Mansions throughout North Carolina

Do you dream BIG?  Wanna WOW your guests?  Then look no further than a Mansion in North Carolina.  There are two that come to mind quickly: Bella Collina and Graylyn.  If you want to host a black tie affair or even a fancy barbeque than why not have a mansion as the backdrop to set the tone of your event.  Both of these venues can be dressed “to the nines” or offer a southern grace of hospitality.  The hardest decision is if you want “grits & grace” or a fancy formal plated reception.

   Graylyn is set on a private estate in Winston Salem.  This venue demands your attention the moment you pull into the front stone entrance.  As you come up the drive, the main house will take your breath away.  From the Butlers greeting and personal knowledge of your arrival you will be whisked away to another world.  Taking a tour of the different wings will make it very difficult to pick which room you will want to host your big celebration.  They have several gardens, sunrooms, lounge areas, dining rooms, huge courtyards, unique areas and a gorgeous front lawn to host tented events.   

Graylyn offers in-house catering to provide a stress-free evening of entertaining.  While they have a preferred vendors list, they will allow you to bring your own vendors (all except catering and bar service).  Make a weekend of your wedding by having all of your family and friends book their 86 guest rooms and cottages.  Just image having all of your guests together from Thursday until Sunday.  Make it a destination wedding with a welcome cocktail party and dinner, a spa day and bridal luncheon while the guys play yard games and enjoy a cookout in one of the gardens before the rehearsal.  Allow Graylyn host your rehearsal dinner and dessert to celebrate the pre-wedding celebrations.  Waking up the morning of your big day, allow a make-up artist and hair stylist team come and doll you and your wedding party up for your grand entrance down the steps into the garden.  The gazebo in the garden will offer a beautiful backdrop for a wedding of 200 or less. 

        Want to know a secret about Graylyn? They specialize in casino nights and themed weddings.  They’ve hosted casino themed weddings and events several times and have the rental needs and “the look” down to a science.  The staff at Graylyn truly go above and beyond to give you and your guests an experience they will be talking about for years to come.  Allow them to show you the way around their magical venue. (photos are from their website/facebook fanpage)

Looking for a venue with a million dollar view?  Bella Collina in Stokesdale with amazing lake views that will create a romantic and beautiful sunset backdrop.  They have an incredible eye for detail that each nook and corner is yet another breathtaking view or photo opt.  Getting married in front of the lake has casted one of the best seats for a ceremony in the area.  The sunset seems to set in just the perfect location to create captivating light.  Your guests will await your arrival on the upper terrace or in their downstairs event space following the ceremony during the cocktail hour with beer, wine & champagne only.  Once the wedding party has been seated entertain your guests by dancing rooftop your first dance under the beautiful skies. 

        One of our favorite stops during our tour was their special areas for the wedding parties to get ready. At Bella Collina, you have the option to rent additional areas in the mansion to get ready onsite.  There are two different options for the bride and a “tower” for the groom and his men to relax and prep for the day without seeing one another.   

They offer elopement packages for those that are wanting a dream wedding, on budget or just want to make things happen a little faster.  Allow Cher & Joe to handle all of your quick planning needs to say I DO without the stress.  Follow them on Facebook to see all the incredible specials, ideas and upcoming events they have coming up.  You never know when they might give away another wedding.  They truly love seeing those in love and our honored to open their home to couples ready to start their journey of marriage in their backyard.  Once you become a Bella Bride you become a part of the Bella Family.

        The best part of Bella Collina is they offer a stress-free one-stop-shop for couples.  They have packages ranging from $9,995*-$18,000* for 100 guests daily for up to 6 hours.  (*with the options to upgrade, adding additional amenities, and not including taxes.)   They will set interviews for couples to meet their preferred catering companies, DJs, Photographers, videographers and pick out their fairytale floral packages depending on which packet you choose.  You can bring in your own cake baker and even provide your own coordinator, although they offer complimentary cake cutting services.   No matter your style the mansion provides an amazing blank canvas for your dreams to come alive.

Celebrate and Stay

Are you worried about your guests once they leave your reception?  One of the easiest ways to prevent drinking and driving is to host your wedding in the hotel they are staying in.  This keeps things very simple and makes travel arrangements easy.  Most hotels will even work with you and offer incentives for booking so many rooms in the hotel.  Some may offer a free Honeymoon Suite for the Bride & Groom, an upgrade to a suite for the bridal party to get ready in the day of the event, free or discounted rental rate for the rehearsal dinner or main event.  While there are some upscale hotels in the area that are more of a destination wedding, don’t rule out the smaller and the larger hotel chains.

One of my personal favorites is the newly renovated Holiday Inn by the Greensboro Airport.  They have several different meeting rooms, ballrooms, a pool area and even an outdoor ceremony area for smaller intimate weddings.  They recently gave this hotel

a facelift into the modern world.  They offer plenty of hotel rooms and room blocks to make booking out of town guests travel arrangements stress-free.  Their in-house chef and catering can create an amazing menu to serve your guests a feast for your engagement parties, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, cocktail hours, receptions and dessert bars to keep your guests happy.  The have a small bar in the lounge that will allow the guests to mingle for welcome cocktails and going away brunches.  They offer complimentary tables, chairs, dance floor, white linens and napkins.  Along with mirrors and votive candles.  They also provide complimentary shuttle services to and from the Greensboro Airport.  They truly take care of their bride and groom by offering a complimentary private day-of event room for the wedding party to get ready in, a King suite for the honeymooners if reception is held at hotel, a lover’s basket to be delivered after the reception and breakfast in bed the day after their wedding.  They have a number of packages for you to review and options to make your event here one of a kind.(photo is from their website/Facebook fanpage)

Looking for a hotel near all of the Gibsonville venues? Comfort Suites right off the 85/40 highway is one of the best!  This hotel has 82 guest suites that all come with a complimentary hot breakfast to help your guests refuel after a night of dancing and celebrating.  The Comfort Suites has all the amenities that your guests could ever ask for.  They have a business center for those who can’t completely unplug from the world, an indoor heated pool that is perfect all year round to relax and play in, and for those that want to stay fit; there’ a fitness center just for them too!  There is a meeting room available that could be used for a welcome dinner, bridal luncheon, rehearsal dinner or going away sendoff party.  (photo is from their website/Facebook fanpage)

The Country Suites by Carlson Burlington offers some of the best staff in town.  They truly become your family.  As an event planner I have had the pleasure of hosting several events at this location and they have always gone above and beyond to make the guests comfortable and feel at home.  They can customize room blocks and offer group rates.  They have a meeting space that is perfect for rehearsal dinners.  Talk to them about their hotel van that can provide a shuttle service to and from your event for a small rental fee for the day.  Allow their staff to leave welcome bags in their room when they check in or a late night snack for when they return from your wedding.   They will even put the couple’s name on their Marquee welcoming them and let their guests know the whole hotel staff is celebrating with them!

Hosting a wedding at the Burlington Courtyard Marriott will be one of the easiest and stress-free moments in your wedding planning journey.  They have several options for smaller intimate gatherings.  You can set up one of the meetings spaces to host the ceremony while the second meeting space can be the reception area.  There is a beautiful lobby that can be used for cocktail hour or place a photo booth to save room in the meeting spaces.  This Hotel even has a small courtyard in the back for outdoor ceremonies.  While the hotel offers in-house catering, you may bring in outside preferred catering companies and restaurants.   The Courtyard Marriott has a beautiful lobby that offers Starbucks Coffee and alcoholic beverages to welcome guests or give them an area to sit back and relax.  There is a business center, outdoor pool and a fitness center to give your guests all the amenities away from home.  The Courtyard Marriott started hosting small bridal expos in January to allow local vendors to set up and meet local brides.  Check their website to see when the next one will be held to make all of your planning details stress-free.

Are you hosting a bridal shower, bridal luncheon or rehearsal dinner? The Holiday Inn Express in Burlington has two rooms that work very well for these types of events.  The have great rates and are easily accessible to Elon, Gibsonville and Burlington.  The offer 116 guest rooms, a business center and a 24 hour fitness center.  Any guest staying are also offered a complimentary Hot Express Start Breakfast Buffet.   They do allow outside catering and love DIY brides.  (photos are from their website/Facebook fanpage)

The Hampton Inn Suites in Alamance County offer beautiful sleeping rooms with the “cloud nine” bed experience.  They have meeting rooms that can be used for small rehearsal dinners.  The staff really loves taking care of wedding parties and prides itself in going above and beyond to make sure they have a wonderful stay in our community.  Their warm smiles welcome you the moment you enter the hotel. 

So no matter which town you are staying in, don’t forget to block off rooms for out of town guests.  Sometimes it’s a nice gesture to offer two to three options so that guests with hotel staying points may get to stay at your wedding for free with their award points or gain points for coming to your wedding.  Don’t forget to ask Hotel Sales Manager about room block rates, group rates, specials and any freebies or upgrades.  Ask them about shuttle services to and from the airport or your event if it’s not being held on site.  Then create a cute newsletter welcoming guests informing them of timelines and things to do in the area.  The most fun part of hotel blocks is creating welcome bags or gifts for those that are traveling to your wedding.  Pack local treats, a couple of water bottles and local soft drinks, discount coupons or tickets to local attractions, sunblock, chapstick and bug spray if your wedding is outdoors.  Take care of your guests and they will remember your wedding as one of the best experiences of their life! (photos are from their website/Facebook fanpage)

Overnight Camp Out

How would you like to wake up to your mom’s or grandma’s cooking on your wedding day?  Did you know there are venues that sleep up to 18 family and friends?  One of our last year’s journey is going to showcase venues that host families for the weekend.  Bed and Breakfast Venues are always charming for out of town guests.  Then you have hotels with ballrooms and meeting spaces.  But if you are looking for that place that reminds you of home we’ve got four local venues that will allow you settle in for the weekend festivities.

Our first stop is the Barn at Valhalla in Chapel Hill.  This charming rustic barn sleeps up to 17 people.  You can “move in” Friday afternoon and stay until Sunday morning.  This allow you to host out of town guests or keep all of your wedding party together while getting ready.  There are a number of bunk beds, pull out sofas and chairs alone with one king size bedroom.  You may use the kitchen to keep food warm or refrigerated but not able to cook in house.  They do not have preferred catering or vendors so you may bring in all of your own vendors.  There is a small pond area several use for their ceremony or you can use the large fireplace area for small intimate weddings.  Inside

the main facility can host up to 150 guests but for larger events you can add a huge tent in one of the large fields.  The options here are amazing.  They even include tables and chairs for up to 120 guests inside.  Besides all the outdoor walkways, the large porch is our favorite area mainly because of beautiful view. The hardiest part will be for guests to pick which room they want.
(photos are from their website/Facebook fanpage)

The Rigmore House is an oversize cabin that has a great room downstairs with most sleeping rooms upstairs.  This venue can host to up 225 inside (we recommend under 100) and lots more if you add a tent on the property.  It includes rentals for up to 200 guests, even a dance floor.  Personally, we think this venue is perfect for smaller sized weddings so that you can use all the indoor amenities.    This cabin has the cutest kitchen.  The large center counter is perfect for leaving snacks and sandwiches out throughout the weekend.  It

tends to be the gathering spot for families before and after the wedding day festivities.   There is a gazebo or a perfectly lined row of trees that gives several options for ceremony areas.  The side patio or screened front porch makes for a great for cocktail hour or late night snacks.  If you place the food buffet on one side you’ll have more room for seating inside for the reception.  This area looks great with uplighting or add little Italy lights to set the mood later in the evening.  You can add an extra day and move in as early as Thursday.  Which will truly allow you to settle in and by Saturday you’ll feel like you’re getting married in your own back yard. 

Do you have a lot of out of town guests?  How about a venue that can sleep up to 36 family and friends?  The Aqueduct Conference Center is a great place to hosts lots of guests and have several options for reception locations.  For larger events you can add a large tent overlooking breathe taking country views or for rehearsal dinners or smaller intimate receptions you can use the main meeting space.  They have an in house catering team to provide breakfast, lunch, dinners and even snacks if you wish.  Truly treat your guests to a destination experience like none other.  There is a large covered porch that some have used for ceremony areas and others have used as their dance floor.  The land will provide plenty of space for outdoor yard games and activities.  So if you are looking for a venue that majority of your guest list can be together and hangout long after the last dance, then the Aqueduct is what you may be looking for. (photos are from their website/Facebook fanpage)

Another new venue popping up that allows an overnight stay the night prior to the wedding is The Lily Pad in Whitsett.  This is great way to have your whole wedding party together prior to the big day.  You can get up early, start getting ready and watch your wedding venue transform throughout the day.  If you rent the entire house and property, you can sleep up to 20 people for an overnight slumber party.  They include rentals for up to 208 guests including reception table and chairs.  They have a great pool area that is accessible for house guests and could be used for cocktail hour or rehearsal dinner.  The groom’s suite is a great lounge area for them to get ready prior to saying I do.  The main reception is their best feature!  This open barn space is incredible.  It has draping and lighting already in place.  This overnight getaway/venue only allows the bride and groom to stay the night of the wedding but your family and vendors can come back Sunday morning to finish cleaning up from the night before.  (photos are from their website/Facebook fanpage)

If family is your biggest aspect of your wedding, then why not include them all weekend?  These venues allow you to spend the whole weekend with them plus allow you time to set up DIY projects.  All of these venues will save your guests money on hotel overnight stay less stress with you having to do hotel room blocks.  Plus by renting these venues for several days, you can save money on rehearsal dinner space.  The best part is if you are planning on having alcohol, several guests will already be “home for the night,” and save you on the amount of transportation you may be providing to and from local hotels.  There is just something about being home for a wedding.  It may not be your home but for the weekend it will feel like it.

Boots & Burlap

For the past couple of years the barn backdrop has been embraced by several love stories and weddings.  The heart of North Carolina has several barns and farms to choose from.  Some private farmers have restored barns and have opened them up to the public.  These give you all of the rustic elements with modern day twists.  Some even are still working farms and have livestock in the background.  Just remember if you are invited to use a private farmer’s barn and land to respect that it’s more than a venue to the owners, its HOME.  They are inviting you into their backyard and technically into their family.  Always ask what decorations are allowed, areas that are off limits and times the property are available for use the day of your event.  Let’s explore a few of the local barns and farms.

L’A Brie at Linwood is a large pole barn that will put you in a country mood the moment you begin to drive up to it.  It has a porch that is great for the buffet line and a large patio off the back; which is perfect for cocktail hour and yard games.  We’re planning on renting a few wine barrels for an upcoming wedding instead of cocktail tables to add to the rustic vibe.  It includes tables and chairs for up to 200 guests in the barn.  One of the best parts of this venue is no extra uplighting is needed, they’ve done an incredible job in planning the “look” of the barn.  There is even a side barn for your vendors to use as a “working and prepping: area away from your guests.  There’s plenty of parking and although they have a golf cart, we recommend renting a few extras for the day due to the size of this property.  They have an entire wing of their home that is used for the bridal party to use to get ready and a separate house for the groomsmen to use prior to the wedding.  And if you are looking for a water feature for your ceremony, they’ve even got a fountain in the middle of a large pond that makes a beautiful backdrop for your “I dos.” 

Traveling through Kernersville, we found a farm house turned into a wedding venue.  Dewberry Farm is still a working farm that allows weddings from April through October.  They have a barn that is a beautiful ceremony backdrop.  While most choose outdoors the inside is just as beautiful if liquid sunshine shall fall upon your wedding day.  They offer a changing area for the wedding party to get ready in their private home.  The backyard is the best feature of this amazing venue.  The flowers offer such a beautiful backdrop, wedding decorations are a minimum.  The

owners have selected a variety of flowers and greenery to accent events all wedding season.  Dewberry Farm has a large porch and patio to use as the reception area that can seat up to 150 guests.  Just around the corner is a cement patio that is normally used as the dance floor.  The balcony from the upper porch offers a great place to throw your bouquet from.  This venue offers tables, chairs and linens for a 7 hour rental (more hours for an additional rental), which means more savings in your budget.  So if you ever wanted to feel like you were having a wedding in your backyard without all the stress, this country farm is just what you are looking for! (photos are Dewberry Farm)

We didn’t make it far before finding our next local farm.  Surrounded by country living makes it easy to find amazing places to accent with sunflowers, babies breathe, burlap and lace.  Our next venue is located in Mebane North, Carolina.  If you are looking for a large farm house as a ceremony backdrop, Merry Hill Farm is your destination!  You have the house to use to get ready in with a private groom’s house on the property to avoid seeing one another.  While most use the lily pad pond as a ceremony spot some have used the front porch.  They can handle weddings up to 300 guests.  With this venue you rent the property and build from there by adding tents, lighting, tables and chairs.  You can make this property your own for the day by adding your own personal touches.   If you like livestock, they have plenty of it walking around.  They have donkeys, peacocks, dogs and cats, but if you are not looking to have animal crashers at your wedding, they will make sure they are pinned up for your event.  However, how cool would it be to take a photo with a peacock in your wedding dress?  (photos are Merry Hill Farm Facebook page)

Looking for a unique venue for a birthday celebration, rehearsal dinner or a small wedding celebration?  Our next venue takes us to Hillsborough to Maple View Farm and Agricultural Educational Center.  While they are famous for their homemade ice cream, milk and fudge they also have a small venue that they rent for small gatherings.  How awesome would it be to have a homemade ice cream party right in the backyard of where even the milk comes from?  They can host events up to 120 people.  Their general store and ice cream parlor also makes a great date night or day trip for the family.  Make sure to take home some of their fresh milk.

Our last stop on our barn tour today takes us to Roxboro to The Gazebo at Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm.  This venue can host up to 200 guests but we personally think this venue is perfect for smaller intimate weddings and events.  It includes tables and chairs for 100 guests.  The Gazebo at Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm overlooks a large pond full with a large fountain which makes a great ceremony spot between April and October.  While they do offer off peak pricing also during November through March.  This working buffalo farm allows several barns as backdrops in photos and beyond the gazebo.  They have a large tent to use for your reception and your wedding party has large space to get ready in.  This rental has everything you need to host a unique country wedding. 

So as you can tell the heart of North Carolina has all kinds of styles and sizes of barns and farms to add to your country vision.  There are several ways you can add rustic to any venue.  You just have to be creative.  Start going “picking” at flea markets and yard sales.  Start looking for old crates, mason jars, and lace.  Order old signs or farm equipment to use as props.  Use old books or wood slabs to add height on dinner tables.  Look for old frames to add pictures of your courtship or other family portraits to add something for guests to talk about. Wild flowers can add lots of color to your beautiful day.  We love adding farm tables, rustic chairs, benches and wine barrels for furniture for country weddings and receptions.  Hay bales with quilts laying on them make for a great ceremony seat.  Use old doors or an old mantel for your focal point for your “I dos”.   Remember when it comes to rustic, everything doesn’t have to match.  The more eclectic the better.  Any of these venues will lay the foundation for your country wedding all you need to add is your personal touch to tell your story.  Allow the dirt road to start your journey as one.

One Tequila, Two Tequila, Three Tequila….less is more

As a wedding coordinator we always want to keep everything positive and lighthearted.  While we focus on the budget friendly alternatives, the special details to make the day flow better and offer advice to avoid certain situations.  Here’s the story several vendors and clients have asked about… what is the worst thing that has ever happened during a wedding?

“911 what’s your emergency?  Hi my name is Jennifer, and I’m the wedding coordinator and one of the property’s site managers and we have a guest that is laying on the ground unconscious due to alcohol consumption.”  This happened to me several years ago and I relive this moment every time one of my clients requests a full open bar with a company I’ve never worked with at their wedding.  The venue I worked for already had rules in place for no kegs & no doubles or shots to be poured at the bar due to a fight that had broken out during one of their first years being open.  As always, I had spoken with the catering staff and bartenders to remind them no doubles or shots were to be served throughout the evening.  It wasn’t until this incident did we learn that one of the bartenders had been serving a few gentleman double jack and cokes all night long but what the bartender didn’t know is ALL of those double jack and cokes were going to the same "favorite uncle" of the bride.  About three hours into the reception, I was asked for a trashcan and mop due to a guest might be getting sick.  Our staff quickly sprang into action retrieving cleaning supplies to invest the situation.  I can remember it like it was yesterday… I approached a large male (over 350 lbs) hunched over his seat with his head laying on the guest table.  I noticed he was covered in sweat and he seemed to be going in and out of consciousness.  Luckily, there were a few EMTs onsite and they quickly accessed the situation.  The family wanted to take him home so that wedding reception could continue.   As they began to move him, he collapsed onto the patio floor, they got him up once more and he collapsed again that’s when I quickly responded by letting the family know I was calling an Ambulance.  After fighting off a few if the family members (because they didn’t want to get into trouble or have him go to the hospital) I called 911.  The ambulance arrived and for the next 24 hours the favorite uncle spent Easter Sunday weekend in the hospital getting his stomach pumped to save his life.  He is doing well now, but after that moment there was no way to finish the event with a happy fairy tale ending.  That bride left in tears and her dream wedding was ruined because a vendor disrespected the venue’s rules and regulations. 

I vowed right there to use this as a life lesson and to never have another bride’s day ruined because of overserving.  That’s why I still have the portion in my contract that states no doubles or shots shall be served if liquor is present.  My contract states that I have final say in the bar and that I have the right to cut any guest off that may need it.  The biggest element in my contract states no vendor shall drink while preforming any services contracted for the event date.  Professional vendors should never drink while they are under contract.  They should remain focus at the task at hand, plus if anything was to go wrong, we as vendors are liable.  There are reasons why I require additional event insurance and encourage my couples to only hired professionally insured & certified vendors.  I also have distanced myself from venues and vendors that encouraging over drinking and/or create ways to keep my client happy (only allow beer and wine or have them hire professional companies like Bartending Unlimited at certain venues or working with certain vendors).

No one wants the belligerent and loud guest to overtake the dance floor without their shirt on or wants to request the removal of the intoxicated bridesmaid from trying to help the couple cut their cake.  There isn’t a venue site manager or catering staff that wants to clean up after a guest has vomited (if they even make it to the restroom).  Most venues will retain your full security deposit if vomiting occurs or if damages are caused by intoxicated guests.

As a wedding coordinator, I could write a book from the stories I’ve heard from venues, catering staff members and other coordinators from around the world.  We’ve found mini bottles at dry weddings (which scares me because we are not controlling the servings), I’ve found vomit under a guest table before, I’ve even heard when the catering staff removed table linens they found a gentleman asleep under a table... One of my consulting friends has seen her bride carried out because she could no longer walk.  No couple wants to spend their honeymoon hungover.  Some people may think these stories are funny and laugh but remember the amount to time and money spent planning this amazing day ruined by a few guests.  Now most of these stories come from my younger years of event planning but every year we as professionals learn more and more.  And now more than ever, I surround myself with professionals that have the same beliefs and passion to create memories to last a lifetime without jeopardizing our client’s well-being.    We would like to offer a few tips and advice to help you control your guests and still have fun!

·         Hire 1 professional bartender per every 70 guests when only beer and wine is being served.  Hire 2 per 70 guests if liquor is present.  No one wants to wait for alcohol and these professionals are trained to count drinks and to spring into action if someone isn’t used to drinking on a hot summer afternoon.

·         Offer several fun beverage stations throughout the day.  Bring snacks and a cooler of water, Gatorade, juices and sodas for your wedding party as you get ready.  Have a separate cooler of beverages and snacks for all of your vendors to have access as they are setting up for your event.  Offer bins of bottled water during pre-ceremony photos for wedding party and family members.  Have your catering staff offer lemonade or at least ice water during outdoor ceremonies (this allows your guests to hydrate prior to your cocktail hour).  Make sure to have non-alcoholic beverage (lemonade or punch) stations during cocktail hour (some “drop off” catering companies only supply enough tea for the meal).  Offer coffee and hot chocolate during cooler months with cake.  Another great and easy party favor is to offer water bottles with your monogram for guests to take as they leave (guests will appreciate the rehydration on the way to the hotel or home). 

·         Don’t pre-game with your wedding party.  I know it sounds like fun to drink the night prior or all day with family and friends but your wedding day should be looked at as marathon not a sprint.  The ceremony is legal binding contract that is a BEAUTIFUL emotional moment between two people and shouldn’t be looked at lightly.  Your wedding party shouldn’t “ping-pong” down the aisle or be the “life of the party” all night, because if they are either of those they are probably not going to see the end of the event.  Your wedding party should set an example by NOT walking around with a drink in each hand.  They are there to help make memories with you not take the spotlight off of you.  They should be the ones staying after to help your parents load gifts and personal belongings.

·         Limit alcohol selections at the bar or if you are going to offer a signature drink; have your bartenders pre-make & LABEL contains XYZ alcohol.  This way your guests won’t see liquor bottles and ask for other mixed drinks.  Make cute signs for the bar letting your guests know what their selections are and/or types of wine, beer and names of signature drinks.  Signature drinks will have your guests talking so be creative!

·         Offer more than just peanuts at your cocktail hour.  Offer 2-3 passed hors d’oeuvres while you are busy taking photos with family and the wedding party (make sure those get to them too).  Save the fruit and cheese display for later in the evening and serve it with the cake/dessert.  Even better, offer late night snacks (mini grilled cheese, sliders, or late night breakfast bar) because everyone is always hungry after a night of partying.

·         Provide a shuttle service to and from the hotel you have room blocks.  14 passenger vans are not that expensive and your guests will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

·         Provide a picture frame in each restroom with local taxi cab and/or safe ride contact information.  Guests can take the information discretely.

Unfortunately, alcohol will effect each and every one of your guests differently.   It will depend on if they are a man or a woman, if they drink on regular basis, their age and health along with their family history.  Are you going to know each of your guests’ drinking habits…NO but you can help control the evening by following the above tips and have strong conversations with all of your vendors and venue to let them know the expectations of the type of event you want to host.  Remember you are hiring each of them, so make sure they have a clear idea of their job description and your anticipations.

Remember although it’s a private party, the bartending and catering staff has the right to card/ID each and every guest to insure proper drinking age.  They have the right to choose not to serve any guest that appears to be over intoxicated.  Beware of local rules and regulations on cash bars.  We recommend speaking with Contonna Peterson with Bartending Unlimited about any questions, comments, concerns involving alcohol.  ALE laws requires all alcohol to stop being served 30 minutes prior to an establishment from closing (end of your event or your exit).   We encourage to use this rule for private parties also to allow your guests to know the party is winding down and the bar is closed.

Although I am a certified mixologist and have been a professional bartender for over 15 years, I am not an expert on the subject but I am very experienced in the subject matter.  I wanted to share my story not only to my clients but to my students and vendor industry friends.  I am passionate about event planning and coordinating weddings and I am completely aware that every weekend is a blessing but I am also always on my “A GAME” watching an average of 150 guests because my clients trusted me to watch over their family and friends and to keep them safe.  I am responsible for each guest, vendor and my staff during an event.  So for the vendors and clients that think my rules are harsh… safety first because I can’t bring back a loved one from an accident.  I try and teach my students and staff to stand up for their beliefs because at some point and time they will be questioned; and it’s how they handle that situation that will show their true character.   Professional vendors will applauded & request to work with them again and clients will thank them because they did the job they were hired to do.  Be safe and follow our Facebook Fanpage to see fun signature drinks and free tips of the day to create memories that will last a lifetime.  #CHEERS

Timing is Everything

Every planner, coordinator and/or vendor has their own way of doing things the most important thing is that you have one timeline to keep everyone on the same page throughout the day. There are several components and we highly encouraging sharing the overall details with everyone.  Give vendors a runsheet which is an overview early in the event planning to let everyone know what you are thinking.  Having good communication early on will allow plenty of time for each vendor to offer their updates and details to create a smooth stress-free day for you.  Alex Pegg photo

Try your best to get plenty of sleep every night the week of your wedding because

dark circles under your eyes are not guests we want to attend your wedding.  Try to get to bed early the night prior to your wedding and awake early enough to shower and eat a hearty breakfast.  It’s going to be a long day so think of your day as a marathon not a sprint.  Same goes with alcohol, if you are wanting all members of your wedding party to be there at the end of your night and in all of your photos I highly recommend to limit the amount of alcohol and how early you start popping bottles.  Not everyone is used to open bars and full days of activities from sun up to way past sun down.  Free to enjoy a mimosa with the girls while getting ready or a beer with the guys at lunch…but ONE is enough prior to the moment you say I DO.  Remember it’s a legal contract you are committing yourselves to during the ceremony and remember all of the time and money you spent planning this special day.  Don’t have it ruin by an out of line wedding party member or you, yourself take it too far too fast.  Waterhouse Studios photos

You’re awake, showered and ready to take on the day…what’s next?  Your ceremony

time will determine what time you need to start the transformation.  Don’t forget, the earlier the ceremony means the earlier you start getting ready.  You should start your hair and make-up about 6 hours prior to your ceremony start time.  I know that sounds crazy but here are a few tips:

·         Make-up should be done first (on a clean face)

·         Give yourself 45 minutes to an hour for make-up just in case anything goes wrong

·         Give at least 30 minutes per bridal party member, mother and/or grandmother for make-up (again most are not used to the extra level needed for photos so they may need to make a few changes)

·         Hair should be done second (speak to your hair stylist about washing it the morning of or not)

·         Typically, you want to give yourself 1 ½ hours to 2 hours to create a hair masterpiece (more or less depending on style and length)

·         We recommend giving 45 minutes to an hour per wedding party member, mother and/or grandmother for hair (depending on their style and length)

·         Make sure to have snacks and/or lunch delivered to both the bridal suite for you and your girls and back at the reception area for your vendors working all day.   Both will truly appreciate your kindness of drinks and refueling for the long day

·         Unless your girls are wearing cute clothes (matching shirts or pjs) I recommend they get ready before you put your dress on.  That way they look cute in the background of all of those photos too

·         Don’t forget to include time for traveling to your venue if you are not getting ready onsite Waterhouse Studios photos

We recommend arriving to your ceremony site two hours prior to get dressed for pre-

wedding ceremony photos.  Most guests will start arriving at church weddings about an hour prior to ceremony and to all other venues they typically arrive about thirty minutes.  If you are getting married at a church make sure to ask will grandparents start walking in to be seated at ceremony start time or will that start ten minutes early with you walking at ceremony start time.  That is a key question to ask about timing, photos, and music.  The only other reminder we have for you is the earlier your ceremony start time begins, the earlier your reception will end.  Majority of Southern receptions in our area are between three and five hours long depending on alcohol, food and entertainment.  When you are choosing your ceremony start time, ask yourself a few questions:

·         What kind of reception do you want?

·         Is there travel time between ceremony location and reception location?

·         What kind of food do you want to serve?

·         Are you serving alcohol, and what kind?

·         Do you want to leave when it’s dark outside (sparkler or glow stick exit)?

·         What time is daylight savings time or sunset and will that effect my timeline?

All of those questions will determine the details of your reception’s timeline.  The most important take away from this entire blog post really isn’t the timeline itself but if you noticed there is a lot to be done the day of your wedding and not one time did it say YOU, YOUR MOM or wedding party run to the venue to set up decorations and details of the day.  Hire professionals on this ONE day so that you can truly enjoy being pampered.  By hiring a professional planner/coordinator we typically can save you money on all of the vendors as a whole (if you book us first) to allow in you budget to hire them and their staff to set up all of the items you worked hard on creating for your special day.  So sit back and relax and take in every minute of your special day…because it’s going to be a long one.