Words from my pretty little bride...

Two weeks ago Lauren and Joel got married at the Inn at Erlowest. I worked with these guys for a year doing the long distance planning thing since they live in Boston and their wedding was in Lake George. I just received a thank you card in the mail from Lauren and it was so beautiful I just had to share...

Dear Shannon,

We just wanted to thank you for all of your help this past year. When we first got engaged I was so overwhelmed by the enormous list of things to do. So glad we found you - you cut the to-do list down to practically nothing! Thank you so much for being available to answer all our questions big and small. Thank you for your patience, for reassuring us along the way, and for putting together a wedding that was better than anything we could have imagined! We're so sad that you can't be around all the time because working with you was truly a blessing during this past year. Thank you again SO MUCH!!

Love,

Lauren and Joel

Great wedding trend - "First Sightings"

Ok if you are super traditional and not into straying from the norm then perhaps this post is not for you. But if you are someone who is going for the easiest way to get your formal wedding photos done and still be there for most if not all of your cocktail hour, then this trend might be right up your alley. What am I talking about? It's called by different names depending on what region you live, but around here in Upstate New York it's commonly referred to as "First Sightings". Just picture getting all dolled up like you would before your walk down the aisle, but add in an hour or so of time with your fiance and photographer before the ceremony for some beautifully emotional and candid photos. It's a chance for you to see your beloved and actually be able to hug and kiss and hold them (something you can't do when you get to them after your walk to the altar). You can get just about all of your formal photos done of the two of you and your bridal party and family, too, if time allows. So that during cocktail hour you are not running around like a madman with a perma-grin trying to squeeze in a picture with everyone and their brother before cocktail hour ends. And for you fall and winter weddings First Sightings can have a very practical application because the sun sets a lot earlier during your time of the year and the option for outdoor photos is often not there after evening ceremonies. So this is where the traditionalists cringe and turn away because - gasp! - we're talking about the two of you seeing each other before you're standing together at the altar. But if seeing each other before the ceremony is not a huge deal to you then I say consider this whole First Sighting thing because it can get you some ridiculously good photos, help ease your pre-wedding jitters, and allow you and your lovie some nice time together before you have 200 people pulling you in all directions. Talk to your photographer about it - and your wedding planner of course - and see if this would work for you. A LOT of my couple are doing this now and they all have been super pleased with the results. Just check out some of these photos for great examples of First Sighting moments.

Jackie and Scott (photos by Heather Bohm-Tallman)

Joann and Vern (photos by Tracey Buyce)

Beth and Lawson (photos by Tracey Buyce)

Colleen and Eric (photos by Tracey Buyce)

Words from my lovie little bride...

Last weekend I coordinated a wedding in Saratoga for Jolene and Brad Walajtys. If you're friends with me on Facebook you've seen some of the photos I uploaded of their wonderful incredible ridiculously beautiful decor details... But that's not what I'm interested in posting now. Instead I'd rather share the words in the thank you card given to me by this wonderful incredible ridiculously beautiful bride...

I love what I do and feedback like this it just validates everything. <3

Shannon,

You are a pumpkin, fairy godplanner, patron saint of all wedding planners! I adore you! Thank you for holding my hand and guiding me along my journey down the pink and golden brick road to the man of my dreams. I couldn't have planned a wedding this extraordinary without you! Thank you for your calming voice, reassuring e-mails, and lovely sweet disposition! Again, thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Love,
Jolene

Wedding photo sneak peek!

This past Sunday was the wedding of one of my couples - Mr. and Mrs. VanDixhorn - at The Inn at Erlowest on Lake George. Their super talented (and super fast) photographer, Holly Greene of Out of the Ordinary Photography, just sent me this sneak peek photo from their event. This is so beautiful and such a tease! Thanks Holly, I can't wait to see the rest!!

Houck Wedding - February 12, 2010

Mr. and Mrs. Houck were married on February 12, 2010. I worked with these two for a long time - 26 months to be exact!! - and we went through date changes and the birth of their son (check out the cutie in the wagon!) and everything else together during the last two years. The bride and groom met at Siena College and live locally in the Albany area. Planning this wedding was a breeze because the bride was so sweet and such a joy to work with. Just look at her, besides beautiful you can just see in that smile that she is a wonderfully warm and caring person. After spending so much time planning their event, the big day came with much anticipation by all of us! It was a bright and very cold winter day but their fabulous photographers, Niki Rossi and her fiance Seth Guistimbelli, braved the freezing temperatures to capture some beautiful crisp winter backdrop to their wedding photos. Joining me at this wedding were DJ Greg Frasier and Rebekah and her wonderful team at Longfellows.

Thank you to Brittany and Schyler for allowing me to be a part of your special day!

Meet WPP's 2010 interns!

New this year - Two Interns!! I am excited to have these two wonderful ladies on board to assist me with my weddings for this summer and fall. If you get a chance to meet these girls through phone calls, e-mails, or in person at our events please give them a warm welcome!

I am excited to introduce Nora Mishenac-Novak who will be working as my summer intern. She is from Schenectady and has worked in super cool places locally and as far away as Guatemala. She will be working with me on my July and August weddings and I am happy to have her on the team!

I am also happy to introduce Krystal Salerno who will be working as my fall intern. She is from the Bronx and spent her college years at RPI. She comes to us with experience interning with a Wedding Planning company downstate and a certification in Wedding Planning from Wagner College. She will be working with me on my August through November weddings and I can't wait to get her started!


Congrats ladies! Welcome to the team!!! :)