August 2008 - Posts
By Kristal Johnson (WedNet Specialist Blogger for Wedding Planning): Event Source Northwest: http://www.eventsourcenw.com/kristal.html
Every wedding is different….different locations, vendors, themes, décor, etc. But there is one thing that every wedding has in common - they all take work. Not just planning, but physical labor on the day of the wedding.
In some cases the venue and/or caterer will take care of most of the set up and break down/cleanup. However, if you have your own decorations or rentals you want brought in it’s usually up to you to get bodies to do the work (unless you have $$$ left in your budget to pay someone to do it). That’s why it’s very important to have a detailed list of set up and break down instructions and to GET VOLUNTEERS for them (especially if you want your damage deposit back).
If you’re not sure what your venue or caterer provides on the day be sure to review your contract thoroughly and make sure the guidelines are in WRITING. It’s very important to make sure to have enough bodies, especially at the END of the night, for cleanup. Most people sneak out before they get stuck with cleanup duty and you don’t want Aunt Betty to be all alone with making sure the venue is back in shape (not cool).
It’s also good to designate someone to do a final “sweep” of the whole venue to pick up items that may have been left behind…..believe me, there’s always something……
By Jimmy Horner, WedNet Specialist Blogger on Groom Issues, The Man Registry, http://www.themanregistry.com
Picking out a tux for your wedding day doesn’t have to be difficult. The biggest challenge is that most men often don’t consider the type of tux they want until they walk into the tux shop for the first time. But if you ask yourself and your fiancée a few questions ahead of time, it can be a quick and simple process
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Should you and your groomsmen wear tuxes or suits? Talk to your fiancée about the formality of your wedding. A formal wedding almost always calls for the groom and groomsmen to wear tuxes. However, for a semiformal wedding, a dark suit is a popular choice, and khaki or white suits are often good choices for summer or destination weddings.
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Do we know the different styles available? For a semi formal wedding, you’ll usually want to wear a dark tuxedo with a bow tie, cummerbund or vest. If you’re going with a dark suit, wear it with a white or off-white shirt during the spring, fall and winter months. A khaki or white suit is acceptable during the summer months. For a formal wedding, you can never go wrong with a black tuxedo, white shirt, bow or neck tie, pocket square and a vest. Depending on how traditional the wedding is, you might also consider tailcoats and a cummerbund.
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Should the groomsmen’s colors match the bridesmaids? Most brides have colors picked out for their wedding, so think of these as a theme for the day. Most wedding-related items from ribbons to flowers will reflect this theme. One very obvious thing that will reflect the color theme will most likely be the bridesmaids’ dresses. With that in mind, you want to know the exact color if you want the groomsmen’s ties and vests to match.
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Should the groomsmen’s attire differ from the groom’s? While it used to be more traditional for the wedding party to wear identical clothing, today it’s completely acceptable and common for the groom to differentiate himself in some way, such as by wearing a different colored vest and tie or a slightly different boutonniere, for a more subtle approach.
The Bottom Line: Most importantly, the first step is to discuss your options with your fiancée. You want to look good, but knowing your bride’s expectations ahead of time will make you shine.
By Daniel Sheehan (WedNet Specialist Blogger for Photography): A Beautiful Day Photography, http://www.abeautifuldayphotography.com
It's important thing to keep in mind is that the way that a particular photographer prices his photography may actually make a difference in the kind of photographs you will receive from him after your wedding. In pricing their services, there are two basic business models that wedding photographers follow.
The first model - practiced by photojournalists and other non-traditional wedding photographers - is based upon charging upfront for everything. Initially photographers using this model appear to be more expensive than the “low cost” wedding photographer following the second model. The client pays the creative fee, overhead cost of business, and profit all at the same time before the wedding. Afterwards, the photographer turns over the high resolution digital files and the client can go to a cheap lab and make an unlimited number prints for a low cost. The cheap prints look ok, but sometimes not as good as prints made by the photographer. The reason is many pictures can be improved by working on them in programs like Photoshop. Some clients have the skill and expertise it takes to do this, but if not, the photographers who follow this model will also be happy to make beautiful custom prints and albums at a competitive price or recommend someone to do the printing. The clients also have a DVD with all the images, avoiding the loss of the photos in case the photographer goes out of business.
The second is standard practice in other kinds of businesses too. Think of the razor blade companies that charge a low upfront price for the razor, but then when you need replacement blades you find the only ones that work are their replacements and they are priced very high.
In general, the traditional studio wedding photographers follow this model. It has been around a long time because it has been very profitable for them. It works like this. Charge a low upfront fee for the first part of their photographic services, and then when the client is locked in, charge an extremely high price for the prints and albums. This approach often works quite well because many people without prior experience of hiring a photographer shop around for a “low cost” photographer and fall for the low upfront price. Everyone is looking to save money if they can, so this model fools people who do not know enough to ask the right questions beforehand.
At first they feel good, but later discover they will wind up spending more on the reprints than on the original photography. The photographer gives the clients a set of inexpensive proof prints but keeps all of the negatives, holding them for ransom. This leaves many clients feeling unhappy and resentful no matter how much they actually like the photographs..
Before selecting your photographer be aware of one consequence of the two different models, the motivation of the photographer who receives just a small payment up front. He needs to make photos of what he thinks will sell a lot of prints. This is often a lot of posed or staged shots, as he has no need to shoot photos that will not sell.
Photographers paid upfront have no need to keep future sales in mind and are free to capture each and every moment as they happen, telling the story of the day as it unfolds without worrying if they will make enough selling prints later to stay in business.
By Kristal Johnson (WedNet Specialist Blogger for Wedding Planning): Event Source Northwest: http://www.eventsourcenw.com/kristal.html
Weddings are a very emotional time, not just for the bride & groom, but also for their parents and other family members. It’s an exciting, but sad day for the parents. In some cases this can lead to elevated stress especially if there is divorce or separation in the family or if not everyone gets along. Here are some ways to avoid confrontations between family members on the wedding day and keep the cops from being called.
1. Have assigned seating: This will keep certain guests (you know who they are) away from other guests during the dinner portion of the reception.
2. Be careful who you give a microphone to: It’s not always a good idea (especially if alcohol is involved) to open up the mic during toasts. It works better to have all the speeches pre-planned to avoid a possible disaster.
3. Have buffers: Hire a wedding coordinator or assign someone to keep an eye on the “trouble guests” throughout the night and keep them apart.
4. Prep everyone ahead of time: Make sure that everyone knows who is going to be there so there are no surprises on the day of the wedding.
In most cases, these family members will put their differences aside for that day and be there to celebrate your marriage. But, in the case that they don’t, these tips should help save the day.
By Jimmy Horner (WedNet Specialist Blogger for Groom Issues): The Man Registry, http://www.themanregistry.com
Now that you’ve finally found the perfect ring for your bride-to-be, don’t forget that final, but very important, step in the ring-buying process: insurance. There are several ways to handle this. One option is to check out a company that specializes in selling jewelry insurance. To find one, try searching online, in the phone book or simply asking the store where you purchased the ring. Oftentimes your jeweler (especially if it’s a retail store) will have deals, or if nothing else, they’ll be able to recommend a reputable insurer to you. Depending on the value of the ring, insurance should typically run about $50 to $150 a year.
While it’s very important to have some sort of insurance for the ring up front, once the wedding is over, you should also consider other options such as adding it to your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy. You may find that these options offer a better deal. Just make sure to keep the appraisal in a safe place so you don’t have to get the ring it appraised again if you switch insurance companies. Remember: You’ve spent a lot of time finding her the perfect ring, so take 10 minutes to make sure you also have a good insurance policy in case something should happen to it.
The Bottom Line: This is an incredibly busy time in your life. My suggestion is to go with an insurance company that the jewelry store recommends. The store may even be able to set it all up when you purchase the ring, making it even easier. This way, it’s taken care of and you won’t need to worry about it again for at least a year.
There are several very exciting wedding and bridal shows happening in September and October. With our partnership with The Wedding Salon, we are proud to announce the upcoming wedding and bridal shows.
Network with Brides, Wedding Planners and the Press to Grow Your Business. Get ahead of your Competition in our Current Economy
September 22nd at The Beverly Hills Hotel Monday, September 22, 2008 The Beverly Hills Hotel 4PM – 9PM
October 22nd at The Prince George Ballroom Wednesday, October 22, 2008 The Prince George Ballroom, New York 4PM – 9PM
Call us for details at: 212-631-7777 or email: Info@WeddingSalon.com www.WeddingSalon.com
By Kristal Johnson (WedNet Specialist Blogger for Wedding Planning): Event Source Northwest: http://www.eventsourcenw.com/kristal.html
What’s REALLY the worst thing that can happen on your wedding day? It rains, the cake melts, the DJ has no taste, and your Mother gets in an argument with her ex?
So many things CAN happen, but from my experience these types of instances can be avoided with good planning and backup planning.
The one thing that can put a damper on your day is coming down ill. The last thing you want to do when you’re sick is have your picture taken, and have hundreds of people fuss over you. You want your wedding day to be FABULOUS and a wonderfully memorable day! Although you can’t control some illness, there are a couple of things you can do to prepare/prevent getting sick on your wedding day.
1. Don’t eat any “mystery” meats or seafood the days leading up to your wedding, and try to avoid anything that may have been left in the sun too long.
2. Drink TONS of water! This will not only make your skin look better, but will help flush out any bad toxins that may be swimming around in your system
3. Get lots of sleep. It’s tough to sleep when you’re anxious or nervous, but try some sleepy time tea or a gentle sleep aid to put you out.
4. Try to avoid getting too drunk the night before your wedding! There’s nothing worse than a hangover on your wedding day (not that I’m speaking from experience)! Same goes for the guys, especially! Make sure someone is looking out for their behavior as well.
5. Bring an emergency kit. Include medical supplies such as: Imodium AD, Pepto, Antacid, Advil, Smelling Salts, Visine, & Allergy medicine. Also, have a contact sheet with your doctor, pharmacist, and local hospital’s contact information handy in the case the symptoms worsen.
The chances that you will come down ill are slim, but following these precautions should help minimize the odds. Happy Planning, and Congratulations!