Planning Checklist, What First? - The Venue Selection

Greetings and welcome to our blog. 

Planning a wedding can be stressful at times when there seems to be endless details and decisions to make. There are so many checklists and timelines to read, which one is right for you? The reality is you have to pace yourself base on order of importance and your finances. In this blog we will focus on the venue selection and guest list.

Each individual has their own top priorities when planning their wedding…Is the venue one of the most important essentials of the day to you?

The best thing to do is not set your date first. You may fall in love with a venue, however your ideal date is not available…then what do you do? If you have an open mind during the search for a venue, their available date can determine your wedding date. The rental rates and per person cost per guest may be cheaper to host a wedding on a Friday or Sunday instead of a Saturday. In 2012 we had a handful of Thursday evening weddings as well. Have your ideal date/month….however also have an open mind this can save you some money. Some venues are currently booked going in 2015 so don’t wait on securing the one you love with a deposit. During the planning process you will learn that deposits and contracts are the key items to secure your date. 

Have you thought about the number of guests that you plan of attending your wedding? This will play a role in the venue as well.  Your venue should be able to accommodate your estimated guest count comfortably. Remember the more guests you add the more tables, line, centerpieces, etc…

Be prepared putting together the guest list can be a headache! You may have to set a specific amount of guests that you will allow your parents to invite and also come to an agreement with your fiancé on the absolute final number of guests that you will accommodate. Remember the numbers add up pretty quickly. 

Consider meeting with a planner and getting some fine points on planning your wedding. Before you rule out hiring a planner at least meet with one whom is well knowledgeable in planning weddings professionally. 

Happy Planning!

Wedding Party Roles - Bridesmaid & Hostesses

 
Your wedding is such an important day and selecting the right people to participate is key. It can be challenging with the amount of friends and family that you have to select your Bridesmaids and Hostesses. 

 The role of a Bridesmaid is being readily available throughout the wedding planning process, helping with DIY projects, dress shopping with the Bride and the rest of the girls. Typically the ladies will pay for their own dresses. It is optional for the Bride to pay for their hair and/or makeup, if so this can be considered a gift to the Bridesmaids. 

While you would love to have your ladies be around and helping with everything. Keep in mind that you should be respectful of their time also. Plan ahead as much as possible and have a few conference calls or get together (if you are all in the same state) throughout the planning process. 




After selecting your Bridesmaids it is now time to narrow down the Hostess and Usher roles. Being a hostesses is an important role and this should be someone fun and bubbly. They will greet your guests, accept cards at the card box, hand out programs, ensure that your key family members have arrived and are seated as you prefer. 

Tip: Your Hostesses and Usher should arrive at least 1 hour before the ceremony to begin their tasks and seating guests. Work with your Wedding Coordinator on the perfect schedule and all the logistical details to share with your Hostesses so they are well prepared for the wedding day!

Happy Planning!

Purple, Teal & Peacock Accent Theme Wedding - The Hotel at Arundel Preserve

Here is another recent wedding with fun colors and peacock accents throughout the wedding.

I had an AWESOME time working with this couple throughout the planning process. On the wedding day our team had a ball. Usually we don't need four team members for a wedding but with all the details and logistics that this wedding entailed it was key. Timing is everything and we did not want to miss a beat!

The Bride and Groom are both creative and handmade many items for the wedding: their invitations, monogram, menu cards, down to the homemade wine jelly favors. I shared tips and ideas with them to guide them on their wedding details. Regardless of the budget, your personal DIY touch is always great.


- Three different centerpieces for the guest tables
- The LED photo booth was an absolute hit and kept going all night!
- The hilarious shoe game played by the Bride and Groom has guests in stitches with laughter!

The pictures below are not the professional pictures, however we wanted to share these pictures that my inspire you.

 - Custom aisle runner was ordered using the monogram that the Groom designed
-  A quartet played for the prelude and selected parts of the ceremony
- Guests enjoyed live music during the cocktail hour as they sipped on the signature drink accented with an edible peacock feather

If you learn anything about Prestigious Occasions....Every Wedding is NOT the same and should be personalized.

We worked with an awesome team of vendors to create a memorable wedding for this couple. White dance floor, Stage, Drapes, Linen, Chairs, Sweetheart Table Chairs, Flowers, etc..Please note everything for this wedding was brought in to the hotel...except for the tables. We offer planning and/or design services please feel free to contact us.

 

Below is a picture of the room revealed to the couple before guests entered. The emotional response from the Bride once the doors opened was absolutely amazing! She cried and there was no way I could hold back my tears...we just cried and hugged together for a few minutes. The short video clip was awesome and captured our raw emotions.

They check out the tables and all the little details that we planned out together.

As a planner it is easy for me to visualize the reception space and details because this is what we do weekly. However for the couple this was a priceless moment as they looked at every detail we worked on for months come together in one space.

View this wedding gallery (click here to visit website)

Grey Rock Mansion - Red, Black, White, & Damask Wedding

Greetings!

We had the pleasure of working with an awesome couple this past Friday and their colors of red, black, white, with damask accents were very pretty at Grey Rock Mansion in Owings Mills, MD.

Enjoy the pictures if you are considering these colors or you can also envision this scheme with a different accent color other than red. Regardless of your budget you should can have a nice reception layout with good decor. Just be creative, we welcome creative DIY wedding projects. We worked closely with our clients on the details of their wedding.

Prestigious Occasions provided the Stretch Chair Covers, Sashes, Runner, Napkins, and Centerpieces. Please feel free to contact us with any questions.

www.prestigiousoccasions.com | 410.783.8211

Design and rental services optional with or without planning packages. We deliver setup and return for the breakdown the same night. You do not have to worry about returning items.

 A vase was placed for the Bride's bouquet to serve as the centerpiece for their sweetheart table.