Monday, February 27, 2017

Caitlin and Kevin - December 10, 2016



Caitlin and Kevin were married on December 10, 2016 at the Saratoga National Golf Club.  They wanted the perfect winter wedding and oh man did they get it!  The weather was amazing with warm sunshine and crisp air, and they were blessed with the best vendor team to completely rock out their day.

I thought my 2016 wedding season was wrapped up by the beginning of November, but then I got an email from Caitlin asking if I was able to help her with the last of her wedding details one month before her big day.  She and Kevin were busy people and as her wedding approached she started to worry that the plans she had been trying to make wouldn't come together.  I was happy to help them out, and with one month to go I was able to step in to do a review of the plans she had made so far, come up with a game plan to get the final pieces in place, and then build an itinerary to make sure the wedding day was mapped out with a realistic minute by minute schedule.  Caitlin was such a sweetheart the whole time and I was just so happy to be able to give her the peace of mind she was looking for!

I loved so many of the details that Caitlin and Kevin brought in to their day.  Instead of choosing a traditional bridal party they gave the VIP spots to some of their siblings, all of their nieces and nephews, and to Kevin's adorable son Grayson.  That meant a lot of little bodies to chase around but it bright such joy and energy to their day!  Caitlin really wanted her wedding to be all about winter and the holidays so she chose an elegant color palette of crimson, ivory, and gold, and she incorporated natural winter elements like pine cones, evergreens, and lots of warm candlelight to give that snuggly fun winter feel.  They even gave their guests antique Christmas ornaments with tags on them to serve as their place cards, and for their guest book they had everyone sign their names to a pair of antique skis.  That with a welcome station of hot chocolate and peppermint sticks, a first dance to Frank Sinatra's 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas', and two lit Christmas wreaths to flank their ceremony altar and these guys were perfectly set for a Winter Wonderland Wedding!

I had the best time working with Caitlin and Kevin's wedding, both in putting all of the finishing touches together and with executing the details on the day of the wedding.  Matt Ramos was their photographer and he so beautifully captured their day in these images.  I swear there is not another photographer in this area who is booked so far ahead of time as Matt!  If you can get him for your wedding you are a very lucky couple!  Ben Pliss from Ben Pliss Media was side by side with us all day shooting video and sharing in our laughter and good times.  The staff at the Saratoga National Golf Club is always so much fun to work with, and Andrea and Danielle hit this one out of the park!  DJ Vinny Vin from NonStop Music kept guests grooving from first dance to the last song of the night and a good DJ like him always makes my job so much more fun.  The bouquets and all of the beautiful centerpieces were made by Frank Gallo himself of Frank Gallo Flowers, who lives on the street that Caitlin grew up on and even picked pine cones from the neighborhood trees to complete the pieces.  Hair and makeup was beautifully done by Lauren and the team from Make Me Fabulous, the bride and groom's limo was provided by Today's Limousine, and shuttle transportation was provided by Saratoga's own Upstate Transit.  Rounding out the wedding workers were two people who Caitlin and Kevin knew personally - their brother-in-law Chris who officiated their ceremony and their friend Brian Litz who played piano for their ceremony music.

I am so glad that Caitlin found me in the last weeks of her wedding planning, and I am so happy to have been able to play a small part in such an amazing wedding day.  Caitlin and Kevin, you are two ridiculously beautiful people inside and out and I wish you all the best that life can bring you.  Thank you for choosing me to be your wedding planner!

xoxo,

Shannon



















Friday, February 17, 2017

Leah and Leo Leave a Sweet Review for Erin R!


Photo by Tiffany Wayne

Leah and Leo were married on December 3rd at Franklin Plaza and WPP Lead Planner Erin Rossi planned and coordinated their day.  Leah just posted this beautiful review for Erin - how sweet!


Let me start off by saying that if it wasn't for Erin Rossi at Wedding Planning Plus, our wedding would not have been what it was, which was INCREDIBLE (and even that is an understatement). In the limo on the way to the church, my bridesmaids and mothers asked me how I remained so calm during the planning process, day-of, and minutes away from entering the church for the ceremony and all I could muddle out was "Erin." Having her meant that I had no worries. No worries about signing my name to an abundance of contracts, landing our priority vendors, time and planning management, or even eating before walking down the aisle. My now husband, our parents, wedding party, all guests, and I were able to enjoy every moment of the day without being tugged in multiple directions to coordinate, set up, or tackle any loose ends, such as ordering last minute fresh flower petals for our flower girl, bringing a sewing kit to fix a broken bridesmaid headband, and even finding a wheelchair for my grandma who twisted her ankle just before walking down the aisle. She also can now add "mannequin challenge videographer" to her resume! 
Erin is a wedding planning guru and I have been told countless times since the wedding day how our wedding was the best wedding they have ever attended. Erin deserves most of that recognition and credit! Hands down, best decision! Love her!!! Xox


Thursday, February 9, 2017

Amy and James - September 17, 2016


Amy and James were married on the shores of Lake George on September 17, 2016.  Amy's family owns a cottage at the vacation property at Takundewide in Cleverdale and they chose to host their wedding weekend there.  

I had a blast working with these guys!  Amy and James lived on the west coast so all of the planning was done long distance through conference calls and plenty of emails.  Amy's dad Gary was an active member of the planning team and would chime in from his home in Minnesota.  When Gary was in town we would meet to go over details on property and at vendor appointments.  By the time the wedding came I felt like an honorary member of their family!

Amy has a great sense of style and a keen eye for detail.  She had a very specific idea of what she wanted the property to look like, the type of tent she wanted, and how she wanted the event flow to feel.  Takundewide is beautiful as it has a large open area in the middle of the cabins that opens up to the beach and the waters edge.  We were able to fit a sail cloth tent in the flattest part of the field which left enough room at the beach for the ceremony to take place.  This set up allowed their guests to face the water all event long.

The weekend of Amy and James' wedding was picture perfect as it came to weather and guests were able to swim, play lawn games, and take rides out on a private boat that was rented.  Amy got ready in her family's cottage while James and his family were in a cottage they rented on the other side of the property.  When it was time for their first look they ventured offsite for some scenic photos before coming back for some shots on the docks overlooking the lake.  Guests then gathered for the ceremony and after Amy and James sealed their vows with a kiss it was time for the party to begin!

And what a party it was!  The tent was filled with long farm tables that kept everyone feeling close and cozy, and Amy's DIY centerpieces of loose ferns and clean white candles gave a feel of natural sophistication.  After a few heartfelt toasts (even one where FOB Gary gave me a shout out - I told you I felt like family!) the band started up and the dancing didn't stop until the last song.  And to top off what was an amazing wedding day Amy and James had the rental boat come back at the end of the night to take them on a private moonlight cruise to the Sagamore Resort where they spent their wedding night.

We had some great vendors to work with on this wedding!  Sheena Kim from Unique Lapin was their photographer and she did an unbelievable job with these photos.  I can't wait to get some of these stunners on my website!  Sally Longo from Aunt Sally's Catering provided all the amazing food, bar, and service staff for the wedding day, as well as the rehearsal dinner they had on property the night before.  The Accents were the band at this reception and these guys killed it - seriously so good!  All the tent, tables, chairs, and equipment rentals came from Total Events, hair and makeup was done by my girl Kyle Ann Garcia, bouquets and boutonnieres were made by Crystal Riley at Price Chopper in Queensbury, the private boat rental was from Love Is On Lake George, bus transportation for guests was provided by Upstate Transit, and All Seasons Ensemble provided the live ceremony music.

It's always so fun for me to watch a wedding take shape from the first rough ideas to the finished product on the big day.  Working with Amy, James, and dad Gary was so wonderful and I couldn't be happier for them on how everything turned out.  Thank you all for trusting me and sharing your most important day with me!

xoxo,

Shannon