THE Number One Wedding Mistake!

Replacing Professional Wedding Vendors with Friends or Relatives

It's tempting to hire a friend or family member as a way to save on the overall cost of your big day but it's not always worth it.  This is going to be the MOST important day of your life, would you trust it in the hands of a non-professional?

Yes, Uncle Joey takes great photographs on camping trips and Aunt Becky is a great baker and cousin Steve has a great playlist on his iPod but are they really the best choice for the most important day of your life. Didn't think so- we hire and pay for professionals because they are experienced in their field and it will ensure a far better product.

1.) The Photographer/Videographer

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We've seen family members as photographers who miss some of the most important moments because they are also trying to enjoy your reception as a guest, as they should be. Hiring a professional photographer or videographer means they know the best lighting, the best angles, and can correctly and professionally edit your photos. 

*Tip: Hire a photographer based on quality of images to ensure your not paying extra for the well known name.

2.) The Cake

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Aunt Becky is a great baker and probably could bake and decorate your cake for less than buying from a real bakery. But what happens when it's the day of your wedding and it's unseasonably warm and the cake begins to melt and your worst nightmare comes true when the cake falls, now what? If you opted for a professional bakery then you could at least have a replacement cake made or a baker sent out to do damage control. 

*Tip: Keep it simple, fancy flowers, flavors and fillings often cost more. Fondant is more expensive than buttercream. Try a simple and elegant Styrofoam faux cake for show and a less expensive sheet cake hidden in the back to serve to your guest. 

3.) The D.J.

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We give little respect to the important role of the D.J. or band at your wedding. A real professional will be your Master of Ceremonies and not just there to play your favorite dance tunes. The D.J. often sets the tone and pace of the night. Their responsibilities include the all important introductions of the bridal party where they will wrangle, organize, instruct, and then amp up the crowd and kick off your reception. Without the right person to grab your guests attention from the start you risk the chance  of your wedding ending earlier with few guest ever hitting the dance floor.

*Tip: Referrals are the best way to find a great D.J. Don't be afraid to ask your recently married friends and relatives who they would suggest. Remember it's important to check the D.J. out for yourself so make it a point to see them at work.

The focus of your wedding should be about the overall experience and enjoyment had by ALL. It's important to have your friends and family be able to relax and enjoy your special day with you. By hiring professionals you are ensuring a better event because they will know how to run your day more smoothly and handle any unforeseen hiccups that might occur. If your concern really is saving money put in the time and effort to find the best vendors for your budget and understand that you won't need the expensive trappings if you create a memorable experience. 

Why Every Bride Needs A Wedding Planner

Whether you need help planning the entire wedding start to finish or just want to feel at ease walking down the aisle knowing all the details have been taken care of hiring a professional to coordinate your day is worth it.

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Being wedding professionals here at A Gracious Event we have had the pleasure of helping brides and grooms enjoy their big day stress free but have also become privy to the horror stories of those couples who opted not to hire outside help.



The Misconceptions:

1. Wedding Planners Add to the Overall Cost of Your Wedding. In reality hiring a wedding professional can save you time and money by being able to suggest and guide you towards the right vendor that fits your vision and budget AND is willing to negotiate for you so you stay stress free and within limits.
2. Your Venue Already Has a "Coordinator" onsite and told you you don't need to hire an outside coordinator. While this may be true for some venues it has been our experience that when someone is acting on behalf of the location their focus is the venue rather than the experience of the couple, their families, and the guests. 
3. Your Vendors Always Know the Details of Your Big Day. If you forget or lack the time to act as the liaison between each of the probably many wedding vendors you have hired for your big day how will they know the details? By hiring a Wedding Planner you are ensured that they are responsible for communication and exchange of all necessary and important information related to your wedding so the Natural Elegance theme you dreamed of is fully realized. 
4. A Friend or Family Member Can Help Out the Day Of The Wedding. While this may seem like a logical and money saving idea reflect on it a moment longer and ask yourself- what happens if and when things start to unravel? Has Aunt Marg ever had to find a last minute replacement if an officiant didn't show up? Does she have a contact to get a replacement cake incase someone accidentally knocked yours over? If the answer is no then you should look into hiring a professional to ensure your day is taken care of in the hopefully unlikely event things don't run 100% perfectly. Also you want them to be a GUEST at the wedding, they should not have the added stress and responsibilities. 
5. You Don't Need or Want Help Planning Your Wedding.  You've been dreaming about this day your entire life and you have the enthusiasm and think you can plan it yourself. We believe many brides and grooms are capable of planning perfectly fine weddings but why limit yourself? Once you hire a professional it becomes a collaboration of your vision and ideas with the experience and knowledge of the professional. Compare your one to two years of reading every magazine, reading every wedding blog, and following every Pintrest post and ADD years of looking through the same magazines but working with vendors to make those visions into reality for brides. A Wedding Planner has had the experience to know which ideas work on paper and which ideas work in actual weddings which enhances your planning process.

The Benefits:

1. Saving You Time, Money, and Stress
2. You Are No Longer Responsible for Coordinating Your Vendors
3. Knowing Your Family and Guest Will Be Taken Care of On Your Big Day
4. Having a Mediator Between Your Wedding Vendors and Difficult Family Dynamics
5. Peace of Mind Knowing the Timeline and Details Are Already Taken Care Of
6. Fully Realizing Your Wedding Dreams Into Your Wedding Reality While Staying Within Budget

Sadly it is usually only after the wedding and living through the experience of the planning process and finding out what can go wrong that couples realize the value of the having hired a Wedding Planner. We all know nothing in the world goes exactly as planned and even when weddings are assumed to be perfect events they usually never are. You can choose to hire a professional to work with you thru the entire process or just to help coordinate the day of the wedding but both with ensure that whatever problems arise they will be taken care of by someone with the proper experience and know how. 

How Wedding Traditions Came To Be - Spirit Lores

Ever wonder why you do what you do at a wedding? Wonder no more! These traditions are in honor of Halloween.

Flower Girl - In Britain, couples traditionally walked to the village church preceded by flower girls strewing the path with rose petals to ward off evil spirits.

Bridesmaids - They were there to confuse the evil spirits of which girl was the bride.

Bouquet: This was made of strong herbs like thyme and garlic, which were meant to frighten away evil spirits. [And to cover the stench emitting from people who had not bathed recently!]

Wedding Ring: According to some historians, the first recorded marriage rings date back to the days when early man tied plaited circlets around the Bride's wrists and ankles to keep her spirit from running away.

Aisle Runner: Used to ward off evil spirits who might linger on the ground. [Later used just to make sure the Bride's dress stayed clean.]

- More traditions to come -

Honeymoon Trauma

I know of a couple that had recently bought their tickets to go to the beautiful Jamaica for their honeymoon. The woman called just 48 hours before to cancel the trip because her husband's passport was DENIED! Luckily, we made sure that they had travel insurance and so they will be able to reschedule a trip for a later time.

Although the reason for the denial wasn't said, there are a few common reasons passport applications are denied:

1. All of the required materials weren't submitted.

- A Completed Application

You can complete it online through the State Department's web site, or print and complete it by hand.

- Two Types of Identification, with Copies of Each

One proving U.S. citizenship

-Previously issued U.S. Passport, Certified birth certificate, Naturalization certificate, or Certificate of citizenship.

And one current I.D.

-Previously issued U.S. passport, Naturalization certificate, Valid driver's license, Current Government ID, or Current Military ID.

- One Passport Photo

Your photos should be in color, identical, and taken within the past 6 months. They should be 2" x 2" with a full-face, front view (head should measure between 1" and 1 3/8"), and a plain white or off-white background.

*Most Post Offices can take these for you for an additional fee.

- Payment for Applicable Fees

Adult first time - $110 with an acceptance fee of $25

Minor (under 16) - $80 with an acceptance fee of $25

Passport card - add $15 for minors, $30 for adults

Adult renewal - $110

2. You have outstanding child support.

-More than $5,000 in payments

3. You have an outstanding felony or criminal warrant

(not including parking tickets or civil infractions).

-Not all convictions prohibit international travel - contact your probation officer first.

That being said, if you are good to go, know that routine passport processing takes at least 4-6 weeks from the time you submit your application. [If you have to renew your passport, do it far in advance of the expiration date.]

Now that you know all this, you can avoid honeymoon trauma and can go on your luxurious get-away without any passport problems.

*Even considering the possibility of an international honeymoon, it does not hurt to send your application 6 months ahead. Remember that passports are good for 10 years and we should all be ready at any time to escape to the Carribbean.

Why Have A Destination Wedding

Why not celebrate your love in a dream location! A destination wedding allows you to travel

somewhere fabulous while enjoying a relaxing vacation; this is nice for guests who have

to travel anyways to your not so exciting hometown. Share your love in paradise or

go to the country you originated from. Whatever you choose, it will be a time to remember.

There are tons of pros to this as well. If you decide on a destination wedding there’s

less family drama. One set of parents wants the wedding to be held in a cathedral

and the other set wants it in their backyard. The event should be about the two people

getting married – they shouldn’t have to worry about the kind of wedding their family wants!

Destination weddings are also cost effective. The couple can fly to the resort, get married,

and stay for their honeymoon for a few thousand dollars. Having a wedding reception with

100 guests could cost about $20,000!

Also, you can do whatever you want! Think of what reflects your personality as a couple.

Would you like to have an African experience or a beach ceremony? Do you want to wear

a sundress or shorts? Dream it up!

At a typical wedding, you're on the run, meeting and greeting. Destination weddings are

vacation time. How often do you have the opportunity to spend quality playtime with close

family and friends? This is your opportunity.

Still Overwhelmed by the Cost of your Wedding?

Still overwhelmed by the cost of your wedding? Are you battling between having a beautiful reception or an exciting honeymoon? When you hear the words “wedding reception” do you think of a sit down, filet mignon dinner by candlelight? Well, you don’t have to! Brunches are the new and growing trend that will keep your reception affordable yet still elegant.

-There are several advantages to having your wedding reception as a brunch:

1. Lower Cost. The rental fees, food and vendors are generally less expensive because you aren’t doing it during a prime time. Also, a wedding vendor could possibly do another wedding that day, so the couple may be able to negotiate special pricing.

2. Availability. If the wedding venue is a popular one, you might have a better chance finding an opening earlier in the day. Venues that book fast usually have brunch slots open, especially since this trend is more recent and still gaining popularity.

3. Less drinking. If you are having a buffet brunch reception chances are your guests won’t drink as much as they would at an evening reception, which saves a lot of money as well. If you choose to serve alcohol, wine and champagne are all that is necessary, but many also might serve mimosas or Bloody Marys. Or skip the alcohol altogether and serve juice and coffee!

4. Shorter. Brunch wedding receptions are usually shorter than an evening reception. This helps if you don’t want a long, drawn out evening event, which saves you lots of energy. It gives you more time relaxing with each other or with family and friends later that day.

5. Better Honeymoon. By saving all that money on a nice brunch reception, you can now go on that honeymoon you’ve always wanted.

-Food Ideas – Balance breakfast with lunch:

Hors d'oeuvres: Cheese and crackers, veggies, fruits, and crab and artichoke dip.

Breakfast: French toast, eggs Florentine, Belgium waffles, pancakes, corn beef and hash, assorted bagels, muffins, and croissants, and omelets to order.

Lunch: Carving station with prime rib, ham or turkey, smoked or glazed salmon, vegetable salad, pasta salad, and potato salad.

Dessert: Parfaits, cookies, brownies, or still your beautiful wedding cake.

Sarah, Jason, & Irene

While homes were being evacuated, basements were being flooded, and trees were blocking roadways, Sarah and Jason were engaging in their wedding day. Hurricane Irene struck the Capital District with great intensity on Sunday, August 28^th. Who would have thought that such a disaster would come upon Upstate NY? I’m sure the happy couple didn’t think so when planning their wedding for August 2011.

Many times when disaster strikes, people are ready to fuss and complain. But why bother? There’s nothing you can do about it; don’t worry about the things you have no control over! It makes no sense and it won’t get you anywhere.

Sarah and Jason’s attitude made a huge difference in not only the enjoyment and memories of their wedding but also that of their guest’s. They knew they couldn’t change the horrible weather, so they changed the way they thought about it. Many of their family and friends stayed in a hotel close to the location where the ceremony and reception would be – The Appel Inn. The couple told them that they would get married in the hotel lobby if they had to; they weren’t going to let a hurricane stop them from becoming husband and wife.

They didn’t have to do that however. Most of Sarah and Jason’s guests traveled the stormy and windy roads to the Appel Inn. The cute couple had a thankful attitude that their loved ones could share in the special day with them, even if the conditions weren’t the greatest.

Every one had tons of fun! Sarah and her bridesmaids even got to enjoy a photo shoot in their cute rain boots that they bought for the occasion.

Remember that whatever month you choose for your wedding, there could be a case of some bad weather. Make sure you have a back up plan for your day. Here are some ideas:

1. Reserve an indoor location near your outdoor venue in case of unbearable weather.

2. Rent a tent to make sure guests are protected from wind, rain, or even the hot sun.

3. Provide umbrellas for your guests.

4. Secure decorations using weights, tacks, or wires if the wind is strong that day.

And the most important plan for your wedding day is to embrace and enjoy whatever the weather brings you. Sarah and Jason did exactly that. They weren’t upset over what they didn’t have, a nice summer’s day, because it would have been a waste of what they did have – their love for each other.

A good motto to remember: Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.