You’ve budgeted for every last penny and think you’ve accounted for every possible wedding expense, but what about the tip?Yes, tipping is expected, and it’s a great way to say thank you to all those vendors who helped make your wedding day special.
be prepared
Make someone responsible for delivering tips, usually the best man.
Separate each tip into separate envelopes—do this ahead of time, and label each one for the recipient.
Check to see if gratuity is already added into the bill. You don’t want to double-tip, and sometimes gratuity is taxable. Check with vendors on tipping policies.
Keep an additional envelope on hand with a little extra cash in case you forget a tip or need a larger one.
Set aside 15 percent of your wedding budget for tipping.
whom to tip
The maitre d’ will split his/her bonus with the wait staff (typically 15–20 percent of the food and drink bill); don’t tip them directly.
Caterers should receive 15–20 percent of the food and drink bill, but only 10 percent if there is a maitre d’.
Bartenders should receive 10 percent of the total liquor bill.
Powder and coatroom attendants usually receive about $.50–$1 per guest, or arrange a gratuity bill with the hotel or club management.
Parking attendants will usually receive $.50–$1 per car. Make sure to pay this before guests start to arrive and display a sign stating, “Gratuities have been arranged by the host.”
Limousine drivers receive 15–20 percent of the total limousine bill. Delivery truck drivers for florist, baker, etc., will usually receive $5–$10 each.
Musicians and deejay are optional, but if you do decide to tip them, $20–$25 each is appropriate.
Drawing inspiration from mid-century wedding style icons like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, these 10 morning-to-midnight looks put the class in classic.
Sneak Peek
Lovely in Lace
Organza overskirt with beaded waist detail, $740, Alta Moda Bridal, SLC; Hanky Panky
lace boyshort, $30, Nordstrom, SLC;
Les Accessories Barcelona lace bolero, $375, The Brides’ Shop, SLC; Mikimoto diamond and pearl earring, $9,600, O.C. Tanner Jewelers, SLC; vintage ring, $6,500, similar found at Chalk Garden Co-Op, SLC.
Bohemian Boudoir
“Ireland” cathedral tulle veil cap with Alencon lace details, $560, Alta Moda Bridal, SLC; Mint by Eloise lace girl shorts and bra, $12-42, Anthropologie, SLC; Badgley Mischka Cissy Nile Blue silk T-strap sandal, $225, Zappos; Goldberg Ashoka diamond bracelet, $130,000,
O.C. Tanner Jewelers, SLC.
Portrait in the Garden
Silk shantung trumpet silhouette “Esther” gown with oversized bow, $1,800,
Illume Gowns (Utah designer out of
Santa Monica, Calif.); Mikimoto 3-row pearl bracelet, $4,900, O.C. Tanner Jewelers, SLC;
Birdcage veil, $40, The Brides’ Shop, SLC.
Making an Entrance
On her: Illusion lace neckline over strapless bodice “Marabu” gown with beaded tulle princess skirt by Rosa Clara, $3,000, Avenia Bridal, Orem; Roberto Coin diamond drop earrings, $14,000, O.C. Tanner Jewelers, SLC.
On him: Loro Piana Four Seasons wool two-piece suit, $1,800, Beckett & Robb, SLC; Canclini cotton shirt, $150, Beckett & Robb, SLC; silk knit tie, $60, Beckett & Robb, SLC; cotton pocket square, $40, Beckett & Robb, SLC; Cole Haan Caldwell shoes, $168, Jos. A. Bank, SLC; mercerized cotton socks, $18, Jos. A. Bank, SLC; vintage car rental by Something Vintage Something Blue.
Just Married
On him: Brioni wool herringbone two-piece black suit, $6,000,
Utah Woolen Mills, SLC; Peton tuxedo shirt, $255, D. Grant Ltd.; silk bow hand tie, $95, Utah Woolen Mills, SLC; J. Z. Richards silk pocket square, $45, D. Grant Ltd.; R. Talbot “Paisley Wave” cufflinks, $315, D. Grant Ltd.;
Tiffany platinum wedding band, $2,500, Tiffany & Co., SLC; Mezlan Tyson II black cap toe black leather shoes, $255, Utah Woolen Mills, SLC; Gentlemen’s “Atlas” watch, $5,000, Tiffany & Co., SLC.
On her: Royal duchess satin Amsale “Carina” ball gown with crumb catcher bodice, $4,300, Gateway Bride & Prom, SLC; Toni Frederici “Dessert” veil, $285, Alta Moda Bridal, SLC; Torque Bangles in yellow gold, rose gold and white gold, $2,050 each, Tiffany & Co., SLC; white gold Torque Bangle with diamonds, $3,750, Tiffany & Co., SLC.; Diamonds by the Yard pendant, $8,300, Tiffany & Co., SLC; Tiffany engagement ring, $52,000, Tiffany & Co., SLC.
Off to Party
Modern Trousseau “Guiliana” ball gown with lace cap sleeve bodice, $3,500, Alta Moda Bridal, SLC; Diamonds by the Yard drop earrings, $2,085, Tiffany & Co., SLC.
Dance the Night Away
On Her: “Leona” gown with antique silver beading and silk chiffon skirt, $1,800, BHLDN; “Saba” earrings with Swarovski crystals, $165, Alta Moda Bridal, SLC; “Lucida” engagement ring, call for pricing, Tiffany & Co., SLC.
On Him: Dress shirt, $65, Macy’s, SLC;
two-piece black slim suit, $650, Macy’s, SLC; silk tie, $60, Macy’s, SLC. Music by St. Boheme.
Cutting the Cake
On her: “Cleopatra” head wreath, $315, Alta Moda Bridal, SLC; “Saba” earrings with Swarovski crystals, $165, Alta Moda Bridal, SLC; Jenny Packham “Willow” gown, $5,350, Alta Moda Bridal, SLC.
Happily Ever After
On her: “Cleopatra” head wreath, $315, Alta Moda Bridal, SLC; “Saba” earrings with Swarovski crystals, $165, Alta Moda Bridal, SLC; Jenny Packham “Willow” beaded gown, $5,350, Alta Moda Bridal, SLC.
On him: Two-piece men’s slim suit, $650, Macy’s, SLC.
On him: Men’s dress shirt, $95, Macy’s, SLC.; platinum wedding band, Payne Anthony, SLC, call for pricing; Kate Spade “New York Callan” shoes, $330, Zappos; cake knife, $46/set with server, New Orientation, SLC; Cake by Cake-A-Licious.
Cindy Voohees LAMFT The marriage clinic of Utah in Sandy Utah.
1. I’m hearing the most lately, that they go into this knowing this is the right person. Then when hard things come along, they think it must be wrong since it’s so hard.
“Marriage by design is supposed to be hard, as humans that’s how we grow and develop. We develop when things are hard, we hate it, but that’s what we need.”
Every couple wants communication skills. WE don’t know how to talk about hard things. Newlyweds or longtime weds.
Newlyweds, power struggle – Dating is a wonderful vacation. Before the responsibility, there’s a period where reality is suspended. You’ll pay the $5 for the churro that you’d never pay anywhere else -Disneyland.
Kids and feel stressed. You can have islands of time that you decide this is for us. This is for you and me to connect.
Young couples with no kids, the disconnect comes when you don’t spend time together. – Feeds into the big push on love languages, communicate about those.
Women feel that men don’t care. Keep communications in the I messages. i.e. I’m afraid you don’t care v. you don’t care.
You’re taking accountability for your feelings.
Assume good intent. I’m thinking my husband doesn’t’ care because he doesn’t have a date planned, assume that he does care and then ask him. Approaching as in, I’m feeling lonely and I miss you because we haven’t gone out on a date.
One of the things that Scotman (?)
Marriage communication fails when you’re emotionally hijacked.
Arguments, fights and conflicts are not death threat to the marriage. Repairs ar important need to come back to that. That’s hwere the marriage gets healthy. GOTMAN.
Healthy marriage v. unhealthy
Unhealthy marriages don’t make repairs. Sweep it under the rug.
Pulse is more than 100 beats per minute, you shouldn’t be flooded. Men will shut down when they flood and try to protect the relationship.
Women see it as they are being abandoned, she’ll come at him harder.
Have a signal. I need time, come back to it within 24 hours, no less than 30 minutes. It takes 20 minutes for emotion to leave the body.
“women feel abandoned. If they understood that they were protecting the relationship it woldn’t be so scary when they walk out.”
Men say, if she would come to me and not at me it would end differently. Look, I’m feeling lonely, I haven’t seen you, and I’m scared that maybe you used to?
At: you don’t even care, and you work all of the time.
I’m overwhelmed and I need someone to listen to me.
Relationships have stages, the first stage is honeymoon: everything is wonderful, married this person who is everything you’ve ever wanted.
2nd noticing things about them that you never realized. Spontaneous and fun Peter pan.
Hot button, i.e. I’m never enough, man that feels it’s never enough. Healing thing, it gets brought to your attention. Stuck elevator – challenges you in a way that you need to be challenged. Forces you to grow. Polar opposites, you come to a more balanced center and balance each other out.
Encourage people to get counseling sooner vs. later. You form your beliefs about what your spouse is thinking without ever asking. Then you’re looking at your spouse through that lense. Based on an event the first year of marriage, even though there was good intent.
Not putting years and years of resentment, a long time to undo damage. Newlyweds can use skills without baggage.
Not feeling happy, go in. May take a few sessions v. long term.
3rd stage Withdraw, turn away from each other. Divorces happen here. Pushes each other away.
4th stage, look at them. They aren’t who they thought they were. NO one is. Not prince Eric, this is who you are and how do I want to make this work? Is this someone I want to stay with.
Married 39 years, not a touchy-feely, I have to tell him what I want. I need you to hold me. Doesn’t fill my well, outside his comfort zone and does it because he’s asked.
The formula is, you are responsible to meet 75 percent to meet your emotional needs. And you can’t expect someone to meet 25 percent of your needs. You will never fill their cup. Partners get burnt out.
Selecting a diamond is one of the most important decisions to make when choosing the perfect ring. From clarity to cut, there are a lot of things to consider when diamond shopping.
While this experience can seem intimidating, our diamond experts at OC Tanners have put together a quick guide to the five c’s of diamond shopping.
One of the most important aspects of wedding planning is choosing wedding invitations. Your wedding invitations not only set the tone for your festivities, but give your guests all the important details for the big day.
With all the styles and patterns to choose from, shopping for and designing wedding invitations are essential to planning the perfect day. They should be designed to reflect you and your partners style and theme for your wedding.
Our wedding experts here at Utah Bride & Groom have put together some tips on crafting the perfect wedding invitations. Here are some of our top Do’s and Don’ts to wedding invitations wording and etiquette.
Click to see more of this real wedding: Cari + Mark. PC: Jacque Lynn Photography
1. Do consider your wedding theme
Your wedding invitations will most likely be the first thing your guests see about your wedding. Be sure to customize your invitations to incorporate both your wedding’s theme in the invitations. This can easily be achieved by integrating your wedding colors to the design.
2. Do be consistent with the wording on your invitations
Whether you decide formal or informal, the wording on your invitations should be consistent from the very beginning. For a more formal invitation, address individuals with their title and spell out calendar dates.
Click to see more of this wedding invitation inspiration: Think Pink. PC: Heather Nan Photography
3. Do proof-read your invitations more than once
After designing and writing your wedding invitations, ask your stationer for a proof. Proof-read it with more than one person to catch all possible errors before printing.
4. Do put stamps on the RSVP envelope
Including a stamp on the RSVP envelope with your wedding invitations will make responding much easier for your guests. Not only is it a courteous gesture for your guests, you are also more likely to receive your RSVPs quicker.
5. Don’t forget to verify the venue addresses
Nothing is worse than showing up to the wrong address for a big event. Before sending out your wedding invitations, be sure to verify the venue addresses with your selected vendor or wedding planner.
6. Don’t forget to order extra wedding invitations
Always order a few extra invitations. Chances are you may have forgotten a great-aunt or two in the wedding process. Placing a new order is far more expensive than adding a few more to the original amount.
7. Don’t set the RSVP date too close to the wedding date
Setting the RSVP date a few weeks before the wedding makes wedding planning a little less stressful. It gives you plenty of time to both notify vendors, such as catering and florals, and contact those who haven’t RSVP’d yet.
Featured image above can be found in: Autumn Wedding Inspiration. PC: Julie & Nathan Argyle and Convincing Image
*note: This would be better as a collection of Real Weddings. I need to roundup my favorite ones and link to them throughout the article. These images should be another inspo blog.
written by Ashley Baker
There’s nothing better than scouring through gorgeous wedding photos on Pinterest, trust me, by the way have you seen our boards lately, they’re stunning. But, just in case you’ve ever wondered how to get that Utah Bride & Groom magazine worthy wedding for yourself, I’ve decided to let you in on a few of our secrets.
1. Set a Theme
Choosing a theme, such as boho-chic or city sleek, will help you remain cohesive and carry you throughout your planning process.
2. Location, Location, Location
I’ll say it again, ahem, location. How will the lighting will play with the décor? Is your wedding going to be inside or outdoors? All of these factors come into play.
3. It’s in the Details
Pay attention to the details. When planning, think about how the flowers, gown and makeup will look in each photograph.
Photography can make or break your wedding day memories. Since magazines are highly visual, excellent photography and photo editing is a must.
See7 Things to Ask Before Booking a Wedding Day Photographer
5. Tell Your Story
Magazines are all about telling a compelling story. I’ve interviewed numerous couples over the years and one thing I’ve come to realize is that these stories are like snowflakes–no two are alike. Tell your story because that’s what will set you apart from everyone else.
Photos by Heather Nan Photography | Styling and design by Allison Baddley, La Fete
We Utahns are famous for a sweet tooth. The state’s refined taste for sugar has made national celebrities of bakers—Sweet Tooth Fairy, One Sweet Slice and The Mighty Baker—all winners in various TV baking competitions, all from Utah. Utah’s party scene featured candy buffets before they were cool and is currently creating a soda fountain revolution.
Cavity jokes aside, wedding stylist Allison Baddley of Le Fete says candy is more than corn syrup and sugar. It’s a, dare we say, sweet inspiration for a wedding. “Wedding inspiration can come from anywhere. With
so much neutrality the past few years, wedding design is begging for color and pattern,” she says.
If you are ready to party with colors aplenty, Baddley and her photographer friend Heather Nan shed new light on wedding design with four sugary-sweet patterns—bold stripes, iridescent waves, geometric kaleidoscope and monochromatic color blocking.
Waves
If you’re enchanted by mermaids or unicorns in your design, here’s a wedding style for you. La Fete’s Baddley dives deep into iridescent clouds of cotton candy. “This mood can go bad fast, but if you want a white, cream or beige wedding that makes your guests jaws drop, adding iridescence can help.”
Have your cake and eat it too
Fondant frosting blankets a “funfetti” vanilla cake with colorful sprinkles by Flour & Flourish, while delicate gelatin shreds decorate each layer. “Let the style of the cake shine,” says pastry chef Cassidy Harrison. “If a cake is simply frosted, go with varying layer heights. If you want to decorate with something unique, keep your cake’s shape simple.” Galaxy cheesecake and champagne cotton-candy cocktails from Cuisine Unlimited round out the space-age sweets, along with Maison Confiserie et Boutique’s pink vanilla cotton candy and cotton candy sugar strings.
Set a shimmery table
La Fete foraged feathery branches to add to a taupe-hued collection of protea, astilbe, lavender and Quicksand roses and blushing bride blooms. Pearlized glass vases and acrylic ghost chairs from Glass House add a see-through sheen to the milky linens and neutrally toned backdrop.
Don’t be shy
Hair and makeup artist Janelle Ingram creates ultimate sophistication with a classic chignon and flawless makeup. A dramatic shimmer-encrusted tulle ball gown ($5,500) from Bitsy Bridal elegantly pairs with Roberto Coin diamond pavé flower earrings in 18k white gold ($5,300) and a Pomellato amethyst Nudo ring with diamonds in rose gold ($5,800) from O.C. Tanner Jewelers.
Push the envelope
Announce your wedding day with something special. “Blush tones will forever be popular wedding colors, so I started there and added more depth and punch,” says Refine Studio’s Nikkol Christiansen. “An iridescent layer softens the pink and adds a fashion-forward statement to the suite. A modern edge takes form with unexpected type placement and minimal wording.” Jewel-toned cocktail rings—including this amethyst and rose gold beauty ($5,800) from O.C. Tanner Jewelers—add glow and glam to the mood.
Vendors
Photography: Heather Nan, SLC
Styling and design: La Fete, SLC
Invitations: Ann Elizabeth, Murray; Refine Studio, SLC; Ink Press & Co, SLC; The Write Image, SLC
Hair and makeup: Janelle Ingham, Cottonwood Heights
Gowns: Bitsy Bridal, SLC
Desserts and cocktails: Cuisine Unlimited, Murray
Candy: Maison Boutique, SLC
Linens: La Tavola Linens, via La Fete
Photography assistants: Lexie Fuell and Claire White
Food styling: Derek Deitsch and Misky Merino, Cuisine Unlimited
Yellow chairs and tabletop decor: Glass House, SLC
Styling assistant: Carpe Diem Design, Layton
Model: Abigail Johnsen
This is the place. Or is it? Utah is blessed with hundreds of sensational venues, but how do you decide on which one is right for your big day? Cost, location and accessibility are all key factors to keep in mind.According to Alta Lodge’s Director of Sales and Marketing Rosie O’Grady, , there are five must-dos when choosing a wedding venue.
1. Determine Your Wedding Experience
“Your wedding venue should match the overall vibe of your wedding and what you hope your guests will experience. For example, if you’re looking for a mountain setting without a lot of distractions, so you’re able to focus on spending quality time with your guests, a venue like Alta Lodge might be the right choice for you,” O’Grady says.
2. Create a Checklist for Research and Planning
Planning a wedding on your own is fun and exciting, but there’s so much information out there to sort through that it can become overwhelming at times if you’re not organized. O’Grady recommends creating a checklist or spreadsheet to help you keep track of various tasks and information. She also recommends that if your venue has an event planner, that you ask them to keep a checklist that you can glance at throughout the planning process.
3. Ask What All-Inclusive Means
Oftentimes, venues claim that they’re are all-inclusive, meaning they take care of every last detail of your event, from planning, to food and drinks and even the wedding cake. While most venues actually perform all of these tasks, other venues may claim that they’re all-inclusive, but don’t provide event planning, catering or bar services, so it’s always a good idea to ask what services all-inclusive includes.
4. Ask for a Complete Charge Breakdown
“Budgeting for your event is important. It’s also good to know where your charges come from. Nobody should be caught off guard by hidden fees, so make sure your venue is transparent in everything they do. Ask about parking fees and any other charges they may not tell you about right up front. A venue should be willing help you make your event easy to plan and budget for,” O’Grady says.
5. Relax and Enjoy
Once you’ve determined where you’ll be getting hitched, enjoy your moment.
It’s no wonder Utah couples opt for outdoor weddings. One of Utah’s greatest asset is its expansive outdoor space. Alta Lodge is a favorite among the outdoorsy set due to the rustic lodging and sensational views.
“What makes the Lodge so cool is that it can be a one-stop shop for couples who are getting married. We offer a unique experience for everyone. We host a lot of destination weddings, and for locals, the lodge can create a staycation in the mountains,” she says.
For more information on a mountain wedding at Alta Lodge, visit their website and follow them on Instagram.
Pay attention to the details. When planning, think about how the flowers, gown and makeup will look in each photograph.
Photography can make or break your wedding day memories. Since magazines are highly visual, excellent photography and photo editing is a must.