Weddings by Lindsay

Simple.Elegant.You

So many brides, grooms, mothers and even other wedding vendors ask me how their wedding day will flow. There is a “typical” timeline for a wedding reception. However, every couple is different and events can be rearranged to suit your personal style. One trend I am noticing is the cake cutting occuring almost immediately after dinner rather than during the last half of the reception. With every bride and groom I work with, I supply them and all of the vendors a timeline. The key to every reception and timeline is to be flexible. Your ceremony may not start precisely on time or toasts may take a little longer than you planned (especially when Aunt Mary gets started on the “she was such a sweet baby” stories). Don’t worry! You always recover time. Enjoy your wedding day…it goes by faster than you think.

6:30                        Ceremony begins

6:50                        Ceremony ends

7:00                        Cocktail hour

7:00                        Professional pictures

7:45                        Bridal Party Announcements

7:55                        First Dance

8:00                        Dinner

8:40                        Champagne Toasts

9:00                        Cake

9:15                        Bride/Father Dance

9:20                        Groom/Mother Dance

9:25                        Dance

10:00                        Bouquet toss

10:15                        Garter

10:30                        Dance

11:15                        Last Dance

11:30                        Exit

Yesterday’s wedding was so beautiful and personal. Amy & Todd were married at Chapel in the Garden in Port Orange with reception following at the Chart House in Daytona Beach. I love weddings at Chapel in the Garden. Always feels so intimate and provides amazing pictures. Amy chose light blue, brown and white has her wedding colors. Bouquets of white tulips gave a touch of spring. Thank you to Mark Dickinson Photography for capturing all of the special moments!

I am so excited about being a Weddingstar wholesale dealer! Everything from favors to candles to stationery you can find it at weddingstar. If you buy through me you not only have access to all of these great products but you save a considerable amount. The next person in Central Florida (Daytona, Palm Coast, St. Augustine, New Smyrna, Port Orange, Orlando areas) that books me for any of my planning services will receive this cake topper FREE!

Weddingstar cake topper

Many congrats and best wishes to all of the Central Florida brides and grooms!

February 22, 2010 will be a day to remember for this cute, young couple. Their ceremony was to take place inside the Lightner Museum Courtyard by the bridge. All day I was watching the weather radar and kept Alison & Max posted on what it looked like. Up until the last minute (literally) it started to rain. At that moment I called it and we moved the guests inside the Chapel next to the Wedding Authority offices. Even though the ceremony was not exactly how they pictured it, it was beyond beautiful and intimate. With a bit of good luck from the rain, they rang the chapel bell and exited to take pictures. As soon as they stepped out the rain cleared and blue sky popped out! It turned out to be a beautiful evening for them. The reception followed in the Sala Menendez room with A1A Aleworks providing the catering and music by DJ Timmy.

Private moment after ceremony in the Lightner Museum Courtyard

We all had such a wonderful time with Alison & Max and their families and close friends. Congrats again and best wishes!

Alison & Max after saying "I DO" at Lightner Museum, St. Augustine

Thank you to all of the vendors that helped make this day a beautiful one!

Vendors for the night!

Dj Timmy
Mark Dickinson Photography
A1A Aleworks
The Wedding Authority
Defore’s Cake Design
Sally’s Roses & More
Weddings by Lindsay

Congrats to Shanna & Brandon on your upcoming wedding! I am so excited to be working with this couple. They have chosen Casa Feliz in Winter Park as their venue for their June 25th wedding. Keep checking back to see how their planning is coming and what vendors they have chosen for their big day.

Welcome Rachael & Willard! We are so excited to help this couple plan their August wedding. Rachael has chosen a mossy green and chocolate as her main colors accented with ivory. A simple, elegant and intimate affair it is sure to be beautiful. Most of the planning will be done through email and working with Rachael’s mom, Liz. We look forward to helping them search for the right vendors for their special day!

Everyone involved in the wedding planning process tends to forget a very important person…the groom! We all focus on the bride and details however, the groom should have some opinion…it’s his big day too! There are many times I, as a Central Florida wedding planner, have not met the groom until the day of the wedding. I love working with both the bride and groom, knowing them as a couple and knowing their likes and dislikes for their special day. Here are some duties for the groom-to-be…

Groom in black tux

• Choosing your side of the wedding party-best man, groomsmen and ushers
• Deciding on attire-with keeping with the wedding’s style
• Choosing wedding bands together
• Selecting and purchasing wedding gifts for the bride and his wedding party
• Arranging for and purchasing the marriage license-check out your county’s website for more information.
• Planning the honeymoon-unless you are planning a surprise and your bride-to-be is ok with this I advise you do this together.
• Compiling your guest list
• Arranging transportation
• The Gift Registry-many guy’s dread this, but I promise it can be fun! These days couples are registering for anything and everything; including tools, electronics, entertainment and sports equipment. It’s like free shopping…who doesn’t like free?
• Go to as many vendor meetings with your bride-to-be as possible. She does want your opinion! Especially food and the bar.
• Making toast at the rehearsal dinner
• Have fun!
• Dance with your bride!

Hands & rings engagement pics

It’s not just about what we do, but what we know! Having a wedding planner used to be a luxury, but now it’s attainable for all couples.

When a couple gets engaged and starts planning their wedding it is usually their first time trying to figure out how to actually plan the big day. Planners have experience and knowledge you can only get from planning many weddings. Today’s average wedding can take 250 hours to plan! That’s a lot of time many don’t have these days. From invitation wording to honeymoon planning it can be an overwhelming task for anyone. Planners guide and assist you with making informed decisions.

You want to enjoy this time being engaged to the love of your life, not feel like you took on another full time job. Cut yourself some slack and hire a planner that has experience and will take your dreams and visions and make them reality!

Here are some tips for saving money in Central Florida…

1) Hire a wedding planner-whether you want to plan your own wedding or need help with selecting vendors, a wedding planner can save you money, stress and time. A Day Of Coordinator takes the stress away from you, your family and your bridal party so you can truly enjoy your special day! Besides the photographer, it can be the best investment!

2) Ceremony-living in Central Florida and near the beach allows many brides to have a beach ceremony. Not only does this save you money but it also makes for beautiful photos and can be intimate and allows you to be creative. You don’t need to worry about flowers and decor with a beach ceremony. With a simple arch and your bouquet the beach provides a natural look and feel to your ceremony.

3) Flowers-With today’s economy, brides are looking for more ways to save money but still be creative. One way to do so is to utilize silk flowers. Whether you use just silk flowers or combine them with real flowers you can save quite a bit of money.  Plus you can keep the flowers and not worry about how to preserve your bouquet. For centerpieces think of using fresh or fake fruit!

4) Day of the week-While most weddings do happen on a Saturday, many couple’s are choosing weekdays or Sundays to celebrate their wedding. This will save you money with the venue and most, if not all, vendors. Many vendors offer discounts on weekdays and Sundays.

5) Time of day-having your wedding in the evening usually means a full dinner will be provided. Think of having a late morning or early afternoon wedding and provide your guests with a lighter meal. This will cut your costs on the catering and sometimes even the venue since it is not a peak time of day.

Whether your budget is small or large, you can create a wedding that will be memorable. Thinking outside of the box and being creative you can have a personalized wedding that everyone can enjoy!

Yacht Weddings in Florida

The State is usually known for romantic beach marriage ceremonies. However, for those couples who are looking for something else, something more classic like yacht marriages, the city has a quite number of choices. One Florida wedding venue that is worth looking into is the Queen’s Harbour Yacht & Country Club located in Jacksonville, Florida. The venue is situated on the waterfront and is an ideal place for outdoor ceremonies.

For those who are really serious about a formal, classy yacht marriage, one of the best options for a Florida wedding is the Carrousel Yacht in Miami Beach. It features a super yacht that measures 135 feet. It is docked along Miami Beach. The Carrousel Yacht is open for rent and is usually used as a popular venue for marriage ceremonies and marriage feasts. Some couples also hold their rehearsal dinners in this venue. Among its notable features is a charming top deck which can hold up to 150 people

Hotels and Popular Venues for a Florida Wedding

Among the popular Florida wedding venues are the numerous hotels in the area. One of the main attractions in the city, apart from its spectacular beaches is Disneyworld. For fairytale themed marriages, the Buena Vista Palace is a good place as it is in the Downtown Disney Orlando wedding hotel. For a touch of sophistication, the Boca Raton Resort and Club can be the perfect backdrop for that very special day of Florida Wedding in the life of a couple.

The city is also known for its rich heritage. For couples who want a touch of history at their marriage ceremony, they might want to consider looking into the two famous restaurants Upstairs at Bizaare and Bizaare Ave Café. These two restaurants are popular haunts for the locals. They can provide relaxing and laid-back venues without sacrificing elegance and style. The only difference they have with the hotels is that they do not have the air stiffness that hotels are known to possess. They will lend character and warmth to the whole Florida Wedding.

Romantic Winery and Other Alternative Venues

Couples who want something different from the city Florida wedding will be able to find a piece of Napa Valley in the Florida Estates Winery. The charming plantation in Land O Lakes, the Florida Estates Winery provides the romantic background situated in quiet rolling hills.

No marriage ceremony is complete without excellent food. Among the famous hotels, for Florida wedding, known for their delicious offerings is the Hilton Naples & Towers Professional Catering Team. The Hilton is well known for its excellent food and AAA 4-Diamond Accommodations. What sets the Hilton apart from the other venues is its Italian flavor brought on by the hotel’s Mediterranean Venetian interiors.

Couples travel from all over the world to visit and have a wedding and honeymoon in Florida.The beaches in Florida fronts either the Gulf of Mexico’s emerald color waters on the West side, and the Atlantic’s beautiful blue waters on the East coast.There are lots of destination get aways that are great for all to travel and expierence.