Bubbles versus Sparklers

Ok, someone asked me today, if I prefer bubbles or sparklers at a reception and why? My answer is bubbles, bubbles, bubbles. Easy to do, inexpensive, no mess (if you make sure you buy the non staining variety) and they make beautiful pictures.

Ok, sparklers can make beautiful pictures too if, (these are big ifs), it is very dark outside when you leave, and if the site has ok’d them. Most will not ok the use of sparklers or if you do get an ok it is going to cost you. The site or you will need to have buckets of sand set out for the sparklers to be snuffed out in, one more add on charge for you. They will need clean up, people just tend to drop them on the ground. You will need to purchase the special longer ones made for weddings, the short ones burn out too quickly and produce too many sparks. And speaking of sparks, let’s not forget the chance that your dress or someone else’s could end up with little burn spots. Also, sparklers are only good in good clear weather. Add any dampness or rain and all you get is a cloud of smoke and a video full of people hacking and coughing including you. Yeah, my vote is bubbles all the way

Guest + 1

I get asked quite often whether or not you need to invite your single guest plus a date. The answer is there is no etiquette law, which requires you to invite a guest plus his or her date du jour. Now if your guest is living with someone (whether you like them or not) or been dating for a while now, then yes etiquette says you invite them. If someone is married you ALWAYS invite the spouse.

That being said my advice is, if you are having a mingle cocktail type reception, then don’t worry about inviting “dates” of friends. Your guests should not have a problem standing around and talking to people without a date on their arm. But, if you are having a party reception, with lots of dancing and drinking then I say invite the “+ 1”. I know this will cost you more money, but if you want your single friends to stay at your wedding reception and not cut out the minute you cut the cake, let them bring someone to dance and party with. Your girlfriends are not going to appreciate sitting at a table alone all night watching you and your “couple” friends dancing the night away. Also, it doesn’t hurt to have couples so that one can be the designated driver for the night. I know you are saying well the groomsmen can dance with the single ladies. Yeah right, first of all I see very few groomsmen get up and dance unless it is with their date. The chance of them getting up and asking your high school buddy who they don’t know from Eve to dance, is right between slim and none. The chance that she will actually dance with him if he does is even slimmer.

Now this brings up a reminder for the guests at a wedding. If your invitation only lists your name, then ONLY you are invited. Don’t call and ask if you can bring someone else and don’t just think “I’m sure she meant for me to bring a date”. She didn’t. Also, once you get there, it is NOT alright to rearrange seating cards, so that you sit with your friends. A lot of thought and effort went into the seating plan and it is not up to you to rearrange it.

Gifts

Ok, let’s talk about gift giving and receiving at weddings. Rule number #1 and this rule is never broken, no matter what the department store tells you. You do not include any mention of gifts in your wedding invitation! I know the store where you are registered gave you a cute little card and told you to include it in your invitation (of course they do, they want all your guests coming to them with their credit cards out). But if you do this, you are wrong, wrong, wrong, tacky, tacky, tacky and Emily Post will come back and haunt you. “But how will people know I want that beautiful silk comforter I registered for” you ask. You tell your mother and your bridesmaids and let them spread the word. Don’t worry people will ask.

But this brings up another point, the idea that people are required to buy off your registry is a myth. They are not required to, they can pick out something totally not on your registry and Emily Post will still smile on them. Also, the idea that their present is suppose to cost the same that you are spending on them for the wedding, is a total myth. One the brides on the Knot love to push, but it is incorrect. A guest should spend what they can afford to spend on you, what they want to spend on you and never anymore. Now this doesn’t give them a license to be stingy, but it doesn’t give you the right to badmouth them either. In fact, they are not required to give you a gift at all. Yes, it is tradition if you attend the wedding to present a gift (and guest should always try to send it ahead of time, not take it to the wedding) but it is not a requirement. So don’t expect gifts from those distant cousins you haven’t seen in years and aren’t going to be able to come to the wedding. If you send wedding announcements, these never require a gift from the recipient.

Wedding Day Platter

Is this not the cutest thing? It is called Our Wedding Day Platter. So many people have seen this platter in pictures from weddings I have done and asked about it, that I decided to go ahead and post about it. I can't take credit for the idea, one of my brides first brought it to my attention and we displayed it at her wedding. Since then several other brides have ordered them or gotten them as gifts.

You can design your own platter to match the people in your bridal party, skin tones, hair color, etc. You can also pick the dress colors to match the colors in your wedding. This particular site Personal Creations offers the platter at a very reasonable price. What a great present for the bride to be, or what better way to give your wedding that personalized touch.

The Galleries of Brian Brigham

Last night we were invited to a drop in at The Galleries of Brian Brigham. They were presenting their new expanded site.

Melissa took us on a tour of the lovely little gazebo in the back, which would be perfect for a small intimate wedding ceremony. The ballroom area inside is still as lovely as ever. We did one of my favorite weddings there. As you can see from the picture, the room is beautiful when it is set for a reception. When you rent the ballroom, the gazebo area is included. If you aren’t using it for the actual ceremony, it would be a great place to hold your cocktail hour before moving into the reception area. This is still one of the few places in town that you can bring in your own caterer.

They also now have a restaurant out back called Shane’s Distinctive Southern Cuisine. If the food we had last night is any indication, you should definitely give it a try. They are open for lunch and dinner.

We also met the florist of Me and Me Designs, that did the flowers for the event last night, which I must say were absolutely beautiful. I knew Steven from years ago when we both worked for the same company.

Its funny how I keep running into people I used to know. At a wedding this past weekend, I ran into my college suitemate, that I hadn’t seen in years. Life sure is funny!

Kathryn and Jim

Willrich did a wedding this weekend for the sweetest couple. Kathryn and Jim just seem perfect for each other. Both are as nice as can be.

The wedding was held at the beautiful old Downtown Baptist Church. It reminds me of the old churches in Charleston that you tour. The church is on the National Historic Register. Up until lately, it has been the only church in downtown Greenville that will rent to non members. But they are no longer able to do that, due to some repairs that need to be made to the church. I certainly hope they are able to raise the money for the repairs, because it is a grand place to get married. Not just because it is beautiful, but the location is perfect if you are having your reception downtown.

Kathryn and Jim chose to have their reception at the Westin Poinsett and it was lovely. It took place in the Gold Ballroom which showed off her colors of periwinkle and pink to perfection. She even had the pink overlays on the tables, which my brides know I love. Nothing makes a room pop like good linens.

Instead of a DJ, we had a concert pianist and a friend from her church (who was on American Idol) sang for her first dance and the cake cutting. It was really beautiful. And what could be more fitting to such a grand location then arriving at the reception and leaving in a horse drawn carriage. We even decorated their hotel suite with rose petals. I so love romance!

What a Show!

Here are some pictures from last night, where we participated in the Wedding Festivals show at the Carolina First Center. It was a huge turnout. We saw and talked to so many excited future brides, I couldn’t even begin to count how many. If today is the first time you are checking out my website and blog let me say “hello and enjoy”.

We had redesigned our booth with the help of Dave McMillan of Memories by McMillan, who did the flowers and Photography by Dennis & Yvette, who provided the large pictures of some of the work we have done together. I thought it turned out really good and so apparently did a lot of brides that stopped to look and talk.

RSVP's and Rehearsals - Welcome to My Soapbox

Several of my fellow wedding planners have blogged lately not for brides but for guests and the things they should know about attending a wedding, the most important being, to remember to RSVP. This should go without saying, if the bride and groom care enough about you to spend $50 -$60 dollars per person (at least) to invite you, the least you can do is to take two minutes and sign the already stamped card and put it in the mail. There is no forgetting, no “well they know I’m coming”, etc. You sign it, choose yes or no and SEND IT BACK.

Ok, the next thing on my list, if you are in the wedding party, at the rehearsal PAY ATTENTION. You have the rehearsal dinner afterwards to talk and laugh with old and new acquaintances. Out of respect for the bride and groom who have worked so hard to make this wedding perfect not to mention the poor hard working planner, be quiet, pay attention and do what you are told. You can not imagine how hard it is to direct a wedding when everyone is talking and acting silly. Come on, you’re adults, act like it.

And along this same line, be on time. The reception sites only allow so much time for a rehearsal, not to mention the dinner afterwards is set to start following the rehearsal. If you are late you back up everything. Know where you are going and plan ahead to be there on time. It is not that hard.

Also, if you are part of the processional, make every effort to be at the rehearsal. You need to be there to know when you walk down the aisle, where you sit, etc. I don’t care if you’ve been in a hundred weddings, each one is different and you need to be at rehearsal. Now I agree the bride and groom need to take in consideration work schedules, but that being said, make sure you are there.

Ok, I’ll get off my soapbox now.

Ipod or DJ?

I get this question a lot. I have done both kinds of weddings. My personal preference is the DJ, but either can work. That is if your Ipod is being run by the right person.

If you are leaning towards having an Ipod wedding remember, you are going to need to be announced in, cake cutting announced, bouquet and garter toss announced. The Ipod operator will need to know when and how to move everyone outside for your leaving, etc. So not only does there need to be someone there to run the music, they need to act as the MC too.

You will need someone you can trust that will stay with the music and not wonder off with friends (i.e., not too many trips to the bar). They will need to know which song; you are introduced in to, and then know how to fade into your first dance song, when to stop the music for parents to thank your guests, for the blessing and then start dinner music back up. They will need to be able to watch the crowd and judge what kind of music the crowd is responding to for dancing. Are they on the floor for fast music or slow? You want people up and dancing. So basically, this person is not going to be a guest at your wedding, he or she is going to be working. So my feeling is (unless money is really tight) why not hire a DJ and let your friend enjoy your wedding.

Besides the DJ is going to know it’s called a “garter toss, not a garter BELT toss”. (Actually happened at a wedding with a friend making announcements.)

Cliff's Bride

I know I have missed a few days of blogging, but I have been so busy. We are busy planning for the show not to mention all the upcoming weddings.

We helped plan the most beautiful wedding this weekend. Lauren and Tyler chose the Cliff’s Chapel and the Cliff’s Valley Club House for their wedding and reception. Everything was just gorgeous. Memories by McMillan did the flowers, a palette of whites and greens, accented by green apples. It was all very elegant and tasteful. Dave McMillan always does an amazing job. Kim and her staff at the Cliff’s was top notch, a dream to work with.

The bride summed it all up saying that it was the wedding of her dreams. You can’t ask for higher praise than that.

Wedding Festivals in Greenville

For those of you that don’t know, next Thursday, June 14 is the Wedding Festivals Show at the former Palmetto Expo Center, now the Carolina First Center. We will be there in booth number 65, from 4:00 – 9:00pm. Be sure and come by and say hello. I am really excited because we are making a few changes to our booth this time. I can’t wait to see how it all turns out.

Remember, if you are going to the show wear comfortable shoes, and print out address labels to carry with you. This way instead of having to fill out every info card or give away at a booth, you can just peel off a label and be on your way. Remember to include your email address on the label. Also, have a pen with you so that you can mark the info or pamphlet you pick up at booths of vendors you particularly like. I know you think you will remember when you get home, which booth impressed you, but it’s much easier if you have drawn a little heart or check on top of the vendor’s info that you want to remember.