Need some inspiration for your upcoming wedding? Here are some of the hottest wedding trends of 2014! Hope you enjoy!
Don't forget to follow my Pinterest and Twitter accounts for even more wedding inspiration!
XO.
Friday, March 28, 2014
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Wedding Day Emergency Kit!
Since your wedding day can be filled with many unexpected
surprises, it’s always a good idea to pack a bag full of items you or the
bridal party may need! Bridesmaids take note: it would be a great idea to
prepare ahead of time for the bride and take some of the stress off of her
plate!
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- If you are starting to feel a blister forming, I would suggest Dr. Scholl’s For Her Rub Relief Stick. This way you don’t have to worry about a Band-Aid showing or falling off throughout the day!
- If you are planning to be outside in heels, whether it’s for the ceremony, reception, or photos, you should invest in heel protectors! These ones from Solemates only costs around $10, and are worth every penny!
- For women with potentially oily skin, I would highly recommend using a setting spray in your makeup routine. If you are getting your makeup professionally done, chances are the artist will do this for you regardless of your skin type. Check out either Urban Decay’s All Nighter Setting Spray or Ben Nye’s Matte Sealer (also supposedly used by the Disney princesses at Disney World & Disney Land).
Take my word and make sure that you have an emergency kit
made up for your big day. As much as you would like to think your wedding day
will be perfect, there are always a few bumps along the way and you will be
glad you had everything with you!
Happy planning!
XO.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Wedding Expos: A Bride’s Best Friend
One of the most useful planning tools available for brides
is a wedding expo. For those of you who haven’t experienced an expo, it is
typically a large event that hosts a variety of vendors (photographers,
bakeries, catering, hair salons, jewelry stores, florists, entertainment, limo
rentals, travel agencies, etc.) to display their products and get the word out
about their business. This is a great way for brides to check out the local
businesses and get ideas for their upcoming wedding! For my internship, I had
the opportunity to help coordinate the 2013 Fall Wedding Show at Park Place
Event Centre and I know first hand how stressful and overwhelming a wedding
expo can be. Check out this list of helpful tips to prepare for your expo
experience!
- Bring a list of all the vendors that will be attending the show. You can often find these lists on the event’s website! Make sure to prioritize so that you can stop at all the vendors you want, and check them off as you go!
- Think of this expo as cutting your work in half. Now you don’t have to drive all over town to visit these businesses, you have them all in one place so make sure you take advantage of it!
- Get involved! Many expos include door busters and prizes for their guests! So if that means filling out a survey or playing a silly game, I’d say it’s worth it!
- Samples! Samples! Samples! Many of the vendors will bring samples of their products for you, so make sure to get around to all the vendors and see what they have to offer.
- Have fun!
Upcoming Wedding Expos:
7401 SW 9th Street
Des Moines, IA 50315
Price: Free!
1521 Technology Pkwy
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
Price: Free!
495 Airport Road
Elgin, IL 60118
Price: Free if you pre-register/$20.00
at door
411 South Larkin Ave
Joliet, IL 60436
Price: Free Admission if you
pre-register/$5.00 at the door
Windy City Wedding Show ||
March 9
Marriott Naperville
1801 North Naper Boulevard
Naperville, IL 60563
Price: $20.00 at door
The Barn atAllen Acres Wedding Expo || April 13
2206 Prophet Rd
Rock Falls, IL 61071
Price: Free!
To find more upcoming bridal expos near
you, check out this awesome site full of great planning tips!
XO.
XO.
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| modernwedding.com |
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| modernwedding.com |
Monday, February 17, 2014
Meeting Your Event Coordinator
For this post, I was lucky
enough to sit down with my good friend and past work mentor, Katie Hunt. Katie
is a recent UNI graduate, now working at Park Place Event Centre. She got her
start in event coordinating while interning at Park Place in 2012 and Red Frog Events in Chicago, Ill., in 2013!
Our goal was to create an
“Event Coordinator 101” guide for newly engaged brides! But, before we get into
the good stuff, I think it’s important to first know the difference between an event coordinator and an event planner. An event planner typically works with the bride and is involved in all
aspects of the wedding planning, including working with outside vendors like
florists, bakeries, photographers, etc. An event coordinator is typically
employed by the venue itself, and is in charge of all the details of the
timeline, like making sure that all the vendors the bride or an event planner
contracted are following the schedule, and that the event runs smoothly.
Where to start:
So, you just got engaged?
Congratulations! Make sure you take at
least a couple of weeks for you and your fiancé to celebrate appropriately
and enjoy being newly engaged before you start planning! Once you are ready to
start making plans for your big day, Katie recommends starting with the location. Call different venues, keep a
list of prices and menu options, and eventually choose the one that is perfect
for you and your fiancé. Keep in mind that when it comes to your venue you need
to be willing to compromise. Your perfect date may not be available, but any
good venue will do anything they can to find another date for your special day.
Time to meet your
coordinator:
Here is a list of tips that
Katie felt were the most important to remember when you are meeting your event
coordinator for the first time.
- Don’t stress! Easier said than done, we know, but don’t feel like you need to know all of the details for your first meeting!
- Bring a list of general ideas of what you are looking for, like your budget, a rough date, number of guests, color swatches or sample pictures, and a list of questions you may have!
- Break the ice with your coordinator; you are going to be working with each other until the day of your wedding, so it’s important that you are all on the same page and communicate well.
- Be open-minded! It’s not unusual to get swept up in the excitement of planning and go over budget. Fortunately, the coordinators are full of great tips and ideas as long as you are willing to hear them out!
- Remember, the coordinator is here for you! If you choose to go the coordinator route, it is important to remember that most coordinators are in the business because they are just as excited about your event as you are! They are also just as understanding. Planning a wedding can be a tedious and time-consuming project and they don’t expect you to do it alone! Katie said she is always communicating with her brides via phone, email, and in person, just to assure the bride that her event will go off without a hitch!
Good luck & happy
planning!!
XO.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Hello!
Hi, I’m Maggie! I am a Communication & Marketing student at the University of Northern Iowa. My Digital Advertising course (#unidigadv) requires me to create a social media campaign, so of course I wanted to create it around weddings! The first step of our project: Create a personal brand statement.
I
am a virtual wedding planner interested in inspiring brides-to-be with tips,
tricks, & the latest trends in wedding planning because every bride
deserves her dream wedding.
When I was an intern at Park Place Event Centre, I was able
to work closely with the event coordinators to help put together the Fall 2013
Wedding Show. During my time there, I learned so much about what all goes into
planning events and I am dying to share all my tips! With this blog, I hope to
inspire women who are currently planning their wedding & women who are just
gathering ideas for their future wedding (like me)! Make sure to check back
often for posts loaded with tips, trends, and anything wedding-planning gurus
would want to know!
Thanks for visiting!
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