Happy New Year

I want to wish all of you a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year. May all of your hopes and dreams become a reality.

This year remember the things that once inspired you. The things that inspired your creativity, your writing, your art and let them once again inspire you. I have found that those inspirational moments become your drive to doing things that are purposeful and fulfilling.

Take hold of the environment around you, the friends and family that represent the love in your life, take a look at those around you who could benefit from your gifts and talents and help them. You will inspire them and in turn you will be inspired.

Happy New Year

Holiday Traditions

I want to wish you all a great holiday season. May the true meaning of the season, the gift that was given that very first Christmas be in your hearts and minds throughout the year.



I admire and love to hear about various family traditions. I could not remember any traditions in my own childhood, however I figured that traditions had to start somewhere. So this Christmas I started a tradition with my children, baking cupcakes or cookies on Christmas Eve and drinking hot chocolate. Small, simple but I can count on my kids to remind me of this new tradition every year. I would love to see that when they are adults they too will continue this tradition with their own families.

This Christmas season be inpired by the special moments around you. Be it small or grand start or continue a tradition that will help to enhance these wonderful Christmas moments.

Be inspired!!!!

Kathy

Winter Holiday inspiration

I live in a suburb of New York and this week my husband planned a trip for the family to the city. It was impromptu and wonderful. It has been a long time since I have gone to Rockefeller Center to see the Christmas tree opting to watch the lighting on TV. However this wonderful trip reminded me that I love Christmas in New York. As we walked from the train station on an unusually warm December night, we passed the various vendors selling Christmas items, roasted chestnuts, and santa hats.
We passed by all of the wonderful decorations on the usually plain office buildings. The Radio City Music Hall display reminded us of our past trip to see the Rockettes. As we turned the corner we saw the the 72' tall Christmas tree with its 5 miles of Christmas lights and it was breathtaking. The were many there taking pictures, skating and just enjoying the NYC Christmas aura. As I watched my kids excitement and looked around at the beautifully decorated trees that surrounded the ice rink, I had an inspiring moment. I rememered another winter scene that I absolutely love, the look of ice covered branches, the Rockefeller Center staff responsible for decorating recreated this look with lights.

Instantly my mind started to envision a winter wonderland wedding. I continued to look around and I grew more and more inspired.

I pictured a wonderful winter wonderland wedding using colors in ice blue, silver and white. I saw the room decorated with white branches with clear white lights. The centerpieces were tall glass vases with feathers in white with silver or ice blue branches and dangling from the branches elongated glass beads.
Learn how to make your own ice covered branches here.





Maybe an Apothecary jar filled with silver and blue Christmas ornaments. These jars come in many shapes and sizes and make wonderful centerpieces.





The guests should feel a part of this wonderful winter wedding leave them with this favor




As I took in the snowflake display on the Saks fifth Avenue building, I saw a beautiful backdrop for the bridal party of sheer shimmery fabric with snowflakes of various sizes hanging in silhouette.






Inspiration


I was truly inspired and happy that I took the time to look around and feed my spirit with the miracle of the season and feed my mind with a wonderful idea for beautiful event.

Happy Holidays!!! I hope that this holiday season you are inspired by your Faith, your traditions, your families and all that is around you.

Be Inspired!!!!!

A Master's Tools

Every Master has their own tools. A chef, has his special set of knives and even a pot that is seasoned just right. An artist has his set of brushes. A carpenter has his special tools that he uses to create wonders from a piece of wood. There is one thing that connects all of the masters, their quest to be the best. Their need to be in a perpetual state of learning.






Wedding and Event planners are no exception. We also have tools, whether it is our handy emergency pack, our blackberry. our preferred vendors lists. When we walk into a restaurant or a department store our eyes go immediately to the decor or the new uses of color. We file a photo image in our brain and hope that we get a chance to use this information at our next event.







I recently discovered a tool in the form of a blog, that I will keep close to my heart. From the time that I started reading The Smart Planner, I was in love. I appreciate that Liene Stevens who edits the blog and is the founder of Blue Orchid Designs, a wedding planning firm with consultants in Arizona, New York, and Washington DC, took the time to create a forum, an information hub and a motivational tool for planners. You hear passion in each post and she strives to promote and uplift planners. So Kudos to Liene Stevens for given encouragement and tools that we need as planners to continue to do what we love, and strive to be Masters.


Be inspired to master what you love.

Kathy

During this tough economic period we are making cutbacks in different areas.... Weddings are no exception. I always believe that something can be done for less. You can search bridal websites and magazines for inspiration and find out how to do it for less. You may not have a platimum wedding, but white gold is just as beautiful.

Looking for a wedding cake, how about cupcakes instead, you can buy a great cupcake stand, decorating supplies are also available on the Wiltons website. You can choose to bake the cupcakes yourself, I would only recommend this for a smaller wedding, or you could use storebought cupcakes. Wholesale warehouses offer beautifully decorated cupcakes in batches of twelve or more. If you were planning for 150 guests you will need a bakers dozen, at an average of $1.00 per cupcake, you will spend $156.00 dollars on your wedding cake. The cost of a wedding cake could range from $2-5 dollars per person depending on where you are getting your cake from, going from potentially $500 dollars to $156.00 is definately budget friendly. Don't worry about this idea looking to informal, the formality will be determined by the way your cupcakes are decorated.





Candles are always a great idea for your centerpieces, you can place several votives on a table a place glass beads around them. You can find votive candles in bulk at craft centers. Fruit makes great centerpieces , they can be displayed in various containers. A cylinder vase filled with or without water with pear or apples inside. A tall bowl of lemons, limes or a combination of the two can be very nice for an outdoor or summer wedding. A combination of candles and fruit can work well also.

Signature Events by Crystan Michelle




Christmas wedding...how about christmas ornaments. They come in various shapes, sizes and colors. Placed in an interesting container they sparkle and make a stunning centerpiece.



Wedding attire does not have to break the bank, you can look for trunk shows to save on designer wedding gowns. Davids Bridal has a large selection of bridal gowns in the latest trends that could meet a small budget. Check the sample sales of wedding gown sites and boutiques, as well as for markdowns and discontinued dresses.

I thought that I would share this great site that I found it offers great tips for a budget wedding. They even have a section on getting money for your wedding.

http://www.cheap-chic-weddings.com/index.html

Don't let a small budget hinder you from having a fabulous wedding. Look for images that inspire you and scale them down for a budget friendly wedding.