As event planners, we don’t expect our clients to know every trick in the book when it comes to planning and executing an event, that’s why we are here! For this blog post, we put our heads together to come up with some tips that will help anyone planning a wedding. Here are some tips that will make any event run more smoothly, from the planning through the big day.
- Put the place cards in alphabetical order
When it comes to place cards, laying them out on a table in alphabetical order is the best option. If they are organized by table number, it will take your guests much longer to find their own. The purpose of a place card is to let your guest know where they are sitting, and if they are in order of table number, the guests won’t know where to look for their card on the table. If getting your guests to their tables quickly is important for the flow of the evening, organizing by last name will make it easier since traditionally many guests with the same last name will be sitting with each other.
*image from pinterest.com
- Have a realistic idea of what your budget will get you
Budgeting can be the most difficult part of planning a wedding. Once you establish a budget, sticking to it is imperative. When forming a budget, have a realistic idea of what the amount you set aside for each detail (venue, DJ, caterer, flowers etc) will get you. That beautiful tablescape you have been obsessed with from Pinterest may cost $3000 per table, and if you need 15 tables, it might not be possible to recreate it exactly while staying within your budget. One of the biggest surprises for brides-to-be is the price of flowers. It is easy to think that it will be a small portion of your budget, but if you want floral centerpieces, and professional bouquets for the bride and bridesmaids, it is unlikely to be cheap. Keep in mind you are paying for vases, labor, and transportation costs if the florist is delivering the flowers in addition to the blooms themselves. Getting flowers that are in season during your wedding will help keep costs down, and all flowers are more expensive around Valentine’s Day due to increased demand.
- Time frame of planning process
When meeting with a wedding planner, have an idea of a time frame for the planning process. If you and your fiancée haven’t set a date yet, have at least a month or season in mind. You don’t have to have a “vision” of your wedding planned out in your head, but knowing if you want to get married in summer or winter will make starting the planning process much easier. Keep in mind that the more time you have to plan from start the finish, the more likely it is to get the details right. It can be difficult to get your dream location, vendor, photographer and florist when you want to get married three months after becoming engaged.
*image from kreinerdental.com
- Use professional vendors
There is a kernel of truth in the saying “you get what you pay for”. Although great bargains are out there, it is almost always better to hire a professional. Nearly all vendors do exclusively what you are hiring them to do for a living, and if they weren’t good at it, they would probably be out of business. Some people are very fortunate to have professional vendors in their family who will cater, photograph or plan their wedding for free or for a reduced cost, but take into account that if they are working the whole time, they will not be available to celebrate with you or the other guests. Think about it this way, would you let someone who never went to cosmetology school cut and color your hair, just because they agree to do it for $25 instead of the usual $75 you pay for at the salon?
- Have your priorities straight
Every couple has some things they really want to “get right” for their wedding. Whether this means getting the best caterer in town, the perfect location, or stunning floral centerpieces, chances are, you will have to spend a bit to get it. Pick three things that are worth spending a little extra for. This will make it easier to see what you have left in your budget to spend on other things, and force prioritizing.
*image from phillymag.com
These were our top 5 wedding planning tips, and we hope they help! Stay tuned, because 5 more tips will be coming soon in our next blog post later this week!
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