Event Styling Tips (Part 2): Non-Floral Decor

Hope you're enjoyed our previous post on event styling tips. Today, we'll be covering non-floral decor and how these elements play a huge role in transforming your space.  Non-floral decor refers to all of the elements that contribute to the overall esthetics. This includes, but is not limited to lighting, draping, tables, chairs, candles, unique furniture pieces, paper goods and etc.  
Before I continue on with this post, here's a before & after picture which may shock you! :)

BEFORE

AFTER

J & J's wedding was back in 2009 at LA Congregational Church and they had hired me to transform a typical church function into an elegant reception space. We had a few different companies come in to cover draping, lighting, linens and chairs and the result was breathtaking.

Via Martha Stewart Weddings

Please don't misunderstand me. I LOVE flowers and I get extremely picky whenever we have floral mock up meetings but I do believe that flowers alone won't do the magic.  If you rely solely on flowers, your only option to make your decor more impactful is to keep making your flowers bigger and bigger. Not only does that look often become heavy and overwhelming, but it becomes expensive.

Again, here are some few examples to show you why rentals play a huge role in changing the aesthetics of your celebration.
Adamson House Outdoor Wedding: Instead of going with the chiavari chairs, we used rustic tables & natural wood folding chairs to keep the natural/casual ambiance.

Photo Credit: Sarah Yates

Casa Del Mar Wedding:
We had all white flowers and gave a little contrast by using charcoal gray linens and silver chiavari chairs. We carefully placed each gardenia on silver beaded chargers to complete the look.

Photo Credit: Taek Photography

This ballroom was completely draped in white fabric for a clean, sophisticated feel. Tables were a mix of rounds with gray linens and white lacquered rectangles. NOTE:  JL Designs was the creative brain behind this gorgeous event.

Photo Credit: Meg Perotti

A Winter Wonderland theme photoshoot designed by Couture Events. Again, they kept the flowers to a minimum and let non-floral decor shine. So in love with these clear ghost chairs!

Photo Credit: Scott Lawrence Photography

Craven's Estate Wedding:
Due to our budget, we only rented 8-9 vintage pieces from The Found and they were worth every penny! We later moved some of the couches to create a beautiful sweet heart table for the couple.

Jonathan Club Wedding:
What about adding some chic white lounge furniture during cocktail hour for your guests to mingle?

Photo Credit: Taek Photography

I stumbled upon this image from Apartment Therapy a while back and took my breath away. It's elegant, dramatic and just simply gorgeous.

Ok.  These examples are nice but Esther, what if we're on an extreme tight budget? We can't afford to rent these items for our wedding. Any other tips you'd recommend? Part 3 is coming up for all you savvy DIY brides! Stay Tuned!

Event Styling Tips and Tricks (Part 1)

I get asked quite often where I rent and purchase my decor props & rental pieces from fellow vendors out there, so today, I wanted to cover some basic event styling tips with you. Hope this post will also push brides to think outside the box and think about creatively using their venue space.

One of the main jobs I take seriously is styling different stations such as the escort card display table, dessert bar, sign-in table, drinks station and etc. Uniquely setting these displays can definitely set the mood and excite the guests as they anticipate the wedding they're about to experience.  If done right, it cohesively pulls the look together to match the overall ambiance and details you're trying to achieve.
I honestly think rentals including tables, chairs, lounge furniture, decor furnishings and dance floor can play a huge role and can contribute even more than flowers and lighting.  But I would only suggest rental pieces that would be worth renting after carefully evaluating your overall budget.

Before you add any rental items to the invoice...
Scout out the venue carefully and see if you can find any unique decor pieces/furniture you can incorporate.  I know some venues are pretty strict with moving their furnishings but if you kindly ask the staff, you never know the kind of feedback you'll receive. hey, it doesn't hurt to at least ask!
Here are some examples to show you what I've done in the past that worked.. Of course, for free but with our labor of love! 
We turned La Venta Inn's custom made coffee hut into a dessert bar station. I knew this coffee hut had more potential than to display coffee cups!  I believe this was the first time they had seen their coffee hut turned into a dessert bar and the staff loved the way we set up everything. 

Photo Credit: Perpixel Photography

Polaroid Photobooth station at La Venta Inn
Since the bride wanted a relaxed, cozy atmosphere, I kindly asked if we can move one of the sofas and coffee table in the bridal room to the courtyard.  The guests loved the idea of taking pictures behind the beautiful water fountain as their backdrop.
 
Ceremony set up at the Viceroy
The venue itself had a modern, sophisticated decor so I really wanted to let the venue shine.  The flowers were kept to a minimum and we used three of their white high boys to put flowers on top.  We also took their outside lounge sofas inside the ballroom for guests to feel right at home.

Photo Credit: Hazelnut Photography

Candy Station at the Craven's Estate
Going along with this couple's book theme wedding (they met while studying together) the groom had purchased an old library catalog from his school. It catalog fit in perfectly in the Craven Estate's built in bookshelf and we filled the drawers with different colored jelly beans & candy.  Guests were also encouraged to write well wishes on "library cards" and place them in the drawers. Adding some flowers was a perfect touch, no? :)

Photo Credit: Heather Kincaid

Cake Table at the Heritage Museum
You would not believe where I found this white dresser from! Inside the women's restroom! Ha! I honestly didn't think they would allow our staff to move it but they said 'yes'! 

Cake Display at the DryBar
Again, we kindly asked if we can use their yellow side tables together

Escort Card display at the London, West Hollywood
As soon as I saw the gold trim mirror at the lobby, I knew this would be a perfect spot for the escort card table. Sparkles, floating candles and feather centerpiece? Yes, please!

OK. What if the venue isn't flexible or doesn't provide anything except the space? This is when you want to start looking into adding rental pieces that would make a statement...

Part 2 is coming up! Stay tuned! I'll be covering draping, lighting, linens and other rentals.

Some of my favorite fashion blogs

What? Is Esther blogging about fashion? If you have been following our blog for a while, you know I rarely talk anything related to everyday fashion or beauty tips. Today, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite fashion blogs I stalk. I seriously have a girl crush on these ladies and you'll see the reason why.
If you haven't heard of Wendy' lookbook yet, you're totally missing out! I'm sure you'll find her pairings very inspirational especially for this year's fall season. Please head over to her blog & her AMAZING youtube videos and you'll instantly be stalking her videos just like me! :)

Via Wendy's Lookbook

 Another awesome blog I follow is Jean from Extra Petite.  Her blog is more geared towards petite sized working women and I find her blog extremely helpful since she lists all the clothing/accessories/shoes that are on sale. Who would have thought this black cocktail dress she's wearing is from H&M?

via Extra Petite

 I also absolutely adore Kendi from Kendi Everyday. I love that her style posts are both relatable and affordable!

via Kendi Everyday

 If you're looking for perfect outfits for your e-session, why not browse through these blogs and get some inspirations before the shoot?  Any pregger fashion blogs I should be checking out? ;) Can't believe in a few weeks, I'll be starting my 3rd trimester!

Dress up your sweet heart table!

If you're thinking of having a sweet heart table instead of sitting with all your bridal party, why not dress it up a little more? It definitely draws attention and I think it's such a fun way to personalize the wedding even more! Here are some sweet heart tables we put together in the past. (Please excuse the poor quality pics from my iPhone)
You can bring in your favorite color accent pillows, arm chairs and any other decor pieces or personal items to create a whimsical and eclectic look.  Instead of you two going around to greet the guests, I'd bet you, they would line up to take pictures of you sitting at the sweet heart table!

Here's a sweet heart table set up for Min & Sean's wedding. The navy blue love seat & rustic table were rented through The Found and we just moved ceremony props & flowers to bring out more color!

I'm dying to share this lovely wedding from last weekend at Jonathan Beach Club. The bride wanted everything modern, clean and classy so we decided to rent a cabana with a crystal chandelier hanging from above with a white banquette.  We used all the bridesmaids' bouquets to add some color to the table and added some colored cushions too! 

Check out what Kate Holt of FlowerWild  did to back of the chivari chairs. It's such a romantic way to dress up your sweet heart table, no? :)  Photo Credit: Chenin Boutwell

I'll be back next week to share with you more gorgeous weddings and ideas you can also incorporate into your own wedding! Stay tuned!!

Why I sometimes need to shut up

Beth Helmstetter, one of my favorite planners in the industry & my dear Angela wrote a great post on
'How to reduce stress from planning' and I thought I would also pitch in my two cents.

As a planner, it's a blessing & a curse that I have an opinion about everything. I spend countless hours making my clients' weddings oh-so beautiful within the budget that I often loose sight of telling my brides to 'enjoy' & make it about just the two of you, not about the details or what will be captured on camera. Sure, this is the reason why brides hire me in the first place to tell them honestly which direction they're headed, where they should go & what will look better and fitting but I sometimes just need to shut up & respect their decision. Yes, I said it. I need to shut up.

The fact of the matter is, unless there's something out of the ordinary and spectacular in the wedding that I haven't already seen in the blog world, I don't get impressed too easily. With all these 'inspiration to reality' photoshoots with great inspirational wedding blogs by planners and wedding professionals, it's hard not to look at the details and define a great wedding by just looking at the photos. It's so wrong for us to judge/define a great wedding based on who their photographer is, which venue they decide to go with & what kind of rentals & florists they use when weddings are all about celebrating their first chapter of husband & wife to be. At the end of the day, who cares if the couple decides not to use chiavari chairs as long as they solely vowed in front of all their guests.

I've seen brides make a choice and then get confused and doubt their decisions when they see something prettier & better on a blog. They're not able to fully embrace what they have and envy after all the pretty things around the blog world. Too much of prettiness is not always good. They can either make you doubt your own decisions and not fully embrace and appreciate your own wedding & your budget. Do keep in mind that your decision is the right one for you and not everything out there fits every wedding. And also note that there will always be something more beautiful & better in years to come. The vintage trend right now will soon go away & who knows when chocolate brown as a complimentary color will come back? :)

Lisa of Anderson Green Events wrote a great post and I couldn't agree more!
"If you keep changing your mind about choices or decisions - you've lost the confidence in that idea. You've lost the confidence to believe that that idea is appropriate for your wedding.... Use the important ideas / thoughts / feelings to guide you in your decision making process. Then, use your budget as a guide so that you don't overspend, lose your confidence and then panic. Then stick to your guns."

My piece of advice for soon-to-be brides who are spending countless hours online for inspirations: Limit what you see online & don't listen to everybody. There's no way you can please everyone-not even your planner. :)

Who cares if your wedding photos are not published in a magazine?
Who cares if your photos don't float around in the blog world? Our main goal for having a wedding is not about that.

You can refer back to my post I wrote almost 2 years ago about 're-defining' a perfect wedding and let's once again, 're-define' what it means to have a perfect wedding by focusing on our couples & their sincere love for each other which is the main reason why they're getting married.

When asking questions.. please note!

A good friend of mine, who is also an avid MBS blog follower recently, told me that I was spilling out too much information about my vendors and other wedding resources. My response, “That’s exactly what I want to do!” There may be some wedding professionals in the industry who like to keep all their resources to themselves- but I’m going to have to disagree with this approach to business for many reasons. Btw, here are some helpful tips to increase your blog readership.

1) Readers come back for content. The more information (not just inspirations) and practical tips you provide, most likely they will bookmark the site and come back to see if you have new posts. (I'm feeling a bit guilty since I haven't been blogging much lately. ;)

2) Readers want to know who you are working with and networking with.

3) We (MBS) update our blog with the hopes that our insight and experience will help brides, whether they hire us or not.

4) Information is meant to be shared. The more you share, the more feedback you get and become that much closer in being an expert at what you do.

5) Giving out vendor referrals is not our main job. Wedding planners are not just hired databases with list of vendors.

6) Surprisingly enough, readers are interested in your personal life.

Ok, now on the flip-side. Yes, I do love giving out information (I really do!), please also note that there are some fine lines that should not be crossed. For instance, I get constant e-mails/phone calls/ FB messages asking for some tips/recommendations for possible venues and churches- to the brides out there: Honestly without knowing your style, budget, size, and location preference, it is really hard to recommend venues/churches. I don’t mind telling you where my favorite locations are and the vendors that I love working with but I don't have 100+ locations on top of my head to give you answers right off the bat.
Now that the blog world is so open to sharing resources, some brides think that we can answer all their questions without hiring us for our services. FYI, I do charge hourly for consultations for those who may need some ideas/recommendations during the planning process. Yes, you can pick my brain, but please be courteous. I try to respond to each email I receive within 24 hours, but it would be nice to email me back to at least say thank you or honestly let me know your updates. Below, is an example of e-mails that I get from brides that throw me off a bit….

"Dear Esther,

Although I would love to hire you as our planner, we're on a very tight budget. But do you mind giving me some vendor referrals & possible venue options?"

Ummm….This is a perfect example of the line that shouldn’t be crossed. Or some brides write me the sweetest emails and express how much they would have loved to hire me as their planner if budget wasn't an issue. Let's be frank: You appreciate my tips & knowledge but not enough to 'pay' for my services.

All of my clients are on a tight budget but nonetheless, they hire us because they want us to deliver a one of a kind and unique wedding that is planned to their specific needs. We're so honored and thankful because our clients squeeze us into their tight budget with the confidence that we will provide industry knowledge, experience, and collaborate with the best vendors. So, it really wouldn’t be right to share ALL the information with random brides, when our clients are paying for these services. And it really wouldn't be right to come to the rescue and offer 'unlimited' help when our clients are paying for these services.

Of course, brides can do research and find vendors on their own, but planners collaborate with the couple to hand select the vendors whose services will bring the ideas and wedding details alive the day of the ceremony. Our experience in the industry sets us apart from the newbie brides who are trying to throw a wedding together even if they have been dreaming & planning their wedding since 5 years old.

On behalf of other wedding planners/designers/florists and other creative business owners out there, I think it is safe to say, please do not take advantage of us and our industry knowledge. Yes, we are here to help but I hope you would value our time & talent. Please respect our boundaries before calling or filling our inboxes with your questions. We love our job so much that we don’t mind sharing, but don’t take our experience and expertise for granted.

Sincerely,

Esther

Church Reception gets a Make Over

I posted a few posts (here and here) on why lighting & draping make a world of difference.
A picture is worth a thousand words. Can I get an Amen? :)
Here's a before & after shot of the church reception hall.
BEFORE (FRONT VIEW)

AFTER (FRONT VIEW)

BEFORE (BACK VIEW)

AFTER (BACK VIEW)

Major thanks to Luna Party Rentals for their draping & G2 lighting for their awesome lighting.
About 7-8 crew members (including myself) stayed until 10pm the night before the wedding to set it all up. Talk about dedication & commitment to completely transform the space!
More photos will be up soon..

Why having personalized wedding vows are important

I always tell my clients to write their own vows. I know it can be nerve wracking and challenging to express your heart in front of all your friends and family but I can guarantee you that this will bring so much more meaning & personal touch to the ceremony. Yes, the details are important but there's nothing more special than listening to two people share their love and dedication to one another in public. Here's a wedding video from Cloud 9 Studio that perfectly captured their moment. It's a must watch!

Randy & Esther from Jason Kim on Vimeo.

Why DIY is not for everyone

I’m sure a lot of you have visited the tons inspiration blogs that are taking over the blog world. They are all filled with awesome DIY ideas, but I do want to point out that being a DIY bride may not be worth it for some.

Yes, Martha Stewart and other savvy brides may encourage and inspire you to DIY flowers, invitations, and all your stationary, but it certainly is not for everyone. You may think, "Well.. When am I ever going to get the chance to craft and do projects like these? " Or maybe you want to save money or make the day more personal with the little details, but let me be honest with you all; I don’t recommend DIY projects for those who don’t have a lot of time on their hands and for brides who aren’t too talented at being crafty (sorry for being so blunt). You may imagine DIY projects to be fairly easy, especially with the tutorials, but sometimes after you buy all the materials and start putting things together, you quickly realize it is not as easy as you thought it would be. It might even lead to being dissapointed and discouraged by the end results. Yes, you might be saving a few bucks here and there but don't forget to calculate the time and effort you have to put in.

By no means am I writing this entry to discourage the savvy brides out there to DIY, because there are a lot of brides that blow me away by their talent and ideas. However, if you are not much of a crafty person I would definitely think twice before you run to Michaels or to the Flower Mart. Reality is doing a DIY wedding/projects is very time consuming for the bride. People/vendors are called professionals for a reason- they have the skill, knowledge and artistic ability. Plainly put, they know what they are doing; I mean that is what we are paying them for right? We might be dealing with the same materials and flowers that the professionals are using but the results can be quite different.

For example, (a true story!) one of my clients called me frustrated and disappointed a couple weeks ago about her invitations. Her friend had offered to help design the invites and at that time the bride was thinking it couldn’t be too hard to print out the invites on her own once the design was completed. Unfortunately, she had no idea what she was getting herself into. She went to two different Paper Source locations to get the right color paper and when she finally got to Kinko’s to print out the invites the printer kept jamming because the paper was too thick. After many attempts to print out the invites my bride had no choice but to go back to Paper Source to purchase a thinner paper. Who knew printing invites could give you such a headache and we didn’t even get to the part about cutting the invites correctly, taping the papers together, getting all the addresses from your guests, and sending out the invites on TIME! Whew!

I can totally understand and relate with her because I too get overly excited with just the thought of trying new things. Oftentimes I have to filter all the thoughts and ideas that go through my mind because there are just too many projects I’d like to try. :) Here’s a great example, when I was 6 months pregnant, I had this idea of gifting a handmade crocheted baby blanket to my son. I wanted to somehow ‘bond’ with my unborn child and I thought this project would be perfect. However, I would have never thought of doing it if I knew how time consuming it would be! I guess that's the whole point of crocheting? Taking it one day at a time and not getting antsy about the end results? Unfortunately, I realized that's not me. I need to see the results within 2-3 days! Anyways, so I spent $50 on just the yarn. A couple days later I realized that I didn’t get enough yarn, so I had to go out and buy another $20 worth of yarn from Michaels. After 3 days of attempting to crochet and $70 later, I got impatient, and handed the unfinished blanket over to my mom. Haha! Do I use the blanket now? Not really. Lesson I learned: Go to Target and buy a $15 fleece blanket that is super warm, soft and won’t shrink!

With that said, here are some things to keep in mind if you are considering to DIY some things for your wedding:

1) Am I savvy? Do I like to put together crafty things?

2) Is this project doable? Can I finish it in time before the wedding?

3) Do I have family and friends who can help me? Always have a back-up plan but never take them for granted. (PLEASE take some time to read this entry I wrote a while back)

4) Who is going to help me transfer and set it up? I HIGHLY recommend that you hire at least a “Day of Coordinator” even if you are trying to save money.

With that said, I have seen beautiful interpretations of weddings on a budget. You can find so much inspirations by really breaking down the parts and looking at each element as a potential project. So for those that LIKE to get their hands a little dirty, I encourage you to think outside the box and go all out with your creativity!

Dear wedding professionals..

To say that I know everything about planning a wedding is such a major overstatement because there are a TON of things I don't know and still have yet to learn. The wedding industry never ceases to humble me. This is why I always approach wedding professionals with a humble attitude because I don’t know EVERYTHING about this industry, and I expect the same consideration when they approach me as well (with mutual understanding and respect). It is really not about whom the “power player” is or who has more experience. It's all about the teamwork and working together with the same goal of blessing the couple with our services.

However, a few wedding professionals actually come off as a bit arrogant, haughty and dare I say it with an “I’m all that” attitude. Whenever I run into these particular vendors, I’m instantly turned off. Even if I’m working with a vendor who is fairly new to the industry, I always make sure to give my respect and encourage them because I know how hard it is to switch careers and explore the unknown waters. Plus, it’s because of their fresh and unique ideas that inspire and motivate me too!

But what turns me off even more is when a few wedding professionals somehow give off a vibe that wedding planners are nothing more than brides' emergency kits; fixing the bride’s dress, pinning a groom’s boutonniere, making sure things fall into play or when they think our main job is to give referrals to our clients. If you think that… Oh Boy! You are so WRONG! Or you have underestimated what we do. Some of our job includes but not limited to coming with a list of specific detail shots for the photographer to capture, after all, we would like to see all our DIYs in photos, attending 2-3 florist meetings before finalizing any details, providing a list of wedding items that need to be handed off to us. If a location does not provide a floor plan, we draft our own with detailed notes to include the table size, linen color and size, how many guests per table, where to place the food, and etc. (more here, here and here).

I'm seeing that more and more wedding professionals are selling themselves in so many different facets in order to bring more 'value' to the table. A DJ may include 'wedding coordination services' in their proposal, because they also create a timeline for the reception. A photographer may bring in an extra assistant who just happens to know how to operate a video camera, and thus, 'videography services' can now be included in the proposal.

Let me put things in perspective for you, bluntly.

I love to stalk photographer’s blogs, and I have a digital camera but I don’t call myself a photographer. I know how to arrange flowers and have put together centerpieces for many events, but I’m certainly not a florist. I can capture my son crawling around everywhere on a video camera but that doesn’t make me a videographer. I have some FAB assistant coordinators who love to decorate, but I don't call them event designers. You see what I’m getting at?

If you only take a bit of time to try to understand and respect other professionals' scope of work, you will quickly realize that it's not easy to proclaim certain titles. By trying to fool your clients into thinking that you can do things which you have no training on will only come back to bite you in the long run.

I'm also writing this post in behalf of all the wonderful and hard working planners out there. Yes! We're serious about our job. Serious enough to quit our old jobs and pursue a more creative career path that would utilize our artistic side. I want you to know that we didn't switch our career path just so we can better pin the boutonniere or escort the guests to their seats. Nonetheless, those little things here and there make up our job descriptions and we'll do it joyfully!!

But know this..

1) It turns us off when you think you're the most important vendor in town and over promise your clients that a 'dream' wedding will come true. Over-anything is not good unless it's overachieving.

2) It turns us off when you show off your work; your character & personality should out shine your work.

3) It turns us off when you talk too much about how great your services are. Don't just talk big, deliver!

With that said, let's be kind, humble & respect each other's services so we can create beautiful teamwork. And let's encourage brides and grooms to hire the right person for the right job.

Beware: One unprofessional vendor can potentially ruin your wedding!

I don't want to sound rude and mean, but it's true! Putting a wedding together is team work, collaborative team work between the vendors based on the bride & groom's vision. If you get the vibe that the vendor doesn't listen to you OR is inconsistent with his/her words, you MUST trust your instinct and walk out before you sign the contract.
While I love working and finding new vendors, when a bride or groom hires a vendor whom I haven't heard before in the wedding industry, it gets me nervous. First, I worry if they will come on time. 2nd, I worry that they might not 'deliver'. 3rd, I worry that they might not be a team player.

I look at the OVERALL picture, so the vendor who says he/she is the best at what they do and ignores the timeline that's given, he/she is not a team player.
So what makes a professional vendor? It's sometimes hard to indicate and weed out the good ones from the bad and I really think naive brides who have recently started planning their weddings can potentially be in danger and I want to help those brides make good decisions. After all, it's not like wedding vendors are FDA approved, and so we can only rely on referrals and their recent works.

What makes a professional vendor besides their talent and skills? (Please note that this is coming from my personal experience)
1) Someone who is reliable & trustworthy.

2) Someone who is consistent with their words. For example if he/she says something over the phone and says something else the next day. I might seriously reconsider.

3) Someone who has been in the wedding industry for at least 2-3 years. Make sure they have extensive backgrounds on weddings.

4) Someone who isn't difficult to get along with. Think twice because personality does matter!!!

5) Someone who is not just a lone ranger... but has staff on board.
6) Someone who can deliver on time!! I think I mentioned this several times on my blog, but if you missed it, please click here.
7) Someone who is willing listen to other people's ideas and be flexible to work with others.

8) Someone who does this FULL time... It's very important that your vendor does not do this out of hobby i.e. photographers, florist, wedding coordinators, DJs normally fall into this category.

It's just too risky to trust someone based on their words. You need to see their portfolio, ask them lots of questions, get referrals from RECENT clients and meet with them to see if you personally click with them.
Bottom line: Don't get sold only because they meet your budget. Integrity, honesty, being a team player and service oriented is just as important as their talents.

Have you also come across some not-so-great vendors while researching for the perfect one? Please share with us your experience!

BTW, please check back in a couple of days for some delicious details we will put together for this past wedding. You're gonna drool over all the details!! I promise!

Esther's Pet Peeves

Wedding planners are the first ones to be on site and the last ones to take off. We're practically working 11-12 hours straight without taking much of a break. We hope and rest assure that the day will go without any trouble, but no matter how ready we are as planners/coordinators, there are some things that's out of our control. That's why we must be quick on our feet and have solutions to problems at a moments notice.
Someone recently asked me if I have any pet peeves about this job and the answer is... OF COURSE!! I can think of tons of things that really bother me and I'll share some today.

1) Vendors that are late. I don't care how talented you are, showing up late is just unprofessional. I don't care if you're caught in traffic you should know that there is always traffic on Saturdays. It’s always better to arrive early than showing up late. Please give yourself an extra 30 min. before you hit the road. For you vendors out there, please note, it you are running late, that means the whole schedule is running late and I'm not talking about being 5-15 minutes, but being an hour late to the wedding site. I don't want to sound like one of those OCD planners who come off as a bit cocky although I am mildly OCD when it comes to wedding planning :)

2) Maid of Honor and Best Man speeches that drag on and on and on. Ok, I know you have tons of wonderful things to say about the couple but c’mon you are giving a speech. Anything over 10 minutes is unnecessary and just plain boring. To the MOHs and BMs out there, make a flashcard or type it out. This way you can visualize all the things you want to say. If you decide to rehearse it, you can get a better idea of how long your speech is going to be. (Click here for a quick guideline)

3) Pastors/Offciants long messages that don't make any sense. I’m sorry to say but there are some pastors who give long messages during the ceremony but in reality the message isn’t really saying much. Especially outdoor ceremony messages under the scorching hot sun, they shouldn't be longer than 15 minutes.

4) Elderly Korean guests who leave right after dinner with centerpieces on their hands. Gosh… As much as I try to accommodate to their needs and make sure all the guests find their seats, I find it very rude and impolite to leave right after dinner. AND they're the first ones who take off with the centerpieces! Hello!!?! Who knows what else they're packing up. I mean really… Can you at least enjoy the reception; mingle with other guests for a little while. At least until the bride and groom have their last dance together. For some reason, I catch them looking angry & bored during dinner. Please note that you are there to bless the couple, not to receive some type of top notch restaurant service.

5) Vendors that don't keep their words. There's a reason why it's called a DEADLINE. Any vendor that doesn't meet deadlines needs to really consider hiring another staff on board.

Trust me, I can go on and on about my pet peeves, but I cannot stress enough about my # 1 pet peeve. I can understand guests, ushers, gift attendants and helpers who are late, but if you're PAID for your services, there shouldn't be any excuse as to why you're one hour late.

OK. Better stop now because this is bringing back so many unpleasant experiences...haha :)

P.S Hope this answered some of your questions, Lori! Please don't get me wrong... I really do LOVE this job!!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week~

And Don't MESS WITH MY MOMMY! :)

Q & A Church Receptions

After reading the e-mail that Joyce sent me about her concerns about her upcoming church wedding I thought a lot of brides out there are concerned about the same things. Yes accommodating 300 guests on a tight budget is hard, but it does not mean you can’t be creative. Don’t let your space discourage you, in the end your guests are there to bless your marriage, not to check and tally up how you spent on your wedding right?
Q:
My name is Joyce and boy am I glad to have found you!
Firstly, thank you for your dedication. I am learning so much!
I do have a burning desire to get your advice on church weddings. If you don't mind, can I ask you for your opinion?
I will be having my wedding at my church fellowship hall. Not my dream wedding but because of the amount of people and our budget, its pretty much our only choice. Needless to say, I still battle with the choice being that it's far from what I ever dreamed of for my wedding.

Here are the problems:
There is this horrid carpet (orange). Its a gym. Luckily it's a big enough space to host 300 people.
We are planning on covering the walls with some sort of organza draping and accentuate it with lighting. This idea in itself will cost us an arm and leg. We would love to cover the orange carpet with some sort of flooring but covering the entire space will cost $$.
Basically we're going to spend mucho amount of money to transform the space from something other than a typical church gym. I do not want a typical church reception.

So my question is.... considering the budget roughly 25K with 300 people. How much of our budget for transforming the gym be too much?
I really really really am struggling with having a church reception... as much as I can, I want to transform that space so it doesnt feel like one. I just don't know how much is too much.. or if its even worth it.
I'm trying to find the balance between nice wedding and church wedding....
Please, can you blog more about church receptions??
Thank you thank you thank you....!!!

Savvy but confused,

Joyce

A:
To all the brides and to be brides who are planning a church reception, it’s not as bad as you think it is. I wanted to take some time and touch upon some concerns and hesitations people have when planning a church wedding and reception.
The carpet, yes, it may be an ugly orange or have a hideous pattern that doesn’t match your color scheme; but don’t worry when all of your tables and chairs are set up no one will notice the carpet. To accommodate a large church wedding guest list of 300 people you are going to need at least 28-30 tables, 1 large bridal party table or a sweet heart table, and about 8-10 6ft tables for the buffet line (assuming you are going to have a buffet). These table alone will fill the entire fellowship hall, no one will even notice the color of the carpet. Trust me.

However, here are some options that you may want to consider when you are thinking about “transforming” your church’s fellowship hall/gym into your reception site.

1. Linens- I think linens make a world of a difference in setting the tone and ambiance at your reception site. Satin linens will probably be the most cost efficient, they can run anywhere from $15- $20 (depending on your local rental company). You can accent the colors of your table linens with satin napkins as well. Napkins are about $.60 to $1.00 per napkin. For example, if you are having a deep purple and silver wedding, I would recommend using an eggplant table linen with silver/champagne/grey napkins.

2. Chairs- It is rare that a church can provide enough samsonite chairs for all of you guests; and renting chair covers with organza ribbons can look a little tacky too, so here are a couple suggestions. I would contact your local rental company and ask them for their rate on chairs. Chavari chairs can be costly(**UPDATE: they're now $5 dollars!!), so I would suggest renting white folding chairs (most of the time they will come in natural wood, black, or brown. They can cost about $2-$2.50 per chair.

3. Lighting- Uplights around the wall (of course, the color of your choice) and pin spot lighting to highlight the centerpieces on your tables can make a big difference. Lighting will also help create an atmosphere that will move away from your typical church wedding reception.

4. Design (GOBO) projection- This is basically a filter that is put in a light structure to make an image or shape. You have the option of personalizing these images and/or you can cover the wall OR ceiling with a pattern.

If you add lighting to your reception, it will definitely help create an ambiance for your guests to enjoy. I do think lighting is a better option than going crazy with flowers. But lighting alone can add $1K-$2K depending on how elaborate you want. I would get an estimate from a local vendor and see how much they would charge you first. Lighting isn’t the cheapest alternate.

One helpful tip, when you are looking around for vendors, look for a rental company that is capable of covering everything! From linens, chairs, to lighting, this way you can avoid being charged twice for set up and delivery fee.

Now with that said, how much is too much?

On average you should expect to spend about 10-15% of your overall wedding budget on the flowers. This will include the bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres, and any ceremony and reception decor. While this is a good estimate, you can always DIY your own centerpieces and be creative. If you were to throw in lighting & linens, this will add another 10% of your total budget so make sure you sit down and calculate the total cost before you start looking for vendors.

Beware: Venues that provide nothing but space

I love working at different kinds of venues as much as I love working with different kinds of brides. But be sure to do your research & homework before you fall in LOVE with the venues that provide nothing but space. These venues will promise privacy, intimacy and even offer you an empty space to be creative & flexible with the floor plan. I don’t want to talk you out of having your wedding at a private estate, because I L-O-V-E THEM, but I do want to give you a heads up on some things you should consider before you book at such venues. The sky is the limit, you can get creative in what you want to do with the décor, and there is flexibility in choosing your caterer as well. If you want to have a hosted bar at your reception, you may be able to save some money by bringing your own alcohol. YES, this may all sound amazing- but please be aware that there are TONS of restrictions to what you can and cannot do.

Here are some extra expenses that you may have to add into your budget if you are planning a wedding at a private estate:

Rentals: Yes, it seems obvious that you would have to work in rentals into your budget, but did you know that rentals alone can cost up to (sometimes more than) $100 per person! Don’t forget to include EVERTHING that each of your guests will need. This may include: chairs, tables, linens, forks, knives, dessert places, bread and butter plates, coffee pots and cups, martini glasses, rubber mats, serving trays, etc. The list goes on and on and can get to be very expensive.

More Rentals: If the private estate you are planning your reception at does not allow your caterer to cook at their kitchen (95% of the time they will not), you are probably going to have to rent additional items like convection ovens, heating racks, fryers, prep tables, trash cans, and astro turf to protect the floors of the venue and for the safety of the staff working.

Parking: Most homes do not have space to park 100 cars, and unfortunately there is no way around that. You should plan on spending a couple hundred dollars to rent a nearby parking lot to accommodate all of your guest’s cars.

Valet or Shuttles: If the parking lot is not easily accessible to the ceremony/reception area your guests will need additional transportation. You may want to hire a valet service to take the guest’s cars to the parking lot for them. Or, hiring a shuttle service is another option that is worth looking into. These services usually start at $750 to $2500, cost depends on how many people are on your guest list.

Lighting and Generators: A lot of private estates, especially homes, are not designed to host parties with a guest list of over 200 people (unless they are specifically designed too). They should have track lighting to light pathways, and maybe enough power to run a small sound system, but most likely they will not have enough light or power to run the event throughout entire evening. I recommend visiting your venue during the time you want to have your event so you will have an idea of the type of lighting and power you need. The last thing you want is to have your guest eating in the dark. Once you decide the amount of lighting you want, you need to make sure that there is enough power to keep your lights going throughout event. Also, check with your band, DJ, and caterer to determine how much additional power is needed.

Insurance: Yes, Insurance. Private estates will usually not allow you to use any vendors without insurance and a valid license. Did I mention that you MUST purchase liability wedding insurance of your own as well?

Lastly, hire a wedding planner. Planning a wedding at a private estate/venue also comes with an endless list of things that need to be done. Including double and triple checking your rental orders, power needs, making sure the valet/shuttle service is running smoothly, faxing the signed rules and regulations from each of your vendor, etc. Don’t get overwhelmed by all the logistical matters, its stress that you don’t want to deal with the day of your wedding.

I definitely think that having a wedding at a private estate/venue is worth the extra work! But, make sure you do your research and homework before you sign and book a date.

Posting wedding photos on my blog

As much as I am tempted to show off all my clients' beautiful photos, there are some clients who wish to keep their photos private. Some clients don't feel comfortable having photos up on the web for anyone and everyone to see, especially nowadays with the nature of blogging being so open to the public. It is also written in my contract that I do not utilize photos taken during the event for publishing, blog/web, and advertisement purposes WITHOUT the bride and groom's consent. Before my business and getting my name out there, my clients' privacy comes FIRST and I completely respect their decision for keeping the photos to themselves.

So many photographers, florists, videographers and wedding planners blog these days, but have you also considered your clients' privacy?

Planning a multicultural and interfaith wedding...

Hello Readers,
Time sure does fly by these days and today, I wanted to blog about something very important before I head off to Nor cal. Every wedding is uniquely planned by the bride and groom and this ceremony is a tribute to Julia & Chris as they appreciate the differences between their traditions. It joins their cultural traditions and symbolizes their wonderful commitment of honoring their very different heritages.
It has been a long planning process as three of us have gone through in selecting appropriate Christian, Korean, and Jewish elements so that EVERYONE can take part and understand. Every word and technical term & order of the program have been carefully reviewed and selected with much consideration. And I'm quite pleased to let you know that it will be one beautiful, touching, & meaningful ceremony as the guests witness and celebrate one of the most unique weddings ever! To those who are also planning a multicultural and interfaith wedding, here's a sample of the bilingual order of ceremony we have come up with. Hope you find this ceremony resourceful and inspiring as you plan your own unique wedding.

Processional/ 입장

Bride's Entrance/ 신부입장

Welcome & Opening Words/ 개식인사

Statement of Intentions/Declaration of Purpose/ 예식선언문

Message/ 말씀

Reading of the "Ketubah"/ 혼례의식낭독 (A Jewish Tradition)

Exchange of Vows/ 결혼서약

Exchange of Rings/ 예물교환

Pronouncement of Marriage/결혼선포

Lighting of the Unity Candle/ 촛불점화 (A Christian Tradition)

Appreciation of Parents/ 부모님께 인사 (A Korean Tradition)

Statement of Thanks/ 인사 및 광고

Concluding Well Wishes/ 축복기도

Breaking of the Glass/ 유리잔 전통 혼례예식 (A Jewish Tradition)

Presentation of Couple/ 신랑신부 소개

Recessional/ 퇴장

Ringing of the Church Bells/ 축화의 종소리 (A Christian Tradition)

유대인 혼례예식와 한국식 전통 혼례예식을 같이드리고자 하옵니다. 서로 다른환경에서 자란 신랑신부가 한 몸 이뤄 새가정을 꾸미는데 종교와 문화의 차의점을 양해해주시고 이처럼 뜻깊은 행사의 동참하셔서 축복해주시길 바람니다.

Esther's advice: Please note that although you are being married into the family, the wedding is about you & your loved one. Although you want to be considerate of the two different cultures & families, don't lose your voice while planning your own wedding because you can't satisfy everyone. However, use your discretion & common sense when dealing with sensitive issues that may arise during the planning process. If you aren't familiar with the traditions and cultures, don't be afraid to ask because that's more polite than ignoring each other's differences. Here's a great article I found from Love Empire

Before signing the contract (part II)

Before signing the contract (part 1) click here!

Edited by Christine Lee

Over the years of working in the wedding industry as a wedding planner I’ve had the opportunity to work with many great vendors. As I work with these vendors, I am constantly being humbled by the way they incorporate their creative talent to execute works of art. Not only are they capable of producing amazing work, but their business ethics, and how they balance their personal life and business challenge me to become a better wedding consultant. Of course, I can never take all the credit for the beautiful and seamless events that have been produced. It is because of the priceless relationship and great teamwork with other vendors that we were able to execute flawless weddings. But I have also worked with vendors who do not quite meet that same standard. Not saying that the work that they produce isn’t great, but the manner of professionalism while conducting business is less than par.

To all the brides who are still searching for the right vendor, please be cautious before signing the contract and making a deposit. Prior to signing a contract, know who you are booking. I know a lot of you may be saying “duh, that’s a give in,” but you may never know what/who you will be getting on your wedding day. ASK QUESTIONS, and lots of them.

For example:

• Are you signing the contract at a rate for the main photographer or their “team of professionals.” A “team of professionals,” could be a “professional” that is a hired freelancer or a part time photographer that the company uses when they are short handed or double booked. * I always suggest getting a 2nd shooter on your wedding day (there's no way one photographer can capture all the details) but is the 2nd shooter just an assistant or a helper to the main photographer or a professional photographer who can capture the shots just as well as the main person?
  
• When booking a DJ, are you booking the DJ you love or the DJ who is available on the day of your wedding? There may be 4-5 staff members working for the same company. The company may say that all of their qualified staff members produce the same quality of work, NOT TRUE!

Brides, know who you are booking. Write down the names of the people who you are booking on the contract, that way your vendor will not be able to call you two weeks before your wedding date telling you the person you wanted is double booked on that date, but they will send a replacement.

As a vendor myself, I hate telling a potential client that I am unavailable on her wedding date because I’m already booked. However I have come up with an option for those brides who don’t mind working with an associate planner the day of their wedding for a lesser rate. With confidence I can tell my brides that they will receive the best service that they deserve. If an associate planner is also unavailable, I refer those brides to another planner.

I will say that there are many honest vendors out there. When they can’t take on a wedding because they are completely booked, they will let the client know. However, recently I have come across a few vendor who are double booking the event reassuring the bride that they will be there on the day of the wedding but to find that they send another staff member without letting the bride know. This makes me furious because the bride and groom are not getting what they initially signed for. Sometimes the “team of professionals” that they send as replacements are could be far less than what is expected from a professional vendor.

Brides, you have the right to ask those knick picky questions! You have the right to know who is going to show up the day of your wedding, and the quality of the work that will be produced. Before booking vendors look over the contract, know what/who you signing for. Photographer, videographers, and DJs usually fall into the category of vendors to be on the look out for.

10 Don'ts while planning

1.) Don't book any venue without seeing it. My only exception to this is if you have a wedding planner working your behalf and doing the scouting for you.

2.) Don't work with any vendor without a contract. Contracts put everyone’s expectations and obligations on paper. And you never want to pay any vendors full amount after your consultation even if you love his/her work.

3.) Don't start planning or interviewing vendors without a budget. You will waste your time and the time of the vendors you meet.

4.) Don't be afraid to speak up with your vendors. If you have questions or concerns, ask while changes can still be made as opposed to being stuck with something you will regret on your wedding day.

5.) Don't take your family and friends for granted. I've wrote about this topic previously, but your bridesmaids and groomsmen will spend a small fortune to participate in your day. Please treat them nicely.

6.) Don't forget what you are planning for— you're getting married to the man of your dreams and to his family. This is your motivation and the reason why you're planning. (click here to read more)

7.) Don't pick a vendor if you feel uncomfortable & somewhat shady :) Do trust your instinct!

8.) Don't choose a photographer with your budget solely in mind. This is the only thing that will preserve your memories for your special day. Please choose someone with style, talent and charisma, not because she/he fits your budget.

9.) Don't go to your catering tasting starving. Everything will taste good. But do remember that food tasting will always taste better than the actual day of your wedding.

10.) Don't go to your florist without a concept. Your floral designer will be more than happy to provide you with inspiration, guidance and ideas, but you need to do your homework and bring inspiration images & exact color palette.