Should Your “Best Friend” Be In Your Wedding? (Philadelphia Event Planner)

I am finally back and settled after an amazing trip to Rome.  Last week I came back to a full email inbox and lots of work to do, but I am finally caught up.  I have had several inquiries as to when I will be getting my blog together about the trip.  I will be getting the first post together tomorrow to share with everyone.  I have lots of stories to tell and many experiences to share.

We flew back into Philadelphia on Tuesday March 30th.  My fiance and I got engaged on October 18th.  Since then I have been telling myself (and everyone else) that we would start our wedding planning after the trip.  When I sat down to my computer and glanced at the date on March 31st, I realized we better get on the ball, as our wedding is in just over a year.  This brought on the first wedding argument.

As I have mentioned before, I have an adorably sweet pug named Dutchess.  She is our world, and spoiled as though she is our first child.  I told my fiance how great I thought it would be for her to be at either the ceremony or reception.  She is such a big part of our lives, and I couldn’t picture having such an important day without her.  Unfortunately, Tim does not feel the same way.  He finds it a little ridiculous  that I would want her to be involved, and thinks it will be “too much of a distraction and a hassle”.  (For anyone who is taking his side, please note this is the same guy who fought tooth and nail to have a chimpanzee dressed in a tuxedo stand curbside with the valet to open our guests car doors as they arrive.  We’re talking about an animal that is known for throwing it’s own feces around! )

In an attempt to plead my case I put my event planner hat on and referenced every article and statistic I had ever read regarding the increasing popularity of pets in weddings, but to no avail.  He just won’t budge.  However; if any of you are interested in how to incorporate your fuzzy friends into your big day, below are some tips and considerations.

What part will they play?

Think about the flow of your day as well as the level of formality.  If you are having an outdoor wedding in a rustic barn-like setting, having your dog serve as your ring bearer could be a great idea.  On the other hand if you are having a very formal wedding at a Cathedral, maybe it is best to wait until after the ceremony to have him join you.  Be sure to ask your ceremony and reception venue if they allow pets.  If they do not, you can still find ways to incorporate your pets.  Perhaps you can leave some extra time between the ceremony and reception to go to a local park and have them included in some of the photos.

Have someone on-site to assist.

Although you want your pet to be there with you at your wedding.  You want to enjoy your day, and won’t want them to monopolize all your time.  Be sure to hire someone that works with pets to take care of them throughout the day (maybe a local dog walker), or ask a family member or friend who is familiar with them.  Whoever will be taking care of them, make sure you let them know not to allow your pet to be fed by guests, or to wander off into flowers that may have been sprayed with harmful pesticides.

What if they don’t do what you expect?

Do you have an easy-going personality, or is it extremely important to you that everything go perfectly as planned during your wedding?  If your dog starts barking during your vows because it sees a bird outside in a tree will it ruin your day?  No matter how well trained your pet is, instincts can not be helped.  Will you be able to deal with some unexpected occurrences?

Take some time to answer these questions to yourself honestly.  If you are going to involve your pets, you need to be sure it is right for you.  There are also many ways that you can represent your pet at your wedding without having them present.  If you are looking for some ideas, feel free to contact us.

Gartner Studios Invitations (Philadelphia, Bucks County Event Planner)

Over the weekend my parents had my fiance’s parents over for dinner.  During the evening the topic of an engagement party came up.  They discussed everybody’s schedules, and since we have already been engaged for about six months, they wanted to make it soon.  The only date that could work is less then a month away, and of course on a week we have three other events occurring. . . so here’s to the fourth

I am very excited for the party, as it will be our first “wedding activity”; however I am also feeling a little panicked.  Ever since I began planning events nine years ago, the simple celebratory party became non-existent among my family members.  Every party we have has a theme with matching decor, drinks, etc. down to the smallest detail.  So now we have less then a month to pull this all together, don’t worry. . . I work best under pressure.

First thing’s first – invitations.  The date was picked on Sunday evening, so we need to have the invitations out by tomorrow at the latest.  My first concern was how we were going to create/find eye appealing invitations, get our guest list together, gather all our guests addresses, and send them out, all before Friday.

Target and Gartner Studios to the rescue!  We stopped at Target in desperation, hoping to find something that would meet my standards (I’m pretty picky).  We headed over to the stationary section and there it was,  an invitation kit that does a great job of imitating professionally crafted invitations.  It even comes with cards that can be used to print response cards on (which I will no doubt be using for my thank you notes .  Inside the box are easy step by step instructions on how to find the template online to type your wording in, as well as directions on how to set your page margins on your printer.  They came out looking fabulous!  I am beyond pleased with them.

If you would like to get these for your next party, they can only be purchased at Target or on Target’s website, as well as on Gartner Studio’s website.  On their site you will also find gifts, favors, and some great decor ideas.

P.S. – Although these invitations are beautiful, and I would suggest them for any party, unless your budget simply doesn’t allow it, stick with the pros for your wedding invites.  There is no substitution for the hand crafted work of an artist.

Home Tour For The Cure (Philadelphia/Bucks County Event Planner)

Over the past few months we have had the opportunity to assist UPtown Kitchens with planning their “Home Tour for the Cure”.  The tour took place over the weekend on Saturday May 15th.  The weather turned out to be as beautiful as the kitchens and baths they design and create.

The tour-goers arrived at the UPtown Kitchens showroom at noon, and were given the map of the tour, along with a gourmet snack and drink, and the chance to win some great prizes.  Prizes included a portable microwave, a GE dishwasher, and a Design retainer valued at $1500.00!  The tour included six homes that the company had designed and constructed, and each one was more gorgeous then the last.  The tour ended at a home in New Hope where a cocktail party was held for all who attended.

If you did not have a chance to take the tour you can stop by their beautiful showroom located in Langhorne any time.  Mary would love to have you

The day was a great success with 50 attendees on the tour, as well as having  raised $500.00 for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk.  Thank you to all of the local businesses who sponsored the event, and thank you to UPtown Kitchens for allowing us to be a part of such a great day.

www.uptown-kitchens.com

“What Should We Do First?” ~ One Year Prior To Your Wedding (Philadelphia Event Planner)

My wedding is now just under one year away.  It’s time for me to get moving!  This led me to the idea for this blog.  One of the most common questions I get at my initial consultations is “What should we be doing first?  Are we too far ahead?  When should we send our save-the-dates? etc.”

SO… I have decided to put a little guide together, as I plan my own wedding, that readers can access to answer the question, “What should we do next?”.  This post will describe what you should be doing one year out.

First things first – Pick a date.

You can start by deciding what time of year/season appeals to you.  If there is no particular time of year that interests you, maybe pick a date that is symbolic to you as a couple (your first date, birthday, holiday, etc.).

When you choose your date be sure to consider the expectation for the weather, if there could be any conflicts for guests to attend, big sporting events (you don’t want to have to argue with your fiance over weather a tv should be added by the bar to watch the Phillies in game 7 of The World Series or the Eagles in the NFC Championship game), etc.

My fiance and I got engaged on October 18th, 2009.  We knew we would have a lot of saving to do, and both have very busy schedules, so we knew we needed at least a year.  A year would have obviously put us right back into October.  Although I enjoy the fall, I am much more of a spring/summer person.  We would have loved May or June, but during those months prices increase, so we went with the closest Saturday we could get and decided on April 30th, 2011.

Some other ways to play around with your date to save on expenses is to choose a Friday or Sunday wedding, which are becoming very popular.

Look for Inspiration

Start looking through Bridal magazines, watching wedding shows on tv, and surfing the internet to find your wedding style.  Get a binder and fill it with pictures you like.  Look for a common theme or two in the pictures.  This can help you to decide what type of venue you would like, the level of formality, color schemes, etc.  It will also help you describe to your planner the look you are going for.

Make AND Stick To Your Budget

This part is never fun, but is EXTREMELY important.  You need to know up front what you are willing to spend, and what you can afford.  Hiring a planner to assist you with this can be invaluable.  They will be able to tell you what is a realistic price for each professional you will need to hire in regards to your region/location, and can aid you in allocating your budget to the areas that are most important to you.

This is also a good time to have the “who will pay for what” discussion.  It is important to know if your families will be contributing, or if you will be funding all of the expenses on your own.  For more budget advice you can reference a former post Creating and Staying In Your Wedding Budget.

Who Makes The Cut

It’s no secret that weddings are a large expense.  Unless you have a money tree growing in your backyard, you have to cut your guest list somewhere.  Decide if you want a large wedding, or something more intimate.  The size of your guest list will also dictate what venue you can or can’t choose.

Start by drafting a list of everyone you would like to have at your wedding.  See what number you come up with.  Get some packages sent to you from a few venues you think you may be interested in.  Take the number of guests on your list, and multiply it by the average price per person on the packages you were sent from the venues.  If the number in your calculator is more then 40-50% of your wedding budget, you need to reduce your list.

Some ways to cut guests out, without hurting feelings, is to do it by category.  Start with children, and young adults.  Make a cut off point.  Perhaps you decide that there will be nobody under 18 invited.  If your count is still too high, move onto couples.  If they are not engaged, or in a serious relationship of a year or more, don’t give them a plus one on their invitation.  It seems hard, but people will understand, and if you follow the same rules for everyone, nobody can get upset.

Find the Perfect Venue

Start looking for your venue as soon as possible.  Depending on the time of year, and popularity of some venues, they can be booked a year or more in advance.  Look through the binder you have put together with all of the images you like to see what type of venue will fit your style, and the level of formality you want.  Be sure to read all policies and contracts in detail before committing to a venue.

Create your Wedding Registry

It’s never to early to create your wedding registry, even if you are having a two year engagement.  It can be used not only for wedding and shower gifts, but for your engagement party, and even holidays and birthdays leading up to your big day if you handle it properly.  Don’t send everyone a message around the holidays to let them know you would like a gift from your registry, but if they ask what you would like you can reference it.  The earlier you create your registry, the better the chance you have of getting everything on it.

Begin Searching for Wedding Professionals

Start looking for your photographer, videographer, and entertainment.  If you are trying to decide which to start with first, consider what is most important to you at your wedding and start there.  Schedule appointments to meet with each professional, and ask as many questions as you can.  You can never be too informed when making important decisions for your wedding.

These are the things you should be working on one year from your wedding.  Getting a strong start on your planning will make the months leading up to your wedding less hectic.  The next milestone is 9 months out.

Earth Day! Be Green In Your Home And In Your Events.(Philadelphia, New Jersey, Event Planner)

As you may or may not know today is earth day. Some common misconceptions about “going green” or becoming “eco-friendly” are that it will take a substantial amount of extra time out of your day, and that it is much more expensive then your current lifestyle. There are actually many simple substitutions you can make in your daily lifestyle that will help the environment without costing you a penny, and in many cases can even save you money. Here are just a couple that I found in a article by bankrate.com titled 153 Ways to go Green .

Stop the junk mail

If you are interested in reading the rest of the article it describes easy ways to go green in your home, at work and school, with technology, with food, and at play.

There are also many ways to go green with your event or wedding.

Invitations

• There are several types of recycled paper. You can also get “Tree Free Paper” which is made of hemp, organic cotton, bamboo, or banana stalks
• Create Save The Date thumbdrives with PDF files containing all information and a link to a website that will be updated as more information becomes available for the event or wedding.
• There are invitations available that contain seed within the invitation.  After the wedding invitees can plant the invitation in their garden, which will eventually grow into a plant or flower.

Favors

• Make a charitable donation in lieu of a traditional favor.  Donating to an environmental cause gets you double points.
  
• Bamboo
• Soy candles
• Use potted plants as centerpieces and allow guests to take them home.
  

Location

• Consider where the majority of your guests are coming from.  Will they have to travel far?  Destination weddings can be beautiful, but damage the environment from all that traveling.  Hosting your wedding locally will be more eco-friendly.
• Have the ceremony and reception in the same venue.  Reducing the travel necessary for your guests, therefore reducing the carbon footprint.

Food & Decor

• Use a caterer that purchases their product locally.
• Obtain your flowers from a florist who uses local and organic farms.
• If you are looking for something exotic look for a wildflower grower at your local farmers market.

Attire

• Think vintage!  Shop at a vintage store for your wedding dress or tuxedo.
• Donate your dress to charity after the wedding.
• Buy a dress or tux that you would wear again.

Honeymoon

• Use a travel agent who specializes in eco-friendly trips who will ensure the location and other details are environmentally sensetive.
• Rent a hybrid car.
• Look for a location that may involve off the beaten path types of adventures.  Get involved with nature.
• Stay in a hotel that recycles.  Leave a note for the cleaning staff asking them not to replace your towels every day, but every third day instead.

There are many more options and ideas. If you are interested in having a green event please contact us for further information.

Who’s Monroe (Philadelphia Event Planner)

Each time I introduce myself and my company I always get the same question, “Who’s Monroe?” After having a blog for over a year, I suppose this is a post that should have come sooner, but better late then never. I do believe that curiosity creates intrigue.

The simple answer is that the company is named after my grandmother, however it is a more detailed story then that.

From a very young age, as I’m sure many girls did, adored Marilyn Monroe, her beauty, her sex appeal, etc. The older I got, and the more I learned about her my interest continued to grow.

My grandmother and I were very close, and she knew my love for Marilyn Monroe.  In many ways I saw her in the same light as Marilyn Monroe.  She did not have a great deal of money, but she was always well dressed and glamorous and her name was Norma Jean, just like Marilyn Monroe, or so I was told.

My grandmother battled cancer and won twice!  She is my hero!  What’s even better is through everything she endured during her life she never lost her good spirits and love for all adventures, people, and experiences.

On April 5th, 2005, Norma Grande passed away.  Although she had a very strong will to live, her body had had enough.  At this time I was 22, and in my senior year at Temple University studying Tourism & Hospitality Management with a focus in Event Planning.  I was leaving class when I got the call.  I was devastated.  My grandmother was always my unconditional supporter, and one of my best friends.

The next few days of planning the funeral and making arrangements went by in a flash (which is what inspired me to provide funeral assistance as a service provided by Events by Monroe).  The morning of the funeral I drove over to Resurrection in Northeast Philadelphia (a bit of useless info . . my father was the first baby ever christened there) to attend the funeral mass.  I walked in and took several funeral cards to keep for memories.  As I turned the card over a wave of nausea and panic came over me.  The funeral director had made an unforgivable mistake!  She had written my grandmother’s name as Norma Eleanor instead of Norma Jean!!  I dashed over to where my father was speaking to my cousin and said “Excuse my interruption Dad, but they wrote the wrong name on the funeral cards!  How could this happen?”  My father looked at me like I had three heads and said “What are you talking about?  They have the correct spelling.”  I continued to argue that they had written the wrong middle name.  My dad explained to me that I must be mistaken and that my grandmother’s middle name is and always was Eleanor.  I think my father and I realized what was going on at the same time and just smiled.

My grandmother had told me her name was Norma Jean for all those years because she felt like it could be one more way for us to relate to each other.  It is obviously how she always wanted me to remember her.  So now every time I hand out a business card, or go to my website, etc.  I can think of her the way she wanted me to see her.

I love having this as my company name because it not only keeps my grandmother as a constant memory, but it also aids in many of the decisions I make.  When faced with a challenge, or a tough ethical decision, I always think about what she would have done, and use her as a guide.  It has worked out great so far

GREEN ~ It’s Not Just For St. Patrick’s Day (Philadelphia Event Planner)

Since everybody will be eating, drinking, and wearing green today, I thought this would be a great time to mention and upcoming event that will be green.  On April 28th, 2010 the GreenChic Living event will be hosted at the Crystal Tea Room beginning at 5:00pm.  All proceeds will benefit the Sustainable Business Network & Schuylkill Banks.

This event will be a showcase of all the finest in green housing, products, food, fashion and services in the Philadelphia region. Sponsored by MAINLINE & BUCKS Life magazines there will be a vast assortment of eco-chic products for the home and body, all things that compliment your lifestyle without compromising style, function or comfort.   Philadelphia’s sustainable czar Katherine Gajewski will be speaking about the cities plans for the future.  Models will showcase bamboo and organic clothing.  Recycled jewelry will be made on site.  Peco will explain the changing energy laws.  GreenandSave will let you know the latest innovations.  Other highlights include solar innovations, a beauty bar, local beer, liquor distillers and restaurants plus much more! For more information about the event, you can follow this link http://www.luxephila.com/greenchic.html.

Romance in New Hope (Philadelphia Event Planner)

Last month the associated press published an article noting the 10 MostRomantic Places to Visit in America. http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle272347510_most_romantic_places_to_visit_in.html?cat=16.  I was excited to see New Hope, PA included in the list.  It is one of my favorite places to spend a sunny day, and also is where I will be marrying my fiance next April

When we began looking at venues we first went to Font Hill Castle in Doylestown, which is an absolutely gorgeous venue.  I was sold from the moment we pulled down the classic tree lined driveway.  Jack Skudris, owner of memorable affairs, took us on a thorough tour of the facility, and spent a great amount of time discussing the many options they offer.  We left the meeting ready to go home and sign the contract.

I am extremely organized and always on the ball with planning my clients weddings and events.  Lucky for me, I am a bit of a procrastinator when it comes to my own.  After thinking about it for a few weeks we came to the conclusion that it just wouldn’t work with our budget (Yes. . . even event planners have a wedding budget ).  I came across the reception site we would book completely by accident.  In fact, I was working on a client’s wedding when I found it.  I had not been to the venue yet, but had seen it on Memorable Affairs website, when I decided it would be a good option for my clients.  I scheduled a meeting with Pat Kor to check it out before taking my clients.

The venue is Occasions, and is located right in New Hope in Union Square.  I fell in love with the rich colors, extensive decor, and chic modern vibe.  I couldn’t believe the pricing, and how much they included in their package.  I can honestly say you will not get more for your money anywhere else in the Philadelphia or surrounding areas, and I have a lot of experience to base this comparison on.  They even include linens and napkins of any color you want for no additional charge.  This is virtually unheard of!  I regretted that I hadn’t been out to see this location sooner.  The pictures they have, although beautiful, do not do the location justice.  You really need to see if for yourself, and feel the energy of the building.  In addition to my love for the location, working with the staff of memorable affairs has been just as amazing of an experience.  They are always available, and will schedule their meetings at your convenience, not theirs.

Needless to say, this is where my reception is booked.  I can’t wait to start planning all the details.  The fact that it is in New Hope makes it all that much better.  I love the uniqueness of New Hope, the shops, bed and breakfasts, art, etc.  I am also excited to be able to make our wedding a destination weekend without our guests having to travel far.  I will be blogging about the whole planning process as I mentioned in a blog a while back, and would love feedback.  Although I have been to New Hope many times, I would love some advice on good spots for photos.  So.. to all my readers and photographers out there, what are your favorite spots in New Hope for pictures??  Help me out

Photos : Provided by Memorable Affairs

Great New Ad Thanks to Opaque White Design (Philadelphia Event Planner)

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Stephanie Wells for doing such an amazing job on our new ad that will be featured in Mainline & Bucks Life Magazine starting in May

I have known for 20 years.  Watching her grow as an artist and explore new areas has been an amazing journey.  She is extremely talented in graphic design as you can see, in addition to photography and many other creative forms of design.  Her photography is one of my favorite aspects of her art.  She has a great way of finding and portraying the beauty of the forgotten.  Her work is extremely intriguing.  If you have the time please take a look at some of the work she has done.  Her site is still in the works of being put together, but it shows a small sample of what she could do for you or your company.   You can also contact her through Facebook.   Thanks Steph!

http://web.mac.com/opaquewhitedesign

Congratulations Mike & Erica! (Philadelphia Event Planner)

I have been meaning to get this post (and several others) up all week, our office has just been very busy!  Last Friday great friends of my fiance and myself got engaged and we couldn’t be more happy for them!  Mike and Erica began dating last spring, and have been inseparable ever since.  Erica has a very fun loving spirit, and Mike is ecstatic to have found her.  It wasn’t long before he knew that he had met the girl he just had to spend the rest of his life with.  They are an amazing couple, and incredible friends.  They are also parents to two adorable pugs, Donovan & Kali, who love to play with our adorable pug   We wish them great happiness, and can’t wait to see how the wedding plans come along.  Feel free to congratulate them in our comment section!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

You can hear all the details from Erica in the comment section…