Anna and Andy's Wedding Photo Sneak Peek!

Anna and Andy were married YESTERDAY at the Canfield Casino and photographers Matt and Leah Bailly of Bailly Photography worked at super speed to get this sneak peek photo out for everyone to see.  This was an incredible wedding and I loved every minute of planning it.  Keep an eye out for the complete wedding recap to be posted soon!



A Look Ahead - Sarah and Eddie

Sarah and Eddie are getting married this November at River Stone Manor in Glenville. They set up a winter engagement shoot with their photographer, Matt Bailly of Bailly Photography, in their hometown of Brooklyn NY. I wasn't there for the shoot but from what I hear it was a crazy cold windy day, but you wouldn't notice these two were phased much by the cool (no pun intended) demeanor they kept during the shoot.

Sarah and Eddie will remain busy over the coming months with their wedding planning but you will see these two back on the blog over the winter when I post their full wedding day recap!

Kate and Jeff's photo is in Bridal Guide!

Congrats to Erica Ferrone, wedding photographer extraordinaire, who shot Kate and Jeff's wedding in Vermont with me last summer. Erica took about a million amazing photos that day and one of them landed its way in Bridal Guide as one of their 25 favorite wedding photos of the year!

Check it out here!

Why You Should Hire A Wedding Planner

As you saw in my last post I was asked by a fellow colleague to share my thoughts on wedding planners and why we are such a benefit to every bride and groom's big day.  I could recount all of the words I shared with Dave Bigler and his team but instead I will direct you to read his blog post where I and other area planners shared our thoughts on our own segment of the industry.  Thanks for having me Dave!

READ THE ARTICLE HERE

Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Wedding Planner

A colleague and wedding friend of mine asked me this week to contribute to a post he is putting up on his blog this week - the top 5 reasons why a couple should hire a wedding planner. After sending him my thoughts I figured it might also be helpful to post them here. So if you are reading this and on the fence about whether or not you need a planner hopefully this info will help:

1. Weddings are a BIG DEAL and one of the most important moments in a couple's lives so far, if not the biggest moment. On top of the emotional investment there is also a substantial financial investment that goes into hosting a wedding celebration for your family and friends. This importance of this event should not be left up to chance, which is where a wedding planner comes in. As a planner I help my couples find the venue and vendors who are the best fit for them, I guide them through the design and decor decisions to bring their vision to reality, and I make sure there is no detail or piece of the planning that is missed or forgotten along the way. And one of the best parts of working with a planner is having a professional you can go to at any time with any question, no matter how big or small that question may be.
2. Today's couples are very busy people, often working long hours and having additional commitments with graduate school, a second job, or family or community interests. Planning a wedding can seem like a 40-hour a week project and a lot of busy couples just don't have the time available to spend researching every option in the area for cakes or making sure they didn't miss any possibilities for local venues. A wedding planner is the wedding expert who can save couples tons of time and energy by presenting them with their best vendor options and cutting out all of that hefty research time. Most couples are amazed at how quickly they are able to find amazing vendors with my help and they know that they are booking a wedding professional they can trust and feel confident that they will do a fantastic job on their big day.
3. Wedding planners can reduce a bride and groom's stress level big time! I can't tell you how many brides tell me that they are feeling pressure from a parent, a friend, or a guest in regards to something with the wedding. Or that there is drama brewing among the people they love because of the seating chart, the selection of bridesmaids, or aspects of the formality of the event. And some brides just don't feel as connected to certain members of their family and need a planner to step in not only as a hired vendor but also as a friend. There have been countless incidents where I have assisted my couples in smoothing out some kind of stress or potential drama just by talking it out with them and taking over some of the burden to release their pressure. This is one major reason why choosing the right planner is so important - you never know exactly what you will need them for!
   
4. If you didn't think the Capital District/Adirondack area is a hot spot for destination events think again! The majority of my couples live out of state and are planning their wedding in the Albany/Saratoga/Lake George area. Most of them either grew up here, went to college here or vacationed here as kids and now want to return to this area to get married. When planning a destination event it can be really intimidating to try an do everything from far away. Hiring a wedding planner who works in the area gives you a local expert to connect you with all of the best resources this region offers. And with the help of modern technology so much of the wedding planning can be done through email, Skype, and texts so that the bride halfway across the country feels just as connected to her wedding here as a local bride would.
5. Wedding planners are not only used for the full planning of an event, we are also utilized quite frequently as day-of wedding coordinators. Even if you want to plan your wedding yourself there is a moment along the way where you sit and wonder who is going to be responsible for all of the tiny details on your wedding day. It can't be you and it shouldn't be anyone in your bridal party and family, so a day-of wedding coordinator is the perfect vendor to take the reigns on your big day and allow you and your loved ones the opportunity to relax and stay engaged in the special moments. Day-of wedding coordination is the fastest growing segment of my business because the service is so vital and so invaluable. Ask any bride who decided to hire a coordinator and they will tell you it was easily the best investment they ever made!

A Look Ahead - Anna and Andy

Anna and Andy are getting married at the Canfied Casino in Saratoga Springs in just two weeks! In anticipation of their big day I wanted to share with you some of the photos taken during their engagement shoot. Photographer Matt Bailly of Bailly Photography met up with the couple in their hometown of NYC and they went all around Manhattan taking these shots.

Keep an eye on the blog in the coming months to see the recap of Anna and Andy's big day!

Hot Off The Press

Our latest newsletter was just emailed out - did you get yours? If not leave a comment below or forward me your email address directly and I'll get you added to the list.

Warms My Heart

I love sharing heart warming stories and moments in my job that reaffirm the love for what I do...

In a recent blog post I recapped the wedding of Tori and John Romeo who came to me as a wedding gift from Tori's older sister (and one of my 2009 brides) Crystal. I planned Crystal's wedding and when her little sister got engaged she hired me as a gift to the bride and groom to give them the same assistance and guidance on their wedding day. Then just this past December I was hired by a best man who wanted his best friend and future wife to have a stress free wedding day. It touched my heart that he would be this generous to his friend and that he would come to me seeking the help they needed.

Well the most recent news is that just this weekend I was contacted by a former bride and groom who used me to coordinate their wedding two years ago. The groom's sister is one month away from her big day and is having a really difficult time putting together all of the final details and making sure she isn't forgetting anything. This bride is so stressed out that she basically can't wait for the wedding to just be over! My former couple contacted me asking me if there was anything I could do to help out and smooth things out in these final weeks. I put together a custom package for them and they surprised the anxious bride who broke out in tears when she heard the news. She was so relieved to know that she didn't have to carry the stress alone anymore and that she had a wedding planner to help her and make sure that her wedding day goes off without a hitch.

I love all of my couples and I truly do love what I do for a living. But when I have past clients who love me enough to want their siblings to have the same planning experience they did, that just puts me right over the moon. Thank you to all of my happy couples and for the opportunity to have all of these wonderful family 'reunions'!

Love,
Shannon

Will You Be Having a Best Woman or Man of Honor?

Photo by Erica Ferrone

When selecting their attendants most bride's choose from a group of their closest girl friends, but what if someone who is especially important to you happens to be male? Or if you're the groom and you want to have a female in your bridal party? In that choosing a 'bridesman' or 'man of honor' and a 'groomswoman' or 'best woman' is an option for you. I have had several weddings where there were guys as bride's attendants, or women who stood on the side of the groom. They can be dressed the same as the other people in the bridal party, meaning a man of honor can wear the same tux or suit as the groomsmen and a female attendant can wear the same dress as the bridesmaids, or you can choose a coordinating outfit for them.

A wedding party is supposed to be comprised of the people who you feel closest to and who you want standing beside you at the altar as you say your vows. If that person happens to be a bride's best guy friend/relative or a groom's best female friend/relative then bring them in and allow them the chance to share in this special occasion with you, regardless of what side of the altar they stand on.

Photo 2 by Jeff Foley Photography
Photo 3 by Hillary Harvey

Destination Wedding Spotlight - Vermont

Vermont is a beautiful state with snowy winters, warm summers, and the best fall foliage around. With the Green Mountains, secluded lakes, and a local love of nature there are tons of outdoor activities available to enjoy like hiking, skiing, fly fishing, paddling, and just about anything else you can think of. I've always loved Vermont and have spent many vacations and overnights in towns like Manchester, Dorset and Woodstock in Southern Vermont and Stowe and Burlington in Northern Vermont. There are so many unique sections of this state with beautiful bed and breakfasts, resort, barns and outdoor spaces for ceremonies and receptions. Add to that spectacular local vendors and the government support of marriage equality and you have a state that offers an awful lot to an awful lot of engaged couples.

I am always looking for a good excuse to get to the Green Mountain State and would be happy to help anyone looking to have their special day in this very special state. Call or email me to schedule an appointment so we can chat through all of your options and get you started planning your Vermont affair.