Some shots that I find particularly stunning, to use as inspiration for your own photographer:
Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts
Mar 1, 2013
Inspiration: Great Photography
While so many different aspects go into making a wedding special, photography is especially important. After all, this is how you will visually reflect on your big day for the rest of your life!
Jan 24, 2013
Inspiration: Peach Wedding
I'm crazy about peach. As someone who doesn't really go for pink, peach is the perfect romantic (yet not too girly) shade for me.
I absolutely love it as a wedding color, especially for early Spring:
I absolutely love it as a wedding color, especially for early Spring:
Dec 17, 2012
How Revelry Alliance Works
Of course, we have a page called "How We Work" on our main Revelry Alliance website. However, we thought we could use a more detailed, step-by-step look at our process, and how it works for a bride (or groom!) using our service. This post intends to do just that!
Let's just jump right in, shall we?
As a bride, you come to Revelry Alliance to help in your search for wedding vendors for your big day. We currently operate in the Chicago market area, so your wedding will be taking place in the city or nearby suburbs (although, some of our vendors are willing to travel!) Our mission is to match you with the best vendors who are also the best fit for what YOU desire.
Step One: Create an Account
When you create an account with RA, you'll be asked for some basic info to get started. Just the usual name, email, phone number type stuff. This will generate your membership, sending you an email to complete your registration and log in for the first time / create your password. Once you're logged in, you'll be able to view our vendor partners and start creating your profile.
Step Two: Complete Your Profile
Your profile is the most important part of your membership with RA. You'll be prompted to complete it once you sign in for the first time.
The profile is an in-depth questionnaire that covers many facets of your big day, from the basics (like size, budget, date, etc.) to your style / vision. You'll also be asked information about components you've already determined (such as venue or catering or other vendors). Finally, we ask a few questions about you and your groom - what are your tastes, how did you meet, etc.
Only a handful of questions on the profile are mandatory. However, it benefits you to be as thorough as possible. Even if you already have a caterer picked out, for example, we still want to know about your food tastes. Believe it or not, this helps our other vendors understand your vision and personality, allowing them to better customize proposals for you.
Step Three: Request Proposals
Once your profile is complete, you're ready to request proposals from the vendor categories you're looking for. On your dashboard (on the site), you'll find links to create proposal requests. You can select the specific vendor type (i.e., caterer), and then complete the short form. The form will include a few questions specific to that vendor type (i.e., dietary restrictions) and also the opportunity for you to select specific vendors that you want a proposal from (This is optional! If you do not select any specific vendors, we will match you with the best fitting vendor for your needs, budget, vision, etc.)
Step Four: Receive Proposals from Vendors
Once you're proposal requests are processed, we match you with vendors that will begin working on proposals for you. Vendors may reach out to you through our messaging system on the site, or via phone or email. You'll have the opportunity to interact with the vendors you've been matched with, provide them with additional information, schedule tastings or in-person meetings (if you so choose), etc.
Your vendors will then upload proposals through the site for your review. You'll receive notification when this occurs. You'll be able to log back in and download the proposals. You can then request changes to the proposals form the vendors as necessary.
Step Five: Accept a Proposal and Pay Your Deposit
When you've come to an agreement with a vendor and are ready to accept their proposal, you can do so through the site. At this time, you'll pay your deposit for the vendor through the site as well - via PayPal - and receive confirmation / a receipt.
Once you've paid your deposit, you and your vendor will work together up until your wedding day to coordinate as necessary!
All in all, we aim to keep our process as straightforward and user-friendly as possible. If you're a new bride (or groom!) to our site and have more questions, please don't hesitate to contact us directly at info@revelryalliance.com - we're here to help!
Happy Planning!
Let's just jump right in, shall we?
As a bride, you come to Revelry Alliance to help in your search for wedding vendors for your big day. We currently operate in the Chicago market area, so your wedding will be taking place in the city or nearby suburbs (although, some of our vendors are willing to travel!) Our mission is to match you with the best vendors who are also the best fit for what YOU desire.
Step One: Create an Account
When you create an account with RA, you'll be asked for some basic info to get started. Just the usual name, email, phone number type stuff. This will generate your membership, sending you an email to complete your registration and log in for the first time / create your password. Once you're logged in, you'll be able to view our vendor partners and start creating your profile.
Step Two: Complete Your Profile
Your profile is the most important part of your membership with RA. You'll be prompted to complete it once you sign in for the first time.
The profile is an in-depth questionnaire that covers many facets of your big day, from the basics (like size, budget, date, etc.) to your style / vision. You'll also be asked information about components you've already determined (such as venue or catering or other vendors). Finally, we ask a few questions about you and your groom - what are your tastes, how did you meet, etc.
Only a handful of questions on the profile are mandatory. However, it benefits you to be as thorough as possible. Even if you already have a caterer picked out, for example, we still want to know about your food tastes. Believe it or not, this helps our other vendors understand your vision and personality, allowing them to better customize proposals for you.
Step Three: Request Proposals
Once your profile is complete, you're ready to request proposals from the vendor categories you're looking for. On your dashboard (on the site), you'll find links to create proposal requests. You can select the specific vendor type (i.e., caterer), and then complete the short form. The form will include a few questions specific to that vendor type (i.e., dietary restrictions) and also the opportunity for you to select specific vendors that you want a proposal from (This is optional! If you do not select any specific vendors, we will match you with the best fitting vendor for your needs, budget, vision, etc.)
Step Four: Receive Proposals from Vendors
Once you're proposal requests are processed, we match you with vendors that will begin working on proposals for you. Vendors may reach out to you through our messaging system on the site, or via phone or email. You'll have the opportunity to interact with the vendors you've been matched with, provide them with additional information, schedule tastings or in-person meetings (if you so choose), etc.
Your vendors will then upload proposals through the site for your review. You'll receive notification when this occurs. You'll be able to log back in and download the proposals. You can then request changes to the proposals form the vendors as necessary.
Step Five: Accept a Proposal and Pay Your Deposit
When you've come to an agreement with a vendor and are ready to accept their proposal, you can do so through the site. At this time, you'll pay your deposit for the vendor through the site as well - via PayPal - and receive confirmation / a receipt.
Once you've paid your deposit, you and your vendor will work together up until your wedding day to coordinate as necessary!
All in all, we aim to keep our process as straightforward and user-friendly as possible. If you're a new bride (or groom!) to our site and have more questions, please don't hesitate to contact us directly at info@revelryalliance.com - we're here to help!
Happy Planning!
Nov 19, 2012
Understanding Wedding Floral Costs
Flowers are a pretty ubiquitous component of a wedding. While creative replacements for floral have become trendy over the past few years (i.e., a brooch bouquet), most brides still choose to feature flowers as the highlight of their wedding decor.
However, when it comes to wedding planning, it can be difficult to guess what all this will cost. After all, even if you've thrown a big event before with floral centerpieces, etc., you've probably never accounted for things like bouquets, boutonnieres, pew / alter flowers, etc. The extent of these things all play into how much you are likely to spend, along with a few other factors.
So, what determines the final floral bill?
- How many flowers are used. A simple spray of baby's breath or a handful of tulips is going to be much less expensive than a large bouquet featuring different flowers in an elaborate design.
- This also applies to the number of floral pieces you require. For example, are you just having bouquets, boutonnieres, and a few centerpieces? Or are you planning to have aisle flowers, flower girl baskets, and more extensive floral decor?
- How ornate are the designs you've selected? Bunching a group of roses into a bouquet is much simpler than having an elegant, creative bouquet, such as the one below:
- Have you chosen seasonal floral or will the flowers you've selected have to be shipped in from far away?
- What types of flowers have you chosen? Again, there's a big difference between daisies and orchids.
- Delivery and set-up
It's important to have an idea of what you want and need before talking with a potential floral vendor. They'll be able to give you an idea of costs based on your ideas, and then you can add or subtract from there. It's helpful to have a book of inspiration photos (or a Pinterest page!) as well. Showing a florist a specific design that you like will help them estimate what something like that would cost for you.
Nov 6, 2012
Booking Music for Your Wedding
You've got the date, the venue, and the caterer lined up for your big day... what next? Music.
Booking musicians for your wedding can be difficult part of wedding planning because of the number of decisions you have to make about what you want. It's also easy to be indecisive due to the fact that the music that plays during your ceremony and reception needs to be reflective of who you are and the overall "vibe" you're trying to create.
So, here are some general guidelines to get you started, as well as some info about what costs go into hiring musical talent. First, you'll need to answer the following questions:
1) When do you need / want music? Ceremony, Reception or Both?
2) What type of ambiance are you trying to create and your ceremony and reception? They can, obviously, be different. A church wedding followed by a wild party will necessitate totally different types of music.
3) If you would like live music for your ceremony, will one violinist suffice or would you prefer a trio? If you're getting married in a church, you may have someone to play the organ or piano for you, but would you also like to have a vocalist or other instrument as well?
4) For your reception, the first question is this: live or DJ? Live musicians will be costlier than a DJ. However, there is a broad range available within the live music category. You can have a small four person band or an orchestra.
5) What kind of reception music would you like? A cover band that plays a wide range of music? A jazz band? A classical orchestra? Blues? Country? A DJ, on the flip side, allows you to be a little more flexible in terms of style, because, well, they can play whatever you want.
What about costs?
When you request a proposal from a wedding band or DJ, you'll need to give them an idea of how long your ceremony and reception will be. The length of your party will absolutely affect the total amount of your contract. Your proposal will likely break down the evening then by hours, starting with the ceremony, and then by cocktails, dinner and dancing.
Charges you'll likely see on the proposal will include the sound system, lighting, and, of course, the musical talent themselves. A DJ + an assistant, obviously, is going to cost less than a 10-person orchestra.
You'll want to ask the vendor as well if there will be any additional taxes, fees or surcharges. Most vendors include these in their total proposal price, but it's always good to ask.
Finally, it's OK to ask about tipping as well. Whomever you work with to book your contract will be able to give you some solid guidelines on who to tip and how much based on the total.
Of course, we have some incredible Chicago musicians available for weddings on the Revelry Alliance website! If you're planning a Chicago wedding, we can't recommend them highly enough!
Booking musicians for your wedding can be difficult part of wedding planning because of the number of decisions you have to make about what you want. It's also easy to be indecisive due to the fact that the music that plays during your ceremony and reception needs to be reflective of who you are and the overall "vibe" you're trying to create.
Photo courtesy of Stitely Entertainment
So, here are some general guidelines to get you started, as well as some info about what costs go into hiring musical talent. First, you'll need to answer the following questions:
1) When do you need / want music? Ceremony, Reception or Both?
2) What type of ambiance are you trying to create and your ceremony and reception? They can, obviously, be different. A church wedding followed by a wild party will necessitate totally different types of music.
3) If you would like live music for your ceremony, will one violinist suffice or would you prefer a trio? If you're getting married in a church, you may have someone to play the organ or piano for you, but would you also like to have a vocalist or other instrument as well?
4) For your reception, the first question is this: live or DJ? Live musicians will be costlier than a DJ. However, there is a broad range available within the live music category. You can have a small four person band or an orchestra.
5) What kind of reception music would you like? A cover band that plays a wide range of music? A jazz band? A classical orchestra? Blues? Country? A DJ, on the flip side, allows you to be a little more flexible in terms of style, because, well, they can play whatever you want.
Photo courtesy of Rendezvous Music
What about costs?
When you request a proposal from a wedding band or DJ, you'll need to give them an idea of how long your ceremony and reception will be. The length of your party will absolutely affect the total amount of your contract. Your proposal will likely break down the evening then by hours, starting with the ceremony, and then by cocktails, dinner and dancing.
Charges you'll likely see on the proposal will include the sound system, lighting, and, of course, the musical talent themselves. A DJ + an assistant, obviously, is going to cost less than a 10-person orchestra.
You'll want to ask the vendor as well if there will be any additional taxes, fees or surcharges. Most vendors include these in their total proposal price, but it's always good to ask.
Finally, it's OK to ask about tipping as well. Whomever you work with to book your contract will be able to give you some solid guidelines on who to tip and how much based on the total.
Of course, we have some incredible Chicago musicians available for weddings on the Revelry Alliance website! If you're planning a Chicago wedding, we can't recommend them highly enough!
Oct 5, 2012
Paper: Table Numbers
Ever since I fell in love with table numbers created by Courtney Callahan for my little sister's wedding (see below!), I've been on the lookout for especially unique ideas. After all, why stick with just a 1 2 3 4 format when you can do something that reflects your couple personality and looks pretty too?
Significant years in your lives together:
Table numbers for my sister's wedding were African animals, in honor of her now-husband's home country of South Africa! Photography by Amaris Giselle
Some others...
Places you've been together:
Paris!
Drawings or paintings of things you like or like to do:
Mallards!
Significant years in your lives together:
Photos of the happy couple and their favorite spots:
Sep 20, 2012
How Many Bridesmaids?
Wedding etiquette has certainly changed over the years, and while there used to be pretty strict guidelines about the size of the wedding party, they really aren't adhered to anymore. I've been to 200+ weddings with two bridesmaids, and 100 person weddings with 8 bridesmaids. There's no one-size-fits-all rule anymore... at least, not one that people abide by!
I'm actually an advocate for the "less is more" approach when it comes to your wedding party, for many reasons. Traditionally, you would have three bridesmaids for the first 150 guests, and then add on an additional bridesmaid for each additional 50. I still think that's a good starting place, plus or minus a couple, and I'll explain why:
1) It's more special. When I got married, I chose 3 bridesmaids who were important people to me from different parts of my life. One was my sister, one was my childhood best friend, and one was my closest friend from college and beyond. These three women represented different times and places in my life, and I liked the meaning behind that. There's a special honor to being someone's bridesmaid, and having an intimate group keeps it that way.
2) It's more practical. The smaller your wedding party, the less people you have to manage. Ultimately, this means less complications with choosing dresses & accessories, arranging travel, coordinating schedules, etc. Also, have you ever heard of the term "herding cats"? On the day of your wedding, getting all your bridesmaids in one spot for photos, etc. becomes increasing difficult with size... especially once the champagne starts flowing.
3) It's easier to select. I know that some people would say that having 12 bridesmaids makes it easier, because maybe that's how many really close girlfriends you have. However, I think it's easier to stick with a small group. For example, for me, picking one college friend was easier than picking two. I could pick one - she was my roommate for most of college and my closest friend - but two? How could I choose! If I chose one another friend, I'd feel bad about not choosing another. Once you've picked two college friends, the flood gates are open, and before you know it all 6 of your college besties plus your sisters plus anyone else important in your life are in your bridal party.
Of course, this is just my take. Ultimately, I think every bride should do what makes them most comfortable and happy on their big day. If having 12 maids is what you want, go for it! However, if you're on the fence and unsure about what might work best for you, I say: start small.
Couldn't have done it without these three!
I'm actually an advocate for the "less is more" approach when it comes to your wedding party, for many reasons. Traditionally, you would have three bridesmaids for the first 150 guests, and then add on an additional bridesmaid for each additional 50. I still think that's a good starting place, plus or minus a couple, and I'll explain why:
1) It's more special. When I got married, I chose 3 bridesmaids who were important people to me from different parts of my life. One was my sister, one was my childhood best friend, and one was my closest friend from college and beyond. These three women represented different times and places in my life, and I liked the meaning behind that. There's a special honor to being someone's bridesmaid, and having an intimate group keeps it that way.
2) It's more practical. The smaller your wedding party, the less people you have to manage. Ultimately, this means less complications with choosing dresses & accessories, arranging travel, coordinating schedules, etc. Also, have you ever heard of the term "herding cats"? On the day of your wedding, getting all your bridesmaids in one spot for photos, etc. becomes increasing difficult with size... especially once the champagne starts flowing.
3) It's easier to select. I know that some people would say that having 12 bridesmaids makes it easier, because maybe that's how many really close girlfriends you have. However, I think it's easier to stick with a small group. For example, for me, picking one college friend was easier than picking two. I could pick one - she was my roommate for most of college and my closest friend - but two? How could I choose! If I chose one another friend, I'd feel bad about not choosing another. Once you've picked two college friends, the flood gates are open, and before you know it all 6 of your college besties plus your sisters plus anyone else important in your life are in your bridal party.
Of course, this is just my take. Ultimately, I think every bride should do what makes them most comfortable and happy on their big day. If having 12 maids is what you want, go for it! However, if you're on the fence and unsure about what might work best for you, I say: start small.
Sep 17, 2012
We're Live!
The Revelry Alliance website is up and running!
You can read all about us, and how we work, over on the site. However, to sum things up, we are a Chicago-based wedding planning service that helps to connect brides and vendors in a more efficient way.
As a bride, you can register on our site, create a profile about you and your big day, and request proposals from different types of vendors. Our vendors - an exclusive group that we have partnered with based on their quality and excellence - can then provide you with proposals based on your individual needs, budget, and vision.
Like I said, we've started things off with an amazing group of wedding vendor partners in a number of categories, including:
Caterers
J&L Catering
Entertaining Company
Truffleberry Market
Florists
Nancy Krause Floral Design
Dilly Lily
A Perfect Event
Fleur
Fragrant Design
Flowers by Stem
Photographers
Amaris Giselle Photography
David Wittig Photography
Musicians
We Unity Candle
David Rothstein Music
Stationery
Courtney Callahan
A Perfect Event
Day / Month of Wedding Planners
A Perfect Event
Estera Events
Five Grain Events
Event Design & Decor
A Perfect Event
Estera Events
Venues
Salvage One
We can personally vouch for each one of the above as being among the best at what they do. We've either worked with them ourselves, or have seen their work first hand - they are truly top-notch. Our goal is to refer our brides to the very best vendors, and also the very best vendors for them.
To learn more, visit our site or feel free to email us directly at info@revelryalliance.com - we're here to help!
Happy Planning!
Sarah & Amanda
Co-Founders, Revelry Alliance
You can read all about us, and how we work, over on the site. However, to sum things up, we are a Chicago-based wedding planning service that helps to connect brides and vendors in a more efficient way.
As a bride, you can register on our site, create a profile about you and your big day, and request proposals from different types of vendors. Our vendors - an exclusive group that we have partnered with based on their quality and excellence - can then provide you with proposals based on your individual needs, budget, and vision.
Like I said, we've started things off with an amazing group of wedding vendor partners in a number of categories, including:
Caterers
J&L Catering
Entertaining Company
Truffleberry Market
Florists
Nancy Krause Floral Design
Dilly Lily
A Perfect Event
Fleur
Fragrant Design
Flowers by Stem
Photographers
Amaris Giselle Photography
David Wittig Photography
Musicians
We Unity Candle
David Rothstein Music
Stationery
Courtney Callahan
A Perfect Event
Day / Month of Wedding Planners
A Perfect Event
Estera Events
Five Grain Events
Event Design & Decor
A Perfect Event
Estera Events
Venues
Salvage One
We can personally vouch for each one of the above as being among the best at what they do. We've either worked with them ourselves, or have seen their work first hand - they are truly top-notch. Our goal is to refer our brides to the very best vendors, and also the very best vendors for them.
To learn more, visit our site or feel free to email us directly at info@revelryalliance.com - we're here to help!
Happy Planning!
Sarah & Amanda
Co-Founders, Revelry Alliance
Sep 4, 2012
The Guest List: Part Two
Once you have your guest list “rules” set, and your maximum number of invitees determined, you can start building your Master Guest List. You’re going to want an Excel workbook for this one – it’s a doozy.
The fact is, weddings are generally family events. That means that not only will you and your spouse-to-be be coming up with lists of your nearest and dearest to invite, it also means both your parents are going to want to have some input as well.
Let’s say you have a pretty traditional family framework where you and your significant other both have one set of parents. Create a tab on your spreadsheet for you, your partner, your parents, and their parents. On each tab, create the following columns: Guest Names, Number, Attending?, and Priority.
Guest names (first and last) and number (how many per invite) are self-explanatory. As is Attending? – a yes or no will suffice here and help you keep track of guest numbers as responses come in. Priority is part of the initial planning process, however. This is where you must determine your A, B, and C invitees.
Inevitably, when you first put together your lists, you will be over your allotted number of attendees. Having everyone designate their guests by A (must invite), B (would like to invite), and C (want to invite only if there’s room). You should specify to everyone that A’s should be limited to family members and very close friends – the people that you couldn’t imagine not being there. The majority of your guests will fall into groups B and C.
It will help everyone if you give them a general number to shoot for in terms of invitees. For example, if you’re shooting for a 150 person wedding, allot the two of you 75 guests, and split the difference remaining between your parents. Or, just go for it… the next step is trimming the guest list, anyway!
Next up: Trimming the Guest List and Other Tips
Previously: The Guest List - Part One
Aug 27, 2012
The Guest List: Part One
After the big picture budget decisions have been made, and perhaps after you’ve selected your wedding venue, the next important step is to determine your guest list. Doing this early on in the wedding planning process will ensure you don’t have to make any uncomfortable decisions later on when you realize that you’ve over-invited for your budget or the restrictions of your venue space!
We’ll break the Guest List question into three separate posts, because, frankly, it’s a big process. First, we have to go back to the budget question – this is where your guest lists begins and ends. The bulk of your budget, if you remember from our previous posts, will be spent on food and beverage, so it’s this number that we’ll use as a starting point.
You’ll need to do a little preliminary research to figure this out. Caterers will price out food & beverage per person, so if you have an idea of what per person amount you’re looking to spend, that can help you determine your guest list number. Alternatively, if you don’t have that number in mind, take your overall Catering budget and divide it by the number of people you think you’d like to invite. Where does that leave you? Just know that the more people you invite, the smaller this number will become… and the less flexibility you will have with your caterer.
Another factor to take into consideration is your venue space. If you’ve already signed a contract for a particular venue, they most likely have outlined the limitations, in terms of number of people for different types of events, of their space. For example, for a seated dinner reception, a space may be able to fit 150 people. However, this number may increase if you’re only looking to do a cocktails & appetizers event with passed food and limited seating. Either way, this will set the upper threshold of how many people you can invite.
There are a few other general decisions you should make right off the bat, before even writing down any names. Some suggestions:
1) Will you be inviting children? If not, will some children be included (i.e., your immediate nieces / nephews or flower girls / ring bearers?)
2) Will you be inviting co-workers? If so, where do you draw the line? A good rule of thumb is usually not to invite anyone you don’t socialize with outside of the office.
3) Will you be inviting plus-ones for everyone? If someone is in a long-term relationship, you should invite their significant other, even if they aren’t married or engaged. However, what about other single guests? Will it differ by person (i.e., will single members of your bridal party get an “and guest” invite, but not other attendees?)
Once you’ve got a general number and your “rules” established as a baseline, you can start creating lists of actual people to invite!
Next up: Determining your Master List and Prioritizing Guests
Aug 8, 2012
Fall 2012 Events for Chicago Brides & Grooms
For Chicagoans just getting started on their wedding planning, here are a few upcoming fall events that will help inspire you!
1) The Green Wedding Alliance and Fork in the Road are putting on a unique event called Partners & Pedals for any bride & groom looking to create a more sustainable wedding - a bike tour on Sunday, September 16th!
There'll be 4 stops on the tour, including potential venues, each featuring vendors committed to being more local, more seasonal, and more handmade. (Tasty treats included!)
We should note the last stop will be Goose Island Brewery... what better way to cap off some afternoon biking and wedding planning than with a cold, local beer?
For more details: http://www.forkandtheroad.com/partners-on-pedals/
2) The charitable CS Brides Oak Street Wedding Walk will take place on Sunday, September 23rd and a percent of proceeds will benefit the American Heart Association.
The event features gowns, decor, floral, jewelry and more... and each bride will leave with not one, but two, luxury gift bags.
3) Dimitra's Bridal hosts their semi-annual sample sale from September 13th through 16th.
Savings on designer wedding gowns range from 30 - 70% off the retail price!
1) The Green Wedding Alliance and Fork in the Road are putting on a unique event called Partners & Pedals for any bride & groom looking to create a more sustainable wedding - a bike tour on Sunday, September 16th!
There'll be 4 stops on the tour, including potential venues, each featuring vendors committed to being more local, more seasonal, and more handmade. (Tasty treats included!)
We should note the last stop will be Goose Island Brewery... what better way to cap off some afternoon biking and wedding planning than with a cold, local beer?
For more details: http://www.forkandtheroad.com/partners-on-pedals/
2) The charitable CS Brides Oak Street Wedding Walk will take place on Sunday, September 23rd and a percent of proceeds will benefit the American Heart Association.
The event features gowns, decor, floral, jewelry and more... and each bride will leave with not one, but two, luxury gift bags.
3) Dimitra's Bridal hosts their semi-annual sample sale from September 13th through 16th.
Savings on designer wedding gowns range from 30 - 70% off the retail price!
Aug 6, 2012
Who Pays for What, Traditionally
These days, people pay for their weddings in a myriad of different ways. For some, the bride’s parents foot the bill. For others, both parents contribute. However, for a larger and larger percentage of couples, it’s the brides and grooms themselves who pay for the festivities – about 30% in 2011[i]. There is no right or wrong approach in 2012.
However, there was a time when traditional etiquette dictated who paid for what. I recently came across a couple different lists that outlined all the expenses of getting married and who should pay for what. I imagine most modern couples are flexible and not expecting to stick to such a stringent list of guidelines, but that being said, I still found it interesting to read.
For example, you can probably guess that the “Bride’s Father” (always indicated as the father in these lists, naturally) is traditionally responsible for the bulk of the wedding expenses. After all, women used to come with a “dowry” that would consist of various amounts of money or property to be passed to her husband on marriage, and this tradition likely is an extension of that. So, according to etiquette, the Bride’s Father pays for the ceremony and all the reception expenses, among other things.
However, some things do traditionally fall on the Groom or the Groom’s Father’s shoulders. I was surprised to learn that according to these “rules”, the Groom pays for things like the Bride’s bouquet, boutonnieres for the groomsmen, the marriage license, and the honeymoon. Additionally, and I think this is still pretty common among couples splitting the wedding costs in a traditional way, the Groom’s family pays for the rehearsal dinner.
In our contemporary reality, it seems that these rules are hopelessly out of date. Sure – a Bride’s parents may still want to host the wedding, and that’s great. A Groom’s parents may want to host the rehearsal dinner – wonderful! However, couples should go into their wedding planning with a flexible mindset. If both sets of parents want to contribute to all events, why turn that down? Also, as couples get married later in their twenties and early thirties, it’s reasonable to assume that they would take on a large percentage of the costs themselves.
Etiquette certainly still has a place in this world – and certainly in wedding planning. Nonetheless, there’s a difference between modern etiquette and out-dated rules based on things like the assumption that women belong to their fathers or their husbands, and come pre-packaged with a “bride price”!
Jul 31, 2012
Setting a Wedding Budget: Part Three
So, you’ve determined your overall budget, found your vendors, and figured out how much of that budget you can allocate to each. Now you need to start putting down deposits, tracking payments, and managing to those budgets you set!
Tracking your spending through the wedding planning process is the key to keeping your sanity in check. It may not come naturally to you to be this meticulous about where your money goes, to the dollar, but doing due diligence here actually allows you flexibility in the long run.
The first step is to create a spreadsheet workbook that lists all your vendors down a column. Then, you’ll add rows for Budget, Actual Proposed / Contract Cost, Deposit, Payment 2, Final Payment etc. and Payment Dates (Due Dates and Actual Paid Dates). You can even add columns for Who Paid and Payment Method, in case you’re splitting these costs with others or paying with combination of checks and credit cards.
When you sign a contract with a vendor, you’ll put down a deposit right away. This ensures you have locked down the date with the vendor, and also the specifics outlined in your contract. It also acts as a safeguard for the vendor so that if you cancel after they’ve put in work and reserved that date for you, they aren’t completely at a loss, financially.
Next payments vary by vendor. With a caterer, you may put down a second payment, and then a final payment on your wedding day. With others, you may just have the deposit and then the final payment. However it plays out, make sure you have logged the due dates for these payments, and add them to your calendar.
You may find that when all is said and done, the final amount you pay a vendor may be more or less than what you originally thought from your contract. This is where staying flexible comes in. When you’re tracking your payments, you know how much above or below your budget you are at any given time. This allows you to, if necessary, add an extra hour to your musician contract or invite an extra 20 people to your wedding later on. If you know exactly where things stand, financially, you’ll know just what you can or cannot afford.
Once your big day has past, you can refer back to this document one last time to shore up any remaining payments due that didn’t get taken care of the day of. You’ll also be able to see how much leftover you have in your budget… and maybe apply that to some fruity honeymoon cocktails?
Jul 27, 2012
Setting a Wedding Budget: Part Two
Once you have your big-picture budget figure in mind for your wedding, it's important that you break down how much you want to spend in each category. Unless you're intimately familiar with the wedding planning industry or have been married before, it's hard to begin to know what different things cost and how much you should plan to spend on them within your overall budget figure.
Below is a starting point of the percent of your total budget you can expect to spend on these major vendor categories. It's a starting point because ultimately how you manage your total budget is up to you and based on YOUR priorities. If you're a foodie, and having stellar food offerings at your reception is a number one priority for you, you may choose to spend more in this category and cut back in others. So, the first question to ask yourself is "what's most important to me?". You can then adjust from there.
Percent of Budget by Vendors
Caterer: 40-50%
Food and Beverage is by far the biggest expense for your wedding.
Venue: 10-15%
Floral: 4-7%
Photography: 4-7%
Music: 7-10%
Of course, there are many other categories that will take up smaller percentages of your budget: paper/stationery, wedding planning/design, your dress and accessories, the cake, etc. Again, depending on what's important to you, and what you are planning to include on your big day, you'll want to get a starting number in mind for each as you begin to request proposals from vendors.
Being Realistic
Since most brides do not know what to expect about vendor costs going into wedding planning, it's common to not understand why certain things cost as much as they do. Let's take catering, for an example. How does the cost of a wedding caterer break down? Here's a hint: it's not just the cost of food you're paying for!
Below is a starting point of the percent of your total budget you can expect to spend on these major vendor categories. It's a starting point because ultimately how you manage your total budget is up to you and based on YOUR priorities. If you're a foodie, and having stellar food offerings at your reception is a number one priority for you, you may choose to spend more in this category and cut back in others. So, the first question to ask yourself is "what's most important to me?". You can then adjust from there.
Percent of Budget by Vendors
Caterer: 40-50%
Food and Beverage is by far the biggest expense for your wedding.
Venue: 10-15%
Floral: 4-7%
Photography: 4-7%
Music: 7-10%
Of course, there are many other categories that will take up smaller percentages of your budget: paper/stationery, wedding planning/design, your dress and accessories, the cake, etc. Again, depending on what's important to you, and what you are planning to include on your big day, you'll want to get a starting number in mind for each as you begin to request proposals from vendors.
Being Realistic
Since most brides do not know what to expect about vendor costs going into wedding planning, it's common to not understand why certain things cost as much as they do. Let's take catering, for an example. How does the cost of a wedding caterer break down? Here's a hint: it's not just the cost of food you're paying for!
- Food and Beverage: This is usually at a cost per person.
- Equipment: Anything the caterer needs to prep and serve.
- Staff: The people - from cooks to coordinators - that need to be on hand to execute.
- Delivery Charge: Covers the cost of getting everything to your event venue.
Obviously, a good vendor is going to try to work within your budget parameters. However, it's important to remember that different vendors offer different levels of service, and you really do get what you pay for. There's only so much cost cutting you can try to do with a vendor before you're going to be in a situation where the quality of service might be compromised. They can't work like that, and you wouldn't want that anyway!
Jul 24, 2012
Setting a Wedding Budget: Part One
Congratulations – you’re getting married! Now is the time to get down to business actually planning this wedding thing, right? Unfortunately, there has to be a practical side to tying the knot, and most of the planning process revolves around one nasty word: budget.
Whether you’re someone who thrives on financial planning in your everyday life or not, having a wedding budget determined in advance of planning is essential. There are multiple components of this budget as well – it’s not just a big lump sum figure. You can start out that way, but then you’re going to have to drill down into different categories and determine just how much you’re willing to spend on each. It can certainly be overwhelming.
So, as our inaugural post here on the Revelry Alliance blog, we’ll kick things off with Part 1 of setting your wedding budget. In the coming weeks we’ll follow up with more parts covering specifics of the budget and how to manage your wedding costs throughout the planning process.
First up? The overall budget figure and how you’ll fund the biggest day of your life so far!
source: bridalbuds
So, how much will you spend on your wedding?
The average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is over $27,000. This figure can be higher (or much higher) in big cities, so if you live in a place like Chicago or New York, that’s important to keep in mind. However, more important than averages and statistics is what you can afford.
The first question to ask is who will be contributing, financially, to your wedding. Is it just you and your groom-to-be? Will your parents be picking up the tab? His parents? A combination of you and them? If there are any other people involved between you and your future spouse, this is a discussion you must have upfront before even beginning to day-dream about locations and dresses.
Once you know who else will be contributing, and how much, you can determine what you’ll be paying, if anything, out of your own pocket. The amount from others may be sufficient, or you may want to supplement with your own funds. Either way, combine the two figures to understand what your total lump sum is, and then go from there.
An important thing to keep in mind when accepting money from others is how you’ll manage payments to vendors under this scenario. As the bride, you’ll likely be doing the majority of the interaction with vendors. Will you pay them and get reimbursed from your parents or whomever? Or will you have them write checks or provide credit card info when appropriate?
Finally, if your parents (or others) are contributing, be sure to find out how much they want to be involved in the planning process. Unfortunately, when you have someone else paying for part or all of your wedding, you have to be ready to negotiate and listen to their opinions. It’s your day, but it’s also their money, so be sure to include them and be open to respectful discussions.
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