Why Wedding Coordinators are important

The title "Wedding Planner" brings thoughts of J-Lo and her ability to get a drunken father presentable enough to walk his little girl down the aisle. While we all have our own little bags of tricks to keep the day going, wedding planners are a lot more involved in the process that gets you to the altar that day. Hiring a wedding consultant will not only save you an immense amount of stress but also a lot of money. “How?” you ask? Well, planners aren’t just for the wealthy, and a good one will save you cash in the end.

The best thing about wedding consultants is the fact that they have done this before. Most brides are completely able to plan their own wedding, but few realize just how difficult it is. Attempting to find the right location, photographer, and caterer are hard enough, but then you still have the officiant (minister), florist, DJ, bakery, and a multitude of others. A planner has worked with and has gotten to know many of these people; by hearing your ideas, they will be able to give you the names of vendors who fit your needs. No vendor is alike, and a conservative bride may not be suited for an eclectic photographer. You could interview 15 different caterers, or a consultant could give you the name of 4 they recommend and save you a lot of time. Most consultants will attend the interviews with you if you would like. They can negotiate discounts, and read the contracts to make sure there isn’t anything in the agreement that you would regret signing.

Budgeting is a key part of wedding planning that not enough couples take seriously. A consultant will help you create a budget so that you may have a beautiful wedding that you won’t be paying off for the next 5 years. Financial problems are one of the top reasons for divorce, and you don’t want to get off on the wrong foot. The key is to be realistic, and a coordinator can help you decide where to cut back so that you can get that expensive gown, and not overspend in the grand scheme of things.

There is a lot of pressure on a bride to make her wedding day perfect. The truth is that something always goes wrong. Be it a bride's maid's dress not fitting the night before, an unpredicted downpour, or a cigarette burn in the bridal gown. A coordinator is a “Jack of all Trades”, and in one day may be medic (band-aids and Benadryl), seamstress (torn seams), bouncer (crashers and tipsy guests), counselor (what if he doesn’t like my toes!), director and mediator (Mom and Aunt Susie were set at different tables for a reason).

Anyone who has seen the “Bride Freak Out” on YouTube knows that there is enough to go wrong in your own preparations, and you don’t need those extra million little things that can go wrong. Even though that video is not real, it still shows how one little thing can cause a cascade of mishaps.

In the end, the day of the wedding does turn out like the movies where something goes wrong, and the Planner is there to save the day. Don’t be on your cell phone from the dressing room trying to find out why only 5 of the 17 tables you ordered were delivered. Don’t leave it all up to Mom to make sure that the deliveries are in order (you can’t set up the cake without the tables!), or run to the store to get batteries for your camera. Enjoy the day that you spent so much time and energy on, and let someone else deal with the details!

 

Great resources for an alternative wedding- Duct tape accessories!

As a duct tape enthusiast, I must recommend that everyone pay a visit to ducktapeclub.com. From this website I learned to make duct tape flowers and have combined them to make toss bouquets! They look great and will be a memorable item for whichever lucky lady catches it. It also makes a great conversation piece. Here's an example I made out of Boise State University school colors!


If you don't have a lot of money to spend on gifts for your bridal party, there are some other great ideas on the Duck Tape Club site. Wal-Mart carries many colors from Chrome to Fuchsia and making these gifts are a lot of fun.


If you have a wallet in mind, check out FamilyFun.com's tutorial; I found it much easier to follow and it shows you how to make a window for your ID.


Have Fun!

How to make a simple yet elegant wedding veil

Making your own veil is simple and inexpensive. (Around $5 plus any embelishments) If you can sew a straight line with a sewing machine, you can make this simple veil! If you don't have any sewing experience, find someone who knows how to thread the machine for you! It's that easy!

Supplies needed:

1/2 yard of 60" tulle. I have found that this is the easiest material to work with, but lace or sheer fabric will work. Note that these other materials are more difficult to work with.

A sewing machine and an iron

Measuring tape

Stick pins

Heavy thread to match your veil (I prefer Coats and Clark; keeps the gathering stitch from breaking)

2 yards of Ribbon, or trim

3-4 inches of ¼ inch wide elastic and a clear hair comb (optional)

Any other embellishments

Definitions:

Gathering stitch- a stitch sewn from one side of the fabric to the other, without securing it by backing over the begininging and the end. By pulling one thread, it bunches up. (Like a vintage apron)

Basic stiching: Start at one end of the fabric and sew about 1/2 inch. Depending on the machine, you will have a button or switch to make it go in reverse. Reverse over the stitch you made to secure it. Change the direction to forward again, and stitch to the other end of the fabric. Repeat the reverse stitch at the end to secure it on that side.

Instructions:

Steam or iron the tulle. (If using an iron, make sure it's on the lowest setting to prevent melting) This will make sure it hangs correctly when you wear it. You can also hang it in your bathroom while taking a hot shower.

Fold the tulle in half vertically, and then scoot the top layer up 6 inches.

Pin at the fold to prevent shifting, and then iron a crease at the fold.

Sew a gathering stitch from 4 inches from the fold, do not secure by back-tracking, you need it to be loose. Cut free from the machine, leaving long ends so that you have enough thread to hold on to. Leave the stitch for now, we'll come back to it.

Lay the ribbon face up and even with bottom of the veil. Fold the edges of the ribbon under itself but on top of the tulle. Pin it in place and repeat on the second layer.

Stitch the ribbon in place on both layers. How far from the bottom of the veil your stitches will be depends on how wide the ribbon is, but sew it closer to the top of the ribbon. This keeps it from separating. If desired, you may make a stitch along the bottom of the ribbon, but it is not necessary.

Stitch downward along the sides of the ribbon to make sure it lies flat.

Pull the gathering stitch you made at the top to make it bunch up. (Grasp one of the stringsthat you left long, and slowly pull on it while pulling the fabric gently in the other direction. It doesn't matter what side you start on.) The less you tighten it, the wider the veil will fall. You can test it by holding it up to the back of your head to make sure it fits where you want it to go.

Tie off the gathered stitch with two regular knots. (Like tying your shoes without the bow) Cut off loose threads.

To make the veil puff outward, fold the top at the gathering stitch toward the underside the veil. You may secure this with a basic stitch if you’d like, but it will limit the veil from flowing over your shoulders toward the front.

You may use bobby pins to attach the veil though the gathering stitch or you may attach a comb.

To attach a comb, hold it in place so that it is approximately in the middle of the gathered area. (Make sure it’s folded under, or your ribbon will be on the inside!) You will have to sew around the teeth by hand, or you can sew a stretched piece of elastic (1/4 inch wide and about 3 inches long) at every ¼ inch interval to weave the comb into. You want the curved side of the comb facing toward the inside of the veil. This should be tight to be sure that the comb doesn’t slip, which would make the comb visible while wearing the veil.

You’re finished! With a little more work you can sew in pearls or other embellishments by hand to customize it.

Tip: When attaching your veil spray it with hairspray to ensure it stays exactly where you want it to be.