This past Saturday Your Perfect Bridesmaid hosted its first Online Wedding Workshop and gave everyone who joined the opportunity to ask any “Berning” questions (in light of the Bernie meme that’s storming the nation) about planning a wedding.
These workshops are an opportunity for you to ask and us to answer, whether YPB is your planner or not. In this blog, we wanted to share some of the frequently asked questions that we received and our expertise on the matter.
During the workshop myself and our other YPB planners gave insight into:
Sticking to a Budget,
Venues and Vendors,
Creating a Timeline (including a section where we made one from scratch),
COVID-19,
and offered a Q&A about each topic.
If you weren't able to make, we've recapped some questions we covered below.
Better yet, YPB is also hosting another workshop at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 9, if you have your own “Berning” questions. You can RSVP and submit any questions at no cost on our website, and we'll send you the Zoom link.
We hope to see you at our next workshop! As always, you can always reach out to me, Kim, at info@yourperfectbridesmaid.com with any questions.
WEDDING PLANNING FAQ
STICKING TO A BUDGET
We are having a hard time finding a venue within our budget and it's been hard to make a choice on what venue to book. What should we do?
Your wedding venue is traditionally one of the larger wedding expenses, but it doesn’t have to be! We believe that anything is possible when it comes to venues. We have worked with couples in an open field with no electricity, in private residences, parks, and other alternative spaces.
It is totally possible to transform a non-traditional space, add a little spice, and make it your own. Resources like Wedding Wire list various venues for different budgets, but we encourage you to think outside the box and look for beautiful alternative venues like a local park/public garden, favorite restaurant, or even a fun campground or summer camp
What is a realistic budget?
Your budget is specific to unique factors such as guest count, priorities, how much money you want to spend etc. Thanks to a bunch of industry research we can say that the average budget for both the Portland and Seattle Metropolitan areas is about $35,000.
But like all "averages," there are plenty of weddings on both ends of that number. The best thing you can do is to sit down with your planner and create a custom budget that works for you and your wedding vision. While we do that for our clients you can also hire us just for a budget meeting. Email us for more details.
What’s the best way to save money?
Your guest count is the biggest factor that affects your budget. Darn near every budget line item can be whittled down to a per-person cost. To make sweeping, impact-full cuts to the budget, trim your guest count. Once you have trimmed your list to the must-haves, turn your attention to the parts of the wedding that aren't as important to you.
For instance, if music isn't a top priority, ditch the DJ and create an Spotify playlist. If stationary isn't important, email out your invitations. There are a ton of ways to trim while still keeping the elements close to your heart.
VENUES AND VENDORS
How do you choose your priorities when it comes to selecting and budgeting for vendors?
Our best advice is to remember that it doesn’t have to be an “either or” when it comes to budgeting different aspects of your wedding. It’s about allocating your money based on what’s most important to you. If you want to splurge more on your venue, maybe you get flowers from the farmers market. If you want to have more people, maybe you choose a cheaper catering option. So ask yourself and your partner some questions about what you value the most. Figuring out those values first will make selecting and budgeting for venues easier.
COVID-19
Read our breakdown of COIVD-19 restrictions for weddings in Washington or Oregon.
What are people doing instead of dancing to fill reception time?
If COVID-19 were not a thing, we would never replace dancing. But unfortunately, Washington’s COVID-19 restrictions explicitly prohibit dancing during reception in Phase 2 and below and Oregon venues may restrict dancing at receptions. But there are still other ways to fill the time we would normally be dancing our hearts out, like:
Offering yard games and placing hand sanitizer by each station
Doing scavenger hunt and incorporating cute details about your love story
Setting up a photo station
Playing the “Who is…” shoe game in front of your guests (Check out this list of questions and instructions from The Knot)
How do I adjust my seating chart with COVID-19?
How many people can be at each table depends on the socialization guidelines for your state and county. For example, Oregon counties that are in extreme risk must limit groups to 6 people from a max of 2 households. We recommend talking with your guests and try to make tables based on households and people’s established social bubbles to make sure everyone feels comfortable and stays safe.
How can you make sure your guests feel safe coming to your wedding?
Many people have had very limited social events and may feel uneasy coming to a wedding. To make sure all your loved ones are having fun and feel safe, here are some little things you can do:
Place hand sanitizer on tables, especially around food
Provide extra masks or even custom masks
Keep tables small and spaced out
Ensure that the food is protected until served
Keep a check-in book to make sure you know who all was at your wedding in case anything happens.
We really loved all of the questions, and we look forward to answering more questions Feb. 9th at our next Workshop. Be sure to RSVP and submit your questions!
Kim