Pic Cred HERE!

The first thing to think of when setting a table is layout! Here is a diagram that outlines the parts of a place setting. Some tablescapes have all these elements (and potentially more!) and some have fewer. Often at a wedding we see a wine glass and a champagne flute, rather than a red and a white wine option. We often see lots of napkin folds, tucks, and wraps, instead of the napkin on the table to the left. Use this great pic as a starting point to setting your formal tablescape! Don't be afraid to change things up - just make sure if you do, you're doing it intentionally for experience or aesthetics! 

​Don't break the rules just to break them.... have a reason! 

Salary, savings, debt
If you haven’t already, it’s time to be honest and talk about your current financial situation. You don’t want to be blindsided in the long run and be in financial trouble. Tell each other your exact salary, credit score, income from side jobs, debt, savings, and assets. Be even more specific and discuss your spending habits such as how you spent your money the previous year, any big purchases, and how much you spend in a typical week. Having a “money talk” might seem like an obvious discussion to have, but a TD Ameritrade survey found that more than 40% of couples did not know how much their spouse made. Some couldn’t even guess the correct number within a $25,000 USD
margin of error.

​Get rid of debt together
Although your spouse’s debt shouldn’t become your responsibility when you get married, it does
affect your future life decisions together - especially when it comes to purchasing a home,
booking vacations and retirement savings. It will be hard to make purchases or save up when
one person has bad credit or bad spending habits. Work as a team and make it a priority to
create a budget together. Cut unnecessary luxury spending like eating out daily or your morning
run to Starbucks. Pay off loans with the highest interest rates first or completely pay off your
smaller loans first to build momentum. If you have multiple loans, consolidate debts into a
personal loan so you only have one monthly payment to make.

Sharing expenses
Figure out a system to manage money as a couple. Some spouses use a joint savings account to split bills and some keep their accounts separate. Either way, make sure to be on the same page and be open to various bill paying options if your partner uses a different method to make payments than you do. If one partner earns significantly more than the other, find a way to divide expenses that makes sense, such as splitting the costs based on a certain percentage of your income. Another idea is to divide your expenses. For example, one person pays for your rent, and the other pays for your utilities. The last thing you want is one person maxing out his or her credit cards and struggling to pay their share of bills. Be flexible in sharing expenses and communicate with each other when you’re not able to.

If you and your loved one are contemplating on whether or not you should do an elopement - let us tell you just how wonderful an elopement can be.  An elopement does not have to mean you go down to the courthouse and sign a piece of paper that says you are married by law. An elopement is your chance to really think out of the box (without having to worry about the opinions of you 200 closest family members and friends).
Is there a special vacation you and your significant other took that defined your relationship? What about a place you have always wanted to travel to? Well this is your moment! Throw a dart at a map and book a flight.  You can get married anywhere in the world so what's stopping you? We have been involved in so many beautiful elopements here in Colorado and none of our couples have been natives of the state.  they have traveled from all over the country to have their special day here in one of the most scenic places in the United States (and we would argue in the world).  From Texas, to Kansas City, all the way to Alabama these couples wanted a getaway adventure that they would remember for the rest of their lives.  We were able to pick their scenic locations based on their preferences and how much snow they were willing to trek through during our snowy winter.  If you aren't too keen on the snowy weather, let us help you find a more tropical location and still take care of the rest of the details for you. This way your only job is to show up and get married! I mean, who doesn't want their wedding day to be sans complications and stress. We take it all on for you so you don't have to, you just get to enjoy saying "I do" to the person of your dreams.

Lisa and Michael had their unique music inspired wedding at Ophelia's Electric Soapbox in Denver, Colorado. From the musician titled tables to the live band, they infused their shared love for music throughout the planning process. Congrats Lisa and Michael!  ​They enjoyed dancing away the night with their family and friends. The band Woodshed Red played every song to perfection and there wasn't a time where the dance floor was empty.