Gearing up for Wedding Season!

We've come to the end of our wedding show season and are starting to reach out to brides that we met at the shows, as well as sending emails, postcards, etc. to the show lists. Brides are scurrying to secure their preferred vendors and calendars are filling up! In this rush to secure the vendor that's right for you, make sure you take the time to ask the right questions. There is no "one size fits all" when it comes to a wedding. Each couple is different and has different needs, wants and limitations. Keep in mind that you can and should get what you want if you take the time to plan a custom package with your vendor. Our brides ask us for referrals all the time. These are the most popular ones:

Venues:

Be on the look out for creative places to host your wedding of 100 people and under (weddings larger than 100 people generally need a dedicated hall to accommodate the larger numbers). Parks and gardens can sometimes be good, inexpensive places, but some have started marketing their venues for weddings and have jacked their prices up . If a friend lives in a rural area, ask about hosting your wedding on their land - hire a decorator to bring in tables, chairs and flowers and you're good to go! If you're part of a homeowners association, they may allow free or reduced prices on their rooms or garden areas. Small museums like: Prince George's African American Museum & Cultural Center, Sandy Spring Museum), National Capital Trolley Museum, and College Park Aviation Museum, etc.) have rooms and garden space to rent for events and their prices are much more reasonable than the more popular ones.

Wedding Attire:

Grooms have always had the option to rent their tuxedo for their wedding. Brides now have the option to rent their wedding dress as well and a lot more brides are taking advantage of this option. There are also a lot of websites that sell gently worn dresses. Craigslist, Offerup and Letgo all have used dresses on their sites at remarkable discounts. Check out your local thrift stores too - a nice dress can be bought for under $100.

Food:

Not all receptions have to be sit-down dinners. Think outside the box and have a chef prepare something just for you. Have a breakfast reception with waffles being made on site or a lunch reception with made-to-order crepes (Catering at Your Door). Restaurants also cater weddings and bring everything you need. They can also provide staff to serve (Carrabbas). Or consider having your event in the party room of a large restaurant like Maggianos - they're beautifully decorated already and have exceptional staff to make your event stress free. Cocktail and dessert receptions are becoming very popular with an assortment of goodies to sample.

If you need help locating any other items, vendors or venues, give us a call or send an email. Happy wedding planning!

Sidney Irving

has been providing wedding services for over 20 years and has seen the industry change over the years. By striving to stay ahead of the competition, she constantly offers new services and products that her clients have come to expect. She has been blessed to be chosen to shoot weddings locally, nationally and internationally and has provided services to large and small weddings, on land and on sea, for multi-cultured clients. Together with her partner Peace, Weddings by Peace & Sidney has unparalleled experience in the wedding industry. Please send them your wedding questions and they will provide the answers that you seek!