10 Things to Ask Your Chicago Wedding Photographer Before Booking Them
By Kara Schultz
Wedding Photographer, Kara Schultz – Storyteller
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- Can I see a full wedding?
- How do you describe your style?
- What does the price include and what is extra?
- How much post processing do you do?
- When should I expect my photos after the wedding?
- Do you have insurance?
- Do you have contracts?
- How much will is cost if I want (insert items you want such as engagement session or album)?
- How much is your retainer?
- What kind of backup do you have (equipment and in case of emergencies)?
Top 10 Ways to Personalize Your Chicago Wedding
By Cynthia Sally
Professional Makeup Artist, www.cynthiasally.com
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- Hand-painted Aisle Runner with names/Monogram – great photo opp!
- Gobo Lighting with names/monogram – your initials will look great on the dance floor.
- Wedding cake – top your wedding cake off with some personality!
- Hang decorated letters on the church doors of your initials – your guests will be impressed before they even get through the door.
- Have your unity candle or sand ceremony containers personalized – they will make a great keepsake for years to come!
- Put your monogram on all your stationery – invites, save the dates, programs, menus, etc.
- Caricatures or painting – display at your escort table to wow your guests.
- Favors – make a donation to your favorite charity or have a candy buffet with your favorite sweet treats.
- Centerpieces – ask your florist for non-traditional alternatives.
- Unique table numbers – use pictures of the couple or creative themes.
Top 10 Modes of Wedding Transportation
By Patti Herioux
Wedding Planner, With Love
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There are many ways to arrive at your wedding in style. Here we have listed some of the more traditional ones, a few unique ones and few downright outlandish ideas. Let your imagination run wild and see what you can come up with!
- Limousine
- Exotic Limousine
- Trolley
- Party bus
- Old fashioned cars
- Hotel guest shuttle
- Horse and carriage
- Hot Air balloon
- Helicopter
- Boat
Top 10 Questions to Ask Your Potential Wedding Vendor
By Patti Herioux
Wedding Planner, With Love
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Picking out the perfect wedding vendor for your Chicago wedding is a demanding task. You should be very thorough in your search to make sure you find the right vendor to match your taste and budget. The list of questions to ask will vary from vendor to vendor and should be thorough enough to make your ultimate decision a well informed one. To get you started though here are the top ten questions you should ask every vendor:
Do you have references?
What services are included?
What hours of service are included?
What is your pricing?
What time do you arrive to set up?
What will be your attire?
How many staff members will be present?
What costs are we responsible for (vendor meals, parking, downtown fees, etc)?
Do you have a contract and may we see it?
What type of payments do you accept and what is the payment timeline?
For a list of vendor specific questions please browse the How to Hire articles on www.GetWeddyChicago.com.
Top 10 Wedding Favor Ideas
By Patti Herioux
Wedding Planner, With Love
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Selecting that just right wedding favor can really help add your personal style to your wedding day. Here is a list of ten wedding favor ideas, some of them distinctly Chicago: Read more
Use Etsy as a Resource
Get to Know ETSY!
By Lindsay Sally of Big Day Boutique
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Brides are always looking for ways to make their special day unique. One of the best resources we recommend is www.etsy.com. Etsy is a website where incredibly creative people sell their handmade products as well as offer custom designs. Read more
Invitation Etiquette
Tips for Sending Your Invitations
By Lindsay Sally of Big Day Boutique
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A popular question regarding wedding invitations is when should you send them out? There is no definite answer, but the general rule is approximately 6-8 weeks before the wedding. This gives your guests plenty of time to send you their response and it gives you enough time to let your reception hall/caterer know the approximate number of people. If you are getting married during a popular wedding month or over a holiday weekend,
A popular question regarding wedding invitations is when should you send them out? There is no definite answer, but the general rule is approximately 6-8 weeks before the wedding. Read more
Top 10 Chicago Wedding Ceremony Locations to Consider
By Patti Herioux
With Love, Event Planner
1. Church – The obvious choice would be the church you attend. If you are not an active member of a congregation, your parents’ church could potentially be an alternative. Chicagoland provides many options, from grand cathedrals to bible chapels.
10 Reasons to Hire A Chicago Wedding Planner
By Cynthia Rensink
Everlasting Elegant Wedding
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10. We save you time! Your time is valuable. On average a wedding takes at least 1200 hours to plan start to finish. How many hours do you and your fiancé have left in your day after working your full-time job? With a planner, your wedding becomes their full-time job, dedicated to making your day special.
9. We offer advice and guidance! There are many vendors who offer many different options with their packages. Since this is the planner’s job, we will look at the whole picture of your “wedding day” to make sure that the right vendor and the right package are selected.
8. We save you money! We have established relationships with many different vendors who will “work with us” to ensure you stay on budget. Some will even offer you a discount because of our referral.
7. We organize your entire event! From choosing your save-the-date cards and invitations to the bridal gown, church and reception (venue). We are with you every step of the way.
6. We take your dream and make it a reality! With countless options available for your decorations and style, your planner can help you narrow down an option that will be cost-effective and fit within your budget while still giving you your dream wedding.
5. We bond your puzzle pieces (vendors) together! With the countless hours and money that is spent in planning a wedding, we will make sure that every puzzle piece will fit together smoothly. We make sure there are no missing pieces. On your wedding day, we make sure that all of your puzzle pieces (vendors) will stay on track and in place to make you your beautiful wedding day picture.
4. We manage the manners! There are many ways to plan a wedding, but one thing that is a factor in every wedding is etiquette. Wedding planners have experience and knowledge necessary to advise bride and their family on how to invite guests, on how to deal with difficult family issues, on how to create a processional order at the ceremony, to assign seats at the reception, and when to send thank-you notes, and so on.
3. We provide you with security! Hiring a wedding planner means less risk of something to go wrong or be forgotten. We will make sure that all your bases are covered.
2. We remove the stress! When you have a planner, it is like having a life insurance policy. You can sit back and enjoy the planning of your wedding day knowing that every detail will be covered without disturbing your joy.
1. We provide you with peace-of-mind! We become your wedding day investment broker. Your wedding day is a huge investment in you. There is nothing better than knowing that the investment you made in your wedding day was well worth every hour and dollar spent. We will make sure that your investment will give you many years of joy and happiness so that when you look back at your memories, you will remember that you were not stressed and enjoyed your wedding day to the fullest.
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