BLOG ARCHIVES

• August 2008
• July 2008
• June 2008
• May 2008
• April 2008
• March 2008
• February 2008
• January 2008
• December 2007
• November 2007
• October 2007
• September 2007
• August 2007
• July 2007
• June 2007
• May 2007
• April 2007
• March 2007
• February 2007
• January 2007
• December 2006
• November 2006
• October 2006
• September 2006
• August 2006
• July 2006
• June 2006
• May 2006
• April 2006
• March 2006
• February 2006
• January 2006
• December 2005
• November 2005
• October 2005
• September 2005
• August 2005
• July 2005
• June 2005
• May 2005
• April 2005
• March 2005
• February 2005
• January 2005
• December 2004
• November 2004

Can you believe it's that time already? The Hawaii Bridal Expo opens tomorrow night and goes through Sunday at the Blaisdell. We have gone back to doing a booth this time around. In January we did a bunch of table tops and everyone thought I was a linen company so hopefully a regular booth will help you all know we are coordinators. I will be doing 2 table top displays, though.

We'll be in booth 515...right on a corner in the middle of the show floor.

This is a great opportunity for you all to check out tons of vendors and get a lot of useful information. It's also a great resource for us vendors as well. I will actually be walking the floor for a couple of hours gathering contacts and prices for a few of my clients who can not attend due to scheduling conflicts or they are living on the mainland. Not only can you one stop shop but so can I to help my clients.

And that's all included in our VIP Package or Soiree Package.....so stop by to talk to us and maybe the next expo we'll be walking around carrying the heavy paperwork on YOUR behalf!

Well, were gearing up for prime wedding season and I wanted to just share with you the top things I hear for each service we offer in our consultations. I know that many of you will be thinking these same things at some point during your planning process so hopefully this helps.

#1 Coordination: But why do I need you? My cousin/sister/coworker/mom said she can be my coordinator.

Well, this very well may be true, but think about it. Do you really want that person to be running around and doing all the work or would you rather they be able to sit and enjoy themselves? Especially if its a close family member, you do not want them to have to be bogged down by the details. They should be able to relax. And even if its not a close family member, if they were going to be invited as a guest then your intent was for them to enjoy the event, right? So why not let that happen?

Professional coordinators do this for a living. This is what they are good at and what they enjoy. They are paid to take all the stress and details off of you and your guests. I can tell you, when I am doing oversight, I normally only get to sit down for about 10 minutes and then Im going again. Its a 12+ hour day on my feet and as long as I LOVE to do it, then why have anyone else be in that type of physical position?

#2 Flowers: I dont really have a budget because I dont know what flowers cost.

Big mistake!!! I always say that it doesnt matter how much flowers cost&.it matters how much you want to/can spend on them. The cost of flowers, to me, is not a factor that you should worry about because an experienced florist should be able to create something beautiful to fit your budget. You tell the florist what you want to spend and they should tell you what they can do for you. Even if you have your heart set on a certain look or certain flower but the cost is high, the florist should still be able to work with it in your budget. Whether you do things in that design but on a smaller scale, use less of the flower selection or find a similar looking substitute, there should be options.

If you have a problem coming up with a budget for flowers, then first determine how important they are to you. This way youll have an easier time coming up with a general number/dollar amount out of your total wedding budget. Or, break it down even further by figuring out what you ideally want to spend per table, per location, etc.

#3 Cake: Do we even need one? What do we get?

With dessert buffets, sweet stations and edible favors, its no wonder couples get confused when it comes to a cake. Basically, I always ask the following questions:

- What kind of desserts will be provided already? If its all similar, then maybe a cake in an opposite flavor will be good to have. For instance, if the dessert table will have a lot of chocolate, then get a plain vanilla cake for those guests who dont like chocolate or anything too rich.
- Do you want to serve the cake or is it more for show? Depending on your answer, this will determine if you do a dummy cake or any dummy layers to it.

- How many people are you trying to serve the cake to? If you want to feed everyone, then youll need a larger cake or a smaller one with sheet cakes to serve. If you only want it for immediate family and/or the bridal party, then go for a smaller cake.

Also, think about the flavors and the colors of the cakes. Do you really want a red velvet cake that will look like you are bleeding in the pictures feeding each other? Do you really want a super fruity filling if you know most of your guests wont eat it?

All in all, these are some of the top ideas I cover in all of my consultations. Its just the tip of the iceberg for questions but it will hopefully get the thought process going. Stay tuned for more tips!

Bridal Shows

Get a list of upcoming bridal shows in cities near you. Shopping at a bridal expo beats driving all over town so take advantage of this opportunity.

Wedding Magazines

A wedding magazine is the perfect start to planning your wedding; browse for ideas, pick styles and colors, and get in touch with the reality of planning.

Planning Your Wedding

• Receive exclusive special offers
• Create your budget & notes
• Share with family & friends
• Announce your wedding
• Favorites: Articles, Photos, Vendors, etc.
• Shop through hundreds of websites