Montpelier Hunt Races 2011

Saturday November 5, 2011

Be sure to check back for pictures 

from the set-up and race!

Montpelier Hunt Races

Wedding Planning: On Track and Under Control

Planning a wedding can really take a toll on a person. Whether you decide to do it all on your own or hire a professional, you need to start planning months in advance.  By allowing plenty of time, you will be more organized, less stressed, and more focused on the little details that will make a big difference.  Here is a guide to help you plan your wedding along the way.  

12-16 Months Before the Wedding

1. Choose a wedding date: This doesn't have to be the very first thing you do, but it is important to establish a date well in advance.  If you are flexible with dates, you can decide based on availability at venues you are considering.  But remember that it is very important to give yourself time to plan properly.
2. Get organized: Wedding venues, caterers, florist, rentals, ect will give you a lot of information and it can be hard to remember everything.  Start a file or binder where you can keep all the documents and information packets you pick-up along the way.  Remember, organization is key.  
3. Decide on a style: The wedding should be a representation of the bride and the groom, so decide on what suits both of you best.  You should also decide on the formality of the wedding.  Do you want a very formal wedding, or a more relaxed atmosphere.  Deciding on the style and formality will also make picking a venue much easier.
4. Get the word out: Post and announcement in the local paper or online to let everyone know.
5. Decide on a budget: A well planned budget is of the utmost importance.  Not sticking to your budget can quickly turn your wedding into an expensive endeavor.  Here is another article on how to plan your wedding while sticking to a budget Budget Friendly Weddings. 
6. Look to the pros: If you want to recruit a little help and knowledge, you can turn to a professional.  Hiring a wedding consultant can take a lot of the stress out of the planning process.  They will often know more about planning and smaller details that make a big difference. If you do decide to hire someone, make sure the cost is figured into your budget. 
7. Decide on a location: Deciding on a location for the reception and ceremony is an important early step for many reasons.  First, you should keep in mind that many places are booked over a year in advance.  Booking a location early will allow you more time to plan little details such as seating arrangements and what rental equipment is needed.  Lastly, the cost for a venue is normally one of your biggest expenses.  By knowing the exact cost you can budget the rest of your wedding more accurately.   
8. Start shopping for a dress: The groom is under much less stress when it comes to his suit or tuxedo.  In some cases, custom wedding dresses can take up to a year to make and can often become a stressful subject.  Allowing as much time as possible will make everyone involved happier. 

8-10 Months

1. Select the bridal party: You want to make sure that everyone is there for your special day.  Give them plenty of notice so they can make the appropriate plans.  Also, select and order the bridesmaids dresses at the same time.
2. Interview and hire: There are several people that you will need to hire for your wedding.  You should interview and hire them  early to avoid possible conflicts closer to the wedding.  These include: a wedding officiant, caterer (if not provided by the venue) photographer/videographer, and a band or DJ.  It is also a good idea to have a backup in mind incase of last minute changes.
3. Begin planning a guest list: Start a guest list early, make sure that you have current contact information for each guest.  Typically the bride and the groom will have their own idea of who should be invited.  So once you each have these lists "combine and refine" them to compile the final guest list.
4. Register: Who doesn't love getting lots of great gifts on their wedding?  To make sure that you get  gifts that you want and will use, make sure to register.  This will make everything much easier for everyone.  
5. Engagement party: Take some time off of planning and relax.  Having an engagement party is a great way to get everyone together and celebrate.

5-7 Months

1. Finalize the guest list: By having a solid final count on the number of guests you want to invite to your wedding, you can order and send out the invitations and stationary.  You can also begin getting an idea of food and rental costs.
2. Arrange accommodations: Be sure to find accommodations for guests coming from out of town.  Often hotels will offer a block of rooms and special wedding prices to guests of your party.  
3. Cake: Decide with your fiance on the type, size, and style of the cake you will have.
4. Honeymoon planning: Start researching and calling travel agents about your honeymoon.  Begin collecting information on prices and locations.  

1-4 Months

1. Reserve rental items:  Hopefully by now many of your guests will have RSVP'd.  We recommend booking rental items 3-5 months in advance to make sure everything you need is available. Also, you will have more time to tweak your order as the date gets closer.  If your wedding will be outside, a tent is worth every penny.  Tents provide protection from the elements and the design options are limitless.  If your wedding will be taking place indoors, consult the venue to make sure they have enough tables, chairs, staging, and dance floors to cover the party.  You can browse our blog to see the products we offer, or visit Commonwealth Event Company for more information on wedding rentals. 
2. Licensing:
3. Check-in and finalize: Make sure to check-in with everyone you have hired.  You should now be able to give the caterer a pretty solid number of guests that will be in attendance.  The bride should have a final dress fitting and meet with the hair and makeup stylists about a month before the wedding.
4. Gifts: It is now time to shop for gifts for the bridal party.  If you would like and the budget allows, you can even give a small gift as a gesture of appreciation to all the guests in attendance. 

Month of Your Wedding

1. Touch base with guests: Make sure you get in contact with all the guests who have not responded to their invitations.  The worst thing that can happen is have people arrive unannounced and you are short on food or gifts.  Make sure that everyone has travel plans and a place to stay if needed.
2. Final confirmations: Give the caterer and venue a final head count.  You should now also finalize a flooring plan, and table accents.  Make sure that everyone is on the same page with times  and locations.
3. Confirm and prepare for your honeymoon: Making the final confirmations and plans for your honeymoon is often overlooked in the last few days.  It is important to do so to make sure that you 
4. Double check: Typically done a few days in advance, you should double check with everyone you hired to make sure they are on top of things.  The last thing anyone wants is for something to go wrong at the last minute.

Hopefully these tips will make it a little easier to know when to start planning.  Its no secret that planning a wedding is a lot of work, but with a little organization and help from the right people, it can become much easier.  

New Clearspan Weighting System

When it comes to structure tents and anchoring size matters.  Smaller tents, in the 10' to 40' width can easily be staked or anchored with water barrels.  This is a different story however when dealing with larger, engineered tents.  When designing these behemoth structures, engineers become weary at the thought of putting their name on a tent that isn’t staked into the ground.  It takes a masterfully planned and structurally sound weighting system to ease their nerves.  Such sophisticated weighting systems that are built and designed by engineers are few and far between...

Until Now!

We have recently designed and manufactured an anchoring system that meets and exceeds the industry standards for securing large clearspan structures.  Once the weights are completed, we will be able to safely anchor our 60'-100' wide structure tents.  The 3'x3'x2' concrete anchors weigh in at 2,500 lbs a piece. These will be stacked up to three high per weighted leg to ensure that the tent stays exactly where we put it.  Here are a few pictures and a quick video of the construction project going on out back in our warehouse. 

The rebar anchor inside the concrete forms

Budget Friendly Weddings

   Your wedding day is a time that you will cherish for the rest of your life.  It is a special day that should be unforgettable for everyone in attendance.  Even with months of planning, your “perfect dream wedding” can quickly become “pricey dream wedding”.  However, there is no need to cut back on things that you want just because they cost too much.  With a little research and proper planning, you can still plan the perfect wedding without having to break the bank.  Here are some tips to help you along the way to maximize your dollars when planning your day to remember.

1. Determine what you can spend and stick to it: Sticking to a pre-made budget is the absolute best way to keep the costs down and is the first thing you should do.  Once you have begun your research and have a general idea of what things will cost, you can go back and adjust your budget accordingly. By doing this, you will not run into money trouble closer to the wedding and you may even have a little money left over.  
2. Compare and keep track of prices for everything: Keeping track of all the little extra fees and costs can save you a ton of money.  Some venues will offer catering, linens, cake, and more for the base price while others will not.
3. Public places can mean big savings: Many public places can be rented for a lower price than private locations.  Here in Virginia, many of the close by historical sites located on the water and in nature settings are owned by the county or state and offer beautiful, well-kept grounds.
4. Use the same location: By having your ceremony and reception in the same place, you can pay a single fee and save on transportation costs.  If you are outdoors, you can rent one or several tents to ensure your guests comfort and separate the area.
5. Use your connections: This can apply in many ways.  Look into community organizations, military discounts, or other large groups that may be offered discounts.  If you have a family member or know someone who has a scenic property, talk to them to see about having your wedding there.
6. Leave the city:  Big cities mean big prices.  By leaving the city for a smaller rural area you can save a lot of money by taking advantage of lower costs.  You can find countless farms, historic places, and other venues that host wedding by taking a short drive out of the city limits.
7. Save on the rehearsal dinner site:  This is a great way to save big money, especially if you are going with a rural country theme.  You can often have a backyard barbecue or picnic instead of a big showy rehearsal.  By renting a grill, tables, chairs, and a tent; you can have a more laid back dinner for far less.
8. Timing is everything:  Saturdays during the Spring and Summer is the most popular time to get married.  By going with another day or during the off-season, you can save big money at venues.    By picking a time during the off-season you can save big bucks.  Also, companies tend to run specials during these slows times where you can find additional savings.
9. Tents:  They are a growing trend and have countless benefits.  It's not uncommon for people to rent tents for indoor weddings.  They can be placed almost anywhere and can increase the space for your wedding.  For outdoor weddings, multiple tents can be used to separate your  the ceremony and reception if they are in the same location.  They can be decorated in many ways to give the feel of whatever you please.  If it rains, a tent is worth every penny.  Here is a great example of how tents helped save this wedding.  For more information on tent rentals, click here.   
10. Carefully plan your drink menu: This is an area where you can save a ton of money. Don't go for the full bar, instead serve beer, wine (red and white) and one or two choices of liquor or cocktails.  If you are near a vineyard, offer their wines, which can often be cheaper.  Remember to also offer inexpensive nonalcoholic options.  A great way to expand the drink menus is by including popular mixes for the liquor you have chosen to give guests a wider selection. For example: offer whiskey as one of the liquor options and serve ginger ale or Coke as two of the nonalcoholic choices. Also, don't include shots.  Drinks that require multiple types of liquor quickly run up a bill.  
11. Band or DJ:  This depends on what kind of music you want.  If you must have a band, look local. Finding a local band or even students will require less in travel costs and they may even be as good as professionals.  If you cant decide between a large band or DJ, go with the DJ; you will save at least half.  You can also see if you can negotiate a price.  You should also consider what types of music you will be playing.  If the crowd is more diverse in their taste of music, a DJ is the better option.  If you are looking to save big money, you can create your own play lists and be your own DJ and just rent the sound equipment.  
12. Get the perfect setting without the cost:  You can do this several ways.  Caterers can present the food to look very expensive and extravagant by adding a few extra pieces of lush vegetables for little cost.  If you have decided that you want your event outside, there are many things you can do.  For the rural wedding, timeless outdoor displays can be made with little effort.  Tents are also highly customizable.  They can be complete with dance floors, lighting, stages, and table settings of your choice.  This allows for you to hand pick every detail to make sure that your wedding is perfect.  

Its no doubt that planning a wedding is a lot of work.  But planning your wedding doesn't mean it has to cost a lot of money.  By following some of these simple tips, you can save some big money, possibly to be put toward a honeymoon!