Getting Married With Julie & Bill
Bill with Bill Hermann Entertainment www.BillHermann.com and Julie Lyford with Fabulous Functions www.FabulousFunctions.com are two of the most popular and sought after wedding professionals in the country and have been collaborating with couples for over 45 combined years to create beautiful, fun, unique, and memorable celebrations. Have a question about getting married? They have the answers!
Dear Bill and Julie,
What are the top three wedding questions you are asked?
Wow! That’s a tough one. As you might guess, we’ve answered hundreds of questions and each one is just as important to our couples as the last. But, if we really had to narrow it down to the ones asked the most, these are our top three:
#1 – How can I tell if a vendor is GLBT-friendly?
Ask! Be direct and be blunt if you have to, but remember the vendor may not actually know what GLBT means…so be specific. Try this: “Do you have a problem working with a gay couple?” or “Have ever worked with a same-sex couple?”
Trust us, they may say that they are comfortable but if they haven’t actually worked with a GLBT couple they may find they are uncomfortable and didn’t even know it. Check their website, do they have any images of GLBT weddings they have done? Ask for client references.
Then, ask yourself: Am comfortable with this person? Do I like them? Do I trust them? If you answer “no” to any of those questions, then this vendor relationship is just not the right fit. If you answer “yes,” do whatever it takes to work with them, you will thank us.
#2 – How do I make my wedding unique without the whole thing just being about a GLBT wedding? I don’t want it to look like unicorns and glittery rainbows all over the place.
Don’t count out the power and romance of well-placed unicorns and glittery rainbows. Actually, the answer is simpler than what most people will allow themselves to believe: Your wedding is about you and, by definition, it is and should be unique. Most people think that the only way to make things unique is to find things that no one has seen. That works, but what works better is choosing things that actually matter to you. You choose to have off-white and antique roses? Why? Was it just because they’re pretty or do those choices mean something to you, your family, your history, or–better yet–your story? Make sure to tailor those choices around who you are and what you like. Take it one step further and be sure you can communicate those reasons to your guests in some way.
What is your favorite dessert? Cheesecake? Cookies? Ice cream? Then why do a traditional cake? Share your favorite dessert with your guests.
Do you love a certain food truck? Have them roll up to the wedding with their specialty! Think of how awesome it would be to top off a night of dancing with late night hotdogs!
Allow your self to think way outside the box. Take Jason and Bill: One of them is an actor, the other is a playwright and producer. They had their wedding and reception behind the curtain of on off-Broadway stage, inviting their friends to showcase their talents at certain points during the day. As you might expect, it was wonderfully memorable and as unique as they are. Remember as you begin to look at everything “wedding” that there is nothing that can’t be tuned in to you. Go ahead! You have Bill and Julie’s permission to make it about YOU!
#3 – I have to order invitations but nothing I see is really “us.” Where can I find the perfect, unique invitation?
You don’t have to find it, you can have it created for you. Work with an artist on Etsy to create something that is unique for the two of you. There are also local artists who can come up with wonderfully customized invitations. Set the tone from the beginning, don’t settle for second best.
Ask Bill and Julie a question by sending us an email at [email protected] or [email protected]
