Hey y'all!  So every now and then the stars align and you get to help one of your best friends plan his wedding!  Todd and I met several years ago as he was the Event Designer for one of our weddings in Palm Beach.  We found that we worked the same way and had a lot of things in common.  And over the years Todd has become one of my closest friends.  He met Antonio a couple of years ago through friends...and the rest, as they say, is history!  These two are so in love and it was such an incredible honor to be able to help them create their wedding day!  

PS Check out their recessional and the lightsaber surprise.  Antonio loves Star Wars so we surprised him with the lightsabers and the Star Wars Theme Music as they exited the ceremony!

All of this magic was made possible the incredible vendor team below:

Venue:  Private Estate

Catering:  Elizabeth Kennedy Catering

Photo:  Verola Studio

Grooms' Attire:  The Tux Shop Palm Beach

Florals: Xquisite Events

Linens: NuAge Designs

Rentals (glassware, chargers, flatware, chairs):  Atlas Event Rental

Planning:  Fabuluxe Events

We made it to February and while Coronavirus is still a challenge, we are happy to be open and working in Sunny South Florida.  We truly believe that things will continue to get better and that you can celebrate safely!

Today's topic is the dreaded "B word" - BUDGET.   It can be awkward, uncomfortable and daunting to talk about budget when planning the wedding of your dreams. 

And a quick word of advice.  Please don't start the conversation with your vendors by saying "I am on a budget".  Yes, you are.  Everyone has a budget.   A great wedding planner, like Fabuluxe Events, helps you match your vendors with your budget. 

Whether your budget is $10,000 or $100,000 or 1,000,000 it is still a budget and your ideas will need to fit within those parameters.

So here are some tips for handling the budget discussion.

1.  Sit down with both families.  Ask what, if anything, they are able to contribute. Sometimes it is a dollar amount. Sometimes they will say, I want to pay for photography or flowers up to a certain dollar amount.  But be up front and ask the questions.

2.  Talk honestly as a couple.  What can you two afford to contribute to the wedding expenses?  Be honest...Do NOT go into major debt to plan a wedding.  It is not a competition.  It is a wedding celebrating two people in love making a lifelong commitment to each other.  

3.  Have realistic expectations.  You may have to sacrifice in some categories to get what you really want in other categories.    You can not have surf and turf, open-premium bar and a live band for 150 on $5,000...so something will have to give.  Be realistic.

4.  Set priorities.  If photography is a priority get the best possible photographer you feel comfortable paying.  If food is a priority stretch the food budget and lower another category.  

5.  Carefully watch your guest list.  Less guests = less money.  It is that simple.  So Uncle Joe, three times removed does not have to be on the guest list if no one in your family has seen him since Reagan was President. 

6. Hire only professional wedding vendors, with wedding experience.  It will cost you far more in time and effort if you hire someone who is not a pro or let a family member handle certain things. 

7. Hire a fantastic Wedding Planner, like Fabuluxe Events.  Wedding planners will know which vendors and venues will fit your budget. They can help you negotiate contracts.  They can keep you on-track and sane during the process and that my friends, is priceless.

So remember, EVERYONE IS WORKING WITH A BUDGET.  They key is being realistic and honest about it from the very beginning.

And remember,
You Deserve a FABULUXE Day!
Jen
jennifer@fabuluxeevents.com 
561-254-2041 

Can you guys believe we are in the middle of December?!  Holy crap! 2020 was INSANE.  

We have been fortunate that we have been able to have several post lockdown weddings.  Though they looked a little different and we had new rules to follow, the celebration of LOVE was overflowing.  

We hope you enjoy their wedding.  It was a true celebration of love for these two.  They have been together through high school, college, dental school and now off to residency in Texas.  They share a deep love and a strong faith and it shows in their photos!  

Casey and Rachelle had to find a new venue 4 weeks before the wedding.  We went into overdrive and were so blessed that The Ben Hotel, Downtown West Palm stepped in and helped us create magic.  We met with the Chef and learned about enhanced safety procedures in food service, we learned all about the new sanitizing procedures at the hotel (that were all natural and chemical free), and we learned how the staff was being educated and trained on new safety procedures.  Extensive communication with the guests allowed them to make informed decisions on whether or not to attend the wedding. All of these steps were critical in making sure we created the safest possible wedding celebration.  We complied with all state and local guidelines (at this time there was no mask mandate in palm beach county - it was optional for guests....all staff and vendors wore masks).

As always, we are only as good as the team around us!  So a huge thank you to the following:

Venue:  The Ben West Palm Beach

Decor:  Xquisite Events

Photography & Video:  Jack Bates Photography

Wedding Dress:  Bacio Bacio Bridal

Tuxes:  The Tux Shop Palm Beach

Entertainment: Custom DJ Services by Leonard Bryan Events

Planning: Fabuluxe Events

Hey everybody!  It's time for a new blog.  And this one has such a great story.

We met Jenny and Charles 2 years ago, when they were the best man and maid of honor for our couple Jenny and Brian!  The Jenny's have been best friends since elementary school.  And get this...the two Jenny's and I grew up in the same part of Orlando!  It was true SERENDIPTY that brought both of these couples into the Fabuluxe Family!

And to just add to all of this, Jenny and Charles were supposed to get married in April...enter covid...we rescheduled to November...and wouldn't you know it...we had tropical storm force winds all weekend due to the craziness of 2020.  But we made MAGIC happen for their super fun, Kate Spade Inspired Wedding.  And we followed all CDC, local and state covid19 guidelines.  

We hope you enjoy their photos and wedding celebration as much as we did!

A huge thank you to everyone who made this magic happen!

Planning:  Fabuluxe Events

Photography and Photo Booth: Scribbled Moments Photography

Florals:  Kish Events

Linens, Napkins, Napkin Rings, Chairs, Chargers, Flatware:  Atlas Event Rental

DJ:  Visions DJ

Venue getting ready:  The Seagate Hotel

Venue:  Ceremony, Cocktails, Reception:  The Seagate Beach Club

Lounge Furniture/Champagne Wall:  Party Me Pretty 

Cake: Two Fat Cookies

Hey Y'all!  It has been a hot minute since blogged.  And let's just say that life in the last 8 months has absolutely bonkers!  When I say bonkers, I mean who would have thought that in our lifetimes we would be experiencing a pandemic...it's just crazy!

I wanted to take a few minutes to share some thoughts on stepping back into events and weddings.

We are constantly learning about safety and new safety measures and yet still providing incredible experiences for our couples. 

And for some of us, even the decision to work in groups of people - no matter the size - is difficult and has health implications for our families at home.  There is no one-size-fits all answer. You don't know what is going on in the family of your vendors.  Some may choose not to work in large groups due to family members with health concerns.  Some may choose not work in large groups due to their own health concerns.  Some may choose to work, no matter the size of the event.  This is a very personal decision that each vendor has to make.  

These last 8 months have been a struggle, but one thing I have been reminded of on a daily basis..."Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about."  

We have been blessed to have multiple weddings recently and still have a few more to close out the year.  We have adapted and adjusted and learned each time.  We have become therapists to our brides who need a shoulder to cry on, we have become experts on which hand sanitizers smell nice and don't dry out your hands, we have learned to talk loudly through our masks.   And most of all, we have learned that "We can do hard things...and we are doing them everyday."

We are excited about the future.  We are excited for our current 2021 couples and can't wait to meet more 2021 couples.  We are excited about 2022 weddings.  

Celebrations will continue.  Love will always be celebrated.  Memories will be created.  

We are here to answer questions, give guidance and be there for you!

Stay safe, stay well!

Jen

Photo credit: Art Photo Soul Photographer

Rentals:  Atlas Event Rental