Weddings In Arkansas
A hint of this metallic hue adds polish to both traditional and trendsetting affairs
CAKE Three-tiered cake featuring an abstract royal icing floral design, hand-painted with gold luster dust on fondant icing. Ambrosia Bakery Co., Hot Springs, (501) 525-4500, ambrosiabakeryco.com…
Hey everyone! Today I wanted to talk to all of you who might currently be searching for venues. There are so many things to consider when choosing this incredibly vital part of your wedding. From pricing to staffing, I’m here to help you find the space that’s right for you!
Tip 1 : Size Matters
When choosing your venue, make sure you ask very specific questions about the number of people the space can hold. Many venues have printed materials that state how many people can attend an event in their space. These can be unintentionally misleading. Often, that large number of guests you see (or are told the facility can handle by a venue rep) on the info sheets fits into the room in a way that you would never want for your wedding. If your venue ever hosts non social events (think conferences) they are fitting a ton more people in that room than you will be. A business conference doesn’t need a dance floor and space for a band, two bars and food stations – you do! This is where your wedding planner can help guide you through the actual capacity of local venues. The last thing you want is for your wedding guests to be squeezed into a room and have no additional space for dancing or specialty decor.
Pratt Barn, photo by Hudson Photography
Tip 2 : What (and Who) is Included
Once you start to compare your (appropriately sized) venue options, it’s very important to be comparing apples to apples. What is included in your venue fee? Is it just the space and everything else (tables, chairs, staff) will be an additional fee? Is it all inclusive, will their staff set up and tear down your tables as well as serve as your bartenders and servers? A venue might seem really expensive on the front end, but once you see all that is included, it might actually be the most budget friendly option. I often find this is the case at country clubs. If you are only paying for the use of the space, have your wedding planner help you rough out the costs of bringing everything (and everyone) in before you sign on the dotted line.
Hardscrabble Country Club, photo by Beaty Photography
Tip 3: Fine Print
Is your dream to leave your reception surrounded by your friends holding gorgeous sparklers? If so, make sure that is allowed by your venue. Many venues have really cracked down on what is and isn’t allowed as far as things like ‘leave’ items go. Some venues restrict the time of day you can begin your ceremony while others limit the amount of hours you can serve alcohol. It is important to remember that, before you fall in love with a venue’s looks, if you can’t have the wedding YOU want, it’s not worth it. Again, your wedding planner’s experience with venue rules and regulations will help guide you here.
Arkansas Air Museum, photo by Meredith Melody
Arkansas is full of gorgeous venues run by fabulous people, make sure you find the one that is right for you!
Amy Hardin
weddingsbydetails.com
(479) 459 7681
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/DetailsWeddings Pinterest : http://pinterest.com/amychardin/
Alright newly engaged brides and grooms of Arkansas, you’ve taken some time to bask in your joy and have fully embraced being called a fiance. This means it’s time to set a date and choose a wedding planner.
There are several key factors you will want to consider in choosing your planner, but before we cover those, let’s talk about why you need a planner in the first place. Planners are basically the general contractor in the building of your wedding. They have a hand in every part of your day and know how to pull it together in a way that will make you swoon. It isn’t just the set up and tear down of the event (although, trust me, your friends and family LOVE this part) it’s the creation of an event that truly reflects your tastes and personal love story.
Few couples have planned weddings before, this means they can’t know all of the vendors (or venues) that are available to them. Planners do this all of the time, this means you get to take advantage of years of professional relationships they have fostered. They know who is doing the style of work you love at the highest level within your budget. This knowledge is invaluable to you as a couple when creating the perfect event.
Once you know you want (NEED) a planner, my number one tip is to USE THEM! Find them as early on in the process as possible. You may think you know exactly where you want to get married and who you want to hire as the vendors, that’s great! But why not be open to a planner who might show you options you never imagined before you sign on the dotted line with your original picks. Obviously planners can be an asset to you at any point in the process, but given my druthers, I’d like to meet you before any major decisions have been made.
Ok, you’re engaged, you have a date and you want to hire a planner before you go further, but how? Finding a planner can be truly overwhelming as in the past few years it seems new planning companies pop up everywhere with lovely websites and promises to make your day amazing. Don’t worry, there are several ways to narrow down the field to your top planner candidates.
The internet is your friend – use sites like Weddings in Arkansas, StyleMePretty.com, and WeddingWire.com to find your planner candidates. Sites like these have vendor sections, spend an evening relaxing with a glass of wine going through all of the local planner’s websites. There will immediately be some that you connect with. Their aesthetic will speak to you in one way or another. Sites like Wedding Wire also give you access to customer reviews, actually read these. Don’t just look at the star rating, see what clients have to say, do they gush and go on and on about their experience or do they just seem generally satisfied? This is your wedding planner, you are going to be spending A LOT of time with them, you want them going above and beyond.
Once you’ve narrowed down your choices with the help of these websites, look further into each company. Your ideal planner should have experience in this industry, generally the more the better. There are times a fresh, new planner can be great, but as a rule you want someone who has been doing this for years, not months. Something I feel is really important is to find a planner who does this full time. Planning weddings is my life, at my company we spend a full work week dealing with vendors, helping clients and doing wedding related office work. We spend hours pouring over wedding blogs and we travel to industry conferences to stay up on the latest trends. Often, hobby planners (non full-time planners) are not going to be able to spend an entire weekday taking you around to multiple vendors and venues and like any other industry, many wedding vendors want to meet during business hours.
At this point, you should be down to a couple of planners you are interested in. Email them (often through their websites) and ask for a general idea of their services and rates. Make sure each planner is able to provide you with the specific services you are wanting. (Do you want them to design the decor as well as create your timeline? If so make sure you have someone who designs as well as coordinates.) Can they meet with you on your schedule? Many brides are full time students or work long hours, make sure you are going to be able to work with you during the hours you are available.
The last step, which is truly the most important, is to start talking with each planner (if you still have multiple candidates) and see how you mesh. Personality compatibility is incredibly important in this business. You need to feel comfortable with your planner. They will become one of the most important people to you during this time in your life, you need to like them! Email, call, set up a consultation (most planners will offer a free consultation) and just talk! As planners, we love weddings and are always excited to talk about a new one, we want to make you feel as confident as possible when making this decision and you can’t do that if you don’t chat a while. If you find a planner you truly click with and discover they are booked on your day or that they aren’t in your budget range don’t be afraid to ask them for a referral. We are happy to guide you to a planner who works similarly to the way we do, we want you to have a terrific day!
If you follow these steps, you should be well on your way to having the ideal planner for your day. One thing to keep in mind, not every planner is perfect for every couple. Your best friend may have loved her planner, but if you call and just don’t feel a connection, listen to that instinct and keep looking! This is your day, find the company that works for you! Happy Planning!
Amy
Find me!
Website : http://weddingsbydetails.com/
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/DetailsWeddings
Pinterest : http://pinterest.com/amychardin/
Hello lovely Arkansas brides to be! I am so excited to be sharing a few tidbits with you here on the Weddings in Arkansas blog (which I love by the way – what a great source of inspiration for you!).
Right now, we are in the middle of ‘engagement season’ which means you might have just been proposed to (YAY!). Once you’ve been able to tear yourself away from staring lovingly at your ring, it is time to get to work. I’m here to get you started on the right path.
Once you get engaged there are several things that need to happen.
1. Spend some time relaxing with your fiance and family. Celebrate and truly enjoy this special time together.
2. Come up with a time frame for when you want to get married. This can mean a specific date or a selection of 2-3 dates. If you are wanting to get married within 6-9 months (or less!) of your engagement, or if you are wanting to get married during peak season (think June), I would encourage you to be open to several dates in order to ensure you get the venue and vendors you want.
3. Set a budget. I know this isn’t the fun part, but it drives everything. You can’t begin selecting a venue or vendors if you don’t know who is in your price range. Having a range versus a set budget is fine, your wedding planner can help you solidify the budget once they know more about your event.
4. Contact a planner. To get the most bang for your buck, bring in your planner at the very beginning, they can give you tips on every vendor selection and might know of venues you’ve never thought of. I like to say we planners are like your general contractors in building your wedding so it’s important they are involved in as many aspects as possible.
5. Once you have chosen a planner, ask them to provide suggestions on the most ‘in demand’ vendors (meaning vendors who will only take 1-2 weddings per day). This will include your photographer, videographer, band/DJ and sometimes florist.
6. While you are browsing all of these amazing vendor website, get pinning! Pinterest is an amazing resource for both brides and their planners/designers. The more decor looks you can pin, the better your planner and florist can get a feel for what you want your wedding to feel like.
Once the 6 steps above have been accomplished, you will be well on your way to having a fabulous wedding, maybe even one Weddings in Arkansas will be publishing in their pretty pages! I’ll be giving you specific tips on selecting your vendors and what questions to ask them later on in the blog series. Happy Planning!
Amy
Find me!
Website : http://weddingsbydetails.com/
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/DetailsWeddings
Pinterest : http://pinterest.com/amychardin/
