I've talked about the plus/plus rate and the hidden costs in wedding budgets on this wedding blog before, but in case you missed that post, plus/plus, in a nutshell, stands for plus tax, plus service charge. These figures are in addition to the cost your venue or caterer will quote you for your wedding.

In order to help you figure out what your real costs will be for your wedding location, I've created a Wedding Venue Cost Calculator. The calculator is an excel spreadsheet that you can download for free. Don't let the word spreadsheet intimidate you: all of the instructions (it's pretty easy) are included.  The calculator also has space for you to compare the cost of three different venues so you can see at a glance which is the better deal.

If you have any trouble downloading the calculator, try right clicking and selecting "save target as" and then opening after it's saved.

I realize that talking money and calculators isn't the most glamorous or inspirational part of wedding planning, but having a grasp on all the logistical details will help your day run smoothly.

Download your free wedding venue cost calculator here.



Image above and ebook illustrations by Laura Hooper.

Here are some of the lovely things that caught our eye this week among all the wedding and design blogs:

*I have been against getting an iPhone case for so long for purely shallow reasons: they are just SO ugly. These could change my mind. I'm wishing the Kate Spade version was made for more than just the iPod Touch. (Thanks to Christy at Junebug Weddings for tweeting about these!)

*Love this bright and cheerful color palette for a beachside wedding featured on My Kate Parker Wedding.

*Junebug Weddings released their Best from the Best list featuring the best wedding images of 2009.
Tough to choose a favorite, but number 9 completely moved me.

*If you're looking for real wedding inspiration from real couples, check out the Real Weddings Library on The Bride's Cafe. There are tons of photos and stories from couples who have recently tied the knot.

What are some of your fave finds on the blogs this week?

Here's a quick wedding decor tip: if you're planning on having votives, tealights or another type of candle on your wedding reception tables, opt for the unscented kind. Scented candles often clash with the aromas of your dinner menu and can quickly cause an unpleasant experience for your guests.




Photo by Katie Stoops of Open Air Photography, table design by Janie Medley of JM Flora and Courtney Spencer of Merriment Events. You can view more photos from this event at Snippet and Ink and The Bride's Cafe.

If you're newly engaged, congrats! Luckily for you, this is 2010 and there are tons of great wedding blogs full of inspirational photos and ideas to make your wedding completely unique and reflective of you and your fiance (you can check out some of our favorite wedding blogs listed on the right hand side of this site or check out The B-List for a more comprehensive list of the best bridal blogs). The wedding industry is also full of super talented wedding professionals who can take your ideas and bring them to life and choosing those vendors is one of the more important tasks you'll cross off on your to-do list.

In your search for the best wedding vendors, I recommend reading through our Wedding Vendor Hiring Guide. Okay, I admit I am completely biased here because I wrote it, however it is chock-full of questions to ask and things to keep in mind as you hire the wedding vendors you'll be working closely with over the course of your engagement. The guide is free and downloadable as a PDF so that you can print it out and stick it in your wedding planning notebook to take with you to appointments.

 Happy planning!



All wedding calligraphy illustrations in the Wedding Vendor Hiring Guide are copyrighted to Laura Hooper.

I wanted to start 2010 with a little update on what's to come for Blue Orchid Designs this coming year and some fun things that have happened this past year.

As many of you know, I own a second company called Splendid Communications, which does online media consulting for the wedding industry. In an experiment that coincided with workshops I taught across the country, I largely let this blog go for 2009. Now that we are in a new year, we're back to a consistent schedule and the Blue Orchid blog will be updated three times a week. Our focus will remain on featuring practical, tried-and-true advice from a wedding professional's perspective. We'll also be featuring a weekly round-up with links to other wedding blogs that are featuring some of our favorite visual inspiration so that you can get your fill on those as well.

Over the past couple of months, two books came out that we were featured in and we wanted to give those a nod here:


First up, the talented ladies over at Junebug Weddings published a book called Planning Your Wedding: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Perfect Day. I received a copy of this book from the Junebug ladies as a gift, and it is chock-full of wedding eye-candy on nearly every page alongside valuable nuggets of advice. We were thrilled to see that the Blue Orchid Blog was included in their online wedding resources section. You can pick up a copy of this book at any Barnes and Noble or at Amazon.


About a year and a half ago, I did an interview for Alexandra Levit, who was doing research for her book that just recently hit bookstore shelves. In New Job, New You: A Guide to Reinventing Yourself in a New Career, Alexandra shares tons of practical advice for people looking to transition to a new career. My story of leaving a corporate cubicle to open a wedding business is included in it. You can also pick up this book at your local bookstore or on Amazon.

Happy new year and cheers to a fantastic 2010 and new decade!

Twirl Boutique is celebrating the Grand Opening of their new store in Chandler and you're invited to join in on the festivities!  Twirl is the original bridesmaid boutique and even has a blog especially for the bridal party. They have some other great announcements in store that they'll be unveiling later this Fall, so be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out!

Here is the invite. I'll be out of town for this event, unfortunately, so be sure to give Keri and Jenni big hugs from me:

Here are some sneak peek pics of their new shop:

The window display:

The fitting rooms:

The entrance:

Congrats ladies!

We were recently contacted by Cristina, a doctoral student at the University of Virginia, who is doing a study on marriage.  If you are an engaged couple, she needs your assistance! Here is the info:

Engaged volunteers needed!

I am looking for volunteers for a study of attitudes towards marriage and parenthood among engaged couples. The study consists of a 25-30 minute online survey. To qualify for the study, you must be 20-35 years old, live in the U.S., and plan to marry or have a commitment ceremony within the next 365 days. You and your romantic partner must not have children, and this must be the first marriage for both of you.

You can:
-Help a doctoral candidate;
-Increase the pool of scientific knowledge;
-Support research on marriage and families; and
-Spend some time thinking about your relationship!

I am working with Dr. Charlotte J. Patterson, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia. This study has been approved by the University of Virginia Institutional Review Board #2009025800.

If you and/or your romantic partner are interested in participating or want further information, please email me at survey.couples{at}gmail.com. I will send you a link that you can use to access the study.