Jenny 4/3/15 Jenny 4/3/15

So You Don't Need a Wedding Planner? | Wedding Planning

When someone says they don’t need a wedding planner I cringe a little. I promise you it isn’t just me cringing, your photographer will cringe a little and your family will become slightly panicked. When I hear this comment I normally follow up with a question like, “How do you imagine your wedding day? What are you doing that morning and the night before?”

I normally get answers that include everything from, getting my hair and make up done with my bridesmaids, sleeping in and eating a big breakfast, sipping champagne in a beautiful hotel room, enjoying a delicious rehearsal dinner with my wedding party. The answer, “managing vendors, decorating my venue, counting every chair and place setting, unloading vintage furniture from a truck, showering at the last minute, and throwing my hair in a ponytail,” usually won’t come to the surface.

With the dawn of Pinterest, the growing number of bridal magazines and wedding blogs, a wedding planner seems obsolete. While these tools are wonderful and help you determine the style of your wedding, teach you how to make your own decorations, or even help you find a dream vendor, sadly Martha Stewart and her team of designers are not rolling up to your venue the day of your wedding tocreate the perfect tablescape, or distribute a timeline of events and manage your vendors (unless you’re Kate Bosworth). Your wedding planner will do that.

YOUR WEDDING PLANNER IS YOUR BIGGEST FAN

Your wedding planner is there to support your vision, make sure your vendors are providing the right products, and keep everyone on task and on time. Sometimes the most “DIY” weddings are the ones that require the most set up time and the most assistance from a wedding planner or wedding designer the day of the wedding.

I recently planned a gorgeous backyard wedding with a bride who was incredibly hands on and involved in the planning process. I was there for support and guidance for a year leading up to the wedding day. If she needed a vendor, I found her options and provided her with quotes, then negotiated. I kept her budget in check whenever possible, I did a mock tablescape with her, and we cut escort cards, went shopping for vintage centerpieces, and spiffed up a wood ladder for her escort cards to hang from the week before.

I was on site first thing in the morning, and was the contact point for every hired vendor from the musician to the caterer. While I was in my overalls directing the rental company, she was getting her hair done, while I was setting her centerpieces she was getting her pictures taken with her bridesmaids, while I was dealing with a plate shortage, she was saying, “I do”, to the man of her dreams, and while she was hopping into her getaway car I was dispersing tips to the musician, photographer, and catering staff.

YOU HAVE BEEN DREAMING ABOUT YOUR WEDDING DAY FOR YEARS

It is a day that is all about promising a lifetime of love and understanding to another person, and spending that picture perfect day with the people you love most. Do not spend your day arguing with the catering staff because nobody is serving water to your guests. Spend it soaking in every moment, every beautiful thing, and let your wedding planner make sure everyone is properly hydrated.

Let’s create the perfect wedding package for you!

Full Service Wedding Planner · Day of Planner · Wedding Designer

Photo Credit:

Lauren Louise Photography

Jenny 3/18/15 Jenny 3/18/15

A Sephora Custom Makeover | Beauty

Makeup terrifies me. I was the girl on dance team begging someone to glue fake eyelashes onto my lids because I was completely inept. Who turned into the girl squirming when one of my friends tried to throw some makeup on my face before going out for the night. Who eventually tried foundation for the first time in college and didn't recognize my perfect looking skin in pictures. Who has now resorted to a Clarisonic, bronzer, and mascara- if I am feeling crazy.

THE SEPHORA CUSTOM MAKEOVER

So when it came time to think about the makeup portion of my wedding plans I was a bit lost. Thankfully, my maid of honor LOVES makeup and will be my makeup artist on my wedding day. Problem solved, right? WRONG. I still had no idea what foundation to buy, what the best lipstick color for my skin tone would be, or even what blush wouldn't make me look like a clown. With that in mind, I put my big girl pants on, called Sephora to set up an appointment for a custom makeover, and dragged Lauren (my best friend, photographer, and stand in bridesmaid) to the City Place Sephora in West Palm, promising a big glass of wine afterward.

MY SKIN COLOR IS NOW A PANTONE COLOR

I had a wonderful makeup artist who made me feel comfortable and asked questions about my current skincare routine (that was a short conversation). Then, she washed my face with some magical product, and went to town. Sephora and Pantone joined forces and created this incredible tool, Color IQ. It is a handheld camera that takes pictures of about 5 different points on your face, allowing the program to perfectly color match your skin tone with a Pantone color. My makeup artist was then able to select the perfect foundation, concealer, and blush.

From there, we chatted about product, she took me through, step-by-step, when to use each product, gave me three lipsticks to choose from, taught me how to contour like Kim K., and put together a bag full of goodies filled with everything I would need to create my perfect wedding look.

WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

Even if you're not getting married, I strongly recommend visiting Sephora and taking advantage of their Custom Makeover service. It is free, all they ask is that you purchase at least $50 worth of product afterwards. Which won't be a problem once you realize everything is perfect and foundation is about $40. The service is offered all day long, all you need is an appointment. I strongly recommend it for engagement pictures, if you're attending a wedding as a guest, or a fun activity to do with your maid of honor as a thank you.

WHAT I BOUGHT

Stila All Day Foundation + Concealer

Make Up For Ever Eye Shadow Palette

Make Up For Ever Aqua Brow

Make Up For Ever HD Cream Blush

Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizer Yellow

Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion

Marc Jacobs Lipstick

Smashbox Lip Liner

Fake Eyelashes

Sephora Eyeshadow Brushes

Brush Cleaner

Grand Total: $400

Find them all online here!

The Wedding Day

Photo Credit: Lauren Louise Photography

Jenny 3/11/15 Jenny 3/11/15

The Perfect Pinterest Wedding for the Perfect Price | Wedding Planning

There’s a BIG difference between quaint and inexpensive. In fact, “quaint” can end up being rather pricey — your Pinterest board has been built from images of weddings ranging anywhere from $20,000 to $120,000. The picture perfect weddings you see on Pinterest can be quite costly, and were created by a team of professionals. So how much does your picture perfect Pinterest wedding actually cost? Let’s crunch some numbers and find out.

VENUES

Barns. Historic Hotels. Open Fields. Historic Gardens. Museums. At least one of these venues has popped into your wedding inspiration Pinterest board and it is a beaut. The pictures are stunning and the venue truly sets the scene, creating the perfect backdrop for the ceremony and reception. Venues are tricky, and something I advise every bride nailing down at least a year before the big day. Your budget will be affected greatly depending on the venue’s base cost and amenities.

Let’s say you go with the open field option; there are a few hidden fees to be aware of: the venue fee, a dance floor, you’ll likely want a tent, or an alternative, if weather doesn’t cooperate, cutting cake by moonlight won’t cut it so add on some lights, if there are no bathrooms available on site you’ll need to provide a portable option, and before you know it… you’ve tacked on about $5,000 to create a functional event space.

More budget-friendly venues normally include country clubs and hotels. Venues that offer catering services, tables, seating, staff and a venue fee are going to be the most affordable option. The more you are able to get out of your venue, the more affordable it will be due to the fact that you are relying on one vendor as opposed to 5 different vendors.

CAFE LIGHTS

Cafe lights strung across a reception are beautiful and leave the space feeling as if fairies were involved in the decorating. If you’re dreaming of a reception strung with cafe lights get ready to write a check for about $500-2,000 depending on the size of the reception space and your location. Those fairy bulbs need to be anchored properly, rented or purchased, and installed by people who know what they are doing. You don’t want your first dance to be interrupted by a gust of wind blowing your string lights to the ground.

If you’re dead set on having cafe lights, try finding a venue that offers them in their rental package. This can cut down on set up and rental costs accrued from using an additional vendor. Consider lighting one small space with string lights that you can easily manage on your own. Maybe there is a gathering of trees by your cocktail hour that could easily hold a small grouping of lights that you are able to set up yourself.

A BAND

Bands bring a sense of ambiance and entertainment to a wedding that you won’t always get from a DJ. Bands interact with a crowd, play your favorite songs upon request, and can make you feel as if Mumford and Sons just decided to swing by your wedding. If you go with a band for wedding entertainment, plan on paying at least 4 people to play for about 6 hours, and which will bring your spend to about $1,500 – 3,000 depending on their equipment, travel, and popularity.

Aside from hiring a friend, I have had great luck finding bands, or solo performers, at local bars. Don’t be afraid to approach someone you see at an open mic night. Ask if they would consider doing weddings, and for their business card or email. I recently booked an incredible guitarist who I met at a small beer tasting event. His fee was $500 for 5hrs plus DJing services – for when the party wants to kick off their shoes and dance. Pretty great deal for essentially two services in one!

CALLIGRAPHY

I envy all you calligraphy artists out there. You’re able to take a common word such as “cake” and turn it into a work of art. Which is exactly why couples can plan on spending anywhere from $4 per escort card to $300 for a framed poster-sized program. How much would you expect to pay for a piece of art? These pieces are handmade especially for your needs, custom will always cost a little more.

There are so many pros to working with a calligraphy artist. You are getting a completely unique piece, and they will even work with you to develop a new font especially for you. The main con to going with a calligraphy artist is the price and it is often times outside a budget. Of course, there are plenty of digital fonts available that resemble calligraphy styles. Look into downloading a font and creating your own escort cards, envelopes, etc. My fiancé and I had a friend design a custom monogram for our invitations, bought a custom stamp through Etsy with all of our invitation information, and downloaded a font to create our rehearsal card. Grand total for 60 people came out to less than $200.

FLOWERS

Yes, you may have a beautiful home garden, however, that bouquet you’re dreaming of while in business meetings probably features peonies, dahlias, and garden roses. My job as a stylist is nearly impossible without the artistry of a florist. Flowers elevate everything, but can come in around $300 for a bridal bouquet. Factor in centerpieces, bridesmaid bouquets, boutonnieres, and flowers for the cake; you’re looking at $2,000 on the low end.

If that is way outside your budget, get creative. Talk with your florist and see what flowers are in season and easily found. Also consider doing your own bridesmaid bouquets and boutonnieres, or centerpieces composed of bud vases and candles, while saving the big money for the bridal bouquet and the arbor. Spend your money on those wow factor moments.

THROWING A PARTY FOR 100 PEOPLE

Here’s the real kicker: we have all thrown successful house parties, however when was the last time you threw a party for 100 people that was catered, had live music, was professionally photographed, held enough seating for everyone, and featured a fully stocked bar? When you break the 20-person mark on your guest list you start to get into the thousands. Venues that fit your entire wedding party, accommodations for 100 people share a meal together, and being serenaded by your favorite local band isn’t exactly “cheap”. Big weddings typically require a team and a big budget.

When creating a dream Pinterest wedding for 100 guests, you can plan on your final budget coming in around at least $30,000 for the venue, rentals, music, florist, your attire, catering, an open bar, hair and make up, a wedding planner, invitations, favors, and a stylist. With less guests you can plan on lower costs for your rentals, florist, caterer, bar, invitations, photographer, and favors.

Am I saying that these things are not worth the money spent?

On the contrary, weddings are incredibly special events and deserve the time, attention, and the personal details you are pinning on a daily basis to your dream board. Early on in the planning process create a budget your feel is reasonable and includes all of those details.

It is amazing how quickly the smallest things, like escort cards, add up in the end. One of my favorite parts of being a wedding planner is getting creative. No two weddings are alike and each presents new challenges and new dreams to bring to life. Believe me, you can send invitations to 100 people for $150, it is possible to find very affordable alternatives but you have to be willing to get your hands a little dirty, negotiate and research.

See this post on Wedding Party App! Download the app today and keep your entire wedding party in the loop.

Jenny 2/27/15 Jenny 2/27/15

Onli Beverages Launches The Onli Life | Editorial

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When I met Lauren of Onli Beverages it took a lot of guts. I was at my first blog conference in Orlando and was standing in line waiting for lunch when I saw the display Onli Beverages had set up. A table was filled to the brim with bright and inspiring colors, a large hibiscus was splashed across canvas totes, and their branding made the creative marketing girl in me squeal a little. I looked at Glen and said, "I really want to give her my card," to which he responded, "so do it!"

I mustered up the courage and before I knew it Lauren and I had a coffee date, a dinner date, a photo shoot date, and a celebratory dinner date.

When Lauren told me that Onli was planning to launch a blog in March Lauren Louise Photography and I jumped at the opportunity to put together an editorial shoot for their latest adventure in marketing and branding. With Halle of Flower and Fringe on board, we exchanged vintage vessels, popped into Kismet to source a few wardrobe pieces, grabbed 20 macarons, set the studio, played dress up, and got ready for a day of Palm Beach midcentury retro goodness.

Our first set was inspired by cocktail garden parties

Floridians are lucky enough to enjoy in the mild months of the year, while the rest of the country shivers in parkas. I'm a firm believer in the cocktail party. They are intimate and the perfect way to enjoy time with close friends, try new food, and laugh as loud as you want.

The second set was inspired by the late 60's

We wanted to show a modern version of the basement parties my grandparents often and fondly reminisce. From time to time my grandma pulls out the photo albums and I'm told the stories of her wild married days. My grandparents had a group of friends who met on the weekends, put the kids to bed and would sneak down to the basement, play their favorite records, polish off two bottles of scotch and party the week away. All we were missing was the shag rug - but I guess that's where the modern spin comes into play.

Are you ready for The Onli Life?

Jenny 2/18/15 Jenny 2/18/15

Onli Beverages Editorial | Behind the Scenes

Onli Life Editorial Shoot

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There's always that moment between wrapping a shoot and seeing the full gallery of photos that seems to stretch on for a lifetime. While Lauren, of Lauren Louise Photography, works her magic in post production I thought I would share a little behind the scenes sneak peek of the fun had on set with some of the most creative and lovely people in West Palm.

After a month of planning, last minute trips to vintage shops and green markets, and two days of sprucing the studio it was go time.

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We created three separate sets intended to be used for the promotion of Onli Beverages through social media and their upcoming blog. Onli Beverages's branding is bright, fresh, and full of life. We wanted to capture that Palm Beach style, while offering an organic and vintage inspired approach. The result: Palm Beach Meets Mad Men.

See the full shoot here: Onli Beverages Launches The Onli Life | Editorial

Interested in a styled photo shoot like this? Contact us here!

Jenny 1/31/15 Jenny 1/31/15

Ivory and Beau | Destination Wedding Savannah

The dress. Some of my favorite wedding stories stem from brides explaining how they knew their dress was the one.

“I tried it on one day and was feeling kinda “eh” about it. But I kept thinking about that dress months afterward. So, one day I had the day off from work, took the train to BHLDN, tried on a slew of dresses, got a few weird looks from the sales associates because I was alone, and kept coming back to the one I had originally felt iffy about. I slipped it back on and knew it was the right one. I couldn’t get it out of my head, so I had them wrap it up and took a train ride back home with the perfect dress.“

-Caitlin, Washington, DC Bride

“I didn’t have the slightest bit of emotion during the dress finding process... everything looked lovely and honestly, I didn’t think I was going to have a “moment”. My dress wasn’t even on display, it was hanging in the back and I happened to see it. When I tried it on my eyes welled up. It was truly a “say yes to the dress” moment.

- Vanessa, Florida Bride

Finding the right dress can be stressful, a full day event, or in my case one that happened when my Grandma pulled her wedding dress out of a suitcase. Jenny Does Weddings recently visited Ivory and Beau, a bridal boutique located just outside downtown Savannah, Georgia, and had the opportunity to meet the owners and spend time among sparkly, geometric, and fluffy pieces of art.

Adrienna and Nicole are at the head of Ivory and Beau, and welcome visitors from a front desk draped in sequins. Immediately, upon entering, I knew they were my kind of girls. Their style is eclectic, girly, rustic, and edgy with a touch of vintage, and the dresses lining their walls directly reflect that style.

“We offer a lot of smaller scale designers, we love offering colors other than white, and do our best to partner with nontraditional bridal designers.” Co-owner Adrienna fully admits she is the more girly and glitter friendly of the duo, while Nicole tends to lean toward designers featuring geometric patterns and structural details.

“We do a lot of Savannah destination weddings, I would say about 80% of our brides are not from Savannah.” With prices ranging from $1,000 to $4,000, brides can feel confident visiting the shop and finding the right dress for the right price. “We can even do custom, we do our best to partner with designers we meet at shows who are located everywhere from New York to Los Angeles.”

When asked who their favorite designers are right now, “Hayley Paige has great structural elements in her dresses,” Nicole mentioned while pulling out the tulle skirt with horsehair flounces. “I’m loving Sarah Seven’s designs, we have brides who will travel hours for her dresses,” Adrienna added.

While their personal styles may be more bohemian than traditional, they have a wide range of styles and options available. I had my eyes on a few separate pieces that allow brides to pair a top with a skirt of their choosing, and the dresses that featured intricate beading along the shoulders and back. From simple and classic to a dress with a harness, Nicole and Adrienna are unafraid to bring in new silhouettes if they know brides are searching for it.

I’ll admit, I am pretty happy I avoided the pain of trying on 8 heavy dresses while propped on a pedestal in front of my family and friends until the right ratio of tulle to lace landed on my body. But if my Grandma had thrown her dress away and I was left with nothing but my mother’s dress from the 1980’s, I would have been ecstatic to walk through the doors of Ivory and Beau and try on dresses until I knew I had found the dress.

Want to plan a Savannah destination wedding?

Contact Jenny Does Weddings to start planning the perfect day!

Other "Destination Wedding Savannah" Articles:

Destination Wedding Savannah: The Cotton Sail Hotel

Jenny 11/17/14 Jenny 11/17/14

Bohemian Bride | Styled Shoot

This post is all about the Bride. From her laid back smile and laugh to the effortless wave of her hair. If you love this look you are the bohemian bride. Our Bohemian Bridal Inspiration Shoot was all about the dress. Sometimes the best stories stem from a dress, and that was all we needed to style, shoot, and twirl in the sand. If you are a bohemian bride do not be afraid to embrace the natural as well as the bold. Go for a bold statement with a bright color in your bouquet, jewelry, or both. Find ways to intertwine natural elements with something unexpected and do not be afraid of color. Bohemians are unafraid of rich, warm, colors and color combinations that may seem odd at first. Avoid the perfectly polished and you'll end up with a flawless look.

Model: Taylor English

Jenny 10/20/14 Jenny 10/20/14

Bohemian Bridal Inspiration Shoot | Behind the Scenes

"Today is the day!", was the text I sent to Lauren, just moments before she pressed the send button on her own phone with the same message.

It was the day that all of our ideas would come to life. We had been planning this bohemian bridal shoot for about 2 months, and it had all stemmed from an impulse buy at Urban Outfitters after what I would like to call, "The Weekend I Forced Lauren to Go Everywhere with Me". From there we collaborated with a dream of a florist and person: Helen of Ever After Event and Floral Design, found ourselves a rather gorgeous model (who just also happens to be a gorgeous lifelong friend of mine), scouted the perfect location, sourced props and styled a tablescape, prayed to the rain gods for stellar weather, and woke up Saturday morning to the perfect day for a little bohemian bridal inspiration.

Here are a few behind the scenes shots to tie us over!