Christmas Ball Galore

I know that probably all Christmas decor is now all put way but I had to post one more Christmas wedding. I received this lovely email from Amber and Matt and I just had to share.

Hi Darcie! We hope you had a wonderful holiday and that the new year is treating you well so far! We are so sorry for just now getting an email to you!! We have been working on a little "thank you" but haven't had a chance to send that off yet so I at least wanted to write and tell you how pleased we were with our the ceremony/reception turned out! The ballroom looked amazing! You and Tiffany both did a fabulous job bringing all of our ideas to life - every little detail was covered! We are still receiving compliments from friends and family on how wonderful everything turned out. We could have done it without you and especially appreciate all of you help on the wedding day keeping everything on track. The day was everything we could have hoped for and we are so grateful to you for the role you played and making it a truly unforgettable experience! We were sooo thrilled to get the pictures! Everything was absolutely beautiful! - Amber & Matt

I LOVED this design- it was one of my favorites of the year. The funny thing is- this design all came just about a month before the wedding. Amber and Matt's guest count dropped and to fill out the space of the Grand Hall we came with this.
Thanks to everyone that helped make this day a success!!!

New Year's Eve Bang

Ashley and Craig decided to get married on NEW YEAR’S EVE! What a great time of year to tie the knot. It was absolutely a winter wonderland on this day of 2011. As you can imagine, planners tend to work mostly on weekends, nights, and holidays. You would think it would be uncomfortable to bring in the NEW YEAR with strangers, but this crowd was one to make you feel welcomed. Craig and Ashley’s family were so warm and inviting throughout the entire planning process.
It was important for the couple and family to keep things as local as possible. Most of the vendors were from the Noblesville and surrounding cities, I love supporting the locals. It was also crucial that we keep our guests safe throughout the event. Transportation and the coordination were of most importance throughout the evening. We didn’t want our guests to have to worry about transportation.
Ashley and her bridesmaids started the morning off at her parent’s home in Noblesville. Complete with hair and make-up, we had to sneak outside for a few breath-taking pictures by their family lake. With her cute little cape, she weathered the storm as Jordyn from Jennifer Driscoll Photography captured Ashley’s personality. The boys in the meantime, were getting ready at the Cambria Suites in Noblesville. Being a new hotel and suite, we hosted the majority of our guests at this hotel. They were absolutely accommodating and even helped us with transportation to keep our guests safe. The bridal party arrived at the Christ Luthern Church in Noblesville as the guests began to fill the pews. On this romantic, high spirited day the couple tied the knot with their closest family and friends. In between the ceremony and reception, the guests were allowed to go back to their hotel to freshen up for the evening’s festivities. The couple took at trip with the photographer and videographer, Jake from Vibe Video Productions to downtown Noblesville to capture shots as a newlywed couple. The reception at the Purgatory Golf Course in Noblesville was ready to greet the guests to begin the party. The couple greeted their guests as the warm, inviting winter wonderland welcomed them. The room was filled with sparkle, lighting, and warm sounds provided by Jason. The cake, by Classic Cakes in Carmel, adorned the room with festive décor to compliment the evenings’ theme. As the guests entered the room next to the cozy fireplace, they were amazed of the atmosphere. As the food stations were opened, the guests sipped on champagne bringing in the new year. Closer to midnight, we passed out party favors, hats, and noise makers as the LIVE stream of NYC ball drop aired. Counting down, 4-3-2-1 the guests raised their glass to congratulate the couple. Needless to say, Ashley and Craig had a ball as we danced the night away. Happy LIFE to the newlyweds as they bring in their NEW life and NEW YEAR together!

Winter Wedding Bliss

Nicole and Justin were married on December 9, 2011 at Saints Peter and Paul's Cathedral and their reception was held at Historic Union Station. Meeting Nicole for the 1st time, I was taken back to learn both her and her fiance', Justin were both in the military. To say the least, I was honored to plan their wedding with them.
Even though Nicole wore camos she was a girly, girl at heart. The decor made some changes through the planning process but ended up being a beautiful mix of pink, white and silver. There were crystals, candle light and white feathers in all the centerpieces. And Nicole found her inner Martha Stewart by painting some vases and by hand making most of her wedding stationary items. Her ceremony programs were especially pretty.
About a month before the wedding, Nicole called me and said that we had went a bit over budget on some of the decor, so she wanted to change the silver chairvi chairs to chair covers and take out the silver charger plates. I was fine with the chair cover change even though it meant my team and I would have to tie 200 chair cover ties. But I just couldn't see how eliminating the chargers was going to work. So I decided that I would surprise Nicole with chargers the day of the wedding.
On Friday, everything was going smooth, the ballroom was starting to take on Nicole's vision so I asked her if she wanted to have a sneak peek. When Nicole saw the room, she was stunned. The 1st words out of her mouth was "the chargers" and I said SURPRISE, HAPPY WEDDING DAY! She gave me a big hug and said, "You're Amazing".
The ceremony was beautiful it ran a bit long but was very heartfelt. After the church pictures, Nicole and Justin and the rest of their bridal party came back to Union Station and had a private cocktail reception while their guests were enjoying hors d'oeuvres and drinks downstairs. Then it was time for their big announcement into the ballroom. Once announced, Mike, Nicole's dad said his welcome speech and Alex, her brother said the prayer it was time for dinner and I was starving! But the Jeremy, our DJ said and now Nicole would like to say a few words. SURPRISE TO ME, this wasn't on the time line! Nicole said" Without Darcie we couldn't of done this" and then asked me come up on the dance floor with her. Nicole gave me a thank you card and big hug. I was so touched and honored. I kinda felt like David Tutera!
Thanks to all that was involved that made Nicole and Justin's wedding a success. Jennifer Driscoll photography, Jeremy with DJs Direct, Katie and Megan from the Crowne Plaza, Classic Cakes of Carmel, Rebecca from True Colors, Kathy Moberly from Faces by KLM, LSG limo service, and of course Tiffany with Circle City Designers.

A Starry Night on video

Check out this amazing video highlight from our friends at Indy Visual . Watching this brings back great memories of this amazing wedding and a starry night! Thanks Bob

Do you want a designer Christmas tree?

Everyone loves a great Christmas tree, but few of us know how to make them look sleek, professionally designed, and perfect. The truth is, ANYONE can do this! I have a few tips for you so that this year's tree will be your best yet!!!!

*Go artificial if you can. I know everyone loves the smell of fresh tree, and nothing says Christmas like pine needles all over your floor. BUT, the investment in a good artificial tree will save you money in the end and is the core base of a truly designer tree. If you go natural, your tree will lend toward a more rustic, earthy look.

*Buy a great, WIRED, 3 inch thick ribbon in your favorite color. It doesn't need to be silver, gold or red to feel Christmassy. My tree's base color is rust orange because that is what I have most of in my house. Starting at the top of the tree, slowly twist your branches together around fluffed pieces of ribbon that end at the base of the tree. V-cut the ends of the ribbon. No tree looks great unless you start with a beautiful ribbon base.

*Stick to one, two or three colors when you design your tree. Again, you don't have to take Christmas literally. My tree is rust, gold, and mustard yellow with natural brown, organic elements because that is what style is in my house.

*Hang your big balls first! Seriously, after your ribbon is placed and perfect, hang the largest ornaments you have next. Do all the same type of ornaments at a time. You want to balance them out all across the tree.

*Create depth. Larger, rounder ornaments should be hung towards the trunk of the tree, close to the branch. However, long, narrow ornaments should be hung toward the end of the branch so that nothing obstructs the "hanging".

*You do not have to hang every ornament you own, every year. You really only need about 5-6 different shapes and sizes of ornament to make classic, beautiful tree. The best trees have a fun, whimsical element such as feathers, silk flowers or sprays, lanterns, etc. Don't be afraid to use things that are meaningful to you like handkerchiefs that you collect, or long hanging crystals if you like a lot of bling. The trick is to use something large, and use enough of the same item to make an impact. Don't hodge podge your tree.

*Don't go for a traditional tree skirt. Go to the fabric store and buy a great fabric that matches your home and your decor to adorn the bottom of the tree.

Fab Finds Friday: A Bride's MUST Have

So the other day, I was helping a bride get married and she pulled out the most amazing, cute little emergency kit. As a planner we are always ready for any emergency! We carry all kinds of stuff in our emergency kits to help you throughout the day. Sometimes we need to help someone sew on a button, get a stain out of a dress, safety pin everything, etc. But when this bride pulled out this cute little kit I had to find out what was inside. To my surprise this little kit had everything from ear ring backs, to a nail file, sewing kit, you name it you’ll find it in this kit. I have to buy one, it’s a must have for any bride and a planner who needs one in her car (for the just in case). Check it out. I found them personalized for brides at Francescas in Castleton Mall. http://www.francescascollections.com/

It’s inexpensive and something you should keep in your car for the just in case moments.

Enjoy!

- T

My least favorite FOUR LETTER WORD!!!!!

Sometime's the F-bomb can be really offensive to people, so cover your ears if you don't want to hear me say it, but I HAVE to get this out!

My least favorite four letter word when it comes to weddings is

F-A- K-E !!!!!!

I don't care if you have a lower budget wedding, or you want to preserve your bridal bouquet, or Aunt Cecilia wants to sit at home for months before the wedding making your centerpieces, there is NO excuse for using fake, artificial, plastic, silk flowers in your wedding.

In this down economy and the DIY phase of wedding creating...you may be tempted. DON'T do it. This is the most important day of your life and you should have fresh, beautifully designed flowers for yourself and your guests. If you can't afford to have a florist create centerpieces for all your tables, have them make your gorgeous bouquets, and use candles and rose petals for the reception, DON'T decide to throw some Hobby Lobby/Michael's rendition of a floral arrangement on your guest tables.

I'm not a fan of DYI'ing your wedding either. This is a day for you to be pampered, spoiled, loved, doted on, and beautified. You don't need to spend it working! The cost differences are not enough for you to have added stress on a day that will last a lifetime. These pictures show you super inexpensive ways to decorate your tables without having F-A-K-E off.

This moment will remain with you forever, and your florist can help you make economical decisions that are right for you. Don't do it yourself. Don't go F-A-K-E yourself either.

Adding fabulosity, not FAKE-ness to your flowers, Tiffany