Officiants Stressing Brides Out

By no means the following post has anything to do with officiant in my photo. The Ellis Ranch has three Preferred Officiants we recommend to our brides and we have never had the following problem with any of them. The problem comes when the couples hire an officiant not from our preferred officiant list.

We host approximately 130 weddings per year so we have seen just about every kind of wedding officiate out there. Some are ordained ministers, Rabbi, signed up on the Internet, friend, and family member. On the most part they have all done a great job and the bride and groom were happily married at the end of the day.

The one thing that stresses a bride and the facility is when you get an officiates that books too many wedding in one day and too close together.

Example the other day we had a wedding that was running a little late and by late I mean maybe 10 minutes, the officiate came up to us and said this wedding needs to get going right on time because he needed to leave for another wedding. We had guest still arriving and our bride wanted to give them a chance to get seated first.

Girls when hiring an officiate make sure you ask your officiate how many weddings will they be performing that day. If they can’t give you at least one hour for your ceremony I would not hire them plan and simple. Weddings are so stressful for you and having your officiate ad to that is not an option in my book.

Late? No Shows?

What happened with arriving on time or calling? I was taught when you have an appointment to always show up on time. In fact showing up 5 minutes early is even better! If you are going to be late be sure and call that person or place as soon as you know you are running late. Remember your schedule is not the only one affected when you are a few minutes behind and it’s considerate to be conscious of that when you are scheduling your day. It seems here lately that engaged couples, guests attending a wedding and/or family members, feel that this considerate behavior is not something that they have to abide too and that drives me crazy. The wedding day is the bride and grooms very own special day but respect and basic courtesy should never be thrown out the window!!! No matter what is going on in your life. If you schedule an appointment for a showing or for a final walk through please show up and show up on time!! As a venue all we ask is if you are running late please call. Also be understanding if the venue needs to reschedule because of other couples arriving for their appointment on time. Remember you are not the only wedding going on this year!!! Never ever make an appointment and just not show up. Please show respect to the venue and call and just let them know your plans have changed and you will no longer be coming.
Thank you for listening and you better get running now so you won’t be late!

Social Media and Venues & Brides

I was recently asked to present at a Cyber Chat thru our local Chamber of Commerce on using social media and what it has brought to your business. In giving this some thought I first thought of my brides and how social media impacts them on a daily basis. I am an avid believer in social media for numerous reasons.

The wedding business is a very complex industry, which touches not only the products, services a bride needs, but it also involves emotions. Social Media sites: Twitter, Facebook, U-tube, Skype, BridalTweet.com and many more sites offers brides and vendors a new way to connect. They give us all a chance to share our thoughts and ideas. Facebook is my personal favorite because I can really get to know my Fans and Friends. I’m sure you have all heard before people hire people they know. That is so true and by chatting on Facebook and the other social sites one really gets a feel of a persons needs and thoughts. In listening and reading what our brides’ post you get to know where they shop for wedding vendors and what their needs are. I always try and post helpful ideas, links, and suggestions for them to read. It is a way to find a product or service by what other brides’ post; after all they are the pros for this generation.

The one thing to remember is you can’t build a relationship over night it has to nourish thru knowledge and how helpful you can be. I would recommend you jumping into the wonderful world of Social Networking. I have grown as person, businesswomen and friend because of Social Media.

Respect for the Bride and Groom

What happened to the wonderful weddings when guest came to the weddings to honor the Bride and Groom?

We host over 120 wedding per year and with that many weddings we have seen everything you can think of.

Respectfull Guest

. RSVP when asked.
. Arrive to the wedding early enough to be seated before the bride walks down the aisle.
. If you haven’t given a gift bring a gift for the couple, it doesn’t have to break the bank but something to show a nice gesture.
. Dress appropriately.
. Plan on spending time at the reception long enough for the meal and all formal dances and cake cutting.
. Guest stay in the building where the bride and groom are.
. Find a baby sitter for the evening or if you bring your children watch them and make them behave.
. Don’t arrive drunk.
. Know directions to the venue prior to leaving your house.
. If it is non-alcohol weddings don’t bring your own alcohol, respect their choices.
. Decorate the couple’s car respectfully.

Un-Respectful things we have happen during a wedding.

. Arrive drunk
. Bring their children and just turn them loose with no supervision.
. Get extremely drunk during the wedding.
. Do property damage; the bride is grooms are responsible for paying for any damage.
. Dress in appropriately.
. Stand out side the building and smoke all evening.
. Tailgating and the bride and groom are in the building dancing.
. Guest who do not respect parking signs.
. Brings guest that where not invited.
. If there is livestock at the venue do not get in the pens.
. Offer alcoholic drinks to minors.
. Decorate the couple’s vehicle to the point there is damage.

I truly could go on and on but after all this is a blog not a book.

Mother Nature Rears Her Ugly Head

Being a venue that host weddings, it is our responsibility to pull off the most beautiful wedding come rain or shine.
Rain and not much shine has been plaguing us a lot this summer. Don’t get me wrong we love the rain. With a wedding park you need lots of grass and flowers that need watering and Mother Nature has been giving us a helping hand.
Wedding days are stressful in it’s self but when you add the tricks of Mother Nature you are sometimes presented with challenges.
Let me describe one of our typical bad weather days. First thing in the morning the phones start ringing (if not several days prior to the wedding) from brides wanting to know what we can do about the rain in the forecast. We claim to be the best at what we do, but telling a bride we can make the weather a perfect 80 degrees and sunshine and no wind is impossible.
We first tell the bride to go about her day as if the weather was a perfect 80 degrees and full of sunshine. After all today is her special day and it is not her responsibility to worry about things, it is ours, and we will do our best to make it just the way she wants it.
We are very fortune enough to have a facility that can host indoor or outdoor ceremonies and that alone makes the stress meter go down.
As the day goes by the gazebo and chairs are all decorated and the reception hall is beautiful just waiting for the guests to arrive. Once the guests begin to arrive we have them take a seat in the reception hall and keep them posted on the weather and when the bride will be arriving in the carriage.
98% of our brides book with us because they want our horse drawn carriage, so most weddings are reserved to be held out doors. Every bride wants the day to be perfect and you can still have that beautiful perfect day on a rainy day we just might have to turn to plan B, which may mean moving the ceremony inside, but that is not a bad thing because our inside facility is just as beautiful!!! It is just important to know that the option is available for the bride….. the wedding will go on no matter what and will be just as comfortable and memorable for her and all her guests. Discuss what your options are head of time with the venue
This summer has been our most challenging due to rain and wind but we have been very fortunate and have not had to move one single wedding inside. We just took our time and watched the weather and had our guests take a seat in the reception hall and most of the time those silly clouds moved on and we are able to move all the guests outside and proceed with a beautiful outdoor wedding!!!

Arriving To The Alter In Style

Do's and Don'ts for Brides

I was going to write my own post on Do's and Don'ts for Brides but came across this great list posted by WeddingSolutions.com via WeddingSpace.com and thought I would forward on to you.

Your wedding will last only a few hours but will likely take several months to plan. That is why it is so important to enjoy the complete wedding planning process. This is a time to get excited, to fall even more deeply in love with each other, to learn more about each other and how to give and take. If you can handle your wedding planning with your fiancé and parents, you can handle anything! Here is a list of do's and don'ts when planning your special day. If you follow these suggestions, your wedding planning and your wedding day will be much more enjoyable!


DO'S
• Hire a professional wedding consujavascript:void(0)ltant.

• Maintain a sense of humor.

•Maintain open communication with your fiancé and with both sets of parents, especially if they are financing the wedding.

• Be receptive to your parents' ideas, especially if they are financing the wedding.

• Be flexible and keep your overall budget in mind.

• Maintain a regular routine of exercise and eat a well-balanced diet.

• Buy the Indispensable Groom's Guide, published by Wedding Solutions Publishing, and give it to your fiancé.

• Buy the Wedding Party Responsibility Cards, published by Wedding Solutions Publishing, and give a card to each member of your wedding party.

• Register for gifts; consider a price range that your guests can afford.

• Break-in your shoes well before your wedding day.

• Practice with makeup and various hairstyles for your wedding day.

• Check recent references for all of your service providers.

• Get everything in writing with your service providers.

• Assign your guests to tables and group them together by age, interests, acquaintances, etc.

• Consider drawing-up a prenuptial agreement and a will.

• Send thank-you notes as soon as you receive gifts.

• Give a rose to each of your mothers as you walk down the aisle during the recessional.

• Try to spend some time with each of your guests and personally thank them for coming to your wedding.

• Encourage the bride's parents to introduce their family and friends to the family and friends of the groom's family, and vice-versa.

• Toast both sets of parents at the rehearsal dinner and/or at the reception. Thank them for everything they have done for you and for giving you a beautiful wedding.

• Eat well at the reception, especially if you will be drinking alcohol.

• Keep a smile on your face; there will be many photographs taken of both of you.

• Expect things to go wrong on your wedding day. Most likely something will go wrong, and no one will notice it but yourself. Relax and don't let it bother you.

• Preserve the top tier of your wedding cake for your first year anniversary.

• Send a special gift to both sets of parents, such as a small album containing the best photographs of the wedding. Personalize this gift by having it engraved with your names and the date of your wedding.

DON'TS

• Don't get involved in other activities; you will be very busy planning your wedding.

• Don't make any major decisions without discussing it openly with your fiancé.

• Don't be controlling. Be open to other people's ideas.

• Don't overspend your budget; this can be extremely stressful.

• Don't wait until the last minute to hire your service providers. The good ones get booked months in advance.

• Don't try to make everyone happy; it is impossible and will only make your wedding planning more difficult.

• Don't try to impress your friends.

• Don't invite old boyfriends or girlfriends to your wedding, unless both you and your fiancé are friendly with them; you don't want to make anybody uncomfortable.

• Don't try to do "everything." Delegate responsibilities to your fiancé, your parents, and to members of your wedding party.

• Don't rely on friends or family to photograph or videotape your wedding. Hire professionals!

• Don't assume that members of your wedding party know what to do. Give them direction with your Wedding Party Timeline and the Wedding Party Responsibility Cards, available at most major bookstores.

• Don't assume your service providers know what to do. Give each of them a copy of your detailed Service Provider Timeline.

• Don't schedule your bachelor party the night before the wedding. You don't want to have a hangover on your special day!

• Don't arrive late at the ceremony!

• Don't drink too much during the reception; you don't want to make a fool of yourself on your most special day!

• Don't flirt with members of the opposite sex.

• Don't allow your guests to drive drunk after the reception; you may be held responsible.

• Don't rub cake in the face of your spouse during the cake-cutting ceremony; your spouse might not appreciate it!

• Don't overeat; this may upset your stomach or make you sleepy.

• Don't leave your reception without saying good-bye to your family and friends.

• Don't drive if you have had too much to drink!

Dance The Night Away

Destination Choices for Brides "Sweetheart City" Loveland, Colorado

As women, we have thought about our wedding day from the time we were little girls. Now the time has come to choose the perfect wedding location.

In my opinion the perfect location to share your sacred vows would be the romantic town of Loveland, Colorado, the gateway to the Rocky Mountains. A small sweetheart city romantically nestled in the heart of the foothills.

I couldn’t have said this any better than a quote I read from the website of The Loveland Wedding Professionals; “Looking for a wedding destination that has the services you need to help you create the wedding day you have always envisioned? Have you dreamed of a mountain wedding? A wedding ceremony by the water or in a park? A reception in a beautiful garden or an elegant ballroom? http://www.lovelandweddingprofessionals.com

So when considering sharing those scared vows I would recommend the "Sweetheart City"

Cater VS Self Catering. Which is the best choice?

At our venue Ellis Ranch Event Center & Wedding Park we are a facility rental only. Which means to allow self- catering. There are pros and cons on self -catering.

Sometime self catering does save you some money and then I have seen families by the time they rent all the equipment needed, left over food, stress and clean up they wish they had just hired a cater, the liability of self-catering. We have seen Mothers sweating in their beautiful gown, crying minutes before the wedding trying to get everything ready for the reception instead of being in the dressing room with their daughter and having a good time.

We would always recommend a bride to hire a professional cater for their reception. Most caters can customize menus and generally can design a fit to meet your budget and style. They take the stress out of your day. You will be able to enjoy you daughter or son’s wedding. This is a time to celebrate.

If you still feel self-catering is the way you want to go for your wedding you should always do a walk thru with the facility prior to your wedding date. They can show you where and how many pug-ins they have for roasters, where you can do the food preparations, clean up requirements, where and how you need to set up the food line. Every venue has rules and regulations to follow. If organized properly and kept simple self catering can work.