Events Blog

The lights are low, the guests are all gone and for the first time since you said I do you have your new husband or wife all to yourself. Passions rise, you kiss and CLICK...SNAP....CLICK! The photographer taking your morning after wedding photos places the camera in between the two of you!

I am all for new traditions and making as many memories as possible. However I am not sure how I feel about the latest trend spreading through the wedding industry; morning after wedding photography. Photographers are adding this short session into your wedding package or even selling it as an add on for brides that previously booked packages and decided afterwards that they want to jump on board with the trend. I love wedding photos. I especially love wedding photos that you can look at and see the emotion pouring out between the couple. However the jury is still out for me on the morning after photos. My personal opinions aside, I have had a few brides ask me about them. I have even had a bride choose to do the morning after photo session in lieu of her personal boudoir photo shoot. I can't deny the fact that, as several articles suggest, brides are usually in the best shape of their lives when they get married, so why not show it off with photos as much as possible. Visit us on Facebook, where you can weigh in on the subject!

For the coming spring wedding season it seems like it's all about color, the back of the dress and the convertible option.  If none of that makes sense to you, don't worry you are not alone.  Top designers were sending dresses with colors like red, pink, blue down the runways.  Believe it, wedding dresses are not all about white any more. The sprinkle of eye popping colors will add pizazz to any event. The bride who is bold enough to try this non-traditional option is sure to be the center of attention, and will surely be rewarded with fantastic photos.  For those brides who aren't bold enough to walk down the isle in red or blue, there is something on the runway for them as well.  Designers are focusing more attention on the back of the dresses for next season.  Designers are adding buttons, lace, cutouts and designs to the back of the dress. This is a fabulous option for a part of the dress that is often forgotten about.  This option is also great for any bride who may want to keep attention focused away from what she may deem a "trouble area" in the front. Finally, there's what we like to call the convertible trend.  Most brides want to run around, dance and enjoy their reception. The cumbersome wedding dress may not be convenient for those types of activities.  Given that fact, many brides change into a party dress at some point during their reception.  Having one dress that can act as two is a great option that saves brides from that second dress purchase.  Many dresses, currently being offered, give brides the option to remove parts of the wedding dress; turning into a fabulous party dress.  Check out our Pinterest page, where we have pinned photos of these fabulous trends!

Unless you have specifically noted, either verbally or on your invitations, "no children" under a certain age; it's probable that you will have at least a few young guests at your wedding reception.  Unfortunately having young guests sometimes means having the issues associated with them (outbursts, taking over the dance floor, etc.) To prevent the possibility of problems plaguing your peaceful event, we suggest a few simple ideas to help make the event enjoyable for both you and the youngest guests on your list!

 

 * Special Seating - we like to call this the VILP section; very important little people.  If possible, keep child seating away from the main dinning room, but don't make them feel like outcasts or they won't want to sit there!  Decorating with special table linens, centerpieces and even giving them special seating cards will entice them to stay at their own VIP tables.  Special non-alcoholic drinks in fun, bright colors and cool party favors can't hurt either!

 

* Menu - for most young children, eating something new is not an easy task.  Therefore, why force strange food on them at your event?  Asking your caterer for a kids menu will save you from having hungry, cranky kids and will save you money.  Most caterers will gladly offer you a kids menu selection, which is much cheaper than your general guest selections.  Entrees range from hamburgers, chicken fingers, grilled cheese to hot dogs & fries.  These selections keep kids happy and satisfied.

 

* Games & Activities - idle hands and minds can cause nothing but trouble, so keep them occupied!  Why not include games and activities on the table for kids to use.  Covering the table in white paper and giving them crayons is always a fun idea, but doodle books, mazes & word finds are also fun. Make sure your games don't have too many small parts; that's just asking for a mess! It's also great to have the games go with the event theme if you can.  For example; if you theme is a beach wedding, why not give each young guest a beach pail with their name on it, filled with activities!

 

* Supervision - while it's great to give the kids enough activities to keep them busy, it's not a great idea to leave them on their own too long at your event.  To ensure that everyone enjoys the reception to the fullest, hire an "non-guest" to supervise the children during the reception.

 

With their very own seating area, special menu, activities to keep them occupied and adult supervision, your young guests will be happy and your event trouble free! Knowing that the kids are enjoying themselves is going to allow your guests to have a lot of fun themselves - giving you an awesome reception!

 

Many people ask us what makes Six Cents Events different from other planners in the business.  The answer is, multiple things and way too long for this blog.  Most recently however, it is definitely our addition of groom's services! That's right ladies, the men need love and attention too. In addition, the groom's service gives the bride peace of mind and allows her to feel at ease that someone making sure her groom is where he needs to be when he needs to be there.  In recent events, our groom's attendant has fixed stains in suits, helped east a best man's nausea, found the groom's favorite drink and even helped a groom's dad with his speech, and that's just for starters.  Having his own attendant takes some of the burden off of the groom too.  Our attendant has passed out tips, quieted rowdy party goers and escorted crashers out of the room - all without any disruption to the event! So, to answer the question of what makes us different from the rest - it's our attention to detail, our desire to go above and beyond for our couples, our love of the wedding process and of course - our groom's services!!  Call us today for a free consultation and see how Six Cents Events can help you plan the event of your dreams...with change left over!

Another ball has dropped and 2012 is upon us; Happy New Year!  However the ball in Times Square wasn't the only bling to be seen this past week.  With the holidays comes a whirlwind of wedding proposals. Research indicates that over 1/3 of all engagements in the U.S. happen between Thanksgiving & New Year's Eve. All of those engagements bring new trends and ideas for 2012 weddings.  This wedding season it's all about natural decor, illusion necklines and having fun.

   Tree bark, natural colors and leaves.  It might seem like we are talking about a nature painting but in fact, wedding centerpieces are the topic here.  Many brides are using potted plants (which can double as take home favors) as centerpiece mainstays.  Greens and leaves are also very popular, especially given their very reasonable price and durability. Finally don't forget to mismatch.  Centerpieces that don't all look the same are hot, hot, hot. So, don't forget to use different flower types, colors or even elevation levels to make your centerpieces stand out.

   It may have started with the royal wedding but the illusion neckline has now made it's way to the trend meter.  2012 wedding dresses are all about personal style and wearing what you, as a bride, look good in and are comfortable with.  The illusion neckline can make what was a strapless dress or open back, a bit easier to wear for the common bride. After all, confidence is the most important accessory for any woman.  When you feel good in what you are wearing, it shines through.

   The proof is on YouTube and it can be seen on invitations and in reception themes;  brides and grooms want to have fun at their wedding!  Forget the stuffy events of the past; brides want to dance down the aisle to R&B favorites, grooms want to dawn sneakers and bust a move into their reception, forget the formal menu and bring in food trucks with burgers and fries.  It's all about being fun, unforgettable and fancy free. After all this is your big day and it should be your style.  Make it fun, make it creative and most important make it your own!

 

Great news! We are one of the first wedding planners in South Florida to offer groom's concierge services.  Now, you may be asking yourself what are groom's concierge services?  Think of it as a personal assistant especially for the groom. After all, although the wedding day is technically all about the bride, groom's need love too!  Our line of groom's services is centered around both the days and weeks leading up to the event date, as well as the wedding day itself. In the weeks prior to the wedding, our coordinators can assist grooms with scheduling sporting events for friends and family, obtaining event tickets, entertainment outings, scheduling grooming, planning the bachelor party and finally working with the event coordinator on the event day to assist the groom with any needs, all at a very reasonable price. Call us today to talk about how Six Cents Events can help you plan the event of your dreams with change left over!  

 

We Can Make Your Wedding A Recession-Fabulous Wedding!

 

Times are tough.  The economy is sagging, jobs are hard to come by and most families are cutting back on costs in ever direction. One thing is for certain though, people are still getting married! This weekend all eyes were on Kim Kardashian and Chris Humphries, as they tied the knot in a lavish, exclusive, celebrity packed ceremony.  Sources say that the guest list was over 400 and that the bride had 3 different dresses to showcase during the event.  This sounds amazing, storybook and even has a fairytale element to it. However, for most brides, especially in today's day and age, a wedding even half this size and scope is way out of the budget.  Currently, the average US couple is spending around $27,800 on their nuptials.  This number varies slightly per state and can adjust slightly in urban areas like South Florida, but is still pretty close to this average anywhere your planning is taking place.  When the cost of most celebrity bridal gowns exceeds your entire event budget, how do you make your wedding celebrity fabulous? By becoming recession fabulous of course! With the right planning and resources, couples can have a celebrity-inspired event, without the celebrity price tag. By following a few simple techniques, we have cut costs for many of our events without cutting the elegant look or feel of the event. Here are my top 3 favorite ways to make your event "Recession-Fabulous"!

 

1. Cut costs from your bar - it's the easiest way to cut out the largest amount of money with the smallest overall effect on your event.  - One of the most commonly used trends these days is the signature drink.  Couples are pairing drinks with their theme, using attractive and exciting colors and infusions or just trying to share a favorite and meaningful recipe with loved ones on their special day.  By using just a few signature drinks and limiting your bar to beer and wine, you cut out a bundle of cash and guests don't really notice anything missing. The most commonly used liquors are vodka and rum, stick with drinks that use only one of these and cut costs even more.

 

2. Sorry flowers... you've been asked to sit this one out! Candles, candles, candles! This is my personal favorite money saving technique.  Face it, everyone and everything looks better by candle light!  You've seen the use of obscene amounts of candles in movies and it looks great, why not steal this look for your event? More and more I am suggesting to brides to limit the number of floral arrangements that they have.  By using floating candles, candles of varying sizes in glass containers or even rows of tea light candles, we have been able to create dramatic, beautiful centerpieces.  These pieces are cost effective and most importantly give your event a warm, rich, chic feel without the chic cost.

 

3. If you must have flowers - go for a solo... Some brides are more traditional and others just love the idea of bunches and bunches of pretty smelling buds at their event, so they don't want to stray from using Flowers.  To those brides who are cutting costs but don't want to cut the petals out completely, I suggest using one type and color of flower on the tables and in bouquets.  Using a solo flower or what I like to call a "spotlight flower" allows us to purchase for you in bulk, giving you a better price.  In addition to the bulk purchase, bunching one type and color of flower together gives people the idea that there are more of them and it also allows flowers that normally would not look so elegant, like a carnation for example, to take on a whole different chic look and feel.  Most celebrity floral arrangements that you have seen in pictures or on-line can be re-created using a less expensive flower, giving couples the celebrity look without the sticker shock. 

Have you ever wondered what all of the “stuff” in a wedding symbolizes?  Why do brides carry a bunch of flowers in front of their beautiful dress? Why does the groom hack into the gorgeous wedding cake and stuff the brides face in front of a room full of people? And my personal favorite, why is the bride expected to wear white? As a wedding planner I get these questions quite often.  So often, in fact, that I had to actually sit down and figure out why all of this “stuff” actually takes place on a couple’s wedding day!

Why does the bride wear white?

White has long symbolized virtue and purity, two traits synonymous with weddings and brides from long ago.  Today, however, most brides are adding their own twist to the traditional white.  Many choose to go with the subtle hint of color by choosing an off white gown, while others go totally non-traditional with pinks, beige or even red!

 

Why does the bride carry a bouquet?

This is an ancient tradition first started with the bouquet of both flowers and herbs which brides carried to ward off evil spirits and to represent fertility.  The bridal bouquet has changed over the years, eliminating the herbs, but staying traditional in size and shape.

 

Why does a bride wear a veil?

The face covering veil became part of the wedding tradition as a means to protect the bride from jealous former suitors.  Unfortunately this would not work in today’s weddings simply because the invitation pretty much gives away the name of the woman getting married.  If that doesn’t work, everyone pretty much knows she’s engaged when she changes her Facebook status!

 

Why do the bride and groom cut the cake and feed each other?

This customary act started as symbolism of a nurturing relationship.  Wow – I think this is a very important point to emphasize to grooms to be… it’s supposed to symbolize a nurturing relationship, smashing cake in the face of your new wife does not symbolize a nurturing relationship guys!

 

Why do the bride and groom give rings to each other?

Historians have said that it became customary to place wedding rings on the fourth finger of the left hand because it encircles the vena amoris vein that runs directly to the heart.

 

Why is there a honeymoon after the wedding?

The honeymoon was developed in Babylon some 4,000 years ago, it was a tradition for the groom to receive from the bride’s father all the honey based beer he could drink in a month. The calendar in Babylon was based on the lunar cycle, or honey month and eventually honeymoon.  So ladies, go ahead and let your new hubby drink all the beer he wants on the honeymoon, it’s required tradition!

 

For help making any of these special wedding symbols come to fruition at your event, call Six Cents Events today!

 

I have to share a secret with all of you.  One of my favorite parts of the wedding reception is the cocktail hour.  I know what you are going to say, that it sounds crazy.  Most people feel that the cocktail hour is simply the buffer time between the ceremony and the reception. It’s misconceptions like that which have led the cocktail hour to lose face in the whole planning process! Cocktail hour is sometimes overlooked in the hustle and bustle of planning the intricate details of the reception dinner.  I say let’s spotlight the cocktail hour!  When it comes to this little hour between the ceremony and reception – I say the possibilities are endless!

            I have two words for you; cocktail couches.  One of the biggest crazes in weddings right now is very informal, creative and trendy seating.  For many high-end events that means custom chairs and tables for the reception.  For brides on a budget however, why not transmit that tend to a smaller scale at the cocktail hour? By creating impromptu seating arrangements with couches, big, comfy chairs, or lots of pillows in colors of your choosing, guests get the feeling of a happy hour atmosphere.  South Florida has several rental companies that are offering custom chairs and tables to spice up any event.

            Attention brides…the cocktail hour does not have to have the same theme as your reception or any other part of your wedding! There is a huge misconception that everything in a wedding has to be matchy-matchy.  That is not at all the case.  Anything goes in today’s wedding, including having two totally different themes; one for your cocktail hour and one for your reception.  This is a great idea for the brides who didn’t have the budget necessary to pull off their original idea, brides who found two really good theme ideas and had a hard time choosing or brides who want a formal reception and a very fun and informal cocktail.  Some of my favorite ideas from recent events include; creating an outdoor lawn game area for guests to play during their cocktail hour, a Hawaiian themed cocktail hour where everyone had to drink Hawaiian inspired drinks out of coconut shells and the very cool 80’s inspired cocktail hour where guests were invited to sport gummy bracelets and dance to Madonna songs. Whatever you them – remember it’s your event, have fun with it and most importantly, don’t forget about that little hour between the ceremony and the dinner, it’s got a lot to offer.  Contact us today if you need help with your cocktail hour or any other part of your event!

I’m sure by now that many of you are inundated in the wedding process that takes place in today’s market.  It’s hard enough to find well educated and talented vendors, let alone trying to find them reasonably priced.  That is where your wedding planner should come in! A good planner can help you shave about 10% from your wedding expenses.  One of my favorite suggestions, and often the most under-utilized, is the use of a signature drink.  Signature drinks can add style and sophistication to your event and save you money on the bar tab!

 

When I say “signature drink”, I’m not talking about just serving a rum drinks all night.  I’m talking about reaching out to a good mixologist or drink website and creating a beverage that goes with the theme, style and colors of your event.  Bright vibrant colors are very popular and add a element of shock and surprise to the bar area.  Blue drinks go well with tropical weddings and winter themes while reds are a good compliment to an Asian inspired affair or chic evening theme.  I like to use oranges in the Fall or for sunset or picnic styles and of course yellows can easily be paired with brunches, lunches or even country styled events. I like to keep the alcohol to a common type like vodka or rum.  Those seem to appeal to the largest variety of crowds.

 

Finally, don’t forget to draw attention to your drink.  A great name, incorporating the couples names or even the married name is always fun.  If that doesn’t work, try utilizing your theme as a naming device. Whatever the case, classy signs and markers around the bar areas with the drink ingredients are always a crowd pleaser.  

 

Not into serving just one drink, no problem. Try beer and wine in addition to your signature drink.  Those items can be purchased by the bottle or case and unused portions can be returned in some cases.  Speak to your caterer and ask about using a contingency bar. In this option the caterer allows the couple to purchase the liquor separately.  Using this method allows the couple to control the liquor cost.  Whichever option you choose, make sure you have fun with the whole process.  Don’t forget, if you have any questions about any of these methods Six Cents Events is here to help.  Also, catch some of our other great money saving techniques on Facebook!