Using manzanita trees to hang escort cards has been an extremely popular trend the last few years.  It looks so lovely and cool in photos that if you’re already using trees in your decor, its hard to pass up.
BUT, it does pose some challenges.  First, its not immediately clear to your guests that they’re supposed to take the cards.  Hanging on the trees, they look so much like decor that your guests don’t necessarily know that these cards are vital to your seating arrangements.
Also, your guests may not be able to find their names.  The pure simple beauty of cards displayed alphabetically on a table is that your guests immediately know what to do and how to look for their name.  That does not always translate to a tree.  There is no way to simply and easily arrange cards on a tree so that your guests merely have to skim through to find their name.  If just doesn’t work that way, nor can it.  Invevitably, they will be looking card by card until they find their own (if they find their own).
So then what do you do if you’re tied to the idea of using these lovely branches to arrange your escort cards?  Well…

• You can use the branches to ACCENT the table on which the cards will be displayed.
• You can label the trees to help your guests narrow their search.
• You can use small wire hooks to create more lateral space on the tree branches, thus making it easier to hang and remove escort cards.
• You can create a seating chart, break it up into multiple sections, and hang each section on the tree….labeled of course!  So instead of one huge 3′ x 4′ foam board you would have multiple 1′ x 6″ sections!

Just remember, when it comes to seating your guests it really must be functional.  Otherwise, your guests will be confused, have to be re-directed and a seating period that should have taken no more than 30 minutes will end up pushing 60!

Happy Planning!

Analogy time!

About two years ago I bought a designer handbag from Target. (You all know Target gets some pretty good designers these days and for less!) Anyways, I’ve casually used the bag on and off since the purchase. Recently, it became my go to bag. I was using it on a regular basis because it suited my needs. And one day while I was out running errands…the braided leather handle broke. NOT a happy camper. But it was my go to bag of the moment so I took it be repaired. The handbag doctor fixed it up and I thought it was as good as new! Yeah. Not quite. Spent the day in wine country two weeks ago. The other handle broke. It was at that point that I realized I was not sporting a designer handbag for less…I was sporting less than a designer handbag. The bag was worth exactly what I paid for it and not a penny more.  However, my beautiful French leather bag that I spent several hundred dollars on has taken a beating in the year that I’ve had…no problems whatsoever! Its a handbag that on some days looks like my luggage because its so jam packed with stuff…but not a single stitch is out of place.   Worth every penny and then some!

“Worth every penny and then some” is how you should feel about your Wedding Planner / Coordinator. Its not about how cheap or inexpensive they are, but what they are offering you. Did they plan their own wedding and decide to “go in to business” or spend years in the industry developing their skills before taking on the most important day in your life? Have they only ever “planned” or have they spent time in the caterer’s/photographer’s/florist’s shoes? Do they crack under pressure and stress or thrive in those situations? I know with finances being what they are these days, its tempting to scoop up the “deal” but the deal may not be worth it in the end.

So you can use the “broken handle” Wedding Planner because they are offering you a good deal, but remember the deal comes with trade-offs. Or you can use the “not a single stitch out of place” Wedding Planner that offers you exceptionally high quality service, won’t fall apart on you when you need them the most, and leaves you feeling like it was the best money you ever spent. The choice is entirely up to you.

And when all else fails and you don’t know what to do… ask questions! Nothing is more valuable than being as informed about your decision as you possibly can be.

Happy Planning!