The Great Rehearsal Expectation

Today I am welcoming back Adel Domingo, Event Architect at Oliveaire. She is going to share with you what to expect at a Wedding Rehearsal. Take it away Adel...

The bridal showers and bachelor(ette) parties are over, and that fake bouquet created with all the bows from your shower gifts is ready to be used.. It is now the day of the wedding rehearsal, which officially starts the festivities leading up to the big day, The wedding party will be very excited, all are happy to see each other, and the bride and groom are feeling the anxiety of reaching the finish line.

Why the anxiety? There are many, many reasons. They might be leaving the home, or family, they have been a comfortable part of all their lives. More likely, the planning of the wedding activities, with their hundreds of details which had to be finished by the rehearsal day, may have finally caught up with them. Finally, making that unofficial walk the down the aisle, to practice their vows with all eyes on them, would make anybody feel butterflies.

The rehearsal ceremony is usually a one-hour window where the Officiant and wedding coordinator, or church coordinator, guide you thru what to expect on your wedding day. That person, who leads you through it, expects the wedding party to be there on time, and to finish on time. It is usually held at the location of the actual ceremony whether it is a church, temple, hotel, or on a beach.

Often this is the first time that members of the wedding party will first meet each other. In this instance not only the bride and groom are feeling anxious. Imagine the Maid of Honor or Best Man is all of a sudden being escorted down the aisle by somebody they just met, and will be expected to partner up in a formal setting in the next few days. Not only that, you have to be civil and pleasant, whether he or she is nice, or has a challenging personality.

Why go thru a rehearsal? It is to relieve the exact feeling you have felt all this time you were planning your wedding. By the end of the rehearsal the couple usually starts to let go of anxiety as they feel a great sense of support, seeing all their family and friends together. When the bride walks down the aisle once or twice, the groom fumbles thru the vows, when they figure out the ring bearer may not be too crazy about walking down the aisle, or the couple hears the laughter of their loved ones, or even of each other; they feel a huge relief off their shoulders. It is also when the tears start flowing for the parents or guardians, or most often, the bride.

The rehearsal is also the time to turn over the marriage license and church fees to the Officiant, so don’t forget them! Be sure to leave the unity candle and whatever is needed to the church or ceremony location, prior to the actual day. Musicians might check the timing of their music, especially if they are family or friends of the couple. The readers will check the volume and speed of their voice when reading. Sometimes, it is when the ladies of the wedding party wear the actual shoes they will be wearing for the official day to break them in. Do not be upset if everybody cannot make it. Your groomsman from California may have a delayed flight, or the flower girl may still be recovering from a cold. Your wedding coordinator or a bridesmaid can show them what to do on the actual day.

Now that the couple has finished seeing a preview of their big day, they can finally, along with their wedding party and close family and friends, start the celebration at the well-deserved rehearsal dinner.

Photo Credit: theknot.com

The rehearsal, or pre-nuptial, dinner is usually hosted by the groom’s parents, but anybody can host it, even the bride and groom. Its mood and setting is usually the opposite of the formal reception. It can be at the couple’s favorite pizza place, the church hall, or someone’s backyard. The dress code is relaxed and the food and drinks are lively. It is a perfect time for all to hang out with the couple and there is no real schedule. Your out-of-town guests are sometimes invited to show appreciation for their efforts and expense to be there for our big day. The couple at this time usually acknowledges all who were involved, and shows their gratitude by presenting gifts. This is also a nice time for the couple to publicly thanking the important people in their lives, and again will begin to relieve more of their anxiety. The rehearsal dinner is essential to a wedding if you want your big day to be less stressful and chaotic.

What type of gifts should a couple give those who were so instrumental in planning their big day? That is another blog topic, stay tuned!

Thanks Adel, hope everyone got some tips and is feeling excited for their upcoming rehearals!


BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

The Skinny on Your Bridesmaid

Your engagement has been announced, you are in wedding planning bliss, the wedding date is sort of picked out and now is the time to pick your entourage. The tradition began in ancient times, bridesmaids were used as decoys to confuse evil sprits wanting to harm the bridal couple. The role has evolved into their modern day role as the brides’ assistants. As a bride-to-be, your “Girls” will play a key support role in planning your wedding.

A wedding is a production of many details. As the producer and director of this big day, an organized bride with clear direction will be much appreciated. Beyond selecting the bridesmaids’ dresses, partying at your bachelorette party, and dancing with groomsmen, there are few “bridesmaid duties” that can be delegated to your helpful bridal party.

Calling upon Venues
List a few venues for your bridesmaid to call. Have her check on the availability of the date, space and wedding packages. As a bride you may be interested in as many as 30 venues. This will alleviate the overwhelming pressure of countless calls.

Bridal Shows
Designate one of your bridesmaids to register you for bridal shows, special events or special offers. Set up a “Couple’s Wedding Email” address so that all the information can be directed to your wedding inbox.

Favor Party
Have a bridesmaid troll websites looking for trendy favor ideas. Have her email you pictures or website links to view these products. Have her organize a “Favor Party” if you select a product that may require personalization.

Rehearsal
Bridesmaids can execute administrative duties by creating a “Rehearsal Packet” for the bridal party. The packet should include information such as the timeline, photo schedule, when and where they need to be. This information can be organized and emailed to the bridal party. A copy should also be made for distribution at the ceremony rehearsal.


Out of town guests
One of your bridesmaids can organize “Things to do in our Town” information for your out of town guests. Information can include places of special interest, popular restaurants, shopping malls, transportation and contact information in case of any emergency.

Placecards
Most venues will set up your placecards on the day of the wedding. Have a bridesmaid cross check your master guest list against the placecards. Once they are double checked, place them in alphabetical order, and have a box ready for delivery to the venue. Do not forget to include you master guest list.


Your bridal party is there to assist you with your wedding day. It is an honor for them to be part of your special guests. They understand that you may reach out to them beyond just planning bridal showers and the bachelorette party. Go ahead, get them involved, you will be pleasantly surprised how much support they can lend to their bride and her big day.

BBFN, (Bridal Bliss for Now)
Olivia

Tuxedo: To Rent or Buy

Today we have an expert weighing in on whether or not a groom should purchase or rent a tuxedo for his wedding day. Please enjoy:

Well, the time is drawing ever closer, you have your beautiful gown and the plans are starting to come together for the big event. Now is the time to decide if you should rent or buy the tuxedo for your significant other. How will your partner look in a rental versus purchased / tailored tux? What will you do with it after the event if it is purchased? Do you both have time to find a store to purchase a tux, and then have it tailored, or is time of the essence?

Here are some of the Pros of Renting a tuxedo:• Considerably cheaper than buying
• Finding a tuxedo to rent is fairly easy
• Lack of selection makes it easier to find your favorite
• Potential groomsmen don’t need to search for tuxedos on their own
• Practical – No use in buying a tuxedo you will only wear once
• One stop stopping – You can shop for rental shoes and tuxedos all at one location
• Easy to match tux with groomsmen’s’ tux’s

Here are some of the Cons of Renting a tuxedo:
• Lack of selection
• A lot of rental stores carry tuxedos that can look outdated or cheap
• Tuxedos can’t be tailored to suit your body type

Now for the Pros of buying a tuxedo:
• Wider selection is available for purchase
• A tuxedo can be tailored to fit your body type
• Retail stores carry more contemporary styles and cuts
• Stores often carry tuxedos of a higher quality
• If you plan on attending a lot of functions where a tuxedo is required, then buying is your best option


Finally, the Cons to buying a tuxedo:
• Shopping for a tuxedo can be time consuming. Shopping at multiple stores, tailoring the suit to fit your needs, not being able to find the right shoes, etc…..
• Quality tuxedos are often very expensive
• Unpractical – buying a tuxedo you only plan on wearing once doesn’t make much sense



The best way to decide about renting or buying a tux is to ask yourself whether or not you see yourself attending a lot of Black Tie events in the future. If you see yourself in this position, buying a tuxedo is probably the best decision. Also, if you are having a formal wedding, consider buying a tuxedo. A tuxedo that is purchased can be tailored to your specifications. This makes for a tux that will fit, and look a whole lot better. On the other hand, if you don’t see yourself attending anything that requires a tuxedo, renting is your best, and most practical, choice.

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

How to Plan a Green Event Without Breaking Your Budget

The four “Rs” of being eco friendly: Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, & Recycle. Other eco friendly terminology used these days: Organic, Fair Trade, Post Consumer Waste, Green certification, Green Seal, and the list goes on and on.

We are a conscious society, we care, and we empathize.

When planning a wedding some bridal couple are passionate about creating a 100% Green Wedding. The cost of planning earth friendly weddings can be up to 25% higher in cost. Not to say that the cause doesn’t deserve the passion and commitment, but sometimes this can also be a deterrent for a bridal couple looking to stay within a budget.

If every wedding commits to making their day, at a minimum, 10% greener, imagine the impact it would have. There are over 1,000 weddings being planned in Chicago right now. Every great change is the result of many small steps.

At Oliveaire we are definitely passionate having a team of creative planners and designers. Each of us here makes an effort, in our professional and personal life, to practice the “R” mantra.

With Earth Day approaching soon, we want to arm brides with tools to find those ways to make their wedding more green. In such spirit, we are hosting a “Bridal Bliss” event at Logan Square Kitchen on Tuesday, April 20th, 2010. Zina Murray, the proprietor of LSK is a great resource for Eco Friendly Weddings, and Cleetus Friedman at City Provisions will also be speaking about local farms and sustainable foods. He will also bring hors d’oeuvres for our guests to sample, YUMMY. The event is complimentary, but space is limited, so if you are interested in learning how to make your event a little bit more eco friendly RSVP by visiting http://oliveaire.com/#/contact/contact-us.


If you are looking to make a small earth friendly contribution to your wedding, here are some of our suggestions:

Check out these plantable invitations (How cool is that?!)
Looking for Fair Trade business? (It is organic and delicious)
Looking for earth friendly wedding favors? How about planting a tree in honor of your wedding bliss?

There are lot more tips and tricks to make a difference without breaking your budget. Join us at the Bridal Bliss event to see how we can take some small steps in making your big day an earth friendly wedding day.

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

Inspiration and Scissors

Have you ever seen a Bride’s notebook? I have, and it has notes, doodles, and vendor interviews, but most importantly, it has bridal magazine clippings of her dream wedding. In the notebook you will find a picture of her perfect dress, her bouquet, colors that she loves and flowers that she has fallen in love with. For a floral designer, nothing produces a successful meeting more than seeing what the bride’s vision entails. It may seem that your choices are disparate, but sorting through pictures to find your style can transform your wedding day into a personalized, branded, event.

Fairy tale weddings can only be reigned in by a budget. Drama of tall centerpieces, mood set with specialty lighting, lounge furniture by the bar and graceful linens, they do add up. The second largest slice of the budget, after the venue, is definitely given to the floral and décor expense. The impact of a $20,000 floral budget will not be the same as $7,000 budget, but how you maximize it will certainly define your event. Instead of creating $200 centerpieces mix and match the room with some high centerpieces and some low centerpieces. Linens are the least expensive option to add impact to the event design. If you work with a full service event studio the threads of your vision can be presented to you with a complete visual sampling.



So I say to the Brides, find a good pair of scissors and cut out as many pictures as you can of centerpieces. If attending a wedding, take pictures with your cell phone of things that you like, but also of things that you do not want at your wedding. Be Blissful, Be Inspired, Be an Artists Palette.

BBFN
Olivia

Your Venue Manager is Not Your Wedding Consultant

I have said it before, and I will say it again, I love catering/venue managers. We work together all the time. They do a magnificent job of taking care of event details that pertain to their property. They do their job, and as a planner, I do mine, and they are not the same thing.

Brides, you need to know, that your venue manager is NOT your Wedding Consultant!
(or Planner, or Coordinator, pick your favorite title, we like Event Architect!)



Here are some differences in what you should expect from a Venue Manager and a Wedding Consultant:

Tasting:
A Venue Manager will schedule a tasting. At that time you, your fiancé, and maybe a few others, will sample food and make selections for your event. A Venue Manager will provide you information on cost and service. She will detail your decisions into directions that will go out to the kitchen staff, servers, etc.

A Wedding Consultant will also attend your tasting with you. She will photograph each plate of food to document the presentation and portion size of your final selection. She will make sure that your bar and menu choices fit in with the overall ambiance of your event.

Inventory:
If you are lucky a Venue Manager might let you drop off your inventory supply a couple of days (no more than 2) before your wedding. They will put out your place cards, cake knife and toasting glasses.

A Wedding Consultant will also take your inventory from you. (Our policy is that we will take it 3 days prior to your event.) We will make sure that your place cards or scroll are displayed. We will also keep a copy of your guest list so that if someone can’t find their name, or shows up without having sent a response, we can place them at an appropriate table. A Wedding Consultant will be sure that each piece of inventory is available to you for its intended use. A Wedding Consultant will also make sure that your inventory is returned to you, or more ideally your designee, before the end of the wedding.

Vendors:
A venue manager will most likely speak to the other vendors you have hired to provide them with load-in and load-out instructions. They will make sure that the vendors follow the policies and procedures of the property.

Your Wedding Consultant will coordinate the arrival and set-up of each vendor that will make sense for your overall timeline. She will review their contracts, and any special instructions you have for them. A Wedding Consultant will serve as a central point of contact for all vendors, and will step in to prevent a problem.

In the end a Venue/Catering Manager’s job is to represent their property. They will provide you excellent service, in the scope of their property. A Wedding Consultant’s job is to take away stress from the Bride and Groom, to make sure that your event is executed above and beyond your expectations, to bring your vision to reality.

Not sure what to look for when hiring a Wedding Day of Coordinator? Click here

Think wedding planners are overrated? We don’t. To see why, click here

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

Torn Between Place Cards and Scrolls?

This week our guest Blogger is Mahvish Bhatty, Event Architect.

You’re getting close to your wedding date, responses are in, and you are now ready to develop a seating chart for your guests, but you cannot decide on which method is right for you. Well you have two options, 1st the boring method, Place Cards, which has been used for many weddings or 2nd, the new and exciting method, Scrolls, which hasn’t been used by many couples.



(Special thanks to Timothy Whaley & Associates for the picture)

Now you are thinking, what’s the difference between the two? Well, a Place Card is a small card with the name of a guest(s) on it, placed on the table, to indicate where he or she is to sit. Place Cards can be enhanced by being set in a special holder, and they can be served as a favor as well. However, some of holders can take quite a bit of space on the Place Card table. This can be a problem if your guest count is exceeding 300 or more guests. When deciding on a Place Card, the sky is the limit on your options, and when intermixing with Place Card holders, this can be the more expensive option.

As for Scrolls, they’re an elegant, and preferable, alternative to Placecards. The seating scroll, or wedding seating chart, can be hung from a beautiful stand, and is displayed at the entrance of the reception venue. It contains the names of all the guests, along with the table they will be seated at. The names are in alphabetical order, and split into letter sections, in order to easily find a guest's name. The seating scroll is also a great keepsake of your wedding. You get to keep it as a wonderful reminder of your special day and all those who attended! Another benefit is that you don’t have to deal with developing 300+ cards, and alphabetizing them by last names.

A scroll can be developed by simple software and given to the décor vendor or printer to print and display outside the reception space. Another great benefit is that you don’t have to deal with guests who have picked up their Place Cards but then lose it while having a great time during the cocktail hour.

If you are looking for something trendy, choose the Scroll. Your decorator should have several great ideas for incorporating the scroll into your overall room design. By placing it on a wall of candles it will become a great décor piece for the cocktail hour and the sweet table. Best of all, the scroll will be displayed all night and if anyone forgets their table number, then they can always get back to the scroll to verify. Not only that, you’ll know where your family and friends are sitting so after dinner you can quickly find them.

If I was in charge of your wedding, I would definitely recommend you choose the Scroll. This will definitely be the talk of your wedding, it will be something new, and not the same way of seating your guests that has been done time after time. Now the decision is all yours…

Whatever you choose I hope you are inspired as you work on seating your guests.

BBFN,
Olivia

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