Real Weddings: Carrie & Jeremy

I recently obtained the beautiful photos from Carrie & Jeremy's October 2009 wedding that were taken by Expressions Studio.  Their ceremony took place at St. Stephens Church in Lackawanna, and their reception at the Ellicott Square Building in Buffalo.  It was a beautiful day and their creative ideas and personalities shone through in many of the details.  Let's start with Carrie's fashion - her gown and shoes were just stunning!

Some photos of their huge bridal party - they took many of the photos at Forest Lawn.

The church was beautiful and ornate - check out the ceiling...

The couple is very pro-Buffalo, and it was important to them to incorporate things relating to the City. They named each of the reception tables after streets in Buffalo, and these cute signs were hung from all the centerpieces.

 
The happy couple during their first dance...
 

Thank you for letting us be part of your special day, and we wish you happiness for many years to come!

Confetti: Wedding Gratuities

As we are approaching the busy wedding season, I thought it would be a good time to share some thoughts and advice on tipping all those service providers who work so hard to make your wedding day a success.

Some things to consider:

• First and foremost, you should keep in mind that a gratuity is a discretionary expression of gratitude for service that exceeds expectations.
• In general, if a vendor owns their own business, you would not normally tip them unless you feel they have gone above and beyond for you.
• Gratuities are often included in the bill or contract, so be sure to read carefully to avoid double-tipping.

The following is a general guideline to get you started thinking about wedding day gratuities:

• Limousine Driver:  15-20% of the total bill
• DJ:  $50 and up
• Clergy Member (priest, minister, rabbi):  Usually a donation ($75 and up)
• Public official (judge, city clerk, etc.):  Usually a flat fee ($75 and up), although some will not accept it
• Waiters, Waitresses, Bartenders, Banquet Captain, Banquet Manager:  15% for servers, 15-20% for captain/manager, 10-15% for bartenders
• Coatroom Attendants:  $1 per guest (or pre-arrange a flat fee with your venue)
• Parking Attendants $1 per guest (or pre-arrange a flat fee with your venue) 
• Photographer, Videographer, Wedding Coordinator, Florist, Baker:  Only for extra-special service
• Organist, Musicians:  $20-$25 each
• Hair and Makeup Stylists:  15-20% of the total bill

If you have a wedding coordinator, they can distribute gratuities on your wedding day. Our clients provide us with sealed envelopes at the wedding rehearsal, and we take care of this for them. If we feel that a vendor has not met or exceeded expectations, we may choose to advise our clients of this and adjust the tip accordingly. If a vendor they may not have considered tipping does an extraordinary job, we make sure to advise them of this as well. If you don't have a wedding coordinator, you can give this job to a trusted member of the bridal party.

Real Weddings: Lindsay & Ryan

Our clients, Lindsay and Ryan were married in May of 2009. Their wedding was recently chosen to be featured in the Spring 2010 issue of Buffalo Brides magazine!  Their ceremony took place at St. Louis Church downtown, and the reception was held at the Roycroft Inn in East Aurora.  You can read all about the fabulous and personalized details of their day here...

What a nice keepsake to have and an honor to be featured in this local magazine!