Wedding Wise Weekly – July 16

Every Week I bring you the best wedding stories, events and deals in Los Angeles and from around the web. And we call it Wedding Wise Weekly. Welcome!

Cool Wedding Thing of the Week:

Amy and Nick’s Wedding Dance Extravaganza:

Photo: @thatguysev

Amy and Nick got married on Sunday at Rancho Del Cielo in Malibu, and I had the best time working with them, and, as you can see, they had the best time at their wedding! Amy is a professional dancer, and Nick learns really, really well. I wish I can take credit for this picture, but it was taken by one of their guests, @thatguysev. I reposted it sooo fast! If you would like to see more pics from their wedding, search for #AmyNick2015 on Instagram. Ooh, and if you want to see pictures from Ally and Brian’s wedding on Saturday at Adamson House (two weddings on one weekend, why why, yes, I am a Rock Star), search for #McDermottsinMalibu. 

Required Reading:

Welcome to Wedding World. It’s Crazy, You’re Going to Love It. 

Via Etsy Seller Party Lab

So, a couple of Fridays ago, Wedding World opened up to a brand new batch of #TheEngaged. Congratulations, and Welcome Aboard. As BAB’s resident wedding planner, I wanted to offer you a few quick start tips about wedding planning. Sticker shock isn’t the only thing that’s going to surprise you in the next few months.

1. It’s Your Wedding, You Can Do What You Want.
Every couple asks me if they can do such and such, and is that okay? Of course it’s okay. The question is never, “What can I do?” it’s “How can I do this?”  And you have a million resources for that, including this website. And in response to the noise you might get about spending sooo much money on one day? Instead of being ashamed, be grateful that you have it or that it was given to you. And, please:  Never apologize for throwing a party.

2. Extrapolate from the Real World.
Next time you you eat out, pay attention. Tables, chairs, plates, glassware. What are they each used for, and how many did you use that night? The restaurant has more in the back just in case you break or drop something. And they are not serving your dessert on your dinner plate. Get realistic about how much things are going to cost. Check it out in your city, but a comparable wedding dinner at the Olive Garden here in L.A. — appetizer, salad, dinner, dessert and a drink will cost you about $50 per person, plus tax and gratuity/service (25% ~30%). That’s $5,000+ for 100 guests. At Olive Garden. Don’t count on your catering costing less than that. Go to the florist section in your local store and see how much the arrangements cost, then multiply by 10 tables. Always remember that you are buying nice things in bulk. You get to decide for how many people, and you get to decide how “nice” you want it to be. And just about everyone is going to charge you tax, a delivery fee and a service fee.

The Deals:

Oriental Trading Company – Paper Lanterns, Backdrop lights and monograms. Aisle runners, candles, string lights. If you need it to make your wedding pretty, Oriental Trading Company has it. And if you use the code OTCBRAND15 at checkout, then they’ll even ship it to you for free. You’re welcome!

See you at the end of the aisle,

Liz Coopersmith
Silver Charm Events
www.silvercharmevents.com
323-592-9318
liz@silvercharmevents.com

Grab my free wedding tip sheet, “The Ten Things You Have to Know About Your Wedding” and find out how to avoid the common mistakes other couples make when planning their Big Day.