BEHIND THE APPOINTMENT

HAVE YOUR CAKE & EAT IT TOO! 101 CATERING 101 107 THE SUITE LIFE

BEHIND THE APPOINTMENT: SHOPPING FOR YOUR DREAM DRESS

Wedding gown salons like Georgio’s Bridal and Main Street Bridal sell madeto-order, designer wedding dresses and are the most traditional places to shop. They’ll carry collections from a wide variety of designers with a large variety of styles and options to choose from. You can expect full service (a salesperson well versed in the world of wedding gowns helping you), and your dress is going to be custom-ordered and altered to fit you. You can also buy bridal accessories such as veils and headpieces, shoes, earrings, necklaces and more!

At a salon, a specific salesperson (sometimes called a “bridal consultant”) will be assigned to help you. You will work with this person every time you come into the store and after you buy the dress (for alterations, etc.). A bridal consultant will ask you questions about the type of wedding you’re having such as style, formality and how you envision yourself looking. They will discuss what kind of dresses will flatter your body type, height, and weight. Then she’ll bring you dresses to try on.

Georgio’s Bridal | Waco, Texas

DRESS FITTINGS

Every wedding dress needs alterations. Alterations can be as simple as taking in the waist a bit and hemming the dress, shortening the sleeves, taking in the bodice, or even adding beading or lace. Most bridal salons do alterations in-house, but if they don’t , chances are the bridal consultant you’ve been working with can recommend a good seamstress. Bring your wedding-day undergarments and shoes to all your fittings. A simple bra switch or change in heel height can cause your dress to fit very differently.

You’ll probably have at least two or three fittings, though more may be necessary. You’ll want to do your first fitting six weeks before the wedding day and your second one a month before. The final fitting typically takes place one or two weeks before the wedding day when you pick up your gown and try it on one final time to adjust for any last-minute weight fluctuations.

During the fittings, speak up if you see something you don’t like. Now is your chance. If there’s a problem, continue to schedule fittings until you’re completely satisfied. When the day of your final fitting arrives, ask your mom and maid of honor to come along so they can learn how to bustle your dress and help you get dressed. QUESTIONS TO ASK

1. How long will the dress take to come in and can it be rushed if needed? 2. Can I see fabric samples so I’ll know the exact color I’m ordering? 3. Manufacturer/designer name, and style number 4. Exact color ordered (white, ivory, champagne) 5. What is the full price including any additional fees? 6. What is the size ordered and/or detailed measurements?

7. What is the actual date the dress will be in?

8. What is the deposit amount required? 9. Special order requests and costs (tape sleeves, chance bodice, etc.) 10. Other costs (pressing/steaming, delivery, cleaning) 11. Alterations estimate, specifying what type of alterations it covers. 12. What is the future payment schedule? 13. When is the balance due?

14. What is the Cancellation and refund policies?

““Finding “The” gown starts with finding the right silhouette. Silhouettes dictate how gowns fit and flatter a body, so you will want to start by knowing which shape will look best on you. ” - Belva Harvey, Georgio’s Bridal “

MAIN STREET BRIDAL

100 N Main St, Belton, TX 76513 (254) 613-5191 | mainstbridal@gmail.com

Main Street Bridal is a full service boutique located in the Historic District of Downtown Belton. The magic begins with a smile and “welcome to our boutique.”

At Main Street Bridal Boutique, they strive to give you an experience of a lifetime when purchasing your dream wedding gown. “ We are proud to boast that we have one of the most experienced bridal seamstress in Central Texas. Alterations are not included in the price of the gown and are not performed in-store. Our experienced seamstress will happily meet with you at our boutique to discuss alteration charges and estimates and will deliver your gown to our boutique.”

At Main Street Bridal, you will find fabulous dresses for your bridesmaids, junior bridesmaids, flower girls, mothers, and tuxedos for the special man in your life. They also offer an array of simple to heirloom quality jewelry pieces to choose from, including earrings, necklaces, bracelets, veils and shoes. Main Street Bridal is committed to being the bridal salon that offers the best service and value in a boutique environment.

WEDDING PLANNER

PHOTOGRAPHER / ANGEL OWENS PHOTOGRAPHY PLANNING & DESIGN / HEAVENLY WEDDINGS VENUE / OLD BETHANY

Planning, organizing, and designing every aspect of your big day will take a lot of timing, organization skills, and talent. The key to a successful, stress-free, wedding is hiring the right vendors. Wedding planners and coordinators play a huge role in how your day will be executed. From setting up a realistic wedding budget, helping with floor plans, finding the best vendors, coordinating setups and deliveries, managing the wedding day, creating a timeline and so much more. Executing a wedding takes exceptional skill, and although you may throw the best dinner parties, when it comes to one of the biggest events of your life, hiring a wedding planner or coordinator is a must in our book!

wedding planner coordinator

Planners take the guesswork out of the process, making planning a wedding as seamless and smooth as possible. A planner will keep track of your budget and handle the logistics. Some planners also provide design or styling services, helping with the creative specifics of your wedding day as well as the logistics. Below are a few wedding planner duties you can expect.

1. Puts in 80 to 250 hours

2. Helps create and maximize your wedding budget

3. Creates a overall plan for your big day

4. Pairing you with the best vendors in the area

5. Negotiates contracts, schedules, and attends all vendor meetings

6. Reading over all of your vendor contracts to make sure everything is correct

7. Creating detailed timelines and floor plans

8. Manages the rehearsal

9. Managing the wedding day, coordinating your other vendors with setup, breakdown and deliveries

10. Handling any emergencies without you knowing so that you can enjoy a stress free day A wedding coordinator is logistically focused, but on a shorter timeline than a planner. They usually begin helping you prepare a month before the wedding and are the point on contact on the wedding day. Coordinators make sure that everything is in order, nothing is forgotten, and you’re free to enjoy your wedding day. Below are a few coordinator duties you can expect.

1. Puts in around 25+ hours

2. Meets with you four to eight weeks before the wedding to get a handle on what you’ve planned thus far

3. Checks in with your vendors to review the signed contracts and confirm logistics

4. Creates detailed timelines and floor plans

5. Completes a final walk-through of the ceremony and reception sites

6. Addresses any overlooked details

7. Manages the rehearsal

8. Oversees everything on the wedding day

BENNET EVENTS

(361) 813-1488 | info@bennetevents.com

Bennet Events works on ensuring each individual event is uniquely different from everyone else. We want our clients to write and create their own stories by, in turn, helping them design and coordinate their own milestones through live events. Each individual lives and celebrates differently, so each occasion should be unique in its own way. Whether it be for love, work gatherings, or even just exciting news, one cannot have too large a party.

FACEBOOK.COM/BENNETEVENTS/

Robin Rogers Photography

CELEBRATIONS W EDDING PLANNING

893 East, FM93, Temple, TX 765028 (254) 314-2415 | info@celebrationsshoppe.com

Celebrations Wedding Planning and Event Rentals provides only the best quality wedding & event rentals to Central Texas! Visit their showroom in Temple, and chat with one of their highly experienced design consultants or certified wedding planners. They offer everything you need to throw the event of a lifetime. Rentals include tablecloths, specialty linens, custom-made archways, unique centerpieces, tables, chairs, and more! Celebrations is ready to make your wedding, corporate event, baby shower, or any other occasion a huge success!

CELEBRATIONSSHOPPE.COM

CMDESIGNS

(254) 709-9514 | caitlin.cmdesigns@gmail.com

CMDesigns is a wedding and event planning company specializing in thorough and informative planning and seamless day-of coordination. With over 10 years of experience, CMDesigns offers honest and insightful vendor recommendations, help with budgeting, full-service design help, and so much more! Their love for weddings stemmed from a love for design. They want to help with designing every couple’s dream wedding. CMDesigns pays special attention to every detail and loves mixing in a little of the couple’s story and personality. With the understanding that every couple is different and unique, there are no cookiecutter weddings! Perfectly capturing a couple’s unique personality among all the wedding decor is what this company lives for!

CMDESIGNSWEDDINGS.COM

Shelly Taylor Photography

HEAVENLY WEDDINGS

hello@heavenlyweddingstx.com

Heavenly Weddings is your premier wedding planning service specializing in the Central Texas area. Planning your wedding isn’t easy to do alone. They are passionate about weddings and building personal relationships with each couple to create beautiful, timeless weddings. They know just how stressful wedding planning can be. From finding the best vendors, perfecting your vision, and sticking to your budget, they will keep the stress out of your special day. Heavenly Weddings will make wedding planning as fun and as effortless for you and your family as possible. If you’re looking for someone you can trust with the big and small parts of your biggest day, all while doing it in style, then you’re in the right place!

KARLA MCNEILL EVENTS

(254) 458-9334 | karla.mcneill@yahoo.com

A Central Texas wedding and special event company with over 20 years of wedding industry experience. Karla McNeill Events understands what goes into making a successful event! They offer various services from Mini Planning Sessions & Month of Coordination to Full-Service Planning and Design. With a specialty in design, Karla McNeill Events’ passion lies in all the details, creating beautiful and memorable events for each of their clients. “You don’t always have to have an extravagant budget to have a beautiful wedding; it’s about having the right team,” Karla says. With 12 years of experience in floral design, 5 years in event rentals, 2 years in catering, and hundreds of weddings under her belt, it’s safe to say, Karla understands the logistics of an event inside and out. She has the team to make your wedding dreams a reality!

KARLAMCNEILLEVENTS.COM

Christina Carroll Photography

Photography by Kylee

W ATSON W EDDINGS & EVENTS

info@watsonweddings.com

Watson Weddings is a wedding planning and coordination service. They provide 3 main packages ranging from Month of Coordination to Full-Service planning but don’t strictly stick to those. Every bride is unique in their own way, and they want to make sure they provide unique service. To make sure each bride gets exactly what they need and are looking for in a planner, they can customize something special for you and your big day!

W ATSON W EDDINGS.CO

W EDDINGS BY SHAUNA

weddingsbyshauna@gmail.com

Weddings by Shauna specializes in translating your vision of your wedding day into a magical reality! Their company was born out of a desire to cater to couples who want a highly personalized, upscale, and unique wedding planning experience. They will be there every step of the way to help you choose the right vendors, work closely with those vendors and assist you with design, details, timelines, and the creation of exclusive touches for your wedding! Weddings by Shauna truly believes that it is not just how your wedding looks….it is how your wedding feels! It is their belief that from the first meeting to your wedding day, your experience should be creative, fun, and stress-free!