It's All in the Details

Event planners have a lot of pet peeves. A LOT. We're perfectionists to a certain degree so when we walk into a venue we are automatically "on" and evaluating everything. Even when it's not our event. So, when you are setting up your own event or helping out a friend or relative, keep in mind that you are bringing their vision to life and every little detail matters.

1. Table numbers should face the entrance of the room. If one is to the left of the centerpiece, then they all should be.

2. Favors should not just be thrown on a table in a heap. Take the time to arrange them nicely. Or if they are at each place setting, be sure they are all placed the same way.

3. Chair covers and ties only look nice when they are put on the right way, hugging the chair with no metal legs showing and with the ties all tied nicely. There is no room for sloppy in this area as often times these details *make* the room.

4. Escort Cards (place cards) - It's amazing how many people don't alphabetize these. Be sure the table that these are placed on is in an area that is suitable to the number of people that will be gathered around it looking for their name. There is nothing worse than a cramped place card table 10 minutes before dinner is supposed to start.

5. Lighting of candles. If a wedding is using a lot of the small votive candles, do not light them too early. These candles do not last very long and often times they are lit so early that they are extinguishing themselves just as salads are placed in front of guests. There went that vision!

6. Coat closet. It's something that everyone forgets about and while it's not typically a coordinator's job to oversee it, I always make sure that I take a peek in there during the winter months to ensure that there are enough hangers and no trip hazards. It is amazing how often a coat closet will have a couple dozen hangers for a group of 150. Notify someone at the venue and they'll be sure to thank you for bringing this to their attention!

A wedding photography giveaway

Vendors in the industry are always letting us wedding planners know about their latest & greatest things they have going on. This one is too good to pass up for all you bride-to-be's out there!

Andy Stenz Photography and Jamie M Swanson Photography, both Wisconsin photographers, have teamed up once again for their spirited annual contest. You can check out the details here to enter! I'd be tickled if a reader of my blog won it. Good luck!

http://andystenz.com/weddings/2011-free-wedding-photography-giveaway/10/2010/

What Makes a Great Wedding?

Someone asked me this question over the weekend and I must have really raised an eyebrow or something, because the person went on to say she really just wanted to have the BEST wedding possible and how do you go about getting it?

I'm honest with my clients. Probably a little too honest sometimes. Those former clients reading this are most likely nodding their heads up and down feverishly. :)

A great wedding is what YOU make it. It's not about how much money you spend, it's not about your location, it's not about having 400 of your "closest" friends in attendance. It's simply about designing your wedding to be a reflection of who both of you individually, and together as a couple, are.

Don't try to copy someone's dream wedding you witnessed. Take the pieces from it that you liked and make them your own.

I also always try to really dig deep with my clients - are we talking about the actual wedding or the reception? More often than not the wedding part of the day gets lost in all the planning. Why not put just as much effort into making that part of your day just as beautiful, just as meaningful, just as dreamy as the reception part? After all, it's the wedding ceremony part of your day that is the reason behind the big party anyway.

So, yes. When my clients drag out their five inch wedding binder that they've been putting together since high school, I gently close it and say "Let's talk about YOU before we even open up this book."

I'm excited right along with them, but I just want to try to draw out some other elements that may not have been considered yet.

So, what makes a great wedding? Every single thing that you, the couple, has put into it. It's as simple as that.

New website!

It's time to unveil the fresh new design of the Dreams & Designs website. Since there's no sound on this blog, go ahead and do your own drumroll...I'll wait. {{{{drumroll, please!!}}}}

I present you with www.dreams-designs.com . All of the same information you expect from Dreams & Designs, but with a new and improved look. It is tailored much better to my own personal self and what I believe the company represents. The old website was soooo 2005. :)

A huge thank you to Keara Harris Designs who put it together. I highly recommend their work - quick, efficient, works well through email and needs minimal direction. Which, when you're technologically and website challenged as I am, is so important.

Thank you all!