Every venue is different - one thing you don’t want to forget about when planning your perfect floorplan are the permanent features in the room. It may be large furniture or decor items that cannot be moved, or it could be something more structural such as a door or counter. For our venue that includes our bar - a long granite counter located in the southwest corner of the reception hall. Keeping these permanent features in mind will help you use the space to your advantage and really let the floorplan work for you rather than being stuck with what you have. 
Electrical outlets are another feature couples sometimes forget about. For example that band you’re planning on having? Or that amazing photo booth your guests will be lined up at all night long? They need power - and enough of it too. For our couples we keep it simple, we have multiple outlets on every wall, outlets at the ceiling for those who hang decor and have larger installations such as lights, and we even have outlets on the floor. It keeps creating their floorplan a little simpler with one less headache to have to worry about. ​

See a photo you love? 
Check out these awesome photographers:
 1st, 2nd and 3rd photo by April Sapp Photography
4th and 5th by Blackall Photography
6th by Brooks Captured Moments / Lovesick Photos

Looking for hands on help?
Contact our team for help with your floorplan, and to set up a time to tour! 

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT US
info@hawthornhillsranch.com

​​Wedding Planning! So exciting, fun, and..... Stressful?
No matter how much you love the planning process most couples have never fully planned a
wedding before. Even if you have, odds are it hasn’t been many and as we all know every
wedding is as unique and as amazing as each individual couple.
SO where to start?

Well.... Everyone’s budget is unique and what is reasonable or expensive to you could be
completely different to those brides in your Facebook group that are giving you suggestions of
photographers that are “reasonable”. In addition, having a budget can help you stay on target
and in control of your wedding spending. The two problems we hear from couples in the
beginning of planning is that
1) “We have no idea how much a [planner] should cost! Is this a deal? Is it expensive?”
2) “How much of our budget should we spend on [floral]?

​So, we can give you our tips all day long, but we thought hearing directly from a planner who
helps consult and set budgets would be way more helpful. Cindy is a local planner we love
working with and is always so professional with couples.
We’ve asked her for her two sense on budgets - take a peak.

Q: I can’t afford to pay an arm and a leg for floral that’s just crazy! I am looking for an
affordable DJ - who can help?”
“We as vendors see this question all the time, I need a planner who doesn’t cost an arm and a
leg, I need a low budget DJ, can’t spend an arm and a leg. Wedding budgets will look different
for each couple but just to set the record straight.
The price of a new prosthetic leg can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000 and an arm that is
fully functioning and can bend at several locations can range from $20,000 to $100,00.
Is anyone’s budget here $150K? OK perfect so none of you will spend an arm and a leg.”
- Cindy, CM Promotions

Know your ideal budget and ask or look for it! Vendors cannot help or have any idea what is
“reasonable” to you if you don’t give a range or max amount. We do recommend that you look at
vendors that are slightly above that range to compare what is provided at that price level.
Our venue for example includes some services like tablecloths where others do not. That
service saves you $200+ easily from your budget so may first look like we are above your ideal
venue budget when in reality we save you more in the long run.

Q: How should I start figuring out where to spend my budget?
“Make a list of your wedding priorities: Start with the top three things that are most important to you on your wedding day. For example Food, Live Band and Photo are mine, and yours may be
different and that is ok. Whatever is most important put it at the top and book those vendors
first. Anything leftover you distribute to everything else you need but at least you’ll have your
main priorities taken care of.” - Cindy, CM Promotions

Q: Are there ways I can stretch my budget or make the most of it?
“Be resourceful! There are a lot of items/decor for weddings that can be used for both the
ceremony and reception. Example: Bridesmaid bouquets can double as centerpieces for the
reception, lanterns used to decorate the aisle can be brought inside and put on tables/stairs for
extra decor. Adding a colored napkin to a white or ivory table cloth can add so much to the
room for only a little expense.” - Cindy, CM Promotions

Q: Should I go for the best deal I can find?
“Do your research: As important as budget is to your wedding day, you can’t get a redo - if you
think your vendor has a deal that is too good to be true, dive in a little deeper, read the reviews,
post to one of the Facebook groups and see what other brides have said. Having an
experienced and knowledgeable vendor team is crucial to the success of your day, the planner,
DJ, and Photographer all have to work hand in hand to ensure your day is a success.”
- Cindy, CM Promotions

Q: How much of my budget should go to each area?
“I feel like the wedding budget is different for everyone so this Budget 101 breakdown is like a
middle ground and it works for those who have a budget of $20,000 or $60,000.”
- Cindy, CM Promotions

CLICK HERE cmpromotions.co/to set up that free consult call with CM Promotions.

CM Promotions
https://cmpromotions.co/
(972) 677-8841

Like what you see? 
Photos on this page (top to bottom) by:

Brandon Jones Photography (photos 1 and 2)
Enchanted Luna Photography (photos 3, 4 and 5)
​

Do you ever feel at a loss for words? You have this great idea or picture in mind of what you are planning but when it comes down to putting it in action your mind goes blank. Now add on that stress of making it tie into your wedding vision and PHEW. It's enough to make anyone stare at a screen of options for hours and hours. 
Your invitations have a very important job.  They give those people who mean the world to you all the details to get to your day to celebrate and soak in the love. Your invitations alone let them know so much more than when and where, they also tell them the overall style of your wedding from color to how formal it may be and the tone of the day.

Your wedding stationery; from menus and programs to mailed invitations are all a part of your day and is the first look your guests have to the event you have been working so hard to plan. The colors and overall style should match your vibes - but the wording? 

So, we reached out to one of the best - an amazing woman owned business local to North Texas that is! Seriously guys, you have to check out her amazing work. Not only does she cover all your paper needs but she is crazy talented and you will not be disappointed! Back to the information - we had a quick Q and A with Erin and have all the details here for you. Don't forget to visit her website to get even more questions answered and look into having your dream set designed.

How can we ask guests to not bring a plus one, or what if we’re planning an adult-only reception?

"Properly addressing the envelopes is going to be the best way to specify who is invited to the wedding. If an envelope is addressed to “Mr. John Smith” then he should not be bringing a guest to the wedding. If the envelope is addressed to “Mr. John Smith and guest” then he may bring a plus one. The same goes for families - an envelope addressed to “Mr. and Mrs. John Smith” is just for those two people, whereas “Mr. and Mrs. John Smith and family” or “The Smith Family” would include all members of that family.

If you are worried that your guests will need another reminder, you can add the words “Adult Reception" to your website and/or the reception card included in your invitation suite. "
- Erin Wright
Sincerely, Addison

Save the Dates vs. Invitations: When are they sent?
"Save the Dates should be ordered and mailed 6-8 months in advance. 

Wedding Invitations should be mailed 2 months in advance. Printing time is typically about 3 weeks and we will want to leave time for proofing the design on the front end, and addressing/stamping/stuffing on the back end. Therefore, we suggest you start working on your invitations about 4-5 months in advance. That gives you time to look at samples and narrow down the style of invitations, then go through the proofing process to make sure all design aspects and wording is just as you would like. " 
- Erin Wright
Sincerely, Addison

What other paper products should I be thinking about?
"Day of Wedding paper (programs, menus, table numbers, seating charts, etc.) should be ordered once you have your final headcount (usually about a month before the wedding). We typically start designing these shortly after the invitations are sent out, that way once you receive your replies and have a final number, we are ready to move forward with printing.

Notecards can be added to any of the previous orders, or placed as their own order. You will want to have these in hand right after the wedding to start working on thank you notes."
​- Erin Wright
Sincerely, Addison

Photo and more amazing tips at Sincerely, Addison

What are your top tips on choosing a style/theme for their stationery & how it should tie into our overall style?

"Your invitations are meant to set the tone for your wedding. You won’t want to send a rustic looking invitation for a black-tie event. The invitation suite will gives your guests a hint as to what to expect on your wedding day, therefore you will want a cohesive look throughout. Keep with the same color scheme and overall style. When deciding on your invitation design, we suggest looking through samples and photo galleries. Find what is catching your eye about certain invitations.

However, we want to make sure everything about this day to be representation of you two as a couple.  Talk to your stationer about your likes and interests as a couple. Tell us the story of how you met and things that are important to you. Are their moments in your life that you want to incorporate in your invitations or day of paper? We have done custom sketches of pets, fun facts about the couple printed on cocktail napkins, and tables named after places the couple has travelled. Our job as a custom stationery company is to design something specific to you."
​​- Erin Wright
Sincerely, Addison

Sincerely, Addison
www.sincerelyaddison.com
​703.314.9038

All Images Are Property of Sincerely, Addison

The reception is where all the hugs, dance moves and delicious food typically happens. Making that happen without touching, getting close to each other and while following your local guidelines can be tricky - but it doesn't have to be any less special! It is important that you take steps to avoid any stress on your guests and the two of you on your wedding day. If you're lucky you have put together an amazing team of pros who will help make this all come together, but just to be helpful here are a few tips we've put together to help you think through some logistics. 
As Texas releases more information on opening wedding venues and safe ways to celebrate we will continue sharing tips and ideas to help keep your wedding planning as simple as possible. For now here are some ideas to start your planning process based on the phase we are currently in. 
For the BEST up to date information be sure to check in with the CDC Guidelines and with your local or State policies and recommendations. Overall - guests, pros and families need to stay 6 foot apart when at all possible. ​If it is not possible, individuals should use a face covering, hand hygiene, cough etiquette, cleanliness, and sanitation should be rigorously practiced.
​
Okay so now that you know where to find the official good stuff, here are some tips and ideas to put it in action and to plan ahead. 

Seating charts sound scary and like a pain to many brides or grooms planning - but at the end of the day it makes things very easy on your family and guests. As things slowly begin to open and grow towards normal tables should be limited to seat no more than 6 people and of course families will be seated together. That being said - seating charts? Should be a piece of cake! It also will let you make sure you have enough tables set. We recommend only seating families (living under the same roof) together if possible. 
Check out this photo above - it has seating for 6 and still looks amazing! Just because the layout may change a bit does not mean that your vision has to so don't lose hope - get excited about the unique twists you can put on your day!

The cake may sound tricky - BUT we'll talk more about this in Part 3 so check it out!
Now, as for the seated meal we mention earlier.... Food stations are a HUGE trend right now and all you need are options that are easy to eat but maybe a little more elegant than "finger foods". Guests may not be able to scoop their own food (that's not very fun anyways right?), but you can turn it into an experience. Carving stations for meat, Chicken & Waffles station with a waffle iron, or even a stir fry station where guests name their toppings/vegetables and tossed right in front of them.
Dessert stations are a FUN way to do just what we're suggesting - locally we have Beth Marie's who always wows guests with a fun, unique service that will be sure to let everyone forget the distancing they are doing.
​By keeping the meal option versatile you can provide more cocktail tables and guests can easily spread out at a safe distance. At our venue, we often have couples utilize the outdoor areas on a regular basis with food and for photos. 

As guest counts are limited it gives more versatility in your floor pan! Consider adding a second bar - indoors or out to provide a second area for guests. Same goes for your buffet line, if your catering team can staff it then create two separate lines to decrease the wait time. For those bar and buffet lines - make sure you use appropriate materials but think of a way to easily mark where guests should stand and space from each other to keep the 6 foot distance.
Now we know skipping the dance floor can be a big bummer, but trust us- keeping people 6 feet away when the right song comes on is not easy. Especially if you get to work with amazing DJs like we do. Think of it this way though - everyone can get their own dance bubble thanks to that awesome table spacing you created, so when that song comes on they won't be able to get in a giant group huddle but they can still bust a move from a safe distance. 
PS - ask your professional DJ about the other activity options they have up their sleeve, there are some FUN options that can bring smiles to you and your wedding guests that you'll remember always.

As the couple you two will want to make sure you have plenty of PPE including hand sanitizer for all your guests. Posting signs about keeping distances, hand washing, etc. and put your own spin on them to keep them light hearted and as a way to look back and laugh at this time.
We should all have a good idea by now that the goal is to stay 6 foot away and if it is not possible, individuals should use a face covering, hand hygiene, cough etiquette, cleanliness, and sanitation should be rigorously practiced. Providing masks for your wedding party or guests can be thoughtful and also make for a fun photo-opp. Since you'll need to stay 6 feet away from each other without one, why not have some custom made or pick a fun design.
​

Photos by
- Haley Katherine Photography (First Photo)
- Lauren Bloom Photography (Second and Fourth Photo)
- Blackall Photography (Third Photo)

Okay so things have changed and rocked our worlds, but at the end of the day we all just want to CELEBRATE and share special moments with our families and friends. The key is knowing how to do that without putting anyone at risk, and of course to follow any policies and guidelines in place. Does anyone else agree that wedding planning is stressful enough as it is though? Now there are even more details to pour over to create a safe environment to welcome your guests into. The good news? This is new territory for all of us! Okay, so maybe that sounds a bit overwhelming to you but trust us - creating and thinking outside the box is what event industry pros DO. We are creatives - we may not be able to pick up a brush and paint a stunning scene but we can and do problem solve and find ways to make each event unique every single day. 

That being said I know you want the tips and ideas - so we've put them together here for you to check out. Every state has their own policies so be sure to check in with your area and apply those as well - but these tips are a great way to practice healthy habits as we start to see wedding ceremonies begin again and love stories begin. 

Easy way to do this & NOT stress out your guests? Have an usher or 2! They can welcome guests (from a safe distance), and show them where to sit. 
In Texas we do expect these to loosen up a bit as we reach different phases, so keep up with the newest policies and give your ushers the job of directing your guests. Odds are, most of them may be a little too tired of the news to keep up with seating at ceremonies. 

OR our personal favorite: keep it intimate and have only your Maid of Honor or Best Man by your sides and the rest of the party seated. If you have not hired a wedding planner this is a FANTASTIC reason to do so! They will cue everyone professionally and safely, open doors (gloved) and make sure you know where to stand.

For your rings we suggest keeping them in one of your pockets for safe keeping. When your officiant asks for them hand one directly to your almost (you're so close at that point!) spouse. If they are performing a blessing they can do so without holding them. This will eliminate the rings bring touched by.... planner > ring bearer > ring bearer's parent as they make sure they don't get lost > best man > officiant > the couple YIKES. 
​Simple is easy, best and healthiest!

If you haven't considered whether to have a videographer, now is the perfect time to think it over! The video can last a lifetime, and even better - you can share it on your social media for those who could not make it. 
Grandparents are not going to want to miss out, but we know that you don't want them risking their wellbeing to do so. Keep it easy on them, and let everyone live in the moment! Ask your videographer if they can also record with a cellphone livestreaming for you or assign the task to someone - a tripod set up is a great idea to but PLEASE ask your photographer team where a good place would be.

- Signs are a great way to make announcements look pretty 
- Communicate before (explaining if they are feeling xyz to please stay home), request no hugs or handshakes but that their presence alone let's you know they care!
- DJ should make professional, helpful reminders to ease them into enjoying the day while keeping distance

It sounds like a bummer, but if we're being honest a lot of these are already very common to a certain stage and are simple, easy transitions to keep your guests comfortable and focused on what truly matters - you two beginning a life together! 

Part 2 coming soon so be sure to check back with us!

Photos by White Orchid Photography
Ring Box The Mrs Ring Box
Sign Designed by

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