Life and wedding season is in full swing for us and wow have we been busy. So today we decided to take the afternoon off, we still have a few meetings but until then we are enjoying a day at the races!
Andrew has been the most supportive husband can ever ask for!! As you can see he also has a great sense of humor. Always Planned could not exist without his ability to “understand” when I have to work until 2am, have weddings, events and meetings most every weekend and especially that he understands my need to be plan most everything in our lives. 
About Andrew –
1. Where are you from/background? I am originally from Frankfort, KY but moved to Lexington after attending the University of Kentucky.
2. What is your favorite …. place to shop, food, drink, etc.? Food: just about anything, Drink: Kool-aid, Shop: uh, I don’t shop.
3. When did you start with Always Planned? Right about the time that Rayna said “Hey honey, what do you think about this idea…”
4. How did you meet Rayna? She took my breath away.
5. What is your specialty at events/weddings? Technically I’m the web designer, but I think I’ve also inherited the title of “muscle”.
6. Favorite part of weddings? The cake.
7. Most memorable wedding? Our own — couldn’t have been better.
8. Best part of Team AP? Everybody has a lot of fun putting together a great event.
9. Where do you fit in in the Future of AP? I might start hosting poker games for the grooms while the ladies go over the wedding plans.
So over the past couple of weeks I have had the pleasure of traveling with an amazing group of ladies. First we went to Chicago!! then we went to Indy!! and now I get to spill all of the dirt we dished about.
One of the things we chatted about was things we are so over. Because of this I have decided to dedicate a new blog series to just that- Over-it! I guess I have to give the following disclaimer: this is the opinion of some highly educated and sassy ladies and is only our opinion. You may disagree- and that is completely ok, please keep in mind that there are some situations where a few of these things are ok. This is rare, but it does happen.
Over-it!!
Seating charts! Why? With large parties it can just cause even more confusion and people will sit wherever they want by the end of the night anyway.
Bubbles! I know- this one is crazy… how can we be over bubbles!! Well to start they are messy and it is extremely hard to get people to blow them at the same time…
Traditional Receptions! Add some spice, flavor and personality. Make your event memorable!! Some traditions are great and we love a little tradition but….
So you see where we are going with this? Like I said in some cases these things are ok and will work out great! What are you over??
My darling husband and I go to brunch almost every Sunday morning. It has become a wonderful tradition that I adore. Most of the time we meet up with friends at Cracker Barrel – who can resist their french toast?? Other times we look for new places or at least someplace new to us. Yesterday Andrew and I headed off to the Holly Hill Inn. While this fabulous place is not so new, we had never been there and had to give it a try. WOW! The atmosphere was so relaxing and romantic the staff very attentive and the food totally delish. Here are the details of our meal:
Brunch is served both Saturday and Sunday 11:00am-2:00pm and reservations are suggested. Brunch consists of 3 yummy courses! The menu is listed on their site, but had changed just a bit for our visit.
1st course: Andrew had Orange Brulee and I had the Pineapple Brulee. Super-yum! A small serving (but satisfying) of each while I enjoyed a cup of coffee.
2nd course: Andrew decided on the Waterwork Omlet with local eggs, KY sausage, peppers onions and white chedder cheese. He raved and raved!! I had one of the specials – an omlet with fresh tomatoes, basil and cheese. It tasted so healthy and nutritious. Our sides were their hasbrown casserole and grilled veggie medley. Everything was so very tastey.
3rd course: My favorite course of any meal! Dessert!! Andrew ordered the apple crisp and I choose the bread pudding. Both were fantastic!! I have to admit that I recently became a bread pudding fan after my deluxe tasting with Shaun’s Custom Catering and now I am addicted….
We were so excited to be there that we did not think to take pictures of this fabulous meal… guess we have to go back. What a shame.
On a side note- Holly Hill Inn is also a venue! YEAH! Perfect for company gatherings, intimate dinners, weddings, rehearsal dinners and event wedding and baby showers. I think I see the 2009 AP holiday event happening in one of their lovely rooms.
They also host a wide variety of events throughout the year. Wine tastings and holiday brunches fill up fast so make reservations early. Just another reason to add it to our Love-it! file.
Your fabulous wedding would not be as fabulous if your caterer showed up late, your photographer was hungry and grumpy or your band showed up unprepared. You have worked very hard to make sure you selected the perfect vendors for your style and budget. The most important thing you can do for your vendors is treat them with respect. Here are some simple guidelines we live by when it comes to vendors. If you do not have a bridal consultant or wedding planner then delegate someone to handle all of the needs your vendor may have.
- Feed your vendors. While it is not necessary to feed them the $60pp filet or salmon it is standard to provide food for your vendors. Also, be sure to provide drinks for your vendors (no alcohol necessary, but water, tea or soda is nice).
- Talk with your vendors. Your wedding takes months to plan, and sometimes years. Having the right vendors makes all of the difference, but you still have to inform your vendors. Make a list of songs to play, photos to capture and serving rules. You get the idea.
- Gift your vendors. This may sound like a crazy idea- but why not include your vendor in the festivities. Wedding vendors sometimes have 40-50 weddings a year, make yours standout by giving your vendor the same favor given to your guests or if there is a vendor you have make a connection with be sure to show it. As a vendor I can say that even the smallest gifts mean so much. One of my favorite brides gave me a beautiful broach that matched her dress- I will always treasure it.
- Thank your vendors. Be sure to send a Thank You note to your vendors. I know that as a new bride you have so many people to thank, but everyone raved about the cake, the DJ, the organization of your bridal consultant, etc it is only standard to send a handwritten thank you note.
There you have it. Seriously it takes so little to say “Thank You” to your vendors and trust me- they appreciate it and it will show during your event.
Of course the best compliment is a referral. Wedding and event vendors thrive on word of mouth advertising and sometimes it is the only form of advertising they have. That’s why I am adding this to my Love-It!! folder.
Want to know the best way to say “thank you”?…. Referrals!
We work very hard to make sure you, your bridal party, your family and your guests have the very best experience when it comes to your wedding. While we love to hear all of the praise at the end of the night (and we really do appreciate it-I promise!!), there is something a little more rewarding about an actual referral. When a potential client calls and says “so and so referred me”, well it just brings a sweet flutter to my heart. I know- how corny!! But it’s so true.
You may be a vendor, a client, a potential client or just someone who reads this blog. Whoever you are and wherever you are (oh, did I mention we travel?) always know that we love referrals and we would love to refer to you as well. Just send us your info and we will gladly refer to you too.
It is hard to believe that 2008 will be over in 4 months. While we are already booking for the 2009 season we still have several weddings left in 2008. Just wanted to send a CONGRATS! out to all of my Fall ’08 Couples!
September 19 – Danielle and Kris
October 10 – Mary and Billy
October 17 – Nycole and Byers
November 15 – Lyndsay and Eric
We still have a couple of dates available for 2008. To guarantee excellent service we only do one wedding per weekend and no more than 3 per month. Please contact Always Planned today for your complimentary consultation.