You’ve heard that business and family don’t mix, right?  Don’t lend money to family members; don’t blend business and pleasure, etcetera.  If we believed that, the opportunity to have your wedding and reception at Stonebrook Manor would be non-existent.  You would just have to go somewhere else.

Lucky for you, at Stonebrook Manor, we believe that business and family DO mix.  We mix it everyday.  And by everyday, I don’t mean Monday through Friday, 8a.m. to 5p.m.  I mean 24/7/365.  Holidays, birthdays, Sundays.  Everyday that our family gathers, business is on the brain and in the conversation.  And it works for us.  

I imagine that some families would never even consider working together, let alone starting a business together.  Some families just don’t have what it takes, I suppose, especially when you throw stepfamilies and in-laws in the mix.  Yep, we’re a blended family to boot.  Would you want to work with your greedy step-sister, or your menacing mother-in-law?  Me neither.  Fortunately, none of us have to.  There are attributes that each family member must possess for this to work: a good work ethic, selflessness, humility, and a SENSE OF HUMOR.  If we didn’t have these, it would be a recipe for disaster.

I’m not saying that we don’t have our occasional disputes, disagreements, and even blow ups (don’t tell my mom I just admitted that), but we don’t let our differences at the office upset our family gatherings.  We just don’t. 

From our very first business meeting 7 years ago to today, we have maintained a common goal.  I don’t think we have a concrete mission statement per se, but we all agree on the purpose for Stonebrook Manor as our family legacy: to be a blessing.  We want to be a blessing to the community in which we do business, to the brides and grooms who choose to say their vows in our home, and to their witnesses.  And if we are successful at this, then our vision is that our children and possibly grandchildren will work here and prosper as well.  We believe in the biblical law of sowing and reaping.  If we bless others, then we have no choice but to be blessed in return.  We hope that if we serve our clients and do the best that we possibly can for them, we will prosper. 

Rest assured that if and when you book your reception at our facility, we will treat you with the same respect that we treat each other.   We have high standards and our quality of goods and services show that.  On behalf of my family and myself, welcome to Stonebrook Manor.

I don’t know about you ladies, but I had my share of breakdowns while planning my wedding.  The stress of it all- the budget, the dress, the never-ending guest list- was more than my brain could process.  I called my boyfriend (I refused to use the word ‘fiancé’- I don’t know why) on more than one occasion and cried crocodile tears into the phone.  I begged him to reconsider having a destination wedding, but no, he wanted a traditional wedding in a church (which didn’t happen) with a Saturday evening reception (which also didn’t happen), bridesmaids, groomsmen, unity candle, the whole nine.

The problem was, he didn’t help me.  Hear that, ladies?  HE DIDN’T HELP ME.  He didn’t help me choose the venue. He didn’t help me choose the menu. He didn’t help me choose the photographer, videographer or the florist.  I did it all myself, and it’s not like I was a professional event planner.  Planning a wedding is a full-time job and I already had a full-time job.  One that paid.  So when I asked said boyfriend to accompany me to a meeting with a vendor he’d say, I’ll give you twenty bucks if I don’t have to go.  SOLD!

I know some of you are in the same boat, spending every Saturday meeting with wedding vendors who give you enough information to make your head explode, and your fiancé is not helping you paddle. And in this economy, your fiancé doesn’t have $20 to bribe you into letting him off the hook.  But I did learn that there is a bright side to doing it all yourself, and you control freaks probably already know this: you get to do it all yourself!  Every decision is yours.  You get to pick the colors without him saying, Pink? I don’t think that’s such a good idea.  You get to have salmon at your reception without him saying, But my cousin Lloyd doesn’t eat fish.  And you get tell the DJ that under no circumstances should he play “Y.M.C.A.”

One great thing that you ladies have that I didn’t have when I was planning my wedding is Stonebrook Manor.  You don’t have to spend all your spare time dragging your maid of honor from venue to venue, vendor to vendor, to get her opinion.  Stonebrook Manor’s all-inclusive packages are so comprehensive (the food, the cake, the DJ and more) that the only question you have to ask is, where do I sign?

So after all the breakdowns, all the tears, and all the head explosions, you get to have the wedding of YOUR dreams.

 Sorry Village People.

Let’s face it, weddings can be expensive! Every bride has her dream of that perfect wedding celebration, the dress, the flowers, dancing until dawn and then perfect pictures, hundreds of them, to remember that wonderful night forever!  All of this takes money, but perhaps not as much as you would think, if you follow these money saving tips!  In some areas there is just no avoiding it, but in others there are ways to save money if you’ll put your mind to it.  Here are some ideas to start the wheels turning.

$    Be Flexible with your date.

Some venues have off-season months that can save you a lot of money.  Most Brides are in the mind set of a Saturday evening wedding only.  If you’re willing to be flexible, choose a Friday night a Saturday during the day or Sunday night, these times are less expensive than a Saturday evening. And if you’re really daring try a week night!  Thursday Nights are fast becoming the night of choice for brides who want a Royal Family type wedding but who are on a shoe cobbler’s salary.

$    Go over your guest list with a fine-tooth comb.

Reduce that guest count to family and close friends only.  These are the people who really know you and want to be there to celebrate this special time in your life.  Don’t feel obligated in invite acquaintances like the “people at the office” or associates.  A good rule of thumb is to think ahead to five to seven years down the road.  If you are not absolutely positive that you will have a relationship with these people in the future then you might want to remove them from your list. Family is a whole other ball of wax and I wouldn’t presume to make that call for you.  Another cost savings idea is to keep the number of your bridesmaids and groomsmen to 2 or 3 instead of 5 or 6.  This will cut down on the cost of flowers, bouquets and boutonnieres you will have to pay for.

$    Choose a venue that has All Inclusive Packages.

Some venues will include catering, cakes, DJs, flowers, photographers and liquor, etc.  In most cases vendors and items that are included in these all inclusive packages have lower prices due to the volume of events they do at that venue. Furthermore, the vendors are more familiar with the venues they are associated with so there is less learning on the go.  This is especially helpful when choosing a photographer because they already know the best locations for great photos.  Choosing these vendors and the other options not only saves you money but an immense amount stress and sleepless nights.

$    Have a buffet instead of a sit-down meal.

Sit-down meals are great, there is no doubt about it, however they are not nearly as important as the food itself.  Most of your guests are not going to remember how your food was served, but they will remember how the food was.  This is why the quality, freshness and taste of the food are much more important than the manner in which it was served.  Also, most reputable venues have food tastings so you can try out the cuisine prior to the wedding.  There’s no need for you to get indigestion knowing how much you spent on the food.

$    Select flowers that are in season.

Avoid exotic and overly expensive flowers (orchids may look great but their smell leaves much to be desired).  Also, keep in mind that flowers tend to be more expensive around Christmas, Mother’s and Valentine’s Day. Consider having a garden wedding, this will cut down on the number of arrangements you have to purchase.  Furthermore, when it comes to your centerpieces, choose floating candles or bouquets of balloons instead of flowers.

$    Make your own invitations.

Using the pretty (and inexpensive if you can get it on sale) paper and stationary found at your local business supply store.  They have many selections that look just as nice as the more expensive pre-ordered catalog invitations.  You can even do your own embellishments, add ribbon or bows.

$    Include your “save the date” cards with your Christmas Cards if possible.

If not, perhaps you could create a “save the date” e-card and email them to your quests. You should also consider sending post cards which require less postage than a letter.

$    Create a wedding website

Update it with all your important information, wedding date, location and times, etc. The Knot website has a template that can help you create one. You can list your gift registration as well.  Instead of mailing RSVP cards with postage your guests can RSVP on your site.

Don’t let the cost of your wedding become a nightmare. Think small, intimate and meaningful. Splurge in the areas that are absolutely essential to your wedding happiness, compromise in all the others.  What else would you add to the list?