Posh Purple!

We are planning a posh super chick purple event and I thought I'd share a little inspiration with you all, aren't they super purply'rific! This is our inspiration...Which one do you like better? Sources: Martini, Flower in vase, Dress, Damask wallpaper, Box of favors, Purple invitation, Building, Head piece, Purple table setting, Purple place setting, Shoes, Silver boxesSources starting from the top left and moving clockwise are (white couches) Theknot.com, (empanadas) menupages.com, (candle) flickr.com, (centerpiece) Theknot.com, (potato pancakes) Brides.com, (hanging candle) Theknot.com, (chicken tapa) Theknot.com, (flowers) stylemepretty.com,...

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Beautiful Emotion!

Your wedding day is so emotional! On all accounts, on all sides of the family - Dad is sad, because he knows his baby girl is all grown up, but I promise he's happy at the same time... I know my father couldn't hold a tear in his eyes while he danced with me to Butterfly Kisses on my wedding day! Brides are nervous, grooms are nervous... it feels like all eyes are on you, and well, frankly, they are. So don't forget to breathe, don't lock your knees, and remember you are marring your best friend, so focus on your best friend! And these tears are Happy Tears! I love these images from k Gallery and Powers Photography! They truly capture some of...

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The Top 5!

Yesterday I had Christina let you know what she felt her Top 5 things learned at her first wedding with MasterPiece Weddings were. I wanted to explain some of what she said, maybe give you some back story.1. Every wedding planner needs a Mary Poppins’ carpetbag… by the end of the night, I was waiting for Melissa to pull out a coat rack from her “wedding bag.”We did have to get a lot of stuff out of the Wedding Bag at this wedding, I guess I never think about what comes out of it, and how much thought went in to choosing the things that I knew I'd use a lot. I think I can do anything with DoubleStick Tape, a Sharpie Marker, and Binder Clips! {Me...

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I heart my Interns!

So this was Christina's first wedding with me - I asked her at the end of the night what she was most surprised about, and what she felt she learned the most. At the end of the conversation I asked her to write it down....And she did!!! Good Girl Christina!! :)I was surprised at what she felt her Top 5 things learned were... but then again, looking at it from a "virgin" point of view, it makes sense!Without further ado, Blogosphere meet Christina!Having been raised in New Orleans, a city where parties are standard for any occasion, I figured that working my first wedding would be a breeze. To my surprise, after a night of watching people dance,...

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What I used Yesterday...

Although I am suffering from quite the Wedding Hangover - I wanted to take some time out today and share with you what I used from my Wedding Emergency Kit yesterday and why I used what I did.I think this might be fun to do every Monday after a Wedding, I know that I don't use every item at every wedding. But this way we can see any trends, and how I used what I used.Corsage Pins: We needed so many pins, the florist didn't include them with the boutonnieres, so I used mine from my wedding bag.Playing Cards: The bride was so nervous before the ceremony, Katie thought she was going to pass out or throw up, so just before the ceremony to kill a...

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Wedding Day!

Oooooooh!!! We've been working since 7AM, but boy oh boy - do I have some exciting stuff to tell you...

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Katie and Bradley Get Married... again!

This is the weekend for the Wedding of the couple that already got married... in our office... SO FUN!I am totally excited! Katie is amazing! Bradley is incredible! The wedding can be nothing but perfect, I just know it! We only have to battle the weather, and Katie's fear of throwing up/passing out/crying uncontrollably/falling during the ceremony...fun times for me! Nothing I can't hand...

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Happy Halloween!

What does MasterPiece Weddings and Geico have in common?I attended a Fundraising Auction for Adfed (an Advertising Auction supporting High School Students wishing to obtain a degree in Advertising) last night and MasterPiece Weddings donated an Event Planning Package - well, Geico bid on our package - donating a pretty penny to the cause, and won our planning package.It looks like I'll be planning the Annual Geico Halloween Party, how fun!Maybe I'll dress as a Cavem...

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I Heart the Bubbles!

I love Bubble Tea! Usually I order Jasmine Tea with extra Boba -- but today as I am sipping my afternoon snack, I was thinking... What a fun way to personalize your wedding reception, cocktail hour, or rehearsal dinner!It would be a fun and unique way to personalize your events- And why not have a Boba Tea bar at your wedding! If it's something you enjoy and it's something you and and your fiancee want to share with your family it would be nice during the cocktail hour.Basically it's Green Tea, mixed with fruit flavors, real fruit, and sometimes cream - YUMMMY! Then Black Tapioca Pearls are sitting at the bottom of the glass... looks really pretty...

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Famous Family!

My cousin Michelle lives in California and she's smart, and beautiful and she's getting married! I guess word got out, and tada - she's on the cover a Bridal Magazine!!! She's the one on the right! I am so excited for her!!!Check out her spre...

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Photograhy Phun!

I am so blessed to work in an area with some super fantastical photographers and you've heard me talk about a few of them.But did you know that Powers Photography started a blog!!! Susan and Stewart are so fun to work with and their work is beautiful, fun, with a touch of sophistication, I know you'll fall in love with them over and over again! Photography is so important, it's not just the pictures, but the full package, you need to make sure that you love who you are working with, the pictures are incredible, and the final album tells the story that you want it to! I think that Powers is the complete package! (and they travel internationally...

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Dinner Party Disaster!

There's no use in crying over spilled Milk, right? So, what happens when you invite your neighbors over for dinner for the first time - and your dinner is a disaster, how do you handle that gracefully?Well, let me tell you what happened... I'll start from the very beginning...Once upon a time, two couples built their houses right next door to one another - and had been promising to get together quite often. Finally, one of the neighbors, Melissa (that's me), asked them to come over for a BBQ Feast on Sunday, and they graciously accepted.Melissa, who loves to entertain, and try out new recipes from her Gourmet Magazine - found a delicious new...

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Communication is Key!

My mother was a big proponent of communication - there was one time, when I was 10 or 11, I dis-owned my sister, like literally told her that I wasn't her sister anymore. And I hated her. (Kim, I love you, you are my sister and my best friend - I officially apologize for disowning you 20+ years ago, I hope you can forgive me). My mother forced to me realize that we needed to talk this out, and she was my sister no matter what.Anyway, back to communication - this is all relative, I promise!As a business person, communication is a tremendous part of my job, I have to communicate with my clients, I have to communicate with vendors, I need to make...

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Let's Eat Cake has a Home!

We've confirmed our home for Let's Eat Cake! And I couldn't be more excited!!! Thank you Paramount Plaza Resort!!! I think it's a perfect fi...

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The Wynn - WOW!

The Wynn. So Oprah's stayed there she recommends it - I honestly thought, what's all of the fuss about, it's just another Vegas Hotel, right? Wrong!This hotel is incredible! The shopping is unbelievably incredible, but that's besides the point...My site visit started with a visual tour of the New Encore Las Vegas (Wynn Las Vegas' Sister Hotel) which is going to be an all-suite hotel - all of the meeting spaces will have open up terraces to the pools. Both of these properties define luxury on the Vegas Strip and still have incredible dining, great shopping, fun nightlife, and unbelievable service!When planning an event in Las Vegas and you'd like...

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Vegas, Baby! We're Back!!!

We had a terrible time getting back! Our flight was canceled, then delays - then more cancelations. So I am back a day late, and literally a dollar short - but we are back! And I have some stories for you! We arrived in Las Vegas late (seemed to be the theme of the weekend) and I had a site visit at The Palazzo, Carl is my Sales Manager there, he was so helpful! Their banquet/meeting/conference areas were beautiful! Basically, it's Vegas so no matter what we needed could be done - it's a massive space!Their rooms are beautiful! I mean amazing, we've stayed all over Vegas, from The Wynn, Bellagio, MGM, Mandalay Bay, Venetian and Now The Palazzo,...

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We have an event coming up in Vegas next year and I HAVE TO do a site visit... Darn it!I am a very thrifty traveler... so when a trip comes up, especially to a town as tourist driven as Vegas, the first thing I do is a search for "Vegas Promotion Codes" - now if you have some place specific you wanted to stay, change that search to "Venetian Promotion Code" or "Palazzo Promotion Code" and you'll come up with some great savings!For instance, I found a code that gets us a Sweet Suite at the amazing Palazzo, for $179 a night, plus:$25 Gaming Credit2 for 1 entrée at MainlandSpend $50 on food and receive $15 off at the 40/40 Club2 for 1 beverages...

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Best Toast E.V.E.R!

I don't know if you saw this on Style Me Pretty or not, but I can't stop thinking about it. As a Wedding Planner I see SOOOOO many toasts and I've had to write a bunch for various clients - yup just like the movie!But this one was so fantastical, I laughed, I cried - the emotion is so raw and so beautiful, I love everything about it! Check it out here! Thanks AMC for catching some great foota...

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Top 7 Worries!

I was reading In-Style recently and Peggy Post revealed the Top 7 Worries for Brides.7. Getting along well with future in-laws6. Drawing up-and trimming-a guest list that does not offend5. Staying within the wedding budget4. Keeping attendants happy and involved3. Politely managing hundreds of details (ceremony, reception, etc.)2. Corny as it might sound, keeping the magic alive with future husband1. And the single biggest worry...being gorgeous and calm on your big dayThese are all very valid concerns and quite frankly hiring a good wedding planner can help with most of these issues. I know it sounds like a shame-less plug {it kind of is - check...

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Wedding Save! Part II

There has been so much response to the previous Wedding Save! I thought I'd add another, this one less of a "situation" - but still happened none-the-less.The Maid of Honor was a big larger than the other bride's maids and the bride very graciously gave each of the bride's maids some beautiful jewelry, but didn't give a second thought to the sizes of the necklaces for bracelets for larger or smaller bridesmaids.The necklace didn't fit the larger girls, so the engineer in me kicked in, and I looped together safety pins and hooked them to the clasp of the necklace.Voi...

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Wedding Save!

There have been so many times either prior, during or after a wedding that I think to myself, "Phew! I am so glad that I am here!!!"There was one time in particular that I called to confirm vendors for a bride, like I always do about 2 weeks prior to the wedding - and I was told by the cake baker that the florist had called and canceled cake. The florist told the cake baker that the pastry chef at the reception location was baking the cake -and we didn't need her anymore.WHAT?!?!?!?NO!!!!!!!!!How in the world does that happen?The florist thought he'd be helpful and tell someone something that wasn't true. This wasn't the case, the bride still...

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Let's Eat Cake!

I can't even contain myself with excitement, there has been so much response to our needs! Lucky Designs offering to do our Save The Dates, Erickson Design doing our Invitations and Sponsorship Letters.Bride's Magazine offering to put us in their calendar - and possibly some other things I can't mention....Pastry Chef's chomping at the bit for details. Hotels offering their services - I can go on and on!I am so super duper excited, I feel like I am planning my own wedding, but with lots of cake! Lots and lots of cake!With all of the generosity that I just talked about, I feel like a greedy organizer, but we need more. An event of this caliber...

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Cake Construction

Selecting your style of cake can be confusing! And keeping in mind your cake design will depend on a lot of different considerations. Most couples prefer to save the top layer from the wedding cake for a future anniversary celebration. But a lot of bakers are now offering a free voucher for a duplicate top layer of your cake on your anniversary. Some couples prefer this over 1 year old cake.There are several styles of wedding cakes:Stacked Cakes: This is where the layers are directly on top of one another. Pillar and Plate Stacked Cakes: Notice there are supports in-between each layer of cakes. {Image from Maisie Fantaisie}Center Pole Cakes:...

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