I’m all about planning a delicious dinner for wedding guests – don’t we all remember the food?!  However, I’m also a big fan of moving things along to get to the party. Your guests will truly appreciate a well-executed service plan. It’s the kind of thing you only notice if it doesn’t go smoothly…specifically, if you are one of the guests waiting and waiting and waiting for your food. If you choose a plated meal, here are some simple ways to keep things on track with service:

Stick to three courses. If you really want to add a course, consider an intermezzo which is quick and pretty and a unique touch. Or, offer a displayed cheese course after you cut the cake – so European!

Preset your first course. This means that before your guests are cued to dinner, the service staff has already set out the first course for each guest. It also means you need to choose a cold first course and you’ll need to design the place settings accordingly. (No napkins or menu cards on the plate. Instead, consider propping a menu card against a glass and rolling the napkin at the top of the setting – tied with raffia, ribbon, sea grass, etc.)

Choose a set menu. Serving everyone the same entrée will literally take 30 minutes – minimum – off your dinner service time. I like a dual entrée such as filet and salmon but choose what you like and then offer a vegetarian option by request (either on the response card or by request the night of the reception).

Not only will all your guests rave about the food and service, but you’ll stay on track with your timeline. This means more time for dancing, visiting and partying with your friends and family!

Nikki + Damian’s Wedding at The O’Henry Hotel. Event by Erin McLean Events. Photos by Sweet Life Studios.

Once all of your guests RSVP and you are working on a seating chart you will have to decide if you would like to do Place Cards or Escort Cards. Wondering what the difference is?

Escort Cards are used to show which table your guests are sitting at. They do not need to be cards. You can be creative and use an old windowpane, chalkboard – whatever you like. Typically you will have your table names, or numbers, and each person’s name who is sitting at that table listed below.

Place Cards are most specific than place cards. These will show your guest where, at their assigned table, they will be sitting specifically. These are usually sitting at the guests place setting on the table which will let them know what plate and chair to sit at. Keep in mind, if you would like to do place cards that you are aware of keeping spouses and +1s next to each other at the table.

It is not necessary to do both, but we recommend that you choose one of these two options to avoid any confusion, delays or anxiety with your guests wondering where they should be seated.

Melanie + Bryan at The Carolina Inn [Full Planning + Design Erin McLean Events] [Photography Martha Manning Photography]

Today I share a great solution to what has lately been a hot topic of – shall we say lively discussion – with many couples. Namely, who exactly should come to the rehearsal dinner when almost all of your guests are from out town?

When the Bride’s family wants everyone to be invited but the Groom’s family wants to limit it to just the Bridal Party, things can get tricky. I offer this solution: embrace the intimacy of a small “Bridal Party Only” rehearsal dinner and then plan an after party for all the out of town guests.

This after party can be as simple as picking a place and time and meeting everyone there – you don’t necessarily need to provide food and drink but a round of drinks and some snacks or platters would be nice. Or, you could book a private location and provide food and drinks for everyone – something simple like a semi-private space at a restaurant works well. Even easier, a hospitality suite at the hotel most of your guests are staying at – or just ask them to meet you at the hotel bar.

Keep it simple, easy, and then gracefully bow out a little early so you aren’t out too late before the big day. Everyone wins with the compromise!

Katie + Christian’s Winston-Salem Wedding [Wedding Planner: Erin McLean Events Photographer: Nancy Ray Photography]

It’s not uncommon for a Bride and Groom to opt for providing transportation for their guests if the ceremony and reception are quite a distance apart. This is especially helpful if most or almost all of your guests are coming in from out of town. If you do choose to shuttle your guests, consider taking advantage of their undivided attention while en route to your reception. Some fun ideas:

-Provide a “mobile photo booth” in a box complete with fun props, signs and Polaroid or disposable cameras. Assign a guest or your planner to be responsible for collecting the items.

-Have them interact by giving them a game to play – my pick is trivia questions about the Bride and Groom. Where did they meet? Where was their first date? What is their favorite sport’s team? How did he propose? It’s fun and guests will learn all about the couple!

-Send a guest book or notes to be inserted in the guest book along for the ride. Attendees can write a message to the newlyweds, give marriage advice or just sign their name and a quick congratulations.

-And don’t overlook having some treats and/or drinks on the shuttle. This is a great option for the end of the night – work with your caterer to include individually wrapped late night snacks and a bottle of water for each guest’s ride back to their hotel.

Hope you enjoy incorporating one of these ideas at your event. After all, getting there is half the fun!

Shannon + Ryan’s Wedding Planned by: Erin McLean Events, PhotoCredit: Nancy Ray Photography

You’ve been dreaming of your wedding day for as long as you can remember…and you’re not going to want it to end. You’ll be on cloud nine and the entire day will fly by and it will be a blur of sweet moments and fabulous memories. So, how long is too long when it comes to the timing of your ceremony and reception?

Yes, you want it to go on as long as possible, but your guests may feel otherwise. My recommendation is around 6 to 7 hours from pre-ceremony music to grand exit. This can depend on how long your ceremony will be (or extra travel time between ceremony and reception locations) but in general, you want your reception to be about 5 to 6 hours – maximum.

It will go by in a flash to you but your guests will appreciate a well-planned, smooth-flowing event that ends on a high note and not at the break of dawn. After all, you should leave them wanting more instead of wishing they could have gone home hours earlier. If you really feel the need to continue the party, close out the reception with a bang and then invite your partying friends to meet you out for more drinks and dancing at your favorite local hangout!

Megan + Matt’s Wedding Planned by: Erin McLean Events, PhotoCredit: Logan Jarrard

Abigail Seymour Photography

A trip down the aisle requires a road map to get there. Here are the important things to consider, decide and ponder after the proposal.

Call your family to share the good news! Any close friends or relatives should receive a call so you can tell them the good news. You don’t want your little cousin telling your aunt that you’re engaged because they saw it on Facebook first.

Get a manicure. People will be looking at that rock. The last thing you want is peeling nail polish when so many people will be looking at your hand.

Set a date. This will most likely change depending on the venue availability, but it is helpful to have an idea of the season; even better, the month that you would like to get married.

Agree on the Guest Count. This will most likely change throughout the engagement, but the number is vital for knowing what size venue you need and acquiring quotes from vendors. A good way to get this magic number is to sit down with your fiancé and on a piece of paper, add family, then close friends and then people you would ideally like to be there. This should give you a good ballpark number.

Be sure to ask both sets of parents if they have anyone they would like to add. It’s better to know beforehand than later once you’ve committed to a venue and you will need to remove people from your list to accommodate people on theirs.

Choose Bridal Party. Ask your friends if they would be a part of your bridal party for your wedding.

Get a Wedding Planner. This is optional. You know yourself better than anyone. Are you organized and able to stay on top of things? Will you be able to balance work and planning? If you know exactly what you want and can handle all the planning, consider a day-of coordinator to take the reins and execute the details on the day of your wedding.

Nail down your personal style. This is the fun part! Grab bridal magazines, spend hours on Pinterest and get inspired. Do you see your wedding as traditional, eclectic, modern or vintage? Consider the smaller details such as the cake or centerpieces first and observe what sort of style you are drawn towards to get an idea of what this might be.

Register. Before the engagement party and bridal shower, go out with your fiancé and register at a few stores. That way people will know exactly what to buy you and can even buy your wedding gifts in advance when they are picking up your engagement/ bridal shower gifts.

Set a Budget. This will most likely change, especially because you may underestimate some wedding costs. You will have to sit down with each set of parents and figure out exactly what everyone is contributing and think of a reasonable number to get what you want within reason and without breaking the bank. If you decide to hire a wedding planner then they will help you with this. If not, be very meticulous of recording ALL expenses and checking to make sure you are staying on track.

The worst way to start your married life would to be in deep debt because you went $10,000 over budget!

Book the venue. Once you have set the number of guest and have an idea of your budget, start visiting venues. Go to a variety of places and have a list of questions to ask at each one. Try to picture your big day there and find what you feel is a good fit.

Book the Photographer. One of the most important parts of the day is getting amazing photos to remember it by. Start doing research into different photographers and set up meetings. Are you looking for candid shots, traditional shots, artsy shots? Photographers are booked a year or more in advanced, so make sure you don’t wait too long to start looking and booking!

Get a Massage. This isn’t an official recommendation on many lists, but it is on ours! After all of the excitement, the planning will begin! Although the planning is still fun and exciting, it can definitely be stressful at times. Treat yourself to a massage so you can just relax and reflect on all of the excitement of your engagement.

Gallant Fox Photography

Last night I attended a Favorite Things Party. “The Girls” got together and we all shared one of our favorite things by drawing names and exchanging gifts. Seeing what each person brought and hearing about it gave us fun insights into their personality.

Why not use this idea as part of your wedding welcome to out of town guests? Sharing some of your favorite things on a cute print out with welcome bags or even a list on your wedding website is a cool Idea for giving your guests insight into your personality! The list could include favorite stores, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. along with their address/phone number.

Be specific – tell them your favorite time to go; favorite dish to order – have fun giving them a tour of your town. Need some ideas? The list below provides a sample of what you could do for guests staying in downtown Raleigh:

A Few of Our Favorite Things

Morning Times – Visit first thing in the morning for fresh-brewed Counter Culture Coffee.

Krispy Kreme – Look for the “Hot Now” sign and swing by to see the donuts being made. You can even wear a paper hat while eating the warm glazed donuts.

Deco – Pick up a unique keepsake or stock up on fun cards at this downtown shop.

Chuck’s – The best burger in town with fries and a shake…simple is sometimes best. But these gourmet burgers are amazing and the unusual dipping sauces for the fries are all delicious.

Pie Bird – Get some dessert in this quaint pie shop. We recommend the honey sea salt pie.

Moon and Lola – Need some accessories for your wedding outfit? This local store has fun jewelry!

Sitti – Have dinner at Sitti and ask for their homemade garlic whip with pitas as you browse the menu. We love their salad entrée specials and flatbreads.

The Oxford – Enjoy a British-inspired night cap at our favorite Gastropub.

Have fun with this project!

-Tia

Cyn Kain Photography

Thank you cards can seem like a daunting task at first. After the stress of the wedding and you have had the chance to wind down, one more thing pops up – the thank you cards. Here are some simple dos and don’ts to keep in mind as you approach your wedding day and the inevitable thank-you-card-writing-marathon that will follow.

DO save all of the addresses from mailing out the invitations in an address book. This will ensure you are not scramble trying to contact people AGAIN for their addresses.

DO keep track of every gift you receive and who gave it to you. Be specific and keep it updated and organized.

DON’T email!  We may be living in a technological society, but your friends and family will not feel appreciated for spending their time and money to buy and send you a gift if you email them a thank you. Hand-written and mailed is the only way to go.

DO set ground rules with your spouse. The ‘but I don’t have neat handwriting so you should write them all’ will more than likely come up. Even if it is just a suggestion to see if they can get out of it. At your wedding there will be family members, friends and guests that are closer to him, those people may appreciate the thank you written from him even if it is a little harder to read!

DO respond within three months of your wedding date.

DON’T give up. Start by setting a goal of writing 10-a day. It seems overwhelming at first, but if you start with the easier ones – like close friends and family, soon you will get the hang of it and they will get easier.

DO be specific! You can’t write “Thank you for the Present” on every card. That’s why you keep track. Try to say something nice about seeing them at the wedding if they were there, or that you missed their company if they couldn’t make it. Always mention what they gave you so that they don’t feel like their thoughtful gift wasn’t memorable or important.

Keep in mind all of the wonderful gifts, cards and company that surrounded your wedding day. Try to let people know in a genuine way how much you appreciate their kindess.

Good Luck!