Matters of the Heart: Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? When Others Take The Lead in Planning Your Wedding

Matters of the Heart: Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? When Others Take The Lead in Planning Your Wedding

Your wedding day is a special time to celebrate your love and future. So often, we see third parties taking over this big moment with their input. When your future in-laws and over-opinionated friends try to take the lead, how do you pull back to achieve your dream day – not theirs? Put Your Foot Down This is one scenario, no matter how light-footed you may be, you have to be strong! Your wedding day is a once in a lifetime experience. You cannot let others dictate details and alter your dream. Learning how to firmly say “No,” when reacting to the overbearing suggestions of others can feel negative but is very important to your planning process. Explain what your ideas are and try to find common ground. If you don’t want to wear your mother’s wedding dress, state the kind of style you are looking for and why the experience of dress shopping is important to you. If you have a relative trying to take over some of the planning, sometimes it is best to simply say you have hired someone to handle those tasks, and their attendance is all you need from them. Be Honest! Take advice with a grain of salt – or maybe a scoopful. It is okay to allow others to interject their experience and ideas for your big day. In fact, it can be beneficial to see where aspects could be improved. However, you have to be honest when dealing with friends and family who are overstepping their boundaries. Let them know you respect their desire to help but you have a professional...
Bringing Blended Families Together

Bringing Blended Families Together

A wedding is a magical time where a new family is created. When there are children involved, bringing two families together may take a couple extra steps and considerations. To make sure the transition goes over smoothly, it’s important to keep the children in mind during the planning process, the big day, and what to expect after the wedding. This is an exciting time for everyone! Incorporating relationship building into your planning process will ensure the family connection will be sealed by the wedding day. Enlisting a professional and attending family counseling classes is a neutral way to discuss the present and future. During the time leading up to the wedding, offer available times for activities, meals, and mutual interests to bond over. Make sure you listen to your kids! Find out how involved they want to be. Depending on their age, they may be eager to participate or would rather sit out and observe. Let them take it in strides. Inviting your children or spouse-to-be’s children into the ceremony can be a truly special time that unites everyone. On the flip side, if they choose to sit out, make sure you follow up, especially depending on living arrangements. Ask them if they would prefer some one-on-one time before or after the wedding to talk and answer any questions. They may be uncertain of what to expect and it could hold them back, or would rather wait until the celebration is over to talk about what they are feeling. Remember, this is an exciting time for you but may be confusing for them. Opening the lines of communication is...
4 Tips on How to Flow Better With Your Event/Wedding Planner!

4 Tips on How to Flow Better With Your Event/Wedding Planner!

(1). Interview your planner because he/she’ll be interviewing you.     (2).  Before signing a planners contract make sure to read his/her contract, clauses and guidelines.  Looking over these details will ensure you and the planner are all ways on the same page! Know what you’re signing and have a conversation about anything you’re uncertain of.    (3). Be on time and prepared for all appointments and or conference calls. Know that your planner wants to offer 100% of their support on the call.   (4).  This is a huge day, and your planner is there to help guide you in making decisions on major details, vendors, and so much more. Vendors tend to book up quickly for certain dates, so being decisive will guarantee your first choices are locked...
Are Bridal Shows Worth Your Time?

Are Bridal Shows Worth Your Time?

It seems like bridal show and expos are everywhere around a certain time of year. The big question: is it worth your time to attend one, or multiple of these events? Pros Swag! You’ll get loads of goodies from these expos and who doesn’t love free stuff! From pens to mini champagne bottles to cupcakes to neat little items that you can throw in your purse we see so many cool freebies! This is also a great time for vendors to give out coupons and deals for their services which will help a lot in the long run if you find your perfect match and end up booking one or a couple while you’re there or afterwards. No pressure. This isn’t a sit down conversation which insinuates you’re going to book us. The casual setting makes it a great opportunity to see the true personality of many wedding vendors and see if you connect right off the bat. This also saves you a lot of time overall, because you’re not squeezing in multiple hour long appointments with several different vendors, and you can feel out within the first couple minutes from the table display and conversation if they’re going to be right for your wedding. Visuals. We have seen some absolutely stunning displays at these events. From cakes to wedding dresses to fully set tables, we swoon over the bridal glory these events bring to the table — literally! If you have any uncertainties of what you’re looking for (because let’s be real, no one has it planned out to every last detail) then you’ll have plenty of visual...
Tips & Tricks To Planning Your Next Event

Tips & Tricks To Planning Your Next Event

When embarking on the large task of planning an event you may not know where to begin. As professional wedding planners, we have some inside secrets from the successes and obstacles that we have faced in our experience with the world of event planning. How to plan the best possible event without going overboard, over-budget, or overworking yourself. The key here is to work smarter and not harder so you can take the time to enjoy your event and all you have created. Budget First The biggest blunder we see people get into when planning an event is not establishing a set in stone budget beforehand. We see this topic come up a lot when discussing any type of event planning because it truly is the foundation of the planning process. The most important tip we have for anyone is to sit down and evaluate financials. This means the money available at the moment first and foremost. You may be allotted a certain amount from a company or person, or be working with out of pocket cash. Don’t rely on promises, possible raises/bonuses, or anything that isn’t guaranteed and factored into your typical, weekly budget. Prioritizing Is Key After laying the foundation the next step is the building blocks of the event. Consider the type of event you are planning and ask the big W questions: who, what, where, when. At this point you want to start to divvy up the above decided budget into importance so you know what you can settle on and what deserves your time and resources. Who will be invited? This will determine your...
Wedding Trends

Wedding Trends

We have Spring Fever over here at Events by Deb! Our sunny season brides are gearing up for their big day and we are following close to what is trending in the wedding industry with a close eye. An important part of being a wedding planner is to keep tabs on any and all upcoming trends happening now and even a year out considering how long the planning process takes. What’s trending? Pantone’s Color Of The Year 2017 is Greenery and we are seeing cheerful hues pop up in wedding trends for the Spring and Summer. We are in awe over soft, organic eucalyptus being incorporated into bouquets and floral arrangements. Our favorite integration of this trend is replacing the traditional cloth table runner with an interwoven mix of greens and pops of bright flowers. No centerpiece is needed with this decadent spin on the traditional centerpiece! Vintage inspired themes are making a huge impact on weddings. Brides will be requesting deep waves to compliment their delicately beaded and lace covered gowns. We are excited to see new hues in lipstick and makeup mavens influencing purples and reds into the wedding scene. We love the request of rustic barns for venues to compliment mason jars and vintage heirlooms. Expect to see strings of lights and glowing candles among glimmering metallics. The wedding hashtag has become a must have and still trending strong. Couples are creating their #perfectphrase to connect their love into something catchy for social media. With Instagram and Facebook hosting the majority of our photos, this is a great way for the couple to promote fun inside...