Etiquette Concerns
QUESTION
I am inviting a lot of people to my wedding that have children, but I would prefer to not have children at my wedding – is this awful? Is there a way to say this to my friends and family without offending them?

ANSWERED BY TEP EVENTS

This is a common concern for many people who are planning their wedding and working through their guest lists. The truth is, there is no simple, clear-cut answer, but I always urge my couples to remember that it is their day. Children often are difficult at weddings because dinner and speeches can be lengthily and there are many venues that still charge full price for children, and do not offer alternatives to the main meal that are suitable.

My best advice is to simply discuss it with family members to help them to understand your reasoning. If it becomes an issue, consider hiring a babysitter for the parents that would like their children nearby. This way, they can be a part of your day up until dinner, and then their parents have an opportunity to enjoy themselves as well while their children eat chicken fingers and play games with a professional sitting service.

Traditional vs. Untraditional
QUESTION
My fiancée and I are not overly traditional people and yet our families are pushing us towards having a very traditional wedding – what is ‘normal’ these days?

ANSWERED BY TEP EVENTS

Weddings are slowly moving away from being text-book traditional. It is no longer taboo to hold your ceremony in different locations than churches and what was normal 10 years ago, simply isn’t the same anymore. That being said – when working with traditional families, it is important that you remember that this day is about them too. They have waited a long time to see you walk down the aisle and they want to feel that they are a part of it.

Consider sticking to a traditional ceremony and then throwing caution to the wind with the reception and making it all about you. Or if your parents are concerned about the meal, have a traditional

menu but put your personality into the décor and the feel of  the day. Try to compromise on certain elements and bring everyone that is important to you into the day, so that they feel apart of it and you are constantly surrounded by people (and happy people!) that you love. At the end of the day, everyone will be happy.

Budget Concerns

QUESTION
I am working with a very limited budget and I am wondering if there are any ways to cut down on costs for the wedding?

ANSWERED BY TEP EVENTS

There are definitely many ways to help save some money when planning your wedding. I work with many couples on a tight budget and some of the recommendations/practices that I do to help out:

▪ Some venues will allow you to bring in your own alcohol for your host bar, this is a great way to save some money, any alcohol that you do not use, you can take back!
▪ Rather than having a reply card inside of your invitation you could direct people to either respond via email or telephone – this is more work intensive on the person receiving the replies, but can save stationary costs
▪ Choosing cupcakes or brownies will save on plating costs that many venues will charge to cut and plate your cake
▪ Go with a very simple rehearsal rather than making it another lavish affair – consider something intimate with the wedding party and immediate family
▪ Have a seamstress design mock designer dresses for both yourself and your bridesmaids

Feeling Overwhelmed? QUESTION
I have booked the location for the ceremony and the reception, but now what? The Catering Manager was asking me soooooo many questions about what type of flowers I would have, what type of music, what centerpieces – I am feeling overwhelmed and have no idea where to start.

ANSWERED BY TEP EVENTS

First, take a deep breath – you are on the right track, once you have the venue and the day picked out you are in good shape! The best place to start is by making yourself, what I

like to call a ‘Bride’s Binder.’ It’s something that I make for each of my brides because it will help you to stay organized and stay on track.

Another tip to stay on track is to go online and research a timeline, this will help you work through what you have to do, and when it is ‘normal’ to have it done by. Once you have all of this done you can start researching the different vendors that you will need to use, my advice is to interview at least 3 in each area so that you can get a good feel of what each one provides and the different price points. This should help you in creating the vision for your wedding.

Next – the fun part – wedding news sites and magazines! Go through as many wedding new sources, sites and magazines as you can. Pull out (or print, as the case may be) pictures that attract you. Write down the different details that you love. Once you have a huge stack, go through them with some friends and start to put the ideas together. You will find that there is a theme to your choices/tastes and soon you will have your colour scheme and your décor theme for the big day.

Out of Town Guests
QUESTION
There are a number of guests coming from out of town, that do not know the area very well, what should I do for these guests?

ANSWERED BY TEP EVENTS

Let me first start by commending you on thinking about making every guests experience memorable on your big day. Often times, guests that are coming from out of town, or out of the country will make a vacation out of it and it is always great to add to their experience by providing them with some information about local touristy things to do, places to eat and places to shop. Along with all of the necessary maps.

My advice is to put a “Welcome Basket” into their rooms with some fun treats and gifts, (themed to your wedding of course!) and then some information on what to do and what to see in the area. Consider putting an important contact list in there of family and friends in the area if they have any questions, and definitely an itinerary of the wedding day.
 

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