Hidden Venue Costs

Wedding coordinators can help you with the big things and also, all of the little things in all aspects of planning your wedding. One area couples may find frustrating is paying unexpected costs not originally budgeted for  -- such as costs associated with the venue.

According to TheKnot.com, simple weddings in a rustic barn can rack up costs for things such as bathroom trailers (which are nicer than a regular port-a-potty!), some climate control, and a generator since electricity is most likely not available. You and your wedding party will have to either hire someone or get your hands dirty setting up (including hanging lights, so your guests can actually see every kiss and the first dance!) and cleaning up.

Outdoor weddings seem simple enough, but if you plan to have two become one on a publicly-owned property, you may need to get a permit. If your reception is also outside, help your guests by having a Plan B, such as a tent to cover the entire reception space (again, another cost!) in case it rains.

Last but not least, hotels, which are very popular venues, can also have multiple hidden costs. Everything from a charge if the power goes out to a corkage fee for outside alcohol can increase your costs by more than you originally budgeted for. Keep in mind that all of this is something with which your professional wedding coordinator can be able to help you!! 

For more information about Events by Lexi, click here 

Holiday Weddings

As we approach holiday season in the U.S., I thought about weddings that are scheduled on holidays such as New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, even around Christmas. Is it a good idea? What are some Dos and Don'ts of holiday weddings?

I think the number one 'pro' of having a holiday wedding is that you won't forget your anniversary! But your friends and family may already have a vacation or family tradition scheduled for that holiday date, which may make things a bit awkward when guests are put in the situation of having to chose between your wedding and family tradition. On the flip side, friends and family may love that they will already be off work and won't feel guilty about taking a personal day to attend your wedding!

A holiday wedding may be beneficial to your budget when it comes to decorating. You may be able to ask the church or other venue to keep up their holiday decorations for your wedding if they go with your desired color theme. Guests might expect to see traditional holiday colors at your wedding, but try not to go overboard with the colors. Vendors such as DJ's and bakeries, however, may charge extra for services on and around a holiday, some may not be able to agree to the date.

If you chose to have your wedding on a holiday weekend, your out of town guests may appreciate the extra travel time as well as time to explore the area on their own. But make sure you want to invite kids to the wedding, because most families do not want to leave their kids on a holiday!

No matter what, remember that it is your day in your mind, but not all of your guests will be able to attend due to other commitments. Enjoy your day with those who do attend!

For more information about Events by Lexi, click here

Fall 2015 Wedding Trends

Drone Wedding Photos and GoPro Videos - some wedding videographers are starting to bring GoPro cameras and photographers are investing in drones to get an overhead view of an outdoor ceremony or views of the scenery around your wedding venue. The autumn leaves give your pictures and videos a pop of brilliant color that can’t be found during other seasons.

Creative Food and Drink - The Knot says hanging salads and donut dessert walls that double as escort cards are among the creative ideas you can talk to your wedding coordinator or caterer about during planning.

Marsala - Pantone LLC, the world-renowned authority on color, shared that this year’s color is called Marsala. Marsala is a red wine color that is perfect for a fall wedding as a primary color or an accent.

Pumpkins - Other than autumn leaves, pumpkins are probably the most recognizable decoration for fall. It is possible to decorate with pumpkins from the invitations to the reception centerpieces. Invitations can be decorated in a pumpkin orange that mixes well with the other colors (like Marsala) in your color scheme. Small pumpkins with leafy flowers would bring more color and texture to your tables.

Flowers in season - Many flowers may not be in season for your fall wedding or event so you’ll want to be aware of the flowers that are in season. You don't want to pay a lot for out-of-season flowers! Some interesting choices for fall include sunflowers, marigolds or carnations; classic roses are in season in autumn.

For more information about Events by Lexi, click here

You’re Engaged, Now What?

After calling your parents and best friends, you’re finally able to sit and start to think of all the things you have to do! Confirming a date, making a guest list, seating chart, deciding on colors, a bridal dress, the bridesmaids’ dresses, cake tastings…it can be a lot of fun but it can also be very overwhelming. One of the best decisions you can make is to decide to hire a wedding coordinator with whom you can work well and who fits your personality. A wedding coordinator, also called a wedding planner, can help with the budget, organization, planning, design, and day-of management of your special day.




Here are the top 5 reasons hiring a wedding coordinator should be the first thing you do:
        
     Coordinators will keep you on budget: Making and keeping a wedding budget can be hard when you have a million dollar wedding planned on Pinterest. But it is essential to have this discussion with your significant other and wedding coordinator. A critical part of a wedding coordinator’s job is to keep you on budget.
         Coordinators know local vendors: Planning a wedding means you and your significant other will be deciding on and working with many different people. The wedding coordinator you hire will know about the best caterers, DJs, bakers, and reception venues and will also know whom to avoid. If a vendor fails to appear, coordinators can call a backup. You may even be able to get a discount!
      Coordinators will make sure you don’t procrastinate: Wedding planning can be overwhelming, but coordinators are there to help you keep track of when contracts, deposits, and final payments are due to vendors as well as keeping appointments.
         Coordinators will make your day: Coordinators who work the day of your wedding will make sure everything goes smoothly and that you can focus on enjoying your day with your friends and family. Coordinators can do everything from making a schedule for the wedding day to being the go-to person for vendor and guest questions.
         Coordinators remember the small stuff: Seasoned coordinators know what makes a wedding go from good to unforgettable! It could be something as small as an emergency kit for the bride to something as big as remembering the tip envelopes for vendors.





Now that you know there is someone who will be in your corner, here’s why you should hire Lexi Schafer if you are planning a wedding in the Northern Virginia/Maryland/Southern Pennsylvania areas:

         Polished, Professional and Prepared: Lexi prides herself on having these three characteristics. She has over twenty years’ experience as a wedding coordinator. She has developed relationships with local vendors and knows what’s needed to make your wedding a day you’ll never forget.
         Your day, your way: Lexi always keeps in mind that her primary objective is to put her clients’ interests as top priority.
         Sole Proprietor: Lexi is the only person you will see or speak with when working with Events by Lexi. Your event is the only event Lexi will have on your special day, so she will be able to focus 100% on your wedding.
         Wedding Packages: Events by Lexi offers three wedding packages which vary from last-month preparation assistance to complete wedding coordination. Lexi will also provide timelines for planning and day-of so you stay on track.
      Works with you: No matter which package you pick, Lexi will work closely with you in all of your planning needs to make sure your day is everything you are dreaming it will be while reading this article.

For more information about Events by Lexi click here

Have You Seen Wedding Maps?!

Another fabulous idea I want to pass along to couples --

The Overwhelmed Bride Blog

---

Custom Wedding Maps by Feathered Heart Prints These are seriously the BEST. IDEA. EVER. And aren't they just so adorable?? ... custom wedding maps so none of your guests will get lost going from ceremony to reception!  They're perfect to include with your invitations or with your welcome bags  as guests arrive for your wedding weekend.  Instead of saying more, I am going to let you take a look for yourself and I know you're going to fall in love :)   Shop Feathered Heart Prints and create your own custom wedding maps below! All photos courtesy of Bleudog Fotography Share your thoughts about this idea!   Please be in touch at 410-978-2048 for more information on incorporating great ideas like this into your wedding or event! Have a great day! Lexi 410-978-2048 Events by Lexi

Wedding Programs

I saw this blog written and posted by The Overwhelmed Bride and thought it was such a cute idea, so I wanted to share it with all of you!!

She writes . . . . .

We were so excited when we discovered THE MOST ADORABLE wedding programs from Pomp Creative. So of course, we just had to feature them on our Bridal Boutique! If you're looking for a program that your guests will actually want to look at and take home with them (because we all know that most programs get tossed), then look no further! You've got to check them out :)





Photos courtesy of Bleudog Fotography.

Thank you to The Overwhelmed Bride for sharing this information!

Please be in touch if you have any wedding or event planning questions!

Have a great day!
Lexi
410-978-2048

Simple & Elegant Ways to add Details to your Wedding (or Event)

This blog was written by a wedding professional I follow -- thought you all would enjoy it, too!

Simple and Elegant Ways to Add Details to Your Wedding (or Event)

Get ready for some great ideas and inspiration!!

One major way to make your wedding simple, elegant, and fabulous is to have detailed surprises throughout your wedding and wedding-related events to dazzle your guests! I’ve included a few ideas for you to use some beautiful details in your wedding plans.

1. Your Wedding Brand:

You can hire a graphic designer, find beautiful creations on Etsy or choose from a vast number of other businesses to create an incredible design for your wedding. This can be a variety of fantastic designs. For example,  a funky pineapple (hospitality), peach or cotton (southern or Georgia wedding), or it can be as simple as incorporating your initial or monogram in a creative way. If you want something very traditional, monograms are always an excellent choice and many stationers offer a beautiful selection so that you do not have to fork out the expense of a graphic designer, if that’s not in the budget.

You can use your wedding brand in so many wonderful ways: Stationery, save-the- dates, invitations, thank-you notes, welcome notes, weekend itineraries, napkins, favors, menus, place cards, your guest book (or other guest sign in), send-off signage, animated lighting (on your dance floor, side of a building, tent), and cake “jewelry.”

Or if your look is like this wedding, you don’t have to have a specific brand. Just stay in keeping with the tone or theme you want to have underlying all events of the big day … or weekend!

2. Stationery:

Making your wedding as personalized and informative as possible can be much easier than you may imagine. Just get organized from the beginning when you have made your selections. All of your stationery should include your theme (color, tone and formality), starting with the very first printed mailing your guests receive (save-the-date or invitation) if you want to have a look that’s polished, pulled together and full of lovely details.

It’s also a nice touch to include a wedding invitation that contains all events of the weekend (if everyone is invited to all events, or specify the packet to only those invited to particular events). This way, your invitation tells more of a story of the weekend. Your guests will be delighted!

 3. Welcome Baskets and Bags:

There’s no nicer way to greet your guests as they arrive from travel than to present them with a beautiful basket or bag filled with treats. Also, make sure to include a personalized note and weekend itinerary and/or suggested shops, restaurants, sites and activities to enjoy.

4. Menu, Number Cards and Place Cards:

If you’re hosting a seated dinner or buffet with assigned seats, it’s always a nice touch to include personalized menu cards that also serve as a place card. This way they not only know where to be seated, but also what they’re about to enjoy for dinner festivities.

5. Thank-you Notes:

Always tie your thank-you notes into your overall wedding theme to make sure that the last thing a guest receives from your wedding (usually after the occasion) reminds them of how extraordinary and fabulous it was.

6. Well wishes:

Guests love writing you beautiful notes of wishes or congratulations, so why not offer cards (even slivers of left-over paper from other printings) for your guests to write you personal messages and include in your wedding album or scrapbook later. It will be fun for all involved!

7. Signage:

If your venue has specified parking areas, multiple ballrooms or can be difficult to locate, make sure to provide ample signage that is not only tied into the whole theme (use your brand or even as simple as the same font or wedding colors), but also very useful!

I hope this helps you in your planning process! 

Lexi

410-978-2048

lexi@eventsbylexi.com

Athens, Georgia Event Planner & Designer Natalie Bradley publishes the “Soirée Secrets” blog filled with secrets, tips and how-tos for planning your fabulous event. Get your exclusive inspiration, tips and tricks at http://NatalieBradley.com. Soirée by Natalie Bradley Events is an event planning and design company based in Athens, serving Athens, Georgia, Lake Oconee, Northeast Georgia mountains, Central Georgia and select wedding and event destinations.