Happy Wednesday!

Yesterday, I got interviewed by a reporter from Medill Reports Chicago. They are an online newspaper written and produced by graduate journalism students at Northwestern University.

They were doing a story on the wedding industry and if vendors are folding due to the economy. Because we are in the glorious city of Chicago, and all the vendors i work with are of the higher end, no one has any need to worry about their vendors here.  However, i did tell them that vendors are willing to wheel and deal more now than ever.

Don’t be afraid to ask for discounts or ask if vendors can throw in a few extras.   Maybe a caterer can throw in an extra hors d’oeuvre or a couple extra desserts.  Maybe the florist will throw in flowers for the restrooms.  Maybe the band will even negotiate an extra singer.   It certainly doesn’t hurt to ask.

Enjoy the Article here.   I have also included a sneak peak below.

Happy Planning!

Hello Friends -

Hope you are all enjoying the lovely weather in Chicago…HA!!!  Just kidding. Are you ready for Spring yet?  I sure am.

I am happy as a clam today, (even if it is 15 degrees outside) because the March issue of Chicago Magazine just came out and I am honored to be named one of Chicago’s Top Wedding Planners.

I have coveted every Chicago Magazine since i moved here 11 years ago. I can’t wait for it to come every month. I get so many of my ideas and unusual vendors and venues from the magazine.  If you live in Chicago, and don’t get this magazine every month, you are missing out.  It has everything and everyone you need to know, and all the happenings around this amazing and diverse and fabulous city.  Needless to say, when Chicago Magazine called and told me they had named me one of the top planners. I was over the moon with delight.  The writer told me she had been watching me for years and had read many wonderful things about Bliss.  How cool is that?

Please pick up the March issue if you can, and if you don’t live in Chicago, i have posted it below for your reading pleasure (sorry for the scan job.  Couldn’t wait for the pdf’s)

Stay warm and happy out there

Happy Weekend!

I am in love with my new ad in the Spring/Summer 09 CS Brides.  The picture is from a gorgeous wedding i did in September at Northmoor Country Club on the North Shore.  The ad was pulled together by Jessica Jones.  She is a very talented graphic designer and has a wonderful blog on DIY and design called What About Orange.

She also used Bliss Weddings & Events in a promotional contest last summer for AD Pack USA and won the top prize!  Nicely done!  They just uploaded the pictures to their website. Look under applications then contest. It was a clever project to market facial tissue packs in a different way.  The front of the tissue pack said  “Cry for all the right reasons” and featured a bride crying using a tissue.  The back said “Bliss Weddings & Events can help make sure nothing goes wrong on your special day.  So, the only reason to cry is how blissfully happy you are!”  Maybe i should get some of these tissues printed for my brides.

Hello Friends -

Please be sure and pick up the latest isssue of CS Brides – Spring/Summer 09.  A wonderful wedding of mine was featured under “Scene Chicago Weddings”.  One of my absolute favorite weddings.  Erin & Derrick were so blissfully happy, incredibly sweet, giving, grateful, fun, love life and LOVE color   We will be friends for a long time.  The wedding theme was “Vintage Indian”.  The colors were rich berries, eggplant, indigo blue and whites.

The Wedding ceremony was held in Glenview at a gorgeous little white chapel where the bride’s parents were married.  It looked like something out of a magazine.  There were these amazing huge oak trees.  Most of the time guests would enter off the parking lot (boring), but i wanted guests to walk through those amazing oak trees and up the courtyard.  We asked the church to fix a couple of the bricks in the courtyard since most people do not use this path, which they did happily.  We hung large signs from long strands of ribbons in plums and pinks from the trees.  The first sign directing guests from the parking lot said, “Erin + Derrick” with an arrow pointing towards the tree path.  The second sign said ” Almost Married”  with an arrow pointing towards the courtyard.  The last sign was hung on the back of the getaway car and said, “Just Married”.  So fun!!!

After the ceremony, guests traveled to the Glen Club where they were greeted by a large white tent on the patio of the golf course for the cocktail hour.  Sixty vintage gold embroideered parasols in berries and blues hung above.  The tables were dressed in ivory linens and set with antique gold lanterns.  The place card table was draped in a sheet of wheat grass and rich berry linen.

Guest then entered the ballroom where the tables were draped in eggplant linens and set with mahogany chiavari chairs with eggplant chair covers.  Gorgeous centerpieces soared over head in vintage fluted glass vases.  The flowers were some of the most beautiful flowers i have ever seen.  I was swooning.  Lavender and purple hydrangea, deep berry dahlias, lavender mokara orchids, fuschia gloriosa lilies, pale pink peonies…OH MY!!!  We placed a string quartet up on the balcony that was covered with the sari’s from the church.  Since they were covered up from the sari’s, the beautiful music drifted down during dinner.  Guests weren’t sure where the music was coming from. I love that element of surprise.

It was a magical day.  The couple, their families, and their friends were truly amazing.  Everyone had an incredible time. I was floating on cloud 9.  This is why i am so lucky to do what I love for a career.  So i can meet people like Erin and Derrick and make all their dreams come true   Enjoy the pictures.

From my home to yours, I am wishing you a very happy, safe and wonderful holiday season with your friends and family.

It really is a magical time of year. Take time to count your blessings and stay grateful for what you have, not what you need.  There is no greater gift than wonderful friends and family.

Can’t wait to see you all next year!

Hi Friends-

I had to share this with you. This is a gorgeous couple i worked with over the summer. Their wedding ceremony was at the Bond Chapel and their reception was at Garfield Park Conservatory.  It was a fabulous day.

Their wedding ceremony was at 10:30am because it was a hot day.  In between the ceremony and reception they went around Chicago for pictures.

They were able to stop at President Barack Obama’s house in Chicago for a picture. It was a VERY quick stop as you can imagine. They were bound and determined to get this shot.  This was clearly before the election, but isn’t this so cool!  The photographer was the great Doug McGoldrick.   More to come on this wedding in a later post.

Hi Friends -

Check out the Fall/Winter Issue of The Knot Chicago. It features one of my all time favorite weddings in the “Real Wedding” section. We got the biggest spread!  It features the wedding of a darling couple, Jennifer and Eric from L.A.  They were the most wonderful couple to work with and i love how the wedding came together. We used the most decadent colors of Chocolate, Bronze, Deep plums and Fuchsia.  Their Chuppa was to die for.  It was constructed of willow branches and hanging candles.  The wedding ceremony was set in the round at the great RIver East Art Center.  Jennifer works for Mattel, on Barbie. Look at the Barbie her team created to look exactly like her!  Her Hair, dress, jewelry, everything. So darn cool.  We displayed it at the wedding in the bar area.  Have fun and be sure to pick up a copy!

Okay, i just got the New Lounge 22 catalogue in the mail.  It is so amazing!  I am dying to use these cocktail tables at a wedding. They would be gorgeous at the Museum of Contemporary Art or the River East Art Center. These might be a bit more expensive, but you don’t need a linen!  Bye Bye old wobbly, wooden cocktail tables. Fabulous!

Welcome to my blog! I am very excited to share my inspirations with you.

I get asked this question a lot!, “Where can i find unique and gorgeous bridesmaids dresses my girls will actually wear again!”  This is  such a loaded question, right?  Does anyone really wear their maids dresses again?  Or doesn’t everyone out there have a closet full of never worn again dresses like in 27 dresses?  Love that closet by the way – hilarious!

Well, i certainly have my basement closet full of some old dresses – sorry lovely friends – i have NEVER worn.  But i have to say, if i was asked to be a bridesmaid (please, no ideas. i am officially retired from bridesmaid duties) i would beg and plead to wear one of these dresses from the 2009 Jenny Yoo collection.  This is truly my favorite line of maids dresses.  Look at the colors!  I love the soft pinks, lavender and grass green for spring.  And the bordeaux and deep aubergine for fall.

I might have to call the fabulous Tanya at the wonderful Chicago store and ask her to save a Penelope in Eggplant for me!