Today more than ever I see brides and grooms calling upon their friends and family to help with the wedding. This could be the best idea ever or... perhaps not. It's a lot of fun to gather up the Martha Stewart books and bridal magazines to find out what's in style. The articles help you develop a theme and offer advice on every aspect of the engagement, wedding ceremony and reception and honeymoon.
As you look it all over you may start to think about your friend who's a DJ, your friend who loves flowers, your friend who bakes the best cakes ever, and your friend who is a hobby-chef. Every family has at least one amateur photographer. You start to wonder if you really need professional wedding services.
Most volunteerism will be squelched at the very start when the venue you want allows only licensed caterers and requires you to use in-house services and/or vendors from a preferred list. Ask the venue wedding coordinator what services you may be allowed to provide.
If you really want to go with "friends and family" you might consider a home wedding or renting a community hall with less stringent rules.
Asking for help may be harder than you expect. Some friends will decline the honor. Consider the wedding cake: The wedding cake is an important, symbolic, traditional centerpiece of a wedding reception. Does your friend want to be responsible for this? Would you hire a bakery to make a wedding cake for the very first time? Probably not. Your friend will angst about it for months prior to the wedding and pour money, sweat and tears into that cake.
I have seen many ceremonies and receptions which called upon the talents of friends and relatives as well as hired professional services to take care of the "heavy lifting." Friends may love decorating and arranging flowers but they won't stick around to help with the dishes. Once a volunteer has a glass of wine or takes a twirl on the dance floor that person becomes a guest.
As you look it all over you may start to think about your friend who's a DJ, your friend who loves flowers, your friend who bakes the best cakes ever, and your friend who is a hobby-chef. Every family has at least one amateur photographer. You start to wonder if you really need professional wedding services.
Most volunteerism will be squelched at the very start when the venue you want allows only licensed caterers and requires you to use in-house services and/or vendors from a preferred list. Ask the venue wedding coordinator what services you may be allowed to provide.
If you really want to go with "friends and family" you might consider a home wedding or renting a community hall with less stringent rules.
Asking for help may be harder than you expect. Some friends will decline the honor. Consider the wedding cake: The wedding cake is an important, symbolic, traditional centerpiece of a wedding reception. Does your friend want to be responsible for this? Would you hire a bakery to make a wedding cake for the very first time? Probably not. Your friend will angst about it for months prior to the wedding and pour money, sweat and tears into that cake.
I have seen many ceremonies and receptions which called upon the talents of friends and relatives as well as hired professional services to take care of the "heavy lifting." Friends may love decorating and arranging flowers but they won't stick around to help with the dishes. Once a volunteer has a glass of wine or takes a twirl on the dance floor that person becomes a guest.