Interview with Ashley Brown from the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh
This week we had the special opportunity to catch up with Ashley Brown, Director of Weddings and Special Events at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown. She has seen several Weddings run smoothly but she has also been witness to some Weddings that were not as successful! Ashley shared a few tips with us she has seen make a huge difference in the ease of planning and execution of a wedding day.
The Wyndham Grand has venue spaces available that can accommodate up to 500 guests or other ballrooms that have the capacity to hold up to 2,000 guests! Ashley made sure to reiterate that, “When you are putting your guest list together make sure it is accurate for the venue space you are booking. Some venues are able to accommodate a growing guests count but others are not which can make for a very uncomfortable reception!” Imagine the nightmare that could ensue when you have 16 additional guests and no where to seat them in your venue. Give yourself a little additional “room to grow” when deciding on which venue to book.
You may think that hiring a wedding planner is a waste since you and your bridesmaids have been on Pinterest and think you will have the time and knowledge to get everything done before the Big Day, but Ashley suggests having at minimum a “Day Of Planner” to help keep things in order on your wedding day while you prepare to walk down the aisle. “Leading up to the wedding when you are about 2-3 weeks away there are many moving parts and that doesn’t stop until the wedding is over. It is much more enjoyable when you are not stressing over all the details, who is to be where and what is happening next. So having the comfort that someone is handling that all for you along with your venue make a huge difference.”
Her last piece of advice, one that we can’t help but to be on board with, is to Book Professional Vendors! “Make sure they carry liability insurance and check their work and referrals before booking them. Professional vendors make a huge difference! Yes, you will pay more for them but in the end it is SO WORTH IT!”
When it comes to planning your Big Day, you want everything to be perfect. Since this is most likely the first wedding you are planning why not take into consideration the advice of the Professionals who see at least 2-3 weddings every month? They have seen vendors who do a great job and they have seen vendors who were not as knowledgeable in the industry as they portray to be. Your venue has a preferred vendors list just for that reason. They do not want to see your Wedding be ruined by someone who has no clue in what they are doing. If you would like to contact Ashley Brown from the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh you can do so via email at [email protected] or visit their webpage www.wyndhamgrandpittsburgh.com.
Interview with Natalie Berger
Wenning's Wedding Tip Wednesday
Hiring a Professional Event Planner can prove to be far more valuable than you may have thought. Imagine, you are planning one of the most important days of your life and you do not want anything to mess that up. You want your venue to be beautiful; your vendors to be on the same page as well as ensuring your guests have a wonderful time! Have you ever taken a moment to think about what goes on behind the scenes and what could possible go wrong on such a busy day? Hiring a family friend to get you through this day may not be the best idea because although they “know how you think” they probably have not done as many events as a professional planner has and they do not know how to handle certain situations that could go wrong! We got the chance to catch up with Professional Event Planner Natalie Berger in the midst of her busy schedule to pick her brain a bit and have her shed some light on some planning do’s and don’ts to help guide you to a very special Wedding Day!
- What separates your services from other Planners?
“I am an event planner that takes care of each client…you meet me, you hire me, you GET ME!!! No associates will run your event that day, I am there for you!!”
- What advice can you give to New Brides and Grooms about planning their wedding?
“Make a budget…..stick with it!!! More does not mean BETTER!!!!”
- What would you say to Brides and Grooms in having their “Friends or Aunt’s” be their Planner?
“Having a relative or friend help plan and run your special day is not fair to them or you…they will not be able to enjoy your day with you and things may come up, that they do not know how to handle. It is much easier to delegate things to do or correct to a paid professional…”
- What’s one of the Biggest Mistakes you see that Brides and Grooms make in planning their wedding?
“The #1 thing to hire when planning your event is great entertainment!!! Having fun at a wedding is what you remember, not the color scheme or food choices, music selections, dancing and having a fabulous time with family and friends is the key to a great event!!!!”
- Anything else you want to add?
“When hiring vendors, get references, make sure they have worked the venue, and they should make you feel like you are their only client!!!”
If you are planning a grand event and want to contact Natalie for her professional assistance you can do so via email at [email protected] or by phone at (412) 298-4638. Check back next week for more Wedding Planning Tips!
Wedding Toasts
Ask your Best Man or Maid of Honor to keep their toasts short and sweet so the rest of your guests don’t have to suffer! A long toast before dinner can leave your guests bored and with cold beef or chicken on their plate for dinner.
Wedding Linens
Unless your linens are somehow included in your venue costs it may be more cost effective for you to actually buy your own linens rather than renting them. We know, it doesn’t make sense, but once you factor in delivery and labor costs in addition to cleaning fees for the next rental you are looking at spending anywhere from $1200 on linens to $4000 depending on the style you choose.
Imagine the various services you could upgrade with the money you save just on linens alone. The savings could go towards upgrading your food and liquor tab or even upgrading your entertainment to someone professional versus just a hobbyist!
The big question after the wedding is; what are you going to do with the linens? There are various websites that offer selling (and buying) of “Pre-Loved Décor” this way you can re-sell your linens and get a return on investment or if you are creative, turn the linens into a DIY craft. You can also decide to “pay it forward” and donate your linens to a local organization, ie school or church or even a family member who can use the linens for a future event. Ultimately, you will want them out of your house for the amount of storage they take up!
When you go the route of buying over renting you get to choose exactly what you want in exactly the style and fabric you envisioned. You will also have the option to return or exchange the linens before the wedding since you will have these items on hand weeks before your special day. This way you aren’t left waiting until the day of delivery and hoping that everything is correct.
