Keeping the Dad busy and involved

Some say its not his thing...but if you are his only daughter or all of his kids are daughters that is highly unlikely. He probably does not want to go dress or shoe shopping but having a personal hand on a few touches will make him feel a bigger part of your day. Here are a few thoughts:

1. Have him suggest dances songs that the older crowd will enjoy. Remember if your inviting great aunts and older generation you will get no movement from a large portion of your guests if it is all new age beats.

2. Ask him to prepare a toast

3. If his is computer savvy have him make the map

4. Put him in charge of making sure ALL of the men's formal wear is on site and on time

5. Chef celebrant means staying to the bitter end to encourage and drive a festive mood!

Dad's are excited too you know!

Working with vendors - Mind your purse strings

It is very important when hiring all of the vendors to read every line of a contract. I found in the DJ's contract a clause for weather...he still would get paid if he could not set up his equipment outside. We changed that to he would set up at another location at my direction.

Another thing is to get a signed copy back and bring it to the event. If you do not there is not a legal obligation for them to act in accordance to the contract and if you need to litigate...it must be signed by both parties.

Avoid hiring a photographer or a florist who has never worked at the venue. There is to much to learn and know for it to be ideal.

Clarify everything - cost, time, travel and any additional fees. One DJ quoted me for 5 hours and only listed 4 in the contract. One florist wanted a $300 delivery fee on a $2000 order.....check everything! Do your details and everything will flow!

Photography Checklist

The photographer is arguably the most important vendor you will hire. Long after the great food and wine have been consumed, your lasting memories are in a book that you helped design. Making a list of shots that you want and the style you are aiming for in advance will remove the stress of the day and give your photographer a sense of direction for the day. There is a wide variety of choices: Candid, Documentary, Portrait. Combinations of all is where you will probably end up. So make a list of the types of shots, groups of people and specific events you want to have a picture of. Then talk about your personality! If you are big into nature or the silver pictures frames are heirlooms put this information on a list.

Look for Budget Breakers

Built in resources are your first way to save money. If you choose a beautiful outdoor gazebo as the setting for your ceremony. Do not spend thousands of dollars on decor. You picked this spot because it was beautiful. Besides who is looking at anything but the Bride!

Having your event at a hotel and your guests will be staying there. ASK, for a benefit if you reach a certain room amount. We asked for 1 free night for every 10 nights booked and ended up with two free rooms to use the day of the event for the Bride and Groom parties to get ready in. You can also use those rooms for guests that should not drive but did not make arrangements. Remember you only can get what you ask for!

Wedding Party Crashers

Your beautiful wedding reception venue can accommodate 3 events at a time! Should you plan for crashers? Yes, because your party is the coolest! Talk to your event manager about 30 days out to see the schedule for other events. Normally, you will have traffic before and after the other events occur. To prevent crashers ask the venue to provide a door staff during this time. If they will not then use a member of your family or your wedding coordinator to be at the entrance to your party. I have also seen people ask unfamiliar faces who they are here for and most say "Ops Sorry"and leave. Unless its George Clooney...no crashers allowed.

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!