Wedding Planning Timeline | Three Month Mark

In-between six months, and three months before the wedding, there tends to not be much to do. You got all the big things- the venue, food, photographer/videographer, DJ, wedding planner/day of coordinator, florist, and dress -handled, and at the three month mark it’s time for all the little details! 

1. Start looking at wedding bands for you and your fiancé, and order them so they can be in, and sized in time. 

2. Finalize your guest list, and get your wedding invites ready to be sent out in the next couple of weeks. 

3. Schedule your cake tasting, and order your wedding cake (or another dessert if you’re not doing cake). Side note: it is normal for bakeries to charge for tastings! 

4. Set up the tasting with your venue/caterer and finalize the food, and drink selection. 

5. Book your rehearsal dinner location! The earlier the better with this if you’re getting married in “wedding season”!

6. Start your wedding registry! Go prepared with a list, and give yourself a whole day! ENJOY! This is one of the funnest parts of the planning process!

7. Decide on your hair and makeup artist, and schedule your trials. It’s normal for there to be a charge for this, too!

Check out my other posts in my wedding planning timeline series! 

xo, Val 

perfectlyplannedbyval.com

Six Things Couples Don't Think About When Having A Backyard Wedding.

Today I'm going to be talking about a few things people don't think about when they decide to have their wedding in their backyard.  The best thing about having it in your backyard is you don't have to pay to rent a venue, you can easily start to set up for the wedding whenever you want, and after the wedding you don't have to worry about getting everything out by a certain time.

There are a few things to consider, however:

1. Parking: Where are all of your guest going to park? With 200 guests, you could have 100 cars, or even more if couples/families don't drive together! Having people park on the street five blocks away, and walk  to your house isn't the best thing to do.  My tip: What you need to do is find a large parking lot, like a church or a school (it will be empty at night), less than a mile away.  You'll of course want to get an okay from them, and the city.  If the lot is close and not on a busy street, you could rent/borrow golf carts, and have someone drive your guests over to the reception.  You could find a limo company that has a shuttle bus that would fit 15-20 people at once, so you could easily transport them to your house. You'll have to have to for the whole time, however so it will be expensive.  Something else is a valet service.  Have people drive up to your house, and the valet will park their car for them.  
2. Bathrooms: Your wedding is taking place outside, which means the outside will look put together and clutter-free. The house, however will be where the caterer is prepping food, and where all the prep work for the day happened.  Do you want people walking through that? Also, people will be drinking, and the bathrooms will get trashed. Not that your friends and family won't respect your house, but when people are drinking they sometimes aren't thinking. Can you imagine 200 people using one, or maybe two bathrooms all night? There will be lines the whole night, which means people will be missing important parts of the nights festivities.  Your bathroom also might not be able to handle so much use in one day. My tip: Rent luxury porta potties.  Yes they do cost a lot, but it's just something you have to consider.  
3. Caterer Prep Space: When you bring in a caterer, they need a place to work, cook, and keep things warm.  Hopefully your caterer will be honest with you about what they can use in your kitchen, and what they will need to bring in/rent (extra stoves, etc.) and if it will cost you more, once you decide on a menu, and they see the property. 
4. Sound:  Obviously if you're having your wedding at your house, there are neighbors! You have to think about the loud music that will be playing late into the night.  You must contact the city before your event to make sure you can even have your wedding in your backyard. You DON'T want the cops showing up to break up the party at 9:00.  You also need to talk to all of your neighbors and let them know about your wedding so they can prepare for the noise. 
5. Theres going to be a mess:  When it's dark outside you're not going to notice the napkins, and empty beer bottles on the ground.  The next morning will be a lot to clean up.  You'll have to sort out all the rentals for the rental company to pick it up.  Tables clothes and napkins put in linen bags, chairs and tables taken down, etc. Having a team help you either that night, or the next morning would be a good option. 
6. Day Of Coordinator: And finally, you need to have someone in charge!  Yes I mean hiring a wedding planner to help plan before hand and day of, or even just a day of coordinator.  When you rent a wedding venue, there are people who work there, but when you are having it at your house, it's just you and your family.  There has to be someone to make sure the day goes smoothly, someone to answer all of the questions (there will be A LOT!), and to take care of anything that goes wrong.  Yes things will go wrong, but that shouldn't be something the mother of the bride should have to deal with.  They will also help set everything up in the morning, and take everything down, and clean up at night.  

Happy Planning!

XO, Val

outside wedding. by vebullock on Polyvore

Garden Wedding Ideas
elizabethannedesigns.com

Whimsical Floral Wedding Invites By The First Snow
weddingchicks.com

A Romantic Outdoor Wedding in Washington
theknot.com

North Carolina Lovebird Wedding
ruffledblog.com

Jen and Mike's Wedding | July 11, 2014

I had the pleasure of working with Jen only nine months after I helped her older sister Rachelle with her wedding. Being laid back is something that runs in the family! They both cared about getting married, and the rest of the details didn't matter much!

On the day of the wedding, Jen- who's already gorgeous- was STUNNING!! She would have loved to have her wedding outside, walk barefoot through a field, and put fresh flowers in her hair.  But being Catholic, that wasn't really an option for them.  She settled for a beautiful church wedding, a great pair of shoes, and a lovely crown of fresh flowers (and bouquet) from Chris' Floral, in her hair.  

Jen and Mike's First Look with Gra Photography, and the reception took place at St. George Fellowship Centre in Akron.  

Right after they their first look! So happy!!

I'm so happy I got a picture with the newly weds!!! 

Jen and Mike were such a pleasure to work with.  They are so in love and couldn't stop smiling the entire night!! 

XO, Val. 

Wedding Trend | #WeddingHashtag

Hashtags are nothing new when it comes to social media. It's also not new for couples to have a hashtag for their wedding.  There are definite pros of wedding hashtags, but there are also cons! I for one love them, but I understand why people have a problem with them. Getting the guests perspective is nothing new! Remember when everyone had disposable cameras on every  table at their reception? It's like a modern version of that!

The Pros:

• It's a fun way for your guests to feel involved during your wedding!
• You and your new spouse get to see some wedding pictures the next day easily by just looking up your hashtag on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!
• You could get to see a moment of the wedding that your photographer didn't get. (Not that your photographer would miss anything important, but most of the time photographers don't stay until the end of the reception!)
• You might end up getting one of your favorite candid shots from the wedding that a guest just happened to catch! 
• If you don't choose your own hashtag, guests will try to make up their own. It's best to have one posted somewhere at the wedding so there's not 4 different hashtags floating around with your wedding pictures. You could put it in your invitations, in the program at the ceremony, or somewhere at the reception. 

The Cons:

• Depending on the ages of your guests, some people might not understand the concept of hashtags, and will just be confused by the whole thing.
• You could get really disappointed that only a handful of people post pictures.  You might see 12 pictures of your cousin and her boyfriend,  and one blurry picture of you walking down the isle. 
• People might want to take and edit pictures during the ceremony and reception, so they might not be paying attention during important parts of the wedding.
• As a photographer it can get REALLY annoying when all the guests are trying to get pictures and might get in their way! If guests are using flash, it's even more annoying for them!
• The first picture that ends up on social media of your wedding could be a very unflattering picture of you. Do you want that to be the first picture people see?

Advice:

• Research your hashtag before hand! Make sure you don't have the same one as another couples wedding!

Are you having a hashtag at your wedding?

xo, Val.

Buying the Perfect Wedding Dress!

Hi everyone!!

I recently bought my wedding dress, and I wanted to give some advice that I have learned from other brides, and also my own recent experience!  

I did buy my dress a little early (about eleven months before my wedding), but since my sister lives out of state, I wanted her to be there for my appointment, and it just happened that when she was in town, it worked out for everyone to go.

Before my appointment, I'll admit I looked at hundreds of wedding dresses online.  I went into the appointment with an idea of the style I wanted.  I also went in with an open-mind, however.  Even though I thought I knew the exact style I wanted, I still tried on other styles.  I was surprised at how much I liked the other styles I tried on!

I made an appointment at a salon called 'All Brides Beautiful' in Hudson, Ohio and a consultant worked with me throughout my entire appointment. I told her my budget, what style I liked, and what style I didn't like.  Since we already chose our venue-which is very modern- I knew I didn't want lace, or anything vintage-looking (even though there were many beautiful lace dresses, especially Jim Hjelm!)

It's important to pick a dress that fits your venue/feel of your wedding.  If you're having a rustic backyard, or beach wedding, a huge tulle ball gown might not be the best option. Your dress should reflect your wedding.

Dress by Rivini. (not mine)

I trusted my consultant to find me the right dress. It's very important to trust your consultant during your appointment. They will be extremely knowledgable of all of the dresses in the shop and the prices of each dress.  My consultant actually did show me a dress way out of my price range, which I wasn't happy about, but I'm lucky I didn't fall in love with it! Always check the price before you decide if you like it or not! Also, don't purposely try on a dress out of your price range, even though it's beautiful.  You will most likely fall in love with it, and you'll be disappointed when it's twice your budget. A cheaper dress most likely won't compare once you have something so luxurious on. 

Dresses at the shop I went to were definitely on the higher end. However,  I knew I wanted to spend more to get a higher quality, designer dress (I bought a stunning Rivini gown). I also discussed it with my fiancé.  We agreed that my budget was acceptable, even though it was a bit tough saying my budget out loud!  I am not, however, saying you need to spend $5,000 on a dress!! It's all about what's a priority in your wedding budget.  Do you want to spend a little more on a dress, or do you need a massive five-tired wedding cake? It's all about your priorities! 


Hope this helps you when you pick out your wedding dress!

XO, Val

Hidden Wedding Costs.

Hi everyone!

Today I want to talk about hidden wedding costs.  It's good to think about this in the beginning of your wedding planning process, so you can account for the extra cost right off the bat.  

1. This one is no secret, but you must account for tax for EVERYTHING!  If it's a legitimate business, there's going to be tax. Most halls, or caterer's will charge 18% of food costs, so you have to factor that in.  If your wedding dress costs $800, it actually doesn't. Theres tax on that, too. Aim for a dress thats closer to $700 if you want it to end up being $800.  The important thing is that you're prepared for these costs ahead of time!

2. Tips: You're most likely going to be tipping a few of your vendors throughout the night of your wedding.   

3. Something else brides sometimes don't think about is bridal party gifts.  It's not like you have to buy all your girls designer bags, or jewelry with real diamonds (that would be amazing, though!) but factor in a couple hundred dollars, or more depending on how many girls you have.

4. Hair and makeup trials: It's always a great idea to get a trial for your wedding day hair and makeup! However, the trial will be its own separate price. This could be an extra $150 you weren't accounting for. Try to plan your makeup trial on the day of your engagement pictures, so you can get a good feel for how it will look on your wedding day, and in pictures!

5. Postage: Some people forget about postage when it comes to their wedding. It's also not just the wedding invitations that require postage.  You need to account for save the dates, rsvp cards, and thank you cards. Try to keep your invitations light, so they require less postage. 

Thanks for reading! Hope it helped! 

XO, Val.

Wedding Planning Timeline: One Year Mark pt. 2.

Hi Everyone!!

When you're a year out from your wedding, in addition to determining budget, guest list and the overall feel of your wedding, there are a few other things you need to start thinking about.

Deciding on your bridal party is something that should be done as soon as possible.  Like your fiancé and yourself, your bridal party is going to need time to prepare and save money as well.  Asking someone to be in your wedding is a big commitment.  They may need to travel from out of town, so giving them time to make arrangements is best.

via: the knot.

Something else to do a year out from your wedding is hire your wedding planner. Weather you're having someone to help with every aspect of your wedding or just a day of coordinator, finding them at the beginning of the planning process is a good idea.

Having an engagement party is also something that happens right after the engagement. Not everyone has one, but it's a good way to celebrate your recent engagement.

This is also a good time to start trying on wedding dresses.  You need around eight months to have your dress ordered, so having extra time to try on dresses will be great. This will give you time to figure out what you like and what looks good on you before you decide on the right dress.

Jim Hjelm. Picture via: the knot.

You should also start looking at photographers and videographers.  Try to decide what style you prefer, and ask friends and family for recommendations. 

Trying to get most of the big details of your wedding out of the way in the beginning is a great idea, but not necessary.  If things kind of fall into place a year out from your wedding you're very lucky.  Don't think you have to have everything done right away, though. Really think about what you want, and enjoy the planning of your wedding! 

I hope this helped! 
XO. Val

Wedding Planning Timeline: One Year Mark.

Hi everyone!

I recently got engaged, so it's been a VERY exciting couple weeks! It is very different planning my own wedding, however.   I'm very used to the process of planning weddings. I know what should be done, and when it needs to be done. 

This is right after we got engaged! 

As I plan my own wedding, I thought it would be a good idea to post each month leading up to my wedding next June. I'm going to be posting what needs to be done at the year mark, nine month mark, etc.  

If you have a year or more to plan your wedding, that is great! If you have less time, it's still possible to accomplish everything you need to.

When it's a year until your wedding, or right after the excitement of the engagement wears off, it's time to accomplish the first steps in your wedding planning process!

Most girls have dreamed up their perfect wedding long before they have the ring, but it's still important to discuss with your fiancé the overall feel and style of the wedding. So pull up your secret wedding Pinterest board, because this is the fun part!! Is it going to be laid-back and casual, or classic and elegant? This is important to figure out right off the bat, because it will determine budget and venue. 

Most importantly, you need to determine the budget of your wedding! If your fiancé and yourself are paying for the wedding, the two of you need to sit down and discuss what you are able to spend realistically. Don't go into debt over your wedding! 

If your parents, and/or your fiancé's parents are paying for the wedding, you need to talk to them before any decisions are made.  When they are helping out financially, their opinion on the wedding is also important.  

Once you figure out the budget, other aspects of your wedding can be determined.  You next need to figure out the guest list.  You don't need an exact number, but something close will help determine the venue you chose.  

Once you have the guest list figured out, you can start looking at venues.  You need to decide if you want to have your wedding all in one place, have your ceremony in a church, opt for an outside wedding, etc. Venues will have a max number of people, and they will sometimes have a minimum as well.  These are important factors to consider when you're picking a venue. 

Ok. I'm going to wrap this post up here for today! There are a few other things you should think about at the one year mark that I'll talk about in my next post!

XO, Val

Red Arrow Photography.

Hi everyone!

I wanted to take a minute to talk about the amazing photographer who shot the pictures I am currently using for my cover photo; Meghan Meeker of Red Arrow Photography.  I worked with Meghan for the first time in May of 2013, and when a bride was looking for a photographer for her October 2013 wedding, I knew I didn't need to look any further.  Meghan is one of the nicest photographers I have ever worked with. She has the best of what it takes to be a wedding photographer.  She has a vision, and makes that vision happen, as well as effortlessly controlling the bridal party and family so she can easily get every picture that is needed in a timely manor. 

I am so obsessed with the pictures from this wedding. 

This wedding was just amazing over all.  It was great to work with Meghan as well as my long time friend Maddy Hastings at her second shooter.  it was also effortless because the bride and groom were so easy to work with! They weren't demanding or controlling at all.  They cared that they were getting married and that it all; it made everyones jobs so much easier. There was such an abundance of love and that's all that mattered.  

Hope you enjoyed!

XO, Val

Is it worth it? Real Flowers.

Hi everyone!

Today's 'Is it worth it?" is going to be talking about real flowers for your wedding day vs. fake or silk flowers.  

I'm just going to start out by saying that I would never recommend fake flowers to anyone, and in my opinion real flowers are always the way to go. I think most of the time people look at flowers for your wedding day as an unnecessary expense. Also, that they're just gong to die (true), but if you buy fake flowers what are really going to do with them after the wedding, anyway? 

When you go to a florist you could spend $1200-$1500  on your flowers (bouquets, boutonnières, centerpieces).  You might think that is an insane amount of money to spend on flowers but you have to understand that you're paying for this persons time and experience when it comes to flowers.  They know what they are doing and they do all the work for you.  

via the knot.

via the knot.

Aren't these bouquets just stunning?

If you go to your local hobby lobby and look at the prices of silk flowers, you might be surprised.  You could ultimately spend $30 for one bouquet.  You may also think they look just like real flowers, but they don't. People can tell they aren't real. 

If you think making your own bouquet is easy, buy your own real flowers, and make your own that way! You could pick up some flowers a few days before your wedding at your local grocery store, Sam's Club, or even Trader Joe's. It's no secret that anything that has to do with weddings is going to be more expensive, its annoying, but true.  So buying them at the grocery store, they are exponentially less expensive.  My advice would be figure out what is in season for your wedding month, figure out when the grocery store gets their flower delivery, and try to find out from a worker what they will be getting, and if you can request something in particular- it never hurts to ask! Just remember, you cant be too picky. 

You could also order flowers online if you're looking for particular flowers.  You would order them, and they are delivered to you a couple days before your wedding day.  The risk with this is they may not come in the condition you want, and you won't have time to order new flowers in time.  You can try fifty flowers. 

I hope this helped you!

XO, Val

Wednesday Wow's. [2.12.14]

Hi Everyone!

I'm starting a new installment on my blog called 'Wednesday Wow's'. Every Wednesday I'm going to share with you something I am loving in the wedding world this week.  

This week's 'Wednesday Wow' is this AMAZING dress by Hayley Paige! 

This dress is absolutely stunning! It's from the Hayley Paige Spring 2014 Collection. It's a real piece of art.  It's unlike anything I've ever seen before.  It will turn some heads when you walk down the isle in this dress.

I'll be back next week with another installment of 'Wednesday Wow's'.

XO, Val

Is it worth it? videographer.

Hi everyone!

I wanted to start a new installment on my blog called "is it worth it?".  It's going to be talking about certain things that you're unsure of while planning your wedding. i.e. real flowers, a five tiered wedding cake, hiring a videographer, renting a tent for your outdoor wedding, etc. 

Today I'm going to talk about hiring a videographer for your wedding day. Having a videographer goes on the list of something people wish they had, and something people think is unnecessary. Finding an experienced videographer is going to be expensive, but having your cousin in the ninth row of the ceremony record it, will probably be disappointing. 

Having a videographer is growing in popularity every day. When it comes to anything with your wedding it's all about what's important and what's worth spending part of your budget on.  

Having pictures is great and absolutely necessary, but they can't show you every detail of your special day.  Being able to sit down and watch your video is such a great experience. You get to watch your wedding day- because you know it's going to be a BLUR that day.

So in my opinion, find a great videographer that is a great match for you and your fiancé, and work it into your budget.  When you get to watch a high quality video of your wedding 5, 10, even 20 years from now, you'll be very happy you spent the extra money. 

Hope you found this helpful! I'll be back next week with another installment of "is it worth it".

XO Val

Bridal Make-up

So when it comes to bridal make-up there are a few great tips I have learned. 

If you're having your makeup professionally done, they will know all of these tips, so sit back, relax, and let the experts do their job!

1. Unless you are a huge makeup addict (like myself) you will probably have to buy a lot of products to get good quality makeup for your wedding day.  If you feel like you won't be using them ever again, get your make-up professionally done.  Yes it may cost you $50, but buying all the products you will need will cost way more than that. 

2. This one may be obvious but it doesn't hurt.  WATERPROOF mascara and eyeliner. even if you don't cry and even if you aren't getting married in the summer, your eye makeup might still run.  Also, waterproof mascara will hold your curl all day long!

3. Prime your face! If you have never used a face primer a day in your life, your wedding day is a great day to start! (but use it for a few weeks before to make sure it's not going to break you out). Benefit POREfessional is a favorite of mine and many others for good reason!

4. Don't wear anything with an SPF in it!! Not your moisturizer, not your primer and not your foundation.  The titanium dioxide in SPF will give you a white flashback on your face in pictures when there is a flash.  A white face is not something you want in your wedding pictures.

5. If you're doing your own make-up on your wedding day, use what you know and what your face is used to. Don't try anything new. Your face might not like it, and we want your face to be happy on your wedding day! :)

6. This tip is the most important! LOOK LIKE YOURSELF ON YOUR WEDDING DAY! If you are someone who doesn't wear a lot of make-up, or doesn't wear makeup at all (LUCKY), any amount of makeup will look like a lot. No matter what, you want to look like a better version of yourself.  If you wear a lot of make-up daily (GUILTY), try to find a look that works for you, and amp it up just a little. ;)

7. Light, neutral pinks are your best friend. Red nails are my go to nail color for any time of the year, but it may not be right for your wedding. Try a classic french manicure, or a light pink.  I like ballet slipper and blushing bride from Essie. Also, consider getting a shellac manicure.  It'll last all through your wedding and honeymoon, it won't chip, and it dries instantly. The week of your wedding you're not going to have time to sit and wait for your nails to dry!

8. Lips. You're also going to want something pretty, pink and neutral.  Even if you're getting your makeup done, you will most-likey bring your own lipstick.  I think this color is known as a "the perfect wedding color" and for good reason.  Angel by Mac is such a gorgeous color and it goes with every skin tone.

9. When your makeup is perfect hurry up and spray your face with a setting spray! this will keep your face looking perfect all day long. You won't have to worry about reapplying or getting makeup on everyones clothes when you hug them. Mac fix+ is great to make you look FLAWLESS, and take away the powdery look.  Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray is basically hair spray for your face, so your makeup won't be going anywhere! 

I hope these tips were helpful! 

XO, Val