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Real Wedding - Kim & Alex - Hassayampa Inn & Grand Highland Hotel - Prescott, Arizona

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Kim & Alex are an amazing couple that decided to roll almost all of life's big moments into one year. New jobs, a new home in another state and a destination wedding that they planned remotely with the help of Kim's mom and I are just a few of the life changes they went through. 

Having always been in love with Prescott, there was no question that they would get married in this quaint little town that has tons of areas that it feels like time has forgotten. Their ceremony was held on the roof of the historic Hassayampa Inn followed by a reception at the amazing Grand Highland Hotel. 

Their ceremony was officiated by the bride's brother Michael and I swear there wasn't a dry eye on the roof of the inn . Guests walked across the iconic city square to The Grand Highland Hotel while Laura Segall and her husband David with Laura Segall Photography took the couple and their wedding party on a whirlwind photoshoot of downtown Prescott.

At the reception guests enjoyed Moscow Mules in copper mugs provided by the couple as favors and ate delicious food provided by local caterer Enchanted Catering.

Kim's dad was trying to keep everyone in tears from both laughter and emotions during his speech (I wish I had recorded it) while the best man Ken and maid of honor Alie told secrets about the couple to the amusement of the guests.

The cold night didn't stop guests from filling the dance floor for hours and rumor has it there may have been a Smirnoff Icing during the garter toss!

Desert colors filled the reception space with hints of copper, deep purple and succulents in centerpieces created by Melinda Dunn Designs.

Dessert was an amazing cake provided by Martin Cakes and cookies and sweets by Enchanted Catering.

For more images check out Laura's blog!!!

The amazing wedding team - 

Ceremony Venue - Hassayampa Inn

Reception Venue - The Grand Highland Hotel

Coordinator/Planner - Sweet I Do's

Photographer - Laura Segall Photography

DJ - AZ Custom DJ

Florist - Melinda Dunn Designs

Caterer/Bartender - Enchanted Catering

Cake - Martin Cakes

Rentals - Verve Events

H/MUA - Rachel Leigh LLC

Real Party - Talitha's End Of Summer Fire and Ice Party - Mesa, Arizona

Talitha throws the most epic end of summer parties ever! We've been honored to set up candy buffets for her for two years in a row and this one had to have been the best yet (there were fire dancers at the party)!!!

Her guests enjoyed fun candies that fit the theme of fire and ice including Hot Tamales, milk chocolates, cherry sours, cinnamon discs and the returning favorite Rice Krispie treats. Guests took home their goodies in fun red and black organza treat bags with custom tags.

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Real Wedding - Arica & Phillip's Wedding Candy Buffet - 12 West Main - Mesa, Arizona

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Arica and Preston braved the heat of an Arizona summer and got married a a super cute little venue called 12 West Main, a contemporary industrial feeling venue tucked away in downtown Mesa.

Their candy buffet was full of elegant black, white and red candies and included such fun favorites as red and black licorice, milk chocolates gems, Hershey's kisses, LifeSaver Pepp-o-Mints, yogurt pretzels and our favorite hand dipped white chocolate Oreo's. 

Guests took their treats home in black Chinese take out boxes with a custom red bracket label designed by Sweet I Do's.

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Real Wedding - Marissa & Preston - Los Abrigados Resort and Spa - Sedona, Arizona

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Marissa and Preston had been friends since childhood, growing up together almost like family. They dated, decided it wasn't in the cards and they moved on. When they were younger, they never imagined they would get married, until that fateful day when Preston quit his job and showed up on Marissa's doorstep. They've been inseparable since and on a gorgeous day in May, they said their "I do's" in front of their closest family members and friends.

They both always wanted an outdoor wedding and Sedona was the perfect spot to combine their love of gorgeous scenery and a semi-destination wedding that their family could attend easily (and get out of the Phoenix heat). With many amazing venues to choose from in Sedona, Marissa and Preston ultimately chose the fabulous Los Abrigados Resort and Spa. 

Even though the wind was a little fierce, we had a creekside wedding ceremony and reception that was everything they dreamed of and more. Guests enjoyed a delicious dinner prepared by the on-site chef for the resort and then danced the night away with music provided by Brad with All Pro DJ. Marissa and Preston arranged to have a scrumptious dessert and popcorn bar provided by Sweet I Do's and super cute photo booth pictures provided by ETC. Entertainment.

Marissa's sister missed her senior prom to watch her big sis get married, so we had a little fun crowning her prom queen at the wedding and Marissa gave her a sweet Pandora charm to commemorate the night.

We may or may not have had a little fun with some sparklers at some point during the night (shh! don't tell Los Abrigados).

The fabulous vendor team - 

Venue - Los Abrigados Resort & Spa

Coordinator - Sweet I Do's

Photographer - Francis Cecilia Photography

Caterer/Bar Staff - Los Abrigados Resort & Spa

DJ - All Pro DJ

Florist - Evening Star Custom Designs

Dessert/Popcorn Buffet - Sweet I Do's

Photo Booth - ETC. Entertainment

Dress - David's Bridal

Tux - Men's Warehouse

Invitations - Zazzle

 

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Real Wedding – Isabel & Brian - Wedgewood Weddings Palm Valley Litchfield Park, Arizona

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Isabel and Brian wanted a cute, relaxed wedding that allowed them to celebrate with their families and friends but didn’t want to spend all of their free time searching for wedding professionals and touring venues. By looking at the semi-inclusive wedding venues in the valley, they found exactly what they were looking for at the Wedgewood Weddings Palm Valley.

Married at sunset on a gorgeous Friday evening by amazing officiant Montana Meadows with Bird of Paradise Weddings, Isabel and Brian said “I do” in front of their guests. Cocktail hour followed with non-traditional cocktail eats of chips and salsa and house made guacamole. While guests were munching the yummy food, Isabel and Brian were getting some amazing couples portraits taken by the fabulous duo of Johnny and Taylor with Studio 616.

Lovers of all Mexican foods, Isabel and Brian chose to go with Mexican food over the traditional wedding fare. Guests enjoyed dinner prepared by the in-house chef for Wedgewood who prepared such delectable treats as beef and chicken fajitas.

One of their super cute flower girls happened to celebrate her birthday on their wedding day, and ever the gracious duo, Isabel and Brian gifted her with a special ice cream birthday cake while all the guests sang “Happy Birthday”! Presents and fun in the photo booth provided by AZ Perfect Pix may or may not have followed.

DJ Damien (one of Wedgewood’s preferred vendors) kept everyone dancing until the very end of the night!

 

The amazing wedding professionals –

Venue – Wedgewood Weddings Palm Valley

Photographer – Studio 616

Coordinator/Planner – Sweet I Do’s

Officiant – Bird of Paradise Weddings

DJ – DJ Damien

Personal and Arch Flowers – PJ’s Flowers & Events

Reception Flowers – Blooming Bouquets

Cake – Pixy Cakes

Photo booth – AZ Perfect Pix

H/MUA – Bobsie Twins

Suit – Celebrity Tux & Tails

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Real Bridal Shower - Sweet Shabby Chic Bridal Shower Candy Buffet Queen Creek, Arizona

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When a fellow industry professional asks you to design an amazing candy buffet for her best friends bridal shower, you say "Yes!!! I can't wait!". 

Kaitlin, Events and Catering Manager for the amazing San Tan Brewery asked us to create a shabby chic candy buffet for her best friends bridal shower to be held on a gorgeous day in May. She wanted some fabulous flowers, loads of details and of course delicious candy!

Guests of the shower enjoyed yogurt covered pretzels (one of our favs), cherry rock candy strings (for a little bit of bling), sixlets and milk chocolate gems in the showers color scheme of silver and pink. Add amazing jelly jars with custom tags as the treat container for guests to take home and a gorgeous vintage desk as the display table and, the result, as you can see, one fabulous candy buffet!

Real Wedding - Anna & PJ's Wedding Candy Buffet - Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort Phoenix, Arizona

Anna and PJ got married on a lovely day in that Arizona season between spring and summer (you know the one, where it can be cold one day, hot the next and gorgeous the day after that) at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort in Phoenix.

For their wedding day candy buffet they chose candies that complimented their colors, but were also some of their favorite candies. Guests enjoyed strawberry puffs, Brach's nuggat candies, pina colada Jelly Bellies, Big Hunk candy bars, strawberry Tootsie Frootsies and pink swirl lollipops.  Guest treat containers were pretty in pink and sparkling silver organza bags with custom tags designed just for our sweet couple.

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Charity Event - Tables That Bloom 2017 - Phoenix Country Club Phoenix, Arizona

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Image - Ken Ross Photography

We love being able to support amazing charities with our talent. One of our favorites allows us to design a beautiful table that fit a specific theme for that years annual event. 

This was our third year designing a table for the Tables That Bloom annual charity event. Tables That Bloom is a luncheon and fundraiser that raises awareness and funds for The Foundation for Blind Children and the Delta Gamma Foundation. Held at the Phoenix Country Club there are between 20 and 22 fabulous tables designed by some of the event industries top designers and small businesses that hold the two charities close to their hearts. In addition to the luncheon provided by the in house chef at the club (always delicious, by the way) there is also a silent auction of some of the most fabulous prizes (bottles of wine, stays at local hotels, adventure gift certificates, dining experiences and so much more).

 

This year the theme was "Hope Blossoms". Each designer was invited to design their table to best represent what the theme means to them. Hope can mean so many things and we designed our table to be represent that hope is ever present. The circular greenery on the plates was to show that hope is like life, a circle that never ends. The copper was used to show that even though it, like hope can be tarnished, it can always be made to look like new. Each place setting had a small quote about hope and life to remind our guests that hope is just a thought away.

Hope encourages us to keep trying, to keep striving and to keep growing.

During lunch we were honored to listen to the story of Catrina Frost and her daughter Cailee. Cailee is afflicted with (and please notice we didn't say suffers from) a rare genetic disease that will rob her of her sight. This little girl and her family have an amazing attitude towards life and give all they have to enjoying every moment of every day to the fullest.

Watch this short video to see what Tables That Bloom is all about.

We were honored to win the 'Best Representation of the Theme "Hope"' award! Thank you to all the vendors that helped make our table and the vision in our heads come true -

6 Tips for Attending a Bridal Show

Congratulations! You got engaged over the holidays! You may have even set a date or you heard that the bridal show was happening and thought it would be fun to just see what your options are and to maybe get a good deal!

Take a minute to read our tips on attending a bridal show.

 

1.     Wear comfy shoes – while those fabulous shoes you got for Christmas look amazing, they probably aren’t practical for walking around on a concrete floor for a couple of hours. Chose comfort and your feet will thank you!

2.     Bring water – you will get thirsty and just like the airport, the price for a bottle of water is slightly inflated. Besides you’ll want to be hydrated to enjoy an adult beverage or two.

3.     Bring a backpack or reinforced bag – with over 400 vendors all trying to get information into your hands, the flimsy bag (if you’re lucky to get one) provided by some of the vendors won’t hold much (those wedding magazines are HEAVY). Also, don’t be afraid to say “no” to a vendor that you aren’t interested in.

4.     Create a wedding only email address – you’ll want a place for all the marketing materials to go to that won’t clog up your everyday inbox. And bonus, if you find a vendor you love you can give them your daily email address and save yourself from having to filter through everything to find their correspondence.

5.     Create labels – your hand (or the hand of your best friend or fiancé) will be tired after writing all of your information over and over again. Create a simple label with your name, email address and wedding date on it. That is what most vendors need and all you really need to provide. Plus, the vendors will be able to read it!

6.     Have fun – while it will seem overwhelming and daunting, just try and have fun. Enjoy the experience, get some fun ideas, talk with some fabulous vendors and get some valuable information.

Sweet I Do's is a wedding planning company located in Surprise, AZ (a suburb of Phoenix). We specialize in wedding day management (also known as day of coordination). We help you create an amazing, unique and totally "you" wedding that allows you to be in the moments making the memories, not worrying about the details. From contract review and timeline creation to day of management, set up and tear down, we're focused on ensuring our couples, their families and friends experience a stress and worry free night to remember.

Real Wedding - Josue & Berenice - Chateau Luxe, Phoenix Arizona

Image by - Carmichael Studios

The song “When A Man Loves A Woman” is a classic representation of what every girl hopes her guy will feel about her. Josue & Berenice’s wedding was the real life version of this romantic song. The love he had for her showed in every single aspect of their fairytale wedding.

Josue & Berenice’s wedding was intended from the very beginning to be an extremely lavish affair that their families and friends would talk about for many, many years. Their main goal was to ensure that their fairytale romance was apparent in each and every aspect of their wedding. Josue loved Bernice unconditionally and unabashedly and he wanted to make sure that her every dream and wish for their wedding was accomplished.

During their ceremony he read to her from their family bible and then they were prayed over by their family to ensure they understood that they were part of a village and that throughout their marriage they would be supported and loved.

Their venue, Chateau Luxe, is a fabulous venue full of light, crystals and elegance. It perfectly represented their vision of their wedding. They were hoping to utilize the new garden location at the venue , but unfortunately it wasn’t ready in time. Josue brought the outdoors in by contracting with a second florist (Tulip Tree), in addition to the amazing florals originally selected to provide additional arrangements without Bernice knowing so her dream of a lush, green wedding would come true.

Their love of authentic Mexican music, that would encourage their guests to dance and enjoy themselves, (they had a large number of out of country guests that only spoke Spanish) was so important to them that they had 2 live bands (Lobos Musciarios and Banda La Llegadora)  and a well known radio DJ (Eclipse Hispanic (Univision)) perform for their reception. 

The venue is not allowed to host an outdoor fireworks display, so Karma Event Lighting created an amazing indoor fireworks display that surprised all of the guests during Josue and Berenice’s first dance, while he serenaded her (a secret we kept from her until that night). He sang not once, but twice that night! Everyone was in tears. 

A large and lavish 4 tier cake was just the beginning of the sweet treats for the guests. Each guest also received a treat of chocolates at their place setting and a sweet cupcake (provided by Cakes by Whisk), individually wrapped, on their way out at the end of the evening. Guests also enjoyed a lavish dessert bar and a gelato station (Frost 321) under the stars. Adding to the personal touch, Berenice wrapped custom scented candles for all of their female guests to take home.

Take a peak at more amazing pictures on Carmichael Studios blog. 

And watch the amazing video on Normscar Video Productions YouTube channel.

The amazing wedding professionals - 

Coordinator - Sweet I Do's Venue - Chateau Luxe Photographer - Carmichael Studios Videographer - Normscar Video Productions Dinner Music Band - Lobos Musciarios Reception Band - Banda La Llegadora DJ/Emcee - Eclipse Hispanic (Univision) Event Lighting - Karma Event Lighting Photo Booth - SnapBooth Florist - Tulip Tree Dress - Suzanne's Bridal Boutique Suit - Parker & Schmidt Hair & Makup - Faces by Gabi Invitations - YW Countdown Cupcake Favors - Cakes by Whisk Gelato - Frost 321

All images - Carmichael Studios

Sweet I Do's is a wedding planning company located in Surprise, AZ (a suburb of Phoenix). We specialize in wedding day management (also known as day of coordination). We help you create an amazing, unique and totally "you" wedding that allows you to be in the moments making the memories, not worrying about the details. From contract review and timeline creation to day of management, set up and tear down, we're focused on ensuring our couples, their families and friends experience a stress and worry free night to remember.

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Real Wedding - Heather & Ian - Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse Gilbert, Arizona

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Image - Frances Cecilia Photography

A wedding filled with all of their favorite people and things was what Heather and Ian envisioned, add a bit of the untraditional and some singing by the bride and groom and it was their dream come true!

Heather and Ian are a super cute couple that had very definite ideas as to what they did and more importantly what they did not want at their wedding. They searched high and low to find the perfect venue that wasn’t Arizona desert or golf club/country club greens. They got engaged at the top of a mountain at sunset while camping so they wanted something just as unique for their wedding venue while still staying in the city to keep their guests from having to travel super far for their Thursday night wedding. 

The decorations, bouquets and boutonnieres were hand crafted by Heather while sitting at home watching Netflix (her destress is handcrafting paper flowers). Each member of their wedding party received a totally unique set of personal flowers to reflect how Heather visually saw their personalities.

Staying non-traditional, Heather and Ian had a long-time family friend get ordained just to marry them and they made him promise to keep the ceremony under 15 minutes (for the record he did it in 10). Their guests went directly into cocktail hour that had a trail mix bar instead of hors d’ouerves and while Heather and Ian were getting pictures, guests could take a boat out onto the “lake” behind Val Vista Lakes.

Their grand entrance was just the two of them after Heather changed into a short and sassy white dress and flip flops, no more heavy bridal gown for her and they immediately went into a semi-choreographed first dance.

Following the dance everyone enjoyed delicious pitas, falfal and other Greek delicacies provided by Pita Bistro. Why have wedding cake (something neither Ian nor Heather are fans of) when you can have mini bundt cakes in all your favorite flavors from Nothing Bundt Cakes? The “cake topper” hand crafted from clay made by the bride! 

During the reception it didn’t take much to convince Heather and Ian to get up and sing their favorite songs with the band! 

The centerpieces (freshly sliced lemons and oranges) served as garnish for the imported beer. Each place setting had bubbles for fun, a metal mind puzzle to keep everyone guessing and chocolates to keep everyone sweet! 

Heather and Ian are both visual people and their guest book had to reflect that personality trait so a polaroid camera provided the perfect selfie station and guests wrote message of love on the back and hung them from a twine backdrop. 

The entire night was a focus on fun, family and close friends.

 

The amazing vendor team –

Photographer – Frances Cecilia Photography

Venue – Val Vista Lakes

Coordinator/Planner – Sweet I Do’s

Band – Jynx

Catering – Pita Bistro

Bartender – Hey Bartender!

Alcohol – BevM

Cake – Nothing Bundt Cakes

Staffing – ETC. by Emily

Rentals – YKnot Party Rentals

Real Wedding - Sarah & Quinton's Wedding Candy Buffet - Villa Siena Mesa, Arizona

Image Via Charmayne Yazzie Photography

Sarah and Quinton celebrated their wedding day at the gorgeous Villa Siena located in Mesa, Arizona. Sweet I Do's created an fabulous candy buffet featuring all of their favorites including brownie bites, chocolate covered pretzels, purple wrapped butter mints, Palmers chocolate caramels, Just Married Sweetarts, purple and silver milk chocolate gems and custom wrapped Rice Krispie Treats. We love the purple and silver colors! Guests took home their treats in silver Chinese take out boxes with custom labels.

Sweet I Do's is a wedding planning company located in Surprise, AZ (a suburb of Phoenix). We specialize in wedding day management (also known as day of coordination). We help you create an amazing, unique and totally "you" wedding that allows you to be in the moments making the memories, not worrying about the details. From contract review and timeline creation to day of management, set up and tear down, we're focused on ensuring our couples, their families and friends experience a stress and worry free night to remember.

20 Questions to Ask Your Potential Wedding Day Venue

Your wedding day will be one of the most beautiful and most expensive days of your life. You will be signing many, many agreements that are legally binding, but before you do be sure to ask the right questions and get everything that is promised verbally, in writing. You never know when the person you are dealing with may leave the company and there are no notes about all the things that they said they would do or give to you. Below are 20 questions/issues that as wedding day management specialists and day of coordinators we've learned to ensure are covered in the contract.

1. Ask if your specific date is available (and make sure that the day, date and year is referenced in the contract if you need a specific date).

2. If you are more flexible with your date, ask which dates are available and if there is a discount for booking in a specific month or day of the week (get this in writing in the contract).

3. Find out if there is a minimum and maximum number of people the venue can hold, dinner style (this is important as a venue can hold more people standing, conference style and stadium style).

4. Pricing and what specifically is included in the price - tables, chairs, linens, flatware, silverware, glassware, lighting, audio, visual, set up, tear down, security, bar, alcohol, etc. Make sure that everything that they promise verbally makes it into the contract.

5. Any discounts that are available (off season, weekday, day time, bridal show, referral, etc.). Make sure they are reflected in the contract.

6. What is the deposit amount, when is it due and is it refundable if you change your mind or if you are in the military and you are deployed?

7. How do you pay the remaining amount (is there a payment plan, penalties, is it refundable)?

8. Do they have a bridal suite and/or groom's room and is it included in your rental? When can you access it? Are there any restrictions (food, drinks, number of people)? Is it locked up during the wedding? When does it have to be cleaned out?

9. What is the cancellation policy?

10. What is their weather plan, when is it implemented and who makes that call?

11. How long do you have access to the space (set up and tear down time)? Make sure this is included in your contract.

12. What is the overtime fee and when is it implemented?

13. Are there any decoration restrictions or guidelines that must be followed (candles, flower petals, rice, balloons, hanging items, etc.).

14. Do they have a required vendor list? Is there an additional cost if you choose not to use them?

15. If they have a required caterer, ask for the price per person, packages and if there is any flexibility in the menus/choices.

16. Do they have a food tasting? Is there a cost for it? A maximum number of people that can attend? When does it happen? Do you get to choose what you sample?

17. Can you provide your own alcohol? If you can't, do they offer a consumption bar or a beer and wine only option?

18. Do they have music restrictions (time ending, sound level)?

19. Do they require security? Under what circumstances is it required? Is it included in the price? If it is not included, where can you hire them?

20. Do you have to provide event insurance, liquor liability or any other type of insurance? Do your vendors?

Seem overwhelming? We understand! Download an excel version of our questions here!

We can not stress enough to get everything that you are told in writing, preferably in the contract. We have seen over and over again couples that are scrambling last minute to find, fix or take care of things that they thought they were getting at the venue and for whatever reason the venue can not or will not accommodate.

Contract review is one of the main reasons we strongly suggest hiring a wedding day manager, day of coordinator or full service wedding planner.  

 

Local to Phoenix or coming here to get married, please call us or reach out on our contact form, we're happy to help!

Sweet I Do's is a wedding planning company located in Surprise, AZ (a suburb of Phoenix). We specialize in wedding day management (also known as day of coordination). We help you create an amazing, unique and totally "you" wedding that allows you to be in the moments making the memories, not worrying about the details. From contract review and timeline creation to day of management, set up and tear down, we're focused on ensuring our couples, their families and friends experience a stress and worry free night to remember.

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10 Mistakes To Avoid Making With Your Wedding Invitations

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You've been frantically searching Pinterest for amazing, fun and unique wedding invitations. You think you have found "the one" and now you need to order your stationery set. Before you hit that purchase button (and after you have received them but before you send them out) be sure you are avoiding these 10 common mistakes.

1. Not including all of the pertinent information - key items to include your names, the date, time and location (for both ceremony and reception if in different locations).

2. Not including a way to RSVP or making it way too difficult - be sure to include an RSVP card with a postage paid envelope or if you are choosing to have online RSVP's make sure the link is easy to read and simple, long hyperlinks open you up to errors and people not responding creating more work for yourself in the end.

Planner tip - only allow your guests 3-4 weeks (or whatever time is needed by your caterer/venue) to respond.

3. Not addressing the envelope to the guests you want to attend - This is the time to be very specific. Don't want children at your wedding? Specifically address the invitation to the parents, by name, only. Allowing a guest to bring a companion? Address it to your guest by name and add "and guest" - Mr. Pat Summer and Guest.

Planner tip - do not add the words "Adult only reception", "No children allowed" or any other phrasing. It will come across as passive aggressive.

4. Including registry information - asking for gifts in any form on the wedding invitation or included in the stationery set is rude. Word of mouth will work perfectly to get the information out there.

Planner tip - don't register for any honey fund or cash based gift site. Create a small registry and guests will know that you prefer cash.

5. Not spell or fact checking - check everything twice and then pass it on to a fresh set of eyes. Planner tip - read it out loud and word by word.

Planner tip - get out a calendar and touch the date to match day and date and Google search your venue for their address o Google.

6. Ordering too many invitations or not enough - you do not need an invitation for every guest, but only every address/family (as a unit). Add 10-20 extra invitations for people you may have forgotten about or if their invitation gets lost. Also, add 10-20 extra envelopes just in case you mess up the address or someone moves and the original invitation is returned.

Planner tip - keep one complete set for your photographer to use the day of.

7. Buying stamps before you know the cost of a completed invitation set - take a completed set (included the stamped response envelope) to the post office and get it weighed.

Planner tip - this is especially important if you have an unusually shaped or sized invitation set and something to consider when budgeting for your stationery.

8. Telling people what to wear - unless you are having a true black tie/white tie event, don't tell people what to wear. You can't control your guests and to be honest it isn't something to stress about. You won't remember what people wear anyway.

9. Any reference to alcohol or the lack of alcohol - telling guests that you will have a dry wedding, to BYOB or that it is a cash bar (the last two are totally against etiquette) while on the surface may seem helpful has no place on your invitation or in your invitation suite.

10. False start time - don't list a fake start time on your invitation (especially if it is just for a few guests that are "always late"). Most guests will arrive 15-30 minutes before the ceremony time. Giving a fake start time means you are penalizing the majority of your guests that will arrive on time or early and will cause issues with your venue and interfere with all of the pre-ceremony items such as pictures and final set up.

Sweet I Do's is a wedding planning company located in Surprise, AZ (a suburb of Phoenix). We specialize in wedding day management (also known as day of coordination). We help you create an amazing, unique and totally "you" wedding that allows you to be in the moments making the memories, not worrying about the details. From contract review and timeline creation to day of management, set up and tear down, we're focused on ensuring our couples, their families and friends experience a stress and worry free night to remember.

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4 Things You Must Include in Your Wedding Invitations

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You've got a fabulous fiancé, a gorgeous ring, a beautiful venue and the perfect date, now what? Time to choose your wedding invitations! But your wedding is not like a birthday party where you can just send one piece of paper with all the information on it and if people come great Happy Birthday!!!!, and if not oh well, more cake for me! There are 4 things that you must include in your wedding invitation set (and a couple of fun additions if your budget is a little more flexible).

 

1. The actual wedding invitation itself. Key information to include - your names, the date, time and location of the ceremony (and reception if at a different location).

2. The outer envelope - this should be addressed to the people that are invited to the wedding specifically. For example, if you are only inviting the adults in a family - only address the invitation to the parents  - Tom and Sally Anderson. If you are inviting a couple that aren't married yet, include, by name both people - David Jones and Anna Williams. If you are inviting someone over 18 that is allowed to bring a guest or companion indicate this by addressing it with their name and guest - Mr. John Smith and Guest. If you are inviting a family you can either address by name or by family name - Seth, Kim, Julie and Ryan Brown or The Brown Family.

3. The RSVP or response card. Key information to include - date to be returned, number of guests/seats invited, meal options (if needed), number of children's meals/dietary restrictions (if needed), line for their name. Planner tip - either number the RSVP card in pencil or black light pen to match with your guest list, just in case guests don't write their names (or you can't read the writing on the card).

4. The RSVP or response card envelope. This needs to be pre-stamped and addressed to come back to you or your wedding planner.

Bonus items - 

Directions or map card - if your location is difficult to find, the majority of your guests are from out of town or your ceremony and reception are in two different locations, you may want to consider adding this card. Planner tip - if your location is in a black hole or poor cell phone reception area consider adding a card.

Menu - if your guest list includes a number of people that have known allergies or if you are having a unique food style (all vegan, Thai, sushi stations only, etc.) you may want to consider adding a card with your menu.

Accommodations card - if you have a room block in a particularly busy location or your date is on a popular date you may want to include a card with the room block information. Planner tip - if you have a hard block (you will be charged if the block is not fully booked) or your wedding is in a location where accommodations are limited consider adding a card.

Sweet I Do's is a wedding planning company located in Surprise, AZ (a suburb of Phoenix). We specialize in wedding day management (also known as day of coordination). We help you create an amazing, unique and totally "you" wedding that allows you to be in the moments making the memories, not worrying about the details. From contract review and timeline creation to day of management, set up and tear down, we're focused on ensuring our couples, their families and friends experience a stress and worry free night to remember.

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Real Wedding - Kris & Josh's Wedding Candy Buffet - JW Marriott Camelback Golf Club Scottsdale, Arizona

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Kris and Josh love candy and sweets! In fact, having a candy buffet at their wedding kinda became one of the non-negotiable in the process of planning their wedding. Happy to help, we provided an amazing table full of the couples favorite candies which included Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, sour gummy worms and custom M&M's. Set in the beautiful ballroom of the hidden gem venue the Camelback Golf Course in Scottsdale, our candy buffet was the hit of the night, hardly anything remained at the end of the celebration! 

Our displays always include all the little elements that tie it into the overall design of the wedding so that it becomes a part of the decor. Even though Kris and Josh chose their favorite candies over candies that would match the colors of their wedding, the candy buffet still looked amazing and shows that any candy buffet, when designed right can add to the beauty of the night!

While we were setting up, we couldn't help but see all the gorgeous work that fellow vendors Wendell Design Group Florist had created for our cute couple. The royal blue and silver tabelscapes were amazing and the cute little chair tie broaches were to die for! The staff at Camelback Golf Club was fabulous and had everything ready for the couple to take a few pre-ceremony pictures!

Sweet I Do's is a wedding planning company located in Surprise, AZ (a suburb of Phoenix). We specialize in wedding day management (also known as day of coordination). We help you create an amazing, unique and totally "you" wedding that allows you to be in the moments making the memories, not worrying about the details. From contract review and timeline creation to day of management, set up and tear down, we're focused on ensuring our couples, their families and friends experience a stress and worry free night to remember.

10 Things Your Coordinator Does For You - In's and Out's of Wedding Coordinators and Planners

So many couples that I have spoken with tell me the reason they didn't think they needed a coordinator or planner is because they think it is either A) only for those with large budgets or B) they have a venue coordinator that will take care of everything (that is a whole different blog post).

There isn't a bigger myth out there (other than the one that if you say the word "wedding" everything automatically doubles in cost (never mind that the amount of work, details and other wedding only moments contribute to that cost)) than assuming that hiring a planner or coordinator is only for those with a big budget. There is a planner out there for every budget, but like everything else, you need to shop around. Maybe all you need is a consultation to help with a few of the sticky details or someone that can take it on from the beginning or somewhere in between. Let's talk about that full service planner and the benefits to hiring someone from the very beginning.

1. Budget

Your planner will help you set up a budget (based on your total wedding budget) that takes into account your must haves, your wants and your could care lesses. And then they will help you make decisions that keep the budget in mind.

2. Opinions

An amazing planner will be able to give you an impartial opinion on something that is part of a very emotional event, without making you feel like they are taking over your wedding or making it all about them.

3. Schedule

Planners know what needs to happen when when it is time to be looking and booking elements of your wedding. We know you are excited about planning your honeymoon, but we need to make sure your meal selection has been finalized long before you decide if it is a beach or cabin honeymoon.

4. Vendors

Booking a planner means you get more than that person and their staff, you get access to the hundreds of vendors that they know and love. Instead of slogging through 30 photographers trying to find one in your budget with a style you love, they will give you a list of three or four that are perfect for you (and they have already verified are available on your date). Then you just meet with them and find the one that clicks with you. And even better, you get access to our discounts and planner only packages.

5. Knowledge

A planner will be able to translate your vision into reality. Asking the right questions, knowing what works and how to make things happen are all part and parcel to the vast knowledge that a planner has at their fingertips. And if they don't know it, they know someone who does.

6. Organized

Weddings are all about the details. The amount of moving parts in putting together even the smallest wedding are daunting. Planners have the worksheets and the head for details to keep everything moving towards a flawless event. And it is their job to keep all those details straight, one less thing for you to stress about.

7. Experience

Most people only get married one time, so knowing what to expect and how to handle it are foreign concepts. Planners handle hundreds of events over their career. You are paying for that experience and knowledge. Have we seen it all, probably not, but we have seen most of it and that is a valuable tool that is now in your arsenal.

8. Time Management

Would you rather spend your valuable free time searching the internet, calling vendors (hoping you are asking the right questions) or possibly going down the rabbit hole of impossibility or would you rather spend that time with your future spouse making memories? A planner manages all the details so your life doesn't become consumed with wedding planning.

9. Always Prepared

Every planner I know has a little (or big) emergency box. It contains every possible thing that you can think of that you would need the day of and so many things that you wouldn't imagine. And if they don't have it, they know where to get it and get it to you in the blink of an eye. We also know exactly what to do, where to go and who to call if something happens (and 99% of the time something happens). It is our job to ensure you don't know about it (at least at that moment).

10. Stress Reliever

Like every momentous occasion, weddings are inherently stressful. Combining two families into one comes with its own set of strenuous circumstances. Your planner will help you navigate that stress and mitigate the circumstances. Are we miracle workers, no, but we come close!

You don't need to hire a full service planner to receive these benefits, most planners that I know, myself included, provide all but a couple of these to every level of service we provide. Before you discount hiring a planner due to budget, reach out, see what the cost really is and see if what they provide will help you.

Sweet I Do's is a wedding planning company located in Surprise, AZ (a suburb of Phoenix). We specialize in wedding day management (also known as day of coordination). We help you create an amazing, unique and totally "you" wedding that allows you to be in the moments making the memories, not worrying about the details. From contract review and timeline creation to day of management, set up and tear down, we're focused on ensuring our couples, their families and friends experience a stress and worry free night to remember.

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Where to Go and What to Do to Make it Legal in Maricopa County

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Photo by Life's Story Studios

While everyone loves a big party and a wedding it the epitome of a big party, you only need three things to get married, legally, in Maricopa County - an officially recognized officiant, two willing participants and a marriage license issued by the county.

Here is your quick, all in one place, guide to knowing where to go and what to do  to get that all important piece of paper (which is good for anywhere in the state of Arizona).

Who

Both of you must appear in person, with state issued photo ID's. 

You must both be over the age of 18. (If you are underage, you must be accompanied by your parents, legal guardian or have a notarized parental consent form.)

Cost

As of 2/21/2020, the cost of a marriage license is $83.00 payable in cash or money order, debit or credit card. If you go to a justice court, you must pay via money order. To obtain a certified copy of your marriage license you can pay an additional $37.50 at the time you get your license and one will be automatically mailed to you once your license has been registered. You may also get a certified copy at any time for $30.50 along with a self-addressed, postage correct, business sized envelope. Your license is good for one year from date of purchase. It can be used the day it it issued.

Where

For a complete list of county locations that issue licenses and their hours of operations visit the Maricopa County Clerk of the Superior Court site. Limited locations will allow you to make an appointment to obtain your marriage license.

  • In the west valley visit the White Tank Justice Court located at 10420 W Van Buren Avondale, AZ 85323 (Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm).

  • In Chandler visit the Kyrene Justice Court located at 201 E. Chicago St. Suite 102 Chandler, AZ 85225 (Monday-Friday 10 am to 3).

  • In Gila Bend visit Ironwood Justice Court located at 209 E. Pima Gila Bend, AZ 85337 (Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm).

  • In Gilbert visit the Highland Justice Court located at 55 E. Civic Center Dr. Suite 55 Gilbert, AZ 85296 (Monday-Friday 8:30 am to 3:30 pm).

  • In Mesa visit the Southeast Court Complex located at 222 E. Javelina Mesa, AZ 85210 (Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm).

  • In downtown Phoenix visit the Phoenix Downtown Customer Service Center located at 601 W. Jackson Phoenix, AZ 85003 (Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm).

  • In northeast Phoenix visit the Northeast Regional Court Center located at 18380 N. 40th St. Suite 120 Phoenix, AZ 85032 (Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm).

  • In west Phoenix visit the Maryvale Justice Court locate at 4622 W. Indian School Suite 10 Phoenix, AZ 85031 (Monday 8 am to 4 pm, closed on Tuesday, Wednesday from 8 am to 12 pm, Thursday and Friday from 8 am to 4 pm).

  • In Surprise visit the Northwest Regional Court Center located at 14264 W. Tierra Buena Ln. Surprise, AZ 85374 (Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm).

Sweet I Do's is a wedding planning company located in Surprise, AZ (a suburb of Phoenix). We specialize in wedding day management (also known as day of coordination). We help you create an amazing, unique and totally "you" wedding that allows you to be in the moments making the memories, not worrying about the details. From contract review and timeline creation to day of management, set up and tear down, we're focused on ensuring our couples, their families and friends experience a stress and worry free night to remember.

Wedding Day Timelines Decoded - What They Are & Why YOU Need One!

Your wedding day timeline – one of the most essential items to have on your wedding day, yet one of the most difficult items to put together, maintain and utilize. What is one, why do you need it, what goes in a timeline – great questions!

What is a timeline?

Your wedding timeline is a listing of the major and minor events and the approximate time of day they will occur. It can be as extensive and detailed or as simple as you wish. A good rule of thumb is to start your timeline when the first vendor begins providing services or when the first person from the wedding begins getting ready. End your timeline when the last vendor has finished providing their service or picked up their items.

Who needs a timeline?

If you have a coordinator that is handling the management of your wedding day, they will have a timeline that they have developed that incorporates all of the information they need to ensure that your day runs according to your plans (as much as possible). Your coordinator will connect with your vendors and will include all of the information, timing and details that will affect the flow of the wedding. There should only be ONE timeline. I emphasize this because you will have other vendors that will try to create their own, which is fine, as long as in the end, their version and the version that your coordinator is working from have the same information. Remember it is the coordinators job and responsibility to maintain the timeline and flow of your wedding.

If you do not have a coordinator to manage your wedding, you have a few options. You can see if another vendor is creating a timeline and utilize it to plan your day (most photographers and DJ’s will have some form of a timeline). You can also use our easy template to create your own timeline. Finally, some coordinators will create a timeline, with the information you provide, as an a la carte service.

Before you start with any of the options make sure to have the following information easily accessible –
• Location and time of rehearsal, wedding ceremony and reception
• Vendor name, arrival time of all vendors (both services and products) and day of contact information
• Names and phone numbers of all wedding party members
• Final guest count
• All vendor contracts – from these you will be able to get the start time, contracted length, end time, meal requirements, final balances, etc.
• Speak with your photographer about how long each session of pictures will take. This is the most important item as it is the framework that the timeline is built upon.
• Build your timeline in a block or cushion format rounding up whenever possible

Why do you need a timeline?

Weddings have lots of moving parts with lots of people. All of your vendors are focused on providing you with the best product and service. Without some coordination it is inevitable that something will not occur when it needs to or something will be overlooked. If everyone involved with your wedding knows where they need to be, when they need to be there and what they will be doing the chances of something not going quite right will be reduced.

How to communicate your timeline?

The easiest way to communicate your timeline is through your coordinator. They will contact all of your vendors, get their relevant information, and send them a draft timeline to make sure that there are no adjustments that need to be made, coordinate the final timeline details with you and about a week before your wedding they will send out the final version. Your coordinator will also bring copies of your timeline to the rehearsal to share with your wedding party and to make any last minute notes and changes.

If you don’t have a coordinator you can follow the same steps, however you will be the one adjusting the timeline at the rehearsal and will be responsible for communicating it to your vendors. You will also be the go to person when a conflict occurs. The key to dealing with these conflicts is to empower your vendors to take care of them, within reason. Ask that they exercise their best judgment and communicate with all involved parties.

The key to a successful timeline is to understand that it is a GUIDE, not GOSPEL. Things will happen, people will be late, photo sessions will run long, and things may be forgotten. In the end, the “I Do” is the only part of the timeline that is important.

Sweet I Do's is a wedding planning company located in Surprise, AZ (a suburb of Phoenix). We specialize in wedding day management (also known as day of coordination). We help you create an amazing, unique and totally "you" wedding that allows you to be in the moments making the memories, not worrying about the details. From contract review and timeline creation to day of management, set up and tear down, we're focused on ensuring our couples, their families and friends experience a stress and worry free night to remember.

Thank You Notes - A Wedding Planner's Perspective

“It’s never wrong to send a written thank-you and people always appreciate getting “thanks” in writing.”
Emily Post, Etiquette Guru

From a vendor perspective the last part about being appreciated is so very true! Often times your wedding vendors will not see you on your wedding day unless they are a service provider and even then, you may be so caught up in the whirlwind of the day that you may not get a chance to say thank you. I understand that they are your vendors, performing a service that you paid them to provide, but a simple, heartfelt thank you goes a long way into telling them that you saw and appreciated all of the hard work that went into making your day amazing.

 Who should you send a thank you note to? 

All of your vendors would LOVE to receive a sweet note from you telling them what a fantastic job they did and thanking them for helping to make your day special. However, if the thought of writing one more thank you note makes you cringe, please try to send a note to those vendors that went above and beyond their contract, went out of their way to ensure that your day went perfectly or made you feel like the center of the universe for a brief moment.

 When should you send the thank you note? 

To make things easy on yourself, send them at the same time you are sending out the thank you notes to your guests. If the thought slipped your mind, send one now. Thanking someone never goes out of style, no matter if they were your wedding vendor last weekend or you were reminiscing about your wedding with your daughter 10 years later.

 Why should you send a thank you note? 

Thanking a vendor lets them know that you appreciated the work that was performed. It validates them as a business and lets them showcase your thanks to potential clients. A few sentences in an email, note card or letter can brighten a vendors day, week or even year.

 What can I do if I am just not a note writer? 

The next best thing to sending a thank you note is to go and review your vendors online (if you can write both a short note and post a review). Testimonials and reviews are very important to prospective clients and can sometimes sway the decision in favor of your favorite vendor. Highlight all the amazing qualities that made you select your vendors in the first place.

 Does it have to be a thank you note? 

Of course not! There are others ways to thank your vendors. Post a brief sentence or two on their Facebook page. Follow their blog and if they post about your wedding, add a quick comment. If their website has a comment or review section, take a quick moment and say thanks! Send an email or text and let them know that you wanted to tell them just how much they made your day. Pick up the phone and say hi and thank them. If you were super impressed by their service offer to create a video testimonial or be used as a reference.

 In the end, a vendor is just like you, a person that wants to know they did a great job and that you appreciate them. Reach out and thank a vendor today!

For tips on writing thank you notes and “proper” etiquette, visit Emily Post at http://www.emilypost.com/communication-and-technology/notes-and-letters/99-thank-you-notes-to-send-or-not-to-send.

Sweet I Do's is a wedding planning company located in Surprise, AZ (a suburb of Phoenix). We specialize in wedding day management (also known as day of coordination). We help you create an amazing, unique and totally "you" wedding that allows you to be in the moments making the memories, not worrying about the details. From contract review and timeline creation to day of management, set up and tear down, we're focused on ensuring our couples, their families and friends experience a stress and worry free night to remember.