An Autumn Wedding

photos courtesy of: Brides.com; Matthew Mead, Country Living Magazine; Toast and Tables

If you are trying to carve out amazing style on your big day but not break the bank here are some simple ideas.
Pumpkins and gourds in every color add color or simplicity. They can be used for a more traditional look or for something more fun and different - use your creativity! The various sizes make for easy use in just about every area of your wedding. Place cards can be the small white pumpkins. Simply write on them with a permanent marker. They look great all lined up on the place card table - plus they won't blow away if your wedding is outside.

Another great way to save is to purchase rather than rent items for your table top decor. There are so many items from votives to napkin rings and great autumnal dishes, glassware, cake plates etc.... These items are all sold between mid September and Thanksgiving. I've seen amazing things at Target Stores, Walmart, TJMaxx, Kohls, Marshall's, and Home Goods. It is so worth checking it out, particularly if your wedding is a year from now. If you are planning a Fall wedding for 2009 you will even be able to get most of these items after Thanksgiving for a great price.

So - you say you don't want to store the items when the day is over - no problem, donate it!

Happy Planning!

Green Weddings

It is a pleasure to be able to plan eco-firendly weddings that have our style conscious clients in mind. Given the current social and economic climate these days it is more and more important to try to reduce our carbon footprint. Weddings are a new chapter, a fresh start for couple to make a difference. You can have a "green" wedding without breaking the bank.

Some great tips that I've found include using 100% PCW recycled paper for all of the wedding stationery from invites, thank you notes, and programs to menu cards and place cards. This paper is made without chlorine therefore the byproducts will not hurt the earth. A great site to start with is www.twistedlimb.com.

You can also find a caterer who only serves foods that are organic and or from local farmers. Your food will be better for you and more fresh. It may in some cases cost more money but ultimately is worth it in the end. While speaking of food we cannot forget the cake - there are dozens of organic bakers in town. It is worth it to check them out.

For decor consider using soy candles rather than wax. They last far longer, you can continue to use them for entertaining for many months or years to come. There are several sites that offer these candles, simply google "Soy Candles" to find your plethora of options. Again, the cost will be a bit higher but they last far longer. If the cost is prohibitive consider sharing the candles with a friend who is also getting married that year. Another very cool and different way to decorate is to take potted plants of various sizes and add stalks of curly bamboo for texture. Bamboo grows up to an astonishing two feet per day so it takes far less time to regenerate than many other wood options. This too can be reused for many years after and it has a really attractive texture to it.

A couple may decide that they want to be environmentally conscious on their honeymoon. By going to www.ecomall.com you'll find a travel agent who can book a socially and environmentally sensitive trip for you and your beloved.

Finally, this might seem like a strange concept but it is being done more and more. You can either purchase a gently used wedding gown from one of dozens of wedding consignments shops. You may also consider a vintage gown. If all of this is just too much for you perhaps you would like to donate your gown to www.idofoundation.org.

Happy Green Planning!
Nicolle

Uplifting Weekend!

I had the privilege of working with a dear family and some fabulous vendors this weekend on a dream wedding at a private residence in the West Metro. The bride and groom were magical - not only beautiful on the inside and out but their love for one another was shining so brightly that day it was blinding.

The residential setting for the wedding was perfect and pristine to begin with. The talents of Apres Party and Tent rental, Linen Effects, and Martha's Garden's made the design out of this world. Jim Bach and the mother of the bride, along with a small army of others built ramps and safety features so that vendors and guests alike were safe and comfortable as they maneuvered their way through the natural glory of the yard and into the reception tent.

We had the usual elements that Minnesota is so famous for - birds, bugs, rain, humidity, and wind. The best part of the whole weekend was that we had all of it a few different times over the course of the weekend. This is why my motto of "expect the unexpected" holds so dear to me - you can't wish away the weather. Pretty amazing testament to the patience of all of us - but we did it and it was perfect! We did not have any soggy guests and though it rained during dinner, no one knew because the sound of their joy and happiness drowned out the raindrops.

D'Amico catering did an outstanding job of serving the guests and the food was top quality as usual. Sandy Vogel and her team should be very proud of all of their hard work. The incline of the hill they had to climb to service this event surely made for some sore calves on Sunday.

For this wedding planner the day was bitter sweet because their photographer, Hilary Bullock - a dear friend of Mother of the Bride Weddings for many years - told me that this was her final wedding and that she was on to a new career of garden and landscape design. We wish her well and know that with this, as with her photography she'll be at the top of her game.

I'm grateful to the amazing team of hardworking "service" angels that made another magical wedding dream come true!

- Nicolle

What's New in Minnesota Wedding Photography

In the past 20 years I have seen many changes in the world of wedding
photography. Early on, photographing weddings required more
equipment and technical expertise than it does today. With the
advent of digital cameras and the internet, the number of wedding
photographers has exploded. That being said, one thing hasn't
changed. Being a wedding photographer requires a tremendous amount
of people skills and flexibility. I can find myself dealing with
people who are emotionally stressed and worried about wedding day
details. This "worry" will be conveyed in their expressions which
is never a good thing. That is why having a good wedding coordinator,
like Mother of the Bride, can make all the difference. Happy people
will make better photos. Photographing a wedding is a collaborative
effort and being surrounded by good wedding vendors will ultimately
make the photographs better.

Sara and Deepak on Platinum Weddings!

Don't miss the season premier of Platinum Weddings! Set your Tivo's for June 1st 2008 at 9:00pm CST. Mother of the Bride worked with a family from Minneapolis on a four day wedding celebration in Las Vegas!!

WE TV's Platinum Weddings Season Opener - June 1st

Last year we had the honor and privilege of working with a local family to bring to life a fantastic wedding in Las Vegas, Nevada. The wedding itself took place at the Stirling Club, a private residence and club in the heart of Las Vegas. The remainder of wedding events took place at the fabulous Bellagio Hotel.

Several hundred guests from around the world attended this four day extravaganza and were treated like royalty. Our client put a great deal of time and thought into each aspect of the celebration and each of the decisions from food to flowers. It was a pleasure to be able to work with them on the many different levels of design, detail and logistics for this elaborate celebration.

I went out to Las Vegas in June of 2007 to first meet with some of the vendors we were interviewing as well as to meet with a Las Vegas wedding planner, Tori Cooper. Tori's company and Mother of the Bride Weddings did a joint venture to ensure that all of the details were covered.

It was great to see the wedding planning business from the perspective of Las Vegas. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Tori and I worked extremely well together and had a similar level of clientele. I was also disappointed when I came home to Minneapolis and didn't have the multitude of production props and companies at my disposal like I did in Las Vegas. We worked with MGM Mirage Events on the wedding but had a lovely presentation by Destinations By Design as well. It was a tough choice for the client to make because both mock ups were amazing. What we could not find in Las Vegas we had access to in Los Angeles so all bases were covered. We had vendors from India, Los Angeles, New York, Minneapolis, and Las Vegas. It was quite a production.

Minneapolis has an appetite for weddings like this, but we are not quite there as far as resources. A few companies are pulling some great furniture and decor pieces now so it is beginning to be easier to accomplish. Prior to this we had to pull all rental furniture in from CORT Event Furnishings from Chicago. Linen Effects has just obtained some new pieces and Metro Connections also has some great options.


To see more about Sara and Deepak's amazing wedding tune in to the season premier of WE TV's Platinum Weddings. The new season of Platinum Weddings will air on Sunday, June 1st 2008 at 9:00pm CST. Platinum Weddings is a half hour show that features Platinum Weddings from around the country.

Let us know if you would like to have your wedding considered for Platinum Weddings - they are looking for all types of weddings!

Have a great weekend!

- Nicolle

Wedding season begins in Minnesota!

The first wedding of the season is under the belt! The fickle spring weather in Minnesota seemed to break all around us, the sun was shining, the day was warm, all was right in the world!
A beautiful ceremony was planned and performed by the bride's Grandfather, the music was perfect, the spring flowers gave off an aroma throughout that was light, airy and perfect. A large group of guests gathered, eager to see the wonderful young couple tie the knot! After a wonderful send off and a boat ride, the guests made their way to the reception site. Wonderful jazz filled the air, the photobooth was packed and a bountiful antipasto table was feasted upon. Dinner and heartfelt toasts were given and the guests danced the night away. The Bride and Groom are living happily ever after...

Lessons learned at wedding #1 -
-The Oxy pen is far superior than the Tide pen
-Don't assume the limo drivers have been given a detailed itinerary
-Bring a few pairs of shoes to change in and out of - large bandaids too
-This is the year of the commercial grade steamer
-People bring LARGE gifts to weddings

Onto the next wedding!

"Is There a Book In It?"

We've been at this busines for 12 years now. We've always said each event has some surprises and we learn something from every client. This is not to mention the funny and unusual challenges which have been totally unanticipated.

You might get a chuckle out of some of these events:

The large wedding was held in a historic church with minimum plumbing updates. It had one bathroom with a single toilet adjacent to the ladies dressing area. Pictures were being taken prior to the wedding, complete with refreshments and "beverages" on a beautiful warm June day. A constant trek to this facility by all the bridal party both male and female overtaxed it capabilities. You guessed it, the resulting overflow created a challenge in summoning the caretaker and a "plumber's friend". The nearby gas station facilities had extended use until the arrival at the reception following the wedding. Pictures took a little longer, the dressing area had to be moved and vacated as soon as possible. The wedding began on time and most guests never knew what happened.

Weekend Site: Madeline Island, northern Wisconsin out of Bayfield, WI. on an undeveloped acreage. Several stories resulted during this long week of planning and construction. Martha Stewart magazine was due to arrive to cover this remote event. After the photographers were delayed in Duluth for several hours, they finally arrived after the 2 "bridal attendant, four legged pets" of the bridal couple had time to attack the wedding cake. A few adjustments of the decorative flowers on the cake and a quick turn made for a pretty picture. Also, as the bride proceeded down the woodchip path to the ceremony site, a lovely snake crawled out from under a rock and crossed her path. The dogs thought this was very excitiing. Once again everything was brought under control and a good time was had by all. It was an unusual and beautitul event complete with crystal, china, silver and chandeliered tent. The authentic indian teepee on the property served as a dressing area.

These are just few of the incidents which can not be anticipated when planning your event. Plan B's are always good to think about when possible. As time goes on I will relate some of the other interesting things that Mother of the Bride has dealt with out of the emergency kits we have with us at all times. Although I can't say we have seen it all, we have seen a lot and can laugh at most after the fact. We can't wait to see what is going to happen next.

Martie

notes on color from Robin at Linen Effects

Hello fellow bloggers. This is Robin from Linen Effects, affectionately
known as the Linen Lady. Tis the season, I mean, for the weddings.
Just to let you know, color is totally in.
We are embracing our beautiful, Tiffany Coral and Tiffany Canary. We
have so many new items in for you all to look at. Mix up your colors
with some beautiful chocolate satin chair covers or rent a white leather
furniture ensemble to create that conversation pit for your guests. I am
dreaming of our magic sheer cloth that performs miracles. Come in and
see what I am talking about. Must leave you now for there are brides at
our door as we speak. Talk to you all soon. Robin

Cruisin on Vacation

Hi Everyone Most of you probably don't know who I am... My name Is Lindsey Rogers and I am an assistant and shadow this year with MOB. I currently work for Mintahoe Hospitality Group as an event consultant at the MN Boat Club on Raspberry Island, JJ Hill Library and offsite weddings, and part time with MOB. I am very excited to start this summer, and I look forward to meeting and working with all of you!

I do have to tell you that I just got back this past weekend from a cruise. I have never been on one before and it was awesome! It was so nice and relaxing, I didn't want to come home. We started our vacation in Miami, then boarded the ship and headed off to San Juan Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and Grand Turk. It was the best. I do have to recommend taking a cruise sometime in your lifetime. I went to college for Hospitality and tourism Mgt, and we learned that cruise lines are one of the top in the industry for hospitality and I do have to say they are the best. They really know how to take care of you, you really felt like you were on vacation. I think I'm all rested up now, and ready to take on the summer. Again, Hope to meet all of you this summer!

Lindsey

Islamorada, Florida

If you have the time and means I urge you to take a trip with friends. It brings a fresh perspective to the day to day grind and helps you reconnect with the important things in your life. I just returned from one such trip. We spent a week in Isla Morada, in the lower Florida Keys. My surroundings were calm, sunny and in the low 80's every day. We certainly lucked out in the weather department. The great weather got me excited about the upcoming wedding season in Minneapolis. We too have gorgeous weather and amazing locations for the special events in our lives or to just to sit outside and relax. As I looked at the island's beautiful back drop I was thinking it would be an easy place to do a destination wedding.

As luck would have it we stumbled upon the "Full Moon Party" at a gorgeous beach side restaurant called Morada Bay. The setting was something out of a movie and could easily be done for the right couple looking for something a bit different.

We began the night with a wonderful al fresco dinner of Mahi Mahi and fresh vegetables. As we finished our meal we witnessed the surreal sunset. It looked as though it sunk into the ocean. We had all seen sunsets before but realized that we don't ever take enough time to marvel in the wonder of such a simple thing.

The scene was a vast expanse of sand, palm trees and eclectic architecture on a coral point that spanned the length of a football field. There were fire pits set up throughout the sand, tables and chairs and buffet service strewn about, stilt walkers, fire jugglers, and an amazing band that played everything from Eric Clapton, Squeeze, and Carly Simon to Bob Marley and the Rolling Stones. The crowd was dancing up a storm. As the band went to a break we were treated to an amazing fireworks display that felt like it was right on top of us.

What was probably the best part of this magical night was that all ages blended together to make for a non-competitive, unpretentious, naturally fun and beautiful setting where everyone was themselves and truly having a fantastic time.

- Nicolle

Welcome to our new blog - we are thrilled to be sharing the latest and greatest trends from the front lines of weddings and events.  Be sure to check in frequently, as things are constantly changing as the season quickly approaches!

We will be sharing all that is fresh and fabulous in 2008!