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I have had the privilege of working with Julia, Sam and Julia’s mom and sister over the past year throughout the wedding planning - from venue and date selection until the big day! Julia & Sam were married at Sharon Mills in Manchester, MI this past Saturday, with a reception immediately following on site.

The rain held off, but due to cold (for September) and wind, the sides were all on the tent. Rentals were contracted through Food Art, as well as MPE Events. The flowers were done by Holly from Sweet Pea Floral Design in Ann Arbor; they were just stunning!

The linens are bengaline moire, one of my very favorite materials! My assistant and I menu-folded the napkins and inserted the menus that Julia & Sam’s friend Pip created. Pip also had his hand in the honey and popcorn favor labels, programs, place cards, signs and table numbers!

The honey was purchased locally, from Lesser Farm in Chelsea, MI. A few days before the wedding, family pitched in to fill the jars and tie the ribbons, and Friday night I adhered all the stickers. I absolutely LOVE how they turned out! For guests who were flying, popcorn was available as a substitute to avoid the liquid restrictions.

The photographer for the wedding was Dustin Francis, a favorite of mine! DJ services were provided by Platinum Mix Productions (Brad) and the dance floor was crowded until the end of the night - always a premier indicator of a fabulous evening! The food was outstanding, catered by Food Art who is in charge of rentals at Sharon Mills and caters all events on the property. Jefferson Market brought the heavenly wedding cake and gluten free cupcakes.

I asked permission before blogging the above picture! I had to take it - it was too funny watching the bridesmaids bustle Julia as she sipped from a white sangria! This happened as family was gathered for formal pictures after the ceremony, and as the marriage license was signed.

At the end of the night, we brought votives from the guest tables out to line the walkway leading guests to their cars. It was pitch black out there!We also helped pack up all the personal items, leftover food and cake, centerpieces, cards and gifts for the parents of the bride to take home with them. Once the bride and groom got into their car, everything was taken care of!

Julia had me take her bouquet at the end of the night to send in to CurlyArt - this one is going to be absolutely beautiful! Look at the colors in this bouquet!

Congratulations Julia & Sam - it was such a pleasure being part of your wedding!

Amber and Keiland were married at Fort Street Presbyterian Church in Detroit, MI this past Saturday. Amber was an absolutely stunning bride - she definitely had the bridal glow! TwoFoot Creative coordinated their beautiful wedding day.

She walked down the aisle with her father to a special song that only she knew about up until the doors opened for them to make their entrance! Capturing the memories were Melissa Patterson Gallery and Castle Video Productions.

Once the ceremony ended, we brought her aisle arrangements and all the items used during the ceremony to the reception hall at the Doubletree Fort Shelby in Detroit. Ashley was already on site making sure setup was completed in time, that vendors were arriving as scheduled and to check in guests as they made their entrance from cocktail hour into the reception.

Amber had so many wonderful touches to the day - like the family picture table above! She also brought in Rock the Booth for guest favors as well as for her and Keiland to have a scrapbook album at the end of the night.

One of my favorite things they did was to arrive to the hotel in time to see the room before any of the guests had entered. After all that hard work - of course she wanted to see it! The photographer and videographer were there to capture their reactions as they entered the room for the first time.

Amber had forgotten to bring the candles for half her centerpieces that day, so we did have some improvising to do! Her florist was kind enough to leave behind all the extra flowers, which were placed into votive holders and hurricanes to create a centerpiece in addition to the votives and gems that we had to work with already. I think it turned out beautifully!

The couple met at TGIF, so it was fitting that their wedding cake was a beer mug covered in TGIF memorabilia! For dessert, guests were each served two-tiered miniature wedding cakes. The groom’s cake was boxed up to take home.

Congratulations on a beautiful day you two!

Cathy & Eric were married at Leslie Science Center in Ann Arbor on August 14th. It was an absolute pleasure working with them; they are some of the most organized people I have met and made my job very easy to do on the wedding day! They did their part to make is as eco-friendly a wedding as possible as well, going far beyond what I have seen done in the past!

Ushers greeted guests as they entered the Science Center, encouraging them to take tours of the venue prior to finding their seats. Cathy and Eric walked themselves down the aisle to Canon in D, played by the lovely Dulcimer player pictured below. The hammered dulcimer was extensively used during the Middle Ages in England, France, Italy, Germany, Holland and Spain.

During the ceremony, the couple followed Quaker as well as Native American traditions. They had friends call in the seven Native American directions (spirits of the North, South, East, West, Earth, Sky and Soul). They had a period of silence during the ceremony at which time family and friends shared stories about the couple for everyone to reflect upon. They also signed a marriage certificate that was later signed by every guest at the wedding - since it takes not two people but a community to make every marriage work.

Some of the green initiatives taken by Cathy and Eric include: printing on banana paper, driving from the ceremony to the reception in an electric car, using pine cones to hold the place cards, having friends provide flowers picked from their garden,powering the reception with a solar powered generator, donating leftover food to local farms, recycling bottles, cans and cardboard from the wedding, and hosting their ceremony and reception at venues that give back to the sustainability of their community.

The reception took place at Delhi Metropark located in Dexter, MI. Rentals were brought in from A-1 Party Rentals and the food was provided by Simply Scrumptious Catering. Their photographer was Bob Goodman, and a representative from the Ann Arbor News was also present for an upcoming story.

It was an incredibly humid day, and several guests took advantage of the nearby river - including Cathy! She wore her grandmother’s dress, which her great-grandmother (most likely) made for a 1934 wedding at which her grandmother was Maid of Honor. It fit like a glove and looked brand new - just gorgeous!

They also brought in a Contra Band and a Caller to get guests to the dance floor. The caller taught each individual dance just before the music for that dance began. “During this introductory “walk-through” period, participants learn the dance by walking through the steps and formations, following the caller’s instructions. The caller gives the instructions orally, and sometimes augments them with demonstrations of steps by experienced dancers in the group.” Wikipedia

Congratulations on a beautiful wedding day Cathy and Eric, we are honored to have been a part of it!

My associate Shawn and her now husband Corey were married on August 1st at Fort Street Presbyterian Church in Detroit. The church coordinators were amazing, I had a great time working with them and look forward to another wedding there on the 21st!

The ceremony was beautiful; Shawn & Corey wrote their own vows, which of course made me cry. They also made the awesome fans below for guests in case it was hot inside - the photo is one of their engagement pictures!

A surprise for everyone at the ceremony was the bride’s entrance - Shawn walked down the aisle following a bagpiper! She kept it a secret throughout the planning, and it was so much fun helping her pull it off!

Shawn & Corey exited the church to a Saber Arch, which is a wedding tradition in which sabers or swords are used to salute a newly married couple. The bride and groom pass under an honorary arch of sabers, typically when exiting the building in which the wedding ceremony took place. The tradition is in use worldwide.

After the ceremony, guests had a bit of time to kill before heading to St. Clair Shores to board the Ovation yacht. Jackie was a great help there getting everything set up and ready to go in time for boarding!

The linens and decor was provided by Emerald City Designs. We started out with 5 reserved tables for bridal party and parents, but everyone was having so much fun mingling that we removed 3 of them so that anyone could sit down. Food was available immediately upon boarding.

Notice the Coast Guard and bride cake topper? Shawn even made sure to have the yacht do a detour to Bristol Bay where Corey is stationed - it was a beautiful touch!

The food was delicious, from appetizers (above) to carving stations, passed appetizers, cake and mini desserts, and late night sliders. It was impossible to leave hungry!

How amazing would it be to have your first dance on a yacht, overlooking the Detroit/Windsor border? I am sure their photographers, Synechdoche, captured some amazing views!

I caught a few with my camera throughout the evening. It was a beautiful night, and the guests were enjoying every minute of it. One bonus of a yacht wedding - you have a captured audience that can’t go home early!

At the end of the night I helped pack everything up for Shawn, and took her bouquet to be sent to Curly Art to be preserved on canvas. Shawn sent me a text later that week asking if everything ran as smoothly as she thought it did - and I told her the truth; it was perfect!

Jennifer and Peter were married in Florida in April, and returned for a Michigan reception on May 22nd. The reception took place at Jennifer’s parents’ home in Clinton Twp. - fortunately the rain held off!

Robert Bruce Photography took the pictures you see here - he is always a blast to work with! The bridal party met for photos in downtown Detroit before heading to the reception. Having already done the ceremony a month before hand, you can tell they are much more relaxed here than at a typical wedding!

Shawn coordinated the wedding day, making sure that everything was set up correctly at the house and that things went smoothly from start to finish.

Love the groom’s cake!

Starfish cake topper to tie in the ceremony in Florida with the reception.

Congratulations Jennifer and Peter!

Every year it happens - I have a couple that is just wonderful, and I am personally already booked on their wedding date. This year, that couple was Corey and Danny. I helped Corey plan every detail of the wedding, and on the wedding day itself my assistants Shawn and Kristen were there pulling it all together. Fortunately, I got to the reception later at night to see the new bride and groom!

The couple was married at Immaculate Conception Parish in Ira Twp., MI. The reception followed at Villa Penna in Sterling Heights, and it looked absolutely amazing in Tiffany blue and white!

Linens were provided by Sposa Seating and Fabulous Events, and decor was taken care of by Clever Bumblebee Creations.

One of my favorite photographers to work with, Wendy Martin, was there to capture the day. Shutterbooth and Kurt from Mike Staff did an amazing job entertaining guests!

Corey had me take her bouquet at the end of the night to have a painting made by CurlyArt.

Congratulations on a beautiful wedding Corey and Danny!

Mekkena and James were married on July 10th at the Northville Christian Assembly of God in Northville, MI. Their reception took place afterwords at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market - which is such a fun place for a wedding!

Now - as much as the Farmers Market is an awesome venue, it is equally complicated! I honestly don’t see how it can be done without a wedding planner - especially on a Saturday. The market vendors have to be out by 3:30pm, but rental time doesn’t start until 4pm and even then it was not swept at all so my assistant was sweeping in order to put tables and chairs down in time… That gave us a total of 2 hours before guests arrived (and of course, they all arrived much earlier than what the invitation said)! Fortunately, we also had help from Colonial Events, and everything worked out perfectly.

Centerpieces were provided by Lisa from Pot & Box, a local Ann Arbor florist. Ben Marth photographed the day, and a friend of the bride and groom did a wonderful job manning the iPod DJ system! I am always skeptical about doing music that way, but it worked out beautifully.

Mekkena added so many fun details to the wedding, I loved setting it all up for them!

This was a postcard guest book - Mekkena made the postcards, and guests filled them out. They will be making their own guest book out of the cards!

Escort cards hung from two trees on either side of the guest book.

Their beautiful invitations, definitely set the stage for the event!

Katherine’s Catering provided these adorable herb vases with tags to indicate food choices along the buffet. The food was a huge hit! They also provided bartending services for the evening.

These windows were used as photo props throughout the night.

I just had to throw in another shot of the entire space, it looks so beautiful once all the pieces are in place! Guests commented throughout the night on what a great location the Farmers Market was for a venue.

Congratulations Mekkena and James, we wish you all the best in Oklahoma!

Megan and David were married at the Guardian Angels Church in Clawson, MI. I had the privilege of coordinating Megan’s brother Kyle’s wedding back in December of 2008, and I just love their family!

The reception took place at Villa Penna in Sterling Heights - and everything looked just gorgeous! Jen from Amanda Williams Photography and Mike Miller from Star Productions were there documenting the day. The bridal party was running a bit behind, so we started the receiving line with just parents, and added Megan and David once they arrived.

Rod from Music Box Productions kept the dance floor packed all night. He also helped me stay on time through toasts and the blessing - dinner started only 3 minutes later than expected! The meal was served family style, which always means there will be plenty of food for everyone!

After dinner, Megan and David mingled throughout the room and took some family photos on the lobby staircase before beginning the special dances of the evening.

The centerpieces were beautiful mixtures of roses and hydrangea in green, white and pink.

Sweet Dreams created the cake, as well as the dessert buffet which was absolutely devoured!

The sweets table included cakes, pastries, chocolate covered strawberries, fruit… delicious!

Congratulations Megan and David, it was a gorgeous wedding!

Katy and Jake are two of the sweetest people I have ever met; it has been an absolute pleasure working with them and Katy’s mom Kris (who is equally wonderful!) over the past year. As always with non-traditional venues, there was a LOT of planning involved to pull together a cottage wedding in Pinckney, MI. I was a bit worried the morning of their wedding, as thunderstorms were in the forecast and the ceremony was scheduled for outside at 1:30pm… Fortunately we missed the storms, and everything happened as scheduled!

When we arrived, my assistant Kristen and I put tablecloths on the tables and moved them into place. We placed centerpieces, favors, signage, fans, pomanders, table numbers, glasses at the tables and other decor. We folded and placed napkins, moved high top tables into place, did a sound check for the ceremony music, made sure cars were all out of the way, and got everyone lined up and ready to go for the ceremony! Rev. Tracy Huffman from the West Side United Methodist Church in Ann Arbor presided over the beautiful ceremony, which took place under an arbor built by the bride and her father Tom.

During the ceremony, I set out glassware for cocktail hour and made sure the drinks were stocked and ready. When guests moved to the lake side of the house for appetizers and a “meet and greet”, we made sure chairs were all in place inside the tent for dinner. We also set wine and champagne at each table. The very talented band, HardLine Drive, took a post-ceremony break and got their equipment ready for the afternoon’s performance. Anyone looking for a Blue Grass band should check them out, they were great!

The catering was provided by Anthony’s Kicked Up Catering, one of Jake’s favorite lunch spots in Grand Haven, MI. They also baked delicious pies for dessert, which were placed on two long 8ft-tables with cupcakes and a cake to cut from Just Baked in Ann Arbor, MI. Photographing the day was Synechdoche Photography from Ann Arbor. All rentals were provided by Colonial Events, and as usual all of their items were in beautiful shape!

Surrounding the cottage and throughout the tent, you could see the wonderful personal touches from Katy, Kris and Tom. Katy created the most awesome giant pomanders that hung from the ceiling of the tent as well as the wedding invitations.

Kris added parchment paper under the centerpieces, assembled an adorable vintage table for the ceremony, put favors together, and so many other details that really made the day unique!

Tom was in charge of all wood-working duties, including the amazing table numbers, signs leading guests to the wedding, plant stands, the band’s stage and so much more - all built from former decking! Katy’s aunt took care of all the floral decor, assembling centerpieces into blue mason jars.

Congratulations you two on a beautiful wedding day, we wish you all the best!

Jennifer had a very clear vision of what she wanted for her wedding: a Moroccan theme which was carried throughout every aspect of the day. It began with the amazing lanterns she bought, which adorned the ceiling and tables in the tent, and continued through the drapery, linens, centerpieces, paper, cake, menu, music and attire. It was such a fun year of planning for her Moroccan backyard wedding!

Jen & Emmanuel were married at St. Florian Parish in Hamtramck. Jen’s mom, Beverly, was very actively involved in planning the ceremony music - which turned out to be an absolutely beautiful blend between violin, harp, and vocalist. Jen created feather bouquets for herself and her bridesmaids. After the ceremony, All Star Limousines transported them first to Cliff Bell’s in Detroit, which opened the doors to the bridal party for some photos!

One unexpected part of the day was, as we were folding napkins and inserting menus, that the wind was pretty strong and started blowing them away. Jen had done all her own centerpieces, and fortunately had buckets of roses left over in the garage. So we cut and inserted a rose into each napkin, which not only weighed them down enough to stay put, it also added so much drama to the tables!

All rentals were brought in by Colonial Events (I especially love the drapery work they did!), and linens were provided by Fabulous Events. We brought in a clearspan tent, which enabled some of the landscaping to make an appearance inside! The bride and groom sat directly in front of a tree inside the tent, with two additional bridal party tables on either side. As guests arrived, their cars were taken care of by Fifth Avenue Valet.

Cocktail hour was quite extended, since Jen and Emmanuel wanted a lot of time for pictures and so that dinner could start at a normal hour - so plenty of appetizers were passed by Epoch Catering and Mr. Bartender was busy serving drinks. Panache Entertainment provided a reggae band for entertainment, which was a huge hit! Later on in the night, Jason from Pro DJ Services took over and the party lasted until 1:30am. Quite impressive when the ceremony started at 1:00pm!

The day was captured in pictures by the lovely Dionne from The Shooting Gallery, and on film by Two Penny Productions. I can’t wait to see their work from Jen & Emmanuel’s wedding! After dinner (which featured wonderful Mediterranean flavors from Epoch), the cake was cut and a cake buffet opened up where the appetizers had been stationed. Pronto! provided 16 cakes plus the wedding cakes for guests to enjoy throughout the night - in 9 different flavors! Jen is an invitation designer and provided all the paper products herself.

Congratulations on a beautiful wedding you two - it was so much fun working with you!