wedding planning advice

Expert Wedding Planning Advice to Ensure Your Dallas Wedding Is Perfect

In 2021, there were more than 154,988 weddings in Texas, making it second on the list of states regarding the number of weddings occurring. With that being said, the planning process can become frustrating and overwhelming for everyone involved. Your big day is approaching, and the last thing you should be doing is wondering if there’s something that you’ve missed while planning it. We’ve created a guide to the most helpful wedding planning advice to ensure your big day goes off without a hitch.

Get ready to learn how to plan a wedding by scrolling below.

Make Decisions Based on What’s Important to You

When you’re acting as your wedding planner, it’s not uncommon for you to make sacrifices, especially if it means saving a dollar here and there. However, you shouldn’t do this because you risk having a wedding that you’re not absolutely proud of.

During the planning phase, ensure you make decisions based on what you deem necessary to you. If having your nieces and nephews in your wedding is essential, do what it takes to make it happen.

If you want to get married in the same place where your loved one proposed, do it. Don’t let the idea of saving money or not inconveniencing others force you to push the things that are important to you at the bottom of your wedding planning list.

Have a Budget in Mind

It’s easy to begin planning your wedding and get carried away with all the bells and whistles. However, the issue with this is that the numbers begin to add up before you know it, and you’ll wonder if you have enough money to cover other wedding expenses.

To avoid this issue, decide on a wedding budget with your partner before you begin to plan your wedding. This will make it easier when you do things like speaking to vendors about what you dream of on your big day.

For example, when you’re deciding on the food to serve, you can make your budget clear and select food items and a serving style that will fall within the budget you’ve set for your wedding. When you’re considering the budget to set for your wedding, don’t forget to include your honeymoon.

This will be the first trip you take as a married couple; therefore, you’ll want to be able to have the honeymoon you’ve always wanted to kick off your new life together.

Take Your Time

Wedding planning isn’t about hurrying to make all the decisions at once, mainly because there are different seasons, which means the pricing of certain items change. When planning your wedding, take your time and weigh all the options before making your final decision.

Do what you can to educate yourself about the ins and outs of wedding planning before moving forward. By taking time to educate yourself, you can rest assured that your big day will turn out the way you intend it to.

Provide Honest Opinions

When you’re dealing with a Dallas wedding planner, one thing they will want from you is your honest opinion. Stop worrying about hurting people’s feelings and keep your focus on the vision you have for your wedding.

If you’re presented with something you don’t like, you can speak openly and honestly while being respectful to the people you’re talking to. For example, if you wanted orchids for your wedding, but the vendor responsible for your flower arrangements presents you with lilies, don’t say anything.

Let them know that while the lilies are beautiful, you wanted orchids. If that’s not possible, discuss some of your secondary options or other flowers in-season, versus saying nothing and being upset with the flowers chosen for your wedding day.

Be clear about your expectations upfront, and ensure you continue to make them clear if things aren’t going the way you’ve asked for them.

Follow Your Gut

Most of the time, when something seems too good to be true, it probably is. When planning your wedding, it’s essential that if something feels off to you, listen to that feeling because it’s happening for a reason.

Of course, remember that sometimes you overthink what’s happening because you want everything to run perfectly. But, the bottom line is that no matter what happens, don’t settle for anything.

This is your moment to have everything you want on your big day; therefore, you must ensure everyone you deal with has your best interests at heart. If they’re trying to sell you on something you’re not comfortable with, understand you have the right to say no.

If it continues, you can decide to work with someone else that will help you bring your vision to life. This goes back to ensuring the things that are important to you are accomplished ahead of your big day.

Wedding Planning Advice From the Pros

When you’re seeking wedding planning advice, there are some tips you can remember as you move forward. Always follow your gut when it comes to making decisions, and don’t forget to decide on a budget before you start signing contracts and booking vendors.

Are you ready to plan a wedding to remember? Let us help make wedding planning easier; stop what you’re doing and contact Total Events DFW and let us fill you in on the services we offer that can make all your wedding dreams come true.

Fairytale weddings aren’t just for the movies; they can happen in real life too.

dallas wedding

How to Plan the Perfect Dallas Wedding

Wedding planning starts a year before the wedding, with hundreds of little things to take care of. If you’ve decided to plan your own wedding, you need a plan of action and a budget to cover every detail. Your wedding day is the most important day of your life and should be absolutely magical and happy. But planning an entire wedding can be stressful and overwhelming. Keep reading to learn how to plan your Dallas wedding from scratch and make this day the most memorable day ever.

Make a Wedding Planning Checklist

Wondering how to plan a wedding on your own? Start with a detailed wedding planning checklist. Write down everything you can think of that you’ll need for the wedding.

Then, divide each item into sections and write down how much everything will cost. For example, in the Wedding Cake section, write down the type of cake you want, flavors, colors, budget, and any bakeries you have in mind.

For the music section, write down whether you want a live band or a DJ, the music genre or songs you want at your wedding, as well as the budget you’ll set aside.

Set a Wedding Budget

The most important first step to planning a wedding in Dallas is setting a wedding budget. Knowing exactly how much you’re able to spend will help you plan each aspect of the wedding better. It’ll also keep you from overspending, which can easily happen when you’re surrounded by wedding-related stuff.

Define the Number of Guests

Before you start booking the venue and caterers, you need to define the number of guests you want to invite to your wedding. This is important for your budget but also for the type of venue you’ll choose.

Once you have a number, you can send out the invitation along with an RSVP request. This way, you’ll know exactly who can make it so you have a final number for the wedding.

There’s a huge difference between a 50-guest wedding and a big 500-guest wedding. The size of your guest list will determine all the wedding decisions you make down the road.

Decide on the Location and Venue

The first thing you need to do when starting to plan your wedding is to find the perfect venue. Based on your guest list, you should start looking at venues at least 9 months to a year before the wedding.

Don’t have enough time to visit every venue in person? Then you need to hire a wedding planner in Dallas to organize everything for you. All you’ll have left to do is find the perfect wedding dress and enjoy your perfect wedding day with your loved ones.

Define the Wedding Theme

Now that you booked a venue, it’s time to choose a wedding theme. This will help you coordinate the flowers, colors, and decorations for the wedding.

If you’re not sure what theme to choose, hire professional Texas wedding planners who will help you choose the best theme and decor for your wedding.

Find a Good Caterer

The food at your wedding is essential for keeping your guests happy and energized throughout the entire wedding. If you want your wedding to have a traditional Texan flavor, opt for a mix of classic BBQ meats paired with a plated dinner or a buffet.

Make sure the venue you’ve chosen allows you to bring a caterer because most venues have their own vendors or catering services. Whichever the case, the wedding food is one of the biggest expenses so make sure you book the caterers at least 10 months in advance.

If dealing with caterers isn’t for you, hand everything over to a wedding planner. Just tell them what your preferences are and they’ll do the job seamlessly. The wedding planner cost is worth every penny because it saves you time and unwanted stress.

Choose Your Wedding Cake

Your wedding cake is an essential part of wedding planning. It’s like the centerpiece of the party where you and your spouse will cut it together with your guests gathered around. It’s also the symbol of starting your sweet life together in marriage, so it has to be spectacular.

Research some quality bakeries in your area and ask around to see what prices to expect. Decide on the design and flavor, and book it at least several months in advance.

Choose The Music

Now comes the fun part: the music. If you want a live band for your wedding, you’ll need to book them 5-6 months in advance. Decide on the genre, give them a list of your favorite songs, and talk to them about timelines.

You can also hire a DJ to entertain the guests while the band is taking a break or if you want to do some special dances or have a mini-disco party.

Will you need different music for your ceremony and reception? See if you can hire the same band for both occasions. Otherwise, you should book a different musician for the ceremony and book the band for the reception only.

Find a Wedding Photographer and Videographer

To capture all the magical moments of your Dallas wedding, you need a good wedding photographer and videographer. You should plan to book them right after you book the venue, so at least 8-10 months in advance.

If you want to have photos from the entire day (not just the reception) you may need to hire an additional photographer or book your chosen photographer for a full-day shoot.

Let Us Help You Plan Your Perfect Dallas Wedding

Your wedding is one of the most special days in your life and you want — and deserve — everything to be perfect. From choosing a wedding theme to finding the perfect music, food, flowers, and cake, planning a wedding is exciting but also stressful.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed already and would like to avoid the stress of planning your Dallas wedding, our professional wedding planners are here to help. Contact us at Total Events DFW today to learn more about our services and let’s plan the wedding you’ve always dreamed of.

Wedding planner

How Much Does a Wedding Planner in Fort Worth Cost in 2022?

In 2021, nearly two million couples were married in the United States. This high statistic can make it difficult to secure venues, find vendors, and plan things accordingly. This is where a wedding planner comes in.

Hiring a wedding planner is something many people stay away from because they think it might be too expensive. But how much does a wedding planner really cost? The answer may surprise you.

Here’s everything you need to know about hiring a wedding planner in the Dallas or Fort Worth, TX area for your big day.

What Does a Wedding Planner Do?

A wedding planner does more than just plan. They can handle many different aspects of your big day and allow you to focus on relaxing and getting excited about your event. Here are just a few of their top tasks. 

Manages Your Budget

The cost of a wedding planner is well worth it as they can help you effectively manage your budget. You can let your planner know what you are willing to spend, and they will use their resources to find things in your price range.

Tours Venues

No more touring venues that are a waste of your time. Your wedding planner will know all of the most amazing and unique locations in the area. If you are planning on having a destination wedding, then they can use their connections to find the best venues in that area as well.

Finds Potential Wedding Vendors

Your wedding planner can help you find and hire entertainment, florists, photographers, caterers, and even priests. No more searching for the best deal- your planner will do the work for you.

An event planner typically gets discounts from favored vendors. They can help you get a good deal or get a few extras thrown in.

Sends Invites and Tracks RSVPs

Wedding planners can do smaller time-consuming tasks such as sending out your invitations. They can also keep track of who RSVPs and follow up with people who forget to answer.

Offers Extra Input

A wedding planner is an extra set of eyes. They will happily give their objective input on anything you may need their opinion on. Your planner can help you with anything from fashion advice to venue decorations, to cake flavors.

Manages the Entire Wedding Day

Your wedding planner will be on-site, making sure everything goes perfectly on your big day. They will make sure everything is in place, and everyone is where they need to be.

How Much Does a Wedding Planner Cost?

The cost of a wedding planner can vary depending on how hands-on you want them to be. On average, a wedding planner in the Dallas and Fort Worth area is around $1,800. 

If you want a wedding planner that plans absolutely everything, you may be looking at a higher price of around $4,000. If you want very little assistance or just someone to help you on the actual day of your wedding, you may be able to keep the cost under $1,000.

Some wedding planners have fixed costs, while others are willing to work with you to come to a price that fits your budget. Make sure to discuss all options with your potential planner. If you want some more advice on how to find the best wedding planner, then check out our recent blog post on the subject.

When Should You Hire a Wedding Planner?

Many people wonder whether or not they need to hire event services such as a wedding planner. These are the instances where a wedding planner may be a good idea for you.

You Lack Organizational and Planning Skills

If you aren’t the most organized person, then a wedding planner may not be a bad idea. They can take the planning and organization aspect of the wedding off of your hands and allow you to feel confident that everything will run smoothly.

You Don’t Have Much Free Time

Many people have a full-time job that doesn’t allow them to allocate the proper time for planning their event. If you are incredibly busy with work, school, or other responsibilities, then hiring a wedding planner can help you out tremendously. Your wedding planner can take care of tasks that would otherwise be too time-consuming for you.

You Are Hosting a Destination Wedding

Destination weddings can be very hard to plan, especially if you have never been to the place where you will be having your event. Your planner has many connections and can help you navigate this difficult planning process.

You Are Putting Together a Wedding Quickly

If you are running on a strict timeline, then it may be hard to get things together quickly. Your wedding planner can help make this happen. They are used to working under pressure and finding venues and vendors in a short amount of time.

You Want a Stress-Free Planning Process

If you simply want to have the most stress-free wedding, then consider hiring a wedding planner. They can make your big day perfect and let you focus on having the best time possible celebrating your love. 

Let Us Help You With Your Wedding Planning Needs Today

Hiring a wedding planner comes with a cost, but it is well worth it in the end. They can take care of every detail while you sit back and get ready to have the best day of your life.

If you are interested in hiring a wedding planner, then feel free to contact us here at Total Events DFW to see how we can help you.

what can a wedding planner do

What Can a Wedding Planner Do in the Dallas Area?

Your wedding day is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so you probably want it to be perfect! Most couples want wedding days they’ll never forget, so the average amount couples spend on a wedding is around $28,000.

However, planning a wedding isn’t an easy task. After all, you must make many decisions and think of all the small details. If you’ve never planned a wedding, this might result in forgetting some things.

Hiring a wedding planner can solve these issues. If you’re interested in this, you might ask, “what can a wedding planner do?” 

Here is a guide to help you learn about all the fantastic things a wedding planner will do to make your wedding day the perfect day. 

Offering Logistical Suggestions

One question you might ask is, “do I need a wedding planner?” Some couples don’t hire them, but many do. You might need one if you need help with any aspect of your wedding, including logistical suggestions and ideas.

For example, if you want to get married in the Dallas area, you might need ideas about where to host your wedding and reception. Of course, you could research this yourself, but that might require a lot of time and effort. 

Instead, you could hire a wedding planner in Dallas to help you. The planner could present you with multiple options for locations. They’ll even set up appointments for you to visit the venues to learn more about them.

Additionally, they can help you determine hotels for your guests to stay at, transportation services, and other logistical decisions for your special day.

Hiring Vendors

Next, a wedding planner will help you hire vendors. Vendors are the businesses that supply the things you need for your wedding day, such as flowers and catering.

If you want access to the best vendors, you should choose a local wedding planner. Here are some additional tips to help you pick the right planner. 

The vendors you hire will play a crucial role on your wedding day. Therefore, you’ll need responsible ones that work locally. You’ll also want to ensure that they can assist on your wedding date. 

Assisting With Color Choices and Ideas

A wedding planner is also helpful if you need ideas for color choices and ideas. For example, do you want a themed wedding day? If so, do you know what theme you’d like? 

A wedding planner can help you choose a theme and all the right decorations and colors to go with it. They’ll also help you determine the best color choices for your wedding.

If you’re not crafty, a wedding planner’s services will be very helpful for this aspect of your wedding day. 

Coordinating Event Aspects

If you look at wedding planner duties, you’ll see many on the list. One of the most crucial duties is coordinating all the event aspects. 

For example, they’ll work with the florist to ensure that they deliver the flowers at the right time. Likewise, they’ll work with the limo company to make sure they show up on time with the correct number of vehicles.

In fact, they’ll work with every vendor on each wedding detail. One of the primary benefits is that you won’t have to worry about any of these details. Instead, the wedding planner handles them all. 

Setting Up Wedding Websites

Many couples today use wedding websites to simplify specific aspects of their wedding. Your planner can suggest which websites you should use and set them up for you. 

For example, you can use a wedding website to send electronic invitations to your guests. You can also use it to send reminders, thank-you cards, and other correspondence. 

Additionally, you can use websites to create registries for your wedding and shower gifts. Handling these things online simplifies your life and makes it easier for your guests to do things.

You can also use websites to communicate with your bridal party members. For example, you can use sites to ask for suggestions on dress styles or to set up meetings with dress companies. 

Timing the Events

Your planner can also help you create a timeline for the wedding plans. You’ll have deadlines for making decisions, and you won’t miss a single detail. 

The timeline is crucial, as it helps you spread out your tasks and decisions. Additionally, timing each detail ensures that you won’t forget any vital decisions for your wedding day. 

Helping With the Budget

Creating a budget is also a crucial step for you and the planner. The planner can use the budget to ensure that you don’t overspend. You can use the budget to focus more money on the more important areas to you.

Setting up a budget is often the first step in planning a wedding. However, if you don’t have the cash you need to pay for the budget you set up, you’ll need to start working on ways to pay for it.

You could take a loan, for example, or borrow money from your parents or other relatives. 

Managing Your Wedding Day

One of the best parts of hiring a wedding planner in Fort Worth is that they’ll be there on your wedding day. They will show up early and spend the entire day managing the details. 

If a problem arises, the planner will handle it, leaving you with less stress. Therefore, you’ll be able to enjoy your day without dealing with headaches and problems. 

What Can a Wedding Planner Do? 

So, what can a wedding planner do? A wedding planner can help you plan the perfect wedding. They assist with every detail, offer ideas, and coordinate all the tasks.

If you want an ideal wedding day, you might want to contact Total Events DFW. We offer wedding planning services in the Dallas Fort Worth area and would love to help you plan your special day.  

corporate events

6 Benefits of Hiring a Planner for Your Corporate Events

Research shows that about 91% of event planners relate their success to having satisfied attendees. These experts focus on proper and timely event planning to meet the set objectives.

Events are ideal for sharing engaging experiences with the firm’s staff. Besides, planning an event creates an environment that strengthens relationships in the company. With proper planning, events create an avenue to motivate staff members.

But planning a successful event is tricky due to delays and commitment needed. Here are six benefits of hiring an event planner for your corporate events.

1. Reduced Costs

A corporate event planner helps you save money when planning for a company occasion. Such an event planner works with you to create a budget that accommodates a specified number of guests. Having a proper budget determines how much you’ll spend on your event.

An event planner also gives you manageable price options within your company budget. You can choose from the provided options to ensure you use limited costs.

Most event planners understand how to negotiate for lower charges on public address systems and venues. Besides, these individuals may use their relationships with suppliers to get discounts.

Further, some corporate event planners advise you on areas to cut costs and still have a successful event.

2. Extensive Experience

Most event planners have relevant experience from organizing several corporate occasions. You can ask your friends and family members for referrals to help you choose the most experienced planner. Also, check the reviews from other companies about the services offered by the potential event planner.

An experienced planner ensures your corporate events are successful and match the firm’s goals. Such individuals have years of experience to note and deal with any arising issues in your event. Besides, an experienced planner learns from previous event failures to correct potential problems.

Since these planners understand the dynamics and trends in the industry, it’s easy for them to plan corporate events. Hiring these organizers gives your event a modern look with up-to-date audio-visual equipment and trendy décor.

An appealing event is ideal for improving your guests’ satisfaction. Also, a successful event may convert some attendees into reliable customers.

3. Timely Planning

Some managers may not understand how to navigate and organize the best event within a short time. Hiring an event planner relieves you of the burden and gives you peace of mind. The planner handles all the details of your corporate events and deals with unexpected emergencies.

Most corporate event planners have trained staff to assist in delivering different services. Such staff members deal with logistics, catering services, and handling vendors. Having a team with diverse expertise gives your event a creative outlook developed within a short time.

Further, an event planner helps you manage your time and focus on other company activities.

4. Good Negotiation Skills

An event planner Dallas understands what’s beneficial to your occasion to make it successful. Also, the planner applies their negation skills to reach a mutual and beneficial agreement for you to get the best venue. This goes a long way in getting you reduced rates for all complimentary services.

Since event planners are well known, they can negotiate with suppliers and vendors for price reductions. Unlike an inexperienced person, an event planner has a high purchasing power that allows them to seek fair prices for goods and services. Hiring an event organizer gives you the best goods at reduced rates.

Further, an experienced planner has deep connections with hotel managers, vendors, and suppliers. Working with hotels and suppliers for long creates a strong relationship that eases negotiation. Thus, allowing a planner to organize your corporate events gives you value for money.

5. Turning Your Vision to Reality

It’s frustrating not to have a positive result of your idea about your forthcoming corporate event. Such adverse outcomes may affect your performance and ruin your reputation in the company. You can avoid stress by hiring a planner for your corporate events Dallas.

The event planner turns your vision into reality and even comes out better than anticipated. With their vast knowledge and lasting experience, a competent planner can help you get the best deals in the market. This planner helps you achieve your goal while controlling your budget.

The organizer needs your idea and the occasion’s theme to create a satisfying event. These ideas enable the planner to add all the needed designs and decorations even on a fixed schedule. Also, the organizer can boost your space’s use by creating cohesive elements that improve the occasion’s appeal.

6. Managing Your Venue

Managing your venue is among the benefits of hiring a planner. Apart from being a profession, event planning is also their passion. Allowing the planners to organize your event gives them a chance to exercise their passion and turn your venue into an attractive space.

Since choosing a suitable venue to accommodate all your guests is tricky, a planner does it for you. Informing the organizer about the type of gathering you’ll have helps them settle for a good venue within a suitable location.

After selecting the right venue, the planners relieve you of stress by accommodating your guests. The organizer supervises guests and provides beverages and food to all your visitors. Moreover, a good planner improves the attendee’s satisfaction by providing security during the event.

Hire a Planner for Your Corporate Events

Hire a planner for your corporate events and achieve your set goals. Allowing a planner to organize your event improves your guests’ satisfaction.

Further, the event planner saves your money while turning your idea into reality. By informing your event organizers about what you want to achieve, they can use their experience to manage your venue.

At Total Events DFW, we boost your event experience by planning and decorating it. We also offer entertainment services for all your occasions. Contact us today for all corporate event services.