7.13.2009

Be a Planner Launch

You may have heard of it before, but what you knew before was not what it is today. My little project as of late has been working on re-launching MasterPiece Weddings' fabulous Be a Planner site.


As part of the re-launch, not only did we re-design the logo and site, but we will also begin updating the blog with tips, tools, and tricks of the trade for all up-and-coming planners or those interested in the event industry. 

So, if you have been before, make sure to go check it out again. We have all sorts of fun goodies planned!

7.08.2009

Road to Bliss: The Mishaps

It's true. I have promised to tell the tale of the mishaps from my wedding with you all a few times. But, now, more than a year later and at the urging (dare I say nagging?) of some of my friends and family, I think I am finally ready to unleash the beast. Here is the longest post I have ever (and probably will ever) post on this blog:

My wedding was far from perfect. As a sidenote, you all should know that what went wrong was completely and entirely out of the hands of my wedding planner. But, if you watched the "Day in the Life" video I posted a couple weeks ago you know that things we far from ideal...

First there was the chair situation. Rental company for extra chairs for the ceremony is spontaneously closed when Melissa goes to pick them up. Thankfully, Melissa was quick on her feet and had already secured new chairs (albeit not as pretty) from the hotel where my family was staying.

Then there was the DJ. He was given explicit instructions to stick to the playlist we gave him (we not only provided the playlist but also all the songs on CDs for him so there would be no confusion). Yet still we had to ask him twice to stop deviating from the playlist. At some point during dinner my Mom went up and asked if he would turn down the music a little (unbeknown to me). He turns it down so low no one can hear it. Greg and I ask Melissa to ask if he will turn it up a little bit. He turns it up so loud we cannot hear each other anymore. Passive aggressive much?

Now onto the decor... we'll start with the bouquets. You see those (below)? The color they are in this image is only after rounds of the florist painting and re-painting them. When they showed up, they were HOT PINK. Hot pink is beautiful but not so much with my burgundy and coral wedding scheme. Thankfully I had a wedding planner there to get this matter set straight.


And the lovely boutonnieres (see below). Ohhh this one makes me mad.

This CHERRY RED image you see below was supposed to be ohhh about the color of the tie that the groomsmen was wearing. In my opinion, here is where there is no excuse. Sure with the bridesmaid bouquets above maybe the peonies arrived in the wrong color (that happens sometimes). 

But here? The roses that were to be ordered were black baccara (which is a deep burgundy color naturally). So the only explanation is that the florist ordered the wrong color. And, when he was sent swatches of my colors MONTHS before my wedding and confirmed that all the colors were corrected the two weeks prior for our confirmation meeting there is NO EXCUSE.


Below is a photo of the tables at my wedding. A red napkin on a red tablecloth tied with a raffia wrap of some kind. To me, I would say that is not at all like a burgundy tablecloth with a burgundy napkin and a coral-colored ribbon, would you? Yeah, I didn't think so.


Here is where you can see again the lovely hot pink peonies (which were not sprayed, in this case) and cherry red roses. The vase was supposed to have floating pearls in it (Do you see pearls? I don't... just bubbles.). In fact, I think the only thing even close to "right" here is the hydrangea. Oh, and the candle.


And the chair covers... more lovely red to add to my burgundy and coral palette. The sashes that were tied on them were also supposed to be coral colored.

This of course is not even mentioning that we were short one corsage so my poor mother had to go without one. Or the fact that the corsages were supposed to be wrist corsages and they showed up as magnets. 

The worst part? The florist was my "splurge." I went way out of my budget to afford the florist in town that is touted as being "the best." He is said to be able to do amazing things and I had faith that my wedding would be no exception. Instead, I spent one fifth of my wedding budget on details that were wrong in ALMOST EVERY WAY. In fact, the only thing that was right was my bouquet. That was it. And, what an awful feeling to see the bouquets and boutonnieres for the first time and almost start crying. Or walk into your reception with the thought "wow, this is all very wrong." 

I wish I had a happy ending for you. Like ohhh say, that the florist admitted he was wrong (which he did) and gave me a large portion of my money back (as he should have). But, unfortunately, I do not. Instead, I have a very important lesson for you: You CANNOT trust a wedding vendor on reputation alone. Ask for references. Talk to past clients. Do your homework. I hired an established, well-known wedding vendor with a good reputation and I still ended up screwed. Do not let it happen to you.

But the ultimate moral of the story? Take a deep breath, and move on. I did not spend a second crying in the bathroom at my wedding reception despite the fact it was all wrong. In fact, the photos of my first dance with my new husband are all smiling. Because, in the end, you have to let go. At the end of the day I still married the man of my dreams, even if the flowers involved were all the wrong color. So, do not let this tale worry you because on your wedding day, should something go awry just remember to breathe in, breathe out, and let it go. The important part is that you still get to get married.

7.07.2009

On the News

That's right. SwoonOverIt has now officially been on the news. The lovely Saundra Hadley of Planning...Forever Events was kind enough to show our work on her weekly news segment with FOX. To say we were just excited would be an understatement.

Be sure to check it out here

And Saundra, thank you so much for the mention. We are honored, flattered, and quite honestly stunned. Thank you thank you thank you!

7.06.2009

Giveaway Roundup

From the great response I always get when I do these, I figured another giveaway roundup never hurts. And, with some of the fabulous giveaways going on in the blog world right now, I didn't think that you all would mind. 


First and foremost, my friends over at Unique Designs are celebrating the launch of their new website (and fabulous new blog) and to do so they are hosting a myriad of giveaways. Accessories, photography, sweets, food, and calligraphy (the last courtesy of yours truly)... so many great giveaways it was almost tempting not to want to share them (that would give me better odds, wouldn't it?). Congrats Unique Designs on a beautiful launch! I look forward to working with you and watching your company continue to flourish!

Also, you know that my love of paper goods could not keep me from mentioning that Blush Paperie is giving away 100 placecards to celebrate their new line. Go here for more details and to enter.

And last but not least, April Foster Events is giving away Philosophy Gel and Bubble Bath (if you have ever used this, you know that you do not want to miss this freebie!) to two lucky readers. Enter here.

Best of luck and happy entering! 




P.S. We might just be hosting our very own little giveaway again soon. Be sure to check back on Friday.

7.03.2009

Inspiration: Orange Citrus

Did you see the board I made for the MasterPiece Weddings Fruit Inspiration Week? Orange citrus...

Very summery and Florida-esque, no? 
(See here for sources.)

Be sure to check out the rest of the MasterPiece Weddings fruit-based inspiration boards from this past week... lemon, strawberry, green apple, and my very favorite, blueberry. So fun!

7.02.2009

Look Who It Is

Did I mention that Melissa and I crashed a photoshoot a few weeks back? We really needed some updated head shots and here are the results...

Love this one of us both... except I am grinning madly in the background with no idea Melissa is pulling a serious face. So funny!


A huge big thank you to Matt and Krystal of The K Gallery for their wonderful talent and time and to Unique Designs for being to kind as to let us crash their shoot. 

To those in the wedding business world: do you have a professional headshot? If not, you really might consider investing the time, energy, and money into getting one. The level of professionalism on your blog, website, or other social media network will thank you.

7.01.2009

To See or Not to See

Several weeks ago I found myself in a conversation with my to be sister-in-law quite literally begging her with all the reasons that she and my brother should do a first look shoot. Then it hit me. I should share them with you all. Sure there are the obvious ones. But I have some not so obvious ones for you too.


1.) You can get to the reception quicker after the ceremony. 
The basic translation here is.... more time to party. Which is true. But that is not the only factor. Less time of your guests waiting on you. More of a chance to actually eat the dinner you paid for. More of a chance to actually be able to speak with all of your guests. The list goes on.


2.) You get photos of the reactions on both of your faces when you first see one another. 
This one is a big one for me. I did not see my husband before the ceremony because I wanted to see "that look on his face" when I was coming down the aisle. But here is the big news for you, brides: when you walk in that door everyone stands and sometimes when everyone stands they make it such that you cannot see that beloved groom of yours. He was blocked such that (a) I could not see him and (b) the photographers could not get a shot of him. So, that "look" was lost forever.
3.) More time for more fabulous photos.
By seeing each other beforehand you can get some killer shots. You are not limited by your ceremony or reception site. You can meet elsewhere, have a private moment, take some amazing photos, and then split again before the ceremony. 


4.) Less of a chance of a makeup meltdown during the ceremony.
Let's face it. If you are going to get emotional (and by that I mean really emotional) it is probably going to be when you first see each other. Why not make that a private moment between the two of you and not a moment on stage in front of lots of people where you are bawling your eyes out? You can get emotional, take some photos, then fix yourself back up in time for the ceremony where you are then much more likely to be cool and collected.

{Photo Sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

5.) A breather moment. 
Who wouldn't want a moment to sit, relax, and take in the joy of the occasion on their wedding day? And, who better to do it with than your to be spouse? Of all the reasons, I think this might be my favorite. A moment to relax. A moment to reflect. A moment to be alone together. A moment to just be.

Have I convinced you yet?




6.30.2009

Be a Planner: Central Florida Class Offering

Thrilled to announce that MasterPiece Weddings will be offering another Be a Planner Certification Class in Gainesville, Florida. The class will be held July 25-26, 2009 at the Sweetwater Branch Inn. Essentially, it is a jam-packed two day course full of everything you need to know about planning an event. If you have ever considered becoming a planner or are already are and are looking to gain some more insight and knowledge into the field, why wait any longer? 

Personally, I took the course last July (2008) and absolutely loved it. Melissa is such a fabulous teacher and you would not believe the amount of knowledge she provides in such a short time period... from the proper way to slice a wedding cake to establishing your business and brand, you will walk away with more knowledge than you thought possible.

Contact MasterPiece Weddings for more information about the event at info {at} masterpieceweddings {dot} net. 




6.29.2009

Blog of the Week: Behind the Knot

Blog of the Week: Behind the Knot


I will confess, Erinn is a friend of mine in real life. But, as a friend, I must admit she has the makings of what is going to be an awesome blog entitled "Behind the Knot." Like Adrienne, she began blogging before the ring was on her finger. But, now that she has sealed the deal she is transitioning her blog from being about weddings in general to planning her very own sure-to-be fabulous event. 

Erinn has a style that is like no other and I feel confident her event will convey that. Afterall, it is not everyday that you get to read a wedding planner's bridal blog. As you might imagine, the journey of a wedding planner as a bride is sure to be different from being a bride alone. Erinn's blog will be sure to give you that glimpse.

Some of my favorite posts have been Light Me Up, Congratulations from the White House, and Something Blue. But, with the new focus of her blog, I have thoroughly enjoyed her more personally applied posts like Best Day of My LIFE and Venue Spotlight: Highland Manor

Erinn, I look forward to continuing to read your blog and watch it continue to grow and develop with you as both a bride and wedding planner. And, of course, I cannot wait to help you plan your wedding, assuming I should be so privileged!

6.25.2009

The Garter Girl: Swag Bags

In light of the Julianne Smith Giveaway last week I thought I would share with you the little goodies I made for her huge launch party debuting her new collection.

I teased you a bit last month with my "Around the Studio" update, but here are the photos of the work in progress.

Preparing the map original for copies.


Cute little map samples copied. Here's the stack...


Stacking up packets.


All assembled and ready for envelopes...

So, what do you think? Quite the process, huh?

Julianne has even been so kind as to post about what I contributed to her swag bag here and here. And, supposedly she has even framed the Washington D.C. map and put it on her desk -- an idea which totally makes me blush.

Julianne, you could not have been a more gracious host and I could not have been more flattered to have been able to contribute to your goodie bags. I wish you all the success in the world with your new line; I have no doubt you will be greatly successful!


6.24.2009

The Windy City

Today, my dear friends, I am off on a little anniversary trip to the Windy City in celebration of my one year anniversary with my wonderful husband. It won't surprise you then that I found this photo and fell in love with it.


But do not fret, I have fun planned for you all while I am gone. I just might not be reachable via e-mail or otherwise very responsive. 

Hoping you all take some time to enjoy those you love this week. I know I will be.

6.23.2009

Central Florida Brides: Brides & Bellinis


Central Florida brides, be sure not to miss out on the fabulous Brides and Bellinis event this Sunday, June 28, 2009 at the Gainesville Golf and Country Club from 4PM-7PM. Hosted by Gainesville's own MasterPiece Weddings and A'vie, this event will feature the chance to mingle with the area's most-raved-over vendors over hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, and dinner.

Unfortunately, I will not be there for the festivities (I will be celebrating my own one-year wedding anniversary that very day!), but Melissa and Ashley from MasterPiece Weddings will be along with so many other fabulous people. 

If you are getting married or planning your wedding from Central Florida, this is not something you want to miss.



Zero Gravity Vows

Did you hear about this Brooklyn couple who officially became the first to tie the knot with zero gravity on Saturday? Talk about commitment! I love this photo of them:


These lovebirds were tired of "conventional" weddings. Post-flight they celebrated their marriage with a reception at Kennedy Space Center and a honeymoon to Disney.

Now what are you doing to keep your wedding interesting?

6.22.2009

Blog of the Week: For the Love of Weddings

Blog of the Week: For the Love of Weddings

You know, a lot of brides blog about their weddings. Their blogs are typically interesting and fun. After all, it would be hard not to enjoy seeing all of a bride's ideas come to fruition and then later seeing them come together in the grande finale that is their wedding. But, few brides take to blogging as seriously (and as wonderfully) as Adrienne from
For the Love of Weddings


Discussing her blog with a friend a while back, my friend even commented "yeah, that girl is a serious blogger." And, by that she did not mean that Adrienne blogged all the time. What she meant was that when it comes to weddings, I am pretty sure Adrienne has thought of everything. 

Starting her blog before the ring was actually on her finger, Adrienne has professed her love of weddings since the very beginning. Not only does she detail the events and particulars about her very own wedding day, but she also muses about how to make such decisions or things to consider. Some of my favorites include Dip Like You Mean It, Piggy Back, Take It Outside, How About a Splash of Aqua?!, and Light Flare

So, if you are a lover of weddings, or a wedding vendor, and definitely if you are a bride, you do not want to miss Adrienne's blog. Her thoughts and ideas leading up to her wedding have been sure to keep you thinking and her wedding itself will be undoubtedly stunning with all the love and effort she has put into it. 

6.19.2009

We Have a Winner: Julianne Smith Garter

Since I know the suspense is killing you, I figured I would go ahead and wrap up the Garter Giveaway from the fabulous Julianne Smith. The lucky winner is...

Thrilled to announce that the winner is Kristin, who said...

Congratulations Kristin! E-mail me for more details. Everyone else, be sure to come back next week for one more giveaway of this intense giveaway month; this time there will be FIVE lucky winners!