Lewicki Wedding - July 23, 2011

Jennifer and Eric were married July 23, 2011 in Queensbury, NY. Their ceremony was at Our Lady of the Annunciation Church and their reception was at Hiland Park Country Club. Jennifer brought me on a few months before and I had the pleasure of coordinating their special day.

Jennifer and Eric met in college and are both technology teachers at separate schools in the area. Their wedding was simple and modern with black bridesmaids dresses, pops of pink, and a crazy cool wedding cake. Her bridesmaids, all friends of hers for years and years, donned some of the coolest funky shoes I've seen. Not to be upstaged, Jennifer rocked a pair of soft blush colored Badgley Mischka heels. There was a lot of shoe loving going on that day.

Joining me at this event were some super fun vendors. Special thanks and kudos goes out to Jessica Painter and her husband Ed for taking these lovely pictures of Jennifer and Eric's big day. You were a joy to work with and I thank you for sharing these images with me! Also on this event was Russ Gentner from Piano Man DJs, the florists from the Queensbury Price Chopper, Dolce and Biscotti bakery, and Advantage Transportation Group who provided the couple with that fabulous old Rolls Royce to be chauffeured in.

This was a great wedding and I had a ball working it. Thank you Jennifer and Eric for letting me be a part of your special day!

What Not to Skip - Engagement Photos

A definite trend going is engagement photos, or e-shoots. This is where you and your fiance meet with your photographer before your wedding and get fun sweet photos of the two of you in any location of your choosing. Some photographers offer this as a part of their packages and some offer it as an add-on but however they offer it I say take it and do it!

The benefits of doing an engagement shoot are many:

• First you know you are going to get amazing photos on your wedding day that will be keepsakes forever, but wouldn't it be nice to have professional photos of yourselves where you're wearing something other than a black tux and a white dress? During an engagement shoot you can do multiple wardrobe changes, stand in the middle of Time Square or a serene field of wildflowers, and if you wanted to do something crazy like lay down or jump into water you can do that, too. Options are basically unlimited and you can have a ton of fun getting creative with locations, attire, props - whatever you and your photographer can dream up.
  
• Secondly you know those cute save the dates that have the bride and groom's face on them? Or the signature frame that couples use at their receptions in lieu of a traditional guest book? If you want one of these don't use some fuzzy dark point and shoot image on there. You want a clear bright professional photograph of the two of you that is gorgeous and stunning and shows you both in your best light. Getting an engagement shoot done early enough will allow you the chance to use some of those images for your save the dates and/or your photo signature "guest book" frame.
• And lastly, wouldn't it be nice to get a test run with your wedding photographer before your big day? Let's face it, this person is literally going to be in your face for a lot of your wedding day and you want to make sure you are super comfortable with their personality and their style. Having an engagement shoot with them is the perfect way to get to know your photographer while they're behind the lens - a super valuable experience to make everything on your wedding day go that much smoother.
  

So why not do an engagement shoot? Even if it costs a little extra to add it on to your package I am telling you it is a totally worthwhile thing to do. Talk to your photographer about getting it done and have a super fun time with it. You will not regret it!!

Photos above are some of the lovely past WPP clients:
Photo 1 - Danielle and Nick - Tracey Buyce Photography
Photo 2 - Lauren and Joel - Out of the Ordinary Photography
Photo 3 - Brittany and Schyler - Niki Rossi Photography
Photo 4 - Karen and Jim - Dan Cooper Photography
Photo 5 - Wendy and Tony - Clark + Walker Studios

Stoffel Wedding - August 20, 2011

Ali and Brian were married at Crystal Cove in Averill Park on August 20, 2011. They are a super fun and independent couple who was looking for something very different than your traditional American wedding. Instead of a having a stuffy dinner party they opted instead to host a fun summer gathering for their family and friends. Guests arrived early and enjoyed lawn games like volleyball and bean bag toss, and they also had the water and the beach there to swim, kayak, and just sun bathe and relax. After a few hours of play guests changed into casual attire and the ceremony began. The couple tossed aside the notion of matching bridesmaids and groomsmen and instead had their siblings stand beside them all in summer garb as they exchanged their vows. One of the coolest aspects of the ceremony was the toast the bride and groom shared with their guests right after taking their vows. Ali and Brian celebrate a tradition of sharing a toast from a special cup at home and they brought the cup and the concept with them to share in a celebratory toast with their family and friends on their wedding day. I thought this was a very special and very heartfelt thing to do.

For their reception they kept with the casual personal theme by naming their guest tables after meaningful places and moments in their life. They also had bright and colorful cupcakes displayed in lieu of a wedding cake and had whacky glasses and fake mustaches on hand for silly photos throughout the night. So fun!

I had the pleasure of working with Ali's mom Linda on some of the planning of Ali and Brian's big day. This was a tag team job between myself and my favorite assistant planner Katie since I helped on aspects of the planning and Katie took the role of coordinator on their wedding day. I wish I was able to be there that day but luckily I had the help of photographer Jeff Foley who captured all of these beautiful photos of their event. They specifically asked for a low key photographer who would stay under the radar and Jeff did that and so much more. Thanks Jeff for doing such a great job with these guys!

I can't end this post without a special thank you to Ali and Brian and to Ali's parents who were all such a pleasure to work with. From the first moment I met all of them I totally understood their unique vision for their day and had a blast working with them to put some of the small details together. Thank you for choosing Katie and I as your wedding planners! We wish you a lifetime of happiness and love! <3

2012 dates are going fast!

2012 is looking hot hot hot!

If you are a 2012 bride and you are considering using WPP as your planner or coordinator I want to encourage you to reach out to us soon. We have seen a huge influx of inquiries for next year and we are booking up 2012 dates at a rapid pace. Good for us, but could be bad for you if you wait too long! Email or call to see if your wedding date is still open.

Happy planning,

Shannon

Rudis Wedding Sneak Peek!

Sunday was wedding day for two amazing people and one of my favorite couples ever - Wendy and Tony. Their ceremony and reception were at The Inn at Erlowest and their photographer, Alisha Clark of Clark+Walker Studio, captured this image of them down by the water just as the sun was setting and the moon was rising high.

I can't WAIT to see the rest of their pics and to share them all with you. Stay tuned for a full wedding recap to be posted soon!

Romeo Wedding Sneak Peek!

Tori and John were married in Schroon Lake on Saturday and I had the distinct pleasure of being their wedding coordinator. This couple was extra special to me because I had met them two years ago when I was the wedding planner for Tori's sister at her wedding in Saratoga. Of course I was honored and thrilled to be able to work with the Meyer family on another wedding and to be a part of Tori and John's special day.

Here are two sneak peek images from their wedding that I am so excited to share! Their photographer Jason Bryer of Jason Bryer Photography did an amazing job working with them. I love the long exposure tent shot. You'd never know that pic was taken in the complete darkness of night. Enjoy these two images and check back to see the full wedding recap soon!

Been a wee bit busy...

I am so sorry readers, I have left you for weeks with no new posts and that is not a very nice thing for me to do. As with any bursts in weddings my time has been taken up with itineraries, final consults, vendor confirmations and of course all of the fun and magic of wedding days. But that's not all - I've also had the joy of moving two weeks ago which has completely turned my world upside down. But I am settling in, weddings are winding down, and I am back to start blogging again. So keep an eye on a lot of posts to come your way including a ton of wedding recaps from all of my events this summer and fall!

Happy planning,

Shannon

Truet Wedding Sneak Peek!

Kristina and Jason were married in Lake George on September 24th. Their ceremony was at Rogers Memorial Park and their reception was at the beautiful castle at The Inn at Erlowest. I worked with these guys on the planning and coordination of their wedding day and they were such a joy to work with! Their photographer Tom Wall took this super cute pic of me and the bride and groom. Stay tuned for more photos of their wedding when I post their full wedding recap!

A little note from last Saturday's bride...

Last weekend was the wedding weekend extravaganza for Andrea and Justin deep in the Catskill Mountains. I received an email from the bride last night that just gave me goosebumps. Enjoy.

"I'm super lucky to know you and to have had you on board was wonderful. As soon as I saw your face on Friday, the worries exited stage left. For real. Justin had been skeptical in the beginning when I said the words "wedding planner" mainly because Full Moon takes care of so much. I reiterated to him that what Michael at Full Moon had told us verbatim was "we do everything except hold your hand." I told him that I needed my hand held. I'm not a super girly-girl and never spent much time thinking about what I wanted my dream wedding to look like until I suddenly had to. And then, it was hard to make that stuff happen. I needed reassurance. I needed to occasionally ask, "This thing is happening like this, is that normal?" and be told, "Yeah, that's completely normal, don't even worry about it."

By Friday, after he had seen months of what you had done for us, any hesitation was not even a distant memory, it had been totally forgotten. He was converted. To know that all distracting issues that arose were being kept away from me so that I could enjoy my day, and that neither of us had to do any lifting or worry about any logistics, relieved him greatly.

I truly hope you had a good time. You were a perfect fit for us, as was Full Moon and all of our amazing vendors.

We laid in bed on Saturday night after our afterparty, delirious with joy. This was the final exchange before we went to sleep.

Justin: I think that was seriously the best wedding I've ever been to.

Me (whispering): And it was OURS!

Thanks for all you've done. Words don't even begin.

xo

-A.

October and November Brides - Your Bridal Survival Package Has Arrived!

Wedding Planning is tough work!

You deserve a

~ Bridal Survival Package ~

Our special discounted coordination package for wedding within the next two months

We will give you the same star treatment we offer in our regular service package but you’ll get it at a

20% discount

since your wedding is less than two months away

Your wedding is in a few weeks and there is still a lot to do. We know how hectic this time is for you and we think you’ve done the hard work long enough.

Let us take things from here so you can enjoy every minute of your big day.

Dates are limited. Call for availability and pricing.

You should attend your wedding, not tend to it.

Let us help you plan the wedding of your dreams.

Offer ends October 30, 2011

---

If your wedding falls between October and November 2011
this service package could be yours at

20% off!

Day-of Wedding Coordination

~ Acting as your personal wedding planner one month out from your big day to answer any questions and give any suggestions you need

~ Working with you to create your wedding day itinerary and guiding you through all of the final etiquette and logistics decisions

~ Contacting and finalizing wedding day details with all of your vendors to ensure all professionals are in line for the big day

~ Creating wedding day timelines for vendors and for members of the family and bridal party

~ Overseeing and coordinating the decorating, including place card, gift and cake tables, flower arrangements, and guest favors

~ Greeting vendors as they arrive on site and acting as their single point of contact

~ Attending to bridal party needs and ensuring that everyone is in place for the start of the ceremony

~ Coordinating the processional, recessional and receiving line following the ceremony

~ Assisting in the arrangement of family members for an efficient photography session

~ Coordinating the order of events with the DJ, photographer, and catering staff to ensure a smooth flow to the reception

~ Acting as a personal assistant to the bride and groom throughout the reception to address any of your personal requests,

~ Assisting in the breakdown of the reception site at the conclusion of the event, including the collection and transportation of personal items to be returned to the bride and groom

~ Being available to the bride and groom for any questions or concerns that they have from the moment they start working with us through to their wedding day

Our Day-of Wedding Coordination package is normally $1500.

Mention this e-mail and receive this service at $1200.

That is a savings of $300!!

Goldman Wedding Sneak Peek!

This may be truly the quickest sneak peak image we've ever put up! Andrea and Justin's wedding was last night at The Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, NY and no sooner did I get home and get my bags unpacked that I got this amazing little image from their photographers from their big day. Of course it's extra special since it is an image of me and the lovely bride and groom, who I not only enjoyed every single minute of working with, but I LOVED every single interaction we had along the way. This wedding almost didn't happen due to the long lasting effects of Hurricane Irene but there couldn't have been a better and more deserving celebration for a husband and wife than what developed last night on this Catskill mountain side. Thank you so much to J Castro Photography for sending me a copy of this beautiful picture. I can't wait to show you all the rest of the photos of their big day - stay tuned!!

Landi Wedding - July 2, 2011

Danielle and Dan Landi were married in Averill Park on this year's fourth of July weekend. Danielle found me when she asked her venue manager who she recommended for a wedding coordinator in the Albany area. Luckily she was told to reach out to me! Danielle grew up locally but lives in the Hudson Valley with her now husband Dan. She is an absolute ball of positive energy and her smile and exuberance just wakes up every happy cell in your body. From the first time I met her and her mom I was hooked on this girl!! Their ceremony was at St Henry's Church in Averill Park and their reception was at Pat's Barn in Troy. Danielle chose the very "in" color of coral for her bridesmaids, with accents of green, ivory, and a neutral beige for her reception. And let me tell you about the reception! Brides are often looking for a barn to use as their wedding location and this RPI Tech Park venue offers a wonderfully rustic clean slate to build your dream barn wedding around. Danielle does not lack on style, and brought in twinkling lights, uplighting on main wood beams, lots of votive candles, and a custom made cupcake tower to please not only everyone's visual interest but also allow the bride - who needs her foods to be gluten free - to enjoy a traditional cake cutting and feeding with her husband. This wedding also involved lots and lots of sparklers which were the favor for the guests and also available on tables out on the brick patio for guests to enjoy once it got dark. This was a dream wedding for an adorably dreamy couple and I was honestly so honored to have been able to play a small part in it.

As always I was joined with some amazing vendors on this one! Thanks go especially out to Rita Ann Maloney for taking and supplying me with this beautiful photos. You captured Danielle and Dan's loving spirit perfectly! Also thanks to venue manager April Rounds, caterer Arlington House, DJ Ernie and Fly 92 co-DJ Brian Cody, Surroundings Florals, Cakes Next Door, Total Events, and my girl Amy Elizabeth Smith who made everyone super pretty with her makeup styling.

Thank you Danielle and Dan for including me in your big day! Your true honest love for one another is something I will remember forever and ever!! <3

WPP bride Kate is back for another post on the NYWB blog!

Kate Loveday is one of my fabulous 2012 brides and she has been doing some guest blogging on the New York Wedding Boutique site. Check out her experience of planning a wedding in an area she is not very familiar with - a situation I am sure my out of state or out of town blog stalkers know a lot about! Kate also says some of the nicest things about her experience working with me. Awww, she's the best!!

Click here to read her post on the NYWB blog.