Tip #4: Set your budget.

Setting your wedding budget can be a daunting task, but if you put some thought into it during the early stages of your planning you will save yourselves from experiencing budget blues down the road. Here are some key considerations:

1. Determine where the funds are coming from. Are you and your fiancé footing the entire bill, or are your families contributing? Financial involvement usually means input and opinions from the source(s) of the funds. It is your wedding, but if you aren’t paying for it be prepared to make compromises.
2. Discuss your resources. Are you working with a maximum figure that cannot be exceeded, or do you have a more flexible budget range? It’s important to know what you can spend, but you and your fiancé should also discuss and agree upon what you are comfortable spending. Money matters can be a huge source of tension and conflict between couples and stressing over wedding expenses is no way to begin a marriage.
3. Do your research. You’ve likely never planned a wedding before and you may not have the faintest idea how much things like photography, flowers and limos cost. If you don’t know what wedding vendors charge this is a great time to consult a wedding planner. Most planners offer hourly consultations and a variety of planning packages, so it’s a great idea to meet with one soon after you get engaged to see how s/he can help.
4. Bring it all together. Now that you have determined what you’re working with, it’s time to revisit the kind of wedding you want, your wedding priorities and the guest list. If your budget and wedding vision don’t jive, something has to give. Above all, be realistic!

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When you’re ready to put pen to paper, remember these helpful pointers:

• As a rule of thumb, expect to allocate about 50% of your budget to the reception costs (food, alcohol and room rental). This does not include any other expenses related to the reception, such as flowers, décor, entertainment, etc.
• Decide if your budget will include costs associated with the wedding such as your honeymoon or wedding bands. These costs can add up to thousands of dollars so if they are coming out of your budget you need to allocate accordingly.
• Don’t forget to account for tips and taxes!
• Add a buffer to your budget for unexpected or miscellaneous costs (approximately 5-10% of the total).

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Have you heard about our lucky + in love contest? We are giving away FREE planning consultations to three couples! The contest entry form will be available on January 21st after all 9 planning tips have been posted. Click here for all the details and stay tuned for more helpful wedding planning tips.

Happy Planning!

Jennifer

Tip #3: Tackle the guest list.

The guest list is an unavoidable part of the wedding planning process, and sadly it often causes the most headaches. If you’re recently engaged you’ve probably taken a stab at the first draft – this is a great start. But it’s important to consider the constraints that may affect your target guest number: venue capacity, overall budget, where the budget is coming from and desired atmosphere.

To limit the list-making madness, involve all “stakeholders” from the beginning. Your wedding stakeholders include anyone who has an emotional and/or financial interest in your wedding. If your parents are contributing financially to the wedding or if they’ll have any say at all as to who is invited, consult them from the get-go! More often than you’d imagine couples begin the venue hunt or even book a venue only to realize later that mom and dad are inviting 25 of their work colleagues to the wedding. Get it all on the table during the early stages so you don’t run into issues later.

Generally, you can expect anywhere from 10-30% of your guests to decline. Some factors that influence the decline rate include:

• Time of year / when the wedding is being held (eg. busy summer weekends may see a higher decline rate as guests have booked family holidays or have other weddings to attend)
• The proportion of your guest list who must travel to the wedding versus the number who are local
• Length of notice provided to guests – sending save-the-date cards 8-12 months in advance gives guests ample time to make arrangements to attend

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Have you heard about our lucky + in love contest? We are giving away FREE Planning consultations to three couples! The contest entry form will be available on January 21st after all 9 planning tips have been posted. Click here for all the details.

Happy planning!

Jennifer

Photo Credit: Sam Ng Photography.

Tip #2: Prioritize.

After you have determined what kind of wedding you’d like to have (Tip #1), sit down with your fiancé and discuss your wedding priorities. Since most of us don’t have an unlimited budget, it’s essential to think about the areas of your wedding that mean the most to you and allocate your budget accordingly.

First, identify the top 3-5 components of your wedding that are very important to both of you. If you can’t agree on the entire list, compromise. (It’s good practice for the marriage to follow!) Some examples to get you thinking: the venue(s), top notch food and wine, an open bar, the ceremony, photography, the wedding dress, gorgeous flowers, stunning décor, the wedding transportation, a live band, a killer party, a jaw-dropping cake, etc.

At the same time, consider the wedding components that are not very important to you. If you could care less about a wedding cake – don’t have one! If a limo isn’t a “must-have” and your bridal party is on the smaller side, why not rent stylish SUVs for the day? For the average wedding, limos typically cost around $1,000, so renting vehicles will allow you to shift some budget to areas that carry more significance for you.

Remember, what’s important to some couples may be at the bottom of the list for others. Once you’ve determined your wedding priorities, be sure to refer back to the list throughout the planning process to ensure you stay on track.

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Have you heard about our lucky + in love contest? We are giving away FREE planning consultations to three couples! The contest entry form will be available on January 21st after all 9 planning tips have been posted. Click here for all the details.

Happy planning!

Jennifer

Last post we introduced our lucky + in love contest where we are giving away FREE consultation sessions to three couples! Click here for the contest details and be sure to check back soon to enter!

Now, on to the wedding planning tips!

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Tip #1: Determine what kind of wedding you want.

This sounds fairly broad, I know, so let’s break it down…

• First things first – what wedding format do you have in mind? Is a traditional dinner and dance important to you, or would you prefer a mid-morning ceremony followed by brunch? Perhaps you like the idea of a trendy cocktail reception with sunset vows?
• Once you have the wedding format nailed down, consider your wedding size. The decision to hold a small, intimate wedding or a huge event with all your family, friends and co-workers in attendance will largely impact how your budget is allocated. Budget and the guest list are separate topics of their own, so stay tuned for specific tips on those areas.
• Wedding atmosphere and formality should also be considered early on in your planning. A formal wedding in a grand hotel ballroom requires different consideration from a casual soirée on your parents’ farm.
• Do you have a particular wedding theme in mind? For instance, if you’re envisioning a lush, “enchanted forest” at your reception a LOT of décor will be required and an appropriate venue must be considered from the get-go.

It is imperative to determine what kind of wedding you desire before making any major decisions, so discuss with your fiancé and consider all options carefully.

Check back soon for Tip #2!

Jennifer

Congratulations to all you recently engaged couples out there! This is an exciting time in your lives that can also be overwhelming. To help alleviate some of the planning pressure, we are giving away FREE planning consultations to three lucky + in love couples!

The prizes:

The three winning couples will receive their choice of one of the following packages:

• A complimentary She Said Yes! consultation session with Jennifer. This two-hour session will help you get your planning underway with vendor recommendations to match your wedding style and budget, a personalized planning checklist and budget worksheet, as well as the opportunity to discuss your questions and concerns {$250 value}.

…OR

• A complimentary two-hour Décor Consultation with Jennifer to discuss the theme and design of your wedding vision! Included in this session are creative design suggestions suited to your wedding vision, venue(s) and budget, plus vendor recommendations for rental and décor items to save you time and frustration {$350 value}.

How it works:

• Complete and submit the lucky + in love contest entry form before January 28, 2011 and you will be entered to win one of the three free consultation sessions!

The fine print:

• Contest entries will be accepted from January 21st to January 28th, 2011.
• Winners will receive their free consultation session in person in the Edmonton area or via phone / Internet if they reside elsewhere.
• This contest is not applicable to couples who are already working with another wedding planning company.
• Winners will be randomly drawn from all correctly completed contest entries received by the contest deadline: Friday, January 28, 2011 at 11:59 PM MST. The winning couples will be announced on Monday, January 31st, 2011.

Enter the Jennifer Bergman Weddings lucky + in love contest now!

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Wishing you lots of love (and a little luck) in 2011!

Jennifer + Team

Happy Holidays! The festive season is a perfect time to share this bright and bold event with you.

We worked with Saveena, Rodnie and several of their wonderful family members to plan this unforgettable September wedding weekend. Since many of their guests were travelling to Edmonton from out-of-town, Saveena + Rodnie chose to throw a Sangeet party for all the guests the night before the wedding.

Held at one of Edmonton’s quintessential landmarks – the Muttart Conservatory – this pre-wedding bash was designed in shades of pink, orange and gold with luxe Indian flair. The rentals and décor items were supplied by Elegant Touches and the linens were courtesy of Vancouver’s Upright Décor.

Katch Studios was on hand to capture every moment of this action-packed event…

Saveena + Rodnie both looked amazing! Saveena’s hair and makeup were done by the talented Sunita Sumaru.

When guests entered the Muttart they strolled down a red carpet until they reached this stunning floral arrangement by La Piazza Dasee. The entrance banner pictured above along with all reception stationary (table numbers, seating chart, signage) was expertly designed by PinkPolka Wedding Design.

La Piazza Dasee designed modern clusters of angled arrangements on each table which included calla lilies, roses and hydrangea. The ivory centrepieces nicely contrasted the bold colours throughout the rest of the space. QSD Event Services draped nearly every wall in the building with gorgeous fuschia, orange and bronze fabric, while Production Lighting made the room glow with perimeter and patterned gobo lighting.

The authentic Indian cuisine was catered by New Asian Village (West).

Modern white lounge furniture accented with colourful pillows surrounded the dance floor, giving guests a place to sit and chat without straying too far from the party.

There was plenty to take in throughout the evening! A Henna tent was setup in one of the Muttart pyramids and in another, artists Laurel Hawkswell and Gerry Rasmussen entertained guests with caricature portraits.

Elegant Touches custom made this jaw-dropping gold and crystal chandelier which perfectly fit over the dance floor. And speaking of dancing, this party had a lot of it! The night began with live music performed by Vic Khanna, and Premiere D.J.s rocked the party well into the morning!

Visit the fabulous Katch Studios blog for more amazing eye candy from this event! Saveena + Rodnie: It was such a pleasure to be part of your phenomenal pre-wedding celebration – the very best to you and your families in the New Year.

Jennifer + Team

Photo Credit: Katch Studios

Although the formal photo session is often the least interesting part of your wedding day, it is important to capture images of your close family members and the special people in your lives. After all, there’s no guarantee that candid photos of Grandma on the dance floor will turn out!

Most photographers are happy to work with a list of important family / formal photos, but it’s always best to check with your photographer first and discuss how s/he prefers to handle this part of the day. The photo list can be a great guide for your photographer, but it can also hamper their creativity.

Use the following checklist as a guideline only and edit it to your own specific needs:

………………………………………

Bride’s Side

Groom’s Side

Both Sides

Clinton Family Wedding Photo

Wedding Party (often handled before or after family photos)

Other

………………………………………

Tips to keep in mind:

• The longer your list, the longer the photo session will take. Ensure that your wedding planner or coordinator is aware of this list so s/he can build it into your wedding day itinerary.
• Always inform your photographer and wedding coordinator if there are any sensitive situations in your respective families, such as divorced parents, step-parents, recently deceased family members, etc.

Jennifer

If you’re in the market for bridesmaid dresses, you have to check out Twobirds!

Designer Ariane Goldman was fed up with spending too much money on bridesmaid dresses that she never wore again, so she created Twobirds Bridesmaid. Her unique dress design allows you to achieve a sophisticated, consistent look suited to various body types – plus, the dress is so versatile your ‘maids can wear it again (really)!

The Twobirds dress is offered in three collections (classic, rosette and two-toned) and comes in a variety of styles, colours and lengths. And the best part – no alterations required!

Happy Shopping!

Jennifer
Edmonton Wedding Planner

Photo Credits: Wedding Chicks, Twobirds, Twobirds.