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Myth::Your reception hall “coordinator” will help you plan your wedding

Truth:: I often hear brides say that they “don’t need an outside planner” because their venue has an on-site coordinator, and unfortunately, some brides find out too late that this is just not the case. The on-site coordinator is there to manage the services being provided by the reception hall, and the services they will provide are very different from those that a professional wedding planner will provide.  A good on-site coordinator will assist you with items setting up your tables and chairs, place settings and linens (if provided by the venue) and opening the building for vendor deliveries (depending on your venue). Don’t get me wrong—they are super helpful, but as part of the venue, they are there to help with very specific tasks.

Unlike an actual wedding planner or day-of coordinator, your on-site venue coordinator will not call your vendors to verify anything the week before the wedding, find you vendors that meet your budget (though they may give you a pre-made list), call your bakery with your final numbers, or help you to trouble shoot difficult issues with vendors on your wedding day.  Don’t get me wrong, on-site coordinators are great, but it’s important to understand what they will and won’t do for you, so you can be properly prepared for your big day!

More Posts in This Blog Series:

• WHAT does a professional wedding planner do?
• WHO needs a wedding planner?
• WHEN should I Reach out For Help?
• WHY you should hire a professional

Back in June, this happy couple said “I Do” in beautiful Southwest Michigan.  Their intimate church ceremony was followed by an anthropologie-inspired reception at The Veranda @ The Whitcomb, where guests enjoyed a delicious meal form CK Catering and a band that kept them dancing all night long. One of my favorite things about this wedding was how unique everything was. Each and every one of the guest tables was completely different.

We used a huge collection of milk glass, vintage bottles and silver pieces to create an eclectic mix of centerpieces. A huge thanks to Crystal Springs Florist for pulling it all together! Another detail we just loved was the cake topper! The bride and groom both love owls and their cake topper was two owls in a nest – so cute! The burlap runners added a nice touch of texture to the tables while still keeping the tables bright and clean looking–simplicity was definitely the key to this one!  A huge thanks to the girls at 430 Studios  for capturing the beautiful details of the day.

‘Something Old & Something New‘ creates eco-friendly repurposed jewelry made from old clothes. Old clothes! I can think of a million ways to use these pretty little trinkets–you could wear it on your wedding day, gift it to bridesmaids to wear, buy it for yourself because it’s Tuesday, and yesterday was Monday (you deserve it.) I love that these pieces are both vintage and modern at the same time. I think the earrings below would be a stunning “something blue” for a vintage-inspired wedding, and the little monogram necklaces have ‘bridesmaid’ written all over them.
The pink embroidered necklace is one of my favorites–I’m pretty sure I have to own it very, very soon–and honestly, if I hadn’t seen it, I would never have even known how much I wanted a piece of embroidered jewelry!

Check out more of the handmade goodies from “Something Old & Something New”

You may have noticed in the posts in this series, “The 5 W’s of Wedding Planning,” I have consistently mentioned professional planning, and there’s a reason for that…

If you’ve already done any research on wedding planning in your local area, you’ve probably noticed that there is a large range in pricing, services and experience. It’s important to remember that—like most things—you get what you pay for. If you’re hiring a day-of coordinator for $350, you can expect to get service and experience that is on par with that price.  You can also expect that if you hire someone who is a planner as a hobby, versus a full-time profession, you can expect to receive a different level of service & attentiveness. Remember that you are not only paying for the planners time & actual services, but you are also paying for the personal experience, knowledge and relationships a professional planner has. A professional planner has planned multiple weddings for clients, has an established reputation with local wedding professionals and will be able to show you a portfolio of professional work.

Sure, your friend can step in and help you set up your tables and tell everyone to walk down the aisle, but she has most likely never worked at that venue and with your vendors—when a problem arises she won’t be much help to you—she hasn’t faced similar problems and doesn’t have connections with the local professionals that could help. And while a professional planner is going to charge much more than your friend or someone who plans as a hobby, they will also bring with them an added value. A good professional wedding planner will help you create a realistic budget, find you vendors that will fit within that budget, will save you countless hours of your own valuable time with their knowledge and resources and will save you money in the long run. So when comparing planning services and wedding planners, be sure you aren’t comparing apples to oranges and know what you are getting for the price!

Do your research and find a professional wedding planner who fits not only your budget, but also has the experience needed to help make your day spectacular!

More Posts in This Blog Series:

• WHAT Does a Professional Wedding Planner Do?
• WHO needs a wedding planner?
• WHEN should I Reach out For Help?
• WHERE you will and won’t find help

Today is our last day in the office before taking off for Christmas break, so we want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays! We hope you have a wonderful time with your family, fiance, and loved ones! We’ll be back in the office on January 2nd, but no worries—we’ll have new posts up all next week–so you won’t even miss us!
We would especially like to wish a lot of love this holiday season to all of our 2011 couples — Krista+Luke, Megan+Anthony,  Lindsey+Kevin, Amy+Tony, Faith+David, Lyndee+Aaron, Lacy+Matt, Amanda+Keith, Meaghan+Bruce, Lucy+Matt, Kristy+Matt, Kate+Kyle, Kim+Dan , Katie+Jack, Scott+Ashley, Jill+Ryan, Devin+Dave, Kate+Evan, Sarah+Paul, Jessica+JT, Sarah+Bill, Jamie+Mike, Jessica+Marc, VA+Rich , Carol+Jeff, Sarah+ Jeremy, Dawn+Nick, Catherine+Sean , Laura+Joe, Jenny+Nick, and Kendra+David—thank you again for letting us be a part of your special day, and we hope you enjoy your first holiday season as husband and wife!

When the weather gets cold, I can’t help but start to think about tasty hot beverages. I don’t drink coffee, but I’m a huge fan of hot cocoa! Which got me thinking about the fun ways you could incorporate it into your holiday entertaining.  Start with some delicious gourmet hot chocolate, and then provide as many delicious garnishes as you please!

Tasty topping ideas:

• Peppermint sticks
• Cinnamon sticks
• Homemade marshmallows
• Ginger snap cookies
• Chocolate chips (or mint chocolate chips, even better!)
• Marshmallow fluff
• Rock candy sticks
• Homemade biscotti
• Chocolate dipped spoons
• Whipped Cream
• Nutmeg, cinnamon and other spices to dust on top
• Candy crumbles: toffee crunch, peppermints, candy bars
• For the adults: Peppermint schnapps, Kahlua or Baileys

I think a fabulous assortment of cookies would be the perfect accompaniment to a hot cocoa bar, and you could even create some “take home” mugs for your friends and family to enjoy later. Include a keepsake mug, hot cocoa mix and a chocolate spoon, and wrap it beautifully.

It’s never too early to ask for help. In Southwest Michigan, many of the most popular venues book their Saturday dates a year in advance, so it’s very common for couples to start planning 9-18 months out! So if you’ve just gotten engaged and are already feeling overwhelmed, reach out to a professional wedding planner. They can help you map out a plan that will get you from “I will” to “I do,” while maintaining your sanity, keeping your budget in check and creating an amazing day!

It’s also never too late to ask for help! We have helped brides as early as 18 months before their weddings, and as late as 3 weeks prior to their wedding! If your wedding date is just around the corner and the last minute details have you feeling unprepared, you don’t have to be alone. From last minute seating arrangements to day-of delivery schedules, a professional planner can step in and help you pull it all together. If you’re feeling overwhelmed a few months prior to your wedding, it may be helpful to look into Day-of Coordination services, to help alleviate stress and relax on your wedding day!  A Day-of Coordinator (DOC) will confirm your orders, set up delivery times, manage your set up, assist with the ceremony, assist you in executing your timeline, and be there to help trouble shoot any issues (among other things!)

More Posts in This Blog Series:

• WHAT Does a Professional Wedding Planner Do?
• WHO needs a wedding planner?
• WHY you should hire a professional
• WHERE you will and won’t find help

Laura and Joe tied the knot in October, on a beautiful fall day in Southwest Michigan. I (Jessica) designed their wedding, and Brittany coordinated it…I’ve been so excited to see the photos and video of their special day! The ceremony took place at St. Johns Catholic Parish with a reception at The Veranda at the Whitcomb in downtown St. Joseph. They had a gorgeous fall color palette of oranges, reds and yellows, with a pop of plum. We’ll post more about details later, but here is a fabulous video sneak peek from Jason at Highway 61 Films:

Joseph + Laura Wedding Trailer from Highway 61 Films – Jason Monroe on Vimeo.

As a professional wedding planner, of course I wish I could say that “if you are engaged, you absolutely, positively, MUST hire a wedding planner”…BUT, it just wouldn’t be true.  I also wish I could say that the list below is a definitive guide to determining if you need a wedding planner…but I can’t. What I can do, is let you know that there are many reasons for hiring a wedding planner–it’s a personal choice for each and every bride—one that I believe helps brides and grooms to have a more enjoyable engagement, and save time and money.  Here are just a few reasons why you may find yourself in need of a professional wedding planner:

YOU MAY NEED A WEDDING PLANNER IF…

• You’re planning your wedding from out of state or out of town…
• You have a demanding job or hectic schedule….
• You can’t find the perfect venue…
• You want to make the most of your budget…
• You are so stressed you cannot enjoy the process of planning your wedding…
• You don’t know how to get started…
• You’re planning your wedding in a short time-frame…
• You’re struggling to define the look and feel of your wedding style…
• You need a “go-to” person for your wedding day…
• You are concerned that the planning process will cause family stress…or it already is…
• Your wedding is being held at a non-traditional venue or on the beach…
• You want to plan an incredible event while staying stress free and enjoying your engagement!

If you feel like you could use some help, you don’t have time to plan the wedding you’re dreaming of, or that the planning process is overwhelming you, set up a consultation with a professional wedding planner in your area, or the area where you’re holding your wedding.  A professional planner will be more than happy to talk through your issues and concerns to determine if planning is right for you, and what level of assistance would be the best fit to ensure your day is fabulous, and you remain a stress-free, beautiful bride on your wedding day!

More Posts in This Blog Series:

• WHAT Does a Professional Wedding Planner Do?
• WHEN should I Reach out For Help?
• WHY you should hire a professional
• WHERE you will and won’t find help

Google “mustache wedding”…go ahead…we’ll wait here while you check it out! Over the last year or so, we’ve seen faux-staches make appearances at weddings. At first, it was in photo booths…they’re a cute prop. Just throw on a pair of glasses, a fake ‘stache on a stick and a bowtie, and you’ve got a ready-made photo booth alter-ego. Then, they seemed to make their way onto groomsmen gifts and bachelor-party wares…mustache beer mugs, mustache flasks, t-shirts, invitations and more! I mean, what groomsman wouldn’t want his bachelor party tagged as “A ‘Stache Bash?” It’s pretty catchy. And a total guy thing. I think it’s pretty cute.

(Moustache flasks, ‘stache bash invite, cufflinks, escort cards)

But now, the ‘stache seems to be making its way even further into wedding garb..showing up .on escort cards and even in wedding portraits. Beautiful brides with fake mustaches held in front of their faces, bridesmaids photos, photos of the happy couple kissing (each with their ‘stache)…and this is where I start to sit on the fence.

I really want to like this trend, because I think it’s clever, and it’s definitely something that gets a laugh. I think fake mustaches on a stick for photo booths are super cute. But I have to admit when I see bridal portraits of a beautiful bride in an elegant dress, with a big fuzzy mustache, I get a little creeped out. I mean, where is that photo getting put some day? I imagine 15 years from now, kids will see these faux-stache photos and say, “ewww, mom, what’s on your face? Is that what you did at weddings back then? That’s weird.” But love them or hate them, it’s an offbeat wedding trend that doesn’t seem to be going away for the 2012 wedding season, so if you have some wedding ‘stache in your future, check out etsy and all of the fun ‘stache-related goods that the crafty people of the world have come up with for your wedding!

So if you think I’m crazy and mustache weddings rock your world—or you agree with me and aren’t quite sold on the ‘stache bash—leave a comment and vote:: mustaches on your wedding day—cute or creepy?

Stella Event Design is one of Michigan’s premier wedding planning firms, specializing in Lake Michigan weddings. We work with couples from around the country as they plan their perfect wedding in Southwest Michigan. Stella Event Design has a talented team of event planners and is happy to assist brides getting married throughout Michigan and Northwest Indiana.