To Plan or Not To Plan

To Plan or Not To Plan

For some Brides to Be, you've been planning your Dream Wedding since you were little girls. The dress, the shoes, the theme…all you had to do was wait for your Prince Charming to pop the question. Planning your wedding will become the whole of your existence, and everything will be perfect no matter how Bridezilla you get on your fiance, bridesmaids, mother, etc.

Then there are those Brides to Be that the very thought of planning a wedding terrifies us. Budgeting, synchronizing, making everyone happy…the thought will have you running to the County Clerk in no time! But if you WANT that beautiful Big Day shared with family and friends you shouldn't be discouraged. Your solution: Hire a Wedding Planner!
Your first reaction may be that you don’t have the money for that…but don’t write them off quite yet. Most wedding planners will work with any budget. They also offer different packages whether you want them to plan the entire event or you just want them there for day of activities such as, decor getting set up correctly, bridesmaids and groomsmen know their roles, guests are taken care of and tips are paid out.
If you have a budget of $10,000, your planner will work within that budget adding her fee into it based on her role in your wedding planning. Starting to sound more reasonable? Consider these perks as well:

• Planners know a large network of wedding vendors. They’ll know who to work with, who to steer clear of, whose personalities will work with yours, and different price points to work with.
• Planners often get wholesale pricing. You won’t be paying premium prices for flowers, tables, linens, etc. which equates to saving you money!
• Planners are experienced. Most planners will have planning a wedding…or any event for that matter (Engagement Party, Bridal Shower), down to a science. Knowing what to book first and how far in advance and prioritizing your entire shin-dig down to the very last monogrammed napkin.
• Planning a destination wedding? Whether it be in Ouray, CO or San Diego, CA, you’re likely not going to be able to visit with vendors every weekend. A wedding planner can coordinate with you and your schedule, check out venues and other vendors for you and have insight on the area that you otherwise may not have.
• Is your life too busy as it is? You may have a full time job, travel a lot for work, have children to manage or perhaps your fiance works out of town. Do your bridesmaids or mother live out of town? All of a sudden the Happiest Day of your Life starts sounding like a job that you won’t be getting paid for. A Wedding Planner will be there to help you with anything you want help with and take the burden of time off your hands.
• And lastly, No Stress! Because let’s face it, we've never talked to a Bride who planned a wedding from start to finish without at least a little stress. Whether it be big like the budget or something smaller like the gift table being set up in the wrong area. No one needs the added angst on the Happiest Day of their lives, or the months leading up to it.

Now that you know some of the perks of hiring a planner ask yourself these questions to see if a planner is right for you?

• Do you have time?
• Do you work well under stress?
• Are you familiar with the area?
• Are you able to stick to a budget?
• Do you want to be involved with the wedding planning?

If you answered Yes to 3 or more of these questions than you are probably fine to plan your wedding on your own. If you answered No to 3 or more of these questions you may want to consider hiring a Wedding Planner to take some, or, the entire load off your shoulders.

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Tips on Tipping!

Let’s be honest, service is key when deciding on how much to tip. When you go to a restaurant standard tip is 15%, and 18% for 6+ people (which is often added to the bill). My husband and I like to tip a little higher so standard for us is 18%-20%, if the service is bad we keep it at 15%. Remember that servers often work for less than minimum wage and have to split tips with bus boys and hostesses. Bad tipping is bad karma!

With that said, the moment “Wedding” is attached to any kind of service it seems the price is jacked up! Because, let’s face it, it’s your Big Perfect Day and if you are expecting perfection be ready to pay for it. You may be thinking, “Well, if I have to pay so much more than do I have to tip?” The answer to this is Yes and No. Although you may not be obligated to tip, it may be bad etiquette to not tip and often times Vendors may be expecting one. Nobody wants to be remembered as the Bridezilla who didn't tip!

Here are a few tips on tipping and a breakdown of what gratuities are customary:

• Have tips enclosed in an envelope with a Thank You note and give it to a responsible person to distribute the day of the wedding. i.e. a Bridesmaid, your mother or father or your wedding planner.
• Check your contracts to make sure gratuity hasn’t already been added.  Catering and Transportation almost always include gratuity in their contracts. Avoid double-tipping.
• Don’t tip the owners, instead tip the employees who helped the day of your wedding (or before if that is the case).


• Bakers – 15%
• Bands – $25-$50/person
• Bartenders – If the guests are giving tips you may want to include an additional 10%, if the artender is not accepting tips from guests then 15%-20% is standard
• Caterers – 15%-20% - usually included in the contract
• DJs – 15%-20%
• Florists – 15%
• Hair & Makeup – 10%-15%
• Limo Drivers – 15%-20% - usually included in the contract
• Officiants - $75-$100 – clergy members may accept gratuities or donations, however, civil officiants are not typically allowed to accept gratuities. Ask beforehand.
• Photographers/Videographers – 15%
• Waitstaff – 15%-20% - usually included in the contract
• Wedding Planner – 10%-20% - depending on how involved they are. Were they planning from the beginning or just a day of organizer? Often times a nice gift, around $50, is acceptable.

Please remember, these are just guidelines for you to budget off of. If you find that someone did and exceptional, above and beyond  job, then a bigger tip may be given. On the flip side, if you feel someone didn’t live up to their end of the deal then tip them appropriately or not at all. Use your discretion.

Gift Registry Tips

Ahhh, the Gift Registry…an exciting time for you and your husband to be (yes, he should be involved!), to imagine your home with all new stuff in it! How fun! But before you get ahead of yourselves here are a few tips to starting your registry out right.

• Register Early! Right after you have announced your engagement you should begin registering. That way if you have an engagement party and/or bridal shower you will be able to give your guests a heads up on what you would like.
• Register for WHATEVER YOU WANT! But be realistic. Yes it would be awesome if someone bought you a Sterling Silver Ice Cream Scoop from Tiffany & Co., but will you ever use an Ice Cream scoop that cost $395…we think not! Also be aware of space. Try not to register for things that you don’t have storage or counter space for.
• Be courteous to your guests. Register at 2-3 different stores with at least one being online. This way travelers can have gifts shipped directly to you and locals can browse storefronts and save on shipping. Also, make sure to have a wide range in prices. Starting at $10 and up to whatever you think is reasonable for your guests. Registering for bigger gifts is okay and may encourage guests to go in on it together.
• Wedding etiquette tells us that it is rude to include your wedding registry information on or with your invitations. You’re basically saying, “Hey come to our wedding, but make sure you bring us something!” However, I feel a little differently for 2 reasons. First, you don’t want to end up with a bunch of stuff you will never use, like a kitten throw blanket from your Aunt Edna, or already have; who needs three toasters? And second, you are providing your guests with food and entertainment for a night so why not expect something in return? Here are a couple additional things to note:
  • For travelling guests it may be inappropriate to include your registry information with the invitation because they could be spending hundreds or thousands of dollars to travel and stay for your big day.
  • If you decide to forgo including registry information with your invitation then be sure to tell your Mother, Grooms Mother, and Bridesmaids where you are registered so they can pass along the information to those who ask.
  • If you have a personal wedding website don’t be afraid to list your registry information there. It will let people know that “Yes, you are registered,” but “No, you are not expecting anything.”
• Lastly, for all of us who have lived with our significant other before getting married, chances are, you may not NEED too much “stuff”. Unless perhaps you want to upgrade what you already have. In the case that you don’t really need anything you still have some options. Thanks to the World Wide Web you can now have guests deposit money into an account for you for a Honeymoon Fund, or basically anything you want. Check out www.honeyfund.com, www.travelersjoy.com, www.honeymoonpixie.com, or www.depositagift.com for ideas. Be sure to do your research as there are some fees associated with some of the sites and then pick the one that will work best for you and your guests.

Wondering what to Register for, Download or print out our fillable Gift Registry Checklist for help.

Wedding Favors: Tips & Ideas

Wedding Favors: Tips & Ideas

In other cultures and countries Wedding Favors are/were used to present status of the couple or to wish good fortune to guests. We typically use them as an extra “Thank You” for attending the wedding. Even in the US, Wedding Favors are not as common as you may think but it has been a growing trend and most couples at least consider the idea during their planning and budgeting.
Ideally, you don’t want to spend more than 2-3% of your budget on Wedding Favors. If your budget is $10,000 then $200-$300 would be a good budget for favors. Obviously this can vary depending on budget and how important it is to you, but this is a good starting point. If your budget is $10,000 and you are inviting 200 guests than you are looking at $1.00-$1.50/person. So think within your means.

Try to avoid things that will “clutter” your guests’ homes. Although it is the thought that counts, you don’t want to waste your time and money on gifts that will get thrown away or left at the reception.

If you plan on having a lot of kids at your reception, consider doing separate goodie bags for them. Include things that will keep them entertained but be quiet, like bubbles and then add some candy, bubblegum, etc.

Here are a few different favor ideas at different price points:

$ Lottery Tickets – For as little as $1.00/person if everyone is given one ticket. At the end of the day they won’t have to take something home and find room for it on a shelf or throw it in a drawer, and they may win something!

$ Bags of Candy – Cellophane bags can be as little as $1.00/dozen, buy your candy in bulk and some ribbon to tie them together and Walla! You’ve got an inexpensive favor coming in at less than $1.00/person. *

$$ Bags of Candy Variation – Add custom made candy to the bags. You can get M & M’s specially made to match your wedding colors and be imprinted with your wedding date or something cute on them. *

*You can also print little gift tags to tie on with the ribbon, that have your Wedding Date or a cute poem as well; which would add a little something extra and not stretch your pocketbook.

$ Flip Flops – This is becoming a trend for outdoor receptions especially. Let your guests kick off their heels and dance the night away! We found them for $1.00/pair when bought in bulk.

$ Frames – Double Duty!! You can get small frames and put their Seating Cards inside of them. Add something cute to the card telling them the frame is theirs to keep. We found them for $1.00/pair when bought in bulk.

$$ Cake Pops or Cookies – A sweet treat your guests can enjoy at the reception or take home for later. You can typically get a dozen (maybe ask for a baker’s dozen?) for $10-$15. Check out Mommynac’s Sweets and Snacks.

$$ Homemade Jam – This is a fun DIY idea, especially since we’ve got Palisade Peaches to work with. Buy whatever fruit is in season and in bulk. You can cover the lids with fabric and tie them on with a ribbon. Plus this can be something fun for you and your “Husband to Be” to do together, or a variation of a Bridal Shower or Bachelorette Party.

$$ Custom Koozies – Firstly, know your guests. Is this a gift that they will use? You can get them personalized with something cute, funny or just your wedding date for your guests to enjoy.

$$$ Photo Booth – Double Duty!! Have your guests take pictures in the photo booth, provide costumes, mustaches, etc. for them to pose with. Then have one strip go in a guest book for the Bride and Groom (provide scrapbook paper and different colored pens) and you keep the other strip. A fun memory you can hang on your fridge.

The possibilities are truly endless for those on a budget and those who are not. Be sure to check out our Pinterest Page and follow us for ideas and trends for Wedding Favors and everything else Wedding related.

Wedding Season

Wedding Season is fast approaching as February is coming to an end. Which means there will be a lot of stressed out Brides out their trying to make it to their Big Day without having a mental breakdown or killing their Husband to be, or his mother! By now you should have your Venue, Photographer, Caterer, DJ and all the important things worked out and booked. If not...then you are rightfully stressed! But we can help with the finer things...no we can't help you lose that 10 pounds, but perhaps a personal trainer or a couple Hot Yoga classes a week will help you. Not only will you lose the weight that has become your nemesis but you will also work out all that stress looming over your shoulders.


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If you've been wondering if a Brazilian Wax or a Spray Tan is the right thing for you on your Honeymoon than get one now to see how your body reacts to it. Our experts tell us to get one at least a month before your Big Day or Honeymoon to make sure it's right for you. You wouldn't want to spend your Wedding Day looking like a carrot and you don't want to spend your Honeymoon not showing off that hot bod and getting down with your new husband because of some terrible rash you may have gotten. Some of us are more sensitive than others and we need to know what our bodies will do under certain situations. And please remember that Stress can make your body do things it wouldn't naturally do, so try to keep it together, get a massage, go to a day spa, visit the Hot Springs, do whatever it is you need to do to feel less stressed, even if it's locking yourself in your bedroom for a weekend listening to Enya...just try to keep the Bon Bons and Ice cream at bay...that will inevitably stress you out more after your weekend retreat.

Check out our Body Care / Health Section to find the right thing for you at http://www.hitchedingj.com/vendors/body_care.html

Money Saving Tips

So you have that shiny rock on your finger and now you’re ready to start planning your special day. Maybe you've looked at wedding gowns and picked out some wedding colors. This is the fun stage of the wedding planning process. When you start looking at venues, and talking with caterers you realize you must be living below the poverty level because you just can’t afford the gorgeous center pieces and high dollar wedding decor you've seen in the magazines. Have you gotten to the point in planning where you realize you might have to serve pizza, use your cousins’ boom box for the entertainment and ask your mom to snap a few pics with her disposable? Great! You can benefit from a few money saving tips I picked up while planning my own wedding and a few I picked up on the World Wide Web.

The first thing you have to do is pick the elements of the wedding that matter most to you. If the cake is high on your list go to the best damn cake bakery in town! If you’re not big on cake (like me) go to Sam's Club and have a sheet cake made with you and Mr. Wonderful’s baby pics on them! Serving cupcakes is another trendy alternative to the elaborate and expensive wedding cake. If you really don’t care about the cake, mix all your ideas together in an affordable fashion. You will save hundreds of dollars and your guests probably won’t even notice!  If you must have a gorgeous, tasty wedding cake consider ordering it small and have another sheet cake in the back to feed the guests.  
               
If you are going to skinny down your budget a great place to start is with the wedding favors. Wedding favors are a cute way of saying “Thanks for coming to my wedding!” Do you really think the guests keep those little bags of candy almonds or the Frisbee with your wedding date on it? The answer is NO!  If you want to thank your guests send them a Thank You card.
               
The biggest way to cut down on the expenses is to shrink your guest list. When you have a big guest list, it translates to a bigger venue which means more flowers. More guests mean a bigger cake, more food and drink, more invitations, table and chair rentals. When making your guest list invite the people who you are actually close to in your daily life. DO NOT invite people because you are trying not to hurt their feelings. You have to provide food, shelter and entertainment for these people. It’s a nice gesture to invite your mom's best friend from high school but if you really can’t afford it most people will understand. 
               
One of the ways I saved money on my wedding was asking talented friends and family to help with some of the wedding duties. If you have a cousin who's a photographer or an aunt that can cook up a storm utilize their skills! Family members will be honored to take part in your special day and count their service as your wedding gift.
               
If all else fails remember K.I.S.S. Keep it simple stupid! There are a million little details involved in planning a wedding. By eliminating some of the wedding day extras you save money and headaches. Who needs a dove releasing? They just poop on the guests anyway! If some of the wedding day traditions don't appeal to you, get rid of them and add your own personal touches.
               
These are just a few ideas to get you started. Only you can decide where you want to splurge and where you want to save. Sit down with your fiancé, outline a budget and stick to it. Remember every penny you save on your wedding can be used for a down payment on a house and isn't it what happens after the wedding what really matters anyway?!