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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

2011-06-01 12:07:00

Wedding planning - series - part-1

Question: My daughter just got engaged and the wedding planning has begun. Are there any shortcuts or “must-know” tips that you could offer? We have 11 months until the big day, but just don’t know where to start.

Answer: First, let me say congratulations AND get ready for the next year of your life to disappear! Wedding planning can be the most fun time of your life and the most stressful time all rolled into one. Especially as the parent of the bride, you will find most, if not all the responsibility falls into your lap. Of course, the most important part is done, your daughter and son-in-law-to-be have chosen a date. Next, you need to start to compile a list of everyone you might consider inviting to the wedding. This list will shrink and grow as you decide what type of wedding you are having, but to start to lay out a budget, you must know approximately how many people you are planning for. After you have a realistic idea of the size of the event, and assuming you have a family church, you will start looking at reception venues. In this area, we are lucky to have many to choose from in all sizes and styles, so shop around and look at them all before you decide. If you will be hiring a caterer, be sure to check out the kitchen facility and consider if it has an appropriate space and the necessary appliances to cook your meal. If not, be sure the caterer is aware they will have to make other arrangements. This may or may not add an additional charge to the price of your meal, since the caterer will have to cook elsewhere and transport at the time of service, or provide accessories to keep your meal hot and/or cold as needed. After the venue is secured, you will start to shop for the other “big ticket” items like the wedding dress, flowers and of course, the cake. I’m sure you’ve already started buying up all the bridal magazines and reading all the planner calendars telling you to wait until 3-6 months before the event date to book things like caterers and bakers, but I can tell you from my own booking calendar that a year ahead is NOT too far to secure the venders you want to work with. When you book, be prepared to pay a retainer to hold a wedding date that will most likely, be non-refundable. Bakers, venues and caterers alike can only take so many orders on one date, so by holding that date for you, they are turning away other potential business, therefore the retainer is offsetting that loss of business should your event be moved or cancelled. However, that retainer will generally be applied as a payment to your order once everything is confirmed. Balances may be due anywhere from 2-4 weeks before the wedding date, so consider that date when sending R.S.V.P.’s to coordinate that finalization. The best advice I can give any new bride-to-be (and her family) is to be organized and don’t try to do everything all at once. I have so many customers that come in on a Saturday, rushed, exhausted and frustrated because they are trying to finish shopping for dresses, tuxes, flowers and cake all in one day. Try to take on one task at a time, flowers one week, centerpieces the next and so on. You will shop around more, and logically be more likely to really find exactly what you want when you spend a little more time on each part of the planning process. You may make a quick stop to sign a contract and book a baker, but you can spend lots of time at home looking through pictures and deciding on what designs you like best to bring in a final cake style at a later date. There is so much information easily available now, be sure to take advantage of it! I guess most importantly, have fun, don’t get bogged down in the details and make sure the planning process is something you look back on just as fondly as the wedding, not with angst and frustration. And of course, never be afraid to call up any wedding professional and ask lots of questions about things you aren’t familiar with, we are happy to help and share our expertise! Next month, we’ll dive into a little more detail on what you need to know about wedding cakes BEFORE you order!