Being an original

I have had quite a few meetings with brides lately. The holidays are fast approaching their end and it is time to start thinking about weddings again.
Planning a wedding needn't be difficult, just a lot of attention to detail and decisions to make. For instance, how much alcohol should you serve at your wedding?

Most of you, upon reading my blog, know where I stand on alcohol at a wedding. But just in case you have missed it, here are a few of my thoughts:
1. Alcohol will consume a large portion of your wedding budget if you don't get a handle on it from the very beginning.
2. A wedding is no place for keg beer--EVER!
3. A wedding is no place to show each other how hammered you can get. It is a wedding--not a drunk match.
4. A wedding is a place to honor your guests, not grope them, yell at them, cry on their shoulder, or show them how stupid you can get.
5. A wedding is no place to show your parents how much you can disrespect them by getting smashed and then flaunting it in their face-in front of their friends and neighbors.

Am I getting through? I hope so!!! I have been to so many weddings where their only goal seemed to get drunk, get obnoxious, and see how fast they could make their guests leave their event that they paid thousands of dollars for! "But all my friends are doing it!"
If I hear that comment one more time I will have to scream. "And just because your friends all do it makes it right?"
Where is your sense of right? Your specialness of the day? Your originality? Cookie-cutter weddings is what I call them. One size fits all. Kind of takes all the fun out of it, doesn't it?

Pictures

Beautiful weddings are carefully planned and executed. And then sometimes you get really lucky! As you can tell from the picture, we had a lot of fun at a late summer wedding this year.

Merry Christmas!

It behooves me to take a minute, especially at this time of year, to thank everyone for a very successful wedding year. Because of brides and grooms, media sources and vendors, weddingsiniowa.com has grown to be the number one wedding web site in Iowa in 10 short months! My other companies: Special Events and cynwhd b. designs are also growing in popularity all across the state. We are well known for our thinking out of the box ideas and style not to mention attention to detail and client service.

I am sure that most of you will agree with me that at this time of the year, customer service is a rare thing to find! We are now in a flux of hurry up and wait; don't loose your place in line; and get in, get out, get home! If I have one sales person smile at me, I feel like I have won the lottery. It is a shame that so many of us don't understand what one kindness or even one smile can do for another person throughout our day.

Thank you for your support and kindnesses. Thank you for your loyalty and faith in our company's abilities, and most of all, thank you for your wonderful questions and queries on how to make your weddings special and unique. If I could give everyone one gift, it would be for the elegance and perfectness of your special day. To have you understand that your kindness and loving words to each of your wedding guests makes your day that one day that will live on in their memory. It is almost like they will think they have won the lottery!

Happy holidays from wedingsiniowa.com, Special Events, and cynwhd b. designs!

Making it special

Your own personal stamp of creativity will make your event uniquely your own. Here are some ideas for your ceremony to help you create a wedding that will long be remembered after the last bite of cake has been eaten.


Personalize the Groom’s boutonnière.
Maybe the same flowers from your bouquet.
A special pin that you have made him.
A memento that reminds him of your dates together
A look that hints of the upcoming honeymoon.


Special Moment. Savor the moment with each other right after the processional. Take a minute or two to be alone and love the closeness. You were just pronounced man and wife!

Choose unique items for your flower girls to carry instead of the usual “flower basket and rose petal tossing”; a wand decorated with streamers and flowers, an elegant kissing ball, or tiny nosegay.

Consider having custom-made wedding rings made that are uniquely your own.

Write a personal note to your mom and dad, slip it into their ceremony program and have the program placed at their seat. They will be touched by your affectionate words.

Consider wearing gloves with your wedding ensemble; full, elbow, or wrist-length, sheer or silk, ivory or white. The epitome of grace and elegance!

Carry a bouquet of the same types of flowers that your mother carried when she was a bride.

Making an impression

Do you remember me talking about a very bad venue and catering company that I dealt with in November? Well, I am still waiting to hear back from anyone at that business.

Funny how it doesn't seem to matter to anyone once the event is over. Out of sight--out of mind? That is when the real test of a business begins---long after the sale is over. How will your clients remember you?



The same goes for your wedding. Long after you have been pronounced married, long after the cake has been cut, and much longer after the bouquet has been tossed, how will your guests remember your wedding event?



Will they talk about it with fond memories and good words of sentiment or will they shrug their shoulders and say, "Nah...just another wedding."

If you don't plan on taking care of your guests at YOUR event, then why bother to spend all of that money? Seriously? Why do it? For a lot less you could elope to Las Vegas or have the county judge pronounce you man and wife. The legalities are all the same.



Making an impression? Yes. Lost in another day at the grind-probably, unless you purpose to make your wedding uniquely you. Make an impression. It is the very best way to spend your money at your wedding. Want to know how to make lasting memories without spending a dime? Email me and I would be glad to share

More Wedding Ideas

I didn't realize what a hit the wedding ideas would be.
Many of you have asked for more, so here are some fun things to do to make your wedding special:

Have a professional cigar roller at your reception. If your venue does not allow smoking, tie on a thank you tag and give out as favors.

Bring in a professional sommelier for the cocktail hour. Hand out wine journals as favors.

Set up an origami artist to teach your guests to make paper cranes. It is said that 1,001 cranes at a wedding is very good luck.

Want to bring pizzazz to your reception dance? Ask a professional dance team to teach your guests the rumba or the cha-cha.

For the ultimate “wow” factor, finish your reception celebration with a fireworks display.

Hire a trick bartender for the cocktail hour or during the reception late hour.

Hire a silhouette artist to create take-home favors of each of your guests.

Have a Photo Booth at your reception. Have the booth attendant make two copies, one as a take-home favor and the other photo copy to paste in a scrapbook for you.

Learning to care

Wedding Planners have to deal with all types of personalities and issues.
We have to know when to push our agendas forward and when to back off from views that may not be in the couple's best interest.
We have to know how to fix broken things at a moment's notice; be available 24/7 a week before the wedding; and know how to calm ruffled nerves with a smile and a wink.
We have to remain calm in the eye of the "storm;" assertive in the best interests of our clients, and demur when in the public's eye.
We are a jack of all trades, a mother to lost flower girls and a babysitter to wayward ring bearers.
We are a florist, a decorator, a psychologist, and a friend.
We learn to haggle, read and negotiate contracts, think on our feet and learn to act even quicker.
We get yelled at, cussed at, scowled at, and ignored.
We receive compliments and glory and in the next breath scolded and talked down to.
We learn to smile through adversity, work when we would rather not, and keep quiet when the DJ is yelling for yet another Chicken dance.

Is there any wonder why I love my job?

Happy Holidays from a dedicated lover of romance and happy endings!

More Wedding Ideas

Need more wedding ideas?

When taking your wedding pictures, have your photographer snap a thank you shot as well; one of you can hold a sign that says “Thank” and the other holds a sign that says “You.” Have these made into thank you cards.

Place a note card and a pen beside each place setting at the rehearsal dinner. Have it announced that you would like everyone to share their first time that they met with the bride and groom. These are wonderful to read on your honeymoon and then again on your first anniversary.

For “something blue” have your wedding date embroidered in blue thread in the lining of your wedding dress. Or wear a light blue petticoat under your dress.

Hold a golf outing during the wedding weekend; hand out golf tees printed with your names and the date.

Honor both sets of parents by rising together to make a special toast to them at the rehearsal dinner or wedding reception.

Ideas for your wedding

Need some ideas for your wedding?
How about these?

Flowers. Have your florist tuck loose rose or other flower petals into your toss bouquet. As you toss your bouquet, the loose flower petals will shower your audience.

The wedding night. Spend some time flipping through photos that were taken at the ceremony and reception, so you can relive all of the great moments of your day. Give your digital camera to a trusted friend or family member the day of the wedding and have them snap shots all through the ceremony and reception. Make sure that they place the camera in your suitcase or wedding night suite at the end of the reception.

The morning after your wedding night. Take a minute to pen notes to each other describing your wedding day emotions and thoughts of the day. Seal your letters and exchange them on your first anniversary.

Consider a morning brunch after your wedding with delicious food and a jazz band; a beautiful way to start the first day as man and wife.

Welcome out-of-town guests with a bag or basket of “goodies.” A map of local attractions, cans of soda and bottles of water, snacks, some good chocolate, and a hand-written note from the two of you thanking them for joining your celebration. Your guests will remember your thoughtfulness for a long time coming.

Wedding Planners and Holidays

What do wedding planners and decorators do during the holidays when they aren't planning weddings? We decorate, decorate, decorate!

This week was my design Open House. Brides who made appointments with me this week were able to get 30% off of their floral and decorating needs for their 2008 events. A great deal considering that many florists charge hundreds of dollars for a simple bouquet that may only cost $50.00 to make.
It is a matter of good business ethics and fair practices.

I truly love what I do, so I don't feel the need to gouge my clients unnecessarily.

As to decorating? Trees all over the studio, ornaments of every color, greenery and candles. I am still not done! I guess I am having too much fun. Want to see what I have done? Email me for an appointment.

Happy Holidays! Oh, and don't forget to stand under the mistletoe every chance you get!

Winter Weddings

Many brides opt not to have their weddings in the winter (I E -- December and January). I can certainly understand this since the weather is so unpredictable in Iowa during these months.

But just because your wedding is not during these months is no reason not to enjoy the season. Go ahead a take a little break from the hustle and bustle of wedding planning and steal a kiss or two from your sweetie!

Instead of arguing about cake flavors or flowers colors, spend some time under the mistletoe. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on gifts for family and attendants, wrap up a little surprise for each other by thinking of clever and wonderful ways to deliver Christmas cheer for each other during this magical time. Start your own traditions and rediscover some old ones together. Visit Santa and have your picture taken with him to place on the tree in a beautiful silver gilt frame---to remind each other when you are spending your 60th Christmas together that you took some time to remember each other during this beautiful holiday season.

Share the holiday with loved ones and friends. Do a great charity work or give your share of the paper napkin (use the cloth ones provided by your venue) money to the Salvation Army.

Remember the reason for the season and share your love for each other.

Happy Holidays!

Texas Weddings - 2

Texas weddings aren't that much different than Iowa weddings.
They have the same philosophies and goals, maybe just a few different ingredients to make the whole a bit more particular to the state.

Here are some differences:

They love to give favors at the weddings in Texas and the bigger, the better. They are big on gift bags and baskets. Their favors tend to be in the $15.00 to $35.00 range and up.

They love to have their weddings during the fall. Texas brides seem to favor burnt orange, browns, and deep blues. They love their native flowers as well and try to add in as much natural material as they can.

Texans favor country music and the country genre over a bit more formal Country Club feel, but rise to the occasion with an air of sophistication.

Men love their black tuxedos and women love the color white over ivory. Fancy beading and lace is very prevalent in Texas. Colored sashes are also a very popular addition as is a favored grandmother's beaded brooch.

Texas couples aren't afraid to ask for something different in their wedding vows and they love celebrating into the wee hours.

Now don't you wish you were in the Lone Star state?

Your wedding

Your wedding only happens once in a lifetime (at least it is supposed to!).
This is not a time to scrimp and save and cut corners. However having said that, this is also not the time to go into debt for all of the wrong reasons.

Review your wedding budget very carefully. Write out your priorities and stick to them. If real flowers are that important to you, then by all means have them and try to cut your budget somewhere else. If hosting the bar is important to you, then be creative with your reception centerpieces, borrowing beautiful and unique pieces from aunts and cousins.

Your wedding needs to reflect your style and love for each other as well as the comfort and needs of your guests. Mark your priorities in order of their importance and stick to them. Your event will be unique and as wonderful as your love for each other. Your guests will see your creativity and know that you thought of them.

Remember that elegance is NOT the size of your bank acount, but a state of mind.

Texas Weddings

I am in Texas for a few days and have had the privilege of studying a bit of Texas style weddings. You would think that different regions of the country would mean totally different styles and emphasis, but in reality, a wedding in Iowa is very similar to a wedding in Texas, California, or New York. We might not have sweeping vistas of mountains, oceans, or tall skyscrapers, but the fact of the matter is that people in love get married all over the nation and the underlying factors are all the same:

Ceremony
Reception
Wedding cake
Dance / Music
Honeymoon

There is no magic rule that applies to any one region. No one does it "better" just maybe a little different. Weddings may be more laid back in the mountains than they are in the city, yet the city does not give you rocky hills to say your vows to. A posh country club in Santa Barbara may have the ocean at its backdoor, but a lush corn field in Iowa can be just as beautiful with tall, proud rows all pointing toward your celebration.

Whether your wedding is indoors or out, Rocky Mountains or babbling brook, tallest buildings or a small city park, the one thing to keep in mind is each other and the reason for your event. Take care of each other and your guests and no matter where your wedding may be held, it will be the "wow" factor!