wedding dinner

Michael + Lucie: Backyard Wedding – Milwaukee, WI

August 4, 2021 By Sarah Davidson

Whenever a couple tells me that they plan to host their wedding at their own home, I always like to kindly ask them if they are sure about that 🙂 For all the reasons listed in our blog post about backyard weddings, it can be a huge undertaking that may or may not be worth the payoff in the end.

But when it’s done right, it can really be something magical. And let me tell you, Michael + Lucie did it RIGHT.

As the couple dressed for their special day, so too did they dress their home for the occasion. From table settings to food displays to lighting – attention to all the details added up into something perfect.

Introducing structure with different areas to encourage mingling added to the transformation. Thinking outside the box, literally, including outdoor lounges brought about multiple layers of comfort and style.

Congratulations Michael + Lucie!

The Dream Team:
Wedding Coordination: HUE by Sarah Davidson
Photography: DJDAHL Photo
Catering: Hidden Kitchen MKE
Dessert: Miss Molly’s Cafe and Pastry Shop
Floral: Avenue Bloom
Vintage Rentals: Relics Rentals
Band: Professor Pinkerton and the Magnificents
Hair/Makeup: Beauty by Michelle Senuor

Chief Strategist and Creative Director of HUE by Sarah Davidson, Sarah is a sought after event industry consultant, planner, and strategist based in Madison, WI. Follow her work on Instagram at @huebysd.

Traditional v. Casual Receptions

April 27, 2016 By Sarah Davidson

Being a wedding planner these days as taught me the same thing over and over again.. it’s your wedding and you can do WHATEVER you want. Skip the white dress! Have pie instead of cake, and who cares if you don’t register? One of the biggest trends that I’ve seen especially, is the transition from having a formal seated dinner reception to an appetizer heavy, casual cocktail reception instead. There are a few different reasons I’ve found for this trend – read on to see if it’s something that might be a good fit for your big day.

One of the main reasons people go the casual route is because they do not want to be on display for any more time than is absolutely necessary at their wedding. Yes, there is probably a ceremony where you need to stand in front of people, but after that, without a seated dinner, you’re pretty much in the clear. You can still throw an amazing party with plenty of food, drink and dancing but spend your time working the crowd at your leisure and not having to worry about having all eyes on your as you put food in your face. You eat those potatoes girl!

Another reason I see people opt for longer cocktail receptions is not out of choice, but out of necessity either due to venue restrictions, guest list size, or both. Since another major trend happening these days is non-traditional venues, there are many couples out there who need to make sacrifices to have their entire guest list fit in their location of choice. I am working with a couple this summer who’s venue is a beautiful art museum that can only seat 75 people at once for dinner but their guest list is 200. Instead of cutting the guest list or giving up their location, they are adding more cocktail tables and casual seating, and still able to invite everyone they want comfortably. Many venues will typically even offer a cheaper price if you’re not doing a full dinner setup, so if you think you might be interested it’s definitely worth asking!

The only downfall I tend to see with casual receptions is that it is much harder to gain your guests full attention for things such as speeches by VIPs or anything else that you actually DO want them to see. When everyone is seated for dinner they’re quieter and typically all faced one direction expecting to need to pay attention to a few things. When they’re spaced all around just chatting and not sure when things are happening, you need to try a little harder to get a message across. Still doable, just harder.

We always recommend keeping in mind how many of your guests may be elderly and for sure require seating. In general, we still recommend actual seats available for around 50% of your guest list minimum.

So which one is right? That’s for you to decide! Sound off in the comments with why you made your decision, or if what you’ve liked or haven’t liked about different styles. Cheers!

Featured Photo: Audre Rae Photography

Let’s Talk Turkey (or Tofurkey)

December 2, 2015 By Sarah Davidson

When it comes to planning an amazing party, whether it be a wedding or your grandmother’s birthday, what are the guests going to remember? The dress? The favors? No, let’s be real here, it’s the food. Your meal could be a talking point among your guests for years into the future and we highly suggest putting effort into what you serve. While it is important to take into consideration meal options that please the masses, what we’d like to focus on for this post, are those guests with dietary restrictions. A dietary restriction could be any number of things including, but not limited to, vegetarianism, gluten-free, allergies, etc. How does your average well-meaning Jane or Joe accommodate?

It’s pretty simple actually. When planning your menu, accommodate your guests. It’s as simple as asking for any dietary notes on RSVPs. Way too many people leave vegetarians to settle with bread and salad, when they could very easily ask their caterer to provide a handful of specially tailored meals. Every good caterer will be happy to do this for you, we guarantee it.

It’s perfectly fine to serve steak and lobster or even have a taco bar at your wedding. Just consider having avocado tacos as an option, or have some eggplants available to grill as well. While it’s understandable that you’ll have a million other things to plan for this event, getting creative with dietary requests is something that both you and your guests be thankful for in the long run. And maybe you’ll learn a great recipe along the way!

Featured Photo: Audre Rae Photography

The Dreaded Seating Chart

November 25, 2015 By Sarah Davidson

Sometimes you need to get creative when it comes to having fun with wedding planning. After you’ve chosen your colors and centerpieces, partied with your pals and said yes to the dress, there are still a few logistical details that need to get taken care of. One of these details is the seating chart.

While casual cocktail receptions are becoming trendier these days, a majority of weddings still choose to do a formal seated dinner as a part of their evening. There are many reasons for this, including a proper platform for welcomes and toasts and providing a nice dinner as a way to thank your guests for traveling. When planning a formal dinner, it is customary to plan the seating chart as a way to help your guests socialize with ease during your event. This can include keeping your arguing aunts away from one another, trying to squeeze that last person at a table who won’t fit, or having no idea where to put your groomsman’s random date.

First of all, we highly recommend creating a seating chart for your guests.
EVERYONE will be happier.

There are many reasons to have a seating chart including:

1) Less awkwardness for your guests. Instead of Crazy College Roommate Joe ending up with Great Aunt Meredith, you can make sure that the college gang all has a spot reserved to reminisce while your family members are able to easily gaggle over how they remember you in diapers.
2) Waaay more efficient for your timeline. Trust us, there will be several things you’re going to be trying to cram into that dinner hour (welcomes, toasts, serving food) and at that point every small pocket of time available matters. If your guests know where they are going, it just allows you all to get to the food (and the late night party) faster!
3) The ability keep your rental count tight, and not end up with random empty seats around that you built “just in case” people weren’t comfortable next to each other and needed options.

So where do you even start? Half the tables are probably pretty easy – coworkers, parents and grandparents, cousins, etc. What happens after that though? Where do you put those four neighbors from your childhood or that couple from your mom’s book club? What about those family members that have been out of the picture for a while but now you’re both trying to repair relationships? Unfortunately there is no good answer, but there are steps that can be taken to make it easier.

It is absolutely okay to accept help.

If parents are helping to pay for the wedding, they may or may not be involved in the guest list as well. Feel free to ask their advice for those family members or acquaintances that you are not as close with. It’s likely that they will be happy to advise because they don’t want their own friends to feel weird either. In addition to getting help, also make sure that you are using every piece of knowledge at your disposal. You don’t need to put people together just based on blood or social relation. Are there three different couples that have all traveled to the same country? Perfect talking points. Got two or three study abroad friends who you haven’t seen in years? They’ll fit in well with your college gang. You’ll realize this seating chart thing is easier than you think!

Counterpoint – your guest list is likely composed of mature, friendly, adults… can’t they just find a spot and sit politely through one dinner? The focus is going to be on you and you’re probably providing them with plenty of free beverages, so what’s the big deal? To be honest, sometimes it isn’t a big deal. I’ve known a number of couples that have opted to not do a seating chart for various reasons: not enough time, not a high priority, guests all know each other, etc. While it’s not recommended, there are a few things to keep in mind if you decide to go this route.

The most important thing? Plan for a few extra seats.

As much as we hope everyone can just get along politely, your guests are human and there is bound to be some awkwardness if the only seats left for your college roommates after they grab drinks from the bar is with your partner’s boss or kid cousins. Extra seats (we usually recommend 5-10 depending on your attendance) provide a buffer when needed and won’t even be noticed in the long run.

Build some extra time in your schedule between inviting your guests to be seated and when they should ACTUALLY be in their seats.

With assignments your guests know exactly what they are looking for, but with open seating there will be a bit more meandering around to find a good spot.

We hope these tips help you feel a bit more prepared to take on this next step of wedding planning. It’s only a small piece in the grand scheme of things, but one that if done properly, can set everyone’s mind at ease. Good luck and have fun!