ISES STAR Awards 2010

As a wedding planner, I'm always striving to do a great job for my clients and grow my business so that I can continue to do what I love. One of the many ways to gain recognition in the wedding industry is to show off your work. This year, I had the opportunity to enter one of my weddings for an award through the International Special Events Society. Although Wonderful Day Weddings was not selected as a nominee this year it was still a very fantastic experience. My lovely husband accompanied me and it was so wonderful to attend an event with the best this industry has to offer.

The 2010 STAR Awards were the most competitive yet, and after peeking at the other submissions I have a better idea of what I want to include in my next entry. It was very cool to page through each of the binders and admire top notch event planning. There were some amazing events held last year, not only in weddings but in non-profit and corporate sectors as well.

My goal is to win a STAR Award in the future and I will keep working towards that goal whether it be for a wedding or a special event.

This was one of the most fabulous industry events that I've had the pleasure of going to. The evening started off with a cocktail hour and heavy hors d'eourves. The event theme for the evening was "Ritmo Caliente" and had a hot Latin vibe. All of the decor was red, oranges and yellows to give you that spicy flavor. What I really enjoyed was that the cocktail reception was made to look like a shipping dock in Havana with boxes of "cargo" and tropical plants. They even had old crates double as mini tables to lounge at while enjoying cocktails.

The food was really cool, they had a "Jerk chicken" sandwich, mini-veggie burgers, and tropical shrimp kabob. They even served the food on plates made from dried tropical leaves which was really cool because it was "green" and totally fit the theme for the evening.

The award ceremony was breathtaking! They had the ballroom completely redesigned by hanging white draping so that the uplighting could display the dramatic red and
orange hues throughout the space. Prop palm trees framed the stage and the hosts for the evening actually did an opening number. During the awards, the event staff even planned for a toast to the award winners and had Sangria's brought out.

Finally, the evening went out with a bang at the after party. A great Latin band played salsa music and they also had professional salsa dancers perform and get people on the floor for some one on one instruction. The other attractions were a fire dancer and Latin carnival
performers. It was a great time and I look forward to next year. Kudos to the International Special Event Society for putting on such a great Award Ceremony!

PHOTO CREDITS: WONDERFUL DAY WEDDINGS

Rustic Barn Wedding - Burgundy & Pink

I have an old friend that has asked me to do day of coordination for her June wedding and I am so pleased to be able to help! She has great fashion sense and she is doing the coolest color scheme for a rustic farm wedding and reception. Burgundy and pink are so delightful and summery when used together! Generally, we see burgundy used during fall weddings, but this sophisticated color pairs very nicely with pastel pink which gives it a decidedly summery flavor. Another option is to pair burgundy with peach.

My friend has planned her entire wedding so I can't take any credit for her design scheme but I can certainly draw inspiration from it! Using some of the ideas from this upcoming wedding I created an inspiration board. The down home decor, a sophisticated and summery color palette and country flowers were what I wanted to focus on. So here you go brides, proof that a barn wedding can be just as fantastic done in the summer as weddings done on the farm in fall.

PHOTO CREDITS: SASHASFLOWERS.CO.UK, ARTOFDESSERT.COM,AVABRIDAL.COM,SEASTAR RESTUARANT, WEDDINGLOCO.COM,BUTTERFLIES&DAISIES.COM, BRIDEZILLA TIMES,SQUIDOO.COM,THEKNOT.COM,COCO&FIG.COM, PROJECTWEDDING.COM BOSTONBRIDE.BLOGSPOT.COM,THEBUDGET SAVVY BRIDE, THE EVERYDAY BRIDE, LEISURE GREY PHOTOGRAPHS & MEMORIES, MYOLDFASHIONEDWEDDING.COM

Luck and Love - A St. Patrick's Day Wedding

St. Patrick's Day is such a fun holiday because people around the world celebrate it, even if they aren't Irish! Really, I think what this holiday is all about is celebrating heritage, appreciating family ties, and thanking our lucky stars. Of course, we all know what really makes this day special is the food and drink!

I think a St. Patrick's Day wedding would be grand because of all the whimsical details that could be incorporated. Not to mention the yummy, traditional Irish food and drink that could be served.Great beer, such as Guinness, and great Whiskey, such as Jameson would be perfect to serve to guests. You could have a whiskey cocktail such as the Irish Apple.

1 part Jameson Irish Whiskey
1½ parts Hiram Walker Sour Apple Schnapps
5 parts Ginger Ale



Traditional dishes such as ham, Cornish game hens, potato soup, and col-cannon (cabbage) are wonderful dishes that could be served as a buffet or as a sit down dinner. I also really love the idea of serving cupcakes with little whimsical shamrocks on them.

Of course, you could do a St. Patrick's Day wedding in a very understated way using a monochromatic color scheme of sage and Kelly green. However, for this inspiration board I chose to celebrate the fun details a St. Patrick's Day wedding could have. I'm a believer that if you are going to have a "theme" wedding, make it grand! You would be surprised at how much guests enjoy having an event design that is obvious. Just remember, a few whimsical details goes a long way. You don't have to include shamrocks on everything, just a few touches here and there will be more than enough!

PHOTO CREDITS: BRENDASWEDDINGBLOG.COM,BLUSHEVENTS.BLOGSPOT.COM,WEDDINGBLOGDIG.COM,ALLWOMENSTALK.COM,BLOG2MODERN.COM,FLIKR.COM, IRISH APPLE COCKTAIL FROM STEPHANIE JERZY - COCKTAILCULTURE.WORDPRESS.COM.

Vendor Spotlight - Wayzata Country Club

Wayzata Country Club is one of the most prestigious country clubs in Minnesota. It is absolutely beautiful, both inside and out. I have had the pleasure of planning a wedding reception at this space and I can't speak highly enough about this venue and its' staff.

Wayzata Country Club is a Tudor style building with elegant gardens, a breathtaking ballroom and fantastic cuisine. Their event staff is top notch and their Catering Director, Katherine Tucker is great to work with. She is a skilled communicator and always very professional and organized! She and her staff provide impeccable service!

The fantastic gardens and the ballroom overlook the outdoor pool which is an amazing view to say the least. The ballroom itself is lavishly decorated with high ceilings, ornate chandeliers,neutral soft green walls and elegant carpeting. Although the ceilings are just beautiful by themselves, the WCC does allow ceiling drapings. In fact, it easy to separate the cocktail space from the dining room by hanging sheer fabric to identify each space.

Their menu is absolutely fabulous and they have a divine selection of both hot and cold hors d'ouerves. The country club only offers sit down dinners, therefore everything runs very smoothly. Staff will make sure that everything is presented quickly, quietly and on schedule to ensure the the flow of the evening is not interrupted.

To host a wedding and reception at the Wayzata Country Club you must be a member or be sponsored by a member. For more information visit the Wayzata Country Club website at www.wayzatacc.com.


PHOTO CREDITS: MCGOUGH CONSTRUCTION, WONDERFUL DAY WEDDINGS, NOEMI HEDRICK PHOTOGRAPHY

The Hottest Color Combo for 2010 - Cobalt Blue and Yellow

I have a client that is a very fashionable, forward thinking, radiant young woman and she has impeccable taste. This blog post is for her! Right now, the hottest wedding colors are cobalt blue and sunny yellow! They pair so nicely together and are perfect colors for a sophisticated summer wedding. There are so many options with these colors. Flowers can be as simple as canary yellow roses and blue irises or something a little bolder like yellow calla lilies and and dark blue hydrangeas.

I also love the idea of blue bridesmaid dresses with the pop of yellow from flowers. Shoes and jewelry could also be used as colorful accessories. I think that dark blue table linens, and napkins with navy tiole china and yellow flower and fruit centerpieces would be divine! Something sophisticated like lemons in a tall hurricane vase with trailing yellow and blue flowers would be so lovely!

The gentleman would look so dapper in navy suits with yellow ties and boutonnieres, and maybe something a little unexpected, like navy and yellow striped socks! Invitations could incorporate yellow and navy toile or something more updated like retro flowers or polka dots. Finally, favors could be blue candies or chocolates in little yellow boxes wrapped with navy ribbon. The possibilities are really endless.

I made this inspiration board because these are the "it" colors for 2010 and I wanted to show that this new and fresh palette is very pleasing to the eye. It is extraordinarily cheerful and elegant at the same time. Cheers to the best color combination of 2010!

PHOTO CREDITS:BRIDAL BUDS, FRIENDS KNIT TOGETHER, THE KNOW, PRETTY CHICKY, STYLE ME PRETTY, PROJECT WEDDING, SHEANDHEPLANWEDDINGS, CAKE THAT! BELLA FIGURA, BOBTHEOILMAN,ONCEWED

A New Spin on Brown & Green

The classic color combo of brown and green is always popular during the summer. Recently, I had an planning meeting with some clients and they told me that brown and green is their color scheme because they are both nature enthusiasts! They love to go camping, hiking, and mountain biking together and wanted to incorporate their love for the outdoors into their wedding.

I created an inspiration board that uses brown and green but in an updated way. Instead of using just two colors, we plan on using different shades of these two colors. A mint and sage green pair nicely and, of course, chocolate and taupe will always be a rich and sophisticated color palette. By using these four colors together with ivory as a neutral we will create a something very visually stunning but in a very simple way. Using monochromatic colors and pairing them together creates a wonderful depth.

Although we are still in the beginning stages of the planning process, I know that this wedding is going to be breathtaking. I'm so excited to incorporate natural, understated elements with a touch of whimsy! My advice to update any color scheme is to use a series of colors in monochromatic shades.

PHOTOCREDITS: THEWEDDINGPLACE.COM, ANN RUTHMAN PHOTOGRAPHY, ZAZZLE.COM,FINESTATIONERY.COM,REDSTAMP.COM, PROJECTWEDDING.COM,FAVORIDEAS.COM, WEDDINGBEE.COM, BRENDASWEDDINGBLOG.COM, SJWEDDINGS.CO.UK, WITHTHISFAVOR.COM,SNIPPETANDINK.COM, STYLEMEPRETTY.COM, THEKNOT.COM

Shabby Chic Wedding

I have a client that is inspired by the shabby chic wedding style which is one of my favorites. Shabby chic is surprisingly versatile, it can be used with whites, pastels and bright colors! All you really need is a touch of whimsy and a dash of romance.

In my opinion, romantic soft flowers such as hydrangeas, roses, calla lilies, peonies, gypsum (babies breath), bleeding hearts, ranunculus, and hypericum berries are ideal. You can use a lot of greens or very few depending on how "fresh from the garden" you want your bouquets and centerpieces to feel.

There are other design elements that can be borrowed from a variety of genres and incorporated into the shabby chic style. For instance, French country is easily translated into shabby chic with the use of toile napkins or hint of print on stationery. Antique white chandeliers with ornate crystals hung from the branches of trees can create an absolutely whimsical atmosphere for a ceremony or outdoor reception.

I love weathered wicker baskets that hold favors wrapped in beautiful antique paper, mixed and matched china with delicate floral designs, elegant Chiavari chairs and urns that are a majestic green from patina. A simple wedding cake dressed in a variety of romantic flowers would be absolutely heavenly, and using a natural element like rocks as escort cards would be dramatic and cost effective. I love the idea of using a white picket fence with flowers as a backdrop for the head table or an old bicycle with a wicker basket as a prop for memorable photos. There are so many fabulous elements that come together to create the romantic atmosphere of a shabby chic wedding.

I think the bride is definitely the jewel. I can just imagine a bride in an elegant gown of ivory lace, or a gown with a fitted bodice and chiffon skirting. Anything that hearkens back to the era of femininity. This style of wedding is above all romantic, elegant and feminine. Perfect.

PHOTOCREDITS: KELLYOSHIROEVENTS.COM,BRANCHINGOUTEVENTFLORIST.COM,THEKNOT.COM, WEDDINGLOCO.COM,BRENDASWEDDINGBLOG.COM,STYLEMEPRETTY.COM, SNIPPETANDINK.COM,WEDDINGDISH.COM,DCNEARLYWEDS.COM,BLOOMSBYTHEBOX.COM, PROJECTWEDDING.COM, BRIDES.COM