Who do we call first?

What does a wedding cost?

When do we start?

Where do we begin?

How do we get started planning our wedding?

These are a lot of the questions we hear from engaged couples, whether they are calling us, sending us messages on Facebook or they see us at a wedding show.  Planning a wedding can be completely overwhelming and it’s hard to even know where to begin!  While we would love for each one of these couples to work with us as our clients, we know that some will never hire a planner and some will choose a date we are booked for.  So, we’ve added a new info session topic to our line up: 

The Keys of Wedding Planning

Like all our other sessions, this one will be free.  This two hour info session will provide you all the information you need to get started, from how to create a budget, what to look for in a wedding venue to how to find the right vendors for your wedding.  We’ll also cover some basics on how to navigate the guest list, mistakes commonly made by engaged couples and much more!  Followed by a half hour q&a session with our certified planners, you will leave with all your questions answered!

For 2012, we’ve decided to offer our info sessions in Dallas and McKinney!  Bonus!  Choose the location best for you and reserve your seat today.  With all the newly engaged couples from the holidays, we expect these to book up fast.

McKinney:  Sponsored by the Grand Hotel, this session is on Saturday, February 18th, from 2 to 4:30pm.  Visit wedplankeysmckinney.eventbrite.com to register.

Dallas: Sponsored by Edison’s, this session is on Sunday, February 19th, 2 to 4:30pm.  Visit wedplankeysdallas.eventbrite.com to register.

We hope to see you there!

image by F8 Studio's Carter Rose

For more information on attending the event, what to expect and how to possibly meet with Randy yourself (and be on the airwaves of course), click here!  For $5 off your ticket price, use the promo code WeddingWire.  Good luck and tell Randy we said hi!

1.We want you to look your best–Generally speaking, the images provided on a CD are a proof.  This means they have received some basic edits such as color correction, cropping, and a bit of a boost in brightness and contrast.  It is still a great image and perfectly suitable to make a print to send to Grandma, but the image hasn’t yet reached the final vision that the photographer had in mind.  Any print ordered through our studio undergoes what we call a ‘fine art edit’.  Some steps included in a fine art edit are retouching, blemish removal, color and contrast boost, dodging and burning, removal of distracting elements, selective tonal color adjustments and other artistic touches.  In short, every measure available to make you look your absolute best will be taken.  (See her samples below)

2. We want to look our best too–Think back over all the planning and detail that went into your engagement session.  You discussed with your photographer locations, wardrobe and maybe even had your makeup professionally done.  All that attention to detail resulted in the perfect image to display at your wedding.  You and your photographer shared a vision for how the image would turn out and together you NAILED it!  Now, you take this fabulous, practically perfect in every way, image to Walgreens, CVS or (shudder) Wal-Mart to be printed. Really?  Do you have the confidence that the pimply-faced high school student behind the counter is going to print your perfect image in the manner that is deserves to be printed?  Not sure?  We aren’t either.  Photographers want you to look your best and WE want to look our best too.  A photographer doesn’t want to show up at the reception and see the image we worked so hard with our client to create displayed at less than it’s best.  We include a print credit in all of our packages for just for this reason.  Let us do the printing, one less thing to add to your to-do list.

3.  Quality, Quality, Quality–What it comes down to is quality.  We, as professional photographers, use professional equipment to capture your photo, we have professional software to develop and edit the image and our computers are calibrated with our professional photo printing labs.  All of this to ensure that your image will be of the highest quality available.  The paper and inks used by our professional lab are archival and designed to last for decades. Higher quality ink plus higher quality photo paper equals a higher quality image every single time.  After everything is said and done this image is not just to display at your wedding reception, it will become decor in your new home.  A lasting visual memory of the two of you as a couple at the time of your marriage. Don’t you want an enduring piece of art that will last a lifetime?  We thought so.

photo by Peyronet Photography

The Grand Hotel is part of the same building as Rick’s Chophouse, connected through the fabulous lounge in the back of Rick’s.  This allows you access to Rick’s 110, another fab event space, as well as the semi-private rooms in the restaurant proper, the Library and Wine Room.  Many couples use Rick’s 110 as a cocktail space if they choose to have their ceremony at Rick’s, so the ballroom may be reset while their guests enjoy drinks and hors d’ oeuvres.  Some use Rick’s 110 for their rehearsal dinner, or the smaller rooms, depending on guest count.  If you’ve ever eaten at Rick’s, you know the food is scrumptious, so you will never be disappointed with your menu selections!

Rick’s 110, photo by Mary Phillips Photography

Of course, when you talk about the Grand Hotel and Rick’s Chophouse, you also have to talk about Sauce on the Square and Grotto Live as all of these fab venues falls under the Rick Well’s Hospitality umbrella.  Sauce on the Square caters to the family style dinner, with pasta and wood-fired pizzas to die for!  They do not have a separate space here for events, but you can certainly reserve a few tables for any celebration.  Grotto Live shares it’s kitchen with Sauce, but it’s an entirely different vibe.  This rock and roll bar is the perfect place to relax with friends and grab a drink.  Whether in their intimate dining space or the super-cool Mezz level, you’ll love it here.

Grotto Mezz, photo by Mary Phillips Photography

Grotto Dining, photo by Mary Phillips Photography

So who do you call to find out more details about these unique spaces?  Why, Rick’s Angel’s of course!  Debi Morelli-Matzke and Melanie Kosarek are the two sales managers for all of these spaces, and they can give you all the scoop.  With Melanie’s degree in Hospitality Management, she knows exactly how to make your guests feel special and make sure your event goes off without a hitch.  Debi has been with Rick’s since 2007 and knows all the ins and outs, so she’s got it all completely covered.  Shawna Darden is the Special Events and Catering Manager who will be with you from the moment your guests arrive to the end of the event, making sure you and your guests experience the genuine hospitality of the entire staff.  She’s the firecracker who executes all the plans, down to the last detail!

We love working with Rick’s Angels and hope you’ll give them a call to consider one of their spaces for your wedding plans!

Typically, when you order your decor through a professional florist, they are quoting all vases, containers and other equipment as rentals.  This means that while you own the floral at the end of the night, the vases, urns and other other items (like candelabras), go home with the florist.  This means you and your guests must hand carry any flowers they would like to keep, as there are no containers available for transport.  If you would like to keep the vases, or perhaps hand out centerpieces to your guests to take home, you’ll need to ask your florist about including this cost in your proposal, or at least contact them before the night of the event to make payment arrangements for this.  We’ve had some clients decide on keeping only some of these vases, turning in a final number to the florist a couple weeks out from the florist so they can pay the fees for these vases with their final payment.

What else can you do?  Well, here are a couple ideas we received from florists:

• Donate the floral to a nursing home or hospital – Amanda from Nest Floral Studio typically delivers floral left over from her weddings to local nursing homes either in the form of one large arrangement for their entryway, or loose stems that they can use for little vases they have at dining tables or residents rooms.  She’s also “flowered the block”  by turning leftover floral into arrangements for the businesses around her studio.
• Gift the floral to your guests – When you don’t want to just hand out centerpieces, but maybe offer something a little more personal, ask your florist if they can bring a roll of kraft paper at the end of the night and use what floral is left to create bundles for guests to carry home.  You can get creative with this by creating custom stickers used to seal it off as the florist is wrapping the stems up.

Of course there are lots of ideas for preserving just your wedding bouquet.  Here are a couple options and companies we recommend who offer these services:

• Freeze dry your bouquet and create a beautiful memento – Heller and Reid offers many, many options on how to display your bouquet, from a shadow box to lantern centerpieces, you can have your bouquet preserved for many years to come.

• Create personal note cards from your bouquet – Floral Notes takes your bouquet and uses it in the creation of paper note cards that you can then use as thank you notes to your guests.

Remember that if you are planning on having your bouquet preserved, you’ll need to make sure it gets plenty of water on the wedding day and you’ll need to make arrangements for shipping/transportation the day after your wedding so the bouquet is as fresh as can be when it reaches these companies.

photos by Sherry Peters Photography

TPC Craig Ranch is located at the southwest tip of McKinney, near the corner of Highway 121 and Custer Road.  (TPC stands for Tournament Players Club.)  It’s a hidden treasure of McKinney, with most McKinney residents not even knowing that this exclusive club offers it’s amenities to non-members.  The club is known to those who have attended events there as having the white-glove service without the white glove.  With a five-star chef, the food is amazing and of course, the golf club is a beautiful back drop for photos.

The club has two ballrooms, separated by robust wooden sliding doors.  The ballrooms’ walls of windows show off how they are surrounded by a wrap-around, covered, stone terrace that features gas lanterns and ceiling fans.  With a breathtaking view of their lush fairways and precision greens, it is an amazing outdoor space.  The Portabello Ballroom features a beautiful stone hearth fireplace and a built-in marble counter top bar, backed by wine shelves.  You could easily describe the space as romantic and intimate!  Some things to know about TPC:

• The ballrooms can accommodate up to 200 seated guests, including a dance floor.  For a cocktail reception, they can accommodate up to 250 guests.
• They regularly provide customized floor plans and menus.
• The club only books one wedding per day so they can pay sharp attention to details.
• The club is available from 12pm-12am for set up, decorating and event time.
• The ladies locker room is available for the bride and bridesmaids to prepare, including a sitting area and makeup area.
• The Board Room is available for the groom and groomsmen to prepare.
• Gentleman and ladies can enjoy golf privileges to the TPC PGA golf course, which is ranked #10 in the state of Texas!
• Engaged couples receive time for one photo session (engagements or bridals) on the golf course or inside the club.
• TPC offers their smaller ballroom, the Weiskopf room, free of charge to their clients for smaller events, such as bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, etc.

photo by Don Mamone Photography

So what sets TPC apart?  Without a doubt, their customer service.  Their Special Events and Catering Manager, Christina Degelia, is why we recommend them over and over to brides.  Christina is dedicated to her clients, working meetings to their schedule, advising them on the best vendors, working with them on their color schemes, developing the perfect floor plan and even helping to create a custom menu!  She has fifteen years in this industry and has a high standard that not only does she hold her team at TPC to, but the vendors she recommends as well.  She was recently named McKinney’s Hospitality Hero 2011 in a contest held by the McKinney Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.  Diann Bayes, MCVB Director, said “Christina was the clear winner with about three dozen emails commending her poise, class, professionalism and hospitable nature.”  We have worked with Christina many times and couldn’t agree more.  For more information on Christina, visit her bio here. (photo by Katie Cassidy Photography)

If you are looking for a private space, with excellent food and elegant but rustic decor, please consider taking a tour of TPC Craig Ranch.  We know you won’t regret it!  For more information on TPC Craig Ranch, visit their website, www.tpccraigranch.com or give Christina a call at 972-359-2110.

When:  Sunday, September 18th, 11am

Where: Dillard’s at the Shops of Willow Bend, 2501 Dallas Parkway, Plano

Cost:  Free!

Vendors:

• Each & Every Detail
• Dillard’s
• Coffee ‘N Cream
• Big D Party Rental
• Jules Event Decor
• Bridal Blooms & Creations
• Circle Park Bridal
• Art Couture Invitations
• Katie Cassidy Photography
• Red Sole Events
• Premiere Photo Booth
• Cloud  9 Vintage Coach
• TPC Craig Ranch

More vendors are being added daily!  Make sure you don’t miss this unique opportunity for brunch, registering and mingling with some of the top wedding vendors in DFW!

At the end of your wedding day, when you have left to cheers from your guests and your guests have gone home, the wedding night clean up begins.  Some vendors refer to this as break down, some refer to it as striking the event.  Either way, it’s important to know what happens because you have items left behind that need to be taken care of.  What happens and who does it can depend entirely on your venue.  They set the rules on what can be stored and what needs to leave at the end of the night.  Here’s a list of all the items that need to be taken care of and what typically happens.

• Wedding Gifts – Typically your venue or wedding planner will move your gifts during the event to a secure location, whether it is the venue coordinator’s office or perhaps another event space, it will be away from any wandering eyes.  At the end of the event, these items will be loaded onto a cart or taken directly to the vehicle of who you designate as being responsible for these items.  Usually this is a parent of the newlyweds.  Make sure you tell whoever you designate ahead of time so they know to stay til the end of the night.  The venue coordinator or your planner should know who this is so they make sure it all goes home with the right person, not just someone who volunteered.

photo by F8 Studio

• Personal items – This includes your toasting flutes, your cake knife and server, guest book and any decor you brought to the event.  If you have any DIY projects you brought, such as a candy buffet you or your planner set up, these need to be removed.  Sometimes a venue will store these items for you to be picked up the following week, but this is not normally the case.  Usually they are sent home with the same person designated to take home the gifts.
• Food & Drink – If your wedding is at a full service venue (meaning a venue that also supplies catering and staff), they will most likely pack a box of food for the newlyweds to take with them.  All other food is thrown out due to sitting out for so long (especially on a buffet).  It is an insurance requirement at most venues that they are not allowed to send “left overs” home with anyone.  If someone were to take the food home and not properly store it, resulting in food poisoning, the venue does not want to be responsible.  If you are working with a caterer, they may have their own policies.  Make sure you ask about this when hiring them.  If you brought in your own alcohol, you will need to take home what is left over.  This can be quite a bit, so make sure that whoever you designate to stay and take this home at the end of the night has a large vehicle, just in case.  Typically, your caterer and/or planner will not transport left over alcohol.
• Cake – Your venue or caterer will box up your left over cake to take home, but most of the time they do not provide the boxes for this.  Make sure you bakery will leave boxes, and if not, bring some of your own.  Also, check with you bakery to see if any equipment, such as a stand, needs to be returned.  Some planners will return cake stands for you, but again, check with them and see who needs to be responsible for this.

photo by Bella Pop Photography

• Floral decor / centerpieces – Most florists are charging you just a rental on their vases and other decor (such as candles, etc.).  This means that at the end of the night, all the containers your beautiful floral are in must be returned to the florist.  Typically, the florist will make arrangements with the venue to pick up these items the next day, but more and more venues are requiring the florist to pick up items that night.  You must find out what your venue requires and communicate this to the florist as they will not call and check this for you all the time.  You also might see an extra fee from the florist because of this, so double-check with them!  As for the floral itself, you paid for this and can take whatever you would like home, but without the container.  Some clients choose to pay for the containers for part of the centerpieces so they can take them home as they are.  Some make arrangements to return the vases to the florist themselves at a later time, and others will just leave the floral behind.  (Always ask your florist when receiving proposals if the containers/vases are included as a rental or purchase.)  If the florist included the containers in your contract, you can give centerpieces away to your guests.  Just remember, if a guests is from out of town, they probably cannot transport the item home, especially if they are traveling by air.
• Linens, Rentals and other Decor – Most rental companies prefer to pick up their rental items the Monday following your event.  If they are required to pick up that night, you will more than likely be charged an additional fee, so check with your venue!  The staff at your venue, if full service, will pack away all the rentals and linens for the rental company to pick up. However, if you are not at a full service venue, your caterer may help with only the items they handled, such as glassware, dishes, and flatware.  With any rental items, designate someone responsible for checking the items for damage and counting.  You will be charged for damaged items or missing items, so you always want to make sure someone is checking to make sure it is all there and not misplaced.
• Trash – Most venues handle all waste disposal.  However, while unusual, some venues do not have dumpsters and require all waste to be removed at the end of the night by either the caterer or yourself.  Venues will be up front about this need, so make sure you address it with them and your caterer.  Caterers sometimes charge an extra fee for this.  There are waste disposal companies that can be hired to bring containers to your event and take care of them throughout the night.  Some even recycle all the waste, so it’s a great way to be green!  They are usually inexpensive, so compare them to what your caterer charges.
• Other break down -  All other vendors will need to break down their equipment and take it with them that evening.  For example, a DJ or band will not leave their equipment over night.  However, if you rented a stage or lighting, this will be broken down based on the rental companies needs.  Any other entertainment, such as a photo booth or cigar roller, will also break down that evening and remove everything from the venue.

Your wedding planner should stay until the end of your event and follow up with all the vendors to make sure this break down happens according to your plan.  They typically help with making sure all of your items (as listed above) are sent home with the right person, the rentals are all accounted for and packed away for pick up, the florist picks up all their containers (and none were taken home by a guest who didn’t know any better), and to check if there are and damages you will be responsible for.  This all factors into that “peace of mind” when hiring a planner to help with your wedding day, whether full service or as a day of wedding planner. We hope this helps you to understand what to plan for at the end of your wedding night!