Hello IEC fans! You know that the Iowa Events Center does a phenomenal job with big concerts and conventions but did you know we do weddings too? Let me introduce myself!
My name is Janelle and I am the Sales Express Manager at the Iowa Events Center. I have been in the event planning world for as long as I can remember, weddings specifically for about 5 years and I thought I would share some of my insights on wedding planning since it’s the season for engagements! As a wedding planner I’ve seen big, bad and truly the beautiful! Let me tell you; you will have big ideas, you will have bad ideas and you will have beautiful ideas.
So, let’s talk ideas. There truly are only so many times you can Google centerpieces, photographers, venues, reception ideas, etc. without feeling overwhelmed. The stress, the anxiety and the frustration builds up and you haven’t even been engaged for 24 hours.
A friendly reminder as you start out on your planning adventure….this day is about you and your groom. Don’t let that go to your head but truly it’s about creating a day full of everything that shows the love you share and what you’ve always dreamt of. And that, my dear bride is exactly where you start. What is the one word that explains you and your groom? Build on that. It’s really that simple. This is the perfect way not to be cookie- cutter and to create you’re the perfect ambience for a night to remember. When you take that simple word and build from it you can use great resources like Pinterest and DIY Magazines to create an out of the box, perfectly fit evening that was more enjoyable than anything else.
My good friend was recently engaged and knowing that it was going to be a fairly quick engagement I was getting concerned as the weeks ticked by that she hadn’t made any decisions and the wedding was approaching quickly. So, in conversation I asked her – how’s wedding planning going? Her response was perfect: “We’re enjoying being engaged. The planning will happen and decisions will be made. I want to enjoy every moment.”
After planning 300+ weddings I can tell you my recently engaged friend has the perfect advice. Your dream wedding will happen if you plan till you are blue in the face or if you take the time to enjoy every decision.
To make the ease of planning a reality, utilize your resources. Tour venues and ask questions about vendors they recommend, what a 200 person reception would be estimated to cost. Ask for ideas about what they would suggest for a hosted cocktail hour without breaking the bank. The people in the industry are the one’s who know what’s going to work for you and your budget. Through those simple questions you can uncover a lot about what you can do for your reception, the venue you are visiting and the type of person you’d be working with for the next several months. Those qualifying questions can push you further in the right direction without adding additional “Google” stress.
So here’s to enjoying each moment of planning…each decision….all along the way. Up to your special day!
Love…YOUR Day!
