~ HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011 ~

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves.  The book is called, "Opportunity" and its first chapter is New Year's Day. " 

~Edith Lovejoy Pierce  

Stonehouse Events wishes you all a safe and Happy New Year!

Sending Love & Hugs,

Cindy

SEMI NEEDS YOUR VOTE!

I am really excited to announce that I have been named a Rising Star ~ Female Finalist in the 2011 Event Solutions Spotlight Awards.  The voting starts today and we would love it if you could take a few minutes and cast your vote for me!

http://www.eventsolutions.com/spotlight_awards/awards_process/voting_2011

Thank you so much for your support!  I really appreciate it!  It is a tremendous honor for me to have been selected as a finalist!

sending love and hugs,

Cindy

SEMI PLANNER PICK ~ WHY WE LOVE ENGAGEMENT SHOOTS

SEMI PLANNER PICK ~ ENGAGEMENT SHOOTS

Why do we love engagement shoots?  Well if you visit the link below you will see exactly why!

http://jmizephotography.squarespace.com/journal/2010/11/28/kelsea-tyler-engaged-a-day-in-their-lives.html

Jason Mize Photography captured our bride and groom-to-be beautifully!  Jason we just LOVE these photos of Kelsea and Tyler!

MY TOP 5 REASONS COUPLES SHOULD HAVE THEIR 

ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS DONE:

1. Engagement Shoots are a great way for a couple to see how they are going to interact with their photographer and see how comfortable they are with him/her. When the couple is comfortable they are free to be themselves and the photographer is able to capture those real moments!

2.  When is there any other time in your life you will have photos taken by a professional on location.  This is NOT something we tend to do on an everyday basis, so when you have this opportunity you will have photos that will last a lifetime!

3.  These engagement photos can decorate your house and act as everyday reminders of the LOVE you two share.

4.  It's FUN!  Look how much fun Kelsea and Tyler are having!  Pillow fight! Complete with feathers!!

5.  This is one of those times when it is all about you and your fiance.  The wedding day is full of family and friends but your engagement shoot is only about you as a couple and the love you share.  We think that is the BEST reason of all!

Thank you Jason Mize Photography (http://www.jmizephotography.com) for capturing our clients, Kelsea and Tyler!  We can't wait for the wedding in March!  It's going to be AMAZING!!

sending love and hugs,

Cindy

xoxo

Happy Holidays 2010

Good Tidings Lavender Holiday Card

Make a statement with custom holiday cards at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

SEMI WISHES YOU ALL THE BEST FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

We wish you all of the BEST this holiday season and always!  

Thank you for your continued support of Stonehouse Events!  

You can view our holiday card on the post above. :)

sending love and hugs,

Cindy Stonehouse

xoxo

SEMI Rave Reviews!

I love working with all of my brides!  It means so much to me to be able to be apart of your wedding day because it is all about LOVE!  One of the highlights of my day are when my bride and groom are more than pleased with their day and see how much I have helped them.  I had to share this recent thank you note from one of my Mother of the Bride's.



Cindy,

There is no way I can let you know how much you meant to us throughout this process.  One of our guests is a wedding planner and she raved about everything and how it was one of the prettiest weddings she had ever been to.  Everyone thought the reception was over the top and it really was just everything we dreamed of.  I don’t know how you pulled it all off but we were so thrilled with the results. Considering all we went through with Bob’s dad just a couple of weeks before the wedding, and how you just jumped in and did it all for us, I am just thrilled with the results.


Thanks again for everything!!  We loved it and YOU!!!!

Debbie Tillman
Your 25th Hour, LLC
770-820-5901
www.Your25thHour.com
  

RSVP for Crate&Barrel Wedding Party Events This Weekend

Visit the link below and enjoy planning your new home!

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/Gift-Registry/Events.aspx

SEMI PLANNER PICK ~ Gorgeous Wedding Shoes

If you are searching for the perfect wedding shoe for you and your bridesmaids, visit WeddingFeet.com, an online wedding shoe resource. With hundreds of styles to choose from, you can easily navigate through the website by heel size, color or style. It is a super user friendly site with LOTS of GORGEOUS wedding shoes! Have fun shoe shopping!

www.WeddingFeet.com

Sincerely,

Cindy

SEMI PLANNER TIPS ~ Meeting with your Florist? Ask yourself these questions first!

Must-Ask Questions to Ask (Yourself) before Hiring a Florist

When you are ready to sit down and meet with your florist, you may be thinking what questions should I ask the florist before I hire them. However, I am going to tell you what you should be asking yourself before you sit down with your florist. There are some key elements that you should be thinking about that will affect the overall feeling you are trying to create for your wedding day. You will be flooded with ideas and exciting things that you will want to share with your florist. But if you invest a little time before your meeting, it will be more productive and you will walk away feeling like you created exactly what you wanted for your wedding day. Here are SEMI's Must-Ask Questions to ask yourself before hiring a florist:

How do I want my wedding to look and feel? You will want to have a few words picked out to describe the overall feeling of how you want your wedding day to feel because your flower selections will depend on the mood you are trying to create. For example, a more traditional wedding will most certainly have roses where a more modern chic wedding will have more calla lilies and orchids.

What type of flowers do I love? By asking yourself what flowers do you love, only means to take notice of the types of flowers you like. Naturally, we don’t expect you to know the names of all of the flowers, your florist can help you with that. If you take a few moments to clip magazines or browse the internet for photos of flowers that stand out the most to you this will help your florist have a better understanding of your style and tastes. Which ultimately will help bring you one step closer to creating the wedding you always envisioned or just begun!

What colors do I see for my flowers? Do you like bright bold colors for a bridal bouquet or soft pale colors for your flowers? When selecting the colors for your flowers, your florist will be able to show you flowers in your colors that are available and in season at that time of year. Plus, your color choices reflect the overall look and feel for your wedding, which goes back to the question how do you want your wedding to look and feel for the day?

How many people in my bridal party and family members will need flowers on the day of the wedding? When you sit down with your florist, this is one of the beginning questions they will ask you. You will need your bridal bouquet, bridesmaids bouquets, flower girls, ring-bearers, groomsmen boutonnieres, groom’s boutonniere, flowers for parents, step parents, grandparents, god parents, officiant and any other members of the family that you may want to honor with flowers. This is important because this number can greatly affect the cost of the flowers.

What type of bouquet do you want for your wedding? When we ask what type of bouquet do you want for your wedding, we want to know do you like a hand-tied round bouquet, a cascade of flowers or a pomander (kissing ball)? The florist will want to know what type of wedding dress you are wearing so that your flowers will compliment your dress and not take away from the beauty of it.

How much do you want to spend? This is a critical question because this number will affect what your florist can do for you realistically. Because flowers are such a significant part of your wedding day, we recommend that you spend at least eight to ten percent of your budget on flowers. They will be seen in many photographs and enjoyed by all of your guests. Plus, you can take them with you at the end of the day. :)

Inside the Wedding Planner's White Book

This week for Inside the Wedding Planner's White Book, I am happy to feature Paper Presence. Paper Presence specializes in custom, one-of-a-kind invitations and announcements that help capture the spirit and personality of your special event. Andrea McMahon is the owner and creative force behind Paper Presence. She does a great job capturing the essence of your event from concept to creation. Andrea's designs are all custom, unique, and tailored specifically to your style, inspiration, and budget. They approach each new design with one goal - to make your wedding or event as unique as you! Find out more about Andrea by reading below!

What do you love most about weddings? The "it's you and me" moment: that moment when you know, to your core that you are going to love and be loved for the rest of your life.

How do you continue to challenge yourself in this industry? By feeling the fear, and doing it anyway. Whatever “it” may be at the time, I never want to be so afraid of something, failure OR success, so much that is keeps me from excelling in what I have found to be my professional passion.

What do you think is the most important thing each couple that works with you needs to know? I love what I do. I am blessed to call this my “job” and I work incredibly hard to make each design special, unique and true to my clients’ personalities.

The famous Bernard Pivot questionnaire:

1. What is your favorite word? Gravy J My husband and I share this nickname.
2. What is your least favorite word? It’s two words actually…World War. I can’t say them together without slowing down first, and then of course war just stinks.
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Living with all 5 senses. I was introduced to this concept by an industry icon, and there is nothing more motivating and inspiring than experiencing everything around you in every way possible.
4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Pessimists
5. What sound or noise do you love? Children laughing
6. What sound or noise do you hate? People screaming at each other
7. What is your favorite curse word? I don’t have a favorite. I dislike them all and would wash my mouth out with soap if it really worked. LOL
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I’d like to own one of those posh doggy daycare places. J But right now, I don’t want to be doing anything else. I love my profession immensely.
9. What profession would you not like to do? Anything with blood. Ick.
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Heaven does exist, and I hope to hear God say, “Here are your wings.”

You can find out more about Paper Presence at www.paper-presence.com!

Real Wedding ~ Kelley and Nick Charnas

We love helping all of our brides and grooms plan the wedding day of their dreams! We recently had the pleasure of working with Kelley and Nick on their nautical themed wedding at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Florida!

But what do you do when it rains on your wedding day and you are all set for an outside beach ceremony? You have to go with Plan B! You can view the slideshow of their wedding day, that despite the stormy weather, was still a day full of LOVE and ROMANCE!

http://www.jerrymcgaghey.com/Charnas

Our Little White Book ~ A big "Thank you" to all of our amazing vendors!

Wedding Planner: Me! Stonehouse Events & More, Inc.

Photographer: Jerry McGaghey Photography

Florist: Events in Bloom

DJ: Inspire Entertainment

Entertainment: Photo Lounge

Venue: Sheraton Sand Key Resort

Transportation: Ambassador Limousines

Linens: Connie Duglin Linens

SEMI ~ Planner Pick!

We have been researching some new ideas and came across this great twist on the Photo Booth! We found this site, www.koyalwholesale.com, where you can purchase, for a reasonable price, a personalized backdrop for your wedding photo booth! We think this is a great idea and another FABULOUS way to personalize your wedding day! :)

~ Cindy

Wedding Photo Booth Backdrops!

Wedding Photo Backdrops coming soon to Koyal Wholesale. We will have six new personalized wedding photo booth backdrops available by Monday, May 3, 2010. At only $89.99 each and including FREE personalization, our fun wedding photo backdrops are sure to be the hit of your bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, or wedding reception. Great creative, and let your guests let loose in front your names and wedding date.

The Wedding Photo Booth Backdrop comes in 6 unique designs and may be personalized with names and numeric date in the following colors (you choose): cloud, aqua, sage, wisteria, petal pink, raspberry, wineberry, plum, claret, tangerine, chocolate, grey or black. This is all included in the price, no additional cost! PERSONALIZATION IS FREE!

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Nosworthy!

March 27, 2010

Brooke and James began the first day of their lives saying their vows with the gorgeous backdrop of the Powell Crosley Estate in Sarasota, Florida. With amazing food presented by Olympia Catering and wonderful music provided by Inspire Entertainment, Brooke and James shared their wedding day in an intimate setting with their family and friends. To celebrate the lives of those who were not able to be present, Brooke honored them with a photo above the fireplace in the main room. It was a beautiful sentiment. Olympia Catering created a gorgeous candy table display for the guests enjoyment and as a thank you for sharing in their day. Everything was just perfect! Thank you for allowing us to be a part of it!

The Little White Book

Day of Coordinator: Us, of course! :)

Caterer: Olympia Catering

Entertainment: Inspire Entertainment

Photography: Becky Johnson Studios

Flowers: Beneva Flowers

Officiant: David Wildes

Hair and Makeup: Beauty Brought Out

One of our brides featured!

One of our recent couples had a story written about them in the St. Pete Times Tampa Edition newspaper today! This is one wedding that we can't wait to share! Enjoy the sneak peek about this amazing couple, Jennifer Hsiung and David Shoemaker by cutting and pasting the link below!

http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/love-set-match-in-beijing-for-tampa-wedding/1100923

Or, you can follow the photographers Divine Light Weddings, link to view it at:

Jennifer & David's Wedding Featured in The St. Petersburg Times/www.TampaBay.com!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~ Cindy

FIND SEMI ON THE DIRECTOR'S CHAIR NEWSLETTER!

We were recently featured on Tampa Wonderworks newsletters, The Director's Chair! We have worked with Bryan and Tracey on several weddings. We have witnessed our clients joy from being able to watch their wedding day through the eyes of the very creative and talented team of Bryan and Tracey. They are both so passionate about what they do and capturing the day of their couples. Videography is so important to preserve the memory of the day and witness the love surrounding them by their family and friends after the wedding day has come and gone. Thank you to Bryan and Tracey for mentioning Stonehouse Events & More, Inc.! You guys are AWESOME at what you do and we are honored to be able to work with you both! :)

Check out the link below (you may have to cut and paste) to read their newsletter and see what they had to say about SEMI!

http://mim.io/3ba04

10 Wedding Blunders to Avoid

We wanted to share this link with you because it has some very valuable information. Your wedding day only comes once in a lifetime, try to avoid these blunders so your day can be all it was meant to be, just fabulous!

http://lifestyle.msn.com/relationships/article.aspx?cp-documentid=23719391&GT1=32023

Please copy and past the above link to view. Thanks!

GRACE ORMONDE IN SARASOTA!

We had the rare privilege to meet the amazing Grace Ormonde, May 10 at her exclusive book signing party at the GORGEOUS Ritz Carlton in Sarasota! It was an absolutely stunning event designed by some of our friends in the industry; the wonderful Sarah Fairburn with One Fine Day, Inc. and the extremely talented Ian Prosser with Botanica International Design Studio. Our good friend, Josh Walther with Inspire Entertainment provided the entertainment with his incredible band, Phase 5 and Ryan Joseph, one of our favorite photographers provided all of the photography for the evening. We were so thrilled to be a part of this spectacular event! Her book is filled with some of the most inspirational weddings ever and I absolutely love the title, "Being in love never goes out of style"! And with Grace on it's side it never will!

Lots of love and success! Cindy

http://www.weddingstylemagazine.com/book/?p=290!

We were excited to be in one of the photos that made it to her blog! Copy and paste the link listed above to view more of the photos!

Inside the Wedding Planner's White Book

We are happy to feature the amazing husband and wife team Carrie Wildes Photography and David Wildes, Officiant for this week's "Inside the Wedding Planner's White Book". Carrie is a top notch photographer who loves to photograph couple's on one of their most precious days and David likes to be the one who makes the wedding day by officiating the ceremony. Carrie is driven to capture the spirit and emotions of the people she photographs. She is constantly challenging herself to improve her artistry and daring to be different! David's philosophy is to sit down with his couple and get to know them so he can design a ceremony based on their wishes and desires. David strives to provide a unique and custom experience to each and every wedding he has the pleasure to officiate. Enjoy learning more about this beautiful couple!

What do you love most about weddings?

Carrie ~ I love getting to know each couple and capturing all the details and people on one of the best days of their lives! The day goes by so quickly and the bride and groom are entrusting me to allow them to relive all the details, family, friends, and emotions. How great is that?

David ~ I love that I’m with people at the beginning of their journey together. In most of my weddings I say that marriage isn’t the destination, it’s the beginning. To be a part of the day that they will remember for the rest of their lives is inspiring and humbling at the same time.

How do you continue to challenge yourself in this industry?

Carrie ~ Keeping it unique and fresh is what I always strive to do. For me, it's a constant learning and growing process to become both technically and artistically better. Before each wedding I spend some time getting inspiration from several other really amazing photographers that I follow.

David ~ For me it’s making sure with each new couple that I spend the time to make their wedding ceremony unique and special. Each couple is different with varying pasts and values and I want that reflected in their ceremony.

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

Carrie ~ That I am so blessed to be doing what I love! I treat every wedding as an honor and responsibility that the couple is entrusting me with and will do everything I can to make it the best day of their lives!

David ~ That I’m here for them. I don’t give them an A., B., and C., wedding ceremony and make them choose. I will work with them to personalize the ceremony so that it’s a reflection of their relationship and wishes.

The Famous Bernard Pivot's Questionnaire:

1. What is your favorite word?

Carrie ~ Touche, it just sounds cool:-)

David ~ Yes

2. What is your least favorite word?

Carrie ~ can't

David ~ No

3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Carrie ~ When I know someone trusts and respects me

David ~ Seeing God in the everyday. Not only did He create the large and marvelous like the universe, the earth and the sun and stars, but he also gave flowers their smell, humans laughter and personality and awesome sights like a sunset. He’s constantly making Himself aware to us.

4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Carrie ~ negativity

David ~ Unbridled independence. We are dependent upon God and each other. That’s another reason I love weddings, it’s a person admitting they are better off in this world with someone than alone.

5. What sound or noise do you love?

Carrie ~ pouring rain at night

David ~ laughter

6. What sound or noise do you hate?

Carrie ~ screaming

David ~ A plastic spoon rubbing the inside of Styrofoam cup . . . I’m getting chills just thinking about it.

7. What is your favorite curse word?

Carrie ~ Piddlejacking - it's not really a curse word, but makes people think about if it is when they hear it:-)

David ~ My wife will tell that when I let anger get the best of me I choose from a variety of different curse words.
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Carrie ~ Hosting a show on the travel channel or helping companies implement social media

David ~ I don’t know, probably something where I go scuba diving all the time and to sporting events while getting paid lots of money.
9. What profession would you not like to do?

Carrie ~ Teach elementary school

David ~ Work for the IRS or pretty much anything on “Dirty Jobs”.

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Carrie ~ I believe it does and I would like to hear "well done my good and faithful servant"

David ~ Heaven does exist and I would love to hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into my rest.”

You can find out more about Carrie Wildes Photography at www.carriewildes.com and David Wildes at www.davidwildes.com/#

Many Happenings!

We have been so busy these last couple months with our weddings that we have not been able to blog about all of our wonderful weddings!! We have planned the very FIRST wedding at the new Tampa Museum of Art, we had our first wedding at the Powell Crosley Estate in Sarasota and a beautiful nautical themed wedding at the Sheraton Sand Key!!

Please check back for more details on these amazing weddings and photos!

Thank you for visiting Stonehouse Events & More, Inc. Blog! :)

Inside the Wedding Planner's White Book

This week's "Inside the Wedding Planner's White Book", we are highlighting a very talented DJ, DJ Carl based in Orlando Florida. We had the pleasure of working with him at a recent wedding at the Tampa Museum of Art. Carl is an absolute professional and arrives very well prepared for his weddings. His genuine love for music has allowed him to utilize his passion to master the complex art of positively influencing a group of people through his programming because, he truly understands academically, as well as emotionally how music affects the overall tone and success of any event! DJ Carl is one of the most sought after and trusted professional DJ's in the industry and he has earned both national recognition and awards for his experience. Enjoy learning a little more about him by reading our questionnaire below!

What do you love most about weddings? I love providing high-end professional DJ services for weddings that focus on energy, emotions and positive experiences.

How do you continue to challenge yourself in this industry? I am trying to convince big wedding planners that they can have a DJ without a band at a big high-profile wedding.

What do you think is the most important thing each couple that works with you needs to know? Each couple needs to know that I can technically-mix all genres of music for all types of people, articulate their messages on the microphone and I pay close attention to the details of the wedding.

The famous Bernard Pivot questionnaire:

1. What is your favorite word? balance
2. What is your least favorite word? profanity
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? open-minded people
4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally? close-minded people
5. What sound or noise do you love? violins
6. What sound or noise do you hate? loud noises
7. What is your favorite curse word? none
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Online Content Editor
9. What profession would you not like to do? dance performer
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? You are a hard worker

You can find out more about DJ Carl at www.djcarl.com!