I LOVE WEDDINGS January 5, 2011

Happy New Year and Welcome to 2011!

Every wedding is an amazing celebration…unlike any other.  I love weddings!

The inspiring colors, the floral or beachy aromas, the beautiful music, the exciting dancing, the emotional “I dos!”

The most important part of being a wedding planner is LISTENING.  Listening to your needs, listening to your desires, listening to your style, listening to your ideas, and most importantly, listening to your budget.  You most definitely have genuine reasons for why you like or dislike certain aspects of wedding design or event flow regarding your special day and with that knowledge it guides me to guide you to the very best and personalized wedding vendors, venues and more!  I’ve seen it all and love every celebrations.  Perhaps some of the most unique and personal favorites of mine are the Smokey and the Bandit, the Pirate and the Chinese Calendar themed weddings that I produced alongside happy bridal couples. 

This cool wedding shot is at the Hilton on LBK.  Notice the pelicans sitting on top of the masts.  It was taken by Anna Lythgoe of PixelArt Photography.   PixelArtPhotography.com

Weddings are Whimsy January 23, 2010

 image courtesy of Jessica Lorren Photography  www.jessicalorren.com

Over the weekend of January 23rd, I assisted with a wonderfully beautiful and endearing wedding.  Two fantastic families happily combined!

Please check out the images and thoughts by the amazing photographer, Jessica Lorren at:  http://www.jessicalorren.com/blog/2010/01/23/sarah-jb-wedding-the-powel-crosley-estate/.

In late October, I had the distinct pleasure of meeting the happy bride’s mother to help with the final arrangements on this January wedding.  This is what I love to do…come onboard after most of the planning has begun, and then I coordinated with the family to tie up the last few loose ends.  The vision, colors, flowers, menu, photography and more had all been completed.  Mostly, I helped with final etiquette details, the all important timeline, the floor plan of the event with or without rain (we’ll get back to this!), and the ceremony programs.  I assisted with the rehearsal, contacted  the vendors to make sure we were all on the same page, and I helped to set-up and break-down the event on the Crosley Mansion grounds. 

Yes…it did rain!  We were so lucky that the ceremony had lovely weather and that it could occur on the ocean’s edge in the open outdoors.  On the Wednesday before, everyone thought we’d have torrential downpours the entire day.  This is what makes planning a Rain Plan well ahead of time so IMPORTANT.  Working with Mattison’s the caterer and  Affairs in the Air the lighting specialist, together as a team we determined the best tenting for the special day at hand.  US Tent supplied the three tents to cover the elegant dinner, the historic patio dance floor, and a hallway tent in between the two larger tents.  Of course, non of this could have been accomplished without the careful guidance of the Crosley location itself. 

For every wedding, better safe than sorry! 

Use a good planner that plans for Rain! 

Typically if you plan for a rainy day, then it never occurs.  And don’t ever forget, rain on a wedding day means GOOD LUCK!

REAL WEDDING QUESTIONS January 21, 2010

Ringling Ca’d'Zan Terrace, Sarasota, FL

Real Wedding Question:

Hey Anna, I have over 200 guests attending my wedding, and I’m having a buffet.  How do I make sure that my guests are happy while they wait for their turn?

Anna Answer:

First, I love buffets at weddings!

Wedding receptions are unique because they are events where a lot of the guests if they’re family or close friends will then know many, many of the attendees.  Especially for families members that may have flown in from far away places to attend, this is a time that they can visit with relatives that perhaps they haven’t seen for quite a while.  They’ll want to visit, hug, laugh with and enjoy those they that love. 

The buffet, or dinner stations, allow much more freedom for your guests to feel comfortable in getting up, moving around and greeting one another instead of feeling stuck at the same table for a long period of time. 

Now, to entertain your guests during the wait for their turn in line, there are several ideas that I think work well.

1) Have the salad plated and pre-set at the table so that all guests will have something in front of them to eat when they first sit down.

2) This same concept can be created by having bread and butter on the table.  Using olive oil, instead of butter, with fresh pepper and/or balsamic vinegar at the table to mix into the olive oil makes more of an involved process at the table to busy the guests before they are invited by a server to go to the buffet. 

3) Have a favor at the table that can be opened up by your guests such as a small wrapped box of a special chocolate or a tissue and bow tied favor.  This will give guests something to do with their hands and something to talk about with the rest of those at the same table. 

4) Place a menu at each place setting so that guests can read what they are about to taste, and this will bring a sense of excitement to before seeing and tasting the dinner.

5) Pour red and white wine with dinner so that servers are paying attention to your guests and giving them excellent service so that they have nothing to miss until they are able to taste their food.

Hope these ideas are helpful to you.  Happy wedding planning!  Please keep asking me questions! 

Anna

The Joys of Marriage January 18, 2010

One reason I love to plan weddings is that I have a fun and funky marriage.  For all you newly engaged brides, the following is the one of the unique experiences that you soon will have living with someone who doesn’t think like a girl.  It’s a good thing! 

For several years, I have decided that I really want a baby grand piano.  I played music for years growing up and into highschool, but I haven’t for quite some time.  I just love the sound of a baby grand!  HOWEVER, when you’re fairly newly married and working on an old house (a.k.a. money pit) from the 1920s, the idea of a baby grand is just that.  A thought.  An idea.  A whim someday…maybe.   With the thrill of Craig’s List, my husband Sean actually found one and then bought it!  For me, sight unseen.  A little scary and exciting.

Sean got it for $100 because the husband he was buying it from purchased it from another husband once when he was first married.  This husband had bought it for the same amount 8 years ago.  Well, now this husband has growing kids and has no room for it due to toys, games, Wii, and so forth. Maybe one day we’ll have to sell if for the same reason.  For now, it is so much fun!

Oh, and I can’t forget to thank his WONDERFUL friends Zach, Nate, Greg and Rodney for helping Sean pick it up, load it on a trailer and bringing it to our happy home.  We had a wonderful dinner enjoying the new tunes! 

Yes, these photos are a bit silly!  By the way, we’re all bundled up b/c we live in Florida and can’t handle the cold at below 60 degrees.  This is one reason why Florida makes the perfect destination wedding location!  Sean’s in the striped shirt wearing glasses.

Wedding Peace and Happiness January 11, 2010

PEACE and HAPPINESS

PEACE and HAPPINESS  – this is my resolution for 2010.  Plus,  throw in a little “HAVE MORE FUN!” 

Granted, these words apply to my continued resolve that I have year after year to make your special day full of peace, happiness & mostly fun!   A memorable day is my wedding gift to you.

What is your wedding wish?

Beach, Joy and Happiness January 9, 2010

 sunset beach ceremony Nov., 2009 – Anna Maria Island, FL

Sometimes I will write about real world questions that my special brides have asked me. 

QUESTION:

Anna, where are some great places to buy beautiful shells?  I live in Ohio.

SIMPLIFIED SOLUTION:

In my opinion, have me go out to a nearby beach shop, or better yet, WAIT until you arrive at our sandy white beaches to find your favs.  These beaches, these GORGEOUS beaches are the same exact ones that National Geographic and more lists have ranked in the top ten in the world including Siesta Key, Fort DeSoto National Monument and Anna Maria Island.  Listen to the sea gulls and go pick out some shells!  They’ll definitely be about 75% less than what you can find inland.

I’m here to help! I’m a REAL person who’s an Event Planner. January 6, 2010

I’m here to help…always!  Any time you have a question about weddings, day or night, let me know!  I’m at anna@dayplanners.us.  I’ve been in the wedding and event industry for over a decade.  My unique experience of working with the highest end clientele and then on the flip side working with budget conscious couples allows me to be able to use my creativity to the max in all capacities of planning your special day.   I often use my wedding and commitment ceremony experience into helping you create other types of events like dinner parties, art shows, music festivals,  bar/bat mitzvahs, sports celebrations, corporate affairs, birthday parties and more!  Let me worry for you when you plan your next affair!  I try my best to be sensitive to every client’s needs.  Have a great night!  Anna

Happy New Year! Happy Wedding Planning! January 4, 2010

Happy New Year!  Happy Wedding Planning! 

The greatest part of this new decade is that modern and original ideas, fashions & trends will bring amazing innovations to weddings.  Already, the plunge into vintage creations is ever expanding into amazing and beautiful designs like entirely baby’s breath centerpieces and bridesmaid bouquets.  So pretty!

Celebrations Photo