Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Mistakes That Will Increase Your Wedding Costs, Pa...

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Mistakes That Will Increase Your Wedding Costs, Pa...: Mistakes That Will  Increase Your Wedding Costs, Part 1 "Honeymoon" Everyone thinks about the wedding when it come...

Mistakes That Will Increase Your Wedding Costs, Part 1

Mistakes That Will  Increase Your Wedding Costs, Part 1

"Honeymoon"

Everyone thinks about the wedding when it comes to intense planning, but there's one thing that will keep money in your wallet for your wedding as much or more than anything.

It is the honeymoon!  You can save more money than many other items for your wedding combined by carefully planning your honeymoon.  Long before you even began thinking of planning a wedding, you've planned vacations or trips.  So you already know how much pricing fluctuates for various destinations at various times of the year.  

If you plan your wedding date that will coincide with a less expensive honeymoon you can be taking a lot of stress off of your wedding budget.

Feel free to go to our Greatest of Days website and find a hidden planning tip on each page of our website!

As always....

Wishing you the greatest of days!

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Reality TV Wedding Shows vs. Weddings in Reality!

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Reality TV Wedding Shows vs. Weddings in Reality!: Reality TV Wedding Shows vs. Weddings in Reality I'll admit that I don't make a habit of watching the "Reality TV&...

Reality TV Wedding Shows vs. Weddings in Reality!

Reality TV Wedding Shows vs. Weddings in Reality

I'll admit that I don't make a habit of watching the "Reality TV" wedding shows. Honestly, I find them to be stressful to watch.  It's similar to a scary movie as a little kid.  You're afraid when that monster might appear out of nowhere!  It's like...drama down everybody, please!  But it's TV so that's the way it will be. However, truth is stranger than fiction and sometimes reality is strangest of all. As a Wedding Planner we can only hope we don't have to experience too many of the things we see on TV.  That's not to say that we don't see our fair share of unbelievable moments or actions!

I hear this all the time from people I run into.  "Is being a Wedding Planner like it is on TV?"  "I suppose you have to deal with a lot of Bridezillas!"  "Is it like Jennifer Lopez in the movie?"  "Do you have that movie...  ....uh.... The Wedding Planner?"  "Do you wear a headset?"

Now and then, I'll admit to being drawn into watching the shows.  Sometimes I almost want to watch the show with my hands to my face and peeking through my fingers!  It's better if I'm alone when I'm watching unless someone doesn't mind me yelling, "What the heck?"  They might hear, "Well, of course!  What did you think?"  Maybe it's just a long drawn out "NO!"  That's about the time that my husband walks in and asks "Did something break?  "Who were you talking to?"  I'll respond with, "Oh, never mind, it's just....you wouldn't understand!"

Here's what I'm really thinking when I watch some of these shows depending on the drama meter for a particular episode.  Now you'll see why I don't make a habit of dropping everything to watch these shows!

Remember this is to people chosen to be on TV for effect!

Referring to the TV Bride:

~ Uh, oh!  You shouldn't have brought so many people to shop for the dress!

~ Wow!  This one has probably been a spoiled brat all of her life!

~ That's the dress!  I can tell!

~ Remember to think about your guests at your wedding!

Referring to the TV Bridal Party:

~ I thought you were her friend?

~ I wonder if they will still be friends after the wedding?

Referring to the TV Mother of the Bride:

~ I bet your mother never let you have any say in your wedding?

~ I can't believe you're taking this!

~ Be nice!!

~ What does your daughter want?

Referring to the TV Sister of the Bride:

~ It's not your wedding!

~ Hang in there.  She really loves you!

Referring to the TV Host:

~ Did you really think she would like that?  You know what you're doing and it will turn out!

~ I would love to design something like that, but what bride could afford all that?

~ I've said those exact same words!  Do I ever know how he/she feels!!

Referring to the TV Wedding Dress Consultant:

~ Who is the designer?

~ That's too much like the last one!

~ You're a miracle worker!

~ Good Luck!

Referring to the TV Cake Designer:

~ Well, that's interesting!

~ I want to learn how to do that!

~ Is this a kid's birthday party or a wedding?

TV show or not there's always a chance for drama, but one thing is certain...each wedding is different!  I've only had one wedding in 7 years that I ended up hating, well maybe 1-1/2.  Crude, rude and socially unacceptable are words that come to mind. If someone is rude or mean to vendors or me while working with me at an event, all ties are cut.

Seven Intangible Benefits to Hiring a Wedding Planner

Wedding professionals are not any different than other professionals.  They put in a lot of time and money into developing a business and like many other small business owners, they wear about every hat you can imagine to deal with all the tasks that they are faced with.  You will know pretty quickly if you are dealing with a wedding professional who has a lot of experience or is still testing the waters.  You can be certain that you will be getting what you pay for.  It's your choice.

When it comes to considering hiring a Wedding Planner, you are receiving many intangible benefits such as:

1.  Peace of mind.

2.  Loss prevention. (mistakes couples commonly make that cost money)

3.  Knowledge of weddings. (knowing them like the back of their hand)

4.  A lookout person!  Wedding Planners can sense when things just don't feel right and can deal with a potential problem before it happens.

5.  Invisible problems.  If a problem does happen, 99% of the time the couple getting married won't even know it happened.

6.  Who do you know?  You don't have to worry if a vendor is right for your personality, style and budget.  A Wedding Planner will get a sense of what will make a perfect vendor and perfection client connection.  You will be personally introduced to a vendor rather than searching for a vendor.

7.  Go team!  Your Wedding Planner is putting together a team for a couple's wedding day.  Each team member knows what the other is doing well in advance of the wedding.  This is often not the case when you don't have a Wedding Planner.  Every wedding should have a detailed playbook!

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Event & Wedding Planning & Design

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Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Are You Allergic to Flowers? No Achooos, When You...

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Are You Allergic to Flowers? No Achooos, When You...: You Can Be Allergic to Flowers and Still Have a Beautiful Wedding! And guess what?  You're more than likely going to have gue...

Are You Allergic to Flowers? No Achooos, When You Say I Do!

You Can Be Allergic to Flowers and Still Have a Beautiful Wedding!

And guess what?  You're more than likely going to have guests try to sniff them, but they won't sneeze, because these beautiful arbors are embellished with quality silk flowers and other forms of bling!

If you live in the Puget Sound area, you should think about having one of these at your wedding or other event.  Can't you see these arches and even the lamp posts at a garden tea party?  She also has a very special design for 50th Anniversary celebrations.  

"Where do you get one?" you ask.  Here is my friend and fellow wedding vendor's website:

www.FleurDeLaceEvent.com   You'll get see even more of what she does and the pictures are better!  She also makes beautiful paper roses which can be used for weddings, but what better way to bring flowers to the hospital when you can't bring real flowers?

Here are some reasons why I recommend that couples use her arches and other ceremonial decorations.

1.  Allergy sufferers can have or attend a beautiful wedding.

2.  You don't have to worry if your favorite flower isn't blooming around the time of your wedding.  You want a color, you'll probably be able to find it any time of the year.

3.  They certainly don't need to be kept cool until the ceremony.

4.  They won't wilt.

5.  If a flower falls off, it's not the end of the world...just put it back in its place.

7.  These arbors are designed with the bride in mind and can be customized to a look that you want as far as flowers go.

8.  Themes aren't a problem!  As you can see, they are adaptable to different settings.

9.  They provide the setup and the tear down.

10. It's just fun to have an element of surprise at a wedding (in a good way).  It's fun when people say, "I thought they were real!" 

11.  Price out regular flowers for a regular arch decorated with fresh flowers and you will see a higher price tag for the same look.

Wishing you the greatest of days!

Greatest of Days Wedding and Event Planning & Design

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Would You Rather Have Wedding 101 or Wedding 9-1-1...

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Would You Rather Have Wedding 101 or Wedding 9-1-1...: Wedding 101 or 9-1-1?    Bridging the Gap! I speak with wedding vendors on a regular basis and I want to be able to make their job...

Would You Rather Have Wedding 101 or Wedding 9-1-1?

Wedding 101 or 9-1-1?   Bridging the Gap!

I speak with wedding vendors on a regular basis and I want to be able to make their jobs easier. The end beneficiary is the wedding couple and their families.  I even had a mother of a bride (with her daughter and future son-in-law’s reluctance) pay for a wedding planner because all she wanted to was buy her dress and the next thing she would do was sitting down before the ceremony!  That same reluctant couple actually toasted me during the wedding reception with a huge thank you and stated they could have never done it with me and the bride’s father actually said in his toast that other people with a wedding in their future should hire Greatest of Days!  Most couples think that they don't need a Wedding Planner or they have a friend or relative who can fill that role.  It sounds like an honor to be placed in that role, but in reality that person is probably going to be the one who has the least chance of really enjoying the wedding, or... will automatically fall into the guest mode leaving the couple getting married stranded.  Ironic, but true.

Here are some misconceptions people have about hiring wedding planners!

~  Wedding Planners are too expensive.

     Wedding Planners have so many options to help whomever is planning a wedding.  So many times when a couple or perhaps a mother is thinking that they are saving money by doing things on their own, they can actually be wasting money.  Wedding Planners have discounts offered to them that the couples can benefit from that they can't get on their own.  Every couple engaged to be married owes it to themselves to at least have a complimentary consultation with a Wedding Planner.  If you believe that time is money, you really owe it to yourself to see what you will save in time alone.   For an average wedding, without a Wedding Planner, the equivalent of 7-1/2 40-hour work weeks is spent planning a wedding.  I’d say to wedding vendors, recommend a complimentary consultation with a Wedding Planner as a  gift to your brides.  Chances are, they will thank you for it!  

Please look at our various Wedding Planning Packages.

~   A couple will often have friends who seem like they are naturals to help plan a wedding. There are so many things that the recruited or volunteering friends and family members just don't know about the actual wedding day and what can happen.  Wedding Planners spend a lot of time networking, doing research and taking classes.  
  

   If a website isn't kept up to date or does not reflect a particular vendor's personality, you just don't know if they will be the fit for you or not.  As Wedding Planners we try our best to match vendors and clients according to their personalities, styles and budget range.  Just as a bride/couple is looking for an ideal vendor, a vendor is also looking for an ideal client.  Vendors learn that not every bride is going to be one that they will work well with.  

  

~  A Wedding Planner will take over my wedding.

      Wedding planners feel that the most important thing they can do is listen.   We listen to what you want, can sense a couple’s or parents’ uncertainty, can feel what kind of pressures they are facing and learn by the expression in their faces that they have found that "just right" dress, venue, photographer, etc.  

~  A Wedding Planner won't let me use any vendors I've found on my own or will make me work with a list of their preferred vendors.

The opposite would be true 99% of the time.   The most common type of job that a Wedding Planner is hired for is what is referred to as a "Day-of"  Coordination.  In this case, all the wedding vendors or other people filling in for those roles, have been set.  A "Day-of" Coordination usually doesn't include any research for venues or vendors but actually puts in, according to statistics,  40-80 hours of work before a wedding.  I have actually had brides call me wanting someone to coordinate just their wedding day and not hiring me because didn't think that there could possibly be that much work involved for the "Day-of" Coordination.  You might have noticed how I always put quotations marks around “Day-of“ and that is for a good reason.  There really is no such thing as Day-of like the name implies or what the bride thinks she wants.  Of all days, you don't want someone coming to your wedding and not knowing all the aspects and variations planned for the wedding.  For many of us, the part we like best about doing a "Day-of" Coordination, if finding new vendors whom we might not have met otherwise!

Brides, Grooms, Same-Sex Couples, Venues and Vendors alike, I would love to have the opportunity to speak with you about various ways Greatest of Days can help you out!  If you are a venue or a wedding vendor, we can help you as well.

If a Wedding Planner is given the chance, a wedding engagement time can be cut in half! Grooms particularly love that!

Wishing you the greatest of days!

www.greatestofdays.com

Planning and Designing Events and Weddings since 2007!

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: How to Keep Aisle Runners in Place.

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: How to Keep Aisle Runners in Place.: Securing Aisle Runners There are some very simple and personalized ways to keep aisle runners in place.  Here are just a couple o...

How to Keep Aisle Runners in Place.

Securing Aisle Runners

There are some very simple and personalized ways to keep aisle runners in place.  Here are just a couple of my favorite tips.

Solution #1

I like using this solution for indoor or outdoor weddings!  You'll have to go to a home improvement store for the first solution.

1.  Measure the width of your aisle runner.

2.  At your home improvement store, find some flat iron and have it cut to the same width or preferably just 1/2" shorter than the width of the aisle runner.  Maybe a store employee can cut it to the correct width.  Cut as many pieces of flat iron as you will have ends for your runners.  For example, if you and the bridal party will be walking down multiple terraces, you might want to have aisle runners for more than one area. 

3. Wrap the flat iron with some of the runner fabric 2 or 3 times with the edge ending on the underside of the flat iron.  

4.  Tape with clear packing tape the underside and the ends of each piece of flat iron.

5.  When you are ready to set down the aisle runner, wrap the end of the aisle runner around the covered flat iron a couple of times and tighten from each end of the runner to make it as flat as possible.  This is a 2 person job!

Solution #2, but always use Solution #1!

If you are outdoors, especially by a body of water, you have a really good chance that the aisle runner will want to pretend to be a kite.  It's important to secure the outside edges of the aisle runner in addition to the ends!  But, while you're at it, why not make it pretty or unique?  I never know what I idea I'll come up with.  They just happen!

For the wedding below, I had a day to come up with a solution but I wanted to make it personalized for their wedding.

The bride is an excellent pianist so I found some fabric with a white background that had musical notes on it.  I then cut with pinking shears (to prevent raveling) 11" X 11" squares and placed 1/2 cup of the glass stones in the middle of the squares.  You often see these same stones sprinkled on the tables at weddings or in votive cups to prop up a candle.  I cinched the edges up and secured them with a wire rose.  To make doubly sure that they would not come apart, I cut a burgundy grosgrain ribbon long enough to tie a bow in the same location.  The wire rose makes it a lot easier when it comes time to tie on the ribbon bow.   The ribbon was another way to utilize one of the colors of their wedding. 

I chose the option on the left after a late-night posting to Facebook to ask my friends which one they liked best.

Here they are on the aisle runner!  Keep in mind that a large bridal party had already walked down the aisle runner!  The little bead bags were place approximately every 3 feet down both sides of the runner.

We would love to hear from you!  Please feel free to leave comments.

You can use the links below to contact us.

Greatest of Days

(Event/Wedding Planning and Design)

Wedding Officiating

Celebration of Life Events

Greatest of Days has been planning and designing events and weddings since 2007.  Actually more like 20 years before that as well!  

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Wedding Photos! Will Yours be Laughed at or Cried...

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Wedding Photos! Will Yours be Laughed at or Cried...: Will your wedding photos be laughed at in 10 years?   There's no way to avoid having your wedding pictures or a video be looke...

Wedding Photos! Will Yours be Laughed at or Cried over in 10 Years?

Will your wedding photos be laughed at in 10 years?  

There's no way to avoid having your wedding pictures or a video be looked at from the future without someone (maybe yourself) asking, "Did they really think that was cool?"  Offspring will enjoy your pictures, but they too will look at some things as being strange.  You might had the same reaction at your parents' wedding pictures and there's no reason to think it will be any different for today's couples.

Here are some of my predictions of what I think will lean towards the ridiculous side in the future.  

A couple and their entire wedding party jumping in the air.  

Can't you just hear a little kid saying, "Why were you jumping? Is that when the bouquets broke?" 

Monsters imposed into wedding photos.   

You might even be asking yourself later on, "Why did we pay extra for that?"  I can just hear a little kid say, "Were you in a movie?"

Things that you won't be laughing about regarding wedding pictures.

Many couples now don't like to have posed shots for their wedding pictures.  They want it to be more fun and casual.  I have seen people regret that they didn't put more emphasis on the posed shots.  This is especially true when they wish they had formal pictures of loved ones who have passed away.  The same people who probably weren't represented in the jumping-in-the-air pictures. 

Another thing that many people regret, is not having a video of their wedding.  There's no substitute for being able to hear a loved one's voice who is no longer alive or just lives far way.

It pays to listen to a true professional's advice when it comes to photography and videography.  As adaptable as photographers are, each photographer has their own unique style and you want to make sure that you are on the same page. 

Wishing you the greatest of days!

2014 Client Appreciation Event

2014 Client Appreciation Event 8/23/14.  Our clients will be receiving an invitation very soon!

As We Remember Your Greatest of Days!

We might have found you a place to host your one-of-a-kind celebration.

We knew you wanted the perfect place to laugh, dine or even dance in.

Perhaps we helped you through saying "I do" and signing on the dotted line.

It could be that we found the perfect DJ so everyone would have a good time.

It could have been that we enjoyed a special day as we all said "Mazel Tov!"

For many a wedding, we cleaned up the mess after a splendid send off!

We might have even found you a photographer or a florist to match your style.

Perhaps it was a magician or a face painter that made you gasp or smile.

Maybe we found a luxury portable bathroom, which everyone mentioned for days.

You surely needed some signs to help everyone go this way and that way.

Your guests sighed, "We found it!"  as they spotted that customized banner.

Maybe we found people to help make your party complete and unlike any other.

We've shared in your wonderful moments many times from beginning to end.

You remain in our hearts forever and instead of a client, you became a friend.

It's YOU who we want to celebrate at our 2014 Client Appreciation Event.

Only this time you can relax completely and we're paying the rent!

JF

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Your Wedding! Are Someone Else's Purse Strings Be...

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Your Wedding! Are Someone Else's Purse Strings Be...: Money, Money Money! In today's world of weddings where there is almost no such thing as a simple wedding, money is a major conc...

Your Wedding! Are Someone Else's Purse Strings Becoming A Noose?

Money, Money Money!

In today's world of weddings where there is almost no such thing as a simple wedding, money is a major concern to most couples getting married.  I don't see people cutting back very much on the things they really want to have at their wedding, otherwise we would be seeing more weddings where all they had was a wedding cake, punch, coffee, mints and some nuts!  

In a dream world!

Couples will often pay for part or all of their wedding expenses.  However, if someone else is paying for everything, things can likely get very complicated.  If a couple and whomever is paying for their wedding instead of themselves, can have a clear conversation on desires and expectations, everyone will be way ahead of the game and on the road to a wonderful experience.  

When Money Becomes Power!

Now we get into the nasty stuff.  This is what I hear of often in wedding industry circles.  "They're paying for our wedding, but I don't feel like it is really my wedding!"  If you see a bride that seems to have a sadness about her, this could be where it is coming from.  

Usually the problems begin when one or more of the parents are paying for the wedding.  Their vision of a wedding can often be completely different that what today's couples want for their wedding.  This isn't news, but it is repeated generation after generation.  It can lead to one generation after another trying to have their own wedding through their children's weddings.  

The Consequences!

Sometimes it comes in very subtle suggestions.  Other times it comes in the form of an ultimatum.  Nonetheless, each action distances a couple from the wedding they want for one of the most important days of their lives.  

To Your Corners!

This is when each "side" needs to step aside and ask themselves the hard questions. 

The person/persons paying for the wedding needs to ask themselves these questions:

1.  Am I wanting them/they (the couple) to do something that I wish I had done at my wedding?

2.  Am I doing this to impress my friends?

3.  Am I allowing myself to get embarrassed if they do or don't do this or that?

4.  If I think they are making a bad decision, is there a nicer way to communicate that to the couple?

5.  Am I enjoying the control?

6.  Am I resisting the fact that my child is getting married and it is making me well aware of how short life is and how fast time is flying back.

 The couple getting married needs to ask themselves these questions.

1.  Am I expecting them (those paying for the wedding) to pay more than they can afford?

2.  Do you want to do something that is really distasteful in their way of thinking and is it worth doing?

3.  Do I need to find a different way to communicate to them that I really appreciate what they are doing? 

4.  Can I communicate to them that there are some things I've always wanted for my wedding or some things I really don't want in my wedding?  You really don't need to explain why.  You can always say, "It's something I would prefer not to explain".

You might also want to read a blog post that I wrote as a guest blogger at:

http://weddings.gatheringguide.com/ac/wedding-etiquette/too-much-well-meaning-advice-wave-this-wedding-woe-goodbye

As always...

Wishing you the greatest of days!

Greatest of Days
Event/Wedding Planning & Design
Non-Denominational Officiating

To check out our various wedding and event planning options and look for a hidden event planning tip on each page, go to this link.
www.greatestofdays.com

Always Bring A Copy Of Your Wedding Ceremony To Your Wedding!

What if your officiant doesn't show up or call you to say they are on their way?

Here's the scenario.  Everyone is ready.  All of your bridal party is ready to be lined up to proceed down the aisle.  You're getting nervous that you haven't heard from the officiant since the rehearsal.  You've given them 10, 20, 30 minutes and now you're in real freak-out mode!

Well, you waited this long so here's what you can do for another 15 minutes.  Find someone who is comfortable reading and speaking in front of crowds and have them get ordained so that they can perform a wedding ceremony.   You can check on different states' wedding laws and become ordained to perform a ceremony if your state allows this.  Literally in about 10-15 minutes you could have someone to officiate your wedding.  There is no charge to become ordained!

This is the part that you will want as part of your wedding day preparations.  If you have been working with an officiant, you should have been emailing each other to get a final draft of your ceremony.  Do yourself a favor and print it!

You can bring your ceremony with your vows.

Wishing you the greatest of days!

Greatest of Days

Event/Wedding Planning

Wedding Officiating

Planning Weddings with Less Stress: When DIY Morphs into DYI (Do Yourself In)

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Weddings:  When DIY Morphs into DYI Do-It-Yourself...: Weddings:  When DIY Morphs into DYI Do-It-Yourself projects are a great way to personalize a wedding or any celebration. To rephrase a...

Weddings:  When DIY Morphs into DYI

Do-It-Yourself projects are a great way to personalize a wedding or any celebration. To rephrase a famous quotation. "The path to stress is paved with good intentions!"  I am an obsessed DIY person who hates to relinquish any project that I could just do on my own.  No kidding!  That ranges from painting the house to getting someone to help me with all the things I never can find time to get around to doing in my business and at home.  So I understand the DIY mentality or creativity bug.

DIY sounds so enticing primarily because I hear "ka-ching!" only in the direction of me saving money! That's my first gut feeling anyway!  Are you like me when you are in the middle of a DIY project and you begin to think, "What did I get myself into?"  Sometimes we are better off to just admit defeat!  Get out while you are ahead or stop before going deeper into the hole.

That is the point that DIY becomes DYI.  The acknowledgement of the transition from Do-It-Yourself to "Do-Yourself-In".  It's when you realize you:

~Bit off more than you could chew.

~Went in over your head.

~Didn't say no to one more idea or project.

~Looked at one too many Martha Stewart magazines.

~Pretended once again to be Superwoman!

What is the cure?

I think it is when we truly realize that time is money!  Realize that we have enough stress and we deserve to give ourselves a break from doing all things, being all things to all people and just........           r e l a x!

The same goes for planning a wedding.  As a Wedding Planner I don't offer a product, I offer a feeling or peace of mind!  I hear these statements all the time!

~"I'm so relieved!"

~"I'm so glad you know what to ask!"

~"Thank you for saving me so much time!"

~"Thank you for saving me so much money compared to what you cost!"

~"More people should hire a Wedding Planner!"

~"I didn't worry about anything on the wedding day!"

Greatest of Days has ways to help couples plan their weddings with so many programs you never even thought of!

It boils down to this.  If you are not nice to yourself, who will be? When I first heard that I found it really disturbing.

Give yourself a break.  Only take on what you love to do.  There is such a thing as money well-spent!

Wishing you the greatest of days!

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Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Engaged Couples Love This Weddin...

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Engaged Couples Love This Weddin...: Usually when I participate in wedding shows or open houses, I get that quick sideways glance that means "I don't want to talk to a ...