Wedding Wellness: 7 Quick Steps on Surviving COVID-19

Planning a wedding can be challenging and stressful.  Whether you have completed your wedding plans, in the middle or just starting, throw in the fact that our country is currently in the middle of an historic pandemic, wedding planning at this point can be downright scary.  While we don’t have all the answers and we have no idea how much longer this will impact our country, the first suggestion would be to follow all of the CDC’s recommendations about keeping yourself, your family and your friends safe.

Depending on the date you’ve chosen for your wedding, the second thing you will want to do is review the current state of your planning process and work with your planner on putting a game plan in action.  At Enraptured Events we are here to help you navigate this unfamiliar territory. We’ve come up with a few quick steps to help you navigate this unchartered territory as we’re in this together.

1. Breathe: I know it may sound simple or maybe even a little crazy, but it works. Breathing allows a form a calming and clarity.  As you think about your wedding and all that you’d like to accomplish, take a deep breath or two and remind yourself that change happens and that adjustments can be made. 

2. Relax: In order to be your best, you must first take care of yourself.  While this may seem like a cliché, it is, however, the truth.  Your mental health and wellbeing can make all of the difference.  Take the time to pamper yourself and put your mind at ease.

3. Get Ahead: As businesses will be attempting to bounce back from this currently strained economy, now is the time to take advantage of any discounts vendors may be offering. Also, you may have more time to browse Instagram and get a look at DJ’s and bands you may be interested in as they are posting unique videos and live performances, during this time of social distancing. This makes is easier to see vendors you may not have been previously able to. You can also take this time to tackle the little things on your list such as your guest list and seating arrangements.

4. Prioritize: When your mind is clear, you can begin to focus and prioritize the things that will mean the most to you on your special day.  Perhaps your original wedding date caused you to have to give up some things you really wanted.  Now is a great time to review those things and possibly have them included on your new date. 

5. Be Grateful: Remember, there is always something to be grateful for. We may be in a time of uncertainty, but you still have each other and many things to be appreciate. It is also a great time to reconnect with your partner.  While you both may be feeling some angst during this time, take a moment to remind each other of your love and devotion to your partnership.

6. Stay Calm: Don’t panic. Think positively!  Focus your thoughts on the things that can happen, not on what can’t happen.  It’s going to be ok and COVID-19 won’t last forever. You will be ok, your wedding will be ok, and your wedding will be beautiful!

7. Cheers: Finally pour yourself a glass of wine or brew yourself a cup of your favorite tea. Take this time to unwind, if only for a few minutes.

Here are the links to help you on your way to wedding wellness.

1. Click here for Yoga for Anxiety.

2. Click here for Nail Art tips.

3. Click here for Wedding Ideas.

4. Click here to reach me via my contact form.

5. Click here for tips on gratitude.

6. Click here for tips on staying calm.

7. Click here to fill your glass!

From inception to execution, Enraptured Events is here to help you with every part of your wedding. With budget management, concept creation, floor plans and layouts, check lists and assignments, as well as timelines and itineraries, we’re here every step of the way, to help tell your story through the details!

The Most Common Misconceptions When Planning A Wedding

Besides shoe shopping, reading romance novels and traveling, planning weddings is definitely one of my favorite things to do in this world. It's what makes up most of my business, and it is by far what I am the most passionate about. Seeing clients get married and having the opportunity to map their love stories out through beautiful details never ceases to amaze me. I truly love what I do and I wouldn't change my career for anything. For these reasons it pains me to see clients fall victim to any of the many misconceptions that the wedding world (unfortunately) has to offer. 

I see clients budgeting far too much money on their dream venue alone, leaving little to no funds for things like food and beverage or floral and décor.  I see clients forget to budget their time correctly and end up rushing so close to the big day, and worst of all I see clients try to plan their own weddings and end up with way too much on their plate and stressing out before they can even say "I do". At Enraptured Events, we want our clients to know exactly what to expect and what to plan for, so we're going to debunk some common misconceptions in the wedding world! 

Image Courtesy of Social Shots Photography

Misconception 1: Silk flowers are cheaper than real flowers. Brides tell me all the time that their mother, aunt, or best friend, said that they should use silk flowers instead of fresh ones to keep the décor costs down. Up front, they are not cheaper! Silk flowers that look real costs the same as real flowers, if not more. In the short-term, silk flowers aren’t cheaper, because you’re going to spend approximately the same as you would on fresh flowers. In the long-term, silk flowers will be cheaper because you can use them again and again, as fresh flowers will die, therefore costing more because of the one-time use you’ll get out of them. This is the biggest misconception where flowers are concerned.

Image Courtesy of Social Shots Photography

 Misconception 2: Hiring a day of coordinator will save you money on wedding planning. I have brides contacting me all the time because they’ve tried to plan their own wedding, thinking that in the end, they’ll just hire a day-of coordinator. Well, if you haven’t done proper planning and asked the right questions up front, that day-of coordinator that you may be looking to hire will end up putting out fires, on your behalf, and won’t save you any money at all. In fact, you’re likely to spend more money because some of the things you didn’t know you needed from the beginning, you’ll need before your wedding day, causing you to spend last minute dollars, which could result in rush fees. When I did day-of coordination, this was often the case.

Misconception 3: That you can have a wedding for 200 guests with $20,000. I get calls from brides on a daily basis with a large guest count and small budget. I have to be the one to say that mathematically, this just isn’t feasible, after adding up all of the major costs of a wedding, such as the venue, catering, flowers, photography, not to mention all of the details that make your wedding YOUR wedding, such as the dress, your invitations, the cake, just to name a few. To touch on this misconception a bit more, I did an interview with Mark Brown of For Goodness Cakes, speaking a little more about it.

So, there you have it! Those are some of the most common misconceptions I see almost on a daily basis. My job is to educate my brides, be upfront and realistic with them, and to help them get from concept to execution in the best way possible. As always, I’m Delighted by Design and Inspired by You. Happy Planning!

Questions To Ask When Hiring A Wedding Planner

Image Courtesy of Sophia Barrett Studios

When looking for a wedding planner, you need to ask more in-depth questions than the cost of services. Far too often, I’ll get an email inquiry asking about services and pricing, just to get a response that I’m out of budget. Even if that’s the case, you should do a little more inquiring to know and understand what you’re getting for the price. There are a lot more questions to ask when hiring a wedding planner and I’m going to share my top 7 with you so that you can be better prepared when interviewing wedding planners for your big day!

Is the planner certified? I have gone to school to become a Certified Wedding & Event Planner and continue mastering my craft with wedding conferences, seminars, and webinars. The industry is constantly changing and one of the first things we learn is to never become complacent.

Is the planner insured? I carry two policies, one being a general liability and the other a professional liability. Just like I protect my home and car, I protect myself against anything that could potentially happen on your wedding day. If something were to happen to something that you had to rent for your wedding day, I’m able to cover it under my policy and I’ve been able to add venue and larger items such as venues and Cadillac car bars as riders on my policy.

Image Courtesy of Inije Photography

Does the planner have a full-time job while planning full time? I used to be a planner that held down a full-time job while building my business. While I was good at jugging both full-time responsibilities seamlessly, not everyone can handle the stress of both worlds so easily. If your planner has a full-time job, ensure that he or she can devote adequate time to planning your wedding and the stressors of their career. After all, you’re hiring a wedding planner because you’re too busy and your job is too stressful. Right?

Image Courtesy of Sophia Barrett Studios

How much experience does he or she have? Are you meeting with someone that has just planned their own wedding and now wants to plan yours? Will they be learning on your dime? Becoming a skilled wedding planner takes time; a lot of time. I worked with my mentor almost four years before launching Enraptured Events. I learned to master the art of logistics, work with a well-choreographed staff and team of vendors, all while honing my creativity.

Are they using someone else pictures on their website or social media outlet? If they haven’t had their company or been in the industry long enough, it’s not uncommon for a new planner to “borrow” a more established planner’s images as use as their own. You want to make sure that they have a proven track record that they can easily produce via reviews or references.

What happens when Plan A becomes Plan B? Inevitably, something will not go according to plan, regardless of how well and thought out the plans are. We can’t predict the weather, people, and things go wrong from time to time. An experienced planner takes control of the situation and deals with it. If you choose to enlist a family member or hire someone with not as much experience, you could be adding more stress to your wedding day.

Image Courtesy of Made You Look Photography

Do they have vendor relationships to help realize the wedding of your dreams? Being an experienced wedding planner comes with the adding benefit of building and cultivating relationships with some of the best people in the industry. Often times we can call upon at the last minute, late at night, and get things done in a manner that may be a bit for difficult without having that relationship.

Cost is important but should not be in the top three consideration of whether you want to work with a particular planner or not. You want to make sure you’re able to mesh well with the planner, find one that will go to bat for you when it’s time to stand up for you in your absence, one that will be responsive, and one whose creative vision is in line with your own and the services that they provide. These questions to ask when hiring a wedding planner will help get you started on the right path to choosing the best wedding planner for your big day!

From The Boardroom To The Altar

Image Courtesy of Inije Photography

Being pharmacists, attorneys, doctors, nurses, teachers, and businesswoman, many of my brides are busy, working professionals, with very little to no time to plan a wedding. They come to Enraptured Events to get help planning the wedding of their dreams. They reach out to me with only a vision in mind, typically having no idea where to begin. Whether I’m given 100 days or 18 months to plan, in the United States or abroad, I always welcome the challenge of taking my brides from the boardroom to down the altar.

Image Courtesy of Romanza Wedding Photography

Navigating the wedding planning process is no easy feat. When you’re already juggling a busy career, a fiancé, an active social life, and sometimes a family, it makes sense to hire the right professional to take the helm of one of the most important days of your life. The Enraptured Events bride has a vision of what she wants, is looking for guidance to help create that vision, and has no time, nor desire for DIY projects. At Enraptured Events, you and your desires will be 100% catered to and taken care of, with a great attention to detail.

Image Courtesy of Social Shots Photography

I have a knack for understanding what it is that you want and the vision you have for your wedding day, even if you’re having difficulties articulating it. My abilities to clearly see the details of your love story as you’re describing it and then turn that into a beautiful wedding and reception is truly what I was meant to do.  As your full-service wedding planner, I’m with you every step of the way throughout the wedding planning process, steering you in the right direction.

Image via mobile phone

I negotiate contracts before you ever have to deal with them, I have cultivated vendor relationships after 14 years in the industry, and I can tell your love story through the personal and intricate details. I shoulder the brunt of the planning so that you can focus on your busy lifestyle and enjoy being engaged. At Enraptured Events, we take you from the boardroom to the altar. I take care of the logistics, the design, and the overall look and feel of your wedding day so that essentially all you have to do is show up. The Enraptured Events bride will not only have a beautiful wedding day, but a pleasurable and hassle-free wedding planning experience.