to treat myself.
4. Taking a day off. Right now, those are few and far between. But when I get the opportunity, it's heaven.
Four random facts about me:
1. Even though I'm a neat freak, I have trouble keeping up with my dry cleaning. I wait and wait to take it in. By then, I have 25-30 pieces.
2. My husband and I met on Match.com.
3. I don't like to sleep. If I could figure out a way to skip it and keep going without killing myself, I would.
4. In middle school I was the school mascot one year - a 4' tall scotty dog. The costume was 10 sizes too big. Can you picture it??!! LOL!!!
Now I have to tag four other people…
1. Candice with Jubilee Events, LLC
2. Juliet with Green Orchid Events
3. Lindsay with Studio563
4. Melanie with Last Petal
Four things I did today:
1. Tent or no tent.....ordering rental items for a partial outdoor wedding for this weekend. Where are the rain Gods when you need to consult with them?!
2. Ran 5 miles followed by a yummy Starbucks Latte.
3. Knocked out a few administrative/bookkeeping tasks from my "to-do" list.
4. Took out the trash.....
Four things on my to-do list:
1. Finalize room blocks for a destination wedding coming up next year.
2. Type up my company description for Grace Ormand 2009 Platinum Listing.
3. Attend a walk-thru & tasting for a November Bride at Maggianos. YUMMM! I love their food.
4. Send in my race entry for my very first full marathon EVER.
Four of my guiltiest pleasures:
1. Desert.....anything desert.
2. Sleeping in past 6:00AM. Doesn't happen too often, but sometimes I let myself do it.
3. Facials, manicure, pedicures, massages....anything to pamper myself. Every once in awhile I will pick at least one service to treat myself.
4. Taking a day off. Right now, those are few and far between. But when I get the opportunity, it's heaven.
Four random facts about me:
1. Even though I'm a neat freak, I have trouble keeping up with my dry cleaning. I wait and wait to take it in. By then, I have 25-30 pieces.
2. My husband and I met on Match.com.
3. I don't like to sleep. If I could figure out a way to skip it and keep going without killing myself, I would.
4. In middle school I was the school mascot one year - a 4' tall scotty dog. The costume was 10 sizes too big. Can you picture it??!! LOL!!!
Now I have to tag four other people…
1. Candice with Jubilee Events, LLC
2. Juliet with Green Orchid Events
3. Lindsay with Studio563
4. Melanie with Last Petal
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Hurricane Ike: How Brides can cut cost
In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, many Houstonian Brides are running into financial challenges from being out of work, temporarily displaced from their homes and financially assisting relatives.
With this in mind, I wanted to share a very helpful article I read today from Gina Curtis, creator of wedding-genie.com:
There are some wedding planers who have created a "do-it-yourself bridal planning package." For a much smaller fee, brides will meet with a wedding planer and have a conversation about budgeting and expectations. The consultant will then create a package for the bride that will serve as her road map as she plans the wedding herself.
In an effort to cut costs, many are looking for things they can do themselves from creating their own wedding invitations and table centerpieces to full on decorations for both the ceremony and reception sites. Also brides are looking at wedding venues that have natural beauty within and do not require any additional decorations to make the wedding beautiful.
Another way brides have been scaling down is by choosing wedding flowers that are both local and in season versus importing them. The size of both the bridal bouquet and the bridesmaids' bouquets has also shrunk. In years past, many brides carried gorgeous, flowing cascading bouquets while today, many brides are opting for smaller bouquets. The size of the bridesmaids' bouquets has also shrunk and in many cases they carry just a few flowers wrapped in ribbon.
Wedding Photography is an area where couples are cutting costs. Videography is now often seen as a luxury rather than a necessity. Also, instead of hiring a photographer to the tune of a $3,000-$5000, brides are scouring places like Craigslist for photographers that may not have a lot of experience and charge quite a bit less. Also with today's technology, couples are opting for their wedding pictures to be placed on a CD where they can print pictures off themselves versus having the photographer do it.
Finally, one of the biggest trends tends to be with the time of the event. Traditionally, the preferred wedding date is Saturday afternoon or evening. Now more brides are opting for Sunday or Friday evening weddings because they can typically catch a financial break on catering costs. Additionally, more brides are looking to host earlier receptions due to the same reasons.
Like many other areas in our current economy, the wedding industry is not immune. Couples may be faced with less available money for their event but that does not mean the wedding can't go on; it just means everyone has to compromise a little and get a lot more creative.
As a planner who caterers to a modern Bride, I love working with the bride who likes to think outside the box to optimize their budget to reach their creative vision. DIY the details is my favorite tool. It truly creates a fresh, unique look to any wedding.
With this in mind, I wanted to share a very helpful article I read today from Gina Curtis, creator of wedding-genie.com:
There are some wedding planers who have created a "do-it-yourself bridal planning package." For a much smaller fee, brides will meet with a wedding planer and have a conversation about budgeting and expectations. The consultant will then create a package for the bride that will serve as her road map as she plans the wedding herself.
In an effort to cut costs, many are looking for things they can do themselves from creating their own wedding invitations and table centerpieces to full on decorations for both the ceremony and reception sites. Also brides are looking at wedding venues that have natural beauty within and do not require any additional decorations to make the wedding beautiful.
Another way brides have been scaling down is by choosing wedding flowers that are both local and in season versus importing them. The size of both the bridal bouquet and the bridesmaids' bouquets has also shrunk. In years past, many brides carried gorgeous, flowing cascading bouquets while today, many brides are opting for smaller bouquets. The size of the bridesmaids' bouquets has also shrunk and in many cases they carry just a few flowers wrapped in ribbon.
Wedding Photography is an area where couples are cutting costs. Videography is now often seen as a luxury rather than a necessity. Also, instead of hiring a photographer to the tune of a $3,000-$5000, brides are scouring places like Craigslist for photographers that may not have a lot of experience and charge quite a bit less. Also with today's technology, couples are opting for their wedding pictures to be placed on a CD where they can print pictures off themselves versus having the photographer do it.
Finally, one of the biggest trends tends to be with the time of the event. Traditionally, the preferred wedding date is Saturday afternoon or evening. Now more brides are opting for Sunday or Friday evening weddings because they can typically catch a financial break on catering costs. Additionally, more brides are looking to host earlier receptions due to the same reasons.
Like many other areas in our current economy, the wedding industry is not immune. Couples may be faced with less available money for their event but that does not mean the wedding can't go on; it just means everyone has to compromise a little and get a lot more creative.
As a planner who caterers to a modern Bride, I love working with the bride who likes to think outside the box to optimize their budget to reach their creative vision. DIY the details is my favorite tool. It truly creates a fresh, unique look to any wedding.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
I AM.......
As I was browsing one of my favorite photographer's website (Studio563), I found this interesting on Lindsey's blog and wanted to try it out.
I AM … so lucky to being doing what I am passionate in.
I WANT … to meet exceed my client's expectations.
I HAVE … an incredible amount of energy and zest for life.
I KEEP … a supply of coffee in my pantry at all times.
I WISH I COULD … complete a full Ironman in less than 12 hours. Someday!
I HATE … when I am a clutz.
I FEAR … falling short of my goal.
I HEAR … the music from Dirty Dancing movie. WOW! Talk about flashback. LOL!
I DON’T THINK … I will ever develop a fondness for napping.
I REGRET … not starting my business sooner.
I LOVE … coffee, Starbucks, lattes, and coffee.
I CAN … accomplish what I set my mind to.
I DANCE … anytime I can. Although, it doesn't mean I am good.
I SING … ONLY when alone. I'm tone death.
I NEVER … nap, sleep more than 7 hours or pass up the opportunity to make a new friend.
I RARELY … go to be before 11:30PM.
I CRY WHEN I WATCH … see an animal being treated cruelly.
I KNOW THAT … tomorrow will hold great opportunity.
I HATE THAT … there I can't give more time to Special Olympics.
I NEED … a new office desk. More storage would be fabulous!
I SHOULD … call my friends and family more often.
I BELIEVE … in the power of positive thinking.
What about you.....give it a shot.
I AM … so lucky to being doing what I am passionate in.
I WANT … to meet exceed my client's expectations.
I HAVE … an incredible amount of energy and zest for life.
I KEEP … a supply of coffee in my pantry at all times.
I WISH I COULD … complete a full Ironman in less than 12 hours. Someday!
I HATE … when I am a clutz.
I FEAR … falling short of my goal.
I HEAR … the music from Dirty Dancing movie. WOW! Talk about flashback. LOL!
I DON’T THINK … I will ever develop a fondness for napping.
I REGRET … not starting my business sooner.
I LOVE … coffee, Starbucks, lattes, and coffee.
I CAN … accomplish what I set my mind to.
I DANCE … anytime I can. Although, it doesn't mean I am good.
I SING … ONLY when alone. I'm tone death.
I NEVER … nap, sleep more than 7 hours or pass up the opportunity to make a new friend.
I RARELY … go to be before 11:30PM.
I CRY WHEN I WATCH … see an animal being treated cruelly.
I KNOW THAT … tomorrow will hold great opportunity.
I HATE THAT … there I can't give more time to Special Olympics.
I NEED … a new office desk. More storage would be fabulous!
I SHOULD … call my friends and family more often.
I BELIEVE … in the power of positive thinking.
What about you.....give it a shot.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Vendor Spotlight: PaperFlydesigns
As I was perusing some of my favorite designers, I had the pleasure of finding a wonderful stationer based in Houston. PaperFlydesign was created by a very talented graphic designer - Jana. Her custom inspirations are unique, fresh and ooh so memorable. Being a paper-person, I was greatly impressed by the various ways which the she can create your wedding stationary to fit your style.
If you're like me, you're drawn to the clean, contemporary look. I was particularly drawn to the "Something Blue" collection.
With invitations like these setting the tone, how could your guests possibly decline attending your wedding?!
If you are a discerning Bride looking for a memorable piece, you may consider the "City Romance" collection which features a journal style invitation with enclosures.
If you're like me, you're drawn to the clean, contemporary look. I was particularly drawn to the "Something Blue" collection. With invitations like these setting the tone, how could your guests possibly decline attending your wedding?!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Tips for the Summer Bride
For all those Brides who chose to wed during the summer, you may be wondering the best ways to look fabulous and beat the heat. Here are some helpful tips I share with all my Summer Brides.1. Spray Deodorant - you may find this to be a "matter of fact" item. However, I recommend each brides to spray it all over their body. It does not clump or flake off. The benefit is that it does help reduce sweating underneath the dress. It would be recommended to find one that is non-scented.
2. Water, and plenty of it - on the wedding day, your extra nervous and very pre-occupied. Drinking and eating may not come to mind. However, it would be best to stay well hydrated to prevent fainting or dehydration. It also helps to keep your skin beautiful with a healthy wedding day glow. A lack of water will also cause swelling and may cause your shoes to become quite uncomfortable.
3. Boscia Blotting Linens - these wonderful little sheets are life savors for maintaining a picture perfect complexion. Makeup should look like and non-cakey. Just by patting the extra oil places is best for maintaining this look. The best thing is, they are small enough to fit inside most dainty bridal handbags. For convenience, you can order them online at Sephora.
4. Two tuxedo shirts - this one technically isn't for the bride. However, it surely can ensure a happy Groom. If you plan on spending any time outside capturing fantastic pictures, the heat is surely going to cause the Groom some discomfort also. In case your Groom is highly responsive to the heat, having a clean, dry shirt to change into before making the grand entrance will be a welcome suggestion.
5. Parasols - while, you may think these are normally reserved for a time forgotten or southern soirees. Cute parasols can be a unique decorative item for any chic wedding party. Having a little shade available will be a much needed relief while under direct sunlight if pictures are being taken outside. Plus, they are just so feminine in a diva way. With companies such as Bella Umbrella providing parasols with style, who could resist?!
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Featured Vendor: Green Orchid Events
Congratulations to Green Orchid Events for recently being invited to join Little Black Book hosted by Style Me Pretty. This is a prestigious honor as they select 3 vendors per category in an area. Green Orchid Events is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Juliet established the firm in 2007 and has been experiencing great success ever since. Clients feel Juliet's team is a highly valuable addition to any their wedding team.
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