I Do Vow To "fill in the blank"

I Do Vow To "fill in the blank" is the title of my latest series of posts to provide couples with thought-provoking ideas or inspiration while planning their wedding.

For example, my inaugural post is "I Do Vow To...Commit to Less Wedding Waste". And there are many ways to keep that commitment. Here are my suggestions:

• Be thoughtful of the papers you chose for invitations, programs and place cards. With printing as sophisticated and precise as it is, tissue papers and extra envelopes are a waste. Rather than printing one program for every guest, double up or design your program for duel usage such as a fan in warmer weather.
• Nix the guest favor. Honestly, your guests do not expect a favor and so many end up in the trash at the end of the night. If you really love the idea of favors, make it edible or plantable. I've seen seeds and seedlings given as favors and when it came time to clean-up, not one was left.
  
• Bar packages often provide disposable plastic glassware - pay the difference and upgrade to glass. The landfills are loaded with millions of pounds of disposable, which really isn't, plastic.
  
• Use locally grown seasonal flowers for your decor. Your blooms will be fresher and in most cases cost less than flowers from Central and South America.
• Don't toss the centerpieces at the end of the night. Many florists I work with will pick-up the centerpieces at the end of the evening and deliver them to hospitals and nursing homes for further enjoyment.
• Recycle your wedding magazines by giving them to a friend. Although some of the details may become dated, many styles, designs and decor are timeless and information in the articles always helpful.
• Donate or consign your wedding dress. Brides of France in Edina and Minneapolis purchases new and used dresses and accessories.
  
• Consider lighting from a professional like AV For You for a dramatic yet cost-effective way to add punch to your ceremony or reception site.
  

If you have other ideas for less wedding waste, please comment. I will be happy to re-post in the future.

Congratulations to Andrew Vick of Vick Photography

One of my inspirations for I Do Vow To came from Andrew Vick of Vick Photography with whom I share studio space at Living Room Studios. Andrew has been volunteering generous hours of his coveted time to underprivileged kids camps across Minnesota, building homes in Guatemala, mentoring through Big Brother and sponsoring orphaned children through World Vision.

I am happy to say that last week Andrew received one of the highest honors bestowed in the wedding industry...he received Minnesota Bride's 2009 award for best photography. The competition was tough but Andrew came out on top and I say congratulations - you deserve it.

One of my goals with I Do Vow To as it relates to Fete Perfection is to increase global awareness to couples while planning their wedding. While I understand and recognize their wedding day is a once-in-a-lifetime-event, it comes and goes too quickly and sadly, couples are left wishing their wedding day could live on and on.

With I Do Vow To wedding planning services, it can. For example, Andrew donates the annual cost to sponsor a child through World Vision, in the name of each couple who hires his photography services. At the first anniversary, couples can choose to continue the sponsorship of their child. So although the wedding day has passed, one child is fed, clothed and offered basic needs for an entire year and all because someone hired Andrew. To me, this is one way to honor the commitment a couple makes to each other and sharing that commitment with others.

I have said this before, but I see benevolence and selflessness playing important roles in wedding planning in the near future. Ask me how you can make a difference with your wedding. I am here to help.

Saving Green

I spent significant time with two lovely ladies of Adorn Brides, Laura & Amy while attending Engage 09. Adorn Brides rents beautiful jewelry to brides who want to complete their wedding ensemble without breaking the bank. The more I thought about this concept the more I came to realize how timely this is.

With green weddings on the rise, see this article from today's Star Tribune, and the advent of scaled down budgets, see this article from USA Today, Adorn Brides is poised to capture brides from both markets.

Our last night in Cayman we were invited to a stunning soiree and I was offered the chance to wear a necklace for the evening. It truly was a memorable experience wearing diamonds and pearls I could never own. I felt like Cinderella going to the ball.

A friend and colleague Emilie Duncan of Emilie Duncan Event Planning said it best..."we rent linens for weddings, why not jewelry?"

Destination Brides and Planners

Looking to save big bucks on accommodations for your destination wedding? Consider Vacation Rental by Owner a website that connects property owners of all types to renters. Without getting into tons of deals, check out their website for worldwide properties from modestly furnished to luxury properties with insane amenities.

I have personally arranged several family vacations through VRBO and have never been disappointed. We have stayed in 5 bedroom 6 bath log homes in the mountains of Utah, 3 bedroom 3 bath condos in the Florida Keys and beach front homes on Birch Bay in Pudget Sound of Washington State.

When my destination couples desire a more private, intimate setting for groups up to 50 I research VRBO in the country or region they wish to marry. Many of these properties come with housekeeping staff, gardeners and a chef to customize every meal at anytime of the day or night.

I'm looking at VRBO for my next Cayman Islands vacation.

Upscale DIY

I mentioned yesterday that my company Fete Perfection is being considered for a spot on a cable television program which will feature coverage of the Engage!09: Something Blue symposium occurring later this month in Grand Cayman. One of my homework assignments was to outline local trends.

One of those trends is Do It Yourself or DIY as it's called in wedding circles, but for big budget brides. I am not talking about homemade favors, centerpieces or invitations that look...well homemade. I'm talking who-would-ever-know-the-difference-because-it's-so-stylish-and-professional-looking DIY projects. One of those DIY opportunities is in our own backyard - Sadie Gardner of Sadie's Fine Floral offers classes on do-it-yourself centerpiece design and arrangements as well as the basics of bouquets, boutonniere's and corsages for the bride who truly wants a "hands on" experience.

A talented colleague in Seattle, Jody Taylor-Smith of Good Taste Events offers Good Taste Do It Yourself evenings in her design studio. Jody said the products, papers and designs that leave her studio at the end of the night are elegant, creative and most of all tasteful. She said brides of all budgets come in, but the trend is towards higher budget weddings for the pleasure of creating a memorable event and the satisfaction of a job well done.

Trending - DIY for Big Budgets

I was recently contacted to be considered for an interview by a cable channel who is producing a show called "Something Blue" - the show is designed to cover the event I'll be attending in ten days, Engage:09 Something Blue the symposium for high-functioning, high-end wedding professionals from around the world.

The producers asked for input on local trends and one that immediately came to mind is DIY. Do-it-yourself is nothing new, however DIY for high-end big budget weddings is. I believe it has become fashionable to do your own invitations, as an example and with all the professional printing options, papers, embossing and cutting equipment available for use, couples are gaining a certain level of satisfication by doing it themselves not to mention the substantial savings they realize.

I also like to hear couples discuss optional papers such as ceremony programs, place cards, menu cards and opting to not provide these items. Admittedly most guests glance at ceremony programs or use them as fans in hot settings, but the programs are rendered useless upon exiting the ceremony. Menu cards add fluff to the table or place setting and can contribute to the look of a stunning design, however the food tastes the same whether the menu is posted or not. For persons with allergies its nice to see the menu, however persons with severe allergies usually contact the couple to express wishes for compatible food.

I've been working closely with several local couples who have exceptional budgets and can hire the best product or service money will buy, however they have been expressing interest in DIY when they can. Not to save money but to work together as a couple, to take time to forge deeper connections and to say I love working side by side with you, let's do it always even after our wedding day.

I'm loving this great "new/old" trend and hope it spreads to other couples around the globe.

Engage!09::Something Blue

My inspiration for starting I Do Vow To came from attending "Engage!08:the encore"- the high impact luxury wedding business summit so it's only fitting that I attend the next summit in exactly one month. Engage!09:: Something Blue has been planned for Grand Cayman Island and will bring together the best of the best in the wedding industry from speakers to attendees.

Engage is for those wedding professionals interested in seeking advice and networking at a level not previously found at other conferences or seminars. Engage offers an intimate opportunity to interact, share ideas and candid conversation with speakers like Darcy Miller of Martha Stewart Weddings, Preston Bailey of Preston Bailey Designs, Randy Fenoli of Kleinfeld Bridal and Sylvia Weinstock of Sylvia Weinstock Cakes to name (drop) a few.

What makes this opportunity additionally fantastic is registration is limited so attendance truly is a privilege and should be an unforgettable experience. But first I have two destination weddings to coordinate then off to Engage.

I Do Vow To Coordinating Services

After viewing a fabulous marketing plan created by two very talented guys, I am moving forward with rolling out I Do Vow To not just as an added service to Fete Perfection but it's own entity. I can't wait to see the finished product and services but look for the I Do Vow To website and marketing materials targeting urban environmentalists that get excited about having a fabulous wedding but who are energized by making a positive difference in the lives of others long after their wedding.

I was able to preview the ad campaign which centers around I Do Vow To and can see this particular campaign will tug at heartstrings across the country. I can't wait! If all goes as planned this should be up and ready by June 21 - just before I head off to Engage:09 in the Cayman Islands.

Vintage Weddings - Vintage Gowns

I am so excited to attend the wedding of dear friends this weekend at Glensheen Mansion in Duluth. Besides being perfect for each other, they have a flair for everything vintage and classy. In fact they've themed their wedding in the 1920's era which is perfectly suited for the venue.

In my search for vintage wear and accessories I stopped into a shop I drive by at least weekly - Via's Vintage Wear at 2408 Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis. Wow, what a place...they have clothing, jewelry, undergarments, outerwear, hats, gloves and accessories galore. I spent over an hour just browsing and enjoyed a brief history lesson at the same time. On most of the tags Vias has a brief history of the item or era from which it came.

They also have bridal gowns for sale along with a small collection of veils - all the items are authentic and not reproductions and come from customers who have these treasures hanging in closests or folded in trunks long forgotten. It seems that most of the items come to Via's when parents or grandparents move out of the family home after 50 years and younger family members are left with cleaning or organizing estate sales which means inventory changes often.

Check out Via's Vintage Wear for your next event or just for fun. Talk about recycling!

I Do Vow To - Coordinate a Wedding at Blue Hill Farm

While doing research for a great new destination couple I serendipitously happened upon an exciting venue probably unknown to most of us Midwesterners but very well-known to those lucky enough to live in the Northeastern corner of the US. Blue Hill at Stones Barn in Pocantico, New York opened in 2004 as a working four-season farm and educational center just 30 minutes from New York City.

Their mission, which aliens perfectly with our commitment at I Do Vow To, is to create a consciousness about the everyday food choices we make. Here is a little history taken directly from their website: "For family proprietors Dan, David and Laureen Barber, Blue Hill is the name both for their two restaurants, and for the farm that inspired them.

"I used to walk up Blue Hill Road every week, for years; sometimes everyday. I loved Blue Hill Farm more than anything in the world.

"Back then it was a dairy run by two brothers. What a mess! They had cows pasturing in the front yard, for god's sake... And the barn and house were run-down and so dirty I couldn't believe it. And you know what? I loved it. I loved the open pastures, I loved the backdrop of blue hills, I loved that I felt like a queen every time I came up here.

"But whenever I told the brothers I wanted to buy the farm, they just laughed. ‘Lady,' they'd say, ‘This farm has been in our family for three generations. We're never selling.'

"I'd return the next week, and they'd say the same thing. ‘Never selling.' This went on for years.

"Then one day I arrived at the top of the hill and one of the brothers came running over to me. ‘Ma'am, do you still want to buy this farm?' I couldn't believe it. He didn't even let me answer. ‘My brother and I have gotten into the biggest fight. If we don't sell it now we're going to kill each other.' I told them I was interested. ‘Ma'am,' he said, ‘we're selling it now, or forget it. Right now.'

So there you have it straight from the horses mouth - what a great story. I can't wait to visit so I'm going to try to get there in May. I think there's a lot more than meets the eye...