Flowers and candles are an integral part of every wedding, though the types and amounts used will vary depending on the formality and size of the wedding and reception, the time of year, the time of day, and whether the event is held indoors or out.
Flowers: The following flowers are needed, even at small weddings:
• bouquet for the bride
• bouquets for the bride's attendants
• boutonnières for the groom and his attendants, including ushers*
• corsages for the mothers and grandmothers
• boutonnières for the fathers, grandfathers, and ring bearer, if a boy
• corsage for the guest book attendant
* If the groom or any of his attendants wear military uniforms, it is a violation of military protocol to wear a boutonniere on the uniform.
You may need the following additional flowers, depending on the size of the wedding and the facility where the ceremony and reception will be held:
• boutonnière for the minister or officiant, unless he or she wears a robe
• corsages for female candle lighters and female ring bearers
• corsage for the wedding coordinator
• petals for the flower girl's basket/baskets unless your facility doesn't allow them
• corsages for those serving at the reception if friends or family members serve
• centerpiece or large arrangements for the front of the sanctuary or the altar
• centerpieces for one or more of the serving tables at the reception
• centerpieces for the guest tables at the reception
• a toss bouquet for the bride
Whether you use fresh or silk flowers is a matter of choice. If members of the wedding party are allergic to pollen, silk flowers may be the better choice. However, if a florist arranges the flowers, silk ones often cost as much as real flowers because they are labor-intensive. When choosing fresh flowers, those that are in season will be less expensive than those that have to be imported.
When choosing flowers, consider the size and lighting of the rooms where the wedding and reception will be held. If the wedding will be held at night or in low light, pale-colored flowers such as pinks, lavenders, and yellows, may not show up well, or may look gray, including in your wedding photos. If the room is large, centerpieces or standing arrangements should also be large and contain larger flowers, such as lilies, so that the arrangements are clearly visible from the back of the sanctuary or room.
Many brides choose to use fresh flowers on the wedding cake. Your florist can provide loose flowers that the baker will use on the cake, or the florist and baker might work together to decorate the cake.
Candles: Candles can add elegance to an evening wedding or a church wedding. For weddings held earlier in the day, the amount and type of candles used will vary. The amount of candles needed will also vary with the season and with the location of the ceremony. Generally, more candles are used at winter weddings than at summer ones and more are used in churches than other locations. If an outdoor wedding is planned, you may choose to forgo the use of candles, particularly if the location is prone to be windy. If candles are used at an outdoor event, they should not be tall and they should be surrounded by a glass enclosure.
The following candles are often used at indoor weddings:
• candelabra in the front of the church or place where the ceremony will be held
• a unity candle to be lighted by the bride and groom
• side candles that the bride and groom use to light the unity candle
• candles on the guest tables at the reception
Many event centers no longer allow candles to be used unless they are surrounded by a glass enclosure (you don't want to set off the fire sprinklers). Therefore, if you want to use candelabra for the ceremony, be sure to ask if it is permissible. Churches are usually more relaxed about the use of candles with open flames.
Most churches have candelabras. If yours doesn't, you can rent them at most rental centers. You can also rent votive candleholders and tabletop candelabras.
Incorporating flowers and candles into your decorations will add a special touch to your wedding. With a bit of creativity, you can add elegance without spending a lot of money and transform your wedding location from ordinary to extraordinary.
Copyright ©2002, Glenna Tooman, all rights reserved
Memory Makers Event Planning LLC
www.memorable-events.com
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Choosing a Coordinator
Exactly one minute after becoming engaged couples are expected to become experts in all the areas they will need or desire to procure services. They call their friends, recall past weddings they enjoyed, spend a small fortune on bridal magazines and traipse to weddings shows far and near in search for the perfect vendor. The arena for wedding industry vendors is broad and full of talent. It is easy to be wowed by a photographer’s work blown up life-sized or a sliver of wedding cake that was "to die for", but when it comes to signing on the dotted line The question becomes which one? Cost is always a factor as is quality. What about referrals? How long have they been in the business? These are all great questions, but inevitably it’s the questions that weren't asked that pose the most problems for brides. And vendors are only the tip of the ice berg what about "etiquette" and dealing with RSVP's and guest seating charts—that alone has caused a number of couples to elope.
There is help out there in the form of a wedding coordinator. Whether referred to as a wedding consultant, bridal consultant or wedding planner; in a nutshell this person is the encyclopedia of weddings in your area and most importantly, once hired, your advocate. A coordinator is essential to the well planned affair. Your coordinator will be well worth every dime spent (and saved). The immediate experience you gain on your team in the areas of negotiating contracts, design, etiquette and most importantly logistics management.
With the average wedding taking nearly three hundred hours to plan paired with the fact that most of today's brides are working professionals, finding the time to adequately compare vendors and review deals can be near impossible.
Take into account that most reputable wedding coordinators have planned numerous events at venues in your area that you are probably considering. They have also worked with many of the vendors in the area and can help to pair you with the vendors best suited for your type of event. An additional plus of using a coordinator is that the relationship that they have with your vendors can only benefit you. Vendors enjoy working with other vendors they know, and as vendors get to know each other their work flows smoothly and seamlessly.
Being a subjective third party also works to your benefit. Your wedding coordinator is there to advocate on your behalf, they will fight your battles in dealing with difficult vendors or situations. You want more than anything to feel like a guest at your wedding as you attend to your new spouse and your guests who have come to share this day. A coordinator will allow you to do just that while making sure everything stays on schedule and to manage all the details.
How to you choose a coordinator? You should feel completely comfortable with the coordinator and feel assured that he or she completely understands what your needs are. View their work. Have they accomplished any events that appeal to your sensibilities? What are their credentials? This will let you know how much pride they take in their trade. Is this their full time occupation? Do they have referrals from former brides? These questions will help you identify the coordinator that is right for you. As for their fee structure, it can vary greatly from planner to planner. Examples you can expect to see are a percentage of the total cost of your event (anywhere from 10-20%), flat fee packages or hourly rates. Many consultants will offer a la carte services to allow you to build the package of services that best suit your needs. Most consultants will offer full scale planning or day of wedding coordination others will have a myriad of specialized services for you to choose.
About the Author
Vicky Johnson is a full time, certified Professional Wedding Consultant and owner of Holy Matrimony with offices in Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD. She has coordinated weddings nationally for more than 15 years.
There is help out there in the form of a wedding coordinator. Whether referred to as a wedding consultant, bridal consultant or wedding planner; in a nutshell this person is the encyclopedia of weddings in your area and most importantly, once hired, your advocate. A coordinator is essential to the well planned affair. Your coordinator will be well worth every dime spent (and saved). The immediate experience you gain on your team in the areas of negotiating contracts, design, etiquette and most importantly logistics management.
With the average wedding taking nearly three hundred hours to plan paired with the fact that most of today's brides are working professionals, finding the time to adequately compare vendors and review deals can be near impossible.
Take into account that most reputable wedding coordinators have planned numerous events at venues in your area that you are probably considering. They have also worked with many of the vendors in the area and can help to pair you with the vendors best suited for your type of event. An additional plus of using a coordinator is that the relationship that they have with your vendors can only benefit you. Vendors enjoy working with other vendors they know, and as vendors get to know each other their work flows smoothly and seamlessly.
Being a subjective third party also works to your benefit. Your wedding coordinator is there to advocate on your behalf, they will fight your battles in dealing with difficult vendors or situations. You want more than anything to feel like a guest at your wedding as you attend to your new spouse and your guests who have come to share this day. A coordinator will allow you to do just that while making sure everything stays on schedule and to manage all the details.
How to you choose a coordinator? You should feel completely comfortable with the coordinator and feel assured that he or she completely understands what your needs are. View their work. Have they accomplished any events that appeal to your sensibilities? What are their credentials? This will let you know how much pride they take in their trade. Is this their full time occupation? Do they have referrals from former brides? These questions will help you identify the coordinator that is right for you. As for their fee structure, it can vary greatly from planner to planner. Examples you can expect to see are a percentage of the total cost of your event (anywhere from 10-20%), flat fee packages or hourly rates. Many consultants will offer a la carte services to allow you to build the package of services that best suit your needs. Most consultants will offer full scale planning or day of wedding coordination others will have a myriad of specialized services for you to choose.
About the Author
Vicky Johnson is a full time, certified Professional Wedding Consultant and owner of Holy Matrimony with offices in Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD. She has coordinated weddings nationally for more than 15 years.
"How-To" Get Started Planning Your Wedding
He’s finally popped the question. You’re now engaged and have set a wedding date…."Now What?", you ask yourself.
You have purchased the latest bridal magazines from your local grocery store and there are pages and pages of photos of beautiful wedding gowns, rings and articles on weddings. Some give you a brief idea of what you need to do to plan your wedding, but you’re still not sure how to begin the process.
The key is to start organizing and planning earlier than later.
You first need to create a system to keep all the details in one place. You may choose to use a binder with a tab for each category you will be using. Examples of categories are: Bakery, Ceremony, Catering, Florist, Music, Reception, Photography, Transportation. An accordion file is another choice, using the same category tabs. You will be able to see each category at a glance.
Whichever system you choose, use it to keep track of all receipts, pictures, brochures, business cards etc. that is related to each category.
Once you have your system in place, you can then do some research. There are many wedding planning books out in the market, even online websites (like this one). Visit your local bookstore or library to pick up a book to help your with the entire planning process.
Find a "wedding timetable" layout. This timetable will include a list of to-do’s for the entire months/year before the big day. Some of the first things on this timeline may be: Consulting with fiancé and parents to decide budget and financial support. Another may be deciding the number of guests to invite to your big day (always dependant on budget $$ available), deciding what type of wedding - formal or informal or even interviewing wedding coordinators. This timetable is a basic guideline. You can recreate on your computer to fit your wedding and time line.
Once you have an idea of all the details involved in planning a wedding and all the dedicated time you will have to spend, you can start recruiting help from family and friends. Delegate tasks to help you check off all the to-do’s on your list and by the time you know it, it‘s wedding day.
About the Author
You have purchased the latest bridal magazines from your local grocery store and there are pages and pages of photos of beautiful wedding gowns, rings and articles on weddings. Some give you a brief idea of what you need to do to plan your wedding, but you’re still not sure how to begin the process.
The key is to start organizing and planning earlier than later.
You first need to create a system to keep all the details in one place. You may choose to use a binder with a tab for each category you will be using. Examples of categories are: Bakery, Ceremony, Catering, Florist, Music, Reception, Photography, Transportation. An accordion file is another choice, using the same category tabs. You will be able to see each category at a glance.
Whichever system you choose, use it to keep track of all receipts, pictures, brochures, business cards etc. that is related to each category.
Once you have your system in place, you can then do some research. There are many wedding planning books out in the market, even online websites (like this one). Visit your local bookstore or library to pick up a book to help your with the entire planning process.
Find a "wedding timetable" layout. This timetable will include a list of to-do’s for the entire months/year before the big day. Some of the first things on this timeline may be: Consulting with fiancé and parents to decide budget and financial support. Another may be deciding the number of guests to invite to your big day (always dependant on budget $$ available), deciding what type of wedding - formal or informal or even interviewing wedding coordinators. This timetable is a basic guideline. You can recreate on your computer to fit your wedding and time line.
Once you have an idea of all the details involved in planning a wedding and all the dedicated time you will have to spend, you can start recruiting help from family and friends. Delegate tasks to help you check off all the to-do’s on your list and by the time you know it, it‘s wedding day.
About the Author
Maggie Puertas, owner of Wedding Dreamz
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