Being nontraditional can be so cool

I recently planned an outdoor wedding for 400 guests. The bride and groom were in every sense of the word, nontraditional. Big dreamers, huge hearts, each with their own quirks and free spirits that made them so enjoyable to work with.

The bride in particular, had these really big ideas for her outdoor wedding and outdoor reception. Both of them taking place in this enormous open field near the college soccer fields.

Her ideas included some sort of "tent" thing, just not a tent because of the cost. But still with the lights, the paper lanterns and gossamer. And for the ceremony she wanted a canopy/pagoda built for her and the groom to stand under.

The whole wedding had so many little things that were a reflection of the bride and groom, and that is what made the wedding different and cool. That is what made the wedding stand out.

Here are some of the things they changed that made their wedding...THEIRS.

In a normal wedding, the pastor, groom and groomsmen enter from the front right side of the church and walk in a line to their ceremony positions or they enter down the isle with their bridesmaid.

Well, beyond the ceremony location, about 50 yards behind where the pastor would stand, there was this huge hill that dropped from the wedding field down into this valley. The music started for an instrumental version ofLinkin Park's song Numb and as it played the groom, by himself, slowly started walking up that hill and toward the ceremony. It was so neat to see each guest in their seats slowly start to rise up and point and whisper as the groom made his way up that hill. Then after about 10 seconds of him by himself, you start to see his 9 groomsmen and the pastor all coming up that hill, scattered about, coming at different times, in different areas of this large field. They all slowly, followed their best friend to the place where he was about to start the rest of his life. I was standing in the back of the ceremony, directing music, and about to direct the girls, and as I watched those men come up that hill, it gave me chills. I even knew it was coming, I had seen it before during the rehearsal. But that is just how cool and unexpected it was to do something so different.

The other really neat thing they did was at the end of the ceremony. There was the kiss, the pastor announced them, and the recessional began. The new husband and wife walked off down the isle, and ducked into the wooded trails parallel with the ceremony. The groomsmen and bridesmaids still continuing down the isle, it helped that there were 9 of each. After the parents and grandparents made it down the isle, everyone stayed seated, waiting to be dismissed to the reception. As they were sitting there, again facing that big hill. There in the distance, past the big hill, you can see two figures which look like they are on a dirt bike, you then realize it is the bride and the groom. All of a sudden the engine starts revving, and they take off right toward the ceremony. They come up that big hill that just minutes before the groom walked up with his groomsmen. They travel under the canopy and continue all the way down the isle, their faces were lit up with joy, people were cheering and clapping. Their closest friends and family were truly celebrating with them.

The whole wedding and reception carried on like this. They made their wedding theirs, and I have never received so many compliments in my life on how beautiful the wedding was. But the thing that made the wedding really stand out was the bride and groom celebrating in their own fashion.

Moral of the story: If your a soon to be bride, make your wedding YOURS, choose your own music, change things up to fit you and your groom. If you are a planner, help your clients understand that same concept.

Remembering the purpose of the planning

This Memorial Day, whether you are planning an important party for a client or your own backyard BBQ, I hope you were able to stop and think of why and what we are celebrating in the first place. When planning events it is easy to get focused on the color pallet, linen choices, food selection, centerpiece choices etc. and forget all together why we are getting everyone together in the first place.

We have all heard the term bridzilla. This is a bride that has completely forgotten why she is in that church in the first place and instead is upset at her bridesmaid for getting an updo when she specifically said everyone wear their hair down, and mad that the florist who put cream roses in her bouquet when she told her she wanted ivory ones (is there a difference?). The wedding ceremony itself is just a way to show your devotion to each other amongst those you love most. The Marriage is what it is all about. The marriage, that is why that bride is in that church, she is there to join in union to the one person she loves the most, till death does she part. The flowers, the food, the dancing....it is all just an added bonus that makes the atmosphere magical and for the guests, more enjoyable. And as a planner, we are just blessed to help take the burden of creating that atomosphere off a bride's shoulders and on to our own.

The same goes for this Memorial Day. I hope you stopped to think about why you were inviting friends over. There is a reason that day is on the calendar, and there is a reason you are home from work hanging out with friends and family. You have the freedom to have a cookout because others have so bravely sacraficed for that freedom. Just as that bride stands in that church and realizes what that day is really about to her, we need to remember what this day is really about to us. Let us all remember those men and woman that have fought in the past for us, and those who are still out there today. A special thank you to those serving our country, and another thank you to your families for being strong while you are away.

Moral of the story: God Bless America!

The Importance of Lighting

Here I am (so gracefully) adjusting the track lighting for a suprise 40th birthday party last month. My client suggested the colors black and white with an accent of red. I ran with it and pulled together what I considered to be a very masculine feel to the room. Masculine without using cigars, beer, or leather lazyboys (top three items men think create a great party) since I don't think the wives and girlfriends attending would leave with the same impression the men might. haha. The hanging of the black fabric created this deep color on the walls that was lacking before. As for the "floating" white branches, they caused interest and caught your eye.
But the one thing that brought the whole room together was the lighting. I was able to point each light from the track light system onto each specific point that I desired. For instance, I made sure I had one or two lights pointed directly at the "floating" branches. This caused them to illuminate, making them even more brilliant and eye catching. The candles I placed on each table just added to the effect.
I continued the lighting theme in the entry way and the stairs up to the banquet room. I hid Par38 Can lights behind furniture and cast the spot light up and on topiaries as well as placing large, red votives on every other step that lead up to the banquet room. From the moment you entered the restaurant and each room guests had to cross to reach the banquet room, I created some sort of lighting effect in each space.
Moral of the story: As often as you can...turn OFF the overhead / florescent lights and bring in some other form of light. It only adds to the beauty of your original decor.