

Thank you to the fabulous StudioWed Atlanta wedding vendors for the wonderful fall wedding inspiration. You can see full size photos on the StudioWed blog.


Thank you to the fabulous StudioWed Atlanta wedding vendors for the wonderful fall wedding inspiration. You can see full size photos on the StudioWed blog.



Beau-coup is a fabulous website that carries tons of stylish favors, decorations, and gifts for weddings. They are offering a $25 gift card towards anything on their site to one of our lucky blog readers!
You’ll find everything from unique wedding favors and favor packaging to bridal party gifts, placecard holders, wedding decorations, and more at Beau-coup.
Leave a comment with your favorite Beau-Coup product to be entered in our giveaway. We will announce the winner on our blog next week!

We love these fall table trends by StudioWed Atlanta. Thanks to their amazing vendors for the great inspiration for our Colorado brides! Andrea Taylor Studio, Tulip, I Do Linens, Owen Lawrence, Sugarplum Visions, Ink & Paint, Event Rentals Unlimited, Dreamy Gelato & Chocolates, Lemiga Events, Peachtree Weddings



If your groom needs to express himself on the wedding day, consider something completely out of the ordinary - a custom bout from Rosenow Floral.

There are so many details that go into your wedding budget. Here are a few details that often get missed by brides and grooms:
Music Related - Aside from the cost of booking your band, they often require hot meals and a changing room. If you have a ten piece band with a few sound technicians, you could be providing hot meals for up to 12 band members plus a hotel room or two. You many need to add on travel charges and possible overnight accommodations if you are getting married in the mountains. Your band or string quartet will also require shade if your event is outside. This could be a simple pop-up shade tent or a more elaborate set up, depending on your band and venue.
Gown Alterations - This can be as simple as a $100 hem or up to $500+, depending on what you need. Ask what the store charges for every alteration before you purchase the gown. Consider a less expensive seamstress instead of using the bridal store for alterations. If you use a private seamstress, ask if they steam the gown after alterations and if they store it for you until the wedding.
Welcome Bag Delivery - Many hotels don’t mention this when you block rooms. Be sure to ask what they charge. Some hotels charge $7 or more per bag to deliver to each guest room. Other hotels will simply pass them out to your guests at check-in.
Debbie Orwat
Colorado Wedding Planner

5 steps to a successful wedding toast
1. Welcome guests, thank the bride and groom and their parents for the incredible wedding.
2. Tell a short, preferably funny, story such as how they met, how you know them, their engagement story or a funny childhood story about either the bride or groom.
3. Include an inspirational quote about love or marriage
4. Ask guests to raise their glasses for the actual toast. Surprisingly, this often is forgotten.
5. Remember that this is not the moment to mention previous girlfriends/boyfriends of the bride or groom.
Debbie Orwat,
Denver Wedding Planner

Della Terra Mountain Chateau

Della Terra Mountain Chateau

Vail wedding at Donovan Pavilion
It isn’t often that we book weddings with only two weeks notice however both of our brides for this weekend contracted with us in the past few weeks. Debbie will coordinate the details for Sarah and Greg at the Donovan Pavilion on Friday. Gabby wrapped up the final planning and will work with Kristen to coordinate Shurie and Anthony’s gorgeous wedding at Della Terra Mountain Chateau in Estes Park on Saturday. We are thrilled to pull together the final details for both of these wonderful couples.
Debbie & Gabby
Colorado Wedding Planners
5 Questions to Ask When Choosing Lodging Options for Wedding Guests
Do you offer shuttle service?
Some hotels will offer complimentary or low cost shuttle service to your wedding for guests staying at the hotel.
What is your policy for guest welcome bags?
Many hotel properties charge for this. Some will give your welcome bags as a complimentary service when guests check-in but most will charge you to deliver to guest rooms.
What is the fee structure and policy for reserving a block of rooms?
Some hotels will allow a complimentary block while others require your credit card and a guaranteed minimum number of rooms.
What restaurants and amenities are available for guests?
It is very helpful to have a few restaurants in the hotel or within walking distance. It is also helpful if the hotel can accommodate roll-away beds, portable cribs or a complimentary breakfast for your guests.
Do you offer a complimentary suite if we book a certain number of hotel nights?
Many properties will comp a room or two if your guests book a certain number of lodging nights.
Debbie Orwat
Denver Wedding Planner
Last week, MSN published an article about the biggest wedding regrets. Here is a quick recap:
You can read the full article here. Many of these could have been avoided by hiring a professional wedding planner. We are trained to foresee, predict and come up with solutions to potential problems.
Debbie Orwat
Colorado Wedding Planner
We LOVE weddings that take place at a private home or mansion. The bride and groom typically have full control over many of the details and can create whatever type of event they desire. If you are planning an event at a private home, be sure to hire an experienced event planner to assist with the logistics and details. Here are a few details that we take charge of and assist with:
Rentals - Not only will you have a tent, you also need tables, chairs, linens, flatware, china, glassware, etc. And on top of those things, your caterer may also need convection ovens, heating racks, prep tables, trash cans and possibly a tent of their own for prep. You may opt to have a floor in your tent, fabric draping, special lighting and a stage for the band.
Portable Restrooms - Even if the home has a few restrooms, it is always good to have a back-up just in case there are plumbing issues. You can rent luxury trailer port-o-lets that come with sinks and mirrors.
Parking - Most homes cannot accommodate 75+ vehicles. Arrange for shuttles, rent a nearby parking lot, provide valet services or ensure neighboring estates can accommodate overflow parking.
Lighting and Power - Not only will you need lighting for your tent, you will also need lighting for the caterer, walkways, and restroom area. You can count on having a generator for the caterer, band and lighting. Be sure to check with those vendors for power requirements. A DJ may not require much but a large band will need a lot of dedicated power.
Debbie Orwat
Colorado Wedding Planner
Book any partial or full service wedding planning package with Shelby and get this incredible package deal:
$250 discount on your planning package with Save the Date Events
FREE rental of Mile Hi Station in Denver! This is over a $2000k discount. You have to pay for bar service but the venue rental is free! Have you seen this venue? It’s incredible.
50% discount on professional photography from Jason G Photography or from Revert Imaging (your choice!) Both of these incredible photography companies are talented, professional and FUN
25% discount on your wedding cake from Intricate Icings. Intricate Icings is an upscale boutique cake designer creating some of the best cakes in Colorado
50% discount on flowers from Bella Fiori. Bella Fiori is a full-service floral design studio providing exquisite arrangements for any wedding
What’s the catch? Your wedding has to take place between now and November 25, 2009 on a Sunday-Thursday (depending on availability of the venue). Is it too fast? That’s why you have a fantastic planner to guide you through the process and coordinate a flawless wedding day.
We only have one package to give away. Call today to schedule your consultation so that we can get started!
Shelby Crandall
Denver Wedding Planner
For months, wedding planning nearly consumed you. After you have returned from the honeymoon, you may also experience confusing feelings of depression even though life with your new spouse seems to be going well. Welcome to the post-wedding blues. While this doesn’t affect every bride, you may be surprised to learn that post-wedding blues are common for brides and even for mothers of the bride, especially if the mother was heavily involved in planning the wedding.
Here are a few tips to get you past the post-wedding blues:
1. Realize you’ve been through an intense period where the focus has been on romance. You are now in normal life mode, but that doesn’t mean romance has to end. Plan a romantic evening with your new spouse, perhaps for your first month anniversary. A nice dinner, along with a good bottle of wine or champagne, candles and your favorite music complete the mood. Thaw your wedding cake top to enjoy that evening. Or, arrange a weekend getaway.
2. Throw a post-wedding BBQ or cocktail party for immediate family members and close friends when your wedding pictures and video are ready. Show the video and hand out photos from the wedding. Relive some of those fabulous memories of the wedding day.
3. Scrapbook your wedding memories. Now that you have so much time on your hands, create a scrapbook of your wedding including pictures, an invitation, your place cards, table cards and other sentimental details from the planning process and wedding day.
Debbie Orwat
Denver Wedding Planner
1. Bride & Groom: You get to practice the processional, learn when to hand off the bouquet, kiss your groom and practice the recessional.
2. Parents & Grandparents: Your parents and grandparents will need to practice their entrance for the ceremony, lighting the unity candle (if applicable), and learn where they will sit.
3. Wedding Party: Your wedding party consists of maid/matron of honor(s), bridesmaids, best man, groomsmen, flower girls, and ring bearers. They will also need to practice walking down the aisle (together or separately), the recessional, where to stand, and how the ceremony will flow.
4. Officiant: The person who will marry you should attend the rehearsal if possible. They will need to know how they are walking to the alter/chuppah and with whom (groom, groom and best man, groomsmen). They typically will do a quick run-through of the ceremony and discuss who will hold the rings.
5. Singers & Musicians: While it would be nice to have them at the rehearsal, they typically are not there unless you pay them for their time.
6. Readers: They will need to get comfortable with the microphone and sound system as well as know where to sit to easily make their way to the front to read the scripture or reading.
7. Ushers: They usually greet your guests, hand out programs, and seat guests. While this doesn’t require much direction, it’s nice for them to attend the rehearsal so that they know exactly where to be, what to do and the tasks you’ve chosen for them.
Debbie Orwat
Colorado Wedding Planner
I often received emails from novice wedding planners asking for advice and tips. While we do offer hourly career counseling for novice planners, I wanted to share some tips and advice.
Debbie Orwat
Denver Wedding Planner
We had the most wonderful time working with Jess and Mike for their June 27th wedding at Grant Humphreys Mansion in Denver. Danielle and Debbie assisted Jess with the final planning and event design then Danielle coordinated a fabulous wedding evening for Jess and Mike. Guests enjoyed a gorgeous outdoor wedding ceremony on the lawn followed by cocktail hour, a plated dinner by Footers Catering then an evening of dancing with great music by Line Level Showtek. Thanks to Intricate Icings for the fabulous cakes. The wedding flowers were created by a family friend.
Debbie & Danielle
Denver Wedding Planners

Contracts and banquet event orders –Between all the charges, legal talk and details, you may feel like you are reading something written in another language. Experienced coordinators read contracts and event orders on a weekly basis. We can decipher what is included, what isn’t and what is missing. We know which company tacks on multiple extra service charges and which companies are missing key clauses in their client contracts. If you have a hired a vendor we haven’t worked with, we know what questions to ask to make sure the contract and event order is in the best interest of our clients.
Budget – Can brides create a rough budget from an online template? Absolutely. The downside is that it won’t reflect the Colorado wedding market, work with your guest count or take into consideration the style of wedding you want. Coordinators take time to know you, learn what you want, determine what you have already spent and establish what style you want for your wedding. With that knowledge plus our experience in the Colorado wedding market, we give you a real custom budget. For example, if cake and desserts are really important to you, we may budget $1000-$2000. If you want a small cake and a few sheet cakes, $500 might be plenty (those numbers could vary greatly depending on your guest count).
Resources – After years of experience, we can find practically anything you want for your big day. Whether you want a secret mountain venue that isn’t advertised or a band that can play polkas AND top 40, we know where to find it.
Want to hear more reasons? Give us a call!
Debbie Orwat
Denver Wedding Planner
Break in your shoes - The last thing you want on your wedding day is blisters and sore feet. Wear your wedding shoes around the house with a pair of socks on. Scuff the bottoms on concrete or loose rocks so they aren’t slippery.
Clean your engagement ring - You can clean your ring at home or take it to a professional to have it polished before the wedding. Your new wedding band will be full of sparkle and you don’t want your engagement ring to be dull when photographed next to it.
Pack for your wedding night - Don’t forget a change of clothes and shoes to wear to brunch the next morning.
Pack for your honeymoon - You don’t want to be doing this at the last minute. If you can’t find the time to pack before the wedding, make a list during the week so that you don’t forget anything important like your passport or medications.
Marriage License - If you haven’t picked it up yet, now is the time. You can find out how to get your Colorado Marriage License here.
Starting on July 1, 2009, the cost of a marriage license in Colorado increases to $30. The current price is $10. Need to know how to get a license? Read our blog post here about it.