With wedding season among us, many brides for 2010 have done most of their planning, but may be trying to decide whether hiring a month of coordinator would be worth it. Being wedding planners, we, of course would say, “YES! Don’t hesitate! Hire a professional wedding coordinator to ensure your wedding plans are taken care of the day of so you, your friends and family can relax and enjoy!” Make sure to find the right personality match to work with you on your wedding day! Here’s an article that we posted a few months ago about the different types of coordinators that’ll be a part of your wedding day to help you decide if hiring a Month of [Day of] coordinator is right for you! Enjoy and if you have any questions- please don’t hesitate to ask!

With the title “coordinator” used so often in the wedding and event industry, it’s no surprise that the duties of these different people can get a bit confusing. We were talking about this recently with other vendors, and it is clear that people have a lot of questions about the different types of coordinators that might work with them on their wedding day. We’ll unravel these different terms for you!

Catering Coordinator: This person works for your catering company or as a manager at a venue that offers catering.
Your catering coordinator will make sure:
      o your menu selections have been made
      o plans for your bar and beverages has been arranged
      o receive and maintain your payments for the catering
Many catering companies offer rental items such as dinnerware, linens, and glassware. Your catering coordinator may assist you in selecting those items. On the day of your wedding, the catering coordinator manages the timeline for food preparation and food service. The catering coordinator will also oversee the serving staff.

Venue Coordinator: This person is employed by the venue, and knows the inner-workings of the space. Your venue coordinator will most often do a walk-through with you and point out typical layouts for your floor plan.
Your venue coordinator will know answers to questions, such as:
      o “what time can our vendors start setting up?”
      o “Where are the power outlets in the building?”
      o “How many chairs and tables do you have, and do you provide linens?”
      o “Am I allowed to use candles?”
      o “Where can vendors park for loading and unloading?”
      o “When is our final payment due?”
Some venue coordinators are on-site during your wedding day for part of all of the day. Make sure you ask them what their role with be on the day of.

Church Coordinator: If you are marrying in a church, you might have a church coordinator.
Your church coordinator will:
      o schedule your rehearsal time
      o advise you on etiquette of that specific church as well as its rules
      o run your rehearsal (for example, tell you how you should line up/walk into the church)
      o refer cantors or musicians through the parish
      o your church coordinator will be there on your wedding day to guide you down the aisle

Wedding Coordinator: A wedding coordinator/consultant/planner is one and the same.  A wedding coordinator differs from the afore mentioned coordinators because he/she is hired directly by the bride/groom/family which means their first and foremost job description is to provide to you the services that you need to make your wedding planning experience enjoyable. He/she can not only answer questions about your venue, rentals, catering, and church customs, but can also aid you with subjects such as design, budgeting, vendor selection, timelines, and etiquette. A perk is that most wedding coordinators receive discounts with vendors that get passed on to the client as a savings, rather than marking them up and costing the client more money. This comes from the experience that a professional wedding coordinator has, as well as the extensive research and networking that he/she maintains on a regular basis to continue to learn about the vendors that are available to their clients.
Most wedding coordinators offer day-of coordination in their list of services. When hiring a Day-of Coordinator they manage the details of your wedding day for you.
This includes, but not limited to:
      o preparing a timeline and ceremony processional/recessional sheet
      o organizing day of information details
      o communicating details between all vendors making sure they are on the same page
      o running the rehearsal or assist officiant and church coordinator
      o set up and clean up
      o trouble-shooting any and all situations throughout the day
Many day-of coordinators offer packages that include meetings to prepare for the wedding day and more.

If you have a coordinator at your venue, church or catering company that uses the title wedding planner/ wedding coordinator/ wedding consultant please inquire about all of the different things that they plan to do for you on your wedding day, as well as throughout your planning timeframe, so you are not left disappointed on your wedding day. We are happy to answer any questions you may have. Every company is different, so some coordinators may vary from the above description.

Happy planning!

Cheers,
Mandi, Rachelle and the Champagne team

Local event:
Eco-friendly wedding event! Portland:
Monday, June 28
6:00- 8:00 pm
New Beginning Salon Spa
503-645-2950
http://www.nbsalonspa.com

Last year Rachelle Bell of Champagne Wedding & Event Coordination married the man of her dreams! Rachelle and Donny are perfect for each other. They love each other in a way that makes you want what they have instantly after meeting them. Here’s a glimpse into Rachelle and Donny’s wedding…

Photographs by Paul Rich Studio

Mandi: What was your favorite thing about your wedding?

Rachelle: I loved that I was able to be in a frame of mind to literally soak up all of the special moments. I think some people [my family and fiancé] worried that being a perfectionist during other people’s wedding days would transfer to me not being able to relinquish control on my own wedding day. On the contrary, I knew to simply sit back and enjoy every moment—and that’s exactly what Donny and I did, it was such a special day. I can’t say I have a favorite thing—all of it together made it so perfect. I did love my dress… : )

Mandi: What was most important to you while planning your wedding?

Rachelle: Making sure to keep our guests entertained and having fun. They all made a very long trip to be there for us, so we wanted to make sure that they were very involved in all of the activities. We planned an island tour the day before the wedding that was such a fun experience for all of us to have together. I’ve seen that island two dozen times, but having that experience with everyone there was something unique and fun for me.

Mandi: What did you like most about being engaged?

Rachelle: How excited Donny was every time he’d look at my hand and see a ring on my finger—he would literally get giddy. We were both just really happy and excited to get married to each other. I also loved how excited our families were for us too—they were all just beaming, all the time when we’d talk about the wedding.

Photographs by Paul Rich Studio

Mandi: Was it harder or easier to plan your own wedding given your profession…explain.

Rachelle: Planning was easy when it came down to getting things done, but I’m actually so accustomed to doing what OTHER people want, that it took me a while to figure out what Donny and I wanted. However, once it dawned on us that we shouldn’t be planning a local wedding with 400 guests, but should go to where we love—all the pieces fell into place. I’m a strong believer that the venue and location help dictate what the theme and feeling of the wedding will be. So I didn’t have a set color scheme or theme in mind until I had time to think about the location more. All of our planning choices simply reflected us in our everyday lives—the food, the music selections, the attire…

Mandi: How would you describe the style of your wedding?

Rachelle: Eclectic, Beach, Colorful, Celebration, Relaxed… Our biggest priority was to have a great party. The live bands really helped with that aspect, as well as the amazing people and to-die-for food!

Mandi: What are a few details you incorporated it to make it unique to you and Donny?

Rachelle:
We both had a grandmother named June—and both our grandmas were very dear to us. We wanted to honor them so we made favors that would remind us and our families of them. 

Also, we wrote our own vows, so instead of a formal program [which just wouldn’t have fit into our style of wedding anyway] we printed the vows on the program so everyone could follow along.

We also wanted our guests to know that we valued their presence during the ceremony—so we passed our rings around to everyone and asked them to instill their best advice and best wishes into them. It was a very symbolic action, but we still love the idea of it.

Photographs by Paul Rich Studio

Mandi: How did you pick St. Lucia for your destination?

Rachelle: The location was a natural choice for us, as I grew up visiting the island year after year, and Donny is such a water guy. It made perfect sense for us to get away and spend two weeks with our closest friends and family. Since I am so busy, in the Summers, with other weddings—I often miss out on the family get-togethers. I couldn’t really see myself having a wedding day that lasted only a few hours since our guest list was pretty large. So another part of the decision was in splitting the guest list up, it made it so Donny and I could [try to] spend more quality time with our guests. We had two receptions—one at my parents home and one at his parents home when we returned. They were both laid back, bbq style receptions with music, bubbly, and cake—gotta love it! I have to say, the ONLY thing that I didn’t love about our destination wedding was that Sugar [our dog] couldn’t be there.

Mandi: Any advice you’d offer to those planning a destination wedding?

Rachelle: Before you book a wedding somewhere consider a few details that will impact your planning significantly—
Do you speak the language?
Are you at all familiar with the location?
Is there a big time zone difference?
Do they provide a coordinator to help you?
Also consider where all of your guests will be traveling from- is it an accessible destination?

Photographs by Paul Rich Studio

Mandi: Thank you, Rachelle, for sharing a little about your wedding with us!

Cheers,

Mandi & Rachelle

Make sure to enter our love story contest! Details here. We will be announcing a winner on Sunday, February 14th, 2010.

Thank you for stopping by our blog! We’d love to meet you! We offer free no obligation consultations so you’re able to see if you’re in need of a wedding coordinator and if we’re the right match! .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) us now to set up an appointment!

Woo hoo… we made it 30 days! It was such a blast sharing these vendors with you!!

Thank you to everyone who followed along, the vendors that made it possible and all of the vendors we know and love!! We can’t wait to share with you the things we have in the works over the next few months! Check back tomorrow to enter in our “Week of Love” contest!

If you missed any of the “30 days of vendors” posts, make sure to check them out!

Day 30 of 30: Urban Studio
Day 29 of 30: Brandon Perron Photography
Day 28 of 30: Passionflower Floral Design
Day 27 of 30: Bakery Bar
Day 26 of 30: Solstice Video
Day 25 of 30: AJ’s Hair design & Makeup
Day 24 of 30: Honeysuckle Photography
Day 23 of 30: West Coast Event Productions
Day 22 of 30: Gorge-ous Weddings
Day 21 of 30: The Wedding Cottage
Day 20 of 30: The Photo Lounge
Day 19 of 30: Fioribella Floral Design
Day 18 of 30: Shields Films
Day 17 of 30: Yasmin Khajavi Photography
Day 16 of 30: Vista Hills & Red Ridge
Day 15 of 30: Lori Raines Calligraphy
Day 14 of 30: Peekaboo Portland
Day 13 of 30: Vibrant Table Catering & Events
Day 12 of 30: Joel Bock Photography
Day 11 of 30: True Love Sound
Day 10 of 30: Blum Floral Desgin
Day 9 of 30: Becerra Photography
Day 8 of 30: Black Butte Ranch
Day 7 of 30: Cupcake Jones
Day 6 of 30: Mosca Photo
Day 5 of 30: Vibrant Table Flowers
Day 4 of 30: Premiere Catering
Day 3 of 30: Paul Rich Studio
Day 2 of 30: Bon Moment Inivitations
Day 1 of 30: Bryan Hoybook Photography
See what the 30 days of vendors is all about!

Cheers,
Mandi & Rachelle

Thank you for stopping by our blog! We’d love to meet you! We offer free no obligation consultations so you’re able to see if you’re in need of a wedding coordinator and if we’re the right match! .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) us now to set up an appointment!

There are many styles of venues and I feel as though Urban Studio is in a category of their own. The walls move, the furniture moves, it’s able to be modified to create whatever you envision! Get to know Via, Urban Studio and a little about Pearl Catering here…

Champagne: What size of groups can Urban Studio accommodate?

Via: We can accommodate 200 people for a seated event, and up to 300 people for a stand-up/cocktail style reception.

Champagne: What do you think is unique about the space at Urban Studio?

Via: What’s unique about Urban Studio is that there is no other space like this in Portland. Located in the heart of the Pearl District, with soaring windows, a roll-up door, and boasting a modern yet industrial chic style. It’s a blank canvas that can be transformed into an elaborate, elegant wedding - or a simple, very sophisticated and urban wedding. Overlooking the main floor is our Bridal Loft used by the bridal party to get ready at, by photographers to catch some priceless birds’ eye view shots, and by the bride & groom to escape to share a moment together.

Jos Photographers

Champagne: Tell us more about Pearl Catering and how it’s related to Urban Studio—is it the exclusive caterer there?

Via: Pearl Catering is our exclusive caterer. Formally known as Be Zinful Catering, Pearl Catering has been creating mouth-watering dishes in Portland since 2001. We use only local ingredients and work with local farmers to bring the freshest taste to each bite. Executive Chef Kevin Kennedy has 20+ years in the culinary world, and brings a very creative touch to everything he does. Not matter what type of event it is, Pearl Catering aims to exceed your expectations!

Champagne: What is one of your most favorite things about Portland, or favorite things to do here?

Via: How do I narrow it down? The people. People watching. Exploring this town on foot. Portlanders and their unique style - anything goes! Food carts. Live music. First Thursday. Last Thursday. Riding bikes. Farmer’s markets. The Pearl District. Street performers. Beer festivals. Window shopping on Mississippi, meandering around NW 23rd. Happy hours. Sitting outside on a patio in the summer. And the list goes on….

Champagne: So since you’re not married—we have to ask! What would YOUR dream wedding look like?

Via: Oh this will be fun to answer. Should I pretend like I’ve never thought about this before? haha! My dream wedding would be incredibly beautiful, in the most simple way. Sayulita, Mexico. On the beach. Intimate. 40 of our closest family members and friends. Barefoot. My bridesmaids would wear whatever dresses they want to wear. Short ceremony. Long lasting party. Unlimited photos. Live music. Incredible food, tapas style. Embarrassing speeches. A week long celebration spent in the sun, on the beach with all of my favorite people. It’s about him and I - being where we love to be and who we love to be with.

Jos Photographers

Champagne: Anything else you think people should know about Urban Studio?

Via: The rental fee is waived at Urban Studio when a food/beverage minimum is met! Contact me for more information [503.860.0526, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)]. Also, while Pearl Catering is the exclusive caterer at Urban Studio, we also do off-site catering at other venues - for any type of event, whether it’s a private party for 50 or a corporate event for 500.

Jos Photographers

Champagne: Thank you, Via, for sharing more about Urban Studio! We look forward to working with you soon! Make sure to check out Urban Studio’s website!

Check out previous posts from our 30 days of vendors:
Day 29 of 30: Brandon Perron Photography
Day 28 of 30: Passionflower Floral Design
Day 27 of 30: Bakery Bar
Day 26 of 30: Solstice Video
Day 25 of 30: AJ’s Hair design & Makeup
Day 24 of 30: Honeysuckle Photography
Day 23 of 30: West Coast Event Productions
Day 22 of 30: Gorge-ous Weddings
Day 21 of 30: The Wedding Cottage
Day 20 of 30: The Photo Lounge
Day 19 of 30: Fioribella Floral Design
Day 18 of 30: Shields Films
Day 17 of 30: Yasmin Khajavi Photography
Day of 16 of 30: Vista Hills & Red Ridge
Day 15 of 30: Lori Raines Calligraphy
Day 14 of 30: Peekaboo Portland
Day 13 of 30: Vibrant Table Catering & Events
Day 12 of 30: Joel Bock Photography
Day 11 of 30: True Love Sound
Day 10 of 30: Blum Floral Desgin
Day 9 of 30: Becerra Photography
Day 8 of 30: Black Butte Ranch
Day 7 of 30: Cupcake Jones
Day 6 of 30: Mosca Photo
Day 5 of 30: Vibrant Table Flowers
Day 4 of 30: Premiere Catering
Day 3 of 30: Paul Rich Studio
Day 2 of 30: Bon Moment Inivitations
Day 1 of 30: Bryan Hoybook Photography
See what the 30 days of vendors is all about!

Cheers,
Mandi & Rachelle

Next week we’ll be featuring the “week of love” and will be giving away a photo session by Paul Rich Studio to the best love story! Stay tuned for more details to be announced Sunday!

Thank you for stopping by our blog! We’d love to meet you! We offer free no obligation consultations so you’re able to see if you’re in need of a wedding coordinator and if we’re the right match! .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) us now to set up an appointment!

A few weeks ago, I woke up at 6:30am on a Saturday morning to begin a full day of meetings. I have to say, I’m not a morning person, but the beautiful drive to the Columbia Gorge quickly woke me up. Molly welcomed me to the Gorge-ous Weddings venue and began showing me around… The view is breathtaking, one you wish you could wake up to every morning, one that would maybe even make me a morning person. Molly and her family are lucky enough to wake up to this breathtaking view everyday… yes, I’m a little jealous, but after Molly’s recent wedding, they are sharing their experience and view with you! I’ll let Molly tell you more about Gorge-ous Weddings...

Photograph by Holland Studios

Champagne: What inspired you to open a wedding/event venue?

Molly: I would have to say my own wedding. My husband is from out of town and his family just could not believe the beauty we have in the Gorge. It inspired me to share this venue with others.

Photograph by Holland Studios

Champagne: What size events can you accommodate?

Molly: We can accommodate weddings up to 500 guests as well as large family reunions and other events.

Photograph by Holland Studios

Champagne: What sets your venue apart from the rest?

Molly: We have overnight accommodations in our beautifully remodeled Ranch House that is included in all wedding packages.

Photograph by Holland Studios

Champagne: We heard you recently got married! What would you have done differently?

Molly: Honestly I would have hired a coordinator. Reason being come the day of my wedding, I was slightly overwhelmed with everything that need to be done. I could have used an extra set of hands and eyes to get me though my day.

Photograph by Holland Studios

Champagne: What are you so happy you did?

Molly: I never thought in my wildest dreams I would marry a man in a Kilt, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way!

Photograph by Holland Studios

Champagne: What is something you think people should know when picking their wedding/event venue?

Molly: Look around at all the places you can get your photo taken. Your wedding day will come and go but you will always have your memories in photos.

Photograph by Holland Studios

Champagne: Anything else you’d like our readers to know?

Molly: Our Ranch House also includes a beautiful bridal room and sleeps up to 10.

Photograph by Holland Studios

Champagne: Thank you, Molly, for sharing with us about Gorge-ous Weddings! We look forward to working with you soon! Make sure to check out more about Gorge-ous Weddings on their website!

Check out previous posts from our 30 days of vendors:
Day 21 of 30: The Wedding Cottage
Day 20 of 30: The Photo Lounge
Day 19 of 30: Fioribella Floral Design
Day 18 of 30: Shields Films
Day 17 of 30: Yasmin Khajavi Photography
Day 16 of 30: Vista Hills & Red Ridge
Day 15 of 30: Lori Raines Calligraphy
Day 14 of 30: Peekaboo Portland
Day 13 of 30: Vibrant Table Catering & Events
Day 12 of 30: Joel Bock Photography
Day 11 of 30: True Love Sound
Day 10 of 30: Blum Floral Desgin
Day 9 of 30: Becerra Photography
Day 8 of 30: Black Butte Ranch
Day 7 of 30: Cupcake Jones
Day 6 of 30: Mosca Photo
Day 5 of 30: Vibrant Table Flowers
Day 4 of 30: Premiere Catering
Day 3 of 30: Paul Rich Studio
Day 2 of 30: Bon Moment Inivitations
Day 1 of 30: Bryan Hoybook Photography
See what the 30 days of vendors is all about!

Cheers,
Mandi & Rachelle

Only 2 days left to take advantage of our current promotion!! Book your wedding or event coordination before January 30th, 2010 and receive 5% off your package!* Dates are booking quickly!

Don’t forget, we offer free consultations so you can learn if hiring a wedding planner would benefit you and if we’re the right match! We’d love to learn more about you, your fiancé and your upcoming wedding plans!

*Not valid on previously booked packages. Contract and deposit must be returned by January 30th, 2010.