k is for keeping up with us!

it’s been a while since we were blogging our alphabet wedding planner hints, but we had to revisit it and keep it going. we hope you’re keeping up with us, despite the fewer blog posts. we’re out of the office on planning meetings far more these days, but we’re still sharing bridal news, sales and tips… as well as what we’re up to on our facebook fan page and twitter feed. we hope you follow us there. in the coming year, you’ll still see our weddings featured. after this weekend, we’ll have three winter 2012 weddings to tell you about. stay tuned!

previous posts:
a is for art museums
b is for blogs
c is for cleveland
d is for details
e is for emails
f is for facebook
g is for guests
h is for hey! it’s may! giveaway
i is for invitations
j is for joyful

j is for joyful because that’s how you should feel on your wedding day. this alphabet series is for my favorite things. you being as joyful is my utmost favorite thing about weddings since it’s my job and my mission to make sure you’re able to have the best day ever. i want everything to go as smooth and stress-free as it possibly can go. i want to keep events on time so there’s no rushing and all of your vendors have the time to do everything you paid them to do the best they can. i want your family and bridal party and friends to be joyful with you and celebrate your marriage. you being joyful is but table stakes from me.

there are many “j” words in wedding planning i can not help you avoid. i can only give you a heads up to do the best you can to ignore these:

jealousy
some sort of jealousy is going to pop up when you’re planning. from the start – when you’re first engaged – there’s likely going to be someone so jealous that you’re engaged, you’re happy and you and your partner have decided it’s time to make the lifelong commitment together. remember – that has nothing to do with you or your relationship, even though they might try to make it that way. people are likely to be jealous of you and probably your awesome engagement ring too. during your engagement, you may know someone else who is planning at the same time. there’s bound to be jealousy between the vendor selections, the budgets or the luck you or the other person has. don’t waste your time being jealous of other people’s weddings, spend your time and energy making yours a celebration about the two of YOU and nothing else.

judging
there are always going to be people who judge everything about your wedding – from your partner choice, to dress selection, menu, bridal shower gifts, yadda yadda. let ‘em judge. it’s not their day – it’s your day! it’s not their money – it’s your money! (or maybe your parents, but you know what i mean.) the people around you while planning will always have an opinion, they’ll always know someone who did it for cheaper, or did it bigger and better. don’t let them make you feel lazy or over the top, thrifty or excessive, conservative or untraditional… eleanor roosevelt said, no one can make you feel inferior without your consent. don’t give it to them. let them be jealous. let them judge… let them be jerkfaces.

jerkfaces
somehow weddings bring out the worst in people. i hate to be negative but i’ve seen it time and time again. hopefully you and your partner are those lucky people who have supportive families and friends. however, it’s likely between the time the question is popped and the last dance at your reception, someone is going to morph into this random jerk to you. it may be out of the blue while you’re talking about things like napkin folds, or may be built up after four or five conversations about your dj playlist. my advice? forget about it. you’re focused on your wedding plans, that person is either jealous or just tired of hearing about your wedding and you’ll both get over it soon enough.

jackasses
yes i really just said “jackasses” on my blog. think about any wedding reception you’ve ever been to… there was a jackass there.  or otherwise known as ‘that guy” or “that girl.” when there’s an open bar it’s more likely, but you’re going to have some guy or some girl be the jackass of the night. they’ll get too drunk or they’ll show up in a dress too small or they might just dance too risque. you can’t worry about it in advance. you probably can’t stop it and you should definitely ignore it. think of it as excessive celebration of your marriage.

be joyful! forget the rest.

previous posts:
a is for art museums
b is for blogs
c is for cleveland
d is for details
e is for emails
f is for facebook
g is for guests
h is for hey! it’s may! giveaway
i is for invitations

my friends at magnet street weddings asked me to participate in an invitation design contest for charity! the “designer” of the contest wins $1,000 for the charity of their choice (and an ipad.) my charity is rainbow babies and children’s hospital, one i’ve volunteered for with sips and dips and a howard hanna fundraiser. i need all the help i can get to win the money for the babies!

here’s my invitation:

to vote: click here and vote for heidzillas!  today through monday, may 24 at noon central time. i’m up against the man registry, the relentless bride, brooklyn bride, corinna hoffman, dallas wedding planner, vintage indie, with this ring and swankie tables! come on CLEVELAND!!!!

thanks so much for your help!!!!! it’s for the babies!

previous posts:
a is for art museums
b is for blogs
c is for cleveland
d is for details
e is for emails
f is for facebook
g is for guests
h is for hey! it’s may! giveaway

h is for hey! it’s may! giveaway: winners

allll right readers… after a careful addition of blog, facebook and twitter comments, and the deletion of a few ineligible last minute comments, there were 44 valid entries this year! utilizing the random.org random number generator, here are the four winners for the second annual hey! it’s may! giveaway: heidi’s favorite things.

1. beauty & body care: mary kay satin hands scrub & lotion goes to: krista, entry #37, who commented on the blog

2. books music & home: the brides book of lists was won by: heather, entry #43, who left the very LAST comment on the blog at 1:57 pm yesterday before going on facebook at 1:59 pm to post for entry #44!

3. food favorites: $5 starbucks gift card goes to becky, entry #18, who posted the contest on facebook

4. high tech discoveries: 4GB jumpdrive was won by colleen, entry #3, who commented on the blog

congratulations winners, you’ll be contacted shortly. thanks to everyone who entered to win, retweeted, posted on facebook, etc! 

previous posts:
a is for art museums
b is for blogs
c is for cleveland
d is for details
e is for emails
f is for facebook
g is for guests
h is for hey! it’s may! giveway
first annual hey! it’s may! giveaway

last year in celebration of the official start of the wedding peak season, i gave away a tungsten ring in the first annual hey! it’s may! giveaway. this year, in conjunction with my favorite things alphabet blog, i’m giving away a few of my actual favorite wedding-related things! i’ve based my giveaway on oprah’s favorite things categories: beauty and body care; books, music and home; food favorites; and high-tech discoveries. the four prizes i’m giving away include:

1. beauty & body care: mary kay satin hands scrub & lotion. you have to get those hands ready to “put a ring on it!”

2. books music & home: one of my favorite wedding books: the brides book of lists. i love lists, and this book fits in a medium size purse. perfect for that on the go bride to be.

3. food favorites: $5 starbucks gift card – wedding planning can take a lot out of you. re-energize with a little caffiene boost from sbucks.

4. high tech discoveries: 4GB jumpdrive – so many of my brides are planning at home and at work and need to keep all of their wedding-related files in one convenient place to access whereever they are.

enter to win by commenting on this blog (one entry per person per day)

for BONUS ENTRIES (one each per day):
1. re-blog (including url)
2. re-tweet (including @heidzillas) or
3. post the contest information on facebook (including @heidzillas fan page link) 

comments accepted between now & may 11, 2010, 8:00 am 2:00 pm est! winners will be randomly chosen using random generator and will be announced during the day on wednesday, may 12, 2010.

official rules: vendors, clients, readers and friends are eligble to enter. you do NOT have to be a client or potential client to enter, and no purchase necessary. you can enter once per day by commenting. for extra entries you must include url link inside your blog (and send me the blog post url), the @heidzillas inside of tweets and the @heidzillas link to fan pages on facebook.  be sure to leave your valid email address – it will not publish publically but is necessary to contact you if you win. no swearing or mean stuff in comments or they’ll be deleted per the discretion of heidzilla. and thanks! fcc stuff: this contest is sponsored solely by heidzillas. no products were provided by advertisers.

previous posts:
a is for art museums
b is for blogs
c is for cleveland
d is for details
e is for emails
f is for facebook
g is for guests

i did a little unscientific “research” yesterday via my facebook fan page and twitter feed to see what people thought “g” would be for. it took nearly 2 dozens guesses before the correct answer “guests” was answered. this proved my point for this particular blog post: guests are often forgotten during your planning process. yes, yes – it’s YOUR wedding. but how much of your budget is being spent directly on the people you’re barely thinking of for the several months of planning? stop and think about what your crowd will be like, who they are, what they will want and definitely NOT want.

a few guest considerations
yes some of these may be obvious, but have you really given it thought?

save the dates: YES! i know that all you’ve been thinking about is your wedding day. you know exactly how many days to go and every last detail. your guests’ lives don’t revolve around your wedding, though. give them ample time to plan, especially if they’ll need to hire a baby sitter, book flights and/or reserve a hotel room. if you have a lot of out of town guests or are getting married on a holiday weekend, definitely send out save the dates with the weekend events and include hotel block information!
invitations: give time. -  give your guests at least 4 weeks to send back your rsvp if you can. they might not know immediately when they open your invitation if they can come or not. they might need a week or two to secure that babysitter, cancel other plans or see if they have the funds to travel and stay over. include hotel information if you haven’t already. at least include specific addresses to all of the venues if you’re not including a map. do not include registry information!
who’s driving? they are. -  if you’re deciding between two reception venues, think about guests getting there. is one venue closer to where a bulk of your guests are coming from? and don’t forget if you’re having a summer wedding, you’re bound to hit construction in northeast ohio. is the parking better at one? or maybe less expensive? or is valet an option? or, are you deciding between a venue inside a hotel and a venue miles away from where your hotel block will be? guests will love the option to not have to drive after your reception and just wander up to their rooms.
big breaks: avoid them. –  many churches require that you have your ceremony between noon and 2 pm, but if you can avoid it: DO! you know your guests hate that long break in between. your out of town guests likely won’t know where to go or what to do. if you’re concerned that having a late ceremony will mean less time for pictures between your ceremony and reception, consider a “first look” with your photographer to get bridal party and family formals out of the way BEFORE the wedding.
cocktail hour: limit it!  if you can budget for it, serve hearty hors d’oeuvres to your guests during cocktail hour, they’ve likely skipped lunch because they were getting ready and rushing to your ceremony. that and – keep it under an hour. longer than that means more drinks on an empty or mostly empty stomach. help your guests pace themselves!
taking shots: NO! i’ve heard one too many stories about guests getting wasted by 10 pm because shots were allowed. men especially like to get the shots started and instigate other guests to take them. think about your lightweight friends who are persuaded easily… if you say “no shots” then no one has to be peer pressured into getting  hammered long before they should. and you paid good money for your music, you’ll want your guests to not only enjoy it, but remember most of it! by the way: skip the martini loge too. martinis go down far too easily and far too fast. the same no-guests-drunk-before-10pm advice applies.
assigned seating: YES!  in the same sense that you forget to think about your guests’ wants and needs while planning, you’ve also put of assigning seating until the last minute, haven’t you? don’t skip it because you’re running out of time and patience. it will make sitting down for dinner less chaotic and middle-school-cafeteria like. if it’s assigned, your friends won’t have to play favorites.  i’ll never forget the wedding i attended where there wasn’t assigned seating and ALL of our friends got tables together and we got stuck on the other side of the room with bride’s great aunts.
guest book: within reason. – we’ve all seen the the photo frame mats for guests to sign. you might have seen make a wish take a wish jars or scrap books or photo guest books or a dozen of other really creative and fun ways to get your guests to leave you a note. but try not to do more than two of these options. your guests will want to enjoy a cocktail and each other’s company, not think up 4 different ways to say “best wishes” on your little assignments you’ve set up around the room.
dinner: choices. –  give at least two options and make sure your guests know about your vegetarian option. if they don’t, they  might not want to pipe up during the meal service and will only have some of that green beans almondine for dinner.
music: mainstream. –  so you like this really great independent band out of wichita and have seen them 32 times in concert. of course you want your dj to play at least 12 of their songs. but are any of them danceable? stop, think. what will your guests like? incorporate your favorite band’s music during dinner or announcement songs and leave the dance music choices up to your trained professional. and yes, guests hate the chicken dance and electric slide, too, you don’t have to play them.
transportation: yes, please! if you can budget a shuttle for guests, they’ll love you for it andwill be more willing to stay longer at your wedding. it’s a no brainer – especially if it’s complimentary from your hotel block!
nice touches: noticed – your guests will not only notice but love any special touches you do for their convenience and pleasure. if you have the budget, take the time to put together welcome bags, bathroom baskets, flip flop baskets for dancing – or that ceremony in the grass, bar menus to make the selection easier, mini maps to the reception to hand out after the ceremony – the sky’s the limit. stop obsessing about what shoes you’re going to wear and think about how to make your guests’ time at your wedding special and memorable. that’s not to say you have to do everything to IMPRESS them, just let them know you thought of them.
thank you cards: ABSOLUTELY! your guests went out of their way to dress up and attend your wedding and bring a gift. it’s the LEAST you can do to HAND write a thank you card within the time it takes for the blisters they got on their feet from dancing at your reception to heal. that means LESS than 2 months. they WILL think about it… especially if you skipped thank you cards and the next thing they get in the mail from you is a baby shower invitation. just sayin’.

there are probably a dozen more tips i could include but my main suggestion is: while you’re planning, stop every once in a while, look at what you’re planning and think about the experience your guests will have. you want to make it easy to enjoy the celebration of your marriage!

what special touches have you planned for your guests?

previous posts:
a is for art museums
b is for blogs
c is for cleveland
d is for details
e is for emails
f is for facebook

f is for facebook

it probably comes as no surprise (following b is for blogs and e is for emails) that i’m featuring facebook as one of my favorite wedding things.  facebook is a great wedding resource that you’re likely already using every day. it is a super wedding planning research tool, in addition to being the social network we all know and love. yes, i know you know how to STALK, i’m talking about actual research of options for venues, wedding rings, caterers, rehearsal dinner sites, etc.  i’ve found dozens of local wedding vendors on facebook who utilize the “fan” pages as an extension of their company web sites and portfolios.  facebook is also full of wedding-related applications you can add to your page, such as the knot’s weddingbook, my wedding and wedding countdown.  you might not, however, thought about the proper wedding etiquette of facebook. 

heidzillas’ top 10 rules for proper facebook wedding etiquette:

1. engagement: tell your close friends and family in person or on the phone before you change your relationship status to “engaged” and post engagement ring photos. think about your best friends: would you want to learn of their major life changes over facebook? and ask your bridesmaids and groomsmen in person if possible or over the phone to be in your bridal party. don’t ask them on facebook.

2. planning: we’ve all been guilty of this, but think about what and how much you’re posting to facebook. are all of your statuses wedding-related? is it getting old fast and your wedding is still over a year away? while your friends will know you’re excited, and you’ll often have things you want to share about your planning process… try to keep your wedding planning gushing – or whining – to a minimum. you may be thinking about your wedding 24/7, but your friends don’t want to hear about it on facebook 24/7.

3. t.m.i.: watch how many details you divulge on facebook. you won’t be inviting every single facebook friend to your wedding. and how many friends are on the maybe list but may assume their invited because you’ve been talking about your wedding details with them on facebook for months? worst of all, remember that posting public wedding information can be risky: uninvited guests can get enough information to show up on your special day. DO NOT link your wedding web site.

4. decisions & disputes: this goes with #3, and is general facebook etiquette, but keep major conversations about wedding decisions – hiring, budgeting, etc. – off of facebook. it’s not in good form if you’re fighting with your fiance or bridesmaids about details for everyone to see. if someone asks you a question about your wedding – say your friend sally wants to bring a date – try to handle it privately and not over facebook.  it’s easy to get caught up in conversation on the internet, but remember that facebook is PUBLIC and information can easily be spread, even if you have privacy settings.

5. registry:  facebook gets grouped with wedding invitations for inappropriate places to include registry information.  since not all of your facebook friends aren’t invited to your shower or wedding, it will definitely be seen as you greedily asking for wedding presents from everyone. if people ask you for the link via your facebook wall, send it to them privately.

6. invitations: while online save the dates and invitations are becoming more popular for their green aspects, keep them off of facebook’s events page. facebook is seen as impersonal and informal for every day LIFE let alone for your wedding. your friends and family are likely getting event invitations for concerts, mary kay/party lite/home interior parties, etc, does your wedding invitation belong there? utlizing the events function can be informative and even fun with photos and stories, but still put a real invitation in the mail.

7. thank yous: writing “thank you for the awesome towels!” on someone’s facebook wall does not qualify as a proper thank you for a wedding gift. yes, it’s a digital age but follow traditional wedding etiquette: handwrite a card, get it in the mail within two weeks of receiving the gift, or two months after your wedding day.

8. is married: try to wait to update your new relationship status at least until the ceremony is over.

9. non-pro photos: consider what photos you post and with whom you should share them. who was invited to your private wedding events, such as your bridal shower or bachelorette party? would feelings get hurt if you posted all the photos for people who weren’t invited to see? consider utilizing privacy settings to only share albums with only those who were invited.

10. professional photos: it’s totally acceptable to post your wedding day photos after your event. friends near and far want to stalk  view them. however, you MUST get your photographer’s permission before posting professional photos. if you get permission, be SURE to credit them for taking the photos. [example: (c) heidzillas photography] DO NOT copy the photos from their blog, crop out their logo frames and post them. they will find you and that is a big no-no in the wedding etiquette world. ask!

it’s perfect wedding etiquette to  become a fan of heidzillas on facebook.

previous posts:
a is for art museums
b is for blogs
c is for cleveland
d is for details
e is for emails

e is for email

electronic mail that is. you know what i mean. the way we all communicate… the way you’re planning your wedding from work, right? a few things to consider when you’re planning your wedding and talking to vendors (further referred to as we/us) via email:

1. subject: utilize the subject line. i wish i had a nickle for every email i’ve received with the subject “questions”. try your last names and your wedding date. or actually but the subject of your email questions as the subject! don’t just leave it blank. it helps us to prioritize opening and responding to emails. we’re more likely to get back to you quickly if we know what you’re asking before we even open your email.
2. tone: remember that you’re not just talking to a friend who likely knows your slang/abbreviations/tone of voice. we  might have never spoken to you before over the phone or in person, so be mindful of what personality you’re portraiting with your typed words. using ALL CAPITAL LETTERS LOOKS LIKE YELLING AT US! being overly succinct makes us think you’re mad, too. if you answer with just “yes.” or “no.” or “fine”, abrupt, short answers can come through as being short and b-word-ish. (: being too informal can come across as uneducated or uninterested in the subject. use full sentences whenever you should.
3. faq: before you email us a slew of questions, check our website and look to see if we’ve already answered your question via our information/frequently asked questions page. not that we’re not happy to field your specific questions, but it’s likely that we’ve got a similar question you have and it’s included in our site. also be sure to look for our availability or pricing before you email us to ask for it. if we haven’t, then email away. if we have and you still have questions, super – fire away!
4. information: clearly communicate what you’re asking for or requesting from us. give us as much pertinent information as possible. your name and your wedding date isn’t enough unless you’re ONLY asking for availability. if you’re looking to get into an email conversation with us and you’re unsure of what information we need, ask before you provide any information. and think before you hit send – did you answer all of the questions in our last email? when you start sending 3 or 4 emails to answer 1, that’s when details get lost and plans get confused.
5. t.m.i.: on the flip side, be concise and keep the rambling to a minimum. we’re sympathetic to your wedding day plans, economic situation and needs, but telling us all about what your mom said and what fight you got in with your sister and how you really thought you were going to go one way but now you think you want to go another, but then your mother in law to be had a different idea… doesn’t help us help you. if we can’t follow your email because of all of the details, it’s going to be difficult for us to respond with the information you really need and help you make well-educated decisions.
6. pricing: remember we’re in the business to make money. our prices are set as they are for a variety of reasons. please don’t email us and say that you have a tight budget and need the best deal. everyone wants a deal! what would you say if we came to your job and asked for your services for 50% or more off? a little wedding vendor secret: we’re often at a total loss when you email us with sweeping changes to our set packages with your own made-up prices. we’re less willing to work with you if you start by trying to undercut our rates. with that said, ask us politely what portions of our packages can be modified to best fit your budget. if we don’t fit, you’re going to have to find someone else who will. we’re sorry, but that’s business.
7. timing: it’s likely you work monday to friday and spend a lot of your saturdays and sundays working on wedding planning. we’re, however, working on fridays and saturdays at weddings (and recovering on sundays) so we are less likely to return your emails as quickly as we tend to do during the week. also, many of us do work flex hours – anywhere from morning noon or late night – it’s the nature of our business, so please don’t cringe if you see that we’ve responded to you at 1 am. we were on a roll with email! and if we don’t respond for a day or two, please just give us one more day. after that, call us. spam does happen or we could have filed it away. and again remember that wedding vendor schedules are completely atypical, so we could be on day schedule for a couple of days and will switch to night schedule. also, we have families and significant others and kids, too!
8. procrastination: please get back to us in a timely manner! and when you don’t email us for 2 or 3 weeks, don’t expect a response back in the 30 minutes. we’ve been off booking other clients, working other weddings, and if you’re not one of our clients yet, we could have already booked your date. many vendors utilize a first-come-first-served booking policy and that doesn’t just mean a verbal/email confirmation. contract signing and the paid retainer are often necessary for us to put you on our calendars.
9. conversation: if it took you longer than this blog post to write us an email, should you call us instead? sometimes actual phone conversations will be best to get the solutions you need and the answers we need, especially if there is a problem we need to resolve. also keep in mind that some vendors are more email saavy than others, and some really prefer actually talking to you. this is grossly generalizing but i’ve found that planners, stationers, photographers and videographers are great email communicators. djs/bands and limo companies are more likely to want to get you on the phone, and florists are lucky to ever check their email at all. keep that in mind. just because your photographer emails you back within 30 seconds does not mean your florist cares less about you because it take him/her a week to respond. photographers live on their computers doing editing and photo orders, florists have their hands deep in water and plant food!
10. details: we’re human. we also get dozens of emails a day… while we each have our own processes for keeping notes about your wedding and keeping your file straight, please make sure all day-of instructions are clear. you might have thought you emailed us some information months ago, but really you emailed it to a different vendor, not to us. or you could have told us you *might* hire so and so but did we ever hear confirmation? lots of details can confused or lost after a year of emailing back and forth with us, so please fill out the paperwork or online forms we send you, and please make sure the important details are all clear. we promise to do the same for you!

what are the biggest issues you’re facing when wedding planning via email?

previous posts:
a is for art museums
b is for blogs
c is for cleveland
d is for details

details are what can make your wedding personal to you as a couple, can make your day stand out compared to the rest your guests have attended, and overall can just be enjoyable and/or entertaining! they can also be the little snaffus that can slow the day down or make it more difficult for everyone. in coordination preparation meetings with my brides and grooms, there’s always seems to be the same few details that are often forgotten or left to the last minute. here’s a quick list of a few details to be sure to take care of:

1. line up

• so often brides and grooms will alphabetically list the bridesmaids and groomsmen in the ceremony program but don’t think about an appropriate line up for the ceremony processional. try not to leave this decision for your rehearsal when you will have to pick priorities of people while they’re standing there… it’ll feel a little too “red rover, red rover”, slows down your rehearsal and will likely cause confusion for the next day.
• you’ll likely submit your bridal party names to your emcee for reception announcements, but don’t forget to assigned bridal party seats for dinner. if you have a bridal party table, think about whether you want all the men on one side and all the ladies on the other, or would your rather every other one? if the bridal party isn’t at a head table, be sure they know what table they’re going to post-announcements if the schedules doesn’t allow them to get to the place card table before being seated.

2. announcements

• when you’re formally announced as husband and wife, how do you want your names to be listed? the traditional way is mr. and mrs. (his last name), but is that the way you want? also consider: (his first) and (your first) (his last name – if you’re changing yours) or just (his first) and (your first) without last names if you will keep seperate last names. there are a variety of ways to choose, just be sure you pick and let the emcees know.
• do you or your bridal party members have hard-to-say last names? be sure to offer your dj/band emcee a pronunciation guide for your reception announcements. bridal party with those hard to say names are expecting your emcee to get it wrong, so help them out to get it right. and it will avoid the whispers/snickers/guest YELLING the proper pronunciation. above ALL make sure your vendors know how to pronounce YOUR names correctly to save them the embarrasment.

3. parents

• speaking of reception announcements – do you want your dj to announce your parents before the bridal party? will the walk in with everyone or being announced from their seats? do they even want to be announced? try not to leave this as a game time decision when parents might assume their being announced, and other won’t assume and might balk.
• will your grandparents be in attendance? are they able to walk down the aisle as a part of your processional? do they want to? again, find out before the big day whether or not you’ll have them formally process.

4. photography

• do you have a lot of family members who you’d like to be in formal photos? make a list of everyone you want in the photos and what groupings. while your photographer probably won’t appreciate a list of “must-get” photos that you’ve seen in magazine, he/she will definitely appreciate a list of the family members photos to be sure to get.
• don’t forget to TELL in advance the family members you want in the formal photos to stick around after the ceremony. often aunt susie and uncle mike want to beat the crowd and bolt for their car and cocktail hour before you can track them down and ask them to stay. don’t waste time sending scouts around your ceremony site trying to track down your family for a 30 second photo.

5. flowers

• check with your other bridal party or family members to be sure no one has flower allergies. the last thing you’d want is a bridesmaid sneezing through your entire ceremony!
• don’t assume the mothers or grandmothers will want a pin-to-dress female bout or wrist corsage. many moms are choosing mini bouquets or single stem flowers to carry during your ceremony so not to pin and snag their dresses.

6. transportation

• if you got a limo or limo bus, will everyone in your bridal party ride with you? can the photographer come? will the flower girl and ringbearer? what about parents? who else can you fit and ask to join you… will all of the bridal party dates fit too? consider your space and don’t forget to allow room for bridesmaids totes, coolers, your dress train, etc.
• do you know what transportation you have after the wedding? will you have the limo still? or do you need a ride to your hotel or airport? don’t forget to make arrangements for yourself and be sure to have someone put your honeymoon luggage in the vehicle!

7. vendors

• planning to tip your stylist, make up artist, limo driver and other vendors? don’t forget to have the petty cash ready for you before hand. you won’t want your limo to go through the bank drive-thru, now will you?
• your vendors (usually the photographer who is with you ALL DAY) will have to eat, too. some  – such as band members – require it in their contracts, others – such as djs – will tell you they won’t eat. find out from your caterer what kind of meals they can provide your vendors; and if there are choices, get your vendor pick in advance. also be sure to find out if there’s a set place for them to eat, such as in the reception room or not. your vendors might prefer one to the other – ASK them! some want to take a break in a separate room, others would rather be closer to your reception in case a spontaneous speech breaks out and photos need to be taken.

there are hundreds of more suggestions throughout my blog, check out the blog category “heidzilla helps” for more.

what are the last minute details you’re working on?

previous posts:
a is for art museums
b is for blogs
c is for cleveland

c is for cleveland

(c) corey ann photography

despite what those miserable people at forbes said, cleveland is a WONDERFUL city to plan a wedding.  there are so many designers, business owners, restaurants and in general awesome local people who can inspire your wedding plans. and that’s all aside from the excellent northeast ohio wedding vendors (who i could spend hundreds of blog posts raving about) who will work on your actual wedding day.

buying local is important, and there are hundreds of resources in cleveland to consider. here are a few suggestions of cleveland businesses, blogs and people who may help inspire some local cleveland wedding plans.

general city inspiration
cleveland’s a plum
cleveland urban design
detroit shoreway
i heart cleveland
messy magazine
positively cleveland

bachelor/ette party ideas
cadillac ranch
good girl fitness
great lakes brewing company
house of blues
last call cleveland
velvet tango room

bridal party gifts
c.l.e. clothing company 
embellish

date for that stag groomsmen (or maybe just some great down-to-earth dating humor)
27 dresses in cleveland

decor & inspiration
room service 216

designers
maria pastore design
northcoast zeitgeist

favors
bit of butter cookies
malley’s chocolates

food
chef’s widow
cleveland foodie
dish global catering
spice of life catering co

get in shape pre-wedding
cleveland bicycle co op
cleveland yoga
cleveland ymca

what are your favorite local cleveland businesses?
who locally has inspired you with your wedding plans? 

previous posts:
a is for art museums
b is for blogs