What a week it has been and I have to say that I am none too impressed with the frigid temperatures that today has ushered in. If only we lived in warmer climates.
There are some fantastic and informative articles and posts floating around the blogosphere, read up!
Grooms are oft forgotten in the wedding planning process - but for the groom that is involved, here are some great tips on being involved.
When your sales manager at a venue stays in sales and fails to act as your wedding day coordinator - wouldn't you be upset too?
Great post on spelling out why a 'Day Of Coordinator' isn't actually a Day Of Coordinator. I personally dislike the Day Of term since its much more than that ... we call it Month Of Coordination at our office!
And finally, our good friends got married on a Yacht in the Caribbean a few months ago and we were lucky enough to attend the festivities - Table 4 Photography did an awesome job of documenting the weekend - check out the recaps here, here and here.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Business & Wedding Planning: Using Your Niche
Regardless of what you studied in college or what your career is - we're all specialists. Our jobs have made us 'experts' in one particular niche, something that we are beyond efficient at; something that we know inside out how to do and most importantly, something we could theoretically, do in our sleep. We've got a defined niche after all. Or at least that's what our bosses want us to believe.
So how do we translate your career niche into your wedding planning? Simple. Use your specialization to your advantage. If you're a writer, use your words to create carefully scripted programs, invitations, RSVP cards, even your ceremony. If you're a marketing guru, market your wedding to your guests - find a common thread to link through your wedding day that will make your wedding day unique. If you're into finance - take over the budget and do the math. If you're a consultant - use your skills to analyze the wedding planning process into something easy to handle. Use your niche at the office to simplify your wedding planning process and make it your own. Use what you are good at to help aid you through your engagement. Why fight your niche? Work it!
We are always taught to use our specializations - why shouldn't this hold true to your wedding?
So how do we translate your career niche into your wedding planning? Simple. Use your specialization to your advantage. If you're a writer, use your words to create carefully scripted programs, invitations, RSVP cards, even your ceremony. If you're a marketing guru, market your wedding to your guests - find a common thread to link through your wedding day that will make your wedding day unique. If you're into finance - take over the budget and do the math. If you're a consultant - use your skills to analyze the wedding planning process into something easy to handle. Use your niche at the office to simplify your wedding planning process and make it your own. Use what you are good at to help aid you through your engagement. Why fight your niche? Work it!
We are always taught to use our specializations - why shouldn't this hold true to your wedding?
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Wediquette: Technology and Your Wedding
In this day and age, seemingly everyone has access to email and the internet {this includes my 89 year old grandfather in law who loves ebay!}. Thus, its only natural that internet/email savvy folks would want to use the internet to communicate details regarding their upcoming wedding - its fast, its efficient and its definitely less expensive than having items printed.
I have to advise though: think long and hard about this decision before you and Paperless Post or Evite hop into bed together. What if some guests legitimately aren't email people? How will they get the information they need regarding your wedding day? How are you going to ensure that every single person gets your email and it doesn't go into spam?
I love the idea of creating a wedding website that has all your wedding day information included in it - something I've discussed before here. You can put your hotel room block information, activities, directions, anything you'd like. But, I am still a firm believer in the written, printed word. You don't need to break the bank on stationery, but having beautiful printed invitations sets the tone for your amazing wedding day. Besides, its another keepsake for your guests and for your wedding album.
I have to advise though: think long and hard about this decision before you and Paperless Post or Evite hop into bed together. What if some guests legitimately aren't email people? How will they get the information they need regarding your wedding day? How are you going to ensure that every single person gets your email and it doesn't go into spam?
I love the idea of creating a wedding website that has all your wedding day information included in it - something I've discussed before here. You can put your hotel room block information, activities, directions, anything you'd like. But, I am still a firm believer in the written, printed word. You don't need to break the bank on stationery, but having beautiful printed invitations sets the tone for your amazing wedding day. Besides, its another keepsake for your guests and for your wedding album.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Real Wedding: Kim & Chad
I would have loved to get married at a Vineyard since its no secret that the husband and I love our vino! So when I had the opportunity to help Kim & Chad with their wedding at Duck Walk Vineyards on the North Fork of Long Island, I was thrilled! This outpost of Duck Walk {their home base is in Southampton, NY} is relatively new but has such a beautiful tasting room - filled with rich woods and large open space. If you like wine, tastings and a fabulous venue, this place fits the bill.
Oh and the bride made ALL the floral arrangements, bouquets and boutinnieres herself. Unbelievably fabulous!
Images by Christy Murray
Oh and the bride made ALL the floral arrangements, bouquets and boutinnieres herself. Unbelievably fabulous!
Images by Christy Murray
Monday, January 25, 2010
Monday Musings
On this dreary, rainy Monday, I am dreaming of spring and silently signing that "Rain, Rain Go Away" childhood song ...
{via Sara Norris Photography}
{via Sara Norris Photography}
Friday, January 22, 2010
Weekly Round Up: Wedding Lovelies
This was a week chock full of networking - I love meeting new wedding industry folks especially they are all so talented and so lovely.
Here are a few of the wonderful people I had a chance to meet with this week, check them out they are simply amazing:
Christopher Duggan - fabulous photographer, love his images!
Maggie Harkov - lovely lovely lovely person, and her pictures are divine!
Poppies and Posies - Siera & Juliet are a dynamic floral design force!
Lastly, anyone whose met me knows that Lulu & Max, my french bulldogs are my obsession. Lulu had a lovely feature over on The Sweet Occasion - she was in our wedding and looked adorable! {And she was un-characteristically well behaved too!} And, for those wondering, Max was only 4 weeks old when we got hitched - too little to be apart of our day ... he'll be at the vow renewal in a few years!
Here are a few of the wonderful people I had a chance to meet with this week, check them out they are simply amazing:
Christopher Duggan - fabulous photographer, love his images!
Maggie Harkov - lovely lovely lovely person, and her pictures are divine!
Poppies and Posies - Siera & Juliet are a dynamic floral design force!
Lastly, anyone whose met me knows that Lulu & Max, my french bulldogs are my obsession. Lulu had a lovely feature over on The Sweet Occasion - she was in our wedding and looked adorable! {And she was un-characteristically well behaved too!} And, for those wondering, Max was only 4 weeks old when we got hitched - too little to be apart of our day ... he'll be at the vow renewal in a few years!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
New Weekly Series: Business Concepts & Wedding Planning
One of my not so secret secrets is that I am an avid reader of business books. I actually enjoy them and learning from them not only for my business but for other aspects of life. I know, that sounds totally cheesy, but its the truth. It got me thinking about how many of the concepts and ideas presented in business can easily be applied to wedding planning - especially since most couples getting married have professional experience - this may make your wedding planning easier in general. Or at least break it down so it makes sense. {At least that concept makes sense to me!} Therefore, without further ado, meet concept 1:
Without fail, every job interview we've all ever been on, this question gets asked:
"What are your strengths and what are your weaknesses?"
While I know that we've all been trained to answer this question trying to spin our weaknesses into positives when applying this concept to your wedding planning - don't. Legitimately sit down and ponder what are you strengths and what are your weaknesses and how can you utilize both to ensure that your planning process is smooth and stress free?
Strengths can include anything, for example: organized, detail oriented, love doing research, creative, thoughtful, good communication skills - all of these skills can be applied to your wedding planning to help you be successful. Keeping proposals organized, managing to communicate well with your vendors, being able to creatively think up ideas to incorporate into the big day - all of these aspects play to your innate strengths. Whatever you are strongest at, exploit it to ensure that your planning and wedding day are you.
On the flip side, your weaknesses can be any number of things and the key to making them work for you is to acknowledge them and then work them to your advantage. If you can't handle multiple tasks at once, recognize that you need to enlist your fiance and delegate tasks to him / her. If you aren't an out of the box thinker on design - seek out blogs and websites for ideas and present all of them to your wedding coordinator or florist and let them be the creative force. If you know that you have a tendency to procrasinate - take a wedding planning timeline and break it down into bit sized pieces to work on over time and reward yourself when you can tick things off the list.
Make your wedding planning work for you - not every wedding is created equal, not every wedding planning process need be the same, therefore use your strengths and weaknesses to make your wedding planning process yours.
Without fail, every job interview we've all ever been on, this question gets asked:
"What are your strengths and what are your weaknesses?"
While I know that we've all been trained to answer this question trying to spin our weaknesses into positives when applying this concept to your wedding planning - don't. Legitimately sit down and ponder what are you strengths and what are your weaknesses and how can you utilize both to ensure that your planning process is smooth and stress free?
Strengths can include anything, for example: organized, detail oriented, love doing research, creative, thoughtful, good communication skills - all of these skills can be applied to your wedding planning to help you be successful. Keeping proposals organized, managing to communicate well with your vendors, being able to creatively think up ideas to incorporate into the big day - all of these aspects play to your innate strengths. Whatever you are strongest at, exploit it to ensure that your planning and wedding day are you.
On the flip side, your weaknesses can be any number of things and the key to making them work for you is to acknowledge them and then work them to your advantage. If you can't handle multiple tasks at once, recognize that you need to enlist your fiance and delegate tasks to him / her. If you aren't an out of the box thinker on design - seek out blogs and websites for ideas and present all of them to your wedding coordinator or florist and let them be the creative force. If you know that you have a tendency to procrasinate - take a wedding planning timeline and break it down into bit sized pieces to work on over time and reward yourself when you can tick things off the list.
Make your wedding planning work for you - not every wedding is created equal, not every wedding planning process need be the same, therefore use your strengths and weaknesses to make your wedding planning process yours.
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