Wedding Or Party?

Go ahead... give your best guess!  Let me know how well you did on the FCW facebook page!

Wedding or party? Here is the answer.

Wedding or party? Here is the answer.

Felicity C Weddings Giveaway

Felicity C Weddings Facebook page has hit 300 likes/fans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All of your support means the world to me.  Starting my own company (in a recession no less!) has been a crazy roller coaster ride and I'm so grateful that I get to do what I love.  Reaching 300 likes on Facebook is so exciting that I decided to give away a $50 Visa gift card as a thank you!  The lucky winner is Susan Bury!  Please email me with your address so I can get this gift card out to you.

Hitched!!! Matt Wedding 2.19.11

As a professional first, I stepped into this wedding a mere 3 weeks ahead of the big day and I was so excited to find out that I would be working with two amazing vendors that I have had the pleasure of working with before, the caterers and the photographer.  Erin & Nick are a great couple who live on the border of Kentucky & Ohio although Erin is from Baltimore and Nick is from upstate New York.  They were ready to throw a big celebration years in the making and I am honored that I was a part of everything.  I first had the pleasure of meeting them at the rehearsal ceremony.  I worked very closely with the mother of the bride as well as phone meetings with Erin to get ready for her elegant February wedding day.  I must send a special shout out to my amazing event assistant/ co-coordinator, Christine Jermusyk, who really helped me make this incredible day possible.

There were so many beautiful, personalized and well thought out details to this wedding.  The wedding party and families all got ready at Hotel Monaco which is a truly spectacular place for photos.  The couple choose to have a first look session and it was as beautiful watching in person as the images below.  As a wedding surprise to Erin, the bride's parents surprised her by renting a vintage white rolls royce from City Lights to take her and her father to the ceremony.  The couple was very thoughtful to book a shuttle to take their wedding party to the ceremony and then to the reception, courtesy of Z Best Limo's.  Erin and Nick choose the breathtaking chapel at St Paul's School, where Erin had gone to high school.  For the reception, they selected Baltimore's 1840's Ballroom as their venue which really set the stage for the amazing night ahead.   The amazing venues along with the wedding party and guests were captured by Jacqueline Schlossman Photodocumentary who I cannot say enough good things about.  We all lucked out that the day was warmer than expected for mid-February and the wind made for some great images. 

The reception was catered by Sascha's Catering who have worked at the 1840's Ballroom many times and as always, exceeded all expectation with the setup, presentation, food & drink and their entire staff.  The decor was complemented by the bride's aunt's company, the florists of The Flower Cart.  Having a relative involved in the planning process made it that much more enjoyable for Erin & Nick and all the floral arrangements were stunning.  The live party band Character Zoo handled the music & MC duties for the entire reception and they really made the party come alive.  Erin &Nick had first seen Character Zoo at a friend's wedding and were so excited to book them for their own big day.  Enjoy these photos and please check Felicity C Weddings' Facebook page for the whole photo album. 

 

 

Wedding or Party: How Good Are You?

If you did not catch the first edition, this is a game that I created after seeing so much amazing decor that is incredibly versatile.  The kind of decor that could be for a bridal shower, baby shower, fabulous birthday, dinner party, corporate event, or even a wedding.  Test yourself and let me know how you did on Felicity C Weddings Facebook page!  Good luck & enjoy!

Wedding or party?  Here is the answer

 

Wedding or Party? Here is the answer

Wedding or Party? Here is the answer

Weddign or Party? Here is the answer

Wedding or Party? Here is the answer

Washingtonian's Unveiled bridal show

I am so thrilled to finally be sharing one of the most exciting events I have been to in...ummm forever.  When I saw Washingtonian's Unveiled bridal show pop up across my beloved Google Reader, I really couldn't hold my excitement.  Besides going to Georgetown to see the best of the bridal industry in DC, there a VERA WANG RUNWAY SHOW!!!  I have been in love with Vera since I first started reading bridal magazines in high school as she epitomized bridal elegance and design.  She is a legend, a rockstar, a trend setter, she who is synonymous with weddings, and I honestly could not believe that I would see her new collection in person!  After first seeing the post about the show, I immediately emailed the info to my bestest who is getting married this Labor Day and luck of all luck, she lives outside DC and she was free the day of the show (extremely rare occurence).  So we boarded the metro on a cold and bright January 23rd full of excitement like two little girls waiting for Christmas.  And let me tell you, this show did not disappoint in any way.

There was such a variety of vendors, our first stop was the Bloomingdale's room complete with a full table set with 10 different sets of china, glassware, silverware, and everything your little heart could desire for your own registry.  Although we didn't go in, there was a panel of experts to answer any and all your wedding questions- how fun!  There were two floors of vendors; stylists from celebrity hairstylist Ted Gibson Salon giving girls mini makeovers, a fun photo booth, honeymoon travel agencies, event planners, florists, and a stocked bar which made perfect pomegranate champagne just to name a few.  All the attendees received a Bride & Groom tote bag with the latest issue of Washingtonian Bride magazine and tons of favors (chocolates, lipgloss, and cookies- oh my!) along with info cards from the vendors.  

One of my highlights of the day was meeting the fabulous girls from Atrendy Wedding since I love, love, love their blog.  I even took a picture with one of the planners after discussing my best friend's wedding theme in great detail.  The amazing Rodney Bailey photographers were in full force documenting the event and especially the Vera Wang runway show.  Which was completely perfect and breathtaking.  The runway show was the end to a four hour upscale wedding fest which completely blew me away.  I went as a best friend first and a planner second and I came away even more in love with my job than I was before.  Helping people plan their biggest day is an honor and to be at an event with so much excitement was really special.  Now for the pictures!  The first set of completely unprofessional photos are by me and the second set are by Rodney Bailey.  Please check out the FCW Facebook page this week for the uploaded videos I took during the runway show.  Enjoy!

 

Bloomingdale's registry room

  

One of the Atrendy Wedding girls & me

What Booking Season Means for Brides

Can you believe that a week from today is FEBRUARY?!  Yeah, me either.  January has flown by for Felicity C Weddings and the fact that a lot of engagements happen over the holidays is probably a main component.  January-March is considered the typical "booking season" in the wedding industry, vendors are looking for new clients to set up their wedding season.  That is why there are a lot of bridal shows and a lot of vendors are offering deals.  As for the huge deals this time of year, I have posted a bunch on the Felicity C Weddings Facebook page as I see them.  Today I have a few more specials offers for you to take advantage of.

First up is the Ming Wang Mother of the Bride Makeover contest.  Definitely a great way to make mom feel special and let her know that you both are thinking of her with all the bridal excitement in your life.  Next up is the annual David's Bridal $99 bridal sale where you can find $50 to $300 off bridal dresses including new arrivals and designer collections!  They also offer online exclusives that allow you to save up to $300 by ordering online. 

Subscribing to different bridal blogs will also score you some great deals.  The larger known the blog is, the better deals you will find such as Style Me Pretty's Paperless Post giveaway.  SMP is definitely the mecca for all things bridal blogging and I would recommend any bride-to-be subscribing asap.  The larger bridal blogs will also keep you up to date on national bridal shows so you can find one close to you.  I found out about the Unveiled bridal show in DC this past Sunday from Atrendy Wedding Blog.

In addition to bridal dresses and shows, there are a lot of other vendors that are offering deals across the internet.  Wedloft posted the $350 EmersonMade Shopping Spree Giveaway on Jan 19th and Snippet & Ink posted 10 discounts & giveaways in this one post on Jan 14th!  These are just a few deals and I'm really just scratching the surface here.  Keep an alert eye out for any vendor promotions between now & March and definitely don't be afraid to ask vendors if they have any deals going on.  Good luck!

David's Bridal $139.00

Source

Wedding or Party: Dining

If you did not catch the first edition, this is a game that I created after seeing so much amazing decor that is incredibly versatile.  The kind of decor that could be for a bridal shower, baby shower, fabulous birthday, dinner party, corporate event, or even a wedding.  Test yourself and let me know how you did on Felicity C Weddings Facebook page!  Good luck & enjoy!

Wedding or party?  Here is the answer

 

Wedding or party?  Here is the answer

Wedding or party? Here is the answer

Introducing Felicity C Weddings Planning Workshops!!!

As a wedding planner, I tend to get a lot of questions about the wedding planning process. So many people don't realize how many details are involved until it is your turn. Felicity C Weddings has been fortunate enough to have a fantastic first year and I know that serving as a resource through all the details for my brides allowed them to focus on the fun aspects of planning. Recently I got to thinking about how many brides-to-be who don't have room in their budget for a wedding planner but would LOVE to get professional advice on the planning process. From that, an idea was born.

Felicity C Weddings is SO excited to announce the start of FCW Planning Workshops! I will be holding workshops on different planning topics such as budgeting, vendor relationships, and wedding organization just to name a few. While there are so many great bridal resources out there, this is your chance to ask specific questions as well as get the feedback that magazines and blogs don't provide. The first session will focus on budgeting and will be held on January 29th at the Sheraton in Columbia, MD from 1pm- 4pm. The cost is $75 per person for this session.  As a thank you for all the current "fans" of the Felicity C Weddings Facebook page, the cost is $65 for you*!  Each participant will be receiving a budget worksheet and here are some topics that will be covered:

• How to determine your wedding budget AND determine which vendors fit in your budget
• The 4 MOST important factors in how much a wedding costs
• The importance of having a budget and sticking to it
• Discuss typical packages and what you should be getting for your money
• The most common budgeting mistakes couples make
• Top 10 fees to avoid
• "Green" ways to trim your budget

This would make for a great gift to a bride from her bridesmaids, from a mother to her newly engaged daughter or even from a thoughtful fiancé to his future wife! The payment deadline is January 20th and if you want to purchase a spot for a Christmas gift, let me know and I will send you an invite to give to the recipient. Space is limited so please email me (please use the subject: FCW budgeting workshop) to let me know if you or anyone you know is interested! Hope to see you there!

Want to relax on your big day like this FCW bride? Start by staying on

top of your budget from the start so you can dance the night away!

Credit: Clair Pruett Photography

*to be eligible for the $65 pricing, you must be fan of Felicity C Weddings Facebook page as of Monday, December 13, 2010.  I typed up each fan's name into a document to make sure you get your discount!

Wedding or Party: Decor Details

If you did not catch the first edition, this is a game that I created after seeing so much amazing decor that is incredibly versatile.  The kind of decor that could be for a bridal shower, baby shower, fabulous birthday, dinner party, corporate event, or even a wedding.  Test yourself and let me know how you did on Felicity C Weddings Facebook page!  Good luck & enjoy!

 

Wedding or Party? Here is the answer

Wedding or Party? Here is the answer

Wedding or Party: 1st Edition

As a wedding planner, it is part of my job to stay up to date with current industry trends and ideas.  So, I routinely scan through dozens of blog posts a day (a couple hundred weekly) to get inspired by other planners, real brides, and anyone with creativity.  Not all the blogs that I follow are wedding-based and especially with Halloween recently, there have been a lot of fabulous decor photos floating around online. 

The great thing about modern weddings today is that there are very few rules left and this is so clear is all the different variations I see on these posts.  I have started to see a lot of inventive event decor that I realized could be great for a wedding or a casual party.  Since I could not easily distinguish what type of event it was, I thought I'd make a game out of it.  So look through the following photos and decide if they are from a wedding or just another party.  Be sure to let me know on the Felicity C Weddings Facebook page how well you did!  Enjoy!

 

Wedding or Party?  Here is the answer 

I Love I Love I Love My Calendar Girl

This post is actually not about Neil Sedaka's catchy 1961 song or my love for the music of the 1950's & 60's.  This post is about how couples choose their wedding month and which factors prevail: weather or cost?

The wedding date is one of the first steps in the planning process.  Pretty much all other details will fall into place around the date; the site, the theme/ colors, all the vendors, etc.  It used to be that June was THE month for weddings.  But more and more brides are steering away from tradition and planning their weddings on their own terms, which means that there are weddings pretty much every month of the year now.  I have one friend who told me that she has been to a December wedding the past four years in a row!  Obviously, where the wedding is taking place is a huge factor and being on the East Coast, most outdoor weddings will do best from April through October.  Destination weddings are typically in warm locales so the date is more focused on availability of the bridal party & guests.
 
I just finished up my main wedding season as a wedding planner, now that September & October are the new "it" months for weddings.  The weather is typically perfect- nice but not too warm or too cold.  But since these two months are the most popular, availability books up quickly for most ceremony and receptions sites and you will not get a cut on pricing at all.  Book a wedding for January through March and you will most likely get a price break from your site and your vendors.  I asked what factors helped to decide people's wedding date on the Felicity C Weddings facebook page.  The majority of the couples chose a month that was sentimental- their relationship anniversary or when they got engaged whether it be August or November.  One newlywed told me that she had her wedding last October because one of her "top requests was not to sweat on her wedding day" and one of FCW clients said she picked Thanksgiving weekend because she wanted all of her extended family at her wedding.  So it seems from my observations that while cost is important, the month is more important to most brides.

All in all, the date does matter and the earlier you start planning, the better chance you have of getting the month you want!  Here a few pictures of weddings in each season.  Enjoy!    

All The Cool Kids Are Doing It

Hello friends!  I just wanted to remind everyone to "like" the Felicity C Weddings facebook page.  I update the page with the latest blog posts but I also have sneak peeks of the weddings, professional photo albums, and the page is updated with lots of stuff that doesn't make it onto the blog.  So go ahead, overdose on FCW!

Guy Corner: Asking Your Friends To Be In Your Wolfpack*

So, the idea that guys don't care at all about weddings or any of the planning is false.  Absolutely.  Most of my grooms DO care intensely about 3 things: the food/ the bar, the music, and the groomsmen.  Which makes total sense because that is what they remember from the weddings they have been to and those areas will make or break a wedding for most men.  I posted about Allison Kornberg and her "plan my wedding" blog which is a super cool idea.  Well, upon more research/ blog stalking, I found that her fiancé has a few posts on the blog too, from his perspective.  I love his first post the most though.  He details how he asked his friends to be his groomsmen.  Which is something that some guys may prefer to do over Monday Night Football wings & beer and some guys may want to make a big deal out of, like Allison's fiancé. Here is a peek:

I love this because it is simple (read: non-intimidating to most guys) but still is doing something different for the men that the groom is asking to stand beside him on the biggest day of his life.  A lot of brides are being creative when asking their bridesmaids and I'm just a big fan of making an event of something pretty much anytime.  When I put this question out on the Felicity C Weddings facebook page, all the responses were the same; the men were super casual and just issued a phone call.  There was one recent bride (who was a FCW client) that said her now husband asked his best man & groomsman in person and used it as guy bonding time.  I am not saying that every guy should give presents or plan a big event, but it is a good excuse to have all the guys get together.  The possibilities are endless from a buying a slot of time for all the guys at a batting cage or for a paintball session to a night out on the town.  Whatever the method, grooms should know that they are allowed to make some big decisions and this is only the first of many during planning.   If all else fails, check out this funny "will you be my groomsman?" card:

 

Source

* The 'wolfpack' reference is from "The Hangover".  If you have not seen it, it is hilarious although highly inappropriate.  It is about a bachelor party gone horribly and hilariously wrong in Las Vegas.  Mom, if you are reading this, do NOT watch this movie and just take my word for it. Ok thanks.