your wedding blog by jen

Internship 2012

2011-12-28T22:13:00.000-08:00

Tis true.... Your Wedding by Jen is officially opening the doors for an intern for the 2012 wedding season. We are looking for ONE gal or guy to fill this spot and we are excited to see who fits the bill.

What will an intern do you ask? Ok here is the low down...
1. Work side by side with jen to design and orchestrate at least 4 full planning weddings.
2. Assist with love+bash ii 2012. (the badass wedding expo created by jen and Nikita Gross)
3. Contribute to weekly blog post
4. Assist with day of weddings.
5. Get a real world feel of the wedding industry and network! (at least one networking event is required)

What we are looking for....
1. is detail oriented (duh)
2. loves alternative design (but can do traditional also).
3. likes to work for free (a.k.a. Intern)
4. loves alternative style (we are not fans of cookie cutter)
5. can offer an opinion and take constructive criticism.
6. can shoot the shit with industry folk.
7. likes to have fun.
8. can handle a 16 hour work day on a Saturday.
9. can solve problems independently and quickly.
10. is badass.

How do I apply you ask?
Shoot an email to jen@yourweddingbyjen.com and I will send you an application. Skip the resume crap. I do not want it. The application is fun not stuffy. I want to get a feel for the real you.
XOXO
jen

My D.I.Y. wedding

2011-10-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

Let me start off by saying if you are planning a D.I.Y. wedding, you better be prepared to dedicate a HUGE amount of time to doing so. Being a D.I.Y. bride is hard work. Not only do you have the stress of being a bride but you are handcrafting a butt load of items that all your guests will be looking at. So they have to be awesome.
When I first got engaged we went right to vendor hiring. That was pretty easy for us since I already knew who I would want to have at our wedding. My problem was the design of the event. There were so many things I loved but I could not find them, or I didn't want to pay for them. (i became very cheap when it came down to paying for decor). We had no "theme" or color scheme, we just went with things we love. It was a hodge podge of randomness that meshed beautifully in the end.
My D.I.Y. list consisted of the following:
1. fabric bouquets (this was a trial and error situation, I thought I wanted funky printed fabric flowers but ended up with solid rolled fabric flowers. After I had made a bunch of the funky ones of course. Then I had to figure out how to assemble them into a bouquet! It took a while but I finally got it. They turned out awesome. Shown below is mine but I also made my girls' as well.

2. Painted silverware... UGH.. This was a project that took forever. Mainly because we wanted vintage silverware to paint, because the handles are so much more ornate. It took us months to find enough silverware for everyone. Once we did Shane took the liberty of painting them all. They turned out amazing as well. This was a job that I didn't think we would get finished, but we did.

3. I wanted to make candy buttons for the sweets table.. So I made a few. These things were messy as all get out. The buttons were so tiny they were hard to get out of the molds, but they were cute. We scattered them along the base of our cakes and other random areas on the dessert table.

4. Flower girl toss. I did not want to have our adorable flower girl toss flower petals, I though at first glitter or feathers but decided some fabric hearts would be much cooler. Plus I had a ton of fabric cut from my initial fabric flower idea.

5. Napkins. I wanted fun printed napkins for the tables. My original plan was to cut them and bind the edges, but since I put this project off till last minute I skipped the edge binding and just used pinking shears to create a cute little edge. They took forever as well because after cutting them all I had to press them so they laid nice and flat.

6. I also made the menu cards as seen above and our programs which I didn't take a photo of but they were cool! I will post pro pics once we get them back tomorrow. :) YAY!

7. Escort cards.. I ordered paper straws along time ago and wanted to use them somewhere. I went with the soda bottle and attached the escort cards onto them with a ribbon and stuck the straws on them as well. They were cute. :)

8. Table numbers.. I just cut numbers out of fabric and suck them on a piece of kraft paper and inserted them into an Ikea frame. Easy peasy.

9. A big project was the floral centerpieces. In the beginning I was going to make all fabric flowers for the centerpieces.. well... that didn't happen. So instead, after thrifting a mother load of vintage glass I decided I would use real flowers. I wanted to create a wildflower look that was not to "put together" looking. My friend Nikita and I went out 2 days prior to the wedding and started picking flowers from the side of the road like crazy people. Since it is early fall we lucked out with a ton of yellow, purple and white flowers. But I wanted more color so I went and bought a TON of bouquets from Kroger and took them apart and created our centerpieces. For this job, I had help from Shane and our friend/officiant. It took way longer than I thought it would to put all of the centerpieces together because I wanted a ton of smaller ones.
This is our kitchen after the flower arranging madness.

A few other things I made but are not pictured was the aisle decor, which was a few billy balls and some iron wedding tied together with a ribbon. They were attached to every other row of chairs. Simple yet pretty. CD's of all music for the prelude, ceremony and dinner. Boutonnières for the guys. I believe that is everything.

Sorry the photos are dark, they were all taken from my phone. I will be doing another post when we get our photos back from the amazing Steph Carson. You can get a sneak peek at our wedding by clicking on Steph's name. :)

erin + jeremy

2011-07-13T18:22:00.000-07:00

Erin was a client I had met because she was a friend of two of my previous brides, which I adore. When I met Erin I learned that her mom was used to New York weddings. Weddings which were full of glitz and glam and that is what she wanted. Also, that is what she achieved. An intimate wedding at the Hilton Netherland Plaza is still a beauty. With the French art deco decor at the Hilton and the huge floral designs by Courtenay Lambert there was nothing left small about this wedding. It was beautiful. Erin and Jeremy are an adorable couple and their families are as well. Check out the photos below and i know you will love what you see so lets give some credit to the amazing vendors!
Hair : Sam Hills, High Five Salon
Makeup: Nancy Dawson, BrideFace
Floral Design: Courtenay Lambert Florals
Venue: Hilton Netherland Plaza; Continental Ballroom
Cake: the BonBonnerie
Lighting: Goodwin Lighting
Band: The Chuck Taylors
DJ: Greg Lee

erin + jeremy by urweddingbyjen

love+bash

2011-07-12T11:38:00.000-07:00

OK OK.. I have been waiting to do a blog post about love+bash for awhile now so here it is.
Many of you know that Nikita Gross of Nikita Gross Photography and I worked our butts off to organize Cincinnati's first ever alternative bridal expo. We put many, many, many hours of planning into this event and I think in the end it showed. It was awesome! When we said "bad ass" we meant every syllable of it.
Honestly we had no idea what to expect. We had many bi-polar moments where we were so pumped and excited than we would start to panic and freak out a little. Our vendors were great and every time they said they were excited it gave Nikita and myself a little boost of confidence.
When the day finally came, it was raining, which made us even more nervous! As we were all unloading onto the sidewalks waiting to get into the Leapin Lizard every moment that passed we got more and more nervous, excited and anxious. So many emotions!
Once we got in it was "game-on."
Every vendor knew exactly what to do when it came to their displays. We were so excited to see everyone bring it, in terms of creativity and using love+bash as an outlet for that. Everyone got our vision perfectly.
As time went on, all of the fashion show models were upstairs getting their hair and make-up done. Downstairs was shaping up to look "bad ass" Nikita and I were running around like crazy checking everything and someone yelled "you have a line outside!" We were so excited, Nikita's motto through this whole adventure was "if we build it, they will come." From day one she said that, and I believed it and it happened. The turn out was awesome and so many brides, grooms, moms, and friends had FUN! It was not stuffy and people wanted to talk to the vendors. They loved what they saw and asked questions. It was exactly what we wanted. I know I felt a huge sense of accomplishment and pride once the day came to an end and I am 100% sure Nikita did as well. We could not have done it without the amazing vendors who participated and the bad ass couples who came to see. Thank you to everyone who was involved in making love+bash a success.
We are excited to start planning love+bash 2 and have many bright new ideas and BIGGER plans for the future. So take a peek at the 1ST annual love+bash!

love+bash by urweddingbyjen

kristen+andy=awesome!

2011-06-03T15:41:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to lie, the day I spoke to Kristen and Andy via pone call I was super excited and crossing my fingers they would book me. When they did book, I was beyond excited! Kristen and Andy live in Chicago (jealous) and both have style like no bodies business. They opted on having their wedding at Kristen's aunt and uncle's home in Pleasant Plains Ohio, which is just outside of Milford. Kristen's family went above and beyond with making sure Kristen and Andy had a perfect wedding. They even painted a wedding ring quilt square on the side of the barn in their colors. HOW CUTE!
There are so many fantastic details to this wedding, Andy made all of the pin wheels which played a major roll in the decor for the ceremony. He also brewed his own beer as favors. I am pretty sure I overheard that a family member grew the hops that he used as well. They had a polaroid guest book/ photo booth with awesome props, candy/dessert bar, claw foot bath tub full of great beers, and amazing friends and family to celebrate with. Honestly I can not even tell you how awesome this wedding was, the music was great (no dj!) they opted for karaoke starting at 10! The groom and his brother played music while Kristen walked up the aisle with her father, and the best part of the evening was when Andy surprised Kristen with a quartet disguised at catering staff singing "the luckiest" by ben folds, as their first dance song. I am pretty sure there was not a dry eye in the house! Even I was getting watery eyes!
Just look at the pics... which I had a hard time choosing a small amount to blog about, Jenna Davis did a phenominal job taking the photos! She captured every emotion just perfectly. Other vendors who were involved, BrideFace, Inspired Floral Design and Vondehaars Catering. Now on to the eye candy!

KRISTEN AND ANDY by urweddingbyjen

love+bash

2011-05-09T06:55:00.000-07:00

I am 100% sure most all of you have heard me blab about love+bash at least a 100 times. Especially if you are a fan on facebook.
Well now it is time for details! With one week to go we want everyone to understand what is going on!
With so many badass vendors, this is not a bridal show that you will want to miss out on. It is not a typical show. You will want to make eye contact with these vendors. If you have been to a bridal show you know EXACTLY what I am talking about.
Now, let's get to the good stuff.... the free stuff....
The huge prize is free photography from Nikita Gross Photography, $2,000 floral package from the badass Katie Elfers AKA Inspired Floral Design, Full Planning Package from ME!, Cinci Makeup is giving free makeup for the bride and Five Dot Design is giving a $500.00 credit towards stationery! Seriously! This is HUGE. That is over an 8500.00 prize. This is a prize where you have to send us your story. In order to do so visit Nikita Gross Photography's blog for full details.
There will also be a love+bash happy hour where many more prizes will be given away.
The first 50 couples through the door will get a swag bag full of awesome items. Not just business cards but actual stuff.
Nikita and I have put or heart, soul, blood (not really blood) but sweat and tears for sure into this event. We are sure it will be epic!
Do not be the bride who wished she went, just go! There is a bar, dj spinning cool tunes, a fashion show and DIY classes.
Tickets are available at CincyTicket.com
You can also visit the website at lovebash.com

love+bash

2011-02-20T20:40:00.000-08:00

Oh the things I have been working on.. CRAZY! I sometimes wonder why I feel the need to keep busy every second of my life. I do know that love+bash is the coolest thing I have worked on in a long, long time.
What is love+bash you may ask? Well let me give you the low down.
A while back I met with Nikita Gross, from Nikita Gross Photography simply as a networking kind of meeting.. at a bar..We both knew going into this meeting that we had to make time for a LONG meeting, because after looking at each others work, we knew we would be chatting for awhile. So we met and in all of about 20 minute we were talking about an "alternative bridal show" something that would attract the kind of clients we would love to work with. A show that would NOT showcase the "generic" vendors, but something that would show off the awesome artistic talent in this area. The talent that can make a wedding friggin' awesome! The kind of vendors that you see in blogs and swoon over. The kind of vendors who know that there is more to a wedding than a zilllion dollar budget and who can make awesomeness happen.
After our initial meeting and the "holy shit we HAVE to do this.." we met again at my house, and love+bash was born. Not only was a friendship created but a passion was sparked. We knew that we had to show brides in this area that there is more to bridal shows than what they are used to seeing. We want to show brides that not all bridal shows have to be scary! And they are. I know, I went to one of the bigger ones a little while back and I was scared to even look at a vendor! I felt like an asshole! And to be honest, I felt bad for the vendors that were there! WHY in the hell do people feel like they have to whore themselves like that? If you do good work, you do not have to attack poor brides like vultures and make them think weddings are still like they were 25 years ago! THEY ARE NOT!! Weddings now are all about you! What you like, your style, your love for your love! Not some generic, stupid, cheese-ball gathering. The kind where people are saying"oh shit we have to go to a wedding this weekend." In their "oh crap" voice. We don't want your guest to think that at all!
We are 100% committed to making love+bash a party for both brides, grooms, moms and dads, as well as the vendors involved. We want brides to be able to see ideas rather than hear about them. We want brides to walk away with do-it-yourself ideas and direction. You will see some cutting edge and alternative fashions at the fashion show. You will rock out to some serious tunes, have a drink and have fricking fun! This is not a bridal show that you will be attacked at. Brides will want to talk to the vendors, and will not be afraid to make eye-contact! We want to achieve an event like atmosphere, where people are proud to show off work in a non-booth setting. Also where brides want to chat it up with the vendors! We want you to have an awesome wedding whether you use us or not! That is the point of love+bash! Get inspiration, meet amazing vendors, have fun! So make sure to mark your calendars for May 15, 2011 at Leapin Lizard in Covington, KY! You will not want to miss the tri-state area's first and only badass bridal show!
Oh one more thing.. where would we be without facebook? Go "like" the page to keep up with the details and other useful wedding tips, inspiration, and ideas! Visit love+bash's facebook page!

sarah+matthew

2011-02-06T19:28:00.000-08:00

How terrible is it that I am just now blogging a wedding I did last May!?!
I am going to tell a long story about Sarah and Matthew, because I worked with them for almost 2.5 years! I met Sarah and her mom at a bridal show I used to do when I was in the wedding mall in Covington. When Sarah said her wedding was well over 2 years away I did not think I would hear from her any time soon. Mostly because I had never had a bride who allowed for so much time to plan. Well need less to say, I did hear from her and booked her and Matthew.
I knew when I met with Sarah, her mom and Matthew, that this crew was going to be a hoot. I laughed with them at pretty much every meeting we had. Matthew was DEAD SET against having pink in his wedding. He was a manly military kind of guy. He was not in the "ok, she is the bride and wants it" kind of stage yet. We toyed with many color schemes starting with navy and silver. Which was very elegant. Sarah knew what she wanted. I knew she knew, and I also knew that eventually Matthew would agree. :)
Sarah was a girlie girl when it came to her wedding. She wanted pinks, glam, vintage, and sparkle and there was no changing that. After I got to know Matthew a little better I saw how he was a funny guy who just wanted to have a fun, elegant wedding for his guest. A few months (maybe even a year) went by and the next thing I knew we were having a pink, black and ivory with a vintage twist kind of wedding. I loved it. I loved this couple so much. Their humor and how they laughed all of the time was inspiring. I knew I had to add in some manly touches to this pink wedding, I didn't want Matthew to feel like he got shafted at all. Matthew loves good cigars and good beer. Sarah loves reading and vintage. With the two put together I came up with some fantastic centerpieces. I took thrifted books, thrifted beer mugs, wooden cigar boxes and a lot of pink florals and went to town. Myself and Katie Elfers created a perfect mix of girlie and manly. It was perfect.
To add to Matthew's needs as a guy, we provides a smoke room with cigars. I am pretty sure I got this couple from hello. I just had to help Matthew see that it is ok for a guy to have some pink at his wedding.
Sarah grandmother provided the pink peonies from her garden and Sarah's necklace. Matthew's aunt made the crazy chocolate grooms cake which had like 5-7 different kinds of chocolate and it smelled amazing! Sarah's step-mom made the table numbers. I loved how the family came together to create little special touches. Check out their photo board!
Vendors were:
Reception: The Syndicate
Florist: Katie Elfers
Cake: Tres Belle
Photography: Varland Photography
DJ: McFadden
Stationery: Giddy Ink

sarah+matthew by urweddingbyjen

Finding a venue that doesn't suck.

2011-01-22T20:15:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to lie, Cincinnati is NOT over saturated with awesome venues for a wedding. Especially if you are a bride who wants something different and affordable. It seems that most venues are your typical brass chandelier, dropped ceiling, hideous carpeted standard venue. Unfortunately brides think that is what is expected. WHY? It is so not required to have an ugly venue for your wedding reception. Believe it or not there are a few good places in the area and I am sure this applies to any area. You really have to think outside of the box. Stop putting "wedding venue" in your google search if you are not finding something amazing! Start putting in art centers/galleries, parks, historic homes, theaters, vineyards, meeting space, loft space, even night clubs!
You will be surprised at how many of these places will host a wedding reception. AND be within your budget! I have no idea why some brides think a venue like this is even close to being acceptable..

Let's look at everything that is hideous about this place..
First of all those chairs! UGH! Who even came up with this idea? Yes they can be covered, but that is not free. Next what the hell are those artificial trees doing besides looking tacky? Let's not even talk about the lighting or the carpet. How about that pillar in the middle of the room? Pretty useful huh? This is a standard wedding reception venue. WHY? Why do people even do this? I mean if some place is going to charge say a $12,000 minimum food and beverage why not make the space look awesome? I am not saying this space requires this. As a matter of fact I have no idea where this space is, but it looks like many other places in this area.
I will be brutally honest, the wedding industry is a hard nut to crack. With price mark ups, and an over saturated vendor market it is hard for a bride. Even with the bazillion websites and blogs out there it is hard. Why? Because they are not realistic. I mean sure, many websites and blogs have tons of BEAUTIFUL photos, ideas and inspiration but where are the ones that are realistic in terms of budget? They are few and far between. And lets face it most of us are not working with a $100,000 budget. So you need to find the best bang for your buck. Is a venue that looks like that above what you would call your best option? NO! Even for a traditional bride this is not a good buy. When I am working with clients I NEVER, EVER send them to a cookie cutter venue. EVER! There are other options. Affordable options at that. So even if you are not working with a planner please keep looking before you settle. You do not have to have your wedding here.

Out of Town Clients.

2010-11-17T10:10:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to lie. I LOVE clients who are coming from another place to get married here in Cincinnati. The story with most is they lived here as children, went off to college and now live in another state. Leaving their families behind can only mean coming home for the wedding.

Anyways, I booked Kristin and Andy this past summer via conference call. After emailing Kristin a few times I knew I loved her and definitely wanted to work with them. They live in Chicago, ummmmm... jealous! Chicago is my favorite day trip vacation spot. I would totally live there if we could pick up everything and relocate our businesses on a whim. Well that is just not realistic in my world.

Kristin was talking to me about her vendors and said her photographer is kinda new and she is going to travel down from Indianapolis. In my brain I was panicking. A newer photographer traveling all the way here.. hmmm... okay if you say so.

Well they had the engagement shoot and sent me a link. My mouth hit the floor! FANTASTIC! What an awesome surprise. First of all the locations they went to... LOVE! Next the photographer did a wonderful job all together. I wanted to share a few of Kristin and Andy's shots. If you want to see more go on over to Jenna Davis Photography's website by clicking here.

Coming soon....

2010-10-26T19:45:00.000-07:00

Yes, my blogging time has been cut to pretty much zilch but I promise there are some good post on the horizon.
Some posts that are long overdue and coming soon are:

Sarah and Matthew

Ari and Jeremy

Krystie and Norb

Andrea and Zach

That is a good start.

Caroline and Flee!!

2010-07-13T17:30:00.000-07:00

Awe seriously? You know you have an awesome photographer when it takes 2 hours to pick just the photos you love. It took that long because they all are amazing!
Caroline's wedding was absolutely gorgeous down to every last detail. Such a romantic feel to the whole event, not to mention a smoking hot bride! Caroline has as smile that is absolutely contagious. She was awesome to work with.
The vendor team in place was nothing short of perfect. I could not have asked for a better team to work with. It makes all the difference in the world when your vendors are true professionals. Here is the team:
St. Xavier Church
The Hilton: Hall of Mirrors
Adora Event Rentals
Courtenay Lambert Florals
The BonBonerie
Poeme
Steph Carson Photography
Studio Z Films
Goodwin Lighting
Bride Face
Jen Nally
Gold Key Limo Bus
Popular Choice Ensemble
Maize Music

Caroline and Flee by urweddingbyjen

For the boyz....

2010-07-07T21:02:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I have talked about the boyz who are involved in weddings so I think it is about time I get to talking. Once again I am looking to Etsy to provide lots of awesome ideas for the guys in your wedding party as well as the main boy, the groom.
You know me, always looking for something different. Something I have not seen in one of my weddings. So lets start with some cuff links. I will say that 95% of the guys will be wearing them. So you can either use the ones they give you when you rent the tuxes or you can get something that is a bit cooler. These little motorcycle cuff links are pretty darn cute. You can find them right here.

Then I also found these nautical stars by the same seller and I love these also! Want them? Click here.

Ok I am a sucker for cassette tapes. I was a child of the 80's so what.. These are totally rad and if you like you should click here.

Ok enough on the cuff links I could find a thousand more. How about some cool ties? Even if you are a more traditional bride, these can work. When they guys have their jackets buttoned no one will see the silk screening but once they are off you have a pretty awesome tie. They may even wear it after the wedding? Yes! Do you love? Then click here girl!

I also love boutonnieres that are fun and different. These little feather numbers are super cute and I think this would be a simple DIY project if you are in to the do it yourself thing. If not you can always just click here to buy them.

So those are a few little things that you can give to your guys that maybe they will actually like. Also don't forget when shopping on Etsy that almost every seller on there is willing to create custom orders for you. If you see a style you love never hesitate to convo the seller and ask for it the way you want it to be.

Happy Wedding Season!

2010-05-12T11:37:00.000-07:00

WOW! I have been a blogging SLACKER! Honestly though I have had good reason for that. I will give you all the short version:

My lease was up in February for my studio and I had the hardest time trying to decide on re-newing. I knew that if I had to really talk myself into the re-new then it probably was not worth it. So I went ahead and chose to move my office into my house. After all I was working more from home then in my studio anyways so it was a very sensible plan. So there that is and done...

On to the next topic at hand.

Recently I have been playing around with lots of feathers and went ahead and decided to make some bridal hair pieces. At first I was making just funky everyday whatever hair pieces. Now I have moved on to bridal. I am really having fun with feathers, and vintage inspired fascinator hats as well as birdcage veils. I have to tell you this is a challenging thing for me. Because I am a perfectionist as a wedding planner. When using feathers I am literally picking through every single plume and piece for the perfect feather. It takes FOREVER! All of the items are hand stitched and also perfectly stitched. On most you can not even find the stitching. So far I only have one completed fascinator hat with veil but I am working on a few others right now. I have been lucky at the antique malls finding lots of vintage lace and fun items to incorporate into these pieces.

My season is kicking off with some great venues to start with such as the Syndicate, Stonelick Hills Golf Course and the Hilton's Hall of Mirrors for this month. So much fun will be had!

DIY'er gets Married!!!

2010-03-08T20:58:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you take Etsy store owner Bianca and her wedding and mix them together? Well you get a mad dose of awesomeness, that's what.

Now Bianca has not just one but two Etsy stores. The first one is called Alter-Eco Clothing where you will find a seriously awesome line of handmade clothing. All crafted from organic fabrics, recycled materials and non-toxic fabric paints. Her second store is Black Widow DIY where you will find tons of reconstructed band shirts as well as loads of really cool street wear.
Now back to this wedding... Bianca is a special kind of bride because not only is she super creative but she has mad sewing skills as well. So naturally one would expect someone with these talents to create her own wedding wear by hand and that is just what she did. She made her wedding dress and it is AMAZING!!! She did not stop there though she also made her bridesmaids dresses, her garter and probably everything that involved fabric. I can not tell you how many times I hear brides say they are having a hard time finding dresses for their girls. So clearly this is one solution to finding the perfect dress. I love the fact that Bianca added the damask corsets to the dresses.
I know you are probably dying to see the photos so I will not keep talking. The last thing I want to throw out there is that Bianca has her wedding dress for sale in her Etsy shop. So if you think you want it you can click here to get the scoop. Now on with the eye candy!!!!

Bianca of Alter-Eco by urweddingbyjen

cake coppers do the robot..

2010-03-03T12:02:00.000-08:00

Long over due blog post to say the least. But nonetheless I have a treat for you today.

Recently I joined a group called DIYSCENE and have been meeting so many talented girls and boys who are totally DIY goddesses and gods. It is really awesome to see a group of people using their talents and making such awesome goods. I will post some info at the bottom of this post if you want to check it out. I have seen some great "weddingish" ideas on this site and it is fun because all of these kids are Etsy shop owners and post their new handmade goods. So I feel like I am getting to preview the awesomeness right when it is getting posted.

I want to introduce this Etsy seller to you because she made the coolest cake topper I have seen in a long time. I felt it was my duty to share it with you people. Sleepy Robot 13 is the name of her Etsy Shop and you can just get there by clicking right ------> HERE <-------
So take a quick peek at these polymer cuties..

You can order them by clicking right ----> HERE <----

As many of you know I mention Etsy pretty often in this blog. Mostly because that is where you are going to find some really creative designs for your wedding from dresses to flower alternatives and everything in between.

You can visit my Etsy shop right HERE!

And if you want more info on joining DIYSCENE you can click the banner below.

YUMMY and AWESOME!

2010-02-11T08:17:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for something different when it comes to your wedding cake?
Something other then cupcakes, or individual table cakes? Well feast your pretty eyes on these! I am going to just call them cake balls, although they really deserve a better name then that because they are amazing.
Now this baker is in the UK but I am sure that if you show these to any of the competent local bakers they could make them as well. Enjoy!

Bridesmaid dresses from Anthropology = love

2010-02-09T19:33:00.000-08:00

I love getting the Anthropology catalog in the mail. This month there were a few really cute dresses with tons of wedding potential and the prices are not to shabby. Especially since your girls will more then likely wear it after the wedding.

So this little number above is the most expensive of the four totaling out at $168.00

Oh hi up there.. this little pretty is a whopping $118.00!!

And you my lovely little chartreuse dream up there = $138.00

And last but not least my little ray of sunshiny goodness can be owned for $158.00

Indie Wed in Chicago

2010-02-01T20:13:00.000-08:00

What is "Indie"? Some may ask..

According to the dictionary, 'indie' is an informal version of the wordindependent.

Although this definition is accurate, the word has come to mean more. For many, it has come to symbolize originality and forward-thinking, especially in music and design.

By this definition, indie is any business or designer that is not associated with a large company. Indie can also define the consumer who chooses to support small business, independent record labels and handmade items rather than shopping at big-box stores.

When you mix Indie and Wedding together basically you just get a mess of awesomeness more or less.

I have to say, I am pretty glad I decided to go check out Indie Wed in Chicago this past Saturday. It was my main reason for planning a long weekend in Chicago.

Mostly of all the event itself made me happy to be the kind of wedding planner that I am. If that even makes sense. More or less it was nice to see a room full of indie vendors from tattooed covered hair piece creators, sexy pin up boudoir studios, tons of green stationery vendors, raw chocolates, amazing gown and dress designers and so on. OH.. and a female duo who seemed to be the two coolest dj's I have ever seen. There were so many more but you can go here to see the entire list. Of course all these cool kids are in Chicago, but some I will be selling goods for in my Cincinnati boutique starting in March.

The turn out was pretty amazing and we waited in line for about 30 minutes to get in even though we bought advance tickets online but it was worth it.
The venue was pretty cool overall. It was held at the Ravenswood Event Center. Which is a three story event center where every floor has a bit different twist to it. The first floor was really cool with vintage cars and motorcycles lining the walls a very open loft type space with a very industrial type feel. The second floor was a nice size loft space big windows and a clean blank slate to work with. Nice original wood floors with two spaces inside. The third floor was a bit smaller with a HUGE window and a nice rooftop deck same wood floors and raw space. I would kill for this space to be picked up and dropped in Cincinnati. We do not have any good loft space here. Yes we have two "loft type" venues but neither are large enough for an average size wedding. I am very jealous of Chicago for having an over abundance of loft type spaces.
On to the vendors... wow what can I say they were all so awesome. The best thing about this event was I felt inspired by these people. Every now and then I tend to question myself as a "wedding vendor" I often wonder if maybe I may be a little to "Offbeat" for some Cincinnati area brides. But when I walked into this event I felt very much at home. I also realized that these are the people who are whipping out some of the most amazing and creative wedding thingies ever made. Which is what is important here, not what we look like or wear. Well to a degree anyways, I mean clearly you do not want a dirty stinky vendor but I think you know what I mean. We are the ones embarking on new territory when it comes to your wedding. We are the ones who will make your wedding cool, unique and awesome. And I don't mean just for indie brides I mean ALL brides.
The vendors at this event were so very different then walking into BridalRama. There was no pressure and we were not attacked to fill out this and that. The vendors were genuinely friendly and really just out there to meet the couples and answer questions. It was nice! It was really nice! I think brides should experience a bridal show just to say they did it. There are some great vendors and deals to be had at them. I just wish they could experience a show of that caliper in this area. Another cool thing about the Indie Wed show was the vendors who were there were also selling their items. Traditional bridal shows are just displays and you can not buy anything at them.
So on to the photos..

Indie Wed by urweddingbyjen

Cute Finds..

2010-01-24T21:26:00.000-08:00

Today I found these adorable paper suitcases made by Pink Loves Brown. I love these and the price is pretty darn inexpensive too. {11.50 - 14.50}

These would make PERFECT out of town boxes for your out of town guests. Just attach a cute "Thank You" luggage tag and you are set. Just click the photos to visit the website. I think I am going to order some for the studio.

2010-01-22T19:58:00.001-08:00

Who are we to say.....

2010-01-21T10:29:00.000-08:00

That same sex couples can not get married??
This is something that has driven me INSANE for years and continues to ruffle my feathers pretty much daily. Clearly this is an issue that everyone will have a different opinion on, but my opinion as a wedding professional and a human being is, if someone is in love we should not put barriers on their legal rights! Not only does this pose issues with the couple not being able to legally say they are married but it comes down to WAY more then that.
The United States has diversity, we should honor that and be grateful, not suppress it. Who wants to live in a country where everyone is the exact same and can not be who they are comfortable being?
This is a very generic post, because I do not want to go off on a massive tangent. So I am keeping it simple but everyone should know the facts which are listed below.
As of June 3, 2009, six states have full marriage equality: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont (as of Sept 1), Maine (as of Sept 14), and now New Hampshire.

15 Reasons Why Marriage Matters
From Marriage Equality USA

1	Marriage offers 1,138 Federal benefits and responsibilities , not including hundreds more offered by every state.
2	In times of crisis, spouses have hospital visitation rights and can make medical decisions in event of illness or disability of their spouse.
3	Employers offer spouses sick leave, bereavement leave, access to health insurance and pension.
4	The law provides certain automatic rights to a person's spouse regardless of whether or not a will exists.
5	Married couples in elderly care facilities are generally not separated unless one spouse's health dictates hospitalization or special care.
6	Married couples are permitted to give an unlimited amount of gifts to each other without being taxed.
7	The law presumes that a married couple with both names on the title to their home owns the property as "tenants by the entirety."
8	A married couple, by statute, has creditor protection of their marital home.
9	Many married people are entitled to financial benefits relating to their spouses, such as disability, pension and social security benefits.
10	With marriage, a couple has the right to be treated as an economic unit and to file joint tax returns (and pay the marriage penalty), and obtain joint health, home and auto insurance policies.
11	When a spouse dies, there is no need to prove ownership of every item in the household for taxable purposes.
12	A child who grows up with married parents benefits from the fact that his or her parents' relationship is recognized by law and receives legal protections.
13	Spouses are generally entitled to joint child custody and visitation upon divorce (and bear an obligation to pay child support).
14	The mark of a strong family and healthy children is having parents who are nurturing, caring, and loving. Parents should be judged on their ability to parent, not by their age, race, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.
15	For adults, a stable, happy marriage is the best protector against illness and premature death. Decades of research have clearly established these links. (Burman & Margolin, 1992; Dawson, 1991; Verbrugge, 1979). So clearly this is not just a matter of being able to express love to one another by having a celebration. It is so much more deep rooted. For more information click the banner below.

Boudior Photos...

2010-01-18T22:25:00.000-08:00

One thing that I love about my career is the fact that sometimes I see something cool and I just feel like I should try it. Mainly so I can give good first hand information to my clients but sometimes, just because it looks like too much fun not to try. Take boudior photos for instance. Now these can be tricky to some, because lets face it not all of us like to get nearly naked in front of someone armed with a camera. Now I adore the idea of this mini photo sessions for a few reasons.

1. You get to get your hair and makeup done.
2. Your soon to be hubby is going to be blown away by the photos.
3. You may get some new lingerie.
4. You are going finish up the shoot feeling like a sexy little kitten.

A few years ago I decided that I would go ahead and try this boudior shoot just to see what it is all about. So I went ahead and booked an amzing photographer here in Cincinnati, Tine Hofmann from TM Photography. I booked Tine not only because her photography blows me away but also because she is a she. I figured I would feel more at ease with a woman doing these photos. I was definity nervous when the day came, but I went and had my makeup done and came home to wait for Tine. I did not go out and buy anything new for the photos so I really had no clue what I would be wearing for this event. Tine arrived and she scouted out my house then she said "take me to your closet." From there she started pulling out things I probably had not worn in 10 years. I trusted her judgement and went with it. So with a bed covered in some girlie things she told me what to put on first then come down stairs. Yes I felt a little bit odd for all of 1 1/2 minutes. Tine immediately put me at ease. Told me where to go how to sit, lay stand, whatever. After about 6 changes of attire and two - three hours we were done. I never in a million years thought I would have so much fun standing in front of someone, being nearly nude, taking photos.
So for the girls out there who are trying to come up with a gift that your fiance will love. I think this is a perfect idea.
I am not going to post my personal photos, but here are a few from random photographers.

Lauren and Chad

2010-01-07T21:06:00.000-08:00

I loved this couple. They were so much fun to work with and had an amazing vendor group! Which I love like crazy. Also they went to a number of locations for photos. Which I love too. It is so possible logistically when you have a great photographer in place. Lauren and Chad did photos at the Art Museum where the ceremony and reception took place, Eden Park and Great American Ballpark. When you are doing multiple locations it is crucial to stay on time and a good photographer knows that and does it. So take a peek at how much fun they had and how amazing they looked!

Lauren and Chad by urweddingbyjen

Vendors for Lauren and Chad's wedding were as follows:
Photographer: Daniel Michael
Videographer: Iconography
Florist: Courtenay Lambert
Cake: Maribelle Cakery
Lighting: Goodwin Lighting
Stationery: Amo-Ink
DJ: Maize Music
Location: Cincinnati Art Museum

Stacey and Darrell...

2010-01-06T21:39:00.000-08:00

Recently I have been going through all of my past wedding photos and can not believe how many I did not blog about!
When it is wedding season I think there comes a point when all of the sudden you are getting massive amounts of photos from the photographers and brides. I tend to have to set some aside to keep up with my current clients during this time.
I was happy to find this set of photos and they are from two years ago! Wow! Still very cool!

Turfway Park by urweddingbyjen

Design tip #1 "I just want something different....."

2010-01-05T23:53:00.000-08:00

I am willing to bet that I have heard this from every single one of my clients.
Now when I hear that, I immediately think "let's rock it out" BUT I have to quickly pull back on my reins and take a hard look at the couple and really figure out what their idea of different means.
These days EVERYONE wants their wedding to be personalized and when they think personalized the brain immediately goes to a monogram. Which is great, don't get me wrong I love them, in moderation though. It is easy for me to say that a monogram is not different. I see them at every single wedding. Often though I think many couples may feel that this is what will set their wedding apart from others. Unfortunately that is not the case. The things that will set your wedding apart from others are the other little or big details. The things that even I have yet to see.
I think the foundation of these details begins with the bride and groom.
What do you love? Individually and as a couple? What is your everyday personal style? Do not even think wedding when answering these because then you will just be mentally tricked and go into things that you see on wedding websites and everything else wedding that your eyes gaze upon. Your answers will become flowers and feathers and beads. When really those are not the things you love daily.
I will use myself for an example...
Things I love are.. vintage costume jewelry, music, art deco, and early 1900's architecture.
My personal style... "feminine tough".. Basically I love black anything and add some great accessories.
So with that in mind it would be super easy to design a wedding based on that information. The catch, it would be different, and personalized. Because I am an individual. My likes are not everyone else's likes. So when designing a wedding if you pull your details from the things you like/love then you will be amazed at what starts flowing from the right side of your brain.
Often times people become so obsessed at making their wedding different by spending hours online looking at photos and ideas from other people's weddings. It becomes a frustrating struggle for the researcher, because they just can not find the things that appeal to them.
Instead of searching wedding related photos try searching one of your likes. For example, I would google "art Deco" images. Some of the results would include some really cool signs with amazing font types. I would see some breath taking architectural structures among other things like art deco prints and so on. First thing that comes to mind for me is the stationary. See that was not so hard. From there you just start building and incorporating.
I hope that helps some of you out there who may be struggeling with the actual design and creating the over all look for your "different, personalized" wedding.

Check out some of YWBJ's 2009 couples... Sooo hot

2009-12-29T19:30:00.000-08:00

A few of our 2009 couples by urweddingbyjen

Kristen & Kyle.....

2009-12-28T20:03:00.000-08:00

What can one say when you have a bride that looks like her and a groom that looks like him other then.. AHHHHHH!!! They will have amazingly gorgeous babies.

Kristen and Kyle have some serious style and I LOVED working with them. It was really difficult trying to pick which photos I would post because they ALL were so amazing. I love when that happens. Cindy Wagner and her team did such a great job with the photography. Working with them made my job so easy. So on with the eye candy..

Courtenay Lambert Florals did all of the flowers for Kristen and Kyle's wedding and I must say she did a freaking awesome job. You will see more of her work below.

The ceremony and reception took place at French House in French Park. We could not have asked for a better day. The flowers were all in full bloom, sun was shining and the temperature was perfect.

Kristen and Kyle created their escort card holder with old corks and twisted wire in the shapes of hearts and flowers. It turned out adorable.

Their cake was made by Jerry's Cheese Cake.. One of my favorites. For the first time ever I had to decorate the cake and let me say that freaked me out. All I could think about was messing that cake up by putting a flower in the wrong spot. It turned out perfect though and tasted soooo good. I loved that she used fabric flowers from an Etsy seller for the cake.

Jeff Thomas did all of the catering and I do not need to say it was done with perfection. I love working with Jeff and his team. They always do a perfect job and are like clock work when it comes to perfection. The food was amazing.

The linens were all rented through me (yes I do linen rentals as well) She choose an eggplant pintuck with a pewter crushed romance runner and napkins.

Each table had a few small arrangements. All in vintage glass, the flowers were so cool and fit the table setting perfectly. The flowers ranged from succulents, to berries to hydrangeas and fiddle ferns and a mess of color in between. They popped really well on the linens.

T-Sly band was soooooo much fun! I had a lot of fun with these guys all night long. They had every guest out dancing through out the entire night.

It is sooooo hard to find a vintage car these days BUT not for my clients. I have a guy who literally has a mad fleet of cars. All types of cars too. I believe he said he has almost 15 different styles of vintage cars to date. The guys is so cool. He dresses like a vintage chauffeur and is always early and just an all around fun guy.

WE LOVE YOU!!!!

2009-12-21T23:29:00.000-08:00

Reflecting back on the year I have to say that each and every one of YWBJ's 2009 clients were so awesome. I feel like I am pretty fortunate to get such amazing couple's each and every year. Obviously they are the ones that keep me coming back for more. They give me the inspiration to want to give you, my new clients more. So with that being said, this year I am offering a pretty sweet booking incentive for the 2010 clients!
Starting now, when you book either Day of, Partial Planning, or Full Service Planning, you will receive you choice of complimentary hair or makeup for your wedding day.
You will have the option of having your hair done at the awesome Shane Weber Salon and that does include your trial. You will also receive 20% off any skin care service at the salon as well!
OR
You may choose to have your makeup done by the amazing Chenese Bean. You will receive her blushing bride package and with this option you will also get your trial.
Over the years I have found that brides seem to almost always ask for a hair and/or makeup recommendation. Therefore I think this will be a great way to take at least one thing off of your to-do list and say thank you as well.
This offer will be good through March and is for the bride only.
Want more details? Just email Jen by clicking here.

2010 brings awesomeness!!!

2009-12-10T17:06:00.000-08:00

With 2009 coming close to an end Your Wedding by Jen has been busy with the 2010 goals as well as some smashing new additions for our clients as well as non-clients! For our clients you can expect....

** ONLINE PLANNING! (this is in effect now)!
All of our clients will receive a link and a password. With this you will be able to access your "workbook". Within this workbook you will find all of your vendors info and contracts, budget, a to-do calender, a file with all of your inspiration photos and boards, and much more. You can also plan the parties that you may not need us to do. You can create guest list and track RSVP's for your showers and other pre-wedding party all on your own.

** DIY BINDERS
Over the course of the year we have compiled a mad mess of DIY projects. We have categorized them and put them all in binders with photos and instructions for our clients to browse through. You will also find many customizable templates. This will eliminate the hours upon hours spent searching the internet for that perfect project.

For our clients as well as non-clients you will see....

** RETAIL!!!
I am sooooo excited about this new element of Your Wedding by Jen. Within the next 4 months you will be seeing feather bouquets and other non-floral items to carry, hair embellishments, bridal belts, wedding and reception decor! We have found many amazing Etsy sellers who will be providing us with some of these sweet items. Which means you will be getting some really amazing and original pieces for your wedding day.

** NEW LINEN FABRICS!
We have added a large amount of new fabrics for your table linens as well as chair covers, sashes, runners and now Chivari chair pad covers.

Photo of the Night....

2009-12-01T19:02:00.000-08:00

Check out this Ohio bride...

Indie Wed = awesomeness

2009-11-24T17:50:00.000-08:00

On January 30 all you bridez need to hop in your car for a road trip to Chicago to spend the day at the Indie Wed Wedding Show & Market.
This show is for the unconventional bride who is looking for a unique twist for her wedding. You will find a group of 50 plus vendors not only hosting booth space but also selling their goods, which makes this bridal show unique.
There will also be musical performances and fashion shows (which is the biggest reason I want to go). The event is being held at the Ravenswood Event Center which is an amazing event space that I dream about coming to Cincinnati. Amazing urban loft space with outdoor patios. LUV!
So anyhow... check the flyer and get some tickets! OH and the best part is they are only 15.00 for a set!
See you kidz there!

This is what a perfect wedding ceremony looks like......

2009-11-20T12:16:00.000-08:00

Lauren and Chad had a gorgeous wedding and reception at the Cincinnati Art Museum this past September. Jason Merkt from Iconography Video shot this awesome video of the ceremony and it looks amazing. Check it out.

Chad & Lauren Wedding from Jason Merkt on Vimeo.

Feathers and Fabric.. Oh My....

2009-11-12T18:41:00.000-08:00

Nothing says sassy like feathers and I am absolutely in love with all feather bouquets as well as those made of fabric. How cool are these babies and you could coordinate the colors like mad. If I were getting married I would totally rock one of these without batting a lash. Choosing just one would be the difficult part. After a few hours of browsing google images and flicker I found that Etsy has the best selection and the sellers have mad skillz when it comes to creating these feathery lovelies so take a peek and if you love one or want to see more the etsy seller's link is just a click away!

Visit this etsy seller by clicking here... I am pretty sure she is my favorite.

Love these colors together! Visit this seller here

Love the combination of vintagey colored fabrics, and the vintage bling. See her here.

Then this amazing felt and fabric bouquet is found right here.

Fun color choices see the pink bouquet right here!

Get your face ready girl!

2009-11-09T20:41:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I am sort of embarrassed to say this but to me skin care used to consist of target brand makeup remover wipes and eye make up remover. I would always complain about how I am 30 something and still have acne like I am 15. I never really understood why because I remove my makeup. Duh!! So after much pressuring I finally went in to Shane Weber Salon and had a facial. Now understand, I have had a facial before at a salon/spa type place and when I walked out I was expecting a miracle but was quickly disappointed when I looked in the mirror to see not a single change from when I walked in. So that experience sort of had me entering the salon with little expectations on a huge change or even a little change.

When I walked into the salon I was greeted by Stephany the skin care specialist at Shane Weber Salon and was handed a form to fill out. Basically asking a good amount of skin related questions as well as a few health related. Once I completed the form Stephany took me back into the skin room and explained what her plan of attack would be. So I got ready, laid on the bed and was told to relax as she got to work. Initially I had a hard time relaxing, mainly because I was expecting the same results as the first facial I had, but I also have issues with people being in my facial area and not being able to see what they are doing. Well, needless to say that lasted about 5 minutes, at that point I was totally relaxed and about to fall asleep. Stephany explained what she was doing each time she did something different which was very comforting to me. After much cleansing she examined my skin under an intensely bright light. In my head I was thinking "oh my god she is looking at all of my skin in all of its horrific grossness".. Ha.. Once she looked over it she told me what the issues were and how we needed to treat it. I said "okay" and we went on with the facial. After about an hour and a half and about 20 minutes of that included some really amazing massage action, I was all finished. She left the room so I could get dressed and the only thing I could think about was walking back out into the salon with no makeup on and my face looking like crap. So I took about 5 extra minutes to exit the skin room. I walked out and she immediately took me over to a mirror to check it out. I was pretty much blown away. My bare naked skin looked amazing! I could not believe how good it looked. So needless to say I was sold. She gave me a list of products that I should get with no pressure what so ever to buy them. Well, of course I am buying them if my skin can look like this all the time I will buy whatever it takes! Stephany showed me the products that I should have to start with and I eagerly bought them. Then she gave me detailed instructions on how and when to use them. I was also informed that it will take about 4-6 weeks before I see a real improvement. I was thinking wow I already see a huge improvement, so in 4-6 weeks I cannot even imagine what my skin will look like. I left the salon very happy that I came in for the "dreaded facial". Later that night I pulled out the boxes of Dermalogica products that I had purchased as well as the directions on how and when to use what. It took me about a half hour to get familiar with the products and get the routine down but now it takes about 5 minutes.
So my point is girls, for your wedding day you can't wait till the last minute to get your skin in shape. Even those who are still a year out why wait until you are two months away to get started? Yes, photographers can photoshop your skin imperfections but they cannot create a healthy glow like good skin care can. When the skin care routine is customized to your specific needs it makes a huge difference.
You can contact Stephany at Shane Weber Salon by calling 513.221.6500 to schedule an appointment. I can assure you that you will walk out totally ecstatic by the initial results.

Robin and Craig details...

2009-11-08T21:08:00.000-08:00

Robin and Craig had a gorgeous wedding and reception both at Manor House. Here are a few of the details that tied the whole event together.

First Dance anyone?? If my heart was a house... Owl City

2009-11-05T09:23:00.000-08:00

I love first dance songs and this one makes me smile a lot! Owl City is so amazing.

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Lifetime Films presents....

2009-10-25T17:28:00.000-07:00

Bethanie was an absolutely stunning bride. I loved so many of the details for her wedding but most of all I loved her dress details. She looked absolutely stunning. Here is a clip from Lifetime Films. The wedding was held at the Cincinnati Art Museum and the reception was at Reception's in Erlanger.

Bethanie and Michael Highlight Reel from Chris Joecken on Vimeo.

Katya & Eric

2009-10-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

This past summer I had the pleasure of planning Katya and Eric's wedding which you may remember in a few previous post.
It makes me happy when videographers post teaser clips on their website so I am able to share them as well. Andrew and Annette Tate with 28:20 Films did an amazing job on this so check it out for yourself.

eric + katya // 06.13.09 from Andrew Tate on Vimeo.

Are you ready for this??...!!....??

2009-10-02T08:59:00.000-07:00

After reading an article in the NY Times I felt it was totally worthy of posting it on my blog.
I think that many times the engaged couple may just assume that they have everything mapped out and know the other like the back of their hand. In many cases that is not the truth. There are many things that pre-married couples forget to discus and then it comes up post-married only to become a.) a huge fight b.) a huge disapointment or c.) the dreaded divorce. When taking on a marriage you have to be completely willing to communicate your needs to each other. No, you may not agree on everything but you have to comprimise on some things as well. Marriage is something that requires so much work and attention from both of you. So go over this list and sit down and have a heart to heart. Get everything out in the open so that you can have a happy marriage. 3 years from now you do not want to be sitting at home wondering why being married is not what you expected. Remember you make the marrriage work, it doesn't work on it's own.
So check the article below.

Weddings & Celebrations Questions Couples Should Ask (Or Wish They Had) Before Marrying

Relationship experts report that too many couples fail to ask each other critical questions before marrying. Here are a few key ones that couples should consider asking:

Marriage Is Not Built on Surprises (Dec. 17, 2006
1) Have we discussed whether or not to have children, and if the answer is yes, who is going to be the primary care giver?

2) Do we have a clear idea of each other’s financial obligations and goals, and do our ideas about spending and saving mesh?

3) Have we discussed our expectations for how the household will be maintained, and are we in agreement on who will manage the chores?

4) Have we fully disclosed our health histories, both physical and mental?

5) Is my partner affectionate to the degree that I expect?

6) Can we comfortably and openly discuss our sexual needs, preferences and fears?

7) Will there be a television in the bedroom?

8) Do we truly listen to each other and fairly consider one another’s ideas and complaints?

9) Have we reached a clear understanding of each other’s spiritual beliefs and needs, and have we discussed when and how our children will be exposed to religious/moral education?

10) Do we like and respect each other’s friends?

11) Do we value and respect each other’s parents, and is either of us concerned about whether the parents will interfere with the relationship?

12) What does my family do that annoys you?

13) Are there some things that you and I are NOT prepared to give up in the marriage?

14) If one of us were to be offered a career opportunity in a location far from the other’s family, are we prepared to move?

15) Does each of us feel fully confident in the other’s commitment to the marriage and believe that the bond can survive whatever challenges we may face?

Rock'n the Wedding Contest

2009-09-08T20:29:00.001-07:00

As weddings season is drawing to a close I have been looking through all of the weddings that YWBJ coordinated this year and I must say we did some pretty amazing and pretty work. So that was the inspiration for this contest!

Yes we all love pretty weddings. Especially when they have some really awesome personal touches that you do not see at any other wedding. BUT what I want to see is a Rock'n wedding that is downright awesome as well.

SO girlz and maybe some boi readers this is what I have for ya.

Your Wedding by Jen is looking for the most offbeat, rock n roll bride type affair. We will be offering the lucky winner of this contest 75% OFF of a full or partial planning package. Seriously that is insanity on my end but I need to unleash some of my ideas on someone willing to rock them.

So here is what we are looking for..

tattooed bridez and groomz

non traditional wedding attire

willingness to rock the reception

unique venue location

Basically we want a couple who will step outside of the traditional box and really punk up the wedding. So if you think you have what it takes then here is what you have to do.

Send us an email to contest@yourweddingbyjen.com saying why you think you and your soul mate should be the YWBJ Rock'n the Wedding winner. It does not have to be a novel okay, just type it up and tell me why. Tell me your wedding date, attach a photo and hit send.

On October 31st we will pick a winner and we will be on our merry way to planning this bad azz wedding. Easy enough right?

Your wedding MUST be on a date that we have available. So just a word of advice if you are looking for May of 2010 I have one weekend left. So you must either be flexible or have a date that I have open.

So open up your email and start sending in the entries! Good luck to you kidz.

Meet the YWBJ 2009 bridez...

2009-09-07T21:22:00.000-07:00

ROBIN

Robin is the kind of bride who's happiness is contagious. This girl never once stopped smiling and giggling the entire day. It was the cutest thing I have ever seen. I could tell from the moment that I laid eyes on this couple that they were/are hopelessly in love with each other. The way Robin looks at Craig screams I love you. It was perfect. (By the way Robin, I stole that image above from your Facebook photos. HAHA)

They had an amazing team of vendors in place as well and here they are.

Ron Schuller's Photography

Who put together this awesome slide show.

Lifetime Video

Once again Matt and Dan did a perfect job. (Love those guys.)

Manor House

Ceremony and Reception were held here.

Furst Florist

The flowers that Michael created were amazing. You could smell them through out all of Manor House. They were gorgeous!

Party Pleasers DJ's

Ele Cake Co.

Thank you Robin and Craig for allowing YWBJ to be a part of your amazing wedding.

Meet the YWBJ 2009 bridez...starting with,

2009-09-07T20:39:00.001-07:00

BETHANIE

Bethanie, what a gorgeous bride. I am so lucky that this year has brought me so many gorgeous clients with serious style.

I am 100% sure that Bethanie's birdcage veil and dress were my favorite part of her wedding. Mostly because of the amazing feathers that she used as well as the sweet adornment she added to her dress. (Take a peek down below.)

Her wedding was held at the Cincinnati Art Museum. I adore this location because it is so gorgeous. The girls at the museum are amazing as well. I love working with them. Jan and Katelyn rock.(Plus it allows me to make sure that I take extra time before rehearsal to walk through the museum to see what is on exhibit.)

Bethanie had her reception at Reception's Erlanger and it was gorgeous as well. She brought the black and red into all elements of the reception and added some damask print to tie it all together. It was beautiful. I love black and white anyways and when a pop of color is added it makes my eyes so happy. :) Her cake was done by Patricia's custom cakes. It was amazing.

This girl had one intense bustle. 16 ties I think it was. It may had been even more, but mom and I got her bustled up and good to go in no time.

Other vendors that made this wedding amazing were.

Chad Moon Photography

You can also see the entire slideshow here.

He does amazing work and it is true pleasure to work with.

Lifetime Video

Matt and Dan are awesome to work with and so much fun.

Motortoys Limo Service

Always a pleasure to work with.

Newburg Trio

Another group of professionals that I enjoy working with.

Brideface

Mollie at Brideface made the girls look smokin' hot.

Thank you Bethanie and Michael for allowing me to be a part of your wedding.

Photo of the Night.. starring Cindy Wagner

2009-09-03T20:02:00.001-07:00

Cindy Wagner has an amazing eye. I can only imagine that she sees the world in an entirely different way then many. I wish I could look through her eyes for an hour. I love the way that she uses bold color in her photos. You should just go visit her site for mass eye treats.

Your a wedding planner?!?!

2009-09-01T19:06:00.000-07:00

So here it is.. I often get asked "Do you like being a wedding planner?" "Well yeah" I generally reply. So I decided I would get a little deeper into the whole "Why I love being a wedding planner" story.
Wow where do I even begin? When initially thinking about this post it sounded like a pretty simple blog that I could breeze right through. Ok, so all through high school I was a fairly creative kid. I was always finding cool unusual places to host parties and places for us kids (at the time) to hang out. I am pretty sure that is where my "planning obsession" started. I did not really carry it with me into college and at that young era of my life I was positive I would be an amazing fashion designer in San Francisco or New York. I pretty much spent most of my late teens and early twenties behind a sewing machine with huge supplies of fabric creating dresses and hats that I would later sell on the streets in San Fran to try to fund month long road trips to places where everyone was amazingly dressed and gorgeous. Never did I once buy a pattern or even attempt to make one but somehow everything I made was wearable and actually pretty good. I even sold some things that I had made during a few of many road trips. It was during those road trips that I realized fashion design in Cincinnati is really not going to work and for some crazy reason I could not bring myself to leave Cincinnati permanently. So then I decided that business is what I should learn about. I always knew I would have a business, but I really envisioned some trendy boutique. After college I went on to work many office jobs but never felt satisfied running other people's business and I was hating the fact that I could not be creative in any way. I had helped a few friends plan weddings and I enjoyed it but I do not think that is when I decided being a wedding planner was where I needed to be. Over the course of some years and many weddings that I helped design it still did not register. It was just a few years ago as I drove to my job that it hit me. Completely out of the blue. "wedding planner" I did not even know if they really had wedding planners around here. So Immediately once I got to my office I started researching this wedding planner idea that I had. I was amazed by all of the online classes offered, associations, local businesses, and the entire wedding industry as a whole. I was somewhat overwhelmed. I had no idea what happened outside of the design aspect of planning a wedding. I also realized that if I was overwhelmed, how on earth must a bride feel! So at that point I just picked an online course that seemed reputable and breezed through that like it was nothing. I spent hours and hours and days and nights looking at vendors,and venues and reading the knot message boards like crazy. I was blown away by the talent that Cincinnati had. Finally a creative outlet that is here in Cincy. I can totally do this. And I did! It was like second nature.
I remember my first paid wedding. I was so nervous but I knew that no one else knew that. I walked into this wedding like I had been doing it for all of my life. It was flawless, perfect! I know we all hear that no wedding is ever perfect. Well I am telling you this one was. The bride and the groom praised me all night long, along with the vendors that I worked with that night. I wondered in my head, "surely these vendors know I am a nobody." but they treated me like I had been around forever. And I played like I had been and it worked. The end of the night rolled around and guest were telling me how wonderful the evening was and the parents of both the bride and groom hugged me and thanked me for making it so amazing. That was when I realized, this is what I was meant to do.
To me being a wedding planner is a great honor. People are trusting me to create and orchestrate this event that they will remember for the rest of their lives. There is no "it was okay". It MUST be "it was AMAZING". And I think that it what makes me awesome at my job. I will not settle for mediocre. Am I being boastful by saying "I am awesome"? Hell no! I am saying that because every single one of my past clients will say the same thing. I bust my butt making weddings what every girl has dreamt of. I get the fact that people are spending a ton of money on this event and they do not want it to be anything short of perfect. I also get that every bride and groom are different. Their taste vary from the last couple and no wedding that I plan fully will be the same as another. I also get that MY personal taste is different from my clients. Just because I like rock n roll bride does not mean my client will. I am able to pull off weddings that are totally traditional, completely modern, to totally off beat and very not within the boundaries of normal. I can even create an event that has touches of all of the above. It is all about getting your clients. You have to be able to detach from your personal style and allow yourself to embrace what they love in order to create an event that is all about them. I think that is an essential quality to have.
A wedding day is one amazing day in my opinion. Wow, the emotion that runs throughout that day is almost bipolar. You see happiness then stress then panic then crying then happy again then scared. It is so intense and to be able to provide a bride or mother of the bride a calming sense of security is the best feeling ever.
I think you must have your poker face mastered for sure. I may know that the rental company is running an hour late but does the bride really need to know that? Heck no! I know that once they get to the destination, myself and my assistant will probably need to help get everything set up and I know that we have the ability to do it. So let me worry about it and not freak the bride or family out. I hate to micro manage. Yes I totally am capable of doing it but I love when I have an amazing vendor team in place and we are able to work as a team. I hate to have to tell vendors what they need to be doing. It seems that happens with my Day of Clients vendor's mostly. Because the bride's select and hire them with no assistance on my end. Sometimes it may be vendors that I have never heard of but I always walk in hoping they are awesome. In the case that they are not I just go with it and give them shoves in the right direction without seeming like I am trying to do their job. All in all the vendors are another reason my job is awesome. I have had the pleasure of meeting so many amazing creative people in the wedding industry. I have learned so much from various vendors and have made some really great friends as well. Most of the population does not enjoy talking about weddings but I know there is a select group of creative types that do enjoy it and we are all passionate about our work in the wedding industry.

Overall I think I have a pretty amazing job. I am surrounded by beautiful people who are hopelessly in love. How could that not make a person smile.

Guest book OR........

2009-08-23T19:17:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for an alternative to the traditional guest book for your wedding? Well once again Etsy has came through with many of the amazing sellers offering some really cute and different items for your "Guest non-book".

I find that brides these days really want to personalize their wedding and offer their guests with something that they have never experienced. There are many ways to do this and I think one small way is to incorporate something besides your standard guest book for everyone to sign. Yes you may look through it the week after your wedding but chances are you may not look at it again until your 10 year anniversary.

Some ideas that are not pictured below could be hanging a huge blank canvas and offering up some spray paint to create a graffiti type wall hanging. Now that is not really going to work out for an indoor event due to massive amounts to fumes but in that case how about an easel with some paints and brushes? Another fun idea is a huge chalkboard with various colored chalks. After the event you can spray it with a spray lacquer such as Rustoleum Painters Touch Spray Lacquer to preserve the board.

No matter what you decide on keep in mind you never have to go with the norm. Make your wedding an event that reflects you and your significant other! After all that is what it is all about. Right?

Song of the night....

2009-08-23T18:32:00.000-07:00

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Words and photo of the day...

2009-08-21T15:23:00.000-07:00

I think of you always

My heart beats hard and I want your touch

Time stands still without you

You are art to my eyes

I love you like none other......

Revisiting this idea... Wai Ching

2009-08-20T20:00:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time (about a year ago) I did a post on Wai Ching who is an AMAZING talented designer. You know me I am all about things that are just a tad bit different then the norm. Yes I love a gorgeous white gown just as much as anyone. BUT these gowns make my heart thump. If one of my brides came to me saying "I bought a Wai Ching dress today." I would fall over with envy and delight all in the same emotional state. By far Wai Ching is my all time favorite favorite designer for bridal gowns. I hope to see some new designs from her soon but in the mean time I will just show you these amazing glorious pieces of eye candy....Hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Make sure you visit her site to see all of the awesomeness...

This is the dress I would want.. (above)

Photo / words of the day..

2009-08-20T18:44:00.000-07:00

Found on one of my fav blogs LeLove. If you have never visited their site you should!

Ringin' in a wedding.....

2009-08-19T18:43:00.001-07:00

Yes, I have heard that diamonds are a girls best friend. Lord knows I have my fair share but I am all for mixing that up and using other awesome jewelry for wedding and engagement rings. Don't get me wrong I know most and many girls want a big fat rock in the form of a sparkly polished diamond. I am just saying there are many other options out there for those who may enjoy something different.

I spend many hours searching on Esty for cool little things and just collect shots as I go. If you haven't checked out Esty's Wedding section then you must go now. Leave my blog and come back later. It will be much later too by the way, because you will get sucked in and hours will have passed before you realize it. Either way I found all of these cool rings on Etsy and just thought I would share. For those who may want something that isn't your standard wedding set.

I love this band for a guy or a girl. I think it is super cool. I would totally wear it myself.

This little baby is simple and that is why I love it. I adore the hammered look on the ring itself and the small stone gives it a little oomph.

Not sure how to ask him/her to marry you? how about with this cute ring? Which is stackable so girls if you must have that diamond you could always add it to the set.

Loving this inlay.
This ring is by far my favorite. I love the hammered look against a dainty pearl. It is feminine yet strong. LOVE IT.
Sapphires are one of my favorite jems. So it would make sense if I had this ring. What about you? What is your favorite? It does not have to be a diamond to be amazing!

Photo of the day

2009-08-17T10:39:00.001-07:00

Meet Jessica and Derek. A totally cute and cool couple who gave out one of the best CD's ever for wedding favors. Loved their music choices. Steph Keller was the photographer here and she caught this pic at just the perfect moment. Love it

VENDORS, VENDORS, VENDORS Part 2

2009-08-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

So during my late night post last night I got tired and ran out of typing skillz. So here is the continuation of Vendor post...

DJ or Band... Of course every reception is going to have music. Ok I should not say EVERY but for the most part. Whether you decide on a band, a DJ, an Ipod whatever you need to cover some bases. First of all not all DJ"s are the same. Just like every bride is different and the style varies the same applies with the DJ. Some may like a DJ that really is energetic and gets out there on the dance floor and teaches people how to do certain dances or takes the mic and jokes and plays around. Some people like a DJ that more or less stands back plays the music and make the necessary announcements. No matter what your taste is one thing they have in common is they will be making some announcements. You MUST make sure they know what they will be talking about. Make sure you do a final meeting and discuss what you expect in terms of events to happen such as toasts, cake cutting, dances, and so on and the order and music you want played. Go over how to properly pronounce names. Most good DJ's will ask you these questions if they don't you may want to continue your interview process.
Same applies with a band. Be sure they are able to do these announcements in a professional manor as well. You do not want to find out last minute (at the reception) that the band did not realize they were doing the introductions or getting the guests ready for toast and so on. On the subject of bands, all of them will have a demo CD or clips of songs on their website. Listen to them. Look at their play list. Do they have the songs you want to hear? Can they learn them if they don't?

Cake.. YUMM.. cake tasting is one of the best things you get to do as you are planning your wedding. A few things to keep in mind when you venture out for this delightful excursion... Style of the cake, how detailed do you want it to be? Take some photos of cakes you have seen and love, show them to the baker. How do you want your cake displayed? If you think you are going to use a pedestal cake stand make sure that your cake is going to be able to safely sit on it. You do not want to go to cut the cake just to find out the stand is going to tumble over upon pressure. Are you thinking cupcakes? How do you want them displayed? Do you want flowers on your cake? If so your florist will need info on that.. will they be tucked in between the layers? What size will the space be? Do you just want some for the top? You will need to coordinate times between the cake delivery and the floral delivery to ensure that one or the other is able to put these flowers on the cake. As far as tasting goes.. most places ask for an appointment so set them up and go eat cake! Oh also most cakes come with "parts" that need to be cleaned and returned. Do not forget or they will charge you for them.

Stationary... You need to send out your invitations at least 6 to 8 weeks in advance. SO with that being said that does not mean go out and order them 8 weeks in advance. They need to be created and approved and printed! The sooner you can get them done the better off you will be. There are a number of amazing designers in this area and they all have a different style so LOOK AT THE WEBSITES! and BLOGS.. (broken record sez) You will save yourself some time if you find a designer that fits your style. Creating this stationary is a time consuming process as well. The designers want to really feel your vision and create something you are going to fall in love with. I think that this is also a very important element of the wedding because it is setting the tone for your event. Will it be casual and fun? Elegant? Traditional? Modern? Or an offbeat type of "your own style" event? Either way you go there is someone out there that will be able to make your paper goods how you want them to look. Other elements you need to think about are seating charts, place cards, escort cards, table numbers, programs, save the dates, and basically anything that needs printed. Obviously some of those items will come later once you have guest counts and such, but the Save the dates and invitations need to be an earlier priority. Don't forget postage for the invitations and the RSVP cards! Another fun thing is many designers can create coordinating stamps via zazzle.com or other websites.

OK.. I went back and forth with myself trying to decide if I would talk about the Wedding Planner... I decided that I will. Now I am not going to make this portion of the post an advertising section for myself I just want everyone to be informed and get an understanding here. Cincinnati has a group of amazing wedding planners. I feel pretty lucky to be a part of this group and I love the fact that we are all able to talk, learn from, and network amongst each other to better ourselves and our businesses. When it comes to hiring a wedding planner I always tell my "potential" clients to go out and meet a few more. Don't even book me until you have spoken to at least one or two other planners. I want my client to feel like they are hiring the person that they are most comfortable with and really is able to get the vision that they, the client, has. If they have no vision then this planner needs to be able to create it for you. Now depending on the package you may choose or service levels you need keep in mind that planning a wedding is not something you do in 6 hours. If I am planning a full wedding I am putting in at least 150-200 hours of time making this happen. If you are planning your own wedding chances are you will put in 250-260 plus hours. It is another full time job for the couple. So don't walk into a planners office and expect them to give you a quote that is anything less then what you are paying for photography. AT LEAST. Unless you are just using us for a day of / month of coordination. Even then we are still putting in 40 plus hours to make sure every detail is covered and the actual day of, we are there anywhere from 10-15 hours. Once again I will say "you get what you pay for" here. Look for an experienced planner that you feel good about. We are going to be around you ALOT so get used to our cute little faces and let your mind rest knowing that all of your bases are being covered. Will you talk to us everyday? Nope, chances are you will talk to us once a month sometimes even less depending on what level of services you are using. that does not mean that we are not working on your event. Many times we are able to work off of the info we gather at out initial meetings. Also keep in mind that we have worked with many, many, many vendors and venues. We know the good the bad and the ugly. We have budgeting experience. We can allocate your money to work for the event in the most suitable way. Mostly we have design knowledge. We are able to look at an empty room and visualize your desires without having a thing set up and be able to keep in in check with your budget. When you are meeting with a wedding planner ask questions! Ask for photos and references. Ask to see a client binder, we all have them and if the planner does not have one they can show you well then I would be concerned. I think we all have different ways of presenting ourselves but I know one thing we all are proud of the events that we create and are equally as excited to show you them and tell you about the process of creating it. Look at websites and blogs! Obviously if you are here you are a blog reader. I am pretty positive all of this areas wedding planners have a website and a blog. Because once again we are happy to show off our work. Will your wedding be perfect just because you have a planner? Probably not. BUT chances are you will not know about it! We are stylish problem solvers. I can not speak for every planner here but I know when things get stressful I work even better. My poker face is insane. I can look at the bride and she will never know that her centerpieces are an hour late. Because we already picked up her bouquets and delivered them to her for photos. We handle problems with ease. Anyways to end the final chapter of the VENDOR posts. Please do not be afraid to ask questions! You are a one time shopper. We do not expect you to know every detail about what you should be doing or how much somethings cost. We totally get the fact that you probably have never planned a wedding, heck some of my clients have never even BEEN to a wedding! So we know that any question you have is important. We want to educate you on what to do and help you along the way. Like they say in school.. "The only stupid question is the one not asked."
SP HAPPY PLANNING AND HAVE FUN MEETING TONS OF COOL NEW PEOPLE/VENDORS.

VENDORS VENDORS VENDORS...

2009-08-16T20:22:00.000-07:00

Whew! Okay after 4 weekends of solid weddings I can confidently say that YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR! It is much easier to compare and appreciate when I am working back to back weekends. It seems as though I am really are able to appreciate the vendors that know what the heck they are doing even more then I would normally.

Where to start... OK lets start with the photographer.There are SOOOO many photographers in this area and many are so very talented. I think my preferred photographer list is longer then any other vendor set. I am not going to start blurting out cost. I am just going to say that when you are researching look at the website! Do they have galleries of recent work? Do they have a blog? (In my opinion all of the good photographers have a blog. Why? Because they are proud of their work and it is easy to post some recent pics of their most recent weddings or events and give some personal narrative along with it. Not only does that give you a visual but it also gives you a small peek into their personality. Which is my next point. You will be spending an entire day with this person or preferably people. Do you want someone following you around that you really are uncomfortable with? Or maybe their personality just clashes with yours. No! I think not so make sure that when you meet with the potential vendor that not only do they have samples of their work to offer but that you like the person as well! ALSO I have heard this statement many times. "I am not paying X amount of dollars for someone to stand around and take pictures for 10 hours." Guess what.. Yes they are taking pictures for 10 hours, standing around? heck no! I have seen photographers climbing light post to get that perfect shot! Not only are they doing some creative maneuvering but once they get home they sit in front of a computer and edit for HOURS and DAYS even to make your photos look amazing. So keep in mind once the wedding is over the photographer is not just putting your pics on a disc or in a book and sending them off. They put in a huge amount of time on them after the fact.

Caterer. OK!! When you are searching for a caterer there are a few things that you really need to find out. One, do you like the food. DUH that is a no brainer but keep in mind you are feeding your guest a meal that should be better then going to a cafeteria lunch. Figure out what your budget allows for and make the best of it. Go taste the food and make sure that it is good quality food. Second, will the staff bus tables? Will they have enough staff? Will they do your captains call or place your plated meals? Do they pass Hors Devours? Do they offer rental items such as your china, glassware, salt pepper and sugar holders?, flatware? Will they cut your cake? Will they serve your cake? Do they offer bar tender service (if needed) will they pass beverages during a cocktail hour? Will they clean up?

Videographer.. Some may find this is an added luxury. In my opinion I think it is something that is definitely worth investing in. Videographers these days have the ability to capture the emotion and feeling with sound and put it together in a way that photos can not really do. You get the true capture of the tears and laughter and often it is put together in a seamless movie that you WILL enjoy watching. When looking for a videographer ask for a sample video. Also many videographers blog just as often as the photographers do. Check out the blogs! They will have plenty of sample videos to view. The same editing applies to video as did photo. They may even put in more hours I can not i know this for sure because this is not an area that I am an expert in. But I do know that to put video clips to music and timing it perfectly so that

it runs together just right has to take a ton of time.

Florist. I think this is an area that people really struggle with when it comes to cost. Lets start with choosing a good floral designer first though. There are a handful of designers here that I absolutely LOVE. First of all I think it is important to decide on what style you are looking for, traditional, modern, funky, contemporary, simple elegant,what makes you happy when it comes to your flowers? Then start looking at websites. I have a hard time when I look up a florist website and see an FTD standard template with 60 premade bouquets and arrangements to choose from. I really hate that to be honest. I love when I get a nice website with real photos of events they have done and a blog. (is it obvious that I am a blog freak?) I want to see their creativity and once again if they are proud of their work they post and talk about it. Also many GOOD florist will go over table top designs with you as well as all other elements of the events design. That is a time consuming process as well as the actual creating of the arrangements. So make sure you keep that in mind when you get your floral quote back. Flowers can be expensive. Most floral designers are not growing these babies in their back yard. They order them so keep in mind what time of year it is, are these flowers tropical? If so chances are they are coming from somewhere other then Ohio. Next when the designers order the flowers they do not come pre arranged. You have to pay these guys and gals to make them gorgeous. It doesn't just happen on its own. These people put hours upon hours into creating the arrangements so they are your visualization. So give them credit for that. Floral quote seem high even after taking all of the above statements into consideration? Ask the designer about using some other less expensive elements. Candles, branches, feathers, other items of texture. Many times they will rent these to you for a bit less then what peonies will cost in the dead of winter. Mix up your table arrangements, alternate flowers on one and some other object on another. Floral designers are super creative and talented people. They will help you create something that will work for you.

Beauty. I have posted on this before in a post of its own but I am hitting it again. Hair and makeup. DO A FREAKING TRIAL! These vendors expect this! I mean it is your wedding. Maybe you have never had your makeup done prior to this event. Maybe you have never had an up-do or a formal hair style. Take photos, tell them what you like! They can not read your mind. It is your hair and your face. The purpose of the trial is to TRY. Try different styles and looks till you find the one you love. Do not be afraid to ask these artists to do looks that you like. Once again, TAKE PICTURES. I know you girls search the web for hours at a time looking for wedding ideas. Print the pics you like and let them try it on you. Just because it looks amazing in the pic it may not be a style that works for you. DO you want to wait until the wedding day to find this out? NOPE.. Is the trial free you ask? Ummm no.. Some may include it in the price, many don't. Keep in mind this is time and their work that you are using from this vendor. Do you go into work for free? Heck no. So why expect anyone else to? Yes they are probably doing this because they love it. But keep in mind they are doing a JOB that they love. They also have bills to pay just like you do. One thing I would like to hit while on this specific vendor group is timing. If your wedding is at 4 don't go for your hair and makeup at 2! Chances are you will be doing photos prior to the wedding and hair and makeup take time. In my opinion the earlier you get it done the better off you will be. 4:00 wedding.. 8 AM hair 9:15 ish makeup. Those are start times if your whole bridal party is using the same person then time is essential. Your hair and makeup will last all day of if is done by someone who knows what they are doing. Once again look at websites.

That is all I am going to hit on tonight. Sorry if I seem harsh but I think brides need to know these things when trying to pick a vendor and they need to be told in a straight up manor. So there ya have it girlz and the random boi. I hope you find this helpful to some sort of degree.

jen

YWBJ wants you to meet Renee

2009-08-12T20:20:00.000-07:00

Renee is our new intern for the season. Even though she is starting somewhat late into wedding season we have plenty for her to experience. Here is a little bit about Miss Renee..

2009 Professional Bridal Consultant™ Designation Program, Distinguished Honors Graduate The Association of Bridal Consultants (home study course)

2004-2005 Post-Baccalaureate Paralegal Certification Program University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio

2000-2004 Bachelor of Science in Criminology, Honors Program Distinction University of Tampa in Tampa, Florida

She is a smart young lady with a desire to plan weddings so I think she will be a nice addition to YWBJ and I hope she gains a ton of knowledge from us here. I threw her into one of the hardest weddings I had to date last weekend and she handled it like a champ. So I have a ton of faith in her and think she will do a remarkable job in any future events.

Oneonta Wedding = smoldering heat with hot results

2009-08-11T18:56:00.001-07:00

For Eric and Stephanie's wedding last Saturday I think we had record heat for the summer. What I think was like 93 felt like 193 after starting set up at Onenonta at 10:30 AM and not finishing until about 5:00 PM (THAT WAS JUST SETUP!) Either way this venue is AMAZING!!! I love it. Yes it requires a good amount of work but it was so worth it in the end to see how gorgeous it turned out. In all honesty I love when there is a lot of setting up to do. Call me crazy but when I am busy all day it makes me feel much more productive.

Anyone looking for a historic venue should definitely check this place out. I think that what you get for the somewhat reasonable price is very much worth it. Plus the place is GORGEOUS!

So on to the details of the day. Steph chose a beach theme. Which was done just right since the location sits right on the banks of the Ohio river it was suiting. The colors were pool blue and canary yellow with white. LOVED the color scheme. The table setting included white lap linens, pool blue napkins, which I had in my stock so they were able to use them free. (A nice bonus when you use YWBJ) the centerpieces were a small trumpet type vase(which I also carry in my glass stock)filled with sand and some starfish and shells along with a tall pillar candle. Then we scattered some blue and yellow rose petals around the base. Table numbers were framed with a shell adorned frame and the favors were small message in bottles saying thank" you for sharing our special day." Each table had a camera for guest to snap some candids. White Chiavari chairs (Which the venue supplies!) YUMM!!! Votive candles were scattered all about. It was truly beautiful.

Their ceremony included a sand ceremony as well as the Irish bell ringing. The mom's lit candles on two memorial tables for the grandparents that had passed away instead of doing a unity candle.

The couple opted for a band AND a dj. Dj taking the stage for the first part of the reception and the band (Blue Turtle Seduction) who rocked by the way played the last hour of the night.

Over all I would say this wedding was really beautiful with a ton of little details which really make the wedding perfect.

The pics below are in VERY random order because blogger is being difficult tonight.

Oneonta provides you with TWO houses to use the whole weekend. One for the girls and one for the guys. PLUS you get to stay there the wedding night. All included in the price. LOVE THAT!

They also have a stage and a small chapel to use as well as mass tables and chairs. Fans were on the seats for the guests to try to cool off some.

Blue Turtle Seduction is rocking it.

Eric's mom coming into the tent .. Notice the fan.. it was hot!
The bride and groom had a violinist play for the seating of the parents, then Camilla here sung for the bridal party procession, the Chris (sitting behind Camilla) sung for the bride's enterance.

This is pre wedding during set up. 265 guest = a ton of chairs .

This is Renee my new intern and I setting up. (oh and Oneonta provies the tent also at no additional cost!)

Prior to favors and chairs.

This is the chapel.. it is so cute.

Crazy boiz...

A few photos of the night... staring Neysa Ruhl

2009-08-04T19:53:00.000-07:00

I think I was up until 2:00 AM last night trying to find the perfect photo to fit my mood. I was looking for something that just said "I am so in love with you." You know THE look between two people who are madly in love. Then it dawned on me, Neysa Ruhl, a local photographer here in Cincinnati captures emotion like none other. She gets those shots that are so natural and that really capture the bond between two people who are deeply, madly in love. It is quite impressive. So I typed in her blog and there it was a photo treasure chest. It was hard to choose which ones I would post because they are all so amazing but here they are. You should definitely go check out her blog to really see all of the amazing work that she does.

I could not even decide with this set. So I just snatched the three I loved most. This couple is so hot plus look at how they gaze at each other.

Check out how he is looking at her... It says.. "I love you"

These two... well is all I can say is this love was one for the books. I had the pleasure of working with this bride and groom (Jocelyn and Joey) and the wedding pics were so amazing they made me cry all over. Neysa told the story with her photos so perfectly. This one is from their engagement shoot and I love the tenderness here.

lalalala love photo of the night with some words to go with...

2009-07-28T19:24:00.000-07:00

The only thing I want is to be in love with you
to spend a lifetime just watching your mouth
speaking the words that captivate me

I only want to forget the world
forget everything I've ever known

The only thing I want is to be in love with you
to watch each day pass by like seconds
on a clock that never runs

I want to find myself in you
to become what I have longed for

you are my inspiration
though it seems
you're much
too much
I don't deserve it

I only want to feel your touch
the touch of an angel that guides me home when I am lost
and gives me love when I feel that I am hated

You are my guardian angel
You are my angel for life
perfect in every way
don't ever change

I love you...

Photo of the Night..

2009-07-26T19:35:00.001-07:00

I can't help it.. I just love people who are in love.

Betsey Johnson ...again....

2009-07-25T22:40:00.001-07:00

Yes I know.. I am obsessed with Betsey Johnson. I can not help but adore all of her fashions. They are fun, funky and daring and I love them. Every now and then, while I am looking at her designs I get excited when I find pieces that would work for a wedding.

These designs below are for the bridesmaids... I am positive these world get worn well after the wedding.

They can all be found on here at Bluefly..

Gerardo and Anna

2009-07-25T20:19:00.001-07:00

Anna and Gerardo had an amazing wedding. I must give a huge shout out to Margrett, Anna's mother. She worked with me throughout this entire planning process and I only met Anna once prior to the wedding!! It turned out absolutely gorgeous.

The team of vendors were all awesome..

Starting with the Embassy Suites Covington where everyone stayed and they also had the rehearsal dinner there as well as high tea on the wedding day.

Ceremony took place at The Cathedral Basilica in Covington. (I LOVE this church)

The reception was held at The Cincinnati Museum Center. Andrea Howard was sooo awesome to work with. Loved her. The food was awesome.

All of the flowers were created by A New Leaf Florist in Newport and I love those girls there also.

Cake was created by Confections. It was delicious.

Dinner music was provided by Greg Lee productions.

Reception music was provided by McFadden Music with Chris Hatke. The dance floor was going all night and he was able to work with the couple who wanted a TON of latin music played. They were salsa dancing all night. It was amazing.

Photography and Video was provided by New Genesis Productions. They did an amazing job on the photos.

Buses provided the guests with transportation all night long. Almost every guest was from out of town so it was a nice touch to give them a way to and from both the ceremony and reception.

I hope I am not forgetting anyone...

The whole event was gorgeous..

Kathy and Eric's fairty tale part 2

2009-07-25T20:15:00.000-07:00

Just sayin'

2009-07-21T21:46:00.000-07:00

Love photo of the day....

2009-07-09T21:58:00.000-07:00

Drive by kisses......

Kathy and Eric

2009-07-01T19:54:00.000-07:00

Ok so this wedding was everything a girl's fairytale wedding could consist of. I am so anxious to post about it that it will get two posts one with non pro photos and the next with the pro pics.

Kathy is what I picture when the words human barbie doll come to mind. This girl is a Russian beauty and her now husband Eric is her Ken. They are a perfect match and so gorgeous together.

When Kathy and Eric came to me last year to start planning this event I was excited for many reasons. One she wanted to incorporate some Russian traditions into her wedding, and two she let me choose every one of her vendors. I pretty much knew which vendors would suit her needs right then and there.

The team that helped create this amazing wedding were as follows..

Jeff Ruby's Downtown was the location for the rehearsal dinner. I can not say enough great things about Kathy who put the dinner together. Of course the food was delish.

Old St. Mary's church on 13th Street downtown. This church is absolutely stunning. The only downfall was the lack of air conditioning but the day was perfect so it was very bearable.

The Westin Hotel Downtown.. nothing but amazing and very accommodating for the many Russian only speaking guests.

Shane Weber Salon did an amazing job on the girls and mothers hair and was able to work with some last minute changes on the brides hair style. Shane's salon and his staff are all awesome.

Penny Cooley from BrideFace did all of the girls makeup on site at the salon. She did a stunning job on their faces.

Jimmy's Limo was the transportation for the day and they did a perfect job as always.

Laurel Court was the location for the reception. Unfortunately this is the last year they will do receptions here but they will continue to host outdoor weddings. This venue is one of my favorite's for a smaller group. It is truly a hidden gem.

Jeff Thomas catered the reception and was awesome to work with. The very Russian flared meal was impeccable as well as the service.

Cork N Bottle provided the alcohol.

Meier's wine cellar provided all of the wine and champagne for the night. They are great to work with.

All Occasions provided the rental items that included all tables, gold chiavari chairs, gold rimmed china with matching flat wear.

Yours truly provided all of the linens for the event with the help of Connie Duglin Linen. We went with a burgundy crinkle taffeta for the linen with a ivory and gold overlay. Burgundy crinkle napkins tied the table together perfectly.

A New Leaf Florist did a wonderful job on all of the table centerpieces as well as the bridal party flowers. Everything was beautiful and Tiffany was a gem to work with.

Maize Music brought in the additional lighting as well as a wall monogram. They also kept the music flowing perfectly.

Tres Belle Cakes did a fantastic job on the cake and it was delicious as always.

28:20 Films captured the day on video and once again they were a pleasure to work with.

Masterworks photography did all of the photos for the day and I am confident that they will look amazing as always.

Frills and Forever created all of the stationary for the wedding including the invitations, escort cards, table numbers and programs. They are awesome to work with.

Stay tuned for the photos from Masterworks to see all of the amazing details pulled perfectly together.

And they come in pairs.... Lisa and Melissa

2009-07-01T19:46:00.001-07:00

I find that it is pretty awesome when I have a bridesmaid from a previous wedding book me to coordinate her wedding. Here is a pic of these two gorgeous girls. Now the bridesmaid is the bride and the bride is a bridesmaid.. :)

Kim and Dennis

2009-07-01T19:25:00.001-07:00

Kimmy and Dennis had an amazing wedding at the beautiful Norman Chapel in Spring Grove Cemetery. This is one of my favorite smaller chapels in this area. It is absolutely a stunning sight.
They decided to go for a cupcake and cookie tower topped with a small cake and a small cake for cutting set on the table. It was adorable and the cookies were probably the best thing I have ever put in my mouth. I LOVE fondant and the cookies had fondant circles laid upon them with their monogram in a tasty icing. I am sure I scarfed 20 of these cookies as sick as it is. All of these tasty treats were created by Fantasy in Frosting.

Jessica with Images by Daniel Michael did these amazing photos along with her two assistants. Jessica is awesome she has a great outgoing personality and made the day pretty fun for all involved. Other vendors that helped create this dream were The Madison, Motortoys, Karen's Bouquet, and Folchi's Formal Wear.

Jocelyn and Joey

2009-06-02T18:21:00.000-07:00

When Jocelyn asked me to help her with her wedding I was more then thrilled.

I knew that it would be an amazing day and that it was. Jocelyn's style and taste is impeccable and it really shows in all of her wedding details.

The love that surrounded this wedding was so magical. I am positive that anyone who was around this couple shed at least one tear on this day including the vendors!

It was over powering.

Neysa Ruhl captured this love so perfectly.

The ceremony took place here at Madison Ave Christian Church and it was absolutely stunning.

Even though the Church and the reception location are just a few blocks apart the 1953 Oldsmobile was the perfect touch to work into the vintage style they had going for them.

Jocelyn's daughter Zoe, also her Maid of Honor was given a ring during the ceremony. It was so very emotional and a really sweet way to include Zoe in the wedding even more so.

Here is Zoe again and I must say this girl has to be one of the most amazing kids I have ever met. She was next to her mom all throughout the day in a supportive and loving way. It was awesome to watch how mature and caring she is.

Seriously.. is she not the most amazing looking bride? Jocelyn's dress is designed by Pronovias and it was gorgeous! I think it is one of my favorites to date.

Dannette looks so proud to see her friend look so beautiful on her wedding day.

For favors Jocelyn decided to use a silhouette artist. This idea was a huge hit amongst the guest. This young lady rocked a pair of scissors like nothing I have ever seen.

Here is Miss Zoe again carrying mom's dress to her.

The flowers were amazing! Courtenay Lambert of Courtenay Lambert Floral created these stunning arrangements.

Notice the little silhouettes on the Blume boxes. Amy from Amo Ink created all of the stationary for the wedding. Everything was perfect. I love Amy's work. She is so creative and fun.

The reception was held at The Madison in the Crystal Ballroom where Nemar Maize of Maize Music kept the dance floor rockin' all night.

And they're off....

2009-05-18T11:08:00.000-07:00

Wedding season started for me on April 25th starting with Julie and Brian. Julie hired me a year prior to the wedding and she had a pretty clear idea of what she wanted and already had booked her church and reception location. Basically she just needed some vendor recommendations that worked with her budget and a few loose strings to be attached. So that is what I did.

I knew that the amazing Katie Elfers would catch her vision right away with her bright pink color choice and really be able to make it work within her budget. Katie has an amazing way of reading peoples brains and creating a floral work of art. I can not say enough awesome things about this chic.

Julie actually found Amanda Egan herself and really fell in love with her work and personality. This was my first time working with Amanda and she was great. Her photos are amazing as well.

Congrats Julie and Brian!! Your wedding flowed smoothly and effortlessly which meant my job was done.

Bow tiez for your eyez!!

2009-04-29T19:03:00.000-07:00

When it comes to guyz I love a bow tie! I think they are super awesome especially when combined with a fitted tux. YOWZA! Talk about a great match. Of course not every man on the planet can work a slim fitting tux but YAY to those who can and for those who can't.. let me just say.. Your bridez are probably out busting some butt trying to look good for you, so go to the gym for her!!! Below are some super sweet looking bow ties and I know some are very casual but the tie itself is pretty darn cool. So enjoy. I am going to be blogging on a more regular basis soon as my studio is almost finished! YAY! to that too. So forgive all of my really short posts for now soon enough I will be filling your eyes with an abundance of useful info!

First Dance anyone???

2009-04-29T18:27:00.000-07:00

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Photo of the Day!

2009-04-11T18:31:00.001-07:00

Tis the season to........

2009-04-01T15:33:00.000-07:00

GO DRESS SHOPPING!!!!

Okay okay I am sorry I am the blogging failure. I have been thinking about blogging but then something comes up like trying to get my new office finally completed (which it is still not). Either way each day I do spend some time online looking at the newest collections of dresses and I finally am happy with the few I found and love.

When it comes to your wedding gown I say pick what you love. It can be totally classic and timeless or it can just scream this is me! I can definitely say that none of the gowns below are timeless but they are downright awesome and I love them all. I wouldn't even be able to choose one if I were picking for myself.

I am so excited about this coming wedding season and the dresses that my girls are wearing. Some I have not even seen yet but I know they will be absolutely stunning.

Designer Unknown but if you know please tell!!
Dress above is by ~ Angel Sanchez

Dress above is designed by ~ Jessica McClintock

   Dress above is Ramona Keveza
   Above is Vera Wang!
   Above is Vera Wang!

Everyone loves love. Photo of the day..

2009-03-19T18:06:00.001-07:00

I have been the worst blogger lately. Goodness I have been BUSY! This month is my last month at the Wedding Mall as most know anyway. I have been working like crazy getting everything ready for the transition and trying to make it as smooth as possible. So I have the coolest contractor guy doing my contractor type work.. AKA.. drywall hanging, building new walls and that sort of stuff. I have been painting like crazy, starting with the bathroom. EWE that place was nasty! It is coming back to life though and it may end up being my favorite room of all. Many will be shocked to see that I have broken away from my black and white pallet and moved to some crazy colors. I am so excited about this place. Just being downtown inspires me like crazy. I love change and this change is just what i needed to get out of my rut. I could sit in my cave (old office) and wait for my creativity to hit but nothing.. it would drive me crazy! Now though just walking from my car to the door of my new shop, let me say that again.. MY new shop.. is an inspiration! Each day I meet another cool person and I can not wait to meet the next. I feel pretty excited right now to get everything completed and start giving my brides some much deserved attention. (thank you to all my clients for bearing with me during this transition as well)

When I first ventured out of my home office into a "real" office I felt that being in a bridal district was absolutely necessary now I know that is just not the case. As long as I am in an area that is loaded with cool hipsters and style I am good and my clients will find me.

I am so excited to be opening this new place right at the start if my wedding season. I feel overwhelmed with happiness, and love and I know that it will reflect my weddings and make them even more amazing then last years.

Bridal Fitness ~ Hooping = Tight Bod + Fun!!!!!

2009-03-12T17:48:00.000-07:00

I know that many girls start a new work out regimen prior to the wedding. I wanted to suggest something that is fun and an amazing workout. HOOPING! Yes all you girls had one as a kid. A hula-hoop. Well maybe not everyone had one but I did and back then I thought skipping while hooping was cool then. Now as an adult hoop dancing is where its at. I used to be totally addicted to this years ago. Then I stopped and about 4 months ago started again. My issue was all the hoops that I bought were too small because I have long arms. Then I found that you can buy hoops for adults. COOL ONES too. I have been using a 6 dollar hoop I found at Target and it is really holding me back from many tricks the only good thing I can see in having a hoop that is too small is that it is way easier working with multiple hoops.

Anyhow this is a workout like you wouldn't believe. A full body workout at that and it is totally addicting. I think it is one home workout program many of you will find to be a great time and really stress relieving as well. I suggest creating a really cool play list on you ipod of high BPM songs , turn it up loud and hoop for at least 30 minutes. I think if you say 30 minutes you will likely go over that because it is so fun. Then you start to learn new tricks and moves and it is awesome. here are some samples of some really cool hooping videos. Check them out and also here is a site that can help you get started with some awesome hoops and great instruction Hoopnotica and Hoopgirl.

videos.

Over and Out

2009-03-03T11:36:00.001-08:00

Well this is goodbye for the week.. I went and bought my offspring Disney world tickets for Christmas so the time has come where Delta is down to probably 8 flights prior to ours. (We leave tomorrow)

I am pretty excited since all three of the brood are over the height restrictions and can ride anything I can talk them into getting on. YES! Although chances are they will be talking me into the riding but whatever right! Is all I know is this is going to be fun and I want my 11 year old to photograph me with every stupid Disney character that i sacrificed my TV time for while i make some sort of silly gesture. ha ha. My 11 year old can take amazing pictures! She definitely does not get that from me but she does have an eye for that. YaY for her.

So did you know that you can have your wedding at Cinderella's castle in Magic Kingdom. I am unsure of this concept right now. I did visit this castle as a kid and I do not seem to re-call seeing people actually going in. But that could have been an oversight on my part. So I am hoping that I see a wedding going on. Only because I want to see how this actually works. If I were to have a wedding in Cinderella's castle I would think it would have to be ridiculously flowy. (is that a word) I mean like princess Diana's train flowy. It would have to be over over over the top. Or else just absolutely animated. I don't know. I may ask for a tour.. ha ha. Just to see what a magic castle wedding would consist of. As a matter of fact that is a great idea! I will start calling now! PLUS.. the kids get a tour right! ha ha. Genius of me. DUH! okie dokie I am soo Orlando bound and now more excited that I was when I started typing this 4 minutes ago. See ya on the flip side kiddies!

Tipz #2!!!

2009-03-02T08:32:00.000-08:00

Okay kidz.. I have been hearing this too much lately and I try not to be too crazy bossy with my brides but sometimes I think that it is necessary. Especially when i hear " I am doing my own makeup." Oh crap I think to myself.. Now don't get me wrong all of my bridez are gorgeous girlz and I am sure they do a great job at their makeup on a normal day of the week. When I hear this I just say oh is that what you do? You are a makeup artist? No is the answer i get.. 100% of the time. Except for one of my clients who is indeed a makeup artist so she is exempt form this topic.. with her I just asked are you doing your own makeup.. She is allowed.. she went to school for that she knows whats up. So back to the topic at hand.. wedding day makeup is not like everyday makeup. For one it is going to have to survive the most emotional day of your life. 65-70% of the time it is going to need to be able to withstand high temperatures. It must be tear proof, smudge proof, kiss proof, smile proof, and what the hell lets make it fireproof too. (just kidding) I learned this first hand by my friend who is a makeup artist and has done my makeup for every photo shoot I have ever done except for one. I have learned that I am stupid when it comes to makeup. No matter how many times i watch her apply the stuff on my face.. I can never get it to look like it has been professionally applied. When she is finished I am always blown away by my face.. It looks like me just a better version. Which is important as well. You don't want the groom to know it is you just because you are walking down the aisle in the wedding gown. He should be able to recognise your face as well.
Another thing about make up is when you are having photos done these girlz (and some boyz) know tricks to really make your good features pop on camera. Plus they are able to hide your imperfections way better then you can. TRUST ME! Why leave the touching up to the photographer? They are not miracle workers. Just get the makeup. If you are paying $3500.00 for pictures then why skimp on the $50-150 on makeup? It is just common sense if you ask me. Plus this is your day of pampering and fun.
No more blogging today! I am too opinionated today for some reason.

Tipz......

2009-03-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

Okay girlz (and boyz). I had a number of meeting on Saturday and two out of three of the meetings we discussed the importance of starting your vendor hiring as soon as possible.
My first meeting was with a couple who had booked me two years prior to the wedding. YAY!! for pre-planning! Let me tell you it has been a cake walk so far with these two. Not only are they hilarious but they are under no pressure! We have booked all of their major vendors (minus the church.. HINT HINT!! Since i know you are a reader) and now we are just sort of hanging out to pull the whole event together. I am really excited about this couples wedding too. I think it will be super swanky and cool. Either way.. next I had a bride come in who had booked NO vendors to date except her ceremony/reception location. The wedding is in 6 months! OK.. I sort of panic with this. Mostly because of photography! I want all of my couples to have a great selection with photographers and when i see that they are booking for a really popular month and 6 months away I think OH CRAP! I immediately want to get on the tellie and start praying for my favorite photo people to be available. After talking to these couples and a photographer that my first couple was booking with we all agreed that brides just do not know what is appropriate for timing when it comes to booking vendors. Some think "oh we have time." meaning we are 6 months away. While others are on the ball and booking a year or years out. I say as soon as you get engaged start booking. I am hoping that gives everyone at least a year or more to plan but I know realistically it could be a few months as well.
My point is, that when booking, it is never too early. Especially with photography, video, venues, cakes. Flowers can be tricky because it is hard to get an accurate quote for two years in advance due to the changes in prices but if you know that you love the florist then go ahead and make your deposit to hold the date. I wish I could get this to brides right as they got that ring so they would know it is ok to start booking. I think things get done in the wrong order. The girls get the ring, then immediately go out and buy the dress. In my opinion I think the dress should wait till 6 months prior to the wedding. Trends change with the seasons! You may find a dress that you love and then a year passes and by then the new lines come out and you are in love with another dress. So you have two dresses. Which is fine if you have the money for two dresses I have had a few brides change into dress #2 during the reception. My guess is though that many people will just stick with the one dress so why not be totally sure that it will be THE ONE?
So the moral of the story is.. it is never too early to start booking. If you want the best vendors then start making those appointments. Do not feel stupid or think oh we have tons of time because the truth is you will feel stupid if you wait and are stuck with vendors that you are forced to settle for.
K.. now i am moving on the blog post #2 which will be a new topic.. :)

It's no secret!

2009-02-26T10:44:00.000-08:00

Okay so this past month has been one that I will call CRAZY! There are so many new things going on for Your Wedding By jen and initially I thought I wanted to keep the MAJOR thing a secret but I have decided what the heck ..

First off let me start by telling you all about some of the new stuff going on. We are now offering linen rentals and the rates and amazing. Now don't think I am trying to do all types of rental items. This is LINEN only.. (i.e. napkins, chair covers, sashes, table linens.)

Next, Your Wedding By jen is moving! YEP! I have found a really really cute location downtown on East Court St. I am soooo excited about this move but I am a bit less excited about the work that will be involved in getting this little place ready to go. So starting March 1st my office will still be in the wedding mall but chances are my body will be on Court St slaving away like Peter Perfect(or Peterette) making this place rock. Then if all goes as planned I will be moved in by April 1st. There will be a party on the books but the date it TBD.

Once I am moved I will be branching out into corporate events as well as weddings. Also I will be doing travel bookings. Which is something I had to stop doing when I moved into the mall due to the exclusivity each vendor holds. I will be offering a very limited amount of catalog invitations. I will not be pushing those because I think that there are some really amazing local invitation girls that can create stationary way better then Carlson Craft or Jean M. But in the event someone wants them I will have them available.

Finally.. and this may be in the distant future but since my new location does have two floors I intend on making the basement a really cool place where vendors can hold meetings or meet with clients at no charge. It will also be a great place the ABC can hold monthly meetings or whatever.

So that is my BIG news! YAY!!! So i expect to see all of my vendor friends, non vendors friends, downtown people, past, present and future bridez and groomz and moms and dads and just everyone at this party.. Stay tuned for more info!

Rockin' the table tops

2009-02-25T08:09:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday the Association of Bridal Consultants held an event to raise funds for Dresses That Heal. Which is an amazing breast cancer charity. My part in the event was to participate in the table top design competition.

I was able to hook up with a few of Cincy's greatest girls to make my table top the one that rocked the Contemporary Art Center on this day and that it did. With the help of Katie owner of Katie Elfers Floral Design (who in my opinion has style and sass like none other) and Amy Owens owner of Amo-Ink (who, also in my opinion, has amazing style and can create some great art with paper) I created a table that is definitely blog worthy.

So what had originally started out as a "tattoo" style Ed Hardy theme ended up as more of a rock~n~roll type theme in the end. I will say this table was awesome. I loved the fact that I was not using other peoples colors and ideas but this is a table I personally would have at my own wedding. Anyone who knows me would know that table was me for sure!

Katie did an a amazing job with the flowers all in deep dramatic reds. Centered was a tall vase filled with a burgundy branchy piece and added in were random roses as well as some ribbon strung black pearls that Katie made and were ridiculously cool. She corset tied some of the vases with a wide black satin ribbon and on others she wrapped a galvanized wire around them. They were amazing. She also filled little black votive holders in various heights with single dark red rose heads, which added to the different varieties of height and drama all around the table.

CAC does not allow for any flames therefor I had to do a bit of improvising since I felt that candles were a huge part of this table. I let the candles I intended in using burn down for about 6 hours. Then I took the LED tea lights and covered them in model magic and stuck them down inside the candle. They looked okay.

As far as place settings went, I rented the black goblets from All Occasion Rentals. I used a metal charger then placed a black plate with a hammered edge look topped with the amazingly cool menu cards from AMO-INK and topped those with the rolled napkin secured with a wire napkin ring. The silverware was all hammered metal and the linen was a eyelash pin tuck in a pewter color.

The theme for the event was Urban Chic. I will say that I took it to the next level of Urbanism for sure. It was a kick AZZ table and I welcome any bride to copy it at their wedding!

Thanks so much to Pottinger Photography for these amazing photos! We all know my picture taking skillz are just down right crappy.

Show me the loft space....

2009-02-19T10:32:00.000-08:00

I get so frustrated with Cincinnati sometimes... We have all of these crazy amazing buildings downtown that would make the most amazing loft space venues but no one has done it yet.. WHY? What the heck are we waiting for!?!?. Hello urban developers..(knocking on urban developers heads) Can someone please create a loft space that can accommodate at least 300 seated guests? I myself would do it but I really have no clue as to where to start. Oh and while your at it a rooftop terrace for a wedding/cocktails would be freaking awesome.

I know that driving down Vine Street today I witnessed much scaffolding and worker guys doing some serious rehabbing. So why the heck not? I mean could you imagine the above said venue down near Bootsy's on Walnut? It would be freaking perfect.

If I had a TON of money I would definitely be dropping a large portion of it into this project. People are looking for these venues! But guess what Cincinnati has nothing for them.

Maybe someday some super amazing person will come to me and say "guess what i have done" and i will say "what" while looking at this crazy amazing person somewhat psychotically because I probably do not know this person. and the person will say "I created this amazing loft space that I would like to show you." I will then be in love with the said psychotic person.

I find this idea to be absolutely brilliant!!!!

This ain't your mama's wedding!!!!

2009-02-18T16:15:00.000-08:00

Yeah I said it! (sorry mom's) and covered my butt. When i say this ain't your mama's wedding i totally mean that times have changed, weddings have gotten wild, crazy and personal! It is not all frilly lace and 14 tiered lighted cakes with fountains. This is the party that is telling the world or at least everyone who is involved in YOUR world that you are in love. That you are willing to spend your life with this person. Why would you want this party to look like knottie 080808cali's party? (No offence Knottie brides you girlz rock.)This is the one time that everyone you know will be hanging out in an environment that you are creating as an expression of who you and your man are. Go ahead be daring! It is ok! I promise! People will walk away saying WOW now that was not a painful wedding!

When i am planning a wedding for a couple I ask them to each send me three things that they love or are important to them. I tell them they can take photos and email them or bring them into me however they think is best. BUT i ask them to do it separately. We all know that when Girlie sayz she loves her Manolo heals then Boyie is going to say NOOOO you can send that. So I want to get a true feel for the things that are important with no influence by the significant other. Then once i get them, then i create the wedding based on the couples loves! That is how you make an amazing personal wedding happen. Yes looking through Martha Stewart Weddings will get your creative juices flowing but still how is Martha actually you?

These days I think the more different your wedding ends up the better off you are! I mean why not make your reception a dance party? I don't mean YMCA dance (unless that is what you are into) Make it a club! After dinner is over and all the big events have happened open it up to some serious dance beats. I know you are saying "well grandma may not like that." ok for one.. I bet Grandma knows how to bust it on the dance floor. You would be surprised at how many weddings I have watched grandma show up the grand kids on the dance floor! It is great!

How else can you make it different.. change the lighting after dinner to create a lounge effect.

Set out masks or make escort cards from vintage masquerade masks. That way after dinner is over you can make it a big masquerade party. Moustaches are becoming pretty trendy but heck they are fun!

The options are really endless and they really are depending on how open you are to new things. I think it is super important to change up the atmosphere though. Give people something new to look at or at least make it seem like it.

So mom....that was not so bad huh! I just wanted to throw all that out there. So girlz get your creative hats on and make your wedding YOU!

HAPPY VALENTINEZ DAY!

2009-02-14T10:03:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentinez Day to all! I hope that everyone gets many hot phone booth kisses today.. Ok so maybe finding a phone booth may be difficult so how about a closet? Ok i hope everyone gets hot passionate kisses like this either way.

Wai Ching for Bridal Wear President.

2009-02-06T13:42:00.001-08:00

OKAY! So this week has been a bridal show extravaganza. I only attended one the one I thought would be the better of the load. Mainly because as a wedding vendor I want to be in a setting where the brides are having fun, and not being attacked by all the other vendors in the room. Seriously sometimes a bridal show is just down right frightening. That is not to say there are not some amazing vendors working them because there are for sure. I am just not the pushy sales person type so I get concerned when I am approached by them.

ANY WHO.. my point.. sorry.. okay so I always look forward to the fashion show. I love the energy they give off, the music, the anticipation to see what the next season will bring, the beautiful girlz and boyz! So there I stand, camera in one hand, flip video camera in the other ready for some great things to post in my blog for all you bridez to be. Well to my disappointment.. there was not too much that i was floored over! WHAT!!! i mean come on.. Vera Wang show me something great. I mean surely Vera your not tapped out on the creative level. I don't know it could have been the producers of the show. I am not going to bash any designer.

So during my stance of disappointment I decided well the blog must go on and i must find something great. TA DA.. and this is where I hand to you the beautiful Chrissy Wai Ching.

THANK GAWD! a breathe of fresh, fun, creative energy here. I am in love with her dresses. I am positive that I will be buying one for myself. Of course not a bridal gown but one of the other amazing designs she has created. I am in Luv! Actually the idea of an Un -Wedding sounds like a ton of fun to me because I am loving these dresses so much. Make sure that you go visit her site because I am not giving her enough exposure. She has a TON of awesome things on her site.

Veils and Cocktails

2009-01-29T16:00:00.000-08:00

The Covington Madison has rescheduled Veils and Cocktails due to the weather. So if you thought that you could not make it this past Wednesday then maybe you can make it this Wednesday.

This event features some of the areas best wedding vendors in a very fun cocktail party like setting. There will also be a fashion show sponsored by Fabulous Bridal. There are still tickets available to purchase just click here and you will be directed to the site.

For my current clients I have three tickets left. So give me a call if you would like to go!

Those boyz.....

2009-01-28T10:34:00.000-08:00

Okay so I am a girl who swoonz at the sight of a well dressed boy. Especially one who will break away from the norm. I have previously posted on how to dress your boy for the wedding. I think that it is such an important topic that I want to post on it all the time. Mainly because it gives me a reason to search the Internet for super cute boyz wearing super amazing suits and tuxes.(because I LOVE a boy in a suit)

So anyway during my hunt for super hot wedding attire I stumbled across this amazing shop. Of course it is in Portland OR where all the coolness is but still, ideas are ideas and well if you are local to this area then why not take a darn trip! If you are reading my blog then chances are you will LOVE Portland anyway. With that being said, if you go make sure that you go visit Duchess, Clothier of Portland. They are creating some darn fine men's wear as well as some suits for us girlz too. The fabric selection that they have is off the freaking charts when it comes to ridiculously amazing stuff. So if nothing else go check their website. You will love them.

A Dress To Remember

2009-01-27T05:44:00.000-08:00

I am so very excited to be participating in A Dress to Remember hosted by the Cincinnati Association of Bridal Consultants. This benefit will be supporting Dresses That Heal as well as the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation. Proceeds from the event will give a local breast cancer survivor an opportunity to attend an Infinite Boundaries retreat.

A Dress to Remember will be held on February 22, 2009 at the Contemporary Arts Center and the cost is $30. Some activities include a table top design competition and silent auction that will include gowns and other bridal related items.

Don't miss this fabulous opportunity to help a local survivor.

Glass Eye Video created this amazing video that I wanted to share with everyone. Steve did such an amazing job on this and I am sure that all will agree.

A Dress to Remember By Steve Zugelter
View in HD Download 1080p HD Version Visit Steve Zugelter's ExposureRoom Videos Page

Spring 2009 Betsey Johnson Wedding is YUMMMMMYYY!!!!

2009-01-20T11:49:00.001-08:00

Betsey Johnson is definitely not known for white. As a matter of fact I have not seen a whole lot of her work in white. That alone made this a wonderful surprise. Getting to see her Spring 09 line from N.Y. Fashion Week exploding with some amazing wedding attire made my eyes happy.
Betsey Johnson is not one who follows the said trends which is why I love her so. Instead she finds inspiration and runs with it. This seasons line up was inspired by Peter Pan. A total fairy tale. I LOVE IT!
*Note to me brides* If you wear one of these dresses I will rock your wedding like there is no tomorrow. :)))
So with that said scroll on to witness this awesome stuff....

Lets warm it up a bit

2009-01-15T12:38:00.000-08:00

I feel pretty lucky that I am able to do what I love for a career. There are many reasons that I do what I do for my job. One is I love a creative challenge. Two is I love seeing people so overtaken by love. Three is the emotional basket a wedding day holds. WOAH! I mean these people are dealing with every emotion out there in one day. It is soooo intense. Four is trust.

I love when a couple comes to me and feels so completely at ease that they can say "here you go, this is what we like, create our dream." That is music to my ears.

Carey and Ryan came to me with just a few ideas they had and let me run with them. They wanted a destination wedding that was with in the United States. They would have 11 guests, they love good food, and Carey loves green. Most importantly they did NOT want a resort wedding. (Thank goodness we all know how i feel about resort weddings.. ugh)

So with that bit of info I took to the computer and I whipped up an awesome intimate wedding for this amazing couple.

I was sooo happy when Carey sent me some photos of their wedding because it was so gorgeous.

The photographer is Genya from Genya Vue photography and she is awesome. The location for this wedding was Carillon Beach Florida which is just a few miles Panama City.

Here are a few pics..

Rockin Wedding Special for Febuary 2009 Brides.

2008-12-30T20:01:00.000-08:00

You got the man, you got the ring, you got the venue, the photographer, the food, the cake, the flowers, the band. Surely you have not forgotten your videographer, makeup artist and your day of coordinator though right?
Generally I panic if I have a bride come to me so last minute in need of any major vendor. The good vendors book at least a year in advance sometimes even more! So I was so super excited to find out that we, the coolest team of vendors around would be able to offer this special deal to all of you February 2009 brides out there.
In coordination with Lifetime Video, BrideFace, Aviva-Events, Your Dream Day and myself , Your Wedding by Jen, we were able to come up with the offer to give you the bride a free Day of Coordinator when you book any video package with Lifetime Video. You will also get an amazing discount on makeup from BrideFace. I can not stress loudly enough in type the awesomocity of this!
Every single one of the wedding professionals listed above knows weddings, they know style, and they know art. We together create a team that will make your wedding flow smoothly and you will be at ease letting us handle all of the details that you worked so hard on putting together.
Call Lifetime video at 513.231.0080 or email info@lifetime-video.com they will be able to tell you all about this awesome offer!

More eye candy!!!

2008-12-29T07:19:00.000-08:00

I should probably tone it down a notch when it comes to my crazy taste in what i think is rockin for a wedding... But hey.. if every wedding was the same, then how lame would that be? Just know that I am able to work with everyone equally. I love a wedding that is less out of the norm just as much as the ones that are just totally out there. I understand that "totally out there" is just not what everyone is into.

So I promise that my next post will have some amazing weddings that are not inked and dressed in black or glowing dresses.. K... So prepare your eyes for some awesomeocity..

** Oh yeah*** These are not weddings that I coordinated.. Just more awesome shots that i love.

Bootsy's

2008-12-20T09:43:00.001-08:00

*Disclaimer~ This has absolutely nothing to do with weddings..but could be a cool rehearsal dinner location?~*

Everyone who knows me knows I am a huge fan of black and white. I should probably be a poster child for White house/Black Market but I do love me some color. I mean I love VIBRANT bold colors like Bootsy Collins and Jeff Ruby have pulled off to a freaking T in this brand spanking new establishment on Walnut St. I drive by this awesome place almost daily and look with envy at this amazing store front. I am so in love with it. I am itching like mad to step foot inside to get a true feel for the flow and decor. I know the combo of Bootsy Collins and Jeff Ruby will make a dynamic duo. This place will rock if Cincinnati has it in them (us) to keep it alive.

Photo of the Day!

2008-12-19T11:23:00.001-08:00

I am love with this shot. How cool is she. Hey and check it out they are somewhere in Ohio.

Affordable Vintage!

2008-12-10T10:50:00.000-08:00

So.... I am in heaven with this super amazing website Unique-Vintage!! With all the awesome vintage inspired events coming up I thought my brides would love and appreciate this site. These dresses are so amazing and holy cow they are soooo affordable! I am in love with the 30's glam styles because I love that era next to the 20's but I love them both equally. All these dresses I am posting are under $400.00 and most are $100-$200! I KNOW! Can you believe that. Here are some samples but really you should hit the site and do some searching.This dress above is $228.00!

This dress above is $98.00!!!! I am not even kidding!

This dress above is $170.00!!! Seriously!!!

So in Love.....

2008-11-29T08:24:00.000-08:00

Okay so anyone who knows me probably knows I am not your everyday average girl. I love things that are off the wall and very much not norm. So I wanted to post some pics that I have found during random dayz of blog reading that I just fell in love with.
Am I taking a chance by posting these photos.. maybe.. not all brides like the off beat bride blog or indie brides..but I can't help but to be drawn to the creativity of these weddings. Not for everyone though. Don't get me wrong I love pretty things just as much as funky!
So during the slow season I am finding photos that I have fallen in love with and I wanted to share them with all of you.
These are not photos of wedding that I have coordinated these are simply random images that I love. Images that I feel represent love in all colors and styles.

Lets hear it for the boyz!!

2008-11-25T09:41:00.000-08:00

We girlz tend to get all caught up in the "bridal" aspect of the wedding we sort of forget the reason we are getting married. Let me give you a hint.... that boy!! you know the one you took that first look at and it made your heart skip a beat. So in tribute to the ones that make us act like sillies, I would like to show you some super cool tux options! Especially with the trends that I am seeing now I think these tuxes totally fit the bill.. Not to mention Brandon Flowers from the Killers makes a darn good tux model.

Can my bridez please make their groomz wear something like this? If not, can you please fly Brandon out to attend the wedding. I totally think these are reasonable requests!

All photos from GQ magazine you can also get a great article on how to buy a tux!