Your First Catering Appointment

Great Tip for Bridesmaids

On the wedding day, have each bridesmaid (and bride) bring their items in a box with their name on it. After they are finished getting ready in the designated dressing room, they can put all their items back in their own box. That way, whoever is designated to clean up the dressing room, can just pack the boxes in their car without trying to figure out whose stuff is whose.

Source: Sewfordough.wordpress.com

Cleverlyinspired: Wine bottles=Christmas display

Cleverlyinspired: Wine bottles=Christmas display: The story of 3 wine bottles.....that just wanted to be pretty.... Ahhh...aren't they pretty now.....here's what I did....  I gathered 3 bot...

2012 Luxury Wedding Trend - Ivory and Cream Weddings

Classic Wedding by jumpergirl featuring pearl earrings

Sue Wong short dress
$398 - nordstrom.com

Seychelles peep toe pumps
$100 - nordstrom.com

Tasha bow necklace
$158 - nordstrom.com

Majorica pearl earrings
$95 - nordstrom.com

Wedding Coordinator Fee

A lot of hours go into planning and coordinating a wedding, so take the amount a coordinator has charged you, divide that by the amount of hours you think it would take to plan and coordinate a wedding (typically 150 hours or more) and decide if you yourself would work your job at that hourly rate. Many people do not consider this, but it will allow you to appreciate your planner all the more when you think from that perspective.

Happy Planning!!!

Bridesmaid Clutch

Matching clutches for bridesmaids are an awesome way to add a bit of flair to the bridesmaids attire, serves as a great gift for the bridemaids, and is a great way for them to carry around their touch up lip gloss on the day of the wedding.

I found all of these fantastic clutches on Etsy.com and saw that you can actually buy the clutches in sets at a very affordable price.

Tipping Your Wedding Hair Stylist and Make-Up Artist

Absolute Love Photography

from theknot.com

This is one area where a gratuity is definitely expected. Tip between 15 - 20 percent just as you would in a hair salon, and consider giving a little extra if there's a crisis, like one of your bridesmaids has a meltdown over her updo and it requires a redo at the last minute.

Protocol: Expected

The Standard: 15 - 25 percent, depending upon the quality of service

When to Tip: At the end of your service

Tipping Your Wedding Coordinator

From the Knot.com

Wedding planners won't likely expect anything; however, if yours did a great job you can always offer a token of your appreciation. (Note: Non-monetary thank-yous like professional photos of the wedding for the planner's portfolio can go a long way too.) Approximately 50 percent of couples do tip their planners -- typically those with more opulent weddings.

Protocol: Optional

The $tandard: Up to $500, or a nice gift

When to Tip: The bride should hand off the envelope at the end of the reception, or, she should send a thank-you note with photos or a check after the honeymoon.

Tipping Your Wedding Reception Band or DJ

From theKnot.com

Whether you hire a 12-piece swing band or a DJ, tipping musicians is completely optional. (Depending on the quality of the job and how willing they were to follow your ideal playlist!) And don't forget about any sound technicians they bring with them.

Protocol: Optional, yet preferred

The Standard: $20 - $25 per musician; $50 - $150 for DJs

When to Tip: At the end of the reception, by the best man or wedding coordinator.

Tipping for Transportation on your Big Day

Absolute Love Photography

From the knot.com

Be sure to first check your contract, as gratuity is usually included. If it isn't, plan to tip provided they show up on time and don't get lost!

Protocol: Expected

The Standard: 15 - 20 percent of the total bill

When to Tip: At the end of the night or after the last ride. If you used a separate company for the guest buses, designate a bus captain to hand the driver a tip, otherwise, this duty falls to the best man.

Rent the Runway

So you remember when in Sex and the City you heard Jennifer Hudson saying that you could actually rent designer goods... and you thought "where from and how and sign me up"! 

Well ladies it's true...Rent the Runway is the place to go to rent designer goods at affordable prices. No longer do you have to struggle to find that perfect dress to wear to your next gala, wedding, or big shindig. You can simply browse the site, pick out your dress and accessories and they will send it to you for a rental price that is only a fraction of the cost of the retail value. Rent the Runway will even go so far as to send you an additional size just in case the size you choose is not quite the right fit. You can't lose!!!

Hiring a Wedding DJ - Tips from DJ Carl

Please note: A DJ that does well at parties may not be the right choice for a wedding. 

Listen to Orlando based celebrity DJ Carl discuss 5 points you should consider when choosing a wedding DJ.

Absolutely Gorgeous Brides

Recently I had the opportunity to chat with the owner of Absolutely Gorgeous Brides, Ms. Lena G.  

Ten years ago Lena was laid off from her job as a marketing manager for PBS and NPR. After being laid off she decided to pursue her passion and become a make-up artist. Lena has worked for some of the top names in the industry and now works for herself doing photo shoots, productions and weddings. When asked what she loves about weddings, Lena replied that she loved that her brides thought of her as more than a stylist and make-up artist.

Absolutely Gorgeous Brides is a mobile spa, professional makeup and hairstyling company that caters to your every need during your special bridal journey. Your wedding is truly one of the most remembered days of your life and Absolutely Gorgeous Brides wants to make sure they do everything they can to make you look as radiant as you feel. 

Allow Absolutely Gorgeous Brides to customize a bridal package for you and your bridesmaids. They are truly committed to making you look and feel fabulous. Just like a movie set or fashion shoot, Absolutely Gorgeous Brides can work on-location on your wedding day to create your unforgettable bridal look. Get gorgeous hair, flawless makeup and red carpet treatment - it's your day to shine!   

Their private Studio is located at: 2431 Aloma Avenue Suite 277 Winter Park FL 32792 You can visit them on the web at http://lgcdinc.com Call :407.218.0505 Email: lena@lgcdinc.com

 

Stay Organized!!!

A wedding has many details, so couples must stay organized when planning their wedding...An organized Bride is a happy Bride!!!

Give yourself time to complete your tasks and be sure to keep a checklist of all of your duties and be sure to check them off as you go along.

If you find yourself overwhelmed with your many duties, don't be afraid to ask your fiance, bridesmaids, or wedding planner for help.

But remember, never bite off more than you can chew, sometimes it is more cost effective to have things professionally done rather than stressing and spending countless hours working on a project.

LatinDestinations.com - Honeymoon Ideas

Arenal Volcano outside of the Arenal Nayara Hotel and Gardens

 

I recently had the opportunity to have dinner with one of my former couples while dining in New York City and they were gushing over the details of their recent honeymoon. I was in awe as I looked at the pictures from their Costa Rican love fest and was even more amazed when I learned of the great deal they received for their vacay.

They went to latindestinations.com and booked their 8 day honeymoon, which included airfare and ranges from $800 -$1,800 per person. Most trips included accommodations in three different cities and allowed you to choose which hotel you preferred to stay in.

Most of these properties are not all inclusive, but if you are sociable people the locals are more than willing to tell you where the tastiest and most affordable eating-places are.

P.S. I am a huge advocate of taking a honeymoon once a year…let’s keep the love brewing!!!

Private Balcony with Jacuzzi attached to your suite.

Ideas for the Groom When Making a Speech at Your Wedding

Groom  
• Appropriate story about how he met his bride
• What this day means to you 
• Thank your bridal party 
• Mention how wonderful the bride looks
• Mention/ thank the bride’s family, or tell a story that relates to them (first meeting?) 
• Thank all parties involved in the wedding 
• Mention/ thank your family  
• Mention any members of the audience that are special or have traveled a large distance
• Thank the venue for the dinner  
• Thank the MC for keeping the night rolling

Creative Ceremony Ideas

If you would like to add special touches to your wedding ceremony, try one or two of the below listed ideas:
1. The mother and father walk the bride down the aisle.  
2. The bride walks down the aisle solo, or perhaps even dad can meet the bride midway down the aisle.  
3. Have the groom escort his mother to her seat.  
4. Allow a family member or friend to do a special reading or solo.  
5. Have a rose ceremony - The bride and groom exchange two red roses symbolizing the giving and receiving of their love for each other throughout their marriage.  
6. Hand out roses to the mothers during the rose ceremony.  
7. Have a family member deliver the final blessing.  
8. Include a prayer of thanks to the families.
9. Have a single flower given out to each female guest as they are seated for the ceremony.  
10. Jumping of the Broom  
11. For the big kiss, have the wedding party hold up score cards to rate the kiss.
12. Do a tasting ceremony - The bride and groom will taste four different flavors, something sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. These different flavors will represent the sweet, salty, bitter and sour times the couple will go through during their marriage. Guests usually get a kick out of the funny faces made by the couple as they taste the different elements.  
13. Include some of your engagement photos in your wedding program. Happy Planning!!!

Engagement Sessions - Be Your Best Self

When doing an engagement photo session with your photographer be sure to look your best. I usually recommend that my brides meet with a make-up artist the day of their engagement session to do a trial run for their wedding day make-up. This way she kills two birds with one stone (figure of speech to all my PETA friends), and then her make-up is perfection for her engagement session and she has now had the necessary make-up trial run for her wedding day. Happy Planning!!!

Meet Gia - Designs by Cornelia Intern

Hi my name is Gia Allmond, I am from Jacksonville, FL and currently, I'm attending the UCF Rosen College for Hospitality Management, majoring in Event Management with two minors in Hospitality Management and Spanish. During my time in high school I greceived the opportunity of a lifetime and worked with the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce for two years in the Membership Department. Working there really opened my eyes and confirmed how much I love working events. That was when I decided to attend the University of Central Florida. Working with people and events is my passion. There is nothing that I love more than to see or hear the feedback from someone when you've just created and executed an event that was everything that they imagined or even exceeded their expectations. I simply love being able to meet and talk with new people and help them to create their dream event that will stick with them for a lifetime.

Tipping Your Caterer

I am often asked "How much should I tip the caterer?". Well, it depends on whether the gratuity is already included in your total bill or whether it is left up to your discretion. Be sure to check with your caterer first on this. In the event that the caterer does leave the gratuity to your discretion, you should expect to pay 18 - 20 % of the catering bill evenly dispersed between the supervisor, servers, and bartenders. At least $50-$75 should be given to each person. SN: Be sure to factor in tips and gratuity when putting together your wedding budget.