Northern California Wedding Planner | Life Happens

From venues closing, job changes, military orders, surprise babies, storms, illnesses and everything in between, Life Happens! When you are focused on planning your wedding, even the smallest speed bumps seem monumental.  For many couples who have been far into their planning and received news of a lay-off, or a family member who is not going to be well enough to travel to the wedding it can mean either moving the date or changing the plan all together.  

Once invitations go out, it may seem impossible to move the location or change the date but you have to be able to adapt to what works for the situation in order to still have the wedding experience that you can.  Just remember to breathe!

The internet is full of crazy stories of real life date changes:  Last Minute Venue Change  - This couple experienced a venue closing and a major flood and still tied the knot! (http://www.silive.com/relationships/index.ssf/2013/02/last-minute_venue_change_dont_panic.html)

Having a wedding planner that is able to take these changes head on and communicate to your vendors, negotiate the date change or discuss potential contract changes etc can take some of the stress away.  We aim to serve our clients by being their advocate in this process.  

Consider having to explain the situation to 10-20+ vendors when you are already stressed out.  Though everyone will want to help you, simply passing this off to a family member or wedding party member can lead to miscommunication or further delays.

Tips:

•  Check with your local wedding planner who will have a good handle on the venues and likely options that would be available on short notice.  
• Appoint one person as the contact for all communication
• Review all of your current contracts and provide copies to your appointed contact person or wedding planner to aide them in any discussions of date changes, cancellations, and any monies owed.  
• Be prepared to forfeit deposits/retainers for vendors that are not able to transfer the date or who do not offer any refunds in the event of a cancellation.  Keep in mind that while your wedding vendors will be sympathetic to your situation, they have likely turned down other couples interested in your date so returning a paid deposit wouldn't be feasible unless they are confident they can re-book.  
• Take it slow - Do not jump into another date or locking in any new contracts until you have not only confirmed that any new vendors or venue is open, but also the less back and forth there is with date or location changes the better.  

Just remember that while it may seem like the worst news ever, no matter what if you and your fiance are going to say your I Do's it is still a win-win, and there can always be a plan B.  

~ Happy Planning ~

Northern California Wedding Planner | Budgeting for Service Fees

Cake cutting fees, plate charges, set-up and breakdown, delivery, corkage, gratuity..the fees may seem to pop up everywhere but here is a little info to help you navigate when budgeting for your wedding.  When it comes to fees think of it as a convenience fee to compensate for time or for additional services.

Here are a few of the common fees that you may have not factored in yet! 

Service Fees
When looking over your agreement, do make sure to factor in applicable tax, service fees and gratuity. 

For example you may see this on your catering contract:

An eighteen percent (18%) service charge will be included in the final billing on all food, beverage and labor. The service charge covers the use of our equipment, kitchen essentials, buffet décor, energy costs, liability insurance fees, and all necessary permits and other administrative expenses. Please note that the service charge is taxable based on California State Regulation 1603(f) and is not a gratuity for the personnel.

Cake Cutting Fees
Typically charged when your venue, caterer or other staff who are not affiliated with the bakery who provided the cake.  The fee ranges any where from a flat fee of $25 to anywhere from $1-$4 per guest.  This mainly is due to covering the staff member designated to cut the cake (especially for large cakes or multiple tiers.)
https://www.theknot.com/content/wedding-cake-cutting-fee 

Corkage Fees
Corkage is a per bottle fee that a restaurant charges a customer who brings their own wine to be consumed at that restaurant. This isn't allowed in the majority of restaurants in the country, but it's very common/normal in Northern California. http://www.forkandbottle.com/wine/corkage.htm

Delivery Charges 
This one is pretty standard - Rental items, florals, cakes or other specialty items will likely have a delivery fee if you aren't planning to pick-up.  Delivery fees are charged to cover fuel and for the driver's time.  

Set-up/Break-down Charges
The set-up and break-down fees covers the time and labor of setting up chairs, tables, place settings etc for your wedding.  Often the break-down is the area where couples underestimate the amount of labor to clean-up after a large celebration.  Not only cleaning up the garbage and packing the personal items/decor but ensuring that all rental items are packed/stored/stacked per the rental company agreement.  Wood chairs often need to be bagged then stacked which is an extra step as well.  Just ask your wedding party, they DON'T want to do this after a long day of celebrating with you! 

Additional Hours/Services 
When you book your vendors such as a photographer, you will often book based on the number of hours they will provide coverage.  If you decide to you would like them to stay longer, you will likely be charged for the additional hour at a premium.  When it comes to additional services, this is called "out of scope" meaning the vendor wasn't contracted for the specific service but will provide it for an additional fee.  

Recently, a few articles have been circulating accusing the wedding industry of price gouging just because it is a wedding.  However, I think when it comes to fees it is more common in the service industry than most people realize.  Until you have planned a wedding, you just aren't aware of them and it can be a sense of sticker shock when you start seeing the numbers.  We recommend starting with your venue search and narrowing down your selection by first understanding these fees associated.  Work with your wedding planner to ensure that you have accounted for these in your budget! 

~ Happy Planning! ~

Northern California Wedding Planner | Create a Wedding Email to Stay Organized

Today we are sharing tips from one of our favorite 530 Bride-To-Be Contributors Kristina! Read on to see her recommendations on staying organized!

One of the best pieces of wedding planning advice I got from another bride, but unfortunately didn’t take was a simple one – create a wedding email and use it to stay organized from the get go. I think I gave myself a little too much credit about being able to stay organized throughout the wedding process. I’d create folders in my primary email. I didn’t want to forget to check that other email account. I’m always good about responding back to people right away. All lies.

The truth is that I am usually very organized, but wedding planning is its own monster entirely. Especially if you aren’t lucky enough to have a full-service wedding planner that will be spending the countless hours vetting the right vendors for you.

It takes time to research vendors, check referrals, read through reviews, fill out forms and wait to hear back. Then once you’ve started a dialogue it’s time to start the back and forth string of emails or phone calls about what you’re looking for in terms of services and learn what they offer. Next you have to negotiate pricing, set up face-to-face meetings, read through contracts and do your best to keep to your budget while filtering out any vendors early on that aren’t going to work so you don’t waste too much time talking with the wrong people.

I was four months into the planning process and backtracking to try and remember which photographers I need to follow up with, which DJs I still need to read reviews for, what items on our budget need to be adjusted to account for the quotes I’ve gotten back and so on… Sure I have a wedding email folder and a bunch of starred, color-coded and flagged emails but I can’t remember why I marked them and it’s all mixed in with my everyday emails that keep multiplying.

If that chaos wasn’t enough to encourage you to create a wedding email, then do so because of all of the wedding-related spam you’ll receive. It’s inevitable that you’ll end up on a wedding-related mailing list at some point and having a separate email will keep those promotional emails from crowding your regular email account.

Here are 5 example situations where having a wedding email will help with wedding planning:

1.       Wedding Expos & Bridal Shows

Expos and bridal shows can be overwhelming for any bride-to-be because each vendor will attempt to attract you to their booth so they can sell you on their services. If you’re armed with a wedding email, sign up to receive their information after the expo when you can read the email from the comfort of your couch and can actually digest all of the information on their services without other distractions. You can also ask for a business card or brochure and contact them afterwards when you have more time using your new wedding email.

2.       Wedding Planning Websites

There are several wedding planning websites out there and each one will require you to set up an account using an email. If you create an account using your wedding email then you can be sure any notifications related to your wedding website are all centralized in the same email account and any promotional email lists you may end up on won’t cause your regular email account to get bombarded.

3.       Bridal Shops & Party Supply Stores

Signing up for discounts, sale alerts and wedding giveaways can be a great way to save money on wedding items. Usually a store will require you to give them an email so that they can track you as a customer and send you marketing information. If you use your wedding email you can benefit from the bargains while at the same time keeping your regular email account spam free.

4.       Invitation Design Websites

If you’re planning to design your own invitations or at least use templates found online, you’ll most likely have to save your drafts into an account no matter which website you use. Use your wedding email to create an account so you can save your favorite styles, draft invitation samples with the details for your special day, and have proofs emailed to you to test print.

5.       Vendor Contact Forms

Use a wedding email when filing out online forms for potential vendors. This way when they respond back you can keep track of all the quotes you receive and easily compare their packages and pricing in one email account. Then in use category systems like folders, stars, flags, etc… to categorize vendors by type, potential and who you need to get back to.

Even if you’re like me and starting wedding planning without having a designated wedding email, it’s never too late to get organized. Create the email now and start to respond back to your current and potential vendors using this new email. Let them know that you’d like all future communication directed to this new email, and trust me, it will be so much easier to keep track of all your wedding-related communications from here on out.

Wedding wishes and celebratory cheers!

Kristina Nobriga // A 530 Bride-To-Be Contributor 

*Our Bride-To-Be Kristina is now married! All of her planning tips and experiences were spot on, and we couldn't be happier for her and Mark! 

Northern California Wedding Planner | How to Plan Your Bar Menu

We have all been a wedding guest at some point or another right? In between snacking during cocktail hour and grabbing a slice of cake most guests wouldn't think about the logistics that went into ordering wine and beer for the open bar they are enjoying.  That's the art behind a well planned event, you aren't running out of ice or cups and you certainly aren't out of the white zin that everyone is loving! 

Planning your bar menu is more than just what you will serve, but also about the quantities of each that you will order.  How do you figure out how much red, how much white or how many kegs? Here are the tips we share with our clients and hope you find helpful:

1.  Consider the setting
Many venues have specific rules about hard alcohol or prohibit serving hard alcohol all together, double check your contract before stocking the bar of course! For a summer outdoor wedding you may want to pair more of the chilled and sparkling wines, or plan a few refreshing signature drinks in lieu of a full wine or cocktail menu.  Not only will it keep your guests cooler but it will also keep your bar costs down because you are only buying mixers/ingredients for two signature drinks for example vs a full bar or extensive wine list.  Make sure to plan on getting plenty of ice to keep the kegs and drinks nice and cold! Non-alcoholic beverage station with water, iced teas, lemonade etc will also give your guests more options and keep them hydrated.

2. You know your guests
While your caterer or bar service provider may know a lot about hosting events, you know your group better than anyone.  If these folks are beer drinkers you have to take that into consideration when deciding on how many kegs or cases of beer you will need and how many bottles of wine you will need.  

3. Size Matters
If you are trying to get an accurate estimate on how many servings are in a keg or wine bottle etc you should make sure that you know what cups you will be using to serve the guests.  For example, if you bought personalized 16oz cups off of Etsy, you are using a cup that is considered oversized. 

http://www.dummies.com/food-drink/drinks/beer/buying-beer-in-kegs/

4.  Budget
Hosting a wedding or any large event is expensive, plan smart and focus on the essentials.  Here are a few helpful calculators to ensure that you don't overshoot and purchase more alcohol than you need.  If your venue or caterer is providing the alcohol, you will need to set a budget with them to determine the amount that you will be comfortable with hosting.  For example if the country club has a $1200 bar minimum you would have a hosted bar up until that dollar amount, after that it would be become a "no-host bar" and guests would pay for their drinks.  Many couples opt for no-host cocktails which means that your guests can get beer and wine but would pay for their own cocktails.  Make sure to ask about corkage fees as well, these add up!

If you are providing your own alcohol, you can look for deals from Bevmo or World Market for deals or even your local grocery store may offer specials.  Costco often has great pricing for large magnum bottles as well.   How much alcohol do you need? Here is a handy (free) calculator:

http://www.thealcoholcalculator.com/

We strongly advise asking for help from your vendor team so that you aren't stressing over how many bottles and servings you need the week of your wedding! Have questions? We are happy to help just shoot us a message on our contact page. 
 

 ~ Happy Planning!

30 Day Dash | The 530 Bride

It's not too late to hire a Day-of Coordinator for your wedding!

Photo credit: Sarah Tamagni Photography

"Day of Coordination is my cup of tea..you should be taking selfies with your bridesmaids, not fielding phone calls! " - Veronica 

---

It is never easy for me to hear people tell me their experiences as a guest at an unorganized wedding, from dinner running behind or the marriage license left behind.. it can happen.  Having a coordinator to help you put together an organized timeline, confirm your vendors, create a packing list of what items to bring on your wedding day (like the marriage license) can help you avoid these little bloopers.  

Even for the couples who have their items packed, and their timeline written out it still shouldn't feel like you are the job site foreman on your wedding day.  You need to hand over the clip board and go drink a cocktail with your friends and family! No seriously.

Day-of Coordination is my cup of tea. It involves reviewing the details already planned by the couple, confirming vendor agreements, fine-tuning the timeline and being the point person for all of your friends, family and vendors on your wedding day so that you can take those selfies with your bridesmaids instead of fielding all of the phone calls.  

If you are in the 30 day dash leading up to your wedding day or know someone who needs a wedding planner intervention please contact me today to get started. 

We have packages to fit any budget and we are always happy to create a custom package for you. Please hop over to our services or FAQ's page to learn more.   

~ Happy Planning! ~

The Cost of Being a Bridesmaid

It is always an honor to be asked to be a bridesmaid or maid of honor in a wedding.  Being by the side of your good friend or family member when they stand at the altar on their big day and sharing in the journey to get there is pretty special!  All of that aside, it does come with some expenses.  We found an infographic on the web aimed to breakdown some of those costs:

Image courtesy of Dimespring.com

Couples should try to keep these figures in mind when planning the involvement of their wedding party and make sure to communicate with everyone in their party to ensure that the expenses are not a hardship for anyone.  Being open to cost alternatives makes the experience better for everyone, a $200 bridesmaid dress may not be doable for some so its good to consider choosing a color and material and allowing the bridal party to find a dress that fits their style and their budget.

Are you a bridesmaid in a wedding?  Take our poll on the expenses of being in a wedding: [yop_poll id="4"]

Wedding TV Show's You Shouldn't Watch

Okay brides, you get home from work or school and turn on the TV as you flip through the channels you may come across wedding shows like TLC's Four Weddings, Say Yes to The Dress, Bridezilla or even David Tuteras "My Fair Wedding."  While entertaining, these types of shows can hinder your planning process more than help; and here is why:

We TV's Bridezilla - Well this one is obvious, just because you are getting married you do not have an excuse to be ridiculous and treat your friends, family or fiancé badly.

TLC's Say Yes to The Dress - The gowns are beautiful and the brides usually do walk away with the gown of their dreams, but it's the idea of bringing your whole entourage with you to judge or comment on your gown that is a real downer.  I think the bridal consultant would agree that having a maid of honor or other family member like your mother or grooms mother present is special; the only opinion that the bridal consultant wants to hear is yours.  If you feel beautiful and special in a gown, you shouldn't let your 10 friends who came along tear down your choice.

TLC's Four Weddings - Your wedding is not a competition, in real life you will not have a panel of judges with a score card rating each component such as food or atmosphere.  Please don't lose sight of what will make your day special to you and your fiancé because you want to please others and impress them with your wedding.

My Fair Wedding - Built on the premise that bride's can wait until months or even weeks before the wedding to get things in order and someone (David Tutera) will magically come in and save the day.  At this point the brides have usually made purchases and have deposits with vendors, and David comes in and "rescues" their wedding morphing it into a big (admittedly beautiful) production.   (Image courtesy of channelguidemagblog.com)

When you are planning your wedding it is easy to absorb yourself into anything and everything wedding, but you should try to have a healthy balance.  Make sure you spend just as much time doing non-wedding things and most importantly focus on communicating and enjoying your soon to be husband.  The better your relationship before walking down the aisle, the better it will be in years to come.

Lastly, remember your wedding is not a contest or an excuse to behave badly! Hire professional vendors and you will have no problem staying on track and within your budget for your big day.

~Happy Planning~

Wedding Budgets

Image courtesy of AllWeddingSecrets.com While every couple has a different priority list when planning their budget, there is a typical break down when it comes to putting your budget together.  Your wedding coordinator will have more realistic figures based on the area where you plan to get married.  Here are some of the "typical" budget break downs in percent form:

According to TheKnot Here is a basic breakdown of what you can expect to pay:

Reception: 48%-50% Ceremony: 2%-3% Attire: 8%-10% Flowers: 8%-10% Entertainment/Music: 8%-10% Photography/Videography: 10%-12% Stationery: 2%-3% Wedding Rings: 2%-3% Parking/Transportation: 2%-3% Gifts: 2%-3% Miscellaneous: 8%

• To avoid stress, allot about 5% of your budget for a "just-in-case" fund.
• If you're paying for your honeymoon yourselves, remember to budget for that as well.

Looking at this breakdown, it could be very different for a couple with a very small guest list who do not plan on using special transportation or who would like to really splurge on their food and drink vs flowers etc.  In the same token, some guest may want to have a larger budget for photos and videography vs entertainment.  Every couple is different but it is helpful to have a basic outline to go off of.

Happy Planning!

How to Calculate Your Alcohol Budget

When planning your wedding, the first thing you need to determine is your budget.  It may be the least fun part of the whole process but it certainly going to play a huge part in your wedding.  You can read more on how to set your wedding budget here.  So once you have determined your overall budget, you need to select your wedding venue and your wedding vendors.  Doing so will dictate what your needs are.  For instance your venue may have exclusive catering and beverage services meaning you cannot bring in a bartender to serve alcohol that you have purchased elsewhere.

If you do determine that the venue does not have exclusive vendors then first talk with your caterer to see what they offer when it comes to alcoholic beverages and serving.  Some caterers will supply an extra server at an additional cost to you to strictly man your bar, while others do not have insurance coverage or licensing to do so and you will need to hire your own bartender. So after doing your research and you still determine that you will purchase your own alcohol you will want to look into exactly what type of alcohol (beer, wine, cocktails) that you want to serve and how much you should purchase.

Your guest list should be pretty squared away when it comes time to make this purchase so that you are not buying more than you need.  You should also look over your list and think about your guests, are the majority going to want to drink beer vs wine or should you stock up more on hard alcohol for martinis or mixed drinks etc.  Also make sure to consult with your caterer to get their opinion on wine pairing with the food menu you have created (white wine vs red wine with chicken vs steak etc)

Here are a few websites that offer calculators designed to help you determine how many bottles of alcohol to purchase for your event.  You plugin the number of guests and it spits out the estimated break down of how much wine, champagne, beer and or hard alcohol to buy.

Bevmo Party Planner Calculator 

Naturally after you realize how much you will need to buy, your immediate thought is "how do I get the best deal on alcohol?" Hera are some key ways to keep your alcohol budget in check:

1. For wine, take advantage of sales at retailers such as Bevmo & World Market who will often offer a buy one get one sale. 2. Costco offers their Kirkland Signature wines that are not only affordable but also well rated by wine critics. 3. If your venue supplies the alcohol, opt for a limited or no host bar.  You can then set a block of time that you will pay for the guests drinks for example during the cocktail hour. 4.  Opt for a beer and wine only menu 5. Create a signature cocktail menu, this option limits the amount of alcohol you need to buy so that you are only buying the ingredients to make the signature drinks rather than trying to supply a full bar.

Lastly, please make sure to put some thought into how to ensure that your guests drink responsibly and what steps can be taken to get guests home safely should they "over-indulge."  Consider having a shuttle available at the end of the night or have a few business cards for taxi's handy.

~Happy Planning~

Free Wedding Printables

We always recommend hiring a professional when it comes to weddings & events so that you can trust that it will be done right the first time.  If you are a bride looking for creative stationary and custom wedding collateral, you definitely need to head over to The Idea Emporium for inspiration.  If you are Maid of Honor trying to be the hostess with the mostess on a budget, these free printables are for you.  Word of advice, printing from home may have its challenges and may not turn out as desired. Try these out ahead of time, so that if you aren't happy with them you will still have time to contact a professional. Photobooth Props - Six Months to Mrs.

Bows and Tags - PrintableWeddings.com

Chevron Invites and Favor Tags - The Tomkat Studio

Printable Bridal Shower Game - ElegantWeddingInvites.com

Just remember, for the best results contact a professional rather than printing from home.

Happy Planning!

DIY Table Runner Project

Here at The 530 Bride we love to see couples express their style and personality while enjoying their wedding experience.  We are fans of the ladies over at The Idea Emporium for encouraging their clients to step outside the box and get creative.  We are happy to share this creative and inexpensive DIY Table Runner project demonstrated by Carey at The Idea Emporium!

Materials Needed 14 yards of white muslin fabric Scissors Fabric Dye 1 large bucket Boiling water (per dye instructions)

Step 1: Rip fabric to desired width by cutting a starter mark, and then proceed to rip the fabric into two equal sections

Step 2: Following the instructions included with the dye packet, bring water to a boil. Meanwhile, begin fraying the edges of the fabric.

Step 3: Once you have frayed all of the edges, fold the fabric in half lengthwise and then proceed to roll it towards you

Step 4: Mix the water and the dye packet in a large bucket, and dip the fabric into the dye with the frayed edges down. You can dip the fabric in to the dye at the desired depth, and as many times as needed to give the intended color. *For an ombre effect you can use multiple buckets with varying shades of the dye*

Step 5: Unroll the fabric and layout to dry on a flat surface

We love this color combo of white and blue, but the choice is yours so feel free to get creative. This project is not only fun, but it can really save you money! Here is our breakdown of expenses:

14 yards of Muslin fabric @ 3.99 per yard* 2 boxes of dye @ $2.29 per box

*The amount of fabric you need will depend on what size table you are using and the length you would like the fabric to extend past the edge of the table.

If you would like assistance with planning and or designing your wedding or next big event please feel free to shoot us a message with any questions and we will be happy to help!

Keeping Expenses Down For Your Wedding Party

In the August/September issue of Brides Magazine, 103 bridesmaids participated in a poll and gave some insight.  Among many of the interesting questions such as what a bride should know when choosing her bridesmaids, thoughts about the bachelorette party, and of course the dresses; one thing stood out to me.  73 percent of bridesmaids who were asked what the hardest part of being a bridesmaid was, responded that the expense was the most difficult. As a bride you expect that costs are going to add up because it is your wedding, we may not stop and think about the costs for those involved in our wedding party.  Typical expenses are the cost of the attire for the wedding, travel expenses, time off from work, and shower/wedding gifts.

Here are a few ideas on keeping your expenses down without compromising a good time!

1. Choose an affordable dress line for the bridesmaids to choose from, or allow them to choose their own gown.  Allowing your bridesmaids to choose their own gown may give your girls a little more pocket change as well as feel more comfortable in their dresses.

2. Plan your bridal shower/wedding related projects and events close together in dates if you have out of town bridesmaids so that they can make less trips without having to miss out on the fun.  If you have a bridesmaid or maid of honor who can't attend the final fitting, get creative and see if you can come up with a way to face time or Skype with them in the dress store if the store owner allows.

3. Stay local and plan a night out that won't break the bank.  You may be able to live it up in your home town by saving money from airfare and hotels.  Get a limo or talk to some of the local bars about having your own VIP table vibe without the out of town price tag!

4.  Their presence is gift enough, let your ladies and gents know that you understand they have had to spend money to be involved in all of the events and are just happy they were able to be a part of everything with you!

5. Look for discounts for booking as a group, and try to plan things out in advance. Check for rewards programs and other incentives for travel arrangements.

6. Talk your wedding vendors such as your planner for ideas on keeping your budget in check and you may get some creative tips and advice from vendors.  When you network with your professional vendors you are tapping into a pretty great resource!

Money can be a touchy subject, and sometimes you may think that your bridesmaid is checked out from your wedding planning but in reality she may just be stressed with the thought of the financial aspect.  Just remember that you are doing all of this to celebrate your love and commitment to each other as a couple, and want to share this with your friends and family!

~ Happy Planning~

Three Tips To Successfully Creating Your Guest List

Posted by: Alisha Rouland, Event Coordinator Creating a guest list can be a daunting and confusing task! Should you invite all 500 of your facebook friends, your parent's college friend whom you've never met, or your favorite middle school teacher? Usually the size of the guest list is determined on your wedding budget. It is also helpful to consider the size of your wedding venue - a backyard wedding may not accommodate your 400 person guest list. Below are three tips to assist you in creating your wedding guest list.

1. Compile an initial guest list

Traditionally, half of the guest list goes to the bride's family, and half to the groom's family. Ask that each family create their own list of guests. Think of groups of friends or clubs of which you belong (example: church, co-workers, recreation leagues, etc.) Finally, go through your address books to make sure you did not forget anyone. Once you have your initial list compiled, the hard part begins...

2. Separate names into categories

With the help of your groom and family, begin to place people into three categories. Placing guests into categories, as terrible as it sounds, will be very helpful in getting your guest list count to an acceptable budget-friendly number. Let's say your wedding budget allows for 200 guests, and in your Group A and Group B you have 200 guests to invite, and 50 in your Group C. Typically 70-80% of guests invited attend, so as you receive a "No" RSVP from someone on the A or B list, you can send someone from your Group C an invitation.

1. Group A (Definite Invites): Examples of guests on this list would be those involved in the wedding (parents and bridal party for example) or immediate family members (grandparents and siblings.)

2. Group B (Probable Invites): Examples of guests on this list would be other family members and close friends.

3. Group C (Optional Invites): Examples of guests on this list might include friends you haven't seen in years, work acquaintances, distant relatives or children. While it is appreciated by single guests, if your guest list is overflowing, it is not necessary to invite all single guests to have a plus one.

3. Check your list for any duplications

Double check your list to eliminate any overlap that may have been caused during the formation of your guest list. It would be unfortunate to invite the same person twice and eliminate another potential guest.

Special Note: If you haven't already, consider sending RSVP Cards along with your invitations. Caterers and bakers require an accurate head count to make sure there is sufficient food for your guests. It would be a shame to run out of food before all guests are served or be costly if you have an overabundance of food. In addition, having an accurate list of guests helps when creating the seating arrangements. If this sounds overwhelming, remember that the Event Coordinators at The 530 Bride can help!

Happy Planning!

Planning Tip: Avoiding Temptation

When you are in the planning stages for your upcoming nuptials, you may be tempted to go into "shopping mode" where anything wedding-ish ends up in your cart.  To keep your budget in check you should avoid making purchases until you are clear on what you actually need to buy.  One of the side effects of shopping mode is that you end up buying odds and ends which in the end can clash with your overall decor.

DIY Projects are probably the biggest culprit when it comes to blowing your budget because even though the purchases seem small, it adds up in the end and you may not even end up finishing the project or get intended results.

Once you have booked your wedding coordinator, venue, caterer, florist and/or event decor & rental company, you can go down the list of anything that isn't already provided by these vendors and then purchase or rent the remaining items as needed.  Often one vendor may have several services and products under one roof and they may even offer discounts for combining different services or products.

So next time you're tempted to make an impulse buy at Michaels or your local wedding store, make sure that you are sticking to your list. Your budget will thank us!

Posted by Veronica Enns