Cherry Blossom Events

28/07/2022

22/04/2022

Why is throwing rice discouraged at weddings today?

B. Birds can eat rice and die.

While this has been said over and over again when planning weddings, it is actually quite untrue.

Fact is, rice cooked or uncooked won’t hurt wild birds at all. The rumor is that uncooked rice hits the bird’s tummy and then swells causing its stomach to explode. It’s simply not true. It’s not hot enough in a bird’s stomach to actually “cook” the rice. So, the rice doesn’t swell and cause any sort of an explosion.

Most places will specify if you can have rice thrown or not, most of the time you cannot. This can most likely be simply because rice is not the easiest to clean up. We still suggest that you look into eco friendly options such as bubbles, leaf confetti, or even a sparkler send off.

18/04/2022

Why is throwing rice discouraged at weddings today?

A. It's too expensive

B. Birds can eat rice and die

C. White rice is too bland

D. Throwing rice is littering

15/04/2022

The primary ambition of a Zulu wife is to help her husband acquire another wife so both wives can do what?

B. Split the chores.

Zulu wives perform all of the domestic duties (i.e. preparing meals, sweeping, cleaning. Raising children, etc.) in their households. As any homemaker can tell you, it can be a bit demanding and overwhelming. This is why Zulu wives will often find their husbands another wife to help with these chores.

11/04/2022

The primary ambition of a Zulu wife is to help her husband acquire another wife so both wives can do what?

A. Have lots of children

B. Split the chores

C. Double the dowry

D. Share a bed

08/04/2022

In Taiwan, what traditionally occurs at weddings?

The groom's father is his best man, and the bride's mother is her matron of honor.

04/04/2022

In Taiwan, what traditionally occurs at weddings?

A. The bride and groom toast each other with green tea.

B. The wedding party last all night long.

C. The groom's father is the best man, and the bride's mother is the matron of honor.

D. The bride and groom are not permitted to kiss.

01/04/2022

The answer to our first trivia question is: D. $29,000

The average couple can plan to budget $29,700 for their wedding.

This number is the total cost of the ceremony, reception, attire, flowers, etc.

28/03/2022

Today is the day! Here is the first trivia question for you all! Please comment your guess below.

What is the average cost a wedding?

A. $16,000

B. $12,000

C. $24,000

D. $29,000

27/03/2022

As spring approaches we thought it would be fun to enlighten all of our loyal followers with some wedding trivia!

Starting Monday, we will post a trivia question with multiple answers that you can choose from. On Friday we will reveal the correct answer with a little bit of background with it. This will be how it is each week, question on Monday, answer on Friday.

We hope that this will be a fun activity for all of our followers!

28/02/2022

19/01/2022

Day Thirteen: The Music/Entertainment

Whether you ate having a live band or a dj or fireworks, you will need to plan on spending 8% of your total budget.

As with everything else we have covered, you will want to read reviews, meet with your choice of entertainment, and be sure that they fit into your budget. If you are having music and dancing at your reception, be sure to book this before any other Entertainment as this will be the part that guests look forward to the most. Most guest simply can't wait to hit that dance floor and show off their moves. Be conscious of how long you will be hiring them to play and how long they will need to set up.

Other forms of entertainment, such as fireworks, are a lot of fun for guests. They can be expensive, though, so be sure to budget accordingly if you choose to have other entertainment.

18/01/2022

Day Twelve: The Reception

Okay, time to get to the fun part, the big party, the part that everyone looks forward to, the reception. This is actually going to be your biggest expense coming in at 45% of your total budget.

This is the part of your wedding that has the most pieces to fill and therefore will take the most of your budget. You will need to include; food, drinks, alcohol (if serving), trained bar staff (again, if you are having alcohol), rentals (tables, chairs, linens, place settings, etc.), the cake, and venue. This may also include security staff if your venue requires it to serve alcohol.

While this may be a huge part of your planning, it is also the time for you to kick back and relax on your big day. All of the designing the cake that is the perfect mix of modern and elegance, searching for the perfect menu, finding the perfect shade of blue for the linens, stressing about if you will have enough food and drinks, will all be worth it once you are there and having fun.

17/01/2022

Day Eleven: Stationery

You should plan on spending 3% of your total budget on your wedding stationery.

What all does the stationery include? This would be your save the date cards, invitations, RSVP cards, programs, thank you cards, and if you are providing a menu at the reception for dinner.

You should, also, consider if you are going to have any of your stationery sent to a calligrapher to have them address the envelopes for you. If you do choose to have this done, that will need to be included in this portion of the budget.

16/01/2022

Day Ten: Photography and Videography

You want ro make sure to capture all of the special moments, all of the moments that you may have missed in the rush of things happening, that cute little dance your niece was doing on the dance floor. So how much should you spend on your photographer and/or videographer? You should plan on spending 13% of your total budget.

This number can be adjusted if you plan to only have one or the other. If you are satisfied with only having pictures, but no video, then we would suggest budgeting around 7-10% and vice-versa.

Remember, when selecting your photographer and/or videographer, it is always important to look at their portfolio and make sure it is the style that you want. It is also important to have a good working relationship with them, i.e. easy to work with, personalities don't clash, on the same page as far as what photos are important, etc. You want to make sure that you are getting what you want and that you won't be stressing about working together.

15/01/2022

Day Nine: Hotels and Transportation

What about hotel accommodations and transportation for yourself or your guests? You should budget 2% of your total budget for this part.

Most hotels will offer a room block for weddings even if you are not having the wedding at the at their hotel. This oftentimes offers a discounted rate for your guests and the rooms are closer together.

Transportation should be considered if your venues are separate from each other, especially quite a distance. Some hotels will offer transportation options if you have your reception at the hotel. Be sure to also consider if you would like to rent special transportation (i.e. limousine, party bus, shuttle service) for yourselves or your bridal party.

14/01/2022

Day Eight: Your Officiant

Your officiant is a big part of your wedding, without a licensed officiant you can't get legally married. So how much should you plan on budgeting for Your officiant? We budget 1% of you total budget for the officiant.

Your officiant should be someone who is licensed to perform your type of ceremony (Christian, Jewish, Hindu, etc.) and be familiar with what those ceremonies require. You should also meet with them beforehand to make sure that everything you want included in your ceremony will be. For example, if you have a traditional Christian ceremony, bit would like to include a Handfasting ceremony, be sure that your officiant is familiar qith the Handfasting ceremony and can perform it for it you.

13/01/2022

Day Seven: Favors and Gifts

If you are anything like I was as a bride, one of your biggest worries is getting the perfect favor for your guests and gifts for your wedding party.

This portion of your budget should use 3% of your total budget. Gifts for your wedding party's should be something that they will enjoy and remind them of that special day. This can be anything from a simple necklace for bridesmaids, to flasks for the groomsmen, to fun cups with snacks in them for your younger ring bearer/flower girl.

So what about gifts for the guests? I find that the ones I have enjoyed the most from weddings I have attended are the ones that are personalized. Something with the couple's names and wedding date on it. It should also reflect the couple, from wine glasses for those that love wine, to sunglasses for those with a sunny attitude. Make the gift something personal.

12/01/2022

Day Six: Rings and Jewelry

Your engagement ring is beautiful on its own, but now it's time to get the band for it! So how much should you budget for all of the being for your big day? You should plan on spending 6% of your total budget on. Your rings and any other jewelry you will be purchasing for your wedding.

This will include your rings, your headpiece (if you are having one), and any necklace or bracelet you may want. Your wedding rings will most likely be the biggest expense in this category of your budget, so best to get those first.

12/01/2022

For all of our beloved followers, we will be taking some time off for the next few weeks to handle some family issues. We have scheduled all of the posts about the budgeting so that you can still get these helpful tips as promised.

We will be back and ready to answer any inquiries as to service soon and appreciate your understanding during this difficult time.

11/01/2022

Day Five: Decor/Accessories/Miscellaneous

We talked about flowers, now what about the rest of your decor?

We recommend that clients budget 4% of their total budget for decor, accessories, and other miscellaneous items. Why isn't the decor included with the flower budget? They are separate categories, plain and simple.

Your decor would include things like circle mirrors for putting your centerpieces on at the reception, ribbons, candles, signage, cloth for draping, etc. These are not included with floral arrangements and that is why you need to budget for two separate categories.

What about accessories? These would be items like table linens, chair covers, and place settings. These may be covered in your reception venue rental, it is always a good idea to ask.

10/01/2022

Day Four: The Flowers

Let's talk floral arrangements!

Your floral budget should come to 5% of your total budget. This should include your all of your bridal party, including corsages and boutonnieres, and any decorations (flowers for the aisle, table centerpieces, cake topper, etc.).

So, who should get a corsage/boutonniere?
Typically, you would give a corsage to the mother of the bride/groom, grandmother(s) of the bride/groom, and if there is a step-mother (meaning she is the spouse of the parent of the bride/groom). Boutonnieres should be ordered for the groom and groomsmen, father of the bride/groom, grandfather(s) of the bride/groom, and step-father (again, meaning they are the spouse to the bride/groom's father). Step-parents are not always given a corsage/boutonniere and it is not considered a required etiquette to give them one. It comes down to personal choice and budget.

If you are choosing to do real flowers for your wedding, youbwill need to have a number ready for the florist of how many you need of each item. Also, do some research to know just how big of a bouquet you want each member to have and let them know if you would like a separate bouquet to toss so that you may preserve your bridal one. You will want to make sure that the bridal bouquet is larger than the bridesmaid(s) bouquets.

Centerpieces, everyone has different options on their centerpieces. Some like tall, elegant pieces with feathers, some like pieces that are shorter with candles. It all comes down to what your preference is. Word of advice as someone who has both planned and attended weddings, make sure that your guests will be able to talk to each other without having to try to look around the centerpiece. You want tour guests to be able to enjoy, not just your big day, but each other's company as well.

09/01/2022

Day Three: The Attire

We are going to go over for just the bride and groom's attire. If you are paying for your wedding party's attire also, you may want to budget a higher amount which will need to come out of another category.

Your attire should be budgeted for 6% of your total budget. This will include the bride's dress, groom's tux/outfit, and any alterations that may be needed.

With this portion of your total budget, you are going to want to talk with your partner to decide how much you want to spend on each item.

Let's say your budget is $30,000.00. That would make your budget for attire $1,800.00. You will need to decide if you are going to spend $1,500.00 on the bride's dress and $300.00 on the groom's attire or if you are going to spend $1,000.00 on the dress and $500.00 on the groom's attire. It all comes down to what your personal preference is.

08/01/2022

Day two: The Ceremony

While the ceremony is the most important part of your wedding day, I mean it is the whole reason for being there, you should only plan on spending 3-5% of your total budget on it.

Many venues now offer both ceremony and reception venues right on site. If you are having your ceremony at the same place as your reception then you will only need to plan for 3% of your budget for your ceremony. If you are having your ceremony in a separate venue than your reception then you will need to budget for the 5%.

So what all will be included in the ceremony portion of the budget?

For your ceremony you will need to need to buy decorations, programs, venue (if separate from the reception venue), hair and make up for any that will need it, and if you plan to use a dj for your music (most will charge an additional travel fee from if they are traveling between venues).

What about the attire and flowers, you may be asking. Those are separate categories of the budget that we will cover later during these posts.

07/01/2022

Day one: The Planner

We thought this an appropriate place to start since, well, it's what we do!

What portion of our budget should you plan on spending on a wedding planner?

You should plan on spending 1% of your total budget on your wedding planner. While they do a lot of work they shouldn't be your main focus as far as budget goes.

i.e. if you have a total budget of $30,000.00 for your wedding, you should set aside $300.00 for hiring a planner.

What all can the planner do for us?

Planners can do whatever you need them to do. From planning everything for you, to only being there as a co-ordinator on the big day. Most planners will even put together a budget breakdown for you, that way you can see how much should be spent on each item.

We have personally handled planning from beginning to end as well as co-ordination day of. We have delivered flowers when the florist didn't deliver to the venue as well as went to pick up the food from where it was ordered.

Why is having a planner a good idea?

Planning a wedding can be stressful, especially if it is not being held where you live. Planners are familiar with the area that they work in and often have relationships with local businesses so that they know who will be best to work with for your vision.

From the most budget friendly florists, to the most elegant setting for venues. They will do all of the communicating for you so that you are not stuck on the phone for hours and can focus on more important things like your dress and guest list.

Planners can also help to make your big day less stressful as being the go to for vendors for set up, rather than having them constantly coming to the nervous bride/groom or parents. You all have enough on your plate the day of with getting ready, photos, and getting married, let us be the person behind the scenes making everything run smoothly.

06/01/2022

Before you select your wedding date, make sure you double-check these ten things. From local events to the predicted weather, you'll want to take these expert-approved factors into account.

06/01/2022

Over the next 2 weeks we will be posting budgeting tips for weddings. This will be a helpful bit of information for anyone planning a wedding in the near future, so feel free to tag anyone you know that may need these tips!

06/01/2022

Looking forward to a new year and helping new clients with all of their planning needs!

05/01/2022

We are sad to say that we will be removing custom cakes from our services that we offer. However, we are excited to announce a partnership with Serenity's Sweets to be able to still offer you the same pricing as is listed in our packages!