There is a HUGE trend towards using iPods as a way of saving money for weddings.  People tend to go this route because they would rather their their music played and they feel they don’t need to spend money on a DJ.  But I tend to go to bat for the DJ for a few reasons.

1. You need someone to be the emcee.  Yes, you may have an outgoing friend that can do the job but it is just not the same.  Besides, your friend may be a few drinks in and that mixed with a mic is never a good idea!
2. You still need sound equipment.  And someone to set it up!  So you are still paying for your music needs in one way, shape or form.
3. Your iPod cannot “feel” the crowd.  The role of a DJ is to make sure the party keeps going!  To keep the energy of the party, to bring it up and back down at the right times.  As magical as Apple has made the iPod, it cannot alter the pace of the party.
4. A good DJ will take your musical tastes into account.  And a good wedding planner will make sure they find you a DJ that fits you too!

After all this, if you still feel an iPod is the best route for you, then don’t forget the following.  You need:

• An audio system to play the music.  You may also need an additional system for the ceremony (a DJ would normally re-purpose theirs for you).
• Someone to not only setup the system, but to break it down at the end of the night.
• Someone to be your emcee.  Preferably someone funny and a non-drinker.
• Someone to gauge your music throughout the night (if no one is dancing to the fifth song of the night by your favorite 80s hairband, you need to change it up).

Happy Planning!

This past Tuesday was the Association of Bridal Consultant’s Annual Holiday Party at the Prado in Balboa Park.  There were all kinds of yummy treats on hand!  For the cocktail hour there was tray passed champagne, a gourmet coffee bar with espressos and lattes by Joes on the Nose, mini pastries, mini donuts by Party Donuts and chocolate dipped fruits by Edible Arrangements.

Lunch was provided by the Prado with a Mashed Potato Bar (a personal favorite of mine!) and buffet of green beans with pancetta, orecchiette pasta with pancetta and a cream sauce, pumpkin raviolis and a sushi station by Sushi on a Roll!

Floral arrangements were provided by Hartworks Floral, Lois Mathews Design and Rae Florae.

The very lovely menu cards were done by Posh Paperie (they were really beautiful!).  The list of vendors goes on, but these were the highlights of the day!

As a San Diego wedding planner, it is always fantastic to see the work of so many wonderful local vendors and the ABC certainly gives me an opportunity to see them showcase their work.  San Diego style weddings certainly have a distinct vibe and these vendors never forget that!  Kudos to everyone that participated!

The Prado at Balboa Park
Sushi on a Roll
Hartworks Floral
Lois Mathews Design
Rae Florae
Posh Paperie
Joes on the Nose
Party Donuts
Edible Arrangements

It is an honor to be asked by your friend to be a part of the wedding.  However, being part of a wedding can be a costly endeavor, especially if you are a woman.  There is a new dress and accessories to buy, parties to participate in (bridal showers and bachelorette parties), manicures & pedicures, hair and makeup to get done.  And then you may have to travel for the wedding so then there is also the possibility of hotel and airfare.  The money adds up pretty quickly.  And if you are of that age where all your friends are getting married at the same time you may feel the need to take out a loan.  But while it is an honor to be asked to be in the wedding, it is not an honor you have to accept.  It is a difficult conversation to have, but for some folks it is a necessary one.  You may not be able to afford to be in a wedding, you may not be able to afford being in a fifth wedding, or maybe you cannot afford to take as much time off to travel to be in the wedding.  Whatever your circumstances, your reasons for not being in the wedding are valid.

You will have to adjust as needed for your friend and your relationship with your friend, but here is a good starting point:

First, tell your friend how honored you are that she or he asked you to be in the wedding.

Second, tell them that the truth.  You cannot: afford to be in the wedding or take that much time off

Lastly, if you are in the position to do so, tell them you would love to help them with anything they may need with (helping assemble favors one afternoon, bringing items for setup on the day of the wedding, helping with the bridal shower, etc)

Then follow up the conversation with a handwritten note expressing how near and dear your friend is and how happy you are for them.

After you think about it you may decide that this particular friend is too importnant to you to say no to.  But at that point, the decision has become yours and you are more likely to enjoy being party of the wedding because you decided that this is what you wanted.

Its a term that has become quite overused and undefined.  In our industry, there is not a standard of what “Day of Coordinator” means (although some folks are trying to correct that!).  And for those of you planning your special event, you may be slightly confused as to what you’re looking for because you can’t get a clear sense of what a “Day of Coordinator” is supposed to do (in fact, I prefer “Wedding Day Manager”).  So here is what you should expect from someone is a pro!

• “Day of Coordinator” translates better to “Month of Coordinator.”  We don’t just show up the day of the event and work.  A proper coordinator will put forth some significant pre-wedding day planning to ensure the day runs smoothly.
• We will assist with the setup of: favors, menu cards, place cards, escort cards, programs, and other items such as these
• We will be the main contact person for the day and handle any questions and/or issues that may arise and will only come to you when the question or issue is about money
• Your taste and style will be honored as though it were our very own
• We will help direct the wedding rehearsal as needed
• Timelines for you, the wedding party, the vendors and venue(s) will be created by us and distributed to all appropriate parties.  This timeline will cover everything from your first task of the day (usually the bride’s hair and makeup) to the last vendor leaving the venue.
• We will review your contracts and make sure all vendors requests are honored as best as possible (i.e. Did you know your band requires to be fed a hot meal BEFORE the reception begins?  Did you know your band/photographer/videographer requires a green room?  Contracts can be pesky little things!)
• During our pre-wedding day planning process, if we notice any holes in how your wedding day needs are to be met, we will discuss them with you and help you figure out how to fill those gaps (i.e. you ordered specialty desserts from your favorite bakery/restaurant but they don’t deliver and your caterer does not want to accept liability for something that is not theirs, oh and they require refrigeration which does not exist at your venue…what do you do?)
• We will help you keep your sanity.

You will find some variations to this, but at minimum this is what a professinal coordinator will provide.

It is always exciting when people decide to get creative and/or take the extra step that makes their centerpieces unique.  Recently, I assisted at a wedding where the bride had collected amber vases that had a motif similar to leopard print.  She had gone to every Ross (because that’s where she found the first ones!) and bought every piece she could find.  She had vases, bowls, hurricanes, candle holders, all kinds of matching amber pieces.  We used those for the centerpieces, the candy buffet, cocktail tables, we had one huge grand piece for the entryway…the entire concept was striking!  And the best part was that those vases are unique to her wedding.  People will always connect those pieces to her wedding!  And buying the pieces on her own was similarly priced to buying the vases from the florist.  It was more work on her part because she had to collect the pieces, but in the end it was a unifying element and helped to “brand” her wedding!

The Empty Pieces