Happy New Year!

From all of us at MasterPiece Weddings, we wish you a super duper New Years!

Go out and have fun - make some do'able resolutions, and make the most of your year!

And remember: The rock that is an obstacle in the path of one person becomes a stepping stone in the path of another.

Sweetest Thing!

We recieved the nicest Thank You card from Kristina and Darren! I think this is a testimonial as to Why Hire a Wedding Planner! What a wedding planner does? And how a wedding planner can rock your socks off!

As a wedding planner in Gainesville, Florida (not a big city, nothing metropolitan here) sometimes the little things go a lot longer than you thought.  I just have to brag a bit...

Check out their wedding photo's here! {Thanks Gina Leigh!}

Dearest Melissa,

I'm not sure how we can even begin to thank you for all that you've done for us. We could have gone crazy trying to plan our wedding from Chicago! But you and your team kept us sane, organized and reminded us to enjoy the process and stop worrying about all of the little things.

You are truly perfection at what you do. From the first meeting you made us feel welcome and like instant friends. Thank you for being so available to your "Pedro" & Kristina! A simple phone call can relieve so much stress & resolve many things. We know how difficult it must be sometimes to be so accessible. We appreciate it, and hope we didnt' bother you too much!

Thank you for taking the time to really get ot know us, and listen to our hopes and wishes for our special day- without you, our vision could have been lost.

Thanks for being so much more than a wedding planner to us. Thanks for being a sympathetic ear, a therapist, and most importantly a friend. We already miss you, your office, and your hugs! We are always an email, facebook or phone call away! Let us know if you ever need anything!

Love,

Kristina and Darren

The sweetest, right?

Lucky Guest Blogger! Part Duex!

I love Erin's Inspiration boards, they are so pretty and festive! And I can't thank her enough for her Guest Posts!

This board began with the festive pinecone boutonniere from April Hiler Designs. Black and white is, of course, a favorite palette of mine, and it is an easy palette to customize to any and every season. Red is a perfect choice for a holiday accent color!

Sources: Pinecone boutonniere - April Hiler Designs on Etsy; Cake- Real Simple Weddings; Bouquet on Chair - Anna Williams; Bride's hair - Eclectic Images Photography; Drink - Sweet Paul; Shoes - Jayd Gardina Photography; Bride - TM Photography; Candles - Erin Ever After; Pretzels - Sweet Paul; Invitation - My Personal Artist; Coffee - Just be spLendid 

Lucky Guest Blogger!

We have some fantastic guest bloggers in the coming weeks, I hope you enjoy their posts, they are some of my very favoritest people in the whole wide blogesphere! If you don't ready Erin's blog, you are missing out! She is full of amazing designs, inspriation, and wit - LOVE HER! So without further ado, Erin....

My favorite color this holiday season is blue. Blue feels romantic and festive. I like the idea of adding a touch of gold and green to make it unusual and unique.

If you are planning a wedding over the holidays, did you choose classic, traditional colors or go with something out of the box?

Sources: Ring Pillow - 5eizen; Bridal Party - Ashley Brockinton Photography; Tree - The Enchanted Closet via Victoria with Roses; Shoes - Jose Villa via Concrete and Honey; Bride - Brides; Confetti via Nice Package; Gifts - Martha Stewart; Cake -Martha Stewart Weddings; Earrings - Star of the East on Etsy; Enjoy - W.Scott Chester Photography

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

From our entire family to yours! I hope your holidays are full of wonderment and suprises!!

Winter Boards: Red & Green

Happy Christmas Eve from MasterPiece Weddings! Since we are in the Christmas spirit, we're ending our Winter Board week inspired by reds and greens.

{table}{shoes}{vases}{place cards}{ornaments}{suit}{cocktail}{bridal party}{cake}{invitations}

What do you think?

Winter Boards: All White

How pretty is this all white board created by our intern Melissa? We think it's so fresh and romantic!

{dress}{suit}{cake}{sparklers}{centerpieces}{champagne}{place cards}{napkins}{place setting}{invitations}{bouquet}

Winter Boards: White & Blue

Sources: Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3, Photo 4, Photo 5, Photo 6, Photo 7, Photo 8

Winter Boards: Red & Aqua

This week we are featuring winter inspiration boards in honor of the upcoming holiday. We paired red and aqua together for an unexpected color combination and look how beautiful it came out:

{table}{invitations}{cake}{place cards}{truffle}{favor boxes}{shoes}{berries}{bridesmaids}

What do you think?

Vendorzilla: Photographer

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Photographerzilla... do you realize that after the wedding, you are what the bride and groom have. Your work. Your albums (hopefully!) Your referrals... not if you are a Photographerzilla! Please, don't zilla'ize yourself!

Photographerzilla, if you want to be at the rehearsal, that'd be great! If you ask to chat with the bridal party for a minute or two, that's great too... but don't turn that 2 minutes into a 30 minute speech about how you'd like things to run tomorrow... uh, not your day.

Photographerzilla, I sent you the timeline in advance we talked about it... you discussed it, we adjusted it to suit your needs... so on the wedding day, if you say you need another 20 minutes, it's really not a big deal, until it starts messing with the other vendors... like, dinner.

Photographerzilla, sounds obviously...but be on time... show up.

Photographerzilla, don't delete the bride and grooms wedding pictures from your memory cards until they are uploaded to your computer in at least duplicate... cuz I've seen photographers loose entire weddings. Literally.

Photographerzilla, meet your deadlines for albums. If you promise an album in 6-8 months after the wedding and a year goes by and the bride and groom still don't have an album (and they met your deadlines) they are gonna be mad.

Photographerzilla, don't scream to your staff at the wedding in the middle of the ceremony. HEY OVER THERE! Everyone can hear you... unprofessional!

Photographerzilla, don't cut the Father of the Bride in the buffet line! I promise you'll get to eat...

Photographerzilla, don't scream curse words at your staff. Everyone can hear you. And it's really bad form if your staff is your wife.

What are your fears for a photographerzilla?

Vendorzilla: Florist

{Photo}

Dear Floristzilla, a bride usually has some very specific ideas for her flowers, or her colors, or her look. And she really puts a lot of stock in you to help her make her vision come true. You can quickly go from being her best friend to her floristzilla...

Floristzilla, if a bride shows you a picture of a bouquet and says she wants it to look exactly like that, make sure that the bride in the picture isn't a size 2 and this your client is a size 14, that will make a difference in the size of the bouquet. And you don't want her to ultimately be disappointed.

Floristzilla, please realize how important colors are to brides. If her colors are Burgandy and Rose, and the blooms show up to you and they are hot pink... please know that isn't going to be acceptable. Fix it before you deliver the bouquets.

Floristzilla, if there is a problem, address it, you ignoring the situation doesn't make things any better. It does in fact, make it worse.

Floristzilla, communication is K-E-Y! Please communicate, don't wait 3 weeks to return a call, don't answer other calls in a meeting with your clients, don't be late to meetings, don't not meet the contract obligations.

Floristzilla, if the bride tells you she has $10,000 to spend and your initial proposal comes back $30,000 that is going to scare her off. Don't do that. And then, don't come back and ask me what happened...

Floristzilla, don't get on your high horse during a meeting, there is already a lot of emotions going on when a wedding is being planned. And additional drama queen (or king) is not necessary.

Wow! There are so many more... what would make your florist a "zilla"?

Vendorzilla: DJ

{Source}

DJzilla... WOW! Don't be this guy....

Djzilla, we love you, and we want you to make this party awesometastic! So, really... help me out!

Djzilla, just because you are a rockstar DJ on Rock The Buzz 101.1 and your morning show listeners love to hear your voice, doesn't mean you should talk through the whole reception.

Djzilla, there is a timeline for a reason. We developed the order of events with the bride and groom. Please don't willy-nilly change it. It really confuses everything.

Djzilla, don't sing over the music... someone sings that song, and was paid really good money to make that music, you are ruining it.

Djzilla, you are an Mceeing the event, you actually need to let people know when things are going to happen. Speak english into the microphone... don't mumble... please!

Djzilla, uncomfortable silences are uncomfortable for a reason... please play music constantly... otherwize it sounds like a cafeteria!

Djzilla, if you cannot speak English well, scratch that... if you cannot speak English... and your words all sound slurred together, practice your words.

Djzilla, please don't get trashed at the wedding. You are there to work, not get so drunk that we need to call you a cab.

This goes back to using professionals! Please use professionals and you won't have this problem. Get references. If you are working with a Professional Wedding Planner, you'll be able to get professional recommendations from us, about who to use...and who not to.

Vendorzilla: Caterer

Caterzilla... oh how we love your food, but your 'tude is killing us!

This post is not about one particular caterer, but about all of the things that caterers can do that make them a 'zilla.

Caterzilla, it would be nice to see an estimate within a few week of meeting with a client. Waiting 9 weeks and then wondering why the client didn't choose you... hmmm.

Caterzilla, if my client wants to know what ingredients are in something you make, it's probably because there is a food allergy, please don't lie. No one is trying to steal your recipes, we just want to make sure that no one dies.

Caterzilla, if my client has menu questions and they email you.... and you don't email them back - EVER. They are bound to be ticked off.

Caterzilla, if someone asks you if you have a set menu to choose from and you don't... and you only do custom menu's for clients, that's okay, but let them know. Don't hang up on them.

Caterzilla, sometimes taking the high road is better than sabatoging an event... oh and doing that, would be just wrong. The high road is always better.

Caterzilla, if you staff is rude - please handle the situation.

Caterzilla, don't blame the bride and groom for your wrong doings... that just upsets everyone.

Again, these are not examples of just my events, they are from my friends who are wedding planners too. From all over... these are all situations that were handled, alot behind the scenes and can all be avoided.

Moral of the story: Hire professionals.

Vendorzilla: Make Up

{Photographer: Powers Photography}

I love this picture! Brittany was just such a beautiful bride! And a joy to work with! {PSA - She didn't have a make-upzilla... I just liked the picture}

This week I am going to talk a little bit about 'zilla's. Everyone has heard of the term Bridezilla and frankly... I am not a fan. Honestly, we are blessed, we have amazing brides! I love our brides! If I could collect them all and put them in a little box and keep them with me all of the time I would!

But sometimes you have a vendor that you are working with that forgets, it's the bride's day. And there are 30 other vendors that you are working with that day to make sure that HER day is perfect.

This week is dedicated to that vendor... the its-all-about-me-vendor-who-runs-on-their-own-time-schedule-and-doesn't-care-about-anyone-else-but-them vendor.

Vendorzilla! {insert the dum, dum-dummmmmmmmm music}

Make-upzilla, please return calls that are made to you. If a bride or a wedding planner call you, actually if anyone calls, it's always poliet to return our calls.

Make-upzilla, if you wouldn't mind writing our bride's schedule in our planner so that on the wedding day, when you have 5 girls to do, you don't leave after doing just one...

Make-upzilla, it would be nice if you remembered to write our brides wedding date and trial in your book so that when we call to confirm you know what we are talking about.

Make-upzilla, we create a timeline and give you an hour per face, if you need more time, please let us know. And don't tell us you need 15 minutes per person, when really you need more. That doesn't help anyone.

Make-upzilla, it would also be nice if you remembered the price quoted so that when we call to confirm you are coming, you don't just pull a number out of your your-you-know-what.

Make-upzilla, if you have it noted to come to the brides location where she is getting ready, don't all of a sudden force her to come to the salon... and add a $350 travel fee to the bill.

Keep in mind these are all situation that we've had to work through, through the years. Most, if not all of them were resolved, without the bride knowing!

That is the beauty of having a wedding planner! Allow your wedding planner to handle the details, you just relax and remember it's YOUR day! Your dream day should be perfect!

Blogs We Love: Hostess With The Mostest

When I first started blogging I fell in love with Hostess with the Mostess her pictures and her style - ahhh-mazing! If you haven't been there for recipes, decor ideas, drink recipes... really tons and tons of inspiration... you need to!

Blogs We Love: Planning...Forever Events

Not that I play favorites, but one of my favorite people planners... is planning....forever events (don't tell her, it'll give her a big head) her personality totally shines through in her writing, and it made me fall in love with her.

Yup, I have a blog crush.

Blogs We Love: Cocktails & Details

When you are looking for a fun blog, with tons of great information, look no further than Cocktails and Details. Great drink recipes, beautiful weddings, and everything I need to make me smile.

Blogs We Love: Lucky Designs

Check out Lucky Me! for beautiful inspiration boards, gorgeous monograms! Beautiful!!!

Blogs We Love: With This Ring

This week, I wanted to show you some of my favorite blogs, there are 100s on my Google Reader, but some of my favorites for inspiration and knowledge.

Take a peek and if you haven't added these to your Google Reader... you must!

First up, With This Ring... great for real wedding inspiration, with tons of real life wedding tips! (and life tips!)

Green & Gray

Intern Melissa did such a great job with this green and gray inspiration board, didn't she?

{table}{favors}{cake}{suit}{bridesmaids}{cocktails}{shoes}{bride}{bouquet}

Event Insurance

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One thing you don't think about is having insurance on your wedding day. I mean, think about it. You have it on your house, your car, your health, your life.

But what about insuring a party. Have you thought about that... if you answered no, you probably should and here is why...

You insure things for events that you can't think about, not necessarily for things you can. For instance - you are probably a 20-something, or even a 30-something, you don't think about dying... but what if you did... that's why you have life insurance.

You are having a wedding, the biggest day of your whole-wide-life! Probably the most expensive party you are throwing to this day. What if something happens... something big... or something not so big.

What If's:

• Your reception venue burns down
• Your photographer has a tragic accident
• All of your images from your photographer are stolen from their car after your wedding
• You caterer goes out of business the day before your event
• Your florist forgets about your wedding
• Your ceremony site is eaten by a massive sink hole the day before your wedding
• Your guests get ridiculously drunk and cause major damage to your reception facility

All of these things have happened! And almost all of them can be fixed at the last minute, but what if... what if... what if! It's not about what we can plan for, it's about what we can't plan for.

That is why you have event insurance... We love WedSafe, it's very reasonablely priced, and can really cover your ass...ets.

Because it's about you, andthe details, and what you aren't thinking about. So now, you won't have to think about it.

Check Out Our Clients!

How cute hot are our clients!? Jen and Tony had their engagement session done by Footstone Photography. Footstone did an aaahhh-mazing job, don't you think?!

What are your favorite ideas for engagement sessions?

Hints on Tastings

Photographer: Rebecca Jones

I love cake! I mean I seriously LOVE CAKE! So when a client asks me what to look for in a cake, I take that very seriously... probably too seriously. Nahhh... it's cake!

How do you taste a cake to make sure that you love it, that it's everything you want it to be, especially your wedding cake!?!?

That's a great question, and I am so glad you asked!

We've actually talked about MasterPiece Weddings and how we do cake tastings for our clients. But let's talk about the actual tasting part.

First, look at the cake, does it look pretty... even if it's just a slice of cake. Is it crumbly or is it a nice moist piece of cake.

Second, check out the filling, is it pretty and glossy... if its fruit, does it look like the fruit it's supposed to be... if it's Strawberry and Cream, does it look like it?

Now you can taste it... but wait!

Taste the filling first, do you like it, is it tasty?

Taste the cake next... Yummy? Moist? Delicious?

Taste the frosting next... what do you think? Too Sweet? Grainy? Deliciously perfect?

Now taste them all together! How do they taste all together, perfect? Be thinking about how the flavors meld in your mouth, do you like the way they all come together?

It should!

That is my idea of the perfect cake tasting!

Now bring on the coffee!

Peach & Gray

How sweet is this peach & gray inspiration bourd our intern Melissa made?

{table}{invitations}{drinks}{cake}{placecards}{bridesmaids}

{groomsmen}{bouquet}{jewelry}{car}{bride}{shoe}

What do you think?

Invitation Week: SWOONOVERIT

We are ending our Invitation Week with SWOONOVERIT, the Modern Calligraphy Studio by our very own associate planner, Amanda Young. Here is the sneak peak to her fabulous work:

Don't forget to check out the SWOONOVERIT Blog while you're at it!

Invitation Week: Lucky Designs

Next up on our Invitation Week is Lucky Designs. Here is your sneak peak:

The Lucky Designs blog, Lucky in Love, provides updates on designs and real wedding inspiration.

Happy Thanksgiving!

{Source for Image}

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at MasterPiece Weddings! There is so much for to be Thankful for, please take a moment today (as we all should everyday) to give thanks for the amazing blessing in your life!

Just a few things we are thankful for:

• Our amazing clients! I am not just saying that, this past year, we were blessed beyond imaginable levels with how incredible our clients have been! We have definately made friends for a lifetime!
• The vendors that we get to work with day in and day out, how amazing they are, and the incredible lifelong friendships that have come out of those relationships!
• The planners that we love! And I mean that, I know that every wedding planner on the planet is supposed to be our competition, but I find so much influence and guidance from my fellow wedding planners. {You know who you are!}
• Amanda and Erinn - really, this year has been full of amazing'ness for MasterPiece Weddings! We love Gainesville Weddings, and have had the pleasure of doing some amazing things together, and I am so blessed to have them in my life and on my team!
• And if I can get personal and sappy for a moment, my husband and my family! Really, with out you John, to bounce idea's off of, and be my marketing guru, I don't know that our company would be as cool as it is! And my sister - I heart you big alot! You are amazing!

Can't wait for 2010! Thank you for an amazing year! {so far}

Invitation Week: The LV Studio

Next up on our Invitations Week is The LV Studio by Leslie Vega. Her modern invitation suites and letterpress designs are so fun and fresh.

Don't forget to check out Leslie's blog, The Studio Scoop!

Invitation Week: Penned & Pretty

So many brides do not realize the impression hand addressed invitations make on your guests. Not to mention, they are beautiful and make the entire invitation suite THAT much better!

Jessica Lynn of Penned & Pretty owns a little calligraphy shop. Here are some of her styles:

Don't forget to check out the Penned & Pretty Blog as well as Jessica Lynn's other blog, Tying the Knot.

Invitation Week: Unique Designs

Last week we caught up with some local Photographers and gave you a sneak peak to their beautiful images. This week, we're celebrating the local vendors who makes our client's invitations just GORGEOUS!

Unique Designs is up first. These young Gainesville graphic designers always have a ton of fun projects going on..

Don't forget to check out the Dare to be Unique blog for constant updates and wedding inspirations!

*Photo by Dawn McKinstry Photography

Local Photographer Week: Gina Leigh Photography

Our next featured photographer is Gina Leigh Photography. Gina Leigh happens to shoot strictly film images. Here's a little preview of her work:

Don't forget to check out Gina Leigh's blog for some fabulous updates and previews to her work!

Local Photographer Week: Kara Pennington

To end our Local Photographer Week we are featuring Kara Pennington Photography. Check out these fabulous sneak peaks:

Check out the Kara Pennington Photography blog for more up to date pictures!

We hope you enjoyed our Local Photography Week, we had so much fun looking through all of our local photographers and featuring them for our readers. Happy Friday!

Local Photographer Week: TJM Studios

How fun are all of the photographers we are featuring this week? We are loving seeing the differences in styles and personalities!

Up next is TJM Studios. Here is a sneak peak:

The TJM Studios blog can be found here. Enjoy!

Local Photographer Week: Photography 35

Photography 35 is another husband and wife team here in Gainesville, Florida.

Their blog is constantly updated with photographs and their family sessions are just amazing!

Local Photographer Week: Caroline Johnson Photography

Caroline Johnson Photography is our next feature on the MasterPiece Weddings Local Photography Week. Here's a sneak peak:

Caroline Johnson's blog, Life with Caroline, is full of entertaining images and must see sessions!

Local Photographer Week: Jemma Coleman Photography

Next up, MasterPiece Weddings is featuring the fabulous Jemma Coleman located right here in Gainesville, Florida.
Check out the Jemma Coleman Photography Blog for her wedding, engagement, and family portrait updates!