How to address wedding invitations

Read this article we found:

(Real Simple) -- You may have finalized the guest list, but that doesn't mean your wedding work is done. (But you're so close!) Sending the invitations sounds like a hassle-free to-do (off to the calligrapher they go!), but now's not the time to slack off.

To make sure those formal invitations are addressed properly, we turned to Anna Post, author of "Emily Post's Etiquette, 18th edition," for her expert advice. Consult this trusty guide before putting anything in writing.

All calligraphy done by Laura Hooper Calligraphy.

Married Couple

In this case, it is proper to use Mr. and Mrs. Dean Wooley. Spell out the husband's first name. If you decide to include the husband's middle name, it should be spelled out, not abbreviated as an initial.

Single Female

In the case of a single female guest, it is proper to use Ms. if she is over age 16 or 18. If she is younger, than Miss is the acceptable choice.

Hyphenated Last Name

In the case of a wife who has chosen to hyphenate her last name, then she should be addressed using Ms. (Mrs. is also acceptable) + her first name + maiden name + married name: Mr. David Crosby and Ms. Lynn Carter-Crosby.

Unmarried Couple Living Together

The word "and" was once used to represent a marriage, a union. This rule no longer applies. In the case of a couple who is living together, address the male first, followed by the female: Mr. Luke Davis and Ms. Mary Carter.

Divorced Female Who Kept Her Married Name

After a divorce, a woman might keep her married name. In this instance, it is okay to use Mrs. or Ms. to address the guest and use her first name (spelled out). It is often best to find out what she prefers to go by.

Same Sex Couple

In this case, it is totally acceptable to put either guest first. If you can't decide, address them in alphabetical order.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/06/living/matrimony-how-to-address-wedding-invitations/

The Latest Wedding Invitation Trends

Are you planning a wedding in 2014? If so, it is time to start thinking about wedding invitation design.  Many engaged couples use the wedding invite as a way to express their creativity.  Some choose to go traditional while other choose to go with elaborate designs and bold colors.  Neutral tones are the best choice for the traditional couple.  These will give your invitation an elegant feel while not straying far from tradition.  With a neutral color palette you can go a little bit crazier with fonts or patterns.

As one of the best wedding planners in Los Angeles, I know first hand how important wedding invitations are.  Read more about this on my blog.

http://www.myelitewedding.com/blog/one-of-the-most-successful-wedding-planners-in-los-angeles-discusses-the-hottest-wedding-invitation-trends/

How to Attract Men: Tips on What Men Want Book Review

Th new Ebook on Amazon: How to Attract Men: Tips on What Men Want is one I just got done reading

how to attrac men

How to Attract Men: Tips on What Men Want Book Review

Th new Ebook on Amazon: How to Attract Men: Tips on What Men Want is one I just got done reading

How to Read Body Language Book

This book on how to read body language on Amazon is a great and simple read. Check out the link here:

http://www.amazon.com/Read-Body-Language-Audrey-Smith/dp/1480206415

If you want to sharper your skills on how to read body language I highly recommend reading this book.

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how to read body language book

How to Lose Belly Fat Naturally Book

How to Lose Belly Fat Naturally Book review--Are you looking to lose belly fat? Look no further. This new book on Amazon gives great advice on losing belly fat the healthy way (http://www.amazon.com/How-Lose-Belly-Fat-Naturally/dp/1475242182).

With so many crash and fad diets out there, how do you know what will work? Luckily, this book is full of useful information that will help you create the best diet plan uniquely tailored to your needs.

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How to Attract Men Book Review

On Amazon I foudn the How to attract men: Tips on what men want book here: http://www.amazon.com/How-Attract-Men-Tips-What-ebook/dp/B007E3SNLY And I must say it was really cool to learn the psychology of how men and women think.

Plus learning about how to attract the right kind of man and how to treat him so he stays around was eye opening for me because it is very simple yet very overlooked the advice that this book gives.

Overall thumbs up!

how to attract men book

What do Dreams Mean? Dream Book

What do dreams mean- A Dream Book on How to Interpret Dreams book review--Dreams are the only way that your subconscious communicates. When you go to sleep your brain awakens. This book called, "What do Dreams Mean," (http://www.amazon.com/What-Do-Dreams-Mean-Interpret/dp/1475170270/) gives numerous examples of dream sequences that could mean something.

There are chapters on dream symbols, the history of dream interpretation, etc.

This book is a must read if you are looking to understand your dreams.

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dream book

How to Play Poker -for Beginners

Book review: How to play poker by Troy Smith--Poker can be a confusing game if you have never played it. It isn't easily taught, and can be tricky. This book called, "How to Play Poker," gives simple instructions on how to play a successful game http://www.amazon.com/How-Play-Poker-Troy-Smith/dp/1479196282).

"How to Play Poker," covers everything from the suits of the cards to winning the most money.

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If there is any kind of difficulties, the recording is also on offer at this website

How to Plan a Wedding

How to Plan a Wedding Book Review: This informative book will give you advice on all aspects of the wedding planning process (http://www.amazon.com/How-To-Plan-Wedding-ebook/dp/B008JFM0UQ).

Decisions like budget, the wedding venue, vows, the wedding ring, flowers, etc. can be difficult to make. An engaged couple should discuss options together and then choose which option is best for them. There are many chapters in this book, "How to Plan a Wedding," that focus on specific decisions that need to be made. The information given can be used to guide you through your wedding planning process from beginning to end.

tags - wedding planning, planning a wedding, wedding plans, how to plan a wedding, the wedding planning process

Kickbacks: What Wedding Planners, Vendors and Clients Should Know

Read this article we found about vendor commissions:

UPDATE (in response to some people saying we are giving wedding planners a bad name): Not all wedding planners operate in the way described below. We own a wedding planning business and have chosen not to accept commissions. You may disagree and that is okay. We would love to hear your thoughts about the subject either way!

The other day I was talking to a wedding professional that had been contacted by a wedding planner.  The wedding planner wanted them to meet their client to discuss their product/service.  The wedding professional met with the client and later received a phone call from the wedding planner.  The planner asked “What will my commission be?” to which the wedding professional replied “Commission, what are you talking about?”  The planner replied, “Well, I referred the client to you and so I want to know what you will be paying me for the referral?  I “earn” a commission from all of the event professionals that I work with.”  Much to the wedding professional’s dismay, the wedding planner was NOT joking.  They wanted to get paid.  The wedding planner made it very clear that if the wedding professional did not pay them for the referral, their client would not be working with them.  The wedding professional was angry and shocked and decided not to work with the client or the wedding professional.  (YAY!  I was so proud of the wedding professional for standing up for what they believed in and not giving in to the planner!)

So in case you are unaware, here are the facts:

There are some wedding planners (and a lot more than I originally thought) that charge wedding professionals/vendors a fee for referring clients to them.  Here is usually how it works with these planners that accept a kickback (also often referred to as a commission or a referral fee):

1.  Client hires Wedding Planner. (For example, Client pays Wedding Planner $7000.)

2.  Wedding Planner refers Wedding Professional/Vendor to Client.  (Wedding Planner refers Client to Photographer, who they often refer for their events.)

3.  Client hires Wedding Professional.  (Client hires Photographer.)  Client may not (and usually does not) know that Wedding Planner accepts money from Wedding Professional for referring them.  It is either a flat fee or a percentage of the amount received by the Client. (Photographer pays Wedding Planner a fee of $500 for referring them.)

4.  Usually, the Wedding Professional will charge the Client a higher fee to cover the fee (the kickback) they have to pay to the Wedding Planner.  (Photographer charges Client $6500 instead of their “regular” package price of $6000.)

5.  Sometimes, as in this case, the Wedding Professional does not know about the kickback prior to meeting with the Client and quotes them their regular package price.  If the Client books them, they have to pay the fee out of their “own pocket.” (Photographer meets with Client and doesn’t know that Wedding Planner will demand a kickback so Photographer quotes the Client $6000, the regular package price.  Client books and now Wedding Planner demands that Photographer pay $500 to them for the referral.  Photographer now has to take $500 from the $6000 they received from Client and pay it to Wedding Planner and therefore, they only get $5500 from the sale.  Photographer has now cut into their profit from the sale.)

http://www.outstanding-occasions.com/business/2010/06/kickbacks-what-wedding-planners-vendors-and-clients-should-know/

Wedding Vendors and Commissions

Most wedding planner has certain vendors that they like to recommend to clients.  This is a good thing usually because they might provide discounts or have good deals.  Sometimes these wedding planners charge a commission from the vendors for getting them business, which could be a bad thing.  It is hard to tell if wedding planners are recommending vendors for their excellent quality, or because they are getting paid off.  

http://www.myelitewedding.com/blog/should-wedding-planners-accept-kickbacks-or-commission-from-vendors-2/

Kickbacks and Commissions in the Wedding Industry

We found this interesting article about kickbacks for wedding vendors.  Read here:

Preston Bailey did a blog post yesterday on transparency and vendor kickbacks and fees and it prompted me to pull out a post I have had sitting in drafts for a while.

It is a dirty little secret of the industry that some planners charge kickbacks to vendors in order to recommend them.  It is more common in cities on the coast but it is certainly happening here in Columbus as well.

This is long so click below to read more….

So, here is how it works – a planner charges a lower fee to a couple (usually WELL below market value) and then the planner shakes down vendors for kickbacks and referral fees.  They will then push those vendors that are willing to pay the kickbacks onto couples whether they are a good fit for the couple or not.

Let’s be honest here – this sucks.

A professional wedding planner charges a fee to the couple and then represents them and their best interests during the planning.  In my opinion, a professional planner should not take kickbacks or commissions from vendors for recommending them.  If they do, you have to ask is the couple getting the best fit for them in the recommendations or the best fit for this planner’s bottom line?  And in the end where does the planner’s loyalty lie?  If they are taking money from people other than their client – their loyalty isn’t with their client and it becomes a huge conflict of interest.

Beyond dealing with a dishonest planner, there is another reason this is a bad idea for you as a bride or groom.  It will likely cost you money and/or quality of service from the vendor.

Consider this scenario – Mr. Photographer charges $3000 for their most popular package.  Most business people know that they are going to need to work with a certain number of clients at a certain price to make a living.  If Mr. Photographer usually books 25 weddings a year at $3000, he will make $75,000 gross.  Take out at least 1/3 for taxes, at least another 1/3 for camera equipment and studio rental and albums and prints and other general business costs and he is likely taking home less than $25,000 a year.  Also, only shooting 25 weddings a year allows him to meet with each couple and really get to know them through meetings and engagement shoots, allows him to edit every picture to perfection and means he averages about a 1 month turn around time on pictures.

So, Kickback Planner (KBP from here on out) comes along and says, I need 15% of your fee to recommend you.  If Mr. Photographer agrees and KBP’s clients book him, Mr. Photographer is only going to make $2550 on that wedding.  Now, let’s say that KBP brings him 15 weddings out of the 25 he normally books.  His gross profit drops to $68,250 for doing exactly the same amount of work! Heck of a pay cut for doing nothing different, huh?

Mr. Photographer now has two choices: figure out how to live on less money and have fewer expenses or find a way to make more money.

Read the rest of the article:

http://blog.emilieduncan.net/kickbacks-and-commissions-in-the-wedding-industry

FAQS: THE TOP 10 REASONS TO HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER

Check out this blog post we found! Read and enjoy.

TOP 10 REASONS
TO HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER 

10. PAPER-PUSHER

Planning a wedding is not always as fun as it sounds. Much of it involves coordinating back-and-forth correspondence that (trust me) you want nothing to do with. Your wedding planner will make sure all the contracts, estimates, invoices, and payments get signed and delivered to the right place at the right time.

9. DECISION-MAKER

Planning a wedding involves a lot of decision-making. And with so many details to choose between, you’ll need to do it as quickly as possible in order to get keep the process moving along in a timely manner. When you and your groom find yourselves struggling to make up your mind (and you will), you’ll be thankful for someone to help you weigh the pros and cons.

8. ETIQUETTE EXPERT

Etiquette is a huge part of any wedding, but especially traditional ones. Your wedding planner has the knowledge and experience to advise you and your family on everything from addressing invitations to DEALING WITH UNINVITED GUESTS.

7. CONFLICT-BUFFER

Weddings make everyone go a little crazy – it’s just a fact.  It’s your wedding planner’s job to help avoid unnecessary conflicts by minimizing stress for you and your family. But if you and your mom do get into a spat over table linens (sounds crazy – is not), she’ll know just what to say to smooth things over.

6. CRISIS-AVERTER

The last thing you want to hear about on your big day is a vendor who’s running late – so delegate the disaster to your wedding planner. She’s a pro at solving last-minute problems without panicking, and you can bet she’ll have a back-up plan in place just in case.

5. BUDGET ADVISOR

Many people think hiring a wedding planner is only for couples who have tons of money to spend on their big day. It’s just not true! Budget brides can benefit from hiring one, too. Making the investment to enlist someone’s help will actually save you money in the long run, because they know where the deals are (or how to get them).

Your wedding planner will also be able to help you manage your budget – she’ll advise you on what percentage of it you should expect to spend where, and ensure you spend your money exactly where you want to (i.e., more on the band than on the photographer, if that’s your thing).

4. CREATIVE DESIGNER

By the time you’ve hired a wedding planner, chances are you’ll have a theme in mind and a good idea of what colors you want to incorporate. But it’s your wedding planner’s job to offer creative ideas and inspiration that will take it to the next level. She’ll come up with options you hadn’t thought of or didn’t even know existed, ensuring your personality is infused into every detail (and there will be many, many details).

3. VENDOR-SCHMOOZER

Your wedding planner has relationships with tons of vendors, which gives her the advantage of knowing which are amazing and which are terrible. She’ll be able to recommend the ones who are right for your budget and will take great care in making sure your vision is executed just as you imagined.

And it’s her responsibility to deal with vendors for all the not-so-fun stuff – like contract negotiation, appointment scheduling, and payment delivery – so you can just show up and look at all the pretty flower mock-ups!

2. PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER

Planning a wedding requires organizational skills that surpass even that of the overachiever you went to high school with – whom you always suspected had mild OCD. Your wedding planner will have a plan in place every step of the way, documented in the form of checklists, appointment schedules, itineraries, and minute-by-minute timelines. They’re probably color-coded, too.

1. SANITY-SAVER

Most importantly, hiring a wedding planner will avoid a ridiculous amount of stress. The process of planning your wedding should be fun and enjoyable, and it most certainly won’t be if you’re left managing the logistics. You probably do enough of that in your job.

On the morning of your wedding day, you should be relaxing with your bridesmaids, sipping champagne, and thinking about just one thing: marrying your best friend.

http://jordanmcbride.com/faqs-the-top-10-reasons-to-hire-a-wedding-planner/

What Benefits are Included When Hiring a Wedding Planner?

Being the most populated city, Los Angeles is a sought out wedding destination for many couples across the United States.  Weddings are one of the biggest occasions in a person's life, but planning them can be exhausting and stressful.  Luckily, there are many wedding planners in Los Angeles that offer packages and cost effective solutions.  If you want to make sure that every detail of your wedding is organized, you must hire a wedding planner.  

http://www.myelitewedding.com/blog/how-will-a-wedding-planner-in-los-angeles-benefit-my-wedding/

Wedding Planners and Their Responsibilites

check out this article that we found!

Wedding planners, also known as coordinators and event planners, quite simply help you organize your big day. But what they actually do can vary greatly.

The Duties of Wedding Planners

Typically, wedding planners start off by meeting with the couple to:

• understand the events – not just the wedding day itself, but also the rehearsal dinner, bridesmaid teas, day after brunches, and any other related events. 
• review the overall budget
• understand the style, colors, vibe, and taste of the couple 
• discuss progress to date

They'll then propose how they might be helpful and present the couple with a contract for the wedding planners' services. Probably they will be a combination of some of the below, depending on your needs and budget: 

Organizational Queens 
Even if you're newly engaged, you're probably realizing that this process includes many many details that require you to be organized, stick to a budget, and stay on schedule. So even if you are a well organized person, you'll want to make sure that your wedding planners are not only on top of things, but that they'll help you stay on top of things. They'll

• create and review vendor contracts
• organize your wedding day timeline
• coordinate vendor arrivals and deliveries with your venues
• prevent expensive mistakes such as rush shipping charges or unnecessary changes
• remind you of obligations, appointments, and budget constraints

Style Mavens
For those of you who are looking at bridal magazines, but worry you don't have the aesthetic eye to pull it off, look for wedding planners who are designers. They can

• give you ideas, and tell you about current trends
• help pull together any disjointed elements, and create a unified "look"
• see and add details you might have missed
• coordinate the florist, caterer, printers, invitation companies, graphic designers and any other aesthetic vendors
• help you choose bridesmaid dresses and other wedding party attire, your bridal gown and/or groom's wear
• find coordinating and stylish favors
• design your tables, lighting and other visual details.

Peace Makers
If you're constantly arguing with your parents, or with each other, wedding planners can use their negotiating skills to create peace. Whether it's talking to the mother-of-the-groom about the blood red dress she wants to wear, or helping to mediate budget disagreements, and saving you from etiquette snafus, wedding planners can be invaluable. 

Vendor Resources
Experienced wedding planners have a rolodex of contacts in the biz, so they may be able to find you that reception venue with the perfect view, or the one caterer who will work with small budgets. They may also be able to pull in favors to get discounts or freebies. 

Day-of-Wedding Coordinators 
On your wedding day, you're going to be pulled in a million directions. Old friends will want to say hello, you'll want to relax and get ready, and people will be asking you far too many questions. And that's just before the ceremony starts. Wedding planners can help you avoid the chaos by

• meeting vendors and deliveries, and handling any no-shows
• solving other last-minute emergencies
• running the rehearsal
• setting up the ceremony and reception spaces
• making sure that the wedding party is on time and in the right places
• coordinating the reception timeline
• dealing with wedding crashers and unruly guests
• ensuring that the space is left clean and that you'll get your deposits back
• collecting personal items wedding gifts and making sure they get back to you safely.
• returning rentals and borrowed items.

Most wedding planners will handle these tasks, but it is possible to hire people just for these tasks. Though they're called "day-of" coordinators, you should meet with them at least a month in advance, and they should start confirming with vendors at least a few days before the event. 

Full-scale wedding planners for big budget brides

These are the wedding planners that you see on TV. They do everything -- creating a lavish event to impress and handling all the details while the happy couple just gets to enjoy the whole event.

Things to Watch Out for With Wedding Planners

• First and foremost, you need wedding planners who are easy to contact and responsive to your needs. If they don't return your calls promptly or don't seem organized, look elsewhere.
• Beware of wedding planners who are getting kickbacks for recommending certain vendors – make sure you are hearing about vendors who are right for you, and not just those who have a hand in the wedding planners' pockets.
• Make sure that you like their taste and style – you want your big day to look like you, not like your wedding planners.
• Like any vendor, you'll want to have a clear contract with your wedding planners that spells out their duties, costs and expenses, and deposits and payment schedules. Make sure there are clauses that spell out how increased duties and costs will be negotiated, and what happens if they fail to meet obligations or you want to cancel the contract. 
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• http://weddings.about.com/od/gettingstarted/a/weddingplanners.htm

What Does a Wedding Planner Do?

In such a competitive city, wedding planners in Los Angeles have a lot to prove. The main goal of an established wedding planner to make the engaged couple feel at ease with their wedding plans, and give them confidence that their wedding will be a success. Wedding planners are and must be extremely organized a professional. They also must have the ability to predict the clients needs and satisfy them.

 http://www.myelitewedding.com/blog/what-do-wedding-planners-do-exactly/

Money Saving Tip: Hire a wedding planner

we found this list of money saving tips for your wedding!

One of the most overlooked and misunderstood money saving tactics for your wedding is to hire a wedding planner. When your wedding budget is already stretched thin, it hardly makes sense to add another line to your budget to have somebody coordinate something you can handle on your own. However, what many couples don’t know is that working with a wedding planner can actually save you a significant amount of money — and at the same time take away the stresses that go along with planning a wedding, so you can focus on the fun part!

http://www.eleganceandenchantment.com/money-saving-tip-12-hire-a-wedding-planner/

Saving Money With a Wedding Planner

Planning your wedding can become very costly.  There is a certain kind of flair and glamour in today's wedding ceremonies and receptions.  A wedding planner can facilitate the planning process and make it a successful wedding.  A wedding planner can tell you which venders have the best prices, and also might get you an additional discount due to their relationship with a vender. 

http://www.myelitewedding.com/blog/will-wedding-planners-in-los-angeles-be-able-to-save-me-money/

The Benefits of Having a "Day Of" Wedding Coordinator

Read this interesting article about wedding coordinators:

Have you considered the "day of" wedding coordinator? If you have planned out the majority of your wedding, a "day of" coordinator will serve as your total relief on your wedding day by tying up loose ends and finalizing dates and times with all vendors involved. Contrary to popular belief, a "day of" coordinator actually enters into the wedding planning during the final month of preparation.There are a lot of details to worry about on your wedding day, so why not let a coordinator worry about the details instead of you? During the month leading up to your big day the coordinator will make sure that all contracts have been signed with all vendors, ensure that everything from the flower girl's dress to your dress will be ready, confirm the final itinerary with you and all of your vendors and, most important of all, take the stress off of you! The "day of" ceremony services include making sure the flowers, decorators, cake, photographer, limousine and entertainment all arrive when they are supposed to, provide coordination for the ceremony so that it runs smoothly, acting as crowd control in between the ceremony and reception, and making sure that everything is taken care of so that you do not have to.As you can see, the major benefit of having a "day of" coordinator is total relaxation. Wedding coordinators take pride in taking the weight off of your shoulders on your wedding day. That is what we live and breathe to do. Consider having a "day of" coordinator for your wedding day. Because, after all, don't you deserve to have maximum relaxation on your special day?

http://www.wedplan.net/articles/270/

Organizing You Wedding Plans Is A Must

All aspects of your wedding should be carefully organized and planned.  Doing so will guarantee the success of your wedding.  Luckily there are many wedding planners, and wedding planning companies that will do this for you.  These wedding planners will take all stress away from you, and allow you to enjoy more time with your fiance and other things leading up to you wedding.  

http://www.myelitewedding.com/blog/kim-ruha-a-los-angeles-wedding-planner-explains-how-organization-is-key-to-a-successful-wedding/

Tips for Choosing the Perfect Wedding Planner

We found this awesome article about choosing a wedding planner.  Hope it helps!

Preparing for your wedding is one of the most exciting times you will share together as a couple. Unfortunately, it is also one of the more stressful times in a young couples life together. Planning for the ceremony, inviting guests, choosing a best man, picking ushers and brides maids; the list of things to do seems never ending. In addition to all of the personal decisions to be made, you need to select a venue, hire a caterer, hire a florist, decorate; it’s another seemingly endless list. But with the help of a professional wedding planner, you can eliminate much of the stress that accompanies planning a wedding. But how do you know the wedding planner you choose will be able to fully meet your expectations? The following tips will help make choosing the right wedding planner a little easier, and will help ensure that you find the wedding coordinator that can offer the best service.

Weddings Begin With Choices

Of course all weddings bring a flurry of choices, and certain decisions have to be made early. When considering a professional wedding planner, the first choice is what type of service you need. Full service wedding planners are ready to handle every detail of your wedding and reception, including hiring a venue, decorating, contracting with florists and caterers, and generally looking after every detail of your big day. Many wedding planners also offer partial services, or “day of” coordination. These services are designed to help couples find an appropriate venue, and contract with the various vendors that will be needed for the wedding. Partial services can save couples a little money, but by their nature still leave most of the heavy work to the bride and groom. In the long run, a full service wedding planner can save both time and money, and can certainly lessen the stress load.

Interviewing Your Wedding Planner

Before choosing any wedding coordinator, you’ll want to set up some interviews. Not all wedding planners are created equal, so give yourself some time to speak with a few different coordinators and compare costs and services. The first question to ask any prospective wedding planner, is where they were trained in the profession. Not all wedding planners have had professional training, and you want to be sure you choose someone who is well trained and experienced in their field. You will also want to ask how long they have been working in the industry, and what types of weddings they have organized in the past. A good wedding planner should be able to provide a work history that gives you confidence in their skills, and should also be able to provide recommendations from past satisfied clients.

As you interview potential wedding planners, be sure to ask what level of service they provide. A good wedding planner should be able to handle all of the details of your wedding, from venue to décor to catering. Successful wedding planners should be able to take your initial ideas, and enhance them with concepts of their own. They should be quick with suggestions to make your wedding more beautiful, more personal, and all that you both dreamed it could be.

Total Cost and Your Budget

While consulting with your wedding planner, be sure they understand all of your budgetary restrictions. Being able to work within a set budget is an important part of being a wedding planner, and they should be able to make suggestions that can save you money while providing first class service on the day. A good wedding coordinator will have contacts with a variety of vendors and caterers so that they can provide the best service at the best price for all of their clients.

Finally, ask about what will be covered in the total cost. Will the vendor’s and caterer’s fees be included in the total cost, or will they be paid separately. This applies to any support staff required prior to, and on the day of, the wedding as well. Confirm when payment is due, and what forms of payment will be accepted.

Hiring a wedding planner can help to take much of the stress out of planning your wedding. When choosing a wedding planner, look for someone that understands what you want on your wedding day. Choose someone you are comfortable with, who will work closely with you and who is committed to bringing your dream wedding to life.

http://www.belvederebanquets.com/tips-for-choosing-the-perfect-wedding-planner/

The Best Way to Find A Wedding Planner

Many difficult decision go into planning a successful wedding.  It is a challenge for only two people (the bride and groom) to handle everything in regards to the wedding.  Many couples look to hire wedding planners, but the task of picking a wedding planner can be just as overwhelming as the wedding plans themselves.  Although stressful in choosing a wedding planner, once hired they will take the stress away by coordinating everything for you.

http://www.myelitewedding.com/blog/what-is-the-best-way-to-find-a-wedding-planner/

How To Know If Your Wedding Planner Charges Reasonable Fees

How much is a reasonable charge?  Some wedding planners charge a percentage of the total cost of the wedding and others charge per hour.  The percentage of the total cost should be about 10 to 15%.  It is important to incorporate your wedding planner fees in your budget from the beginning of your planning.  

http://www.myelitewedding.com/blog/what-are-reasonable-fees-to-pay-your-wedding-planner-that-all-depends/

How Much Do Wedding Planners Cost?

we found this article for you to read about wedding planner costs!

Wedding planners can be invaluable vendors for the busy bride and groom, but many worry that they are expensive and unaffordable. The truth is that the cost of wedding planners vary widely, and most couples can afford to hire someone to help them with at least a portion of their big event.

• Full-scale Wedding Planners handle things from beginning to end, designing the look and feel, keep things organized, find and manage vendors, and coordinate everything on the actual day. They might attend meetings without you, make decisions on your behalf, and find many ways to make things easier for you. They charge between 10% and 20% of your total budget, depending on their experience and the size and scope of your event.
  
• Day-Of Wedding Planners make sure your wedding day goes smoothly, create timelines, confirm vendors, and coordinate all details on the actual day. They typically charge a flat fee between $500 and $2000, depending on their experience, the size and scope of your event, and the prevailing costs in your local area.
  
• Coordinators and Consultants Most couples are looking for wedding planners that do more than a day-of-coordinator but don't cost as much as the full-service couture event designers. The wedding planners that most hire will help you get organized, create budgets, schedules and timelines, give advice, and help avoid pitfalls. But make no mistake - you'll still be responsible for a fair amount of the work. You'll make phone calls and send emails, find vendors, attend meetings – sometimes on your own, and make hard decisions. These wedding planners typically charge between 5% and 15% of your total wedding budget.

Before you hire anyone or sign a contract, make sure you understand more about what different kinds of wedding planners do.

http://weddings.about.com/od/weddingplanners/a/weddingplannerscost.htm

Fall Wedding Trends

Read this article on Fall Wedding Trends:

Summer is coming to an end and fall is right around the corner, but we're not sad to see it go -- there are some great wedding trends to look forward to next season!

Designer Melissa Sweet stopped by HuffPost Live this week to discuss the biggest fall wedding dress trends. Sweet noted that short dresses, illusion necklines and deeper shades of ivory are emerging as leading trends, and that dramatic backs -- one of thebiggest trends on the spring bridal runways -- will continue to be popular next season.

"You hope your photographer gets a picture of you from the back -- the right shot. You want that for your album," Sweet said.

Watch the video above for more on the hottest dress trends (and click here to see the full segment), then click through the slideshow below for more fall wedding dress ideas.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/09/fall-wedding_n_3733256.html

Wedding Planner Pros and Cons

Every engaged couple looks forward to their big day, but the weeks and months leading up to that day can be extremely stressful.  There are a million things that need to planned and thought about before the happy couple can relax.  This is where a wedding planner can become very handy.  

http://www.myelitewedding.com/blog/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-hiring-a-wedding-planner/

TOP 10 REASONS TO HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER

Read this article on why you should hire a wedding planner:

10. SAVES TIME – Planning wedding takes enormous amount of time. In fact, the average couple spends well over 200 hours planning their special day. A good wedding planner will save you time and energy by researching vendors, taking care of the many, many details, and coming up with various creative ideas to make your wedding amazing!

9. SAVES MONEY – Weddings can be extremely expensive.  However, by hiring a wedding planner, couples can save a great deal of money.  Because wedding planners provide so much business to vendors, they are often able to negotiate discounts for their clients.  Wedding planners are also well-versed at helping couples set budgets and sticking to them.

8. SAVES RELATIONSHIPS – Weddings are very stressful.  This stress often results in many arguments for couples as well as with family members and friends.  Wedding planners have been there time and time again and know how to avoid such problems before they begin as well as act as a buffer when there are conflicts. Wedding planners are also able to take on the responsibilities often assigned to loved ones so that everyone is able to enjoy the wedding.  Remember, you still want a relationship with your mother well after your wedding!

 7. ENSURES DREAMS ARE MADE REALITIES – Most have been dreaming of their wedding day their entire life.  Wedding planners work for the couple and ensure that all desires are met (and often surpassed)!

6.  OFFERS ADVICE – Wedding planners have planned countless weddings and know exactly what works and what doesn’t.  They are also knowledgeable on wedding etiquette.  Furthermore, wedding planners are able to recommend competent vendors, based on personal experience.

5. ACTS AS THE “GO TO PERSON” – The average wedding has at least 22 different vendors.  Combine that with the entire wedding party and all of the guests and that is a lot of people with questions and concerns!  By hiring a wedding planner, couples can simply tell others “talk to the wedding planner!”

4. CREATES SCHEDULES – There are so many events leading up to the big day!  Couple that with the many things that happen during the wedding and who can keep track?  The wedding planner can!  Wedding planners are well-versed at making detailed itineraries for all involved (including other vendors) and making sure that everything happens on time!

3. HANDLES CRISIS – Whether we like it or not, most big events involve crisis.  Who really wants to deal on their wedding day with the bakery not delivering the cake on time or the flower girl throwing a tantrum?  No one!  Wedding planners know how to handle all unforeseen circumstances.

2. ORCHESTRATES FROM REHEARSAL THROUGH THE END OF RECEPTION – Do you want to be responsible for organizing rehearsal or making sure the bridal party is properly lined up?  How about making sure that the guest who had a little too much to drink departs safely?  Wedding planners orchestrate from rehearsal through the end of the reception, ensuring everything goes off without a hitch!

1. MINIMIZES STRESS AND MAXIMIZES FUN! – Hiring a wedding planner ensures that you will have a worry-free and stress-free day, thus, allowing you to enjoy your day like your guests!

http://www.obxcoastalevents.com/top-10.html

Wedding Planners Costs on the Average

In general wedding planner charge 10% to 15% of the total cost of the wedding.  According to ABC News.com, a wedding costs $37, 690 on average in Los Angeles in 2011.  Wedding planners generally charge 10 to 15 percent of the total wedding cost.  In Los Angeles, according to ABC News.com, weddings cost $37,690 on the average in 2011.   If you do the calculations you will find that wedding planner charge about $3,700 to $5,200 on average in Los Angeles.

http://www.myelitewedding.com/blog/how-much-do-wedding-planners-cost-on-the-average/

How Are Wedding Planner Fees Calculated? What Does It Depend On?

Now a days brides can be extremely involved in their wedding plans, or they can be slightly involved and leave most of the planning for their wedding planner.  A few things that a wedding planner needs to consider when calculating an estimate are how many guests will be in attendance, how many aspects the wedding they are responsible for, and whether they will be needed to stage the wedding on the big day.

http://www.myelitewedding.com/blog/how-do-wedding-planners-come-up-with-their-fees-it-all-depends/

Taking Pride in Planning Same-Sex Weddings With Memories By Design

When California legalized same-sex marriages our group quickly took the lead in helping gay and lesbian couples plan for their big day.  Our re-invented wedding ceremony makes watching the bride and groom walk down the isle a special event for same-sex wedding guests.

http://www.myelitewedding.com/blog/memories-by-design-takes-special-pride-in-planning-same-sex-weddings-2/

Wedding Planning As Easy as ABC with Wedding Planners in Los Angeles

Every girl dreams of the perfect wedding day when you walk down that golden aisle, and into the arms of the man you love. However, preparing to walk down the aisle can be stressful to say the least. With all the details that partners have to face, there is a chance that they will miss something. But the good news is, couples can lessen the stress and enjoy tying the knot with the help of wedding consultants. Memories By Design, a professional team of wedding planners in Los Angeles, offers free consultation to brides and grooms-to-be who want to have the perfect wedding – from the ceremony down to the typeface of their place cards. The team works closely with providers who are highly known in organizing different kinds of events here and abroad. Memories By Design understands that couples need more time to prepare themselves emotionally; thus, the team is willing to help them to deal with the nitty-gritty details and make their wedding day an affair to remember.

http://www.myelitewedding.com/blog/los-angeles-wedding-planners-offer-free-consultations-for-couples/