Should Your “Best Friend” Be In Your Wedding? (Philadelphia Event Planner)

I am finally back and settled after an amazing trip to Rome.  Last week I came back to a full email inbox and lots of work to do, but I am finally caught up.  I have had several inquiries as to when I will be getting my blog together about the trip.  I will be getting the first post together tomorrow to share with everyone.  I have lots of stories to tell and many experiences to share.

We flew back into Philadelphia on Tuesday March 30th.  My fiance and I got engaged on October 18th.  Since then I have been telling myself (and everyone else) that we would start our wedding planning after the trip.  When I sat down to my computer and glanced at the date on March 31st, I realized we better get on the ball, as our wedding is in just over a year.  This brought on the first wedding argument.

As I have mentioned before, I have an adorably sweet pug named Dutchess.  She is our world, and spoiled as though she is our first child.  I told my fiance how great I thought it would be for her to be at either the ceremony or reception.  She is such a big part of our lives, and I couldn’t picture having such an important day without her.  Unfortunately, Tim does not feel the same way.  He finds it a little ridiculous  that I would want her to be involved, and thinks it will be “too much of a distraction and a hassle”.  (For anyone who is taking his side, please note this is the same guy who fought tooth and nail to have a chimpanzee dressed in a tuxedo stand curbside with the valet to open our guests car doors as they arrive.  We’re talking about an animal that is known for throwing it’s own feces around! )

In an attempt to plead my case I put my event planner hat on and referenced every article and statistic I had ever read regarding the increasing popularity of pets in weddings, but to no avail.  He just won’t budge.  However; if any of you are interested in how to incorporate your fuzzy friends into your big day, below are some tips and considerations.

What part will they play?

Think about the flow of your day as well as the level of formality.  If you are having an outdoor wedding in a rustic barn-like setting, having your dog serve as your ring bearer could be a great idea.  On the other hand if you are having a very formal wedding at a Cathedral, maybe it is best to wait until after the ceremony to have him join you.  Be sure to ask your ceremony and reception venue if they allow pets.  If they do not, you can still find ways to incorporate your pets.  Perhaps you can leave some extra time between the ceremony and reception to go to a local park and have them included in some of the photos.

Have someone on-site to assist.

Although you want your pet to be there with you at your wedding.  You want to enjoy your day, and won’t want them to monopolize all your time.  Be sure to hire someone that works with pets to take care of them throughout the day (maybe a local dog walker), or ask a family member or friend who is familiar with them.  Whoever will be taking care of them, make sure you let them know not to allow your pet to be fed by guests, or to wander off into flowers that may have been sprayed with harmful pesticides.

What if they don’t do what you expect?

Do you have an easy-going personality, or is it extremely important to you that everything go perfectly as planned during your wedding?  If your dog starts barking during your vows because it sees a bird outside in a tree will it ruin your day?  No matter how well trained your pet is, instincts can not be helped.  Will you be able to deal with some unexpected occurrences?

Take some time to answer these questions to yourself honestly.  If you are going to involve your pets, you need to be sure it is right for you.  There are also many ways that you can represent your pet at your wedding without having them present.  If you are looking for some ideas, feel free to contact us.

Gartner Studios Invitations (Philadelphia, Bucks County Event Planner)

Over the weekend my parents had my fiance’s parents over for dinner.  During the evening the topic of an engagement party came up.  They discussed everybody’s schedules, and since we have already been engaged for about six months, they wanted to make it soon.  The only date that could work is less then a month away, and of course on a week we have three other events occurring. . . so here’s to the fourth

I am very excited for the party, as it will be our first “wedding activity”; however I am also feeling a little panicked.  Ever since I began planning events nine years ago, the simple celebratory party became non-existent among my family members.  Every party we have has a theme with matching decor, drinks, etc. down to the smallest detail.  So now we have less then a month to pull this all together, don’t worry. . . I work best under pressure.

First thing’s first – invitations.  The date was picked on Sunday evening, so we need to have the invitations out by tomorrow at the latest.  My first concern was how we were going to create/find eye appealing invitations, get our guest list together, gather all our guests addresses, and send them out, all before Friday.

Target and Gartner Studios to the rescue!  We stopped at Target in desperation, hoping to find something that would meet my standards (I’m pretty picky).  We headed over to the stationary section and there it was,  an invitation kit that does a great job of imitating professionally crafted invitations.  It even comes with cards that can be used to print response cards on (which I will no doubt be using for my thank you notes .  Inside the box are easy step by step instructions on how to find the template online to type your wording in, as well as directions on how to set your page margins on your printer.  They came out looking fabulous!  I am beyond pleased with them.

If you would like to get these for your next party, they can only be purchased at Target or on Target’s website, as well as on Gartner Studio’s website.  On their site you will also find gifts, favors, and some great decor ideas.

P.S. – Although these invitations are beautiful, and I would suggest them for any party, unless your budget simply doesn’t allow it, stick with the pros for your wedding invites.  There is no substitution for the hand crafted work of an artist.

“What Should We Do First?” ~ One Year Prior To Your Wedding (Philadelphia Event Planner)

My wedding is now just under one year away.  It’s time for me to get moving!  This led me to the idea for this blog.  One of the most common questions I get at my initial consultations is “What should we be doing first?  Are we too far ahead?  When should we send our save-the-dates? etc.”

SO… I have decided to put a little guide together, as I plan my own wedding, that readers can access to answer the question, “What should we do next?”.  This post will describe what you should be doing one year out.

First things first – Pick a date.

You can start by deciding what time of year/season appeals to you.  If there is no particular time of year that interests you, maybe pick a date that is symbolic to you as a couple (your first date, birthday, holiday, etc.).

When you choose your date be sure to consider the expectation for the weather, if there could be any conflicts for guests to attend, big sporting events (you don’t want to have to argue with your fiance over weather a tv should be added by the bar to watch the Phillies in game 7 of The World Series or the Eagles in the NFC Championship game), etc.

My fiance and I got engaged on October 18th, 2009.  We knew we would have a lot of saving to do, and both have very busy schedules, so we knew we needed at least a year.  A year would have obviously put us right back into October.  Although I enjoy the fall, I am much more of a spring/summer person.  We would have loved May or June, but during those months prices increase, so we went with the closest Saturday we could get and decided on April 30th, 2011.

Some other ways to play around with your date to save on expenses is to choose a Friday or Sunday wedding, which are becoming very popular.

Look for Inspiration

Start looking through Bridal magazines, watching wedding shows on tv, and surfing the internet to find your wedding style.  Get a binder and fill it with pictures you like.  Look for a common theme or two in the pictures.  This can help you to decide what type of venue you would like, the level of formality, color schemes, etc.  It will also help you describe to your planner the look you are going for.

Make AND Stick To Your Budget

This part is never fun, but is EXTREMELY important.  You need to know up front what you are willing to spend, and what you can afford.  Hiring a planner to assist you with this can be invaluable.  They will be able to tell you what is a realistic price for each professional you will need to hire in regards to your region/location, and can aid you in allocating your budget to the areas that are most important to you.

This is also a good time to have the “who will pay for what” discussion.  It is important to know if your families will be contributing, or if you will be funding all of the expenses on your own.  For more budget advice you can reference a former post Creating and Staying In Your Wedding Budget.

Who Makes The Cut

It’s no secret that weddings are a large expense.  Unless you have a money tree growing in your backyard, you have to cut your guest list somewhere.  Decide if you want a large wedding, or something more intimate.  The size of your guest list will also dictate what venue you can or can’t choose.

Start by drafting a list of everyone you would like to have at your wedding.  See what number you come up with.  Get some packages sent to you from a few venues you think you may be interested in.  Take the number of guests on your list, and multiply it by the average price per person on the packages you were sent from the venues.  If the number in your calculator is more then 40-50% of your wedding budget, you need to reduce your list.

Some ways to cut guests out, without hurting feelings, is to do it by category.  Start with children, and young adults.  Make a cut off point.  Perhaps you decide that there will be nobody under 18 invited.  If your count is still too high, move onto couples.  If they are not engaged, or in a serious relationship of a year or more, don’t give them a plus one on their invitation.  It seems hard, but people will understand, and if you follow the same rules for everyone, nobody can get upset.

Find the Perfect Venue

Start looking for your venue as soon as possible.  Depending on the time of year, and popularity of some venues, they can be booked a year or more in advance.  Look through the binder you have put together with all of the images you like to see what type of venue will fit your style, and the level of formality you want.  Be sure to read all policies and contracts in detail before committing to a venue.

Create your Wedding Registry

It’s never to early to create your wedding registry, even if you are having a two year engagement.  It can be used not only for wedding and shower gifts, but for your engagement party, and even holidays and birthdays leading up to your big day if you handle it properly.  Don’t send everyone a message around the holidays to let them know you would like a gift from your registry, but if they ask what you would like you can reference it.  The earlier you create your registry, the better the chance you have of getting everything on it.

Begin Searching for Wedding Professionals

Start looking for your photographer, videographer, and entertainment.  If you are trying to decide which to start with first, consider what is most important to you at your wedding and start there.  Schedule appointments to meet with each professional, and ask as many questions as you can.  You can never be too informed when making important decisions for your wedding.

These are the things you should be working on one year from your wedding.  Getting a strong start on your planning will make the months leading up to your wedding less hectic.  The next milestone is 9 months out.

Romance in New Hope (Philadelphia Event Planner)

Last month the associated press published an article noting the 10 MostRomantic Places to Visit in America. http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle272347510_most_romantic_places_to_visit_in.html?cat=16.  I was excited to see New Hope, PA included in the list.  It is one of my favorite places to spend a sunny day, and also is where I will be marrying my fiance next April

When we began looking at venues we first went to Font Hill Castle in Doylestown, which is an absolutely gorgeous venue.  I was sold from the moment we pulled down the classic tree lined driveway.  Jack Skudris, owner of memorable affairs, took us on a thorough tour of the facility, and spent a great amount of time discussing the many options they offer.  We left the meeting ready to go home and sign the contract.

I am extremely organized and always on the ball with planning my clients weddings and events.  Lucky for me, I am a bit of a procrastinator when it comes to my own.  After thinking about it for a few weeks we came to the conclusion that it just wouldn’t work with our budget (Yes. . . even event planners have a wedding budget ).  I came across the reception site we would book completely by accident.  In fact, I was working on a client’s wedding when I found it.  I had not been to the venue yet, but had seen it on Memorable Affairs website, when I decided it would be a good option for my clients.  I scheduled a meeting with Pat Kor to check it out before taking my clients.

The venue is Occasions, and is located right in New Hope in Union Square.  I fell in love with the rich colors, extensive decor, and chic modern vibe.  I couldn’t believe the pricing, and how much they included in their package.  I can honestly say you will not get more for your money anywhere else in the Philadelphia or surrounding areas, and I have a lot of experience to base this comparison on.  They even include linens and napkins of any color you want for no additional charge.  This is virtually unheard of!  I regretted that I hadn’t been out to see this location sooner.  The pictures they have, although beautiful, do not do the location justice.  You really need to see if for yourself, and feel the energy of the building.  In addition to my love for the location, working with the staff of memorable affairs has been just as amazing of an experience.  They are always available, and will schedule their meetings at your convenience, not theirs.

Needless to say, this is where my reception is booked.  I can’t wait to start planning all the details.  The fact that it is in New Hope makes it all that much better.  I love the uniqueness of New Hope, the shops, bed and breakfasts, art, etc.  I am also excited to be able to make our wedding a destination weekend without our guests having to travel far.  I will be blogging about the whole planning process as I mentioned in a blog a while back, and would love feedback.  Although I have been to New Hope many times, I would love some advice on good spots for photos.  So.. to all my readers and photographers out there, what are your favorite spots in New Hope for pictures??  Help me out

Photos : Provided by Memorable Affairs