As 2016 comes to a close and we reflect on all the good and bad of the year, I thought it would be nice to end on a sweet, beautiful, delectable, yummy, delicious, gorgeous, masterpiece, artistic, tasty and stunning note. Take a look at some of my favorite wedding cakes. And if you know me personally, you know I tasted each and every one of them!!! #Happiness
I'm always writing timelines and information for the ladies. Sorry men...please forgive me. Below is a detailed timeline of what the GROOM needs to do in preparation for wedding day.
12 months before Determine budget contribution, including any gifts from parents, family, friends, etc.
Choose attendants (Best Man, Groomsmen, Ushers, Ring Bearer) and invite them to be in the wedding
7 to 9 months before Reserve rehearsal dinner location
Compile your friend/family guest list
4 to 6 months before Reserve mens' formal wear
2 to 3 months before Purchase meaningful gift for bride
Purchase gifts for your attendants and parents
Decide on rehearsal and rehearsal dinner attire
Order rehearsal dinner invitations
Choose song for mother/groom dance
6 to 8 weeks before Confirm formal wear measurements
Confirm rehearsal dinner menu
1 month before Send rehearsal dinner invitations
Tale care of business and legal affairs (inform car, home, renter's insurance of marriage Change beneficiary to fiancée for will and life insurance policy)
Attend bachelor party and any couple's showers
2 to 3 weeks before Make appointments for hair, manicure, other grooming
Create wedding day schedule
1 week before Confirm rehearsal dinner plans
Pack for honeymoon
Prepare speech and toast for reception
Write your vows
Order flowers to be delivered to bride, mother and mother-in-law on wedding morning
1 to 2 days before
Pick up tuxedo rentals
The wedding day
Give wedding rings and officiant's fee to best man
Time is going to start moving fast once you are engaged and have "set" the wedding date. Below is a list of those intial to-do's to get the wedding planing process started:
Research and hire a wedding planner
Set your wedding budget
Announce your engagement and prepare to have an intimate celebration
Select your wedding party
Start searching for your wedding ceremony and wedding reception venues
The wedding invitation is the first indication to your wedding guests of the type of wedding you are having. It shares your wedding "style" on paper. So make sure to make a great impression. With that said, below is a simple stationery timeline for you to consider:
1 year before the wedding - start working on the guest list and gather full addresses
10 months before the wedding - start shopping for Save The Dates
6-9 months before the wedding - finalize the mailing addresses and mail the Save The Dates
4-6 months before the wedding - shop and order your wedding invitation suite and hire your calligraphist or digital printer to address the envelopes. No labels, please.
3 months before the wedding - mail your wedding invitations
1 month before the wedding - contact via phone or e-mail the wedding guests that have not RSVP'd
You are going to need a passport to visit any country outside of the United States except for the US Territories (Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands). But honestly, I believe that is going to change soon for traveling within the United States. With that said, I believe it's best to plan ahead and obtain your passport.
Do not wait until the last minute to apply for your passport. It takes about 6 weeks to process. Can you get it quicker than that...yes, but the expediting fees are pretty hefty. When applying for your passport, you will need your original birth certificate, the passport application and a 2"x2" passport photo.
In order to actually travel, your full name must match on your passport and airline ticket. Once you have returned from your honeymoon and have an original copy of your marriage license, you can then change the name on your passport.
Planning for the meal you will be serving at your wedding reception is the 2nd most important process outside of booking the venue. You need to have a budget in mind for your food and beverage and that is typically 40-50% of the overall wedding budget. If you are going with a venue that requires you to hire an off-premise caterer, hire a company that is professional and has multiple menu options.
Below is a catering guide to follow for a 4-6 hour event:
Appetizers - 5-6 pieces per guest
Cocktail - 1.5 drinks per guest per hour
Cold drink - 1 drink per guest per hour
Entree - 1 serving per guest
Side dishes - 1.5 servings per guest
Wedding cake - 1 slice per guest
Cupcakes - 1.5 cupcake per guest
Cookies - 3 per guest
Candy - .5 cup per guest
Hot drink - 1 cup per guest
Until next time...WEDologize!
Photo credit - Rush Productions Info from Today's Bride Akron/Canton
it would be for peace, faith, and happiness
not only at Christmas,
but for the whole year through!
I wish that there always be food on your table.
That you always give to those less fortunate.
May you always take time to share,
and thank those who have blessed you.
I wish for time, so you may reflect
on the blessings that you have,
and that you express your love
to those who are dear to you.
May you never feel lonely,
because there are those who care.
That you realize: you are special,
you are unique, you make a difference,
not only at Christmas, but all year!
I wish for your thoughts to be positive ones,
that you never quit, that you never give up,
and that you continue to learn.
I wish for the love, and peace of God,
to be yours always.
From the Dejanae Events Team to you family and friends, have a Merry Christmas and safe holiday season!!! xoxo
When selecting the hair style you want to showcase on your wedding day, there are 3 things you need to consider.
1. Seek out inspiration. Choose the color, style and length at least 6-9 months before the wedding. Meet with your stylist or ask your wedding planner and/or friends for recommendations. Also consider if you will be wearing a veil or head piece to accessorize your wedding gown.
2. Allow your stylist to prepare your hair weeks before the wedding with a trim and deep conditioning treatment. Also, schedule your trial a couple months in advance. Make sure to bring your jewelry and any hair accessories to that appointment.
3. Make sure to ask your stylist what he/she will need onsite for wedding day if they are coming to you. Also, make sure to be prepared for hair mishaps by packing a small emergency kit to include hair spray, bobby pins, comb and brush.
Shopping for your wedding gown and be overwhelming sometimes. Make sure to prepare yourself for what should be a truly fun and emotional experience. Start your wedding gown search by flipping through magazines, bridal websites and on Pinterest. Make sure to bring those pictures with you to your first wedding gown appointment. This will help the consultant pull some gowns similar to those styles that will also work with your body type.
More importantly, make sure to have a budget in mind before you go wedding gown shopping. Most brides will spend about 10% of the overall budget on the gown of their dreams.
I soooo love a menu card to add that additional punch when focusing on
the details of a tablescape. Not only does it give your guests the menu
at their fingertips, it can also add some additional color to your
guest's place-setting. But what do you think of when you see a menu
card? The standard is a piece of cardstock with the menu laid out in
the following format: courses outlined by number - first, second, etc.
or soup, salad, entree, dessert. But how about laying the menu out
using one of these different designs.
Until next time...WEDologize!
Photo credit - Rush Productions, Juancho SC Photography, Photography by Lauryn and George Street Photography
I was recently asked this question - How do I feel about inviting someone to the wedding ceremony, but
not the reception? In my opinion...don't. The worst thing that could
happen is the "uninvited reception" sees the completed wedding invitation or speaks with an "invited reception guest during the ceremony and hurt feelings evolve. If you are limited
in who you can invite to your wedding reception, just send those guest a
wedding announcement after your nuptials to avoid unnecessary conflict.
There are also some rules of etiquette that must be considered. If you
send someone a Save The Date, they should also be on the final guest
list to receive the official wedding invitation. Also, if a guest is
invited to your bridal shower or couple shower, it should be your
intentions to invite them to your wedding day celebration as well.
Otherwise, it looks like you "used" them for a gift.
Today's post is simple...I'm going to focus on the dreaded wedding guest
list and tackle some of the questions that every couple faces.
Almost immediately, you need to start discussing who you are going to
invite to your wedding. And understand, this is a joint effort between
the bride, groom and both sets of parents. I suggest creating three
lists - (1) must be invited; (2) should be invited; and (3) would be
nice to invite. Then decide do you want children to attend your wedding
reception. Once the lists are compiled is when you can start making the
final invitee list and begin working on your stationery items and
pre-wedding functions. Last, to make your life easier in the long-run,
create the list in a spreadsheet including their name, address, phone
and email address.
On last Monday's blog post I shared some place setting ideas for the reception. Well today we will talk about the reception's floral needs.
I'm a firm believer that when dealing with the floral budget, put more
towards the reception because your guests will be at that location for
4-6 hours verses your ceremony location for 1-2 hours.
For your reception decor, consider the following to enhance the space:
Cocktail table small arrangements
Escort Card table arrangement
Head or Sweetheart table arrangements (but you can cut costs in this department by using the bridal bouquets as decor)
Guest Book table arrangement, if it's not placed on the escort card table
Guest table centerpieces, possibly varying in height and size
Wedding cake and table florals
Gift table floral
Buffet/Catering table arrangements
Catering Tray floral buds
Bar arrangement
Restroom arrangements
One
important note when selecting the guest table centerpieces, make sure
to arrangement does not distort the guests conversation by being too
large or by not using transparent vessels.
The reception on-site coordinator or manager is there to assist couples with the planning at the reception venue. They do not take the place of a professional wedding coordinator. Their main goals are to handle the reception details such as catering and the bar. When speaking with the on-site coordinators during your venue tours, make sure to ask the following questions:
What are their restrictions when it comes to decor, outside food and beverages.
Find out about those "add-on" costs such as cake cutting fees or corkage fees.
Well you be the only wedding on-site that day? If no, what type of signage will they have in place for your wedding guests?
Do they have a preferred list of vendors that you must use or is it only a "recommended" list?
As a wedding planner, this a question I get all the time: We want to invite several of our single friends to the wedding. Do we have to give them the option of bringing a guest?
We here is my answer:
It's nice to allow your single guests to bring a date, but it is not required. Decide on a case-by-case bases. If your friend lives with their significant other, then it would be nice to allow them a guest. If you single friend just started a budding relationship, consider your guest list and budget before allowing them to bring their new Boo. And for those that you do not allow a guest, sit your single friends with people they know. Don't create the dreaded "Singles Table". It's usually the least talkative table at the reception.
Trust me...you'll thank me later.
Until next time...WEDologize! Photo credit - www.rushphotovideo.com
Pantone, the worlds color authority, has announced the 2017 Color of the Year...and it's called GREENERY!!! I'm so excited about this color and it's meaning is "symbolic of a new beginning". Per Pantone, "Greenery is a fresh and zesty yellow-green shade
that evokes the first days of spring when nature’s greens revive,
restore and renew. Illustrative of flourishing foliage and the lushness
of the great outdoors, the fortifying attributes of Greenery signals
consumers to take a deep breath, oxygenate and reinvigorate... A life-affirming shade, Greenery is also emblematic of the pursuit of personal passions and vitality."
I'm very excited to share a few of the photos from a styled shoot we did with Wedding Guide Chicago in 2013 that showcases GREENERY.
The marriage license is the most important piece of paper that you will ever obtain and sign during the wedding planning process. Below are the guidelines for obtaining a marriage license in the Greater Chicago area:
You must be 18 years or older to marry without parental consent
No blood test or health tests required
Both parties must be present with the proper forms of identification (drivers license, certified birth certificate showing birth date or passport)
If you have been married before, your divorce degree will be required
You can get the license same day and it's valid for $60 days
YOU MUST GET THE LICENSE IN THE COUNTY YOU MARRY. The fee will vary from $15-60.
Photographers are so in-tune with capturing the fabulous details of the
bride's attire - the wedding gown, shoes, accessories and jewelry. But
make sure they capture just the same amount of the detail of your
husband-to-be's attire as well. Having a second photographer makes this
happen effortlessly, but should you not be able to afford this option,
make sure the main photographer understands you want to the same amount
of detail captured of your groom as well.
The DE Team had the honor of being the month-of coordinators for Jeremiah and Veronica this past July 2016. They held their ceremony and reception at Dinolfo's Banquets in Homer Glen, Illinois. Veronica was uber detailed when it came to planning her blush, ivory and platinum wedding.
Thanks to Juliet Tan Floral Design, Delish Cakes,
Peter Gubernat Photography, Turning Point Videography Philsgood DJs, ICON Video Photo Booth and Etsy for working with the DE Team to make this wedding fabulous!
Love that the bride's daughter escorted her down the aisle
Candy and vases purchased by bride, table designed by DE Team
