Real Wedding: Tyler & Rachel

Audra Bechtel May 16, 2018

There are two things that we will always remember about Rachel and Tyler's June wedding: all of the rain and all of the most thought out details! Rachel created the perfect atmosphere for her wedding with antique dishes at every place setting, beautiful greenery and light pink peonies from My Simple Soirée and a cozy sitting area with vintage couches and settees from Maeve Vintage. All of Rachel's hard work and attention to detail did not go unnoticed as guests were forced to stay inside as it poured the entire day. Rain on your big day? No problem! It didn't even phase these two. Bekah Taylor did an amazing job capturing their big day and we love those romantic shots out in the rain! Rachel and Tyler were so incredibly sweet to work with and were so genuinely excited to be marrying each other. Those are the best people! Thank you, Rachel and Tyler, for trusting us with your big day!

"Words cannot describe how amazing you all were from day one that we called to book our wedding, all the way through Tyler and I saying "I Do." It was absolutely everything we could of imagined. It was seamless, beautiful, elegant and overall perfect! Your team helped make it all possible and there are no words to truly show just how grateful and appreciative we are. We cannot thank you enough and will continue to share with family and friends for eternity just how fabulous you are!" - Rachel & Tyler

Stress Free Wedding Planning

Audra Bechtel April 25, 2018

Do you know what we want for every couple (as well as their family and friends) on their wedding day? To feel as relaxed as our beautiful bride Lydia does up there! We truly believe that wedding planning does not have to be as difficult or stressful as what some may say. Our most successful weddings and happiest couples are those who have the most stress free day. We want to help you to make the entire process, from start to finish, stress free! Want to know how? Here are a few tried and true tips we have:

HIRE THE RIGHT VENDORS (AND TRUST THEM!)

Honestly, we can't stress this one enough! Your wedding day and experience will definitely be shaped by the vendors you choose. Investing in the best vendors (DJ, photographer, florist, planner, etc.) will make for a stress free wedding day as long as you trust them. The right DJ will understand what you want out of a reception and will keep your guests having the best time. The right photographer will keep everyone smiling and laughing all day and night as well as making you feel at ease in front of the camera. The right florist will set everything up that day so all you have to do is show up (and can also save you so much money on decorations). The right planner will take away the stress of handling any little thing that may end up happening. When you hire vendors you trust, you (and your family and friends) do not have to be here when they arrive to oversee their set up and it will give you the best value for what you spend. The right vendors are worth every penny!

REMEMBER THE REASON FOR THE DAY

Your wedding day should be a day of celebrating your love and commitment to each other. If the stress of planning becomes too much, ask yourself when you look back to your day what will matter the most? Continue to remind yourself of why you are getting married and hopefully some of the stress will fade away. Again, you want to spend the day celebrating YOU, not running around trying to get everything done.

KNOW YOUR LIMITS

This applies to a lot of different aspects of wedding planning, such as budget and personal time and energy. Making, and sticking to, a budget will help alleviate unnecessary stress by forcing you to make the right decisions for your wedding. Again, ask yourself what truly matters to you and focus the biggest chunks of your budget on those parts. Thinking of doing a lot of DIY for your wedding? That's great! Just keep in mind that a lot of DIY means a lot of time and energy to create said DIY pieces and then organizing to set everything up. Before committing, know how much time and energy you really have to spend towards this. Again, there are so many limits when it comes to your wedding day. Make a list of all of the ways you could be pushing the limits (budget, personal, policies, guest count, spatial needs, etc.) and come up with ways to avoid pushing them too far.

EDUCATE YOURSELF, ASK QUESTIONS AND KEEP EVERYONE INFORMED

We can't stress how important contracts are! It will save you a lot of time and stress if you read through every contract carefully prior to booking, and throughout the process. Know what each vendor does and does not allow. If you are concerned or confused by something, ask questions! The best way to feel better about the planning process is to ask questions. We can't tell you how much better people feel after their final meeting when all of the questions have been asked and all details have been discussed. I think all wedding professionals can agree that more questions asked are better than none. Additionally, if there are major changes to your wedding (a much higher guest count, timing changes, etc.) let the necessary vendors know immediately! A lot of behind the scenes work goes on with each vendor and changes you may think are insignificant may actually really affect each vendor. Keep us all in the loop!

We want you to have the best day ever! Let us help you make your day (and planning process) stress free!

Favorite Spots Around The Old Bag Factory

Audra Bechtel March 21, 2018

Happy Spring! This winter seemed to drag on, yet it's also hard to believe that it's already the middle of March! To celebrate the arrival of spring, we thought that we should share with you some of our favorite spots around the Old Bag Factory area to take pictures. We are often asked where spots are outside to take pictures, so here are a few of our favorites... no matter what time of year! For more, feel free to check out our Pinterest page dedicated to great spots around the building for pictures.