Why hiring a wedding planner should be the first thing you do!

Oct 11th

by: ELD Team

Happy Thursday friends! One of the things I wish I had done differently in my own wedding planning experience is not hiring a wedding planner first. Had I done so, I’m pretty convinced that I would have saved a ton of time in researching venues and searching for vendors, not to mention that I’m pretty sure I would have had way more knowledge about what my needs specifically were right off the bat! Alas, I didn’t hire a planner until I got super overwhelmed with all of the things that needed to be done (but thank God I did)!

Today I’ve asked Cindy Stonehouse of Stonehouse Events to share her insights about why hiring a wedding planner should be the one of the first things you do when planning your wedding. Take it away Cindy!

You’re engaged?! Yay congrats! Now that it’s time to start planning one of the most special and important days in your life, you might be experiencing tons excitement, but also apprehension. I don’t blame you though- there are SO many tasks to do and decisions to be made.

One of the best places to start to make your wedding day dreams a reality is of course, hiring a professional wedding planner!

Why is hiring a wedding planner one of the first things you should do?

A Wedding Planner Will Save You Time and Energy

After discussing your vision and feelings with your wedding planner, she or he will immediately start thinking of venues that could work for your wedding as well as your guest count. This will save you a lot of endless hours and energy!

Extensive Knowledge of Budgets and What Things Cost

If you (and/or your parents) have a budget you would like to spend on the day, a professional wedding planner will know if that budget will realistically work for creating the day you envision. Because wedding planners work with all budgets, they know what things cost and who to hire for specific tasks to get the job done. And after all- you want an outcome that ends with everyone exclaiming, “It was the BEST DAY EVER!” right?!

Vendor Recommendations You Can Trust

A reputable wedding planner will have a number of quality experienced vendors that she or he will recommend for your wedding day. These vendors will have worked with the planner on numerous occasions, as opposed to one time, so you can be confident that their recommendation can be trusted. (Note: we do recommend asking your planner how they choose the vendors that they refer to you.) Your planner will also know if your personalities would be a good fit, as well as if the vendor can meet your expectations and deliver what you expect and envision for your day.

Image by Brooke Images, Featured On ELD

There for YOU

Your wedding planner will always have your best interest at heart and be your personal sounding board throughout the process- they are there for YOU! Your planner will be a part of your family’s life on one of your most personal days, so it is imperative that you trust them and share any struggles or concerns you have during your planning process. He or she will work hard to guide you through every detail to grant you a day that you will love!

Help you avoid issues during planning as well as on your wedding day

Experienced planners will help you to avoid pitfalls throughout the planning process as well as on your wedding day thanks to their comprehension of the flow of weddings and timeline of the day. This is extremely important because they will help you to address the controllable issues before they have the chance to happen. Things like overspending on items you don’t need, making sure to look over your contracts, and making sure everything stays on schedule are just a few of the ways that a planner can help you avoid potential issues.

The relationship between a couple and their wedding planner is a very special and unique one. A truly experienced and professional planner will have the ability to calm you and give you both a sense of peace about the planning process- and make it fun too! As you enter into the exciting journey of wedding planning, look for a planner who you can trust and count on. He or she can and will support you and lead you to the happiest ever after of all!

An Elegant Jacksonville Wedding

Category: MEMBER FEATURES, REAL WEDDINGS 0 Comments

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Oct 10th

by: Lauren

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There is no other way to describe Carrie and Clint’s wedding than classic, elegant, and WOW! The amazing Dairing Events styled this Jacksonville wedding to utter perfection, with a timeless romance everyone dreams of their wedding having! Not to mention, their love story is one for the books- they were set up on a blind date by their Moms, and the rest is history!

The floral covered fireplace at Timuquana Country Club was the absolute dreamiest backdrop for this couple’s “I do’s”, complete with crystal candelabras and chandeliers. From the dessert display to the calligraphed signage, every detail is effortless in its elegance. And can we talk about how chic those off the shoulder black bridesmaid dresses are?! The bride, Carrie, has shared some of her insight with us today too- be sure to see it below! Captured by Brooke Images, we hope you love this elegant Jacksonville wedding just as much as we do!

What (or who) helped you most in your planning process and/or on your wedding day?

I owe it all to my planner! Adair was a tremendous help throughout the planning and preparation but she truly exceeded expectations when it came to ensuring the entire wedding weekend flowed smoothly for my guests and of course my groom and me.

What was the most important thing to you when deciding who to work with for your wedding?

It was important for us to ensure that our planner knew the type of experience we were looking to give our guests. We wanted everyone to be able to let loose and have fun but also keep a traditional touch. Adair was able to really understand what we wanted and came up with an amazing plan to accomplish it.

What was your inspiration for your wedding details and/or design?

The words I would use to describe the vision for the day are simplicity and elegance.

What was your favorite thing about your wedding?

One of my favorite parts of the day was our exit. Adair and I spent a lot of the planning processing thinking of how we could put personal and unique twists on the day. We left on a boat! Clint and I love being on the water and it was another way to showcase the beautiful view from the venue. Personal touches really make the day special for the bride and groom and the guest.

What is your best piece of advice for other couples?

Once the day is finally here, the last thing you want to be thinking about is the flow of the day. That being said, don’t sweat the small stuff. Let the planner do that. Remember what the day is really for. The rain, the cake, the late night snack won’t change the fact that at the end of the day you will officially be husband and wife and that is what matters.

Vendors who made it all happen…

Photography: Brooke Images // Venue: Timquana Country Club // Planning: Dairing Events // Florals: Marble & Pine // Stationery: Heather O’Brien Design // Videography: Clawson Films // Bakery: Alleycakes Bakery // Rentals: Luxe Party Rentals // Linens: La Tavola Fine Linen // Beauty: Studio Bride // Signage: LMS Creative Studio // Entertainment: Bread and Butter Band // Wedding Dress: The Collection Bridal

Exclusive ELD Vendors

Like the post above? Here are the Every Last Detail vendors that participated making this post beautiful! Featured vendors are hand picked and approved by Lauren. Get more information by clicking on them below:

An Elegant Jacksonville Wedding
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An Elegant Jacksonville Wedding
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Timeless & Romantic Peach Wedding Ideas

Category: INSPIRATION, MEMBER FEATURES 1 Comments

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Oct 9th

by: Lauren

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Timeless and romantic are two words that will definitely come to mind when you see these beautiful peach wedding ideas. Captured by the ever-so-talented Flora Bloom Photography, the inspiration behind this design was to emulate an elegant and luxury wedding and blend it with a fine art aesthetic. A color palette of peach and gray lends itself towards the romantic side, while still being a bit different from the “typical” blush and ivory we see so often. As lovers of all things colors, we love it! Stunning florals by Flowers By Lesley, a show-stopping cake by Bakers Cottage Cakes, and beautiful stationery from Paper Goat Post are just a few of our favorite details. We can’t wait for you to be as inspired as we are by this look!

Vendors Who Made It All Happen…

Photography + Event Design: Flora Bloom Photography // Venue: Luxmore Grande Estate // Florist: Flowers By Lesley // Rentals: A Chair Affair // Cake: Bakers Cottage Cakes // Stationery: Paper Goat Post // Hair + Makeup: Once Upon a Beauty // Dress Designer: Lazaro // Dress Boutique: Calvet Couture // Film Development + Scanning: PhotoVision Prints

Exclusive ELD Vendors

Timeless & Romantic Peach Wedding Ideas
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A Southern Garden Inspired Wedding In Central Florida

Category: MEMBER FEATURES, REAL WEDDINGS 2 Comments

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Oct 3rd

by: Lauren

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Victoria and Jonathan’s southern, garden inspired wedding is full of beauty, romance, and so much inspiration. Taking place at Haus 820, the couple’s planner and designer Ashton Events transformed the blank space into a modern garden design, drawing inspiration from Victoria’s mother’s Charleston upbringing. One of our favorite details? A flower bucket display that served as the seating chart! Beauty and functionality… yes please! Oh, and the two love Disney, so be on the lookout for Disney quotes subtly incorporated into the day’s details. We can’t wait for you to see all that Chelsea Renay Photography captured!

From Ashton Events:

We loved creating a wedding day for Victoria and Jonathan that was a blend of southern charm with natural ease and romance. They both enjoy the Disney parks, often frequenting them for casual date nights and it only seemed appropriate that Jonathan propose at one of their favorite spots inside one of the parks. We were sure to subtly incorporate some of their favorite Disney quotes throughout the evening. The bride’s family has strong ties to Charleston and that became the inspiration for the Southern garden theme throughout the reception space.
A few fun details:
The vast dessert display was set on a vintage ice cream cart and featured a 4 tier, hand-painted cake to match the invitation suite and printed goods. The couple paid homage to their Puerto Rican and Czech heritages with a myriad of delicious and delicate treats including Guava pastries, Trubicky cream horns, and Czech cookies.
The menu was an extensive Southern buffet complete with Charleston Style shrimp and grits, braised shredded short ribs, southern style buttermilk biscuits, and family style salad served on vintage platters.
The southern garden wedding was inspired by Victoria’s mother’s Charleston upbringing complete with a flower bucket display. Reminiscent of a flower market, the metal bucket stand filled with florals served as the seating chart for the evening. Small escort cards were connected to each bucket with tiny white flower magnets.
The bride and groom love Disney World (so much so, it was the perfect back drop for their proposal) so the day included hints of favorite Disney quotes on the advise card box, champagne flutes, and cocktail napkins.
The room was filled with romance from the soft blue and pastel tones, twinkling candlelight, crape myrtle trees lining the space, tall greenery centerpieces and an abundance of fluffy blooms throughout. At each place setting an etched charger sat beneath a blue hemstitch napkin wrapped between white dinner plates and mismatched vintage salad plates that tied in beautifully with hints of soft pastels in the blooms.