Double Sweetness...

Recently, I was sent some samples of the most decadently delicious chocolate I've ever had. The Madelaine Chocolate Company reached out for my opinion and thoughts on their product, so here we go :)

The company has premiered a new line called "Duets" - wonderful rich chocolate, melded with another flavor to create a sumptuously creamy concoction. These "minis" are perfect as favors for weddings or parties....or just to treat yourself to something sweet.

With four pairings to choose from, Peanut Butter Caramel, Milk Truffle/White Truffle, Raspberry Peanut Butter and my fave - Raspberry White Truffle (pictured above), there's definitely something for everyone. After sampling these lovely little noshes (and I did share them with my staff!), we decided that the Duets had to be a part of this year's "I DO Brunch" LUXETotes. Each of our attendees received a dainty organza bag, filled with one of each flavor. Judging by the response we've received thus far...I'll say they were a huge HIT!

So if a bunch of wedding planners went ga-ga over these chocolate goodies, what do you think your guests would do??

"I DO Brunch" Recap - Our Vendor Partners

I've decided to break up the "I DO Brunch" into separate "recaps" - there was so much going on and so many amazing participants, one post simply will not do! So to start it off - allow me to introduce you to our Vendor Partners.....

The Brunch is a pure vehicle for professional enjoyment - as planners, we just don't get to enjoy the "fruits of our labor" because we are too busy managing the harvest!! So I wanted to create an event where my peers and colleagues could get all dressed up, be catered to, be spoiled, have a great meal, excellent conversation and not have to WORRY about the next thing on the timeline. I also know my audience...they're wedding and event planners, so their eyes and ears are quite critical - as they should be. I knew that in order to make this thing "work", it would have to be drop dead gorgeous, efficient and simply breathtaking.

Our Vendor Partners helped me fulfill this mission. From catering to music, lighting to place cards, signage to photography, florals to parking......these people and companies were an integral part of the "village tribe" whose amazing work brought the Brunch to life. They're creative, engaging, inquisitive and professional...this is what they do on a regular basis, so having the chance to "rock the runway" for a group of planners was right up their alley. And did they rock it..in a word, YES!

I present to you the " I DO Brunch" 2010 Vendor Partners:

Venue & Catering:

The Gathering Place & Putting On The Ritz Caterers

Official Event Photography
Tunji Sarumi Fine Art Photography

PhotoBooth

Photo Fun Station

Lighting

Perkins Event Lighting

Entertainment

The Greater Baltimore Youth String Quartet

Partners In Rhythm Entertainment

Brunch Florals

Crimson & Clover Floral Design

Custom Seating Chart

The Place Card Butler

Escort Cards

Write Style Invites

Brunch Signage

Carla David Design

The "I DO Brunch" Original Cardbox & Hanging Letters

Creative Custom Cardboxes

The "I DO Brunch" Spring Parasol

Customized Wedding Creations

Guest Transportation Services

Lighthouse Limousines

Valet Parking Services

MarcParc Valet

Host Hotel

Sheraton Columbia Town Center

My deepest thanks go out to each and every one of these fine professionals - thank you for partnering with me on this event and for the wonderful services you provided to my honored guests!!

Whirlwind...

is an apt title for the past week and a half! Between the "I DO Brunch" and Eventology 10, to say that things have been waaaay interesting in Casa DIVA is an understatement!!

This year's "I DO Brunch" was a smashing success..judging from all of the positive feedback and commentary we've received from our attendees and vendor partners. For me, it was the culmination of a few months of meetings, planning, sweat, brainstorming and hard work. I am so grateful and thankful to have had the most amazing group of women on this planet, TeamDIVA - work with me closely on this project. Our collective energy and efforts pulled off a fabulous event for our peers and colleagues..so there are simply no words that can express my deep gratitude. The phrase "Thank You" is so common, but in this case, extremely heartfelt and true.

Within 24 hours after the start of the "I DO Brunch", I was on a plane, winging my way towards the Circle City - Indianapolis, for Eventology 10 - a professional conference for the wedding industry. Katasha Butler of K Sherrie + Company, was the incredible organizer and gracious hostess for this energetic, informative gathering. Planners and other industry professionals came from all over the country to spend two days learning, assimilating and sharing best practices and concepts. I was honored to bring the Welcome Address along with my colleague from Chicago, Ali Phillips of Engaging Events By Ali - and in our own unique styles, we "tag-teamed" the room and got the party started!!! I had a blast in Indy - it was so good to finally meet people "IRL" (in real life), that I'd only been communicating with online...nothing like putting a face to a name (or Twitter handle!).

Over the next few days, I plan to share some non-pro pics from each event along with my thoughts and insight. To be honest, I haven't had an adrenaline rush like this in a minute - and I've loved every second! Stay tuned for all of the lovely details!!!

In 3.....2....1....

Due to an overwhelming response - registration for my annual "I DO BRUNCH" will close at 6 p.m. (eastern) today. Our original date was supposed to be April 10th - but planners from all over the United States have decided that the Brunch is THE place to be, so they've snatched up tickets left and right!!

It's all good - I created the Brunch to be a wonderful conduit of interaction, networking, beauty, life and fun for my colleagues..and that's exactly what will happen. I'm looking forward to meeting so many people, sharing experiences "from the trenches" and having the opportunity to get all dressed up with someplace to go!!!

If you haven't gotten your ticket - there are 6.5 hours left to do so. After 6 p.m. today - well, you know the drill!!!!

The "I DO Brunch" For Wedding Planners

I'm throwing a little "shindig" and if you're a wedding planner or coordinator, new to the game or seasoned....you're invited!

My annual "I DO Brunch" is being held on Saturday, April 17th at the Gathering Place in Clarksville, Maryland. This is my way of getting a bunch of planners together so that we can do things which NEVER happen when we're working - namely:

1) The opportunity to actually enjoy an event

2) The opportunity to have others wait on and take care of us

3) The opportunity to sit down and leisurely enjoy a meal

4) The opportunity to wear high heels for the duration of the event

5) The opportunity to meet and network with others who "get" what we do

We're so excited to have planners from not only the Maryland/DC/Northern Virginia region, but colleagues from California, Texas, Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania (just to name a few) who are making the trip - what a fabulous way to learn more about what's going on in the industry from so many diverse points of view!

This year's affair is aptly titled "The English Garden" and with a culinary thematic of "When London Meets The Chesapeake", the "I DO Brunch" will surely make your tastebuds rejoice! Our gracious hosts, Putting On The Ritz Caterers and their Executive Chef have joined forces with us for a second year to provide an amazing bounty of delicious food and beverages including our signature libation - the "I DO Mimosa"!!

Early Bird Registration ends tomorrow - so now's the perfect time to purchase your subscription BEFORE the rate increases. For our out-of-town guests, we've arranged a room block at the Sheraton Columbia Town Center AND we're providing complimentary luxury transportation to and from the event venue. I admit - I LOVE spoiling my guests :)

Details are available on our website along with a lovely gallery from last year's event. We're looking forward to seeing you in April!!!!

The "I DO Brunch" Part Three - Pen To Paper

(Diamond Minor Design)

(Diamond Minor Design)

(Diamond Minor Design)

(Momental Designs)

(Momental Designs)

(Momental Designs)

(Momental Designs)

(Carla David Design)

(Carla David Design)

(Carla David Design)

I love the written word. There is something magical about gathering your thoughts, then transferring them with the sweep of a pen to paper. Words in all of their finery were truly on display at the "I DO Brunch". An integral part of the design teams were the stationers, all different in their approach to creating fine paper magic - and all uniquely suited for this challenge!

As with the other part of the collaborative "teams", the stationers were tasked with creating programs, menu cards, table numbers and the "I DO Introspect" - a series of questions designed to stir conversation, create the veritable "aha" moments and give our planners a chance to discuss relevant, salient issues as they relate to our industry. Through the magic of technology, all three designers were able to work basically sight unseen with the florists and linen companies to create paper loveliness for our guest tables. From hand painted artistry to sleek, sophisticated textures and everything in between, the talented owners of Diamond Minor Design, Momental Designs & Carla David Design truly showed how a bit a paper and a smidge of ink can truly become something wonderful....

Tablescapes One Through Four

Karron Davis-Minor

Diamond Minor Designs

Tablescapes Five Through Eight

Kristy Rice

Momental Designs

Tablescapes Nine Through Twelve

Carla David Design

All photos courtesy of Garrett Photography/Baltimore, MD.

The "I DO Brunch" Part Two - It's All About The Linens!

(Select Event Rentals)

(BBJ Linen)

(BBJ Linen)

(Gala Cloths)

(Gala Cloths)

(Select Event Rentals)

(Select Event Rentals)

I admit to being passionately fanatical about linen and tablecoverings - for me, they are one of the important elements to any great tablescape. So for the "I Do Brunch", I partnered with three of the finest companies on a local and nationwide basis to provide the elegant pieces of fabric that our guests would dine on.

As with the florists, the linen suppliers were tasked to work with the green and purple palette - then "float" their concepts along to the corresponding florist and stationer so that the end result would truly be a collaborative effort. Mind you - some of these people had NEVER met each other in person, their only contact was by phone and email. The tables were a great example of how technolgy can be used effectively and with great style! From deeply sexy to softly enchanting and ending with crisply chic - each of the tables had their own distinctive tone, mood and ambiance, which our Brunch guests thoroughly enjoyed!!

Tablescapes One Through Four

Midory Takeda-Rangonese

BBJ Linen

Tablescapes Five Through Eight
Guiliana Cox/Dulany Noble
Gala Cloths

Tablescapes Nine Through Twelve
Susan Childs
Select Event Rentals

Registration Area/Cardbox Table Linens

Susan Childs

Select Event Rentals

P.S. Non-professional pictures are courtesy of a few of our Brunch participants - because there were so many images taken and I don't want to miss anyone's name, I'll just say thanks for sending them over :)

The "I DO Brunch" Part One - Flowers In Bloom

(Flowers By Gina D.)

(Flowers By Gina D.)

(Flowers By Gina D.)

(Flowers By Gina D.)

(Richardson's Flowers)

(Richardson's Flowers)

(Richardson's Flowers)

(Wicked Willow)

(Wicked Willow)

(Wicked Willow)

(Wicked Willow)

(Crimson & Clover Designs)

(Creative Custom Cardboxes)

(Crimson & Clover Designs)

(Crimson & Clover Designs)

(Crimson & Clover Designs)

Historic Savage Mill Manor was the perfect location for the first "I DO Brunch" For Wedding Planners. Quaint, charming and with tons of history - it sits in the quiet enclave of Savage, MD., a small town in Howard County. The weather was gorgeous - sunny, with a bit of wind and plenty of fluffy clouds in the sky.

Guests were greeted by members of my team and offered the signature drink of the day, the "I DO Mimosa". This delightful concoction, dreamed up by yours truly, was a sweet mixture of orange and passion fruit juices, topped off with Italian spumante. A luscious strawberry petal finished off the libation which was served in a sparkling flute.

The color palette for the event was green and purple - which are two of my favorite hues to work with. Perfect for a spring event, these cool shades definitely herald the Easter season!
A funky custom card box, designed by Marni Gold at Creative Custom Cardboxes and done in our signature shades, festooned with a touch of "bling" and sensuous feathers graced our registration table.

Amy Epstein of Crimson & Clover Floral Design was tasked with providing the floral decor for the venue and took simple spring blooms then arranged them in such a fashion that they were a modern twist in a vintage location. Her incredible focal piece in our bar area, created with amazing purple tulips and the coolest ball fashioned out of deep purple carnations and crystals was truly a sight to behold!!! Guests were marveling and touching the spiky lavender flowers and the lush grass display created specifically for the Manor House' antique fireplaces.

As our colleagues entered the main dining area, the oohs and ahhs really came into full force - the vision that met them was truly camera worthy. Twelve tables were given the true imagination treatment and designed totally different, yet cohesive enough to fit the overall color scheme.

The tablescapes were created by teams of linen suppliers, stationers and florists - I gave them design "parameters" and let their respective genius run wild! To be honest, I had no clue of what the finished product would look like - but I'm wise enough to let the professionals work their magic and mojo to make things happen! And the end result was nothing short of amazing - I was so happy with how their creative juices flowed!

The floral designers were as follows:
Tablescapes One - Four
Randy Woods - Wicked Willow Floral Designs

Tablescapes Five - Eight
Sheila Smith - Richardson's Florists

Tablescapes Nine - Twelve
Regina Davis - Flowers By Gina D.

I think each of them did a fabulous job - our guests were truly appreciative of your hard work!!

P.S. Many thanks to Tiffany Parry & Bridgette Crawford for providing these photos so you could get a first glance at the lush beauty of this event -professional pictures will be up soon!

The "I DO Brunch" Recap

The first ever "I DO Brunch" For Wedding Planners was held this past Saturday, April 4th at the charming Savage Mill Manor in Howard County, Maryland. And judging from the wonderfully positive response I received from my guests - I can say that it was a success!!! Many, many heartfelt thanks go out to the lovely ladies who attended this new venture of mine, I really appreciate your support!

I'm going to be "recapping" the Brunch in parts - simply because there's so much to cover :) From the venue, to the decor, to the design teams, the menu, the SWAG...I simply would not be able to do it justice in one post! So, over the next few days - I'll be giving you a bit of insight into this gathering designed just for wedding planning professionals..hope you enjoy it!!

Another "I DO BRUNCH" Sneak Peek

I can't help myself - this is so, so pretty, I have to share it!

The uber-fabulous Kristy Rice of Momental Designs is graciously sharing her talents with us for the upcoming "I DO Brunch" next Saturday. I gave a design idea to a few collaborating "teams" and the results will be on display at the event. Kristy posted her inspirations to her blog today, and I was so thrilled with the result that I'm letting ya'll take a look too!

Kristy - thanks for your hard work! I'm certain that my fellow wedding planners will absolutely, without a doubt love your designs as much as I do!!!!

"I DO Brunch" Sneak Peek!

As the "I DO Brunch" gets closer - our studio is starting to fill up with all of the trinkets and goodies we've assembled for our very special guests. Vendors on both the local and national level are bestowing the newest, coolest, prettiest, tastiest items in the wedding and special event upon the Brunch so that my colleagues are able to see and experience first hand some of the finest wares available!!

I have to share one of those products with you - and it's something that can really make a terrific impact at your reception or party. Marni Gold of Creative Custom Cardboxes (a fellow Twitterer) has designed the most funkiest and delighftul box for our event - I gave her our logo and she came up with the gem you see here.

If you are looking for something beyond the standard satin bag on the wrist that you or someone else will lug around all night...definitely check out her website and contact her for a personal stamp on your special day!!!

Marni - thanks a bunch! The box is gonna be perfect for the Brunch!!!!!

The "I DO BRUNCH"

Just a few weeks away and I am so excited about the "I DO BRUNCH" on April 4th, a networking event for my fellow wedding planners and coordinators!! This fabulous affair will offer a unique opportunity for planning professionals to openly discuss the many challenges we face in today's ever changing wedding industry. I have channeled my inner "designing DIVA" and teamed up with some of the most talented companies in the region to bring you beautiful decor, lively entertainment along with great giveaways and an ultra-cool SWAG bag to make this a one-of-a-kind experience!

The historic Savage Mill Manor in Maryland, will be our beautiful location to welcome in the start of spring and the wedding season! I am thrilled that our gracious hosts, Putting On The Ritz Caterers, will be showcasing (and showing off!) a marvelous feast of sumptuous cuisine and libations designed to tickle your taste buds and quench your thirst, all in an environment of elegance, beauty and style. I KNOW what's on the menu - and let's just say, there'll be a few Wii Fits that go into hyperdrive after this event is over :)

As wedding planners, we rarely have the opportunity to sit back and enjoy an event since we are always hard at work! The "I DO Brunch" is your chance to be catered to, appreciated and have a good time! We look forward to having you meet, greet and familiarize yourself with other professional planners in the Maryland/D.C./Northern Virginia area and to share the common bonds we all have in this hectic industry.

Tickets are going fast and we don't want you to miss out! I'm so pleased that we'll be hosting guests not only from the MD/D.C./NoVA area, but also Pennsylvania, Indiana, New Jersey and New York too! Good networking is good networking - pure and simple. Discussing our common interests and insights are just a few of the keys to building and maintaining strong, positive professional relationships.

Remember, seating is limited and on a first-come, first served basis. No tickets will be sold at the event and the final date for ticket purchase is March 25, 2009. So R.S.V.P. and start the hunt for the perfect brunch outfit....I know I'll be hitting the store in a few days myself. I need another pair of shoes...the fact that I already own over 200 pair is but a minor detail :)

The "I DO Brunch" For Wedding Planners

The "I DO BRUNCH" is a networking event for wedding planners and coordinators that will offer an unprecedented chance to discuss in a open environment, the many challenges professional planners face in today's wedding industry. Beautiful decor, lively entertainment and great giveaways have been carefully orchestrated with some of the region's finest companies to make this a one-of-a-kind experience!

Held at the historic Savage Mill Manor in Maryland, this unique, fresh approach to serious professional networking promises to be a wonderful start to Spring! Please join our gracious hosts, Putting On The Ritz Caterers, as they showcase a marvelous feast of sumptuous cuisine and libations that will be one of the many highlights of this special gathering.

As wedding planners, we rarely have the opportunity to sit back and enjoy an event since we are always hard at work! The "I DO Brunch" is your chance to be catered to, appreciated and have a good time! We look forward to having you meet, greet and familiarize yourself with other professional planners in the Maryland/D.C./Northern Virginia area and to share the common bonds we all have in this hectic industry.

Because of the intimate nature of the venue and this event, seating is limited and on a first-come, first served basis. No tickets will be sold at the event and the final date for ticket purchase is March 21, 2009.

I look forward to see all you there!