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Posts Tagged ‘Wedding Events’

BY

A ALEXANDER EVENT CATERERS LLC

http://www.AlexanderEvent.com

Regardless of their budget every couple wants their wedding day to be special. One of the hardest things to budget when it comes to weddings is the cost of catering. When you are looking for Fort Lauderdale caterers the price per head with many of them can seem overwhelming. Nobody wants to have to slash their guest list or compromise on a lower quality caterer to make their budget. You don’t have to sacrifice the people that are important to you to stay within your catering budget. All you have to do is find Fort Lauderdale caterers that have flexible pricing options.

There are many ways to save money with Fort Lauderdale caterers without it being outwardly obvious to your guests. Many Fort Lauderdale caterers offer discounted pricing on certain days of the week as well as certain times of the year. If you do not have a fixed date in mind for your wedding date this can be an excellent way to save on your wedding expenses without having to cut your guests list. Additionally, it allows you to hire a caterer that may have otherwise been out of your price range.

In addition to saving money on Fort Lauderdale caterers who offer discounted days you can also save money when you are planning the menu. Most Fort Lauderdale caterers have a wide array of choices in cuisine. Certain dishes will undoubtedly be priced hirer than others. So, if you choose a dish that is more affordable as one of your options you may be able to cut costs there as well. This is an excellent way to save money without be obvious about it. When you are planning your menu with your caterer try and select dishes that are varied but inexpensive in costs. Make sure you have a variety so there is something for all of your guests.

Your Almost-Comprehensive Guide to Planning a Wedding

Getting married? The first order of business is… congratulations, of course! But next comes a little piece of advice: hold on tight. Because it’s going to be a wild and bumpy ride.

Planning a wedding is a little like marriage itself. Just when you think things are going as smooth as fresh-whipped cream, everything gets… well… as bumpy as cottage cheese. There’s so much to do that, unless you have tons of money to spend on an expensive wedding planner, it’s practically impossible to make everything turn out perfectly. So before you set even one little plan down on paper, put down your pen, take a deep breath, and repeat after me: “It’s my wedding and it’ll be a beautiful, magical day– even if it’s not perfect.”

All done? Good. Grab that pen, print out this guide to planning a wedding, and let’s get started.

Wedding Pre-Planning

1. Your vision. Before doing any real planning, you need to sit down with hubby-to-be and discuss what you want from your wedding. Are you both dreaming of an intimate ceremony with just family and friends? Or does your 200-guest dream wedding clash with his idea of a “no stress” ceremony?

 2. Your budget. It may be unromantic and ordinary, but it’s a necessity– you have to have money to plan a wedding. Calculate a budget and do your best to stick to it.

Planning the Ceremony

 1. Date, Time, and Venue. These are the big ones. While you probably have a time of year in mind for the ceremony, the exact date you choose will generally be dependant on the availability of the ceremony and reception venue(s). Tour several venues to decide which you like best, and book your favorite early.

 2. Your wedding party. As a madly planning bride, it can be easy to lose track of what a wedding is about: the people. Discuss with your fiancé who each of you want as part of the wedding party, and ask them to take part. Bridesmaids can be a big help in the planning process– get them helping early on.

 3. Your gown. This is the fun part! You’ll want to start shopping for your wedding dress early. Find one you love? Ask the botique’s advice on when is the best time to order. Start thinking about tuxes and bridemaid’s dresses, as well.

 4. Your guestlist. Especially if you’re planning a small wedding, you’ll be amazed at the way the guestlist tends to… bloat. This one may take a long time to finalize, so you want to get started early.

 5. Save the date and invitations. As soon as venue, date, and time for your wedding are firm, send “save the date” cards out to guests– especially those from out of town. Also start planning your invitations, but don’t rush. Invitations don’t need to go out until 6-8 weeks before the wedding.

 6. Book ceremony services.

•  Photographer. Great photographers book up quickly, so be sure to shop for the one you like best early. Keep in mind that budget is a big concern here–photography can be one of your most expensive items.

•  Florist. Florists also get booked early– if you find a florist who can meet both your tastes and your budget, book her right away. Doing the flowers yourself? Start looking into wholesale flower services.

•  Officiant. If you’re getting married in a church, the officiant probably comes with the venue. If not, you’ll generally have to book a religious or civil officiant for the ceremony.

•  Music. You may want a band or instrumentalist to play at the beginning or end of the ceremony. Start shopping now.

 
7. Rehearsal dinner. Start planning the guestlist, venue, and menu for the rehearsal dinner.

8. Your vows. You want to leave time to both write and memorize your vows. Don’t plan on writing your own? Sit down with hubby to be and go over your options, deciding what kind of vows you tend to like best.

Planning the Reception

 1. Your food and drink. Here comes one of the most expensive parts of planning a wedding… feeding your guests! While a full-course dinner and terrific open bar are ideal, sometimes they don’t fit in the budget. Calculate what you can spend, and begin shopping for:

• Catering
• Bar services
• Tableware and place settings
• The wedding cake

 Book a caterer early and start discussing the menu ASAP– it’ll have a huge impact on your budget.

 2. The music. First, decide if you want a band or a DJ. Then start checking out your options. There are tons of wedding bands and DJs out there, and they may not all be to your taste. Find one you like? Book him before he’s taken.

 3. The tables. Unless you’re doing open-plan seating, you’ll need to decide where everybody is sitting. This can be a big job, so get started early! You’ll also need to create and decide on:

•  Place settings
• Place cards
• A seating chart
• Table centerpieces

 4. The transportation. If you’re using a limousine service (especially a specialty limousine service) to take you to and from the ceremony and reception, you’ll want to book them early.

 5. The favors. Decide on wedding favors for your guests. Design them around a theme and get started early if you’re making them yourself.

 Planning for After the Wedding

 1. Your honeymoon. After all the stress of planning a wedding, you’re going to need this! So get planning your honeymoon early. Trying to get Dad to pay for the honeymoon as a wedding gift? Get schmoozing right away.

 2. Your name change. If you plan on taking your hubby-to-be’s name after the ceremony, start looking into the paperwork you’ll need beforehand.

 3. Thank you notes. The best time to order thank you cards for your wedding is when you order invitations. Get them addressed and ready to go beforehand, and try to send them out two weeks to one month after the wedding.

 The Married Life

 Congratulations on your engagement! While planning a wedding can be a crazily stressful experience, it’s also a really rewarding one– after all, you’re marrying the man of your dreams. So when you’re feeling a little daunted or a lot overwhelmed, sit down with your hubby to be, have a glass of wine, and relax. If you don’t let yourself get carried away with the details, the stress of planning won’t carry you away.

 Good luck!

Make Your Wedding Day Easy

Weddings are a handful and if you haven’t yet considered hiring catering options, it could easily turn to a disaster. Imagine the stress of feeding a mob of hungry people with the limited time available compounded by the emotional drama in wedding events, why it’s a time bomb ready to blow anytime! I’m sure you’ll have a hell of a day.

Still haven’t decided? Maybe you’re still weighting the cost disadvantages it will create on your wallet? Well if you are a concerned parent, a distant relative, a close friend or maybe the groom or bride, here are some tips that would certainly set your priorities straight and justify your catering decision on your wedding day or any eating event for that matter.

Consider the time element.
Wouldn’t you rather spend your time preparing yourself for other wedding essentials than getting stuck with lists of food preparations in your kitchen with your mom? Whereas you can have it delegated to people far better than you and can do a better job at it! Spend your time instead on memorizing your vows, have your hair and nails done, and do a perfect makeup job. Better to have wedding memories for these sorts of things than memories of how poorly the chicken was cooked, right? Catering will buy you time.

It may not be as costly as you may think it was.
Caterers usually offer package deals which give you a heads up on the cost per plate. This way you can allocate a budget for your guests ahead of time. Ask if they offer discounts. It won’t hurt asking. If budget is still a concern, then lessen the names in your guest list. Prioritize and cut it down to a more manageable size you can handle financially. It’s not a party after all.

It offers you menu choices that suit you and your guests.
The beauty about catered food is it offers a variety of food fit for most types of guests. You have meats, veggies, fish, fruits and dessert. Some caterers even have food themes like having Spanish menus or maybe even Mediterranean. If you have food specifications like food for vegans, food for certain religious beliefs and food for heath buffs, they will gladly adjust their food preparations accordingly. Try inquiring which menus they have that work best for weddings. I’m sure they have a lot to offer on their plate.

They are flexible to work around your choice of location.
They come in and come out prepared. Forget about concerns regarding table arrangements and order. They got it down to a science. Not only that but from the china to the forks and knives down to the glass and table details, these guys will make sure your guests are taken cared of and provided for. That’s a plus for you again.

You are sure they will offer you the best service they can offer.
Think about it. It’s a business that thrives on both quality food service and repeat business. They long to have sustained businesses with their loyal clients as well as create new ones within the guests in the event itself. So you are sure they will put their best foot forward for you. They will surely dress to impress.
No dirty dishes to wash. Need I say more?