Monday motivational quote - Austin Wedding Planning with Confidence!

“Confidence is going after Moby Dick in a rowboat and taking the tartar sauce with you.”

Zig Ziglar

Go after your dreams with confidence!

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Want to be a Wedding Coordinator?

As the owner of Something To Celebrate, I receive countless emails from people who are looking for an internship or position to get their foot in the door as a wedding coordinator. And it's not hard to understand why - being a wedding coordinator is quite possibly the best job on earth! But with so many people wanting to take this career path, what will set you apart?

The first step you should take is to obtain your wedding coordinator certification. The academic requirements of a certification course will teach you the background knowledge required to work weddings and events. The course will also give you a better idea of what it means to be a wedding coordinator, and if it's the right career path for you. Once you've acquired your certification, you'll need to gain hands-on experience. Most Austin wedding coordinating firms offer internships, but these positions are highly competitive - having your certification will help you stand out among the inquiries.

I teach the Wedding Coordinator Certification course at Texas State University. I studied education at Trinity University and have a decade of experience as a teacher. Teaching this course is the perfect marriage of my love of both education and weddings!

Registration is now open for the next course, which begins October 6th. For info, see Texas State's website.

I'll see you in class! :)
jessica

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Two words: A. MAZING.

I've been trying for a week to figure out how to put the picture of the invite up here, but I can't make it big enough to see. So, I'm just going to give you the link to the blog where I found it and let you bask it all the glory.

I LOVE typography, and this is an amazing example of how the right typography can really make an invitation stand out from the rest.

Without further ado, here's my new favorite invitation!

[cori]

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Spice Up Your Reception With A Live Band | Austin Wedding Coordinators

Just recently I attended my first wedding with a live band, and I must say it was AMAZING! The guests danced all night and even got on stage to sing with the band! Music is a key element of a great wedding reception and a live band can deliver. If you have the budget to allow for a live band, you should consider hiring one. You and your guests will never forget it!

*celia

photo courtesy of KU Photography.

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A little Monday morning inspiration!

One of my favorite movie quotes:

"And I know what I have to do now. I gotta keep breathing. Because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?"

From the movie Cast Away.. It just reminds me that no matter what is going on in my life that there is a whole world out there that doesn't wait for me because I am sad, angry, or stressed about something. And that world out there is full of beautiful things for me to experience, so whatever might have me down at the time will pass and life will continue to surprise me with all of the fabulous things it has to offer!

sara :)

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Wedding at Tenroc Ranch, Salado Texas

On June 13th 2009 I had the pleasure of working with Misty and Nate with their beautiful and unique wedding at Tenroc Ranch. When Misty and Nate first hired me, they were serving in Iraq and all forms of communication that we had was through e-mail. (Thank you to Misty and Nate for serving our country!)

I finally got to met them here in the U.S. and we quickly got started on catching up on all things wedding related! Please check out the teaser photos from Andy at Studio 563 ....

The fans that were provided for the guests during the ceremony

Nate's daughter and Misty's son , walking down the aisle
Thanks again to STUDIO 563 for documenting this great wedding

Photos of the Tahitian fire dancers to come! (This was a surprise to the groom)

Lorena

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Ceramic "Pillow" for your Ring Bearer

Yesterday, I met Caroline.
Caroline (of Paloma's Nest) is somewhat famous in the wedding-related blog world because she makes these awesome variations on the traditional ring bearer pillow:


Her tagline is "Handcrafted modern heirlooms" and that is so appropriate! Many of my brides have used their family's heirloom ring bearer pillow, but they end up being so delicate - yellowed, brittle fabric held together with restitching or cleverly placed lace - that I'm almost scared to let the cute little ring bearers touch them! The traditional ring bearer pillow just can't withstand the hardships of time.

But a ceramic bowl? What a great way to carry on your family's tradition and add a new (and durable!) heirloom to the collection! In just 3 weeks, Caroline will personally create this piece of art for your wedding....

I really love this idea, but I am also pretty darn impressed by the artist herself. She's so sweet and humble. And her Etsy rating is 100%, so I'm guessing her charm shines through in each transaction. Plus, she's one of our South Austin neighbors. :) Introduce yourself, and tell her I sent you her way.

And be sure to check out the other unique items on her site: http://www.palomasnest.com/

-jessica

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Happy Planet!

So browsing the internet I stumbled upon this very interesting website about our planets "Happiness Index". I took a test that is supposed to give you your Personal Happy Planet index, your Life Expectancy, and your ecological footprint.

I scored 60.9 on my Personal Happy Planet index. Meaning that I am above the world average on what I do to conserve this planet, but I still could improve some. I know the main areas were I need to improve are DRIVING. I need to try and carpool/cycle/use public transportation more often.

For the Life Expectancy index I scored a life expectancy of 98.8 years, LOL, lets hope that holds true for myself and for friends!

For the Ecological Footprint, I scored that I use 2-3 times my share of planet resources..YIKES! Will start changing that ASAP!

Guess what country scored the HIGHEST on wasting planet resources....(drumroll please..) THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Come on guys! We all need to start taking better care of our planet, (myself included).

Costa Rica however scored near the top of the index and uses their fair share of the planets resources! Cheers to Costa Rica!

How can we do this while planning our weddings you ask?

• Donate goods from your wedding to your wedding planner, caterer, or a good will to bring happiness to future brides
  
• Buy 100% PCW recycled invitations that are processed without chlorine. Encourage guests to recycle their invitations, or have seeds embedded in the paper so that guests can plant the invitations and enjoy the flowers that grow from them.
• Find a caterer who will provide vegetarian and organic entrees.
• Use potted plants in place of cut flowers for centerpieces. These can then be given as gifts or enjoyed in your home.
• Visit www.idofoundation.org where you can find out wonderful ways to raise money for charity through your wedding favors, gift registry, and honeymoon!

There are so many ways to help your community and earth!
Happy Planning!
Lorena

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Congrats Jennifer and Joaquin!

Saturday, July 4th, Jennifer and Joaquin got married at the beautiful Renaissance Hotel. The food was fantastic and the music was flowing. Though it was a hot day, Jennifer and Joaquin’s wedding left guests feeling cool and celebratory. There was not a better way to spend the Fourth of July.

Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Joaquin Iglesias!
May your wedded life be bliss!

*celia

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PHOTO BOOTHS!

{Photo credit: GreenWeddngShoes.Blogspot}

Photo booth's have become a fun trend. Hang a pretty curtain and provide several disposable cameras and call it a day or hire professionals to come set one up for you! Guests have fun taking goofy photos, and you end up with a lot of great memories to keep forever. Great way to add something unique to your wedding day! Ask us about more photo booth ideas!

Lorena
XOXO

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Austin Wedding Coordinators| Reasons to hire...

I often get this question from my friends and family, "Do I really need a wedding planner?" My answer to them is always (unless it's a ten person wedding in their backyard) "YES, especially if you are getting married..."

I stumbled upon a new blog called Sacred Moment, and she has come up with a list of situations when a hiring a wedding coordinator is a no brainer, and I must say I agree with her 110%! Almost daily I hear stories from other vendors, where they tell me "I REALLY wish they had a coordinator!!"

I have heard things like the groom was setting up the ceremony chairs as guests were arriving, or the Mother of bride was running back and forth from the kitchen to make sure food was coming out on time, or the bride was 50 minutes late to her own ceremony because her and the bridal party were lighting candles and setting up escort cards! This is NO way to spend your wedding day! You want to have those moments to share with your family and most importantly your new husband! So please, save your self the headache and hire a coordinator :) You won't regret it.

Here are some situations where hiring a planner is necessary: (as found on sacred moment)

Off Site Weddings - Includes weddings at home, or at any site that needs to be transformed into an event space. Most couples and their families don't know the massive laundry list of things needed for an off site event. Rentals, tents, parking, catering needs, restroom needs...and more.

Complicated Family Situations - Do you or your groom have serious food allergies? A mother of the bride that refuses to walk down the aisle without granny's hankie that she left in the dressing room? How about a relative who insists on sitting at the guest table reserved for more immediate family members? Having a point person for family and friends to go to for information and referee duties is priceless!

Destination Wedding - Simple...you don't know anything about the local venues or vendors, the laws of the destination city nor the specific logistics of moving around in that city. Ever heard the expression, "You don't know what you don't know"? Hiring a planner is a no brainer.

Large Weddings - Self explanatory...more people means more work.

Organization doesn't come easily to you - Good planners are organizational wizards. You hire professionals to do other things you aren't the best at...organizing and lists make you crazy? Hire a planner.

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Raven and Kyle

Meet Raven and Kyle! Their wedding is going to be at the Austin Children's Museum on October 10, 2009. Their beautiful engagement shots were taken by Ming Gong Photography. Just wanted to share a few with you! I am so excited to be working with yall!

sara :)

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How Crafty Are You? | DIY Austin Wedding Planning

I don't know if I should be proud of this, but I consider myself pretty crafty. Yep, I love scrapbooking, knitting, sewing... I wish I had more time for craftiness!

I instantly fell in LOVE with these DIY lanterns.



And the blogger even gives step-by-step instructions so gather some crafty friends, whip up some mojitos and make a night of it! (And invite me....) ;)

Cheers!
jessica

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Favors! Yummy :)

A good friend of mine from middle school and high school brought these treats to my attention! She is going to be getting married next year (EXCITING) and her favors are going to be these delicious truffles from Nicobella.

For all you health nuts out there this treat is vegan friendly AND packed with Antioxidant ingredients while tasting good all at the same time. This is a great way to please every guest regardless of their eating habits. :)

These truffles are great for favors, out of town bags, bridal showers, or gifts for bridesmaids and groomsmen. Try them out! You will thank me later!

Happy planning!
Lorena

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Happy Monday- Austin Wedding Planners

As I once heard the great Rev Run of Run DMC say,

"Do not let your happenings destroy your happiness." We often get carried away in all the things that go wrong in life; but remember, life is so much more than our day-to-day troubles. Be grateful for another day. Stay positive and stay happy!

..and do you best to avoid this heat!

*celia

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Contest: Win a Wedding Photographer

Just wanted to give you a heads up that Katee Grace is giving away a free wedding package. She is based out of Santa Barbara, but if you were to win you would only have to pay travel expenses and you would have one talented photographer to shot your wedding! Check out her work and more info at her blog... Katee Grace

Good Luck!

Lorena

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ETSY!

Etsy is one of my favorite websites at the moment. I can spend hours at a time finding amazing designs. Don't forget about ETSY when you are planning your wedding. Here are a few things that I found that I think would make great touches to any wedding! Have fun shopping! If you need help envisioning what this would add to your decor, always remember that you can just ask us!
Custom design Hair pins


Floating Poms for a garden wedding

Burlap Favor bags
As favor bags for a country wedding!

The Mexican Love Flag as seem in Martha Stewart Weddings (These would be beautiful strung across a courtyard, and lots of candles everywhere!

Wedding Signs
Cute signs to point your guests in the right direction!

XOXO
Lorena

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I scream you scream..

We all scream for ice cream!

What can be better to beat the Texas heat than an interactive ice cream bar at your wedding! (photo from the knot) Gosh this is making me hungry...

sara :)

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Cigar Rollers | Austin Wedding Planning

Back in October 2005, I did a fabulous wedding full of interactive activities for the guests. One of the novelties was an on-site cigar roller - it was a first for me but has since proven to be a trend that is gaining momentum!

You need to have several cigars rolled ahead of time because you don't want them smoked while still wet. The ones that are rolled on-site are best saved for the following day, complete with a cigar band showcasing your monogram!


This picture was taken by Hyde Park Photography at Reagan and Anthony's wedding in December 2007, and is featured in the current issue of The Knot Best of Weddings 2009.

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Java Time

Living in Austin and being away from my California roots is exciting, but ocassionally there are things that I miss about the golden state. For one thing, we do not have a ocean, secondly, we are missing Trader Joe's (which is my favorite market) and lastly my favorite coffee shop was located only in several lucky states, until now that is. Coffee Bean has finally arrived in Austin, and with one location up and about ten more on the way, I couldn't be more excited. I know some people are loyal Starbucks fan's, but Starbucks is a thing of the past (well, for me at least). Check out coffee bean on S. Lamar and Barton Springs road. My favorite: A regular vanilla ice blended. MMMmmmm!

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Dr. Seuss

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose."
-Dr. Seuss

---

Have a great week.

[cori]

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Follow Friday!

Some of my favorite wedding sites (in no particular order):

Snippet & Ink
Green Wedding Shoes
100 Layer Cake
Free Wedding Toasts
Offbeat Bride
Always A Blogsmaid
Style Me Pretty
Celebrity Weddings

Happy surfing! :)
-jessica

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Did You Get Your 7-8 Hours?

image courtesy of weddings.se

A wedding day can be quite exhausting. Be sure to get your zzz's the night before. If you snooze, you lose, and you will miss out on the most memorable day of your life!

*celia

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No Heels? No Problem.

We all know wearing heels all day can be uncomfortable. But who wants to be in pain on their wedding day? Get a cute pair of sandals or flats to go with your gown.This past weekend I worked with a bride that wore flip flops with her dress, I was very impressed! Her dress was so long you could not see them and she was able to dance the night away with no problems. It's also a fun way to throw in some color and play up a beach or summer theme. Don't forget to paint those toes a fun color as well!

Love,

Corniche

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New Yummy Late Night Date!

Annie's Cafe & Bar recently opened it's doors on South Congress and the menu looks delicious!!!

Beginning this weekend Annie's will serve patrons until 2:00a!!, - The perfect way to end your night after you've hit all of the downtown hot spots!

Did I mention they take online orders as well!! Check it out!

I LOVE Austin and the new businesses that open up every day!!

-Cortney Zieky, PWC

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Inspiration

My MOM is my inspiration. For example, on ridiculous days like today when my car breaks down in the Austin heat, the first person I call is of course my mom. She is always there for me, and always pushing me to do my best. She inspires me to live life to the fullest and to stay positive. Let the people in your life inspire you too!

sara :)

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Real Wedding: Liz and Travis

June 6, 2009

Liz and Travis exchange wedding vows on this beautiful day in Austin.
Ceremony at First United Methodist Church in Austin
Reception at The UT Club
Here are the amazing photos provided to us by Brad Lemon from Hyde Park Photography!

The exciting trolley ride from the ceremony to the reception for the wedding party...
Say Cheese, always a hit at any wedding!
Congrats Liz and Travis!!! Thanks for letting me be a party of your wedding day and hope you had a blast in Antigua!!!

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Vendor Spotlight - Tyler Schmitt of Schmitt Photography

I love Austin, and the amazing selection of fantastic photographers that call Austin home. One of my favorite photographers is Tyler Schmitt of Schmitt Photography. We work together so often that we've become friends and our kids are in the same play group (see you at the pool on Monday, Schmitts!). :)

I'm thrilled to help you get to know Tyler.


jessica: In your previous life, what was your career?
tyler: Male model. Actually, I was a graphic designer/art director

j: Why did you become a photographer?
t: Always loved it, my dad traveled all over photographing auto racing in the 60's-70's. Very cool stuff. At one point Mario Andretti knew my name.

j: Why weddings?
t: Love the challenge, love the fact that she is coming down the aisle and I've got that one chance. It is very rewarding and always an honor to be such a big part of the wedding day. It is also amazing how every wedding is different and I love staying on my toes to capture those perfect little moments that just happen but can be overlooked.

j: What sets you apart from other austin wedding photographers?
t: We are gifted with lots of talented photographers here in town that I am honored to call friends. Luckily we all set ourselves apart with our styles and personalities. I just want the whole wedding day to rock and for everyone to have a great time. If that happens it will show in the images!

j: What's your number one photography-related tip for brides?
t:

1. Be sure to meet with any potential photographers in person to make sure you click well.
2. Be sure to see a full wedding they have done start to finish.
3. Pick one you love and on the big day trust them. Do what they say and just have fun with it. All we want to do is make you look incredible.
   

j: Funky chicken or Macarena?
t: Hora! Why should it only be limited to Jewish weddings?

j: What's the most impressive thing you've done in post-production editing?
t: Ahh, just fixing the little things that people don't even notice, that means it's done right. Things like power lines, sweat, blemishes, are just so distracting, that sort of thing never makes it out the door as part of the final product

j: If you have "down" time, how do you spend it?
t: Does spending time with the wife and kids sound boring? (Georgia 3yrs, Palmer 1.5 years). I love to have a few cocktails and golf / play poker with the boys.

j: Why do you prefer that your clients hire a wedding coordinator?
t: The best thing about wedding coordinators is that the families actually get to enjoy the day and be more of a guest at the wedding than a worker. I see it happen way too much and these poor Mothers never get a chance to sit and enjoy themselves when they are having to set everything up and tear it down. Plus the coordinator lets me do my job. When there is no coordinator all those responsibilities fall to me. I can handle it, it just means I am having to take time from doing what I am really good at.

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Las Ventanas al Paraiso

The perfect destination wedding or honeymoon spot. Las ventanas al Paraiso is worth every penny! You will thank me later.

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Warm Fuzzies!

Aww yay! One of our recent brides just raved about Lorena on this website.



Thanks for the love, Danielle! :)

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El Chile es muy rico!

For all you margarita lover's out there, I just wanted to pass along a little notice that El Chile (at it's new location on Congress) is giving away two free drinks with the purchase of an entree. This will only be going on until they get their liquor license, so get your booties over to El chile for some amazing Mexican food and tasty beverages! Happy drinking!

Ciao
Lorena

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The First Dance

The first dance can say a lot about the couple. Often it says, look at how madly in love we are as we slow dance to this beautiful song. For the couple in the video below, it says something completely different... Enjoy!

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