Modern Day Events

Lauren Pauline Photography

2012-02-14T13:23:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Lauren Pauline Photography for some awesome photos from a recent wedding at The Renaissance Vinoy:

Flowers and Decor - La Vie En Rose

Chiavari Chair Rentals - Modern Day Events

Venue - Renaissance Vinoy

Photographer - Lauren Pauline Photography

www.ModernDayEvents.com

2011 Celebrity Weddings

2011-12-28T15:46:00.000-05:00

What better way to recap 2011 on this blog than summing up all the "most talked" about weddings of the year. Some were breath-taking, others uncomfortable and one made for reality TV.

Prince William & Kate

Wedding of the Year goes to Prince William and Kate, the world's most famous newlyweds were married on April 29, 2011. All eyes around the world were watching this beautiful wedding take place at Westminster Abbey:

Socialite Life

Reese Witherspoon & Jim Toth

One of America's Sweethearts, Reese, finally got past Ryan Phillippe and that relationship with Jake Gyllenhaal. Reese married Jim on March 26, 2011 at her home in Ojai, CA.

Reese & Jim

Michael Buble & Luisana Lopilato

The Canadian Crooner got married in a civil ceremony followed by a big 300 guest wedding in the bride's hometown of Buenos Aires, Argentina on March 31, 2011:

Michael & Luisana

LeAnn Rimes & Eddie Cibrian

More of a controversial wedding took place on April 22, 2011. While Brandi, Eddie's ex-wife was causing drama with the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. LeAnn and Eddie got married in a very low-key ceremony. These two were famous for leaving their other halves while meeting on the set of a movie they were filming. It has become obvious that Brandi is still bitter about the two of them if you have caught any episodes of the Beverly Hills Housewives.

Eddie & LeAnn

Doug Hutchinson & Courtney Stodden

In the most disturbing and uncomfortable wedding of the year, these two got married on May 21, 2011. Although I do not see these two as celebrities, I just had to share! Doug is 51-years-old and Courtney, an aspiring country singer, is 16-years-old. I only know these two because I watch The Soup in which Joel McHale constantly makes fun of these two crazy cats!

Doug & Courtney

Rachel Weisz & Daniel Craig

These tow caused the biggest shock after turning up married in late June. This was a very secretive wedding with only four guests (Rachel's son, Craig's daughter and two of their very close friends). These two had only been together for 6 months after Rachel left her fiance, Darren Aronofsky (Director of Black Swan) after meeting Craig on a movie set:

Rachel & Daniel

Kate Moss & Jamie Hince

In British news, supermodel Kate Moss married Jamie Hince on July 1, 2011 in Western England. The rumor is, they had a very lavish ceremony that made for a very memorable wedding. I wonder if Pete Doherty was invited...remember that tumultuous relationship?

Kate & Jamie

Nick Lachey & Vanessa Minnillo

These two finally got married on July 15, 2011. They met on the set of a music video that Nick made right after his divorce from Jessica Simpson and they have been together ever since. They married on a beach with camera crews watching:

Nick & Vanessa

Kim Kardashian & Kris Humphries

How could we ever forget these two? They had an over-the-top, lavish wedding in from of E! camera's and about 400 guests on August 20, 2011. Kim switched into three different gowns throughout the night and made millions off of this made-for-tv-wedding. Kim filed for divorce 72 days later:

Where's the groom?

Molly Sims & Scott Stuber

The model/actress and her producer fiance married on September 24, 2011 in a beautiful, elegant wedding in Napa Valley:

Molly & Scott

Gene Simmons & Shannon Tweed

After 28 years together and two grown children, these two finally tied the knot on October 1, 2011 at the Beverly Hills Hotel in front of 400 guests. Their 19-year-old daughter was the Maid of Honor and their 22-year-old-son was a groomsmen. Even their dog was involved in the ceremony, as the ring bearer:

Gene & Shannon

Paul McCartney & Nancy Shevell

How can we not be happy for Paul after getting through a nasty divorce with Heather. Paul married Nancy, a heiress and wealthy in her own right, on October 9, 2011. It's safe to say she didn't marry Paul for money since she's got plenty of it herself:

Paul & Nancy

Nicole Ritchie & Joel Madden

These two have been together for quite awhile and have two little one's running around. They finally made it official on December 11, 2011 in a very secretive ceremony:

Nicole & Joel

Last but not least....my favorite wedding of the year....which I know may be a little bias but it was the "Wedding of the Year" to ME.....MINE!!

Kristen & Alen

Ahhhhhh.....it went by so fast. We got married at Davis Islands Garden Club on March 25, 2011 in front of 150 guests.....the night was amazing and we got to celebrate such a magical evening with all of our friends & family. Of course, a night, I can't forget!! :)

Images courtesy of People.com, PerezHilton.com and Socialitelife.com

New Year's Eve Bash

2011-12-27T15:26:00.000-05:00

Pop the champagne open....it's almost New Year's!! New Year's Eve is a very popular date to get married on, why not start out you're marriage with a bang!

http://www.partycity.com/

It seems that, each year, we find ourselves scratching our heads debating on what we should do for New Year's Eve....well some people decide to create a party for us!

I will admit, at first I was skeptical of having a wedding on New Year's Eve....just due to the fact that you may be potentially taking away somebody's holiday or time off from work for what people may think might be an "obligation" to attend for whatever reason. But the more I think about it, the more I believe it may actually be a great idea to have a New Year's Eve wedding. You typically want to do something fun and exciting for New Year's Eve anyway...why not have a wedding? What a memorable New Year's that will make. You can get all your friends and family together and kick off the New Year in fashion. You can avoid the crowds, the over-priced bars and create you're own magical night that you can share with all the people you love in one room.

You can really create an awesome ceremony and reception atmosphere with the New Year's theme. The fireworks, disco balls, champagne, confetti, balloons and all you can think of that shines and sparkles!

http://www.theknot.com/

You can really do it right from the beginning with some exciting "Save the Dates" and fun New Year's Eve stamps to send off into the mail:

http://www.zazzle.com/

Instead of roses lining the aisle, add confetti, balloons or sparkling stars:

http://www.callunaevents.blogspot.com/

Create the New Year's Eve feel to your reception tables by adding color, confetti and favors so that you're guests can use them throughout the night:

http://www.aperfectcelebration.com/

Add a ball drop at midnight to really create the New Year's Eve energy:

http://www.ryanestes.com/

Add a disco ball to your dance floor:

You could really make it fun and memorable by creating a theme in which your guests need to dress up for. Send out invitations that resemble "The Great Gatsby" or the "roaring 20's" and dress accordingly:

http://www.pinkfrosting.com.au/

Here are some other amazing ideas from New Year's Eve inspiration boards I found on the web:

http://www.projectwedding.com/

Bella M Events

http://www.projectwedding.com/

http://www.winterweddingideas.org/

Jessica Claire Photography

Regardless of what you are doing on New Year's Eve...be safe and have fun!!! :)

Spreading the Holiday Decor

2011-12-22T14:04:00.000-05:00

As everyone gears up to spend the holidays with their family and close friends....I thought I would share some of the Christmas-themed weddings that brides have created for their weddings.

It's always fun to see pictures of other weddings when planning your own. You want to get the creativity flowing and maybe even snatch an idea here or there to create your own perfect wedding day. So here are some ideas that brides have come up with for their weddings and what better opportunity to highlight Christmas-themed weddings then now....enjoy!

The Flowers:

The Cake:

The Decor:

A few inspiration boards to put you in the spirit:

Happy Holidays to Everyone!!

Images courtesy of The Knot and Project Wedding

www.ModernDayEvents.com

My Bucket List

2011-11-23T10:43:00.000-05:00

Just about everyone has a list of places they want to see or visit in their lifetime and that makes me no different. I just thought I would share MY bucket list of places I want to visit because they would make BEAUTIFUL honeymoon spots.

Depending on your budget you can go near or far and find the paradise you are looking for. The 1^st on my list of course….takes me far…Maldives:

starwoodhotels.com

My other pick takes me just as far to Bora Bora:

fourseasons.com

starwoodhotels.com

Thailand is a stunning place to visit (so I've heard). The Thai beaches rival what we call the Caribbean. Check out Karon Beach in Phuket, Chaweng Beach on Koh Samui, or Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi:

aroundtheglobe365.com

beach-backgrounds.com

If you are more of a city person and want to be in the hustle & bustle, Prague is definitely on the list. I hear so many wonderful things and can’t wait for my chance to visit:

timeout.com

reisen.freenet.de

Venture over to Budapest, Hungary:

wikimedia.org

budapestsights.edublogs.org

Moscow, Russia:

moscowdoctor.ru

picturesofmoscow.com

Take me to South Africa!! I would LOVE to go on a safari. How amazing would it be to see all these beautiful animals in their natural environment and then jump over to the seaside and maybe catch a glimpse of a great white shark:

southafricasafari.net

blog.brillianttrips.com

Okay…this one has already been checked off the list but it was truly amazing. Turks and Caicos is back on my list of places I NEED to go back to! My husband and I went to Turks on our honeymoon and it was complete paradise:

Gansvoort Hotel

I think I could go on and on with where I would like to go and what I would like to see. Please feel free to add your input and places you have on your bucket list!

www.ModernDayEvents.com

11/11/11

2011-11-11T13:45:00.000-05:00

First....HAPPY Veteran's Day to all you out there who serve or have served in the military. We appreciate all that you do for our country. Thank you!

Now in wedding news:

Today is a very busy day for all those in the wedding industry. Couples were busy planning for a wedding today or flocking to wedding chapels for this popular 11/11/11 wedding date. People were rushing to the courthouse to get their marriage license on Thursday before government offices were shut down for Veteran's Day. People all over the world are getting married on this popular date which happens once every 100 years. These couples either believe in good luck or just want to remember an easy anniversary date! ;)

In Vegas, a marriage license was given out every two minutes and over a thousand were issued on Thursday for the Friday date.

Courtesy of Jim Seida-msnbc.com

I wish you all good luck and hope the date brings you nothing but happiness!

http://www.moderndayevents.com/

Vendor Spotlight

2011-11-09T18:06:00.004-05:00

As I have mentioned before, getting a wedding planner for my wedding was one of the best decisions I could have made. A huge weight is lifted off your shoulders on the day of your wedding. Instead of worrying about the caterer being on time and the cake showing up, you get to enjoy getting ready with the most important people in your life and taking in all the moments of that beautiful day stress-free. Let's please not forget all the other details a planner can help with during the planning stages of that special day. It's nice to have the expertise of a planner on your side. The Tampa Metropolitan area has many awesome planners to choose from and I would like to recognize Christiana Winsor of Winsor Event Studios.

Christiana is the Founder & Senior Creative Consultant of Winsor Event Studio. She has been in the wedding industry for several years and brings amazing talent to the Tampa market.

Christiana can help create your vision of the perfect day. Planners can really help you more then you know:

They can help tie all your ideas into one picture.
They keep you organized and help create a timeline keep you on track.
Relationships. Planners know people which can help to save you money. They have many relationships they have created through their experience in the industry and can help find you that florist that fits within your budget or the DJ that fits your style.
They can also help with negotiating contracts and making sure you are getting what is best for your budget.
A friend. At the end of the day, you have found a new friend who was there to experience your big day with you and that person helped create what you have been dreaming about for so long.

Christiana LOVES what she does and will work with brides on any budget. Be sure to check out her website for more information and read her client testimonials!

You can contact Christiana at:

813-541-8883

info@winsoreventstudio.com

Be sure to check out her website and blog:

http://winsoreventstudio.com

http://winsoreventstudio.com/blog.html

Images courtesy of Winsor Event Studio.

http://www.moderndayevents.com/

Bearer of Bad News

2011-10-31T15:33:00.000-04:00

Well, not really....more like an "I told you so!"

Kim Kardashian has filed for divorce two months after marrying Kris Humphries in a $10 million wedding on August 20, 2011 and a mere 20 days after E! aired the Kim's Fairytale Wedding: A Kardashian Event which has probably been replayed everyday until today.

The date of separation is listed as October 31, 2011 and Kim has enlisted powerhouse attorney Laura Wasser who has represented so many big celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Britney Spears and Maria Shriver in their divorce cases. .

Speculation has been running rampant in the tabloids about tension in the relationship and a possible split.

The couple did have a prenuptial agreement which I'm assuming had a clause in there about splitting all the money that was made from the wedding since it was purely a publicity stunt.

It's sad to me that this family finds it more important to make money with various scandals rather then just being happy with themselves. It seems that it will always be something for the Kardashian clan to make headlines.

What will the next headline be?

Images courtesy of TMZ.com, splashnewsonline.com and E! News

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-28T15:53:00.000-04:00

Who says you can’t have a Halloween wedding?

In celebration of Halloween and all the weddings that are upon us this weekend, I wanted to share some of the fun & creative things I found on the web that brides have done:

The Perfect Palette

Rita Wong Events

peachpizzazz.blogspot.com

mixmingleglow.com

bridedream.org

weddingdecoration-ideas.info.com

www.stsimonselopements.com

I hope you enjoy these fun and creative ideas as much as I have.

Good luck to all the brides this weekend. We hope your wedding turns out flawlessly!

Have a fun and safe Halloween weekend!!

http://www.moderndayevents.com/

Image recources are The Perfect Palette, St. Simon's Island, peachpizzazz.blogspot.com, and bridedream.org

Hello Beautiful!

2011-10-26T16:16:00.001-04:00

Helping to support our community for a good cause.....

Hello Beautiful Color Salon & Art Spa hosted the 4th Annual Fantasy Hair, Fashion and Art Show that was held at Hula Bay on Wednesday, October 12, 2011. Also known as the Winter Wonderland which supported Toys for Tots.

Kudos to Nicole Santana with Hello Beautiful, she hosted a beautiful and very successful event. Every seat was filled, all the standing areas were full and people were squeezing in the balcony areas to get a glimpse at what Winter Wonderland had to offer. The Marines had to go call in another large van because there were so many presents being donated that night...Modern Day Events had the pleasure of being involved with this great charity.

Scites Photography was on hand to capture all the wonderful moments throughout the night:

Nicole Santana, Event Hostess and Organizer

There was a fabulous turnout, amazing costumes, great hair and awesome entertainment. A BIG thank you goes out to everyone for their support in this charity.

Event Sponsors:

Hello Beautiful
Hula Bay
Modern Day Events
Scites Photography
Blake High School of the Arts
Karl & DiMarco School of Theatre & Dance
Nick Schriver with Decorating Elves
Donna Craig at Coyote Design Graphics
Frostings, Inc.
Walls & Windows
Jesse Nobles Photography

A BIG thank you to everyone that donated, contributed and showed their support for Toys for Tots! :)

Images courtesy of Scites Photography

Vendor Spotlight

2011-10-04T11:32:00.000-04:00

Life's Highlights

As I was planning my wedding and creating my budget, I wasn't too sure about video. Yes, it would be great to have but was it necessary? However, my husband was adamant that we have a videographer at the wedding and I must say, he was right!

Your wedding day goes by so fast. You spend all this time planning and preparing and then it's over in the blink of an eye. You end up forgetting so many bits and pieces of the night because so many different things are going on. I wish I got to say hello to everyone but my husband and I split up throughout the night so we could thank everyone for coming out and celebrating with us! :)

A friend recommended that we use Scott & April with Life's Highlights. They were the sweetest couple and very professional. They work with you on what you want and have a great sense of creativity.

When we received the highlight video, I was so happy we chose to get videography. I strongly recommend it. You want to look back and remember the things that happened on that night, all the people who were there, the little moments you missed and can look back on for the rest of your life and to share with your children. Life's Highlight's did an amazing job and I can't say enough good things about them. I absolutely loved them and the work that they did for us!

http://vimeo.com/22926169

There are great videographers in the Tampa Bay area who do a fantastic job. Give them a call and consider it in your budget because it is definitely worth it!! :)

http://www.moderndayevents.com/

Hotels around the Bay...

2011-09-15T20:37:00.001-04:00

As mentioned in my previous post, there are so many venues to choose from for your BIG DAY and for ALL budgets too.

Here are some great venues you should take a look at......

Ritz Carlton Sarasota....what can I say it's The Ritz:

Clearwater Hyatt:

Courtesy of Clearwater Hyatt

I LOVE the Vinoy Renaissance for that Classic look:

Sandpearl Resort:

The Westin Rocky Point:

Marriott Waterside:

Let me know what hotels you love?!?!

Images courtesy of Ritz Carlton, Clearwater Hyatt, Vinoy, Sandpearl Resort, Marriott Waterside, Westin and Limelight Photography.

http://www.moderndayevents.com/

Venues I love....

2011-09-12T14:52:00.000-04:00

There are so many AWESOME venues in the Tampa Bay area (this includes St. Pete, Clearwater and Sarasota). We have beautiful beaches, amazing weather, great hotels and many venues that can create a fabulous event.

I love venues that provide outdoor/indoor wedding options with our weather (in the RIGHT months of course). So we'll start with those first and I'll follow-up with another post on great hotel venues I love.

***Destination brides be warned when booking a wedding outdoors in July and August, always have a PLAN B for rain and humidity!***

My first choice is probably completely due to my bias opinion. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Davis Islands Garden Club but I did get married there so others may think differently. I just feel there is so much you can do with this venue for the DIY bride. The outside area is already decorated for you with its beautiful garden and you can transform the reception hall area to whatever theme you want to create. :

Gazebo at the Davis Islands Garden Club

The Crosley Estate is also a very beautiful venue. It's on the water and provides beautiful landscaping:

Want to plan a very unique wedding, think about using the Lowry Park Zoo as the perfect location for your big day:

Ringling Museum in Sarasota has beautiful grounds and an amazing backdrop for an outdoor wedding:

Barbara Baker Photography

The University of Tampa provides for a great location for your wedding or special event:

If you're looking for a very modern feel for your wedding, I think museums are great locations to get this look:

Tampa Museum of Art

Tampa Museum of Art

Atrium at Tampa Museum

Glazier Children's Museum:

Tampa Bay History Center located in Channelside near the St. Pete Times Forum:

Please be assured there are still so many awesome venues and these are just a handful of what the Tampa Bay area has to offer. Please feel free to add venues you think deserve to be on a list of best venues in Tampa Bay. I love getting feedback and even learning about hidden gems I don't know about! :)

Images courtest of Mandy & Me Studio, The Crosley Estate, Ringling Museum, Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa Museum of Art, Glazier Children's Museum, Univerity of Tampa, Tampa Bay History Museum and Barbara Baker Photography.

http://www.moderndayevents.com/

Vendor Spotlight

2011-09-05T10:58:00.000-04:00

Scites Photography

Chris Scites started taking photos as a hobby when he was a kid....he loved going on vacation and taking great shots of the nature he came across and continues to do so today:

He then turned that passion for photography into a job (who doesn't want to enjoy what they do for a living, right)?!

Contact Chris with Scites Photography if you have an upcoming wedding, social or corporate event. He has an amazing talent and great to work with. He goes the extra mile and captures all those special moments. You'll be in good hands.

Images courtesy of Scites Photography.

More Ideas I LOVE

2011-09-03T12:30:00.000-04:00

I found a few other great ideas I would pass along for the fall....

Add a little flavor to the traditional boutonniere:

Not into the traditional cake, try different desserts for your guests:

Individual fondue plates

Caramel apples

Colorful bouquets:

Fun and budget-friendly decor ideas:

Carnations are a very budget-friendly flower to add color to your reception and come in a variety of colors. You can find vases at IKEA, Home Goods and Old Time Pottery Barn.

Make your own menu cards at zazzle.com

If you don't want to choose different cities you have visited, try different neighborhoods from your hometown or city you're currently living in.

Images courtesy of theknot.com and marthastewartweddings.com

Don't forget to visit us at www.ModernDayEvents.com

Fall Inspirations

2011-09-02T10:04:00.001-04:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah....I know we don't have much of a fall season down here but that doesn't mean we can't pretend and cater our wedding to the season. I came across some cute ideas and thought I would share them...

I absolutely fell in love with the idea below. Decorate your ceremony with leaves rather then the usual roses in the fall. It's a great way to spruce up your ceremony decor BUT the only thing missing are mahogany chiavari chairs to complete the picture!! ;)

Make sure you get this for the ring bearer:

Be consistent with you bouquet:

Add some drama to your tables with the simplest items:

Help people find their seats and add a different spin to table numbers:

You can always go with a different look for your centerpiece and sprinkle some leaves on the table:

Include your cake into the final decor details and really wow your guests:

Check out theknot.com and marthastewartweddings.com for more inspiration and ideas. The best way to plan for your wedding is to take in as many ideas as possible and create your own! :)

Images courtesy of The Knot and Martha Stewart Weddings.

http://www.moderndayevents.com/

Spreading the Word....

2011-08-31T12:47:00.000-04:00

We keep spreading the word, we can now be found on the www.GetMarried.com website!

Check it out:

http://www.getmarried.com/local-wedding-vendors/West_Coast_Florida/Party_Rentals/kristen-kozic/

Hot Color Trends for the Fall

2011-08-30T22:12:00.000-04:00

If you haven't picked up the latest issue of Get Married, they have some hot new trends that may be of interest to you for the Fall season.

The very talented David Tutera told Get Married that he has a love for "greige" which is a mix between gray and beige (LOVE this dress):

verawang.com

ninewest.com

Cedar Green:

bhldn.com

shop.getmarried.com

Deep Mocha:

jordanfashions.com

shop.getmarried.com

Mint & Cherry (another beautiful dress):

reemacra.com

shop.getmarried.com

mybuttoncake.blogspot.com

Let's save the hottest color of the season for last.....Cobalt Blue:

precillaofboston.com

jimcouture.com

Check out the Get Married magazine for more trends and pictures for the Fall 2011 Wedding Season!! :)

www.ModernDayEvents.com

The Royal Wedding....Take Two??

2011-08-29T12:16:00.000-04:00

Everyone has their own opinion on the Kardashian clan. I gave it a week and have decided to add my two cents on this whole "Kim Kardashian Wedding." For the first time, I actually turned E! on this weekend and watched a few episodes of Keeping up with the Kardashians. I wanted to see what the fuss was all about before making my judgment call. I have never watched it before and I can honestly say, I don't plan on watching it in the future. I'll admit to having a few laughs because of Khloe and Kourtney but Mama Kris and Kim aren't the least bit amusing. Kris Jenner really thinks she should change her last name back to Kardashian to keep up with the "brand." Poor Bruce:

I will give them credit, this family knows how to make some money. They are brilliant, they have made "The Kardashians" into a household name. Kim was able to profit off of her wedding as opposed to the majority of us scraping every penny for that big day. They had TV deals, endorsements and were able to sell the first photo rights to People for $1 million...just to name a few. Then most of everything at the wedding was either given or on loan. I would gladly wear $10 million in jewelry to promote the Schwartz brand and give it back. How about the $15,000 in hair & make-up.....I feel cheap after hearing that. I just went to the MAC store for my wedding (which by the way did a fabulous job)!

Her favors made you feel like you were at a press junket rather then a wedding:

A pair of bejeweled flip-flops emblazoned with the phrase “Kim loves Kris"
A bedazzled jacket with "Kim loves Kris" on the sleeve
A bottle of Kim's fragrance "Kim Kardashian by Kim Kardashian"
OPI nail-polish endorsed by the Kardashians called "Wel-Kim"
A gift certificate to Shoe Dazzle, Kim's shoe shopping website

I could go on and on about the money that was spent on this wedding. The Bridal registry was over the top which we all have heard about. The thought of a $7800 vase or a $1500 coffee maker on my bridal registry is just absurd and in bad taste, I don't care how much money you or your guests have. Hearing them compare their wedding to the "Royal Wedding" is laughable. They really do think they are America's royalty but who's laughing since America is obsessed with them? They are grabbing all the headlines because people keep watching and buying. But here is where England's royalty and the Kardashian's differ. Prince William and Kate do not need a $7800 vase, they preferred that their guests donate to charity since they are very fortunate as it is. Apparently with all the money Kim has, she still wants more...

I really don't want to come off as bitter or jealous which I'm sure I do (I mean there is a tinge of jealousy on being able to profit off of her wedding). But this all seems like a publicity stunt to me and Kris Jenner (or Kardashian) is one hell of an agent. Over the past year, we have seen three different articles at the check-out counter:

Less than a year later after proclaiming she wanted to be married by now, she's married to a guy who fits into the "K" clan....is that a coincidence too?! I want to keep this as an open discussion and get your opinion on the matter (don't worry, I respect all opinions, even those that differ from mine)! Some may think they will have their happily ever after while others are hoping Kris Humphries is in on the PR stunt too since he did have to sign a pre-nup and was missing in the majority of the wedding photos because he was "apparently too tall."

Do you think this was a publicity stunt or do you think that this wedding was a girl's dream come true regardless of all the cameras rolling?

What will People's next cover be?

Kim Kardashian is Pregnant
Kim Kardashian & Kris Humphries DIVORCE

Images courtesy of People Magazine

www.ModernDayEvents.com

My Big Splurge...

2011-08-27T14:20:00.000-04:00

Planning a wedding can be stressful and overwhelming. Especially if you're detail-oriented and want everything to be perfect. I even thought delegating simple tasks were hard on me because I wanted to make sure it was exactly how I wanted it.

Everything turned out as I envisioned it.

I went back and forth on getting a wedding coordinator. Could I really squeeze it in my budget? I mean, let's face it.....it adds another chunk of money on top of everything else we need. I went thru every scenario..."well I could have a friend in charge of decorating or maybe even someone in our family".....but I wanted everyone who would be at the wedding to be stress-free and to just enjoy the day. I wanted my bridesmaids and family to have fun getting ready for the "big night" rather then spending all day at the venue making sure everything is perfect.

So I splurged....I met with several wedding coordinators and went with Beth Carrick of Flawless Occasions. I did the "day-of Package" and was still able to plan everything. I then passed the baton
over to Beth the week prior to our wedding. She confirmed with all the vendors that I had booked and she made sure to make everything I had planned come together beautifully.

Beth coming to check on me! :)
.

My mother, mother-in-law, close friends and little nieces were all able to spend the day together getting ready. We had such a great time and it was very memorable. I wouldn't change that quality time we had for the world. I will admit that I went down to the venue a couple times just to see how everything was going (I couldn't help myself).

Good times!

My girls making sure my make-up was perfect!

On our way...

Such a precious picture!!

I strongly recommend a wedding coordinator. It is just as important as the flowers or the decor. It relieves so much stress knowing you have someone handling everything for you. My wedding day went so fast and the time flew by....I don't know where I would have found the time to set the venue up if I didn't have Beth. A wedding coordinator is worth every penny. I was able to spend great time with friends & family before heading into such an important night! :)

No worries here!

Beth helping me every step of the way.

It's GO time! :)

The boys had a great time getting ready too!

Our wedding was so memorable and we had such a good time celebrating our new marriage with all our friends and family. Be sure to take a moment to take the night in. It flies by and is over before you know it.

Images courtesy of Mandy & Me Studios

www.ModernDayEvents.com

DIY Couple ends up in jail.....

2011-08-26T14:16:00.000-04:00

I stumbled upon an amusing story and thought I would pass it along. Not what I had in mind as the DIY Bride. I don't recommend this at home! :)

Read the story posted by Emily Abbate on the couple who were arrested for stealing:

Couple Arrested for Finding "Creative" Way to Save Money on their Wedding

From the venue and the invitations to the dress -- everything involved in planning a wedding is pretty gosh darn expensive. So it's not surprising that a newlywed couple from Pennsylvania wanted to save a few bucks on their big day by supplying some of the food for the wedding reception themselves. I think that's sorta cute! How home-y and personal!

The duo naturally went to the grocery store, picked out all the necessary ingredients (which apparently included a variety of cold cuts and other hors d'oeuvre-types of platters), and left. The only problem? They left without paying.

The lovers stole $1,049.26 worth of food intended for their reception (which they never made it to). Nothing says holy matrimony like a pair of handcuffs to match those new wedding bands!
Sure, it's not every day you hear about people stealing food to try to please their wedding guests. But let's look at the bigger picture here: Can you believe they were only going to spend $1,000 on food? What a bargain!

I'm not saying that every reception has to have a lavish menu like that of just-married Kim Kardashian. I'm all about keeping dinner simple to please the greatest number of people, as long as it's followed up by the most delicious wedding cake ever (red velvet, please!).

BUT -- when you're feeding 100 guests or more, things tend to add up. According to the Bridal Association of America, the average cost of wedding reception food is about $9,400. And that's only for the meal! We can't forget about things like the thousands-of-dollars bar tab at most soirees (which runs about $2,800). With my big Italian family, I'll be lucky if I leave my wedding without some big debt to match! I wonder, can you just register for cash? Or is that tacky?

Alas, I'm far, far away from wedded bliss. But I know when that day comes, I'll for sure be hiring a catering service ... and definitely not wearing handcuffs.

Story found at: http://thestir.cafemom.com/food_party/125075/couple_arrested_for_finding_creative

Image courtesy of Imagine.

Who cares about the chairs.....

2011-08-25T19:18:00.000-04:00

On most occasions, hotels and venues have chairs for you to use for your wedding. In most cases, these chairs do not match what you have in mind for your big day. You have the option of choosing between ballroom chairs or metal chairs. Or sometimes you may get lucky and have the option of the white garden chair. But typically, these aren’t the best options. So it’s another cost you have to include in your budget.

Even the Ritz Carlton can't change the appearance of a ballroom chair.

Believe it or not, chairs can make or break your wedding décor aesthetic. It’s typically not what you think of when remembering a wedding you have attended in the past. But that’s because the majority of the time, brides make sure the chairs are in line with all the other wedding décor they have chosen. They may be covered with chair covers or replaced with chiavari chairs but the ballroom chair is changed in some way, shape or form.

If you use the ballroom chairs, they can put a huge crimp in your decor. They stand out from everything else because they’re big, bulky and have some sort of design on them that do not match the look you are going for. Your beautiful reception becomes overshadowed by these ballroom chairs.

I may have mentioned this before but the chiavari chair can totally transform your reception décor. Chiavari chairs can make your wedding decor go from dull to sheek with the right color for your wedding.

Images courtesy of http://www.theknot.com/, The Ritz Carlton, Dan Hathcock and the Oxart.
Please be sure to check out our website at www.moderndayevents.com if you are planning a wedding in the Tampa, St. Pete or Sarasota area.

www.moderndayevents.com

Why I'm here.....Chiavari Chairs!

2011-08-23T16:12:00.000-04:00

The chiavari chair is an undeniably classic and elegant look. It is one of those details that can transform your wedding. Many brides struggle with the decision of chairs mainly due to the cost. The standard ballroom chairs typically clash with most wedding colors or décor, so choosing chairs or covers is usually placed on the ”to do” list.

The chiavari chair originated in Chiavari, Italy in 1807 by Gaetano Descalzi. It was made out of a solid, sturdy hardwood yet light to carry. Today there are varieties of this chair made out of resin and metal. Hardwood is still the best quality by far.

There is a reason that so many celebrities use this classic chair at their weddings such as Carrie Underwood and Bethenny Frankel. The chiavari chair is also the go-to for well known wedding planner David Tutera. It doesn’t hurt to know that the Kennedy’s used these chairs at their 900-guest wedding in 1953.

Courtesy of Life Magazine

Chair covers and sashes do not add that same touch of elegance but is a much cheaper option than the chiavari chair. Don’t get me wrong, if these are your only option to cover up those ballroom chairs, definitely go for them. They just don’t do as much justice as opposed to the chiavari chairs. The tables are already covered with linens and the chair covers make the room look more cluttered and crowded in my opinion. The chiavari chair is a clean, sleek look that adds so much to a room or venue.

You may be thinking, “but it’s just a chair” which if you are a bride, you know otherwise. The chair is another detail that can change your wedding or event theme. It adds to the lighting, centerpieces and the draping. It was always my go-to chair when planning special events. It’s one of those costs that you keep going back and forth on in the budget. I know I lost sleep when planning my wedding. I knew this was an extra cost that made the budget tight, I loved the chiavari chair but could I actually rationalize the cost….oh but I did! In the end, it was a must! I had seen first-hand how it changed a room from my experiences. Every additional photo I saw with these beautiful chairs kept convincing me more and more that I needed them for my big day.

At the end of the day, everyone has their own preferences and opinions on the chiavari chair vs. the chair covers. What’s yours? :)

http://www.moderndayevents.com/

Images courtesy of TheKnot.com, Ijustsaidyes.com and Life Magazine

What about a theme…..

2011-08-20T14:00:00.000-04:00

As I have mentioned before, I wanted a very personalized wedding that represented me and my new hubby. Which actually ended up being very easy. We both LOVE to travel. So I wanted to incorporate some of the places we have visited together in that theme. Our “Save the Dates” were made on postcards and I made our “card table numbers” postcards as well. Instead of the standard numbers, I created a postcard of a city we had traveled to and made the escort cards into boarding passes.

My only regret were these darn card holders, they were flimsy and didn't stay up very well. We live and we learn! :)

I used our honeymoon destination as the name for the sweetheart table.

I found a boarding pass template on google and printed them at home on a heavier card stock paper.

I personalized each postcard with a memory from that city.

I even made sure that our guest book was geared towards the "travel" theme and asking our guests where they were traveling from and how far it was.

http://www.guestbookstore.com/

As mentioned in a previous post, I set a wire Eiffel Tower in the middle of the escort card table to add to the boarding passes that our guests would pick up before heading to their tables.

I used zazzle.com to make the postcards and the menu cards. It was such a good site for personalization and very nicely priced.

It was fun throwing around different ideas with friends and family until deciding on the perfect idea for the "big day."

www.ModernDayEvents.com

It's all about the details....

2011-08-17T13:30:00.000-04:00

I wanted our wedding to be as personalized as possible. But of course without the hefty price tag. I wanted to focus the theme around us and our personalities. So when it came to deciding what our “wedding colors” would be we simply went with his favorite color and mine…. pink and blue!

Then I searched all the popular sites to get ideas on props, favors and décor. I fell in love with etsy.com. Not only was it a great site but it was mostly handmade products. I found an adorable sign to direct our guests for the ceremony for $89.00 (this included the shipping cost).

I also found my gift card box on ETSY for $70.00 ($50.00 plus $20.00 for shipping). This might seem like a lot for a box but it was so adorable and well worth it. I figured since I had to cut a lot of the big ticket items out of my budget, I could add a little extra drama to the little things.

I ordered fans to place in each of the chairs during the ceremony. An outside wedding in Florida….you always have to be prepared for heat and rain. I had a covered patio as back-up for rain and fans for the guests during the ceremony. I found wine labels for our wines which you could easily make yourselves but I got a little lazy at this point with the crafts (http://www.myownlabels.com). I had pink labels for the white wine and blue labels for the red wine.

The beauty of Davis Islands Garden Club is all the amazing things you can do without being tied to their catering, liquor and all the other services tied in when having a wedding at a hotel. Granted, you have a little extra more work on your hands but you can turn an empty canvas into your own little masterpiece. Davis Islands also had some extras you could rent thru them. I’m not going to say I was pleased with their pricing on the “extras” but they help transform the venue. The garden club rented out draping for the back patio for $300 and then they rented out white cushions for the patio seating that wrapped around the patio….that was $400 (for pillow cushions)!! That was absurd to me; however it was a must because it made the area look empty and bland without them. The white patio cushions dressed it up nicely. So, I bit my tongue and paid the fee. I also was able to negotiate with Davis Islands for the Anastasia Chandeliers. These made the back patio look so elegant.

I then found very reasonably priced items on The Knot’s wedding shop. I ordered personalized cocktail napkins and matches. This too was a nice little detail that added a lot to our décor.

I had a “travel” theme wedding which I will touch more on in another post but I had found a 3 ft wire Eiffel tower for the escort card table on eBay. I think the shipping cost more than the actual tower.

I didn't have a picture of our Eiffel Tower but our videographer did and he used the image for our highlight video!

We splurged a bit and got a cigar roller for the reception. This was a HUGE hit with the guys. The guys had a cigar in their hand all night long….

I used http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/ for our "Save the Dates" that turned out awesome and I used http://www.zazzle.com/ for our menu cards. These were both very reasonable and turned out great!

My purpose of this post is to relay to all you brides that you can really dress up your wedding at a much smaller cost, you just have to put the work in. There are thousands of websites with good deals, just spend some time looking for them and I guarantee you will not only save money….you may find some other great ideas for your wedding along the way.

http://www.moderndayevents.com/

Bride on a Budget

2011-08-11T09:40:00.000-04:00

Well, this is my first post...my first blog...my first experience at doing this...so bear with me while I figure all this out! :)

If any girl knows how to plan a wedding on a budget...well....that's me!! Hubby and I got married back in March at Davis Island Garden Club. The perfect venue for a DIY bride. During my planning process, I definitely learned how to "wheel and deal" on many aspects of the wedding. We had to get creative on where to spend the money and where to cut down on things we "oh so badly wanted."

Experts always say to cut down on the guest list. That's stating the obvious isn't it? What happens when you have done that and you can't cut anymore?

Over my next few posts. I will walk you thru my real-life experience of planning my wedding. Let's look at some not so obvious ways. The first thing you and fiance need to do is decide what is important to you and what you envision on your big day. For me, it was:

Decor
Food & bar
Music

Let's go ahead and jump to what every girl wants to know before getting to the other details....saving on flowers!!

Since the decor was a very important aspect for me but can be very expensive I started researching. As much as I wanted to have beautiful centerpieces from an amazing florist, I'm realistic too. There's no way I could afford $200/per table for 17 tables. I searched Tampa blogs and researched ways to transform a reception. I was able to find a floral wholesaler and ordered beautiful flowers from them at great prices (check out globalrose.com or fiftyflowers.com).

I also realized that I could have the flowers shipped to me earlier then I did. My family, bridesmaids and I were rushing thru Thursday to get all the centerpieces done....the flowers definitely lasted longer then I expected. For a Friday wedding, I could have gotten away with having the flowers shipped on Monday or Tuesday. Giving me more time to relax and get ready for the rehearsal dinner.

I already had small cylinder vases laying around that would be perfect for the cocktail tables. I found large glass cylinder vases at Home Goods for $8.99/piece and cute little garden buckets in the $1 section of Target. I had originally got this for the 4 or 5 kids who would be attending the wedding. I thought it would be great to put crayons in but as I was preparing my centerpieces, a new idea came to me:

I hung the buckets on shepherds hooks that lined the aisle.

I then decided on a whim to throw crystal garland in the vase to "bling" up the table. The garland cost a little more then I expected for how much you get but it really made a nice touch:

I ordered 6000 rose petals that cost me $149.79 to line the aisle and scatter on the tables. This really added lots of extra color. I also found small cylinders to add to each table with floating candles:

I had six cocktail tables outside that I dressed up with gerberas. These were fun, garden flowers to go with our garden wedding:

I was able to get all my flowers for the centerpieces, aisle runner and cocktail tables for $579.98. This is nothing compared to the quotes I received from florists all over town. The quotes started at $2475.00 for the bare minimum before adding the service and gratuity. I did pay for the few key arrangements. Botanica created my bouquet, the gazebo decor and a few of the reception tables. They helped add that extra "drama" I wanted. Botanica does amazing work if you can afford it:

We used the gazebo decor and placed it on our sweetheart table after the ceremony.

Botanica also provided my lighting and draping. These all made such an impact on the design and atmosphere of the night.

To stick with our "garden theme" and cut down on more costs... I decided to give my girls parasols instead of bouquets and it was a hit:

Parasols cost me $8.99/each equaling $44.95.....bridesmaids bouquets were quoted at $96/each...that's a savings of $435.05...I was darn proud of myself and so was hubby!! :)

http://www.moderndayevents.com/