Say Thank You with Favors

Favors are basically to thank your guests for coming to be with you for your wedding. They have taken time to get ready and spend several hours of their time as well as the cost of the gift. Some may have even incurred major travel costs to join you. Favors come in many shapes and sizes from edible snacks to parts of the centerpiece décor. Some of my favorites in the edible category have been beautifully decorated cookies, small bags of goldfish crackers, and individual cakes on each table. Presentation is the key as you share edible gifts – use beautiful packaging with sheer organza bags, printed cellophane or small boxes tied with gorgeous ribbon to add elegance to these types of gifts. Many couples want a gift that guests can take home and remember the event after the reception rather than eat while they are there. Make these gifts fit with the theme of your wedding so that they add to the décor of the tables. Carry out your color scheme (black toile decorated candles), an activity that you both enjoy (a bag of personalized golf balls and tees), small ice cream scoops (to use at your create your own sundae bar), or small antique bottles (filled with individual flowers to match your centerpieces).

Add a personalized tag with a short thank you note from you and your groom. Think of a creative and clever tag line to carry out your theme to add – “love is sweet” for candy, “the light of love” for a candle, “clearly in love” for glass coasters, or “cut out for each other” for heart shaped cookie cutters. For more beautiful favor ideas visit our special favor website at http://oneofakindevents.theaspenshops.com .

Other ideas for favors can include gifts not put on the tables. They are more interactive favors that get the guests involved in the evening’s activities such as a photo to take home from a photo booth or a bag of candy to take home from a candy bar. Another idea that is appealing to some couples is providing a donation to their favorite charity in lieu of favors. Let your guests know what charity is close to your heart by printing cards to place on the table. Or even provide them with a small “program” for the reception that includes a short version of your love story (how you met, how he proposed and where you are going from here), an outline of the schedule for the evening, a description of your favorite charity and a thank you message from the two of you. These can be placed at each place setting and will give guests something to read and enjoy as they wait for the grand announcement of the bridal party.

Whatever you decide to do for favors, remember that your guests are very special people in your lives and since they took the time and money to be with you, make sure your thank you is sincere and unique.



As a special for our Blog readers, enter the code 5239TEN to receive 10% off of all Kate Aspen favors on our website! And one lucky bride who orders her favors from our website will have her name drawn to be reimbursed and get her favors for FREE!

Luxurious Linens

When looking at the décor for your reception, a major decision will be what to do about linens. Linens are fabric treatments including tablecloths and table overlays, napkins, chair covers, wall and backdrop draping. Look at the overall feel you want for your reception. A fun-filled family reception might be best served with paper tablecloths and crayons for doodling. A more elegant affair would be best served with linen tablecloths and napkins. Chair treatments can make a huge difference in the overall look of your reception. Look at the attached pictures for before and after looks with fabric covers. Many reception venues and caterers include basic white linens and sometime colored napkins in the packages with food. When looking at specialty fabrics, overlays or chair covers, make sure to check pricing with local décor specialists to get the best value for your money. On-line “deals” on linens may sound great but when they come with permanent wrinkles or stains, you have more of a nightmare than a dream come true.

Another budget saver can be using specialty fabrics and tablecloths on cake table, head table and gift table. This can give your event an upscale look without breaking the bank. Wall and backdrop draping can also cover up undesirable parts of the reception hall and give you a clean look for pictures. Again hiring a wedding planner/décor specialist can help you coordinate the overall look and your reception can be a “one of a kind” event.
 


The package deal with no chair covers










Lighting can make a huge difference

When you see some of the fantastic weddings on television, one of the major elements that they all have in common is great lighting packages. From washes of light to bring your wedding color to the walls of your reception to spotlights on specific areas such as the cake, head table or dance floor – lighting can really bring a glamorous look to any celebration. The use of light can be very simple as adding candlelights or small pinspots or uplights to guest tables. Or it can be as extensive as a complete package to transform the room and space into a fairyland or a dance club. Talk to your wedding planner or décor specialist to see what level of lighting will fit into your budget and give your guests that platinum experience when they enter your reception.

Wedding Day Beauty Tips

Make up and Hair


A lot of brides don’t give make up and hair much of a thought since they do their own hair and make up on a daily basis. But you are not wearing clothes that you wear everyday and you normally don’t have over 500 photographs taken of you everyday, So everyday hair and make up needs to be stepped up a notch! Choosing the right hairstyle for you and your gown is the first requirement. Look through magazines for styles that you connect with and also have a picture of your gown to take to the salon when you go for a “trial run.” Some brides even try to find a top that has a similar neckline to their gown to wear that day so they can see the updo or style they choose with the gown neckline to see if it is flattering to their face. Let your stylist know if you will be wearing a veil or any kind of hair jewelry. Then after you have your hair done, have a make up session and then have someone take pictures. What you see in the mirror is not the same as what the camera sees and good photographers will tell you that you need to wear a little bit more color than usual for the camera to pick it up. Don’t be afraid to experiment in the months before the wedding with different colors and looks to get the one that is best for you. Having your make-up professionally done during the engagement time is a great way to get in on new skincare products as well as products that will give you the best color and look on your day, Talk to friends or attend bridal shows to find great Mary Kay consultants to give you a makeover. Some of these consultants are even willing to come to the church on your wedding day and do make-up for you and your attendants. Or if you prefer, go to your favorite department store for a make up session and let those experts give you a more dramatic look to try.

The other suggestion for ultimate beauty on your wedding day is to take care of yourself. Although this will be one of the busiest times of your life leading up to your wedding, eating right and getting enough sleep can make all the difference between enjoying your day and having great memories and just trying to “get through it.” Then, drink lots of water. Eight to ten glasses of water a day will give you more energy (most of us walk around every day dehydrated), help you lose those last few pounds before wedding day and give you a healthy glow. Finally, remember that beauty starts from the inside out. Be thankful and enjoy this time with your family and friends and your inner beauty will shine through.

Finding a Wedding Florist

When looking for flowers for your wedding, ask yourself some overall questions – What are my favorite flowers? Are there flowers I intensely dislike for some reason? Then look for pictures of bouquets that you just like the overall look and style of the arrangement of the flowers Are you drawn to soft, full, lush blooms? Are you excited by modern bold colors and line like modern art forms? Do you like different textures and flowers together or do you like monobotanical (all the same flower grouped together) bouquets? It used to be that you had to choose flowers that were “in season” – tulips in spring, roses in summer, chrysanthemums in fall and carnations in winter. But today with flowers being grown in all climates of the world and shipped overnight to use, choices are much more readily available.


Find a florist first of all that understands (or helps you develop) your individual style and secondly has the personality and design skills to make your wedding day beautiful. Your floral designer needs to be someone who you trust to create your personality in your flowers. Set up an appointment to get to know the florist and take along ideas and pictures that you have found, then listen for creative ideas that they have. Give a professional florist an overall look and color combination and then be open to their creativity and artistic style to make your bouquets and décor more than you could ever imagine.

There are no do-overs on your wedding day so make sure you find someone who will make your wedding day – your way. I have had clients ask me what my favorite style is and I tell them that it doesn’t matter what I like. My goal is to understand each bride and groom’s style and create your look. That is why every one of our weddings are truly a “one of a kind event”!

You ought to be in pictures!

For many couples, photography is one of the most important elements of their day since pictures will be their lasting reminder of all that went on that day. Choosing the right photographer for you is crucial. Too many couples have tried to save money here by letting a family member or friend document the day only to have out of focus, badly shot pictures or no pictures at all. Professionalism is the key here and an experienced photographer will not only document your memories to last a lifetime but also be very instrumental in keeping the wedding day running on schedule.


First of all, look for styles and photos that you like. Most photographers have some of their best work up on websites and blogs and you can get a feel for how they like to shoot – indoors or outdoors, traditional or unconventional backgrounds, posed or candid shots, etc,. When you find photos that you like, set up an interview with the photographer to sit down and talk to them. There needs to be a connection between the couple and the person shooting the record of their wedding. They need to have a personality that meshes with yours. They need to have an excitement and passion not only for photography as a medium but a passion for capturing your distinct personalities in their shot selection and creative composition. Sometimes this takes several interviews with potential photographers to find the right one. But don’t feel that you have to interview a lot of candidates. Once you find a person who “fits” with you, get that deposit in ASAP and book them for that day. Photographers can only do one wedding per day and the good ones book up many months in advance. So get the deposit in so you don’t lose out. Then schedule an engagement session. You will get great memories of your engagement time together and also get more comfortable in front of the camera and interacting with your photographers so that your wedding pictures will be even more personal and intimate. Finally, when it is all over make sure you send me your favorite photos since I love to see the creative genius of a great photographer/artist capturing the most romantic day of your lives!

What's in a package?

One of the first items on the list of wedding planning activities is to choose the venues for your ceremony and reception. There are many things involved in choosing a location for your reception. Do you have a vision for the look for your reception – historic building or modern hotel; adult or family oriented; outside or inside; buffet, family style or plated served dinner? The choices seem a little bit overwhelming sometimes. But it is essential that you think through all the details before signing contracts. There is nothing more disheartening than to fall in love with a venue only to find out it is too small for your guest list. Once you find a place with the look and size that you like, meet with them to talk about specifics. Do they have a caterer that you must use or can your bring in your own choice of caterer? Can you bring in your own decorations and flowers? Do they have packages that you just buy into or can you customize your wedding experience? Different venues have specialties that they provide. Use their expertise in the catering process but don’t be afraid to ask questions: Why do they do it that way? Can I change the package to make my celebration more personal to our situation?

Talk through pricing and options for food and bar and any other services that they offer. Before you sign for any packages, make sure that you are not paying for things that you don’t need. Some couples find that running contracts by their wedding planner helps save costs. A good professional wedding planner who has worked in many different venues can help you discover strengths and weaknesses before you sign any contracts. The reception venue, food and drink will take up the major portion of your wedding budget so make sure all your questions and concerns are addressed before you make a deposit. You are hiring them to work for you and make your day perfect in every way.

Color, Color Everywhere

When I ask most brides what colors they are using for their wedding , they usually respond with the color of their bridesmaids gowns, the color of their gown (either white or ivory), and occasionally one accent color. But the trend for 2011 is using a lot more color in wedding décor and by using multiple colors in accents and flowers you can make much more of a statement with your wedding style. Talk to your wedding stylist or planner about colors that will accent and enhance your overall style. Use your favorite color and then look at a color wheel and select colors that are across from your favorite color. These are called complimentary and split complimentary colors and they bring out the best in both colors. For example, do you know why the Christmas colors make us happy? Red and green are complimentary colors on the color wheel, so they bring out the best of each other. And pink is just red with white added to it so pink and green are magical wedding colors. For a fun and happy wedding, choose bright colors such as saturated pink, green, orange and purple.

The other color combination on the color wheel that works beautifully for weddings is the analogous color scheme. Analogous means similar or related so analogous colors are beside each other on the color wheel. Examples are red, orange and yellow or blue, purple and green. Analogous colors are more soothing and calming and can give you a very coordinated look. So again choose your favorite color and then accent with the colors on both sides of it on the color wheel.

The last combination is to use tints and tones of the same color which means colors that add white or black to the base color for the most elegant of color schemes. Examples of this are different shades of red from pink to red to dark burgundy or lavender to purple to deep violet. One of the favorite current combinations of this color combination is varying shades of ivory to champagne and latte and chocolate brown. Choose gowns and tuxes in this shade family and then add lush flowers in shades of ivory and you will have a truly traditional and elegant look for an incredible wedding.

Some ideas for adding touches of color in your wedding palette – choose bridesmaids gowns that are flattering to all your attendants and then add your favorite color in a sash, jewelry or shoes. Add a fun pair of bright blue shoes under your wedding gown. Add color in flowers or table linens to bring a splash of excitement to your reception. Don’t be afraid to have fun with color at your reception to give your guests a surprise and boost of fun for the party.

Choosing an Officiate

In years past the choice of officiate was not a decision made by the bride and groom. You chose the church to marry in (usually the one that you or your parents attended) and the pastor/priest of that congregation married you. Today couples have many more choices. They may decide to marry in a church or synagogue or they may choose to marry in a variety of other beautiful venues – outside at a home or park, in a historic building, in a location that is sentimentally special to the couple or even in a section of the reception venue so their guests can immediately proceed to the reception celebration. As you choose a unique place for your ceremony, you will also need to select someone to officiate your ceremony. First of all, make sure they have all the credentials necessary to make your union legal. Secondly, but just as importantly, make sure that he or she is someone who understands what you want for your marriage ceremony. A good officiate will meet with you and discuss your beliefs, your style and the tone you want for the actual day.  They can help you choose or write vows, readings, scriptures or other meaningful parts of your marriage celebration. They should be a professional who you trust and want to be an intimate part of your ceremony. As you meet with ministers/officiates ask about any pre marriage counseling that may be required or time needed to get acquainted with the person who will perform the service and lead you through a very intimate part of your wedding day.

Ready, Action..... Party!

Your wedding reception will be the first and probably the biggest party that you will throw as a couple. Think of it as a theatrical production complete with producer, director, players and supporting cast, staging, props, and script. Selecting the right location is the first piece of the puzzle. Decide on the tone and overall feel you want for your reception - intimate family atmosphere or jumping dance party; elegant country club feel or edgy nightclub; rustic, country with antiques, modern with lots of glass and mirrors, or traditional, historic feel with stone columns. Choose a venue that will be the backdrop to tell your story, then choose the players to make the celebration happen. That cast of characters will include not only your bridal party but also all of the vendors who will be a part of your party. The more that you share your overall vision with all the vendors, the more cohesive your production will be. Choose vendors who work well together. Ask each vendor who they like to work with. Having a team who has worked together before will make your day run smoother and your planning will be easier. As you think about the staging of your party, think of what guests will see when they first enter the party. Create a WOW for their initial reaction and they have a great attitude to party and celebrate with you.

Couples today are personalizing their receptions like never before. This can be done with a theme and décor, with logo and personal messages for guests or by creating a “script” for the evening that is special to them. The script will dictate the schedule for the evening as well as the activities that are included. Are there certain traditions that you want to have a part of the evening – throwing the bouquet; garter toss; special dances for father/daughter, mother/son, bridal party; dollar or anniversary dances? Many brides and grooms are also planning activities that guests can participate in like photo booths, caricature artists, make your own sundae, cupcake, or candy bar, games or other activities that bring your guests into the fun and spirit of the party. Remember that not all guests can or like to dance so give them something else to do and they will stay longer and celebrate with you. Come up with ideas to incorporate you and your groom’s personalities and favorite pastimes into the evening. Couples who enjoy golfing might have golf balls and tees as their favors and set up a small putting green in a corner of the venue with prizes like drink coupons or treats for anyone who holes their putt.

Finally when planning your reception make sure that you have the right producer and director for the event. The producer is the one who brings all of the parts of the production together – the photographer, DJ and entertainment, the décor, the food and drink, and the movement and activities of the guests. This is something that a well organized bride can sometimes take care of herself or with the help of family or a close friend. This takes a lot of time and research to make sure that all of the bases are covered and all the details are taken care of. But it is a job that is done ahead of time so you can still enjoy the wedding. The director on the other hand is the person who will make the weekend run on schedule, make sure that all last minute details are done and who takes care of all the small crises which invariably happen on the wedding day. This is not a job for the bride, mother of the bride or maid of honor. Having a good director is crucial to having your wedding day run smoothly and stress-free. This is one area where hiring an experienced wedding coordinator or wedding event entertainment director can be the best investment of your wedding. I can’t tell you how many brides and their mothers I have talked to after their wedding who said “Everything was beautiful but I wish we would have hired one of your coordinators to take care of the details. We would have enjoyed the day so much more!” On the other hand, one of my greatest comments came from mothers of the bride who say “The day was perfect. Everything went so smoothly!” Which means they have no idea all the “fires” we put out behind the scenes and little problems that we solved so that the bridal party and family could just enjoy the day!

So here’s hoping that your wedding reception gets rave reviews and a standing ovation!

Wedding Theme and Style

A theme or style will give your wedding continuity and give your guests a more memorable experience. When choosing an overall theme and style for your wedding and reception, make a list of personality traits and interests of both you and your groom. Are you fun loving and adventurous or do you like spending quiet evenings at home cooking and watching movies? Do you enjoy travel or certain sports? Is your passion spending time with close family members or going out on the town partying and dancing? The first party you host as husband and wife needs to reflect who you are as individuals and as a couple. You want your guests to walk into your reception and say “Oh, this just looks like ______ and ______!”

Be creative with how you incorporate your interests into your event. Your “save the date” cards and/or invitations can set the style and tone of the event. Do you enjoy or have you always wanted to get away to a tropical island but didn’t want or couldn’t afford a destination wedding? Bring the tropics to your guests with a destination style wedding using palm tree and tropical motifs on printed products and orchids and tropical flowers and greenery in flowers. Bright colors can also give a tropical feel. Or if you are a sit around the fireplace couple, choose a more intimate, personal venue and give it warmth with lots of candles and more muted, comfortable colors. If you like to travel, consider using a map motif on invitations and favors and let guests know that you are “taking the next step in your journey together” and you would love to” take them along for the ride”. Instead of table numbers, give tables names of places you have been together and set up a station where guests can give you ideas of their favorite destinations and suggest places that you might like to visit as husband and wife.

Look for subtle ways to incorporate your theme and don’t hit them over the head with it. Too much of a good thing can start looking “cheesy”. A romantic atmosphere in red, black and white can be achieved without putting a red heart on everything! Again a professional wedding stylist can help suggest creative ideas and pull together a cohesive, personal vibe that has your guests going “WOW!” from the time they open your invitation to looking at the pictures and remembering “an awesome event that had the bride and groom written all over it!”

How much does a wedding cost?

Budget and Priorities

One of the most frequently asked questions from brides and grooms is “How much does the average wedding cost?” and “How do we go about setting a wedding budget?” The national average wedding last year was $26,658 but no one wants an average wedding! Every wedding is a unique, one of a kind event and so is every wedding budget. First of all, brainstorm on where your wedding money will come from – family resources (parents and grandparents), bride and groom resources (savings, upcoming work bonuses, taken from monthly budget in the coming planning months), credit cards and loans. Once you have amounts from all of your income avenues, then you can come up with a plan for how to maximize that budget. The biggest factor in determining what your wedding will cost is your guest list. Remember that for each guest you will not only have costs associated with food and drink but also the size of the venue needed, how many chairs and tables, décor and favors, etc. So the larger the guest list the more money you will need to pull it off. So decide if you will have an intimate celebration with under 50 guests who are the most special to each of you or will you invite all the neighbors and acquaintances and have a big party blowout. Talk to both sets of parents about your goals for the guest lists. If their ideas are larger than yours, talk to them about footing more of the bills. But make sure that everyone is on the same page for the guest list so that no one feels left out.

After the guest list size is set, then list all parts of putting on a wedding and set priorities.. Every couple has parts of the wedding that are the most important to them. Decide on three or four categories that mean the most. Maybe the décor and the look of the wedding is something you have always dreamed of. Other couples want a party atmosphere and the entertainment will be paramount. Still others want food and drink that guests will drool over or a photographer that is edgy and unique. So list the top 3 or 4 categories that mean the most and use more budget on those important elements and then look how you can save money in other places. This is a step where a good wedding planner/producer can be very helpful and actually save you enough money to pay for their fee. In finding quality vendors while maximizing your wedding dollar, experience is very important so talk to other brides, look at reviews on line and/or get an experienced wedding planner to help you.

Do it yourself (DIY) projects are another way to stretch your budget. But be careful not to overbook yourself as there will be stress and details involved in planning that you can’t even imagine right now. If there are projects that you can take care of ahead of time – personalized favors, decorations, save the date or handmade invitations – you can enjoy the process and save money. As the wedding gets closer you will have less time, energy and resources so plan to have professionals take over the last minute details so you can enjoy your wedding weekend and not be overwhelmed. Try to free up your schedule the week of the wedding so you have time for relaxation and time to spend time with family and friends.

Another way to stretch budget is to have friends and family help with parts of your wedding. Again, a word of caution – make sure that your priority elements are covered by professionals – music, photography, décor, etc. Remember that if Aunt Susie offers to do your flowers and you don’t like the bridal bouquet that she makes for you, you either have to carry something that you hate and will be in all your pictures or hurt Aunt Susie’s feelings by telling her that you don’t like it. So maybe give her a part of the décor that is not as important to you - like altar flowers or pew decorations. That way she can feel good about helping and you can carry the perfect bouquet for your gown and personality.

 

30 Days to Plan Your Wedding

Hi, Brides-to-Be!

Wedding planning can be a ton of fun as well as a ton of headaches. I started One of a Kind Events because I think that every bride should have a beautiful wedding no matter what her budget and that your wedding day should be a happy and joyful one. So I am here to help you manage and plan for that incredible day by sharing some of the knowledge that I have gained from over 25 years in the wedding industry. We will be sharing inspirations, wedding planning tips, details you might not have thought of and of course great pictures! So for the next 30 days, tune in and get ideas to make your wedding the best one your guests have ever attended and an experience that you and your groom will remember the rest of your lives!

So tell your friends and keep posted for an incredble contest coming up where you can win a free wedding event director/coordinator coming January 1st. Details to follow!