Vision... Putting it into practice

Every night before marrying tis stuck in your brain...
You're hoping those plans won't go down the drain.

Swags of flowers hung on the mantle with care
It must be a celebration with audacious flair!

Visions of sugared vases dance in your head;

table cloths flowing and perfect, down to every thread.

With the lustre of your dreams for all to behold,

There must be other options than that gaudy gold!

little lights -- how they twinkle! night long dancing- how merry!

If I don't get good help, this may all get very scary!




How do you take all those dreams and visions out of your head and actually make them a reality?

First- 

Look at pictures, a lot of them.  Pinterest is perfect for this because you can begin to make boards for all that you love.

Then-

Once you've gotten a decent collection, make notes on them as to what specifically you like about it.  (It may take you a while to pin it down.)

It may also help to notice what picture you dislike.  It will tell you what not to do.  Sometimes this is much more helpful for your vision.  Especially if it's something that occurs at weddings all the time.  We've had brides who hated bows (It made for a gorgeous modern wedding with cool knots everywhere.), brides who hated white (gorgeous deep hues everywhere.) and brides who thought wild flowers looked like weeds (think great big amazing blossoms everywhere.)

Start to detail it out-

Take your Pinterest boards and divvy them out.

• Dresses
• Hair
• Bouquets
• Ceremony Flowers & Details
• Centerpieces
• Tables
• Invitations
• Drinks
• Appetizers
• Meals
• Favors
• Cake

check our details page to get an idea of things to pin down your style on.

Narrow it down-

You must pick 1 theme.  And no I'm not thinking pirates or the Caribbean.

You need to have a sort of branding for your event.  It must all fit together, look like it was meant to be side by side.

If you like two contrasting items then look for photos of them combined. Or try it out.  It can be done carefully.  Hire a great florist and design company.  A good coordinator should be able to reach into your brain and find the right people to install that audacious flair for you.

Mistakes-

We see 2 common mistake in vision planning.

1-Trying to do too much.

2-Implementing it poorly.

Trying too much

Check your budget and decide (with a professional) what it will really cover.
You can still make it fabulous on a smaller scale- just pick your spots and ignore the others.
Decide what things will make the most impact.  Entryways, focal points, aisles, tables, room centers- are all great places to make a big impact.

Implementing it poorly.

Clients often underestimate what it will take to make a statement where they've decided to pay attention too.

some examples...

• more petals- when your florist asks how many bags of petals you want- A LOT.  petals don't go far and it takes a condensed amount to show up for a striking effect.
• flower arches- think thicker and more massive.  The frail arch might as well be skipped because you will see right through it.  It will not stop your eye.  And the flowers should be striking enough to see- especially outside.  There's so much to distract the eye that it's very important to create something 'opaque' enough to give your eyes something to stop on, not strain to see.
• paper lanterns- these are such a cool thing to use in your decorating but small and few of them just get lost.  Light them up.  Go Big (or group small ones).  Test it out.

Time

Plan enough time.  Hire a professional installer to hang lights, drape fabric, install lanterns and install your expensive floral pieces.  Do not make your mom or friend struggle to make something look right at the last minute.

Things often take more time and more hands than first thought.  

It's worth it to make it great. Just plan carefully. Those who fail to plan, plan to fail. right?

Ask for help

Once you've found what you want, take a load off and let someone help you.  A professional will know the pitfalls to watch for, how much it will cost and where to get it done not to mention the best way to install it and how long that will take.

You can do a lot of things yourself but your wedding day is not the day to do it.  Weddings are emotionally stressful (this isn't news to you) remove the possible pitfalls and let others help you...Enjoy Your Event!

You can have the event you want on any budget, really.  Just plan in reality- what it will really take and really look like. A carefully planned event will be noticed by your guests and will please you as...just the event you wanted.

Happy Planning!

Your Big Entrance- walking down the aisle like a pro.

Photo: Verge Photography

It's come time to plan your ceremony.  A trusted officiant and wedding planner can help you create the perfect order but don't forget about actually getting down the aisle.

Framing views

Pretend you're the photographer. What will you see? The kitchen access? An unkempt corner? Busy wallpaper? You should orient your ceremony with a gorgeous backdrop; through a window (or outdoors) or towards a beautiful wall, light or piece of art indoors. But you should also consider the back. Everyone will be looking there while they wait for your arrival. And there will be lots of pictures of that view, not to mention while guests file out to greet you. So stand in the middle of the , turn and decide carefully.

Width

Your aisle should be wide enough for 2 people to comfortably walk next to each other without bumping decorations.
For picture purposes, it's a good idea if there's space between the aisle edge with decorations and the couple in the middle. It creates a nice structure for your eyes to follow through the picture. (Contrast in carpet/ground color and decorations is nice too btw.)

Hiding places

You will need a nice, comfortable, and well ventilated place to wait while the rest of your bridal party processes. It should be within earshot, so that you can hear the music but to the side so that you can have privacy and separation when your guests stand to wait for you.

It's really nice if it's a pretty enough place for photos too, as these are often some of the best shots.

Private moments

Your ceremony preparation is sometimes stressful and you rarely get to have quality time with parents or your spouse. It is a great idea if just prior to entering you have a space to be able to whisper hello or get a final hug without everyone looking.

Speed

Often overlooked but very simple.  
Do not have anyone do a weird step together move- just walk.
Don't go crazy slow and don't hurry. Be normal.

Children

They are cute. (God makes them this way for a reason.) They're happy to be a part of your day but have a hard time remembering directions and will often abort for a grandma or a cookie seen out of the corner of their eye.

If they are important to you and you are a fairly relaxed bride, then include them.

Letting them sit during the ceremony is a GREAT idea. Children get tired quickly and will be the focus of all your guests as they attempt to make it through what they said they'd do. Let them be cute. Then let them sit.

Breathe & Smile

You wouldn't believe I'd have to tell you this but you'll forget. You'll be trying to remember what you're supposed to do and maybe a little dehydrated from celebrating. You need the oxygen and your stress drops just by smiling. Plus you won't be mocked for your picture.

Enjoy Yourself

Seriously. You want your ceremony to look a certain way and you want it to be meaningful but you should also enjoy the journey. Celebrate your mate and let it go.

Enjoy Your Event!

Wedding Planning Making You Dizzy?

Photo: Verge Photography, now KJ & Rob

Make no mistake, wedding planning is an emotional rollercoaster.  One minute you can’t believe the love of your life can’t stand to be without you and the next you’re having a heart attack at how much this whole celebration is going to cost.  (Be on the lookout for our upcoming budget series.)

It used to be that couples were engaged for a long period of time.  Perhaps due to young age- waiting for a college graduation, a job, etc.  But it’s also associated with elaborate weddings as popular sites book very far out and some wedding dresses take a long time to arrive.  Many brides and grooms tend to be a little older nowadays. (At least in our experience.) We’ve seen shorter engagements and more relaxed planning styles. Those aren’t necessarily connected but have many benefits.

Since weddings require a great deal of detailed planning, they have a tendency to take up every waking moment. When those moments last for a year or two, your life tends to revolve around all things wedding.  It is partially because you are so excited about it and because there can be so many decisions to be made.  Then when the wedding is over you have nothing to talk about.  All you’ve done is wedding stuff for a long time.

Fear not! You can maintain your sanity and create the celebration you’re envisioning.

#1

Make a concerted effort to NOT talk about your wedding all the time. Talk current events. plan non-wedding things- your next date night or a bbq.

#2

Focus on your other interests and hobbies, If you don’t have any yet now is the perfect time.  Your engagement is a time to plan for your married life, to practice how you will spend your time together and to prepare to face life as a team.  It just also happens that you probably have lots of details to plan for your celebration.

#3

Decide early what wedding things are important to the both of you and ditch the rest.  It may not be worth your time spent finding the perfect garter and having arguments discussions on how and if to remove and throw it.  The more you add, the more time it will take up.  Our favorite weddings were simple and very intentional.  You could tell much time had been spent on the menu, music and flow of the event.  Do not feel like you must do everything or hire every vendor.  Make your event fit you.  It’s what people are coming to celebrate after all.

#4

Focus on your future mate. (This will serve you well in marriage too.) Make sure they know you first and foremost can’t wait to spend the rest of your life with them and then, that you’re excited to plan the best party ever.

#5

Breathe. Don’t let people get you all worked up.  Just tell your aunt “You’re so kind to offer, we’ll let you know what you decide to do.” (Keep this quote ready to ward off those butting in helping.)

#6

Hire help for wedding week and day of planning even if you’re planning the whole thing yourself.  Then you can spend the week enjoying all your visiting relatives and friends and make it a week long celebration.

Now, put the computer down and go out on a date.