Wedding Day Do's & Don’ts

Everyone wants their wedding day to run smoothly, so to insure that everything goes accordingly, it’s important to plan ahead. Here are some tips to be aware of to guarantee  a successful day:

• Don’t consume alcohol before the ceremony. If you do want to partake in the bubbly before you walk down the aisle, only drink  half a glass. If you drink too much your buzz will show on your face for all your guests to see and will show on your wedding photos.
• Arrive early to your venue. If it’s possible, get ready at the venue, because if something were to happen and you’re late to your wedding site, it could cause the whole schedule to run late.
• Don’t forget to take any regular medications. It’s easy to forget taking a pill when there's a hundred things going on.
• Make sure to eat and drink plenty of water. You need to be hydrated to prevent headaches and fainting. Make sure to eat foods that won’t make you feel bloated.
• Don’t go crazy and start taking your stress out on others. If you’re yelling at your vendors, wedding party, or family because things aren’t going your way, that’s all anyone will remember when the day’s over.

Wedding Wish Lantern

Looking for something unique to have at your wedding? Floating lanterns are a stunning visual effect that adds enjoyment and wonder to your event. The lanterns are a paper structure that’s fully biodegradable, nonflammable and easy to use. They symbolize hopes, dreams and wishes for the life of the newlyweds. They can also represent friends and family members who have passed. The lanterns can either be released at the end of the ceremony to symbolize the new marriage, or the guests can release them during the reception. However you decide to use them, one thing is for sure; your guests will remember them for years to come!

Future-Signifying Gifts for the Bride

Many couples exchange personal wedding gifts to on another to make their wedding day special and memorable. Gifts can either be exchanged at the rehearsal dinner or can be delivered by the best man and maid of honor on the wedding day. A unique gift for the groom to give his bride would be something to symbolize their future together. Add-on jewelry is ideal for representing  a couple’s future. The groom purchases a bracelet or necklace with a starter bead/beads and every year for the couple’s anniversary the piece of jewelry is added on to.

There are many jewelry brands that that hold this concept and range in price depending on what materials they’re made out of. Here are some examples of jewelry brands.

Chamilia Charms

Pandora

Add A Pearl

Brighton Charms

DaVinci Beads

Why Do We Toss The Bouquet?

Two of the most exciting events of a wedding reception are the tossing of the bride’s bouquet and her garter. Tradition says that the single girl and guy that catch the bride’s objects will be next in line to be married; but have you ever wondered why this is? What is it about these two items that possess magical marriage powers?

The tradition of tossing the bouquet and garter dates back to the fourteenth century. Any piece of the bride’s attire was considered lucky, so guests were excited to claim their own bit of marriage luck. Some of the single guests would become so eager to have the bouquet that they would rush to the bride and enthusiastically try to grab it from her. To prevent the bride from being attacked by her guests, brides started tossing their bouquet to the crowd.

The tossing of the garter also evolved from trying to protect the bride. Way back when, when the reception was over, guests would accompany the newlyweds to their bedchamber. It was custom that the groom’s friends would try to remove the bride’s garters for good luck. Obviously this caused some discomfort. To avoid being bothered by drunken men, brides started tossing their garters in their direction instead.

Marriage Advice Guest Book

Have something out of the ordinary at your reception and display a decorative board saying “Share Your Key To Success.” This is a fun activity for guest to give their marriage advice to the newlyweds. Have  a jar on the table with antique keys with tags attached, and then have guests write down their words of wisdom on the blank tags. The guests can then place their filled-out keys onto the board. The board would be ideal to have near the guest book.

Blueprint for Wedding Success

Announcing our newest seminar, Blueprint For Wedding Success!  Join us for an afternoon of valuable tips and information from Master Bridal Consultant, Heather Canada. Topics include:

Basics:

• Selecting a date
• Themes/color schemes
• Budgeting
• Choosing locations

Ceremony:

• Interfaith weddings
• Traditions

Reception:

• DJ vs Band
• Meal types
• Bar

Extras:

• Favors
• Invitations
• Personalization

Followed by individual Q&A with Master Bridal Consultant Heather Canada. Plus:

• Receive worksheets to help plan (and budget!) your wedding
• Enjoy hors d'oeuvres and desserts by The Perfect Pear Catering Co.

Tickets are only $15 per person, or two tickets for $25.  Plus, clients of First Coast Weddings, Avalon Hall, and The Perfect Pear get a special discount! (Ask us for details.) Seating is limited, so sign up today at http://weddingblueprint.eventbrite.com.

Jessica & Brendan (11.05.11) - TPC Sawgrass Wedding, Ponte Vedra Beach

Jessica and Brendan's gorgeous fall wedding took place at TPC Sawgrass on November 5th 2011. From my first meeting with Jessica and Brendan, l could tell how in love they are with each other. They are such a fun, easy going couple, and l really enjoyed working with them. Jessica and Brendan really captured the essence of the season, choosing rich fall colors like orange, red and yellow. Rose of Sharon created a magnificent floral arbor, which was the focal point for the Ceremony, and amazing centerpieces for the Reception.  Plumb Fun Photobooth provided some fun entertainment and The Cloud 9 Band kept everyone on the dance floor all night long! One of my most memorable moments of the night was the sparkler exit, where Jessica and Brendan hopped onto a golf cart to ride off into the night! Agnes Lopez Photography caught that image and of course many more! Below are some wedding highlights from Jessica and Brendan's big day!

Bridal Show Tips

It's bridal show season! Here in Jacksonville, we have two bridal shows going on this weekend. If you're planning on attending, here are some helpful tips:

• Pre-register if you can.  Often, there will be a discounted admission if you register online, plus you can skip the hassle when you arrive.  Registering will qualify you for some awesome prizes at the show!
• Have pre-printed labels with your name, address, email, phone number, and wedding date.
• Bring your schedule (calendar, Blackberry, iPhone) with you - you may want to schedule meetings with vendors right away!
• Don't be afraid to ask questions!  The pros you meet do weddings all the time, but they know that you're a novice.  There are no dumb questions.
• Wear comfortable shoes.  You will do quite a bit of walking and be on your feet for 2-3 hours.
• Grooms can have fun too!  Most shows have a wide variety of food and cakes to sample.

Did you say you'd like FREE tickets to the Ultimate Bridal Fantasy at Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa? Swing by The Wedding Party during normal business hours (10:00 am to 6:00 pm) to pick up a pair!

Happy New Year!

Thank you for your friendship in 2011 - we look forward to a wonderful 2012!

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.  - Benjamin Franklin

Best Wishes, Emma, Heather and Melanie

Love Note: Christa & James (10.08.11) - The Lodge and Club at Ponte Vedra Beach

We got a lovely note in the mail today from Christa and James, who were married on October 8th at The Lodge and Club in Ponte Vedra Beach. It's always great working with such sweet couples, and their equally lovable families!

Dear Heather, Thank you so much for helping me plan the wedding of our dreams! You were the perfect amount of help and advice! Everything ran so smoothly, especially on the Big Day itself, and I know that happened because of your expertise! I will absolutely be referring my Jacksonville/St. Augustine friends to you! Thank you again! It was an absolute fairy tale! Have a wonderful holiday season!

Love, Christa and James

Teddi & Chris (10.15.11) - Christ Episcopal Church and TPC Sawgrass Wedding, Ponte Vedra Beach

On October 15th, 2011, l had the pleasure of coordinating Chris and Teddi’s Wedding. The Ceremony took place at Christ Episcopal Church, with the Reception following at TPC Sawgrass.

Teddi and Chris had selected some amazing vendors, Brandy Burridge Photography, Liz Stewart Floral, and Face For Radio to name a few!

Teddi looked absolutely amazing in her wedding dress and long veil, not to be out done by Chris and his Groomsmen who sported some pretty cool bow ties!

The reception room at TPC Sawgrass was stunning, thanks to the décor set up by Liz Stewart Floral. Liz Stewart also made a striking centerpiece for the escort card table, this was one of my favorite décor accents of the day!

Teddi had so many great ideas on how she wanted things to look, and it was so great to see her ideas come to fruition! The best part of the day for me was watching Teddi and Chris dancing together with Teddi’s parents. They were all smiling and beaming with happiness, which put a huge smile on my face! This wedding was elegant, sophisticated and full of love.

Congratulations to the new couple!

Thank you to Brandy Burridge for sharing the below photographs with us!

Love Note: Teddi & Chris (10.15.11) - Ponte Vedra Beach Wedding

Today was a great mail day in our office!  Not one but two lovely thank-you notes, one of which was personally dropped off by the parents of the bride.

"Dear Emma - Thank you so much for helping make Teddi and Chris' wedding so picture-perfect last weekend. I don't know what we'd have done without your expertise, encouragement, and organization. I'm not sure there is any way to make a wedding totally stress-free... but you tried. Thank you!"

- Nancy & Dave, parents of the bride

"Emma, It was a real treat to work with you and Chris and Teddi's wedding. You did an EXCELLENT job! Everything was beautiful and ran very smooth. We look forward to working with you in the future!"

- Brandy and Beau, Brandy Burridge Photography

Brandy and Beau took this adorable engagement photo of the bride and groom, Teddi and Chris, a few month ago. We can't wait to share the images from their wedding!

Becoming A Wedding Planner

I hear it all the time: "I just love weddings and want to be a wedding planner. It must be so much fun!"  Usually the people saying this phrase have no idea what it truly means to "be a wedding planner." With the current economy, lots of people are looking for work - and some decide to start their own businesses.  Which is great, if you know what you are doing.  But anyone can print up some business cards on their home computer and call themselves a DJ, photographer, videographer, wedding planner, etc.

A lot of newbie wedding planners had fun planning their own weddings, and decide that it should be their new career.  And there's nothing wrong with that.  But planning your own wedding, with your own vision and your own style, is much easier than planning someone else's wedding with their vision and their style.  It takes a real knack to be able to listen to what a client wants and make it a reality.

It's also much different to juggle 20+ weddings at once, not just one. Staying organized, keeping track of multiple budgets and task lists, and treating each couple as if they are your only client takes a certain skill level.

So how does someone become a wedding planner? The best suggestion  I can make it to take advantage of apprenticeships and internships. There are several great online courses to teach the basics of running a business and helping a client plan a wedding, but there is no substitute for experience.  Even after 12 years of doing weddings and 15 years in the hospitality business, I feel like I learn something at every wedding.

If you are a bride shopping for a wedding planner, take a look at their portfolio.  Is there more than one wedding shown?  Is it the planner's own wedding?  Be sure to ask questions when you are interviewing planners about their experience level; and as a new planner, be honest with prospective clients.  We all had to start somewhere - but if you lie about your experience, it will come back to haunt you in the end.

Jacksonville Wedding Giveaway Worth $30,000!

How would you like to win a FREE wedding?  Register now for your spot in The Wedding Party's Dance2Wed "Don't Stop the Music" Dance-a-thon!

When: Friday, October 21 9:00 pm - Saturday, October 22, 2011 until last couple is standing

Where: Aloft Jacksonville Tapestry Park

Who: All Engaged Couples & Friends

The Grand Prize:  A wedding valued at over $30,000!

That's right... all you have to do is be the last couple dancing on October 22nd, and you score a free wedding package! The dream wedding prize package includes:

• Ceremony and reception for up to 100 guests at Aloft Hotel

• Catering package from Mai Oui Gourmet

• Photography package from The Wedding and Portrait Photographers and Thomas Lester Photography

• Videography package from In Motion Video Productions

• Wedding cake by Simply Delicious! Cakes

• Stationery from Celebrated Occasions and Kouture Kreations

• DJ services from D'Land Entertainment and Y? Entertainment

• Photo Booth provided by Y? Entertainment

• Hair and Makeup services from A Glamour Bride

• Floral arrangements for the ceremony and reception

And of course, coordination by First Coast Weddings and Events! Find out more details and review the complete rules on The Wedding Party's website. We hope to see you there!

Why You Need a Wedding Planner - From a Photographer's Prospective

Our friend, Christy Whitehead of Christy Whitehead Photography, wrote an excellent blog post yesterday with her view on wedding planners.  I'd love for you to read the full article here, but here is a little snippet:

And now my two cents as the photographer.

The majority of weddings I shoot do not have a planner. Some have a venue coordinator, but in many cases I find that the event coordinator is gone as soon as the food is done being served. Which is when the bride usually turns to me to ask what to do next.

A wedding planner not only helps make sure you arrive on time and gets you down the aisle but helps ensure that at the reception everything is done in a timely manner. Which can mean money saved to you, because many of your vendors are likely charging you by the hour.

Let me put it this way, say you have to pay 3-4 of your vendors to stay an extra hour (happens ALL the time) that is likely to run you $1,000+ easily (And some vendors may have other weddings to go to and can’t stay!). Many day of coordinators start in that range and could have not only helped the wedding stay on time but have been on site all day to ease the tension of stained dresses, vendors arriving on time, and other emergencies that happen at EVERY wedding.

I hope you will consider hiring a wedding planner/coordinator for your wedding day. Not only can they save you a lot of stress, but sometimes the amount of money they can save you could cover the cost of hiring them. And I don’t know a wedding vendor who doesn’t prefer a wedding that has a coordinator in charge, it makes our day go by sooo much more smoothly. I also have someone to go to, should I have any questions, so that I don’t have to bug the bride who likely won’t know the answer for sure anyway.

Wedding Insurance - Protect Your Investment!

Did you know you can insure your wedding?  Of course, we hope nothing would go wrong on your wedding day, but Hurricane Irene churning in the Atlantic has us all thinking about backup plans! There are several companies that provide wedding insurance, but here is some information from Wedding Protector Plan.

Some of the things that can be covered by wedding insurance include:

• No Dress. You can get repair or replacement cost if the bride’s wedding gown or groom’s tuxedo is lost or damaged.
• Lost Rings. You can receive repair or replacement cost if the bride or groom’s wedding bands are lost or damaged.
• Severe Weather.  If severe weather (such as a hurricane) forces you to postpone your wedding, we can provide reimbursement for non-recoverable expenses.
• Call to Duty.  If the bride or groom is unexpectedly called up to active duty, or has her or his military service leave revoked, forcing you to postpone the event, we can provide reimbursement for non-recoverable expenses.
• Damaged Gifts.  You can get repair or replacement cost if your wedding gifts are damaged.
• Sudden Illness.  If the wedding needs to be postponed because sudden illness prevents the bride, groom or their parents from attending, you can receive reimbursement for non-recoverable expenses.
• Venue Requires Insurance.  As an additional option to your policy, you can add liability coverage to protect yourself in case a guest is injured or causes damage to property.
• Liquor Liability. As an individual liability option to your policy, you can add this coverage to protect yourself against liability arising from alcohol-related occurrences (subject to policy conditions and exclusions).

Rates start at $165 for this company, and other companies offer similar prices.

If you would like to see a brochure, click the link below: http://www.protectmywedding.com/pdfs/Wedding_Insurance_Information_Wedding_Protector_Plan.pdf  And for rates, click here: http://www.protectmywedding.com/pdfs/wedding_event_insurance_rates_liquor_liability.pdf

Wedding Guest Etiquette, As Seen on WJXT's The Morning Show

I had the pleasure of speaking with Nikki Kimbleton on WJXT's The Morning Show again today - this time, the topic was Wedding Guest Etiquette.  Here are some of the tips we discussed:

Can you wear white to a wedding?

There is no hard and fast rule that says "no," but it is generally frowned upon. However, the bride will never notice what her guests are wearing!

Where do you sit if you are friends with both the bride and groom?

You can sit on either side. We ask our ushers to keep the seating balanced, so sit on whichever side has the fewer guests.

Should you bring a gift to the wedding? Gifts are never required. However, if you choose to give one, it's best to send it ahead of time to the bride or groom, or up to one year after the wedding!

Do you have to stick with the registry? I'm saying, YES! This is one of the biggest pet peeves we hear from brides and grooms. They spend many hours setting up their registry and choosing items for their homes - stick with their wish list.

Is cash better? What is an appropriate amount? Emily Post says, "Let your affection for the bride and groom be your guide." In general, think about the amount you would spend on a gift, and give the same as a cash gift.

What if you are invited but your significant other is not? You should never, under any circumstances, bring an additional (uninvited) guest to a wedding. However, you may want to gently ask the bride or groom to be sure there was not an error.

What is the #1 mistake guests make? Arriving late!  Plan to be in your seat for the ceremony 15 minutes before the time listed on the invitation. If you do arrive late, wait outside the church until the processional has finished, and then slip in a side door or the balcony.

Check out the interview here! http://www.news4jax.com/video/28810496/index.html

What To Put In Welcome Bags

Lately, we have been getting a lot of questions from brides about what to put in their welcome bags. In case you aren't familiar with the term, these are little bags or baskets of goodies delivered to the hotel room of your out-of-town guests. They can be as elaborate or as simple as your budget will allow! The container itself can be inspired by your wedding location, theme, or personalities - we've seen everything from cute beach pails to formal baskets to reusable shopping bags.  If you opt for the gift bag route, you can have them printed with your names and wedding date, or attach a cute tag to the handle.  The bag pictured here  is from FavorsYouKeep.com.

So what goes inside?  The most common items are:

• Bottled water.  An absolute must!
• Snacks.  Something salty, something sweet, and perhaps something with a local flair. (More on this below.)
• Information about the area.  Contact the local visitors' bureau or chamber of commerce, and they will be more than happy to send you brochures and maybe even coupons!
• Information about the wedding.  If you have an action-packed weekend planned, include an itinerary and maps/directions if transportation isn't being provided.
• Contact information.  Assign a local friend to act as your concierge for the weekend to help with last minute questions from your guests.

From the basics, you can upgrade to include bottles of wine, personalized toiletry items like lotion or bubble bath, even slippers!  If you are planning a beach wedding, perhaps a pair of flip flops and bottle of sunscreen.  For a garden wedding, a lovely hat. Just remember that your guests will have to pack these items for their trip home, or leave them behind.

When our brides ask us for "regional" favorites, we suggest:

• Peterbrooke chocolates
• Florida oranges
• Boiled peanuts
• Datil pepper sauce
• San Sebastian wines

What are some of your favorite welcome bag items?

Royal-Inspired DIY Candle Centerpieces

I recently attended a conference session called "25 Centerpieces Under $25." While most of our clients spend a great deal more than that on their centerpieces, I got some great ideas for enhancing floral arrangements, adding a special touch to a bar or guest book table, or perking up the ladies' room.

One idea presented was adding ribbon to the top of vases or candle holders.  While this isn't a new idea, the speakers put a little twist on it by using a pretty lace ribbon.  Lace has been extremely hot since William and Kate's wedding, and what an easy way to add a royal-inspired touch to your wedding!

I found this photo on a blog post over at Wedding Paper Divas.  What a pretty glow!  Even if you are using floral centerpieces, this would be a beautiful additional to the table surrounding your arrangement.

Have you found any cute DIY ideas you will be incorporating into your wedding?

Such An Honor!

Earlier this week, I attended NACE Experience! 2011, the annual conference for the National  Association of Catering Executives.  I have been a NACE  member for 10 years, and on the board of directors most of that time.  I always come home from their conference with a notebook full of  ideas I can't wait to share with the First Coast Weddings team, and our clients. During the conference, I received a huge honor - I was  named to NACE's President's List.  This award is presented for "outstanding achievement and selfless volunteer service."  We have an excellent Northeast Florida chapter, and it's an honor to be recognized by them and the national board of directors as well.

Speaking of our chapter, we  won Chapter of the Year for 2011! We were up against two other great chapters in the "under 100 members" category.  With over 40 chapters across the country, it was so exciting to be selected!

I love being involved with local, national, and international associations for so many reasons - but mostly, I love giving back to the hospitality industry!