wedding venue | My Little Flower Shop

Corporate Event Advice Applies To Weddings Too!

September 18, 2013August 15, 2013 by Dinah

Hot event planners/experts spilled their party pet peeves to Biz Bash, we’re sharing some that will help make your wedding amazing, not crazy-making. Amy Sacco, founding partner and creative director, LDV Hospitality Nightlife, listed four points, three of which translated perfectly to weddings. Today, we cover Amy’s irritant number two*.

Overcrowding. It’s annoying to move around and especially with all the tilting glasses when one is in a fabulous outfit—and then you can’t even get a drink as you can’t get to the bar!

Do you hear that, people? Don’t pack your guests like sardines. Venues say what the maximum capacity on a space, but that number was picked out by a fire marshal thinking about best escape routes. If you asked her how many people she’d want in there for her son’s wedding reception, you’d likely get a completely different answer.

Seating Chart project by SomethingTurquoise,com.

Fix: Know your headcount and be realistic about your venue’s capacity. Don’t talk yourself into a too- small space, no matter how much you love it. It’s very easy to justify things, so take someone along who will remind you that 20 people will not stay on the balcony all night in November.

Amy is correct in that there is nothing worse than putting on your favorite dry clean only dress and winding up wearing the (hot pink) signature cocktail all night after bumping into a bridesmaid. And then when things are so crowded you can’t get a drink at all? Awful.

Fix: See above about headcount and venue capacity reality checking. Then make sure you account for décor elements and staff that will also eat up real estate. If you think there’s going to be a wait for the bar, tray-pass drinks to offset. Oh, and your signature cocktail? Make it clear (or near) with a colored garnish – less tragic if perchance one does spill. No maraschino cherries, please.

Live well, and love well.

-Dinah

*Note. Amy’s Biz Bash quote started with this:

“I loathe the following, in no particular order…” ergo this party fail is no more or less loathed than the others we will cover.

To see the seating chart project click here.

The 4th of July Non-Weekend. Bad for Brides? Good for Guests? You decide.

September 17, 2013July 3, 2012 by Dinah

Ah the calendar. Tomorrow, the 4th of July falls on a WEDNESDAY for the first time in many years. For those with office jobs whose vacation days are comparable to certain rare truffles in the food world, this is a big deal. There are calculations by which you can take only a few days off, and yet stretch your vacation and/or wedding weekend to five days, all with the aid of a well placed Monday or Friday out of the office. Thanksgiving is the ultimate centerpiece to the art of stretching PTO: you can take a full seven days and only “spend” three.

But this year (darned Gregorians) Fourth of July isn’t participating. And some are breathing a sigh of relief. Hint: it’s not the brides. People who might have attended weddings this holiday, are attending barbeques. And parades. And celebrating Independence Day well, independently. There are many people who don’t want to have their summer plans set for them by receiving a “save the date” in February and being expected to clear their calendars.

As a bride, it’s hard to see outside the bubble where your wedding is the Most Important Thing In The World, but sometimes people have fun things scheduled at the same time or want to have that option. And that’s OK. (Well your sister really ought to keep her schedule open, but let the rest of your list plan their own vacations, and lead their own lives. It’s not anybody’s fault, and there shouldn’t be any lasting drama or upset about who had something else going on that day ).

All thoughts running through my head on a summer’s day… enjoy your barbeques tomorrow. And the weddings that are happening this weekend! Remember, you can always have sparklers no matter what time of year it is* And no matter who comes, or what the season, your wedding will light up with joy and memories for everyone.

Live well, and love well.

Dinah

* please check the fire regulations in your area and at your venue!

My Little Advice Shop: Wedding Centerpiece of My Mind – Avoiding The Overly Literal

April 27, 2012 by Dinah

We’ve all been to kid’s birthday parties where you walk in and you know right away that the guest-ette of honor is completely obsessed with Dora The Explorer. How? There are Dora the Explorer balloons, a Dora The Explorer cake, Pin the Backpack On Dora The Explorer, and in this economy, poor Aunt Lisa has been talked into sweating it out inside the Dora costume. We get the message – signed, sealed, explored.

To make a long blog entry short, don’t have a Dora The Explorer wedding. OK, so you want it to feel “beachy.” If you pass out flip flops at the door, hire a Beach Boys tribute band, and have wedding centerpieces like this, it’s going to hit everyone over the head. Pick your “theme” or colors, or “feel” and weave it in subtly. We love the quirky romantic vibe of this wedding at Palm Springs own haven for quirky romantic occasions, The Viceroy. There is no Victorian lace, no vintage fabrics, no shabby chic floral containers. But, by the nature of the soft colors, the soft textures of the flowers contrasted with the bold graphics of the linens, there is a sweet romantic feel to the design. See if you agree!