Invitations Time :)

Happy Saturday!!

I know we all welcome the weekend and the rain we've had the past week!  

But just because it's been raining, doesn't mean any wedding planning has stopped!  How about a nice rainy day to help keep us inside, writing out the invitations for the big day! :) 

No one ever realizes how much it would cost to send out all of the invitations, until you're actually having to do it, and then all you want is something you can procrastinate with.  Whether that procrastination be your dog, or a good book, or even cooking!  But we all know it's something you're going to have to do eventually, and it's something you're not going to want to pay for.  So how about some ways to save a little bit, so it doesn't feel like such an inconvenience?

Don't look at just one place for your stationary.  Look around at many different places, including Costco and Kinkos.  You'd be surprised at the cute cards and envelopes they have!  The more places you look, the more options you have, and the more you know how little, or how much you will need to spend.  If you check into a place like this, and it's just not something you're wanting, keep looking!  But keep in mind a few things to stay away from.  

For instance, you don't want something that is going to be very large; most people think that as long as your letter doesn't weigh more than one ounce, you're set!  But that's not necessarily true, and usually your envelopes won't be less than an ounce anyway.  The size of your envelope makes a difference in the price.  A good rule of thumb that I learned from doing a little research, is if the length divided by the width is less than 1.3 or more than 2.5, you will be paying more.  Whether or not there is something sticking off of it and if it makes a bump in the envelope also has an effect.  All the cute little extras are cute, yes, but will end up costing you so much more in the end.  If you do them yourself, you have to buy a million little trinkets, then keep track of them, then glue them, then pay for those heavy, bumpy envelopes to be sent!  If you order them online and they have all the little extras, then you're paying someone else to do it; and everybody knows you'll pay more if someone else has to do the minuscule details.  You can make your invitations cute without having to add on a bunch of small items.  Get some cute stamps, cut and paste a couple of pictures on to the paper, and get creative!! 

Here is a beautiful, yet simple invitation a couple did themselves.

Another way to save a lot of money is not to have a separate card for your reception location.  Here at the Orion, we have a ceremony space along with the ballroom, so you don't need to go anywhere!  There would be no point in sending a separate invitation for the reception, when you can just say, "Reception to follow".  

Send you're RSVP in the same envelope as your invite or save the date, and save on extra shipping, and you don't have to worry about anything getting lost.  Look!  "Reception to Follow"!  No need for a extra envelopes!

Proofreading is something that you would think would be a no-brainer, but no body wants to send or receive an invite to your wedding, with something spelled wrong, especially their name.  And to go along with typos, order extra cards and envelopes.  I know you're thinking that this is a little bit contradictory, but in the end it will save you a lot of time, stress, and money.  You wouldn't have to be sitting there pulling out your hair or paying to have anything rushed to you, all you'd have to do is simply go get another one.  :)

Another simply beautiful invite.  Also keep in mind to order your 'Thank You' set from the same people.  They should give you a package deal!

Take a look around.  Look at obvious stores, like Michael's or a cute craft shop you know of.  Look at not-so-obvious stores like Staples or Sam's.  Look online and see if you can find something cute and inexpensive.  The wedding invitation is important, yes, but after your wedding, that won't be what everyone remembers, they'll remember how beautiful the evening was and the fact that they got to share an amazing moment with you.  

Brooklyn Hicken

Special Events Coordinator

The Orion Ballroom

Wedding Cake...Yum!

Happy Friday Everyone!!! :) 

July is here, along with it's infamous heat, and in full swing with back to back weddings every weekend!  One item that is very important to your big day, but is also usually a big hit to your pocket, is your cake.  But it doesn't have to be that way, there is hope!  :)  

Did you know that the average cake in 2013 costs $451?  I don't know about you, but I don't have $451 to shell out on something that's going to be eaten in one night.  The #1 way to save money on your wedding cake, is to get fake layers.  This is also the most commonly known way to save money, and rightfully so!  Here at Orion, we will cut and serve your cake for you, so your guests will never see anyone cutting anything except what you newlyweds will be eating.  So make one layer real, make the rest fake, and get some sheet cake of the same flavor to have the venue's staff cut and serve; no one will ever know *shhh*.  Also, if you do some fake layers, you can bring in another kind of small dessert like brownies, cupcakes, mini pies, etc, and those can help to dress up the cake table and account for the missing cake! 

A beautifully done cake by Sandra.

If you really don't want to have fake layers, there are still some other options to help you save a little bit.  First one would be to get a square cake.  Square cakes feed more people and usually take less labor on the cake decorator; unless, of course, you have an extravagantly designed cake.  The rounded edges on circle cakes or even if you wanted a custom shaped cake, are much harder to ice then a square.  Sometimes being a square isn't all that bad!  Another factor is what you want for icing.  Buttercream, for example, tends to be less expensive than fondant.  Also, if you go with a deconstructed cake, you will save some money because a lot of bakers charge a stacking fee.  If you chose to have them separated and arranged beautifully, you will not have to pay so much and it would still be just as beautiful and unique!! 

Here is a beautiful example of a deconstructed cake.

Most of what you are paying for when it comes to the cake, is the labor.  So just remember, the simpler the cake, the less expensive it will be.  Play around with it, have some fun, and do something different!  And why not save $451 while you're at it? :)

Brooklyn Hicken

Special Events Coordinator

The Orion Ballroom

Veil Picking Time!!

Everyone loves getting to pick their perfect wedding dress, right?  Well what about the red headed step-child in the situation?  Picking the right veil for your dress, your face, and your hair style is just as important as picking the dress itself.  

I know what my favorite type of veil is, the birdcage (partially for my short hair style), but what about you?  Do you have short hair, long hair, medium hair length?  Square face, heart shaped face, round face, or long face?  How are you going to do your hair for the big day?  Up-do, long and wavy, half up-half down, or none of the above?  And the last thing to consider, is the style of the dress you've chosen.  All of these factors play a part in deciding what veil length and style would look the best.  I know you're thinking, "Geez, what have I gotten myself in to?" but it's really pretty simple.  :)

First things first, you need to know what your face shape is.  There are many different shapes; round, heart, oblong, rectangle, square, triangle (I know, who brought kindergarten math into weddings?).  Once you figure out which one you're most similar to, which is easy, just pull your hair back and cross check with the features listed here, and then you can get a good idea of what will look the most beautiful on you.  Should you go with multiple layers, short and around the face, long and flowing on your back?  Take a look and see what they say. :)

See if this helps!

 The next thing to consider, is your hair.  Do you have short hair, medium length, or long hair?  And then depending on that, how are you going to have your hair done for the big day?  Unfortunately, how you are going to do your hair has a huge effect on what style veil you should have.  Long, heavy fabric, or a veil with lots of designs would have to have a hair style strong enough to hold it.  Some veils are also made to sit farther back on the head, or even farther to the front, which will also affect your hair style; you just need to know what you want.  If you want to leave your hair down, make sure your veil is longer than your hair!  This definitely helps to keep a nice, simple, and beautiful line.  Take a look at what the Wedding Channel has to say!  They make it so simple. :)

Last, but certainly not least, is matching your veil to your dress.  This is a pretty obvious one, but I bet you didn't know how wrong this could go.  Most, if not all, wedding experts say to bring a swatch of your dress with you when picking out your veil, or check to see if the bridal shop has your dress.  It would be quite awful to fall in love with a veil and have it not match the dress you also fell in love with; wouldn't it?  The ladies over at The Pretty Blog do a great job of explaining the different styles of veils and how to use that to your advantage, very simply.  Also check out eHow style!  Just keep in mind that if you have a dress with most of the focus on the bodice, you'll want either just a headpiece, or a long and simple veil so that it doesn't detract from your dress.  If, for instance, you have a Princess style dress, maybe find something that ends around your elbows so it keeps that shape you wanted when you picked the Princess dress.  

I know a lot of planning goes into your wedding day, and sometimes it can be overwhelming.  But just try and focus on the big picture; you are marrying the person of your dreams, or as a groom once told me, the woman of his reality.  You get to spend the rest of your life with them and that's all that really matters.  

:) 

DIY Centerpieces

Thank goodness it's the weekend!  All of us here at Orion will be hard at work making sure all three weddings this weekend have gone, and go as seamlessly as possible.  Seeing a lot of my brides making most, if not all, of their decorations, gives me hope for us crafty, low budgeters.  So for those of you who love our space and are on a tight budget, let's see what we can't do to help make your dream day a reality!  

If you're looking to save some money on centerpieces/decorations, you should check out Martha Stewart's Pinterest!  I know, I know...everyone is on Pinterest, and Martha Stewart??  Well, you should go look and then come back and tell me it wasn't a good idea.  For instance, this is an absolutely beautiful yet simple decoration that would cost you very little: http://joyfulweddingsandevents.com/blog/2010/05/10/urban-loft-tablescape-for-utterly-engaged/.  All you need are balloons, string, fabric stiffener, and a little kid who loves popping the balloons you just spent all your breath on, blowing up.  (You may want to make sure you stay seated while doing this, though, or you might not remember it.)

Another way to get something similar, a way that is one of my favorites (although I'm a little biased when it comes to lace, I just love it!), would be to use lace doily's instead of string: http://www.glamourandgraceblog.com/2011/diy-doily-lantern/.  I just cannot get over how amazing these look.  Something else that would make this better, although who knew it could get better, would be to dye the doily's before you set them.  That way they can be whatever color you want to match your colors and pop against our white walls!

And don't be afraid to use fake flowers!  More brides do it than you think and they still look just as beautiful as real ones but will be taking a much smaller hit towards your wallet.  

I promise you, Martha knows what she's talking about.  Take a look and see if you can't find a way to save some money on your centerpieces!  http://pinterest.com/MarthaWeddings/diy-centerpieces/.

Exciting Changes!

June is on it's way with many events along with it!  Weddings every weekend, sometimes even 2 or 3!  The Orion Ballroom is such an amazing place to hold one of the most important days of your life.  It's amazing how simple and beautiful everything is.  All of the white walls with a wooden dance floor that gives the space that much more character and looks over the Dallas Skyline.  You can do any kind of decorations you want!  Every color you can think of looks amazing against the white.  The ballroom is illuminated by the beautiful chandeliers and city lights, and once you add your friends and family that are there for you to celebrate your big day, it just gets that much brighter.  With amazing food and people ready to have a great time, you're bound to enjoy yourself!  

This summer also brings you a new and improved Orion Ballroom.  With new prices, new menus, and a new Sales Manager (Yours Truly), there's nothing we can't do for you.  Our website has been completely re-vamped, so go take a look!  www.theorionballroom.com 

5 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Venue before Booking

We know planning a wedding can be extremely stressful and take great deal of time.  We also know that planning a wedding can be very expensive.  One of the biggest and costliest decisions will be your reception venue.  You can ease your stress by knowing which questions to ask when shopping for a venue.  Being prepared with the right questions can also save you significant amount money.  Here are five questions to ask when searching for a venue. 

1.       Does the Venue Supply Tables and Chairs?

This is an important question to ask your venue.  There are several venues out there that do not supply tables and chairs for your event.  If the venue does have chairs, what type of chairs are they?  Chiavari chairs are the most common and most desirable for weddings.  Chiavari chairs can run up to $10 per chair to rent.  White garden chairs are another common wedding chair which can run around $4 per chair.  120 inch round tables seat 10ppl and typically run about $10 to rent.   As you can see, renting tables and chairs is no small expense and can add up very quickly.  It will cost you about $11 per guests to set them up with chiavari chairs and round tables of 10.   For 150 guests, that is an additional $1650. 

2.       Does the Venue have China, Glass and Silver?

Most independent venues do not supply china, glass, and silverware.  This can get extremely expensive and is not always presented at the beginning when getting a quote from the venue or caterer.  China, glass and silver can cost $5 to $10 per person depending on what type of event you are having.  For a 150 person wedding, that can be an additional $750 to $1,000. 

3.       Does the Venue have a Dance Floor?

Your guests are going to want to dance.  You can expect to pay about $1000 for a 20 foot by 20 foot dance floor. 

4.       Does the Venue Supply Table Linens and Linen Napkins?

If the venue does not supply tables and chairs, it is likely that they do not supply linens either.  Linens for a 120 inch table cost about $17 each.  Napkins start at around 75 cents per napkin.    Keep in mind that you are responsible for covering more than just the tables for your guests to sit. You have to add buffet tables, cake tables, gift tables, and registration tables.  On average, you will need one table for every 10 guests and an additional 8 tables for other items.  For a 150 person wedding, that is 22 tables and 150 napkins.  This could cost an additional $486.50. 

5.       Does the Venue Charge for Parking?

If you are having your reception in or near downtown, there is a good chance your venue either charges for parking or requires valet service.  This could cost anywhere from $5 to $15 per car. If you calculate one car per two guests, a 150 person wedding would have 75 cars.  On average, that is an additional $750. 

  You can see how fast these items add up.  If you don’t ask the right questions, you could be facing thousands of dollars in additional charges that could have been avoided.  Be informed, save money. 

Simple Moments Photography

I met Stacey Pinkney last September at the annual Wedding MBA in Las Vegas. She has such a fun energy that you can't help but want to be her friend. Her talent for capturing moments that could go completely unnoticed is amazing! She was kind enough to share some images with me from a wedding she shot a couple years ago at The Orion. I am posting them here for you today. If you want to know more about Stacey and see more of her work, visit http://www.simple-moments.com/ ENJOY!