Beth's Wedding Blog

Erin & Daniel – October 2009

beth — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:36:26 +0000

Erin was my daughter’s teacher in pre-school, so I was honored when she called me to help her with her upcoming wedding. Erin’s Mother’s family is from Japan and we really wanted to incorporate her heritage in the decorations at the reception. Having already decided on their colors of black, white, and red we wanted to make a statement by using bold table linens. Danny made very ornate table numbers made out Asian fans and in the fold of the napkins were two fortune cookies.

Their wedding was held at St. Valentine’s church in Redford, Michigan where the ceremony went off without a hitch. Father Paul was the most laid back priest I have ever worked with. At the rehearsal two days prior to the wedding, it was just he and I (no horrible church lady barking orders at everyone!) I even had to usher at the ceremony…. Thank goodness I am Catholic and knew what I was doing!

The reception was held at the St. Mary’s Cultural center in Livonia, Michigan. The food was great and it is truly a great value because they let you bring in your own alcoholic beverages. The decorations looked amazing and the party was a great success because the guests did not want to leave at the end of the night!

Love this idea ..so much better then the small table cards

Wishing tree for the couple

Table designs

More table designs

Natalie & Michael – September 2009

beth — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:37:01 +0000

This is the all American story …. Couple attends the same high school together .. Natalie had always had a crush on Mike, but never acted on it. They meet again at their 20^th class reunion.. Their eyes lock and the rest is history!

This is the 1^st marriage for both of them and I have never had a couple (especially the groom) so involved in the planning as they were. Mike was at every meeting and called me as much as Natalie did. He came up with a “bubble” theme for their beautiful fall wedding and the very creative petal ladies ran with it. The wedding took place at the historical Mill Race Park in Northville, Michigan. We had an unbelievable warm sunny fall day. The colors on the treess were just starting to change and the their eyes sparkled in the sun as they spoke their own written vows in the small white gazebo surround by friends and family. The reception took place at the Livonia Marriott which had a very quaint outside patio with fire pits that guests enjoyed sitting around sipping their favorite cocktail. The many mum plants that lined the walk way to the gazebo were a huge hit as they were given to guests as they left late into the night.

Wedding - September 25th 2009Wedding decorations

Mike loves beer and the pedal ladies came up with this cute idea for the bar area

Jordan’s 7th Birthday

beth — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:13:28 +0000

“It’s the best day ever” (song by Sponge Bob), Miley, Joe Bro’s, and Selena Gomez were playing during Jordan’s 7th Birthday party. We had the big girls giving manicure and pedicures, did fun crafts, dance concerts, and yummy cupcakes from just baked in Livonia. It was the BEST DAY EVER!!

Amy & Christopher – Aug. 2009

beth — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:50:38 +0000

Amy called me in a panic one day …. “Can you help me make all the arrangements for a wedding in two months?” Love the challenge of my job! Amy is originally from Taiwan and this is where couple started their celebration with a huge engagement party in her home town. Wanting to have their legal wedding here in the United States, they had already arrange for Chris’s Uncle to perform their wedding ceremony at the Salvation Army Church in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Because this was a very small wedding, I took on the task of “florist”. Having worked and learned from my amazing friends, “the pedal ladies”, I truly enjoyed making and arranging the flowers. The one flaw of the day was when Amy’s sister showed up to church without her bouquet with 20 minutes before the ceremony was to start…I ran to Kroger’s and bought white roses, cut them, wrapped them and gave them to the maid of honor with 2 minutes to spare. Great save, if I do say so myself!

The reception was held at Hung Hua fine Chinese restaurant which was nominated as the best Chinese food in Michigan. They wanted everyone to experience all the food that Amy grew up with. After 10 courses later, the guests had full bellies and happy smiles on their faces.

50th Wedding Anniversay – Aug. 2009

beth — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 02:23:10 +0000

One of my dearest friend’s parents celebrated their 50^th Wedding Anniversary and I was honored to help plan this special day. This party was a surprise and was difficult to pull off because most of the siblings were from out of town. We found the perfect place, Café Cortina located in Farmington Hills, Michigan. The food is fabulous and the restaurant is just perfect for a small wedding reception or private party. The majority of the budget was spent on the food, so the decorations were very simple and sweet. Pictures that document the couple’s life together are my very favorite decore at this type of event. Mr. & Mrs. Flanagan were surprised and absolutely loved their party. Big smile on my face!!!

Baby Showers – Summer 2009

beth — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:21:54 +0000

Wow, crazy couple of weeks… I helped host two baby showers. One for my niece Erika, who is expecting a baby boy in September. And the other for my sister and brother in law, Sandy & Chad, who are expecting a baby girl this October. How truly blessed I am!!
Erika’s shower was held at the Port Huron Golf Club and as usual the food was fabulous! The table decorations were a bit unique. While shopping at one of my wholesale florists at Eastern market in Downtown Detroit, I found these tin frog holders which we filled with a calla Lily plant. They turned out to be adorable and were favored by those who won them as the door prize. Erika received many wonderful gifts that will help her get started into Motherhood.

Sandy & Chad’s shower was much more casual. We invited family and friends to a backyard B.B.Q. shower that was hosted at my home in Livonia. We used real linens, ate off china, and drank champagne from my finest glasses. Having picked the hottest day of the summer, we decided to serve Amish marinated chicken kabobs, brats, and many fresh salads from the fruits and veggies we bought fresh that morning at Eastern Market in Detroit. Thank goodness for the afternoon shade and for a house with air condition!

Congratulations to both couples!!! I cannot wait to meet the new additions to our family!! xo

Welcome to my blog!

beth — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:42:09 +0000

Hi and welcome to Beth’s Weddings Blog. I am an event planner that is based in Michigan. When I started my own business in 1993, I would have never thought that I would be sharing my stories on the internet. How times have changed… I used to get all my clients simply by referrals…. now most of the calls come in from my web site. I hope this blog helps you to get to know me personally, and how I help my clients to have the most memorable wedding of their dreams!

Enjoy!
-Beth

When you imagine your wedding, what do you see?? Maybe you dream of exchanging vows before an intimate gathering of family and friends at sunset, followed by a chic and elegant dinner under the stars. You can practically see yourself at the altar, taste the cuisine, smell the gardenias, and feel the music playing when you join your guests to party at the reception. Before your wedding comes together with all the romance and glamour you have imagined, you will need to make decisions about the details. Is your color scheme bold and rich, or soft and ethereal? Will you marry in your Mother’s garden or on an exotic beach with the ocean crashing in the background? Do you desire an elegant sit-down dinner or a fabulous cocktail party with a great D.J. who keeps the party going late into the night? With so many choices, it can be hard to decide where to begin. My job is to keep you from being overwhelmed, so you can enjoy the process of planning the most amazing wedding ever!!

Here are some “highlights” of my weddings & events ….

Mallory & Nick – Destination wedding in Cozumel, Mexico – May 2009

beth — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 01:21:17 +0000

This couple knew just what they wanted … a beach wedding at sunset! They also researched the perfect sport at the floating jewel of the Caribbean “Cozumel”. Planning this wedding was so much fun. The Wyndham Cozumel’s wedding coordinator; Patricia could not have been more accommodating. We had to deal with the “swine flu” scare, but there was no stopping this couple or their guests. I have to say that I have done many destination weddings, and Cozumel, Mexico was one of my favorite places. Once explored by Jacques Cousteau, Cozumel is renowned for its underwater clarity and is a driver’s paradise.
White beaches, ruins and a jungle to explore…..Can I say more?!

Renee & Bret – October 2008

beth — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 06:16:44 +0000

Love this couple! I met this truly special couple at a Bridal show and I believe I won them over by the line I use on everyone I meet when I hear of an upcoming wedding….”If you don’t hire me, hire someone you do not know to help you the day of the wedding so that you, your family and friends can enjoy your big day and not have to worry about any wedding details!” They were all about family… from the church where her parents married years before, to the pictures that surrounded the grand ball room of the Colony Club in Detroit. I think my favorite part of this wedding was the spectatular flowers that were handpicked by the bride and the incredibly talented “Petal ladies” Julia Girdler and Karen Duncan, who I refer to as the flower gurus.

We put socks in the ladies bathroom with a sign that read “kick off your shoes and dance!”

The love they have for one another is magical!
(Photo by Brian Widdis)

Karen & Rob – June 2008

beth — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 14:00:21 +0000

I met Karen & Rob at a bridal show…Originally I was hired by this couple for my “day of” coordination. But after helping them find the right vendors, and creating their super-cool theme…we became fast friends. Karen was an extremely organized bride. I completely loved working with Karen & Rob and have become great friends!

I love this picture! It was taken by their photographer, the amazing Robert Bruce.

Karen & Rob love movies, but wanted the colors bright and Caribbean looking. So we combined them both and it really worked. The Unbelievable Pedal Ladies (Julia Gidler & Karen Duncan) designed four different arrangements, and every table was labeled a different movie. When the guests arrived, they took a movie ticket to find their table.

Their reception was at Gino Surf on the Detroit River in Harrison Twp, Michigan. As guests walked in they wrote “words of wisdom” for the couple and hung them on this very unique tree.

Their Groom’s Cake was something I have never seen before. Emma Kate from Cakes by Emma Kate designed this cake with pictures of the couple all over it. The IPod on top played the couples favorite movies.