Spotlight on: Impressions PhotographySummer Wedding at Sanibel Harbour

{Photography} Impressions Photography (Are they great at this or what?)
{Ceremony Venue} Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa (Best poolside ceremony location in Ft Myers)
{Reception Venue} Dolce Vita (You MUST eat here when visiting Sanibel)
{Cupcakes} Flour Cupcakes (I dream of these weekly)
{DJ} Clint Wiley (You guys know I adore Clint Wiley band)
{Band} Dana Paul & Joe McCormick (I still can't believe we had Dana Paul!)
{Floral} Weddings by Socialites (there is a story behind this- we aren't florists!)






This was one of the funnest wedding days ever. I think because it was a change from our usual calling of the ceremony on the beach and reception at the resort. Florida brides wedding started by welcoming their guests to the poolside ceremony with pink lemonade and mojitos and a selection of cool & refreshing hors dors. Cool and refreshing was key because it was HOT. Not hot, but HOT. As in , bring in the outdoor a/c. The hand fans certainly played a key factor in keeping guests cool as well. Before guests received their ceremony programs, we asked for their dinner selection. It was the first time we did this and it worked out perfectly! After the ceremony we had a champagne toast and then all headed over to Dolce Vita for the best dinner. It was spectacular. I adore restaurant wedding receptions, the food is always off the charts. After dinner the dance floor filled and stayed that way until the very last song. It was quite the evening. Oh, the flowers- read the story here: Ugly Bouquet.

Spreading the holiday cheer Captiva, Sanibel, Naples, Ft Myers Wedding Venues & Vendors

This week we did our annual holiday cheer deliveries to a few of our favorite venues and vendors we worked with this year.
{This year we made gifts of a baby Rosemary Christmas tree, baguettes from Panera, Olive Oil & Balsalmic Vinegar, and a dipping bowl with a super cheesy holiday card I designed. I don't think Hallmark will be hiring me anytime soon}
Here we are at our first stop: Floral Artistry. Beth was gone for the day and Yanna was tied up on the phone. From there we headed out to South Seas. Kind of a drive- so we played a game of iphone Name that Tune. That Shazam app is so cool!
I thought, "You know what, maybe our clients and readers might like to see some of the people we're always talking about!" So here's the ones we were able to catch on camera:The Sales and Catering Team from South Seas Island Resort
Kathi & Sarah from Talent! The Agency of Choice

Lynn Alexander from LaPlaya Beach ResortThe Sales & Catering Team from Casa Ybel Resort
Rob & AnnMarie Epple of AMC Video

We also made deliveries at Grandezza (Sean Hynes), Miromar Beach Club (Lesley O'Quinn), Sanibel Harbour Resort (Kristin Lawrence)and the Ritz Carlton Naples Beach (Nicola Long)...but they were all tied up getting ready for weddings. Hope you're having fabulous ones!
A huge thank you to all of you for being part of another year of so many great weddings!

My great weekend

I've had a great weekend, the last one before wedding season kicks into high gear. Friday my husband and I celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary. We got dressed up and went to our favorite restaurant, Cru, for cocktails and dinner. I absolutely recommend you have dinner there when you are in Ft. Myers. Last night we had a bbq with friends and played Cornhole til the sun went down. For some reason everytime we play this Ohio born game, it gets chilly. It was about 65 degrees and why I was all wrapped up in this sweater.

Rockin Organists, Mylin's Cd, & the whole tour.

Well, somehow, no thanks to a certain airline way at the top of the alphabet, I made it home. L.A. was fun, but no way could I go back to living there. I love the laid back style of Florida. Poofy hair weather and all. I swear it was 500% humid today.

I got a call from a client today. Her 1st words when I answered were, "That organist ROCKS!" I swear I nearly fell off my chair laughing.
Another client sent me an email that she and groom met with the cake baker, and picked out a mad hatter cake! I'm really excited to see it. The baker is so talented and I'm sure it will be an awesome display. I'll be sure to post a photo after the wedding. Less than a month away! Hatter? Is that right? Or is it hadder? Who cares. You know what I mean.

Before I forget, I met with an old friend of mine while visiting California. Actually she was my 1st roomate. Oh my gosh we had so much fun. We lived in Greenich Village in the littlest dorm-like room ever. We made Ramen Noodles in the sink. We went clubbing at Limelight 3 to 4 nights a week. And we frequently snuck into the tv room to catch Adam Sandler on SNL. Those were the days....Anyhoo, she just released a new cd, check it out if you are looking for something new. Plus she's my friend and I want her cd to go quadruple platinum. I think that would be pretty cool for her. You can get to her site http://www.mylinmusic.com by clicking the title above.

Last week I had the opportunity to get a private tour of Pink Shell Resort on Ft Myers beach. I was shocked. Here's why. I had been to this resort several times. In fact, I had been on 2 site tours prior to this one. Huge difference this time because the catering director showed me everything, a complete tour of the property. Apparently I got the "short" version previously. After eating at one of their restaurants, spending an afternoon at their spa, seeing 4 of the different room types, all the ceremony and reception sites, and then experiencing a mock wedding and reception, I have a completely different take on the place. Here's what I've learned- and want to share with all brides looking for their wedding locations: Schedule your site visit appointments for a time when the catering/sales director has the most time to spend with you. Don't take a "I can fit you in between" appointment. Tell her/him you want a complete tour of everything. AND if at all possible, eat at the venue & peek (don't crash) in on a wedding. You might be pleasantly surprised, as I was.

CRAZY wedding story

Here is one of the craziest wedding stories I have ever heard- and somehow, I was slightly, yet indirectly involved. On the day of a recent wedding on which I was providing partial services (meaning I didn't recommend and book all the vendors or locations), I rcvd a call from the limo driver, asking if it was okay if he was a half hour late. I quickly said "no, that would not be okay, I confirmed all the times and locations twice in the last week, and nothing can be changed at this point. A delay would be breaking the contract as it affects the timing of the entire wedding." His response, "I have to pick up another wedding party in Lehigh (2 cities away), bring them to their hotel, nearly in Sanibel (way far south -I'd say a city and a half), and then I'll come get yours (again, a city and a half). I'm going to go get them now (it's 1pm). My clients were to be picked up at 2pm. What happened after that is nothing you want to hear about, and nothing any bride needs to experience. One of those conversations that wedding planners have all the time for our clients; and quite frankly, they aren't pretty. By the time I was done, there was another limo on the way to get my wedding party. No way was my bride going to wait.
Brings me to last night. I attended a mock wedding at a great resort on Ft Myers Beach. Tell ya all about it on another post. Anyhoo- I'm seated next to the florist, who says, "Did you hear about my wedding a few weeks ago?" So he begins to tell me that the limo driver pulls up to the house, doesn't get out of the car, doesn't open doors, instead honks the horn. "WHAT!?!" is my reaction. That right there was enough to make my blood boil. The limo is filthy and reeks of smoke. The brother of the bride is following the limo and notices that its all over the road. The driver is drunk! So the brother does everything he can to get the guy to pull over, and eventually he does. Of course, they are at the busiest intersection in Ft Myers. The limo driver gets out of the car and throws all the luggage into the street! Then he tries to strangle the brother. So the bride takes off down the block, in her wedding dress, to ABC liquor to call the police. She comes back to find that now the driver has a knife to her brother. The police are pulling up, and so the driver takes off in the limo. Yep, police chase. Eventually they got him, not sure how. But they had to cuff him to a light pole in the median.
So I ask what limo co. it was. Don't you know it was the limo driver (also the company owner) who called me and was supposed to be picking up my clients that very same day?
Never ever have I been so happy that a vendor called and made me whip out the "don't you even think about messing with me" It's so rare that I have to do it as strongly as I did in this instance, but boy- this proves that there are times that it is absolutely necessary.

Traveling the globe

Or at least the US. So I'm in my office and I'm looking at the calendar and see all the cool places I'm going to in the next few weeks. I am so excited! I was supposed to go to Ft. Lauderdale Thursday, but that stupid storm Ernesto had the event cancelled. Later this month I am headed out to Ft Myers beach to attend a mock wedding at the Pink Shell Resort. Okay, so ft Myers beach is only a 25 minute drive- it's still an island, which makes it a getaway. It sounds like they're going all out for this "unveiling", so I can't wait. It might have something to do with the bridal spa package I get to test out. Hee Hee. Let's see if they can compare to the Wynn Las Vegas "get to know us" I attended last spring. That was the best ever.
Later this month I'm going to Los Angeles. How lucky am I to score tickets to the Ellen show? I'll let you know when it's on so you can see me dancing in the audience. I commented on Ellens blog this morning. Ellen, you are invited to momment on mine too.
After LA, I head up to Williamsburg to help Shayna (coolest wedding planner in Williamsburg by the way) with her Knot.com market party. Sure to be the event of the year since she planned it. I just talked to her 15 minutes ago. She's currently sitting under Stupid Storm Ernesto with no power. Go figure. I think Isis (coolest planner in Cherry Hill) is going to be there too.
Finally, I head up to Baltimore to meet up with all the who's who in wedding planners. Yep, we all know each other. The cool ones anyway. Just kidding. I know all you CCers are laughing right now.
THE PICTURE: That's a bunch of us wedding planners (Ccers) at the Wynn Las Vegas being silly.