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Five Wedding Planning Concerns
by Kendall Brown, Eclatante Events
“How do I chose a wedding planner?” I think this one of the questions I am asked the most. And my answer? My answer is this: find one that you like, look at photographs from past events they’ve done to make sure you like their ideas and style, but most importantly you should like them. This is a very important relationship in the planning of a wedding and you should be working with someone who makes it fun for you. Once you start working with a planner you’ll realize that they should envision your celebration just the way you want them to – with a unique aesthetic scheme that is part of an overall perfect event that takes YOUR desires to heart. .
Recently I have been inspired by “anti-structure”. Gone are the days of rigid rules and musts. Events, from weddings to dinner parties and everything in-between, are about the people who throw them and through my eyes, I enhances your vision and taste to meet with more modern ultra cool standards. Below, I have outlined five concepts that are the most popular concerns of today’s bride.
Pre wedding parties: I encourage couples to celebrate their own unique characteristics with these parties. For instance, one couple was having a traditional Israeli wedding and I created two parties (one for the girls and one for the boys) where the guests learned Israeli folk dance lessons, complete with choreographed dances that would be included at the wedding reception.
Couples traditions: Since most of my couples are later in life weddings, I encourage them to incorporate their own traditions into the wedding. My couples have backgrounds apart and together and they bring that to the wedding in a variety of ways. One couple shared a love of Broadway shows. Their ceremony music was all taken from Broadway hit musicals. And their dessert was a stunning and scrumptious red glossy chocolate New York City apple! Another one of my couples shared a devotion to European food and wine. So I created a décor concept that was not focused on flowers, but about Italian ceramics, amazing displays of antipasto and great long wooden tables where the food is served family style and paired with an assortment of wine in gorgeous Italian decanters. A wonderful wine tasting for the guests during dinner.
To receive or not to receive: Hearing thousands of cries for a stop to the seasons’ endless receiving lines, I usually suggest that couples forego the receiving line in favor of a longer cocktail “hour”. Let the couple “receive” their guests as the hosts to a perfectly lit, beautifully decorated and flawlessly served cocktail reception where they can walk from guest to guest and no one is wishing it was over so they can get to the appetizers and cocktails.
No one wants to sit next to Aunt Mildred. Are sit down dinners a thing of the past?: Not necessarily, but they aren’t a given anymore either. My clients are opting for fun cocktail receptions followed by after parties where guests can stand up, sit down and mingle wherever they choose and graze among several food stations. A favorite alternative is a customized chef’s bar with an abbreviated menu of short plates. Since the number one complaint I hear from clients is the process of arranging the seating, my clients opt for the relaxed formality of a arranged seating type of dinner. Add in sofas, pillows and lighting to create just he right ambiance and great music, and you have yourself an amazing social atmosphere that people will rave about for years to come. Great groupings of lounge seating with hi-back benches, loveseats and low tables and club–type atmospheres give events a distinct and memorable flavor.
Unique touches: At a recent event I created custom “Twister” like spinners that depicted the layout of the event and directed guests on where they could find food, drinks and dessert. I’ve made guest books created out of cocktail table books, seating cards that depicted a couple’s favorite pieces of art; and served warm cookies and milk to guests on their way home on a chilly evening. Couples love something truly unique that makes their event different from anyone elses.
Additional information and event photos are available on the web at www.eclatantedesign.com.