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Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Private Estates – Important Tips


If you are thinking about having your wedding or special event 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 with amazing food and service or a slick catering brochure, does not mean they have mastered the art of catering. Your caterer needs to understand how to flip an area from ceremony to dinner in an hour, wait staff coverage, trained and experienced captains, wait and kitchen staff and an understanding of your timeline. Many times we hear about a great dinner tasting for two or four people, but the dinner reception falls flat and the meal is dreadful. 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.
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 recommend having a generator at all of our off site events. The estate you choose may not have enough circuits to cover your lighting, band, coffee makers, etc. There is nothing worse than blowing a fuse and ending up in the dark at your event!
For additional tips, please feel free to call our office at 818.246.2288.

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