Flaire Weddings and Events

Big Personal Announcement!

2009-11-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

The Flaire Weddings and Events family is growing!!

Okay, not the company family per se, but the Cherneski family!

In late April or early May of 2010, we are expecting a new little bundle of joy! We don't yet know whether or not we're having a boy or girl -- we should find that out in early December, and will be sure to update everyone here!!

Our toddler, Ian, is thrilled too (as much as he understands) and on a daily basis, changes his mind on whether he wants a baby "brudder" or sister. :)

What does this mean for our weddings? It shouldn't affect anything that's currently scheduled. However, I will be taking maternity leave for all of April and the first 3 weeks in May (a May 29th wedding will be bringing me back to wedding fun!). Should you be interested in getting married during that time however, please let us know. One of our associate planners would be thrilled to assist you with your big day.

Thanks so much for sharing in our joy with this big news, and we will be sure to keep you posted along the way!

~The Cherneski Family

Real Wedding: Beth and Ty

2009-11-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Beth and Ty, who were married in a stunning ceremony this October at the Crane Cottage, of Jekyll Island, Georgia. Following the ceremony, the couple hosted an amazing reception for about 60 of their friends and family.

Flaire Weddings and Events was thrilled to be a part of this day. I met Beth in the spring of 2009, and was instantly excited about her vision. Her colors were black and hot pink (how could I not love this wedding??!) and she knew she wanted to incorporate some damask print items as well.

Beth and Ty were very open to my design suggestions. I recommended chair sashes for the chairs, a specialty linen for the cake table, fabric draping over the sweetheart table, pomander and rose petal aisle decor, two tall-columns with floral arrangements, and hot pink uplighting for the courtyard, all of which made a huge impact on the look and feel of the day. Beth had some of her own great ideas as well; she rented damask-print runners for the tables, she bought luminaries to surround the reflecting pond, and had lots of cute damask-printed items to spice things up as well.

Beth saved a ton of money by ordering her gerber daisies from a wholesale florist, and the Flaire Weddings and Events team put together a majority of her centerpieces and bouquets (with a bit of help from the wedding party here and there!) :) We also created the gerber daisy pomander balls for her aisle decor, as well as the two floral arrangements gracing the roman-style columns.

All in all, this was one of my favorite weddings to date, with many fabulous vendors contributing to its success:

The Jekyll Island Club Hotel provided the catering and the cake, and the fantastic music throughout the night was courtesy of the Groovetown Band.

Kara and Jeremy Pennington captured the gorgeous couple and all of the stunning details, shown below. Enjoy!

Thanks so much Beth and Ty for letting us be a part of your beautiful day! We wish you all the best in life! Congrats!

October Weddings -- Sneak Preview

2009-10-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

October is always a busy wedding month, and this year has been no exception! We've had some beautiful weddings over the past few weeks, and I will be so thrilled to share lots of pictures with you when they are available.

But for now, here are a few sneak peeks.

These two are from Ali and Dave's lovely Club Continental Wedding, taken by the talented Corinna Hoffman.

And these stunning shots were captured by Kara Pennington at Beth and Ty's gorgeous Jekyll Island Wedding!

Stay tuned... More pictures coming soon!!! :)

The Wedding of Gabrielle and Ben ~ Professional Pictures

2009-09-21T14:33:00.002-04:00

You may remember this wedding that we coordinated back in April. Yes, it was almost 6 months ago, but I just checked their photographer's website, and a few pro pics have been posted!

Gabrielle and Ben got married in the White Room loft in St. Augustine, and their pictures were taken by Victoria of Elegant Imagery.

Enjoy!

Congrats again Gabrielle and Ben -- your pictures turned out beautifully!

I'm Back!

2009-08-21T19:51:00.003-04:00

Well, I was never really gone... But I have been a bit MIA around the blog.

To say it was a busy summer is an understatement.

First, there was Engage09. Loved it! And so jealous that I won't be able to make the Encore.

Then in July I headed up to Atlanta's AmericasMart Home and Gift Show to scope out some new event decor suppliers. (Found some awesome containers, candle holders, crystal strands, individual bud vases, and more!) AmericasMart is a wholesale market open only to businesses, and it was incredible to see the quality of design products on the market today. Also while in Atlanta, we took our little man to the Georgia Aquarium and had a blast. Jacksonville really needs an aquarium!

We also did quite a bit of personal travel, with visits to family. The most recent of which occurred last week, as I made the long drive up to Illinois for my grandpa's funeral. It was a sad time, but we are thrilled for him as he is in a much better place. He lived almost 91 years, and touched so many lives. It was also good to see so many family members again, despite the circumstances.

And of course, in between all that, I've been busy working on weddings!

We're gearing up for a busy fall season and look forward to bringing you some amazing eye candy! Definitely some weddings coming up that have me super-excited.

Stay tuned to the blog! :)

Engage!09 -- Luxury in the Caymans, Part 2

2009-07-20T09:45:00.003-04:00

Okay, so the second part of this recap is *long* overdue, but I want to go ahead and show you my pictures from the rest of the conference. It really was amazing. Here is is, almost a month later, and I still have ideas swimming around in my head based on what I learned there.

So, to pick up where I left off of Part 1, after lunch we heard from more amazing speakers.

Sylvia Weinstock, the cake lady herself, was there in all her glory (and signature large-frame glasses!!) She had such amazing business advice that was practical, but also focused on quality and never compromising your brand.

Preston Bailey was phenomenal as well. His designs are to die for, and it was very encouraging to hear how strongly he emerged from severe business troubles just seven years ago.

We also heard from Simon T. Bailey, author of Release Your Brilliance, and he was kind enough to give each attendee a complimentary 30 minute coaching session, to be redeemed after the summit.
Following the speakers, we had the opportunity to get photos with them and have books signed.
Here's me with Millie Martini-Bratten, editor-in-chief of Bride's Magazine!

The next day, we had small group panel sessions.
My first session was called Social Media Success, with speakers Lara Casey of Southern Weddings Magazine, Bee Kim of Weddingbee, and Liene Stevens of Splendid Communications.

The next session was called "The Business of the Wedding Business" and featured Harmony Walton of The Bridal Bar, Sean Low of The Business of Being Creative, and Laura Novak, of Laura Novak Photography.
This was my favorite session of the four that day. All three speakers had some amazing things to say about branding your company, expansion, and thinking long-term for your business.

The next panel was about Style, and we heard from Abby Larson of Style Me Pretty, Randy Fenoli, of Kleinfeld's Bridal Salon in Manhattan and TLC's Say Yes to the Dress, and Michelle Rago, event designer extrordinaire.

The final Panel was on Destination weddings.

We heard from Jo Anne Brown, of Celebrations, an event planning company in Cayman. We also heard from Susan Moynihan of Destination Weddings Magazine, Destination wedding planner Alison Hotchkiss, and photographer Thayer Gowdy.

That was just our morning! We had the afternoon to ourselves to play on the Island. I spent some fabulous relaxation time in the sand and in the water, chatting away with other planners and talking shop.

We did have to head back in eventually, to get ready for the evening's celebration, which was so fabulous, it will be getting it's own post -- part 3, coming soon!

Stay Tuned! :)

Engage!09 -- Luxury in the Caymans, Part 1

2009-07-01T14:46:00.005-04:00

Whew. It's hard to believe that it's been a week since Engage!09. It was such an amazing conference. I heard from so many incredible speakers, met lots of amazing people and made some great friends, and saw stunning visual inspiration throughout the conference events.

For today's post I'm going to share a bit about Monday's events, some pictures I took, and some things I learned!

We woke up bright and early Monday morning after the incredible Welcome Party on Seven Mile Beach.

Everyone was excited to hear our speakers, and the hallway outside the Ritz-Carlton's main ballroom quickly filled as attendees clamored for a close-up seat.

After a light breakfast of fresh local fruits, freshly squeezed juices, and delicious pastries, the doors were opened and we scooted in. I grabbed a second row seat for myself and my roommate, Cynthia Martyn, of Cynthia Martyn Events. We had the best view of all of our speakers!

Here are a few images I captured.

First, the stage set-up. I loved the combination of simplicity and luxury in this design!

We were given these super-nice leather notebooks, and a letterpressed schedule of the day.

Kathryn Arce and Rebecca Grinnals of Engaging Concepts did an amazing job planning the entire conference.

Carley Roney, of The Knot. Carley shared some fascinating wedding statistics with the group. While her information showed that many brides were considering cutting a wedding planner out of their budget due to this year's economic concerns, she was also happy to report that Florida is one of a few states where hiring a wedding planner tends to be much more common!

Darcy Miller, Weddings Editor for Martha Stewart Magazine. Darcy shared some awesome wedding images from the magazine, as well as some tips on how to get published in Martha Stewart Weddings.

We took a break to have a delicious lunch al-fresco. All the food we had at the Ritz was delicious, and it was beautifully presented!

There was so much more, but I'll save that for the next posts.

Tune in tomorrow for more Engage!09.

Real Wedding: McRae and Thomas

2009-06-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

McRae and Thomas came to me with help for the coordination of their Amelia Island Wedding. When McRae told me over the phone that the bridesmaids' dresses were hot pink, I knew we would be a great match to work together!

McRae and her family are from Greenville, South Carolina, so they were planning a Southern affair in the stunning Walker's Landing at the Amelia Island Plantation.

McRae, her mother, and I met up at the venue in January to brainstorm some decor ideas and other details. We came up with the idea of placing mason jars all around the expansive outdoor deck area, as well as placing bright fun pillows along the outdoor seating areas.

More fun southern touches followed -- the groom and groomsmen were decked out in awesome seersucker suits, and the groom's father was his best man.

McRae looked amazing in her beautiful Judd Waddell gown.

The ceremony was held in one of the area's historic churches, First Presbyterian of Fernandina Beach. After the sweet ceremony, guests made their way to Walker's Landing where they enjoyed southern food stations like a mac n' cheese bar created by Michelle of My Personal Chef.

The reception room was decorated with Paper Lanterns above the dance floor, lighted ficus trees all around the room, and fresh floral designs by Island Flowers.

Guests enjoyed the laid back music of Felix Chang and band during the cocktail hour and dinner, and then after dinner, the party got started with the amazingly diverse talents of the Atlanta Party Band.

Even though the day started out gray and rainy, the happiness of the couple couldn't be diminished.

Photographers Kara and Jeremy Pennington did such a wonderful job capturing the details and emotions of the day, and I am so happy to share these photos from their blog. Enjoy!

We were featured on the Southern Weddings Blog!

2009-06-27T13:32:00.003-04:00

Today we'd like to send out a huge thanks to the staff at Southern Weddings Magazine, for featuring us on their daily blog!

I got a chance to meet the lovely editor, Lara Casey, this past week at Engage!09, and hear her speak on Social Media, so it was a fun coincidence that this is the week they chose to feature our work!

Southern Weddings featured the wedding of Danielle and Jay, with photography by Scarlett Lillian, and planning and event design by Flaire. Please visit these links and leave us some love on the SW blog!!

Danielle and Jay: Part 1
Danielle and Jay: Part 2

Engage!09 Sneak Peek

2009-06-21T23:08:00.003-04:00

Greetings, lovely blog readers, from the Cayman Islands -- Grand Cayman to be exact.

I am here, along with about 150 other amazing wedding professionals, to learn from the best of the best in this industry and recharge and motivate my business.

I'm attending Engage!09: Something Blue -- a luxury wedding business summit.

Everything's just getting started, and I've got a full day of learning and training ahead tomorrow, but I wanted to share a sneak peek from tonight's AMAZING welcome party.

We were treated to a fabulous evening in the sand, under the stars, on Grand Cayman's stunning Seven Mile Beach. It was so much fun mixing and mingling with some of the people I admire most in this industry. It was also great to meet new friends as well!

Here are a few shots of the incredible decor, created by Michelle Rago.

The entire beach was filled with these amazing cabanas and lounge vignettes.

Michelle Rago designed this jaw-dropping centerpiece of the whole party from Manzanita Branches and White Phaelenopsis Orchids.

The lighting was stunning once the sun went down.

Hope you enjoyed this quick glance at the celebration. More pictures and a full recap when I return!

Real Wedding: Chelsea and Lloyd

2009-06-19T10:55:00.003-04:00

Chelsea and Lloyd came to Flaire Weddings and Events wanting a fun beach wedding.

And that's exactly what they got!

The pair were married on Jacksonville Beach, on April 25th. That day just so happened to also be the official "Opening of the Beaches" Day! Good thing Chelsea wanted a fun, celebratory atmosphere, because beachgoers were thrilled to see this wedding and joined with the guests in congratulating the Happy Couple.

Here are a few images captured by Katie, of Katie Photography.

Wedding decor and florals are by Flaire Weddings and Events.

Congratulations Chelsea and Lloyd. Best Wishes for a beautiful marriage!!

Sneak Preview: McRae & Thomas

2009-06-08T15:21:00.003-04:00

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of working with McRae and Thomas on their beautiful wedding in Fernandina Beach and Amelia Island.

I aslo had the pleasure of working with the incredibly sweet Kara and Jeremy Pennington. These two are great, and so FAST! They already have a few images from the wedding up on their blog.

So without further ado, here are a few shots from Saturday! Can't wait to give you a full recap soon. This wedding had so many awesome, Southern touches. Stay tuned for more!

Congrats McRae and Thomas! We can't wait to show off your amazing details soon!

Awesome Venue Find

2009-05-27T21:34:00.006-04:00

Tonight I had the opportunity to visit one of Jacksonville's newest hotels/venues.

The Hotel Indigo, in Tapestry Park, is amazing!! They have a banquet room overlooking the lake, which would be perfect for a small wedding or rehearsal dinner, but what I loved the MOST were the hotel rooms. Simply put, they are stunning. Each room is impeccably designed with modern, fun touches like a full wall mural, and curvy architecture.

The bathrooms are to die for, with spa-inspired showers and a full assortment of Aveda Products!!! (Aveda products are my favorite!)

These rooms would be awesome for out-of-town guests, bridal preparations on the wedding day, and the suite would be perfect for the wedding night!

Take a peek at their website, and click on the Jacksonville location. It's definitely worth checking out!

Coming this October: The Wedding of Beth and Ty

2009-05-20T08:33:00.002-04:00

We are so excited about working with Beth and Ty on their upcoming wedding this October. They are planning their ceremony and reception at the stunning Crane Cottage on Jekyll Island, and we are thrilled to be helping them pull all the details together.

They have chosen amazing photographer Kara Pennington, and Kara just posted their adorable engagement session on her blog.

Here are a few shots from their session -- Kara does amazing work!

Congrats Beth and Ty -- we're so excited about your wedding!

Introducing: The Florida Bride's Blog

2009-05-11T14:46:00.001-04:00

You may remember Danielle from this wedding. Throughout the planning, we discovered that we work really well together, and she is coming on board with Flaire as an event assistant.

Well, a few weeks ago, Danielle approached me with an idea that she had been playing around with. She wanted to start a resource/information blog for Florida brides, but knew she'd need some help with content, developing industry connections, etc, so she asked me if I'd like to partner with her to create The Florida Bride's Blog. I was instantly excited about her idea, and the two of us have been working hard on it ever since.

Well today, we are proud to announce the Official Launch of The Florida Bride's Blog!!

Go check it out and leave us some love!

For fellow wedding vendors, we welcome your submissions for future posts, so hit us up!

Calling All Recessionistas: Win a Free Engagement Session!

2009-05-10T21:54:00.005-04:00

Awesome photographer Corinna Hoffman emailed me this weekend to let me know about a give-away she's hosting. She's teaching a workshop on Wedding Photography tips for upcoming brides and grooms, and one lucky couple who attends the workshop will win a FREE engagement session! This is a $400 value, but beyond that, it's an awesome opportunity to work with one of my favorite photographers!

Some of my loyal blog readers may remember that Corinna shot my Trash-the-Dress Pictures last fall, and I was so thrilled with how they turned out.

For more info on Corinna's workshop and engagement session give-away, visit her blog and let her know you heard about it from us! =)

Now -- for another tease -- BIG BIG news coming tomorrow about another project my team and I have had in the works!!!

(Hint: Follow FloridaBrides on Twitter for the most up-to-date news!)

Sweet Thank-You

2009-05-06T20:21:00.003-04:00

We received these sweet words of thanks today from Gabrielle, who had her beautiful wedding at the White Room loft back in April.

Gabrielle writes:

Cassandra,

Good afternoon! I wanted to take some time to thank you for all of your help during our wedding! It was truly how I wanted it and envisioned it. You were so helpful and professional. I can't imagine going to anybody else. Every detail I had wanted came to life! I know we had a lot of items that needed to be done and not a lot of time to get them done but you did an incredible job!! We will definitely recommend you and your company to anybody in the area that we know who is getting married. Thank you so much for making our day as special as it was.

Please feel free to use whatever you need to for your company from our wedding. As soon as our photographer has the pictures we will definitely let you know so you can use them for your blog! If you need anything else please don't hesitate to let us know.

Thanks again so much,
Gabrielle

We haven't seen the professional pictures yet from Gabrielle's wedding, but when they are available, we will be sure to post some here!

Gabrielle, you were awesome to work with and we wish you and Ben all the best in life!

The Big News!

2009-05-03T13:00:00.004-04:00

Well, I'm sorry this post didn't make it up by Friday.

But I hope you'll feel it was worth the wait!

And now for the news.......

...........

...........

(Alright, I'll stop being dramatic.) :)

Flaire Weddings and Events has a new address: we are leasing an office!!
The office is located in this adorable historic bungalow, which has been completely restored by the owners, Gunilla and Larry Craven of Oak Street Realty.

The bungalow is located in beautiful historic Riverside, with convenient access from the interstate.
I have wanted an office for several years now, but the right fit for my business never materialized until recently, when I found this little gem of a space.
In this next picture, look carefully at the Oak Street Realty sign. See those two little white poles above it? That's where my new sign will go!

This is the reception area, where guests and clients will be greeted as they arrive.

This is a shot of the conference room. It can seat up to 6 guests, so for all those meetings with a bride, her fiance, her mother, her maid of honor, and myself, we'll be good to go!

Now in this next shot, you can see a glimpse into my actual office space, but I didn't have a wide-angle lens with me on my camera, so I couldn't get a very wide view of any of the smaller spaces. So here is a peek into the office. (Keep in mind these are all "before" shots. I just signed the lease Friday, so no design or styling has occured yet. That will be taking place over the next few weeks, in preparation for our upcoming Grand Opening! Definitely stay tuned for more info on that!)

I'll also have use of this cute little kitchen.

I've got a lot of work to do getting it ready, but it was definitely an exciting feeling to put my business cards on the reception desk!

Stay tuned for more updates as we work on getting the space ready.
There are more exciting announcements on the way as well, related to upcoming projects and opportunities.
We'll be sure to let our lovely blog readers know all the details of our Grand Opening, and we'd love to see or meet you there!!

Exciting New Changes Coming for Flaire!!

2009-04-30T22:30:00.003-04:00

I know, I know... it's been very quiet around the blog here lately....

But we have some BIG news in the works!

Something very cool is happening tomorrow...

So, you'll have to check back here at the blog tomorrow to find out what it is!

Stay tuned!

Detail Sneak Peek: Gabrielle and Ben

2009-04-12T19:54:00.003-04:00

This weekend I had the pleasure of assisting Gabrielle and Ben with their wedding at the beautiful White Room Loft in St. Augustine.

It was a gorgeous day, and we couldn't have asked for better weather. There was quite a bit of set-up to be done, including hanging about 40 paper lanters, so I brought along my intern Maggie, who also assisted with Amanda and Matt's beautiful wedding.

I managed to grab a few detail shots with my camera so I thought I'd post them for you all, my lovely readers, to enjoy. When pro pics are available from their photographer, I'll try to post some of those as well.

Enjoy!
Gabrielle's color scheme of lime green and brown was so cool and modern.

A few different shots of all the brown lanterns in the main reception area.

Gabrielle and her mom made all the centerpieces and so many of the other details. So crafty!

Their cute cake was from Publix.

Flowers by Shirley did her bouquet -- they're are one of my favorite florists in St. Augustine, and they came through yet again. Gabrielle's bouquet was so simple -- just green cymbidium orchids, and I loved it!

The petal exit -- I didn't have the greatest viewpoint, but I did manage to snag a few shots.

Maggie and I had a great time coordinating and setting up -- Gabrielle and Ben, thanks for letting us be a part of your day!

Coming this weekend: The Wedding of Gabrielle and Ben

2009-04-09T10:51:00.003-04:00

Gabrielle contacted me back in the fall for help with their day-of coordination. She and her fiance Ben were planning a St. Augustine wedding from Melbourne, and they knew they needed some assistance for the day. We scheduled a consultation and I thought all was good to go.

Then Gabrielle emailed me a few days later to let me know that she and her fiance decided to cancel the big affair they were planning, and do something small and simple.

No problem. I completely understand how weddings can quickly blow up into huge productions.

Then, in December, I got another email from Gabrielle. Yes, they changed the date. Yes, they were doing something much smaller. But she still needed help and it felt like more guests were being added to the list daily!

Agan, no problem! We are definitely here to assist. =)

I'm heading out in a few hours for Gabrielle and Ben's rehearsal at The White Room Loft, but before I go I wanted to post a few of their cute engagement shots I found on the blog of their photographer, Elegant Imagery.

Aren't Gabrielle's pink shoes so cute?

Congratulations Gabrielle and Ben. We're so excited to be helping with your wedding!

Real Wedding: Danielle and Jay

2009-04-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

Danielle and Jay were married in a stunning ceremony last weekend, and the feel for their reception was "Modern Garden Chic." I am so thrilled to share these details and some behind the scenes info about their wedding!

It's a bit bittersweet to have this wedding over with, because I absolutely loved working with Danielle. She has an awesome sense of stye, and really wanted her event to have a modern feel, which is our specialty! She's also an alum from my alma mater Liberty University, so when she called me over the summer we definitely hit it off.

Please enjoy these STUNNING images from photog phenom Scarlett Lillian!

Getting ready at the ceremony site, gorgeous Riverside Baptist Church.

Doesn't she look amazing?

Jay and Danielle did a "first meet" before the ceremony so they could get some amazing pictures!

After the first meet, Danielle, Jay and the entire bridal party headed over to the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens to get some gorgeous photos taken. (When we contacted the Cummer this summer, one of the only spring dates they had left was March 21st, so we took it. We couldn't have picked a better time of the year. EVERYTHING in the gardens was in full bloom!)

Danielle's color scheme of navy blue and bright green was so refreshing and fun.

Pat with Flowers by Pat did an amazing job with all the bouquets and arrangements. She knew we wanted an out-of-the-box look and feel and she definitely pulled it off!

I personally feel that Riverside Baptist Church is one of THE most beautiful churches in the city. I LOVE its the gothic architecture.

The ceremony was so meaninful and appropriate, as Danielle and Jay had family members who were ministers, and they officiated with a very personal touch.

We ushered their 200+ guests out to the front of the church to watch Danielle and Jay exit as husband and wife!

Back at the Cummer for the Reception, I brought Danielle up to speed on a few timeline adjustments.

First Dance!!

The reception room looked amazing! Specialty lighting, unique linens, and multi-height flower arrangements add drama to the room.

Danielle did a lot of the graphic design work herself, and the green and navy colors were showcased in almost all of the details.

Classic Cakes provided the beautiful and oh-so-delicious wedding cake!

Guests were treated to a fun green candy bar at the end of the night.

A few last portraits before the couple Jet-set to Jamaica to enjoy their Sandals Honeymoon!(This next one was taken with the full "moon." It was originally supposed to be floating above the dance floor via helium, but it was too windy that day so we had to mount it on a tri-pod. It still provided a cool glow to the evening though!

Other vendors who contributed to the event's success are Riverside Event Design (rentals), The Chef's Garden (catering), and the fun music was provided by Spike at the Beach.
Thanks also to my two interns, Ali, and Sonja, who helped make the event a success!

Congratulations Danielle and Jay! It was a pleasure helping you create your dream wedding. You two make a beautiful couple and I wish you nothing but years and years of happiness!

Real Wedding: Amanda and Matt -- Professional Pictures

2009-03-31T20:29:00.005-04:00

If you've been following the blog, you probably remember these detail shots that I took at Amanda and Matt's gorgeous wedding in February.

Well, last week I got an email from their talented photographer Jimmy Ho, letting me know that their images were up on his blog!

He posted tons of great shots, but these are my favorites.

Enjoy!

Amanda's stunning Romona Keveza gown.

She was having such an awesome time working it for the camera!!

These getting ready shots were taken at the St. Charles Inn, a cute bed and breakfast in nearby San Antonio, Fl. Isn't this antique couch gorgeous??

Having fun in the limo, headed to the Lange Farm for some fun bridal party shots.

The beautiful Lange Farm

At the ceremony -- I love the look on Matt's face!

Love the lighting in this one!

Amanda's florist, Pam Verschure, did a great job. I loved these little floral pomanders marking each pew.

After the ceremony, Amanda and Matt headed back to the Lange Farm for some portraits.

LOVE the texture in this one!

This veil shot is absolutely amazing.

Their gorgeous cake! As I mentioned in my last post about their wedding, Amanda had this gumpaste magnolia custom-designed for her cake.

Amanda and Matt's first dance

The fun sparkler exit at the end of the night.

The awesome getaway car -- a vintage Rolls Royce

Thanks so much to photographer Jimmy Ho for sharing these images with us. You can see these and more on his blog.

Congratulations again Amanda and Matt! We were thrilled to be a part of your big day.

Q&A Monday: Careers and Employment

2009-03-30T22:56:00.002-04:00

Wow. It's really Monday already? The past week flew by.

Ok so today's question is not really for brides-to-be. But it IS one that we get on an almost daily basis. (In fact, I got two emails today asking this same question.)

So without further ado, here's this week's Q & A Monday!

Question: I have always wanted to be a wedding planner. Do you have any positions available at your company?

Answer: The answer to this question is very complicated, so I'll have to answer it in steps.

First, yes, we do have several positions available. These are internship positions. (Which means non-paid.) We do not currently have any paid openings.

Now, with that being said, our internships are only available to a select group of individuals. These are individuals that make a good impression on us, and give off the air that they will represent our company well. These positions are also not available to those interested in starting their own event planning company. We are looking to add to our team, not train the competition.

For those still interested, here are several do's and dont's when inquiring about jobs with a wedding planner. (I know several prominent event planners have also written about this topic, and I wholeheartedly agree with and second everything they've published on this topic. But I just have to contribute my two cents as well, even though much of it is very similar!!)

1) Don't use the wedding planner's website contact form to submit your inquiry. We are currently in a recession. Everyone needs business. Imagine our disappointment to open up what looks like a potential lead in our inbox only to find it's someone inquiring about a job. So sad!

2) Please read over your email. Very carefully. If it sounds to us like a 16-year-old wrote it, we're probably not going to give you a call back.

3) Please do not send your email to "whom it may concern." Most planners have an "about-me" section. Find out who the owner of the company is and address your email to that person. Show you've done your homework.

4) Don't copy and paste the same email and send it to 15 event planners in town. Show the planner why you want to work with THEIR company above any others. Know something about the company, and express that in your email. Reading their blog is a good place to start.

5) Please double check your spelling and grammar. This is a professional business. Need I say more?

6) PLEASE please please don't tell us that you'd be great at this because you planned your own wedding. Every wedding planner I've ever talked to inwardly cringes when they hear this.

7) DO get some education. Join an association. (I'm a member of ABC and it has given me a wealth of information and tools to use as I continue to grow my business.)

8) DO be willing to work, unpaid, for as long as it takes to get your foot in the door. No event planner will be willing to pay a virtual stranger to help out at an event. There is too much at stake.

9) DO understand how seriously the owner takes their business. Wedding planning is our life's work. We've spent thousands of dollars and many years to build our businesses to the places they are today. We aren't willing to jeopardize that, and anyone who comes on board must be FULLY committed to upholding our business reputation.

10) Be persistent! If this is something you really want to do, work at it to make it happen. Just do it the smart way.

To read other planners' thoughts on this very topic, check out these posts:

"Becoming a Wedding Planner" by Saundra Hadley of Planning...Forever Events

"Why I Won't Hire You" by Terrica Skaggs of Fabuluxe Events

"Advice on Being a Wedding Planner" by Liene Stevens of Blue Orchid Designs

Q&A Monday: Beach Wedding Backup Plan

2009-03-23T21:56:00.004-04:00

Question: I'm planning a beach wedding. What do you recommend as a back-up plan in case of rain?

Answer: A back-up plan is a must. If you're planning a beach wedding, especially here in Florida, keep in mind that the weather can be very unpredictable, sometimes changing from hour to hour. If you're planning a beach wedding, you have several options for your back-up plan.

1) Check to see if the beach you're planning to marry on has "pavilions" for rent. These pavilions are usually covered and have some sort of seating. These are usually reserved through the same state or city office you got your beach permit from. This is probably the simplest, quickest back-up option for beach weddings.

2) Consider renting a tent as your back-up plan. This plan usually takes a little more fore-though, as many rental companies require a few days notice to get a tent and an installation crew ready to go. However, if you're keeping an eye on the weather and rain is headed your way, putting a back-up tent on "hold" with a rental company is not a bad idea. Sometimes there's a deposit involved, which may be lost if you end up not needing the tent, but often that's a small price to pay for the peace of mind that comes with having a good back-up option.

3) Sometimes, being outdoors is not a good option at all. In severe winds, tents can have difficulty stading, and rain can blow in through a pavilion's open sides. If this is the case, consider moving the ceremony to the space where your reception will be held. It may mean a quick flip of the room to change from a ceremony set-up to a reception set-up, or it may mean that you've got your guests sitting at tables while you say your vows. However, if severe weather threatens, this very well may be your best bet.

4) If your wedding is very small, very casual, and very flexible, you have the option of changing your ceremony time or ceremony date. Especially here in Florida, we can have gorgeous mornings and then stormy afternoons, or vice versa. Keep a close eye on the weather predictions, and if your guests can quickly be notified, sometimes a change in time can be a viable alternative. If all your guests are from out of town, and are setting aside several days to celebrate with you, pushing the ceremony back a day might work too. If you go this route, be SURE to check with all your vendors to make sure a switch will work. Again, this option will be best for those with very small beach weddings, especially if there is no true "reception" planned, or maybe just a nice dinner afterward.

5) Finally, there's the "brave-the-rain" method. Maybe it's just sprinkling. Maybe the showers are off and on. But if your guests are as fun-loving and carefree as you are, a little rain never hurt anyone. Grab your umbrella in one hand, your bouquet in the other, and head down that aisle!

Above all, your best bet when planning a beach wedding is to be flexible. Beach brides tend to be spontaneous, and fun-loving, and this attitude will definitely serve you well if nature doesn't follow your well-laid plans! And remember, having a coordinator is a must. If a back-up plan must be executed, your coordinator will have the skill and connections to make that happen for you. Your coordinator will defintely be able to handle what could potentially be a very stressful situation!