Wedding Blog by Outstanding Occasions™: Outstanding Weddings and Advice: Phoenix Scottsdale Arizona

Outstanding Occasions™ Mentorships for Wedding and Event Planners

heather@outstanding-occasions.com (Heather at Outstanding Occasions) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Our Outstanding Mentorships begin again in January 2010. (NOTE: Mentorships are NOT the same as internships. Also, our internship position is already filled for Fall 2009 and Spring 2010.)

Mentee prerequisites:
college degree AND
a desire to be a full time event planner

Each Outstanding Mentorship consists of ten weeks (five sessions.) The mentee will meet in-person or via Skype with the owners of Outstanding Occasions bi-weekly for two hours each session (one topic per hour.) Assignments will be scheduled and tasks will be due at each meeting. Again, we limit the mentorships to one Novice and one Advanced for each ten week period. The mentorships are given on a first come, first serve basis. Once an agreement is signed, we will send a questionnaire to the Mentee to fill out. Mentees will choose ten items from our list of topics. We will conclude the mentorship with a final wrap-up session. Pricing begins at $2950.
If you are interested in an Outstanding Mentorship, please email us at mentorship@outstanding-occasions.com.

Heather

Twirl Opens Second Boutique in Arizona

heather@outstanding-occasions.com (Heather at Outstanding Occasions) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:55:00 +0000

I am happy to announce that my favorite gals, Keri and Jenni, are opening a second boutique in Chandler, Arizona. These ladies are so amazing and we adore their stores! If you don't know about Twirl, here is the 411:

Twirl Chandler

Twirl is a boutique bridal party store that offers apparel that’s chic, modern, trendy and a whole lot of fun. They believe that a bride, and all those who stand by her, should look and feel stunning on the special day. Elegant bridesmaids’ dresses should complement the bride’s gown and add to the overall unique wedding décor. At Twirl you will find exclusive lines of dresses, handbags, wraps and jewelry for every member of the bridal party and the Twirl store in Chandler will now be offering apparel for the groom and his men as well. Their goal is to highlight the best features of each member of the bridal party and add a personal touch to every outfit.

Twirl Chandler

To celebrate their new boutique opening, they are having a party, “Twirl Times Two.”
Date: October 14, 2009
Time: 5:00-8:00 p.m.
Location: Chandler location in the Watermark Shopping center on Gilbert Road South of Germann

Sponsors involved in the grand opening party are Highrise Creative, The Invitation Lady, Put a Fork In It, Southwick Linens, Pour Masters, Your Event Florist, Creative Touch Entertainment, Liz Love Collections, The Alternative Wedding Solutions, Life Design Event Planning, Couture Cookie Company, Willo Art, Corinna B Cosmetic, Tablelicious and Themers.

To attend the festivities you must RSVP at cicely@lifedesignevents.com.
Twirl’s original store is located in Scottsdale in the Hilton Village. You can check out the Twirl website and their blog "Twirl Talk" to find more information and inspiration.

So twirl on over to their party!
Heather

Outstanding Occasions Elsewhere: Kimberly Jarman Photography's Grand Opening

noreply@blogger.com (Sharisa at Outstanding Occasions) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Last week we had the fabulous opportunity to put together a grand opening party for the super talented Kimberly Jarman and her new photography studio! Her fun new space is in cute little Downtown Mesa. Kim's color scheme was a sweet shade of lavender with lots of darker purple tied in. Her logo was everywhere too, helping to make it all that much more personal.

From Cristi Owen Photography

Tons of paper flowers gave her studio a modern, girly feel and the sweets table was just to-die-for. Chef Brian at S' Bistro, also located in Downtown Mesa, provided all yummy hors'd'oeuvres and desserts.

From Cristi Owen Photography

There was a great photo booth in the back loaded with fun props for all her guests to take pictures with. Everyone had such a fun time and I know that Kim got some pretty 'creative' shots! Here's Heather and I posing with our paper flowers that we didn't want to part with just yet.

From Kimberly Jarman Photography

This is Heather and the lovely Heidi Bartlett of Idieh Design. We blogged about her last week. Heidi also provided all the printed pieces for the party. How cute are these two? Can you tell they're sisters??

From Kimberly Jarman Photography

Overall, I think all of Kim's guests had a great time helping her celebrate! Be sure to check out her blog for more fun pictures of the party, her studio and all of Kim's fabulous work!

xoxo...Sharisa

Outstanding Associate Event Planner

heather@outstanding-occasions.com (Heather at Outstanding Occasions) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:00:00 +0000

We have added to the Outstanding Occasions team once again. Let me introduce you to our newest team member, Sharisa Hutchins. Sharisa actually joined us back in June, but we have been so busy that we have not had a chance to announce her arrival. She is a very talented, creative, driven individual who has been a great addition to the Outstanding Occasions crew. She has a beaming smile, great style and is always ready to come up with a creative solution to any problem. We adore her and would like for you to give her a warm welcome. So without further ado, here is our new associate event planner, Sharisa Hutchins.

Photo by Kimberly Jarman Photography

1. If you could choose to hire one, which one would it be: maid, chef or hair stylist/makeup artist?
I would definitely choose a hair stylist/makeup artist! I am super crazy about cleaning and organizing to the point that it’s just obnoxious, and I totally love trying new recipes and eating new foods. Even though I attended cosmetology school, there is something so fun about getting your hair and makeup done by someone else!

2. What is your nickname?
Risa, Ris, Risy and Sheesh are obviously all derived from my name. But my favorite is probably “Precious”. When I was in high school, my volleyball coach was always telling the referees “she couldn’t have possibly done that! Look at her! She’s precious!” every time I got something called on me. It stuck and my dad still calls me Precious.

3. What is the neatest place you have ever been?
I don’t get out much, but I did get to live in Hawaii for about a year and there are some pretty amazing places that are absolutely beautiful up on the North Shore. The neatest thing about it was the weather- always warm and sunny, that’s my kind of place!

4. What is your favorite game?
Volleyball would have to be my all-time favorite game. I grew up playing in high school, club and college. Lately though, it’s peek-a-boo and hide-and-seek with my son, Merrick.

5. What is your favorite food?
My absolute favorite food would have to be Fettuccini Alfredo. The only thing coming close to it is cheesecake. Plain cheesecake to be exact. And I would rather have a Cranberry-Cherry Limeade from Sonic in my hand then anything else!

6. What is your favorite day of the week?
Saturdays! If we’re not at a wedding, that’s the day I get to do a major scrub-down on my house! Plus it’s always fun to spend time with family and friends.

7. What is something people don’t know about you?
I suffer from what a friend calls “crafting-superhero tendencies”. I will figure out how anything was made and try and do it myself before I buy it. Sometimes I can pull it off (and even do it better), sometimes not!

8. What do I love most about my job?
That moment when the bride begins her walk down the aisle- I get choked up every single time! I love being involved in the most important day of people’s lives and all the awesomely creative energy that I get to surround myself with.

SIDE NOTE: Love that she wore our company colors for the photoshoot. I don't think that was planned, but I love it! And her jewelry, well it is...do I dare say...OUTSTANDING!

Heather :)

Blog Love: Groom Groove

noreply@blogger.com (Julianne at Outstanding Occasions) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000

What could be better for the guys than a blog for and by grooms and groomsmen: Groom Groove. They break down the engagement, the wedding, and even a special spot for the Best Man. With so many wedding blogs out there I thought it might be nice to shed a little light on a great blog for grooms. Be sure to check it out or pass it along to your man!

From Groom Groove

Peace, Love, and Happy October!
Julianne

Outstanding Associates and Interns

heather@outstanding-occasions.com (Heather at Outstanding Occasions) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:31:00 +0000

We are expanding our Outstanding team! We are looking for smart, creative, detail-oriented individuals with great communication skills, the ability to work within a team, but be a self-starter, and be able to think quick under pressure. Applicants must be ready to listen and learn as well as teach and motivate and should be ready to deliver great customer service. Remember, we produce Outstanding events and have Outstanding clients, so we are looking for Outstanding team members.

Available positions:

Summer/Fall 2010 Interns: If you are a college student and are interested in our internship program, please email interns@outstanding-occasions.com with Summer or Fall 2010 Intern Applicant in the subject line with your resume attached and also include why you would like to work for our company. We work in a creative industry, so please take the opportunity to knock our socks off when submitting your resume and information.
NOTE: Spring 2010 intern position already filled.

Associates: If you are interested in working for our company as an associate, please email info@outstanding-occasions.com with Associate Applicant in the subject line with your resume attached and also include why you would like to work for our company and what experience that you have that would make us want to hire you. Again, we work in a creative industry, so please take the opportunity to wow us when submitting your resume and information.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please do not call us to inquire about employment opportunities. We will only accept resumes that are EMAILED to us. If you can't pay attention to this important detail, we will not hire you.

We are also offering mentorships for those who are or want to be an event planner, but need the training required to own your own event planning company. If you are interested in this opportunity, please email mentorship@outstanding-occasions.com with Mentorship Applicant in the subject line.

We can't wait to hire some Outstanding team members,
Heather

Outstanding Guests: idieh design

heather@outstanding-occasions.com (Heather at Outstanding Occasions) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:46:00 +0000

For this month's Outstanding Guest, we have chosen to spotlight the very talented Heidi Bartlett of idieh Design! Heidi's designs are just as fun as she is, here's a little bit about her...

Photo by Jerri Parness

Have you ever had a surprise birthday party? How did it make you feel?
YES!! I loved it and it made me feel super special!! But, unfortunately, it wasn't a TOTAL surprise. My sis threw me a birthday party (can't remember how old - bad memory), but not before I was casually looking through some papers and found the guest list for "Heidi's Surprise Party." I PROMISE I wasn't trying to snoop and I had no idea, until I found the list, of course. I'm known for ruining all surprises my friends and family try to organize for me whether it be gifts, trips, parties, etc. And, the funny part is, I don't TRY to figure out surprises, because I LOVE THEM!! It's just how it is. Bummer, I know.

Socks or no socks?
For sure, NO SOCKS! Actually, I would rather go barefoot and NO SHOES all day. I'm a bit of a germ-a-phobe, but that doesn't stop me from walking around barefoot wherever and whenever possible. That's why this girl loves to get pedicures! These feet need constant TLC.

If you didn't own idieh Design, what other profession could you see yourself in?
Well, my dream job has always been to be a back-up dancer for a hip-hop/pop singer. You know, maybe someone like J.T. or Beyonce. I'm not asking for much, right?!?! But, more realistically, I could see myself in many other art-related fields such as a photographer, fashion designer, and/or an interior designer. My goal is to one day design & make my own clothes so I can always love what I'm wearing. And, if I could be just like David Bromstad from HGTV's Color Splash, my life would be complete. Bottom line, if I didn't own idieh Design, I would be a fashion-forward dancer with an amazingly-designed house. What's that called?

Share some random fact about yourself.
I don't like when people touch my belly button. I feel like they are poking my insides. Yuck!

Sour, sweet or salty?
Definitely sweet and sometimes sour, because I HEART CANDY!! And, no, I don't mean chocolate. But, more like Sweet Tarts, Starbursts, Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, and Gummy Bears. As I like to say, a day without candy is like a world without music - it just isn't right.

From idieh Design

From Idieh Design

From idieh design

Heidi is so super talented and has come up with some great designs for lots of Outstanding Brides. If you are a bride-to-be in search of stationery, make sure to stop by her newly launched site and check out her fabulous portfolio that is chock-full of amazing work. You will fall in love! Idieh design also specializes in all types of stationery and correspondence for any occasion and is even going to be introducing a ready-made collection soon! We are always so excited to see what Heidi comes up with next!

xoxo...Sharisa

Great Finds: Gift ideas for your Bridesmaids

jennifer@outstanding-occasions.com (Jennifer at Outstanding Occasions) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

From Love Heals

Love Heals is a jewelry company run by a mother, son and daughter team. They each have such a colorful background, so be sure to read their story . In fact, it made me tear up! They make all of the jewelry on their family farm in Ojai, California. I think these special pieces would be a great idea for your bridesmaids or just someone special.

I got all excited about Love Heals' commitment to plant ten trees for every piece of jewelry sold. In fact, they are responsible for over 320,000 trees planted so far. I love these delicate, bohemian pieces they lovingly design and the story that follows. The prayer box necklaces are truly original. What I love about the layering necklaces is how versatile they can be with whatever you wear. If you want to share a special message with someone you love, then these pieces are just the right mixture of sentiment and originality.

Love Heals, Jennifer

Outstanding Occasions on Weddingbee: Blogs We Love:: Event Planning/Entertaining

heather@outstanding-occasions.com (Heather at Outstanding Occasions) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

I am not sure where we were when this happened, but we are on the list of "Blogs We Love" under Event Planning/Entertaining on Weddingbee. I saw it show up on our Google Analytics page and was pleasantly surprised!

Snippet from Weddingbee

We are listed with other event planning blogs that we love too!

Cheers!
Heather

Groom's Room: Personalized Chucks for the Wedding Day

noreply@blogger.com (Julianne at Outstanding Occasions) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Looking for fun and unique ideas for the groom or groomsmen in your wedding? Check out the personalized Converse! First, pick the type, style, and material of the shoe. Then, there are ten different customizations you are able to make including color of outside and inside body, tongue, stitch, and even laces! The last option is the Personal ID that can be placed on the heal stripe, or low on the outside. This is a great gift for the groomsmen because it can be personalized for each one and they can wear them again after the wedding.

I made a quick classic pair of Chuck Taylor All Star for an example, but the colors and possibilities are endless!

From Converse

And if you're looking for an additional special touch to the ensemble, try these awesome "rocker" suspenders to complete the look!

From Miss Momo

Peace and Love!
Julianne

Outstanding Weddings: Nick and Laura

noreply@blogger.com (Sharisa at Outstanding Occasions) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

It's Tuesday and time to feature another Outstanding Wedding! Nick and Laura's wedding was packed with fun! They are such a perfect couple! Lots of pearls, lots of green and and a touch of red made this wedding absolutely beautiful. Not to mention, the music was great, the venue was beautiful and the bridal party was pretty hilarious! Kimberly Jarman captured some great photos of the day...

From Kimberly Jarman Photography

From an Outstanding Occasions iPhone:)

From Kimberly Jarman Photography

My favorite part of the wedding was how Nick and Laura's ceremony was personalized just to them. The bridal party and Bride walked down the aisle to a song by Dashboard Confessional and the recessional was to a song by Relient K, two of the couple's favorite bands! It was a great break from tradition and such a breath of fresh air! Congratulations you guys!

Location: Villa Siena
Event Planner: Outstanding Occasions
Photographer: Kimberly Jarman Photography
Florist: Blume Events
Catering: A Savory Affair Cuisine and Catering
DJ: Creative Touch Entertainment
Cake: Piece of Cake Desserts
Transportation: In the Scene Limousine

xoxo...Sharisa

Brides Ask Outstanding Questions: Food Stations, Limited Venue Space, Importance of Escort Cards

jennifer@outstanding-occasions.com (Jennifer at Outstanding Occasions) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:43:00 +0000

Photo by Sandra Tenuto

For this month's edition of Brides Asking Outstanding Questions, we are featuring one of our November brides, Kristen.

Wedding Date: November 21, 2009
Location: Paradise Valley Country Club

Questions for Outstanding Occasions:

Q: We are expecting around 300 people at our wedding and are choosing to do stations vs. a plated dinner or buffet. What are some suggestions to ensure that there is ample food and a good flow throughout dinner?

A:We love that a lot of our brides are choosing to use stations instead of plated dinners.Their popularity grew out of the desire of couples' needs for a more social atmosphere during dinner and a variety of food dishes for the guests. When a wedding or event has a large crowd similar to 300, we want to be sure there is a good number of stations open to the guests, as well as, to ensure that each station can somewhat stand alone. Therefore, the food selections that are chosen are like mini meals so that you don't have a buffet feel. This is important too because it allows the guests to travel from station to station throughout dinner to experience what is offered. This helps with the "flow," because we all know we don't want our guests standing in long lines!

Q: Since our location has limited space in the ballroom, not all of our guests can fit inside. Since we are having a portion of our guests seated on the patio, how do we make sure everyone feels a part of the evening?

A: Although the number of wedding guests always varies from wedding to wedding, lately we have noticed that several of our wedding couples have 250+ guests at their weddings. Depending on your location's capacity, this usually means we have to get creative with seating arrangements. Arizona is a perfect place to mix the indoors with the outdoors. Homes are filled with outdoor living areas here, so it's no wonder that we do the same for our weddings. What's great about this mix is it gives your out-of-town guests a true taste of Arizona living. A few important things to ensure each guests feels a part of the evening: make sure there is easy access to the bar, restrooms and dance floor; if you do not assign tables, makes sure that you have more seats than invited seats, because the tables usually do not fill up like they do when tables are assigned; and make sure that all of the guests can hear the music and/or toasts that are being given.

Q: We chose not to do a plated dinner, so do we still need to provide escort cards and assign tables for our guests?

A: All of us at Outstanding Occasions are firm believers that everyone needs a home! Think about walking into a large party and not having any direction on where to go, where to sit your things down etc. People will roam around and just not really feel like they are at home. Even though it's a party, you want your guests to feel they have a place to go to take their shoes off, get off their feet, eat some cake or just put their things down so they can hit the dance floor. These are all reasons why we think it's so important to provide escort cards and assign tables for your guests.

Make it a great day, Jennifer

Outstanding Occasions Elsewhere: Baby Showers on Your Life A to Z

heather@outstanding-occasions.com (Heather at Outstanding Occasions) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:04:00 +0000

We have been so busy gearing up for the fall wedding season, but a couple of weeks ago we celebrated baby showers. (If you don't know, Jennifer is due the first week of October, so we have been talking about babies for months:) For our monthly segment on Channel 3's Your Life A to Z, we chose to talk about fun and creative ways to throw a baby shower. Jennifer, of course, was the perfect person to discuss the the topic of baby showers on air.

Photos by Outstanding Occasions

The ideas are endless with baby showers, but we chose a vintage theme with fun props and colors in shades of plum and lavender. The guests are asked in the invitation to bring a book for the little one and Idieh Design created fabulous bookplates for them that said, "This book belongs to Hadley," and incorporated a place for the guest to write a note to the newborn and finish it, "With {heart} from ____." Such a great way to begin an amazing library for babies. Each guest was also given a lavender-filled burlap bag with a hand-stitched tag that had their name on it and served as the place card.

Paper flowers (handmade by Jennifer, Sharisa and I) in plum and lavender, added that pop of fun and whimsy to the decor. We mounted the flowers onto a plywood base and plan to use this fantastic structure as a photo backdrop. Each place setting also included a cute menu (designed by Idieh Design) in the same colors and a lavender scrapbook sheet that we used for the placemat. We also used white and lavender spidermums that we sit inside two cute vintage vases to make the table complete.

Photo by Outstanding Occasions

Here, Jennifer is looking radiant, playing the role of Vanna White:) Beside the photo backdrop, we included props for the guests to use to create fun photos for the guest of honor to keep.

Photo of Lisa Hafner, host of Your Life A to Z and Jennifer Thinnes, co-owner of Outstanding Occasions

If you are in need of some ideas for weddings, bridal parties or any intimate social gatherings, email us at info@outstanding-occasions.com and we might use your questions to create a party for our next TV segment.

Happy Tuesday,
Heather:)

Great Finds: Use Chalkboard China for your Wedding Details

noreply@blogger.com (Julianne at Outstanding Occasions) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 00:02:00 +0000

Chalkboards at a reception? Sounds kind of crazy, but the idea is actually really neat! Check out Chalkboard China for some great gift and new place setting ideas. Or get your guests to be creative and interactive at the reception with these fun wine and champagne glasses! The vases are great gifts or even centerpieces and come in all different shapes and sizes for your personalized message.

From Chalkboard China

And on a greener note, for the environmentally friendly, Chalkboard China reuses any packaging materials and shipping boxes!

Have a great weekend!
Julianne

Blog Love: Wiley Valentine and Black Eiffel

noreply@blogger.com (Sharisa at Outstanding Occasions) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 23:37:00 +0000

For today's Blog Love we are featuring two wonderful blogs! First up is Wiley Valentine. This paper design company out of Irvine, California is chock-full of beautiful ideas for any kind of printed materials you could ask for. Not only are the two girls who run it so cute, but their bio is just adorable! Both are totally inspired by their awesomely creative grandmas!

From Wiley Valentine

Make sure and check out their daily blog as well as their website that features tons of great designs.

Another blog that I love is Black Eiffel. Rachel says her blog is an eye full of her "favorite people, places, things and ideas" and that's exactly what she gives you! Black Eiffel is always featuring lots of fun, off-beat designers and her blog is loaded with ideas for your space as well as some cool wedding and event ideas.

From Black Eiffel

xoxo...Sharisa

Outstanding Advice: Have a Wedding Mission Statement

noreply@blogger.com (Sharisa at Outstanding Occasions) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Kathryn of Snippet & Ink had a great idea about sitting down and writing a "wedding mission statement" that I just loved! What a good exercise to do before you think about anything else! The two of you could decide what you value as a couple, and how you want that to be reflected in your wedding. That way when you start to feel lost in a sea of linen colors, floral arrangements and cake tastings it's a great idea for you and your honey to be able to sit back, take a breath, and remember what you really wanted this wedding to be about in the beginning...the two of you!

From Lovely Wedding Stuff

Plus, it's way more fun to focus on the marrying-my-best-friend part than on the color-of-his-socks part...don't you agree? You can check out more pictures of this amazing collaboration from Flashdance over at 100 Layer Cake's blog.

xoxo...Sharisa

Groom's Room: Alternative Wedding Bands by Ash Hilton

jennifer@outstanding-occasions.com (Jennifer at Outstanding Occasions) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:55:00 +0000

From Ash Hilton

Ash Hilton, who resides in New Zealand, has a thoroughly modern idea. He creates customized wedding bands that fit together in a special way. He makes each piece from scratch and uses different types of metals by recycling materials. I think my favorite thing about Ash Hilton's pieces is that brides and grooms can get something made that is unique to them. Something made for him or her. Check out Ash Hilton's shop here on Etsy.

Think outside the box today, Jennifer

Blog Love: Camelback Flowershop

jennifer@outstanding-occasions.com (Jennifer at Outstanding Occasions) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:03:00 +0000

From Camelback Flowershop

The ShopGirls over at Camelback Flowershop are such a fun group! We have been really lucky over the last several weeks to work with them on several of our upcoming weddings. Teresa and her team are not only a talented group but they are genuine people who love what they do. Trust me, it makes a difference! Check out the blog here. It's full of inspiration. Heather and I were so surprised to see these charming little gift boxes with our names on them! Seriously, how perfect of a gift for ANY OUTSTANDING OCCASION.

xxoo

Jennifer

Great Finds:: Lovely Bags from Etsy Shops

heather@outstanding-occasions.com (Heather at Outstanding Occasions) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:00:00 +0000

I found these little gems and now I can't get enough. We WILL be using these in the near future:) The first fabulous item is from La Pomme.

Organic Lavender Bags

These next adorable bags were found on The Wedding Perch.

Burlap Favor Bags

How about these next two beauties from Essence of Gaia.

Pussy Willow Muslin Bags

Cross Filigree Muslin Bags

Or what about these natural cotton bags from Paloma's Nest?

Natural Cotton Bags

And last, but not least, these cute silhouette bags from Le Papier Studio.

Silhouette Bags

Okay, I just have to end with Etsy ROCKS!

Happy Tuesday,
Heather

Outstanding Advice: Wedding Attire

jennifer@outstanding-occasions.com (Jennifer at Outstanding Occasions) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:05:00 +0000

Wedding season is fast approaching here in Arizona. When it comes to weddings, how many times do you ask yourself or others, "What should I wear?" Let's help shake off pre-party jitters about attire with a quick little reference to dress codes for social events.

Black Tie: A Black Tie invitation calls for formal attire. Men wear tuxedos, women wear cocktail, long dresses or dressy evening separates.

Black Tie Optional: Gives you the option of wearing a tuxedo or formal dress but it should clue you into the formality of the event, meaning a dark suit and tie would be your other option. Women wear cocktail, long dresses or dressy evening separates.

Formal Attire: Usually means the same as Black Tie, but in some cities it could mean a suit with no tie or a tux with no tie. Women once again have the option to wear cocktail, long dresses or dressy evening separates.

Semi-Formal: This means that tuxes are not required or requested, nor are long dresses. However, an evening wedding (after 6pm) would still dictate dark suits for him, and a cocktail dress for her. Daytime semi-formal events mean a suit for him and an appropriate short dress or dressy suit for her.

Cocktail Attire: Usually means short, elegant dresses for her and suits for him.

Dressy Casual: Calls for a dressed-up version of casual looks. For him, it could be slacks/trousers and a sport coat, for her dressy pants.

Casual: Generally means anything goes.

Make it a fabulous day!
Jennifer

Outstanding Weddings: Full of Fun Wedding

heather@outstanding-occasions.com (Heather at Outstanding Occasions) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:00:00 +0000

We bring you another Outstanding Wedding. Below are some beautiful and fun photos of the happy couple.

Photography by Hollye Schumacher

This one was full of fun: lollipops, a marching band, skateboards, drums (yes, that drum is a cake), and green shoes to name a few. Enjoy!

Photography by Hollye Schumacher

Location: Villa Siena
Event Planner: Outstanding Occasions
Photographer: Hollye Schumacher
Photobooth: Arizona Photobooth Co.
Florist: Blume
Flamenco Guitars: Gaetano
Caterer: Bon Cuisine Caterers
DJ: SKM Entertainment
Cake Artist: Piece of Cake Desserts
Stationer: The Invitation Lady
Officiant: Rev. Jim Dixon
Transportation: Desert Rose Associates
Drumline: Mesquite High School Drumline

Happy Tuesday,
Heather

Outstanding Occasions Elsewhere: Phoenix Bride & Groom Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Sharisa at Outstanding Occasions) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:00:00 +0000

The amazing wedding of Jessica Williams and Alex Cole is being featured in Phoenix Bride & Groom this month. This outstanding couple tied the knot back in November at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale. Kimberly Jarman captured some great images and we could not be more excited that their wedding is being featured! Be sure to check it out!

From Lovely Wedding Stuff

xoxo...Sharisa

Brides Ask Outstanding Questions: Rehearsal Dinner, Accommodations & Wedding Participation

noreply@blogger.com (Julianne at Outstanding Occasions) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Photo by A + R Photography

For this month's edition of Brides Asking Outstanding Questions, we are featuring one of our November brides, Elizabeth.

Wedding Date: November 1, 2009

Location: The Country Club at DC Ranch

Questions for Outstanding Occasions:

Q: Our wedding is here in Scottsdale, but neither of us grew up here, so many of our guests are traveling from out of town. Do we need to invite all out-of-town guests to the rehearsal dinner?

A: Traditionally, a rehearsal dinner was hosted by the groom's parents and included the bridal party and the parents of the bride. Although some couples stick to this tradition, it has become popular and seen as a nice gesture to invite the bridal party, parents AND any out-of-town guests. Of course, when you invite more guests, the cost of the rehearsal dinner increases and for this reason, many have chosen to keep the rehearsal dinner more fun and informal than tradition required. If the budget doesn't allow the inclusion of out-of-town guests, you might, after the rehearsal dinner, consider inviting the guests for desserts or drinks at a different location afterwards.

Q: Do I need to include an accommodation card with my invitations if I already included the information on the save the dates and on our website?

A: If you have a website and have included the accommodation information on it AND you sent the save-the-dates to all of your guests with the website included, then it is not required that you include the accommodation information on your invitations also. We do suggest that you include the website again on an invitation insert to remind invited guests of the website name.

Q: How can I involve important people in my wedding besides making them a bridesmaid or groomsman?

A: There are a few different responsibilities that you can give to guests that you want to recognize at your wedding. They could: be an usher, read a verse or sing a song (assuming they are are good singer:) during the ceremony, pass out programs, ask people to sign the guestbook, or provide a blessing before the meal at the reception. You could also give them a role as an honorary bridesmaid or groomsman and give them a small bouquet or boutonniere but have them seated instead of standing with the bridal party. (For example, we have had clients that only wanted their siblings to stand with them at the ceremony, but they wanted to recognize their close friends as well. The girls were given small bouquets and the guys were given boutonnieres.)

Outstanding Event Assistant,
Natasha

Outstanding Designs: Two new FUN items here at OO

jennifer@outstanding-occasions.com (Jennifer at Outstanding Occasions) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Bags from Lands End

Here are two of my favorite current items here at the office. We had these versatile canvas bags made a few months ago and we LOVE them. They are so handy for our meetings with clients and vendors. Plus, with our recent trip to Engage 09 they are great for traveling too ;) As strange as it sounds, I get so excited watching them "dirty" up because that means all of us ladies here are working hard. My favorite part of the whole bag is this handy strap inside with a latch for my keys, GENIUS. It has saved me so much time searching through my purse!

Photos from Seasoned Homemaker

And check out these handmade beauties from Seasoned Homemaker. She did such a great job executing our vision. We got these made to wear on event days during preparation. They turned out even better than we expected and we have gotten so many compliments on them. Thank you Leslie!

Jennifer

Outstanding Guests: Twirl Boutique

heather@outstanding-occasions.com (Heather at Outstanding Occasions) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Welcome this month's Outstanding Guests, Keri and Jenni of Twirl Boutique. First, I will let them share a few things about themselves:

Keri Chantler

If you didn't own Twirl, what other profession would you want?
I would travel the world as a resort and spa critic and freelance my articles for travel magazines.

Share one random fact about yourself.
When I was a kid I was on a water ski team and was the person on the top of the pyramid for water ski shows in Washington, where I grew up. I learned quickly to only fall backwards.

Have you ever had a surprise birthday party? How did it make you feel?
No, but I sure wish someone would throw me one.

Jenni Hailer

If you didn't own Twirl, what other profession would you want?
I am obsessed with HGTV! I would love to be an interior designer.

Share one random fact about yourself.
I was an ASU cheerleader. Go Devils!

What is your favorite room in your house and why?
The bedroom. I love getting lost in a king size bed.

Now, let me share with you their amazing company: Twirl Boutique.

If you are a bridesmaid or a bride, you have to check out their cute store in Scottsdale, Arizona. But they don't only have bridesmaid dresses, they have shoes, flower girl dresses, and some other cute wedding items. They also carry Liz Love Collections adorable jewelry. Recently, they added TUXEDOS by Twirl! Now they can dress the entire wedding party.

These gals have also been busy working on opening a new store in Chandler, Arizona. It will be here very soon! In the meantime, visit Twirl Boutique online or visit their blog.

Happy Planning,
Heather