E-mail from bride in Old Glam Save the Dates:

Hi Valarie,

I just have to share with you the great feedback my mom, Jon and I have been receiving since our save-the-date went out. I mailed them early this week, and already we're getting tons of phone calls! Our friends and family couldn't be more impressed, and everyone seems so excited for the wedding! I've had multiple people tell me it's the best save-the-date they've ever seen! The postcards are so different (as everyone keeps telling us!) and everyone wants to know how we came up with the idea. I must give all the credit to you and Scott. I have such a beautiful photo card that I'll cherish for many years to come. And, my guests are impressed already! Thank you!

-Vanessa

Check out Jerry Bruno's blog at www.jerrybrunoblog.com.
Kirkbrides is the featured wedding planning company, writing about a THEME for your wedding, one of my most favorite parts of getting to know my clients and personalizing their weddings.

Already, exciting themes are being worked on for 2009 including A Starry Night in January, Moonlight Magic, Chocolate, City Lights, Memories, New York VIP, Summer Soiree, Madrid, Vintage Vineyard and more! Stay tuned.

I just love this aspect of the wedding! You can tie in your theme with a decorative drink that believe it or not, guests actually order and love! They look great in the pictures too.

I found this helpful website where you can explore different drink ideas based on color and theme. The company is called Stirrings: www.stirrings.com

At one of my weddings this summer, we will be serving a Red Rose martini, complete with edible rose petals!

At another wedding with a "Traditions" theme (both families have always observed many traditions), we are serving a drink that was served at generations of the bride's family weddings: Bellinis! The cocktail and bar area will be designed after the origin location of the drink, Harry's Bar in Venice Italy.


Cheers!

My bride and groom for the "Old Glam" themed wedding decided to work the wedding theme into the engagement session! We used this picture for the save the dates, created by Easywind Studio. Jon wore a fedora style hat and Vanessa had her hair and makeup professionally done! Scott from Easywind Studio posed them specifically to resemble a 1940's era movie poster. We will also be using the rest of their fabulous engagement shots to display in black and white at the cocktail hour to further enhance the theme!

Congratulations Vanessa and Jon!

Kirkbrides is now offering calligraphy services for all of your special needs including invitations, placecards and more. We offer two styles: romantic and old english. We are currently working on a section of our website to feature this, along with the extremely low pricing to match. Thanks to Janine and Holly, members of the Kirkbrides coordination team, for their fabulous talent in offering this hard to find service to brides!

Keep checking back on the website for more information!

I received such a nice note from one of my brides today after one of our vendor meetings, and wanted to share it here on my blog:

Valarie, I am so excited! I am pretty sure I will end up going with this photographer. I'll discuss with Joe, but I have a feeling that I will be happy with that choice. Thanks so much for everything so far, I am soooooooooooooo glad that Kim recommended you and that I was able to obtain your services. I can't imagine where I'd be in the process if I was doing this all on my own.... not to mention what my stress level would be!!!! I feel like it's going to be awesome, beautiful, fun and memorable and I can't wait. I'm also thrilled that it's not putting Joe and I into debt and that we can afford life after the wedding too. I might send you some things decoration wise that I like, but I think you get the vibe I'm going for. I'll let you know where I land with the bridesmaids dresses and I'll get a picture of mine for you, so you can have those to work off too. Yeah!!!!! Again, just want to say thanks for your efforts.

On November 8, Kirkbrides traveled to Cincinnati to help Megan and Scott hold their dream "Chicago-themed" wedding! Megan grew up in Cincinnati and now lives in Chicago with Scott. What a better theme for the Saturday night wedding than embracing the details of the city where they met!

Please also take note how much Megan looks like the live version of the bride in the Kirkbrides logo! She was absolutely stunning.

Fabulous photography by Mike Bresnen: www.mikebresnen.com

One of the weddings I am working on planning right now will be an "Old Glam" theme. It will be held in a gorgeous ballroom reminiscent of the 1940's. Instead of placing a favor at each place setting, we will have a photobooth set up outside in the lobby for guests to take pictures together and take home the traditional "photo strip". We will also use this as the guest book, so guests can sign their wishes to the bride and groom next to their picture. Think of how entertaining this guest book will be in 30 years!

Shutterbooth
http://shutterbooth.com/index.html

In November, I was contacted by a newspaper editor named Carl Feather, writing for a local publication called "The Shore" about unique wedding locations in the Northeast Ohio area. He had been calling around to local wedding planners. After speaking for a few minutes, he realized how much location research I actually do here in the area. He asked me to sit down for an in-person interview. The interview went great and we ended up doing a photo shoot at one of my favorite locations, he interviewed a past bride and groom of mine, he put a sub-article in about one of the most up and coming photography studios in Cleveland (who I work with regularly) and ended up with the cover and 6 pages about Kirkbrides. If you are interested in obtaining a hard copy of The Shore, I'm told it's sold in bookstores and Heinen's throughout the area. Special Thanks to Carl Feather and The Shore for featuring Kirkbrides in the January/February 2008 edition of the magazine!

I am now exploring a new avenue - bridal shows! I decided to start with a small one to be held at the Great Lakes Mall in Mentor, Ohio during the weekend of February 2-3, 2008. Please come visit me to talk about your wedding to be held in 2008 or 2009. Believe it or not, I am already booking for 2009 dates since it's been 2008, so call or visit me at the bridal show to start planning now! The best vendors get booked up fast!

Great Lakes Mall is conveniently located on the corner of Mentor Avenue and Plaza Boulevard in Mentor, Ohio.

More info on the show:
PMA's Spring 2008 Bridal Show at Great Lakes Mall
Saturday, February 2, and Sunday February 3, 2008
During Mall Hours: Saturday 10 am to 9 pm and Sunday 11 am to 6 pm
Great Lakes Mall
Mentor,Ohio
Dozens of exhibits on display. Free admission. Fashion shows at 2 pm each day. Register to win prizes. See the latest fashions and styles.
For more information call 440.572.4639