Making the most of Bridal Shows..

Its that time of year again, where all of the newly engaged brides begin to plan the day of their dreams. For many of them, their planning process begins by promptly calling a wedding coordinator. However, there are many that start out on their own first, and will hopefully at some point understand the value of a what a wedding coordinator can bring, but would first prefer to venture out alone. Well it is a good thing that in January of each year there is no shortage of bridal shows.

Here are some of my thoughts on how to get the most out of your bridal show experience.

Pre-work before you go

1) Identify what type of wedding you are dreaming of. I don't mean down to the color linens, and flowers. I mean are you envisioning a formal affair, a backyard vintage soiree, a destination wedding.

2) Start to put together a budget. As wedding coordinators we CANNOT stress this enough! I am not saying to the penny.. but there is a big difference between, $5000, $50,0000 or $5 million. It is key that to have a wonderful wedding planning experience, that you first have realistic understanding of what you are able to spend.

3) Create a list of items such as food, drink, venue, photography, videography, floral, linens, decor, dj or band, etc and start to rank them in order of importance. This visual exercise will allow you to see every element of the type of wedding you are planning. You can then allocate portion of your budget accordingly. (note: a wedding coordinator will also be able to help you further finesse the budget to what the local cost of products is for your type of wedding) You would hate to choose a vendor, that takes 50% of your budget, and before you know it you are over budget before you have barely begun.

3) Once you have established a budget, and your priorities, sit down and start to brainstorm with your fiance to find out what guest count you feel would fit in your budget and not stretch it too thin but yet still allow for all of the items you want from step 2.

A tip that I tell my client repeatedly, is guest count is the fastest way to affect the bottom line.. either positively or negatively.

4) Check out the website for the show and look at the vendors that are going to be in attendance. Then look further at their websites. This will allow you to make a special cheat sheet of booths you don't want to miss. All too often, the doors open and the brides come in, and it seems like a cattle round up. And that is because most don't have a plan, they just seem to wander around. Now don't get me wrong it is good to browse, but don't get overwhelmed and then realize it's all a blur and you can't remember who you spoke with. (more on this in the next section)

5) Discuss your strategy with anyone who is attending the show with you. It is key that they know your vision and your goals. After all this is YOUR day. I hate to say it but sometimes, bridesmaids, moms, grandmas, etc mean well but they are making statements etc without keeping your goal in mind. This then makes the experience overwhelming and unenjoyable.

6) Limit the amount of people you take with you to any one show. If you are planning on attending more then one show, split the people that go with you. This will allow people to help you feel like that are involved, but without have 4, 5, or 6 people wandering around with you that day.

7) Print labels with your first and last name, wedding date, email address, and mailing address. Trust me you will thank me profusely later!! Just about every vendor is providing a giveaway. The often request the same information and you will be writing it over and over and over again. These giveaways are a great bonus, but if you could save 20 mins overall and writers cramp...do it!! You can peel it off, plop it down, and that's all she wrote (no pun intended).

Day of things to remember:
1) Eat breakfast (you need energy and brain food)

2) Review your list again

3) Remember you labels

4) When you visit the booth you are interested in, strike up a conversation with the vendor. Wedding planning is much more enjoy ble when you feel connected to a vendor you select. Rather than just price shop.

5) Remember that vendors, WANT to talk to you or we wouldn't be there. A good vendor is as selective about the clients they sign, as you are about us. So please just relax, and ask questions.

6)Take it all in! Enjoy being a bride...enjoy the process of finding the right vendors. (which might or might not be selected from a show)

7) Have your guest keep track of who you visited, and who you want to follow up with after you leave.

8) Watch the fashion show.. always a great experience.

Well this post was A LOT longer then I originally intended. But hopefully for all of you bride's, mother of brides/grooms, friends, etc reading this post will find it helpful.

Good luck!

Some of favorite dresses from NYC Bridal Market

Unfortunately due to a tight schedule, I was unable to attend what we in the wedding business know as NYC Bridal Market. Bridal Market is similar to main stream fasion week. All of the wedding gown designers show their new lines for the next season. Although I was unable to attend in person, my friends who were there kept me updated on twitter.

So I wanted to share some of my favorites over the next few blog posts. First up, Marchesa! One of my favorite dress designers in general, I was in LOVE with their Fall 2012 line.

I absolutely am obsessed with the necklines, and the shift from the same boring strapless gowns we have seen. So delicate and feminine, what isn't to love?

Here are my top pics from the line:





Images from Marchesa
Here is a look at the fun I had attending bridal market last year.

Lacy travels to Atlanta..

Hard to believe that my trip to Atlanta has been over a month ago. But I am finally coming up for air, and wanted to tell you all about this fabulous event. I was honored and humbled to be asked to be a presenter for an exclusive "Event Planners Private Event" hosted by the very talented stylist Kori Smith, owner of SKS (Stylist Kori Smith.) Kori partnered with a local event planner,Janice Blackmon and they co-hosted this event. Janice was so lovely and organized! From one planner to another planner she ROCKED!

Here I am with Kori & JaniceThis event was all about pampering event planners for the evening, and showcasing makeovers. Along, that line Kori asked if I would speak to the group about "making over my business, and becoming and event stylist." (here is a link to Kori's recap)The event was held at the gorgeous Villa Christina.
Kori is a very very talented makeup and hair stylist, and I am proud to call her a friend! Here she is working her magic on one of the ladies selected for a mini 15 minute makeover.
Here are some pictures of me presenting.. Speaking for 30 minutes can often seem scary, but the crowd was phenominal, and packed with talented event planners/designer, etc. I had so much fun sharing my experiences with them. Everyone in that room epitomized southern hospitality!
The crowd was having fun during a short exercise I asked them to do.My right hand and Lead Event Planner Sarah went with me. We had a great time, and I just had to share this adorable picture of us in which we are actually out of our black suit "uniform".
The decor was goregous, from the linens, to the floral, to the cake! It was such a wonderful event, and I had so much fun.These are actually cakes!
We were treated to schwag bags full of hair and body products! What girl doesn't love products?
The attendees also had the great pleasure of being entertained by the talented Soulphonics & Ruby Velle. (here is a snip from the internet of their sound) Holy cow are they great..soul at it's best. Ruby was so stunning in her sapphire blue dress.
Thank you Kori, Janice, and everyone else! Sarah and I had a wonderful time in Atlanta and met so many wonderful people.
All of these fantabulous images are courtesy of the very talented In The Moment Photographs

Lacy Branch Events is now WeddingWire Rated for 2011

St Louis, MO - 07/05/2011 - WeddingWire, the nation's leading wedding technology company, is pleased to announce that Lacy Branch Events is WeddingWire Rated 2011 for Event Planning, Coordination, and Design. WeddingWire Rated is an annual award program that distinguishes wedding vendors across the country for their excellence. Based on hundreds of thousands of recent wedding reviews, WeddingWire Rated is the most recognized and trusted brand among engaged couples looking to find the best local businesses for their wedding.

Lacy Branch Events has 5.0 out of 5.0 total reviews on WeddingWire. Reviews by our newlywed clients include detailed ratings and insightful descriptions about their experiences working with our business and staff. Our reviews provide transparency for potential clients, assisting them in making the most informed decisions for their big day.

"We are delighted to unveil the 5th annual WeddingWire Rated program," said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire, Inc. "Lacy Branch Events has made a commitment to capturing their clients experiences on the nation's leading wedding review site."

As the largest site for wedding reviews, WeddingWire empowers engaged couples with the most comprehensive and trusted review system available. The WeddingWire Rated program provides Lacy Branch Events with a simple platform to capture customer feedback from their wedding planning experience. Newly engaged couples can easily access all of the reviews for Lacy Branch Events on WeddingWire.com. We would like to thank our newlyweds for our WeddingWire Rated 2011 recognition.

For more information, please visit Lacy Branch Events on WeddingWire. For more information on WeddingWire Rated 2011, please visit www.weddingwire.com
About WeddingWire, Inc.
WeddingWire, the nation's leading technology company serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 local wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers to wedding cakes. WeddingWire also offers an online community and a suite of cutting-edge planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire provides free online management tools creating the only market opportunity that gives local businesses control over their clients, reviews, leads and performance. Businesses that join the WeddingWire Network appear on WeddingWire.com and other leading sites, including ProjectWedding.com, MarthaStewartWeddings.com (NYSE: MSO), Weddingbee.com, and Celebrations.com (part of the 1-800-Flowers family of brands, NASDAQ: FLWS).

Classic Wedding Dresses, from the LBE bride to Kate Middleton and Reese Witherspoon

By: Jenni Schrader LBE Intern

The white wedding dress trend started with Queen Victoria in 1840, and in 1981 Princess Diana brought in the classic princess bodice with the bouffant skirt and 25 foot train. How will Kate Middleton’s 2011 wedding dress be translated for the brides of today? Trends showing up in designers’ collections such as Vera Wang and Monique Lhuillier are: the lace sleeves, sleeker silhouettes, second dresses, color, and Victorian influences.

Kate Middleton’s stunning carrickmacross lace dress was done by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. This dress worn for the royal wedding this spring has impacted the designs and trends for 2012 wedding dresses, and will likely carry inspiration into designer’s lines until the next royal wedding. Speculator’s anticipated a modest dress for Kate previous to the wedding, and their predictions were absolutely correct. I believe the modest dress has brought long sleeve's back into style to stay for many seasons to come. The carrickmacross lace used for these sleeves originated from Ireland and it created a very whimsical and Victorian feel to the dress, which is sure to be mimicked in other designers lines.

Not only will Kate’s awe inspiring first dress impact their lines, but the trend of the second dress she embraced will continue to flourish in the wedding dress market. Although much simpler in nature, the sleek silhouette of her 2nd dress was very similar to that of the ceremony dress. This sleek style was very different from the bouffant sleeves and large tulle skirt of Princess Diana’s dress that coined the “princess style” description of a wedding dress in 1981. Kate's dress is bringing the classic sleek wedding dress back into style, however the bouffant “princess style” dress is still very common in bridal boutiques today.



Although Kate Middleton’s dress has had a significant impact on wedding dress trends, Hollywood surely still has a large impact on the market trends as well. Color has slowly been sneaking into magazines in the past few seasons, but in a way has still had a scandalous reputation. Prior to 1840 when Queen Victoria made the white dress a wedding staple, color wedding dresses were more expected rather than being the exception as they are now. Although Kate Middleton did not choose to bring this trend back, Reese Witherspoon wearing a blush Monique Lhuillier wedding dress gave color dresses a more traditional reputation because of her well known classic taste. The underlying corset bodice of Reeses’ dress also reflects the Victorian era when color dresses were worn.

Long sleeves, second dresses, sleek silhouettes, color dresses, and Victorian influences are sure to make for a simple and elegant array of dresses in wedding magazines for 2012. Check out some of these gorgeous dresses on Lacy Branch Events past brides'.

A Look Back on Some Elegant Wedding Centerpiece Ideas

By Jenni Schrader: LBE Intern
We love eclectic centerpieces! As you will see in these pictures of our weddings, our centerpieces are far from your traditional monotonous bouquets. Today we are mixing things up with varying flowers and vases, and throwing in props to create unique designs for every couple.

Our room decor is far from your grandma's monotonous look alike tables. At LBE, Lacy works with our florists to design a variety of floral arrangements with varying heights and colors to create depth and drama in our fabulous reception venues. With the varying centerpieces, adding scattered candles, and unique props such as picture frame’s transforms the table from simply functional to simply fabulous. With all of these different elements on each table it makes for a lot of work to coordinate the centerpieces alone. That’s where Lacy Branch Events comes in! We ensure that your tables get the chic eclectic look you’re trying to achieve instead of looking cluttered and messy. Check out the collages of some of Lacy Branch Events past weddings that I've put together for you!

Selecting the right number of Bridesmaids for your Wedding Party

How big is too big for a wedding party? We discuss it in today's video blog.

We hope to help shed some light on the topic of large wedding parties from a wedding planners perspective.

Selecting Your Reception Venue

Today we give you some tips in selecting the perfect reception venue.

Thanks to everyone who is tuning in, and keep your questions coming!

On the video blog... the "B" word... Budget

Today we are discussing how to establish your wedding budget.



If you have any topics you would like to hear about be sure to let us know. Stay tuned for the next installment on Wednesday!

Planetarium...Hot Pink, and Green Wedding but funky?

Hard to believe that it has been almost SIX months, since Sarah & Colin's wedding. We truly enjoy all of our clients, and their weddings. But we had an extra dose of enjoyment while designing this one!

The couple was a riot, the bride in particular. She kept us laughing, and was truly a girl after our own heart. From start to finish, she wanted larger than life, and bold and blingy! She had one requirement.. a strolling table had to be serving appetizers at her reception. We told her, NO problem. The rest is history.

The ceremony was held at the Jewel Box in Forest Park. The reception at the Planetarium. Our largest challenge for this wedding was the guest count, and how it kept creeping up. The fact was, that both venue's could handle the original guest list but was about to burst at the seams. Sarah and her mom Jane (one of the sweetest mothers we have ever had the pleasure of working with) got it under control, so crisis averted.

Ok, let's talk details! Sarah had dreamed about her wedding being pink and green since she was a little child. So we began designing around those colors, quickly I learned that the groom Colin was part of a band and was planning to wear Converse with his tux. Immediately, it was clear, pink and green, for this couple was far to preppy. I took a deep breath and suggested bringing black into the equation to offset and make it seem a bit more modern. The couple LOVED the idea and so began the design.

Next, it was discovered that Sarah totally was into chandeliers. PERFECT! The chandelier (black at that) was used in lieu of a monogram, it became the symbol of their wedding. On the stationery, from save the dates to invites, on the aisle arrangements, on the wedding canopy, and at the reception.




Three heights of centerpieces were used to create interest. Our friends at Parties & Props, Ltd. created the strolling table that entertained the guests during the cocktail hour. They also created a lounge fit for a princess and a rocker! The lounge was green and black and full of crystal.

One of our favorite parts was the one of a kind cake we helped design. The stripes on the cake mimic the stripes on the save the date cards! The cake sat atop a pink metallic shag linen, with a completely blinged out pink swarovski "A" cake topper, perfect for the bride.

The guests danced the night away to the music of Groove Thang!

Thank you Sarah and Colin, and Jane for reminding us how much fun we get to have doing this job. You will forever be in our hearts!

Here is a picture of our team and of Lacy goofing around


The Dream Team that made it possible:Event Stylist: Lacy Branch Events
Cake: The Cakery
Catering: Patty Long
Ceremony: Jewel Box
Ceremony Music: Rosewood Ensemble
Floral Design: Sisters Flowers
Makeup & Hair: Tami Scott Studio
Lounge Decor & Ceremony Canopy: Parties & Props, Ltd.
Photography: Kelly Park Photography
Rentals & Lighting: The Aries Co
Reception: James S McDonnell Planetarium
Stationery: Two Blue Doors, Inc.
Transportation: JED Limousine
Videography: I Do Films

Video Blog 4 - more questions about what you can and can't do on your wedding day

Thanks to viewers feedback and questions, today we address the following:

Do I have to have a receiving line?
What about a ring bearer or flower girl? Do I need them?
I feel awkward making my friends catch the bouquet, do we have to do it?

Find out in this installment of our video blog!



Keep the questions coming! Next on the blog, establishing the "B" word..BUDGET

Till next time...

xoxo
Lacy

Video Blog .. What can I wear on my wedding day?

We definitely felt the love after our first two installments of our video blog!
Thank you to everyone who sent us your questions. We are going to just scratch the surface in this video surrounding what is acceptable and not acceptable for today's weddings. The questions we got were surrounding attire and traditions. So that our video blog doesn't become a movie, we will just discuss attire today.

So once again... THANK YOU all for your support.

Video Blog Installment 2

We hope you enjoyed our first installment of our video blog, but that was just an introduction. Here is the first tip! Hope you enjoy

PS...remember if there is anything you want us to discuss comment and let us know

Our first shot at Video Blogging

... so after many months of people asking if we would do a video blog we have decided to jump in! We are not videographers,or cinematographers so bare with us. We hope you enjoy our tips and insight.