Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Glenn Downs!

We were honored to help Tara Knight and Glenn Downs become husband and wife yesterday. Such a wonderful couple. These two were absolutely made for one another. If they're not already doing so, they'll soon be finishing each others sentences.

Every detail of the wedding went off without a hitch. The day was absolutely perfect. I am a huge fan of trolleys and happily, Tara wanted to use one. It's such a great way to transport a large group of people. Tara and her girls rode a beautiful trolley from the hotel to the church and then the entire wedding party rode it from the church to the reception at the historic Round Barn at The Red Mile.

I have so many great memories of this wedding. The band was amazing. The cake (I'm eating some now...yummy!) and food were delicious and the flowers were breathtaking. What more can you ask? Oh, how about witnessing the exact moment Glenn saw Tara for the first time. I keep telling myself that I shouldn't get all teary eyed when a bride gets ready to walk down the aisle but I just can't seem to help myself. I just thought Tara's excitement of soon becoming Glenn's wife reminded me of my own wedding. I could not get down that aisle fast enough!

The vendors who helped pull this wedding together are amazing. Big thanks to Ian Lozada for referring Tara to me. He must have known we'd be a perfect match. And I always look forward to pre-ceremony activities if I get to see uber-talented Ana Crane-Simpson and Sara Drury. Finally, I had a new assistant, Katherine Vaughn, to help make sure everything ran like clockwork. Talk about someone who will just jump in and get the job done! Kudos to you, Katherine! (So excited this is the same line-up for next weekend's wedding, too!)

So, to Tara & Glenn, I hope last night was everything you always imagined. I am going to miss you terribly but wish you all the joy and happiness marriage has to offer. Congratulations!

Vendors

Ana Crane-Simpson, Makeup

Sara Drury, Hair

Every Last Detail, Planning & Coordination

Ian Lozada, Photography

JuddFilms Weddings, Videography

Delectable Edibles, Cake

Flowers by Charles Ray, Flowers

Domino, Band

Bayou Bluegrass, caterer

Minuteman Press, Printed Goods

Castlepost & Parasol {swoon}

Every Last Detail's 2010 wedding season kicks off on March 27th with the beautifully intimate wedding of Heidi and Barrett at the Castlepost (formerly the Kentucky Castle). I can't wait! What an amazing venue! I'm so glad the rate structure has changed from a few years back so a bride doesn't have to spend a king's ransom to have her wedding there; especially local brides who have grown up watching the venue being built and dream of being married there someday. When it first became available, the wedding community was told it would cost $25,000 to book just the facility. At that price, it was completely out of reach for 99.9% of my clients. However, word on the street is that they've now switched over to a rate package which is more in line with what other high-end, local venues are charging. Yay! Now, we're talking!

Also, over the past couple of weeks I have had the honor of meeting and, happily, becoming friends with, Julie Murphy of Julie Murphy's Parasol. What a treat! Originally from Australia, Julie moved to Lexington a few short months ago from Nashville and opened a wedding design studio on Woodland Avenue. For me, stepping in there is like being a kid in a candy store. I can't explain how beautiful her custom designed couture linen selections are...you'll have to see them for yourself (which you can by popping in her studio during normal business hours). She also has some gorgeous wedding dresses in her shoppe, too. Check it out!

I knew Julie's crystal and lace linens would be perfect for Heidi and Barrett. When you have a wedding in a castle, not just any ol' linens will do. :) Add in Crist Creona's fabulous floral arrangements and these tables are going to be spectacular! Also, Heidi is a self-proclaimed bedazzling genius. She even bedazzled her own wedding shoes!! I can't wait to post pictures provided by Rickerson Photography! When I first saw them I could have sworn they were actual Louboutins.

So, we're gearing up for an incredible wedding season. Every Last Detail has been blessed with another year of wonderful brides and grooms, all who are planning their own gorgeous weddings. Can't wait to happily blog about them, too! 

Vendor Relations

Recently, the amazing celebrity designer/planner, Preston Bailey, blogged about something that is definitely a problem in the wedding industry. You can see what he had to say about referral compensation in the link at the bottom of the page but here's my take on the subject:

Commonly called kickbacks, it's basically the "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine," way of doing business. It's unfortunate, and frankly, unethical, if planners refer brides to other vendors if they're only doing so because they'll get something out of it in return or they're fulfilling a personal obligation. 

My standard practice is to look at my clients' needs based on their budget, personality, and sense of style. I don't work with the same vendors time after time because:

1) It's exciting to work with a variety of different talented vendors, and

2) the same vendor is rarely the right fit for all of my clients

However, I love to work with people who share my passions and work ethic but the other factors must be present also before they'll get my referral. 

When a bride receives a referral from me they can trust that I have only their best interests at heart. Also, I have the personal satisfaction of knowing that when a bride is referred to me by another vendor it's because they know I'm the best planner for that particular job. So, in my opinion, referrals given and received should be done with the highest standards of honesty and integrity based on each individual client's needs, first and foremost. I think Preston would agree. I hope you do, too.

Preston Bailey - Common Mistakes Paying or Receiving Commission

Yay for Free Stuff!

Crate & Barrel - $100,000 Ultimate Wedding Contest

When I was engaged a long, long time ago, I remember entering every contest I could possibly find. It could have been for a free bag of cotton balls. Didn't matter. I found the idea of winning something because of my newly engaged status to be really appealing. Maybe because I was lucky in love I thought I would be lucky in everything else? Cars, honeymoon trips, cash, a lifetime supply of Diet Coke...I entered them all. I wanted to show my new fiance how resourceful his soon-to-be-bride could be. Unfortunately, as much as I hoped, prayed, and thought I was going to win, I didn't. 

Not one single thing. 

But, this looks fun and if I was engaged right now I would be doing everything I could to win. So, take a look and give it your best shot. I hope you win. I really, really do. And what could be better than winning something...anything...from Crate & Barrel? Double score!

Megan + Patrick

Every Last Detail started off 2010 already with a bang! Our first wedding of the year was on New Year's Day as we helped Megan + Patrick become husband and wife. The beautiful ceremony was performed in Southland Christian Church's Chapel and the amazing reception was held in the beautiful Grand Ballroom of the Marriott Griffin Gate Resort. (Let me just give a shout out, right now, to the Marriott...their staff is absolutely wonderful and we all worked as a team to make sure the night flowed smoothly. Big thanks to Megan Samuel!) Now, back to the wedding. Megan was a dream client! She basically gave me free reign to pick vendors, menu options and decor selections. I realize this probably won't happen again but I had so much fun...I felt like a kid in a candy store! We designed Megan's invitations and other printed items to match the exact lace detail on her stunning Pronovias dress, style - Halar. Instead of a theme, per se, it really brought a cohesive look to the ceremony and reception. However, as a planner, the best part about Megan's wedding is that we had to have an absolutely perfect timeline. She wanted to stay in the comfort of her home until the very last second leading up to the ceremony. No problem. We had a Bentley pulled up to her doorway 15 minutes before the start of the ceremony and after a brief 5 mile drive, Megan and her father walked down the aisle upon arrival. So fun! The reception details included one of my favorite bands, Orange Krush, out of Asheville, NC, and two conference rooms used for the child guests. One room was for toddlers which included coloring books and Disney movies, and the other room had a Wii for the older children. Let's just say, ALL the guests had a blast! For us, working with this fabulous group of vendors was inspiring and got us excited to see what the rest of the this year has in store. Here's some amazing photos from Alex Hunt with Angela Anderson Photography. Always love working with their studio!



Vendors

Ana Crane-Simpson, hair + makeup

Every Last Detail, Planning + Coordination

Angela Anderson Photography

JuddFilms Weddings, Videography

Sugar Forest, Cake

Crist Creona Designs, Flowers
Orange Krush, Band

Bryant's Rent All, Rentals

BBJ Linen, Rentals

Minuteman Press, Printed Goods

Also, BIG thanks to my fall intern, Kate Keesey! You rock!

Courtney + Rob

Courtney and Rob had a beautiful wedding ceremony and reception at Courtney's family farm in Lexington last October. This wasn't just an ordinary farm wedding...this was the legendary thoroughbred horse breeding farm, Darby Dan. What an honor and personal joy it was to be on-site at such a breathtakingly peaceful and ideal setting. Courtney's mom, Debbie, was so sweet and personable. They immediately made my assistant, Kate, and I feel like members of their own family. Wonderful local photographer, Tiffany Phillips of Paperboat Photography, joined me at the rehearsal and for a couple of hours the day of the wedding taking shots to build up her portfolio. The images she captured truly represent how calm and peaceful the day's activities were and make me wish to be able to experience it all over again. From the pashminas Courtney purchased in New York from a street vendor to the family's personal assortment of Derby glassware, this wedding was one to remember.

Vendors
Every Last Detail, Coordination
Martines, Cake
Bel-Air Florist, Flowers
SouthVan Events, Caterer
Holifield/Paperboat Photography, Photographers
Purdon's, Rentals