All Inclusive Weddings
Catering
The Need for a Thank You
Note
All Inclusive Weddings
Article Written By
Michelle O'Connor
What makes an all inclusive wedding package different than a wedding package at
a traditional hotel?
Truly all inclusive wedding packages include all vendors required for the
wedding, coordinating, and han dling the details of the event from the day the
bride books, until the last guest has left the reception, and the reception
location is cleaned up. Many all inclusive wedding companies work with their
brides for up to one-and-a-half years prior to their wedding. An all inclusive
wedding package should include coordination of the entire event and all the
vendors for a successful wedding (caterer, baker, photographer, videographer,
minister, locations, florist, staff, setup crew, cleanup crew, coordination
crew, bartenders, servers, live music, DJ, linen rentals, chair cover rentals,
table and chair rentals, wedding invitations, etc).
Depending on the time of year, many all inclusive wedding companies will run
promotions offering free services with the packages. Such promotions may
include free invitations, a free wedding cake, a free ba rtender, and even
off-season discounts. The beauty of all inclusive wedding packages is that the
bride gets all the best vendors at steep discounts. It would cost more for the
bride to go out and do the wedding herself than it would to buy a complete
wedding package, plus she gets full coordination and a professional staff and
crew.
The bride should beware of "extra hidden fees." Make sure your wedding company
does not tack on an additional $2.50 per slice to cut the cake or an additional
$3.50 per bottle to serve the champagne. Having to deal with surprise fees as
the wedding day approaches can be a nightmare. Many complete wedding package
prices even have the tax included.
Personalization
What special touches can brides add to an all inclusive wedding package to
personalize the ceremony?
The beauty of all inclusive wedding packages is that the bride customizes the
package. The bride does not have specific selections they are required to
choose from; they bring their ideas and the perfect wedding is created. The
wedding company should be there to offer suggestions and help guide them
through all that is involved in planning and running the full-scale event that
is a wedding.
Simplification
How do all inclusive wedding packages simplify a bride's work in setting up the
event ?
All inclusive wedding packages save brides over 100 hours of work! Planning and
putting together the specifics of a full-scale event, which a wedding is, takes
numerous hours and event expertise. The bride should meet with her all
inclusive wedding company, tell them her wishes, and the company should make it
happen.
With many complete wedding packages the bride gets the best professional
vendors in the area at steep discounts. all inclusive wedding companies
represent volume business for vendors. The bride and groom are one-time clients
and do not have the bargaining power that a volume client does. Many all
inclusive wedding companies use their bargaining power to save brides money and
time.
With an all inclusive wedding you don't have to worry about:
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Performing endle ss vendor interviews.
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Mailing out several different deposits and contracts.
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Orchestrating who arrives when.
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Will the tables and linens be delivered and setup before the cake arrives?
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Who will setup the tables?
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Who will pick up the linens, set them up, and then return them?
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Who will pick up and setup all the chairs, linens, favors, flowers,
decorations, bar, beverage table, gift table, sign in table, buffet tables?
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Who will run the buffet and keep it stocked?
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Who will cleanup from the ceremony, reception and the kitchen at the end of the
night?
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Who will clean and package up the bridal keepsakes at the end of the night?
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Who will cut and serve the cake and champagne?
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What happens when the florist gets sick the morning of the wedding and can't
deliver the flowers?
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Who will run out to find someone, somewhere?
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Triple confirming arrival times and services with vendors.
When the bride gets 15 more RSVP's trickling in 18 days before the wedding, the
wedding company calls and arranges for 15 more plates, 15 more glasses, 15 more
slices of cake, 2 more tables, 2 more table cloths, 15 more napkins, 15 more
sets of silverware, more beverages, more food; the bride and her family can
actually enjoy the days leading up to the big event.
Trends
Are you seeing any trends in all inclusive weddings?
More brides and grooms are choosing all inclusive wedding packages. With
today's busy lifestyles, buying a complete wedding package you can cust omize
to your own tastes and desires—while getting a better price than if you did it
yourself can't be beat.
Couples should shop around to see what it would cost them to piece together
their own wedding (not to mention their time, usually over 100 hours), then
compare it to the all inclusive wedding packages that are available through us
or in their own area.
Even if you are not getting married in Southern California, we welcome you to
examine our complete wedding packages as a reference of what you might expect
from a comparable company located in your area. Your complete wedding package
company should offer you discounted pricing and a stress free event that is run
based on your own wishes!
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Catering
Congratulations! You're getting married! After you've set your wedding date,
finding a place to hold your reception, and speaking to a caterer is one of the
very first things you should do.Many popular hotels and reception halls are
booked well over a year in advance. Before you meet your caterer, you should
have a list of questions prepared. Below is a guide to help you get started:
1) What are the menu selections?
2) Does wine come with the menu?
3) Can we schedule a tasting? How soon before the event would the tasting take
place?
4) Is there a minimum that has to be spent?
5) What is your cancellation policy?
6) What is your payment schedule?
7) How many appetizers do you prepare per guest? What is your appetizer
selection?
8) How many servers walk around to serve the appetizers?
9) Where will the cocktail hour be held? Will the bar remain open after the
meal is served? Is there a fee for that?
10) How many people can fit at each table?
11) Is there a cake cutting fee? Do you provide the wedding cake?
12) Is the gratuity added on the bill? What additional fees are added on the
bill? Is the gratuity amount subject to increase before the date of the event?
13) When do you need the final guest headcount?
14) Do you provide extra tables for gifts, guest name tags and the guest sign
in book?
15) Do you provide all the napkins, tablecloths, tables, chairs, plates,
silverware and glasses?
15) What color linens do you provide?
16) What styles do you fold the napkins in?
17) What times do you recommend for serving the meal? What is a typical
reception like? How does it flow?
18) Do you serve salads pre-set on the plate or are they served after guests
are seated?
19) When do our meal selections have to be complete?
20) Can you handle additional meals such as a brunch the next morning for out
of town guests?What is your brunch menu?
21) How many people can fit in the banquet hall?
22) Can you mail us a contract? When does it have to be signed and
returned?What deposit do we have to put down to hold our date?
24) Can you provide vegetarian or kosher meals if they are needed? Can you
handle other special dietary requests?
25) If you are serving different entrees, how does the caterer determine which
guest gets which entree?
26) Do you have a kids menu?
27) If you plan to have different stations like a pasta station or a prime rib
station, is there a serving fee per station?
28) Are your evening prices more than your daytime prices?
29) Who will be in charge of my party and be my point of contact?
30) Do you have a business card or e-mail address?
What is the best way to reach you for additional questions?
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The Need for a Thank You Note
Article Written By
Karen Zack of www.antoniarosepainting.com
First, every etiquette expert ever consulted say s: NO standard, preprinted
thank-you card without a personal note is acceptable! Yes, some companies sell
them, but that does not make them socially acceptable. We cannot stress enough
the enormity of the faux-pas made by couples who take this route.
No, those lovely favors you gave out that said "Thank you" on them do not count
as your thanks for the gifts. The same is true of the warm thanks you gave to
each guest in the receiving line. In these ways you thanked them for sharing
your wedding celebration, not for the gifts. Finally, a phone call, email,
virtual greeting card or hug in person do not substitute for a formal thank-you
note in response to a wedding gift. A wedding is a more formal event than
everyday life, and the social conventions are also more formal.
You need to send a th ank-you card with a handwritten note on it for each gift
you get for your wedding shower and wedding, as well as to everyone who helped
with or was in your wedding. There is no polite way around it. (However, both
the bride and groom have this responsibility--get some help!)
Type of Thank-You Card
Your notes of thanks can be actual cards that say "Thank you" on them, cards
that match your wedding stationery, or personalized informal cards used for
this purpose. Traditionally brides use informal cards printed with their
monogram, their married names (Mr. and Mrs. John Smith) or both names (Mary and
John Smith). Just make sure you don't use your married name until AFTER the
wedding!
Another popular idea is to write your thank-you notes on a photo greeting card,
sha ring a picture with your guests as you thank them.
This is most common when the thank-yous are sent out around Christmas time, but
it is being done more and more at other times of the year as well.
You can have your return address preprinted on your envelopes or use
personalized labels. You should still handwrite the address of the person to
whom you are sending thanks.
Wording of the Thank-You Note
Your note should include a line or two referring to the gift from that person
and thanking them for coming to the wedding, if appropriate.
For monetary gifts, do not mention the amount or form of the money, but just
refer to the generous gift" and tell them how you plan to use the money, such
as for a house fund, honeymoon, or similar.
NEVER say or imply that the gift will be returned, even if you got seven
toasters.
Your note should be written in the voice of one person and signed by one
person, but it should refer to the thanks of the other person as well.
If you want some great wording suggestions, check out
www.VerseIt.com
Here is a sample to get you started:
Dear Aunt Mary,
Josh and I were so thrilled to get the two china place settings you gave us. We
cannot wait to use them this Thanksgiving when we have all of you over for the
big meal. We will think of you whenever we use our new dishes.
We had so much fun visiting with you at the reception and we both appreciate
your joi ning in our celebration. Thanks again.
With love from both of us,
Julie
When to Send the Note
It is appropriate to send your note of thanks as soon as possible, and never
later than three months after the wedding. (Of course, if three months comes
and you have not yet sent them, DO IT! Late is better than never!) Your
promptness shows more appreciation and better manners, and it reassures guests
t hat their gift was not lost or stolen.
If you get gifts before the wedding, you should send immediate thank-you notes
for them.
If you order thank-you notes ahead of time (like with your invitations), get
imprinted return addresses or personalized labels, and send them out as you
receive gifts, this task is not really that hard. And I guarantee everyone will
note whether you sent gracious thank-you notes or not, so make your first
impression as husband and wife a good one!
Karen Zack is the owner and manager of
www.AntoniaRosePrinting.com,
which has the best selection wedding Post-its on the web, along with
invitations and more.
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Karen Zack
Owner/Manager
www.AntoniaRosePrinting.com
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