wedding planner · restaurants per resort, the caribbean’s best beaches, and unlimited land and...

Wedding Planner MAGAZINESUMMER 2019

Inspired by the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC)

TRANSFORMING SPACE WITH LIGHTING

EDUCATING YOUR CLIENTS

COAST TO COAST

PLANNING

WEATHER BACK-UPS

EMAIL MARKETING

Barceló Maya Beach Resort, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Help your clients enjoy the Barcelo Maya Grande Resort in theRiviera Maya, Mexico.

Home of the ABC Annual Conference in 2017 this property still offers 5resorts in one with lots of choices for your clients

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Contact the ABC main office at 860-355-7000 or [email protected] tolearn how to register on the new, ABC Barcelo TA portal, for easy bookings.

WEDDING PLANNER MAGAZINE 3

WEDDING PLANNER MAGAZINESummer 2019 Issue

FEATURES

7 Dealing With Weather12 Transforming Space With Lighting14 Email Marketing22 Photography Styles and Approaches28 Puerto Rico Rebuilds

REAL WEDDINGS

9 Indiana21 Maine25 New Jersey30 Arkansas

IN EVERY ISSUE

16 ABC News18 Industry Best Practices 27 Ask the Experts30 Master Profile

hen it comes to destination weddings and honeymoons, there is only one brand you can trust to exceed your clients’ expectations, Sandals® Resorts—the

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Your clients can count on the expertise of our Wedding Entourage to help them create an unforgettable custom wedding experience. They will happily guide them through endless possibilities of color palettes, stunning bouquets, and delectable cakes. And while our wedding team is taking care of every last-minute detail, your clients can indulge in an utterly romantic Love Nest Butler Suite® featuring butler service, fine dining at up to 16 restaurants per resort, the Caribbean’s best beaches, and unlimited land and water sports—all included.

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Contact Kim Sardo - Sr. Director of Business Development

978-281-1119 I [email protected]

since 1955


PUBLISHERDavid Wood

EDITORRobyn Bruns, MWP™

CREATIVE DIRECTORJessica English, CWP™

CONTRIBUTORSMallorie Davenport

Jason FreshlySarah Day

Kevin DennisJerome PollosLizzie Ibarra

PHOTOGRAPHERSTaylor Rae Photography

Nadra PhotographyAnya Albonetti PhotographyPreston Smith Photography

Jenny DeMarco PhotographyShaun Anthony, Clear Focus Photography

The Warmth Around YouDonavin Seymour Photography

Moongate ProductionsAlejandro Taveras

Davis TineoNoel del Pilar

ABC CORPORATE SALESNicole DaSilva

TRAVEL/CVB SALESDavid Wood

Wedding Planner Magazine is published quarterly by Wed-ding Planner Magazine LLC, 632 Federal Road, STE 2, Brook-field, CT 06804. Phone: 860-355-7000. Email: [email protected]. Visit: www.WeddingPlannerMag.com. Copyright

Wedding Planner Magazine ISSN 2160-3286 is published quarterly by Wedding Planner Magazine LLC, 632 Federal Road, STE 2, Brookfield, CT 06804. Circulation is 4,000. Advertising is accepted; corporate ABC members receive a discount on rates. Annual subscriptions are $59.75. Periodical postage paid at La Crosse, WI and at Eau Claire, WI. Postmaster send changes to WeddingPlanner Magazine, 632 Federal Road, STE 2, Brookfield, CT 06804.

Robyn Bruns, MWP™Editor

David M. Wood, Publisher/President, Association of Bridal Consultants

letter from the staff

© TAYLOR RAE PHOTOGRAPHY

Jessica English, CWP™Creative Director

"You must always be able to predict what's next and then have the flexibility to evolve." Marc Benioff As we all know, the wedding business is not stagnant, but ever changing. In this issue we examine pivots in business. This change in direction can be for personal reasons, change in clientele or because of a catastrophe. We will hear from a wedding planner first-hand how she had to implement Plan B within hours of a wedding, how another planner balances her business and life working coast to coast and from a wedding professional that had to reinvent her business after a natural disaster. We also examine why an email marketing plan is a must today, the trends in indoor weddings and we feature in our real weddings three stunning indoor weddings from Indiana, Maine, New Jersey, and Arkansas. In our Best Practices section we have compiled advice from professionals all over the country about how to balance a client’s pinterest dreams with reality. As our busy Summer season approaches, we hope you will take some time out for you, sit in the sun and read this issue and think about being open to change and flexible in your business.

Do you want to write for Wedding Planner Magazine? We are always looking for articles from wedding professionals. Please visit WeddingPlannerMag.com/submissions for more information, our editorial calendar and guidelines.

6 WEDDING PLANNER MAGAZINE

ABC DIRECTOR LISTINGPresident, David M. Wood III

Director of State Managers, Beverly Ann Bonner, APR, MWP™ [email protected]

Director of Operations, Elayne Anderson [email protected]

Director of Outreach, Jacqueline Vazquez, MWP™

Director of Education, Shelby Tuck-Horton, MWP™ [email protected]

Director of Ethnic Diversity, Lois Pearce, MWP™ [email protected]

Director of Annual Conferences, Carmen Mesa, MWP™ [email protected]

Member Services, Nicole DaSilva [email protected]

Membership Services, Annemarie Steiner [email protected]

ABC Office1.860.355.7000, fax 1.203.775.0037, www.BridalAssn.com, 632 Federal Road - Suite 2, Brookfield, CT 06804.

Social Mediawww.facebook.com/AssocBridalConsultants/

ABC CODE OF ETHICS Our ABC members agree to:• represent each client fairly and honestly,

providing all agreed-to services in a timely and cost-efficient manner.

• establish reasonable and proper fees for services and provide written estimates to each client.

• use honest, factual advertising.• deal with employees and clients fairly, in an

unbiased manner.• disclose to clients any payments received from

suppliers.• operate an establishment that is a credit to the

community.

WHO'S WHO IN THE ABC?

Jason Freshly is a former wed-ding professional disguised as a digital marketing specialist. He has helped creative business owners make sense of marketing efforts

and design plans to enhance the customer experience and convert more clients. Read his insight on email marketing on page 14.

Mallorie Dav-enport started Enchanted De-signs Weddings and Events in 2019. She had spent the last 7 years as the Catering and Event Director at The Boulder Coun-try Club planning and running all of their events. Read her insight on weather backups on page 7.

Sarah Day with SAS Weddings has been pub-lished in over 18 countries and is a proud member of Belief Interna-tional Wedding Planners. Founder and Principle

Planner Sarah Day has been recog-nized as one of the Top 10 Planners in the World along with winning numerous regional, national and international awards throughout her career. Read her advice on coast to coast planning on page 10.

Lizzie Ibarra, a hair and make-up artist licensed in cosmetology and aesthetics in Puerto Rico. With over 35 years in the industry, her work has been featured in traditional and social media out-lets. Read about PR on page 28.

Jerome Pol-los traveled the world in the mili-tary as he found his life's calling as a photojour-nalist. He now documents wed-dings around the world from his

base in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Je-rome has been published in many industry magazines and blogs, and won awards for his candid-style, storytelling wedding photography. Read his expertise about educating your clients on page 22.

Kevin Dennis is the editor of Wed-ding IQ and the owner of Fantasy Sound Event Ser-vices, a full-service event company. Dennis is the past president for Sili-con Valley NACE and the current international presi-dent for WIPA. Read his advice on using lighting on page 12.

Colorado weather can either be your best friend or your biggest nightmare! It could be bright and sunny, pouring rain or even snowing. And all these could happen in one day. When you are a cou-ple getting married in Colora-do, you know the risks of hav-ing an outdoor ceremony. That being said, on the day of the wedding, it can be very tough to make a call. In September of last year I had an extravagant wedding planned at a country club. The outdoor space was gorgeous, large open lawn with trees all over the property. I had been working with the bride for some time, going over her vision and dream for the wedding. The day of the wedding it started off a bit overcast, but nothing to worry about. She was adamant about having the ceremony outside, so the team went out and set up. It was a large reception indoors that took all day to set up. The tables and chairs took up the majority of the space. Throughout the afternoon, the clouds started to really come in and then it was a downpour. I spoke with my bride about making a call, but she still wanted to be outside. While we were setting up indoors, it was brought to my attention that the seating chart and placecards were still at the printer and were promised to be at the venue by the after-noon. The placecards needed

WHEN BAD WEATHER MEANS YOU RESORT TO PLAN Bto go in order at each table and we needed the seating chart to do so. To say it was a bit stressful would be an under-statement. By 4pm, we still didn’t have the items from the printer and I had vendors arriving to set up at the ceremony. The couple were taking photos and no one involved wanted to make a call to be inside. Final-ly, during their photos, I had to go to the couple and tell them that our vendors could not do the ceremony outside as it would ruin their equipment and it was impossible to cover anything in the downpour. I know my bride was stressed, it is a call I hate to make, but unfortunately had to be done. Inside, the staff begin moving chairs to set the cere-mony on the dance floor. We had to move many tables out of the space to make room as well. While moving every-thing for the ceremony, the placecards and the seating chart arrived. Unfortunately It took me 5 seconds to realize nothing was in order, and the placecards did not have table numbers or meal selections on them. All this was being dealt with as we moved the cere-mony indoors. As I was going through a spreadsheet I had been given to order the place cards and mark meal selec-tion, guests began arriving. I believe I had broken out in a full sweat at this point! All of the indoor chairs moved into place for the ceremony, luckily,

I had a great team around me to get that part done quick. I couldn’t even begin to say how helpful it was to have an assis-tant day of. Through all of the stress and the running around, having someone to direct other details was a huge relief! Somehow in the last minute we got it done and the ceremony inside looked beautiful. While being one of the most stressful experiences I have had at a wedding, it still all went off with out a hitch. To prepare for the ceremony I moved some décor to create a backdrop. After the ceremony, we got everything back into place and the space was just as it was intended. While there is always a chance of having to move indoors, getting a couple to give you the decision on the day of is tough. You go through all of the emotions on your wedding day and when it doesn’t go the way you en-visioned it can be difficult to change that vision. As planners we have to know when the time to make a decision is and I will say, I let that choice be made too late in the day. While it all worked out in the best way possible, it was more stress than needed to get there. All in all, it was a great day and the couple was so thrilled! I couldn’t ask for any more than that.-----Mallorie Davenport, Enchanted Designs Weddings and Events


FEATURED |DEALING WITH WEATHER

FEATURED |MEET THE MASTERS

The Spring 2019 issue of Wedding Planner Magazine featured the Master Wedding Planners in the Association of Bridal Consultants. Unfortunately, these master mem-bers were not included in that article. We apologize for the oversight.

Mary Charmoli, MWP™, Emeritus member, Webster, WI

Melanie Ramone, MWP™, Luxur Weddings & Events, Netherlands

Joyce Smith, MWP™, Emeritus member, Cincinnati OH

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REAL WEDDING | INDIANA

LUXE, WINTER WEDDING WITH GLAMOROUS FLORALS IN INDIANA

PLANNER: Gloria Boyden, MWP™, Events by Design, Carmel, IN

TIME IN INDUSTRY: 31 years

PHOTOGRAPHER: Anya Albonetti Photography

OTHER BUSINESSES IN-VOLVED: Elite Management, LGi Linens, Laura Mahan, Evans Audiovisual, Antique Limo of Indy, Indiana Carriage, Marie Gabrielle Couture, Pen-dragon Ink

GUEST COUNT: 230

COLOR PALETTE: Red, gold and black

BUDGET: $75,000+

TIME SPENT PLANNING: 6 months

THE COUPLE: Family has a professional athlete so we tried to work around his schedule, but then decided the couple wanted to marry earlier than his schedule would allow.

UNIQUE DESIGN ELEMENT: The menu card and place cards were in matte black and gold to match the invitation, with the names in gold callig-raphy. The last piece for the guests was a table number done in hand calligraphy by Pendragon Ink. The numbers were embellished in a callig-raphy red rose. The numbers

were placed in a crystal and gold frame, that Events by De-sign sourced. Personal brand-ing for everything, crystals and gold, pillar candles.

SET UP/STRIKE: 3 different venues to decorate, 20 people to set up, 6 for strike, all while dealing with extreme cold weather of 21 degrees.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY: For this size wedding, I would stick with the design plan, but hire or out-source another company to do the floral as we did it in house.

Separated By 2000 Miles-- How One Wedding Planner Handles Working Coast To Coast

FEATURED |COAST TO COAST PLANNING

Yes, I whole heartily love love love what I do! Do you? I think it’s a requirement to work in this industry! And I really must love what I do to also keep traveling coast to coast for all my weddings. Let’s start from the beginning. I start-ed planning events way back before it was really a thing, especially in the small town where I am from. Where people would look at me cross eyed and say “you get paid to plan parties?!“ and I was like "well, sort of." I knew from the beginning that I had found my calling in life. Always pushing the en-velope back then with something different and bold and out of the box. In 2010, I decided to move to Atlanta from the rural Pacific Northwest to see how event planning was done in a large city. I know the timing wasn’t great for those of you that remember back then, but the timing was great for me. I figured if I failed I could always move home and live in my mom’s basement. Thankfully that never happened, but it was a good back up plan. In all honestly I was so scared, but I real-ly just wanted to learn. I didn’t know how my experience in a small town was going to translate into a bigger market but I was ready to try. Moving to Atlanta was truly the best decision I made both professionally and personally. The events community there took me under their wings and let me soar. Did I mention I moved to Atlanta without a job? I know, don’t judge me yet! I put to-gether my resume and sent it out to 3 plac-es on a Friday. Saturday, a general manag-er called me from a country club and I had an interview that Wednesday. I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared in my life to sit in room with important people talking about

me and why I wanted to work for them. Despite my fears, they hired me on the spot and I joined the private events team. We did over 300 events that year, which included board meetings, golf events, and 75 weddings. It was a whirlwind for sure. I joined all the networking groups and went to every open house or meeting I could get in my calendar. I didn't sleep much, but I had much to learn and much to do. About 18 months later I became an independent contractor and jumped back into being a self-employed planner.

So here we are almost a decade later and I am on a plane every few weeks. I re-ally don’t think I would trade it for the world. In fact, I know I wouldn’t. First of all, the Atlanta events commu-nity is AMAZING. My career flourished and I found myself a self-proclaimed Georgia peach, so there will always be a very spe-cial place in my heart for that city. More than that, they taught me how to be a part of a team. We are all in the trenches together and we are stronger together. When I start-ed my career in the Pacific Northwest I was very much alone. I didn’t feel alone, but

Photo credit Preston Smith Photogaphy



FEATURED |COAST TO COAST PLANNING

there wasn’t anyone else like me or anyone else doing what I was doing. So I never really experienced the team mentality until I moved to Atlanta. When producing a 4,000 person New Year’s Eve party or a 750 person wed-ding the list of vendors is enormous, not to mention the logistics. We all have to work together as a team and get along. Second, I love my family and I love my home in the rural Pacific Northwest. So how do I give up one or the other? Well, I don’t. What I have gained from the last decade of my career is the ability to “come home”. Not because I am the most amaz-ing planner in the world, but because I have a true love of events. I have learned, some-times the hard way, to take care of my cli-ents from a distance, manage their expec-tations, and recognize the difference in their locations. This was challenge #1. When I moved home to the PNW, I really thought I would manage everything just like I had in the Southeast. I was very wrong. I have two locations that are not only 3 hours apart in time zones but feel like they are in different solar systems sometimes. I might have a cli-ent that lives in Texas that’s getting married in Atlanta, or a client that lives in Chicago and is getting married in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. The expectations and needs are dif-ferent for them all and I have to be able to balance it all. Out of the challenges, though, are unexpected benefits. I learn what is trend-ing and important to clients throughout the country. Trends can originate from the East or West coast and I can share it all with my clients. Challenge #2 is that planners are only as good as their vendors. You can create the most amazing vision, story board, and timeline. But if your team can’t pull it off then you are all sunk. A wedding day is not

a styled shoot and you don’t get a do-over. You have one day to pull it all together and walk through the room in your high heels like that was effortless. No one will ever know the sleepless nights or 3 am cold sweat wake-ups we all have in the middle of the night. I am my harshest critic. No one will ever scrutinize my events the way that I do. I constantly ask myself how I could have done better. I ask myself could I have been nicer or more di-rect, hired a different vendor or been more prepared? I look at ways the next event can be more polished, move faster or slower. This is the case whether I am on a farm in rural Washington or a ballroom in down-town Atlanta. So there you have it. A day in the life of Sarah Day. Where my TSA Pre-Check and Clear Membership mean the world to me. Even more than that, my clients on both sides of the country are grateful and happy at the end of the day knowing they couldn’t have achieved their wedding dreams with-out me by their side.

--------Sarah Day, SAS Weddings,Atlanta, Georgia & Coeur d'Alene, Idaho


FEATURED |TRANSFORMING SPACES

Wedding professionals know that one of the trickiest parts about wedding planning is securing a venue that not only meets the cou-ple’s budget, but has the power to pull off the aesthetic of their dream day. One of the many issues that couples struggle with continues to be not wanting to settle for a venue that has décor restrictions, or even one that’s somewhat lackluster otherwise. So, what are some updat-ed ways to transform any indoor event space with lighting to achieve the romantic style they deserve?

Intimate ambient lighting It’s a common misconception that indoor venues are nothing but harsh fluorescent lights, yellow-cast bulbs, and no in-between. I’m ex-tremely happy to share that this simply isn’t the case, and couples will never have to settle for the venue’s provided lighting. Instead, opt for intimate ambient lighting that’s soft and a bit more forgiving for the wedding photographer to work with.

Most lighting can be controlled through apps at the touch of a button and can be dimmed accordingly, which is especially ro-mantic as the evening reception goes on. To take it even further, consider using candles in various shapes and sizes to incorporate in the centerpieces. A more cost-effective alterna-tive to candles would be battery-operated tea

TRANSFORMING SPACES WITH LIGHTINGlights or even faux-wax luminaries that can be switched on as the dinner concludes and the evening reception begins. Elaborate displays amongst the guest tables can even eliminate the need for your venue’s lighting entirely.

Out-of-this-world video mapping You may have previously seen video mapping used for more luxury celebrations, or even in art installations in museums. However, recent technology has made this incredibly accessible, making the move toward wed-dings. Projection methods can entirely alter the venue, using blank walls and dance floors to cast patterns or distort reality. 3D textures and shapes can both illuminate the space and provide virtual décor all-in-one. We’ve even encountered couples that wish to project their own décor onto a plain white wedding cake as a budget-friendly option that also makes for an unforgettable photo op. Rather than renting expensive equip-ment, these designs can easily be projected with affordable projectors and software. Not only would this take your indoor lighting to the next level, but these video mapping techniques can double as entertainment for guests, sans the bulky virtual reality googles.

Photo credit Jenny DeMarco Photography



Chic neon signage Neon signs aren’t only for celebrities any-more! At one time, neon signs seemed too far out of budget to use, but now you can create unique customization for a cost-friendly price. Make a statement with this event lighting, or even use the neon element in the photo booth backdrop. We’re seeing every color of the rain-bow popping up in events, whether it’s to complement your couple’s color palette or as a stand-alone element for an awe-inducing accent. Don’t be afraid to get creative with your personalized sign, whether it’s using a wed-ding hashtag, initials, or shared last name for your clients. Bonus points if you place it by the sweetheart table to draw the eye to the focal point of the room! Beyond customization, your clients can also opt for playful neon art or phrasing with the popular availability of smaller neon accents in craft stores and larger retail chains if they choose the DIY route.

Floating light installations There’s no better way to enhance an indoor venue than with a floating light installa-tion. These installations can range from a subtle setup of Edison bulbs to a full-blown hanging fixture with geometric-shaped light bulbs and florals woven throughout the display. Regard-

less of whether you are aiming for an edgy, industrial feel, or your clients are looking for something a little more formal and luxe, install-ing chandeliers as a secondary light source is also extremely successful in adding drama and character to any venue. Our only suggestion is that we recom-mend keeping in mind any logistical restrictions that the venue may have. Luckily, hanging displays won’t directly interfere with existing décor. However, it’s important to account for installation costs as well as un-installation of the fixture, and make sure that you aren’t breaking any property rules by not asking for permis-sion first. Before installation, you should also be coordinating with other creative partners to ensure that you aren’t overlapping with their setup schedule(s). Remember, these displays also don’t necessarily require a florist, and they remain just as chic with faux florals or greenery if your client is looking to save. As wedding industry professionals, we understand that it can be hard to secure a ven-ue that checks all of your client’s boxes. How-ever, technology advancements and lighting trends can transform an ordinary event space to an extraordinary night for your couple.

----Kevin Dennis, Fantasy Sound Event Services



AN EMAIL ADDRESS-- YOUR BUSINESS' BEST FRIEND

FEATURED |EMAIL MARKETING

There’s one rule you need to know about digital marketing - the end result is to collect email addresses. If you aren’t getting that, you’re only attracting attention without an ROI (return on investment).

Having an email address is the per-mission you need to reach out to that poten-tial client. Let’s go over what you need to do to set up email marketing to help your busi-ness grow.

Collecting Emails What’s the first thing I see when I go to your site? How soon are you asking for my email? What’s the incentive to give up my email address?

As a wedding planner, you might offer someone a tip sheet for what to do after getting engaged. As a caterer, offer to share a tip sheet on how much alcohol to pur-chase. Something small to answer a ques-tion they likely have. They’ll gladly hand over their email in exchange for something useful. This is to your advantage, you have the opportunity to continue the relationship in a number of ways.

Automation Mechanics If emails are at the beginning of the relationship (before they have booked), make sure you showcase your business thoughtfully and grow the relationship. You cannot hard sell or soft sell with the first cou-ple of emails, it’s about sharing your talents and expertise first. Credibility matters at this point.

For example, you might send the sec-ond email 1 day later thanking them again and sharing something unique about your business or a testimonial from a past cli-ent. 2 days later (if you haven’t heard from them) a simple is there one question I can answer for you? Another day or two and ask if they’d like to schedule an initial no obligation meeting to talk.

You’ll have to trial and error what works for your business, but the key is to build your credibility and willingness to sim-ply help.

Starting an Automated Email Sequence Your email marketing platform should have an automation tool available. If you don’t currently use one, I recommend MailChimp (which I use for my own needs).

As soon as someone signs up, they should get an email immediately after sign-ing up. This might include the free offer, con-firmation, thank you, welcome, next steps, social media, the list is endless. Find what works best for your business.

This first email is a huge opportunity for small businesses that is often overlooked. The call to action(s) should be short and direct. Be thankful and quick, because you now can send more detailed information to them in future emails.

Start building out additional email templates where you showcase your exper-tise, help them with additional questions, and/or get them on the phone to book.


FEATURED |EMAIL MARKETING

Sales take multiple touch points. Why not automate a portion with answers to the questions you know they are already going to ask?

What are you saying? As it relates to your business, what can you share, giveaway, offer, talk about, etc. that a prospective client is curious to know more about? Be informative, up front and anticipate their needs. This builds trust.

BONUS: These questions and answers tie into your keyword and SEO strategy. The questions couples are asking happen to be what they google. Write blogs and share the link to individual blogs in your email series. If you’re stuck on questions, you can use a tool at answerthepublic.com for key-words and google search phrases.

You might also use email automation after a client is booked. Do you have paper-work, questionnaires, information that get sent out throughout the planning process? Create the content once and incorporate into your email communications with cou-ples.

Data and Making Adjustments As you start building your first (and subsequent) automation, remember to collect data to know what’s working and what’s not. Most email marketing platforms will have key metrics to show you open rates, clicks, etc. and this information will be helpful in knowing where you can make improvements.

The big data point here is clicks. Are they clicking links and your call-to-action? If no one clicks, something needs to be re-viewed and adjusted. The great thing about digital marketing is having data to make fast changes.

Set goals and targets to monitor. Track all of your changes and the life of your email campaigns on a simple docu-ment. You might set a goal of waiting for 10 emails before looking at data and making a change. You might try and experiment with A/B testing if that’s available on your email platforms. Find the message that works best for your audience.

Making Sense This all seems like a big project and a lot to tackle, but it’s not! You can have a campaign started in the next hour. Email automation lends itself to build as you go. To get started, create a basic outline struc-ture and have a goal. Create the first email and wait for someone to bite, then build the next step(s).

For each automation sequence, you only build out what’s required. Don’t forget to remember what the end goal is to attract and retain clients. If you follow these steps, email marketing campaigns will become a natural extension of your sales and market-ing efforts.

-------

Jason Freshly

ASSOCIATION OF BRIDAL CONSULTANTS MEMBER NEWS

In The Media and ABC News

Sandals and ABC team prepping for ABC Annual Conference 2019. From left to right, Kit-anya Mirander, Vanessa Lerouge, Tonya Haw-ryluk, David Wood, Kim Sardo (testing water temperature!), Carmen Mesa, and Samaria Cooper, all look forward to welcoming you to the Bahamas!

Maya Devassy Tarach and Preoccupied Bride was featured in Chi Thee Wed for a beautiful outdoor wedding they coordinated at the Mer-rick Rose Garden in Evanston, Illinois.

The Westminster Hotel in Livingston, NJ is pleased to announce the hiring of their new Director of Catering, Elizabeth Winship, and the redesigned ballroom and meeting spaces. The property also has renovations planned for the lobby and standard rooms. JoAnn Moore, MWP™, has been asked to speak this year at the Wedding MBA, 2019 in Las Vegas, October 14-17. ABC México created new Regional Directors in different states, the directors have been select-ed for their passion and leadership shown in their State and the Wedding Industry. With this decision ABC México bets on Professionaliza-tion of the Romance industry in Mexico.

The New Directors are: • Alicia Torres - ABC Guanajuato • Celia Bezares Matus - ABC Puebla • Isela Alcántara - ABC Jalisco • Marcela Villaseñor - ABC Oaxaca • María José Vázquez - ABC Michoacán • María Campos - ABC Morelos • Óscar Mejía - ABC Mexico City


Ilene White, AWP™, White Wedd & Events in Accokeek, Maryland won 1st place in 2 catego-ries in the tabletop contest at the Annual States Meeting.

ASSOCIATION OF BRIDAL CONSULTANTS MEMBER NEWS

ABC Designations

Pearlice Diggs, AWP™, P3 Weddings & Events Fort Lee, VA AmeliaHernandez Avila, AWP™, Amelia Avila "Colonia Bella Vista, Xalapa" Veracruz, Mexico Sarah Agee, PWP™, Plum & Poppy, Zionsville, IN Marilu Mercedes Rodriguez Galvez, PWP™, Elite Wedding Planner, Lima, Peru María José Vázquez Castañeda, PWP™, Majo Vazquez Wedding & Event Planner, Micho-acán, Mexico Yamileth Martinez Cruz, PWV™, Grupo Musical Otro Rollo, Veracruz, Mexico Francisco JavierSoto Galvez, PWV™, Alfa y Omega, Guatamala HeaJoung Kim, PBC, Japan Emi Kanda, PBC, Japan

Photo credit Shaun Anthony


HOW DO YOU MAKE A CLIENT HAPPY WHEN THEIR WEDDING VISION OR PINTEREST DREAMS DON'T MATCH THEIR BUDGET?

"Clients fall in love with Pinterest images when they start planning but of course have no way of knowing how much those Pinterest-weddings cost, so our initial task is education. We start by evaluating their style, guest count, and budget to create a realistic budget for their goals. We encourage selecting a few priority areas to splurge and identifying lower priority areas to save. A Pinterest-worthy wedding is entirely possible, it's all about balance!"-Meghan Cox, Mil Besos, Playa Tamarin-do, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

"The best way to make your Pinterest dreams come true is to find creative ven-dors to work with the budget and use af-fordable materials to fabricate the vision. Floral/greenery substitution and manipu-

lation is a common way to heighten the look of bouquets, arrangements, and statement pieces. Tea candles in various sizes are another excellent low cost op-tion that makes any evening tablescape enchanting."-Melissa Buffaloe, Blue Moon Event Plan-ning, Long Beach, California

"Unfortunately in our line of work it is not uncommon. I am honest with them from the beginning and let them know what the realistic price is for the pictures they are showing me. During the consultation, I find out what are the most important items to them when it comes to the floral and decor, ask them what it is they love about the pictures they are showing me so then I am able to talk to them about

INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES

INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES


how to create pieces that go along with their vision and feel but will be within their actual budget. Once the client is educated about the real cost and what we are able to create for them they are usually very thankful and understand-ing and sometimes they are willing to increase their budget some to help them get more. "-Chrissy Hudacin, Special Occasion De-signs, Indianapolis, Indiana

"One of the first questions I ask every couple even before we sign, “what three things do you want at your wedding?” And “what three things do you not want at your wedding?” Not every response is that they want certain decorations or specific lighting, but most times it’s ‘no drama; I want people to have fun; I real-ly like [these] flowers’. I determine what styles catch their eye and move from there. It is easier to say “this will work in place of that and costs less” rather than just flat out saying “no, you can’t afford that”."-Paige Robertson, Front Paige Events, Glendale, Arizona

"Making our clients happy is our top priority. It's our job to find a way to fit our clients wedding vision into their budget. This may mean we search for items in unique places in an effort to meet the couple’s vision. For example, If a couple wants a tropical wedding but can't afford the Bahamas, it’s our job to find a similar venue and decor that give you a tropical feel and look without actually being in

the Bahamas. Either way we ensure that we meet the vision as closely as possi-ble."-Sabrina Nelson, Vows & RosesIdlewild, Michigan

"When a couple comes in with a small budget and big expectations you make it work. First, I get their must haves and go from there. A lot of the time we will make something or create it from scratch to make the client happy. As long as it’s in conjunction with their vision it usually works out for the best."-Andrea Testa, The Bernards Inn, Bernardsville, New Jersey

"I always start out with a good heart to heart with my client. I let them know before they contract me that I will show them which options will keep them in budget first, but make sure they under-stand that this will only work if they can keep their expectations in check. I am always prepared to provide multiple options at various other price points, so they can see very clearly what each price point will allow, but it’s up to them to make the hard decisions in choosing less, more, or something entirely different to keep to the budget that they determined. If the decor seems too important for them to let go of, I help them figure out how we can rob Peter to pay Paul, in order to make room for the decor upgrades, by either scaling down or eliminating some-thing else." -Aviva Samuels, Kiss the Planner, Palm Beach, Florida

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PLANNER: Fausto Pifferrer, Blue Elephant Events and Catering, Saco, Maine


PHOTOGRAPHER: Nadra Photography

OTHER BUSINESSES INVOLVED: Laurie An-drews Design, A Plus Party Rentals, Savvy Event Rentals, Headlight Audio Visual

BUDGET: $350,000

COLOR PALETTE: Whites, pinks, mint

GUEST COUNT: 225

TIME SPENT PLANNING: 9 months

STAFF ON SITE: 22

UNIQUE DESIGN ELEMENT: Creative drap-ing and lighting that hid the warehouse con-struction areas. This also allowed us to create service access halls so that the staff was able to move around without being seen by the guests.

SET UP/STRIKE: Setup ran from Tuesday morn-ing through Friday evening, taking approxi-mately 48 hours. Strike took place the following Monday, taking approximately 18 hours. The addition of extensive draping, lighting, and decor at the last minute was a logistical chal-lenge, but the team rallied around to make it all happen in time.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE: The venue was new and under extensive renovations when the clients booked it for their wedding. The con-struction schedule, although reasonable, ran far over, the venue was not finished in time for the wedding. Things unfinished included the floor, the kitchen, the bathrooms, the HVAC sys-tem. In the month leading up to the wedding we had to bring in décor and equipment to disguise the fact that nothing was finished, and transform a warehouse under construction into the dream venue that the client had booked. The installation took 4 full days and we brought in everything from a temporary heating system and bathroom trailers to a field kitchen and miles of draping to hide what was essentially still a 27,000 square foot construction site. The end result was a very over budget but very happy client and successful day.

KEY LEARNINGS: Never take a construction schedule on its word! Even good plans can go off the rails. Communication is key!

INDUSTRIAL CHIC WAREHOUSE WEDDING IN MAINE


REAL WEDDING | MAINE


FEATURE | PHOTOGRAPHY STYLES

Educating clients comes with the territory of being a wedding planner. Often times they don’t know the terminol-ogy, best practices, or even what they want. This is very common with wedding pho-tography. A couple may say, we just want great portraits, but then show you a photographer with more moment-based photography. Or they say they like the light and airy look, but send you links to photog-raphers who are a little more dark and moody. The best way to help a couple in defining their pho-tography preference is to have them understand two very dif-ferent terms when it comes to photography — approach and style. These are two very dif-ferent artistic criteria you have to consider when searching for a wedding photographer.Approach — how a photogra-pher goes about photograph-ing your weddingStyle — the look and feel of the images The approach is the overall way a photographer goes about photographing a wedding. This will determine how much time they need, what their objective is (we’ll get into that below).

Keep in mind, if they’re selecting a photographer with a particular approach and

style, don’t ask them to change up the way they edit their images. The contrast, tone, colors are all part of their style brand which they’ve taken a while to develop. If they don’t like the final look of the imag-es as it pertains to the editing, they need to keep looking. If they’ve given themselves enough time (at least nine months), they’ll find a pho-tographer that checks all the boxes on their list.

Approach

Traditional AKA Classical With the traditional ap-proach, the focus is on people and places. Everyone is much more camera aware of the images. Its wedding photog-raphy just as it was when your parents were married. The photographer shows up for the ceremony and then portraits. Nothing fancy, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. If a couple simply wants images of the ceremony, important peo-ple in the wedding, and high-light some of the areas where they were married, this is the approach for them. The photographer will more than likely work from a “shot list” of the details, people and moments that are import-ant to the couple. With a tradi-tional wedding photographer couples have to be specific on their expectations, wants and needs. Over the years as more

and more approaches and styles have come onto the scene, traditional wedding photographers have become varied and tend to offer a bit more versatility. If the budget is tight, and this approach suits the couple, this may be the most cost-effective wedding pho-tographer because they don’t require a lot of time to capture the images. Pros — very straightfor-ward approach and uses a shot list so the couple know what they’re getting. Con — doesn’t specialize in capturing candids or cre-ative/artistic portraits.

Fine Art AKA Contemporary, Editorial These photographers fo-cus on making magazine-wor-thy images. Think of the bridal blogs and magazine images you see, and that’s what a fine art photographer’s goal is. A key term for this type of photography is perfection.There’s a lot of styling and pos-ing to make sure everything looks just right in the image. Most fine art wedding photographers like to have more time for the details and portraits. Some photographers will even bring styling products like fabrics and boards for the invitations and rings, and even artisan hangers for the dresses. If a couple is wanting their wedding images to look

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE AND APPROACH--


FEATURE | PHOTOGRAPHY STYLES

like they belong in Vanity Fair magazine, this is the way to go. Make sure they know the photographer's expectations when it comes to the amount of time they need for specific parts of their day like the de-tails (dress, shoes, ring, statio-nery, ceremony and reception detail items) and portraits. Pros — they’ll get fash-ion/bridal magazine quality imagery Con — may need to schedule more time for por-traits and details

Documentary AKA Photojournalistic, Candid In the early 2000s, as newspapers were laying off photojournalists, these talent-ed photographers were look-ing for areas where they could put their moment-capturing skills to good use. Weddings were a perfect fit for these photographers. With a documentary photographer, their goal on a wedding day is to capture moments and to tell a story. If having candid images of the guests enjoying themselves, seeing laughter and tears, as well as images of the bridal party, this is the photographer for your couple. Pros — will have an emotion-moment based story highlighting your wedding. Con — portraits won’t be as posed, details won’t feel as magazine-styled quality.

Styles

Natural Light — The photogra-pher relies solely on the light that’s available. This could be a perfect fit if a couple is getting married earlier in the day and their reception will still have some natural light avail-able. Some natural light pho-tographers will bring out one light or two when the reception comes along if the area is too dark. Be sure the couple asks about reception lighting during the consultation.Cinematic — Epic, big scene setter portraits and moments, as well as layers of activities in a single image. Think of a post-card scene with a couple in it, or emotion-evoking moments.Bright and airy — Think soft, bright, romantic, and elegant images.High fashion — This is the Van-ity Fair type portraits. Every portrait has a very intentional pose and the lighting may tend to be a little more dramat-ic. For someone who doesn’t mind spending more time on portraits due to the amount of posing and lighting involved.Dark and moody — Images with some drama due to the darker editing style.Artsy — There’s a lot of use of lights, mirrors, colors, and tex-ture (and perhaps Photoshop) to get a certain look that is graphically appealing.Film Photographer — It’s just as it says. A photographer

who shoots film. These pho-tographers tend to charge a bit more because of the costs for film and developing. Some film photographers shoot in a hybrid style where they’ll also have a digital camera for receptions.Vintage — Filters, editing pre-sets, and the early days of Pinterest have brought this style back. Colors and tones tend to be faded and there may be an overall color tone to the imag-es (think old west sepia-toned cowboy images).

As you dive into the photographer search with your couples, it’s important to first determine the approach they appreciate the most. Once you helped them determine that, start finding photographers with that approach and see which styles they connect with more. Once you have a selec-tion of photographers whose approach and style are a fit for your couple, then you’re onto the next step of making sure they’re within your couple’s budget, reading reviews and testimonials and having your client’s choose the right pho-tographer for their approach and style. ----Jerome Pollos, Jerome Pollos Photography

THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATING YOUR CLIENTS


MASTER PROFILE

ABC MEMBER SINCE: I have been a member of ABC since 2009. REVENUE: 70% weddings, 20% coordination & 10% corporate events EM-PLOYEES: 6 employees CONTACT: www.ththbda.com TIME IN INDUSTRY: 30 years MARKETING: I advertise through all social media platforms. This year, I have partnered with Fairmont Hotels to advertise through their publications. CONTINUOUS LEARNING: I try to attend one or two seminars every year.

information

MASTER WEDDING PLANNER™ Yolanda Furbert MWP™, To Have and To Hold Wedding & Event Planning,

FAMILY: I am married to Michal (Mike) and we have just celebrat-ed our 19th wedding anniversary. I have one daughter Maegan, who is 32 years old and is married to Bernie, and they have a son Taylor who will be 7 in July. We also have 2 turtles.

EDUCATION: The Bermuda Col-lege: Degree in Human Resources Managment. Penn Foster (USA): Certification in Wedding Planning. The Blackford Centre (UK): Diploma in Event Management. I also be-long to the Bermuda Association of Wedding & Event Planners, Business & Professional Women International Bermuda Chapter (BPW), Coterie/Munaluchi, MPI, ILEA, Toastmasters.

LITTLE KNOWN FACT: In Bermu-da years ago I used to model and there was a woman picked every week to be the "covergirl of the week" and on August 9, 1981, I was Bermuda's covergirl of the week!

BUSINESS MISTAKE: My first year in business I wanted to be super suc-cessful and would adjust my price just to get the client. This was not a good move because in the end I would have to come out of pocket to compensate for the shortfall. I learned that not everyone is going to like your services and that is ok because you cannot cater to every-one.

STARTING BUSINESS: I started my company, To Have and To Hold Wedding & Event Planning, in 1996 while holding a full time manage-ment position with a private firm through the week and doing wed-dings and events on the weekend until I was made redundant in September 2010.

ON BECOMING A MASTER: I went back to school to become a certified wedding planner and in the process found out that I could go further as a member of ABC. I believe in edu-cating ourselves so that we can help ourselves and each other so after I had my 2nd degree in event man-agement I decided to apply for the MWP, yes I jumped right from novice to MWP!! However, Elise Enloe who was education director at the time called and said that I should first ap-ply for Accredited Wedding Planner and then wait a year to apply for MWP. I also felt that by getting the MWP I would also be able to teach the class here in Bermuda. It took me 3 tries over a 6 year period to get my Masters.

MENTORS: If I named them all it would take up the entire magazine, however, I have a few ABC mem-bers that I consider my mentors and there are a few people here on island (Bermuda) as well. They listen to me without judging and they don't tell me what I want to hear

but give me sound advice or just allow me to use them as a sounding board.

ADVICE: Do not be afraid to ask ALL kinds of questions! No question is wrong. Get a mentor or 6! I have a few mentors, they are from different sectors in the business world from weddings, finance, legal and faith leaders. You would be surprised what you can learn from them.

FREE TIME: There is free time?! Please tell me where I sign up for that! I have to work on that a little more, but when I do have some free time I like to read, listen to good jazz music, or just sit and do absolutely nothing.

GIVING BACK: I have always tried to assist and/or mentor anyone that wants to be a wedding or event planner as I didn’t have that and I feel that when pursuing this busi-ness you need to have a mentor, a person that you can go to when you need advice etc., and being a member of ABC has been a huge part of my progress personally and professionally.

FAVORITE TV SHOWS: Four Wed-dings and Say Yes To The Dress.

FAVORITE BOOK: "Put Your Dream to the Test" by John C. Maxwell

Warwick, Bermuda

photo credit Donovin Seymour Photographyphoto credit Donovin Seymour Photography

photo cred itMoongate Productions


GLAMOROUS, LUSH JEWISH WEDDING IN NEW JERSEY

REAL WEDDING | NEW JERSEY

PLANNER: Erin Luurtsema, One Atlantic Events


BUDGET: $65,000

COLOR PALETTE: lavender and gray

PHOTOGRAPHER: Taylor Rae Photography

OTHER BUSINESSES INVOLVED: Manic Botan-ic, EBE

THE COUPLE: The bride wanted to use laven-der in her wedding to honor the purple theme she had for her Bat Mitzvah, so we worked with elements to create a soft modern theme.

UNIQUE DESIGN ELEMENT: By far the Chup-pah, it took over 5 hours to construct on site

with greenery elements to bring it to life. The escort wall also was an amazing touch that wowed the guest as soon as they entered.

DESIGN INSPIRATION: We pulled a lot of our inspiration from the couples experiences and past, like the bride's Bat Mitzvah. The couple also were very aware of our space and want-ed to play on the elements naturally in the space, they used the different levels of gray in the space.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE: How we got so lucky with the couple is beyond us, the planning process was great and they kept lines of com-munication open with us through the whole time. There was a little snag day of with the flower/escort wall. The escort cards were mis-counted and left us with an extra row with no room, about 10 minutes before guests arrived we had to take it all down and realign the cards to create a seamless look.

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ASK THE EXPERTS

Heather Canada, MWP™First Coast Weddings

and Events, Inc.

Tracey Fricke, CSEP, MWP™, CMPOccasion Designed

What is the best way to charge--fixed fee, percentage fee, what about commissions?-Eliana Terrazas, PWP™, Mia Boda, Bolivia

The short answer is whichev-er is best for your business! Every business is unique, and you shouldn’t feel locked in to doing it “the way it’s always been done” or “the way ev-eryone else does it.” I also think that just as pricing varies based on the city, state, region or country where you work, the method of determining those fees may vary too. For me, I find the fixed fee works best. To determine which is best for you, study your target demo-graphic, your market, and your business goals. –Heather

I charge a flat fee based upon which package my client selects. This way they can budget accordingly for my services.-Tracey

Besides word of mouth, what is your most successful form of marketing to attract new clients? -Albriana Youyoute, Unseen Events, Florida

Networking is the number one tool you can use to grow your business! Before investing money on any paid market-ing efforts, you need to know who your ideal client is and then study them. Social media advertising is relatively inex-pensive, and your region may have smaller publications/directories that may be less than the national options. Does your business target couples that live out of the area? Then a nationwide directory may be a good choice. Do you offer a unique product or service that may be best showcased in person? Try a local/regional wedding expo. Whatever you choose, keep your brand mes-sage consistent and track your results so you know what works and what doesn’t for your spe-cific business.-Heather

Quite a few of my clients find me on The Knot. This is the main forum I use for clients to share reviews. It seems many future/potential couples ap-preciate that honest, genuine perspective from previous couples as they consider my services. -Tracey

I live in the Midwest and our weather ranges from 50 de-

grees in December to subfreez-ing in January. Since contracts are entered into about a year prior, what's the best way to handle a wedding that ends up being on a dangerously cold day? -Kara Vargo, Ohio

Those of us in Florida have learned about our force ma-jeure clauses and what they do and do not mean in regards to hurricanes. Your contract (reviewed/written by a law-yer) should clearly spell out a time frame for postponement or cancellation of the event due to extreme weather, and what your policy is regarding refunds. This is also a good reminder to tell your clients about wedding insurance to protect their investment in case of cancellation/postponement! –Heather

I also live in the Midwest and have experienced -50 degree windchills at times. We still march on and do not cancel the events. However, if you feel like it might be an issue for your area, you can ask your vendors about how they might handle cancellations in case of particular weather situations and ask them to add that clause into their contracts. -Tracey


WHEN LIFE THROWS YOU A HURRICANE NAMED MARIA

FEATURE | PUERTO RICO

Puerto Rico, “La Isla del Encanto”, is an important destination for weddings with a crystal blue ocean, great music and wonderful food. As a wedding hair and makeup artist, I usually have all my weekdays and weekends booked for weddings, engagements and elope-ments. My workload usually is 4-5+ events per week.

The hurricane and wedding sea-sons run simultaneously (late-spring to early-fall). Luckily, before September 2017 we hadn’t been hit by a major hurricane. However, on September 6, 2017, we were hit by hurricane Irma, then by Ma-ria, a category 5 hurricane that caused a historical and unimaginable amount of damage to Puerto Rico. I contacted clients to let them know that there was a possibility that we may be temporari-ly out of business as this hurricane was threatening.

No one was fully prepared for Ma-ria-- after its landfall on September 21, the electricity was down, there was no water, no communication, no internet, limited food, gas and destruction everywhere. The hotels were damaged, some closed indefinitely, others temporarily, airlines cancelled flights. There were no basic supplies, all we could think was how to

rebuild and get back on track. I volun-teered helping my neighbors to clean our building, the streets, businesses and houses around my neighborhood.

Fortunately, my building has a wa-ter tank and generator which were avail-able off and on and I was able to work with some clients. However, the situation was dire, and this affected my business. Eventually, I received 11+ wedding can-cellations from couples that planned to marry between Sept 2017- Jan 2018. In some cases, I had to return deposits.

As a result, I made the hard de-cision to temporarily relocate to Miami and work with Telemundo’s “Master Chef Latino” and to assist clients that also were forced to relocate their weddings from Puerto Rico. By the end of November, the power came on, and I moved back to Puerto Rico. Most of my local clients didn’t have water or electricity and they were so thankful that I could do their hair. Business was not as strong as before, but I was working. By mid-2018, I was called to work on the TV series THE OATH and START-UP. I was also receiving calls to book clients for events, especially wed-dings. Most of the brides that cancelled their weddings months before, wanted to marry in PR and they re-booked. I was back on track.

photo credit Alejandro Taveras & Davis Tineo

photo credit Noel del Pilar


FEATURE | PUERTO RICO

Then came a major highlight, Lin-Manuel Miranda. He brought the Broadway musical “HAMILTON” to the island and employed around 300 Puer-to-Ricans. I was one of them hired as Lin-Manuel’s personal stylist.

This was a unique first-hand experi-ence. I got to meet wonderful people like the play’s cast/crew, the Clintons, Jimmy Fallon and David Begnaud. Lin-Manu-el’s organization, Flamboyan Arts Fund, raised $15 million to re-build the arts in PR and supported the renovation of the University of PR theater. The island was featured on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show’s special and later, actors like Rus-sell Crowe and Adam Sandler came to vacation in PR-- this helped people around the world to come back to our

PUERTO RICO WORKS TO REBUILD AND MOVE FORWARDisland.

This huge exposure boosted the tourism. Hotels have been re-built, the wedding planning community got closer and weddings are booming, stronger than ever. Couples from around the world come to celebrate their wedding in PR. The Puerto-Rican strength and resilience as a united community, eager to work to re-build the island was shown world-wide. I learned many lessons through this experience. I now have insurance for protection in the future and I will contin-ue being active related to the rebuilding of PR particularly in the recovery efforts. WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS!

-----Lizzie Ibarra, Puerto Rico

photo credit Alejandra Sofia


REAL WEDDING | ARK ANSAS

PLANNER: Meredith Corning, Meredith Events


BUDGET: $30,000-35,000

COLOR PALETTE: Silver, light blue and peach

GUEST COUNT: 250

PHOTOGRAPHER: The Warmth Around You

OTHER BUSINESSES INVOLVED: Angelo's Garden, Vase and Vine, Central Arkansas En-tertainment, Vibrant Occasions Catering, Last Call Bartending Service, PattiCakes Bakery, John Myers Photography & Videography, Par-ty Time Rentals, Betty Fernau Wedding Offici-ant, LLC, Beauty & Style By Kakki, Minted, The Bridal Cottage, Bella Bridesmaids

THE COUPLE: The bride said, “I would de-scribe my wedding design and style as tra-ditional and romantic yet modern with just a slight touch of southern rustic. I definitely want-ed my wedding to include a lot of soft and pastel hues, plenty of florals, hanging lights/chandeliers, and airy drapery. It was really hard to find a venue in Arkansas that was not super country and barnyard, simply because it was not my style, but we really liked the ven-ue that we chose because it was more of an

elegant, modern barnyard. We created a cool hand-made paper flower wall to serve as our photo backdrop for pictures as well and it was such a unique hit that all our guests seemed to enjoy. We also added a tiny southern/rustic spin to some of the food choices and by giv-ing all our guests a little tiny succulent plant as a party favor.”

UNIQUE DESIGN ELEMENT: The hand-crafted floral photo wall made by the bride and her sisters.

DESIGN INSPIRATION: Elegant, feminine, southern, pastel palette, and mountainside backdrop.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE: The couple wanted to have a Vietnamese-American fusion style din-ner to suit everyone's tastes and also to share their culture. The catering was the biggest expense and we reworked the quote several times as well as visited other catering compa-nies.

SET UP/STRIKE: 8 hours.

KEY LEARNING: I will insist the officiant at-tends the rehearsal. My couple did not do this to save on budget, but by not practicing with the officiant the night before, she completely did not realize the bride and groom had writ-ten their own vows!

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