I Want An Outdoor Wedding…Where Do I Start?

Have you always dreamed of getting married outdoors? Whether it’s the beach, a farm, or a large family backyard, there are several things that must be considered when planning this type of wedding.

What time of year/season is your wedding?
One of the first things you should do is take a serious look at where you plan to marry and how the weather typically behaves around your wedding date. Are you getting married in the southern part of the US or on an island during the summer? If so, don’t forget about hurricane season! Is your wedding date in the middle of winter in the northeast? If so, don’t forget about snow storms! Yes, the weather is unpredictable, but you can expect to have a certain kind of weather during certain seasons of the year.

What are my options for keeping my guests comfortable while outdoors?
One of the best things to consider is tents. Tents can provide overhead covering only, can include curtains for an airy feeling, or can be completely enclosed with ‘windows’ around the sides and even skylights in the ceiling (a skylight is an excellent idea for evening events, so you can see the stars!) If your concern is cold or hot weather, tent heaters and fans can be rented to make the space very comfortable (in fact, they can feel so good, your guests may forget all about the weather outside!)

Things to consider when planning an outdoor event
Planning an outdoor event takes much more coordinating than an event in a banquet hall or hotel ballroom. Some of the items you will need to rent include chairs, tables, china, linen, silverware, glassware, and lighting. And depending on where you plan to set up, you may also need to rent restroom facilities for your guests. If your tent is open, don’t forget about insect repellent, so your guests are not swatting bugs away all night!

Should I have a Plan B?
Absolutely! What if a major storm is predicted to blow through your town on your wedding day? Yes you may have a tent lined up, but if the winds are too strong, it may not be an option for you. Always have a plan B in place to address the unexpected!

Your Planning Assignment
Ponder the option of an outdoor event very carefully. Because of the many details that have to be coordinated and executed, an event planner may be just the person to help you pull it all together!

Happy Planning!

Polite Answers to Rude Wedding Questions

Just thought I'd share this great post from OurWeddingDay Blog regarding rude (and tacky) questions wedding guests may ask. The responses are tactful and to the point.

It amazes me how rude and downright nosy some people can be! :-)

http://blog.ourweddingday.com/Polite-Answers-5-Rude-Wedding-Questions-9051278?page=0,0#comment-7605780

Great Idea on Reception Centerpieces

I just love the idea of cakes serving as centerpieces! Check out this blog article! Thanks to Petals Planning for the great post!

http://petalsplanningco.blogspot.com/2010/05/double-duty-centerpieces.html

The First Dance

I ran across this great article about first dances.

http://blogs.discovery.com/say-yes-to-the-dress/2010/05/first-dance.html

What will be (or was) your first dance song? Mine was "The Closer I Get To You" by Roberta Flack and Donnie Hathaway!

Another Reception Idea!

Happy Friday! I hope you enjoyed reading my blog on reception types from May 6. I found this article outlining another idea from Project Wedding. What do you think?

http://www.projectwedding.com/wedding-ideas/create-a-simple-champagne-reception?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=micro-blog&utm_campaign=twitter

Top Five Reception Types: Which One Works Best For Me?

As you begin to plan your reception, you will soon realize that there are a multitude of options to consider (beyond the venue!) Some of the questions you should be asking are: What type of reception do you want your guests to experience? What type of food will you serve? What time of day will the reception take place? How do you want your reception to flow? This article will focus on reception types as it relates to food (future articles will talk about such things as time of day and seating arrangements).

A wedding and the celebration that follows can make for a long day for your guests (or at minimum, several hours out of their day). You should keep this in mind when deciding on the type of reception to have. Guests should not be expected to spend several hours with you and not be served something to eat!

There are several reception types from which to choose. They are:

• Plated Meal – This is also known as a sit-down meal, where guests are served a meal while seated at their tables. This meal can consist of several courses, starting with an appetizer, followed by salad, the main course and dessert. Wait staff are available to serve each course of the meal. Depending on what time of day your reception is held, this can be a sit-down brunch, luncheon or dinner.

• Buffet – With a buffet meal, guests leave the tables and prepare their plates themselves. Be careful when choosing this style of reception. Guests will be moving around, so you want to make sure there is sufficient space for the serving tables. You also want to plan for multiple buffet lines so that guests don’t stand in line for long periods of time. Additionally, because there is no portion control with a buffet, more food needs to be prepared, and as a result, this can be a more expensive option than the plated meal. In my opinion, this type of reception does not work well for a formal wedding (imagine a female guest trying to hold up her gown and her plate at the same time!)

• Family-style Meal – A hot reception trend is to have the meal served family-style, where large portions of each dish are placed on the table, and guests pass the serving dishes around and serve themselves. This is a great format if you want more guest interaction at the table, and guests do not have to leave their seats to serve themselves.

• Hors D’Oeuvres – With this option, guests mingle and partake of various appetizers and other food items. Again, you will need to ensure there is sufficient space, since guests will be constantly moving around. You may also have action stations with this option, which may include carving stations and pasta stations.

• Dessert – As was stated earlier, guests really should be served food at your reception. But if your reception is scheduled after the dinner hour, one option is to have a dessert reception. Guests are served a variety of cakes and pastries, along with a beverage such as coffee. If you choose to go this route, please make sure this is stated clearly on the reception card, so guests will not expect anything more.

As you consider these alternatives, please bear in mind how you desire your guests to interact with one other at your reception. Do you want lots of conversation, with guests having the opportunity to talk to many people, or do you want more intimate conversations and interactions? Consider your own preferences, personality and style as you make these decisions. After all, this is your official party as husband and wife, and you want it to memorable for you as well as your guests!

Your Planning Assignment:
Brain-storm with your fiancé to determine the type of reception you want to have. Share these ideas with the catering managers when you visit potential reception venues.

Happy Planning!