Abby & Bobby Champaign, IL, Wedding
Vendors:
Day Of Wedding Coordinator - 618 EVENTS, Maggie Farchmin
Ceremony and Reception Venue - Pear Tree Estate
Photographer - Rebekah Albaugh
Videographer - Maloch Media
Flowers - Fancy Florals by Nancy
Cake - Fairytale Sweets
Live Painter - Emily and Seth Creations LLC
Ceremony & Cocktail Hour Musicians - Vine Street Ensemble
Hair - Kylie Vermillion
Makeup - Ashley Urban Artistry
DJ - Jansen Entertainment
Lounge Rental - Lounge Furniture Rentals by Kristine
Calligraphy - Apricity Ink
Dance Floor Rental - Create A Scene
Abby and Bobby also hired me for their wedding day (see previous blog post regarding their rehearsal dinner). I am always so honored when couples choose to trust their wedding day or weekend to my expertise! I love serving couples in this way.
I met with Abby for her two months out meeting over Google Meet because she is always traveling for work and/or Bobby’s races. At our two months out meeting, we discuss all the vendors involved in the wedding day and what services they are providing. We talk through the “packing list” which is a list of who is bringing what (for example- custom cocktail napkins, guestbook, cake stand and cake cutting set, programs, china, glassware, etc etc). It’s a very comprehensive list to ensure nothing is left behind! It’s super helpful.
We also talk through the day-of timeline at this meeting. It’s a sweet spot to create the timeline because it’s not SO far in advance that couples don’t yet know much about their day and will change their mind but it’s also not crunch time yet for really needing to nail down those specifics. I always recommend to my clients to take what we create together and ask their photographer for input- especially on photo times. I have my recommendations for each photo grouping, but ultimately it comes down to how long the photographer thinks he/she will take for each group of photos.
Abby chose to rent most of her items through Pear Tree which is super handy because it simplifies things for Abby and also for everyone because then Pear Tree will handle the set up and tear down of those items. This way Abby and her friends/family don’t have to worry about that process and neither do I. Abby is a DIY girlie so she also created LOTS of her own decor. I very much admire DIY people because I am NOT that way.
Right when day-of wedding clients book with us, I share a master spreadsheet that houses all the details I’ll need to know for their big day. They are free to use this as a resource while planning as there are lots of great vendor questions and tips to be thinking through while they plan. Before I meet with clients for their two months out meeting, I send them (sometimes multiple times) my master spreadsheet again and ask they fill in all the details BEFORE we meet. This way our time together is maximized and I can organize the information beforehand and highlight outstanding questions rather than seeing the information for the first time when we meet. I used to not ask them to do this prior to the meeting and it made our meeting time way longer.
I’ve found during the years of owning my business there are little ways to maximize my time and my clients’ time. Implementing those little tweaks has been SUCH an asset!
After our two months out meeting, there were some outstanding details that needed to be nailed down still and that’s completely normal. Abby is a GREAT planner and very on top of things! I was even more excited for her and Bobby’s day after meeting with her!
Abby has a very large following on social media (I believe she is an official influencer??) so it was fun to stay up-to-date with her planning and progress through her posts and hilarious reels! I went to pick everything up from her house the week of the wedding and before I loaded everything into my car she says, “Hold on one sec. I need to film a reel real quick before all these boxes disappear.” I had to laugh! It was awesome! Because yes, there were a TON of boxes on a giant shelf right in the middle of her living room. Like I said, she is a DIY queen.
It’s so helpful to pick up all the items from clients before their event day because then I know what is what for set up. Clients can show me all the things and point out specifics and where to place things and I can make notes and take pictures. This way I am not asking them questions while I set up and also not guessing as to what they had in mind. It’s so helpful for everyone!
Come the wedding weekend, I helped run their rehearsal at Pear Tree. Abby’s sister, Allie, was their officiant. I actually know Allie personally from church youth group a long time ago! I was one of her high school small group leaders! I’m pretty sure Abby mentioned my name to Allie and Allie gave a raving review! So sweet. Anyway, this was Allie’s first time officiating a wedding and she KILLED it! Emily at Pear Tree helped to line everyone up and give direction for a successful ceremony rehearsal. I just love working with Pear Tree’s staff!
The next day was a true dream! It was a bit chilly and rainy in the morning (I guess it was early April) but the rain cleared by picture time. Rebekah Albaugh worked her magic for photos and all their wedding photos are just STUNNING. Even though most are inside the venue and chapel, it really does look SO cool and unique since most people don’t even think to take pictures inside.
The morning of the wedding I was super busy setting up all the items Abby had made or bought herself. My personal favorite were the stone table numbers and seating chart. She purchased pieces of tile and broke them up into chunks that worked literally perfect for the table numbers and seating chart. What a fun vibe! Abby also had TONS of candle sticks to be placed on the tables. I was actually running short on time before I needed to head to the chapel for ceremony prep. Sweet Nancy with Fancy Florals by Nancy asked if I needed help with anything and I actually did so I totally took her up on her offer! It was extremely helpful to have an extra set of hands to get all the candles out on the tables.
Abby had purchased two different heights of candles and I initially was going to use the shorter candle sticks however Nancy taught me it’s better to use the taller option since the burn time is longer. Genius! A little tip that really makes a difference!
The ceremony went off without a hitch. Vine Street Ensemble is so talented and really adds SO MUCH to a ceremony processional. Abby wanted to enter the chapel by herself and then have her parents join her just before walking down the aisle. I hadn’t seen this done before and I really liked it!
I also hadn’t yet worked with a live painter. Abby and Bobby had hired a live artist to paint their first kiss at the altar. The artist arrived earlier in the day to start painting the altar backdrop so that it was dry by the time the ceremony started. It was very fun to watch the progress of the painting throughout the night. This artist knows what she’s doing because she took some pictures of the first kiss so that she could reference back to it as she painted. Then she didn’t have to try to remember what it looked like!
Some other really unique and personal aspects to Abby and Bobby’s wedding was the cocktail hour and reception time game cards. There was a word search, wedding themed alphabet challenge, doodle area, tic-tac-toe, would you rather wedding edition, and more for guests to enjoy while mingling.
Bobby is a race car driver and for their guest book they had a racing helmet. Then for the grand exit at the end of the night, guests were given mini black and white checkered flags to wave back and forth as the couple ran through.
Abby had a change of outfit for dancing because she LOVES dancing. It was a full lace body suit and it was perfectly her! She’s very glam (and gorgeous!) so it was fitting!
Abby likes to collect pins and she had custom pins made for guests to take as a favor that said “pinch me.”
Last but not least, Abby and Bobby’s cake topper was from Abby’s grandmother so it was truly a vintage and personal piece.
All in all, working with Abby and Bobby was truly an honor and their wedding weekend was one for the books! I had so much fun serving this couple and their friends and families. Cheers to the happy couple!