and your guests won ' t truly be able to enjoy . Moving your Ceremony Arch over to your sweetheart table is one of our favorite decor items to ‘ recycle ’. It ' s such a statement piece and we know you spent a pretty penny on it , make sure to utilize it . Transferring your ceremony florals to your reception tables and doubling them as centerpieces is another trick we like to do . You already have vases of flowers either hanging from your shepherd ' s hooks or maybe you had tall vases with large flower balls on columns at the entrance of the aisle , don ' t let them go to waste !
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feel obligated to stick to either traditional perfect , because it is a celebration of the love you and your fiancé share together .
dont
DO dont
hire a day of coordinator . You ' ve spent countless hours making sure that every little detail is accounted for , hired the perfect vendors that suit you and your finance ’ s personal style and needs , now it ' s time to relax and enjoy your day ! You don ' t want to be running around on the day of your wedding worrying about it if your programs were placed on each chair at your ceremony , if the caterer arrived on time , were your centerpieces placed perfectly on each table the way you envisioned ? How all of your gifts and cards are making it into mom and dad ' s car safely , or how your venue is getting cleaned up . Countless duties for your day of coordinator that you don ' t think about until it ' s too late . It really will be the best money you spend for your wedding .
wedding customs or current trends . If wearing a big white princess dress , tossing your bouquet and cutting a four tiered classic wedding cake just doesn ’ t feel like you , skip it ! If you prefer white wine and a fun donut dessert bar to a specialty cocktail and candy bar , do it . It ’ s your day , and you get to decide all the details !
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sweat the small stuff ! Be prepared for some things to go wrong . But remember that it won ’ t be the end of the world when they do . Whatever it may be you will look back on it and laugh when it ' s all over . Enjoy your day in spite of whatever didn ’ t go as planned . Don ’ t sweat the small stuff . During the last two weeks of planning before the big day , you need to accept things as they happen . Things may be added or guest may cancel . Just remember this day will be absolutely spend the day on Facebook and Snapchat ! We know that we are in a day and age where social media is a big part of everyone ' s lives , but please , at least for today put the phone down ! Steer clear and stay present in the moment . When you look back you want to remember spending your wedding connecting and making some unforgettable memories with your loved ones and new husband .
forget to eat and stay hydrated . It can be easy to forget with all the excitement , commotion , and emotion of the day . Do yourself a favor , eat a light breakfast and always have water handy .
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have all of your photos taken after the wedding . As long as you aren ' t superstitious about the bride and groom seeing each other before the ceremony you are golden . You and your bridal party will be perfectly put together and full of excitement with their fresh hair and makeup , making for the best photos . This is also a great time for the “ first look ” between you and your fiancé . Trying to squeeze in all of your photos within cocktail HOUR is a chore .
Why hire a planner ?
Planners can help with your budget , design , and vendors . As a bride and groom there are a lot of small and big decisions to be made that could end up costing you money you could be saving . We will help you avoid these situations by guiding you through the things that are needed and those that are unnecessary .
Planners can make your wedding vision a reality while keeping everything on schedule . During the long months of planning , it is very easy to get sidetracked from your original vision when putting together all of the small details . We are fully focused only on your special day and will make sure everything goes exactly to your original plan .
Planners can keep the planning process enjoyable and stress-free . We are trained to create solutions , whether that is putting together budget-friendly decor suggestions that will bring your dream wedding to life or making sure all vendors and set-up is exactly how you envisioned it the day of your wedding . We are there throughout the process to help you contact vendors , while ensuring all the proper questions are given and received .
Planners can handle the transition of ceremony items to the reception . This is one thing Bride ' s and groom ' s tend to forget , once the ceremony ends , who will make sure your chairs , florals , and decor are moved to the reception location ? Your planners , silly ! We are there to ensure those items get properly moved on time to the correct location once your ceremony has finished . Planners can help you coordinate your wedding day from start to finish . Being a first-time Bride and Groom there are a lot of unanswered questions , such as , what time to start hair and makeup , how much time to leave available for your “ first look ” photos , and the timing of the bridal party walking down the aisle . As your day of coordinator , we will provide a fully detailed timeline from beginning to end . We are there to execute that timeline by keeping everything on track , which will provide a smooth and stress free wedding day .
Ali Skokos and Carley Costa established Lavish Designs and Events in 2012 as an outlet for their powerful creative energies . Since their founding , they have proven their ability to plan weddings , bridal showers , engagement parties , baby showers , and birthdays with a detailed attention to design that borders on obsession , and an exceptional level of customer service that is unparalleled in the Central Florida area . Based out of Bradenton , Florida , they focus on the Tampa , Orlando , and the Daytona Beach areas ; but have planned events across the country and even international destination weddings ! There is no occasion too large or intimate for their full event planning services , and they ’ ll strive to make your special day unforgettable ; not only for you , but for your guests as well .
JUNE 2017 | WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE | 27