I'm Engaged! Now What...?

Congratulations to all of the newly engaged brides! This is such an exciting time of the year, but it can also be overwhelming. So, here are "5 things you must do before you start planning your wedding". (These tips can also be applied to planning a birthday party, anniversary renewal, etc.)

Tip 1:
Set your Wedding Date and Guest List -
Your date and guest list will determine a lot when deciding on a venue and the cost of your wedding. You don't want to waste your time looking at venues that are not available on your date (or plan B and C wedding dates) or cannot accommodate your guest list.

Tip 2:
Do your Research -
This is most brides first time being immersed in the finite details of a wedding, so get on the internet, read wedding magazines, figure out what you and your fiancee like and what aspects of the wedding are the most important to you both.

Now you don’t have to do a huge search, just simply get an idea of what you like and what things "COST".

Tip 3:
Set a Budget -
Yes, you MUST have a budget and YES you need to track your spending.

If you have not hired a full-service wedding planner that is managing your budget for you, then you need to stay on top of it. Money is one of the many sources for wedding drama, so once you've set your budget; please embrace it...big or small. This will make your wedding planning process go a lot smoother and your bank account a lot happier.

Tip 4:
Prioritize -
This is a BIG one. In a perfect world we would have everything we want, but many times we have to make compromises. Make a list of 8-10 wedding related items (photographer, cake, flowers, venue, etc.) and rank them, one being the most important. This will help you make easier budget decisions if money is starting to get tight, as you have already outlined what’s most important in the beginning.

Tip 5:
Have Fun! -
Enjoy this chapter of your life. Enjoy your engagement. If you can, have an engagement party and wait a few months before you get bogged down in wedding planning details.

Enjoy your wedding. Be a bride that day and let your family and friends be a guest. If you've already decided that you don't want or need a wedding planner, it's a must that you have a day-of-coordinator so you and your groom are not the point of contact for any questions or mishaps that will come up on your wedding day.

I hope this gets you started in the right direction. If you have any additional questions or want to know how a wedding planner can help you, please give us a call, 704-975-9921. We would love to hear more about your wedding!

Fabulous Local Store Find: Julie's Clothing in Charlotte

My hubby and I have started a small tradition of bringing in the New Year in a different city. We've celebrated in Charlotte, Vegas, Miami and Atlanta and each year I wait to the last minute to find the hottest dress for the festivities and drag my husband from store to store trying to find the best dress at the best price. (Yes, I'm a habitual bargain shopper) This year was no different and when I got to the mall a few days after Christmas the stores were bare, but I just took it as the New Years Eve curse. I stayed in the mall for hours trying to make something work to no avail, so the next day I checked out Birkdale Village in Huntersville. My first and last stop was Julie's Clothing. In ten minutes I found 8 fabulous dresses to try on and they were all 50% off. Yes!

Well...I ended up leaving the store with 3 great New Years Eve dresses each $20.

With this being "Engagement Season", make sure to check-out Julie's Clothing for your sassy engagement party dress! They have several locations around Charlotte. Tell them that Style Perfect Weddings and Events sent you.







Happy Shopping!

5, 4, 3, 2, 1... Happy New Year!

2009 was such a blessing and I look forward to an even more exciting 2010. Charlotte is such a great city with amazing people and awesome event professionals. My first full-year here in Charlotte could not have been better. Big THANK YOU to all of the amazing vendors that I had the opportunity to meet and work with and an even BIGGER thank you to all of my amazing couples for giving me the opportunity to style and coordinate your big day! I had such a blast working with you all.

Now what's on the horizon for 2010...

Here are a few of my professional and personal goals:

- Get healthy and hydrated. Drink at least 5 glasses of water a day. I'm a big eater and not much of a drinker. I can go an entire day with only drinking one glass of water or juice, which is terrible. So this will be a huge challenge for me, but something I need to do!

- Real Weddings in Charlotte (post photos from our 2009 wedding season on website and blog)

- Go to the gym. This seems to be a recurring goal and not a way of life, which I'm going to change this year.

- Start a Facebook Fan Page.

- Continue my industry education and knowledge by attending events and workshops hosted by ISES, ABC, NACE and the Charlotte Wedding and Event Professionals Networking Group.

- Attend annual Memorial Day Trip with my four best friends. I missed Vegas last year! :-(

- To blog 3 times a week...(Monday, Wednesday and Friday)


What are your goals for 2010...big or small...?