Details, Details, Details!

Almost every bride is looking for unique, yet simple ways to add that all important 'attention to detail' factor at her wedding. As the saying goes, 'it's the little things that mean the most' and are often times the most memorable to wedding guests. Here is a list of some of my favorite ways to add a little extra something to your wedding design:

• Use chair covers or ribbon sashes! Too often I see beautiful table arrangements with gorgeous linens and then look down and see plain looking banquet chairs. One of the easiest ways to add character to a room is to use chair covers with a colored ribbon sash that brings your wedding color scheme together. Or, if you are opting for Chivari chairs as opposed to regular banquet chairs, using a simple ribbon sash around the back of the chair really adds to the overall look of the room! Chair covers with a sash are available from $3.50 - $5.00 per chair here in the Pittsburgh area.
• Personalize your ceremony programs - bind them together using a bright colored ribbon. This is a relatively inexpensive way (especially if you make them yourself at home) to add your own personal touch to your ceremony. For more information about making your own ceremony programs, check out our 'DIY Ceremony Programs' blog from last month!
• Get creative with your guest book! Throw out that traditional guest book where everyone just signs their name in a book - I mean c'mon, when are you ever going to sit down and read that?! My advice is to opt for something a little less traditional - there are a number of guest book options out there. Use a matted signature photo frame, a wishing tree, or Polaroid photo guest book!
• Personalize and design your own wedding stationary - you can design everything from your programs to seating cards to menu cards! Add a monogram to your stationary and get creative with your color scheme.
• Create your own table #'s for the reception. Don't get stuck using those boring plastic black and white table cards - make them yourself at home using a heavy card stock in a color that matches your wedding!
• Decorate your place card table - a light scattering of rose petals or even a simple floral arrangement on this table can really add something extra to your reception.
• Add crystals or pearls to your bridal bouquets. This has become very popular in recent years and definitely gives an added pop to your bouquets! Ask your florist what they offer...most florists will have a variety of options to choose from.
• Instead of favors or as an addition to favors, create guest or 'welcome' bags especially for your out of town guests. You can be as creative as you want in this area! Infact, I have so many ideas for gift bags that it warrants it's own blog - so stay tuned for that in the next few days! :)

I could literally go on for hours on ways to add a personal, yet simple and inexpensive touch to your wedding! Whatever you choose for your wedding, take the time to think through how you envision your wedding day and plan ahead. The little 'extras' should all tie into your wedding theme and can be a fun project for your bridesmaids and you to work together on!

Wine Bottle Guest Book

I think I have a thing for unique/alternative guest books...just take a look at all of our guest book related posts. I just love this wine bottle idea though, perfect for the wine connoisseur. There are a number of different ways to incorporate a wine bottle guest book into your wedding, but my favorite way is to have several different wine bottles available for guests to sign - all marked with various anniversary labels. For example, 1 year, 5 year, 10 year, etc... You'll also want to consider the size of your wedding when determining how many bottles you'll actually need. When each milestone anniversary rolls around, you'll have an aged bottle of wine to toast with and lots of congratulatory wishes to read. 

This idea is a simple DIY project, but if you're not into arts & crafts, you can purchase a wine bottle guest book kit from EV Creations on Etsy. 

Tip :: When labeling any bottles or containers that may be refrigerated, be sure to purchase water proof labels!

Photo courtesy of Wendy Hithe Photography.

10 New Year's Resolutions for Every Bride

Happy New Year and welcome to 2010! I recently came across this great article on The Knot, and immediately knew this was something that I had to share with our readers. I'm not usually one to set New Year's Resolutions for myself, as I believe that if you want to make a change in your life that you should start that very day {that's an entire different topic to be saved for another day}; however, I very much agree with the points in this New Year's Resolution list. Whether you share my philosophy on New Year's Resolutions or not, I encourage all brides to read these 10 bits of advice when it comes to planning your wedding. Enjoy, and happy planning!

1. I will not do anything...before the guest list.

It's not the most fun part of planning (and we'll be honest, it's one of the most likely to lead to a fight or two or twelve), but you shouldn't make any wed-day decisions before you have your wedding guest list somewhat firmly in place. Why, you ask? Well, do you want to have a nonrefundable deposit down on that cozy restaurant room that fits 75 when your mother-in-law's additions bump your list up over 200? Exactly. Once everyone's in agreement, then you can move forward. That said, this means that one of the parts of your wedding you can plan immediately (or at least talk over with your fiance) is what kind of atmosphere you'd like for your wedding. Do you want an intimate, close friends and family-only affair, or do you want to throw the event of the season for 300-plus people? Later, when you're in the guest-list trenches, this bit of planning will help back up your gut instinct about whether to say yes (or no) to guest-list additions.

2. I will not end up on YouTube for the wrong reason.

Adorable processional dance? Totally acceptable path to stardom. Bridezilla freak-out on the florist who delivers hyacinths instead of hydrangeas? Not so much. On your wedding day, all eyes (and camera phones) will be on you, meaning your every move is subject to instant Internet infamy. Mind your manners and keep your panic attacks quiet to avoid the wrong kind of publicity. But that video of your dad doing the worm during your father-daughter dance? Internet gold.

3. I will not realize that grape isn't my color -- with two months to go.

You should feel free to rethink, redo, and revamp any element of your wedding that you want -- unless you've accepted a ring from it (just kidding). This doesn't have to mean yet another huge investment or reneging on a bunch of contracts -- you'll be surprised how easy it is to make simple additions or subtractions and change your whole style. Already ordered those pastel bridesmaid dresses? Think about adding a bold sash or accessorizing with chandelier earrings to liven them up a bit. Unsure about the color scheme you chose? Pay an extra visit to your florist and work out changes to your bouquets and centerpieces -- adding new blooms in all of your arrangements will introduce a new color throughout the room. Same thing if you've already ordered the linens -- spice them up with bright table runners or overlays. If you decide you really can't live with it, chances are you can go back on your first choice -- just remember that it will have a cost. A good rule of thumb is that if you've already signed a contract or seen a proof, you will have to pay extra for any changes or additions you make. But if it's still relatively early in your planning process, don't be afraid to make the change. Remember, you're getting married to your husband, not your centerpieces.

4. I will not use my Facebook status as a personal wedding journal.

Okay, we know you're excited about planning your wedding, but that girl from your college history class couldn't care less that you finally booked a reception band (not to mention understand that passive-aggressive comment about the best man). We're not saying the everyday details aren't interesting -- we'd just recommend a different platform. Instead of overloading your Twitter feed with wedding details, create a wedding-planning blog for those who want to keep tabs on the ups and downs.

5. I will trust my vendors.

Before you start micromanaging every decision your wedding planner makes, remember one thing: You're paying them for a reason. Consider their experience and expertise an opportunity for you to relax. They want you to love the result (after all, your recommendation hinges on it!), so they're going to strive to please. And wouldn't you rather help someone who trusts your abilities rather than second-guesses everything you do? There's no harm in giving a good amount of direction at the outset, but asking for daily progress reports is overkill.

6. I will not feel guilty about having an adults-only wedding.

Whether you're worried about babies crying during the ceremony or just can't afford to seat entire families for dinner, it's your decision whether or not you want to invite the little ones. As long as you're consistent about this rule (no exceptions for your closest friends!) and upfront in your invitations and on your wedding website, you shouldn't feel bad if you have to tactfully put the kibosh on your second cousin who tries to RSVP for her toddler triplets.

7. I will attempt (at least a little) DIY.

Even the least crafty bride can undoubtedly personalize a few details of her wedding, and the bragging rights -- not to mention the savings -- will be well worth the effort. Try your hand at creating your favors or ceremony programs. If those tasks seem to daunting, keep it simple: Put your excellent penmanship to use and write out the escort cards, or make your own welcome bags for out-of-town guests with maps of the area and a few local goodies.

8. I will acknowledge that some people might not want to be the "guest book attendant".

You can't put all your friends in the wedding party, but there are usually a few people left over that you still want to honor...so you create "special" jobs, like cake servers and guest book attendants. Our advice: Unless your guest book is especially complicated, an attendant probably isn't necessary. Honorary jobs are still jobs, and chances are, they'll have a much better time if you just let them enjoy the party rather than having them stand guard by the guest book.

9. I will actually eat the dinner at my reception. (That includes cake!)

Make sure you take time with your new husband to really enjoy the party you worked so hard to plan. If you spend your whole wedding day directing the photographer and making sure the bridal party makes their entrance on cue, you'll be missing out on a lot of amazing memories. Even if you don't hire a day-of wedding coordinator, put a trusted relative or bridesmaid in charge of making sure things go smoothly on the big day.

10. I will look on the bright side -- no matter what.

Did your outdoor ceremony get rained out? Instead of panicking, throw on some cute rain boots, grab a big umbrella, and start posing for some adorable rainy-day photographs. The DJ played the wrong song for your bridal party's entrance? Chances are no one else noticed. After months of obsessing over the details, it's easy to get lost in them. Loosen up, keep in mind what's important (you're getting married!), and we promise that, even if the caterer serves twice-baked potatoes instead of mashed, it'll all be great in the end.

Content courtesy of The Knot.

Wedding Quilt Guest Book

I love this wedding quilt guest book idea from Style Me Pretty! A recent client of ours chose a quilt for their guest book, and as you can imagine, it was a big hit with their guests. Our clients chose to go with a pre-made quilt, where guests would write their messages on the white squares of the quilt (sorry, no photo yet!) with a fabric marker. The alternative to this, is to opt for the single fabric squares as shown above, and then after the wedding sew the quilt together. Both options are equally as fun, and can be a great way to incorporate something unique into your wedding day!

Tip :: Fabric markers work best! I recommend purchasing 4-5 fabric markers, depending upon the size of your wedding. 

Photo courtesy of Style Me Pretty.

Guest Book Alternative :: Stone Wishing Well

Yesterday I talked about personalizing your wedding with unique elements, and today's blog post could not be more representative of that idea. I found this photo on InStyle Weddings while browsing the site for wedding inspiration (it's one of my weekly reads). The photo above is from a real wedding where the bride and groom wanted to incorporate a unique guest book idea reflective of their garden-themed nuptials. Each guest was given a smooth stone to hold onto during the ceremony, and then asked to make a wish for the couple. Afterwards, each guest was invited to place their stone into the jar above.

I personally love this unique idea, and feel that it will be something that this couple will display in their home for years to come, and will certainly hold onto forever!

Photo courtesy of InStyle Weddings.

A Clever Wedding Guest Book

If you follow this blog then you probably know that I love unique DIY projects (key word: unique). Today, I wanted to share possibly my favorite DIY project yet...an adorable and clever guest book idea from Martha Stewart Weddings.

Get the how-to here!

2010 " Day Of " Discount!

Attn 2010 brides! We are almost completely booked for the 2010 wedding season...only a few more dates are left during the months of August - December. If you're considering hiring a " Day of " wedding coordinator, head on over to the Simply Perfect Weddings website for more info about our services (" Day of " services begin at $950). 

Curious as to what " Day of " actually means? Well, here's a look at our standard service level: 

• Two face-to-face consultations to obtain a clear understanding of your visions and goals for the day, discuss contracted vendors, and develop timeline of the wedding day.
• Unlimited phone call and email consultations
• Preparation of wedding day timeline 
• Communication with all vendors the week prior to the wedding to confirm arrival/delivery times. Also distribute final timeline to wedding day vendors.
• Provision of your personalized wedding day emergency kit (with everything you could ever need!)
• Full rehearsal coordination (up to 1 ½ hours) – Including: directing flow of processional, offering advice, communicating special seating requests to ushers, and distributing wedding day itinerary to family members and bridal party
• Full wedding day coordination (up to 12 hours) that includes the following:

• Delivery and set-up of all ceremony and reception items such as Guest Book, Card Box, Toasting Glasses, Table Numbers, Seating/Place Cards, Favors, Lighting Candles, and additional decorating assistance as needed. (Size limits apply)
• Direct wedding ceremony & reception
• Lining up and cueing wedding party for their walk down the aisle, along with introductions
• Assistance with handing out bouquets, pinning corsages & boutonnières
• Cueing both ceremony and reception musicians to ensure correct pace and timing
• Assisting your MOH with the bustling of your wedding gown
• Supervision of all onsite vendors to ensure everything is provided as contracted, including greeting vendors, overseeing deliveries, and answering vendor questions.
• Secure all gifts at the end of the evening to ensure they are going to the correct place
• Assist with basic clean-up of ceremony and reception sites

Promo :: The next 2 brides to book our "Wedding Day Coordination" services (for a 2010 wedding) will receive a $100 discount!

Bridal Party Selection

With the end of the holiday season approaching and the start of wedding planning season underway, many brides-to-be are now pondering their bridal party selections. Choosing the members of your bridal party isn’t always an easy task, so here are a few pointers to get you started:

1. First, it’s important to determine how many guests you will invite to your wedding. Like, many wedding professionals, I recommend having one groomsmen and one bridesmaid for every 50 guests invited.

2. Don’t ever feel obligated to ask friends/family members who included you in their wedding if you aren’t close with them anymore. For example, if you were a bridesmaid in your sorority sister’s wedding, yet you haven’t spoken in several years, it doesn’t mean that you have to ask her to be in yours. Choose close friends and family members who you still enjoy a close bond with today…after all, the more bridesmaids you choose, the more chances for disagreements on the dresses they will wear, shower dates, and the more bouquets you will have to purchase for them.

3. Think about location when selecting your bridal party members. If you live in PA and your best friend lives in CA it’s important to consider her schedule and flexibility. Think about what you expect from your bridal party…will her simple moral support suffice or do you expect her to be present at every bridal gown fitting, vendor appointment, and cake tasting session? If the answer is yes, you may still want to ask her in good taste (after all she is your BFF from high school); however, it is a good idea to have another friend in mind that lives closer if she declines.

4. If you are close to your siblings, then they are most likely obvious choices for your bridal party. However, if your sister isn’t necessarily your best friend, the thought of including her in your wedding might not be the ideal. Unless there is a serious conflict between you and your sibling, it is still usually worth including them in your wedding to avoid unnecessary family disagreements.

5. Lastly, keep in mind that there are other roles important on your wedding day other than being a maid-of-honor or bridesmaid. Consider including a close friend or family member to sing or do a reading during your ceremony. There are a number of different possibilities…ushers, greeters, guest book guardians, and candle lighters are all essential to making your day memorable!

Image from The Knot.

New Poll: Who is paying for the wedding?

In this week's poll tell us who is paying for the wedding. More and more couples are contributing to their wedding costs these days taking the burden off of the bride's parents. In addition, I'm also seeing more groom's families taking the lead role financially as well. Traditionally, wedding costs are divided as follows:

Bride's Responsibility

• Wedding ring for the groom
• Wedding gift for the groom
• Gifts for bridal attendants
• Personal stationary/Thank you notes
• Guest book

Groom's Responsibility

• Marriage license
• Bride's engagement ring and wedding band
• Gift for the bride
• Rental of formal wear
• Gifts for attendants
• Bride's bouquet
• Boutonnieres for self and attendants
• Corsages for mothers and grandmothers
• Officiant's fee
• Honeymoon

Bride's Family

• Photographer/Videographer
• Wedding Consultant
• Engagement party
• Wedding invitations, announcements, and postage
• Ceremony fees
• Bride's gown & accessories
• Entire reception: rentals, caterer, wedding cake, decor, tips, and takes
• Music (ceremony & reception)
• Flowers (ceremony & reception
• Bridal Luncheon
• Father's boutonniere
• Transportation

Groom's Family

• Wedding gift for couple
• Wedding attire/travel expenses
• Rehearsal dinner
• Assists groom with his financial responsibilities if needed

Bridal Party

• Bridal Shower
• Their wedding attire & accessories
• Traveling expenses
• Gift to the groom/bride
• Bachelor/Bachelorette party
• Individual gift to the couple

Top 15 Questions to Ask Your Reception Venue

A few weeks ago I posted a blog, Top 10 Questions to Ask Your Potential Church so today I thought I would post my Top 15 questions to ask a potential reception venue. Most of the time I am hired to plan a client's wedding before their reception venue is booked; however, there are some instances when the venue is booked before a wedding planner is hired. If this is the case for you, be sure to take this list of questions along when interviewing potential reception facilities - this will make it easier on you when it comes time to choose the best venue for your wedding. No matter what type of venue you desire, these questions will help get you off on the right track!

1. Is there a minimum guest count required in order to book facility? In addition, are there any minimum food/beverage $ amounts that must be spent?

2. Are there any required vendors that we must use? (Some facilities will require that you use a specific caterer, bakery, etc… and other facilities will suggest that you use certain vendors they are associated with; however, you are not obligated to)

3. If specific caterers & bakeries must be used, are there tasting sessions available? If an outside bakery can be used, do you provide cake cutting services?

4. What is required to reserve wedding date? Is there a written contract? When is final payment due? (Always be sure to sign a written contract before any money is exchanged)

5. How many hours can facility be rented for? Are there wedding reception packages available? What are the hourly fees if reception goes over allotted time?

6. Does the venue have all the necessary licenses & permits?

7. What types of dining options do they offer? Buffet, seated, stations, etc…? What are the different price per person $ amounts? Also, is gratuity and tax included in this amount? Are there any special prices for children?

8. Do they provide linens, tables, chairs, glassware, china, silverware, etc? If so, do they provide set-up/take-down of these items?

9. Is there sufficient parking for guests? Is valet available – if so, how much?

10. Are there any music/noise restrictions? Is a DJ/Live Band permitted?

11. Do they provide a dance floor? If so, how many guests can it accommodate?

12. Are there any decorating restrictions?

13. If the venue has a hotel – is a bridal suite/room included with the package? Also, if our guests stay here – are there any discounts associated with their rooms?

14. When is our final headcount due?

15. What is the staff to guest ratio?

10 Tips for Staying Organized

Well, I'm finally back to blogging after a busy few weeks and I must say I'm happy to be back! Today's blog is all about staying organized while planning your wedding. The key to a smooth sailing wedding day lies within proper planning and organization. Here are my top 10 tips for staying organized:

1. Create a wedding binder

There is nothing that will cause a headache faster than having to search for hours for that one receipt you need or that all important photographer's contract that you suddenly have the need to look at. The easiest and most logical way to stay organized is to create a wedding binder that you can easily take with you wherever you go. Your binder should have a separate tab for each wedding category/vendor. In each section you should keep ALL documents you receive from each vendor, store, website, etc... this includes all receipts, contracts, business cards, brochures, notes that are taken, and any other misc documents. If you take the time to create a binder at the start of planning and keep it updated throughout planning, you will save yourself many headaches in the long run!

2. Buy a calendar/planner

Having a calendar where you can schedule all of your wedding appointments is essential to organization. Now, that probably goes without saying but you'd be surprised as to how many people I see that do not have a calendar of any kind and simply rely on sticky notes and scratch paper to keep track of their appointments. If you have a Blackberry, iPhone, or other PDA phone, schedule your appointments here and you'll receive reminders as to when your appointments take place.

3. Don't Procrastinate

Simply put, do not wait until 4 months before your wedding date to start planning your wedding unless you absolutely have to. An average sized wedding can take up to 12-18 months to properly plan. If you are getting married during 'prime wedding season' aka spring/summer, you will need ample time to secure your vendors as many vendors will book up to 2 years in advance. Waiting until the last minute and trying to cram all of your planning in at once will leave you stressed out.

4. Create a wedding email account

Another great way to stay organized and keep all of your wedding related information in one place, is to create a joint email account with your fiance solely for wedding stuff. Not only will this help you stay organized, but both you and your groom will have access to this account and can check the account when the other one is not around. I know many people that have several different email accounts, and creating one specifically for wedding info can relieve a lot of the confusion.

5. Share duties

Now, I know sharing wedding planning duties isn't always optimal for every couple as there are many grooms-to-be that simply wish to leave all of the decision making up to their brides. However, this is not the best way to get things done! Sure, she may have help from her mother or maid of honor, but planning a wedding should really involve both the bride and groom. Even if you choose to hire a planner, including your groom will make him feel as if it is his wedding too. My advice is to make a list of all things that need to be done and then talk over each item to see who feels most comfortable doing each item. Many men aren't going to be too concerned with what type of flowers you choose, or what color your bridesmaid dresses will be; but, they may have an interest in booking/planning the honeymoon, or helping to choose your transportation style to and from the wedding sites. Communication is the key here and you may be surprised just how helpful your groom-to-be can be! :)

6. Set a budget

Let's face it, weddings are expensive. It is imperative, that you set a budget early on and decide who is paying for what. These days, many groom's families are contributing to the wedding costs and more and more couples are also paying for a large part of their wedding as well. Talk with each of your families separately and ask them to commit to a specific dollar amount, or ask them to finance a specific aspect of the wedding, such as the reception dinner, honeymoon, or ceremony site. Once your budget is set, it is important to keep up with your wedding expenses in a spreadsheet or software program of some kind. Our full service package includes full budget preparation & tracking with due date reminders. Many online websites have free budget trackers to help you stay on track as well. Choose which method works best for you and update your budget on a regular basis.

7. Create a Guest List Tracker

Create a comprehensive gust list tracker that not only includes the names and contact information of each guest invited, but also includes space for items such as: rehearsal dinner attendees, out of town travel arrangements, gift tracking, thank you notes sent, and seating arrangements. This will help streamline the planning process and all information will be stored together, making it less stressful for you!

8. Bridal Party Duty Checklists

Giving your bridal party their specific duties ahead of time will avoid confusion later on in the planning process. You may wish to write everything down for them and present them with a checklist so no items are left out. Including your bridal party members in the planning of your wedding will make them feel important and it is also a great way to bond with your girl friends/family members. Talk with your bridal party ahead of time to make sure everyone is comfortable with their duties and are able to perform them.

9. Set aside time

Set aside a day of the week to focus on wedding related duties. The day chosen should be a time that both you and your fiance will have time to sit down together and work on these items. Early on in the planning process when vendors are first being secured and towards the end, as your wedding day approaches are typically the busiest and when additional days for planning will be needed. During this time, go over what duties have been completed and what duties are still to come, make vendor phone calls, schedule appointments, and update your wedding expense file or budget tracker.

10. Hire a wedding planner

Naturally, I am a bit bias; however, having a planner whether it be for the entire planning process, the month before, or for day of coordination is simply put...invaluable. The average wedding can take 200+ hours to properly plan. Many couples today simply do not have the time to devote to coordinating the hundreds of details that go into planning their wedding day. Or, maybe you do have the time, but just don't quite know where to begin. A professional planner will streamline the planning process and be able to provide their expertise in order to fully plan and execute an event from start to finish. Hiring a planner will help keep you organized and save you an enormous amount of stress. In addition to the logistic matters, a planner also serves as your creative partner (or new best friend as we like to call it!) helping you with color and theme selection, decor, proper etiquette, and vendor selection. Lastly, after all of your hard work leading up to the months of your wedding, the last thing you need to do is work on your wedding day! Snags and mishaps still occur even in the most organized and properly planned events; therefore, having a planner present the day of your wedding will allow you to enjoy yourselves knowing that in the background your planner is putting out any fires that may occur without you even knowing about them!