We are half way through our 25 tips on planning your wedding and today’s guest post is from Barbara of La Tee Da Flowers in Tyler, TX.  Here are jsut a few shots of her amazing work.

When I asked her for some flower tips this is what she had to say…

I’m often asked this,

What should I bring when I have my wedding consultation?

Your consultant will be able to offer you more creative suggestions based on the information that you provide. Your florist will want to create a spectacular and memorable event just for you. Anything you bring will be beneficial. Pictures that depict what you have in mind are helpful. If you’ve seen pictures of things on line or in magazines, bring them. Bring a photo of your dress and a sample of the fabric or lace if you have it. Swatches and pictures of the bridesmaids dresses are helpful. Also bring pictures of your wedding location..especially if it’s a location that is new or not used before, such as your backyard or neighbors yard. Most florist will want to see the venue in advance of the wedding but this will help with the initial consultation. Also think of what “style” of wedding you want. If you are not sure, your florist can offer suggestions based on your wedding plans so far.

Here are some of the main things you should know before you visit us for the first time.

Where the sites are of your wedding and reception are?
What are the colors of your wedding?
What is the size of the bridal party?
What is the approximate guest count?.
What is your floral budget?

La Tee Da Flowers
105 North Spring Avenue
Tyler, TX 75702-7225
(903) 566-1566

Give her a call and start planning your flowers!!!

Part 2 of our 25 tips on planning your wedding comes from none other than Casey Brown, owner of CMB DJs.  Here he is in action as well as a few tips he gave on why having a DJ is a good idea for your wedding.

Here are 5 ways that a good DJ can make your wedding better.

1. Announcements.
Having a DJ that can announce the toast, cake cutting, and the occasional lost set of keys, and be heard and understood is a huge plus. The person on the microphone has to be able to cut through all the chatter and get everyone’s attention.

2. Mixing music that suits your guests.
A good DJ can look at any group and sum up a play list that fits. And he can only do this if he/she is familiar with many genres of music and it’s era. (Adult Contemporary, Pop, country, hip hop, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s)

3. Quality equipment.
While it doesn’t necessarily make a better DJ, quality equipment can provide a better experience and service that not only sounds good, but looks good. A “rats nest” of wires on the DJ table or around the Dj’s setup tends to take away from the nice  center pieces, cakes, and linens that make up your reception decor. Especially in smaller rooms.

4. Be prepared.
Having an outline of the order of events for your reception and any special songs that go with those events will allow your reception to run much more smoothly. If the DJ has a digital setup, making “folder” in his DJ program with all special songs for the reception, or putting all special songs on a single CD and having them ready for use ensures all those important songs are accounted for and ready to play on cue.

5. Knowing the wedding etiquette.
You can’t take a karaoke jock from a bar, and expect them to know how to pull off an elegant and fun wedding reception. This is how that could turn out. ((insert blog link to that couple taking for ever to load the first dance and mother son dance.)) You will want a DJ that has wedding experience and references. When the budget needs to be cut one of the first things they think of is the DJ entertainment.  Because all the DJ does is play music right? By getting a cousin to man the iPod, or a friend that has a big music collection, you stand to lose many if not all of the tips mentioned here. If you’re on a small budget, try to budget more for the services that really affect your wedding, and cut some smaller things that may not be quite as important.

CMB DJs
http://cmbdjs.com/
903.724.3192

I’m taking a little break from blogging this week, but never fear my faithful and devoter blog-stalkers, I have plenty of wedding goodness lined up for you.  Each day this week You’ll be getting tips from some of the best wedding vendors in the area.  They’ll be sharing little secrets you may not know about what they do and giving you info on how to help your wedding plans come together.

We are starting off today with some tips from Vanessa McKellar.  You know I LOVE me some wedding video and she is the best in the area.  Check out one of her trailers and then jump down to read some video tips.

My biggest advice overall is to just do what you want to do and enjoy your big day. But there are a few things you can be aware of that will help your video be its best.

1) If you are having a DJ, ask him to include a light kit. Sometimes it’s included and sometimes you have to pay a little extra for it, but it’s always worth it. Colorful lights on the dance floor add so much energy, interest, and dynamism to dance footage.

2) Along the same line, the darker you keep your ceremony and reception space, the more flat and grainy your footage will be. Conversely, more light equals more vibrant imagery, so keep this in mind as you “set the mood” for your event. And be sure to communicate your wishes to your site coordinator ahead of time.

3) Be expressive. One of the many things that makes video so amazing and valuable is its ability to record audio. So if you talk about how you feel, tell little stories or jokes, and give background info on important details, your video will be all the more meaningful to you in the future. This goes for your family and friends, too!

4) Build in extra time for your videographer to get her or his shots. For example, when you’re making your timeline for the day, if your photog says he will need one hour for photos, allot 1 hour and 15 minutes. This way your videographer can occasionally step in when she wants to in order to direct a shot. Make sure your photographer understands this, too.

5) And here are some quick tips:

-Don’t chew gum.

-Walk down the aisle slowly.

-Hold your bouquet low.

-Don’t whisper your vows.

-Keep the room you’re getting ready in bright and tidy.

Here’s to a wedding video you and your family will cherish forever!

Vanessa McKellar Productions
http://www.vanessamckellar.com/
903.894.6078

I love these rewind posts.  It’s amazing to me that these images happened a year ago.  Many of them are still fresh in my mind and I feel like I took them 3 months ago.

Happy 1 year to Lindsey & Justin, Mindy & Dustin, and Davi & Jonathan.

Bridal shows are fun.  They are 8 hours of wedding planning overload.  One of my favorite things is when I get to bring The Mug machine to a show.  I had a blast meeting new brides this past weekend, but I also love getting to see all my wedding vendor friends.  I ran a few of them through the machine and here are the results as well as some contact info.

Jeff Heimer | http://jmhpro.com | 903.312.8289

Amy & Bethany of We Vow Now | wevownow.com/ | (903) 232-1700

Rhonda (left) does hair & make-up (haircutter1004@yahoo.com) | Eva Sealey (right) heads up Centaur Arabian Farms.  A great new venue near Tyler.

Scott from Corazon Catering in tyler had tasty snacks for everyone.

All American Rental out of Tyler also had some of their product to show off.

Casey Brown of CMB DJs & Tyler Uplights

Tiffany The Travel Girl can help you plan for after the wedding. :)

D’Anne of the ever so tasty Designs by D’Anne was also there with her cakes.