25 Tips for the Best Wedding EVER
As you plan your wedding, I'm hopeful this collection of advice gathered over many wedding seasons, will provide some help. If we've missed something or you have a question, don't hesitate to contact us. I'd also like to take a quick moment to thank those of you who sent in engagement photos! They were truly beautiful! Okay, here we go -- only the best tips for you:
Tip 1: Seasonal Response Time. We are currently in our seasonal hours. Our response time changes. We ask that you please give us up to 48 hours to respond! :) Thank you!
Tip 2: Capture Your Engagement. Don't forget that Hydrangea Blu is a great place to have your engagement photos taken. Please contact us if you are interested.
Tip 3: I'll Take Some Extra Help, Please. As you may know, we do the set-up and tear down of all events (tables and chairs) with the package price. If you want more hands-on assistance, think about hiring an intern to assist you with any extras throughout the day. Please contact us if you would like to know more about this!
Tip 4: We Don't Dance! Not all of your guests enjoy dancing, so having a seating area in the barn set-up after dinner will provide guests the space to still be a part of fun, but creates an area for relaxation.
Tip 5: Questions Are Good. When planning, don’t be afraid to ask questions or advice. Also feel free to contact your vendors and ask questions. You won’t always remember what you need to ask when you’re talking with your vendors, so keep a pen and paper on hand (in your bag, by your bed) so that when a moment of sudden inspiration/confusion/questioning strikes, you won’t forget about it. Start by viewing our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Tip 6: Make Your Boring Paper Work Right. Registrations and certificates are certainly the boring part of wedding planning, but they are also the most crucial to get right. When filling out your wedding certificate, the location of your wedding is important. The Hydrangea Blu Barn in located in Kent County, Rockford, Michigan.
Tip 7: Hey, What About Me? I'm the Groom! We don’t mean to generalize, but often when it comes to wedding planning, it starts to become all about the bride. Don’t forget your other half in the planning process. It’s his day too, remember!
Tip 8: Photo Emphasis. We put great emphasis on wedding photography. And we can’t stress how important it is to invest in the right person to document your day beautifully. So it is important to have someone that you like and trust to work with because you will be spending all day with them. View our Preferred Photographer's list.
Tip 9: Back-Up For Your Back-Up Plan. So many little items tend to appear on the wedding day you may not expect. Keep your cool at all times, and have a backup plan to your backup plan. Here's a Day-Of Timeline.
Tip 10: Guys & Gals Dressing Suites. Wondering where you will get ready on the day of your wedding? At Hydrangea Blu, we have a bridal suite and a separate groomsmen suite. Electricity is available in both. The bridal suite comes with an air conditioning unit and a heater. The bridal and groomsmen suites are available to you and your wedding parties from 10:00 AM to 10:30 PM on the day of your event.
Tip 11: We Do Ceremonies, Too. Still deciding on where to have your ceremony? Hydrangea Blu has a beautiful ceremony site located behind the barn. The ceremony site includes a custom made pergola nested in front of a beautiful tree. The ceremony site is surrounded by beautiful overgrown greenery.
Tip 12: Games? Why Not? Thinking of having games to play at cocktail hour, take a break from dancing, or keep the kids busy? There are large amounts of well-groomed grassy areas that can be put to great use with tons of fun. How about Cornhole, oversized Jenga or Bocce Ball?
Tip 13: Don’t Like Cake? If you or your groom are not huge cake fans, there are other options. How about an assorted dessert table full of your favorites? You can do cookies, brownies, cake pops, or cupcakes. How about an ice cream cart? How about assorted pies? Do make sure that they are in bite-size pieces or slices so that everyone can grab and go! View our list of Preferred Caterers.
Tip 14: Hashtag the Memories! Take some time to think of a catchy hashtag to use at your wedding so guests can upload their own personal photos. It makes it easy to look back on the fun under the one assigned hashtag area.
Tip 15: I'm Chilly! Make sure your bridesmaids and guests are aware that the venue is located outdoors. Appropriate dress and footwear is recommended.
Tip 16: Hmmm...How Should I Decorate? If you are needing ideas on decor, check out our Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook pages. Or view our Gallery. We have a plentiful and assorted collection of past wedding photos with decor you will be sure to love.
Tip 17: I'm Done with the Planning Stress. Planning your wedding can be stressful. However, having a wedding planner will help to take away some of that stress. View our preferred list of event planners.
Tip 18: Wedding Day Survival Kit. While you hope you don’t have any emergencies on your wedding day, it is always better to be prepared. Having a wedding day survival kit will to take the stress off of possible emergencies.
Tip 19: Keep Your Guests Toasty. During the fall months, the weather starts to get a bit chilly, so having a plan to help your guests feel comfortable throughout the day is a great idea. At the barn we have 3 propane heaters that you can use to heat the barn as well as the tent for dinner. All you have to do is bring 3 grill size tanks with you on the day so that you can keep your guests toasty!
Tip 20: Free "Day Of" Timeline. Making a timeline for the day can sometimes be an afterthought, however it is important for your big day to go as planned. After all, you’ve spent all this time planning for it! Download here.
Tip 21: Favors That Hold Up to the Elements. You don't want the weather to ruin your guests' experience during your big day. Give your guests favors appropriate for the weather. If the weather is sunny and hot, give sunglasses or flip-flops for dancing. Turn your wedding programs into paper fans. If the weather is cool, hand-warmers are a great idea.
Tip 22: Please, No Road Rage. Plan plenty of time to get here! The day gets stressful, so remind yourself and your guests to leave extra time for travel. Friday traffic or special event traffic (Artprize, Whitecaps Games, etc.) out of Grand Rapids can be heavy.
Tip 23: What? We Can't Hear Anything! Do you want your guests to hear your vows during your ceremony? Yes, then having audio at the ceremony site is recommended. This is something you can talk to your DJ about to make sure that they have to right equiptment for out at the ceremony site. We can also run grounded extension cords to the site.
Tip 24: TAXI! TAXI! If you are planning to have your ceremony off-site or a large group of guests staying in a near-by hotel, consider renting busses or vans to cover the round trips. This limits travel and timing confusion for your guests and does so with safety.
Tip 25: Here We Are Honey! The day of your wedding can be filled with so many emotions. Excitement, stress, tears of joy, feeling overwhelmed, peer bliss and more. Take a moment on your wedding day to look around and enjoy being present in the moment. Look at each other and remember the love that brought you to this special day!
