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Category Archives: Wedding Planning
Invitation Etiquette
Our invitation specialists help brides create the wedding invitation of their dreams. They know that the invitation sets the tone for the wedding it announces and as such is an early indicator for the guests as to the type of celebration to which they are invited. Our experts field all sorts of questions and are knowledgeable about the various paper styles, font types and wording variations that brides are seeking. They are also asked about the appropriateness of certain wording choices. We know that more and more brides are making selections that blend the historically formal with the contemporary feel of today’s preferences. However, the rule of good taste does still have punch and invitation specialists are being asked if it is ok to ask for gifts of money on the wedding invitation. The answer is a clear and consistent NO!
There is no socially acceptable or tactful way to include in invitation copy the fact that the couple would prefer cash in place of gifts. So my recommendation is don’t do it.
This situation is more likely to occur with a couple in their late 20s or early 30s who have been living together for some time prior to the wedding. They tend to have all household necessities and are not inclined to establish a traditional gift registry. They may be planning to buy a house and would prefer cash gifts. This is a worthy preference but the invitation is not the place to spread the word. For that they need to rely on word of mouth. The couple needs to tell their parents, friends, and members of the wedding that when asked about gift preferences, cash is the couple’s preference.
I recommend that if you are asked directly what you want for a wedding gift, be polite and say, “We’re saving for a down payment on a house, so if you’d like to give a check, that’s how we would use it. But whatever you decide will be terrific. Thank you for thinking of us.”
Not everyone is comfortable giving cash. They don’t like giving money. They prefer a tangible gift. Cards can be lost and seem impersonal. And that is absolutely fine. And because there are guests with this preference, we suggest that brides set up a traditional gift registry too to accommodate the guests who prefer to give a gift other than cash.
White Weddings and Events
www.sdweddingsandevents.com
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Shop our store online for weddings party gifts and guest favors. Visit http://sdweddingsandevents.theaspenshops.com/
Posted in Invitations, Wedding Planning
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Thinking About Hawaii as a Destination Wedding?
Destination weddings have taken approximately 20% of the weddings that take place each year. Brides find they are spending sometimes up to 40% less on their weddings than other brides for many reasons. For one, you will find that for the most part, acquaintances and distant friends may not attend. The wedding will comprise more of the close family and friends one may expect to see more often. Why? Because the cost for each guest to attend a destination wedding is much higher than that if they were to attend a local wedding.
Hawaii as a destination wedding is a great place if you reside on the West Coast. The flight is about 5-6 hours and 10 out of 12 months of the year, the weather is beautiful and 82 degrees with high humidity. Paradise most would call it. Even for us San Diegans. If you are looking for a destination Wedding in Hawaii, here are some great venues to look into.
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| Sheraton Kauai |
Sheraton (Kauai) – Great location. Beautiful part of the island and just a great hotel to hold a wedding. This hotel has beach front accommodations along a sandy beach.
Hilton Hawaiian Village (Oahu) - Looking for that busy atmosphere in Paradise with lots of shops and right on the beach. This venue has various ballrooms that can accommodate any size wedding. The ballrooms are all located inside the hotel, but I believe they can also accommodate an outside ceremony. The budget is a little more on the higher side for this venue, but can be a convenient location where guests do not need to rent a car to get around. Everything is so close. Right there in the heart of Waikiki. Always the sunny side of Oahu.
Turtle Bay Resort (Oahu) – This venue is my favorite. Elegant, secluded, and a very romantic spot for a wedding. They offer an elegant ceremony location in a covered outside area ballroom area. The accommodations are amazing. It’s right on the beach location on the North Shore in a secluded area. With this venue, guests will need to rent a car to get around since it is about 5 miles to the nearest town (Haleiwa), but this venue can be worth it if you are looking for a quiet location. This would be considered one of higher priced accommodations on the island for this type of event.
Hale Koa (Oahu) for Military Families – The Hale Koa accommodates military families and veterans and is economically priced and well worth the stay for the budget. It is located in the heart of Waikiki and offers on-site Luaus, activities, and great restaurants. There is a garden area where they hold outside ceremonies. You must be active duty, veteran, or DoD to reserve, but accommodations are very reasonably priced and the hotel is a nice decent place to hold a wedding and it’s centrally located to everything.
Hyatt Regency (Oahu) – Located in Waikiki right in front of Queen’s Beach, which is probably the busiest place in Waikiki. So close to all the shopping that some of the high end stores are actually attached to this building. This is a busy spot, so if you are looking for a great location that is well open to the public, this would be a great spot. The prices are on the higher end, as much of the hotels are, and the accommodations are very nice.This hotel is located on Kalakaua (main strip along Waikiki Beach), but is located on the opposite side of the street so the beach is across the street.
Marriott KoOlina (Oahu) – The beach this beach sits on is well secluded and they only allow a certain number of people to park at the public beaches along these three coves. This keeps from the beaches getting over crowded. A great location if you want to be away from the city and in a cove where the ocean is beautiful but the waves are not crashing down. Great place if you have quite a few young kids. The hotel itself also is well known for weddings here.
Hilton Waikoloa Village (Island of Hawaii) – Right on the beach. Shopping center inside hotel lot. Lots to do for the kids. If you are planning the Island of Hawaii for your destination wedding, this is a beautiful spot in Waikoloa, on the sunny side of the island, and has great family activities including dolphin quest, golf, and a luau. Guests will love this place.
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| Ka’anapali Maui |
Ritz Carlton (Maui) – This location is well-known for events and weddings. It’s located in Kapalua and has an outside ballroom where all four sides are open to the outside breeze. Located on the beach and is about 5 miles up from Lahaina, the popular city in Maui. Not as busy as Waikiki, Oahu, and offers that vintage Hawaiian feel.
Hawaii is a great location for a destination wedding. It could get expensive so if you are planning to have a Hawaii wedding, make sure you are certain on your guest list. This is a great place where you know that families, individuals, and children can have a good time. All hotels have concierge that can help you plan your extra free time with island tours, trip to the Polynesian Cultural Center, shrimp truck visit, or just some on-site fun. Contact us for more information on how we can assist you in planning your destination wedding to Hawaii. We know the ins and outs of the island and can give you some guidance on how to plan from afar.
Hiring a local wedding planner to help plan your destination wedding can help ease the stress of the uncertainties and not being able to meeting face to face with your planner. Contact us today with questions!
White Weddings and Events
www.sdweddingsandevents.com
info@sdweddingsandevents.com
Posted in Destination Wedding, Wedding Planning
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Need a Unique Wedding Location?
Are you looking for something more than that typical hotel wedding location to say your vows? A hotel can be convenient and offers enough services, you as a bride, do not need to go looking much further for vendors. They have their preferred vendor list, and required catering department, as well as an onsite event manager. However, one of the complaints I hear often is that they are too open to the public. That special day is many times interrupted by strangers they do not know. 
Try renting a private estate. They offer a unique location and different styles depending on what you are looking for. Below is a link with a variety of California locations where private estates are offered for rental. Most of them offer a 6 night stay (or approximate) package. 
http://www.estateweddingsandevents.com/estate-weddings-and-events/private-estate-event-locations.htm
I was researching the San Diego area for a ocean view located private estate, and there are many surprisingly — at least for rental. I came across a new location not located above. The La Jolla Grand Private Estate. Beautiful location in La Jolla with 180 degree view of ocean water. This location can accommodate 200-300 people.
If you are looking for that private location, would like an ocean view, but do not wish to be surrounded by the open public lingering. Check out the La Jolla Grand, or one of the other private estates along California’s coastline. The link above has the largest variety that I have seen so far, but there is also the Levy Estate as well.
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Warmest Regards,
White Weddings and Events
www.sdweddingsandevents.com
info@sdweddingsandevents.com
Posted in Venues, Wedding Planning
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Best places for a Bachelor party
This is the night men are waiting for during the entire planning process. They can’t wait to have a night (or a weekend) out with their guy friends right before the big day. In traditional times, this would be a trip to the bar to wash away some of the jitters. Now a days, it’s a full weekend trip.
Here are some of the most popular destinations for “away” bachelor parties
- 68% of “away” bachelor parties take place in Last Vegas. This one is probably the most common place for the West Coast United States by far. It has cheap hotels, gambling, and nightlife. Oh yeah, and don’t forget the strippers. What more could a guy ask for?
- 11% of “away” bachelor parties take place in New Orleans. The New Orleans strip has almost just as much to do as Las Vegas, and like Las Vegas, New Orleans doesn’t sleep either.
- Other favorite places include Montreal Canada, Miami, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Some would actually argue that Montreal is a higher ranked location than New Orleans for Bachelor parties. The others all depend upon the geographic location the bride and groom are from.
Now that bachelor parties can include up to a weekend of fun, there are a much wider variety of destinations that can be appealing such as the Bahamas, Cabo, or what about Vancouver or Whistler, Canada.
For unique, try driving a real NASCAR experience in Oregon. This is masculine and a once in a lifetime event. Don’t want to engage with strippers or get completely plastered every night in Vegas while gambling your money away. Try the NASCAR Racing Experience. Go to www.nascarracingexperience.com for more info. I know a few people who have actually experienced this and they have told me it was unreal, like nothing they have done before.
Another idea, is to take a skiing or snowboarding trip. Obviously this would depend on what time of year the bachelor party is scheduled, but this could be a real bonding experience with the boys and would be a great way to relax and get away for the weekend. Try going to Mammoth Mountain or Lake Tahoe in California or Aspen, Colorado.
Leave a comment and let me know what you or your fiance is planning to do for their bachelor party.
White Weddings and Events
www.sdweddingsandevents.com
Posted in Pre-Wedding Parties, Wedding Planning
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Sale on Favors! – 10% Off
See the great favors we have to offer at http://sdweddingsandevents.theaspenshops.com/. 10% off entire order.
Some great items we have to offer
Miniature Gold Chair Favor Box with Heart Charm and Ribbon (Can be Monogrammed) (Set of 12)
“Kissing Bell” Place Card/Photo Holder (Set of 24)
Snowflake Bottle Stopper in Shimmering Gift Box
White Weddings and Events
www.sdweddingsandevents.com
http://sdweddingsandevents.theaspenshops.com
White Weddings and Events
www.sdweddingsandevents.com
http://sdweddingsandevents.theaspenshops.com
A Catering Manager is NOT a Wedding Coordinator
Many times, the bride and groom may not know the difference because they interview the catering manager who says they take care of all the coordination of the event. What the catering manager really means, is that they take care of all the coordination of the food/cake at the event including setup, tear down, and cake cutting. However, there are many other aspects that happen at a wedding require coordination. For example, ceremony coordination including setup, seating of guests, line up of wedding party, guidance on when each attendant walks down the aisle, as well as tear down and guidance to the reception activities. The reception activities require quite a bit of coordination that many aren’t aware the catering manager does not handle including wedding party entrance, toasts, first dance announcement, bouquet toss, garter toss, and last dance. The DJ can handle some of these announcements, but the coordination of this usually requires a wedding planner.
I have noticed from experience, the bride and groom may get the impression the catering company can handle all of the event aspects or even the Event Manager. Usually the venue event manager will handle all the venue details including the setup coordination, seating arrangements, any accommodations, etc. The wedding coordinator can be utilized to handle all of the above as well as the actual ceremony and reception events.
Tip: Make sure to ask questions when hiring your catering manager and venue event manager. They may say they handle the coordination of all aspects of the event, but they are relating these activities to their piece of the event (ie: food, venue, etc). Visit our post about why you need a wedding planner >> http://sdweddingsandevents.blogspot.com/2011/03/but-there-are-some-things-that-only.html
White Weddings and Events
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Posted in Reception, Wedding Planning
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Buy wedding favors for your guests
Having a hard time on knowing where to buy your favors. Browse the store below for elegant wedding favors and great gifts for yoru wedding party.
http://sdweddingsandevents.theaspenshops.com/
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How to find a good, credible florist
Questions for the Florist
One of the most important professionals you will engage to provide services at your wedding is the florist. As you begin to make service provider selections, we suggest that you consider asking prospective florists about the following areas. Their answers will help you to decide on which professional will best suit your tastes and needs.
- Ask about their design credentials. Ask about the experience level of those who will be designing and creating your bouquets and decorations. Have they received recognition in any design competitions or been recognized for excellence by any of the professional organizations in the industry?
- Ask to see the work rooms as well as the show rooms. You want to make sure that they have enough room to handle your wedding on top of other floral work, especially during the busy season. Ask how they process/handle flowers when they arrive from the grower or supplier. Do they control water pH levels, add nutrients and/or antibacterial agents to the water to feed and protect the flowers?
- Ask to see the cooler space. You want to make sure your florist has enough cooler space to handle and store your completed wedding flowers. Is the temperature in the cooler monitored closely? Are there backup coolers in case of a breakdown?
- Ask about their delivery system. Make sure the delivery vehicles are clean and well organized so that your flowers can be delivered without damage. Is there adequate back up transportation? Are the delivery people aware of all the requirements for delivery and set up preferred by area churches?
Make your appointments to interview florists well in advance of need. Depending on the area of the country, the time of the year and the size of your wedding, you may wish to begin the selection process and lock in your preferred professional florist for your big day well in advance. Some brides book the date six months in advance and then schedule another appointment closer to the date to begin the specific floral selections.
Please let us know if you have other questions about florists or other wedding professionals.
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White Weddings and Events
www.sdweddingsandevents.com
Posted in Florist, Wedding Planning
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Trouble knowing where to seat your ceremony guests?
Are you required to have your guests sit on their respective sides at the ceremony?
We are frequently asked about the “rules” governing pre ceremony activities. Our experience often prompts us to suggest that brides ignore traditional seating etiquette when it doesn’t suit their particular situation.
For instance, it is not necessary to seat all of the bride’s friends on the left side of the church and all of the groom’s friends on the right. If the groom lives far from the bride’s hometown, it is likely that more of her friends will attend the ceremony than his. To give a more balanced look to the church, simply advise ushers in advance to ask guests if they mind sitting on the side of the church where there is more room. The parents of the couple should sit on their respective sides, but in some situations it simply makes sense to mingle the guests. Guest who are friends and family should be very comfortable following such usher requests.
We also offer additional advice to those who will be guests at weddings this season. Courtesy and consideration are in order toward the couple and their families who have chosen to include you in this very important day. To be a considerate guest, we recommend the following:
- Arrive at the church at least 20 minutes before the ceremony – or 30-40 minutes if it is a big wedding.
- Should you arrive unavoidably late, do not expect to be seated by an usher. Slip quietly into the church and stand at the back if sitting down would cause any disturbance at all. Strive to be unobtrusive and very quiet.
- You may bring your wraps into the church with you but children only if they have been invited.
- Dress appropriately.
- Know that if you receive an invitation to the wedding and the reception, you must reply to that invitation as soon as possible. Etiquette says that no reply is necessary to a wedding invitation in a church unless you receive an invitation to a reception. However, if a pew card is included with your invitation you must reply to both the ceremony and the reception. The couple must know if that pew will be occupied. Failure to respond to a reception invitation is unacceptable and in bad taste so make it your practice to always respond to any invitation received.
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White Weddings and Events
www.sdweddingsandevents.com
Posted in Theme Weddings, Wedding Planning
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Plan for Happy Guests..
Yes, it is true – there wouldn’t be a wedding without you, the bride. However, your goal besides being the center of attention is to host a party that guests will remember fondly because they were treated so well. Over the years we have collected ideas from our brides about what they did that made their guests happy at their wedding. We’d be delighted to share them with you.
Some of our bride’s secrets to happy guests.
- When you create a gift registry at your favorite stores, be sure to include items that will fit everyone’s budget.
- When you select your reception food, keep in mind that a number of foods are universally disliked. Foods like hot chili peppers, liver, Brussels sprouts etc. may be your own personal favorites, but if you serve them there will be lots left.
- Pick centerpieces that are lovely and unique but not so big that people can’t see across the table.
- Arrange pre and post reception transportation for those guests who can’t or don’t want to drive.
- Work hard to personally greet every guest at the ceremony or reception. It means a lot.
- Don’t forget to feed your photographer and musicians. Sandwiches are fine.
- Limit the break between the ceremony and the reception to no more than one hour.
- Have the band or DJ play a wide range of music so that everyone can dance at least some of the time. Some “golden oldies” so that your parents and their friends can take to the floor are a nice touch.
- Consider integrating your single friends into table groups with people who share the same interests. A table of all singles isn’t the best arrangement.
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White Weddings and Events
www.sdweddingsandevents.com
Posted in Reception, Wedding Planning
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