Did you see?

Our Wedding Plus is doing a fantastical giveaway!!! She's giving away the ever popular Cruzer Gators and a Wedding Website for a year!

What a fantastic opportunity! All you have to do is comment on the blog here and answer one of the below questions....

• What was the most useful piece of wedding planning advice you have received?
• What has been your biggest “lesson learned” so far during your wedding planning process?
• If you could do it over, what would you do differently?
  

What are you waiting for, get over there and post away...

Vendor Who?

One of my most valuable assets to my clients (other than the fact that I totally rock!) is my list of reputable, talented vendors. I've met a lot of fantastical vendors over the past 14+ years and I've keep every single one of their cards. So, if you wanted a white elephant, I know who to call. Seriously, we had to rent one for the day a few years ago!

One of the assets of working with a wedding consultant is the list of personalized vendors that we feel will work well for you. There is no reason for you to have to pick up the phone book or do 7 hours of research online, the likely hood that I know who you'll want, and can afford, is pretty high. Just ask!

That's what we are here for!

Emergency Production!

One of my most important jobs is to make sure everything runs smoothly on the day of the wedding. This means you have to be prepared for everything that may or might occur on the day of the wedding. My emergency kit started as a little "fanny"bag, then grew to a duffel bag, and is now a large luggage-like bag- but you have to be prepared. The following is a list of some of the things I recommend you carry in your Emergency bag.

• Steam IronGranola Bars
• Tampons
• Lip Gloss
• Nail File
• Mints
• Safety Pins
• Bobby Pins
• Diaper Pins
• Corsage Pins
• Sugar Cubes
• Flash Light
• Gorilla Tape
• Velcro Tabs
• Extra Earning Backs
• Small Envelopes
• Pipe Cleaners

And MUCH MUCH more!

And some things you'd never use for the way it was intended... I once had to use safety pins to lengthen a necklace for a bridesmaid... you just gotta do what you gotta do!

I love my job!

I love people! I think it's something that you need when you plan events for, well, people.

This weekend we were blessed to plan a Graduation Party for one of my dear friends Kathy's daughter, Kristin. It was so much fun for us to help make Kristin's dreams for her party come true, and to see just how much fun they all had!

I think as wedding and event planners we sometimes forget that the events we plan truly bring people together, people that haven't seen each other in a long time, people that love each other. The saying goes that families only really get together for weddings and funerals - which is sad but true.

But our business is really about people. Helping people. Helping them ease their minds and hearts of "planning" that can frustrate and really over-whelm them. And it's our job to make sure that they enjoy the party and make the party happen in some instances.

I think we just need to remember, it's all about the people. I have a passion for people - I have a passion for making people's dreams come true. No matter what it takes.

Let's Eat Cake!

I'll be updating the Let's Eat Cake! blog often, but just incase you can't stand the idea of reading another blog, I am going to update you on our progress here once a week.

But please check out Let's Eat Cake... pretty please!

Be a Planner!

In case you didn't know - because you are living under a rock - MasterPiece Certified is having another Certification Class in July!

Check out Be A Planner, for more information.

Happy Monday!

Sooo....

I know I've been super secretive lately and full of intense suprises! I don't know what's come over me!

So if you want to know what all this suspense and that cake is about click here!

And tell me what you think!

The Dream!

And the Winner is!!!

You all voted! And I mean YOU ALL voted! There were over 1200 individual votes! Thank you all for voting!!!


First, congratulations to all my interns this past semester, you all were incredible - seriously! I sometimes feel like I've learned all that I can, but you each taught ME this semester, and I am so grateful to each of you!


Congratulations, Kristin {board three}! You've won some fantastic prizes!!! Over $100 worth of fun! I know you'll enjoy it!

I had a Dream!

Have you ever had a dream so vivid and so moving that you felt you needed to react to it?

I've had two in my life, two (maybe three) dreams that meant so much to me that I got up and took action.

The first was about my business - a fun slogan. Another consultant in town was using it, and then when I woke up and realized that it was a dream, I stole it from her. But really I didn't... because well, she never had it in the first place. So there!

The second dream, I had that about 6+ months ago, it was so vivid and so amazing, and so moving. That I woke up knowing that I was being lead to do something. I knew that God was leading me to help.

I've had to do some incredible research and I've met and talked to some amazing people. But I think this dream of mine is going to become a reality. And we are going to help lots of kids that need help!

But I'll need your help, are you in?

Do you want to know more?

New Favorite Thing!

I love food - I love to find new food items... in fact, I don't know that I've ever met a food I didn't like!

I found these new tomato's called Strawmato - they are the shape of a strawberry - but are super sweet like a grape tomato, or a Campari Tomato... but smaller. Firm flesh, and sooooo sweet!!

These are my new favorite!

I can totally see these sweet tomatoes adorning your first course at your wedding!

Weekend with the Twins!

I had a great time with my nieces (and my Sister, and my Brother-in-Law) this weekend! My sister and brother were fantastic hosts!

My nieces are growing up so fast! Everyday its something new, and I was honored to teach Sydney how to do a somersault while I was there!

Our schedule included going to see The Doodlebops, Live! That was a treat to see how mesmerized they were with Rooney, Deedee and Moe! My sister and I got into the action with Deedee wigs, cute, no? We all ate the largest strawberries in the world (seriously, 6" strawberries)!

And of course I had to spoil them just a weee bit at the toy store.

Here are some snap shots of our weekend.

The Wedding Book!!!

As a Wedding Consultant you always want to be in-the-know, on the up-and-up and as educated as possible!

I for one own every wedding related book that a bride can own. And when I found out that one of my favorite Wedding Consultant's Mindy Weiss was writing a book. I knew it would be a winner.

Mindy, along with Lisbeth Levine have written what most will call the Bible of Wedding Books! It's a step by step, hand holding, fun guide to planning the perfect wedding!

If you have a budget of $1000, $100,000 or $10 Million this book is for you!

The Wedding Book will help you from the time the bling is on your finger to after the wedding is over (and every step in-between).

Honestly, a must have!

{It's avaiable on Amazon}

Leavin' on a Jet Plane...

I am off to Washington DC today to visit my nieces (Sydney in the florals,and Peyton in the pink)!!! I am so excited!! Seriously, over the moon excited to see them!!! And we get to see the Doodlebops too! (I know you are totally jealous!)

When I come back I'll have a more recent photograph too!

I'll be back Monday afternoon and shouldn't miss a beat blogging!

Tag I'm It!

I was tagged by Jessica Lynn at Tying the Knot! I figure it's been awhile since I was tagged - so here goes!

The Rules Are:

I must link back to the person who tagged you. (Check!)
I must post these rules on your blog. (Check!)
Then I must share six unimportant things about yourself. (working on it...)
And then tag six random people at the end of your entry.(Hmmmmm)
And finally, let the tagged people know by leaving a comment on their blogs (see above)

1. I have Self Diagnosed- Selective OCD... I am seriously OCD about certain things... crumbs on the counter top, watch out! When we have football parties the boys like to crumble things on the counter top and set the clock to see how long it takes for me to clean it up. Some just leave potato chips and watch me squirm... they think it's funny. I hate them.
2. We've names all of our dogs/animals after alcohol or alcoholic beverages... It started with Smirnoff the Iguana, then Bailey, and Kahlua, and Molson, Whiskey, and Bellini...
3. My husband is my high school sweetheart... and we've been married for 12 years! It can last see!
4. I am allergic to Dill Weed. It will kill me. I carry an Eppi Pen... Yup Pickles are my enemy.
5. I am killing the Polar Bears - well not literally. But the day after we heard a news report that large SUV's were killing the Polar Bears - I got one... so my husband solely blames me for the demise of the Polar Bear population. And for the record I heart Polar Bears!
6. When I feel a cold coming on I crave Tomato Soup and a Grilled Cheese sandwich.

I don't think I am going to tag anyone (I'm a rebel), but if you feel like you'd like to be tagged, let me know!

What's behind the Veil?

I personally feel that a veil totally and absolutely makes a bride..... well, a bride. I mean not every brides wants to wear a veil and that's totally okay!

But personally, you can get dressed up in a White Couture Gown, and a tiara any day! I mean I wear that to work on a normal Wednesday... but when you put on a veil, you are totally and absolutely without question, A Bride!

But when you put a piece of tulle on a clip - it can cost you a pretty penny! Sometimes in upwards of $300!

Here's a budget sensible alternative - I've had my brides use one particular store on eBay for a while, and have not yet been disappointed!! She always delivers a beautiful product, and can customize the colors if you need her too!

{image by Photography by Rebecca}

Inspiration Board-Off!

My interns this semester have been fantastic! I mean really off the hook fantastic!

So for their final project, I asked them to create an inspiration board and have YOU vote on the winner. I actually have a fantastic prize worth over $100! And it's up to you, my fantastic fans- I mean readers, to pick the winner!

The rules were to create an inspiration board with the inspiration being Neapolitan Ice Cream. My feelings are that you can find inspiration in anything, and the colors are so pretty... so why not!

Please vote based on who you feel best was inspired by the theme and how well they executed the theme on a board.

Board One:


Board Two:

Board Three:





{Voting Ends at Midnight on Wednesday, April 23, 2008}

We had a Wedding!

If you've read this blog in the past you know that Friday we had a wedding in my office! Coincidentally, earlier in the day one of my favorite florists called me to touch base - in my excitement I told him about the wedding in my office, and he made this incredibly F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S bouquet and boutonniere - and I wrote some beautiful vows and off we went!


Katie and Bradley showed up with their kids in tow and Katie almost immediately started to feel a sense of nausea, and started crying - which in turn her daughter Reagan started crying.. so we all took some deep breaths and decided it might be better for everyone to be seated during the actual ceremony...

And ta-da.... they were married!

Oh, and of course there HAD to be cake!!!

Everything can be Black and White

{Click to enlarge image}

Darci at With This Ring had inspired me to put together an inspiration board dedication to the sophisticated bride who wants a strictly Black and White palate and I love it!

What do you think?

Bridesmaids Foodies

I found this great jewelry from Laura Lobdell inspired by all of those fun macaroni necklaces we made in kindergarten! But now with an adult twist! I am love with this fun play on jewelry!!! Take a peek at her website, check out the candy necklaces!

What a great gift for your bridesmaids! (or me me - ahem!):)

Puppy Love!

I don't want to be that person that only talks about her dog, like Molly over at MThree... (I am only kidding Molly, Ringo is too freakin' cute!!!)

But the other day I was in our home office and I hear something in the Laundry Room making some kind of ruckus - and I honestly have no idea what it is, so I call Bellini (our 11 month old Britney Spaniel) into the office and then the noise goes silent... so I know she is up to no good!

So I very gingerly walk into the Laundry Room, and here is what I find:

I think she was still hungry...don't you?

Check out...

Be sure to visit Be a Planner for some great advice!!! It's updated everyday! What are you waiting for, go now!

Congratutions Jesika and Willam!

It was a whirlwind of planning! We had 1 1/2 months to plan and nothing was done when she hired us, but it came together beautifully! And Jesika and William and their absolutely precious daughter Abigail were a blessing to work with!

Congratulations!!!

Vendors:

Ceremony: The Baughman Center, University of Florida

Flowers: Joan Prange - Pranges Florist

Reception: Manuels Vintage Room

Photography: Photography by Brenda

Cake: KB Kake Kreations - Kathy!!! She's amazing!

Oh no, you AIN'T Goin' There!

So, I just got home from a wedding - like literally, I am exhausted, ready to shower, and enjoy a nice glass of wine. But the funniest thing happened at this wedding and I just had to share it with you! Everything was perfect the guests were enjoying a fun afternoon of dancing and enjoying friends and family. The bride threw her bouquet and her friend of choice caught it, everyone was cheering and hooting and hollering! Then the groom's turn came to get the garter, and the photographer leans and down slightly to get a good shot, the groom sticks his head into the dress, and the bride points to the photographer and says, "OH NO, you AIN'T GOIN' in THERE!" It was so funny! The DJ didn't even know what to say next.

Goin' to the Chapel, and we're...

We have a client who's fiancee just got back from Iraq, and she is super nervous that on her wedding day next month she's going to freak out - in nervousness.

She mentioned a couple of months ago in jest - if I would marry {I am a notary} them before the ceremony just to ease their stress level....

Then last night I get an email asking if I could, please, please, please - if I could, if I would, be so kind as to do "a super quick nuptial, nothing fancy" - so folks...

There's going to be a wedding today, in my office!

Etiquettely Speaking...

The question was posed yesterday if it is etiquettely acceptable to send out a Save The Date as a postcard?

And to be quite frank with you, Yes.

Save the Dates can be anything you'd like. A formal letter explaining your wedding and where it is going to be, a magnet to hang on your dishwasher, a bookmark, a postcard, a formal card, really whatever you'd like it to be.

Basically the purpose behind the Save The Date is to do just that - make sure your friends and family mark their calendar for your wedding date - and whatever suits your personality is totally acceptable!

Now RSVP'ing via email to your wedding, well that's a whole nother story!

{the image is courtest of idovedesigns.com}

Wedding Day Timeline

I was absolutely honored when Darci at With This Ring asked me to be a Guest Blogger in her Expert Advice Column!

When you have some time check out our advice on Creating the Perfect Wedding Day Timeline. Here is a blurb, and the full article can be seen here.

...The timing of your wedding is a vital part of the entire wedding process. You are designing, producing and orchestrating a party for 200 of your closest friends and family. This timeline not only assists with the flow of your day for you, the bride, but also for all of your wedding vendors.

Let's Give her a Hand!

Hand Canceling that is... Having your invitations Hand Canceled just looks so much prettier!
Here is an example.

Machine Canceling:


Hand Canceled:

It's just a much more clean look. Although... not all post offices do it. You must inquire in advance, find out if you need to do the stamping or if they do.. and if you need to show up right as the post office opens- there are more rules.

But I totally think its worth it.

Queue Tip!

One of my pet peeves is when there are a herd of guests waiting to be seated - they are all wandering around like they are waiting for a man to get on the PA System and them them what to do next. (So I usually run around and let people know to go ahead and take their seats the bride and groom will be joining us shortly).

This is of course when there aren't place cards, people just honestly don't understand open seating it seems. Is open seating all it's cracked up to be?

First you need more tables, because although you have tables of 8 or 10, people leave 1 or 2, sometimes 3 seats open, so you wind up needing more places for your guests to find a place for their tushies.

I am all in favor of printing large boards (32x24) foam - dry mounted... depending on how many guests, you can use 1 or 2 or 3... It can be done DIY and to have them printed can cost between $15-$20 and can be just a beautiful as you'd like...

I am SO Lucky!

To have made such a fantastic connection with Erin at Lucky Designs! If you haven't ordered invitations from her, you MUST!!!

First, let's tell a story.

There once was a bride named Katie, she was the sweetest but busiest bride there ever was. Katie's fiancee Bradley was in Iraq, being a real life GI Joe. They were totally and utterly in love. And as Katie awaiting her sweet loves return so that they could be wed - she hired this fantastically-beautiful-and-oh so talented wedding consultant, who was fabulous by the way, named Melissa.

Katie didn't know where to start when she hired {the fabulous and oh so beautiful} Melissa, but they quickly got off on the right foot and everything started to fall into place.

When it came time to order her invitations Katie called the most beautiful and talented Wedding Consultant, Melissa to get some advice. Katie came into Melissa's office and really liked the Modern but sophisticated work of the lovely and ubberly talented, Erin.

Katie explained to Erin what she wanted, and Erin quickly returned with 5 samples for Katie to review, each with a uniquely and perfectly original monogram for Katie and Bradley.

Thanks to the fantasticalness we call the internet, they were able to make decisions on their invitations together. Katie ordered them and Erin shipped them, oh so timely!

Katie had to leave to go out of town very unexpectedly, and when she returned to her home she found a sopping wet box from UPS delivered right to her door step. This box was so wet that Katie's heart sunk when she picked it up and it was dripping all the way onto her kitchen table. She didn't even need scissors to open the box, it just sort of fell apart.

Once opened her heart leaped for joy as she saw that Erin had meticulously bubble wrapped and re-wrapped the inner water-proof box to match her invitations. Once Katie opened the box she found more cellophane to protect her dear, dear wedding invitations oh so carefully wrapped.

Then when she looked at her invitations she saw the most beautiful things she ever saw - the perfect shades of lilac and brown - and all of the invitations were addressed and she even included a stamp on the return post card.

Katie literally wept tears of joy as she read and re-read the beautiful invitations that she can call her own.

Thank you Erin for another job well done!

Honestly this pictures doesn't even do the invitation justice,they are G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S!!!!

Announcing!

I know you all have been waiting not so patiently for the BIG NEWS! So here it is!

I'd like to introduce to you a Be a Planner brought to you by our sister company MasterPiece Certified!

This is SO exciting! I've developed this new blog as part of an education program. For those of you that don't know already, MasterPiece Weddings, sister company MasterPiece Certified has been teaching people how to be wedding consultants since 2000!

The course we've written has been adapted by several large franchises to suit their own businesses...(but can be taken by anyone anywhere).

So, with that, I thought - I should start a blog to teach people the in's and out's and challenges we sometimes face in this industry.

It will be updated quite often, so check back for lots of great information.

There should have been Camera's!

Do you remember the post I did about not knowing what Wedding Consultants do? Well the other day I had my first meeting with the photographer in question.

Let me tell you it was some meeting! I was actually a bit nervous, I don’t know why – I’ve been doing initial consultations with brides for more than 15 years, so I shouldn’t have been nervous at all. That quickly faded, and I just went into business mode...

So we’ll call the photographer Carol and she shows up with her assistant, we’ll call her Maria – and they are acting like the most in love couple I’ve ever seen. They shake my hand and we start talking about their wedding.

I always want to gain insight into my clients – I want to know about them and what their dreams are.

So here are the basics of Carol and Maria’s wedding:

• Goth Themed Wedding
• At a Cemetery near Forsyth Square- in Savannah
• On Halloween
• Budget $75K
• 90 guests
• 15 Bridesmaids, 15 Groomsmen - and 4 dogs in the wedding
• Colors are Hippopotamus Grey, Black & White
• Our inspiration is Sazzy, Goth, Sizzle Chic
• Ultra Formal Goth - like Black Tie
• Music is Jack Johnson and Marilyn Manson
• Would like to use a Hearse as transportation
  

Their favorite foods include:

• Sushi
• Hot Dogs
• Pizza
• Peas
• Anything TGI Fridays
• Mac & Cheese Balls

And instead of cake.. no wait a black cake…no wait a HUGGGGE Tempura Fried Ice Cream – like HUGGGGE… like 5 feet across(so I politely suggested maybe a black cake with miniature tempura balls on the side of each plate)

I know it all sounds crazy and bizarre and I think that might be point of the whole thing... they wanted to test me under pressure, and it was fun and sometimes hard for all of us to keep a straight face.

I think Carol and Maria learned a lot about what I do, and I got a nice amount of insight from them as well!

But regardless it was my job to create their dream inspiration board for their dream wedding.

{click image to enlarge}

Something Big!

Something Really Big is....

Big News!

It's coming! Stay tuned!

Knottie Inspiration

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Having a Nautical Inspiration, doesn't have to mean - Sailor hats on your bridesmaids (nod to Clueless) - it can be inspired by the knots, and still have a classy feel - thanks Valerie for this great example!!!

All this week these boards have been a test for my interns this semester, I think they are doing a great job! Don't you?

Chocolate Love

{click image to enlarge}

I love to find inspiration for weddings in everyday items. Christine did this board, inspired by Chocolate Truffles, yummy, isn't it!

Candy Inspired Wedding!

{click to enlarge image}

Valerie used Gummy Bears as her inspiration for this wedding, super pretty- huh! All of the colors of candy and a bit of fun infused in the process!

You can absolutely use inspiration from anything you love! Tomorrow a Chocolate Truffle inspired board!

Pretty Things at The Beach!

{click image to enlarge}

Just a pretty pink beach wedding for you to feast your eyes upon this morning! So beautiful,

isn't it!