Are you interested in an all inclusive wedding plan? When you hear "all inclusive weddings" you just might think of the many options in the Caribbean, but there is a wedding company in California who offers many all inclusive plans. Michelle O'Connor of Lake Arrowhead Weddings offers her tips on planning the wedding of your dreams with a minimum amount of fuss.
The Difference
What makes an all inclusive wedding package different than a wedding package at a traditional hotel?
Truly all inclusive wedding packages include all vendors required for the wedding, coordinating, and handling the details of the event from the day the bride books, until the last guest has left the reception, and the reception location is cleaned up. Many all inclusive wedding companies work with their brides for up to one-and-a-half years prior to their wedding. An all inclusive wedding package should include coordination of the entire event and all the vendors for a successful wedding (caterer, baker, photographer, videographer, minister, locations, florist, staff, setup crew, cleanup crew, coordination crew, bartenders, servers, live music, DJ, linen rentals, chair cover rentals, table and chair rentals, wedding invitations, etc).
Depending on the time of year, many all inclusive wedding companies will run promotions offering free services with the packages. Such promotions may include free invitations, a free wedding cake, a free bartender, and even off-season discounts. The beauty of all inclusive wedding packages is that the bride gets all the best vendors at steep discounts. It would cost more for the bride to go out and do the wedding herself than it would to buy a complete wedding package, plus she gets full coordination and a professional staff and crew.
The bride should beware of "extra hidden fees." Make sure your wedding company does not tack on an additional $2.50 per slice to cut the cake or an additional $3.50 per bottle to serve the champagne. Having to deal with surprise fees as the wedding day approaches can be a nightmare. Many complete wedding package prices even have the tax included.
Popular Packages
What is an example of a popular all inclusive wedding package?
An example of a complete wedding package is featured at a lake front resort hotel in Lake Arrowhead, California. This package offers outdoor or indoor ceremonies and receptions with lake views. With this all inclusive wedding package the couple gets everything for their wedding--all they need to bring is the dress and rings. There is even a hotel on site to accommodate all the wedding guests and almost every room has a lake view.
Couples may visit the Lake Arrowhead Weddings web site to view details of the package and photographs. With an all inclusive wedding package, "all inclusive" should mean all the hard work is taken care of and the bride makes all the fun decisions.
Personalization
What special touches can brides add to an all inclusive wedding package to personalize the ceremony?
The beauty of all inclusive wedding packages is that the bride customizes the package. The bride does not have specific selections they are required to choose from; they bring their ideas and the perfect wedding is created. The wedding company should be there to offer suggestions and help guide them through all that is involved in planning and running the full-scale event that is a wedding.
Simplification
How do all inclusive wedding packages simplify a bride's work in setting up the event?
All inclusive wedding packages save brides over 100 hours of work! Planning and putting together the specifics of a full-scale event, which a wedding is, takes numerous hours and event expertise. The bride should meet with her all inclusive wedding company, tell them her wishes, and the company should make it happen.
With many complete wedding packages the bride gets the best professional vendors in the area at steep discounts. all inclusive wedding companies represent volume business for vendors. The bride and groom are one-time clients and do not have the bargaining power that a volume client does. Many all inclusive wedding companies use their bargaining power to save brides money and time.
With an all inclusive wedding you don't have to worry about:
- Performing endless vendor interviews.
- Mailing out several different deposits and contracts.
- Orchestrating who arrives when.
- Will the tables and linens be delivered and setup before the cake arrives?
- Who will setup the tables?
- Who will pick up the linens, set them up, and then return them?
- Who will pick up and setup all the chairs, linens, favors, flowers, decorations, bar, beverage table, gift table, sign in table, buffet tables?
- Who will run the buffet and keep it stocked?
- Who will cleanup from the ceremony, reception and the kitchen at the end of the night?
- Who will clean and package up the bridal keepsakes at the end of the night?
- Who will cut and serve the cake and champagne?
- What happens when the florist gets sick the morning of the wedding and can't deliver the flowers?
- Who will run out to find someone, somewhere?
- Triple confirming arrival times and services with vendors.
When the bride gets 15 more RSVP's trickling in 18 days before the wedding, the wedding company calls and arranges for 15 more plates, 15 more glasses, 15 more slices of cake, 2 more tables, 2 more table cloths, 15 more napkins, 15 more sets of silverware, more beverages, more food; the bride and her family can actually enjoy the days leading up to the big event.
Trends
Are you seeing any trends in all inclusive weddings?
More brides and grooms are choosing all inclusive wedding packages. With today's busy lifestyles, buying a complete wedding package you can customize to your own tastes and desires--while getting a better price than if you did it yourself can't be beat. Couples should shop around to see what it would cost them to piece together their own wedding (not to mention their time, usually over 100 hours), then compare it to the all inclusive wedding packages that are available through us or in their own area. Even if you are not getting married in Southern California, we welcome you to examine our complete wedding packages as a reference of what you might expect from a comparable company located in your area. Your complete wedding package company should offer you discounted pricing and a stress free event that is run based on your own wishes!
Article Written By
Michelle O'Connor
Lake Arrowhead Weddings - All Inclusive Wedding Packages
