"Q&A with the Event Diva"

Well it's Wednesday and you know what that means....Q&A with the Event Diva. This week we have a question about invitations and entertaining at home.

Thanks for your questions and please keep them coming!

Q: I am thinking about planning a little get together for some friends and would like to send out invitations. Can you tell me how far in advance I should send the invitations out? Is there such a thing as sending out the invitations too early?

A: When sending invitations out for a party I usually follow the 3 week rule. Sometimes I will send them out 4 weeks prior to the event if it is close to a major holiday. This allows you ample time to get on people’s calendars before they make other plans. However sending them too far in advance (more than 4 weeks out), you are taking a risk that they may completely forget about your party (which I’m almost sure will happen). Either way, I would also suggest following up with your guests with either an email reminder or a phone call about a week before your party to get a final count and to make sure that no one has forgotten about your party.

Q: Whenever I have a party at the house, it never fails that everyone almost always ends up in the kitchen. For my next house party, how can I ensure that this doesn’t happen?

A: I completely understand what you are going through because it always happens to me too. A simple solution to this common problem is to put the bar as far away from the kitchen as you can. Remember this simple rule, people will always gather either around food or the bar. So by keeping them both out of the kitchen you reduce the risk of having your party end up in that one room. Space permitting, I suggest setting up several drink and food stations through out the house so that your guests are forced to move around during the party. This also avoids bottle-necking and long food and drink lines.

Got a question for the Event Diva? Email us at info@beckwithevents.com - and include in the subject line "Q&A with the Event Diva". We will try to answer all questions in the order in which they were received. Check back every Wednesday to see if your question is listed.

HAPPY PLANNING!

We would like to take this time to thank all the service men and women for all that you do to protect our country. We appreciate, love and support you!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

"Q&A with the Event Diva"

It's that time once again this week and we're still talking about weddings!


Q: I am on a very limited budget for my wedding and would like to provide my guests with a nice wedding favor as our way of saying thank you. The favors that I have picked out are a bit expensive, to save some money is it necessary for me to give one to each guests, or can I give them per couple?

A: It is absolutely okay to give favors per couple. Just keep in mind your single guests that you may have invited as they should give them their own favor so they won’t feel left out. The tricky part is going to be deciding on how to distribute the favors. Putting the favors on a “favor table” runs the risk of people taking more than one favor. To remedy this I would suggest using place cards during the reception. With the place card, you are putting their name in the exact spot you would like them to sit at the table. Simply place the favor between the two place settings so they will be able to see that the favor is for the both of them. For your single guests, simply place the favor directly above or on top of the place setting so they will know that it is for them.

Q: I have been reading the one way to save money on your wedding is to plan it during an “off” month. What are the “off” months?

A: The winter months (January – March) tend to be the least popular for weddings. Whereas June, August, September and October tend to be the more popular months. December is also starting to become more popular for weddings all due to the holidays. Because the demand is less during the winter months, you’re more likely to find places (ceremony/reception) who are more likely to offer specials or deep discounts. These discounts can often extend to other wedding services like rentals, photography, flowers, videography, etc too.

Got a question for the Event Diva? Email us at info@beckwithevents.com - and include in the subject line "Q&A with the Event Diva". We will try to answer all questions in the order in which they were received. Check back every Wednesday to see if your question is listed.

HAPPY PLANNING!

It's Official!

Things have been busy around the office for the past few weeks! We are working on some new and exciting products and services that we will be launching in the next month or so, so keep your eyes on the bolg for more details. We are also putting the finishing touches on re-launching our radio show "Cocktails and Conversations". Look for our re-launch debut on June 4th.

Our latest breaking news is that our very own Erika Beckwith was named the Atlanta Wedding Advice Examiner for examiner.com! You can check out her page here!

"Examiner.com is the insider source for everything local. Covering thousands of subjects across hundreds of cities and towns, Examiners come from all walks of life and contribute unique and original content to entertain, inform, and inspire their readers. Examiners are credible, passionate and knowledgeable local influencers. Launched in April 2008, Examiner.com serves 70 major markets across the country. Examiner.com is a division of the Clarity Media Group, and is wholly owned by The Anschutz Company. " Taken from http://www.examiner.com/

We hope you will drop by and check out her page!

“Q&A with the Event Diva”

Q & A with the Event Diva

This week I thought we would tackle some common questions I get regarding weddings.

Q: How much time do I need to plan a memorable wedding?

A: About 10 years ago my answer would have been for couples to allow anywhere from 12 – 18 months to plan their dream wedding. However today it all depends on the couple and how much time they have to invest in the planning process. My rule of thumb in planning is pretty simple, the more time you are willing to invest up front with the planning the better. But typically it will take most couples 12 months to properly plan and pay for a wedding. Keep in mind the key to planning your dream wedding is working with an experienced planner and vendors who are great at what they do. With the right mix of wedding professionals a fabulous wedding can be planned in any amount of time!

Q: With the current state of the economy, is hiring a wedding planner even necessary?

A: The current state of the economy is the reason why every couple SHOULD hire a wedding planner. A great wedding planner will streamline the planning process for the couple. There are so many vendors out there to choose from, by hiring a wedding planner he/she will help you select the right vendor that meets your criteria and fits in your budget. A great wedding planner in the end will pay for her/himself and will ultimately save you money in the end. Keep in mind that a wedding planner’s prize possession is her vendor list. We work hard to maintain relationships with great vendors who offer top notch products and excellent service. Because of our relationships we are oftentimes able to negotiate great deals on behalf of our clients saving them hundreds of dollars.

Q: Do you have any money saving advice for couples planning their wedding?

A: Yes, first things first – create a realistic budget! This will be your blueprint throughout the planning process. Once you know what you can comfortable afford, you empower yourself to make “smart” money decisions.

Got a question for the Event Diva? Email us at info@beckwithevents.com - and include in the subject line "Q&A with the Event Diva". We will try to answer all questions in the order in which they were received. Check back every Wednesday to see if your question is listed.

HAPPY PLANNING!

Introducing a New Blog Feature

When people find out that I am an event planner I somehow instantly become their “go to” person whenever they have questions about planning their event. Almost daily friends, family, friends of friends and friends of family will either call or email me with their event planning questions. From how to select the perfect caterer to invitation wording and everything in between, if there is an event planning question to be asked I’ve probably heard it. So…for that reason and that reason only, I’ve decided to create a special blog section called “Q & A with the Event Diva” which will post every Wednesday where I will try to answer some of your event planning questions.

So…if you have a question that you would like to have the Event Diva (that’s me) answer, email your question(s) to info@beckwithevents.com subject line “Q&A with the Event Diva”. Each week I will select a few questions to answer and will post them to the blog. Who knows, your question could be featured next, so check back often!

Tweeting on Twitter

Well we have gone and done it...we have jumped on the social networking bandwagon and have joined the twitter family. And believe it or not but we are having a blast!

Feel free to check us out at http://twitter.com/atleventdiva

Tweet you later!