Not that I don't have enough going on in my life right now, but I do have a tiny little secret that I'm ready to reveal. I've only tossed this around with my mother, and whimsically at best.
I'm thinking......of.......writing a book. With a lot of help of course. Because, well, I don't write. I love to write (ask every single teacher I have ever had) and used to be really good at it, but now? Eh...not so much. I'm 31 and gave up on my writing dreams and ambitions a good 13 years ago.
However, I have stories. LOTS of great stories. Wedding stories of course! And who doesn't like to read about weddings? Especially the nitty gritty behind the scenes tales. Everyone loves a good train wreck.
Now, I fully realize that the plethora of wedding books and guides are out there for the masses to consume. So, I need an angle that's different. I think I might have it, but I can't blow that little secret here of course.
My other dilemma is that it's probably not the smartest career move to be telling tales of weddings past when I'm still fully engaged in my business. As I've said before, I've had some crazies where the stories are miles long, but for the most part I've had the BEST brides ever. I mean that. To this day some of them have turned into true friendships for which I am going to be forever grateful. However, even the best of the best have some stories involved! Actually, my friend Stacey who started out as one of my Fall 2007 brides probably has some of the best stories ever of her wedding planning days and the big day itself. But what if you weren't my friend and you found a story in a book that was clearly about your wedding day (names withheld of course)? How would you feel? Maybe I have too much compassion in me or something, but it's the only thing holding me back. I don't want to hurt feelings. The business side of it is obvious too....who wants to hire the wedding planner that writes a book about you?
So, weigh in. What do you think? Perhaps I start tackling this monster project and just see where it goes. It's not like a book can be written in a short amount of time. It will be a long process at best and due to the angle I think I want to aim for, it may take even longer.
Dreams. Ambitions. Goals. I'm surprised sometimes that my DNA doesn't just explode from some of my attempts.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Economic Crisis or Coincidence?
Alright my fellow Wedding Planners...have you been hit by the economic crunch?
I have.
But perhaps not in the way you would think. Inquiries are still coming in and I suspect that they will be heavy as usual as Christmas and New Year's and Valentine's proposals come in flurries over the next few months. Brides and grooms alike are still booking services for as far out as 2011!
However, I'm not getting paid. No, I haven't become a non-profit Wedding Planner or anything like that. I have had a very relaxed payment process with my clients. Half down is required to reserve their date and choice of services. The other half is due on or before the wedding date. I would say 90% of my clients choose to pay the day of. Until recently. The wedding date comes and goes and I get no payment. Which means I show up, do all of the required work, and leave without receiving the other half of the payment. Now, sometimes the check shows up in my mailbox immediately following because they either forgot the day of (understandably) or things were just too crazy busy to collect the payment. Other times once a week rolls by I send an invoice and typically I am paid right away.
Not these days. Right now I have 4 clients with outstanding balances for weddings I have already serviced. One of which is almost $500. All in all this Wedding Planner is missing out on $1000 worth of payments right now. That is not a comfortable place to be and a place that I have never been before. I have offered payment plans, made collection calls, sent multiple invoices that now include late fees...you name it.
So, coincidence with the economy or just pure dumb luck? Either way, my contracts now require that second half of the payment due within 3 business days of the event. It's not something I ever wanted to do, but unfortunately, that is what it has come to. I've talked to other wedding vendors and I know of 2 photographers and 3 DJ's that are waiting on much more money than I am. So, I am not alone, but it is just sad.
Brides & Grooms...if you know you aren't going to be able to pay your wedding vendors on the day of your wedding, please let us know. I'm sure most of us will be willing to work out a payment plan so that you can have the day you dreamed of. But trying to scam us, not returning our calls, and lying to us is not the way to get it done. It will more than likely end up in a collections or a small claims suit. That's not the type of reminder you want for your special day!
With that, I'm off to send more invoices and pray to the Wedding Vendor Gods.
I have.
But perhaps not in the way you would think. Inquiries are still coming in and I suspect that they will be heavy as usual as Christmas and New Year's and Valentine's proposals come in flurries over the next few months. Brides and grooms alike are still booking services for as far out as 2011!
However, I'm not getting paid. No, I haven't become a non-profit Wedding Planner or anything like that. I have had a very relaxed payment process with my clients. Half down is required to reserve their date and choice of services. The other half is due on or before the wedding date. I would say 90% of my clients choose to pay the day of. Until recently. The wedding date comes and goes and I get no payment. Which means I show up, do all of the required work, and leave without receiving the other half of the payment. Now, sometimes the check shows up in my mailbox immediately following because they either forgot the day of (understandably) or things were just too crazy busy to collect the payment. Other times once a week rolls by I send an invoice and typically I am paid right away.
Not these days. Right now I have 4 clients with outstanding balances for weddings I have already serviced. One of which is almost $500. All in all this Wedding Planner is missing out on $1000 worth of payments right now. That is not a comfortable place to be and a place that I have never been before. I have offered payment plans, made collection calls, sent multiple invoices that now include late fees...you name it.
So, coincidence with the economy or just pure dumb luck? Either way, my contracts now require that second half of the payment due within 3 business days of the event. It's not something I ever wanted to do, but unfortunately, that is what it has come to. I've talked to other wedding vendors and I know of 2 photographers and 3 DJ's that are waiting on much more money than I am. So, I am not alone, but it is just sad.
Brides & Grooms...if you know you aren't going to be able to pay your wedding vendors on the day of your wedding, please let us know. I'm sure most of us will be willing to work out a payment plan so that you can have the day you dreamed of. But trying to scam us, not returning our calls, and lying to us is not the way to get it done. It will more than likely end up in a collections or a small claims suit. That's not the type of reminder you want for your special day!
With that, I'm off to send more invoices and pray to the Wedding Vendor Gods.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
I Moved
Just to another home, but moving is tough! I bought a house in the perfect neighborhood. The house is far from perfect, but slowly but surely I intend to make it my own little world of home perfection. I guess I should get unpacked and organized first.
My wedding business is officed out of my home. It just doesn't pay for me to have overhead by leasing out an actual off-site office and this decision to be home-based has never affected my business. So, it remains. However....I almost feel like I moved two different things. My home and my work. My work is still boxed up though. I did manage to con my brother into putting together my desk for me and arranging it exactly where I wanted it in my office. That part is done! My part though? The part that includes unpacking multiple wedding client folders, calendars, binders, etc? That's not exactly even started. I keep justifying it by saying "I don't have any more weddings this month so nothing is too pertinent." Wrong. It's ALL pertinent! Now! I've given myself a deadline of Sunday night to at least get organized in this new fancy office of mine. And by organized, let me just clarify that to me that means unpacked and a desk in order. I'll cut myself some slack for getting pictures hung. :)
Here's to a brand new office that is HUGE and has convinced me already that I will be the Wedding Planner Extraordinaire. All due to the office of course.
My wedding business is officed out of my home. It just doesn't pay for me to have overhead by leasing out an actual off-site office and this decision to be home-based has never affected my business. So, it remains. However....I almost feel like I moved two different things. My home and my work. My work is still boxed up though. I did manage to con my brother into putting together my desk for me and arranging it exactly where I wanted it in my office. That part is done! My part though? The part that includes unpacking multiple wedding client folders, calendars, binders, etc? That's not exactly even started. I keep justifying it by saying "I don't have any more weddings this month so nothing is too pertinent." Wrong. It's ALL pertinent! Now! I've given myself a deadline of Sunday night to at least get organized in this new fancy office of mine. And by organized, let me just clarify that to me that means unpacked and a desk in order. I'll cut myself some slack for getting pictures hung. :)
Here's to a brand new office that is HUGE and has convinced me already that I will be the Wedding Planner Extraordinaire. All due to the office of course.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
A Comedy of...Errors?
Or something like that. More like mishaps I suppose. Yesterday's wedding started out just like any other. A bride and a groom both getting ready with their respective parties, photographers taking pre-pictures, guests beginning to arrive, a Mother of the Groom suddenly ripping her dress so badly at home it needs major repair....you know, just another wedding day!
That's right, only a half hour before the ceremony was to begin there was a frantic, crying Mother of the Groom trying to figure out what to do with her dress. All we knew at the church was she was going to be late. And in terms of the ceremony, that meant starting a half hour late. Surprisingly, no one freaked out too badly....except the Priest. When I knocked on his door to inform him of the delay, his reply was: "Hmmm....well, I need to be at the nursing home at 2 so I don't know how this is going to work." To which my reply was: "We're going to start at 1:30 instead of 1, that's how this is going to work. We're not having a wedding without his mom."
He agreed (of course! There's NO other option) and then made his way to the altar to make the announcement to the guests that there had been a wardrobe malfunction. No really, people. We're serious. Laughter followed by groans followed by a mass exodus so people could smoke outside, let their kids run around, and just stretch their legs for a half hour.
Mom did show up dress in tact and looked gorgeous. We started the ceremony, everyone is down the aisle and it's Bride's turn! My favorite time of any ceremony of course. I fluff her dress, position her flowers, give her and Dad a pep talk and they're off! It was a windy aisle in order to get to the main aisle and as she walked down the second part of the aisle, she stopped. STOPPED! What?!?! I look on and I see she is looking at her train. I make a mad dash over to her and sure enough, her train has gotten stuck (and slightly ripped) on part of the wall. I get her unhooked, fluff her dress again and this time she made it all the way to her waiting groom.
I couldn't stay for the ceremony as I had lots of work to do over at the reception site. Let me just say this....I have done many events at this venue, which will remain unnamed. It never fails that it is just shy of a disaster. Staff arrives late, they never have all of the information, they book back to back events leaving no time at all for setup, etc. Below is the list of what I got to deal with yesterday:
1. No chairs at the tables upon arrival
2. An event going on in part of the ballroom so all of the tables were smooshed into one area for the time being.
3. Event next door didn't get over until 30 minutes prior to the start of this wedding
4. Once the staff arrived, they were under direction to set each table for 10 guests. NO! Each table was to be set for the exact number of guests that the Bride had arranged for. I didn't get my way on this and each table ended up being 10-tops. Whatever.
5. Awkwardly shaped oval tables with 10 guests just don't make sense. Can we say elbow to elbow?!?!
6. Even though I arrived 3 hours before the start of the reception, I literally had about 90 minutes to get everything done due to them not being set up yet.
7. As guests arrived, setup by the staff was still being completed. WRONG! Guests should NEVER see this. It's like the cardinal rule of banquets.
8. The event taking place prior to the wedding included a lot of kids. Who thought it was fun to play with the placecard table I painstakingly set up. I say painstakingly, because I took a lot of time creating a very unique design with the cards...all 250 of them.
9. Let's not forget about the four sets of people that walked into the ballroom while I was setting up and wanted answers about the venue. After explaining that I am the Wedding Planner and not a representative of the venue, they want to talk to me even more. Which florist do I like best? How would I set this room for only 100 guests? Buffet or sitdown or stations? And on and on. I politely excused myself from each group after a couple questions, but one group (with an entourage of 8 women along) said "Oh, we'll just follow you around while you do your thing. We really need help with this wedding." Ummm.....then ask me for my card and pay for my services. I'm on a job here, people! I'm happy to help, I give out referrals ALL the time and never charge for it, but this was crazy. Indeed, they followed me from table to table as I completed my setup. Apparently, I need to get better at acting frustrated because they clearly didn't get the hint.
So, that's about it. It of course ended up fine. It always does. But it was touch and go there for a while. I also plan on meeting with the Events Manager at this venue to let him know that this is just plain old bad business practice to continue holding events like this.
But the happy couple is on their way to warmer lands tomorrow for a nice relaxing honeymoon with all wedding details and planning out of their mind forever. Such a great feeling!
Congrats Stephanie & Jason. You guys were awesome!
That's right, only a half hour before the ceremony was to begin there was a frantic, crying Mother of the Groom trying to figure out what to do with her dress. All we knew at the church was she was going to be late. And in terms of the ceremony, that meant starting a half hour late. Surprisingly, no one freaked out too badly....except the Priest. When I knocked on his door to inform him of the delay, his reply was: "Hmmm....well, I need to be at the nursing home at 2 so I don't know how this is going to work." To which my reply was: "We're going to start at 1:30 instead of 1, that's how this is going to work. We're not having a wedding without his mom."
He agreed (of course! There's NO other option) and then made his way to the altar to make the announcement to the guests that there had been a wardrobe malfunction. No really, people. We're serious. Laughter followed by groans followed by a mass exodus so people could smoke outside, let their kids run around, and just stretch their legs for a half hour.
Mom did show up dress in tact and looked gorgeous. We started the ceremony, everyone is down the aisle and it's Bride's turn! My favorite time of any ceremony of course. I fluff her dress, position her flowers, give her and Dad a pep talk and they're off! It was a windy aisle in order to get to the main aisle and as she walked down the second part of the aisle, she stopped. STOPPED! What?!?! I look on and I see she is looking at her train. I make a mad dash over to her and sure enough, her train has gotten stuck (and slightly ripped) on part of the wall. I get her unhooked, fluff her dress again and this time she made it all the way to her waiting groom.
I couldn't stay for the ceremony as I had lots of work to do over at the reception site. Let me just say this....I have done many events at this venue, which will remain unnamed. It never fails that it is just shy of a disaster. Staff arrives late, they never have all of the information, they book back to back events leaving no time at all for setup, etc. Below is the list of what I got to deal with yesterday:
1. No chairs at the tables upon arrival
2. An event going on in part of the ballroom so all of the tables were smooshed into one area for the time being.
3. Event next door didn't get over until 30 minutes prior to the start of this wedding
4. Once the staff arrived, they were under direction to set each table for 10 guests. NO! Each table was to be set for the exact number of guests that the Bride had arranged for. I didn't get my way on this and each table ended up being 10-tops. Whatever.
5. Awkwardly shaped oval tables with 10 guests just don't make sense. Can we say elbow to elbow?!?!
6. Even though I arrived 3 hours before the start of the reception, I literally had about 90 minutes to get everything done due to them not being set up yet.
7. As guests arrived, setup by the staff was still being completed. WRONG! Guests should NEVER see this. It's like the cardinal rule of banquets.
8. The event taking place prior to the wedding included a lot of kids. Who thought it was fun to play with the placecard table I painstakingly set up. I say painstakingly, because I took a lot of time creating a very unique design with the cards...all 250 of them.
9. Let's not forget about the four sets of people that walked into the ballroom while I was setting up and wanted answers about the venue. After explaining that I am the Wedding Planner and not a representative of the venue, they want to talk to me even more. Which florist do I like best? How would I set this room for only 100 guests? Buffet or sitdown or stations? And on and on. I politely excused myself from each group after a couple questions, but one group (with an entourage of 8 women along) said "Oh, we'll just follow you around while you do your thing. We really need help with this wedding." Ummm.....then ask me for my card and pay for my services. I'm on a job here, people! I'm happy to help, I give out referrals ALL the time and never charge for it, but this was crazy. Indeed, they followed me from table to table as I completed my setup. Apparently, I need to get better at acting frustrated because they clearly didn't get the hint.
So, that's about it. It of course ended up fine. It always does. But it was touch and go there for a while. I also plan on meeting with the Events Manager at this venue to let him know that this is just plain old bad business practice to continue holding events like this.
But the happy couple is on their way to warmer lands tomorrow for a nice relaxing honeymoon with all wedding details and planning out of their mind forever. Such a great feeling!
Congrats Stephanie & Jason. You guys were awesome!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
MIA
Most definitely it has been too long! I have no excuses, but I do have explanations. Unfortunately, they are not for the public blogging world to know about. Sorry everyone! Rest assured though that I am alive and well and still very much a Wedding Planner. I did take the month of October off though, which had been arranged since last Fall. See how the life of a Wedding Planner works?....you have to take time off a year in advance. Crazy.
November is here though and that means it's time for winter wedding season. It always amazes me every year how more and more couples are choosing winter in Wisconsin for their season of marriage. It's beautiful though, well most times anyway. The beautiful photo ops with snow falling in the background is reason enough! Oh, and the once in a lifetime chance to buy a faux fur wrap of course. :)
Saturday's wedding has Stephanie & Jason tieing the knot in a full Catholic Mass followed by a reception for well over 200 guests. She's put a lot of work into the details of her wedding so it will be fun to bring it all together. She's also the bride that says "Danica, just do what you need to do, I don't care." Ahhhh....a dream. She's detailed in her notes, but is open to working with what we're given once we're on location. Let's face it, vendors often arrive on site and have to make some quick changes in order to pull off the look and feel of what the bride desires. But it always works and that's the fun part.
Now, for the weather on Saturday. Stephanie is convinced it's going to rain. It rains for all her special occasions. In fact, Wisconsin had very bad rainstorms with flooding and all for her 30th birthday. So, she's prepared for rain and I gave her the idea of using large umbrellas for some very memorable pictures. But....my trusty weatherman Mark Baden says it's probably snow we're getting this weekend. I'm not sure I'm ready to be tromping around in snow this weekend, but no matter what it will be a great day for this couple.
November is here though and that means it's time for winter wedding season. It always amazes me every year how more and more couples are choosing winter in Wisconsin for their season of marriage. It's beautiful though, well most times anyway. The beautiful photo ops with snow falling in the background is reason enough! Oh, and the once in a lifetime chance to buy a faux fur wrap of course. :)
Saturday's wedding has Stephanie & Jason tieing the knot in a full Catholic Mass followed by a reception for well over 200 guests. She's put a lot of work into the details of her wedding so it will be fun to bring it all together. She's also the bride that says "Danica, just do what you need to do, I don't care." Ahhhh....a dream. She's detailed in her notes, but is open to working with what we're given once we're on location. Let's face it, vendors often arrive on site and have to make some quick changes in order to pull off the look and feel of what the bride desires. But it always works and that's the fun part.
Now, for the weather on Saturday. Stephanie is convinced it's going to rain. It rains for all her special occasions. In fact, Wisconsin had very bad rainstorms with flooding and all for her 30th birthday. So, she's prepared for rain and I gave her the idea of using large umbrellas for some very memorable pictures. But....my trusty weatherman Mark Baden says it's probably snow we're getting this weekend. I'm not sure I'm ready to be tromping around in snow this weekend, but no matter what it will be a great day for this couple.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
When Hiring a Day of Wedding Coordinator
A lot of brides are finding it necessary to hire a Day of Coordinator (DOC) for their wedding day. And rightfully so. I get a ton of last-minute inquiries, requests, and downright begging from brides every month. It's due to the fact that most ladies don't realize how much goes into setting up for that day and once they are in the throws of putting together their timelines and To-Do lists they wonder who in the world is going to do all of this and do it on time and do it well. Mom can't do it...she'll be too busy. A bridesmaid or two?...no, they'll be getting hair done and hanging out with the bride. An aunt or cousin?...maybe, but will they really do it how you envision? That's where the frantic email or phone call comes in to me.
But there are also tips in hiring someone like me to do this for you. I am your go-to gal that day for your set-up of both ceremony and reception sites. And more than likely your go-to gal for YOU that day as well. But I'm a one-woman show in most cases and sometimes brides forget that I can't be in two places at once. I can't be sitting in a room with them helping her dress, take care of any mending or re-pinning of hair-do's, or removing stains at the same time I'm supposed to be downstairs scattering rose petals, tieing chair ties, lighting candles, etc.
For those of you that still have time before your wedding, here are some real things to take into consideration when you have a DOC:
1. DO have a timeline of the day for your DOC
2. DON'T call your DOC at 7am the day of the wedding to ask if she knows where your shoes are. She doesn't know. She's more than likely never seen your shoes and certainly has no idea where they would be.
3. DO inform all your vendors that you have a DOC that day that will be following up on set-up, etc.
4. DON'T tell all your vendors that you have a WEDDING PLANNER that took care of everything. They are two different things and unless you hired a WEDDING PLANNER to plan your event, odds are your DOC is going to know only the details you shared with her. And as many questions as DOC's ask of you prior to the day, there are still likely things we don't know. But if you tell your vendors that we know EVERYTHING, we look like asses when we don't. Please share.
5. DO give your DOC a detailed To-Do list for setup of each venue. Your DOC didn't plan your wedding, you did. We need as much detail as possible to make it what you envisioned for months. Simply telling your DOC that everything is in the boxes is probably not enough.
6. DON'T assume your DOC is going to make financial decisions for you. It is not your DOC's responsibility to pay vendors their final payment, tell the caterer it's ok to make 20 more meals b/c extra people showed up, etc. When we ask for a day-of contact for financial purposes, this is why.
7. DO make sure you like your DOC, trust your DOC, get along with your DOC. If you don't it's not an ideal match for your perfect day.
8. DON'T question your DOC time and time again. If you ask us a question we are going to give you an honest answer based on our experience. We're not kidding. You hired your DOC for a reason, let her do her job.
9. DO let yourself relax and have fun. Again, you hired a DOC for a reason. If you can't relax and let it go, you shouldn't have hired one. You're just making unnecessary work for yourself.
10. DON'T tell your friends & family that your DOC is a "friend" or "cousin of a friend" that is just helping you out...unless you've informed your DOC of this first. We'll put on a show if we know about it, but if we don't and someone asks who we are, we're probably going to tell them that we are your DOC for the day.
But there are also tips in hiring someone like me to do this for you. I am your go-to gal that day for your set-up of both ceremony and reception sites. And more than likely your go-to gal for YOU that day as well. But I'm a one-woman show in most cases and sometimes brides forget that I can't be in two places at once. I can't be sitting in a room with them helping her dress, take care of any mending or re-pinning of hair-do's, or removing stains at the same time I'm supposed to be downstairs scattering rose petals, tieing chair ties, lighting candles, etc.
For those of you that still have time before your wedding, here are some real things to take into consideration when you have a DOC:
1. DO have a timeline of the day for your DOC
2. DON'T call your DOC at 7am the day of the wedding to ask if she knows where your shoes are. She doesn't know. She's more than likely never seen your shoes and certainly has no idea where they would be.
3. DO inform all your vendors that you have a DOC that day that will be following up on set-up, etc.
4. DON'T tell all your vendors that you have a WEDDING PLANNER that took care of everything. They are two different things and unless you hired a WEDDING PLANNER to plan your event, odds are your DOC is going to know only the details you shared with her. And as many questions as DOC's ask of you prior to the day, there are still likely things we don't know. But if you tell your vendors that we know EVERYTHING, we look like asses when we don't. Please share.
5. DO give your DOC a detailed To-Do list for setup of each venue. Your DOC didn't plan your wedding, you did. We need as much detail as possible to make it what you envisioned for months. Simply telling your DOC that everything is in the boxes is probably not enough.
6. DON'T assume your DOC is going to make financial decisions for you. It is not your DOC's responsibility to pay vendors their final payment, tell the caterer it's ok to make 20 more meals b/c extra people showed up, etc. When we ask for a day-of contact for financial purposes, this is why.
7. DO make sure you like your DOC, trust your DOC, get along with your DOC. If you don't it's not an ideal match for your perfect day.
8. DON'T question your DOC time and time again. If you ask us a question we are going to give you an honest answer based on our experience. We're not kidding. You hired your DOC for a reason, let her do her job.
9. DO let yourself relax and have fun. Again, you hired a DOC for a reason. If you can't relax and let it go, you shouldn't have hired one. You're just making unnecessary work for yourself.
10. DON'T tell your friends & family that your DOC is a "friend" or "cousin of a friend" that is just helping you out...unless you've informed your DOC of this first. We'll put on a show if we know about it, but if we don't and someone asks who we are, we're probably going to tell them that we are your DOC for the day.
Rain? Who Cares!
Yes, I realize it's easy for me to say who cares about rain on their wedding day, but really....it doesn't matter. I promise you. And if you need any justification on that you can ask Sarah, my bride from yesterday.
A lot of time, detail, sweat, and even some tears went into the planning of their perfect wedding day. Perfect meaning outside. Without rain. Well, Mother Nature doesn't check with brides before making the plan for the day. She certainly didn't check with Sarah yesterday. But it was still a beautiful day.
The couple was married at the gorgeous Villa Terrace. Inside. Which is still beautiful and quaint and rich in history. The room lined with white chairs, the aisle flanked by brown chair ties with gorgeous cabbage roses in the bows thanks to my partner in crime, florist Carrie of Petals, made the room gorgeous. It didn't need much, it's the perfect setting for an indoor ceremony.
Bishop Craig Bergland performed the ceremony and working with him is always a treat. My time was way too short with him yesterday though so we promised to catch up over coffee after the summer wedding madness calms down (Is there such a thing?!?). He is the type of person that you just instantly feel connected to and every couple that meets him always sends me a special "thank you" for referring them to Craig. He's really just that cool.
Unfortunately, I had to rush back to the reception venue, Joey Buona's, to finish setting up as soon as Sarah and her Dad were down the aisle. And by rush, I mean, I'm still thankful I didn't end up with a ticket from the Milwaukee PD. But there was SO much left to do. The venue had said vendors could arrive anytime after 9am to begin setting up. That wasn't true the day of. It was more like Noon. Which meant I had less than 2 hours before the ceremony began and then another 90 minutes once I got back there and before guests started arriving. Luckily, it was done in time and it was so pretty. Carrie's (and her amazing staff!) work was breathtaking; half of the centerpieces were tall trumpet vases filled with even taller branches and then the heads of several roses were attached to the branches, as if suspended. The other centerpieces were cylinder glass vases wrapped in metal branches with a large pillar candle inside on top of a bed of pink roses. The staff at Joey's commented it was one of the prettiest set-ups they had seen.
But there was a lot of work to be done. It was assigned seating, and not just by table. By actual seat. So, each seat had to be adorned with a small picture frame with the guest's name on it. Guests viewed a large seating chart upon arrival to find out which table they were sitting at and then once at the table found their seat by the identifying frame. That is a lot of frames to set out when you're talking about 19 tables! And it took a long time. Then there were menu cards....at each place setting....to be slipped into the pocket of the napkin. Guess what? Joey's doesn't do fancy napkin holds. They do the standard tented napkin. After letting them know that I had specific instructions that these menu cards be placed in the pocket of the napkin and that the bride had discussed this with the event coordinator at the venue, they bent over backwards to learn how to fold those napkins. Almost 200 of them. In less than an hour. I can't say enough about Joey Buona's staff. They are first class and always have been. They never complain. And seriously...I know they didn't want to be doing that yesterday. I've been in their shoes. But they did it. Graciously. I am sending them a very nice thank you note tomorrow. I know a lot of venues that would have told me to screw off. And that's saying it lightly.
Another highlight of the day was I got to see my favorite DJ's, Craig & Amber of All-Star Music! They are some of my most favorite people and they had a baby boy a few months ago who I got to oooh and ahhh over in pictures. I can't say enough good about these two. They have built this company to be one of the most reputable DJ systems in the Milwaukee area. They listen to their clients, do what they ask, and have fun doing it.
Once the wedding party arrived they gathered downstairs to be lined up for the grand entrance and up the stairs they went dancing to music, taking their places at the head table, and a room full of standing ovation as the new Mr. & Mrs. was announced and proceeded to the dance floor for their First Dance. I watched their dance and then made my own exit. It was a very long day, but it was also a rewarding day once I stood there and looked at how awesome that room glowed in candlelight. I'm sure everyone had a blast that night and I know they ate well with Joey's food!
I know I'm behind on pictures. Apparently uploading pictures is a huge task for me, so I promise to have a post just for wedding pictures soon.
A lot of time, detail, sweat, and even some tears went into the planning of their perfect wedding day. Perfect meaning outside. Without rain. Well, Mother Nature doesn't check with brides before making the plan for the day. She certainly didn't check with Sarah yesterday. But it was still a beautiful day.
The couple was married at the gorgeous Villa Terrace. Inside. Which is still beautiful and quaint and rich in history. The room lined with white chairs, the aisle flanked by brown chair ties with gorgeous cabbage roses in the bows thanks to my partner in crime, florist Carrie of Petals, made the room gorgeous. It didn't need much, it's the perfect setting for an indoor ceremony.
Bishop Craig Bergland performed the ceremony and working with him is always a treat. My time was way too short with him yesterday though so we promised to catch up over coffee after the summer wedding madness calms down (Is there such a thing?!?). He is the type of person that you just instantly feel connected to and every couple that meets him always sends me a special "thank you" for referring them to Craig. He's really just that cool.
Unfortunately, I had to rush back to the reception venue, Joey Buona's, to finish setting up as soon as Sarah and her Dad were down the aisle. And by rush, I mean, I'm still thankful I didn't end up with a ticket from the Milwaukee PD. But there was SO much left to do. The venue had said vendors could arrive anytime after 9am to begin setting up. That wasn't true the day of. It was more like Noon. Which meant I had less than 2 hours before the ceremony began and then another 90 minutes once I got back there and before guests started arriving. Luckily, it was done in time and it was so pretty. Carrie's (and her amazing staff!) work was breathtaking; half of the centerpieces were tall trumpet vases filled with even taller branches and then the heads of several roses were attached to the branches, as if suspended. The other centerpieces were cylinder glass vases wrapped in metal branches with a large pillar candle inside on top of a bed of pink roses. The staff at Joey's commented it was one of the prettiest set-ups they had seen.
But there was a lot of work to be done. It was assigned seating, and not just by table. By actual seat. So, each seat had to be adorned with a small picture frame with the guest's name on it. Guests viewed a large seating chart upon arrival to find out which table they were sitting at and then once at the table found their seat by the identifying frame. That is a lot of frames to set out when you're talking about 19 tables! And it took a long time. Then there were menu cards....at each place setting....to be slipped into the pocket of the napkin. Guess what? Joey's doesn't do fancy napkin holds. They do the standard tented napkin. After letting them know that I had specific instructions that these menu cards be placed in the pocket of the napkin and that the bride had discussed this with the event coordinator at the venue, they bent over backwards to learn how to fold those napkins. Almost 200 of them. In less than an hour. I can't say enough about Joey Buona's staff. They are first class and always have been. They never complain. And seriously...I know they didn't want to be doing that yesterday. I've been in their shoes. But they did it. Graciously. I am sending them a very nice thank you note tomorrow. I know a lot of venues that would have told me to screw off. And that's saying it lightly.
Another highlight of the day was I got to see my favorite DJ's, Craig & Amber of All-Star Music! They are some of my most favorite people and they had a baby boy a few months ago who I got to oooh and ahhh over in pictures. I can't say enough good about these two. They have built this company to be one of the most reputable DJ systems in the Milwaukee area. They listen to their clients, do what they ask, and have fun doing it.
Once the wedding party arrived they gathered downstairs to be lined up for the grand entrance and up the stairs they went dancing to music, taking their places at the head table, and a room full of standing ovation as the new Mr. & Mrs. was announced and proceeded to the dance floor for their First Dance. I watched their dance and then made my own exit. It was a very long day, but it was also a rewarding day once I stood there and looked at how awesome that room glowed in candlelight. I'm sure everyone had a blast that night and I know they ate well with Joey's food!
I know I'm behind on pictures. Apparently uploading pictures is a huge task for me, so I promise to have a post just for wedding pictures soon.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
A Day of Love
That's exactly what Saturday was. Filled with love. Between everyone involved. I know, it sounds sappy beyond belief, but it really was just this joyous day. Now don't get me wrong, that's what most wedding days are supposed to be, but this one? This one was different.
Maggie & Piero have been my email companions for months and months now. That's how they booked me, that's how I helped them with some of their details, that's how we finalized details of their day. I got to meet them about a month before the wedding and it was just awesome. They are one of the coolest, most laid back, most genuine couples I have ever met.
Both are from Wisconsin, but they live in upstate New York these days. And Piero's family is Italian. And I don't mean Italian like a lot of people claim to be. I mean, they are the real deal! Trust me, I heard the language being spoke and everything and it literally gave me goose bumps. And Maggie's family? A dream. Really. That is the only way to describe her parents, her sisters, her brother, her adorable nephew. They were just good, good people. The type of people that you want to surround yourself with on a continuous basis.
Maggie & Piero were married at the beautiful and well appointed Gesu Parish on the Marquette University campus. Gesu may be a bit strict on their wedding policies, but it's all for good reason. The outcome is always a gorgeous venue with an even more gorgeous wedding commitment. Maggie & Piero's was no different.
The minute I saw Maggie pull up to Gesu that afternoon, I got tears in my eyes. She wasn't even dressed yet! I nearly lost it when I opened the dressing room door and there she was...a vision of herself in golden ivory tones. Certainly a sight to be seen. But she threatened me with bodily harm if I cried, so I held it in and moved forward with letting them all know that it was almost wedding time!
Frogman Productions captured everything on video that day and you can view a clip of it on their blog. It is perfection and captures the personalities of Piero & Maggie to a 't'. Heather Cook Elliott was the photographer on the scene and as always she was so great to work with. She runs around like it's nobody's business and gets the best shots. I can't wait to see their pictures! With a half-naked ring-bearer toddler running around at the reception there is sure to be some fun blackmail pictures for the future for this little one. :)
Mike & Scott at the Renaissance Place made everything so easy for me. They took care of nearly all the set up and since they are the masters of pulling off flawless events, I knew we were all in capable hands. It was gorgeous. The centerpieces were varying sizes, heights, arrangements...proving yet again people that NOTHING HAS TO BE MATCHY MATCHY! It was by far one of my most favorite table displays. Linens draped in chocolate brown with gold napkins hanging over the place settings, elegant menu cards delicately placed on top, votives scattered about. It oozed romance.
Piero & Maggie took dance lessons and choreographed a dance for their first dance as husband and wife. It was spectacular. If you are familiar with Bob Marley it was his song "Mellow Moods," one of my favorites of his. Imagine just the coolest dance filled with smiles, emotions, and just pure love. They pulled it off so well!
Magge Speaks (the band, not Maggie the bride) was the entertainment and those guys were easy to work with, nicer than nice, and did a phenomenal job from the little I saw. They were already on my vendor list as a band that I recommend, but they are now getting stars or something placed next to them!
Oh, and no cake. Another tradition bucked! You go guys! They instead opted for a dessert station. Yum! I highly doubt any of the guests missed a cake after that.
One of my last duties that evening was to take care of putting out their favors. These were not just any favors. These were homemade tall bottles of Piero's family recipe of dipping oil. Each guest was going to take home a fancy bottle with a personalized label and a green mesh bag to put it in. Genius! And I must say, the table display creation ended up looking pretty darn good. How could you not take one?!? :)
I'll post pictures later!
Maggie & Piero...I know you are enjoying Barbados (because they emailed to say thank you cuz that's just the kind of couple they are) this week, but I have no doubt in my mind that you will continue to enjoy every single day of your lives together. Thank you for being the sweetest couple and THANK YOU for realizing that your goal that day was to marry your best friend. You had the perfect wedding day because you had perfect focus through the entire planning process and most importantly on that day. I think you should start a class on how to be the perfect bride & groom. Love you!
Maggie & Piero have been my email companions for months and months now. That's how they booked me, that's how I helped them with some of their details, that's how we finalized details of their day. I got to meet them about a month before the wedding and it was just awesome. They are one of the coolest, most laid back, most genuine couples I have ever met.
Both are from Wisconsin, but they live in upstate New York these days. And Piero's family is Italian. And I don't mean Italian like a lot of people claim to be. I mean, they are the real deal! Trust me, I heard the language being spoke and everything and it literally gave me goose bumps. And Maggie's family? A dream. Really. That is the only way to describe her parents, her sisters, her brother, her adorable nephew. They were just good, good people. The type of people that you want to surround yourself with on a continuous basis.
Maggie & Piero were married at the beautiful and well appointed Gesu Parish on the Marquette University campus. Gesu may be a bit strict on their wedding policies, but it's all for good reason. The outcome is always a gorgeous venue with an even more gorgeous wedding commitment. Maggie & Piero's was no different.
The minute I saw Maggie pull up to Gesu that afternoon, I got tears in my eyes. She wasn't even dressed yet! I nearly lost it when I opened the dressing room door and there she was...a vision of herself in golden ivory tones. Certainly a sight to be seen. But she threatened me with bodily harm if I cried, so I held it in and moved forward with letting them all know that it was almost wedding time!
Frogman Productions captured everything on video that day and you can view a clip of it on their blog. It is perfection and captures the personalities of Piero & Maggie to a 't'. Heather Cook Elliott was the photographer on the scene and as always she was so great to work with. She runs around like it's nobody's business and gets the best shots. I can't wait to see their pictures! With a half-naked ring-bearer toddler running around at the reception there is sure to be some fun blackmail pictures for the future for this little one. :)
Mike & Scott at the Renaissance Place made everything so easy for me. They took care of nearly all the set up and since they are the masters of pulling off flawless events, I knew we were all in capable hands. It was gorgeous. The centerpieces were varying sizes, heights, arrangements...proving yet again people that NOTHING HAS TO BE MATCHY MATCHY! It was by far one of my most favorite table displays. Linens draped in chocolate brown with gold napkins hanging over the place settings, elegant menu cards delicately placed on top, votives scattered about. It oozed romance.
Piero & Maggie took dance lessons and choreographed a dance for their first dance as husband and wife. It was spectacular. If you are familiar with Bob Marley it was his song "Mellow Moods," one of my favorites of his. Imagine just the coolest dance filled with smiles, emotions, and just pure love. They pulled it off so well!
Magge Speaks (the band, not Maggie the bride) was the entertainment and those guys were easy to work with, nicer than nice, and did a phenomenal job from the little I saw. They were already on my vendor list as a band that I recommend, but they are now getting stars or something placed next to them!
Oh, and no cake. Another tradition bucked! You go guys! They instead opted for a dessert station. Yum! I highly doubt any of the guests missed a cake after that.
One of my last duties that evening was to take care of putting out their favors. These were not just any favors. These were homemade tall bottles of Piero's family recipe of dipping oil. Each guest was going to take home a fancy bottle with a personalized label and a green mesh bag to put it in. Genius! And I must say, the table display creation ended up looking pretty darn good. How could you not take one?!? :)
I'll post pictures later!
Maggie & Piero...I know you are enjoying Barbados (because they emailed to say thank you cuz that's just the kind of couple they are) this week, but I have no doubt in my mind that you will continue to enjoy every single day of your lives together. Thank you for being the sweetest couple and THANK YOU for realizing that your goal that day was to marry your best friend. You had the perfect wedding day because you had perfect focus through the entire planning process and most importantly on that day. I think you should start a class on how to be the perfect bride & groom. Love you!
Friday, July 11, 2008
New Booking
Cool Bride Booked! Cool Bride Booked!
I had a blast with this couple the other night. They are just fun and laid back and while they swear they don't know what they are doing with wedding planning, I assured them they really know more than they think they do.
Their engagement story is too cute also! It may have been the only sappy part of the evening. Mandy had just recently purchased a brand new car that she was still ooohing and awwwing over. She pulled into their driveway one day after work and out comes Charley with a dog leash from what she could see. She sighed, thinking 'who's dog are we watching this time!?!' As she's bending down to pet the dog there is a sign that says My Name Is (this is where I forget the puppy's name) and goes on to say that he would love to be part of the family, but simply can't do so until he has a mommy and a daddy in a stable home. Then Charley is down on one knee with ring in hand. The most gorgeous sapphire nad diamond ring I have ever seen! Mandy now has a new car, new puppy, and new bling bling to look at all at once. The couple obviously told the story much more eloquently (and correctly!) than I did, but you get the idea. Poor pup needed a home with both a mommy & a daddy! How precious is that?
Fast forward and they are now planning a Fall 2009 home-on-the-lake-wedding. The same home where Charley's parents were married. How cool is that?
I'm looking forward to working with this fun couple! Their ideas are unique, fresh, and will certainly capture the attention of their guests as the best wedding ever. I'm convinced of that already.
A lot of work goes into home weddings though. Everything needs to be rented, including restrooms. And the cost goes up considerably due to all the rentals so much of the time you end up cutting corners elsewhere. I'm sending them a budget tool tonight that they may or may not use, but most people find it helpful. It's a bit anal (this is me we're talking about...Miss Organization), but it keeps me on track when I'm the one responsible for handling a couple's budget. Which I'm not for this one, but I'll be ready to give plenty of guidance.
Two more weddings for the month and then a weekend off! August only has two weddings total, however, every weekend is already booked with concerts, concerts, and more concerts! Anyone who knows me well knows that my summers revolve around work, weddings, and music. And I couldn't be happier. :)
I had a blast with this couple the other night. They are just fun and laid back and while they swear they don't know what they are doing with wedding planning, I assured them they really know more than they think they do.
Their engagement story is too cute also! It may have been the only sappy part of the evening. Mandy had just recently purchased a brand new car that she was still ooohing and awwwing over. She pulled into their driveway one day after work and out comes Charley with a dog leash from what she could see. She sighed, thinking 'who's dog are we watching this time!?!' As she's bending down to pet the dog there is a sign that says My Name Is (this is where I forget the puppy's name) and goes on to say that he would love to be part of the family, but simply can't do so until he has a mommy and a daddy in a stable home. Then Charley is down on one knee with ring in hand. The most gorgeous sapphire nad diamond ring I have ever seen! Mandy now has a new car, new puppy, and new bling bling to look at all at once. The couple obviously told the story much more eloquently (and correctly!) than I did, but you get the idea. Poor pup needed a home with both a mommy & a daddy! How precious is that?
Fast forward and they are now planning a Fall 2009 home-on-the-lake-wedding. The same home where Charley's parents were married. How cool is that?
I'm looking forward to working with this fun couple! Their ideas are unique, fresh, and will certainly capture the attention of their guests as the best wedding ever. I'm convinced of that already.
A lot of work goes into home weddings though. Everything needs to be rented, including restrooms. And the cost goes up considerably due to all the rentals so much of the time you end up cutting corners elsewhere. I'm sending them a budget tool tonight that they may or may not use, but most people find it helpful. It's a bit anal (this is me we're talking about...Miss Organization), but it keeps me on track when I'm the one responsible for handling a couple's budget. Which I'm not for this one, but I'll be ready to give plenty of guidance.
Two more weddings for the month and then a weekend off! August only has two weddings total, however, every weekend is already booked with concerts, concerts, and more concerts! Anyone who knows me well knows that my summers revolve around work, weddings, and music. And I couldn't be happier. :)
Monday, July 7, 2008
Cool Brides, Please Apply
I'm meeting with the coolest bride tomorrow night. And her equally cool fiance.
Ok, I really don't know that they're the coolest couple ever. But so far through cyber-space and multiple email exchanges...they are. When you're exchanging 'Whoo Hoo's' and giddy chats over email, let me tell ya, it's bound to be true love between a bride and her planner.
I mean, the girl wants to meet over drinks for our first consultation. Cool? I need not say more.
They are getting married next Fall and from the sounds of it, they need help with full planning. Which I loooooove to do and don't have one lined up for Fall anymore so it's perfect timing. It also sounds like a very unique intimate wedding with it taking place at his parent's home on the Lake, I believe.
More details to come of course. For now, I am just counting down the hours until I meet A & C!
Ok, I really don't know that they're the coolest couple ever. But so far through cyber-space and multiple email exchanges...they are. When you're exchanging 'Whoo Hoo's' and giddy chats over email, let me tell ya, it's bound to be true love between a bride and her planner.
I mean, the girl wants to meet over drinks for our first consultation. Cool? I need not say more.
They are getting married next Fall and from the sounds of it, they need help with full planning. Which I loooooove to do and don't have one lined up for Fall anymore so it's perfect timing. It also sounds like a very unique intimate wedding with it taking place at his parent's home on the Lake, I believe.
More details to come of course. For now, I am just counting down the hours until I meet A & C!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Back from Hawaii
I am dead tired and have way too much to do.
All I have to say is Hawaii was amazing, beautiful, gorgeous, RELAXING, not as expensive as everyone said it would be, and just an all-around perfect vacation with one of my best friends.
All I have to say is Hawaii was amazing, beautiful, gorgeous, RELAXING, not as expensive as everyone said it would be, and just an all-around perfect vacation with one of my best friends.
Life didn't get better last week.
Now it's back to reality. And weddings.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
K-Town
It's been about 9 months since I did a wedding in Kenosha. Yesterday was the day of one of my former bride's (Hi Kelly!) friends. I love referrals because I loved working with Kelly last year. She was easily one of my favorite brides. So when her friend Monica asked me if I would be able to DOC her wedding day this year, it was a no brainer. Any friend of Kelly's is going to be nice and sweet as well, I just knew it. I was so right. Monica is one of those girls that you meet and just want to be friends with right away. Her smile is so sincere it's almost sick. She has this attitude that I can't even put into words. She's cheerful, real, classy, and immediately knew the real purpose of the day of her wedding. She was never caught up in the hoopla of it all.
Monica & Andrew were married in the same small Catholic church in Kansasville that Kelly & Pete were wed in the previous Fall. The church is just quaint and exactly out of a storybook when a country church is described. I really do love it. As I ventured downstairs to see my bride for the first time, it was all I could do not to cry right there. There are just some brides that I get this feeling with. I think it's the ones that I know are 100% in this whole wedding thing for the right reason. So, I promised her I wouldn't cry but she looked spectacular. Her dress was perfect for her and just gorgeous. The girls were all pretty in pink. And then her dad came down to see her for the first time. Oh boy. There was not a dry eye in the place. The first time a dad sees his little girl in white is always a moment to cherish, but this one....well, this one had even more meaning. Just a few weeks ago Monica's dad had a heart attack. One that very well could have killed him, but something pulled him through and he was there for his little girl's special day. I can't wait to see the pictures captured of this moment. Dad broke down and hugged Monica like I've never seen a father hug his daughter. I'm getting all emotional just thinking about it again. Oh, and then to lighten the mood a little, Dad cut his finger somehow and we had to bandage him up just minutes before walking down the aisle.
With personal reflections shared between Monica & Andrew, it made the ceremony even more special.
Oh, and did I mention Kelly is now a new Mom?!?!? And I got to see her and her 4-day old baby who she bravely brought to the ceremony. No way was she missing her friend getting married. I thought that was incredibly sweet.
The reception was held at the Italian American Club in Kenosha. It's a very unique venue and lots of great history behind the building. I'll admit....they probably need to tear down the wallpaper and the plastic vertical blinds and perhaps restore those items to it's natural more historic state, but overall it's a great place.
There was a bit of a snafu with table numbers (A groom and his guys shouldn't be allowed to place table numbers the morning of the wedding! ha, ha) and the seating chart, but it was rectified pretty quickly. The cake was almost 5 feet tall and made by a friend's step-mother. It was definitely a WOW moment! So many personal touches went into this reception. The DJ was a friend of the family, and from what I could tell, was doing a very nice job. The couple is leaving on Monday for Paris for their honeymoon (a HUGE surprise for the bride!) so the groom's cake was a stack of suitcases that we surrounded with Paris cards and a small statue of the Eiffel Tower. They also used a very cute suitcase for their card box. Innovative, meaningful and cost effective!
I know this couple had a great time last night. They were already dancing up a storm just being introduced into the reception! It was so much fun to work with Monica. It was quite an honor yesterday to have so many people coming up to me asking me if I was the Wedding Planner and when I would say "yes" they would say how much they have heard about me, how Monica would talk about me, and I even received a few hugs! That's when you head home, tired feet and all, and know that those are the reasons you keep doing weddings weekend after weekend.
Monica & Andrew were married in the same small Catholic church in Kansasville that Kelly & Pete were wed in the previous Fall. The church is just quaint and exactly out of a storybook when a country church is described. I really do love it. As I ventured downstairs to see my bride for the first time, it was all I could do not to cry right there. There are just some brides that I get this feeling with. I think it's the ones that I know are 100% in this whole wedding thing for the right reason. So, I promised her I wouldn't cry but she looked spectacular. Her dress was perfect for her and just gorgeous. The girls were all pretty in pink. And then her dad came down to see her for the first time. Oh boy. There was not a dry eye in the place. The first time a dad sees his little girl in white is always a moment to cherish, but this one....well, this one had even more meaning. Just a few weeks ago Monica's dad had a heart attack. One that very well could have killed him, but something pulled him through and he was there for his little girl's special day. I can't wait to see the pictures captured of this moment. Dad broke down and hugged Monica like I've never seen a father hug his daughter. I'm getting all emotional just thinking about it again. Oh, and then to lighten the mood a little, Dad cut his finger somehow and we had to bandage him up just minutes before walking down the aisle.
With personal reflections shared between Monica & Andrew, it made the ceremony even more special.
Oh, and did I mention Kelly is now a new Mom?!?!? And I got to see her and her 4-day old baby who she bravely brought to the ceremony. No way was she missing her friend getting married. I thought that was incredibly sweet.
The reception was held at the Italian American Club in Kenosha. It's a very unique venue and lots of great history behind the building. I'll admit....they probably need to tear down the wallpaper and the plastic vertical blinds and perhaps restore those items to it's natural more historic state, but overall it's a great place.
There was a bit of a snafu with table numbers (A groom and his guys shouldn't be allowed to place table numbers the morning of the wedding! ha, ha) and the seating chart, but it was rectified pretty quickly. The cake was almost 5 feet tall and made by a friend's step-mother. It was definitely a WOW moment! So many personal touches went into this reception. The DJ was a friend of the family, and from what I could tell, was doing a very nice job. The couple is leaving on Monday for Paris for their honeymoon (a HUGE surprise for the bride!) so the groom's cake was a stack of suitcases that we surrounded with Paris cards and a small statue of the Eiffel Tower. They also used a very cute suitcase for their card box. Innovative, meaningful and cost effective!
I know this couple had a great time last night. They were already dancing up a storm just being introduced into the reception! It was so much fun to work with Monica. It was quite an honor yesterday to have so many people coming up to me asking me if I was the Wedding Planner and when I would say "yes" they would say how much they have heard about me, how Monica would talk about me, and I even received a few hugs! That's when you head home, tired feet and all, and know that those are the reasons you keep doing weddings weekend after weekend.
A Grand Event
I did a wedding a few weekends ago at The Grand Geneva in Lake Geneva, WI. If you're not familiar with this venue, it is the former Playboy Club from way back in the day. It is 'Grand' for sure, and although the remnants of Playboy are long gone and no longer linger bunny tails or the famous backward bend when they deliver your drink, the Grand Geneva still lives up to its reputation.
It's one of those places where everyone is on their best behavior. Where even the "kids" that are bellman, golf assistants, catering crew are acknowledging you by name or Miss or Sir. I like that. While I'm not a stuffy, formal gal in my regular day to day life, I still like the allure and the sanctity of knowing that there are still places like this that exist. A place where you can go and KNOW without a doubt that you will be taken care of and respected no matter what. Pretty neat.
Sabrina & Lee come very different places. As in countries apart. Sabrina is from the IL parts and Lee is from Wales. As in the country. And guess what? He's staying here...because he met Sabrina. In a bar. I will argue to my death to those that say you can't find love in a bar. Yes you can!
These two individuals experienced a ceremony that perfectly combined his Scottish heritage (kilts and all and let me tell you....those guys looked amazing!) with American traditional elements. Did you know that in Wales they pin boutonnieres upside down? They think us Americans pinning them flower side up is a bit out there. :) I have to admit, I liked the look of an upside down boutonniere. Sabrina & Lee performed a sand ceremony in lieu of the Unity Candle and they also did a rock ceremony, another piece of Wales brought into the day. Their favors consisted of a Celtic tradition of each guest receiving a wooden loving spoon. And since Lee is a huge Rugby fan and player his groom's cake was of a Wales Rugby team. Very cool indeed.
It was fun to be around the Wales accents, the sharply dressed men from Wales (seriously, they know their shoe fashion!), and witnessing the coming together of traditions and cultures.
Cheers to Sabrina & Lee! And Cheers to the Grand Geneva staff for pulling off yet another event flawlessly. And a special thank you to their bell staff, who without, I would have been lugging way too many things long distances around that resort.
It's one of those places where everyone is on their best behavior. Where even the "kids" that are bellman, golf assistants, catering crew are acknowledging you by name or Miss or Sir. I like that. While I'm not a stuffy, formal gal in my regular day to day life, I still like the allure and the sanctity of knowing that there are still places like this that exist. A place where you can go and KNOW without a doubt that you will be taken care of and respected no matter what. Pretty neat.
Sabrina & Lee come very different places. As in countries apart. Sabrina is from the IL parts and Lee is from Wales. As in the country. And guess what? He's staying here...because he met Sabrina. In a bar. I will argue to my death to those that say you can't find love in a bar. Yes you can!
These two individuals experienced a ceremony that perfectly combined his Scottish heritage (kilts and all and let me tell you....those guys looked amazing!) with American traditional elements. Did you know that in Wales they pin boutonnieres upside down? They think us Americans pinning them flower side up is a bit out there. :) I have to admit, I liked the look of an upside down boutonniere. Sabrina & Lee performed a sand ceremony in lieu of the Unity Candle and they also did a rock ceremony, another piece of Wales brought into the day. Their favors consisted of a Celtic tradition of each guest receiving a wooden loving spoon. And since Lee is a huge Rugby fan and player his groom's cake was of a Wales Rugby team. Very cool indeed.
It was fun to be around the Wales accents, the sharply dressed men from Wales (seriously, they know their shoe fashion!), and witnessing the coming together of traditions and cultures.
Cheers to Sabrina & Lee! And Cheers to the Grand Geneva staff for pulling off yet another event flawlessly. And a special thank you to their bell staff, who without, I would have been lugging way too many things long distances around that resort.
Weather
I'm on a significantly long (AKA: Boring) layover and decided to amuse myself and my readers with some much overdue blogging. I'm on my way to Hawaii so while this may be a wedding blog, I'm fairly certain you will all get a sneak peek of my paradise island vacation when I return.
If you're in WI, or just about anywhere in the States I suppose....you know that our weather has been less summer-like than usual. While the first day of summer was only yesterday, typically we still get a good amount of sun and warmth in the month of June. Not this year. We have been declared a state with multiple disaster areas, homes lost, farm crops under water, rivers literally washed away one day and then rising too high the next. Torrential rain showers clouded our days for weeks on end. I wish I was kidding. It's sad actually. People may read this and think it's only rain! But it's not....it's more than that. What this weather has done to our state, and my city, in particular is just unbelievable. What it is doing to the already deflated local economy is only making it worse.
What does this have to do with weddings? Well, by some act of God or whatever you may believe in, the weddings this month that I have done have all managed to be held under clear skies. At least for the ceremony moment. It was almost eerie the last few weekends how the ceremonies all went off without any weather alerts, no tornado sirens blaring, blue partly cloudy skies, temps in the 70's. And then....for each wedding the clouds started rolling in. Storms made their ugly head. But not until the most important, the most beautiful part of these couples days took place. Crazy. But it makes me think that sometimes someone greater really is shining down on happy moments.
Here's to better weather the rest of the summer!
If you're in WI, or just about anywhere in the States I suppose....you know that our weather has been less summer-like than usual. While the first day of summer was only yesterday, typically we still get a good amount of sun and warmth in the month of June. Not this year. We have been declared a state with multiple disaster areas, homes lost, farm crops under water, rivers literally washed away one day and then rising too high the next. Torrential rain showers clouded our days for weeks on end. I wish I was kidding. It's sad actually. People may read this and think it's only rain! But it's not....it's more than that. What this weather has done to our state, and my city, in particular is just unbelievable. What it is doing to the already deflated local economy is only making it worse.
What does this have to do with weddings? Well, by some act of God or whatever you may believe in, the weddings this month that I have done have all managed to be held under clear skies. At least for the ceremony moment. It was almost eerie the last few weekends how the ceremonies all went off without any weather alerts, no tornado sirens blaring, blue partly cloudy skies, temps in the 70's. And then....for each wedding the clouds started rolling in. Storms made their ugly head. But not until the most important, the most beautiful part of these couples days took place. Crazy. But it makes me think that sometimes someone greater really is shining down on happy moments.
Here's to better weather the rest of the summer!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Men
That grabbed your attention, right? Sorry...nothing juicy in this post, just a bit of a rant and maybe some advice to any brides and grooms to be out there.
Tuxes. No, you don't need them. They are not necessary. Miss Manners is not going to appear and banish you to wedding etiquette hell. Slowly but surely tuxes are fading out and I, for one, could not be happier with that.
Most men aren't accustomed to wearing a tux on a regular basis. Therefore, it's not comfortable. It doesn't fit right. It's not "fitted" to you; don't even let the tux shop say that it is. It's made of material that typically doesn't breathe very well, especially in summer heat.
I love the options of wearing a nice suit. A suit you've invested in, had tailored, and looks sharp!
I love the option of those outdoor, backyard, or casual weddings with a nice pair of pants and a nice button-up shirt with tie.
I love the option of a short-sleeved shirt paired with pants for a beach wedding.
But most of all I love the fact that there are all these options!
Take a suit for example. You can still formalize it if need be with a pocket square and a nice shirt with cuff links and a silk tie. The male attendants can also be in nice suits with coordinating colors. And when a bridal party has their groomsmen in black suits....guess what? You can usually let them wear their own black suit or choose one of their own to purchase.
I love that a suit means being able to bring color in with the shirt or tie. I love that it means being able to do a possible stripe or checked pattern on the shirt, bringing some texture and additional style elements to the wedding party.
Now, I understand that there are going to be weddings out there that are just too formal for any of these options or couples that have envisioned tuxes and aren't going to budge on it. That's fine! My only point is to let everyone know that you don't need to do tuxes just because that's what has always been done.
Give your men a break. Show him some options. I guarantee he'll be eternally grateful to know there's more than just the black tux out there for him on his special day.
Tuxes. No, you don't need them. They are not necessary. Miss Manners is not going to appear and banish you to wedding etiquette hell. Slowly but surely tuxes are fading out and I, for one, could not be happier with that.
Most men aren't accustomed to wearing a tux on a regular basis. Therefore, it's not comfortable. It doesn't fit right. It's not "fitted" to you; don't even let the tux shop say that it is. It's made of material that typically doesn't breathe very well, especially in summer heat.
I love the options of wearing a nice suit. A suit you've invested in, had tailored, and looks sharp!
I love the option of those outdoor, backyard, or casual weddings with a nice pair of pants and a nice button-up shirt with tie.
I love the option of a short-sleeved shirt paired with pants for a beach wedding.
But most of all I love the fact that there are all these options!
Take a suit for example. You can still formalize it if need be with a pocket square and a nice shirt with cuff links and a silk tie. The male attendants can also be in nice suits with coordinating colors. And when a bridal party has their groomsmen in black suits....guess what? You can usually let them wear their own black suit or choose one of their own to purchase.
I love that a suit means being able to bring color in with the shirt or tie. I love that it means being able to do a possible stripe or checked pattern on the shirt, bringing some texture and additional style elements to the wedding party.
Now, I understand that there are going to be weddings out there that are just too formal for any of these options or couples that have envisioned tuxes and aren't going to budge on it. That's fine! My only point is to let everyone know that you don't need to do tuxes just because that's what has always been done.
Give your men a break. Show him some options. I guarantee he'll be eternally grateful to know there's more than just the black tux out there for him on his special day.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Wedding Season
Well, it's here. May typically kicks off what I refer to as Wedding Season. Obviously, I do weddings year-round, but it never feels quite like the season for marital bliss until May hits for some reason.
Yesterday marked the big kick-off day! Rose & Sam united at Schlitz Audubon Center in the afternoon. Under a sky of blue and a full sun beating down. Just hours before they were calling for showers, but we lucked out! Thank goodness, because the thought of me running around in the rain dragging over a 100 chairs from the grass to the pavilion was not something I even wanted to think about.
Rose & Sam live in Virginia because she's a Navy nurse. Within a year they will be moving to Italy for her next Navy assignment. ITALY!!! How fun. They were going to announce this big news at the reception. I bet it was a hit. Don't worry, they told their parents first so they wouldn't freak out right then and there.
Back to the ceremony. I didn't get to stay for the entire ceremony because I had to race to Joey Buona's to do their entire set up for the reception. But one thing that stood out about their ceremony was they did a wine ceremony in lieu of a unity candle. I wish I could tell you the words that went along with it, but it's a very sweet inclusion in the ceremony and definitely something that most guests have not seen. And yes....you get to drink some wine during the ceremony!
Another unique element was during the honoring of the parents (roses to both mothers and the groom's father and the presentation of a yellow rose on the chair that would have been the bride's father, who passed away) the string trio played Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol. I love when a traditional piece of the ceremony is coupled with a song that is current and modern. If you are not familiar with this song or this band, for that matter, I highly encourage you to check them out. They are one of my favorites and have been ever since they first released a CD a few years back. Heck, even my mom has purchased their CD's!
The reception had a ton of set up. And the Joey's staff did not help with anything. Not saying they had to or anything, but it was definitely my show and my show alone. With 2 hours to set everything up I knew I'd have to be in high gear. 90 minutes later, very sore feet, and a tad outta breath I was done. Rose really created every single thing for this reception, right down to the hydrangea centerpieces. Menu cards, table numbers, placecards, wishing tree, you name it she did it. And it was well worth it. The end result was beautiful; a mixture of creams, whites, bronze, and chocolate brown. It all came together beautifully. Everything was topped off with votive candles glowing and a million rose petals. She had endless bags of rose petals and I covered every square inch that I could find. It was a romantic setting that's for sure.
Rose even ran upstairs in between the ceremony and reception while they were out taking pictures to check it out. She was thrilled!
I didn't take many May weddings this year and I didn't take a single Memorial Day weekend wedding due to last year's debacle with 3 weddings in 3 days and me being one tired and sick Wedding Planner after it was all said and done. So, my next wedding is not until June 14, however it is a Month of Coordination so the work for that has already began.
Helllllo Wedding Season. May you be kind and fulfilling to me this year.
Yesterday marked the big kick-off day! Rose & Sam united at Schlitz Audubon Center in the afternoon. Under a sky of blue and a full sun beating down. Just hours before they were calling for showers, but we lucked out! Thank goodness, because the thought of me running around in the rain dragging over a 100 chairs from the grass to the pavilion was not something I even wanted to think about.
Rose & Sam live in Virginia because she's a Navy nurse. Within a year they will be moving to Italy for her next Navy assignment. ITALY!!! How fun. They were going to announce this big news at the reception. I bet it was a hit. Don't worry, they told their parents first so they wouldn't freak out right then and there.
Back to the ceremony. I didn't get to stay for the entire ceremony because I had to race to Joey Buona's to do their entire set up for the reception. But one thing that stood out about their ceremony was they did a wine ceremony in lieu of a unity candle. I wish I could tell you the words that went along with it, but it's a very sweet inclusion in the ceremony and definitely something that most guests have not seen. And yes....you get to drink some wine during the ceremony!
Another unique element was during the honoring of the parents (roses to both mothers and the groom's father and the presentation of a yellow rose on the chair that would have been the bride's father, who passed away) the string trio played Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol. I love when a traditional piece of the ceremony is coupled with a song that is current and modern. If you are not familiar with this song or this band, for that matter, I highly encourage you to check them out. They are one of my favorites and have been ever since they first released a CD a few years back. Heck, even my mom has purchased their CD's!
The reception had a ton of set up. And the Joey's staff did not help with anything. Not saying they had to or anything, but it was definitely my show and my show alone. With 2 hours to set everything up I knew I'd have to be in high gear. 90 minutes later, very sore feet, and a tad outta breath I was done. Rose really created every single thing for this reception, right down to the hydrangea centerpieces. Menu cards, table numbers, placecards, wishing tree, you name it she did it. And it was well worth it. The end result was beautiful; a mixture of creams, whites, bronze, and chocolate brown. It all came together beautifully. Everything was topped off with votive candles glowing and a million rose petals. She had endless bags of rose petals and I covered every square inch that I could find. It was a romantic setting that's for sure.
Rose even ran upstairs in between the ceremony and reception while they were out taking pictures to check it out. She was thrilled!
I didn't take many May weddings this year and I didn't take a single Memorial Day weekend wedding due to last year's debacle with 3 weddings in 3 days and me being one tired and sick Wedding Planner after it was all said and done. So, my next wedding is not until June 14, however it is a Month of Coordination so the work for that has already began.
Helllllo Wedding Season. May you be kind and fulfilling to me this year.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Milwaukee & Door County
Apparently they are a match made in heaven. At least for me, that is.
This year I have received several inquiries for Door County weddings from brides that live in Milwaukee (and Chicago, but are from Milwaukee and family still lives here). It's no secret that most Door County weddings are destination weddings; meaning that the couple lives elsewhere and nearly all the guests will travel to be a part of their big day. It's also no secret that most destination weddings utilize the assistance and talents of an event planner. It's just easier that way.
While Door County does have a resident wedding planner, I'm finding more of these Milwaukee/Chicago area brides are interested in using a Milwaukee planner. Why? Well, it means less trips to Door County to meet with someone. And with gas prices the way they are that's a big deal. It's also helpful that I'm a Door County native. I KNOW Door County. I don't need to be up there 24/7 to locate my vendors and plan these weddings. Practically everything is done through email anyway, especially in the off-season when Door County vendors are typically "wintering" somewhere warm and doing business from their laptop only if needed. The couples love the convenience of meeting with me in their own stomping grounds and still getting Door County wedding business taken care of.
I'm meeting with my next potential Milwaukee/Door County couple in a few weeks. They already sound very sweet and nice and they were referred to me by a Milwaukee photographer (Hi Molly!) who apparently will be making the trip to the Door for their wedding day as well.
I have a feeling my mom is liking the sounds of all these Door County weddings as well. It means she'll see more of me! Hi Mom!
This year I have received several inquiries for Door County weddings from brides that live in Milwaukee (and Chicago, but are from Milwaukee and family still lives here). It's no secret that most Door County weddings are destination weddings; meaning that the couple lives elsewhere and nearly all the guests will travel to be a part of their big day. It's also no secret that most destination weddings utilize the assistance and talents of an event planner. It's just easier that way.
While Door County does have a resident wedding planner, I'm finding more of these Milwaukee/Chicago area brides are interested in using a Milwaukee planner. Why? Well, it means less trips to Door County to meet with someone. And with gas prices the way they are that's a big deal. It's also helpful that I'm a Door County native. I KNOW Door County. I don't need to be up there 24/7 to locate my vendors and plan these weddings. Practically everything is done through email anyway, especially in the off-season when Door County vendors are typically "wintering" somewhere warm and doing business from their laptop only if needed. The couples love the convenience of meeting with me in their own stomping grounds and still getting Door County wedding business taken care of.
I'm meeting with my next potential Milwaukee/Door County couple in a few weeks. They already sound very sweet and nice and they were referred to me by a Milwaukee photographer (Hi Molly!) who apparently will be making the trip to the Door for their wedding day as well.
I have a feeling my mom is liking the sounds of all these Door County weddings as well. It means she'll see more of me! Hi Mom!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
I met her!
((((sigh)))) I knew it would be incredible and it was. I know that many of my readers also read With This Ring, a blog written by a bride in the planning stages of her Fall wedding. Go check it out if you haven't already! It's a fun read and Darci has amazing design ideas along with just about one of the best creative flairs for writing I've ever read.
If you haven't guessed already, I got to meet Darci yesterday. In person. With her fiance and her family! And they are all just the best. Ok, so I only spent 90 minutes with them, but I'm a pretty good judge and they all were just so friendly and nice. And Darci....well, I love her.
You see, way back when Darci inquired with me about Day of Coordination wedding services. I had the date open, I liked our email exchanges, etc....and she booked! But Darci lives out of town and scheduling a consultation meeting just wasn't an option in the small window of time we had. So, she booked with not having met me and vice versa obviously. It's something I rarely do since I feel it is important to meet with the couple first to determine their needs, get to know each other, and most importantly make sure that our personalities are a match. However, with out of town brides sometimes this just isn't possible.
Darci & Brad are getting married at The Abbey Resort in Fontana, WI. There have been some changes in the resort's events department with coordinators leaving, not having a coordinator, a new one hired that hasn't started yet....see where I'm going with this? Darci needed some solid answers, needed to feel like someone was on top of everything, that all wedding bells were in a row so to speak. So, she scheduled a meeting with a catering manager there and asked if I would be able to join this meeting just to have someone else there to ask questions and get answers if need be.
I won't bore you with the details of the meeting since they only make sense if you know this wedding, but I will say that it was an interesting meeting to say the least. I will also say that I am 100% certain that if Darci and I lived in the same city, we'd be best friends. We shared numerous glances, raised eyebrows, and then a near childlike laughing fit at one point. Slightly unprofessional? Some would say yes. But Darci and I were on the same page with this meeting and trust me, all of the above were warranted.
The end result is Darci got the meeting she wanted and felt so much better after it. We were able to view the linens (and received proof that just because the name of a linen is 'olive' doesn't mean it's not the color you've been picturing forever!), start a rough timeline of the day, make some food & beverage decisions, and really map out the details that may have been lost in translation over the last few months. It was a success and we all have plenty of notes to back that up. Oh, and we were able to see what the table runners that her mother is sewing (she's a saint, I tell ya) will look like on that olive linen. AMAZING.
The other end result and the icing on the cake (for me at least) is that I got to meet Darci! I'm still a bit tickled about it all. I get excited to meet all my brides obviously, but I've been reading Darci's blog for a long time now so I already felt this strange connection courtesy of the Internet. There's a little piece of me that is now complete. :)
P.S.---Wanna know why else Darci rocks? She brought me a copy of The Knot 2008 Best of Weddings issue. The one that my award is listed in. I was touched more than I'm sure I verbalized to her. I just thought it was the sweetest thing ever. See?...Darci's that kind of person.
If you haven't guessed already, I got to meet Darci yesterday. In person. With her fiance and her family! And they are all just the best. Ok, so I only spent 90 minutes with them, but I'm a pretty good judge and they all were just so friendly and nice. And Darci....well, I love her.
You see, way back when Darci inquired with me about Day of Coordination wedding services. I had the date open, I liked our email exchanges, etc....and she booked! But Darci lives out of town and scheduling a consultation meeting just wasn't an option in the small window of time we had. So, she booked with not having met me and vice versa obviously. It's something I rarely do since I feel it is important to meet with the couple first to determine their needs, get to know each other, and most importantly make sure that our personalities are a match. However, with out of town brides sometimes this just isn't possible.
Darci & Brad are getting married at The Abbey Resort in Fontana, WI. There have been some changes in the resort's events department with coordinators leaving, not having a coordinator, a new one hired that hasn't started yet....see where I'm going with this? Darci needed some solid answers, needed to feel like someone was on top of everything, that all wedding bells were in a row so to speak. So, she scheduled a meeting with a catering manager there and asked if I would be able to join this meeting just to have someone else there to ask questions and get answers if need be.
I won't bore you with the details of the meeting since they only make sense if you know this wedding, but I will say that it was an interesting meeting to say the least. I will also say that I am 100% certain that if Darci and I lived in the same city, we'd be best friends. We shared numerous glances, raised eyebrows, and then a near childlike laughing fit at one point. Slightly unprofessional? Some would say yes. But Darci and I were on the same page with this meeting and trust me, all of the above were warranted.
The end result is Darci got the meeting she wanted and felt so much better after it. We were able to view the linens (and received proof that just because the name of a linen is 'olive' doesn't mean it's not the color you've been picturing forever!), start a rough timeline of the day, make some food & beverage decisions, and really map out the details that may have been lost in translation over the last few months. It was a success and we all have plenty of notes to back that up. Oh, and we were able to see what the table runners that her mother is sewing (she's a saint, I tell ya) will look like on that olive linen. AMAZING.
The other end result and the icing on the cake (for me at least) is that I got to meet Darci! I'm still a bit tickled about it all. I get excited to meet all my brides obviously, but I've been reading Darci's blog for a long time now so I already felt this strange connection courtesy of the Internet. There's a little piece of me that is now complete. :)
P.S.---Wanna know why else Darci rocks? She brought me a copy of The Knot 2008 Best of Weddings issue. The one that my award is listed in. I was touched more than I'm sure I verbalized to her. I just thought it was the sweetest thing ever. See?...Darci's that kind of person.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
It's Official!
Something bulky came in the mail yesterday. But I was too busy, too tired, too unmotivated to open it. Well, I wish I wouldn't have waited an entire 24 hours to find out what was in that package with the obscure return address printed on it!
It was the plaque for my 2008 The Knot Best of Weddings Pick award! It's very nice, I must say. They also sent a window cling to display proudly in the window of my home office for all my neighbors to view. hee, hee
Of course it also was accompanied by a nice congratulatory letter filled with ways to not only market my business, but also The Knot and everything Knot related. I'll do my best dear Knot, I'll do my best.
I honestly forgot all about this, so I haven't been checking the magazine stands, but it appears that the The Knot Best of Weddings 2008 issue is out. I believe it has a red cover with a square stacked wedding cake (this is mentioned solely for the purpose of those family members reading this that are wondering how to get their hands on it). I have no idea what my listing looks like in it. I suppose I'll venture down to CVS shortly and buy every issue they have. :)
I also had an email today from a press-related source to see if I would be interested in an interview. Hmmmm..... I'm press leery. I've been in Sales & Marketing for high-profile companies for a long time now. I KNOW how things can get twisted once written and how the things you really want them to print somehow just don't end up in the article. So, we shall see if I partake in any of that.
For now....I have full usage of this lovely logo to do whatever I please with. Which would include being put on my website that I still haven't figured out how to revamp or who to have do it or any of that fun stuff.
Oh, and for those that are wondering how this award was won....."The Knot Best of Weddings is an ongoing survey of local brides and is available by invitation to registered members on TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com." So without further adieu......THANK YOU BRIDES! As always, you rock my little wedding world. You ARE Dreams & Designs. :)
It was the plaque for my 2008 The Knot Best of Weddings Pick award! It's very nice, I must say. They also sent a window cling to display proudly in the window of my home office for all my neighbors to view. hee, hee
Of course it also was accompanied by a nice congratulatory letter filled with ways to not only market my business, but also The Knot and everything Knot related. I'll do my best dear Knot, I'll do my best.
I honestly forgot all about this, so I haven't been checking the magazine stands, but it appears that the The Knot Best of Weddings 2008 issue is out. I believe it has a red cover with a square stacked wedding cake (this is mentioned solely for the purpose of those family members reading this that are wondering how to get their hands on it). I have no idea what my listing looks like in it. I suppose I'll venture down to CVS shortly and buy every issue they have. :)
I also had an email today from a press-related source to see if I would be interested in an interview. Hmmmm..... I'm press leery. I've been in Sales & Marketing for high-profile companies for a long time now. I KNOW how things can get twisted once written and how the things you really want them to print somehow just don't end up in the article. So, we shall see if I partake in any of that.
For now....I have full usage of this lovely logo to do whatever I please with. Which would include being put on my website that I still haven't figured out how to revamp or who to have do it or any of that fun stuff.
Oh, and for those that are wondering how this award was won....."The Knot Best of Weddings is an ongoing survey of local brides and is available by invitation to registered members on TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com." So without further adieu......THANK YOU BRIDES! As always, you rock my little wedding world. You ARE Dreams & Designs. :)
Sunday, March 30, 2008
March
It would seem as though nothing happened in my world of wedding planning in the month of March according to this blog. My apologies, dear reader....this little wedding planner has been busy, busy, busy.
I finally bit the bullet and had some headshots taken in February by the oh so fabulous Molly of Mthree Studio. As much as I don't like pictures of myself, she definitely brought out the good side of me. Now if only I could figure out how to add them to my blog layout in some sort of fashion. My website needs a serious facelift, but it has not shifted to the top of my priority list as of yet. However, when it does....people will now see me! It's proven time and time again that people like to know who they're buying from. In my case of event planning, many times I don't get to meet my brides before they book due to their location. So, I hope this will at least personalize it a little more for them. Although I can tell you right now, I'm bringing the funny in these headshots....no stuffy business portrait for this gal!
One other note about Mthree....she also did a sibling shoot for my brother, sister, and I. It turned out fabulous! Molly is super creative and it came through in the pictures. Winter pictures none the less!! In the freezing cold! With a snowstorm brewing! Serious fun though and the coolest pictures I've seen in a long time.
I'm planning a Door County wedding! The first battle is finding a unique location. Preferably a waterfront house that can hold a tent on the property. While there are many out there, there are even more that hear WEDDING and tell me no right away. C'mon people!....the couple is super sweet, beyond mature, and it's a small wedding. Cut me some slack! I'm convinced we'll find something in the next few weeks though. Once the venue and date are chosen, everything else will fall into place. So for any of my Door County readers, if you know of anyone that rents their homes out and fits the above description, let me know!
Although we aren't in the heavy midst of wedding season quite yet, as a planner, I'm in the thick of it already. Lots of appointments happening soon to gear up for those May/June weddings. I have so many out of town brides this year so being able to finally meet them is quite exciting!
On a final note....drumroll please......apparently I have been selected as a WI Best of Wedding Picks for The Knot magazine, a national wedding planning magazine. Each year their readers vote on the "Best of the Best" in their local area. I received a call from The Knot last week to gather more info and congratulate me. No word yet on when the issue will be on the newsstands, but I'll be sure to let everyone know! It's pretty exciting!
Now if the weather could just warm up enough so I could prance around in my beloved flip-flops, all would be right with the world. :)
Til next time............
I finally bit the bullet and had some headshots taken in February by the oh so fabulous Molly of Mthree Studio. As much as I don't like pictures of myself, she definitely brought out the good side of me. Now if only I could figure out how to add them to my blog layout in some sort of fashion. My website needs a serious facelift, but it has not shifted to the top of my priority list as of yet. However, when it does....people will now see me! It's proven time and time again that people like to know who they're buying from. In my case of event planning, many times I don't get to meet my brides before they book due to their location. So, I hope this will at least personalize it a little more for them. Although I can tell you right now, I'm bringing the funny in these headshots....no stuffy business portrait for this gal!
One other note about Mthree....she also did a sibling shoot for my brother, sister, and I. It turned out fabulous! Molly is super creative and it came through in the pictures. Winter pictures none the less!! In the freezing cold! With a snowstorm brewing! Serious fun though and the coolest pictures I've seen in a long time.
I'm planning a Door County wedding! The first battle is finding a unique location. Preferably a waterfront house that can hold a tent on the property. While there are many out there, there are even more that hear WEDDING and tell me no right away. C'mon people!....the couple is super sweet, beyond mature, and it's a small wedding. Cut me some slack! I'm convinced we'll find something in the next few weeks though. Once the venue and date are chosen, everything else will fall into place. So for any of my Door County readers, if you know of anyone that rents their homes out and fits the above description, let me know!
Although we aren't in the heavy midst of wedding season quite yet, as a planner, I'm in the thick of it already. Lots of appointments happening soon to gear up for those May/June weddings. I have so many out of town brides this year so being able to finally meet them is quite exciting!
On a final note....drumroll please......apparently I have been selected as a WI Best of Wedding Picks for The Knot magazine, a national wedding planning magazine. Each year their readers vote on the "Best of the Best" in their local area. I received a call from The Knot last week to gather more info and congratulate me. No word yet on when the issue will be on the newsstands, but I'll be sure to let everyone know! It's pretty exciting!
Now if the weather could just warm up enough so I could prance around in my beloved flip-flops, all would be right with the world. :)
Til next time............
Monday, February 25, 2008
Things I like
There are always new trends in the wedding industry. Some I like, some I don't. Some I would never even call trends, I would just call fabulous ideas that more should take advantage of. Below is a list of my current favorite things going on in weddings these days.
1. Secret Vows. It's mentioned below, but the full explanation of it is that along with exchanging formal vows with your officiant presiding, you also take a few moments of quiet time together (with music playing, perhaps after your unity candle lighting) to share your own personal vows only to each other. Marriage is between two people and I thought my couple a few weekends ago perfected this amazingly well. Beautiful. I hope it catches on!
2. The Walk Down the Aisle. Alone. (((Gasp!))) What?? Grandmothers everywhere are clutching their hearts in despair. How could she? Let's face it, today's modern bride may be a bit older, may be on her second marriage, and may very well be Miss Independent. The walk down the aisle alone is one that is breath-taking and poignant. I applaud those of you doing this for whatever reason it might be.
3. No More Boutonnieres! Guys don't typically like flowers. So why are we forcing them to wear one on the wedding day? Buck tradition and go for a coordinating pocket square instead. If you want a class act of pictures, you've got it with that! Mission accomplished. Oh, and your dads, groom, and groomsmen will kiss the ground you walk on for not flowering them. Did I mention the cost savings as well?
4. Seeing Dad for the First Time. We all know how special that first glimpse of the groom seeing the bride is, whether it's down the aisle or a meeting place beforehand. But how many daddy's girls are actually setting aside a special place and time for a father/daughter first glimpse? Not many, I know. That's why when I get to help set the stage for this first meeting, it takes my breath away every.single.time. With the photographer's assistance, those pictures are something to be cherished for a lifetime.
5. What Aisle Runner? Ladies, it's not necessary. Why do so many brides feel that they MUST lay down a piece of plastic or cheap fabric to walk on? And please do not subject the ushers or groomsmen to pulling it down the aisle prior to the bridal party entrance. Want to know why?...imagine the runner getting stuck on itself and now you have an usher or two on the floor trying to unroll it that way. If you must do a runner, go for something unique. Go for a sturdier fabric. Colored fabric! Have the aisle runner laid prior to the ceremony and ribbon off the entrance and seat guests from the side aisle if your venue allows. It's a dramatic entrance this way and much less worrisome.
6. Who Needs a Bridal Party? I am really loving this idea more and more. I love that couples are not finding it necessary to line up 6 women and 6 men in two lines and stand there during your ceremony. I love that I've seen couples get married without a bridal party. I love that I've seen couples get married with their bridal party standing in a semi-circle around them. I love that more and more couples are going with a Maid of Honor and a Best Man and that's it. I love that couples may have all male attendants or all female attendants because those are the important people in their lives.
7. Let Them Not Eat Cake. If you don't like cake, like so many of my clients say is true, don't get one. Save on your budget. Your favorite dessert is pecan pie? Serve that! Love ice cream? Do a sundae bar! Getting married somewhere known for their homegrown apples and cherries? I think cobblers are in order! A special dessert from your heritage? Put some meaning into what you're serving!
8. Keeping Things Moving. So many times couples forget when they are supposed to be introduced, when toasts are to be made, when the first dance is, when the cake-cutting takes place, etc. So I share with you my wise timeline for keeping things going, not losing your guests to lulls in the evenings, and most of all making sure these moments aren't forgotten if that's what you want. Be introduced as husband and wife as soon as your guests are seated for dinner. Proceed directly to your cake for the cake-cutting. Then proceed to the dance floor for your First Dance together. Take your places at your table while the servers serve the first course. While the first course is being eaten get all the toasts done right after another. This means by the time your second course comes out, you're done! You're free to eat, to converse with each other, to relax! Trust me, it works.
1. Secret Vows. It's mentioned below, but the full explanation of it is that along with exchanging formal vows with your officiant presiding, you also take a few moments of quiet time together (with music playing, perhaps after your unity candle lighting) to share your own personal vows only to each other. Marriage is between two people and I thought my couple a few weekends ago perfected this amazingly well. Beautiful. I hope it catches on!
2. The Walk Down the Aisle. Alone. (((Gasp!))) What?? Grandmothers everywhere are clutching their hearts in despair. How could she? Let's face it, today's modern bride may be a bit older, may be on her second marriage, and may very well be Miss Independent. The walk down the aisle alone is one that is breath-taking and poignant. I applaud those of you doing this for whatever reason it might be.
3. No More Boutonnieres! Guys don't typically like flowers. So why are we forcing them to wear one on the wedding day? Buck tradition and go for a coordinating pocket square instead. If you want a class act of pictures, you've got it with that! Mission accomplished. Oh, and your dads, groom, and groomsmen will kiss the ground you walk on for not flowering them. Did I mention the cost savings as well?
4. Seeing Dad for the First Time. We all know how special that first glimpse of the groom seeing the bride is, whether it's down the aisle or a meeting place beforehand. But how many daddy's girls are actually setting aside a special place and time for a father/daughter first glimpse? Not many, I know. That's why when I get to help set the stage for this first meeting, it takes my breath away every.single.time. With the photographer's assistance, those pictures are something to be cherished for a lifetime.
5. What Aisle Runner? Ladies, it's not necessary. Why do so many brides feel that they MUST lay down a piece of plastic or cheap fabric to walk on? And please do not subject the ushers or groomsmen to pulling it down the aisle prior to the bridal party entrance. Want to know why?...imagine the runner getting stuck on itself and now you have an usher or two on the floor trying to unroll it that way. If you must do a runner, go for something unique. Go for a sturdier fabric. Colored fabric! Have the aisle runner laid prior to the ceremony and ribbon off the entrance and seat guests from the side aisle if your venue allows. It's a dramatic entrance this way and much less worrisome.
6. Who Needs a Bridal Party? I am really loving this idea more and more. I love that couples are not finding it necessary to line up 6 women and 6 men in two lines and stand there during your ceremony. I love that I've seen couples get married without a bridal party. I love that I've seen couples get married with their bridal party standing in a semi-circle around them. I love that more and more couples are going with a Maid of Honor and a Best Man and that's it. I love that couples may have all male attendants or all female attendants because those are the important people in their lives.
7. Let Them Not Eat Cake. If you don't like cake, like so many of my clients say is true, don't get one. Save on your budget. Your favorite dessert is pecan pie? Serve that! Love ice cream? Do a sundae bar! Getting married somewhere known for their homegrown apples and cherries? I think cobblers are in order! A special dessert from your heritage? Put some meaning into what you're serving!
8. Keeping Things Moving. So many times couples forget when they are supposed to be introduced, when toasts are to be made, when the first dance is, when the cake-cutting takes place, etc. So I share with you my wise timeline for keeping things going, not losing your guests to lulls in the evenings, and most of all making sure these moments aren't forgotten if that's what you want. Be introduced as husband and wife as soon as your guests are seated for dinner. Proceed directly to your cake for the cake-cutting. Then proceed to the dance floor for your First Dance together. Take your places at your table while the servers serve the first course. While the first course is being eaten get all the toasts done right after another. This means by the time your second course comes out, you're done! You're free to eat, to converse with each other, to relax! Trust me, it works.
An American Club Wedding
I am way late on posting my experience as a Day of Coordinator at the American Club for Jess & Dan's wedding. Busy, busy as always and blogging has been put to the wayside. It was a beautiful wedding ceremony in every sense of the word. I honestly can't describe it to it's full justice. Imagine tall glass vases of varying heights and shapes with a single white rose in it. Now imagine this in mass quantity as a backdrop to your makeshift altar in the ballroom and also flanking the entrance to the aisle. I took pictures, but unfortunately it was too dark so I can't even post them without them looking very understated.
Oh, and the candles. Candlelight in the form of pillars and votives everywhere! It really was breathtaking and it was yet another example of how simple floral with simple vases can be the most elegant, glamorous look of all. I'm not kidding when I say this wedding could have been photographed as a celebrity wedding. It was that classy.
And to all brides who are contemplating An American Club wedding in Kohler, WI....contemplate no further. Seriously, they are fabulous. You have a team of people dedicated to YOU and your family that day taking care of you, changing last minute set-ups, perfecting the lighting, etc. They care and they care a lot. It shows in their "can do" attitude no matter how large the request.
So why was I there? If the American Club is so great, why would anyone need a professional Coordinator the day of? Because you have to keep in mind that although the venue is fabulous, you have also hired multiple vendors to bring everything together for the big day. Take for instance the florist. He had a HUGE job and there was just no way he had time to run to different guest rooms to pin the boutonnieres on the men or to track down the grandma's to pin their corsages. That's what I'm there for. I also am almost always the only person with the master plan for that day. I was the only one that knew there would be "secret vows" exchanged after the lighting of the unity candle and made the logistical arrangements for it. I was the only one that knew that the 2 horse figurines needed to be set at the Father of the Bride's table as an inside joke from the groom. I'm the one with the final play list for the DJ. I'm it. I have more information than everyone else that day. It was a stress-free day for me and with the ceremony and reception back to back, it was a quick day as well. But it was perfect. And it was perfect for the couple.
Oh, and the candles. Candlelight in the form of pillars and votives everywhere! It really was breathtaking and it was yet another example of how simple floral with simple vases can be the most elegant, glamorous look of all. I'm not kidding when I say this wedding could have been photographed as a celebrity wedding. It was that classy.
And to all brides who are contemplating An American Club wedding in Kohler, WI....contemplate no further. Seriously, they are fabulous. You have a team of people dedicated to YOU and your family that day taking care of you, changing last minute set-ups, perfecting the lighting, etc. They care and they care a lot. It shows in their "can do" attitude no matter how large the request.
So why was I there? If the American Club is so great, why would anyone need a professional Coordinator the day of? Because you have to keep in mind that although the venue is fabulous, you have also hired multiple vendors to bring everything together for the big day. Take for instance the florist. He had a HUGE job and there was just no way he had time to run to different guest rooms to pin the boutonnieres on the men or to track down the grandma's to pin their corsages. That's what I'm there for. I also am almost always the only person with the master plan for that day. I was the only one that knew there would be "secret vows" exchanged after the lighting of the unity candle and made the logistical arrangements for it. I was the only one that knew that the 2 horse figurines needed to be set at the Father of the Bride's table as an inside joke from the groom. I'm the one with the final play list for the DJ. I'm it. I have more information than everyone else that day. It was a stress-free day for me and with the ceremony and reception back to back, it was a quick day as well. But it was perfect. And it was perfect for the couple.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Secret Vows
I know I've said it many times, but I just LOVE when I walk away from a wedding with an amazing new twist on things. Glorious "outside of the box" thinking. Different, non-traditional, unique! Call it what you may, but it's what EXCITES me!
At the rehearsal tonight for Jess & Dan, I learned that they are going to do private vows in addition to what the officiant will perform. They will still be in the ceremony room, surrounded by their bridal party with their friends and family sitting before them, but they will take their place at the altar with their unity candle blazing before them to exchange some words that will only be heard between the two of them, things that they are promising each other for life, things that no one else needs to hear....because guess what? This marriage is for them, for Jess & Dan and that's it.
Logistically they asked me how they should work this into the ceremony and after trying a couple things I think we finally came up with the perfect way. I will cry tomorrow, I'm certain. And you can bet that I'm stealing this idea for other couples that may want to incorporate something just as private and sacred into their ceremony as well. I'm in love. I'm in love with new ideas. I'm in love with couples that come up with these ideas and share them with me.
Tomorrow is going to be beautiful. I just know it.
At the rehearsal tonight for Jess & Dan, I learned that they are going to do private vows in addition to what the officiant will perform. They will still be in the ceremony room, surrounded by their bridal party with their friends and family sitting before them, but they will take their place at the altar with their unity candle blazing before them to exchange some words that will only be heard between the two of them, things that they are promising each other for life, things that no one else needs to hear....because guess what? This marriage is for them, for Jess & Dan and that's it.
Logistically they asked me how they should work this into the ceremony and after trying a couple things I think we finally came up with the perfect way. I will cry tomorrow, I'm certain. And you can bet that I'm stealing this idea for other couples that may want to incorporate something just as private and sacred into their ceremony as well. I'm in love. I'm in love with new ideas. I'm in love with couples that come up with these ideas and share them with me.
Tomorrow is going to be beautiful. I just know it.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Winter Weddings
Dear Mother Nature,
Please get your act together. Winter brides in Milwaukee do not need any more of your games. They have dealt with enough stress and frustration during the planning process the least you can do is provide them with a day that is free of a snowstorm.
Kindly,
The Wedding Planner
Seriously though, for my dear readers who are not familiar with what is happening in this fine city I will let you know that as of 7pm last night we have now received over 73" of the pretty white stuff. SNOW! Lots of it. So it is neither pretty nor white anymore. It is ugly and slushy and well, I along with 99.9% of the city's population are just over it already.
Please don't get me wrong. I am all for winter weddings, in fact I think they are ten times more beautiful in essence than summer weddings. I'm the Wedding Planner that tells brides to do what they want, go for a white wedding, bring out the tents & heaters, buy a fabulous faux fur shawl, DO IT! But right now...I'll be honest and say that I am really hoping the snow doesn't fall on Saturday for my next wedding. Or at least not so much of it that I worry if vendors will be on time and whether or not we need to push the timeline back.
So again, my beloved Mother Nature.....KNOCK IT OFF!
Please get your act together. Winter brides in Milwaukee do not need any more of your games. They have dealt with enough stress and frustration during the planning process the least you can do is provide them with a day that is free of a snowstorm.
Kindly,
The Wedding Planner
Seriously though, for my dear readers who are not familiar with what is happening in this fine city I will let you know that as of 7pm last night we have now received over 73" of the pretty white stuff. SNOW! Lots of it. So it is neither pretty nor white anymore. It is ugly and slushy and well, I along with 99.9% of the city's population are just over it already.
Please don't get me wrong. I am all for winter weddings, in fact I think they are ten times more beautiful in essence than summer weddings. I'm the Wedding Planner that tells brides to do what they want, go for a white wedding, bring out the tents & heaters, buy a fabulous faux fur shawl, DO IT! But right now...I'll be honest and say that I am really hoping the snow doesn't fall on Saturday for my next wedding. Or at least not so much of it that I worry if vendors will be on time and whether or not we need to push the timeline back.
So again, my beloved Mother Nature.....KNOCK IT OFF!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Back to your regularly scheduled wedding blogging...
They lost. My team lost. That would be the Packers, for all of you that have no clue as to what I'm dishing about. I'm happy to report that I stayed toasty warm during the -29 degree weather at the Frozen Tundra. I'm no fool...lots of light layers, hand warmers, feet warmers and I was set. Sadly, it was not enough and I will not be watching MY team in the Super Bowl.
It's probably for the best. I have weddings to start preparing for. I don't want my brides thinking they are backseat to a football game. :)
My next wedding is February 16 and it's at the most distinguished resort in WI and one of the most nationally acclaimed as well. The American Club. I can't wait. I've attended events here, mostly corporate and only one wedding. They do an amazing job so it will be great to see the behind the scenes action that takes place. Although, I must say, they are not fond of wedding planners at all. I've already talked to the contact there and while she's nice enough, I know she was bristling at the thought of me "Just being there to ensure all goes as planned." You see, this is the AMERICAN CLUB. They don't believe they need anyone watching over them, and for the most part, they're right. So what I tried to convey to her was that there are multiple vendors that make the day go off smoothly and I need to make certain that all vendors are doing what they need to be doing, not just the American Club.
It will be interesting to say the least, but I have strong faith that all will go well.
It's probably for the best. I have weddings to start preparing for. I don't want my brides thinking they are backseat to a football game. :)
My next wedding is February 16 and it's at the most distinguished resort in WI and one of the most nationally acclaimed as well. The American Club. I can't wait. I've attended events here, mostly corporate and only one wedding. They do an amazing job so it will be great to see the behind the scenes action that takes place. Although, I must say, they are not fond of wedding planners at all. I've already talked to the contact there and while she's nice enough, I know she was bristling at the thought of me "Just being there to ensure all goes as planned." You see, this is the AMERICAN CLUB. They don't believe they need anyone watching over them, and for the most part, they're right. So what I tried to convey to her was that there are multiple vendors that make the day go off smoothly and I need to make certain that all vendors are doing what they need to be doing, not just the American Club.
It will be interesting to say the least, but I have strong faith that all will go well.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Nothing To Do With Weddings
I'm just excited so I felt the need to blog about it. I'm headed to Lambeau in just under an hour. Hopefully to watch my beloved Packers clinch the NFC Championship and head to Arizona for the Super Bowl! I was at this exact game last time we were in this position (Yikes! Over 10 years ago already) and the excitement is something to be in awe over, that's for sure.
However, they don't call it the Frozen Tundra for nothing! I'm too scared to check the actual temp and wind chill right now, but I know the sun shining in my office window now is just a bad tease.
GO PACK!
However, they don't call it the Frozen Tundra for nothing! I'm too scared to check the actual temp and wind chill right now, but I know the sun shining in my office window now is just a bad tease.
GO PACK!
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Home Sweet Home
A bride who I talked with several months ago about assisting with her wedding contacted me last week. Turns out they scrapped their local wedding plans and are headed to Door County for a destination wedding! They want a calm planning process since a big to-do is not their thing and they are also planning from Chicago.
Door County is home to me. MY home! Where I know all things Door County and where I can plan one kick-ass wedding. I'll hopefully be meeting with the couple at the begining of February to discuss how I can help them, but details are already swirling through my mind.
And since my wedding was too big to get married at my favorite spot in Door County, I am forever hoping that the perfect bride and groom comes along that I can pitch the idea to. Who knows...maybe this is it!
Door County is home to me. MY home! Where I know all things Door County and where I can plan one kick-ass wedding. I'll hopefully be meeting with the couple at the begining of February to discuss how I can help them, but details are already swirling through my mind.
And since my wedding was too big to get married at my favorite spot in Door County, I am forever hoping that the perfect bride and groom comes along that I can pitch the idea to. Who knows...maybe this is it!
Goodbye 2008
2009 Brides are already booking. This nearly gives me a panic attack. It means that 2008 will be over and done before I know it. 2009 Brides have venues booked, churches booked, photographers booked and now me. They're booking me. I just can't believe I'm writing '09 on things already. Somebody pinch me.
Somebody also tell me to remember my New Year's goal of S L O W I N G D O W N !
Somebody also tell me to remember my New Year's goal of S L O W I N G D O W N !
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Well, this was a first....
"Good Morning, this is Danica"
"Hi Danica, this is Betty (not her real name obviously). I've heard fabulous things about you and was wondering if you have some time to talk about hiring you for Day of Coordination."
"Absolutely. Thank you for the kind words. When is your wedding?"
"Well, that's the thing, we don't have a date yet, but it will definitely be in 2009. We just want to make sure we get you booked so we don't have to worry about anything."
"Well, I certainly appreciate that. Thank you! However, without having a wedding date it is hard for me to commit."
"We kind of figured that would be the case. We're actually willing to pay you triple what you normally charge in order to keep the summer open for 2009 until we have a date narrowed down."
"That's very generous of you, but unfortunately, I just can't do that. In fact, I already have 2 summer weddings booked for 2009 so it would be next to impossible for me to hold that many weekends. I also would never feel right or ethical about someone paying me more for services than what I actually charge."
"Really? We have a very high budget wedding and there are other vendors that have accepted more money than they charge in order to hold the date. Is there any way we can work with you on this? We really, really want you."
"Betty, I'm flattered, really I am. But I have to be completely honest with you. I practice a very ethical business here and if you have vendors that have actually accepted more money than typical...I would be very hesitant about working with them. I'm sorry this probably isn't going to work for you, but please do give me a call once you determine your date."
"Um, ok. I'm shocked actually. I guess we'll have to get a date SOON. I'm not doing this wedding without you."
"Thank you again. Let me know if you need any help with anything else. Have a great day!"
WHAT!?!? This is why the name of this blog is Tales of a Wedding Planner. You really just never know what you're going to get.
"Hi Danica, this is Betty (not her real name obviously). I've heard fabulous things about you and was wondering if you have some time to talk about hiring you for Day of Coordination."
"Absolutely. Thank you for the kind words. When is your wedding?"
"Well, that's the thing, we don't have a date yet, but it will definitely be in 2009. We just want to make sure we get you booked so we don't have to worry about anything."
"Well, I certainly appreciate that. Thank you! However, without having a wedding date it is hard for me to commit."
"We kind of figured that would be the case. We're actually willing to pay you triple what you normally charge in order to keep the summer open for 2009 until we have a date narrowed down."
"That's very generous of you, but unfortunately, I just can't do that. In fact, I already have 2 summer weddings booked for 2009 so it would be next to impossible for me to hold that many weekends. I also would never feel right or ethical about someone paying me more for services than what I actually charge."
"Really? We have a very high budget wedding and there are other vendors that have accepted more money than they charge in order to hold the date. Is there any way we can work with you on this? We really, really want you."
"Betty, I'm flattered, really I am. But I have to be completely honest with you. I practice a very ethical business here and if you have vendors that have actually accepted more money than typical...I would be very hesitant about working with them. I'm sorry this probably isn't going to work for you, but please do give me a call once you determine your date."
"Um, ok. I'm shocked actually. I guess we'll have to get a date SOON. I'm not doing this wedding without you."
"Thank you again. Let me know if you need any help with anything else. Have a great day!"
WHAT!?!? This is why the name of this blog is Tales of a Wedding Planner. You really just never know what you're going to get.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Best New Year's Eve Wedding Ever
If I go into too much detail about this wedding, this post is likely to turn into a novel or at least a short story.
It was Kristi & TJ's day last night. With a candlelight ceremony that began at 5:30pm and close to 200 guests literally ready to break down the ceremony site doors...it was off to a festive start.
Here are the highlights of the evening and you'll soon see why their marriage union was so beautiful.
1. Classy bride. In a gold and deep ivory toned gown and a killer all-teeth smile, she stole the show without even trying. Did I mention she's the sweetest gal ever? And all of her family and friends seem to think so too.
2. Bringing Dad down to the ballroom for a private first glimpse of his daughter was one of the best things I've ever done as a Coordinator. It was magical, teary-eyed, and a very touching moment.
3. The bridal party went to Flannery's to have drinks, relax and have pics done. Cool? Yes.
4. Bride's uncle, a judge in New London, officiated the ceremony with humor, spirituality, religion, and so much love and pizazz.
5. Bride's cousin performed some vocal pieces, including a solo of "Ordinary Miracle" before the processional even began! Cool? Yes, again.
6. Bride's brother performed some vocal pieces and gave me the chills. Can we say "Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts? (((Sigh)))
7. Newlyweds walked out to "Accidentally In Love" performed by the two soloists. Does it get any cooler than that??
8. Lillys make the room smell amazing and the guests commented on it it forever
9. Battery-powered mini-light strands are the best invention ever.
10. Milwaukee Athletic Club now has their cake contract through The Cake Lady. Sweet!
11. The couple put together a very fun, touching, and beautiful DVD show
12. They also had a DVD video countdown to midnight. Cool again? You betcha!
13. Having all of your toasts done before salads even comes out is the smartest thing to do. I wish more of my brides listened to me when it comes to this.
14. A close friend of the couple played piano through the ceremony
15. Including all of these loved ones in your wedding day is what makes your wedding unique. Kristi & TJ pulled it off flawlessly.
Congratulations to both of you and Happy New Year to all of my readers!
It was Kristi & TJ's day last night. With a candlelight ceremony that began at 5:30pm and close to 200 guests literally ready to break down the ceremony site doors...it was off to a festive start.
Here are the highlights of the evening and you'll soon see why their marriage union was so beautiful.
1. Classy bride. In a gold and deep ivory toned gown and a killer all-teeth smile, she stole the show without even trying. Did I mention she's the sweetest gal ever? And all of her family and friends seem to think so too.
2. Bringing Dad down to the ballroom for a private first glimpse of his daughter was one of the best things I've ever done as a Coordinator. It was magical, teary-eyed, and a very touching moment.
3. The bridal party went to Flannery's to have drinks, relax and have pics done. Cool? Yes.
4. Bride's uncle, a judge in New London, officiated the ceremony with humor, spirituality, religion, and so much love and pizazz.
5. Bride's cousin performed some vocal pieces, including a solo of "Ordinary Miracle" before the processional even began! Cool? Yes, again.
6. Bride's brother performed some vocal pieces and gave me the chills. Can we say "Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts? (((Sigh)))
7. Newlyweds walked out to "Accidentally In Love" performed by the two soloists. Does it get any cooler than that??
8. Lillys make the room smell amazing and the guests commented on it it forever
9. Battery-powered mini-light strands are the best invention ever.
10. Milwaukee Athletic Club now has their cake contract through The Cake Lady. Sweet!
11. The couple put together a very fun, touching, and beautiful DVD show
12. They also had a DVD video countdown to midnight. Cool again? You betcha!
13. Having all of your toasts done before salads even comes out is the smartest thing to do. I wish more of my brides listened to me when it comes to this.
14. A close friend of the couple played piano through the ceremony
15. Including all of these loved ones in your wedding day is what makes your wedding unique. Kristi & TJ pulled it off flawlessly.
Congratulations to both of you and Happy New Year to all of my readers!
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