How to find your perfect wedding service providers

8 Questions You Must Ask a Wedding Professional Before Booking Them

Hiring the right company is critical to planning your dream wedding…and it can also be quite stressful.

How do you find the right match for you?

How do you know who to trust?  

Where do you go for advice?

First of all, this is not an easy task and it’s totally normal for couples to feel overwhelmed, frustrated or confused.  

It’s not like you plan a wedding every day!  This is all probably brand new to you, so be patient with yourself.

A few tips to finding the right ones for you…

• Do Your Homework.  You’ll get much more out of a meeting or conversation with a wedding professional if you do a little background homework first.  

Spend some time on the internet or talking to friends who’ve recently been married.  Find out the average prices in your area and what services are available.  Get an idea of what you like and don’t like.  Wedding websites and chat rooms can be a great resource.  This way when you meet with a wedding professional you’ll be able to ask better questions and have an idea of what to look out for.

• Meet With Them.  An in person meeting is the best way to interview a potential wedding vendor. It lets you get the full experience of their personality, style and professionalism.  If that’s not possible, have a phone conversation.    

• Ask Questions.  There are no stupid questions! Make sure you get clear, specific answers to your questions. If you aren't sure what something means, ask them to clarify. Keep asking questions until you completely understand.

If a wedding vendor has a problem with you asking questions, they probably aren’t the one for you.  The best wedding professionals are patient, understanding and take the time to help you make the best choicesfor your wedding.

• Listen.  Don’t just hear the words they say, really listen.  Watch the vendor’s body language.  Are they confident and comfortable with their response?  Do they look and sound nervous?  Do you get a “funny feeling” about them?  Take all the sights, sounds and feelings into account along with their responses; if your gut tells you something isn’t right, it probably isn’t.

• Check References.  Portfolios are hand-picked to show off the best work, but they may not represent the “average” wedding performance.  Videos are edited for the optimum presentation.  But real referrals from satisfied clients are hard to fake.

Call up both client and professional references.  Ask questions and use those listening skills.  Even if they give a rave review, you’ll often be able to “read between the lines” if there were any issues or problems.

Ask around and search the internet for reviews.  Check the Better Business Bureau for any outstanding complaints against the business.  Weigh all of this information into your choices.      

Here are 8 Must Ask Questions to ask ALLyour potential wedding professionals before booking:

1. How many weddings do you do per year?  How much experience do you have?

This is an extremely important question.  Ideally, your wedding professional should have ample experience specifically with weddings.  Not only will they be more skilled in their craft, this also makes them a valuable source of information and ensures that your wedding day goes smoothly.

2. How much do you cost?

Price is often relative, especially when you factor in experience, reputation and expert skill.  Generally, the most talented professionals have a higher price tag because they are worth it.  

3. How much is the deposit?

4. What specifically is included in that cost?

Because packages often vary, it’s likely that you won’t be able to compare one vendor exactly to the next without doing a little figuring.  The lowest cost isn’t necessarily the best deal; some higher quotes include services that you have to pay extra for in other packages.  Make sure you take this into account.  

5.  What happens if I cancel?  What happens if you cancel?

Find out if your deposit is refundable under any conditions.  Does the wedding professional have a back up plan if something happens to them? 

6. Do you use a contract? 

If the answer is No, RUN!  A contract is designed to protect both you and the wedding professional.  Don’t settle for a verbal agreement that won’t hold up in court. 

7. Are there any additional fees?

Taxes, service charges and travel fees can add up quickly.  Make sure you understand exactly what is included and if there are any other fees you’ll have to pay.  This should be clearly defined in your contract.

8. Do you carry liability insurance?

The answer you’re looking for here is Yes.  This protects you in case an unfortunate accident should occur on your wedding day.  It’s also a sign that this is a reputable business, since most “fly by night” operations don’t invest in insurance.

If chosen wisely, with the right wedding vendors you get expert help and advice…for free!

Thanks to book more brides for this brilliant information 💋

Picking a wedding planner

Strongly consider handing the planning baton to a wedding consultant if a) neither you nor your families have time to plan your wedding; b) neither you nor your families have any desire to plan your wedding; c) you're planning a wedding out of town; or d) you simply prefer -- and can afford -- professional help. They'll do the legwork, hire vendors, negotiate contracts, and may even cut you some money-saving deals. Expect to pay them 10 to 15 percent of your total wedding budget. Need a referral?

 Here are key questions to ask.

1. Will the consultant commit to your budget and not push you in the direction of things you simply can't afford?

2. Will the consultant devise a master plan mapping out all the little details, from announcement to zebra-striped decor? (This will clue you in to organizational prowess and a willingness to keep you in the loop on every matter imaginable.)

3. Can the consultant name the best and most original locations in your area (that would be suitable to your wedding size, style, and budget)?

4. Is the consultant familiar with the best florists, photographers, caterers, bands, and DJs in your price range? Can he/she explain their strongpoints to you briefly? (Ask yourself: Does the consultant seem both knowledgeable and passionate?)

5. Can the consultant score you some discounts with any vendors? (Consultants bring volume to favored vendors; often they'll reciprocate by slashing prices or throwing in extras.)

6. Will the consultant read over the vendor contracts for you? What are some common traps to look out for?

7. Can the consultant create a timeline that tells everyone involved in the planning process -- vendors, members of the wedding party, bride/groom, and families -- what to do and when to do it? How will she/he make sure that everyone sticks to the schedule?

8. Will the consultant handle the invitations, from wording and ordering to the addressing and mailing?

9. Can the consultant counsel you on etiquette matters and alert you to hot trends on the wedding horizon?

10. Will the consultant coordinate delivery, arrival, and setup times with photographer, florist, musicians, caterer/banquet manager, et al?

11. For the day of the wedding, will the consultant be willing to oversee the entire event by supervising vendors, troubleshooting emergencies, and soothing nerves? Can she/he share any anecdotes that required performing above and beyond the call of duty?

12. Will the consultant be willing to step in as your advocate, conveying your visions and desires to vendors when you don't feel up to the task?

13. Will the consultant help plan and book your honeymoon?

Note:

Remember that the consultant should have plenty of questions for you too, in an effort to determine your wishes, needs, level of maintenance, budget, scope of imagination, and more. You're both trying to assess each other and how well you'll work together. The consultant will probably initiate discussions -- take this time to consider manner, personality, confidence, warmth, whatever you're looking for. Whomever you enlist, do not hire a consultant who doesn't want to listen, is bossy, tries to convince you of what's best for you, critiques your ideas, has no references, and won't sign a written agreement.
Thanks to the knot for the info!

How to pick your wedding flowers/ florist advice

Here is our new 8 step guide on how to pick your wedding flowers....by Laura from Avant Garden Weddings- Florist and Venue Styler.

1: Consider your date

My first question to a potential bride or groom is always ‘what is your wedding date?’ Firstly to check that I am available to work on their wedding and that I am not already booked up. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the florist can wait until last minute. Summer dates book up FAST especially weekends. Often up to 2 years in advance.

When considering your flowers you also need to think about what will be available at the time you get married. Just like food, flowers are seasonal, and some flowers are only available at specific times of the year.  

Have a look and see if you are getting married  around a national occasion?  Certain flowers fetch premium prices around special events and the flower growers know this. Around Christmas, Valentines day and mothers day expect to pay up to 5 times the usual amount for popular flowers such as Roses and Gerberas. Ask your florist for alternatives.

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2: Consider your budget

When deciding on your wedding flowers the first thing you should do is decide on your budget. There are no set rules about how much you should put aside for your wedding flowers, but according to ‘the knot.com’ you should be looking to put aside around 8% of your over all wedding budget for flowers.

Be open and honest with your florist about realistically how much you can spend. A good florist will be able to work within any budget, and it will help them narrow down your options. Ask your florist if they have any package deals or promotional offers on at the moment. At Avant Garden we have 4 set package deals for various budgets, from £150 to £1000. Even if those packages are not for you it will give you a good indication of what you will get for your money.

Be realistic about your budget, no matter how big or small your budget the overall quality should be to the same high standard. However if your budget is small, chances are you wont be able to have those tall,  overflowing  martini vase arrangements that you have spotted in a magazine on every table. However, your florist will be able to offer budget friendly and practical solutions, such as alternating those arrangements of your dreams with more cost effective ones, or filling them with more greenery to bring down the price a little. Magazine and celebrity weddings can often give brides an unrealistic idea of what they can expect for their budget.Work with your florist, to a budget you are happy with. A happy relationship with your florist is all about a little compromise and a little creativity.

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3: Decide on your theme

Weather it be vintage, tropical, centred around a colour scheme or type of flower, not everything has to match. Most brides match the flowers with the colour of the bridesmaids dresses, table centres, jewellery, everything ends up the same and the flowers end up blending in rather than standing out. For wedding flowers to remember try mixing contrasting colours. For example, try holding a sunflower or an orange gerbera up against a dark purple or royal blue bridesmaids dress. The colours come alive and the sunflower really stands out. Contrasting colours can make a real statement and ensure that your flowers are never forgotton.

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4: Decide on the essentials

I would suggest making  2 lists. Firstly a ‘must have’ list.  Include all of the things that you just can’t be without……for example; Your bouquet, the bridesmaids bouquets, centrepieces, buttonholes and corsages? Those flowers that you just couldn’t live without. Write them all here.

Secondly make a ‘wish list’ include here all of the things that you would like but would be willing to sacrifice if it meant compromising on your essentials. Remember that you can always book and pay a deposit on what you need. If you find that you have the extra funds nearer to the date then ask your florist if you can add to your order. They wont mind making a little more money…I promise!!

Remember there are no set rules, you don’t have to have a buttonhole for everyone, some limit them to the main wedding party and some people like to buy one for every guest. Every single wedding I have ever done has been different. Have what you want, it is YOUR day.

5: Consider your dress

The general rule when deciding which flowers will suit your style of dress is the bigger the dress the bigger the bouquet.

Hand tied bouquets tend to flatter most dress styles, these are by far the most popular wedding bouquet ordered at Avant Garden.

Trailing bouquets are more traditional and work better with larger dresses. Trailing bouquets are to be avoided if your dress is slinky.

Sheaf/line or single stem bouquets work best with slinky dresses such as fishtail styles.

Ask your florist if samples are provided, that way you can try your bouquet once you have your dress on at your fitting. At Avant Garden we offer a bouquet sample service. For a small charge we will make you up a small sample of your chosen flowers. This allows you to see your flowers in advance of your big day. If there is something you would like to change or if you don’t feel your flowers fit in with your dress exactly as you imagined, this is a great oppourtunity to change it. And of course if you have bought your dress from Amy J’s bridal boutique, we share the same shop space. So we can arrange for your sample to be ready for your fitting.

6: Don’t be afraid of expensive blooms.

Per stem hydrangeas, roses and peonies may cost much more per bloom, but you need to consider the fact that they take up much more space in a bouquet. You might feel that the ‘gathered look’ bouquets must be cheaper as they look picked fresh from the garden. But you need to consider that these flowers still have to be bought and shipped in from wholesalers all over the world. Each stem has to be unwrapped and conditioned which all takes time, and time means added cost. Having a lot of inexpensive stems in your bouquet can often end up costing more than a few expensive stems.

7: Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty

If you want to be involved with creating some of your flower arrangements, or mum/nanna is a keen flower arranger and would like to be involved then go for it. Just don’t take on too much. As easy as it can look, wedding flowers are not just a night before the wedding activity. Preperation for a big wedding can take up an entire week for a florist. Some blooms open faster than others, you have to know exactly when to buy them so they will look their best for the big day. There are buckets to clean, different types of flower food, the flowers will all need conditioning and keeping at different temperatures….the list goes on. So get involved, but perhaps leave the most important parts to the professionals. You don’t want to be falling asleep into your starter because you were up all night making flower arrangements.

Why not ask your florist if they can recommend which bits you could possibly do yourself. If you can arrange some of the centrepieces yourself this may free up more money in your budget to have more flowers in the bouquets.

Think about re using arrangements. You may want a pedestal arrangement for the church. Find out if family members would be willing to move it to the reception for you? We offer a service where we can do this for you. It’s often more cost effective for you to pay us to move thing than for us to make the same arrangement again for the reception.

8: Trust your florist

We are here to help and offer you advice. We want your big day to be special and we want you  to be happy with the service that you have received from us and recommend us to all of your friends.  Your flowers will be on your wedding photographs for the rest of your life and so will our reputation. We want to make it perfect. 

Be flexible with your florist, and allow them to be creative. Florists are artistic people by nature and take great pride in their work. If we are left to invent we will create something much more spectacular than just copying a photograph from a magazine. Remember that we know all the tricks of the trade, we know how to get you the maximum out of your budget and we can produce ideas that may have never crossed your mind.

If your getting married in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire or South Yorkshire then please visit our website and make an appointment today 

http://www.avantgardenevents.co.uk/floristry.html

Http://www.facebook.com/avantgardenuk

https://plus.google.com/106828503220815423043

We also do venue dressing and event hire items like chair covers and candelabras , our showroom is on firs parade in Matlock if you want to pop down to see everything x

How I started my business

My story so far.....
Having left my retail job of 10 years in January 2012 I decided I would turn my hobby and passion into a business.
My passion was floristry and weddings.
This was the scariest and most exciting opportunity ever for me, my first stage was to retrain so I applied to DDDC and started my level 1 course, once that was complete I moved on to level 2 and the more I learnt the more I loved it.

Of course I needed hands on experience and customers so I bought a bucket stand and started to sell hand tied bouquets from matalan car park, saving every pound I made i reinvested in more stock and got a market stall in Nottingham and chesterfield, this was great but I am a matlock girl so I was drawn back, I approached Peak village in rowsley and started a concessions stall selling flowers, plants and gifts.

I picked up as much wedding work as I could along the way to help build my portfolio and gain experience so that I would be ready for the next step!

Opening my very own shop, by pure luck we heard about the space to rent inside Amy J's bridal boutique, knowing that the 2 business would compliment each other we struck a deal and I opened March 1st 2014.

Now we are taking more and more bookings with my diary filling fast, I can now offer a full floral wedding package and also venue decoration and event hire.

I am telling my story as I have really struggled to make it this far but I want everyone to know that if you keep going and work hard that it's possible to turn your dream into a reality.

So please can you all come down and visit my shop or pass my details onto your engaged friends, thank you for taking the time to read this x

Http://www.avantgardenevents.co.uk


Contact Tel: 01629 582968

Help with picking your wedding venue

Struggling with picking a venue? Don't worry everyone does, it's the first stage of the most important day if your life and it's most peoples first go at it, use this useful filter to help you decide....once you decide on the venue it's time to decorate it, visit http://www.avantgardenevents.co.uk or http://www.facebook.com/avantgardenuk for some ideas 

Wedding anniversary gifts

Traditional		Modern
1	Paper		Clocks
2	Cotton		China
3	Leather		Crystal
4	Fruit or Flowers		Appliances
5	Wood		Silverware
6	Candy or Iron		Wood
7	Wool or Copper		Desk Sets
8	Bronze or Pottery		Linens or Lace
9	Pottery and Willow		Leather
10	Tin or Aluminum		Diamond Jewelry
11	Steel		Fashion Jewelry
12	Silk or Linen		Pearls
13	Lace		Textiles or Furs
14	Ivory		Gold Jewelry
15	Crystal		Watches
			Silver Hollowware
			Furniture
			Porcelain
			Bronze
20	China		Platinum
			Brass or Nickel
			Copper
			Silver Plate
			Musical Instruments
25	Silver		Silver
30	Pearl		Diamond
35	Coral		Jade
40	Ruby		Ruby
45	Sapphire		Sapphire
50	Gold		Gold
55	Emerald		Emerald

60                        Diamond

http://www.avantgardenevents.co.uk

Avant Garden Event hire- fun wedding facts

Http://www.avantgardenevents.co.uk
Tradition!

The tradition of tying tin cans to the back of the newlywed’s vehicle originated long ago when items which would produce noise were tied to the back of the couple’s carriage to scare away evil spirits.

In Christian ceremonies the bride stands on the grooms left. This was started when it may have been necessary for the groom to reach for his sword with his right hand in order to keep someone from riding up and stealing his bride during the wedding.

An old wives’ tale: If the younger of two sisters marries first, the older sister must dance barefoot at the wedding or risk never landing a husband.

The custom of tiered wedding cakes emerged from a game where the bride and groom would attempt to kiss over cakes stacked higher and higher on top of each other without knocking them over.

Stag parties were first held by ancient Spartan soldiers, who kissed their bachelor days goodbye with a raucous party.

Legend says single women will dream of their future husbands if they sleep with a slice of groom’s cake under their pillows.

Before the church declared marriage a sacrament, couples often sought sacred places in nature to wed, such as a hilltop or cliff, where the earth supposedly meets heaven.

In many cultures, the groom historically often kidnapped the bride, and the groom’s friends would help him, leading to the modern-day groomsmen

The Roman goddess Juno rules over marriage, the hearth and childbirth, hence the popularity of June weddings.

Flower girls traditionally threw flower petals in the bride’s path to lead her to a sweet, plentiful future.

“Three times a bridesmaid, never a bride” dates to about the sixteenth century. It was believed that if young maiden who had been a bridesmaid three times was unable to catch the eye of unmarried males, then she never would. But, if she served seven times as a bridesmaid, the spell was broken and the woman was thought to be a sure bet for marriage.
The superstition that the bridegroom must not see his bride before the wedding stems from the days when marriages were arranged and the groom might never have seen the bride. There was the chance that if he saw her, he might bolt.

The wedding ring has traditionally been worn on the third finger of the left hand because it was believed that a vein in this finger runs directly to the heart.

Guests in ancient times would tear off part of the bride’s gown as tokens of good luck, leading to the tradition of the bride throwing both her garter and her bouquet

Brides carry or wear “something old” on their wedding day to symbolize continuity with the past.
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The most money spent for a wedding singer was the wedding of Multimillionaire Peter Shalson and wife Pauline who paid £2 million to get Elton John to sing a song at their wedding.

The longest wedding dress train ever made was 7,829 feet, 6 inches made by designer Carl Blake in Austin Texas in December 2009. However, it was made just for show and was never actually worn in a wedding. The longest train ever worn was in August 2009 by Chinese bride Lin Rong. Her train was 7,173 feet, 4 inches long and was handmade by her groom’s family.

Most expensive wedding ever? The marriage of Sheik Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum’s son to Princess Salama in Dubai in May 1981. The price tag? $44 million.

The most expensive celebrity engagement ring WAS Liza Minnelli’s 3.5 carat teardrop-shaped diamond from David Gest, however it may have been topped by Kim Kardashian’s 20.5 carat ring, rumored to have cost $2million.

The oldest bride to marry was Australian Minnie Munro who at 102 years married an 82 year old.

The largest wedding attendance was a Jewish wedding in Jerusalem in 1993 where 30,000 people attended.

The longest ever recorded marriage was Daniel and Susan Bakeman. They were married on August 29, 1772 when he was 12 and she was 14. At Susan’s death at 105 in 1863 (Daniel died just shy of 110 in 1869), Their marriage had lasted 91 years and 12 days.

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World Wide Weddings

Many cultures believed that a couple exchanged spirits with their breath and part of their souls were exchanged during the kiss at the end of the wedding ceremony

Rain on your wedding day is actually considered good luck, according to Hindu tradition!

Peas are thrown at Czech newlyweds instead of rice

In South Africa, the parents of both bride and groom traditionally carried fire from their hearths to light a new fire in the newlyweds’ hearth.

Green is typically not worn at Scottish weddings because it is the color of fairies and an omen of revenge. It is considered unlucky to even eat green vegetables at a wedding

In Jewish weddings, if the bride is the last marriageable daughter in her family, her mother is crowned with a wreath of leaves (krenzel) and family and friends dance around her.

In Siberia, it is believed that it is a sin to remain single and that the soul of a bachelor becomes a dzheretinnik (heretic) that remains on the earth to scare the living

Because eyebrows are considered intensely alluring in the Orient, historically the bride’s eyebrows were shaved entirely, rendering her powerless to attract a man.

Hawaiian brides for good luck wear seven strands of pikaki flowers

Greek brides believed that tucking a lump of sugar into the wedding gown would bring sweetness throughout married life.

The Fijians believe that the god Nangganangga, who watches over married couples, will not let a bachelor enter Fijian paradise and will turn him to ash if he dies before he is married

Because white is the color of mourning in Eastern cultures, white wedding dresses are uncommon.

In Belgium it is tradition for the bride to carry an embroidered handkerchief with her name on it when she gets married. It is then framed and hung in the family home until the next family bride adds her name and carries it down the aisle.

In Ethiopia, women from certain tribes place plates in their lower lip in order to entice a rich groom. The larger the protruding lip, the more a groom will pay.

In Egypt, women will pinch the bride to bring good luck to those who pinched her.

Because ducks mate for life, a Korean groom will ask a happily married friend to make him two small wooden ducks for his new household, or include live ducks in the ceremony.

Bedouin girls will often begin to sew their wedding dresses when they turn nine years old and so that they will finish their gown before they marry at the age of fourteen or fifteen

A Swedish bride puts a silver coin from her father and a gold coin from her mother in each shoe to ensure that she will never do without.

A Finnish bride traditionally went door-to-door collecting gifts in a pillowcase, accompanied by an older married man who represented long marriage.

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Pretty Things

Over 74% of first-time brides receive a diamond engagement ring, with the diamond symbolizing pure and eternal love.

The practice of giving or exchanging engagement rings began in 1477 when Roman Emperor, Maximilian I, gave Mary of Burgandy a diamond ring as an engagement present.

Pope Innocent III (1160-1216) declared that a waiting period should be observed between betrothal and marriage, which led to separate engagement and wedding rings.

The Greeks thought diamonds (adamas) were tears of the gods, and the Romans thought “diamas” were splinters from heavenly stars

Snake rings  dotted with ruby eyes were popular wedding bands in Victorian England –  the coils winding into a circle symbolized eternity.

A pearl engagement ring is said to be bad luck because its shape echoes that of a tear.

Diamonds set in gold or silver became popular as betrothal rings among wealthy Venetians toward the end of the fifteenth century.

In the symbolic language of jewels, a sapphire in a wedding ring means marital happiness.

Seventeen tons of gold are made into wedding rings each year in the US.

The Puritans banned wedding rings because they saw them as “frivolous” pieces of jewelry and symbolic relics of the Pope’s control.

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Those Darn Spirits!

For ancient Greeks and Romans, the bride’s bouquet was a pungent mix of garlic and herbs or grains. The garlic was supposed to ward off evil spirits and the herbs or grains were to insure a fruitful union.

The groom carries the bride across the threshold to bravely protect her from evil spirits lurking below.

Double weddings are traditionally considered to be bad luck because it is too much happiness for evil demons to ignore.

Ancient Greeks and Romans thought a veil hid a bride from evil spirits. Brides have worn veils ever since.

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Royal Wedding Facts:

Queen Victoria made white the bridal color of choice when she wore it to wed Prince Albert in 1840.

Queen Elizabeth II had 12 wedding cakes. The one she cut at her wedding was nine feet tall and weighed 500 pounds.

The 25-foot train on Princess Diana’s wedding dress (Which was encrusted with 10,000 mother-of-pearl sequins and pearls) remains the longest in British Royal History

Queen Victoria’s wedding cake was three yards wide and weighed 300 pounds.

Princess Victoria established the tradition of playing Wagner’s “Bridal Chorus” during her wedding processional in 1858.

Queen Elizabeth II is the first British monarch to have celebrated a Diamond (60th) Wedding Anniversary.

For her wedding, Queen Victoria did not wear a diamond encrusted tiara like many previous monarchs, instead opting for a wreath of fragrant orange blossoms, the symbol of fertility (which apparently worked like a charm, as the Queen had nine children).

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