We want to thank Aaron Lockwood of Aaron Lockwood Photography for the fabulous pictures of Megan & Tudo’s Wedding. Megan and Tudo were married in April 2008 at Bon Appetit Restaurant on the second floor with an amazing view of the water and we truly enjoyed a beautiful sunset that evening. Megan had chosen tiffany blue and chocolate brown as her main wedding colors with accents of pink and green. The florist was Jenny from Flowers by Jenny and the video was provided by Jayson from En Fuego Video. Thanks again Aaron for the fabulous pictures below: Enjoy!
Professional Pictures are in: Courtney & Shon
October 28, 2008 Leave a Comment
We have the professional pictures back from Courtney & Shon’s Wedding on October 18th, 2008 at the Lion’s Eye Institute in Ybor City. Britt McAllister was the photographer and when he dropped off the Cd of pictures to us at the Office last week, we were completely impressed with the photos he captured from their day. We have finally narrowed down our favorites to share with you. ( That was not an easy task.) Enjoy!
Mirror Lake Lyceum Wedding Ceremony & Reception
October 26, 2008 Leave a Comment
Courtney and Masable were married on October 25th, 2008 at the Mirror Lake Lyceum. Special Moments has been looking forward to this day since July of 2007. Masable and Courtney are a couple that we will never forget here at Special Moments. We were hired to help put together a wedding that reflected the style and personality of the couple and their passion for travel. Over the planning process many ideas were presented and eliminated, new ideas developed and then the final design completed. From Passport Ceremony Programs, to pictures of cities traveled as table names, to the Love Story Slideshow, the jazz and sushi station at the Cocktail hour to the suitcase wedding cake with stickers of places they have traveled displayed on the cake, to the dessert station and the guests dancing the night away. We even got tears in our eyes as we waved goodbye to them in the White Rolls Royce at the end of the evening. Unfortunately we were so busy all evening, we were only able to grab a few pictures of the wedding details. Professional pictures to come soon , thanks to Lauren Pauline. We can hardly wait. We will also be looking forward to the wedding video from Artistic Media. Dave and Mike we love you both=) Fabulous Flowers provided by Jenny from Flowers by Jenny.
Remember we are not professional photographers as you look at the pictures below.
ADJA Meeting 10/22/08
October 24, 2008 Leave a Comment
We recently attended the ADJA (American Disc Jockey Association) at the Holidy Inn Express in Clearwater. The party was something to talk about, with all the DELICIOUS food and the skits/games. There was also an on-site photo area where they printed out your picture while you waited! We met some new people and had a good laugh with some of the unique costumes people wore. Can’t wait til next year.
Erin and Krissy ADJA Halloween Party
Entertainment Ideas for Christmas Parties
October 22, 2008 Leave a Comment
With the Holiday Season around the corner and only a few dates left on our books for Holiday & Corporate parties in December, we thought we would give you a few ideas that were passed on to us for entertainment and costumes to liven up your Holiday Celebrations. We have included the pictures Below:
Weddings on Holiday Weekends
October 20, 2008 Leave a Comment
We have this discussion with just about every other Bride and Groom we met with that wants to have their wedding on a “3 day Weekend Holiday” Here is our answers below:
Don’t do it. Here’s why:
- More Money Travel is way more expensive on a holiday weekend. Those wishy-washy guests may have a different opinion when they realize that your wedding is going to cost them a hundred dollars (or more) than they’d planned.
- More Crazy If your wedding is taking place in or near a vacation destination, your guests will spend a lot of their weekend away fighting traffic and crowds.
- Less Relaxing Haven’t you all agreed to a three-day weekend trip, only to discover you’d really rather be relaxing at home than taking such a short getaway? That feeling is magnified when going to a location that you didn’t choose.
- No Cost Savings Most of the other major wedding sites advocate holiday weekend weddings for the cost savings you’ll see from your vendors. But when helping with a Labor Day wedding this year, I saw a couple frustrated that there weren’t better deals out there for them. Perhaps too many other couples have read this same advice, or perhaps the vendors would really rather have a weekend away themselves.
- No Added Ease of Travel Those same major wedding websites say that guests will appreciate the day to travel, rather than taking a day off of work. If most three day weekends meant a day off of work on Friday, you might be able to convince me that this is true. But unless you’re having a Sunday evening wedding, that Monday day off doesn’t mean anything. Your guests will most likely be home by then. And since for most couples, at least half of their guests live nearby, that extra day for travel doesn’t mean anything at all.
Lions Eye Institute Wedding Ceremony & Reception
October 19, 2008 Leave a Comment
Courtney and Shon were married on October 18th, 2008 at the Lion’s Eye Institute in Ybor City, Florida. Courtney and Shon had decided on a Fall theme for their October wedding and presented Special Moments with the challenge of turning the meeting room at the institute into a fall wedding ceremony location for about 70 guests. We were also challenged with a limited budget and a guest count that increased to 90 adult guests plus 18 children to be in attendance, Yikes! We have included before pictures below of the meeting room for you to look at first.
The first challenge was the lights in the meeting room, Courtney was so focused that all she would see was the lights when she walked in there and down the aisle. We kept reassuring her that all she would see was her groom and will not notice anything else but him at the end of the aisle. ( Which by the way , was exactly what happened, she does nto even remember how the room was decorated.)We focused on enhancing the lights with a little bling and leaves to create the fall look and then created a gold fabric runner with leaves sprinkled around the edges to keep your eyes focused towards the backdrop which was covered with white silk drapes with copper accent fabric at the bottom and of course plenty of fall leaves along the floor and also as accents along the sides and tops of the backdrop. We finished the touch with candles light in the room along the windowsills in a nice frangrance of cranberries and pumpkin spice. We have included our non-professional photos below for you to see the transformation and will include the professional ones from Britt McAllister as soon as they are completed. Enjoy the ceremony pictures below:
The reception was another challenge because of the limited budget and the over the limit guest count. We decided to hire a child care service for the 18 children all under the age of 10. Faith from Fomal Event Sitters came to our rescue. Her company supplies arts and crafts along with games and entertainment for the children and even helps get them fed and takes care of all potty breaks for a reasonable price. We ordered pizza and had juice boxes for all of the children , which cut down on the cost of feeding the kids with the adults and the daycare was set-up in the ceremony room ( meeting room )right after the ceremony was completed. While the adults moved to the event center ballroom for the cocktail hour and reception. I have included a couple of photos of before the room was set-up for you to view below:
This was a empty blank slate to create a great fall theme from.
Courtney had chosen Delectable’s Fine Catering to do a stations buffet and also supplied the full premium open bar for the guests to enjoy while they danced the night away and helped themselves to a candy bar filled with all of Courtney and Shon’s favorite childhood candies into little white sacks with fall leaves on the outside to enjoy on the ride home after the late evening reception. We have included a few of the non-professional picutres that we took below for you and can hardly wait to share the professional ones with you. Enjoy the few below:
Get Ready…. Get Set…. Grow
October 16, 2008 1 Comment
Special Moments receives a large amount of newsletters from Organizations we belong to or advertise with. We received this newsletter today from one of my favorite .. PInellas Life. Deirdre and Patty are truly amazing women and they have it all together. I thought I would share this newsletter info because it is great advice for all of you businesses out there… Enjoy:
Get Ready … Get Set … Grow …
It’s a fabulous day in Tampa Bay!
The theme of the week is go back to basics and slow down. In today’s fast paced market everyone wants instant gratification. Businesses do NOT grow and thrive by trying to do things at lightning speed. Plant your seed, fertilize your business, nurture your customers and allow your roots to take hold. A business that takes its time grows strong roots in the community. It takes a lot of hard work and time (I am up by 5 a.m. every day working on PinellasLife.com & our clients Websites) to build a successful business. Weeds grow fast but do not withstand a storm. Trees provide protection, feed the environment, and beautify the world. A tree can weather a (economic) storm. Be a Tree … a tree doesn’t grow over night. Think in five year blocks of time instead of 24 hours!
Repeat after me: The Tampa Bay Economy is Strong and Our Businesses are Booming! Spread the word and tell everyone you know so we stop this doom and gloom talk. Crisis is change trying to take place so jump up, put on your gloves, and knock the negative thoughts right out of your life. Turn off your T.V. and STOP listening to the media. Did you know, the media predicted something like 13 of our last 2 recessions? Mind viruses are spreading faster than ever with the growth of the Internet. Stay out of the blogs, delete negative emails, and be very careful who you listen and talk to … keep it positive. Yes things are a little tough for some of you so step up your game, get out in your community, touch your customers lives (read some Guerrilla Marketing Books). In the long run I see a very bright future for all of us. We all need to get out of debt, stop charging everything (there is nothing worse than throwing something away before you have even paid for it), and focus on our core (self, friends, family, customers). I want to do business with locals more than ever because many big businesses are out of touch. This gives each and every one of you an opportunity to shine brightly. Let’s GO Local Tampa Bay! The Rays, the Superbowl, our beautiful beaches, opportunity is knocking … are you there? Make “good” changes and start growing now. We are “ALL” hard working, smart, strong Entrepreneurs. You can’t take us down … we are resilient! 14 years ago I was a single mom on food stamps with 2 years of college left. When the going got tough, I moved! Cheers to YOUR success … it’s right around the corner!
Your Favorite Songs … Driving down the freeway, you switch on your favorite radio station and hear a song for the first time. You like it but do not remember it. The next afternoon you hear the song again. Perhaps you note the singer, and perhaps you remember her name. Two mornings later, you hear the song again. After making sure no other commuters are watching, you start singing along with the hook, which you now remember. Two days later you buy the CD. You play it several evenings. By the third evening, you know most of the words. It has taken seven or eight playings for the song’s message to sink in. But finally, it has.
What if the singer changed the song and tune every time? What would you remember? Almost nothing. What does this tell you about your marketing communications? Can you keep changing your words, your melody, your entire theme? If you do, what will people remember? For what will they know you?
After you say one thing, repeat it again and again.
Fertilize YOUR Business – Advertise, Advertise, Advertise … Be a Tree!
Tips and Trends advice from Cloth Connection
October 15, 2008 1 Comment
Tips & Trends
Specialty linens such as table cloths, napkins and chair covers are the perfect way to transform a wedding reception room at a reasonable price. The influence of these décor products can have a powerful impact upon guests who first walk into a wedding reception room since the tables and chairs that linens cover tend to cumulatively have the largest surface space in the room.
Specialty linens such as table cloths, napkins and chair covers are the perfect way to transform a wedding reception room at a reasonable price. The influence of these décor products can have a powerful impact upon guests who first walk into a wedding reception room since the tables and chairs that linens cover tend to cumulatively have the largest surface space in the room.
When choosing reception décor, most influential event planners agree that the table linens are a great place to start. When choosing a table décor color palette, it should preferably be one that coordinates with colors and styles already used in the invitations, ceremony and bridal wear. Choose your table linens first and then build the rest of your table décor such as flowers around these fabrics.
Tip: When choosing your table linen colors, you want to make sure that your table linen fabric you chose don’t clash with the room where the reception is being held. Also an important point is not to worry too much about matching the linens to individual room items such as carpet. Items such as carpet, are generally not in favorable bridal reception colors and most people will only notice the impact of the fabric colors such as table cloths that are on the top of the tables.
Trend: Autumn colors such as chocolate, bronze and copper continue to be strong base colors year round that give an alternative to the traditional wedding colors. These fabric colors are often combined with strong contrasting colors (i.e. chocolate table linens w/tiffany blue napkins) to create a dramatic color palette in a room. Strong color combos this year are chocolate/citron, copper/ivory and chocolate/pink.
When ordering your linens, be sure to know your table sizes and also chair types. Your reception venue should be able to help you plan the seating arrangement and layout which would ultimately determine your table sizing. If you are having a cocktail reception, remember to order linens for this as well. If you have questions on linen sizing for certain tables, you may refer to the sizing chart on our website or contact one of our customer service representatives.
Tip: Make sure to order extra napkins, as this tends to be utilized by serving staffs as well as guests. A 10-20% overage on napkins beyond your guest count should be sufficient.
While linen choices should be narrowed down towards the beginning of the reception process, linens should preferably be reserved at least 6-10 weeks before your wedding date to ensure that the items you want are available. Remember to think creatively, as linens are a great way to customize you wedding reception and impress your guests.
Trend: Traditional wedding fabric colors such as white, ivory, gold and pewter are always in demand. Consider adding accents of other colors in items such as napkins or chair ties to bring all of the room colors together. Strong color combos this year are black/white, gold/rose and ivory/silver.
We thought we would share this with all of the blog viewers alogn with a picture of the new fabric tablesetting they sent us also. Enjoy!
As the Harvest season is upon us we want you to expect the unexpected. Some of our linens that are totally opposite in style and texture; you would never expect to harmonize so perfectly. We are extremely excited to bring you numerous new-fangled fabrics with brilliant patterns and radiant colors to keep your parties looking fabulous from now through the New Year!
The Rehearsal Dinner
October 13, 2008 Leave a Comment
What is it?
A rehearsal dinner is typically an informal meal after a wedding rehearsal, which takes place the night before the actual wedding. It’s a chance for the wedding party to get to know each other better, and most importantly, it’s a chance for the bride and groom to thank all the people who have helped them out with the wedding planning.
Do I have to have one?
You don’t have to have one, but there are very few reasons not to. You’re going to need to eat on that night anyway, why not eat with your loved ones?
Who pays?
Traditionally the groom’s parents pay but nowadays you’ll often see couples include the cost in their overall wedding planning budget. Another scenario is for both parents to host it together.
Who plans it?
It is traditionally the realm of the groom’s mother. Check in with your mother-in-law and see if she is willing and able to do so. If she wants to, it’s a good idea to let her – it gives her a role in the wedding and even if the rehearsal dinner is completely different from your taste, guests will presume that you didn’t plan it.
What happens at a rehearsal dinner?
Along with eating, of course, the bride and groom offer up thanks and toast their families and the wedding party. There are often many other informal toasts. Sometimes this toasting becomes a roasting of the bride and groom – but it’s all in good fun. You may also plan ice-breaking games or other activities including poker, pool, darts, a short funny home-movie, or backyard games. If you’re not having a bridesmaid’s luncheon, this is also an appropriate time to give bridesmaids and groomsmen gifts.
How do I invite my guests?
Typically, printed invitations are sent a few days after you send the wedding invitation. These don’t need to be elegant and expensive – the easiest thing to do is to get the templates to print on your home computer.
Do I have to invite out-of-town guests?
Once upon a time, a rehearsal dinner was only for the wedding party and the immediate family of the bride and groom. Now, wedding magazines will tell you that you have to invite all of the out-of-town guests. Here’s my opinion: it is a nice gesture, so that you don’t leave them at loose ends in a strange town the night before the wedding. However, if you don’t invite them, you can include a list of restaurants or things to do in the area on your wedding website. Also, you can hold the rehearsal dinner on the early side, and then include a note in your invitations saying “If you’re in town the night before the wedding, we’d love to see you! We’ll be at the East Side Pub after 9 pm – please join us if you can make it.” A nice touch is to get the bar to provide pub snacks and appetizers to your guests, which will still be less expensive than providing them dinner.
What if I can’t afford a rehearsal dinner?
First, reexamine your expectations – it doesn’t have to be some grand formal thing at a restaurant or catering hall. Some of the best rehearsal dinners I’ve seen are relaxed backyard barbecues which allow people to really get to know each other. Set up a volleyball net or get a game of touch football going. It can even be a potluck. But do have one – it’s your opportunity to thank all the people who made your wedding day possible.
