NEW YEARS COMMITMENT TO BLOGGING

I am committing my new year to on-line relational blogging! I am a Wedding & Event Director, so my blog will be focused mainly on wedding etiquette and answering popular questions. After planning weddings & events for so many years, it's easy and fun to answer questions... Please let me know if you have any - I'd be happy to give you my professional opinion!

My goal is one posting a week... on Wednesdays... I'm putting this in writing - now I can be held accountable! (Except for that ever tempting 'edit' key!)

What you can expect from my blog:

• Simplicity of design ( I hate clutter)
• Professional advise (7+ years of experience)
• Updates of wedding interests in the Valley
• Planning ideas
• Answers to BRIDES questions!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Fun Reception Song

Photo: Inspired Events March 2008 Wedding at Phoenix Art Museum

I am loving Beyonce's new song, 'Single Ladies' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mVEGfH4s5g song for the bouquet toss! How great are the words and it just makes you want to get up and shake it! There are so many ways to personalize your reception and music is one of them.

Select songs that reflect you and your fiancé, this will make more of an impression on your guests than whatever is the DJ's favorite song.

Reception Songs to Personalize:

Grand Entrance

First Dance

Father / Daughter

Mother / Son

Bridal Party – getting guests up & dancing

Cake Cutting

Bouquet Toss

Garter Throw

Honeymoon Dance

Anniversary Dance

Think about the theme for cocktail and dinner time… again, this is a great opportunity to set the mood of your reception that best reflects you as a couple!

WEDDING PLANNING 101 - TOP 10 PLANNING PITFALLS

How To Make Your Wedding

The Day of Your Dreams

What To Avoid When Planning Your Wedding...

1. Resource Denial: Do you have a friend who is musically talented, someone who is good at designing or scrapping? Allow these people to help on items that will NOT make or break your day. Example, favors, invites, guest books, flower baskets, ring pillow, programs, seating cards, etc.
2. Unclear Expectations: It's time to be honest and learn how to communicate the aspects that are most important to you. Take time to talk with your fiance and find out what is most important to each other. Then, communicate what is non-negotiable to family, vendors and friends and allow their input in other areas. Also, make sure to have clear expectations with finances and stick to your budget!
3. Scrimping: There are several areas you can save money when planning your wedding by using your resources, but there are a few key areas where NOT TO SCRIMP. There are a few key vendors that will make or break your day: Photographer, DJ and Wedding Coordinator. These vendors have an integral part in making your day exceptional and taking away your stress. You can never recapture the photos on your day (I also strongly suggest having a videographer to capture the live moments), your DJ is the personality of your reception and without a professional it can be a disaster. Finally, a Wedding Coordinator will take all of your details, all of the days stress, orchestrate all of your vendors and family, fix anything that goes array and allows you the blessing of enjoying your once in a lifetime wedding day!
4. Inflexibility: After you have figured out what's most important to you, be open to others ideas and allow your loved ones the option to assist you in planning. You cannot please everyone, but being willing to listen can often save the peace.
5. But They Said...: Vendors are human and can make promises they forget about after a year of planning. Brides have been left negotiating days before their wedding to receive the services they anticipated but never confirmed. Rule of thumb - get everything in writing, email is a great way to accomplish this. After every meeting create a re-cap email and have them confirm what you heard them promise.
6. WEDDING PARTY UNMET EXPECTATIONS: Every Bride has an expectation of what her best friends will plan for her special celebrations. Be clear on your expectations so there are no hurt feelings. (See Bridal Party Duties - coming soon).
7. LAST MINUTE PLANNING: Don't be the bride who is so stressed the week before her wedding she has not time for herself or family and friends who have arrived for the wedding celebration. Think of items you can do ahead of time. Example: As guests respond start the seating list so you can print the cards or sign a couple weeks prior to the wedding, have an assembly party for favors and other decorating extras. Stay on schedule! Make to do lists. Ask for help!
8. FAMILY & FRIENDS BECOME VENDORS: “It’s better to make a friend out of a vendor, than to make a wedding vendor out of a friend.” If expectations are unmet it can put a severe strain on any relationship. Your family (especially mom) deserves to enjoy your wedding too! There are thousands of stories of relationships being stretched to their limit due to well intentioned friends and relatives causing wedding catastrophes.
9. FIANCE WHO?: Don’t let the stress of planning a wedding start arguments with your fiance. Take time for each other, focus on what the wedding is really about, starting your lives together. Have date nights where you don’t mention the wedding and just focus on each other! Taking dance lessons together before your wedding is a great date night idea.
10. ULTIMATE CONTROL: Once all the vendors and details are in place, you have to trust your wedding team to pull off the wedding of your dreams. You know what’s suppose to happen every minute, but need to let go, or else you will become slave to your timeline and will not enjoy the moments your dreams are made of with your husband, family & friends.
    

Imagine your wedding day as a Broadway production, everything has to come together perfectly in order to produce a show the audience will never forget. Take your day from ordinary to extraordinary and allow Inspired Events lead the production team in creating the wedding of your dreams!

Fave Photographers

STEPHANIE FAY with Tunnel Photography has a beautiful eye for art and is creative in her photo- journalistic style. She has been trained in photo editing which takes her creative talent and magnifies the beauty of her photos.

Visit her online at: http://www.tunnelphotography.com/

ERIK MERKOW was rated on of the top 10 photographers in Phoenix. He has a sincere professionalism that compliments his photojournalistic style. He has a great balance of traditional and creative photos and is guaranteed to get the shots you're looking for!

Visit him online at: www.merkowphotography.com

LASTING IMAGES with Leslie & Shawna: They are such a great team, fun to work with and have an eye for catching those special moments.

Visit them online at: http://www.liphotoaz.com/

HOW TO MAKE THE PROPOSAL OF A LIFETIME

It's the moment you've been waiting for, you have the woman of your dreams, the ring and want to find the perfect way to 'pop' the question. Here are a few ideas to make this a moment she'll never forget...

1. CHOOSE A THEME

To make the proposal an event she'll never forget and will talk about for years to come, you need to start customizing.

Think about some of her favorite things:

• Time of day
• Activity or hobby
• Career
• Places to eat
• Locations (beach, lake, mountains, etc.)

Start asking strategic questions like; what her favorite date has been, or what is her dream date... this will reveal her hearts dream.

2. SET THE MOOD

Romance is key! There are a few timeless elements that you can always count on:

• Candlelight
• Champagne or sparkling wine/cider
• Rose pedals
• Chocolate covered strawberries
• Sunsets
• Music

WHAT IS HER ROMANCE LANGUAGE?

Find out what makes her heart skip a beat. Also consider if she would like it to be public or private. To some women having their name lit up on the billboard is as romantic as a candlelight picnic overlooking the valley during sunset.

3. GET CREATIVE!

Now it's time to personalize. What has been meaningful to you during your dating relationship? What are your favorite things to do together?

IDEAS:

• Make her a princess for the day and plan every detail for her. Give her cards at each location with a reason why you love her. Location ideas: personalized breakfast, pedicure/manicure, spa treatment, lunch, shopping (have the items already paid for), hair salon, dinner or surprise party.
• Surprise her with a video montage of your relationship with the proposal at the end.
• Plan a vacation (with family or friends) to her favorite location and surprise her with the proposal.
• Make a book of memories of your firsts (date, kiss, time you said 'I love you') and then re-live each one.
• Create a lighted sign that says, "MARRY ME", take her on a boat ride on Tempe Town Lake and have your friends hold it up for her to see.
• Is she a movie buff? Have her name appear on the big screen. You can rent a screen and have your own private viewing.
• Have your friends setup a romantic picnic at a park, mountain or ocean for a sunset or fireworks.
• If you want to have a Christmas proposal, tie her ring to the mistletoe and after kissing her, tell her to look up for the ring.
• Charter a plane for the day and take her to Sedona, go hiking, have lunch and propose before you leave.
• Engrave her future married name on something meaningful for a gift.

Also consider gathering her family and friends for a post proposal surprise party!

WHAT TO AVOID:

• Don't propose during dinner - it's too predictable.
• Make sure you tailor the proposal to what is romantic to her, not you.

No matter what you decide to do, how extravagant or intimate, the key is to make it personal. Take your proposal from ordinary to extraordinary with just a little extra planning!