SLOW Flowers

Wedding Essentials Checklist | Wedding Resource | Olympia Wedding Photographer

Hello! Congrats on your engagement! Your wedding day will be one of the most memorable days of your life but it's going to take some planning to get there. After all, if you've never planned a wedding how do you know everything you'll need to do?? This is a simple checklist to keep track of the tasks that need to be completed before your big day. So don't let it scare you! Take charge, start planning and have fun with it!

Browse below then download you PDF copy HERE.

Wedding Essentials Checklist

Engagement

  • Insure ring
  • Set wedding date
  • Throw an engagement party
  • Get engagement photos done

Apparel

  • Wedding dress
  • Dress bag
  • Alterations
  • Wedding Shoes
  • Backup flats
  • Veil/tiara/headpiece
  • Garter
  • Reception dress
  • Reception Shoes
  • Undergarments (bra, corset, slip, nylons, panties)
  • Getting ready robe for bride or Button up shirt (So you don’t mess up your hair)
  • Earrings
  • Necklace
  • Hair accessories
  • Something old
  • Something new
  • Something borrowed
  • Something blue
  • Departure outfit
  • Groom's Tuxedo
  • Tie
  • Tie clip
  • Cufflinks
  • Vest
  • Suspenders
  • Belt
  • Shoes
  • Watch
  • Getting Ready Robes
  • Bridesmaids dresses
  • Flower girls dresses
  • Ring Bearer tuxedos
  • Groomsmen tuxedos
  • Groomsmen shoes

Rehearsal Dinner

  • Venue
  • Caterer
  • Bartender
  • Liquor/beer/wine
  • Non-alcoholic beverages
  • Decorations
  • Music
  • Parking
  • Dishes/glassware/silverware
  • Linens
  • Food
  • Servers
  • Signature drink

Getting Ready

Find a Makeup Artist

Ceremony

  • Officiant
  • Marriage paperwork (bring on day of)
  • Alter/aisle decorations
  • Guest book + pen
  • Pillow or ring box for ring bearer
  • Basket for flower girls petals
  • Aisle runner
  • Ushers
  • Transportation to reception if at different location
  • DJ
  • Playlist

Find a Venue

Reception

  • Venue
  • Table decorations
  • Venue decorations
  • Sign
  • Cake table decorations
  • Guest book table decorations
  • Card box
  • Guest book + pen
  • Photobooth
  • Caterer/food
  • Signature drink
  • Dishes, glasses, silverware
  • Toasting glasses
  • Napkins
  • Table Clothes
  • Menu
  • Cake
  • Cake Knife
  • Plates and silverware for cake
  • Musician or DJ
  • Playlist
  • Bar Tender
  • Liquor/beer/wine
  • Non-alcoholic beverages
  • Appetizers for cocktail hour
  • Chairs
  • Tables
  • Parking
  • Bubbles/rice/sparklers
  • Transportations
  • Designated person to round up family for family portraits

Find a DJ

    Rings

    • Wedding band
    • Groom’s ring
    • Engraving
    • Sizing
    • Insurance
    • Pre-wedding cleaning

    Flowers

    • Bridal bouquet
    • Floral headpiece
    • Toss bouquet
    • Wedding party bouquets
    • Groom boutonniere
    • Groomsmen’s boutonnieres
    • Mother of the bride corsage
    • Mother of the groom corsage
    • Father of the bride boutonniere
    • Father of the groom boutonniere
    • Grandparent’s corsages/boutonnieres
    • Special guests corsages/boutonnieres
    • Petals for flower girls
    • Table center pieces
    • Arch decorations
    • Flowers for cake
    • Decorations for aisle

    Find a florist

    Stationary

    • Announcements
    • Save-the-dates
    • Invitations
    • Envelopes
    • Stamps
    • RSVP cards
    • Address Labels
    • Maps/direction cards
    • Registry cards
    • Wedding programs
    • Calligrapher
    • Newspaper announcement
    • Thank you cards
    • Rehearsal dinner invitations
    • Bachelor/Bachelorette party invitations

    Find a Calligrapher

    Gifts & Favors

    • Thank your or reminder token for your guests to take home. Handmade or store bought (optional)
    • Gift for groom from bride
    • Gift for bride from groom
    • Bridal party gifts
    • Groomsmen’s gifts
    • Flower girl gift
    • Ring bearer gift

    Find Gifts

    Photography/Videography

    Discuss below details and expectations with your photographer

    • Engagement portraits
    • Bridal Boudoir portraits - Set up a bridal boudoir party with your bridesmaids. Super fun day and you can get an album for a wedding gift for your fiance
    • Getting ready
    • First look - Decide if you want to stick with tradition or do a first look. Ask your photographer if you aren’t sure
    • Bridal portraits - List several important shots
    • Family portraits - Who is important and specific group shots if you have a preference
    • Ceremony portraits
    • Reception photos
    • Bridal Session
    • Albums, canvases + prints - Think wedding thank you gifts, wall art and heirloom albums

    Discuss wedding day details and expectations with videographer

    Find the Perfect Photographer

    Honeymoon

    • Plane tickets
    • Hotel
    • Rental Car
    • Entertainment
    • Lingerie
    • Appropriate clothing

    Miscellaneous

    • Apply for marriage certificate
    • Wedding planner
    • Hotel for out of town guests
    • Printed copies of wedding day timeline

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    XOXO,

    Sarah

    Like what you see? To see more please like Sarah Gonia Photography's Facebook page, follow us on Instagram and check out our Pinterest page!

    Contact me today and lets document all those little moments that make life beautiful

    SLOW FLOWERS: A Conscious Choice

    Today's blog comes straight from the floral industry. Brides and grooms, gardeners, vendors, florists and conscientious consumers, this is for YOU.

    Debra Prinzing, award winning author, speaker and founder of slowflowers.com.PC: Mary Grace Long Photography

    Debra Prinzing, award winning author, speaker and founder of slowflowers.com.

    PC: Mary Grace Long Photography

    The Slow Flowers Movement was born when flower consumers started questioning the origin of their flowers. Debra Prinzing is the founder - and heart - behind the Slow Flowers Movement which supports the idea of using local, American-grown flowers. She gave the Slow Flowers concept life with the creation of an online directory of florists and flower growers who support the cause: slowflowers.com. Prinzing initiated American Flowers Week to create awareness about Slow Flowers and bring to light the many reasons why flower consumers should buy local.

    The Slow Flowers path was paved by the Slow Food movement. Somewhere along the way America went from a nation relying on local crops as a main food source for it's people to importing the same foods from areas of cheap labor and lesser health standards. Flowers also joined that list and America currently imports billions of dollars of international flowers each year. The undertow of the Slow Flowers Movement is really about making a conscious choice about one's purchases. Flowers are a necessity for many events and choosing to support locally allows one to know and better appreciate the origin of their products, support the small business owners in their area and better honor the season and region where they live with flowers that are local and timely.

    Prinzing is the proactive and dedicated voice that has brought to light this conspicuous but previously unspoken subject.  Prinzing has a degree in design and a long history of gardening. For many years she has worked as a journalist, writing articles and speaking about gardening, architecture and floral design. With the birth of Slow Flowers and slowflowers.com, Prinzing was able to combine all of her vast experiences to not only start a revolution of flower consciousness but also find her niche. Some of Prinzing's accomplishments are as contributing writer and editor of Country Garden's Magazine, recipient of the first annual Grower's Choice Award and author of ten books. For more information on Prinzing, please see her 'About' page. Prinzing also does a weekly Podcast 'SLOW FLOWERS with Debra Prinzing' which is very informative. For more information, click HERE.

    This year, June 28-July 4th, will be the 3rd annual American Flowers Week; a celebration of the Slow Flowers Movement. These dates are appropriate because as we celebrate the freedom of our country, we celebrate the return of home grown flowers and support for local businesses. Modeled after England's British Flowers Week, American Flowers Week was designed to bring awareness to any and all flower consumers.

    The concept of Slow Flowers, although fairly new, is spreading at a rate that is anything but a reflection of it's name. Seed companies, flower growers, florists, wedding couples and even super markets are getting on board and making a mindful choice to keep the flower market local. Prinzing's passion and dedication to the Slow Flowers Movement is monumental in bringing change to the flower industry. Her yearning for mindfulness, and dedication to informing consumers, will ensure that the popularity of American-grown flowers will continue to rise. Events like American Flowers Week are also critical to educating consumers and raising excitement regarding the Slow Flowers Movement. Slow Flowers has already created a huge impact on the flower industry over the past few years. As consumers become more aware, the momentum of this movement will undoubtedly and thankfully be unstoppable - a guiding light for all other Slow Movements to come.

    Special thanks to Debra Prinzing for granting me an interview and for being so excited and passionate about such a worthy subject.

    Resources

    http://multinationales.org/Where-do-our-flowers-come-from

    http://www.debraprinzing.com/

    http://slowflowers.com/

    XOXO,

    Sarah

    Like what you see? To see more please like Sarah Gonia Photography's Facebook page, follow us on Instagram and check out our Pinterest page!

    Contact me today and lets document all those little moments that make life beautiful