Moments Imagined Blog

…interesting wedding trends from coast to coast

• “Love Bites” are in.  These are eye-catching hors d’oeuvres served on individual forks or chilled coup in shot glasses.
• Cakes are being decorated to match the design of fabric or color on the gown.  Many cakes are covered with a frosting that matches the lace and pearl or sequin trim on the gown.
• It’s in to serve one special drink in a color that matches the wedding colors.
• Wrap invitations continue to be string.  The tri-fold inner envelope opens up like a gift when the bow is untied.  Translucent wraps are available, plain or patterned.
• Chocolate covered strawberries; petit fours, tiny doughnuts, individual cakes, table cakes, and sundae bars are appropriately served at today’s wedding celebrations.  Also being seen are desserts in the wedding colors.
• For outdoor receptions, brides are renting popcorn and/or ice cream trucks.
• Children at receptions love cotton candy.
• Adult guests may appreciate an espresso or cappuccino bar with biscotti or small cookies available.

With a little thought and planning, you can create a memorable reception.

Only you can decide on the items most important to you in planning the wedding. Only the bride and groom can make the choices that help them to have what matters. Few couples can have “it all”. You will need to create a priority list and agree on the items that have top billing. It may be the wedding attire or the flowers or the reception or the photography. Whatever your choices, make them together so there are few surprises
later. Having done this step, you will know how to budget and plan. Make a list of priorities from 1-20 with one being the most important. Begin by working with the top five, the ones you are least likely to compromise. If you go over budget on any of those, you can then “borrow” from other categories to keep your budget in balance.

For example, if the location of your reception is the top priority, start there by calling the sites you prefer and book the one that matters most. You can then scale back on formal photographs or maybe choose to rent greens for decorations rather than invest in expensive floral arrangements.

You may decide that the food you wish to serve is more important that the beverages offered. Having made that decision you can then discard the idea of an open bar and have champagne poured and served by circulating waiters. That way you offer guests a lovely beverage but control the amount to be served.

If you are lucky enough to receive a cash contribution to your wedding from parents, invest it in a 3 month CD so you can earn some interest on it before you need to pay vendors. If possible, consider paring down the guest list. More and more couples are choosing a smaller and more intimate wedding as being more meaningful than a gathering of 300 of their “nearest and dearest”.

Order all of you wedding stationery at one time adding to the number you think you will need. Reordering for a few extras is very expensive.

Pick one color ink and use it throughout. Use seasonal blossoms – they will lower your florist bill.

Add foliage to centerpieces and church arrangements to cut back on the number of flowers needed.

I cannot believe that it’s the middle of August. I cannot believe that it’s been THIS long since my last post. Where’d the time go? I’m sure you’ve run into that with planning your event. But that’s just a guess.

It happens to everybody (right?). It’s easy to do… getting caught up in the everyday stuff. Missing things that you had every intention of doing a week ago! And this is me missing a week in blogging… I know that there are lot more items on your list to make your occasion special. And once you delay on one part of the plan, things start to get backed up.

My best advice is to have a game plan. Schedule everything you have to do for your wedding or party on your calendar so you can see what is coming up.

If you’re planning a wedding, you should be able to modify a wedding book’s time line. Most of them start about 12 months before the event, but not everyone starts there.

It’s also a good idea to work with someone (like your fiancé, a co-host, a family member, or an event planner) to help keep you accountable as well as to help carry the load… they’ll know when the busy time is going to come so they can plan for it too.

It can get overwhelming… don’t let it! I know that it’s your day, but by allowing others to give you a hand in putting your dream together you’ll be able to enjoy your day far better.