Archive of ‘San Antonio Party Planner’ category

Budget Friendly linen and decor ideas for your wedding – San Antonio Coordinator

Last week I got a little off track when I talked about my wedding and also gave you easy ideas for creating a “Royal Inspired” wedding. I guess I had to brag a little about my wedding because of course, every bride thinks their wedding was the absolute best and I DO share my wedding day with Prince William and Princess Kate. Ok, ok, lets get back on topic with my latest blogs….how to plan the perfect wedding. I have already discussed the venue, catering, photography, and flowers. Now I want to tell you about some great ideas on the look you are trying to achieve but maybe on a tight budget.

IMG_0359

IMG_0360

photo1

 

For many brides, the most important part of the planning process is the linens and decor. It can be fun going to a rental or linen company and mix and match color combinations with the main linen, table runner, and overlays. As a planner, I carry around a color wheel from a paint store so we can “play” with colors. I have worked with all kinds of brides…those that know exactly what they want the room to look like to those that really have no clue and look to me for ideas and suggestions. I consider myself creative and have seen a lot so I’ll use my expertise to ask important questions and from there make recommendations. Let’s go over some budget friendly ideas you can use for your reception.

101_5427

Rio Cibolo Ranch Boot Centerpiece

101_5543Olympia Hills Golf & Event Center Linen/Rental Package

Some venues include white, ivory or black linens. Definitely take advantage of this and use theirs. That can be a big savings. Some venues even offer in-house center pieces that are included as well. They might look a little worn but maybe consider jazzing it up a little with a few fresh flowers, bling, branches, etc. At Rio Cibolo Ranch they offer boot centerpieces with fake flowers inside them. Maybe add a bandana, a small rope or fresh flowers and you’ll get a new look! If you do have to purchase the linens from the venue they will probably be at a cheaper rate than you might find elsewhere. Olympia Hills Golf & Event Center does just this.

If you do need to rent your linens then normally, polyester will be cheaper than other fabrics. You can use that kind to help save a little there. Another idea is to purchase the linens wholesale and then sell all of them after the wedding to recoop maybe half of your cost. I have had several past brides do this.

IMG_7405 IMG_7375

Forgo on the overlays and runners. If you really had your hearts desire on something creative on the table you can use fruit or party favors for each place setting. Or how about votives, framed pictures of the two of you, petals, antique items you find from garage sales, grandma’s doilies, cheap fabric you find on clearance as runners. The ideas are endless! If you are going for a rustic look why not cut a tree up and use the trunk and limbs for center pieces, table number holders and candle holders. The ever popular mason jars and painted and twined wine bottles are a winner too.

Craigslist and Ebay are great ways of finding good deals from other brides that are trying to sell their wedding items. Look on there regularly. Postings can pop up at any time.

Shop around for rentals such as vases, candelabras, candle holders, or other unique pieces. You never know who might be having a special. If you go to a bridal show, that might be a good opportunity to get a good deal on something you may need.

wedding_rental_items

For my couples, I offer rental items that I know they would need such as cake stands, easels, table numbers, chalkboards, baskets, birdcages, etc. As an incentive for using my coordinating services I offer 2 items for free and the rest 50% off for my day of services and 4 free with my full planning. My couples love this! See if coordinators in your area might offer something like this too.

If you need help with planning your San Antonio wedding please contact me. I would love to help you. Trudy Scott, Royalty Events Planning, 210-595-9263, trudy@royaltyeventsplanning.com.

What’s your Plan B for your wedding? – San Antonio Weddings

I have to start this blog by telling a (not too funny for the bride – but somewhat funny for me as a coordinator) story at a previous wedding of mine. We knew that a cold front was going to blow in later in the evening during the reception but didn’t realize just how windy it would get. She had a table of pictures out as well as my floor easel with her bridal portrait. I didn’t want anything to happen to that picture so I bungeed it to the easel tightly and knew it wouldn’t go anywhere, so I thought. Well, later in the evening, the wind picked up and pictures started to fall, even the bridal portrait. But how could this be? Oh, it never left the easel. The entire easel with picture fell bungeed together. The frame broke but the picture was still perfect. Luckily, I had a bride that was very laid back and understood things happen.

As a coordinator, I am always thinking about the what if’s. The main one being, WHAT IF IT RAINS? Have you thought about that too? I thought this topic was very appropriate for my next blog since I had to deal with the Plan B just this past weekend for a wedding I coordinated. If you are getting married during a rainy season you definitely need to keep the Plan B in mind when booking your venue where part or all of your wedding will be outside. Be sure to ask the venue coordinator what it is. Some do not have a Plan B so that means it is all up to you to provide a cover for your guests.

If you do not live in San Antonio, you might also be dealing with tornadoes, blizzards or hurricanes. Yikes! Can’t even fathom all that. I’ll just stick to the rain. Here are your Plan B options:

courtyard_1The rehearsal was outside

 

1. Move the ceremony inside. This can take place in the reception area with either closing a partition to hide the guest tables or moving in the tables and setting them after the ceremony when the guests move to the cocktail hour space. This might be a little stressful so make sure you have a coordinator and extra staff helping with this. They will probably just have 1 hour max to complete the room flip.

031
1620944_10201620172803019_1965505950_n

2. A tent. PLEASE call your rental companies a couple of months before the wedding to get some pricing on tents so you’ll know exactly who to call when the time comes. Maybe ask them too to put it on hold with a deposit (you might loose the deposit if you don’t use it, though). Contact them about 1 month prior if you haven’t put it on hold to see if it is still available. Ask what they can do for you to ensure you have a tent, if needed last minute. It’s worth asking, right? You’ll want to make sure you rent one that is large enough for your guests, dance floor, bar, & catering area. Consider flaps for the sides too in case it is windy or cold.

3. Most venues will require you make a decision on using Plan A or B the day before. Be sure to ask the venue ahead of time about their policy on this. Some will make the call the morning of which is what I think is fair! However, keep in mind that once the call has been made there usually is no switching last minute. The set up time takes hours to complete and realistically you can’t expect the venue to change everything once it is complete.

IMG_7306

I have had some interesting moments at weddings but the one thing I remember about my wonderful couples was that they didn’t let the weather get them down. Please don’t blame the venue or coordinator if the weather clears right before your wedding and wished you had just stuck with Plan A. Weather can be tricky and you just never know what will happen. This past weekend at Ring Mountain Event Center in Comfort, TX, I had a wedding where the weather was very unpredictable. It was cloudy early, then it got sunny for a bit and then it stormed with hail! The one thing that really stood out to me was how calm both the bride and groom were because they knew they had a great Plan B in place and they knew I would take care of any hiccups during the event. I would say the timeline was changed quite a bit but everything still flowed during the evening and it was beautiful.

IMG_7087

A few months ago at the Lambermont in San Antonio, TX, we knew the day before that storms were going to hit during the reception. So, I went to the venue and spent the evening figuring out the new diagram with all the guests inside instead of outside. It was tight but it all worked out by moving tables out after dinner to make room for the dance floor. The only thing I remember happening was a couple of centerpieces blowing down when the wind picked up that were under the covered patio. We were not expecting such strong winds! You have to be prepared for anything and just know it is what it is and it is OK.

I would love to help coordinate all the details about your wedding. Please call me and we can talk about your wedding and your needs. Please go to my website to learn more about my services. Trudy Scott, Royalty Events Planning, 210-595-9263, RoyaltyEventsPlanning.com

Ideas For The Wedding Send Off

As a planner, the last thing that the couple thinks about is the send off of their wedding but it is important in tying the entire evening together and saying, “Goodbye,” to the couple right before they drive away. They always ask me for ideas. Many venues are restrictive on what they allow so it takes some creativity to plan the perfect ending to a perfect night.

webP781art

I think that sparklers are the #1 idea for send offs. I did it at my wedding and as a planner, I have seen it done time and time again. Some venues are more lax than others if they will allow them or not (inside the city). So, before buying them check with the venue. You’ll want to light all the sparklers before the couple comes out but be sure the couple is right outside of the door waiting to exit. You don’t want your sparklers to go out before they have a chance to leave.

wedding sparklers

Heart Shaped sparklers

wedding party poppers

 

With this post, I would like to announce that I am selling sparklers and party poppers for your special event! You can purchase them on my website here:  http://royaltyeventparties.com/services/buy-sparklers/ There are different sizes and burn times available. I even have heart shaped sparklers!

send_off_mcnay_glowsticks

Glow items I would say are the #2 most popular send off item. What’s great about glow jewelry is that you can bring them out during the dancing part of your reception and enjoy it earlier in the night too. They glow for hours so it will still be good at the end of the night. Then, for the send off, you can take off your necklace or bracelet and then twirl them around as the couple exits. It looks amazing! Some even throw them, even though I do not advise that (hahaha). The bride above used glow sticks that turned on and off. This made for a great wedding favor to take home!

send_off_bubbles_wedding

The most traditional and 3rd favorite is the bubbles. Couples that just want something as a send off but don’t want the hassle of purchasing something unique will go to a craft store and pick up a few boxes of bubbles pretty inexpensively. They are super cheap and easy. A great tip with bubbles is to have the guests start blowing the bubbles just before the couple exits so there will be lots of bubbles for the pictures.

wandsHere’s another unique idea: I had a couple purchase personalized ribbon that had their name and wedding date on it with small bells attached at the top to a stick for waving. What I loved about this was that it made noise and it was very eye appealing for a great look (for the pictures).

shellie26IMG_7177

IMG_7176Couples love limos or vintage vehicles for their get away car. I had one couple that borrowed a 1920’s car from a friend and boy was it a hit!! A horse and carriage is fun too. That is what I did for my own wedding. I have been in 6 weddings myself and I’ll never forget the getaway car one of my friend’s had…I don’t even know what it was called….I guess it was a truck that they turned the back into a covered country hay ride type experience. It was a lot of fun (we rode in it with the couple to the reception).

cinderella_wedding_storybook

If you need assistance in trying to figure out the perfect end to a perfect day call Trudy Scott, Royalty Event Parties, 210-595-9263. I LOVE weddings and it shows in the way I take care of my couple. I’ll be there for you every step of the way! http://www.royaltyeventparties.com 

Reflections of 2014 from San Antonio Wedding Planner

blog_headlines_2014For this post, I decided to open up more on a personal level and reflect on 2014. I would say my emotions were all over the place. I started the year off strong with my previous company, Royal Tea Princess Parties – a children’s party planning company, but knew it was time for me to pass the torch on to someone else which was a sad moment for me. I had been doing it for 9 years and it was a struggle juggling this business along with my current business, Royalty Event Parties, and my day-to-day stuff that goes on in my personal life. Let me back track just a little….

meredith_2010_glamour_lg

100_5154

 

I have a 13 year old daughter who acquired brain damage from birth trauma. My life path changed the day she was born and I have done everything I can to be a strong advocate for her and be there for her day-to-day needs. I dress her, bath her, brush her teeth and hair, wipe her face and hands after each meal, & help with bathroom duties. All the little things we take for granted I do for her every day. Now that she is a teenager her hormones are high and her behaviors change all the time. She is also diagnosed with an array of other things but the top 2 are mood disorder and anxiety. I also have a son that gets frustrated at times so that can add to the stress. Just like a roller coaster, she has high/great days and also low/hard days. I am constantly working on making it better each and every day!

100_5199

email_retiring_1

 

In June, I ended up selling my business to my old employee. It was a bitter sweet moment for me. It was hard to let it go after building it up and hosting over 900 parties! It was my baby and I wanted this company to continue on…and it has! I feel good about the decision and she is doing fantastic with it! I did this so I could focus more of my time and attention to Royalty Event Parties, my wedding consulting business.

facebook_ad_vintage_edited-1I began my invitation services in 2014 as well. I partnered up with Carlson Craft and Printswell and started 2 online storefronts. I meet with the couples one-on-one and give them the customer service they deserve in a non-pressure, relaxing environment.

101_5789

101_5792

 

bridal_party_laughingwebP378hugging

I was able to attend 2 bridal shows in 2014 and loved it!! I met so many brides and helped many with their invitations and consulting needs. I helped many couples with their wedding by providing day of and full service coordinating. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE watching the couple as they see their reception all set up for the first time. All those months of planning has finally arrived and their excitement, tears, & laughter is carried into my heart. I feel so blessed to be a part of their most special day.

PoolWedding_Reception

Also in 2014 I attended the Sandals training program and became a Certified Sandals Specialist and also went to Nassau, Bahamas to become a WeddingMoons Specialist. I have been working with couples in planning their dream honeymoon in a budget they can afford! I can also assist in destination weddings there too. In the past, I went to Mexico and toured the Palace Resorts and became trained with their wedding/honeymoon packages as well.

blog_headlines_2015

I have had a very busy year! I have lots of “New Beginnings” in store for 2015 and will be adding and changing parts of my business. I am in the process of working on them right now and can’t wait to reveal them in the near future!! The season is here for proposals and new engagements. I am looking forward to talking to new couples and helping make their special day the most memorable moment of their life! Happy New Year!!! Here’s a cute proposal I found…

If you need assistance with your wedding please contact me, Trudy Scott, at 210-595-9263 or email me at info@royaltyeventparties.com. I am looking forward to a great 2015!

Personalizing ideas for your wedding

As a professional wedding coordinator, I have seen today’s couple really want to incorporate special & unique touches throughout their wedding that really gives off a “WOW” factor to their guests. For some it starts with the save the dates or even how they tell everyone, “We’re getting married.” Eighteen years ago when I got engaged I did it the old fashion way, I called everyone. Now couples might take a cute picture with a caption “I said yes!” (Photograph from Brit+Co) and share on Instagram or Facebook.

I said yes_engagement

Save the dates can be really creative too. Carlson Craft carries hundreds of choices. Some of the most unique I found were puzzle save the dates, save the dates made out of wood and a streamer save the dates. Too cute!

wood_save_the_date

hearts_save_the_dates

 

puzzle_save_the_date

puzzle_save_the_date_1

 

Another way couples can show their personalities, have some fun & be creative, keep organized, and inform guests about wedding news is with their wedding website. Many of the wedding websites such as The Knot, mywedding.com and weddingwire.com offer wedding websites for their couples to create and have fun.

wedding_website_template

For the ceremony, I have seen many brides incorporate special brooches, charms, candles, and pictures of loved ones that have passed away. This past bride of mine added a charm to her bouquet with a picture of her grandmother. This was so special to her. She was very emotional the first time she saw it. Programs are another idea to really say whatever you like and thank those that helped with the wedding planning (or in life). Why not turn your program into a bookmark, that way your guests will save it and use it over and over again. Carlson Craft offers lots of great program ideas as well. (top photo provided by Mint Photography)

bridal_bouquet_brooch - Copy

program_bookmark

What about the reception? Where do I even begin. There are so many personalized touches you can do throughout the reception. Since I have a marketing degree and love to design, I’ve personalized candy labels for candy bars, water station personalized signs, Mr. and Mrs. signature drink signs, table numbers, place cards, invitations, etc. for my couples. Most of the time I didn’t even charge them. I just love doing it! Here are some other great ideas to personalize your reception:

  • Create your own monogram and display it through a gobo (a large lighted image on the wall or ground)
  • Use a special picture that is meaningful to you for your gobo (I recently had a bride use stars for the ceiling of her tent to symbolize the stars in the sky on a family ranch where she had the reception)
  • Instead of just using numbers for the tables incorporate words, phrases, food, etc. that is meaningful to the both of you. One of my past couple’s used cities that they have traveled together to as their table designation.
  • Party favors have become very personalized these days with koozies, coasters, favor boxes, candy labels, cookies, ribbon, tags & seals used for bags, etc. With every wedding I coordinate I always see so many different and create ideas. Here are a few from my past brides.

cake table mcnay gold

unique table number idea san antonio

 

IMG_7157

IMG_7065

 

100_3327

IMG_3003

 

With a little creativity, a special memory you want to share with others, and websites like Pinterest, you can easily personalize your wedding in extraordinary ways. It is endless! You can go to my Pinterest boards to see lots of great ideas there too! If you need help planning your wedding please contact me. I am very creative and we could work together in creating special personalization throughout every aspect of your wedding. Trudy Scott, Royalty Event Parties, 210-595-9263, http://www.RoyaltyEventParties.com

1 2 3