"Learning From The Experts"

Although they are technically not considered a "wedding expert," I would say that a previous bride has a lot of insight that they can share with future brides.  I asked one of our previous clients to comment on this and hopefully it will help future brides to hear it straight from the source...

Previous Bride's statement:

Hiring a Wedding Planner:  An Investment in Sanity

I almost didn't hire a wedding planner for my October 2008 wedding.  Like many brides out there, I thought "I can handle this," because I loved planning a wedding.  How hard could it be to pick out flowers and cake?  I didn't hire anyone until just a few months before the wedding, and my only regret was that I didn't hire one earlier!
First of all, wedding planners can save you a lot of time and money.  They know who the best vendors in town are, and they can get you a discount on their services.  Having reliable vendors at your wedding is so important.  You can spend a ton of money on someone and they can provide you with a poor product.  This doesn't happen with wedding planners; they use reliable vendors who they've worked with before and who have motivation to provide top notch services.  I had many of my vendors booked before hiring Shayna, and we wound up changing some and I could have booked others at lower prices with her help! She also gave me some really great vendors, who I was very happy with.

Second reason to hire a wedding planner - your sanity.  Someone has to be in charge on your wedding day.  Decisions have to be made like where does the wedding party go when they arrive, who will tell the band what time to make announcements, what happens if it rains, what happens if the limo driver doesn't show up -- do you want that stress on the happiest day of your life?  And if it is not you, do you want that stress on your mom or sister or best friend that day?  No.  Hire someone to deal with it -- Shayna has dealt with and solved every problem you can't even imagine could happen.  Book a wedding planner, and you're booking your peace of mind.  

Third reason to hire a wedding planner - you never have to be the bad guy.  No one likes to see a Bridezilla.  Especially not on her wedding day!  Let your wedding planner take care of dealing with those stressful issues.  If you're not happy with the way your makeup artist did your trial, have your wedding planner talk to her about it.  Or if the band is playing the wrong songs, she can step in and tell them what to do.  All a bride should do at her wedding is smile and enjoy herself, and wedding planners make this possible.

Finally, wedding planners know so much more about weddings than the average bride ever would know.  There were so many details planners think of and plan for that I never knew existed!  They know all of the customs of tipping and helped me prepare for that before the wedding day.  Hiring a good wedding planner, like Shayna who knows the industry, will provide you with a wealth of knowledge you can't get anywhere else.  

I have nothing but wonderful memories from my wedding day.  I don't ever think I've smiled as much as I did that day and it was because I was happy with my vendors, I was prepared, and I didn't have to deal with any details.  What's the point in going through all the hassle of planning a beautiful wedding if you can't enjoy it?  And why not save some money in the process?  This is why a wedding planner is a must.  Trust me.  You won't regret it.  

St Louis Wedding Consultants Couple of the Week! Katy & Craig

This is one of our most favorite couples ever!  Their wedding was AMAZING and made us feel like we were in a tropical paradise! These wonderful pictures were produced by none other than L Photographie!

"Learning from the Experts"

Ever have questions about different florists or just flowers in general?  Maybe this will help answer some of your questions...let's here from the ladies of Sisters Floral Design Studio!

What a Professional Wedding Florist Can Offer Their Clients-

These days, there are so many resources out there for brides planning their weddings.  The various looks and different types of elements to choose from are both astounding and overwhelming.  In the sometimes uncertain process of choosing a style, one thing is for sure, you want your entire day to have one consistent look and feeling.  You want it to convey your overall personality and emotions of the day.  This is where a wedding florist can help.

Wedding florists are designers that specialize in wedding flowers.  It is their main focus and something that they take great pains in perfecting.  A specialized design team like we have at Sisters Floral Design Studio can come up with many ways to incorporate your own personal touches within the larger scheme of the flowers.  Professionals can help guide you in choosing elements that will give you that consistent look you want from personal flowers to ceremony décor and into the celebration at the reception.  A design team can take away the overwhelming feelings that sometimes come with choosing flowers from what seems like an unending garden of choices.  They can suggest blooms based on your likes and dislikes, the season and color palette of your wedding, and the budget you have laid out for each flower element.  Flowers are a great medium for accentuating a certain idea or theme or for creating the main focus of the event.  The guidance that can come from meeting with a wedding florist can really help set the tone for the rest of the event.

With so many DIY websites and “just-picked” flower looks, it can be easy to think, “I could probably do the flowers myself.  I just want something simple.”  Here are a few things to think about when considering DIY flowers for your wedding day:  1) The logistics.  They are the last thing that most people think about, but the first thing that needs to be considered.  If you do your own flowers and have a source to purchase them, where will they be stored while they hydrate?  Do you have coolers with controlled temperatures to house them after they are arranged?  Do you have the materials, tools, containers, work area, etc. to assemble them?  How and who will deliver them?  What can be logistical issues for a DIYer are all things that professionals are equipped to handle every day.  2) The design.  Consider how important that overall look you have been dreaming of is to you.  Is it worth having someone with training and experience suggest ideas for what may work best to achieve it?  Do you want floral designs in your wedding pictures that look professionally executed and that evoke the emotions of the day?  Professional floral designers specialize in all these aspects.  3) The hassle.  Do you want to be tied to processing flowers and making bouquets the last few days before your wedding?  Do you want to be worrying about you or your family members setting up and delivering flower arrangements the day of your wedding?  A full-service wedding florist takes care of all of these things.  It is part of the service they provide and they are top-notch at making sure each flower detail is fulfilled.

So, how do you go about selecting a professional wedding florist?  Use all the resources at your disposal.  Magazines, websites and blogs featuring local vendors will display first-hand accounts of a florist’s work.  Often times, you may have a friend or relative who recently got married.  Ask who they used and if they were happy with their flowers.  If you are hiring a wedding coordinator, they can also give you suggestions.  Once you have a florist in mind, call and make an appointment to meet with them.  Go to your appointment prepared with inspiration images and a budget for flowers in mind.  Flower budgets are based on your overall wedding budget and should be 8-10% of the whole budget.  Be open to the design team’s suggestions.  The pictures you selected as inspiration should be used as just that- inspiration.  Often times, blooms in a picture may not be the best choice due to availability or color selection.  Let the professionals design a piece for you that will mimic but not copy exactly the picture you love.  It gives the designers the freedom to what they do best!

When you find the right wedding florist, all the elements from your wedding will come together.  You will know it’s the right fit when you start to feel your thoughts and ideas taking shape.  As professional wedding florists, we have a wonderful occupation.  We get the opportunity to work with brides and grooms on one of the most important, emotional and joyous days of their lives.  It is an opportunity that we take very seriously and are so proud to be chosen to take part in.  Best wishes to all those planning weddings! 

St. Louis Wedding Consultants Couple of the Week! Amazing Indian Wedding!

Jaya & Avi!

Don't these pictures capture great moments!  Only the best from Charo Photo!  Just a beautiful and fun couple!

Joanna's 1st Bday Party - Just a little late posting :)

Ok, I know this is a wedding blog but I can't help myself! I wanted to revisit my daughter's first birthday party because I had so much fun with her party! When it came to the details I tried not to forget one little thing! The theme was pink and I'm pretty sure I took it to the extreme.  Obviously my family posts come way late...considering she is now TWO! :) Better late than never!

Desserts & Food: ME - ALL HOMEMADE!
Florals: Sisters Flowers
Amazing Photos: L Photographie
Linens: My Grandmother!

"Learning from the Experts"

Stationary is such a fun aspect to any wedding. You can add so many cute and personalized details! If you don't believe me or don't think it's worth it...thank again! Check out the expert advice from Melissa Haley, Owner of M. Haley Designs!

Is custom stationery for me?

The invitation is the first glimpse that your guests will have into your wedding.  A fun graphic, a modern pattern or a classically-styled monogram are all ways to showcase your personal style to those important people whose presence you are requesting for your big day. A deliberate process involving decisions regarding style, design elements, and language can share a lot about your wedding style with your guests.

Deciding whether you would like custom stationery can seem like a daunting task, but there are several key issues to keep in mind in order to help guide your decision.  Firstly, it is important to consider your budget as custom stationery is an investment – an artistic and creative element of your wedding that can serve as mementos for you and your guests for years to come.  That said, custom stationery does not have to break the bank, and is often comparable to catalog or online options. 

The most important issue is your vision. Some brides envision a style and message that they will be unable to find in pre-designed items and catalogs. While these catalog outlets may work for some, others find the limited options and “cookie-cutter” approaches to be frustrating. The final consideration for custom stationery is the details that can be added based on your taste and budget.  Whether you are looking for a custom printed envelope liner, a whimsical pattern on a belly band to organize things, or a strategically placed Swarovski crystal, any good custom stationer should be able to accommodate these types of requests. 

The best place to start when considering invitations is to search the Internet, look through magazines and blogs and begin to solidify a vision for your wedding.  Your color palate will drive many of the stationery decisions, so it is important to have made those decisions before you begin the design process.  Once your vision begins to emerge you should contact a stationer in order to discuss the countless possibilities.  Meet with them, share your ideas, evaluate the expertise and advice that they provide and determine if their design process, pricing and personality are a good fit for you.

It can be the smallest design element that makes a dramatic difference between pre-designed and custom invitations. Custom stationery may be the proper choice for you if you have a definite vision in mind.  If this is the case, you are looking for someone (like me) to execute your vision.  That is the primary objective of any custom stationer. 

At M. Haley Design, we are able to offer many different printing options which range from the most economical (digital/offset printing) to the more high end options like thermography, letterpress and engraving.  We have a wide range of lines of papers which allow us to combine different company’s products together in new and innovative ways.

Happy planning!

Here is some of Melissa's brilliant work in action!

Featured on The Hostess Blog!

Although we love love love weddings, we always enjoy doing other events as well!  And we are very excited to announce that one of our events was featured on Hostess with the Mostess.

Check out the link and let us know what you think!

Here is a Vibrant Fall Dinner Party!

Here is a little teaser...