Planning Tips For A Stress-Free Wedding – San Antonio Wedding Consultant

inspiration board_kimAs a wedding consultant, I have worked with all types of brides when it comes to planning their wedding. At that initial consultation, I really get a sense of what they are like by how organized they seem to be, how much they have already planned before even meeting with me, how many Pinterest photos they have on their phone to show me, and how much they talk while I listen. The #1 reason why they have contacted me and considered hiring a wedding consultant is TO BE STRESS-FREE ON THEIR WEDDING DAY! They are the ones that get it and I LOVE IT!

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I’m going to walk you through tips on how to stay calm during the wedding planning process.

1. Make lists and keep organized

Make lists of what you need to do and keep organized by having a large binder where you can keep all your photos, contracts, notes, and receipts. Just be sure to not forget it when going to vendor appointments. I have seen this happen all too many times. As far as the lists…make them small, maybe a list of 4-5 items at a time so you do feel so overwhelmed. Also, feel free to delegate tasks to family members and friends. They would probably love to help you, just ask! The great thing about the internet, magazines and PLANNERS is that they all can provide you with a detailed monthly to-do-list during the wedding planning process. It will keep you on track on where you should be at which month and in what order you should plan everything. If you would like this list please contact me and I would be more than happy to email you one!

2. Hire great vendors

Attend bridal shows, open houses, ask friends that have already gotten married and read reviews on the internet to find great wedding vendors. Also, be sure to interview vendors before choosing one. In some of my past blogs I included lots of questions to ask different type of vendors. Please go back and read some of those blogs to get those questions. By choosing established vendors with good reputations you are in a win-win situation and you ensure a stress-free wedding day.

3. Take a break

If you are planning everything yourself you need to take some time off to get your mind off of it, occasionally. Please do this! Just relax for a weekend enjoying other things with your fiancé or friends. You will feel refreshed after a relaxing weekend with them. I have found that more often couples are planning their weddings more than 1 year in advance – you have plenty of time! There is no reason to rush through it all. After you have locked in the venue, the most important piece to the wedding, then just relax for a bit and get refreshed before tackling the to-do-lists.

4. Wedding issues can be resolved

If something doesn’t feel right or doesn’t quite go your way then step back from the situation and discuss it calmly with your fiancé or parents first and then with the vendors. A solution can happen. Most vendors will go over and beyond to ensure the couple is happy and will help to resolve the issue in any way. If they don’t, then maybe they aren’t the right fit for you. Hopefully, they will return your deposit and you can move on to another vendor that is a better fit.

5. Don’t sweat the small stuff

This is where I have seen brides across all spectrums…the laid back, easy going, happy about anything bride to the very detailed, organized, uptight bride that can’t relax on her wedding day. I feel so sorry for those 2nd type of brides. My job as a planner is to ensure a stress-free day for the bride but sometimes there is nothing I can say or do to change this. I work so hard behind the scenes to make sure everything is set up, vendors have arrived, the wedding party has what they need, and so much more. The bride has to trust me that I will take care of everything so she CAN relax. If something does go wrong (ex. starting late, someone in the wedding party doesn’t show, a vendor messes up in some way, etc.) please, please, please just try and brush it off and don’t worry about. Most of the time no one even knows what went wrong. Think about all the great things that went right that day…you’re getting married!

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6. Hire a wedding coordinator

I have mentioned several times in this blog just how valuable a wedding coordinator can be to having a stress-free day. I hope you seriously think about the advantages to having one! Not only can we help for the day of but we can help throughout the entire process. We can recommend vendors that are trust-worthy, help with décor ideas, tell you ways to save money, guide you in when/what you should be planning, help with hotel blocks, create timelines, ceremony lineup sheets, diagrams of the venue, assist at the rehearsal, and so much more! We can make your life and WEDDING…STRESS-FREE!

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If you are interested in hiring a wedding coordinator for the San Antonio area please contact me. I offer a FREE consultation and would love to hear all about your wedding and what your needs are. I also offer invitation and honeymoon services. Please learn more about my services at my website. Trudy Scott, http://www.royaltyeventsplanning.com, 210-595-9263 or Trudy@RoyaltyEventsPlanning.com

Ideas for Glamorous, Bling Weddings – San Antonio Wedding Consultant

I must say, that I like many kinds of styles of weddings but I think I am most drawn to the glamorous, sophisticated style that is sparkly and glitzy. This means using simple colors like cream/white with silver or gold accents, in my opinion. It looks so celebrity-like, right? I recently coordinated a wedding (for day of) and the bride really had this style for her vision. I think it turned out pretty good, what do you think?

IMG_7724 IMG_7721 IMG_7718 The first tip, is to make sure you are in a venue that really has the glamour already there. The St. Anthony Hotel in downtown San Antonio was built in 1909 and recently went through a renovation where they restored the hotel to the look and feel that it was of the 1920’s. It is an exquisite hotel and every detail has been carefully thought of. Since the ballroom was mostly white with grey tones it only made sense to have the colors also be white with silver accents for her wedding. The historic Sunset Station is another great venue in downtown San Antonio with an exquisite look. It was the original train depot of San Antonio from 1902. The Depot, also known as, “The Building of 1,000 Lights” and “The Crown Jewel”, is adorned with ornate vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows and a grand staircase.

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Picture provided by Ara Photography

Next, the flowers. You need to create a statement with height. Especially, if the room has high ceilings. Look how gorgeous the head table looks with the tall vases and small lighted blinged vases too. Hydrangeas were the main flower which is great for price because it gives you a lot of fullness without having to spend a fortune on the flowers. Simple but elegant!

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The sequined table clothes also gave the space a glamorous feel. They are a little more than your poly or satin linens but look how great it looks! It is worth it if your décor is very important to you. She saved money by only putting the sequined linens downstairs and leaving the hotel white linens on the upstair tables. Bisli did a magnificent job with the flowers and décor.

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Your sign in table, picture table, place card table or candy bar can look glamorous too with sparkly picture frames, tall vases and beautiful linens as well. Here are examples of various tables from past weddings I coordinated.

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How about the gold look. Ok! Here’s a wedding I coordinated where she used a lot of gold with champagne color for her linens. I think champagne is my favorite color for a sophisticated, elegant wedding. What do you think? She used gold vases to hold the bridal bouquets for her bridesmaids and guess what…they were plastic, super cheap! You can’t even tell.

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Other décor that can really add to the ambiance is the cake stand. A large cake stand or blinged one can add to the look you are going for. Think about using small blinged frames for the table numbers. A fully set table also adds to the upscale look. Use china and glass, no plastic or paper!!! Use linen napkins and fold them a unique way or go simple with the waterfall which hangs down the side of the table, I love that one!

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Photo provided by Daniel W. Torres Photography

Consider other rentals such as uplighting, gobo, chandeliers, candlesticks, chargers and more to really add to the glamour! If you are the crafty bride, you can even buy bling in bulk and cut it and wrap around vases, make a cake stand glitzy, create napkin rings, etc. Don’t forget to glitz up your invitations and your bridesmaids dresses too!

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Photo provided by Daniel W. Torres Photography

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I hope these tips give you inspiration to create the wedding of your dreams! Please contact me, Trudy Scott, if you need help planning your glamorous wedding. 210-595-9263, RoyaltyEventsPlanning.com

 

 

 

 

 

How to find the perfect caterer? – San Antonio Wedding Consultant

There are so many options when it comes to the type or style of food you want to serve at your wedding. I’ve discussed those options in a previous blog, Catering Ideas For Every Style Wedding. In this blog, lets talk about how to find that perfect caterer that fits your needs and budget and has great tasting food! Here’s a list of what you need to do…

  • After booking your venue the next step is booking your caterer. This will be your most expensive part of the wedding budget and most important.  In San Antonio, I recommend 8-12 months out to ensure you get the caterer you desire. You’ll want to contact 4-5 caterers and ask them initial questions to make sure they even offer the type or style of food you are wanting. Some of those initial questions might be:

1. Can you accommodate vegetarians or gluten free guests?

2. We want a special dish served, can you accommodate that?

3. Do you help with the set up of the table and chairs?

4. Do you travel outside of your local area?

5. Do you offer other services such as bartending, linens, china, etc.?

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  • You’ll contact each one and ask these initial questions and be sure to write everything down. They will start to all run together so be sure to take good notes. Also, give the caterer a chance to ask questions as well. They’ll want your basic information such as wedding date, amount of guests and venue location. During this fact finding conversation the caterer should tell you what their charges cover. If not, ask. For example, the company might not cover alcohol or cake.
  • As you are taking notes be sure to also make personal reaction notes of each caterer and the feeling you received from each of them. If they were courteous, excited to work with you and kind. At this time you may be able to cross a couple of the caterers off your list. But, please be sure to write an email to those you didn’t choose thanking them for the time they spent speaking with you. You don’t want to leave them guessing and wondering.
  • Once you have narrowed down your list to 2-3 caterers it is time to go in for an appointment and ask more detailed questions about the menu and services you will want. Here are what you will need to talk about:

Will you have a buffet, sit down, food stations or passed hors d’oeuvres only?

What you can get within your budget.

The types of food you are wanting and those that they specialize in.

Extra services such as bartending, late night snack, specialty tables such as ice cream, chocolate, coffee, or dessert bar.

  • After this meeting, the caterer should prepare you an initial proposal and cost estimate. It doesn’t mean you have to stick with what they are proposing or the food they list but is just merely an idea of what to expect to pay. If there are a couple of caterers that fall within your budget and you like what you have seen so far, then it is time to make my favorite appointment with them….the taste testing!
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  • Caterers that I have dealt with will usually offer the client a private taste testing at their establishment giving them options of the type of food they want to serve. I have also seen caterers have open houses where more clients come in and try an assortment of different types of food. One of my couples did this and then scheduled a private taste testing with her family (and me) to try foods they liked at the open house plus a few others that the family wanted to try. There were 6 of us! At this taste testing, this is where you’ll  narrow down the food decisions for your cocktail hour, dinner and any after dinner snacks or special tables.

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  • The caterer will then present the couple with a revised proposal based on the food and service that was chosen. This proposal should outline all the details of what they will be providing. This could include linens, dinnerware, cake, setting up of table and chairs, bartending, rental items, staff, and more! It is important to review all the details of the proposal and make sure you understand all fees.

What they charge for service fees.

What their delivery, set up, clean up fees are.

How many staff you are getting charged for.

What the tax is.

Do they charge you to cut and serve the cake?

What is the deposit required?

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  •  The last step is choosing your caterer. In the proposal, it should clarify the payment structure and serve as the contract with an agreement page. There is still opportunities to make changes. I have had couples make changes up to 1-2 weeks prior to the wedding (even though the caterer probably frowns upon this). One important piece of advice…always tell the caterer a lower number for your guest count because you can always go up in the count later on but you can’t go down without having to pay the same amount. They normally need a final count 10 business days before the wedding date. After this day, if you need to lower the guest count you will still have to pay for the amount of guests you told them at 10 days prior.

If you need help planning your wedding I can help. I know great caterers in the San Antonio area and would love to share my knowledge with you. Please contact Trudy Scott at 210-595-9263 or Trudy@RoyaltyEventsPlanning.com.

 

Table Decor Do’s & Don’ts At Your Wedding – San Antonio Wedding Coordinator

IMG_7540As a wedding coordinator, I have seen it all in terms of décor. Each couple has their own budget and style which determines what the entire feel and look will be of their wedding. I do try and make suggestions for adding elegance and a little more pizazz to the table but it is up the couple if they will follow that advice or not.

Don’ts For Table Decor

Let’s talk about the Don’ts of what to do for your table décor. This list is what I have actually seen at weddings and I have frowned upon. However, there is really nothing I can do when everything has been ordered or purchased and this is what I have to work with when setting it all up.

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1. Don’t rent or purchase shorter linens than the table. It doesn’t look classy to have the legs popping out at the bottom! Guests do notice.  If you aren’t sure about the length call a rental/linen company that can tell you exactly the size you need. Do you know what a 108, 120 or 132 is? You need an expert to tell you.

2. Don’t have clashing linen textures on different tables. Stick to one type, i.e. satin, polyester, crinkle, etc., and make sure all the tables are using this same type. This includes the cake, gift and sign in tables too.

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3. Don’t have just a small centerpiece in the middle of the table with nothing else on the table. This looks so blah. Don’t you want the wow factor when guests walk into the venue and see the reception? I’ll give you ideas under the “Do’s List”.

4. Don’t do some crazy origami fold for the napkin. Guests will wonder why a swan is on the table. You don’t need that!

 

5. The white linen with the colored overlay. This look is so old fashion. You don’t need the overlay!

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6. Using the same centerpiece for all the tables. This will make the room seem very uniformed and uninteresting.

Do’s For Table Decor

My favorite part of a wedding is setting it up. I love to get creative and make each and every area look the best it can. If I know I’ll be setting up a specialty table like a candy bar, cigar bar, dessert table, etc., I usually will bring extra décor that I own with me to jazz up the table even more (the couples don’t even know I do this). It’s just something I love to do! Here is a list of Do’s for your table décor at your wedding.

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vintage pearls picture wedding reception table

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1. Do personalize the table with menu cards, unique table #’s (or places you’ve traveled, favorite things to do together, favorites of each other, etc.), pictures of each other, small trinkets of something important to the both of you, décor that goes with the theme (ex. antique décor or maracas – I have had couples do both of these).

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2. Fold the napkin in simple ways such as the rectangle traditional fold or the waterfall fold where it hangs over the edge of the table. For a touch of elegance you could put the napkin in the water glass but this gets tricky when the caterer is trying to fill the water glasses.

3. If you have to choose between white or ivory linens go with the ivory. It is a more elegant color and looks better with additional colors. White linens reminds me too much of a sweet sixteen party.

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4. Stick with just FLOOR LENGTH linen and no table overlay. You don’t need it! Color can be added in the flowers and napkins. There are beautiful linens nowadays (the champagne color is one of my favorites) and that’s all you need!

5. If you have more than 15 tables then you need to have 3 types of centerpieces to really give the room a nice look. I recommend a tall, medium and low (or switch out the low for a candlescape with elegant candle holders). Just be sure on the medium size that guests can see each other still from across the table. Use different styled vases too so the tables have their own look. Get creative! If you are using white or ivory table cloths then use some color in your centerpieces to spice up the room.

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6. Add even more to the table with these ideas: chargers, party favor, dinnerware and glasses. When you add your personalized items that I mentioned from above, your table is complete and will look beautiful!

7. I did want to mention the chair…Chiavari chairs are my first preference but can be a little pricey if you’re on a budget. The next option is the bistro chair and then the folding chair. I would recommend one of these options before covering the chairs. It is completely my opinion, but I feel the room looks classier without the chair covers. Again, it looks so uniformed and like a sweet sixteen party with them on.

If you need help with your décor and how you should design the look and feel of your wedding reception please contact me. I have seen a lot of weddings and can tell you what I have found looks fantastic! I’m here for you!! Trudy Scott, Royalty Events Planning, 210-595-9263, http://www.RoyaltyEventsPlanning.com.

 

 

Sandals Really Does Have It All For Your Honeymoon – San Antonio Wedding Coordinator

Evening_SwimHave you started thinking about your honeymoon? I’ve written several other blogs about Sandals and just how wonderful it is. But it really is!! I’m a Certified Sandals Specialist and have experienced Sandals first-hand. There are Sandals resorts located all throughout the Caribbean.

  • Jamaica

  • Antigua

  • Saint Lucia

  • Bahamas

  • Grenada

  • Barbados

I’ve recently had a couple of my past clients that I coordinated their wedding get back from their honeymoon to Sandals in Saint Lucia. They stayed at the Sandals Regency La Toc. This is one of their most popular resorts because there are 3 resorts in this area and you can stay at one and play at all 3. There is a 9 hole golf course on this property as well. You can play for FREE too!!

Amy, who got married at the Hyatt Hill Country Resort on May 2nd got back from Sandals on her honeymoon and emailed me, “Oh my gosh, St Lucia was greatness…. It was such a blast!”

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The best thing about Sandals is that it is all inclusive. That means everything is included! Here are more reasons you should consider Sandals:

  • All land and water sports (even waterskiing) is included with complimentary instruction and equipment
  • Unlimited scuba diving for certified divers
  • Unlimited rounds of golf (green fees may be additional at Sandals Emerald Bay)
  • Unlimited Gourmet Discovery Dining at up to 16 restaurants per resort
  • Exclusive dine-around program
  • Up to 9 bars per resort
  • Lots of great entertainment scheduled all day throughout the resort
  • Unlimited premium brand drinks
  • Stay at one, Play at any Sandals
  • A free Beautiful Beginnings wedding
  • Unique Love Nest Dream Suites
  • Trained butlers and concierges for top-tier suites
  • Poolside and beachside cocktail valet service
  • Complimentary basic Wi-Fi service
  • Beautiful beaches!
  • Private offshore island adventures available
  • Tipping, transfers, government taxes all included

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You basically go and enjoy yourself without having to pay anything else. I’ve been there before to the Sandals Royal Bahamian and experienced it myself. I paid nothing while I was there and was treated like Royalty! This was THE BEST resort I had ever been too!!

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Click here for Sandals’ current specials!

If you’ve been thinking about Sandals and thought it was out of your price range you might be surprised. Contact me and I can send you a proposal with no obligation. Trudy Scott, Royalty Events Planning, 210-595-9263, Trudy@RoyaltyEventsPlanning.com. I would love to help plan the honeymoon of your dreams for you!!

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