The five most commonly asked wedding planning questions we get!

When you start to plan your wedding your head will be filled with many ideas and questions! We are here to tell you the five most commonly asked questions we get from newly engaged couples. And we are happy to provide quick and easy answers for you! After all, we are here to assist you and help make wedding planning easier for you! No question is too silly to ask! Let us provide the answers for you!

1. Can I plan a wedding that will cost X amount?

We get this question a lot! Most couples have set an idea of how much they want to spend for their wedding. Unfortunately, this number is not very realistic. In today’s world of inflation and rising pricing, weddings are costing more than the couple thinks it should. We suggest that you add at least 25% to your current budget to cover the cost of the vendors you will be booking. Think of it this way, you will book an average of eight vendors, and each vendor costs an average of $5000. That is $40,000 right away and that does not include the venue, catering, or alcohol! The best way to stick to your budget is to pick the top three areas where you want to spend your money and then save on the other areas. You have not planned a wedding before so you do not know the realistic prices for vendors. Most online pricing sources are outdated. Trust your wedding planner to give you the most up-to-date vendor pricing and help you plan a realistic budget. This will help you stay close to your original wedding budget.

2. When do we send out the save the dates and invitations?

Our recommended date for sending out The Save the Date cards would be at least eight months to a year out. This will give your guests plenty of time to decide if they can make it to your wedding. Keep in mind that the majority of your guests will be coming from out of town and they will have to make travel arrangements. This will give them plenty of time to do that.

The date for sending out invitations is about ten weeks before the wedding date. Again, this will give guests plenty of time to RSVP. And as for the RSVP date, make it about one month before the wedding. And choose a date that is easy to remember like the First of the month. Don’t use a date like November 23rd, guests won’t remember that!

3. Who pays for the bridesmaid’s hair and makeup?

This is probably our most asked question! We suggest that you can gift one or both of the services to your bridesmaids. They are already spending a lot of money to be part of your wedding party with bachelorette weekend, bridal showers, bridal luncheons, dresses, shoes, etc. It is a nice gesture on your part and it is much appreciated!

4. Will we save money if we provide our own alcohol?

Yes, you might save money, but it will not save you time or stress. Yes, you can save money if you only serve beer and wine. But we have found that it is more of a hassle to provide your own alcohol for a few reasons. You will be responsible for buying it and you may not know the correct amount to get. We have seen at several weddings that guests have had to leave the wedding to purchase more alcohol for the party. You have to get all of the garnishes and mixers, again you might not know the correct amount to get. And you have to bring it all to the venue, most likely on the day of the wedding since that is the venue’s rule. And the most important detail that you have not thought about is that you have to assign someone the task of taking it all home at the end of the night. So we recommend having your caterer or venue provide your alcohol, it will save you time and money and make the day less stressful for you!

5. Do we have to provide guest transportation?

This depends on the location of the venue. If the venue is in a location that does not have good parking or does not have Uber service then the answer is Yes. We highly recommend providing it for your guests, especially if you have a hotel room block. It is so easy for guests to hop on the shuttle at the hotel. We also suggest having a vehicle for your wedding party to get to and from the venue as well. Again this is another detail that is not thought about. And if you are having a church ceremony with a reception at a different venue, then we definitely recommend having guest transportation. Please note some hotels will tell you they have a shuttle service, but what they don’t tell you is that you cannot reserve it for a certain time and that is not good when you want to get guests to arrive at your ceremony on time!

We hope you have found these frequently asked questions and answers helpful to you as you begin to plan your wedding! And remember Gloria Schulz Events is just a text, email, phone call, or Zoom call away if you need extra help! We are happy to provide the answers to all of your questions. No question is too silly and it is better to be informed than unprepared!

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