PodCast #1 Show Notes

Our first ever Elegant Affairs Podcast went live a few days ago and here is the link. Please check it out and let us know what you think.

Here is our show notes!

Welcome

Introductions
Name
How you came to work at Elegant Affairs
Most excited about in the podcast
Fun fact
Biggest skill

Purpose of podcast

What we do at EA

10 years 150+ weddings
rained out twice

Daily blog
each day explained
.. morgan, jenny, janice, rachel, kim
expanding social media
twitter
expanding business

Why you should hire us, or wedding planner
no worries
wrong color cake
crisis management
Handle things so well that people didn’t even know about it
even within the group, didn’t know there was a problem
timeline for the months ahead

Rise and fall of pinterest

Advice
DIY - start early
Take date night
Supposed to be fun

Something may happen
damage control

End of night we want you to say we had fun

How many have ceremonial wedding cert hanging up?

How to contact us


Future episodes
topics to discuss: hit us up
after the wedding

Closing, Thanks

How to Choose a Theme

Trying to lock down a theme for your wedding? Here are a few helpful tips on picking the most amazing theme for your big day! Look around your house, what styles do you tend to pick for your own home decor? Do you pick rustic, modern, colorful or more neutrals? Then think about if you want these same styles to reflect you as a couple at your wedding? Don't choose a wedding theme that is so far out of the box that guests who attend question if they're at the right wedding. You want it to reflect you and your fiancé personalities. This is your day so it should be about YOU! The biggest trend I've seen lately is themes using vibrant colors. You aren't limited to two colors like most people have done in the past. Chose your favorite colors and a couple of neutrals and put them altogether! Here are some great color combos that look great paired together! Don't be afraid to be bold! 

Happy Saturday y'all! 

Hot Topic Saturday: How to De-Stress!

De-Stressing 101: 6 ways to De-stress During Wedding Planning

As someone who has planned my own wedding and been in a few bridal parties, I know that planning a wedding can get stressful and overwhelming. This stress can sometimes keep us from enjoying the process. Your wedding is supposed to be one of the best days of your life and the planning should be fun and worry free. As the resident nurse on the Elegant Affairs team, I’ve decided that this week I’m going to talk about ways to de-stress and keep sane during the planning process.

1. Exercise

             

Physical activity can help produce endorphins that naturally make us happy and stress free. Physical activity can also help clear the mind and help us have more focus.  Exercise is the perfect way to gain some clarity when the planning gets overwhelming.   

2.  Get lots of sleep

I know it can be hard to fall asleep with so many meetings, appointments and checklists on our mind, but a good nights’ sleep can help rejuvenate you and calm you down. As an added bonus, when you get enough sleep, your blood pressure can decrease and you can also have healthy, glowing skin. What bride doesn’t want to have healthy, glowing skin on their wedding day?

3. Spend time with your girlfriends

Getting together with your girlfriends can help calm your nerves and take your mind off of the planning for a little while. A little wine and gossip could do you some good.

4.  Make date nights with your fiancé

I noticed that during the wedding planning stage, my fiancé and I realized that all the time we were spending together revolved around the wedding. Make sure to take time away from planning and focus on each other. After all, without them, you wouldn’t be planning this shindig in the first place.

5. Get outside

The outdoors can work miracles on a stressed out bride. Sunlight boosts serotonin  in the brain which regulates sleep, mood, memory and appetite.  Go for a bike ride, a walk or just lay in the grass. A little fresh air will do a lot of good!

6. Get a massage

If all else fails, get a massage. When I’m stressed, massages are the ultimate way to relax and reduce anxiety.  It might even be a good idea to book a massage a day or two before your wedding, so that you can calm your nerves.

These are only a few ways to reduce stress during the wedding planning process, but there are tons of other ways to keep all of you brides calm, cool and collected Find ways to de-stress that work for you and make sure to take the time to care for yourself during this process and the big day will be so much better.

Wedding Hot Topics: How to create the best Budget!

The Dreaded Wedding Budget... tips to making the right budget for your wedding, and sticking to it.                 

 

For most couples, planning a wedding is the first and sometimes only time you will be planning an event that requires a budget. Many brides envision their dream wedding from the time they are little girls, however seeing the prices on paper can sometimes send you into sticker shock. I experienced this phenomenon when planning my own wedding. I planned for a certain budget, but quickly saw it double over night. This wasn’t because we opted for extravagant extras; it was because we imagined that items were cheaper than they were in reality. For example, we thought that chair rentals would cost $1 each, when in fact they were $2. Or we didn’t factor in service fees, transportation, bridal party gifts etc… There are a lot of small items, that when added up can equal a few thousand dollars.  You may end up seeing your budget rise if you don’t have a clear one to begin with.  Here are some of my ideas on how to make your budget work for you.

Step 1:  What kind of wedding do you want?

Do you want to elope in the courthouse with just you and your fiancé? Do you want to have a casual morning wedding followed by brunch, or do you want an elegant evening wedding with cocktail hour, dinner and dancing with all of your family and friends? The style of wedding can have a huge impact on how much your budget will be. The bigger the party = the more money you will have to spend.

 

Step 2: Who’s Paying?

Do you have help from parents, relatives etc. or are you and your finace footing the entire bill? This is extremely important when planning your budget.  Make sure to factor in the amount of help as well as what you can afford yourselves.

 

HINT: if your family can’t help monetarily, they may be willing to help in other      ways like provided transportation, crafts or errands. Don’t be afraid to ask.

 

Step 3: Make Room for what really matters.

Many times there are aspects of your wedding that you can’t live without, but there are others that you don’t mind giving up.  You may want a certain venue, signature drink or your dream dress, but you can live without a 3-tier cake. Make a list of all your must haves. This might help you figure out what you can live without.

 

Step 4: Revise, Revise, Revise

Don’t just stop at your first draft. Look it over several times and make sure to add and subtract items as you go. This is a great way to cross items off of your list and/or add them. Your wedding is a work in progress; don’t be afraid if things change. I suggest doing this at least every month, if you are always up to date with your plan, there will be less stress later on.

 

Just remember, everybody gets organized in different ways, some use calendars, some use spread sheets, some use good old-fashioned pen and paper.  Do what works best for you, so that you stick to your budget.

 

~Lindsey

Teaser from our Wedding Hot Topic Bloggers

I am Mandi Jo and I work as a Wedding Assistant for Elegant Affairs. I am a small-town girl living in the big city. I grew up in the “big” town of Colfax, WA . I still love that small town vibe which is why I love living close to downtown Kirkland where I work, eat, drink, play, and sleep. In my free time I love to do anything outdoors, especially camping and hiking, swimming, snowboarding, and snowshoeing. I also love crafting and refurbishing old furniture. Any DIY project I find on Pinterest I am willing to tackle! I’m also a coffee addict, gym buff, hostess with the mostess, fashion and country music lover.  In addition to all these things, I also work for a private school as their Administrative Assistant and teacher. I love what I do and it keeps me busy! When I do have some free time my favorite thing to do is spend time with my niece Reagan! 

My name is Lindsey Lloyd and this will be my first season as an intern for Elegant Affairs. Just last year, I hired Lori as my wedding planner and began the process of planning my own wedding. During that time I fell in love with the entire process. I found so much joy in seeing all of the details come together. I loved coordinating color schemes, designing centerpieces and creating a unique and memorable day for everyone. I decided to become part of Lori’s team so that I could help other couples do the same.   

 

Although I am a registered nurse by trade, I have a passion for food, drink and planning parties. I also love baking, DIY projects, travel and the outdoors. I am so excited for this opportunity to work with the Elegant Affairs team and I can’t wait to be part of other couples’ special day.

 

 

Hello! My name is Lauren Zehnder and I am currently a junior and the University of Washington, majoring in communication. I have always had an interest in planning events which is why I am ecstatic to be able to act as an intern for Elegant Affairs! Organization and attention to detail are things that I deeply value, which is why the opportunity to assist Lori and her team in planning, such a monumental moment in someone’s life is something that I highly look forward to. This coming spring I will be taking my internship abroad as I will be studying in Rome, Italy. Be sure to watch out for my blog posts about my quarter abroad!