Wedding splurges and over the top ideas

Reading through some of my favorite magazines today, I started imagining over the top ideas and splurges that I would love to see and experience.  What would you love to do?

A concert
How cool would it be to have a vocalist do a very short performance between cocktail hour and dinner at your wedding?  Maybe 3 songs or so, 10-15 minutes maximum.  But really cool amazing songs that everyone could watch and enjoy.  Something like At Last by Etta James, Crazy Love by Brian McKnight and You and I by Michael Buble. I would just fall in love all over again. So romantic and unexpected.
Excessive Flowers
I'm talking adding floral focus points just because. I do not mean centerpieces on the dinner tables.  I mean add tables just so they can have flowers on them.   Big gigantic flower arrangements that make everyone go, "Ooooohhh, that is gorgeous"

Flowers by Signature Florals

Calligraphy
Wouldn't you agree that calligraphy just makes everything that much prettier, polished, and decadent?  I would add calligraphy to everything if I could.  Not just envelopes, escort cards and place cards.  I'd do menus, vows, invitations, welcome letters, programs, maps, display cards/signs...
Amuse Bouche & Wine
One of the reasons I love my favorite restaurant is that when we are seated, we are immediately served an amuse bouche and a 2 sip pour of wine or champagne.  I feel so fancy and special
Dinner Ushers
This is really over the top, but how cool would it be to have someone greet each of your guests at the entrance of your wedding dinner, escort them to their seats and hand them a beautiful menu (with calligraphy of course).

Chef Sebastian at South Seas.  Photo by Impressions

Your chef, the keynote speaker
Even with the simplest of dinners, when a chef describes his creation, you are immediately taken to a place where you just can't wait to enjoy the flavors.  How fascinating would it be to have the chef come out between courses and describe what you're about to dine on?  Suddenly Chicken Piccata is the most gourmet mouth watering dish you've ever wanted to experience.

Again, over the top and splurges.  But you know, we all can dream can't we?

Before & After: From Idea to RealityP.S. I Can't draw

Today I'm cleaning out my office (ugh) and I find some old drawings and photos. It's amazing what they eventually developed into:
This:
Became:

This:

Became:


This:
Became:

This:
Became:
Obviously we made some changes...but it's neat to see what developed huh?

The Truth about your wedding menu

The truth about your wedding menu: Nobody cares what it is as long as it's hot and tastes good.
Consider all the weddings you've been too. Is the meal what you remember most about them? Doubt it.
Think about the BEST wedding you ever attended. Was the meal what made it? Doubt it.
Chances are that the best thing about your favorite wedding was the great time or feeling you had there. It's probably the memory of a band so amazing that you were dancing for so long your feet were swollen into your shoes. Or your lack of memory due to a really great signature drink. Or maybe it was how incredibly romantic and intimate the night was. Or perhaps it was how gorgeous the ceremony & reception looked and made you feel. But like I said, chances are- it wasn’t the meal.

My point is this, don't stress about what you put on your wedding menu. It's one of the elements of planning a wedding that I have noticed clients get more stressed about, and they just don't need to. So with that said:
***Feel free to serve chicken. These days, you can get some mighty good chicken! Chefs are amazing with their accompaniments and presentations, let them kick it up a notch and get creative with it. Why chicken? It is almost always the least expensive entree on a catering menu. Those savings mean you can bump up your budget on the things that really do make a huge difference in your wedding memories (the band, the flowers, etc.).
***Have a shorter dinner. Go the 3 course route rather than the 4 course. Again, there is the cost savings. Even better though, the time savings. That 4th course could easily eat up another 30 to 40 minutes of your "party" time.
***Do go all out for dessert. It's consistently a big hit when it’s done, and because it happens later in the evening- guests do remember it.
Cool ideas: add a dessert buffet, candy bar, Venetian table, or fresh doughnut bar.

An Army for a Wedding

How many people does it take to pull of a wedding? Well this past weekend, it was a small army:
Besides a father of the bride who planned for a year-
A wedding planner, 3 assistants
A Photographer, 2 additional shooters
A videographer, 2 additional camera people
2 site managers, 3 catering managers, 6 banquet captains, 20 servers, 5 bartenders
A priest and a sacristen (you know, the church lady)
8 drivers
1 dresser, 4 stylists, 1 make-up artist
3 chefs and 2 pastry chefs
A floral designer and a production staff of 5
22 musicians
2 furniture movers
and a partride in a pear tree.
I'm sure I;ve forgotten somebody, but can you blame me?
Check out Vanessa & Gregs wedding at their blog (click here or on the sidebar with the real weddings)
Thanks to Mr. G and Mr. Hurd for sharing some photos!

Want to be on TV?

Here are some recent casting requests for wedding or engaged/newlywed shows:



Whose wedding is it Anyway?; The Style Network is currently casting for the sixth season of Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? Looking for couples with or without a planner, who want to share their wedding-preparation adventures with the hit prime-time wedding series! Click Here for the website
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I Do Over; Did you have a wedding-day disaster? Style wants to give you a chance to turn back the clock and make things right! Dress caught on fire? Cake fell over? Tell us the dirty details, 'cause Style Network is giving one lucky couple the chance to renew their vows in a fabulously perfect dream wedding. Click here for I Do Over casting
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Platinum Weddings
If you're planning an exquisite, dream-come-true, high-end wedding between now and June of 2007, we'd love to hear about it! We want storybook romances, menus created by world-renowned chefs, breathtaking venues, and unforgettable elements.
To be considered for your own episode, please email us at casting@filmgarden.net. Include: the names of the couple and the wedding planner; phone numbers and photos; date, location and total budget of the wedding; a few sentences about why your wedding is a Platinum Wedding.
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International Weddings
WE are looking for an ADVENTUROUS AMERICAN COUPLE willing to say 'I do' according to the traditions of a completely different culture.
Only ONE LUCKY COUPLE will be chosen for an ALL EXPENSES PAID international wedding.
To apply, fill out the application here and e-mail it along with the following information to CASTING@BNENT.COM:
1) Names of the engaged couple...
2) Contact Information (all phone numbers and e-mail addresses) & where the engaged couple lives (city and state)...
3) A recent photograph of the engaged couple...
4) A list of all the countries the engaged couple has visited (separately or together)
5) Why do you want to have an international wedding?
Say 'YES' to us and maybe you'll find out first hand how couples in
countries like Japan, India, Morroco, Russia, China and beyond exchange
vows!
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ABC: The Dream House; ABC is now casting for a new, positive, upbeat show in which recently married couples will compete in fun challenges and then one lucky couple will actually win an amazing house to live in! www.abcDreamHouse.com

Uncle McPicky

Okay, so you all know I have the most hilarious clients on earth. Which is good, because I love to laugh. Here's todays winner:
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"So, I got an RSVP back tonight from my Aunt (my Dad's high-maintenance sister) she's going to have the fish, but my Uncle McPicky...yes, that's right, "Picky" needs a special option and I quote:

""If possible, please provide a low-fat, no cheese vegetarian option for Uncle McPicky""

and at the very bottom it continued to say

"" *No Eggs - prefers egg beaters or egg whites for Uncle McPicky too.""

So apparently my reception is at Mel's Diner and everyone's meal is made to order"
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Now, knowing that this client likes to crack a good joke as much as I do, I respond with,

"I'll ask the venue coordinator to send a request to the chef now to find out his suggestion for something yummy (well as yummy as something low fat, cheese less, eggless, and meatless can be)."

The comedian for a bride replies:
"HAHA yeah - what does that leave him? A chunk of tofu with tomato sauce spread over it?"
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Guess what? I learned my lesson. Chef came up with something I'm dying to taste:
Squash, mushrooms, onions, peppers, zuccini, eggplant grilled and layered with a balsamic marinade, topped with fresh herbs.

The totally fun part of wedding planning

A while back I posted about the "project manager-office job" part of wedding planning. Today, It's all about the fun stuff.
Yesterday I got to stop by one of my favorite florists, and pick up one of the most gorgeous centerpieces ever. Then I made my way through Sanibel Island and out to Captiva Island. Blue-Green water, and 3 dolphin sightings. Heaven.
I met my clients at one of the restaurants at their wedding resort for their menu tasting. Our tasting started with the passed hors dors for the cocktail hour. That's one of them in the picture- fresh fruit shooters! They were so refreshing, and I just loved the presentation. We got all giddy when chef brought them out because they were just so darn cute. We went through all the items and because of some dietary restrictions, I got to eat tons of food (oh darn). It was all sooooo good. Except for when the Chicken Satay came out. Then I frowned. Don't get me wrong, it tasted great, and it looked very nice in the presentation, but I have issues with Chicken Satay. I feel stupid walking around in a pretty dress, with a nice glass of wine in one hand, and a hunk of chicken on a stick in the other. I believe that all hors dors should be small enough to eat in one bite and not require a plate. So, I asked if we could change the presentation to a demi fork or spoon presentation. Chef said "sure!" and turned my frown upside down <~Giggle~>.
After filling up with all the goodies we went over to the actual reception site to do a table mock up. 5 different linen colors/fabrics, 3 chairs, and that fabo 9-part centerpiece. So fun. Love the combination we decided on- and it was not at all what I thought we would end up with. It's so very important to do this if you're able to.
After we decided on the linens, and narrowed down the chairs, we moved on to picking the colors for the Wedding Graffiti. I had ordered samples in each of her wedding colors. It was fun putting it up. As you can see...someone had a little trouble with the Aqua. It was hilarious.

Wedding Bells

Well how about that. I hate to be harsh, I really do. But I was so looking forward to a really funny show about wedding planners and their experiences. Boy was I ever duped by the previews.
I only laughed twice during the show, both times at the assistant who was responsible for chasing down the blonde wedding crashing twins.
I guess I am most shocked because it was so absurd. There are enough hilarious wedding stories that really happen, which could totally be exaggerated into a sitcom format, to have the show run twice daily. But nooooooo, instead they have a wedding planner sleeping with married groomsmen in broom closets, a chef seducing yet another wedding planner with Putinesca, a chain smoking bride running down the street and over a guy, and a mother of the bride faking tears with visine. And that whole thing with the bride and the band leader? Give me a break. Ugh.
Seriously, if they had just taken the Law and Order method, you know, "Ripped from the headlines", the show would have been hilarious. Somebody get me a producer.

A camel, a giraffe, Cinderella, and a pig.

I had the most incredible weekend! Friday I went for a site tour at the most unbelievable, one of a kind, out of this world venue I have ever seen. I am just dying to have an event there. Very pricey I'm certain, but guaranteed to be worth every penny. Now considering I see many a venue, for me to say that my jaw dropped at every turn- that means this place is something else. And it wasn't just the venue- the staff is incredible. I met one of the owners as he was taking his camel for his morning ride. Then I fed carrots to the resident giraffe (I think his name is Shelton) as I talked logistics with the Director of Sales. Even the executive chef stopped by to introduce himself. I have never been so impressed.
Saturday I had a Cinderella wedding. Oh the bride looked just beautiful. It was very much a fairytale wedding, right down to the horse and carriage and handsome prince of a groom. I had such a wonderful time watching them together. They're very much one of those couples who are just so in love. I cried no less than 5 times.
Sunday we co-hosted a pig roast-birthday party at our home. Donna, I know you are freaking out about this, I told you not to read my blog today! It was freezing by Florida standards, but a great time was had by all. I even learned how to play "Cornhole". I think its an Ohio born outdoor game. Something between horseshoes and plinko. If that makes any sense.

Chef Julio got married!

Yesterday was Chef Julios wedding! It was a great wedding despite the stormy weather. Fortunately, a few weeks before the wedding we moved the ceremony from an outdoor location to an indoor one with a view. For Jen & Julios wedding, they were both hands on through all the planning. Jen literally made hundreds of tissue flowers to decorate the ceremony & reception with (she got the instructions from the Martha Stewart weddings magazine); Julio designed the wedding cake, and they both came in to the office to pick out their invitations together and went to meet with DJ together.
The ceremony was beautiful. I cried as usual. The bride wrote the ceremony herself and it included a "new family is born" piece as Jen has a daughter from a previous relationship. Jen also chose to stand on the right side, so that she could see her mom during the ceremony. I thought this was very sweet and unexpected twist on tradition. The reception was a huge party. DJ Ron had everyone on the dancefloor nonstop. They absolutely had a crowd that loved to dance. Especially the officiant- he went crazy on the dancefloor. Yep, he did the centipede, the running man, and the cabbage patch.

Hot Fun in the Summertime!

Whew; It is HOT!!! Really truly, it is insanely hot right now. No wonder nobodys getting married outdoors!
This weekend I hosted a birthday dinner party for my best friend Becky. Dinner for 12 is much more work than I had anticpated. But, leave it to the wedding planner to go all out. I couldn't just have the meal catered- it had to look good too. I got to use one of the hot new color combinations, tiffany blue & chocolate. I thought it came together well. I wanted all the guests to feel great too. So I made them all wear cocktail attire. The husbands weren't particualrly thrilled, but it was so much fun to have everyone dressed up. It was a real blast, and I think everyone enjoyed themselves, the endless bottles of great wine, and six course meal!
The chef, Julio, is actually a groom to be. His wedding is Saturday, and he's really excited about the event. As am I of course. Pictures below!