Tuesday

See You In 2015!



You know when at the end of an action film the hero walks away from the blown up building, ultimately saving the day?  Well, that's what I thought when I first saw this picture. Yes, I got all of that from this picture but it made me think about all of the adventures that I've had this year.  From closing down Peachtree Street for guests to cross to a reception to orchestrating weddings across the country, this year has been pretty epic.  As a planner, I get requests from my clients that are simple and some that are challenging.  Finding the solution to unforeseen issues and seemingly impossible requests, is what makes my job so exciting. 

As 2014 quickly comes to a close, I am so grateful for my relationships with clients, vendors and other wedding industry professionals whom I've have had the pleasure to work with.  Thank you for making 2014 so memorable!  See you in 2015!

Sunday

Alicia & Walter!


Alicia and Walter were married on a beautiful Summer afternoon at the stunning 3109 Piedmont Estate.  Working with them was really exciting to me because they were so in love and had a very clear vision of what they wanted their wedding day to be.  Alicia is a foodie and she made it clear that the food was going to be a big part of the day.  Working closely with A Legendary Event, her perfect brunch was executed.  Whenever she talked about Walter, Alicia would get this light in her eyes and a huge smile on her face.  From our planning meetings to Alicia walking down the aisle, one thing was for sure, their love was the real thing. 

I'm not normally a fan of a bride changing for the reception but Alicia basically shut it DOWN with her reception dress.  Just wait for it...

  

Tuesday

Misty & Ty!


The first time I met Misty, I knew instantly that I wanted to work with her.  Misty, her mother and I sat down for coffee and talked for a while about her wedding fears and ideas and about how she and Ty met.  After our meeting, they were going to look at dresses and they had another meeting with a different planner the next day.  A few hours after coffee, I got a call saying that they would love to work with me.  Inside I was like, "YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!"  There was something special about Misty. 

I've talked about how important it is for my clients to trust me during the planning process and Misty totally did. I would check in with her about a certain detail and she'd just say, "I trust you"  which made everything so easy.  It was raining like crazy on her wedding day and we had to make the decision whether or not to still have the wedding outside in the rain.  You don't get married at Foxhall to have your ceremony inside...if you've been there, you know what I mean.  The best part of the day was when it started raining as soon as the ceremony started and Misty didn't care at all.  Her guests sat in their seats as Misty walked out to Ty in the rain.  That was their dream and they weren't going to let a little rain stop them.  


 


 
{Misty's Monique Lhuillier gown was absolutely stunning!}
 

Wednesday

Sarah & Tommy!


I hope you guys have a little time on your hands because I'm about to introduce you to Sarah and Tommy.  Sarah and Tommy came to me at the referral of a previous client that I had a few years ago.  During our first meeting, Sarah explained multiple times that she was very detail oriented which, in the wedding world, is also code for Bridezilla.  I kept waiting for it to come out of her but after about 6 months, I stopped being worried about it.  There was a level of trust between us that ultimately contributed to the "Ultimate Atlanta Wedding". 

Their ceremony was held at The Georgian Terrace and the reception was across the street at The Fox Theatre.  Anyone wanna know how we got all the guests across the street?  A red carpet, of course!  We shut down Peachtree Street in order to take pictures and get everyone over to the reception.  It had to have been the windiest day in Atlanta because the red carpet was literally flying in the air.  Sarah and Tommy rolled with it like champs.  Enjoy!






 

Thursday

Past, Present, Future


 
I tend to become very close to my clients.  We’re dealing with very intimate parts of their lives and our conversations sometimes start on the surface but always go deeper.  One of the things that fascinates me the most is how strongly their past plays a part in their wedding.  Looking at the relationships that the parents have with the bride or groom, you have divorced parents, deceased parents, parents who have been together for 30 years and parents who have been estranged from their children…it’s so deep how our past molds us and the decisions that we make.  I started looking at the family dynamics that I’ve run into throughout the years and it made me wonder, “How did we get here?”
A few years ago, I had a bride whose parents recently went through a messy divorce and the tension at the rehearsal was so thick, even I was uncomfortable.  You could see the discomfort oozing from the bride’s sister to the point that she had tears in her eyes.  I told her to go take a break and if anyone asked for her, I’ll say she went to the room for something.  The bride took a few shots before arriving at the rehearsal in order to calm her nerves (i.e. numb her feelings) and the mother-of-the-bride was glued to my hip.  I already knew the story so I made sure to tiptoe around any possible emotional bombs.  When the pastor asked, “Who gives this bride to this man…?”  I was so nervous, I thought I was going to pass out.  I’m a little dramatic so there’s that.  It wasn’t the first time I’ve dealt with divorced parents but everyone’s emotions were so raw.  I appreciated how everyone came together for the wedding day and truly understood that that day wasn’t about them and their feelings.  Suck it up!  You have a daughter to marry off!

As the wedding reception progressed, I stopped running interference because the couple was so in love that my focus had shifted.  It made me think about how the groom had helped his bride through all of the awkwardness and tension of the day.  It’s already emotional enough to start your life with someone without having to worry about your dad’s girlfriend saying something inappropriate in front of your mother.  They had been dealing with their past for the entire planning process and now they were focusing on the present.  They had been building a life for themselves and their vows were beautiful and full of promises to be faithful and to always communicate and love.  Seems typical but they held a deeper meaning for me, knowing their history. 

For me, one of the most rewarding things about my job is how I get to see these families grow.  I had a bride whose wedding I planned last year, call me earlier this year because she was in town and we needed to catch up.  We’re sitting at lunch and she’s telling me how they’re settling into their new house and how she’s getting used to their new city and I’m thinking, “She better tell me she’s pregnant!”  She finally says, “Ok, soooooooooo I’m pregnant.  No one knows yet but I had to tell you!”  She was only a few weeks along but I was so excited for them.  This bride was eager to create her own family.  Not necessarily eager to have kids right away but it was really the icing on the cake.  She and her husband were so in love and worked so hard at their relationship.  It was long distance at times and that always puts a strain on things.  She and I became very close and many of our conversations had nothing to do with her wedding at all. 

As I drove away from lunch, I remembered a conversation we had about some issues that were going on in her family.  Unfortunately or fortunately, I could relate so I offered as much advice as I could.  My job is to be there for my clients but in this moment she wasn’t a client and this wasn’t my job.  We were friends and we were getting through this rough time.  Luckily, everyone acted like they had some sense at the wedding and everything was flawless, obviously.  She’s due in a few weeks and I’m anticipating the arrival of their beautiful little baby.  They’ve already begun to create their future.
My girl, Oprah, talks about gratitude all the time. Everyone is talking about it nowadays, actually.  It’s kind of become the gluten-free of emotions.  When I’m super stressed out and want to scream at the top of my lungs, I pretend to find gratitude in the sunshine.  Yes, pretend.  I really want to scream but I don’t want to be left out of this gratitude movement so I participate. I never understood truly being grateful when you’re over everything until I made myself sit down and reflect on this past year.  I’ve made lifelong friendships with clients.  I’ve been allowed to be a part of some of the most intimate and beautiful moments of these people’s lives and I’ve worked with the most rockstar vendors I could ask for.  People always ask me how I deal with all of the stress of these weddings and at the end of the day, we’re all here because two people have made the commitment to come together in love...and for that, I’m grateful.

Tuesday

Kristin & Mike!



 Let me take a few moments to tell you guys about Kristin and Mike.  I met Kristin while we were getting our hair done and she overheard me talking about a segment I participated in on The Bert Show earlier that morning.  She started asking me wedding questions and the rest was history.
Their wedding was in Delray Beach, Florida and while it was out of state, it was easy to plan because Kristin trusted my advice. 

I had fallen in love with her photographer, Kat Braman, and she didn't disappoint.  She shoots mainly in film and it adds such a romantic element to each photo.  I can feel the emotion in these photos {especially the ceremony}.  From Kristin's gown to the reception décor to the shots of them surrounded by these trees, there were just too many details for me to choose from so get comfy!



   


Monday

Colleen & Sean!

 
Sean and Colleen were married in April at Foxhall Resort.  One of my favorite things about them was how much fun they were determined to have!  They were silly, danced all night and full of love.  I loved being a part of their beautiful day!
 
{stunning}

Tuesday

Engagement Love - Holly & Jackson


Jackson proposed to Holly one night at the Georgian Terrace.  It's her favorite hotel so he asked her to join him for dinner.  After dinner, he asked her to come up to the rooftop and while they were on the way, Holly realized what was about to happen and she started freaking out, asking him what was going on.  The funniest part was when they walked onto the rooftop and the maintenance man was cleaning the pool.  After he left, the rest is history!  I can't wait for their wedding this weekend!




 
 
{Photo Credit: Michelle Scott Photography}

Friday

Amy & Jason!


Amy and Jason were married at Flint Hill in Atlanta, Georgia.  I've known Amy as an acquaintance for many years but we became lifelong friends during the planning of her wedding.  Listen up guys, when I say that Amy has blossomed, I mean it.  Seeing how Jason loves her and how happy her heart is, is why I love my job.  It just doesn't get any better.


Monday

Ashley & Ed Cinematic Trailer


Every once in a while, I come across a couple whose commitment to each other and love for one another is so strong that it's infectious.  Ashley & Ed's relationship is so solid and beautiful and I couldn't be happier or luckier to have been able to work with them.

Eric Blanks really showed out with this video!!!  He kept saying, "It's a production.  This will be like a movie..."  He sent the above picture and I immediately knew that this video wouldn't be like a regular wedding video.  It truly was like a movie.  Amazing job!!




{Photo Credit: Traci Reid}

Tuesday

Rachel & Ryan!


Rachel & Ryan were married at Rhodes Hall in Atlanta, GA.  One of my favorite things about working with Rachel was how giddy she was during the entire planning process.  Rachel danced during their first look and they both were on cloud 9. 









 

 

{one of my favorite moments was below...Rachel's sister had one of those, "You're getting married" moments and it was so sweet}


 
{See!  She laughed and smiled all day!}
 

 
{Then we moved over to Rhodes Hall for an intimate ceremony and reception}
 


 
 




{They wrote their vows down on a piece of paper and sealed them in an envelope to be read to each other later.  When it was time to exchange vows, they handed each other their envelope.  It was pretty cute}
 









 
{Photo Credit: O'Studios}