It’s summer! Beach time! It’s also a great season to have outdoor ceremonies.
So here are some tips you can check out if you’re raring to have that outdoor ceremony you’ve been thinking of for so long.
Remember that our summers are scorching hot. So avoid choosing to start the ceremony at 3PM. Invitation time should be at 3:30PM so that by the time you’re about to march at 4PM, it would be possible for people to sit down already on the seats and they can actually march without getting skin cancer. By the time you end, i.e. your recessional around 5:30PM, you will have enough time for pictorials as a couple.
It’s a kind gesture to have cold water bottles waiting for guests upon arrival at the ceremony area. You can add foldable fans as well or cardboard fans with your ceremony programme.
If you want to have an early ceremony, i.e. a 2:30PM invitation time, but you’d rather not have a tent or if you’re not sure if the heat will be bearable by the time you want to march, you can give umbrellas as giveaways. They will double up as protection from the sun.
Have lots of cold drinks available at the cocktail area after the ceremony. You can even have ice cream or canapés that have cold toppings so that the guests will feel refreshed while eating them.
If you can help it, avoid having both the ceremony and reception outdoors. That way, guests have a chance to cool down also. Since the reception is longer, I would suggest having it indoors, especially because insects tend to come out at night and if it’s summer, the weather won’t be comfortable even if the sun has set already. It will still be warm — difficult for guests wearing formal clothes.
Your invitation should clearly state the venue and have an illustration of suggested clothes and footwear that would be comfortable for the garden or beach ceremony you wish to have. You’d rather not have godmothers showing up wearing stilettos or super beaded dresses that would make them feel even more warm than it already is.
Your attires as bride, groom, and entourage should match the weather of the day. It’s going to be warm so light and airy clothes are best. Avoid heavy and dark fabrics that will make you sweat all throughout.
Have lots of industrial type coolers so that you can still feel comfortable while having the ceremony/reception outdoors. Four units, i.e. one for each corner, will not suffice.
Visit the venue a year before your big day and a few days before your big day so you are sure your area for ceremony would be the most comfortable area for the guests. I know venues like The Mango Farm give specific areas depending on the month you’re getting married but if yours is a venue that just gives you the freedom to choose without giving advice, then you should visit and really check which area has morning sun so that your afternoon event will not be too affected by the sun’s direct rays.
Avoid confetti blasts during the recessional. You don’t want to affect the grass or the sand with your confetti. Petals are biodegradable so they are fine for your petal shower after the ceremony and group pictorials. You can also use ribbon wands or bubble guns so you don’t end up causing the sand to look dirty after your recessional.
Mention your outdoor ceremony to your florist so he or she can choose flowers that can withstand the heat of the sun.
Do not forget to book a sound system supplier for your outdoor ceremony. Some take for granted that the sound system can just transfer from the ceremony to the reception area and vice versa. Lots of wires to deal with, so they can’t just transfer. You need a group for your ceremony and another one for your reception. Give your musicians’ needs to the sound system provider so that your musicians can be properly heard during the ceremony.
Aside from all the physical preparations, one must also prepare for the actual ceremony. Have the pastor’s programme printed for your coordinators and musicians so they can follow and anticipate what will happen next. Example: while pastor is giving his pieces of advice, the coordinators can already prepare the ring bearer because he will be called to bring the rings next according to the programme given by the pastor. Remember that pastors have the freedom to create their own ceremony programmes so this copy is so important for coordinators and musicians to be prepared for what will happen next. As a couple, you should also prepare for your personal vows and honouring of parents segment. That way, you won’t ramble and end up merely crying and crying there in front. You owe it to God and to these special people to prepare for the moments when you’d have control of the microphone.
Photo Credits: John Kenneth Alejo and Wynndee Penolio. Photography by We Are Seekers.
About Darlene Tan-Salazar, W@W Supplier of Year (2015):
Darlene started out as a Planner/Coordinator of Perfect 10 Weddings. Since she needed more time for family matters, she opted to focus on emceeing, and has since started “The Wedding Tip Sheet“, a Facebook page that tackles the practical points in planning a wedding.
https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/WeddingTipSheet_OutdoorWedding1.jpg394700W@W Editorhttps://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/WAWLOGO.pngW@W Editor2018-04-06 16:20:502018-05-10 19:30:51WaW Wedding Tip Sheet: Having an Outdoor Ceremony?
After the giddy feelings and telling your closest friends & family members regarding the proposal, you are left with the question, “What’s next?”
You might get asked a million questions especially regarding when and where you’d like to have your wedding. You might also get bombarded with so many recommendations from well-meaning and not-so-well-meaning individuals.
How do you deal with this new phase in your life?
First, tell your parents of your plan to get married. We live in a society where “pamamanhikan” is still important. The process of the groom asking the bride-to-be’s parents for her hand in marriage may be old fashioned but for a lot of families, this process is important because it implies that the groom respects them and their position in the life of their daughter. It is also important for the groom to tell his own parents of his plans, after all, the groom’s parents should be present during the formal pamamanhikan.
Second, before you go and visit a bridal fair, read up about wedding preps first. There are reputable sites where one can get information from fellow couples – those who are further along in terms of preparations or who are already done with their weddings. They can give valuable pieces of advice and they can give you their reviews of suppliers. Of course, reviews must be taken with a grain of salt. One or two negative reviews should not prevent you from considering a supplier especially if the said supplier has a lot of positive ones. (Personally, I would advise that you join the Weddings at Work community so you can have a support group as you go through your preparations.)
Going to a bridal fair, unarmed with reviews and the like, will make you prone to impulse booking. Reading up about a supplier after giving your down payment is never a good practice. You can’t get your down payment back because most have clauses in their contracts that reservation fees are non-refundable.
Third, it’s always better to finalize your date before sending out inquiries. That will make things easier since the suppliers can tell you right away if they are still open for bookings or if your date is already taken. No need to spend time discussing packages and your wedding plans if the supplier can’t handle your date anyway. Note: This date should be one that you also consulted with your parents, because some end up changing dates due to the parents’ insistence.
Fourth, if you’re not the type who is easily satisfied, then don’t go for a package deal. Avoid going for full planning as well, because you will end up researching even if you’ve been given options by the coordinator/planner whom you hired. Complete your roster of suppliers on your own and hire a day coordinator. That person can guide you but you can get the satisfaction of having researched for yourself. Being busy at work is not a good reason for getting a full planning service. As the saying goes, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”.
Fifth, have a working budget for your wedding but get ready to add a bit more to it once you’ve gone around your first bridal fair and you’ve seen actual rates. I would not advise that you already book suppliers on your first bridal fair unless you researched regarding the said supplier already.
Bonus Tip: Remember that the greatest deal is not always the lowest deal. It is the deal where you can get more bang for your buck. If the supplier is the type who will go the extra mile for you, then you are in good hands, and believe me, on the day, you will need these kinds of suppliers.
About Darlene Tan-Salazar, W@W Supplier of Year (2015):
Darlene started out as a Planner/Coordinator of Perfect 10 Weddings. Since she needed more time for family matters, she opted to focus on emceeing, and has since started “The Wedding Tip Sheet“, a Facebook page that tackles the practical points in planning a wedding.
https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/TipSheet_HeAskedYouSaidYes1.jpg467700W@W Editorhttps://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/WAWLOGO.pngW@W Editor2018-02-23 17:51:412018-05-10 19:34:13WaW Wedding Tip Sheet: He asked. You said, “Yes!”... Now what?
As a member of the female entourage, you are expected to be available for the designated measurement and fitting schedule of the designer (as agreed with the bride). Please avoid being late, asking for a last-minute change in schedule (unless there’s a major emergency), or forcing changes in the styles of the clothes assigned to you. Dress the part. You’re not the bride, you’re a member of the entourage so you shouldn’t have a dress that steals the scene from the bride. Otherwise, you’ll have a stressed out bride cursing the day she thought of including you in her entourage.
It is becoming common for brides to ask their entourage to share in the cost or to shoulder the cost of their gowns. If budget is too tight, let the bride know so she can make adjustments in her entourage list. Giving her the cold shoulder or putting her in your “seenzone” list just makes the bride anxious. She doesn’t know if you still want in or out. So better to say so as soon as you’re told you need to shell out for your dress as your gift to the couple.
Another item in the list for the female entourage would be make-up and hair. The bride may volunteer to source a supplier who charges less. If you have someone else in mind to handle your own make up and hair, do tell the bride right away so she won’t get stuck with paying for the hair and make-up of 6 heads when in fact, only 5 will be present on the day. Also, please follow the designated hair style — if everyone has been asked to go “hair down”, please don’t request your hair stylist to give you an updo. The bride is the star of the show; no one should steal her thunder.
As a member of the male entourage, you may either be expected to produce your own suit/barong or to be available for measurement-taking and fitting. Don’t take the fitting schedule lightly, unless, you want a suit/barong that looks like it was made for someone else – too loose or too tight.
While the reception is not as formal as the ceremony, you do need to remember that there’s usually an entrance for the entourage. So before changing your clothes, removing your tie, or crumpling up your barong, do ask the coordinators if you need to be in your prescribed attire ’til a certain point in the reception programme.
You will be part of a lot of pictorials – first, at the preps venue; second, at the church/ceremony venue, and if still needed, a third time at the reception venue before the programme starts. So get ready to wake up early, to come on time, and to smile. No need to stress out the bride and groom by complaining about your make-up, your hair, your attire, and the food. No need to also stress out the coordinators by being a bigger baby than the bride or groom. They are there to take care of the bride, the groom, and the wedding plans. They didn’t sign up to be yayas of the entourage. Do not ask them to iron your attire, get your shoes in the car, etc. Do not leave as well and make them hunt for you after you’ve been specifically told of the schedule of the day.
6. You might be asked to give a message/speech. Prepare for it. Don’t just wing it on the day. You will sound like you’re rambling and you might even cause people to leave. Instead, write your outline. Think of what should be in the message. Is it an inside joke? No need to include it. Is it a story that will make the other side appreciate the bride/groom, by all means include it. When you make an outline and write your speech, you will have time to edit and make sure your message contains only what is necessary and it will be delivered in the most understandable (and perhaps, the most entertaining) way possible.
7. You might be asked to take on some tasks like distributing favors, inviting others to partake in the activities prepared by the couple, dancing during the entrance, or joining a game. Do participate. Don’t be that one person who, because of being a kill joy, destroys the happiness of others. (Note to couples though, please don’t ask your entourage to dance if you yourselves won’t dance an upbeat number.)
8. You’re expected to be present all throughout. It will never sit well with anyone if you will leave right after ceremony or you will leave right after eating at the reception. Tell the bride and groom honestly if you have work on their wedding day or if you can’t come home or you’re planning to go abroad. That way they can take you out of the list early on – with time to spare for preparing the right attire. Let the couple know as well, if for religious reasons, you are not allowed to participate in their ceremony.
9. Be on time for the ceremony and know your tasks if you’ve been assigned as candle, veil, or cord sponsor. Don’t look like a lost kid in the middle of the aisle or at the altar area. Ask the coordinators if you’re not sure of what you’re supposed to do. Listen as well to their instructions. The best man and maid of honor will receive instructions as well especially if the church admin is strict or the pastor wants them to take on roles. Listen, listen, listen so there will be no mistakes during the ceremony.
10. You will be sent messages to remind you of schedules or instructions regarding what to do on the day, please respond. Nothing is more impolite than reading the message yet avoiding a response. If you can’t handle the tasks at hand, say so. It’s more difficult for the bride/groom to ask you straight if you’d rather not be part of the entourage (after you initially said yes). Better to say “no” earlier than later.
Here’s something else to ponder: What if you haven’t been asked to be part of the entourage? In all honesty, you feel you should be in the list because you’re a relative, you’re close to either the bride/groom, or your parents are best friends. Please don’t talk to the bride/groom or their parents to volunteer to be part of the entourage or to have your child as one of the flower girls/bearers. They are the ones getting married, so they have the prerogative to choose.
It’s not easy being part of the entourage. The expectation goes beyond just looking pretty or handsome on the day. There are tasks to be done, requests to heed, and sacrifices to undertake. If you’re not willing to be under the sun on the day for pictorials, to wake up early and be one time, or to be present all throughout, please do tell the bride and groom to give the role to someone else who is more deserving of the title. They would appreciate your honesty, believe me. ☺
Read more of Darlene Tan – Salazar’s WaW Wedding Tip Sheet articles at weddingsatwork.com/category/waw-wedding-tip-sheet/.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_block_grid type=”two-up”][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 1″ class=”aligncenter”]About Darlene Tan-Salazar, W@W Supplier of Year (2015):
Darlene started out as a Planner/Coordinator of Perfect 10 Weddings. Since she needed more time for family matters, she opted to focus on emceeing, and has since started “The Wedding Tip Sheet“, a Facebook page that tackles the practical points in planning a wedding.[/cs_block_grid_item][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 2″][/cs_block_grid_item][/cs_block_grid][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]
https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/entourage5.jpg467700W@W Editorhttps://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/WAWLOGO.pngW@W Editor2017-09-11 12:07:152017-09-11 21:29:23WaW Wedding Tip Sheet: Ento Etiquette
One of the most difficult tasks of wedding preparations is preparing the guest list. Why is it difficult?
First, there’s the RSVP conundrum — some don’t know it’s a requirement to respond, while others simply ignore the need to respond. A few cultures also dictate that RSVP call outs/text blasts are rude and should not be done.
Second, the guest list is a combination of so many individuals, emotions, and cultures. So there will be people asking to include others when you specifically gave a seat allotment already. There will be individuals who need to be seated as far apart as possible. Moreover, there will be people who need to be seated in front even if everyone knows they will leave right after eating.
Third, the parents usually make their opinions felt when it comes to drafting the guest list. Stress comes in when space & budget constraints come into play.
I’m sure you can think of other reasons. But let’s talk about possible solutions to stressors, shall we?
Solution #1: Come to an agreement with your parents regarding the number of guests your space and budget can accommodate. Do this early on so that you won’t feel stressed when the big day is looming and you’re arguing over the number of guests they can invite. (Please note that this part is applicable for those who are paying for their own wedding. Definitely, one cannot restrict the number of guests a parent can invite if the parent is paying for the reception.)
Solution #2: Write the RSVP part of your invitation with the intent to receive answers. Instead of saying you have already reserved a number of seats, encode the ff:
To reserve ___ seat/s, please send your name/s
on or before (date that’s 2 weeks prior to your wedding date)
to (name, number, and e-mail address of your coordinator if it’s included in your package, if not, you may use your name and details).
This isn’t originally mine. I got this idea from the magazine, “Martha Stewart Weddings Philippines”. I just tweaked it a bit. Based on experience, it does get people to respond a bit more than the usual “We have reserved ____ seat/s for you”. Note that this sentence connotes a reservation has been made; thus, no need to respond.
Solution #3: Do your RSVP text blasts and call outs right after the RSVP deadline. Here’s a possible schedule:
13 days before your big day, send this message: Good am, this is (name of coordinator), the coordinator of (first and last name of the groom & first and last name of the bride). Their wedding is on (date), in (ceremony venue) at (time indicated in the invite). We are confirming attendance to their wedding. Kindly send your name/s and either “attending” or “regrets”. Thank you in advance for your kind understanding and consideration.
11 days before your big day, send the same message only to those who didn’t respond during your first text blast
9 days before your big day, you may call those who didn’t respond
You may not get a 100% response rate, but at least you will have a pretty good idea of who is going and who isn’t. You can already plot names & table numbers based on the layout of the caterer/hotel, and finally confirm with the caterer if you truly need to add seats or you can stick to your original booking.
Solution #4: Start drafting the guest list with table numbers after you’ve gotten around 80 to 90% of your guests’ responses. Remember to separate the columns:
Column A – Table number per row (do not group/merge because you need to alphabetize later and you can’t sort it if there are merged cells)
Column B – Surnames of the guests
Column C – First names of guests
Optional but advisable, Column D – designations of the guests/their relationship to you (parent, relative, entourage, godparent, etc.)
*This will help coordinators give the right seats to those who will come in without having sent in their responses. If the person says she’s an office mate, then the coordinators will just look for the table with such designation.
Show your parents where you’re seating their friends and relatives. As much as possible have the same position for both sides — if the relatives of the bride are seated close to the front, then the relatives of the groom should ideally be in the same position on the other side of the ballroom.
Know the position of your speakers so that you can avoid seating the elderly close to these sound boxes. Also, make sure your participative friends/relatives are seated close to the center, so that there will be reactions to your program and people will be more interested in what’s going on.
Solution #5: Have a table with no guests — this is your buffer table. It should be free so that the coordinators can seat those who didn’t RSVP right away. This will avoid tension at the registration area especially if there are a lot of people who are also trying to get their table numbers. (Yes, you read it right, solution #5 is for the small percentage who will never respond or give a definite response no matter how many messages are sent and no matter how many calls are made.)
Of course, as with all tips, these aren’t fool-proof, but they are based on experience and there is much hope that these tips will keep you from going crazy while preparing your guest list.
Please don’t give up and resort to “free seating” mode. This will cause problems on the day with family members having seats so far away from the program area, guests getting mad at coordinators because they can’t find a table with the right number of seats for their group, and coordinators being unable to find people assigned to speak, perform, and the like.
But what if it’s really next to impossible to give everyone designated seats?
Bonus Solution: You may resort to zoning. But this is only if you’ve tried and you really can’t determine the grouping of people by 10’s (assuming 10 chairs per table).
How?
Step 1: Determine the major groupings.
Step 2: Assign a set of tables to each group, make sure your parents and your immediate family members have specific seats/tables.
example: relatives of the bride (tables 20 to 25), office mates of the bride (tables 26 and 27)
Step 3: Prepare table cards to help coordinator track how many seats are left per table and to make sure guests won’t get tables which aren’t assigned to them; you may also have a sign up sheet per table although this seems less elegant in terms of tracking if there are still seats left per table
So for instance, a group comes in and says they are relatives of the bride and there are 15 of them, the coordinator can give them 15 cards bearing tables 20 and 21. That means there are still 5 more seats at table 21 that can be given away later. If another big group comes in but the coordinators have given away almost all cards, they can easily give this group seats because they know which tables have remaining extra seats. No need to go inside the hall and check. No need then to make these guests wait too long to get seats.
Choose the strategy which works for you and for your family dynamics. That way, there will be less stress on the day for those who are giving the table numbers and for those on the receiving end.
About Darlene Tan-Salazar, W@W Supplier of Year (2015):
Darlene started out as a Planner/Coordinator of Perfect 10 Weddings. Since she needed more time for family matters, she opted to focus on emceeing, and has since started “The Wedding Tip Sheet“, a Facebook page that tackles the practical points in planning a wedding.
https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/WeddingTipSheet_GuestList.jpg467700W@W Editorhttps://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/WAWLOGO.pngW@W Editor2017-05-30 09:50:392018-11-08 21:30:23WaW Wedding Tip Sheet: Guest List? RSVP? I am stressed!
[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]We’ve been receiving inquiries regarding the preparation of invitations; thus, we thought of writing a blog post regarding the essentials.
Top 10 things you need to remember when writing and addressing your wedding invitations:
Choose your invitation supplier based on the kind of invitation you like. Do not book anyone blindly then force them to come up with what you like — they may not have the equipment and you will end up forfeiting your down payment. Have a vision first regarding what you like, then book the supplier based on the said vision.
Start conversing with your invitation supplier regarding the design (assuming you’re not choosing from a template), 6 to 8 months before you intend to release it, i.e. 1 to 2 months prior to your big day. Some opt for the 2-month mark so they don’t need to spend too much on sending invitations abroad via courier. Why am I giving such a wide margin? Because the design process can take long. Revisions can also take time. If you will choose a template from the library of the invitation supplier, you may lessen the time frame to around 3 months prior to your preferred distribution date. This makes room for printing queues and the like.
While you are designing or even before you start conversing with your invitation supplier, especially if you’re choosing a template, get all full names and titles of your principal sponsors and your entourage. Make sure everything is correct and complete so you don’t need to ask your invitation supplier to revise because you wrote Mr. instead of Dr. or you chose to remove all titles but you eventually realized someone might get angry with the removal of the title. So much has been spent by so many couples on their invitations because of the need to reprint.
Tricky point: What if you’re inviting a mayor to be your godparent and your wedding date happens to be after elections? What if he loses? What if he wins but for a different position?
Response: Just write Hon. (short for Honorable) beside his name. That way, you won’t have to worry about whether or not he would win or change his position.
After you get your first printout/draft printout, make sure you scrutinize everything — every letter of every name.Also, show it to your parents so if they have reactions, it won’t cost much to revise. It will cost a lot if you will show them the already-printed batch of invites and they have concerns which will cause you to reprint.
Possible concerns:
a. wrong spelling/wrong title
b. they also invited other possible godparents or entourage members without telling you in advance
c. you forgot to include your parents’ names or their appropriate titles
Note: Some invite makers will ask you to sign a form that you read all the items of the invite and you agree that it should be the version that gets printed. Make sure you really read all words included in the invite. That way, no problem will arise later on when you get the whole batch of printouts.
The most common way of presenting the names would be this way:
With the blessings of
Names of Groom’s Parents (Jose and Maria Cruz)
and
Names of Bride’s Parents (Andres and Susan Santos)
You may also use the following in case one of the parents has passed on. Please do not forget to put a small cross beside the name of the deceased parent.
Juan
son of Jose (+) and Sita Cruz
and
Maria
daughter of Rene and Lilia Santos
Should the groom’s name come first? Or should the bride’s name come first?
It should be the groom’s name that should come first, as per tradition here in Asia.
To continue from the example earlier:
With the blessings of our parents
(state their names)
We
John and Mary
request the honour* of your presence
as we consecrate our union
through the Sacrament of Matrimony
on
the first of June two thousand and seventeen*
at half past three in the afternoon*
in the Church of the Child Jesus,
111 Aguirre Avenue, Paranaque City
Reception follows at (venue)
Street, City
If one parent is deceased:
Juan
son of Jose (+) and Sita Cruz
and
Maria
daughter of Rene and Lilia Santos
request the honour of your presence
as they consecrate their union
through the Sacrament of Matrimony…
Note:
a. The items with asterisk (*): spelling out dates and time slots are necessary for formal invitations. It is also necessary to use “honour” instead of the usual American spelling, “honor”.
b. It is acceptable to write a thirty-minute leeway for the time of ceremony. It gives everyone time to sit down, to line up, to get hold of the items needed (bouquets, paraphernalia). It is not very good to write a one-hour leeway, because it would mean a long wait for guests who come in punctually. We do not want to punish them for being one time.
c. You may write a reception time if you’re observing what is termed as broken time, i.e. a ceremony at 1PM then a reception at 6PM
How should we write the godparents’ names? Is it necessary to include titles?
Yes, you should include each person’s specific title. This is applicable to parents and godparents. They worked hard to have these titles; thus, we should give their hard work due recognition.
For political titles, you may use “Hon.” short for “Honorable” if you’re not sure of the title (given the period of elections during your printing of invitations). You may also use the same title for those who with long titles stating their positions in government.
Please note:
You should visit your prospective godparent before you write his/her name on the invitation. Each one should have the prerogative to say yes or no to your invitation for him or her to be godparent. Also, you must get the full name and title he/she wishes to use. Do not assume to know the full name and title. Once you make a mistake, you will risk offending someone who is supposed to be your second parent.
How about the entourage?
The entourage usually consist of people who are close to the couple. However, since the invitation is a formal document, I would still suggest having their titles there. You may have an agreement with them not to say their titles anymore during the reception introduction because you’d like it to be informal or you’d like to have a dancing type of entrance.
*Note: If there are people with no specific titles, you may write “Mr.” or “Ms.” (the latter can be used even for married individuals).
To reserve _____ seat/s, please send your name/s to our coordinator on or before (2 weeks prior to the big day). Should you wish to express your regrets, we would appreciate a message as well.
Name of Coordinator, Contact Details (number and e-mail address)
b. Attire Part
Strictly Formal
*This notation is usually enough to convey that males need to wear suits/barongs and females need to wear long gowns.
However, it’s a good idea to spell out attire options or add a card with illustrations especially if the venue calls for certain clothing or footwear.
c. Map Part
This one needs an illustration and if the venue is a bit hard to find, you may add written instructions with landmarks.
d. How about the children?
You may use this poem if you wish to ask people to leave the kids at home. I wrote this for one of my brides.
We want you to enjoy the night;
Give kids time to sleep tight.
We thought it’s but right,
To make this a “for adults” invite.
e. How about monetary gifts?
It’s better to avoid asking for an enveloped gift directly, i.e. you may just state “The couple will reside abroad.” or “The couple will continue to reside abroad.” to give the hint that you would find it difficult to carry boxes of gifts.
10) How does one address invites?
You may follow this format: Mr. and Mrs. Jose and Maria Cruz
Their titles should be used in case they have those.
Examples:
Mayor and Mrs. Albert and Julia Cruz
Attorneys John and Micaela dela Cruz
Doctors Bryan and Bianca Santos
Mr. and Engr. Leo and Tess Vargas**
Mr. and Dr. Rene and Lilia Santos**
Even if the main invitee is the godmother, you will still need to use the format earlier, i.e. Mr. and Mrs. Marco and Lea Atanacio.
Note: In the part with two asterisks (**), the wives have specific titles.
Read more of Darlene Tan – Salazar’s WaW Wedding Tip Sheet articles at www.weddingsatwork.com/category/wawparazzi/.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_block_grid type=”two-up”][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 1″]About Darlene Tan-Salazar, W@W Supplier of Year (2015):
Darlene started out as a Planner/Coordinator of Perfect 10 Weddings. Since she needed more time for family matters, she opted to focus on emceeing, and has since started “The Wedding Tip Sheet“, a Facebook page that tackles the practical points in planning a wedding.[/cs_block_grid_item][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 2″][/cs_block_grid_item][/cs_block_grid][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]
https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Invitations1.jpg660900W@W Editorhttps://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/WAWLOGO.pngW@W Editor2016-12-06 09:36:092016-12-06 09:36:09WaW Wedding Tip Sheet: Invitations
[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Often, one computes the budget according to supplier categories — food/catering, attire, coordination, emcee, photographer, videographer, sound system, projector, musicians, florist, etc. Because such is the case, other items that should be in the budget are forgotten. What are these items?
If you will take time to read every contract you signed, you will see this notation. You can get the headcount from the suppliers, or you can ask your coordinator to handle getting the headcount as well as the meal allowance requirement if you’d rather not provide the actual meals. If you will provide meals, you can just stick to getting the number of heads and the number of meals that need to be provided.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/DidYouIncludeTheseInYourBudget2.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Meal allowances are between 150 and 250 pesos per head, while actual crew meals usually range from 150 to 450 pesos depending on the source. Please inform your supplier within the week of your wedding if you are providing meal allowances and not actual meals. That way, they can incorporate buying and/or eating out in their schedule/timeline. (In all truth, this is hard to do given the fast pace of preps, but informing the suppliers ahead of time that they will be getting meal allowances on the day helps them prepare — researching for a place to buy that’s nearby, having staff who can take care of meals while the rest are shooting or doing their tasks, etc.
b) Tips
You are not required to provide meals for waiters since the catering company takes charge of feeding them, but it’s a good idea to provide tips because you’d like to thank them for good service. Think about it: At a restaurant, you give a tip even if the service was just for an hour or two. With these waiters, service starts with the set up, at least 3 hours before the cocktail period, they will be hauling tables, chairs, and other items into your respective venues. Then, they will have to be on their toes for at least 4 hours. If you will have a period for partying, then it can stretch to 6 hours. It’s no joke to avoid sitting down for 7 or more hours straight. What’s the usual amount? At the minimum, 100 per head, but the average is 200 per head.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Budget_Collage2.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Waiters need to haul these many items for a typical 150 to 200 pax event. This collage does not include yet the linens, the cushions, the food, the backdrop, and the styling elements.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Since their work also involves carrying equipment and the like, the staff of stylists and sound system providers are often given tips, too. A hundred per head is the going rate.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Budget_Collage3.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]The stylist’s men need to fasten the wires to create the web, then screw each light bulb — no mean feat if you think of the sheer number of light bulbs that need to be screwed into the sockets.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]
For those who are with you during preps or who are working in your venues during preps time, 2 meals are requested — photo and video teams, coordination team, styling team, sound system, etc. For those who are only present during reception like the emcee, the projector provider, the mobile bar staff, etc., only one meal is needed. For the hair and make-up team, it’s best to ask since a lot of them only require one meal while there are others who stay till reception and require 2 meals.
Of course, these are recommendations based on experience and you can be as generous as you feel you can be given the circumstances of your big day.
c) Meeting-related Expenses
Meetings usually cost the clients because of gas, parking, and toll fees when applicable. The tab for drinks and food usually gets shouldered by the client as well. Thus, having lots of meetings in malls can cost the client a hefty sum. It’s better to avoid having a meeting over every little concern. Instead, determine which problems you can address via email or online calls.
Reserve the meetings for major stuff you need to do, for instance, it’s just a meet and greet, do it online, reserve the face to face meeting for discussing important details. And yes, do your homework, so that your meeting number 1 does not have the same agenda as your meeting number 2 and your meeting number 3. It will cost you more if you keep having meetings but you never do what’s needed from your end. (That’s also the reason why a lot of suppliers have limited number of meetings included in their packages. It is meant to make clients focus and finish their tasks so that they won’t end up cramming.)
d) Cocktail Food Items
[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/DidYouIncludeTheseInYourBudget1.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]While you can depend on the caterer to provide this, some lower their packages but remove these oh-so-important items from the menu (or they leave just one item which won’t cut it for guests who skipped a full meal just to get to the ceremony on time). Cocktail food items placate guests when they are waiting for the couple to finish their post nuptial shoot and retouch. Thus, the couple will have to spend for this if only to buy time for their pictorial after the ceremony.
e) Accessories & DIYs
Sometimes, designers don’t include in their packages the accessories one will need for the ceremony — the cord, the secondary veil, the pillows, etc. Sometimes as well, there are accessories provided but you’d like to get personalised items. Of course, the expense will add up. Add to the list your hair piece, your jewelry, your groom’s stuff (socks, hanky, tie pin, belt, watch), and both pairs of shoes.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Budget_Collage4.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Some also add personalised items to the registration table, the guest tables, the vip tables, and the like. These are the couples who chose not to hire a stylist and to DIY. Buying stuff to create personalised items will of course entail expenses not only for the items needed but for the transport and food that one will consume while hunting for the necessary items. We can’t quantify but the effort to make the DIY items and the toll they will take on the faces and hands of those who are working might mean trips to the derma. (You never know so better have it here, right?).
I’m sure you can think of other things that can creep up on your budget — among them are extra alcohol (beer, hard drinks), gifts for principal sponsors (if you didn’t hire a supplier to provide these), extra food for extra guests who decided to come last minute, and fees for extra hours in the venue, for the bridal car, for the sound system in case things don’t happen as planned in the timeline.
Bottomline: Have extra money prepared for your big day. Do not max out your savings and what you expect to get from your job and your gift-givers.
[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Budget_Collage5.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Whenever you look at photos of an event, think of all the hard work that went into preparing the place and the set up so that it would be a feast for the eyes.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Thank you, Thoffy Consulta of Events by Thoffy and Queen David of Just Like Ours, for serving as my consultants for this article. Thank you as well to Ayie Tuates of Imbitado for the behind the scenes photos of the set-up and Myio Okamoto for the actual reception and ceremony photos.
Read more of Darlene Tan-Salazar’s Wedding Tip Sheet articles at www.weddingsatwork.com/category/waw-wedding-tip-sheet/.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_block_grid type=”two-up”][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 1″]About Darlene Tan-Salazar, W@W Supplier of Year (2015):
Darlene started out as a Planner/Coordinator of Perfect 10 Weddings. Since she needed more time for family matters, she opted to focus on emceeing, and has since started “The Wedding Tip Sheet“, a Facebook page that tackles the practical points in planning a wedding.[/cs_block_grid_item][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 2″][/cs_block_grid_item][/cs_block_grid][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]
https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Budget_Collage1.jpg466700W@W Editorhttps://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/WAWLOGO.pngW@W Editor2016-08-25 21:34:582016-08-26 08:58:01WaW Wedding Tip Sheet: Did You Include These In Your Budget?
[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Out-of-Town weddings have become popular — in fact, too popular, that suppliers are so used to flying in and out of Manila or going on long drives week in and week out.
8:00 AM – Start of make-up and hair (Usually there are more people for make-up during out of town events, this assumes bride + 4 to 5 ladies & 1 make-up artist + 1 hair stylist.)
10:30 AM – Arrival of photo and video teams (detail shots using paraphernalia in the bride’s room)
11:00 AM – Lunch delivery, distribution, and actual eating time for all (Count heads very well and order extra packs for unexpected heads; it might not be easy to order from a fast food outlet.)
11:30 AM – Dress up of all those included in the groom’s pictorial; lunch time of the bride
12:00 NN – Groom’s pictorial along with his side (including dress up & detail shots)
1:00 PM – Everyone should be finished with make-up, ladies & gentlemen are dressing up to join the bride’s side pictorials
1:30 PM – Bride’s pictorial along with her family and entourage (including dress up and leeway for sewing the gown and what-have-you)
3:00 PM – Travel to the area of the ceremony (Usually roads are narrower and bumpier so even if the venue is near, it’s good to allot some time for hitches along the way or for the slowness of the car/buggy due to the uneven terrain.)
3:30 PM – Invitation time for a garden wedding
4:00 PM – Line up and marching time, ceremony starts right after
5:30 PM – End of group pictorials, recessional; couple pictorials should start immediately to capture the sun’s rays
6:30 PM – Start of programme
7:00 PM – Dinner
8:30 PM – End of formal programme and start of party time (Still not so bad for those who will go back to Manila right after the out-of-town event.)
Note: Even if it ends a bit later given that the programme may not start at 6:30 PM due to the number of possible areas for in-between pictorials, the guests will most likely be willing to stay since Sunday is a non-working day/no-school day anyway. A Sunday out-of-town wedding might be a bit more difficult since guests might choose to go but leave early or not to go at all in order to rest and be ready for the work/school week ahead.
Of course, Sundays have less traffic so it’s a good idea as well. One just has to be more conscious about following the timeline and ending early enough to give people time to travel back.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/AnatomyofanOutdoorVenue2.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]What are the look-out points?
Because you will be at the mercy of the elements, please check on the following:
a) a Plan B covered area in case it rains — with air conditioning units please, or…
b) have stand-by tents (some tent companies have stand-by rates which are lower than their regular rates)
Said tents or the area where the event will be held should have cooling fans around, so people won’t be too uncomfortable.
It will not be easy to follow the timeline if the people doing set-up are held up by dark clouds and the chance of rain or if rain suddenly falls and almost everything gets wet right away. Sometimes, there are no droplets, it comes down in torrents right away.
Some caterers or chair providers and stylists might also charge for double set-up since their people will not just be tired in the usual sense — they will be terribly tired with all the carrying they will have to do to remove the items that are exposed to rain and return them when the sun comes out again.
Tip: It usually rains in May. March and April seem to be safer when it comes to having sunny weather all throughout. Of course, there’s climate change and all the hullabaloo it brings.
Make sure your invitation helps people understand what they ought to wear. I’ve seen ladies come in stilettos thinking that the area would be cemented and covered, only to find out too late they would need to walk on a grassy area wearing stilettos. Think of how many times their heels will sink into the soil. Not a pretty sight plus their heels might get damaged.
Do a thorough check of who is coming. Attrition rates usually increase with venue distance, unless you are providing vans or means of transport.
Give detailed maps to guests with instructions on how they will get to your venue/s. That way, no one will complain about getting lost. If you can put up signs, better. Such signs are good for venues which are pretty far from the main road. Remember, it might be the first time for your guests to go to your venue/s, and their cellular phone signals may fluctuate; thus, preventing them from calling or sending an SMS to you and your coordinator just to clarify if they are still going the right way.
If you got a van for them, please make sure the van driver knows where to go. That way, no one will be late for your ceremony.
Your gown, the groom’s attire, and your entourage attire should match the venue and its nuances. Your designer will most likely design something else for you if you were to have the event in a hotel compared to having it close to nature. Less bling, no ruffles, tried and tested cuts, and designs that don’t have too many layers would be best for you and your entourage. An outdoor ceremony is also the best excuse you could have for using a birdcage veil or a shorter one, since a long veil might fly off or get caught on brambles. Your groom might be better off with a less formal top since the heat might be too much if he’d wear the usual 3-piece suit.
Yes, you might end up spending less for your clothes since you don’t need as many layers and you definitely don’t need a lot of beadwork as well. Oh, and don’t forget to purchase shoes that match the terrain.
Due to the number of hours required for travel and the length of time before dinner, the couple should provide a hearty lunch for all those present at the preps venue — suppliers, parents, family members, entourage, etc. Be sure about the head count since it will not be easy to look for a quick fix due to the distance of fast-food outlets.
Also the couple should provide cocktail food items that will tide guests over. Imagine that they didn’t have much time for lunch just so they will be on time and they didn’t have snacks as well since your ceremony is in the middle of the usual merienda hours. This will also ensure that guests will not complain of hunger and cut short your in-between pictorials as bride and groom.
Have dinner for your suppliers as well. Just as your guests will travel a long time to get home, so will your suppliers.
Have useful giveaways — fans, umbrellas, sunscreen, mosquito repellants, and slippers. People will surely use them. The coins and paper bills they will give in exchange for the slippers could be given to a nearby church. {Why coins? We, Filipinos, have a little superstitious belief that prevents us from giving away footwear, unless the recipient “pays” for it, even with a peso.}
Giving away fans and umbrellas makes it possible for people to endure going to the ceremony area even if it’s still a bit sunny, i.e. the assembly period and marching period between 3:30 and 4:15 PM.
If you’d rather not get a tent, you can also use the umbrella giveaway as a “safety net” in case it suddenly rains in the middle of the ceremony. It helps you have peace of mind that guests would be fine no matter what climate change throws your way.
The officiant must not be late. Garden weddings are usually mounted because the bride and groom would like to have nature and sunset shots. If the officiant is late or takes too long with his message, most likely, the bride and groom will just look wistfully at the sunset — no actual couple shots will be taken.
One option to have safety shots is to have a first look* type of pictorial or to have pictorials the previous day — assuming the photo and video teams agreed to come in earlier. The latter will entail extra expense though due to additional labor as well as accommodations.
*First look refers to having pictorials together even before the ceremony time. This one is done by the bride and groom in order to have more photos at the chosen venue instead of the time-bound pictorials between the ceremony and reception.
The relatives must be advised that the pictorials will follow the set number of photos — even if there is no church structure. This will ensure as well that the couple will have the couple pictorials needed at a point when darkness has not set in. After all, the couple can’t start the ceremony earlier as well since it would still be too warm. There will still be time to take more photos with groups of relatives in the reception area, but the sun has a time limit. Usually because there’s no church structure, relatives add additional groups — cousins of the bride from her mother’s side, cousins from the father’s side, all nephews and nieces, etc. This wreaks havoc on the timeline which allots only 30 minutes for pictorials after the ceremony.
Because out of town gardens have preparations, ceremony, and reception venues in one big compound, it is easy for entourage members to dress up and change before the program. If you’re a stickler for the uniformity of their entourage dresses, tell them to dress up after their parade/entrance.
Fireworks for outdoor events are great — one can have them set off at the end of the first dance or upon the couple’s grand entrance. After all, guests don’t need to move from their seats to see the lights show in the sky. One can’t have such with indoor receptions.
Incidentally, you will also have more buffet options — including on-the-spot cooking since you are outdoors. You can also have a lechon baka with the full roasting oven simply because you have enough space for it.
We had a Filipino fiesta themed wedding before, and we were able to bring in a man selling isaw only because the cocktails happened to be situated in the garden.
Get photo and video teams who can create their onsite AVPs pretty quickly. That way, there will no need to stretch the programme just to wait for them to finish. Stretching the programme will cause it to end later; thus, some guests might leave before the onsite AVPs are shown.
Note: If your reception is over brunch or lunch, or if you will start around 5 PM, you might want to consider getting LCD TVs or an LED wall so that you can really see what is being shown on screen. The sunlight will overpower even your 5,000-ANSI lumens projector and screen combo. This happens even with indoor venues that have glass wall.
12. You might not need a mobile bar or a full band for the after party as well given the long drive home. Thus, you may channel your savings to a coffee bar for them to have coffee before going home. Or you may get caterers who offer coffee service already.
Bottomline: Will you save because you’re using a garden venue? Not really, the savings you will have from having simpler attire designs, avoiding having a mobile bar and full band, and paying for a venue without air conditioning will be balanced off by having to provide air coolers, tents, and out of town fees.
Needless to say, out-of-town weddings are more difficult to mount. Thus, if you have the budget to hire suppliers who know the venue or the over-all area and have much experience with handling out-of-town events, go for them. The wisdom they’ve gained from experience will be useful in the long run, especially in handling problems that might crop up when you’re close to or you’re in the middle of your big day.
Special thanks to Drs. Allan and Hannah Corpuz whose photos are in this article. Thank you as well to their photo team led by Alex Ruelo.
[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_block_grid type=”two-up”][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 1″]About Darlene Tan-Salazar, W@W Supplier of Year (2015):Darlene started out as a Planner/Coordinator of Perfect 10 Weddings. Since she needed more time for family matters, she opted to focus on emceeing, and has since started “The Wedding Tip Sheet“, a Facebook page that tackles the practical points in planning a wedding.[/cs_block_grid_item][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 2″][/cs_block_grid_item][/cs_block_grid][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]
https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/AnatomyofanOutdoorVenue3.jpg532800W@W Editorhttps://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/WAWLOGO.pngW@W Editor2016-07-08 12:24:082016-07-08 13:04:06WaW Wedding Tip Sheet: Anatomy of an Outdoor Wedding
[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]While some chose a morning slot and others went for the popular afternoon slot, you decided to go for an evening ceremony slot.
What’s the usual timeline? Let’s tackle the 7PM ceremony time since a lot of churches reserve their 6PM slot for angelus, the rosary, and a public mass.
[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/AnatomyofanEveningWedding3.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]12:30 PM – Set up of the hair and make-up team
1:00 PM – Make-up starts in the bride’s room — assuming bride plus 2 or 3 heads
2:00 PM/2:30 PM – Arrival of the photo and video teams
3:00 PM – Snack delivery arrives (staggered snack schedule for all)
3:30 PM – Pictorials of the groom’s side
4:30 PM – Pictorials of the bride’s side
5:30 PM – Leaving time of the groom and his side (since those going to the ceremony usually expect the groom to be there earlier than the bride)
6:00 PM – Leaving time of the bride and her side (assuming her preps place is pretty close to the ceremony venue)
6:30 PM – Invitation time
7:00 PM – Ceremony time
8:00 PM – End of ceremony; Start of group pictorials
8:30 PM – Recessional and start of couple pictorials
9:00 PM – Cocktails
10:00 PM – Start of programme
10:30 PM – Dinner Time
12:00 MN – End of programme[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/AnatomyofanEveningWedding2-1.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]What is good?
a) If you’re not getting a peak date, you might be able to get away with just checking in early and booking your rooms for just a night instead of the usual 2 nights of other time slots.
b) People might be willing to go to your ceremony and reception even if it’s a week night because they can still go to work for half the day or even the whole day then just go to your event after work/school. (Staying on and finishing the programme might be a different story though, especially if the next day is a school/work day.)
c) This time slot is good for those who want intimate weddings. Since it’s not a common time slot, the couple can invite only those who are really close to them — the kind who would be willing to sacrifice and sleep late.
d) You can request people to wear formal attire and even jewel toned hues since you’re having an evening affair. (However, do note that you will need to spend as well for the formality of the attire of your entourage due to the time slot.)
e) If you want a fireworks display, this would be the perfect time slot. You can have it before people enter the venue, i.e. during cocktails, since you don’t need to wait for darkness.
f) You don’t really need to prepare for after party or have a band since you aren’t expecting a lot to stay beyond programme time. However, do check if yours is a crowd that parties till the wee hours. Then you’d have to prepare alcoholic drinks and at the least, a DJ who will keep the music going.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/AnatomyofanEveningWedding4.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]What do you need to prepare for?
a) Hunger… Some might not have taken their snacks to get to your wedding on time or if it’s a week day, they may have rushed through office/school work foregoing meals just to make it on time, so you do need to provide substantial food during cocktail hour. Note also that cocktail hour is also past dinner time already since your ceremony happened during dinner time. It’s a good idea to talk to your caterer re: opening the soup and salad area or a particular food station so people will be willing to wait for the main meal without getting cranky. If you’re having a hotel reception, you can opt for sit down service and request that the first course be served even before the official start of programme, just so people have something to tide them over beyond the usual nuts and chips during cocktails.
b) Shorter pictorials after ceremony… Since people are waiting and it’s late, you will not have the luxury of having time for pictorials. Also, you won’t have natural light. So, it might be a good idea to have a “first look” type of pictorial prior to the ceremony — only if your parents will allow you to be less traditional, i.e. you will see your groom already prior to the walk down the aisle. This will help in terms of lessening the waiting time of guests.
c) Since it’s not the usual type of time slot, you will need to hire really efficient suppliers since you will not have much room for schedule errors. Even the onsite photo/video editor needs to be the type who can finish quickly without sacrificing quality. That way, no need to stall or needlessly lengthen the programme just to wait for the said AVPs.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/AnatomyofanEveningWedding1.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Bottomline:
No other time slot demands sticking to the schedule and being quick than an evening wedding. There is hardly any room for error and for tardiness as well as their domino effects, so it’s imperative to hire efficient suppliers and invite only those who really love you enough to adjust to the rigors of this time slot.
Note from the W@W Team: Read the Anatomy of a Morning Wedding here and the Anatomy of an Afternoon wedding here. Find more of Darlene Tan-Salazar’s Wedding Tip Sheet articles at www.weddingsatwork.com/category/waw-wedding-tip-sheet/.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_block_grid type=”two-up”][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 1″]About Darlene Tan-Salazar, W@W Supplier of Year (2015): Darlene started out as a Planner/Coordinator of Perfect 10 Weddings. Since she needed more time for family matters, she opted to focus on emceeing, and has since started “The Wedding Tip Sheet“, a Facebook page that tackles the practical points in planning a wedding.[/cs_block_grid_item][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 2″][/cs_block_grid_item][/cs_block_grid][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]
https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/AnatomyofanEveningWedding1.jpg467700W@W Editorhttps://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/WAWLOGO.pngW@W Editor2016-06-06 13:07:292016-07-06 13:32:20WAW Wedding Tip Sheet: Anatomy of an Evening Wedding
[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]While many would opt for a 10:00 a.m. slot, I decided to focus this post on the most ideal time slot, the 9:00 a.m. ceremony.
What’s the usual timeline? Read on.
2:00 a.m. – Wake up, take a bath
2:30 a.m. – Set up of HMUA stations (one for make-up, one for hair)
3:00 a.m. – Make-up begins (assuming you have the usual bride plus 2 or 3 plus groom; 1 hair stylist and 1 make up artist)
4:00 a.m. – Breakfast arrives (Check if the hotel allows such an arrangement.)
5:30 a.m. – Groom’s pictorials (The groom would still be in his prep clothes by the time the p/v team transfers to his room for his pictorial with family; the rest though – family and entourage should be dressed and ready to take part in the shoot by this time.)
6:30 a.m. – Bride’s pictorials (The bride would be in preps clothes at this point while the rest should be dressed and ready to participate in the shoot.)
8:00 a.m. – Bride leaves for church
8:30 a.m. – Arrival at the church; assembly and line up (also your invite time)
9:00 a.m. – Ceremony time
10:30 a.m. – Recessional
11:00 a.m. – Cocktail time
12:00 p.m./12:30 p.m. – Start of program (This makes the 9:00 a.m. slot ideal. Your program will not be too late for lunch.)
12:30/1:00 p.m. – Lunch
2:00/2:30 p.m. – Party time/End of program[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/WaWWeddingTipSheet_MorningWedding2-e1461933967395.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”right” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]What details do you need to take into consideration?
a) Your attrition rate could be higher when you get their responses via your coordinator’s RSVP report. Why? Because this time slot requires everyone to wake up pretty early and if your wedding is on a weekend, some may not be willing to get up even earlier than they would on a week day. Nonetheless, if you really wanted an intimate gathering anyway, the lower number of attendees would be ideal.
b) If your wedding is on a weekday, you will have to brace yourself for traffic, so you may need to allot more time for travel between the hotel and ceremony venue & between the ceremony area and the reception venue. It will help to book places that are really close together.
c) Note that the early preps would most likely require you to have extra space for your entourage to have their make up done there in your hotel. Maybe a 2-bedroom suite would be better than a 1-bedroom suite. You see, it’s hard for them to visit their friendly neighborhood parlors at such an ungodly hour like 3 or 4 a.m. Best to hire a team for your entourage. Do not forget to give the exact number of heads in advance so the HMUA team can bring the right number of people as well.
d) Given that their preps would cut into breakfast time, you can expect that some decided to forego breakfast in favor of getting dolled up. So yes, provide heavy cocktail food items to compensate for the breakfast they missed. These are especially necessary since your post-nup shoot + retouch & eating time will take longer than the usual cocktail hour. If you will go beyond the maximum waiting time of 1.5 hours — open the soup and salad station as well. Find out if the caterer/venue allows this kind of arrangement though, some don’t give in to such a request.
e) Expenses could go lower since you will not need to spend too much.
– On clothes (No need to have suits. Suspenders or vests would be fine; dresses could be knee length or may reach mid-calf only, no need for long gowns and bling.);
– On booze (In fact, no need for alcohol because people don’t necessarily look for an alcoholic fix during lunch.);
– On entertainment (no need to have a full band, strings would do);
– On lights (Especially if the venue allows the sun to filter in), and
– On food (It’s a lunch reception, so you can go with comfort food, not necessarily steak and other expensive dishes. You can even get away with brunch type meals.)
f) However, despite the savings, you may expect to spend on an LED wall instead of a projector and screen combo because it might not be possible to see AVPs on a projection screen if the sun filters into the venue.
g) This is a time slot that does not allow for punctuality-related problems. You can’t be late for preps because it would create a domino effect and guests won’t appreciate having lunch at 1:30 or 2:00 p.m. — although this time slot is one you can’t avoid with a 10:00 a.m. wedding ceremony.
h) People are also more inclined to go home after eating because they are sleepy or they have other stuff scheduled in the afternoon. They usually expect the event to be done by 2:00 p.m., and they aren’t usually in the mood to party since by 2:00 p.m., some may have been awake already for 10 to 12 hours.
i) You can’t have fireworks but you can always have confetti, which would cost a lot less.
j) This one is most important: get enough sleep. Do your best to check in on time, relax, and sleep earlier than usual. It won’t help to have too many people in your room. So do your best to have only a few individuals, and do not attempt to finish DIYs and forego sleep. Give yourself at least 6 hours of sleep so you can handle the rigors of your big day.
[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/WaWWeddingTipSheet_MorningWedding1-e1461934105696.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Other points to consider:
Ceremony Time Constraints:
If your chosen church only has a 10:00 a.m. slot or worse, a 10:30 a.m. slot, you might want to consider either of the ff:
1) Go for couple pictorials prior to the ceremony — check first if your parents are ok with this.
OR
2) Go for couple pictorials after the reception – you will have to make arrangements in advance with your photo, video, and HMUA teams.
Both measures are designed to make the waiting time shorter. Of course, you can always provide heavy cocktails for waiting time.
10:00 a.m. – Ceremony
11:30 a.m. – Recessional
12:00 NN – Cocktails
1:00/1:30 p.m. – Start of programme
1:30/2:00 p.m. – Start of meal time
3:00/3:30 p.m. – End of programme
For a 10:30 a.m. slot, cocktails will be at 12:30 p.m., programme will start at 2:00 p.m., and lunch will be at 2:30 p.m. End of programme will be at 4:00 p.m..
For garden & beach weddings, it is best to follow the timeline below:
6:30 a.m. – Invitation time
7:00 a.m. – Ceremony time
8:30 a.m. – Recessional
9:00 a.m. – Cocktails
10:30 a.m. – Program starts
11:00 a.m. – Lunch
12:30 p.m. – End of program
You may also adjust:
7:00 a.m. – Invite time
7:30 a.m. – Ceremony
9:00 a.m. – Recessional
9:30 a.m. – Cocktails
11:00 a.m. – Program
11:30 a.m. – Lunch
1:00 p.m. – End of program
However, if you’re having a garden or beach wedding, please make sure you have a covered, air-conditioned area for the reception. It won’t be fair to have people stay under the scorching and deadly heat of the sun for reception. Usually the heat can still be a bit bearable before 9:00 a.m.
Do provide fans and the like to make everyone a bit more comfortable during the ceremony. Reserve part of the budget also for getting a tent to ensure protection from the harsh rays of the sun.
BOTTOMLINE:
Overall, this is a time slot that is supposed to save you money. It takes away a lot of things you may find necessary given evening receptions. It also usually lessens the need to invite too many guests — it caters to those who want intimate celebrations.
[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Note from the W@W Team: Having an afternoon wedding? Read the Anatomy of an Afternoon wedding here and the Anatomy of an Evening Wedding here.
Read more of Darlene Tan-Salazar’s Wedding Tip Sheet articles at www.weddingsatwork.com/category/waw-wedding-tip-sheet/.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_block_grid type=”two-up”][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 1″][/cs_block_grid_item][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 2″]About Darlene Tan-Salazar, W@W Supplier of Year (2015): Darlene started out as a Planner/Coordinator of Perfect 10 Weddings. Since she needed more time for family matters, she opted to focus on emceeing, and has since started “The Wedding Tip Sheet“, a Facebook page that tackles the practical points in planning a wedding.[/cs_block_grid_item][/cs_block_grid][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]
https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/WaWWeddingTipSheet_MorningWedding2-e1461933967395.jpg1050700W@W Editorhttps://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/WAWLOGO.pngW@W Editor2016-04-29 21:13:082016-07-06 13:26:12WaW Wedding Tip Sheet: Anatomy of a Morning Wedding
[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_feature_headline level=”h2″ looks_like=”h3″ icon=”lightbulb-o”]A detailed yet no-nonsense approach to preparing for your final speech as newlyweds [/x_feature_headline][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Since I really spend time preparing reception programmes with my couples, I am often asked about what should be included in the final speech and who should speak.
Let’s tackle the question on who should speak. I feel both should be given airtime. However, the longer message should be delivered by the one who can communicate better. I know that seems blunt but you have to admit, it is also practical. Think of one of the basic tenets of communication: the medium is the message.
While you’re debating with your spouse-to-be regarding who should have longer airtime or if you can divide the message equally, let me tackle the actual contents of the message that should be delivered during the final speech.
First, let me point out that it’s always better to have an outline. That way, you won’t veer off course, say something you will regret later, and ramble on and on. It will help you stick to your division of labor as well, so one does not end up saying what the other one has been planning to say all along.
What’s in the outline?
1) Thank God/your creator, without whom, you would not be here today.
2) Thank your parents for bringing you up, supporting your decision, giving financial assistance, being with you every step of the way, etc.
3) Thank the parents of your partner for making you feel welcome, for rearing your partner to be the kind of person he/she is, for being supportive of your decisions regarding your journey as husband and wife.
Both the groom and bride should have airtime to thank their own parents, and the parents of their spouse. After the thank you messages, the groom should reassure his bride’s family that he will take care of her. The bride can also reassure the groom’s family that she will love him and respect him as a wife.
4) Thank your respective families for accepting your choice of a lifetime partner.
5) Thank your godparents. You may say their names, but if you will, add a tidbit as to why they were chosen. It helps to have a list. If you can’t say reasons for choosing them since the parents were the ones who chose them, then better to just thank them in general for accepting the role of being a second parent. That way, no one will feel left out or unwanted.
If one of them was responsible for causing you to meet your spouse, you may mention the person without mentioning the rest.
6) Thank your entourage. You may say their names, but again, you don’t want to do so unless you have something to add to just saying the name.
However, if one or two contributed more, then you may say their names instead of saying all names.
For instance, if one volunteered to take care of coordinating with the attire provider and the rest of the female ento, you may thank her because she definitely took away a lot of stress.
If one volunteered to make an AVP for you and came through, then by all means, mention the person during your speech.
7) Thank your relatives and friends. Do this in general unless you have a list of groups to thank or you have a list of people who traveled great distances just to show their support for your big day.
8) Thank your suppliers. You may say one general statement or you may mention those who really worked hard by name. That will motivate them to keep on giving their all to each and every wedding they would handle.
9) Thank your spouse. Say your appreciation for him/her especially with regard to wedding preparations.
Just be careful that this does not end up like a repetition of your personal vows.
Lastly, you can invite them to party the night away with you. That’s a good ending. They will know they can still stay, drink, and spend time with you.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
a) A speech should have a beginning, a middle, and an end.
A good start might focus on how happy you are to start your journey as husband and wife with everyone in your midst.
The middle would focus on all the people you’d like to thank.
The end would be an invitation to party or even an invitation to please continue praying for you as husband and wife or to continue being supportive partners in your journey towards raising a family.
b) If your partner is more shy, have him/her talk within the middle part of your speech. That way, he/she does not need to have a good beginning and a good ending to his/her speech.
c) Stick to a time frame of 3 minutes. You will know you’re taking up more than 3 minutes when you see guests checking out their phones, fidgeting, standing up, looking bored, yawning, etc.
d) Avoid repetitions. If one is more shy than the other, one can stick to thanking one’s parents and family, the spouse’s parents and family, and the spouse. The rest can be assigned to the one who is more willing to hold on to the mic.
e) Do not mention individuals and groups if you’re not sure you can mention all of them. Remember: Forgetting a particular person/group is mortal sin. Weddings are emotionally-charged events.
f) Do not drink too much before giving your speech — you will not sound good, you will not know what you’re saying, and you might say something you will regret.
Definitely, you will not make a good first impression on those who will be meeting you or seeing you for the first time if you end up too drunk to delivery your final message. You still have the after party to get drunk, if you really must.
Read more of Darlene Tan-Salazar’s Wedding Tip Sheet articles at www.weddingsatwork.com/category/waw-wedding-tip-sheet/.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_block_grid type=”two-up”][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 1″][/cs_block_grid_item][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 2″]About Darlene Tan-Salazar, W@W Supplier of Year (2015): Darlene started out as a Planner/Coordinator of Perfect 10 Weddings. Since she needed more time for family matters, she opted to focus on emceeing, and has since started “The Wedding Tip Sheet“, a Facebook page that tackles the practical points in planning a wedding.[/cs_block_grid_item][/cs_block_grid][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]
https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/tip-sheet-feature-image.jpg788940W@W Editorhttps://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/WAWLOGO.pngW@W Editor2016-03-18 16:20:502016-07-06 13:34:22WaW Wedding Tip Sheet: I am speechless!
[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]They say “the perfect wedding” is a myth.
I dare say, “the perfect wedding is not a myth”. It can happen anytime, anywhere.
But where do you get the perfect set of suppliers? How do you ensure perfect weather?
My response?
Before you can have the perfect set of suppliers or ensure perfect weather, you will need first and foremost, the perfect couple.
How do you become the perfect couple?
Let’s take it from those who have already achieved that status.
a) They are the ones who researched for suppliers before booking. They joined a reputable online community like Weddings at Work to get feedback from fellow couples before making decisions on whom to book.
b) They are at peace with their choices because they know they chose according to how the suppliers match their needs and their personalities — not just the price or the freebies.
c) They dutifully did their part as a couple by filling out templates, being fully present during meetings, and properly labelling all turnovers. They also did RSVP call outs and text blasts (either on their own or through their coordinator) and they worked on their guest list with much focus, despite it being one of the most difficult tasks of a couple prior to marriage.
d) That way… on the day… they can let go and let God. They can smile with immense joy because they know they are in good hands. They can let little things pass without betraying frustration or disappointment on their faces. They are mature enough to know that things can only be as perfect as they want them to be.
e) They can’t control guest attendance, traffic, weather, and even the beauty of the batch of flowers that would be delivered on their day, but they can control their reaction to irritants. They can be contented with what they have and still choose to have fun.
Let’s think of “what if” scenarios.
So it rained, right before your bridal march. Are you going to cry or shrug it off? Wouldn’t it be better to show the guests what a trooper you are and how ready you are for the real world as a wife?
So not all your guests arrived despite having confirmed? Will you start mentally computing how much of your money went to waste right after you entered the hall? Or will you smile, enjoy your guests’ applause, and dance to your heart’s delight with your groom without thinking of the empty seats?
While decline in guest attendance costs money, it will be cost you more if you don’t smile or you betray too much annoyance on your face. Why? Because by frowning all the time, you will end up wasting the otherwise great photos and video clips your teams could have captured on your day.
So your suppliers are late because of an accident on the road that caused a major traffic jam…Will pouting and throwing a tantrum make things move faster? You can always shrug it off and smile. Let your suppliers weave their magic despite limited time. (And i will tell you that if you got reputable ones, they will be able to weave their magic more when you show them how confident you are in their abilities despite the unexpected hitch.)
Bottomline: Choose the members of your team wisely then trust them to fulfil your expectations. Your contentment with what they can deliver and your inner peace that everything will work out for the good can do wonders.
Smile, enjoy, and let your guests see what a perfect wedding you have. Nothing and no one can literally or figuratively rain on your parade if you have that inner joy that only real love and real trust can exude.
Photo courtesy of Manny & April Photography.
Read more of Darlene Tan-Salazar’s Wedding Tip Sheet articles at www.weddingsatwork.com/category/waw-wedding-tip-sheet/.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_block_grid type=”two-up”][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 1″][/cs_block_grid_item][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 2″]About Darlene Tan-Salazar, W@W Supplier of Year (2015):
Darlene started out as a Planner/Coordinator of Perfect 10 Weddings. Since she needed more time for family matters, she opted to focus on emceeing, and has since started The Wedding Tip Sheet, a Facebook page that tackles the practical points of planning a wedding.[/cs_block_grid_item][/cs_block_grid][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]
https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/12376523_10153138010067181_1664475055816195291_n.jpg640960W@W Editorhttps://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/WAWLOGO.pngW@W Editor2016-02-09 10:01:512016-07-06 13:37:53WaW Tip Sheet: The Perfect Wedding
[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Editor’s Note:This is former Wedding Coordinator extraordinaire, Darlene Tan-Salazar’s very first entry for WaW Wedding Tip Sheet. The Wedding Tip Sheet are practical tips on how to plan, coordinate and organize your wedding efficiently. [/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Did you just get engaged?
After the initial high of the proposal comes the daunting task of planning for the wedding and your life together as husband and wife.
How does one start planning for a wedding?
Below are some suggested steps:
A.Inform your parents of your plan to get married before all other details.
Avoid planning in secret. Have them say their two cents at the beginning. That’s easier than having to deal with changes when you’ve already prepared and booked a lot of suppliers.
B. Decide on what kind of wedding you want to have — intimate, mid-size, or big; within the metro or out of town; formal or laidback.
Scout for suppliers to have a general idea regarding how much they cost, then plan, and make a realistic budget before even booking anybody.
You don’t need to ask each supplier for a rate sheet, that would be too time consuming on your part.
Check out their websites first and/or ask fellow brides/grooms regarding feedback and fees.
C. Decide on your ceremony venue.
The ceremony reservation gives you a final date and an anchor for reserving your reception venue.
It also gives you a chance to send inquiries to suppliers because you have a final date and a ceremony venue. Yes, you need to include those details — including the reception venue — when you inquire so suppliers can determine availability and give you correct out of town rates, if applicable.
Before booking your ceremony venue, ask about restrictions. That way, you won’t be surprised about additional fees and things you can’t do.
In other words, before parting with your hard earned money, do your research. You won’t be able to get a refund once you’ve given your downpayment to reserve the slot.
D. After you’ve booked your ceremony venue, you can go on a hunt for your reception venue.
Consider proximity to your ceremony area, parking, and your chance to have control over choosing your suppliers. Some reception venues have supplier restrictions and accreditation requirements.
E. Now that you have your venues, you can short list 3-5 suppliers per category, then locate the ones who best match your budget, taste, and personality.
“No commitment meetings” need not be done personally. One can also opt for online meetings to gauge how prospective suppliers deal with possible clients.
Focus first on those who can’t do more than one wedding a day.
Remember to research before booking, but take isolated negative feedback with a grain of salt.
Important note: A lot of well meaning friends and relatives will be as excited and will volunteer their services or the services of friends. Remember that more often than not, it’s still better to book your own suppliers and avoid relying on friendship or blood ties. Things can get problematic and you don’t want to feel awkward dealing with these friends and relatives in other parties or gatherings after your wedding.
I think I’ve said a mouthful already and I may have caused you to feel overwhelmed. (I hope not…)
Tip: Simplify. Do things step by step to avoid feeling like you’re drowning in details. Start with the ones you really need then add the fancy details later.
And when you’re feeling too daunted, you can always rely on the sharing and words of wisdom of your w@w brothers and sisters, as well as the responses and recommendations of the suppliers you’ve booked.
Read more of Darlene Tan-Salazar’s Wedding Tip Sheet articles at www.weddingsatwork.com/category/waw-wedding-tip-sheet/.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_block_grid type=”two-up”][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 1″][/cs_block_grid_item][cs_block_grid_item title=”Block Grid Item 2″]About Darlene Tan-Salazar, W@W Supplier of Year (2015): Darlene started out as a Planner/Coordinator of Perfect 10 Weddings. Since she needed more time for family matters, she opted to focus on emceeing, and has since started “The Wedding Tip Sheet“, a Facebook page that tackles the practical points of planning a wedding.[/cs_block_grid_item][/cs_block_grid][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]
https://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/waw-ig.jpg788940W@W Editorhttps://weddingsatwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/WAWLOGO.pngW@W Editor2016-01-13 20:12:352016-07-06 13:36:02WaW Column Wedding Tip Sheet: How does one start preparing for a wedding?
