Engaged | Kristen & Scott

I recently had the honor to sit down with bride-to be, Kristen, regarding her fall nuptials! I had a lot of fun discussing her big day, autumn inspired decor, new houses and lovable pups! I am pretty pumped about her and Scott's wedding coming up this October. Here are some amazing e-pics of the couple, shot by the very talented Alyssa & Rich of NickelCityStudios.

Kristen & Scott met at a Bills' game - how sweet it is to incorporate this into their e-pics! I love love love it!

To Hire A Wedding Planner or Not?

Many brides these days want to take it all on! The researching, the organizing, the selecting, the contracting, the planning and the putting-it-all-together! While it often is a truly fun journey - it can also get very stressful and overwhelming - especially in the weeks leading up to the big day! Yet, when someone mentions a wedding planner to brides they may brush off the idea right away. "They are too expensive." "I don't think they will see my vision." I love the planning process and the planner would take away from that excitement." So not true!! Hiring a wedding planner could be the best money you spend on your special day. Additionally, they will allow you to truly enjoy one of the most important days of your life - all while not breaking the bank!

Melissa, the amazing photographer from Melissa Jill Photography in Arizona, sums up her top ten reasons to hire a wedding planner which I love (especially since she is not a planner, but works with brides on a regular basis!).

Top 10 Reasons to Hire a Wedding Planner (March 18th)

10. Sounding Board -- Wedding planners are a huge creative resource. They listen to your vision and dreams for your wedding and bring their creativity to the process to help your vision come alive.

9. Big Picture -- When you pick a venue they often give you a "wedding coordinator" from the venue to help coordinate the day. This person is NOT the same as an independent planner. He or she is the venue's catering manager and their job is to make sure that everything having to do with the facilities runs smoothly. While they are helpful, they do not cover the scope of what an independent planner does.

8. Budgeting -- Wedding planners have been in the industry for some time. They know what things should cost and the difference in value. They can help you navigate the often confusing waters of wedding industry price tags and balance your budget around YOUR priorities.

7. Enjoyable Process -- I've observed so many brides through the process of planning their wedding and when they do it without a professional planner, oftentimes by the time the wedding comes around, the process has been so stressful that they just can't wait for it to be over. Planning your wedding is supposed to be an enjoyable process. A good wedding planner helps you enjoy the journey.

6. Mediator -- A good planner serves as a buffer in tricky relational situations. It's a known fact that it's impossible to make everyone happy when planning a wedding. A planner is a safe neutral person to point to for direction. It's easier to tell your future mother-in-law, "My planner thinks we need to...." instead of "I think we should...."

5. Timeline -- Your wedding day will involve numerous vendors who need to work together to insure that the day goes smoothly. A planner understands how each vendor relies on the others and serves as the team captain who coordinates the complexities of the timeline with all its moving parts.

4. Knowledge Base -- This is likely your first time planning a wedding. Planners have been in the industry for years and are experts in protocol, etiquette and everything it takes to pull off an event of such magnitude. They are a HUGE and readily accessible resource for education.

3. Background -- In addition to possessing a wealth of knowledge, planners have been in the industry long enough to know who the players are -- which vendors can be trusted and who has the best business practices. A referral from someone who has roots in the industry is GOLD when you're having to place such a high level of trust in those you previously had no knowledge of.

2. Save $ -- I have had the planners I've worked with tell me that they can actually help their clients save enough money on their wedding to cover the cost of hiring them! How unbelievable is that!?


And the #1 reason to hire a wedding planner is...

1. Stress -- The difference in the stress level of a bride who has a professional planner and one who doesn't is palpable. When it comes to the day of your wedding, the most important thing is that you are able to relax and enjoy it. You are the bride. You don't want to end up being the point person for issues and questions that will inevitably arise. Hiring a planner frees you and everyone you love to live in the moment on your wedding day.

DIY: Save the Dates

Recently Engaged?? Congratulations! With everyone's busy schedule's these days, Save the Dates are quickly becoming a wedding planning must-have. Save the Dates allow you to spread the news about your set wedding date before you send out your wedding invitations. They are usually sent out 6-12 months prior to your wedding.

Here is a quick way to create your very own, personalized Save the Date Magnets to send to all of your family and friends. Best part about them - you can create 200 of them for less than $40!!

Here's how:

1. Order personalized business cards from VistaPrint.com. This site makes it incredibly easy to upload your own photo and add text. Side note: With their great deals, this site can really come in hand with wedding items such as Thank You cards, address labels, etc. (And I highly recommend to sign up for their emails...they are worth it! For example, 250 business cards for under $20!)

2. Order Adhesive Business Card magnets. House of Magnets had a great deal and I ordered 200 for $17.56 - including S&H.

3. When both items come in, attach a business card to the adhesive magnet!

There you have it - easy as 1-2-3! And all for under $40. :-)

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Welcome to our blog!

Queen City Weddings is very excited to be officially launching on April 10th, 2010!

Spread the word and stay tuned for our website launch, give-aways and great grand opening discounts! I am very excited for this new business venture and cannot wait to start working with Western New York brides. QCW is there to help - we know how overwhelming planning a wedding can be and we want you to truly enjoy your event, not get caught up in the details. Leave the details to us so you can spend the night with your family, friends and adoring husband!