Maintain your engagement ring

(So you don’t ever lose your bling!)

Everything worth having in life is worth receiving regular loving care. This goes for marriages, relationships, your home, your car and also for your jewelry. I learned the hard and stressful way when I procrastinated on my engagement ring maintenance.

As I stepped out of the shower one day in June, I looked down at my engagement ring as I often do every day. This time the view was shocking instead of full of lovely memories of my wedding day. I saw empty prongs with a missing center diamond!

The next few minutes were spent saying “No, No, No” and a frantic search around the tub, the drain and floor of the bathroom. No diamond in sight. My heart was sinking and my stomach was tightening. I had lost my diamond from my ring. Needless to say, not much got done for work this day. After searching all the floors of my home and the dismantling of the shower drain with no results, I made the dreaded phone call to my husband. With tears streaming down my face, my husband, being the calm loving man he is, assured me that we would get it fixed, repaired, whatever it takes. He called our jeweler and made an appointment for the following Monday to have the broken prongs looked at. Two of the four prongs had broken off at the top.

The rest of my day was spent scouring the house, the furniture, our bed, sinks, everywhere for the missing stone. I knew it was somewhere in the house because I looked at it the previous night before going to bed. Later when my husband got home from work he went under the house and cleaned out the P Trap in hopes the stone would be found there.  Ladies you do not want to have to do this. It is beyond icky!  Still no diamond found! The only good thing about this ugly activity was I knew then and there that my husband would do anything for me.

That night I went through the house one more time with a bright flashlight and all the lights in the house off….searching the floors and rugs. As I went through the half bath down the hall with my flashlight, I was feeling I would never sleep this night. Searching around the back of the toilet and toilet topper I saw a little glint. Could it be? In the cabinet over the toilet on the bottom shelf was a small round shiny object: MY DIAMOND! Yes! Yes! Yes! Happy tears and running through the house yelling “I found it! I found it!” One of my luckiest and happiest moments!

I was lucky that my center stone did not dislodge outside of my house. Don’t let this potential loss happen to you. Here are some steps to preventing this very upsetting experience.

1. Twice a year inspections - My jeweler warranties the integrity of the ring if you bring it in for twice a year inspections. Add this to your reminders on your calendar so you do not forget to schedule this inspection. They will check your ring for wear and tear, for the integrity of the prongs and to check if the stone is still in the setting properly. At this same time you can usually get your ring cleaned professionally. It will sparkle like new!

2. Regular cleaning at home – Clean your ring at home monthly.  It depends on the type of stone which cleaner you should use, if any. Ask your jeweler what the proper care is for your stone(s). A toothbrush is a good tool for a light gentle cleaning under the center stone and around the setting. Very mild dish soap is what I use. Rinse well.

3. Remove when doing yard work or other hand work - Ladies, most of us wear our diamonds every day not matter what we are doing. We do house cleaning, yard work, as well as many other things. We risk bumping or harming our engagement ring during some of these rigorous processes. I know that I always feel weird without my ring on but I take it off now when doing yard work, scrubbing and some types of food prep as well. Have the same safe place to put your ring every time you take it off. When I told one of my friends about my experience, she shared with me that she had lost her center stone while gardening.

4. Insurance – Most homeowner’s or renter’s policies have an extra “rider” you can purchase for jewelry. This can cover accidentally loss or theft…it depends on the policy. There are also separate companies who insure just jewelry. I found a really informative article on TheKnot.com about this subject. I encourage you to read it. http://wedding.theknot.com/getting-engaged/engagement-rings/articles/engagement-ring-insurance-101.aspx?MsdVisit=1

I hope my experience will end your procrastination to have your precious ring checked twice a year. See my ring below all fixed.

Ladies, don’t let my experience happen to you. I found my stone and was very fortunate.  Make the appointment to maintain your engagement ring so YOU don’t ever lose YOUR bling.

Contributed by Puget Sound Wedding Professional Member: Nancy Skipton of Simply Celebrations & Events LLC.

Unplugged Wedding ~ Guest Blogger

In the past I’ve blogged about being a photo friendly guest and also about guest photographers but I felt that this needed to be expanded upon a bit more… and of course I have some images to show to support why I think it’s best when the guests put their cameras down.

Last year one of my friends got married and I was so thrilled to be her photographer that day. What was even more amazing was that she had an “Unplugged Wedding” after seeing pictures and reading my rants over the years about well-meaning guests whom have inadvertently (or heck, even completely on purpose) ruined images. Prior to the ceremony, the officiant read this, “Welcome, friends and family! Good evening everyone. Please be seated. Dan and Jennifer invite you to be truly present at this special time. Please, turn off your cell phones and put down your cameras. The photographer will capture how this moment looks — I encourage you all to capture how it feels with your hearts, without the distraction of technology. If Dan can do it, then so can you.” I can’t tell you how many happy leaps of joy my heart did when reading this!!! The guests all obeyed and even after the ceremony many decided to keep their arms down and their hearts open and enjoyed the day instead of being an observer from behind their cameras.

Recently “Guest Photographers” came up in one of the photography groups I am apart of online and someone asked what the big deal is, why wouldn’t we want more people capturing images for our clients? I thought this was a great question! I don’t have a single problem with guests taking images and sharing them later on with the couple. It makes me happy to know there will be other pictures and photos of moments I may have missed or alternate angles that I couldn’t cover. I also completely understand that some have a love for capturing images and enjoy taking pictures at weddings they are guests at. However, my heart literally breaks when a guest ruins an otherwise lovely image or jumps in front of me when I’m capturing a key moment from the day. It completely slays me when this happens because while I am not remotely egotistical at all, I am fairly confident that my image would have been better than the one they captured. In the past 6 years of being a professional wedding photographer, it’s also been sad to watch the progression from seeing smiling, encouraging and happy faces as the bride is escorted up the aisle to faces hidden behind the backs of cameras and cell phones that line the aisle. These are all reasons why I am elated when I hear of couples opting for an Unplugged Wedding – or at the very least an Unplugged Ceremony.

I also want to add this: if you are a guest at the wedding, please make sure to withhold posting pictures of the Bride & Groom online until AFTER the ceremony. I can’t tell you how many “first looks” have inadvertently happened online before the wedding because a bridesmaid or groomsman have uploaded pictures to social media before the wedding and a Bride and/or Groom who were killing time by browsing Facebook saw their future intended before the ceremony. Don’t do it!!!!! Also make sure with the couple that it is OK to share the images on social media, sometimes people prefer to keep things quiet due to varying factors and you don’t want to cause undue stress.

One thing there is absolutely NOTHING I can do to combat is a flash from a guest photographer’s camera. There is rarely anything that will save the image and no repositioning will change the outcome.

These are just two of the hundreds of images of the wedding processional that I’ve had ruined from a camera flash.

I also rarely, if ever, use flash for the ceremony so the light you see here is ALL from the one camera’s flash.

This girl’s father literally shoved me aside and gave me grief because I was blocking his daughter from standing in the aisle to get an image. This sanctuary only had one aisle and very little room to move due to a small space being full with guests. I took this image to protect myself later in case the clients were upset that I had to stand slightly off center for a portion of their day. Also? The Nintendo DS made the LOUDEST noises when it took pictures. It was crazy.

Since this image was taken 4 years ago the DS’s have been replaced with iPad, which are a million times worse when it comes to eyesores.

This kid’s Dad yelled at my second shooter during a wedding and shoved his kid up in front to make sure he got an image with his iPhone during a destination wedding in Cozumel. Note, he wasn’t a guest of the wedding, just a guest of the resort.

This whole situation literally broke my heart. In many churches, photographers are HEAVILY restricted as to where they can go for images and the Heinz Chapel is perhaps one of the strictest I’ve ever worked at. We are only allowed to be outside of the sanctuary in the door opening where the center aisle is and in the balcony. We are not permitted to move during the service. My second shooter thankfully was in the balcony but it didn’t make these guests go away but luckily he was able to get images of the service where you could SEE the bride and groom. I argued, begged and pleaded for the church lady guarding me to at least allow me to go into the side aisle so I could get a clear shot of my clients when these guests jumped into the aisle but I was not allowed. Instead I just had to take what I could get and cry a bit on the inside.

Another image of a guest who jumped in front of me during a ceremony where I could not move to get around him.

The flashes don’t quit for the service either and with the white dress there isn’t a lot I can do to save these images.

This almost made me cry. Not kidding.

I had my eye on this gentleman since he was standing up on the altar with the bride and groom during the service but I was able to zoom and crop around the couple so that he wasn’t in too many of the images. Then after the pronouncement of the couple and he swiftly moved and stood RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME during the first kiss. I jumped quickly to the side but I missed the quick kiss and luckily still was able to capture the hug after but I still am SO SAD that I missed their first kiss. I sure hope he got it…

I also felt doubly awful because I had to jump in front of guests view of the couple and during a ceremony my goal is to never block a guests view. I apologized profusely after the wedding and thankfully they all were very sweet and understanding.

While this image wasn’t completely blown out, the shadows are bothersome from a guest’s flash.

Back to the Heinz Chapel and as you can see, the guest did not move for the majority of the ceremony. I’m still sad when I look at this image.

It doesn’t matter what kind of camera – how big or how small – the flash is almost always too bright to work with once it is fired.

Standing in the aisle always makes me sad because your attention immediately will go to that person and not on the subject of the image.

I really cringe when guests try to take pictures during formals because not only am I generally under a time crunch but the flashes ruin at least one or two shots for each batch I take. Eyes also tend to wander and rarely do I get everyone looking at me at the same time when there are multiple cameras present. This is the only time that I will sometimes tell guests that they have to stop taking pictures and I have been told off more times than not when I’ve had to do this. However my priority the day of the wedding is on my clients. I don’t care about the sale of the portraits but I do care about the quality of the portraits and if there is a circus going on behind me it rarely ends well for everyone involved. So, trust me when I beg and plead for you to tell people to put their cameras down and go enjoy the cocktail hour while we take some portraits with the special people in your life.

The reception generally is a time when I can quickly move if a guest decides to take pictures but when I can’t move around it? The special dances. Although I have to say, this little old guy does warm my heart a bit. He was pretty cute with his disposable camera even if it was a bit distracting with the winding.

Another guest deciding the first dance is a great time for that portrait of the bride and groom.

This is another one that makes me a sad panda when I look at it. This guest came up at the last bit of the Father/Daughter dance and there was no where I could go to get her out of the picture. Luckily I have numerous beautiful images from the dance but the last hug is always my favorite.

Another pet peeve of guest cameras during the wedding? THE RED (OR GREEN) DOT OF DOOM! These focusing beams are quite irritating because again, there’s not a lot that I can do to get rid of it outside of turning the image black and white (which still will leave a light circle). There’s quite a few images that I’ve had to toss due to these beams, this is just one of the many.

Bottom line: my priority the day of the wedding is on my clients. They have paid me their hard-earned money to make sure I document their wedding and when an overzealous guest gets in the way, it makes me sad. I think often people don’t realize what they are doing and my writing this post was in hoping to educate even a few people that will take this advice and either have an unplugged wedding or think of the professional before jumping in the aisle for that shot.

Contributed by guest blogger Corey Ann Photography.

Meet our Member ~ Green River Conference & Event Center

Green River Conference & Event Center, 12401 SE 320^th St, Auburn, WA 98092 253.333.6010                                                       Email: eventcenter@greenriver.edu

Website: www.greenriver.edu/conference                                                           Facebook: www.facebook.com/greenriverevents                                                           Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/108316443236650197754/posts                       Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/grccevents/

PSWP Contact: Jaime Simmons, jsimmons@greenriver.edu

What’s your favorite part of the job?

My favorite part of the job is the first few moments of any event. To see the physical manifestation of someone’s vision, sweat, tears and good intentions is why I do what I do. I’ve been planning a long time and those first few moments always get me.

What should a bride know about your expertise and experience?

My whole team is made up our rock stars that have been in the business for over ten years! We all have the things we are really fantastic at and one of the cornerstones of our business is to match each client with the planner that is going to help them the most. Patty has coordinated weddings and other fantastic functions for over ten years. Benita is a Certified Meeting Planner who has been involved in the event industry for over thirty years who focuses on business functions. I’ve been planning events for fifteen years and am the go-to gal for offbeat events and fundraisers. Our tech team is incredible and can achieve the impossible.

How did you get to where you are today?

I am where I am today by having a diverse mix of experiences and gleaning what I to help me in the future.

In what ways do you take a leadership role in the wedding community?

I try to do my best to be an active part of the wedding professional’s community. I attend networking events, speak at them when asked and participate as much as I can. I also put together the My Wedding My Way wedding event every spring so that traditional and beyond couples have a resource for their weddings.

How is your business different from your competitors?

We are different than our competitors in several ways. We are an inclusive venue. Our wedding package includes lots of event rental time, linens, set-up, clean-up, and on-site coordinator, decorations and more… We are also incredibly affordable!

What is your range of services?

We offer everything from a classroom rental to conference services to a full-service wedding vendor.

What other wedding professionals do we like working with?

Everyone! We love some of our old faves… Pinhole Photographic, Lauren Bentley Photography, First Light Photography, Millennium Sound, Lucinda Larson, the list goes on… But, we ALWAYS love meeting new vendors! It’s fantastic to work with vendors that know their trade and it’s exciting to work with vendors new to the trade!

Meet Our Members ~ Bartending by Mallard

Name: Scott Mallard

Business Name: Bartending by Mallard

Website: http://tacomabartender.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bartending-by-Mallard/218194674921075

Blog: http://tacomabartender.com/blog.html

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/101333569245165099187/posts/p/pub

How is your business different from your competitors?

My only real competitors are caterers who offer bar service. I focus strictly on the bartending side of service. Many caterers will give a quote for food service and tell clients "bar service is included". That alone should send up a big red flag. I strongly urge asking for a cost breakdown of all services to be provided.

Bartenders are the life of any restaurant and or bar. Shouldn’t they being sought for their personality behind the bar at a wedding? Identifying bartenders who are engaging and charismatic offers an added touch for anyone’s next wedding, party, corporate event or fundraiser.

What are some of the pitfalls a bride can expect if they don’t hire a professional like yourself?

Reasons to Go with a Professional Bartender:

Many brides to be might know a friend who has a Class 12 MAST permit.

* Can they tell the bride everything you need to make sure you have on hand and in what quantities?

* Will they be offered customized cocktail menus and signature cocktail drinks?

* When they show up and find cases of liquor, coolers of ice and tables strewn about the bar area, will they be able to get it organized, chilled and be up and serving efficiently in one hour?

* Can they manage a thirsty horde of crowds up to 300 or will the line back up while they're chatting with their friends?

* Will they want to work all night while all of their other friends get to party?

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned, and would pass along to other new wedding (planners, florists, Officiants, etc) just getting started?

SEO (search engine optimization) and customer service reputation are everything. Skip the social networking to start. Anyone can put his or her name on Facebook. You need to get your name in front of people like event venue managers- People who, because of your reputation, are willing to recommend you.

What is your favorite venue and why?

Tough call. The Pioneer Park Pavilion and Foss Waterway Seaport. Why? The managers there are absolutely terrific to work with!

Meet our members ~ Rein Fire Ranch

Name: Rich Kaalaas                                                            Business Name: Rein Fire Ranch
Website: www.reinfireranch.com                Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReinFireRanch
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rein_Fire_Ranch
Other: http://pinterest.com/reinfireranch/

How would you describe your business?
Rein Fire Ranch is an elegant rustic country venue nestled in the Sugarloaf Mountain Valley, just east of Maple Valley, WA.

What’s your favorite part of the job?
The People. Plain and simple. It is such an exciting time in a couples life, and I love assisting in the process, working with them.

What should a bride know about your expertise and experience?
Separate from having many years of design and management experience, I also have about 12 years of event production experience, ranging from dance events, fundraising and social events, so I have sense of the various components and how they play into the needs with respect to a venue layout and setup.

How did you get to where you are today?
A number of mistakes, and hopefully more successes. :)

What inspired you to start your business?
This is actually my second business that I have started. I learned a great deal from that one, and definitely carry that experience into this one. As to inspiration, I just don't sit still. I look upon a situation and start planning in my head. I looked across the ranch, and considered what changes I would start making to create the perfect mountain/ranch/garden setting that would appeal to couples, while at the same time retain is roots as a working farm.

In what ways do you take a leadership role in the wedding community?
Still working on leadership. I have a great deal still to learn, but I do feel that my background in design and branding is something that I have developed a great deal over the years.

How is your business different from your competitors?
With any venue that is outdoor and sort of farm oriented, each has similarities, pluses and minuses. I would say Rein Fire Ranch is different just in where it is situated in this amazing valley, as well as how far off of the main road we are. It definitely adds to the serene feel of the place.

Do you do anything special or different from your competition?
I feel that the ceremony garden and especially the gazebo that we have designed and built is very unique, and can be highly customized to each couples needs, while at the same time makes a statement in and of itself.

What is your range of services?
We offer venue rental, as well as set/up tear down services, and decorating services.

What has been your sweetest success story?
At our first wedding, it just so happened that one of the guest couples were the owners of a well established hospitality company in Seattle (venues, catering, planning…quite a large operation). The bride/groom went out of their way to introduce them to me during the reception. The praise, comments and feedback were pretty overwhelming, and truly made me believe in my vision of what this ranch could be, to couples getting married, the community, and ourselves as our home.

What was your most memorable wedding?
My own. :) Prior to really making big changes, we did our own wedding here a few years back. It is special to me obviously, but also set the stage for the big changes we have undertaken.

Who are some wedding vendors that inspire you and why?
Kelli Bielema of Shindig Events is one. She is just such a firecracker, and approaches everything with such zeal, while at the same time tossing in a bit of whimsy and deep creativity. I also have come to learn so much and become great friends with Kier and Mitzi of Firstlight Photography. Professional, Creative and down right whacky. Love them.

What are some of the pitfalls a bride can expect if they don’t hire a professional like yourself?
Missed details. Of course they come up, but without professional assistance, it can spin out of control, especially on the three days prior and during the wedding.

Who do you work well with and who is not the best match for your services?
I work best with collaborative people I think. Dictators and I don't mesh well, BUT if it is the couple getting married, I can work with it.

What are your hobbies or non-work-related activities that you enjoy?
The standard stuff, movies, hiking, we have a number of animals which keeps us busy.

What is the most awkward moment you’ve experienced while on the job?
Showing a gay male couple around the ranch, and touring the the "Bridal Suite". They asked me which one of them was to use that. I renamed it the Wedding Day Suite. :)

What is your favorite venue and why?
Well, Rein Fire Ranch, but if I picked next favorite, I really love Rock Creek Gardens in Puyallup. In addition to being amazing, Gracie and Dave have been very generous with their time and support as I have gotten the ranch up and running.

The Wedding Ceremony - When Sarah marries Sam

So finally Sarah and Sam are engaged. This is an exciting and exhilarating time for a newly engaged couple. It can, however, also be a time filled with concerns and questions about how to plan their wedding ceremony.

Let me tell you a little about Sarah and Sam, my fictional couple for this post. Sarah and Sam just got engaged after being together for several years. They both live in and grew up in Washington State. They are very excited to be taking the step of marriage in their relationship. They are both in their middle to late twenties. Sarah is not very religious but Sam grew up going to church. Some of their family and friends are very happy for them. However there are others who do not support their engagement and upcoming marriage. Sarah’s parents were divorced when she was fairly young and her mom has remarried. Sarah is close to both her step Dad and her father. Sam’s parents have been married for almost 30 years. They are uncertain if they can be supportive of Sam’s marriage to Sarah.

As Sarah and Sam start to think about their wedding day, they have many of the same questions and issues that other couples have. They, as a couple, have never had to consider the aspects of planning a wedding ceremony.

· Who will walk down the aisle with Sarah or Sam? Will it be Sarah’s Step Dad, her father, or both of them? Sarah now needs to think about what this decision will mean to each of her “dads”. Will Sam walk down the aisle with parents or alone? Maybe Sarah and Sam will each walk down the aisle alone or together and not be “given away”.

· Will they have friends and family in their wedding party and if so, how many people? Neither of them wants to alienate any of their friends or family by not choosing one of them. Who will stand up for them and support them? Many they will be unique and have a Man of Honor or a Best Woman.

· Which family members will sit in the first few rows at the ceremony? Will Sarah’s Mom sit in the first row with her husband along with Sarah’s Dad or will this a point of contention? Will family or friends who don’t support them decide not to attend at all? Will Sam’s parents come around and be there for them? How will Sarah and Sam feel about this possibility?

· Will they write their own vows or go with a more traditional ceremony based on Sam’s religious background? Perhaps Sam’s family, trying to be involved and supportive, will give lots of unsolicited advice about what they should or should not do. How will the couple address this in a strong but loving way so they can have the ceremony that they really want and still be respectful of Sam’s parents?

· Who will perform their ceremony and marry them since Sarah does not belong to Sam’s church? Will they even be able to marry in Sam’s church or will they need to consider getting married by a non-denominational celebrant at their reception venue instead?

These are a few of the many decisions Sarah and Sam will need to make for their wedding ceremony. Just the same as other couples, they will have some easy and some challenging moments during their wedding planning. They now can plan their wedding ceremony in Washington State and say “I do”. Until now, this was not a legally recognized option for same sex couples. But now, with some family support, love and good wedding planning, all the details will come together on the day that Sarah marries Samantha.

Tags: marriage equality, same sex marriage, gay and lesbian weddings, wedding day, wedding ceremonies, gay wedding ceremonies, wedding planning

Contributed by Puget Sound Wedding Professional Member: Nancy Skipton of Simply Celebrations & Events LLC.

Meet Our Members: Jan Smillie, Wedding Officiant

Name: Jan Smillie                                                     Business Name: Simply Say "I Do"

Website: SimplySayIDo@yahoo.com                         Facebook: N/A

How would you describe your business?

I am a non-denominational wedding Officiant who believes your wedding is YOUR day.

What should a bride know about your expertise and experience?

A bride should know that I believe a wedding day belongs to the bride and groom. I will meet with them in person to talk about their wishes and desires for the ceremony. I learn about them, then I get busy writing a customized ceremony which is emailed to them. I will work to edit it until approved by the bride and groom.

How did you get to where you are today?

I got to where I am today by listening and by going beyond what is expected of me.

What is your range of services?

I offer a number of packages depending on your needs.

Basic Service:

· Meet with bride and groom to discuss their plans and vision for the ceremony

· Write ceremony

· Unlimited emails, texts, and phone calls to edit ceremony

· Arrive at venue 30 minutes before ceremony

· Officiate at the wedding

· File marriage certificate with county

Rehearsal:

· Attend rehearsal, up to one and one half hours

· Coordinate rehearsal

o Work with bride and groom in advance to create processional

o Work with bride and groom in advance to create plan for escorting family and VIP guests

o Practice processional and recessional with wedding party, family, etc

· Take charge of rehearsal, alleviating the bride and groom from dealing with ‘well meaning input and suggestions’ from others in attendance

Ceremony Coordinator:

· Coordinate and stage wedding party prior to ceremony

· Meet with DJ before ceremony to discuss Officiant microphone and ceremony music

Day of Coordinator:

· Basic Service, see above

· Ceremony Coordinator, see above

· Arrive at venue up to two hours before ceremony at request of couple

· Coordinate with DJ, photographer, and caterer

· Work with bride and groom in advance to create timeline for pre and post ceremony

· Keep bride and groom on schedule i.e.

o starting buffet line

o toasts

o cake cutting

o first dance, father daughter dance, mother son dance

o garter and bouquet toss

What has been your sweetest success story?

I performed a ceremony for a couple who had been together for several years and have 7 young children between them. Their children wanted them to get married - to become a family. When they finally chose to wed they didn't tell anyone. When I arrived at their home I was introduced as a friend simply joining them for a BBQ. At the appropriate moment, I told the kids why I was there. The ceremony focused not only on uniting the bride and groom as husband and wife, but uniting them as a family. We included a sand ceremony, with each of them participating. The love in that family was so evident, it was a privilege to be included in their day.

Most Vendors at Your Wedding Prefer ....

I can't tell you how many times I've spoken with wedding vendors at networking events! One topic comes up a lot in our conversations. A vendor will say, almost as if apologizing to me because I happen to be a Wedding Planner, "I try to tell my brides to hire a Wedding Planner!" They go on to say, that their jobs are so much easier on the day of the wedding if there is a professional Wedding Planner. Here are some reasons why this is the case. Some venues are insisting that brides hire a professional Wedding Planner and some have mentioned offering a discount if their brides uses a professional Wedding Planner. That doesn't mean a sister, friend, cousin or mother. It's someone who is actively in the business of planning weddings.

♥There's is a place prepared for them. A Wedding Planner more than likely has visited the venue with them if that is what they wish. They have also been given a diagram of the complete set up for the event.

♥Just as for a bride and groom, a Wedding Planner is their liaison to the other vendors and the venue as well as the bride and groom and guests.

♥If vendors have a concern or question, they don't have to bother the bride, groom or family member. They only need to contact the Wedding Planner.

♥They don't have to leave their stations or whatever task they are performing. A Wedding Planner will be checking on the bride and groom as well as with the vendors throughout the event to make sure that they have what they need.

♥They aren't asked a lot of questions by other vendors and guests about what everyone else is doing or what is going on. A Wedding Planner has given them advanced notice of the whole "game plan" including a timeline broken down to 5-15 minute intervals.

♥They don't end up helping with the setup of the wedding rather than what they were hired to do.

Contributed by Puget Sound Wedding Professional Janis of Greatest of Days Wedding & Event Planning.

Meet Our Members ~ The Rainier Room

Name: “David Allen” Davis Business               Name: The Rainier Room at the Truitt Building

Website: www.truittevents.com                       Facebook: The Rainier room

Address: 102 West Main. St Auburn, WA 98001

Email: rainierroom102westmain@gmail.com

 

What’s your favorite part of the job?

My favorite part of my job is seeing how happy and excited brides are, the occasional groom too, when they see our venue and know that this is where they want to say “I do” or celebrate with family and friends.

Do you do anything special or different from your competition?

Something special and different we do that competitors don’t is that we allow access to the venue the day prior and the entire day of the event. We truly do not want our brides to be stressed out. We want our brides to remember this day as something special, and not the chaos part of it.

What is your range of services?

At the Rainier Room, we offer catering and bar services. We work with our preferred caterers (Longhorn Barbecue and Oddfellas Pub and Eatery) to determine a menu perfect for the couple’s wedding day. Also offered is bar services with no bartending fees.

What has been your sweetest success story?

Any completed wedding or reception held in the Rainier Room is a success. A happy bride and groom is what makes me happy. 

If you could (plan, cater, photograph, etc.) any celebrity wedding (past, present or future), who would be the lucky couple and why?

I’d probably have to say Tom Cruise. He doesn’t seem to have very good luck at staying married. So I’d like to “Wow” him once, so he would want to marry again and again in the Rainier Room. On a serious note, I would like to have any couple, celebrity or not get married in the Rainier Room. It’s a beautiful venue perfect for any couple’s big day.

Meet Our Members ~ Seasons Catering & Events

 

NAME: Seasons Catering and Events              

Owners:Janis Revilla/ Vikki Patterson
E-Mail jvseasonscatering@gmail.com                                                                 Address: 720 East Main Puyallup WA.

seasonscateringandevents.com                                                                                 Phone Numer: (253)205-7748

What should a bride know about your expertise & experience?
Between the two of us we have over 20 years experience catering to the needs of customers. We realize getting married can be a stressful time, and are committed to giving the customer exactly what they want, regardless of the size of there event. we are very good at creating a menu that serves their specific needs, and fits into there price range. Our customers will not get gouged with over inflated prices and add ons. After our initial meeting they will know exactly what they are getting with a firm price quote so no surprises!

Do you do anything special or different from you competition?
Yes; We also have an event center located in downtown Puyallup it has a "jazz club" feel to it. We can cater all your events not just the wedding. It is perfect for small receptions or weddings, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, and bachelorette parties. The beauty of our space is that your not just renting a room at a restaurant for say, your rehearsal dinner. The space is private and just for your party, we have very generous rental packages without strict timelines.

What has been your sweetest success story?
Every event is a success story if your customer is happy at the end of it. We have been blessed with great customers, and I can truly say that every event we have catered especially weddings has been a success with happy satisfied customers. If we hit a snag in your planning process we do everything in our power to fix it.

What are some pitfalls a customer can expect if they don't hire a professional caterer?
Professional caterers have to follow strict health department guidelines and be licensed by the state, so you know that the people preparing your food are well versed in health codes, they also have to carry liability insurance. If someone is making food out of their home you could run into opportunities for food poisoning, and who wants that at their wedding? Having enough food for your guests is very important. Professional caterers are trained in portion control, they know how much food feeds how many people. If "Aunt Mary" cooks the food there is always a good chance you may run out. Lastly professional caterers take the worry and guess work out of food preparation for your reception. Brides have enough to worry about that’s why you hire a professional. Not only are you paying for the event, you are paying us to worry about that part for you.

Photography contributed by Puget Sound Wedding Professional member Iris Peridot of Peridot Photography.

Why A Wedding Photographer ~ Part 3

Time for round three, folks! In the last two blog posts we covered why you would want to hire a wedding photographer and why they charge what they do. This time around we're going to look at some strategies for working within your budget.

Now, a quick disclaimer. Not all of these tips are 100% effective. Sometimes a photographer simply can’t go as low as you need them to go, and that’s okay. If you’re realistic with your budget, you will find the right photographer for you. So here we go:

· Go to wedding shows. Wedding photographers will often offer lower prices and discounts to people who book them as the result of a show. Wedding shows are a great way for photographers to drive traffic to their business and they’re a great way for you to snag a great deal. Not only that, but wedding shows offer excellent opportunities to actually meet photographers and get to know their personalities before booking anything.

· Talk to photographers about your specific needs. A recent couple that I worked with had a budget between two of my determined package prices. Because they explained exactly what they wanted, we were able to adjust the higher package to fit their needs and stay within their budget. So if you want the full day of coverage but not the wedding album, just ask!

· Set a budget, and then share it. Ask the photographer if he or she would be willing to work within that, and what they'd be willing to do. You'd be surprised at how sympathetic and helpful a good photographer can be. Remember, the worst they can do is they say no.

· Always ask if a photographer is available! Whether you have a short engagement or your original photographer bailed on you, it’s tempting to throw in the towel and have Uncle Bob shoot your wedding, even though you know the photos won’t be great. But don’t give up! Sometimes you can get better deals with last-minute bookings. Why? Because if a photographer has an open date, they're not likely to fill it with a customer paying the full rate in just a few weeks. The downside is, of course, that it's difficult to find a good photographer just a few weeks out, especially on popular dates. So, while I wouldn’t recommend purposefully waiting and thereby gambling your wedding photos, don’t shy away from asking a professional photographer if he or she is available on late notice.

Overall, remain polite and understanding. I mentioned in a previous blog why photographers tend to cost such a considerable amount. There’s a reason for the price tag, and if you show your photographer that you understand this and respect their work, they’ll be more willing to work with you. Keep this in mind as you're shopping around.

Have some of your own tips and suggestions?  Leave it in the comments! We'd love to hear from you.

Contributed by Professional Member of Puget Sound Wedding Professionals -- Jason Comerford

Jason Comerford Photography                                     http://jcomerfordphoto.blogspot.com/

Wedding Planning 101, R.S.V.P. Defined

R.S.V.P. ( répondez s'il vous plaît) or Respond Please! Why this is so important (and frustrating) for anyone planning a wedding or other event! Here's some RSVP 101 and my devious ideas!

Does anyone understand the significance of this? They might not! That is, until they are the ones planning an event. It comes down to showing a host the common courtesy of knowing whether you are going to be attending or not.

For a wedding, it can influence the costs tremendously! Most people think that it's just the cost of the food. That is the biggest concern, but a lot of people don't think of the extra costs that a bride and groom might incur because they want to make sure that no one goes hungry or doesn't have a place to sit. Here are some extra expenses you might not even think of in addition to the food. If a person doesn't have an accurate count it can add to wasted money on tables, chairs, chair covers, chair sashes, tablecloths, napkins, glassware, stemware, centerpieces, cutlery, etc. These things do not always come automatically with the catering. (More on that in another blog entry!)

When people don't RSVP by a certain date is causes unprecedented stress on the bride, groom and their families when they least need it! They already have enough things on their minds and have the extra weight due to other's lack of courtesy.

If only you could put in the invitation...if you don't RSVP and you show up, you will be sitting on the floor, be the last ones to be called up to the buffet line, wish you had brought a plate, eat the food with your fingers, wipe your mouth on your sleeve, go thirsty...and be roasted, (oops!) toasted during the reception. Maybe you can just give the name of the town where the wedding will be and not give the location of the wedding until they RSVP. I've never thought of that before! Hmmm. You could make them get up and dance during the reception, but instead of dancing to Y-M-C-A, you could make them do the same only to the letters R-S-V-P. It's your party, you can do what you want to! 8)

Contributed by Puget Sound Wedding Professional Janis of Greatest of Days Wedding & Event Planning.