How a wedding planner can help you - part 7

Hello and welcome to the last part of the series presenting the ways in which wedding planners can help you! Today we'll focus on what wedding planners are best known and … feared for: full wedding co-ordination.

Full wedding planning is the service by which the planner takes care of all the aspects involved in the organisation of the wedding according to the specifications of their clients. This consists of putting together all the little bits and pieces presented in the earlier posts:

• source suppliers, negotiate prices and keep regular contact with them, thus acting as a link between you and the suppliers you choose to hire

• help you choose a theme and create a design to decorate the venue

• be there on the wedding day to make sure everything is ok

• advise you on the best way to do a certain activity

• act as a reality check for all your ideas and plans

A good wedding planner will never take over your wedding. They should help you bring to reality the vision that YOU have for YOUR wedding day … after all it is your wedding day. And if you're not happy with the service they provide, well ... you are more than entitled to give up their services.

Not everyone needs a wedding planner. But if you're not sure you need one, do go and speak with some. Yes, some, not one!!!! If you really need one, then you must feel comfortable with them and the way they are. If they are going to plan your wedding, that will require in average keeping in contact for about 12 months! So you would like to hire someone you get along easily with :)

You can find wedding planners at wedding fayres, in published or online directories like The Wedding Planner or White Wedding Pages or have them recommended by someone who has already used their services ;)

***

All in all, for the past 7 weeks I tried to shortly present the types of services a wedding planner can offer. The list does not aim to be exhaustive ... but at least it can give you an insight into how you can benefit from these services.

Hope it is of help,

Alina :)

Frozen snowflakes column

This post is related to the recent one on winter weddings decoration ideas.
When I saw this swan column with frozen snowflakes from Ice Fantastic, I couldn't but think that would integrate perfectly with a winter wedding.


Basically, you can have almost anything frozen and for different purposes: table centre piece, candle holder or simple decoration item ... and not only for winter weddings.
Check out Ice Fantastic's product gallery for some more ideas.

Photo credits:
Ice Fantastic

How a wedding planner can help you - part 6

As announced last week, today we'll be looking into wedding day management.

Having exhibited at some wedding fayres and talked to brides-to-be, I have come to the (obvious!!!) conclusion that brides-to-be really want to be involved in every aspect of the organisation of their wedding. And there is nothing wrong with this, after all, it is your wedding!!!

However, your wedding day is just one day. It flies quicker than you think and you wouldn't want to miss it by worrying if the cake has arrived in time or the chair bows are all tied up. You and your groom should really spend it celebrating your love together with your dear ones.


This is exactly what a wedding day management service aims to do. You will meet the wedding planner more or less a month before the big day and hand over the contact details of all the suppliers you've hired. You will also talk about how you want the events to unfold and create a schedule for the day. Afterwards, the planner will:
- contact all the suppliers and inform them about the schedule
- keep constant communication with both you and the suppliers
- be present at the reception venue
- co-ordinate the decoration process
- co-ordinate all suppliers: making sure they arrive in time, have a designed area to do their job
... in a nutshel, make sure everything run smoothly, according to the plan (or troubleshoot any problems in case there are any).

So do you really need a wedding planner on your wedding day?
It's your personal choice ... but 78% of the brides having just come through their wedding had wished they had had professional help even if for the wedding day itself (national survey results cited on UKAWP's blog)

Photo credits:
Style me pretty

Winter decoration ideas

This may seem a strange topic to address in August ... but, for those who are having a December or January wedding, this is the time to look for ideas on decorating the venue.

Brides's September/October white issue has some fantastic decoration ideas for a white winter wedding. In addition to this, it also presents how you can it yourself ;)

My favourite is this gorgeous picture of marshmallow snowflakes and sugar stirrers for the after dinner coffee.

I also find really nice the idea of using painted pine cones as place cards holders. Here are some ways of incorporating pine cones into the decoration of your venue :)

For more ways of using white for your special day the current Brides issues is the perfect stating point.
Enjoy the reading!

Photo credits
Brides, September/October 2009

How a wedding planner can help you - part 5

Another important aspect of your wedding are your guests.

You've chosen a date, found the venue, defined a theme and started working on all the elements that would make your day special. But in order to share your joy and happiness with those dear to you, you have to let them know when and how you're getting married.

RSVP management is important for a series of reasons. First of all, the exact number of guests will be asked by the caterer and by the venue when arranging the reception room. It is also essential when putting together the seatting plan and ordering any favours.

However, this does not imply only sending the invitations and waiting for your guests to arrive on the day. You should:
- keep clear records on who has answered and who hasn't,
- chase after late respondents,
- keep track on what special requirements are mentioned,
- be able to respond to any enquiry the guests may have.

For a bride enjoying the creative parts of the organisation process, but not necessarily looking forward to the administrative aspects, a wedding planner can do all these. They can also advise on how to design the information pack you send to your guests in order to make it easy for them to reply in due time.

These are some thoughts on RSVP management. Stay tuned for next Monday's post when we'll be looking at wedding day management!


Photo credits
Post box: unicornkiosks.com
Envelopes: 1001chineseinvitations.com; thepulpstudio.com

Short wedding dresses

One of this year's trends is short wedding dresses. According to You and Your Wedding experts, short wedding dresses are a good choice if you want to show off great legs or are having a chic city wedding.

Here are three choices: the first with a fresh summery feel (Ritva Westenius), a '50's inspired second (Candy Anthony) and a lace third one for a more lady-like look (Stephanie Allin).




Photo credits
Brides Magazine

How a wedding planner can help you - part 4

Welcome to our 4th post on how a wedding planner can help you!

Today I'll be talking about suppliers because your beautiful wedding day is the result of the co-ordinated activities of many different people. Invitation provider, cake maker, caterer, venue, florist, photographer are some of those involved.
.......
You can find suppliers in a variety of ways:
- at wedding fayres
- have them recommended by some close friend or relative
- see their advertisement in directories
- sometimes, from the list of recommended suppliers the venue works with

However, no matter the method, it sure takes a quite significant amount of time. And if you do not have the time nor really know where to start, that's where the wedding planner comes into action.

A wedding planner can:
- recommend a supplier for one or more services
- search the supplier for you, based on your requirements and specifications

Just like in the case of consultations, before recommending or starting a search, there should be a talk about the vision you have for your wedding day, requirements and budget set for a specific service. Then, the wedding planner should present a report with their recommendations and the reasons for the choice presented, so that it is you who makes the final decision of who is hired.
And lastly, but not the least, the wedding planner will make sure the services fit the theme you've chosen for your big day ;)

Photo credits
Invitation: Your RSVP
Cake: English Cheesecake Company
Flowers: brides.com

Outdoor activities to entertain your guests

After so many rainy days, today it is really sunny and lovely outside. That is why I tought to share some ideas on outdoor activites to entertaining your guests on the big day.

How about a treasure or mystery trail to keep guests busy while you're having your photos taken? Treasure Trail organise treasure trails in different cities around Worcestershire and Herefordshire. But also are able to create bespoke trails to suit your requirements.
You can work with Amanda and design a trail which contains little pieces of information about your story (how you met, how he proposed ...) and these lead guests to find out something that no one knows about the two of you. The winner can get a simbolic prize, a bottle of wine ... or whatever fancies your imagination ;)Want some more action and adrenaline for your wedding day?
Marksman Leisure offer laser shooting entertainment for both indoor and outdoor events in the West Midlands. You can choose from a variety of activities: laser tag, indoor target shooting, laser clay pigeon shooting ...
And do not worry about damaging the suit, because everything is accompanied by protective equipment.Lastly, but not the least, why not consider some garden games for a wedding with an English tea party theme: giant jenga towers, chess games, croquet sets and much more. You can collect them or have them delivered, hire or buy them ... the choice is yours.
Check out Eccentrically English for an ideea of what you can find.

Photo credits
www.marksmanleisure.co.uk
www.eccentricallyenglish.co.uk

"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue ...

... and a sixpence in her shoe"

According to http://www.somethingoldsomethingnew.co.uk/ this was a good luck saying dating back from the Victorian era.


"Something old" symbolises continuity, the link between the bride and her family, in particular with her mother or grandmother.

"Something new" stands for optimism and hope of a happy married life.

"Something borrowed" should be taken from a happily married woman in order to bring some of her happiness into the new marriage. This also represents that all your friends will be there for you on your wedding day and to give support when you need it in the future.

"Something blue" for fidelity, love and faithfulness.

And the lucky silver sixpence to ensure a life of fortune :)

Photo credits
www.alisonbynum.com

How a wedding planner can help you - part 3

Today I'll continue with something that can be related to last week's post: choosing a theme.

We all want our wedding day to be unique. And one way of achieving this is creating a theme for that day.

Choosing a theme shouldn't give you headaches, it should be something that is personal for the two of you. It may as simple as a colour scheme ... let's say blue and white; orange, green and brown ... in pastel or bolder shades. Or it can be based around a hobby that you have, an artist that you like, a place you both loved or dream about going on holiday.

The wedding planner can talk with you and help you shape that theme. In addition to this, they can also give some ideas on how to bring that theme to reality. For example, if you both like an artist, maybe you can name the tables with your favourite songs from that artist. For entertainment, you can hire a tribute act band or if the two of you are courageous, why not singing a song together!!! That is bound to leave a lasting impression on your guests ;)

It's the little details that can really make your special day ... special. Talking to a wedding planner can start you think about it and come up with things that would make it unique and unforgetable for both you and your guests.

Watermelon inspired design board

Each of us looks forward to a season for different reasons.
I am always looking forward to summer because of watermelons. I love the smell, the taste, the colours that they have.

Enjoy this mood board inspired by the colours of the watermelon:

Photo credits:
Dress: www.net-a-porter.com
Decorative motif: www.americanhomestencils.com
Bouquet : www.brides.com
Red umbrellas: www.theknot.com
Jewellery: www.shopruche.com
Lantern: www.lunabazaar.com
Cocktails: find.myrecipes.com
Cupcakes: www.weddingbycolor.com

A gift for your groom

In line with the previous post, this one is also inspired by Cosmopolitan Bride. I simply had to share this idea of a love token designed by Rob RyanThis beautifully crafted key is so heart-touching and sweet. I definitely agree with the Cosmopolitan editors that it would make a really romantic gift for your groom on your wedding day.

Photo credits:
Cosmopolitan bride, Aug/Sept 2009

Something about me

This post is a little personal ... :)

I am a huge fan of Michael Buble, I love his voice, it's so calming and soft.

And while I was flipping through Cosmopolitan Bride, in the classified directory I found a young artist specialising in doing a tribute act to Michael Buble: Kai McKinzie

Tributes acts are a nice idea for entertainment. And this guy here will without a doubt come to sing at my wedding ... honestly :)

Photo credits:
http://www.michaelbuble.com