Wedding and Event Planning Blog

Visit the Orpheum Penthouse's Open House

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:10:00 +0000

Networking is one of the most effective ways to grow a successful and profitable business.

Come join hosts Life Design Event Planning & United Parking Systems for cocktails and an appetizers at The Orpheum Penthouse and enjoy the charm of Phoenix. Bring associates, clients, friends, co-workers for an intimate, social networking opportunity. The night will begin at 6:00pm.

Admission
$5 members/$10 non-members

This event will start at 6:00pm Parking cost & valet provided by United Parking Systems.

Date 3/10/2010
Time 6:00 PM TO 8:00 PM

RSVP RSVPevents@gpglcc.org

114 West Adams Street
The Orpheum Lofts

The Penthouse 11th Floor
Phoenix, AZ 85003

Bridal Shower Games

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:19:00 +0000

Looking for a great resource for finding ideas for Bridal Shower Games? Check out this website :: BridalShower.com. They have a variety of games and a few even I haven't seen before.

Happy Planning!

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

Are you Engaged? :: Tell us your proposal story!

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:37:00 +0000

Yesterday was a big day for a lot of people. Not only was it to celebrate love but also a very popular time for wedding engagements. Many will ask you the story of how it all happened and you will repeat yourself time and time again for the rest of your life. Over time your tale will lose a few details, become a shorter and less elaborate so I invite you to do one thing: write it down! Take this opportunity to submit your engagement story to a local newspaper or just to share with us and our other newly engaged couples. People always love to hear the story and I can't tell you how many times I have gone back and read mine.

Shall I share mine with you? Okay. You don't have to twist my arm.

The Beginning of our Lives Together

The Morning

That Saturday was like any other Saturday. My boyfriend, Joey, and I had lots to do. We were always on the run, but this day we were going to take some time for us. Joey made me promise that I would not work on this particular Saturday. I agreed with some hesitation because my work requires much of my time and I didn’t want to get behind. Nonetheless, I made arrangements for the time off and happily looked forward to spending a whole day with my boyfriend.

I woke up bright and early and excited for the day’s adventure. Our day started with a drive to the Harley shop. Joey had just purchased a brand new top of the line Fat Boy Screaming Eagle Harley Davidson. It was a long time dream of his that had finally come true as the result of hard work and a generous boss. Joey planned on getting louder pipes and a seat for me. We dropped off the bike, spoke with a few friends, and then headed down to a local restaurant for a quick breakfast of eggs, bacon and pancakes then headed to our next destination. However, I just had to make another stop. I had just heard the new Kelly Clarkson CD and was dying to pick it up. I also mentioned to Joey that I was wearing a new outfit but needed some Target jewelry to jazz it up a bit. He rolled his eyes and at first said, “No, babe. We have lots to do today.” I gave him my puppy dog eyes and he relented. Sweet! We stopped by Tarjay (as we "sophisticates" call it) bought some cheap fun jewelry to match my outfit, and spotted a digital camera we decided to purchase. {Little did I know this was all a plot for more time...he needed more time!}

The Afternoon

Anyway, our next stop was to the Phoenix Art Museum. A friend had mentioned to Joey and I that the Museum was having an amazing display of samurai swords and armor. Joey, being the martial artist that he is, wanted to go. I thought it would be cool. We had just returned from the Philadelphia Art Museum and saw a similar display there, so why not explore the era a bit more? We walked in, paid, and started our exploration of the world of art. We strolled around for an hour or so, looking at wonderful pieces of art and reading the history of each piece, even joining a tour at one point. Joey was eager to see the Samurai pieces so we headed toward the display. We spent some time in that part of the museum then decided to move to the second floor.

The Surprise

The second floor was showcasing a “Trench Coat Fashion” display I thought would be interesting to see. So, as we moved about trying to find those coats we came upon another beautiful section of the museum. At this point, after having a coffee and a big glass of ice tea to drink, it was time for me to find the ladies room. I began to follow Joey but my attention was mainly focused on the museum’s map in order to locate a bathroom. I was studying the map when all of a sudden Joey said, “Babe, come take a look at this piece.” I hesitated and said, “Awe honey, I got to pee. What is it?” I walked over to Joey and he pointed out a famous statue called “The Kiss.” I immediately recognized it and commented that it was so beautiful and romantic. Joey pointed to the display next to it. “What about this piece?” he said. As I turned to look the first thing I noticed was a pedestal display concealed behind security glass. There was a sterling silver vase with different colored roses and rose petals arranged throughout. I also noticed a small heart shaped pillow embellished with lace and exquisite embroidery propped up on a copper stand. Somewhat confused, my first thought was that it something from the Romance Era (like I knew). I decided to investigate and with the brilliance of the spotlight shining on the case I saw a remarkable diamond ring perched atop an ivory pedestal. I looked down to read the description of this peculiar display. I saw these words typed on the placard: “Cicely’s ring, on temporary loan by Mr. Joseph A. Miller, American 21st century, precious gemstones and platinum, June 18, 2005.” My heart all but stopped. I abruptly threw the map down and started hyperventilating. Needless to say I was stunned and overwhelmed. Crying hysterically, (go figure) I shrieked, “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh.” I immediately grabbed on to Joseph (now he is Joseph) and cried harder. At this point two security guards dressed in suits with white gloves walked towards us and carefully lifted the glass cube protecting this precious symbol of our love. Joey then grabbed the small heart shaped pillow, and placed it on the floor in front of me. He tenderly removed the ring from the display and got down on one knee upon the pillow (sob, sob). At first he gave me a crooked smile and said, “Calm down babe,” with much compassion in his voice. He then grabbed my trembling hands, looked deep in to my eyes, and powered with all the love in his heart said three sentences; “I love you with all of my heart. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you be my wife?” I was still sobbing my eyes out. After a short (very short) pause as the reality sunk in, I excitedly squealed, “YES!” He then got up from his knee and hugged me. There was a small applause by the few that surrounded us. At that moment I became a part of him, for real this time, and forever. I thought I was in love before and there was no way we could have become closer, but at that moment our hearts were joined together as one. And so we began a new journey cherishing one another as only the devoted can do, and completely immersed in our love.

The Kiss Statue by Auguste Rodin

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

How to plan the perfect Valentines Day Soiree for Your Girlfriends

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:22:00 +0000

Last week I had another opportunity to be on Sonoran Living shoot with host Stephanie Sandoval. This time she asked us on tips to planning a perfect valentines day party for your girlfriends. If you would like to see the video of the shoot click here.

Queen of Hearts Party in 8 easy Steps

It doesn’t have to be valentines day to throw this party but with the new Alice in Wonderland Movie coming out and V-day right around the corner it seems like a great time to do so.

Here are 8 easy steps to hosting a Queen of Hearts Party

Decide who you will invite :: Is it for adults, children or families? This will help you choose your menu items, drinks and activities of involvement for your guests.
Setting the tone with your invitation:: I am a huge fan of handmade invitations verses the e-invites. It sets the tone for your event and gets your guests excited about the festivities. Remember to include the who, what, when, where and how they can help and then add either an email address and or phone number to RSVP.
Decorating :: Try making a centerpiece with floral foam and rose heads. Just cut into a heart, wrap with ribbon or greenery to hide the foam on the sides and place a rose head in the foam until the entire area is covered. Other ways to decorate are in your small pieces like cups, napkin holders, plates, linens, etc. It’s really all about the details and those details are what combined make a party so beautiful and lively.
Food :: Don’t make things to complicated! Order some platters and stick some of your heart shaped horduerve sticks in them and wola you have your food and it’s apart of the décor. It ultimately depends on the time of the day but try for an after dinner party to keep your food costs low and people snacking. Other options might be cupcakes and heart shaped cookies.
Drinks :: Whether it’s red punch with heart shaped ice in festive glasses or martini’s garnished with a heart shaped strawberry make it yummy and with non-alcoholic options. It’s all about presentation
The Entrance : As guests walk in greet them with their very own tiara or crown. You could even go a step further and ask them to decorate and bring their own.
Music : As your guests to also bring a cd or ipod mix of songs that all have the word love or queen in it. Ask them to be creative and original. If you wanted to take it a step further to make sure there were no duplicates you could give them decades to pick songs from!
Sending them off with goodies :: Make them feel like you are adorning them with presents but in this case a swag valentines card bag. Give each guest a small pack of nostalgic valentines day cards, then line them up with their name on them and ask the guests to write little notes on their cards and drop them in their bags. Guests bags will be sealed and handed back to them as they leave. How fun it will be to rummage through all those sweet cards.

If interested in learning more about our company visit our website or email Cicely Rocha.Miller cicely@lifedesignevents.com or call 480.219.8067.

Partners that contributed to this segment ::

BBJ Linen

480-503-4449

Cindy Avery :: caver@bbjlinen.com

Fiori Floral Design

480-946-8294

Gina Niemiec :: ginaniemiec@gmail.com

La Dolce Pesca

602.432.0444

P.J. South :: pj@ladolcepesca.com

Life Design Event Planning {Great Job Ladies}

480.219.8067

Sarah Hubbell, Junior Consultant :: sarah@lifedesignevents.com

Sara Garcia, Event Assistant, Sales and Networking Guru :: sara@lifedesignevents.com

The Invitation Lady

480-664-1500

Rikki Hernanskey :: 411@theinvitationlady.com

Many thanks to both Sara(h)'s on our team. Sara Garcia and Sarah Hubbell. Both of the Life Ladies came up with the majority of these ideas. We have such a creative team. Aren't you inspired? What are you doing for the red hot holiday?

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: O stands for Online Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:22:00 +0000

Looking for some outstanding free information? Check out wedding blogs! There are thousands to choose from with short articles with tons of pictures. Local vendors including Photographers, Invitation designers, Officiants, Florists and even venues have jumped on the blog bandwagon. If you are new to blogging it’s basically an online diary where anyone can consistently add short (or sometimes long) entries and upload pictures. I have a blog for my company and I write about everything from planning for your wedding to decorating tips and everything in between.

Photo Credit: Marcin Balcerzak

Many blogs have categories and tags that categorize their posts. Just click on the tag category that interested you most and…bam…you have a ton of free information from a professional wedding vendor. You can visit us at our blog by going to www.lifedesignevents.com and clicking the ‘Show & Tell’ button. It’s full of tips of the trade and free information on planning your special day. {but you know that already because you are here!}

For more posts on our series The ABC's of Wedding Planning click any of the letters below.

A :: Ask

B :: Bridal Bartering

G :: Go Out with a Bang

L :: Little Things Do Count

M :: Minutes Alone

N :: Next Day Shoot

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

The Orpheum Penthouse :: A New Downtown Phoenix Venue :: Grand Opening :: Social Evening

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:45:00 +0000

We had two amazing grand opening events last week at a new downtown Phoenix venue; the Orpheum Penthouse. Here are several pictures by James J. Barnett Photography. Thanks Jamie!

Rentals and linens by Creative Event Rentals

Floral by Fiori Floral Design and all printed paper products by The Invitation Lady. Here we listed facts about the 1930's building at each table for conversation. It was a big hit.

Rentals by Creative Event Rentals and bartender services by M Catering by Michaels.

Amazing food from one of our two exclusive caterers; M Catering by Michaels

Anyone that knows me knows I am a fan of festive drinks, and we had hand-passed cocktails--one of which was called "Between the Sheets," the other was a mocktail for the DDs! Love the sugared rim. Made me feel like I was a part of the festivities...right Matt?!

These crab shooters were awesome!

People were in line for these babies...delicious cannoli!

Guests feasting and networking...not to mention running to see the view on the south deck.

Spinning was the talented DJ Senbad.

People loved the wedding set-up done by Fiori Floral Design. Modern minimalistic.

You could be walking down this aisle. Isn't it stunning?

Want to thank the following partners for sponsoring this amazing evening:

Creative Event Rentals

DJ Senbad

Fiori Floral Design

James J. Barnett Photography

Life Design Event Planning

M Catering by Michaels

My Wedding Film

Rhonda Lewis Photography

The Invitation Lady

United Parking Systems

Scott Jochim

If you are interested in a tour of the newest, hottest venue in town email us at penthouse@lifedesignevents.com. We welcome everyone and are MRSter approved.

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

The Orpheum Penthouse :: A New Downtown Phoenix Venue :: Grand Opening :: Corporate Night

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:49:00 +0000

Earlier last week I invited you all to an amazing new venue in downtown Phoenix called The Orpheum Penthouse. Wednesday was our first night and we catered (no pun intended) to the corporate clients, including CVB's, Chambers, DMC's etc. Here are some pictures from James J. Barnett Photography. It was a jam packed evening and the night couldn't have been more beautiful. Thank you to all who came out and supported this new venue.

Floral provided by Fiori Floral Design

Me and my mocktails...I loved this idea from Santa Barbara Catering...A Fizzy Soda Fountain. Does this concoction look amazing?

These grapefruit martinis were a huge hit.

Colorful, Fresh and so so yummy.

Sara G., Sales Associate and Networking Guru assembling some of the paper products from The Invitation Lady. Thanks Rikki!

Inside the penthouse our guests are starting to arrive!

One thing I LOVE about this cater is the outstanding presentation...check out these Ahi Tuna cones! On Nails! (below)

Loved this arrangement Gina made for us. The feathers were so what we needed!

We had an awesome sound mix...DJ coupled with a Sax player. It was rad!

The outside south patio fireplace which is the second of two. Could you imagine sitting by the fire 11 floors up downtown? I can.

Look for tomorrow's post on the Social night. That too was outstanding.

Thanks again to all the vendors that made this night possible.

Creative Event Rentals

DJ Senbad

Fiori Floral Design

James J. Barnett Photography

Life Design Event Planning

My Wedding Film

Rhonda Lewis Photography

Santa Barbara Catering

The Invitation Lady

United Parking Systems

Scott Jochim

If interested in learning more about the venue please email us at penthouse@lifedesignevents.com EVERYONE welcome and it is MRSter approved.

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

The Beatles Said It Best :: "All You Need Love"

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:13:00 +0000

The Orpheum Penthouse :: A New Downtown Phoenix Venue

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:02:00 +0000

You are invited to check out the newest cool space in Downtown Phoenix. Check it out!

Hope you can make it!

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

Happy New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:04:00 +0000

Thank you for this amazing year. 2009 was wonderful filled with love...lots of love.

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely and all of the Life Ladies

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: N for Next Day Photo Shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:23:00 +0000

In the hustle and bustle of the day many time photo opportunities are lost so think of a backup plan. Why not do a next day photo shoot with you and spouse. Trash the Dress is still a big trend now where the couple redressing into their wedding gear and rolling in the sand, laying on a desert floor or their backdrop is a steel industrial yard. It’s more of a chance for you to become high fashion, chic and model-esk. It’s fun. It’s art and you won’t mind as much if your dress get’s dirty. Trust me, if you have a good photographer the pictures come out awesome!

Check out these fab shots from our very own Sergio of Sergio Photographer. That could be you!

Thanks Sergio for the images! Send us your next day photo shoot pictures as we would love to share them with our readers.

For more posts on our series The ABC's of Wedding Planning click any of the letters below.

A :: Ask

B :: Bridal Bartering

G :: Go Out with a Bang

L :: Little Things Do Count

M :: Minutes Alone

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

Thinking 'outside' the turkey on Thanksgiving Day

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:31:00 +0000

Thanksgiving is a time when family and friends gather to feast upon some delicious and ever satisfying chow. Mothers, wives, sisters, daughters and even a few good men intensely plan a meal that is not to be topped until the following year's Thanksgiving. It's a plan that included perfectly roasted Turkey with all the trimmings but what’s a holiday spread without the décor and party atmosphere to match?
Here are a few tips on pulling a few extra goodies in for your turkey holiday fun.

A Beverage to be thankful for :: As your guests arrive why not greet them with a holiday beverage like a Pumpkin Martini? It’s a great way to start off a fantastic meal.

1/2 oz Sylk Cream Liqueur
2 oz vanilla vodka
1/2 oz pumpkin liqueur or pumpkin spice syrup
1 tsp whipped cream
A dash of cinnamon (or a stick) for garnish

You dress your turkey now dress your home :: You have to decorate to bring in some of that Thanksgiving spirit into your home. Think rustic placemats, gold chargers, and your best china. Bring out your best to impress your guests.

Bargain tip: The perfect time to buy any of the items mentioned above is after the holidays are over. If you can beat the rush try and raid those clearance racks you’ll be able to stock up for next year. It’s much better than paying full retail and giving in to those pesky stores taking advantage of the holiday need for the perfect décor.

Interactive Placecards :: For placecards try an activity as guests are seated. How about a game of Turkey Day Bingo? This will give your guests the chance to listen to conversation and have a little fun with it.

Make bingo cards at home and include words associated with your holiday. Such things as “Turkey”, “Gravy”, “Thankfulness” and of course “Dishwasher”!
Whatever words you choose, place them on the cards and print them on your home computer.
Remember to mix and match the cards so they are all different. That way you don’t have duplicate winners.
Then, as guests start marking off their answers and a winner yells, “Turkey Bingo”, their prize is…drum roll please…not having to do the dishes!

Giving Thanks :: Ask your guests what they are thankful for at the end of your amazing feast. In many homes this may already be the tradition but I suggest taking it one step further by displaying those words of thankfulness on a gratitude tree.

All you have to do is use your home computer to make tags that state, “I am thankful for… “, print them and punch a hole in each one.
Then tie a loose decorative ribbon through the hole and pass it around the table with a pen. Ask each guest to write their thankful thoughts down, then take those tags and hang them on the branches of a mini fall faux tree or whatever you have handy in your home.
Miller suggests keeping the tags up for awhile to keep reminding yourselves what you are thankful and blessed to have.

With all that Life has to offer...Happy Thanksgiving,

Cicely

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: M for Minutes Alone

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:30:00 +0000

After the ceremony think about asking your coordinator, minister, catering director and/or photographer for a few minutes alone. This will give you and your new life partner a time to rejoice in what just happened…you two are now married! They can tell you how beautiful you look or how wonderful your vows were. Having a few minutes after the ceremony will give you a chance to take a deep breath and celebrate alone and together…even if it’s just a few minutes it’s a time that will be so appreciated. The rest of the evening can be about the guests and visiting with them.

Picture by David de Dios

So, put your foot down and ask for 5 minutes alone with your spouse. You two deserve it.

For more posts on our series The ABC's of Wedding Planning click below.

A :: Ask

B :: Bridal Bartering

G :: Go Out with a Bang

L :: Little Things Do Count

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: L for Little Things Do Count

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:22:00 +0000

“They are going to throw the invitations away anyways”.
“Will people even notice the chairs”?
“I don’t want to spend a lot of money of flowers because the resort is just going to throw them away.”
“Lighting? I have enough décor. People won’t know the difference”.

These are all statements I hear when I talk to clients about designing their big day. You are right people probably won’t notice the lighting, upgraded linens, the extra flowers or they just might toss your invitation when the wedding is over but what the will remember is the overall feeling and awesomeness they felt as the walked into your reception space. That overall feeling of all the details together is what is so impactful and what your guests will be in awe by. So next time, think about the little things and together they can make a dramatic statement that your guests won’t ever forget. All pictures courtesy of Rhonda Lewis Photography.

Floating candles and apples in a nearby fountain

Placecards with apples used as a weight to hold them down

Simple sign on the back of the grooms chair.

A huge heart with tons of candles and roses was a huge hit at this wedding.

Lighting is so important and is one detail that gets left out often.

All of those details together created an amazing ambiance for the

bride, groom and all of their guests.

For more posts on our series The ABC's of Wedding Planning click below.

A :: Ask

B :: Bridal Bartering

G :: Go Out with a Bang

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

Easy to do Place Card idea for Thanksgiving and why are they so important to have.

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:30:00 +0000

In these economic times buying expensive (place your fav home entertaining store name here) place card holders are something I would suggest not purchasing this year. Please don't roll out the ones from last year either...we have seen it and chances are you'll have the same guests attending. One option that is cheap and easy to get creative with is food! Take a potato, a small pumpkin, a small bell pepper, an onion, an orange, a pear, a squash or just use whatever you aren't cooking on thanksgiving just as long as it matches your overall design and color scheme and use it as a base for your guests assigned seat. Here's how in 3 easy steps::

1. Take a heavy card stock in your choice of color (i love a dark brown card stock with a gold gel pen) paper and hand write (in your best cursive or print of course) or have their names printed from your computer.

2. Cut the guests names out in small rectangular pieces with your guests name and at the corner of each name stick a straight pin through it and into the piece of prop food.

3. Place in front of your charger, place mat or next to their glass so that it's easy to read and simple for your guests to find.

It's important to have assigned seating at your thanksgiving feast so conversation can flow, guests can be confidant and couples don't get split up. When their is chemistry in conversation around a dinner table any dining experience can be a big hit.

There you have your cheap place card. A good flow for your guests at the dinner table and a lovely piece of inexpensive decor. If you would like to see a picture of an examples please email me and I would be happy to share. Think you need assistance with your thanksgiving table design? First person to email me with the code words "thank this" will receive a free consultation via phone or Skype and design board for their thanksgiving tablescape. Email me at cicely@lifedesignevents.com.

Also visit www.LifeDesignEvents.com and our modern union resource www.MRSter.com

With all the Life has to offer,

Cicely

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: K stands for Kiss

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:39:00 +0000

Frederique Cohen Photography

At rehearsals I am always telling my clients to “hold that kiss.” Not only do I want them to revel in the moment because they are “sealing the deal” but because it’s a photo moment! So many couples do a small quick peck and the photographers can easily miss it. At your rehearsal practice a nice prolonged smooch and don’t be so antsy to rush it. The kiss is such a precious moment at your ceremony let’s make sure you can savor it with a picture.

New to the series? Catch up on the other letters below!

A :: Ask

B :: Bridal Bartering

G :: Go Out with a Bang

H :: House Weddings

I :: Ice, Ice Baby

J :: Journal

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: J stand for Journal

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:33:00 +0000

Image courtesy of Infed

The wedding day will be photographed and sometimes video-taped but what about documenting the experience of planning your wedding itself? I suggest to all my clients (and I include it in their packages) a wedding journal. This not only acts as the bible for massive note taking, invitation list making, and an exploration of ideas to ponder but it also can be a wonderful scrapbook of memories during the process of planning your wedding day. Can you imagine looking back and seeing the fun ideas you thought about including? Maybe look at what final details made it to the wedding and how they were interpreted. The wedding day should be such a wonderful experience but so should planning it. So grab a notebook, carry it around with you and start the journey.

Here is another post about wedding journaling and don't forget to check out our past posts on the ABC's of Wedding Planning.

A :: Ask

B :: Bridal Bartering

G :: Go Out with a Bang

H :: House Weddings

I :: Ice, Ice Baby

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

Twirl Times Two :: A Opening Grand Party!

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:41:00 +0000

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.

The grand opening party called, “Twirl Times Two”, will be at their new Chandler location in the Watermark Shopping center on Gilbert Road South of Germann}. The event date is on October 14^th starting at 5:00pm and ending at 8:00pm. Those planning their wedding, a part of a bridal party, or anyone in the general public are invited. There will be tasty appetizers, delicious drinks, models and raffle prizes to be given away that night.

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.

Twirl’s original store is located in Scottsdale in the Hilton Village and to learn more about their stores please log on to www.twirlboutique.com.

To attend the festivities you must RSVP at cicely@lifedesignevents.com or visit the invitation itself here.

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

Unity Sand Ceremony Styles

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:17:00 +0000

It seems like incorporating a Unity Sand Ceremony into your wedding ceremony is becoming more and more popular! Sealing a marriage with a Unity Sand Ceremony is a peaceful but strong symbol of the unity between you and your fiancé and the unity between your families. There are many advantages to this ceremony- you’ll have a timeless piece to keep, plus you can symbolize unity without worrying about weather situations and keeping a unity candle lit.

What you’ll need:
· Three vases: more if you choose to include the priest or children. The center vase should be larger as this is where all the participants pour their sand.
· Sand: many select a different color for each participant.

How the Unity Sand Ceremony works:
Step 1 - The groom begins pouring a portion of his sand into the center vase.
Step 2 – The bride will then pour a portion of her sand into the center vase, creating a layered effect.
Step 3 – The bride and groom will simultaneously pour the sand into the center vase.

Variations:
Some couples choose to repeat Steps 2 and 3 to create multiple sand layers.
Some choose to include the priest in the sand ceremony to symbolize their union with their faith. The priest follows Step 2 above.
If you have children you can incorporate a vase for each child to pour sand into the center vase. The children follow Step 2 above.

The End Result:
A gorgeous vase filled with sand symbolizing your marriage and the unity of your love.

Check out the Wedding Outlet for ideas and different options for your Unity Sand Ceremony! Make yours unique by even getting your initials engraved on your vase!!!

With all that Life has to offer,

Kristine

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: I stands for Ice, Ice Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:03:00 +0000

Ice Sculptures are coming back but don’t think swans and cupids think chilled martini and champagne stations, ice-cream bars made out of real ice, and a make your own Bloody Mary station?! Ice luges for your guests to interactively make their first drinks? How flippin' cool is that!

Ice sculptures are unlimited to what they can sculpt for your special event but this time around they are making them practical and interactive for your guests. It’s a chance to have an experience not just a pretty thing to look at.

Check out these awesome images from Don Chappelle's ice sculpting website.

{ice cream or sorbet servicing container}

{fresh seafood ice bar}

{caviar & vodka ice bar}

{iced oyster shooters}

{milk and cookies on ice! nice....}

Want to read more on the ABC's of Wedding Planning? Click below.

More to come....

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

Pictures courtesy of Don Chapelle

Life Loves Links :: Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:25:00 +0000

Just a few more special links I would like to share with you.

To see more of our special referral of links click here :: Part 1

Click & Enjoy:

Affairs with Ellegance

April Foster Events

Artistic Surroundings

Beautiful Day Films

Blue Orchid Designs

Bridal Shower Favours and Party Favor Ideas

Dream Weddings...on a budget

Elizabeth Anne Designs

Finally Fifty

Gay Rites

Glitz & Glamour Events

Inspirador

It's a Jaime Thing

Kelly Ashworth | Design

Largo Photography

Lemiga Events

Matthew David

Melissa Jill Photography

Merge Weddings

My Wedding Film

Storyboard Life Wedding Photography

The Invitation Lady

The Wedding Decorator

Wedding and Event Network

Wedding Dresses & Bridal Gowns

White Lace Wedding

White Poppy Floral

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

Arizona Weddings and Arizona Wedding & Brides Planning on WedDepot.com! Find local Arizona Consulting & Planning, Arizona Event Planners professionals and build a free Wedding website

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: H stands for House Weddings

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:44:00 +0000

There is a big misconception that having a wedding in a private home or a backyard can save you thousands of dollars and would be easier to manage but it’s quite the opposite. There are many things to not only think about when planning outside a professional venue or reception space but there are also costs that are associated with it that you will have to endure because you are not in a standard facility.

A few ideas are, renting all tables, chairs, linens, etc., needing a “pretty” port-a-potty (imagine 150 guests all using your 1 house bathroom in 2-3 hours), renting a generator for extra power, off site fees for caterers, event insurance, the labor of setting up and cleaning the home or backyard and not to mention any noise restrictions you might have.

Think again if you think it will save you money and I can't stress enough about the importance on hiring a wedding planner. With the right assistance a home wedding can be done and done beautifully. You need the right team with the vision, design, experience and that can give seamless execution.

Want to read more on the ABC's of Wedding Planning? Click below.

More to come....

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

Pictures courtesy Scott Foust Photography

Icebergs, Glaciers and Wedding Planning

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:08:00 +0000

{Alaska in the Summer}

{Rushing waters in Saskatewan, Alaska}

My husband and I recently went on a seven-day cruise to Alaska. {Thanks to our travel guru Julie Law!) Honestly, I thought I would be a bit bored--after all, it's not the beaches of Miami or the jungles of Costa Rica, right? Right! But, the state is gorgeous, I mean totally breathtaking. We had a balcony room on the ship, so as we passed by all of what Mother Nature had to show us we were floored by the beauty of the state and the coastline.

{Our cruise ship off the shores of Juneau, Alaska}

{This was the view from our room's balcony}

One particular adventure that I will never forget is when we enlisted a guided helicopter tour of the scenery amidst grey skies. With the weather not completely on our side we hit some mad turbulence {I saw my life flash before my eyes} but our kick butt pilot flew that baby right through it all. Destination :: some of the most beautiful glaciers in the world. We traveled deep into the mountains of Juneau and landed on one of the four we explored; the Tuku Glacier. It was quite a ride, but oh so worth it when we finally arrived.

{Our pilot and my view from the copter}

It was insane how blue the ice was. Our pilot indicated that on days like ours, overcast and a bit gloomy, was the best time to see the glaciers. The skies pulled almost every color blue imaginable. If we were visiting on a bright, clear and sunny day things would have been very white and not as "Superman home-landish." Guess we got lucky.

{Pretty awesome, huh?}

{We finally landed}

{Our pilot said this was the "Jesus pose" because we were walking on water}

{Our view of the glacier when we landed}

{Joey mesmerized by the thousands of feet of ice.

We were told it was over 300,000 years old.}

Our trip overall was outstanding, but as we flew back towards our ship I started to think about my business, my clients, the passion we vendors have and how we implement it into your event.

Have you seen this picture?

I think first noticed it on one of those inspiration posters, and the image stuck in my head. It was so profound and was a perfect analogy of what true event and wedding professionals do and how we work. Our job is to give clients the most perfect event and/or a seamless wedding day and so much preparation goes into it before that can occur. Many times potential clients, new clients and current clients don't understand or comprehend what goes into the back end of planning for their event. This analogy isn't just for event and wedding planners either. The same goes for wedding DJs, officiants, photographers (think of all that editing time...you have no idea how long that takes), florists, venues, caterers, etc. We all have tons of back work to do that the client will never see nor should they--hence the top portion of the iceberg is what clients see and the bottom underwater portion is the rest of what we do.

When you take a bite out of your next sub sandwich think about everything that went into planning so it is that perfect meal for you. I know it's a cheesy (no pun intended...okay maybe a little) way to think about it but it's true. Just the veggies alone :: The people that grew them, harvested them, picked them, cleaned them, shipped them, bought them, packaged them, cut them, displayed them, then delivered them to your mouth. All so you can enjoy a nice lunch.

My point is that there is so much work that is done that clients will never realize, but all of that work is vital to the success of the event. Many times it's not a tangible process but it is ever so important. Understand that a professional event vendor will be doing all of that hard work so that it looks as if they could do it in their sleep. It's seamless. Don't you want that for your big day?

So...

Research professional wedding and event vendors

Hire them

Trust them

Don't second guess them

Believe in their work

You won't be disappointed.

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: G stands for Go Out with a Bang!

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:05:00 +0000

Many couples are dying to make the most of our there day as they should but remember that you are investing thousands into an experience for your guests. This is a party to honor the marriage but ultimately it's the guests that benefit from going to the wedding. One mistake I see so often is the couple drawing out the reception to long. I know it's the best day of your life but think about when you went to a wedding and had three hours of dance time after the cake cutting. You want your guests to leave with a thought of "WOW, that was the most amazing and fun wedding I have ever been too" NOT, "Gosh, when is this thing going to be over."

picture courtesy of 1WeddingSource

My advice, go out with the bang and choose to limit your wedding day experience to no longer than 6 hours total including ceremony, cocktail hour, reception then dancing. End with a fast song that your guests will walk away out of breath because the dance floor was packed. We want them to leave rejuvenated not bored.

Want to read more?

More to come....

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely

Origins of a Wedding Party

noreply@blogger.com (Life Design Event Planning) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 01:23:00 +0000

The Wedding Party

The original duty of a "Best Man" was to serve as armed backup for the groom in case he had to resort to kidnapping his intended bride away from disapproving parents. The "best" part of that title refers to his skill with a sword, should the need arise. (You wouldn't want to take the "just okay" member of your weapon-wielding posse with you to steal yourself a wife, would you?)

The best man stands guard next to the groom right up through the exchange of vows (and later, outside the newlyweds' bedroom door), just in case anyone should attack or if a non-acquiescent bride should try to make a run for it.

It's said that feisty groups like the Huns, Goths and Visigoths took so many brides by force that they kept a cache of weapons stored beneath the floorboards of churches for convenience. Modern-day best men are more likely to store an emergency six-pack at the ceremony for convenience, but the title remains an apt one...

Historically, the bride's dress was actually selected with the purpose of tricking the eye of evil spirits and jealous ex-lovers! The Bride's Bridesmaids and faithful attendants were instructed to wear a dress similar to that of the bride so that during their group stroll to the church it would be hard for any ill-willed spirits or former boy-toys to spot the bride and curse/kidnap/throw rocks at her. (Same for the men in matching suits, saving the groom from a similar fate.)

With all that Life has to offer,

Kristine

Wedding and Event Planning Blog

Visit the Orpheum Penthouse's Open House

Bridal Shower Games

Are you Engaged? :: Tell us your proposal story!

How to plan the perfect Valentines Day Soiree for Your Girlfriends

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: O stands for Online Resources

The Orpheum Penthouse :: A New Downtown Phoenix Venue :: Grand Opening :: Social Evening

The Orpheum Penthouse :: A New Downtown Phoenix Venue :: Grand Opening :: Corporate Night

The Beatles Said It Best :: "All You Need Love"

The Orpheum Penthouse :: A New Downtown Phoenix Venue

Happy New Year

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: N for Next Day Photo Shoot

Thinking 'outside' the turkey on Thanksgiving Day

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: M for Minutes Alone

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: L for Little Things Do Count

Easy to do Place Card idea for Thanksgiving and why are they so important to have.

Also visit www.LifeDesignEvents.com and our modern union resource www.MRSter.comWith all the Life has to offer,Cicely

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: K stands for Kiss

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: J stand for Journal

Twirl Times Two :: A Opening Grand Party!

Unity Sand Ceremony Styles

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: I stands for Ice, Ice Baby

Life Loves Links :: Part 2

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: H stands for House Weddings

Icebergs, Glaciers and Wedding Planning

The ABC's of Wedding Planning :: G stands for Go Out with a Bang!

Origins of a Wedding Party

Also visit www.LifeDesignEvents.com and our modern union resource www.MRSter.com

With all the Life has to offer,

Cicely