Calligraphy

Calligraphy is something that can really add a special touch to your wedding. An invitation is the very first impression that you give your guests about what kind of wedding you are having, and a calligraphed envelope makes quite a statement. Some think pen and ink calligraphy is a lost art and that people aren't doing it anymore. On the contrary, it's never been more popular than it is now. With a wide range of fonts and a wide range of ink colors to choose from, you really can personalize your invitations with a nicely calligraphed envelope.

There are a few things to think about when choosing a calligrapher. First, they should be able to send you samples of their work for you to view. Ask for references if you'd like. Most calligraphers are formally trained, so ask yours if they have had formal training of some sort. Second, think about what type of font you think goes with the theme of the invitations. Italic font was the standard font for many years and tends to be a very classic, easy to read font that goes well with a block style lettering on your invitation. Pointed pen fonts have gained a lot of popularity in the past few years. These tend to be very scripty and elaborate with lots of flourishes. If you are having a very formal wedding and your invitation has a cursive-like font, pointed pen works very well. You can also do a different font for the envelopes than the escort and or place cards. There are usually also a wide range of ink colors to choose from. You can match it to the ink color on the invitations, or choose to do a standard black ink.

Computer based calligraphy has been gaining popularity in the past few years as well. This does not have the same look as a pen and ink, hand addressed envelope, but it typically cheaper.

Hiring a calligrapher also takes some stress off of the bride, as she doesn't have to hand address all of her invitations. It frees up some time to concentrate on other things. There are also a few things that calligraphers typically ask for. Most require a 2-3 week turn around time, depending on how many invitations you are sending out. They also usually ask for at least 10% extra envelopes to account for mistakes. When giving your calligrapher the addresses, most will ask for the addresses in either a word or spreadsheet format of some sort to make it easier to read and translate to the envelope. Specify if you'd like to keep abbreviations, like using St. instead of Street, or if you'd like everything fully written out. Some calligraphers will even stuff your envelopes for you for an additional fee. Ask your calligrapher if they offer this service. Hiring a calligrapher usually proves to be a good investment.

Catering

Catering typically takes up that largest amount of the wedding budget, therefore the decisions regarding catering should be carefully thought out. Many people have asked me what are the top things to consider when deciding on a style of menu and actually choosing a caterer. The top question is always which is cheaper, a seated or buffet dinner? The answer is they both cost about the same. With seated dinner, you require more staff, but less equipment, and in some cases a smaller amount of food. With a buffet, you can get away with less staff, but need more tables, linens, and buffet equipment and you need a larger variety of food and a larger quantity.

To make the decision you have to figure out what your personal preferences are. Do you want a formal dinner with a formal presentation? If you do, go for a seated meal. Do you want a more casual event or serve a wide variety of cuisines? Go for a buffet if you are going for that type of event. Buffets give the ability for guests to get up, walk around, and particularly with a station style buffet, pick and choose from a large amount of foods. Buffets tend to accommodate picky eaters, people with food allergies, and people who like a certain style of food better than a seated meal can. You can get very creative with a buffet style menu and the caterer should be able to give you some options of what others are doing and what the current trends are in food.

The benefits to a seated meal are that your guests get a very formal experience. The food is already plated and presented for them. To go a step further with a plated meal, there are certain things to keep in mind. One, if you decide to do a pre-selected choice of a beef, fish, chicken, vegetarian, make it easier on the caterers and specify either on a seating chart or even better on the actual escort card/place card who gets what entree This allows for faster service and also helps when people say, "I don't remember what I ordered", to avoid running out of a certain dish before everyone is served their original choice. There is also the option of doing a dual entree with a combination of two proteins. This lets the guest choose which one they want to eat or eat both options and is less work on the part of the couple in terms of last minute preparation.

Now that you've decided what type of meal to have, it's important to choose the right caterer for you. There are many things to look for when choosing a caterer. First, choose one that has a strong reputation and has been in business for a long time. Beware of caterers that have only been in existence for a few years as they may not have worked at the venue that you have chosen or might not have done many weddings. This also typically allows for a wider range of menu options and a service staff that is experienced.

Second, it's very important that you feel comfortable with your catering representative. If you are matched with someone that doesn't mesh with your personality, it will only cause tension and disappointment in the long run. Many times, it's as simple as asking the manager of the company to work with someone else within the company. Other times, it's necessary to keep looking for other caterers. You want someone that you will enjoy working with over a period of months and someone that you feel confident will make everything happen on their side to make your wedding a success. It's also important that your caterer has the ability to work well with your other vendors. A caterer that you trust can typically recommend other vendors that they usually work with, which makes for a strong and cohesive event on all sides.

Beware of caterers who are forceful in getting you to sign a contract immediately, especially if it's a contract that you aren't comfortable with. Contracts can usually be modified to fit your needs to make you feel comfortable with signing it. Also, most larger caterers do not book up that quickly, so take you time deciding what is right for you.

Another popular question is, does a cheaper price always mean a lower quality of food? This isn't always the case. You need to take a careful look at what is included in each contract and do a line by line comparison. Some companies pay their wait staff less than others, which causes a lower price for wait staff. Some companies own their own rental equipment (tables, chairs, linens, etc) which results in a lower price than companies that sub-contract those services out. Be sure that you are making an accurate comparison and that what is included in each line item is the same across all contracts from all caterers.

Caterers for the most part should offer some type of complimentary tasting prior to signing a contract. It's very important to not only taste the food, but to be guaranteed that what is served at the tasting will be the same as what is served at the wedding. Caterers should be accommodating to changing spice level, salt level, thickness of sauces, etc. This is also a time to see what kind of service the caterer offers and you should also be able to look at table settings, linens, etc at the time of the tasting.

Working with your caterer should be an enjoyable and pleasant experience.