Who Lights the Candle?

It is hard to be invited to a friend or family members wedding as a designer, I am always working on the weekend. On a rare occasion few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending a wedding as a guest. It’s a different world when you get to be a guest, enjoying a Raspberry Lime martini and tenderloin on a crostini, with a dollop of crème fraise.

I heard a chime signaling me up into the ballroom, and as I entered I was… not sure what I was.

There were beautiful flowers, the lighting was just perfect and linens had set the stage for an elegant dining experience. But, the candles surrounding the centerpieces and floating in the tall cylinder were not lit. At that moment I saw the bridesmaids and the Banquet Captain approach each table to light the candles. Unfortunately not all of the wicks were to ready to be lit, so the whole process was a bit challenging.


This experience got me thinking about the pampering each of our Event Designers and Creative Director at Oliveaire strives to provide for our brides and grooms. We work to make each wedding a perfect day for our clients, and how this is truly an “Oliveaire experience”. But enough about that.

I want to share some tips for the brides who are interviewing florists, or already working with a florist, to prevent some of the issues that may potentially arise on the day of your wedding:


1. If you have candles that are part of your centerpiece, and they are being
provided by the florist, ask them who will be responsible for lighting them,
and when they will be lit. You want to make sure that they are lit in your
room photo shots, but are not lit so early that they burn halfway down by the
time your guests enter the room.

2. The glass container that these stunning floral centerpieces reside in, are
they yours to keep, or for guests to take home? Most of the time, unless
written in the contract, glass containers are a rental item, and they are
picked up at the end of the night.

3. Will the florist come back at the end of the wedding night to pick up all
the glassware? Your venue may dictate this policy. They may want all vendors to
clear out all items and inventory by certain time.

4. Will the boutonnière include two pins, and will there be extra pins sent?
Also, will they be individually labeled with the bridal party members’ names on
it? This will avoid any confusion as to whom the flowers belong too.

5. Is a sample floral centerpiece included? This will give you the opportunity
to admire your vision, as well as make any changes to your floral design in
advance.


All you brides to be, your day will be breathtaking. At the end of the day you will have transitioned from Miss to Mrs.

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

Make Sure Your Carriage Awaits You!

Most couples picture themselves in the type of car they will arrive in or depart from on their wedding day. Imagine walking out of a Rolls Royce for a touch of royalty, a limo bus for the partying entourage, a mustang for the rocker couple, or a limo for a hint of Hollywood elegance.


Photo courtesy of theknot.com

Let’s say you plan to rent a Rolls Royce for that big event. What time will it show up, at whose house, how long do you have it for, and how long will it take for you to go from A to B to C or D? I guess you can figure out what I’m trying to point out. What good is this beautiful or unique mode of transportation if you don’t have a schedule or timeline? A car is supposed to get you somewhere on time, and safely. A bride wearing a silk organza gown with a long veil cannot drive herself to the church, period, and she better not be late. It doesn’t make sense to prepare for months, or even a year, for a beautiful event, and arrive late.

Always allow enough time for each activity, pause and photo opportunity, while you’re getting in, sitting in and walking out of the car, in traffic and the weather. Give your schedule to the transportation company, or wedding planner, ahead of time so they know what to expect or even advise you if your timeline is realistic. Maybe you will need 6 hours instead of 7, or it could be different altogether for a horse-drawn carriage. Horses are not as fast as automobiles. But then maybe you just need the carriage for a couple of hours, from the chapel to your reception at the nearby winery. Please remember that you need to return the mode of transportation at the agreed time, or else the driver will leave, or you will pay for the extended hour.

Always, let me repeat, always confirm your transportation ahead of time, not the day of the wedding. Call the company a month ahead to confirm, and then a week ahead, and then the day ahead, just to make sure. Make sure to pay ahead if required so you don’t have to worry about it on your wedding day. Make sure to get the driver’s name and cell phone number for the day. The office number does not help you on a Saturday when it’s closed.


Photo courtesy of theknot.com

So what do you do if your ride doesn’t show up? Anything can prevent your ride from showing up - your limo was rear ended, your uncle who is supposed to pick you up in his nice Cadillac misheard your instructions, or your best man didn’t fill up his tank. Here are a few simple tips if your transportation unexpectedly doesn’t show up or is extremely late. Plan ahead, and don’t panic. Keep a taxi’s phone number handy. Tell a relative or friend who has a working car to not leave you until your formal transportation shows up. If it can’t be helped, dial that cab company’s number and order a cab, or two if you have your bridesmaids or groomsmen with you. The most important thing is to not panic. Riding in those taxis may be one of the funniest and memorable moments if you stay positive.

The message I’m driving at, excuse the pun, is it’s not just the style or mode of transportation that will get you to your long awaited event, but it’s also you planning ahead, and keeping your cool.

Vendor Meals.. Is it a must?

I had an opportunity to speak with a bride recently about her wedding vendors. I asked her if she planned on serving a vendor meal during her wedding event. Her comments back have so thrown me off that I felt that it should be talked about.

She said, “when I go to work my employer does not feed me a Steak lunch, this is no different for the photographer, videographer etc. whom I have employed”.

My comment back to her was, “That is true but if your employer had you working at an event that had food, I am sure you would partake in it”.


So, long story short, I feel that you should always take care of your event team by offering a meal. You will be surprised how many contracts these days have the inclusion of meals, parking and travel.

For all our bliss brides out there, here are some tips on how to navigate your vendor meals:

1. Ask your caterer or venue if there is a discounted price for vendor meals. Most places will offer the same meal as the wedding dinner and some will offer a sandwich option.

2. You will have to decide in the event timeline an appropriate time for your photographer, videographer and DJ take a break for dinner. Sometimes Entertainment groups will eat prior to the event and photographer during the scheduled dinner.

3. This is the hardest decision I think, should these vendors sit at a designated vendor table in the dining room, or should they be directed to different room for their meal? If you do end up having your vendors at a designated table in the room, don’t forget to order linens and a centerpiece. You wouldn’t want an odd looking table in the room if it is not dressed up.

4. Don’t forget to ask your vendor their meal preference. They might have food allergies or a vegetarian meal preference.

Offering a meal to your event team is a nice gesture. They do spend the day with you capturing your moments and memories.

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia