Chat with Lawrence wedding consultant Carmen Hocking about the latest trends and insider planning tips to make your wedding day extraordinary.

justthefacts

With the divorce rates now up over 50% why do you think some people continue to spend a year’s salary (or more) on an event that lasts only one day?

Do spending decisions differ between people who pay for their own weddings versus those who have parents paying for the costs?

Coach_Eric

What catering suggestions do you have? We’re looking at 175 guests and have not decided on fare yet. Any sure-fire crowd pleasers?

Moderator

Hi, everyone. This is Christy Little, your moderator for today’s chat. Carmen Hocking, a Lawrence wedding consultant, has joined us today ahead of “wedding season” to answer reader questions about planning, etiquette and more. Thanks for joining us today, Carmen.

Carmen Hocking

Thank you for asking me.

Moderator

We’ll get started on these questions. First, a few readers want to talk about wedding costs.

mpaget

Any idea what the average cost of a wedding is these days in Lawrence?

Carmen Hocking

The average cost of weddings currently in Lawrence for weddings with 150 to 200 guests will be around $15,000. The cost, of course, will depend on the number of guests, menu selections and location.

midwestmom

My daughter is planning a late 2009 wedding – we have a limited budget and will need to do a lot ourselves. What items are best done by professionals and which can be accomplished by motivated, creative do it yourself-ers? Flowers, decorations, food?

Carmen Hocking

Hiring a professional wedding consultant will be able to negotiate the very best pricing for you with wedding vendors. Hiring a wedding consultant honestly becomes part of your budget not an added expense.

Do-it-yourself wedding plannng can become very overwhelming. Talk with two to three vendors from each category and decide which of those vendors you feel the most comfortable with. Read each contract thoroughly.

Gootsie

Hi Carmen! Where are some wonderful and affordable places outside Lawrence that host weddings? We don’t need rooms, but just a pretty outdoors wedding and reception. How do you plan for weather around outdoor weddings? Thank you.

Carmen Hocking

There are several wonderful outside locations to host weddings. Dunn’s Landing is in Wellsville and has many ammenities. Circle S Ranch is very nice, Victoria Veranda and Tall Oaks.

Absolutely have a backup plan for an outside wedding. Ask the venue about holding the event inside due to weather conditions. Ask how many can comfortably be inside the venue.

Always, Always, Always have a backup plan.

midwestmom

What are the “smartest” do it yourself items in a wedding, when you are trying to keep costs down?

Carmen Hocking

That is a great question. Smart and fun iems to have are creative favors for your guests. Create a theme that is unique to you and your fiance and carry that out in you decore. Many couples choose to have candles in various heights with flowers. Have your table centerpieces be different for each table.

mpaget

Is it rude to ask your bridal party to pay for their own dresses and tuxedos? And how do you recommend families settle different opinions about who should be paying for which aspects of the ceremony?

Carmen Hocking

The bridal party, by etiquette, should be paying for their own attire. It is not the norm for the bride or groom’s family to pay for the attendants attire.

The is a specific guideline for who pays for what in a wedding. Either contact a wedding planner or invest in a very good wedding planner book by a well known author and that source will guide you in the right direction.

livingkate

Can you tell me some places in and around Lawrence that are “off the beaten path” where we could take some creative wedding photos?

Carmen Hocking

There are some wonderful places around the K.U. campus. There are good and very pretty places out in the country each direction from Lawrence. Depending on the season, look for places that have lots of flowers in bloom, you can also find locations that have bridges that make for a great background. Call local places that have horses and ask if they will allow you to have their horses in the pictures. There are many very pretty parks also.

psychofan

Do you have any tips for someone making their own wedding invitations? Thanks!

Carmen Hocking

The best advice is to purchase good quality paper stock. You can find this with an upper end stationery store, you can also order plain paper stock through invitation companies and then print the invitations yourself.

trombeck

Among the couples you work with, how involved are grooms in the wedding-planning process, vs. brides? Do guys tend to be involved in certain aspects of wedding planning and not so much on others? Any trends you see over time?

Carmen Hocking

More and more grooms are becoming involved in the entire wedding process. Remember, it is the grooms wedding just as much as it is the brides. I see many of the grooms involved the most in invitation selections, color choices, the location for the wedding and reception and the theme of the wedding.
Many of my grooms are planning the honeymoon as a surprise to the bride and I work closely with them on that aspect.

DennisAnderson

What advice can you give men who are about to get married about how to get involved in a constructive way in the wedding planning process?

Carmen Hocking

Your advice, your opinion and ideas will be very appreciated by the bride, trust me, I know. The brides love having the grooms input. Incorporate your favorite color, your favorite types of food, your selections of music. All this will be great for both of you.

Moderator

Carmen, do you have any suggestions about what kind of food to serve at the reception? Do you have a preference on buffet vs. sit-down dinners?

Carmen Hocking

Deciding on having a buffet versus a sit-down dinner will definitely be determined by the number of guests at your reception. It also is determined on the formality of your wedding. Types of foods that are your favorites should be on the menu. This is your wedding and everything should reflect your selections of taste. Give your guests a choice. Most commonly, guests can choose between beef, chicken and salmon with several side selections. Also, have other types of dessert items in addition to traditional wedding cake.

Moderator

OK, looks like we have time for one more question about receptions …

rossi05

Is it tacky to have a dessert only reception?

Carmen Hocking

No, it is not tacky. Having a dessert only reception would most likely be in the afternoon. The later in the day the wedding is, the more formal it becomes.

Moderator

Carmen, thanks for joining us today.

Carmen Hocking

It was my pleasure. Thank you for taking time to ask your important questions. Remember, no question you have is silly. Ask a professional.

Congratulations on your engagement and approaching marriage!

Moderator

Read more of Carmen’s tips and suggestions from the Feb. 25 edition of Lawrence Bride here: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2007/feb/25/lawrence_bridal_consultant_makes_events_mission_po/?bride_2007.

Lawrence Bride also has catering, planning and fashion ideas. See the full issue online here at www.ljworld.com.

Thanks for joining us today.