Real Life Wedding: My Best Friend's Married!

Well the day came and went and I find myself depressed it's over! My best friend in the world was married last Saturday. Let me tell you what a beautiful wedding it was!!!

Kara and Ryan were married at St. Joseph's church in New Hope and the reception took place at Bearpath Golf & Country Club in Eden Prairie. The scenery was breathtaking. The venue overlooked a pond with tons of beautiful trees and vibrant colors. They were blessed with still so many fall colors for the end of October!

Ryan (the groom) loves to fish! So they took his hobby to another level and incorporated some very unique ideas to their wedding. The place cards were inserted in to bobbers for each guest to take to their tables. The table's were assigned by fish name instead of numbers. They also incorporated pictures of themselves at each table which incorporated some sort of fish. What a unique idea!!!

I will say that this is the first time I have been to Bearpath Golf & Country Club and it is amazing. If you are looking for a beautiful venue, please consider this!!! The grounds are beautiful and the room is very elegant!

Kara and Ryan, I love you both so much and am so honored to have been your MOH and to have shared in your beautiful day!

Here are some pics of their wedding day. Leah Fontaine did the photography and did an outstanding job! Our good friend, Meghan also took some pics for Kara and they turned out fantastic!

Love, Kristin

Here's a tip!

In the last few months I have gotten the same question a number of times... who do I tip and what is expected?

This is a great question! Tipping vendors for their services can be difficult especially when you probably feel that are you spending a lot of money already. But, each vendor is different and what is expected is really up to you.

Below is a guideline to tipping just to help you out. Remember, the amount you give is honestly up to you and your budget and the below is based on some research and my opinion. As a rule of thumb, all tips should be given in cash and in a separate envelope. That way, it is clear that this is a separate "thank you" dollar amount for that vendor alone. Tips should also be given before the vendor leaves so you can manage what you gave and acknowledge the job they did for you. Another idea is to put the cash in a "thank you" card and to include a nice note. You can never go wrong showing more appreciation!

The ones you should tip:

Limousine/Bus Drivers: 10% - 15% is usually acceptable. $150 max for this is more than acceptable so in case your bill is larger, don't feel that you should exceed this amount.

Wait Staff: Usually the tip is already included in your contract. Be sure to check this. If so, no tip is required. If it is not included, 15% is acceptable but in my opinion, not necessary.

Bartender: Same rule applies as the wait staff. Usually there is a jar for extra tips for your guests to contribute if they feel led. If it is not included in your contract, 10% is more than enough.

Hair stylist/Makeup artists: Yes! For sure tip these people. They usually work on base + commission and if you are a bride, you know this is one of the most important vendors for your day! :) 15% would be a nice tip and more if you feel they did an exceptional job.

DJ/Band: I would tip them between $50 - $100.

Optional tipping:

Banquet Hall or Catering Manager: This is optional based on how great of a job they did and how involved they have been. I would suggest between $50 - $100.

Photographer & Videographer: If these vendors own their company then I would say tipping is optional. However, if you have a great photographer, a gift of money is always nice.

Officiant: Generally you just pay a fee and that's it. However, for my wedding we were very close to our Pastor and he mentored us for a year before our wedding so we tipped him as a thank you. But again, this depends on your experience.

Florist: I would tip them an extra $5 per delivery location. No more than $50.

Cake Designer/Baker: I would say this is totally optional. A lot of venues include the cake as a part of your F&B (food and beverage) minimum. If that's the case, I would say don't feel you need to tip.



I hope this gives you some good guidelines on tipping etiquette! Again, this is also based on your preference. Good luck!


Love,
Kristin

Real Life Wedding: Outdoor Ceremony and a Funky Reception!

I had the honor to be a bridesmaid in my friend Meghan's wedding a couple of weeks ago. It was a chilly day but we made up for it with some warm shawls and lots of hugs!

I wanted to share how unique this wedding was! The ceremony was held at the Lake Harriett Bandshell. I know I recently blogged about outdoor ceremony sites and this was not in my list. I had never seen a wedding done at this location before and let me tell you how happy I was to see it in person with the bonus of being in the wedding. This location is so beautiful! The stage overlooked Lake Harriett which allowed for minimal decorating needs. The view of the lake and trees is really all you need. Plus, the structure of the pavillion is beautiful enough. There are also benches already in place so there is no need to rent chairs for your guests to be seated. Those are two huge cost savings alone! And you really can't beat the view!!! Here is a shot of the ceremony:

The reception was held at The Varsity Theater located in Minneapolis. Again, a first for me! This venue is SO unique!!! What a creative idea to hold a reception at the theater!!!! The lighting and decor was very funky and fun. Here is a shot of the sign outside the theater. Talk about making an impression before even walking in the door!

The Varsity Theater has a great big stage as well where the head table is seated. The whole venue is two floors with a nice quiet area upstairs to just relax if you need a moment to yourself. The food was also delicious! Probably one of the best meals I've had at a wedding. Loring Pasta Bar caters at this venue and you will not be disappointed.

Overall, this wedding was so unique and beautiful! I'm so glad I had the opportunity to be a part of Meghan's special day!!!

Love,
Kristin