Spokane wedding planner, Design by Occasion

Wondering when to send your invitations? Who to cut from your guest list? Wonder no more! We asked you to send in your wedding dilemmas, gripes or issues and now Lauren Hallett from Spokane’s Design by Occasion is giving her expert advice about how to solve them! And no better woman. Lauren and her Mom, Beth run a custom event coordinating service for Spokane area brides. Whether you need a day of coordinator, someone to help you find your vendors, stay on budget or help you make your day more beautiful, Lauren and Beth are the people to call.

Soap box WARNING (this is something I am very passionate about)!!! When most brides think of hiring a wedding planner, the common thought is more “Kate Middleton budget, than MY budget”, but in reality hiring a wedding planner can actually save you money! Yep. You heard me right. The average bride doesn’t have experience planning a wedding, wedding coordinators do! They know the ins and outs of which local vendors will not only offer your a great service, but also give you the best value for your money. And sometimes, they will even be able to get a better discount than you will. So don’t rule a wedding coordinator out just yet. Give Lauren a call, you never know she could just be the missing piece to your wedding puzzle!

Ok, rant over. Now for your wedding dilemmas!

What is proper etiquette these days for blocking out hotel rooms? I have less than 10 out-of-town guests, and most of them love to travel and try out new hotels. Should I still reserve rooms at one hotel only, or give them the freedom to choose their one place?

The benefit of blocking out a group of hotel rooms is that it can save your guests some money. If you have less than 10 out-of-town guests, I would just present each with a small group of interesting hotel options. If they are travelers, put together a packet for them with some hotel information, history and fun things to do in close proximity to the hotel. This gives them options and keeps them busy while they are here.

I’m on a very strict budget but I really want to have an amazingly stylish wedding, what can I do to make my money go further?

You can cut your budget and still keep your wedding beautiful. With the economy the way it is theses day, brides are creating their own décor. Once you have decided on your wedding concept, head to the craft store and create your own custom centerpieces. Not only does it cut down on cost but it makes it even more special to you.

If you are having a backyard wedding, go to a local farmers market or head out to the fields and pick your own fresh fruits and vegetables. By doing this you aren’t paying a mark up on food costs and you get great looking fresh treats.

When should I send my save-the-date and wedding invitations?

When sending save-the-dates, it is best to send 6 months prior to the ceremony. As for wedding invitations, send out 8 weeks before your big day.

What sort of budget do I need to hire a wedding coordinator?

Hiring a wedding coordinator can really vary based on needs. Most coordinators have a set day of rate; this rate is the base line rate. Anything above and beyond that day will go up depending on your needs. A consultation is initially set to review your wants and needs, than an estimate is presented to you.

How do I cut down my guest list when there are so many people that my parents, his parents, him and I want to invite and feel obligated to invite but simply can’t because of our budget… where do I begin cutting? I can’t decide and don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings…

Guest lists are such a hard part of wedding planning. It is easy to creep past your estimated amount. The fact is, you can’t invite everyone. My suggestion is that you create two lists, on list one are the people who you must invite (family, and your closest friends). List two is for everyone else. Next, take list two and start doing your cutting. Ask yourself, how close am I to this person, when was the last time we even saw one another, and would having this person at my wedding make or break my day? Based on the answers you come up with, you should be able to reduce your list. Good luck!

The big stress of the week for me: finding a song to play during our sand ceremony. We are blending a family and all of the kids are going to be included in the ceremony. I have been looking for WEEKS trying to find a song that incorporates blended families. Any advice?

Below I have provided a list of a few songs that may be worth looking into, but they really depend on your music taste. It may be fun to find a song as a family. Provide a list of the songs you are interested in and have them bring their own to the table (if they are children are old enough) and have a family vote on which one you all would like to use. Another option is to have a beautiful instrumental song play (I have included a few options here as well).

-Forever Young by North Country (beautiful version of the song)

-The Wedding Song by Paul Stookey

-Taking you Home by Don Henley

-Wondering Where you Are by Tyrone Wells (Spokane Native, and a personal fav)

-Instrumental When You Say You Love Me by Josh Groban

-Instrumental Endless Love

How do I go about finding out about noise ordinances for Spokane area venues?

If you are having your reception at a venue, they will let you know their policy about noise. If they do not provide you with this information, ask your venue contact.

If you are having your reception in a backyard type setting you can review your cities noise ordinance through the city web site (Spokane http://www.spokanecity.org/services/documents/smc/?Section=10.08.020), it is always recommended to inform your surrounding neighbors that you are having an event so they understand the sound and the large amount of vehicles parking in the area.

What’s the best advice you can give a bride who can’t afford a wedding planner?

My best advice is to do as much research as possible before you sign a contract. Ask your friends, family and any local wedding vendors who they recommend for your needs.

What is your advice on making a wedding day schedule?

Be realistic about time. You know when the ceremony starts (you did put it on your invitations) so work back the timeline accordingly but add a little extra time here and there as a back up.

I’ve heard that wedding planners can actually save you money, how does that work?

A wedding coordinator can in fact save you money. A coordinator is familiar with local vendors and the prices they offer, with good vendor relationships allows the coordinator to negotiate rates to fit with your budget. Hiring a wedding coordinator also cuts out the enormous amount of planning hours that you as the bride will have to put aside to plan. Your coordinator can bring together your dream wedding in a fraction of the time due to their vast knowledge of the industry.

Check out Design by Occasion for more information!