IN THE SPOTLIGHT

PHOTO BOOTH FUN!

2012-01-19T14:37:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a fun touch at your wedding reception look no further than a photo booth. I have had many couples opt for a photo booth and the guests go crazy over it every time. Yes, a lot of people are jumping on the photo booth band wagon these days, but for good reason! Simply put, it’s so much fun! Children and adults love to play with a few goofy props and take crazy pictures! Other than dancing, it is another thing that will get your guests out of their chair and let loose! There are tons of places that rent photo booths, but you can also speak with your photographer and see if they offer a “photo booth” session, where they just bring in a back drop to set up for some photo taking fun! Some fun props to consider are masks, boas, hats, fake jewelry, or maybe signs with different phrases on them. You can let your creativity flow with this! A lot of this stuff you can make yourself for practically nothing or you can just buy props online or from a party store. Of course, It is always fun to check out all the crazy photos after the wedding and find out how silly your friends and family can really be! PHOTO BOOTH FUN IS IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

A Blue and Green wedding in "Paris"

2011-05-16T13:17:00.000-07:00

An evening in Paris was the theme for a wedding I coordinated this past weekend at the Contemporary Arts Center in VA Beach. The couple wanted a low key, elegant affair filled with family, friends and a touch of Paris, which is where the couple will be going for their honeymoon. Navy blue with a pop of green along with beautiful trees lit with white lights, gave the room the romantic and still toned down look that the couple was looking to achieve. What was my favorite part of this event? All of the personal touches, from the homemade cupcakes in a jar that were given away as favors, to the place cards and menu's, this couple put their stamp on it all! Another fun idea that we did in this wedding was that the table's were not numbered but named after places in France. Personal touches always make a wedding more memorable! A Blue and Green Wedding in Paris is in the spotlight!

THE ROYAL WEDDING

2011-04-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

Oh to be a bride meeting your prince at the alter...... the stuff that great Disney Movies are made of! Yes I woke up in the wee hours of the morning to witness the historic wedding of the future king of England prince William to his Kate Middleton, and it was awesome. From the thousands of people lining the streets to catch a glimpse of the couple, to the bride stepping out of the car revealing her gorgeous gown, this was an event to remember. I couldn't help but wonder what it must be like to know that you are about to marry the future King and adopt a lifestyle of privilege, tradition and duty. Talk about pressure! Oh yea and the fact that approximately 2.5 billion people from around the world witnessed this event! And I was nervous walking down the aisle in front of 105 people on my wedding day! As for the guests at the wedding, all I can say is "check out those hats". Some were fabulous and other's were, well, interesting, to say the least. Well tonight I will go to sleep with grand visions of horse drawn carriages and the Queen dancing in my head. So, if your invitation to the big day got lost in the mail or you simply were not able to see this event live, no fear, the highlights are sure to be on every news channel, entertainment show and magazine cover for weeks to come. So congratulations to Kate and her Prince William, this was truly a spectacular wedding fit for royalty! The Royal Wedding is in the spotlight!

Bridal Show Extravaganza!

2011-01-17T16:56:00.000-08:00

I recently attended the "Uniquely yours bridal show" in Norfolk VA. It reminded me just how helpful and fun bridal shows can really be! It is a cornucopia of Vendors, samples, bridal fashion and more. You might even run into a celebrity or two like world renowned wedding planner David Tutera who was the host of this particular show. Most wedding shows will let the bride to be's in for free, otherwise there may be a small fee, around $10. There is nothing better than being able to meet vendors in person and be able to see samples of their work and ask them questions. Many vendors will give some sort of discount for their services for stopping by their booth. A great wedding show is an opportunity to get inspired! So look out for some shows in your town and let your inner planner get to work. Bridal Show Extravaganza is in the spotlight!

Wishing on a Wishing Tree

2011-01-10T18:53:00.000-08:00

Gone are the days of sign in books sitting on a podium waiting for a signature..well not really a lot of people still rock the wedding guest book, its classic! However there seems to be a new trend sweeping the wedding world. The wishing tree. Yes the wishing tree is a modern and romantic way to get the guests involved on your wedding day...even I used this in my wedding! The idea behind it is for people to write a personal note, thought or wish they have for the happy couple and hang it on the tree. This way instead of just a signature you can get advice and best wishes from your friends and family..pretty cool huh? Not to mention that the tree ads another decorative element to your room. Considering you may drop anywhere from $20 to $50 on an average sign in book...the elements you would need for a tree are really not super expensive.. nice paper with string to hang it with, a vase or pot...some branches, spray painted if you wish or just stop by Michael's and get creative. Otherwise most event rental places have wishing trees you can rent for the night. The notes can be put in a memory book or put in a cool design in a frame after the wedding. Not to mention it is really fun when you get a chance to read all the notes the next day! Wishing on a wishing tree is in the spotlight!!

Something Blue

2010-10-05T20:12:00.001-07:00

Enjoying the Process

2010-06-13T18:51:00.000-07:00

Lets be real....planning a wedding can be a magical experience full of excitement and anticipation but it can also be the beginning of the demise of your sanity. Decisions, details, etiquette oh my! Suddenly once the date gets closer, panic can set in...sometimes about random little details and sometimes about serious issues you may have to deal with among family and friends and sometimes you are just bombarded with advice and opinions from every person you have ever met. My personal motto for myself as a bride and the advice I like to bestow upon my clients is to take a deep breath and always remember why. Why you are getting married, why you are in love with this person, and what is actually important in the long run. Once you answer these questions it may be a little easier to step away from that one extra expense that you really do not need or stressing out over a detail that in the end is not going to make a big difference. This is a day to remember and to cherish but do not make it more complicated or harder than it needs to be. Remember to enjoy the process....don't let others take your joy away....make decisions that are smart and know that all it truly takes to have a great wedding is a couple in love.

ENJOYING THE PROCESS IS IN THE SPOTLIGHT!

A CANDLE LIT WEDDING/ Ellie Bolton photography

2010-03-02T18:25:00.000-08:00

MELISSA & JEREMY, A TRADITIONAL JEWISH WEDDING

2009-11-18T08:43:00.001-08:00

This beautiful October wedding was inspired by the brides love of the fall season and Jewish tradition. Red, orange, brown and yellow were the colors chosen to give that sense of fall. The ceremony began with the signing of the Ketubah, a Jewish contract, that was then framed and displayed in the reception hall. As the guests danced into the night there was an artist hired to paint on canvas the evenings festivities and capture the guests in motion, what a wonderful, original touch! This really captured the guests attention while watching this artist create a picture out of live moments, it really added another aspect of entertainment to the night!

Melissa & Jeremy, A Traditional Jewish Wedding is in the spotlight!

A THANK YOU NOTE

2009-10-28T07:17:00.000-07:00

THIS IS A NOTE I RECEIVED FROM ONE OF MY PAST BRIDES, I TRULY APPRECIATE THE KIND WORDS!

"I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for making my day so memorable. I was relieved to know that you had taken the reigns with everything on that important day so all I had to concentrate on was getting ready. I really appreciate how you went above and beyond with cleaning all of the sand off the deck. I was really not expecting that. When I arrived everything was perfect! Thank you so much for anticipating my needs and executing plans into action. That is what makes a great coordinator.....the ability to think on your feet and deal with a crisis situation before it gets out of hand. I really enjoyed working with you and if there is anything I can do for you in the future do not hesitate to ask."

Sincerely,

Mrs. Branch

A THANK YOU NOTE IS IN THE SPOTLIGHT!!

A WEDDING ON VA BEACH OCEAN FRONT

2009-10-15T09:21:00.000-07:00

On a lovely day in the first week of October I had the pleasure of coordinating a ocean front wedding! The couple decided to have the intimate ceremony on the deck of a beach house overlooking the VA Beach ocean front. This traditional ceremony was complete with a sand ceremony, two different colors of sand poured by the couple into one vase representing two lives coming together as one and the idea, that like sand, once these two lives are put together they can never truly be seperated.

A WEDDING ON VA BEACH OCEAN FRONT IS IN THE SPOTLIGHT!!

A WEDDING ON THE HUDSON

2009-09-09T16:24:00.000-07:00

A Wedding on the hudson is in the spotlight!

TEA PARTY THEMED BRIDAL SHOWER!

2009-08-16T12:15:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I attended a wedding shower that I helped plan in Florida. This was a very unique shower because it was held at a quaint little spot called Hidden Tea Secrets. This tea party themed shower let the little girl in us all come out as we sampled different tea's, snacked on bite size treats and of course dressed up in big hats and jewlery! Here are some pics from the event! TEA PARTY THEMED BRIDAL SHOWER'S ARE IN THE SPOTLIGHT!

HERE COMES THE BRIDESMAIDS!

2009-07-15T18:29:00.000-07:00

Long gone are the days of the march of identical bridesmaids. Most of us at some point have come across an old 80's photo or video footage of a bridal party with the most ridiculous bridesmaids gowns ever to grace the body of woman. These days it is ok to allow your ladies own personality to shine through rather than bestow upon them a travesty of a gown, hairstyle and makeup pallet. More and more I have found that brides to be are picking out a color to tie all the ladies together but they may have the option of three styles of dress to choose from. These days the typical bridesmaids gowns are so much more flatering than ever, so there are really no excuses. Every woman has a different body type and not any one style is going to look good on everyone, however certain styles like an A line cut dress generally looks good on many different body types. But if you will pick the same style dress for your maids let them wear there hair the way they feel comfortable, or pick out a style of shoe that they love. I mean you really dont want these friends of yours to stand up in front of your friends and family and feel uncomfortable and unattractive, I know you want to be the star but please dont torture these ladies, I mean after all you know one of them is single and she is totally going to get you back when its her turn to walk down the aisle!
HERE COMES THE BRIDESMAIDS IS IN THE SPOTLIGHT!!

A WEDDING AT MANKIN MANSION/ Richmond

2009-06-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

A WEDDING AT MANKIN MANSION IS IN THE SPOTLIGHT!!

SHERRI AND JERRI'S WEDDING!!

2009-06-17T20:14:00.000-07:00

SHERRI AND JERRI'S WEDDING IS IN THE SPOTLIGHT!!

Honeymoon Registries are the new black!

2009-06-05T07:17:00.000-07:00

One of the most exciting parts about planning a wedding is registering for gifts! Running around your favorite department store scanning your must need items for your guests to buy you as you venture into the land of the married. Although getting "STUFF" from your favorite store might seem great many people are realizing that so is a candle lit couples massage on the beach! Yes, that is one of the many things you can register for if you choose to do a honeymoon registry. This is something that I will be doing for my wedding in addition to registering at a store as well, just to give people options. The way this works is you book your honeymoon like you normally would and then you can set up an account on a honeymoon website and your loved ones can go on and purchase you extras for your honeymoon experience. Some examples are, dinner on the beach, site seeing tours, money toward airfare, a great bottle of wine to go with dinner......the list goes on and on! This is a great way to have the honeymoon of your dreams for minimal cost! Here are a few websites you may want to check out. Some have free account set up and some do not. Most of the sites I have found let you view examples of other couples sites and also offer a lot of info on honeymoon hot spots and packages.

www.thehoneymoon.com
www.travelorsjoy.com
www.distinctivehoneymoons.com
www.sendusoff.com

HONEYMOON REGISTRIES ARE IN THE SPOTLIGHT!!

LET THEM EAT CAKE!!

2009-05-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

YUMMY CAKES ARE IN THE SPOTLIGHT!!

DRESS SHOPPING GONE WRONG?

2009-05-25T13:13:00.000-07:00

For some of us one of the most exciting events to look forward to in the wedding planning process is finding “THE DRESS”. Ok so we have the Ball gown, A line, mermaid style, empire etc…..so many to choose from, how is a girl going to decide!? Well I would say that with most of the weddings I have worked on the bride has an idea of the styles she likes or is interested in trying on. So she goes to her local bridal shop and plans a fun filled day of dress shopping, fun right? Exciting? Sure! Well not to put a damper on things ladies but have you ever heard of the term to many cooks in the kitchen? Well in the big wide world of wedding planning I am referring to bringing to many people to the dress fitting. EVERYONE HAS AN OPINION and you may love em but in the end it is your day and your decision! It’s understandable to want to bring your mom, closest friend, sister and /or grandma, sometimes even the mother of the groom. The problem comes in when you "model" your choices and suddenly find yourself wanting to please everyone. Now I am no negative Nancy......But, what if Grandma likes the first dress your best friend and mom are convinced you will regret it for the rest of your life if you don’t get the third one and the soon to be mother in law gives you the inside scoop that her son your soon to be husband would definitely fall in love with you all over again if he saw you walking down the aisle in dress number 2! Oh what’s a girl to do? Well take every one's opinion into consideration but in the end go with the one that YOU love and that ultimately makes YOU feel like a bride. Many brides will try on dresses and just know the dress that is the one. So if you must take 10 people with you to find a dress my advice would be to stand your ground and walk out of the store without regret for the dress you felt you should have picked. To avoid this issue completely you may just want to bring 2 or 3 people with you to the initial finding of the dress and invite everyone along when you have your final fitting, that way they are a part of the process in some way and will most likely love whatever dress you walk out with.

DRESS SHOPPING GONE WRONG IS IN THE SPOTLIGHT!

OMG CUPCAKES!!

2009-05-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

OK this is my first official post on this site and yes it is regarding cupcakes. May I just say that I did a wedding a few weeks ago where the couple opted to do a cupcake tower instead of a traditional wedding cake and I JUST LOVED IT! Just ask my fiance and he will let you know that I talked about these cupcakes for a good week after the wedding and still brought them up randomly in conversations. Whats the obsession? Well this is definitely not a new concept since this has been a growing trend recently but there is something about doing a cupcake tower that is very modern and unique. The cupcake stand ended up being the focal point of this wedding reception decor and it really received such a great reaction from the guests. What I liked was that there was something for everyone.....vanilla/ chocolate/ strawberry flavors and did I mention the toppings? Some had huge chunks of caramel, some just had sprinkles others had fruit on top, they looked amazing and I am sure they tasted amazing also, but I wouldn't know I just set them up, but I was definitely toying with the idea of going to that baker and picking a few up for myself! The cupcake would be a great treat really for any event. Cute and customized for all guests to enjoy! CUPCAKES ARE IN THE SPOTLIGHT!!