First of all, let me begin by saying congratulations!! Now, let’s get down to business.
Lacour Photography
The Date
There doesn’t need to be a whole lot of pressure when deciding a date. If you’ve always dreamed of an October wedding, pick a weekend that fits into your schedule easily. If you’re waiting to finish school first, pick a date after graduation that gives you plenty of time to focus on the final moments of planning. There is also the possibility that you have no particular month in mind, just a time of year.
The Location
When deciding on a location…
If you happen to be one of the brides that does not have a date set, but you also are trying to get one of most the popular venues… this is the perfect opportunity to find out when the venue is available, and go with that date.
Decide if you want to get married on-site, and see if there is a good, level area to make that happen. We suggest going out to the ceremony site and see how the sun will be shining at the particular time of day of your wedding. You want to try to avoid the sun beaming into everyone’s eyes as they are watching the ceremony.
If you’re looking to get married at a church, calculate how far it is from the reception site. You want them to be semi-close in proximity. After all, people are there to celebrate not drive all over!
If you want an outdoor wedding, remember most places will require you to tent the area. Also, look into the restroom situation. If you do not like the idea of having restroom trailers at your wedding, look for a facility that is outside with indoor restrooms.
Ask for a copy of the facility’s rules and regulations. Find out what time your band has to stop playing. See what time your caterer can get in the day of or even the day before. Do you have access to the whole place? Do you have to make sure the floors are mopped? Can you have open flames? What’s the alcohol policy? Can you choose your own caterer?
The Food
Selecting the perfect caterer doesn’t need to be tricky. Once you’ve selected your date or even if you haven’t, call and check the availability.
Decide whether you want stations, a buffet, a served dinner, family style. Look at the menus, and decide what items you know you really want to have. When creating a meal, think about colors and how it will look presented on the plate. You don’t want all of the same color and you don’t want it to look dull.
If you’re a very picky eater, try to remember your guests might not be. It is good to incorporate things you like, things the groom likes, and things your guests will enjoy.
Contact the caterer to set-up a tasting and consultation.
A lot of caterers often times are able to coordinate rentals, floral, linens, etc. We highly recommend allowing them to handle these items. It is worth the extra 10%, than trying to deal with deliveries or problems the day of.
Photographer:
Look at the photographer’s work online, and ask your other vendors for recommendations. This is not an area to skimp on. You’ll want to keep these pictures forever. Also, it’s wise to get a contract where you get the rights to all your pictures. This allows you to print any of them anytime you want for a lower amount.
Once you have a date, venue and caterer down; the rest should be a piece of cake. Remember to enjoy this time and don’t stress too much! And if something does go wrong, it will be one hell of a story later!
Read Full Post »
Epting Events 