A New Twist for Cocktail Tables!

If you are looking for a new idea for your cocktail table, look no further than the budvase. It is a smart, trendy and inexpensive idea to liven up any cocktail table. The budvase comes in all shapes, sizes and colors. There are so many options available to you it makes the budvase such a great choice. Plus, you will save on your flower bill because the budvase can only hold one or two flower stems. It is a small detail with a huge impact!

Check out www.accentdecor.com for more ideas on budvases!

Visit us at www.stonehouseevents.com!

Please visit our new website! We are so excited to finally be back online! We are very pleased with the results and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Plus, see if you notice our new logo! It is the same color scheme with a new look. We think it really represents who we are as a company! We'd love to hear what you think, so please leave a comment below!

It's Official!

Well, it is official we are really down. No more email or website until we receive our confirmation about our domain transfer. We are trying to do this transition as quickly and as easy as possible. We hope you understand and remember you can still reach us at 813.973.9834 or at our temporary email, cindy.stonehouse@gmail.com.

We will keep you posted on our progress. Thanks for your patience!

Why Should You Hire a Wedding Planner?

The wedding industry has changed drastically over the last ten years. In the Tampa Bay area, the average cost of a wedding is $26,000 to $27,000. That is a lot of money to just leave up to chance for one day. You want to ensure that you are depending on a group of individuals who are just as vested as you in having a successful wedding. That is where a wedding planner comes in. Wedding planner’s have worked with many different vendors and spent time with them to know who they are on a more personal level. A benefit to you because when you invest in each of them to make your day beautiful, you can feel confident that they will deliver. Also, you have someone there to dot all of the i’s and cross all of the t’s, because your planner knows how to communicate effectively to ensure that what you think you are getting is what you are actually getting. Not leaving anything up to assumptions. However, you are not the only one who benefits from hiring a wedding planner, your vendors also benefit. I have asked some of my vendors to tell me in their own words, why they think you should hire a planner and this is what they said.

Brittany Callahan from the Marriott Tampa Airport said, “In my experience, brides with planners tend to be less stressed on the day of the event. As a venue, planners are much respected as the advocate for the bride. Working with someone who is experienced and has industry knowledge, can only promote the bride’s best interest.”

Becky Johnson with Becky Johnson Studios commented, “People frequently look to me to guide them on what comes next, which I have to kindly tell them, there are so many different ways that people do things anymore, it’s hard to tell, I am not one for being brushed up on the proper wedding etiquette – a planner can guide the bride and groom better than I could. I like to be able to do my job as I was hired and not have to think about how the couple should handle their wedding day schedules and timelines,”

Nomeda Baronas from Cakes by Nomeda said that, “for me, the cake maker, working with a planner means working with a happy, well organized Bride. It takes an enormous amount of hours to plan a beautiful wedding. Having someone to take care of all the details is greatly appreciated not only by the Bride and Groom but also by vendors like me. There are no miscommunications or misunderstandings from the very first appointment to the final delivery.”

Rebbeca Zoumberos with Limelight Photography said, “I encourage all of our clients to hire a professional wedding planner. This takes so much stress off of them on the wedding day. When my client relaxes I get better images!”

“As a photographer, I love working with planners during the orchestration before and during the wedding. It takes the stress and worries from the Bride and allows them to totally enjoy one of the happiest days of their life and know that the details will be taken care of. They also help me to ensure that every detail and moment is captured and makes the portrait process go by quickly so everyone can enjoy the party! I highly recommend Brides working with a planner,” Carrie Wildes with Carrie Wildes Photography said.

In case you are having any doubts as to why you should hire a planner think about what these industry professionals said because you only have one chance to make your day extraordinary and hiring a wedding planner can better your chances!

My New Brides Florida Ad!

This is my new ad that will be featured in Brides Florida magazine, Spring/Summer edition! I am thrilled to unveil it for you now! Of course, it will be a little bit bigger!

Plus more exciting news, my website is in the beginning stages of change! It is a lot more difficult than I first thought. But I love a challenge and will persevere! I will keep you posted on my progress!

2009 is Going to be a Great Year!

It is 2009 and we have a lot of exciting happenings here at StoneHouse Events & More, Inc. Our first bit of news is we have a new face, not literally but our logo has changed. We are so delighted with the results and hope you like it as well. Secondly, we couldn't get a new face and not give our website one too so it is going to get a new look as well! It has been a long time coming and we are thrilled about it. Plus, you will be seeing a lot more of us on our blog. Blogging is one of our goals for this year. We will be sharing creative ideas and fresh perspectives along with some good planner advice and tips. So please be sure to check back soon, you won't want to miss a thing! Happy 2009!

Happy 2009 Mr. & Mrs. Vo!

January 3, 2009

This happy couple started the year off right with the joining of their lives together. This past Saturday, Julie and John became the new Mr. and Mrs. John Vo. It was a beautiful celebration of love as the couple made their vows to each other at the Davis Island Garden Club. The wedding was filled with personal touches for the bride and groom. Julie, herself, made 1,000 origami cranes that adorned the space. The cranes signify a wish to the couple for a thousand years of happiness and prosperity and symbolize honor and loyalty. This was the setting for this beautiful couple.

With their friends and family, Julie and John exchanged vows at the Gazebo overlooking the bay. The aisle was lined with gorgeous flowers in the jewel tones of purples and blues. The violinist filled the air with the strings of her instrument. It was a precious moment as Julie and John dedicated themselves to be husband and wife, constant friend and partner and love.

As the cocktail hour began, guests were greeted with the couple’s signature drinks, John’s Vo-Jito and Julie’s Peach Julep. The escort cards hung from a tree covered with origami cranes; each holding the guest’s name. They relaxed around tables with beautiful lilac linens with mason jars filled with split peas and candles. It was very relaxing and inviting.

Once it was time to enter the reception room, guests easily found their seats at tables named after teas. The room was filled with luscious flowers with three purple shades of hydrangea, delphinium and purple stock to name a few; each with its’ own vase for the centerpiece surrounded by floating candles. The tables were dressed in taupe linens with a gorgeous eggplant satin colored napkin that shared the table beautifully with the flowers. It was a spectacular setting! The introductions were underway to the tune of Adam Sandler’s, “I Wanna Grow Old With You”, and the guests cheered as the new Mr. and Mrs. John Vo entered the room. The happy couple shared their first dance as husband and wife to the song, “Brighter Than Sunshine” by Aqualung. Then began the 8 course meal! The food was deliciously prepared by HaoWah Catering, who did a fabulous job attending to all of the guests. Julie and her father shared a father daughter dance to the tune of “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. As another personal touch to their reception, Julie and John shared a special toast at each table with all of their guests. It was beautiful to see and Becky Johnson from Becky Johnson Studios, was there to capture each dear moment. Next the couple worked their way to the cake cutting, which was provided by Cakes by Nomeda. As the song, “Knock me a Kiss” played Julie and John graciously shared their cake with one another. Now the celebration was in full swing as many of the guests took the dance floor and continued to revel in the moment. As Julie did the bouquet toss, the girls celebrated with the song, “Clumsy” by Fergie.

It was such a beautiful day and night full of love and promise. It is my wish for Julie and John a thousand years of happiness and prosperity! I thank them for all of the wonderful memories. They were a true joy!

I also want to thank all of my wonderful vendors. The day couldn’t have been a success without each of your contributions. Thank you!

Linens: Connie Duglin Specialty Linen & Chair Cover Rental
Flowers: Flowers-by-Design
Rentals: PKS Rentals
Transportation: Olympus Limo
Photography: Becky Johnson Studios