Peacthree Road Luthern Church and La Grotta Ravinia Wedding

Today I would like to share some photos from the wedding for Amy Wang and Chun Pang. The lovely couple got married at Peachtree Road Lutheran Church and had their reception at La Grotta Ravinia inside the Crowne Plaza Hotel Perimeter.

When we first visited Peachtree Road Lutheran Church together, Amy liked the huge organ a lot. We also thought it was a perfect size ceremony venue for Amy's 100 people guest list. Even though it has a maximum capacity of 200 people, the church actually looked and felt a lot more intimate.

On Amy's December 1 wedding day, the church actually put out its Christmas decoration one week earlier and it was a very nice white and gold decoration which went well with Amy's favorite color: red, which she chose as the color of her bouquet.

Before the ceremony, Amy and Chun also did some portraits at nearby Oglethorpe University. It was a lovely spot for photos and Chris Helm captured some amazing images of the couple!

The ceremony was followed by a lunch reception at La Grotta Ravinia, an Italian restaurant located inside the Crowne Plaza Hotel Perimeter. We worked with Danny Salinas, the manager at La Grotta Ranivia to customize a menu consisting of a dual appetizer plate and a dual entree of chicken and salmon. 

One of the great features of the restaurant is the huge windows that overlook the garden outside. Amy changed from her wedding gown to her red reception dress and the couple took more pictures together in the garden prior to the start of the reception.

Amy and Chun both like crafting a lot. As a result, Amy chose to make her own centerpieces and table numbers. The tables were also named with different characteristics of love. Later on during the reception, we devised a game that involved asking the guests to write a creative blessing involving their table names for the newly wed. Amy and Chun then had to choose the table who presented the most creative blessings with the use of their table names. Since Amy used to lead a lot of the games at her church fellowship when she was in charge of activity planning, incorporating wedding games was just another way that we used to personalize her wedding.


Working with Amy and Chun throughout their wedding planning process was a lot of fun and I also loved coordinating the wedding day! Congratulations to Amy and Chun! May you have a wonderful marriage. I am very honored that you chose me to be your wedding planner and coordinator.

All photos by Christopher Helm Photography

 

Wedding Planning Question: What will a wedding coordinator do for me?

Recently someone told me her fiancé thought they do not need a timeline established for their wedding because “it is just a celebration!”. She was obviously horrified at his idea. I told her even the simplest wedding that I had coordinated which involved 20+ guests plus vendors had a timeline established to inform everyone when all the events were supposed to be taking place. Of course every wedding is a celebration but it is also an event that is orchestrated and not an impromptu get together for friends and families.


Today I would like to talk about what a wedding coordinator does so that engaged couples will have a better understanding of how a wedding coordinator can be helpful.

Question of the day: What will a wedding coordinator do for me?

(1) Logistical Planning/Creation of Wedding Day Timeline

Establish timeline of the wedding day is just one of the many tasks that a wedding coordinator will do. This is an important task because with an experienced coordinator, there is better estimate of how long each task is really going to take. For example, people often forget to account for extra travel time in between locations or how long it really takes for the ladies to get ready before the wedding.

Whether I am hired as a planner or as a coordinator, I always work with my clients to make sure that their established timeline for the day is realistic and executable. While logistical planning is not always fun, it makes the day go so much easier when everyone knows where and when they are supposed to show up and what exactly will happen when they show up.

(2) Vendor and Helpers coordination

As a coordinator, I reconfirm the details of each vendor booking for my client. I also make sure I talk in advance to any friends and families who are helping out at the wedding so everyone knows the exact task that they are supposed to be doing, whether it is ushering, manning the guest book table, or greeting the guests.

If there are last minute changes on wedding day, I am the one making the calls and making sure things are taken care of. For example, I have received phone calls about addition or reduction of headcount on the morning of the wedding day so I was the one making last minute adjustment on the seating chart while the bride is getting ready at the salon.

(3) Conduct the rehearsal and direct the actual ceremony

I must admit that one of the reasons I got started as a wedding coordinator was because of the chaotic situation that I was placed in as a wedding pianist whenever there were weddings without a coordinator or worst, someone who was put there to be a coordinator but actually had no clue what needs to happen.

One time a sister of the bride who acted as a “coordinator” decided that she will send the bridesmaids down the aisle even though the groom and groomsmen had not even entered the sanctuary yet. It put a lot of stress on me as the musician when the order of the processional was suddenly switched. I did somehow managed to continue playing as if nothing was wrong until the groom and groomsmen had entered ( I thanked the pastor for deciding to march in on his own with the gus) before I switched the music to the bridal march for the entrance of the bride (I was determined to play anything but the bridal march until the guys got in because I sure did not want the bride to reach an altar with no groom waiting for her!) . After that incident, I decided that I will be the one conducting the rehearsal if there is not a coordinator and I am to be the pianist.

(4) Check/Check/Check.

I use a checklist to be sure that all the details are taken care of at the ceremony and at the reception. Before the ceremony, I am the one making sure everything needed for the ceremony is set up properly (e.g. unity candle set). If someone is unable to make it to the rehearsal, I go over the details of the ceremony with them when they get to the venue.

I also work with the venue coordinator (if there is one) to be sure that the reception setup has been done according to plan. When something does not go as planned, I try to fix it or make adjustment as quickly as possible without the bride and groom knowing what had gone wrong.

(5) Keep track of time

At first glance, this may seem like it is not really that important, until we are talking dollars that are associated with running overtime at an event, including weddings.

As a coordinator, I actually read all the contracts that the bride gave me (even if she was the one booking the vendors) so I am well aware of any overtime charges at the venue, by the band or musician, and by the photographer/videographer. I try to minimize delays by setting an achievable timeline but sometimes things just happen (unexpected traffic jam, guest of honor getting lost on the way to ceremony/reception etc.). I will make timeline adjustment/modification throughout the day when things do happen and play catch up so that the couple will still be able to end their event on time and not incur additional expenses.

As you can see, the wedding coordinator’s job is not exactly glamorous. I often tell brides who consult with me that they can always choose to plan their own wedding if they want but to try to coordinate everything on their own during the wedding day itself is definitely not something enjoyable. After all, do you really want to be the one calling out the photo session order while you are in your wedding dress and standing next to the groom?

A trip to Senoia, GA

Last week I decided to get away from the hectic life in Atlanta to check into a bed and breakfast for some much needed "slow down and enjoy life" time.

Destination of choice: Senoia, GA.

Honestly, I did not know such a cute little town exists just 1 hour south of Atlanta until I started to research on where to go for a quick getaway. I was so happy when I called and was told that there was still vacancy at the historic Veranda Bed and Breakfast Inn.

Checking into the inn on Friday night, my husband and I were welcomed by Laura Reynolds, one half of the inn keepers (the Inn were owned by the Reynolds). We were given room #4 on the 2nd floor and we immediately fell in love.

Since we were starving, we decided to head out to check out the Southern Ground Social Club This is a new place owned by the country singer Zac Brown to raise fund for building a children's camp. It has a very unique decor but the real treat were the sandwiches! There were only 4 sandwiches listed on the board that was hanging on the wall. You also get to choose one of the 2 sides and then if you want dessert, there is one special for the day. One may think this limited menu will not work but it does not matter because that sandwich I had (in between two pieces of corn bread!) was so delicious that I was left wishing that the portion was bigger!

We also ate desserts at McQuire's and listened to some live music there before heading back to the Inn and called it a night.

Breakfast the next morning at Veranda Inn was a three course meal. When we walked into the dining room, this was how tables were set up:

The food was prepared by Rick Reynolds, the other half of the inn keeper. It was really delicious! (See photo evidence of a happy me):

After breakfast, we took some pictures around the Inn:

There was actually a wedding ceremony set up outside the Inn:

And a rustic barn structure at the back:

We also had a chance to chat with Laura more about the wedding services that Veranda Inn is providing. They charge a site fee to include the use of the facility, including 100 chairs. Outside caterers are allowed but they also provide the catering services. I really enjoyed Rick's cooking based on the breakfast that was served to us and I would definitely recommend checking out more of his cooking if you are planning an event at the inn.

If your guest list is smaller or if you don't need your guests to be in one room together, you may be able to have the reception at the front porch or inside the house but there is space to set up a tent outdoor for larger party as well.

Of course, one benefit of hosting the wedding at the inn is that there are 9 rooms at the inn available for the bridal party or guests who wish to stay overnight before or after the wedding.

There were also some cute churches in Senoia if you want to have an indoor wedding:

If you want to get away and have a wedding outside of Atlanta with a small town/historic vibe, I think Senoia is definitely the place that you should consider.

How many bridesmaids/groomsmen do I need?

"How many bridesmaids/groomsmen do I need?"

For very informal wedding, obviously you don't need any bridesmaids or groomsmen. I have been to and coordinated weddings with just the maid of honor and the bestman.

Personally I always encourage couples to choose only those who are really close to them to be in their bridal party. The reason is simple: the more bridal party one choose to have, the more expensive it is (5 bridesmaids = 5 bouquets that one has to buy) and the more complicated it is to coordinate the outfits (dress 1 looks good on bridemaids 1 and 2 but looks horrible on bridesmaids 3-5 while dress 2 does the exact opposite) as well as their respective travel schedules.

One time a church coordinator told me she had a couple who wants to fit 24 people in the bridal party on the tiny church stage. I was thinking that perhaps they could just use the choir loft instead.

Remember bridesmaids and groomsmen spend a great deal of money (dress/tuxedo/bachelor party/bachelorette party) when they agree to be in your wedding party. They will also be in your wedding photos forever (unless you choose to cut them out which is almost impossible!!). Choose wisely is definitely the key!

If you have lots of close friends and families, instead of having to choose, it may not be a bad idea to ask people if they would rather do something else at your wedding to help out. Some people may even want to be doing something else for you but if you don't ask, you will not know.

Kingwood Resort Clayton Georgia - A Hidden Gem in Rabun County

This is the main dining room with huge chandeliers and windows.

The tables and chairs will be removed in this room to make room for dancing.

View of the wedding garden with an outdoor altar.

A closer look at the outdoor wedding altar.

This is the entrance for the bridal party to the ceremony. White wooden ceremony chairs will be provided by Kingwood Resort.

Overview of the outside of the dining room building. The outdoor deck is right underneath the big windows in this picture.

View of the Lake House with its own private pavillion.

My husband and I decided to take a spontaneous, last minute trip to view the fall foliage last weekend. Since the trip was unplanned, we did not have a hotel room booked in advance. Since it was a peak October weekend, almost every hotel we called while driving had been fully booked for the night. We thought we would have to make it a day trip until we found Kingwood Resort in Clayton, GA.

By the time we reached Kingwood Resort at 8pm, it was dark outside but I immediately noticed the dining room was well lit with its huge chandeliers hanging from the high wooden ceilings. There was actually a wedding reception going on inside. The atmosphere was so romantic I decided that I have to tour this venue the next morning.

The next day, we enjoyed breakfast (included in the $99 room rate) at the main dining room which had huge windows overlooking the golf course before taking a short venue tour with the banquet manager, Mr. Jefferson Giles. Mr. Giles showed us the wedding garden where they had built an outdoor altar. The resort provides white wooden chairs for the ceremony. They also have a rain location which is their meeting room with a fire place (very important for couples planning outdoor ceremony!).

The greatest feature of the main dining room is its original wood ceilings with huge chandeliers. Ajoining the main dining room is a room for dancing, as well as another room for setting up buffet (I did not take a picture of this room but it was quite a huge room that can provide additional seating if needed). There is also a separate bar area as well as an outside deck. The main room can accommodate 100-110 for a seated banquet. Mr. Giles said they also provide outside seating for cocktail hours or for larger events that require more seating than the main dining room. I asked him regarding the largest event size at the resort and was told they had handled a party as large as 300 guests with the use of the outdoor deck and the outdoor ceremony area.

Mr.Giles shared the wedding packages information with me and their pricing was very reasonable. The grounds at Kingwood Resort is absolutely gorgeous with many scenic spots that will make great wedding photos and Mr.Giles said they will provide golf carts to take the wedding party around for photography session.

I also see a great value in having an onsite full service spa for the wedding party although I did not have time to check out their spa service this trip. Of course, the guys maybe more interested in golf outings which can be easily arranged as well!

After checking out, we drove to the other section of the resort that consists of two- and three- bedroom condos. Although we were not able to go inside, they looked pretty nice outside. It seems to be a good accommodation choice for families and friends if you need more than a standard hotel room. There is also a lake house with its own private pavillion that is available for rent as well which can be a good choice for the bridal party to get ready. I think it has two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Overall, I think Kingwood Resort is a good spot for destination wedding as Clayton, GA is only a 2 hour drive from Atlanta, GA. What a great find from an unplanned trip! Maybe I need to take more spontaneous road trips this Autumn!

Morrow Center Open House

Yesterday I had a chance to attend a special open house at Morrow Center with catering by Contemporary Catering, Inc.

This was my first time visiting this venue and it took me a while to find the place before figuring out that it was actually right next door to the Macy’s at Southlake Mall.

Morrow Center has a very large and nice ballroom with a maximum capacity of 320 people for banquet seating. It was totally different from what I expected when I was driving around the mall’s parking lot. While Morrow Center does have a few preferred caterers including Contemporary Catering, they also allow outside caterers with an extra fee and background investigations.

The food by Contemporary Catering was pretty good. They brought their favorites to share with us and I really enjoyed my dinner. The décor they supplied for the buffet tables was also very beautiful. I had a good chat with their manager about their catering services and I like the fact that they use their own employees instead of temporary agency for their service staff.

It is always nice to check out new venues and meet with new vendors! I would never have known about such a venue right next to Southlake Mall if I had not gone to the open house last night!

Professional Pictures for Katherine and Joel's Wedding

Images by Nattawut Guname Photography

Today I would like to share the professional wedding pictures from Katherine and Joel Verbist's wedding by Nattawut Guname from Nattawut Guname Photography.

Nattawut was actually the photographer for the weddings of Katherine's two sisters as well and Katherine chose to keep the great family tradition! It was a wonderful day with exceptionally good weather for a February wedding and Nattawut took some amazing shots both at the church and at the reception.

Katherine and Joel had a Catholic wedding ceremony at St. Brigid Catholic Church followed by a traditional Chinese reception at Oriental Pearl Seafood Restaurant. The wedding was full of touches from family members. The wedding program was designed by the sister of the bride. The wedding cake was made by the father of the Groom, who is a professional baker. Finally, Katherine herself created the menu card for the reception.

I had a lot of fun working with Katherine as her wedding coordinator. Congratulations to Katherine and Joel!