Budget? What Budget!?

I can't stress enough how imperative it is to look at the big picture before making any decisions about the big day. If you don't gather all the facts and blow 70% of your wedding budget on the first category you decide to conquer it could spell trouble down the road. All too often I've seen a frazzled Bride trying to figure out how she can squeeze in some of the final touches, i.e. lighting and linens into a dwindling wedding budget.

When it's time to talk decor, those fabulous linens and lighting that could add the finishing touch to the big event could quickly become a no go. No one likes to settle, especially a bride so to ensure all your whims and wishes come to fruition make sure you get a real look at all your potential expenses before you start allocating funds.

A word to the wise:

• Gather all the information before you start making plans for your wedding bucks.


• Remember, you get what you pay for. Stick with professionals, let Mom and Aunt Sally actually enjoy themselves. Oh, and leave the ipod at home.


• Decide what is a priority for you and your groom and splurge there, i.e. you really want that 9 piece band.


• Have the discussion about money with all involved. Be clear about who is paying for what from the start. This is not the time and place for surprises, it's important to get it on the table before hand, there is no need for the holidays to be awkward for the next ten years.

Cheers,
Jenn

Jennifer McBride is owner of McBride Events (www.mcbrideevents.com), a Richmond based design and event planning company. She loves caffeine, and a good floor length linen. Visit www.wedology101.com to learn more about our upcoming seminar.

Been There, Done That Bride: Ashley Alphin

We’ve sent out word far and wide for former brides who embody the “Been There, Done That” mentality- they planned their wedding and lived to tell the tale!

The initial response has been fantastic and it’s with great pleasure that we feature Ashley Alphin as our inaugural “Been There, Done That” bride. Married this past August, Ashley literally pulled together her wedding in a month while having the majority of her wedding party come from out of state.

Why are you a “Been There, Done That” Bride?
We went in with challenges but it was by far the most amazing day of my life!

What surprised you most about your wedding planning?
Only planning in one month, I was surprised we were able to include all the little details that were important to us as a couple.
What caused you the most stress during your wedding planning? How was it handled?
Finding rooms for out of town guests; after people began to RSVP we realized not as many rooms were needed for wedding blocks. Our time schedule for planning was stressful in itself but we took one day at a time and worked as a team!

What could you have absolutely not lived without during the planning?
One thing I could not live without during the planning would be my mom. She was so helpful through the whole process and her creative input made quite the difference. She helped make our wedding day - the most amazing day of our lives!

What would you have done differently?
I would have liked to take a little more time to soak in the day, it went by so quick.

If you had one piece of advice to share with our brides, what would it be?
Relax- don't stress over the little things!

Ashley is proof that you can face added challenges with planning your Big Day, and still make it a memorable one.

Interested in being featured? Simply email me at meghan {at} ofdconsulting {dot} com. Have friends trying to plan their Big Day? Then join us August 15 at Wedology 101!

Cheers,

Meghan

Meghan Ely is one part of the Wedology 101 team, and owner of OFD Consulting, a niche Marketing/PR firm servicing the wedding industry and the Managing Director of the Richmond Bridal Association. She is a contributing writer with Virginia Bride magazine, and has been published in Premier Bride Richmond. She and Jennifer write a Wedology 101 column for the Richmond Times Dispatch's Celebration section. She loves late harvest sauvignon blancs, letterpress anything and cakes shaped like Death Stars.

Of 2am Bridal Romps at Kinko's- A Bridesmaid's Tale

I'm not sure how I got there, but there I was- standing next to the bride-to-be last Friday evening at 2am with a mittful of subpar wedding programs.

Well I do know how I got there - I eagerly said yes to my Best Friend when she asked me to be a bridesmaid, and frankly, I'd do anything for her. Except eat chicken pot pie, of course.

And with 200 weddings to my name, sometimes the definition of bridesmaid extends beyond the normal realms of responsibilities. Of course, it doesn't help when I match the bride's shower gift to her outfit. Clearly, I'm just asking for it.

It all began with an initial confirmation call from Printer #1 that the programs were ready to go- an ideal stop off before the rehearsal and dinner. As we arrived, the atmosphere grew tense on the other side of the counter as we were told that there had been a mix up and the programs would be ready momentarily. We were then thrown a stack of programs, and shoved out the door on our merry way, as Printer #1 turned their sign to Closed (as in, for the weekend).

As we drove to the rehearsal, neither of us wanted to say it. We both had had a good look at the programs. Surely, they hadn't been put on plain old copy paper.

After all, hadn't they seen the lovely invites with the rounded corners?

This had all the makings of a bridal meltdown but with a couple calls to Kinko's (thank you 24 hours!) and a craft store, we had a Plan B and C respectively, as well as an agreement that Plan D- skip the programs and just marry the fabulous fiancee, wouldn't be such a bad deal either.

And the bride? Cool as a cucumber- even standing beside me in her PJs at 2am as the other customers congratulated her.

The point in my tale of restless nights and midnight forays to Kinko's? Always have a Plan B.. and a Plan C.. and a Plan D if the others don't work out. When you hit an inevitable snafu in the wedding plans, let your next question be "What's the next best scenario?"

So why are we doing Wedology 101? I get this question often. After years of formulating back up plans, bridezilla-isms and happy endings, it's time to take our tips and tricks and bring it to the bridal community. Please join us August 15 as we bring Wedology 101 to Richmond at Wyndham Virginia Crossings.

And because frankly, I don't know how many more 2am Kinko's trips I can take.

Cheers,
Meghan

Meghan Ely is one part of the Wedology 101 team, and owner of OFD Consulting, a niche Marketing/PR firm servicing the wedding industry and the Managing Director of the Richmond Bridal Association. She is a contributing writer with Virginia Bride magazine, and has been published in Premier Bride Richmond. She and Jennifer write a Wedology 101 column for the Richmond Times Dispatch's Celebration section. She loves late harvest sauvignon blancs, letterpress anything and cakes shaped like Death Stars.

Testing 1, 2, 3

Pardon our proverbial dust as we get our Blog up and running. In the meantime, find out more about Wedology 101 from a recent post at OFD Consulting-

Wedology 101: The Reveal
http://ofdconsulting.blogspot.com/2010/05/wedolog-101-reveal.html

See you soon,
Jenn & Meghan


Jennifer McBride is owner of McBride Events (www.mcbrideevents.com), a Richmond based design and event planning company. Meghan Ely is the CEO and owner of OFD Consulting (www.ofdconsulting.com), a marketing/pr firm for wedding professionals, and the Managing Director of the Richmond Bridal Association. They love great ideas fueled by caffeine, and a good floor length linen. Visit www.wedology101.com to learn more about our upcoming seminar. “The Reality of Being a Bride”