Experience Guide
Welcome, friend!
We are ridiculously glad you’re here!
Weddings are our “business”, but it feels more like a calling. Our systems are simple, our events are not. We provide streamlined tools to take the guesswork out of the planning process, but that doesn't mean our weddings are boring. Whatever or whoever you want as part of your day, we'll make it happen... in a relaxed and stress-free way.
We are so happy we get to celebrate alongside you.
Let’s get this party started!!
Our Mantra:
Creating a world where family & friends feel full-body joy coming together to celebrate the major moments that make life meaningful.
What to expect!
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Kick Off Meeting
Our first meeting! This is when we get to know you, all the vendors you've hired + chatted with + still need to find. Then we make a game plan for moving forward, introduce you to all of your online planning tools, and leave space for questions.
Sometimes there can be a big gap between this meeting and the next one! But don’t worry, you can always shoot us an email or text if you have a burning question.
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Timeline Meeting
About 3-4 months out from the big day, we are going to sit down and look through all of your contracts and notes to make a full wedding weekend timeline with you. You’ll fill out a questionnaire for us so we can make a rough draft of the timeline before the call, then we will edit it together live. This is a fun meeting because we will find all the little details that you two still need to work on for your big day! After the call, our team personally checks in with all of your vendors to get their feedback on the draft timeline.
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Decor Meeting
A month before the wedding, we will meet to lock in your floor plan together and review all of your décor plans!!
After this call, you’ll typically start working on your seating chart right away. We will also put together a super detailed décor dossier of all your details for the big day.
We will also run through the timeline quickly and give you plenty of time to ask all of your questions as well.
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One Week Check In
Aka, The BWS Sanity Check!!
This is the final check in before the big day!
We will review the final floor plan, timeline, check list, and décor list. Get all of your questions answered and notes updated.
After this meeting, BWS will send the final vendor information email to your entire vendor team.
Sample Timelines
Needless to say, we’ve done this a few times!
Every wedding day is unique, but here’s a few sample timelines to start wrapping your head around the bigger details of the wedding day.
We will create a completely custom timeline in Aisle Planner at our Timeline Meeting. That meeting happens about three months out from your wedding day, but let’s set your Ceremony Start time at the Kick Off Meeting at the very least!
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8am to 12pm - Getting Ready
1230-1pm - Transition to the Ceremony Site
2pm - Ceremony
3pm - Family Photos at Altar
330-5pm - Wedding Party and Newlywed Photos (Off Site?)
430pm - Travel to the Reception
5-6pm - Cocktail Hour
6pm - Reception Begins
Intros/Cake Cutting/First Dance/Welcome Toast
620-745pm - Dinner Service & More Toasts
745pm - Special Dances
8pm - Open Dancing & Dessert Available
11pm - Big Exit from the Reception
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8am to 12pm - Getting Ready
1230-1pm - Transition to the First Look
2pm - First Look
230-4pm - Family Photos & Wedding Party Photos
430pm - Travel to Ceremony
5pm - Ceremony
530pm - Big Group Family Photos & Any Remaining Newlywed Photos
530-630pm Cocktail Hour
630pm - Reception Begins
Intros/Cake Cutting/First Dance/Welcome Toast
650-830pm - Dinner Service & More Toasts
830pm - Special Dances
845pm - Open Dancing
1130pm - Big Exit from the Reception
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10am to 2pm - Getting Ready
2 to 4pm - Close Family Photos & Wedding Party Photos & Getting Ready Photos (Typically at the hotel or the house)
430pm - Travel to Ceremony Location
5pm - Ceremony
530pm - Family Photos & Any Newlywed Photos
530-630pm Cocktail Hour
630pm - Reception Begins
Intros/Cake Cutting/First Dance/Welcome Toast
650-830pm - Dinner Service & More Toasts
830pm - Special Dances
845pm - Open Dancing
1130pm - Big Exit from the Reception
BW Studio Tips & Tricks
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![flat lay from a styled shoot]()
Flat Lay Checklist
A thorough list of all the essentials for the perfect flat lay photos! Pack these items up for your photo/video team on the big day!!
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![ceremony rehearsal guide]()
Ceremony Rehearsal Plan
Not having BW Studio at your rehearsal? No sweat, print these out to help your wedding party stay on track the night before!
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Officiant Tips & Tricks
Worried your officiant might have questions? After you share our email with them, send them this document, too!!
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Tipping Guide
All the nitty gritty details for who to tip and how much! If you have questions or see a missing category, don’t hesitate to ask.
COMMUNICATION
Business Hours
Typically, M-TH 10am-6pm but Tuesdays we hold space for late night meetings until 8pm. Weekends are traditionally reserved for client’s events, but we have a few time slots open on occasion. Check our calendly links!
Response Time
The team responds to all calls and emails within 48 hours, but aim for less than 24! If it’s a true emergency, shoot us a text and we will respond as soon as we are able.
Preferred Contact Method
Always email so we can keep a safe record of all communication! But feel free to shoot us a quick text or voice memo if you have a quickie Q!!
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If this meeting is a part of your proposal and contract, BWS likes to schedule the final walkthrough right before our One Month Meeting… so typically, about 5-6x weeks before the big day.
We like to invite your caterer, florist, and any other rental companies along for the walkthrough - especially if they haven’t been to the venue before.
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YES!
Look in the next section below to find all of our affiliate links and discount codes on our Shopping List Page and Vendor List Page!! Product providers give us a lot of great links to share with our couples… Service Providers tend to now have this option, but ask if you don’t see what you’re looking for on the list!
Enjoy.
in case you’re wondering
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Our Kick Off Meeting (shortly after hiring us), the Timeline Meeting (three months out), One Month Décor Meeting (one month out), and our One Week Check In (the Thursday or Friday before your wedding) are all mandatory meetings. These are essential to the success of your coordination process!
Any other meetings are scheduled on as-needed basis. Never hesitate to send a question via email or text.
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For our event management couples, we don’t include on-site meetings like catering tastings and floral meetings. But we will coordinate and host a final walkthrough if that was a part of your proposal and contract.
If you’d like us to join for any additional meetings, please let us know and we can invoice that time hourly.
Perks + Deals + Shopping + Links + The Goods +
Perks + Deals + Shopping + Links + The Goods +
Who doesn't love a bargain?
As as BW Studio + Events couple, you would have exclusive access to all of our favorite vendors, deals, and recommended shopping lists for the wedding planning process! Emergency Kit List? We got you!! Ideas for card boxes? Coming at chya! Favorite spots to buy invitations suites? Absolutely. We have ideas for everything!!
Recommended Vendor List
No matter what package you purchase, BW Studio is always happy to share our recommended vendor list with our couples. Full and Partial Planning couples will get personal introductions, and Event Management couples should absolutely drop our company name when inquiring on their own!
Affiliate Links
Yes, some of our emails may include affiliate and other links, and we may make a percentage if you purchase. But we only link to things we love and think you will as well. All opinions are our own, but the deals are yours to keep!
Need to Chat?
Whenever in doubt, send your planner an email! But if you know for sure you’re ready to chat about something in depth... here is Blair’s calendar link - snag some time!
Here’s Blair’s direct contact info:
blair@bwstudioevents.com
www.bwstudioevents.com
@bwstudio_events