Nobody wants a Cookie-Cutter Celebration

2008-06-04T13:26:00.000-07:00

Dear Marilee,
I really love the look of weddings I see on TV and in magazines. The problem is, none of those sources actually tell me how to achieve my own look for my celebration, and If I just try to copy the TV shows, I'll be Zillions of dollars over budget... Help! Is there a way to get a great look in the real world?

Signed, I don't want a Cookie-Cutter Wedding!

Dear Cookie,
Nobody wants a “cookie-cutter” celebration, but everybody wants a beautiful celebration. Here is a straight- forward formula for designing a masterpiece that will reflect your personal style and values and will dazzle your guests. Don’t just invite your guests to a party; invite them to share in an experience. Create a unique celebration experience through the use of a theme, colors, a well-chosen motif, and lots of details.

1. Choose a theme that resonates with your style and values
2. Choose a color scheme and commit to it
3. Create a motif to tie it all together
4. Creat a lush experience by adding details

That’s the magic formula: Theme + Color + Motif + Details

Here’s what I mean:
1. Choose a theme that resonates with your style and values.
Accentuate your ethnicity, your values, or your interests using a well- chosen theme. Take some time to think about what’s important to you, and what you’re celebrating. If you’re celebrating your wedding, why are you marrying this person? What do you love about the prospect of being with them? If it’s their “Love of Family and Childlike Playfulness”, use that as your theme (I'll use it as my example here)! Use your theme as a touchstone as you create your whole celebration. Keep your theme in mind when planning your stationery, entertainment, clothing, décor, favors, food and activities. Your theme will give you a very personal celebration- not a cookie cutter party that anyone might have hosted. Your guests will feel the difference!

2. Commit to a color scheme.

Choose 2-3 colors you love that work with your theme then… USE THEM! Brides sometimes choose the colors for the bride’s maid’s gowns but don’t use that color again in the rest of the celebration. To create an unforgettable visual experience, use your colors boldly. It’s okay to choose subtle colors, but don’t let it look like they crept in by accident. For the couple who were attracted to one another’s “Love of Family and Childlike Playfulness”, we chose bright beautiful colors Fuchsia, Yellow and Orange. Create a cohesive well-designed look by commiting to your color scheme. Use your colors in your stationery, in you linens, in your flowers in your attire and in your décor. Your guests will feel like they’ve stepped into a piece of art.

3. Brand your celebration with a motif.
A motif is a graphic element that ties together the elements of your décor. It’s that finishing touch that makes the difference between “pretty invitations” and “Introduction to the celebration”. Your motif can be closely related to the theme of your celebration. With the theme and colors we’ve been mentioning, we choose a single daisy motif.

4. Create a lush experience by adding details
Now that we have established a theme, colors and a motif, we use them throughout the celebration to create a cohesive look and a spectacular experience.

Invitation for Fun!

The DJ: is an intigral part of the plan for this wedding. The DJ will lead dance games like hokey-pokey, limbo and the chicken dance!

Favors: Lots of fun toys –mostly in the wedding colors. The guests are invited to indulge their inner child playing with bendy neon monkeys, puzzle balls and mardi gras beads (Also in the wedding colors of course!)

Décor: The tables are set with an orange runner, a mirror tile and a bud vase with yelow daisies and a yellow ribon. All the chairs will have fuchsia ties and the napkins are fuchsia satin.

Scavenger Hunt: The guests will be asked to find mementos from the couple’s early courtship, canned goods and toys to be donated to their favorite charities.

Love of Family: The newly formed family (Including children) will perform a sand ceremony using sand in the wedding colors to create a vase that represents all the members of the new family. The Vase is etched with the names of the family members and decorated with daisies!

Balloon Drop: The First dance ends with a balloon drop of orange, pink and yellow balloons.- Let the party begin!

Cake: The cake is a tiered cake with a cascade of daisies on it. There are also smaller wraped cakes in bright orange, yellow and fuchsia.

Candy Buffet! To indulge the inner child’s sweet tooth, we have a spectacular candy buffet layed out with candies including the wedding colors and decorated with beads and vases of daisies, as well as daisy shaped lollys.

Experience: All the guests get to experience the love, caring, and playfulness this couple brings to their union. During the scavenger hunt guests will learn more about what’s important (From favorite sport’s teams to their favorite charities), and during the party they get to experience the playfulness while living in an explosion of color.

Well-chosen design elements and activities will tell part of your story. Guests will end the celebration feeling a little bit closer to you, and they will have had a great time.

What I learned at the ABC-WI Spring Retreat...

2008-04-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

1. Even at the end of April we can get snow in Wisconsin… BRRRR!

2.A wrapped pencil or wooden dowel can save a collapsing tiered cake from falling on the floor (who knew)!

3. ABC-WI (The Wisconsin Branch of the Association of Bridal Consultants) continues to be the best resource I have for wedding planning information and support.

3 Things to Look for in a Celebration Specialist

2008-04-17T14:42:00.000-07:00

1. Chemistry

The first thing to look for when hiring a wedding coordinator or planner is chemistry. You should feel like this is a person you want in your inner circle during your celebration. You will rely on her to care for you, your family and your guests. She should be able to get to know you intimately enough to create a celebration tailored to your personality and values. You need to be able to trust her. Ask yourself “Is this a person I want in my inner circle during my celebration?”

2. Communication
The second thing to look for is exceptional communication. Your celebration specialist should always listen to you and keep your vision at the forefront. It’s not about them and their vision; it’s about you! She will craft an event that no one but you could have hosted. Ask yourself “Does she get me? Does she understand what I want? Will she give me the celebration of my dreams?”

3. Professionalism
Last but far from least is professionalism. Anyone who has hosted a party can start a business and call herself an event planner. Some things to check out are professional affiliations, legal contracts and references.

Two professional organizations for event planners

•ABC (the Association of Bridal Consultants)You’re not permitted to use the ABC logo until you have completed the ABC Professional development program. Look for their logo particularly when hiring a wedding planner.

•ISES, the (International Special Events Society).

A professional contract will clearly state what what she is obligated to do for you, and what it will cost. The services may range from a brief consultation to full service coordination including guest list management and budgeting. A professional will give you a clear contract and will give you time to read and understand it before signing.

You should also ask for references. In addition to former clients, other event profesionals like DJ’s, Photographers, Venue managers and wedding officients frequently see an event planner in action and will have a good sense of how well they do their job.

Here's wishing you the very best fit with your celebration specialist!

Planned Spontaneity

Nobody wants a Cookie-Cutter Celebration

What I learned at the ABC-WI Spring Retreat...

3 Things to Look for in a Celebration Specialist