Welcome to wedding season all my newly engaged couples!!!

As most of you now know, a fresh crop of wedding shows are coming to a town near you.  Its also likely that you have no idea which ones are the best to attend or if all are pretty much the same.

Well, no two bridal shows are the same…yet all pretty much have the same goal in mind.  That goal is to offer you exposure to vendors in one location with the hopes that you will hire them (or at least consider their services) on the spot!  If you have attended shows in the past for yourself or with another bride-to-be, I’m sure you realized quickly how competitive the wedding industry can be.  Vendors often pay thousands of dollars for your attention by vying for the ideal spot for their tables or booths and by offering some pretty elaborate door prizes and discounts.  Its a wise investment if they walk away from the show with a few new clients.  So… since the vendors have done their homework, I hope that the following guidelines will help make your Bridal Show experience a little less overwhelming.

1.  Check out the website for the show and find out who the vendors are before you arrive.  Then research the vendor’s website as well.  Remember, the show will be glitzy, fast-paced and crowded.  Do as much work behind the scenes as possible.  The table at the show may not accurately reflect the real quality of work for the vendor.  Find out about their retail space, location, etc… be a knowledgeable consumer!

2.  Manage your time.  If you’re going for door prizes…don’t go too early.  If you have to be present to win you might find yourself at the show all day.  Seek out the vendors that you need FIRST. Most shows have programs, take a minute to scan the program and map your plan. Gather information from potential vendors and set a time to meet with them away from the show when you can get more “face” time.  If you are seriously considering this vendor as a service for your event, exchange information so they can also reach you at a later time.  After all, you will encounter A LOT of vendors … you may not recall who you have spoken to seriously about your wedding.

3.  Smaller, more intimate shows can be found in hotels and resorts.  If you can’t stand crowds then this might be your best bet.  Larger shows are typically held in conference and convention centers.  So, wear your comfortable shoes for those.

4.  Ask your wedding planner about the vendors that will be represented at the show. You’ll probably find out more about their reputation for timeliness and general work habits (things not necessarily discussed at a 6×9 table).  Additionally, your wedding planner can provide referrals for reputable vendors that you can meet at the show.  Let them know you were referred …that might have an added benefit for your budget!

5.  Take a friend and have fun!!  Bridal shows are jam packed with ideas that you may have never considered for your wedding.  Take a camera so you can get snapshots of decorations and fashions. A day or so after the show, make some time with your friend to review all your goodies and start making plans and appointments over lunch.

Wonderful Wedding Wishes,

Angela

I’ve been a BAD BLOGGER…but I’ve been a very busy planner!  I’m thankful for so many things this season.  I have my health, my children and I’m not in need of any vital resources. I have had the opportunity to meet so many fresh new faces in this business and I’m indeed grateful for their kindnesses in receiving my services and for sharing some valuable insight along the way!  The ladies that have assisted me on this journey thus far are priceless and I certainly recognize that without them my business could not live up to its name.

Far be it for me to leave this space without some sort of advice before heading to the Turkey Table…  :-)  So here goes:

The only failed plan that can foil your special occasion is not arriving to the wedding ON TIME!  I’m sure you have read this before or heard it preached by other well educated wedding planners but it is the God’s honest truth!  I’ve only had two weddings in my history of planning to not start on time and I’m here to tell you, the results could have been disastrous.

First, if you arrive late… just throw the itinerary out the limousine window!  Nothing from this point forward will follow the predetermined time line so SKIP IT!  It will then fall entirely on the hands of your wedding planner/coordinator to allow the day’s events to flow at his/her discretion.  For instance, that 30 minutes you planned to take with the photographer after the ceremony might have to wait until midway through the reception because your 4 hour reception clock starts ticking with or without you! (Definitely keep this in mind if you have an early reception and another event immediately follows yours.)

Also take your guests anticipation into consideration.  If you are late… they get antsy and impatient.  Uncomfortable announcements have to be made in order to keep them in the ceremony location until your final arrival.  Thus the nitpicking of your wedding begins…the guests will be impatient and some…unfortunately unforgiving.

Last, but certainly not least… arrangements have to be made with all your vendors to HOPEFULLY stay beyond their contracted time allotments.  Don’t make the assumption that the vendors will feel obligated to stay.  Legally, they can leave according to the time agreed upon.  I have had the experience of an officiant leaving before the blessing and additional payment arrangements made to a vendor that agreed to stay later.  Don’t let this happen to you!

Of course, we planners take the fall for any and every mishap that happens on our couples’ wedding days…even if it is through no fault of our own.  But I am telling you now, if I have to physically put my Bride and Groom in the car myself… I will not have another late wedding!!! 
Have a Glorious Thanksgiving Holiday!!!

My Sincerest Wishes,

Angela

I finally had a free weekend to spend with the family and I am so rested!  It’s been a crazy few months …hence my absence from this particular blog spot.  You have been on my mind and with my love of writing, I have truly missed jotting my thoughts and sharing my insight. 

The timing couldn’t have been better for me to get out of the house with the kids.  Free Fall Baltimore is going on throughout the month of October and a lot of attractions, museums, shows, etc… are available for free!!!  If you are thinking of some unique venue ideas, now is the time to do some scouting.  You can get into the museums for no charge and check out their special event spaces.  I just so happened to be at Sports Legends at Camden Yards and observed the set up for an invitation-only tailgating party.  (Too small for a reception but could be a cool place for a bachelor party or rehearsal dinner) Follow this link and check out some of the free attractions.  Pay special attention to the dates because some places of interest are not free every day. http://www.freefallbaltimore.com/

My final wedding of the season is fast approaching and then I can place all my attention on the 2008 line-up!  I have had a fantastic time watching some of the most beautiful Brides in the area take centerstage and do their thing!  I am so blessed because I have not experienced any “Bridezillas” (ugh, I despise that term!) or overzealous, overwhelming, or micro-managing Moms. 

One word of advice… before you buy the bubbles (and I know that you will buy bubbles!) check your wedding day itinerary and make sure that it will fit into the grand scheme of things.  I can’t tell you how many boxes of bubbles I have returned to the Bride unopened!!!  (Time of day, weather, tight schedule, changed her mind or simply forgot all about them… )

I have to post an honorable mention to this week’s Bride, Jen.  She has worked so hard and has by far been one of my most organized Brides.  I am not intimidated by the organized Bride… as long as it makes sense!  She has utilized my services to help with securing loose ends and for making sure all goes well with her day.  Together we have complimented each other’s talents and I’m tremendously proud of her. It has been a joy working with her and I’ll miss being her ”assistant”.   She’s made excellent plans, has a warm and loving support system and I can’t wait to share the outcome with all of you. 

Warm Wishes,

Angela

Remember way back in the 6th and 7th grades when the math teacher taught us the “order of operations”?  Who can forget, “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally”? :-)   Well, just in case you have… that means you must solve mathmatical equations by first tackling the parenthetical then the exponential, followed by the multiplication section…then divide…add and subtract.  By following those simple guidelines, your problem will be solved correctly. 

Well, the same goes when considering how to plan your weddings and/or special events.  If you order the timeline correctly and in keeping first things first… (in most instances) you’ll come out ahead.

One of the most valuable considerations in hiring a wedding planner is that he or she will have the knowledge of how to properly plan your wedding in good order.  You will lose a lot of time and precious resources (like money) running helter skelter from one vendor to another. 

Not only will a planner know the vendors that they recommend personally, but they also know which vendors work best together.  Certain venues have preferred vendor lists for a reason!  However, venues that have all-inclusive banquets  will not have a preferred vendor list and leave it to the discretion of the client to choose which additional vendors they would like to work with. (like florists, stationers, lighting, etc.) This can spell trouble if you haven’t a clue what your options are.  The best thing to do, if you are planning on your own is to ask the right questions.  What vendors have others used in the past is a good start.  However, that question alone will not tell you how well the vendors worked with their clients or if the outcome was as the client desired.

Keep in mind while you’re shopping for caterers, bakers, florists, etc… that sometimes these vendors have wholesale accounts with particular businesses and if you haven’t booked your location first…you could end up spending a lot more money when you hire them.  Do your homework!

Which brings me back to my initial point… a good planner will save you all the research time, miles, and gas money simply by guiding you in the right direction and planning your special event in the proper order.  Weddings, like mathmatical equations, vary in levels of difficulty.  And although that may be true, even in the most challenging situations if the order of operations is followed first…all the other pieces will gently fall into place.

I wish you only the best…

Sincerely,

Angela

Hi Guys!  How’s it going?!

Well, I hate to sound like a broken record but…I’M BUSY!  This season is no joke and you ladies and gentleman have come full force with the absolutely awesome wedding ideas.  I must say that the creativity factor certainly has kicked in for the ‘07/’08 wedding seasons.  (At least as far as I’m concerned)  Focusing on those interests that the Bride and Groom share has been a major contributing factor to the ideas most of my clients have and I tell you, some are just down right cute.  I even have a client whose wedding theme was born from a light-hearted discussion she and her “beloved” were having over the air-conditioner! LOL

Aside from discovering the theme of your wedding, the first thing should be selection of the venue for a number of reasons:

1.  You’ll have more options if you start looking early.  The most popular and the more affordable venues book very quickly.  It is not unreasonable, if you have a long engagement period, to start checking out venues more than a year in advance of the wedding date.  You might also find that you’ll be able to set aside pennies for that venue you REALLY want. 

2.  Your creative juices can flow more freely if you choose and book your venue 1st.  You’ll know your decorative limitations and you’ll have more time to research all the vendors that have worked that particular venue in the past.  Nothings worse than having all the details worked out and planned only to find that known of your ideas will work in the venue you now have to work with. 

3.  It’s just good, old-fashioned common sense!  Nobody plans a party without having a location!!  Right?? 
As promised, I told you that I’d let you that I’d let you know where the Caribbean-Style wedding will take place.  Well, after careful consideration and a lot of phone calls…we settled on Grammercy Mansion. The Bride LOVES this location and I’m sure she’ll be very happy.   Now, we have exactly one year to make it happen!!  I’ll keep you posted…

Warm Wedding Wishes,

Angela

Ok… now I can take two seconds to breathe and blog! I have been on a wedding whirlwind the past several weeks and apologize dearly for not taking a moment to jot my thoughts and share my experiences with you.

I’m sure by now that most of you did not see our episode of “Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?” on its originally rescheduled date of June 5 but it FINALLY debuted last night on the Style Network and I’m pleased with the outcome. (We don’t get to view the show prior to its release to the public)

So, what have I been up to? Well…I’ve coordinated and orchestrated three weddings and I’m in the midst of planning 4 more!

I am always amazed by the level of imagery Brides have when you first ask what their visions are for their Big Day. I have been challenged by one client to bring the “Islands to Baltimore”… I can’t predict the weather but vibrant color schemes, calypso rhythms and tropical aromas produced by fragrant dahlias, hibiscuses, birds of paradise and gardenias fill the air. Succulent flavors to tease the palatte with a menu consisting of items such as conch, jerk seasoned meats, curry and juicy mangos, papaya and coconut! How fun! Our first task is the perfect venue…I’ll save the “big reveal” later for where we’ve decided to celebrate but the Bride wanted a location that would feel like “home”…spacious, where her guests could feel free to move from inside a building to the outside lawn or patio area. We have a year ahead of us to make it happen …so stay tuned for photos and updates.

On the personal side… the school year is coming to a close so I’ve attended all the end-of-the-year functions my children are involved in. My daughter is in Honors Band and she participated in several concerts last month and ended with a competition at Hershey Park a week ago. Her band took home the trophy and of course as the “Proud Momma” I think they won solely because she was a part of it all! She auditioned again for Honors Band and was selected for the 2007 - 2008 school year AND she will be in the Jazz Band AND she was named Section Leader for the Saxophones!!! How cool is that?! (Those saxophone payments are going to be a worthwhile investment after all…)

On that “note” I’ll sign off. Thanks for hanging in there with me. I’ll do my best not to keep you waiting so long for the next post.

Warm Wedding Wishes,

Angela

Our episode of “Whose Wedding Is It Anyway” has been pushed back to June 5. Hope you’ll be watching!

All is well in my world and I pray that all is well in yours. I’ve been touring some local message boards trying to broaden my horizon about the important issues and concerns facing the “modern day” Bride. It pays in this profession to stay on top of such things because so many societal influences have an affect on the traditional wedding program. (Divorced families, War-bound soldiers, 2nd (and 3rd) marriages, non-denominational (non-religious and atheist) services…the list goes on and on.) I take copious notes because I’m almost certain that I’ll be faced with such dilemmas.

Are you ready for the Memorial Day holiday? I haven’t even begun to think about plans for it, honestly! I hope to be at home lounging on the couch as the boys crank up the grill. But knowing me, I’ll find a way to log in to my PC and work. But, as the last chance for me to relax before the next big event, I’m going to TRY to take full advantage.

Getting married next June, July or August (2008)? Book your venue TODAY!! Don’t delay…the best properties sell out as far as 15 - 18 months in advance, especially during the summer season. You might have more bargaining room if you book early as well.

Well, I’m going to say goodbye for now.

Have a GREAT holiday!

Happy Belated Mother’s Day to all.

My gift to you… a poem written by my dear friend Lonnie in Philadelphia, PA. We met one Mother’s Day two years ago… I miss you, friend! Thank you so much for the beautiful words.

MOTHERS ARE GOD’S GIFT TO ROSES

Okay…the wedding was beautiful. The reception was lively and everyone had a fantastic time. The newlyweds are in sunny Punta Cana, Mexico celebrating their new union. I am STILL scratching my head…

Showed up with my assistant on early Saturday morning to begin preparations for the reception and we were greeted by a lovely woman who re-introduced herself as the site manager for this particular location. She and her staff busied themselves by dressing the tables with linens and ensuring that the catering staff was prepped for the afternoon meal. Sarah, my assistant, and I sorted our decor and went to work charting the seating arrangements according to the layout, site maps and floor plans. Yada, Yada, Ya… we have the place half decorated when suddenly the site manager appears and says, “We’re closing for lunch and you ladies will have to leave and come back later.” Whaaaaat?! The wedding was scheduled for 2…it was 12:30…the reception is immediately following…I’m still waiting for a delivery and YOU’RE CLOSING?! Oh No Way! (Who does that?)

Needless to say, I wasn’t leaving and I didn’t. But my point to all you do-it-yourselfers out there is this: What would you have done? If mom is helping (or your BFF) and they are in the wedding party…who was going to finish? How would you do that in time? Wow! Fortunately, I can be in 5 places at once because I have the staff…

Well, that’s my rant. All in all, I am quite pleased with the results and I got along fabulously with all the vendors despite the mid-afternoon mishap. Had I ever encountered an establishment closing on the day of an event…in the process of preparations, I would have known to ask that question in the meetings but its generally understood that you just don’t operate that way.

This week will be light. Just a lot of follow-ups to the vendors that I worked with on last weekend’s wedding and closing in on a couple leads. I have events scheduled for next week so I have some smoldering fires to fully extinguish and I’ll be all set for my final meetings by week’s end.

Oh by the way…thanks to all of you who send me emails about the blogs. I appreciate your daily reading because I love to scribble my thoughts. I try to “keep it real” and talk to you as if you were chatting with me face-to-face. I hope that you take some lessons away from it as well because afterall, I am running a business!
Happy Planning!

Hello Bloggers…

I need to relax and just post my thoughts today because I am in the midst of planning a wedding and a graduation celebration PLUS I’m preparing for a wedding that is happening on Saturday! So believe me when I tell you that I am WIPED!!! But, the shows must go on so a “breather” is in order.

Fortunately it seems as though the weather will cooperate with us and a nice, sunny day is predicted for Saturday. I have a DREAM BRIDE right now. She is much more relaxed than I (which is the way it should be, I might add). This wedding will be much different from the elegant soirees I’m often challenged to create…there are some whimsical surprises and activities that encourage audience participation. I am the “day of” coordinator for this occasion and I must say that I am impressed at the level of organization this Bride has maintained. It surely makes my job a heck of a lot easier!

Tomorrow night is rehearsal and as always, I eagerly await the opportunity to meet the Bridal Party. I have heard stories about this bunch that I hope are all true! Based upon the Bride, they are a lot of fun and love to party!! With Saturday being Cinco de Mayo…I’m sure the party will be lively!

As for the other celebrations occuring this month… a wedding and graduation. I swing back into classic elegance mode for these two clients. Not a difficult transition. Honestly, it keeps me “fresh” and on my “A” game. Preparing for a graduation celebration is a new venture for me but I’m finding that if I can plan a wedding for 300-plus … I can definitely put together a small, intimate gathering.

Well, it’s nearing 2pm and I’d better get back to work. Today is “me day”…after I get all my schedules typed and distributed to my team, I’m going to make a B-line for the nail shop and maybe get a new pair of comfortable shoes!

Take care and Happy Planning!

~Angela~