Reception - Set the mood with lighting

You have the spot now set the mood. Lighting can affect the feel and fun of any event. In most venues additional up lighting can give an area a more romantic and festive feel. The lights are controlled by a computer that is programmed to the beat of the music which can increase or decrease the intensity of the light. You can add a monogram to the floor or wall. They even have an effect that will add a texture. The texture effect is great if you are in a white walled room or tent. Don't forget the details for your event and lighting is definitely one of them!

Reception Site Rules - Don't take their word on how many quests will fit!!!

We are having our event at a beautiful 1927 Boutique Hotel. The elegance of the hotel and the area were the deciding factors. However, when we inquired about the dinning room size we were told 100 people for a sit down dinner. I then asked for a floor plan to scale and found out to accommodate this there would be 12 inched between the backs of the chairs. Really does that seem like a good idea to you? I think not. So even though the maxed out room could do it. The truth is we ended up with 72 chairs and a smaller head table. Ask questions to get a quality event! They want the biggest number they can....you want the best quest experience you can get!

Reception Perfection - It's in the details

You will probably find the vast number of locations overwhelming. But, digging a little deeper into the location will save a lot on the big beautiful day. Some examples, the beautiful mansion has limited bathroom space and the VW lodge has no character but lots of bathroom space. It is always a unique challenge to balance the wish list and reality list. So take your time at each venue and review the must haves. I think a natural charter and enough bathrooms go along way!

Bridesmaid Dresses

A new trend in the wedding world is to dress each girl in the color theme but different styles. I like this ideas, just based on the fact that your skinny girlfriend and the chunky girlfriend can't possibly both look good in the same dress. What we need now is for the major companies in the market to allow you to upload a virtual you to their website and you can try on from the convenience of your computer. Seriously, gone are the days that everyone lives in the same town and can get together to try on dresses. Many brides are waiting till well into their 30's which supports the theory that our friends would be more spread out. I played with the one found on www.seventeen.com/fashion/virtual-model . But think it would be best if each company had their own and when you went to the site you could actually try on the dress. What do you think?

What is the Difference between a $1000 and $5000 Photographer?

Good Question! We meet with three different photographers and that was the range. It was hard to tell any specific skill difference between each. But, what they did do is add ons and whether or not you need them changes the price tag. I also was concerned with not getting full use of the pictures that they took. What if the bride didn't pick a picture and 5 years later decided she wanted more of her grandmother or something. We decided we did not need a photographer with a flashy studio, nor one that could create a 200 page leather bound book. We wanted someone who showed energy and good attitude. One of the photographers was 300 pounds and talked like Minnie Mouse...I'm not sure that would have worked all day long. With all the albums you can create on line your self you really need someone with good equipment, good pictures, good energy and not a lot of fluff!

Temptations

There are so many little items that are cute but not necessary. It is tempting to blow a budget on stuff. You see a bracelet that would be a nice bridesmaid gift, so you buy six. Then a few weeks later you see shoes for the bridesmaids that are perfect, so you buy six. Oh my overstock.com just sent you a sales alert and you found the perfect earrings, so you buy six. See my point. At this rate you should have paid for the dress which would have been appreciated more by the bridesmaids than all the matching accessories. Keep your budget in focus and the big day will be more enjoyable, less stressful and you will be appreciated!

Timelines

We are planning a wedding that is on the other side of the country from where we live, so logistics can be a challenge. I have found the map quest tool very valuable. I put in all of the vendors we need to visit in one trip and then rearrange them to make travel sense. Most vendors will need 1.5 hours of your time and plan on 20 minutes to get to next location. The typical day will be 9am for your first appt. and 5pm will be your last. This allows for you to meet with about five vendors per day. In our case we squeezed a few more in by asking them to meet us on location one day. Make a list of the questions you have for them and email them in advance. This will save you time in the meeting and allow them to be prepared. An example would be, when meeting the photographer, do you want to see the equipment she will be using.