Archive for March, 2011

Since the beginning of the year it has been a whirlwind of public relations for Red Letter Event Planning.  Here is what we have  been up to- keep up with our day to day happenings, follow us on Twitter or Like us on Facebook

The Knot and Vintage Weddings for Leigh and Tom’s wedding

ChicagoStyle Weddings feature of Molly and Dan’s wedding

Fabulous Living regarding guest etiquette for Same Sex weddings

Make it Better North Shore Magazine tips for throwing a house party

Next week we will be participating in the Designers Challenge photoshoot for ChicagoStyle Wedding Magazine, with our beyond fantastic partners, DBY Invitations, Yanni Design Studio, The Baking Institute, TableScapes and BBJ Linen. We cannot wait to share what we all have come up and our beyond fabulous theme-hint think Royal but not Royal Wedding.

Also, we have recently partnered with some Chicago websites and magazines.  Our focus is your Chicago wedding so we want to make sure you can find us in the best local resources. Check out our new ads on Chicago Wedding Venues and Wedding Guide Chicago.  We also are advertisers on two same sex wedding websites SoYourEngayged and Equally Wed, we feel very strongly that everyone has the right to get married and deserves a “red letter day” for their wedding.

This coming Thursday, March 24 we will be at the Mid America Club Bridal Show -for those getting married, fellow vendors and those that just love weddings come and check out our booth.  For anyone that signs up for an appointment with us at the show you will recieve a copy of the Brides Thank You Note Handbook, an indespensable resource for your engagement party, shower and wedding thank yous!

We hope you have enjoyed this update on all that is happening at Red Letter Event Planning, oh I almost forgot, we also  revamped our website and this blog, let us know what you think of the new look!

Till next time I hope your next special event is a Red Letter Day

In the past few years we have started to see a trend for some extreme wedding venues. More and more people are steering away from your typical church for a ceremony and hotel ballroom for the reception.

 Here are Red Letter Event Planning’s top 5 most extreme wedding venues (in no particular order)…

#1 A couple who met in a Hong Kong McDonalds chose to wed in at that the same McDonalds. This has now began a chain reaction for more couples to inquire about the “McWeddings”

#2 Funeral homes will now be open on Saturday night. Couples just have to promise guests that there any coffins or corpses.

#3 Talk about a mile high club, this UK couple were married on the wings of a plane. Guests lined the ground looking up as the couple and listened to loudspeakers as the couple exchanged their vows.

#4 Underwater weddings have been a popular wacky venue for quite some time. One of the most popular sites for an underwater wedding is in Australia. Couples and offficiant will get suited up in scuba gear and head to the bottom of the ocean to be married. I think this has to be somewhere where the water is crystal clear, with Lake Michigan you are probably better off sticking with an above water wedding on a boat.

#5 This New York couple got married in a Zero Gravity plane which cost them approximately $60,000.  They chose this unique site because the couple met in their college sci-fi club. A nickname for this plane is the “vomit comet” I am hoping they left that off their invitations.

Anti-gravity wedding

All of these venues are fun (some exciting). However there are some basic logistics that you should keep in mind if you are planning a wedding with an eccentric location.  You may not get married way up in the sky, but even a less extreme location that isn’t “traditional” for a wedding will have logistical challenges. I highly recommend if your ceremony or reception location is off beat hire an experienced wedding planner who will be able to work around any of the challenges presented by the location.  You wouldn’t want your “extreme wedding” venue to turn into a “extreme wedding” disaster. 

Are you or someone you know planning (or had) your nuptials somewhere unusual? We would love to hear how your extreme wedding location worked out or if you have any questions post them to the comments section below or to Facebook.

Till next time I hope your next special event is a Red Letter Day

Earlier this year we were quoted in this article on  fabulousliving on etiquette for same sex weddings or commitment ceremonies.  I wanted to share with our readers the other etiquette suggestions that were made that didn’t make it into the article.  Also, we would love to hear your feedback regarding etiquette for same sex weddings are we off base on some of our recommendations or do you have any ideas that we missed?  Leave a comment below or on Facebook.

Red Letter Event Planning’s Etiquette Tips for Same Sex Weddings

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi on their wedding day

The great thing about etiquette is that it translates across every social situation.  A same sex marriage should employ the same etiquette as any other wedding, namely be a gracious guest: don’t complain, don’t overdrink, be happy for the couple.

That being said, same sex marriage does have a political component that cannot be ignored.  I hope this list of do’s and don’ts is helpful for those attending a same sex wedding but also can be used by guests attending any wedding.

Don’t ignore the invitation, RSVP in the requested time period whether you will attend or not.  If you are choosing not to attend because you are not supportive of the union keep that to your self and just send RSVP that says you will not be attending.

Don’t say to the couple anytime during the planning “maybe sometime soon the government will recognize this as a real wedding/marriage” This is very real to the two people getting married otherwise they would not spend the time and expense of hosting you and the other guests.

Do show up on time if the ceremony starts at 5:00 pm arrive 10-15 minutes before the start. Even if the event is in a non traditional location it is very important to be timely.

Do dress appropriately-take into consideration the location, time of year and style of the wedding (which you can ascertain by talking to the couple or even from the invitation)

Don’t WEAR WHITE: even if the couple are two males wearing white will draw attention to you, and you are NOT the center of attention for the day the happy couple is. Unless of course the theme of the wedding is a black and white party!

Do be sensitive to the gender of the couple. Don’t buy a card that has a picture of a bride and groom on it instead seek out cards/acknowledgements that recognize the gender of the couple. Independent card stores and internet companies carry them. 

Don’t be a paparazzi even if this is the first same sex wedding you have attended and you want to document every minute  the couple most likely hired a professional photographer to take pictures don’t get in their way and keep picture taking to a minimum you can always buy the pictures or get copies from the couple after the event.

Don’t bother the couple with petty complaints such as the room is too cold or your entrée tastes too fishy.  This is not a dinner party they are hosting this is their wedding and they should enjoy every moment.  If you must address any concerns seek out their wedding planner if they have one or catering/venue staff

Don’t share your political views with your tablemates or other guests.  No matter how you feel about same sex unions you have tacitly given your support by attending the wedding. You do not have to preach the pros and cons to anyone who will listen.  This is a CELEBRATION-have a glass of wine, enjoy the food and get on the dance floor and have fun-politics can wait until another day.

Till next time I hope your next special event is a Red Letter Day