What to do with all that wedding stuff?!

As Event Planners, we know couples have a lot of “stuff” leftover from their weddings, often taking up valuable space in a spare room, or collecting dust in their attic. You know what we’re talking about­—one hundred of those candle votives that brightened your tables, vast amounts of paper lanterns, or the wine cork place card holders you slaved over for hours! Finding time and energy to sell these pieces can be daunting, especially after planning a wedding.

What if there was a centralized, fun-filled place where you could buy and sell such items, all artistically displayed to inspire and help you create a distinctive look for your wedding or event?

Eventiques is a new wedding and event flea market created by Eutopia Events and is focused on helping people find decorative elements at affordable prices all in one location! Décor from past events is given new life by being reused or repurposed for someone else’s wedding, shower, even a birthday party. Looking for something old, something new, or something borrowed? You will find carefully selected, used event décor, vintage goods, wedding gowns, unique rentals, and handmade pieces for your wedding or special celebration. There will be music, food, and great deals!

New England is home to many antique shops and flea markets, but Eventiques will be one like no other! Join us Saturday November 16^th from 10am–4pm and Sunday November 17^th from 9am–3pm at Eastworks, 116 Pleasant St. in Easthampton, MA on the first floor. Ticket prices are $8 at the door or $5 if you pre-register. Please visit www.eventiquesfleamarket.com  for more information and to register.

Are you a bride, groom, or event professional who would like information on how you can sell your gently used items, or participate in the flea market? Contact us at eutopiaevents@gmail.com.

Giving it Time

Over the course of the year, we put together many wedding day timelines. In some cases, we begin this process several months in advance. A wedding is made up of many moving parts. From the time you get your hair and makeup done, to the last dance of the night, there are multiple pieces that come together to make your day extraordinary. During the planning process, you will start to see that all of these pieces will need to fit perfectly together to make the entire day run smoothly. 

Here are some helpful tips to get you started with putting together your wedding day itinerary:

1. Allow enough time for hair and makeup. Talk to your hair and makeup professionals about how much time you should allot for each person in the party then add 30-45 minutes to that total (or more). Be sure to count everyone—bridesmaids, flower girls, mothers, grandmothers—anyone getting their hair done with you and the bridal party. 

Photo by Cronin Hill Photography

2. Take travel time into consideration. If you have to be at the church or somewhere for photographs, make sure you have extra time to get from point A to point B. It is also helpful to know if there are any special events taking place in or around where your wedding is going to be. This way, you can avoid heavy traffic areas.

3. Discuss timing and locations with your photographer, this is very important! Planning out your photo locations and timing will reduce the chance of running late. Be clear with your photographers about your ideas in as much advance as possible. 

Photo by Seth Kaye Photography

4. Consider seeing each other before the ceremony. We have had a lot of clients decide to do what is known as a "First Look." The Bride and Groom have a moment before the ceremony to see each other and have photos of them and their wedding party taken early in the day. This frees up the couple and their wedding party to mingle during their cocktail hour.

5. Talk with your photographer about what family members you would like photos with ahead of time. Once they have a list of formals, they can estimate how much time it will take to get the shots you want. In addition—and this is crucial—let the family members know ahead of time that they are going to be in photos. Inform them of where they should be and when. This will cut down on wait time and keep the photo process running smoothly and more quickly.

6. Take a look at the big picture. When planning your ceremony start time, be sure to consider how that will affect your reception venue timing. If you have only booked the venue for 5 hours, plan around that. If your ceremony runs late and you arrive 30-45 minutes late, everything will run behind and you will end up feeling as though you didn’t got the most from your reception.

Planning a smooth flowing wedding day requires some careful thought and organization but the effort will ensure you have a day that stays on time and on budget. A wedding planner can help you with many of these details—from planning the entire event to day-of coordination.