Happy New Year from Sparkle! Parties & Events

2011 was quite a year and I can't thank you all enough for the opportunities either as a new client, vendor or a fantastic supporter.  Words can't express enough how grateful I am for your continued support and referrals it makes what I do little easier and I am so honored to have played a small part in your celebrations, THANK YOU!!!

Happy New Year!  I hope your Holidays were filled with great times with family and friends and you welcomed 2012 in big way.  I love new beginnings and this Holiday season I was not alone in the thought.  It appears that love was definitely in the air and I wish to extend my congratulations to all the newly engaged couples! (not to mention all of the celebrity engagements, from the Queen of Soul, Ms. Aretha Franklin, Stephen Tyler, John Legend to Lebron James and list continues to grow.) 

Photo Credit: Donald Darling

Honestly, I love to hear that so many people still believe in true love and it'll be great to see all that 2012 holds for celebrity weddings but we'd love to hear your story!  Your story is just as noteworthy.  What an amazing new journey for you in 2012!  So let's talk...How did he pop the question???

Cheers to your 2012 and I hope it is filled with lots of Sparkle!

Leslie

BEFORE YOU SAVE YOUR DATE...

We heard that you said YES!!!

  PICK YOUR BRIDAL PARTY?  PURCHASE YOUR WEDDING FAVORS?

HEAD TO THE BRIDAL SALON TO FIND THE DRESS OF YOUR DREAMS?

Yes, there are lots of wonderful details that need to be taken care of as you begin to plan your most treasured day but are you unsure where you should start?

Before you do anything:

1. SET A BUDGET - One of the most difficult parts of wedding planning is developing a budget.  Plain and simple weddings are expensive and costs can easily spiral out of control faster than you think. So I can't express enough how significant it is to be honest about how much you can really afford to spend.  Keep in mind that you must begin your married life after your wedding day.  So set a realistic budget and a plan of action of how to meet the financial goals.

2. GUEST LIST - Now that you have set your budget, it's time to create your guest list. Make sure that you can really afford the number of people that you continue to add to your list.  Remember this is the fastest way to exceed your budget. 

Lengthy guest list = Greater food and beverage costs!

3. DEFINE YOUR OBJECTIVE - Seems a little odd but more couples should sit down to determine what's important for each other for their wedding day. Would you like a traditional ceremony? Intimate or elaborate reception? DJ or band?(yes, it's your groom's special day too so be sure to listen to his input to help create a wedding that's especially yours!) 

Trust me, I am in no way trying to throw a wrench in your newly engaged bliss but it would be a disadvantage to you and me if we don't discuss the difficult parts first.  After you've made some solid decisions then we can work on your Sparkle!

You're Engaged...Now It's Time to Choose The "Perfect" Date!

You've dated for months (or even years in some cases) and your fiancee has finally popped the question...first off congratulatons and welcome to the wonderful world of wedding planning!

From this point on your entire life will be almost unrecognizable until you reach the alter, in which case I assure many couples that your loving soulmate will return to you true to form:-)  As a new bride-to-be your world will now become a flurry of any and everything wedding related from bridal shows to gown fittings and of course you must have your "bestie" in tow to endure all of your new adventures.

I've been catching up on my favorite blogs lately and of course the world is now enamored with the newly engaged Prince William and Kate Middleton (who wouldn't love to see a real Royal wedding?)  Well it seems there are a few brides in England who aren't so excited.  Apparently they too are newly engaged and very concerned about their own wedding dates because it just may fall on the same date as the Royal couple (which by the way the official wedding date has not been made public yet, yikes!).  Could you imagine months of planning your special day only to be upstaged by the nuptials of the Royal couple?  Nonetheless, I was curious how will you go about selecting your perfect date?  Are you concerned about sharing your date with a celebrity?  How about a close family member or best friend?  Are you prepared to engage in a Bridal War for your perfect date or simply make an adjustment?

Just a little something to think about,

Leslie

Are you a bride on budget? Or are you newly engaged with no idea where to start?

You've dreamed of this day since you were a little girl but can't afford to break the bank?

The reality is EVERY bride is on a budget.  Recently, I was given the challenge of creating a wonderful upcoming wedding for a bride...no problem, right? The challenge was we were to keep her within her budget of $15k, it must be amazing and the food also must be good. Hmm. Never one to admit defeat, I embraced my new bride but not before sharing with her a few key tips:

#1 - You must have an open mind! I can't share enough how important this is in planning especially when you may have limited budget. Yes, you absolutely can have a dream wedding but you must be honest with what you can afford to spend.

#2 - Cut that guest list! Do I really have you share this one? The bulk of all your wedding costs will be increased or reduced right here with your per person food and beverage costs. Eliminate the little people.  Yes, I am bold enough to say it no children with the exception of the children who may be in the wedding party. This means the couple's children (if they have any), the flower girl, ring bearer, bell ringer or whatever your designation may be.

#3 - Nix the bar. I know this one will probably create a little bit of tension for some of you but this again goes back to #2. If you cannot afford to provide an open bar for your guests then nix it all together (and please do not confuse your guests with an hour of open bar which then changes into a cash bar for the remainder of the evening. In fact, nix the entire notion of a cash bar entirely! (if you really want my opinion on weddings and cash bars feel free to send me an email:-) Don't get me wrong there are still some wonderful options that you can provide your guests for cocktails that won't break the bank.

#4 - Avoid peak days/times. Seems simple enough right? You would be surprised by the amount of money that you save when you consider planning your date during the months of November to April. You may even be able to choose your favorite venue...have I got your attention now?  Don't be afraid to think outside the box - consider brunch or a luncheon vs an evening reception.

#5 - Your Wedding Gown. You could save hundreds of dollars alone by considering some alternatives: gaither your best gal pals and your running shoes and head off to the Running of the Brides (sponsored by Filene's Basement http://www.filenesbasement.com/ ). Prefer something less chaotic (and actually one of my favorites), then try the Brides Against Breast Cancer (http://www.bridesagainstbreastcancer.org/) trunk shows that provide thousands of dresses (including lots of couture gowns). Not only is it a way to save money on the cost of your wedding dress but the proceeds from the gown sales support survivors of breast cancer!


***Bonus (especially for the DIY brides):  think you can do without the costs of a wedding planner/coordinator? Well, who do you think is going to be your best advocate for the cost savings?  Who's going to offer you all those fab suggestions and advice?  Who's going to make sure that all your hard work on those personal touches doesn't go unnoticed? 

Talk to you soon, xoxo!

Leslie

It's Earth Day and Here are 10 Cool Ways To Have a Green Wedding!

In honor of Earth Day I think it's up to each of us to try to do our part especially in the business of special events where it's very easy to quickly overindulge in decadent food and drink, lavish decor, exquisite florals, luxury transportation, etc.  Let's start today to alter a little of our thinking as we begin to plan. Have you noticed that lately it's becoming much easier to produce an event that is friendlier to mother earth yet doesn't compromise style or elegance? Don't know where to start with your "green" event planning? Well take a look at some of these simple ways to make some "green"-er choices when planning your next soiree!

Leslie

10 Ways to have a Green Wedding (Courtesy of Wedding Aces)