Sunday, November 18, 2012

Weathered Weddings

Rain Rain, Come and stay?

Every bride dreads the idea of rain on her wedding day. Outdoor venues are ruined, hair is messed up, long dresses get muddy.  When it happens, every bride’s maid, every guest says, “Rain means good luck!” But at that moment, it is hard for any bride to think of rain as good luck. 

Plattsgurgh, NY Wedding
It’s a shame that weather can’t be forecasted over a year in advance, but when bills are paid, the guests have arrived, the show must go on! You are just going to have to go with it, and most of the time, it is what is unplanned that makes for the most memories. Just this past August I was helping with a wedding in up-state New York. The morning was beautiful and promising. The sky was sunny, the air was not too hot (which was good, because the church did not have air conditioning) and it was looking to be ideal wedding weather!




Kathleen Buckley, Buckley Events
But Mother Nature had us fooled, and between the ceremony and the reception, the skies opened up and down came the rain. The cocktail hour was planned to be on a terrace, and the reception to be in a tent. The terrace was partially covered and the tent let little to no rain in. For the most part, everyone was able to stay dry. Between the cocktail hour area, and the reception tent, there was, however, a few feet that were uncovered, and for the first part of the reception, you could hear giggles and laughter as guests tried to jump and rush through that little section as they came and went from the tent to the terrace. The Bride’s and Bride’s Maids’ hair remained intact during pictures despite the weather. Later once the dancing started, their hair started to frizz, but so was everyone else’s. I guess you could say that the level of frizz was directly related to level of fun everyone was having!

Guests getting down on the dance floor
Lake Champlain

And wouldn’t you know it, the rain stopped during the reception! The outdoor area could be used, and as everyone went outside to look at the beautiful view of the lake. The rain also provided for  a stunning rainbow for all to enjoy. The rain may have put a damper on how things were thought to go that day, but without it, the giggles that were made while trying to escape the drops and the very special pictures in front of the awesome rainbow wouldn’t have been had.


Rain or no rain, it was the perfect day for that couple. Memories were made that will never be forgotten, and by the looks of it, the Bride and Groom were the “treasures” at the end of the rainbow.  
Mr. and Mrs. Morschauser!



Sunday, November 4, 2012

There's Something about Southern Pines




Downtown Southern Pines
There’s just something about Southern Pines….. I have had the pleasure of living in this lovely town for almost a month and am quickly falling in love with this “New England Style meets Southern Charm” kind of town. Since graduating from Saint Mary’s College in 2007, I have had the pleasure of living in seven states in less than six years; from Connecticut, where I grew up, to Arizona where I recently moved from, and everywhere in between. Such is the life of an Army wife! Of everywhere I have had the pleasure of residing, my home state of Connecticut and the magical city of Savannah, GA are by far my favorites, until…….maybe now.

Windy Road of New Milford CT
Connecticut is known for its windy roads, its rock walls, its New England styled down towns, and its country clubs. It is a getaway from the large cities surrounding the little state, and an amazing place to grow up. Savannah is infamous for it’s haunting history, its beautiful southern streets and squares and local shops and dining. When I found out that my husband and I were getting stationed at Fort Bragg I had no idea that I would find the perfect combination of my two favorite places right outside the gates of the 82nd Airborne Division! The windy roads of Southern Pines bring me right home to Connecticut as I pass pristine golf courses and horse farms. The charming down town and strong local pride in farm fresh dining and boutique shopping bring me back to Savannah City Market.
Savannah City Market

Now that I have found my perfect place to live, it is time to start my perfect career. The day after I graduated from Saint Mary’s, I was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army. For the five years that followed, I met wonderful life-long friends, experienced and overcame challenges I never could have dreamed of, and traveled to places I would never otherwise go. My time in the Army is a time in my life that I cherish and would never trade for all the money in the world, but it was not my true love. I lived for the weekends. I planned weekend “get-away”s for our friends, 

BBQs, holiday parties, Bachelorette and Bachelor parties, scavenger hunts, themed parties, you name it. When I wasn’t hosting, I was helping friends plan their parties and events. When it came time to plan my own wedding, I realized that I didn’t just love planning but that I had a knack for it. Unfortunately, during my wedding planning process, my full time job did not allow me enough time to plan the wedding of my dreams. Thankfully, with the help of a Wedding Planner, I was able to put my dream wedding to fruition and discover exactly what I wanted to do with my life. I decided that I wanted to be to other brides what my wedding planner was to me. I will always remember that my wedding day was total bliss because all the stresses of planning and coordination of moving pieces was completely handled, and I was guided through my day on cloud nine.


Once I made the decision to separate from the Army I was given the opportunity to intern for a local wedding planner in Savannah. This only reaffirmed that I had made the correct decision to follow my dream. I loved every minute of it. Seeing a bride’s dream come true, and knowing that I contributed to the happiest day of her life made me almost as happy as I was on my own wedding day. The next step was easy: enroll in a Professional Wedding Planning Course, become a Licensed Professional Planner and open a business that contributes to the happiest day in everyone’s life : their wedding day!


 
I knew my perfect career, I found and now live in my perfect city, and I can’t wait to help you plan your perfect day, and what better place to do so than here in this beautiful and charming city!

Yes…..There is definitely something about Southern Pines…..