I Thee Wed Up Close

Here we are....Day 6, our final day of answering your most frequently asked questions here are answers to questions 9 and 10! Question 9: When Do We Mail the Invitations.    Traditionally speaking, wedding invitations should be mailed out 6-8 weeks before the wedding. If you get anxious and mail them 10-12 weeks prior to the wedding, you might be taking a chance with your guests seeing they have plenty of time to respond and put the invitation down with intentions of RSVPing later and then they forget. Only with destination weddings should you mail your invitations 3 months out. Make sure your RSVP date is one month prior to the wedding, allowing you time to call folks who haven't rsvp'd. Part 2: Do We Need to Note the Dress Code on the Invitations?  In many cases your invitation style will depict to your guests how formal your ceremony will be. A beach wedding invitation is going to have a much different style than a more formal, traditional invitatio...

Today is day 5 of us answering your most frequently asked questions! Here are questions 7 and 8. Question 7: What Should I Know About Venue Contracts?  First and foremost, make sure you know what time set up can begin and what time you need to be out by at the end of the night. Are there additional charges like coat check or restroom attendants? Does the venue require that you use exclusive vendors? Is gratuity built into the contract? Is the venue insured? Get a detailed list of all items included in the contract, such as tables and chairs, linens, staging, extra tables needed for gifts/cake/escort cards/favors, dance floor, sound equipment for a ceremony. If a full bar is part of the contract, find out what is included and if accompaniments are part of the bar. Find out what the payment schedule is and when you need to have your final head count turned in. Photo Credit:  513 photography Question 8: Is a Seating Chart or Escort Cards Necessary? Absolutely! Th...

Welcome back to day 4 of answering your most frequently asked questions! Here are questions 5 and 6. Question 5: What Decor Options Will Help Pull Off the Ambience We're Looking For? Without a doubt, lighting is the first that comes to mind. You don't have to spend a small fortune to get nice lighting. If your budget allows, you can work with a lighting company who can provide uplighting around the room, as well as pin spotlights on the guest tables and an accent design for the dance floor. But if this kind of lighting doesn't sound like your cup of tea, string patio lighting, chandeliers and candles, just to name a few, are other options to achieve the ambience you desire. However, lighting isn't the only thing that will help create your ambience. The decor you choose for your tables and accent pieces such as a table runner, unique china or a simple decoration placed on each napkin, can help set the tone for your wedding. Photo Credit:  Geri Ciulla Quest...

We are on day 3 of answering your most frequently asked questions and here are questions 3 and 4! Question 3: I have my date and venue selected, what's next? If you are able to hire a wedding planner, they will guide you through the process with providing you with a monthly planning timeline so that you know what you should accomplish each month. If you are unable to hire a planner, there are resources such as theknot.com that offer more generic planning timelines of what you should accomplish every few months or so. Keep in mind that some vendors book more quickly than others, so hiring your band or DJ and photographer should be the first two vendors to focus on after selecting your date and venue. Question 4: Open Bar or Not? While it's not a requirement to have an open bar, it's certainly a generous gesture to your guests. If you know that a majority of the guests on your list enjoy a beverage or two,  then there's no question as to whether you should hav...

Today is our second day of posting about Couple's most frequently asked questions when it comes to planning their weddings and here is the 3rd question. Question 3: How do I process all the information given to me? Well, if you are a really super busy couple with demanding careers, hiring a wedding planner would be the easiest way to help you sort through all of the information out there. But if you're uncertain about your budget and whether you can afford a wedding planner, then try not to get too wrapped up in all that's available and follow your heart on the things that will make your wedding unique to you both. Of course, you are going to have many people tell you what they think you should do and how to plan your wedding, but try not to let them derail your focus on what the two of you really want! #itheewedplanning #cincinnatiweddingplanner #personalizedweddings Photo Credit:  Loft 3 Photography

Shortly after you become engaged, we know that you have a ton of questions whirling around in your head and before you know it, you're having anxiety attacks over the planning before it's even begun!! So, we thought we'd put together a series of blog posts to answer your most frequently asked questions! Question 1: How much do weddings cost? If you are unsure of what a comfortable wedding budget for you is, or don't know how much weddings cost today, a great way of learning is to contact a few venues that are of interest to you and find out what their food and beverage minimum is. Keep in mind that 40% of your entire budget will be for food and beverage. So, after learning what your local venues are charging, you will be able to come up with an overall budget that you can work within. Question 2: How to Find the Best Venue? If you have an idea of the size of your wedding and location, as we mentioned above, begin calling local venues to find out how large they are ...