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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Royalty Themed Wedding Tips – San Antonio Weddings

001_1Today is my 15th wedding anniversary so I thought it was only fitting to write this blog about Royalty Weddings. Of course, I am going to relive mine a little in this blog…it’s a sentimental day! Since a little girl, I had a vision in my head as to what kind of dress I wanted for my wedding. It changed a little when I asked my soon-to-be husband what HE would love to see me in (and not see me in). He said anything but a lot of sequins, bling and crystals. I asked him if a little was ok and he said, “Yes.” So, that meant I would be paring down my look a little because that is what I had envisioned. I was ok with that. the tulle, fluffy dress was a must, though! The second change I made was the theme. Instead of it being just a traditional wedding my mom REALLY wanted me to use the Cinderella themed invitations. It wasn’t my top choice but I went with it, especially since she was paying for it and I saw the excitement in her with them. I truly do feel that God was showing me a glimpse into my future when I literally became Cinderella in my children’s party planning business. It was fate!

So, now for some tips for Royal touches you can incorporate into your own wedding without paying like Royalty. I was on a super tight budget and I made it work plus I have seen other couples with the same theme on a typical wedding budget as well.

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Jenny & Zach’s wedding at Spinelli’s in Comfort, TX

1. The tiara! Every princess must have one. This past weekend my bride really surprised me when she wore a stunning gown and large tiara – she really did look like royalty!

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2. Jewelry. No matter what your dress looks like you can always make a statement with gorgeous jewels (fakes are ok, too). The latest trend is the brooch bouquet.

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Both photos from my wedding at Victoria’s Black Swan Inn, San Antonio, TX

3. The colors. In my wedding, I only used gold and ivory as my main colors with touches of color in the bridal bouquets. There were touches of Cinderella blue from figurines that family members had given me but that was it. Deep purple is a royal color and even red. Try one of those colors!

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Castle-like venue at The Lambermont, San Antonio, TX.

SAMSUNGRoyalty head table at The Koehler House, San Antonio, TX

4. The venue. I had my wedding at Victoria’s Black Swan Inn. When I saw it for the first time I knew this was the place I had to have! I spent most of my budget on the venue so I sacrificed in other areas such as the centerpieces and linens. I used what the venue offered and because it was such a beautiful place it didn’t matter. Everything was so elegant and she had so many beautiful furniture and décor already that it made up for it.

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The Yellow Rose Carriage Company offers beautiful carriages.

021_21This carriage was from my own wedding.

5. Horse and Carriage. I had to have one for my royal theme! It was a lot of fun and you can rent them for an hour and let the guests take carriage rides as well.

View More: http://limelightsa.pass.us/sonterra

View More: http://limelightsa.pass.us/sonterraEvents By Reese can turn your wedding into royalty with their rentals.

View More: http://limelightsa.pass.us/sonterraThere are so many royal-like invitations with my invitation services.

6. If you have it in the budget then some other ideas for a royal look would be the red carpet entering the venue, gold chargers with china, tall centerpieces that make a statement, gloves for the guys and girls, ice sculptures, uplighting, quartet for the ceremony, cocktail hour and possibly the dinner, upscale invitations with brooches, chiavari chairs, rented furniture for creating spaces, cigar bar, luxury vehicle for the send off, fireworks, etc. The ideas are endless!

If you would like to contact me to discuss your royal wedding ideas I would love to hear them! Trudy Scott, Royalty Events Planning, 210-595-9263, Trudy@RoyaltyEventsPlanning.com. San Antonio wedding coordinator.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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

Questions and tips for the wedding florist – San Antonio Weddings

What’s the next step in planning a wedding? Let’s review from my past several blogs….

  1. Get organized before you start the planning process
  2. Decide on your color and style
  3. Choose a venue
  4. Look at your catering options (buffet, sit down, food stations, etc.) and decide on the caterer and food style (to get an estimate on cost). You can figure out the specifics later on.
  5. Choose a photographer

So, what is next? As I mentioned in a previous blog it is important to list in order the most important items you want to include and spend more money on to the least important (and could even take out to keep within your budget). Many brides have florals and décor at the top of their list. They are so excited to collect pictures for me and the florist to show us all these grand centerpiece & design elements they just LOVE. I always tell the brides to show me their Pinterest boards (usually in the initial consultation) so I get a feeling of what their expectations are before meeting with the florist. I truly get a sense of their style, expectations and budget based on what they show me.

Bridal Styles:

  • The classic/traditional bride
  • The modern bride
  • The country/rustic bride
  • The sophisticated/dramatic bride

IMG_3603!cid_image8DD9FC6D-A541-44A9-8069-33CCEDC28435I’ve worked with all these types so I really understand their vision and I work with the florist, rental companies and venue to ensure every element of the design works with their style.

Tips

Flowers really do make a powerful and beautiful statement. They can also eat up your budget easily too. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

  • If you choose a venue that has a lot of character, charm, or in-house centerpieces – go with it! This will save you a lot of money if you are on a tight budget because it will mean less flowers you’ll have to purchase. The space is already beautiful, right?
  • Have a winter wedding and choose a venue that decorates accordingly. That means less you’ll have to buy.
  • Be sure to buy flowers in season. This will trim your expense. Also, maybe go with a less expensive flower in the same color family. go to ww.blissezine.com to learn about different flower types, their colors and what season they are available.

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  • Depending on the size of your wedding, have 2 or 3 different centerpieces on the guest tables. The design of the room just looks better this way! I always recommend a tall centerpiece (taller than the eye level of a guest so it isn’t in their view), a low centerpiece and maybe another design element like a candlescape, wine bottles, crystal candle holders or a crystal tall centerpieces. The options are endless. I have a couple that is going with a vintage feel at their wedding coming up and they got old books, doillies and vintage gloves. They are using silver teapots for their flower arrangements.

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  • Use the bridal bouquets for the head table or guest tables. This will save you from having to buy a centerpiece for those tables. I would say that most of my weddings, this is what the bride chooses to do.

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  • Repurpose the flowers from the ceremony to the reception. If you’re getting married at a church, more than likely you will donate the altar flowers to the church (their policy) but if you are getting married at the same location as the reception many times I will have a couple that will move the altar or aisle flowers to the reception area. They might use an arrangement at the sign in table, on the guest tables or near the sweetheart table.

At the appointment show the florist all your ideas. You will also discuss your bouquet and boutonnieres/corsages at that time too so come prepared with a list of who will need one of those. Don’t forget about the flower girl and ring bearer too.

Questions To Ask

  1. Can you work within my budget?
  2. Can I see some of your work?
  3. Do you do more than 1 wedding a day? (a professional florist will never overbook, he knows what he can handle in one day)
  4. What is your deposit?
  5. When is payment due?
  6. Will I receive a mockup of the centerpiece? There are florists out there that will not charge you for this. One in San Antonio that I use a lot even will get the color of your linen for you so you can see how it will look on your wedding day.
  7. What is your delivery and set up fee?
  8. How early will you arrive to set up?
  9. Do I get to keep the flowers at the end of the night? What about the vase? Most vases are theirs and they will want them back. You can order vases that you can give to the guests too. You’ll need to discuss that with the florist.

shellie21The budget for your flowers really can be high or low. It just depends on the extravagance you are wanting. Go to a couple of florist to comparison shop and see what they have to offer. Most florists specialize in a certain style and offer something different. Do your research ahead of time and visit their websites. You’ll get a great sense of who they are from pictures of past weddings they have done.

Be sure to read past blog posts about how to plan your wedding with great tips and questions to ask. If you need help with planning your wedding in San Antonio and the surrounding area, please contact me. I would love to help! Trudy Scott, Royalty Events Planning, 210-595-9263 or Trudy@RoyaltyEventsPlanning.com.

San Antonio Wedding & Color Inspiration Boards

 

inspiration board_kimLast September, I wrote a blog, “Choosing colors for your wedding based on symbolism.” It ties in with this blog in the fact that I have created a new category on my website called, “Inspirations & Tools.” I created a page, Event Inspiration Boards,  where I designed wedding inspiration boards from past clients to show a wide variety of style, themes, colors and ideas that you can create for your wedding. I did talk about each of the weddings in what their inspiration was.

color_trend_navy/coral.inddAnother page I created was, “How Color Inspires“, where it ties more into this blog. I used wedding inspiration boards provided by Carlson Craft Invitations (a company I use for my own invitation services) with many color palettes. I also listed color symbolism for most of the colors and also mentioned the Pantone colors of the year. Be sure to click on the link to find out what those colors are…hint, hint.

Under “Wedding Tools“, I have several links to pdf’s where it can help you with the planning process. I do intend on adding more links to other pertinent information soon.

I know how stressful planning a wedding can be. I truly am here for you and will be there for you through it all! If you need help please contact me. I would love to learn more about you and what your dream wedding is! Trudy, 210-595-9263 or Trudy@RoyaltyEventsPlanning.com.

Here is the previous blog, “Choosing colors for your wedding based on color symbolism” from September 19, 2014.

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Photos provided by Daniel W. Torres Photography

Can’t decide on a color palette for your wedding? Why not decide on your wedding colors based on the symbolism of that color to incorporate some meaning into your wedding! Here is a list of positive connotations in helping you decide.

Red – passion, love, celebration, joy and good luck
Pink – romance, charm and tenderness
Orange – energy, vibrance, warmth, change
Yellow – happiness, cheerfulness, peace, courage, hope and faith
Blue – loyalty, fidelity, unity, peace, eternity
Green – life, nature, fertility, abundance, hope and equality
Violet/Purple – royalty, mystery, spirituality
Silver – richness, purity
Gold – life, prosperity, royalty

From Wedding Invitations by Jennifer Cegielski

I suggest you tie it together with printed signs at the reception, a note in your invitation, pictures depicting the symbolism at your wedding events, etc., to let the guests know why you chose the colors you did.

Something to keep in mind…

You can see from these inspiration boards how colors can change the entire feel and look of your wedding. Color can warm the space up to give an intimate setting or brighten the room up to give a more light and airy feel. Choosing your color combinations are important and if you are having trouble trying to decide have a wedding planner help you. As myself being a wedding coordinator/planner, I would ask important questions about what style, feeling and experience you are trying to portray with your wedding and recommend color combinations that go together. If there is a special tie to certain colors based on family customs/beliefs, special memories, etc., I would want to know that as well.

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Photos provided by Daniel W. Torres Photography

The Pantone color for 2014 is Pantone 18-3224 Radiant Orchid. Use this color for a trendy, popular look. Why not try something different? Ultimately, the colors come from the couple and what you like. Get creative!

P.S. Be sure to incorporate your colors into your invitations and all your stationery too. Currently, I am offering 10% off all orders (except Disney) and 15% off for those using my consulting services. Call me to schedule your in-person appointment.

As a professional wedding consultant in San Antonio, Texas I have seen all different kinds of styles and colors for weddings. If you would like to discuss your wedding I am here for you! I always offer a free consultation so you have nothing to loose! Please contact me at 210-595-9263 or email me at info@royaltyeventparties.com.

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