Planning a Private Residence Wedding

So you’ve made the decision to get married at home! Whether it’s yours or your fiancé’s family home or another private residence, you’ll want to keep these FIVE things in mind.

Greenhouse Creative Studios

Guest access & parking

Most private residences can easily accommodate 2-6 vehicles in their private drive. Some more, some less. When you’re planning for 25 people or more, that amount of parking spaces simply won’t work. Unless guest transportation is provided. Not to mention vendor access & parking. I highly recommend my couples ask their guests to park in a large, local public parking lot (hotel, mall, casino, ski resort, etc…) and provide transportation to & from the home and grounds.

Bathrooms

They’re a fact of life. Throw in a mix of boozy drinks, plated dinners, and dozens of bladders and they’re an unsavory yet critical component to yours and your guests’ experience. I suggest keeping the inside restrooms available to a limited number of guests. Typically, those living & staying there. For all other friends & family, I recommend luxury trailers with hand washing stations.

Power

Love all of those outdoor string lights you see on Pinterest? And the amazingly romantic dance parties with a beautiful amber lit home in the background? DJs and bands rocking the house? That all requires power. Instead of pulling power from every 20amp outlet inside and using a bazillion extension cords, renting a couple of whisper generators should do the trick.

LIghting

The sun will eventually go down on your wedding day. And that’s when the fun really begins! When daylight disappears, you want to make sure there’s ample lighting on your guests’ tables, above their heads, and along all walkways. This will also help your vendor team at the end of the night as they load up and head out.

sound restrictions

Most residential neighborhoods have quiet hours. It’s important to consider the parameters in the city or county where you’re hosting. Some cities require a special event permit with detailed descriptions of your music, sound plans, and timeline. As well as restricting your band or DJ to particular decibel levels. While I’ve been known to keep a cop or two at bay from busting up a killer wedding reception, it’s not my favorite thing to do!

4 things to do before you start planning the wedding of your dreams

Set up a wedding-only email

By creating an email account, solely for wedding planning, you can keep all things fun & frilly separate from those super important projects at work. It also allows you, your fiancé, and any other decision makers to have one shared source of communication for vendors + wedding related tasks.

Discuss What’s important to you

Throughout the planning process, you and your fiancé will be greeted with tons of ideas & opinions. Some you’ll take to heart and others you’ll simply hear and allow yourself to ignore. The latter, however, can get tricky depending on who’s making the suggestion. Being on the same page as future newlyweds and focusing on what's most important to YOU will allow you to make decisions easier & quicker.

Extravagant Bash or Intimate Affair

Whatever you decide will be a key component when it comes to discussing more important items like overall budget, budget allocation, venue parameters, and oodles of other to-do’s.

Hire a wedding planner

Much like you're a full-time, valued professional in your career, a great planner is an invaluable resource and critical piece of the planning puzzle. Choose someone you're comfortable with and who aligns with your style. We'll be working together, closely, for an extended period of time. It's important that we jive on a personal level and trust one another.

I promise, by thinking and talking about the items above, you’ll jump start your planning process and everyone involved, including you, will appreciate your thoughtful legwork.

Until next time,

Cheers!

Using Charger Plates? Keep These 5 Things in Mind.

Charger plates or service plates have been around since the 19th century. Commonly used at royal weddings and other luxurious dinner parties to showcase wealth & artisanship, they also had a functional use. To help prevent spillage during multiple course meals and to protect the hand-made linens they lay atop.

In the modern world, we wedding designers still use them for those reasons, in addition to enhancing a design aesthetic and to elevate the refined experience of your first meal as a married couple. By doing so, we also generate a few other items that need to be considered. See below for the most important takeaways!

Sarah Porter Photography

Number of Guests At Each Table.

It’s no secret that physical space on a guest’s table is limited. When designing with chargers, I advise my couples to plan for a couple seats less than a tables’ maximum seating. For instance, a 5’ (60”) round table typically seats up to 10 guests comfortably. Throw in the use of chargers and I recommend a maximum of 8 guests per table.

Stemware & Centerpieces.

Fine dining typically means tableside wine and cocktail service. In order for that beverage service to flow efficiently, dining tables are set with several stemware options (ie. water glass, white & red wine glasses, champagne flutes) filling the majority of “empty” table space. It’s important that your centerpiece styles and/or size won’t encroach on or engulf a guest’s overall place setting.

Menu Shape & Size.

Stationery is another way to make a fabulous impression when a guest first approaches their table & seat. As a designer (and self proclaimed stationery snob), I love to play with different styles, shapes, colors, and sizes of menus. Knowing that we’ll have a service plate, we’re able to get creative and step away from standard rectangular menus. I encourage you to do the same!

Napkin Placement

When creating a place setting with decorative chargers, there are so many options when it comes to napkin placement and folds! Tied in a knot and placed atop the charger to the side. Waterfall fold and placed under the charger. Pocket fold with a menu tucked in and placed atop the charger. Wrapped around the charger and tucked underneath (horizontally or vertically). Folded into an ornate design such as a rose, bow tie, clover, tree, or other shape. Essentially, the napkin has the ability to serve a much lovelier, yet still functional, purpose than “holding” a guest’s place.

When to Pull Them.

If you’re working with a planner (ahem, I know a great one!), he/she will be able to advise your caterer when chargers or service plates should be pulled. However, if for some reason, you don’t have a planning partner, it’s important to communicate with your catering sales manager or banquet captain when you want those larger than normal, decorative plates to be removed. Proper etiquette states they be pulled with the main course (entree), just before dessert is served. Some modern couples are switching that up and opting instead to remove them with the soup or salad course. Or leaving them as a statement piece for the entire dinner!

Until next time,

Cheers!

Things to Consider When Planning a Mountain Wedding

Footwear.

It’s no secret that the mountains are, well…mountainous! While the appeal of a lovely pair of stilettos is enticing, they’re not practical when you’re literally hiking through nature for those jaw-dropping photo backdrops. Pack along a second pair of shoes that will allow you to traverse fallen trees, rocks, streams, and hills with ease & comfort. This pair doesn’t have to be pretty since they won’t be in photos. Keep your heels in pristine condition and change into them for your reception & dance party! Make sure to pass along the same info to your bridesmaids and guests.

tRANSPORTATION.

For your guests and your vendors! Most mountaintop venues are only accessible for vendors via a dirt road meddled with switchbacks and off-road terrain. There is very little signage and directions to reference with even less cell phone service. Keep this in mind when considering a vendor who doesn’t have experience working at your venue or may be utilizing a low-to-the-ground box truck to deliver equipment & decor (ie. florists, bands, DJs, chair & table rentals, etc…). When it comes to guests’ access, the options can range from chair lifts to gondolas to snow cats & sleighs, depending on the time of year. In the most remote mountain locales, helicopters are also an alternative. Take it from me that guests will appreciate the heads up on how they’ll be transported to the venue so they may plan their attire & footwear accordingly.

Altitude.

This one should go without saying but always comes up. Especially, with my destination couples! In most instances, these highly sought after venues are located at or higher than 10,000ft above sea level. And they’re in remote locations without easy or quick access to medical care. It isn’t uncommon for the occasional guest to suffer the side effects of altitude sickness or severe sunburn (pack lots of sunscreen). Similarly, alcohol intoxication occurs much quicker at altitude than it does at lower elevations. As the industry saying goes, “a drink at altitude is like 3 or 4 drinks at sea level.” Consider planning at least a day or two with high altitude guest activities to help everyone acclimate before your big day.

Weather.

When you booked your mountaintop wedding venue, you know no doubt envisioned a sun-drenched, Pinterest worthy soiree in the clouds with sweeping 360-degree views of mountains & valleys as far as the eye can see. 80% of the time, Mother Nature cooperates and my couples get exactly what they want! However, in my experience, high altitude venues most certainly have their own weather pattern. And wedding days have the potential to go from warm and sunny bluebird skies to cool and overcast, windy and rainy with little to no warning. Having a great indoor plan B or weather backup helps to ensure a quick transition & holding pattern for you & your guests while the storm passes.

Drone Usage & Permits.

In addition to documenting your day on the ground, cinematography teams are now employing the services of drones. Which is such a cool perspective to tell your wedding story! It’s also another potential hoop for you or your procured vendor(s) to jump through. If your venue is located on National or State Forest Land, it’s an FAA requirement that a permit and scheduled flight plan be submitted for approval. This process can be somewhat costly and could take up to 8-10 months, so it needs to be started early. Better to give your video team more time to get this done than less!

If you’re a vendor with experience at high altitude, on-mountain wedding venues and have something to add to this post, comment below! If you’re a couple planning a Colorado wedding in one of our amazing high terrain locales and haven’t secured your wedding planner, let’s chat!

Until next time,

Cheers!

Seasoned Pro vs. Hobbyist?

The wedding galleries that you see on this site are all real weddings. They’re real couples with their real friends & family at their real wedding celebrations.

I wish I could tell you that we wedding vendors are given ALL day at your venue to set up and style your wedding. That we have the time to tweak every fork, knife, spoon, napkin fold, menu insert, chair orientation, candle placement, sign orientation, family grouping, picture taken, and on and on. But, that’s not true. More often than not, we’re working with only a few hours before the start of the ceremony to get all of your spaces & details guest ready.

That’s why it’s critical to the overall success of your wedding day that you hire the real reals. Professionals who are tried & true in this industry, in their businesses, in their craft(s), and in REAL TIME execution of details. It should go without saying that the BEST way to get connected to reputable, reliable vendors is to hire an experienced wedding planner! Your wedding and your ability to sit back & enjoy the celebration shouldn’t be left to someone who just “makes things pretty.”

here are some notes to help you align with the true pros who Can combine “making things pretty” with Kick ass execution in the moment!

Rebecca Haley Photography

Price.

Experienced wedding vendors will NOT be the least expensive option. We’ve been in the industry long enough to value what we bring to the table. And we know what that value is worth to our ideal couples. If a vendor is touting years of experience yet isn’t even half the cost of other vendors in the same category, I highly recommend asking them why. There are unicorn newbies out there where you will get far more than you pay for. However, a good rule of thumb to keep in mind; years of experience, professionalism, and overall price will go hand-in-hand.

Portfolio.

I’ve partnered with almost 200 couples to design, plan, and coordinate their weddings. If I put every single one of those couples’ wedding galleries on my website to prove how experienced I am, it would be impossible for a potential couple to really click with me and the Pink Champagne Events’ aesthetic. Which is why I showcase only a handful of weddings at a time. Similarly, most trustworthy pros have a plethora of REAL client galleries not included on their website. Simply asking a potential vendor to see more of their full galleries will quickly separate those just getting into the business by showcasing styled or editorial shoots from those of us who have built a career making real magic happen in the moments we’re given on the wedding day.

Reviews.

As you can imagine, after syncing up with as many couples as I have, there are bound to be reviews in a multitude of locations! ie. Google, Yelp, WeddingWire, The Knot, etc…It’s important that you read as many of these vendor reviews as possible because: 1) the longer back the reviews date the more experience and knowledge a vendor has gained and 2) it shows you if/when a vendor may have faced adversity with a client or colleague, how they handled it (professionally, immaturely, acknowledged it all), and 3) it demonstrates the level of consistency you can expect with their product(s) and service(s) over an extended time.

Communication.

Like almost everyone I know, I text back & forth with my friends and family more than I actually talk to them. In person or on the phone! However, text is not the avenue of communication you want for your big day. The number of minute details, timing, logistics, and idea sharing back & forth is too important to trust to broken sentences and snippet updates here & there. Reputable vendors who offer a text option as a form of communication will only do so for the first couple of interactions. However, once you get past the initial back & forth you should expect the communication to move to more professional and reliable & recallable sources.

Boundaries.

During peak wedding season, it’s not uncommon for us to be away from our families, friends, and fur babies most weekends and several days throughout a normal work week. Knowing this time is dedicated to our couples and their celebrations, a wedding world vet will institute firm boundaries on our accessibility & availability, communication preferences, and the number of weddings & events we commit to. That allows us to stay in peak creation, problem solving, execution, and customer service mode without resentment for our couples or our craft.

Are you a tried & true wedding vendor that wants to add something else to this list? Comment below and share your thoughts!

Until next time,

Cheers!

8 Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing a Wedding Venue

Selecting a venue for your big day is one of the first steps to planning your wedding. There are many different aspects that play a pivotal role when choosing the perfect host for your soiree. From budgeting to parking to vendor selection, you want to know what to look for. The following eight tips are some of the most important aspects to consider when assessing your options.

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Devil’s Thumb Ranch by Jessica Christie Photography

1.  Availability  

This is a BIG one. Are they available on your desired date? Venues book fast (up to two years in advance), so when you find THE ONE, you want to secure the spot as soon as possible. If your preferred venue isn't available on the date you set, is your date flexible? If it is, you can have the venue of your dreams just on a different day.  If it's not, time to keep shopping!

2. Price

Does your preferred venue fit within the budget you've set? On average, venues that do not provide food and beverage on site can cost up to thirty-five percent of your total budget. On the opposite end, venues that do provide in-house f&b options, such as hotels, resorts, and country clubs, can run up to sixty percent of your budget or more.

3. Capacity

You want to ask the on site contact what the maximum occupancy is for your desired service style (ie cocktail reception, dinner, dancing, etc.) Having this information can guide you in creating your guest list. You don’t want guests to be crowded, but you also don’t want a venue that will make your party feel sparse.  A good rule of thumb is to never invite more people than the maximum capacity allows. 

4. Parking

Experiences in Colorado have taught us that there are several venues that don't have ample on-site parking (ahem, mountain top locales). Therefore, couples are forced to provide transportation for their guests to and from the venue.  If you procure a venue that does not provide an adequate parking solution for your guests, this will have a significant impact on your budget.  

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Dunton Hot Springs by Laura Murray Photography

5.  Preferred vs. Exclusive Vendors

It is important to know what vendors are recommended or even allowed at your chosen venue. Many places have a preferred list of professional vendors with whom they have worked and built relationships with. Some of those vendors are exclusive to the venue (you are required to use that vendor).  A venue's preferred/exclusive vendor list is generally well vetted but you need to make sure those companies listed also fit within your budget.  

6. Plan B

Very important! It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to have a backup plan for your special day - especially in Colorado. When you are touring different venues, make sure their backup plan can accommodate ALL of your guests for unforeseen circumstances, such as adverse weather conditions. Whether it means setting up a tent for an outdoor ceremony or moving the ceremony inside to the reception room, it is vital to have worst-case scenario plans in place. You don’t want your festivities to be ruined due to poor planning. 

7.  Cancellation/Postponement Policy

You may not think to ask your venue about their cancellation policy, but you can never be too sure! Knowing what the cancellation policy is for your venue and your vendors is essential. If the wedding has to be canceled/postponed due to force majeure events (like a pandemic or act of God) or personal circumstances, you want and need to be well informed of the venue’s policies. 

8. Special Provisions

Most Colorado venues have special provisions listed in their contracts regarding the dos and don'ts of your celebration. These can range from requiring a professional wedding day management coordinator, to private event and vendor insurance, to flameless candles. Some venues even restrict flower petals down the aisle and the throwing of confetti or rice at the ceremony or grand exit. It's important to ask about any special provisions, for each specific venue, during your initial site visit.  

While the above tips are great to reference when selecting a venue you can never ask too many questions or be too thorough. Each wedding and couple is unique and it's important that your selected venue is the perfect fit for your celebration.   

Until next time,

Cheers!

6 Key Considerations for Potential Caterers

When it comes to your wedding day, or any special occasion for that matter, food & beverage is one of the most important elements. While several wedding & event venues in Colorado have their own in-house catering team, this post is specific to those that do not. The considerations below are certainly not the only ones you should contemplate, but they will assist in jump starting a productive and informative conversation with any off-site caterer. Catering friends: would love your special insight + input! Leave a comment with your thoughts at the bottom of this post.

Photo by Sarah Porter Photography

 1. Full- Service or Limited. This is probably one of the biggest considerations when it comes to researching potential caterers. Full service caterers are on site a couple of hours, pre-ceremony, to assist with setting up tables, linens, folding napkins, placing menus, etc… A full-service caterer also provides bussing, tear down, clean up, and trash removal services. Whereas a limited service caterer is responsible solely for food service. They arrive shortly before the ceremony starts, get food out for guests to enjoy during cocktail hour, serve dinner, clean up the kitchen, then they’re out. Which, if you don’t have a wedding planner and service team, means you (or your guests) are throwing away table scraps, removing trash, sticking around after your reception to clean up, and breaking down tables.

2. Bar & Alcohol Services. If they can supply bar & alcohol provisions & staff, your interview process just got a whole lot simpler! By combining food and beverage service together, it is one less vendor to be procure & manage. Not to mention how much time it will save you with regard to computing the quantity
& types of alcohol needed.

3. Average Staff to Guest Ratio. How does that change based on service style (i.e. buffet, plated, family style, French style, etc…)? When chatting with the event designer, ask if staff costs will be broken down by line-item or grouped together. If staff is itemized, it makes it easier to determine appropriate tipping protocol.

4. In-House Pastry Chef(s). Often times if there is an in-house pastry chef, that team is also able to provide dessert service. But, make sure you’re aksing what their dessert capabilities are. They may specialize in bite-sized desserts such as cheesecake bites, tiramisu bites, cake pops, cupcakes, etc…not necessarily a full blown, intricately detailed wedding cake.

5. Sharing your Event Designer. On peak wedding & event weekends, it isn't uncommon for larger catering crews to work more than one wedding per day. However, it is important to ask if your sales representative/event designer is committed to another event the same day as your wedding. If he/she is committed to multiple events on a single day, it doesn’t spell disaster. It simply means that proactive communication, ahead of your big day, is all the more important. Avoid last minute changes to catering & rental orders and allow some grace in their response time in the days leading up to your soiree.

6. Average Price per Person. Again, there are varying inclusions among all companies. For instance, one caterer's price per person also includes rentals such as; silverware, china, glassware, linens, etc. Whereas, another caterer may not include those items in their per person price. When comparing costs, it is important that it's apple-to-apples. Along those same lines, ask if they provide complimentary tastings or if they charge for the initial tasting and place that amount towards your final invoice if you book with them.

The above considerations are a short sampling of things to keep in mind when researching & interviewing potential caterers. If you’ve already been through this process OR are a vendor in the events industry, I’d love to know what YOU think is important to consider with regard to food & beverage service!

Until next time,

Cheers!

7 Beauty routines To Avoid the Week of Your Wedding!

Now that all of your planning is done and you're less than 7 days away from marrying the love of your life, you have no worries. Right?! But, what about the things you wouldn't normally think of? Especially, regarding your beauty routine(s)?  Below are some tips to help keep your bride-to-be appearance & comfort in tip-top shape for the big day!

Image by Ashley Scobey

1. Don’t be in the sun for extended periods of time. No matter what style of dress you have (strapless, sweetheart, sheer, etc...), odds are that your favorite shirt or tank will leave a tan line that doesn't quite match up. A side note: if you’re getting married in my beautiful home state of Colorado, the sun is much more intense at altitude which affects fairer toned skin much quicker than normal.

2. Don’t drastically change your hair. That goes for your cut, style, or color. As women, it’s known that a drastic change to our hair is the magic potion for curing most any ail. But, the week of your wedding is not the time for that change.

3. Don’t alter your skincare routine. This is a BIG one and should go without saying! But, any changes to your skincare routine can disrupt the natural oil balance in your pores and could lead to redness, dry & flaky skin, oily appearance, or a breakout. Keep things as routine as possible and don't forget to moisturize!

4. Don’t flash whiten your teeth. Don't get me wrong on this one. I love a beautiful set of pearly whites. But, as the daughter of a dentist, I know that extreme and "flash" whitening will lead to unbearable sensitivity. Instead, plan to gradually whiten over the course of a few months, and on the big day, you'll be able to enjoy that cold glass of champagne, sensitivity-free.

5. Wax. Let's be honest, you're likely going to do this the week of the wedding. My advice? Try to do it earlier in the week, as opposed to later, so the swelling and irritability goes away before any planned activities.

6. Don’t stress about diet and exercise. The week of your wedding (or anytime for that matter) is no time to worry about losing another pound or two. You’re getting married! And, that’s all that should matter.

7. Try not to do any heavy lifting, moving, or physical labor. If you're like me, you don't mind doing physical labor. But, if you're like me, you also end up with mysterious bruises, scrapes, and scratches all over your body. To keep your specimen in pristine condition for those wedding day portraits, try to avoid anything that could result in one of those awesome yellow/purple/green bruises in the middle of your forearm.

Do you have other ideas and advice? I’d love to hear it! Comment below.

Until next time,

Cheers!