Looking for a venue?

January 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Here are 3 ideas on choosing venue Ideas

Wedding Venue Comparison Chart1. Create a comparison chart to track what’s included in the price for each venue you’re considering. One company may not include linens and the cake, for example, while another company does.

Howell Michigan City Parks 2. Many public spaces, like parks or the local village green, may be available to rent at a low fee. However, if the space is not equipped to handle events, you’ll have to rent everything from napkins to tables and chairs. Make sure you come out ahead!

Potter's Park Zoo as a wedding venue

Potter's Park Zoo as a wedding venue

3. Choose an unusual venue, such as an aquarium, a zoo, a gallery or an historical site. Site fees are not high and you’ll save on decor because the venue already supplies ambiance. But the same caveat goes as for public spaces: Figure in what you’ll have to spend on rentals. Wouldn’t a leppard or zibra make a great groom’s cake?

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How much alcohol do I have to provide

December 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

My mother-in-law wants to hand out drink tickets to keep people from getting too drunk at the wedding.  That’s seems really tacky to me. Is it?

No offense to your mother-in-law, but that is tacky.  Tell her you trust your guests to behave like grown-ups, not college freshmen.  If the reasoning behind the tickets is to cut cost, you can go with a reduced bar  or serve only wine, beer and a signature cocktails.

My personal choice is to serve house wine and let guest know you have a limited cash bar or no alcohol at all.

It is traditional for the groom’s family to foot the bill for the drinks. If this is true in your case, remember it is her decision so be nice with your suggestions.

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Five Money Saving Wedding tips

November 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

We will keep giving you more and more money saving tips as we get them.

  1. Save on your rehearsal dinner siteby throwing a backyard barbecue or a picnic in a local park—both of which will cost you less than a dinner in a restaurant. (These may be more fun too!)
  2. Trim the length of your reception. Even doing three hours instead of four or five will save you money. Trust us, everyone will enjoy themselves just as much.
  3. Determine early on what you can spend and stick to it. One rule of thumb: Food, beverage and venue should come to half of your budget.
  4. Most venues charge a premium for Saturday night. Hold your reception on a Thursday, Friday or Sunday night. An afternoon wedding will cost less than an evening one, as will a Sunday brunch.
  5. Consider the season— you’re likely to get a better price for a venue in January than you would for the same spot in June.
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Too much with wine……

June 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The only time when you, the bride and the groom, eat is at the reception and it may not be much as you keep getting interrupted to kiss, etc. Remember that alcohol then tends to affect you more. Control yourself, as you will be the focal point of the party till the very end and the guests are there at your reception to see your ecstasy and euphoria, on being married, rather than you drunk. Also, what bride or groom wants to be with a drunk or drunk for that matter on their wedding night?

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Best thank you to your guests….

June 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The best thank you can show your guests for attending your wedding and and sharing you joyfulness is not the table favor, but is to visit with each and everyone of them. 

Sometimes this is hard to do individually, but if  create a plan for table visits on the day of your wedding each guest will feel appreciated.  So visit a few tables after the first few dances, some more during dinner, and so forth.

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Keeping children entertained at a wedding

May 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I meet an event planner at a networking meeting and she has the greatest idea.  As an event planner, she plans a separate reception for the children in an attached room.  Saving both the guests and bride and groom some expenses and headaches.

Yes, there is the cost of a small meeting room, but if you work it right with the venue, you have children’s menus at maybe say $10 each vs paying for an adult menu of say $25/plus for a 5 year old. As the bride and groom you could hire a children’s party planner or hire some fun teens to entertain them with CD music and dancing, party games, etc.

You could include a reception party invitation for each child in with your wedding invitation. This would not only make the child feel special, but let the parents know that children are invited to their own event and not the reception. 

Your guests can enjoy your reception without having to chase after little ones or have your small guests upset other guests and the children will not be Bored to tears.

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Invite Equitte

May 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Inviting partners and guests
If an invited guest is married, engaged or living with a significant other, that partner must be included in the invitation. A single invitation addressed to both individuals should be sent to spouses or couples who live together, while separate invitations should be sent to each member of an engaged or long term couple who don’t live together. Inviting single guests with a date is a thoughtful gesture, but one that is not required. If you are inviting a single guest with a date, try to find out the name of your friend’s intended date and include that person’s name on the invitation. Otherwise, inner envelopes may include “And Guest,” indicating that he or she may bring any chosen escort or friend.

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Five More money saving Wedding tips

April 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

We will keep giving you more and more money saving tips as we get them.

  1. Save on your rehearsal dinner site by throwing a backyard barbecue or a picnic in a local park—both of which will cost you less than a dinner in a restaurant. (These may be more fun too!)
  2. Trim the length of your reception. Even doing three hours instead of four or five will save you money. Trust us, everyone will enjoy themselves just as much.
  3. Determine early on what you can spend and stick to it. One rule of thumb: Food, beverage and venue should come to half of your budget.
  4. Most venues charge a premium for Saturday night. Hold your reception on a Thursday, Friday or Sunday night. An afternoon wedding will cost less than an evening one, as will a Sunday brunch.
  5. Consider the season— you’re likely to get a better price for a venue in January than you would for the same spot in June.
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Saving money on drinks for any event

April 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
  1. Forget the full bar. Instead, serve beer and wine (both red and white).
  2. Make sure the wait staff knows not to pre-open bottles or clear glasses from tables that aren’t empty. This is a sheer waste of money!
  3. Close the open bar an hour early and offer coffee. You’ll save hundreds of dollars; even better, guests will have a chance to sober up before they head out to the road.
  4. Eliminate shots or any drinks that make use of a number of liquors—these all raise your bar tab and aren’t necessary for guests to have fun.
  5. Don’t forget to have some inexpensive (nonalcoholic) drinks on hand. Consider fresh lemonade in tall, sugar-rimmed glasses for a warm-weather wedding or sparkling water with colorful wedges of orange, lemon or lime.
  6. And my favorite serve non-alcoholic beverages with cute whimsical names and sparkling water relabeled with your names and wedding date.
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A fire extinguisher with my wedding cake YUK!

March 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Things that can spoil the look of your once in a lifetime wedding cake pictures.

  1. Fire Extinguisher
  2. Lockers
  3. Open Windows
  4. Drain Pipes

Just to name a few.  Don’t just look at the table where your wedding cake will be, look behind it too.  If this was the only place where this cake could be placed, the bride and/or her mother should have asked to have a dark curtain placed behind the table.  No prints, strips, etc.

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