FoR tHe dAncer in yOu....

I usually spend a million hours pitching a theme to clients...so this wedding wasn't any different. I remember the first meetings were super exciting trying to summarize their love into an idea with enough parts to plan a wedding! I think their first date was at an airport watch zone type of thing so I played around with boarding passes, toy airplane place cards, airline tickets, luggage tag favors...the list goes on and on! After this was voted out, I went into some other dates which were museum heavy! I priced so many museums that would allow weddings but of course many of them were expensive and didn't allow outside catering! THEN it came to me, like a thief in the night....okay maybe not an authentic thief in the night, lol but it hit me at a truly inopportune time....A DANCE THEME! They met in the dance ministry of their church and they continue to dance together, sometimes as just a pair...they seem to really enjoy it and it just made perfect sense. It took a while for the groom to catch on to other themes, but this one... he was on board immediately! Soooooooo of course I had a million ideas that unfortunately won't be executed in this particular wedding due to budget restraints and other limitations but there will be some key elements!

I originally wanted to incorporate things such as video clips in between engagement photos in a slide show mini movie prior to the starting of the wedding that asked them questions about dance and what it meant to them! Some funny things, some more serious, just something for their guests to enjoy!  I wanted the couple to choreograph a special first dance as their introduction as Mr. and Mrs.! I toyed around with having the servers dress in traditional mime costume...stripes, suspenders, and hats because mime-ing is the dance the groom performs most often (Well that I've been a witness to)! Candy, bottle water, and bubbles can be ordered with just about anything on them and are ALWAYS utilized! Album shapes, silhouettes of couples dancing, sheet music and musical notes would all make an appearance! Masks, mime faces, traditional drama masks...and then the tag line on the favors: For the dancer in you or To the dancer in you! That's all I can remember without looking in my notebook, lol but there will be some key elements that I thought of that will be executed...yay! The entertainment dance assemble, displaying the engagement-dance themed pictures before the wedding, ceremony programs with the dance title, and naming each table by a dance move they've actually performed together! So how cool is it to have instead of table one...table plie'! There will be definitions and instructional pictures on each card...

See below....

lOcked & lOaded...BANG BANG

Good afternoon,

Locked and Loaded....it's Tuesday, the wedding is Saturday!!!! Right! It's here! I have some amazing doll babies as close friends, and they have agreed to be apart of #TeamTC (TC=Timeless Creations). I have my mom coming in at noon on Friday with the navigator....those that know me personally know this is a sacrifice....I had to admit that I might need the navigator's spacious interior! Of course my car making a few trips has done the job before, but I'm picking up a wedding arch and tall candelabras....with one flip of the backseat, a truck can save me some time! Whoot Whoot....by doing it this way, I save the couple money, delivery fees are no joke and the venues are less than 8 miles from the rental shop...yet it's still the same price as if it was 45 miles away! Lesson to self: Obtain a business with large delivery fees right after that McDonald's franchise!

Thursday night, I plan to start situating stuff at the church because it'll be accessible due to the various auxiliaries practicing....I'll do this alone of course, trying very hard to stay out of everyone's way! Friday is the day of the team....not only is my mom coming but my Best Friends Chase and Tia are scheduled to make an appearance! I have 2 more people that may come but they haven't absolutely confirmed...so my team could be 6 whole people, surely I can flip the reception space with all that help!! I'm excited! I'm soooo grateful....nobody asked for payment but I'm sure I'll be taking some people to dinner, happy hour, or cooking a down home Sunday dinner in appreciation of their services. I told Tia to where yoga pants...lol.  She loves to exercise so I'm playing up that aspect very hard for her....been knowing Tia since I was in middle school-her grandma and my mother also worked together and we spend a lot of time together since she's no longer in school in Greensboro and Charlotte! Awwe missed my friend during those undergrad years!

Friday will be busy busy busy...after picking up rentals, the reception space will be set up at 1pm at the latest! Nobody booked the space on Friday...lucky me! I have access as soon as I need it WITHOUT additional payment! I then have to go to the florist to pickup the flowers and then back between the church and reception to decorate! Official rehearsal begins at 5pm for the wedding party but 5:30 for the vendors! Hopefully this will run smooth and everyone will be in the mood to focus so we can end at a reasonable time, so that I can skip out for the entertainment run through at 7pm at the reception location! This is where it gets tricky....depending on how rehearsal is going, I have to run back to the church and leave the dance assemble at the reception site to then run back and lock up once they are done! lol Then it's on to the rehearsal dinner around 8pm or immediately following rehearsal....good times, good food, grand occasion! You think I'm done? LOL I'm not....I then need to gather what's left of my team to finish the reception space! THEN it's back to my lovely home for a lil shut eye before meeting at the church at 9am Saturday.... Now Saturday's schedule is sick....minute by minute-play by play until the last song at 9:55pm! After the lights are cut down for the dance portion (meaning that everything else has been completed) of the reception, I'll be skipping out to the church to gather all rentals and store them because the Deacon of the church has got to flip the space for Sunday morning Worship and I don't want  my things in his way or misplaced! From 10pm-11:45pm, the guests should be gone and  I'll be packing linens and disassembling centerpieces to eventually do my final check out of the space by 12:00am. A minute off schedule can NOT result in a 12:01am departure time unless I am willing to pay a $150 charge! Haha You think I can do it?

 Saturday, Sunday and Monday completing Centerpieces.... BRANCHES BEFORE



Inspiration for the centerpieces.... BRANCHES AFTER



Me and the Bride @ her Bridal Shower....the cutest bow hat I've seen in a long time....

~Signed... No one should be called "uppity" if you'd rather not shop for your wedding supplies at a flea market.... (a funny for my coworker that reads my blog, but seriously the nerve of some people!)

2 wEEks aWaY....

It’s been a long time…I shouldn't left you...without a dope beat to step to…LOL #homagetoAaliyah I use to love that song….

Any who, where has the time gone? Literally? There has been so much going on that you might like to know…. For starters, the baby shower “Haliwood: A Star is Born”…well the star was actually born. She is uber cute…a true doll baby. Awwe I don’t want any kids of my own, but I’m so happy when everything runs smoothly for those that do! Yay Baby!

This past weekend was the March Bride’s bridal shower…I had no hand in the planning so I was able to simply be a guest! I enjoyed myself and I think the bride did as well. Key elements…that freaking red velvet cake…OMG it was like a hug from Grandma when you’ve scraped your knee! I have an even better understanding as to why we call fried-greasy-sugary foods comfort food…I was VERY comforted! True to who I am, as soon as I tasted a bite with that homemade cream cheese icing…I said THIS IS IT!!!!...out loud to people I didn’t even know! Lol Hey it caught me off guard. Good cake will do that to you! Another key element, instead of a bunch of useless prizes, they did great red velvet flower cupcakes and pure milk chocolate…I suspect that helped with the budget and guests don’t feel slighted because it was some REALLY good chocolate, so much so eating one was enough to cure your fix and each lil baggie was filled with 3 and had their wedding colors in ribbon with a lil picture of the couple. The food was just as awesome and of course I gave one of the most provocative gifts (why does that always happen to me)…bridal showers in my opinion MEAN silk and lace (in good taste nothing raunchy) with the girls....Apparently that memo hasn’t finished circulating. In the past I’ve been to showers where ladies feel too embarrassed to give those types of gifts. I say God says Marriage is good and to be fruitful and multiply! It’s okay to have relations with your husband…it’s not like I’m condoning getting knocked up prior to marriage with a man that doesn’t love God…lol I’m condoning once you ARE married!!!!! Sheesh!

We’re like 2 weeks out from the March wedding….We still need to finalize centerpieces as the vision is a little complex at the moment…It’s changed about a million times but this last time things were actually purchased so we may be closer to the final arrangement! Pastor, Soloist, Musicians and deejay have all been emailed…rental invoice is up to date, and most of the catering things we were asked to purchase are complete! Favors (oh the favors) should be done soon, programs are paid for and things for the ceremony such as aisle runner, sand ceremony, broom, broom décor, pew markers, guestbook, and guestbook pen have been crossed off the list as well! I had a number of lil helpers…but CIAA is March 3^rd as well as the duke/Carolina game…so yeah I’ll be working even harder than I expected! Finalizing things for vendors and paying people is TOP priority….I hope to be completely done this week! If it was left up to only me I would have been done in December as my motto is “Early is Best” but naturally the rest of the world doesn't revolve around my motto! We’re moving along though…minor setbacks and bumps in the road….but I think it’ll be just beautiful!  

~tata

Wrap Up-Haliwood: A Star is Born

Happy Friday everyone!

Latest Testimonial...


Jay,
It has truly been my pleasure working with you for the Coleman baby shower.
You made planning and executing such a large baby shower seem like a breeze and you certainly made my life easy by contacting vendors, setting up appointments, and following through on every detail no matter how large or small.
You were extremely professional in every way and because of you the Coleman baby shower turned out to be a hit!
Everyone is still talking about how well planned the shower was!!! I had one guest to send me an email about the shower and she commented "You guys have done an amazing job on this for Hali.  I have NEVER seen a shower so well orchestrated!"

Thanks to you the Coleman shower was a blast and an unforgettable event!!!
I will definitely be using you for ALL my future event planning and recommending your services to everyone I know!

Thank you!



Sweets....Cupcakes, Cake and later Chocolate Strawberries were added




Cake from a Bakery of the Family's choice...





Messages to the MTB...



Hustle & Bustle....





Favors given for Baby's 1st Pic...




Catering....MTB request




MTB's special chair....Gift table VERY early in the shower...



Linens....Auction Game table....Centerpieces executed by a Sister!



Check-in Table and me with some of the Family....



Additional Favors...



mOnOchrOmatic cOlOrs...

Love muffins....

Picking wedding colors is right at the top of the list when you get engaged! Why is that? I assume it’s because once they’ve been chosen everything else seems to have a focal point. Establishing colors early on creates the vision each time you picture your event…it just helps get the planning underway. Even when I’m not planning a wedding, usually my first consultation call goes a lil something like this….”Hey I want you to plan my birthday party, the colors are Pink and Black” “Hey I want you to plan my Mother’s retirement party, her favorite colors are Yellow and Gold, so I want those to be the colors”….Can we discuss the important issues first…I promise colors just roll off everyone’s tongue! It’s almost like picking colors makes your event official!  

Thank goodness in Twenty-twelve people are beginning to dismiss ancient rules and show some creativity. I LIVE for innovation! By tradition, there are only 2 wedding colors… White and something OR Black and something! No! No! No! Chic outfits rarely consist of just two colors yet it still looks good right? Bring that same creative approach to your big day with varying shades of one color or more than 2 colors. Of course I don’t suggest you fly off the deep end into a bright ratchet sea of colors…consider your guests and how awful it would be if your decision made guests have seizures! Have fun making 3 or more colors work together! Create an attractive color combination… a gorgeous color scheme and an overall fascinating color palette!  Monochromatic wedding colors can sometimes find their way into your wedding even when you are careful….you pick colors and then you can’t find tuxedo vest or dresses in that chosen color! What do you do? Don’t panic, choose a shade darker or lighter and incorporate your chosen color in accessories! Yes picking colors can be first tricky and will sometimes lead to stress but remember it should be fun and no idea is off limits!!!!

~XOXO