Blog Archives

October162017NOCOMMENTS

Six Keys to Avoiding Wedding Day Color Mistakes

It’s not the biggest decision you’ll make in wedding planning, you’ve already said yes… but, picking colors is near the top!

Ribbons of multiple colors with similar hues hung for the ceremony backdrop make the couples neutral colors stand out beautifully.

Deciding on a color palette is a pivotal step which will influence all aspects of your wedding. You’ll be eating, breathing, living these colors for the months of wedding planning, and for the years afterwards as you enjoy your wedding photos.

How can you make color decisions confidently, so your choices stand the test of the time, please the eye (yours and most of your guests, anyway), and contribute to a cohesive reflection of your personal aesthetic?

We’ve listed a few common mistakes, and their remedies. As you consider your color choices, let these tips guide you.

Mistake: Not communicating colors accurately

Remedy: Collect and share swatches. One person’s lilac is another person’s lavender; one person’s fuchsia is another person’s magenta. Eliminate the ambiguity by collecting swatches from magazines and paint stores. Viewing palettes for home decor as well as weddings can help you nail down your shades, and identifying the Pantone color will be helpful for graphic artists, and even some cake decorators.

Mistake: Overlooking the venue colors

Especially for outdoor wedding venues the color of the venue play a big role in choosing your colors.

Remedy: Choose a priority. While most venues generally make an effort to be neutral, they’ll still have a palette which will inform the look of your wedding. If you’re absolutely committed to a color selection, make sure you choose a venue where that selection will shine. Alternately, if you’ve found a venue you love, let its palette inform your own. Perhaps your heart was set on a deep, true purple but the venue is dominated by dark woods and dark colors. Maybe you need to shift to a dusty lilac. Or you may have found a historic ballroom with pastel yellow walls: your vivid orange might need to shift to coral.

Mistake: Overdoing it with too many colors

Simple and clean will make the subtlest color pop.

Remedy: Narrow it down. A simple palette is more striking. You can choose a single color for a bold statement, like pure white or lush lilac. More likely, you’ll want two, three or even four colors. Choose one as the predominant color, and the others will serve as accents. By sticking to your selection, you’ll get a cohesive, unified look. If that feels a little too rigid or formal, you can vary shades of the same color for more depth and variety.

Mistake: Embracing a two-color limit

Remedy: Loosen up! The strict two-color palette used to be de rigueur, and like many rules, there’s a time to break it. When colors really work together, you can embrace up to five of them with success. How to make a bigger palette work? Include two neutrals to keep it grounded, like brown and cream or gray and white. Embracing a bigger palette helps pull off a more thematic expression, echoing an English country garden or a winter ice palace.

Mistake: Competing colors

The flowers. Let your use of color dictate what you want your guests to notice.

Remedy: Choose one to dominate. When you choose your colors, select one to seize the stage. If your focal color is bright, the secondary colors should be muted. If your focal color is muted, you can have one, possibly two, bright supporting colors. Contrast in tone is essential to give the eye a chance to rest, and to ensure your decor is pleasing, not distracting.

Mistake: Neglecting texture

Remedy: Capitalize on texture similarities or differences. First, you can mix textures in a single hue for drama and depth. A thoughtful blend of shiny, matte, and woven-in texture like stripes or jacquard can be understated yet beautiful. You can also consider stripes or florals to express your color theme without being overwhelming. Make sure the textures make sense together: typically you wouldn’t combine burlap with satin, or seersucker with metallic, because they speak to different aesthetic themes.

To further simplify your planning process, consider working with an experienced venue like The Gardens of Castle Rock that understands how wedding color palettes interact with natural landscapes based off season, and decor trends. By aligning your color choices with your venue and the time of year, you’ll create a visually appealing wedding that photographs beautifully and feels intentional from ceremony to reception.

Don’t under estimate the colors of the venue, especially outdoor/garden venues. Spring, summer, winter or fall… the season will impact the look and feel of any color you choose. The Gardens of Castle Rock helps with colors by capturing thousands of images and sharing them organized by the month of the year. The greens of spring are much different than the greens of summer. Contact an event coordinator as The Gardens to begin planning the most beautiful wedding ever… yours!! Email us at info@thegardensofcastlerock.com or call us at 651-264-9510

September252017NOCOMMENTS

Glenn Switzer

The Gardens, Wedding Planning

What an experience! ~ Millennial Wedding Trends

Millennial Wedding Trends

What an experience… Share, wear and care! Cool trends

Hanging mason jars are the perfect touch to the Lath House rustic wedding ceremony site. The Gardens of Castle Rock

Millennials: they’re trend setters, and they’re in the prime marrying age, ranging from 18- to 34. What are they favoring this year in wedding trends?

A wedding and relationship survey of 800 Millennials by youth marketing and research company Ypulse revealed popular trends. Here are our favorite nine items out of their top 20.

Hashtags

Hashtags have completely taken the place of the disposable-camera-on-every-table trend of the last century. Brides and grooms select a hashtag and share it at the wedding–on signs, temporary tattoos, napkins, favors and backdrops. Guests tag their best pix so everyone can share and enjoy them. Struggling to choose your hashtag? Enter your info in an online generator which will propose ideas, then check your favorites to make sure they’re not over-used. First and last names, wedding venues, puns, and dates are all fair game.

Social Media

Social media is deeply integrated into the wedding world, from Pinterest for decor ideas to Facebook Live to stream the ceremony for the absent. Some couples hire social media consultants/content creators to post to their personal Instagram or Tik Tok accounts for the run-up and for the big day. The content creator may take charge of posting on the big day, so it’s easier for guests to let go of their phones for a few hours.

Content creators can act as a more budget friendly option to a professional videographer. Content creators capture all the in-between moments while some incorporate current social media trends to make it fun and engaging. They will even put together small video clips or quickly edit photos from your big day, so you’re able to share on your personal social media pages while you wait for your professional photos to be delivered from your photographer.

Mason Jars

Mason jars – they’re here to stay! They’re eminently versatile, and will enjoy a lifetime of practical re-use after the wedding. Hanging or on tables, for flowers or candles, they make great decor. They also serve up cocktails, individual pies or desserts, composed appetizers and party favors.

Colorful Bridal Gowns

Colorful bridal gowns reflect the modern trend to let personal style trump tradition. While white is still hugely popular, beautiful wedding dresses in ombre gradations, floral prints, jewel tones, and even rainbows are gliding down the aisle.

Absolutely fun wedding dress… love the color! The Gardens of Castle Rock

Mismatched Bridesmaid Dresses

Mismatched bridesmaid dresses allow the diverse personalities and styles of the wedding party to shine. The flexibility and versatility makes each bridesmaid look and feel her best. Tips: for a unified appearance, either style, shade, or fabric should be the same. An ombre effect among dresses is attractive. Also, make sure the mood of the dresses reflects the venue–what looks great in a barn might bomb in a ballroom.

Wedding Cake Alternatives

Wedding cake alternatives are bigger every year. While cupcakes were the first foray into alternatives, the sky is now the limit. Pies, mini-pies, sundae bars, macaroons, eclair assortments, mini cakes, mini bundt cakes, cheesecakes, mini tart and pastry assortments, ice cream cakes, and donuts are all options. There’s also the spectacular croquembouche, a stunning tower of cream puffs encased in ribbons of hard caramel in the French tradition.

Honeymoon Registries

Honeymoon registries are a great alternative to gift registries, especially for older couples who’ve established complete households already. Online registries enable guests to easily give gift cards for airlines or hotels. Most sites allow you to specify gifts such as sightseeing tours or breakfast in bed.

Donations to Charity

Donations to charity are a popular way to harness that lovin’ feeling for good. Some couples are eschewing favors and making a charitable donation instead; others are inviting guests to donate to a favorite charity in lieu of giving a gift.

Bridesmen and Groomsladies

Groomsladies and Bridesmen reflect the diverse meaningful relationships treasured by the bride and groom. BFFs can be any gender, so more and more weddings are featuring attendants of both genders on both sides of the aisle.

The VW bus is home to The Blue Goose Photo Booth. The Gardens of Castle Rock

Photo Booths

Photo booths are huge crowd-pleasers. While it’s simplest to hire a professional, a DIY photo booth is easy: set up a background with good lighting, gather fun and festive props, and let guests take their own pictures. You can even provide a Polaroid-style camera or a photo printer to make instant souvenirs.

No matter what your idea is for the perfect wedding The Gardens is here to let your personality guide your wedding day… We’ll assist in facilitating all the little and big detail that will make your wedding your wedding. DM us now to get started!

August72017NOCOMMENTS

Glenn Switzer

The Gardens, Wedding Planning

Avoiding Wedding Drama

It’s no surprise they generate a little drama: they’re a big deal!

Weddings are enormous, landmark, life-changing events. They’re an elaborate celebration of the merging of two families and of two individuals as they make a life-long commitment. It’s no surprise they generate a little drama: they’re a big deal!

You can divide the drama into three chronological categories: the lead-up; the big day; the after game dynamics. Mastering the lead-up drama can help minimize the wedding day and post-wedding drama. We’ve helped many couples tie the knot, so we’ve learned a few tips to share:

Take time for yourself. Practice self-care by eating well, exercising, and remembering that there is a future beyond your wedding day. Don’t get so caught up in the planning that nothing else matters
Take time as a couple. Schedule romantic dates in which wedding planning topics are totally off limits.
Recognize you can’t change people and you can’t please everyone. Don’t let people make you the unwilling referee or the bad guy. Pick your battles.
Remember that a big event like this brings up all kinds of issues in loved ones, and most conflicts are really about deeper issues. Parents may be reliving their own hopes and disappointments. A sense of loss may be triggered in the widowed, the divorced, the single, the unhappily married. Past hurts may surface, veiled as conflicts about wedding matters.
Embrace your sovereignty. You aren’t obligated to invite people who will misbehave, and you don’t have to follow traditions. If the bride doesn’t want to be “given away,” that’s a valid choice.
Try to resolve conflicts while they’re fresh and small.
Never be afraid to ask questions… your vendors are there for you.
Be an example of grace and generosity: hopefully you’re friends and family will be inspired to emulate you.
Establish unity as a couple on decisions before involving others in the planning process.
Don’t share details about your wedding decisions with people who will try to talk you out of them.

Let go… Once your planning is complete and the big day is here, you’re the only one who knows every detail. Let go of the small stuff and enjoy how your day unfolds.
Enlist a wise and close friend for ongoing emotional support.
Keep your sense of humor alive.
Stuff happens… Keys get locked in cars, rings are forgotten in the dressing room, the grand march song gets played for the prelude… it all becomes part of the story, your guests will play off of your emotions. Enjoy and have fun with the bloopers.
Ditch your phone on the big day.
Insert a micro-honeymoon into the wedding day: schedule an interlude after the vows for the bride and groom to be together, alone, and really savor the weight and the joy of what they’ve just done.
Above all… be present in the moment! Savor everything about your day!

The wedding venue you choose can go along way in minimizing the drama. Venues that can host the ceremony and reception eliminate the stress involved and time lost with extra travel. A venues ability to work seamlessly with other vendors is paramount to a successful event.

One of the most effective ways to sidestep wedding day tension is to build a clear, shared timeline with your vendors and any key participants well in advance. When everyone knows where they need to be and when they need to be there it dramatically reduces last-minute confusion and finger-pointing. Designate a point-person like a day-of coordinator, to handle questions and small issues so they don’t reach you. This will allow you to stay focused on what truly matters, celebrating your love and being fully present with the people who came to support you.

The Gardens offers the flexibility for you to plan and execute a wedding that is of your design and comfort. “Glenn, Michelle, Deb, and team were so amazing and helpful with any questions I had and always instilled a sense of calmness in me.” said Stephanie about her recent wedding at The Gardens. The Gardens would love the opportunity to help you minimize the drama and create a wonderful experience for your whole wedding. Email The Gardens today or call 651-264-9510

August72017NOCOMMENTS

Glenn Switzer

The Gardens, Wedding Decor, Wedding Planning

Create a Wedding that Reflects You as a Couple

Express yourselves as a couple!

Your wedding might be the biggest party you ever throw, and it’s a great opportunity to express yourselves as a couple. No doubt the two of you share a passion for something wonderful, whether it’s a sport, a hobby or a profession. You can make that passion a central theme of your wedding.

Some couples exchange vows while running a marathon, SCUBA diving or sky diving, which is a ton of fun but tends to limit the guest list. Other couples bring their passion into the wedding ceremony and reception, relying on it to inform the theme of the event.

Is there something that brought the two of you together to start with? Maybe you met at a photography exhibit, a soccer game, or a kayaking meet-up. Do you devote your free time to classic films, volunteering at the Humane Society, or wine tasting? Do you share a passion for sci-fi, square-dancing or scrabble? Maybe there’s a book, a film, or a city you both love. Consider what passions and past-times you share and consider reflecting it in your wedding.

For example, a couple who loves to go hunting together can embrace the camo theme. Yes, it’s possible to buy a camo wedding dress–Google it and find out! If fishing is more your speed, get married in waders, and have centerpieces inspired by hand-tied flies.

Perhaps your first vacation together was to Paris, or it’s your dream honeymoon destination. Let the French city of light inspire your outfits and your decor, with cafe-style seating, beautiful patisseries, and Eiffel tower invitations and decor. Don’t forget Edith Piaf and accordion music!

Was your first date at a tiki bar? A tiki-themed wedding is guaranteed fun, with tiki torches, bright colors, luscious pupu platters and a miniature umbrella in every mai tai.
Do you love golfing together? Think green and white for a color scheme, with a 19th hole serving Arnold Palmers and a white wedding cake dimpled like a golf ball.

One couple who works from home decided on a pajama wedding. Since they both spend the better part of their days in PJ’s, they invited guests to play along and wear pajamas to the ceremony.

If you share an obsession with a favorite movie, draw your theme from it. Whether it’s Star Wars, Casablanca or Gone with the Wind, you’ll have fun choosing gowns, suits, decor, music, food and drink to share your passion with family and friends.

A couple devoted to travel can incorporate maps, luggage tags and vintage suitcases into the decor. A couple infatuated with photography can make centerpieces out of vintage cameras and use black-and-white prints as placemats. Minnesota Vikings season ticket-holders can rely on purple and gold for their colors, and serve hot dogs, pretzels and beer.

Interactive guest experiences are also on trend, such as audio guest books where guest can leave a message for the couple to listen to later. Live artists such as live wedding painters or fashion illustrators can caption a specific moment in time for you or your guests to remember your wedding day. Bringing in late-night food that reflets your cultural roots or hometown favorites can make your wedding day feel unique and authentically you.

The bottom line: it’s YOUR wedding, make it your own! Creating a celebration that truly represents who you are together rather than what a wedding is “supposed” to be will make it that much more memorable for you as well as your guests. If you exchange vows wearing waders, you know you’ll make a long-lasting impression.

To begin planning your perfect wedding that is a direct reflection of who you are as a couple email The Gardens or just pick up the phone and give us a call…. 651-264-9510

June262017NOCOMMENTS

Glenn Switzer

The Gardens, Wedding Planning

Hiring Wedding Vendors… Key Questions to Ask

The right vendors will make your wedding day perfect!

Couples visit with vendors at the Northfield Wedding Fair hosted by The Gardens of Castle Rock.

Your wedding is probably the biggest party you’ve ever thrown. A typical wedding relies on multiple vendors and has much more in common with a corporate event than a cocktail party, so you have to embrace the fact that you are now a project manager for a large, complicated and expensive project. If that’s not enough pressure, it’s also a project with many stakeholders and potentially significant emotional baggage.

Wedding fairs are a great way to meet several vendors all in one location.

Contributing to the complexity are the multiple moving parts–your various vendors. At minimum, most weddings rely on these: wedding planner, venue, caterer, officiant, photographer, florist, and DJ. Bonus vendors may range from bartenders to gown consultants to videographers to photo booths. Organizing a wedding is not for the faint of heart!

We’ve got some tips for you, but they’re just the tip of the ice berg. Here are some basics, but we suggest you consult the vast and very helpful resources online. Search “questions to ask wedding venue” and you’ll find lists with as many as a hundred questions! Scan the resources, articles and checklists on the web and consolidate a list of questions that reflects your needs. Each vendor will require questions specific to their services, but here are a few important questions that will apply to any vendor:

What’s your story? Why and how did you get into this business?
Are you available on our date?
Will you work with our venue?
Will you work with us according to our budget? Are you in our price range?
How long have you been in business?
How many weddings do you do each year?
What percentage or your business is weddings?
What’s your availability, during planning and on the day of?
Who is the wedding day point person, and how to I contact him/her?
Can you share recent references?
Can you share recent examples of your work?
What’s your cancellation policy?
What’s your payment structure?
Do you have liability insurance? (This will cover little surprises like injury due to falls or damage to rental items)
What’s your backup plan if you’re ill or indisposed at the last minute?
What’s your backup plan if the weather goes bad?
Do you charge travel and/or overtime fees?
What does your planning process look like?
What’s your preferred mode of communication?

Sampling at a wedding fair is just a sneak peek at what a vendor has to offer. Always schedule a full tasting with prospective vendors.

It’s also vital to embrace your role as a project manager. Arranging a wedding is like a second job, and should be treated like one. As you deal with a range of professionals, conducting yourself in a professional manner will get the best results. Be punctual and business-like at meetings and expect the same from your vendors. Presenting yourself in business or business-casual attire will convey a better impression than showing up to your first meeting in workout wear. It’s literally a job interview for the vendor, and you are the boss!

While it’s tempting to meet with a dozen competing vendors for each role, that’s sure to invite burnout. Limit yourself to three or four candidates. Hone your short list by getting recommendations from friends, giving extra credence to those who had recent events. Check the list of preferred vendors provided by your venue, and also the lists on other reputable venue sites. Check vendor websites and make a quick initial inquiry to verify that they’re in your budget, they are available on your date, and they will work with your venue.

Vendors have experience. Ask them questions and get specific advice for what you are planning.

When you meet, take chemistry into account. You’ll be working closely with these people on a very big day, perhaps under significant pressure: It’s important to feel some mutual connection. You have plenty of questions, and your vendor should be patient and gracious in responding to them. It’s vital that your communication styles are in sync.

After the meeting, take time to digest the experience. You don’t need to make a snap decision: most vendors will hold your date for two to seven days after the meeting. Consult your notes, compare your experience with the various candidates, and honor your gut instincts.

One thing to not overlook when hiring wedding vendors is confirming how well they collaborate with your other vendors you’ve booked. Seamless coordination between your venue, caterer, planner, and entertainment can make the difference between a smooth, stress-free wedding day and one filled with last-minute hiccups. Ask vendors if they’ve worked at your venue before or if they are willing to connect with the venue coordinator in advance to review logistics and any guidelines they may have. Vendors who prioritize communication and teamwork will help ensure your wedding day flows effortlessly from start to finish, allowing you to stay present and enjoy every moment.

In a future blog we’ll give you some ideas on where to find the perfect vendors for you wedding. Attending local wedding or bridal fairs is a great way to informally meet several vendors in one outing. The Gardens of Castle Rock hosts a wedding fair each Spring. You can always just contact us and we can provide recommendations from the numerous vendors who have provided services for events at The Gardens. The right vendors will make your wedding day perfect!

Photos by Anthologie

April262017NOCOMMENTS

Glenn Switzer

The Gardens, Wedding Planning

Imagine the Possibilities, Consider a Friday or Sunday Wedding

When choosing your wedding date, consider you and your wedding guests!

Saturday may be the big day for weddings, but Friday and Sunday are catching up in popularity. We’re here to catch you up on some of the pros to booking a Friday or Sunday Wedding.

Before we do that, check out this great video of S + T’s Sunday wedding. You’ll get an inside look to how lovely a Sunday wedding can be.

Availability

Popular wedding spots get booked up one or two years in advance on prime days, so couples often face the decision to either postpone their wedding or abandon their dream venue. Some services will be booked too, like your preferred DJ, caterer or photographer.

Choosing a Friday or Sunday wedding can open the door to experiencing your dream wedding venue at its very best. With more flexibility in scheduling, couples may receive extended rental hours and more personalized attention from venue staff. Off-peak dates can give you more opportunities to bring your vision to life and help secure the perfect setting while maximizing both value and availability.

Ashley and Kevin exchange vows in The Lath House during their lovely Friday wedding. Photo by: Type and Timber

Pricing

Saturday nights demand premium pricing, so you may be able to save money by booking on the off-peak days. Check with your venue for discounts, and be sure to check with your other vendors. Some vendors, like wedding planners, may not accept more than one job per weekend, but others may be happy to book two or three events per weekend. In any case, careful shopping may yield a savings of 15-20%.

Wedding Day and Life Schedules

Fridays and Sundays each lend themselves to a different kind of wedding party. Friday weddings will typically start late in the day, corresponding with the dinner hour, to accommodate guests who travelled or worked a part or full day on Friday. A Friday night wedding might skip the sit-down dinner in favor of cocktails and heavy appetizers, to emphasize the party atmosphere. Evening weddings are the perfect venue for elegant attire, so if that’s your style it’s a better choice than Sunday. If your heart is set on a raging dance party, nighttime is the right time.

Live music at cocktail hour is a perfect addition to any Friday or Sunday wedding. Photo By: Audrey Nicole Photography

“It sets the tone that your wedding is about the party,” Carley Roney, the editor in chief of The Knot, tells the New York Times. It also is significantly less kid friendly, so consider whether that’s the kind of party you want, or arrange an alternate kid activity.

Some brides and grooms appreciate that a Friday wedding gives them earlier access to the space for set-up and decorations. On a Saturday, you’ll seldom get more than a few hours in advance to set up, but some venues grant Thursday access for a Friday wedding.

This DIY tent reception was decorated by the wedding couple’s family!

A Friday evening wedding frees up the pre-wedding crunch. If the gathering doesn’t start until 6 or 7PM, the couple can enjoy a more relaxed day with their wedding party. It’s wonderful to not have to rush, and it’s important not to plan too much, so you’re not exhausted by the start of the ceremony. Book spa treatments and a nice lunch to build some leisure into the day.

Once the wedding is over, you can enjoy your guests, especially those from out of town, for the whole weekend.

A + D’s Sunday wedding allowed for fun upgrades like their amazing head table light installation. Photo by Empiria Studios

Sunday Brunch or Swaray?

Tia and Justin’s Sunday wedding was as sweet and relaxed as they are. Photo By: Erin Kathleen Photography

If a Friday night fête sounds too late and too much, how about Sunday? Follow a sit-down brunch with outdoor games for a family-friendly event. It needn’t be austere–mimosas, Bloody Marys, and spiked coffee can cultivate an atmosphere of celebration. However, if a teetotaling event suits you, a morning ceremony is perfect. With an early start, the official party can be over by four or five o’clock, and you can still rock an after-party and be in bed by eleven. Older guests and families with kids will be pleased.

Brunch isn’t the only option for a Sunday event. Even starting as late as 4PM allows six hours of festivities before 10PM rolls around.

A Sunday party allows extra time with out-of-town guests before the ceremony, and you can doubtless persuade some of them to take on helpful volunteer roles.

Travel

Out-of-town guests may find it easier to travel late on Friday or Saturday and take Monday off to travel home, and they may get better deals on airfare this way. Plus, lots of folks find it easier to take a Monday off than a Friday.

Opening your options to Friday or Sunday can have plenty of benefits. Be sure to check the calendar to verify whether it’s a holiday weekend, because that could impact price, availability and ease of travel.

A final smooch for the road for these two sweet brides! Guests from near and far were happy to join Blake and Shaylee for their wedding at The Gardens. Photo By: Courtney James Photography (CLJ Photography)

March262017NOCOMMENTS

Beautiful Minnesota Wedding on a Perfect October Day #TheGardenofCR #MNWedding #Wedding ~ Heather and Chris at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ The Minnesota Wedding and Event Center

Glenn Switzer

Real Wedding, The Gardens

Beautiful Minnesota Wedding on a Perfect October Day

Beautiful…. absolutely beautiful!

Heather and Chris’ October wedding at The Gardens of Castle Rock was a perfect celebration of love, family, and unforgettable moments.

Set in the stunning backdrop of fall at The Gardens, their special day featured ideal weather, vibrant fall colors, and an atmosphere filled with joy! The seasonal scenery created a picture-perfect setting for a romantic outdoor wedding ceremony on The Grand Promenade.

Thank you Heather and Chris for choosing The Gardens of Castle Rock as your wedding venue. We’re honored we got to be a part of your magical October fall wedding day!

Exchanging vows…. Beautiful Minnesota Wedding on a Perfect October Day ~ Heather and Chris at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ The Minnesota Wedding and Event Center

One big happy family…. time to celebrate!! Beautiful Minnesota Wedding on a Perfect October Day ~ Heather and Chris at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ The Minnesota Wedding and Event Center

Glorious fall colors on The Grand Promenade…. Beautiful Minnesota Wedding on a Perfect October Day ~ Heather and Chris at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ The Minnesota Wedding and Event Center

The Grand Promenade Ceremony Site is all ready to go…. The White Pergola on the Grand Promenade with Fall Decorations…. Beautiful Minnesota Wedding on a Perfect October Day ~ Heather and Chris at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ The Minnesota Wedding and Event Center

Beautiful Minnesota Wedding on a Perfect October Day ~ Heather and Chris at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ The Minnesota Wedding and Event Center

The amazing blue skies of a perfect fall day at The Gardens… Beautiful Minnesota Wedding on a Perfect October Day ~ Heather and Chris at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ The Minnesota Wedding and Event Center

There may be a chill in the air, but everyone’s heart are as warm as can be…. Beautiful Minnesota Wedding on a Perfect October Day ~ Heather and Chris at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ The Minnesota Wedding and Event Center

The kiss…. Beautiful Minnesota Wedding on a Perfect October Day ~ Heather and Chris at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ The Minnesota Wedding and Event Center

The reception tent…. Beautiful Minnesota Wedding on a Perfect October Day ~ Heather and Chris at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ The Minnesota Wedding and Event Center

Wedding Signage ~ here’s how the day is goin to go… Beautiful Minnesota Wedding on a Perfect October Day ~ Heather and Chris at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ The Minnesota Wedding and Event Center

Awesome fall wedding decor…. the entrance to the reception…. Beautiful Minnesota Wedding on a Perfect October Day ~ Heather and Chris at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ The Minnesota Wedding and Event Center

Nothings better than a big fire to enjoy on a awesome fall day… Beautiful Minnesota Wedding on a Perfect October Day ~ Heather and Chris at The Gardens of Castle Rock ~ The Minnesota Wedding and Event Center

March202017NOCOMMENTS

brianjohnson

The Gardens, Wedding Decor

Wedding Signage: An Essential Feature of Today’s Ceremony

Simple ideas for your wedding day signage to make your big day memorable…

Wedding signs are an essential feature of today’s ceremony. They help direct guests, explain options, and contribute to a cohesive decor. Signs can also play an enormous role in setting the mood. Start planning and executing your signs well in advance, and they’ll play a memorable role on your big day.

Wedding signage falls into a few categories. Some are highly practical, like seating assignments and directing guests to locations. Some primarily convey warmth and welcome. And in this Instagram age, there’s a growing category of signs whose main purpose is to enhance those photo ops.

Start by thinking about which practical signs will make the day unfold more easily for your guests. Remember, they’re not familiar with the venue and they’ll be much more relaxed if they have some help. You may want signs on nearby roads to help guests find the venue, parking signs, and a welcome sign to assure them they’re in the right place. Especially at large, sprawling or busy venues, some directional signs are helpful: which way to the ceremony, the bar, the dining area, the dance floor and the restrooms.

At the reception, you’ll want signs to explain seating assignments, or open seating. Think about signs for the bar explaining options, especially if you’re offering a signature cocktail. A menu sign is helpful as well, along with signs highlighting any options or goodies you are offering, like miniature bottles of bubbles or a candy buffet.

Once you’ve figured out your plan for practical signs, decide whether you want to add some fun signs to the mix. Lots of couples opt for a large hanging phrase or neon signs as a backdrop to the ceremony, with a warm slogan like “all you need is love” or “best day ever.”

You can also display signs telling your love story history. For example, a timeline designating “first date,” “first kiss,” “I love you,” “she said yes,” “committed forever.” Some couples like to honor absent guests with a sign and pictures.

Keep guests engaged by putting different signs on each table, perhaps with some fun history about your journey together. It’s also fun to offer some trivia about your guests to help break the ice. Signage stating “Eight of you know the bride from grad school,” or “two of you traveled over 4,000 miles to be here” pique interest and start conversations.

Nowadays, modern wedding signage can go beyond print. Consider incorporating QR codes that link to a shared photo gallery where guests can upload pictures and video to see your wedding through the eyes of your guests or a QR code to a paylist to request songs if your DJ allows.

Finally, consider whether you want some signs which are all about the photo op. Smaller handheld signs saying “Mrs.” and “Mr.,” “just married,” “forever” can be sweet elements in your portraits. Imagine a picture of the bride with all her attendants, each holding a sign explaining their connection to the bride: “2nd grade,” “Big Sister,” “Soccer Team.”

Now that you have a list of signs in mind–or better still, written down–you can consider the unlimited creative options to make them reflect your style and theme. We’ll cover this big and very fun topic in our next post.