Here is something new I tried today at a meeting for a couple that could not attend their tasting since they live out of the area. The bride’s family had a blast tasting the food, but I thought it would be cool for the bride and groom to at least SEE the food! I thought this was a cool tool for my destination clients and plan on doing this sort of thing more often! It was SO much fun! What do you think?
Social Media Buzz
June 16, 2009I had the honor of presenting on Web 2.0 for ISES-OCC last week with Allison Howell from The Innovation Companies. We had such a blast and got everyone there motivated to get their Social Media Networking off the ground.
As promised, here is a link to the PowerPoint Presentation (click on the picture below):
It was a basic presentation on how to jumpstart your social media networking that gives you just enough information to get started. After the presentation I realized how many people just need to have a starting point. Well, here it is!
Please leave a comment! I’d love to hear what you think!
Warmly,
Wendy
Pottery Barn’s Dream Vacation Sweepstakes
May 27, 2009Pottery Barn, one of my favorite stores to glean ideas from and shop at, is offering an 8-day/ 7-night escape for two to the Outrigger Reef on the sandy beach of Waikiki! Enter by June 15th for your chance to win! Good luck!
On a quest for the perfect proposal?
May 27, 2009Here are some clever ideas to help you ask the woman of your dreams to become your wife:
-While on vacation is always good, just don’t leave the ring in the hotel room unattended or in the checked suitcase.
-The Christmas Gift Proposal can be fun, especially if you can orchestrate both sets of parents to come over for the Christmas holiday.
-Avoid the ring in the dessert thing; it may end up in an E.R. proposal while appreciating the ring via X-ray.
-Attach the ring in the center of a rose (the florist can assist you in doing this) and give her the rose on a special day.
-Lookout point proposals have never failed, neither have sunset beach proposals.
-Write the words, “Will you marry me, ___” in the sand. But for all the guys with girlfriends, please write her name too; just so there is no confusion for those who happen to walk by.
-Many colleges have traditional places where people get engaged. Ask around and plan an evening to go to that spot. Have your friend place rose petals and candles around the spot before you arrive.
-Go to a sporting event. Convince a seating section opposite of you to hold up a sign at a specific time on the game clock.
-Contact the stadium manager at a sporting event you are attending, and ask to flash a message on the screen or scoreboard. You would be surprised at how receptive they are to your request.
-After instructing everyone on how to fasten his or her seatbelt, have the flight attendant ask it over the intercom while flying to a vacation destination.
-Billboards and newspapers can be expensive, but college newspapers can be more reasonable. Make sure she reads that paper!
Source: TheGroomGuide.com
Lighting 101
May 22, 2009One of the elements essential to great design for a wedding is lighting. It can pull your attention to different design aspects creating a much more beautiful effect than just the design elements on their own. In my opinion, you should always allocate money for lighting at an evening wedding.
At the very minimum, you should use up-lighting around the perimeter of the room or event space. This warms the room up and gives it a different feel than what the existing lights can give. You can wash the walls with different colors that compliment your color theme, or stick with a neutral Auburn/ Amber color to give the room a warm glow.
Pin-spots are used to focus light on certain design aspects, such as your table centerpieces, cake or head table. Depending on the venue, these lights will be hung from the ceiling or sit on top of poles raised high above your heads. They break up the room and focus your attention on whatever they illuminate.
A GOBO is a term used for a custom template or pattern that can be projected using the light. These are often used a design element projected on any of the walls, ceiling or dance floor. It can make a normal ballroom look like a mystical place!
To become more familiar with lighting, watch this short video clip:
PLANNING TIP: If you have something in the room you want to hide (like the patterned floor carpet) illuminate other things to draw attention away from it!
Feeling Overwhelmed?
May 15, 2009Hire a Wedding Planner! It might just be the money you feel best spent when planning your wedding.
The average time spent planning a wedding without a wedding planner can reach between 120 and 200 hours. YIKES! Who has that kind of time when you are working and carrying on your normal life? How would you like to slash that figure to less than half AND get a better value while you are at it?
A wedding consultant can assist you from the beginning stages of planning or join in at any point in the process. You will have the benefit of having someone who can guide you through the labyrinth of decisions that need to be made, making the process much simpler on everyone involved.
I liken planning a wedding to building a new house. You would not attempt to do either without a plan, nor should you risk trying to do either on your own. While it is possible to plan a wedding or build a home on your own, a skilled planner or general contractor can save you from making costly mistakes and wasting your valuable time. You’ve got one shot to make it a success, why not have someone on your team to make sure that everything turns out great?
I came across a wonderful article entitled, “Hate the details? Hire a wedding consultant” that was full of great information on whether or not you should use a consultant to help you with planning your wedding.
Plan with confidence! Build your team and make the day of your dreams a wonderful one!
For The Design Diva
May 11, 2009We’ve all seen those ultra cool looking digital collages used to conceptualize the design elements of your weddings on the web and in magazines. Ever want to make one of your own? Now you can!
Bridal Canvas is an online tool you can use to create your very own digital collage. Imagine how cool your wedding website will look with one of these super cute “canvases” on it!
It is very easy to use. You can use their items or import images of your own and create a stylish canvas in no time flat!
Couture Gowns For Less
May 8, 2009
Attention all you savvy shoppers out there! Here is the down and dirty on how to get that amazing gown you’ve had your eye on for less!
Tip #1 – Attend a trunk show. Designers often offer special savings on their collections during their trunk show. Make sure you contact the gown shop prior to trunk show to set up your appointment.
Tip #2 – Buy the dress sample. If you come across a gown that has been used as a sample, yet does not show signs of wear and tear, buy it!
Tip #3 – Buy a pre-owned wedding gown. While this might not sound like an ideal option, once you see that Vera Wang gown you’ve always wanted in your size for 1/2 the price, you might change your mind! Check out a couple resources I’ve found to see for yourself:
Tip #4 – Rent a bridal gown. I know, not a typical thought when planning a wedding, but imagine wearing that Monique Lhuillier gown and paying only a fraction of its price! Check out the rental shop in LA that has been getting alot of press these days:
Planning Tip: Narrow down your dress likings to 2-3 designers then search for the gown. If you have too many designers you are chasing…you are going to get tired of shopping.
Photo Credit: Brides.com (Vera Wang Gallery)
Your Gown As Art
May 1, 2009Why not enjoy the beauty of your gown for years to come after your big day? If you are like most brides that has hunted for weeks and months for the perfect gown, when you take it off and send it away to get cleaned, there is a good chance you will not look at it again (unless it is in the box used to store it in).
A fresh idea to savour those glamorous memories is to have a sketch of your dress created. It is similar to what a designer does when styling a new gown. There are a couple great resources to immortalize your lovely gown on paper.
Penelope-Anne Altmann will pencil a rendering for you that is timeless and will capture those memories in a single drawing. Pricing currently starts at $100 for a sketch. Visit Dreamlines to learn about the process.
If you would prefer to be in the picture with your gown, Jennifer Angilello creates stylized fashion portraits to make it more personal. Her creations start at $425 and come to you within 6-8 weeks. AboutTheDress.com
Designer Lazaro Perez will create a sketch for you at no charge at any JLM Couture trunk show. For current styles and trunk show dates visit jlmcouture.com.
Another cool thing about these dress sketches, is that you can send a photo of your gown to the artist even if your wedding was decades ago. A creative twist on this would be to have your Mother’s gown drawn along with your own. I personally love the idea of a gown sketch…ultra femme!
