HORIZONS Wedding Blog

Happy Holidays!!!!

2009-12-03T12:31:00.004-05:00

Yes, Christmas is coming…..probably the most stressful time of the year for many of us. So….the trick is to be organized! Are you coming to Saginaw to visit with family? If so, call ahead of time to schedule an appointment with us to discuss detail, floral and invitations. Begin 2010 knowing that you have much of the large detail decisions made!

Want to be unique???

2009-10-22T15:13:00.002-04:00

Do you want your wedding to be different from all of the others you’ve attended? Here are some tips for you to make your special day unique:

Looking for unique colors? Think jewel tones….navy, plum, amber, bronzes, and coppers.

If your budget is a bit tight, think about using colored/printed linen instead of white or solid colors, then keep the centerpiece simple.

Smaller wedding cakes are in style…which fits right in with our standard of desserts with all meals. Save your budget, and be trendy at the same time!

Decorate your vases…either with rocks inside, or colored paper around. I have one bride using beautiful bottles as centerpieces….don’t be afraid to be different!

Use creative lighting to add a totally different look to your ballroom . Colored lighting is surprisingly affordable, and will dramatically change the look of your Reception.

I’ll expect to be talking to all of you about what we can do together to make your Wedding Reception like no other!

Specialty Linens?

2009-09-08T09:19:00.002-04:00

As you are planning that special day, probably one of the last things on your mind is linens. I think many people decide not to have colored linens, as it's a great place to cut your costs. However, I would like to present this quote from "Michigan Meetings & Events".

"Did you know that chair covers, table linens, runners, sashes and
napkins make up nearly 70 percent of an event's visual decor?
This is just one of the many reasons why chair covers and linens
should be a key element to event planning rather than an afterthought."

So....as you are imagining the beautiful ballrooms at Horizons or Temple Theatre, think in color!!!

From one bride.....

2009-07-21T08:45:00.003-04:00

Hello! I received this great email, and thought I would share with all of you! Jennifer is a bride from last fall, and we still keep in touch. If YOU have any great ideas or feedback, please feel free to email me. I would love to put your thoughts in our blog!

"How are you doing?! I miss you! I thought of you a bunch this weekend. I went to a wedding that had the cutest center pieces....they sliced up like a million limes and filled large glass vases (all different shapes and sizes) with the limes, and then had big pink peonies and bright green flowers coming out of the top!!! So great.

I also thought of a great tip for brides....TAKE YOUR VEIL OFF BEFORE THE RECEIVING LINE STARTS! It happened to me, it happened to my sister, and it happened to the bride this weekend. The more hugs you give, the more your hair is ruined by people pulling on the veil as they hug you!

Just thought I'd share. I'm sure you've heard this all before! :)"

Jennifer Lixey Hankinson

Traditional vs. Non-Traditional???

2009-06-26T13:43:00.002-04:00

Hello!

I just met with my bride, Tracy and her Mom Lana. We had a long discussion about head tables, so I thought I would share some options with you.

The "traditional" head table consists of several banquet tables placed end to end. Sometimes the table is placed on a riser, and decorations are typically on the front of the table and along the front top edge. The nice thing about this table is that when we enter a Reception, we have been "trained" to look for the long table, and we know that is where the bridal party is going to be seated. Sometimes, however, the bridal party is uncomfortable, as they are limited to only talking to the people directly next to them, and they feel that the guests are watching them eat.

Another table design that has been created here at HORIZONS is our "King and Queen" table. We use banquet tables to create a rectangle, and the bridal party sits around the table. Our florist then places several different vases of flowers, rose petals, and tons and tons of candles on top of the table. The nice thing about this table is that the bridal party feels much more relaxed because even though they are sitting at a beautiful table, they can talk to the bride, groom, and rest of the bridal party. (We call it a party within a party!) This table can easily be placed in the center of the room with friends and family around, or can be placed next to the dance floor so the bride and groom have a place to sit if they choose not to dance all night.

A third table option would be a "Sweetheart Table". The bride and groom sit at a private small table set just for them, with friends and family around. The bridal party typically sits at reserved tables close to the bride and groom.

So.....which table is for you? Call and make an appointment to meet with our florist, and we'll be happy to help you decide!

Stress Free Wedding Planning

2009-06-16T11:51:00.003-04:00

The last couple of blogs were on how to keep your wedding planning stress free. Following is the grand finale!

Be organized:
1. Use your wedding planner!!! Save pictures of flowers, cake, etc.
2. Contact your event coordinator, and do as much detail as possible for the reception. (Hotel room blocks, food, beverage, timeline, etc.)
3. Begin planning your ceremony months prior to the date. It is sometimes very difficult to get in touch with your pastor, the church music director, etc.
4. Meet with your vendors to discuss cake, music, floral, invitations as early as possible.

Make the planning process fun:
1. Put a value on your time. If you don’t have to do it, don’t. (Order invitations, programs, guest favors through Horizons.
2. If you enjoy being creative, invite bridesmaids and friends to help you with creating guest favors, assembling invitations and programs.
3. Delegate – allow the people who love and support you to participate in your special day.
a. Mom’s best friend as a hostess
b. Let M.O.G. assign seating for the groom’s side of the family
c. Let M.O.B. coordinate r.s.v.p’s.
d. Let Dad help with menu/specialty wines
e. Let your vendors do what they do best; resist the urge to micromanage, but do keep in touch with them.
4. Don’t put impossible demands on yourself or family.
a. Nobody wants to decorate a hall or ballroom on the day of the wedding, nor do they want to clean up at the end.
b. No, Mom can’t make your cake
c. No, YOU can’t make your own fresh bouquet and other ceremony flowers.
5. Be flexible. Bridesmaid pregnant? Can’t use the music you selected? Expect challenges, and know that you cannot control them.
6. Pick your battles.
7. Know that something will go wrong.
8. Make time for yourself. Do something you enjoy. Massage, Manicure, Pedicure, quiet time, etc.

One of the saddest comments that some of my brides make is “I just can’t wait for the wedding day to be over.” What I really love to hear is “I just can’t wait for my wedding day to be here!”

Enjoy the moment, enjoy the day. You will never have it again

Stress Free Wedding Planning Continued

2009-06-05T08:48:00.002-04:00

Here is part two of how to keep your wedding planning stress free.....

Facility:
1. Before visiting facilities, sit down and write a list of what is important to you.
a. Atmosphere
b. Food
c. Convenience for your guests (parking hotel, shuttle)
d. Quality service? (Full time wedding coordinator)
e. Services offered (Floral, invitations, favors, Horizons offers all of the services, as well as placing favors, cake cutter, sign in book, name cards, etc.
f. Attention to detail (Banquet Room Manager)
2. Visit several facilities so you can compare. You like the fact that Horizons offers a full time wedding coordinator. Ask other facilities if they have the same service.
3. Ask the event coordinator what their facility can do for you
4. Did you feel comfortable tour the facility with the coordinator? Did he/she answer all of your questions? Did you feel rushed? Did your coordinator make you feel welcome? If you didn’t get a quality tour, you probably will not receive quality service during your planning.

Communicate:
1. Use e-mail or voice mail. Relay ideas, thoughts, possible problems as soon as you think of them. This will keep you from having to remember (and then forgetting) later on.
2. Even if your groom says he doesn’t want to be involved, he probably does. Keep him informed of detail so that he feels a special part of the day. Most grooms enjoy being involved with food, beverage, DJ or band, tuxedos, and transportation.
3. Have monthly/weekly updates with family members involved with budget to discuss any last minute costs, guest counts, etc.
4. Make time for special moments with your groom without talking wedding.
5. Share your agenda with the bridal party. The more information they receive, the more cooperative they will be.

Watch for part three coming soon!

Stress Free Wedding Planning

2009-05-20T11:47:00.002-04:00

How many of you have felt any stress while planning your wedding? That seems like an obvious question, but sometimes when we are in the middle of a stressful moment, we forget that stress is a part of planning a major event. We tend to think that we are all alone, and forget that there are other people who are either in the same state that we are, or have been in this state before, and can empathize with how we are feeling.

I don’t like the word “Bridzilla”. It’s not a pretty word, and it doesn’t promote a good feeling.

I’m not going to pretend that wedding planning is totally stress free, but in the next few weeks, I WILL give you some ideas on how to make planning your special day as stress free as possible. The following is part 1 of a series of ways to keep your wedding planning stress free.

He’s proposed, and you’ve accepted. What is one of the first things you are going to do?

Budget:
1. Ask parents how much money, if any, they are willing to contribute. If parents are contributing, make sure they are part of the budget process so there are no surprises at the end.

2. Ask about discounts or incentives for either Friday bookings or historically hard to fill dates. (Horizons offers a great Friday or even Sunday incentive, and will be happy to discuss incentives for hard to fill dates.) DJ’s, Photographers, Videographers, etc will usually offer incentives as well.

3. Be honest with your vendors. Let them know how much you can spend, and share your expectations with them to avoid misunderstandings.

4. Budget: What do you think is the most costly expense?
38% reception expenses
10% attire
9% floral and décor
9% photography
5% ceremony
5% entertainment
5% videography
4% invitations and printed materials
4% misc.
3% gifts
2% transportation

**Stay tuned for more planning tips coming soon**

A HUGE Hit!!!!!!!

2009-04-07T13:56:00.024-04:00

Sunday was our 10th annual "Wedding Inspirations for the Bride and Groom", and what a great show it was!!! I have to confess.....bridal shows are not always the favorite place for me to be on a weekend, but this show was so much fun!!!! Thanks to our Floral Department, our facility was absolutely beautiful! A huge 'thank you' to Joyce, the show Coordinator for having over 60 vendors and for being so organized that everyone had an enjoyable time! There were brides modeling wedding gowns all over the place.....it was so much fun to be able to see the dresses up close. My favorite dress was from 'Unique Bridal'!

One lucky bride won $500 cash! We'll have an update on her in my next post.

Just a reminder.....if you haven't contacted Ernie or me for invitations and detail, please call! Don't wait until the last minute!

Going on vacation this Friday through the 20th......will talk to you when I get back!!!

Wedding Website

2009-03-11T10:13:00.002-04:00

One of my brides just e-mailed me her wedding website. What a great tool for both you and your guests!!! Hers was created on "The Knot", but I'm sure there are others out there as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the bride and groom meeting, the proposal, and there's some great information about where they are registered, Ceremony and Reception locations (with maps) and information about hotel reservations.

What a great way to get your guests excited about your wedding!!!

Wedding Inspirations for the Bride and Groom

2009-03-10T14:34:00.001-04:00

Well, it’s been a couple of months since the last bridal show in the area, so I’m assuming that you are all chomping at the bit to attend the biggest and best in the area???? Joyce is our Marketing Specialist and is working hard at getting last minute vendors to join us.

What makes our show unique?

There are more vendors than any other show in the area….over 50 so far!

One lucky bride will receive a $500 cash prize

Live models wearing the lasted fashions in wedding gowns will be stationed throughout the show so you can see the dresses up close

The show takes place in our beautiful ballrooms, which are accented by crystal chandeliers and oak paneling

Ernie and I look forward to seeing all of you there!

Think Spring!!! :)

2009-02-25T11:04:00.004-05:00

Hello! How many of you have called Ernie and me to set up your detail appointment? We’ve waited sooooooo long for summer, and once it hits, you’re not going to want to sit inside with us, so NOW would be a great time to come in to discuss timeline, food, beverage, etc.

I’ve been sitting in on some amazing floral consultations with our floral department! I’m seeing some really “new” colors in blues, yellows, slate, coral, and the list goes on. It’s refreshing to see our brides thinking ‘out of the box’ on both colors and design!

Because this blog is for you, please let me know if there are any topics that you would like discussed. I can always be reached via e-mail at kimk@horizonscenter.com. Also, if you have some fun ideas that you would like to share, please e-mail me and I will post here.

Remember our Bridal Expo here at HORIZONS on April 5th from 1-4 PM.

Invitations.....Invitations.....Invitations

2009-02-13T12:16:00.004-05:00

Have you ordered them yet? Summer brides should mail invitations about 8 weeks prior to your day.....all others about 7 weeks prior. So.....if you haven't even looked yet, now is the time! Our distributers are promoting the following incentives:

Carlson Craft says that if you purchase at least 150 invitations from their "Blue" album, you will receive 100 FREE personalized napkins. (No expiration date at this time)

Checkerboard is offering 25 additional FREE invitations with any minimum order of 25 wedding invitations. (Offer expires April 5, 2009)

William Arthur is offering 25 additonal FREE invitations with any minimum order of 75 wedding invitations. (Offer expires March 28, 2009)

Call Ernie or me today for an appointment! Hope you all have a great weekend!

What's Unique about our Floral Department?

2009-02-12T11:37:00.008-05:00

When it comes to your wedding day, we don't like surprises.....and we're sure that you don't either! You have spent countless hours shopping, booking vendors, selecting invitations, music, creating programs, stressing out, crying, worrying.....okay I'm getting a bit carried away, but you get my drift. So why on earth would you not want to see your guest table design before your special day????

Here at HORIZONS, our florist will create your guest table and invite you to come in and see the linens and exact centerpiece that you have requested. Not sure what linens you want? No problem! As you can see, there are four different chair options and two table linen options on this table, as well as the centerpiece (yes, those are real roses....aren't they gorgeous???). This bride and groom can now come in and make a final decision about their guest table design, and know exactly what their ballroom will look like on 'their day'.

So......what are you waiting for? Give Ernie or me a call today to schedule an appointment with our "Unique Florist"!!!

Whirlwind!

2009-02-05T16:12:00.005-05:00

Hello! What a crazy start to the new year! Three bridal shows behind us, but our favorite show still to come on April 5th here at HORIZONS! Ernie and I have seen many of you at the shows....it's really nice to see you planning!

The phone has been ringing off the hook with brides and grooms who want to order invitations, meet with the florist, and just get Reception detail on paper. Oh....YOU haven't called? Well, you still have time! Just remember....the more you get off your plate now, the less stressed you will be as you approach your big day!

I was reading a bridal magazine and found a great idea for a sign in book! Okay....you know how the tradition is to have a book where your guests write their name and address? Why??? You already have their address, which is how they received their invitation! So.......go to the book store and find a photography book....maybe with photos of things that you are both interested in, and use that as your sign in. Guests can sign on any page/picture they choose. Then use the book as a coffee-table book in your livingroom! The book can be used all the time, and you still have a memory of your favorite friends and relatives!

I was looking through some of my pictures, and found these great photos of centerpieces....thought you might enjoy them as well:

Bridal Season!

2009-01-09T11:13:00.002-05:00

What an exciting time in the "wedding world"!!! Ernie and I attended the Bridal Show at the Dow Event Center last Saturday, and will be attending the show at Valley Plaza this Sunday, then at the Doubletree next Sunday. We've met several new brides, and have had fun seeing some of our brides that are already booked at our facilities!

I'm seeing that a lot of newly engaged couples have this look about them......the one that says "Oh my gosh.....what do we do FIRST????" So let me give you some advice....take a deep breath, smile and enjoy the moment, and then begin looking at locations for your Ceremony and Reception. Once the Ceremony and Reception are booked, everything else will naturally fall into place. Attend these Bridal Shows.....you will receive great information about vendors in the area and what they have to offer. Many vendors will have "show specials", which can be a great value for you.

Because Ernie and I are Wedding Coordinators, we are 100% focused on our brides and grooms. Even if you are not booked at our facilities, please feel free to contact us for help to get you over that overwhelming feeling.....we have some great ideas!

The January issue of "Tri City" Magazine is out, and is highlighting........take one guess.......WEDDINGS! There are some great articles about working on a budget, how to buy "the rock", how to find the right bridal gown, choose a wedding cake, pose pretty for your portrait, etc... So, please make an effort to get a copy of the magazine.

To our brides and grooms already booked with us, please call to set up your floral, invitation and detail appointments. The more you do now, the less stressed you will be as you get closer to your date! :)

**REMEMBER 'WEDDING INSPIRATIONS' AT HORIZONS ON APRIL 5, 2009**

Happy Holiday!

2008-12-26T09:36:00.002-05:00

Whew! Was your Christmas as hectic as mine??? Well…….now that we have the holiday behind us, it’s time to start working on wedding details! Okay….I’ll give you until after New Years, but that’s it…….then we really need to get started!

I’m hoping that our 2009 brides and grooms will have all vendors booked by now. If you don’t, please visit the bridal shows and look for some “last minute booking” deals! If vendors still have dates available, I’m sure they will be willing to work with you on pricing.

Do you still need invitations? Please call either Ernie or me to set up appointments. Most invitations only take about one week to come in, but we’re getting into graduation season, so the turn-around time is a bit longer in the spring. I suggest sending invitations out eight weeks prior for weddings in the summer months, and six to seven weeks prior for spring/fall weddings.

Have you made an appointment to meet with our Floral Department yet? I know that we’ve told some brides and grooms to call after the holidays, so now is the time…..989-799-4122 or you can e-mail us.
If I don’t talk to you before the New Year, please have a wonderful and safe celebration! HORIZONS is looking forward to a great 2009! -Kim

Welcome to our Wedding Blog!

2008-12-10T16:36:00.001-05:00

We are so excited you stopped by our new blog! Check back for more news and posts from the Wedding Team!

-Kim & Ernie