Choosing The Date for Your Nashville Wedding - Fri or Sun? Holiday Weekend? Plus Dates to Avoid

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

There are many factors that determine your wedding date - time of year, other people's weddings, life occurences, and the biggest one - whether or not the venue of your dreams is available. While it's typical for weddings to fall on a Saturday, it's not unusual for brides and grooms to say "I do" on a Friday or a Sunday or even a weekday!

Popular Nashville Events

Nashville is host to lots of events through the year that fall on or over a weekend. The increase in hotel room reservations could mean higher room rates and a limit on room blocks for your guests.

Photo by Jonathon Campbell Photography

To learn about which dates might impact hotel rooms for your out of town guests, we reached out to Kristen of Aloft Hotel who provided us with these popular dates you may want to be aware of or avoid. During these Nashville events, it is nearly impossible to get rooms downtown or even in the suburbs of Nashville. Your guests will pay a premium if they do get a room and they may be scattered across the city. Traffic downtown could also be a nightmare, meaning that parking will cost more too. All of these things could impact the cost and experience for them and you.

• Country Music Marathon: April 28
• CMA Music Festival: June 7 - 10
• CMA Awards: November 9

Fun, Numerical Dates Might be Popular

More and more couples are choosing fun wedding dates, maybe to help their groom remember their anniversary for years to come. Sarah Willard of Music City Events predicts the following Saturdays to be very popular this year:

• Cinco de Mayo: 5/5/12
• 5/12/12
• 7/7/12

ABG notes: Don't forget about....
Steeplechase on May 12th
Vanderbilt's Commencement weekend starting May 9 - 11 and it usually spills into the weekend!

Wedding weekends or Friday and Sunday weddings might be an option, especially for destination Nashville weddings.

Linda Wright, owner of Cedarwood, also knows a thing or two about weddings on weekdays and even Fridays and Sundays. Linda: "Contrary to popular belief, Friday or Sunday weddings are preferred by many couples planning a 'destination' wedding, or who have a considerable number of guests flying from other cities."

Photo from CedarwoodWeddings.com

She went on to explain the advantages of a non-Saturday wedding:

"You get to offer guests a 'wedding weekend' of activities, not just one day. A popular wedding weekend itinerary is Friday wedding, Saturday night downtown dance party, Sunday morning farewell brunch. Friday wedding dates allow couples to 'reverse' the traditional rehearsal dinner with a fun second gathering on Saturday night. At Cedarwood, rehearsals are done the day of the wedding, so a rehearsal dinner is purely a social gathering for the wedding party and family. Having this gathering the day after the wedding ensures that the wedding celebration will not be upstaged by too much fun the night before! An after event can be as casual as designating a location such as Roberts Western World or Wildhorse Saloon for guests to gather (and pay their own way) or as structured as renting out a location with open bar or a private room for a post wedding celebration dinner."

If you're trying to bring your guest list down to a manageable size, maybe a Friday or Sunday wedding is for you. Linda tells us it's a great way to trim that list and "it is much better to have the wedding of your dreams and fewer guests, than spending your budget on lots of guests that you may not know that well. Those who really want to be there will be regardless of the day you select."

Holiday Wedding Weekends

Another popular date for weddings is the weekend preceding a national holiday like Memorial Day in May or Labor Day in September. This long weekend gives guests flexibility with travel and they can stay longer.

Linda Wright: "Everyone who flies to Nashville will want to experience the action of our famous and fun city! It's a popular town with lots to do. Even guests coming for a Saturday night wedding are inclined to stay over a night or two for a mini-vacation. Give your guests an excuse for a long weekend and they will love you for it."

ABG notes: While some like holiday wedding weekends, do note that 1) sometimes they are a little more challenging as venues may be taken, rental inventory may be lower because you are competing with other parties/events, and 2) some guests may balk at you taking their holiday vacation time for your wedding.  Hey - you'd be surprised.  Just something to consider.

Specials for Friday or Sunday Weddings

We're often asked by brides if venues are cheaper on alternate days (not Saturdays). While not every venue offers deals, here are a few that do!

Front Porch Farms will take $1500 off the venue cost when you book your Friday or Sunday wedding before January 30, 2012.

Photo by The Collection

Houston Station gives you 15% off the venue fee if you book your Friday or Sunday wedding date before February 28, 2012.

Photo by Jonathon Campbell Photography

Cedarwood offers double discounts for weddings on Mondays through Thursdays (great if you want your wedding to fall on a particular date of significance instead of a weekend). Before you balk at the idea of not having your wedding on a typical Saturday, Linda of Cedarwood brings up something to definitely keep in mind: "We feel that couples automatically assume Saturdays are the only day they can consider, but it is much more important to get the LOCATION, season, setting and style of wedding you want than it is the day of the week." As for Sunday weddings, Cedarwood takes an additional $500 (so $1000 total) off the price of venue rental for all Sunday weddings in 2012.

So definitely weigh the pros and cons and most definitely your priorities - do you have a special date that means a lot to both of you? Or a guest list that's getting out of hand that you just need to rein in? There's a lot to think about but remember, regardless of whether you pick a Tuesday or a Saturday, there's no wrong day for a wedding. Happy planning!

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Posted by Tabitha | Filed under: Advice & Planning, Engagements & Proposals 0 comments »

Advice for the Newly Engaged: 90% of Brides Regret That They Didn’t Hire a Wedding Planner

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

90% of the Nashville brides that I have interviewed who didn't hire planners (hired one late in planning or hired one for limited services) said they regretted that decision. They gave me three reasons for not hiring a planner and I'm sure you've entertained these same thoughts...

3 Reasons Why Brides Don't Hire a Wedding Planner:

1) Money - a planner was just not in the budget. The brides felt that the amount they would have to pay was better spent on other aspects.

2) They just didn't think a planner was worth the investment - some girls felt that what a planner could do, her friends or family members could also do for free.

3) How hard could a wedding be? It's a party isn't it? After all the planning was squared away with every detail confirmed, brides felt they had it all under control and there just wasn't anything left to worry about. What could possibly go wrong?  

In hindsight, they realized that a planner's help would have helped them significantly, and that a wedding isn't "just a party". 

I'd like to encourage you to take their advice and hire a reputable Nashville wedding planner ASAP! You deserve to enjoy your entire engagement. You deserve to not "work" on your wedding day and to allow your family not to work on your day so everyone can savor every minute, dance, morsel.  

I consulted with three wedding industry experts to give you various perspectives on the topic - Rita Rowland who runs the catering company Down South Delights, Mary Alice Sublett of StudioWed Nashville and A Delightful Day Event Planning and Sharon Campbell, one half of the dynamic photography duo Jonathon Campbell Photography.

3 Reasons Why a Bride Should Hire a Full-Service Wedding Planner:

1) They offer professional help finding quality resources + making sound decisions.
Planning can get really overwhelming with contracts and negotiation, not to mention arrangements you have to make for your guests and yourself. It can start to be too much. Wedding planners and professionals exist so you don't have to give yourself a headache trying to figure it all out on your own.

Mary Alice Sublett of StudioWed Nashville has had years of experience as a planner and working with vendors and had this piece of advice.

"Hiring a planner, whether to help you through the whole process, or for month of assistance, is the best investment you can make at the start of your planning journey! Planners can assist you through the to-do tasks, guide you into making the right vendor decisions, keep the planning process as stress free as possible, and provide you the advice you need to have a wonderful wedding experience.

Be thorough in choosing your planner by interviewing several to find the right personality and service fit for you and your fiance and once you find the right one, trust them to walk you through this process "hand in hand". Don't see hiring a planner as a luxury item, but as a must have item in your budget, as it will make the difference between a wonderful planning experience and a stressful one."

2) They have years of experience orchestrating wedding days
You have enough to worry about that day, why add on the stress of having to worry where all your vendors are at any given moment? Rita of Down South Delights explains this from a caterer's (and wedding vendor's) point of view:

"Having a planner involved with the process is definitely a big help from a caterers perspective. On the day of the reception we have a defined "go to" person that can answer questions and assist with details. If the bride chooses not to have a planner then vendors usually end up having to seek out a family member or the bride herself. The planner typically will email us a very detailed timeline so that we know the exact moment that we should be cutting cake, opening stations, opening the bar, preparing toasts, etc."

"If a bride chooses a full planning package then the planner and I can go through all of the details without having to constantly contact the bride with information that she may not have knowledge of. Opting for a day-of planner is still a great help for us. That means that someone will be on site to light candles, arrange cake toppers, organize seating charts, etc. The planner or their assistant keeps the entire reception rolling smoothly, prompting the couple when it's time to move on to the next aspect of the day.

Unless you're an uber organized couple, then a planner can make your life a lot smoother for the duration of the planning process. For most couples this is this the first time they've had to deal with linen sizes, seating arrangements, processional info, etc - a planner can handle all of this for you and keep all of us vendors on point with timing! Basically, a planner takes care of all the stuff that a bride doesn't want to have to worry about during her reception." (Rita Rowland)

I can't agree more: A bride shouldn't be the conductor of this fine-tuned orchestra. You were part of the planning process, you're very aware of every single thing that's involved, but you shouldn't have to be the ones wrangling them on your wedding day. Save your breath and adrenalin for yourself and your family. And if things go wrong, that shouldn't be something you have to fix! Which brings us to our next point 

3) They create plans and back-up plans to handle unexpected challenges (from family discord to floods)!
Things can go wrong. This isn't to say they WILL go wrong but that if there's a bit of a mix up, do you really want to know and do you really want to be the person on the phone that day trying to deal with it? On that note, do you want your mom or aunt or best friend to be that person? Not ideally. This is where your planner comes in. Sharon Campbell brings home the point:

"We do shoot several weddings with no planner or coordinator at all (there is a difference) and without fail something always goes wrong, even if its something little and doesn't really matter in the end. I do notice that when that happens, the bride is always the go-to person for the family or venue, caterer, etc and it always creates the risk of being unnecessarily stressed on the day of your wedding.

No matter what your budget, I suggest it is a wise investment to have someone who is experienced and is not a family member or friend be the go-to person that can handle some of the mishaps and also help keep your day on track. As a photographer, we have a schedule, but we are there to capture your day and while we help in any way we can, we would not be able to answer questions or make decisions that could in any way alter your day. Do not expect your other vendors (not even the venue manager) to coordinate the day for you.

Make sure you have people that are excited about your wedding, trust them to do the job you hired them to do and then relax on the day your start your family!"

This is key - that you, your groom, your parents, siblings, and friends have fun. You invested in all these professionals, make it worth your while. And like Rita said, "It's the couples time to shine and a great planner can make that a lot easier."

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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide | Filed under: Advice & Planning, Engagements & Proposals 2 comments »

You’re Engaged! Now What? Prioritize, Research and Trust Your Gut

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

For the newly engaged, the beginning of your wedding planning is such an exciting time. You probably don't know this, but more Nashville brides will get engaged between Christmas and Valentine's Day than any other time of the year. What does this mean? The wedding planning season has officially started and you'll be bombarded with commercials, wedding shows on TV, bridal shows, magazines, etc. That's awesome and a little overwhelming at the same time.

But, it doesn't have to be overwhelming if you love with your heart and plan with your head. How? That's where I can help you most! Back in October, I shared Seven Ways to be a Savvy, Happy Bride - advice I cannot stress enough and that I want to share with Nashville's newest brides.

1) Have a game plan BEFORE you start any wedding planning - know your priorities and values.
What will you value most: family, fun, spending time one on one with family, a big lively party, stress-free planning that allows you to enjoy every moment? What are your priority items? His? Do you love flowers? Does he want a vintage car? Rank all wedding expenses and their importance. Know "must haves" versus "nice to have."

2) Use your priorities and values to help you create a realistic budget and stick to it.
Don't overspend - It causes unnecessary stress and strain on you, your fiancé, and your families.

3) Determine two to three splurge items in advance, based on your values and priorities.
I recommend splurging on a great planner (a must), an amazing photographer, and a top-notch videographer. A great planner will make your life easier. She will help you brainstorm, create a solid plan, find and negotiate with vendors, and keep you inspired and focused - 90% of the brides I interview wish they'd hired a planner.

4) Shop smart - Don't shop or visit a bridal show or read another blog until you have a clear budget.
Know exactly what you plan to spend on all items (even splurge items) so you don't run out of money before you've made important purchases. It will keep you from buying what you don't need or what doesn't fit your style.

5) Reduce long-term stress and mishaps by researching EVERY vendor before you hire anyone or pay for anything.
Hire vendors with integrity and a good reputation.

- Check the Better Business Bureau. When I got married, I hired a videographer who had a great booth at a bridal show. I watched a video highlight of a wedding and was sold. No one was blogging back then and there wasn't a public forum. But there was BBB. I failed to check it and ended up screwed. He failed to capture key moments and I was devastated. When I mentioned it to him, he was defensive. It didn't go well. Moral - be sure to research every vendor you hire. At least check the Better Business Bureau for negative reports.

- Read blogs, ask brides. Brides are usually brutally honest. If they like someone, they will say. If they don't, they will say! This is a great way to find vendors they love and hate and exactly what happened.

- Read between the lines. Most vendors will not tell you if a fellow vendor sucks. Why? Because they/we have to work with these vendors for years to come and we can be sued. BUT we will often redirect you to another, more competent vendor. Vendors do this all the time but often brides and moms disregard the advice and move full steam ahead ignoring the subtle hints or recommendations.

For instance, a bride asked me about a photographer. I hesitated and asked her questions about her experience, then I rattled off a few other photographers that were qualified. She didn't get it, but mom got it. Another time, a bride asked me about a cake baker. I recommended others based on what she needed. She ignored my recommendation and called me a week before her wedding, frantic with a major emergency. By that time, it was too late and there wasn't much I could do.

- Hire vendors who specialize in what you need. Not every vendor can do everything. In this economy, some vendors are tempted to extend their services to make more money. Very few people can do everything. Whatever they promise they can do should be supported by a stunning portfolio of quality, consistent work. Ask them for referrals - if they refuse, that's a huge red flag.

- Ask questions like you're interviewing someone for a job. As a previous recruiter, I can share a few behavioral questions that might work for weddings. For instance - "Tell me about your most difficult bride (family dynamic, vendor, etc), what happened and how did you handle it? What did you learn?" Or, "Tell me about a day-of emergency and how you resolved it." One really good question is, "Tell me about a bride who simply could not be pleased, perhaps a real bridezilla who was dissatisfied. How did you handle the situation?"

- Don’t be teased by teasers. Ask to see the entire video or photo album. Ask to see more than one invitation or sculpted cake if that’s what you are hiring them to do. They should not be hesitant to share their work so you can look for quality and consistency.

- Make sure your caterer/cake baker is “legal” i.e. their kitchens are up to health codes so that what they prepare is safe for your guests. You don’t want anyone to get sick! They should be willing to show you their health score just like restaurants post.

- Trust your gut. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s probably not. If you find yourself debating, asking others for advice - you probably know something is wrong. Don’t stick around waiting for resolution that won’t come, just move on. Things usually get worse after you pay, not better. There are many more vendors and venues vying for your business so do not settle. Bridal salons and venues are the worst offenders. Expect good customer service and do not accept poor service.  As Beth and Elizabeth at Faccio Bridal said, “This is the most expensive dress you will ever buy. You should expect good service.”  I agree!

6) Protect yourself

- Get everything in writing. If a vendor makes a promise, make sure it’s documented.

- Pay with credit cards when possible. Most credit card companies will protect you from fraud, loss, service issues. If you have decided to use cash instead, consider using a credit card and immediately paying off the charge with cash.

- If you have an unresolvable issue, contact the BBB for help mediating. If you can’t remedy the problem, at least you have a paper trail from your credit card company and an experience that will help other brides who might consider hiring this vendor.

7) Lastly, spend less time planning your wedding and more time building a strong foundation for your marriage. Your marriage should always be the focal point.  I know it is easy to get excited and sidetracked by all the to-dos and the pretty wedding things, but remember the whole point is the marriage, not the wedding.

- Invest time and money in premarital education/counseling. Don’t just do the required, really invest time and resources in people who can help you build a great foundation from the start.

- Have date nights where no wedding talk is allowed. Avoid what I call “drive-by wedding planning” where your fiancé walks in the door and you start discussing wedding plans. Carve out a specific time/day to discuss the wedding and only discuss your wedding during that time, unless there is an emergency or you have to make the decision right then. This will allow him to enjoy your time together versus feeling like all you do is discuss the wedding. This applies to your friendships too - you don’t want to run them off.

- Focus on your values - don’t sweat the small stuff. And have fun.

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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide | Filed under: Advice & Planning, Engagements & Proposals 0 comments »

Josh + Erin Share Their Engagement Story + Details on Their Industrial-Vintage DIY Wedding!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

We first met Erin and Josh at our bootcamp, The Smart Bride: Wedding Planning Workshop, back in January. Through their short interview, the two told us that the workshop helped them figure out how realistic their budget was and how Josh could be involved in helping Erin plan. From what we've seen so far, Erin and Josh have definitely made their budget work for them! We are so glad they reconnected with us to share their awesome engagement photos!

Shot by Becca Yager, their photos have a very personal edge as they chose locations they love. Some of their photos were taken at their favorite record shop, but most were captured at Old Made Good, an East Nashville shop that repurposes vintage furniture and antiques and sells hand-made jewelry and art from local artisans.The owners, Kate and Ashley, invited the couple to have their photos taken there at the very last minute and provided several props. "They were so hospitable about it and have become friends of ours since then," says Erin.

The couple will wed in Nashville's Germantown area with their reception at Marathon Village. A twist on the popular vintage style, Erin and Josh are leaning towards "industrial" vintage (read on to find out more!). Most of their wedding is DIY and Josh, a local DJ, is doing some of the DJing.

Enjoy their wedding plans and fun vintage photos!

Erin + Josh

Engagement Date ~ December 8, 2010

Wedding Date ~ November 19, 2011

How they got engaged.

Last fall, after spending weeks looking for the perfect engagement ring for Erin, Josh finally found the one. The one with both Josh and Erin's birth stones in the shape of a heart. Josh ordered the ring and waited. And waited some more. And then it came in the mail. And Josh immediately knew this ring would burn a hole in his pocket if he didn't propose as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Erin was hoping Josh was planning to propose during Christmas, slightly fearful that he'd wait until New Years, and extremely afraid he was holding out for Valentine's Day. She originally thought he might propose back in April when they were moving him across the country, but Josh is a bit of a slow mover.

So, with ring burning in his pocket all day, Josh drove home from work, hoping to meet Erin at home where they could take Jasper for a walk together and he could drop on a knee in a scenic location in East Nashville.

Erin had other plans. Mostly that she wanted to have dinner with their friend Taylor. And so they went to dinner. And the ring continued to burn in Josh's pocket. He thought of proposing as they were leaving for dinner, but Erin was on the phone with her parents half the drive. And the ring burned on.

Growing slightly antsy on the drive home, Josh tried to figure out how to propose. As they parked outside the house, he told Erin there was something funny he'd seen while walking Jasper earlier that she needed to see. So, in the dark, he led her down the block, pointed into the dark between two houses and, as she turned away from him, he got down on one knee, pulled out the ring and asked her to be his wife.

With the closeness to the holidays, Erin was shocked at the "early" proposal and exclaimed, "But it's just a Wednesday!" Then she started to cry and said that of course she'd marry him.

And then they spent the rest of the night on the phone and driving all over Nashville announcing the news to all their friends.

How many guests are you expecting?

We invited about 180, but we're expecting about 110-125 people.

What is your wedding budget?

$12,000

Who have you hired for your wedding team?

Ceremony Venue | Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Reception Venue | Marathon Village
Photographer | Becca Yager did the engagement session and we're lucky enough to have her for the wedding too!
Catering | Down South Delights (Rita Rowland is amazing!)
Videographer | Ryan Bernal (also awesome!)
Bridesmaid dresses | Kerried Away Couture
The rest is all us, Old Made Good and Etsy!

Tell us about your fun wedding style.

Do-it-yourself, Nashville industrial vintage. Lots of lace, gingham, bowties, jeans and old work boots. We want it to look like a bunch of old-time factory workers who got cleaned up for a dance.

After a traditional Catholic ceremony, we're having a very laid-back reception where everyone can loosen up and enjoy themselves. Beyond serving dinner and a few toasts, the rest of the night will be one big party! Lots of drinks, dancing (Josh is a DJ and couldn't resist DJing his own wedding, at least for a little while) and merriment. No need to interrupt the good time by tossing bouquets and garters or doing money dances.

Tell us about your invitations.

We had parts of it printed but then crafted a lot of it ourselves.

You fell in love with the shops where you took your engagement photos.  What made that special?

We love Old Made Good! (oldmadegood.com) We have bought several decorations, furniture and other bits and pieces for the wedding (and our apartment) from the OMG girls. We first met them a few weeks before our engagement photo session and quickly became friends. They offered to let us use their shop and property for our photos and we ended up spending most of the day with Becca Yager there before pulling off a few shots in Grimey's, our favorite record store. We went to Old Made Good because we wanted a quirky, vintage feel, which they are all about, and we love to support our local artisans, craftsmen and women. We wanted to go to Grimey's because we are avid vinyl collectors and music is a huge part of why we fell in love.

Many thanks to Erin and Josh for sharing their engagement story with us! We were so happy to hear from you! Good luck with your upcoming nuptials - we hope to see more photos afterward!

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Posted by Megan | Filed under: DIY & Budget Wed Finds, Engagements & Proposals, Real Nashville Brides 0 comments »