Archive of ‘Outdoor Weddings’ category

Planning an outdoor ranch-style wedding in the Texas Hill Country

IMG_3022Recently, I just finished coordinating a beautiful fall outdoor ranch wedding outside of San Antonio, Texas. The planning had taken over a year by the bride and I was hired about 3 months out to coordinate the day of. The ranch she had her reception at was originally owned by her grandfather who had passed away. He had wished for one of his grandchildren to have their reception there and his wish came true! It was a really special day for the entire family.

_0407My bride was very DIY when it came to décor. She had a vision in her head and knew to make it just the way she wanted she needed to create it herself. If you are crafty I say, “Go for it!” You can save a lot of money and get exactly what you want by making it yourself. But, please give yourself extra time to do this. Even with all her planning, well in advance, she was still scrambling for help the night and morning of trying to complete her projects. Who wants to stress that close to their wedding? You can also hire a wedding coordinator to assist you in these tasks at hand.

IMG_3009Be sure to book your vendors well in advance (6-8 months) and be sure to follow up at least 1 month prior to ensure your order is correct. Two weeks before the wedding, we learned that the bathroom company didn’t have her order on file for some reason and we were frantically trying to ensure having a bathroom even up to 2 days prior to the reception. There are so many items to figure in when having a wedding on a ranch with nothing but land. Here are several points to remember:

1. Tent – does it need flaps, heat or fans for the weather expected? Will it be big enough to hold all your guests, dance floor, DJ & band, other vendors (caterer, bartenders, etc.)? Having a CAD drawing is crucial.

2. Bathrooms – Do you want a comfort bathroom with 2-4 stalls?

3. Electricity – Do you need to rent generators?

4. Water – Do you have a water source?

5. Tables, chairs, bars, dance floor, linens, china

6. Parking area – Do you have some of the land cleared for parking?

7. Decor

8. Large cleared out grassy area with no weeds for tent (need to maintain this space up until the wedding) and prepare for bugs (spray the area)

Nov 15 CAD _0362There’s a lot to consider, isn’t there? Don’t forget to prepare for the weather and have heaters/fans/additional tents on standby so they are available to you if needed. If you wait until the last minute they will be rented out and then what will you do?

Lastly, you need to think about your budget when planning a wedding of this caliber. It will probably cost you more than a typical reception at a venue for all the items you need to consider for. The venues already have all those items in place.

If you need help with planning your wedding and where to get the items needed for an outdoor wedding please contact Trudy Scott with Royalty Event Parties, 210-595-9263 or info@royaltyeventparties.com. I’m here to help with coordinating, planning your honeymoon and ordering invitations/stationery.

The 2nd and last photos were provided by The Wedding Shoppe.

Sandals Destination Wedding Testimonial

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Recently, through the Association of Bridal Consultants, I attended the Sandals Weddingmoons specialist training in Nassau, Bahamas. While I relaxed in a whirlpool after a long day of training, I met this wonderful couple, Cindi and Jack, who talked about their Sandals destination wedding as if it had just happened. Actually, they got married on May 29, 2010, at Sandals Montego Bay with 20 of their closest friends and family. Even before their wedding, they have come back year after year to Sandals for their vacation. They were so excited to talk about how amazing Sandals was I had to ask for a testimonial. They were THRILLED to share their answers to my questions…

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1. Why did you decide on Sandals to have your wedding?

     “We decided to get married at Sandals because we wanted a destination wedding that would be no stress for us or our families.  We both work and just didn’t have time to dedicate to all the extreme planning that goes into a wedding.  We had been to many Sandals before and loved watching people get married on the beach.  Every wedding we watched was picturesque. There is nothing more beautiful than a white sand beach, blue water and a beautiful sunset in your wedding pictures.”

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2. What did you like about the planning process with them?

      “It literally took 20 minutes to plan our whole wedding!  We arrived at Sandals, had a drink on the beach and then met with our wedding coordinator.  She brought us champagne and we got to sample three different types of cake and we picked our favorite.  Then she had us pick our favorite flower package.  It was one of the easiest things I’ve ever done in my whole life.  I know so many brides that spend an insane amount of time planning and prepping for their wedding.  I spent about 20 minutes planning/prepping and then got to spend the rest of my day sipping drinks with my future husband on a beautiful beach.  It just doesn’t get much better than that!”

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3. What was the most memorable part about your wedding at Sandals?

     “The beauty of everything!  Our flowers were gorgeous, the set up was beautiful and the beach/sunset was beyond gorgeous!!  Our wedding looked like something out of a magazine!  I still LOVE looking at our pictures!  We also loved the fact that we got to spend our wedding day on the beach and swimming in the water with our families.  We enjoyed getting to spend time with our 20 guests that came to watch us get married. The wedding coordinator came to get us to start getting ready about an hour and a half before the wedding.  The day was so relaxed and so much fun instead of being stressful and spending the whole day inside getting ready.” 

 4. Why have you come back to Sandals each year?

     “We come back to Sandals every year because we love it so much.  We love having a large variety of amazing food, love that all drinks are included and no tipping is a huge plus.  It is so nice to lock up your wallet once you get there and know that you never have to pull it out again until you leave.  The staff is always so friendly and fun!  We always make at least two or three sets of friends each time we have gone to Sandals. We have yet to have a bad experience at a Sandals.”

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5. What location has been your favorite and why?

“We have two favorites.  If we are going to be alone and want a quiet romantic getaway, then our favorite is Negril.  Sandals Negril is so quaint and the beach is very beautiful!  This is definitely the resort to go to if you are more into spending time with one another and not so much with other people.   If we are going to have fun, meet some people or bring friends with us, then our favorite is Sandals Royal Bahamian.  The private island is beyond beautiful and made the trip over the top. We also love having the option of a quiet pool and a party pool.  There are so many amazing restaurants and things to do at this resort.”

6. What value do you see with Sandals?

     “We love that Sandals is truly is all inclusive!  There is no hidden fees or anything they don’t tell you about.  There is always food and drinks available to you and everything is so good.  The resorts are always clean and there is always someone to help you with whatever you need to make your vacation amazing.” 

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Royalty Event Parties, an established wedding consulting company in San Antonio, is a Sandals Certified Specialist and Weddingmoons Specialist. I’m here to make sure you feel the same way as Cindi and Jack do about your honeymoon or destination wedding! Please contact me to find out more information about Sandals, Beaches and Grand Pineapple. 210-595-9263, info@royaltyeventparties.com.

Sandals Destination Weddings – Weddingmoons

101_5621Last week I had the privilege of traveling to Nassau, Bahamas to become certified in Sandals Weddingmoons. Basically, it means their wedding and honeymoon options. I have traveled all over and I must say that this was THE BEST resort I have ever stayed at. Not only was the resort beautiful and offered so many amenities but the staff was extraordinary! I was even welcomed with champagne at check in!!

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101_5733What I learned the most from my stay was the value guests receive at Sandals and Beaches. Everything is included during your stay…delicious food, premium liquor, large beautiful rooms, gratuity, lots of land and water sport options, daily entertainment & so much more! The value is point on for the price! You could even choose to have your own personal butler for a luxury stay in a Butler Category!

Destination weddings at Sandals starts with the pre-designed wedding themes. This option is for those brides that want a less stressful way of planning their wedding. There are 6 styles available based on your budget and look you are trying to achieve. The Beautiful Beginnings theme is FREE if you book 3 nights or more in any room category. This is a $500 value! It includes a sweet Fuchsia dendrobium orchid bouquet and boutonniere, as well as a table for eight with crisp linens, a lovely centerpiece, and a charming white cake. Click here for what every Weddingmoons provides their couples: http://www.sandals.com/weddingmoons/weddings/inclusions/

Sandals_MS-3577-2101_5594If you are a bride that wants more involvement with the planning to create a look and style specifically for you, Sandals offers that option as well. The easiest way is to use the Planning Tool of 6 simple steps on the Sandals website. http://www.sandals.com/weddingmoons/weddings/planning-destination-wedding/

If you are having a group of guests come along there are even more inclusions offered!

Celebrations for 5 – 9 rooms also receive:

  • Complimentary room category upgrade for bride & groom*
  • 1 Hour Delightful Reception with sparkling wine, cold hors d’ouevres, and signature cocktail for the wedding group

Celebrations for 10 – 19 rooms also receive:

  • Complimentary room category upgrade for bride & groom*
  • Private group pre-registration and check-in (based on majority of group arriving at same time)
  • Private pre-wedding celebration dinner for the wedding group*
  • 1 Hour Classic reception with sparkling wine, hot & cold hors d’ouevres, and signature cocktail for the wedding group
  • Pedicure for the bride

(The above came directly off the Sandals website, please go to the above link to see the disclaimers of the group inclusions).

weddingmoons_certified_trudy_scott_2Sandals also offers other specials. Please take a look at http://www.sandals.com/weddingmoons/weddings/specials/. If you would like more information about planning your destination wedding or honeymoon please contact Trudy Scott at 210-595-9263, info@royaltyeventparties.com or go to my website. You can also keep up with specials, tips and pictures on my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/royaltyeventparties

Keeping It Cool At An Outdoor Wedding

Let’s face it…having an outdoor wedding during the summer months can be HOT! Maybe you got a great rate on a venue or you both are just very outdoorsy type of people, WONDERFUL! However, you need to be proactive in thinking about your guests that will attend & their comfort. Here are some ideas on how you can make your event more enjoyable during the hot summer months.large_mister_fan_wedding

  • Rent Port-A-Cool Units, Air Conditioners, Misting Fans, or Fans and place them strategically throughout the reception/ceremony. Having one near the bar and dance floor are the top 2 locations. The Port-A-Cool units can decrease the temperate from up to 10-15 degrees!  Most party rental places will have them and they aren’t as expensive as you might think. Great Events Full Service Event Rentals carries all of those in San Antonio.

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  • Tents…need I say more? Shade is essential and sometimes you just can’t rely on the trees to give you all the shade you need. You never know where the sun might fall throughout the day and just how shady it will be. A tent will give you the security too if bad weather arises. There are so many types of tents, very basic to the extravagant. Rental companies have different sizes, shapes, & features to fit any budget.

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  • Guests love beverage stations. This is essential for staying hydrated too! Make it fun and inviting by offering several types of beverages to choose from. The easiest way is to make flavored water with fruits, cucumber, mint, etc. Just slice and throw it in the water! How easy is that!! Having cute framed signs to tell the guests what each one is adds an extra touch too. I did that for one of my couples and they loved it!

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  • Program Fans at the ceremony are not only great for sharing information about the ceremony but also to use for fanning yourself in the heat! Guests can then bring them with them at the reception and use them there as well. The above picture is from printedexpressions.com. Carlson Craft offers a wide variety of these and you can receive 10% off by going through this link: program fans.

Royalty Event Parties is here to help! If you have questions about different wedding situations, wedding etiquette questions or need advice on the creative side, I am here for you! Give me a call at 210-595-9263 or email me at info@royaltyeventparties.com. You can find me at Pinterest, Facebook, and my website: http://www.royaltyeventparties.com.

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