I received a few emails from readers that weren't too thrilled with my blog entry about BROWN. One even went on to say I should prepare to lose business if I'm going to start telling everyone what I hate about weddings. Um...probably not. And for the record, I never said I hated brown weddings. I'm just sick of them right now. If you planned weddings and attended up to two weddings per weekend year-round, you just might tire of some trends also. Walk in my shoes before you pass judgement please.
Another reader said she (or is it a he? I probably shouldn't assume things) would appreciate some helpful blogging once in a while instead of my "typical recaps of weddings." It's funny how this is MY blog that I write in MY spare time, yet I'm supposed to do for others first. However, I will. I'm on wedding hiatus until December 21 so expect to see some wedding-related tips, advice, possible guest bloggers, any maybe other helpful little items from yours truly.
Today's helpfulness will be about saving money. We all want to save money on wedding-planning no matter what our financial state or background is. Hopefully this will assist those of you that are in planning mode.
1. Your guest list will determine your budget in most cases. 100 guests is more cost-friendly than 350 guests. The more guests you have, the more you will spend on invitations, postage, meals, favors, cake, centerpieces, linens, rentals, and on and on and on.
2. Research your vendors. If this means calling 15 different florists to gather quotes and get a feel for what they do, then that's how you're going to save money. No, you will not save time doing this. Saving money on anything usually means adding more time to your wedding planning.
3. It's perfectly fine to have one DJ at your wedding. While two DJ's is great and can make things flow even smoother, it is certainly not necessary. One outstanding DJ will make your reception the party you envisioned.
4. Sheet cakes are less expensive, as we all know. However, numerous bakers are catching on to this new trend of having a small display cake and two or more sheet cakes to cut from in the back. You can still order a smaller display cake from the baker of your choice, but you can also order a much more reasonable sheet cake or two from your local bakery or grocery store. Even Sam's makes sheet cakes that are to die for. As long as the taste is there....no one else will know their cake was cut in the back from a sheet cake.
5. DIY. Do.It.Yourself. The more you can do yourself (invitations, addressing envelopes, non-floral centerpieces, searching out Ebay for deals, etc.) the more cost effective it will be. Again, this means having the time in your life to do these things. There are also several DIY projects that may mean being crafty; be sure you have that crafty gene before attempting to bring together all the pieces of your decor vision.
6. Hire a wedding planner. I know, I know....I have to say this, right? No, I don't. I only say it because I've seen it work for couples. I've seen the money I've saved couples. Wedding Planners have relationships with numerous vendors and can often negotiate a much better price than the couple can. Planners are also able to cut time in half because we KNOW the good, bad, and ugly out there where vendors are concerned. We KNOW which vendors are going to be a good fit for our couple based on what their needs are. We KNOW which vendors have the personality to get along well with a couple that may have a difficult personality or a challenging timeline to pull off. All in all...the money you invest in a Wedding Planner will almost always end up saving you at least double the cost of that Planner.
7. Skip the chair covers. Rent chairs instead. Usually an actual chair rental will be less expensive than renting covers and ties. You can rent white wooden chairs, an array of colors of chivari chairs, black or natural colored wooden chairs, etc. They can make even more of an impact on the room than chair covers.
8. Skip the stretch limo, stretch hummer, trolley, 32-passenger bus, or whatever other transportation you're seeking for the bridal party. Instead, rent a few classy cars (Cadillac, the new fancy schmancy Chrysler's that are out there, Mustang, etc.) and designate a couple drivers either in the bridal party or even uncles or cousins that would have fun chauffeuring everyone from church to picture site to reception site.
9. Re-use what you can from your ceremony site at your reception site. There are so many brides that are in awe when I suggest that they take their Unity Candle arrangement and move it to the center of their head table. Move your pew buckets to the placecard or guest book table. Move the altar floral arrangements to flank the head table at the reception.
10. Do what you can afford. Really examine whether it is so important to you to have a big fancy party that you are willing to go thousands of dollars into debt on a credit card for it. Determine your budget early and stick with it. Splurge on a few things that are the most important to you and then go from there. If a cake isn't important to you, do something different. I know brides that have done ice cream sundaes, caramel apple pie, and dessert buffets.
So....there you have it. Some actual honest to goodness wedding tips to help you save money. Even if you do just a couple of these, it has the potential to shave hundreds of dollars off your wedding expenditures. Just remember....pay for the marriage, not for the wedding party. If you think of it that way, it will keep you much more honest on what you're spending and what you're not.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
No More Brown Please
I love the color brown. Even when it wasn't popular, I always liked it. If my staple of basic black suddenly didn't exist anymore, brown it would be!
However....in the last 8 weekends, I believe only two of those weddings were accented by a color other than brown. Wait...I think it might have only been one wedding! I tried and tried two years ago to throw brown down the throats of so many brides lost in their pursuit of finding the perfect color palette for their big day. Nobody listened to me then. But now?....brown is everywhere.
I'll be honest....I'm looking forward to my nice Fall break that includes no weddings. No weddings means I don't have to see another brown dress for quite some time. :)
When you see weddings every single weekend, you tend to get sick and tired of the same things all the time. Granted, only the vendors are the ones that see the same thing every weekend; your guests, more than likely, don't attend a wedding every weekend. That's why I still encourage brides to do candy buffets, late night pizza/snacks, and other unique elements on their wedding day. Some brides tell me they hear that everyone does those things, but I always have to remind them that their guests are not traveling the Internet looking for wedding ideas, their guests are not a part of the bride-to-be message board craze, their guests are not reading issue after issue of wedding magazines.
It'll be fun to see what color makes a big hit in 2008. I have a lot of black/white weddings lined up so far for 2008 and for some reason, I never get tired of those.
However....in the last 8 weekends, I believe only two of those weddings were accented by a color other than brown. Wait...I think it might have only been one wedding! I tried and tried two years ago to throw brown down the throats of so many brides lost in their pursuit of finding the perfect color palette for their big day. Nobody listened to me then. But now?....brown is everywhere.
I'll be honest....I'm looking forward to my nice Fall break that includes no weddings. No weddings means I don't have to see another brown dress for quite some time. :)
When you see weddings every single weekend, you tend to get sick and tired of the same things all the time. Granted, only the vendors are the ones that see the same thing every weekend; your guests, more than likely, don't attend a wedding every weekend. That's why I still encourage brides to do candy buffets, late night pizza/snacks, and other unique elements on their wedding day. Some brides tell me they hear that everyone does those things, but I always have to remind them that their guests are not traveling the Internet looking for wedding ideas, their guests are not a part of the bride-to-be message board craze, their guests are not reading issue after issue of wedding magazines.
It'll be fun to see what color makes a big hit in 2008. I have a lot of black/white weddings lined up so far for 2008 and for some reason, I never get tired of those.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
I Hate This
I need a picture. Of myself. A nice one. Not a drunk one. Not a family one. Not a lounging in my Packer sweats one. An honest to God professional quality, professionally attired, professional looking photo of ME.
My website has been sans the obligatory owner photo since it went up over two years ago. Or has it been longer? I don't even know anymore, that's how long it's been.
My website has been sans the obligatory owner photo since it went up over two years ago. Or has it been longer? I don't even know anymore, that's how long it's been.
I'm pretty sure the pictures you see here wouldn't cut it (Wherever those pictures ended up since Blogger is being oh-so-not-picture-friendly today). Bonjour Badger has inspired me...she's going through the same thing for her upcoming website.
I keep thinking I'll do the photo once I've lost more weight. Or maybe once I find the person to take the photo. Or once I acquire the perfect black outfit to wear (those of you that know me can stop laughing now...just because my closet is full of black clothes does not simply mean that the perfect "website photo of me outfit" is in there!). Or once I find out just how much money I'm going to have to drop to get a decent picture taken. Or this or that. I'm full of excuses.
Someone pass me a black outfit, a credit card, a location, and I guess a photographer. I really need to get this show on the road.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Happiness in K-Town
That's Kenosha for all you non-Milwaukee area readers. Today's wedded bliss took place about 50 miles South of Milwaukee. Which meant on the road at 10:30am with my trusty Mapquest in hand. Thankfully I found UW-Parkside without any problems and navigated my way through the small campus to find Wyllie Hall.
I had a good hour to do some set-up at the reception site first and then had to bust over to the church, about 15 miles away to do the ceremony set-up. The day was surprisingly flawless for the most part, considering there was a lot to do at both sites. The church, although it didn't appear as a lot on paper turned out to be a little time-consuming and with early arriving guests; it was pedal to the floor, that's for sure. But of course it all came together and was done in time to open the doors.
Stacey was so beautiful. Her dress rocked, her hair was sassy and fun, and she was so collected. I had no idea how Stacey was going to handle her wedding day. While it is one of the most precious days of any woman's life, there are sometimes circumstances that can make it a bit sad as well. Stacey's Dad passed away unexpectedly not too long ago so there was no Daddy to walk her down the aisle. Big Brother filled the role very nicely I must say, even getting a big brother/little sister jab in at the last second. :) But Stacey didn't shed a tear as she waited to walk down the aisle and I'm so glad because I knew if she did, the emotional side of me would melt along with her. I have a feeling Dad was walking beside her anyway.
Once Stacey was down the aisle, I zipped back over to UWP to continue with set-up. Thankfully, the person in charge put her staff to work helping me also. There was just so much to do and of course not enough time. Stacey put a ton of work into several projects. She made so many things herself including silver branch centerpieces that also had an electric tealight in them so they glowed, mint boxes on each table, head table decor, you name it...Stacey did it! So, it was a day of running around and praying that guests didn't come early. My prayer request must have gone through on that one, because we had no early guests!
A wedding day is hardly ever complete without a couple snafus though. The worst was that something broke. This is the first time that I've ever had something actually shatter just minutes before the reception is to begin. Stacey had a candelabra in the center of the head table that had glass votive jars in it. It fell. The entire thing came sliding off the front of the head table when I adjusted the monogram in front. Lovely. I found a broom in the blink of an eye and substituted the glass votive holders with tea lights. Sorry Stacey! The 'I DO' letters for the cake table were great and once again, made by the bride; however it clashed with the linen that was on the cake table. So...I reinvented the use of a chair cover to fluff it up a bit and display the letters on this accent piece of fabric instead. Not the best looking, but it got the job done and she still had her letters! A few guests didn't RSVP, but they seemed to have solved the seating arrangement themselves by the time I found out so that was good. A bartender failed to show up, so the Manager had to bartend and direct waitstaff, but she pulled it off. Just little stuff here and there, but as always....it comes together in the end.
UW-Parkside's hall is very nice once it's all done up. Chair covers and lit lanterns hanging from the ceiling certainly put the class into the place. The room transformation was quite unbelievable actually. It's a great setting for those looking for something unique and very affordable. The light (and the hot sun today! Yikes!) that streams through the picture windows is a beautiful backdrop. It's a tri-level area so upstairs is dinner, then down a few stairs is where the cocktail hour and later the dancing is held (oh, and the yummy candy buffet that I'm hoping was created to Stacey's liking!), and then a few steps below that is an area with games, pool, etc. The lower area probably doesn't get used that much for weddings, but it's nice to have there if you have a bunch of kids or teens attending.
Oh....and my new camera is great! Unfortunately, the mass amounts of light coming through made for some difficult picture taking on my part, but you get the idea. It was nearly a 10 hour day, but well worth it. Stacey & Jeff were so happy and gracious and I hope they're dancing up a storm right now!
I had a good hour to do some set-up at the reception site first and then had to bust over to the church, about 15 miles away to do the ceremony set-up. The day was surprisingly flawless for the most part, considering there was a lot to do at both sites. The church, although it didn't appear as a lot on paper turned out to be a little time-consuming and with early arriving guests; it was pedal to the floor, that's for sure. But of course it all came together and was done in time to open the doors.
Stacey was so beautiful. Her dress rocked, her hair was sassy and fun, and she was so collected. I had no idea how Stacey was going to handle her wedding day. While it is one of the most precious days of any woman's life, there are sometimes circumstances that can make it a bit sad as well. Stacey's Dad passed away unexpectedly not too long ago so there was no Daddy to walk her down the aisle. Big Brother filled the role very nicely I must say, even getting a big brother/little sister jab in at the last second. :) But Stacey didn't shed a tear as she waited to walk down the aisle and I'm so glad because I knew if she did, the emotional side of me would melt along with her. I have a feeling Dad was walking beside her anyway.
Once Stacey was down the aisle, I zipped back over to UWP to continue with set-up. Thankfully, the person in charge put her staff to work helping me also. There was just so much to do and of course not enough time. Stacey put a ton of work into several projects. She made so many things herself including silver branch centerpieces that also had an electric tealight in them so they glowed, mint boxes on each table, head table decor, you name it...Stacey did it! So, it was a day of running around and praying that guests didn't come early. My prayer request must have gone through on that one, because we had no early guests!
A wedding day is hardly ever complete without a couple snafus though. The worst was that something broke. This is the first time that I've ever had something actually shatter just minutes before the reception is to begin. Stacey had a candelabra in the center of the head table that had glass votive jars in it. It fell. The entire thing came sliding off the front of the head table when I adjusted the monogram in front. Lovely. I found a broom in the blink of an eye and substituted the glass votive holders with tea lights. Sorry Stacey! The 'I DO' letters for the cake table were great and once again, made by the bride; however it clashed with the linen that was on the cake table. So...I reinvented the use of a chair cover to fluff it up a bit and display the letters on this accent piece of fabric instead. Not the best looking, but it got the job done and she still had her letters! A few guests didn't RSVP, but they seemed to have solved the seating arrangement themselves by the time I found out so that was good. A bartender failed to show up, so the Manager had to bartend and direct waitstaff, but she pulled it off. Just little stuff here and there, but as always....it comes together in the end.
UW-Parkside's hall is very nice once it's all done up. Chair covers and lit lanterns hanging from the ceiling certainly put the class into the place. The room transformation was quite unbelievable actually. It's a great setting for those looking for something unique and very affordable. The light (and the hot sun today! Yikes!) that streams through the picture windows is a beautiful backdrop. It's a tri-level area so upstairs is dinner, then down a few stairs is where the cocktail hour and later the dancing is held (oh, and the yummy candy buffet that I'm hoping was created to Stacey's liking!), and then a few steps below that is an area with games, pool, etc. The lower area probably doesn't get used that much for weddings, but it's nice to have there if you have a bunch of kids or teens attending.
Oh....and my new camera is great! Unfortunately, the mass amounts of light coming through made for some difficult picture taking on my part, but you get the idea. It was nearly a 10 hour day, but well worth it. Stacey & Jeff were so happy and gracious and I hope they're dancing up a storm right now!
Ok....blogger is unable to upload pictures at the moment. You've got to be kidding me! I'll come back and edit with pictures later I guess.
(Edit: Well, Blogger let me put pictures in now, but not where I want them, so I apologize for the mess at the top of the page.)
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Corinne's Day
Yesterday was Corinne's Day. Wedding Day that is. Oh, and it was Dan's too, but we all know this is mostly about the bride anyway. :)
I have a huge regret about yesterday though. I did not get to spend any time with her at all. Not that I'm hanging onto my brides every weekend because there obviously is just not time for that, but I usually get to spend some time with them while they get ready, while they wait for the ceremony to begin, and my favorite part...waiting with them once their bridesmaids have left to go down the aisle and helping with last minute veil & train adjustments and passing them off to Dad or whoever is walking them down the aisle. I got none of that yesterday!
St. John's Cathedral in downtown Milwaukee was the gorgeous backdrop to this marriage. It is one of the few church's where I have encountered a cool church coordinator. However, as cool as he is (and he is FABULOUS! He even danced with me in the church. Um, long story) it's his show and that's the way he likes it. He insisted on calling me Nice Lady because he said he never gets to work with nice wedding planners. Aww! But it made my time at the church just very laid back. I assisted the florist and pinned all the corsages and boutonnieres so that the florist could take her daughter to a Halloween party. So, yes, I did have some kind of role. But the part I missed the most was being able to usher Corinne into the church foyer, place her flowers in her hands, drape her arm through her Dad's, straighten her train/veil and whisper "Congrats, have fun!" as she took off down the aisle. I was actually sad as I left the church to bolt over to the War Memorial.
But...I had to slap the sadness out of me once I got to the reception venue. The reception started at 5pm with cocktail hour in the main room so everything had to be set up in 90 minutes. Of course I get there and there are no linens on the tables, the tables are set up incorrectly, the cocktail area looks atrocious, etc. This is what happens when there are 16 yr old boys setting the room up with no War Memorial Salesperson supervision. On top of all that, I have all the vendors there early (yippee!) with nothing to do, but wait and get antsy. Fast forward and of course it all gets set up while I run around feeling like I am now part of the catering staff in order to get this all done in time.
Corinne & Dan used a green and brown motif to lay the designwork of the room. They intertwined alternating centerpieces with a lot of candlelight all set on beautiful table runners. Their guest book table was hands down the best one I've ever put together. It displayed engagement pictures of the couple in the center of the table with the guest book directly at the front edge of the table (with very classy pens in a tray---very cool idea!). Flanking this was wedding pictures of both the bride and groom's parents and grandparents. All with varying sizes of candles in between. Beautiful and so well done.
I bought a new digital camera today. My uploaded pictures of this wedding are not even close to being something that I can post here. Apparently, my camera had been dying for a while, but I now have proof that it went to photo hell yesterday. Too bad because the shots would have been great! So...this new camera should yield pics from now on!
One more wedding next weekend for the Fall and then I have a nice long break until Dec 21st. I plan it this way every year just so that I can enjoy my favorite time of year and not get so wrapped up into wedding work that I miss the fun of the holidays and everything else that goes on at this time of year.
Stacey is up next and I can't wait to meet with her tomorrow night to go over her final details! I haven't seen her in a long time so it'll be fun to see what ideas made it to the final stages and what's in store for me on Saturday.
I have a huge regret about yesterday though. I did not get to spend any time with her at all. Not that I'm hanging onto my brides every weekend because there obviously is just not time for that, but I usually get to spend some time with them while they get ready, while they wait for the ceremony to begin, and my favorite part...waiting with them once their bridesmaids have left to go down the aisle and helping with last minute veil & train adjustments and passing them off to Dad or whoever is walking them down the aisle. I got none of that yesterday!
St. John's Cathedral in downtown Milwaukee was the gorgeous backdrop to this marriage. It is one of the few church's where I have encountered a cool church coordinator. However, as cool as he is (and he is FABULOUS! He even danced with me in the church. Um, long story) it's his show and that's the way he likes it. He insisted on calling me Nice Lady because he said he never gets to work with nice wedding planners. Aww! But it made my time at the church just very laid back. I assisted the florist and pinned all the corsages and boutonnieres so that the florist could take her daughter to a Halloween party. So, yes, I did have some kind of role. But the part I missed the most was being able to usher Corinne into the church foyer, place her flowers in her hands, drape her arm through her Dad's, straighten her train/veil and whisper "Congrats, have fun!" as she took off down the aisle. I was actually sad as I left the church to bolt over to the War Memorial.
But...I had to slap the sadness out of me once I got to the reception venue. The reception started at 5pm with cocktail hour in the main room so everything had to be set up in 90 minutes. Of course I get there and there are no linens on the tables, the tables are set up incorrectly, the cocktail area looks atrocious, etc. This is what happens when there are 16 yr old boys setting the room up with no War Memorial Salesperson supervision. On top of all that, I have all the vendors there early (yippee!) with nothing to do, but wait and get antsy. Fast forward and of course it all gets set up while I run around feeling like I am now part of the catering staff in order to get this all done in time.
Corinne & Dan used a green and brown motif to lay the designwork of the room. They intertwined alternating centerpieces with a lot of candlelight all set on beautiful table runners. Their guest book table was hands down the best one I've ever put together. It displayed engagement pictures of the couple in the center of the table with the guest book directly at the front edge of the table (with very classy pens in a tray---very cool idea!). Flanking this was wedding pictures of both the bride and groom's parents and grandparents. All with varying sizes of candles in between. Beautiful and so well done.
I bought a new digital camera today. My uploaded pictures of this wedding are not even close to being something that I can post here. Apparently, my camera had been dying for a while, but I now have proof that it went to photo hell yesterday. Too bad because the shots would have been great! So...this new camera should yield pics from now on!
One more wedding next weekend for the Fall and then I have a nice long break until Dec 21st. I plan it this way every year just so that I can enjoy my favorite time of year and not get so wrapped up into wedding work that I miss the fun of the holidays and everything else that goes on at this time of year.
Stacey is up next and I can't wait to meet with her tomorrow night to go over her final details! I haven't seen her in a long time so it'll be fun to see what ideas made it to the final stages and what's in store for me on Saturday.
A-List I am Not
Whatever. I knew that the WISN's 2007 A-List would have the same winner in the Wedding Planner category as last year and the year before that and the year before.... :)
But hey! I came in 4th place! Not too shabby for my first year being nominated. And...that 4th place ranking came in without a mass email to my client list urging them to vote, vote, vote. Trust me, I wanted to, but at the end of the day I figured it wasn't a very "nicey nice" thing to do. So, 4 out of the over 13 companies that were nominated isn't too shabby I guess.
Maybe next year will be the year of Dreams & Designs.
So, to all those who voted and said the kindest things ever....I thank you. To the person(s) that nominated my business, thank you also. I guess by now you want to remain anonymous, but I sure am curious!
But hey! I came in 4th place! Not too shabby for my first year being nominated. And...that 4th place ranking came in without a mass email to my client list urging them to vote, vote, vote. Trust me, I wanted to, but at the end of the day I figured it wasn't a very "nicey nice" thing to do. So, 4 out of the over 13 companies that were nominated isn't too shabby I guess.
Maybe next year will be the year of Dreams & Designs.
So, to all those who voted and said the kindest things ever....I thank you. To the person(s) that nominated my business, thank you also. I guess by now you want to remain anonymous, but I sure am curious!
Friday, October 12, 2007
Bride Blog
One of my "new" brides, Darci, has a blog. It's a fabulous blog and I'm already checking it constantly for her new updates. She's a fun writer so it's an easy read and well, it's all about wedding planning so it's obvious in my inner circle of things I tend to love. Better yet, it's about HER wedding planning.
Darci gets married next September and just recently hired me to be her Day of Coordinator. I simply call it fate now that I've gotten to know her through blogs and emails. It was the only date I had available for next September and I actually was going to mark "Don't Book" in my calendar for that date, but when Darci emailed, something inside of me said "Take this bride." So I did. I gave up my only free weekend in September 2008 so that I can head to Fontana to the Abbey Resort to help this lovely lady perfect her day.
Her blog is great and details the steps of her planning, the things she's considering, some vendors she's hired, some minor freak-out moments (Darci...there will be more to come and they are completely normal!), and just an overall account of what she's doing. It keeps her family and friends up to date and I imagine it's a great reference place to go to and keep track of the many ideas and pictures a bride-to-be accumulates during the planning process.
As a wedding planner, it's so great to go into this blog and see the vision unfold! No guessing what she's thinking or what she might mean by "green"...it's all right there. Can I mandate that all my brides blog about their wedding planning? Probably not, but that sure would be nice. hint, hint. :)
So, check out her blog if you wish. Have fun planning along with Darci!
Darci gets married next September and just recently hired me to be her Day of Coordinator. I simply call it fate now that I've gotten to know her through blogs and emails. It was the only date I had available for next September and I actually was going to mark "Don't Book" in my calendar for that date, but when Darci emailed, something inside of me said "Take this bride." So I did. I gave up my only free weekend in September 2008 so that I can head to Fontana to the Abbey Resort to help this lovely lady perfect her day.
Her blog is great and details the steps of her planning, the things she's considering, some vendors she's hired, some minor freak-out moments (Darci...there will be more to come and they are completely normal!), and just an overall account of what she's doing. It keeps her family and friends up to date and I imagine it's a great reference place to go to and keep track of the many ideas and pictures a bride-to-be accumulates during the planning process.
As a wedding planner, it's so great to go into this blog and see the vision unfold! No guessing what she's thinking or what she might mean by "green"...it's all right there. Can I mandate that all my brides blog about their wedding planning? Probably not, but that sure would be nice. hint, hint. :)
So, check out her blog if you wish. Have fun planning along with Darci!
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Nothing to do with Weddings
Or at least not really.
I haven't had a wedding-related appointment all week. I don't remember the last time this happened. Months and months and months I bet. I've done wedding work, but even that has been limited. That's usually what Fall is like for me. Things start to wind down for a few months and I plan to thoroughly enjoy it this year!
This means I'll actually get my ass back into the gym on a regular basis. In fact, as soon as I'm done writing this and finishing up some work stuff....I'm off to the gym. I'm one of those people that actually enjoys the gym. Actually, no, that's not right. I bitch about it before going, but once I get there, I have this huge weight taken off my shoulders. I feel this sense of relief as I do my cardio routine and head to the weights. It's calming for me. And best of all, it gets me in shape. Somehow, in the last year, I managed to go down quite a few dress sizes...however, with a new job in the last 9 weeks, I'm pretty damn certain that either I gained everything back or the body-shifting movements have really played a cruel trick on me. I'm 30 now you know and what they say is true. Things change. Things move. Weird.
So...off to the gym it is! And I will like it and I will be more religious about getting back into my gymrat routine.
See? Now I have to....because everyone now knows about it.
I haven't had a wedding-related appointment all week. I don't remember the last time this happened. Months and months and months I bet. I've done wedding work, but even that has been limited. That's usually what Fall is like for me. Things start to wind down for a few months and I plan to thoroughly enjoy it this year!
This means I'll actually get my ass back into the gym on a regular basis. In fact, as soon as I'm done writing this and finishing up some work stuff....I'm off to the gym. I'm one of those people that actually enjoys the gym. Actually, no, that's not right. I bitch about it before going, but once I get there, I have this huge weight taken off my shoulders. I feel this sense of relief as I do my cardio routine and head to the weights. It's calming for me. And best of all, it gets me in shape. Somehow, in the last year, I managed to go down quite a few dress sizes...however, with a new job in the last 9 weeks, I'm pretty damn certain that either I gained everything back or the body-shifting movements have really played a cruel trick on me. I'm 30 now you know and what they say is true. Things change. Things move. Weird.
So...off to the gym it is! And I will like it and I will be more religious about getting back into my gymrat routine.
See? Now I have to....because everyone now knows about it.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Organization = Perfection
I'm nearly giddy over my upcoming Saturday bride. She's organized and detailed and I am sitting here at my desk just smiling at it all.
With all my brides that I'm doing Day of Coordination for, I ask for some basics. That includes a timeline of the day, floor plan of the reception site, vendor contact info including times they are to arrive and a To-Do List for me for set-up. Some brides are great and get me everything I request in order to fully complete the vision that they have more than likely spent over a year planning. Other brides just have me wing it, which can be scary and freeing all at the same time. Then there's brides who are somewhere in the middle that provide me with a little of this and a little of that. Then there are brides like Corinne. Brides that I want to be my bride every weekend. Brides that ALL brides should model themselves after.
I opened my email tonight to find an email from Corinne verifying all the vendor info and then attaching the floorplan, timeline and best of all.....actual diagrams done in power point of how each table is to be set up. No, I'm not kidding. And if you're laughing right now it is only because you are NOT a Wedding Planner! I always tell my brides to be as detailed as possible with their set-up/To-Do List for me; remember, THEY have planned it all and it is now up to ME to execute it and make it come together. So, the more details I have the better. Corinne may have set the bar. I have diagrams for guest tables, cocktail tables, guest book table, cake table...you name it. All neatly labeled with enough direction. Seriously, if I get hit by a Mack Truck tomorrow and one of my assistants or friends/family has to do this wedding on Saturday....it will be perfect. Because it's idiot-proof. And I like idiot-proof.
Oh, and I found out one of my blog readers is getting married at Corinne's venue on Saturday and she wants to stop by to see what it looks like all set up. I guess this blogging thing is actually helping people! Kinda cool.
I am going to have a great week with NO stress over this wedding. Thanks Corinne!
With all my brides that I'm doing Day of Coordination for, I ask for some basics. That includes a timeline of the day, floor plan of the reception site, vendor contact info including times they are to arrive and a To-Do List for me for set-up. Some brides are great and get me everything I request in order to fully complete the vision that they have more than likely spent over a year planning. Other brides just have me wing it, which can be scary and freeing all at the same time. Then there's brides who are somewhere in the middle that provide me with a little of this and a little of that. Then there are brides like Corinne. Brides that I want to be my bride every weekend. Brides that ALL brides should model themselves after.
I opened my email tonight to find an email from Corinne verifying all the vendor info and then attaching the floorplan, timeline and best of all.....actual diagrams done in power point of how each table is to be set up. No, I'm not kidding. And if you're laughing right now it is only because you are NOT a Wedding Planner! I always tell my brides to be as detailed as possible with their set-up/To-Do List for me; remember, THEY have planned it all and it is now up to ME to execute it and make it come together. So, the more details I have the better. Corinne may have set the bar. I have diagrams for guest tables, cocktail tables, guest book table, cake table...you name it. All neatly labeled with enough direction. Seriously, if I get hit by a Mack Truck tomorrow and one of my assistants or friends/family has to do this wedding on Saturday....it will be perfect. Because it's idiot-proof. And I like idiot-proof.
Oh, and I found out one of my blog readers is getting married at Corinne's venue on Saturday and she wants to stop by to see what it looks like all set up. I guess this blogging thing is actually helping people! Kinda cool.
I am going to have a great week with NO stress over this wedding. Thanks Corinne!
It's Over
The Wedding Weekend is officially over. I think I'm too tired to even post anything about yesterday's wedding, but I'll give it a try.
First, let me say that I did have to miss my friend's reception last night. I kind of figured I would and had given her a head's up, but I was still bummed about it. I could have gone very late, but my other friends were all gone by then. The upside to this meant that I got to watch the Packer game, loss and all. :(
Sunday's wedding was a blistering nearly 90 degrees. Not exactly what you would think an October weekend would be like. To top it off, the ceremony was held outdoors at the Botanical Gardens. Hot weather at the Gardens = bees. Lots of bees. Keep in mind that the Garden doesn't do anything about bees so guests had to swat at themselves through the entire ceremony and cocktail hour. Overall though, it was a beautiful ceremony.
I had to keep laughing at the groom through the day though because he just couldn't relax or get the nerves out of him. So, he kept finding projects to do with the setup. It was cute, and hey...it helped speed up the process so whatever works! There was less than 90 minutes to do complete setup of everything. The Gardens has Sunday brunch and this week it, of course, ran over the 3pm mark. Mind you, we had a 5:30 ceremony with everything immediately following. Time crunch? Just a bit. Thank goodness Bartolotta's staff is over accommodating and helped me set up a ton of stuff. They were great! This meant that everything went off without a hitch (or at least that's what it looked like to everyone else). :)
The bride was beautiful. Just a touch of makeup, hair pulled back, a long flowing veil, and this amazing lace sheath gown with just a little sweep train. It was pretty much perfection. She glowed and was so calm....I loved it!
One unique element that seems to be gaining popularity was the groom's attendants included two females. Both sisters, I believe. I love this concept. I love that they strayed away from all females on one side and all males on the other. It looked cool and I heard a couple guests comment how nice that was. Now, the next thing that I hope comes around to buck tradition is no silly lineup at all....just a nice arc of attendants in the background.
At any rate, this wedding came together beautifully. They had fabulous vendors (ahem, I may have had something to do with that) including my favorite florist, Petals, my all-time FAVE band, the 5 Card Studs, Brookfield Wedding Cakes, Expressive Photography, and of course Bartolotta's. You put all those people together and you're nearly guaranteed a flawless event. Which I, of course, am all about.
Corinne's wedding is on Saturday. More great vendors at the War Memorial and a bride who just may be the sweetest, kindest, most gentle gal ever. Can't wait!
First, let me say that I did have to miss my friend's reception last night. I kind of figured I would and had given her a head's up, but I was still bummed about it. I could have gone very late, but my other friends were all gone by then. The upside to this meant that I got to watch the Packer game, loss and all. :(
Sunday's wedding was a blistering nearly 90 degrees. Not exactly what you would think an October weekend would be like. To top it off, the ceremony was held outdoors at the Botanical Gardens. Hot weather at the Gardens = bees. Lots of bees. Keep in mind that the Garden doesn't do anything about bees so guests had to swat at themselves through the entire ceremony and cocktail hour. Overall though, it was a beautiful ceremony.
I had to keep laughing at the groom through the day though because he just couldn't relax or get the nerves out of him. So, he kept finding projects to do with the setup. It was cute, and hey...it helped speed up the process so whatever works! There was less than 90 minutes to do complete setup of everything. The Gardens has Sunday brunch and this week it, of course, ran over the 3pm mark. Mind you, we had a 5:30 ceremony with everything immediately following. Time crunch? Just a bit. Thank goodness Bartolotta's staff is over accommodating and helped me set up a ton of stuff. They were great! This meant that everything went off without a hitch (or at least that's what it looked like to everyone else). :)
The bride was beautiful. Just a touch of makeup, hair pulled back, a long flowing veil, and this amazing lace sheath gown with just a little sweep train. It was pretty much perfection. She glowed and was so calm....I loved it!
One unique element that seems to be gaining popularity was the groom's attendants included two females. Both sisters, I believe. I love this concept. I love that they strayed away from all females on one side and all males on the other. It looked cool and I heard a couple guests comment how nice that was. Now, the next thing that I hope comes around to buck tradition is no silly lineup at all....just a nice arc of attendants in the background.
At any rate, this wedding came together beautifully. They had fabulous vendors (ahem, I may have had something to do with that) including my favorite florist, Petals, my all-time FAVE band, the 5 Card Studs, Brookfield Wedding Cakes, Expressive Photography, and of course Bartolotta's. You put all those people together and you're nearly guaranteed a flawless event. Which I, of course, am all about.
Corinne's wedding is on Saturday. More great vendors at the War Memorial and a bride who just may be the sweetest, kindest, most gentle gal ever. Can't wait!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
One Down....
Saturday's wedding is over. Is it bad that it makes me completely too happy?
Everything was fine. Except for Mom. Mom of the Bride that is. I'm sure she's a nice lady in "real life", however, on her daughter's wedding day, this was not the case. She barked orders at everyone, wouldn't let me do anything at all (what a waste of their money to pay me to do nothing), and told every single vendor how they should be doing their job. This included taking the camera out of the photographer's hands to look through it at the shot he was getting ready to take and telling him "that'll do." Seriously. Like I said, all around a nice woman....but there was no doubt that she either was over the top control-freak or thought this was her day.
My bride was beautiful. I know I say that all the time, but she was downright model-like. Her dress was just classic with a touch of sexiness to it. I gasped when I saw her and that doesn't happen to me much anymore. I wish she could have calmed down a little too, but she was adamant about knowing what was going on, what the vendors were doing, the timeline, etc. By the time they got to the reception she was finally at ease.
This couple has a baby daughter and she nearly stole the show! A young family member pulled her down the aisle in this old-fashioned wagon. It was the best baby/child entrance I've ever seen. So precious.
The Marriott Milwaukee West pulled off yet another flawless event. I'm not a huge fan of hotel wedding receptions, but I really do like this one. The ballroom is gorgeous, their staff is fabulous, you get white glove service. Ok, maybe I'm a little bias since I worked for Marriott for nearly 12 years, but these people have their shit together and that's what I like.
Once again, no pictures. Not because I forgot my camera...because I had it! But the batteries were dead. I swear, my mother passed on her bad luck with cameras to me.
Now I'm off to the next wedding. I pray it all goes well. It's an outdoor ceremony in this horrible heat and all of us vendors have two hours tops to get everything done at the ceremony site and the cocktail hour/reception rooms. I think I'll be ditching the high heels today.
Everything was fine. Except for Mom. Mom of the Bride that is. I'm sure she's a nice lady in "real life", however, on her daughter's wedding day, this was not the case. She barked orders at everyone, wouldn't let me do anything at all (what a waste of their money to pay me to do nothing), and told every single vendor how they should be doing their job. This included taking the camera out of the photographer's hands to look through it at the shot he was getting ready to take and telling him "that'll do." Seriously. Like I said, all around a nice woman....but there was no doubt that she either was over the top control-freak or thought this was her day.
My bride was beautiful. I know I say that all the time, but she was downright model-like. Her dress was just classic with a touch of sexiness to it. I gasped when I saw her and that doesn't happen to me much anymore. I wish she could have calmed down a little too, but she was adamant about knowing what was going on, what the vendors were doing, the timeline, etc. By the time they got to the reception she was finally at ease.
This couple has a baby daughter and she nearly stole the show! A young family member pulled her down the aisle in this old-fashioned wagon. It was the best baby/child entrance I've ever seen. So precious.
The Marriott Milwaukee West pulled off yet another flawless event. I'm not a huge fan of hotel wedding receptions, but I really do like this one. The ballroom is gorgeous, their staff is fabulous, you get white glove service. Ok, maybe I'm a little bias since I worked for Marriott for nearly 12 years, but these people have their shit together and that's what I like.
Once again, no pictures. Not because I forgot my camera...because I had it! But the batteries were dead. I swear, my mother passed on her bad luck with cameras to me.
Now I'm off to the next wedding. I pray it all goes well. It's an outdoor ceremony in this horrible heat and all of us vendors have two hours tops to get everything done at the ceremony site and the cocktail hour/reception rooms. I think I'll be ditching the high heels today.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Catholics Need Not Apply
Let me say right now...I'm Catholic. Therefore, I can say all of this.
Tonight was Rehearsal #1 for the weekend. In a Catholic church, which to me, the Wedding Planner, means sitting there for a good 90 minutes while the church coordinator goes through everything. I must say, the guy tonight was nice and didn't act like a total snot towards me when I introduced myself, but the intro was about as much as he wanted to talk about. From there, I was told exactly what my role would be on Saturday. Nothing. Except clean up. They love wedding planners only because it means they get to tell us to clean up. When I told him I would be leaving immediately after Tricia gets down the aisle to head to the reception site, he was almost in panic mode. I informed him the family was in charge of clean up. Ha!
From there...rehearsal was typical. But I felt bad for nearly everyone since not too many were Catholic and had no idea what they were in for. The Coordinator made them practice standing, sitting, bowing, the sign of peace, what to do during communion, what to do when the readers were doing their thing, and on and on. I swear, it's the only religion that ends up taking this long to figure out a wedding rehearsal. And go figure...yet another Priest that refuses to pronounce the first kiss. It's all just odd, this Catholic marriage thing. Although, not ALL of them are like this, most are.
I'm Catholic. Born & raised and very grateful for that upbringing. I wouldn't change it for anything despite the drama surrounding our particular religion these days. But seriously...do weddings really have to be so strict and long and full of readings that no one understands? Give me a Lutheran wedding any day. Now those people know how to do this the right way!
Tonight was Rehearsal #1 for the weekend. In a Catholic church, which to me, the Wedding Planner, means sitting there for a good 90 minutes while the church coordinator goes through everything. I must say, the guy tonight was nice and didn't act like a total snot towards me when I introduced myself, but the intro was about as much as he wanted to talk about. From there, I was told exactly what my role would be on Saturday. Nothing. Except clean up. They love wedding planners only because it means they get to tell us to clean up. When I told him I would be leaving immediately after Tricia gets down the aisle to head to the reception site, he was almost in panic mode. I informed him the family was in charge of clean up. Ha!
From there...rehearsal was typical. But I felt bad for nearly everyone since not too many were Catholic and had no idea what they were in for. The Coordinator made them practice standing, sitting, bowing, the sign of peace, what to do during communion, what to do when the readers were doing their thing, and on and on. I swear, it's the only religion that ends up taking this long to figure out a wedding rehearsal. And go figure...yet another Priest that refuses to pronounce the first kiss. It's all just odd, this Catholic marriage thing. Although, not ALL of them are like this, most are.
I'm Catholic. Born & raised and very grateful for that upbringing. I wouldn't change it for anything despite the drama surrounding our particular religion these days. But seriously...do weddings really have to be so strict and long and full of readings that no one understands? Give me a Lutheran wedding any day. Now those people know how to do this the right way!
3 Wedding Weekend
I might die. Well, probably not, but come midnight on Sunday I am going to pass out. I have three weddings this weekend and the festivities start tonight. My Saturday wedding is having their rehearsal tonight, so there's that. Then it's the wedding on Saturday. Then there's a wedding on Sunday. And then whenever I'm finished with my Sunday wedding, I'll be hightailing it over to Lakefront Brewery to attend the reception of a friend, who was married in Tahoe earlier this summer. Fun? Yes! Exhausting? Hell yes! I also fear that I won't be able to make it to my friend's reception because I have this sneaky suspicion that I will be "stuck" at the Sunday wedding all night.
I was crazy enough to do this to myself this weekend, so I really have no right to complain about it. My Saturday couple just had a baby a few months ago and asked me to do Month of Coordination, which entails creating and keeping up with the ever-changing timeline, being the main point of contact for ALL their vendors, and basically just being their go-to person the month before. With a new baby, she knew she'd have her hands full. But my hands are so full it's not even funny.
Enter Sunday Wedding couple. I was completely on board to do Day of Coordination for them, but then we met and as we talked and talked, they realized they may not have the time or ability to do everything that has to be done the month before. They live on the East Coast and planning from afar is manageable, but it can get a little frustrating the closer you get to the date. So....I said yes. Because I liked them. Because I felt bad for them. Because I thought I could totally handle TWO month of coordinations one day apart. Um, yeah. I've handled it, it's what I do. But this past month has been controlled chaos.
I can't say either couple has been high-maintenance, there has just been a lot of details for each wedding. One wedding has fabulous vendors but they're so busy contact with them has been difficult. The other wedding has so-so vendors so working with them has been an ongoing challenge.
I never thought I'd ever say this....but I can't wait for Monday to get here just so the weekend is over. And I sure do hope I don't have to miss Laura & Mark's reception on Sunday night!
Wish me luck. Or sanity. I probably need the sanity more.
I was crazy enough to do this to myself this weekend, so I really have no right to complain about it. My Saturday couple just had a baby a few months ago and asked me to do Month of Coordination, which entails creating and keeping up with the ever-changing timeline, being the main point of contact for ALL their vendors, and basically just being their go-to person the month before. With a new baby, she knew she'd have her hands full. But my hands are so full it's not even funny.
Enter Sunday Wedding couple. I was completely on board to do Day of Coordination for them, but then we met and as we talked and talked, they realized they may not have the time or ability to do everything that has to be done the month before. They live on the East Coast and planning from afar is manageable, but it can get a little frustrating the closer you get to the date. So....I said yes. Because I liked them. Because I felt bad for them. Because I thought I could totally handle TWO month of coordinations one day apart. Um, yeah. I've handled it, it's what I do. But this past month has been controlled chaos.
I can't say either couple has been high-maintenance, there has just been a lot of details for each wedding. One wedding has fabulous vendors but they're so busy contact with them has been difficult. The other wedding has so-so vendors so working with them has been an ongoing challenge.
I never thought I'd ever say this....but I can't wait for Monday to get here just so the weekend is over. And I sure do hope I don't have to miss Laura & Mark's reception on Sunday night!
Wish me luck. Or sanity. I probably need the sanity more.
Help Krista Help Amelia
This is more important than any wedding post that will ever be on here. That's right. Krista is running a marathon in honor and support of Amelia, a little girl with leukemia who is fighting to live. But Krista's not just running a marathon, she's collecting money also. Money that will help this little girl. You can visit Krista's blog for the entire story (and it's a tear-jerker, let me warn you) and you can also visit here for Team In Training's website to donate, donate, donate!! Skip your Starbucks this week and donate that $5 to Amelia. Please!
Monday, October 1, 2007
I Was Tagged
Aw man Molly! I swear, I learn something new about blogging every day. Molly tagged me and well, see below.
THE RULES:
1. Post these rules before you give you the facts.
2. List eight (8) random facts about yourself.
3. At the end of your post, choose (tag) someone and list their name (linking to their page).
4. Leave them a comment on their blog letting them know they’ve been tagged!
8 Random Facts about Danica:
1. I was in a commercial for the restaurant I worked at in high school. The commercial that I (and other girls) were promised would only air on the local access channel. It aired on ESPN in our market along with the major news channels. We were given shit for that my entire Senior year.
2. I can still do the splits.
3. I get antsy very easily. Meaning, I very seldom even sit through commercials of my favorite tv shows. I get up and do something else.
4. I love football. I always thought I'd be the first female NFL referee. To this day, my Dad says I should have gone after that. He's probably right.
5. My siblings are my best friends. I mean, I have a couple "real" best friends, but my brother and sister and I have a pact: We will always be there for each other even if others aren't.
6. I miss both of my Grandmas. A lot. A whole lot.
7. I went to Ireland with my mom. That's right, with my MOM. And damn it, we had a blast! I think Italy is next.
8. I love my SUV. Sometimes I justify having it to others by blaming it on my business and that I need it. But really? I don't care what people say about it, I love it and will probably always own one. Wedding business or not.
These people have been tagged: Ginesa, Jess, Tracey
THE RULES:
1. Post these rules before you give you the facts.
2. List eight (8) random facts about yourself.
3. At the end of your post, choose (tag) someone and list their name (linking to their page).
4. Leave them a comment on their blog letting them know they’ve been tagged!
8 Random Facts about Danica:
1. I was in a commercial for the restaurant I worked at in high school. The commercial that I (and other girls) were promised would only air on the local access channel. It aired on ESPN in our market along with the major news channels. We were given shit for that my entire Senior year.
2. I can still do the splits.
3. I get antsy very easily. Meaning, I very seldom even sit through commercials of my favorite tv shows. I get up and do something else.
4. I love football. I always thought I'd be the first female NFL referee. To this day, my Dad says I should have gone after that. He's probably right.
5. My siblings are my best friends. I mean, I have a couple "real" best friends, but my brother and sister and I have a pact: We will always be there for each other even if others aren't.
6. I miss both of my Grandmas. A lot. A whole lot.
7. I went to Ireland with my mom. That's right, with my MOM. And damn it, we had a blast! I think Italy is next.
8. I love my SUV. Sometimes I justify having it to others by blaming it on my business and that I need it. But really? I don't care what people say about it, I love it and will probably always own one. Wedding business or not.
These people have been tagged: Ginesa, Jess, Tracey
Almost Perfect
Liz & Matt got married on Saturday. They had to get married at their church using the required Wedding Coordinator who they had to PAY additional for. That's right...they HAD to use her and they HAD to pay extra. Apparently, it was not a good situation with little miss church wedding coordinator either. The couple had made the decision not to have me there and to instead put all my efforts into picking up their wedding day items and setting up their reception at The Miller Room. Very smart on their part, but I sure did feel bad for everyone when they told me how horrible this girl was to work with before the ceremony.
Setting up at The Miller Room or The Harbor Lights Room is always a challenge. Mainly, because you are not allowed in until 3pm and even then the crew is just starting to put out the tables, chairs and linen everything. I use that time to unload my truck and haul it all into the room. These venues also do not allow you to drop anything off prior to 3pm so I make sure I wear sensible shoes on these days because there is A LOT of walking and lifting going on! Despite all this, it really is one of my favorite venues to work with. The staff is always great and by this time, we know each other so well and work in tandem to pull it all off flawlessly. Their staff truly lets me make judgement calls if need be which is rare, but very nice and helpful. They know that I know the couple and their vision better than they do and they trust that I'll make the right decisions.
It really was a perfect day for the most part. With only 2 hours to set everything up and the vendors included a 15-piece jazz band that meant a ton of people running around, at 5:30 we opened the doors and the guests were greeted with a room that was FULL of candlelight. It simply glowed and I must say...I did one hell of a gorgeous job. Their vision was candles, candles, a little floral here and there, and more candles. I must have set up more than 500 candles total and while it sounds like overkill, it truly was spectacular.
They did food stations for their dinner, which is such a great concept that no one ever does. I love it. It gives wedding guests something different than the same sit-down dinner that every other wedding does. It provides the opportunity for more guest interaction and mingling. It looks classy and high-end while still being affordable. Nice job Liz & Matt! The other unique concept to this wedding? A cigar bar. They did it themselves with a beautiful humidor, top notch cigars, cutters, matches, modern ashtrays, etc. All just set up nicely on a cabaret table for guests to enjoy and help themselves to. It was a hit!
Did I mentioned they looked gorgeous? They did. Her dress was to die for. Her chocolate brown color complimented the few floral centerpieces she had and by sheer coincidence went so well with the recently renovated Miller Room. Another unique twist? She had a male attendant alongside her two bridesmaids and he had two female attendants alongside his best man. This couple bucked tradition on so many things and it was such a fabulous event that I'm sure their guests will be talking about for months to come.
Oh, and one of these days I'm going to actually remember my camera so I can share pictures! I was so bummed I didn't have it for this one. I'm hoping Front Room, their photographers, will let me steal some pics from them.
Setting up at The Miller Room or The Harbor Lights Room is always a challenge. Mainly, because you are not allowed in until 3pm and even then the crew is just starting to put out the tables, chairs and linen everything. I use that time to unload my truck and haul it all into the room. These venues also do not allow you to drop anything off prior to 3pm so I make sure I wear sensible shoes on these days because there is A LOT of walking and lifting going on! Despite all this, it really is one of my favorite venues to work with. The staff is always great and by this time, we know each other so well and work in tandem to pull it all off flawlessly. Their staff truly lets me make judgement calls if need be which is rare, but very nice and helpful. They know that I know the couple and their vision better than they do and they trust that I'll make the right decisions.
It really was a perfect day for the most part. With only 2 hours to set everything up and the vendors included a 15-piece jazz band that meant a ton of people running around, at 5:30 we opened the doors and the guests were greeted with a room that was FULL of candlelight. It simply glowed and I must say...I did one hell of a gorgeous job. Their vision was candles, candles, a little floral here and there, and more candles. I must have set up more than 500 candles total and while it sounds like overkill, it truly was spectacular.
They did food stations for their dinner, which is such a great concept that no one ever does. I love it. It gives wedding guests something different than the same sit-down dinner that every other wedding does. It provides the opportunity for more guest interaction and mingling. It looks classy and high-end while still being affordable. Nice job Liz & Matt! The other unique concept to this wedding? A cigar bar. They did it themselves with a beautiful humidor, top notch cigars, cutters, matches, modern ashtrays, etc. All just set up nicely on a cabaret table for guests to enjoy and help themselves to. It was a hit!
Did I mentioned they looked gorgeous? They did. Her dress was to die for. Her chocolate brown color complimented the few floral centerpieces she had and by sheer coincidence went so well with the recently renovated Miller Room. Another unique twist? She had a male attendant alongside her two bridesmaids and he had two female attendants alongside his best man. This couple bucked tradition on so many things and it was such a fabulous event that I'm sure their guests will be talking about for months to come.
Oh, and one of these days I'm going to actually remember my camera so I can share pictures! I was so bummed I didn't have it for this one. I'm hoping Front Room, their photographers, will let me steal some pics from them.
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