Photo credit Hillary Leah Photography At 6 months out, things start to come together quickly. You'll have several final orders to place, final decisions to make on food, design, etc. We've got them all listed for you below! 1. All the dresses. Once you've found that perfect dress, get it ordered! You'll need time for it to come in, get fittings and alterations done before you walk down the aisle. Confirm your bridesmaid dresses. Thank goodness it's OK to mix and match bridesmaid dresses - sometimes it's too hard to pick just one! Look for inspiration on Pinterest for ideas on how to mix styles, shades of the same color, different colors, prints and more. Photo credit Hillary Leah Photography, Hair by Honeycomb Charm Beauty Parlor 2. Book your hair and makeup artist. Decide where you will be getting hair and makeup done - salon, house, venue, etc. This will help you narrow down your options on who you want to work with. Look through their previous work and talk with them about the style you want to make sure they can give you the perfect look. 3. Save the Dates and Invitations again. It's time to get your Save the Dates in the mail! After that you can finalize all your invitation details and get them ordered. Double check ALL the information - ceremony time, venue address, spelling of names, etc. 4. Schedule tasting with caterer and set menu options. Selecting a menu that provides plenty of options for all your guests and dietary needs can be stressful. A great caterer can help you choose a delicious menu that provides options for everyone. Ask your caterer to label items as Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, etc. on the buffet so guests can easily choose what they need. If fresh and flavorful food is right up your ally, consider a Farm to Table menu. Farm to Table menu's work with local farmers to source fresh, sustainable meats paired with the freshest, in season vegetables. The menu will reflect your tastes and the flavors of the season making for a unique dining experience for your guests! Photo credit Kaptured Photography 5. Schedule your cake tasting. In our opinion, one of the best meetings! Enjoy tasting the cake and icing flavor combinations. Talk through design ideas with the cake designer, also. Wedding cakes are truly an art that should be both beautiful and taste delicious! If cake isn't your thing, get creative. What about a pie bar? Donut wall? Or dessert bar with lots of options. At our wedding, my husband and I had a dessert reception - it definitely reflected my personality. Instead of one cake, we had several of my family favorites plus pie, cheesecakes, cookies, brownies and more. Yummm... 6. Start the playlist for your DJ. Think through ceremony songs as everyone walks down the aisle and again after you're pronounced man and wife! Go through options for your first dance, parent dances, etc. Your DJ can be a great resource on which songs or types of music will get everyone on the dance floor! 7. Design your table settings. So many options! Choose your linen colors, place settings, specialty chairs for sweetheart or head table, centerpieces, etc. There may be several vendors involved in creating your table settings - florist, rental company, planner, venue, china vendor, etc. Make sure you connect them all to ensure your design flows seamlessly. Once you have a plan in place, get those items reserved! Photo credit Shannon Ford Photography, Florals Stems Atlanta, Design Winey Blonde Events, China The Prissy Plate Company, Linens BBJ Linens 8. Book transportation. For your guests and yourselves after the wedding! Make sure everyone is taken care of. 9. Reserve any rentals. Need a dance floor? Specialty tables or chairs? Anything your venue or vendors aren't taking care of, you need to get reserved. You don't want to wait until a month before the wedding and realize the gorgeous handmade farm tables you were dreaming of have been booked for another wedding. 10. Rehearsal dinner plans. We'll end on another food topic! Start researching options for your rehearsal dinner. Will you host it at the venue? Are there nearby restaurants with private dining room options? Or perhaps the groom's parents would like to host it at their home. Talk about who will be invited to the rehearsal dinner. Start with those in the wedding party and immediate family. If you have close friends or family traveling from out of town, you may want to include them also. You're getting closer to the big day! 6 months may still seem like forever when you're waiting to begin your life with the one you love, but it will fly by. As always, let us know what questions you may have for us.
And if you haven't already started to consider it, a full service wedding planner can take A LOT of stress off of you by managing this list of to do items for you! - Becky Next steps - 4 months out. Previous planning for 9 months before your wedding.
0 Comments
Photo credit Camille Wilson Photography In our first post in the series (which you can find here), we covered the initial steps in wedding planning - most of which are exciting to work on. We can only warn you that this most may not be as "fun" but they are definitely critical items to work on. Just keep your focus on the wedding day and you can make it through it! 1. Select your bridal party. Bridal parties can range from one important person on each side to 10, 12, etc. Consider brothers and sisters on each side and if they will be included in the bridal party. Who are your closest friends? These may be friends you've known since grade school and kept in touch with, or more recent friends that you can't imagine your life without. Talk with your fiance about who they will have on their side. Good news - you don't have to place equal numbers on each side! After you have determined the list, make sure you ask them! You can go with a simple heartfelt conversation or a handwritten note to let them know you want them next to you on your big day. Or have fun with personalized gifts, small parties or cute cookies like the ones below from Be Sweet Omaha. 2. Gather addresses for all your guest. This can be one of the more daunting tasks (especially if your guest list has edged up to 200, 300 or more guests). You will need these for Save the Dates and Invitations. Work with your fiance and parents to split up the list and start calling, texting, emailing to get the addresses. You can also check out services such as Postable that will create a link which you can email everyone, they fill out their address and it compiles it into one list for you! P.S. Don't forget to send invitations to your bridal party, officiant, vendors, etc. This makes sure you have them in your final guest count! 3. Start reviewing invitations, save the dates and other stationery needs. Save the Dates should be sent 4 - 6 months before your wedding date and invitations 8 - 12 weeks before your wedding. Your invitations are the first introduction to your wedding style, so keep them consistent with the style decisions you made earlier. Your choices for invitations can seem endless. You can go through a big supplier like Minted, design your own or go fully custom with artists like Typo Boutique, or Yonder Design. P.S. If you are choosing your invitation with Minted, drop your email in the comments below and we'll send you a promo code to save on your invitations! Photo credit Ben Brinker Photography 4. Go wedding dress shopping. Ok, now we're getting to some fun stuff! You can find details on some of our favorite boutiques here. Be sure to try on several different styles - you may be surprised at one that fits you perfectly. It's great to have someone with you to help you with your decision, but be careful about making it too big of an outing (we've all seen how that can turn out on Say Yes to the Dress!) 5. Start your wedding registry. Here's another fun item that has several options for you. Many couples already have the basic home essentials and may not need to start from scratch like our parents may have. My husband and I both had a full set of household items when we got married. We used it as an opportunity to replace items we'd had for a few years, upgrade some things and come up with cohesive sets of silverware, etc. You can choose to visit brick and mortar stores to create your list or create it online. Feel free to get creative on registries - honeymoon funds, furniture or tool registries are great ideas! Photo credit Cynthia Sparks Photography 6. Book your photographer and videographer. Photographers book up quickly as they typically only do one wedding a day. When choosing your photographer, look through their editing style and the types of pictures they take. Make sure you meet with them before booking to make sure your personalities click! Find out more on how to work with your photographer to get wedding photos you dream of at our post here. 7. Book your florist. Your florist can play a large part in the overall design of your wedding day. The sooner you have them onboard the more they can help you create a cohesive design. Photo credit Camille Wilson Photography 8. Research guest accommodations and transportation. Ok, one last guest related task. Research accommodations for your out of town guests. Your venue can often help with recommendations. Think outside of the typical hotel and consider if there are cabins or guest houses near by. This makes it easier for guests to spend time together outside of the wedding not crammed into hotel rooms or lobbies! Check into shuttles if you have large groups of out of town guests. This makes sure everyone arrives on time, removes the stress of finding a new place in an unfamiliar area and lets them get back safely after enjoying the party! We know we gave you quite a few tasks this time! Work on it in small pieces and mix in the fun with the "not so fun" items to get you through it. Leave us a comment below if you have any questions we can help with! (And don't forget to leave your email address if you are interested in our savings code for Minted)
- Becky Next steps for 6 months before your wedding. Previous post for first steps to planning your wedding. Photo credit Camille Wilson Photography Hooray, you’re engaged! You may have already been planning your dream wedding on Pinterest or you may have no idea where to even start. We’re starting a short series today to walk you through the steps to plan your wedding! 1. Discuss possible wedding dates. Is there a special time of year that you love? Here in North Georgia, Fall is the most sought after season for cooler weather and color. Are there dates you need to avoid for school or work? If you’re an accountant, an early Spring wedding probably isn’t for you! If you have siblings or close friends also planning a wedding, their chosen date may influence your choice. Having some flexibility on specific dates can help you with venue options. If you do have a set date, start looking for your venue as early as possible. 2. Budget and guest count. I’m placing these together as they have a direct connection. It will be very difficult to have a wedding for 200 guests with a $5,000 budget. Sit down with the budget decision makers to determine what your total budget will be. From there, you can start to determine what your max guest count can be. Your venue, tables, chairs, linens, catering, cake, bar and flowers are all directly affected by your guest count. There are several helpful calculators online to figure out pricing guidelines for your area. Read more about what makes up your budget at our post here. Photo credit Gina Cellino Photography 3. Start to discuss wedding style. Do you want an outdoor ceremony or a ballroom setting? Are you looking for a chic space in the city or more relaxed setting? Is a historic mansion your dream space? Or are you looking for an experience? Something like our Farm to Table approach that celebrates the seasons and supports small, local businesses. 4. Now, you can start to look for a venue! Once you understand your ideal dates, budget, guest count and style you can start to narrow down venues to tour. Where do you find these venues? A simple Google search will often provide lots of options. Sites such as Here Comes The Guide, Wedding Wire, Wedding Spot or The Knot let you filter options on several venues. As you look through your options, discuss the different offerings of each venue with your fiancé. Do you want an all-inclusive option to streamline planning, are you ok with food and beverage minimums, do you prefer your wedding be the only focus of the day for the venue or are you ok with a venue that hosts multiple events each day? After you have narrowed down your options, set up tours. Seeing the venue in person and talking with the staff will help you know which space fits you best. Photo credit Kaptured Photography 5. Talk through the ceremony. Are there certain traditions you want to include? Unity candles, tree planting ceremonies, communion and other options all add to your ceremony. Decide if you will be writing you own vows or using traditional vows. (If you want more info on creating your vows, check out our post here.) Will you have special music during the ceremony? One of our recent brides had her daughter sing a couple songs during the ceremony and it was beautiful! What about religious requirements? Make sure you understand from your priest, rabbi, etc. what is required and how that impacts the ceremony. Photo credit Kaptured Photography 6. Start to think through your floral preferences and needs. How many bouquets will you need for the bridal party? Do you want floral centerpieces and what style? Are you dreaming of an elaborate installation for the ceremony or reception space? If you want to highlight flowers that are in season and locally grown, you may need to talk with the farmer florist in plenty of time for them to plant flowers in your style and color or discuss what may be available. We love growing flowers specifically for our brides on their wedding day! It’s one more way we can serve them with love. Photo credit Shannon Ford Photography 7. Last one for now - food! Start thinking about what type of food you want at your reception. A seated dinner with a full meal for everyone? Cocktail reception with lots of variety? Do you want a buffet or plates dinner option? One of our favorites for smaller weddings is a family style service that encourages community and conversation with guests. Don’t forget your cake! Or will it be pie, cupcakes, donuts - there are a ton of fun options. Now that I’ve loaded you up with plenty to think through and talk about, I’ll leave you to it! Feel free to drop a comment below if you have any questions!
- Becky Next steps for 9 months before your wedding. Photo Andy Calvert Photography Seating charts can be a great tool to welcome your guests and make sure everyone can easily find a seat. A few easy steps will make sure you have the perfect seating chart for your wedding! 1. Know your final guest count and table layout. If your guests haven't sent their RSVP by the requested date, reach out to them and get their final reply. You'll need this count for your vendors also! With your final count, work with your venue, planner or decorator to set the final table layout. This will let you know how many can sit at each table and where the best tables are. 2. Determine who is sitting with you! Is it just you and your new spouse at a sweetheart table? Or will you have the bridal party sit with you? With or without their dates? This will determine the size of your head table or estate table. If your bridal party doesn't sit with you, you can either give them a reserved table with their dates or sit them at other tables with guests they know. 3. Figure out the family table. Who will sit with your parents and your new spouse's parents? The best thing to do is ask! Do they want to sit with grandparents, aunts and uncles? Or do they want some of their friends included at their table? 4. Start to group guests together. How do you know everyone on your guest list? Extended family, college friends, co-workers, etc. As you start to form these groups, you will create groups of guests that most likely know each other and will enjoy conversation over dinner. 5. Think through where you place any single guests. It can be awkward to be the only one without a plus one at a table of couples - especially if they don't know most of the couples well. Place them with a group they will enjoy and they won't notice their single stats as much. Also, make sure your tables are set up with just the number of chairs needed. Nothing yells "Single!" louder than an empty chair next to someone. Work with your venue, planner or decorator to make adjustments to the table layout as needed once you have your seating chart decided. Flexible arrangements with communal tables, estate tables, different size rounds or other unique elements will help your seating chart fit your guests and make everyone comfortable!
- Becky Cale and I are more “skip-a-generation” farmers than second generation farmers. Second generation farmers aren’t something you find often in the Metro-Atlanta area. He grew up visiting his Papa’s farm – feeding cattle, gathering eggs, and helping with other farm chores were highlights of those visits. But growing up in Smyrna, GA, farming wasn’t viewed as an occupation – farm land was what had been turned into subdivisions and highways during our parent’s generation. My mom grew up in Roswell, GA and can remember when there used to be horse farms where GA 400 is now.
My parents and grandparents always kept a small vegetable garden every summer. My Papa had grown up on a small farm and filled his backyard with tomatoes, okra, corn and more each summer – which my mom and her sisters helped weed, water, harvest and can each year. Family dinners during the summer always included a platter of fresh sliced tomatoes from the garden – it’s a flavor you can’t find in a grocery store! As the Metro-Atlanta area continues to grow, backyard space for small gardens is becoming more scarce. Many people work long hours added onto long commutes, so time for tending a garden is difficult to find also. But for those of us who grew up reaping the benefits of our parents’ and grandparents’ knowledge – we know we are missing out! Our goal with Pleasant Union Farm is to reconnect people with farm fresh goods and provide farm experiences within driving distance of where they live and work (an hour drive to our farm from Atlanta is often less then most weekday commutes and a much prettier drive!) We currently offer the farm for weddings, Farm to Table dinners and U-pick days. We’d love to add on other ways to experience Farm Life with us – like Goat Milking and Lotion making classes, Farm Tours, plant sales and more. - Becky Photo Camille Wilson Photography Flowers are one of the most beautiful parts of a wedding. They incorporate the bride's colors and style, but did you know different flowers have different meanings? Crysanthemum - These are beautiful additions to Fall bouquets and symbolize fidelity, optimism, long life and joy. Daisy - This cheerful little bloom is gorgeous in Spring and Summer weddings. Daisies speak of innocence, purity and loyal love. Hydrangea - These large, soft blooms are available year round and show heartfelt emotion. Peony - Symbolizing happy life and happy marriage, this is a perfect wedding flower for lots of reasons! Queen Anne's Lace - (one of my personal favorites) adds gorgeous airy blooms to bouquets and symbolizes haven or sanctuary. Rose - Symbolizing love, it makes perfect sense that this bloom is seen throughout wedding bouquets. Snapdragons - These spiky blooms are beautiful in Spring and Fall and speak to graciousness and strength. As your wedding bouquet comes together, look through the flowers represented and what they convey about your marriage. It's another layer to add to the vows and traditions that begin your marriage!
- Becky Let’s face it, if you are planning for your “Best Day Ever,” I’ll bet most of your Pinterest boards are loaded with reception ideas and bridal attire. Be sure to set aside time for your wedding ceremony planning. You could consider the ceremony to be the most important part of your wedding day …the reason you have invited all of your guests and where you will display the love you have for one another. Below is a timeline of ideas to assist in wedding ceremony planning: Rehearsal: The rehearsal can give you peace of mind and remind everyone: when they walk, where they stand, what you two will say, where parents sit, etc. It should take around an hour and can be done anytime during the week before your wedding day. It does not have to occur at the ceremony site, either. Rehearsals are optional, but will give you a better feel for how the ceremony will flow Prelude: Plan for thirty minutes of music before your ceremony starts, which is when guests begin to arrive. Did you know its proper for guests to arrive and be seated twenty minutes before? See Wedding Etiquette for more rules every southern girl should know. Processional: If grandparents are in attendance, they are seated first. Next, the MOB (mother of bride) is escorted by a special gentleman (brother, son, etc) and seated to the left on the first row. Then, the MOG (mother of the groom) is seated on the right on the first row. The groom, best man, and officiant usually walk in together either down the aisle or from the side. Groomsmen will follow. The ladies walk down the aisle, usually to different music, however this is completely up to you. Maid of honor will be last in line, so she will be standing next to you at the altar Children: Should you have any flower girls, ring bearers, etc., they will walk down the aisle right before you. I think they just add the perfect amount of sweetness to a ceremony. Yes, you should have children in your ceremony, if at all possible. They don’t steal the show, just add to it The Bride: Traditionally, a bride is accompanied by her father on her right side and will lift her veil as they reach the end of the aisle. In unique family situations, this is an opportunity to honor your loved ones and choose your escort/s according to your unique situation. See Music for “your” Wedding Ceremony. Now, here’s a tradition I happen to love (I have two daughters). The MOB is the first to rise upon seeing the bride and her father (or whoever is escorting you) and then guests will follow her lead. This gives the MOB a sweet moment before all the guests rise, potentially blocking her view. Also, can’t fail to mention the look on the groom’s face as he gets a glimpse of his true love …another favorite moment! This is probably the best and only reason you might forgo the “first look.” Greeting: The officiant will greet all the guests and announce the reason for the gathering. This is also a great time to add a little background to the couple’s story, also known as, the marriage address. Readings: One to three readings are appropriate, (as well as none) but certainly optional. Many other rituals are completely up to you if you choose to include, i.e., unity candle, jumping the broom, sand ceremony, foot washing, and many more. Music: A hymn or solo is a great way to add a special moment to your ceremony. Again, this can be left out as well. Exchanging of Vows: This symbolizes the moment when the bride and groom become husband and wife. Whether you choose traditional vows or write your own, this is your chance to declare to everyone what you will honor in your marriage. Exchanging Rings: Don’t forget the ring vows, which seals the promises exchanged. Most couples wouldn’t think to practice this, but its a good idea. I've heard so many mention the trouble they had slipping the ring on to someone else’s finger. Recessional: After your officiant presents you to your guests and you seal the ceremony with a kiss, you two will walk back down the aisle as husband and wife. My suggestion is to choose an upbeat song for the recession to emulate the joy and happiness of the event. Now that you’re married, let the celebration continue!!! - Allison Parker of L&L Farm in Tennessee
Authentic farm weddings hold our heart. At our barn wedding venue in North Georgia, we offer a true farm-to-table experience with fresh blueberries, seasonal produce and cut flowers.
Our Farm To Table Wedding package features many items grown on the farm. We love working with our florists to plan ahead for your wedding color palette and plant flowers just for your wedding! The process starts as you work with our florist to determine your color palette and wedding style. They share that vision with us, and we start to look through available flower types and colors that typically bloom during the time of your wedding date. From there, we buy all the seeds - this is probably the most fun part other than harvesting the flowers! We get to dream about all the potential. We start most of our flowers by seed and grow them inside for a few weeks until they are ready to be planted. The majority of our flowers are grown in raised beds - this allows us to provide them with the best soil and cuts down on weed management (the NOT fun part of farming!) Once they are planted, we water, fertilize, pray and watch to make sure they grow the best they can for your wedding! We were already excited to add farm grown flowers to our wedding offerings, but after seeing the inspiration dreamed up by this talented team of vendors - we are ecstatic for what the future holds! Stems Atlanta dreamed up a garden growing on the table - how whimsical and romantic is that?! The bouquet and bridemaid flower wands just added to the overall charm of the inspiration. The Prissy Plate company added her gorgeous place settings to complete the look. And Hillary Leah Photography captured it all with glowing images! We hope it inspires you to dream about your wedding day! Photographer Hillary Leah Photography Florist Stems Atlanta China The Prissy Plate Company Cakes My Cake Lady Lynne Dresses Wedding Angels Bridal Hair and Make Up Honey Comb Charm Beauty Parlor Venue Pleasant Union Farm Are you stuck at the intersection of Pinterest overload with visions of glistening weddings and making those dreams a reality? Weddings need a whole cast of supporting teams to run smoothly and bring your vision to life. Some of those vendors may be easy to figure out - florist, cake designer, venue. Others may not jump out at you right away - like a Day of Coordinator. We’ve got you covered with a list of vendors and their role in serving your wedding day. 1. Venue - we are starting here because venues set you up for many of your later decisions. Your wedding date will be set once you book your venue and you’ll need that information for all the other vendors. Some venues include certain vendors - think catering or coordinator. That will cross some off your list (but make sure you verify their roles so you know you are fully covered) Your dream venue may also have a list of Preferred Vendors. This can be handled a couple of ways. They may require you to choose from them - check out these vendors to know if they are a good fit and stick within your budget. Another Preferred Vendor style does not require you to use them but I would highly recommend looking into these vendors. Your venue is letting you know these vendors have consistently done a great job and they enjoy working with them. That smooth working relationship will be valuable on your wedding day. You can find all the details on our pricing and packages for our North Georgia wedding venue here. 2. Photographer - photographers typically do one wedding a day. There are exceptions with larger photography studios that employ several photographers and have someone oversee editing style - but this is a minority of what couples choose. You want to find a photographer whose style you love and whose personality you click with. Their style encompasses their editing style and what types of photos they take - is it mainly posed, lots of candids, details, etc. Think through all of these as you decide what photos you want to tell your wedding story. Their personality is extremely important. You need to be relaxed and have fun with them to make you comfortable in front of the camera! There are a list of other photo sessions you may want to book - engagement session (great for Save the Date announcements and wedding website), Bridal Portrait, Boudoir, Trash the Dress, etc.) Check our what your photographer offers and what you are interested in. Please, do not go with the cheapest price here! This is the lasting memory of the wedding day and you don’t get a do over. Check out our Vendors page to see some of our favorite Atlanta and North Georgia Wedding photographers. 3. Caterer - your guests will remember the food! This is a key part to ensuring your guests enjoy the day. If your venue includes the catering, that will help streamline the process but you still need to do your homework to make sure everything you need/want is included. Appetizers - do they include appetizers for cocktail hour? Besides the fact that alcohol with no food is not a great idea, the inclusion of appetizers will help your guests enjoy Cocktail hour. This helps bridge the time between ceremony and dinner. You will be busy with post ceremony photos which could take 30 mins - 1 hour. A few appetizers will help carry guests over to dinner and enjoy the time. Entrees - what are your choices and how many entrees are provided? Having at least two entree options for guests help ensure the majority can find something they enjoy. Sides - along with entrees, two - three side options help fill in for your guests. Keep in mind options that meet dietary needs like vegetarian or gluten free. Services - caterers do much more than just provide the food. They provide the equipment needed to keep it hot or cold, set up food, serve, clean tables, handle trash, cake cutting and more. Make sure you find out if they are providing plates, cups, napkins. Ask if they are disposable or china and make sure that matches up with your vision. We work with several amazing North Georgia wedding caterers that provide great options and service. 4. Florist - your florist can handle anything from flower design to additional decor to full wedding design. Talk through the options with your florist and what they include with each to determine what you need. Your florist should handle delivery, setup and breakdown of your flowers. They may also stay to help with a room "flip" if you are doing your ceremony and reception in the same space. If your venue includes floral, make sure you get the details on what is included in the pricing! It can be anything from bridal bouquet and groom's boutonniere only to table centerpieces and more. You also want to understand what style and types of flowers are included. If you are dreaming of a lush, cascading bouquet filled with peonies - that may cost extra! Our all-inclusive packages include a generous floral allowance and some talented florists. 5. Cake Designer - tiered wedding cakes take skill to make and ensure they are beautiful and tasty! Your cake designer will do a tasting with you to determine which flavors you prefer, talk through the design and what type of icing may be needed and discuss additional items like incorporating flowers from your florist into the design. Your cake designer will deliver the cake to your venue - this is a critical piece and great vendors know how to construct the cake so it will arrive safely. They will not, however, stay to cut the cake. That's why is critical to talk with your caterer to make sure they cover this. They will need to cut it correctly to make sure there is enough cake for all the guests. We offer a choice of delicious North Georgia bakers for you to choose from in our wedding packages. 6. DJ - they aren't just here to play some dance music! Your DJ will often cover ceremony music as well. They will cue the songs at the right moments to ensure everything runs smoothly. They often provide wireless mics for the officiant. Your DJ should have all their own sound equipment that they bring with them. This ensures they know how it works and that it will work for your wedding day! Rented equipment and playlists on an ipad do not compare! Your DJ will get your list of songs for First Dance, Parent Dances, etc. plus your list of Do and Do Not play items to keep the party going. They should have soft background music during cocktail hour and dinner to complement the setting. Dead silence during dinner can make everyone uncomfortable! They will also work with your Coordinator to make announcements and keep the schedule for the day going. Our wedding packages include a DJ to cover you from ceremony through reception. 7. Day of Coordinator - they can also be referred to as Month of Coordinator, Wedding Planner, etc. Terms are used differently depending on the area you are in and you'll want to understand what each one includes. At a minimum, you will want someone to come alongside you about a month before the wedding. They should gather all your vendor information and become the primary point of contact for vendors to make sure your wedding vision comes to life. Your Coordinator will also develop your timeline so everyone knows when to arrive and what should happen in order. They will make sure your vendors have the venue information and show up on time the day of your wedding. They will become your main point of contact throughout the day for any questions or concerns you may have. Your Coordinator will cue everyone through the ceremony and reception to keep everything running smoothly. They should be there until the end of the night for the send off and then to help pack up the personal items that should go home with you, your parents, etc. We love the North Georgia wedding coordinators included in our all-inclusive packages, and we know you will too! 8. Bartender - each state, county or city will have specific requirements for serving alcohol at your wedding. The right bartender will make sure everything meets these requirements. They keep the alcohol service running smoothly throughout the night and make sure everyone has a good time safely! The liability on the couple as a host can be huge, so make sure you dot your i's and cross your t's on this one! We provide guidance to some tried and true bartenders to cover your wedding needs. 9. Rentals/Decor - these are the touches that help make your day unique, but it can also become overwhelming quickly! If you are renting items or bringing in decor, you need to understand who will be delivering, setting up and removing all the items (and within your venue's time allowance). Most rental companies will deliver and they may do one set up, but they won't stick around to move chairs from ceremony to reception. There may be additional set up fees for rented china, table decor, etc. Typically, it's worth it to pay for this! It takes much longer to set out 150 place settings than you think. Plus these are the experts on where everything should be placed and they will make sure it looks perfect. You may think you can enlist your bridesmaids to knock it out quickly, but remember they are doing hair and makeup and celebrating with you - not trying to remember which side of the plate the fork goes on. 10. Officiant - someone has to make it legal! There are several choices for who will perform your actual ceremony. It may be a minister that you know personally, an officiant that specializes in weddings or perhaps two best friends that introduced you and decide to become ordained to perform your ceremony! Make sure you have time to talk with your officiant so they can get to know you a little, understand what type of ceremony you want and go through your vows. 11. Hair and Makeup Artist - these vendors will bring out your beauty to help you feel your best and shine in photos. You have a range of options from going to a salon to finding professionals who will travel to you. Ask for photos of their work to make sure it matches up with your style. Schedule a trial run a few weeks before your wedding so you both know exactly what you want! There you have it. By no means an exhaustive list as there are so many options as you develop what is most important to you, but these are some very key vendors you will need. It's a lot to go through, so if you do have a preferred list from your venue or recommendations from others - start there!
Best of luck with the wedding planning! - Becky Photo Camille Wilson Photography If you are dreaming of a unique wedding full of character and flavor that emphasizes community, a Farm to Table wedding may be perfect for you. We offer a great Farm to Table wedding package you can see here. Farm to Table weddings emphasize what is local and in season to create a wedding that flows perfectly with your location and wedding date. Imagine a Fall wedding surrounded by changing leaves, autumn flowers such as dahlias and crysanthemums highlighting the tones of nature, a family style meal highlighted by roasted autumn vegetables, seasonal greens and crisp apple cider in the cool air. It all flows perfectly and adds character to your wedding that no one else will have. The flowers featured in your bouquet are what is blooming that week and the produce was picked just for you. We love hosting Farm to Table weddings at our farm in North Georgia. It's a perfect way to tie in our love of farming with the weddings we host. There are many ways to incorporate Farm to Table in your wedding and create the character that reflects you as a couple. Photo Kaptured Photography Choose seasonal items in your menu. Talk with your caterer about what produce is fresh for your wedding date and what they might be able to get locally. Carrots and leafy greens are great in both Spring and Fall and easy to work into your side dishes. Fresh tomatoes and corn will be the highlight of Summer weddings. Appetizers are a great opportunity to highlight seasonal fare - goat cheese tarts with apples and pickled red onions were a hit at one of our September weddings. Keep it simple with cheese and fruit or crudite trays featuring seasonal produce. Local, in season produce is picked ripe and used at it's peak which means it's full of flavor that your guests will be delighted with! Photo Camille Wilson Photography Use in season flowers for your bouquet. If you are struggling with what colors you should use for your wedding or wanting to do something different than the last 10 weddings you've attended, using local, seasonal flowers is a great place to start. Nature drives our color palettes even if we don't realize it - that's why you see soft, romantic tones more in Spring weddings and rich, jewel hues in Fall. If you look around at what is blooming each season, you find it reflected in color palettes. Using in season flowers will provide you with a palette that blends perfectly with the season. The flowers you use are also conditioned to grow in that season, so they will hold up better in arrangements. Using local flowers gives you access to items that don't ship well and guarantees a unique look. One of the reasons you see roses, hydrangeas, and other similar flowers in most weddings is they ship easily and are available to anyone year round. Field grown flowers like dahlias, zinnias, snapdragons, cosmos and more are best delivered within driving distance and provide unique arrangements. Photo Hillary Leah Photography Consider local vineyards or breweries for your bar. Take a day to do some wine tasting at local vineyards as part of your wedding planning! In our area of North Georgia, there are several vineyards throughout Ellijay, Blueridge and Dahlonega. Highlight one or two selections in your bar menu for local flavor. Signature cocktails are also a great way to highlight seasonal flavor. Fresh herbs add lots of flavor to mixed drinks. Pinterest is great for finding great cocktail recipes featuring in season fruit - blackberries, blueberries, peaches, etc. (Blueberry Belini anyone?) Photo Kaptured Photography Highlight seasonal fruit in your cake or dessert. Top your wedding cake with ripe strawberries, peaches, or figs for beautiful decoration and flavor. You can get more creative and add on pies, cobblers, tarts and more that really highlight the flavor of the fruit. Hand out local fried apple pies to guests as they are dancing the night away in the Fall. During the summer, cool off guests during cocktail hour with fresh fruit popsicles or homemade strawberry ice cream. Photo by Hillary Leah Photography Gift Farm Fresh favors to your guests. Soap, lotion, jams, honey, syrup - there are so many options to be found at local farms and Farmer's Markets that will highlight what the community can offer to your guests. Unique items that guests can use or eat are the least likely favors to be forgotten. Share mini jars of local honey in the summer, apple butter in the fall or handmade goat milk soap year round. Add a customized label or stamp, stack them up in crates or place at each setting to fill out your tablescape. Creating a Farm to Table wedding is a great way to welcome your guests to your wedding and highlight the importance of community. We love to build on the warmth a Farm to Table wedding inspires by serving a portion of the meal family style to start conversations as guests share food. There are so many ways to build on the intimate feeling of a Farm to Table wedding like sharing seeds with guests to start their own garden, using a tree planting as part of your ceremony, highlighting an illustrated map of where the local produce came from at the sign in table and more. We would love to hear about any ideas you incorporate in your wedding or share some thought starters with you - just leave a comment below! - Becky Find out more about our Farm to Table weddings here. |
AuthorPleasant Union Farm is a family owned wedding venue in North Georgia, about an hour north of Atlanta. Archives
June 2023
Categories |