GREAT WEDDING FAVOR IDEAS

 Favors are a great way to thank your guests for sharing this special day with you and your new husband.  Don't just give favors for the sake of giving them! They should have purpose, personality, and a special connection to you and your groom. Here are a few personalized ideas to get those creative wheels turning:

 Country Rustic Weddings - A tasty bite sized sample of your grandma's delicious apple pie, packaged in personalized glass jars, tied with checkered cloth and twine





Wine themed weddings - Have your escort cards double as wedding favors! Place your escort cards in personalized wine glasses



Card Sharks - Try these playing cards in personalized tins from myweddingfavors.com. You can also include a message such as "Match Made in Heaven" or "Perfectly Suited".



Fall Weddings - "Falling for you" pine cone candle favors



Winter Weddings - Delicious snowflake cake pops



Beach Weddings - Flip flops personalized in your wedding colors for all your guests, placed in silver tin buckets

For a more in-depth look into your wedding planning details, contact us to setup a consultation!

Kimberly Smith

Bri's Event Planning

(334)798-3084

www.facebook.com/briseventplanning

www.briseventplanning.com

kimberly@briseventplanning.com



Benefits of Hiring a Personal Wedding Planner/Director

WHY HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER?

There are many reasons of course, but let’s take a different perspective on this question. Let’s list all the reasons brides think of to NOT hire a wedding planner, and examine those individually!

I don’t need a wedding planner because….

… I can’t afford a planner. It’s just not in my budget ~ Think about the amount of money you allocate to feeding your guests, hiring the photographer to take the perfect photos, picking a DJ that will get the party started, yet couples tend to skimp when it comes to hiring a planner that will orchestrate the whole day! It’s like having a car and all the passengers but no driver (or GPS)! So why stop at hiring the planner. In reality a planner can SAVE YOU MONEY & TIME! Planners have relationships with vendors and venues since they work on many weddings not just one, so they can give you economies of scale. They can also help you put together a realistic budget. In the end the money and time saved might be greater than the cost of the planner, so you basically got the planner for FREE!

… I have family and friends who have volunteered to help me day-of. It should be fine! ~ While this is a nice gesture, unless your family member is a professional event planner, I’m pretty sure it won’t be fine. They are your guests and should not be working on your wedding day. They will be so preoccupied with socializing, drinking a little too much champagne, ooh’ing and ahh’ing over how beautiful you look, taking hundreds of photos, and not focused on the important details that make the event run smoothly. They will not be informed on important decisions (i.e. telling the catering manager that although the bar tab has been exceed you insist the bride and groom said its fine to keep it open, leaving the couple with a few thousand dollars more to pay).

… The venue coordinator & catering manager assured me that I don’t need to hire a planner because they can handle it. ~ The bottom line: venue coordinators are there because they are hired by the venue to maintain and manage the venue only (i.e. food, rentals, staff, etc…). They work for the venue and not for you. Their main goal is to ensure the facility runs smoothly. So if you arrive and all your flower arrangements are wrong and the guests can’t figure out where they are supposed to sit, don’t look at the venue coordinator to help you out because they won’t have any idea on what you wanted.

… Shouldn’t the vendors be able to manage themselves since they work weddings all the time? ~ According to feedback from vendors I have worked with, I have heard more times than not, there is a huge difference between a wedding with a planner vs. one without / with a venue coordinator. Not only are the finishing touches and design usually better but also the flow of the event and communication between the parties (i.e. the photographer will be ready for photos and not out in the cocktail area when the DJ plays the song for the Grand Entrance because the coordinator will have given both a warning). Although it’s your day, think about the vendors you have hired. What will help make both your lives and their lives easier? A wedding planner!

… I read all the magazines and blogs. I have all the resources I need. I don’t want a wedding planner to take away the fun of planning my wedding! ~ When you first get engaged, wedding planning is a novelty. You buy every magazine and bookmark every blog out there to help plan your big day. However, with hundreds of wedding blogs, magazines, photographers, videographers, venues, etc… it can get overwhelming and stressful trying to narrow down who/what is the best fit for your style, budget and needs. Once the wedding comes the couple is so worn out with decisions that the process is no longer fun. Wedding planners do this every day will help bring you the resources that best fit your needs to that you can ENJOY the planning process until the end! They are educated and knowledgeable in all things wedding related from etiquette to getting a marriage license and are a huge accessible resource!

… My family & friends want to help me with the planning process ~ Except when your future mother-in-law has a completely different vision for her son’s wedding and your brother insists that his heavy metal band play a medley at your reception and your parents decide to invite all their friends as if it was their party. Think “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” You need a MEDIATOR. A planner is a good third-party mediator in tricky family situations. It is impossible to please everyone; however, at least a planner can give an unbiased opinion to help navigate problems.

So in the end, a wedding planner/coordinator WILL:

• Convert your vision into a reality
• Guarantee that you make the most informed decision when signing a contract and hiring a vendor
• Ensure that your special day runs smoothly ~ timeline management & troubleshooting
• Be ORGANIZED
• Manage vendors, guests & all the details
• Help you SAVE MONEY
• Be a resource of knowledge, a sounding board for decisions, a mediator, a therapist, and a stress reducer!

A wedding planner is there to help YOU design your big day and ensure that YOUR big day is everything you dreamed and more!

For more information on our wedding planning & coordination services, contact us!

Kimberly Smith

Bri's Event Planning

(334)798-3084

Check us out on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/briseventplanning

www.briseventplanning.com

kimberly@briseventplanning.com

Our Wedding Packages

Bri's Event Planning presents:

Wedding Etiquette 101

Your Most Asked Questions ANSWERED!

 How do we ask for money instead of gifts? Should the Mother of the Bride wear the same color as the bridesmaids?

Here’s your crash course for wedding etiquette! Whether you are a new bride-to-be or an aspiring planner of your own, you will benefit from this fun 2 hour educational course. Join Kimberly Smith, owner and coordinator for Bri’s Event Planning, in this interactive class where you will learn all about the do’s and don’ts for weddings. Bri’s Event Planning will be serving up their signature “Pink” punch and refreshments. This 2 hour course will take you from clueless to know-it-all, and there will be a Q & A during class for you to ask all those burning questions you want the answer to! So come join us for a fun, relaxed, learning environment!!!

WHEN:   Tuesday, January 10^th, 7:00-9:00 P.M.

              Thursday, January 12^th, 1:00-3:00 P.M.

WHERE: Troy University of Dothan Continuing Education 

               Center (Adams Hall)

Fee: $39; pay upon preregistration

Contact Kimberly Smith at (334)798-3084

Or contact the Troy of Dothan Campus

Continuing Education Center at (334)983-6556 ext. 1420

to register

Willow Walk Weddings

Did you know that we also manage a wedding & event location? Yes on top of all the wedding planning and coordinating services we provide, we also handle a beautiful property in Headland, Alabama. With over 200 acres of natural beauty; this location boasts 5 lakes, 2.5 miles of paved walking, wooden walkovers, pebbled waterfalls, a covered bridge, and a waterside pavilion! We are now offering all-inclusive wedding packages for $2,500! This includes:

• Rehearsal the day before
• All day wedding location
• Photographer
• DJ
• Bridal Cake
• Punch
• Flowers
• Table Decor
• Ordained Minister
• On-Site Wedding Coordinator

Why not say your vows in front of a crystal lake. Then head over to the waterside pavilion for an elegant reception. This location truly is a must-see! There is a nearby guest house that the brides use to get ready before the wedding and as a waiting area right before the ceremony. If you would like to make your entrance into the ceremony from the guest house, we offer a bridal car service. Golf carts are also available for renting. With so much natural beauty, feel free to have your engagment and/or bridal shoot at this location.

Wedding Etiquette Tip #5 – Tipping Your Wedding Vendors

Tipping your wedding vendors is something brides have a lot of questions about. Which vendors should I tip? How much should I tip them? When do I tip them? Which ones should I not tip, and which ones will expect a tip? These are many of the questions asked concerning this subject. Tipping is mainly voluntary, and should be based on the quality of service given. However in the wedding world, some vendors expect a tip. It is important to know the proper etiquette for tipping your wedding vendors. Follow the basic guideline below to learn what you should or shouldn’t do, concerning wedding gratuities.

Vendor	Gratuity: YES/NO/OPTIONAL	How Much?	Reason
Hairstylist & Makeup Artist	YES	10% – 15%	Exception: If they come to your location they have probably already figured in a traveling & gratuity fee, so tip is not necessary
Ceremony Officiant	NO – But……..		Can make a donation to the church/synagogue and/or send gift certificate to nice restaurant
Ceremony Musicians	OPTIONAL	$5 - $10hr per person	Check to see if their fee is covered in the venue fee, but especially consider tipping if they are traveling to your location. Base it upon their performance
Caterer	NO		Gratuities for waiters/waitresses are already added to your bill
Cake Baker	NO		Unless you want to tip delivery staff for delivering your cake on time,  then it is not neccessary
Reception DJ	YES	$50 - $100	Serves as MC for your wedding, and keeps the party going! They earn it!
Reception Band	OPTIONAL	$20-$25 per band member	Consider the quality of their performance and you be the judge
Bartenders	YES	10% of total liquor bill	Shared between each bartender
Photographer/Videographer	NO		Unless they’ve gone above and beyond and thrown in extras in your package
Florist	NO		Unless you want to tip the delivery worker ($10-$20)
Wedding Planner	OPTIONAL	10% of their bill	If he/she has gone above and beyond, and you are very pleased with their work it’s nice to show your appreciation with a tip
Wedding Transportation	YES	10% – 15% of the limousine bill	First check to make sure the gratuity hasn’t already been added to the bill

Unless there is a “Yes” in the gratuity option column, the rest of the vendors do not expect a tip. As mentioned earlier, tipping is a voluntary service and you should be the personal judge for when and how much in such cases. If the wedding vendor has gone above and beyond your expectations and your chosen package, then consider tipping as a form of gratitude. The best way to handle the gratuities is to individually label them in envelopes and designate someone you trust to hand these out for you at the end of the wedding night. Normally the best man, father of the bride, or wedding planner will gladly take charge of passing out gratuities. Remember also, it is proper etiquette to send ALL of your wedding vendors a “Thank You” card after the wedding is over. Unless you were very dissatisfied with their services, a thank you card is very much appreciated. They are also able to use them to book future clients.

Wedding Etiquette Tip # 4 - Reception Seating Plans

The dreaded seating chart arrangements:

Many brides dread making the seating chart. However, with a little etiquette know-how and some organizational skills, the seating chart is a breeze. Follow these etiquette guidelines below to help guide you through all the reception seating arrangements.

***We highly recommend assigning guests to specific tables for any wedding with a guest count of 100 or more that will serve a sit down reception meal. However, please keep in mind  guest will want to mingle after the meal. ***

When a seating chart is recommended:

Bride & Groom:

*        Sweetheart Table – A table set aside for just the bride and groom, groom sits to right of bride.

*         Head Table – Usually includes the bride, groom, and bridal party

*        Another option is to leave a few empty seats at each table so the bride and groom may mingle at each table throughout the reception

Parents of Bride and Groom:

*        May sit at the same table opposite each other, with grandparents, officiant, and other close friends

*        Each set of parents may host their own table and include their relatives and close friends

NOTE: It s a good idea for divorced parents to host their own tables individually, and include their relatives and close friends at their tables.

Guests:

*        Seat friends together and mix in a few new faces. Make sure everyone knows someone at each table

*        Guests who do not know anyone, seat them with others that share similar interests and are close in age

*        Do not sit singles at a table full of couples; however it is also wise to not set aside a singles table (this may embarrass your single friends). To resolve this, mix singles and couples together at a table.

*        Do not seat ex partners together, unless they are on good terms and say it’s ok

*        Seat children at their own table, unless the only children are the flower girl and ring bearer. In this case, sit them with their parents

*        To keep from having a left overs table (all the guest who wouldn’t fit at other tables) make sure to distribute them evenly at all tables

*        Place elderly guests and pregnant women near bathroom facilities, and make sure to not place them at the tables that will be removed to make space after the meal

WORTH NOTING: Make sure if any of the guests are giving speeches or announcements, do not seat them where their back is to anyone!

Make sure you’ve included a plan for guiding all of your guests to their seats. This is usually in the form of escort and place cards. You may get as creative or simple as you like with this idea. See the list below for a few ideas. Remember: Escort cards are for guiding guests to their assigned table, and place cards are to inform them of their exact seat at the assigned table.

Escort Card Ideas:

*        Double your escort cards as your wedding favors – Just add a tag with the guests name and table number to any of your wedding favors  (fruit, candy, small toys, small plants, etc…)

*        For smaller weddings, Polaroid pictures of each of your guests is a creative idea for escort cards. Use the space at the bottom to write their name and table number

*        Candles – Great for evening weddings! Have them lit right before your guests arrive, and this will help guide them to their seats. Also, creates a dramatic look at the tables with each guest having their own lit candle.

*        Peg board – Attach all your escort cards to a Velcro board and have your guests peel them off as they arrive

*        Are you a wino? Take wine corks, slice them down the middle, and put a card with the guests name on the plate settings

*        Have a champagne glass at each seat, place the name of the guest on a tag and slide inside of glass. Guests can easily and elegantly find their assigned seats