If you have a time gap between your ceremony and reception, you most likely have one of two scenarios going on:
1) You're getting married at a church, and your time block choices are Noon, 2:00p, or 7:00p in the evening.
2) You've decided not to see each other before the ceremony, and need some time after the ceremony to take pictures (more on this in another post).
If Scenario #1 is yours, you're forced to work around church policy and therefore only have a few choices...especially when you wanted to have a more evening reception- but not late evening.
* Try to keep the time gap no longer than 2 hours. If you can choose the 2:00 time slot, do so because this would start your reception around 4:00p. Any longer than 2 hours and you're sure to lose a handful of guests.
* You must create a structured activity for your guests. Sure, letting your guests stroll around downtown for 2 hours sounds great, but in reality your guests will be uncomfortable and confused, especially if they are from out of town. Research local amenities and tours, such as the Boise Trolley, or plan for a pre-cocktail hour at a nearby restaurant.
* Even better: plan for your cocktail hour to begin at 3:00p, and plan for the wedding party to arrive at 4:00p. This gives you and family 2 hours for pictures, only stalls your guests for one hour and lessens the chances of a dwindling guest list.
If Scenario #2 is your plan:
* My first recommendation is to not allow a gap at all. As mentioned before- your guests are accustomed to attending the ceremony and then reception immediately after. Plan for a cocktail hour if you need to distract your guests while you take pictures.
* Take as many pictures as possible before the ceremony, ensuring only 1 hour is needed after the ceremony.
Making your guests wait any longer will create restlessness. Make sure there is plenty of food with their drinks so you don't arrive to a crowd of tipsy guests.
What other ideas did you implement to entertain your guests?
Dealing With A Gap Between The Ceremony And Reception
5 DIY Fixer-Uppers
Sometimes you just get in a pinch and you don't have what you need- whether you're at your wedding, dinner party, at the mall, or getting ready for a meeting. I love finding new uses for old things- here are 5 conventional items that pretty much everyone has in their home or purse:
Instant Oatmeal: Go ahead and plan your girls' night in...paint your toes with nail polish you already have, put in girly movies, and create an insta-facial with a packet of oatmeal. Warm water and oatmeal will work to not only soothe your skin, but will also hydrate too. Spa night recessionista style!
Lip Balm: Flyaways or unruly eyebrows trying to make a crash appearance at your wedding? Use a little chapstick to smooth them down and take control.
Wire Hanger: Sure wire has gone a little to the wayside with plastic and wood hangers becoming more preferred for the container-store-worthy-closets, but if you dryclean anything, you're sure to have at least one of these around. By running the hanger along the outside and underneath a misbehaving garment, you'll decharge static cling. Bonus: no having to use chemicals to do it.
Spray Bottle (with water): A handy little gem to carry around on your wedding day, especially if you'll be wearing a tulle gown. Tulle is known for its clingy properties, and it's ability to pick up every imaginable string in a 10 mile radius from where you're standing. A little spritz of water and a shake on your part and the strings and other paraphenalia you've picked up will simply drop right out. Another great use is for spritzing your finicky flowers in the heat of summer- like hydrangea- a wilty bouquet will perk right up.
The Spongey Doodads From Your Drycleaning: You know, the gray, spongey stuff that helps to keep the shoulders of your blazers and suit coats looking spiffy? Well peel those right off and throw them in a drawer- they work wonders to remove deoderant stains.
Happy planning!
What Have I Done For You Lately
A prospective bride recently asked me a question that literally almost stumped me. She asked me to describe situations in which I was able to "save the day"...in other words, she wanted to hear extreme situations in planning weddings where a wedding planner was a necessity.
This question is fine- I always encourage brides to ask any questions they want at a consultation- but the problem here was that I really didn't have too many answers for her. And as we wrapped up and parted ways, I realized that it was a good thing that I didn't have many answers. After all, if I had had a list of things that had gone so wrong that the day would have been ruined without me, doesn't that mean I wasn't doing my job in the first place?
As a wedding consultant I wear so many hats: financial planner, mediator, counselor, director, project manager, designer, and sounding board....sometimes these are worn all at once. But one of my main job descriptions is to prevent. A good coordinator will take and know the preventative steps to ensure a day without any hiccups. I won't ever tell you that weddings are meant to be perfect, but what I will tell you that if anything goes wrong, it is small enough that we can take care of it instantly, and many times without you or your guests even knowing about it.
A good coordinator will be able to describe to you all the little, behind the scenes tasks that must be done in order to ensure a smooth, flowing Big Day. And they may seem trivial to you, but understand that they are usually worth gold to your vendors and all involved. Be weary of anyone that can list off several situations of dissaray- I promise you a knowledgeable consultant won't have near that many.
~Brandi
Alternative Bridesmaids Dresses
Your wedding leans more to the eclectic than the classic, maybe more funky than frilly. Or maybe you are that classic bride, but with stellar budget planning skills. Whatever category you fall into, these dresses are off the beaten path and super steals at that:
These dresses from Ruche are a little bit vintage, and a lot just really cute frock. Best part about them? Your bridesmaids are sure to wear them again, especially at prices from $35-$72. See a fabulous photo shoot done of real gals in these dresses, complete with bouquets for the full vision over at Stephanie Williams Photography. Tres Chic.
For the more classic wedding, looking outside of the normal bridal chain box is beneficial and easy on your wallet. Stores like Alloy and Nordstrom have an array of different styles of evening and cocktail dresses that will easily substitute as fashionable bridesmaid attire.
Happy planning!
{Sources}
Dresses 1-3 Ruche
Dress 4- Alloy.com
Dress 5- Calvin Klein for Nordstrom
Headcounts And What Your RSVP Really Means
If you're a human being, the odds are likely that you've been invited to be a guest at someone's wedding at some point in your years. And if you've experienced both sides of a wedding- i.e. you've been a bride or groom, or a contributing party to the wedding- you likely understand that a guest's reply means much more than just a seat at the reception.
I recently planned a wedding that featured many guests dropping at the last minute, despite their original "will attend" replies. The poor bride ended up frustrated and threw out her plans for assigned tables all together. In discussing this with the catering manager, it became clear that a blog post about guests behaving badly had to happen, and fast.
When you RSVP (Repondez, S'il Vous Plait for all you Frenchies out there), you are not only reserving a chair at a table for the reception, but may also be reserving: a chair cover, a sash, a minimum serving of hors d'oeuvres, a plate of food, a charger plate, a silverware setting rental, a napkin rental, a water glass, a wine glass, a favor, a cake slice, a cake plate and napkin, and, if you happen to be the guest that pushes the table count over into having to provide another guest table, you are also reserving a whole other table, linen, and centerpiece. Doesn't sound so cheap, huh?
Because final head counts are normally required to be to the caterer and/or venue 7-14 days prior, if you decide at the last minute not to attend, the bride and groom will still pay for your spot and everything it took to give you a place setting. This cost, in total, can be anywhere from $50.00/person to hundreds of dollars per person.
So, in conclusion: hopefully you'll think past the just empty seat you'll be leaving if you decide at the last minute not to attend..because in fact you're actually costing the bride and groom more than if you shown up in the first place.
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