Wedding Planning Tip: Transportation

Post by: Alisha Rouland, Event Coordinator Depending on the logistics of your wedding, your ceremony and reception sites may differ. Many couples choose to offer a shuttle type of transportation from point A to point B (and sometimes even to point C.) Providing transportation for your guests will most likely be a welcomed service. However, to prevent delays in your wedding timeline, consider the following:

  • The number of guests that can safely ride in one limousine or shuttle.
    • For example, if one trip can accommodate 15 guests, and your guest list has 100 persons, you are looking at a minimum of 7 trips. This may or may not include a separate shuttle for the groom, groomsmen, the bride, her bridesmaids, and mothers.
  • The estimated time for round trip transportation, from location A to location B.
    • For example, for  a 4:30 p.m. ceremony, with a 15-minute round trip shuttle carrying 15 guests at a time from your 100 person guest list, you should begin shuttling guests a minimum of 1 hour and 15 minutes before the start of your ceremony.
  • The scheduling of other events, such as concerts, fairs, or graduation. Check local event calendars to see if  there are any large events that may affect your pre-determined travel time. Also consider day of the week and the time of day - weekday weddings during rush hour may pose a delay to your start time. Arming yourself with this knowledge will help you choose the best route, with the least amount of outside interference.
  • The age and mobility of your guests. For example, parents with young children may need to use an extra seat for a stroller or other baby items, while some elderly guests may require extra space for special need items (walkers, wheel chairs, etc.)
  • Give yourself some leeway in your travel time. Trying to coral all of your guests may take longer than you think, giving yourself a few extra minutes can help ease your mind, and ensure proper flow of your wedding day timeline.
  • Once you have figured out the transportation to your site, consider returning your guests. You may want to offer an early shuttle (for those with young children for example), and then a later shuttle to accommodate those who wish to stay until the end.

Happy Planning!

Tips To Keep Young Children Occupied At A Wedding

Children attending a wedding can be a touchy subject. You may be planning a formal event, your venue may or may not allow kids, or your budget may not allow room to pay for a child's attendance. Or perhaps you just prefer that your weddings be kid free - an evening where adult family and friends can come together and celebrate - which I totally respect and understand. There are no words to describe how much I love my daughter, but I would much prefer to attend a wedding sans baby - giving myself and hot date (my husband of course!) a night free of graham cracker smears and adult conversation - and dancing! Some other attendees may feel differently: cousin Jane R.S.V.P'd five people (two adults, and three kids), when clearly the invitation was addressed only to Mr. and Mrs. John & Jane Doe; or your friend Stacy's babysitter cancelled last minute; or perhaps you invited the entire Smith Family intentionally (2 parents and 4 kids!) There are many reasons children attend weddings - hopefully, it is because you requested their presence, but circumstances arise that may be our of your control. Fortunately, you have 530 Bride Event Coordinators to help you navigate the child attendance dilemma.

Below are some ideas to help  you control the uncontrollable, and maintain your desired atmosphere by providing some entertainment to keep your little guests occupied and well-behaved.

1. Designate a separate kid-friendly space!

Look to see if your venue has a separate room or outdoor space that would be available to act as a 'childcare' setting. Hire a babysitter(s) and pay them an hourly wage. Make sure you have an appropriate babysitter to child ratio, and sitters who are CPR trained. Parents will want to make sure that their child is sufficiently cared for. For kids who are relatively young, make sure your space is child-proofed. For example, cover electrical outlets, make sure stairs are blocked off with a gate, and breakable items are stored out of reach. Bring in books, movies, coloring books, or other craft items to keep children occupied.

2. Offer a kid-friendly menu and dining table!

Designate a "kids table" where kids can eat unbreakable dinner wear (paper plates and plastic cups for example.) If you feel up to it, provide a more kid friendly main dish (chicken strips, hamburgers, carrot sticks, 100% fruit juice, cheese sticks, etc.) You may opt to avoid foods like spaghetti that may end up staining a young boy's clean white shirt. Cover the kids table with a paper 'tablecloth' and allow kids to draw silly versions of the bride and groom.

3. Provide alternate activities!

  • Provide kid-friendly (quiet) activities. For example: coloring books, crayons, quiet toys (foam blocks, bubbles (kids love bubbles!), balloons), puppet show, hop scotch or other crafts. Avoid providing kids with balls, bats, swords, or other fun toys turned weapons. A fun game of wiffle ball or tag would be fine if there was a space away from your reception area.
  • If it fits within your theme (and budget), you could hire outside entertainment (like a magic show!)
  • Show a "drive-in" movie. Lay some blankets on the ground, pop some popcorn, hang a sheet, and feature a popular Disney movie.
  • Give kids some glow sticks, and let them have their own dance party.
  • Get a polaroid camera and some photo booth props (mustaches, boas, hats, sunglasses, dry erase board with markers, etc.) and allow the kids to create and enjoy their own photo booth.

4. Include them!

Depending on their age, you can always include them by give them jobs, such as manning the guest book table, helping guests find their seats, or passing out wedding programs.

5. Don't be afraid to designate a person to monitor out-of-control behavior!

However you decide to provide entertainment to children - or not provide alternative activities - ideally, a parent or guardian should be responsible for their children's behavior. It is your big day, which entitles you to whatever type of ceremony and reception atmosphere you and your groom desire. However, sometimes our hopes do not turned out as planned - in extreme circumstances, be prepared to have an individual that can nip chaotic behavior before it ruins the atmosphere and vibe of your wedding.

We'd love to hear our 530 Brides thoughts and ideas on innovative ways to include children in your wedding!

Posted by 530 Bride Event Coordinator, Alisha Rouland (alisha@the530bride.com)

Dieting Stinks

All of us at some point may have felt the pressure or need to diet, but brides, their grooms, and other guests may feel an enhanced urge to shed a few pounds before the big day. We just got through the first few weeks of the New Year, the part of the year where we redeem ourselves for the splurge from the past year’s holidays, and start fresh. Whether or not you have tried a diet yourself, I assume most people are familiar with dieting; magic weight loss pills, and cleanses. Who can honestly say, “I love dieting! I love not feeling satisfied! I love feeling guilty when I slip up and eat that stupid piece of chocolate!” No one.

Other than the fact that dieting is physical and emotional torture on our bodies (and possibly wallets - cleanses and pills are expensive and not conducive to a wedding budget), dieting does not work! Well, let me rephrase that last statement. In a short time frame people can be successful on a diet and lose some weight. However, rarely anyone can maintain a diet for a lifetime, and even if you could, why would you want to? In dieting, or cleansing, or whatever other measures you choose to take, you may not be providing your body with sufficient nutrients. Think of your body like a beautiful car. Cars will not run without fuel – just as our bodies will not run without fuel, or food. We must properly fuel our body if we want it to perform. Or if you are not feeling the car metaphor, lovely lilies and hydrangeas will begin to wilt without sufficient water. Not eating enough, or enough of the right nutrient-dense foods will cause our bodies to become fatigued. Fatigue prevents us from doing the things we want or need to do - like planning our wedding, being active, working, and enjoying the winter sunshine. Just to clarify, when I say nutrient-dense food, I am talking about whole grains, fruit, vegetables, lean meats, and low fat dairy products - not a dense piece of German chocolate cake.

We cannot meet our weight loss goal and just go back to doing what we have always done…which was what got us into the predicament of needing to lose weight in the first place. If we always do what we've always done then we will always be what we've always been.

Weddings are a major life event, an event that will be photographed and remembered for a lifetime. Why not make a lifestyle change that will last as long as the memory of your wedding. A lifestyle change is something that we will be able to maintain throughout our lifetime – by itself it is not drastic or earth shattering, but over time will add years to your life, and quality to those years.

So how do we go about making a lifestyle change?

  1. Start with something that really matters to you – not media, not your friends – just you. Choosing something that really matters to you keeps you motivated to maintain the change.
  2. Start small. You do not want to make a huge change that cannot be achieved – that is essentially what dieting is all about. An example of a small change may be switching from a grande mocha with whip cream (330 calories) to a tall mocha without whip cream (200 calories). This small change would save you 130 calories each cup. Say you did this small change 4 days a week, that would save you 520 calories a week or 2,080 calories a month, or 24,960 calories a year. This minor change would save you from gaining over 7 pounds throughout one year! You are not eliminating your daily coffee; you are just modifying the size. This would be a change you could maintain for a long period of time, without feeling deprived.
  3. Make one change at a time. Choosing to take on too many changes at once can be overwhelming. Feeling overwhelmed can cause us to give up on our goals.
  4. If it helps, involve a friend, or ask for help. Being surrounded by people who support your new change will help you be more successful. That may mean having a walking buddy to meet you at the park or gym, or getting your fiance on board with a small nutrition change (like switching from full fat milk to a lower fat choice.)
  5. Remember that NO ONE is perfect. It would be ridiculous to assume perfection for anyone. We are human. The best thing to do after a slip-up is to get right back on the horse. Do not think that just because you slipped up one time, you have to wait until Monday (or after vacation, or the holidays, etc.) to get back on the saddle. If you splurged at lunch, have a healthy dinner. Or if you haven’t exercised in a few days, get up off the couch and go for a walk.

Here's to a happy engagement, amazing wedding, perfect honeymoon, and long healthy life with your other half!