Ceremony Music

I was contacted the other day by Stacey Cashmore of the Campanillas del Sol Handbell Ensemble. What's a Handbell Ensemble? That was my question too, but I imagine it is a wonderfully talented group of people who make beautiful music with handbells! What a wonderful sound that must be!



"Campanillas del Sol is one of the Valley's premier handbell choirs. We play for weddings, church services, community functions and corporate events. We scale our fees to the size of each event."

"In preparation for our European tour this summer, we're giving a series of free concerts throughout the Valley. We would love for you to attend so you'll be familiar with the types of music we play."

"For more information, please call 480-998-5568 or visit us at our website

Our free concerts are as follows:

Sunday, May 4
First Presbyterian Church of Mesa
161 N. Mesa Dr.
Mesa, AZ 85201-6756
Concert start time 3:30PM

Sunday, May 11
Lord of Life Lutheran Church
13724 W. Meeker Blvd.
Sun City West, AZ 85375-3730
Concert start time 3:00PM

Sunday, May 18
Grace Bible Church
19280 N. 99th Ave
Sun City, AZ 85373-1401
Concert start time 6:00PM
*We will play from 6:00 to 6:30, the first half hour of the evening service.

Sunday, May 25
Valley Presbyterian Church
6947 E. McDonald Dr.
Scottsdale, AZ 85253-5342
Concert start time 3:00PM

Sunday, June 1
Church of the Beatitudes
555 W. Glendale Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85021-8763
Concert start time 3:00PM

Sunday, June 8
First Baptist Church of Tempe
4525 S. McClintock Dr.
Tempe, AZ 85282-7398
Concert start time 6:30PM
*We will play from 6:30 to 7:00, the second half hour of the evening service (which starts at 6:00)

If you're looking for something a little different for your ceremony music, I encorage you to check one of these concerts out. And if you do attend, let me know what you think!

Dressed To The Nines!

I am a firm believer in brides trying on several types of wedding dresses before they settle on "the one". Why? Choosing the right dress for your body type can't be done just by looking at pictures. Different styles will compliment different body types.

But what about a short dress? The new designer gowns for Spring 2009 include some of the most classy and chic dresses I've seen in a long time.

The first one is my favorite...


Romona Keveza - Crisp and Clean


Amsale - Classic Beauty


Angel Sanchez - Jacqueline Kennedy would be proud


Melissa Sweet - For all you vintage brides


Monique Lhuillier - Like an angel


Vinyard - Perfect for twirling

Which one is your favorite?

{all images from Brides.com}

We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Broadcast ...

...to bring you the NBA Playoff Standings!

Tomorrow we'll return to our regular Wedding and Stuff posts!

GO SUNS!!!!!

Engaged to Love!

Some of you may know my assistant Katie...the rest of you? Just wait til you meet her! She is such a help to me and to all our brides! Her sense of style and "can-do" attitude is what made me hire her more than two years ago when I discovered that some weddings couldn't be done alone!

Well...now its Katie's turn to get married and I couldn't be more delighted! Her fiance Torsten is such a great guy! The two of them are so in love and have a relationship that is rooted in that love!

(No...I'm not planning the wedding for her...she thinks I work too much as it is. She wants me to be a guest for once!)

Katie and Torsten will be married in Torsten's home town of Salt Lake City, Utah in May and they've hired a fabulous and totally dynamite photographer by the name of Kate Benson. I can feel this woman's energy popping off the pages of her website and her blog!

Kate's "About" page on her website gives her readers a great view into her high energy personality. She is a risk taker and we all know risk takers are usually a ton of fun to be around! Emily Sutherloan, a friend and collegue of Kate's summed it up this way, "Kate loves to be shocked, surprised and amazed, and finds a way to convey this fresh perspective in her art, often seeing a photograph where others may not. Kate has been known to go to extreme lengths to get "the shot", even wading into thick, muddy, mosquito infested to snap a photo..."

Here are a few of Katie and Torsten's engagement shots. Aren't they awesome?







For more of Kate Benson's awesomeness and more of Katie and Torsten, visit her blog.

Congratulations, Katie and Torsten!

Let Them Eat Cake!

Here's my weekly post to please your eyes and tickle your inspiration fancy for the weekend.

The current Martha Stewart Weddings magazine is what's on my nightstand right now.
I just had to share these gorgeous cakes with you.

Enjoy!













Which one is your favorite? Leave me a comment to let me know and have a wonderful weekend!

{Images from Martha Stewart Weddings website}

I Met Mindy Last Night!

Ok...after three posts in as many days about this, some of you would say that I am star struck. I'm not usually a "star-struck" type of person. I see famous folk as "normal" folk...and that is usually what they prefer...SOME of them! :) But last night...





Mindy Weiss is one of those famous "normal" people that makes you feel as those you've known her forever. She's warm, funny, very knowledgeable about planning parties and well...just an all around awesome lady! I drove to Tempe last night to meet Mindy and it was if I was visiting my BFF! Before the presentation started she sat down among a few of us and said, "so how's it going? Do you have any questions before we get started?" Of course, I jumped right in!

I asked Mindy what was her favorite type of event to plan. She LOVES kids parties! I kind of figured that...the pictures on her website of the Bar and Bat Mitzvah's she's planned are fabulous! But of course she's really famous for her FABULOUS weddings. She's been featured in all the well known bridal magazines and has worked with tons of celebrities as they celebrate those sacred milestones of life.

I picked up a few copies of Mindy's new book, The Wedding Book. I couldn't help but stay up a little later than normal last night to start reading it. It has so many helpful hints that it truly is a guidebook on how to plan your wedding from A to Z. There are tips on what questions to ask all your vendors (including ones on how to pick the right wedding planner!), information on destination weddings, and there's even a section on how to determine what kind of bride you are! There's a test and everything!!

Mindy mentioned some of the up and coming trends for weddings:

1. Black and White is Back - Mindy says that she is seeing more brides choose these neutral tones and then bring in a color to make it POP!

2. The Bling is Gone! - Bridal gown styles are changing back to the simple, classic and sleek styles of years ago. Gone are the heavily beaded and embellished gowns we've seen lately.

3. Centerpieces Go Low - More brides are opting to go with low centerpieces on their guest tables now so that folks can see each other.

4. Personalization - Couples are really concentrating more on personalizing their wedding celebrations. Find something near and dear to you and your fiance and then incorporate it into your wedding. Mindy shared a story about a couple who met while riding bikes on Venice beach. Their motif or "dingbat", as she calls it, is used throughout their papery and other wedding details. Subtle or sensational, your guests will appreciate your attention to detail AND they'll leave your wedding with that "warm and fuzzy" feeling! For LOTS more information pick up a copy of Mindy's book.

Couples? Mindy's most important tip of the night was to remember that transforming two lives into one is not going to be easy. Remember that when things go wrong, you have each other and that's what is most important before, during and after the wedding is over. It's a magical time in your life and you should enjoy it.

Thanks for stopping by Phoenix, Mindy. It was such a treat to meet with you and we hope to see you again soon!

And thanks to The Changing Hands Book Store for hosting us for the evening. You guys throw a great party!

The Pink Ladies

I absolutely ADORE this new blog! I found them while hanging out over at a site called the Best Wedding Blogs.



These ladies are full of new and fresh ideas to help you with your wedding planning. And they are coming to a city near you.

Getting married soon? Are you creative, innovative and have what it takes to be a blogger? You can sign up to be a Pink Lady too. Click here for all the details...

Aren't they cute?

UPDATE: Mindy Weiss in Phoenix! Well...Tempe!

I just found out that celebrity wedding planner Mindy Weiss will be here tomorrow night to sign her new book! I posted earlier today about her new tome entitled, "The Wedding Book". Its a great resource for all things wedding.



Mindy will be signing her book tomorrow, Wednesday, April 23, 7:00 - 8:15 pm at:

Changing Hands Bookstore
6428 S. McClintock Drive
Tempe, AZ

Hope to see you there!

Get Your Feet Ready For Summer!

Izzy over at iVillage.com wrote me today about a great feature article on how to get those tootsies ready for summer! Get rid of those ole rusty, dusty callouses and dry heels with these great tips. Your feet will be summer ready in no time!


{Getty Images Photo via iVillage}

And if you didn't know, there is also a great wedding blog on iVillage written by Anne Chertoff that I just love to browse everyday.


She's worked at Modern Bride, Martha Stewart Weddings and now she lends her expert advice to the readers of iVillage. Send her a shout out or ask her a question...she's a GREAT resource!

Have a FAB day!

The Wedding Book

One of my favorite celebrity wedding planners has released a new book! I'm so excited!



Mindy Weiss has been a favorite of mine and of many celebrity party seekers for quite awhile. Her style is so innovative and fresh! Visit her website and you'll discover a WEALTH of wedding inspiration for you to soak up!



Be sure to get your copy of Mindy's book for a TON of ideas on how to make your wedding the envy of all your friends.

No bride or wedding planner should be without it!

Nicole and Chris' Inspiration Board #2

Here is my second attempt at finding the right inspiration for Nicole and Chris' Oct 2008 wedding. This one is for the bridesmaids and maid of honor.

What accent color would you use to change the tone of this palette?

Nicole and Chris' Inspiration Board #1

I met with an awesome bride and her mom a few weeks ago. The wedding will take place in October in an enclosed garden type setting. The colors are burgundy and silver.

I'm super excited about working with this bride! Nicole is super sweet and so laid back. I'm preparing several inspiration boards for her and want some feedback from all of you on which one you like.

Here's the first one. I did it over at Polyvore.com, a new online tool that lets you pick and choose from thousands of pictures to create your own inspiration board. Check back later for more boards for Nicole and Chris!




What do you think of the colors? Would you add any other accent colors to it? Please leave me some comments and tell me what you think!

Thanks!

P.S. - Here's another one I found on Polyvore.com that piqued my interest too. It was published by a user named "Muhsine".

Scrumpdiliumptious!

Let me leave you with this wonderful eye candy to start your weekend off right!



Want them? It may hurt, but you can get them here.

Thanks for the find, Mackenzie!

Enjoy!

Groom's Cakes

Go take a look at these totally fun and funky cakes I found in a post at the Wedding Bee! These would be great as the Groom's Cake, don't you think? So fun!





Photos from {Weddingbee.com}

Be Prepared!

Awhile back I posted about a company that makes a great wedding day emergency kit that will come in handy on your big day. The owner of the company has written a fun and informative article that has lots of suggestions for its use.



Fixing the hem on your gown or having some pain reliver on hand can mean a world of difference! You may not have been a girl scout when you were younger but its always smart to be prepared!

Ciao!

Bridal Brunch Survey

If you haven't already noticed, we're conducting a little survey. We are in the initial stages of planning an exclusive, fun and informative Sunday brunch for a few of our brides and their friends. It will be held here in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area and we would really appreciate some feedback from our readers.

You don't have to be a bride or live in Arizona. All we ask is that you be someone who has attended a big bridal show in the last 12-18 months.

The survey will only take you a few minutes to complete and everyone who takes our survey will be entered into a drawing to receive 1 of 10 pairs of tickets to the brunch. For those of you who live in different cities across the US or the world, I guess you'll just have to fly out and visit our FABULOUS city if you win! :)

Our goodie bags are slated to contain items that can be used by everyone...not just bridal couples. Plans are for them to be worth more than $300! So the bag...along with the tickets to the brunch could end up being worth more than $700!

Please take our survey today and tell a friend to come on over and take the survey too!

April Contest Winners!

So sorry I didn't get to post this yesterday! I had limited to NO internet access yesterday and it was NOT a pretty sight around here!

Now on to the good stuff...

Since we only had TWO comments posted for our contest and couldn't really choose between the two...BOTH of them wins!!!

Each of them will receive this beautiful lace garter as their prize!



Congrats ladies! Contact me at wendy {at} sacredmomentweddings {dot} com to claim your prize!!

"I Do" With Mirassou Wine

I like wine. White wine. I've seen Mirassou Wine around for about a year or so and I tried their chardonnay the other day. Delish!

And then I was over at A $10,000.00 Wedding a little bit ago and saw a post about Mirassou's contest for a chance to win $10,000.00 and "wedding planning day" with Brides.com Senior Editor Anna Pezik.

Why not? What have you got to lose?

DIY: How to Fold An Origami Crane

I found a fun and "flirty" blog written by a totally fun lady named Stacie. It's called "The Flirty Guide". She recently posted a neat "how to" on folding an origami crane.

I'm sure this will be the perfect "A Ha! I found it" for some "DIY" bride out there! If so, let us know how they turned out and of course, send pics!!

Enjoy!

Preston Bailey

I love this man's work. He is such a creative genius! But he is also a very down to earth kind of person who will share his experiences of failure and triumph with you...to encourage you and propel you forward. I've had the honor of meeting him twice in the last year and a half.

Just look at what he's been up to lately...

Photos from {Prestonbailey.blogspot.com}

Eco "Dish"

Hubby and I have been spending the last few weekends getting our pool ready for the summer heat. Our 12 year old will get up at the crack of dawn and spend the entire day in the pool. The other family members use the pool too...however we had it built for her.

This year she has asked us if she can have a pool party for a few of her friends. And because she knows I'm a wedding and event planner, she's expecting a fun, festive and colorful setup so she can have bragging rights at school. Guess I've got my work cut out for me cause these kids today change with the wind!

To that end, I skipped on over to a new blog I discovered called GlamDish and found a post written by the queen of hostesses called Eco-friendly Entertaining. It referenced a great website for party planning items and ideas called Plum Party.

There, I found these eco friendly, biodegradable partyware sets for my pre-teen's pool party. I think this will take care of the fun, festive and colorful part. Now all I need is a plan to keep 6-10 pre-teens entertained!



Available in bright green, aqua blue, rich red, and salmon pink. Great for summer parties and picnics, and the plates are perfectly sized for kids or appetizer buffets! ($6/set of 6 plates, $4/set of 6 bowls or utensils)

Photos from {GlamDish.com}

Reminder: Don't forget about our April Giveaway, which ends on Sunday, April 13th at midnight!

Just Plain Ole Eye Candy...

Yummy...Have a GREAT weekend!

Reminder: Don't forget about our April Giveaway, which ends on Sunday, April 13th at midnight!

Our April Giveaway: Old, New, Borrowed, Blue?

Where did the wedding custom of "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" come from?

It has it's roots in Engish tradition. Each item is supposed to represent good-luck for the bride. The thought is that if she carries all of them on her wedding day, her marriage will be peaceful and happy.

"Something old" will connect her to her family and the tradition that she was raised in. "Something new", of course, represents her glorious future as a wife and the blessings of motherhood.

The folks over at Yahoo.com answered it this way, "Something borrowed" is "an item from a happily married friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. The borrowed item also reminds the bride that she can depend on her friends and family."

And then there is the color blue. Blue represents, "love, modesty, and fidelity...", and also purity. Long ago, just before the 19th century, blue was a popular color for wedding dresses

So? What does the "something blue" look like in YOUR wedding?

Our April giveaway is centered around the color blue and is for brides only! We'd like to keep it a secret for now! All we'll tell you is that it is obviously...blue! :) It will come wrapped in a box like the one you see above, and is something you'll be able to use as your "something blue" on your wedding day.

All you have to do is leave a comment below and tell us what your "something old, new, borrowed and blue" will be on the big day. Tell us what the tradition means to you and what clever ways you'll honor that tradition.

We'll keep the contest open until midnight, on Sunday April 13th. We'll choose a random winner from all the comments received and announce the winner on Monday, April 14th.

Good Luck!

Paperie: Soto Designs

Today I would like to introduce you to Aurora Soto-Wong of Soto Design Studios. Soto Design is a graphic design, web site design, and creative solutions studio. Their strengths are in creative graphic design, web site design, branding, and custom invitations.

Aurora contacted me shortly after I launched SMW in 2005 to introduce me to her exceptional design style. She sent me a sample of her work and I instantly fell in love with her attention to detail!

She's very creative, professional and looks everywhere for her inspiration, however her client's input is always a top priority.

I recently chatted with Aurora and she agreed to answer a few questions for us.

Here she is...Aurora Soto-Wong of Soto Design Studios!

~What makes your business unique when compared to others in this category?

Each artistic design incorporates hours of energy and thought. In addition, Soto Design wedding invitation designs are copyrighted, so you are guaranteed an authentic and exclusive creation. We are now offering a BEAUTIFUL new line called Simple Unique Invitations. Voted BEST of Greeting Cards, Invitations, and Postcards by Piaz 2006 and 2007 Print Excellence Award!

~Where do you draw inspiration for your creations, products, or services?

Everywhere.

~What has been your proudest moment as a business owner?

I am always proud when a bride is so happy that she comes back for another creation or recommends a friend to us.

~What product or service has been your best selling item? Why do you think that is?

I would say the most popular product these days is the pocketfold invitation. The reason: Brides today are very organized and have many inserts to make things easier on their guests, the pocketfold includes a pocket inside the actual invitation for the inserts, they are organized, can be seen easily and can not get lost. This option come in many colors and sizes too.



~How do you set yourself apart with regard to your customer service?

Customer Service is our number one priority -no project is finished until our client is thrilled! Our objective is to approach each project with a new perspective and to separate our clients from their competition. We offer a FREE, no obligation initial consultation to view samples & discuss design ideas.

~If you could offer one piece of advice to brides, what would that be?

Have fun, be creative and enjoy the process!

Thanks for stopping by today, Aurora!

For more "eye candy", visit the Soto Design Studios website.