Questions for a Wedding Venue

The Cotillion in Blue Springs www.cotillionweddings.com

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Royal Style: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

It is always refreshing to see a Celebrity or Royal Icon display traditional characteristics in their wedding. Even though HRH Catherine is often portrayed to be the "modern bride" she carried a hundred year tradition through her Royal wedding.

Something Old -
Catherine's wedding dress featured a long-sleeved lace overlay by Alexander McQueen creative director Sarah Burton. The pattern used on the dress is known as the Carrickmacross lace-making technique and is said to be a tribute to traditional British craftsmanship.

Something New -
Her something new came from her parents as they gave her a pair of leaf-shaped diamond earrings made by Robinson Pelham to match her tiara.

Something Borrowed -
Catherine's headgear featured a 1936 halo-style Cartier tiara lent to her by The Queen.

Something Blue -
And in order to include something blue, Catherine had a small amount of blue ribbon sewn into her gown. 

Make Sure Your Venue is Legit

Photo by Chris Murphy

Unfortunate news has hit the local wedding market. The Historic Stowe building, operating out of downtown Kansas City was operating illegally and has decided to shut down. This leaves many brides frantically looking for a new venue to host their reception. If the event was to be held in 2012, there is still time to find another venue; however, for those brides whose event was taking place in 2011, they are in trouble.

I spoke with a mother of the bride today who is frantically looking for a venue for her daughters July 2011 wedding day (previously booked at The Stowe). Invitations have already been sent out, vendors booked, and flights arranged. The date can no longer be changed, so the unfortunate alternative is to find an available venue.


This is a great example that you should quiz your venue as hard as your caterer and photographer. Here are a few key non-decor related questions to get answers to before you book your venue:

• How long have you been operating as a business?
• The longer the business has been opened, the better.

• How far in advance do you book weddings? 
• This will illustrate how solid their business is operating, venues should be booking at least a year in advance. If less, there is a reason why.

• Do you have a liquor license? 
• If the venue is providing your alcohol, make sure they have a liquor license. You may even request a copy of the license to put yourself at ease (some event insurance providers require a copy). If the facility does not have a liquor license take note that you are exposed to any insurance claims associated with the alcohol served at your event.

• What is your maximum capacity?
• Most venues will round this number off to a whole number; however, when a city approves the building, they provide the maximum number of guests. Example: venue says 300, city says 326. This is an additional sign that the venue has been in contact with the city.

• What time does the event need to end? 
• When alcohol is being served at an event, the city does not allow and endless party. A venue should require you to end at a specific time which has been instructed by the city. 

One additional item, when entering or taking a tour of the space, look for city documentation. This could include a business license, liquor license, catering license; all of these documents are required to be hung in a visible space. Check the door for fire department, chamber of commerce, or other city stickers.

If your venue of choice is operating properly, they will have no reservations to answer your questions or provide you any documentation.

The Best Parking Spot

When planning a wedding, there are so many things to make sure are checked off the list. If you have decided to use your own means of transportation instead of hiring a limo service, you need to make sure to do one thing:

RESERVE YOURSELF A PARKING SPACE

More often than not, the Bride and Groom forget to save themselves a spot close to the entrance and end up walking a football fields length before getting to the front door. You are VIP, no one will argue this!

I have a love for smaller bridal shows! With more of a personal and boutique style, each bride is pampered to the fullest.

If you are a bride looking to attend an upcoming bridal show, check out some of my advantages in attending a smaller shows opposed to a larger show. 

KC Unveiled January 2011

 1. Smaller shows are typically held in a wedding venue. If you have not booked your venue at the time of the show, it allows you to experience the space with people in it before you book a consultation.  The venue may also be giving-away a free rental, extra time, or a discount on the rental fee. BONUS!

2. Lines as long as Worlds-of-Fun! If you have been to a large show, you know that the isles can be so packed that it is impossible to move let alone talk to a vendor you are interested in. Small shows not only have room for you to walk around, they also give you the opportunity to visit with vendors that catch your eye.

Chocolate Brownie Bites by That Catering Company

3. Samples are handed out at both large and small shows. However, with the attendance of brides nearly tripled at a large show, vendors quickly run out of samples for you to try. No one wants to miss the good stuff!

4. The fun stuff such as a photo booths are popular at shows. Who wouldn't want a pre-wedding photo with their bridesmaids? You might see the booth from the distance at a large show, and maybe get the chance of getting a photo after waiting 30 minutes, but don't hold your breath. Small shows have photo booths readily available for your quick glamor shot.

Post fashion show, brides checking out the gowns up close.

5. One of my favorite parts it the gowns! Large shows do the fashion show down the standard runway. You will be seated on the floor below to look upon the models. At a small show, the dresses are much closer to you and allow you to see the detailing of the dress. 

6. Small shows are usually FREE to attend. Bring as many people with you as you would like that are apart of your big day!

There are many reasons to attend a bridal show: the gowns, the giveaways, the contacts, and the experience. If you are attending an upcoming large show, make it a point to also attend a smaller show so can pamper yourself and gain valuable information and contacts for your big day.

I host KC Unveiled twice a year at The Cotillion and will keep you updated on information for the upcoming show.

Another smaller show that is FREE to all is being hosted by Tie The Knot, Kansas City Style on May 15, 2011. A group of amazing vendors will be present at the Ballroom Grand Opening at the Carriage Club. Click here for more information on this show!

Out with the Old, In with the New

As a wedding planner, I use many different resources to spark my imagination for design ideas. It is very important to keep ahead of the next seasons style to make sure that each event is not only personable to the couple, but also a unique event.

There are a few classics that have withstood the test of time, such as the first dance and cake cutting. However, there have been a few changes with the past year that have broken the mold for the typical wedding reception. Read about a few of these changes and see if you would like to make the change for your big night.

Cake vs. Cupcakes: 
The Trend: I am seeing very few brides wanting to order a large wedding cake. Cupcakes are the new reception dessert. Mini cupcakes allows each guest to pick from multiple flavors. Some of the most popular flavors are white cake (replacement of the wedding cake), chocolate, red velvet, lemon, and peanut butter chocolate. Cupcakes are also an easy way to incorporate wedding colors and/or theme.
 

The Reasoning: Why order a large cake that most guests only eat a few bites of when you can offer other desserts that please every taste-bud?

Florist vs. Bride Creativity: 
The Trend: I love florists, but have been seeing less and less of them lately. Wedding magazines and online photos have made it possible for brides to recreate decor elements. Florists are still used for bouquets, boutineers, and corsages, but have less involvement with the reception decor. Abstract yet simple centerpieces have been seen more and more as they are easy to replicate and carry the color scheme and theme throughout the venue perfectly. In a few instances, I have had the bride host a Centerpiece Party with her bridesmaids to celebrate the upcoming wedding and to construct the centerpieces.

The Reasoning: Having the opportunity to personally perfect each and every centerpiece instead of hiring a florist saves money for other aspects of the wedding.

Guest Book vs. Photo Booth:

The Trend: If you attended a wedding prior to 2010, you signed a guest book before being seated at the ceremony. Now that it is 2011, you might be surprised that when you show up, there is no longer a "check in" at the door. While there still is a guest book idea, it is now coupled with a strip of pictures of your loved ones and a heartfelt message to the newlyweds. The photo booth takes three pictures of your loved ones and prints two copies of the photos. The first is a favor for your guests to take home; the second is placed inside a book where you guests can write a message to you. The book of guest photos is then a cute and sometimes laughable keepsake for the bride and groom for years to come.

The Reasoning: The traditional guest book lacked a personable link between the couple and their guests. The photo booth not only allows the guests to personalize a message to the couple, but is also the perfect favor to each and every guest.

Wedding and reception trends are constantly changing. If you are doing one of these new ideas for your big day or feel that you are starting a new trend yourself, please share it with us! 

Breathtaking Videography

There are only a handful of videographers that can truly surprise me with their artistic ability to capture the moment. Selecting a person or company to capture your special day through video should be just as important of a decision as the venue or photographer. It takes a special skill to capture the perfect angle, accurate audio levels, and the day's breathtaking moments.


I present to you: Alea Lovely. Her ability to capture the pure love and meaning of a marriage is unparalleled. I have coordinated and attended several weddings and not once seen such amazing work. You can see her personable relationship with her clients through her photos and videos as she highlights their love in a way that suits them perfectly.

View one of Alea's videos here on TheSpecialEvent and visit her full portfolio at Vimeo: 

I highly recommend contacting Alea today to discuss your upcoming wedding. You will want the video that you show your children and your children's children to accurately demonstrate the love that you share with your other half. What a precious and life-long gift you can have to relive one of the most memorable days of your life.

December Reception at The Cotillion

December has never been the leading month for weddings. Who would want their guests to plow through the cold weather and possible snow to attend their reception? For those who decide to host their wedding in December, finding design samples can be limiting. On December 11th, The Cotillion hosted a wedding reception that not only got its winter wonderland touch with a light dust of snow, but so was tastefully decorated to accompany the season. This was a great event that everyone enjoyed!

Studio Chyree provided the photography for the evening and has put together a promotional video. Check out their amazing photos and holiday decor in the video below.

Un-Official Photos from KC Unveiled

KC Unveiled was a huge success at The Cotillion this past weekend! Check out some of the amateur photos that I caught during the day.

If you missed this show, we hope that you can make it to the KC Unveiled Bridal Show coming Fall 2011!

That Catering Company

I have started an exciting adventure with a catering company located in Kansas City. That Catering Company has been in business for three years providing delicious food for companies and private clientele. After working the same market together, the owner, Niccole Young and I have brainstormed a great alliance to increase wedding business.

I am excited to begin working more with That Catering Company to develop their presence within the wedding industry. If you have someone looking for their perfect menu, feel free to contact us: 816-726-2877! That Catering Company offers a complimentary consultation to customize your menu as well as a free tasting to ensure that it is up to par for each and every one of your guests.

KC Unveiled Bridal Show this Saturday!

I have deligently been working to perfect the bridal show and the time has finally come!

Date: January 29, 2011
Time: 11am-4pm
     Bridal Gown Show beginning at 1:00pm
Location: The Cotillion, 1717 Burdett Crossing Blue Springs, MO 64015
Admission: FREE

Come check out some of the leading vendors in Kansas City that are sure to help you coordinate every aspect of your upcoming wedding. These vendors are the real deal and offering huge give-aways throughout the whole day!

Participating Vendors:
Beauty:
     American Laser Centers
     It Works
     Mary Kay Consultant
     Salon Bellezzio
Catering:
     HyVee
     That Catering Company
Desserts:
     Sweet Tooth
     Sherries Cake Magic
DJ Entertainment:
     Debby Z & Company
     Elite Sounds & Entertainment
Fashion:
     Bridal Solutions & Tailor 
Florists:
     Andrea K. Grist Floral Designs
     Beautiful Weddings by Kerrie
Jewelery
     Alexander's Designs
Photo Booth:
     A Good Time Photo Booth
     Black Tie Photo Booth
Photography
     BJD's Photography
     Jenny Frazee Photography
     Heartland Images
Rental Provider
     All Seasons Tent Rentals
Transportation:
     Horizon Limousine
Travel Agency:
      All About Honeymoons
Wedding Planning
      Wedding Expressions by Geri

I hope to see you this weekend at the show!

Holiday Engagements

Congratulations to all holiday engagement couples! Look to thespecialevent for all of your special event and industry information!