Top Tips for Planning Your Reception Tables

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Your reception tables will play a big role in the overall atmosphere of your wedding day.

There are various shapes and sizes for you to choose from, each option adding a

unique touch to your reception area. The shape and size that you choose will depend

on your specific wedding style and the space that you’ve chosen to have your reception

in.

Here are the options that you have available to you.

Square or Rectangle Tables These shapes are best for events that are taking place

in unconventional areas such as under a tent or on a lawn and are a great way to create

borders in your reception area. This doesn’t mean that you need to line them up

perfectly either. Square or rectangle tables can be placed at different angles to create a

unique look and feel. If you will be using this table shape, be sure to use an even

number of chairs and quality linens to soften any edges.

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Round Tables Round tables are used most often for events because they work in just

about any space. If you do want to make things more interesting though, try using a few

tables of different sizes. Beautiful chairs, cutlery, linens, and flowers can really bring

these classic tables to life.

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Banquet Tables Since banquet tables are longer, they generally work well in larger

reception areas. Banquet tables work well when organized in U or L shapes but you

could also place them in rows. Using décor of different heights and sizes helps break

these larger tables up; candle holders and vases being some examples. Use runners of

different textures or square plates to add some character to the tables.

Remember that while you need to choose the right table for your unique space, the

tables act as a base for your reception area and can be used to create any style and

atmosphere you want on your wedding day.

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Weddings featured: Courtney Hubbard + Jason Cohen, Tyler + John Rudesheim, April + Erik

Coordinator: PremierWED

5 Things You Should Never DIY for Your Wedding

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Everyone wants to save a bit of money on their wedding and DIY projects are a great way to do just that. However, there are certain things that you should simply leave to the professionals.

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Wedding DIY Don’ts

  1. Your Photos. This cannot be stressed enough. Far too many couples have hired a cousin or friend to take some casual photos at their wedding in an effort to save costs, only to be disappointed later on. You may think that quality photos won’t matter to you but they do make a big difference, especially considering your photographer takes hundreds of photos in order to select a handful of beautiful shots that are then also processed. Everyone wants to look back at flattering photos of themselves on their big day and even if you’re convinced that a friend or family member will do an excellent job, it will never quite be what a seasoned wedding photographer can produce.

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2. Your cake. Yes, it may sound easy enough to buy a few boxes of cake mix and whip something up at home but if it’s not a cake that you would be proud to present to family and friends and have in your photos, it’s best to leave the baking to the professionals. Plus, this would just be one extra thing that you would need to do right before your wedding when you should be relaxing.

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3. Your hair and makeup. Unless you have an in-depth knowledge of makeup and hairstyles and could be mistaken for a pro, it’s recommended that you hire a professional to assist you. Wedding makeup artists and hair stylists know how to make your hair and makeup last the entire day, which is something you definitely want. Plus, this is your wedding day and you should be pampered and taken care of.

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4. Your catering. Catering for a wedding is far more stressful and time-consuming than you can imagine and even if you had to rope in friends and family members, it could still end up causing you more stress than saving money is worth. Professional caterers know exactly what goes into preparing food for large groups of people and how to store and transport the food safely too.

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5. Your music. It may sound simple enough to just put all of your music on an iPod and play it through a hired speaker but there’s something so useful about having a professional DJ or musician assist you with your music for the day, especially when it comes to your first dance and the father-daughter dance.

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When deciding on your wedding DIY projects, really think about everything that goes into successfully completing that specific task before you decide to take it on yourself.

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Melanie & Chuck Pruett Wedding

Photography by Bethany Renee

5 Simple Tips to Help Take the Stress Out of Planning a Wedding

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1. Learn to say no

Planning a wedding is exciting and fun but it can also be one of the busiest times of your life. If you don’t want to end up being a nervous wreck a week before your big day, learn to prioritize and say no to any new commitments that would take away from other important wedding-related tasks. It’s really ok to say no every now and then.

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2. Become the queen of organization

The more organized you are, the better your wedding planning experience will be. Keep a digital copy of all of your important documents, contracts and information in one file on your computer so that you can easily refer back to them when you need to. If you want to be able to bring important documents along to meetings with vendors, you can always create a wedding binder that contains all of the information you need. Plus it makes for a great backup copy too.

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3. Have a little fun

There’s no need for you to be a frazzled bride. Take out your calendar and schedule a few fun days in-between all of your planning. Make fun and laughter a priority in the weeks leading up to your wedding. Sometimes it’s important to come back down to earth and remember why you’re choosing to marry your partner and that trying to control every single aspect of your day is only going to leave you wishing it was over. Go out and enjoy an afternoon with the girls where you don’t talk about the wedding at all.

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4. Move your body

Exercise does wonders when you’ve got a lot on your plate and just need to take a breather and focus on your health. This doesn’t mean that you need to schedule in an hour at the gym every day either. If you’re strapped for time, a simple 15-20 minute walk or yoga session will make all the difference to your stress and energy levels.

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5. Just breath

Take a complete timeout from wedding planning as often as you need to. Every bride deserves a relaxing soak in the tub or a heavenly hot stone massage to relieve some of the tension she might be feeling. It can be difficult to make time to simply relax but do your best to find the time, even if it’s just 30 minutes a week.

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Photo Source: Caroline & Peter Hodkinson Wedding