The Wedding Session

Yes. Of Course! Most guests expect a combination of wine/beer/hard bar at your wedding reception. However, don't forget! There is also a group of your guests that might not be able to sip on the booze. So what do you do! Offer a bad-a$$ non-alcoholic beverage station. We always talk about the guest experience, and this is one simple addition you can include to make ALL of your guests feel loved.

Here's a small breakdown of some guest you might need to consider at your wedding:

• Recovering/Sober
• Pregnant
• Minors
• On Medication 
• Religious reasons 
• Physical Reaction 
• Mental health 
• Designated Driver
• Hates the taste 
• Budget

TIP!! Talk to your Caterer or Bar Service to create a delicious alternative for your guests. You can customize your bar, and create beverages that can also do double duty - cocktail and mocktail!

Here's some examples that we talk about:

• Mobile Coffee Bar
• Hot Chocolate station (with marshmallows!!)
• Hot Apple Cider
• Kombucha bar
• Mocktails (Shirley Temple, Virgin Mary/Colada)
• Lemonade / Ice Tea / Fruit punch 
• Infused water 
• Juice bar 

NOTES
8 Ways to Creatively Serve Non-Alcoholic Beverages
6 A's of Events - Part 1 and Part 2
Some Local Vancouver Companies you should check out! - Coastal Cocktails, The Chai Wagon, Hoochybooch
Operation Rednose 

Is it no kids? Is it all kids? Is it totally black and white when it comes to kids at your wedding? What do you do when you're planning your wedding and everyone wants to know if kids are invited. It's a touchy subject, and while it IS a personal choice, the wedding day is not just about the couple. 

Step 1: You must decide together very early on if you are allowing kids. You both have to be on the same page with this choice. But STICK TO THIS CHOICE!!!

We breakdown some of the reasons why you would invite kids:

• You have to decide if you are allowing select kids (ie: closes family members, travelling guests), moms breast feeding
• Guests travelling usually have kids
• No familial support here 

Here are some tips to navigate around telling guests the protocol for kids:

• Start at the beginning of the 'journey' to the wedding - Make it very clear on the invites if kids are included or not. Check out our notes below for links on how to write this effectively. 
• If you want the children at your wedding, include their name on the invitation. Make it clear they're invited.
• Choose how much you want to be involved if kids are allowed at the wedding, and consider getting a sitter or company to entertain the kids. If you decide to hire on a Pro to mind after the kids, let the parent's know! 

But Remember!

• Once you’ve decided what’s best for you both, you have to commit to the decision 
• Ensure your venue can accommodate children
• Ensure the parents know your expectations - who is watching your children 
• Make sure your family is on board with your decision - while it might be tough to initiate, you might need to have the conversation to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Notes:
How to say Kids are not Invited on the Invitations
How to say certain Kids are Invited on the Invitations
Pacific Fairytales

How many of your friends tell you what is good and bad about a wedding, what you should or shouldn't do, and what THEY did that was great (but, actually, maybe it wasn't). UnPopular Wedding Opinions is our topic, and we analyze the following article from Buzzfeed called "17 Controversial Wedding Opinions that might get you a little Fired up".

After some research, we found there is A LOT of unpopular opinions around weddings. This article barely scratches the surface!  

• Speeches!
• White Wedding Dress
• Bouquet Toss + Garter Toss
• Veils
• Headtables
• Bridesmaids
• Open Bar
• First Dance
• Kids
• Big Weddings
• Bride's day
• White when it's not your day
• Cake
• Vows
• First Look
• Destination Weddings

Thoughts? What do you think?! Do you agree?!

Notes:
Episode #27 - Speech Etiquette!
Iliza Shlesinger: Unveiled

Bet you didn't know there were two ways your wedding day runs so smoothly. As Planners, we work with two different paths - the flow of the day and the timeline. 

What's the difference? Why do you need to care?!

Well, we break down that the difference is and why the Timeline is our favourite document for the day. Both are important, and serve different purposes. But both make sure you make it down the aisle. 

Why is keeping track of time on your day so important?!

• Your food! No one wants soggy buns or overcooked chicken. 
• You'll be paying for extra staff hours! Ack!
• Guest experience - while it's your day, no one wants to be kept waiting when the buffet is in reach.

We'll give you some help fun advice so you can enjoy your day. In a timely manner ;)

Ok. Shit happens. Ask Tarina! Sometimes, you need to change your venue. And that's OK! It happens, and it can be super stressful. And sometimes you might want to elope to Paris! However, that's not always feasible..

We've had to help quite a few of our Couples lately with this switch, so it's a little more common then you would think. We break down some examples of why you might need to change your venue, and no judging over here, because sometimes you need to do it.

10 Reasons why you might need to change your Venue:

1. The venue is closed, or shuts down during the wedding date
2. The Venue double booked
3. Buyers remorse
4. Guest count changes drastically (hello C*vd! Ugh....)
5. Location no longer works for you
6. Unhappy with the Service - check out our Notes below for more info on this one*
7. Venue conditions don't work for you (no AC!?!?)
8. An event is happening and blocking access to your venue (is there a marathon happening?!)
9. If the venue provides the food...and, it's disappointing 
10. You have to spend way to much on the decor...how much lipstick can you put on this pig.

We'll give you some things to consider when you've reached the point where you think you might need to change venues, and some action items to help you make the best decision. 

Notes:
*Ep 26 - How to Fire your Vendor

We've made it through the first half of the 6 A's of Events last week. And, we're here to share the remaining parts, and why it's so important to consider these when planning your wedding!!

Quick RECAP, for those who missed Part 1!!!

1. Anticipation - pregaming and all the items that pertain to before the event even begins. 
2. Arrival - You're onsite, at the front door. How welcomed do you feel?
3. Atmosphere - Vibes! They're important. And this is why we argue this is one of the most important parts.   

The final 3 are:

4. Appetite - FOOOODDD!!!
5. Activities - Entertain me!!
6. Amenities -  Swag!! 

And, we found to two Bonus A's!

• Amusement + Entertainment - small surprises throughout the day (ex. surprise choreographed Father / Daughter Dance)
• Appreciation + Aftermath - the Thank You's.

NOTES:
Professional Event Coordination by Julia Rutherford Silvers - Inspiration for the 6 A's!!
Engagement Series - Episode #5 - Offsite Catering with Jennifer Fryer at Lazy Gourmet
Design Series - Episode #3 - How a Lounge Area can enhance your Space
Guest Favours - Are they Worth it!?

Have you ever been to an event, that kind of felt...like it was missing something. Or have you been to an event that was just like...wow! I can't put my finger on it, but this was seamlessly amazing. That is what the 6 A's of Events are.

Kelly, our resident event nerd, found this within a textbook from Professional Event Coordination by Julia Rutherford Silvers during her time at the LaSalle College (Art Institute of Vancouver). It's something she still considers when planning any event. 

We dive deep into them on this episode and we start you off with the first three A's. So, what the heck are they?

1. Anticipation - Pregaming!! 
2. Arrival - I made it onsite!!
3. Atmosphere - How I feel onsite?

Listen in as we break each of these items down, and explain how they're integral to your overall event. And don't forget to join us next week where we cover the remaining three A's!!

NOTES:
Listening to Tonya explain why invites set the tone
Chatting with Rachelle about how to use your venue efficiently

Welcome back, to the second half of our interview with Lauren and Rachelle with Elyse + Co. We chat about how we work together as TEAM SAY Events, why timelines are so important to us, why you NEVER take food from a starving Planner!!!, why COMMUNITY over COMPETITION is so important, and why it's ok to just enjoy the magic - let us do the dirty work.  

Since we love changing it up, we thought we'd try out being interviewed! This episode, we're joined by Lauren and Rachelle of Elyse & Co. Events, who take over the mic and ask us questions about SAY Events and how we got here. 

We get into the nitty gritty of how we got started, how we transitioned from our day jobs and side hustles to banding together as SAY Events, and discussing how important it is for all of us in the industry to work together on behalf of our couples. 

Listen in, as we pile four Planners into one podcast! It's about to get wild! 

You've made it to the end of our Design Series, where we talk about how Decor can enhance your overall wedding Ceremony and Reception!! We had the pleasure of interviewing our Vendor friends, where we learned how to incorporate each element so you can design a beautiful wedding. 

Recapping each Episode:

• Ep 2: Stefanie of Railtown Catering, and how your food can be used as part of your decor
• Ep 3: Alexandria of Past Pieces Vintage Rentals, and how a lounge space can change the vibe of your event
• Ep 4: Dina of Jorbelina Flowers, and how you can use florals for their visuals and for their scents to enhance the space
• Ep 5: Rachelle of The Wallace and Pipe Shop, and how to use the venue to your advantage when designing
• Ep 6: Tonya of Paper Poet, and how underestimate but equally impactful stationary can be

What we learned:

• Go with your Gut!! 
• Trust in the Pro's!!
• Time vs Money and working on a budget
• Make it cohesive

Listen in as we share some tips on how to make your wedding design even better!