It's taken care of Wedding Day Emergency Kit

Wedding Day Emergency Kit

No matter how well we prepare ourselves for weddings, life's inevitable can always happen. Does your planner have an emergency kit? You bet we do! It's inconspicuous and loaded with items that may just solve that last minute issue.

Wedding Planner and day of Coordinator Emergency Kit

Here's a good idea of what you can usually find inside:

- Tweezers

- Scissors 

- Q-tips

- Makeup remover

- Umbrellas

- Mascara

- Lipstick

- Blotting papers

- Clear nail polish / Remover

- Manicure Kits

- Water bottles

- Tissues 

- Pain reliever 

- Band-Aids

- Neosporin

- Sunscreen

- Spray Deodorant

- Cough drops

- Baby powder

- Feminine care items

- Eye drops

- Straws

- Snacks

- Moleskin

- Super Glue

- Breath mints

- Pens 

- Tape (duct tape and dress tape!)

- Breath mints + mouthwash

- Stain Remover

- Floss

- Toothbrush + toothpaste

- Lint roller

- Eye drops

- Portable phone chargers

- Lotion

- Bobby pins + hairspray

This list is always growing and the emergency kit gets heavier by the wedding! I've also been known to pack some emergency champagne which usually lightens our load halfway into the day :) 

Staying prepared is a secret weapon all its own!

Happy Planning

MM

So, When is the Wedding? - Unique Wedding Dates to Consider

With engagement season just around the corner, a few things are certain for engaged couples, you must pick a wedding date! Its your event, why not select a unique wedding date? There are multiple days in the year that coupled tend to overlook because they don’t fall on a typical wedding date. Below is a list of dates with benefits ranging from great deals, to dates that will strike up conversation among your friends and family. In addition to that, choosing a unique wedding date gives your guests a break from back to back weddings and having to make a tough decision, should they be invited to two weddings on the same date. Plus, it will be easy for everyone to remember your unique wedding date. The list of benefits goes on and on – just because it’s not a traditional weekend day, doesn’t mean it can’t be your forever day! Take a look at some of these unique dates below!

Holiday Sundays – Attending a wedding on a long weekend is the perfect excuse for a getaway. Most of your guests will have off on Monday so this Sunday wedding has the same benefits of a Saturday, but at a lower price. Martin Luther King Day, Columbus Day and President’s Day are perfect holidays that make for great wedding weekends!

April Fool’s Day – You’ll be saying, “It’s not a joke, we’re really getting married!” if you choose April 1st as your wedding date! Added bonus: think of all the fun hashtags and themes you can come up with around this date.

Summer Solstice – This is the longest day of the year, so you can be sure to maximize your celebration on this date! If you are planning to host your wedding outdoors (weather permitting) or a venue with windows, this is a great choice!

July 3rd – Whether you want to tie the knot in red, white and blue or not, July 3rd is a great date for the perfect summer wedding! No matter what day of the week it falls on, you and your guests will have off for the 4th and what better way to kick off the holiday than creating fireworks of your own.  

Wednesday Before Thanksgiving – Thanksgiving Eve is already the biggest party night of the year, so why not turn it into the biggest celebration of your life! It is likely that friends and family will all be in town to celebrate the holiday so it’s also like a two-for-one on their travel expenses. 

The Week Between Christmas and New Years – What’s a better present than the gift of marriage? Choose a wedding date during this week when friends and family are still in town for the holidays and continue celebrating into the new year!

New Year's Eve – Most people have no plans for NYE. Seriously! This is a huge celebration day and most people are off work, not committed to plans, and will be happy to share and party with you! Bring in your new marriage with the New Year and celebrate with your loved ones! Depending on where you live this date could offer huge discounts as some venues/vendors experience a low season during NYE.

No matter what day you choose, make it your own! If you give your friends and family ample time to plan, they will be able to prepare to attend. 

Happy Planning!

MM

Why Wedding Day Of?

Why hire a wedding day of coordinator?

I find myself answering this question often and realized I never mentioned on my weddingdayof.com blog why I started this company to begin with. So here goes!

First off, what is weddingdayof.com?

Weddingdayof.com is my brainchild. It was my passion project turned business and life passion. At its core, weddingdayof.com is a logistics company. Sounds boring huh? It is so exciting to me! I LOVE weddings and events. The logistics part of the company is simply what allows us to take the stress off your hands. My team and I coordinate the song and dance of the wedding day vendors, guests, f&b, entertainment, couple, and family. We make the schedule and stick to it. We are expert firefighters! No fire is too big to put out. No matter how well you plan an event, challenges will arise. My team and I manage these for you. You? Just get married.

How did wedding day of come to be?

In 2015 had been working in hotel catering and events for over 8 years, in my career I often worked through wedding planners to book and coordinate weddings. However, I noticed in the past 4-5 years, more and more couples were planning their own weddings. I thought, "that is cool! It's your wedding, with all of these great online tools, you can totally plan it yourself!" However, I noticed very stressed couples on the day of their wedding because they were on the phone with vendors, or trying to decorate, or dealing with many of the "fires" that pop up during the day. I thought this was interesting and tried to fix this by attempting to partner with wedding planners to help couples with the logistics of their wedding day. Much to my surprise... they refused. Many planners simply did not want to work on day of coordination. They were only interested in full and partial planning. Their biggest concern was the tight turnaround required as well as potential oversight by couples planning their own event.  

Enter Weddingdayof.com!

Well not so quickly, but essentially the idea started forming. I started by volunteering to assist with day of coordination in order to get experience and perfect my plan of approach. Over the next 6 months, I worked with weddings completely free of charge until I had a system down! I then offered it as an added feature to my hotel counterparts and they loved the idea. Eventually, I took it mainstream and weddingdayof.com was born! It was strictly by word of mouth until 2017, when the company moved to South Florida, and I decided to make myself available to the masses. 

South Florida Wedding Planning?

Of course, my team and I are available for full wedding planning! It is my pleasure to provide a full-service solution to couples looking to plan their own event. The philosophy is simple, I am here to offer as much or as little assistance as you need!

Happy Planning!

MM

DIY Wedding Centerpieces #MoneyMatters

Make your own Centerpieces and save money

 Centerpieces bring your wedding tables together. They can tie in your themes and colors and really bring life and unique touches to your wedding reception. Centerpieces can also be quite pricey! Can you make your own wedding centerpieces? Of course! I am going to provide you a few tips on how to make beautiful centerpieces and save money. 

1. Research and plan out your wedding centerpieces

Once you have secured your venue and determined your budget, the best way to secure the best deal for yourself in centerpiece purchasing is simply deciding the look you want and planning accordingly. Review sample diagrams for the venue space and determine the approximate number of tables you will have (I always round up and add 2!). Then, determine the materials you will need to achieve your dream look. Make yourself a list.

2. Make a plan to shop for your perfect items

Shop? Yes! Shop! Go! Ok just kidding, don't just go! :) you need a plan. Think of any upcoming holidays leading up to your wedding date. Why? SALES! Think of the changing seasons leading up to your wedding date. Why? SALES! It is much more cost effective to buy fall themed items in the summer than it is in the peak of fall. Craft stores often have sales around the holidays where you can get great deals on glassware and other items. Be patient and smart with your shopping, you will do great! Craft stores may also offer discounts based on the volume of items you are buying. Just ask!

3. Lean on your Family and friends

Bring your family and friends into the hunt! Let them know what you are looking for so they can keep an eye out for you. If you have anyone in your life who is crafty, they may already have a number of items you need! Also, they will likely know where/when to get good deals. Finally, friends and family can offer a hand in putting together your centerpieces with you so you don't have to tackle the project all alone :). Family and friends often have items in their home you can use for decor, I personally have used my own household items to create centerpieces and decor for my couples. It is both an honor and HUGE savings for the couple to utilize items from the homes of people they care about.

4. Make sure to shop online

We all know Amazon is a powerhouse of deals. Use them! Search and see what discounts you can find. I will let you in on a little secret, professionals shop for a ton of items on Amazon too! I am sure you knew that; I feel like we all know that, but we often forget. In your online search do not leave out Google! search for the name of the item and see if there are smaller companies who will sell to you directly. Also, before you head to any store, look online for coupons!!!!! Craigslist, Letgo etc.. are great for purchasing slightly used glassware and other items that can be used for decor. I will let you in on another secret. Coming soon to weddingdayof.com.. wedding decor swap and sales! soon you will able to come right here to list and purchase both new and used items.

5. Meet your wedding vendors halfway

Ok, so maybe despite your best efforts you can't secure all of the items you need. However, with securing as much as you could, you are off to a great start! Work with your vendors to get the remaining pieces. If you want fresh flowers, purchase them and get assistance with the arrangement. Either way, you will save by having at least some of the items secure before bringing in vendors. Just keep in mind that last minute requests can be costly, so make sure you check with your vendors so you can order any necessary pieces with ample time.

Happy Planning!

MM

#Money Matters What to spend your money on

The trick to hosting a great wedding on a budget is to keep your costs in line with that will matter most. 

What should I spend my money on you ask? The answer is pretty simple, the experience!

In order to host a great wedding, you need to keep your guest's experience in mind. I say host a great wedding as opposed to simply having a great wedding because the reality of the matter is, you are hosting your friends and family at your wedding, and inviting them to share in the festivities with you. 

What People will always remember most during your wedding is how they felt. Give them a memorable experience. Invest your money on the experience they will have. It can all boil down to these 4 areas.

• Catering (including beverages)

Keep in mind the points I noted in my previous post. Create a menu that invites all! make sure vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian and allergies are accounted for. A simple, well-executed menu tops even the fanciest of meals! No need to re-invent the wheel here. Go safe with a menu with flavors everyone can enjoy. You can always add in surprises by offering a few options during cocktail hour or as a separate display if you want to showcase your inner foodie!

• Entertainment 

If you are hiring a DJ, get someone who will get the crowd jumping and reflect your individual style as a couple. Ask if they do anything interactive with the crowd and get their input on your songs list. Your guests should have a great time and entertainment will be the way to do it! If your budget allows for a band, then once again, make sure they play music that reflects you as a couple as well as your family and friends.

• Venue

Sometimes, even the most magical locations can turn out to be a nightmare! I will write another post on venue selection but in the meantime, remember this: your guests! is your location easily accessible? does it provide adequate lighting and comfortable temperatures? Will your table arrangement be tight in the given space or on the other hand, is the space too large? Is the space walkable? Are the restrooms easily located? Ask yourself, if you were a guest at this wedding, would you enjoy spending 4+ hours in this space? Then ask yourself, do I see myself getting married here. 

• Orchestration and overall flow

This is not a shameless plug for WeddingDayof services! But imagine going to a wedding where nobody knows where anything is and the entire event is chaotic. No matter how nice the decorations were or how amazing the couple looked, you will always remember the chaos, frustration and feeling like you didn't know what to do or where to go! Give your guests a positive experience they'll remember for life!

Happy Planning!

MM