Vendor Spotlight - The Woods Chapel

The Woods Chapel is located in Wayzata and is the perfect place to host an outdoor garden wedding and reception! The event site is so stunningly beautiful and has an indoor chapel that can be used in case of rain. This is a big bonus! The chapel is able to host 250 guests and is just beautiful.

The outdoor ceremony space features event seating in front of a picturesque pond, complete with fountains! The on-site event coordinators make sure they go off just as the couples kisses. It really is a very unique way to celebrate the moment of marriage.

Underneath the chapel, there is an indoor space that can accommodate small receptions. However, large receptions are able to be held here with tent rental. When it is positioned on the back parking lot, there is plenty of room for a large tent that can hold a many guests. There is also enough room for a catering tent and some vehicle parking.

In addition to this beautiful outdoor space, the Woods Chapel offers ample parking, indoor restrooms and a gorgeous grotto area for an outdoor cocktail hour. The pictures you will get at the Woods Chapel are simply amazing!


This is the perfect location for brides that want an outdoor wedding with the security of having an indoor space in case of bad weather. Tracy McCall is very accommodating and works well with planners and other wedding vendors to make sure that your event will be fantastic.

I definitely love this venue!

Happy Planning!


PHOTO CREDITS: WONDERFUL DAY WEDDINGS, THE WOODS CHAPEL

Continuing Education - CMWA Bridal Panel 2011

I am always finding ways to continue learning about the wedding and special events industry. I attend a variety of networking organizations and their meetings are always very informative. Personally, I think investing in education is essential to keeping up with the expectations of my clientele and this ever changing industry.

I have found a great new networking group close to my business! The Central Minnesota Wedding Association or CMWA. I am looking into becoming a member next year and I was thrilled when they invited me to one of their educational meetings.

The Bridal Panel was held at The Crown Room of Rogers and featured a panel of 8 recently married women. It was exciting because these newlyweds were able to give us insight into the planning process and what prompted them to pick their vendors.

An array of industry professionals, from florists to transportation companies, came together to pick the brains of this guest panel. It was a great format because everyone asked questions anonymously and got honest feedback. We didn't always like what we heard but reality is there will always be room for improvement!

I know that I learned a great deal and I am going to move forward and meet the needs of my clientele based on what I heard at the bridal panel. This educational meeting also gave me the gentle nudge I needed to evaluate myself and my business. I've decided to make a few changes and I have a feeling this year is going to be great! I have so much gratitude for this opportunity.

As always, I hope you are having a wonderful day and happy planning!

The Backyard Wedding

There is something so great about sweet, simple, elegant backyard weddings. Usually they are intimate affairs filled with love. They also tend to be a bit more casual but that doesn't mean that there isn't great food, great entertainment and great event design.

When planning a backyard wedding, you want to make sure that you have a back up plan in case of rain. Tents are always a great idea because whether it is rain or shine, a tent provides an intimate space for guests to gather. It is also a great resource in case the ceremony needs to be moved inside. Simply arrange the chairs around the tables so everyone is facing forward and make an aisle down the middle.

Event design can be simple but elegant. Think bright colors, bright flowers and cool backdrops for photos. This could be as simple as hanging a colorful sheet from a tree branch to creating a picket fence backdrop for your head table. I also love the idea of using large candles grouped together. An even better idea would be to use citronella candles to keep bugs away and make the evening look fantastic!

Food for a backyard wedding can be delicious and laid back! I love the idea of having unique and fun passed hors d'eouvres such as mini cheeseburgers, mozzarella sticks or mini kabobs. Another fabulous idea is to do an appetizer station with wonderful summery foods such as an artisan cheese spread and exotic fruit tray.

For the meal, I would go with good, old fashioned BBQ. Divine Swine Catering is awesome!They will come out, roast up some pig and serve heavenly pulled pork sandwiches. They have all the side fixings too such as corn bread muffins, baked beans and corn on the cob.

Of course, I understand that there are vegetarians at almost every gathering. Food options for them could include a well stocked salad bar, or something as down-home as macaroni & cheese pasta! All of these options are tasty and perfect for a backyard wedding!

In addition to the fantastic nuptials, there has to be something to do for the guests beside mingle during cocktail hour. I suggest yard games. Croquet, bean bag tosses, golf toss and badminton are perfect entertainment before the band begins to play.

Finally, have some evening entertainment. Most communities allow for noise until 10PM so plan nuptials accordingly. Try a 2pm wedding with 2:30-4PM cocktail hour followed by games. Then serve dinner around 5:30pm and have dancing start at 7pm.

For this type of event, I would skip the DJ and opt for a live band. A three or four piece band would be perfect. It could be jazz, country, classic rock...whatever you desire. Make sure that you have a dance floor available for your guests. They are easy to rent & set up but well worth the expense. After all, you don't want grandma to sprain her ankle on an uneven patch in the lawn.

The best part of this type of wedding is that it tends to be intimate. You will be surrounded by friends and family who will be having a great time! What could be better than that? The laid back atmosphere and utter joy that comes from these types of weddings is just awesome.

I love coordinating backyard and intimate weddings. They aren't any less work than a large scale wedding because the details are so significant. However, I can honestly say that they have such charm. I truly hope I've inspired you to consider a backyard fete.

Inspiration board created by Wonderful Day Weddings.
PHOTO CREDITS: SNIPPET & INK, THE KNOT, W-WEDDINGPLANNER.COM,WEDDINGBEE.COM,CHARMCITYBRIDE.COM,MYWEDDINGREPORT.COM,100LAYERCAKE.COM,MARTHA STEWART,

Happy Planning!

Planner's Pick - Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup Shooters

One of the best parts of being a wedding planner is helping clients plan their menu. It is so fun to go on tastings and sample fine cuisine from fantastic chefs. However, not every great hors d'oeuvre has to be something exotic.

Recently, I got to sample grilled cheese and tomato soup shooters. Absolutely heavenly! They came in these really cute clear cups filled with tomato soup and topped with strips of grilled cheese sandwich. Not only was the presentation pleasing to the eye, they were extremely easy to hold and eat while standing. This is an important part of a great hors d'oeuvre!

Needless to say, I think this classic comfort food would be great at any type of wedding. Who doesn't love grilled cheese and tomato soup? It's funny how something so classic can also be so contemporary with just a little twist of the imagination.

The grilled cheese shooter is perfect as a passed hors d'oeuvre during cocktail hour or as a late night snack for those guests that have worked up an appetite on the dance floor.

I would use this as a vegetarian option that isn't obviously vegetarian because it is something that carnivores tend to enjoy. It is a filling, unique and fun way to have a delicious and non fussy hors d'oeuvre at your wedding. This is definitely my planner's pick for a crowd pleasing snack!

PHOTO CREDITS: BORANGPHP.COM

Happy Planning!

Planner's Pick - Fiddle Ferns and Brown Roses

I am so enthusiastic about the fiddle fern and brown roses. I know that these two have been around for awhile but I still think they are a fantastic choice. I love all things unique and I have to say that the fiddle fern and the brown rose are exactly that! They make an amazing combination but they would also look great on their own as the accent flower in your bouquets and centerpieces.

For a summer wedding, elegant brown roses would look lovely paired with this year's "it" color of honeysuckle pink. Use cream as an accent color to incorporate both the masculine and feminine color palettes with a neutral. Furthermore, either the brown rose or fiddle fern would be a perfect boutonniere for the gentlemen.

Although brown roses can be hard to find you should absolutely ask your florist about them. They can also be ordered online but I am always wary of doing this. Have a back up flower in mind if you plan to go this route. Mums would make a great substitution and they are readily available.


For fall, the rustic fiddle fern is the perfect accent flower. It is so unique looking with its multiple shades and curly cue appearance. You can find them in bright green, taupe and chocolate brown. Pairing the fiddle fern with brown roses, rouge calla lilies and bright mums would make for a very graceful autumn bouquet! The fiddle fern has a very rustic appeal and should take center stage in "Earthy" weddings.

They could also be used in the summer with pink roses or pink hydrangea for a very contemporary look! They are simple and intricate at the same time.

Thanks for letting me gush about my favorite florals for 2011! I think we will be seeing these two types of flowers for many years to come and I welcome them as a mainstay.


PHOTO CREDITS: THE PLANNER PAGES,WEDDING BEE

The Rainy Day Wedding

Ugh. It is the middle of March and we are seeing hints of spring in the weather. Unfortunately, it is through rain instead of sunshine. This brings me to the discussion of "the back up plan." If you are planning on having your wedding outside in Minnesota, this is essential.

Everyone would love to have sunny, beautiful weather on their big day. However, it doesn't always go that way. They say that rain brings good luck to a marriage. It is a good thing because it sure can wreak havoc on your wedding. That is, if you don't have plan B in place.

If you are having an indoor ceremony and indoor reception, your back up plan consists of some nice umbrellas. (Believe me, I have seen some amazing pictures of couples kissing in the rain and using umbrellas for props!)However, for those of you that want the outside ceremony with tented reception, there are a few other precautions that you must take in order to have a dream wedding and reception!

Numero uno - you must, must, must have an indoor space that will fit your entire guest list booked as a back up in case of a down pour. It can be standing room only but seating is preferential. It should also be clear to your guests that this is the place to go if it is raining during the time your ceremony is set to start.

I know having a back up venue is an added expense but the alternative is to have a soaking bride with a ruined dress and grumbling guests. Last summer, I went to a distant cousin's wedding and it was raining. She did not have a back up plan, so at least half of her guest list did not come to the ceremony. Many only showed up for the reception or did not come at all.

For brides that are having a tented reception, you must have event flooring in the tent. You don't want to have a muddy wedding dress or your bridesmaid's heels sinking into the ground.

Additionally, for a tented reception you should work with your planner to have a back up floor plan available so the tent can double as your ceremony space should rain set in. This will mean extra work for your planner and catering staff so a decision should be made about two hours prior to the wedding. This will allow for the alternative set up to be ready by the time guests start arriving. If the sun peaks out, know that it would be impossible to reset the ceremony site in 15 minutes and that the ground will still be saturated with moisture and mud.

Personally, I would also have a back up generator on hand from your rental company in case the power goes out. At the very least, make sure you have enough candles to illuminate the space while you are enjoying dinner. The reality is having no power would be a rare occurrence but not unheard of.

I also recommend buying coordinating umbrellas for your entire wedding party. Whether they are used or not. This is a really inexpensive, yet wonderful, fix to rain and can do some amazing things for your photographs. Classic black always looks great in photographs but you could certainly pick colors that coordinate with the wedding party attire as well.

Also, if you want an outdoor wedding make sure that your wedding gown is appropriate. Having a long train or Cathedral veil is not a wise choice if you will be outside. It is OK to have a train but be aware that it will be bustled the majority of the time. Likewise, if it is a sunny day be aware that if you have a heavy dress you will be sweltering! So dress appropriately for an outdoor space.

In Minnesota we have this little problem called mosquitoes. They are incredibly bad when we have moisture so plan to have mosquito repellent available for guests. An even wiser choice is to have an electric mosquito trap!

Finally, I think the most important thing to have on your rainy day wedding is a sense of humor. Your dress will get muddy, it might be unbearably humid or cold. Guests could be delayed or stay home. These are all things that are beyond your control so try and keep a cool head. If the ceremony starts late or you have to use the MP3's on the best man's cell phone as dance music until the electricity comes back, be able to laugh. Be joyful. Everyone will remember your grace under pressure and that is truly a beautiful bride!

PHOTO CREDITS: STYLE WISE IMAGES,HOFFER PHOTOGRAPHY, ERIKA GERDEMARK PHOTOGRAPHY, LITTLE TREE STUDIOS, WEDDING DAZED

Unique Venue - Ski Chalet

I love snowboarding and I am very blessed that I get to go on a snowboarding trip with my husband every year. It is my love for winter sports that inspired me to write about the unique venue of a ski chalet for a wedding!



Generally, ski chalets can be used for summer and fall weddings because during the winter they are being used by winter sports enthusiasts. However, I think that mountains and the rustic elegance of the "cabin culture" we love so much here in Minnesota is an excellent choice for a wedding. The rich, beautiful backdrop of the mountains in the summer and fall will make for breathtaking pictures!

One of my favorite spots to board is Moose Mountain and anyone who has ever been there has seen the fantastic Chalet they have. The Moose Mountain Chalet is absolutely stunning. It boasts a beautiful stone fire place and a really cool slate inside water wall.

It also has some wonderful places for pictures, such as the historic red bridge. They also provide a beautiful wrought iron archway that can be decorated with flowers to create the perfect ceremony backdrop.

If you don't want to travel up to the North Shore for your wedding, we also have a number of fantastic Chalets here in the Twin Cities. My favorite is the Elm Creek Park Reserve Chalet and I have had the great opportunity of planning a wedding there. They have a beautiful fire place, an outdoor patio for the ceremony and tables and chairs that are available on site. However, you do have to rent chairs and linens for the ceremony.

The Elm Creek Park Reserve Chalet has a preferred catering list, a full kitchen and fantastic views for pictures. If you are a very Earthy bride and want a rustic, elegant lodge wedding, this is definitely the premier Chalet in the Twin Cities!



The other wonderful Chalet is located at Afton Alps! My husband grew up in Stillwater and has boarded here for over 15 years. This Chalet is more modern than a traditional lodge but it has really great panoramic views of the hills. They host weddings and receptions here from May-October and can seat up to 400!


Another fantastic Chalet is the Base Lodge at Welch Village located in Rochester. It has a capacity for up to 500 people and is very rustic with all wood beams and walls. They also have tables and chairs available for the reception, but you must rent ceremony chairs and linens.

If you love fantastic views, rustic surroundings and winter sports the unique venue of a Chalet wedding might just be the perfect fit for you! I know that I love the cabin culture and nature of Minnesota and I can think of so many cute details to add to a chalet wedding!


PHOTO CREDITS: MICHELLE HUBER PHOTOGRAPHY, AFTON ALPS.COM, EYESPY PHOTOGRAPHY, TIM LARSEN PHOTOGRAPHY

Happy Planning!

Styling a Kid's Party

My daughter recently turned three and although I didn't set out to style her party from scratch, that is exactly what happened. You see, she wanted to have a "Jessie" party. The problem is that all the party supplies for a Toy Story 3 party is Buzz & Woody. She definitely did not want that!

I started out by custom creating the invitations and menu. Once these were put together I looked for all the other little accents to pull the party together.

We had a tight budget to work with and I ended up spending about $200 overall for her party. This includes the food, party decor, invitations, table centerpiece, favors and games. It was a challenge but with a little creativity, it all worked out in the end!


I was thrilled when I came across some cow print fabric on sale at Walmart. It was only $2.50 per yard and I got three yards to make two table runners. This was a children's party so I used plastic red table cloths, paper napkins, plates and cups in red. Then I styled them by creating custom stickers on my computer using photo editing software, Adobe CS3. After I had my cow print fabric I decided to use it in all the little accents.

There were three different kinds of stickers that I used to customize everything, a Jessie sticker, a hat sticker and cow print strips. I used the hat and Jessie motif on "cupcake" toppers, cups, bottles of milk, and favors. The cow print strips were used as silverware wrappers and as an accent on the cups.

I also created a "Happy Birthday" banner by making cow print paper on my computer, printing it out, and then using a circle punch to create the circles. I then used custom made lettering using my Silhouette SD cutter and pasted the onto the circles. To finish, the banner was clipped on twine using clothes pins! It was so easy and turned out so cute!


Of course, the color scheme for the party was black, white, and red after Jessie's cowprint pants and her bright red hat! I also used touches of yellow and suede brown here and there. I had such a great time making a silverware container out of an old shoe box that I wrapped in brown shipping paper. I tied some raffia around it and put in the rolled silverware, and wallah! I also used the suede brown in the party favors.


I used brown paper bags, raffia and a Jessie sticker to create the party favor bags. Inside I put stickers, a kazoo, bubbles, Toy Story 3 fruit snacks, and balloons. They were a hit with the kids! I also custom made cow print milk bottles for all the little ones. It was super easy, I just used 8 oz. water bottles and a black paint pen to color on spots. Then I filled the bottles with 2% milk and stuck on my custom stickers. I stuck them on ice in an old milking pail and had them set out on the buffet table.


On top of these little details, I created tissue paper balls out of red, white and black tissue paper and then hung them from our ceiling over the tables. For the table centerpiece I used bright red carnations in a cute white metal tin I found at the Good Will. The centerpiece just popped off the cow print runner!

Of course, a birthday party is not complete with out some games and birthday cake! I custom made (surprise, right?!) a "Pin the hat on the Jessie" game for all the kids. First, I used white foam core as the backdrop. Then I found pictures of Jessie online and blew it up so that it took up three pages of 8 x 11 paper.

I then printed her out in sections, and then cut and pieced her together. Then I glued Jessie onto the foam core along with the custom made letters from my Silhouette SD machine.



I did the same thing for the hats but made them a little sturdier by "laminating" them in clear contact paper. It was so fantastic to blindfold the kids with a bandanna, spin them around silly and watch them try to pin the hat on the Jessie! They were giggling and having such a blast. Our winner, Logan, got a bag of M & M's as a prize.

The Menu for the party was Southwest cuisine because Jessie is a cowgirl! We served hard shell tacos with all the fixins. We also had chips, homemade salsa, homemade guacamole, cornbread muffins, cookies and Jessie juice punch.

Since our budget was small this year, I made Lily a Jessie cake at home and ordered an edible image from Fun Cakes for You. It tasted delicious but I admit that my cake crafting skills are definitely not professional. Lily was thrilled to have Jessie on her cake so it was good enough!


Although it was definitely more work then having a "store bought" birthday party it was also really, really fun. I had such a great time putting together all of the details and I know that my daughter was absolutely thrilled to have a real Jessie party. There was nary a Buzz or Woody in sight! It is exactly what she wanted which is always my goal!


CREDITS: COWPRINT FABRIC - WALMART, TABLECLOTH AND PAPER PRODUCTS - PARTY CITY,COW PRINT BALLOONS - AMAZON.COM, INVITATIONS/MENU/STICKERS - WONDERFUL DAY WEDDINGS, FLOWERS - SAM'S CLUB, WHITE TIN - GOOD WILL, CENTERPIECE CREATED BY WONDERFUL DAY WEDDINGS, TISSUE BALLS - WONDERFUL DAY WEDDINGS, EDIBLE IMAGES - FUN CAKES FOR YOU, CUPCAKE TOPPERS - WONDERFUL DAY WEDDINGS, BANNER - WONDERFUL DAY WEDDINGS, GAMES - WONDERFUL DAY WEDDINGS, PHOTOGRAPHY - WONDERFUL DAY WEDDINGS

Martina Liana Bridal Trunk Show

Just a quick note before I end my work day...there is a trunk show coming to Bridal Accents! It will feature Martina Liana gowns and you can have a couture experience without the couture price!

The details: Martina Liana Bridal Couture Trunk Show
March 10-12th, 2011
Bridal Accents Couture
4401 County Road 42 West in Savage
Phone: (952) 846-4496 ext 2
Fax: (952) 846-4268
www.bridalaccentscouture.com

Be sure to make your appointment soon!


Happy Planning!

Earth Friendly Wedding Favors

I know that there are a lot of environmentally friendly couples out there wanting to incorporate their love of this planet into their wedding. That being said, it isn't always easy to do. The wedding industry by nature is wasteful, but that doesn't mean that we cannot try to infuse a little bit of "green" into industry trends.

As a planner, the things that I find to be the most wasteful about weddings are paper products, such as invitations with a gazillion envelopes, personalized napkins, menus at each place setting and ceremony programs. The biggest waste also tends to be one of the details that make each wedding personalized and unique...wedding favors.

Of course, there are things we can commit to doing as conscientious couples and planners. For instance, after the ceremony,I try to collect all the left over programs and recycle them. (I usually keep a couple just in case my clients want these for their wedding scrapbook.) I do the same thing during tear down with the menus and escort cards left at the reception. But what are we to do with wedding favors?

I find that a lot of favors get left behind as well. This isn't a problem if couples use boxes or paper bags because those can be recycled. It is also good if the favor is something edible. I find that the useless trinkets, like little silver wedding bells, are what people leave behind the most. Inevitably, they end up in the trash.

So I propose that couples really investigate doing more Earth friendly favors. Edible is great, especially if you keep the wrapping to a minimum. However, going the extra mile and doing something great for the Earth is even better! Giving away little trees with instructions to plant them in honor of your love would be such an environmentally sweet gesture!

Even if guests don't have a yard, there are plenty of public walking trails with woods in the Twin Cities metro and I'm positive those trees could make it into the ground. I know that not every guest would make the effort to plant the trees but if even half did, you would still be making a positive impact on the Earth.

Giving away flower seeds or great smelling herbs as favors is also an environmentally friendly way to have cute favors with a purpose! That is the greatest gift you can give to your guests and the environment.

PHOTO CREDITS: WONDERFUL DAY WEDDINGS

Happy Planning!