Flashback!

I can't believe I am about to do this! I seriously just can't - but I am. Saundra over at planning...forever events recently wrote a post on the things she would change if she could marry her husband all over again. Well that got me thinking - my husband and I got married in the early 90's and there are SO many things that just, well, don't work now-a-days - HUGE flowers, HUGE dresses- HUGE hair, HUGE headpieces, I mean things were BIG and by big I mean ridiculous! But one good thing was that Photojournalism was just becoming BIG (that might be our only saving grace!)

We got married on an little teeny tiny budget and just couldn't afford a professional photographer, luckily being a wedding planner and knowing some of the best of the best - Powers Photography offered to do some photographs of John and I prior to the wedding if we were willing to get into our wedding gear and pose for a class. (a class of like 12 people staring intensely at you while you were all intimate). So we did. Luckily we did, because we only have one good picture of us at our wedding, seriously, one picture of us kissing on the deck - so you can't even see our faces.

I seriously cannot thank Susan and Stewart Powers enough, they truly created images for us that we'll have forever. And even though they weren't on our wedding day, and they weren't in the location we got married, that doesn't matter to me -

So on your wedding day if you are thinking of having Aunty Marge take photographs for you and even if she's really good with the camera, do you want to take that chance? Photographs of your wedding aren't expensive, they are priceless!

Hey! A girl has to be comfortable, right!?!?!?

Us, just chilling out on a bench while he takes some time to rub my feet - don't you just love that headpiece! It's awesome - and HUGE!
This is us (I think that John is thinking to himself - "Really, I have to get this close and have 12 people watching me and be intimate, it's like 100 degrees outside....HELLO!"

Oh and PS - his tux vest was GOLD - and I mean like Gold Lamme - not like a pretty yellow'y gold, NO it was like being encased in velvet - GOLD! Yup, we got married in the early 90's!

Baking for Christmas!

So there is something about December - I bake, and I bake and I bake! I love to cook, I love to experiment in the kitchen, I do that all year round. Most of my friends think I am a crazed lunatic that likes to think I am a Gourmet Chef in a wedding consultant's body.... but they are just crazy. Unlike me of course, who this year decided to tackle making home made puff pastry - see I am not crazy. Just insane!

Have you even attempted to make home made Palmiers? Well I did, I started this process last Saturday evening, grating frozen butter into a mix of flour and baking soda.... and then into the fridge it went (over night for me...) then the rolling, folding and chilling, rolling, folding and chilling, rolling, folding and chilling - okay you get it, lots of rolling folding and chilling...

Well last night was the big debut! So I rolled out my dough onto the Cinnamon and sugar and rolled and rolled and rolled (my arms are literally sore today!) and folded, and cut - and cut- and cut- and prayed to the heaven above that all of this work wouldn't produce a gloppy mess.

And what I wound up with in the end, looks pretty much like the picture above! They taste amazing!!! (well I think so) and I totally think they were worth all of the work!!! If you are in a patient mood, and love to bake - try this recipe, your family and friends will go insane over them!

Vendor Contracts - Part 3

Bands and DJ's can make or break the party, so don't just believe what you hear - make sure your band or DJ contract includes everything listed below.

And if you are in the industry this book is fantastic! It's written by my friend Peter Merry and you are looking for fun ways to change up your timeline but still keep things running smoothly - or you are a bride and looking for ways to personalize your reception, he's the guy - he has some amazingly fun ideas! Check it out!

Name and contact information for your client and the vendor

• Your wedding date, address of location, and exact arrival time


• Whether the bandleader/DJ will also serve as emcee


• The number of hours the band/DJ will work
  
• Any equipment you or the site needs to supply: chairs, tables, music stands, amplifiers
• Equipment the band/DJ will supply
• Songs you have specifically requested as must-plays (or date by which you need to supply list)


• Any songs you definitely don’t want played
  
• What the musicians/DJ will wear
• Any agreement for you to supply CD’s/sheet music
  


• Total Price
  


• Overtime rate, should your reception run long
  
• Deposit amount
• Deposit amount due
  


• Balance due date
  


• Cancellation and refund policy
  


• Bandleader or DJ’s signature

Of course, the actual contracts are important, you'll also learn ALOT of what you need or want to know from other vendors as well and through the grapevine (although don't believe everything you hear) it's good to know what other people are thinking. Small communities or big cities, the wedding/event world is a place all it's own.

In case you haven't checked it out...

Take a peek (well, listen) at this Wedding PodCast - if you haven't heard of it, it's the Who's Wedding is it Anyway? Gang, talking frankly about being a wedding planner, being on TV and just the ins and out's of being a consultant in general. If you ever thought of being a wedding planner, or wanted to know what we think - spend of some and take a listen!

Enjoy!

Vendor Contracts- Part Deux!

Let's talk about your venue, even just for a moment. I mean you have to have the reception some where, even if its at your house (then maybe it'd be rental contract for the tent, but even so, it's a place). Financially, this is the most important aspect of the wedding, because it is where the most money is spent (50% remember), so make sure that the site and the contract are "legit". If you are working with a national hotel, it is more likely to have a legal contract, but make sure they are not nickel and dime'ing, and if they are, then know those amounts ahead of time so you are not surprised.

• Total cost and line item break down of what's included



• Exact date and time of the wedding



• Exact location(s) of the wedding reception (Ballroom A or the Pelican Room)



• Detailed list of everything the venue will provide



• The name of the site representative who will be on hand on your wedding day



• Proof of Liability insurance and liquor license



• Amount of deposit and when it was paid



• Balance outstanding and when it is due (or the payment schedule)



• Cancellation policy/refund policy



• Anything else you agreed to orally, make sure you get it written down so you have proof, you can always add amendments to contracts - don't be afraid to ask!!!

Also have a exact drawing of how you'd like the room set up, we recently did a wedding at a Hilton and they provided a CAD drawing of the room, so we crossed out the tables we didn't need and numbered the tables on the layout how we wanted it.... when we got there for set up the banquet captain had just set up the tables as we had numbered leaving a HUGE gap between the doors and where the tables were started.... even spacing would have been nice. They fixed it, but if the drawing had been more accurate, it would have been one less stressor.

Monday Fun!

We had the best time this past Friday night with some friends playing Cranium! If you've never played, or think you are just "not a board game sort of person" like my husband.... we ALL (husband included) had a fabulous time! I don't think I've laughed that hard in a long time!

And if any of you can help me - tell me how I could have better "charades" Tofu - that'd be great!

Happy Monday! (and Happy 100th Posts birthday to me!!!)

Vendor Contracts - Part 1

This week I am going to give you some basic tips on things to look for in your vendor contracts, because after all planning a wedding is all about Contracts, Contracts, Contracts - just like a realtor is all about Locations, Location, Location - you can't have a wedding unless you KNOW for certain that things will take place and your insurance is that there is a solid contract. Let's start with Photography - here are some things to keep an eye out for:

• All locations where the photographer will be expected to take photographs with addresses and starting times.


• Estimated number of hours included i the package or allotted for your wedding day


• The name of the acceptable substitute in case of an emergency


• The names of the photographer that will be working for you and any assistants


• Number of camera that will be used, and which formats


• Number of proofs and if they belong to you afterwards or if the photographer remains in possession of them


• Schedule for delivering your proofs and/or final album


• What is the total cost


• Is there an overtime fee?


• Cancellation or refund policy


• Do you have to feed your photographer? If so, what?

These are all things that seem like "Duh!" things to know, but you'd be surprised what might surprise you!

Are we Lost?

So now that you know the order you walk down the aisle in, where do you go from there?

I made this little football play sheet to show you who's where - for a Christian Style ceremony. This shows who's side is whom's, and the line of sight, which is important because you don't want to block any one's view of the ceremony.

A few things to keep in mind, bridal party always watches the ceremony, so while people are walking down the aisle, they watch that, then pivot slightly to watch the ceremony, etc. This way everyone is always at the same angle.

A little hint, at the point during the ceremony when the bide has to hand her bouquet over to the Maid of Honor. I also ask the Maid of Honor to put her arm out slightly so the bride can see it in her peripheral vision. And she can then remember, OH I need to give my bouquet to someone so my soon-to-be husband can hold both my hands. It makes a prettier dance. I think.

Have a great weekend! And to my Wedding Planning friends, work hard, and make their dreams come true!

Who's on First? Part 2!

So for a Jewish Ceremony things are done a little differently - however, some Christians have adapted some of the typically Jewish traditions to their ceremony. I think it's nice because the Jewish traditions really show how much family is involved in your lives.

A little explanation:

The Rabbi (R) walks down first, sometimes with the Cantor (C) which is optional, but a nice touch, the Cantor usually sings down the aisle and it's really beautiful!

The Cantor is followed by the Groomsmen (GM) either in single file or together in pairs. Then the Bestman (BM2) is next.

The Father of the Groom (FOG) along with the Groom (G) and the Mother of the Groom (MOG) are next -all together.

The Bridesmaids (BM) are next again, either single file or together. Followed by the Maid of Honor (MOH).

Then the Ring Bearer (RB) and Flowergirl (FG) either together (which I think is totally cute) or separately. Either way is totally fine!

Then the Father of the Bride (FOB) the Bride (B) and the Mother of the Bride (MOB).

All of the family members stand under the huppah (Jewish wedding canopy) which can be made from an Indian sari, or any kind of fabric that covers the bride and groom and their families. Just make sure that the creation will not offend any of the guests.

The bridal party doesn't usually stand underneath the huppah, but to the sides.

More tomorrow on the ceremony - now that you know the order of how to get up there, what happens next? Stay tuned!

Who's On First?

For some reason I've been asked very recently quite a bit the order that you are supposed to walk down the aisle - WARNING - Shameless Plug Ahead - if you were to hire us, we'd handle this for you.

But for those of you that are unable, here you go, the first ones to walk down the aisle in a Non-Denominational Ceremony or a Traditional Christian Ceremony goes something like this:

• Any Special People in your lives, Aunts, Uncles, God-Parents; followed by
• GrandParents of the Groom
• GrandParents of the Bride
• Parents of the Groom
• Mother of the Bride

Followed by:

Legend:
GM - Groomsmen
BM- Bridesmaids
MOH- Maid of Honor
RB- Ring Bearer
FG- Flower Girl
FOB- Father of the Bride
B- Bride

Tomorrow Traditional Jewish Ceremony! See you later, alligators!

Stop and Smell the Roses

Sometimes you just have to stop and take a deep breath and smell the Starbucks Non-Fat Sugar-Free Caramel Macchiato - and these are what I am "smelling" today. Different weddings, different brides, totally different feelings.... Don't you just love the raw fun that shines through! Check out CJ Photographer Website for more beautiful, fun, amazing images!

To Video or Not to Video that is the Question

Many brides seem to throw Videography to the last possible moment - is it in the budget is it not in the budget, do we really need this, is it something we'll ever watch again - those are the questions weighing heavy on my clients minds, and I am sure yours as well.

Videography is not cheap, and it shouldn't be - especially for a good Videographer. I mean think about they work on your wedding day, and then editing afterwards takes at least double the amount of time they spent actually doing the wedding day work....There are some things to keep in mind. And please check out the sample at the end from one of my very favorite videographers! Jeff Stoner - funny name, seriously awesome work! Some guys shoot well and the final product is terrible - but Jeff is phenomenal - all around!

• What is the videographer's style? Is it documentary, including interviews with guests, or sophisticated, with an editing process that uses only the best parts of your wedding?

Keep in mind this is one of those vendors that is going to be "in your face" throughout the wedding, so make sure they get along with you and your personalities mesh.

• Hove many other weddings is the videographer doing on your wedding day/weekend?

First, we recommend working with vendors that are only doing one function on your wedding day. Some vendors, such as DJ's will work with more than one client in a weekend, or even on the same day. We'll leave that up to you. (I mean what if one event runs late....)

• Will the videographer you are speaking with be the one who will film your event?

Keep in mind this is one of those vendors that you want to know their style up front - and if there's a presto-change-o of the personalities or shooting styles this can mess up your final product.

• How obstructive is the style/crew?

You probably don't want an in-your-face videographer, so if you can, go 'crash' a wedding they are working, and see how they interact with the client, that might help your decision making process.

Once of my very favorite videographers is Jeff Stoner - check out this fantastic Wedding Trailer - he has this live within 48 hours of the wedding, sort of as a sneak preview- his style of videography is fun, and he's got a great eye, and he knows what his clients want - his work really shows that! Those are qualities to look for - OH, and he travels ANYWHERE!

Winter-Themed Bridal Shower Ideas

Hi Everyone! My name is Jenn and I'm the founder/author of hostessblog.com and hostesswiththemostess.com. Many thanks to Melissa for having me guest blog today! Since Melissa and the crew at MasterPiece Weddings already seem to have everything related to creating a beautiful wedding down pat - I thought I'd try something a little different and focus on bridal shower ideas today...and since December is upon us now and the holidays are in full-swing, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to talk about a winter-themed bridal shower... Place settings, centerpieces, & party decor... One of the BEST things about throwing a winter-themed bridal shower or engagement party during the holiday season is that finding themed decorations and tableware should be E-A-S-Y! For the ideas featured here, I've gone for a silver/blue/white snowflake theme, which was initially inspired by the pretty stock photo pictured above and can be found in stores all over the place right now. If you're hosting a sit-down brunch, lunch, or dinner – snowflake-themed place settings are a great place to start with your table design. Silver chargers will really dress things up - and are usually available in very inexpensive versions. I have a silver set from Linens-n-things that was only $20 for a set of 12 (and currently on sale for $15!), and places like Target & Bed Bath & Beyond have great options too. For your plates, table linens and silverware, basic white and silver works just fine - and a single silver snowflake ornament placed on top of each napkin is the perfect finishing touch. (place setting photo from brides.com). For your table centerpieces & party decorations, look for silver and white holiday decor with a contemporary feel. cb2 is one of my favorite places for shopping online, because everything is super hip and surprisingly affordable. The ultra-mod glass trees pictured above would make a great accent for your gift or food/drink displays. Place them on top of white linens with mini piles of loose faux snow. If you feel like getting creative, decorate the trees with adhesive rhinestone stickers or rhinestone words (the bride-to-be's name, perhaps?). And silver ornament stands, like the one pictured above from Crate&Barrel, are perfect for table centerpieces. Hang silver, blue or white glass ball ornaments from the stand, and personalize the ornaments with wedding-related rhinestone words or rhinestone monogram initials. The cylinder vases with white beaded sprig shown above are also from cb2. Not only does the sprig have a cool wintery feel, but it's also out-of-the-ordinary and a great alternative to traditional flower bouquets. Signature Drinks... It's always fun to serve a "signature drink" that matches your shower or engagement party theme. If you want to get colorful your winter-themed drinks, try a fun blue concoction like a Blue Mojito or Blue Monday. For white-themed drinks, try Spiked Egg Nog or White Russians...and always be sure to offer non-alcoholic versions or another special mocktail for your non-drinkers to enjoy! {cocktail images from cocktailtimes.com} Party Favors... Last but not least, a few fun ideas for your winter-themed party favors... mini felt mittens, snowflake placecard holders, designer snowflake cookies, and snowflake bottle stopper...all available at beau coup. Hope you enjoyed the post! Please feel free to post a comment with any of your own ideas for a winter-themed bridal shower or engagement party! Happy Holidays! Jenn :)

Funny Monday!

For those of you that didn't see me stick my face into the chocolate fountain - yes, I did it! It was A.W.E.S.O.M.E! Anyway, I was talking with Harrison's Daddy, and he pointed out that I looked like Harrison with a chocolate cupcake, I think he's right - I de-aged quite a bit with The Chocolate Fountain incident.

Do they know it's Christmastime at all?

This time of year is fun for a lot of us, the Christmas decorations, the tree, the presents all of that food!

But some places don't have the luxuries that we have. There is a website Free Rice and by you answering vocabulary questions, basically knowing the definition of words, they will donate 20 grains of rice per correct answer.

WARNING - it is additive and may perhaps make you smarter, while doing some good! I am up to 5510 grains of rice - how much is that, exactly? A couple of cups, right?

I was Tagged!

I have so much to post this week, I thought I'd get in a little Sunday post... because Darci at With This Ring has "tagged" me. Tagging feels a little like a chain letter to me, only more fun because you get to learn more about other people . And since I don't want to face any chain letter consequences like utter doom, I'll oblige :) The rules of tagging are as follows:

1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog. (check!)
2. Share 7 random and or weird things about yourself. (check!)
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.(I'm working on it...)
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. (see #3)

So, here goes:

1. My husband and I have named every animal we've owned after alcohol or alcoholic beverages, it started with Smirnoff the Iguana, he was the coolest Iguana on the planet! And since we've had all dogs. So it was Bailey (who passed away last April :( Malibu, Kahlua, Whiskey and our newest addition Bellini (named by my Sister) - right now we currently only have Whiskey and Bellini, our Brittany Spaniels. Our babies.

2. I am OCD- seriously I have a problem, like "Hello, my Name is Melissa, and I have OCD". My pantry is organized in alphabetical order (cans start with Artichoke Hearts...), my closet is organized by color and season, my house is minimalist and if there is a crumb on the counter, God help us all! (I know it's a problem)

3. My sister has twins, Sydney and Peyton, they are seriously the love of my life! They turned one a few months ago, and I can't get enough of them!

4. I've been a wedding planner for 13 years! I started wedding planning in college and just can't imagine doing anything else! I love it!!!

5. I have an addiction to stationary, I see a cute pack of cards and I have to get them! I have stationary for every occasion and some I won't use the last of them, because I know I'll never be able to find that "kind" of stationary again.

6. I am a baking fiend! I seriously love to bake! And I must admit, I'm pretty good. I entered a National Pie Baking Championship, and got an honorable mention.... I bake when I'm happy, when I'm sad, when I am exhausted. It's my therapy - but I don't eat baked goods. I know! It's crazy!

7. In high school I won first place in the Future Business Leader's of America competition in Job Interview, and I've never applied for a job and not gotten an offer. I totally rock at interviewing and being an interviewee.

Okay so now I have to tag 7 people, I'll do that tomorrow and post pictures of some of the posts.

Expect a lot of fun posting this week!!!!!

Happy December!

Guest Blogger Friday

My name is Jennifer and I'm the blogger behind Earth Friendly Weddings. I have to say I'm very excited to have the honor of writing a guest post for Melissa today! It will be hard to match her fabulous energy that she infuses in all her posts, but I'm going to try! The goal of this post is to simply share with you five easy ways to add a little green to your wedding. Nothing too hard. Nothing too boring. And everything environmentally friendly! One: Choose Locally Grown, Organic Flowers Going with locally grown flowers reduces pollutants caused from transportation. Choosing organic flowers ensures no harmful pesticides were used. Just be mindful that your flowers will have to be available during the season of your wedding. Fortunately, many flowers are available year round, such as the ever popular calla Lilly. (Left Photo from Red Orchid Design, Right Photo: MS Weddings) Two: Purchase Used or Vintage Reuse resources by purchasing used or vintage items. Weddingbee.com has a classifieds section where brides can sell their used wedding items. You can also check out your local consignment shop, eBay, or online vintage/pre-owned stores to find a wedding dress or accessories. You'd be surprised at whats available. (Picture: from Posh Girl Vintage) Three: Choose Earth Friendly Paper From your invitations to your thank you cards, make sure to choose paper that's either recycled, certified FSC (which means it comes from a responsibly managed forest), handmade, or consists of alternative fibers. (left pictures: Of The Earth; Right Picture: Oblation Papers) Four: A Wise Favor Too many favors get thrown in the trash, so either forgo them, hand out something that is edible, or follow the growing trend to donate to your favorite charity or organization. In the picture on the left, local honey was packaged in jars by beekeeper friends of the bride and groom's family! (pictures from theknot.com) Five: Glow! Skip the fancy lighting, and create ambiance with candles. Preferably soy candles, which produce less soot, burn longer than regular candles, and don't suck up any energy. (photos from Red Orchid Design) Remember, making green choices is really just about making smarter choices. Be mindful of any potential waste created, reuse what you can, and be creative!

It's Official!

There is so much to talk about! We had our Grand Opening, I checked something off my life list, and what exactly happened with the Change of Plans! So here weeeeeeee go!


First, thanks to Caroline Johnson for some fantastical images that really truly tell a beautiful story!


Let's start with Change of Plans - I had an image for what I wanted my centerpieces to be for our opening - Basically I wanted Wheat grass in a silver dish with a candle in the middle - but when I couldn't find Rye Grass or Wheat grass in anything smaller than a 100 pound bag, this prompted me to search high and low, and cross and circle the aisles of Home Depot for hours - until I found some little teeny tiny lettuces that were less than 1 inch tall, and decided lettuce centerpieces would be neat, and different. The final product, not exactly what I had in mind, but came out even more beautiful than I could image!

Grand Opening:

It was amazing! Here are some images that Caroline took that really just show off our new studio.

Our Front Door:

Caroline's beautiful work on our wall:

Our wall of Praise:

Little Favors from the Party, I plucked large springs of Rosemary from my garden and put my favorite recipe on the cards, along with a shout out to the vendors that helped make this part-ah a success:




The Chocolate Fountain:

Now my life list - I have always wanted to stick my face into a chocolate fountain - so I did - Caroline was nice enough to not show the pictures of me with my entire face into the stream of chocolate, but it just looks like I took a gentle sip.... Nahhhhh!