On last Sunday’s episode of “My Fair Wedding,” celebrity wedding planner, David Tutera, helped a fashionista bride who had pretty much spent her entire wedding budget on her Vera Wang wedding dress and Christian Louboutin shoes. Yikes! Good thing she had David’s help to make her dream wedding come true.

(Tip – the wedding dress should be part of the wedding budget so if you are helping a bride with this, make sure she tells you how much she has spent or is planning to spend on it. And, she should not be selecting her dress until she has decided on her venue. Certain styles work better in large venues than small ones and there are some dresses that are too difficult to wear at an outdoor wedding.)

The bride had all sorts of ideas for her fashionista wedding. She talk about wanting it girly, prissy, full of pastel colors, and similar to Marie Antoinette. Her venue was an outdoor space with a beautiful view but it wasn’t ideal because of unpredictable weather and because it had an indoor reception area that was too small.

David took her ideas and focused in on the heart of what the bride was all about – her dress, fashion and details.

(Tip – It’s easy for a bride to have too many good ideas, it’s your job as her wedding planner to help her get focused. Get to know her, look for the common thread running through her ideas and make that the focus, and don’t forget to let her personality come through.)

David usually changes a bride’s wedding dress but this time he let her keep it. The Vera Wang gown was edgy and fashion-forward and expressed the bride’s personality. The photo above is from Vera Wang’s website. The dress is from her Spring 2011 collection.

David did change out the Vera Wang midnight blue bridesmaids’ dresses. He had three fashion students present ideas and chose the design by Masai Payan because it flattered different types of figures and was a beautiful color that blended with the bride’s dress and the color theme of the reception. The photo below is from Masai Payan’s website where you will also see his original sketch of the dress.

The venue David chose was not an ordinary wedding and event venue, it was glass-walled top floors of the AT&T Center on 1150 S. Olive in Los Angeles. This gave guests a 360 degree view of the city which made it unnecessary to fill the space with lots of decorations.  (The lower floor was for the reception. The top floor had space for the reception and the dance floor.)

(Tip - don’t think that wedding venues are only hotels, banquet halls, country clubs, and restaurants. Research unique venues that might have event space such as universities, museums, art galleries, historic homes and office space, such as this one that David found.)

For the tables at the reception, David chose two different designs, using wonderful chair covers and table cloths.

The chair covers were from Wildflowers Linens. If you haven’t seen their designs before, check out their blog which shows many of their linens at celebrity weddings and Hollywood events.

David chose the Curly Willow, because it resembled the bride’s dress.

and the Lilybelle chair sleeve because if all the the chairs resembled the wedding dress, they would take focus away from the bride.

The table linens were also detailed and fashion forward. One had a swirl design

and the other floral, both were from Cloth Connection.

(Tip – all tables don’t need to have the same design. Alternating makes it interesting and can save money if some of the tables can have lower-cost centerpieces. Just make sure everything blends together and suits the theme of the event. Florists and linen providers can help you and the bride with the selections.)

You can read the bride’s thoughts on her experience with David and his team on the WeTV website.

The Fall/Winter 2011 issue of The Knot Northern California magazine has an article that suggests 9 things brides can splurge on to make their weddings stand out.

Here are 3 that you might want to suggest to your brides, if they have the budget:

1) Lighting

A bride does not have to stay with the lighting that is offered in her ceremony or reception space. A good lighting designer can create different moods, add drama and camouflage bad areas.

Also, I’m sure you’ve seen monograms projected on dance floors and aisles at celebrity weddings, these are the work of lighting designers. Find someone in your area who can do this for y0ur brides.

2) Ceremony Decor

Don’t forget that it’s not just the reception venue that needs decoration, places of worship and other ceremony sites can be decorated to create and set the tone for the entire wedding day.

Read my blog post on door decor for ideas and information on how to make the entrance special.

3) Personalize the Entryway

The article said that wedding planners often overlook this area of the reception site!

Work with the florist to add flowers and trees, an event designer to decorate the escort card table or a printer to design special escort cards (read my posts about the Tori and Dean sTORIbook Weddings “Steampunk“ and “Pug Chic” themed weddings to get ideas), the photographer to show photos of the couple taken for their engagement, or the caterer to have servers waiting to greet guests with the couple’s signature cocktail.

Before sharing any of these ideas, make sure you know high quality, professional vendors whom you can work with to make these splurges really worth it for your brides.

You can read more ideas in local area editions of The Knot magazine.

Wedding trends and tips were the topics on the ABC television show, “The View,” on Friday. They filled their entire program with guest experts from the wedding industry.

Here are some of the trends and tips which will give you ideas when planning weddings for your brides:

Wedding Dresses

Wedding gown designer Amsale Aberra showed some of her beautiful gowns which highlighted the latest trends:

• Lace wedding gowns inspired - by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
• Non-white dresses.
• Skirt interest (see above).
• Lightness – using tulle and organza.
• Short dresses – can  used for engagement parties, the wedding brunch and the reception.

Amsale also offered these additional tips:

• A bride should not worry about what size she is when selecting a style, it’s the body shape that matters the most.
• The cost of a gown is dependent on the fabric, the time spent on making the dress and beading.

Amsale has a television show starting on June 12 on WEtv.

Catering

Carley Roney of “The Knot”  shared food the drink trends

• Wedding theme should be carried out in the food and drink.
• No more boring chicken and beef dishes.
• Food inspiration comes from food trucks and food street vendors around the globe.
• Your brides should be taking their guests on an excursion, serve food such as European crepes and Chinese dumplings (dim sum).
• Cocktails should also follow the theme.

Flowers on a Budget

Carley gave these tips for saving money on flowers:

• Select less expensive flowers, such as carnations and mums, and use them in bulk, they will look amazing.
• Stay with flowers that are in season.
• Colors are hot right now but a bride should not use too much color in her bouquet, it will be overwhelming in front of a white dress.
• If she wants a colored bouquet, keep it small, let the bridesmaids carry the color.

Wedding Attire

Randy Fenoli of Kleinfeld ( you’ve seen him on, “Say Yes to the Dress”) offered this information:

• The groom’s attire should be the same level of formality as the bride’s.
• 80% of wedding gowns today are strapless and they are not just a trend. Wedding gowns are fitted garments. If you put sleeves on a fitted garment, the bride will not be able to move her arms.
• If your bride is self conscious about her arms, she can add a shrug or bolero in a light-weight fabric that doesn’t add bulk.
• Your second time brides should feel free to wear veils. Just make it lower and longer than a first time bride. (Nothing poofy or outrageous.)
• Alternatives to a veil are flowers or a jeweled headpiece.

Makeup

3 things every bride needs in her wedding day makeup bag – from the makeup artist at “The View”

1. An all-in-one compact that includes blusher, lip gloss and eye shadow
2. Waterproof mascara
3. Long lasting lipstick

You can see the entire episode of the show on the ABC website.

Celebrities Tori and Dean had the challenge of a perfectionist, micro-managing bride last week on their show, “Tori & Dean: sToribook Weddings.”  They found, and you will find this too with some of your clients, that their bride couldn’t quite articulate what she wanted and had trouble making decisions. Dean saw that it could be a lack of confidence. But he and Tori were patient but firm, knowing they had to get some decisions made if the wedding would take place at all.

Tori was able to break through the indecision by first presenting the bride with a wedding dress that was almost exactly what she wanted. (She had seen a Vera Wang dress in the “Sex and the City” movie that was no longer available.) She and Dean then carefully followed the bride’s wishes of having an elegant wedding in white and cream and bringing in their Argentinian background.

The wedding took place at the Hyatt Regency in Huntington Beach. As the bride and groom requested, the ceremony was outdoors,

with rose petals lining the aisle.

The guests were given rose petals to toss at the bride and groom at their big kiss. (Tip – if you are in charge of making individual items for guests, make sure you allow yourself plenty of time and get help with small items such as these, your time and skills might be better used elsewhere.) 

Because it was a windy day, Tori and Dean arranged to pass out shawls for guests to wear. (Tip – Wind can truly disrupt your wedding if you do not plan ahead. Make sure the bride’s veil is firmly anchored to her hair, she might want to select a small, short veil versus a long one to eliminate problems. Use a heavy aisle runner and secure it firmly to the ground. Any floral arrangements and trees should also have heavy bases so they do not blow over.)

The reception was set inside the hotel in a room not used for weddings before this event. (Tip – ballrooms aren’t the only places in a hotel than can be used for a reception. Work with the hotel to explore other areas that can be made private during the time of the wedding.)

Flower arrangements were by Lifetime Weddings and Events.

Decorative items were from Arte de Mexico. (Tip – party rental and prop houses aren’t the only places with decorative items you can use at a wedding. Check interior design stores, ethnic marketplaces, consignment stores, and vintage stores for one-of-a-kind items.)

The white cake was from Great Dane Bakery.

Wedding favors were boxes of sweets. (Tip – only use chocolate wedding favors when you and your bride are planning to give them out indoors or you risk them melting under the hot sun.)

You can be successful when you work with a perfectionist bride, listen carefully to what she says she wants and pay extra attention to all of the details, because that is what she will be doing too.

Tonight Tori and Dean plan a Tuscan wedding.

These photos and more by Michael Williams are on the Oxygen website.

After the the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s  Royal Wedding, Queen Elizabeth held an early afternoon wedding reception for 650 guests and served a selection of hors d’oeurves, champagne, a wedding cake and a groom’s cake. While your brides may not be interested in serving food such as “Pressed Duck Terrine with Fruit Chutney” or “Quail Eggs with Celery Salt,” the idea of an appetizer or cocktail reception, versus a buffet dinner or seated meal, might hold some appeal. The food can be lighter, and therefore less expensive.

An article in a recent issue of Meetings & Conventions magazine provided tips, by top New York caterer Alison Awerbuch of Abigail Kirsch, for selecting and serving hors d’oeuvres .

Here are 3 of the tips, I’ve altered them a bit to to work for wedding receptions versus business events:

1) Avoid selections that leave guests holding something

Food presented on Chinese soup spoons or soups served in shot glasses on silver trays look very appealing, but they leave the bride’s guests holding the spoon or glass when they are done. If the bride is set on doing this, a member of the waitstaff will need to follow along to collect the used items.

I would add that you need to plan well with your bride and her caterer when serving any foods that leave the guests with food waste in their hands. I’ve been to parties and receptions in which I was left with either a shrimp tail or a lamb chop bone when I was done – and no plate to put them on!

2) Use this opportunity let your bride’s guests try unfamiliar foods

Allow the caterer to suggest food that might be too exotic or expensive for a main course at a seated meal. This way a couple may be able to have a food they love that may not be right for everyone.

3) Divide up the time like a multi-course meal

Serve small, light hors d’oeuvres first, as if it was a first course. Next serve a larger, heavier and perhaps a bit richer, selection of food. Lastly, serve sweets, and like the Queen, serve the wedding cake. When the food is served in this order, guests may feel like they have had an entire three-course meal.

An additional tip from me – while you want your brides to offer a variety of foods that appeal to many guests, try to keep the number of different selections to a minimum. Many times people will try anything and everything that is served and the bride may end up paying as much for this type of reception as she would have for a seated meal.

When you are planning a wedding, brides rely on you not only to be up on the latest trends in food and beverage but also the best suggestions for saving money on their catering budgets. In the March/April 2011 issue of Special Events magazine, caterers gave tips for keeping costs down.

Here are 5 tips for sticking to the budget:

1) Use a number of passed small plates instead of a three-course dinner

This will allow a bride’s guest to try different foods without spending a great deal of money. Be careful to not have too many choices, many guests like to sample everything offered which will bring costs back up.

2) Consider a 3 to 4 hour cocktail reception instead of a longer dinner reception

This will be less formal and more for brides and grooms who want a party atmosphere and will save on costs.

3) Work with the caterer to find creative, low-cost alternatives

Find your bride a caterer who can work within your bride’s budget. 

4) Cut down on courses and extras

The bride doesn’t need to stuff her guests with food. Keep the number of types of passed hors d’oeurve and courses to a minimum.

5) Use cupcakes for dessert

These are very popular and not as expensive as a traditional tiered wedding cake. See if your bride’s caterer offers this alternative or find a cupcake specialty shop. The vintage ivory and silver wedding cupcake tower is from Genii Cupcakes.

Celebrity wedding planner David Tutera thought his bride and groom on Sunday’s episode of “My Fair Wedding” had a brilliant wedding concept – love. But their execution left something to be desired. They showed him a table full of tacky items in hot pink, their wedding color, hearts shapes and zebra print, to represent fun.

David kept the concept of love represented by hearts, the hot pink color, and the idea of a fun wedding but, as always, he took it to another level and hopefully you are able to do the same for your brides, even without the seemingly unlimited budget that David has.

David wanted to change the bride’s dress, she even tried on three for him, but she wanted to keep the dress she had bought because she had memories of her family shopping and selecting it with her. He said as a wedding planner he wanted to make everything wonderful but also did not want to crush memories. So, even though he felt his selections were better, he didn’t take away her wedding dress. But he did give her a fun party dress to wear at the reception. The dress was a sparkling strapless party dress with a  skirt of hot pink ruffles. The dress was from Sherri Hill and can be found on their website in white, blue and lavender, as shown below.

The bridesmaids’ dresses were changed from short black cocktail dresses, that looked more suitable for going clubbing, to long hot pink gowns, from Two Birds Bridesmaids, that  can be wrapped and tied in numerous ways to suit the figure of the woman wearing it. (The photo below is from their website.)

They were also given the “Mischa” gold shoe from Paradox London to wear.

The reception was all in shades of pink with lighted spheres, balloons and floral arrangements in the shape of balls, all adding to the feeling of fun. These photos of the reception space are from Balloon Divas.

Notice the centerpieces are filled with “Conversation Hearts,” the popular Valentine candy.

The cake, photograph at the top of this post, by Hansen’s Cakes, was also in pink and one of the layers had the same “Fuchsia Pucci” pattern as the tablecloth from Cloth Connections. 

The bride told David her wedding was, “more than she could have dreamed of, ever.”

On Friday night’s episode of “Four Weddings,” one of the brides had a beautiful beach wedding. Unfortunately the guest brides weren’t too happy about their shoes sinking into the sand. This is a problem with a beach wedding but you can anticipate and be prepared for this and other potential problems and help your couple and their guests have a wonderful experience.

6 precautions you can take:

1) As one of the brides in the show said, giving guests flip-flops is a good way to help them save their shoes. Your bride can order them in the colors that match her wedding or, if your bride has the budget available, get them personalized with the bride and groom’s names, like Ivanka Trump did at her wedding.

2) Before the wedding, test the temperature of the sand. If it’s too hot to the touch, you might need to cover the entire ceremony area with a floor.

3) Make sure there is a faucet or hose nearby for guests to rinse their feet, most beaches have this.

4) Check to see that the beach in clean and does not have debris that could injure a guest.

5) Provide some sort of shade, such as parasols or beach umbrellas, some guests are not comfortable under a hot sun.

6) The hot sun, wind, rain and humidity can ruin any outdoor event. Be sure you have a “Plan B” that includes shifting to an indoor venue.

In the video below, celebrity wedding planner, David Tutera offers additional tips on having a fabulous beach wedding.

They were showncased at the recent Special Events conference in Arizona and I thought you might appreciate seeing the winners. They can give you inspiration for designs for your brides:

“Aubergine Arabesque” was the winner in the “Tabletops $1000 and Above Each” category. It was designed by Newberry Brothers Greeenhouse & Florist. 

Notice that the napkins were folded to look like peacocks.

The winner in the “Tabletops Under $1000 Each” category was “Midsummer Night’s Dream” by Charlotte Tjong. It was filled with butterflies, fairies and Shakespearean quotes.

You can see more photos of these and other tabletops on the Special Events website. It’s worth a look for fresh ideas on color combinations and themes.

The event designer for La La Vazquez’s wedding, Ed Libby, shared some ideas ideas for selecting the correct centerpieces for a wedding reception in the February 2011 issue of Brides magazine.

Here are 3 tips that will help you select the perfect centerpieces with your brides:

1) Make sure they reflect the couple’s style and personality

Guests will be looking at the centerpiece all evening and it is one of the items of decor that most guests will comment on. So, when you and your bride work with a florist to design the pieces, see that the bride is selecting something that is a reflection of her style and tastes and not just something copied out of a magazine or that the florist wants to design.

2) The bride should know what she doesn’t like as well as what she does

In order to be very thorough in finding out what the bride really wants for her wedding, it’s important to know both likes and dislikes as far as colors, scents, textures, shapes, fashion styles and flowers.  Some wedding vendors ask only what a bride likes and end up not getting the total picture of her vision. In fact, you might get more information when asking her for her dislikes since a bride often has a clearer, stronger opinioin about the things she doesn’t want in her wedding than what she does.

3) Remember to decorate the cocktail hour space

If the cocktail hour is in a different space from the reception, remind the bride that she needs to also decorate this space, this is a detail many people forget that you, as the wedding planner, should remember. Ed suggested that the bride need not spend a lot of money, since people will not be in this area for a very long time, just have “one big ‘wow’ piece – a potted tree, or an impressive urn arrangement – and candlelight” (use battery operated candles is areas that do not allow flames, there are very nice ones now that even look like they are flickering).

You can get more centerpiece ideas in the magazine.