Saturday's Wedding ABC's

V.  V is for volume.  Your older guests are more sensitive to the volume of the music.  Seat them away from the speakers so they can chat during dinner.

W.  W is for wedding website.  A wedding website is a great way to communicate with your guests.  Get it started and put the url on your Save the Dates so your guests can keep updated.

X.  X is for xylophone?  No no, is for X's - kisses!  Lots of kisses on wedding day. Don't forget your touch up lipstick.

Y.  Y is for young guests.  You've made the decision to have children at the wedding and you need to give them something to do.  Have a room close to the reception room set aside for the kids.  Stock it with movies, a tv and dvd player, some games and toys, and snacks.  And yes,  a babysitter or two.  If you can't manage a room, then give each child a tote filled with toys and games to play during the reception.  Their parents will thank you.

Z.  Z is for Zzzzzz's.  The few nights before the wedding it's best to get a good nights sleep.  Don't count on sleeping the night before the Big Day - it may be difficult.

Saturday's Wedding ABC's

S.  S is for signature or speciality drink.  A signature drink is a super special drink offered to your guests.  The drink can be anything you love and is usually offered as your guests arrive at the reception.



T.  T is for tent.  A tented wedding can be a beautiful, wonderful event.  In order to have a tented wedding done well you will need to hire a great tent company and a planning professional who has experience with tented events (like us!).  They are tricky and there will be tons of little details to consider.



U.  U is for umbrella.  If you're totally panicked (as opposed to being okay and go with the flow) about it raining on your wedding day, then pick up a couple of too-cute umbrellas.  They'll make for great photos and you'll be so excited to use them that you'll forget about the raindrops.

Saturday's Wedding ABC's

P.  P is for place card.  A place card tells your guests in which seat to sit at the table.  They are usually placed above the charger plate and above the dessert fork.  Some hosts choose not to use a place card and simply allow guests to choose their own seat at their designated table.



Q.  Q is for quickly.  Yes, photographs are hugely important, but you want to get them done quickly.  Be sure to have a clear list for your photographer and make it as short as possible.  You want to get to your cocktail hour - unless of course you're very smart and taking all of your photos before the wedding!



R.  R is for rest.  Be sure to get some rest the night before the wedding.  It's a long day and you don't want to be grumpy tired.

Saturday's Wedding ABC's

M.  M is for menu card.  The menu card is a the perfect place to add personality to your place settings.  For a stations dinner the menu card tells your guests that there are many stations and encourages them to try them all.  For a sit down dinner the menu card tells them what to expect and let's them tell their server early in the meal if there's an item on the menu they can't eat.  It makes for easier, faster dinner service.

N.  N is for navigation.  If your ceremony and reception are in different locations be sure to give directions and maybe a map inside the invitation and on the back of the ceremony program.  Guests may forget the directions included in the invitation and you want to ensure they arrive at the reception.  Also include information about parking or valet service.

O.  O is for open mind.  It's so important to keep an open mind during wedding planning.  You will incorporate lots of opinions into your own vision and you just might fall in love with an idea that contrasts what you started with.  Keep your mind and vision open to new concepts and you just might stumble onto fabulous.

Saturday's Wedding ABC's

J.  J is for java.  It is always a good idea to set up coffee as a station after the meal.  The wedding cake can also be served on the same station.  Guests shouldn't be sitting at their tables by the time coffee is served - they should be dancing!  Add to the coffee station by adding an espresso bar.  And remember, coffee cups are never on the table at the start of the meal.  They're added later.

K.  K is for keepsake.  Ask someone to collect things from the wedding for you to keep.  Your escort card, your menu, your bouquet, imprinted napkins, programs.  In the celebration you will probably forget, so asking someone to collect these items is always a good idea.

L.  L is for linens.  You can easily rent linens to use on your guest tables, cocktail tables, cake table, etc.  Rented linens will give you a big impact for a relatively small investment.  

Saturday's Wedding ABC's

G.  G is for gifts.  Take some time to decide on thoughtful gifts for your bridal party and parents.  And remember, you'll want to thank your shower hostesses with a small gift.

H.  H is for honeymoon.  If you can't take the time or can't spare the funds for an big trip for the honeymoon, treat yourself to at least 3 days away together.  A honeymoon's purpose is to relax and reenergize after the stress and exhaustion of the wedding.  You will still need that time together to connect and relax.

I.  I is for inspiration.  There is inspiration everywhere.  Creating a college of pictures, tear-outs from magazines, and color swatches will help you communication your vision of the wedding to your vendors.

Saturday's Wedding ABC's

D.  D is for dancing.  Most brides and grooms will say that their main goal is for all of their guests to have a great time at their wedding.  One of the key elements here is for the bride and groom to be out on the dance floor with their guests dancing and enjoying themselves.

E.  E is for escort cards.  Escort cards direct your guests to their tables.  Escort cards are displayed for the guests to pick up alphabetically on a table or in some other creative method.  See also P is for place cards.

F.  F is for fondant.  Fondant is the dough-like covering used on some wedding cakes.  Most people either love or hate fondant, either for the taste or the look.  The pros to a fondant covering are the smooth texture and it's ability to withstand heat.  The cons are that it doesn't taste that yummy and can get sort of hard.  

Saturday's Wedding ABC's

A.  A is for Alencon lace.  Alencon lace is a kind of needle lace and can be used on wedding gowns.  It is made in France. 

B.  B is for bar.  Most weddings will have bar for their guests to enjoy.  Open bar or beer and wine are fine, just no cash bars please.  See also Signature Drinks.

C.  C is for charger plate.  A charger plate sits on the table when you're guests are seated.  It lays between the flatware and contributes to the overall first impression of the tables.  Often, the salad plate is served on top of the charger and both are cleared together, however some locations clear the charger before the salad service.