Looking For A Unique Groom's Gift???

As I was buzzing through my daily emails, I came across a great gift idea. This particular item caught my attention as it hit on one of my favorite memories from when I lived in Indiana. Nothing was better than a hot dog and beer, sitting in the seats behind home plate on a sunny afternoon at a Wrigley game. As a female, I thought that so many Groom's would share this memory as well.

So, if you have a baseball-loving Groom, this may be a perfect Groom's gift:

Offered by Red Envelope. These aren't just cuff links—they're a piece of baseball history. Crafted of salvaged seats from America's most famous and beloved stadiums, these cuff links are one of a kind. Coated in the original paint of the stadium seat colors, each cuff link boasts a deep patina collected from decades of home openers, double-headers and grand-slam ovations. includes hand-numbered and hand-signed certificate of authenticity

The best quality about these unique cuff links that make them truly special are their variation in color as they are truly from the salvaged stadium seats. Each cuff link is hallmarked with the name of the stadium engraved on back. The cuff links are being made from some of the most memorable stadiums around the country: Yankee Stadium, Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, Dodger Stadium or Shea Stadium.

This would truly be a gift treasured for years to come!

Why I love my job......My clients!

As a wedding planner, one has to wear many hats, counselor, problem solver, negotiator, cheerleader, financial planner and time keeper. Sometimes those hats are worn all at once in some of the most in opportune times. All this is done is a calm, graceful manner, appearing as though everything is perfect, right on schedule and nothing is wrong and the event is going exactly as you planned. Even though you may be off schedule by 5-10 minutes. For someone like myself, I pride myself on my skill and ability to run my events down to the minute.

But, we push on for the ultimate goal of fulfilling our clients dreams to create one of their most memorable days in their lives. We set our own needs aside on wedding day, forget that our feet hurt, dieing of heat and possibly starving from our last meal having been several hours possibly before set-up began. Some may call us crazy. Others look at wedding planners as having the glamorous spotlight and others are surprised to hear you can make a living being a planner.

Ultimately, it's the rush of happiness I get at the end of an event when the couple leave glowing with joy. Knowing that I have helped to create an evening in their life which will be a lasting memory they will look back on with happiness. It completely washes away any fatigue, hunger or frustration I may have been feeling. This is a perfect example of why I love my job!!!

"Samantha! EVERYTHING was perfect! What an incredible day yesterday! Thank you so much for everything. All of our guests kept saying over and over how beautiful it was, how much fun they had, and how good the food was! I totally meant to say thank you and give you a big hug last night before we ran off with the parade, but I was so caught up in everything! So.... THANK YOU! *big hug*"

Megan & Greg Owen, Wed: 7/25/09

Chic Affair at the St. Regis - Part II

As promised, I wanted to show you more from Abby & Ben's St. Regis Affair. Honestly, it's been very hard to pick and choose which pictures to post as Abby & Ben's wedding was so amazing. Every detail was so unique and personal to them as a couple. From several members of the wedding party singing songs during the ceremony and reception, family pictures adorning the cocktail hour space and cake table, incorporating the Bride's Mother's lace to create the "Something Blue" garter and ring bearer's pillow to the guests being entertained with Showtunes during the cocktail hour. As part of the Groomsmen's gifts, they were given a bowtie and cuff links to wear for the wedding which each were different to match their personalities. The entire ensemble of wedding stationary was a beautiful letterpress design from the New York designer Hello Lucky!. The guested were served an incredibly delicious four course meal, entertained with a 10 piece live band and enjoyed many memorable moments. For me, one of the most fun moments was watching the Bride & Groom part-take in the Hora. To see their excitement and joy made the day perfect!

The event was comprised by some of the best vendors:

Ceremony/Reception Venue: St. Regis Hotel Houston
Photographer: Studio563
Florist: Plants & Petals
Cake: Who Made the Cake
Ceremony & Cocktail Music: Divisi Strings
Reception Music: Commercial Art Band
Wedding Stationary: Hello Lucky
Hair & Makeup: Jordan Temple Makeup

More pictures to follow.............

Chic Affair at the St. Regis

After 8 months of planning, many long distance phone calls between New York and Houston, Abbey and Ben's memorable wedding came together in the Grand Ballroom at the St. Regis with 150 of their closest friends and family.

Their wedding was truly unique with many couture details and personal touches. With so many truly fabulous pictures to choose from, here are a few sneak peaks:

(Photo Credit: Studio563)

Fun Reception Ideas....Series #1

In my experience, the best approach to any reception is to ensure the guests are fully engaged throughout the entire evening. To accomplish this, when planning any reception, I like to focus on something entertaining to happen every 30 minutes. This will ensure the guests have a little time to eat and mingle, but are being engaged. I like to mix the evening up a bit such as, have the Father of the Bride open the reception by introducing his daughter and new son-in-law and have them start their first dance. In between courses, have the guests get up and dance a few songs, bring in a special performer or have the Maid of Honor and Best Man give a toast. The last thing any Bride wants is for her guests to walk away from the reception remembering how boring it was or worst, for the guests to leave early.

Over the next few days, I will share with you some options for keeping your reception engaging, memorable and moving.

Idea #1

One of my favorite venues in Houston is the Houston Aquarium. This is a venue that is alive with sensory experiences as it is a joyous place for kids and adults alike. From the colorful fish to carnival rides and amazing views of downtown Houston. One of the most fun and unique ideas about hosting a wedding reception at the Aquarium for a couple’s guests would be the carnival rides they could take part in. As a favor to the guest, the Bride and Groom could place ride tickets inside of each of the guest’s seating card. This would allow them something fun and spontaneous to do during the cocktail hour and possibly when dancing started.

At this particular venue, the ballroom has floor to ceiling windows and a wrap-around balcony which overlooks the carnival rides. To enhance the guests' experience, it would be ideal to have the photographer bring a third shooter to take pictures of the guests as they are enjoying the rides. Once the guests are back upstairs in the ballroom, the photographer can upload the pictures to a slide show for guests to view throughout the evening.

During dinner, the Bride and Groom may want to find a way to entertain their "younger" guests by hiring a clown to make balloon animals. This could be a station set up in the corner of the room or even in the foyer (this can be useful as children have a tendency to get restless during meals).

As a last detail, the couple may serve fresh cotton candy as a mid-reception sweet or have decorative bags available for guests to take home with them.

The amount of details that can be Incorporated is endless based on the couple's taste.

(Photo Credit: Clint Shuttlesworth)