Photo :: Jim Mone AP

This makes Minnesota the 12th state to legalize same-sex marriage.  The bill will take effect August 1st of this year, allowing same-sex couples to obtain marriage licenses.

Here at MRSter.com and Life Design Event Planning, we are thrilled and proud to be located in a state that recognizes all loving and committed couples as equals and extends the same rights and benefits to everybody.  Now that Minnesota gay marriage is legally recognized, we look forward to the opportunity to help all of our couples, gay and straight alike, plan their very special wedding day in this great state.

Cardenas Wedding :: Picture by Largo Photography @ FireSky Resort in Spa, Scottsdale

Bisbee made history this week when it became the first city in Arizona to allow civil unions! This small mining town turned artist’s locale voted the measure through their city council and the ordinance is set to go in effect in May. Mad props to Bisbee and we are thrilled with all this progress!!

With all that Life has to offer,

Molly

Life Design Event Planning

Our friends at The Clayton on the Park are having an open house that we are thrilled to be a part of! Here are the particulars ::

When ::

Wednesday, February 27, 2013
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Where ::
The Clayton on the Park
7343 Scottsdale Mall
Scottsdale AZ 85251

Come and have some tasty eats and check out an amazing venue in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale!

With all Life has to offer,

Molly

In the wake of some other high profile companies (who shall remain nameless) working against the fight for marriage equality, I feel like this story has flown under the radar.

I came across this blog in the NY Times is about Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos and his wife MacKenzie donating 2.5 million dollars to help the effort to legalize gay marriage in Washington state. He was asked for a donation by a former employee, and she was hoping for $100,000. Imagine her surprise!  Read the article to see his amazing response!

photo courtesy of the NY times

With all Life has to offer,

Molly B.

Life Design Event Planning

We all know that after a couple hours of dancing the night away at a wedding, some of us start to get a little hungry! No, we have not forgotten the amazing meal we ate earlier, but maybe we just need something to keep our energy up! A super cool wedding trend/favor is the late night snack option…here are a few of my faves!

image courtesy of intimateweddings.com

The ultimate pick-me-up! Coffee and donuts for a late night treat.

image courtesy of thesweetestoccasion.com

And who doesn’t love milk and cookies at the end of an evening? Try handing out personalized milk cartons for a special added touch!

Or instead of doing mini appetizers at the cocktail hour…save them for when the party’s getting started!

image courtesy of thepeakofchic.blogspot.com

Try a tiny burger and a cone of frites!

image courtesy of idoloveit.com

Or a grilled cheese and tomato soup!

Get creative…maybe you and your partner have a fun snack or food you both love but somehow it didn’t end up on the menu!  A tiny treat is a great (and fun) way to let your guests know you’re thinking of them at the end of an amazing day!

With all that Life has to offer,

Molly B.

Life Design Event Planning

Target celebrates love with this ad for their wedding registry

1. Set it up early :: As soon as your engagement announcement goes out, people are going to wonder where you are registered.  Be prepared to let those early birds know where they can go to cross getting your gift off their list of must-dos.
2. Go to a few locations :: Yes, your wedding is all about you two!  But your guests will be searching for their perfect gift for you.  Giving them two or three store options helps them find the gift that is just right.
3. Give a wide range :: It goes without saying that some of your guests can afford to spend more than others.  Make sure you choose items that range from inexpensive to as spendy as you are comfortable going.  Also, be sure to include a mix of items that are “so you” and more traditional items so you have something for your college friends and your grandparents.
4. Keep it off your paper :: I know it may seem like it makes the most sense to put your registry in your invitations, but it’s not proper etiquette….at all.  Instead, put your wedding website in your invitation and your registry info on your wedding website.  Otherwise, word of mouth always works because people WILL ask.
5. Tie in your thank yous :: There is no better way to say thank you than a hand written note.  It’s even more thoughtful when your thank yous are designed to match the rest of your stationary.  It sends the message that, from your Save the Date to your thank you card, you thought about your guests’ experience and you’re glad they came.

With all that Life has to offer,

Drew Coleman // Event Consultant // Life Design Event Planning

As a guest how would you feel about receiving something like this for an upcoming wedding or party?

With all that Life has to offer,

Cicely
Life Design Event Planning

Ceremony and reception at The Clayton on the Park

Glass balls and orchids hung over the alter

One large table set for all 40 guests

Centerpieces of purple flowers, candles, succulents, and river rock

Table set for dinner upstairs at The Clayton on the Park

Jason :: One of our lovely grooms

Daniel :: Another lovely groom

A gobo of the grooms’ names projected on the dance floor

Some of the grooms’ favorite cookies made a great late night snack

Congratulations to Daniel and Jason!

Daniel and Jason at sunset over Scottsdale

Guests seated for a family style dinner by Heidi’s Events and Catering

Guests ate dinner by candlelight

Champagne poured for the toast

Daniel making a heartfelt toast to his new groom

Jason and his mother have a dance together

Thanks so much to our amazing team of vendors!  We couldn’t have done it without the help of Carrie Bayless and her team at The Clayton on the Park, the artistic talents of Gina at Fiori Floral Design, the lovely dinner by Heidi’s Events and Catering, the yummy cake by PJ at La Dolce Pesca, or the dance beats provided by DJ John VonDiesel.  Also, a huge thanks to Largo Photography for capturing all of the wonderful moments.  As always, the custom designed invitations and paper products by Jill at Ali Ink Designs were amazing.  From all of us at Life Design Event Planning, thanks again!

Figuring out how long you need to plan a wedding is different for everyone. We talked about entertainment last time and that often vendors are booked really far in advance. When deciding on apparel for the big day it comes down to how quickly you can make a decision!

Which is why I wanted to take a second and talk about something we all love…clothes!! Unfortunately, when planning your wedding, picking your clothes can eat up a lot of time. Without you even knowing it!

Dress :: Choosing a wedding dress is an arduous process. I have friends who have spent months trying to find THE dress. Remember, once you find it, get it on order soon. It can take up to 6 months for it to arrive and then you will need close to two months for alterations. The first fitting around 6 weeks out, the second at 4 weeks out and the last is usually 2 weeks before the big day.

photo courtesy of nshoremag.com

Tuxedo :: Most people are not lucky enough to have a perfectly tailored tux just sitting in the closet. We can’t all be James Bond, can we? Do you foresee yourself wearing a tuxedo more than four times in the next couple of years? If so, you may want to invest in purchasing a tux. For most people, it’s easier just to rent. Then you get to have more variety and can go for some trendier options. It’s best to allow yourself one to three months when renting. That way you will have the best selection and plenty of time to be fit!

photo courtesy of nyctux.com

Orchestrating all these details can take a lot of time, and that timeline is different for everyone. Maybe your wedding is more casual and a suit will work great, or you found a dress off the rack. That will affect how long you will need to plan your wedding!

Check back soon, we will be talking food next time!

The problem is that the answer is different for every one and every wedding.

You and your partner have already made the most important decision…you’re getting married!! But, people are already asking you if you’ve set the date. I know, I know! You just got engaged. Don’t worry; they are just eager to help you celebrate! However, make sure you don’t rush into picking a date that’s too soon and cause yourself undue stress. Above all else, you need to enjoy your big day!!

To get an idea of how long you will need to plan your wedding, let’s take a look at one of the big decisions that you have coming up. :: Entertainment!

There are so many options here…live band, dj, dancers. Endless possibilities!! Entertainment really sets the tone of the kind of wedding you want to have. Give yourself plenty of time to go check out different vendors. You want to be able to watch a couple of their gigs to make sure they have the right vibe for you.

Photo Courtesy :: djtechtools.com

Creative Touch Entertainment one our amazing FABuLIST vendors, gave me a head’s up on this one. They start booking clients out six to nine months in advance. I don’t usually plan that far in advance to shake my groove thang, but in the case of your wedding, it does makes sense.

That’s just to give you a small idea of how long you need to plan your wedding. Another important question…are you working with an event planner? If so, you are going to be a bit ahead of the curve. Event planners work with vendors constantly and have great relationships with them, and that benefits you as a client. If you have a short amount of time until your big day those vendors may be able to fit you in better than someone you called out of the phone book.

Remember this is just one of the decisions you will need to make over the coming months.

So, stay tuned for our next post… we’ll be talking clothes!!

With all the Life has to Offer,

Molly B.