Whether we are in a formal consultation with a potential client or chatting with our newly engaged friends in passing, we frequently get questions about the planning process and what insider industry tips we can share to ensure you can enjoy your perfect day. Although we can’t give you all the secrets of our trade, here are some of our most frequently asked questions regarding planning etiquette, day of items, and wedding traditions:

How early should I send out my invitations?

Typically invitations should be sent out anywhere from 8-10 weeks prior to wedding day, however in an extremely busy wedding year (like 2022) we recommend aiming more towards 10-12 weeks. You will usually have at least a few guests who will be walking the line of last minute RSVP’s, but it’s always best to give the venue, the caterer, and of course yourself the most amount of time possible to finalize your headcount. Be sure to also consider things like invitation weight, postal delivery times, and overseas invitation needs when putting together those final touches on invites. There are always more elements than anticipated that can contribute to your RSVP response times and final guest counts.

Who are the first vendors I should book?

You can’t quite have a wedding without a venue or a date, so we always recommend getting those details locked down as soon as possible after you’ve hired your planner.. Next, you will want to focus on photography and/or cinematography, catering, DJ/Band, and florist. Ideally, you should have all of your vendors booked at least 5 months prior to wedding day, but of course earlier is always better — especially in this crazy wedding season!

Should I do a first look?

Like every so called “wedding tradition,” it truly is a preference on what elements of the day you want to incorporate or ditch at the alter. Doing a first look prior to the ceremony can allow for the bulk of your photos to be finished before guests even begin arriving and is perfect for the couple who wants to enjoy cocktail hour post-ceremony. There is however, so much magic with a ceremony first look and the rush of hiding partners from each other until the special moment as you meet and exchange vows. Overall, our biggest suggestion is to always chat with your partner beforehand about weddings that you have attended and what parts of the day you liked or didn’t love as much. There is never a wrong answer for these “traditions” and the best decision to make is the one that leaves you and your partner the happiest.

how do i decide if someone gets a plus one?

It’s difficult enough to put together an initial guest list of your nearest and dearest for wedding day, but it’s even harder to figure out who gets a plus one to bring to the celebration and who doesn’t. Even a few extra people can greatly adjust the overall budget of the day — more people means more mouths to feed, more seats to rent, and of course more alcohol to buy. So when deciding where to allocate additional invites, one easy way to organize your guest list is to think about reception seating arrangements. If you can begin to map out what table assignments will look like as you create your invitation list, you will start to find gaps in the seating chart and who might benefit from having a plus one accompany them to wedding day.

Do I need to tip my wedding vendors?

You are never required to tip any of your wedding vendors, but when deciding who should receive a gratuity at your wedding, follow the standards of everyday life. If you would tip someone at a salon or restaurant, you’ll tip them at a wedding. Typically a gratuity for the vendors working all day or evening is standard while the others are more optional. Always feel free to tip as you see fit, however these are traditionally the vendors included in the “standard” list of gratuities:

Catering + Bartending Service Staff (often included in contract or final invoice)
Hair and Makeup Artists
Planner
Transportation/Valet
Photographer(s) & Cinematographer(s)
Ceremony Musicians
DJ/Band

Should I hire a wedding planner?

We are obviously a little biased to this question, but there are definitely more benefits to hiring a planner beyond just creating a wedding day timeline and setting up ceremony chairs. Hiring a wedding planner not only ensures that day of facilitation will be taken care of, but also that you have an industry expert to come to for advice, suggestions, and be your second set of eyes for all things wedding. A planner will have an abundance of brilliant and original ideas for your ceremony and reception, many of which can't be found online. Hiring a wedding planner also allows you to hand off those more time-consuming responsibilities to a professional so that you can enjoy every moment of your engagement all the way through till wedding day!

Ready to chat more about planning packages or coordination support? Contact us for a consultation and more information about our Oregon and Washington teams!