Weddings Made Splendid

The Year in Review: 2011

2012-01-16T10:15:00.000-08:00

I can hardly believe it's already 2012! I know so many people in this industry are saying the same thing as we realize we are already half way through January and I'm clearly no exception. I have to pause and wonder what I did last year to make it fly by so quickly.

While entering my 2011 mileage for tax filing (ugh... does ANYONE like filing taxes) it quickly became clear that I was one busy gal last year. I'm pleased to say that so many of my colleagues can say the same thing - 2011 was a big year for the wedding industry - and it looks like we're all headed for another wonderfully prosperous year in 2012.

Rather than jump right into catching up on blogging from last years incredible events post-July I thought I'd recap some of the more exhilarating things to have come out of 2011, both personal and professionally.

Starting waaaaay back in January...

Wedding Day: Erilynn and Darren tied the knot on 1/1/11. It was a beautiful, sunny California day. (image is courtesy of Cole Joseph Photography). 11 (eleven) is my lucky number so I was PSYCHED to be participating in such a love-filled day with such a sweet couple.

Consultations... hired!
Consultations... hired!
Consultations... HIRED! I like this trend...
The birth of my first nephew! Xavier Earl was born on January 28, 2011 and within two weeks I was cuddling him and ignoring the fact that it was JANUARY IN CANADA!!! I made him those little gloves and toque (beanie). He was also given a matching set in the Hogwarts Griffindor colors! (I somehow have no pictures of this...)

February 2011:

I became the Vice President of the inaugural Wish Upon a Wedding San Diego chapter.
Consultations... hired! (the trend continues!!!)
Vendor meetings - getting to know the new faces on the scene and being honored by having the opportunity to get to know some of the big wigs out there and learning from the best.
Operation "Home Office Remodel" begins!

March 2011:

Client meetings and site visits abound as the new year of weddings begins in earnest for WMS.
Can anyone say "Networking" and "Launch Parties". Magazine Launches, Catering Open Houses and Venue Open Houses are two or three a week!

April 2011:

Wedding...
Wedding...
Networking...
Wedding...
Tastings, client meetings, initial consultations...
Wedding!!!

May 2011:

NO WEDDINGS! It's time for my belated honeymoon! The Hubbs and I saved up for a few years after we married in 2008 and took a two week honeymoon to Scotland. I ate fish and chips almost every day, we walked miles and miles (and miles), drank scotch and beer like it was water and even spent a night in a castle. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect trip. I fell in love with Scotland and if I ever disappear from this beautiful place we call home (that'd be San Diego) it's a safe bet I've moved to Scotland, become a book editor, or a professional knitter, and I'm holed up in a stone cottage (or a castle, I'm not picky) by the fire with my man and a dram of whisky to keep me warm!

June, July, August, September, October and November...

More amazing weddings.
More fabulous vendor meetings.
The Wish Upon a Wedding Launch Party - the biggest attendance to date for a launch party in WUW history - HUGE PROPS to the San Diego vendors to made it happen!
A visit from my parents who haven't been down to see us in a couple of years - we had a fabulous time eating, drinking and shopping!
I GOT AN iPHONE AND LEFT THE DREADED WORLD OF BLACKBERRY BEHIND FOREVER!!!!
11/11/11 - one of the biggest wedding days of the year, which culminated with a fabulous fireworks display on the bay which (by sheer coincidence!) happened just as the wedding I was working that evening was ending. The bride and guests were blown away.
11/12/11 - I boarded a plane for a 7-day cruise to Bahamas and the Virgin Islands to celebrate a wonderful year. Since returning I've been so busy with wrapping up 2011, hosting a Christmas wedding and an early 2012 wedding I haven't even downloaded these pictures yet... I know... I'm lame! But here's one from when we landed back in Miami that I have on my phone (we ran out of space on the camera memory card!) I'm on an air boat in the Everglades with alligators. Heck yeah!

December 2011:

I TURNED 31!!! I had the honor of hosting a fabulous friend-filled night at the Porto Vista Hotel in Little Italy where I was surrounded by my favorite people (and spoiled... oh so spoiled).
My in-laws arrive for a 12 day visit. They promptly turn around the day after arriving and head to Yuma with the Hubband whereas I have to stay home and prep for a December 22nd wedding for an adorable couple out of Virginia.
I adopt a second dog. In 2008 the Hubbs and I adopted a dog named Peaches from the SPCA (you'll see pictures of her on my website) and when the chance arose, we rescued sweet little Zoey on December 15th from being sent BACK to a shelter after having a pretty rough start to her life. She now has a forever home, an older sister and two parents who adore her. Just TRY to get them to sleep on separate pillows!

Christmas Day!
New Years 2012 (or is it 2011?) I never know... celebrated at the home of Siegel Thurston Photography (we know them as Brett and Liz) where we ate, drank, and danced to music videos (no, I'm not kidding) until the countdown and then shuttled ourselves carefully home for a good nights sleep and dreams of a wonderful 2012!

(image courtesy of Siegel Thurston Photography)

Thanks for taking this recap of 2011 with me. I'm so excited for 2012 - may it be YOUR best year yet! Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Engagements: Rich and Kay

2011-09-02T08:21:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe it's already here... well... almost! Waaaaaaay back in December of 2010 I interviewed with this delightful couple about their wedding plans. He's a Navy pilot and she's a lawyer. They met on eHarmony.com and they decided to invite me to share in their 6 month anniversary so we could talk about their nuptials. Was it love from the start? Absolutey - they loved each other right away and I loved them right away.

Since starting my work with Rich and Kay, who tie the knot next Saturday, the coveted date of 9.10.11, Rich has been relocated to the "thriving metropolis" of Meridian, Mississippi. Kay has visited him a few times and I'm always amused at the reports I get about how "lovely" Meridian really is. Having never been myself I can only imagine what it must be like for this two urban-ites somewhere other than a big city. But through it all they've kept their wonderful sense of humor intact and are still as excited as ever to start their lives together as Husband and Wife.

So today we're hosting our final wrap up meeting at the Admiral Kidd Club where they're going to say their "I Do's" and it made me reminisce about all the fun we've had together over the past ten months. I'm going to miss my daily emails with Kay and the banter with Rich. As with all of my other clients, I hope I get to keep these two in my life. So cheers to Rich and Kay - wishing you years and years of happiness. Here's a look back at your engagement session all those many months ago.

Love you guys!

And my absolute favorite (so favorite it's hanging on my wall in my office):

Until next time...
You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Photos courtesy of Resolusean Photography

Wedding Tips: Who's Who in the Program?

2011-08-29T14:26:00.000-07:00

An interesting question has just been posed to me by one of my couples:

"Do I have to include everyone in the bridal party on my program?"

And the answer is: I don't know!

This is a case where I would love your feedback, my friends. In this instance, my lovely bride and groom have a large family, most of which are not participating in the processional and recessional. However, the bride's Grandmother does need an escort down the aisle and an Uncle was selected for this task. I don't know how the Uncle was selected, whether he's a "favorite" or whether he's perhaps the eldest of many and thus has the right, but he's been selected nonetheless.

My bride wold very much like to honor her Grandmother and include her on the program but is worried about all the other Aunt's and Uncles, on both her side and the groom's side, feeling un-included if she names her Uncle, the escort, but none of the rest of them. What would YOU advise her to do? Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

What I Do Best: Leslie and Nate

2011-08-05T10:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon as I baked my cupcakes I reveled in sharing my little foray into the world of baking with my friends on Facebook. The first comment I received after posting an image of my cupcakes in the oven was from today's bride: Leslie! But, since weddings aren't all about brides, let's be sure to give a shout out to her fabulous groom Nate too!

Leslie and Nate live in Minneapolis, Minnesota and were a referral from one of my lovely lady colleagues Lindsy Hines. I can't thank Lindsy enough for this referral - Leslie and Nate were my kind of couple. They had a clear picture of their colors and the feel they wanted for their day and just said "Go for it". They hired each vendor I sent their way and thus created a perfect unity of vendors. My heart still skips a beat when I think about their wedding day. It was awesome!

So before it sounds like I'm bragging about me, let's move onto bragging about Leslie and Nate. They met only a short half year before they called me to help them plan their big day. When I asked about how long they'd been together Leslie told me "Not long, but when you know, you know". And lemme tell ya - these kids hit the nail on the head! Their officiant, Ceremonies by Bethel, told me she hadn't seen a story or vows so touching in a long time so I couldn't wait to hear the Ceremony. It was so heartfelt. And the reaction of the crowd just amplified it - there was no holding back on emotions from this crowd. It was absolutely lovely.

Now backing up a few steps... since Leslie and Nate were from out of town and didn't fly in to San Diego until just a few days before their wedding they decided to host their engagement session the day before the wedding. These images don't disappoint! Sean of Resolusean Photography did an outstanding job, don't you think? And how cool for Leslie - she got to be a bride all dressed up two days in a row! I'm kinda jealous...

When Leslie and I first discussed the details of her day she told me she wanted to keep it simple and put the focus on her and Nate. She envisioned carrying a simple white calla lily wrapped with orange ribbon. And what Leslie wanted, Leslie got. The florals by Branches Floral Studio were simple and elegant and a perfect representation of what Leslie and Nate asked for.

And the cake - oh my, the cake! The first time I met Leslie in person was on her pre-wedding trip to San Diego during which she crammed in 3 different tastings at bakeries here in San Diego. Once she found Sweetcheeks Baking Co. her choice was made. Not only was this cake absolutely beautiful, but it was delicious. I was honored when Leslie herself handed me a piece of cake and said "Eat!". I didn't have to be told twice!

And let's not forget the food. Leslie and Nate are foodies. And they love good food - wholesome, stick to your ribs food. So when Chef Dave of Chef DK Catering came along, once again it was a slam dunk. His cheeseboard presentation was lovely and his braised beef short ribs (which in my mind are his signature dish) bowled them over. The guests couldn't get enough!

A funny moment that I remember from the wedding was when I was asked by a guest whether I had glasses that matched all of my clients weddings. I don't, sadly, but Leslie and Nate's main color was orange and my glasses happen to have bright orange "turn signals" (so deemed by my Husband) on them so it was a perfect match. To top it all off, their super-fabulous florist gave me a bright orange corsage to match their theme color. I loved this couple!

Ok, so since I can't stop looking at these images of Leslie and Nate I'm going to post a whole bunch more of their photos here because I love them (the photos and Leslie and Nate). Enjoy! Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Leslie and Nate's A-MAZING Vendor Team:

Venue: Private Residence

Bakery: Sweetcheeks Baking Co.

Florist: Branches Floral Studio

Photography: Resolusean Photography

Coordination: Weddings Made Splendid

Officiant: Ceremonies by Bethel

Catering: Chef DK Catering

The back of the private residence - LOVE the orange touches in the space.

Such a wonderful punch of color!

A simple but sweet boutonniere by Branches Floral Studio

Nate didn't get the memo that this picture was for those of us 5'-5" and under!

There was so much love at this event - the guys were hilarious!

By far, one of my favorite images! So powerful.

CAKE TIME!

Congratulations Leslie and Nate. We wish you years and years of happiness and are so proud to have you as part of our Weddings Made Splendid family!

In My Opinion: Taking Time For Me!

2011-08-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

Business is good. The wedding industry is making a come-back and many of my colleagues, if not all of them, are busy. Like, busy busy. Maybe too busy! Please don't mistake this for complaining - we love what we do and as a result a lot of what we do doesn't feel like "work" - but I'm left wondering if this love for what we do, and our commitment to it doesn't allow us to be objective about what we need.

I received an email from a colleague this morning (and if he reads this he'll know who he is - love you, guy!) apologizing for not getting back to me "sooner" because he'd taken a day off yesterday. I'd like to point out that it was a relatively innocuous email, nothing that required immediate attention, and it only took him 13 and a bit hours for him to respond. 13 hours! That's it. I wish all of my emails to vendors, clients and family members were answered within 13 hours.

So I'm reflecting today on behalf of all of my colleagues who are small business owners - do we take enough time for ourselves? And as I type this (this is a very impromptu post so I'm wingin' it!) I think back to what I've done this week alone: I've sent several dozen emails on behalf of my clients, I've followed up with past clients, I've attended (and got to host) a meeting for a non-profit organization (shout out to Wish Upon a Wedding - woot!), I've made head starts on future events and I attended a celebration for another colleague who is celebrating 10 years in business (can I get another "woot woot" for Bauman Photographers)... and that's just what I remember. Sure, there are some wonderful things in there but a lot of it is work related. Where's the time for me?

Because of this work-centric review of the past few days (months, really) I'm putting this challenge out to all of my colleagues: take some time for yourselves this week (and don't apologize for it). If you meet up with friends, especially if they're friends from the industry, talk about you, not your clients or your ROI. Spend twenty minutes lying on the floor just scratching your dogs belly or grab your favorite person, a bottle of wine and a cheesy movie and just turn off for a few hours. Literally - turn off: cell phones, iPad's, laptops... whatever bings or beeps or chimes at you and takes you away from your relaxing. Just take care of you.

To my colleague I reference above: kudo's to you, my friend, for taking care of you! I have decided that because I have a few spare hours today that I'm going to bake some cupcakes. And then I'm going to serve them to my colleagues who are coming over this afternoon. We'll have a glass of wine, some gossip, and a little R'n'R (that's "Rest and Repair") to see us through until the next time we take a few hours for ourselves.

What do you think you might do to take care of you? Remember the old adage: We work to live, we don't live to work. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Image source: http://www.vinodnarayan.com/my-two-cents/the-time-to-relax-is-when-you-dont-have-time-for-it/

Wedding Tip: City Site Permits

2011-07-25T09:50:00.000-07:00

With oodles of beautiful sites in San Diego, and the hundreds, if not thousands of permits granted to couples each year, one major misconception seems to go uncorrected with regard to the Park Use Permit. So today, let's set the record straight.

When couples decide to marry at any one of San Diego's outdoor spaces such as Calumet Park, Sunset Point, or even some of the grounds in and around Balboa Park that are owned by the City of San Diego, it's a requirement to obtain a permit to use the space. These permits range in cost but are generally in the mid $200's for the use of the space, and are often limited to 4 hours of use, including setup and tear down of the venue (chairs, decor, etc.). One thing they do have in common, though, is their limited ability to use the space.

In short, what this means is that you, as the permit holder, may use the space - you have full permission to be there and no one can kick you out of the space for those 4 hours. What it doesn't mean is that you have permission to kick other people off of the site. It's been my experience that this subtle directive is often missed being told to a couple when they have their permit granted.

With that said... and there's always a silver lining... many people of the general public, when notified that a wedding is about to occur and would they please stay out of the way of guests and vendors, are more than happy to let a couple have their moment without interruption. I'm reminded of a moment at this past weekend's wedding where the mother of the bride demanded that all patrons of the park not a guest of the wedding be removed from the site as her daughter would "freak out" if she saw them. I explained to the mother that we had permission to use the space, not remove people from it. I explained further that yes, you have a permit to use it, but no, you do not have permission (or the right) to demand people leave. All's well that ends well as the couple of people still on the site were more than happy to vacate when I asked them if they wouldn't mind stepping away for 20 minutes on behalf of the bride's request. I realize that it doesn't always happen this easily, but on this particular day, we were lucky.

If you wish to submit a permit to host an event at a city space, click here to be redirected to their online application form. For more general information about park use visit their website by clicking here. And lastly, for more information about fees associated with the use of the city parks, click here. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Announcement: Sweet Cheeks Baking Co. Takes the {cup}Cake

2011-07-20T08:51:00.000-07:00

Every week I record "Cupcake Wars" on my DVR and every Wednesday morning I get up to watch it (barring meetings, of course). But this week was different - THIS week I couldn't wait to get home from my night out to watch it. You see, one of San Diego's rising-star bakeries was competing: Sweet Cheeks Baking Co.!!!

To my utter horror when I got home after our night out I found out that my recorded episode had errors on it. PANIC! I quickly searched the guide and found that another episode was being aired at midnight. Tragedy averted. I could go to bed, wake up refreshed as I always do, and watch it first thing in the morning. But then I was hit but another thought: my morning ritual of grabbing the ol' BlackBerry and trolling Facebook before I roll out of bed would thwart my attempts to watch the show without knowing the winner. Surely one of my colleagues, or Sweet Cheeks themselves, would post about their winning. So I tossed and turned in bed until 12:40am at which point I decided there was nothing to do but go out on the couch and watch it.

And watch it I did. It was a nail-biter. Kristy had me convinced once or twice that her time was done. And then the hosts statement at the end made me think that Hillary, the other contestant, had won it. But no-siree! Kristy and the Sweet Cheeks Baking Co. were victorious and took home a win that would make any San Diegan proud.

Congratulations to Kristy and Katrina who put up a big WIN for the whole Sweet Cheeks team! It was worth staying up so late to see such a sweet victory! Until next time...

You cut the {cup}cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Engagements: Ileana and John

2011-07-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Canada Day! The land from which I hail is celebrating it's 144th birthday today. Go Canada!

And it's an appropriate day to write about my July 30th client on a day such as this simply because if any one of my clients were to cheer me on, it would be Ileana. She is one of the kindest-hearted, most considerate ladies I've had the opportunity to meet and above all else, she's supportive of everyone and everything. It's no wonder she's such good friend with Bethel (of Ceremonies by Bethel).

Speaking of Bethel, Ileana and John are another referral from her, an honor for which I'm always grateful. Most of my work throughout the planning process has been with Ileana but I knew that if this wonderful woman was in love with him, then everyone would enjoy him. And, as it turns out, I was right. He's a soft-spoken guy (except when their high-energy DJ, DJ Kandu, is around, and then the fun starts to fly!).

This engagement shoot was all around Oceanside where John grew up (I TOLD you Ileana was sweet). They spent some time on the Oceanside High School campus, a park where John spent his formative years and finally at the Oceanside Pier and beach.

I can't WAIT to see their wedding day pictures and brag about all the amazing vendors they've brought on board. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Giving Back: Wish Upon a Wedding Sponsoring Vendors

2011-06-28T10:20:00.000-07:00

It's here, it's here! The Wish Upon a Wedding San Diego launch party has finally arrived! It's hard to believe that just 3 weeks ago we were given the "green light" to go, go, GO! to get this event hosted and it's finally arrived. Thanks to an extraordinary board of directors with the San Diego WUW chapter and the incredible talents of Liz Beck Events (our BOD Events Chair) we're hosting a party with over 300 registrants to share the good word about Wish Upon a Wedding.

What's most extraordinary, is the generosity we've felt from vendors in every category here in San Diego. It takes a huge team with wonderful hearts to host a non-profit event that is free for all attendees but we did it. Below is a collection of our sponsoring vendors who deserve major kudo's for their dedication to the Wish Upon a Wedding organization.

We heart our San Diego vendors! Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

What I Do Best: Rachel and Dan

2011-06-27T09:41:00.000-07:00

Referrals from vendors are a gals best friend (or a guys, really, but since I'm a gal... well... you get it). Rachel and Dan came into my life after a wonderful referral from my friend and colleague Bethel of Ceremonies by Bethel. It was an instant connection with Rachel and Dan and we had a blast working together their final month of planning to help them coordinate all of their hard work into their dream day.

From the day we met Rachel described her red as "fire engine red" and it didn't disappoint - when I started collecting her personal items and getting a glimpse of the red elements it was clear that her goal was to host an elegant day with fire engine red accents.

Between curling the mother of the grooms hair and repairing suspenders for the best man, Starr and I were kept hopping throughout the day. However, the staff at Grand Pacific Palisades were amazing to working with and were ready to take on last minute changes like moving cocktail hour indoors before the guests could get rained on (or blown away!).

All in all it was a fun-filled (if not incredibly windy) day up at the Grand Pacific Palisades in Carlsbad. Big props to Sean Walker Photography for capturing all of their special moments!

Sadly, a week before Rachel and Dan's wedding, she had a grandfather pass away. In a last minute memorial for her grandfather, we coordinated a special candle lighting ceremony just before the cake cutting in honor of her grandfather. It was a beautifully touching moment that their entire collection of guests were moved by. I'm not sure there was a dry eye left in the room after Rachel shared a few words about her grandfather.

Cheers to you, Rachel and Dan. We wish you many years of health and happiness! Until next time...
You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Rachel and Dan's Vendor Team:
Venue: Grand Pacific Palisades
Photography: Sean Walker Photography
Cocktail Hour & Reception Music: Injoy Entertainment
Linens: A Perfect Table
Officiant: Ceremonies by Bethel
Wedding Coordination: Weddings Made Splendid
Bakery: Edelweiss European Bakery
Ceremony music, florals, hair and makeup: friends and family of the bride

Engagements: Mary and Chris

2011-06-24T09:46:00.000-07:00

You know when you have that friend that you are always excited to hear from because you just think they have that "it" factor that makes you want to hang out with them? Mary and Chris are those people. And they're one of my clients this year. Not only do I like hanging out with them but I cannot WAIT to be a part of their day.

AND! They love their vendors. Not a little... a LOT! On their wedding website they actually have a page dedicated to the vendors they love. It's awesome! I always feel like my clients like me and they appreciate what I do but its amazing to see it there in black and white (or sepia tone at least). So while I'm pumped to share these photos with you (MORE photos from the ever-fabulous La Vida Creations) I'm more excited to share that I have another amazing couple who are so lucky to have found one another and deserve the wedding of their dreams. I love my clients!

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the awesome-ness of Mary and Chris's engagement shoot!

Mary is definitely Chris's biggest fan! Until next time...
You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Engagements: Lori and Keith

2011-06-20T10:25:00.000-07:00

There are some awesome photographers here in San Diego and I'm always so proud to call them friends. I love all aspects of weddings but there's something magical about going back and looking at the photos of the couple not only on the day of their wedding, but their engagement session too.

Here is a great engagement session by none other than the uber-fabulous Jeff and Betsy McCue of La Vida Creations Photography. I have the extreme pleasure of working with them to help this adorable couple, Keith and Lori, host their October 1st wedding at the La Jolla Bridge Club. It's going to be an outstanding day!

I spend a lot of time looking at La Vida's photographs and all I can say is: "By Jove, they've done it again". Their blues always blow me away and this photo shoot is no different. Well done, my friends, well done! Keith and Lori look spectacular!

Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Giving Back: Wish Upon a Wedding Launch Party

2011-06-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

Let's not deny that financially things have been a bit dicey for everyone these past two or three years. Many San Diegans, and Americans across the country, have lost their jobs, financial stability and in some cases their homes. But through all of that comes a bright shining star of hope and love: Wish Upon a Wedding.

Founded by Liz Guthrie just 18 short months ago, Wish Upon a Wedding is a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization that provides weddings and vow renewals to couples facing terminal illness or other serious life-altering circumstances, regardless of sexual orientation. Often, couples facing such situations do not have the energy, time, money, or resources needed to plan their wedding. Wish Upon a Wedding takes care of all the details, offering couples a chance to relax and enjoy a very special day while surrounded by the love of their closes family and friends.

I'm so excited to announce that San Diego is finally launching it's own chapter in just 11 short days! Mark it on your calendar, folks: June 28th from 6:30 to 9:30pm at the Destination Event Center in La Jolla. To register for this fabulous event, party with your vendor colleagues, and learn more about the love and hope being spread by Wish Upon a Wedding head on over to the Registration Page to book your FREE tickets now!

Weddings Made Splendid and it's team is so honored to be a part of this great organization! I can't wait to see you all there!

Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

A Client Says it Best: Lisa and Danny

2011-06-17T08:45:00.001-07:00

Following up on the beautiful images from Lisa and Danny's April wedding, are their beautiful words about working with me. Thank you, Lisa and Danny, for inviting me to be a part of your special day!

Meaghan Schmaltz was an absolute dream to work with. She made our wedding day and month leading up to the big day seem so organized and I can't imagine having to sort through all the little details ourselves. We still talk about the fact that it was one of the best decisions we made with the wedding.

She just jumped in and took control of the situation providing recommendations and advice along the way. After our first meeting, she was able to pick up on our style and was such a pleasure to work with.

I wasn't sure at first if I was going to use a wedding planner, since we were trying to keep within a budget. I can honestly say that our decision to use a wedding planner made all the difference in the world. Our decision to go with Meaghan was worth every penny and more! After several weeks of research, they not only were the most affordable, but the quality of service far succeeded what we paid for.

She helped me with the month of services as well as on our wedding rehearsal and wedding day. I couldnt have done it without her. I have a pretty crazy schedule with work and she was able to meet me around my schedule. She spoke to all the vendors prior to wedding and had them where they needed to be, answering all their questions. She had diagrams of both the ceremony and reception locations done and to me the day after we met at each location. She worked through several last minute situations we had and we even changed reception locations the last month. She always got back to me immediately with answers or suggestions to the many questions and concerns I had.

My family and friends all pulled me aside at different times praising Meaghan for the behind the scenes work and how extremely organized and patient she was. My parents even had her stay longer that we had contracted her for because they didn't want her to leave! It sure takes all the stress off the bride and any family members you think you want to designate to do things.

We had our ceremony and reception in two separate locations. She and her assistant covered every last detail and were always available for anyone needing anything the day of. I would absolutely recommend Weddings Made Splendid to every bride that thinks she can do it on her own or to anyone looking for someone to jump right in and keep your life organized during the madness! :) She is creative, professional and super detail oriented.

Thanks Meaghan!!

You're welcome Lisa! Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

What I Do Best: Lisa and Danny

2011-06-15T08:47:00.000-07:00

I've discovered that San Diego is the biggest, small town I could live in. With the county of San Diego registering just over 3 million residents (according to the 2008 census) I'm amazed at the little connections between my personal and professional life.

I met Lisa in the fall of 2010 and was hired to be their Month Of wedding coordinator for their wedding at Stout, a unique little pub in downtown. I didn't meet Danny until much later. A month and a half before their big day Lisa decided that her previous reception space wasn't going to be able to accommodate her needs and her growing guest list so we switched gears and moved on over to The Local Eatery & Drinking Hole. It was a great move - the folks over at The Local, especially Mina, their manager, were great to work with. They love life, love their pub, and love their clientele. It was a wedding reception made in heaven... in a small pub in downtown San Diego.

Two weeks before their wedding Lisa and I were exchanging information via email and I noticed the street address that was attached to Danny's email signature. And I noticed that Danny was a chiropractor. In the same building as my chiropractor. It turns out that Danny not only used to work in the same office as my chiropractor, but that in fact, my chiropractor, Dr. Piranio, was a guest at Lisa and Danny's wedding. It was great to see the look on Dr. P's face when I told him that he'd see me at "Govey's" wedding (Dr. P's nickname for Danny).

In any case, to make a long story even longer, not only did I love my clients, Lisa and Danny, but I loved their guest list. It was one of the friendliest crowds a planner could ask for, and a crowd that so loved Lisa and Danny. Despite hosting a good sized reception of about 150 people, everyone in that room loved Lisa and Danny.

Huge kudo's to Narrative Images for these gorgeous photos and to Flowers by Erin for providing these stunning florals (the succulents are to DIE for!). Oh, and lest we forget, major props to Elite Image Limousines for pulling out a win for Lisa and Danny at the last minute when their previous limo company bailed on them 5 short days before their wedding! See below the images for a full list of venues and vendors.

You can see in these photos (especially this last one of the Hora - which is brave beyond words in my opinion) this happy couple didn't stop smiling the whole day. Even getting ready they wore ear to ear grins. It was a beautiful day. I loved being a part of it - that's all there is to it! Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Lisa and Danny's Vendor Team:
Cakery and Donuts (yes! They had donuts!): VG's Donuts and Bakery
Ceremony Site: Sunset Point
Ceremony Musician: Rico Entertainment Inc.
Charter Bus: Sun Diego Charter Co.
Cocktail and Reception Site: The Local Eatery & Drinking Hole
Cocktail and Reception Music: Chris Cote (friend)
Coordination: Weddings Made Splendid
Florist: Flowers by Erin
Hair Stylist: Margeaux Weith
Limousine: Elite Image Limousines
Makeup Arist: Karen Simon
Officiant: Cameron Fomby (friend)
Photography: Narrative Images
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Videographer: Thad Crosky (friend)

A Client Says it Best: Elysa and Todd

2011-06-06T12:04:00.000-07:00

Every so often a little treat shows up in my inbox. One of my latest "treats" showed up while I was recently away on my own (very belated) honeymoon in Scotland. While my trip was everything I could have hoped for, and more, this little gem made me smile. I love my clients.

Todd and Elysa were married on May 1 of 2010 and it may have taken her a long time to review me, but it was well worth the wait.

I was introduced to Meaghan Schmaltz, owner of Weddings Made Splendid, roughly a year before my wedding date. My brother, who so happened to be in a business networking group with her, told me how wonderful she was and that he knew that with her personality and her love of weddings Meaghan and I would be a perfect fit. Well... He was right!

I briefly spoke with Meaghan on the phone and she offered to come into town to meet with me about possibly hiring her on as my "Day-Of" Wedding Coordinator. The moment I met her I knew that I wasn't going to meet with anyone else. Meaghan and Weddings Made Splendid was it! From the moment she introduced herself to me I felt at ease and reassured that my wedding would be in the right hands; the best hands.

Over the course of planning my wedding we ran into some unfortunate financial issues and Meaghan, in her sweet demeanor, reassured me that we could make it work. She was the calming and reaffirming personality that I needed in my life at that time. At that moment in the planning process she was not acting as a paid Wedding Coordinator, she was acting as a friend.

Meaghan went above and beyond to make my day perfect. If I had any questions along the course of planning the wedding she had an answer. She walked me through the "how-to’s" on the proper way of addressing invitations, she made sure my invitation inserts were the way I wanted them, and she was even there to meet with certain vendors and walk through the event sites to envision the wedding day with me. Each step of the way Meaghan was there! I was treated like I was Weddings Made Splendid’s only client and not once did I feel unimportant or ignored.

On my Wedding Day I felt like I was on a cloud. I look back and I don't think I had a single moment of worry or uncertainty. I knew my wedding was in the right hands. If there were any problems behind the scenes they were fixed by the Weddings Made Splendid team before anyone knew what happened. Meaghan and her team made sure my husband and I had Hors d'œuvres and drinks awaiting us when we arrived during the cocktail hour and throughout the reception they always had fresh drinks for us at our table. The timeline was followed perfectly and all the guest and vendors had a great day/night. Meaghan and her team made my wedding day a perfect experience!

Meaghan Schmaltz is not only an amazing person, but is quite possibly one of the best wedding coordinators a girl could have. Meaghan and her Weddings Made Splendid team are worth every penny. They are guaranteed to make your wedding day spectacular! Weddings Made Splendid is a must!

Thank you, Todd and Elysa. It was a joy to be part of your day! Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Photo courtesy of Stephen Knuth Photography

Announcement: Exquisite Weddings Magazine - En Vogue Spring 2011

2011-03-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

Weddings Made Splendid is proud to share that we were featured in the "En Vogue" section (pages 32 and 34) of the spring 2011 Exquisite Weddings Magazine released on March 1.

It's an honor to be featured beside such a wonderful group of vendors. And I want to give an extra special "THANK YOU" to Chana and Don of Photography by Chana and Don for not only taking this great photo but sharing it with me to enter for the magazine. You two ROCK!

So without further ado, here is the overall spread of the page and a blow up of the actual image and article that was selected for the magazine.

Thank you again to Exquisite Weddings Magazine for highlighting this beautiful event and for promoting such fun ideas for San Diego's engaged couples! Keep up the amazing work. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Personally Speaking: A Cupcake Garland

2011-03-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if this is going to be a regular segment on my blog or not but since I'm in good spirits today I thought it would be fun to share this.

I find that our industry, as rewarding as it is, is very demanding of our time and energy. Working directly with clients makes us all responsible on an hour by hour (even minute by minute) basis. Phone calls. Emails. Texts! It seems someone always wants something. And I'm only too happy to help my clients because at the end of the day, I've made a difference in their big day. And that's what makes me happiest.

But what about us? What makes us happy? I love to read and knit and crochet. Yes, very solitary crafts, to be sure, but I enjoy just kicking back on a Sunday afternoon with some yarn and letting the day roll by. I'm taking care of myself. But this week, I got to take care of me AND a colleague at the same time.

The adorable and amazing Courtney Tibbets of After the Engagement loves cupcakes. Two and a half weeks ago she found a pattern for a cupcake garland by Twinkie Chan on the Rock'n'Roll Bride blog. She posted on Facebook asking if anyone knew how to crochet and I immediately knew I could kill two birds with one stone on this project. Make me happy. And make someone else happy. And I did. And today I'm hitting the pavement with my heart singing! Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

What WE Do Best: St Patty's Day 2011

2011-03-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

When I introduced Starr to the community as the newest member of Weddings Made Splendid I think I made mention that I met her through a client. This client was (and still is) Starr's fabulous sister Gemma. Gemma loves to cook. And bake. And host parties. Undeniably, so do Starr and I. So when Gemma suggested a St. Patty's day party we were all in.

We all played our roles and while I'm no professional photographer by any stretch of the imagination, one of my roles was as photographer. Starr worked out the details of the decor items and the rentals and Gemma handled the venue (read: her house!) and some cooking. I even tackled a little work in the kitchen. So here are the end results of our little end of the week, post-St. Patty's day celebration. It was delicious!

Starting with the decor - Starr recognized that going all green would be a bit much. She got creative and found a beautiful butter yellow to mix with the kelly green sashes for this adorable combination. Gemma then found some floating shamrocks and hung them from the ceiling. The men were just for decoration.

Starr also selected some adorable silverware, fabulous glassware and elegant china to match the event. All the rental items are courtesy of Classic Party Rentals, San Diego.

And last but not least, the food! We had beer cupcakes supplied by our friend Rena; a martini-glass mashed potato bar with all the accouterments, vegetarian cornish pasties and artichoke stuffed mushroom caps by Gemma; onions and carrots, cabbage, corned beef and sweet rolls and GREEN margaritas by ME! There might have been just a little bit of food. And we can't ignore the piece de resistance - the green fruit and veggie tray by our friend Ryan. Feast your eyes on this... er... feast!

Huge thanks to our newest team member, Starr, for the excellent decor! Until next time...

You cut the cake; we'll cut the chaos!

Wedding Tip: Reading Online Vendor Reviews

2011-03-16T09:36:00.000-07:00

Back in January of 2010 (how is that a year ago already?) I guest-blogged for Bridal Scoop about the tech-savvy bride (read the article HERE). If the article was pertinent a year ago, it's even more so now as the expansions of online review forums grows. I'm revisiting the notion of online reviews after a phone call from a colleague inquiring whether I had worked with a certain company for Wedding services in the past. While my answer was "no", I was able to quickly learn some very interesting things about the vendor in question.

As an individual in the Wedding industry I have my favorite places to go for reviews. I'll be honest - I don't really surf The Knot very much. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it as a resource, in fact many brides love it, but I have my favorite. So here's my shameless plug - I LOVE WeddingWire as a review platform. It's "younger" than The Knot, as it's only been around for about 5+ years, but it's a growing community and I'm glad to be on the ground floor with it.

Okay, so opinion aside, here's are my tips on reading vendor reviews no matter which site you're on:

Read more than just one or two reviews. No, you don't need to read all 70 reviews if the vendor has been around for a while but don't just see the top two and go "Ok, seems good".
See if the vendor has links to other review sites. As an example, I'm on WeddingWire, but I'm also on Yelp and Google Places. These three review areas don't automatically feed to one another so you won't necessarily get the same reviews in all three places.
Read new and old reviews. Some vendors have been around for years and years and have reviews from 10 years ago. Look back and see where they've come from. In most cases, reviews get better as the vendor gets experience but it's not bad to go back and see what the problems were. Is it a constant criticism even now?
Read good and bad reviews. On WeddingWire specifically you can list a vendors reviews by date (oldest to newest, or vice versa) or by rating (highest to lowest). A good review is a good review, to be sure, but what are the points raised in the bad reviews? Maybe it's something you can live with (a vendor taking 48 hours to respond to your communications) or maybe it's something that would absolutely ruin your day (a vendor playing the wrong song for your grand entrance).

Of all of these tips, the fourth one is something I encourage the most. It's defaulted on WeddingWire to show the highest-rated reviews first. It's great for a vendor to showcase all of their best reviews at the top but it's only fair for you to know the nitty gritty about things too! Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

In My Opinion: Experience As You Like It

2011-03-10T10:04:00.000-08:00

A couple of tidbits of information here:

I posted about this topic on my Facebook Fan Page last night and raised a few eyebrows (and got a few kudo's) there and on Twitter.
I tried to write a post about this topic and failed as I got muddled in my ideas.

So, today's post is the end result of a fruitless attempt to write a good post. I'm going to piggy back a bit on last nights Facebook post by saying that you should definitely go read the article about why you should never skimp on your Wedding photography. This article by Southhall Eden is what I was trying to say but likely more succinctly. Go. Go now! Then come back and read the rest of this post. (side note: I can just see those internet guru's cringing at my asking you to step away from this post).

I'd like to follow this up by quoting a colleague who quoted a colleague. If either of these colleagues read this post and wish to claim that they said this I'm all for it but I don't want to name names if the quotee isn't looking for that spotlight. Did you follow that? So here it is, the gem of a quote:

"You can pay for experience. Or you can pay for someone to get experience."

There are a lot of vendors out there. Many of them are fabulous and it doesn't necessarily relate directly to the price of their product or service or their level of experience. Just ask yourself what you're paying for when you have two photographers (or any other vendor for that matter, phtoography is just the name of the game today) offering 8 hours of coverage and an album for two wildy different prices. If one package is $1,000 and one is $3,500, ask yourself "what am I paying for?". Odds are, it's experience.

There are all sorts of arguments about experience - "just because you're new doesn't mean you aren't good", or "but I can't get experience without having experience"... yes, yes, I know. And I am more than willing to discuss that at a future point, but I want to just put it out there - experience does cost you one way or another. If you want to give a newbie a chance ('cuz we've all been newbies, for sure) pay a "newbie" price but don't expect to pay a "newbie" price to someone with experience. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Wedding Tip: Hotel Blocks

2011-02-22T11:54:00.000-08:00

Late last week I had a conversation with one of Weddings Made Splendid's beautiful 11/11/11 brides and it sparked a blog post idea - and this would be that post!

With so many of today's Wedding invite lists including more and more family and friends from out of town, many engaged couples start to look at blocking groups of hotel rooms for their guests. I think its a wonderful idea, especially as your out-of-town guest numbers increase beyond what can be accommodated at friends or family homes. There are two options that I tell my clients about when it comes to room blocks.

1) Guaranteed Room Blocks

A Guaranteed room block involves a contract with the hotel and can cost the client financially. To break it down as simply as I can without confusing my words, a couple may contact a hotel and ask the hotel to set aside a block of rooms for their guests which the invitees may book up until the day of the event, so long as there are still rooms available. Sometimes the hotel may be able to offer a reduced rate on these rooms, but by no means are they required to. Hotels often have a Room Block minimum of ten rooms per night, though every hotel is different. The contract and guarantee enter the picture insofar as that you, as the guarantor/signee of the contract, are responsible for the costs of these rooms.

See... I feel like my words are getting confused. So I'll break it down in point form so it makes sense without getting too wordy.

*This case is fictitious (except the names and date 'cuz I know they won't mind).

Mary and Chris and getting married on 11/11/11. They have 23 guests coming from out of town who will need rooms and may potentially stay at "Hotel A".
Mary and Chris sign a 10 room, 2 night guarantee with "Hotel A" at a room rate of $129 per room, per night.
Only 7 guests choose to stay at "Hotel A" for the two nights. No one stays for one night.
3 rooms do not get booked which essentially means 6 nights are unaccounted for in the hotels books.
Mary and Chris are now responsible to the hotel to the tune of $774.00 plus taxes.

I (much to the the frustration of hotels, I'm sure) rarely recommend this to my clients unless they know for sure that their guests will fill up the reserved rooms. Another thing to note in the case of guaranteed rooms that's a bonus, though, is that if, like Mary and Chris, you have 23 guests who will need rooms and you only guarantee 10, if those 10 rooms book up at a reduced rate offered by the hotel, the hotel will oftentimes allow you to book another 10 rooms at the reduced rate for the other 13 guests so they, too, can take advantage of the rate reduction.

Clear as mud? Excellent! Let's move on to the second option.

2) Courtesy Room Blocks/Group Room Blocks

These are definitely harder to come by, especially during high tourist season (April through October) and impossible to find during Comicon! However, it never hurts to ask a hotel about this option. For brevity's sake I'll just resort to the point form method.

Mary and Chris and getting married on 11/11/11. They have 23 guests coming from out of town who will need rooms and may potentially stay at "Hotel A".
"Hotel A" offers them a 12 room courtesy block for $129 per room, per night, for two nights, until September 1, 2011
These 12 rooms are on a first come, first served basis
Invitees are instructed to ask for the "Mary and Chris" room rate and are notified that they should book before September 1, 2011.
5 invitees call before August 1st and are able to take advantage of the reduced room rate. 5 more call after August 2nd and are told no more rooms are available as the hotel has booked out.
Mary and Chris are not responsible for any outstanding rooms that weren't booked, however some guests weren't able to get the rooms as the hotel booked out event before the "Book By" date

There are advantages and disadvantages to both options. If you are budget-conscious I always recommend the second option but I encourage my clients to consider the number of guests coming from out of town and what time of year they will be hosting their event. If it's a busy season it might be worth your time, and the convenience for your guests, to consider the Guaranteed Room Rate option. Until next time...

You cut the cake; we'll cut the chaos!

A Client Says it Best: Erilynn and Darren

2011-01-31T09:06:00.000-08:00

I've now posted twice about this beautiful couple and their amazing 1/1/11 Wedding at Ocean View Villas. Now I'm happy to share with you what they had to say about working with me. I love my clients!

Enlisting “Weddings Made Splendid” to help coordinate our wedding was one of the best decisions we made in wedding planning! We clicked with Meaghan the moment we met her- she was so friendly and very down to earth. It was clear how much she loves weddings and how passionate she is about her job, and is also so genuine and real about it (a personality that can be a bit hard to find in the wedding industry). She is extremely organized as well- something I noticed and appreciated as a fellow “list maker.” This personality really came through as we watched her deal with both vendors and guests before and during the wedding- she was easy to get along with and got business done at the same time.

It made such a difference in the final pre-wedding months to be working with someone that is clearly on top of it- you get the feeling there is nothing she can’t handle. Basically from the minute we met with her, we never worried about details at the wedding because we knew that no matter what happened “Meaghan would take care of it.” This certainly proved to be the case! A perfect example of this came the morning of the wedding as the scheduled person for hair and makeup suddenly came down with the stomach flu- luckily Meaghan almost immediately found a new (and amazing) hair/makeup artist to step in. An impressive feat to do this last minute, and even more so considering it was 7am on New Years Day!

On the day of the wedding, Meaghan helped everything come together perfectly. She and her assistant somehow managed to get the entire area set up before the wedding- as we went to get ready the morning of the wedding, there were a bunch of tables standing around and chairs stacked against the wall- when we came out, the area had been transformed into a beautiful ceremony and reception area. It honestly felt like magic! All ceremony and reception events went just as planned thanks to her direction and coordination, and if there were any issues, we never heard about it. Somehow even with all the other things to coordinate, she always found time to check in on us and get us food or drink as needed. There was not a single thing we had to worry about at our wedding- thanks to Meaghan, we just enjoyed the amazing day!

It was an honor to work with you both; I still smile every time I think of your Wedding day. Keep on rockin' it! Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Announcement: Wedding Wire's 2011 Bride's Choice Award Winner

2011-01-26T13:47:00.000-08:00

San Diego, California – January 26, 2011 - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce Weddings Made Splendid has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding Planning!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Weddings Made Splendid stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Weddings Made Splendid for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that Weddings Made Splendid is among the very best Wedding Planners within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011.

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/weddings-made-splendid-san-diego/6654c19cfd5fa957.html.

For more information on the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

About WeddingWire, Inc.

WeddingWire.com, the nation's leading technology company serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 local wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers to wedding cakes. WeddingWire also offers an online community and a suite of cutting-edge planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire provides free online management tools creating the only market opportunity that gives local businesses control over their clients, reviews, leads and performance. Businesses that join the WeddingWire Network appear on WeddingWire.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com (NYSE: MSO), ProjectWedding.com and Weddingbee.com (both part of eHarmony), and Celebrations.com (part of the 1-800-Flowers family of brands, NASDAQ: FLWS).

What I Do Best: Erilynn and Darren

2011-01-19T09:11:00.000-08:00

I'm SO excited to share today's post with you. As I mentioned in a previous post about this beautiful couple, 11 is my favorite number - this 1/1/11 Wedding was a perfect way to start out this year.

If you follow me on Facebook you'll likely have seen that some drama ensued the morning of this beautiful sea-side Wedding. The original hair and makeup artist cancelled at 12:50am. Her replacement cancelled at 7:45am (she was scheduled to be on site at 8:45am). Thankfully I have an amazing colleague in my back pocket, Cindy Rankin, who jumped in and saved the day.

And the bride? Cool as the ocean air, thank you very much. She hardly batted an eyelash about the last minute cancellation and timeline adjustment. When I arrived she was so excited she was shaking. Literally. She couldn't stop smiling and was just the picture of Wedding charm itself. This was my kind of bride!

The details were simple but perfect for the ocean-front views. The ceremony was hosted on the lawn at Ocean View Villas in Ocean Beach and an adorable buffet meal was served under a tent lit up with hundreds of twinkle lights and candles. Love was the name of the game at this Wedding and everyone could feel it. There were no fake smiles, no awkward moments, just joy, appreciation, love, happiness and an overall feeling of "This is SO right". I could go on and on about how much I loved this client but I'll stop here and share some amazing images from Cole Joseph Photography.

Cindy Rankin absolutely saved the day!

The bride and her entourage made all of the florals for the day!

Still smiling... hours and hours (and many pictures) later. Amazing!

Guest book compliments of the bride and groom!

Some of the younger guests collected these stones from the guest tables and put this together on the cake table. It was so adorably perfect!

A picnic blanket - a gift from the mothers that was put out for the guests to sign mid-way through the evening.

And last but not least - a photo of me with the happy bride!

All in all, Darren and Erilynn's Wedding day turned out perfect despite the morning's frustrations. The guests had a great time, the vendors LOVED working together and the client was floating on cloud nine (or maybe... 11!). Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Darren and Erilynn's Vendor Dream Team:
Wedding Coordination - Meaghan of Weddings Made Splendid
Photography - Cole of Cole Joseph Photography
Videography - Luke of Luke McCain Videography
Bakery - Kenn of VG Donut and Bakery
Catering - Chef Dave of Chef DK Catering
Hair and Make Up - Cindy of Cindy Rankin
Rentals - Cristin of Platinum Party Rentals
Venue - Rebecca of Ocean View Villas
Officiant - Rev. David Miller
DJ/MC - Dave Smith of Bill Calhoun Mobile Music

Announcement: Growing Weddings Made Splendid

2011-01-17T09:00:00.000-08:00

When I started Weddings Made Splendid just a few years ago I couldn't have planned a more fortuitous first Wedding. My beautiful July bride had a sister - a sister who loved Weddings.

When I first met this Wedding-loving sister I'll admit to thinking: "Sure, all women love Weddings. Then they find out how much work it really is". But I decided to have her out to assist me at an event. From the get-go I was pleasantly surprised at Starr's exceptional efforts on the day of the Wedding and her willingness to push through the pain and maintain a smile under some tough circumstances.

Now, here I am, just a few years later, calendar filling up, and the realization looming that Weddings Made Splendid needs to grow. Who better to bring in to this personal, client-oriented business than my number one assistant?

Weddings Made Splendid is pleased to introduce Starr Powell!

Over the past 6 years, Starr has been involved with events as a volunteer, a vendor, an assistant and a planner. Before starting her work with Weddings Made Splendid, Starr worked in sales at a local bridal shop and since then has worked at a party rental supply company. Starr looks forward to hosting her own events starting in late 2011.

Until the latter part of the 2011 Wedding season, Starr will be working closely with me to learn how to run Weddings solo, rather than as the second in-command. Starr's dedication to Weddings Made Splendid and its past and present clients makes her an ideal candidate to help the business grow. I am SO proud to have such an outstanding new team member.

Like me, Starr has a penchant for fashion. She adores brides who wear cowboy boots and loves anything that sparkles. On any given day you can find Starr with a coffee in one hand and her hot pink bag in the other. Oh yeah, her bag matches mine. It's too cute!

Starr says "I love that with weddings every experience is different and, when done right, can be a truly beautiful representation of the couple being celebrated".

Please help me welcome my newest team member with some comment love. I'm so excited to have her on board! Welcome to the family, Starr! Until next time...

You cut the cake; we'll cut the chaos!

The new Weddings Made Splendid team.

Images courtesy of Resolusean Photography

In My Opinion: Booze, Anyone? Anyone?

2011-01-13T08:09:00.000-08:00

During a conversation with an esteemed colleague yesterday afternoon I described one of my current clients and brought up an interaction I had with them at our initial consultation. I recounted that one of the first things this lovely couple did was offer me a beverage - an alcoholic beverage. I said to my colleague "So of course I said 'no'".

My colleague said "Yes you can". And I was stunned. So it got me thinking about whether I've set my own bar too high when it comes to one on one interactions with my clients.

OBVIOUSLY there's no drinking on the job - the day of the Wedding - but what about the rest of the process? There's no doubt that a large percentage of clients become friends and we share meals, and personal stories, on occasion cuddle one another's dogs... we get to know one another very, very well. But I can't help but shake the feeling that drinking a glass of wine or a pint of beer with a client is somehow crossing the line. Especially at our first meeting.

I stewed about it a bit last evening. I thought about this colleague of mine who I think offers wonderful services (and products) to their clients and they're not shy about being foodies and will often (I'm pretty sure) share a glass of wine (read: A glass of wine... one... not many) with their clients. Even at their initial consult. And their clients love them. A lot!

So perhaps my question is: am I being to restrictive on myself? Am I setting unrealistic standards for myself? I often repeat to my husband, my family, my friends, my colleagues, that if a client doesn't like me for who I am, then they're "not my client". Maybe they'd still love me even if we shared a glass of wine together... maybe more?

I'd love for you to weigh in. At this point I feel that no alcohol is best. But that's just in my opinion...

Sneak Peak: Erilynn and Darren

2011-01-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

My lucky number is 11. It has been since grade 3, or so, when I was given text books with the number "11" inside the front cover followed shortly by being given the number 11 jersey for my softball teams as I grew up. Ever since then it's just kind of stuck. So when a beautiful couple came along courtesy of Bamboo Star Studios for a 1/1/11 Wedding I just couldn't resist! I'll be honest - part of me kind of wanted to party-hardy to ring in 2011 but once I met this couple it was over. They are sweet, and beautiful, and so appreciative for each other and all the people who come into their lives. There will be dozens of other New Year's party's to attend in my lifetime but there will be only one Erilynn and Darren.

Huge thanks to Luke McCain Videography for sharing this sneak peak with me. I smiled my way through this event and can't wait to post pictures from their outstanding photographer, Cole Joseph Photography. Stay tuned for those.

Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Video courtesy of Luke McCain Videography

A Client Says it Best: Giuliana and Harsha

2011-01-10T09:08:00.000-08:00

It was a rough weekend - falling down a flight of stairs is far more embarrassing than I'd ever like to admit, and just a little bit scarier than I could have imagined. However, I'm going to look at the bright side and share with you this beautiful testimonial from my 12-11-10 client that cheered me up after a rather sedentary weekend of recovery.

I hired Meaghan approximately 4 months plus before my wedding. At our first meeting, I was highly impressed how organized and detailed she was even before we started. Being that I work so much, I felt that I really needed someone to step in for me, to be able to take meetings, and make informed choices based on my husband’s and my style, so we utilized Meaghan for the full service. From the very start, Meaghan jumped in and took over where I had started. I had already met with many vendors, but I valued her advice and bridal expertise to have her help in guiding us in selecting the appropriate vendors, picking our awesome venue, solidifying contracts and handling all of the details. She read every contract and ensured we were getting what we wanted at every turn. We discussed every detail at great lengths and she even suggested things I had not even thought of. On the day of our rehearsal, we found that we needed to have a stand for where we give our vows. At this late in the game, she handled it quickly and efficiently, providing such a peace of mind in dealing with all of the last moment details. Two days prior, we decided we needed to have car service also. She was able to help negotiate discount pricing, and deliver us into the care of wonderful vendors. On the big day, Meaghan was there bright and early making sure everyone was on schedule. She provided all vendors and my family with a timeline so that we would all be ready to go. She checked on me often and she even put out a few catering fires along the way. Meaghan brought with her an assistant and ensured all of my vendor setups and exits were completed on-time and moving along with our schedule. The ceremony was organized and beautiful, and Meaghan made sure all details were perfect! Meaghan went above and beyond my expectations and I could not have been happier! I would happily use Meaghan for any event - big or small - that I have in the future and I highly recommend you do the same! Thank you so much Meaghan, you helped make Harsha’s and my big day a dream come true!

Until next time...
You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Photo courtesy of Photography by Chana and Don.

Vendor Spotlight: Royal Fraser, Acupuncturist

2011-01-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

For all of your love birds who are planning your Wedding - I've got some relief for you! His name is Royal. Royal Fraser. And he is the best thing to happen to the Wedding industry since digital photography!

Royal is a licensed acupuncturist and he's mobile! You read that right - mobile! That means he can come out to you on your Wedding Day to take away all your anxiety and stress and assist in making your Wedding day as perfect as you've always dreamed it would be.

Prior to your Wedding day he can help you with all the little details too. Do you want to lose a little bit of weight? No problem - he'll help you curb those cravings for chocolate or French Fries. Are you worried about being a Bride-zilla? Royal can help you find your inner calm so that all those little details that make you want to lose your mind just roll off your back. He doesn't make you complacent, by any means, but rather helps you readjust your focus so that you see solutions rather than problems.

Perhaps you're a bit skeptical about acupuncture. I COMPLETELY understand. I was nervous and a bit, shall we say, close-minded, about the potential for this to actually do anything. But after my first visit with Royal my whole perspective changed. I was more positive, I was very relaxed (perhaps too relaxed...) and I felt like I could handle anything my clients brought to the table. It's a very empowering and positive experience.

And a word to the needle-haters: It. Doesn't. Hurt. It's more comical than anything. Most of the needles that Royal put in me (wow, that sounds weird) went in without me even feeling them. The few that I felt were really amazing - I could feel the muscle twitch as the needle went in and then the whole region around the needle relaxed. It was awesome.

If you want to know more about Royal and his practice check out his website. He's a very sweet man and I enjoy just talking with him as much as I enjoy the treatments. I promise, once you give acupuncture a try you'll love the relief it brings. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

What I Do Best: 2010 in Review

2011-01-03T08:34:00.000-08:00

Ah... the first day back to work in 2011. Well, the first day back at my desk, anyway. I had a beautiful Wedding on Saturday January 1, 2011 (yes... 1/1/11... so neat) but today I'm back to the desk and all that goes with it.

And what goes better with me back at my desk than a blog highlighting some of my favorite moments from 2010's fabulous Weddings! Since a picture is worth a thousand words I'll simply leave you with my top half dozen favorite photos of my couples from 2010!

Todd and Elysa Childs - married May 1, 2010

Photo courtesy of Stephen Knuth Photography

Joe and Shannon Allena - married May 29, 2010

Photo courtesy of Resolusean Photography

Mike and Jill Franko - married September 25, 2010

Photo courtesy of Emily Faulknor Photography

Laura Cowie and Zsombor Nagy - married October 16, 2010

Photo courtesy of San Diego Wedding Photographer, Evan Bishop Photography

Andrew and Abby Coldicutt - married November 12, 2010

Photo courtesy of BeautyUnbound

Harsha and Giuliana Kotikela - married December 11, 2010

Photo courtesy of Photo by Chana and Don

Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

A Client Says it Best: Abby and Andrew

2010-12-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

In my previous post about Abby and Andrew I shared with you how much I loved working with them, and how fun their quirky attitude was. It looks like they loved me too! Here are some amazing words from Abby and Andrew:

I hired Meaghan approximately three weeks before my wedding. At first, I had no intentions of hiring a DOC, but after much discussion with other brides and my family, it soon became clear I needed a DOC. I initially called another woman whom I had met at a bridal show and that woman was busy so she recommended Meaghan. Man I sure am glad she did!!!

Meaghan was very detail oriented and organized - 2 traits I find to be of utmost importance, especially in this line of work. From the very start, Meaghan jumped in and took over where I had left off. I had already chosen most of my vendors, but she made contact with every single one. She read every contract and ensured I was getting what I wanted at every turn. We discussed every detail at great lengths and she even suggested things I never even thought of. She became as involved with my wedding as I was and she amazed me at how she handled every aspect with such proficiency and dedication to what I wanted for my big day. She even acted as a liaison between me and the man who was my contact at my venue - a task that proved Meaghan is a patient yet get it done kind of girl. I do not know what I would have done without her.

On the big day, Meaghan was there bright and early making sure everyone was doing what they were supposed to be doing. She checked on me often and she even put out a few fires along the way. Meaghan was all over the place. She had only one assistant; I will never know how the two of them pulled it off without a hitch! The ceremony was organized and beautiful. Meaghan made sure every detail was perfect!

The reception was filled with many bumps due to poor planning at my venue. Meaghan was all over it! Without her, the reception would have been a disaster. I am so grateful that she took care of every detail and allowed me to just enjoy the whole event. I had not a care in the world because I knew whatever came up, Meaghan could and would handle it!

I could go on and on about the amazing job Meaghan did on my wedding - but this review would be soooo long. Meaghan went above and beyond my expectations and I could not have been happier! I will use Meaghan for every event - big or small - that I have in the future and I highly recommend you do the same! Thank you so much Meaghan! You know you are my hero for making my wedding PERFECT!

Thanks, Abby and Andrew, for letting me be a part of your special day. I loved every minute of it. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Photo courtesy of BeautyUnbound

A Client Says it Best: Laura and Zsombor

2010-12-17T09:00:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week I blogged about Laura and Zsombor's beautiful October ocean-side (and Oceanside) Wedding. Here are some kind words Laura had to say about working with me.

We had a wedding this past October and it was perfect because of Meaghan! Our venue was a large condo complex on the beach and to say that it can be confusing to get around would be a huge understatement! We knew right away that we would need a very organized and capable person to direct not only the various vendors, but the guests as well to make sure that everything was on time and running smoothly! We met with Meaghan and knew right away that she would be perfect for us!

She helped us pick vendors and introduced us to some great people who really care about weddings and want to make your day the best possible! Meaghan is also THE best when it comes to communication, she was talking to our vendors every week it seemed like to make sure that everything was on track! She is also very good at answering email and phone calls!

Meaghan also has some fierce people skills which can come in handy when dealing with as many people as it takes to have a wedding. She is attentive and have I mentioned organized? Besides possessing the necessary skills to navigate through the wedding industry she also is a genuinely nice and good person who is easy to talk to (which is REALLY important!)

Bottom line is this: Meaghan was the best money we spent on the wedding, she made sure that everything was completely stress free in the months up to the wedding and the day of! I would definitely contact her for all your wedding planning needs!

Until next time...
You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Photo courtesy of San Diego Wedding Photographer, Evan Bishop Photography

What I do Best: Laura and Zsombor

2010-12-15T08:54:00.000-08:00

Laura and Zsombor's Wedding was one of transformation for me. I saw an old, wood-paneled room with huge anchors hanging from pillars transform into a romantic Wedding reception site full of wonder and love. I saw a seaside concrete walkway transform into an intimate Ceremony site. And I saw a lovely young girl who spends her days on archaeology digs in jeans in t-shirts blossom into a stunning bride who, when I saw her, brought a tear to my eye. And lest we forget the groom - a charming yet silly guy who I met only once at a tasting - who became one of the proudest grooms I have seen to date. The way he blended with Laura's family and made it all so love-filled was inspiring.

I worked with Laura and her mother for 6 months in preparation for the big day. From the first meeting with these two I latched on to their vision of the day and with the help of some great vendors, pulled off a fun-filled day even though Mother Nature was doing her best to dampen (hee hee, get it?) our spirits with a gloomy sky and mist that I would almost consider rain. But through it all, the guests and bridal party alike continued to smile and enjoy the day for what it was.

I'll leave you here with some amazing photos by San Diego Wedding Photographer, Evan Bishop Photography. And don't forget to check out the amazing list of vendors below. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Laura and Zsombor's Fabulous Wedding Vendors:

Catering: Kathy and Victor of ArtQuest Catering

Cake: VG's Donuts

DJ: Dave Cuneo of The Mad Platter

Florist: Jen of Branches... a floral studio

Hair and Makeup: Cindy Rankin

Invitations: Evelyn of BambooStar Studios

Lighting and Decor: Ali of Excellent Designs

Officiant: Dr. Lord (friend of the bride)

Photography: Evan of San Diego Wedding Photographer, Evan Bishop Photography
Venue: North Coast Village

Videography: Nikki and Noah of Lovebirds Film

Wedding Coordination: ME! Weddings Made Splendid

Vendor Spotlight: Bergmann Photography

2010-12-13T09:10:00.000-08:00

I met today's spotlighted vendor at a Wedding last year. John and Taryn had been hired by the primary photographer as her second (and third) shooters but somehow, when I met them, I knew that we had a connection. They were fun and playful behind the camera and captured some amazing images.

John, and his wife Taryn, make up Bergmann Photography. I can't say enough about couples who work (and shoot) together. There's a dynamic that comes into play at your special event that they capture that is hard to pass up. Since meeting last August I've had the opportunity to sit down with John Bergmann on a couple of occasions to get to know him and his company better. To say that passion is in abundance with these two would be an understatement. They enjoy their craft and they constantly work harder to improve their products and services for their clients. Since my initial cup of coffee with John in January of 2010 I've seen such an awesome transformation in their branding and their approach to their products. It's inspiring to see two people who enjoy what they do so much, and continue working at making it better. These two don't rest on their talent - they want to always take it to the next level.

As proof of their excitement about their work, it's as simple as my request to blog about them. I asked for half a dozen images or so and was sent 21. That says to me that they love their work.

I'll leave you here with some of their work. And I'll tease you with this: follow these folks on the web. They've got something up their sleeve for January of this year that I think you'll want to see. I can't tell you any more than that, but just enjoy that little tidbit for a few minutes.

To learn more about their products and services check out their website or shoot them an email. I promise, you'll get so caught up in their friendly nature that you'll think you've just spoken to a friend. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

In My Opinion: The Art of "Thank You"

2010-12-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

I've decided to add a new section to the blog called "In My Opinion". This will be my way of sharing some of my experiences and the opinions I form about it. It's meant to be a place for discussions so please, feel free to leave comments, or ask about experiences that I can share with you.

The inaugural "In My Opinion" post is about, as the subject would suggest, the subtle art of the "Thank You". This industry is not only made of experienced guru's and excited newbies, but it's also based on relationships. Nothing makes, or breaks, a new relationship faster than gratitude, or lack thereof (at least in my opinion). As someone who is still breaking into this industry I always keep healthy supply of "Thank You's" in my (usually-fabulous) purse. With that said, I don't say "Thank You" just because someone picks up the phone, but I do think that a "Thank You" is completely valid when a referral is passed, when information is shared, or when a colleague with more experience helps you avoid a total bone-head move. Yep - that's happened to me too. And I was SO grateful for the advice.

I recently referred a client to a vendor who booked a job with that client. Pictures have been posted on Facebook with no thanks given, either through Facebook or even an email or a verbal "thanks". I've run into this vendor at a couple different events now and still nothing. Please know that I didn't pass this referral for the gratuitous thanks, that's not what it was all about, but I'm of the opinion that if someone does something to help you, whether you make money or not, that you say a simple "Thanks". That's all it takes.

I'm left wondering whether this vendor didn't appreciate what I did. Did they not want the work? Am I too high on my horse to believe that I deserve a thanks? I would love for you to weigh in on what I should (or shouldn't) expect from helping others succeed.

Of course, this is all in my opinion...

Announcement: Military Monday's

2010-12-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

We all know how much we rely on our men and women serving in our Military. Without them we wouldn't have many of the freedom's we do today. As a "Thank You" to these men and women, San Diego is rife with discounts and special offers to thank them for their generosity. One more amazing offer has just been put on the table.

The generosity of Rev. Christopher Tuttle seems to know no bounds. Military Monday's isn't a discount, or a limited time offer. It's free. No strings attached. Call Rev. Tuttle, pick your Monday, and for those men and women actively serving in our military branches, your intimate Wedding ceremony is free. The only finances you need to worry about is the fee to procure your marriage license.

I encourage you to spread the word - help us get this great information out to those who need it most. For more information about Military Monday's please visit the website. To book your free Military Monday wedding ceremony call 619-66-ELOPE (619-663-5673). Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Announcement: Charity Fundraiser

2010-12-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

Many vendors in this industry have their heart strings attached to a charity. I, for example, will do all that I can for the American Cancer society. Others, perhaps, have strong connections to the AIDS Walk San Diego, or Athletes for Education. My good friend Gina of San Diego Weddings by Gina has her heart set on making an upcoming fundraiser a wild success. But we need your help. We need to get the word out and get some folks attending a fabulous night of fun to help raise money for this great cause.

When I received this invitation from Gina my initial reaction was two-fold. My first thought was: Gina is my fellow Wedding vendor. I'm going to support her no matter what. My second thought was "Uhh... what's the Charley Hoffman Foundation?"

Here's the skinny: Charley Hoffman is a local - a Californian just like all of us local vendors. He grew up in Poway, California, and followed his dream to becoming a world class golfer. He's also made it his mission to give back to his community. Taken straight from his website:

"The mission of the [Charley Hoffman] Foundation is to help raise money and awareness for children's organizations that provide a positive environment to better their future through education, sports, and health. "

In addition to this wonderful evening that Gina and her friends are hosting, next spring the Charley Hoffman Foundation is hosting it's inaugural Charley Hoffman Pro-Am benefiting the San Diego Junior Golf Association. By giving back to his community Charley, supported by all of us in San Diego, is working hard to better the lives of kids in San Diego.

So - why not give a bit in this holiday season. Scrounge up $25 (or even $50 if you've got a date) and come out and make this event a success, not only for Gina, but for San Diego's kids! To purchase your tickets now follow this link:

http://charleyhoffman.eventbrite.com/

Does it get any better than $25 for dinner, cocktails and door prizes? I know I'll be there. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Vendor Spotlight: Greenvelope

2010-12-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

The wonders of Twitter prevail again. Each morning I go through Twitter and see what interesting idea, tips and trends are being Tweet'd so I can stay on top of the industry. And late last week I stumbled upon another gem: Greenvelope.

Greenvelope, the brain-child of Sam Franklin, is the eco-friendly bride's first stop in saving some trees (and some green). October 30th marked the date of the launch of Greenvelope, "a green company that offers a “formal” online wedding invitation service, providing couples an alternative to expensive paper and postage. Greenvelope’s web-based platform allows couples to send customized wedding invitations to their guests via email with the click of a button".

I've shared an email or two with Sam this past week and love his one-on-one approach to his clients. I don't get mass-generated emails thanking me for my contact. He responds to me directly and is friendly and helpful. In an effort to get to know the product better I registered on the website and set up a Save the Date card service for myself. I found that there are three package levels and they're all easy as pie to use.

The Free option (yes - absolutely free) is for Save the Date cards only. Within 5 minutes I had set up my recipients, picked a design, changed the wording, and sent the cards out. The whole process is so intuitive; I could even see who had opened their cards and who hadn't.
The next level up, which is only $99.99 (way less than what you'd spend on paper invitations and stationery for the average 100 guest Wedding) includes Save the Date cards, invitations and digital response cards and invitation tracking. Are you kidding? How cool is that?
The third and final tier of product is a mere $149.99 and include everything the second package does, but also allows you to send digital, customized Thank You cards.

My only "complaint" to Sam was that I didn't see the option to use customized graphics as so many couples these days like to do for their Invitations, cake, GOBO, etc. Within 3 hours I had a response from Sam. And guess what? He had good news for that too.

"On the new version of the site that launches January 1st, users will be able to upload custom designs/artwork (but they can't at the moment)".

Seriously - this guy has thought of everything. And, he's adorable! And just to sweeten this great, inexpensive product just a bit more, Sam is offering my readers a 25% discount, valid until March 31, 2011 (that's 4 months) just by entering promo code "WeddingsMadeSplendid" at check out.

There's so much more to learn about this great company, as well as the man behind it, that I just don't have the time to do it justice. Visit the website and if you've got questions, email Sam. I know he'll help get you on the right path. Here are a few shots of the website and the product to tempt you a bit more. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Main Screen - over 20 themes to choose from:

Super easy to use Guest List tracking:

Sample Suite - Save the Date, Invitation, Response Card and Thank You

Vendor Spotlight: PETCO Park

2010-12-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday morning I had a huge thrill - I stood on the field at PETCO Park. Maybe it's not all that exciting for you, but for someone who moved here from Canada just four years ago, it's pretty amazing to think that I not only live in California, but that I've now stood on the field of a MLB team. It made my day!

So why was I standing on the field? Because I asked to. Sort of...

One of my beautiful brides getting married at the Ultimate Skybox was considering hiring an elephant for her Indian-inspired Wedding. Unfortunately, the timing left to pull the permits before the big day (18 days wasn't quite enough time) didn't allow us to rent an elephant. It did, however, allow me to be introduced to Kristie Ewing, the Event Coordinator for all events at PETCO Park. Although the elephant was a no-go, Krisite said "yes" to giving me a tour of the facilities for future events.

No sooner had I walked through the front door of the PETCO Park office, than I was walking out on to the red shale of the perfectly manicured Padres field. There's something magical about standing out where the players take action. It was awesome. Unfortunately it wasn't super warm, and there wasn't much excuse to stay on the field fore more than 10 minutes but my day was made.

Kristie took me through all of the many various spaces, including the Western Metals building. There was so much to see I don't have the time to tell you about it all. Suffice it to say that I'm hoping to have that special client come along SOON so I can work in one of these amazing spaces.

To get more information about their spaces visit their website and click on the "Venues" tab. Trust me - you'll love what you see! Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Announcement: WeTV Casting Call

2010-12-01T09:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I received a very intriguing phone call from the casting producer at WeTV - Danielle Gervais. She told me of a new show that's looking to launch and all you Southern California recently-married's will be excited to hear about it. I'm thankful to be able to tell her that none of my clients have had disasters strike their Wedding (knock on wood) that I'm sure there are plenty out there who have. I've attached the flyer below.

BUT! I'm also on the search for one recently-wed Chino couple who had a soggy tale to tell. Danielle got wind of this story and is on the look-out for this couple. The story goes something like this:

While on a photo-shoot in a golf cart, the groom got out of the cart and forgot to set the emergency brake. While his back was turned, the golf cart, along with his bride, rolled backwards into a pond. Her dress was ruined.

If you, or anyone to know, has heard of this couple, or knows this couple, please have them contact me by email, or Danielle Gervais as per the attached flyer.

Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

What I Do Best: Dia de los Muertos/Tim Burton Photog Shootout

2010-12-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

So, perhaps we should just get it out in the open. I love Twilight. Yes, the book series, though the time of day is nice too. And I love the TV show The Vampire Diaries. Just about anything to do with Vampires and love is on my list of "good stuff". Thanks to the magic of Facebook, I managed to connect with a fabulous San Diego photographer, Yvonne, of Yvonne LeBrun Photography who shares my fascination with the un-dead. Yvonne, in all her "spare time" organizes the San Diego Photog Shootout which is an incredible opportunity for new photographers to cut their teeth on dealing with detail and model shots. I'm sure I'm overgeneralizing but the gist of it is that good photographers (or GREAT photographers) are giving back to those who want to learn. And each Shootout has a different theme. When Halloween rolled around and a "Dia de los Muertos meets Tim Burton" theme rolled around Yvonne called me to set up the table scape for the Shootout. How could I say no? Well... I couldn't.

Over 20 new photogs came out to this misty, cool day up at the Hidden Palms Estate in Fallbrook, California, managed by Estate Weddings and Events, to take advantage of years of experience from the mentors of this Shootout. Some of my favorite photographers, Jeff and Betsy McCue of La Vida Creations Photography (who I've featured in the past on this blog) made up one team of instructors and, as always, blew me away with their knowledge, generosity and, of course, amazing photography!

Here is the group shot - can you see me? I might been hiding a bit since this was the day after a Wedding and I was exhausted!

There are far too many photographers for me to list here, but the three photographers whose work is featured below are:

Yvonne LeBrun of Yvonne LeBrun Photography

(host of San Diego Photog Shootout and avid Vampire fan)

Maria Longhi of Maria Longhi Photography

(sweetheart and taker of fabulous photos)

Jeff and Betsy McCue of La Vida Creations Photography

(BFF's, dog lovers, food and wine lovers and huge Weddings Made Splendid supporters - love you guys!)

And lest I forget the fabulous contributors that helped make my table-scape design look so fabulous:

Maria Young of San Diego's Classic Party Rentals

(supporter of all San Diego photo shoots - thanks a million Maria)

Lara Turner Kiniris of The Calligraphy Girl

(Facebook BFF, amazing Calligrapher and mom - it wouldn't have been as amazing without you!)

Melissa Stepina of Impulsive Flowers
(nothing short of GORGEOUS!)

San Diego Dessert
(maker of cakes and totally adorable cupcakes of which I have no pictures... *pouting*)

And where would we be without our models? The two "love-birds" below are:

Anna Good who you can find on Facebook
(she makes a great dead girl but is absolutely stunning when she smiles!)

Scott Bailes
(pulled in last minute when a male model didn't show up; site manager of Hidden Palms Estate)

So on to the good stuff - the photos! I hope you enjoy. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

What I Do Best: Abby and Andrew

2010-11-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

I think I say this of every client but I LOVE my clients. And every once in a while a great couple like Abby and Andrew come along and make my life just that much better.

If you've ever read my personal blog you'll note that I'm Canadian. I try hard to fit in with the Americans - I try not to say "oot and aboot" - but the reality is, I'm Canadian and the "eh's" are here to stay. So when Abby and Andrew came along I knew they were my kind of client! Why? Because Andrew's a Canuck just like me!!!

I met Abby just three and a half short weeks before her Big Day so we had a lot of ground to cover but I instantly liked her. She's witty, and funny, and wonderfully trusting but not in a "I get taken advantage of" kind of way. This girl has got it going on! She's a lawyer as is her new hubby. They are one dynamic duo!

Abby and Andrew, along with 130 of their closest friends and family, celebrated a beautiful marriage on November 7th at the Island Palms Hotel on Shelter Island. The wind was a bit chilly but it didn't stop the beauty of their waterfront Ceremony. The vows were sweet and kind, the guests were teary-eyed (as were a bridesmaid or two) and the family love was just glowing!

Here are a few images from their nautical-inspired day. More to come...

Abby and Andrew's Awesome Wedding Vendors:

Photography: Joseph Davies of BeatyUnbound

Florals: Patrick of Artistic Floral Productions

DJ: Daniel Gildenhorn of Evolution Productions

Bakery: Elaine and Kristy of Sweet Cheeks Baking Co

Officiant: JoAnna Caro of Shades Of You

Venue: The Island Palms Hotel - Shelter Island

Wedding Coordinator: ME! Weddings Made Splendid

Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Poor Jonas!

2010-11-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

While this post has very little to do with my job, I just thought that since it's the holidays, that I'd share this little "funny" with you.

I bought my beautiful Caribbean Blue Nissan Cube in July of 2009. I fell in love with him right away. He's fun to drive, ridiculously comfortable thanks to the memory foam seats, gets great gas mileage (30-31mpg in the city; 33mpg on highway trips) and he's most definitely a topic of conversation. I can't tell you how many times I've been stopped in parking lots by curious car enthusiasts asking to see his interior. He's pretty. We'll leave it at that. And you may have noticed it's a "him". Yes, his name is Jonas. I name all my cars for the dealer who sells it to me. So far, all three cars (and thus dealers have been men). Moe, my first car, was a green Ford Contour that my Dad bought for me when I was 21. Fast Eddie (fast because he was race car yellow) was/is a sunshine yellow Chevy Cobalt. I bought him for myself after a previous relationship ended. Some people drink themselves into oblivion. Apparently I buy cars. Thankfully I'm married and shall remain that way until I die. And now... my beautiful blue Nissan is Jonas. No, not because of the infamous band of pop-loving brothers, but because the name of his dealer was Jon Jonas. I'm definitely digressing here...

Back at the end of September my in-laws came to visit for two weeks. Prior to this I'd has some issues with a warning light on my dashboard. Three times I took Jonas to my dealership have him fixed. All three times they told me they didn't see any errors on any of his six (yes... six) internal computers and not to worry about it. Riiiiight...

The day my in-laws arrived I picked up Hubband and we drove to the airport to pick them up. Naturally, this little yellow warning light came on again. It's a miracle that I didn't turn off my car at the airport because once I turned off poor Jonas at Gordon Biersch (where we stopped for lunch) he didn't start again. No amount of pouting, pleading or looking through the owners manual would get him started. So we called AMA.

The "happy campers" waiting around for the tow truck

And because I do love my car... really... I do adore him... I took some photos for you enjoy of his departure from Gordon Biersch.

It took two weeks to fix him. Two weeks... the entire time my in-laws were visiting. We had the joy of driving a Kia Soul. Ick. Boring car. Sorry to those of you who enjoy your Soul - I, too, am entitled to my opinions. The irony of this whole situation? A week after I got Jonas back my father sent me this little gem (I've highlighted the "ironic" parts for you):

Nissan recalls two million vehicles

Nissan is recalling 2.14 million vehicles in the U.S., Japan, Europe and Asia, including the popular March and Mycra subcompacts, for an ignition problem that may stall the engine – its third-largest recall ever.

No accidents have been reported that are suspected of being caused by the defect, according to Yokohama-based Nissan Motor Co.

A problem was found in an ignition-system part called the relay for vehicles produced from August 2003 through July 2006, including small cars like the March, Cube and Note, and about a dozen other models, such as the Tiida sedan, Titan pickup and Infiniti QX56 luxury model.

In extreme cases, the engine will stall and won't be able to start, said Nissan spokesman Mitsuru Yonekawa.

Of the recalled vehicles, nearly 835,000 were produced in Japan, 762,000 in North America, and 354,000 in Europe.

Nissan, which is allied with Renault SA of France, did not disclose a cost for the recall, but it may be relatively cheap requiring just a half hour to fix.

The cars were produced in Japan, the U.S., Great Britain, Spain, China and Taiwan.

The massive numbers involved in recent recalls are linked to cost-cutting strategies that result in the same parts being used in many models.

Toyota Motor Corp., the world's biggest auto maker, has suffered a spate of recalls over the last year, totalling more than 10 million vehicles worldwide for sticky gas pedals, floor mats that can trap accelerators, brake fluid leaks and other problems.

Good to know now... if only they'd sent this little memo out to their maintenance staff a month earlier.

And to those of you nay-sayers who think Facebook is a waste of time? I Facebook'd my dilemma and within two minutes had a phone call from a friend (Mr. Capshaw of Resolusean Photography - how's that for name dropping?) who offered to come and pick me and my family up. Facebook rules! Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Wedding Etiquette: Not Quite a Mister

2010-11-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

Just when I thought I had all the right answers for addressing invitations... this spring I learned something new again. One of my beautiful brides taught me how to address a young man. We know that gals have three appellations (Miss, Ms., and Mrs as per a previous post) but what about the guys?

So, what's the appellation for a young man? Master. Yep... go figure. I thought it sounded like a naval term (as in the Navy, not your belly button) but I now have a new rule for addressing invitations.

If you are the son of a guest I address you as "Master" or "Mstr." for short
If you are over the age of 16, regardless of living at home or not, you become a "Mr."

Easy rules really, but interesting to me nonetheless. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Wedding Etiquette: Miss, Ms. and Mrs.

2010-11-22T09:10:00.000-08:00

Ah, the age-old argument in my head: what makes a female guest a Miss, a Ms. and a Mrs.? I'm sure you're shaking your head and saying "Well duh, "Mrs." is if she's married". And I would agree with you - to a point. What if Mrs. Mary Schultz (from my previous post about addressing your invitations) is now divorced from Mr. Paul Schultz but decides not to change her name. Then what?

So here are my general (personal) ideas and approach to addressing a Miss, a Ms. or a Mrs.

If the invitee is a child of a guest I address her as "Miss"
If the invitee is a single (i.e. not yet married) and is younger than 40 years old, she is a "Miss"
If the invitee is a single woman over the age of 40 then I consider her a "Ms."
If she is married, obviously she is a "Mrs."
If she was married and is widowed I still address her as a "Mrs."
If she was married and is now divorced and has regained her maiden name she is a "Ms." (even if she is younger than 40 years of age)
If she was married, is divorced but kept her married name, she is a "Mrs."
If she was married, is divorced, kept her maiden name but her ex-partner is now remarried, she is a "Ms."

I'm sure many of these are fairly obvious but sometimes, when faced with 100 invitations, it's hard to keep your head clear as to which title should be given to each guest. Check back soon for some tips about how to address young men. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Wedding Etiquette: Addressing the Invitations

2010-11-19T08:53:00.000-08:00

One of the services I offer to my brides and grooms is Invitation Management. This lovely little a la carte service ensures that your invitations are addressed correctly to avoid little frustrations such as guests inviting extra people to attend with them. However, I realize that not every couple out there wants to be rid of this task and would like to address the invitations themselves. So, here are some hints to get you moving in the right direction.

For this post I'm going to assume you're using only an outer envelope, not an outer and an inner. I will post about the two-envelope steps in a future post. When using only one envelope, you need to be very specific on this envelope. So here are my rules - most of these mirror Peggy Post.

If you wish to invite your friend Mary Smith to attend your event solo simply address the envelope as:

Miss Mary Smith

Many people of our generation don't understand that this means that they aren't welcome to invite a guest but if your Wedding Planner is doing all the follow up calls for you its easy to then track who was invited solo and who was not.

If you wish to invite your friend Mary Smith and her boyfriend Paul Schultz the best way to address the invitation is:

Miss Mary Smith and Mr. Paul Schultz

The best rule of thumb is if you know the name of the guest that your friend or family member is going to bring, include his or her name on the invitation. Not only is it polite, but it limits the odds that they will bring someone you don't know.

If you want to invite Mary to bring a guest - perhaps she has a new boyfriend you aren't familiar with, or she's single but you want her to have someone to attend with - then I recommend the following:

Miss Mary Smith and Guest

On to the married folk! Perhaps you want to invite Mary and Paul Schultz (they're now married and in love) the invitation here is simple, though you do have two options

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Schultz

Mr. and Mrs. Paul and Mary Schultz

In either case, the man's name is written first - note the irony here as when printing programs, etc. the women's name always comes first. Go figure!

How about married couples with children? Here's where things start to get complicated. Mary and Paul are married; they have three children all under the age of 16. Again, you have two options:

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Schultz and Family

Mr. and Mrs. Paul and Mary Schultz and Family

However, if Paul and Mary are married and have children over the age of 16 that still live at home I find it best to use the following:

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Schultz

Mstrs. Peter and John and Miss Sara Schultz

If the children are all living away from home now it's best to send them their own invitations.

There are plenty of other iterations I could share with you but the post would become far too long and you wouldn't read it. So, if there's a combination that you don't see here that you'd like to know more about please feel free to comment below and I'll help you out! Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Vendor Spotlight: Mt. Woodson Castle

2010-11-18T16:42:00.000-08:00

My goodness - where HAS this fall gone? I'm embarrassed to see that it's been over a month and a half since I last had a chance to write a blog. It's about time I get back to it, eh?

I had a flash of inspiration today to start sharing things on a more regular basis - talk about the events that I attend as a guest, rather than just the events I host. The most recent of these events was the Mt. Woodson "show and tell" hosted by Bridal Insider and Personal Touch Dining last night (November 17th). I had heard of this venue before but had never had an opportunity to visit it. Last night was that opportunity.

My first impression was that it was so... so... castle-like, which seems appropriate given that they call it a castle. It's all beautiful stone work with room after room after room to move through. Most of the rooms connect by doors and the space just feels endless. They have a "cake" room, and a bridal ready-room, a grooms ready-room, a photo-booth room, a little closet-like room that has shelves just deep enough to put your family photos on... it was stunning.

In my ramblings through the space and my socializing with some of San Diego's finest (in my humble opinion) vendors I neglected to take out my little pink camera. Thankfully there are beautiful online images on the Mt. Woodson website. So I will leave you with the link to the website and the suggestion that if you're considering a beautiful, intimate, unique Wedding that you contact Tracy at Personal Touch Dining to inquire about the space. I promise: you won't be disappointed. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Wedding Etiquette: RSVP Cards

2010-10-01T10:05:00.000-07:00

With the advent of technology, RSVP cards are going the way of the dinosaur. Many invitations that are sent out by today's bride and groom will ask for a digital RSVP - either through a website that they have tailored for theirs guests, or through e-mail, often to an account that they have set up specifically for their RSVP's.

For those of you who are still considering the age-old etiquette of including a formal RSVP card, here are two examples that you might consider as a "template" for your RSVP's.

This first RSVP card requests the bare minimum of information. It indicates an "RSVP by" date which is typically two weeks prior to the date of the Wedding. Below that, on the line that is preceded by "M", a space is left for the invitee(s) to include their name(s). For example, if a couple invites "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" often this line will be filled with "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" or perhaps "Joe and Mary Smith". There is no right or wrong way to respond so long as the first and last names of the guests are included so the RSVP can be tracked accurately against the original invitation list.

And while Peggy Post will roll in her grave for seeing the request for the total number attending, nowadays with the lack of knowledge of addressing invitations and the appropriate etiquette, its now necessary to ask how many people will be attending. Too often Mr. and Mrs. Smith will be invited and they will RSVP for four people assuming that their children have been invited. There will be a future post later this month about how to correctly address your invitation envelopes.

This second RSVP card includes much of the same information as above but also requests some additional details. Where the invitation above is for a Wedding where the guests will be served a buffet meal, and meal selections therefore become a moot point, this RSVP card is for a Reception where the guests will pre-select their entrée course. Once this RSVP card is received a symbol will be added to each guests' escort card to indicate which meal will be served to each guest. Oftentimes a little cow, fish or carrot is indicated in the upper right hand corner of the escort card, which will be set at the guests place setting before the start of the meal.

This RSVP card also makes note of the fact that this will be an "Adult Only" affair. Many Wedding Receptions are becoming adult-only affairs though what you choose to do with your Reception is up to you. There is no right or wrong way to host a Reception so long as you and your guests leave at the end of the night with smiles on your face.

That's really all there is to RSVP cards. Stay tuned later this month for etiquette surrounding the addressing of the Wedding Invitation. Correctly addressing your invitations can reduce the heartache down the road when guests send their RSVP cards with the correct number of guests. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Thank you to BambooStar Studios for the use of these one-of-a-kind RSVP cards!

Vendor Spotlight: Janice Thompson

2010-09-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

Ladies, ladies, ladies! Have I got a woman you want to know: Janice Thompson, HHP of Stress Reduction Therapies. Janice works with a collection of professionals who deal with massage as a means of personal health and wellness but Janice herself is a foot reflexologist. A travelling foot reflexologist. As in she'll come to you, on your Wedding day, to give your feet some much-needed pre-Wedding pampering so that you and your bridal party walk down the aisle full of bliss - even in those to-die-for new shoes!

Janice was referred to me by a caterer in the industry and I have to admit that I thought the connection between reflexology and Weddings was a bit tenuous. But then I met Janice and saw her passion for what she does and she explained the connection between what she does and a happy bride and I was all ears. Then this lovely lady offered to give me an example of what she does for a bride on her Wedding days. Gals! I was hooked! It's something I am going to do for myself before the days that I'm working your Weddings. Not only does a foot massage feel great, but Janice hits key points that give the body a whole sense of calmness that stays with you for the entire day.

So, now the nitty gritty. What does it cost and what's the catch? The catch is that there is a one hour minimum charge. That doesn't mean that you have to sit and have your feet massaged for an hour (though wouldn't that be sublime?) - it simply means that an hour of service will be given. A 15 minute reflexology session is all you really need which means that if you've got at least three other gals who would like to have their feet "reflexologied" you've covered your minimum. Still sound too good to be true? It is! And it gets better. Janice only charges $1.00 a minute. So for $60 you and three of your favorite gal pals can get the star treatment before you walk down the aisle. Okay, there's one little catch - there's a $10 travel fee. But seriously?! $70 for you all to be pampered on the biggest day of your life? Sounds pretty darn awesome to me!

So how do you get in touch with this amazing woman? You can visit her website at www.powaymassage.net and make an appointment through the website (plus view all the other massage options) or call her directly at 619-997-7612. And vendors - remember to take care of you too! Give Janice a call to meet her and get your tender tootsies taken care of before or after your next event! Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

A Client Says It Best: Kamalia & Dae

2010-09-13T09:09:00.000-07:00

I had a unique opportunity to host a Wedding Rehearsal and Wedding day on behalf of a colleague of mine who ended up being unable to work the entirety of her event. The client was the sweetest, kindest couple I could have hoped to have worked for given the last minute nature of the situation. We had a great time laughing and working through the details of the Wedding Rehearsal (I found it rather amusing that the best man showed up in swim trunks - no shirt - and a bottle of beer in hand) and pulled off an absolutely perfect Wedding day. Here is what this lovely couple, Kamalia and Dae, had to say about my work:

My August wedding at Paradise Point was absolutely perfect and stress-free, and I have Meaghan to thank for it! Leading up to the wedding, I pretty much took care of everything already and was simply looking for a DOC. My actual DOC always works with an assistant, and I was fortunate enough to have gotten Meaghan as that second coordinator. Don't let the words "assistant" or "second" fool you - Meaghan was like my primary coordinator anyway! She was the one who attended my rehearsal, had all the details listed in a folder, put the groomsmen in order when they got rowdy (thank God because they were stressing me out!), and made sure the rehearsal and wedding itself went smoothly.

On the day of the wedding, my husband and I never got stressed because she literally took care of everything, even all the details we would've never thought of. After taking photos, my BMs and I really wanted a drink and Meaghan came immediately with a tray of white wine! I also had white market lights hung up outside the terrace deck and Meaghan was the one was stayed late behind, taking them all down for me, and actually putting them back in the exact boxes they came in! Of course I had one too many drinks, so at the end of the night, Meaghan was the one who took care of my bill for me as well. I could go on and on about the many things Meaghan did (and some I wasn't aware of either, because that's what a good coordinator does - takes care of everything so you can enjoy your day), but this review would run on for another 11 pages.

Bottom line, if you need a detail-oriented, friendly (but firm when necessary), organized, caring and thoughtful coordinator, Meaghan is your best bet. It was money well spent and I recommend that you hire her in a heartbeat! =)

Until next time...
You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

What I Do Best: Loanie & Jon

2010-09-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

Loanie and Jon hosted a beautiful Wedding Ceremony and Reception at a private residence in Spring Valley on June 26th of this year. There were so many special elements that it's hard to categorize them all but my favorite had to be the traditional Tea Ceremony held in a gazebo next to a pond (such a perfect setting). While many of their guests enjoyed cocktail hour, Loanie and Jon had a private moment to speak with their honored guests, friends and family receive a blessing from each group of guests during the Tea Ceremony. It was obvious how special this was from the looks on the faces of each guest as they left the Tea Ceremony - there was such joy in the day.

I can hardly recant all the fabulous details so I'll leave you with the beautiful images provided to me by Leah of Leah Lee Photography. I do have to share one small detail that actually had me in tears behind the shrubbery (good tears): their officiant, and long time friend, read the same blessing at their Wedding that was read at mine. It brought back such beautiful memories. Anyway, on to the photos of the day...

I made this for their Wedding and now have them in my collection for future brides...

Somebody brought some bubbly...

SO happy! It's a beautiful thing.

They shared their Mother/Son and Father/Daughter dance.

PARTY TIME!

They capped off the night with lots of partying and dancing. The quick-thinking bartenders whipped up a special cocktail of fruit juices and named it "The Loanie". Loanie and Jon were blown away by the entire night. I had to shove Jon into the limousine at the end of the night - he just wanted to keep going! All in all a successful event for a first-time venue. It was an honor to have worked with such a gracious couple. To all of the vendors who made it happen - a heartfelt "Thank You". And here are those spectacular vendors, in no particular order:

Photography: Leah of Leah Lee Photography

Videography: Benito Brito

Catering, Linens & Rentals: Vina of Vina & Co.

Lighting: Joanne of White WEDDING Day Events

DJ/Sound/Music: Martin of San Diego-DJ.com

Cake/Desserts: Marcelo of M & M Patisserie

Comfort Station: Becky of Royal Restrooms of California

Hair Stylist: Julie Matsuura

Florals: Lee of Divine Orchids

Valet Services: Micah of Aloha Valet Services

Transportation: Antonio of Top Cat Limousines

Wedding Coordination: Meaghan of Weddings Made Splendid

Until next time...

You cut the cake, I'll cut the chaos!

Wedding Tip: Vendor Meals, Part 2 (for the Vendors)

2010-08-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

I feel the need to post about an incident I recently witnessed at a Wedding. I know I'll strike a wrong chord somewhere here with a Vendor or two, but I'd really appreciate some feedback on this as I was honestly a bit stymied by this Vendors actions.

You'll note that I've taken the time to express how important it is to feed Vendors at a Wedding. We all know that being fed by our clients doesn't happen 100% of the time. I've had a Wedding where I actually purchased Vendor meals for all the Vendors on site with my own money because (disappointingly) my client decided not to feed her Vendors. However, I don't think we can begin to expect meals. Yes, it's nice, and when a client feeds us, we're very appreciative. Some of us have even gone the way of including it in our contracts. But I think there comes a point where we have to learn to put our empty stomachs aside and realize that we are doing a job and that the client comes first, not our grumbling stomachs.

At a recent Wedding, just as the guests were being seated, a photographer came to me and said "When are we being fed?" (I was assisting at this wedding; I wasn't the lead Planner). I answered "Likely after the guests have been fed". He looked a bit abashed, but understood. The timing was bad - he hadn't really considered that the guests were the priority. Not two minutes later I find the videographer standing in the doorway where the catering staff was busing food, demanding water (and presumably food, though I can't say for sure). This is where I became baffled. Presumably this wasn't this individuals first Wedding. He's likely aware of the order of events and has understood in the past that he will be fed, though it may take a few minutes. Logic would also suggest that standing in the doorway of the catering staff is the least effective way of obtaining food as it's only going to slow down the progress of getting the guests fed (aka: the IMPORTANT people at the event), and thus getting his meal more slowly.

Please know that I understand the need/desire to be fed. I'm hungry too! But I'm not so hungry that I lose my ability to recognize that the bride and groom (you know, the people who have given us work and who have paid us to be there)and their guests are the priority.

And my tip to Vendors (and perhaps I'm missing a valid point here): please bring snacks with you. Grab a couple of granola bars on your way out the door that morning/afternoon. Bring a couple of bottles of water with you. Yes, it adds weight to your pack of gear but isn't it better to carry 24oz. of extra weight rather than look like you only care about yourselves at an event? I would also suggest you talk to the Planner, the catering manager, or your client before the event. Be candid about when the best time for you to be fed really is. I realize that the timing that works for one Vendor may not be optimal for the next. I had a wonderfully frank conversation with a collection of photographers a couple months ago and got a whole new perspective on things. I now bring extra granola bars, water and Gatorade for all my Vendors on a site.

Thanks for reading - I do want your feedback. Good, bad, ugly. And please know I'm not pointing fingers and any one group of Vendors. I'm merely explaining what I experienced at this particular event. We all work very hard and we all appreciate being fed. I just wonder if I'm missing something because I see this kind of attitude time and time again at different events, whether mine, or another Planners. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Wedding Tip: Vendor Meals, Part 1 (for the Bride and Groom)

2010-08-04T09:35:00.000-07:00

As you plan your Wedding day "taking care" of the Vendors isn't typically something that you worry about. And why should you? You're paying the vendors to perform a service for you. Oftentimes once you've hired a vendor they are out of your mind until the day of the Wedding when you see them again. Of course you might maintain a relationship with your photographer as you'll see them for your engagement photo session. And you might talk to the DJ again about your music selections, but I would hazard a guess that once the payments are made and the contracts are signed you don't review the contract again.

I would encourage you to think of your Vendors one last time as you are coordinating your final guest counts for the caterer. It's a wonderful gesture to feed your Vendors a meal. Some Vendors actually require it and have it in their contracts, others just hope you'll think to feed them. A good rule of thumb is if you and your guests are hungry by the time you get to your meals, we are too. Many of your Vendors will have already been working for you from the moment they get up - checking batteries, memory cards and tripods; arranging florals; setting up sites and finalizing last minute seating chart changes... all the little things that go unnoticed to you are being taken care of for you. In my experience, the one thing we forget to do (or don't have time to do) is eat.

When you talk to your catering manager, ask them about Vendor meals. They will often recommend a less expensive meal option for your Vendors. It doesn't have to be the shrimp scampi and fillet mignon that you're eating - we're happy to just take 5 minutes to sit and stop the grumbling of our stomachs with a pasta, or a chicken breast - preferably something warm.

So when should you feed these Vendors? Typically the best time to feed your Vendors is immediately after you've been served your salad course (or just as the guests are starting to go through the buffet line). This is the time of the day when the least amount of Vendor support is needed. You likely don't need photo or video of your guests eating or going through the buffet line. Your Planner will be staying out of the way of the catering staff. The DJ can typically set 15 minutes of "dinner music" and leave the room for a few minutes to have a quick bite of food. We appreciate the thought and gesture more than you know. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

A Client Says It Best: Loanie and Jon

2010-07-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

I met Loanie and Jon thru a colleague, Kate, who wasn't able to work their event. It was kismet - they were MY client. I love when the world pulls the right people together. Read on to see what Loanie and Jon thought of me.

My husband and I planned most of the major and minor details for our wedding, and we were looking for someone who would take the reigns on the day of so that we would do nothing but sit back, relax, and enjoy GETTING MARRIED!!! Meaghan was referred by a colleague who was already booked on the day of our wedding (June 26, 2010). Although we hired Meaghan for "Day-of" services, she was pretty much our go-to person immediately. Within the last month before the wedding, Meaghan was in touch and coordinated with all our vendors. As promised, Meaghan was the first and last person to show up on the day of our wedding.

At our initial in-person consultation, Meaghan brought lunch for my husband and me, including a vegetarian option in case one of us didn't eat meat. Learning how detail-oriented, considerate, and kind Meaghan was just sealed the deal for us. She spent a good 1-1.5 hours with us, going over the various coordinating options and assessing our needs and wants for the big day. She was extremely organized and well-prepared. All of her forms had our names and wedding information already printed on them, and she presented them to us in a lovely folder. To top it off, she even gave us a wedding planning magazine for our reference.

Meaghan was never pushy. She was attentive, responsive, and most importantly, she demonstrated some pretty sophisticated people skills: she was assertive with vendors when necessary, patient with family and other guests during the rehearsal and wedding itself, and she was just simply nice and pleasant. We had several hour+ conversations via phone and email (since we were planning from the SF bay area), during which time she paid attention to and executed all of my requests.

Small details were handled as well. I wanted to have a pair of flip flops to change into after the ceremony, and Meaghan cleverly left it underneath my sweetheart table along with my make-up touch-up bag. I could go on for pages and pages listing all of the details Meaghan and her team managed flawlessly on the days leading up to and day of the wedding. I seriously did not have a single stressful moment on the day of my wedding. Even when minor issues came up, I did not worry because I was confident that Meaghan and her team would take care of it. Meaghan was truly the best money we spent on our wedding, and I would recommend her services to anyone!

Stay tuned for images of their big day coming soon! Until next time...
You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Wedding Tip: The Veil

2010-07-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

Today's post is inspired by an email sent to my Mum from her brother regarding his fiancées agony over deciding whether or not to wear a veil for her upcoming Wedding. The rule of thumb? There is no rule. I know... not so helpful, right? Here's the scoop on veils.

Veil's were worn, traditionally, as a symbol of modesty. Some would go so far as to say that it was a measure of a woman's subservience. However, today's bride tends to lean away from tradition and more towards fashion. Over the past few years that I've been working the industry I think all of my clients have worn a veil of sorts, whether it was a face veil, a birdcage, or just a blusher. So, to help you pick out which style is "You" keep reading.

The Blusher Veil:

This is a short veil, often worn over the face, and falls to just below the shoulders. This veil can be bought in a single layer, or multiple layers, to give you the effect you're looking for. If it's worn over the face the choice is yours as to who helps you lift it, though traditionally it's either the father of the bride as he gives his daughter to the groom, or the maid of honor when the bride hands off her bouquet.

Courtesy of http://www.doesthedressfit.com/images/veils/blusher-veil.jpg

The Fingertip Veil:

Not-so creatively named, this veil is a bit more reminiscent of the 1980's bride. This veil is traditionally seated high on the brides head and falls to the length of her fingertips (if her arms were hanging at her sides). The more modern bride wears this veil tucked up under a chignon and it will hang just below her fingertips. This, too, can be found in single or multiple layers of tulle and can often include pearls, beads or colored trim.

Courtesy of http://www.unveiledbridaldesigns.com/i/new%20veils/Paige-fingertip-1a.jpg

The Mantilla:

Coming in an array of different lengths, this style of veil is rising in popularity. Often far more ornate than the standard veil, the Mantilla is a beautiful way to bring tradition and design together in an accessory that can be passed from generation to generation.

A traditional Mantilla

Courtesy of http://www.lands-faraway.com/Veils/Mantilla%20SM-943%20Vanesa%20434.jpg

A Modern Mantilla

Courtesy of http://www.womensweddingdresses.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/74332.mantilla_2Dveil_2D2.jpg

The Sweep Veil:

Often a single layer of material, the sweep veil is a full length veil that just touches the ground, it does not trail behind the bridal dress. I have yet to see one of these on a bride but perhaps you are that bride?

Courtesy of http://www.veilubridal.com/1-t-big/wedding-veil-72x108.jpg

The Chapel Veil:

Similar to the Sweep Veil, the Chapel Veil is a full length veil that is commonly a single layer, though it may come with a shorter, blusher-veil length piece of material that can be worn over the face for the processional. The Chapel Veil, however, trails behind the bride by one to two feet.

Courtesy of http://www.veilubridal.com/1-t-big/chapel-length-wedding-veils.jpg

The Cathedral Veil:

My all-time favorite. This veil just oozes romance. Perhaps one of the most famous Cathedral Veils is that worn by Princess Diana oh-so-many years ago. This veil, I'm so happy to note, is making a come back and I'm starting to see more and more brides making use of it. The Cathedral Veil hosts a length of fabric almost as dramatic as it's name - it trails the bride by 1 to 3 YARDS! Simply gorgeous!

Courtesy of http://fashionbride.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/image1845272.jpg

The Birdcage:

The height of today's Wedding fashion - this elegant accessory is a wonderful deviation from the traditional veil that can be thought of as cumbersome or "old fashioned". The birdcage can often be worn for the entirety of the event, or carefully removed, leaving behind a dramatic flourish of floral decoration or feathers in the brides hair.

Courtesy of http://thegloss.com/files/2009/05/il_430xn70161365.jpg

Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

A Client Says It Best: Shannon and Joe

2010-07-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

From my beautiful clients, Shannon and Joe:

Hiring Meaghan Schmaltz of Weddings Made Splendid was by far the best investment we made in our wedding. We had only 2 months to plan our big day, and from our very first meeting with her, Meaghan inspired confidence that we could pull off the wedding of our dreams even given our extremely short timeline...and we did! Meaghan is a friend and a fantastic advocate for her clients. She goes above and beyond the call like racing down to Fed Ex to pick up my wedding leis that never got delivered and sewing ribbon onto my garter belt and ring pillow. Our wedding day was perfect, and we couldn't have done it without Meaghan and all the fantastic vendors she recommended to us. I would highly recommend her to anyone considering a wedding planner.

Shannon and Joe were married on May 29, 2010 at the Dana on Mission Bay. I have to share this photo with you again - it's my ABSOLUTE favorite from their whole day! They met in Korea!

Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Announcement: New Payment Services

2010-07-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

Much like my previous announcement, I'm taking some strides to make my services more convenient and stress-free for my clients. After some careful consideration, and some education from a colleague, I've decided to offer another new option to my clients: PayPal!

With all the credit card bonuses these days (Airmiles, credits, pay-back programs, etc.) it just makes sense to give my clients an opportunity to pay for my services and get something in return (beyond my services, of course)!

For my existing clients, future payments can be made through my site, and for my newer clients needing to make their first payment, you can click here to be redirected to my new "Clients" page on my website. There are three options you can click on to be redirected to my payment page through PayPal. All you need to do is put in the amount you owe and you're off to the races.

I also like to think of this as an eco-friendly move: less paperwork (no checks or money orders) and less gas (no trips to the bank). Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Announcement: My Ordination

2010-07-08T15:40:00.000-07:00

I've run into an interesting situation recently where a client met with their Officiant many months before the day of the Wedding. Through one error or another, the Officiant was told the Ceremony would start at 4pm. Months later when my client sent out their wedding invitations to their guests they listed the Ceremony to start at 4:30pm. Their "oops" moment came when they neglected to tell the Officiant of the time change so this individual booked another wedding at 5:30pm that same afternoon.

When I made the vendor confirmation calls after being hired only 10 short days before the Wedding, I discovered the error (THANK GOODNESS) and was able to rectify the situation. However, after talking with a trusted colleague and friend, Bethel of Ceremonies by Bethel, I was convinced to become a legitimate ordained Officiant so I can perform Wedding Ceremonies, and sign the documents, if push came to shove. So, I won't be going out and promoting myself as a Wedding Officiant, buuuuut... in an emergency situation I can host the Ceremony so my clients still have the Wedding of their dreams. I'm definitely going to keep my fingers crossed that I'll never have to use it anyway! Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Wedding Tip: Dress Silhouettes

2010-06-14T10:17:00.000-07:00

Part of my research includes reading all of the fabulous wedding magazines out there, and watching the wedding reality shows. Well... some of them. Honestly, I used to watch Bridezilla's but it got so depressing I had to stop. I have found a favorite though: "Say Yes To the Dress". I'm pretty sure on occasion my husband has walked into the living room to find me yelling at the TV "No! You silly girl... never try on a dress outside your price range! STOP! You already bought a dress, stop shopping now!". While these aren't truth's I used to live by, it's certainly become part of my mantra now. Thanks TLC!

However, something I've learned a great deal about by watching the show, is the distinction between different dress styles. So I thought I should share these few tidbits with you with real-world examples. Let's start with the most common: The Ball Gown silhouette.

The Ball Gown silhouette often has a very drawn waist and "poofs" out over the hips making it a great dress for almost any body shape. The gown sweeps the floor often leaving any adorable shoes the bride has bought out of site until she really starts kicking up her heels on the dance floor. Some beautiful examples of these can be found on the Custom Couture Bridal website. Their images are copyright protected so I haven't actually shown them here.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Sheath silhouette. Sadly, for us curvier gals, this dress is somewhat less forgiving but can look amazing on any woman who has the confidence to pull it off. These dresses are often very figure hugging and fit very close to the body from neck to ankle. These, too, sweep the floor with a very small train. A great example is this beautiful Vera Wang sheath found on the Real Simple website.

For the body-hugging dress lovers that want a bit of a statement, consider the Mermaid silhouette. This dress is figure hugging from the tippy top, down the torso, and down the hips, to the knees. It then flares out to a beautiful bell shape accentuating the curves of any woman. Here is a perfect example from Simone Carvalli found on the "Does the Dress Fit?" website.

My all-time favorite style of dress is the Empire silhouette. In my opinion, this style flatters every figure, so long as the dress has the right structure underneath. The Empire silhouette boats a waistline that gathers under the breasts, often taking the attention away from our more sensitive areas (ahem, the waistline and hips...). I'll throw in one of my OWN wedding pictures so you can see what I chose to wear on my wedding day!

And last but not least, the Natural Waist silhouette. This style, as of late, is probably the least common. It's a very simple, very classic look. This dress is great on woman who have good proportion all the way down. That's not to say that a curvier figure can't wear it, but it's best if your waist and hips are in good proportion. If you have a smaller waist, but larger hips, this might look a bit off kilter since the focus is on the smallest part of your body. Of course this is just my opinion! Check out this beautiful natural waist gown I found on the Helene Bridal website

Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

What I Do Best: Shannon and Joe

2010-06-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

To say I have the best clients available is clearly an arguable point by many of my colleagues. However, in my (very humble) opinion, I have the best clients. Case in point, Shannon and Joe, who just tied the knot last weekend. The ceremony was a beautiful affair celebrated at The North Chapel at NTC in Point Loma with a wonderful Tiffany's inspired plated reception at The Dana on Mission Bay.

Shannon and Joe met while working overseas in Korea and it wasn't quite love at first sight. It took Joe a few attempts before Shannon would agree to go out with him. Once she said yes, though, she never looked back. And who can blame them? Look at these two - they're GORGEOUS!

Many of Joe's friends and colleagues are also Marine's and I must say... it's hard to work some days when surrounded by so many handsome men in uniform. Let's just say I didn't suffer through this event! Enjoy these beautiful images supplied by Sean Capshaw of Resolusean Photography. I think you'll agree that these two are a match made in heaven!

I LOVE the photo of Shannon and Joe at the "Korea Street" sign and the one following it with her veil flowing behind her. There was magic in their day to be sure. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Shannon and Joe's AMAZING Vendors:

Wedding Coordination: Meaghan Schmaltz of Weddings Made Splendid

Photography: Sean Capshaw of Resolusean Photography

Music: DJ Paul Peterson of High Energy DJ Service

Florist: Eric and Stephanie of The Magic Flower

Linens: Irene of A Perfect Table

Makeup: Terrilyn Hunter

Hair: Meleah

Bride and Grooms Limousine: Michael of Rolls Livery

Bridal Party Limousine: Jon and Ditto of Elite Image Limousines

Reception Site: Angie of The Dana on Mission Bay

Ceremony Site: Aubrey of The North Chapel at NTC Promenade

Cake: James of Flour Power

Lei's: Cindy's Lei Shoppe (Hawaii)

Vendor Spotlight: Evan Bishop Photography

2010-06-02T07:53:00.000-07:00

Wow... my last vendor spotlight was FOREVER ago (a month minus a day, to be exact)! I'm so glad to be back and presenting you with another amazing photographer. I know, I know... I've got a lot of photographers on here. Well, I happen to be lucky enough to know and work with quite a few talented individuals who want to share their story with me. So today, I'm thrilled to share a little bit more on this amazing guy: Evan Bishop of San Diego Wedding Photographer, Evan Bishop Photography.

If memory serves me correctly I was introduced to Evan through Facebook and Twitter, initially, but then my FAV photographers, La Vida Creations, formally introduced me to him and told me to get to know him. So, get to know him I did. We've shared a couple glasses of wine over at the fabulous Indulge restaurant at the Embassy Suites in La Jolla. We've taken a tour of the Natural History Museum in Balboa Park together. And, I was lucky enough to be included on his list of invitees to the PUG party that he hosted this year. I'm truly honored to know this kind, gentle man from Baltimore. Okay... before my heart actually falls off my sleeve and lands on the carpet, let me share some details about Evan, from his perspective. I asked him two questions which he answered beautifully. Then! Enjoy his work; I know I do!

Question #1:

When did you start photography?

Photography for me did not really exist until high school. Unlike most families, mine was not what you would call the documentary type. Rather than photograph family vacations we went into the gift shop and picked up postcards of the places we visited, pasted those into photo albums and accepted that other people's experiences were equal to our own. It didn't matter then that we were not in the images, or that they were generic photos of landmarks, buildings, roller coaster rides, the sunset over the ocean. When in high school I took a photography course, began to document my life, and the people in it and fell in love with with photography for the first time. In college, I meandered my way through my prerequisites, deciding on the practical route of a psychology major until my third year when again, I had to take an art elective and chose photography. After that I changed my major to Fine Arts three years later after the five year plan came and went, on the sixth year, I graduated with a BFA emphasis in photography and a Minor in art history.

Quick pause for some awesome photos; then on to question 2! Some stunning black and whites...

Question #2:

Why do you love photography?

I started my professional photography career as a freelance photojournalist, and worked part-time on assignments that I could take while also working for printing companies and a Apple service provider. It wasn't until a friend recommended me as a photographer for a wedding that I ever considered being a wedding photographer. At the time a lot of wedding photographers were still working in a very traditional and staid style of stiff poses and created moments. The couple that first hired me wanted the exact opposite; they wanted me to document their wedding as a news event. This wasn't revolutionary as the term wedding photojournalist had been coined years before, and many photojournalists were heading into the wedding industry, but it was new to me and I was thrilled about the opportunity and the challenge. From that one wedding, I began booking weddings with like minded couples who cared more about moments and story telling than portraits and fabricated events. Three years later I quit my full-time job and became a full-time wedding photographer. At the end of 2008 I moved from the East Coast to San Diego and over the years my style has developed from a strictly photojournalistic style to a more editorial style, however, I still make and most love, enigmatic images that document moments in time. Often I find the images I am most drawn to can only be understood by the people in them. They may emote feelings in everyone, or tell about a general experience, but the images that define my portfolio are the images that persist in the corners of memories and help to recall the experience and feeling more so than the event.

Recently, when reaching for a pair of sunglasses in my car, I pulled out a polaroid taken during my cross-country move of my partner Kristy. Instantly I was transported back to the roadside where we stopped off to take that image. I remembered not just the image of Kristy, and the cactus around her with the mountains in the background, but the entire journey from the snow through the mountains in West Virginia, the long straight flat road through Kansas, but the experience that we were sharing of leaving everything and everyone we knew for what ever was in front of us. It's that same experience I hope I provide to couples when they see an image from their wedding. From the dress being pulled up before the ceremony, the envelope holding the letter from the groom written the morning of your wedding, watching out the window as guests arrive to the ceremony, the quiet moment and anticipation before walking down the aisle, holding hands and kissing while the sun begins to dip below the horizon, all these images and moments not only document the people and the event but trigger the memories of what those events meant at the time. All the hopes, dreams, fears, excitement ... all the emotions bubble up and those moments are again new. I absolutely love being a wedding photographer and having the opportunity to create those images that mean so much more than the beauty of a location or wedding gown.

And there ya have it! Some amazing images from this wonderfully talented guy. I hope you've enjoyed this little trip through Evan's world. Give him a call to learn more about him. I think you'll find it an incredibly rewarding experience! Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

What I Do Best: Todd and Elysa

2010-05-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

One of the (many) reasons I decided to become a Wedding Planner is that I love meeting new people and building strong, lasting friendships. While I'm well aware that not every client will be a best friend for life, I've come across a few clients over the years that I've formed lasting relationships with. Todd and Elysa are definitely one of those couples who I'll spend many years with.

I met Elysa through her brother, Evan, who was a member of my BNI chapter. He gave me his sister's name and asked me to call her to help her plan her wedding after sharing a few of his rather disappointing stories from his own wedding just a few years earlier. When I met with Elysa and Kathy (Elysa's Mum) I fell in love right away. Elysa was perky, and oh-so-adorable (look at the pictures and you tell me she's not!) and had such a good bead on everything she wanted her wedding to be. The ideas were simple, exact, and so representative of Elysa and Todd. A beautiful pop of coral (fun and bright like Elysa) with a contrasting clean, strong black (like Todd).

The photos below do such a great job telling the narrative of the day that I hardly need to add any more words here. Just enjoy!

Stephen was very brave and haded his camera off to me for one shot of him and the happy couple:

And one of my FAVORITE shots of the night (I think you know why...):

Well, is that about enough for you? I could look at these all day. It was a fabulous event - huge thanks to all of the vendors who were able to give this happy couple everything they wanted (and more). To see what Todd and Elysa though of my services click HERE. Until next time...

You cut the cake; I'll cut the chaos!

Todd and Elysa's Amazing Vendors:

Wedding Coordination: Meaghan Schmaltz of Weddings Made Splendid

Florals: Nancy Stevens of Nancy Stevens Wedding Flowers

Photography: Stephen Knuth of Steven Knuth Photography

Catering: Rhonda Wick of Ranch Catering

Cake: Rhonda Wick of Ranch Catering

Entertainment: Roy of DJ Guy, Inc.

Ceremony Venue: Tina Diem of St. Gregory the Great

Reception Venue: Allison Vaupel of The Coronado Community Center

Transportation: Elaine Jones of Simply Elegant Limousines