Hire A Wedding Planner

WHY HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER?
By Sasha Souza

The art of wedding design is often appreciated and celebrated in magazines, books and at the events we attend and love. Now that you are looking into a wedding planner for your event, it's important to learn as much as you can. For peace of mind, for creating your dream wedding and for cost-saving know-how, wedding planners can make your event worry-free, perfectly unique and utterly gorgeous. A good planner will save you time and enable you to get the most for your money. A wedding planner can serve in numerous capacities, from concierge to coordinator. They can even act as the family counselor for apprehensive brides and mothers, often becoming as close as your best friend.

But how do you know you're hiring the right wedding planner? Sasha Souza believes it comes down to trust. "Trust is important in any relationship. You should feel completely comfortable with the planner and feel assured that he or she completely understands your needs, " says the owner of Sasha Souza Events. "Your personalities should match."

Also, be sure to look for members of professional event design organizations such as The Association of Bridal Consultants in New Milford, Connecticut. These organizations have a code of ethics that the consultant must follow in order to be a member. This ensures that your planner knows how to make your wedding a flawless event to cherish.

As couples begin thinking about their wedding, they are often confused over how much to spend, where to obtain specialized services, and how to choose vendors. These worries often mount as quickly as the cost of the wedding. After the euphoria wears off and the reality settles in, it's shocking to discover how much preparation is involved. Couples are faced with decisions about everything from invitation wording to planning their honeymoon. Couples often find they want experienced professional help.

Not long ago, a wedding planner was thought of as a luxury, only used by the wealthy. Now a planner is an essential element of a well-planned affair. It is no longer "trendy" to engage someone to handle the details. Being experienced in negotiating contracts with caterers, florists, photographers, and other suppliers, the wedding planner saves you valuable time and money. The planner can take advantage of discounts not available to private parties and avoid costly mistakes, while turning your dreams into reality.

The average wedding can take more than two hundred and fifty hours to plan. With today's hectic lifestyles, you may not have time to compare all the options, making sure you get the best deal, and making sure all the details are in place.

Planners are not here to make decisions for you, but to guide and assist you in making informed decisions. The training, knowledge, and experience will turn your dreams and expectations into reality. Event Planners want you to host a beautiful and distinctive event with no worries. Remember you should enjoy your wedding and remember it always as one of the greatest events of your life.

Often when you are looking for wedding vendors who suit your needs, you will run across a vendor that advertises that they also will coordinate your wedding - FREE! These people generally do not have the extensive training or association memberships that professional wedding planners or bridal consultants have. Be aware that there are different types of vendors who offer wedding coordination services:

A True Wedding Planner Works For You on Every Level

Let your vendors do what they are best at. Spreading themselves too thin can, in the end, can cause you to not get the wedding you hoped for. When you are choosing your planner, make sure that they belong to a reputable organization and that you feel comfortable with the services that they are offering you. They should only have your best interests in mind!

The above information should simply reinforce the fact that a Professional Wedding Planner has your personal interests at heart, not their own. Invest wisely in your wedding and make sure that you are being taken care of so you can relax and create wonderful memories.

a Great Wedding

Planning for a Great Wedding
by Rob Alberti

Exactly how can you make your wedding reception a success? We realize that not everyone wants the same thing out of his or her wedding reception. Some couples are looking for a more reserved "cocktail party" atmosphere, others may want more of a "traditional' wedding style with the Macarena, Old Time Rock & Roll and Chicken Dance played. Others may want something more eclectic in music style. Each couple wants their guests to have a great time and make sure things run smoothly. Here are some tips to help make your special day run smoothly:

Be on time. If you or your photographer makes your reception start a ½ hour late, you are already behind. Things will inevitably be rushed for the remainder of the time.

You could eliminate your receiving line at the church and instead try to expedite your formal photo session so that you can arrive in time to socialize with guests during your cocktail hour. Both you and your guests will love this.

Stay in the room. I can't tell you how many of my clients miss their own reception. What, you say? They leave the room to take photos, change, or whatever and the next thing you know - an hour of your reception has gone by with you not even in the room. If you have to leave the room - make it quick. More than 10 minutes and it will be detrimental to the flow of your reception.

Keep things flowing. Instead of doing all the formal dances after dinner, consider having your first dance immediately upon entrance. You can plan your parent dances and cake cutting between courses to help this. This will also give you more dance time later.

Eliminate the wedding party dance. In the grand scheme of things, it really doesn't add much to your event. Most of the time, they are not couples and ask any photographer and they will tell you that no one ever buys photos of the wedding party dancing.

Think romance - anything that you can do to personalize your wedding reception will go a long way to make it a memorable event. If you are the groom, consider taking the microphone after the best man's toast and thank your guests for coming and give your own toast to your new bride. Have one of your friends or family take the microphone and tell a story of when you were younger or how the two of you met.

I've told this story hundreds of time about this couple that decided they wanted people to tell a story instead of clinking the glasses to get the bride & groom to kiss. It's time to tell it again. What a great way to really personalize your wedding reception! At a recent wedding, we had nearly a dozen guests come forward and tell stories about the bride & groom. It went over so well! Talk to your disc jockey and master of ceremonies and tell them you want guests to tell a story (not all of them are embarrassing!) instead of clinking their glasses.

Above all - make sure that you are having fun. If you are not dancing and socializing, then you could be setting a bad example. Your guests are looking to the two of you to set the tone of the event. If you are outside, then your guests will be there with you. If you are involved, then your guests will follow your lead.

Wedding Cakes - Not Just for Show Anymore

A wedding cake is the traditional cake served to the guests at a wedding reception (or in parts of England, at a wedding breakfast) after a wedding. In modern Western culture, it is usually a large cake, multi-layered or tiered, and heavily decorated with icing, occasionally over a layer of marzipan or fondant, topped with a small statue representing the couple. Achieving a dense, strong cake that can support the decorations while remaining edible can be considered the epitome of the baker's art and skill. The average cost of a professionally made wedding cake in the U.S. in 2005 was $543.

Gone are the days of dry, bland wedding cakes endured by bridal party and guests. Today’s wedding cakes offer a wide variety of flavors, textures and designs. These confections have become a taste treat, sometimes replacing dessert tables altogether. Below are five tips for deciding which among an abundant variety of wedding cakes is right for you.

1. Find a cake designer, pastry chef or caterer to make your dream cake. The caterer you hire to provide food for your wedding may also be able to make your cake. Keep in mind that there are also professional cake designers that can work with you on your dream cake. Many cake designers do not cost much more than having your caterer make your cake.

2. Wedding cakes should fit your wedding’s theme and decorations. Plan to plan the rest of your wedding before deciding on a look for your cake. Once you’ve made decisions about flowers, bridesmaids’ dresses, reception venue, etc., then choosing a cake should be relatively easy. Wedding cakes should blend into the colors and themes of the wedding as s whole.

3. Wedding cakes have a language all their own – there are a variety of frostings, toppings and decorations available. What is the difference between fondant and buttercream? The brief list below will get you visit your cake designer, pastry shop or caterer:
· Buttercream is a creamy icing and/or filling that is easy to cut because of its velvety texture. Buttercream melts easily, so it may not be ideal for warm outdoor venues or indoor locations without air conditioning.
· Fondant is a type of icing that is kneaded and rolled, then draped over a cake like a curtain. It gives a cake a look of fine china, and can be dyed a variety of colors. This type of icing may be better for warm venues, since it is not refrigerated.
· Ganache is melted chocolate mixed with heavy cream. It is poured over cakes and takes on the consistency of stiff icing when cooled.
· Gum paste is made from sugar, cornstarch, and gelatin and is used to make intricate decorations, such as flowers. Decorations made from gum paste last for years.
· Marzipan is a paste made of ground almonds, sugar, and egg whites - you may have seen it in candy shops, molded to look like various fruits and flowers. If may also be used in the same way as fondant.
· Pulled sugar is boiled sugar which is kneaded and pulled and may be colored to form decorative shapes like ribbons.
· Royal icing is made from egg whites and confectioner’s sugar. The icing is piped to form designs, and hardens when it is dried.
· Summer icing is buttercream made with some vegetable shortening. This icing won’t melt as easily as buttercream, since the shortening’s melting point is a higher temperature than butter’s.

4. Taste taste taste! Wedding cakes can and should be tasted before decided on a design or designer. The variety of flavors, fillings and icings for wedding cakes demand a pre-purchase taste test. Be sure the cake is not too dry and that the flavor combinations you choose blend well together.

5. Fresh flowers look great on wedding cakes. They can be used to disguise tier columns and seams, as well as contribute to the color and design of the cake. Be sure your caterer or cake designer uses flowers that have not been treated with pesticides. If the flowers are not edible, be sure to remove them from the cake prior to serving. Edible, candied flowers such as violets can add a special touch to wedding cakes.

Wedding Flowers - Roses Are Red

Wedding Flowers - Roses Are Red
Wedding flowers are one of the most important aspects of any bride’s wedding plans. Making sure your wedding flowers are fresh and beautiful on your big day can be daunting. In addition, with the species and varieties available, choosing types of wedding flowers can be a tough decision. Here are a few pointers for choosing wedding flowers and florists.

1. Find a local florist, one that is near your ceremony and reception sites. Choosing a nearby florist for your wedding flowers will help ensure freshness

2. Choose wedding flowers that have meaning to you. Here is a brief summary of the traditional meanings for some popular wedding flowers:

· Baby’s Breath symbolizes innocence and is widely used as filler for bouquets.
· Calla Lily symbolizes magnificent beauty and is available in spring and summer.
· Carnations have different meanings depending on color: pink is daring, red is love, and white is ability.
· Roses symbolize love and beauty and are one of the most popular wedding flowers.
· Tulips symbolize love and are available in the spring.

3. Fresh flowers look great on wedding cakes. Once you have decided on a florist to provide your wedding flowers, you may want to consider having them work together with the cake designer or caterer to provide fresh (not sprayed with insecticide!) flowers for your cake.