How To's for I Do's- Choosing A Venue!

Now that you have your wedding planner, it's time to start looking for that magical place- your venue!  There are so many venues to choose from, but you need to choose what is best for you and your groom.  Are you a traditional kind of bride, looking for a ballroom?  Are you a country couple looking for a barn wedding? Do you want to start with a blank canvas and have your wedding in a tent so that you can make it exactly what you want?  All of these are questions that you need to ask yourself.  Your wedding venue, just like everything else we talk about should represent YOU!

I recently sat down and spoke with Joanne Heard, the Director at Oxon Hill Manor.  She gave me good insight on what should be important to a bride when choosing her venue.

"Brides looking for a venue for their wedding day should consider what factors are a priority for them. There are many types of venues and choosing which type is for you is very important. Budget of course is always a consideration, so asking what amenities are included in the rental price is a must! Such as, does the site offer catering services? And is there an option for indoor or outdoor wedding? The other thing that a bride needs to consider when walking into a venue is, are the grounds kept and well maintained.  Is it clean?  Does it really show what type of person you are?   If at that point you absolutely love the site, it's important to keep in mind that you may need to be flexible in your preferred date, especially if it is during peak wedding season."

While Joanne brought up many great points,  Jill Jenkins from Pier 5 also brought a few to my attention. "A bride must consider their guests.  Do you have a lot of out of towners?  Does the venue offer a hotel room for overnight accomodations.  And while your guests are here, does the venue offer activities and excursions to entertain them?"  She also reminded me of photo opportunities! "A great photographer can do wonders! But help him or her out and choose a venue that has plenty of vistas for some beautiful shots and a breathtaking wedding album!"  Thanks for the awesome tips Joanne and Jill!!

We hope that this helps you on your journey in finding the space that is perfect for you and your groom.  If you have any questions, please call the Party Plus Team and we can help guide you to the perfect location! 1.800.TENTING

How to's For I do's- How to Choose a Wedding Planner

Now that we talked about the importance of your vendors, we come to - "How to Choose a Wedding Planner." If you are choosing to use a wedding planner, this should be where your interview process begins!

Charlotte Jarrett, as we discussed in an earlier blog, understands how important it is for a bride to select the planner that best fits them.  She gave me a list for brides to have to keep in mind.  I also spoke with another great planner, Peyton Craig of Encounter Events and he described it as the 4B's when it comes to choosing the right planner for you: Budget, Busy, Blind or Buddy? We'll get to that in a minute, let's start with Charlotte's list!

1. THE MORE THE MERRIER-  You should interview at least 3-5 planners.  Keep in mind you will be spending the next year with this person, in good times and bad! Lol.  Pick someone that understands your vision, who you can get along with,  that will keep you calm when you are not.  

2.  Personality is KEY!!  You may love someone's design and technique but if you can't see yourself having lunch with this person, then they probably won't be the best planner for you. This will be your best friend for the next year!

3.  Pre-Interview Live!-  Website's and Portfolio's are important for "pre-interviewing" wedding planners.  This is where you will see their work.  You can get a good idea of who they are and where they've been by their portfolio and website.  This will help you scratch off a planner or two before you set up an interview. 

4.  Review Relevance!-  Reviews are very relevant.  Check online for reviews and write ups! It is important to find out what people are saying.  You want to know what the experience was like with this planner.  Keep in mind that the bride who wrote the review may not have fit with the planner but as long as you fit and the reviews state that the organization of and access to the planner was there then you are golden!

5.  Referals and References-  Referals are the best compliment! If you have a bride that is recommending a consultant AND you see the consultant is fit for you- then you have just hit the event planner jackpot!!!  There is nothing better then a referral!!

Now let's get Peyton's point of view!  What are the 4 B's and where do you fit?  Budget, Busy, Blind or Buddy? Peyton explained to me that there are different kinds of wedding planners and you need to find out what kind of wedding planner suits your needs. 

Budget-  Are you looking for a planner because you need someone to help you get the best bang for your buck?  These planners will go to appointments to negotiate contracts for you so that you stay within your budget.  Planners are great at this.  And if this is your main goal, you need to let the planners you are interviewing know that this is why you are hiring a planner. Some planners call themselves planners when they are really wedding designers.  So make sure you are clear on WHY you are hiring a planner.

Buddy-  Some gals just need a buddy!  Especially if you are a long distance bride and your friends and family are all in different states, then you may need someone to tell you how beautiful you look when you come out in a gown for the first time, or how magical your day is going to be when your nerves start to come into play during all this planning.  Some planners become your second mom or best friend during this process and for some brides that's just what they needed!

Blind- Some girls feel LOST when it comes to picking colors, design etc.  This is where a creative eye comes in and tries to understand you, your fiance and what defines you as a couple.  A good planner will get a good idea of this and begin to put things together that make sense to you and you will start to enjoy the design process because really it's all about YOU!  Your colors will be colors both you and your "husband to be" love and the venue will be a setting that really explains to your guests who you are together. Starting to make sense? Let's move on!

Busy-  Lastly, a reason and need for a planner is because you are just TOO busy to plan a wedding on your own.    If you are someone who has lots going on, then you need someone to actually PLAN the wedding. This planner will not only plan but also help you with budget, day of wedding issues and design!  This will be the most costly of all because they are taking you from A to Z.

Now that you have all this information,  really take it all in, make sense of it, then start your interviewing process confidently.  You are on your way to a very special day!!

"How To's for I Do's- The Importance of Hiring Great Vendors!

Last blog I talked about "To do's for I do's!" Now, over the next couple of months, I want to help you understand "How to" get them done the best way possible and this starts with hiring great and reputable vendors!  And I couldn't think of anyone better then Karen Buck from the wedding magazine "Wedding 411 on Demand" to get her take on the subject! Karen has been in this business for years and knows the "ins and outs", the "ups and the downs."  She knows every type of bride out there as well as every vendor and knows what works with all of these different personalities.  She gave me all the information you'll need to start your planning off right!

1.How well do you both interact? They must listen and understand your vision and expectations instead of  just trying to sell you something.

2. How did you find the busines? By phone book or are they actively involved in the wedding community, doing local wedding events? Have you seen their ad in a wedding magazine or website? Make sure that weddings are a part of their core business and not just something they do on the side.

3.While cost is most certainly a big consideration, don't set yourself up to be dissappointed by saving $50-$100. Remember- you get what you pay for. You will never have the opportunity to go back and redo this day!!!

4. Referrals are great but not all vendors are for all engaged couples. Do your homework and learn all you can about a business before saying "yes."

If you keep these things in mind, you should be on your way to picking the right vendors for you!