des moines wedding planner Tag

June 20, 2011 In Omaha, Nebraska Wedding Planner and Event Designer, Personal

To Bapi: Happy Father's Day

A photo of my dad after he received the Teacher of the Year Award. Photo by Bob Bair

To the man who would cook dinner, fold clothes, and help me practice for my spelling tests all at the same time

To the man who sang to me in the morning to help me wake me up

To the man who taught me that character is all about being true to yourself

To the man who could light his hand on fire and make a “rainbow connection” (Chemistry is Cool!)

To the man whose heart is both kind and playful

To the man who taught me “it’s hip to be square”

To the man who will walk me down the aisle in 11 short weeks

Happy Fathers Day! I love you!

June 17, 2011 In Omaha, Nebraska Wedding Planner and Event Designer, Weekend Links

Happy Weekend!

Pin: Em the Gem Image: bayanjargal.com (edited by me)

Celebrate! Another week has ended. Put on a fun outfit, grab your camel (or dog or friends), do you happy dance and yell at the top of your lungs!

As much as I love each work week coming to a close, I’m realizing how quickly summer is going by. This reminds me that I need to attempt to slow down and enjoy the weather with my friends and family. I have a fun weekend planned with my clients Alexis and Luke. We’re going to be tasting cake and looking at invitations. These are by far some of the funnest parts of wedding planning (who wouldn’t want to eat yummy cake and look at pretty paper?). I’ll give you a full recap next week.

Here

June 17, 2011 In Fit Fridays, Omaha, Nebraska Wedding Planner and Event Designer

Fit Fridays: A Dietitian's Top Diet Tips

As a registered dietitian, I’m often asked what is my #1 tip for weight loss. It

June 16, 2011 In Inspiration, Omaha, Nebraska Wedding Planner and Event Designer

A Quick Hello

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These cupcakes encased in mini terra cotta pots would be the perfect dessert for a bridal shower or garden-themed wedding. I love it when people think of creative ways to use ordinary materials.

I apologize for the short post today. I have been finishing a free-lance project over the last couple of days, and it’s proving to be very time consuming. On top of being an event planner, I’m also an interactive developer (in plain English: I make websites). I’ll show you some of the sites I’ve designed and developed next week. In the meantime, you can look forward to a Fit Friday and Happy Weekend post tomorrow!

June 14, 2011 In Omaha, Nebraska Wedding Planner and Event Designer

Honeymoon Style

If you’re like me, you’ve probably been daydreaming of a vacation. It’s summer time, and you’re ready to enjoy some nice weather. But what will you wear? I put together some great vacation garb that you can wear season after season. Check out my picks below.

The best thing about summer is the ability to wear long flowing dresses.

Omaha, Nebraska Wedding Planner dresses-skirts

Image 1: DVF Agantha Dress Image 2: Nautical Dreaming Chemise Image 3: A.L.C. Luca abstract-print maxi skirt Image 4:ASOS Dress with Applique

Here are some of my favorite accessories.

Omaha, Nebraska Wedding Planner accessories

Image 1: DSQUARED2 Image 2: Virginia Johnson Sack Luggage Image 3: Kate Spade Melania Image 4: ASOS Ticking Stripe Holdall

Swimsuits are the most important clothing item for summer, and I’ve gathered some fun and flirty choices shown below.

Omaha, Nebraska Wedding Planner swimsuits

Image 1: Miu Miu Halterneck swimsuit Image 2: Tropical Rooftop Bikini Top Image 3: Zimmermann Posy Bikini

Are you going on a vacation this summer? Share your details below!

{a href="http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/your-france-photos/#/france-provence-canyon-of-verdon-river_29058_600x450.jpg" target="_blank"}Image: National Geographic{/a}

June 13, 2011 In Advice, Omaha, Nebraska Wedding Planner and Event Designer

Are you "Maid" of Money?

Image: Mint.com

So your good friend just asked you to be one of her bridesmaids. Congratulations! Do you have $1,695 to spare? According to WeddingChannel.com, that is the estimated amount of money it costs to be a bridesmaid. My future hubby shared this article with me, and I was beyond shocked when I read it.

Image: Mint.com

The infographic on the right breaks down the estimated costs. Attire, makeup, pre-wedding festivities and gifts all contribute to the total, but in my opinion, there are a lot of ways to cut expenses and save yourself some moolah (or scratch as my dad would say).

As a bride, it’s important to think about how your decisions will affect your wedding party’s pocketbooks. Here is a list of a few things I did to lighten the financial burden on my friends.

I purchased the bridesmaid shoes and jewelry for the girls as presents
We are having a combined bridal shower and bachelorette party per my request
I created a “no-gift” policy for the combined party
My sister is hosting the party in Omaha. It’s the guests that make the party, not the location
I let the girls’ opinions guide the bridesmaid dress selection, so that they are more likely to wear them again (I know most people think this is impossible, but the dresses are pretty amazing)

Refer to the article for more ideas on how to save!

June 10, 2011 In Omaha, Nebraska Wedding Planner and Event Designer, Weekend Links

Happy Weekend!

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Happy Friday! Don’t those ice cream bites look amazing! I’m an ice cream maniac (for those of you that don’t already know that). When we were in high school, my sister and I would drive-through McDonalds to pick up a soft-serve cone before school started. The McDonald’s workers finally realized they needed to turn on the ice cream machine around 6:30AM to get ready for our routine visits. So needless to say, I would love to make these adorable treats for my wedding if I could guarantee they wouldn’t melt…

Here

June 9, 2011 In Inspiration, Omaha, Nebraska Wedding Planner and Event Designer

Chalk Art

Dana Tanamachi is a true artist. She creates custom lettering, and as you can see below, her canvas of choice is chalkboard.

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I was immediate mesmerized when I saw her work featured on 100 Layer Cake in January. I think her custom designs would make the perfect focal point at any wedding reception.

{a href="http://www.100layercake.com/blog/2011/01/12/dana-tanamachi/" target="_blank"}Image: 100 Layer Cake{/a}

I’m always trying to figure out ways to bring new trends developed on the coasts to the Midwest, so I emailed Dana a few months ago to see if she could make her work more accessible. I suggested she make her designs into decals like Shanna Murray. Dana was excited about the idea and wanted to look into the manufacturing process. I haven’t heard from her in awhile, but I’m hoping we’ll see her designs in stores soon. Watch her in action below.

Ace Hotel Room 1021 from Dana Tanamachi on Vimeo.

June 8, 2011 In Inspiration, Omaha, Nebraska Wedding Planner and Event Designer

In love with loooong tables

Rectangular guest tables are showing up more frequently at wedding receptions. These tables remind me of holiday family dinners with warm food and good conversation.

Omaha, Nebraska Wedding Planner | 100 Layer Cake Image

{a href="http://www.100layercake.com/blog/2011/05/27/an-unbelievable-backyard-birthday-party/" target="_blank"}Image: 100 Layer Caker{/a}

Many couples are choosing rectangular tables over round tables because they provide an intimate and regal atmosphere. This style of table also requires fewer decorations because there is less space between guests. What table shape do you prefer?

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June 6, 2011 In Omaha, Nebraska Wedding Planner and Event Designer

Styled Wedding Photos

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Photography is an essential element of any wedding. Some couples might argue that it’s the most important aspect of their big day. A good wedding planner should use her knowledge of local wedding professionals to appropriately match her clients (and their budget) with the perfect vendor.

The wedding photographers featured in this post used their artistic and storytelling abilities to flawlessly capture these couples’ personalities.

{a href="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/33518757_KhV31zK5_c.jpg" target="_blank"}Image: Style Me Pretty{/a}

Rich and I have a fun engagement session planned in early July with the oh-so-talented Ben and Whitney of Brighten Photography. I’ve always preferred a photojournalistic approach over traditional posing, and Brighten’s creativity and ability to come up with “crazy phototastic ideas” totally compliments our style. I can’t wait to show you the results!