Our secrets to stress-free planning

The Dress
Bustles often break, so ask for a French “under” bustle vs. an American “over” bustle if you like to dance and want to avoid carrying your dress over your arm all night.

Invitations
Before mailing, assign a number to each response card that corresponds with an actual guest…then write that number on the back of each response card – people sometimes send blank RSVP’s and these numbers prevent “mystery” guests.

Flowers
Ask your florist to label your “personal flowers” (bouquets, corsages & boutonnieres) with actual names of recipients to avoid confusion before the ceremony when they are distributed.

The Ceremony
The night before your ceremony, tell family members if you have seating reserved for them – this prevents empty front seats in your ceremony photos.

The Reception
Ask a few “bossy friends” to encourage guests who won’t leave cocktail hour to find their seats - the food will taste better and you’ll have more time for dancing if dinner is served on time.

Photography
Appoint a photo “wrangler” who can recognize family members and round up “wandering” relatives so group photos are more efficient and you can get back to having fun.

Hair/Make-up
Schedule your hair and make-up trials for the day of your engagement photo shoot to take full advantage of how great you look.

Cake
Before you freeze your top layer of cake to enjoy on your first anniversary, remove the piece of cardboard from the bottom to prevent it from drying out in your freezer.

Video
Not having a wedding video is the number one regret of couples after the wedding.

Music
To guarantee a packed dance floor, invite your guests to list 3 favorite dance songs on their RSVP’s and create a “must play” list of these selections for your band or DJ.