What Should the Mothers of the Bride and Groom Do?

With Mother’s Day coming up this weekend, it’s a great time to think about what your mom can do to help with your wedding. Both the mother of the bride and mother of the groom can play an important role in the planning and on the day of your wedding.

For many brides, their mothers are an unofficial member of the bridal party. She can help with choosing the wedding dress, attend the bridal shower, and assist with wedding preparations. If you mom isn’t able to do all of that, or if you don’t want her to do it, she can still have a special part in the wedding day. The bride’s mother is traditionally the last one to be seated at the ceremony, and her being escorted to her seat marks the start of the procession.

The mother of the groom also has a special role to play. Depending on the bride’s relationship with her new mother-in-law, she might even take part in activities along with the mother of the bride. She will also get to have a special dance with her son during the reception. This gives her a moment in the spotlight for all the work she’s done in raising the groom.

Mothers can be a huge help in your wedding planning, and can be thanked for their years of hard work at your wedding. To find out more about how to involve the mothers of the bride and groom in your Arizona wedding, give us a call today!

 

Photo: Flickr/Quinn Dombrowski

Thank You Card Etiquette

There’s so much focus on the lead up to your wedding day that it’s easy to forget that you will still have wedding-related things to do after the big day has come and gone. The one thing that every newly-married couple must do is send out thank you cards.

• When to send them: The general rule of thumb is no more than 8 weeks after your wedding date. This gives you enough time to decompress, but isn’t so long that your guests will feel like they are never going to get a thank you. You can send them earlier, with some couples choosing to send them as soon as gifts are received, even if it’s before the wedding date.
• Who to send them to: Your thank you cards should obviously go to anyone who has given you a gift, but you might not want to stop there. If a family member or friend was particularly helpful in planning, they should get a card even if they didn’t get you a separate gift. You can also send a card to your vendors who put in extra effort to make your day perfect. Every guest should also get a thank you just for attending and being part of your big day.
• What to send: Most couples choose a thank you card that matches the rest of their wedding stationery. When you plan a save the date and invitation, have your wedding stationery designer produce a thank you card at the same time. This saves the delay of printing later on. You can send different cards, though, and some couples choose to send a wedding photo with a note on the back.

Sending your thank you cards can be a big task, but it helps to see it as a way of extending the enjoyment of your wedding day. Use the time to think about all the special moments that made your day so perfect.

If you need help planning your Arizona wedding, or would like more advice on thank you cards and other etiquette questions, get in touch today!

 

Photo: Flickr/treespacestudio

 

Creative Wedding Menu Ideas

One thing that can make a wedding really special is a great menu. The food you serve at your wedding can reflect many things, including your cultural heritage, your personal preferences, and your theme. They can also just be a bit of fun!

Food stations

A huge trend at the moment, food stations allow your guests to customize their food. This can often work like a buffet, but might require servers or chefs. Your guests are given a basic version of your food — whether it’s nachos, mashed potatoes, or ice cream — and a whole host of toppings to add to them.

Family style

If you want to include some of your family favorites, serving them family style can reinforce this idea. This means serving large portions to each table, allowing your guests to serve themselves as though they were at home.

Food trucks

Similar to food stations, food trucks are an excellent choice for outdoor weddings. This is a great trend and very fun. They are also a good addition as an evening snack for guests!

Fusion cuisine

If you and your fiance are from different cultural backgrounds, a fusion cuisine menu can be a great way of representing your union. This can be done with a creative caterer, or a combination of catering.

Creating your wedding menu should be a fun experience for you. If you need help with this or any other part of planning your Arizona wedding, give us a call today!
Photo: Flickr/Maria Luisa Buccella

Spring and Summer Wedding Theme Ideas

Spring and summer are the two most popular times of year for weddings. They also lend themselves to some of the most beautiful wedding themes. While there are many themes that work in any season, here are a few of our favorites that are just made for spring and summer.

English Garden Party

With nature in full bloom all around us, use the season to transport your guests away from the desert and into the lush English countryside. An English garden party theme is a way of utilizing lots of flowers, elegant details, and feminine charm.

Independence Day

Deck your Arizona wedding out in red, white, and blue for this theme. Tie your wedding in to the summer’s big holiday, giving guests sparklers, a formal twist on a barbecue, and a fireworks display to cap off the night.

Easter

If the 4th of July is the summer’s holiday theme, Easter is the spring’s. Pastels are the basis of this theme, and you can see it as the opportunity to include lots of chocolate treats.

Outdoor Adventures

Do you and your fiance love a bit of rugged outdoor adventure? Then make this part of your wedding. Draw on Arizona’s natural beauty, from the Grand Canyon to the mountains near Flagstaff. They provide a stunning color palette and can even inspire some fun guest entertainment!

Are you ready to start planning your Arizona wedding? If so, give us a call today!

Coping with the Cost of Weddings

You may have seen the news that the average wedding now costs over $29,000. The Knot’s Real Weddings Study showed that in 2013, the cost of weddings hit an all-time high. If you’re planning your Arizona wedding, you might be worried about how you’ll cope with these rising costs. Here are a few ways to handle the cost of a wedding.

Set a Budget

Whatever you can afford, setting a budget will help you stick to it. The worst part of any wedding spending is the part you haven’t prepared for. Knowing what you can afford to spend on all the elements of your wedding — from cake to venue, dress to entertainment — can make planning less stressful and keep you out of lasting debt.

Work with a Planner

You might think that doing it yourself will be cheaper, but that’s often not the case. An experienced Arizona wedding planner will be able to negotiate discounted rates. She will also know the ins and outs of planning, and know where to cut corners if your budget is getting tight.

Don’t Compete

The best way of handling rising costs is to not get hung up on competing with other couples. Creating your own wedding that is perfect for you as a couple can help keep costs down. This means doing what you really want for your big day, not what you feel you have to do because somebody else did it!

If you want more advice about keeping on top of wedding costs, or want help planning your Phoenix wedding, give us a call today!

 

Photo: Flickr / lotsemann

How Much Alcohol to Serve at Your Wedding?

With a wedding coming up, it really pays to be prepared with all the things necessary to make your wedding a success. If you are still getting ready for your wine bar for your reception, you have to make sure that you choose the right drinks carefully. At the same time, see to it that you prepare just enough number of drinks to give out to your guests. Here are some options on how to stock your bar for 100 guests:

·      Beer – 5 to 6 cases

·      Bourbon – 1 liter

·      Champagne – 1 to 1½ cases

·      Dry Vermouth – 1 bottle

·      Gin – 2 to 3 liters

·      Light Rum – 1 liter

·      Red Wine – 2 cases

·      Scotch – 2 liters

·      Sweet Vermouth – 1 bottle

·      Tequila – 1 liter

·      Vodka – 5 liters

·      Whiskey – 1 liter

·      White Wine – 3½ cases

The amount of bottles and cases you prepare for your wedding bar will depend on the preferred drink of a majority of your guests. For example, if your guests love to drink bourbon, you may substitute it with a drink they are not particular of. Also, if your guests do not drink beer, you can eliminate it from the list.

At the same time, the amount of alcohol you serve at your wedding reception should depend on how drunk you would want your guests to be after the event. If this is something you would rather opt not to happen, you can prepare a limited bar so that only a selection of drinks are available. Not only will you be able to limit the number of drinks your guests have, you also get to save money on it compared to an open bar.

Let us help you plan your wedding from start to finish! Call us today  so we can get started in planning your wedding!

Inexpensive Flower Options You Can Use for Your Wedding Venue Decoration

Being on a tight budget on your wedding can be difficult. There are certain things that you will have to make do without or even compromise with. Sometimes, you may even have to forego tradition and skip the necessities, just so you can stay within your budget.

When it comes to having a budget, however, it is best to do your research so you can find cheaper alternatives. This is a common mistake among engaged couples because they fail to realize that there is always an alternative for them to use. In the case of choosing wedding flowers for their reception decoration, this is a usual mistake. Instead of sticking with exotic blooms, you may go for inexpensive alternatives that are still as beautiful as them. Here are some of our recommended alternatives:

Gypsophila

When arranged in a large bouquet, like a centerpiece, the flowers exude a cloud-like appeal that will be perfect for just about any wedding theme. The good thing about this option is that it doesn’t cost too much money!

Blossom

As a common plant during springtime, blossoms are a beautiful flower option that you can use as your wedding reception decoration. You can opt to use them alone or with other plants to produce an indoor orchard feel.

Carnations

You can use carnations for your wedding reception and produce a garden feel in the venue. This is a tried and tested variety of flowers being used in wedding venue decorations. As such, you can always trust in this choice.

Orchids

Speaking of orchids, you can opt for this variety if you would like to have a minimalistic look with your decorations. Even though this can turn out to be an expensive option, you can just arrange a few blooms to create a contemporary and dramatic effect in your wedding venue.

Being strict with your wedding budget does not mean you should totally leave out the use of flowers from your decorations. Opting for these inexpensive flowers instead, is the best way you can transform your wedding venue into a gorgeous place. What are your favorite blooms? Call us today so we can help you plan your wedding according to your specified budget.

Should You Hire a DJ or Band?

If you have decided to plan your wedding on your own, you have to be very careful about the wedding suppliers that you choose to hire. This is because there are plenty of options available and you need to find the best one that can provide the service you need for your wedding. In the case of hiring entertainment for your big day, you have to remember to pick one out that you would like. To help you with this, here are some things you need to consider:

• Do you prefer a band or a DJ?
• What genre do you like to listen to?
• How much is your budget?
• Do you want your guests to request some songs from your chosen entertainment?
• What are the songs that you don’t want to be played at your reception?

With the number of bands and DJs offering their services, it is important that you pick one out that can play for your wedding reception. Remember to consider your music interests as well as your fiancé’s so that you two can enjoy the songs that will be played at your reception. Once you have identified this, you can easily go with the entertainment you want to use for your big day.

A great way you can choose between the two is to listen to them play live. When you do this, you get to see how well they play their songs and how well they interact with their audience. This is a good way you can gauge how professional they are.

Make sure that you really take the time to choose between these two options so that you can have a great time with your guests. If you need a wedding planner to help you in choosing your entertainment, give us a call! We can talk about your options.

Decorating the Ceiling of Your Wedding Reception Venue

One of the best things about weddings is that it helps you exercise your creativity, especially when it comes to choosing your wedding decorations. Considering the fact that there are plenty of ways you can decorate your venue, it really pays to have a careful eye in inspecting how you want your venue to look like. One of the things you will need to consider is the ceiling. While there are some that leave it blank, you have the option to decorated it and make it look more presentable.

One of the easiest ways you can decorate your ceiling is to make use of linens as drapes. This will produce an elegant feel across the room that no other decoration will be able to achieve. Even if you have fully decorated your wedding venue, putting drapes on your ceiling is one way to complete its look. This is why you have to consider using this as a way to decorate your wedding reception venue.

Apart from drapes, you can also make use of lighting to make your wedding venue look different from what it was before. You may opt for Japanese lanterns to add to the ambient of the venue or string small lights. The best option to use here are LED lights as they are safer and cheaper compared to traditional lights. By installing lights across the room, you can create a wonderful mood that will make your guests want to fall in love.

While it pays to have a creative mind and think of these decorations, it does not always work in everyone. There are some people who admit they don’t have the creativity to produce a wonderful effect in their wedding venue. The best alternative is to work with a wedding planner in completing the look of the room. If you need a planner, give us a call! We can talk about your options.

Tips to Decorating Tables at Your Wedding

When it comes to decorating your wedding reception, there are things you need to consider to transform the venue into a different place. However, the decorations will largely depend on the type of wedding you have planned as well as the budget you have allocated for it. The decorations you choose will need to depict the theme that you have chosen for the wedding so you can make the event magical.

If you are on a budget while decorating your wedding venue, it is important to know which key areas to concentrate on. Here are the areas to decorate:

Registration Table

The entrance of your wedding reception is a vital place that you should decorate carefully. You can simply decorate it with a few flowers, ice sculpture, or a statue. Make sure that you situate your registration table near the entrance so the guests can easily sign the guest book. If you have prepared a seating chart for your guests, have another table where they can get their place cards on. You can decorate these two tables with flowers or confetti.

Sweetheart Table

In the center of the room, you should set up a sweetheart table where the newlywed couple can sit on. The best way to decorate this table is to surround it with draped organza fabric and adding candles and petals over it. The use of draped fabric and par lights as a backdrop behind the table can also add to its effect.

Guests Tables

Each table should be covered with table linens. If you prefer a clean look, you can use white linens to make your tables look simple. Make sure you have placed a centerpiece on top of each table so that they are attractive to look at. However, see to it that the centerpiece you chose is just the right size.

Cake Table

In some weddings, the cake serves as the centerpiece of the venue. Decorate it the way you would with the sweetheart table as it needs to be accentuated.

When you’re planning your wedding, you will need all the help you can get from an expert. Call us today so we can get started!