The topic was presented by a very prestigious event laywer, John S. Foster, Esq., CHME. John was an impressive speaker and while the topic can tend to be dry, he carried it well and I learned invaluable information.  Of course it was kind of funny to find that I was the only wedding planner in a room full of hotel sales directors and corporate event planners.  I think those who knew I was there found it funny as well.  (I’m definitely going to address this with my organizations to see if we can have another seminar for other wedding planners as I really feel they would all benefit from this information.)

Out of the numerous topics we covered, one of the most applicable I felt to any event and venue (not just hotels) was the Force Majeure clause of contracts.  (Also known as the Act of God clause)  Ladies, while this little paragraph can seem like nothing important, it can actually mean quite a bit to your wedding day.  Before this class, I felt this clause covered the facility more than the bride, but now understand this clause really and truly protects the bride.  For example, if you are careful enough to cover hurricanes here and you are having a beach wedding, it could mean the difference between cancelling your wedding and paying their full fees to simply rescheduling or cancelling with no penalty.  Or what if, God forbid, there were a terrorist attack again and commercial travel is restricted?  Do you still have to pay for all those guest rooms in your hotel contract even though your guests simply can’t come?  You might have to, better to check that clause before signing.

As with any contract, you should ALWAYS read everything and fully understand the terms before signing.  Your wedding planner should always be able to assist in navigating contract terms and making sure your terms are what you need for your event before signing.  As John said, if you try to change the terms before signing, it’s called negotiating.  If you try to change the terms after signing, it’s called BEGGING.  Which side do you want to be on?

That’s right!  I’ll be answering all those questions like:  What does a wedding planner do?  How does that help me?  Why do I need a wedding planner if my best friend who just got married is helping?  How much does a wedding planner cost?  How do I find a good wedding planner?

To answer all these questions, I’m hosting a FREE information session on November 19th from 7-8.30pm at D’Vine Wine of Plano.  I’ll be presenting all this information, plus we’ll have a Q&A time so you can ask all kinds of questions.  I’m keeping it to a small group so we can all get to know each other and the session can be interactive, so bring a list of questions to ask!  If you want to come, please GO HERE to RSVP and find out all the details.. 

I hope to see you there!

Recently, I visited with Marissa Ritter at Arlington Hall at Lee Park.  Wow, what a gorgeous place!  It’s located on Turtle Creek, just north of Hall street.  LITE Dallas was there setting up for an event, so you’ll see some of their equipment in the photos.  I took lots of pictures, but of course they are nothing compared to photos of the place in action.  Here’s just a snippet of what I saw that day:

Marissa was a delight to talk to, along with the other ladies I met.  I can’t wait to host a wedding there!  To see an actual wedding at Arlington Hall, visit the photographer Larry Sengbush’s website.  Click on Weddings and select Wedding 1.  Yes, the entire wedding was shot at Arlington Hall.  Isn’t it just amazing?

In that vein, I have recently begun a floral design course at the local community college.  It’s not much, just the basics of floral design and care, but I felt it was important knowledge.  Unfortunately, I’ve had too many instances where the florist did not deliver as promised.  Because of this I’ve had to create boutonnieres on the spot, correct bouquets (including the bride’s!), redo centerpieces and pretty much a lot of stuff that I’ve never been trained to do.  So, now I’m getting some training.  I am NOT trying to be a florist.  However, in the chance case that a bride hires a florist I did not recommend to them, I want to be able to handle those emergency situations.  So for, I’ve learned about basic flower care, how to make a topiary, working a little bit with silks, creating a bud vase arrangement, a standard arrangement and now an arrangement in a pumpkin.  In two weeks I get to start on the wedding stuff, yippee!  In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek at what my class has accomplished.

I unveiled my new packages at Circle Park Bridal and talked to several girls who wanted to know more about what a wedding planner can offer them. 

Plus they all had a giggle at how huge my emergency kit is and what all it contained.  (I think the guys were even impressed!) 

Of course, the best part of being at the boutique is getting to see all the fab merchandise.  Andrea has the most wonderful collection of feather fascinators, caps and birdcage veils! 

Her veil collection is of course impressive and the flower girl dresses are just super cute. 

Yvette’s custom jewelry is just intoxicating and we all had to try pieces on.  Best of all was getting to watch the girls try on and pick their dresses.  Leslie, I still think the v-neck was the best!

Thank you again to Andrea and Yvette for letting me hang out and visit.  I always have a crazy fun time and I really appreciate that you let me visit with your brides-to-be.  I look forward to the next one!

Second, and probably the most important thing is that I have new packages.  Yes indeedy, I’ve recreated my service packages just for YOU!  I asked some great brides that came my way what they were looking for, and in response, I’ve put together a new and improved, Create-Your-Own Full Service Planning & Coordination Package!  This new package is a checklist for each of you to check off and make a package that is full service to YOU!  So, let’s say you just want some help getting started, like putting together a plan for your wedding vision and getting a timeline created, plus you’d like some help with your crazy florist, some recommendations on the vendors you have left to hire, then of course you want that day-of help.  Abra-Cadabra, Presto Chango!  Just check that off on the Full Planning & Coordination Package checklist and you’ve got it!  To see what I’m talking about, go here. 

I also have my Elite Planning & Coordination package for those who want over-the-top service.  This package covers everything from picking the site to making sure your future mother-in-law gets all the help she needs in planning the rehearsal dinner.  It has all the bells and whistles, including a free Custom Wedding Website created by me!  (I love wedding websites because it cuts down on all those pesky aunts calling all the time to get details on the wedding.) 

And of course, my Month-Of Coordination Package to finish it all up at the end and make it happen on your big day.  This package includes meetings BEFORE the wedding so we can make sure everyone is on the same page and all is in order so no suprises happen on your wedding day.   What more could a girl ask for?  Check it all out and let me know what you think!

So love it!  Check it out yourself and hit me back so we can see what you come up with!  The link is http://weddings.theknot.com/myinnerbride/Default.aspx.

I’m sorry to say my meet & greet at Circle Park Bridal has been postponed from this weekend.  With Hurricane Ike bearing down on us, we’d rather be safe than sorry since there will probably be wind gusts of up to 40 mph and heavy rain.  We don’t want you brides getting hurt out there!  Stay tuned as I’m sure we’ll get another date together soon.  Everyone please have a safe weekend!

On your wedding day, it will probably be the only day you will have your own personal papparazzi follow you everywhere you go.  (Unless you’re a big movie star or someone else who attracts that crazy attention.)  Because of this, you will have more pictures taken of yourself than any other day in your life.  With this in mind, you obviously want to look your best in all those moments.  To look best on camera means a different level of makeup and hair artistry. 

Not only does your hair have to look good when your done, but it has to maintain that look through the entire day, usually at least 8 hours.  This means while you can certainly use a huge can of hair spray, you may not want it to be completely crusty and shiny.  A hair stylist will know how to create and maintain a look for you without all that crusty hair spray and make sure it will last throughout the day, whether you are planning on being outdoors or in. 

Same goes for your makeup.  Will the brand of makeup you are using create that flawless look and not need to be constantly touched up throughout the day?  Do you know how dark to put on your eyeliner so it will look great under the camera?  How will you know until you get back your pictures of the day?

The other reason I recommend a hair & makeup artist is to REDUCE stress.  It can be frustrating for any woman when their hair won’t do exactly what they want.  But what if it doesn’t react the way you like on your big day?  This just helps take the pressure off as you know the professional you hired can make your hair do what you want and you don’t have to worry.  Having a professional there for your bridesmaids can also take the pressure off of worrying if everyone will be ready on time.  A professional will have a schedule for all of this and can budget time appropriately.  It takes stress off mom’s shoulders too. 

While you are completely capable of handling this yourself, hiring a hair & makeup artist just has so many pros to it, that I always recommend one to my brides.  Of course it is their option whether to hire one, but I can say from experience that I’ve never had one regret hiring a professional to help with their big day.