Don't Forget the Guys

Wedding Planning,  In honor of fathers, Precise Events suggests: Don’t forget the guys when planning events. A trend for planning large events where loved ones must come from distances is to have many activities span over multiple days. Whole weekends are dedicated to bar mitzvahs and weddings, reunions and anniversaries. Many times we are planning meals and functional events, but guys are not always ramped up to go to all of these events. You often find them in the basement drinking a beer, watching a sporting event, just off to the side separate from the group. 

Why not have a specific activity that the men want to do. Maybe a golf outing complete with boxed lunch and a cooler of beer and soft drinks on the back of the golf cart. (round of golf, 18 holes normally takes 4-5 hours or half round, 9 holes takes 2 ½ -3 hours)

Other activities would be a pickup basketball game or a trip to the tennis courts. Be creative; consult your guy friends or relatives for advice.   

Happy Planning

{Olivia}

What’s Up With: Invitation Etiquette

Our clients truly drive our blog content. It never ceases to amaze me when clients receive ambiguous RSVPs, too many RSVPs or guests who don't even bother to RSVP. As event planners, we see this all the time, but the the clients who are collecting the numbers for their big day, this is a stress that is more common than one would believe. 

GUIDE FOR GUESTS!

If person takes the time to send you a $5-$20 card that has details to their special event, courteously let them know that you are or are not able to attend. 

It is important to realize that an invitation sent to you will identify who is invited. There are several ways to recognize who is invited. (and if that is not clear, it is totally okay to contact the person who invited you and request further detail...remember not to react negatively if the response is not what you are expecting.)

1) The outer envelope: Often times, outer envelopes show Mr. and Mr. John Smith and Family. It would be safe to assume that the entire family is invited to the event. If the envelope excludes "and Family" then further information is needed. When an outer envelope shows Ms. Jill Smith and Guest, it is safe to assume that Jill Smith can bring one date to the event. 

2) The inner envelope or belly band: If things are not clear on the outer envelope they get more clear as your peel the layers! The inner envelope or the belly band (a band that goes around the formal invitation) also holds keys to determining who is invited. When the inner envelope shows John, Mary, Suzie and Tommy Smith, then you know that your children are invited. (or other members of your household) If the band shows only Ms. Jill Smith then you can assume that you are not permitted to bring a date. 

3) The RSVP card: The final place to determine who is invited is the RSVP card. This card often has information printed on the card that can help you identify how many are invited. For example, if a family of 4 (two adults and two kids) receive a RSVP card that is similar to the one on the left,  and the number of reserved seats is (2) then it is safe to assume that the children are not invited. 

There is just one other place you can look for information that is gaining in popularity: the event website. Couples often create a wedding website, and events have a site or a page where you can register, get info or directions. If you know the site or if it is listed on the invite, check there first. Again, if you are still unclear, contact the people who invited you. 

What NOT TO DO!

- Leave your name off the response card (and or the name of your guest/kids/spouse etc)

- Show up with out RSVPing

- Invite a date when you were not permitted to

- Bring children to an event that has specified "no children" or get upset and harass the hosts if other children are permitted to attend and yours are not.

GUIDE FOR CLIENTS!

Be sure to be clear to your invited guests as to who can come or not. You can use invitation wording and RSVP card wording to get your point across. Remember, it's your event.

- Keep your information consistent and clear

- Don't be offended if someone asks you about guests or kids. It is better to ask in advance. The other option is that they show up with unwanted/uninvited guests.

- If you have an event website, keep it up-to-date and include a page for invitation info

- Number your guest list and number the backs of each RSVP card (trust me, you will be glad you did when a guest sends a card back without a name- happens more than you'd think"

- Leave yourself enough time to make calls to those who you have not received RSVPs from, especially the guests that you want or expect to be there. The last thing you'd want to do is to have them show up and you were not expecting them.

- Have contingency plans for unexpected or uninvited guests. Some clients are more accommodating and will allow the venue or planner to make room for those unexpected guests, while others require a more strict policy, not on the list, not allowed in. A middle ground is: allowing unexpected guest to be seated in the locations of the guests who did RSVP but did not attend (there will be some). Any versions is acceptable. Do what is best for your budget, sanity and level of comfort.

Happy Planning!

{Olivia}

Thank You For Your Reviews

This week, we received two 5/5 stars reviews from one of our wedding clients and one of our event clients on Wedding Wire and Event Wire! Check it out by clicking the Wedding Wire logo!

Well, it prompted me to begin thinking about how reviews really help businesses!

I can't tell you enough how many times I get an email inquiry from a potential client who says, I read great thing about you on some website! It's true! Just like you, many potential clients read our business reviews. It makes me happy that our past successes can make a difference in bringing in new events to Precise Events.

I want to thank all the clients who have given us reviews and prompt all the new potential clients and our other past clients who have not yet told others about your experiance with Precise Events, please do! Not only do you flatter us with your kind words, you help us to realize what we are doing right and what we can improve on for the next event. Your reviews keep us innovative and growing and helps us to have the fact we need to improve each event.

Happy Planning,
{Olivia}

Happy Mother's Day: Special Place in Your Wedding

Happy Mother's day to all mothers out there. It gets me thinking about how we can make mothers feel special during the wedding day. When you think about it most get walked down the aisle by their fathers and have a father daughter dance with their dads.

For many brides, the bond with your mom is special. If you are interested in showing her just how much you lover her during your special wedding day, why not show her how much you love her by dedicating a special song and sharing the spotlight with her during your very own Mother Daughter Dance.

Traditionally this dance happens after the father daughter dance, but never forget, its your day and you can do what makes you feel good. Sometimes mothers cut in on the father daughter dance, sometimes the groom's mother dances with the groom and then with the bride when the relationship is close.

We hope this gives you some inspiration to include your mom on your wedding day.
Happy Planning
{Olivia}

We are in the Knot again...

We are in the Knot again!

It is an honor to be Best of Weddings for 2012! And an even greater honor to have our business published in the Knot local magazine. Next time you are in the store, pick up a copy and check Precise Events out.

I recently had a chance to attend the Knot’s Cocktails and Connections vendor event in mid-April. What a fabulous party. We ran into so many event professionals we already knew and met many more. What makes these parties the most fun is that I am always thinking of my clients’ events as I talk to seasoned and new vendors. I recount a conversation where  wholesale specialty cookie vendor was discussing and showing me her products on her iPhone… I zoned out a little thinking I have a corporate client that this product would be great for. 

Another example, I met a photobooth vendor who let me know that he would give a client that I had mentioned to him 15% off on the rental for their wedding. I promptly excused myself and emailed his information to my client along with the promised discount.

I do love these industry parties, not only are they a way for me to keep a pulse on who is who in event management and entertainment, but also a way to solve problems and get to meet people who I talk on the phone with or exchange emails with all the time.

Cheers! 

{Olivia}

Under $1,000: Ceremony Decorations

As a planner, I am often faced with budget challenges for every event, especially for weddings. One of the most recent challenges was coming up with an over the top ceremony look for under $1000. This has prompted me to begin thinking about what ideas I could come up with for under $1000. We are adding this segment to our blog. We will come up with a DIY project that you can do that will make your wedding look wonderfully dreamy for a great price!

The look described below is a romantic look for a wedding that is inside and also in the winter or evening. The wow effect is created with massive amounts of candle light. You don’t have to go crazy with the candles, Dollar store candles burn just the same! A nice glass to put the candles in and a ribbon or colored water to catch the lights of the candles and the setting sun really give a romantic and welcoming sense of ambiance to any ceremony space. The best part is that all the candles can be re-purposed to be used during cocktail hour or the reception as room lighting or even center pieces. Use your imagination and get creative!

To create a beautiful ceremony look for under $1000 you will need.

• Fresh rose petals  2 pack per side of the aisle = 4 packages of petals ($170 x2)$340
• Aisle Runner from the original runner company = $300
• Ribbon $40
• 75 stems of fresh roses in bulk at $100
• Vases $96 (for 96 vases) 58 tall 48 short
• Pillar candles (4 for $1) 20
• Votive in bulk for (12 for $1) 10

{Total $906}

Links below to the vendors where you can find the items listed above.

http://www.wholeblossoms.com/

http://originalrunners.com/index.htm

http://www.dollartree.com/floral-decor/vases-bowls-containers/Crystal-Cylinder-Vase/202c203c203p9889/index.pro

http://www.dollartree.com/floral-decor/Wholesale-Bulk-Candles-Holders-Votives/Luminessence-Unscented-White-Votive-Candles-4-ct-Packs/202c205c205p294320/index.pro

What's Up With: Wedding cake

Many couples are into being creative with wedding cake designs. They have the cake because you have to have a cake, but someone recently asked me a question… Wedding cake, what’s up with that?

Wedding cake is known to have many different origins: Per some research I find that there are three major veins in the history of wedding cake.

1-In Rome, bread was broken over a bride’s head to symbolize good fortune for the couple.
2-Also in England, cakes were stacked high and a bride and groom would have to kiss over the cake to ensure a successful and prosperous relationship and life. Somehow those two traditions linked together and bread was stacked and the bride and groom had to kiss over that without knocking the rolls down.
3-Another tradition was a bride’s pie in which a ring was normally hidden in the pie and if a single woman found the ring she would be next to get married.

Some other elements to the wedding cake is the color. Traditionally wedding cakes are white symbolizing virginity and purity. Also the traditional cake cutting shows togetherness of the couple and the feeding of each other represent providing for each other.

All these elements added to the wedding cake we have today! We have moved past a traditional cake to adding colors and jewels and ribbons and other decorations. Also, many elect to represent these traditions other ways like cutting pies, or breaking donuts, even exchanging cupcakes.

Whatever you choose to do, make sure it represents you and your commitment to each other. For more wedding cake ideas and alternatives, continue to check out our blog!

Happy Planning,
{Olivia}

Precise Events Gets A Facelift

So we have had the same website for awhile now. It was just one of those standard sites you could get anywhere. While it was clear and easy to read, I felt it lacked pzazz! So now, after months of data migration, PE gets a facelift!

We have expanded our services, we have updated our blog and are blogging weekly now, we have fresh new look to go with fresh ideas from added staff to the company! Also, we are not only focusing on personal events but also branching out more by way of corporate events as well.

I hope you enjoy the change!
Happy Planning,
{Olivia}

Know Your Event Worth: Negotiation Tips

Many times clients come to me after they have already started the planning process. While many of them are doing well, the majority have over shot their budget and agreed to vendor prices that are astronomical. Of course we recommend working with a planner from the beginning but if hiring a full service planner is out of the budget, invest in a Getting Started type package. It helps ground you and get started with negotiating within your budget.

If you are going out on your own without professional planning assistance, you've better know your Event Worth. So what is the tip to knowing your event worth? Realize that while your budget maybe be a stretch for you, every vendor does not work with clients on a budget and they participate in many events each year. So you have to know what your event is worth to each vendor you are working with.  Here are 5 tips to maximizing your event worth:

1. Are your dates flexible? If so, off seasons (like winter in Philadelphia or after Labor Day at the shore are great times to capitalize on venues trying to book less busy or undesirable days.
2. Is there a detail that is less important to you? If you "kind of" want videography but must have the best photographer you can afford, then why not choose a vendor for videography that is new to the business. They are normally less expensive, and would give your more options/services because you are giving them a chance... hey even the best vendors had to start as newbies at some point!
3. Choose a smaller venue for smaller events: While the very large and extremely massive venues do have an appeal, your event is worth more to a smaller boutique venue where your guests will get that personalized services and attention that a larger venue will not be provide.
4. Know your budget: If you budget $5k for florist budget, research vendors where $4k would be a good budget, this way if you find an add-on that you would love to have, you do not have to pass up.
5. Don't be afraid to ask for other options: When you find a venue or vendor that you love and their packages aren't right for you, don't be afraid to ask for what you want. For example, many venues have a set menu for buffet and sitdown meals, but if you want something less formal and for a lower cost, then you need to just go right out and ask for it.

As always, we are around to help you with more tips! Contact us if you are interested!
Happy Planning,
{Olivia}

Announcing Your Engagement

There are a few steps to announcing your engagement.

With today’s social media, ie Facebook and blogging, I believe that it is important to notify some people in person first before you have a Facebook status update.

1.      Tell your parent and close family members (brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles, and grandparents)
2.      If you have children, talk to them first. It may not be a good idea for them to find out through someone else.
3.      If you have children outside of the marriage, or if you have been married before it may be a good idea to talk to the other parent or ex-spouse.
4.      Normally engagement announcements are not mailed out, but if that is something you are interested in, why not? Remember, you do not have to go so far as to decide your wedding invitation style right now… Also, this is an extra feature, others can find out via word of mouth an engagement party invitation.

Then next step is to announce your engagement in your hometown, or where your parents live. You can also announce it where you live. Contact your local paper to see what deadlines, policies and fees exist.  Check out Precise Events' client resources for Philadelphia announcement requirements.

When preparing written announcements and wording for the engagement party invite, traditionally the bride's parents announce the engagement. If the parents are divorced, either parent can make the announcement but both parents should be mentioned in the article.  If one parent is deceased, the word "late" should precede any mention of their name.  If both parents are deceased, the announcement can be made someone who is like a parent to you.

Well, enough of the technical stuff! Enjoy this moment and being engaged to the love of your life!
Congrats!

{Olivia}