It happens to the best of us. You’re busy tasting cakes, shopping for venues, matching linens and checking RSVPs, when you glance at your calendar and realize just how rapidly your wedding day is approaching. Your to-do list seems to be a mile long and seating arrangement configurations are starting to take over your already overloaded brain. We totally understand; preparing for your “I do’s” takes a lot of orchestration! To help you reduce the inevitable stress that comes with wedding planning, we’ve enlisted the help of one of our fabulous Vendor Guide members, Chicago wedding planner Beth Bernstein, owner of SQN Events.
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Stress-Free Planning Tips from SQN Events
• Plan for a Planner. Wedding planners can help with everything from event design to budget management, vendor selection and day-of coordination. Another option is a “month of” coordinator who will handle the details during the last few weeks leading up to the wedding and oversee the wedding rehearsal and wedding day logistics. Try to book a wedding planner at least one year ahead, or a month-of coordinator six months before your nuptials to ensure that your day goes off without a hitch.
• Think Twice about Holiday Weekends. While holiday weekends tend to be convenient for guests with holiday time off to travel for a wedding, these dates are often very popular, which may result in higher vendor costs and planners/venues that are reserved further in advance.
• Make Guest List Guidelines. Finalizing the guest list is often one of the trickiest parts of planning, especially when your idea of who should attend differs from that of your family, who may be contributing financially to the wedding. Create some guidelines at the outset to set expectations. (Example: No invitations will be sent to people whom the couple have never met!)
• Be Hosts with the Most! Out-of-town guest lists are growing, making it hard to draw a line for rehearsal dinner attendees. While you may envision a relaxed rehearsal dinner with your wedding party, your parents may prefer the tradition of inviting all out-of-town guests, which can lead to hosting a mini-wedding the night before the big day! To compromise, consider having an intimate rehearsal dinner or luncheon one day, and a casual “welcome dinner” for out-of-town guests the night before the wedding. Rent a room in a local pub, invite guests to stop by for food and drink and allow them to come and go as they please!
• Do your homework. Before meeting with your planner, it is helpful to put pen to paper and dream a bit about your big day. When you close your eyes, what do you see? Our printable wedding inspiration worksheet, courtesy of SQN Events, will help to narrow down your vision and get those creative juices flowing before your first meeting with your wedding planner!
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What tips do you have for keeping wedding planning stress-free?
*This post was sponsored by SQN Events.
You just can’t go wrong with Old South glamour and style, and we can back up that statement with these images of Rebecca and Taylor’s wedding from Laura Negri Photography. The sophisticated soiree, held at Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church and The Cloister at Sea Island, Georgia, left no detail overlooked, from lush arrangements of ranunculus and garden roses by the talented team at Sea Island to a custom cipher created by Alexa Pulitzer. We are absolutely dying over Rebecca’s Monique Lhuillier gown, with a full ruffled skirt and pink sash, complemented by rose gold Christian Louboutin peep-toes. Enjoy these fabulous photos while we try to pick our jaws up off the floor!
Photography – Laura Negri Photography \ Ceremony Venue – Wesley United Methodist Church \ Reception Venue – Cloister Ballroom of Sea Island \ Floral, Catering, Linens, Lighting, and Transportation – Sea Island \ Wedding Planning and Day-of Coordination – Amanda Gould of Sea Island \ Event Design- Melissa Ippensen of Sea Island \ Stationery – William Arthur and Alexa Pulitzer \ Calligraphy – Ginna Dunlap Emmet Calligraphy \ Favors – Marye-Kelley \ Videography – Jeffrey Stoner Video \ Rentals – Sea Island and Event Rentals \ Band – Liquid Pleasure \ Ceremony Musicians – Music By Pegge and Fellowship Concert Choir \ Hair Stylist – Mallory of Jodi’s \ Makeup Artist – Stephanie Adams \ Bridesmaids Dresses – Melissa Sweet for Priscilla of Boston \ Gown – Monique Lhuillier \ Bridal Salon and Veil – Neiman Marcus \ Shoes – Christian Louboutin \ Suit – George Bass \ Groom’s Shoes – Stubbs & Wootton \ Additional Stationery and Cocktail Napkins – By Invitation Only
What do you get when you mix an ivy-covered manor, bushels of baby’s breath and garden roses, a beautiful bride and a dapper groom? This romantic wedding celebrating the marriage of Mirah and Brysen! Set at Greencrest Manor in Battle Creek, Michigan, this couple wanted their wedding to be an intimate affair that reflected their personalities. For Mirah, this meant incorporating feminine touches with lots of personal details. For Brysen, the gathering needed to have a timeless and tailored vibe. From the handmade flower arrangements of blush garden roses and baby’s breath to the linen suits with cream ties, this wedding was definitely a perfect mix of the duo! Mirah looked amazing in her Victoria Nicole gown, and we can’t wait for you to see the way her veil caught in the wind in the images by Amy Carroll below. We love the romantic, classic and intimate feel of this wedding, and thank the couple for sharing their special day with us!
Photography – Amy Carroll Photography \ Venue – Greencrest Manor \ Floral – DIY with flowers from FiftyFlowers.com \ Stationery – Paper Source and Sir Speedy \ Catering – Schuler’s Restaurant \ Rentals – Rentalex Michigan \ Linens – BBJ Linen \ Band – Kids These Days and Jim Gibbons AVS Sound Systems \ DJ – Live Audio Entertainment \ Bridesmaids Dresses – Bella Bridesmaid \ Gown – Victoria Nicole \ Bridal Salon – Stardust Celebrations \ Shoes – Badgley Mischka \ Suit – Bachrach
*Fifty Flowers is an EAD sponsor.
TGIF! It’s been an absolutely beautiful fall week and to wrap it up in the prettiest way possible, we’re sharing our favorite awe-inspiring links from a few blogs we simply adore! Enjoy and have a great weekend!
{Image by Colleen Rosenthal Photography via Borrowed & Blue}
Here are a few of our favorites from the week:
Follow us on Pinterest for more inspiring wedding ideas, do-it-yourself projects, party ideas, yummy recipes, and more!
There’s nothing more show-stopping than bold and dramatic flowers, don’t you think? Amaranthus adds texture to an arrangement and when used in a bouquet, it’s hanging stems can give it a cascading feel. It comes in both a rich fuchsia and a bright green, and will make even the smallest boutonniere or the largest ceremony arch unique!
{magenta bouquet by Bella Signature Design, photo by Justin & Mary via Style Me Pretty; purple and green bouquet by Shell’s Petals, photo by Matt Haines Photography via Ruffled}
{hot pink arrangement by Honey of a Thousand Flowers via Ruffled}
{quicksand-hued wedding bouquet by Hey Gorgeous Events, photo by Amy Carroll Photography via Wedding Chicks; modern green and white bouquet by David Tutera, photo by Allan Zepeda via Style Me Pretty}
{secret garden-inspired bouquet by Casa Linda Florals, photo by Al Gawlik Photography via Style Me Pretty}
{antiqued bouquet by Tarah Henderson, photo by Marissa Rodriguez Photography via Ruffled; cool green and white bouquet by Floral Occassions, photo by Troy Grover Photographers via 100 Layer Cake}
{peach and salmon centerpiece by Events in Bloom, photo by Justin DeMutiis Photography via Style Me Pretty}
Are you blown away by the drama a touch of amaranthus can add, too?
