Wedding Advice on Seating Assignments, Wedding Placecards & Escort Cards

“The Most Common Last Minute Mistake: Seating Assignments!”

It happens almost every time.  One of the biggest headaches that we see our couples encounter is the seating assignments.  And rightfully so!  At this point of their wedding planning, couples are tired of planning and are SO ready to be married.  However, seating your guests properly, setting it up so that it is easy for them to find their seats, and display their food choice is extremely important!  Not doing this properly can cause a lot of confusion, upset guests, and push your timeline behind causing the flow to get out of whack.

I wanted to share 3 of the MOST COMMON MISTAKES & ADVICE to make life a little easier for all the couples getting ready to get married out there!

MISTAKES:

1) Seating elderly guests near a door or by the band/DJ speakers: Always keep in mind that elderly guests tend to get colder, so do not seat them by an open door or a drafty place.  They also do not like to be seated near the DJ Speakers or the loudest part of the room.  Seat them further back in a place where it is easier for them to get in and out and is quieter.

2) Setting up the place cards, escort cards, or seating chart by table numbers instead of last name: This is the MOST COMMON mistake!  As wedding planners sometimes we do not get the escort cards until the rehearsal and we see this all the time.  When you set the seating assignments by table numbers, guests have to look at every single card and table in order to find their names and figure out where they are sitting.  This causes everything to be backed up because it takes them so long to figure out where they are sitting.  Instead, you need to list, or set up the cards by last name and in alphabetical order.  That way guests can simply find their last name and look to see what table number or name that they are sitting at.  If you have a wedding coordinator, email her a list of your seating assignments as well, in excel and also by LAST NAME not Table Numbers.  That way he or she can help your guests find their seats easily without looking at every single table number until we find their name.

3) Not putting down a clear food legend when guests have a choice of entree: When couples give guest a choice of food, for example, beef or fish.  They need to provide a clear and easy legend for the servers to see and to set the proper entree down in front of the guests.  The legend can be stickers, crystals, different color or shape placecards.  Which ever the choice, keep in mind that during dinner time the lights are typically dim, so it needs to be big enough so that the servers can see.  Another common issue is with crystals.   They are most commonly used, so if you decide to use different color crystals stay away from pastel colors since the colors are difficult to distinguish from one another when the lights are dim.  If you are using the escort cards also as your place cards, you need to put up a sign to give guest instructions to place their card at their seats so that their servers can see their choice of entree.

For Adorable placecards don’t forget to visit our boutique! Le Chic Wedding Boutique!

“The Truth Behind A “DAY OF” Coordinator, Becareful What You Wish For”

First of all, Congratulations on all the newly-engaged! You are about enter the exciting world of all things weddings! And for those that are tying up the loose ends, your blissful day is coming soon! Where ever you are in the process, this may help you figure out which areas you need help with! I always get asked, “Do you do “Day Of”? There is a lot of confusion around what that really means. Do you mean, will I be there the day of the wedding? Yes, but is that all i do? The answer is No.  Can you hire me just to “show up” on your wedding day? No. With so many resources online & offline (wedding forums, blogs, magazines, and just -married friends) it has talented DIY brides bee-lining for “Day Of” Coordinators.   But do you want to pay someone to just show up on the wedding day?

“Six Smart Wedding Tips from William & Kate”

The Royal wedding fever is officially on around the whole world.  Having been called the wedding of the century, I’m sure there will be some major wedding trends that will be impacted by the Royal Wedding.  I am so excited to see Kate’s dress, in my mind I have a vision of it, but can’t wait to see what it actually looks like.  I know that no one would think of getting any “budget” tips from the Royal Wedding, but you’ll be quite surprised!  I found this article on the Wall Street Journal that I wanted to share.  These are awesome wedding tips!

P.S.  Wynn just got interviewed on “How to Create your own Royal Wedding” on NBC San Diego! We will post links as soon as we get it!

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

By BRETT ARENDS

You don’t usually look to Britain’s royal family for smart money-saving tips. Let’s face it. They’re hardly the brightest jewels in the jewelry box. And most of the time they’re about 100 years out of date.

But let’s give Prince William and Kate Middleton their due. If you’re planning your own big day, you could pick up some useful tips from the royal couple. Here are six.

1. Don’t waste money on an engagement ring.

The world’s top groom just gave the world’s most envied bride a second hand ring.

Or, to put it another way: Royal Air Force flight lieutenant William Windsor just provided bridegrooms everywhere with air cover.

“I think a lot of grooms are going to be digging around in their mothers’ jewelry boxes for hand-me-down rings,” says Carley Romey, editor in chief of weddings website TheKnot.

How much did William and Kate save?

Tying the knot soon? Brett Arends has some tips for an economical wedding from an unlikely source: Prince William and Kate Middleton.

According to the latest survey by TheKnot, the average bridegroom spent $5,400 on an engagement ring last year. Admittedly, this survey only covers those couples which hired a professional vendor for their wedding, so the sample is skewed towards the bigger spenders. But the figure’s not totally out of touch with reality.

Talk to any young couple today. It’s become a competition.

The wedding-industrial complex, and most especially the jewelry industry, likes to tell grooms that they should spend “six weeks’” or even “two months’ salary” on a rock.

Prince William works as a search and rescue pilot for Britain’s Royal Air Force, where he is a flight lieutenant. Her Majesty’s Ministry of Defence (sic) tells me the prince’s annual salary is between 37,000 and 44,000 British pounds. On a purchasing-power basis that’s the equivalent of between $47,000 and $56,000 a year.

In addition he gets an undisclosed income from his father’s estate, the Duchy of Cornwall.

If he spent two months’ of his flight lieutenant’s salary on a ring, it would have cost him between $7,800 and $9,300 on the rock. Even if he only spent six weeks’, we’re talking $5,400 to $6,500.

If he spent two months or six weeks of his full income, including his royal stipend, the sum would be a lot more.

Instead he pulled a smart trick. He gave Kate a ring that was already in his family.

It’s true, maybe he could have chosen something other than that old Dynasty prop. But at least it didn’t cost him a penny.

2. Save on the wedding rings too.

William hasn’t even had to go out and buy Kate a new wedding ring. He’s having one made from a small amount of Welsh gold that was given to the royal family years ago. And he won’t even have to pay for a second ring, as the prince himself won’t wear one.

Okay, so wedding rings aren’t typically a major cost. They’re a lot less than the engagement ring. But gold prices are up 30% in a year and they’ve more than doubled over five years. Platinum’s booming. Even silver has now taken off.

Hey, every bit helps.

3. Don’t get too traditional about the bills.

You know the old rules. The bride’s parents pays for the wedding, no matter what. The groom pays for the honeymoon.

Not anymore.

The groom’s family is picking up most of the tab for this week’s big wedding, for the simple reason that they’re extremely wealthy. Kate Middleton’s parents are pitching in a smaller amount.

They aren’t poor. But they’re hardly in the same financial league as the groom’s family. Does anybody seriously suggest that they should be picking up the tab?

But why do we expect the bride’s parents to do so in other cases where the groom’s family is so much wealthier? It makes no sense.

This wedding “could establish a new world order, where everybody is pitching in equally, or the people who can afford to are pitching in more,” says TheKnot’s Romey.

Prince William won’t be paying for the honeymoon either, according to reports out of London.

“I don’t suppose William is paying for a thing,” a good friend of his late mother’s told me. Buckingham Palace, when I called, declined to comment.

If Prince William can get away with not paying for the honeymoon, other grooms can too.

4. Don’t get hung up on a Saturday.

Why does everybody have to get married on Saturday?

Sure, it’s convenient. Most of your guests already have the day off. But is that it?

Do the math. That venue you really want for your wedding isn’t free on a Saturday until 2037. But it’s free on another day in the week in two months’ time. Why is this such a problem?

So, kudos to William and Kate for breaking with tradition and getting married on a Friday.

“Friday is a less expensive day to get married,” says Romey. Venues are less crowded and cheaper. You may save money on other aspects of the wedding as well. Easy.

5. Have two receptions.

The new couple, like most couples, have a short list of people they want to invite to their wedding. And a long list of people they have to invite.

Consider yourself lucky you just have to invite annoying Uncle Jack. William and Kate have to invite half the world’s dictators, and an unappetizing variety of celebrities.

The solution: Two receptions. A big one in the afternoon, for everyone you have to invite. Then a smaller one in the evening, for those you wanted to invite.

It’s cheaper, too, if you can fob off the first group with champagne and canapés.

6. And stop worrying about the name.

I’m constantly baffled by the amount of time and energy brides put into whether or not the change their names. Really, a name is just a name. You can share your husband’s last name or your father’s. “Your” name is whatever you choose it to be.

Don’t believe me? Look at the royal couple.

I’m not talking about Kate Middleton – although I’m sure she has no problems changing her name to Kate Windsor.

I’m talking about Prince William’s family.

Their family name didn’t use to be Windsor. Until 1917 it was Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. They changed it – you can sort of see why – during the First World War, to sound less Germanic.

(At the time, German Kaiser Wilhelm II sarcastically asked whether Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor was about to be renamed The Merry Wives of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.)

The British royals didn’t get hung up on a last name. Should anyone else?

Advice on Wedding Budget

I’m sure you get asked every single time you contact a vendor, “What’s your budget?”  Although, they do have a good reason to ask you this question, understanding how to come up with the budget for your wedding is very important.  Every magazine article, or online resource I read always put things in perspective of a percentage.  I love online resources, trust me, but it is not able to ask you what your priories are for your wedding and everyone has a different wedding priority.  Some girls want to splurge on their dress, some on flowers, some on video.  It’s different for everyone.  That’s why we help our couples figure out where to distribute the budget, and we educate them on how much stuff really do costs.  Are you getting the bang for your buck? Or a vendor may be on the higher end of the spectrum, but if you love them and their work then maybe it is worth it to you.  I mean, we can always wear shoes from Target or we can wear Christian Louboutins.  The choice is up to you, but you have to compare apples to apples, not an apple to an orange.

Here is our philosophy in regards to managing your wedding budget:

{Budget Planning}

At Le Chic Wedding Consulting we are not a big believer of creating a budget based on percentage. (that’s why we charge a flat fee)  Drawing from your vision and priorities that we discussed at our “the dream” appointment we will create a detailed yet realistic budget.  This will educate you on what you get for the amount of money that you want to spend for each category.  Your consultant will walk you through each category and advise you on options you can make to stay in budget.  Having a budget that you can refer back to allows you to make sound decisions, but remember it’s your wedding and the final decision is ultimately yours if you want to spend more on a certain element of your wedding.

We are wedding experts, this is what we do, so let us help you!

Love,

Wynn

Contact us today: info@lechicweddingconsulting.com

Feathers Wedding Inspiration

Feathers…there is something so romantic about them. The soft airy material softens up just about anything and has gained huge popularity in weddings.  Incorporating feathers in your wedding is still a huge trend, and we don’t anticipate it going anywhere for a long time.  Here are some ways you can incorporate feathers into your wedding:

Feathers for your tablescape:

Photo courtesy of WeddingFlowers.com

Tablescape below by Aileen Tran Florals

This french vintage table design by Aileen incorporates pretty much all of my favorite elements! French, Vintage, Orchids, Peonies, Feathers, Crystals=Love Love Love!

Loving the candy station with the feathers: Designed by Aileen Tran Florals

Incorporate Feathers in your bouquet:

Bouquet below by Aileen Tran Florals

Source: The Knot

Another bouquet from Aileen (I’m just loving her work right now!)

Incorporate feathers into your hair with beautiful hand crafted feather hair accessories from Le Chic Wedding Boutique:

Adorn your hair with these lovelies by visiting www.lechicweddingboutique.com

Enter Promo Code: SM15 and enjoy 15% off the boutique

Peacock Hair Fascinator at Le Chic Wedding Boutique

Abigail Hair Fascinator at Le Chic Wedding Boutique

Sofia Bridal Fascinator at Le Chic Wedding Boutique

Anna Headband from Le Chic Wedding Boutique

Audrey Bridal Fascinator at Le Chic Wedding Boutique

Incorporate Feathers in your bridal clutch:

My favorite clutch! Ostrich Feather Clutch from Le Chic Wedding Boutique

Silk Shantung Rose Clutch from Le Chic Wedding Boutique

Ivory and Black Feather Bridal Clutch from Le Chic Wedding Boutique

Incorporate them in your garter!

Peacock Garter from Le Chic Wedding Boutique

Blue Feather and Black Lace Garter at Le Chic Wedding Boutique

Dress Up Your Aisle with Unique Wedding Accessories {Le Chic Wedding Boutique}

Plan the Perfect Marriage Proposal in San Diego {San Diego Wedding Planner}

To my soon to be grooms {or brides you can secretly get this in the hands of your honey}:

Asking someone to marry you will probably be the most nerve racking thing you’ll ever do.  It’s also the most exciting time, and we know you want it to be perfect!  Take her by surprise by contacting us to help you plan your perfect marriage proposal.  With our expertise and knowledge of all the fun and unique places in San Diego, we’ll make sure she says YES!  The growing trend is to have photographers and videographers document the “scene” that we have carefully designed and coordinated so that you can both watch it and see the pictures after.  A lot of times it’s such a whirl wind moment, that neither one of you will remember what’s going on.

Let us and our team help set the stage for the first step towards saying “I DO”

Contact us today at info@lechicweddingconsulting.com

Love,

Wynn

Le Chic Wedding Consulting

Wedding Garter’s 101: The History of the Toss

Almost every single wedding we do, there is a garter toss on the itinerary, but do you know why?

The garter toss is one of the oldest customs surviving wedding rituals. Commonly at French weddings in the 1500′s it was related to the concept of consummation of the marriage. The bridal party would approach the bride and the groom’s bedroom for proof that the deed was accomplished. They would then take an item of the bride’s clothing for good luck, often the garter used to hold up the bride’s stockings. The groomsman who retrieved the garter would then wear it in his hat for the remainder of the wedding celebration.

During the nineteenth century, as brides and grooms became uncomfortable with visitors in their chambers, the tradition evolved to that of the bride tossing her garter to the groomsmen before the end of the reception.  However, the men would often become violent competing for the garter and would sometimes tear at the bride’s dress or even flip her upside down to take the garter off before she had a chance.  Finally, the ritual changed to include the groom gaining full rights to the garter removal. This protected the bride from potential injury and put the onus on the groom to declare consummation of the marriage.

The Evolution of the Wedding Garter

The wedding garter itself has also changed over time. In the past, the typical garter was white lace. However, garters are now available in a variety of colours and styles, especially for the bride who wants even their garter to complement the décor of the wedding. You can find a great array of garters in those unique colors and styles at Le Chic Wedding Boutique.  Most brides chose to wear a blue garter, in order to include the tradition of wearing “something blue” symbolizing good luck, fidelity and loyalty; symbolism originating from biblical times.  Garters have also evolved in that they are now available in two piece sets. These sets allow a bride to wear both garters on her thigh. The groom removes the less decorative garter to toss and the other, more elaborate garter stays on the bride’s thigh. The remaining garter, also known as the keepsake garter can be saved and boxed with the wedding gown for sentimental purposes.

Even though the wedding garter toss ritual has changed somewhat over time, for some couples the tradition of wearing and tossing the garter is still one of the most anticipated events at a wedding. Conversely, for others who feel this tradition has become outdated, there are other alternatives available.

To find your own stylized garter that matches the theme and decor of your wedding check out these options at Le Chic Wedding Boutique in the “For the Girls” section under “Garters” you will love the abundance of vintage lace, satin, and modern patterns available to you. Let’s help keep the tradition alive!

Shop the Boutique

{Pink Satin Sexy Black Lace Garter Set}

Personalize Your Wedding Vows-Hand Fasting Ceremony {Tips from La Jolla Wedding Planner}

One of the things that I love about Erin & Kevin’s wedding is that they made their wedding ceremony their own.  Although their wedding leans more towards non-denominational, they incorporated a Hand Fasting Ceremony which I absolutely love.  (You can see more pictures of Erin & Kevin’s San Diego wine inspired wedding in our REAL WEDDINGS category).  I love it when I get pictures of photographers catching us in action, because I always get the question, “So…what do you do on the wedding day?”  It’s such a hard question to answer because I don’t want to bore them with a list of all the phone calls, set-up, directing that I do.  To sum it up, we make sure your wedding goes off as smoothly and as flawless as possible and we do whatever it takes in between!

Here is a picture of me setting up the ribbons for their Hand Fasting Ceremony at Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines

Beautiful Chuppah and florals by Kathy Wright & Co.

(Pictures courtesy of KWU weddings)

Excerpt from a example of “Hand Fasting Vows”

Dedication (Blessing) of the Hands

These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.

These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy.

These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, and hold you when fear or grief racks your mind.

These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times.

These are the hands that will give you support and encourage you to chase your dreams. Together, everything you wish for can be realized.

Prepare the cords/ ribbon

Back in earlier years, the hands would be bound with whatever was available – vines, colorful cords, or scarf. Today we will use these cords to symbolize the binding, or promises.

Congratulations to the Newly Engaged! {Tips for the Newly Engaged}

I can feel all the excitement and love in the air now!  Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years is the biggest engagement time of the year!  Well first off, Congratulations to all the newly engaged out there!  Not only is it the beginning of a new year, but being engaged brings it to a whole different level.  I just want to share a couple tips for all the newly engaged out there!

Tips for the Newly Engaged by Wynn Austin:

1.  Enjoy your engagement! This is a time to share with your family and close friends (and okay your 500 friends on facebook) about your engagement.  However, don’t forget to take time and enjoy it alone as a couple.  It’s a very special time in your lives.

2.  Don’t verbally promise any invites to the wedding. At this point you haven’t really had a chance to buckle down and figure out your plans or priorities yet, so you can kindly say “We are not sure what our plans are yet” Otherwise that guest list is going to grow, and that’s where most of our couples struggle with the most, is the guest list.

3.  When you are ready to plan, the first step is to hold what I call a “Strategy Session” with your fiance. As a couple you need to write down 3 things that are important to you and how you envision your wedding day.  Planning your wedding is the first big thing that you’ll be doing together as a couple so you want to make sure you are on the right page.  Also, discuss if your parents will be contributing.  Will it be both sets of parents or just one? As your parents so that you know how much money you have to work with.  You don’t want to be planning on a $100,000 wedding on a $20,000 budget so make sure you have this information before planning anything.

4.  Meet with a wedding planner! (yes that’s us!)  We at Le Chic Wedding Consulting are San Diego’s Premier Wedding planning and Design company!  We take the the overwhelming factor out of the equation for you.  When you have a professional help keep you organized and help you prioritize your budget to your needs you save so much time and energy. We maximize your dollars to create the wedding of your dreams and help prevent you from making costly mistakes!

We offer complimentary consultations so don’t be shy and and email us today! Info@lechicweddingconsulting.com