First Wedding of The Summer!!
Its was our first wedding of the summer (or spring, but I am trying for some wishful thinking). It was great! The wonderful staff at Damico Catering and the Mill City Museum helped orchestrate every part! Kristin and Noah were a very awesome laid back couple. Only starting their planning last fall.... The weather held out for our amazing outdoor ceremony and everyone came inside for cocktails and to dance the night away!!! The pictures speak for themselves.... Ruth from Happily Ever AFter always does an amazing job! And Check out the shoes :) Every wedding should have a pair of killer heels!!! Congratulations Kristin and Noah.... Hope you have a great honeymoon in Mexico!!!!
A Great Trip
I feel so refreshed and happy that I got to spend the last week with my wonderful husband on a cruise to Grand Caymen and Jamaica... We had a lot of fun and it is always a much needed dose of rest, relaxation and some quality time before the hectic summer. I love coming back to work with great memories and a great tan. We spent the week on Celebrity Cruises. We had never went on hem before, but I do recommend it. We had a great time... and we know tha we will return to the Caymens again... hopefully soon. I have never seen more amazing water. We did not get a chance to swim with the stingrays, but that is on our todo list next time.
I hope everyone had a great Easter!
Bon Voyage... And Have a Great Easter
I will be out of the office this week on vacation! I will be returning on April 17th! If you need anything please send an email and I will get to it when I return! Have a wonderful Easter!
Rental Items
We have been updating our rental inventory.. more changes to come soon! But here is currently what we offer! These items book fast as we have limited inventory.. so if you are interested email or call today!
Featured Vendor- Happily Ever After Photography
One of my new blog resolutions is to feature more of my favorite vendors. Here is one of my favorite Photographers - Happily Ever After Photography! Ruth, the owner does an amazing job and I am always so happy to work with her and her staff. If you are looking at the blog and the website you have probably noticed that some of the great photos are from Ruth. I had a fun time hearing her responses for my questions. I have also included some photos of her work that really showcases her great eye... enjoy!
If you are looking for a great photographer send her an email or give her a call!!
Ruth Harper
www.happilyeverafterphoto.com
Blog www.happilyeverafterphoto.blogspot.com
ruth@happilyeverafterphoto.com
651.335.8198
2500 University Ave. #B4
St. Paul, MN 55114
How long have you been shooting weddings?
1)I have been a wedding photographer for 14 years and have owned and run Happily Ever After for 10 years.
What inspires you as you work with your clients?
2) I love meeting people, hearing their stories, finding beauty in tiny details and translating that all into their wedding images. My studio attracts a wide range of clients from different backgrounds and ideas about what they envision their wedding day will be. I am so honored to be part of their day and always make sure to capture everything that is important to them while visually telling their story- it has been said that every wedding is the same and every wedding is different. I think that is true- in the sameness of the rituals there are moments of truth and glimpses of individuality that are inspiring as a photographer.
What is the best piece of business advice you've ever received?
3) the best piece of business advice I ever received was the golden rule- do unto others as you would have done unto you.
Do you have one "gotta get it" shot at every wedding?
4) my “must have” from every wedding is not one shot but a series of images of the bride and groom laughing, hugging, kissing- I like these cropped very tight and they are so beautiful and real. I also never miss a beauty shot- this is the one day that in a woman’s life where her hair, makeup, dress, shoes and everything else has to be perfect and I love to get those perfect shots!
What is your favorite way to spend a non-working Saturday in the summertime?
5) Ummm- non working Saturday in the summer? Don’t think I’ve had one! I like to spend my Sundays taking long walks with my ipod near my home in Minneapolis or on one of our beautiful lakes. I also like to horseback ride every chance I get.
If you are looking for a great photographer send her an email or give her a call!!
Ruth Harper
www.happilyeverafterphoto.com
Blog www.happilyeverafterphoto.blogspot.com
ruth@happilyeverafterphoto.com
651.335.8198
2500 University Ave. #B4
St. Paul, MN 55114
How long have you been shooting weddings?
1)I have been a wedding photographer for 14 years and have owned and run Happily Ever After for 10 years.
What inspires you as you work with your clients?
2) I love meeting people, hearing their stories, finding beauty in tiny details and translating that all into their wedding images. My studio attracts a wide range of clients from different backgrounds and ideas about what they envision their wedding day will be. I am so honored to be part of their day and always make sure to capture everything that is important to them while visually telling their story- it has been said that every wedding is the same and every wedding is different. I think that is true- in the sameness of the rituals there are moments of truth and glimpses of individuality that are inspiring as a photographer.
What is the best piece of business advice you've ever received?
3) the best piece of business advice I ever received was the golden rule- do unto others as you would have done unto you.
Do you have one "gotta get it" shot at every wedding?
4) my “must have” from every wedding is not one shot but a series of images of the bride and groom laughing, hugging, kissing- I like these cropped very tight and they are so beautiful and real. I also never miss a beauty shot- this is the one day that in a woman’s life where her hair, makeup, dress, shoes and everything else has to be perfect and I love to get those perfect shots!
What is your favorite way to spend a non-working Saturday in the summertime?
5) Ummm- non working Saturday in the summer? Don’t think I’ve had one! I like to spend my Sundays taking long walks with my ipod near my home in Minneapolis or on one of our beautiful lakes. I also like to horseback ride every chance I get.
Why To Hire Us!
I met with a bride on Saturday and she asked me something that in the 7 years of planning I had only been asked twice (surprisingly).... Why should I hire you? After that question it really got my thinking.....
Hiring a wedding planner can save you a lot of money and stress! By hiring us we hope that you gain a friend, a shoulder to lean on, an expert and a money saver through out one of the most important days of your life! Here are some reasons why I believe couples should hire us!
-Your Sanity!
We will do all of the hard work, so you can sit back and make all of the fun decisions. You still plan your wedding, we just want to be able to do all of the research so you don’t have to stress!
-To Save you Money!
Hiring us will usually save you more money than our package costs! We try and save you money in a lot of areas, here are just a few!
-Vendors Discounts- Because of the amount of work we do with our preferred vendors we get special pricing and some thrown in perks that we always give to you (We do not personally take kickbacks, everything is handed down to you.
-Whenever possible we will run all over town to pick up flowers, cakes, supplies, rentals, just to save you money. There is no reason to pay for extra delivery costs if we can pick up and return the items. There is rarely a Saturday when we do not have a full jeep! So anything we can fit into the car, we will!
-Décor- I personally own tons of vases, votives, linens, candles, and décor items. I bought these items just so my brides could use them for free or for a great discount. This usually saves hundreds of dollars on décor.
-We do this every weekend, so we really know where to look for great deals, where most people overspend and how to cut costs.
-Our packages are priced out to be very affordable. We want to work with couples in every price range and we want to be able to customize something to fit your needs and your budget.
-We are a team!
We always have more than one consultant at your event. I feel this makes us more efficient and more prepared to conquer the day. And if for some reason someone ever got sick.. you would always have a back up.
-Unlimited Time
All of our packages have unlimited time on your wedding day (For no extra costs). Every wedding is different, and I want to make sure you have a planner from the start to the end of your day. So we work with you to make sure that all of your needs will be taken care of. I recently heard from a vendor that some bridal consultants do not go to appointments with their clients….we go to all appointments with you.. from the florist to the caterer, to picking out your wedding dress (and anything else you need!)
-Experience
This is really something you can not put a price on! I am a certified bridal consultant and have graduated from the ABC program. We are members of the Twin City Bridal Association and have 7 years of planning experience. This is my full time job, I like most planners, did have another job when I first started out. In an effort to focus 100% of my full time love of wedding planning I cut back to focus on my business. As most of my brides can verify, it is not odd to get emails from me at 6am or 2am, Some may say I am a little bit of a workaholic (my husband would say that J) But I love my job and I feel like nothing should wait to get answered!
-Design
If you take a look at our gallery it is clear that no two weddings that area like. We have worked in most of the venues in the area and love a great challenge. Designing is truly my favorite part and We want to be able to tie in your personalities, vision and desires into your design and décor!
Vendor Relationships
Like I mentioned above, we get a lot of great vendor discounts, deals and favors. This has devolped over time and with great relationships...we are lucky enough to be on a lot of recommended vendor lists. I am always so honored when we are referred by vendors and past couples, It is the best compliment.
-Tools
It is goal of mine everyday to provide you will all of the tools that you need to feel at ease and make the planning easier. Between the couples questionnaire, average cost sheets, budget sheets, payment sheets, timelines, photo website, day of timelines, etc. We hope to give you everything that you need to make the whole process very easy for you!
I feel so honored to be in an area with so many wonderful event planners and wedding vendors. I tell most people, find a wedding planner that you want to be around, find a qualified vendor that can be a great friend and the rest of the process will be very worry-free and enjoyable!
Hiring a wedding planner can save you a lot of money and stress! By hiring us we hope that you gain a friend, a shoulder to lean on, an expert and a money saver through out one of the most important days of your life! Here are some reasons why I believe couples should hire us!
-Your Sanity!
We will do all of the hard work, so you can sit back and make all of the fun decisions. You still plan your wedding, we just want to be able to do all of the research so you don’t have to stress!
-To Save you Money!
Hiring us will usually save you more money than our package costs! We try and save you money in a lot of areas, here are just a few!
-Vendors Discounts- Because of the amount of work we do with our preferred vendors we get special pricing and some thrown in perks that we always give to you (We do not personally take kickbacks, everything is handed down to you.
-Whenever possible we will run all over town to pick up flowers, cakes, supplies, rentals, just to save you money. There is no reason to pay for extra delivery costs if we can pick up and return the items. There is rarely a Saturday when we do not have a full jeep! So anything we can fit into the car, we will!
-Décor- I personally own tons of vases, votives, linens, candles, and décor items. I bought these items just so my brides could use them for free or for a great discount. This usually saves hundreds of dollars on décor.
-We do this every weekend, so we really know where to look for great deals, where most people overspend and how to cut costs.
-Our packages are priced out to be very affordable. We want to work with couples in every price range and we want to be able to customize something to fit your needs and your budget.
-We are a team!
We always have more than one consultant at your event. I feel this makes us more efficient and more prepared to conquer the day. And if for some reason someone ever got sick.. you would always have a back up.
-Unlimited Time
All of our packages have unlimited time on your wedding day (For no extra costs). Every wedding is different, and I want to make sure you have a planner from the start to the end of your day. So we work with you to make sure that all of your needs will be taken care of. I recently heard from a vendor that some bridal consultants do not go to appointments with their clients….we go to all appointments with you.. from the florist to the caterer, to picking out your wedding dress (and anything else you need!)
-Experience
This is really something you can not put a price on! I am a certified bridal consultant and have graduated from the ABC program. We are members of the Twin City Bridal Association and have 7 years of planning experience. This is my full time job, I like most planners, did have another job when I first started out. In an effort to focus 100% of my full time love of wedding planning I cut back to focus on my business. As most of my brides can verify, it is not odd to get emails from me at 6am or 2am, Some may say I am a little bit of a workaholic (my husband would say that J) But I love my job and I feel like nothing should wait to get answered!
-Design
If you take a look at our gallery it is clear that no two weddings that area like. We have worked in most of the venues in the area and love a great challenge. Designing is truly my favorite part and We want to be able to tie in your personalities, vision and desires into your design and décor!
Vendor Relationships
Like I mentioned above, we get a lot of great vendor discounts, deals and favors. This has devolped over time and with great relationships...we are lucky enough to be on a lot of recommended vendor lists. I am always so honored when we are referred by vendors and past couples, It is the best compliment.
-Tools
It is goal of mine everyday to provide you will all of the tools that you need to feel at ease and make the planning easier. Between the couples questionnaire, average cost sheets, budget sheets, payment sheets, timelines, photo website, day of timelines, etc. We hope to give you everything that you need to make the whole process very easy for you!
I feel so honored to be in an area with so many wonderful event planners and wedding vendors. I tell most people, find a wedding planner that you want to be around, find a qualified vendor that can be a great friend and the rest of the process will be very worry-free and enjoyable!
Weddings and the Recession
I found this video on a fellow wedding planners site(Weddex.com) and I think it really touches on what my couples are doing to scale back in this economy. I probably get asked about 5 times a day how this economy is effecting couples and effecting my business. To tell you the truth, I feel very blessed..We have not seen a hit. I think most of the couples that I work with are very mindful of their budgets in all economies. The one thing I hope people can get out of this is that this couple hired a wedding planner and instead of costing them money, it saved them money! We get a lot of great discounts, can find really good deals and can save on delivery charges, set up fees, etc. Anything I can personally do to save you money.. I will!!
Embedded video from CNN Video
Embedded video from CNN Video
Fun Idea
The gals over at Blue Orchid Designs are always thinking of great ideas and finding great resources! I have been trying to find a great color swatch book, online tool, etc So I would have some more creative tools! The gals over at Blue Orchid Posted this...
http://colorschemedesigner.com/
I am so excited!
http://colorschemedesigner.com/
I am so excited!
Shelby and Erics Fabulous Valentines Day Wedding!!
From the day that Shelby, Deb (her mother) and I sat down in Starbucks to meet and talk about her wedding.... I was excited.....
When she described what she wanted, I had a very clear vision....bright, vibrant, and very "hollywood". We had so much fun planning every element and we did it in 7 months!!! Here is a sneak peek of some photos. The WONDERFUL Kelly Brown Weddings photographed the wedding at Jackpot Junction in Redwood Falls, MN. Alilu Studios did all of the florals, centerpieces, and lanterns. We did all of the chargers, chair covers and of course planning. Apres did the wonderful draping and vibrant linens. I could not be happier with how it turned out. We warmed up Valentines Day. It took my team 3 days to assemble everything and it was worth every minute!!! I miss you already Shelby, Eric and Deb!
Jessica and Geoff - January 18
January 18th was a great day for a wedding!! The Sun was shining and not even the cold MN weather could stop all of the love! Kelly Brown did a wonderful job on the photography! Here are some great images from her... more to come.
Jessica loves the Minnesota Snow... Her and Geoff Live out in Maryland, but decided to plan their wedding in Minnesota at the Semple Mansion because she grew up here! They were a joy to work with and I miss them already!
Thank you to all of the wonderful vendors that helped make their day wonderful
Cake:: Cakes by Jan
Venue:: Semple Mansion
Rentals:: Apres
Florist:: Floral Logic
Photographer:: Kelly Brown Weddings
Catering:: Kraemars Catering
Band:: Macken Music
Makeup:: MN Bridal Artistry
Check out the Slideshow : www.kellybrownweddings.com/slideshows/jessicageoff
Jessica loves the Minnesota Snow... Her and Geoff Live out in Maryland, but decided to plan their wedding in Minnesota at the Semple Mansion because she grew up here! They were a joy to work with and I miss them already!
Thank you to all of the wonderful vendors that helped make their day wonderful
Cake:: Cakes by Jan
Venue:: Semple Mansion
Rentals:: Apres
Florist:: Floral Logic
Photographer:: Kelly Brown Weddings
Catering:: Kraemars Catering
Band:: Macken Music
Makeup:: MN Bridal Artistry
Check out the Slideshow : www.kellybrownweddings.com/slideshows/jessicageoff
Introducing Overlays and Table Runners
I just got an email tonight from a current bride and these items were now on sale at the distributer... so we can offer them even cheaper! All of the prices are updated on the sheets! I love a SALE!!
We are adding on to our inventory to continue to give our couples great deals on quality products. We are offering Table Runners for $3.00 and Satin Overlays for $7.00. These are both very inexpensive options to transform your room!
Please Call or Email to Book Today. We have a limited quantity, so dates are filling up fast!!
Look What a Runner Can Do!
We are adding on to our inventory to continue to give our couples great deals on quality products. We are offering Table Runners for $3.00 and Satin Overlays for $7.00. These are both very inexpensive options to transform your room!
Please Call or Email to Book Today. We have a limited quantity, so dates are filling up fast!!
Look What a Runner Can Do!
Valentine's Day Special!
Book your Day of Coordination or Full Planning Package between February 1st and February 15th and get a great Valentines Day Gift and a Discount!
Our Day of Coordination Package ranges from $800-$1000. You will get $100 off of this package
Our Full Planning Packages start at $3000. You will get $200 off of this package.
**Contracts must be filled out and returned by February 15th to get this discount. Dates are filling fast, call or email now!
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