Details are key to wedding plans

It’s all

Wedding planners offer advice on pulling off the perfect day IN THEdetails

by Sandra Landen Machaj

CORRESPONDENT

Once the marriage proposal has been made, the engagement ring has been firmly placed on the bride-to-be’s finger and family and friends have been notified of the engagement, it is time to plan the wedding.

While it is a fun and exciting time to bring the wedding of the bride’s dreams to reality, it is also a difficult job to pull everything together for that perfect wedding day. There are so many details to remember that it is not surprising that what should be a fun and exciting time often becomes a stressful event for the couple.

While the obvious items are easily remembered, the dress, the tux, the venue, the caterer, and the DJ or band, the less obvious items are often forgotten until it may be too late to secure them in time for the wedding. To help walk the couple through this maze that will end

To have a beautiful table setting requires attention to details. This colorful display of flowers brings in the colors of the blue glasses and plates, while the pear on the plates reflects the apricot color of the flowers. Teamed with multi-level candles and gold flatware, the table, designed by wedding planner Kelli Kunes, is stunning.

with a day dreams are made of, the help of a wedding planner may be just what is needed to make certain that every detail is in its proper place.

Weddings today are very different from those of years past. Styles range from formal to themed events, such as a Disney wedding, to the currently popular barn weddings – some with a barbecue or country flair.

Wedding planners offer a variety of services from initial planning through the day itself. Usually, they are the first persons to arrive at the venue on the day of the ceremony and the last to leave at night once they are certain that everything has been completed. Costs and considerations

The cost of hiring a wedding planner should be considered in the total wedding budget. Costs can range from as little as $500 for small event to upwards of $2,500 for total wedding planning. In most cases, however, the money will be well-spent, as the wedding planner will save the couple time and frustration.

A wedding planner can lead couples to responsible vendors and be certain that everything is ordered in plenty of time for the event so there is no surprise the day of the wedding.

Before hiring a wedding planner couples are advised to sit down and think about their needs. If it is a wedding with many details, hiring a wedding planner to help you develop a timeline and perhaps to handle certain or all aspects of the wedding might be what is needed. For others they may just need help with day of the event activities or just early planning. The number of services required will determine the cost.

If it is time to plan a wedding and it seems overwhelming, a consultation with a wedding planner will help couples decide how much assistance will be needed and how to time the planning. With many weddings postponed to this year because of the pandemic, some couples have had to plan their weddings twice. This year, venues are very busy as they absorb last year’s delayed weddings as well as those originally planned for this year. Bookings for next year are also filling up quickly.

Many venues have what is known as a wedding coordinator or banquet manager working with you but they differ from a wedding planner. The wedding planner is hired separate from the venue and works with all the details leading up to the day and oversees the day of the event.

The wedding coordinator from the venue generally works with the bridal couple on things that the venue is providing. Often their team may leave once the dinner is completed. Most wedding planners stay until the event is complete.

Couples are advised to meet with a wedding planner before hiring to be sure that your personalities and visions complement each other. For the next year or so a wedding planner will become a friend and confidant as you work together to design your dream wedding.

Spirit magazine spoke to two area wedding planners about their services and advice for couples about to take the plunge.

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One way to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors without worries about rain is a structure such as this. A wedding planner will make all the arrangements needed to provide the equipment and services that fulfill the wedding couple’s wishes.

COURTESY OF SIMPLY DETAILED Spirit of Geneva Lakes

Simply Detailed

Kelly Kunes, Owner simplydetailedwedding.com 262-749-4065

Mother-daughter team Debbie and Kelli Kunes, owners of Simply Detailed, are experienced in organizing large events. Coming from a large family, they know every party requires a large amount of planning and coordination.

Kelli said that although she had much help planning her own

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wedding, she realized how much work was involved and recognized the need for wedding planners to assist the bride.

“It became obvious that it was important to take some of the stress off the bride so that planning the wedding was as enjoyable as the day itself,” Kelli said. “Most bridal couples don’t want to have to set up and take down decorations the day of their wedding. They will enjoy having someone they know and trust completing those tasks while they are able to sit and visit with family and friends.”

Simply Detailed has had experience with wedding planning in a variety of venues in the Geneva Lakes area.

“Whether we are planning a wedding at one of the in-town venues such as Lake Lawn, the Abbey, Stone Manor, the Country Club or in a tent on the grounds of a private lake estate, we are aware of what works best in each venue and will work with the couple to see that their vision is carried through, whichever venue is used,” Kelli said.

She recommends starting the search for the venue at least a year to a year-and-a-half before the event.

“We prefer to start working with the couple as soon as they decide to marry. We will help them find a venue that meets their style and budget, and set up a timeline for everything that needs to be considered and ordered, especially blocking in key vendors.”

They will meet to share design ideas including the overall aesthetic of the event, type and design of cake, color and type of chairs, flowers for the wedding party and for the venue, colors to be used in the décor and things such as linens. They will even deal with details such as sending napkins out to be embroidered if desired.

“Having worked with many of the vendors, we can often get the couple discounts which will help them stretch their budgets. “

On the day of the event, timing is often the most important thing, according to Kelli.

“We are there to be certain that everyone finds the ceremony site if it is at the venue and to get them to their seats in time,” she said. “The photos of the bridal party preparing for the day must be scheduled and allowed ample time; timing of arrival at the venue along with the rental of limousines if needed; keeping the DJ on schedule to announce arrival of the bride and groom and to be certain that the special dances are on the musicians’ lists; cake cutting, speeches and other activities must also be worked into the schedule to keep the party going smoothly.

“And, as we said before, we will be the last to leave, certain that everything is in order.

“Hiring a wedding planner for your wedding is one of the most important things you can do to ensure a wedding that is just as you dream it will be.” Everlasting Details 5700 312th Avenue • Salem, WI www.everlastingdetails.com 262-497-3112

A romantic and very dramatic way to arrive at your wedding venue is in a boat lined with beautiful flowers while guests observe from the shore.

KRISTINE LORRAINE PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF SIMPLY DETAILED Spirit of Geneva Lakes

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Details in 2016 just a year after her own wedding when she realized the stress of pulling together all the details of a wedding by herself.

While everyone has specific ideas about their wedding, many do not know how to find and organize everything needed to bring that vision to reality.

Rebekah began with a brick-and-mortar store in space that she rented on the grounds of Stein Farms, in Salem, where her wedding was held.

“I have a large collection of décor items, linens, china, and flatware that can be rented to get the look that the couple wants,” she said. “Seeing the pieces in person makes it easier for some brides to make their choices rather than looking at catalogues.

“Stein Farms is my home venue and most of the weddings I provide the services of wedding planner are held here. And while I do provide wedding planner services to brides planning to use this venue, I do not work for the venue as a wedding planner, just for the bridal couple.”

She does however work for Stein Farms giving tours to prospective brides of the facilities and does provide information about her services but they are free to choose another wedding planner or none at all and do the planning themselves.

“We begin to plan the wedding as soon as they sign the contract with us,” Rebekah said. “It can never be too soon to start collecting the couple’s ideas on how they expect their special day to work. Many brides are very busy at this time of their lives. Some may be just finishing school out of state making it difficult to look for all the items needed for the wedding.

“Having a wedding planner who starts with a timeline and keeps the couple on track is needed.”

There are various plans to choose from when hiring a wedding planner. The budget and the amount of help needed will help determine whether the couple just needs minimal help – such as organizing the guest list which includes sending out invitations, communicating guest counts to vendors and arranging out of town guest accommodations and transportation and other services – or do they prefer to have full day of the event coordination.

“We will meet with the couple and help them determine how to best be certain that their wedding is perfect,” Rebekah said.

“Day-of coordination is really more involved than the name sounds. We will begin planning for the day several months in advance,” she explained. “This service includes the rehearsal as well as the day of the service where every movement and event are tracked to make sure that everything happens as needed and no one forgets anything.

“A detailed day of service timeline will be created together. I will keep the flow of the guests moving through each phase of the wedding. Rehearsal is not limited to just one run-through but can be repeated as needed until everyone knows when to walk and when to pause and are comfortable with their role.”

A wedding planner can also do the complete wedding planning starting with working with the couple to find a venue and every little step needed from there until the culmination of the important day. In addition to the packages offered by Everlasting Details, custom packages can be created to meet the needs of the individual bridal couple.

“The important thing is that the wedding day be as beautiful and perfect as the couple dreams of,” Rebekah said. “The most rewarding is receiving feedback from the couple that reflects their happiness with their wedding day.”

from top: Outdoor weddings are popular in the summertime. Many venues, including this one, create a beautiful backdrop for the ceremony; A wedding planner is always ready to provide whatever service is needed to keep the wedding on pace. Here Rebekah Schmidt, of Everlasting Details, places a young ring bearer in a wagon to get him ready for the ceremony.