We coordinated the wedding of Adam and Lindsey Johnson this past weekend in Tampa at the Rusty Pelican. They were the sweetest couple and so in love- it was so nice to work with them! We also worked closely with Adam's mom in the planning of the wedding, and she sent us this wonderful Thank You note! We thought it would be nice to share the kind words that she wrote.
Thank you Anne for being so wonderful to work with!
MMD Events has been super busy lately, but we wanted to do a little update on what is coming up for us! We will be a featured vendor at the Tampa Bridal Showcase on Sunday, November 1st at the Intercontinental Hotel in Tampa! We're so excited to be given the privilege of being a featured vendor for this excellent bridal show! We will be providing the design, decor, and floral elements for the show, so stop by to see some of our work!
We hope to see you on Sunday at the Bridal Showcase! Looking back a little…MMD Events was honored to be chosen as the event design team for the premier of “Pitchmen” starring Billy Mays and Anthony Sullivan. The party, held at the new Westin Tampa Bay, was well attended by much of Tampa’s elite and a few of Hollywood’s as well. Guests walked the red carpet passing gorgeous Bentlys to hit the media lounge for “pitchtinis.” Highlights of the night included moving speeches by the leading men, the chain saw massacre of a gorgeous cake by Let Them Eat Cake, and of course the premier of the show. The highlight of my night was sitting in the media lounge with Rebecca Zoumberos of Limelight Photography, who graciously photographed the night, watching the celebrities walk the red carpet.*
*Sadly this story has a sad ending, Billy Mays died June 28, 2009; our condolences to his family and friends.
As we age, we start building a signature style. We begin to frame ourselves, how we want others to experience us. When we shop we ask ourselves – is this me? Does this fit my style? Smart shoppers know that a true bargain is something that we really wear – that truly becomes a part of our wardrobe. We all agree on these rules.
So why do we throw out all of these rules when we plan our wedding?
An engagement brings on the temptation to shop and to bargain hunt, then suddenly everything wedding and bridal goes into the cart. When it’s all said and done you reach your wedding day with a bag full of wedding trinkets that were cheap individually, but have added up to several hundred dollars collectively and none of it truly reflects your style.
Here’s a perfect example: A bride of mine shopped so much at JoAnn Fabrics that when she returned all the random stuff she had bought “on sale”, it was enough to cover her lighting design bill!
How do you dress your wedding as you dress yourself? Ask yourself these questions:
- Does this work for me?
- Does this reflect the wedding style I’m trying to achieve?
- Where will I put this?
- Is it exactly what I want?
- How does this purchase affect my price per table?
- Is it worth it?
Remember to design your wedding thoughtfully and with attention to detail – just as you would, yourself.
Looking back a little…MMD Events was proud to work with Heather Leather and her fabulous charity, Windows for Widows out of New York City, on their “A Thousand & One Nights” fundraiser at the Sirata Beach Resort. Windows for Widows is a nonprofit organization committed to providing emotional and financial support to Egyptian widows and their families. Did you know that in Egypt, where only 20% of the work force is made up of women, women are left penniless after the death of their husbands? This leads to loss of homes, loss of rights and often loss of their children to orphanages. In a society where women are devalued without their husbands, Heather and her charity have stepped in to make a difference in the lives of these individuals. As funds are raised, they are personally distributed by Heather and her team on a case by case basis. Widows apply for funding and are granted it based on a set of qualifications. To learn more and to see how you can help, please visit http://www.windowsforwidows.com/ .
The “A Thousand & One Nights” charity fundraiser, held on May 8th, took St. Pete Beach by storm with live music, belly dancing, Mediterranean cuisine, Arabian décor and a fabulous hookah lounge. Hundreds of people turned out for this worthy cause and thousands of dollars were raised.
Heather personally donated much of the funds necessary to make this night fashionable and memorable. Look for this event next year; it was truly one of a kind!
The concept of décor is really just the idea of looking at your wedding holistically. It is the idea that every piece of your wedding is not just a necessity – it is an opportunity. Everything from chairs, tables, linens, napkins, favors and centerpieces to candles, table numbers, place cards, menus, chargers, etc. Think of all of these things simultaneously, because they are all table décor.
A $200 centerpiece on a table with linens that don’t touch the ground, hotel candles and chair covers that don’t compliment your theme is not $200 well spent. Poorly planned elements detract from well-planned elements. For example, a wedding reception I planned had small restaurant tables that caused me to really step back and focus on total table design because every detail becomes completely noticeable on such a small table.
Instead of looking at your reception tables as “price per centerpiece”, approach it as a “price per table”. Your wedding theme is better served by combining elements rather than hinging everything based upon the centerpiece alone and trusting that your guests will feel what you intended for them to feel. You can see a $200 example of this “price per table” concept below that includes chivari chairs, linens, paper goods, a centerpiece, etc.
A tip for when you are working with your florist: ask them to build you a tablescape. No centerpiece is an island, everything looks better with candles. If your florist builds a tablescape complete with candles that fits your budget, your table will look complete and thoughtful.
Price per Table Concept: $200 example
Chivari Chairs: $75
Standard Linen: $12
Chargers: $10
Napkins: $5
Menus: $20
Table Numbers: $3
Centerpiece (including candles): $75
Thoughtful design is the key here. It does not have to mean expensive. A bargain is only worth it if at the end of the day you got exactly what you wanted. Take my advice, make lighting a part of your budget and hire a professional lighting designer. Then you’ll be one step closer to having exactly what you want for your dream wedding.
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