Timing is Everything!

Timing is Everything on Your Wedding Day! If you don’t time everything perfectly… all your HARD work could and will go down the drain! Again Timing is Everything – If you are not at the certain place at that time or if you take longer doing something when your suppose to be somewhere or doing something else…  you will for sure be late or you will have to put on your running shoes to make up the lost time!  Honestly what Bride wants to be running in their heels stressed or feel high tension on their wedding … so stick to the schedule! If you do that than everything will be a cake walk! I Promise!

If you don’t know where to begin… I would 1^st start by meeting with your Personal Wedding Planner or Events Coordinator at your Wedding Venue. They will walk through major scheduled times (Church, Venue, Food Service, Etc.) and listen for their suggestions! They are the Pros at this Stuff! They think about all the little things you may not think of! TAKE THEIR ADVICE – they know how to keep that energy alive on the wedding day!! Keeping that energy going and strong will make your wedding memorable!  Once you finalize times and schedule with the Wedding Planner/Events Coordinator - than you can feel confident in moving ahead with all the other details and be able to start making your wedding invitations confidently! See So Smart!!

Now I would recommend making a list of all the things you need to accomplish on your wedding day! You can start by making your own personal wedding schedule! Also - make this list with another person you can trust to remember all those little wedding details too! Maybe your Personal Attendant or your MOH – AKA Maid of Honor!  They will make sure every detail is covered and making sure YOU – the Bride is at the right place at the right time! Once you finalize your wedding schedule – It doesn’t hurt to give this to Your Wedding Planner/Events Coordinator or anyone important that is apart of your wedding day! Than I would make a smaller version for the people who are involved or in your wedding – just to make sure they are in the right place at the right time! I know this sounds crazy but … you know how it always goes – there is always 1 or 2 people that always tend to run late, so by giving them a schedule gives them no excuse to being late! Again – So Smart!

Best Advice About Your Wedding Schedule (YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS!):

• ·      After a Ceremony usually there is a Reseeding Line. Bigger Weddings will take about 30 minutes to an Hour!
• ·      Driving Time – Take that into consideration TOO! People can’t just jump into a time machine and get to your reception in point 2 seconds! Maybe they can but it still takes time! So remember that too!
• ·      Social Hours – Should Never Last more than an Hour and a Half! Hour Only if there are NO Hors D’ Oeuvres. Hour and a Half if you do have Hors D’ Oeuvres! The one thing that you don't want is … Your guests looking at their watches wondering when the food is going to be served! So time is right – or you will loose the energy quickly & easily! You don't want that! Energy is everything remember!
• ·      Don’t Be Late on Dinner! If the food is suppose to come out at 6:00PM than it comes out at 6:00PM sharp! If you push the food late – than the food will be over cooked and won’t be as good! Just - Food For Thought!
• ·      Make sure you tell your Events Coordinator if you and your groom will be introduced as Mr. & Mrs. For the 1^st Time or if you are having a prayer before Dinner too! That is Key too letting the Events Coordinator know that dinner service is about to begin after those key moments!
• ·      Speeches! Know when they are coming and how many speeches you are going to have. NO SURPRISES RIGHT! Don’t be shy in saying how many you only want at your wedding! Time them right too! Timing them right helps keep that energy going again! I always recommend 1 speech during the 1^st course, 1 speech during the 2^nd Course, etc. 
• ·      Cake Serving – Honestly Make the Venue/Cartier Serve the Cake! They know what they are doing! If family and friends serve cake it usually takes them twice the time to serve cake than it would for the serving staff to serve cake! And usually family and friends look like they are running with their heads cut off while serving the cake too! Just stick with the pros!
• ·      ALSO!! Remember to plan to cut your cake! Bridal Couples are totally forgetting about cutting their wedding cake together! It’s such a great moment – so schedule that into your schedule!

Once the cake is served and you danced your 1^st dance with your Hubby – You MADE IT! Now it’s all about having fun and celebrating all your hard work! See Timing is Key – it’s just up to you to stick to the schedule & keeping that energy alive!! Who wants to ruin their wedding shoes by running in them?! ;)

Clever & Cute Wedding Invitation!

WOW! This Clever & Cute Wedding Invitation that I received for an Upcoming Wedding this Fall had to be Showcased!! This Wedding Invite Shined with Creativity and Class! It is sooo Fun, and Fresh, and Definitely NOT the Average Wedding Invitation! IT MAKES A STATEMENT! Love It! The Representation of the Invitation Definitely Describes ALL the Specific Details for the Upcoming Wedding Experience! Easy to Understand and Very Informative! Well Done!

RSVP Card - Front

RSVP Card - Back

Creative Way to Get the Guests Involved!

 Travel & Direction Information - Front

* Loved How They Brought the Couple Into The Invitation *

Travel & Direction Information - Back

 Classy! Front

CLEVER! Back

*Great Way to Finish the Wedding Invitation*

 Groom's Dinner Invitation

Minnesota Bride

As we inch closer to prime wedding season - seems like the perfect time to catch a Minnesota Bride's Wedding Day! From A to Z - This Bride was Pampered with a Capital "P" - With the help of an amazing team who knows how to spoil a Bride on her "Rainy" Wedding Day - This breathtaking photo shoot captures every bridal moment. Talents are from the Central Minnesota Area - Magno Photography, Events Extraordinaire, St. Cloud Floral, Divine Cakes, Charisma Loft, J.F. Kruse Jewelers, Mestads Bridal & Formal Wear and Finally -  Blackberry Ridge Golf Course & Event Center. 

 

Jodi - Charisma Loft. St. Cloud, MN - Downtown

320.251.4247

www.charismaloft.com

_________________________________________________

J.F. Kruse Jewelers. St. Cloud, MN

320.253.4755

www.jfkrusejewelers.com

Mestads Bridal & Formal Wear - St. Coud, MN

320.252.9634

www.mestads.com

Guy Magno - Magno Photography

612.964.9886

www.magnophotography.com

                         

St. Cloud Floral - St. Cloud, MN

www.stcloudfloral.com / 320.251.3093

___________________________________

Events Extraodinaire - St. Cloud, MN

jean@eventsbyjean.com / 320.267.8609

Divine Cakes - Juliet Rose Brutger. Paynesville, MN.

www.divinecakesonline.com

**You Get The BEST Of Both Worlds - Chocolate & Vanilla**

Blackberry Ridge Golf Course & Events Center

320.257.4653 - Ext. 206

www.blackberryridgegolf.com

Facebook - Blackberry Ridge Golf Course & Event Center

Twitter - BlackberryGolf

Perfect to a "T"

It's Official: Wedding Season is HERE!!! Its time for ALL Brides to finally show off ALL their hard work that they spent hours upon hours planning for their perfect wedding day! This past weekend I experienced a very savvy and beautiful wedding at Blackberry Ridge Golf Course & Event Center in Sartell, Minnesota. From beginning to end - every detail was covered! To the place cards & menu (Watermark Stationary  ~ Wayzata, Minnesota) to the flowers (Freeport Floral ~ Freeport, Minnesota), to the Linens (We've Got It Covered ~ St. Cloud, MN), to the Food & Beverages (Blackberry Ridge Golf Course & Event Center) and even to the Entertaining DJ (Adam Welz ~ www.adamwelz.com)! Everything was Perfect to a "T" ~


This is why this wedding was so perfectly organized and flowed nicely together! From beginning to end everything was planned accordinly and had a purpose! First off the colors coordinated amazingly (Teal, Light Pink, Ivory) - You could actually notice all the different highlights from each color! Nothing seemed to go on noticed, but at the same time still had that pop! The Pink was in the Flowers, the Teal was in the Candles and the Linens, the Ivory was in the Linen Napkins, Flowers, Place Cards, Menus and even the Chair Covers! Beautiful & Clever!


Guests started arriving at 5:00pm - they noticed the guest book, which was in a formal picture frame with a engagement photo of the lovely couple. Guests were welcomed to sign or give congratulating praises on the matted frame. Next - guests walked into a round table that was covered in a gorgeous rosette ivory table linen, which was where the place cards were located. Each place card demonstrated where the guest would be seated and what dinner entree they would be having that evening. A Great Detail was shown in the Place Cards by using hydrangeas. Pink Hydrangeas represented that the guest would be having the Baked Chicken Parmesan with Mornay Sauce and the Teal Blue Hydrangea represented that the guest would be having the Beef Tenderloin Tips with Burgundy Sauce. Very thoughtful! During the Social Hour - Guests were enjoying the room and also the outdoor patio that overlooked Blackberry Ridge Golf Course - 18th Hole. Hors D' Oeuvres were being Butler and Guests were enjoying their Complimentary beverages - either wine, beer and the Bride's Specialty Drink (TEAL)! Dinner was served shortly after 7 - when each guest arrived at their seat a menu explained what they will be having for dinner that evening. The 1st course (Blackberry's House Salad with Homemade Blackberry Vinaigrette)  started with 1 wine pour before salads, following with another wine pour before Dinner, and than finished with 3 different Cake choices for Dessert (Cold Spring Bakery). Nicely Done!

Here are a Couple Photos to Help You Capture this Perfect to a "T" Wedding on 

June 16th, 2012 at Blackberry Ridge Golf Course & Event Center!

www.blackberryridgegolf.com

Facebook - Blackberry Ridge Golf Course & Event Center

Twitter - BlackberryGolf / TheSavvyWP

Blog - savvywp.blogspot.com

Your Wedding Dress Determines Everything!

Every Bride has dreamed about their perfect wedding dress since they were little girls playing dress up! Finally once you have the chance to go shopping for the perfect wedding dress, it could take multiple months to find it or it could be the first dress you try on! Every Bride is different when choosing the perfect wedding dress, but every bride knows when they finally found the perfect one!

A lot of Brides don’t realize after picking the perfect wedding dress that they just determined what style of wedding they will be having! The dress totally is the main focal point & main accent piece of the wedding. Your dress will help you determine your decorations, colors, style, etc. If nothing in your wedding compliments your wedding dress than … I hate to say this, but it will look like a train ran through your wedding. Honestly you don’t want that!

So here my rules / helpful guidelines to planning your wedding once you picked out the perfect wedding dress:

·         What color is your wedding dress – White, Ivory or a Color?

If you dress is white, than anything that reflects white is white. If your dress is ivory, than anything that reflects ivory is ivory! You cannot jump back and forth with white and ivory - It’s like the #1 Cardinal Rule! Stick to your color! If you dress is white – everything needs to be white. If your dress is ivory – everything needs to be ivory! GOT IT! If your dress is a color – than pick white or ivory, and stick to it!

·         What is your wedding Color?

Pick one color and one color only! TRUST ME! Having two colors just make things more and look more complicated. When you’re trying to work with two colors it is hard to make sure that those colors match perfectly in the center pieces, arrangements, invitations, etc.  Having to deal with one color will make your life so much easier when planning your wedding details. Now once you have picked your main wedding color – I am going to say this again - stick to it! You will use your wedding color everywhere - in your invitations, flowers, place cards, etc. but your wedding color’s main accent piece will be your bridesmaids!  So make sure they look glamorous because they are helping you and your dress look absolutely amazing, and also making your wedding look put together! I have seen so many weddings with two or even three colors … and honestly when I see that I just want to close my eyes and run away! It becomes too crazy on the eyes and makes it so hard to comprehend everything you see! So stick with one color and you will be golden!

·         Are you going to have SILVER or GOLD accents?

This doesn’t count as another color, but counts as your accent color. Honestly you might not think this is important, but it is! As the planning keeps rolling those colors will start appearing in the table displays, flowers, jewelry, plate chargers, invitations, etc. So you need to choose one over the other right now, so you don’t go back and forth with both accent colors! If you are having a hard time deciding what one I would start by looking at your dress and jewelry, and determine what one will compliment it more. If that doesn’t help than I would look at your wedding color and see what one will compliment the color better. Actually - Silver or Gold needs to compliment your dress and your color, because they really help tie in everything nicely! Again - pick one and stick to it!

·         Are their accents in your dress? What type of style are you going for?

Take a look at your dress and see if there are any hidden accents that you really love? Does your dress have lace, sparkle, hiccups, bows, knots, sashes, etc. Then ask yourself what wedding style are you going for? Are you going for traditional, modernist, individualist, romanticist or minimalist?  You need to ask yourself those questions to help you stay in line with the wedding you are trying to capture! Now take a  moment and  notice all those little details on your again - this will hopefully help you decide on specific styles and designs you want to enhance with certain wedding details – like on your wedding invitations, center pieces, flowers, place cards, the flower girl dress, etc. By taking time to notice all the little details on your dress will really help you connect and make everything look and flow nicely together!

·         Bridesmaids Dresses should SHOW OFF your Dress!

Your bridesmaid dresses need to be different than your wedding dress, but still be able to connect with your wedding dress somehow. This is a tough topic but here I go! Bridesmaid’s dresses are your main accent piece for your wedding color, but they are also there to make you and your dress look good. I know this may sound funny, but I would start creating opposites. If you dress is strapless, than I would think about making the bridesmaids dresses with straps. If your dress is a full ball gown, than I would make your bridesmaids dresses slim and slick. If you dress is A line, than I would make the bridesmaids dresses short and off the floor. See you want to make opposites to help make you and your dress stand out, but at the same time still having somewhat of a similarity. One thing I would think about is making the bridesmaids dresses the same fabric as your wedding dress, so it can connect still. If your dress is satin, than I would try to have satin dresses for the bridesmaids. It is like you want the dresses similar but not too similar, but enough to make you look good! Seriously, anything you can coordinate your wedding together will help make your wedding look amazing in the long run! 

I think you you can see now how your wedding dress is very important to planning your wedding! It’s crazy to think how one dress can determine it all for your wedding, but it really does! Your dress really helps you create the style of wedding that you have always dreamed of.  Hopefully these pointers you will really make your wedding come alive that you always wanted - perfect and well put together!

OX OX ~

Savvy WP

Will You Be My Bridesmaid?!

When you get engaged usually every recent engaged bride feels like they are on cloud 9 & nothing in this world could possibly go wrong!! Every bride wants to shout from the rooftops and show off the snazzy new engagement ring that her new fiancé gave her! But … BE CAREFUL! I’m not kidding - every single close girl friend that you share your ring with will automatically think they will be in or apart of your wedding! Each friend will be secretly thinking, “I better be in your wedding” or “they must have a really good reason why I wouldn't be!”

You can probably figure out this blog is about picking the right & perfect wedding party/bridemaids. There are so many things you have to consider before deciding your wedding party. That is why I am here to tell you the quick & easy way to decide your perfect wedding party, without thinking way too much into it!

1^st - You and your fiancé need to sit down together one night – maybe having a glass of wine or 2 while deciding who you want in your wedding party. Start creating a list of friends & family that you would want to stand up and REPRESENT you two as a couple on your wedding day! Honestly – The people you choose to be in your wedding party totally reflects you two as a couple!

This is how I would start creating your list:

1)   Brothers & Sisters

2)   Best Friends (High School Friends, College Friends, Work Friends)

3)   Close Family Members

Now ask yourselves the following questions:

1)   Are you or already have been in their Wedding?

If not… you just made things easier on you! CUTT!!!

2)   Can you see yourselves being friends with them in 10 years?

If you can’t picture them being apart of your lives later on – than why would you have them in wedding party?!

3)   Have you been friends with them for more than a couple years?

Honestly – your friends in your wedding party should be life long friends. You want your wedding guests to know whom each person is in your wedding party. You don’t want your wedding guests thinking, “who the hell is that” during the wedding ceremony!

4)   Do you like each other’s bridal party choices?

If one of you has an issue or clashes with someone in the wedding party, than its not going to be fun on your wedding day! Both of you need to take that into inconsideration for each other, because if you can’t stand someone in your wedding party… than that person will rain on your parade that day!

5) Will everyone in your wedding party get along?!

This is huge! Think about it – you spend so much time with one another, you will have multiple parties celebrating your upcoming wedding day! Engagement Parties, Bachelorette, Bachelor, Wedding Showers, Groom’s Dinner, and even the Wedding Day! If they all get along – that is just wonderful! If not – than decide who is most important and axe someone off the list!

Now lets talk about Numbers – Meaning – How many people will be in your bridal party! Right up front – 8 people on each side is way too many! 7 people on each side is kind of pushing it, but 7 people on each side is where I draw the line! Anything smaller is ideal! Well … if you only have 1 person on each side, well that just looks like you have no friends. Come on this is when you want to show off your friends and family to all your wedding guests! Make them look good and have them make you two look good! You two also have to consider how many brothers and sisters will be on each side? I know there are those families that have tons of brothers/sisters and have no room for friends, but I still think you have to work with the lucky number 7 on each side. Think about it – you will have at least 16 people standing up during the ceremony and that's not even incorporating the junior bridesmaids, flower girl, and ring bear.  AND - the bigger the wedding party, the more money you will have to spend too! That is more dresses, shoes, tuxes, flowers, presents, etc. Smaller the number, the more you can spend on other things for the wedding.

Personal attendants – where to begin? Honestly I don’t think you need them. Yes they are nice to have to wait on you hand and foot on your wedding day, but that is what your bridesmaids are there for. Truthfully - Personal Attendants always look awkward or pissed off because they aren’t in the wedding. So you will be doing them a favor by not asking them to be your personal attendant! They rather just have a good time at your wedding and not have any assigned duties! Your bridesmaids should be the ones to wait on you hand and foot, because they are your best friends. They are the ones that know you better and will know exactly what you will need on your wedding day without asking them to do anything! Your bridesmaids can totally handle those duties that a personal attendant usually does – making sure you don’t forget anything at the ceremony, help bustle your dress and even help you go to the bathroom.  Your bridesmaids are your go to girls up to and on your wedding day!

Flower Girl & Ring Bear – If you have a little ones a part of your life, than that is perfect! If you don’t have little ones in your life right now than I wouldn’t bother in having them. Sometimes they are a lot of work, if they are of age 3 and under. They typically scream, cry, run around or make a huge scene during the ceremony - YUCK! If you think the kid and the parents can handle it, than I think everything will turn out okay and everything will be perfectly fine! I really recommend Age 5 to age 8.  Over age 8 is getting too old and anything younger than that is too young! Seriously little ones can stress you out on your wedding day, and you really don't want that!

I hope all of this is helpful with deciding who you want to represent you two as couple on your wedding day! If your not feeling confident with your wedding party decision, than I wouldn’t share with anybody until you know who exactly you want in your wedding party. Of course you want everyone involved and you don't want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but you have to be selfish right now! Just try to imagine yourself with who you want to celebrate with on your perfect wedding day! Piece of cake right J

I could go on and on about the little other important positions and details that you can or could add to your wedding party, but I will save that for another blog! Have a great day & see you next week!

Love ~

Savvy WP