As a newly engaged couple begins the wedding planning process they are confronted with many decisions and can easily feel overwhelmed with the amount of choices they have in front of them. Choosing the location for their wedding is one of the many decisions that needs to be made shortly into the planning process. These locations are called venue's. In most cases a couple will choose one or two locations for their wedding day activities. Lately however, I've seen a trend that leads guests to only one venue where the entire celebration takes place. I call these 'all inclusive' venue's.

And by definition they are, well, all inclusive. The venue offers space for wedding party preparation, the ceremony, and a ballroom or large meeting room for the reception. Everything for the entire event is provided-- it's all there! And in nearly every single case the venue has a caterer on-site for the couple's purposes. In addition, there may be other on-site vendors like a DJ, full service bar with bar tender, florist, and sometimes even a photographer.

Some examples of 'all inclusive' venue's are:
-A botanical or city garden with a guest or meeting house
-An inn or restaurant
-An event center
-A hotel
-A religious facility that has additional space such as a 'Fellowship Hall.'
-A vineyard
-A historic farm or plantation
-A museum with event space

A venue of this type does not require less planning but it does take away alot of the guess work as well as guaranteeing a basic support staff for the event. It's somewhat simpler financially because there may be multiple vendors under one roof and usually only one total fee.

The couple should be aware that they may be required to use some of the in-house vendors the location has on staff. Also, along with their wedding planner, they should plan on having at least a few lengthy meetings with the venue manager to cover all the details. They should be prepared to make a few choices as the these venues will have menu options, basic decor options, and even different ceremony and reception rooms to choose from (as is often the case at hotels), all to fit their tastes and desires.

These are the venue's where the customer gets the biggest 'bang' for their buck! They can still have their desired theme and creative design because these venue's provide an upscale facility to do so!


A venue that includes a large ballroom for the reception adds class and an elegant ambiance to any wedding celebration.



Only feet away from the reception pavilion, this ceremony at a public garden was an immaculate location for a late summer wedding.

Labels: Vendor Selection, Venues

A few days ago a beautiful family lost their 10 month old baby girl, Cora, to cancer. I can not begin to imagine how devastating this must be and my heart aches every time I think and pray for this precious precious family.

Cora's family is building a playground in her memory and Megan Hardre Photography is contributing all its proceeds during the week of February 25 to this wonderful cause.

Check out Megan's blog for all the details.

Labels: Community

One of the things I love about being a wedding planner is the ability to pay close attention to the details of the day. Spending extra time orchestrating the finer details of a wedding not only allows the couple to feel like the event is classy but the guests feel special and well taken care of because of the extra effort put towards the small things. Having a little something the guests can take with them after your event can be a great way of saying 'thanks' for their support and love on your special day.



Here are a few tips and when it comes to having the right wedding favor for your big day!

- Always make it personal. Give a simple, small gift that gives the guest yet one more glimpse into who you are as a couple. I recently read about a couple that gave all their guests hand-made sock puppets because the groom used one when he proposed to his bride. How cute!

- In planning your wedding it's highly likely that you used a theme to keep the whole event cohesive and flowing. Try to incorporate something that is in-line with your wedding theme when deciding on your wedding favor. In addition to a thoughtful gift, your guests will leave with another tangible memory of the day.

- Take ideas from your outdoor venue. If you are getting married at a very scenic location or the affair is outdoors (like so many beautiful weddings here in Colorado!) try incorporating a wedding favor that ties in with the locale of your event. Give each guest a beautiful ornate seashell if you were married on the beach, or give everyone a potted tropical flower if you were married at a botanical garden. How about a pine cone Christmas ornament if you were married in the Rocky Mountains? Let nature be your creative guide when it comes to the finer details of an outdoor wedding.

- Ask a friend to help. If you are short on time, ask a willing friend to be in charge of your wedding favors. At our wedding, we asked friends to pass out water bottles to all of our guests because we were married outside and there was some hiking involved. As an added touch, we handmade individual labels for each bottle -- it was a big hit!

- Keep it simple. Don't feel pressure to do too much. It's very easy to keep the wedding favor classy and still inexpensive. Time is worth so much more than any dollar sign so, if you're short on cash try making a simple, small, hand made gift for all your guests. If you have a larger guest list then ask your bridesmaids or family members to help.

- Do double duty. Your wedding favor can also easily be the place card for all your guests when they dine at your reception. It's a really simple way to personalize the wedding reception for your guests, and the only added effort is in placing the gifts at the correct seats as well as adding a name tag.

- Always have fun! Chances are, you and your fiance are attracted to one another because of some amazing personality traits that each of you have. Embrace these aspects of each other when deciding on a gift to give your guests and have fun with it. Remember to enjoy yourself when making, assembling, wrapping, or placing your gifts out for your guests.

I hope these ideas help you as you plan your wedding day details!

Labels: Colorado Weddings, Details, Wedding Planning Tips