June 18, 2014
in 1928 Planning, Wedding Coordination, Wedding Planning

The first days and weeks after the engagement can be a stressful time for brides and grooms. Don’t know what step to take first in the wedding planning process? Follow this quick list to get the major decisions out of the way, so you and your sweetie don’t resort to eloping due to post-engagement planning shock!

Know your budget

This one is pretty straight-forward. Sit down with your fiance and family (if they plan to help financially) and know each others’ monetary limits for the wedding. You can’t start shopping until you know how much you have to spend. Once you know your wedding budget, do a few quick calculations to see how much you should be spending on each vendor. Check out our previous post here, to get breakdown percentages to guide your calculations.  Make sure everyone paying for the wedding is on the same page before moving forward.

Secure a venue and date

This wedding planning step comes with great relief. Once you pick your venue and date, other logistics and wedding planning pieces become easier to tackle. You can’t book a DJ, photographer or caterer until you have a date. And you can’t secure a date until you chose a venue with that date available. Depending on how long your engagement is and the time of year you are planning your wedding, you may have to adjust the location if you have your heart set on a certain date (or vice versa).  Here in Michigan, our peak season runs mid-April through mid-September. Many venues are only open for those months, so know your options and consider a Friday or Sunday wedding.

Hire your wedding planner

We might be a little biased on this subject, but we have also had our fair share of experiences at weddings without a wedding planner or coordinator. We see a lot of unwanted stress and disorder. Many brides say, “ I can’t afford a wedding planner” or “I will just have a friend take care of the planning.” While these are fair and valid options, a wedding planner can save you time and money because they have an extensive network in the business. They are also there to help YOU, without throwing in unwanted opinions. You are spending money on an fabulous photographer to capture the day, and a DJ to get the party started, and many other vendors who you want to do an exceptional job. A wedding planner will be the one to guide all of the pieces together – it can be pretty difficult to get everyone on the same page come your wedding day. We as planners do everything from helping you find vendors, to executing your wildest tablescape dreams. Trying to juggle everyone’s opinions along with all your ideas and wedding checklists can be exhausting. Save yourself the headache of wedding planning and hire a professional, we don’t know of a single bride who has regretted it!

There are a few venues that will include a base coordination package when you book. Here at 1928 Planning Co., we have a wide variety of a la carte services, planning packages and a stellar rental collection. We also provide base coordination packages for these venues in Southwest Michigan. All of these venues also come with exclusive catering by CK Catering. Check them out!

 

The Veranda at The Whitcomb

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Vineyard at 12 Corners

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Sun ‘n Sand Resort

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May 25, 2014
in 1928 Planning, Wedding Coordination, Wedding Design Ideas, Wedding Planning

Wedding planning is constantly filled with endless decisions, checklists, timelines – the works! Planning out each moment and detail will make every bride and groom a bit more at ease come the wedding day – but what if something is overlooked? To avoid forgetting vital items – here are our top five most forgotten details while planning a wedding.

1. Guests’ Dietary Restrictions

Vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, gluten-free, food allergy – there is bound to be someone in your guest list of 300 with some type of dietary restriction. While it seems like a difficult task to track down dietary limitations, these guests will thank you for giving them something they can eat without having to hunt down the wait staff at your wedding. What’s great is that most catering companies, like our favorite, CK Catering, offer tons of options for guests with restrictions. Include a dietary restriction line in your invitation for guests to fill out, and talk with your caterer about your options. Your guests will appreciate the extra mile for accommodating them.

 

2. Shuttle Service When Having an Open Bar

Many couples forget the importance of providing a shuttle service for guests who need a designated driver following the reception. Be especially wary if your wedding reception is not near a hotel where guests can easily walk or if cab service in the town you are getting married in is limited. Of course you want guests to have a good time so keep their safety and judgement in mind at the end of the night as well. Our top choice for end-of-evening shuttle service is Sunset Coast Trolley Company! They’ve got a super unique trolley to transport guests either back to hotels, or where the after-party is located.

 

3. Decorating The “Forgotten Spots”

Our clients have envisioned and executed some really beautiful centerpieces, but we often see the “extra” tables (tables for gifts, placecards, favors, desserts) and cocktail tables forgotten about! Dressing up the gift table could just mean adding a few more votives to the shopping list, or having your florist create a smaller floral arrangement for the table. The same goes with cocktail tables – we are really loving contrasted ribbon tied at the base of cocktail tables like the one shown here. Your reception will be brought to life with a little thinking beyond the main tablescapes and does not cut into your decor budget much at all either.

 

4. Keeping All Weather Conditions In Mind – (not just rain or shine!)

Weather is one of our clients’ biggest concerns when booking outdoor weddings – especially with the, at times, unpredictable Michigan weather. Even if your wedding is planned a year ahead of time – down to the very last ribbon tied, weather will always remain unpredictable. One weather condition that is often forgotten about is wind. You are guaranteed to have some level of breeze or wind at an outdoor wedding, and many couple’s forget this trait of mother nature when planning. Here is a good example:

We love the ribbon detail on this cocktail table, but unless those ribbon weaves are secured down, this beautiful design will soon be a tangled mess and the overall design will be lost. We see this problem a lot with table tents for guest seating. Paper will fly when set out in the open, so take some extra time to anchor them down with something if you can. Keep the wind factor in mind for the candles too! You’ll want to guard your candles with a holder so wind doesn’t constantly blow them out!

 

5. Securing Your Tear Down Crew

This one has to make the list for one of the most forgotten planning details! At the end of the night, who do you picture packaging up all of your centerpieces, favors, candles, gifts, leftover desserts and alcohol? I’m sure the answer is not YOURSELF! It’s even difficult to come up with family or close friends to give the responsibility too. Most of our clients would prefer to let all of their guests, including family and close friends, relax and enjoy the end of the reception without having to be put to work at midnight. Talk to your venue or planner about the clean up services they offer. 1928 Planning offers Reception Wrap Up services, where we’ll package up all of your belongings, store them overnight, and you can pick up the next day when it’s convenient for you.

 

To hear more suggestions or tips – contact us!

 

 

 

March 28, 2014
in 1928 Planning, Real Weddings, Wedding Design Ideas, Wedding Reception Ideas, Wedding Trends

Since we love sharing with our fans new add-on services we are offering, we wanted to designate a blog post to put a spotlight on and fully introduce 1928’s Chalkboard Collection!

We’ve seen a significant growth in wedding signage lately, displaying anything from a ceremony program, dinner or bar menu, to love quotes and sayings. In addition, chalkboard signage in particular has been a weding trend for awhile now so we thought it was only necessary to design something that allowed couples to display exactly what they wanted to say in a collection full of, might we say, awesome, antique, white-washed chalkboard frames, varying in sizes – fit for all sorts of needs! Check about the full wedding chalkboard collection below!

 Chalkboard Collage Pic

The beauty of our 7-piece collection is that each frame is uniquely different, in its shape, size, and frame design but complements the others so well because of its white-washed finish. That way, it keeps your wedding theme and decor consistent throughout the ceremony and reception space. You can choose to be the creative designer when it comes to the artwork on the chalkboard or you can let our team take care of it for you – you decide!Chalkboard Collection

{ Erica + Ryan | September 2013 }. Photo Credit: 430 Studios

Reach out to us to get availability, specific measurements on our frames in the Chalkboard Collection as well as here about our special pricing for renting the entire collection!

We look SO forward to hearing from you!

– Danielle

March 24, 2014
in 1928 Planning, Wedding Design Ideas, Wedding Planning, Wedding Trends

Being eager to get out of this cold-spell of a winter and now that spring has officially arrived, we’re here to share some spring wedding inspiration! Although our heavy wedding coordination season is in the summer months, our spring and fall weddings are always a favorite! Digging into what makes each season stand out and finding inspiration in the small things is something we adore. Hope this blogs provides a starting off point to all things…spring!

Get started with scoping out things that inspire you: think fresh color palettes, textures and florals.

Fresh Florals

Use florals that scream springtime! Peonies and tulips will give you a perfect spring wedding look, mixed in with other fresh blooms or blossoms. When we think-spring there is tons that comes to mind, but all revolving about one larger theme: the outdoors! Are you going for a garden-inspired wedding? Use planters or vintage watering cans to display your florals, and include greenery, garland, and branches into your decor ideas. You’ll transform any space into a garden-getaway – indoors OR outdoors.

florals

Fun Fabrics

Any excuse to incorporate a killer linen is our weakness! Keep it light with a neutral, textured linen or go a bit more daring with a floral printed fabric. Taking on a specialty linen is the easiest way to make a statement in your decor. It’ll go a long way and you’ll get the sense that floral arrangements and other tablescape decor can stay simple to let the focus be on the spring-themed fun fabric.

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Spring-Worthy Color Palettes

Say goodbye to the traditional springtime pastels and take a whole new spin on your spring wedding color palette! Trending for 2014 spring weddings are layered neutrals, blush pinks, and gold undertones.

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Guest Takeaways

Planning to have favors for your guests but can’t quite decide on the best spring wedding takeaway? Favors have a bad rep for being something guests will discard or not find good use in. Find inspiration and consider our ideas that we are sure guests will take home and enjoy long after the wedding is over: potted herb plants, pouches of seed, lavender-scented materials, or flower bulbs.

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Get started to find out what inspires you and as always, contact 1928 Planning Co. for more spring wedding inspiration!

 

-Danielle

January 13, 2014
in 1928 Planning, Wedding Coordination, Wedding Planning, Wedding Trends

Creating your wedding registry is an exciting time because it’s all about planning out your new life together! Just with every other aspect of wedding planning, there are helpful do’s and do not’s that we’d like to share to help keep you on track and organized! First, decide whether you lean towards being a traditional or modern-registry couple. It will help you decide which stores or alternate types of registry outlets are best suited for you. For instance, there are wedding trends showing an increase in the number of couples taking an alternate route and deciding against the traditional wedding registry gifts like bed sheets or pots and pans. Instead, listed among some of the more popular registry outlets made by couples:

One-Stop Shop for all things registry

Honeymooning & Travel Gifts

Charitable Donations

Unique and One-of-a-Kind Finds

If going the more traditional route, ask your selected registry stores if they have a completion program. Often times, stores will give you a discount for items remaining on your registry after your wedding date. This percentage can range anywhere from 10% – 15% and can help you purchase those items on your wedding registry you really wanted but didn’t receive. Those that made the cut for being the top wedding registry stores were:

Store Collage

Here are a few tips to keep you on track and organized when creating your perfect wedding registry:

✿ Have a wedding registry at more than one place – preferably at two to three stores. It gives your guests options and versatility in their shopping experience.

✿  Maintain a balanced wedding registry with various price points and types of items.

✿ Register for what you want and need! Who cares if it’s non-traditional! Want new outdoor equipment, hobby items, or board games? Register for it! Some guests are looking for these fun, unique items on your registry and want to give you something more enjoyable than typical wedding registry necessities like a stand mixer or measuring spoons.

✿ There is no harm in registering early on in your engagement. Some guests will want to take a glance at your registry as soon as they receive your Save The Date. The worst thing you can do is register too close to the wedding and make things hectic for your guests.

✿ Don’t limit yourself – see the future! Are you like me and still live off of your college mismatched dishes or have towels that have seen better days? Eventually your college items need to be upgraded and now is the time to do so! In the future, you may want to host family get-togethers or dinner parties so being prepared to do so now, and registering for those items will help out in the long run!

✿ Prepare Yourself! When heading to the store to create your wedding registry, go in with an idea of the items you for sure what to register for. It’ll make things go smoother, be more organized, and often is a time-saver so you aren’t in the store for hours on end.

 ✿ Don’t forget to write your thank you’s! It’s one of our most important tips for you regarding your registry! Make sure they are personal and given to your guests promptly!

 

Want to learn more? Reach out to us so we can chat! Hope these tips help you when registering! Happy Planning, and shall I say shopping too!

 

✿ Danielle

 

April 10, 2013
in 1928 Planning, Wedding Coordination, Wedding Design Ideas, Wedding Planning, Wedding Reception Ideas

Oh the woes of seating arrangements! I bet you’re asking yourself, “Should I do a seating chart? How do I tackle this? Where do I start?” First things first: Decide what type of feel you are going for at your reception. Are you looking for a traditional, formal reception or more of a casual, mingle reception? What type of food is being served? If you’re doing heavy appetizers you can get away with open seating but a plated dinner requires assigned tables, and maybe even assigned seats! What is your guest count looking like? Anything over 50 people needs some sort of seating arrangement. Answering these questions will help determine whether open seating, assigned tables, or assigned seats will be best. From our experience, we’ve seen a little bit of everything. Here are some general seating arrangement ideas to help guide you in creating the best atmosphere for guests to relax and enjoy themselves!

Our Tips!

Make the place card table visible!

There is nothing worse than guests having awkward first moments in the venue. Provide guests with an easy to find table near the entrance of the venue that is quick to read and comprehend.

Place cards should always be organized alphabetically!

Do NOT organize your seating arrangement presentation by table #’s. It will lengthen the searching process – especially when you have a large guest count and 200 names to filter through! Doing it alphabetically will keep the line moving and guests will be satisfied with its ease.

Make sure the table numbers are visible!

Make sure table numbers are large, easy to see, read and find! Also be sure they are facing the direction guests will be walking in at.

Table Numbers

Table conversation is key!

Try and put atleast a few people who know each other together at a guest table to jumpstart convo. Mixing a few familiar faces and a few new ones will create a great mingling environment throughout the reception.

Obtain a layout from the venue

Before making seating arrangements, be sure to ask your venue for a layout of the reception space. Getting a feel for how many tables will fit comfortably in a given area early will help you plan out seating decisions later on.

Elderly vs. DJ Speakers

Who would have thought – Elders and loud, bumping music speakers don’t go together! Think through your layout and try to keep the elders on the opposite end of the DJ’s speakers so the sound doesn’t overwhelm them. You’ll want all guests to be comfortable; this is just another thing to think about!

Have a kid’s table at the reception!

Have a separate table just for the kids if you have several children over the age of 7. Be sure to check out one of my previous posts giving you the best insight on how to tackle kids at your reception!

Be sure to mix the families!

Especially if you decide to have a dance floor in the middle of the venue that separates the guests, be sure to mix his and her’s families to create more of a celebration and togetherness among the different families.

 

Contact us for more advice on more seating arrangement tips! It’s something you’ll want to take the time on and have it be just right!

 

Happy planning!

 

❀ Danielle

 

February 18, 2013
in 1928 Planning, Wedding Design Ideas, Wedding Planning, Wedding Reception Ideas, Wedding Trends

In the past, men have taken a back seat in being overly involved in the wedding planning process and have let the bride create their dream wedding. Well…. Step aside ladies! Men are beginning to take a much more active role in their involvement and presence in the wedding planning and big day! I love nothing more than meeting a groom who is not afraid to share his thoughts and opinions and sneak some masculine and quirky personality into what’s been pinned as a female-focused event. Because of this revelation of a groom’s eager involvement, here are some tips to infusing the perfect masculine wedding touch to help bring balance to your wedding.

 

Cigar & Whiskey Bar

There is nothing more manly than cigars and whiskey and having those items in a lounge atmosphere for guests to relax and have some fun is a perfect way to infuse a masculine touch into the reception. Having a cigar and whiskey bar also provides guests with some side entertainment if you were to hire a cigar roller and create cigars on the spot. Even if the groom isn’t big into cigars or whiskey, he will appreciate the meaning and tradition behind it.

Masculine Wedding Touch
 

His Accessories

Since accessories like his boutonniere, cufflinks, and dress socks are part of a man’s fashion on the big day, it’s important for these accessories to show his personality and more often than not, his humor! It’s all about letting the man choose his own wedding day accessories! In fact, one of our 2013 weddings wore superhero action figure boutonnieres. That’s correct, you heard me right! Also, in an unforgettable 2011 wedding, we had a groom choose quirky bottle-top cufflinks and socks that made a statement! Doing something as non-traditional as this allows opportunity for the groom’s input in having a unique masculine wedding touch to call his own.

Masculine Wedding Touch

Masculine Wedding Touch

Photo Credit: Jennifer Mayo Studios.

Groom’s Cake

Probably one of the most noticed additions in recent years for an easy and fun masculine wedding touch has been the groom’s cake. This cake should always reflect the groom and either his hobbies or personality. Boy have we seen some awesome ones! The look on the groom’s face when he realized you went the extra mile to get him a special treat is priceless! Check out the awesome (and yummy!) work of Dee’s Specialty Cakes!

Groom's Cakes

 

Reception Accent Color

One of the easiest ways to balance out the feminine vs. masculine feel of the reception is to consider adding a masculine tone accent color. Some of the trending masculine color selections for 2013 are slate, leather, denim, cotton and cognac. Another trend when infusing a masculine wedding touch is adding in a texture with the decor. Adding textures like leather, wood, metal and earthy details adds a perfect touch of sophistication. Check out the masculine color swatch below, what do you think?

Masculine Wedding Touch

 

Since the big day is all about the bride and groom getting married and becoming one, the reception shouldn’t reflect anything different. Infusing masculine wedding touches with feminine will create the balance you’re looking for and reflect the bride and groom perfectly.

 

Want to hear more from 1928 Planning Co.? Contact us!

 

 

Happy planning all!

 

 

❀  Danielle