Carmen Married Sebastian

It finally happened. Rain that is.



This past Saturday, in a quaint, gorgeously landscaped backyard at a private home in Woodbury, NJ, 91 guests witnessed the union of Carmen to the love her life, Sebastian. Joined by the couple, were their wedding party of their siblings and 19 vendors, 4 of which played beautiful music for the Bride to walk down her stone paved walk.

One hour later we were joined by 3 uninvited guests...and they definitely made their presence know. Their names...rain, thunder and lightening.

In 5+ years of Coordinating weddings, I've been privileged to not have a wedding disturbed by the forces of mother nature. Saturday was no different. As we witnessed torrential downpours, I glanced over to my lovely Bride Carmen and smiled as she was dancing in her Nicole Miller gown embracing the thunder showers and waiting nearby was her handsome new groom. The skies partied long enough Saturday evening for a dry, sunlit ceremony and shortly thereafter, our guests brought a much needed gift for the newlyweds...a breeze.

I was fortunate to be joined by the amazing team of vendors including Feastivities Catering and Blue Line Media Productions, who assisted in making the Mirochna-Bahr Wedding a seamless event.

Looking forward to the pictures Chelsea!

Friday, the thirteenth

day of June, two thousand and eight.




If you've recently placed an invitation order, this line should look all too familiar.

I'm often asked by couples for the etiquette "appropriate" way to word their invitations. Here are some basics to remember:

1. date, year and time are always written in its entirety. Abbreviations are a no-no.

2. 4:00 pm is afternoon, 5:00pm begins evening

3. If your startt ime is on a half-hour interval, i.e. 4:30 pm, your invitation reads "half past..."

4. City and state are included with the address of the ceremony location. Zip codes are not!

Below I've included wording for scenarios often encountered:

Both Parents Inviting:

(Bride's Parents)
and
(Groom's Parents)
request the honor of your
presence at the marriage of
their children
(Bride first, middle name)
and
(Groom first, middle name)
as they happily unite their
hearts their lives and their
cultures through marriage on
(weekday), the (date)
of (month)
Two thousand and eight
at half past five in the evening
xxxx Church
City, State


Bride & Groom Paying for the wedding:
Two lives, two hearts
joined together in friendship
united forever in love.
It is with joy that we,
(Bride)
and
(Groom)
invite you to share
in a celebration of love
as we exchange our marriage
vows
on the fifth day of June
two thousand eight
at four in the afternoon
xxx Church
1 Main Street
City, State

Divorced Parents, Mother of the Bride paying

Mr. and Mrs. xxx
request the honour of your
presence
at the marriage of her daughter
(Bride)
to
(Groom)
on the fifth day of May
two thousand and eight
at six o'clock in the evening
xxx Church
xxxx
City, State

Deceased Parents (Parent of Groom)

(Bride's parents)
request the honour of your
presence at the marriage
of their daughter
(Bride first, middle)
to
(Groom first, middle)
son of (father of Groom)
and late
(Mother of Groom
on Saturday, the twenty-second of December
two thousand and eight
xxx Hotel
1 Main Street
City, State

Happy Friday!

Oh Ladies...

And gents (of course) if you are looking to experience a Bridal showcase like no other, let me introduce you to :




Wednesday, June 25

The Palace at Somerset Park in Somerset, NJ

3pm-8pm

- An Exclusive Vera Wang Bridal Fashion Show

- Cocktail Bar and Tastings

- Complimentary Beauty Services

- Amazing Table Decor

- Luxury Goodie Bags



If would like to attend, please send me a note. I have complimentary admission ticket for 2 and trust me, these events are like non-other!

True Life: I am a Wedding Coordinator

There is a reality TV show on MTV which follows individuals through their every day tasks and documents the struggles and challenges of their "true" life situation. I wish the show extended to us.

Not that the industry needs yet ANOTHER television show, but because there needs to be a less glorified medium to show the real world what it takes to be a Wedding Coordinator. Maybe then the imitators will take a step back.

This industry is far from glamorous, though I can say it is the best job I've had in my almost 30 years of life. While rewarding, the work is tedious, demanding, time sensitive, very high stress and either you have the gene that kicks you into action at the sight of 30-108" linens for 35-60" tables, or you don't. (If you're reading and you're clueless to the last statement and you call your self a planner, it's time to go back to the drawing board).

Couples, if you meet with a so-called "Planner" that can't produce pictures of their work, can't name you 10 banquet facilities, picturesque landmarks in the area or explain the difference between a cocktail reception and cocktail hour...you can rest assured that they do not have a clue as to what they are doing. If someone hasn't taken the time to invest in a professional looking web page or business cards and has instead resorted to a myspace page with a warm hardy welcome of inappropriate rap music, what would leave you to believe that they will handle your wedding with care?

The "Coordinator" may mask this under the pretense of a discount (only $400 for day of) but honestly, if someone is willing to work for $400 for an entire month's worth of work, what kind of product do you really expect?

You get what you pay for. Why waste $400?

I want to make it very clear; I understand everyone starts somewhere. However, there is a huge difference between openly admitting that you are playing "trial run" with a couple's wedding versus extending some ridiculous 50% off discount. The end result is often a more experienced Planner being called in to fix the train wreck you've created.

It's not fair.

Not to the couple and not to the Industry.

Couples if you are considering hiring a Planner, please do your research FIRST. If something does not sit too well with you, consider that your instinct telling you to run and turn the other way and do not look back. Your Coordinator is someone you will work very closely with over the next few months. If your gut is telling you something is sketchy, listen. Otherwise you will get what you pay for...a cheap, unorganized, 1st time experience of someone who may in fact mean well and honestly just doesn't have a clue.

So again I ask, why waste $400?

Carried Away

I'm guilty.

Like many women I know, I ran to the sold-out movie theatre on Friday night for my fix of the fabulous women of Sex and the City and I must say, I was not dissapointed in the least.

I won't spoil it for those of you who haven't had a chance to catch it yet...but I will say that my favorite part of the movie by far...The FASHION. Especially the wedding gowns. Seeing all of the exquisite designer gowns on the big screen is every Planners dream.

The gown that Carrie had the privelege of wearing was by far my favorite, although the feather/veil combination, I was not too thrilled about. What do you think?



Ultra-fabulous.