Real Wedding - Jennifer & Elijah

Jennifer and Elijah hired me in March of 2012 to help them with coordination and some planning for their (then) October 2013 wedding. We hunted down the perfect venue for what they wanted, Apple Blossom Chapel and Gardens and everything went from there. With Elijah being in the Army there was a risk of him being deployed and all of our amazing vendors were on board knowing there might be a change in plans. Well, he got the call and was deployed to Afghanistan for 10 months which included their wedding date. Wanting the wedding day to be wonderful weather (outside ceremony and tented reception) they decided on rescheduling for May 30, 2014, and the weather was amazing!! Jennifer and Elijah are officially my longest running clients to date at 26 months but over that time I was able to get to know them and become more than just a wedding planner but also a friend.

Venue: Apple Blossom Chapel & Gardens

Coordination and Planning: Red Heels Events

Photography: Junebug Photography

Floral and Decor: Chalet Floral

Linens: Elegant Linen Design

Caterer: Above & Beyond

Chair Rental: Events by I. Candy

Cakes and Cookies: Spring Lake Cake

Invitations: MAXE Designs LLC

Violinist: Terri Robinson

Saxophonist: Jeff Baird

I had the honor of surprising Jennifer with her bouquet, I think she liked it!

Love this picture of Elijah peeking out the window, anxiously awaiting to walk down the aisle. 

LOVE this one....fiercest looking bridal party ever!

Seriously lady, you are so stunning!!

First looks at the reception tent, they loved it! 

Jennifer said "It's like they got into my head and made it happen!"

Each guest had a cookie with their name on it waiting at their seat.

The surprise groom's cake! It was so detailed and fun for Elijah!

The amazing boxed hand-painted invitation from Molly at MAXE Designs.

 

Elijah's special order from his favorite restaurant.

Okay, I had to save these for the end of the post. These are my favorite because I have seen all of these looks from Jennifer over the last two years and it is just so classic to catch them all on film. 

Sparkler exit!! 

Thank you both so much for letting me be a part of your lives for the last two years. It was such a beautiful and perfect day. I am blessed and honored to call you friends!

Don't Take It So Seriously

Yes, marriage is a very serious commitment to make to one another. The meaning of the ceremony is very important but this does not mean you can't have a little fun. Almost ten years ago (coming up next month!) my handsome hubby and I were married. During the planning process I was a typical bride, not in a bad way, just determined to follow traditions and meet expectations.

When we were planning our wedding ceremony my husband thought it would be hilarious to play "Another One Bites The Dust" by Queen for our recessional. Yes, ladies, that's right. I laughed to appease him and then said "Uh, no".

To date, I can't even remember which classic instrumental song we played and if I can't remember, no one else does either. Instead of brushing my groom's suggestion off as "ridiculous", I should have considered it as one way we could have had a laugh, shown our personalities and made it memorable to those who attended. Looking back now I wish I would have stepped back and seen the day for what it was: a celebration with all of our closest family and friends, a time to show them who we were as a couple. Although, we did mix a little Metallica into the dinner music, I still regret not doing something more fun for the recessional.

I highly encourage those out there planning their own big days to not hesitate to incorporate things that reflect themselves into every aspect of the event. Your guests are there to celebrate with you as a couple so show them who you are and why you love each other.

Happy Planning!
Michelle

Be Our Guest - The Room Layout

You have planned all the details, sent out the invitations, exchanged the vows and now it is time to celebrate!

Whether your guests will be traveling to a different site for the reception or staying at the same location as the ceremony it is important for there to be an easy transition. Set up your reception venue is a way that will help your guests to flow through the evening, here are some easy tips on how to do that.

Room Layout:

• Entrance: Have your main entrance to the reception easy to find and access. Set your room up so that your guests will enter into the "welcome" area of the venue. This is the area that your gift table, guest book and escort cards would be displayed in. If having your reception at a venue that has multiple event rooms, place a sign outside of your entrance to ensure that your guests' are at the right party. 

• Bar: Place your bar on the far side of the room, away from the main entrance. This will help alleviate any congestion between people trying to enter and people waiting in line to get a drink. 

• Gift Table: Place your gift table in a easy to see (but secure) area so that your guests can set down their gift to you as soon as they walk in. Before they can sign the guest book or pick up their place card, they will need to set down that awesome gift they brought you, so locate it close to the other tables and not on the other side of the room. 

• Guest Book: When choosing where to place your guest book make sure there is room enough for multiple people to be there at once. If placing it directly inside the door, be prepared for a line to occur when the initial influx of guests arrive. If it is a nice day people won't mind waiting outside but if the weather is not good place your guest book inside further to allow more people to enter. When doing something fun and creative as your guest book, assign a friend or family member to man the table and assist or explain it to your guests. Always provide multiple pens or markers on the table so that multiple guests can sign at once. 

• Place cards: Whether using an alphabetized list or individual place cards, put them close to or on the same table as the guest book. The best flow for your guests is to drop off the gift, sign the guest book and find out which table they are sitting at. Once they have done all of this they are free to enjoy the evening. 
• I highly encourage my clients to do assigned seating. I know it is a lot of work but your guests will appreciate it. It can be very awkward and uncomfortable for guests to have to walk around and ask "is this seat taken?" or "can we sit here?". Especially if they are friends from work or someone who may not know anyone else at the party. 
• Keep them simple. All you really need to do for assigned seating is assign each guests a table. There is no need to assign it down to the exact chair unless you are having a smaller event and want to place the guests at specific spots. 
• If doing a list instead of individual cards, ALPHABETIZE it by last name, not by table number. 

• Table Numbers: If you are assigning tables to your guests it is very important to label the tables and reference that label on their place card. A popular idea is to name the tables after favorite things of the couple (places they have been, favorite love songs, etc.). I highly recommend also numbering them. Why? If you have 25 tables, your guests will have to wander around the room and read 25 table names in order to find their own. If the tables are also numbered your guests will have an easier time finding their assigned table. The number does not need to be large, but something small under the name would suffice  How ever you label your tables make sure that it is cohesive between the names on the tables and the names on the place cards. 
• When placing your table numbers on the tables place them so they are visible to the main entrance so that guests can see them easily. 
• Also, number the table so that they go in order and not random around the room, it is much easier to follow a pattern.  

This couple's dog, Joe, was the inspiration for their table numbers. Each table had a picture of him in a costume with a tag line incorporating his name. This was Table 9 - Cup O'Joe. They also had Mean Joe Green, Joe Blue, Sherlock Joelmes, etc. It was great and the guests wandered around all night checking them out. 

(Sorry for the terrible picture, it literally is from a disposal camera!)

• Guest Tables: Place your guest tables far enough apart that even with the chairs pulled out there is room for people to walk through. As a guest, I have experienced it many times, where you get to your table and sit down but once everyone is seated there is no way to get back out. Venues have a capacity for more than just the fire marshal. They have set up their room multiple times and know just how many people can fit, and fit comfortably. 

• Dance Floor/DJ: I like to see the bar, DJ and dance floor all in the same general area. Once the dancing gets started your guests will split up between those there to party and those that want to visit with each other. Creating different areas within your venue will allow everyone to enjoy the evening. I suggest to younger couples to place their friends closer to the dance floor since those are most likely the people that will be dancing and their older guests farther away from the dance floor and speakers. Splitting your room up with encourage all of your guests to stay longer.

• Restrooms: If the restrooms are not easily seen from the main room or hallway, place a cute sign to assist guests with finding them. A simple "Restrooms" sign with an arrow would be perfect. 

Now, I know that not all venues are alike and you may not be able to use all these tips but incorporating even just a few will help to make your guests experience at your reception a positive one.

Happy Planning!
Michelle

Be Our Guest - The Ceremony

In my last post, Be Our Guest - Being Informed, I talked about informing your guests leading up to the wedding day so that they know what to expect. In this segment, I will be discussing ideas and tips to make your guests' experience a great one on your big day. 

Parking:

• In their original invitation information, your guests should have been provided with directions and parking information (if parking is not just a lot onsite). There should be no reason for your guests to have to drive around for a while looking for somewhere to park. 
• If your venue utilizes a parking ramp or paid lot, you can arrange ahead of time to prepay these fees for your guests and send a parking voucher along with the invitations. The lot will collect the vouchers and charge you based on how many they have times the rate. 
• Some venues do not have much parking or parking close to the site is not allowed. In this case, it is courteous to provide a shuttle to transport your guests from their cars (or even the hotel) to the ceremony location. 
• Once parked and at the ceremony venue, your guests should be welcomed and greeted by someone involved in the wedding. Whether it is the couple's parents or the ushers, it is nice for the guests to be greeted to confirm they are in the right place and to see a familiar face. 

Sound:

• Rent speakers and small lapel microphones for the groom and officiant to wear. Your guests have come to see you exchange vows so make sure they can hear the words. Place the speakers so that the sound isn't erased by wind or blocked by the chairs or landscaping. 

Programs:

• Have programs available to your guests. Most likely your guests are not going to be familiar with both families and everyone involved in the bridal party. A program is a great way to introduce the important people in your life to each other. Even including just a short list of the name and relationship of the people in your party. 
• Along with listing out the events "main characters", provide a breakdown so your guests can follow along with the ceremony. If having guests sing along with any songs, also include the lyrics in the program. 
• I mentioned in the last post about having your own unique QR code to provide information to your guests on. The program would be the perfect place to put this QR code. The guests can click on it and it would take them directly to directions for the reception or activities to do between the ceremony and reception. This way if they forgot to bring the information you provided in the invitation it will be readily available to them at the ceremony. 

Outdoor Ceremonies:

Have a Back Up Plan:

• For your guests convenience, try to have your back up location as close to the original venue as possible. This is will help your overall time line to be less affected as well as your guests needing to adjust travel times. 
• Prepare a "quick contact" list ahead of time, either with email addresses or phone numbers (whichever will be sure to reach your guests) and distribute to a few people involved in the wedding. Make sure to include the address of the location on this list for those who will be doing the communication. Once it is determined to move the ceremony to the alternate location have the designated people begin to contact the guests and let them know of the change. 

Hot Summer Day:

• Water bottles - have a large bucket or two full of ice and water bottles for your guests to grab on their way in or out of the ceremony. There are many companies that will print custom labels for the bottles as well for a cute extra detail. 
• Fans - Print your programs on a heavy paper that can also be used as a hand fan. This is a great way to save money by giving something a double use. There are companies online that will create you adorable fan programs or if you like to DIY, there are multiple ideas for that as well. 
• Parasols - Purchase or rent parasols or umbrellas for your guests to use to block the sun. Bella Umbrella has some adorable options!

You want your guests to walk away saying how beautiful your vows were not complaining about how uncomfortable they were. It is the little things that will pull your day together!

Happy Planning!

Michelle

In Town Wedding, Out of Town Couple

(Image by Celeste Duran Photography via weddingchicks.com)

So many people, these days, move out of state for school or jobs but when thinking about getting married they want to make it happen back "home". Home is where their families and friends are and where couples want to celebrate the beginning of their new lives together. It all sounds so perfect and romantic, until the long distance planning begins. Planning a wedding long distance can be difficult and stressful. There are many reasons that an out of town couple should consider hiring a planner that is located where the wedding will take place. Here are a few of the top reasons to consider:

1. If you are getting married where your family is located, you may initially consider to use them for the majority of the planning. This can place a lot of pressure and stress on them and also add extra stress onto your relationship with them. A planner can assist you, as a professional, so that you and your family can enjoy the planning process together. 

2. A local planner will know the best vendors and venues for your budget and style. They will have a large network of vendors that they trust and can give you recommendations. This will save you hours of research online. 

3. If you are unavailable to travel back to the wedding city often, a local planner will act as your point person. Your planner can attend any meetings with vendors or do any venue walk throughs in your place. If you are able to travel back for meetings, a planner can schedule appointments for you and attend alongside you. Planners know the questions to ask and will make sure every detail is taken care of so that on your big day nothing will be missed. 

4. A planner can act as a coordinator for the wedding day, taking care of all of the logistics. On the day of the wedding, you will want to spend as much quality time as you can with your family and friends that you may not have seen in a while. Having a planner on your team will free up your time from things like decorating, managing vendors and cleaning up at the end of the night. A planner can manage the entire event for you so that you and your family can sit back, enjoy the party and celebrate the big event together. 

Whether you are an out of town bride or local to your wedding city, there are many ways a planner/coordinator can help you. Here are a few other posts that you may be interested in:

Myths About Wedding Planners

Wedding Planner vs. Onsite Coordinator

Why I Hired a Planner - From the Brides

Why I Hired a Planner - From the Brides

From Julie - Married June 2012

I got engaged in May of 2011. Almost immediately, I knew I wanted to hire someone to help me plan the wedding. I was working full time, as was my fiance, and while we were getting a lot of "help" from our family and friends, I wanted to have someone on my team that really knew what they were doing. 

I'm a procrastinator at heart, plus I second guess my decisions constantly. I needed someone to keep me on track and focused. I started looking through bridal magazines pretty much right away, and was a little intimidated by everything that needed to be done, all the deadlines and time lines, etc. I kept thinking, "I have to do all this by myself?!". I just didn't have time to go through thousands of online reviews for vendors in my area, and even if I did, I wondered if I could really put my trust in a specific vendor based on reviews from people I didn't really know. Hiring an experienced wedding planner gave me first hand knowledge of many vendors, since she had worked with so many of them before, and could help me decide which one would be the best for me, specifically, and what I needed. 

Also, this was going to be my "big day", and I didn't want to worry about the little things on the day of- vendors who maybe got lost, setting up decorations at the ceremony and reception, dealing with last minute emergencies- thinking of all that alone was making me want to throw in the towel and go to Vegas! However, I am SO happy that I didn't. Hiring a wedding planner was the best decision I made; I was able to relax, breathe, laugh, and enjoy my day, because I trusted her and knew things would be taken care of.

From Jessica - Married October 2008

We were living in Dublin, Ireland when my husband and I got engaged. We would be completely planning our Grand Rapids wedding from thousands of miles away. No easy task but with my eager DIY family, we knew we would have plenty of help with the details. As we were starting the planning process, my mom and I were reminiscing about my sister Jill's beautiful wedding. It had been a large wedding -- my brother-in-law has a huge family -- and my mom was saying that she felt like she hadn't really had time to enjoy the celebrations because she was running around making sure everything was going smoothly. It suddenly dawned on me that while I loved that my family was so DIY and hands-on, I knew that on our wedding day, I wanted them focused on one detail only -- us! At that point, we only saw them once or twice a year and I didn't want this one day and night to fly by (as weddings always do) and not have had the opportunity to make as many memories together as possible. The perfect solution was to hire a wedding coordinator. 

My mom was skeptical because she was unsure about a stranger being involved, but I was firm in this decision. We found Michelle through a referral on The Knot and initially interviewed her over Skype. My mom and sisters met with her face-to-face and loved her instantly. It was the best wedding decision we made and she never once felt like a stranger! Not only did our wedding day exceed our expectations, everyone agreed (including my once skeptical mom) that Michelle's help had been integral in the process. She gave us the peace of mind we were looking for and we certainly had fun making those great memories!. I would highly recommend hiring a wedding coordinator to any bride, especially if you are planning an out-of-town wedding!

Please also check out these posts about hiring a wedding coordinator/planner:

Why You Should Hire a Planner - The Vendor's Perspective
Myths About Wedding Planners and Why You Should Hire One

The Shoot - The Attire

One of the most important aspects to any wedding is the bride and groom's attire. No matter the size of the event, the couple is going to want to look their best, after all, they are the center of attention! Every little girl dreaming about her wedding starts with thinking about the gorgeous dress she is going to wear. The attire of the couple reflects both their style and the style of the event so you want everything to be cohesive. When coming up with the look and feel we wanted for the Fall Inspiration Shoot, I knew I wanted it to be elegant but with a casual undertone to reflect the location.

The dress we chose from Caela Scott Bridal & Formalwear is from Jasmine. I always envisioned a strapless, flowing gown with lace and this dress practically jumped off the rack at me. Of course, it did not hurt that it fit Sarah so good either! This dress has a mermaid under layer with a tulle and lace overlay that went into a chapel train.

I love the low scoop of the back of the dress.

I had picked up the mustard colored cardigan from Gap months ago just hoping it would work for the shoot. It was a way to add a casual feel to the overall look of the bride. 

The jewelry...ahhh...the jewelry! We wanted to use a statement piece on Sarah and when I came across this piece from Stella & Dot online, I just crossed my fingers that it would be the right shade of orange in person, it was! With Sarah's coloring, the Olivia Bib necklace was exactly what we were going for and paired with the Gigi Studs it was gorgeous! A huge thank you to Livvy for letting us borrow these pieces to showcase!

We played up the casual vibe on Brandon, as well. Instead of the full tuxedo with vest, we went with the suit and just a necktie. Originally, I had in my head to use a tan suit but in the end the chocolate won out and I am so glad it did! Brandon was a trooper trying both on for us! It really played well against his dark coloring and popped against the colorful backgrounds. The tux is from Jim's Formalwear via Caela Scott Bridal. The burnt orange and brown plaid tie is an Apt. 9 from Kohl's.

Kellie asked Helena from Helena DeYoung's Hair Outreach to be a part of the shoot and she did a phenomenal job on Sarah's hair. Helena did two different styles, one with the hair all down in loose waves, for the beginning part of the shoot, and then she pulled part of it up with a fishtail braid, for the second part. I loved them both!

I think the look came together perfectly! Every piece was cohesive with the other and it just flowed wonderfully. It is always a little nerve racking until you see it all together, but I could not have been more happy with the end result.

Oh, yes, the bouquet! I will talk about the flowers soon!

Stay Tuned for Part Two - The Flowers...