Featured on TLC's Slice of Life

We are absolutely honored to be featured on TLC's new blog entitled Slice of Life. Check out #20 in their 'Weddings for Less Money, But Lots of Style' post! Yes, you can have an absolutely elegant wedding no matter your budget.

Inspiration From Colin Cowie

Colin Cowie said on Today this morning, 'Style doesn't have to cost a lot of money.' I couldn't agree more. As he is one of the world's most respected event designers, I always love Colin's segments. Click play, and allow your mind to wander. Below the clip you'll find my Top 10 Notes of Inspiration that I jotted down while watching...

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Top 10 Notes of Inspiration:

1. Buying Clearance: Now's the time to buy up table decor for your wedding. You may have to go to several store's locations to get enough of what you're looking for, but in the end the savings will be worth it. Check out places like Ikea, Pottery Barn, Target, and Crate and Barrel.
2. Sea Salt: Something as simple as sea salt can add a lot of pop. FYI: salt can easily be dyed to match your color scheme.
3. Candles, Candles, Candles: Can't say it enough, candlelight can add elegance to any room. Just remember, don't use scented candles around food. Lastly, invest in long burning candles. You don't want the twinkle to burn out during your celebration.
4. Flowers: I absolutely love flowers. So much so, I grew my own flower garden as a kid. However, when you're thinking centerpieces, don't think you necessarily have to include flowers. Unless you can afford lavish arrangements, your flowers might not add the punch you're looking for. Another bonus - you don't have tor worry about wilting if you forgo flowers on each table. Lastly, you can add dimension to the room by trading off centerpieces - every other table with flowers, and another (nonliving) centerpiece for the rest. Just make sure to tie the room together with some sort of consistent element throughout all the tables (i.e. candles, color scheme...)
5. Ribbon and Accents: As I always say, the littlest of details can make the biggest impact.
6. Fresh Fruit: If you're looking to add warmth to the room, fresh fruit is always a great choice. You can leave it whole, but you can also use pieces to dress things up. For one anniversary party we took round lemon slices to fill the outer edge of a vase. Then we filled the center with daisies.
7. Fabric: You have to be careful when picking boldly colored linens for your table. If you're not careful, color can become obnoxious. However, fabric accents are a great way to dress up more subtle linens without going over the top.
8. Carnations: I love time and time again when Colin uses carnations. This centerpiece he did only cost $25 and adds a lot of pop. Not to mention, carnations are a very hardy flower.
9. Less Is More: Keep it simple, and never be afraid to take away elements from your design. You can always save those ideas to use elsewhere.
10. Stay True To Your Budget and Yourself: Set your budget before buying anything. As you can see, with some careful planning you can get a fabulous look for less. And who doesn't love saving money? No matter what, always stay true to your desires and personality. That is what truly makes your event great.

Nail Polish

I have yet to come across a bride who hasn't done up her fingers and toes for the wedding day. It's a day to look your best and a day to be pampered. If you're getting your nails done at a salon (this should be done a day or two before the wedding), let me make a suggestion. Don't use their nail polish. Instead, pick out a shade at the store and take it with you. First, this ensures that you'll be able to test out the color ahead of time. Second, the color is a nice keepsake. Huh? Yep. If you've purchased the bottle you can wear the color again for anniversaries and special dates with your new hubby. It can turn into a really fun tradition, and it's easier than fitting back into your wedding dress. Finally, if you're not one for nostalgia, it's still a good idea to have the bottle on hand for wedding day touch-ups. Happy polishing to you all!

Setting Your Budget

You may have massive or meager amounts of money to spend on your wedding or event. That doesn't really matter. You can have an exquisite occasion. However, to do so, you've gotta set your budget first and foremost.

Once the high of being newly engaged starts to even out, to-be-weds usually dive into planning. They may check out websites or flip through magazines. A vision begins to form and they want to start booking things. Wait! First, you've got to create a budget. It doesn't matter what that budget is, it just matters that you have one.

Once the budget is created, then you can start fulfilling your visions. And trust me, if you hire the right professionals you can get the day you're looking for regardless of your cash flow. No, I'm not promising that you can wear those diamond encrusted shoes that you saw in a magazine. However, what I am saying is that you can have an event that envelops your desires.

Step one to planning a wedding: set a budget.

Step two (in my humble opinion): hire a wedding coordinator who will make sure your dollars are spent wisely...

One of the reasons I started planning weddings was because I'd been to too many weddings where the bang for the buck was lacking. Two brides, with the same amount of money, can have vastly different affairs. You just have to make sure you know the ins and outs before doing anything.

Once your budget is set, relax a little. Not all of the planning can be done overnight, but with a lot of hard work the details will all come together.

Wedding Dress Savings

Heads up brides. Are you looking for discounts on Monique Lhuillier, Vera Wang, Reem Acra, Amsale, and more? Here's part of an email I recently received about Glamour Closet's new and permanent Los Angeles location!

Glamour Closet, the famous sample sale boutique, is now open permanently in LA! Samples from Monique Lhuillier, Vera Wang, Reem Acra, Amsale, and many more marked 25-75% off their original prices every day!

• Designer samples normally priced $3,000 and up are now 25-75% off!
• Walk-in basis (first come, first served) only; no appointments taken.
• Large selection of off-the-rack gowns every day!
  

Visit http://www.glamourcloset.com/ for store hours and to learn more about our store.

Happy shopping to you all!

It's January 16th already?

Wow, time sure does fly (something to remember when your wedding day or celebration seems so far away). With the beginning of the new year I've been busy wrapping up all the paperwork of 2008 and getting everything in line for 2009. It's nice, as everything is coming together beautifully. I hope you're ready to jump into all of the weddings and events of 2009 with me. But first, I noticed there were a few more things to clear off the camera. Let's celebrate all the joy that has been and all of the joy that is to come!

This Thanksgiving picture was a bit of an afterthought, but I wanted to share it with you anyway. Using natural elements can add great pop to any table. This year I used apples as place cards. They fit in perfectly with the gourd and leaf tablescape.
We got a chance to sneak off to The Getty for an afternoon. The gardens there are breathtaking. I could sit there, sipping a cup of tea, all day long. This flower especially caught my eye. I have no idea what it is but thought it could be a great inspirational piece. The details are amazing, and I guess it's always the little details that catch my attention. Wouldn't these be beautiful at a wedding?At the start of December we headed out of California and up to Flagstaff, AZ. Congratulations to my sister-in-law, Stephanie, on becoming a nurse! Ryan was pretty proud of himself for catching a picture of her on the jumbo tron.With the new year came a new coat of paint for my home office. It was time for a face lift, and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Thanks Ryan, for putting a little TLC into it!Here's the finished project. What you can't see in this photo, though, is my giant design/idea board. Lots of new things coming out in 2009...Gotta keep those pointe shoes and my Google mascot (Mrs. Potato Head) close. Of course, I've got the most recent issue of Modern Bride at hand as well.Lastly, Ryan and I had a great time taking a few days off for our anniversary. We were 'local tourists' and hit up Laguna Beach for a day. It was wonderfully warm out. We also gave each other 'gifts from the heart' this year. Ryan surprised me by learning how to play our wedding song on the piano. I wrote him a little something (not musical).We continued day two of celebrating 3 years by heading north to Beverly Hills. We just had to stop in Sprinkles Cupcakes for a snack. Mmmmmm, peanut butter chocolate.Lastly, we headed over to Mastro's Steakhouse for a delicious and amazing dinner. Alright 2009, here we come in full force. Can't wait to see all of what's to come. I can promise you one thing, lots of wonderful and joyous weddings and events!

Three Years

Dearest Husband,

When we met, you seemed too good to be true. As we dated you always surpassed my wildest dreams of what prince charming could be. Since we've been married you continue to take my breath away with every moment, and I keep falling more and more in love with you even when I didn't know that much love was possible!

I loved you then. I love you today. I vow to love you for all of time--more and more with every second.

Thank you for being my husband and for allowing me to be your wife. Happy three years!

Forever,
yours

Dating
Wedding Day
Last Night of Honeymoon
No matter how many weddings I plan, this one will always be my favorite.

Target $1 Deals and More

I ran into Target last week to pick up a few items--yeah right, who can resist stopping to look at all of their cute stuff? Always on the lookout for great savings and possible wedding flare, the dollar deals grabbed my attention the moment I stepped in the door. Here's my PSA for all of you:

They currently have a large assortment of novelty ribbons in a variety of colors. just $1 per set. Now, maybe they don't suit your color scheme, but maybe they do? Either way, here's just one of the rolls. And yes, I am so devoted to helping you out that I stopped and took pictures of everything. I don't want you to make an extra trip if it's not what you're looking for. Then again, who wouldn't want to stop in Target?
They also have loads of scrapbooking papers and red and white tissue paper. If you are a Valentine's Day bride, or using the color red, this could be a good deal for you. Granted, if you need a tone of tissue paper we can find it for you in bulk from other sources.
Even more, the dollar bins also had an assortment of felt bags--perfect favors if you are inviting kids to the reception. They are just the right size to fit some crayons, a coloring book, and a few other novelties. Keeping the kids occupied will always contribute to the makings of a great reception. Oh, and did I mention that the children's parents will love you too?
There were also different 'boy' and 'girl' themed sticker books that you could include in the activity bags.
Lastly, everyone is pulling out their new digs for 2009. No matter what store I'm in, I always duck into the bridal and party sections. Something new to Target that you might be interested in are these OOT (out-of-town) bags. If you don't have the time to make themed bags or simply don't desire to, they now offer these simple yet elegant totes that say 'Thanks for being part of our day.' You can use them to welcome guests to their hotels, or you may also want to use them for bridal party gifts. Either way, they are $9.99 for 12.
Happy shopping to you all, and remember that we are also always more than happy to handle the shopping for you!

Finding Good Vendors

I am always here to refer you to quality vendors that meet your needs and are in your price range. That's one of my favorite parts of this job, because the quality of vendors you hire will make a big impact on the quality of your celebration. I don't take commissions or kick backs from anyone. That should always be a red flag, if someone is making money off of a referral! When you are planning a wedding or event, you yourself probably don't have a list of DJs, caterers, florists, etcetera that you know a lot about. That's one of the many reasons investing in a coordinator can be priceless.

I'm always going out to meet and interview folks who work in the industry. Just before the holidays I met with one florist who truly reminded me of a very important quality when looking for a vendor--someone who is going to put your best interests before their own. She was telling me about a wedding were the bride didn't have much money left over for centerpieces. The bride wanted to make a big statement, but she just didn't have much wiggle room in her budget. (We all know how that is!)

The florist didn't try to sell the bride on something she couldn't afford. Instead, she told her where she could find discount vases and other seasonal elements. The bride picked up all of these items, on sale, and then the florist tied them into her arrangements. This saved the bride tons of money and she still got the impact she was looking for.

When you find someone who will go out of their way to help you like that, they are a keeper; you know you've got a great vendor!

Happy New Year!

As the sun setts on 2008, I want to wish you all a very blessed 2009! It's going to be a year of many wonderful, joyous occasions. I can't wait! Happy celebrating, and a very big congratulations to all of you have gotten engaged over the holidays! Happy 2009!