♥ Happy Valentine's Day ♥

It’s important to step back from planning your wedding and remembering why you got engaged in the first place. Make sure to go out on dates or even plan a special night in. It’s easy to get caught up in other things, so create a date jar; it’s super simple!

All you need is:

Popsicle sticks

A Jar

Markers

Here are two ways you can create your date jar:

Option #1 Have different color popsicle sticks to signify a night in, a night out, a free date, a nicer date, etc; that way it’ll be easier to pick out what will suit you better for that day.

Option #2 Have three different colors to signify $, $$, $$$ (different priced dates).

**I didn't have popsicles, so I used colored post-its instead. A color guide is also helpful so you don't forget what each color signifies. NO RULES- GET CREATIVE!!!**

 After your craft project, here are some creative date ideas to write on your popsicle sticks (or post-its) and to save you money while planning your wedding:

Date Idea #1: A Night In

 Tired of the same old meals every week? Look up a recipe of something neither of you have tried!

Date Idea #2: A Night Out

 A night out doesn't always mean going out to dinner. Change it up by going to a comedy club!

Date Idea #3: Free Date

 Become a tourist in your own city! Visit your city's website and find out what is going on that you can do for free without having to travel far.

Date Idea #4: $ Date

If you like wine, check out your local vineyards. You'll get to sample local wines and many places even give you a wine glass to take home.

Date Idea #5: Throwback Date

Go on a date to the zoo! It’ll bring back childhood memories and you can create new memories. Plus, it’s cheap!

**Check out our Pinterest page for more ideas!**

You can use these even after you’re married; it’s important to keep on dating each other even after marriage! Have fun on your dates and Happy Valentine’s Day from Knot Your Average Events!

Reasons to Attend a Bridal Show

Planning a wedding can be a bit overwhelming at times, but attending a bridal show can help put your mind at ease! When you walk through the doors and look around the room, it may seem like a dreadful task because you don’t know where to start and you know you are going to be bombarded with more information than you need. Trust me, it’s worth it. Don’t believe me? Here are some reasons to attend a bridal show and/or open house:

• It’s nice to put a face to a name when meeting vendors. It’s going to be more helpful than looking at a million websites and not having that interaction.

• It’s easier to narrow down the options in each area as long as you keep your budget in mind.

• You can see if you’ll interact well with a vendor and not just a screen; you’ll be able to pick up on their personality and see if they will be a right fit for your wedding.

• There will be a lot of information, but it’s less than if you spend hours searching on the internet.

• It’s great even if you have some vendors already booked. It’ll be easy to find your last few vendors because you’ll know what you’re looking for.

• Even if you just got engaged and haven’t started the planning process, it’s a great way to get ideas, but make sure you know your budget first!

• Most importantly, they are there for YOU; they are more than happy to help you.

Here are some tips when attending a bridal show/ open house:

• Get a babysitter for your kids. They will distract you and this is your time to be finding your vendors for your big day.

• Create sticker labels so you won’t have to be filling out a form left and right. It will save you time not having to write your name, number, address, email, and wedding date. Even add in a picture of yourself, so the vendor will know exactly who you are when you contact them.

Questions to Ask Your Venue

Looking for a venue can be intimidating and everything revolves around your location. When you're looking for your venue, keep in mind your vision and what comes with it. Do you want it indoors or outdoors? Do you want it to be rustic or classic? Once you have narrowed down your choices, here are a few key questions to ask your venue:

 

One of the biggest questions to be asking your venue is, “How many people can they host?” This is make or break depending on how many people you are expecting at your wedding. You don’t want your guests to be crammed into a back room or so spread out they can't all be together.  You want to have space for all of  your vendors to properly do their job while giving you room to walk around and interact with your friends and family (plus you don’t want that dress getting caught on a chair!).

Everyone always wants to know the price up front. Think value first! Ask what is included with their rental.  Are there options?  Make sure you ask for their rental rates before you fall in love with the venue. Know your overall budget because you don’t want to fall head over heels and have your vision crushed because it is too far out of your budget. No worries, you WILL find your perfect venue- don't give up!

Whether you're having a wedding during the day or in the evening, you are most likely going to have food for your guests. It's important to know whether your venue has their own caterer or do they allow for outside catering? Another biggie is if they have a license to have alcohol on their property. Also be clear on alcohol policies and procedures.  You don't want to be having problems with the venue or the law on your big day!

These are just a FEW of the critical question that you want to ask your venue. When you hire us, we’ll make sure to help you find your perfect venue and help you ask all the right questions.

New Spring Intern 2015

Hey everyone! My name is Sarah Manns and I am so excited about interning for Jenn! I am currently a senior at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro majoring in Community and Therapeutic Recreation and in my last semester. I usually say I am from Charlotte, but in reality, asking where I am from is one of the hardest questions I am asked. You see, I was born in Turkey and lived in Brazil, England, Singapore, and then the United States. Do you see my dilemma now?? It was because of all the traveling I did with my family that made me fall in love with different cultures, people, and traditions. So, what better profession to get into than event planning in order to experience all three? The answer is: there isn't a better option (for me at least)!

Not many people know that you can study to become an event planner, so how did I get there? Since both of my parents are foreign, they decided that they knew exactly how college in America worked; everyone chooses their major before they get to college. Right? Far from it. Yet, that is what I did. I researched majors and narrowed down what I wanted to do and from there I chose the college I wanted to go to based upon if they had my major or not. I only had about five options, but Greensboro was the one place that I could picture myself. Spoiler alert: I was accepted and have loved it ever since.

As for my internship, Jenn was my professor a couple of semesters ago, so when I found out that she didn't have an intern for this Spring, I knew I had to accept her offer. I just started last Monday and I can already tell that it is going to be completely different from my last. My last internship was at a country club and I only saw the forefront of event planning, meaning I never saw the planning part- just the actual event. From my first week interning with Jenn, I've already accumulated so much information and I can finally see behind the scenes of what it takes to create an event and network. Even though I know what I've wanted to do since my senior year of high school, this past week alone has confirmed that I've made the right choice.

I'll be posting more on the blog during the time I am here, so make sure to check back in!

TO BUSTLE OR NOT TO BUSTLE THAT IS THE QUESTION!

To Bustle or Not to Bustle that is the Question!

 

After saying yes to the dress of your dreams and entering into the time of alterations one aspect to your dress that you might want to consider is whether or not you should bustle you dress. Well you might be wondering why I should bustle my dress in the first place. You might be thinking why I would want to alter my dress. I love the way the train flows behind me and I have the dream of dancing the night away just the way the dress is, but this might not be the practical option.  Imagine this you have picked the dress of your dreams. It is the one you have had your eye on and it is absolutely gorgeous. It has beautiful intricate beading throughout the whole dress with that long flowing train that you love and because you love the aspect of the long train you decide not to bustle the dress. This was a big mistake. First you realize that your dress seems to be getting dirty! On top of that someone just step on your train and it ripped. Now you have to carry it on your arm and this dress is not the lightest. It because more of a problem and you catch yourself not being able to enjoy your day because you’re constantly worrying about your dress. This problem could have been avoided all together if she would have just bustled the dress.

American Bustle Verse the French Bustle

 

             The American Bustle

This bustle is also referred to as the outer bustle. This style is created when the train is hooked to the outside of your dress by buttons or hooks placed with corresponding loops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The French Bustle

The look of the French bustle is created by a series of ribbons that can be found inside the dress. The train is then lifted and your bridesmaids will tie the ribbons that are either color coded or numbered together to create this secure, elegant look. This is a great bustle for ball gowns, or dresses that are made with heavy or delicate fabrics.

 

 

So when choosing the dress of your dreams you should really think about bustling your dress. It can have a huge impact on your special day!

New Summer Intern

Hi my name is Connor Smith, I am the new summer intern for Knot Your Average Events. I really want to get as much experience as possible for planning and coordinating events. I want to know every aspect of the planning process. I feel like this internship will provide me with the perfect opportunity to jump start my career in the event planning world.

            I chose to pursue a career in event planning after deciding on a major in art studies with a concentration in visual arts at North Carolina State University. It was here that my love for art and design grew, but I also enjoyed working with people and knew that I somehow wanted to combine the two. It was after I took a class in Park Recreation and Tourism that I found out exactly how to do this. I realized I would be able to branch into the event world and this caught my attention. After doing research on event planning and all that it had to offer I realized this was career path that I wanted. I saw that with this career that I would get to be a part of transforming people’s visions into a reality. I would get to help make people’s dreams come true and this is what I am most excited for.

           

Getting To And From Your Wedding

So you’ve got your hair and makeup scheduled, your photographer contracted and paid for, and the exact time you let your guests know when to be at the venue. Have you thought about how YOU were planning on getting to and from your wedding? There are many different types of transportation that will fit you and your style for your big day.  There are numerous ways you can do this. I see it as there being 3 categories to transportation: local, unique and classy. The difference in the three categories depends on the location of your wedding site, your style, and your budget.

Some classic ways to make an entrance or a getaway to the honeymoon is by a stretch limo, a Rolls Royce, any classic car or a stretch hummer for example.  These options are best if you are going for glamour, a sleek and stylish car or limo is perfect.  

Unique travel options can definitely vary from horse drawn carriages and hot air balloons to vintage buses and Italian Gondola’s.  If you are trying to be budget friendly you can still have a unique way to get to and from your wedding. An old truck with a vintage “just married” sign up on the back is really unique and can be borrowed from a friend or family member. Also, riding away on bicycles is super cute and will surprise your guests.

Depending on where your venue is located can also give you great ideas on what transportation to use. Let’s say you are getting married by water, try making your getaway or entrance by a boat! Depending on how big the boat is you can fit your whole wedding party on there to join you as well. If you get married at a country club or on a golf course, take advantage of their golf carts. Renting them for the getaway or entrance should be easy and inexpensive. Another great idea is to use the local transportation if your venue is downtown. Rent a trolley or call a taxi. If your style has a very urban vibe these two will make for cute getaways and great pictures. 

These are just a few ideas of how to make your getaway or entrance spectacular! Visit our website for more ideas and our contact information.

 http://www.knotyouraverageevents.com

 -The Intern