Favorite Things

Gianna's Picks of the Week:

Pretty.

Elegant.

Color with fresh flowers.

Romantic. 

Thoughts...

We ask our clients to bring photos of hair styles that they like to their trial hair session, so their stylist can see their preferences.

Beautiful make up is very important on one of the most imporatant days of your life.  When you have a make up session, please make sure that your make up artist takes a few photos to document your final choice.  We also recommend that you take a few photos too, so you have a record of your choices.  This advice goes for the hair trial too!

If you are thinking about having your wedding at a private estate rather than a country club or hotel, please consider these tips before signing the bottom line.

Caterer: Hiring an experienced caterer with a stellar reputation for off site catering is very important.  Just because they have a great restaurant or a slick catering brochure, does not mean they have mastered the art of catering.  Your caterer should understand how to flip an area from ceremony to dinner in an hour, have experienced and professional wait staff and dinner captains plus, an understanding of your timeline.  Many times we hear about a great tasting for two or four, but the 200 person reception fell flat.  There are great caterers out there and we value them!

Budget: Estate weddings can be beautiful and unique, but the costs can add up since there are many line items that need to be covered. Have a budget outlined before you proceed with signing any contracts! A professional wedding or event coordinator can help you create one and guide you. From time to time, we see mock up budgets online that are not realistic.

Insurance: Make sure that you have a certificate of insurance for your wedding or event day that covers setup through the strike time and use a reputable insurance company.

Event planner: Hiring an event planning company who has knowledge and plenty of experience will save you money, headaches and valuable time!

Weather: Our office tracks weather beginning 10 days from your event. We understand that you and your guests need to be comfortable or the party will end early. In addition, we participate in walk through meetings on site with you and your vendors to outline a weather contingency plan.

Valet and Shuttle: Before you decide on an estate, please make sure that you identify the parking rules, so you can add the costs into your budget. In addition, make sure that you have enough shuttles for your guests so your wedding or event does not start late.

Generator: We require a generator at all of our off site events. The estate you choose may not have enough circuits to cover your lighting, band, catering and coffee makers, DJ, etc. There is nothing worse than blowing a fuse and ending up in the dark at your event!

Guest Seating:  Please make time to assign dinner seating for your guests.  I know this is not a fun project, unless you like to plan parties, but it will save your family and friends the challenge of trying to sit together.  If guest seating is not pre-assigned, you also run the risk of not having enough seating for your guests.   Event planners have methods to triple check seating, so we can avoid these situations.  I have heard a few horror stories about "open seating" and I would recommend rethinking this one if you are considering this route. This tip applies to seated dinners at weddings.


For additional tips, please feel free to call our office at 818.246.2288.

Have a great day!