Royal Bahamian

A week from today I will be leaving my winter boots and this Michigan weather behind and traveling to the beautiful Nassau Bahamas to spend a few days at the Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort. Anyone who has stepped outside on a day like today would be more than excited for the climate change, and I am no exception! Honestly, the Sandals Luxury Included Vacations would be amazing regardless of Mother Nature. I've never been so impressed by an organizations focus on customer service, and I look forward to sharing the details about my trip and what Sandals has to offer!

Photos of Sandals Royal Bahamian

Sandal Jamaica

In May I was lucky enough to head down to Whitehouse Jamaica to check out their Sandals Resort. Sandals works closely with the Association of Bridal Consultants, and welcome ABC members a couple of times a year to become familiar with their services and locations. I've heard many good things about the company and the gorgeous weddings that take place there. I have to say that it is completely different to experience it in person!

I'll be heading to Sandals Royal Bahamian in a couple of weeks, and the timing couldn't be better! Escaping Michigan in January is always a good thing :) I can't wait to report back on another beautiful location, but most importantly a wonderful customer service experience. The Sandals staff really understand the importance of treating their guests as just that, and they do a phenomenal job at it. Check out our Facebook Page to see more pictures!

Valentines Day Wedding

I wanted to share these wonderful ideas for a Romantic Valentines themed wedding!


Valentines Day Wedding

Wedding Related New Year's Resolutions!

The New Year always brings good intentions, but as we all know those good intentions don't usually last very long. However, wedding related resolutions come with a timeline, which makes the dedication to those intentions all the more important. Here's some of the more common wedding resolutions.

1. Lose weight before the "big day"
2. Make vendor payments on time, or even early!
3. Organize wedding binder
4. Stay on budget
5. Spend time with the bridal party
6. Keep on track with the timeline
7. Don't let the guest list get out of control
8. Remember what the day is about, and don't sweat the small stuff


Are any of these on your list? What additions do you have? I hope you had a wonderful holiday season, and best of luck in sticking with your resolutions!!

The holidays are here!

The holiday season is my favorite time of the year. Although I do love it, I am always in shock when December comes around. Where did 2009 go? And if you're a list maker like me, the length always seems to triple when you factor in all of the holiday cleaning, shopping, cooking, and parties. Oh, and you're also planning a wedding? Add those lists into the mix too and things can quickly get overwhelming. There are a few advantages to planning an event thru the holidays, and I wanted share a few of my favorites with you.

Think ahead to all the sales coming up after the holidays. Make a list of some of the things you can purchase for your wedding while the stores are trying to make room for new inventory. Key items may be glassware for centerpieces, cocktail/party dresses that can be used for bridesmaids or mothers dresses, candles/votives for the reception, and gifts for your bridal party. Look ahead on your planning list to see if there are any items that you can be shopping for while looking for holiday presents!


Going to a holiday party or two? Schedule your hair and make up trials on a day you're going to be getting dressed up anyway. No point in wasting the beautiful work on a trip to the grocery store!


If someone asks what you want for Christmas, don't feel bad about sharing some ideas that can help you with the wedding. Most people hope that the gifts they buy are something that is useful. Use this to your advantage if you've been trying to figure out how you can afford to add the chargers to the reception, or upgrade your linens or centerpieces. See if a couple of family members of friends want to come together to contribute to those things, rather than buying another trinket or gift that will not be used.

I hope some of these ideas can help you save a little money and sanity over the next couple of weeks. If you have any other tips or suggestions, please leave a comment to help others out!

Happy Holidays!

Kate

ABC Conference

Earlier this month I was lucky enough to be able to attend my first Association of Bridal Consultants Conference held in Indianapolis. It was such an inspirational couple of days, I am still taking in all of the information I learned while I was there!

The first day I was there I went to the Sandals Training program, and learned all about the gorgeous resorts they have all over. I didn't realize all of the divisions they have! Beaches, Royal Plantation, and Grand Pineapple are all resorts brands that also follow the same "Luxury Included" model as Sandals, but offer more options in traveling, including packages for the entire family. I will definitely post more about all they have to offer in the future!

The following two days were filled with seminars, vendor displays, and wonderful meals! Frank Andonoplas, a Chicago based planner, started us off on Monday with his inspirational story, and photos of some of his glamorous events. At the Fashionista Luncheon, Gene Huddleson show us how to create a designer tablescape at three different budgets and not lose the overall feel of the original design.

The conference wrapped up on Tuesday with a busy day of speakers including Peggy Post, Ciara Daykin, and Sylvia Weinstock! Talk about an inspirational group of women! It was refreshing to hear Peggy Post say that wedding etiquette is not as cut and dry as many people think. Ciara Daykin's energy was absolutely contagious! It's not often that I'll push aside my lunch to take notes, but she made it happen :) I was probably most excited to hear from Sylvia Weinstock coming into the conference. I was happily surprised by her sense of humor, and how down to earth she is. I do think she's the only one I've met that could pull off those glasses though!

As I said, it was a very full couple of days, and I can't wait for next year in Phoenix!

Lovespons

This past weekend I saw one of the most creative favors I've come across! Cindy and Rick were married on 7.18 at the Henry Ford Estate. They really pulled in their Welsh heritage with several unique touches during the ceremony, and this really interesting favor idea. I can't wait to get the pictures and video from Dionne at The Shooting Gallery and Trish and Chris at Personal Touch Productions. To be posted soon! In the meantime, here's a picture of the Lovespoon favor with the story left for the guests!
"According to Welsh folklore, ornately carved spoons were given as a token of love from a young man to a woman. He would spend hours carving the spoon by hand, in the hope that the girl would accept it. The carvers would attempt to create more and more intricate designs as they vied for the attractions of a certain girl. The more complicated and difficult the design, the more it would symbolize the depth of the creator's love. Spoons could suggest food on the table, and a cozy family life, which would impress on the girl his ability to care for her and a family.
If the man succeeded in capturing the girl's heart, the spoon would be treasured and proudly displayed in their home, much as a wedding photograph would be today. When a girl accepted the spoon, the young people would embark on a relationship and be seen as a 'couple' by their community. The earliest surviving example is dated around 1667, although the tradition existed long before that".

Very cool! :)