8 fun way to Keep Kids Entertained at Your Wedding
Having kids at your upcoming wedding? We are here to give you 8 fun ways to keep them entertained throughout the day!
To invite children or to not invite children… This seems to be one of those age old questions we find our couples conflicted with more times than not. It can be an awkward conversation to tell people you don’t want to have their children at your wedding, but there are appropriate ways to do so, (we will save that for a different blog)
Depending on the style of your wedding, you can always find ways to keep the children entertained. I love when there are children at weddings, they are always dressed so cute, they love to dance around and have fun, but, when there are not enough activities to keep them entertained, it can quickly turn in to a bunch of well dressed monkeys running around a zoo. Fun Fact, back in my banquet serving days, I had a wedding with a ton of children that ran around and they ran into me while I held a tray of champagne, I was lucky and quick on my feet and did not manage to drop the tray. To avoid situations like this happening to your catering staff (we can not account for the drunk people running into the catering staff) Why not think about having some fun activities to kids entertained? We came up with a list of 8 ways to keep kids entertained at your wedding. If you are interested in our take on kids entertainment, just keep reading!
Before we start listing off ways to entertain, I wanted to note, that if you have more than 5 kids coming to the wedding, have a specific kids table and if its possible, some venues might have a small room near the main space where the kids could be in to play and eat while the reception is going on. See number 8 for a good way to ensure the kids are watched after while all of your guests are enjoying the party, now… On to the list!
www.brynnwheatlyphotography.com
1. Petting Zoo – By far our favorite idea we have ever heard!
I mean, we are Dos Goats am I right? If it fits the surroundings and you are feeling super fun, a petting zoo would be a great idea! Llama’s have become super fun to have during your social hour, guests get to take pictures with them, and it is a ton of fun! Check out Carlson’s Lovable Llamas to learn more!
Better yet, pick a venue that already has pets on hand like one of our favorites, Gale Wood Farms in Minnetrista, MN.
Another thought… Getting married at a museum where they may keep the exhibits open for people to explore, this would be a great activity for children and adults!
2. Scavenger hunt – How fun would a museum scavenger hunt be? This one takes a bit of work, but if you plan ahead and has someone do the planting of the clues, this could be really fun! It could be clues about the couple, the family history or you can pick a theme for the night. You could get the DJ involved and have some prizes for the winners!
3. Cartoon artist – We love that couples are hiring painters to do live painting of their wedding! There are also artists that will do live portraits of you and your guests, How cute would it be to have the kids pose for stylish portrait in their fancy cloths!
4. Coloring books, word puzzles & puzzles – You could have a puzzle made of your wedding venue, your engagement photo or something wedding related. You could have coloring books or you could do word finds, crosswords and other word games that are wedding related or related to the state you are getting married in. Maybe a word-cross about the couple, and the kids have to figure out the answers by asking the adults.
5. Yard games – No matter what, if you want to entertain your guests, always have some yard games. There are a number of games to choose from but if you are catering to kids, stick to simple games like Corn Hole, Giant Tic Tac Toe, Giant Jenga, Giant Checkers. If you want to get crazy, get a wedding bouncy house!
6. Video Game Truck - If you have a lot of space and, a lot of 10 year olds and want to really give them a fun experience, you could look into hiring a Video Gaming Truck, you can rent them for a few hours at a time and it will keep those older kids nice and quiet and away from their phones.
7. Kids photo booth with props – Kids love photo booths! Make it easy for them and make it even more fun with those old school Polaroid cameras!
8. Hire a wedding nanny. My last tip is essential.. Do your wedding guests a favor and hire a wedding nanny! It will be a nice treat for your guests who may not be able to afford a sitter and has to bring them. They will be pleasantly surprised when they see there is someone to watch them so that they can enjoy the night! Some services will actually come with activities for the children which makes it easier on everyone!
I hope this gave some insight on ways to entertain children for you. After reading these fun and exciting things to do, you may now want all the children to come running to the funniest wedding ever, or, you read the list of activities and have a little stress demon that is now wallowing over your head, this might be your intuition telling you to forgo the children invite. Either way, we are always here to support you and help you with all your planning needs. Nameste friends!
Yay you are engaged! 8 Things to do RIGHT After You Get Engaged!
Recently engaged? Here is a list of 7 things you must do RIGHT after getting engaged!
Image Ryan Stadler
Are you enjoying that newly engaged life? I don’t know about you, but getting engaged is one of the most exciting moments in two peoples lives! We LOVE hearing proposal stories, and get teary eyed listening to all of them! You may or may not have been dreaming of this day your whole life, it is extremely exciting and somewhat overwhelming! Once you get over that initial “Holy shit I am engaged” feeling out of the way, the “Oh shit, we need to plan a wedding” starts to settle in.
We know that it can be a little stressful, people will INSTANTLY start asking what the plans are, as if, just because it happened 3 days ago, automatically you have everything planned… (WTF is with that anyways? Can we all collectively start a PSA for newly engaged couples, that it is OK to not have EVERYTHING planned right out the gate.)
Being wedding planners, we have a mental list of things that need to get done right away and we want those newly engaged vibes to last as long as possible for you, so we came up with a list of what you should focus on when you first get engaged. Need more help? We have tons of informational blogs for you to check out right here!
Photo Credit : @lahzehphotography
“Engagement Season” That time in-between Thanksgiving and Valentines Day where all the people get engaged! A romantic time of year, filled with family, friends and fun!
But we also know that it can be insanely overwhelming, and you may not know where to begin the process of planning a wedding. Which vendors do you need to book right away? Which vendors can wait a couple months? Who the hell is paying for this thing? Do I need a dress right now? Don’t fear! This is list is here to help and hopefully alleviate some of that initial stress!
1. Enjoy being engaged for a little bit!
Let’s start with the ENGAGED part! This is your permission slip to take some time and just enjoy it. Get some cute balloons that say “Engaged AF” or something fun! This is a very big time for you both, you have taken the first step in solidifying your relationship, and it needs to be celebrated! Shout it from the roof top! Tell parents, family, friends, co-workers, EVERYONE! Take that perfect ring selfie and post it on all of your socials because it is time to celebrate! (We always suggest telling important people before blasting it on social media!)
Photo The Hawk and Sparrow
Added Tip: You will instantly be asked a million questions, a good piece of advice is to just say “We are enjoying the engagement right now. We will focus on the other stuff in a few weeks.
2. Get your ring insured and Get a Decoy for Travel!
This is just a simple reminder, that thing is sparkly and expensive and can easily slip off your finger super easy! Don’t wait, jump right in and get that little baby insured!
We love the idea of getting a cheap knockoff from Amazon as well if you plan on doing any travel!
3. Create a “Wedding ONLY” Email address.
We enjoy Gmail, but it is really up to your preference. You can make it easy like kellyandjonwed21@gmail.com or you can creative like turningtoff20@gmail.com. You can both have access to this email and it will keep everything wedding related organized to this email address!
4. Get together with your partner and start talking about the visions you BOTH have on your wedding day!
Choose your top 3 or 4 MUST HAVES! Come up with elements of the day that are important to you both! This could be Venue, photography, floral, maybe you really want a killer DJ, but start to think about what elements are important to you!
Think about weddings you two have been to in the past… What did you remember or love about those weddings? Also think about the things you didn’t like at those weddings, sometimes that is even more important, the things to avoid!
Picking a date - How long do you want to be engaged? When do you both envision the wedding being? If you get engaged in December and you want a summer wedding, you may have to push it out a year, otherwise you are looking at a 6-8 month engagement, and it might be difficult to find vendors. If you want a Fall wedding, those are becoming more and more popular, so again, finding vendors and especially a venue could be tricky. Pro Tip… Typical weddings are being planned 12 - 16 months out…
Discuss how involved both of you will plan on being during the engagement process. Does this all make you both stressed and overwhelmed, read number 5 and think about hiring some help!
Guest List! You might have to wait till you meet with parents to come up with a finalized guest list, but coming up with a general idea of how many people you want there will help when telling parents how many of their people they can invite. Having a max guest count can also help with the venue search!
Style of wedding - Classic, Vintage, Boho, Rustic, Elegant, Bold, Neutral, Simple. Whatever style you may want to have, we believe it is important for both to have design elements in the wedding that represent the both of you. You can have touches that represent you both individually as well as a partnership. (Pinterest is great for both guys and gals, talk to your man about just looking through so that he can get a better idea on his vision)
Start researching (not touring) venues around the area, there are so many different styles when it comes to venues, so first just start looking at types of venues that are out there and see what style you want. Don’t hop right into tours until you have budget, venues around Minneapolis can be expensive AF, you don’ t want to tour one, fall in love and realize there is no way you could ever spend that much money. Its better to get your budget in check and a general idea on guest count figured out, otherwise you will be going tours with no purpose.
5. Hire a Wedding Coordinator or Wedding Planner & start getting organized!
Every wedding needs a wedding coordinator at the MINIMUM to be there to make sure your day runs smoothly, which is why we offer wedding management (it’s like the new version of day of coordinator). For the busy couples, we also offer full service and partial planning, to help them with the wedding work load. The benefit of a planner are endless, but we are not here to bore you with all the details, once you are ready to dive into planning, hiring someone early on can not only save you money, we often come with great planning resources and vendor recommendations, all which can take away hours of stress!
Maybe you start planning and think a wedding planner is more of what you need by your side, you can learn all about that and other packages we offer (here)!
A wedding planning might not be in your budget, if you choose to forego the planner, our biggest piece of advice is to get organized! Spreadsheets and to - do lists are so important to help you stay on track!
Rachel L Photos
6. Have a meeting with your parents to discuss guest list & budget.
Now that you and your partner have discussed your dream wedding vision, it is time to meet with the parents and get their visions. Some parents want to be super involved, while others may not. It’s important to talk with them, let them know your thoughts and to make sure they understand that it is your wedding and you want them to enjoy it as well. The big factors to discuss with parents are guest list and budget.
I. Who does everyone want at the wedding? You should have both sets of parents make their lists, combine those with your lists and then create an A, B & sometimes C category. If your parents are pitching in, they should have a say in guest list, but this can be a slippery slope and if it’s the two of you paying and you are on a tight budget, while it may be uncomfortable, you will have to discuss that with them. We hear all the time, parents want all of their friends and co-workers there to celebrate with, and while that is great, remind them, there is a budget and the venue will have a max capacity. A rule of thumb I love to recommend is, if you or your partner have never met the person, they do not get an invite.
II. Who is going to pay for the wedding? This is never a fun subject, but it needs to be done. Will you guys be saving up? Will the brides parents be paying? Will it be a collaborative effort? If so, get a clear understanding on who is contributing how much. I can not tell you how many times a couple has came to us and said “Well I think my parents will probably throw us $5000?” Come to find out, they are only planning on giving them $1000 or only paying for the food. Sometimes you need to educate them on how expensive its going to be & let them discuss what they are comfortable with contributing. Having this conversation will alleviate a ton of stress to just get it all out in the open.
7. Now is the time to start an in-depth venue search and schedule some tours.
Budget & guest list in mind, now its time for our favorite part of planning… VENUE TOURS! Compile a list of venues you really want to see and start making appointments. There are so many unique and fun venues out there and we love researching and touring them! If you are not like us, this stage can stress people out, because good lord there are so many venues in the area, you have hotel ballrooms, industrial & historic warehouses, classic estates, mansions, barns, farms, parks, gardens, ski chalets, breweries, restaurants, theaters, those are some off the top of my head, of course there are many more! We suggest touring many different styles not just 1 that you saw on Pinterest. Get a feel for the different styles out there, you may surprise yourself! Be open minded to styles, and think about your overall vision.
Here is a small list of initial things you can ask your venue consultant:
o Do they require In-house catering or can you use outside catering? You can learn more about the kind of catering your venue offers by clicking here.
o What is the food and beverage minimum? You can learn more about what to ask your caterer by clicking here.
Photo Baurer Creative
o Tables, chairs included? Who sets them up if the room needs to be flipped? Is there a fee involved in flipping the room?
o Do they have a separate ceremony spot?
o If the ceremony is outside, what is a rain backup?
o Are table Linens and napkins included? If so, are they floor length? Do you get a choice of colors?
o What is the House fee/ Service charge? Does that include gratuity for the staff?
o Is staff included?
o Are there any other charges that get added on to the rental fee?
o Is there an event coordinator included – If yes. What exactly will they do for you the day of?
We have an in-depth blog on what to ask during venue tours (here)!
8. Hiring Other Vendors!
Brynn Wheatly Photography
DJ - Josh Taylor with Super Good DJ’s
You have your budget, guest list and vision in place, now is time to start looking at the other vendors that make the wedding a reality. Depending on how long your engagement will be, most of your vendors, don’t have to be booked right away, but there are a few that book out faster than others. 2022 is the year of the wedding boom, there is no denying that, we are seeing vendors book up faster than years before, so you use to be able to wait to book your vendors, but now, it’s common to see them book out 1.5 years in advance! That’s not to say there are not tons of quality vendors out there, we are just saying if you are dying to have someone as your vendor, don’t wait to book them! No matter what someone’s list says!
Not listed is a planner / coordinator, which you have already booked because of tip #5 ;)
1. Venue! The venue is the most important, you can’ not solidify any other vendors until you know that your venue is available for that day!
2. If you getting married at a church, this falls in line with venue, they should be booked together!
3. Photographer because they book out fast!
4. Dress! Your dress will take a while to get made and come in, so if you get engaged and are looking to have a wedding in less than 6 months, finding your dream dress is so important! There are so many boutique wedding shops out there, so don’t limit yourself to the big places!
5. Catering! If your venue does not come with catering, you should lock one in a few months after you book that venue!
A short list of other vendors that you should start booking 10 months out (the standard use to be 8-9 months out, but we are starting to see these book out earlier than in years past)
Hair & Makeup, floral, DJ / Band, Officiant, Stationary, Desserts, Hotel Blocks, Transportation! Again, if you love a certain vendor, don’t wait!
We want couples to enjoy every minute of their engagement! This is just a short list of what to get started on after the big day, if you need more help, feel free to contact us! We love sitting down for FREE consultations, we can brain storm, eat some pancakes, give advice, and have some fun!
Make sure to check out our Amazon Storefront to see our favorite wedding stuff you can get off Amazon!
Congratulations and Cheers!
Advice: Tips for Having an Easy Breezy Wedding Day!
Your wedding day is coming up and we want you to be as stress free as possible! This is why we put together some tips to have an easy breezy wedding day!
Photo by Natalie Ray
The day is here, cue the happy tears! All of the hard work, late nights, planning, and hard work towards this day and now its here! Weddings are my favorite type of event for so many reasons but the number one is, you have all of your favorite people in one room and their purpose for being there is to celebrate the love you have with your best friend. IT’S THE BEST! Throughout my years as an event coordinator, I have learned that there are a few things that are a MUST to remaining calm on your wedding day. Read on to see some tips I have to make your day as stress free as can be.
Get a Good Night Sleep!
It is the day before, your nerves are on HIGH, you are putting together the finishing touches. Nail appointments, last minute packing, phone calls, it gets to be a busy day. Typically, you will have your rehearsal ceremony and rehearsal dinner. Once its all done, you are exhausted, and you have to have the biggest day of your life in just a few short hours.
When you finish up with your rehearsal & rehearsal dinner, it is okay to be selfish and try to get to bed early. The time for celebrating is tomorrow.
2. Make sure EVERYONE has a timeline.
Grandma, Aunt Kathy, your vendors, your wedding party. All of them need to have timelines. I love making timelines and I think they are CRUCIAL for everything running smooth. There are 3 versions of timelines that are helpful
Wedding Party & Family Timeline - I like to start this timeline when the wedding activities start, so if Thursday or Friday you are starting with getting your nails done, have that on the timeline. Give this one to family as well that need to be at the rehearsal dinner and photos the day of.
Having a timeline for vendors will help them know when other vendors are arriving and they have an idea on how the day is planned out.
Timeline for guests, this is more simplified, letting guests know what time the ceremony, social hour and dinner starts. Some add extras such as, when they are cutting cake, when the first dance is, or when late night snacks come out, if the couple is planning a special send off, that could be on there as well.
3. Make Sure Everyone Gets Ready Before the Bride.
Moms, Grandmas, flower girls, bridesmaids. Everyone should get hair, makeup and dresses on before you. This is done for a number of reasons but the main, photos, but also, you don’t want to sit around all day in makeup and that big ass dress! Your bridesmaids are going to be in photos helping you get dressed, or maybe you are doing a big reveal to them? You want them looking just as amazing as you are right!?! Well maybe not JUST as amazing, you are the bride. :)
4. Stay Fed & Hydrated!
This might sound obvious, but when I am nervous, I feel like I can’t eat. I feel that is the case for most brides, but its a non-negotiable, EAT! Get breakfast in you, get some coffee in you and keep it going through out the day! Snacks and water will help you stay level headed and really give you the chance to enjoy your day!
I always encourage my brides to eat a well rounded breakfast! (Healthy fats make your brain happy) But also stay hydrated and fueled throughout the whole day!
We always run apps out to you during your social hour, but if you don’t have someone like us by your side, make sure someone is getting you those yummy apps!
Extra Tip
Ask your caterer to keep some appetizers on the side for you & your hunny. If your wedding party is not going to be at the social hour, make sure to ask them to hold back for the wedding party as well, otherwise, you will not get to enjoy any those apps that you loved and paid for.
5. Emergency Kit
They sell these tiny, cute, novelty “Fit in your purse” size emergency kits at fancy boutiques and Target, DON’T GET THOSE. Make sure someone is packing a real, survival skilled emergency kit. Thread, needles, safety pins, stain remover, wet wipes, make up, static guard, hair spray (the list goes on) As a planner, we have a huge tackle box that comes with us at all times! Make sure you have it all and that you have someone making sure it comes everywhere with you. You don’t want to have it at the reception space when you need it at the ceremony.
Photo by Savannah Kay
6. Delegating Tasks
This one is for all those control freaks out there (I mean freak in the sweetest way)
There are a million and 2 things to do on a wedding day, and the couple should not have to worry about ANY of it! My favorite part of my job is when a couple gives up complete control and just lets other people take care of the little details & tasks. The couple has the only task of getting married and getting their party on. They get to show up at their wedding venue and get teary eyed when they walk in and everything is perfection. For this reason, delegation is so huge to me! Now if you have hired a planner (raises hand) then they will take care of all of the little stuff for you, but if you do not decide on the planner route, enlisting in family and friends can be a big help!
Here is a shrunken down list of what the couple needs help with
Assisting the couple through out the day
Assisting with the ceremony, making sure the wedding party is lined up and ready to go!
Make sure the ceremony starts on time
Keep track of marriage licenses
Moving floral and decor from ceremony to reception
Setting up the escort card table
Setting up the gift & memory table
Setting up center pieces & lighting candles
Putting on chair covers
Wrangling family for photos (make sure the wrangler knows everyone so they know who they are looking for)
Directing & managing vendors
Handing out tip envelopes to vendors
Getting everyone in place for the Grand March
Cuing the Speeches & first dances
Taking decor down at the end of the night
Making sure the gifts and cards get into a responsible persons car at the end of the night
7. Make time for each other
Photography Angelia Divine Photography
This is your big day together, soak it all in! Sneak away if only for 5 minutes after the ceremony and have some alone time! Talk about your favorite moments from the ceremony, kiss, dance around (you just got married!) just be present in the moment & take time to let all the emotions sink in.
8. Have everything needed for the day packed and ready to go a week out!
Some say the day before, but I am a planner and I like all my stuff taken care of ahead of time!
Marriage certificate is in a secure spot, and someone is in charge of it. Make sure you have tip envelops ready, clothes for after the wedding night and honey moon are packed. All the decor is placed in totes & boxes. Make sure they are clearly labeled (What is in there and where it needs to go), this will help make those last few days less stressful & less of a chance you forgetting something.
Photographer Lauren Baker Photography
Pro Tip!
If you want some of those Pinterest worthy detail shots, make sure you have those packed up in a shoe box.
A copy of your invitation suite
A cute ring box
Shoes
Jewelry
Little accents like a ring dish or ribbons
Perfume bottle
Photographer Ester Knowlen Photography
9. Backup Plans in Place!
If you are reading this in Minnesota, you know that the weather can change on the drop of a dime! Don’t let that derail you from having an outdoor ceremony or wedding. That being said, don’t get overwhelmed with the thought of something coming up on your big day as well. Have a rain plan, a tent, pavilion, or an indoor option is always key! Making sure that is in place and keep in mind that rain does not ruin your day, its good luck!
10. Don’t freak out over small mishaps.
The day has come and it is time to enjoy it! All of the backups, planning & prep in the world can not guarantee that things will be perfect, and that is OK. Things might come up, but staying calm & remaining flexible will allow you to roll with the punches & take in all of the memories of this special day!
That seems like a lot I know, but it does not have to be so overwhelming; investing in a Day of Coordinator / Wedding Planner can take care of most of these tasks and MORE! Our job & passion is to take the worry off of the couple and give them full rein to do nothing but enjoy their day! If you would like insight on pricing through us, you can reach out by clicking down below! If you don’t feel like a DOC is for you but you need some more tips and advice, we can do that too! Whatever you choose, I truly just hope you breath and take it all in and enjoy the best day ever!