Howerton+Wooten Events Blog. The musings of a Maryland Wedding and Event Planner

Love and Trust

 

"To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved."

-- George MacDonald

 

 

Love and Soul Always, Kay

 

(Photo: SMS Templates)

What "the Maids" could teach you about Wedding Planning

 
I have this "perfect" neighbor.

She looks fantastic every time I see her.

Not just the "I'm so pretty" fantastic.

Well, she looks "pretty" fantastic too, but she also looks "happy" fantastic.

You know what I am talking about?  She looks like everything is just great, and she got her full 8 hours of sleep on a comfy bed.

On top of that, she has a very nice lawn, and her house (even though she has a dog, cat and numerous children) is always clean.

I am ashamed to admit this, but I used to question my abilities when I compared myself to her.

Then, I started working from home, and I found out one of her secrets.

She had help. I took the "covert picture" above of the Maids car in her driveway.  Why?  Because I needed to remind myself to chill out.

So, what does this have to do with wedding planning?

The next time you find yourself comparing your wedding planning to another bride, think of this.

You have no idea what is going on behind closed doors.

She may have a very active fiance or an excellent (ahem) wedding planner or a very helpful mom.  Heck, she may have started planning that wedding WAY BEFORE her fiance gave her an engagement ring.

Whatever it is, stop comparing yourself, and stop worrying about what everyone has finished.  Focus on (and be grateful for) your own blessings.  (That's what I did.)

And, happily plan your wedding at your own pace.

Love and Soul Always, Kay

 

(Photo: Yes, I took this shameful picture of my neighbor's driveway)

Planning Your Year While Planning Your Wedding

It's the new year and you just got engaged.

I bet you are eager to get started with your wedding planning, right?

Not so fast.

Before you get too deep in your wedding planning, consider taking care of some of your "real life" tasks first.

* Medical: Schedule your annual appointments with your primary care physician, your eye doctor, dentist and dermatologist.  Your appointments don't have to take place in January, but you should make sure that they are in your calendar.

* Money: Plan your monthly spending budget now.  I do this myself because it allows me to be financially prepared for each upcoming month.  This will not only give you a sense of your upcoming expenses, it will help you figure out what money you have available for your wedding.

* Work: Let your boss and your HR department know about your wedding date, and your planned honeymoon.  Use this time to make sure that your projects are completed and/or covered.  Your proactive actions will make you look like a super star

* Birthdays:  Purchase birthday, anniversary, and "thinking of you" cards now.  Some web sites allow you to order gifts ahead with a scheduled delivery.  Your loved ones will  be amazed that you had time to think of them in the midst of your wedding planning.l

* Beauty: Stress has been known to take its toll on our skin and hair.  Take some time now to book your weekly, monthly and quarterly salon and spa appointments.

* Home and Auto:  Schedule your home and auto repair and maintenance appointments now.  Many vendors get busy in the spring -- So, you will have a better chance of getting the appointment you want if you book it now.

* Pets:  I have seen more than my share of brides struggle with the care management plan for their pet(s) during the days prior to their wedding day.  Use this month to schedule grooming appointments, appointments with the vet, and your wedding day and honeymoon pet care.

* Your Fiance, Friends and Family:  Schedule some nights out with your friends, dinner with family, and dates with your fiance.  When all of your wedding planning is said and done, you will be a much happier person if you schedule some breaks every now and then.

Love and Soul Always, Kay

When It Comes to Weddings -- Time Really is Money

 
 
Oh believe me.  I get it.  The bride wants to make an entrance.

But understand that your "entrance" can cost you.

When it comes to a wedding, time truly is money.

Here are some scenarios --

Kathleen is 30 minutes late to her floral appointment.  Unfortunately, the florist could no longer meet with Kathleen because she had another appointment scheduled in 30 minutes.  As a result Kathleen will have to take another afternoon off from work to attend her make-up florist appointment -- not to mention the fact that she wasted gas money. As a result, Kathleen lost almost $300 because she was only 30 minutes late.

The Miller/Cox wedding is running 90 minutes late.  As a result, four couples must leave the reception before the wedding cake is served to avoid paying extra fees to their baby sitter.  The wedding cake costs the bride and groom approximately $9 a slice.  Therefore, the couple lost $72 plus tax and delivery fees because they were only 90 minutes late.

Sandy and Bill only had four hours for their afternoon wedding reception.  Unfortunately, Sandy was more than 60 minutes late because she lost track of time.  Sandy and Bill felt as if they barely had a reception, so they decided to extend their reception by one hour.  This required them to pay for that additional hour to the catering staff, the DJ, the photographer, the wedding planner and the venue.  Sandy and Bill paid an additional $2,500 in overtime fees because they were only 60 minutes late.

The bridal party for the Bradley/Smith wedding were already running 30 minutes late, when they realized they left the marriage license at the hotel.  The priest refused to start the ceremony until someone returned with this important document.  As a result the wedding ceremony was delayed almost two hours.  The church had another wedding taking place that day, so the priest had to condense the full mass ceremony into a simple wedding ceremony.  This change in plans cut out the hired soloist's performances. Therefore, the couple lost $250 in fees (plus parking) because they were less than 2 hours late.

The Williams/Good wedding started almost 45 minutes late.  As a result, the bride and groom couldn't take their post-ceremony pictures at the lake located across town.  Why?  The limousine company had another job to attend to, and they wouldn't get there in time if they remained with the couple for another 45 minutes.  This would not have been an issue if the couple was on time.  The couple made up for their lakeside pictures by booking a "rock the dress" session with their photographer the following week.  This new photo session wasn't included in their photography package so they had to pay for the photographer's new time and services.  They also needed to pay for the services of a new make-up artist and the fees for a hair stylist.  As a result, the couple paid almost $1,500 in new fees because they were 45 minutes late on their wedding day.

So, do you get the picture?  When it comes to a wedding day, time truly is money. 

Pad your timeline.  Be punctual.  And, enjoy every moment of your wedding day.

Love and Soul Always, Kay

 

(Photo: Start Up Breaks)

We are in the Same Boat . . .

We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.

-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

 
Let us celebrate his legacy!

Love and Soul Always, Kay

 

(Photo: Soul Brother)

Season of Love

 
Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!

~Hamilton Wright Mabie

 

Love and Soul Always, Kay

(Photo: REUTERS/Konstantin Chernichkin)

Wedding Reading: The Magic of Love

"The Magic of Love," by Helen Steiner Rice

"Love is like magic, and it always will be,

For love still remains life's sweet mystery.

Love works in ways that are wondrous and strange,

And there's nothing in life that love cannot change!

Love can transform the most commonplace

Into beauty and splendor and sweetness and grace.

Love is unselfish, understanding and kind,

For it sees with its heart, and not with its mind.

Love is the answer that everyone seeks;

Love is the language that every heart speaks.

Love can't be bought, it is priceless and free.

Love, like pure magic, is life's sweet mystery!!

Grooms Appreciate Wedding Planners

Very often, we are blessed with kindness and thank you notes from brides, mothers of the bride and mothers of the groom.

But, it really does speak to our heart when the grooms take a moment to tell us how much they appreciate us.  Here are some of our favorite 2010 comments/notes.

*****************************************************************************

At the end of one of our May weddings, the groom said to his bride, "Sheesh, Kay made sure this day was one of the best days of my life!"

The week before our July 17th wedding, John said, "I don't want to sound like Kelly Clarkson, but my life would suck without you."

Right after another July wedding, Cecil said the following to my husband (he's a part of the tear down crew) -- "Chris, you have an amazing wife!"

And, shortly after our final wedding of the season, Amy wrote, " . . . In the beginning, Sean didn't see why we needed a planner.  But, after we left our wedding, he told me that our planner was the best money we spent!"

 

Wow.  I just got goosebumps.  Thanks so much for your kindness guys!

Love and Soul Always, Kay

Warning! Wedding Blogs Can Make You Crazy!

 
Wedding blogs are great. (even if I say so myself).

But, wedding blogs can make you crazy if you let them.

Wedding blogs can be a great source of information.  But you should not let them cripple your decisions.  Do your wedding research, then get "out of your head."  Decide what feels right for you, your wedding day, and your wedding day budget.  Then, make your decision.

Wedding blogs showcase the latest trends.  But you should not worry that your ideas are "outdated."  We are wedding vendors.  We see wedding color combos, candy buffets, and first dances a ton of times each year.  So, some of these things are going to feel "dated" to us.  But, that should not stop you from selecting colors or dances that make you happy.  Your wedding should be a reflection of you -- not the latest trends.

Wedding Blogs are a great source of information.  But, you should not let a blog post make you feel like an idiot.  I know how it feels.  I remember reading a post that made me think, "I cannot do ANYTHING right!"  It's okay.  No one is perfect, and no one is expecting a perfect wedding.  More than likely, this is your first wedding -- so, no one is really expecting you to be an expert.

Wedding Blogs feature some of the MOST gorgeous weddings.  But, you should not feel like you need to spend all of your savings on your wedding day.  Blogs are meant to  inspire you.  So, take the beautiful pictures and the fantastic ideas from the blogs, and do your best to figure out a way to carry out the idea without breaking your bank.

Enjoy your wedding planning, check out your favorite blogs, but don't make the blog your wedding day voice.

Love and Soul Always, Kay

What an Impact!

 
Imagine the impact that we individuals could make by a simple choice.

Where once we had chosen not to love, we now choose to love.

— from Already There