JUST SAVE IT! Savvy Spending For Your Wedding

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Every day I receive questions from couples about items they think they need for their wedding day. A lot of them are really great and creative ideas…some not so much. I am dedicating this blog to you good folks who might be overthinking these things a bit. I want you to know that all of these things aren’t necessary to make your wedding day beautiful. Savvy spending is super important to planning, and knowing the correct items to spend your hard-earned dollars on could keep you out of the red.

Let’s go over what NOT to buy for your wedding day.

Super Large Wedding Cakes

Photo Credit: Pintrest.com

Cake…my arch-nemesis. I have a love/super hate relationship for over the top wedding cake. I guess you can say it makes me biased, but I would not be doing my due diligence as a planner if I didn’t talk about cake. Don’t get me wrong, I love cake, but huge wedding cakes are a wasteful option for a couple to spend money on, especially if you have a smaller guest count. Think about it folks, we have cocktail hour with appetizers, then a reception with at least 3 courses, then regular beverages. Trust me, half of your guests won’t want to eat dessert after all that. So, you have this big ol’ cake that looks amazing during the reception, and whatever isn't eaten has to be tossed out. Don’t get me started on saving the top layer for your one year anniversary, it never comes out tasting as good. LOL. If you’re not leaving for your honeymoon right away Save the top layer for after dinner the next night because I can assure you you won’t even have a chance to eat it during the reception!. I recommend having a 6-8 inch cake to cut for the reception, and then do an assortment of cupcakes for your guests to take home. I personally love the idea of getting some small boxes from the baker or from Amazon.com for your guests to transport their dessert in. That’s less cake you have to worry about getting trashed and your guests will love it.

Expensive Save the Dates

Photo Credit: Brides.com

Save the Dates are a great way to let your guests know to do just that, SAVE THE DATE! With that being said, don’t believe that you have to take super dramatic engagement photos to have displayed on an informal invite. If you have the time and cash to do it, rock on! A super cute and simple Save the Date is also just fine to use to alert people of the incoming wedding invite. I always recommend that you send the save the dates out after you book your venue. I would spend the extra on making that Save the Date magnetized. That way, people can take them out of the envelope and BAM right on the fridge so they don’t get lost. I don't know where anyone else places their Save the Dates, LOL, but all of mine go right to the one place that I and the hubs go to equally…the kitchen!

Invitations With Multiple Inserts

Photo Credit: Wedding Invitation

With the growing popularity of the wedding website, long gone are the days for the need of an RSVP card, the meal selection card, and so forth. Save the extra stamp and money on the extra paper inserts, and send the invite with info on how to get to your wedding website online. Apps like Zola, and Wedding Wire are free and easy to use. You can easily track your RSVPs, add your registry, post info about hotel stays, and any other information you need to get to your guests with ease. You can even send web links o your family and friends in case they lose their invite. It’s just a more efficient way to get everyone together.

Guest Personalized Favors

Photo Credit: personalizationmall.com

I love a cute wedding favor, but Thomas, Angela, William, and any of your other guests don’t need a wedding favor with their name on it. You can keep favors low cost and personalized with you and your fiancé’s name and wedding date. Popular favors gifted at weddings are stemless glassware, candles, or candy tins. I think it’s totally appropriate for you to have something personalized as a gift for the bridesmaids and groomsmen to say thanks for being there for you, but beyond that, it’s not necessary for everyone to have them.

Programs

Photo Credit: Ann's Bridal Bargains

One of the biggest waste of paper EVER! I can not begin to tell you how many programs I have picked up off the reception floor. Let’s just say if I had a dollar for each one I collected, I’d have a couple thousand dollars. Although programs are nice, people honestly don’t read them or care as much about them to carry them around. Remember, info like this can always be posted on the wedding website you’ll create to share info with your guests. The best thing about the site is you’re not limited on space, and you can create as many pages as you want to make sure your guests know all the details for your nuptials. 

I hope I was able to set your mind at ease about items you don’t need for your wedding day. Now, as I usually say, these tips aren’t for everyone. Your wedding may require a program or invitation suite and that’s totally fine. As a planner, I am here to reassure you should you be a budget-conscious bride or groom its ok to cut corners in these areas to save cash. It’s your day, personalize it to the way you want it. 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.

Have A Seat: A Guide To Seating Your Wedding Guests

I was with my clients last Monday night helping them sort out the seating chart for their upcoming wedding this weekend. As I was jotting down what cousin would go to which table during the reception, I thought to myself that this would be a great topic to write about! Seating tips for my readers who might be getting ready to do the same task.

Let’s take a look at my tips on wedding seating.

The A, B, C’s To The Seating Chart

It’s really as simple as A, B, C! This scale never fails, and it is the perfect way to get everyone seated without pulling your hair out. As you can see, I  have color-coded the tables for you to see exactly what I mean. When I work with a client, I go to my local print shop and blow up the floorplan to jot notes on. Try it for yourself! 

A = ALL the people in your wedding party

This section is designated for Bridesmaids, Groomsmen, Parents, Grandparents, and all the other important players on your wedding day. A good way to think of it is anyone who is at your rehearsal will be in this section.

B = Best of the friend group and close family 

This section is designated for family and close friends but were not involved in the wedding. They have a great vantage point in that area.

C = Coworkers (or those Cousins that don’t act right, LOL)

Now, as I said in a blog prior unless you have a small office, I don’t really like inviting coworkers. When I did the 9-5, I worked in a super small team of 4 (including myself). To be frank, looking back I wish I didn't invite 1 of the 3 that came. My though process was it would be too much drama NOT to invite the other coworker. If you only want to invite a few of your work folks, make sure you do it on the low. Ask the friend group at work out for happy hour, and hand them the invites there at the bar. Remind them that they are the chosen ones, and request that they don't talk about the wedding around the water cooler.

Different Ways To Seat Your Guests

There are three popular ways to let your guests know exactly where they will be sitting at your reception. While they are the most popular, they are not the end-all, be-all. There are so many creative ways to show folks where to park it, as long as you have something available for your guests to navigate the tables you’re good to go!

Seating Chart Sign

Photo/Design Credit: Woodland Custom Design

This is a large sign strategically placed near the reception area. It is usually grouped by table number, and the guest names are listed below each number. I’ve seen some super creative ways to make these large charts. The most common is on thick foam board from a print shop or store. Some others use mirrors, acrylic, old doors, windows…you name it! 

Pro: You only need one print (should you decide to use a print shop or etsy), and you save paper.

Con: It can cause some serious “bottlenecking” and you’ll have a crowd of people around the sign trying to see where they go.

place Cards 

Photo Credit: Simply Chic Soirées

Design Credit: Sweet Luxury Events

These are seating cards with the guest’s name placed at each place setting. It can be combined with the use of the seating chart sign. Options of this is a simple tent card or go super fancy, and have the names of your guest scribed in acrylic. 

Pro: This is great if you are having a seated/plated meal. It’s a much more detailed way to inform the catering staff who had salmon, steak, or a vegan meal.

Con: You could have a lot of folks walking around looking for their name, instead of just taking a seat at the designated table. It can cause a bit of a delay for the reception.

Escort Cards

Photo Credit: Fat Cat Paperie

Hands down my favorite option, as the escort cards are placed near the entrance of the venue. When your guests arrive, they take the card, and well before the reception starts they already know where they are seated. Should you have the seated/plated option rather than a buffet, you can have their meal of choice printed on the opposite side so they are assured to have the correct meal. (Plus you’ll absolutely know who hasn’t arrived prior to the reception, and if applicable, potentially take that food home.)

Pro: Easy seating as long as you have the table numbers clearly displayed

Con: Buying the paper, or going to the local print shop to make the cards. That’s the only con I have *shrug*…hence my fave!

Plus One Or Just One

Photo Credit: Martha Stewart

This is always a tough conversation with my clients. To allow guests to bring a plus one or to kill the option altogether. I have never been an advocate for the latter, but this can and will affect your seating in a major way. Personally, I know more people who are in a couple than not. So how do we brighten the grey area? In my opinion, here’s the best way:

Anyone married, engaged, or in a serious relationship may be allowed to bring a plus one. Anyone else must come unaccompanied. 

Is this an idea I like, to be honest, no. I’m a super social person but some people are not, and some may not be too good at getting to know new people. There’s also a safety factor we have to think about. As an Army veteran, I do believe there is safety in numbers, and I like the “buddy system”. These are just MY reasons, and while I’m not a fan, that doesn’t mean these are good reasons to double your catering budget. You have to do what is best for your wedding day, and only you and your fiancé should be the one to decide how you will accept the RSVPs. No matter what, my golden rule: Once a guest RSVPs, or the deadline hits NO “PLUS” CHANGES. As a guest, you should definitely let the couple know if you or your plus one are not going to be able to attend in the most time possible.

Caveat here:

OK…so at my wedding I did not have a seating chart, however, my Husband and only I had two large groups and that’s about it. Our families, and our combined military family, with a sprinkling of friends. We all knew who was coming, and we had plenty of seating. It worked out fine for us, but I never would recommend that to one of my clients especially if you are working on a smaller budget or have a small venue with limited seating. 

I hope I gave you seating tips that will help get your guests in the best seat for your wedding day. Remember, this is just a guide to help you decide what seating method works perfectly for you. FYI, don’t freak out if people swap seats during the reception. It will happen, it’s not a big deal…breathe…repeat…it’s not a big deal. Good Job!

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.

Average Cost of Weddings and Events In Atlanta or Austell

*Insert dramatic music* Dun-Dun-DUUUUUUN!!! Yep, let’s talk pricing folks. This is a subject that many people are afraid to discuss when looking for someone to plan their wedding, anniversary, or corporate celebration.

When I do get asked, I always try to find the best way to answer this question because the response isn’t so basic. In its simplest form, the best way to price an event is all about the hired professional’s specialty, their time in the industry, venue style and location. Also we need to know what your budget is and the type of event you're throwing. Honestly there are very different details from one event to another, and piecing the parts together is no simple task.

Essentially, you are looking to hire someone to pull off an event that expresses your feelings about a specific occasion in celebration form. Talk about complex! There’s so much more to this answer, so for the sake of this blog I will try to break down these 4 points to give you a better perspective on why a planner sets their pricing the way they do. Also we will attempt to explain why pricing may be different from planner to planner. 

Photo Credit: Asad Photo Maldives from Pexels

Venue Style and Location - $10,000

We have all heard the expression “There are three things that matter in real estate, location, location, location!”  This can most definitely be applied when looking for that perfect event venue. Depending on location and amenities the venue offers, the national average for wedding venues are around $10,000. 

Selecting the wrong venue or the wrong location can impact the look and style of your wedding or event, your budget, vendor availability, guest count, you name it! I always ask clients during our consultation if they are dead set on an area they first mention to me.  There is always a strong possibility that if I look 15 to 20 minutes in any direction I can get them a lower price, because venue pricing can fluctuate from zip code to zip code.

The venue style is very important when planning out the event you're having. Although most people do think about a particular area where they want to get married, sometimes the venue style isn't available in the part of town you like. The venue literally sets the stage for the show, and allows you to design the wedding or event look you’ve been dreaming of. As an example, if you love a classic look you wouldn’t have your wedding or event in a barn. If you’re boho chic, your first choice wouldn’t be a modern hotel. It also prevents more work from your design team, and more savings for you because a lot of elements that they would use for the design should already be in place if you pick the right venue. So if you like a modern industrial, the venue will more than likely have exposed beams and edison lights, and will add to the theme you’re going for.

I live in the Metro-Atlanta area and the city is super popular for events with the skyline and nightlife. It's this reason why pricing will be higher in the city limits, and 90% of the time planners are aware of venues close to the area you want to be in for less.

Knowing your estimated guest count will also help you determine the size of the venue needed for your celebration. A good question to ask the venue is what size/type of tables and chairs are provided for the space so you know how many can be seated. Knowing that ahead of time will help you see how the space will be laid out for seating charts. Most venues will have a floor plan available to see how they would arrange the room to accommodate the number of guests you intend on inviting. Also, ask about pricing on days like Fridays or Sundays because even though those days are considered weekends, they are less popular than the forever coveted Saturday. You may get a better deal for those days if you're willing to bend a bit on the date.

Photo Credit: Jeremy Wong from Pexels

Event Type and Budget - $10,000

No two events are the same, and that goes without saying about weddings. Anniversaries, corporate events, birthdays, and other general celebrations (as I like to call them), unless they are cultural (Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Quinceaneras), don’t typically deal in the intricate details like a wedding. For the most part the initial formula is the same...venue, entertainment, catering. However, the devil...or should I say the stress level, is in the details. Needing a Day-of Coordinator alone to help manage a wedding day is a clear give away that planning for your big day won't be like your average event.

The national average cost for a wedding runs around $35,000 and in my area in GA, the average cost is about $32,000. I won’t say everyone will spend that money for their wedding but it’s not an average for nothing. General events can run anywhere from $3,000, $10,000 and can fluctuate lower or higher depending on how extravagant you want to be. To plan a wedding  you need an average of 8-12 months. Even with that amount of time it's a possibility you still will have issues (Think Murphy’s Law), but the more time you have to prevent them the better. With your general events, 2-3 months is sufficient time depending on how extravagant you go.

Other factors you’ll need to consider is other vendors. For example:

• Florists, who can charge $1,000 to $10,000 depending on your event.

• Decorators who bring your table linens and other decor can start around $2,000.

• DJ’s Can start their pricing at $1000.00 for wedding s because they do a lot song changes and announcements during the ceremony and reception.

• Catering’s cost average can begin at $25.00 per head , and this is also depending on the type of event you’re having, and the menu selected.

Outdoor weddings and events can be beautiful, but the additional factors like landscape and weather can create a visual nightmare when planning your special day. Your planner will make sure you have a “plan B” at the ready just in case inclement weather occurs. You may be thinking “Well that’s just common sense!” I’d like to let you know that common sense ain't always common, but we planners understand that you get swept away in the possibility of forever *insert romantic music* and can’t think of everything that we think about on a daily basis.

An outdoor event may require special permits to run generators and other equipment in order to pull off an event successfully. Depending on the city you reside in, that can start at $50.00 to $500.00 or more depending on the venue and the equipment needed. There’s also liquor licenses that may need to be in hand for special events if the venue you’ve rented doesn’t have one. Please make sure you or your planner knows the county law, and has proof that the venue has a liquor license, or if they are a “B.Y.O.B.” style location. These additional factors need to be considered when creating your budget.

Photo Credit: Agung Pandit Wiguna from Pexels

Conclusion

Each planner in the industry specializes in a particular event realm, and although we may dabble in different types from time to time, we all have our faves. Some planners really enjoy general celebrations like Baby/Bridal Showers because they are smaller and more intimate.

Some planners specialize in the super luxe weddings with the large guest counts, upgraded linens, and 7 course meals. The national average cost for a wedding planner is around $1,500, and general event planners charge around $1,000 depending on their time in the industry.  I really want to emphasize that there is a distinction between specialties, and no one event planner in the same specialty is the same.

So when you look at pricing, make sure you are getting what you need out of the hired pro, and what you want for your event. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about what their pricing entails, and how hands on they will be. There’s a lot of scheduling involved, appointments to make, and contracts to review. For a wedding they will, more than likely, also be handling the Day-of Coordination as well and that will be inclusive of cost. Knowing that there are many more details when planning a wedding, it's expected that you’ll pay your planner more than you would for other events. 

Should you need more info please feel free to contact us. More than likely we planners already have pricing calculated for the style and celebration you want, but rest assured, whatever your event, a good planner will be worth every cent!

Until next time!

Keep It Chic

XOXO,
Amaris