Here are Michiana Weddings we strongly recommend hiring a wedding coordinator to assist you with the wedding. But not all wedding coordinators are created equal. So taking an example I found on the internet today, let's learn some things about a wedding day.

A wedding coordinator, wedding planner or wedding producer do many things. During the time leading up to the wedding they maintain your budgets, recommend vendors that fit your personality, offer advice, impart their knowledge and experience, advise and so much more. During the day they are there to ride herd on your vendors (and be the heavy if needed so the bride is can enjoy herself), assure that you are where you need to be on time and handle the little problems that may crop up during the day and implement back up plans if need be. They are there to make sure that your wedding day experience is as stress free and magical as you imagined it to be. But not all planners are equal and hopefully with the example we have found our readers can learn and be better prepared to find a wedding coordinator that will meet all their needs.

As anyone who has had experience with Notre Dame, you know that Notre Dame has it’s rules period. Live with them or leave is usually your only choice. That is no more true than for a Saturday Wedding in the Notre Dame Basilica. You must abide by the rules at the Basilica and so must your vendors, with four weddings a Saturday going through there, there are no excuses!

A Wedding Coordinators, if knowledgeable and trained can see and anticipate potential problems that may crop up and not only head them off but save you stress and raw emotion. They also know the vendors they have worked with before and can recommend ones that will be team players and more concerned with you the customer than their own egos. Especially in a destination situation that is Notre Dame, listening to your wedding coordinator about who they recommend as vendors is very important. You need someone who works within the restrictions and as will be shown below vendors outside of the area may not ” get it” .

Our example: This morning I was doing my regular twitter wedding surfing when I found a link to this blog post . Honestly I am in shock! Shocked! I read this blog entry as a complete failure on this coordinator’s part to do her job properly and to have the proper planning in place!

Let’s look at a couple of the major points: poo-pooed the timeline and kept insisting to the bride that she didn’t need any timeline; she was the bride and they could not start the ceremony without her.

Here is where a local vendor that the coordinator knew and was aware of the situation that is the Basilica would have been a good send. But since the customer was set on their favorite out of town vendor there are things that can be done.

I see this as the first breakdown of communication between the hair stylist and the wedding coordinator. At this point, when the attitude of this hair stylist first was on display the coordinator should have immediately taken steps to firmly point out that it was not a question of when the bride would arrive, it was a question of if she would even get married, if she was late. The coordinator’s job is to do what the bride or family otherwise would have to do, be the heavy! I have heard of coordinators picking up the hair spray, and brush and shooing the entire lot into the limo for completion at the destination. They stylist may have an ego but the coordinator’s job is to ride herd on the vendors, to make sure everything gets done properly and on time.

However, I can’t shake the question, why did it reach this point in the middle of the preparations ? Why wasn’t this attitude and the need to be on time made clear long before the day of the wedding to this stylist and not the day of! That is part of the wedding coordinator’s job, inform vendors of problems they may face or requirements they need to meet before they even step foot in the door!

When I got firm with the hairdresser insisting that he needed to hurry, I got the same “poo-poo” and the same ‘they can’t start the ceremony without her’. There is a very good answer to this: No they won’t start without her, they will cancel it and she won’t be getting married. Obviously firm wasn’t firm enough. I was in a wedding once where the coordinator kicked the groom and his groomsmen into the limo in their underwear to get them to the church on time. The men weren’t happy about it but after the wedding my friend the bride, was very thankful for her guidance!

Also, where was the backup plan!?! Shouldn’t it have been kicking in as soon as it was obvious that things were heading to a melt down. You hire a coordinator for their knowledge and trouble shooting abilities, none are displayed in this tale. To me this is where a backup plan should have been kicking in. Call in a local, pull the stylist out of the room and read them the riot act. Do what needs to be done to get the bride where she needs to be, now! Why is this coordinator complaining that her time line wasn’t being followed by the client, when she wasn’t doing her job! “Timelines aren’t in place to make you miserable, they are there so that your wedding takes place the way you (and your venue) had planned.” That is wrong! The coordinator is there to enforce and execute the preplanning and handle problems that may crop up, not to beg the bride that she needs to follow the time line. Sometimes a firm hand is needed with the customer too. In the end they’ll be thankful for it, it is after all what they are paying for, to make sure their money doesn’t go to waste.

I find this the saddest. but not before the bride was in tears, her mother was visibly upset . Such a sad situation. Over the few years I have been involved with this industry I have spoken to a lot of wedding coordinators. Lou Barry, Cynthia Basker, Weddings Inc in Chicago and many others, all top notch wedding planners and coordinators. The one common thing they all agree on, if the bride ends up in emotional distress on the wedding day that isn’t a product of her own doing and is due to vendors then they have failed in their jobs. Wedding coordination is not easy, in fact it is very difficult. One Chicago coordinator once told me they are the shrink, the financial planner, the creative designer, the fountain of knowledge, the trouble shooter, the time watch, the heavy and so on. The biggest job of the coordinator is to deal with the problems that crop up behind the scenes, get them handled and never let the happy couple and their families even know that there was a problem if possible.

It is About Communication!

I see several failures in this blog entry. The first, the belief that a time line is some sort of answer all. Time lines are really only a backup for faulty memories, a planning tool handed out days ahead of time so everyone is on the same page the day of. Something that fixes in place all the planning that had gone on before. Trial runs, meetings and phone conferences are much more important than time lines! It is the wedding coordinator’s job to make sure the time line is followed.

Make requirements known ahead of time in the planning. Obviously it was not made clear to the stylist ahead of time, at least not enough to sink in, how important it was to get the bride to the church on time. If the poo-pooh attitude had been displayed, in the planning process, then steps could have been taken to head it off before the wedding day. But this should have been headed off long before it became a day of problem!

Failure to plan properly: My assumption is there was only one stylist and from the blog entry that is impression, in the planning process this should have been fixed! Cynthia Basker of Celebrate Events recommends what she calls a bridal stylist for the bride only . Occasionally this bridal stylist will work on the mom or a flower girl, but his or her main purpose is to get the bride styled to perfection and only the bride so that she is on time. Depending on the needs of the rest of the bridal party one stylist to every two women is a good ratio. Obviously if there was only one stylist for the whole bridal party as this blog entry implies then failure for proper planning was the problem!

Don’t stress out the client, needlessly. The bride shouldn’t have been in tears if this had been planned out properly by the coordinator ahead of time, but at the same time the coordinator should have done everything possible to handle this as discretely as possible. But with the begging that a time line is your friend in the post, to the brides, I have a feeling the coordinator was in over her head.

A time line on paper is not a substitute to proper planning and communication!

Our recommendation at Notre Dame Weddings, hire a coordinator knowledgeable about weddings in the Basilica. Interview them! Find out how firm they are with vendors and how they run the day (note: they don’t just hand out a time line and then complain about the vendor or client not following it). Ask them what they would do if faced with the situation portrayed by this wedding coordinator.

Labels: Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame, wedding coordinator

We have all seen the JK Entrance Dance and if you haven't well get with it! Now in the tradition of imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, another group have decided to get Jill and Kevin divorced. I just have to wonder which judge allowed his courtroom to be used for this.

I found these gorgeous new head pieces on the Sara Gabriel website!

I love the Swarovski rhinestones on this Amada Tiara! So beautiful.
And check out the matching Amada combs that go with the tiara.

Then we have my other favorite, the Veronica comb.
I love the hand formed feathers on this one and the rhinestones. Such a dream!

Labels: combs, hairpieces, Sara Gabriel, tiaras

Add a sense of childhood nostalgia to your wedding reception and send a keepsake home with all of your guests, by renting a photo booth!

For the last two years photo booths have been increasing in popularity at weddings, with the advent of the digital photo booth. While they will never replace a professional photography (just try dancing your first dance in a traditional photo booth to get some pictures, not going to happen) a photo booth at your reception will add fun, be a conversation piece and can be enjoyed by everyone!

There are two types of true photo booths.

The traditional or classic photo booth which uses chemicals to develop actual photographic paper with four pictures on it. The classic photo booth is slow to produce the strips, anywhere from 90 seconds to 7 minutes, which decreases the amount of photos and times the guests can enjoy the experience. The classic weighs anywhere between 300 to 900 pounds so transportation cost is a factor.

The digital photo booth is the modernized version of the classic. Portable, quick to set up and just as easy to use. Digital photo booths offer a lot of options their classic cousins just don't have. Not only can you have the traditional vertical stack of four images, taken one after another, but you can have the sheet customized to reflect you or your wedding! The digital photo booth also offers the ability to print out a post card shape strip instead of the traditional vertical.

Is there a picture that you or some of your guests would love to have a 4x6, 5x7 or 8x10 made of? Most digital photo booths store the images for reprinting later on. Some rental companies offer montages, set to music of the images or the original digital files, on DVD.

Another advantage of digital photo booths is the ability to share with everyone on the outside what is happening on the inside! Some booths offer the ability to play back as a montage all the images taken as soon as they are taken. So you can see that crazy face your best friend made before the image is even printed to paper.

What to look for in a photo booth.

With the popularity of the photo booth increasing lots of people are calling things photo booths that just are not a photo booth! We all know what a photo booth looks like, every time we go to the mall there is one there. They are a box with a camera on one wall, a small bench on the other and most can fit 4 people comfortably. You step in, sit down and pull close the privacy curtain and hit the button to start the pictures. Limited space is half the fun! In college I and my girlfriends decided to see if we could get 15 of us into one picture in a two person photo booth. We managed to get 8 heads and a half in one picture. (Wish I could find my copy of that strip today.) That is what I consider a photo booth, not only are photo booths where you throw inhibitions to the wind and get funky, but where the challenge can be getting everyone in the picture! The memories of high school and college.

But today, to make a quick buck people are throwing the label photo booth on just about anything. Last year I saw a supposed photo booth, it was a section of pipe and drape (nothing boothy about it) against a wall and opposite it a camera hooked to a cheap printer. The photographer then stood there and told everyone to smile. Not a photo booth.

Then there was the ad I saw recently touting the "photo booth that can fit as many people as you want". Once again it was pipe and drape, but this time at least in the shape of a rectangle and again a camera on a tripod with a cable run to a printer... Blah! Not a photo booth.

Then there is a company offering the "Open Air Photo Booth", two boxes stacked, one with a camera, the other a printer, no "booth". Just slightly above the camera on a tripod.

So if you are going to spend $1500 renting a photo booth, I recommend making sure it's a real booth, hard sided rectangular with a bench and curtain and not something that should be hanging from your windows. Oh and the photo trigger at your touch, not someone standing outside with a laptop telling you to go "cheese" and clicking a mouse...

Digital photo booths don't use chemicals and photo paper, but any printer that can interface with the software. So this means the photo strip can be printed by a laser, inject or dye-sub printer. Talking with a few photographers and doing some internet research it looks like a dye-sub printer will be the closest experience to chemical printing. Dye-sub is long lasting, comes the closest to looking like photo paper and truly prints a 2x6 strip of paper if you want the classic feel. All other options must be manually trimmed to feel like the classic strip. Also the dye-subs are very fast, approximately 30 seconds.

As with any service or rental you have on your wedding day, make sure you have a contract and that the vendor has liability insurance. Then step inside, pull the curtain close and get FUNKY and have fun!

Oh and still not convinced you should get a photo booth for your reception? The photo strips make fantastic party favors for your guests that they will treasure for a lifetime!

Labels: Photo Booth

The setup was designed by Cynthia Basker at Celebrated Events. She did a fantastic job of transforming the ballroom into a wonderland. The decorations were excuted by Michaelangelos The Event Company.

Labels: Hilton Garden Inn, wedding inspiration

We are starting a new feature here at Michiana Weddings, the featured wedding professionals. Over the next few months we will be featuring articles about various wedding professionals or services around Michiana. I am happy to say our first featured wedding professional is Cynthia Basker and Celebrated Events, the absolute best wedding planner in Michiana.

Celebrated Events

Established in 1990 by Cynthia Basker, Celebrated Events is the South Bend areas most recognized wedding & event planning firm. A leader in the market, Cynthia and her team at Celebrated Events is committed to producing events that are unique and intimate, regardless of size and location.

Nationally recognized and a published author, Cynthia has been a speaker at ABC and The Special Event, among others. Locally she is exclusively recommended by Michaelangelos, The Event Company as the planner to work with along with being on the referral lists of the University of Notre Dame, Hilton Garden Inn, Palais Royale, Marriott, Century Center and many more.

It is Celebrated Events’ promise that in working with Cynthia and her team, you will have the event you have always imagined. They will guide you through each phase of planning your event, always keeping your vision their primary focus. They will provide you with a neutral forum upon which all of your ideas, hopes and dreams can be expressed, interpreted and ultimately incorporated into your event. They strive to create a culture of calm in the midst of the chaos and anxiety that can surround planning your wedding. Planning stylish affairs is not just a tag line for Celebrated Events, it is their hallmark. Combining years of experience with a creative vision enables them to create amazing weddings and events that are the foundation of their reputation.

Their consulting services menu includes:

Comprehensive Planning and Production: From inception to completion, we will provide complete event orchestration. No detail will be overlooked.

Initial Planning Consultation: Designed to give the bride everything needed to begin effective wedding planning, two planning sessions will be scheduled to determine budget, style and appropriate vendor referrals. We will also offer suggestions for the planning process and answers to immediate concerns.

Final Planning and Directing: Beginning one month prior to the event, we’ll set up a seris of meeting to gather information, determine any any facets that may have been overlooked, problem solve any roadblocks or concerns, develop a timeline, and finalize vendor arrangements and on site supervision of rehearsal and wedding day. This service is designed to allow the bride to transition the event fully into our hands.

Hourly Rate: We may be retained on an hourly basis. Time will be kept track of by quarter hour increments. This is the most common way our clients use our services, allowing the bride flexibility in how much or how little planning assistance is utilized.

Services may be combined to create a custom packages.

Labels: Featured Wedding Professional

Dear Amy,

Is it possible to get married at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart if you are not an alumni or student?

Thank you,
Hopeful 2010

The Notre Dame Basilica will only marry a couple if:
1 Either the bride or groom or both attended Notre Dame.
2 You are a member of the church.

Otherwise I am afraid it is not possible to be married in the Basilica.

Labels: reader question

Here are some edible ideas for favors at your wedding or bridal shower!


Chocolate
Chocolate what is more enjoyable than dark, smooth, decadent chocolate which is #1 with brides and guests alike. And in the Michiana area we have one of the best chocolate companies around, South Bend Chocolate. Chocolate bars, creams, and one of my favorites chocolate covered pretzels. You'll have your guests' mouths watering.
Or how about personalized M&Ms.

Cookies
Shortbread cookies shapped into a theme; bells, hearts, bride and groom, the possiblities are nearly endless and so good tasting!

Mints
Whether in tins, rolls or wrapped in tuel. Mints are a popular choice and usually won’t tempt anyone to break their diet.

Coffee & Tea
Beverages are among the top 10 because they’re affordable, practical and lend themselves easily to a variety of themes.

Wedding Oreos
Available in white and chocolate wedding themes they are a delight that will bring back memories of childhood.

Fortune Cookies
Include a message of appreciation inside to create a unique wedding favor.

Covered Strawberries
With a good champagne what more could you ask for! Yum!

Labels: wedding favors

Hey girls, this morning I heard of a great sounding book on the Today Show! I immediately ordered a copy from Amazon, it's called How To Love Like a Hot Chick: The Girlfriend to Girlfriend Guide to Getting the Love You Deserve from the same team that gave us the enjoyable How to Eat Like a Hot Chick: Eat What You Love, Love How You Feel. You can order the book by clicking the link below!

Labels: Humor, inspiration, recommended book

Ladies if you are planning to get married at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the campus of Notre Dame University in 2010, wedding coordinator extraordinaire Cynthia Basker of Celebrated Events has posted some good advice on her blog about Basilica Day or Basilica Monday. The phones lines open on March 2, 2009. Check out the blog entry Notre Dame Basilica - Save the Date 2010!
After you have reserved your date be sure to give Cyndi a call and reserve her bridal planning services. She is in my opinion the best in town for planning desination weddings at Notre Dame, bar none. And then come back to Michiana Weddings and find your other wedding vendors!

Labels: Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame

Every bride dreams of her Fairytale Wedding. To help you plan and accessorize your Fairytale Wedding we have below, gorgeous bridal accessories.

The image below features a hand wrapped tiara by Bel Aire which is encrusted with mini pearl, crystal and rhinestone. This piece is very lightweight and delicate in design.

To carry your wedding day essentials (make up for touch ups, tissues, etc.), you'll need a handbag that will coordinate with your overall look. These have design features that incorporate crystals, sequin, pearl, beading and rhinestone.

These adorable shoes have a rhinestone 'brooch' that add just the right amount of glamour and sparkle! Even the buckle on the strap is made up of tiny glittering rhinestones!

Make sure your jewelry and headpiece have similar components so that they compliment each other. The tiara, necklace and earrings shown below all have pearls as a predominate design feature - and contribute to an overall, very put together look.

Head band style headpieces are gaining in popularity. The pieces below are both from Bel Aire Bridal. One is satin covered with a crystal spray, the other is completely encrusted with rhinestone.

Another headband design that has a vintage vibe - featuring a 'brooch' type design of baquette and round rhinestone.

If you are going for a very regal princess-y feel, the tiara below is for you! This piece has bling galore, and will truly be your 'crowning' glory!!

The next two images are close ups of pieces that were featured together above.



These two pieces, one a bracelet, the other, a convertible headpiece are from Tigerlily Tiaras. The headpiece is made, so that once your event is over, you can convert it to a choker/necklace, so you can wear it after your wedding! These pieces kind of invoke a Midsummers Night Dream type wedding theme. So pretty!

These pieces are custom made by Ali Oesch of One of a Kind Jewelry. Their design is clean and simple, and a bit geometric. Perfect for a contemporary look! You have to see these to fully appreciate how beautiful they are!


All bridal accessories are available from Girly Girl Gifts.

By Cynthia Basker

Labels: bridal shoes, Jewelry, tiaras, wedding accessories

A letter from our readers.

Dear Amy,
We are having trouble choosing a first dance song. Do you have any suggestions.
Jen 2009

Certainly Jen, here is a list of top songs I complied from lists local DJs gave me:

At Last Etta James
Let's Stay Together Al Green
Amazed Lonestar
True Companion Marc Cohen
Bless the Broken Road Rascal Flatts
All I Want Is You U2
All My Life K-Ci and JoJo
I Cross my heart George Strait
Always And Forever Heatwave
Its Your Love Tim Mcgraw
Brighter Than Sunshine Aqualung
Lost In The Moment Big and Rich
Crazy Love Van Morrison
Can't Help Falling Love Elvis Presly
Don't Change Musiq
Making Memories Of Us Keith Urban
Endless Love Diana Ross
My Best Friend Tim Mcgraw
Faithfully Journey
Wonderful Tonight Eric Clapton
From This Moment On Shania Twain
Everything Michael Buble
I Only Have Eyes For You Flamingos
I Don't Want To Miss A Thing Areosmith
Into The Mystic Van Morrison
Me And You Kenny Chesney
Just The Way You Are Billy Joel
Someone Like You Van Morrison
Over The Rainbow Izzi
It Had To Be You Harry Connick Jr
When You Say Nothing At All Allison Kraus
I Could Not Ask For More Edwin MCCain
Wonderful Tonight Eric Clapton
Everything I Do Bryan Adams
You And Me Lifehouse
A Moment Like This Kelly Clarkson
A Groovy Kind Of Love Phil Collins
For You Kenny Lattimore
Breathe Faith Hill
Come Away With Me Norah Jones
God Only Knows Beach Boys
Fade Into You Mazzy Star
I Could Not Ask For More Ed Mc
From This Moment Shania Twain
I Cross My Heart George Strait
I Do 98 Degrees
I Finally Found Someone Barbara Streisand

Also be sure to check out Wedding Grooves for more categories to help choose your reception music!

Labels: wedding grooves

On this extremely cold night I decided to prowl YouTube... I love watching fun wedding videos.

Labels: wedding video

Looking to spice up the decor of your wedding reception? The fantastic team at the Hilton Garden Inn have come up with a unique looking bar design to spice up your reception. Below are some pictures supplied by Allure Photography of this unique bar.

The bar is decked out for a winter setting as shown in by the ice cycles and blue lights of the above image. However you can style it however you want.


-Amy

Labels: reception inspiration

The 24th Annual Bridal Spectacular!

Janary 4 is the date.
Century Center is the Location.
12 to 5 PM are the times.
Fashion Shows will be held at 1 and 3:30!

This is your only chance to attend a Michiana / South Bend / Mishawaka bridal show in the month of January, everyone! The Bridal Spectacular is the largest and frankly the best area bridal show there is. Since the WSBT Bridal Show is being held February 28th (why even hold one, all the good professionals will long since be booked for 2009!) the Bridal Spectacular will be you only and best option for finding that special vendor that will make your wedding dreams come true!

Many of our favorites will be in attendance!
Allure Films and Photography for your photography and video needs.
Music Machine for your musical entertainment needs.
Bernardo's for the Bride and Bernardo's for your gowns and tuxs.
The Hilton Garden Inn
Knollwood Country Club
The Carriage House Dinning
Inn at St. Mary's
Be sure to stop by and check out these wedding professionals for your wedding day!

Labels: Bridal Show, planning your wedding, South Bend