Living Ceremonies, Rev. Benita is a Tennessee and destination wedding officiant . Her passion lies in creating heartfelt and meaningful ceremonies that reflect the unique love story of each couple. Paperkuts Studio’s, Kimberly Washington loves all thing paper. Her store is a full service stationery store that encompasses stationery, invitations, paper goods and unique gifts for any occasion.
I had an opportunity to sit down with these two beautiful ladies to get answers to some of the most burning questions I receive from my clients. Enjoy the video below.
We hope you were able to learn a little about invitations and hiring an officiant. If you have more questions or would like to reach out to the ladies, you can contact them at the information below.
Kimberly Washington – paperKuts Studio – Instagram
At the end of the video, they also gave additional ways to contact them. If you are in need of a luxury planning company, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
What’s so special about this time of year? It’s the holidays AND engagement season. We hope you are reading this because you recently got engaged or are about to get engaged. If so, do you want to know what’s next? This blog post gives you the four steps to take after getting engaged.
Couples often marry throughout the year but engagement season falls between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day. This is the time when most wedding proposals happen.
For the last eight years, we’ve written articles under our Sunday School Lessons for Engaged Couples series earmarked to jumpstart your wedding planning process. This series is for you, if you are engaged or about to get engaged. We’ve enjoyed writing these articles along with having guests bloggers. This year, we have some fun things in store.
Shira Marie Photography
Once the initial excitement of receiving or giving a ring wears off, we understand the overwhelming feeling that starts to form. We want to help you with a few best practices to jumpstart your planning process. The first four steps to consider are listed below.
Discuss Your Vision
Choose a Wedding Date
Create Your Budget
Hire a Wedding Planner
Discuss Your Vision
Talk with your partner about your vision, style, size and tone of your wedding. (e.g. guest count, number of wedding party members, local vs. destination, formal vs casual).
Choose Your Wedding Date
Choose a date with special meaning to you and your partner.
Consider seasons, holidays and significant family events.
Keep in mind some venues and vendors may charge a premium on major holidays.
Create Your Preliminary Budget
Determine your overall budget amount and then add a dollar amount to each category. It’s helpful to create a “must have” and a “nice to have” list.
Determine if there are others contributing to the budget (e.g. parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, god parents, etc).
Consider your guest count when creating your budget.
Your wedding planner can help with your major budget creation based on your local market.
Hire Your Wedding Planner
A planner can streamline your process, create your budget and help steer you in the right direction.
Professional wedding planners have built and continue to build vendor and venue relationships. Because of these relationships planners are able to recommend the best creative partner for your vision and budget.
JAO Photography
You might view hiring a wedding planner and creating your preliminary budget as tasks done in the wrong order. However, you will need to know a preliminary budget prior to reaching out to a wedding planner. Once you have booked your planner, they can further help you solidify your budget based on your market. Budget creation falls under most full service planning for many wedding planning companies. If you hire a wedding coordinator, also known as a month of coordinator, they probably do not include budget creation in their services.
Each planning company has their own set of parameters, pricing and service options. If you would like to know more about the services we offer, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Don’t forget to bookmark this blog post to use as a guide in your planning process. Feel free to reach out to us for more guidance.
Did you get engaged over the holiday? If so, you may be scrambling to figure out what is next. Our “Sunday School Lessons for Engaged Couples” series will help you start your plans. I encourage you to grab your favorite beverage and binge read our past articles. On our actual blog page, type in “Sunday School Lessons for Engaged Couples” in the search bar. You will find several articles specifically for engaged couples that you can use as our blueprint or guide for planning your wedding.
This article is a quick reference on where to start, if you are newly engaged. Before building a home or office building, the architect needs a blueprint for the direction, measurements and ideas for the build. When you plan your wedding, you will need a blueprint which is your budget and your guest list.
To create your budget, make sure you research your local market. Each market segment will differ. For example, Nashville based vendors and venues will most likely cost significantly more than a smaller town in a more rural area of another state.
If you need help with creating your budget, our team here at LeeHenry Events can help.
Choosing the right creative partners (vendors) for your wedding is crucial. Your vendors are those who provide a service during the planning of your wedding and on the day of. Your wedding planner, caterer, cake provider are a few vendors that will be secured to help bring your vision to life on your big day.
This article will provide two points to consider when choosing your vendors.
Budget
Your budget is always a big factor in planning your wedding, in general. When choosing your vendors ensure your budget is in align with the vendor’s pricing. If their pricing is higher than expected, revisit your budget to see if you have wiggle room.
Service
Does the vendor offer the exact services you need? Your guest count is 150 people. You found the perfect venue but it can only fit 100 people. What should you do? If this venue has all of the bells and whistles you are looking for, consider decreasing your guest count. If a vendor’s list of services show all services you need except one particular item, consider asking if what is lacking can be added. Some vendors are equipped to add on an additional service for a fee.
You are now equipped with two points to consider when choosing your vendors. There are many more factors involved to ensure you have put together the best creative partner team for you wedding. If you need help with deciphering those additional factors, contact us.
Your wedding guest list serves as your blueprint to planning. It is the list of invited guests you will send an invitation. The number of people on this list is a driving factor for your budget. The more guests equal more tables, more decor, more food and more drinks per person to serve at the bar. So yes, the guest list is important. Well, at least the number of people you plan to invite is highly important.
I often get questions from couples in regards to narrowing down the list. Below you will find three do’s and three don’ts for choosing who to invite.
Choosing Your List – Do’s
If your parents are contributing to your budget, do consider adding some of the guests they would like to invite.
Create your list by starting with your wedding party, immediate family, friends and then your co-workers.
Create an A list and a B list.
Choosing Your List – Don’ts
If you haven’t spoken to a family member or a friend in over a year or two, you don’t have to feel obligated to include them on the A list.
Don’t send save the dates to people you do not plan to send an invitation.
Don’t offer one wedding party member a plus one and do not offer a plus one for others in your wedding party.
Creating your guest list can be a daunting and stressful task but it serves as your blueprint for planning your wedding. Before building a home or office building, the architect needs a blueprint for the direction, measurements and ideas for the build. When you plan your wedding, you will need a blueprint which is your guest list and your budget. I hope this article gets you started with planning who to invite to your big day.
You can check out other articles about creating your wedding guest list here and here.
What are the seating options for my wedding? Later in this article, I will break down some common utilized seating options. But first, welcome to our 2021 – 2022 engagement season series – Sunday School Lessons for Engaged Couples. This season, we are focusing on some of my most asked questions from my couples.
There are various seating options and floor plans but your venue will dictate the best option. If your reception space is limited, being creative with the floor plan is a must. If you have a large space with a small guest count, it’s important to ensure your space isn’t too empty but at the same time evoke a nice and cozy feel.
I’ll touch on a two common reception seating options but remember each option depends upon your vision, floor plan and venue.
JAO Photography
Sweetheart Table
The sweetheart table is the focal point of the room. At this table, the couple sits separately from the bridal party and family. Because it’s the focal point, it is usually more decorative than the other tables.
The estate tables are long king size tables that seat a number of people, normally 8 – 10 people. However, most couples opt to have more than one king table which can seat up to 16 – 18 people. We’ve sat bridal party at these tables and immediate family. Dependent upon your venue, the entire reception room can be set up with estate tables.
If you have a seating vision in mind, consider this vision when choosing your venue. If you need help with choosing your reception seating, contact us.
It’s that time of year! What time? I’m glad you asked! It’s engagement season. Our Sunday School Lessons for Engaged Couples series is back with the same focus but a slightly different direction. This series is designed to give advice to couples planning their wedding.
This is what to expect during this engagement season’s series:
I will address some questions that I get often from my clients who may be newly engaged or have been engaged for awhile.
We will post an article twice a month until the end of February 2022. The articles will still post on Sunday.
You may hear from some vendors but you may also read advice from couples.
It’s a fun and exciting time of the year! Not only because of the holidays but it’s the season where many couples get engaged. If getting married is on your radar, this is the place to be on Sundays.
Our first article will post Sunday, December 19. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog so you won’t miss any details.
Today is our final article in this engagement season’s Sunday School Lesson For Engaged Couples series. The last couple of months was fun and informative with important content and some awesome guests. This Valentine’s Day blog round up is meant for you to binge read our past articles from this engagement season. Grab your favorite beverage because we are sharing some great content from the last couple of months.
If you recently became engaged and discovered this blog, we salute you for following along. How befitting that our series ends today on Valentine’s Day. Ladies, we hope more of you received that sparkly ring this weekend or better yet, today.
For this engagement season, our Sunday School Lesson For Engaged Couples series ends today. However, we will post new articles on a regular basis. Don’t forget to subscribe to this blog to use as a reference for planning your big day, your milestone celebration, receive lifestyle tips and follow along as we share pictures from our weddings and events.
Invitation etiquette is one of my most asked questions from clients. Should I send out save the dates? When should I mail the save the dates? Where do I include my registry information? Should I have paper or online invitations? These are just a few questions I receive on a regular basis. I decided to bring in Kim Washington, owner of paperKuts Studio to answer some of your burning questions. Kim is giving some great tips to tackle your wedding stationery. To get the deets, continue reading.
Kim: Born and bred in East Nashville, I’m pretty basic, to be honest! I love my family and friends, great food, adult beverages and I watch waayyy too much television. My adoration for paper began with my desire to become an Event Planner. Because of traveling so much for work, I could not be an effective planner. The one aspect of the process I loved the most was everything involved in the invitation/stationery realm. Thus, began my passion and paperKuts studio was put into motion. I try to assist with everything from wax seals to signage. My goal is to provide my customers with a relaxing, informative and fun experience!
LHE: Should couples send out save the dates? If so, how far in advance of their wedding date should they mail them?
Kim: Ahhhh, save the dates are always one of the most asked questions. Should couples send out save the dates? It is totally up to the couple depending upon their budget and where they are in the planning process. Save the dates should be mailed six to seven months before the wedding. If it is a destination event, 8-12 months prior. A local nuptial can be sent 4-5 months before the big day.
LHE: I’ve had a few couples to ask if they should list their bridal registry on their invitation. What advice can you give couples regarding their registry in regards to their invitations?
Kim: Etiquette states that you should NOT include your registry on the invitation. I’ve had couples want to include it on their invite in the form of the wedding website. I suggest placing that and other pertinent information on an insert card.
LHE: Many couples are opting to have a wedding website and choose to send virtual invitations. I love the personal touch of a printed invitation. I would love to hear your thoughts on why a printed invitation is important.
Kim: Oh, boy! This is such a touchy subject! “They are just gonna throw it away.” If I had a nickel…anywhoo…I personally do not side with virtual invitations. Not just because of paperKuts studio, but if I am having an event that requires my guests to spend money via a gift, travel, sitter, etc., I can send an invite. With the myriad of affordable and beautiful selections at your local craft store, well, need I say more?!?!?!
LHE: What is your one important advice to give couples before they choose their invitation?
Kim: My best advice is to know your budget, first and foremost. Also, invitations are just like anything else. You most often get what you pay for. Pretty costs.
LHE: Kim, we appreciate you giving us some great tips. The last question is how many weeks before the wedding should invitations be mailed?
Kim: Invitations should be mailed 8-12 weeks before the wedding. Allow yourself time for returned mail, additional guests to invite and the return of RSVP cards.
Kim, as always it’s a pleasure to chat with you! I can vouch for Kim that she makes her consultations fun, relaxing and informative. She not only has stationery for weddings but for all types of celebrations.
If you are interested in purchasing stationery or want more information, contact Kim via email at kim@paperkutsstudio.com or buzz: 615.448.6275. You can also look at her pretty instagram feed here.
NOTE: all photos in this post were provided by Kim of paperKuts Studio
Looking for wedding guest book ideas? In our blog post from last week, we touched on five guest book ideas. See our ideas here.
