10 important things to know before touring a wedding venue

{Photo by: Mike Moon}

1. Allow enough time in your day to tour

When touring a wedding venue it is crucial to factor in at least one hour of your time at the venue. You will tour the facility, ask many questions, as well be given several documents with information on them. You want to make sure that you don’t rush this process because it’s your chance to be sold on the venue of your dreams.

2. Request as much info beforehand

Most venues always email out any package and pricing information prior to your tour. This is so helpful for brides because it gives them the chance to prep before the actual tour. You can crunch numbers, see what’s included, and factor in what still needs to be budgeted for!

{Photo by: Happy Everything Co.}

3. Know what’s important to you and your fiance

This is key! As a couple it’s important to know your style and what type of venue you are searching for. You need to envision what significant factors you are hoping for with photography, what background setting is imperative to you, and what type of atmosphere you want your guests to experience at your wedding.

 

{Photo: Mike Moon}

4. Look at pictures of the venue online

It’s always better to see things before trying them on right? Know the venue you’re touring. See what they have to offer before you go visit. Make sure you like the grounds and the different photo opportunities that are being shown.

5. Know your budget

Nothing is worse than falling in love with something and then not being able to afford it. Request information ahead of time so you know if it’s even in your price range. It’s also important to think of other factors that aren’t included in package pricing that you will have to account for.

 

{Photo: Kayla Johnson}

6. Don’t tour alone

We can’t stress this one enough. It’s so important to bring an extra set of eyes and ears! People see things differently than you do and who doesn’t want a trustworthy second opinion?!

{Photo: Erin K. Wood}

7. Know what time of the year/season you want to be married

This can help you in so many ways, knowing your season will help decide what color scheme you’re planning for, what flowers will be in bloom, and what to expect weather wise with the temperature.

8. Make a list of all your questions beforehand

Yes, Yes, and Yes. We are here to help you! If something is unclear it is our job to fix it. We always want our customers to leave feeling satisfied and know that we discussed everything that was of question to them.

9. Have an idea of your guest count

Imagine your closest friends and family all gathered together. Do you think it will be a comfortable atmosphere that everyone will enjoy? 

{Photo: Kayla Johnson}

10. Ask to take pictures when touring

We want you to remember your time with us. A lot of times not all brides and grooms can come at the same time, you want to be able to have a visual to show your fiance when you are telling them all about how the tour went! Details can easily be forgotten when you are touring because there is so much to take in all at once, taking photos will help you remember each room and what was said about it!

{Photo: Mike Moon Photography}

We hope you enjoyed this blog from our in house wedding planners! These 10 tips will be so helpful to all brides when touring a venue!

7 Reminders for your big day

Here at The Wheeler House, we have discovered a few things that are guaranteed to help your big day run more smoothly. We also know that with all the planning that goes into these big days can make it easy to forget small things. So we came up with a few reminders for you!

Photo Credit: Claire Diana Photography

1.. Timing your music- This means listening to your chosen songs beforehand and making note of what times you want played. This will help greatly with your processional song choices, as well as your first dance song and parent dance songs.

Photo Credit: Claire Diana Photography

 2.  Have a private bite- You spend a lot of time and effort picking out your food for you big day, why not be able to enjoy it in peace with your new spouse? Take 30 minutes while your guests are also eating and whisk away to a private location. It might just be one of your best ideas on your day!

Photo Credit: Kelly Anne Photography

 3. Make a photographer timeline- This will immensely help your photographer get through pictures must quicker. You can include names of family members, as well as ideas of certain shots you would like to have.

Photo Credit: Hillary Leah Photography

 4. Have finger foods for when you are getting ready- Many people forget this important part! Veggie trays, sandwich trays etc. are all great to have on hand while everyone is getting ready beforehand.

5. Decide who is setting up/decorating and make them a diagram list- This is of course only if your chosen vendors do not do it for you, most do especially all of our preferred vendors! If not, make sure to have a crew (not your family or bridal party) that you trust and would be willing to set everything up for you the day of. It will take a huge load of stress off of you all!

Photo Credit: Claire Diana Photography

 6. Decide who is breaking all the décor down & whose car it will go into- Same with the set up crew, make sure you have designated people to help pack everything up at the end of the night if you brought in your own décor and if your vendors are not already doing it for you!

7. Give bartender a copy of signature drink beforehand- This will greatly help them in the mixing process!

Photo Credit: Claire Diana Photography

We hope our tips help add a little inside advice to your planning for your big day! Check back for more helpful tips and advice in the future.

Wedding Wednesday: Kellie + Michael Tapp // April 3, 2016

Kellie + Michael Tapp // April 3, 2016

 

 How They Met

Kellie and Michael both attended Lee University in Chattanooga, Tennessee where they first met each other. Kellie was interested in joining Greek Life and Michael just so happened to be leading one of Kellie's interviews. As he was going through the list of interview questions, he got to this one, “If you were stranded on an island with one of us guys, who would you choose?” Kellie ended up choosing him because she thought he was cute and funny. This led to the beginning of this sweet couples love story.

                                                               The Engagement

Kellie graduated college on May 8, 2015 and was told by Michael that he had a special gift for her. She was blindfolded with a yellow bandana and was taken to an empty room in the Music Building. Once she got there, he took the bandana off and explained to her that he had chosen yellow because it was the color scarf she was wearing when they first met during the interview. Kellie also noticed that the room they were standing in was the same room the interview took place.  Michael went on to tell Kellie how much he loved her and that he was so sorry he couldn’t give her what she really wanted, a ring. He handed her a gold heart necklace instead and the two went on their way.

As they were walking to their car, Michael stopped at Kellie’s freshmen dorm. She reminded him that it was where he first asked her to be his girlfriend and told her he loved her. Michael then got down on one knee and presented Kellie with the present she really wanted, a ring and the question she had been waiting for! Kellie was so excited she knocked the box out of his hand, started crying and immediately said yes!

  The Wedding

For their wedding, Kellie really wanted the over all feel to be country chic and formal. She would drive by The Wheeler House on her way to her parents, and it would always catch her eye. She ended up choosing The Wheeler House because the property fit the look she was going for. 

When it came time for wedding planning and finalizing details, Kellie really wanted her bouquet to be special and sentimental. She had it wrapped in a 67-year-old hankie that her grandmother and great grandmother both used on their wedding days and pinned it with a beautiful hand painted broach from her great grandfather.

           

Another unique detail Kellie brought to her wedding was their wedding favors. Since they both met in Tennessee, they decided to give Moon Pies as their favors since they originated in Tennessee. She also had a cute sign sitting next to the pies that said, “I love you to the moon and back.”

“When people say they want their dream wedding, that is something I definitely got to share with with all of my friends and family,” said Kellie. “It was incredible to experience such a perfect day.”

                                                        The Honeymoon

For the honeymoon, the two wanted to go somewhere out of the country, close to the beach and all inclusive. They chose the Excellence Playa Mujeres in Cancun after doing tons of research and chatting with friends.

“The best part of our honeymoon was getting to spend time together in such a beautiful paradise,” said Kellie. “We were catered to constantly and it was really nice being treated like a king and queen for a week!”

Kellie & Michael,

           

It was such an honor and privilege to work with you both and to be a part of your beautiful, special day. We wish you both the absolute best in life!

With Love,

The Wheeler House Team

Vendors

Dress: Atlanta Bride Couture

Cake: Lush Cakery

Caterer: Talk of the Town

Florist: Holland Daze

Ceremony Music: Heartstrings

Reception Music: D Street Entertainment

Photographer: Mike Moon Studio

Videography: Flint & Steel Studios

Rentals: Miss Millys

Hair & Makeup: Jennifer Mills

Wedding Wednesday: Maddie + Bradley Martindale // March 18, 2016

Maddie + Bradley Martindale // March 18, 2016

Maddie and Bradley met at a mutual friend’s house over Christmas break in 2013. The two quickly hit it off and by the summer of 2014 they knew they were in love and had something special going.

Shortly after, Bradley was relocated to Texas for his job so his friends and family wanted to throw him a going away party to say their last goodbyes. Maddie was so focused on the night being all about Bradley that she did not read into any signs.

At the party, Bradley asked Maddie to stand with him as he made a speech to thank his friends and family for all they had done to get him to where he was today. Little did Maddie know, the speech was actually for her. Bradley got down on one knee and proposed in front of all of their loved ones.

“I was the happiest girl in the world and so surprised,” said Maddie.

When envisioning her wedding, Maddie really wanted an outdoor ceremony with a rustic barn and instantly fell in love with the venue as soon as she saw it. Her and Bradley knew the venue would help them have their dream wedding.

“The Wheeler House truly cares about their brides and grooms, and they want them to have the best experience possible,” said Maddie. “I cannot say enough great things about this place.”

Maddie’s most stressful part of planning her big day was that her and Bradley were living in different states which made some of the planning process very challenging, but they were able to make it work.

“There is nothing worse than getting so caught up in the stresses of planning that you forget the whole purpose in why you are getting married in the first place,” said Maddie.

When it came time for their wedding day one of their favorite moments was the time they spent together before their ceremony, praying and giving each other their hand written letters.

“It calmed my nerves just being able to be with him before the wedding, even if we couldn’t see each other, for a brief moment and share that special time together,” said Maddie.

After all of the wedding festivities were over, Maddie and Bradley headed to own of their favorite vacationing spots, San Destin, Florida. They really wanted to go somewhere they both enjoyed and somewhere that would be relaxing after being apart for so long.

We wish this couple the best of luck in this next chapter of their lives and we are so blessed that we got to work with you both!

With Love,

The Wheeler House Team

VENDORS

Flowers: Holland Daze

Dress: Bel Fiore

Cake: Lush Cakery 

Photographer: Kayla Johnson Photography 

Entertainment: D Street Entertainment
Rentals: Miss Milly's
Videographer: Zach Fossier