Personal Assistant, AKA Superhero of the day

After all the planning is done and everything is set, you get to relax. Right?

Not so much. AT least for me!

The big day came and went, everything turning out pretty much how we had dreamed which was great! However, even on my big day I had to make sure certain details were taken care of. There was so much to juggle! We had a guest list of close to 350 and a little over 200 of those were in attendance. There were two separate receptions, one simply with cake and snacks, another for 150 with a full dinner buffet and dancing. My mom and my cousin ended up exhausted after taking it upon themselves to make sure everything was put in place, pieced together, and organized.

Looking back, having a personal assistant or planner was something that we wish we would have invested in. It wasn't something that was even considered since we were on a rather limited budget. However, it ended up being a much bigger list of responsibilities than we had imagined. We didn't have anyone who's sole responsibility was to set things up and make sure everything was in place throughout the day.

I know there are many brides who have not even considered what a personal assistant or planner could do for them. I've found that many people think that their MOH and attendants will take care of most anything you could need, but this is not reality for most weddings. If you're wondering what an assistant's responsibilities could include, I've found a list (from a personal attendants website, *link found at bottom) that names some great things that may be otherwise overlooked and would be an attendants responsibility:

Meeting with you to discuss and learn details of your day
Preparation of rehearsal & wedding itineraries

Follow up with vendors/confirm times & details

Attendance & Direction at the rehearsal

Helping with the seating chart

Attending appointments with the Bride

Holding necessary wedding day items for the Bride

Providing direction and guidance to ushers for seating of guests

Taking care of the entire wedding party and immediate family members so that everyone has peace of mind about where they are to be

Making certain that all finishing touches are complete per bride's specific instruction; place cards, wedding favors, ceremony programs, lighting of candles, disposable cameras, etc...

Cutting cake (if necessary)

Help couple clean up after cake cutting

Gather items post service & reception such as candles, wedding license, gifts, cake knife & toasting glasses

Distribute final payments & tip to vendors on behalf of couple

Giving directions and passing out itineraries and maps to guests

Carrying bride's personal belongings: purse, make-up, mints, etc...

Assisting in gathering the wedding party and family members for pictures as needed

Keeping track of and organizing wedding gifts and envelopes

Providing goodies for your wedding night

Check-in, bring your luggage, and preparing your suite on your wedding night

Arrange transportation at the end of your reception to take you to your wedding night destination

Keeping an emergency kit on hand at ALL times (hairspray, safety pins, needle & thread, nail polish, etc)

There are many different options for finding and hiring an attendant. Many reception venues offer these services practically free of charge when you purchase the wedding package with them. They have someone who serves to make sure everything is in order and runs smoothly. But even still, it is a good idea to have someone who knows you as the bride and groom personally to check up on everything and provide you with anything you may need throughout the day. You may have a friend or relative who loves to organize and has an eye for details. This is someone who would probably be happier than you may think to be asked to be an organizer for your day!

If you cannot think of anyone who fits this role and your venue does not offer this service, there are many sites offering personal attendants with a price tag ranging from $500-2500+. Here is a link to one such site with a mid range price: Wedding Day Angels

I hope that this post helps future brides consider the absolute asset an assistant can be for their wedding day! Next time I'll be posting links to the best prices that I have found on common party and wedding decoration products! :) Invaluable!!!!

Until then,

Laura Brittania

Link for attendant responsibilities list

Inspiration Boards

Whether you're planning a wedding, decorating a room, or setting a future goal for yourself, an inspiration board can be an invaluable part of whether the result is what you initially wanted.

I have noticed that when I talk about inspiration boards (IBs), most people think of women planning out all the colors and themes for their dream wedding day. It's true that this is an extremely popular use for IBs but what is overlooked are all the other fantastic uses for them in other areas of life. They really are an amazing tool for pretty much every topic and every person.

I read once that motivation will almost always beat mere talent. If this is in fact true, I'm sure we would all want a little more motivation in some areas. :) The problem with motivation as opposed to raw talent is that it is not always channeled in the right direction. Let's say you are going to be painting a room in your home but you have no idea how colors go together or even where to start with piecing it all together. You may not have the talent per-say, but what you do have is the motivation to make a great room. However, if in your flurry of excitement to create a great looking room you run out and grab a few buckets of your favorite colors (let's say... bright neon orange and midnight black) you might just end up sitting in a living room that looks more like a candy corn than the latest add from Pottery Barn.

Maybe it's not that you're going to be doing a room makeover, but maybe getting up for work everyday is getting much more difficult. Or perhaps you want to change a bad habit but need an extra reminder every morning. Maybe you have a goal you want to reach, but as time goes on and things get harder, it also gets hard to remember exactly why you're doing what you're doing.

If you are reading this thinking... "this all sounds great but I have no idea what an inspiration board even is" then fret no more. Here are some of my favorite examples to help you get the picture...

Room Inspiration

Personal Inspiration

Wedding Inspiration

Here are some different ways you can make a board...

-use a cork board and some cool push pins that also inspire you. Post pictures, quotes, notes, and anything else that has significance for you.

-Buy some light cording or yarn and clothes pins. You can use thumb tacks or nails to hang the cord on a wall or strung in another area where you will see it often. The clothes pins are great for hanging pictures and other things and you can also decorate the pins so that they also inspire you.

-Poster board and some rubber cement work great to make something as small or large as you would like. You can also use fun scrapbooking paper

-A small scrapbook can be used to make a short "inspiration book" that you can carry with you and flip through when you need a reminder.

-Online at www.polyvore.com you can create a free account and import any pictures or files that you want to design your board


Another note is that paint samples from the hardware store are a great addition to inspiration boards.

I'd love to hear any more ideas anyone has on these. Next time I'm focusing on the absolute necessity for a personal assistant on your big day!

Laura Brittania

First Post

I've always struggled with first posts on pretty much every blog I've had. The first words that are written usually set the stage for everything else that will follow. So.... what I've decided to do on my first official post is to show you a glimpse at one of my absolute favorite things...




That's it. So simple. I love curling up in a little ball, tucking my face into the strong shoulder of my loving husband or my best friend. I have had a lot of people marvel at how I can scrunch into such a tiny ball and honestly, I don't know! But hey, it does come in handy on a long airplane flight or car ride :)

I know it's just a little glimpse, but I hope you feel like you know a tad bit more about me. I'll write again soon, next time about inspiration boards! ttfn

Laura Brittania