7 TIPS TO DECREASE WEDDING PLANNING STRESS

Tip 1. Plan in advance. No matter what size your wedding is it is best to start planning early. Even if your wedding is smaller it is important to plan for problems.  Complications always come up and it is much easier to fix them when you have time on your side.

Tip 2. Research your vendors. If you do the research on your vendors you will have confidence in their work and be less stressed about the result on your wedding day. Don’t just rely on one person’s recommendation as they might have different taste and requirements then you.

Tip 3. Rely on friends and family. As a bride you want to make sure every detail of your wedding is perfect, however, you can’t do everything yourself. Trust your friends and family to help you.

Tip 4. Incorporate “chill-out” time into you planning. Make sure you and your significant other have time together to just relax and enjoy each other’s company. Don’t talk about the wedding!

Tip 5. Establish boundaries at the beginning. It is important for your family and friends to understand this is your wedding and you are not going to be able to please everyone. Having a chat with everyone at the beginning of the wedding planning will make your experience a lot easier.

Tip 6. Work with your significant other. You and your groom might not agree on everything but it is important that you work as a team. The wedding is about both of you and it is important you make decisions together.

Last, but definitely not least

Tip 7. Hire a professional: I realize I am a wedding planner so I am biased, but it really is true. If you hire a full service wedding planner you will have someone with you through all the decision making and if you hire a day-of coordinator you will have someone on the day to make sure everything runs smoothly and take care of all complications. Having a wedding coordinator is a huge weight off the couples’ shoulders.

The Truth about Cash Bars

The first wedding consultants were upper-class women who informed the family on how to host an appropriate society event. Therefore, I feel that it is my job as a Wedding Planner to tell you the proper etiquette for hosting your wedding. According to the rules of etiquette cash bars are tacky and not suggested. Inviting guests to your wedding is the same as inviting guests to your house. You would never host a dinner and charge guests for their glass of wine or a can of beer. The same principals apply to hosting your wedding. If you are having liquor at your wedding it is not polite to ask your guests to pay for part of the wedding. That being said it is also my job to help the bride and groom stay within budget. There are many alternatives to having a cash bar that will decrease costs.

Below are a few suggestions:

1.       Consider having your wedding during the day. Guests are far less likely to drink in the morning or afternoon.

2.       You could have a signature drink. A signature drink can be pre-made with a combination of juice, soda and liquor. This keeps guests drinking, but at a fraction of the cost

3.       You can always choose not to serve alcohol. If you have great music, entertainment and good food your guests will still have a great time

4.       You can also have a beer and wine bar. This decreases the cost as the expensive spirits are not available

5.       The location of your wedding can decrease costs too. If you have a backyard wedding you can purchase your own liquor license and have your provincial liquor commission sell you the liquor. The liquor purchased will be cheaper than the charge per drink or bottle that a hotel, golf & country club or any other wedding venue would charge.

Cash bars or toonie bars have become increasingly popular as a way to decrease the cost of the wedding; however, they really are not appropriate according to the etiquette rules. If you really want to have a cash bar remember to mention it on your invitations so guests can remember to bring cash!

 

The Perfect Engagement Shoot

I really love engagement shoots. An engagement shoot is a completely personalized experience that allows a couple to really capture their love on a day to day basis. It also is a much less stressful and chaotic experience for the couple compared to photos on their wedding day. The location a couple chooses for their engagement photo shoot and the clothing they choose to wear expresses the life they live together. When I am planning a wedding and the couple chooses to do an engagement shoot I love to be involved. The engagement shoot is always a fun experience and I get to know the bride and groom that much better!

I wanted to create what I envisioned to be the perfect engagement shoot. I contacted Will from WJB Photography and explained to him my vision. I wanted to really show off Winnipeg’s amazing fields, as well as, the couple just being naturally happy spending time together. Will was on board right away! I then called Lindenwood Stylists Salon who did the brides beautiful hair. With the tight braid along the front and the loose curls she has a beautiful, yet relaxed look.

After much coordination and me making a few cute signs I managed to make this perfect engagement shoot come to fruition. Enjoy!

"Just Chatting"

"Cuddles"

"Engaged!"

"All you need is love"

"Dancing in the field"

"Amazing background"

"So Happy"

"Just Gorgeous"

"Relaxing and taking in the moment"

 

An Event Planner.. I don’t need one!.. or do I?

Seven reasons you might not have thought of to get an event planner!

1.    It is not easy to plan an event! A common mistake is to underestimate the number of phone calls, emails, meetings and lists it takes to make an event come together smoothly.

2.    We save you money! Something that I don’t think people realize is that event planners get discounts at almost all venders. We practically pay for ourselves in savings!

3.    We listen! You work hard to be involved in and care about every little detail of your event. Although it is all IMMENSLY important to you, others might not care about all the trouble you went through to pick your venue or the perfect centerpieces. A planner is someone who lives and breathes these details and LOVES to chat about them and offer advice!

4.    We decrease stress! Not only do we decrease stress by helping out with all the planning, coordination and budgeting we also help with family negotiations and take the time to listen to all your ideas.

5.    We save you time! We drive to the venders, double check all details and ask all the questions. We also know about the vendors in town. We know what they specialize in, what they offer and their price point. Our professional opinion can save you tons of time!

6.    We are extremely organized! If you are worried you are going to forget something.. hire a planner. Yes, there are checklists available, but they do not cover everything. There are still many little details that can be forgotten. An event planner is trained to ensure all details are taken care of.

7.    Wow Factor: Event planners have the eye for knowing what to add to get the “WOW” factor. They also know the details to add to ensure your guests rave about your event.

Marital Bliss Hints: Can't Stop Fighting Over the Wedding

You bring up the cake or the seating arrangement or the budget and the fight begins! You are a happy couple whenever you are not talking about the wedding, but for some reason talking about the wedding always results in a fight. Maybe you have noticed this trend and have been pushing the planning to the side. Now you are noticing the date getting closer and closer and the stress is starting to build.

Weddings are a very important and emotional event, which makes each decision around the day significant. Weddings put any couples negotiating skills to the test. If you are a couple that have very different tastes and you both have strong opinions it can definitely make each decision a bit more complicated. Below are a few tips on how to discuss each other’s ideas and come to a compromise before the stress and anxiety kick in and the fight begins.

First: Set aside time to talk about the wedding. This way you both can insure you are in the right frame of mind to listen to what the other person has to say and express your opinion.

Second: Be respectful of what the other person is saying and be patient. Yes, your future wife really thinks it is reasonable to spend $2000 on a dress and yes, your groom wants his own cake in the shape of a beer can.

Third: Be organized. Writing down each other’s key points will help clarify the situation

Fourth: Don’t try to conquer too many decisions at once. For each conversation have about three main topics that you are going to discuss.

Fifth: Don’t panic if after the first conversation you do not have a decision made on the venue, cake and decorations. It is fine if the first time you both discuss a topic you don’t come to a conclusion right away. The decisions that are more important to you as a couple might take a few conversations until you find the perfect conclusion.

At all times, remember that at the end of the day the wedding is about celebrating your love and the future life you will be sharing together.

Marital Bliss Hint: When Your Families Hate Eachother!

It is true that opposites attract. That being said, although you love the differences in each other your families may not. The differences that can exist between families can be astronomical! Families may have different mannerisms, a different sense of humor, different likes and dislikes, hobbies, social standing, cultural background and even language. None of this makes bringing the two families together easy especially when you’re considering bringing them together to celebrate your wedding. One of the best ways to break the ice is to show your families something they have in common. Bring your families together to learn something fun and interactive together at a neutral location. For example, if there is going to be dancing at the reception have the closest family members attend a group dance lesson. In the process of learning a routine for your reception everyone will chat, learn a bit more about each other and need to work as a team. If on one’s into dancing try bowling, mini-golf or an activity both families have already expressed an interest in. Just be sure it is something interactive and easy-going! Splitting up the women and the men might also help as men and women bond in different ways. Most importantly, don’t let any discrepancies between family members stress you out. Remember that at your reception everyone will be happy and polite because both families will want to ensure you have the most perfect day!