Vendor Contracts

It’s very important to make sure that every detail relating to your wedding, and not just the wedding date, time and location, is included in each of your vendor contracts. You also want a list of the total cost, the deposit amount/due date and when the balance is due.

Each vendor’s service will require a different set of details. Here’s a list of vendors and the contract details you’ll need. This list is not 100% of everything you’ll need so do some research online for a more detailed list.

Baker

• Delivery time of cake and contact information of baker/delivery service


• Cake flavors, fillings, number of tiers, decor


• Dietary restrictions/allergies that you want the baker to be aware of


• Number of people the cake will serve


• If a separate “top tier” will be supplied

Florist

• Number of bouquets, boutonnières, centerpieces, ceremony décor, etc…


• Set-up details

Music

• Number of, type and names of all musicians, especially if you requested specific people


• Start time and hours of service at the wedding


• Details of break times:  number of, live or canned music played during breaks

Photographer/Videographer

• Name of photographer/videographer and any assistants


• Start time and hours of service at the wedding, including getting ready times


• Date of when proofs, album and video are due to you - both pre and post-edit drafts


• Details of service – type of film used, number of proofs, copies of albums, videos

I (Finally) Got My Wedding Album...

and it's gorgeous!

For those of you who have read this blog for some time now, you probably know that we were married in 2003 and I never got my wedding album. It’s not my photographer’s fault at all. The album was not part of the package we signed up for and since we were paying for it I took my time getting the money together.

Well, I just picked it up today and it was so worth the wait.

Meg Matyia (my photographer) and I had each gone through the proofs separately and picked out our favorites and then went through them together and picked our top 60 – yes 60 pictures. After creating the perfect layout, Meg and I visited Judy Ivry Bookbinding in Manhattan and discussed how the album should be bound.

If your photographer offers a wedding album as part of your package get a good look at what he or she is offering—leather or fabric, prints printed or mounted on the paper, coffee book style.

If you like what is offered sign up for the album when you finalize the term of your agreement. If you don’t, the price may go up by the time you are ready to make your album.

If you don’t like what he or she offers, find out what your other options are. Will they give you a CD or the negatives for a one-time fee? Will they help you create the perfect layout even if you use an online or a bookbinder to produce the final album.

Food Allergies and What (Not) to Do About Them

So many people deal with food allergies as well as dietary restrictions. Nuts, shellfish and gluten are a few common allergies. And diabetic, kosher and vegetarian are common dietary restrictions.

When planning your wedding menu you do not have to think of every possible allergy or restriction. Plan your menu to fit your needs/wants and your fiance’s. Of course if your family is kosher you may choose to have a kosher wedding instead of kosher meals for a specific amount of guests.

Every caterer will offer some vegetarian dish for a small percentage of guests who are vegetarian. You do not have to take a headcount ahead of time of who is and who isn’t. Your guests know their eating habits and will ask their waiter what the vegetarian option is. You will usually have a few options to choose from – a pasta or grilled vegetable plate.

If you know that some of your guests are kosher, you can ask your caterer to provide kosher meals for them.  If half of your guests are kosher you may want to hire a kosher caterer for the entire wedding instead of X amount of kosher and Y amount of non-kosher meals.

As for specific food allergies, like nuts and shellfish, guests with allergies will ask the waiter if these items are in the recipe and will either pull them out or ask for an alternative.

I know you want to please each and every guest, but it is virtually impossible to know every single guests' specific food needs. They’re adults and they know what will and won’t hurt them.

Dave's Favorite Wedding Planning Tip

I asked Dave for his favorite wedding planning tip and without a second thought he said, "scoring your shoes so you don't slip during your first dance."

I'm always surprised with all the wedding details he notices and remarks he makes at and about weddings.  So in honor of my loving hubby, I'm reminding all brides that it's very important to score the bottom of your shoes and your grooms.

To score your shoes take a sharp non-serrated knife or scissor or ice pick and make a lot of horizontal and vertical lines and don't forget to make a "x" on your heel.

And remember to break your shoes in too - both of you.  There's no superstition about not seeing the bride's shoes before the wedding!  Practice your first dance in your wedding shoes and walk around the house in them as well to make sure they aren't to tight on your big day.

NYC Event: Pronovias Glamour Night

It’s that time of year again: Wedding Season. After the holiday season, you’ll be hearing about more and more wedding events happening in NYC and in other cities across the country. (If you know of any please email me the details!)

Brides still looking for their wedding dress, fashion accessories and the perfect hair and makeup for their wedding must RSVP for the Pronovias Glamour Night on Thursday, January 15th from 6:30 to 9pm.

The event, co-produced with Always a Bridesmaid, will feature an exclusive fashion show of the latest Pronovias collections. Brides will be able to browse the latest gowns, accessories and meet with top hair and makeup stylists for bridal beauty tips.

In addition to fashion and beauty experts, you’ll be able to meet with other wedding vendors in the tri-state area, including: Elan Artisits, Fleurs and Classic Party Rentals. Wedding consultants from Always a Bridesmaid will also be available to give you expert planning advice.

This event is free for brides and their guests (one per bride) but you still have to RSVP to attend. Click here to learn more about the Pronovias Glamour Night event as well as to RSVP for it.

Acronyms, Part II

You know, I just remembered what got me on this acronym thing.  I just got an email about a stationery sale that read: BOGO in the subject line.

At Carvel over the weekend there was a sign for BOGO Sundaes and I asked my sister what a BOGO Sundae was and she told me:  Buy One Get One.  She was surprised I never heard of BOGO before but I never did.  Have you?

And I do agree with the commenter re: STD for save the date.  Dave and I make STD lists which sometime freaks people out.  STD:  Shit to Do.

I just learned about a great event coming up on the 15th in NYC - I'll write about it later today.  And if you know of an event anywhere in the US please email me the details so I can share it with everyone!

What’s With the Acronyms?

I’ve been meaning to write this post for months. I understand that we type in codes: LOL (until last week my dad thought it meant lots of luck and not laugh out loud), BTW (by the way), LMO (laughing my @$$ off), G2G (got to go – thanks Cari!) and BRB (be right back).

In the world of weddings it’s much quicker to type or write MOB/MOG (mother of the bride/groom), MOH (maid of honor) or BM (bridesmaid) but to speak it? Is our world going so fast that we can’t say three simple words, or even just one word?

I guess it’s weird for me to complain about it but I just find it so odd when someone says, “I called my MOG the other day and she is driving me crazy!” Or something like, “I’ll ask my MOH to do that.” And what I find really strange is that people don’t always speak with the initials. They sound it out.

If you’re going to use wedding acronyms when talking to people say the initials, don’t sound out the word: It’s M-O-H, not moh. It’s M-O-G, not mog.

I think what set me off is that I’ve been hearing the terms in the media lately as if they are part of the English language and they’re not. But then again, I’m probably one of the few people that text messages in complete sentences.

TTYL,
anne

BFF Bridal: Best in Bridal Event in NYC

Are you planning a destination wedding? Still trying to find the perfect spot for your honeymoon? If you live or work in the tri-state area I highly recommend attending the upcoming BFF Bridal event: Best in Bridal Honeymoons and Destination Weddings.

The Editors of BFF Bridal have a great eye for the latest and greatest in weddings, and their local NYC events attract some of the top vendors and wedding-related businesses around.

The January 21st event will be held at the Jumeirah Essex House in the Grand Salon from 6:30 to 8:30pm. Brides and their guests will be treated to makeovers and beauty treatments while they meet with vendors to learn about great discounts and upgrades at some of the best hotels in the world as well as get planning tips for their destination wedding and/or honeymoon.

Some of the participating vendors include: Rock Resorts, Nantucket Island Resorts, Ritz-Carlton Caribbean & Mexico, Four Seasons Costa Rica and Mayflower Inn & Spa. Brides will also be able to start a lingerie registry with Cosabella or pick up a few items for the honeymoon and learn how to create their own beach hairstyle from Paul Labreque stylists.

Ticket holders are automatically entered to win one of several unbelievable prizes including several all-expenses-paid vacations and spa treatments. Every ticket holder will walk away with a gift bag overflowing with goodies.

Tickets are $75 for one, $125 for two. Visit bffbridal.com/honeymoons for more info and to purchase tickets.

I think you can leave your fiance at home for this one and grab mom or your maid-of-honor for some pampering. You can fill your groom in on the travel details when you get home.

Enter to Win a $5000 Wedding Photography Package

Pink Initiative is a non-profit organization made up of wedding industry professionals (and private donors) dedicated to funding awareness, outreach, education and research for breast cancer.

Emilie Sommer, the founder of Pink Initiative and the owner of emilie inc photography, is hosting a raffle where the winner will receive $5000 worth of wedding photography coverage. You can use the photo coverage for your wedding up until 2012 for a wedding anywhere in the United States. Raffle tickets are $50 each and all proceeds benefit Pink Initiative.

Here’s the link to the Webpage where you can purchase raffle tickets and enter to win, and to learn more about Pink Initiative visit their Web site, PinkInitiative.org.

My Resolution: Sell all my wedding books and wedding magazines

Happy New Year!

Dave and I have each made one New Year’s Resolution. Mine is to clean out the den, so last night instead of attending a wild party I went through the shelves and found about a dozen MORE wedding books and did a complete tally of my wedding magazine collection.

I just posted the books and magazines in separate posts on craigslist – here are the links: wedding planning books and Martha Stewart Weddings magazines.

I sold about two dozen books already, but because there are multiple copies of some of them you’ll still see some titles on the list. But I just added: Signature Weddings, The Wedding Book, Jo Gartin’s Weddings and two books from the knot.

As for the magazines, OMG! I have multiples of EVERY Martha Stewart Weddings issue up until the last one. PLUS: several copies of special issues – seasons, 10th anniversary and color.

Check out the links and let me know if you’re interested in any books or mags. You can always email me at fromiwilltoido@gmail.com if you have any questions. Everything’s in great condition!