Wedding Planner or No Wedding Planner...???

 (James and Addison Brooks - October 22, 2011)

For some reason at this time of year, every bride I meet with always asks me the same question: 'Why should I hire a wedding planner?'  Well, before I get into the 'nuts and bolts' of all the benefits of hiring a professional to manage the 'biggest day of your life', I'm going to let one of our InnCredible brides, Addison Brooks, give you her two-cents worth on the subject. 

  

  (Photo courtesy of 'Turning Leaf Studios')

This is what Addison wrote in her wedding program and shared with all her guests...(and just FYI, Marjorie and I were flabbergasted and honored!)

"When we first started preparing for a wedding, we thought, 'Eh, we don't need no stinkin' planners." Several months ago we realized, 'Uh yeah, planners would be good." Now we have a duo of wedding planning geniuses and they are heaven sent. Carrell & Marjorie asked the questions we didn't think of, got in contact with people we never thought of, and gave us so much advice while allowing us to not have to change who were are or the vision of our wedding. I'd be a wreck. Mom and I would probably be at each other's throats, and James would be reviewing escape routes. So thank you girls from all of us for keeping us sane, me in control and my mother happy. Cause if Mama ain't happy, we ain't happy."

Well, as you might guess...Mama was happy...very happy.!

So, our 'Number 1' reason for hiring a wedding planner is giving your Mom, and your soon-to-be Mother-in-Law, the luxury of actually enjoying your wedding day without having to worry about all minutia of managing your big day!

But, if you need a more convincing, here are few more reasons...

A wedding planner...

Saves YOU Time...  
On average it takes approximately 250 hours to plan a wedding. If you’re a busy professional you probably don’t have the luxury to dedicate that much time to putting together your dream wedding…but a wedding planner does! They will not only save you lots of time, they’ll also make sure nothing gets overlooked. 

(Franci and Chad Yowell - July 30, 2011)

Saves YOU Money...  
Most wedding planners have established relationships with vendors, and are able to explain pricing to you and make sure you stick to your budget. They’ll also make sure you are not paying for, or getting talked into, things you really don’t want or need. 

Saves YOUR Sanity...
There are so many little things that can get easily overlooked that most brides don’t take into consideration. A wedding planner will make sure these little things aren’t forgotten and your dream wedding comes off without a hitch. Plus…and this is a big one, they’ll be there if you need a shoulder to cry on, or a hand to hold, if things become a bit too overwhelming!

(Photo courtesy of 'Turning Leaf Studios')

Offers YOU Advice... 
Most professional wedding planners have planned and orchestrated a number of weddings so they’ll be able to tell you what will and will not work. They will also help pull all your fabulous DIY ideas together so your ‘theme’ doesn’t get lost in all the creativity, and your DIY wedding doesn’t become your DI-saster!

(Photo courtesy of 'Stellasweet Photography')

Manages YOUR Relationships...
Planning a wedding is very stressful and more often than not, someone is going to get out-of-sorts. A wedding planner will act as your go-between and will advocate on your behalf to handle any stressful situation that comes up, regardless of whether it’s with a family member, friend or vendor. Remember, they work for you and will do whatever it takes to ease your stress.

(Photo courtesy of 'Turning Leaf Studios')

Reviews YOUR Contracts and Prepares YOUR Timeline...
A wedding doesn’t just run itself. It takes a lot of time and effort to put it together. On average a professional wedding planner will take several hours working and reworking a timeline to make sure that every aspect of your wedding happens the way, and at the time, you want. In doing so, they must review all your vendor contracts and coordinate with these vendors to make sure everyone is on the same page. Then they have to put all this information down in your timeline to make sure everyone involved understands their part in your wedding. It’s a lengthy and necessary process and one that you, the bride, don’t want to have to deal with.

(Coralee Barnes - 'A Taste to Dine For' Catering)

Runs YOUR Rehearsal and Orchestrates YOUR Wedding Day... 
The success of your ceremony is based on your rehearsal. A wedding planner will make sure everyone in your wedding party knows their place and what to do during the ceremony. They will make sure everyone shows up to the ceremony on time, make sure the guys ties are straight, the gals hold their bouquets correctly, and that you make a show-stopping entrance. At your reception, they will manage your event according to your timeline so that it’s seamless, and you don’t incur any over-time charges which can be very expensive.

(LaRaye and Andy Emmert - October 29, 2011)

Is YOUR 'Go-To' Person... 
On the day of your wedding the last thing you want is for a vendor, or guest, coming up to you to ask a question, or get your advice on something. A wedding planner is there to field all these questions and concerns, and make sure you are spending your time enjoying your day and having the time of your life.

Manages Unforeseen Crisis...
Every wedding will have something go wrong. The trick is to keep these situations under wraps. A good wedding planner will handle a crisis with ease so no one is aware that anything has happened, especially you.

And most importantly...allows YOU to Enjoy Your Big Day!
Your only job on the day of your wedding is to enjoy yourself, your family and friends. Hiring a wedding planner will allow you to do this. You want this to be the most exciting day of your life, and if you hire a wedding planner you can enjoy the wedding of your dreams, not work it.

(Photo courtesy of 'Jagger Photography')

Remember, it is no longer considered a ‘luxury’ to hire a wedding planner. In today’s busy world, it is an essential part of hosting the killer wedding.

Oh, and one other wee bit of advice: when selecting a wedding planner, make sure they’re a professional and not someone who does wedding planning as a hobby. You want to make sure your dream wedding meets, or rather, exceeds your expectations, so be sure to hire a professional!

Until next time....

Making Your Wedding InnCredible

'InnCredible Events'

530.919.4588

The Name-Change Game...

Happy New Year everyone.  Marjorie and I hope your 2012 is as magical as all of you are!

We have some new things in store for you this year, one being asking our brides to contribute to our blog.  What better way to connect with all of you then to let our brides do the talking...we thought you'd like that!  So, here we go!

Typically, Marjorie and I don't endorse products.  Well, not a lot of products anyway.  In fact, I think there has only been one product we have ever endorsed, and that is 'MissNowMrs', the fabulous company that helps you change your name, if you're so inclined to do so.  We love this company so much we give our brides a 'MissNowMrs' gift card when they sign up for our 'InnCredible Events' wedding planning services.  Makes sense, right!

I know we've all heard horror stories about the trials and tribulations that brides, and some grooms, have gone through to change their names after they say, 'I Do'.  Even I, a wedding planner, listened to the anger and frustration from my son and daughter-in-law as they went through this tedious process.  No fun!  No fun at all!

And since we want to make sure the products we give to our couples, and endorse, meet our high expectations, I asked one of our InnCredible brides, Jennifer Witz, now Jennifer Claiborne, to tell you about her experience with 'MissNowMrs.'   (And, just so you know, we are in no way getting any sort of kick back or perks from the company...this is just our way of giving you good information to help you make informed decisions...because that's what we do!)

(Photo removed at photographer's request)

So, here in her own words is what Jennifer had to say....

"I received a gift card to MissNowMrs from my amazing wedding planner.  Not knowing what it was, I looked it up and discovered a website that makes it very easy to change your last name after getting married all in one spot.  

After talking to other brides, I was not looking forward to having to change my name everywhere and gathering all the right forms and documents.  However, MissNowMrs makes it oh so easy! I sound like an info. ad, but it's true!  It has every place you may need to change your name, from the post office, to the obvious social security, to your bank account and more.  There are a handful of generic forms to fill out on yourself and husband, and then with a click, all the information is sent to every form you may need to change your name.  All I had to do was print out the forms, follow the step-by-step direction they have for each form, and mail them out.  The only one I had to physically go in for was for the DMV, which was easy since they now take appointments.  

After planning a wedding in 3 months while starting a new job and getting my Master's Degree, there was no way I would of had enough time to find each form needed, fill them out, and take them in individually.  MissNowMrs saved me a lot of time and now I am proudly Mrs. Claiborne!"

(Photo removed at Photographer's request)

Until next time....

Making your wedding InnCredible 

'InnCredible Events'

530.919.4588

A Wee Bit of Holiday Cheer...

'It's that time of year when the world falls in love' and we are all anticipating a number of engagements over the next few weeks.  So let me say, 'Congratulations' in advance and may we wish you happy wedding planning.  

As we head into this happy time of year, InnCredible Events will be taking some time off so we too can spend time with our families.  I'm staying here in Coloma and all my kids are joining me for a Christmas celebration, yippee....while Marjorie is in Homer, Alaska with family...brrrr!  It will be a grand time for all. 

As our gift to you...here is a wee bit of Holiday Cheer in the form of InnSpiration Boards for the best holidays of the year....

Merry Christmas!

Happy Hanukkah!...

 

And of course...Happy New Year!!!!

Marjorie and I wish you a very happy holiday season.  Thank you to everyone who made 2011 such an InnCredible year!!!!  We'll see you in 2012!

Our special thanks to Nicole from 'Sweetness and Light Photo' for this InnCredible photo...oh and Santa too, of course...!

All the other pictures are from Pinterest...Love it!  You can follow me at:  www.pinterest.com/carrell_halley, if you're so inclined.

See you in 2012...!!!!!!

InnCredible Events

Making your wedding InnCredible

530.919.4588

Ching Ching!!!!!!

OUCH!

So I was listening to a webinar the other day and the presenter said to, 'always be yourself'...and to go out on a limb and be controversial every now and then.  So here I go...this is my 'now and then'.  Hate me if you will, agree with me if you might, but please read.  And let me know what you think! Thanks!

 

When writing a negative review of a vendor, please remember...we are not perfect...we are human, just like you.  Sometimes we forget things, and sometimes, heaven forbid, we even make mistakes.  So the next time you start to write a review, ask yourself, how would I feel if I received this?  

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for writing reviews...good and bad.  But I'm also for being constructive, not hateful.  We vendors strive to make sure your wedding is perfect, and in most cases, we work our fannies off to make sure that happens...but we can't do that if we don't know something is bothering you until after the fact.  So instead of keeping things all 'bottled up' inside you until after your wedding...communicate.  Don't wait until everything is 'said and done', and your big day is over to drop the bomb on us. 

I'm telling you this because I was just 'blind-sided' by a bride who we thought was very pleased with our services and to whom we'd given 150%.  It wasn't until 'after the fact' that we found out there were things she was dissatisfied with.  Now, I know, 'you can't please all the people all the time', however, if these things that were upsetting to her had been brought to our attention, I would have made sure they were handled.  As it was, I knew nothing, and therefore, could do nothing. 

The 'take-away' for me is that I did learn a lot from this experience because I always look for the 'silver lining'.  And that is, I need to be clearer on what is included, and not included, in our packages...and I also need to check in with how my brides/grooms are feeling on all levels much more often.  And from now on I'll be doing that and more.

So, take it from me, one who just had the 'wind taken out of her sails'...let us know what we're doing right...and what, in your eyes, we're doing wrong.  Most of the time, it's just an issue of miscommunication that can be cleared up immediately.  

However, since there are always exceptions to every rule, in the event that you have tried and tried to work with a vendor and are getting nowhere, either 'fire' them, or write your review.  It might save another bride from your heartache.

Ok...there you have it.  I've gotten that off my chest.  If you'd like to chime in, you can do so here or go to our facebook page...
www.facebook.com/InnCredibleEvents. 

I'd love to hear what you have to say...and would love your suggestions on how, we as vendors, can stay on top of what you, the brides/grooms are feeling.

Until next time...

Making your wedding InnCredible!

InnCredible Events

530.919.4588

'By the Sea...By the Sea...By the Beautiful Sea'

I was born and raised in Southern California and spent all my summer days  frolicking at the beaches along So Cal coast. Manhattan, Hermosa, Redondo...you name it, my footprints are probably still in the sand there somewhere. 

When I was young, my dear Auntie Junie would pack my cousins, Michael and Maggie, in the car 'bright and early' every morning, head down to pick me up, and off we'd go...picnic basket, beach towels and umbrella in hand.  Sorry ladies, we didn't have sunscreen way back then...hee hee!  Anyway, we'd body surf until the golden So Cal sun began to set on the horizon before packing up and heading home.  It was a glorious way to spend my childhood!

Recently, when Marjorie and I went on our mini-retreat after our wedding season ended, we headed to Bodega Bay on the Northern California coast for some R & R.  And this past week, my youngest daughter, Halley, and I were down in San Diego celebrating Thanksgiving with my son, Cameron, my daughter-in-law, Tiffany, and the Sanborn Clan; Missy Meagan, Steve, Marjorie and Craig, along with all the pups, of course...so it just seemed fitting to grab a bit of inspiration from the ocean this week.

If you're planning your wedding on the beach, here are a few of the things I think are 'musts' for an InnCredible beach wedding....

A gorgeous mermaid dress...of course.  That just makes sense, right?  Mermaids and oceans just naturally go together...don't you agree?

A fantabulous pair of beach inspired heels.  These are a definite must!  And these Polka Dot ones rock! 

A campy little bridesmaids dress.  This one is too cute...and reminds me of the blue blue ocean and sea foam.  Perfect!

This amazingly InnCredible brooch bouquet complete with rhinestone sea shells.  Oh my goodness...love...love...love it!

Star fish.  Oh wait, I'm sorry...Sea Stars.  I love them too and they seem to be everywhere on this 'InnSpiration Board'...LOL!

Some awesome beach/ocean decor...naturally!

A 'must have' arch.

  Cute, cute, cute table decor or favors

 

Some fun lanterns for the aisle or tables.

  

 Fab shell place cards.

And of course, some InnCredible flip flops!   I love these Havaianas!  One cannot be at the beach without a great pair of flip flops...and these have star fish!  Oh dang, there I go again, I mean, 'sea stars'...sorry, I'm just a creature of habit!

Now...if I wanted to go 'over-the-top' and get a bit 'wild and crazy', I'd add more color...a lot more color.  Nothing like color to bring out the party in everyone!  Right?  Call me crazy, but I love this color combination and think it's perfect for a beach wedding with pizzazz!!!

Bright and cheery cake

Cool Candy Bar

 

Darling umbrella place cards.

So, that's what I would do.  How about you?  Share your beach themed wedding ideas, or your beach themed wedding with 'InnCredible Events' and I'll post it!

Until next time...

I'm off to the beach...don't I wish!

Marking your wedding InnCredible

InnCredible Events

530.919.4588

It Takes A Village...'Our Wedding' Magazine Shoot

I spent most of my career in broadcasting...both in front of the camera and behind a mic, so I'm very familiar with television and radio production, but magazine, not so much.  So, when we were contacted by Debbie Hurst, Art Director for 'Sacramento Magazine', about doing a 12-page photo shoot at the Coloma Country Inn for their 'Our Wedding' magazine, I jumped at the opportunity.  And what I learned was...it takes a village to produce all those fabulous photo spreads you see in the magazines.  Literally!  I have never seen so many people working on one piece in my life.  Talk about fun!  By 9am, the Inn was all abuzz with activity...

Now, I can't show you any of the photos of the set-ups for each shot, or the shots themselves, you'll have to wait for 'Our Wedding' magazine to come out in December for that.  But I can share the 'behind-the-scenes' of what goes on with something this spectacular.

First, I want to say a huge thanks to Beth Baugher from 'True Love Photo' for suggesting to the 'powers-that-be' at 'Sacramento Magazine' that the Coloma Country Inn would be the perfect backdrop for this fabulous shoot.  Believe me, something like this does not just drop into your lap, so many heartfelt thanks to dear Beth...you rock!  Isn't she just as cute as can be?

Ok, back to the shoot.  First to arrive was the gorgeous bride/model, Kelsey Johnson. She was followed by hair stylist, Tina Romo, and make-up artist, Sherri Morris, and all their goodies!  First up...hair.  Believe me, I had no idea what all went into getting those amazing hair styles we all covet in the magazines...but I learned very quickly that there was no way I would ever be able to recreate any of the styles Tina was able to pull off...LOL!

Not only did Tina come with an arsenal of tools for her magnificent creations, she also came armed with an entire bag of orange hair pieces to create magic with Kelsey's hair...and when 'Our Wedding' magazine is released, you'll be able to see how Tina transformed Kelsey's beautiful long ginger locks into her InnCredible coifs.

Once hair was done...(and it took about an hour for Tina achieve the look Debbie, the Art Director, was going for)...it was time for make-up.  Sherri Morris, owner of 'Brush Worxs Make-up Aristry', was the artist in charge.  And ladies, look at this make-up.  I was in heaven!  I don't think I have ever seen so many different colors of eyeshadow, have you? 

Or as many make-up brushes as Sherri brought with her.  Oh my!  I was like a kid in a candy store gawking at all these lovelies...hee hee.

And, best of all, they all came in this snazzy case.  I know, 'girly-girl' heaven, right?  Everything a gal could want, or need, all nicely packed in this great roller bag with a handle.  Pretty cool, if you ask me!

Oh...and just so you know, our bride was not the only one who had their hair and make-up done for the shoot.  Oh no!  Our very handsome groom/model, Ryan Ferguson, also donned the make-up chair.  Ryan's make-up didn't take nearly as long as Kelsey's, but it was still fascinating to watch Sherri work her magic and transform his look.

And once Tina was done with his hair, Ryan went from being just a 'regular' guy you'd see on the street to a gorgeous groom ready for his close-up.  'Oh, be still my beating heart!'  LOL!  Is this guy Hollywood handsome, or what?

Next up, wedding gowns.  We all know that wedding gowns are a must when you're doing a photo shoot for a wedding magazine...and oh my goodness, the one's the stylist chose for this shoot were beyond stunning!  Unfortunately, I can't show them to you either, you'll get to see them 'up close and personal' when the new issue is released,  but I can tell you they came from 'House of Fashion', 'Miosa Couture', 'La Soie Bridal'.   There were 9 fabulous couture gowns all together and each looked like it had walked the runway in NYC. Gorgeous...gorgeous...gorgeous gowns.

And, each of the gorgeous gowns came with an equally gorgeous price tag, so great care was taken to make sure NO dress was damaged during the shooting of this spread.  I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I can't help myself...bride Kelsey stood on a brown tarp when shooting many of the scenes on the grass.  Even with a high-end photo shoot such as this, 'if you break it, you buy it', and so the crew painstaking made sure the gowns were protected at all cost.  Ok, now that the 'cat's out of the bag', you'll all have to look and see if you can see it under her feet.  Hee hee. 

Of course, we can't forget about jewelry, can we ladies?.  Part of the stylists job was to match each gown with fabulous jewelry pieces...all provided by Macy's.  Wouldn't you love to have an entire store to shop from when you needed that perfect necklace and pair of earrings?  I know I would!  I have to admit, I was coveting a few of these fab pieces. LOL!

And OMG ladies, check out her ROCK!.  It's a train headlight!  No one would say where it came from. But I have an idea.  Hee hee!

And yes, there was a cake, of course!  'Sweet Cakes by Rebecca' delivered the most amazing cake I've ever seen.  It was used in several shots and when the magazine comes out, you'll be able to see it in all it's glory.  But for now, here are a few close-ups.  Check out the detail!  And yes, Styrofoam is under all those details.

And not to be outdone by the over-the-top wedding cake, were the flowers.  Katie Edwards from 'Ambience Floral Design' delivered the most amazingly beautiful floral arrangements and bouquets ever.  I absolutely love the calla lilies in the center of this springtime bouquet!  Unfortunately, what you can't see in this photo is the gorgeous broach attached to the wrapping of this bouquet.  Stunning...and it's in my office, even as we speak.  I'm one lucky girl!!!

And, that was not all.  Take a look at what Katie designed for the fountain in our 'Rose Garden'.  Spectacular!  I can't wait to see what the photos look like with the bride and groom and this floral display!  It's going to be InnCredible!

Ok, enough of the fun stuff...back to the business at hand...the photo shoot.  Now that hair and make-up are done, it's time to get our bride and groom dressed.  And this is not as easy as it seems...oh no!  In fact, Sarah Kreutz, Clothing Stylist for Sacramento Magazine, came all decked out with tape and binder clips to make sure each and every piece of clothing fit our bride and groom 'to a tee'.  Because, as crazy as it may seem, even for this photo shoot, the clothes didn't really fit our couple...but after Sarah worked her magic, you would never know these outfits weren't designed with the bride and groom in mind.

And here's a funny sidebar, Sarah had to borrow a black belt from Marjorie, my 'partner in crime', because someone forgot to bring one for the groom.  It's so comforting to know that even the most skilled of professionals forget things occasionally...thank goodness...makes me feel better...hee hee!  And yes ladies, even our groom needed a binder clip or two.  Evidently, in this business, one size does not fit all...hee hee!

Ok, let's not forget that village of people I mentioned because while the make-up was being applied, the hair was being done, and the gowns and jewelry was being picked out, there was a team of professionals outside deciding where to stage each photo. 

These folks had been hard at work since they arrived, not only scouring the grounds for the perfect shoot locations, but also for any wonderful treasures they could use in each photo shoot.  And believe me, the 'Coloma Country Inn' is a 'treasure trove' of fabulous finds.  Love this love seat?  Well, so did the designers, and you'll see it in one of the scenes!

When the team decided on a location and a look, and had all their goodies in hand, a crew went to work staging the area. 

Then, once the bride and groom were camera-ready and dressed, it was off to shoot.  Again, I'm not at liberty to show you any of those pictures but setting the scenes was pretty exciting!

Ok, now comes the easy part, right.  No way!  Taking one of these stellar pictures is not as easy as it seems, nor is it like a photo you and I would take with our phone or camera.  There were people all over the place, who you never see, making sure the lighting was right, holding scrims, checking meters, re-adjusting clothing, re-touching make-up and hair.  Oh my goodness.  Nine different locations...nine different clothing changes...nine different looks...all in a days work!

And in the middle of it all was photographer extraordinaire, Beth, crawling in on hands and knees for that perfect close-up, laying on the ground for another shot, laughing out loud with the most outrageous laugh you've ever heard to get an instantaneous, and spontaneous, laugh or smile from the bride and groom for that 'one in a million' shot.  She was a hoot!  And by her side every step of the way were her assistants.  You go girls, oops, and guy!

And when Beth gave her 'ok', the crew picked up and moved on to the next location, and it began all over again...and again...and again!  Talk about a long day.

Now you can understand why I said it takes a village.  For this one shoot, which started at 9:00am and went until well after 6:00pm, there were 19 people, and/or companies, who worked on turning Debbie's fab idea into a reality.  Here's a list of all those who worked this photo shoot:

Bride - Kelsey Johnson – 'Cast Images Modeling Agency'
Groom - Ryan Ferguson – 'Cast Images Modeling Agency'

Art/Design Director, 'Sacramento Magazine' – Debbie Hurst 

Art Director, 'Our Wedding' magazine - Carly Cornejo

Clothing Stylist – Sarah Kreutz 

Sarah's Assistant - Sam  MacLeod

Photographer – Beth Baugher, 'True Love Photo' – www.TrueLovePhoto.com   

Photography Assistant - Phoebe Verkouw

Photography Intern - Carrie Burkett 

Set Stylist - Dacy McWhorter 

Graphic Designer, 'Sacramento Magazine' - Miles Harley

Hair – Tina Romo, 'Tina Romo Hair Stylist' – www.TinaRomo.com
Make-up - Sherri Morris, 'Brushworx Make-Up Artistry' – www.BrushWorxMakeUp.com 

Florals - Katie Edwards, 'Ambiance Floral Design' – www.AmbienceFloral.com 
Cake - 'Sweet Cakes by Rebecca' - www.SweetCakesByRebecca.com

Dresses - 'House of Fashion' - www.HoF-Sac.com,  'Miosa Couture' - www.MiosaBride.com & 'La Soie Bridal' - www.LaSoieBridal.com

Jewelry - 'Macy's' - www.Macys.com

So there you have it...a photo shoot in the making.  I know I can't wait to see the finished product.  'Our Wedding' is set to hit newstands on December 15th.  Please make sure you pick up your copy and tell me what you think.  

Again, I want to say another 'Thank You' to everyone who was a part of this photo shoot and to all who were responsible for choosing the Coloma Country Inn for this fabulous honor.  Along with the Inn, the crew also shot in and around the Marshall Gold Discovery State Park and at the historic Emmanuel Church. 

Until next time...*

Making your wedding InnCredible

InnCredible Events

530.919.4588

* I apologize for the layout of this post...for some reason 'blogger' wasn't cooperating with my spacing desires this time.  :(