Give-Away Week: Free Honeymoon

One of our very favorite wedding favors is custom fortune cookies. Not only are they beautiful, but they are delicious. And, not only do guests get to enjoy them or take them with them for later, but you can include a custom fortune inside -- a fabulous surprise for your guests as they crack them open!

So, it is with great joy to tell you about Fancy Fortune Cookies who, incidentally, made my very own wedding favors (and did a fabulous job, might I add). 

Fancy Fortune Cookies, a company which as been featured in wedding publications as prestigious as The Knot and Martha Stewart Weddings (among others), is celebrating its 20th year in business. And, to celebrate, they have teamed up with Sandals Resorts to give away a free Dream Honeymoon Package at any Sandals or Beaches Resort along with $175 towards custom fortune cookie wedding favors. 

So, what are you waiting for? Head on over to the Dream Honeymoon website and enter for your free honeymoon! What could be a better way to start your lives together?

Give-Away Week Continues!

Now this is a give-away you can get excited about! And you can enter here in the comments section! Brought to you by MasterPiece Weddings and Sally Hansen!

You'll receive 10 lipgloss shades of Sally Hansens new Diamon 12 Hour Lip Treatment! It's amazing, I tested one (they sent me one to test...) of the shades out, and it lasted almost 10 hours, though Starbucks, Breakfast, Meetings, drinking... the whole day! It did loose some shimmery'ness.... but all in all, for a gloss, I was pretty impressed!

The colors include fun bridaly names like, Eternity, Gem, Princess, Fance, Elegance, Tiara, Solitare and more! I have 4 sets to give away, so tell your friends and neighbors!

So to enter:

1. Leave a comment in the comments section by Friday, May 15th at Midnight. (anyone can enter!)
2. Use a blogger account, so that I can find you and your email address so that I can let you know you won.
3. That's it... just thought there should be an even number of rules.

Give-Away Week Continues!

In these economic times we are are all trying to cut back, but how about a free honeymoon!!! Pre-Owned Wedding Dresses.com is giving away a $2000 Honeymoon Package, from Marriott Hotels!!

You can enter everyday through June 30th! How exciting!!

I wish you the best of luck!!

Photo Source

Give-Away Week Begins!

So many of my friends are doing amazing giveaways, and I wanted to share the love with you, our loyal readers!

So check these out!

How amazing is this, our really good friends at Allure Event Consulting are giving away this incredible Customized Cigar Set! You can enter here, but only for a limited time!

What are you waiting for? Got to Allure's blog... now!

Ten Tips!

One of my favorite blogs has posted Ten Tips from 10 Wedding Planners, and I feel honored to have been chosen as one of the 10!!!

Take a peek and get some fantastical advice from some of the best in the business! And thank you to Terrica for including us!

Twitter Lives!

So, not to long ago, I blogged about being a Twitter Quitter - but I am happy to tell you that I have learned the error of my ways, and I am proudly a contributing Twitter'er!

Please follow us WeddingPlanner1 - I'd love for you to hear all about our weddings, and the tips we give - as well as some of the fun things that go on in my life.

Check us out on Twitter! I'd love to have you!

Beautiful Light!

I hear some brides complain about certain timing to take photographs, and honestly, I always refer back to the photographer. What do they think the best time of the day, where is the best light. They have an eye for light that I don't.

Photographers can see things - that we just see. The way the light falls through the trees in our eyes is not the same as there's. They are artists in their own rights.

At the end of a wedding the girls and I were cleaning a few things up and Stewart Powers took us outside and asked us to stand in a particiular spot and took some amazng pictures of us... what do you think? Isn't the light amazing!!!

{Kristin, Me, and Maggie}

{Kristin, Me and Maggie}

I love that light, don't you!!!

Moral of the story: Listen to your photographer.

Natucial Beauty!

With Spring in full swing, we were feeling beachy around here, what do you think of Maggie's inspiration board?

Cake:, Groom:, Table:, beach pic: , bouquet:, Table Setting, starfish

To Print or Not to Print

Were you thinking about having your bridesmaids wear printed dresses? Before you have them buy your favorite patterned dress, think about your photographs.

Sure, a printed dress looks great on a hanger, but next to five other girls with accessories and bouquets, things could start getting cluttered and take the attention off of yourself and the groom. Check out these pictures for a better idea:

Instead, try pairing your solid color dresses with fun colored heels or other accessories. Your bridesmaid’s will still look beautiful, and your pictures will focus right where you want them to, on you!

Tell me what you think!

sources: Picture 1, Picture 2, Picture 3,  Picture 4, Picture 5

Food for Thought!

Were you thinking of using a family friend or new small local business to cater your wedding?


Think again!

Even though you may save money using one of these outlets, your reception will not have the same quality as it would if you had a professional wedding caterer. When hiring any vendor for your wedding, make sure they have wedding experience because it’s completely different from any other celebration.

The caterer needs to be able to adhere to the strict timeline and work quickly and efficiently so the guests are never wondering why it is taking so long to get a glass of water or their next course of the meal. It’s important to have the very best service on your special day!!

Here are some questions you should ask before hiring a caterer:

1. Have they ever catered a wedding before? (sounds like a stupid question, but you will be surprised…)

2. What is their price range? Are costs itemized depending on the foods you choose, or is there an all-inclusive flat rate? What would that include (linens, tax, gratuities, etc.)? Does the caterer have printed price sheets for food selections?

3. Will the caterer provide tables, chairs, plates, table linens, silverware, salt-and-pepper shakers, and more? Ask to see these items to make sure they're acceptable. Do you have to rent tables, place settings, and/or other equipment or will they arrange for the rentals?

4. Who is the main contact? Will the same person you work with when planning also oversee meal service on the day of the party? (You want this to be the case.) And what will their role me that day, will they be a server or supervisor!

5. Is the caterer working any other events or parties on the same weekend, on the same day, or at the same time as yours? (You want to be sure they will devote sufficient attention to you. You may want to pass on a smaller outfit who indicates they have another job or two scheduled for that day.)

6. Will the caterer provide wait staff? If so, what will they be wearing? Have those servers EVER served before?

7. Will the caterer be willing to include a recipe you provide, like a special family dish, or an appetizer with some sort of sentimental significance? Can they prepare vegetarian or kosher meals for some of your guests if needed?

8. Where will the food be prepared? Are there on-site facilities, or do you, the caterer, and the site manager need to make additional arrangements? If the caterer must bring in his or her own equipment, is there an additional fee?

9. Does the caterer have a license? (This means the business has met health department standards and has liability insurance -- make sure this includes a liquor license if you're having a bar.)

10. Can the caterer provide alcohol? Or can you handle the bar separately? If you can provide it, is there a corkage fee? How and when do you get the alcohol to the caterer?

I am not saying that a brand new caterer is not hire-able, but I want you to know what you are getting into, everyone has to start someone, and having a game plan is a great place to start!

Source

Kristin and Taylor - Splendid!

Last but not least in this mini-series, details and fun!

{so HOT!}

Photography by: Munoz Photography

Kristin and Taylor, Part 2

I am just in love with the colors of this wedding! Simply beautiful!! I can't get enough!

What do you think of the bride wearing teal?

I love it!!

Part 2: Breathtaking

Kristin and Taylor - Simply Amazing!

Do you remember this inspiration board? Well, it was created for Kristin and Taylor, and their wedding was amazing! The bride wore teal, a deep amazing teal, and the florals were the deepest burgandy - the feel of the wedding was intimate and fun!

With Champagne and Cotton Candy served at the cocktail hour, and a beautiful intimate day, with tons of time for photographs... I guess that's what you get the one of the most amazing photographers daughter gets married... simply amazing'ness!

This is the perfect example of why having a photographer there to capture the entire day is important, every intimate moment was captured, whether Susan (the brides mommy) was looking on from afar watching her daughter get dressed, or Stewart (the brides daddy) glimpsed over to see is baby girl getting ready for her wedding day.

There are so many images - So I bring you Part 1: Getting Ready - Together

Simply Amazing Right! There is more to come, stay tuned!

Photography by:  Munoz Photography

Register Yourself!

I recieved an email the other day asking about registering for gifts- I was hoping to get my readers fantabulous input!

Let me know what you think, in the comments.

So... My cousin is getting married in a few weeks, the issues was that him and his fiance didn't register very many places (read: ONE) and they already live together so they have an entire house full of stuff already. And to top it off what was on the registry I wasn't in love with by any means.


So what's a family member (or generous friend) to do?! We're going in on a family gift so we are looking to spend more money then I would on a friend but... then what do I buy?! Yikes!

I suggested a TV (which my mom shot down) and a Kegerator (also shot down). Her argument was a TV would not last the life of their marriage - but other then ugly china you never use what does?



We have settled on a wine refriderator.
 
Now, it's your turn, what do you think, do you think that it's the couples way of asking for cash gifts? Or is it just harder as you get older and already have 2 houses full of stuff to register? Maybe it's that they want that "stuff" that she isn't in love with... You tell me!


Photo Source

Dave and Leslie!! Part 2

There were so many incredible images taken by Power's Photography, I thought we might as well continue it on today!

What do you think? Are you in love with this wedding as much as I am?

Photography by: Powers Photography