Weddings are personal, and so should be the decorations and small touches!If you’ve been following along with us then you know we are on the final part of our tea on trends. We could not wrap it up without talking about some unique and untraditional touches couples do.
Here’s the thing though. Maybe, just a thought… you’re just overthinking it? Hear me out - this is all new, overwhelming and at times the excitement turns into a constant to-do list that seems like everyone has an opinion on. For those of us who are in the industry and know the “basics” of planning already, it’s exciting, and an amazing opportunity to express you and your partner’s relationship. You get to share it with the world - well, your world and that’s all that matters right? So since we are here to help - we are going to give you examples of what others have done that were a huge hit and then a few tips to skip the stress and easily come up with those unique aspects your celebration deserves. Real quick - if you’re still working on those basic aspects let me point you to a quick and easy resource. The first one is our amazon list - shop away friends! We've pulled together the basics - where to start in a manner of speaking. Look, add it to the cart, and check it off your list HERE. Now to the wedding trendsUntraditional trends in 2022 have got to be some of my personal favorites! It seems like couples, and events in general (not just weddings) are really saying “forget the boring stuff we really aren’t interested in, let’s keep it personalized and true to us!” It really changes the atmosphere during celebrations in the best way possible. Event budgets are being used more for details and decor that provide an experience, and the creativity behind it is incredible Here are a few examples of what we mean by thatWedding Florals -Rather than keeping these beautiful arrangements in a vessel on a table, or sitting on the floor at the bottom of a staircase they are more and more becoming a piece of art or even interactive - as they absolutely deserve to be! Greenery walls (faux) are being paired with real floral accents and used for photo backdrops but also for seating arrangement displays or behind a couples table or a lounge setting. Another of my personal favorites is hanging floral installs. Picture this, you enter the reception following a beautiful ceremony and as you take each step you are surrounded by beautiful, fragrant colorful flowers hanging above you forming a tunnel. We’ve seen this trend slowly emerging and growing in creativity for the past couple of years and let me tell you EEK I am ready for it. If you’re more into trees and greenery then a simple twist on this would do the trick. I once attended an event hosted by The Knot where the entry had faux trees, with staff on step ladders there to “pick” chocolates and treats from the tree to hand you for a sweet treat. Childhood dream unlocked - treats growing on a tree. Lounge areas during cocktail hour -
Wedding and event food trends in North TexasSpeaking of food (yum) - we get spoiled here in North Texas with so many options. During weddings particularly, we see many cultures coming together with the marriage of two amazing people! Guests jump at the opportunity to try some of the couples’ favorites. If you want to include a few dishes without making the whole meal specific try serving them as small bites or hors d'oeuvres before the reception begins. Specialty desserts are a huge hit as well from wedding cookies, to replacing the cake with a favorite sweet treat the options are endless. Not sure where to start? Find that local baker you were thinking of hiring for a cake anyways and see what else they offer - from cinnamon rolls to hand pies or even macaroons there is no need to settle for something you don’t like just because you think you have to do it. In the podcast episode, we’ve covered quite a few more examples and ideas that made even us seasoned wedding pros excited so be sure to listen in if you need more ideas with decor, exits, signs, and more. Use your style and add these personalized touches to your celebration.In the last blog post we talked about 5 questions to go over with your partner to find your perfect wedding style. If you missed it be sure to go back after this and listen in - they’re a great start before you get to these more specific/ personalized details. These two questions below are a great way to dive a little deeper to ensure your event and where you spend both your time and money are true to the two of you and what you are celebrating.
Now compare your lists and highlight any of the same stuff - time to incorporate those for sure! The other items? Those are a perfect way to each bring your own side to the reception. Don’t forget that the celebration is about both of you starting one life together.
What is a Wedding Theme or Wedding Style?Scroll for free download
2022 Common Wedding Styles/Themes:For this discussion, I started with Amanda who owns an Event Rental Company. So she sees a wide variety of trends apart from just the style of our venue. She said that she has noticed Victorian themes (thanks to the Netflix Original, Bridgerton), garden vibes, a lot of gorgeous florals, bold design choices, charges that aren’t solid, and unique glassware. On the other hand, she has also noticed more relaxed touches. It seems like couples are wanting to be their authentic selves, creative, and whatever brings them JOY to the design aspects. I LOVE that being yourself is a trend on the up & up because I LOVE seeing a couple's personality incorporated in a wedding! Want to know more about our team's favorite wedding styles?From textures to natural settings our team love the versatility - head over to this episode and listen in (or read the show notes) to learn more about our personal preferences. Are you having difficulty coming up with your personal wedding style?
All in all, we love getting to see unique and personalized themes/styles. It allows your guests to take a step into your personality and life! And we promise - the wedding will mean so much to you and your partner for years to come. Tune in to Behind the Party Podcast Episode #09 for more goodies! This post written by JENNA with Behind The Party Podcast
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Anyways, let’s get to it. Just a recap, we’ve discussed the what’s in the venue guide, how to prepare for touring these venue, narrowing down your list to only 3-6 venues, and so much more (take a peek at the previous blog for more info). It’s always hard to think of questions to ask while you’re on these tours, which is why we got you covered not only with all the questions but also why you should be asking them. No, you don’t need to ask all of them, but its good to pick your 3-5 faves and have them ready to get those answers. Why are they important? A lot of the questions are to help your future team experience and understanding what your day could look like. Let’s jump in and take a peak at what some of the podcast co-hosts would say are our favorites and why. Amanda’s favorite question for couples to ask:
Eylin’s favorite questions for couples to ask:
It’s important to make sure you ask these questions before you sign that contract and ask for clarity on any part you’re not sure about. Your venue representative will be ready and happy to assist in answering those questions. Next podcast episode we will be getting into more of the good stuff… Tour stories! SO get your tea, its time to pour it out (;
It’s tour time! Just when you started to figure out this whole narrowing down the sea of options and asking questions now it’s time to be nervous about touring.
If you haven’t used the first part of the guide you’ll want to think through questions to ask before touring like alcohol or vendor policies. Maybe you want to have signature cocktails but some venues only allow beer and wine, or no alcohol at all. Or perhaps you plan to hire the DJ that worked your cousin’s wedding because he was amazing and you want people on the dance floor - you want to make sure you tour venues that allow outside vendors. There are two sides to the tour: Getting ready and what to expect when you’re there. We recommend choosing no more than your top 6 choices to visit. You can always visit more if those don’t work out, but if you’ve asked all the questions before then odds are you may only have 4 - 6 that are a great fit for you so there is no need to cause yourself more confusion or have to cancel brunch with the besties while you visit 20+ venues. When you go you should take a notebook or the 2 page worksheet from the second part of the venue guide. This is where you’ll fill in all the answers to the questions you ask and take notes so you don’t forget anything about the property and how you felt during your visit. Of course everything planning related is more fun when you share it with others so grab your fiancé, bestie or a family member to go with you. Give them something to do - like take photos/videos during the tour and save yourself the easy task. We don’t recommend taking more than 3 people with you on tours for the simple reason that most times it results in a stressed couple who feels like their voice was lost as everyone else asks questions, chats with excitement and they don’t get to do what they came to do. What to expect on a tour When you arrive to the venue you will want to plan to show up 10 - 15 minutes early, but not to get started early. This gives you a chance to breathe, to get your papers/notebook ready and if you’re in DFW, possible chill out from the traffic. It also gives you the chance to leisurely walk up to the venue, to stop and take in the view, walk around the grounds and find the office or personal you will be meeting with. Over all - it drastically changes your experience versus rushing in late, whipping into a parking spot to jump out of the car as you drop your phone (bummer) and rush in to start a meeting short winded.
Before you say goodbye they should review any package and service options you are interested in and yes, that means pricing. We get that can be an uncomfortable conversation - you don’t want to feel like you’re stuck in a car dealership and odds are, they don’t want you to either. In reality though, that is why you are there. This is most likely the last time you will sit face to face with them before booking the venue so it’s time to make sure you know all the details and avoid any surprises. Don’t forget that one of these venues is going to be the perfect fit for you - and when that happens the next step is to make it official and reserve your date. If you are at that stage and wanting to check off the location from your planning list be sure to have what you need on hand to book the venue. As you heard in the episode, a few big questions we think you cannot skip (don’t worry they are on the guide along with 13 other questions) are:
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(Part 2 will have all the questions to ask while you tour) Podcast: LISTEN HERE Check out our FAQs HERE Schedule a tour at Hawthorn Hills Learn more about Behind The Party Podcast WELCOME to our little corner of the internet friends!
Why We Created The Guide So here’s where we come in. We’ve done this, like hundreds of times and can navigate this in our sleep - but don’t worry we are showing up FULLY caffeinated and ready to help you because that is what you deserve. Between this first series (Episode 1 - 4 and the free guide you downloaded - and if you haven’t you totally need to jump over and grab that) you will know everything you need to to rock this first stage of planning. It’s a big stage, we know, and a HUGE check off your list for planning. Let’s do it! Rather listen in? Skip over to the Behind the Party Podcast HERE to listen in now.
I’m not going to overwhelm you with my spreadsheets - organizing is my happy place guys, but instead I am going to give you all the questions and checklists you need to ask to narrow it down. Over in that guide we’ve also included worksheets to keep organized, as well as to print and take with you on tours so you don’t forget a question and have to go back to ask again. On top of all the options though, venues do not make it easy - they each have different amenities, services and rules to guide your experience. It’s what makes them unique, what shows off their priorities and what they are known for and lets you get to know their personality but it’s also a huge pain to compare costs. This is when being prepared, feeling comfortable and confident in what you are looking for and keeping your eye on your priorities BEFORE you get too deep in planning is really important. It’s why we suggest you start with a little homework before submitting all those contact forms and information requests online.
Either way - you need to know what you are comfortable with and what your max amount is. Once you start getting a better understanding of real costs for services in your area this may adjust and that is okay. For now, give yourself the grace to come back and change your budget, but have a conversation of what this means for you. Really not sure where to start? Do a quick search and find costs of 3 venues, 3 caterers, 3 DJs, and 3 photographers in your area. You’ll see that 1) it definitely varies and 2) what is unrealistic and realistic for the type of wedding you envision.
Now that you have your homework done, use those 10 questions in the guide to field through venues and narrow down your top choices. Those are the ones we are going to focus on in Episode 2 - and get you ready to know exactly what to ask when you’re visiting. |
Hawthorn Hills
Location10340 Jackson Rd. Krum, TX 76249
940-600-7838 info@hawthornhillsranch.com |
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