“Funny You Should Ask…” About Your Wedding Budget (or lack thereof)

It’s Friday…and another edition of “Funny You Should Ask”. You submit your questions HERE and we find a wedding professional who can give you an answer. We love the honest questions because, turns out, there are many more people wanting to know the same thing.

Question:

I’m engaged and the first step is budget, right? I have NO idea what my budget should be. Once that is figured out, where does the money come from? Me? Him? The family?

I am  completely lost when it comes to financing this wedding and feel like I’m the first to ask this question. Seriously, am I that clueless?  – Miranda

We enlisted the help of Shindig Events, an event company who comes up with some of the most amazing ideas, takes events to a new level yet always remains grounded for the benefit of their clients…whom they love. This is us speaking, by the way, not them. You’re welcome. Kelli, Shindig Events Principal, answers:

Oh, Miranda. You are not clueless. In fact, you are very sensible for considering budget. It really should be one of the first questions you ask after you answer THE BIG QUESTION! This stuff costs money, no doubt, and there are some people out there who want your hard-earned cabbage in the guise of fairy dust and sparkly kitten whiskers. So, as icky as it may be, you first and foremost need to discuss with your fiance and your families.  Your parental units may say “um, we don’t have any money for this” or they might go halfsies or perhaps they may surprise you & offer to foot the bill.  And when you tell them that a typical wedding for 150 people in the US is around 20K, they may cry, or they may help… Or both. Or neither. The truth is, your wedding can be ANYTHING you want it to be for as much or as little as you want to spend.  You may find that you would be better suited to use money from your families for a down payment on a home, or finally settling those student loans.  

When it comes down to how much the total bill is going to be, first take a look at what you really want out of your wedding day. Do you want amazing photography? Are you a foodie who wants a sit-down dinner with passed appetizers?  So, let’s say you want to spend more on photos and less on food. Perhaps consider a Sunday afternoon ceremony with a cake & ice cream reception. Or, if you have always dreamed of day of gorging on delicious catered treats, you may want to keep your attendance list low in order to accommodate this special occasion & your foodie fanatacism.  I know when my big day comes, I require a photo booth and karaoke. If this means hiring a taco truck & getting a keg of beer and only inviting 50 people, then by golly, that is what has to give!

So, how much for each item? A lot of variables including city, state, climate and time of year are going to impact your spend.  Research wedding budget templates online. You’ll see line items for those things you will need to consider, like attire, and things that you may have no interest in whatsoever (such as a garter belt).  Look at those things. Those that appeal to you, keep in your budget. Those that don’t, delete that cell! There’s no rule that says you need to have a unity candle at your ceremony.

There are lot of options are out there in the great big wedding industry world that are going to tempt you.  Many of them will make you think you need them in order for your day to be perfect. And while I don’t ever want to see my couples go into any sort of debt for their weddings, you do have to ask yourself how often are you going to have an opportunity to get your loved ones into one room for such a soiree?  Think, most of all, what is key to your happiness that day? That decision will guide you to all of the others. 

With those words of advice, we went searching for some spreadsheets:

Wedding Budget: Spreadsheet123

Wedding Budget: Microsoft Office

-T

P.S. Be sure to check out Cinefresco (by Shindig Events) coming soon!

 

Funny You Should Ask: Picking Your Wedding Date

This is your free advice column. Each Friday, we’ll feature one of you lovely engaged people who have a question. It doesn’t have to be a big deal…or it can be a big deal. Either way, we can guarantee that someone else has a similar question. Consider this a public service. You’re doing it for your people; Your fellow engaged couples. Submit your question HERE or comment at the end of the blog.

This week’s question could only be answered by a planner. A person who not only helps couples plan their wedding but who is also a counselor, magician, a stand-in best friend and anything else amazing we could say. It’s a HARD job. In fact, Forbes even says so. At that point, it became gospel.

Everyone, meet Sheena…she’s the owner and brains behind The Invisible Hostess. Ask her, “Can ____ be done?” We’re putting our money on the fact that she’ll make it happen.

Now meet Michele the bride. She got engaged at the beginning of this month and wants to get married this summer. She asks:

My biggest challenge right now is finding a place for this August or even September. Saturdays work the best but I’ve heard Fridays are great too. We have family in California so picking a good time for them and their kids (who are in school) can be a problem. Suggestions?

Sheena responds:

If you have a lot of out of town guests you want to accommodate, the first weekend you should be looking at is Labor Day weekend.  To have a three day weekend for your guests to work around is the best.  Remember, though, that you won’t be able to please everyone’s schedule, even if you have the luxury of having your pick of venues for this very popular weekend, so you need to make your choice on the following: List the 5 out of town guests you would move mountains for to have them come to your wedding, then select your date around them. 

No matter if you pick a Saturday or a Friday, people will miss work and kids will miss school, so don’t over think it.  If you’re willing to move mountains for them, I’d like to think they’d be willing to do the same for you.

On the topic of Friday vs. Saturday, at this point in the year, you’ll have more Fridays to choose from which is a plus, and if many of your guests are from out of town, they’re not juggling Friday work or traffic, so that’s a bonus!

Tune in next week for another edition of: “Funny You Should Ask…”

We’ll find the expert if you ask the question.

I do believe I should have been born in the 50’s. You could actually say that kind of thing and not worry about how big of a dork you are…like I’m doing right now.

-Tawsha

P.S. The image of The Giving Tree is a free Save the Date Template that can be found HERE.

And They’re Off Like a Dirty Shirt!

We’re typically fairly crafty and pretty much the artsy type, but we’ve been known to botch up even some of the simplest of projects.

More times than not, if we had just followed directions, we would have had a successful project. But see, that’s the problem; Instructions to us are just a suggestion. That’s just how we roll.

Each Thursday, I’ve committed to creating a seemingly simple DIY project.  I’ll hunt down an inspiring-looking piece that claims to be DIY, and will take it for a test run to determine if it’s a fun little project for a casual DIY-er , or if to complete it you’ll need a fashion institute degree and a double major in engineering. Consider us somewhat of a DIY test kitchen.

Meet us:  I’m “Wouldn’t it be cool if” Patti, who gets to choose each week’s project. I’ll occasionally challenge “Hey, I’ve Got an Idea” Tawsha to jump in and help. We’ll post the non-photoshopped images of our results.

 The Goal:

1. Test a DIY project to see if it’s really DIY
2. Spark your creative side
3. See if you can do it better

Shall we begin? Okay then.

In the olden days,  a couple got married, walked to their car, the guests threw a bunch of rice at them and they were good to go. Now with “green” concerns, janitorial restrictions, and the well-being of birds to consider, couples are finding alternatives to the traditional “wedding toss”. We looked at two of them.

Ribbon Wands

If everybody synched up and started waving these around, it would make for some pretty awesome wedding photos. A big plus for the ribbon wands is that there’s nothing to clean up!

We scored a couple tutorials on how to crank some of these suckers out. Easy peasy. Let your creativity run amok …

RIBBON WAND TUTORIAL From The Ribbon Wand Shop

RIBBON WAND TUTORIAL From Flights of Fancy

Flags

Wave these little cuties with reckless abandon! The below instructions for assembly are provided by Ellinée’s Blog. Hop on over there to download and print the flags (you even get to pick your colors)!

MATERIALS:
Color print(s) of the send off flags on white card stock (click the button at the end of the post to print)
Scissors or exacto knife and ruler
Double stick tape
Bamboo skewers

DIRECTIONS:
1. Trim flags
2. Fold on dotted line with printed side out
3. Open folded flag flat again and place a small piece of double stick tape    on white side of flag, in the center and across flattened crease
4. Lay skewer on taped center of flag and wrap paper around skewer

My Attempt and Review

Ribbon Wands

I loved the simple clean look, but only attaching one ribbon didn’t seem to me that it would cause much of a ruckus when in motion. I imagined myself wildly waving the thing around,  blinded by the mascara running into my eyes while wishing the happy couple well. The amount of torque I’d have to put on that stick and the speed of the arm rotations I’d need to continually maintain to keep that single ribbon in motion made me decide the flag would get buried in all that activity and probably wasn’t worth the effort.

So I scratched the Congratulations flag and added more ribbon. More is always better, right?

Flags

I was so busy printing my send off wishes and cutting out flags from my scrapbook paper stash that I wasn’t paying attention to proportions. I ended up with these gigantic flags which screamed my well wishes at the bride and groom from HUGE font, and all of  it was  perched this skinny little stick. Just a tad top-heavy.  So I trimmed down the flags, folded the straight ends over the top of the stick and then back under (I put a little glue on the stick before wrapping the paper around it). I punched two holes through all four layers of paper, threaded ribbon through each hole from front to back and fastened the flag with a bow. Done and done!

All in all, I had fun making these projects and felt the instructions were clearly written.

So there you have it. For next week’s project I’m going to invite Tawsha to play. I should sooo choose a DIY sewing project (she doesn’t sew).

If you decide to give either of these Send Off/Wedding Toss ideas a go, will you please send us a picture that shows how yours turned out along with your instructions and comments? If we love it, we’ll feature it.

thanks for hangin’

Patti

Planning on PINTEREST

There’s a new wedding planner in town. The name: Pinterest! I doubt the creators of this website thought that it would grow to be so big so fast…and contribute to a lot of time spent dreaming up ways to spend our time. Ironic, no?

Pinterest is the PERFECT place to create all sorts of wedding ideas. You don’t have to go digging through magazines, tear out pages and glue to a poster board like you did in 8th grade. It’s all done on this virtual pin board. Create different looks, be inspired by other people’s crafty ideas, learn about a new tradition or just revel in the thought that you don’t have to pull out a piece of paper and try to sketch what you’re envisioning. Post it to your board!

I could go on and on. In fact I do…daily. Here at the WPE, Pinterest is our obsession. Yep, we’re on there. Thanks for asking, you can click HERE to follow our boards. Who knows what it will lead to. Well, we do…so follow and you’ll be ahead of the game. Don’t have an account? No worries, we’ll invite you, just EMAIL us and let us know you want in.

via Pinterest and Laced in Weddings

Check out this PINteresting idea. Get the lingo? We followed this picture to Laced in Weddings and found out the COOLEST idea!

Prior to the wedding, you gather a strong wooden wine box, a bottle of wine and two glasses. Before the ceremony, the two of you sit down separately and write love notes to each other then seal the envelope without revealing what you wrote. 

During the ceremony, your officiant explains the process and the two of you seal the box by taking turns hammering in one nail at a time until the box is closed. 

On your 10th wedding anniversary (or anniversary of your choice), you open the box, read the letters and drink wine while remembering the way you felt about each other the days before your wedding.

What cool ideas do you have on YOUR pin boards? Comment below with your Pinterest name and we’ll come lookin’ for you!

-Tawsha

The Debut of STATuesday

Why would we make a decision to start posting about one of the most boring topics known to man? Well…our brains are full. We’re not experts so it’s fun to hear what others are talking about and totally regurgitate the information as if it’s our own. Hold on. Back up. Have you ever actually written “regurgitate”? That was a first for me.

Back to the experts.

The thing is: They are talking about YOU! We hear bits and pieces of information about weddings, planning, tips and more.If it’s about you or could help you, we want to share it. So, each Tuesday, you can count on us being here spouting out information and letting you decide if you’d like to lock it in your mind or set it free.

1 in 6 couples meet online

Did you meet “the one” online? How did you meet? Comment below to tell us your story.

source: TheWeddingReport

Let’s Do It Again!

It’s time to do it again. Back by popular demand (and we’re not just using that phrase because it sounds good- although it DOES sound really good) the Wedding Preview Event is happening again! We’re big believers in allowing wedding experts to express their creative freedom…it’s what brings passion and AMAZING ideas to the table. We collected feedback from the past event and implemented all the goodness wedding vendors and engaged couples would like to see.

Plus, The Invisible Hostess will be producing the event while Shindig Events directs. Those two event planners, alone, will make your head spin.

The 2012 event will be bigger and better. We’re so thrilled to debut the event’s theme, the twists we’ve added to the show (think: reality) and a couple of surprises along the way.

You can hear about it or you can experience it.

Vendors: Apply today. Guests: The ticket box office opens this spring. Hang on tiiiiiiiiight!

Mark your calendars:

What: Wedding Preview Event

When: Sunday, October 14, 2012, 6pm-9pm

Where: The Seattle Design Center

Update: The reason for the date improvement…to  make it even more EPIC-er! Yep, new word. Use it with your friends. “The Wedding Preview Event is going to be EPIC-er than originally thought!”

See you there!

It’s a Wrap! Featuring Chloe Photography

On October 2nd, the Wedding Preview Event came to life. Each local wedding professional was placed on a team and were given creative freedom within their area of expertise. Woah, talk about talent! There were three photographers, each on a different team, who captured the personality of their team’s theme as well as sneaking in a couple shots of the other teams’ work. It was truly phenomenal.

This week, we’ll feature Chloe Photography. Not only are her photos incredible, but she is, too! Chloe comes to an event completely ready and immediately starts “freezing” moments in time.

See a full list of talent from the Wedding Preview Event HERE.

Would you like to be “matched” up with the vendors who fit you best? Click HERE to submit your criteria.

And now…the photos. Enjoy!

(models: Mollie Ruiz-Hopper and Travis Clay)

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WPE Spotlight: Inkless Bliss

Aaron and Alison - Inkless Bliss

Here we are, less than a week away from the first ever Seattle Wedding Preview Event. We’re finalizing last-minute details and getting things in order to seriously blow you away. As each vendor has come on board, they’ve been asked some questions. We want you to get to know them before you even set foot inside the Seattle Design Center. The night will be one to remember…especially with the quirky, fun and outstanding experts who have helped organize such an amazeballs event!

We can’t think of a more appropriate company (and couple) to feature on the final WPE Spotlight. Meet Aaron and Alison, owners, creators and masterminds behind Inkless Bliss.

1. One quirk of mine is:  Aaron: I like awkward and funny juxtapositions for instance I am 6’7” 235lbs and drive a Vespa and want to learn how to play the ukulele.  Alison: I’m obsessed with knowing what time it is!
2. I don’t know how to: Aaron: Do a cartwheel. I tried one time this past spring while vacationing in Aruba. I’m sure the alcohol didn’t help the situation. Alison: I don’t know how to drive a manual transmission. (saying I don’t know how to drive a stick sounds so dirty!)
3. I collect: Aaron: Design books, not very exciting I know.  Alison: Mind numbing facts about celebrity gossip.
4. I have  tattoos. Aaron: No tattoos, I used to have my ears pierced. I loved rockin that fake Diddy bling. Alison: Zero tattoos, I used to have my nose pierced. I am considering getting it done again.
5. One thing you’ll always find in my purse/wallet is: Aaron: My wallet has a nude woman reading a book in the fold. Stop by, I will show it to you. Alison gave it to me as a birthday present, it looks like her. Alison: My  iTelephone. My mobile life support.
6. I wish I could: Aaron: Make inkless bliss my full time job. One day… Alison: Sing. Sing well.
7. My favorite song of all time is: Alison: Black by Pearl Jam
8. Favorite quote: Aaron: “If you build it, he will come” Alison: “Live and work with integrity and everything else is a piece of cake.” Pat Salvatore
9. I _______ for a living because: Aaron: Design, because it’s my passion (aside from Alison that is)
10. My fear is: Aaron: Sasquatch Alison: I’m not scared
11. I was named after: Aaron: A truck driver. Nice guy, never met him. Alison: The song “Alison” by Elvis Costello 
12. I am a (morning/night) person because: Aaron: I am both. Trying that moderation thing. Kinda sucks when all I want to eat is a pound of French fries. Alison: I am a night person just because. So there.

Aaron: We have not won any awards. I have one individual design awards, but none with inkless bliss yet. Come on, we have only been around for a month. We do have the best-looking invitations and rsvp’s made for email on the market. I can say this in confidence because I have done the research and I like to think I have good taste. There’s just not another business that has our flair for design and current trends that has aligned themselves directly with the wedding industry.

Seattle based company inkless bliss, just launched their much anticipated online wedding invitation site inklessbliss.com As consumers are moving more and more of their experiences online, inkless bliss is filling the niche of high quality, well designed wedding invitations that are completely digital.

Their extraordinarily simple website guides the user to three sections; traditional, modern and theme. Under these sections, you will find professionally designed wedding invitation templates. If the user already has an idea for what their wedding invitation will look like, an inkless bliss designer will create a custom invitation to complete their vision.

What separates this site from the others? inkless bliss is fueled by a love of great design. Well thought out concepts are needed and appreciated in today’s market place. inkless bliss has positioned themselves to meet all the needs of today’s modern bride.

They offer unique, current, and digital invitations for users to view on a variety of mobile devices; iPhone, iPad, PC, etc. In addition to sending invitations, RSVP’s are tracked online from the user’s account allowing for easy management of attendees, and their contact information. The site even offers a printable PDF solution in standard invitation sizes to mail to the not so tech-savvy on the list like grandma and grandpa.

See you at the show!

TICKETS HERE

WPE Spotlight: The Seattle Design Center

Kelli McConnell - The face of the Seattle Design Center Events

The Seattle Design Center doesn’t just run itself. In fact, Kelli puts in more hours than anyone I know. She’s ALWAYS available to help, ALWAYS friendly and truly enjoys her job. It’s so awesome to work with her and we would do it again in a heartbeat. Okay, kissing up. We admit.

1. One quirk of mine is: I love numbers! I see patterns in numbers all around me and I am fascinated with synchronicity – last week my odometer hit 123,456 and I pulled over to take a picture!
2.  I don’t know how to:  stop dreaming about traveling around the world. One day I will walk all over the planet – visit every continent and take it all in…
3. I collect: Treasures!! I love the thrill of finding really beautiful clothes and art at yard sales and thrift stores
4. I have no tattoos, but I am not opposed. If I were going to get a tattoo it would be the 27^th Hexagram from the I Ching (or Book of Changes) – it’s a simple design of just 6 lines and it speaks to me because it literally translates to mean nourish yourself so that you can nourish others – on all levels – physically, emotionally, creatively.
5. One thing you’ll always find in my purse/wallet is: the amazing Lip Labz chapstick from the gift bags at the Wedding Summit Event – Love that stuff! (Wedding Preview Event note: That was an event we hosted in August. Not bragging. Okay, we are.)
6. I wish I could: sew and play music! I know, it’s possible; I just have to take the time to learn…..
7. My favorite song of all time is: The entire “Dirty Dancing” soundtrack.
8. Favorite quote: again, so hard!  “Our lives are not as limited as we think they are; the world is a wonderfully weird place; consensual reality is significantly flawed; no institution can be trusted, but love does work; all things are possible; and we all could be happy and fulfilled if we only had the guts to be truly free and the wisdom to shrink our egos and quit taking ourselves so damn seriously.” — Tom Robbins to Esquire Magazine, 1993
9. I work in the Event World for a living because: I love people! My clients are my first priority – my goal is to treat them like gold…helping people host a beautiful and elegant evening (be it wedding, auction or HS reunion) is fun and challenging. Seeing a satisfied client walk out the door at the end of an event makes my heart sing. Plus, the people who work in this business (caterers, florists, decorators, A/V folks) know how to have a great time, so it makes doing the work that much more fun.
10. My fear is: that I will forget to travel because I am consumed with my work.
11. I was named after: I’m not sure…my parents wanted me to have an Irish name (Kelli Alison McConnell) to honor my Irish roots I guess…
12. I am a morning person because: sleeping is amazing! Waking up is like the cherry on the sundae.

If you don’t have tickets to the Wedding Preview Event…well..get them.

In fact, we’ll make it easy. Click HERE.

Love, Us

WPE Spotlight: Annie’s Nannies

You’ve got your wedding all figured out. The dress, the decor, even the first kiss. You have to make it look good, right? What about all those guests who ask, “Are kids welcome?” Kids are adorable walking down the aisle and moving their teeny tiny bodies to the beat of the Black Eyed Peas. Don’t make them sit through your vows, though. Yes, it’s fun for you but it’s booorrrrring for kids. Let them have a little fun before bustin’ out the dance moves at your amazing reception.

Meet Teah Achman, Placement/Event Director at Annie’s Nannies. No, really. Meet her. Get to know her. Hire her.

1. One quirk of mine is:  I hate wet socks. I wear slippers in the winter to keep my socks dry.  My family teases me that I am an old lady!
2. I don’t know how to:  not be “bossy”.   In my 30s I am finally coming to grips with my “leadership” nature and am trying to embrace it and be a positive role model for my bossy daughter.
3. I collect: Nothing! I have too much clutter already and most of it is kid related.
4. I have 1 tattoo, but really want more! It took me 5 years to design my first tattoo because I wanted something I would always love, and I do!
5. One thing you’ll always find in my purse/wallet is: Chapstick and mints.
6. I wish I could:  Sing.  I love singing along to songs, but wouldn’t subject anyone to my voice alone.
7. My favorite song of all time is: Dave Matthews Band: “Every day”  Because it makes me smile and who doesn’t need love every day?
8. Favorite quote:  I’m not much of a quote person.  If I ever quote something it is usually from a movie and in the context of the conversation I’m having. Sometimes I’m the only one that gets it.
9. I work in the childcare industry for a living because: I am a working parent and understand the challenges our clients face in balancing work and family. I truly love what I do and the ability I have each day to help nanny’s find jobs and family’s find the perfect childcare solution!
10. My fear is: Not getting every drop out of life!
11. I was named after: My mother kind of made up my name. She liked names that started with “T”, but changed the spelling of “Tia” to “Teah”.
12. I am a (morning) person because: I lose energy after about 4pm and I love love love to sleep!

For over 27 years, Annie’s Nannies (ANI) has been providing exceptional service to Pacific Northwest families. As a nationally recognized and award winning agency,  Annie’s Nannies offers the ultimate solution for hiring top quality childcare and household staff to ensure your specific needs are matched and met.  I have worked at ANI since 2003.  We’ve been growing our event childcare business year by year.  We especially love working with couples and helping them come up with a creative solution for children attending their wedding!  Not every couple wants children at their wedding, but don’t want to discourage family and friends that have kids.  We can create a fun off-site or on-site environment for any event, ensuring that everyone has a good time!