5 Great Reasons to Hire a Professional Wedding Planner!

With all of the modern technology we have and the easy access to everything it seems there is nothing we can’t do for ourselves. That seems to be especially true for Wedding Planning.  A number of you Savvy brides get engaged and you tell yourself you can plan your entire wedding without the help of a Professional Wedding Planner.  I honestly believe there is a lot you can do on your own, but equally I think there is a lot you could use some professional help and guidance with!   One of my current clients hired her Caterer company before she hired me.  Guess what? The catering company is currently being sued by 10 different brides, has gone out of business and will not return any of her calls or mine.  They are now trying to do business under a different name, but with the same unethical staff! She had no idea this would happen to her. They are currently fighting to get their deposit back and we have since had to hire a new Catering Company (one that I recommended) and she just wasted time and money! That is just one small story.  I have so many nightmare stories from clients and vendors, but I don’t want to scare you. What I want to do, is educate you!   This weeks tips may seem self-serving, but they really aren’t.  Yes, I am a Professional Wedding Planner, but I’m giving you these tips because I want you to hire the Best Planner for YOU and I know these tips will help you find the perfect match!!   So read below!!!

Tip #1 Professional Protection: You are paying for the expertise, guidance and trust of your planner!  Something that is often hard to put a price tag on.  But all professional wedding planners always put their clients needs first - they are your personal advocate!  You must hire a professional wedding planner who’s personality completely clicks well with yours. Make sure she is a professional (certified and accreditation’s are great), does this full time and has the resources available to assist you with your specific needs!  Ask to speak to current and previous clients this will carry much more weight when you speak to other brides about their experience in hiring a professional wedding planner.   

Tip #2 First things First: If you just got engaged, I would strongly encourage you to hire your wedding planner before you hire or commit to anything else.  This will ensure you only work with professionals and don’t make costly mistakes (like my bride I described above). She will create a comprehensive budget too, the foundation for all well planned weddings. If you have already done some planning, it’s okay, the best part, it’s never too late to hire one, she will jump in wherever you are in your planning!  

Tip #3 Shared Vision: Get Inspired.  A Great Planner will start out designing your wedding with you. This will help you to figure out what you want (not just what others have told you), then she’ll help you discover your own inspirations that are right under your nose, and turn these into your wedding theme and vision. Usually, you can’t even see what you want because you get in your own way. A Professional Wedding Planner is there to help you and guide you so that this will never happen. They will detail out all your wedding inspirations, not just think about them and put them in order and create a plan to make it all come to life. Then, your dreams will become reality right in front of your eyes as the two of you translate your inspirations into your dream wedding!  Did I mention she will do all of this within YOUR budget? Yes!

Tip #4 Personality Matters: When choosing your wedding planner one of the most important things to remember is that you have to feel 100% comfortable with the person you choose. You will be spending a lot of time with your wedding planner and entrusting them with one of the most important days of your life. You should meet with at least 3 Professional Wedding Planners before you make a decision, don’t just go with the least expensive because if you really connect with her and her price is slightly higher I promise at the end of the day it will be money well spent! If she’s not a good fit, the money you save hiring her will give you a bigger headache!  

Tip #5 Only What YOU Need: Your venue or church may come with a coordinator, but this person probably won’t be able to provide all the services you’d like. A wedding planner will cover the rest of the details, so take the time to find someone who can meet all of your planning needs. You can choose from planners who handle last-minute tasks leading up to the wedding, or those who take charge of every detail of your event, from helping you pick your Ceremony and Reception site to the honeymoon and everything in between. The right planner not only keeps things organized and on schedule, but also advises you on where to find the perfect professional vendors for you, your style and budget. 

This can be YOU: You’ve been planning for months leading up to this day, and it’s been so much fun! None of it has been a pain or stressful or time-consuming…actually it’s been a pleasure, no…an absolute JOY to plan your wedding. You’re so confident and happy in your wedding day because you know that everything is coming together flawlessly. And, it feels so fabulous knowing that your mom and closest friends are ALSO enjoying this day with you, instead of working tirelessly and missing out on the most splendid moments you experience in the quiet moments you’ll savor for a lifetime.   You have all the right vendors and a full team of amazing professionals behind you, working together to orchestrate the most extraordinary wedding…even beyond your wildest dreams.  Because of all this, you are overcome with  anticipation to see and experience the most spectacular event that is your wedding day!   You have only done the things that you loved to do and the things that you wanted to do leading up to today.  Today is YOUR day…you are beautiful, relaxed, and the best part is that you can actually enjoy the wedding day you’ve wanted for so long with your most favorite person ever.  You do not have a “to do” list today. Your only focus is to have the time of your life as you delight in the love that you both share.

Sounds wonderful, right?

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6 Invitation Tips & Etiquette

Your Save the Date cards or Invitations set the tone for your wedding and are the first Impression your guests will see about the style and formality of your wedding. Below are some tips to make sure you make a great first impression.

Tip #1 The Rules of the Envelope: Let me try and sum this up because there are so many etiquette rules around the envelope. Spell out all words in an address on your envelopes. Rather than “St.,” “P.O. Box,” and “Apt.,” use “Street,” “Post Office Box,” and “Apartment.” This applies to city and state names as well; instead of abbreviations, write “Saint Paul, Minnesota” and “Washington, District of Columbia.” House numbers smaller than 20 should also be spelled out.  Sending out an invitation in two envelopes ensures that each guest will receive a pristine envelope, even if the outer one has been torn or soiled in the mail. Still, the two are not necessary; you may omit the inner envelope if you wish. The outer envelope includes all of the information the postal service needs for delivery. The inner envelope should have the names of the invited guests in the household (including children, whose names do not appear on the outer envelope).

Tip #2 Just say NO to Labels: The address on a wedding invitation should be handwritten; printed labels are NOT appropriate on formal wedding invitations. Calligraphy done by computer directly on the envelope is also acceptable. Depending on your handwriting and the level of formality of your wedding, you may want to have your envelopes inscribed by a professional calligrapher. Though etiquette for addressing and assembling invitations has relaxed, there are still some requirements. When a couple writes out an address in the correct way, it shows they’ve put thought into it. And when your guests receive your invitation, expertly assembled and addressed, there will be no doubt that you have done just that.  

Tip #3 Names & Titles: Your guests’ names should be written in full on outer envelopes — no nicknames or initials. Use the appropriate social titles as well, such as addressing married couples as “Mr. and Mrs.” If a man’s name has a suffix, write “Mr. Joseph Morales, Jr.,” or “Mr. Joseph Morales IV”; “Junior” can be spelled out on a more formal invitation. It gets a little tricky when husband, wife, or both have different professional titles. If the husband is a doctor, for example, the titles will appear as “Doctor and Mrs.”; if the wife is a doctor, her full name would come first, as in “Doctor Sally Carter and Mr. John Carter.” If both are doctors, write “The Doctors Carter.” If they have different professional titles, list the wife first: “The Honorable Pamela Patel and Lieutenant Jonathan Patel, U.S. Navy.”

Tip #4 Address Variations: Informal - To some couples, omitting wives’ first names feels too old-fashioned; including the first names of both husband and wife after their titles is appropriate on informal/casual invitations.

Different Last Names - When a husband and wife have different last names, the wife’s name is traditionally written first. Connecting the couple’s names by the word “and” implies marriage. For an unmarried couple that lives together, names should be written on separate lines without the word “and.” On the inner envelope, both are addressed by their titles and respective last names.

With Children - This outer envelope is identical to that of a couple without children — its writing, which is for the purposes of the post office, should be as simple and clear as possible. On the inner envelope, the name and title of each invited guest in the household is written out. A boy under the age of 13 is “Master,” not “Mr.” Girls and young women under age 18 are called “Miss.”

Single Guests - For a single woman, either “Ms.” or “Miss” is appropriate.The guest’s name is the only one that appears on the outer envelope. On the inner envelope, however, write the guest’s name followed by “and Guest.” If you know whom he or she will be bringing, it’s more personal to include that person’s name, on a separate line.

Tip #5 Save the Date: If you are planning your wedding on a holiday weekend, if you have a lot of out of town guests that will need to make travel arrangements, if you are planning a wedding weekend of events, or you are having a “destination” wedding, consider sending a Save the Date Card.  This is simply a notice to your guest list that you are planning a wedding for that date and to mark their calendars so they’ll be ready when the details follow by formal invitation closer to the wedding date. Save the Dates should be mailed 12-8 months in advance, if you can’t mail Save the Dates within this time frame it’s not worth sending them.

Tip #6 Get those Invitations in the Mail: Traditionally, it is advised to send out invitations six to eight weeks before your wedding.  Six weeks if most of your guests are in the same state or local, eight weeks if you have a lot of out of town guests. It also lets you make the RSVP date a little earlier, ideally 3 weeks before the wedding so you can start working on your assigned table seating, instead of trying to do this a week before your wedding!

Even though there is a proper way to address and send your invitations, there isn’t a set standard on what they should look like. They should speak to your style and the theme of your wedding.  There are so many types and styles to choose from.  One last bonus recommendation is not to order your formal wedding invitation on-line. I am a firm believer in feeling the paper quality and being able to see it in person because once they are printed, there are no do-overs!!

P.S. - Don’t forget you only need to order one invitation per household not per person!

Copyright 2012, All Rights Reserved.  We love to share, and ask that if you would like to use the content on our blog, please provide the appropriate credit to Platinum Lining Events.

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4 Tips to Help you keep your Maid of Honor/Bridesmaids Honoring YOU!

This is your first wedding and there will be things that come up during your planning process that you would never expect to deal with. One of the major issues that tend to come up revolve around your maid of honor or bridesmaids!   Being chosen as a bridesmaid is an honor and it’s also a big responsibility. Most bridesmaids are sensitive to the fact that this is YOUR big day and will do all they can to help. If you’re experiencing issues with one or more problem bridesmaids, use the advice below to help clear the air so things will go smoothly for your big day.
Tip #1 Numbers Matter: I know you have a number of friends, sisters, cousins and how do you tell someone that they can’t be part of your bridal party? More people more problems, I promise you! Who among your friends is there for you the most? Who has been with you on more significant events? How about the friend who was really there for you during the time you and your groom were just dating or having relationship problems? When you’ve decided on who your bridesmaids will be, think about other ways you can involve the rest of your friends. Maybe they can be part of the service and do a reading or help with the guestbook.  My advise is keep it small no more than 5 girls!

Tip #2 Delegate don’t Choose: Dress shopping can be a time when you feel a lot of stress between you and your bridesmaids!!  You might feel that they’re unsupportive, especially when you hear them grumble that the bridesmaid dresses you chose for them are too expensive, or they don’t like that style. So I suggest you delegate your maid of honor to take the lead and let them choose (with some guidelines from you!). Consult with them on style and budget before making a final decision so that you will all reach a compromise.

Tip #3 You’re Fired: If one of your bridesmaids is really not carrying her weight, causing problems or just being a pain and you are spending too much time managing her, don’t end your friendship over it.  You may want to talk to her first and see if something is going on that you didn’t know about and see if the two of you can come up with a solution. If you want to give her a way out you can do that, with no hard feelings!

Tip #4 Out of Town: Some of you will have bridesmaids that live out of town and there is nothing wrong with this! I would choose a maid of honor that lives close to you if possible because the maid of honor has a number of responsibilities that may be hard to uphold from another state.  However, this does not mean that if your sister or best friend doesn’t live in close proximity that she shouldn’t be your maid of honor, you will just have to adjust your expectations so as not to be disappointed if she can’t fly out out multiple times before your wedding.    Your bridesmaids are your closets friends, sisters and cousins. Don’t go bridezilla on them, have realistic expectations and try to never dissolve a friendship because of something wedding related!

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SPRING SAVINGS EVENT!!

Starting May 1st to May 31, 2012, Platinum Lining Events is having a SALE

on all our Wedding Accessories and Invitations!!

The SALE includes: Non-Custom Invitations and Save-The Dates, Place-cards, Menu Cards, Favors, Cake Toppers, Cake Knife sets, Sand Ceremony kits, Unity Candle Sets, Garters, Toasting Glasses, Guest Books, Flower girl baskets, Ring Bearer Pillow, custom runners and so much more……….

Have have Invitations and Wedding Accessories for the Savvy, Chic Bride to the Classic Traditional Bride!!

10% off any Invitation or Wedding Accessory Order

(new orders only, excludes custom orders, offer expires May 31st)

All Appointments are Complimentary and there is no Obligation, but we are confident that you will find the Perfect Invitation, Stationary and Accessories for your wedding.

Schedule a consultation today. Our Goal is to make ordering your wedding invitations and accessories easy and stress free.  We are a One Stop Boutique, you will love the experience!

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Summer Internship

Platinum Lining Events (Upland, California)

I am currently looking for 1 full-time or 2 part time interns, unpaid, in the Inland Empire working in a wedding and event planners office. This internship is more about helping with the business and marketing side than planning. However, you will get the opportunity to work at least 1 wedding during your internship. We are really looking for someone to help with the social media side and communicating with brides, Great for someone who is interested in learning how to get into the business of wedding planning and make relationships.

Responsibilities:

- Work closely with Owner and Event Manager to help bring the Complete Experience to each client.

- Effectively communicate verbally and in writing, excellent skills in correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

- Social Media and administrative duties

Requirements:

- Possess skills at initiating innovative ideas and judging correctly what will appeal to target audiences.

- people-oriented, fast learner, excellent verbal and written communication

- knowledge of computers, phones, Microsoft office, excel, internet savvy

- Familiarity with social media platforms, and administrative responsibilities

Salary: unpaid

Serious inquires only.

Apply by Email ONLY - NO PHONE Calls: info@platinumlining.com

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5 Tips to Peaceful Planning

Centered, Focused, Poised, Relaxed at Peace!!

Can you say these words would describe how you are feeling while planning your wedding? If not, we completely understand your pain. Planning a wedding can almost become a full-time job and there will be moments when you feel a little overwhelmed or stressed. We have put together 5 tips to bring the Zen into your planning!

Tip #1 Centered: Drink lots of water and get plenty of rest!  Take a yoga or Pilates class and try to begin each day with gratitude. Problems and worries disintegrate when you take a few minutes to be thankful for what you have.

Tip #2 Focused: Set aside dedicated time and days to work on your wedding. Try not to multi-task. Stay focused on one project at a time through completion and then move on to the next project.
Tip #3 Poised: How you handle yourself when dealing with your vendors and all the people you come in contact with while planning will determine your stress levels. Maintain your composure at all times.

Tip #4 Relaxed: A relaxed bride is the most radiant, beautiful bride. She glows because she is not worried, she confident and ready to marry the man of her dreams. Hire a “Day Of” wedding planner at the very least so that on the day of your wedding you and your family can actually trust a professional to execute a flawless, stress free wedding.

Tip #5 Peace: Take some time right before the wedding and go to the Spa and splurge. Take your mom or bestie and get a massage, facial, mud-bath the works! Completely unwind and find your inner peace!

Most importantly enjoy this moment in your life, this exact moment only comes once!

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5 Tips How to Incorporate Your Dog(s) at Your Wedding

Having your dog in your wedding can be easily pulled off with the proper planning. It will also be a great memory to have of your dog and you get fabulous pictures too!!

Tip #1 - First and foremost, make sure your Venue will allow dogs! Pets are rarely allowed in churches. If you are marrying at a small local church, you could try explaining the situation and asking, but be prepared for an emphatic no.  Park, beach and wooded area weddings are much easier to work with (just check the posted signs closely for parks, and keep the dog on leash). Outdoor weddings at some hotels or country clubs can usually allow a dog, but indoor arrangements can be hard to make, as local food safety laws usually forbid the presence of dogs in dining areas.

Tip #2 - Is your dog well trained? If your dog is a barker or likes to jump, usually it’s not a good idea to include them. Work on obedience long before the big day. For example, practice having the pet sit in a receiving line or familiarize it with the ceremony space. If your dog hasn’t mastered the basic commands of “come, sit and stay,” you shouldn’t include him/her in the wedding.

Tip #3 - You’re going to be busy, and probably wearing clothing worth a significant amount of money, for that alone hire a professional pet handler for the day. This person usually is responsible for getting your pet to and from the event, and arranging for toilet breaks and food and water, so you and your family don’t have to.

Tip #4 - If your dog doesn’t wear doggy cloths regularly, don’t expect him to be happy about wearing something at your wedding. Yeah it’s cute to have them dressed up, but just having your pet as part of the wedding is a great personalized touch it doesn’t matter if he has on a tux/tutu on or not. Try not to take him/her too far out of their element.

Tip #5 - If the logistics of having your doggy at the wedding is a little overwhelming, think about incorporating them in your engagement session/pictures instead! This is a fun idea and it’s just for a few hours which is much easier to manage. You might want to consider bringing along a good friend or bridesmaid to handle him/her when he/she’s not needed in the shots!

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5 Tips about How to Manage

Children at Your Wedding!

Every year we receive a question from one of our clients about children at their wedding and what suggestion do we have for not inviting them, or if they are invited how to keep them from ruining everyone’s great time.  They are also needing help to word their invitations in a way that would exclude children without being rude.    We’re always amazed that families insist on bringing young kids to formal and semi-formal weddings-and are insulted to boot if the children are not invited. The fact is that kids become easily tired and bored at weddings. Ever wonder why they cry so much? Is it because they’re busting at the seams with happiness? No, it’s because they’re miserable. If you invite children, you must make them part of your over planning!! It just becomes another detail to address.

Tip #1 - First of all, it’s against the rules of etiquette to word an invitation to exclude children, but etiquette has provided us with a logical and non-offensive solution to the problem. If you don’t want to invite kids, you don’t include their names when addressing your invitations. People receiving invitations that exclude their children’s names should take the hint that the kids are not invited. You can also put in the number of guests invited on the RSVP card. If there are two adults and two children and put 2 are invited that should also be a hint.

Tip #2 - Second, you must spread the word through the grapevine that kids are off limits. For those friends and family who live out of town, who have no choice but to bring their children, the solution is simple. Supply a baby-sitting service (or a couple of babysitters) at the home of families and friends. Handle this situation with kid-gloves (no pun intended), offer the baby-sitting solution to your guests-and everyone-kids and parents-will be happy and enjoy your reception as much as you do!

Tip #3 - If you can’t get around the kid invites or if you really don’t mind children at your wedding make sure you keep them occupied. Arrange some sort of activities for kids like games or arrange some art stuff so they do not get bored and have fun.  If you can’t have separate room or location for the kids, you can add a small TV screen in the same room as the reception put the TV in a corner, keep a few DVDs of different kid’s movie maybe some video games and headphones so the kids can pass their time in having fun in their own private corner and the parents can still keep one eye on them!

Tip #4 - If kids will be present make sure you ask your caterer to add kids meals. These meals are usually offered at a lower cost then the adult meals. Another fun option is make meal boxes for them containing variety of attractive food; crayons or small toys/activities.

Tip #5 - If possible try and put some of the older kids together at their own table. They can entertain each other and be more relaxed instead of sitting right next to their parents which will help keep everyone a little more relaxed.

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Read some tips below on how NOT

to become a Bridezilla while planning your wedding!

Planning a wedding is stressful for all brides and it’s only natural for a bride to want everything to be perfect. A bridezilla is a bride who doesn’t just want everything for her wedding day to be perfect. She expects and demands it to the point of being unreasonable, demanding and at times irrational. While regular brides may get a little teary or frustrated during the wedding preparation process, bridezillas tend to be overly emotional at even the smallest details.   Here are Platinum Lining Events Tips on How to Stay a Calm, Relaxed Bride and tame your inner Bridezilla!

Tip #1 - Receiving an engagement ring does not become a bride-to-be’s license to be haughty, witchy and demanding? Instead it you gives you the right to be fabulous, gracious and the opportunity of a life time to plan a unique, beautiful wedding.

Tip #2 - Don’t treat family members and friends like your loyal subjects or servants. They especially are not around to wait on you hand and foot. They are actually the people who can take your mind off wedding planning and help you relax, go shopping and out to eat. They are also the ones who plan your engagement party, bridal shower and bachelorette party so be nice!

Tip #3 - Let’s get a grip here! A wedding is but one event in your life-and it is THE DAY to be the most gracious hostess you can be. It’s your job to plan your wedding with civility and kindness. It not all about you, it really isn’t. Once you embrace that, you will see the BIG picture and realize all that really matters is that you get the chance to spend the rest of your life with the man of your dreams!

Tip #4 - Be kind, be civil and always put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Make your fiancé proud of you though all the stress, rigors, and emotions of wedding planning. Show him how strong and smart you are and how you handle pressure gracefully! He will be thinking to himself, “Wow, I know that she’ll be able to handle any situation that comes up in our life just because of the wonderful, common sense way that she’s tackled this wedding.”

Tip #5 - Part of the reason brides are notorious for wedding-related antics is because so much of the event’s success rides on their shoulders. Don’t be afraid to delegate to relieve some of that burden. Your fiancé is your greatest untapped resource; assign some wedding planning tasks to him. Give small tasks to immediate family members or bridal attendants. And if that’s still not enough, consider enlisting the help of a professional planner.

The more relaxed and calm you are the better the wedding day will be.  Always remember….. if something should go wrong, you are the only one who will know as the guests are not privy to your planning process information.

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