Author name: Godoy Events

Wanna take a SHOT at an open bar? 🥃 Trust me, an open bar doesn’t need tequila pockets. 💸 (Get it, tequila… to kill ya). When it comes to offering your guests drinks on your big day, you have plenty of options that won’t leave you feeling like you made POUR decisions. 🫗 From a limited bar offering a smaller selection of alcoholic beverages to a timed bar where you cover the costs for a portion of the reception, there are tons of ways to minimize that beverage expense. We can help you come up with a full PROOF plan to ensure your guests get a nice buzz while guaranteeing your bank account isn’t left feeling thirsty. 🍸 Here’s our list of money saving bar hacks 🍹 🔹Provide your own alcohol – If your bar vendor or venue allows you to bring your own alcohol and you’re on a budget, do it. Ask them how many bottles you might need based on your guest count and then go to your favorite wholesaler. Places like BevMo will even provide a refund for unopened bottles and for an extra fee deliver the alcohol so you don’t have to pick it up! 🔹If you’re guests aren’t heavy drinkers, consider a Consumption Package. This means, rather than paying a fixed price, you’ll pay at the end of the night based on the total amount consumed. But, if your guests like to party, this might come back to bite you. 🔹 Beer + Wine Only Packages could help cutdown costs significantly. 🔹Signature Drinks can help reduce costs if you are only offering the spirits that go in those drinks. This is also a fun way to personalize your wedding! Create one, two, or even three signature drinks that capture the essence of you as a couple, you as individuals, or perhaps highlight your loving pet! Guests will love getting a true taste of your personality. Add your signature drinks to a beer + wine package and it’s like you’re offering a full bar with an even better experience! 🔹Downgrade your bar package by cutting out the premium spirits. Ask your venue or bar vendor how to cut down costs and explore all of their package options. 🔹Wine Service at dinner is not a necessity. If it’s something you must have, then try offering only one type of wine for the dinner service rather than a white + red. 🔹Champagne toasts are also not necessary. You can have guests toast with their drink in hand – just make sure someone announces that toasts will start in a bit and to grab a new drink if they’re running low. Or if you always dreamed of a classy champagne toast or a trendy champagne welcome wall, opt for Prosecco instead. It’s way cheaper and most people can’t tell the difference anyways. 🔹Time Bar (or Partial Open) can help cut back costs by only providing an open bar for a certain amount of time. After 1-2 hours (or more), you can switch to a cash bar or consumption based package. 🔹Last Call + shutting the bar down an hour before the end of the event (or earlier) can help save big and also help some of the guests sober up a bit before continuing on with their night. Hopefully these tips put you at ease! As you can see, there are plenty of options to help you provide a great bar experience without breaking the bank. Now that is money WELL spent 🍻

Saying “I do” is the easy part but… writing your own vows might be a little harder than you imagined. 😅 After all, you don’t want to say the wrong thing and miss the “I do” part all together. Here are some of our tips for the best personal vows! 🤍 🔹Be inspired! Look for examples from weddings you’ve attended, advice from friends, or the scenes from your favorite books and movies. 🔹Talk with your partner ahead of time to set the right tone. Whether you want it to be funny and light, or stoic and deep, it’s nice to have vows that complement each other. 🔹Tell stories to really showcase your partner and relationship. Add some personality and details that your guests are sure to understand, even if they weren’t there. 🔹Remember, people are watching! Definitely include sweet and funny stories, but keep in mind that granny is watching. Don’t embarass your partner or mention anything you wouldn’t want dad to hear. Pro tip: Avoid too many inside jokes, or else your guests won’t understand. 🔹Be vulnerable. Get lovey dovey, And tell your partner just how much you love them. 🔹Describe what your future together looks like. Make meaningful promises. This is a part where you reassure your partner you’re with them forever. Pro tip: you can add some humor by including something about your partner that slightly annoys you. “I promise to love you even when you steal the blankets at night.” 🔹Have a solid conclusion. Reiterate the parts that you want your partner to remember the most and wrap it up with a strong ending. 🔹Practice. Say your vows aloud leading up to the big day. You can say it during your daily commute, in front of your best friend or parents, or in the mirror. This helps take away all the nerves. Pro tip: video record yourself practicing your vows. Comment below if you have any tips you’d like to add! Happy vow writing! #tipsandtricks #weddinginspo #weddingideas #weddingtips #newlyengaged #weddinginspiration #socalweddingplanner #godoyevents #weddingplanner #socaleventplanner #eventplanner

Ready to start planning your big day but don’t quite know where to start? Here’s our list of the first 6 things to do when planning your wedding 💍 🔹THE VISION. Sit down with your partner and write your own lists of what’s important for your wedding. Based on your lists, come together and prioritize what matters the most. This is how you start creating your ultimate vision for your big day! 🔹THE GUESTS. Start making your guest list. Some people know exactly who they want to attend their wedding and others might have a hard time keeping their list to a minimum. If the latter sounds like you, prioritize your guests on a scale of 1-3. One | They absolutely must attend, Two | I would like to have them there, Three | It’s okay if they miss out. Also, think about your guests’ experience. What do you want them to feel at your wedding? This could look like ensuring there are heaters if it’s an outside venue, a buffet vs. plated dinner service, etc. Envisioning your day through the perspective of a guest will add to your overall vision and priority list. 🔹THE BUDGET. Based on your vision, start putting together your budget. Your budget depends largely on your ideal guest count. Keep in mind that your venue, food + beverage, and florals + decor will likely be your 3 largest expenses. This can change depending on the things you value most – like if you want a specific band to perform or a full scale video production team. Also expect that you will go over budget. With that in mind, throw an emergency fund into your budget so that the “overdraft” amount isn’t too overwhelming. 🔹THE ESSENTIALS. Focus on your 2-3 big ticket items. 1. Venue and date 2. Wedding Planner/ Coordinator. Your wedding planner can give you a list of vendors to choose from and help you stick to your overall budget. They’ll keep you on track and will help take away a lot from your to-do list. Your 3rd big to-do should be based on that list of priorities you made. Maybe it’s the catering or the photographer. Securing your top 3 is the biggest step you can take in the planning process. 🔹THE DREAM TEAM. Now it’s time to reach out to your favorite vendors. If you have a family photographer that you love, send an inquiry. Friends that provide specific services, ask if they’re available. You really like the vendors your planner recommended? Let your planner know that you’re ready to move forward. If you know what you want and you have the place, date, and time, get those vendors SECURED!  They are the people that make all the magic happen on your big day! 🔹THE DETAILS. Now that you have the large tasks done, it’s time to have fun with the details. Picking colors, designs, fonts. Sending invites, trying on different suits + dresses, making a registry. The details are often what can be the most overwhelming and seemingly most important, but they can also be the most fun if you work together with your partner and involve your favorite people. Hopefully this list has broken down the basics and gotten you excited for your big day. The most important thing to do along the way is take your time and enjoy the journey! Feel good about every decision that you make together, celebrate the wins, and make memories throughout your planning adventure! And if you need some help, we’re here to take the stress away.