A Wedding Planner's Diary

Amy & Chad - Laguna Gloria

2009-10-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

This wedding was at the always amazing Laguna Gloria. The month of May graced us with lots and lots of rain. While we needed it, I wish it saved the downpour on say, a Monday. After envisioning her wedding for over a year, and realizing that the rain was not going to behave, Amy finally just said "I just want to marry Chad". LOVED that! So that's just what happened. The rest of the evening was filled with lots of love and laughs and the weather couldn't bring us down.

Below are some amazing photos from A Bryan Photo. I got to meet more of the crew at Engage in Grand Cayman.

Wedding at Saint Mary Cathedral and Four Seasons Austin

2009-07-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

Laura & Mark
May 2, 2009

Saint Mary Cathedral & Four Seasons Austin
Petal Pushers
Sherry Hammonds Photography
First In Last Out Lighting

Petal Toss Exit - Nothing is more classic that a rose petal toss at the end of the night for the couple's exit. We "double dipped" with this idea. It acts as a pretty sign in table decor as well as a great spot for guests to come grab some petals for the bride and groom's exit.

I loved that we used lots of candlelight for the reception. It looked amazing! It also helped that we used pin-spot lighting on the tables to really showcase them. I always encourage lighting for every event. We also mixed up table sizes and used 36" rounds to 60" rounds to break up the room and give it some variety. Love this idea!

Spring Wedding in Austin

2009-07-10T16:30:00.001-07:00

bride and groom shoe picture wedding planner in austin, originally uploaded by luciesevents.

Spring Wedding in Austin - Take Two

2009-07-10T15:47:00.000-07:00

Lindsay & Ross

I met Lindsay from one of her bridesmaids, Lindsey. You may remember her from March wedding we did last year for her in the Hill Country. Its always a huge compliment when you get a referral from someone in the wedding party. We went for a natural mossy and white fluffy flower mix for the entire wedding.

{ Fabulous Vendors }
The Nichols Photography
Twin Creeks Country Club
KK Bloom
Petal Pushers
FC Media

An Airstream Wedding - Three Points Ranch

2009-07-01T22:05:00.000-07:00

Matt & Jamie's Wedding :: Round Mountain, TX

This is one of my most favorite weddings. I loved all the details that we came up with from custom labels to the catering team wearing unique Anthropologie aprons. Karen, Jamie's mom has amazing taste and provided all the centerpiece vessels for a mismatched chic look.

Sally at Three Points wonderful to work with!

It was one of the rainiest days this past spring - everything was soaked! Karen drove the girls down to the ceremony site ... more like SLID the whole way there! (I got Three Points Ranch's golf cart stuck in the mud - oops!!) She shifted into 4-wheel drive, but not until they did a few donuts! She said it was the "funnest" ride ever and didn't care about the rain anymore. Gotta love a great attitude!

Stacey and the Petal Pushers never cease to amaze me with their incredible talent. This bouquet is by far, one of the coolest-chic-funkiest I've seen.

Diggin' the different style boots to go with all the girls' unique personalities.

Yup - that's a kale (cabbage) in that aisle piece. Too cute!Because the distance from reception to ceremony site were far apart, we enlisted '57 chevies to courier the guests to and from the sites. Complete with comfy hay bales in the back!

As a suprise for Jamie & family, I rented vintage umbrellas in preparation for a rainy day. I think it completed the vision we were after as well as adding a little fun to an otherwise unfortunate weather situation.
{ Fabulous Vendors }
Steven Myers Photography - Monroe, LA
Petal Pushers
2Dine4

Mary Amanda & Ross - Invites

2009-04-21T18:44:00.000-07:00

I wanted to show off Mary Amanda's really cool invitations from KK Bloom!

That's all for today. :)

Mary Amanda and Ross - February 21, 2009

2009-04-21T06:31:00.000-07:00

B arr Mansion - Austin, Texas

The moment I met Mary Amanda, I knew we'd have a great time planning together. She is one seriously cool chick. Her husband Ross is equally as cool, and is almost as pretty as she is. ;)

Planning an outdoor wedding in February is tricky. One minute it will be in the high 70's and you blink and its in the 40's. Fortunately, the slightly chilly weather was refreshing for all the guests who danced their hearts out to Ross's uncle's band "The Instigators". (was that even grammatically correct? "Ross's uncle's", oh well!)

Check out some great shots from the lovely SarahQ Photography.
Floral design from the oh-s0-fabulous Petal Pushers.

Cigar bar signs and programs from KK Bloom.
Hair and makeup by LucieMarie.

I love this one! Mary Amanda put on goggles to prepare for the cake smashing!

Now hiring!

2009-03-23T09:24:00.000-07:00

Lucie's Events is seeking great talent for Spring of 2009 and beyond. All positions start as unpaid internship but based on skill, talent and dedication and could change to a paid position quickly.

Please send resumes to plan (at) luciesevents (dot) com and reference "Internship" in subject line.

I Made Pretty

2009-03-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

So, when you're asked to make something pretty with an Anthropologie feel for some of the coolest, most talented and super nice photographers in Austin - ya don't say no.

Congrats on the beautiful studio, my beautiful Urban Wedding Divas!

Shannon Cunningham Photography
Now and Then Photography
Sherry Hammonds Photography

and to my buddy, Becky Brock of Something to Celebrate. (Yes, its another wedding planner, but we're cool.) She put the whole thing together and invited Petal Pushers to do the floral - that's how I come in...as a Petal Pusher...on my Lucie's Events blog... whatevs - I'll blog about this on Petal Pushers too. ;)

The Wonderful World of Social Networking

2009-03-19T11:38:00.000-07:00

Hello fans, friends, clients and Walmart shoppers! We have an amazing winter season and spring is going to be even more fabulous. I PROMISE I will update all the blogs in the near future, before 2010. ;)

In the meantime, follow us on Twitter or become a Facebook fan! We'd love to know what you're up to!

Classes Starting Up!

2009-02-04T06:35:00.000-08:00

I wanted to let some of you out there about the Spring session of the Wedding Planning Certification course that's starting up. I get a lot of resumes each week, and would love to hire all of you, but its hard to get your foot in the door. I prefer to hire within - my interns. Its a tough job and I have to be sure you're up for it. This is a great way to get some experience and education toward your wedding planning certification. Here are the details:

Wedding Planner Certification

Dates: March 3 - April 23, 2009 (no classes week of 3/17)

Day/Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays - 6:30-9:30pm

Location: LBJ Student Center, Texas State Campus

Course Fee: $855.00 (Includes workbooks, CD's, testing and national certification. The class may elect to
participate in a special project, in which case, additional materials (minimal cost) may be
required.

Become a certified wedding planner! This 40--hour course covers planning, coordinating and directing weddings, as well as a study of business structure, industry business practices, documentation information, contracts, marketing, and how to work with prospective brides and grooms.

The Wedding Planner Certification is perfect for the individual looking to get started in the business right away. In partnership with The Wedding Planning Institute, a division of Lovegevity, Inc., the Office of Continuing Education is offering this coures that also covers everything from etiquette and flowers to music and day of services. This program will provide participants with all of the tools necessary to successfully grow a professional wedding planning business. Students will also have the opportunity to participate at real local weddings for additional hand-on experience.

For more information about the course, including a course outline, information about the online instructors, frequently asked questions and testimonials, click here.

To view the Certified Wedding Planner (CWP) Career Track, click here.

To register for this program download an application or register online.

December 27, 2008: Jen & Steve - Vintage Villas

2009-02-03T09:15:00.000-08:00

Jen & Steve - Vintage Villas, Austin Texas

I loved working Jen and her mom Darlene. They wanted to incorporate ornaments into the decor since the date was so close to Christmas. Jen and Steve will have PLENTY of Christmas ornaments to display for years to come. We used a variety of deep purples and raspberries to fuchsias to create a really fun "pop".

Awesome vendors:
Vintage Villas
Petal Pushers
Hooked on Photography
Simon Lee Bakery

Jen made a really beautiful bride. I loved how natural her hair looked and I am SUPER in love with her dress.

Flower Girl Wagon - for those little ones that are too small to walk down the aisle. Stacey decorated this with greenery and dahlias - see proof below. :)

Chair accent decor - dahlias and birch branches with vibrant satin ribbon.

We added some ornaments to the gazebo at Vintage Villas to tie in the "Christmas Spirit" at the ceremony site.

Yummy yummy cake from the one and only Simon Lee Bakery. What's that? You see a peony - in December? Yup - you can get peonies at this time of year - they're greenhouse grown and pretty expensive but we could not resist!

Mixture of flowers and ornaments for that lush feel.

Rare Magazine - February 2009 Issue

2009-02-02T12:59:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much to The Nichols Photography for submitting Lindsey & Grant's wedding. They did such an awesome job and the sunlight was amazing.

Catch our Feature in the new February issue of Rare Magazine!

Videography

2009-02-02T09:23:00.000-08:00

Videography has definitely gotten better over the years. Long are the days that you had to sit through hours of footage that you would maybe watch once. I am really enjoying the new innovations toward videography with the special effects and soundtracks. I feel like I'm watching a music video or a romantic movie trailer. I feel now more than ever the necessity for a videographer at a wedding. I love the tender, crazy, private and hilarious moments you can catch in full motion. One of my favorites is Elite Video Productions. Not only are they talented, but also just super great people to work with. This husband and wife team go unnoticed at a wedding but the result is breathtaking.

I also follow StillMotion out of Canada and had the lovely pleasure of working with Elysium Productions out of California back in October. Check out their videos for some great inspiration and a warm fuzzy feeling. :)

Kimberley + Trevor's SDE from StillMotion on Vimeo.

Open House at Vista West Ranch!

2009-01-12T10:53:00.000-08:00

Hello! We'll be participating in Vista West Ranch's Re-Opening House! The Pearson family is doing really well and they're ready to get back to doing what they do best - entertaining!

Please join us this Wednesday, January 14th from 5pm - 8pm. There will be tons of show specials to take advantage of!

Check out more details here.

:) See you there!

Too Funny!

2008-12-10T09:23:00.000-08:00

Wedding Designer

This is so funny! I never really thought that my career would become a video game, but here we are. I saw this on Amazon and decided to a search on this game - out of curiosity and of course procrastination from doing other things!

In my search I found what Sasha Souza had said about it: "Ninetendo's new game for DS is Imagine Wedding Designer. Hahaha. Cause, yeah, sometimes my job is just like a video game only without the cheat codes."

Oh so true!!

Venue Spotlight

2008-12-09T14:48:00.000-08:00

Hello Blogger World!

I've decided I would try out something new to blog about. I want to do some "spotlights" on venues in Central Texas and beyond and possible featuring other vendors as well.

My first spotlight is..... Laguna Gloria in Austin, Texas!

This venue is absolutely beautiful and one-of-a-kind! I love the convenience of being so close to downtown but also far enough away to avoid some of the commotion that can occur in Austin. You can also chose to have your bridal and/or engagement photos taken here as well. I always jump at the chance of doing weddings here. We've done a few dozen at this location and each time its always a different look and feel. Below are some pictures that I found - either from our events or from the lovely search function of Google!

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This is the front part of Laguna Gloria. I usually like to add a sign-in table here to direct guests to go through the gate.

We've done a lot of fun things on this front gate from floral wreaths, hanging flowers and amazing lighting to create that unique and welcoming feel.

{image source}

I call this the "side lawn" or "sculpture garden". I love this part of the grounds because its one of the flatter parts and its a great spot to have dinner and dancing. You can add at tent and a dance floor here - and my personal favorite - hanging lanterns or chandeliers, flowers, candles or all of the above!

{image source}

The Amphitheater. This is probably the most popular spot to hold a ceremony at Laguna Gloria. I love the beautiful water background and the very natural feel of it all. There is even a boat dock nearby that one of my couples did the exit from - sailing away into the sunset!

{image source}

The "Temple of Love"

This setting is also very lovely and a little bit of the trek from the main grounds. It makes a really intimate setting for your vows. If space allows - I highly recommend this setting.

Engagments!

2008-12-04T07:31:00.000-08:00

Engagement photos!!!

I definitely encourage couples to take engagement photos. Couple of reasons - 1. Get to know your photographer. This makes it less awkward when they show up on the day of and you have this person(s) in your "personal space". Its definitely beneficial to develop that level of comfort prior to the big day. 2. I think its just nice to have some great photos of you and your honey in your non-weddingy attire.

There are so many great spots to have your pictures taken. Laguna Gloria is a popular. Also, there are some cute funky spots like Road House Relics or the side of the Austin Convention center. I think its truly important to pic a spot that reflects your personality. Your photographer will have some great ideas and maybe some secret spots to share with you.

Mary Amanda and Ross are getting married in February at Barr Mansion in Austin. I honestly can't get enough of these two! The wonderful Sarah Q did their fun photos and my lovely sister did her hair and makeup.

Ashely & Owen - Kali Kate, Buda Texas

2008-11-19T07:27:00.000-08:00

For those of you who have never been to Kali Kate, you really need to go check it out. It has so many little details built into the place, its takes a while to notice them all. Ashley and Owen were married there a few months ago, and I'm still working on getting more weddings posted. (excuses, excuses, I know - but I am trying!!)

They have such a cute love story and have known each other for most their lives. I helped them put together a slide show for their rehearsal dinner and got to see all their adorable pictures growing up. It was so awesome seeing all their friends and family just supporting them completely.

Here are their lovely pictures from their wedding day courtesy of Tyler Schmitt Photography. As usual, they did not disappoint.

The gorgeous flowers were done by the ever so wonderful:

Petal Pushers - we love us some Stacey!

Southern Weddings Magazine

2008-11-03T06:38:00.001-08:00

Woohoo! Its here - sort of. They're still adding on more features but you can definitely check out all the beautiful weddings and inspiration details. We are SO excited to be a part of this and wish them every bit of success! Check it here!

October 11, 2008 - Monroe, Louisiana

2008-10-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

Well kids, I'm back from Monroe, Louisiana and met some really great people. Last year Jessica Claire held a contest for free photography from her including all travel fees for a deserving couple. Jessica is California based photographer that is always on the go and shooting so many locations. I'm often envious of all her travels. She's well known throughout the wedding community and is truly an artist and someone to aspire to be.

The winners: Anna & Chris! They were nominated by Anna's family and that's how this all began. Elysium Productions (also based out of Orange County) and I decided to sweeten the pot and include our services as well. I can't wait to see the finished product from the both of them, but here's a teaser from Jessica's blog. I really enjoyed meeting all the families and Anna & Chris's wedding was so much fun! I know people say that a lot about weddings, but this one was one for the books!

Also, thank you to Crystal Goss out of Arkansas for joining the crew, too!

Tami & Ross - Lakeway Resort & Spa

2008-09-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

Lakeway Resort & Spa

Tami and her mom were so much fun to work with. They are the "O" in organized. I really loved that it makes my job easier to where I can focus on the fun stuff like decor! I really enjoyed assisting in the event design of this wedding. From the unique style of the chair ties to the really cool altar.

Much kudos to my fabulous wedding team:

Pam Hults - a' La Vie Photography
Petal Pushers
Michelle's Patisserie
Reunion Band
Alexia Gavela Bridal

These chair ties are from BBJ Linen. They are the "apple" color. You can use chair ties as table runners as well. We created a unique way to use the ties because bows would simply not work. This was defintely a labor love but it really was worth it. Thanks to Angela on the Lucie's team for doing such a great job!

Can you tell that I absolutely adore Petal Pushers? I loved the simple clean look of the curly willow with white dendrobium orchids. It really filled up the Vistas Ballroom at Lakeway Resort.

Specialty cupcakes from WildWood Art Cafe

Speaking of these chair ties... Apparently its tradition in this family to wear chair ties on your heads at the weddings. I was not privy to this info before hand, so this made a good laugh!

Fresh green cupcake and dessert display from Michelle's Patisserie. Props by Unexpected Elements.

I have a crush on Stacy Cross...

2008-09-26T15:12:00.000-07:00

Meredith & Chris - September 20, 2008: Vintage Villas, Austin

Its been less than a week and Stacy Cross Photography has already sent me a slide show of Meredith & Chris's wedding. WOW! Its even prettier than I remember! She really captured Meredith & Chris's love and spirit. I big huge fat gigantic puffy heart Stacy & Stan Cross! Here are some sneak peaks! I can't wait to see what Elite Video comes up with! Kevin with FC Media had the tunes that kept everyone dancin'...

Also - thanks to Petal Pushers as always for creating jaw dropping gorgeous-ness!

We thought it would be really romantic if we did the first dances under the gazebo. We surprised the couple with a beautiful floral chandelier for that extra added touch.

Pretty pretty cake from Michelle's Patisserie. This was a cake canopy we created for that "wow" factor. This was also followed by Amy's Ice Creams.

These candelabras are always at Smith Family Chapel at Riverbend Church and Petal Pushers incorporated them in their design.

Amy and Dane - March 29, 2008

2008-09-17T16:01:00.000-07:00

Nature's Point - Lago Vista, Texas

What you say? Its the middle of September and I'm just now posting a March wedding? I have no other reason than to tell you its been a wild and crazy wedding season this year and so I've neglected my little bloggie. But, I thought of you from time to time...

On with what you're really here for - Amy and Dane! They are the kind of people that you instantly love and want to be their friends. We had some fun times planning and some close calls of rain on their wedding day but it all worked out. I have a bonus treat for y'all! A snippet of their video from their wedding from the Rewrites! Check out the pictures and videos below.

Photography: The Nichols
Videography: Rewrites
Venue: Nature's Point
Catering: Sterling Affairs
Flowers: Kris Calder Designs

Kerne Bride Prep from Bradley Helgerson on Vimeo

Handsome couple! I think the picture of Dane holding the bouquet is just adorable!

Pretty red shoes, port bar & live cigar rollers and custom reserved signs by Lucie's Events!

Workaholic

2008-09-07T21:10:00.000-07:00

Stole this from Kelli Nicole Photography's blog...