After reading a blog post by a photographer in Houston about why she recommends that her couples hire a wedding planner, I was inspired to gain that point of view myself from vendors in every category. We all know that I think a Wedding Planner is a must ~ but when I read this article from a different angle, it shed a whole new light on the subject that I think really states it best!  {I was also flattered to hear how much we are appreciated by vendors!} So, here we go! First up. Audrey Gardmeyer of Botanica Floral Designs tells it from her point of view:

I think that much too often these days the concept of hiring a wedding planner to help plan the biggest day of your life is overlooked.  Because we have instilled that D-I-Y is a good idea, more and more brides are taking on a task they just can’t handle.  I have worked many weddings with wedding planners, as well as weddings where the bride or a friend helps plan their wedding.  The results just aren’t the same.  Here are some of the specific reasons I, as a vendor, prefer to work with wedding planners:

•   The client’s overall look and decor is better designed.  A wedding planner is going to help their client make the right choices when it comes to linen options, china, draping and other key elements to making their wedding spectacular.  Specifically when it comes to flowers, I know that when I work with a wedding planner my flowers are going to be featured and complimented by the linen choices, “fitting in” with the grand scheme of things.

•   Better communication.  In the beginning stages if a bride has hired a “full-service” experience, the wedding planner is able to guide their client into editing and fine-tuning what exactly they are looking for prior to our initial consultation.  This helps direct the bride and start thinking of ideas prior to our meeting, as well as addresses budget and what is realistic for what they are looking for.

•   Organized experience.  Let’s face it, leading up to the wedding, it is chaotic for a bride, especially if you are the only one handling details.  As a vendor, it can be frustrating trying to get the delivery times, and other essential pieces of information from an unorganized client.  Things also run as planned and on time with a coordinator.  Parents don’t run behind schedule, brides are on time, and there is a much better organized show.  Especially with a dual-location set-up, an expected timeline is essential in making our delivery and service run smoothly.

Most brides think that they are saving on cost by not hiring a wedding planner, but in actuality, they save on cost and quality when they do hire one.  Your wedding planner is going to know the best quality vendors and who has the best price point.  The homework is already done.  Think of the time and effort you will save by not having to do the research yourself!  I know with my business that I am much more likely to extend discounts and incentives to clients working with planners because I know that the process is going to be much smoother and well-orchestrated. If you are considering hiring a planner to help with the biggest day of your life, I strongly suggest doing so.  In the end it will save time, money and stress!

{Thanks Audrey! We heart you!}

Finally, it’s here! Charity and Frank’s Wedding, which was planned by 2Chic Events & Design and filmed for WeTV’s show, Platinum Weddings will be airing on Sunday, April 18th at 6pm. We are so excited and hope that everyone will take a moment to watch this amazing wedding come to life for TV viewers to see!

Honestly, we’re more than a little excited about the airing of this show! I hope that each and every vendor who worked on this wedding enjoys even greater success than they have already achieved!

Cheers!

We were absolutely thrilled to have Andrea and Jim join the 2Chic family in August of last year. They are such a fun, down to earth couple and we couldn’t be more excited to be working with them this year. They will be getting married this October at the lovely Wilson Vineyards ~ the perfect backdrop for a fall themed wedding filled with details reflecting the personalities of these two love birds!

Speaking of personality ~ I have to say, I adore Andrea’s sassy personality! She is a girl who definitely knows what she wants and knows how to get it! {Yes, Andrea, I do see how you look at Jim when you want something and how he can’t say no!} And Jim, he is undeniably supportive of Andrea’s wishes and only has one request that he is adamant about: pumpkins. No problem! I love infusing the grooms’ personality and likes into the mix! I can’t wait to see Andrea and Jim’s visions come to life.  {I am also on the edge of my seat waiting to see their engagement photos, which will be shot by Jacqueline Photography, this April!} In the meantime, here is a super sweet photo of the two of them to hold you over!

Oh, I just love Sunday Mornings ~ Lionel Richie cranked up, a big ol’ cup of Starbucks and my office window wide open. I love the fresh morning air {even though it’s still a bit chilly for my taste}!

This morning I was inspired by a conversation with a good friend about her wedding ~ which led to my searching the web for inspiration as I so often do. I ran across an amazing web site, Vintageous where I found a gold mine of Vintage Wedding Dresses {at an affordable cost!}. I love, love, love the idea of a bride wearing a truly unique vintage dress. This site gives you measurements of the dresses as well as detailed information on the condition, which is great when buying something off the web. These dresses are selling like hot cakes, ladies! If you’re looking for a vintage dress for your wedding, I definitely suggest stalking this site regularly.

I could certainly design an entire wedding around one of these fabulous finds. {Keep your eyes peeled, I just might throw some inspiration boards together!} Check ‘em out! A few of my faves below:

Vintage Dresses from Vintageous

Photo by Sacramento Wedding Photographer, Jacqueline Photography

Many  couples ponder whether or not they should have an engagement session with their photographer {something that is often included in photography packages}. I often have couples ask whether they may be able to swap out the engagement session for other items in their photography package, or eliminate all together in order to save money. My opinion? Every couple should have an engagement session. Why? a) This is your opportunity to get to comfortable with your photographer prior to your wedding day. This is a HUGE benefit for both you and the photographer and will produce much better wedding day photos! and b) You just might regret it if you don’t do it. It’s part of the process ~ part of the excitement and the fun, and it makes it feel more real when you engage in these activities together. It’s one more sweet memory that you’ll have {and a chance to include your groom in the process, too}!

Here is some invaluable information and advice on your engagement session from my wonderful friend Jackie of Jacqueline Photography:

The love, the romance, the silliness; that’s what your engagement session is all about. It’s about the two of you, your story, your life journey which brought you to this point together. This session is so important for all of us. For myself {the photographer}, I get to know the two of you better than if we were to just sit over coffee chatting for a few hours. I get to watch {and photograph} the two of you interact, see how he holds you tight like nothing in this world will take you from his arms and the way you look at each other like you can see to each others soul.  I get to know your story, how you met, how you fell in love and how he popped the question. For you, well you just get to have fun while I capture it! This session is so important for couples to take advantage of because it’s a perfect opportunity for the couple and the photographer to get to know each other, and for the couple to get comfortable in front of the camera {like practice before the wedding}. Couples who have an engagement session know what to expect on the wedding day and feel so much more comfortable in front of the camera because they know what to expect and what is expected of them. Here are some tips to get the most out of your e-session:

*Choose a location that is personal to you both; maybe where you had your first date, where you met or where you got engaged. Or if you have a favorite place you love going to, even if it’s going to an ice cream parlor and sharing an banana split. This will make your pictures more personal. If your ideal location is out of town ask your photographer if they will travel, most of the time they will.

*Schedule your hair and makeup trial run on the day of our session. This way you can look extra fabulous and test out the hair and makeup, see how it photographs and make sure it lasts all day.

*Coordinate your outfits. You want colors that compliment your skin and feel free to be edgy! Pick an outfit that you feel comfortable in and that flatters your figure. High heels make your legs look longer, leaner and stronger! Plus, how could you not feel sexy in heels?? Guys, don’t be afraid to have some fun with your footwear as well.

*Props are so much fun to incorporate into your session! We can discuss which props would be great for your session but if you both love sports bring jerseys of your favorite teams and a football or baseball and glove, or if you love music and play an instrument bring it! If you both love to go bike riding bring your bikes. Feel free to bring your pets to incorporate into the pictures as well.

*And finally, just have fun with the session! This is your chance to be silly, be romantic, be serious and just be you. I want you to pretend there is no one around and act like you just stole a kiss while no one was looking. Your wedding is all about celebrating your love and we want to portray your love and your personalities in your pictures.

Start thinking outside the box and get creative with your session and you will love your pictures that much more.

We are very excited about the amazing couples that we will have the pleasure of working with in 2010 and beyond. I’ve been wanting to post photos of some of our couples for some time now, and I’m finally getting around to doing it! We’ve got so many fabulous weddings this year, each of them completely different and unique to the couples we are working with. There are no two that will be the same and that’s the way we like it!

Hung & Eileen enlisted the services of 2Chic back in April of last year, giving us a full 18 months to plan this amazing wedding! I love it when we get an opportunity to dive into the process that early, as it allows us to get to know our clients well enough to truly bring their vision to life! Hung & Eileen have chosen 10.10.10 as their wedding date, and we couldn’t be more excited to have them as our clients for one of the most popular dates of the year. With a vendor list that contains all of the elements necessary to create the true “Dream Team” this one is going to have a WOW Factor that will be hard to beat! The colors? Lavender, Plum, Magenta and Silver. The look? Very contemporary, tons of flowers, dramatic lighting, custom designed pieces and an overall “Whimsy” feel. The details? Off the hook! You’ll have to just wait and see!

A little late, I suppose ~ but WELCOME to the family Hung & Eileen! I’ve enjoyed the past 10 months working with you and look forward to 8 more!

Photo by Allison Stahl

We often get inquiries from brides {and sometimes grooms} for “Day Of” Services for weddings. This usually means that the couple feels that the pre-planning is pretty much handled and they just need someone there on the day of the wedding to ensure that things go smoothly. Totally understood! “Day Of Coordination” is one of the many services that we happily offer.  But I do have to say that I personally feel that the term “Day Of” is a little bit confusing. So, I just thought I would take a brief moment today to talk about exactly how “Day Of” services work and what we provide when someone comes to us asking for this particular service.  The fact is that it would be very risky for us to step in on the day of, or even a few days before a wedding, and promise our clients that we will do an amazing job. There is definitely a good bit pre-work and interaction with our clients that is required before we can say with confidence: “We’ve got it! You can relax now!”

I asked my good friend Alison Ulshoffer of Alison Ulshoffer Events & Design for her take on “Day Of” Planning and here’s what she had to say: “We decided at the beginning of 2009 that “day of coordination” was in theory, not practice, a great service for brides + grooms. I quickly learned it’s actually a disservice to our clients to try and step in the “day of” their wedding. There is simply too much communication that needs be done prior to a wedding. We feel that a “month of” coordination is much more reasonable to really get a handle on all of the many details that need to be taken care of. There are so many savvy brides who have done an incredible job planning their wedding. We don’t feel that it can be carried out with a couple days of phone calls and emails. Building a relationship with clients is so important and the more time to build that relationship the better”.

Like Alison and her team, we typically begin to work with our clients 4-6 weeks in advance of your wedding when providing “Day Of” services {which, for most planners, truly is more of a “Month Of” service}. We begin with an initial consultation where we gather more detailed information than most people probably even know exist about the details of a wedding. This takes time. It takes interaction between us and our clients. It takes us getting to know you and your every want, need and desire for your wedding day {all the way down to the comfy shoes that you want us to set next to your chair for you for when you’re ready to dance the night away}. It’s all of these little details that we gather from you and your vendors before the wedding day that are the keys to making your wedding everything you had hoped for. And you’ll find that knowing that we are aware of, and in tune with, your every desire will allow you to truly relax and enjoy every moment of  your wedding day. All you’ll have to do is focus on looking fabulous as you prepare to walk down the aisle to meet the love of your life at the altar!

Bottom Line: The more time in advance of your wedding that you spend with your Wedding Planner, the more fabulous your wedding will be! If you are unable to fit “Full Service Planning” into your budget , or you simply feel that you’ve got the pre-planning handled, it is absolutely a great idea to hire a “Day Of” planner at the very least. Just remember when you are planning and budgeting for this service that you should take into consideration that your planner will begin providing their services to you several weeks in advance of your wedding day. This might mean that there are more hours required for this service than you had anticipated having to pay for when hiring a “Day Of” planner but it will be well worth it in the end!

Well, you may have seen this one coming from a mile away! Our best moment of 2009 was the creation and filming of a Platinum Wedding for WeTV!

We were initially hired for Day Of Services only for Frank & Charity’s wedding, but when we called to schedule our get together for 6 weeks prior to the wedding, boy were we in for a surprise! The budget had escalated to 70 times more than the original $20,000 budget {Plug that into your calculator…yep, that’s right!} and we set off on a quick course to raise the bar in every area for this wedding! We added an entire new room that would serve as the lounge {and all of the pieces and elements to pull that together ~ provided by the fabulous crew at Studio B} , brought in an ice sculpture, embellished the linens with additional pearl, feather and crystal accents and fine tuned every single little detail down to the Swarovski crystal wrap on the handle of Charity’s bouquet! Once we found out we would be on WeTV, we also had a sudden need for more lighting and I had the need for a whole new wardrobe!

We were followed around by camera crews for several days leading up to the event while attending last minute vendor meetings, a final dress fitting and site walk-throughs. I thought I would be insanely nervous with the cameras on me ~ but we had an absolute blast working with the camera crews! No contrived scenes, no pressure to create drama. Platinum Weddings is truly a class act and made every effort to showcase us all at our best. Filming the show is something that I will never forget and I cannot wait to see our episode air this spring! {Of course we’ll be blasting the air date all over the place, so keep any eye out}.

I have to give the biggest shout out to Mimi & Co, who not only provided the couture linens, swanky Manhattan chaircovers and so much more, but who also referred me these clients! You girls ROCK! You are amazing to work with, your products and your service are head and shoulders above the rest and I adore you both, Gaby and Mimi!

This brings our Top 9 of ‘09 Series to a close. 2009 was a great year, filled with so much fun, style and beauty. We can only hope that our Top 10 of ‘10 can compare to, or exceed, the Simply Chic and Fabulously Unique events showcased here! Cheers to a successful 2010 everyone! Enjoy some details and behind the scenes photos, compliments of Christopher Kight Photographers below!

As my 9 days wind down I have found it harder and harder to choose between all of the great weddings that we had the pleasure of working on last year! I would love to post them all! This was another tough category with so many to choose from! There were three in this category that I had the hardest time choosing between. In the end, I picked Jessica and Mike’s “Vintage Chic” Wedding.

Oh the details!! Jessica was my kind of girl! Between the two of us, we spent countless hours shopping to find all of the perfect little details! I called her from vintage stores, she texted me from other ones. We must have hit every store in the county that had items that would reflect her style. When I went to Jessica’s house the week of the wedding to pick everything up, my car was packed! For a moment, I thought we had gone too far but in the end every item had the perfect use, the perfect look, and the perfect place!

Adding to the charm and beauty of this wedding was Cathy from Visual Impact Design. She did an amazing job of creating all of the flowers and I especially fell in love with the bouquets!  I can honestly say that she truly captured Jessica’s style perfectly! I loved the brooches on the handles, the elegance of Jessica’s bouquet and the fun pops of color in the bridesmaids’ bouquets! Cathy used a mixture of textures, vessels and colors that worked perfectly with Jessica’s “Vintage Chic” theme. Capers Party Rentals made all of the custom linens for Jessica’s wedding, which I was totally impressed with! Take a peek! Photo’s by Stout Photography.

2009 was the year of the lounge {along with the candy table and unique place card display} We had a few lounges of our own and had fun with them all, but this one was truly special.

Cindy and Kevin flew in from Arizona one rainy afternoon to meet with me and see what in the world I had been raving about and trying to convey to them over the phone and via emailed photos: A “Southern Lounge” with dark wood wicker furniture, elegant pillows, chandeliers hanging from trees, large jugs of sweet tea and lemonade to be served in mason jars and blues music playing in the background {compliments of a few members of the Misa Malone Project out of San Francisco}. All of this, nestled into the “enchanted forest” area  at the beautiful Avio Vineyards surrounded by rolling hills and grapevines, was enough to make any southern girl melt! The decor was inspired by a front porch photo of a beautiful home in Hilton Head that Cindy had shown me when we first met. She fell in love with the details and the vision was brought to life. After the event, the divine satin pillows that Cindy was gushing over were my gift to her. Photos by Allison Stahl.