My heart goes out to all brides. I don’t think any of us were prepared for the what is happening right now. All the decisions that have to be made, all the factors that have to be taken into consideration. And these decisions have to be made based on information that seems to change from day to day.
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We are hearing 50 guests or less. I am seeing virtual showers. Brides are still getting married on their original date but with only themselves and their officiant. Others are rescheduling for next year.
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How do you decide what to do? This time in your life is supposed to be fun and exciting. Instead it’s become overwhelming and stressful.
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Keep in touch with your venue. Because know matter what you would like to do, you are going to have to follow their guidelines. This is actually a good thing and will help you with your decision process.
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Stay in contact with your vendors. Since they are also rescheduling they will have good advice to offer.
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Be flexible. This is always good advice. But now more than ever is being flexible and open to other ideas key to keeping your stress level low. Keep in mind that the wedding of your dreams might look different than what you imagined. BUT remember what’s really important about your special day - while as an event designer I am all about the details, decor and design, the really important part of your day is marrying the person you love.
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As you sit down with each other to decide what to do, focus on the things you can control - you can reschedule, think of a plan B, you can still get married on your original date and then have the celebration you’ve envisioned next year, think about what’s really important to each of you and base your decisions on that, not what everyone else thinks you should do.
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Venues, vendors and everyone involved in your wedding want to make this work. So rest assured that we are doing everything we can.
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Be kind to yourself. You have put so much time, effort and money into planning your wedding - You are feeling all kinds of emotions right now. It’s ok, really. Crying is ok. Give yourself permission to feel this way. Sending a big hug to all brides.

Upon meeting with R it was clear she new exactly what she wanted. Gorgeous, soft romantic flowers, touches of gold and marble, a little lace and a little rustic & modern thrown into the mix. There were so many custom touches in this wedding.
Hand lettered welcome mirror & marble table numbers. Custom designed stationery. Linens made just for R. A dessert table to die for - from the delectable desserts to her marble "love" sign to marble & gold cake stand and boxes to display her desserts in. Sip & Be Seated escort cards and lots of candlelight. Truly elegant!

Thinking of an open bar? Thinking of the expense? Here are a few ways to have an open bar and save too.
. Serve a signature cocktail along with beer and wine or just offer beer and wine.
. If you still want to offer cocktails, offer them during cocktail hour then switch to beer and wine for the rest of the evening.
. When looking at venues, ask about their open bar cost. You’d be surprised by the differences.

A little thing - your escort cards - but they are a detail that can make a big impact. Usually they are one of the first things your guests see when they enter your reception. Display them in a way that makes your guests want to see what is next. Design them so they reflect your theme. These were for a wedding that was very elegant with a touch of rustic. An elegant font, glittered paper, burlap flower and a twine bow. Get creative!

We take your vision and make it a reality. We sit with you and take the time to find out what you like. We ask a lot of questions. We love looking at your Pinterest page. We help you refine your ideas so that they all flow together. We create a written plan so you can see your vision unfolding. We are in touch with your vendors to ensure that every element of your design compliments each other. The day of - we execute your design allowing you to relax and enjoy your special day.
We have met with many brides at different stages of the planning process. Do you know what we hear most often? “I wish I had talked with you sooner.”
Schedule a consultation, because your happily ever after starts with Gatherings!

One of the words that we think creates the most anxiety is the word - budget.  Not only in everyday life, but when planning a wedding, a budget has caused lots of arguments and stress.

How do you deal with the budget issue?

As an event designers and coordinators we have had countless planning meetings and one of the first questions that we ask is "what is your budget?" Almost all of the time we see the Bride struggling to answer. Maybe it's because they really have not settled on a budget amount or they are afraid to state how much they want to spend. Trust us, it is so much better when we know that figure. It helps us to put together a design that fits your budget and with our experience we can help you save money. ( More on that in another post)

Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, while they are great places to search for inspiration, also tend to lead to unrealistic
expectations of what a wedding should be like. 

There are two things we always ask our Brides to do -

One, is to really think about what is important to you on your wedding day. Once you figure this out then you can use this as a guide in all your decision making.

Two, establish a budget and then sit down and write down everything you will be spending money on to create your wedding, and I mean everything. From tipping to invitations to getting your nails done to all the big expenses like venue, music, flowers, decor, stationery, linens and... everything in between.

Once you get that figure, and it could be one that is way over your budget, then really take a look at each "gotta have" idea.  Go back to back to what is really important to you and ask yourself if having a certain thing fits into that category. You might want all the chairs that you are using in your ceremony to have flowers and ribbon tied on them along with programs on every seat but find out that the cost is more than your budget. This is where you ask yourself what is really important to you. (You can also see if there is a more cost effective way to go about creating the ceremony chairs that you love.) Go through your "gotta have"  list and cross out what doesn't fit into the important category. You might be surprised at the end result.

Yes, you will have to say I don't really need this but YES I really want that. But in the end you will end up with a wedding that really reflects you and hopefully within your budget!

This wedding was held in the Bride & Groom's own yard. Under a tent and right on the water, it was a spectacular setting.  The weather was perfect and when we went to setup the morning of the wedding what did we see under the arch at the water's edge?  Two swans - how perfect was that!

There were so many little details that made this wedding special - from the wedding arch lovingly created by the groom to the nautical favors made by the bride. Interspersed throughout the decor were items that were important to the bride and groom and they added the perfect special, sentimental touch.

I loved the colors and the nod to nautical - using fish nets and rope - along with flowers. I don't think I have ever styled a wedding where the men guests remarked on the cake! Artisan Bake Shop outdid themselves as the cake was an exact replica of a local light house.

Outside weddings are one of my favorite and this one was truly magical.