Holiday Parties . . . Time's a wastin

Who doesn't love a good Christmas party. I know I know. All that great food that we have all come to expect each Christmas/Thanksgiving season.

As fun and fabulous as parties are they can be stressful for the host. My best advice is to make a plan. Decide in advance what you will serve, how you will serve it, when you will prepare it and when you will purchase it.

If you aren't into cooking, then just go buy it from your local grocery store and then present it on decorative serving pieces.

I really like a good check list. Without a list I will probably forget something. Have you ever cooked a large meal and then left a side dish sitting in the fridge because you forgot to put it on the table. So make a list, it will keep you from going "aw snap, I forgot to put out the______."

You want to enjoy your party so think of a creative way to keep from being the clean up crew. Make sure you place trash cans around that are visible, but not obtrusive, if you are using disposible products. You can place trays for guest to put dirty dishes on or as you're picking up have a designated, but slightly hidden place to put all the dirty dishes. It may be as simple as screening off an area of your counter to pile high dishes and then tend to them when your guest leave.

Enjoy your parties!

a fun holiday favor . . .

Have you ever had a chocolate dipped spoon? Recently I made several for an evening dinner party. All you need is clear plastic spoons, almond bark(chocolate & vanilla) and toffee bits. Oh, and wax paper to set them on.

Here's what to do . . .

Melt either chocolate or vanilla almond bark according to instructions. Dip each spoon in bark and place on wax paper. Sprinkle toffee bits on top. I chose to dip them in chocolate, let them dry and then dip them in vanilla leaving some of the chocolate exposed, then I sprinkled them with toffee bits and then I striped them with more chocolate and vanilla almond bark.

It's a fun and simple treat that can be used to add a hint of chocolate and/or vanilla to your coffee or other hot drinks.

I hope you try it and enjoy it. It's very easy. If you plan to give them as gifts place each in a small clear bag and tie.

July 25th

On this day, July 25 in the year 2009 a certain girl woke up and realized "it's my wedding day." She has spent months preparing and taking care of every detail from what food would be served at the reception, how the ceremony would come together, and even making sure her skin was flawless for this one day. Because, this day, she has dreamed about for years.

That same morning a certain gentleman woke up and realized he was getting married that day, though fully confident in his decision to marry this girl his stomach still had butterflies. He knew that this marriage was plotted out in God's plan for his life. He had found the women who he could love and cherish and who would partner with him and fully love and support him in his calling.

She readies herself in a white sundress to attend the traditional Bridesmaids Luncheon at the Fairview Inn. Immediately following she goes to have her makeup done and then it's off to the church. Meanwhile, the groom heads up to the church to enjoy time with his groomsman at their luncheon.

The photographer, Erin Fults, arrives and it's time for the bride and groom to get dressed and then take their "first look." (Traditionally, a bride and groom would not see each other until she walks down the aisle, but many couples are now choosing to take all their pictures prior to the wedding so they have more time to visit with guest at the reception. That's why they do a "First Look." The couple can take a moment for themselves.) At this point all the pictures have been taken and guest begin to arrive. It's time for the ceremony to begin.

As Seth awaits at the front for his bride, the bridesmaids and groomsman enter to How He Loves by John McMillan and as the song builds so does the anticipation of the entrance of Amanda. As she enters, the words of this song sends a message to the crowd that this union is built upon the foundation of Christ love for His children. The ceremony combined traditional elements such as communion,the unity candle, Scripture readings with non traditional music selections.

The Bride was beautiful in her lace covered gown and carried a bouquet of bright, colorful roses and lilies. Her maids were dressed in clover colored tea length dresses. The Groom and Groomsman were dressed in distinguished, but simple tuxedos.

The reception was held in the fellowship hall at the church. The food and the flowers all done by Wendy Putt and I must mention it was delicious and beautiful. Another special touch added by the bride was an Ice Cream Bar, each guest could take their pick of chocolate or vanilla ice cream and pile on their favorite toppings. For a hot July wedding there is just nothing better than a waffle bowl full of ice cream.

As the day came to an end Mr. & Mrs. Seth Price were showered with rose petals as they ran out of the church and were whisked away in an antique Ford Fairlane. What better way to end this dream wedding day.

Congratulations Seth and Amanda! It was a pleasure to be a part of your wedding day!

People Flow . . .

What!??? Yes, flow. For those do-it-yourself weddings and events it's very important to think about People Flow as you decide the set up of tables, buffet lines, drinks etc. Ask yourself a few questions before you get started.

1. Where will most people enter from?
2. Will people enter in groups?
   
3. Is anything obstructing their preferred walk way?
4. What is the most natural way to walk through the space?

After you've answered these questions you can then think through your set up. Below are some elements to keep in mind.

1. What is the focal point?
2. Will this set up create a bottleneck?
3. Does it make sense?

A good event planner can help walk you through the thought process and come up with the best alternative.

WORSHIP . . . NOT JUST . . .

My pastor is doing a sermon series on "WORSHIP", what a hot topic in the Christian church. Different churches through the years have deemed different forms of "worship" as acceptable at different times in history. It makes you wonder who is the individual or group influencing this?

In some churches an emotional show of worship is looked down upon and then in other churches it seems to be the primary focus of worship. The real deal about worship is Romans 12: 1-2 which states, "Therefore I urge you brothers in view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Worship is all about living a life of surrender to Christ, not just singing on Sunday morning (although I really like that part!).

How does this concept relate to an event? Well, as Christians, we are to strive to worship God with our lives and that means surrender to His will even as it relates to planning a wedding or organizing a fundraiser or whatever it may be. Praying diligently that God be evident in everything. Colossians 3:23 says to do "everything as unto the Lord, not as unto men." Even in the mundane we should strive to do our best, because we work for God. Even in so-called "secular" events we should strive to please God with our actions. We show others Christ through the way we conduct ourselves and how we work. God is pleased when we work well, live honestly, strive for integrity and just live by His Word.

"WORSHIP" Such a powerful concept. What are you worshiping?

Mission Market

I know it's been a little while since I have had the time to write anything, but that's just the life of a planner. I'm busy year round with different events.

I want to share with the community about an event happening at my church on October 10th. It's call the Mission Market. The purpose is to raise money to fund a project through the International Mission Board. We will help to send missionaries to villages to teach women how to sew and market their products so these women can help provide for their families.

What will be happening that day to raise money, you may ask? Well, admission is $5 per person and you can stroll through the Market and purchase items from various vendors, buy baked goodies at the Bake Shop, check out the Kids Consignment Corner, participate in workshops, have family photos taken and enjoy lunch ($5 per plate).

As time gets closer I will post a detailed listing of Vendors. I hope you will make plans to attend.

Mission Market
at Broadmoor Baptist Church
1531 Highland Colony Pwky
Madison, MS 39110

October 10, 2009
9am-3pm

July 11th

It's been awhile since I have had time to write anything. It feels good to be back. I just want to tell you about some of the events that have been going on lately.

I just love weddings and I loved July 11th and all those involved. The wedding took place at Broadmoor Baptist Church at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The bride chose for her wedding day colors fuschia, black and white. The bridesmaids were gorgeous in their fuschia dresses and the men so handsome in their tuxes. The bride carried a beautiful bouquet of red roses, with the bridesmaids carrying bouquets of white. Another idea that I want to share about the wedding. Both the bride and groom have no living grandparents; the couple decided to have a place on the program for "Seating of the Siblings." It was a special way to honor their only siblings. One other unique item to their ceremony was a prayer for each other and to each other.

The reception was no less than a good time. Everything done in black, white and a "pop" of fuschia. I loved the way the florist (Connie Joyner, Marshall's Florist, out of Meridian) used different vases with flowers on each guest table. It added a unique touch. Another great touch to this reception was a "kids table." Yes, I've seen them done before, but this one stood out to me. The family took sand buckets and laid them on their side on a round table, each bucket had a shovel and was filled with goodies for the kids to come by and scoop onto their plates. In the center was a three tiered cupcake cake for them to enjoy. The kids and the adults seemed to love it.

Overall it was a great day!
Congratulations to the Bride and Groom!

Stephanie's Wedding

Have you ever tried to plan a big event...like your own wedding...when your parents live in another city? Well, it can be a challenge. Like most girls I had been dreaming of my wedding since I was a child. I wanted the big puffy dress, a big wedding reception, lots of dancing, the perfect photographer to capture every moment, the whole nine yards. Then reality set in; we had a budget!

Since all of my family would be coming to Jackson from out of town, we knew we needed a great place for them to stay and lots of room for the rehearsal dinner. Only God could have provided the perfect wedding coordinator at First Baptist Church where we were getting married to help me with all of these requests. Not only did she have lots of references and invaluable resources....her daughter worked for my mom in Birmingham.

My family is spread out across the country, so we wanted to be sure we had as much time as possible to visit....so we invited them all to our rehearsal dinner. My mom came to town one weekend and we had three very intensive wedding planning days. We visited many different photographers, caterers, florists, etc. Choosing these vendors was like visiting a college campus...you could tell quickly if the fit was right. We went to all kinds of restaurants...all too small or too expensive. Finally, we decided on a beautiful place on the Reservoir that could accommodate everyone in our family for the rehearsal dinner. Though my wedding wasn't just how I had envisioned it when I was ten years old, it was far better than I could have ever imagined.

I managed to escape the whole wedding experience with no major catastrophes, only a few minor glitches here and there.

The one thing I will always remember is something my wedding coordinator frequently reminded me of... it didn't matter that things didn't go exactly as planned because at the end of the day we were going to be married and that is all that really counts!

Heather's Wedding

I wake up the morning of my wedding and go to wash my face and feel like I have something in my eye. I did all the tricks you are told to do to try and get it out, all to no avail. After a half hour, I was getting really frustrated. One of my bridesmaids father is a doctor so he looked at it and said I must have scratched either the inside of my eyelid or my actual eye. Are you KIDDING ME? How did I live to be 21 years old and never have this happen before, ever, but on the morning of my wedding! So I finally figured out it did not hurt when my eye was open, but when I blinked it got really irritated. Well, that wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to ever blink!

At this point my mom is freaking out so we call the family doctor who is in town for the wedding and he goes to the pharmacy and gets this stuff called lacrolube. It's like a gel to put in my eye. I was really nervous because I didn't know if it would make my eye droop or look weird so I agreed to let him put it in after we got to the reception and had taken pictures. What was supposed to be a relaxing day with my friends ended up being me crying and holding a cold rag on my eye! I remember getting into the limo with my dad to go to the church and just crying! I even looked like I was crying all the way down the aisle, but it was just my eye hurting making it water!

So we make it to the reception where I promptly take two loratab for pain and the doctor puts the medicine in after the pictures. Well it worked! It completely numbed my eye so I couldn't feel it. (the medicine I am sure had something to do with it!) SO I was able to really enjoy my reception. I had a blast dancing and hanging out with my friends and family and completely forgot about my eye. Now we can look back on it and laugh, but at the time oh it was awful! Of course, to this day, after 2 and ½ years, I have still never scratched my eye like that again.

I can't wait to get to heaven and ask God why all of that happened! I am sure we will have a good laugh over it.

~Heather

Kristen's Wedding

My husband and I got engaged in April, so soon after; wedding planning took over my life! But nothing seemed to go right, everywhere seemed to be booked, I couldn’t decide what type of wedding I wanted (small, large, close friends, etc) I really couldn't even decide on a date.

My husband is a professional wrestler and at the time he was training in Tampa and his career was just starting to take off, so we had the whole long distance relationship going on, and trying to plan a wedding around when he could take time off. If you aren’t familiar

with wrestling, its 12 months a year, pretty much the only vacation they get is if they need surgery! We finally decided on December 13, although I really wanted a fall wedding.

Well, one thing started to fall through after the other. For example, I finally decided on having the reception at the Marriott downtown. Only to find out a few months later, they hadn’t penciled me in like they said! So there I was at square one again. I was reeeaally starting to get stressed at this point. In September, Teddy (my husband) was asked to audition for a movie, The Marine II. We found out a few weeks later they wanted h

im as the main character! It was very exciting, but....they tell him he will be gone November 10- December 20 to film the movie in THAILAND, just in time to miss the wedding!!

First, we decided to wait until he got back from filming to get married. But after LOTS and I mean LOTS of prayer we decided to go ahead and get married. Teddy's usually gone from Friday to Tuesday and there really wasn’t any time for him to take off for the wedding. So we got married on a Thursday night. The wedding was literally planned in two days and his mom's friends and my mom’s friends did everything! Cooked, decorated, everything! The only for sure thing about the wedding was my dress had actually come in!! I had planned on having 11 bridesmaids, 11 groomsmen, ordered 500 invitations. Needless to say we scaled down ALOT.

The wedding was October 30, smack dab in the middle of fall just like I always wanted. It was PERFECT, just close friends and family. The weather was absolutely beautiful (it was outside on a lake) and all the people I loved and cared about helped put it all together! Looking back, it is very evident that the Lord knew all along what would happen. Nothing seemed to go right; I was never completely satisfied with my plans because His plan was sooo much better.

And if I had to do it all over again, I would do it the exact same way.

~Kristen

Wedding Stories

Dear Readers,

Over the next few weeks I will be doing a series of wedding stories written by friends of mine. You may find a little inspiration in what they have to say. Some stories will be funny and some sweet, so enjoy.

Paige

Keepin It Simple

A few tips on how to simplify the wedding process.

1. The fewer the better. Limit your wedding party and the number of invitations. I understand that sometimes this is unavoidable. For your wedding party don't ask your mother's second cousin just because she's the only other female on that side of the family, put people in YOUR wedding party that are special to you and your fiance. I know in the South it is custom to send invitations to everyone and anyone that you have ever come in contact with. Ask yourself this question, do I care if they come??? If the answer is no, then why waste the money on inviting them, they probably won't come anyway. (Getting more gifts is not a good reason to invite people)

2. Hire versatile vendors. Try to find a company that does flowers and food and rentals, it's one or two less people to have to meet with. Get all your printing done at the same place and get to know them, so they treat you good. Try to get your wedding dress and bridesmaids dresses from one place. Etc., etc., you get the idea.

3. Invest in a Planner. Well of course, this is the most obvious solution. In all seriousness a planner can be a vital investment, because they can take care of all the little details, herd the bridal party (since your mother insisted that every 2nd, 3rd and 4th cousin be in the wedding party), confirm with your vendors and just take care of all the non-fun wedding stuff and figure out solutions to anything that may go . . . not exactly as imagined.

4. Don't stress and don't let others evoke stress. Easier said than done, yes I know, but try.

5. In general, be nice. The nicer you can be in the midst of the wedding planning to better it will be for you and your fiance. Things happen, it's part of the process. It's okay for things to go be a little different that imagined, just know that in the end you will be married to the man/women of your dreams!

6. Enjoy yourself! Don't let things become so elaborate and so big that they get out of hand and you can't enjoy it or you are too exhausted because you've stayed up for two weeks straight prior to the big day trying to decide . . . (you fill in the blank).

A Marriage Can Last

So often we focus all our attention on the Wedding Day and forget what it really means to spend a lifetime together. My husband and I recently celebrated our 3 year wedding anniversary. I know it's not that long compared to many, but looking back it has flown by! My husband and I never hesitate to tell anyone that the 1st year was rough, absolutely the hardest thing I have ever done.

We both new that divorce was not even an option so we worked through the difficult times. We now know how to love one another and to get along.

I heard a statistic the other day from a Counselor that 1 in 2 of ALL marriages end in divorce, but if a couple prays together regularly that percentage decreases to 1 in 12,000. It's worked for us!

I encourage every bride and groom to enjoy your wedding day, stick with your marriage and pray together!

A Dream Come True

As I was standing in the back of a church sanctuary listening to the bride and groom say their vows and exchange rings I was reminded of the first time I thought about becoming a wedding planner. Little did I know that it would actually happen.

I was a Sophomore in high school on a church trip. We were staying overnight in a Microtel close to the airport. The girls in my room and I decided to order the movie The Wedding Planner with Jennifer Lopez and Matthew Mcconaughey. At that moment I remember thinking what an awesome job! Of course at that stage in my life every girl I knew wanted that job, because we all dreamed about getting married one day and the romance of it all was so intriguing.

I truly thought it was just a phase and a ridiculous fairytale. So why even try to work towards it? Well, I didn't. I graduated from college with a degree in Business and Marketing planning to make it big in the world as the youngest CEO of a Marketing Firm. Obviously things didn't pan out in that way, but I'm so thankful they didn't.

Throughout high school and college I planned all sorts of events and participated in numerous leadership teams. Out of college I volunteered planning a celebration event for a non-profit (truthfully I was hoping to get a job working for them). I loved it! Well, I didn't get the job so I went somewhere else and was given the opportunity to plan other small events. At this time I realized my passion for event planning and my God given talents seemed to coincide.

I've always been a "jumper." What do I mean by that? Ya know the phrase "a leap of faith." Well I "jump off clips." I quit my full time job to pursue Event Planning full time. And that's how Compliments of You got started and God keeps it going. Thank you God for you provision and for blessing this business.

I pray that I work with many more brides and grooms to plan their weddings because every time it's unique and special and I feel so privileged to be a part of that special day.

May Wedding

On May 15th, I was privileged to be a part of Jessica & Allen's Wedding. It was a formal 6pm wedding at Broadmoor Baptist Church in Madison, Mississippi.

Wendy Putt, Fresh Cut Catering & Floral, did the flowers and the church was absolutely stunning. The flower sprays on top of 6 columns were filled with gladiolas, Gerber daisy's and other white flowers, but not roses.

The Bridesmaids were dressed in Black floor link gowns and the Groomsman in bow ties & tails, it was quite the "Southern Affair."

A few elements to this wedding that you don't see everyday . . . three bell ringers, yes bells rang out throughout the church as the Bride's entrance became imminent. She also asked her College Social Tribe (similar to a sorority) to be Honorary Bridesmaids, they each held a Gerber Daisy and marched in two by two with an usher in front and one in back.

At this particular church the side doors are often used for the entrance of the Bridesmaids and Groomsman. For this wedding we used 4 doors. Each Bridesmaid was met by a Groomsman at the front of the steps or in the middle of the center aisle. It was a great picture to see all these people begin entering the sanctuary and engulf the guest. Heads were spinning as people tried to figure out what door the next person would enter from. The Bride also used the song "Shine" by Matt Redman for the processional. A great symbol of what she and her husband have done throughout their lives. Congratulations Jessica and Allen!

Crazy Days

On Friday I worked on an event for Mission Mississippi called the Mississippi Mayors' Prayer Luncheon. It's quite the event. It's truly a great way for Christians in Mississippi to say to our leaders that we appreciate your work (even if we don't always agree with you) and we are committed to praying for you.

My favorite part of the event was a the power point presentation that we showed of the Mayors that came, kind of a "thanks for coming" scroll on screens throughout the convention center. As I was showing Mayors and distinguished guest to the reception area several mayors stopped to look at the screen and find their picture. What a priceless moment because our goal was to make the mayors feel appreciated and it that moment I knew the directive had been accomplished. That's an awesome feeling for me because I feel as though I'm not just planning an event, I'm helping people feel important and appreciated.

Ya know the saying "the devil's in the details?" We'll that feels so true prior to the event when my mind is drowning in the details, but at the end when all is done, the details make the memories and they separate good events from fabulous events! I guarantee that each mayor that attending may not remember the keynote speaker, the meal or even Mission Mississippi, but they will remember seeing their face on the big screen and that feeling of pride in their position.

Have you thanked your state leaders? Have you voiced your opinions/concerns to your leaders? More importantly, have you prayed for your leaders?

The memories are made in the details!

Until next time . . . God Bless

-Paige

unusual

I was looking at other event planner blogs the other day and I ran across a wedding cake made of Jello, yes Jello. The comment below was something like "a nice cool treat for a summer wedding." One of the best things about a wedding is the wedding cake. Jello in my mind does not make it as a substitute for wedding cake, but that is my opinion. I do feel very strongly that if the bride and groom want something, such as a jello wedding cake, then they should get a jello wedding cake.

Nothing to do with events

Fishing, I love fishing, but only when I catch something! This is totally unrelated to events, but I would like to share my fish story. The other day my husband looked outside and said, "Paige, it's good fishin weather, ya wanna go?" My response, "umm, okay." (not all that enthused) So we are fishing for about 45 minutes and nothings happening, no bites, nothing. So my husband says, let's just try this spot one more time and then we'll leave. So we through in and BAM, a fish and pretty big fish. This is it in the pic. About 3lbs. Definitely the biggest fish I've ever caught. So it's Rick's turn and he get's one. And then I get another, another, another, another, another and another. All together I caught 6 fish that day! This is no lie. It was exciting, but the best part. Eating them. I love a good fish fry and there is nothing better than frying up your days catch. I hope you enjoyed my fish tale. It's not near as much fun hearing about it as experiencing it, so go fishing.

Event Tip #1

You must feel at ease with all your vendors. Be sure to pick caterers, photographers, florist etc. that you know have your best interest in mind. Whatever the occasion, hire people you trust and that you know will do a fantastic job. It's not worth the stress and possible disappointment to hire someone you have that little feeling in the pit of your stomach or that voice inside your head that says "don't do it." Trust your instincts, you can always find another vendor. I hope this is helpful to some of you.

A New Month

I can't believe it's March. I hope all you brides out there have been taking care of all the last minute details for your spring wedding. One tip I like to give out, make sure that you have someone gather up the cards (not the ones attached to a gift) you receive on your wedding day. Many times your guest will put cash in them. It's just nice to have a little extra spending money for the honeymoon.

Surprise

Last Saturday night I had the privilege of being a part of a surprise party for a very special person. It was a fun event to plan and participate in.

Her husband and I had been working for months on this party. We finally settled on Tye's Restaurant in Downtown Jackson. It just seemed like the perfect atmosphere. Picture this, a Saturday night, pulling up on a brick road to a downtown restaurant, it just felt movie-like. You have to understand Downtown Jackson, MS. There's not much of that funky downtown atmosphere, but people are trying to bring it back to it's glory days. I hope they succeed because there's a lot of character and it could be a fabulous place.

Back to the party, so everyone arrived on time and then the happy couple arrives and the expression on her face was priceless. She is so sophisticated, that I have no funny "slips" to report. The night was as perfect as anyone could hope for.

Wedding Season

Weddings are gearing up and my life is getting busy(my husband may beg to differ, "it's not getting busy, it's always busy"). Here's a tip or two for all you summer brides, it's time to start thinking about all the little things. Sometimes it feels like a wedding list can be endless. Weddings are wonderful, try to enjoy every minute! Surround yourself with people who care about you and want to make this a painless and joyful process. And remember, stay calm, and let someone else field the phone calls on your wedding day.

Just starting out

I've never really gotten into blogging, but I thought I would give it a try. I'm used to keeping journals, but not on the computer or posting my thoughts so that the whole world could find them.

So here goes trying . . .

Ya know the saying "when it rains, it pours?" It's so true in the event business, everything seems to happen all at once. My mother always told me that I thrive under stress, I might even create it.

To any others out there who are going through a thunderstorm, just remember that it always clears up eventually, but until it does, dress and act appropriately.

Have a good evening.