D.I.Y. Or Why Not?

More often than not, I hear the term “D.I.Y.” or “I am really crafty!” during a wedding consultation. While I am happy that the couple (or bride in most cases) is attempting to be budget-conscious by creating certain items for their big day, time and sometimes skill set may not be on their side. The term DIY means to Do It Yourself and although this can start out as a money-saving idea it can definitely turn into frustration and more stress than you are ready for. 

So let’s talk about what’s OK to D.I.Y., when it’s not, and how to decide if D.I.Y. is best for you.

The Perks of D.I.Y.

Photo Credit: Pexels

Money-Saving

This is the biggest perk of taking on a D.I.Y. The money-saving aspect could be the difference between a couple hundred to a couple of thousand dollars depending on the project. That money can definitely help with other wedding expenses, household bills, or go toward the honeymoon!

Shows Off Creativity

It’s super fulfilling and relaxing for some to delve into a craft project they really love. To have the skill to build a centerpiece or to make a nice wedding favor for guests is a blessing. This can even become a side hustle, and turn into a viable business to bring more income to your bank account! And who doesn’t love more cash! *looking around confused* LOL

The Set Backs of D.I.Y.

Photo Credit: Pexels

Craft Knowledge

If you’re not super crafty and you’ve got it in your mind to D.I.Y. it may be time to stop thinking. I know we have all heard everything can be YouTube’d to learn the steps to create something awesome, but honing in on how to make it perfect can be a struggle. Sometimes we can bite off more than we can chew. You might be in the crafting fail so deep that you won't have time to fix it or purchase what you need for your wedding day.

Time

The second biggest issue with D.I.Y.’s honestly. I know I have probably said this in a blog or two before, but time is precious! Not knowing or understanding what it takes to make a bouquet or to make little place-cards can derail other aspects of the wedding because the D.I.Y. project you were creating was important to that piece of the day. Don’t stress more than you have to. Save the time to relax, and let the pros do what they do best.

How To D.I.Y. Right

Here are a few things you can D.I.Y. to make your wedding day more memorable and won’t break the bank:

Bottle Lanterns

Photo Credit: Simply Chic Soirées

If you drink wine like me ( or one of my best friends Jennifer…She’s a teacher…ok) you should have bottles to make the cutest lanterns. All you need is some rice lights/string lights, a Dremel, and a glue gun and you will have the cutest lights around!

Wedding Party Emergency Kits

Photo Credit: HappilyHomeadeCA

Get a cute makeup or toiletry bag and fill it with aspirin, bobby/safety pins, bandages, makeup wipes, breath mints, and all other helpful things to help your wedding party throughout the day.

Flip-flop Basket

Photo Credit: Amy Trinite

I hope I was able to better help you decide if you’re a D.I.Y. Bride or Groom. Now, as I usually say, these tips aren’t for everyone. You may really love to craft and get creative with wedding day projects, and I would never want to deter you from a labor of love. Just be cautious of your timeline, budget accordingly, and pace yourself. If you like what you’ve read, give us a like, and share this blog on your socials. If you’re getting married or have an event to be planned, be sure to contact us today for a free consultation. 

Until next time!

Keep it Chic,

XOXO

Amaris T.

The BIG Deal About Micro Weddings

The first time I learned the word “Elopement” I was 10. I was reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin. I loved reading, and it was hard to find me without a book at that age. In the story, the youngest daughter, Lydia, had run off with the mysterious Mr. Wickham and I was wrapped up in the tale of young love and romance. We find out later that it was a plan that Mr. Wickham set up to extort money from Mr. Bennet, father of Lydia (and 4 other sisters). None the less, Lydia was elated over this “grand gesture” of love…or so she thought. Elopements and their meaning have really changed over the years. Now, venues and destination locations are pushing elopement packages and micro weddings to ensure and entice newly engaged couples to still have their dream wedding, just in a smaller capacity. As their popularity grows, especially because of the pandemic, it seems to be a viable option for those still wanting to tie the knot. The hot question on engaged couples minds “Is it for us though?” We try to answer that question today.

Let’s dive into Elopements and Micro Weddings!

Photo Credit: Here Comes The Guide

Elopements vs. Micro Weddings

All over the internet, we have started to see “Elopement Packages Available” or “Micro Wedding Specialist” popping up on our timelines, but what are they exactly? I see a lot of planners and venues using these terms interchangeably, however the differences are bigger than you may think. 

Elopements:

An elopement is when a couple literally takes off to get married. Sometimes they bring a friend or two to witness the nuptials, but for the most part, that’s it. Not a lot of people know, and in the traditional sense of the word, to elope is a super personal decision the couple makes between the both of them. There’s no venue to book or any of the typical wedding elements. It’s simply the couple and an officiant. 

Micro Wedding:

A micro wedding typically involves a guest count of 20 or less. The planner or venue who has presented the package has already received set prices from the vendors involved. Minus some simple color changes to make the wedding a bit more personalized, it’s pretty much all done. Just add a couple, shake, and get married. These weddings, although budget-friendly, doesn’t give much room for customization or more personalization compared to what the couple might be looking for. 

The Pros and Cons

Pros of Elopement

• The cost is very low. Just the travel expense to get where you’re going, and maybe hire a photographer to capture the day.

• No arguments from family and friends saying how you should do this or that on your wedding day. 

The Cons of Elopement

• You’ll be missing out on family and friends who care about seeing you marry the one you love, some may even get mad about the sudden secretive marriage.

• The romance element may not be in full effect, depending on how and when you got married. While some places boast beautiful scenery as a backdrop to your wedding, some may not be so nice. I mean, do all City Halls in this country use the same decorator? UUGH, that ugly wood paneling!

Pros of a Micro Wedding

• No muss, no fuss! Everything is pre-planned, and the price for all vendors needed is packaged in one payment.

• Small, intimate weddings are more desirable due to people limiting their guest count to slow the spread of COVID. 

Cons of a Micro Wedding

• There isn’t much say so on who the vendors are, or the look you may have had in mind for your wedding. You get what is already packaged and the listed vendors can’t be changed.

• The time slots are usually very small. Typical micro weddings are only a few hours versus the typical 5-6 hours of a regular wedding and reception.

How To Do It Right

If you have thought about forgoing the regular wedding route, I suggest (if the budget allows) to do either one of these options as a wedding/honeymoon in one. The Destination Wedding can be lower in cost than a traditional wedding, and just like a micro wedding package, everything is right there for you. Unlike a micro wedding, you will have a bit more say-so over cake flavor, flower choice, and other wedding planning decisions. You can still invite guests, but it’s up to them and their finances to be able to make it to your destination of choice. You can even have your wedding during the week to save money because while on an island, where you would mostly see the destination wedding setting, every day is a vacation day! The pricing can be cheaper during the week, unlike the popular weekend request. If I didn’t have such a large family, I would have definitely gone this route for my wedding hands down! All in all, this is a great way to have the best of both worlds, just make sure your passports are up to date and enjoy!

I hope I was able to better help you understand the differences between these popular styles of weddings. Now, as I usually say, these tips aren’t for everyone. Your wedding may require more or less in the planning process. Remember to take your time, and do your research to see if these options are right for what you and your fiance are looking for. If you like what you’ve read, give us a like, and share this blog on your socials. If you’re getting married or have an event to be planned, be sure to contact us today for a free consultation.

Until next time!

Keep it Chic,

XOXO

Amaris T.

Wedding Prep Tips For Stress Free Planning

Hey there my Chic readers! I’ve gathered some super helpful tips to get you started and keep you on the right path during your wedding planning process. Even the simplest of ideas can slip your mind when planning, and these easy tips can really save you time and money.

Let’s take a look at my 5 top wedding prep tips!

Create A Wedding Email

You’re calling around to different venues, catering companies, and other vendors for your wedding. The perfect quote was sent to you from a vendor you love via email, and you can’t find it because you haven’t cleaned out your email since 2017 ( I’m guilty too! LOL). Keep yourself from having to search around insurance emails and furniture club spam by creating an email specifically for your wedding. It’s a great way for you and your fiance to keep a paper trail to track all the vendor quotes, appointments, and correspondence organized.

More Time Is Fine

Giving yourselves a good 8-12 months to plan this perfect day is essential to budgeting. The more time you have to plan, the more time you have to space out payments and catch errors that can be easily solved without causing a big mess on the wedding day. You also prevent yourself from having an incredibly long list of things to handle the last few months before your wedding. More time also gives you the opportunity for more options, and that could also give you leverage when selecting vendors for your wedding.

Scope Out The Local Hotels

Once you’ve locked down the venue, it’s time to secure the hotel you and your guests will stay at for the big day! Make sure you know how many rooms you can get in a block before attrition. Hotels typically grant you between 10-15 guest rooms before you are charged a percentage for unbooked rooms. The sales team at each hotel should be able to inform you about their specific policy before you secure your room block. A few things I also look for are:

• Proximity to the venue, because you don’t need folks to get lost on the way to the wedding.

• Ratings. Nobody wants to be uncomfortable, especially when visiting a new city.

• Amenities. Free WIFI, breakfast, pools, the more the better ( I personally love a swank and sociable lobby bar ).

• Points! If you can get points from every room booked that is a BIG PLUS!

Don’t Plan To DIY Everything

When I tell you that I completely understand the need to save money when planning a wedding, I hear you. However, I need you to understand that the second most important currency during the wedding planning process is time! If you spend all your time making your invites, favors, and centerpieces you may not have time to make sure something more important is handled. Although DIY projects can be fun they can sometimes overwhelm you, and may not even turn out how you wanted which can result in needless spending. Creating a realistic budget at the beginning will help you decide how and when you can put those DIY skills to use. So, as I always say, save time and spend the money to save yourself the frustration. The aggravation just isn’t worth all the rogue glitter. The glitter stays FOREVER!

Check For Popular Blackout Dates

Ready for a true story? Last year in August, some friends and I made plans to go out to a popular restaurant here in Atlanta called Trader Vic’s located at the Hilton downtown for a birthday celebration. Well, the night we planned to go just happened to also be the first night of Dragon-Con. For those of you who don’t know what Dragon-Con is, just know it’s the largest convention in the world focusing on science fiction & fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film. To our surprise, the opening night party was held right at Trader Vic’s! After a few hours, we got to eat and really enjoyed ourselves looking at the people dressed in amazing costumes. We even got a ton of pics with some of the convention-goers too. Now, even though this wasn’t one of my client’s wedding weekends, this could have been a disaster for any wedding scheduled. So be sure to check dates in your city, and verify those big conventions, popular concerts, or any event that may draw a large crowd doesn’t have the potential to land on the day of your wedding. To keep costs and time delays down due to high traffic volume, save yourself the headache and select a new date.

Sidenote: If you want an amazing Mai Tai head to Trader Vics!

Yes, this is actually me (well…my forehead) at the Hilton last year!

There’s so much more I’d like to share with you, but I have to stop at 5…I don’t want you to get bored. Wait! Who am I kidding? If you read The Weekly Chic then I know you’re here to learn, and hopefully are gaining the most knowledge for your wedding or event. So if you want to know more, contact me and let me help you with all of your wedding and event planning needs.

Until next time,

Keep it Chic

XOXO

Amaris T.

Not to worry...It's not rude! 5 Common Wedding Etiquette Questions Answered

To request, or not to request—that is the question. Over the years, these types of questions come up from time to time as my clients and I are preparing for their wedding day. Depending on your lifestyle, there may be things that you and your Spouse-to-Be specifically want (or don’t want) that may be outside traditional norms. Well, not to fear, because I am here to set your mind at ease. If no one else tells you, here it is: IT’S NOT RUDE! It’s all in how you say it, and not necessarily what you say that will make the best impact for your request.

So exhale, and relax. Here are the 5 most common questions I get about wedding requests and etiquette.

How Do We Request Cash Instead Of Gifts?

Money, Money, Money! Who doesn’t need more of it, especially while planning a wedding? If you don’t mind, I will use my own personal wedding experience to explain how to request this properly.

My Hubs and I had lived together for quite some time before getting engaged. We already had a lot of furnishings and necessities when we bought our first home during our engagement. We didn’t need the typical gifts like bath towels, dishes, or items you find on a registry. So, on our wedding website, we explained to our guests that we would like a monetary gift to help pay for our honeymoon. IT WORKED! People totally understood because most of our guests had known both of us for years, and knew we were planning our honeymoon to take place the following summer. Giving people a good explanation as to why you don’t want traditional gifts helps them make the best decision on how much to give. Keep in mind, good wedding etiquette says you should never indicate you want money (or any particular gifts for that matter) on your invitation. Leave that info and similar for your wedding website.

Other ways you can express that you would like cash:

• Use and online wedding registry like Honeyfund on your wedding website to easily have cash deposited into your account.

• Have your family and wedding party help spread the word.

• Make sure you have a card box that can be easily located at the wedding.

Do I Have To Invite All My Co-workers?

Unless you work in a small office, or with a small team, I am usually not a fan of inviting co-workers. Any additional drama that can be avoided when wedding planning, should be! This group is called the “C list” for a reason. The A list is Family (and friends you consider as such), the B list consists of close friends, and the C list is for Co-workers…aptly named. This group should be saved for last to be sure all the family you want to invite can make it. I would definitely say if you are looking to invite co-workers, only invite those that you hang out with outside of work, and keep the invitation hand-off on the low! I would invite your work BFFs out for drinks, and hand the invite to them with the knowledge that only those few were invited. Politely remind them not to share your big day news around the water cooler to contain awkwardness in the office.

How Do We Say “No Children Allowed” For Our Wedding?

If you or your Fiancé don’t have children, then having them attend your wedding may be a bit much for you to handle. Kids, although adorable, can also be a budget buster! Adding them increases the guest count greatly, resulting in needing a larger venue. It may also mean adding a whole other menu to your reception. I mean, I love a good chicken finger, but not so much to add $20 more per head! Here are some ways to say leave the kids at home:

• '“Please note this is an adult-only celebration.”

• “We respectfully request no children under the age of 16 at the reception.”

• “Due to the limited space, adults only please.”

I do tell clients to add any of these phrases tastefully at the bottom of the invitation, or on a physical R.S.V.P. card.

How Do We Ask Guests Not To Take Pics During The Ceremony?

You’ve hired a photographer because you want your wedding day to be reflected in the best way possible. All your good angles will be caught with an amazing HD lens, you will see how your dress glows at sunset, and the way your Fiancé smiles at you when saying your vows. Sometimes the candid shots from guests workout, and they can catch some wonderful moments between you and your new spouse. The last thing you need is someone snapping a shot of you in pre-sneeze mode, or awkwardly adjusting your dress pants. Some great ideas to stop the sideline snaps are:

• Add it to your wedding website! This gives people time to absorb your request not to take or post photos on social media.

• Post a sign near the ceremony saying “Welcome to Our UNPLUGGED Wedding!”.

• Ask the Officiant to remind your guests before the ceremony starts not to take photos.

We Don’t Drink, Should We Still Have A Bar?

It’s totally possible to have an amazing wedding without having a bar. If you don’t drink, there should never be a problem with your guests understanding that you are intending on having a “dry wedding” because the celebration is in the nuptials. There are many other reasons why couples may be questioning if they should have a bar at their wedding. One reason can be that the cost of alcohol can be a bit much for their budget when considering the guest count. Another reason could be that the venue requires you to have additional security if anything other than beer and wine is served. While I don’t believe there is a right or wrong answer to this question, I am just a bit more in favor of having a bar, because I am simply a sucker for a great party. Here are some options to try if you want a bar and the budget may be getting thin:

• Limit the bar selections to beer and wine only.

• Serve a specialty cocktail that’s popular with everyone, like Margaritas, but offer different flavors.

• (And my fave) Have a Stock the Bar Party! This is great for couples who want the full bar, but want to conserve funds. I love doing this as an engagement party because instead of getting standard gifts, each guest brings a bottle of their favorite wine or alcoholic beverage to serve at the wedding. If you don’t want to keep the alcohol, make cute tags to put on the neck of the bottles and the guests can take their bottles home. If bottles are opened, please remember to put them safely away in the trunk of your car!

Bonus: Should We Make Our Guests Wear Masks?

Due to CoVid, this is a new concern for not only the couple but for invited guests as well. Venues and vendors alike have all adopted new safety measures to ensure that all involved are as safe as possible. It’s important to remember that there is a lot of movement at weddings. Guests head to the venue for the ceremony, then to cocktail hour, then to the reception, and it’s hard to eat and drink with a mask on for obvious reasons. I have said to all my clients, I would not make masks a priority, but an option to anyone who may be uncomfortable. My last two wedding clients gave cute masks and sanitizers as small gifts at the entryway to their ceremony. Those who wanted it could grab one at their convenience. This way, no one feels obligated or shunned for their comfort level choices.

Top: Coleman Wedding ‘20

Bottom: Joseph/Jackson Wedding ‘20

I hope I was able to help you decide the best ways to communicate some of your wants and needs to your wedding guests. At its core, clarity is key for a successful wedding (and marriage). For information on how we can help you plan your wedding or any upcoming event, feel free to contact us to get started.

Keep it Chic!

XOXO,

Amaris