Flaire Weddings and Events

See Flaire on Southern Weddings!

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 22:40:00 +0000

I am so excited that my button ad for Southern Weddings is finally live on their blog!

I chose this image from McRae and Thomas's super southern wedding in Amelia Island!

I love Thomas's seersucker suit in this picture, how happy they both look, and of course our beautiful Florida marsh in the background! The beautiful image was taken by Kara Pennington, who sadly for us Florida folks, lives in Alaska now!! :)

So excited! :)

Find us on Every Last Detail!

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:38:00 +0000

If you haven't checked out the fab blog Every Last Detail yet, then you need to! It is a great place for learning as well as some gorgeous eye-candy.

And I am proud to say that we are now listed in Every Last Vendor, the blog's curated vendor directory. What sets this directory apart from others is that you can search for vendors within a price range and style. Vendors are classified as either classic, modern, vintage or eclectic.

Go check out our listing and take a look through the inspiration posts, as well as Lauren's Wedding 101 posts -- a great starting point for the newly engaged bride!

Event Design at the Friday Musicale

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 16:28:00 +0000

Back in January, Mandie McKenzie at the Friday Musicale asked for my help with the ABC meeting they were hosting. I was happy to provide our beautiful chiavari chairs along with the floral arranging. Mandie hosted a lovely event and it was great to network with fellow ABC members. Ron B. Wilson was gracious enough to sponsor our photography and here are some images from the event!
Location: Friday Musicale
Catering: Catering by Liz
Music: Strolling Violin
Linens: Kirby Rental
Flower Design and Chairs: Flaire Weddings & Events, Flaire Event Rentals

Beverly did a great job with the music for the evening!

Our lovely hostess, Mandie

Lisa, owner of Elegant Weddings by Lisa and one of our local ABC Co-Directors

Our speaker talked about Public Relations for Small Businesses

My marketing materials on display!

Need some lovely chairs for your event? Contact us today! View more info here.

Paper Straws are here!!

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 21:23:00 +0000

As you may know, last fall my mom and I opened up a gift shop here in Jacksonville called Flaire Celebrations.

It has taken quite a while, but I am finally getting around to updating our website with all of the products we have in stock. I am not even halfway finished, but this weekend I did get our paper straws all loaded on to the site!!

Right now we have 8 colors available, but if you're looking for something different, let us know and we can special order it for you!

To view the entire collection, please visit us at the Flaire Celebrations website!

Open House this weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 19:36:00 +0000

If you are in the Northeast Florida area and haven't yet had a chance to stop by our new location, then this post is for you! This coming Sunday, January 30th, we are hosting an open house at our new boutique from 5 - 7 pm. I will be there to talk about planning and design, Hope Dempsey, with D'vine Cuisine will be serving hors d'oeuvres, and we'll be showcasing some of our new product lines at the boutique. We'll also be giving attendees a sneak peek of our new small event space, The Tea Garden.

We specifically picked a non-football Sunday for this event, so please stop by! We'll be giving away door prizes, discounts, and more.

Plus, I'll be revealing my new branding, designed by Emily Ley!

Can't wait to see you there!

You'll find our office inside the Flaire Celebrations boutique, which is located at 2762 Park St, Jacksonville, Florida, 32205.

Goodbye 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 21:23:00 +0000

Wow! Here I am, staring at my computer screen, on the LAST day of this decade. Where do I even begin? What a year.

First, an apology. (I know all the blog-theory-expert people say you're not supposed to do this, but I'm going to anyway.) I haven't blogged since July. JULY!! There are a lot of reasons why, and a lot of excuses, but mainly it comes down to this: I have been insanely busy. I've been up to a lot, both personally, and in business, so here is my attempt at a 2010 recap to share with you a bit of what I "forgot" to blog.

In January we had two amazing weddings. This was one of them, and I still haven't blogged the other. In fact, I only blogged ONE real wedding this whole year? Oops.
Anyway, here is one of my favorite images from our January wedding at the White Room -- Jen and Ian, if you read this, I can't believe your one-year anniversary is almost here!!

See that hanging strand of orchids? My hubby hung those (with me directing from the floor, 5+ months pregnant). Just seeing this picture reminds me of how much he does for me and my business, and how I couldn't do this without his support!!

In February, I attended the Making Things Happen intensive in Atlanta, and it was such a great experience! It energized me, reminded me to be passionate, and to surround myself with creativity. It also officially inspired me to start another business.

We took a leap and established Flaire Event Rentals. I saw a need for affordable chiavari chair rentals and didn't think any of the current rental companies in town were fulfilling this need. So we leapt. (I was pretty excited about this, but my husband needed some convincing..well, here it is, nearly a year later, and he's definitely on board now!!)

In March I had another amazing wedding -- this was one of our Start-to-Finish planning weddings this year, and this wedding also utilized the rental products of Flaire Event Rentals!! I haven't blogged this wedding yet, but here are some of the shots of our lovely new chairs in action! :)

I took April and most of May off from the world of weddings to prepare for the arrival of baby number two, (girl number one!!), our sweet Calla Nell. Someday I'll share her birthstory here on the blog. She was fashionably late (13 days to be exact) and we almost ended up in the hospital for an unplanned induction, but God was gracious and He allowed her to be born at home, completely drug-free, as I'd been planning. (She came just 2 days after my hubby's graduation from Law School!)
Here is her sweet face! (I can't get enough of this little girl in case you haven't noticed from my Twitter feed).

Then, just 13 days after our Calla was born, I was thrust back into the world of weddings with a bang -- three weddings in 4 weeks! Here are a few shots from some of them.
My first Indian wedding! These photos are from the incredible Ingrid Damiani.

We also had another fun beach wedding that we supplied chairs, linens and lighting for! Thanks to Corinna Hoffman for this collage.

In July, things slowed down a bit, wedding-wise, but my family had something big happening -- my husband John was taking the Bar exam! It was a stressful period of waiting, but Praise the Lord, he passed!! We were so thrilled for God's blessing in this area.
In August,we took a vacation up to Maryland so my husband's family could meet our baby girl. When we came back, Corinna Hoffman took some fun family pictures for us!

In September, my mother and I began working on my THIRD business, a retail boutique! We are now co-owners of a gift shop in the Riverside Area of Jacksonville. Our adorable little shop is called Flaire Celebrations, and it's located in a cute little bungalow that also houses my new wedding planning office and rental showroom. We had a few more rental bookings in the fall, but prepping for the gift shop opening has pretty much been the focus of the past few months, and we had our grand opening in November! I will try to post pics from that event in the next week or so.
In December I attended the Making Things Happen Reunion in Watercolor, and it was definitely a highlight of my year. I liked this intensive even better than the first one, in Atlanta. I got to know so many amazing women, and I am looking forward to supporting them in the new year.There will definitely be more posts to come as a result of that weekend.

For now, I leave you with a few of my goals for 2011.
1. I will post more often (hey if I post more than once every 6 months, I'm doing good, right?)
2. I will be authentic and open.
3. I will forgive more quickly.
4. I will trust more.
5. I will celebrate my successes, but I won't settle or become complacent.
6. I will lose 10 pounds of baby weight!! :)

Finally, be on the lookout for our rebrand, coming in early 2011! I've been working for the past several months with designer Emily Ley on our new look, which I am excited to reveal in the coming days!

Lookout 2011, here I come!

Visit the Flaire Team at the Jacksonville Summer Bridal Show

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:00:00 +0000

This Sunday, July 25th, Flaire Weddings and Events will be exhibiting at the Jacksonville Summer Bridal Show. This bridal show will be held at the Main Library building, downtown. This may seem like a strange venue for a bridal show, but if you've never visited the new library, you need to -- it's a stunning venue for weddings!

We'll be showcasing our event design and planning services, as well as specialty rental items. If you've been thinking about hiring a planner, stop by, say hello, and learn a bit more about what we do! (Mention you saw this on our blog and we've got a special gift for you!) We'll also be offering a special booking incentive to any bride who books our planning services on the spot, so if you've been considering booking with us, do so on Sunday and take advantage of our special offer!

For more information about the show, visit Perfect Wedding Guide Shows. Sunday's show begins at 1 pm, and tickets are $7.00 in advance, and $10.00 at the door.

Hope to see you there!

Welcome, Baby Calla!

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:35:00 +0000

If you've been following my blog, you know that we were expecting our second little bundle of joy in early May. Well, God had other plans and she came in Mid-May -- 13 days late! I was a bit nervous for a while because I had a late May and an early June wedding booked, but everything turned out fine!!

Our sweet little girl, Calla Nell, was born at home on May 17th, 2010 at 9:55 pm. (Yes, it was a planned homebirth!! We worked with the awesome midwifes of Fruitful Vine Midwifery Service -- those in Jacksonville interested in natural childbirth should definitely check them out!) She weighed 7 lbs 3 oz and was just over 20 inches long.

When she was just over a week old, Calla had her first photoshoot with one of my favorite photographers, Corinna Hoffman!

Here are a few of my favorites from her session!

I love her sleepy wink in this one!

This is my favorite of me and her together!

This is her big brother, Ian. He sure loves her!

More images can be seen on Corinna's blog! Thanks so much, Cory, for taking these, we love them!

I look forward to sharing Calla with you, my readers, as she grows and learns the wedding planning ropes! (lol, jk.) Sort of. :)

Whitney and Chris are engaged!

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:25:00 +0000

Whitney and Chris are one of our fun October couples, and we were so excited when we saw their engagement shots from the talented husband and wife duo Ginger Dupre Photography.

Whitney and Chris are planning a Brunswick, Ga wedding, so they chose to highlight the area with their engagement shots. Whitney's also using a peacock feather theme, and I loved seeing the feathers incorporated into their shoot!

Ginger and Jon did a great job with these images, and now I'm even more excited for this wedding!

Enjoy. :)

Congrats, Whitney and Chris -- we are super excited about your wedding!

We're making things happen!

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

It's time for a business and personal update.

We have definitely been making things happen for Flaire Weddings and Events in the past few months, and more to come in the coming weeks!

One of my big projects for the beginning of this year was to put together our spring intern team. Well, two wonderful interns will be joining our team and will try their hand at their first wedding this coming Saturday. Blog interviews for each of them will be coming soon.

Next up, a HUGE project that I have been working on behind the scenes for quite some time now -- another division of our company is opening up soon! We are in the final stages of prepping for its launch, and you're sure to hear much more about it in the days to come.

Finally, I'm working on streamlining some business processes and putting new systems in place to keep Flaire running like a well-oiled machine! :)

Personally, there are couple things we still need to "make happen."
"Baby sister," as my three-year-old son Ian calls our new little one, will be here in 8 short weeks.

That's quite exciting. There's only one problem. Her nursery: a construction zone.

We live in a 90-year-old historic home, and we recently decided to renovate the nursery. Which meant removing the plaster walls and installing new wiring. And that's been done.

That's all that's been done.

SO, we are now at crunch time to get this project finished before our little bundle arrives! (And when I say we, I TOTALLY mean my hubby. He gets to have all the construction fun by himself.) I'm better at saying, "This goes over here," or "I'm picturing something like this," while he actually wields the nail gun, drywall sanding tools, wire cutters, etc.

On top of this baby project, he's also working on graduating from law school (which will happen this May!!!) and prepping for the bar exam this summer.

Needless to say, 2010 has been off to a busy start!

I can't wait to update with more news about the upcoming developments, and look forward to sharing more in the future! :)

Real Wedding: Jenifer & Ian

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Jenifer and Ian had such a beautiful wedding. Their venue, The White Room, is one of my favorite St. Augustine venues, and it was the perfect backdrop for their celebration.

Jenifer contacted me about Wedding Day Coordination back in April of last year, and we exchanged a few emails about availability, pricing, etc. Well, I didn't hear from her for quite some time, when I got an email from her this fall. Jen said they had thought about doing the coordinating themselves, but then as details started to pile up, quickly realized they wanted a coordinator assisting them. Jen cracked me up in one of her emails when she wrote, "What were we thinking??!" Needless to say, I was thrilled to be coming on board as the Wedding Day Coordinator, and what a fun and moving wedding it was! I'm so glad I got to be a part of this special day for Jen and Ian.

The couple currently lives in NYC, but had attended Flagler College in St. Augustine, so they were coming back to Florida for their wedding celebration.
Even though rain and cold weather changed their plans (the ceremony was originally planned for Ian's Aunt and Uncle's home in St. Augustine), everything still was gorgeous, and I was so impressed with how laid-back they both seemed considering this major change!

Jen and Ian's night was made possible by these fabulous vendors:
Venue: The White Room
Photographer: Jason Angelini Photography
Florist: Ian's Mother, Denise!! (She did an amazing job!!)
Cake: Classic Cakes
Transportation: Old Town Trolley Tours
Ceremony Music: Rick Kuncicky
DJ: Andy Calvert, High Fidelity DJ's

I was so excited when I saw these pictures appear on Jason Angelini's blog -- enjoy!

Such a stunning bouquet, made by Ian's mother!

Jenifer and Ian chose to do a "First Look" to get some amazing shots before the big moment. Fortunately, the rain let up a bit to allow time for these outdoor shots!

Loved these chair florals!

The White Room Loft served as a beautiful back-up location for the ceremony. My team had fun hanging the lace chuppah and stringing these orchids! (Since I am in my third trimester of pregnancy, I didn't do any work on the ladders -- I just got to be the boss from the floor!) hehe. :)

One of my set-up team members, Amy, was a math major in college, so planning out this escort card arrangement's spacing was right up her alley!

The gorgeous reception room.

Jen and Ian had a shrimp and grits station which looked like a big hit! The grits were served in these martini glasses.

The Viking Hat groom's cake. :)

Congrats Jen and Ian on your beautiful wedding -- thanks so much for allowing the Flaire Team to be a part of your celebration!

Making Things Happen

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:52:00 +0000

My junior year of college, I met a group of people that were doing something different. This group of people had become very interested in the concept of Christian Community, and as all were single, unattached college students, they decided to try an experiment of sorts where they practiced living in intentional community. The guys had one house and the girls had another location just a bit away. I visited both houses often and it was intriguing to see them striving together to live out this concept. I attended a small, conservative Christian college, and needless to say, the way this group was approaching living out their faith was very different from what I heard in Convocation, Sunday morning church, or even dorm ministry training. And, it was extremely refreshing. I remember one significant conversation I had with a member of this group, and I had almost forgotten all about it, until Monday.

This past Monday, I had the opportunity to attend Lara Casey's Making Things Happen intensive in Atlanta. This workshop was such an awesome experience, and I'll get to that more in a bit. But first, the workshop brought me back to the conversation I had with my college friend.

On that night so long ago, my junior year of college, I had been having a really bad day. I had recently been through a difficult breakup, and I was experiencing a lot of emotional turmoil and frustration.
This particular night, I just needed to get away, and when my friend invited me to make a Wal-mart run with him, I accepted, needing the opportunity to escape campus for a bit. (There wasn't an abundance of entertainment readily available in this small town, as evidenced by the fact that Wal-Mart was one of our main destinations...)Our drive took us to some beautiful rolling hills (my college was near the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains) and an amazing, starry night. It was not a romantic experience at all -- but just one of enjoying life and feeling alive. This friend asked me a question that night. A simple question, really, but one I hadn't really taken the time to think about in a while. He said, "What are you truly passionate about?"

I thought for a long time that night.

And I had to be honest with him. At that time in my life, I didn't really know. I didn't have an overwhelming passion that was driving me. I actually was experiencing quite a bit of apathy, and realizing that unnerved me. But, I did know, even though I couldn't identify my specific passion at that exact moment, that I wanted to live a life of significance, whatever that may have meant. I struggled with an idea I was having, and I tried to explain it to him. I said, "You know how you meet some people and you feel like they are just living on another plane of existence?" It sounds more philosophical than it really needs to, but what I was starting to wrap my head around was that some people seem to be living life in a deeper way than everybody else. They are truly living, rather than just surviving, or going through the motions. Many people get so caught up in the day to day, that they forget to really live. And I knew that I didn't want to be one of those people.

Fast Forward to Monday. Sitting in the intensive, surrounded by so many other creative, passionate people, I was reminded of that late night college conversation so many years ago. I met so many people who were truly "living on that other plane" -- living deeper lives. Lara Casey asked us a similar question to the one my friend had asked that night. She asked us, "What fires you up?" This time, I was able to answer. I still don't completely have my passions figured out, but I am striving for them, and one of the benefits of that workshop was meeting others who are also trying to live their best life. I realized again the value of surrounding myself with people who inspire -- people who ignite my passions. People who are living deeper lives.

One of the key words that emerged over and over again at the intensive was "authenticity." (Thanks, Emily Ley!) This post is a lot more personal than I usually get here on this blog, but I'm trying to do my part to be more authentic, to really show who I am, and to put myself out there.

I'm still beginning to process everything I thought about and learned on Monday, but these were some initial thoughts I just had to express. But there will be more posts like this to come, I'm sure, as I clarify my thoughts!

I guess the take-away from this post: for brides, for other business owners, for people in general. Try to identify your passion. Find what fires you up and strive for it. Surround yourself with people who will help you towards that, not drain you and suck you dry. And be that kind of person for others in their own journey. You'll enjoy the feeling of living life on a deeper level.

New Pricing for 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:10:00 +0000

Starting January 15th, 2010, the pricing for our services will be increasing. You'll find the new rates on our website. Recently received quotes will be valid through January 30th, 2010.

As always though, we're happy to customize our planning services to create a package that works for your planning needs AND your budget.

To set up a complimentary consultation, please drop us an email at info@flaireweddings.com, or feel free to call the office at (904) 352-1832.

Internship 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Flaire Weddings and Events is in search of a few good women to be our interns for the Spring wedding season!

Interns will have the opportunity to work hands-on at real weddings, assisting with set-up and decor, interacting with the bride and groom, and working with other wedding vendors. In addition to wedding weekend events, interns will experience planning consultations and team meetings in our studio office, and get a chance to see much of the behind-the-scenes nuts and bolts of a successful wedding business!

Ideal Internship candidates will have many of the following qualifications and characteristics:

*A Bachelor's degree (or working towards one)
*Past event experience (private, family events are fine)
*Excellent communication skills
*Strong interpersonal abilities
*Creativity
*Organization
*Detail-oriented
*Ability to take direction
*Motivation
*Be a self-starter
*Basic knowledge of weddings and the wedding industry
*Weekend availability

After completion of the internship, successful interns will have the opportunity to become a paid assistant for Flaire Weddings and Events, or may possibly be able to train and apply for other openings within the company.

Involvement in the wedding industry is all about "getting your foot in the door" and this may be your chance!

For details and full internship requirements, please email info@flaireweddings.com for more information or to request an application.

Introducing...Jump-Start Planning

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:44:00 +0000

With 2010 nearly upon us, I want to introduce our newest service... Jump-Start Planning!

The Jump-Start Planning package is designed for the bride who may need a bit of help getting started, but wants to tackle a majority of the planning tasks herself. It would also be perfect for a couple who has jumped into the planning headfirst, but is finding the process a bit overwhelming and would like a bit of direction and guidance to get their wedding plans on track.

This package includes the following:

*Three One-hour Planning Consultations in our Studio Office
*Preliminary Vendor Recommendations
*Planning Checklists and other helpful documents
*Access to our wedding library of resources and inspiration

The Jump-Start Planning Package features a super-low introductory price of only $395.00.

Know someone who recently got engaged? Purchase it as a welcome relief for a busy bride! It's the perfect gift for an engaged couple.

Note: This package does not include any day-of wedding services, but all Jump-Start Brides will receive insider-pricing on additional planning services, should they decide they need more assistance!

Need a bit more help? Check out our website for our complete planning packages. As always, we're happy to create customized planning packages for any bride who's needing specialized services!

Big Personal Announcement!

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:00:00 +0000

The Flaire Weddings and Events family is growing!!

Okay, not the company family per se, but the Cherneski family!

In late April or early May of 2010, we are expecting a new little bundle of joy! We don't yet know whether or not we're having a boy or girl -- we should find that out in early December, and will be sure to update everyone here!!

Our toddler, Ian, is thrilled too (as much as he understands) and on a daily basis, changes his mind on whether he wants a baby "brudder" or sister. :)

What does this mean for our weddings? It shouldn't affect anything that's currently scheduled. However, I will be taking maternity leave for all of April and the first 3 weeks in May (a May 29th wedding will be bringing me back to wedding fun!). Should you be interested in getting married during that time however, please let us know. One of our associate planners would be thrilled to assist you with your big day.

Thanks so much for sharing in our joy with this big news, and we will be sure to keep you posted along the way!

~The Cherneski Family

Real Wedding: Beth and Ty

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Congratulations to Beth and Ty, who were married in a stunning ceremony this October at the Crane Cottage, of Jekyll Island, Georgia. Following the ceremony, the couple hosted an amazing reception for about 60 of their friends and family.

Flaire Weddings and Events was thrilled to be a part of this day. I met Beth in the spring of 2009, and was instantly excited about her vision. Her colors were black and hot pink (how could I not love this wedding??!) and she knew she wanted to incorporate some damask print items as well.

Beth and Ty were very open to my design suggestions. I recommended chair sashes for the chairs, a specialty linen for the cake table, fabric draping over the sweetheart table, pomander and rose petal aisle decor, two tall-columns with floral arrangements, and hot pink uplighting for the courtyard, all of which made a huge impact on the look and feel of the day. Beth had some of her own great ideas as well; she rented damask-print runners for the tables, she bought luminaries to surround the reflecting pond, and had lots of cute damask-printed items to spice things up as well.

Beth saved a ton of money by ordering her gerber daisies from a wholesale florist, and the Flaire Weddings and Events team put together a majority of her centerpieces and bouquets (with a bit of help from the wedding party here and there!) :) We also created the gerber daisy pomander balls for her aisle decor, as well as the two floral arrangements gracing the roman-style columns.

All in all, this was one of my favorite weddings to date, with many fabulous vendors contributing to its success:

The Jekyll Island Club Hotel provided the catering and the cake, and the fantastic music throughout the night was courtesy of the Groovetown Band.

Kara and Jeremy Pennington captured the gorgeous couple and all of the stunning details, shown below. Enjoy!

Thanks so much Beth and Ty for letting us be a part of your beautiful day! We wish you all the best in life! Congrats!

October Weddings -- Sneak Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0000

October is always a busy wedding month, and this year has been no exception! We've had some beautiful weddings over the past few weeks, and I will be so thrilled to share lots of pictures with you when they are available.

But for now, here are a few sneak peeks.

These two are from Ali and Dave's lovely Club Continental Wedding, taken by the talented Corinna Hoffman.

And these stunning shots were captured by Kara Pennington at Beth and Ty's gorgeous Jekyll Island Wedding!

Stay tuned... More pictures coming soon!!! :)

The Wedding of Gabrielle and Ben ~ Professional Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:33:00 +0000

You may remember this wedding that we coordinated back in April. Yes, it was almost 6 months ago, but I just checked their photographer's website, and a few pro pics have been posted!

Gabrielle and Ben got married in the White Room loft in St. Augustine, and their pictures were taken by Victoria of Elegant Imagery.

Enjoy!

Congrats again Gabrielle and Ben -- your pictures turned out beautifully!

I'm Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:51:00 +0000

Well, I was never really gone... But I have been a bit MIA around the blog.

To say it was a busy summer is an understatement.

First, there was Engage09. Loved it! And so jealous that I won't be able to make the Encore.

Then in July I headed up to Atlanta's AmericasMart Home and Gift Show to scope out some new event decor suppliers. (Found some awesome containers, candle holders, crystal strands, individual bud vases, and more!) AmericasMart is a wholesale market open only to businesses, and it was incredible to see the quality of design products on the market today. Also while in Atlanta, we took our little man to the Georgia Aquarium and had a blast. Jacksonville really needs an aquarium!

We also did quite a bit of personal travel, with visits to family. The most recent of which occurred last week, as I made the long drive up to Illinois for my grandpa's funeral. It was a sad time, but we are thrilled for him as he is in a much better place. He lived almost 91 years, and touched so many lives. It was also good to see so many family members again, despite the circumstances.

And of course, in between all that, I've been busy working on weddings!

We're gearing up for a busy fall season and look forward to bringing you some amazing eye candy! Definitely some weddings coming up that have me super-excited.

Stay tuned to the blog! :)

Engage!09 -- Luxury in the Caymans, Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:45:00 +0000

Okay, so the second part of this recap is *long* overdue, but I want to go ahead and show you my pictures from the rest of the conference. It really was amazing. Here is is, almost a month later, and I still have ideas swimming around in my head based on what I learned there.

So, to pick up where I left off of Part 1, after lunch we heard from more amazing speakers.

Sylvia Weinstock, the cake lady herself, was there in all her glory (and signature large-frame glasses!!) She had such amazing business advice that was practical, but also focused on quality and never compromising your brand.

Preston Bailey was phenomenal as well. His designs are to die for, and it was very encouraging to hear how strongly he emerged from severe business troubles just seven years ago.

We also heard from Simon T. Bailey, author of Release Your Brilliance, and he was kind enough to give each attendee a complimentary 30 minute coaching session, to be redeemed after the summit.
Following the speakers, we had the opportunity to get photos with them and have books signed.
Here's me with Millie Martini-Bratten, editor-in-chief of Bride's Magazine!

The next day, we had small group panel sessions.
My first session was called Social Media Success, with speakers Lara Casey of Southern Weddings Magazine, Bee Kim of Weddingbee, and Liene Stevens of Splendid Communications.

The next session was called "The Business of the Wedding Business" and featured Harmony Walton of The Bridal Bar, Sean Low of The Business of Being Creative, and Laura Novak, of Laura Novak Photography.
This was my favorite session of the four that day. All three speakers had some amazing things to say about branding your company, expansion, and thinking long-term for your business.

The next panel was about Style, and we heard from Abby Larson of Style Me Pretty, Randy Fenoli, of Kleinfeld's Bridal Salon in Manhattan and TLC's Say Yes to the Dress, and Michelle Rago, event designer extrordinaire.

The final Panel was on Destination weddings.

We heard from Jo Anne Brown, of Celebrations, an event planning company in Cayman. We also heard from Susan Moynihan of Destination Weddings Magazine, Destination wedding planner Alison Hotchkiss, and photographer Thayer Gowdy.

That was just our morning! We had the afternoon to ourselves to play on the Island. I spent some fabulous relaxation time in the sand and in the water, chatting away with other planners and talking shop.

We did have to head back in eventually, to get ready for the evening's celebration, which was so fabulous, it will be getting it's own post -- part 3, coming soon!

Stay Tuned! :)

Engage!09 -- Luxury in the Caymans, Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:46:00 +0000

Whew. It's hard to believe that it's been a week since Engage!09. It was such an amazing conference. I heard from so many incredible speakers, met lots of amazing people and made some great friends, and saw stunning visual inspiration throughout the conference events.

For today's post I'm going to share a bit about Monday's events, some pictures I took, and some things I learned!

We woke up bright and early Monday morning after the incredible Welcome Party on Seven Mile Beach.

Everyone was excited to hear our speakers, and the hallway outside the Ritz-Carlton's main ballroom quickly filled as attendees clamored for a close-up seat.

After a light breakfast of fresh local fruits, freshly squeezed juices, and delicious pastries, the doors were opened and we scooted in. I grabbed a second row seat for myself and my roommate, Cynthia Martyn, of Cynthia Martyn Events. We had the best view of all of our speakers!

Here are a few images I captured.

First, the stage set-up. I loved the combination of simplicity and luxury in this design!

We were given these super-nice leather notebooks, and a letterpressed schedule of the day.

Kathryn Arce and Rebecca Grinnals of Engaging Concepts did an amazing job planning the entire conference.

Carley Roney, of The Knot. Carley shared some fascinating wedding statistics with the group. While her information showed that many brides were considering cutting a wedding planner out of their budget due to this year's economic concerns, she was also happy to report that Florida is one of a few states where hiring a wedding planner tends to be much more common!

Darcy Miller, Weddings Editor for Martha Stewart Magazine. Darcy shared some awesome wedding images from the magazine, as well as some tips on how to get published in Martha Stewart Weddings.

We took a break to have a delicious lunch al-fresco. All the food we had at the Ritz was delicious, and it was beautifully presented!

There was so much more, but I'll save that for the next posts.

Tune in tomorrow for more Engage!09.

Real Wedding: McRae and Thomas

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:00:00 +0000

McRae and Thomas came to me with help for the coordination of their Amelia Island Wedding. When McRae told me over the phone that the bridesmaids' dresses were hot pink, I knew we would be a great match to work together!

McRae and her family are from Greenville, South Carolina, so they were planning a Southern affair in the stunning Walker's Landing at the Amelia Island Plantation.

McRae, her mother, and I met up at the venue in January to brainstorm some decor ideas and other details. We came up with the idea of placing mason jars all around the expansive outdoor deck area, as well as placing bright fun pillows along the outdoor seating areas.

More fun southern touches followed -- the groom and groomsmen were decked out in awesome seersucker suits, and the groom's father was his best man.

McRae looked amazing in her beautiful Judd Waddell gown.

The ceremony was held in one of the area's historic churches, First Presbyterian of Fernandina Beach. After the sweet ceremony, guests made their way to Walker's Landing where they enjoyed southern food stations like a mac n' cheese bar created by Michelle of My Personal Chef.

The reception room was decorated with Paper Lanterns above the dance floor, lighted ficus trees all around the room, and fresh floral designs by Island Flowers.

Guests enjoyed the laid back music of Felix Chang and band during the cocktail hour and dinner, and then after dinner, the party got started with the amazingly diverse talents of the Atlanta Party Band.

Even though the day started out gray and rainy, the happiness of the couple couldn't be diminished.

Photographers Kara and Jeremy Pennington did such a wonderful job capturing the details and emotions of the day, and I am so happy to share these photos from their blog. Enjoy!

We were featured on the Southern Weddings Blog!

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:32:00 +0000

Today we'd like to send out a huge thanks to the staff at Southern Weddings Magazine, for featuring us on their daily blog!

I got a chance to meet the lovely editor, Lara Casey, this past week at Engage!09, and hear her speak on Social Media, so it was a fun coincidence that this is the week they chose to feature our work!

Southern Weddings featured the wedding of Danielle and Jay, with photography by Scarlett Lillian, and planning and event design by Flaire. Please visit these links and leave us some love on the SW blog!!

Danielle and Jay: Part 1
Danielle and Jay: Part 2

Engage!09 Sneak Peek

noreply@blogger.com (Flaire Weddings and Events) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 03:08:00 +0000

Greetings, lovely blog readers, from the Cayman Islands -- Grand Cayman to be exact.

I am here, along with about 150 other amazing wedding professionals, to learn from the best of the best in this industry and recharge and motivate my business.

I'm attending Engage!09: Something Blue -- a luxury wedding business summit.

Everything's just getting started, and I've got a full day of learning and training ahead tomorrow, but I wanted to share a sneak peek from tonight's AMAZING welcome party.

We were treated to a fabulous evening in the sand, under the stars, on Grand Cayman's stunning Seven Mile Beach. It was so much fun mixing and mingling with some of the people I admire most in this industry. It was also great to meet new friends as well!

Here are a few shots of the incredible decor, created by Michelle Rago.

The entire beach was filled with these amazing cabanas and lounge vignettes.

Michelle Rago designed this jaw-dropping centerpiece of the whole party from Manzanita Branches and White Phaelenopsis Orchids.

The lighting was stunning once the sun went down.

Hope you enjoyed this quick glance at the celebration. More pictures and a full recap when I return!