Tiffany Cook Wedding Talk: Sit-Down Dinner or Stations?

In any wedding, food plays a major part, it is also a great way to include the couples cultural backgrounds along with the couples personal taste and style . The first big choice you'll make as you plan your dinner is how to serve your guests: a plated dinner or stations (more commonly known as the B word), which usually includes several salad, vegetable, starch & entrée options. The choice between the two comes down to formality, personal preference, and often cost. 

A plated dinner is considered the more formal option, as each guest is individually served. Stations on the other hand in the past were considered less formal however there are super cool ways to offer interactive stations that can fun stylish and equally as formal. Tiffany has even designed station reveals as a decor aspect and opened the stations as courses.  

Despite their differences both allow you to personalize what your guests eat whether you decide for them or offer them to choose themselves. The sky is the limit so get creative and have fun with your menu, your guests will love you for it! 

Wedding Talk: Seating Guests

Dream Design Weddings offers advice on how to seat your guests

So, you’ve chosen the venue, finalized your floorplan, and received all of your RSVPs. There's only one major to-do for you: decide how you're going to seat everyone. 

The seating plan is the last major hurdle in the wedding planning process, and don’t let it get you down! You’ve survived the majority of your wedding planning and this is the last to-do before you say "I do."

You may think you don't need a seating plan but you definitely do.

Yes, it can get tricky, but a seating plan allows guests to easily navigate their way to tables. You don't need to assign specific seats just allocate tables. Don't be afraid to mix it up a little with your seating plan and don’t worry about your guests being surprised! Simply group family and friends and then split a table--the easiest way to tackle a seating plan. 

The biggest piece of advice we can give is give yourself time to do it. Traditionally, RSVPs can be mailed in two weeks prior to the wedding, however, we tell our brides to have a cut-off at one month prior. It gives you a week to call any stragglers and then allows you to get to work on your seating plan. 

At the end of the day, your wedding guests will be delighted to be part of your wedding, so if they’re not sitting next to their BFFs or stuck with Uncle Doug, they’ll just make the most of the occasion because after all it's your big day and they're there to celebrate.

Seating your guests doesn’t seem quite so daunting now-or at least we hope not!  

Photo courtesy Unique Design Studios 

Wedding Expert: Johnnie Nussbaum at Identity Promotions

Monogrammed gifts and favors for your wedding. Personalized by Identity Promotions.

Identity Promotions is full service promotional products and specialty company. Perfect for all your custom wedding day needs! From welcome totes to goodie bags event to custom water bottles, we offer it all!

Identity Promotions' number one focus is client satisfaction. They understand how important it is to actively listen to their clients so that they have a complete understanding of how to meet client's needs.   A client once asked what our motto was and why it was important. I said, our motto is a simple one, it’s based upon our belief that we want to treat our clients in the same manner that we would want to be treated if we were the clients. So, our motto, “Our products are what we offer, our clients are who we serve, our reputation is what we sell,” aren’t just words on a paper, they are the way in which we approach every project we work on. 

Personalized wedding gifts by Identity Promotions

What is your specialty?  We offer a wide arrange of items, but in the wedding arena, we limit that to customized gift bags, guest giveaways, and bridal shower and bachelor party items.  The great thing about customized items is that you get to pick and choose what you want. For example, for a Las Vegas wedding, we did custom imprinted gift bags that included, a “hangover survival” kit, chocolate poker chips, Chex Mix, candy mints and an assortment of mini top shelf liquors. For a beach wedding we prepared custom imprinted beach bags, with monogramed labeled water bottles, sunscreen, lip balm and hand sanitizers.  We’ve done wine glasses, napkins, picnic baskets, personalized candies and towels, sparkly bridal shower shirts, and prankster bachelor party shirts. That’s the beauty of custom products, they’re not stock sayings or pick and choose logos, but are designed to make it all about you and your guest.

What sets you apart from others? We follow our motto to the letter.  Also, because we are a family owned business we are personally involved with every aspect of the process. As such, we develop personal relationships with our clients.  As a vendor, or second party provider, we understand that our job is to make the process easier and to fulfill our commitments so that our clients can fulfill theirs, thus ensuring that everyone has a terrific experience. 

What are you noticing a lot of brides doing? Becoming more daring in their themes, colors, locations and overall wedding day experiences.  It’s more about owning the day, not so much about following tradition.

I'm obsessed with: Besides my dogs, I’m obsessed with sites like Pinterest and the Internet to find interesting and exciting things for both personal and business use.  During one of my Pinterest fun days I found these quaint decorated Mason jars. One of my friend’s daughter is getting married in June and the reception will be held on the family’s farm, I thought, 'wow, these would be a perfect guest gift.'  She loved the idea! 

 Be sure to visit Identity Promotions for more ideas on how to personalize your wedding.  

Wedding Talk: Wedding Dress Change

Dress change advice from Dream Design Weddings

This bride had a convertible wedding dress for her reception dress change. 

Sometimes known as the reception dress or simply a dress change, more and more brides are opting to say yes to the dress twice. While we say it's a definite "do," knowing when to change your dress is a must. Brides may want to make an entrance at their reception in their second dress, however, it's just too soon. For the first dance and your father-daughter dance, we suggest our brides keep their original more traditional dress on then make a quick dress change into the second dress for the party-like atmosphere of the reception.

Photos courtesy of Casey Mackie Photography and Unique Design Studios

Tiffany Cook's Wedding Talk: Picking Your Wedding Shoes

Stunning wedding shoes from Dream Design Weddings by Tiffany Cook bride Jackie Long's wedding

Your wedding dress may be the most talked about statement on your wedding day, but your wedding shoes aren't far behind. Whether you go ultra glam with lots of sparkle or keep it tradition with colored pumps, be sure to let your personality shine through. It helps to pick a pair that's comfortable but Tiffany also suggests that you choose something that you love enough to wear again. After all think of how great putting on your stunning wedding shoes for a special event or date night out, it makes those occasions even more special and momentarily brings you back to your big day! Here are some of our favorite shoe shots from some of our stunning brides.

Wedding shoe shots from Lana Colston's wedding to Jared Cook & Dominique Lee-Fongs wedding to Dawan Landry two of Dream Design Weddings by Tiffany Cook's brides

Wedding shoes worn by Porsha Stewart another Dream Design Weddings by Tiffany Cook bride

2nd pair of Wedding shoes for the after-party worn by Dominique Landry a
Dream Design Weddings by Tiffany Cook bride.

So regardless if you are thinking Valentino, Adriano Diamante, Jimmy Choo, Gucci, Louboutin, Giuseppe Zanotti or anything in between choose something that makes you feel sexy and gorgeous! After all it is one of the few days you can indulge in this guilty pleasure minus the guilt, in fact it is expected!


For more amazing wedding shoes visit:
www.adrianodiamante.com
www.dreamdesignweddings.com
www.tiffanycookevents.com
www.pinterest.com/TiffanyCookDDW/boards/

The After-Party

Tiffany Cook from Dream Design Weddings shares after party tips 

Today, more brides and grooms are opting to have after-parties. So many guests have traveled in for the wedding celebration that they (and the newlyweds) just don't want the evening to come to an end. Simply put an after-party is an informal post-reception gathering that's all about continuing to celebrate into the wee hours of the morning--it's also a great time for a dress change! How a couple chooses to host an after-party differs but here are some things to remember:

When it comes to where be sure to stay close to the reception location-it makes for the best and easiest transition. You may even want to think about finding a venue that has an additional room you can move the party in to after the reception or even divide your space with some draping and open it up when the time is right. 

For decor, you can match your reception or pull a 180 and go with another color scheme you had in mind during wedding planning. As for seating, we're obsessed with lounge furniture. It's a great way to relax and take a break from dancing and watch others on the dance floor. 

Our favorite part of the after-party may just be the food. The after-party is a great place to bring in small bites from your ethnicities or foods that you just love. Another idea is to have action stations with foods you tend to crave after drinking like funnel cakes or burgers on the grill. As for drinks, be consistent. If you have an open bar keep or if you were only serving signature drinks, keep it that way. The only change be suggest is having coffee served. 

For more on how to acheive the perfect after-party, click here. 

Tiffany Cook Wedding Talk: Photo Must Have's

A must-have photo on this Tiffany Cook Events bride's list was of her daughter and her wedding dress.

One of the most important things about your wedding may just be your wedding photos. So this wedding talk may be one of the most important ones: make a list of photos you want to have--we call it the "photo must have list." 

You may think, 'No, my photographer will get what I need. They know what they're doing" but then they don't get that photo of you in the gorgeous window or your stunning sparkler grand exit and you're kicking yourself when you finally get the photos. 

So whether you choose to go on Pinterest, The Knot, or a wedding blog, be sure to make a list (and include those gorgeous photos) and sent it to your photographer AND planner to make sure that by the end of the day, every item on your list will be there in your proofs.  

To get you going, here is a list of some "forgotten" moments of a wedding:

1. Wedding day details – the venue, detail shots of centerpieces, any signage you have
2. Your (and his) accessories- cuff links, jewels, bridesmaid's dresses, garter 
3. Vows (if applicable) 
4. Shoe shots
5. Wedding rings
6. Invite close-ups
7. Maybe you and your husband standing in traffic at Times Square
8. Photos involving the family pets
9. Your DIYS-hey, you spent a lot of time making that mirror program!
10. Anything out of the ordinary that you may have seen or envisioned
11. Last but extremely important - a list of parents and bridal party by title and name. This will enable your photog can call peoples names and titles out during formal photos and will ensure this takes much less time to get done. No one wants to be taking formal shots for an hour 

In the end, your photographer is a professional but they can't read your mind, it’s better to be prepared than not, and just think, it’s one more thing off your list.

Photo courtesy Casey Mackie Photography

Tiffany Cook Wedding Talk: Planning Your Wedding from Afar

Because a majority of our brides aren't local and end up planning their weddings with Tiffany from afar, here is a little perspective on what it takes to be plan a destination wedding if you can't have a planner. 

First and foremost, don’t let your expectations get you down. Because you end up planning from across the country or the other side of the globe, planning isn't exactly like what you've seen on TV or in the movies. By throwing out your expectations, you get to really focus on what planning is and enjoy being a bride. Look into Skyping with your family for the tough conversations like budget or to show off your latest DIY triumph. And when you are in town at your wedding location, you get to have jam-packed weekends and do what Tiffany likes to call "power planning." 

Speaking of power planning... Be prepared! Come with lists of what you want/need to get accomplished that way you can get as much out of those visits as possible. These power plannign trips will become something you look forward to, and a fond memory to look back on.

This one's a tough one for many brides, but learn to let go. Your bridal party and family are going to ask 'what can they do' and you’re not going to want to relinquish things but for your sanity (and theirs) learn to let go of some of the little details – it will be hard but in the end you're going to be so happy you didn't have to worry about picking up welcome bag items or your brother's tux. (Trust me, we've been there before.)

Most importantly, remember that you’re not alone. There are so many brides and grooms who do the cross country/destination wedding planning, and you just have to brace yourself for it!  The more you can do to let go, the better your sanity will be. You won’t be missing out on anything you don’t set yourself up to miss.

How to Survive Bridal Expo Season by Dream Design Weddings

It's expo season and to help you survive here are a few tips to make the most of your day:

 What should I bring to the show?

Bring pre-printed address labels! Nearly every vendor will ask for your name or invite you to enter their drawings for special prizes. And don’t forget your date book and a big bag. You may find one or more vendors that you would like to schedule a personalized consultation following the show, and you’ll also need a place to store all the vendor info you’ll receive.

How much time should I spend at a bridal expo?

You will want to allocate between 2 and 4 hours of your time, so that you visit with as many wedding vendors as possible between noon and 4 p.m.

Who should I bring with me to the show?

You will probably want to invite your entire bridal party including the groom* to the event. They can help you cover twice as much ground and help share in the planning process by offering their opinions and thoughts. 

Tiffany Cook Wedding Talk: Wedding DIYs

A simple wedding DIY NFL wedding planner Tiffany Cook gave St. Louis Rams' TE Jared Cook's bride, Lana Colston, an OK for.

We know how tempting it is to DIY it all (thanks, Pinterest) so one question we get from our brides a lot is 'should I make that?' and sometimes the answer is no. We have brides who want to attempt to make 300 invitations while they're in the middle of moving and we have to remind them about what's going on in their lives..

You may feel the pressure to do it all yourself or find it hard to let others help you but please know that it’s ok to ditch the DIY sometimes. The easy route may be the less expensive alternative but think about your peace of mind and just be a bride! 

Tiffany Cook Wedding Talk: Hair & Make Up Trials

Dream Design Weddings by Tiffany Cook  bride getting her wedding make-up trial done

Today’s Wedding Talk tip is simple – if you don’t like it at your trial try, try again! You want to look your best on your wedding day so don’t be afraid to tell your stylist or make-up artist that you don’t like what you see. Even if you don't like confrontation, this is one of those times when you need to speak up! 

Easier said than done, but trust us on this one. You may need a few trials before you find "the look,"and in the end, you’ll feel even more comfortable and confident on your wedding day when you’re happy with how you look!

Photo courtesy Unique Design Studios

From the Archives: Tiffany Cook on WEtv's Platinum Weddings

Let us help you get a platinum wedding for less!

The reason most couples don't hire a wedding planner is pretty simple: budget. We get it. When you’re trying to cut costs, does hiring someone to do things you could do yourself make sense? The answer is surprisingly yes! 

Lots of our brides reveal to us after their wedding that they really didn't think they could afford us and our wowed at what we did on their budget. 

You see, at Dream Design Weddings, Tiffany Cook and crew are comfortable working with a whole range of budgets for both day-of coordination or full-service wedding planning--big and small. But we're also upfront about how much things cost and have alternate suggests on standby so you can achieve that "platinum weddings" look on your budget. 

Not only can we save you time (and your sanity), but we can actually save you money. For example, we know vendors in all price ranges so we're there to help prevent you from making costly mistakes when negotiating a contract or we’ll walk you through simple and affordable ways to make centerpieces (Want the peony look without the price tag? Hello, garden roses!)  

And then there is the organization. We actually enjoy the tedious part of planning as much as the creative part. Budgets, floor plans, contracts, oh my! Organizing a wedding is hard work, and more than that, it’s skilled work. Planning a DIY wedding is even harder work. 

So please don't be afraid to ask us to help plan and create your wedding because you truly can afford us! 

Contact us today at info@dreamdesignweddings.com