Archive for the ‘planning’ Category

Fun Wedding Statistics

Friday, June 19th, 2009

Every year an average of 2.4 million weddings are performed in the U.S

Today’s median age for first-time brides is 27 years. For grooms, it’s 29 years old.

The median age for remarriage is 34 for brides and 37 for grooms

Each weekend an average of 44,230 weddings take place

23 million bridesmaids and groomsmen attend brides and grooms each year

The average number of wedding guests is 165

88 percent of Americans marry at least once in their lifetime

The average amount spent on a wedding gift is in the $70-$100 range

The average amount spent on wedding bands for the couple is $1,575

The average amount spent on a bridal gown is $1,075

David’s Bridal accounts for 20% of all bridal-gown sales

Random Jobs of Wedding Planners

Friday, June 5th, 2009

Aside from standard wedding planning tasks, time lines, budgets and other details we coordinate as Colorado wedding planners, here are some of the random tasks we have done in the past month to help our clients enjoy their wedding weekend:

  • Called guests who were lost on their way to the rehearsal dinner and gave them complete directions. The bride and groom were able to enjoy the dinner instead of spending 20 minutes on the phone.
  • Created custom wedding favors for our June 6th clients. We couldn’t find exactly what they wanted so we created them ourselves.
  • Run wedding day interference between the bride and her mom. Emotions can run high, especially on the wedding day. We were able to diffuse the situation so that mom and bride could enjoy the day.
  • During a last minute rain storm, we handed out dozens of white umbrellas so that guests could stay outside for the ceremony.
  • Ordered and stored custom made floral vases, guest books and wedding programs for destination wedding clients. When you have a wedding in a destination location, it is helpful to have a “drop zone” for shipping and holding wedding items until the wedding weekend. This is a complimentary service we provide for our destination brides and grooms.
  • Assisted the rehearsal dinner site with changing all barware to more appropriate glassware. This is a small detail but we knew the bride and groom would not be happy with the original plasticware. The site changed to all glassware before the bride and groom arrived.
  • At the last minute, a venue decided we couldn’t hang candles from the ceiling even though they previously approved it. Thanks to Twitter, we knew the one florist in this mountain town who graciously sold us all of her LED battery tea light candles. We were able to get these to the florist in time to have hanging glass vases with candles. The bride never noticed the difference.

These are just a few of the many unusual tasks we have done in the past few weeks to ensure our clients have a perfect Colorado wedding weekend.

Debbie Orwat
Wedding Planner in Colorado
Save the Date Events

Mountain Weddings - Do’s and Dont’s

Friday, May 29th, 2009
Need tips for your Colorado mountain wedding? You can find them here!

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

How to Handle Drunk Wedding Guests

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

Here are 5 tips on how to deal with a drunk wedding guest:

1. You always can’t control how your guests act, but you can control how you react to the situation. Keep your composure and have a sense of humor.

2. Ask your planner or venue coordinator to move the guest away from the celebration and other guests.

3. Take the inebriated guest’s car keys.

4. Have someone sober get the guest a cab to go home or back to a hotel. As a planner, I have done this a few times before the bride and groom had to worry about it.

5. Secretly ask the bartender to stop adding alcohol to his or her drinks.

Debbie Orwat, Colorado Wedding Planner

Colorado Wedding Venues

Monday, May 25th, 2009


Last week, we spent a very productive day touring Colorado wedding venues with the Association of Bridal Consultants. Our tour included Pelican Lakes Golf Course shown in the first picture above. It’s a little piece of island atmosphere in the middle of Colorado. We toured and held our monthly meeting at the stunning new Estes Park venue, Della Terra. We also toured the Stanley Hotel and Lost Antler Ranch in Estes Park.

During our meeting, we competed in a table design competition with stunning flowers provided by Amore Fiori and linens provided by Linens Unlimited. Linda from Linens Unlimited also gave us a preview of current chair cover trends shown in the above photos.

At Save the Date Events, we have been active members of the Association of Bridal Consultants for almost four years. The monthly venue tours and meetings allow us to stay on top of trends, see the latest wedding venues and network with some of the best industry professionals in Colorado.

Special thanks to fantastic photographer Hardy Klahold for the photos. You can see more photos of our day on his blog.

Debbie Orwat, Colorado Wedding Planner
Save the Date Events

First Birthday Party Planner

Friday, May 22nd, 2009

I’ll use any excuse to throw a great party including a fabulous first birthday party for my daughter in March. Our theme was “Winter ONEderland” which I carried out through every detail including Frost Bite Punch, snowflake decorated cupcakes, favors with snowflake notepads and hot cocoa mix to-go. For food, we had a chili and mac-n-cheese bar for guests to make their own comfort food creation. We had a great time, especially our little sweet pea. Thanks to the talented KB Photography for taking professional photos at our party.
Debbie Orwat, Colorado Party Planner

What Wedding Planners Want From Vendors

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

As wedding planners, we have many requests from vendors who would like us to refer them. The unique thing about wedding planners is that our reputation not only depends on our work but also relies on the work of our vendors. At Save the Date Events, this is what we look for in the vendors we refer:

Outstanding Reputation - You have been in business for at least a two years with a lot of experience, great references and fantastic reviews.

Talent - You have to be great at what you do. Occasionally vendors have fantastic business and marketing sense but not the talent to produce a high-end product. Or vice-versa.

Business Sense - No matter how good you are as a photographer, florist or cake designer, the vendors we refer respond to our clients (and us) in a timely manner, act professionally and will answer questions quickly and efficiently. Follow-up response time and good contracts are very important.

Personality - Brides and grooms choose their planner based on previous work, awards and presentation. However, the biggest factor is personality. We know that our kindness, professionalism, warmth and genuine personalities are big selling points. We like to work with vendors who have similar personalities because they typically fit our clients the best.

Pricing - We work with brides on a variety of budgets and use vendors in every budget category. We may meet with a new, up-and-coming photographer before we meet with a high budget photographer if that is what we need on our vendor list.

Your Opinion on Planners - We love vendors who promote wedding planners and coordinators. They see the value and benefits that an experienced planner provides for brides and grooms.

I could list many other tips for vendors but these are the big ones we look for when we refer vendors to our Colorado brides.

Debbie Orwat, Colorado Wedding Planner
Save the Date Events

How to Have Both Parents Escort the Bride Down the Aisle

Friday, May 15th, 2009
This is exactly what you DON’T want to happen. The bride is escorting both of her parents down the aisle instead of the parents escorting her. The dad and the mom both take the bride’s arm in this photo.

Some brides choose to have both their mother and father escort her down the aisle which is perfectly acceptable. Considering the fact that many women are not accustomed to taking the arm of even one escort, having two can be challenging when you are trying to be elegant and hold your bouquet. The proper way to have both your mother and father escort you is this:

Take your father’s arm like you normally would but have your mother walk beside you. She can either have her arm on your back or at her side. You will still hold your bouquet in your free hand.

Debbie Orwat, Colorado Wedding Planner
Save the Date Events

Wedding Planning Doesn’t Have To Be DIY

Thursday, May 14th, 2009
This is one of the the most important days in your life. Take time early in the planning process to meet with a few wedding planners. Even if you think you will plan everything yourself, meet with a few to see what they can offer. If you decide not to hire one early on, at least you know a few you can hire later if you need help. If you decide to plan everything yourself, you can still hire an experienced Colorado wedding planner for wedding day coordination so that you can relax on your wedding day and enjoy the hard work you put into planning.

Debbie Orwat, Colorado Wedding Planner

Save the Date Events

Wedding Tips from the Movies

Monday, April 27th, 2009

1.  Do . . . finalize the divorce of one marriage before your next wedding. {Sweet Home Alabama}
2.  Do . . . have a serious conversation about sexual orientation well in advance of the Big Day. {In and Out}
3.  Do . . . limit yourself to one muscle relaxer. {Sixteen Candles}
4.  Do . . . plan a tricky question to ask possible crashers. {Wedding Crashers}
5.  Do . . . get a paternity test if necessary. {Mama Mia}

Want to see more advice from your favorite wedding movies?  You can read the whole article here.

Wedding Childcare

Friday, April 24th, 2009
Having a lot of children at your wedding?  Consider hiring a childcare service that can bring games and toys to entertain the children while the adults enjoy the party.  It is important to find reputable childcare with experienced professionals.  If you are looking for a childcare service for your Colorado wedding, Wedding Sitters by Charity is a fantastic company.

Debbie Orwat, Colorado Wedding Planner
Save the Date Events

Top Ten Wedding Faux Pas by Wedding Guests {Part Two}

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

6. Waiting to Give a Gift - Contrary to popular belief, guests do not have a year to send a gift.

7. RSVP - RSVP does not mean you only respond if you can’t make it. It does not mean that you assume the bride knows you are coming. It should be mailed back promptly, preferably long before the date indicated on the card.

8. Toasts - Do not embarrass the bride or groom with inappropriate comments during a toast.

9. Getting Drunk - Don’t drink too much. You are there to celebrate with the newlyweds, not embarrass yourself and them.

10. Dressing Inappropriately - If the ceremony will be held in a church, guests may not be able to wear sundresses, short skirts, shorts, and other revealing or casual attire, including baseball caps. Do not wear caps, jeans, or shorts to any wedding except a very informal outdoor gathering.

Debbie Orwat & Gabby Cavalli
Save the Date Events

Top Ten Wedding Faux Pas by Wedding Guests {Part One}

Monday, April 20th, 2009

We’ve already covered what the bride and groom shouldn’t do.  Here are the top faux pas created by wedding guests.

1. Bringing Your Kids - If the invitation is addressed to Mr. and Mrs., your children are not invited.

 2. Arriving Late - Take into account extra time for traffic snarls, bad directions and last minute runs to the convenience store. If you plan to arrive 15 minutes early, you’ll most likely just make it. No one should walk down the aisle after the bride. If you arrive late, try to slip in quietly down a side aisle.

3. Not Giving a Gift - Sending a gift indicates your support and best wishes for the happy couple who are starting their lives together.  Even if you can’t attend, send a gift.

4. Your Ringing Cell Phone - It’s the height of rudeness to allow a personal call to interrupt any part of the wedding day.

5.  Rearranging Seating - As a guest, do not move place cards or rearrange the seating chart.

Come back on Wednesday for part two or subscribe here in a reader.

Debbie Orwat & Gabby Cavalli
Colorado Wedding Planners, Save the Date Events

Top Ten Wedding Faux Pas by the Bride and Groom {Part Two}

Friday, April 17th, 2009

6. Stranded Dates - Don’t create a painful experience for your attendants’ dates. Seat dates together with the wedding party at the reception.

7. Wedding Party Expenses - There is the cost of bridesmaid dresses, travel costs, shower expenses, bachelorette party and multiple gifts. That can add up to a small fortune. Keep those expenses in mind when planning.

8. Pre-Party Invite Only - Inviting guests to pre-wedding events where a gift is required (i.e. bridal shower or engagement party) and then not inviting them to the actual wedding is a big no-no.

9. Stranded Guests - If your wedding reception and ceremony locations are far apart or far from accommodations, you should provide guest transportation.

10. Using Your Monogram Before Your Ceremony - Technically, you aren’t married until after the ceremony. Using a monogram with your married last name initial shouldn’t be used on invitations, save the dates or ceremony programs.

Debbie Orwat & Gabby Cavalli
Colorado Wedding Planners, Save the Date Events

Top Ten Wedding Faux Pas by the Bride and Groom {Part One}

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

1. Cash Bars - We realize this is sometimes unavoidable due to budget contraints however, skipping the limo or live band is much better than having your guests pay for their own drinks at your party.

2. Long Wait Time Between Ceremony and Reception - Long pauses between the ceremony and reception are generally very hard on guests.  If you cannot book the reception venue immediately following the ceremony, arrange for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at another location.

3. Registry Information On Your Invitations - Do we have to elaborate?  It is completely unacceptable to mention anything about gifts or registries in your wedding invitation or enclosures.

4. Money Dance - Your wedding night is not the opportunity to ask your guests to spend more money on you. They have already traveled, bought a new outfit, and gave you a wedding gift.

5. Thank You Notes - You must send handwritten thank-you notes

On Friday, we’ll post the last five! 

Debbie Orwat & Gabby Cavalli
Colorado Wedding Planners, Save the Date Events

Popular Post Recap

Monday, April 13th, 2009

If you are new to our blog or haven’t been reading for very long, here are links to a few of our popular previous posts.  Don’t want to miss out on our valuable blog posts?  Subscribe in a reader here.

Hiring Your DJ
Top Wedding Complaints
Referral Fees & Kickbacks in Wedding Industry
Do’s and Dont’s For Your Mountain Wedding
Part One, Part Two, Part Three

Wedding Party Transportation Ideas

Wednesday, April 8th, 2009

1. Limo - Traditional but still fun.  Who doesn’t enjoy a ride in a limo? 

2. Airport Style Shuttle - A bit plain but highly functional

3. A Trolley - You can rent one here in Denver. 

4.  Horse & Carriage - Arrive in western style

5.  A Party Bus - Many of the big limo companies in town rent party buses complete with swank lights and a bar.

6.  Classic Car - You can choose from a big selection in Colorado here

7.  SUV or Hummer Limo - If you have more than 15 people to transport and don’t want a shuttle or party bus, this is your best bet.

Debbie Orwat, Colorado Wedding Planner
Save the Date Events

Wedding Lighting 101 - Part Two

Monday, April 6th, 2009

Wedding Lighting Colors
Take advantage of the effect color can have on the atmosphere by changing the shades through the course of the night. For example, if your cocktail hour starts at sunset, color the room with golden tones. During dinner, use soft lighting that will feel like candlelight. As the dancing begins, consider a more dramatic color such as pink, orange or red (depending on your color scheme).

Wedding Lighting Technique
The layout of your reception site will determine how you’re going to use lighting techniques. If dinner and dancing are happening in the same room, use a color wash to set the dance floor apart. If your reception site has sprawling ceilings, use pin spot lighting to keep the decor focused on certain details. Use a gobo light if you have a great monogram or motif to help tie your reception together.

Your lighting designer and wedding planner will help you figure out which type of lighting and colors fit your budget and style.  You can read part one of wedding lighting here.

Debbie Orwat, Colorado Wedding Planner
Save the Date Events

Wedding Lighting 101 - Part One

Friday, April 3rd, 2009
There are many options for adding lighting ambiance to your Colorado wedding ceremony and reception.   Here are the basic types of lighting:

Pin spot - A focused beam of light that shines directly onto an object, like a centerpiece or wedding cake, as a highlight effect.

Color wash - There are a few different types of light fixtures that can create a “wash,” which is basically a blanket of colored light covering an entire area.

Gobos - Circular stencils that are put over a light to project a design or pattern. Popular gobo designs are monograms, dates, or any other wedding motifs. The complexity of the design will affect the gobo’s cost — a simple stencil can be stamped out of steel, while a more intricate design must be laser etched out of stainless steel or a glass that can withstand high heat (costing much more than a stamped stencil).

Led - {light-emitting diodes} LED lights are currently popular for weddings because they use much less electricity than regular, incandescent light bulbs. They can sometimes be wireless and very discreet. LEDs are great for color changes and vibrant colors. They’re also common in strands and good for accent lighting.

Stay tuned for Wedding Lighting Part Two.  We’ll talk about choosing the correct lights and color for your Colorado wedding.

Debbie Orwat, Colorado Wedding Planner
Save the Date Events

How to Get Married in Colorado…the legal way

Friday, March 27th, 2009
Aside from the fabulous flowers, great food and other wedding details, we don’t want to forget one of the most important aspects of the wedding, the marriage license.

A marriage license may be issued in any county and used in any county in the State of Colorado. However, the license must be used within 30 days from the date of issue. The license is issued the day it is applied for and may be used immediately.  The fee for a marriage license is $10 and must be paid with cash.

Both male and female applicants must appear in person to complete and sign the marriage application. If one party cannot appear due to illness, is out of state, or incarcerated, he or she must obtain an ABSENTEE APPLICATION from the Clerk and Recorder’s office. The party applying must bring the absentee application along with identification for the absent party. Applicants need not be residents of Colorado. ABSENTEE APPLICATIONS MUST BE NOTARIZED.

If either party has finalized a divorce within 30 days of applying for the marriage license, the final decree must be produced. This decree must be signed by the judge or court referee. If the divorce has been final more than 30 days, divorce information must be given regarding date of divorce, place of divorce and court in which the divorce was finalized.

A marriage may be solemnized by a judge of a court of record, a public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages, or in accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by any religious denomination or Indian nation or tribe. As of August 1993, a couple can solemnize their own marriage without any type of officiant.  That’s right, you can perform your own ceremony without an officiant in Colorado and it is legal.

Debbie Orwat, Colorado Wedding Planner
Save the Date Events

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