Sign a contract, write a check. Sound familiar? There is the venue, the planner, the rental company, the dj, the photographer, the florist, it just seems to go on and on, doesn’t it? How many of those contracts have you actually read? And by read, I mean actually sat down and looked at what is expected of you and what is going to be provided by the vendor.
Do you know what size stage your band requires? Who is responsible for the disposal of trash after your event? We recently heard about a venue that requires the renter to bring their own trash bags and dispose of the trash! Yes, that seems pretty out there but, IT’S IN THE CONTRACT!
Of course, if you have hired a wedding planner and working with your vendors is part of what you paid them to do they will go over the contracts for you. It is still your duty to make sure you know what you are signing your name to and a second or third pair of eyes cannot hurt.
One last word of advice besides reading the contract is get everything in writing! Whenever there are ANY changes you should make sure that you have something in writing showing the changes. Everyone is so busy during the planning process and there are so many things that can change it is just not a good idea to think that something has been taken care of until you have confirmation in black and white.
Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners
We have noticed lately, more and more couples offering guests a variety of desserts instead of just the traditional wedding cake for everyone. If you have priced cake stands lately, you probably already know they can be expensive or hard to find in the color or style you want. So, why not make your own? Here are a few great ideas and if you click on the photo it will take you to a link with the directions for making these yourself.
Source: Tuscany Design
Source: The Gathering Place
This is the same base as above with a great cover:
Source: The Gathering Place
Source: The Little Brown House
What type of desserts are you offering at your reception? Do you have any great display ideas? We would love to hear from you.
Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners
The Harlem Renaissance was a literary and intellectual flowering that fostered a new black cultural identity in the 1920s and 1930s. The urban setting of rapidly developing Harlem provided a venue for African-Americans of all backgrounds to appreciate the variety of Black life and culture.
This wedding was held at The Peabody, with the ceremony on the rooftop and the reception in the Skyway. Southern Event Planners designed these awesome Art Deco style lamps for the reception area.
Source: Southern Event Planners
We also made this Dragonwood arch for the ceremony backdrop.
Source: Southern Event Planners
Other themed elements included a bar built to look like the secret door to a Prohibition- era Speakeasy and authentic clothing from the Renaissance period on display.
Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners
Paper crafting for weddings is HOT! These flowers are great because they are easy to make and there are so many paper options, you are sure to find something to coordinate with the other elements in your design. They can be used for backdrops, on an arch for your ceremony, or even in centerpieces.
Source: Lil Luna
Source: Off Beat Bride
Click on the photo below for a tutorial on how to make these super easy flowers.
Source: Divine Party Concepts
Check out this link for another tutorial and information about a great paper punch that really pumps up the cuteness factor!
Source: Lil Luna
Are you using any paper elements in your wedding or reception? We would love to hear about them!
Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners
So you are well on your way to getting all the details of your big day lined up; venue, check; florist, yep; rentals, done; seating chart— ugh, maybe later!
We just found a great site to help you with that chore and best of all, it’s FREE!! We love free, don’t you?! The site is called Fluid tables (http://fluidtables.com). It is an easy to navigate site designed by a bride who recognized that designing your seating shouldn’t be so difficult.
To get started you can import your invitation list from a spreadsheet:
source: FluidTables.com
Then start arranging where you want your college friends, where you want family, etc.
Source: FluidTables.com
Then you can save, print and edit your guests until you are satisfied with the layout. It is also easy to add last minute RSVPs.
What do you think? How did you plan your seating chart?
Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners
Here is an easy and fun DIY for your wedding! Add a hidden message to the sole of your shoes.
Source: My DIY Wedding
Source: Bon-Ton Style
Source: Project Wedding
Instead of DIY, make it a YDIFM (you do it for me!) and have your groom or bridesmaids write something on your shoes. Bonus, if they use a blue pen you’ve got the something blue covered as well!
Source: Love, Laughter and Happily Ever After
Source: Indulgy.com
What do you think? Would you like a surprise message on the bottom of your shoes? What would your message be?
Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners
We have fallen in love with these great Mosaic Photos from Music City Mosaics by Lauder Designs. There are several options for the mosaic as you can see from the photos below. You can check out more of their work at http://www.lauderdesigns.com/ or on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Music-City-Mosaics-by-Lauder-Designs/292329297452999.
Source: Music City Mosaics
Source: Music City Mosaics
Source: Music City Mosaics
Another great thing about Lauder Designs besides the fact that Jenny is awesome to work with is that they are a local company, based outside of Nashville, TN.
Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners
Miriam and Rich were married at the end of October on a beautiful fall day at the Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis. They incorporated the theme metal art by incorporating two large iron trees which were adorned with ribbons and bells, essentially creating huge wind chimes for the backdrop of the ceremony. Guests were served delicious food and since Miriam is an avid baker, in lieu of a grooms cake, she made her famous miniature chocolate chip bundt cakes.
The After Dark Band kept guests rocking through-out the evening.
The couple are Elvis fans as you can see from the sunglasses in the photos, a couple of guests even came in costume!
Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners
Whether you love to read or just love the look of old books, this trend may be for you! Books are a hot trend in wedding decor these days. We love them used as table numbers:
Source: MargotMadison.blogspot.com
Source: Ruffled Blog
Books are also hot as centerpiece components, whether left with original covers or covered in coordinating paper. Besides adding height and dimension they can spark conversation among your guests.
Source: Southern Event Planners, photo by Ramblin’ Rose Photography
Source: Green Wedding Shoes
Are you inspired to use books at your reception?
Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners
Did you ever wonder how the tradition of a garter toss began? The Anglo-Saxons believed that brides carried good luck on their wedding day and in order to get in on some of that good luck they wanted a piece of her dress (do you have the same mental picture we do of your guests ripping your gown apart?) In order to avoid that travesty, brides gave up another piece of clothing- the garter for good luck.
Original wedding bouquets were made of herbs that were believed to ward off evil spirits and in Victorian times, particular flowers were used in bouquets because they had specific meanings. The tossing of the bouquet was another way to get some of the bride’s good luck.
Many brides are not too keen on having their groom “crawl under the dress” in front of Grandma to retrieve said garter or calling attention to the fact that your friends are still single by having them line up to catch the bouquet, so creative couples are coming up with alternative ideas. For the bouquet, a couple of ideas include giving it to the woman at your wedding who has been married longest or giving it to a friend who has been a great help to you and telling her you hope she is next! Another great idea is a ribbon cake pull, you may be familiar with this idea from King cakes eaten during Mardi Gras where the person who gets the plastic baby has to bring the cake next year. Ribbons with a ring or charms tied to them are placed along the bottom of the cake and guest pull out their charms at the same time. For shy brides, stand up and raise your dress for the groom to remove it safely and then let him put it around a football (see below). Guys won’t be able to resist catching the ball!
source: Love in the Big Easy
source: A Day to Remember
What do you think? Are you having the traditional garter and bouquet toss? Have you seen any great ideas at wedding you have attended?
Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners
