Basilica Hudson
September 24, 2016
Venue: Basilica Hudson, Hudson NY
Photographer: Redfield Photography
Videographer: McKenzie Miller films
Caterer: Another Fork in the Road
Rentals: Events Unlimited Party Rentals and North Country Vintage
DJ: DJ Gio
Florist: Floral Fantasies by Sara
Photo Booth: Hudson Valley Ceremonies
Rehearsal Dinner: American Glory BBQ
Brunch: Hudson Valley Ceremonies (at the Basilica)
Transportation: First Student School Buses
Now that the proposal has been accepted, what’s next? It’s time to create your signature wedding.
What exactly does that mean? It means that from this day forward, until the day of the wedding, you will spend 75% of your time thinking about how to create a wedding that will be like no other. You may not have given it much thought, but most couples have thought about this day for many years and envisioned their wedding in their minds a thousand times. Both of you are about to embark upon what could be a wonderful journey… or a nightmare! The choice is yours. Why leave it to chance that everything will go according to plan? Instead, implement a fail-proof plan. How? By hiring a wedding coordinator
Consider this idea as the first and one of the most important decisions you will make as a couple. Hiring a wedding coordinator will give both of you reassurance that you are making the right decisions about your choices; help bring your dream to fruition; and maintain a peaceful, loving, relationship in the process.
Although most couples enjoy the idea of designing a wedding, they often find that the planning is much more work than they imagined. It takes time and experience to address every detail. Let’s face it, some people just aren’t planners. Planning your wedding doesn’t have to be a frustrating and overwhelming experience. Organization and careful planning are the keys to a stress-free, fun-filled event. Hiring a wedding coordinator will ensure a much happier experience for you both!!
A wedding coordinator will not only help coordinate the details of the wedding but, more importantly, will help to make the process fun, reduce the stress and ensure that you have the wedding you desire. You will not have to worry or become stressed during the planning process. Instead, you both will enjoy planning the wedding.
Don’t misunderstand, you both will still make all the decisions, but consider leaving the details to the experts. Most couples truly enjoy the journey and, even if they don’t, the coordinator will be there to guide them. Trust me on this one, by hiring a wedding coordinator, your life will be happier, because everyone will be happier and less stressed.
Wedding coordinators are trained professionals who know the industry. Couples should understand that they are not just paying for a coordinator to manage the day for them; they are also paying for knowledge, expertise, skills, services and, ultimately, peace of mind.
Wedding coordinators provide a higher level of comfort for everyone. They are able to recommend the right professionals for you. Professionals enjoy working with other professionals. Are trained to handle difficult scenarios and unexpected occurrences at weddings; Are familiar with the latest trends and have the best resources; Know the best locations and services for each couple’s particular needs; Have access to exclusive locations that couples would otherwise never hear about; Can recommend the right wedding professionals for all aspects of the wedding; Are trained to help create a budget, keep expenses within that budget, and protect couples from making costly mistakes; Can save couples time in researching options. They already know what works best and why.
Now that you understand the various roles of a wedding coordinatoe, it’s time to start getting the important questions answered. Setting the budget first is the key! You and your fiancée should agree on the expenses before you begin the planning process. The budget must accommodate the size and style of the wedding. Write down your wishes and desires and compare notes. Distinguish your “wishes” from your “must haves”. Your coordinator can create a budget based on the most important elements of YOUR wedding. He/She can help prioritize which areas are most important to you.
Remember there is always room for compromise. Target more money towards the areas that are most important and reduce the areas that are less important. Your wedding coordinator will show you how to make changes without changing the feel of the wedding. Is it more important to have great food or a great band? Do you want an extravagant cake or beautiful flowers? You can have all of the above with proper planning. Whichever you choose, remember to stay on track with the expenses as you move forward. The budget is one of the most important areas where your coordinator can assist and it’s the start of making financial decisions together, a very important part of marriage. Open and honest communication is the key.
In a post-wedding survey, couples were asked, “If you had it to do over again, what would you have done differently?”
Number 1 Answer: “I would have hired a wedding coordinator – someone to ensure that all of the details were handled so that I could have enjoyed my day without worry.” Coordinators provide this reassurance on the wedding day! It is worth the investment to have peace of mind.
A wedding coordinator is able to provide: Peace of mind while planning the wedding; A great experience on the wedding day; and Wonderful wedding memories that will last forever!
1. Timeline – so many brides either don’t make a timeline for the day of their wedding or they create one that doesn’t work. the number one thing to remember is to put time buffers in your timeline. For example, if it takes 15 minutes to drive to the church give your self 25 minutes. If you really think it is going to take 1 hour for photos and you have 16 people in the wedding party, give yourself 1 1/2 hours. This way when you are over on time, you can say, “it’s ok!”
2. Shoes – wear them, wear them, wear them. Make sure you start one month before the wedding wearing your shoes for 20 minutes at a time 2-3 times per week. Walk outside, inside, on wood floors, carpeting, stairs, etc. Your feet will love you at the end of the night.
3. DIY – Please do some DIY projects, it is what makes a wedding yours and not cookie cutter. But, don’t do each and every DIY project you see online, in a magazine or on tv. Limit yourself, create a list, sit down with some of your girls and figure out, with their opinions, which ones are realistic.
4. Wedding Party – So you have five really close friends, but you have two sisters and your fiance has two sisters. Do you really need to have 9 bridesmaids in your wedding? I big trend these days is to either choose 1 maid of honor or siblings. Keep it simple and keep the costs down, for you and your wedding party. Your five friends will still be at your wedding.
5. Wedding Dresses – Your dress is going to be on your body for about 10 hours, yes 10 hours. For your dress, consider how you are walking in the dress, sitting in the dress and most important dancing in the dress. There needs to be comfort on your wedding day. What about a knee length or tea length dress and shoes that match your attendants color dresses?
6. Attendants Dresses – choose a color that is flattering. But let them choose a dress that is comfortable. So many designers now have created a line of dresses that are very similiar but yet can be suitable for different body types.
7. Guest List – The days of 300 guest weddings is just about over. Chelsea Clinton said it perfectly, “if I don’t know them, they don’t get invited.” There is nothing worse than trying to create a seating chart for people you don’t know. Meeting people for the first time on your wedding day is just not fun. Tone it down and don’t be afraid to tell your parents that this is no longer the 60’s and that the budget just doesn’t have room for the 4th cousins 7 times removed.
8. Hiring Professionals – Please, please take this one to heart. Never, ever hire a friend or family member to work at your wedding. There is a very clear line between a friend or relative and a professional. Do you have a comfort level in telling a friend to get back to work, don’t drink, stop eating? No, well then hire a professional. Let the friends and relatives help with the wedding, but never have them do what a professional can do.
9. Dinner – One important item with dinner is the amount of food and courses. The more courses you include in your dinner the less time you have dancing. Now for some this is fine and is a desirable choice. But if you are spending over $7000 on your band and they only play waltzes or big band because there is another course coming to the table, don’t complain to the band. having more than three courses for the reception is just a waste of food and time. Tone it down, your guests will not starve.
10. Honeymoon – So many couples just can’t wait to go on their honeymoon. I don’t blame you. Crystal clear water, sugar beaches, tropical drinks. But, the last thing you want to do is get up at 4am the morning after your wedding and drive to the airport and fly to 2-8 hours. Take 1-2 days off after the wedding to decompress. Don’t pack before the wedding, do it the next night after the wedding. Sleep in the day after your wedding, relax, hang out with friends and make it a weekend. You will enjoy your honeymoon and your wedding so much more if you just take your time.
For more advice and information about how to make your wedding stress free contact Hudson Valley Ceremonies, 845-266-6076, www.HudsonValleyCeremonies.com
