LOCAL HAPPENINGS ~ 3rd Annual Bridal Show at Davis Island Garden Club

Davis Island Garden Club is hosting its 3rd Annual Bridal Show on Sunday, February 28, 2010 from noon to 4 p.m.! Come visit this amazing group of Upscale Vendors and find out what we can do for your wedding day! This is one bridal show you will not want to miss!

For more information you can visit the Davis Island Garden Club website at www.digclub.org We look forward to seeing you there! :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

We just LOVE Valentine's Day and want to wish everyone of you a very Happy Valentine's Day!

Naturally when we think of Valentines Day, we think of weddings! We wanted to share a poem that we think is just perfect as a reading during your ceremony. It's titled "What is a Soul Mate?" and it is written by Emily Matthews.

What is a Soul Mate?

If you have found a smile that is the sweetest one you've known,
If you have heard, within a voice, the echoes of your own,
If you have felt a touch, that stirs the longings of your heart,
And still can feel that closeness in the moments your apart,
If you have filled with wonder at the way two lives can blend
to weave a perfect pattern that is seamless, end to end,
If you believe some things in life are simply meant to be,
Then you have found your soul mate, your hearts own destiny.

Happy Valentine's Day...

SEMI Planner Pick ~ Justine M Couture

If you are looking for a website that offers Gorgeous bridal accessories, look no further than Justine M Couture. They offer tiaras, hair ornaments, brooches, veils, bridal belts, and so much more! They can even custom design your order! Visit their website at www.justinemcouture.com for more information and to view their gallery! You won't be disappointed!

Inside the Wedding Planner's White Book

Okay so we have been a little behind on our "Inside the Wedding Planner's White Book" but, this week we are back to feature Phillip Lloyd from Phillip Lloyd Photography. We just love Phillip as a person and photographer. His work speaks for itself and you may have already seen it in several publications like The Knot, Brides Florida and most recently Weddings Unveiled. Phillip's love of photography is apparent in every photo he captures. When a photograph has the ability to speak to you and stir up your emotions, then you know you have been touched by an artist. Phillip is a true artist! Enjoy learning more about the man behind the artist!

What do you love most about weddings? The chance to come up with something cool for every wedding.

How do you continue to challenge yourself in this industry? I'm never satisfied with my work.

What do you think is the most important thing each couple that works with you needs to know? Have fun.

The Famous Bernard Pivot Questionnaire:

1. What is your favorite word? Man!!!!
2. What is your least favorite word? Like!!!! Like my wife and daughter say all of the time!! Grrrrrr!!!!
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Honesty
4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Lies and people who intentionally hurt others.
5. What sound or noise do you love? Myles
6. What sound or noise do you hate? When Myles cries.
7. What is your favorite curse word? The "F" Bomb!!
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Lawyer
9. What profession would you not like to do? Police officer…I discovered this after the psychological test they put me through. lol
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? You made a difference.

You can view more of Phillip's work at www.philliplloydphotography.com!

Real Wedding Video Highlight ~ Jennifer and John

We are so thrilled to share with you the Real Wedding Video Highlight of Jennifer and John's INCREDIBLE wedding day from our last wedding of 2009! We are so thankful to our friends at Tampa Wonderworks for sharing this link with us. Great job Bryan and Tracey for capturing the magical moments of this Amazing day of Love!

http://www.tampawonderworks.com/theblog/2010/01/25/jennifer-john-real-wedding-highlights/

Tampa Wonderworks - www.tampawonderworks.com

SEMI Planner Tips ~ Best Way to Save for your Wedding

In this economy, everyone is looking for ways to save. But when you are getting married, it can seem like a daunting task. We received this from Real Simple Weddings and thought we would share it with all of you because it is great information!

Whether you’re planning a small wedding for friends and family or a raucous reception 600 guests strong, you’ll need the bucks to back up your bottom line. Start squirreling away money for your wedding now. Open a savings account with an online bank that pays high interest rates, like ING Direct. Because these banks don’t have a lot of overhead, they let you automatically transfer money out of your checking account and into a linked savings account with no fees. Ideally, arrange to have 10 to 20 percent of each paycheck deposited into this account, beginning at least a year before your wedding date.

Please remember to check back again because we will be continuing to share tips on how to stretch your wedding budget dollars!

Final Wedding of 2009 ~ Mr. and Mrs. John Langmaack

We are super excited for our couple who celebrated their wedding day on Saturday, December 12, 2009. This was our final wedding of the year and it was such a FABULOUS day! Jennifer and John are such an amazing couple and we were so happy to share their day.

The ceremony and reception were held at the Bayanihan Arts Center; where the room was all a glow with gorgeous draping and lighting. Jerry McGaghey Photography captured the day and all of the special moments that followed PERFECTLY. The couple hired a photobooth for the reception, where guests enjoyed putting on props and getting their pictures taken for a scrapbook that was being prepared as a gift to the Bride and Groom for the end of the night. The guests just loved it! The Bride and Groom shared their first dance to Keith Urban's, "Only You Can Love Me This Way". The bride was absolutely stunning in her custom made gown. Their wedding cake was delicious and cheesecake! Their reception was GORGEOUS with pintuck linens and artistic floral centerpieces. The bride loved Calla Lilies so naturally we had 3 unique centerpieces for the different tables. One centerpiece was curly willow branches draped with Mokara Orchids, another was a bowl with Calla Lilies and curly willow wrapped around a floating candle and the final centerpiece consisted of 3 different sized cylinders with submerged Calla Lilies and orchids. They were just beautiful! The day was a joyous celebration uniting these 2 families. We were so thankful for the opportunity to share this amazing day with them!

We can't wait to share the highlight reel of the day! Remember to check back soon!

Thanks to our team of vendors who made the day extra FABULOUS! We couldn't have done it without you! :)

The Little White Book

Planning and Coordination: Stonehouse Events & More, of course!

Venue: Bayanihan Arts Center

Photographer: Jerry McGaghey Photography

Videography: Tampa Wonderworks

Catering: Delectables Fine Catering

Cake: LeCheesecake

Florals: Cheral Floral Studio

Photobooth: Serendipity Photobooth

Entertainment: Inspire Entertainment

Linens: Connie Duglin Linens

String Quartet: Rosewood String Quartet

Transportation: Skyline Limo