Finding the right transportation for your wedding is important. From bicycles, to pedicabs, to limousines, there are a wide variety of options! We found a great blog post from our friends at The Art of Weddings, that gives some great tips on how to make your wedding transportation personal and affordable. Read their full post on wedding transportation here!
"When it comes to organizing a wedding, many brides like to veer away from
the lure of traditional and into something altogether more unique..."
Recently I've been receiving a lot of requests for info for my wedding planning business, EJP Events, and I thought it might be helpful to answer questions on the blog as well.
My assistant and I at a wedding in Boston in 2003. Many thanks to Craig Strong (yes, the Lensbaby inventor) for the photo.
Today's big question: "What are the different kinds of wedding planning services, and how much do they cost?" I can only answer this for my own business, and please know there are MANY fantastic business models out there. This is just what has worked for me for the past 14 years:
I offer three main types of planning, all with set, flat fees. After I meet with my client, I am able to create a customized proposal for them - sometimes all with one type of planning; but many times using elements of several, to get them exactly what they need.
- Hourly consulting: We meet at my office, or at a specific place (e.g., invitation store, venue tours) and work on a specific project. Typically, after the project is complete (I find them a venue, we co-create decor designs or themes), I do not work on-site at the wedding.
- Wedding month-of coordination (Also called "Day-Of Coordination"): The client leads all the planning themselves, but comes back to me about two months before the wedding and shows me all vendors booked, and explains how they would like the site to be laid out, how they want the day to flow. My assistants and I then take it from there and create/distribute the event plan communications, and coordinate at the rehearsal and at the event.
- Full planning and design: The client is in creative control, but I lead the planning process, in that I push action items to the client. (e.g. "It's time to book your caterer"; "It's time to create your overall reception design".) This is our most popular program of service.
Planner-led vs. client-led is a spectrum; ask your coordinator what options are available to you based on your preference and budget.
You can read more in detail about these planning types and get pricing information over on the business website: ejpevents.com
I hope this info is helpful to you - please leave any questions in the comments, or email me! Are you a couple who has found the perfect wedding planner? Tell us about him or her! Or - are you a wedding planner, who has found success in a different business model? I would love to hear your ideas.
We just got a reminder about a really fun-sounding event this coming week! On Saturday, May 11, Crafty Wonderland is happening again at the Oregon Convention Center. And this time, there will be a special "Wedding Wonderland" area featuring handmade and vintage items from local Portland retailers, all carefully curated by the clever folks behind Crafty Wonderland. Definitely check it out!
"We are super excited to have a special Wedding Wonderland section in our Super Colossal Spring Sale this year! What is Wedding Wonderland, you ask?! Vendors with items we thought might be of interest to folks planning a wedding have been conveniently placed together in several rows! All of our vendors have amazing goods to show you, so please be sure to visit all of the booths whether you’re planning a wedding or not!"
I know, you probably think I'm crazy for talking about summer weddings. I can't help it! This time of year when our fingers and toes are freezing just from walking to the mailbox and back, it's almost impossible to remember what the kiss of the sun is like. Thank goodness for photographs. This beauty sent to me by Evrim Icoz shows a wedding we coordinated last year for Heather and Joe.
- Make sure cold beverages are plentiful upon arrival. For an informal wedding, tubs or deep trays filled with ice can surround bottled drinks or heavy glasses.
- Have a plan for shade. Too often, brides and grooms only plan for a rain back up. But a sun plan should also be in effect. Parasols, extra tents, mist fans, and table umbrellas can all help.
- If you have an indoor venue, check out the A/C options and rent fans or swamp coolers if the venue doesn't have any.
Thank you again, Heather and Joe, for sharing the sun with me!
I am always curious about what my clients prefer. Today I'd love to know how you like to initially contact the folks you are hoping will work for you on your wedding day. Please take this one-second poll and let me know!
We recently received these lovely pictures from David Barss, one of our favorite photographers who always without fail sends us a disk and a link after the wedding (hint, hint ;-)
Curtis and Sarah married at the Mt. Tabor Summit, a Portland Parks site. Often folks are wary of public parks sites and wonder if they are safe, if strangers will interrupt the wedding, if the facility will be clean. All I can tell you is about my experience as a coordinator, and that is, with good pre-planning, a public parks site can be a wonderful and affordable venue; and that members of the public in the overwhelming number of cases are respectful of a wedding. I personally have not encountered any problems at the weddngs I have had in public parks sites such as Mt. Tabor, Council Crest Park, Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, and many others.
So consider that public parks site: it may save you money which you can use at the reception!
One of our favorite color palettes is inspired by the brilliant 'Chartreuse, lime green, apple green' ...or whatever you want to call it! This color has been on our radar for the past few summers with some of our most memorable weddings featuring chartreuse as either their main or accent color. Chartreuse was the focus of our client's vision and brought the wedding design to vibrant life, so we'd like to help you do the same!
Chartreuse is a bold color and by using this vibrant shade you're sure to leave an impression on your guests. Chartreuse can be used in a variety of ways, including bridesmaid dresses, table decor, floral arrangements or on top of your cake! Elements for those who enjoy small color splashes may include one of our favorites, colored shoes. Colored shoes are a fun way for a bride to add personality to her traditional white dress.
Your color palette can be a combination of shades ranging from neutral to pastel. First, we recommend getting really familiar with the focal points of your wedding space, since the existing colors of your venue can greatly influence your them. Additionally, your wedding colors create the emotional tone of your wedding. Chartreuse created a romantic, high-energy mood for our bride's weddings, all of which were memorable affairs. We hope that choosing your wedding colors is a fun experience and that chartreuse may come as an inspiration!
Today's Slip up #5. “The bartender wouldn’t serve me!”
Do you and your guests want to be able to toast with champagne and not apple juice? Remind your bridal party to bring their ID to the reception. In Oregon, because of OLCC regulations, licensed servers are required to check for ID if a customer appears to be under a certain age. They can refuse you service for non-proof of legal age, even if you are the one in the wedding gown or tuxedo.
Brides, if you don’t already have a gift for your bridesmaids, we suggest a mini-purse, clutch or wristlet. Don't forget one for yourself in a coordinating fabric. This will help you carry those few tiny essentials and help you stay organized as you are constantly on the move during wedding day fun.
That's it for our special series this week! We hope that by reading our advice on how to avoid the previous 5 mistakes at your wedding, that you can feel more confident in your planning.
What wedding tips have you found successful? Please share with us in the comments.
