February 2nd, 2012

Press Release : Prepare To Wed Provides Online Planning Tools, Resources and Inspiration

Prepare To Wed Provides Online Planning Tools, Resources and Inspiration

Prepare to Wed Offers a One-stop Destination to Connect with Wedding Vendors, Manage Details, Find Inspiration and Store It All in One Central location

Portland, Maine (PRWEB) January 23, 2012

Prepare To Wed, an online wedding planning site started by nationally recognized wedding planner Kate Parker in 2010, re-launches today, serving as a free, comprehensive, easy-to- navigate tool for brides and grooms to organize the massive details surrounding their special day. Guided by the couple’s unique style preferences and budget, choices in venue, catering, photography and other vendors are tailored to the bride and groom, making Prepare to Wed a first-of-its-kind offering. With the re-launch of the site, a new team is in place developing new tools to consistently improve the planning process for brides and grooms. A free Prepare to Wed iPhone and iPad app providing couples with on-the-go access to all their wedding details will be available in early-February.

Easy to navigate, the Prepare To Wed profile replaces bulky wedding planning binders and scraps of scribbled notes.  With tabs such as profile, budget, to do list, vendors, expert advice, and inspiration, every facet of wedding planning is just a click away.  Prepare To Wed enables brides to filter vendors by budget, eliminating some of the back-and-forth communication and allowing couples to focus on the vendors within their price range. Inspiration, tools and a chat blog serve as a support network to the engaged couple.

More than 250 local wedding vendors have signed on, centralized in New England, DC Metro, Chicago, Atlanta, Texas, California and New York.  The vendor list is extensive; from accommodations to florists to cigar rollers to name changing services.  By highlighting vendors that are appropriate and personalized for each individual couple, the heartbreak of falling in love with an out of reach venue or budget-breaking caterer is avoided.

“Prepare to Wed is designed for the modern bride who is unwilling to sacrifice on quality, but also places a premium on her time and budget,” said J Sandifer, CEO of Prepare to Wed.  “Utilizing our database of top vendors and tools for inspiration, couples will find ease and relief in their planning. Planning a wedding is one of the most stressful and expensive experiences for a couple to endure. Our new team is devoted to making Prepare To Wed an always dependable wedding planner to help couples not only efficiently, but enjoyably, create the day of their dreams.”

Newly engaged couples who are interested in getting started can visit http://www.preparetowed.com to sign up for a free account and delve into wedding planning bliss.

Prepare To Wed iPhone App

Quote start“Prepare to Wed is designed for the modern bride who is unwilling to sacrifice on quality, but also places a premium on her time and budget,” said J Sandifer. “Utilizing our database of top vendors and tools, couples will find ease in their planning.”Quote end

About Prepare To Wed
Prepare to Wed is an online resource for all wedding planning needs.  Created to educate engaged couples, Prepare to Wed shares tips and articles, walks couples through to-do lists and assists with budgeting.  Better yet, Prepare to Wed is full of beautiful wedding inspiration boards, real weddings, and thousands of images that can be filtered by wedding colors, season, and style. The first wedding resource to be developed with the couples’ preferences in mind, Prepare to Wed guides couples through the process, keeps them on task and budget, and inspires them to plan a unique and personalized wedding.  For more information, please visit http://www.preparetowed.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Posted by PTW Media at 7:33 am 0 Comments
Labels: Advice

January 31st, 2012

New Management and Team for Prepare to Wed

This past month Prepare to Wed entered a new phase: I stepped away from day to day activities. I have had an amazing time creating this site and community, but changes to my  businesses have made the mission of PTW harder for me to accomplish. I have sold Prepare to Wed to J Sandifer of Tide Creative, and I will stay on as a contributor and trusted advisor.

J has been a long time friend and his grasp of the industry will allow for PTW to achieve its goal of revolutionizing the wedding planning industry. His ideas for PTW are simply amazing and will benefit all current and future members. I look forward to being part of the bright future of Prepare to Wed!

- Kate


info@kateparkerweddings.com

Hi everyone!

As Kate mentioned, I have taken over PTW and am busy making changes to develop it into a leader in the online wedding planning industry. My solitary mission will be to get our valued members, more business.  Over the next few weeks I will be making some exciting announcements centered around how I plan on to drive traffic to the site and your listings on the directory, please make sure you are on on the member email list to receive.

In the past 10 years I have been part of two internet startups in the wedding space that became leaders in their fields: Pictage and liveBooks. My wife, Emilie, and I have also grown her company emilie inc. photography to become a leader on a more regional level. So I understand from the ground level what kind of effort it takes to run a business, while also bringing national experience to the table.

I have never been more excited about what lies ahead and the amazing things that we will accomplish with Prepare to Wed!

- J

J Sandifer

207-200-8433

ceo@preparetowed.com

Posted by PTW Media at 4:45 pm 2 Comments
Labels: Advice

January 31st, 2012

Top Nine Tweets Of January

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January 29th, 2012

The After Party

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It’s inevitable – after the last dance the younger crowd will be looking for an after party, so planning a post-reception event provides more than just another round of drinks, it’s a way to keep your friends together for another few hours of shenanigans. The mild-mannered kind, of course.

An after party is also the first chance couples have to informally unwind with guests. When all of the wedding obligations are over, this is the perfect chance to relax with a glass of wine without being the center of attention. This just may be the perfect end to a perfect day.

Partying the Night Away

* Is an After Party for You?
An after party is extra time for you to mingle with your guests. Each after party has a life and feeling of its own – depending on your interest it can be a late-night club or a small house party. The decision on an after party should come to the desire (or not) to spend additional time with your guests – no one will fault you for choosing a few hours sleep over grabbing extra drinks at the bar.

* Selecting the Right Location
The keys to a great after party are knowing your guests and scouting venues. Clubs, busy bars, and music venues are best suited for high-energy groups. More intimate spaces like lounges, private homes, or hotel bars are best for the subdued crowds. Our advice: select a venue that appeals to your guests’ typical weekend night out. This is not the best time to expand their horizons – a familiar atmosphere will attract more guests.

* Continue the Party Atmosphere
Music and ambiance will keep your friends entertained until it is time for an early breakfast and a bloody mary. Ensure that your location will have the music, seating, and dance space that your guests will be looking for. Plan a visit to your final destination prior to your wedding to get a feel for the typical crowd. If you choose to host a house party, preparing the atmosphere will require a bit more leg work of acquiring subdued lighting, comfortable seating, an iPod with a great playlist, and beverages in coolers.

* What are the Invitation Rules?
We recommend inviting all guests. In terms of how to convey the invitation, there are plenty of great options. Rather than rely on word of mouth, add a message to each of the favors or at the favor display. It will be an exciting surprise to find that by the time they finish your edible favor they will be at the next party stop. Other options – put a sign next to the guest book/bar. If you do decide to spread the message verbally, ask your bridal party and family to share the news with guests as they mingle at the reception.

* What Hosting/Financial Obligations do you Have?
It depends. At any public venue (such as a bar or club) the couple is responsible for any cover charges or room rental fees, but guests will anticipate the need to cover their own expenses. Hosting at a private home, however, will require that you provide all beverages and food – AND ensure that the food is hot/drinks are cold. Just one other reason that a wedding planner is the perfect resource for tips and assistance in creating this unforgettable night.

Alden Blair Events is a boutique wedding planning firm available for weddings throughout New England

Expert Advice by Jessica Harris Alden Blair Events

Posted by PTW Media at 8:39 am 0 Comments
Labels: Advice, Expert Advice

January 27th, 2012

Enhancing the Guest Experience Amy Piper Signature Events

When planning an outdoor wedding there are a few things that a bride can do to ensure that her guests not only feel welcome, but also well taken care of when they arrive for the wedding!

Be sure to place a Welcome Bag, Basket or in this case, a Welcome BUCKET in each guests hotel room!  One of my weddings this past summer featured a fishing theme. We incorporated the fishing theme into the invitation (We’re hooked on each other…Cast your reply….) and carried it through to the Welcome Bucket. Each bucket included a brochure promoting businesses and things to do in the local area, a welcome letter from the bride and groom, bottles of water, a bag of gummy fish and worms (tied with raffia and a bobber, of course!), a carton of gold fish crackers, apples, granola bars, mints and a souvenir magnet attached to the bucket.  In addition we tied a bandana to each bucket handle and added a “fishing pole” (a twig from a tree branch) complete with the guests name written on a hand cut paper fish! Guests can’t help but feel wanted and welcome when they arrive in their hotel room!

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Providing transportation for your guests is also a nice gesture, especially for out-of-town guests who are not familiar with the area.  I love to add a little local favor by using a trolley service, especially for summer weddings.  Guests love to ride in the open air trolley (they do have sides they can put down for inclement weather) and the trolley always makes for a good photo opp! Be sure to create a schedule for each hotel location and add it to the Welcome Bag so your guests will know when to be ready! Most guests appreciate the ride and it makes for a more enjoyable wedding when they do not have to worry about drinking and driving besides!

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Having an outdoor wedding? Here’s another way to make your guests feel comfortable… Consider splurging on a luxury restroom trailer instead of porta potties! I know it seems like a strange thing to talk about, but believe me your guests will definitely be talking about these restroom trailers! The Presidential Series supplied by Dave’s Septic Service in New Hampshire comes complete with flush toilets, air conditioning (or heat), faux marble walls with stained wood trim, skylights and even an attendant! In a recent conversation with a father of the bride, he told me that among other things, the luxury restroom trailer at his daughter’s wedding received rave reviews from his guests!  I have even had guests take photos in the restroom (I kid you not!) and I have heard guests exclaim, on more than one occasion, “this bathroom is nicer than my bathroom at home”!

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So, go ahead…Pamper your guests! You’ll be glad you did!

Expert Advice from Amy Piper of Signature Events

Posted by PTW Media at 8:33 am 0 Comments
Labels: Advice, Expert Advice