The Wedding Planner

<p>Angela Renick knows a wedding planner is a luxury. But even in these tough economic times, this seasoned planner of 20 years thinks it's a luxury any bride-to-be can't live without.</p><p>"OK, you've planned it all, but who's going to execute it?" Renick says. "You can't do that and get ready and enjoy yourself."</p><p>Renick may have a new business, Adore Events, with co-owner and fellow planner, Amy Keene, but one thing has remained the same over the last two decades: She stays prepared for every disaster or new discovery on the big day. Whether it's a photographer who gets so busy she becomes dehydrated during the shoot, or a cake that's in unexpected pieces, Renick and her team are ready to find a fix.</p><p>One wedding's surprise groom's cake was shaped like a cooler with actual beer in it. The beer busted through the cake on the drive over to the reception hall. </p><p>"We did have to get rid of half of it, but all the guests thought it was the best thing. Not even the bride or groom knew what had happened," Renick says.</p><p>Keeping secrets from the bride and groom, especially those in the form of a surprise, is one of Renick's favorite parts of modern weddings. In an October wedding, a guest close to the couple arranged for No Southern Accent, a UF a capella group, to sing The Beatles' classic "All You Need Is Love," one of the bride's favorites. The singers were mixed in with the rest of the audience and after the first kiss as Mr. and Mrs., the couple turned around to the serenade.</p><p>"The bride just melted," Renick says.</p><p>Although attention to detail is what has kept her successful, it was Renick's adaptability and calm-in-the-storm personality that got her into the business. In high school, Renick was an office manager for photographer Skip Stowers in her hometown of Kissimmee. One day he asked her to step in when his second photographer canceled. </p><p>"He explained that I could just grab the camera," Renick says with dread. "This was back when we had the F-stops and apertures, and I was like, 'Oh no.'"</p><p>Instead of standing behind the camera lens, she spent the day organizing groups for photos and keeping everyone on schedule. </p><p>"At the end of the day, we got done earlier, the pictures were better than ever and he was like, 'You need to be doing this.'"</p><p>At 16 years old, Renick had fallen in love with the job, a part-time calling that would eventually become a full-time lifestyle. In college, while balancing school, a young marriage and a part-time job, she found time to plan six to seven weddings a year. </p><p>After graduating from UF with a bachelor's of science in microbiology, Renick found herself leaning toward her natural career: not in a laboratory, but over the shoulders of hundreds of brides and grooms as she helped them plan their dream event.</p><p>"I thought, 'Why can't I do this for a career? Why am I going to go into a career that I know I would like, but would I actually love it?'" Renick says. "So I ended up coming back to the event world and saying, 'I would rather do this than do other things.'"</p><p>Still married to Chris, her husband of 18 and a half years, and still planning weddings, Renick now has four kids ranging in age from 7 to 13 years old. And the thrill of the big day still keeps her going.</p><p>"To see the look on their face is so rewarding — the hours don't matter," says Renick, who averages a 14- to 16-hour work day on the day of the wedding. "I so love seeing the joy that it brings when the bride walks in and sees the cake she's envisioned and it's spectacular. That makes it worth it."</p><p>And though she tries to keep her opinions to a minimum, Renick does have some advice for newlywed couples.</p><p>"Enjoy the first several years of marriage and get to know each other. Don't rush into having a family," she says. "You need to have that foundation of communication and to have yourself be focused."</p><h3>Achieving wedding bliss</h3> <b>A wedding planner shares her checklist for pulling off a picture-perfect wedding</b> No other event is as much of an emotional roller coaster as your wedding. From picking the perfect flowers to booking the band, weddings are filled with enough decisions to make a bride and groom's heads spin. And many of the decisions require (gulp!) non-refundable deposits. To calm your nerves and boost your big-day confidence, seasoned Gainesville wedding planner Angela Renick has some must-read advice. Her most vital suggestion? "Let a wedding planner focus on the details and prepare for the unexpected; you should concentrate on the big picture." VENUE When looking for a venue, think about what you want to happen within the space. Will this room need to fit both your reception and your ceremony? Will there be dancing? Is there enough space for tables? Some locales can be partitioned to fit both events, or completely transformed into an elegant space for just one. Don't forget to consider how much work and money a space makeover may require, and take into account your guests' ease of traveling from the ceremony to the reception. Other important things to consider when picking a venue: How many people are actually attending? Typically, 70 percent of the people you invite will attend, but this depends largely on the number of out-of-town guests invited. Expect more people if most are coming from nearby, and less if your guests have to make a trek. For comfortable seating, allow four feet per person. Don't forget space for the food tables, a bar, cake tables and a dancing area. Does it have the atmosphere & feeling you want your wedding to have? Whether you're going for a Victorian house, a country club or an historic setting, Gainesville has got the venue you need. Below are just a few of the many venues available in places as diverse as B&Bs, such as the popular Sweetwater Branch Inn in the Southeast Historic District, to the lovely park setting of Kanapaha Botanical Gardens in Southwest Gainesville. The Thomas Center downtown, for example, offers an appealing historic setting. This Spanish-style former hotel is popular for weddings because of the many usable areas, from outside ceremony locations to porches and a Spanish Court for the reception. Rent as much or as little of the Thomas Center as you like, and pay by the hour. The Thomas Center also allows outside catering. The Hilton University of Florida Conference Center offers packages that include room rentals with your space and a variety of meal options, such as a full buffet, food stations or a formal sit-down dinner. Another versatile space is The Haile Plantation Golf and Country Club. This venue allows for a secluded ceremony and reception with a sit-down dinner or buffet inside, along with cocktails and dancing on the outside patio. The Paramount Hotel and Conference Center features a lakeside gazebo for a picturesque wedding service, along with banquet facilities and in-house catering to accommodate up to 450 guests. BayLaurel, located in Micanopy, offers 33 acres of gardens, including a plantation home, oak trees and a waterfall. You can bring in tents, caterers and other vendors. The newly remodeled Villa East (formerly Savannah Grande on North Main Street) can hold up to 400 people. All food served at Villa East is provided by Celebrations Catering. The traditional church or synagogue is also an option, appealing because there is sometimes space for the reception and ceremony in close quarters. Many places of worship don't charge members a rental fee, but do expect you to cover costs for a sound technician, maintenance and a wedding liaison. Fees for non-members start around $450, and often include every room you need for the whole day and the day before. Other important questions to ask before choosing a venue: Will the venue allow outside food or alcohol? How long do we have the use of the space? How long will the vendors, such as caterers, be around? Is there ample parking? Make sure you have parking spaces for at least 50 percent of the guests you are inviting. And don't forget to include room for the vendors (photographers, caterers, florists, entertainment artists, etc.). CATERING You've spent the entire day on your feet, and your guests can't wait to see what you've got in store for them. Your wedding meal will be highly anticipated and sure to set the tone for the rest of the night — fantastic shrimp or bad clams could make or break the party. Before selecting dishes, consider whether you want to use a theme for the menu or just pick a few personal favorites. If nothing comes to mind, chicken dishes are a great standby and appetizers such as stuffed mushrooms, crab cakes and brie in puffed pastry are sure to please most guests. Meals can be made extra special with chocolate fondue, a salad bar or candy stations (which can double as party favors). Next, decide on the way the food will be served; the choices range from a simple buffet or an elegant dinner to an interactive meal where your guests get to watch the food being prepared in front of them. A simple buffet can start at $27 per person, and sit-down meals, which require more labor, start at $35 per person. Just as important as the food, the bar and cake can also be theme-oriented. When you're ready to pick a caterer, remember that they should listen to your desires and create a menu that fits everything in your wedding from theme to budget. Finally, make sure you find out about everything included in the catering costs (servers, dishes, etc.). FLOWERS Clueless when it comes to décor? Start by tearing out photos of flower arrangements you love and you've got a jumping off point for the rest of a beautiful space. Arrangements can be simple, such as a single hydrangea in a square vase with rocks underneath; classic, such as a variety of roses in a beautiful vase; ornate, typically with orchids and other tropical flowers or with a lot of details in the centerpieces; trendy, with cutting edge ideas, such as submerged lights in vases or flowers in chandeliers; or over the top, such as a tree with crystals, lights, moss, grass and candles on the head table. Rely on flowers to transform your venue and give your wedding that wow factor. Hydrangeas are great foolproof flowers that can stand on their own, enhance other flowers or be used as filler. Simple bouquets cost about $45 a piece, depending on what flowers are used and the time of year. Centerpieces can range from $25 to $495, depending largely on the details, such as having lights or crystals in the arrangements. To save at the florist, consider using natural elements, such as evergreen or curly willow, or borrowing items (like ornaments or glass balls) to fill vases. MUSIC Whether you're setting the mood for an elegant event or a fun and wild party, the music for your wedding can complete the scene. First, decide on a live band, a DJ, or both. It's all about what you prefer: A DJ can play a wide variety of music, while a band usually has a type of music they specialize in. A band, however, can give a reception that "big band" feel. Expect to pay $150-$200 per hour for a DJ, while a band can range from $600- $5,000 for the entire event. Check out local acts. When you've narrowed down your choices, go see the band or DJ in action and ask for a CD to listen to at home. Along with music, a performer's style can be just as important. Do you want someone who will run the reception or stick to the turntables? GIFTS Guests: Leave those gifts at home! Proper etiquette says gifts should be mailed to the address on the response card envelope, although you'll see a gift table at every wedding. And a gift is a must, whether you're attending the wedding or not. After receiving all the booty, brides and grooms, don't forget those thank you notes. Mail them out after the honeymoon. What about those gifts for the wedding party? Remember to keep it unique to each person, even if the gifts are similar. Out-of-the-box group gifts, such as a weekend away or a day at the spa, can be great for bonding before the wedding.