The Mark of Non-StinkinessBe Gone!

So today I was out shopping with my wedding planner colleague Mark Kingsdorf for some last minute Hollywood Fashion Tape. For those wondering...that's the tape that keeps strapless dresses in place the best. Anyhoo- so right next to the tape, I see a few packs of Gal Pal. "Hmmmm, what's this I see? It looks like something helpful!" Yep.. It is. Inside the pillow box are 2 pink sponges that remove those pesky deodorant marks that you will inevitably get at the worst possible time.

The instructions are pretty easy, wipe the deodorant away, to sum it up.
The 2 pack was $6.99, and when we tested it- they worked! So yeah- totally worth every penny. Thank you to my deodorant mark free model-intern Michelle for posing.

A favor idea I love..to eat.

Favors. Should be so simple, but they can be so hard! There are 5 trillion to choose from and it seems like they've all been done before. You want something different, but you don't want it to be, well, stupid. Here's my rule of thumb when it comes to favors. Only give what you would like to receive. Ask yourself, "Would I be happy if I got one of these?
I had an idea yesterday when Amanda-the-girl-scout came a knocking at my door. I gave her $3.50, and she gave me an entire box of my favorite cookies to eat at my leisure. Ok, so that's a slight lie. I bought 7 boxes. Anyway, can I just tell you how happy I would be of I went to a wedding and found a nicely wrapped box sitting on my chair? And then to open it later and see that I had Thin Mints to eat all the way home? And how happy would I be as a bride to know that my favor purchase also helped a great organization? Very happy!
I think its time for a Tagalong...or six.

We haven't done a big exit in a while, I think mostly because after parties have been so huge the last year or so. Valerie & Ryan really wanted to have a grand exit though, and it was fantastic.
Photo Credit: Gigi Hamlet

How big should my band be?

Here's a good question I got today.

Is there such thing as a band that's too big?

Yes there most certainly is. One easy way to know if you've gone a bit too far- if the stage will have to be bigger than the dancefloor to fit the band...it's too big. If you want a true live band experience, I vote for nothing less than 3 pieces. After that, another piece per 20-25 (starting with 3 pieces and 75 guests)people is a good rule of thumb.

Some things to keep in mind though:

Typically what makes that big band sound is a horn section. And that usually requires a 5 to 6 piece band.
The other element that makes a huge difference in not only the sound, but also the playlist- having a female vocalist.

Style Me Pretty

I have been a fan FOREVER. I love love love Style Me Pretty. Certinly one of the best wedding blogs out there. Can I also tell you how exciting it was to get a call from the girls at SMP and find out that they were not only expanding The Little Black Book, but that I was going to be included? Yeah, beyond excited. I was also oh so happy to see that one of my favorite photographers, Michelle Reed, has also been included. Michelle photographed some of my favorite weddings: Julie & Phil, Vanessa & Greg, Karyn & Len, Stacie & Brian...lots of great weddings over the years. The Little Black Book is spreading through the country, so be sure to check and see who is there in your neck of the woods.

Internapalooza

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who emailed from across the country about the internships- I never expected such a fantastic response! I'll be sure to post photos of our new team soon. The new team will be in action just in time for Boogie Down Brides' wedding next month!

Smiley bride got married!

And she smiled so much!
I was so happy at this moment...THEY'RE MARRIED!
The guests of table 22 had some fun...
in the photobooth.
The wedding party table was on the dancefloor for dinner...and then they got booted off for the Clint Wiley band - THEY ROCKED!
Pretty Flowers...
Pretty Cake...
and Pretty Happy Peopple!
The late night ice cream and pizza bars were a HUGE hit with guests.
Those aren't paper menus on the tables...solid chocolate with edible ink! How cool is that?
Like many of the guests, she switched to flip flops for the cocktail hour on the sand and for dancing. Click here to get a reminder of Smileys shoe shopping experience.