Oh, hey. Did you or someone you know get engaged over the holiday season? Now that the celebrating has settled, it’s time to start planning. We gathered experts to talk everything wedding and find out what they had to say about the soon-to-be wed’s biggest questions!
Participants:
Ali McPherson
The Cheney Place
www.thecheneyplace.com
Roman Petrack
Executive Chef/Owner at Kangaroo Kitchen
www.kangarookitchengr.com
Andrew Rounds
Owner at Music Host Entertainment
www.musichostentertainment.com
Amanda Elmergreen
Creative Director at Modern Day Collective
moderndaycollective.com
Phern Cain
Wedding Photographer at The Wild Phern
www.thewildphern.com
Lexi Brown
Marketing Manager, Magnolia Bridal
www.magnolia-bridal.com
How can the couple make their wedding day memorable—in a good way—for themselves and the guests?
Andrew: If the couple can get themselves to the dance floor for most of the night, guests will follow. There are a lot of fun and memorable moments that happen on the dance floor.
Phern: Be as present as you possibly can. Weddings can be extremely overwhelming and demanding and the best thing you can do is take a deep breath, savor each happy moment, and make your guests feel seen.
What trends are you seeing in your industry?
Ali: Clients are looking for a venue that is a clean slate so they can add more color to the space. This is with their table linens, table decor, flowers, or bridesmaid colors.
Roman: The couple will want food that is not the normal catering food. They want their dinner to be seen as more of a dinner party.
Andrew: Group photos on the dance floor, sparkler send offs at the end of the night, and private last dances for just the couple.
Lexi: Right now, we are seeing square necklines, leg slits, pearls, and Basque waistlines. With the Spring season quickly approaching, we are sure to see new trends emerge!
Are there any fads that you believe should be avoided?
Ali: Champagne towers during receptions. They always sound like a great idea and are fun for photos, but they are not practical. Champagne ends up on the floor more than the glasses and leaves the largest mess in the room right before dinner starts.
Andrew: Dollar dances.
Amanda: As planners and experienced curators for our beloved clients, we don’t even consider the words “trendy” or “fad” in our planning process. We wish with all our hearts that our couples would make choices for their wedding day that felt truly authentic to them and their life experiences.
When should the newly engaged start looking for vendors or services, and what is your advice for finding the right ones?
Ali: Right now, we are seeing couples book about a year out from their desired timeframe. If clients do not have a specific date, then they still have a bunch of options at that year mark. Previously, venues were booking out at that two year mark, but recently that is not that case.
Andrew: 6–12 months for DJ services. Do your research and read reviews and lean on the venues for their guidance as well.
Amanda: We recommend booking your vendors in “tiers,” based on how quickly they book up in advance, and how crucial they are to creating the atmosphere and aesthetic of the day you want. The most important vendor you will hire as the springboard to everything else is your wedding and reception venue(s), because it provides the date and location of your wedding day.
Phern: Absolutely take the time to meet with them! Your vendors can make or break your wedding day, and it’s best to not only do your own research, but to also connect with them.
Lexi: It is ideal to say yes to the dress 9–12 months before the wedding to allow time for shipping and professional alterations. We recommend planning as early as possible so couples can also enjoy their engagement, since that is an important part of their relationship too. Finding the right vendors takes research & patience. It helps to utilize local Facebook bride-to-bride groups and ask already hired vendors for recommendations.
What little (or big!) things do couples often forget? Or, what aspects do you wish they thought more about?
Ali: We always remind our clients to think through their timelines. We encourage them to add in time to just take a breather and some time alone. The time flies by so fast that day and taking those moments makes the day feel longer and adds to the memories.
Roman: It’s often the small things, such as a cake box for the top tier of their wedding cake. Or, things like napkin fold or food for guests with dietary needs.
Andrew: Spread your time out evenly through the reception. It’s a balance of dance floor time, bar time, and conversations with guests. Try to get through the conversations earlier in the evening so you have more time to dance with guests.
Lexi: This seems silly, but brides: Hold your bouquet low! Holding it at your waist will hide the top of your dress. Show off that beautiful gown!
How are weddings changing, even from just a few years ago? What’s driving that change and how are you responding?
Ali: Currently, we are seeing micro weddings becoming more popular. As a venue, we are trying to find ways to make our spaces feel more intimate while in a space that can accommodate 300 guests. We have been adding in lounge seating to the open space and having our clients only have 8 guests per table instead of 10.
Andrew: We are seeing a lot of the old formalities fading away. Paired wedding party intros are a thing of the past, cake cuttings are not featured as much, and couples seem to want a streamlined, simplistic approach to their timeline.
Amanda: We are seeing an uptick in digital involvement with a large portion of the communication to wedding guests coming via a wedding website. Most couples are still designing and mailing beautifully classic invitation suites, but opting for RSVP returns to be made via the website.
Lexi: I think COVID brought true intimacy back into weddings. Many couples scaled back to smaller, simpler, and more intimate weddings during that time. We are seeing a continuation post-COVID as people realize the true meaning behind a wedding: The marriage. Brides are still wanting and deserving to feel beautiful in a gown.
What is the single biggest thing you want the couple to consider in their wedding plans when it comes to your industry specifically?
Ali: Have your whole wedding day at one location! The couple can still go off-site to take photos during the day, but once the ceremony starts, everything is in one spot. Our venue specifically, the clients can get ready, do their ceremony, their cocktail hour, and their reception all without leaving the venue.
Roman: To provide a meal that their guests are going to remember. It is always nice for the couple to still receive compliments long after their wedding. And guests will often mention the food as one of the main things that was great about the reception. Yes, it’s their special day, but it is also nice for them to receive compliments on the things their guests enjoyed.
Andrew: Allow your DJ to manage the timeline tasks for you and do your best to maximize your time on the dance floor. That’s why you hired a DJ to begin with.
Amanda: We recommend shortly after enjoying the celebration of their engagement that couples have the critical budget conversation. Spending a concerted amount of time on allocating the budget will give couples the information to discern where their priorities should be along the planning process.
Phern: Raising your budget for photography. The photos are what you walk away with and get to keep for the decades of your marriage. A good photographer can make a $15k wedding look like a $40k wedding, and a bad photographer can make a $250k wedding look like a $15k wedding.
Lexi: Brides should look into shops prior to booking appointments. It’s important to find the right fit in terms of experience, timeline, size inclusivity, style, and budget. Having a good idea of what each shop has to offer before shopping will make the most of her time spent finding the dress.
