Let celebrate! plan your sweet 16 & showcase it on MTV!

Have you ever dreamt about being a star on one of your favorite television networks? Well, now is your chance to fulfill that dream!

MTV is casting for the show- Super Sweet 16: Battle of the 16's & has asked celebrate! if we have an interesting sweet 16 that we would like to showcase on their show. They are running a special that will take place in Florida. They are looking for any size, any budget. If you are turning the big 16 between the months Jan.-March & would like us at celebrate! to plan your big event, give us a call!

celebrate!

200 S. Nova Road, Suite A

Ormond Beach, Fl 32174

386.677.0018

Alyson and Corey

I finally remembered to post Alyson's and Corey's inspiration board. They are dreaming of a gold and chocolate brown wedding with a touch of persimmon.
Don't you just love these colors together???

NEW WEDDING BLOG

Lauren from Lauren K. Photography just started her new blog, yea!!!! LaurenK!!!! Make sure to click the link and check it out!!!

Angela's and Ted's Wedding

A few weeks ago one of our beautiful celebrate! couples tied the knot in New Smyrna Beach. The wedding was perfect and the couple was stunning. Here are a few images from their wedding day:

Wedding Vendors:

Ceremony Site: New Smyrna Dunes Park

Officiant: Donna Crane from Knotical Weddings

Reception Site: New Smyrna Beach Women's Club

Wedding Planner: Jen and Jenna from celebrate!

Florals: Simply Roses Florist

Catering: Conway's Creative Catering

Photography: Lauren Kinsey Photography

Stationary: celebrate! Invitations

Cake: Publix (Port Orange)

Rentals: RentalMart

Limo: Aristocrat

DJ: Big Tom

Photographs by: Laurenkinsey.com

Spotlight Vendor: Lauren Kinsey Photography

A few weeks ago Jen and I did a wedding with a fabulous photographer, Lauren Kinsey. I thought it would be fun to let all of you know a little bit more about her and her work, so I asked her to write a little piece for our blog to tell all of you why she started Lauren Kinsey Photography. Here is what she had to say:

I started Lauren Kinsey Photography 3 years ago. My dad was an artist and my mom was an interior designer, but I did not inherit the ability that my dad had for drawing the world out as he saw it. When I got my first camera, I was able to translate my vision of things the way I saw them through the lens of the camera. At 17 years old,I was hired to shoot my first wedding. I didn't have any experience at the time, but luckily, the bride and groom had so much faith in me. I really think that they saw something that I didn't at the time. :) After that, I was hooked. The business came on the heels of that wedding, and I learned that I could do what I loved full time,all day, everyday. This was so exciting to me and three years later, I run a successful business based out of Tallahassee, where I live with my husband and 2"children" (my Westie and English bulldog!) Although I live in Tallahassee, I am so fortunate to be called all over the country to shoot weddings. It truly is my passion! I get to work with people in love on the best day of their lives. How lovely is that? :)

If you would like to contact Lauren about shooting your wedding you can go to her website at www.laurenkinsey.com or call her at 850.830.4670.

GO GATORS--BCS National Championship Here We Come

As you all know, Jen and I are some of the biggest GATOR fans out there. We go to every game that we don't have a wedding on the books and get score updates sent to our phones when we do have to work. We love being FLORIDA GATORS.

Well our GATORS just won the SEC Championship and are now going to the game everyone wishes their team was playing in....the BCS National Championship in Miami on Jan. 8th!!!!!! We are thrilled to say the least!

GO GATORS!!!!

Winter Wedding Cakes

Since we talked about winter color schemes, I thought it would be fun to show off some beautiful winter wedding cakes from a local Florida vendor. I love the use of light colors and the crispness of the cakes, truly reminding me of winter.

These two cakes were designed by The Pastry Studio in downtown Daytona Beach. The Pastry Studio is known for their amazing techniques and breathtaking designs. Don't you just love them both????!!!

FUN WEDDING MENU IDEAS

One of my favorite ways to let your guests know a little more about you at your reception is to have a wedding menu that is all about you. So you love sushi, how about having a sushi station at your reception? Or do you love to travel and the different foods from different regions, why not have an "Around the World" cocktail hour like one of our brides? Or do you just crave cheeseburgers and french fries, why not have mini cheeseburgers and french fries served on silver platters at the end of the night for all your hungry guests?

Having a fun wedding menu that tells your guests about you is not only entertaining but oh so yummy! Don't be afraid to get creative. Take it from one of our celebrate! brides who is considering to have her menu revolve around her love of down home cooking. She wants mini meatloaf, fried chicken strips, mac and cheese on a stick, mashed potato martini bar, cornbread, and green bean fries.

Don't leave any part of your wedding reception untouched by your personality, style, and interests....and your menu is a great place to start!!!

Winter Wonderland

The weather outside is getting chilly, the smell of hot cocoa is in the air, and the sight of Christmas trees is on almost every corner. I love winter, just the crispness in the air is enough to get me all excited.

Winter is a time to really get creative when it comes to wedding decor. A mixture of ornaments, lights, ice, and hues of white and icy blue can add such a simple elegance to any wedding. Here is a beautiful winter wonderland wedding color scheme below.

The Newest Happily Married celebrate! Bride

I just received this beautiful review from our newest happily married bride and I just had to share it with all of you. Angela's and Ted's wedding was such an amazing experience to be part of. I truly love them both deeply and wish them an eternity of blessings for them and their families.

Angela's Review:

My experience with Celebrate! as my wedding planners was absolutely perfect! These girls were amazing right from the start all the way till the end. They both are very organized and extremely professional and you can tell they really love what they do! On my first meeting with Jenna, I was so weighed down with anxiety and worry about a million little details, but by the time I left(1 hour later), I had all my flowers picked out and ordered and the hugest weight lifted off my shoulders! The girls both met with us again to help us pick out and order my invitations, which were so beautiful! Every time I needed anything they were just an e-mail or phone call away, and they got back to me right away. And on my wedding day, they were my heroes! There were a few small details I had forgot about(like cups for my bar and plates for the cake!) and Jen was out at the store picking them up last minute! At one point, I lost my wedding shoes, just when I was about to make our grand entrance and do our first dance, I panicked! But Jenna was quick to the rescue, and quickly improvised with a guest's white heels so I could dance without stepping all over my dress!! Those small things like that really meant a lot to me, and I very highly would (and have) recommend Celebrate! to make any bride and groom's wedding day absolutely amazing! They were well worth everything spent:)! Love you girls!

-Mrs. Golden

Thanksgiving Feast

So this year my family has of course put the "planner in the family" in charge of everything that has to be done with Thanksgiving from managing the guest list, to the food, to the decor. As if I didn't already have enough planning on my hands. But I love them, so here I am planning the schedule for our wonderful large Italian family Thanksgiving.

My Guest List:

My guest list includes my mom, my sisters and their significant others, my aunts and their families, my grandma, my dearest friends...and pretty much anyone who mom mom bumps into from now to then. (She's Italian and believes no one should spend a holiday alone, after all we "all are family!") So far my list is at about 30 guests!

My Menu:

Turducken (Turkey, Duck, and Chicken all wrapped up in one)

Turkey

Goose

Ham

Mashed Potato Bar (includes mashed potatoes with all the the toppings like bacon, cheese, scallions, etc. in bowls surrounding it, so each person can make their own special bowl of mashed potatoes)

String Bean Casserole

Yams (with a Marshmallow Crust)

Arlyn's Famous Cranberry Sauce

Stuffing

Salad

The Dessert Bar will include the following:

Pumpkin Pie

Mini Espresso Pumpkin Cakes

Mini Lemon Pies

Red Velvet Cake

Pound Cake

The Decor:

Hues of Cranberry and Gold will dress my guest tables, along with delicate White and Gold Accents.

#1 QUESTION ASKED BY BRIDES

The #1 question I hear brides ask is "what do wedding planners really do?" Well of course my typical answer includes how we help save them time, money, and stress. We help find the most perfect vendors, conceptualize beautiful tablescapes and room ambiances, do the budgeting, help with proper etiquette, create customized menus, etc.

I realized the other day that although my answer tells all you brides what I do overall, it doesn't demonstrate to you all things that could happen the day of your wedding that I deal with that you will never know about.

So, I thought it may be fun to tell you after each wedding the little things I did to make it a flawless event.

Here's my first exciting adventure to tell you about:

1. The bride forgot to include a vase for her son to pour the sand in their sand ceremony. We luckily always carry extras of certain things with us, like a small vase. I set it out with her other vases and put her son's sand it in before the ceremony began.
2. The linen company forgot pins to tack up the linens at the reception. We quickly fixed the problem by pulling out a box of pins from my wedding bag.
3. The cake got a hole in the side from either a guest trying to get a quick taste or who knows what. We noticed the hole, grabbed a butter knife, grabbed some icing from the back where no one could see, and patched the hole right up. No one noticed and the bride and groom had a picture perfect cake.
4. One of the bridesmaids had a terrible headache. The Advil in my wedding bag stopped her head from throbbing before anyone could say "I do."
5. The bride was suppose to supply the cups for the bar. However, she got so caught up in all the wedding bliss that the bar still needed to be stocked. Jen rescued the night by running to the store and buying cups before any of the guests arrived at the reception hall.
6. During the "cutting of the cake" the photographer ran out of room on her disk. I ran to her bag and grabbed an empty disk; she never had to miss a shot.

Of course, there were about a million more things that we tackled head first that day but it would take me all day to tell you about it. Hope this gives you a little insight.

Julie and Steve

Welcome Julie and Steve to the celebrate! family!! We are so excited to plan your beautiful day!

Their wedding ceremony will be held at the romantic Chapel in the Garden with an elegant reception following at the Riverside Pavillon. One of our favorite photographers, Leah from Leahjeanphoto.com, will be shooting this beautiful couple on their special day.

The wedding will take place next October and be dressed in beautiful fall colors. Julie loves chocolate so it will be incorporated from a chocolate fountain, to the linens, to the overall romantic look. Rachael and Kasie from Rachael Kasie Designs will be creating their beautiful floral masterpieces to accomplish their fall look.

We can't wait until the big day! Welcome again!

Vendors from A to Z: E is for Egomedia Photography

A few weeks ago I got a moment to talk to one of the most cutting edge photojournalist I know--Jennifer Cody from Egomedia Photography. Jen photographed one of our beautiful October weddings and we were absolutely amazed by not only her incredible photos but also her professionalism and attention to detail.Here is a little more insight to Egomedia Photography:

1. When & why did you begin egomedia photography?

We started egomedia photography officially in 2004. Sam had a background in film and was doing some commercial photography work for network television. I was working full time for the International Monetary Fund but found that photography was becoming an increasingly important part of my life. We made the final decision to begin photographing weddings professionally after having a very negative experience with our own wedding photographer. We were shocked by the lack of professionalism we encountered in the industry and resolved that we could do far better. And we believe we have!

2. What types of events do you photograph & which are your favorite?

We photograph weddings almost exclusively, making occasional exceptions for previous clients with other photography needs. Weddings are certainly our favorite.

3. Where is your favorite wedding site to shoot?

I certainly have several favorites - the Casa Monica Hotel, Meridian House, the Ronald Reagan building - but it's important to note that although location is important, every wedding has its own personality and that's what ultimately influences the images we provide to our clients.

4. What makes your photography skills & company stand out from other photographers & their work?

We are wedding photojournalists and it is our goal to capture stunning images from our clients' weddings and present them as part of a full body of work which will become a part of each couple's family's legacy. Everything we do is done to accomplish that goal. We are a full time professional studio and we pride ourselves on our responsiveness and attention to our clients. We process each image by hand in our studio before delivering them to our clients and all of our album designs are done by hand in-house.

5. Tell us something funny that has happened while photographing a bride or groom:

LOL well there are some stories that are less than appropriate but I'll share one amusing anecdote. We were photographing the first dance at an outdoor wedding when we noticed that the wedding cake was covered with ants! We discreetly let the catering manager know and they took it from there :)

6. What is the most gratifying thing about your job?

I think what is most gratifying is the knowledge that for the rest of their lives our clients will have beautiful images of their wedding to show future generations of their family. Long after the day is over and they've forgotten many of the details they will be able to relive the day through the beauty of those photographs - as a couple and as a family.

To get Jennifer or one of her other photographers to shoot your special event, contact her at:

Egomedia Photography

http://www.egomediaphotography.com/

jen@egomediaphotography.com

tel: 410.353.0631/703.431.0037

Welcome Alyson and Corey

Welcome Alyson and Corey to the celebrate! family. We are so excited to start planning your special day.Corey and Alyson live in New Mexico and are doing internships at Los Alamos National Laboratory. They plan to wed as soon as Alyson's internship is completed. No set date yet,but they plan to have a wedding dressed in colors of champagne and gold with a splash of color. It is sure to be a magical event.

Vendors from A to Z: D is for Daytona Limo

This past week I sat down with Byron from Daytona Limo and had a great chat with him about his company.

Daytona Limo is an amazing limo rental company in the Daytona Beach area. They have exceptional service and pay impeccable attention to detail. We recently used their services for one of our brides in October and we are now hooked!!!

Below are some of the things Byron and I chatted about that I thought you would enjoy to learn about:

1. When & why did your company begin?
Daytona Limos was created by Jason Grant and I, Byron Hebert, in the spring of 2007. Having both grown up in the Daytona Beach area over the years we saw a real lack of service in the local limousine market. Many of the other local companies offered older limousines which lacked the amenities and features that most people would expect in a limousine. The service we received from other companies over the years was questionable at best. We researched the limousine industry for about two years prior to opening the doors at Daytona Limos and decided we could offer better vehicles and better service.

2. What makes your limo service stand out from other companies?
Daytona Limos takes a client centered approach to our service. Everything we do is aimed to please the client. We offer many features and services the other companies simply won’t offer. When we add a limousine to our fleet we make sure it has all of the state of the art equipment that people have come to except, such as Satellite Direct TV, XM radio, I pod connections, Play Station 3, Laser Light shows, and sound systems that rival most night clubs. When it comes to wedding service we always provide a professional chauffeur who is properly dressed for the occasion. Daytona Limos chauffeurs are attired in full black suits, complete with chauffeur caps. Our wedding packages include roll out red carpet service, just married

flags and magnets, and like most things with Daytona Limos it is included complementary.

3. What is a unique fact about yourself?
I have any extensive background in marketing and have Bachelors degree from Florida State University in marketing.

4. Tell us what you like most about your career:
The best part about the limousine business is dealing with so many happy people. When we interact with clients it is for some sort of special occasion in their life. Rarely in the limousine industry do we encounter upset or unhappy people, it makes coming to work a new exciting experience instead of just another day on the job.

5. How can people get into contact with your company?
Our website is complete with rates, limo pictures, and videos of our entire fleet. http://www.daytonalimos.com/ or you can call us at 800-296-1990 or 386-795-LIMO (5466). Feel free to stop by and see us at 294 S Yonge Street, Ormond Beach, FL 32174

THANK YOU!!

Dear Jen and Jenna,


The wedding was perfect! It was everything I could have possibly imagined it to have been and then some, and I know that would not have been the least bit possible without you both!!!! And I must say, you ABSOLUTELY, WITHOUT A DOUBT were worth EVERYTHING and then some.
The flowers, were gorgeous! You know I am not good at imagining what I wanted, and somehow the wedding turned out to be exactly what I wanted, and I never even told you. You made everything I imagined into a reality---and THANK you for that. You girls took care of everything and really made my day a day I did not have to worry about anything except looking nice and enjoy getting married! Instead of worrying about the details, I was able to enjoy the details!

I think Heath said it best to me, when we left the next day and that was “Jen and Jenna did such an incredible job. I can't believe how easy everything was and not having to do anything was wonderful, I got to watch the game and hangout with the boys!”

I wish there was some other way I could tell you how important you both were to me on that day and how truly thankful I am that you were there to be apart of it. Your business is amazing and you could NOT be doing any better of a job at it!!!!!


I love you both!!!!!! and *THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*
-- Serena Khorsandian






Photos by: Jennifer Cody from egomediaphotography.com

Great New Find

So I found the most amazing item!!!! Its called SOLE MATES!!!

Sole Mates are little plastic covers that you place on the heels of your shoes to keep your heels from sinking into the ground. This is perfect accessory to help you walk down the aisle at your outdoor wedding.

Go to thesolemates.com for more info and to keep yourself from sinking on your wedding day!

Get Out and Vote

Today is the BIG DAY, ELECTION DAY!!!!

Make sure you get out and vote. Your vote counts!

To Write or Not to Write--The Wedding Vows

This past month has been so completely insane with weddings. Just by the time one is finished we are at the next and then there's the double wedding weekend...I still have not recovered. So...all this crazy busy schedule got me thinking about couples writing their own wedding vows.

I think it is amazing that some of our couples found the time to write their own vows through their work schedules, family times, etc. If you are thinking about putting aside some time to write your own vows, here are some guidelines to help you through it:

1. Make sure you and your spouse are on the same page

2. Make a list of all the reasons you love and want to marry your spouse

3. Add in something personal (like how you love the way they cherish their family and you vow to cherish them all as well)

4. Write down everything, don't try to remember your vows

C is for Cinemedia

Cinemedia

Cinemedia is one of the best videography companies around. Steve Graham, the owner of Cinemedia, strives for perfection in every single wedding video he shoots. His work is over the top amazing. The above video is from a wedding Steve and I did together in May and you can see why I suggest him to all of my brides.

I got a chance to sit down and talk to Steve about pretty much everything. Here are some of the questions I asked so all of you can get to know him a little better:

1. What made you start Cinemedia? "After working in the production industry for many years I decided I wanted to focus my efforts on event videography. I started Cinemedia in 2003 so that I could spend my time doing what I enjoy most."

2. What is your favorite part of weddings and events? "I've always been a creative person and event videography gives me a tremendous amount of latitude within which to be creative. Also, I like the idea that I'm capturing some of the most important moments in people's lives and delivering a product of timeless significance. Lastly, the celebratory atmosphere of a wedding is just plain fun to be around."

3. What's one of your hobbies? "I'm a songwriter in my spare time. I've got a studio with a ridiculous amount of equipment that I enjoy immersing myself in. I sing, play guitar, bass, drums and keyboards and thanks to the marvel of multitrack recording I don't have to play them all at the same time!"

4. What sets your business apart from all others? "I think the personal attention and importance placed on each and every project helps set Cinemedia apart. I'm a perfectionist by nature and as such I work very hard to ensure that every video I produce meets my high standards. We also offer some services that others do not like the increasingly popular live internet broadcast."

5. What is one of your childhood dreams? "My childhood dream was to be a professional soccer player. I played on my high school team anyhow :) These days I'm happy to get out and kick around with my kids."

6. Do you film just weddings? "I also film Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Quinces, and corporate events. Weddings account for the large majority of my work though and I hope to keep it that way. They are simply the most fun and rewarding."

You can contact Steve at: Cinemedia, 407-936-0312, http://www.orlandoweddingvideo.com/

c is for celebrate!

Since we are talking about all different types of vendors I decided that I could introduce you a little bit futher into our company, celebrate!

Welcome to our company...

1. When & by whom did celebrate! come about?
celebrate! began July of 2007 in Ormond Beach, Florida. celebrate! is owned & operated by Jen Calnan & Jenna Jones.

2. What interested you in opening up your company?
Both Jenna & I majored in event management at the University of Florida. (Go Gators!) During our studies we began working for an event coordinating firm in Gainesville. We planned many different types of events but absolutely fell in love with weddings. We continued in this field for a coordinator in Orlando, Florida. We learned a great deal from both companies & truly enjoyed our jobs. We had such a strong love & passion for planning events that we decided to bring it back to our home town & start up our own company.

3. Does your company only plan weddings?
We are an event coordinating firm specializing in weddings. Although our company does consist of about 80% weddings, we plan every & any type of event. We plan bar/bat mitzvahs, graduation parties, anniversary parties, corporate events, family reunions, weddings, etc.

4. What can you offer to one of your brides?
celebrate! offers 4 packages to our brides. We offer assistance from just the day of the event all the way to our all inclusive packages & a little in between. We can also customize a package to meet a brides needs, depending on what se needs.

5. What is the most satisfying part of your job?
There are so many different aspects of my job that I absolutely adore. I love meeting and building relationships with new vendors. I love getting to know my bride & her family members. I love to save my brides time, money & stress. The number one thing that really makes this all worth while is the gratitude that we receive from our bride & groom, their families & the wedding guests at the end of the evening.

I hope you enjoyed this tid bit of information on our company. If you are looking for any assistance with your special event, please feel free to contact us for a FREE consultation.

You can contact celebrate! at:

200 S. Nova Road, Suite A

Ormond Beach, Florida 32174

Cell: 386-547-9239

Office: 386-677-0018

B stands for Breathtaking Bed and Breakfast

River Lily Bed and Breakfast

So this past week I got a chance to sit down with Polly Cappuccio from the River Lily Bed and Breakfast located across from the Halifax River. This is a beautiful site to host your wedding ceremony and reception. You can have a beautiful tent wedding overlooking the river. This is a simply elegant site that uses natural to add to your event.

What made you decide to open River Lily?
I always wanted to have a B&B life style of meeting people and entertaining. Our guests have been even more enjoyable that I ever expected.

What is your favorite part of weddings and events?
My favorite part of weddings are the high hopes and dreams of the Bride and Groom. Events, birthday parties or anniversaries are happy celebrations that bring family and friends together and make good memories.

What's your one of your hobbies?
I love to bake good stuff like cheese cakes and cookies. I love putting together gift baskets with my baked goods, wine and cute & different things in them. I like to read to learn most anything. I like cook books and positive books.

What sets your ceremony and reception site apart?
The River Lily is the perfect site for weddings with our sweeping Halifax River views, our grounds and our romantic River Lily Bridal Suite with gold chandeliers. There is a need for a celebration site like ours. We are in the mid priced range, a beautiful site at reasonable prices.

If you could do anything else what would you do?
If I could do anything I wanted, I would do charity work with teenagers and people in nursing homes that don't have families to visit them.

How many guests can you accommodate?
We have six guest rooms and we can accommodate up to 14 guests. We can have events on our grounds for up to 150 guests.

Do you have a slogan?
Our slogan is: You are expected when you arrive and you will be missed when you leave.

And of course we cannot forget about her husband Artie who helps her run the inn. Artie is an extremely talented musician, writer, singer, and artist. He loves being with people. His favorite thing to do is hang out with his kids and two grandsons.

To contact River Lily:
558 Riverside Drive
Holly Hill/Daytona Beach, Florida 32117
Cell: 407-721-3348
Inn: 386-253-5002
http://www.riverlilyinn.com/

Thank you!!!

This past Saturday was the beautiful wedding of Stacy and Ray. Jen and I had such a wonderful time planning this joyous occasion and truly love the couple and their families. Below, is a wonderful thank you from the parents of the bride to us and I just had to share:

Dear Jen and Jenna:

We just want to thank you for coordinating a flawless wedding. The effort that you both put in was as professional as anyone could have wanted. I can't imagine trying to do this ourselves. It would have been a foolish mistake.

Trying to arrange and coordinate all the vendors, the church, the rehearsal party and then the wedding would have taken all the fun out of just sitting back and just enjoying the whole journey.

Simply put, it was a stress free event for all of us and you made our daughter's wedding a special event.

Sincerely,

Woody and Sue Lucas

Octavia's Wedding Photos-Sneak Peak

Octavia's and Rosheen's wedding was absolutely stunning! The bridal party were dressed to the max in hot pink, the bride looked breathtaking, and the reception was over the top fun! Here is a sneak peak.

Photos by: Leahjeanphoto.com

Wedding Toast's

Every wedding includes a toast. The intentions of a wedding day toast is to congratulate the bride & groom and most importantly focus on the couple. We have all heard a toast at a wedding that just carries on & on with no end, really making no sense at all. Hopefully this will help prevent any unnecessary, dreaded toasts.


A few helpful tips:


1. Do introduce yourself to the crowd. This will make the speech more personal & intimate.
2. Do plan in advance to give a speech, an impromptu toast usually doesn't go very smoothly at
a wedding.
3. Do point out positive qualities about the bride & groom as a couple.
4. Do put some humor into the toast, a little laughter never killed anyone!
5. Do make is short & sweet. People tend to get bored after a few minutes.



**Most importantly....Don't get completely smashed before giving a toast at a wedding. No one wants to hear you ramble on & slur your words.

Thank You from Mom and Dad of the Bride

I just received a beautiful thank you letter from the parents of one of our wonderful brides. I just had to share their sincere words:

Dear Jen and Jenna,

Thank you so much for agreeing to help with our daughter's wedding, especially on such short notice. Just knowing you were both there to take care of the details allowed us to fully enjoy Shanna and Grant's very special day. From the rehearsal to the wedding day your presence relieved us of the stress and anxiety that accompany planning such an event.

Again, thank you for going above and beyond; everything from start to finish was beautiful.

Sincerely,

Debbie and Pete Zorge

Octavia's Engagement Photo Shoot

These are some beautiful photos from Octavia's and Rosheen's engagement photo shoot with Leah from Leah Jean Photography. They are such a beautiful couple, inside and out. This weekend is there big wedding weekend. I cannot wait to see the images Leah shoots of Octavia and Rosheen tying the knot!!!

To see more of Leah's breathtaking work view her website at leahjeanphoto.com.

5 Great Bridal Party Gifts--Poker Set

A personalized poker set is a great way to say thanks to all your groomsmen. Beau-coup.com has a handsome chrome poker set that is over the top perfect for your stellar bridal party. Your groom can even get his boys names engraved on top, so Tommy doesn't try to take Jonny's poker set one night while they are playing poker.

Our Blog Got a Facelift

SO....how do you like our new lovely blog layout???? Let us know.

5 Great Bridal Party Gifts--Charm Bracelet

My bride, Rebecca, had the most fabulous gift idea for her bridesmaids. She is going to get each of her ladies a charm bracelet to represent that this is the first of many life events they will have together. She will also get a charm to hang from the bracelet to represented her wedding.

The charm bracelet below has a beautiful heart on it that you can get monogrammed for each of your bridesmaids. This bracelet is from Americanbridal.com.

5 Great Bridal Party Gifts--Fragrance

One of the great gifts to receive as a bridesmaid or groomsmen is a bottle of great fragrance. This is great gift for many reasons:

1. You can find a fragrance that matches your theme, color, or wedding decor

2. Most people rarely buy fragrance for themselves so it makes for a great gift

3. Most fragrances have great free gifts with purchase so your bridal party will end up with a bigger gift than you planned and budgeted for

My top choice for bridesmaids is the new Absolutely Irresistible by Givenchy. This fragrance not only has a great name...who wouldn't want to be Absolutely Irresistible...but it also smells delicious. It also is in a fabulous fall color, a deep hue of red.

I actually just got this little goodie for myself!!! I love it!!!!!

5 Great Bridal Party Gifts

This week is all about showing your bridal party how much you appreciate everything they have done by giving them the perfect gift. I have brides who give everything from a piece of jewelry to a gift basket to a great bottle of fragrance.

Over the years, I have compiled a short list of fabulous bridal party favors. I cannot wait to share them with all of you.

My Wonderful Vacation

So I cannot even begin to express how wonderful my vacation was. From our trip to Tennessee for the Gator game to France and then to Italy, I am still in awe. Every moment was just pretty much perfect. So without further hesitation, here are just some of the pictures....

Thank you letter from Shanna & Grant

Dear Jen and Jenna,

We just wanted to take a moment to thank you both for all of your hard work on our wedding day. Grant and I never could have made it through the day without your help! There is one specific moment that I can clearly remember as my dad was waiting to walk me down the aisle. He looked at my mother and I and said, "Thank God we hired wedding planners! We never would have been able to pull this off without them." And it was so true. Everything from start to finish went smoothly and just as I had imagined it. Thank you guys so much for everything, you're both awesome! We could not have asked for a more perfect wedding day. It was the greatest way to start our new lives together!

With much thanks,
Shanna & Grant Karcher XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

A is for Andy's Taylor Rental

We have had the pleasure to work with the wonderful rental company, Andy's Taylor Rental, numerous times. And each time we work with them we are blown away with their creativity, resourcefulness, and kindness.

Andy's Taylor Rental can take your special event up to the next notch. They can rent you just about anything--a gold chivari chair to make your event so elegant your guests will be thinking they are at a celebrity wedding, a beautiful white wedding tent to hold whatever your guest count may be, etc.

They truly are a premier wedding vendor.

I sat down with Amy from Andy's Taylor Rental to gain some more insight into their family owned business. Here is what she revealed:

1. How did Andy's Taylor Rental begin?

My father started Taylor Rental 28 years ago. He was a hospital administrator in Thomasville, GA, my brother was graduating from highschool and he just did not want to work for someone any more. He went to a franchise show and this is the one that appealed to him.

2. What is your favorite part of weddings and events?

I think my favorite part of the weddings and events is when a client says you made my day special!

3. What's your one of your hobbies?

My one biggest hobby is designing that special day.

4. What is one of the hottest wedding trends with rentals?

I think one of the hottest trends is personalization. Making it your own. Using color, unique style and creating your own tradition.

5. If you could do anything else what would you do?

I can't think of anything else except play with my grandson and impose on my children.

6. What is the #1 product you suggest for every bride not to scrimp on?

I recommend that no bride ever scrimp on accommodations (ie.Tenting) & seating, remember you have invited guest to your event, they should be comfortable.

You can reach Andy's Taylor Rental at:

website: www.taylorrentalstaug.com

phone: 904.471.2991

email: eventplanner@bellsouth.net

Flowers, flowers, which flowers???

Flowers can be a major expense when it comes to your wedding day, especially when you want a particular flower that does not bloom during the season of your wedding. Here is a great guide on which flowers are available which season:

Fall
Bird of Paradise, Chrysanthemum, Orchid, Marigold, Zinnia

Winter
Holly, Jasmine, Poinsettia, Amaryllis, Waxflower

Spring
Daffodil, Lilacs, Peony, Tulip, Freesia

Summer
Daisy, Sweet Pea, Lily, Sunflower, Dahlia

Photos by: Leahjeanphoto.com

KICKOFF WEEK: Vendors from A to Z

Now that I have made it back from my wonderful vacation, I would like to kick off my first week back with starting our new blog series: Vendors from A to Z. Each week we will be highlighting one or two of our premier vendors from A to Z.

Join us as we place the spotlight on these top notch vendors. You will get to learn not only about their business but also about them. I hope you will enjoy these upcoming weeks as much as I will.