Sunday, November 8, 2009  -  12pm-5pm

Downtown Evansville, IN – The Centre

Join the area’s trendiest wedding vendors to help you plan your big day! From photographers, to cakes, to invitations, dresses, djs, tuxes and more, find just what you are looking for to get started or wrap up everything you need for the perfect wedding!

Brought to you by 106.1 KISS FM, EvansvilleBrideGuide.com, Bauer’s Tents & Party Rentals, planning… forever events, and davis digital photography.

Special Guest Display: Find out how a chic, eco-friendly bride can make a positive impact on the environment and not lose one bit of style! Visit the Eco Friendly Weddings display produced by Saundra Hadley, event engineer and owner of planning…forever events.

See you there!

But at the same time, kinda proud.

My video was selected (thanks to all of you) as the last 25 finalists to make the NATIONAL COMMERCIAL in 2010. Only 10 videos will be selected for the commercial.

Cool, huh? It is, but I have beg all of you to vote, one last time.

Swear, I will not join a contest for at least 10 months. I had no idea when I taped it this summer that I would end up here.

It only takes a moment. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SIGN UP (thank goodness). Simply click on this link and you will see my aha moment video and click vote! I even got my own URL: http://ahamoment.com/vote/saundra

Super, duper appreciate it and I hope to make it and represent all the wedding professionals out there !!!

VOTING ends on October 31, 2009.

If you are a bride or groom head over there and sign up to win!

You DO NOT have to ENTER TO VOTE. Simply click on on my aha moment video and hit Vote!

Only once per each computer, iPhone or blackberry…

Appreciate your vote and we’ll know results by Friday. Let the Wedding Industry represent! Please forward to a friend or colleague!

Maddy + Gregg’s wedding was yesterday and it was fantastic. Small, intimate and lovely. What was personal for me was that Maddy’s father passed away few years ago, so we were extra sensitive to this issue, but we still felt that he was there in spirit.

This is the email:

Saundra,

Mere words cannot say how terrific I think you are. You made it all come together perfectly for one of the best weddings my family and I as well as our guests have ever attended. This day would not have been as happy and stress free without you. I know from a professional standpoint we were pretty small potatoes, but I could see how much you love what you do, and I am so grateful for you accepting us as your clients. You absolutely ROCK. I know I was a skeptic a year ago, but change makes believers, and I am absolutely your biggest fan.

Thank you again for putting all the special touches in to this happy happy day. You kept my baby and me smiling and worry free. You can add us to your list of references prospective clients can call and I will sing your praises from the rooftops. It was an A HA day all the way.

Warmest and heartfelt regards,

Stephanie Heine

Heart you both back!

Children’s songs are finding their way into wedding ceremonies and receptions. We’ve had two brides come down to super cute and adorable songs:

All I Want is You by Barry Louis Polisnar (made popular from the movie, Juno)

The Rainbow Connection by The Muppets (or more specifically that favorite froggie, It’s Not Easy Being Green: Kermit)

We think the use of individualism and creativity is just nifty.

What have you seen?

Your venue coordinator or caterers may suggest napkin folds like this:

photo credit: napkin folding guide

The pyramid, fan or bishop hat napkin fold should never see your wedding reception. And anything stuck in a glass goblet. These napkin folds are for business meetings, not your beautiful wedding.

However, if you get too creative on the fold, your caterer may not have the staff to implement a challenging fold for 300 guests. Remember too, that you have to use a stiffer 100% cotton napkin for some folds, which isn’t always what caterer’s carry. So be sure to check into that before you decide on a particular fold.

However it doesn’t have to be that difficult. Take a look what we’ve created at some of our weddings:

first  2 photos: studio b and 3rd photo: walker studio

The first photo, the bride Katie, decided to come in the day before the wedding with her bridesmaids and moms, and we hand tie bows/menus on each napkin. Definitely made a beautiful display on the table.

The second photo, the bride, Brittany, really wanted to have charger plates, however since we were having petits fours on the table it would have been too cluttered. I love this fold that drapes off the table. It gives a great presentatin and it’s easy to implement.

The final photo is our bride, Christy, really wanted silver chargers on the table. The table presentation was full, so in this instance it was better to go with a simple napkin fold and not take away from the decor.

What are you going to do with your napkins?

Here’s a couple of ideas:

1. Let your wedding party go into the reception and start the party. Only you and your groom will be introduced into the wedding reception. It’s quick, clean and easy.
2. Consider being introduced about half way into your cocktail party. Why miss all the fun?
3. Make a real splash and do something fun and funky (but safe too). Like our clients Amanda and Brian. They had a super fun wedding party that were doing impromptu dancing and lots of fun antics. Amanda turned to my intern, Aubree, and asked, “What should we do?” Aubree suggested that Brian put Amanda on his shoulder….before the next beat, up she went!

photo credit: walker studio

What a fabulous entrance that made a great photo and the audience totally whooped it up!

So how will you enter your wedding reception?

This was just announced this morning that the publishers Condé Nast will be closing several magazines that include, Modern Bride and Elegant Bride, among others. We’ve enjoyed those magazines for years, as I’m sure many of you have as well.

Our hearts go out to the employees that will be directly affected by this reduction.

Sometimes even we have a little fun at weddings. Caught late at night at last week’s wedding, my soon-to-be-fired assistant, Carol, sneaked up and caught me on video. {EDIT: I was joking about firing Carol}

Also caught on tape….

… please vote for my aha moment! You DO NOT HAVE to register, it only takes a moment. Thanks!