Wedding Planning 101: Good planning resources

Happy Friday everyone! It's almost time for the weekend and I thought that you might need something to fill your time. That's why this week's post will be all about my favorite resources for wedding planning. I'm talking blogs, magazines, inspiration sources, etc. This can easily and quickly take over your time, so please be warned before reading this post...

Let me start by saying I have a magazine problem. I am addicted and I readily admit it. Yes, I know you can get the same information on the magazine's website, but there's just something about being able to flip through the pages and pull our - or dog ear - the things I like (why did the kindle commercial just pop into my head...). Call me old school, but there's just something I love about the design, it's inspirational to me. I was buying bridal magazines long before I ever got engaged, I just love all the tips and tricks. There are things you can use in everyday life and I love that. Don't be afraid to think outside your city or "region" either. Just because it's not a city publication doesn't mean it won't have good ideas for your big day.

Here are a few of my favorites:

• The Knot Texas Magazine
• San Antonio Weddings Magazine
• San Antonio Wedding Guide
• Austin Wedding Day
• Austin Wedding Guide
• Houston Brides
• Weddings in Houston
• Bridal Guide
• Brides
• Weddings Unveiled
• Martha Stewart Weddings

Now, that's not to say that I don't ever get online. In fact, it's the opposite... I'm addicted. The great ideas that you can find on blogs are unrivaled. I tend to be attracted to blogs / websites that aren't also magazines. The publications above have great websites, but I'm looking for something different when I'm surfing online.

Here are a few of my favorites:

• Style Me Pretty - This blog is full of inspiration in the form of real weddings and products / services. It's broken into sections based on regions. Don't worry, there is indeed a Texas section. Peruse them all, you never know, you might find the best ideas from a wedding in Australia. 
• Once Wed - Great resource for DIY ideas, vendors, real weddings and even a whole section devoted to pre-owned wedding dresses. Can you say jackpot?
• 100 Layer Cake - Surf this blog and find inspiration shoots, great vendors, sneak previews (BHLDN, Fall 2011 anyone?) and of course, DIY ideas. 
• Green Weddings Shoes - Real weddings, vendors, galleries, honeymoons and more. 
• Ruffled Blog - Vendors, inspiration, galleries and pre-owned wedding items.
• The Knot - Of course, a go to for all brides. The Knot has a ton of resources, ideas, real weddings and vendors to choose from. It also offers budget tools, checklists, inspiration boards and more. Be careful, they'll constantly remind you of the number of days you have left. I got the seven month reminder this week and it kind of scared me... so much to do!
• Pinterest - This is not a wedding blog, but it's full of inspiration for every part of your life. I am fully addicted to this site. You can surf the web or have people surf for you to create "boards" of full of things you love. Its a great way to organize your online favorites. It's a site you have to be invited to join, but don't let that deter you. You can request one and will usually get it quickly.

One more fun resource for San Antonio Brides. A relatively new concept and definitely new to the Alamo City, the San Antonio Wedding Library is a membership based upscale boutique library where you have access to all sorts of resources. I haven't had the chance to check it out yet, but hope to soon!

And finally, don't forget to fully utilize your vendors. Whether it's a weddings planner or catering manager, they will all sorts of ideas to make your day exactly how you want it.

Happy Planning!
Jessica

Wedding Planning 101: The Caterer

The caterer... Obviously this is going to be a very biased post because, let's face it, The RK Group is catering in San Antonio. Yes, there are other great caterers to choose from, but we've been catering for 65 years, it's something we know, something we know very well.

I'm a foodie. I love good, interesting, innovative menus, a new spin on a traditional favorite or just something that makes people stop and say "wow, that was delicious!". With that said, it's obvious that the menu at our wedding would be a very important factor in my mind. If you're like me and my fiance, you can think of the menu as an added decoration or piece of entertainment. Food can be fun, memorable and the highlight of the night.

After starting in my position with The RK Group just a few months ago, I immediately started listening to what the chef offered, talking to him about things that are trending in the food world, asking him what he thinks really makes a party special, etc. Now I know that I have an added advantage here, but that's why I'm going to give you all the pointers you need to help you be successful!

Executive Chef Eric Nelson mans the nitrogen ice cream bar

As with any other vendor, you need to do your research. Think about it, if you schedule a meeting with a caterer because they are all the rage, but they really specialize in Mexican food and that's not what you want chances are, even if you get them to try something a little different and more to your liking, they won't hit a home run. You need to be able to trust in the skills of the caterer.

Here are some tips:

1. Schedule a consultation towards the beginning of your planning. Many people don't realize that once you add everything up, catering can easily become one of the priciest parts of your wedding. By having the meeting early, you can help plan your budget accordingly. 
2. Research what you want. I'm not just talking about researching caterers, though of course do this. Find reviews, talk to friends that have gotten married or have parties often, talk to your office, I'm sure you will find plenty of resources. Don't stop there though, research what kind of food or presentation you want. Often, this will lead you to the right caterer. 
3. Think about what food you like. Go into the meeting with an idea of menu items that you would like to see. That could be the trending dish of the moment or an old family favorite. Whatever it is, don't be scared to ask. Often times, the chef or catering manager will be able to suggest new or unique ways for presentations or twists on old favorites. 
4. When comparing bids, review them closely. What I mean by this specifically, is that every cater has a different way of structuring their bids. When you're reviewing them, be mindful that some caterers may include food, service, rentals, etc in one price while others might break them out separately. This might not seem like a big deal until you don't look at the big picture and think that one caterer is bidding $10 per person and one is bidding $40. 
5. Have an idea of what style you want. There are so many: heavy hors d'oeuvres, buffet, food stations, interactive stations, seated dinner, etc. 

I had my initial consultation with The RK Group for catering last week. It was strange putting myself in the shoes of a client. Though, let me tell you, I was thrilled with the result. My catering manager (and party throwing extraordinaire) is Dawn Dawes. She is incredibly knowledgeable about all of the most popular San Antonio venues. She walked us through a typical layout of the space, what works best, how many tables we should plan to have where, etc. It was more than just catering - and that's the BIG benefit to coming to The RK Group, you can get everything taken care of at once and without a headache. I broke some of the rules and didn't go in with a clear idea of what I wanted (but again, remember I know the chef) and just gave him free reign on the menu with a little direction of our likes and dislikes. I trust him fully to bring something wonderful to the table.

I encourage you to be very open minded. I came in with an idea that they later told me would probably not work out as well as I was hoping. They quickly suggested new options that sounded wonderful and I was back on track.

Just a few reasons I think The RK Group is a winning pick for brides (trying to be unbiased here):

1. The experience of the team along is unrivaled. We have the best of the best here and they know what they're doing. It doesn't begin and end with the menu, they help you with the layout, the details and everything in between.
2. The quality of the food. Our executive chef Eric Nelson and his team are extraordinary. They are amazing at coming up with new, innovative menu options. They can even take a family recipe and build it into the menu. I continue to be amazed by them. 
3. The service. This is one area where we always shine. Our team is impeccable and understands the importance of efficient, quality service. They are experts at what they do. We stand for the best and that's what we continue to deliver. 
4. The overall planning experience. If you want stress free, this is your place. Did I mention one-stop-shop. That means you only have to coordinate one vendor for everything from catering to linens to china to tables to floral and more. 
5. Our team knows San Antonio. Still looking for a venue? Don't be afraid to ask for suggestions. Our team has great relationships with venues throughout San Antonio, Austin and the Hill Country. We can provide you a list of great options.

This is the fun part. Like I said, imagine the menu as another piece of the entertainment. Your guests will be thrilled to have good food that they maybe don't see everyday. Call (210.223.2680) or email (sales@therkgroup.com) our sales team today and schedule a consultation to start talking about your big day.

Coming soon: Online resources I love.

Happy Planning!
Jessica

Wedding Planning 101: Tools

Today was such a big day in the wedding world that I have decided to forgo the venue post until next week (I hope that's ok with you all). Today, I would like to talk about some great tools and tricks to make your life easier while planning the big day. The Royal Wedding is all the news stations can talk about - I secretly, or maybe not so secretly, love it. I mean, what girl doesn't like a good love story? Especially one that ends with a regular girl turning into a princess, oh the fairy tale. We're in the wedding and events business so, of course, many of us have been following this very closely. I have found so many great tips and I just couldn't wait another week to share them.

Being in marketing, one of my favorite websites is Mashable, a site that gives all sorts of news and tools relating to social media and the web. Now, you might be thinking: "Social media and my wedding, what? Are you crazy?" I would answer that with yes, I am, but please think beyond Facebook and Twitter and realize that there are tons of great sites that can help! I've listed some below that I have used and some that I have found, but not used in depth yet. Take a look:

• COLOURlovers: A great resource for one of the first steps, picking your color scheme. Once that step is finished, a whole new world of planning will open up to you.
  
• Etsy: Ok, let me take a deep breath because this is going to be loud... I LOVE ETSY! I always have, even before I was engaged. That being said, they have great wedding resources. If you are slightly offbeat or like things that are a bit different, go to this site and explore. It might take a while, but it's totally worth it. Also, sign up for their wedding newsletter, you won't regret it. Check out their great blog too.
• Google: Specifically, google weddings. Did you know there was such a thing? Neither did I until I happened upon it. You can create websites, edit photos, use googledocs to keep the budget in line, share albums with Picasa and more. I haven't fully explored this yet, but plan to dive in very soon.
• Amazon: What are you looking forward to most when you think of your wedding? Gifts of course, well I mean that and being married to the love of your life. Personally, I am an Amazon, junkie. If I lived closer to the home base I would probably buy all my groceries from them, not that I can't now. Amazon has a great tool called a Universal Wishlist. This great tool lets you add gifts from all sorts of sites to one central location. I'm not to the registry point yet, but once I get there, this will be used, guaranteed.
• Apps: I speak iPhone, so sorry blackberry and Android users, I don't know how helpful I will be to you in this section. Take a look at: the Wedding Wire app for all of your organizational needs, Brides Magazine also has a pretty useful app, as does The Knot - Wedding 101 and The Wedding Dress LookBook.
• Hard core social media lover: Do you find yourself constantly on Twitter or Facebook and feel naked when your phone or laptop or iPad is suddenly nowhere to be found? Then this might be the perfect thing for you. A writer for Mashable had the brilliant idea - he's like you - of incorporating Facebook and Twitter as sort of a mobile guest book. Simply create a hashtag and tweet away. Go a step further and use TwitterFall if your guests are like you. You might just creat some cheap entertainment with this idea.

Tired yet? Don't forget you have to plan the honeymoon!

• YourTour: Again, suggested by Mashable and looks like a very helpful site to plan a multi-destination trip.
• Stay.com: Personal travel guide? Yes, please! Build your own according to what you and your betrothed love to do.
• Kayak: Best site for comparison shopping. Sign up for their eblast to learn about the great deals that surface.
• Apps: There are WAY too many to list here. More to come on this.
  

Now, this is just a small sampling of all the great resources out there for you. I am a blog-a-holic (did I just make up a word?) so I will be dedicating a whole post to my favorites in the weeks to come. If there's anything you want to specifically learn about, let me know and I will dig around. Thanks for stopping by and I promise - Next week: Venues - this one will be great!

Happy planning!
Jessica

Ongoing Blog: Wedding Planning 101

Many of you may not know that I am currently at the beginning of a journey that every girl dreams of – planning my wedding. So you can only imagine the extra excitement I felt when I started in my new position with the RK Group only three short weeks ago. This company is a mecca for all brides-to-be. With rentals, catering, floral, destination management, transportation, entertainment resources and venues, what more could a girl ask for?

Being a resourceful girl, one that likes convenience and creative ideas (I’m pretty sure I could build a piece of furniture with all of the magazine’s I’ve collected in three short months since getting engaged) I jumped on the idea of creating an ongoing “wedding planning 101” blog. Starting this week, I will write a regular blog entry on this site that will chronicle my journey from engaged to married. I will show you all of the amazing things that the RK Group offers with a behind-the-scenes view into my appointments, the process and what you can expect. I will introduce our wonderful team and give you insight into the magic that they can produce. I will also introduce you to some of our exclusive venues as I hunt for the perfect place for the big day.

My planning will be based off of the typical “timelines” put in place by all of the wonderful wedding planning resources. I will also introduce you to some of my favorite blogs and the new trends in the industry. I encourage you to leave me questions or comments you might have for our team and I will try my best to get them answered. Stay tuned in for updates… much, much more to come!

- Jessica -