Wedding Department Wedding Blog

The other day we received a call from a customer looking for favors on short notice.  We could only scrape together a fraction of what was needed and she was forced to settle for something else.

This is too bad but how could she had known that we did not stock a large number of items, ready to ship out at a moments notice.  As a matter of fact we post a notice that says we have a waiting period and in some cases the wait has been as long as 10 weeks.

One might think that we would for-see these events and make the favors up in advance, stockpiling them for orders and in theory this would be a good practice.  In reality this is not as easy as it seems.

Most of our customers want to have the favors personalized and this takes time as a stamping plate must be produced. Then the favors must be made in advance taking into account the personal preferences of the customer.  Any producers of custom made or made to order items will need time to deliver.

Take for example a company like WeddingVeil.com. They state on the site that orders take from one week to 14 days or more.  I am sure they are not doing this to punish brides.  It just takes time to do these things.  We are not simply hanging around the phone waiting for brides to call. 

Ordering in advance can save money too. For example many companies will offer discount for orders placed in the off season, around December.  It can not hurt to ask the wedding vendor if they offer seasonal discounts.

From talking to brides and planners the number one reason they plan ahead is to eliminate most of the rushing around that occurs in the weeks before the wedding.  This practice makes the most sense of all as when things go wrong they can snowball.

It is not uncommon to have brides ordering a year in advance.  And there is another reason besides the convenience. Many couples want to pay for the wedding as they go, avoiding the large credit card debt that comes from charging everything.  After all 99 percent of all our customers us a credit card, even though we accept checks and money orders. 

So we see that planning ahead can save money, time and frustration.  It just makes sense.  If you have the time to do it your self then why not?

Many theme events such as weddings and anniversary parties are well suited to out door venues.   The advantages include ample space, fresh air, sunshine and sounds and smells of nature.  There are disadvantages as well including unwanted sounds, smells, insect and animal pasts and most of all, unexpected inclement weather.

With the advent of weather radar we can easily predict rain and snow and forecasters can easily predict the temperatures days in advance.  However thunderstorms can come up unexpectedly and forecasts more than a few days in advance are not reliable.  If a wedding is being planned 6 or 8 months in advance it is impossible to plan for weather.

Planning for hot weather is fairly straight forward.  First make sure there is a place for people to get in out of the sun.  This could be under trees, or a canopy or tent.  Deciduous trees provide a nice shade and they offer the added benefit of allowing any breeze to blow freely.

Other sources of shade would be a permanent pavilion or a tent.  Tents large enough for a large number of people can be rented and are usually set up by a professional team.  Unlike trees, tents often have sides and they tend to intensify the heat.   If insects are an issue some tents can be equipped with insect netting, an option not afforded by trees.

If the trees are sparse a canopy could be fashioned from yards of white muslin fabric strung and over ropes or wires strung between the trees in an Arabian night’s fashion.  If care is taken and the fabric is not too badly soiled it could be sold to quilters who could then wash it and use it for quilt backing.  Even if there is slight damage so long as the fabric is in fairly good shape the quilters should be happy to give you a fair price for gently used fabric.  Ask around in advance to quilter guilds in your area. 

No matter what the cover sudden weather can be a big problem.  A sudden downpour that brings people under a tent can be fun and add to the festive atmosphere but powerful thunderstorms can be down right dangerous. 

It is wise to make an evacuation plan to be used in an emergency, before the emergency is upon you.  Some one should immediately be able to take charge and guide the guests to safety.  For a garden wedding you may be stuffing people into the house and garage.  If the event is held at a resort or other facility there is probably some where to gather out of danger.  The key is to make the plan well in advance, before disaster strikes.