HAPPY NEW YEAR! Here's to wedding planning 2011!

Congratulations to everyone who got engaged over the holidays! This is a wonderful, exciting, exhausting time. Enjoy it!!!

Once you've gotten used to the idea you'll be getting married, the questions start...how and where do I start? Well...Planning a wedding is a lot like assembling a bouquet.

You start with the main flowers (you and your groom) then add the accent flowers (your attendants and groomsmen). By the way, before you rush to the phone to call everyone, read the article on www.weddingsbytanya.com regarding selecting attendants. It will save you a lot of headaches in the long run!

Okay, back to building our bouquet. Once you have your attendants selected and invited, then things really get serious. The next step should be to select a wedding coordinator. This person will help you stay sane! A good coordinator will have many excellent vendors for you to select from. They should do their homework, about each vendor, so you don't have to. When selecting your coordinator, remember that one of the most important days of your life will be in their hands for the next 6-12 months. Do you feel comfortable with them? Do you trust them to listen and make your day yours? Have they been trained through some program? A good coordinator doesn't necessarily have to have a certificate, but this will tell you they took the time to learn about the Art of Wedding Coordination.

Next you need to add "greenery" to your bouquet. This will be your vendors. Whether you are planning to have 10 guests or 500, the same amount of planning applies. You will need a venue to do the ceremony. This can be a house of worship, outdoor site, hotel etc. Then you will need a place to do the reception. (Tip...by having your ceremony and reception at the same place, you can save money.) Think about where you want to get married. If you are both outdoors people, don't get married in a downtown hotel!

After selecting the venues, then comes the dress, officiant, caterer, florist, photographer, videographer, baker, rentals (if not included by the caterer), speciality lighting, musicians for both ceremony and reception and don't forget your hair/make-up artist. (Personally, I like to have the music changed throughout the wedding so by the time the dancing starts, you surprise your guests with the "big bang"!)

Do you need a videographer? This is usually one of the first places a couple cuts, which is unfortunate. Without sounding morbid, we never know how long our parents, grandparents or even the people standing with us will be around and it's nice to be able to do back and see and hear them. Besides, it's a great way to entertain your children when they can't remember how dad looked with hair! It's also a great resource for your kids when they get married if they want to work in some of the things that you did.

Select a caterer whose food you like! Do they listen to what you want? Are they willing to make great-grandma's special salad? Can they do ethnic cooking?

When selecting a photographer, take a look at weddings they have done. Can you feel the emotion of the moment in the picture or do the pictures looked posed? Does the photographer put you at ease? (Tip..I recommend that you have two photographers so that both the bride and groom's activities such as getting ready can be covered.)

Your florist should be able to take your ideas and build around them. Be sure to take a picture of your dress with you when meeting with the florist. You want your flowers to compliment your total look.

How important is a hair/make-up artist? Having them come to you will help keep you on time. A good, commercially trained make-up artist will be able to do a very natural look, but one that will photograph well in all lights. You may be going from a darker ceremony setting, to outside, to inside a tent and you want your pictures to be beautiful and natural for all the changes. Besides, your wedding day is not a day for a glamour look, but one that will enhance your own beauty. (Tip... be sure to do your prelims, allowing enough time to try several looks. If you are having a facial, do it several days before the wedding so your skin will be beautiful on your wedding day.)

Musicians...what type of music do you like? If you are getting married in a church, check first to see what type of music is allowed. Some will not allow the Wedding March or any secular music.

The Wedding Dress... (Tip... Again, before rushing out to buy your dress, if getting married in a Catholic Church or more fundamental church, Mormon church, or Jewish ceremony, ask if there are dress codes you must abide by. Some of these religions require the bride to be covered, which means if you want a strapless dress, you need to have a cape or jacket over it.) Your dress will set the tone of the wedding. You don't want to wear a very formal dress with a chapel train and veil if you are getting married outdoors. The time of day and place will also guide your quest for the right dress. When trying on dresses, take only your mother and maybe maid of honor. To many people just make it harder to make decisions. The same goes when selecting bridesmaids attire. Let this be a fun day. Remember what it was like to dress up as a little girl. Try on different styles. It's generally the one that brides think they would never consider that they fall in love with! You'll know it when you put it on.

The Baker (Tip... Think outside the box. I just did a wedding that the cake was a mountain with mountain bikes and a trail leading to the top. The trees went through the seasons in Colorado.)
A favorite of many brides is to have their dress embellishments on the cake. Each layer can be different. Let your cake be an extension of your personality. For examples go to www.elegantbakery.com.

Couples like to save money wherever possible and some good areas are in the decor. It's amazing how much speciality lighting can add to a room to set different moods. www.thewrightgroup.com or www.pinkmonkey.com are great resources. (Tip... When using lighting, I like to start out with soft lighting for the cocktail and dinner then when the dancing starts build on the light intensity as the evening progresses. I've used lighting to create a night-club effect in a ballroom. The lighting transforms the room totally. Lighting and draping can go a long ways in decor.)

There are many other aspects to wedding planning that I won't address here, but you know, every bouquet is finished with a ribbon. This will be your officiant. It may be the priest or pastor, rabbi from your home church or synagogue, if you attend. Otherwise, there are many good officiants who do only weddings that can make the ceremony memorable for you. After all, the ceremony is the most important part of the day as this is where you pledge your love and devotion to each other for your lives. Don't be afraid to visit with several officiants to find one that fits you.

Remember, that everything mentioned above is just the beginning of your planning process. Before setting out on the fabulous adventure, seek out a good wedding coordinator. For more information regarding my services go to www.weddingsbytanya.com.

Happy 2011 and Happy Planning!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING from Colorado!

It's hard to believe it's already Turkey time! What are you thankful for this year? I'm thankful for all the wonderful brides and grooms I've had the opportunity to work with and be a part of their lives for a short time.

September brought a beautiful wedding at the Dunafon Castle. If you want a beautiful setting, which makes you feel like you are at a medieval castle, this is the place for you. It has ponds, lawns, and even a dungeon, where the groom gets ready! They do have a list of caterers to select from. It's located in Morrison, up a beautiful canyon. I would say if you consider this venue, think about providing transportation for your guests who may not be familiar with Colorado mountain driving!

October I had two fabulous wedding. The first one was in Breckenridge, (hope to have pics soon to post). This couple came from the UK with about 50% of the guests from the UK. We did the ceremony and reception at Mountain Thunder Lodge in Breckenridge. What a lovely place! The rooms are all 1-3 bedroom condos and they have townhouses available. Amy did a fantastic job assisting us with all aspects of the venue and meal.

The night before the wedding, the couple hosted a bar-b-que, provided by Buffalo Gals Catering, from Colorado Springs. What a wonderful job they did, never mind the background snow! The food was delicious. Highly recommend them for any BBQ you might have in mind.

The cake was designed by Janusz, Elegant Bakery in Denver. It was a mountain complete with mountain bikes, trees, bike trails etc. Not only was it a work of art, it was delicious! Janusz uses white chocolate for the fondant so you can actually eat it!

The flowers, which were beautiful, were designed by Alicia Schwede of Bella Fiori in Denver. Alicia worked her magic and the colorful arrangements were spectacular!

Kent Meirers Photography did the photography. I've had a preview and can't wait to share these emotion filled photos. Kent really captured the feelings of the day.

Jeremy from A Music Plus was one of the best DJ's I've had the pleasure of working with. He's easy going and "plays to the guests". He had everyone on the dance floor. He has such a pleasant personality and was wonderful to work with.

Leslie Snyder or Lesliesarts.com did her magnificent work as make-up and hair/artist with the wedding party. If you want to look natural on your wedding day, Leslie is a must for your wedding day hair and make up.

The officiant was Judge Ron Carlson from Breckenridge. Judge Carlson did a wonderful job marrying this lovely couple. I'd highly recommend him to anyone looking for an officiant.

We had Tammie Taylor to entertain the children with her balloon artistry and face painting. By the end of the wedding, every guest had face painting or a "tattoo"! She really brings a sparkle to any event. I highly recommend Tammie for any wedding with children to any adult party who wants to add something different!

The day turned out beautiful, but cool. Somehow we managed to have nice weather around the snow flurries! The Mountain Thunder Lodge is situated so you have the backdrop of the trees and the colors were spectacular.

My second wedding in October, started out with a bang! The rehearsal and wedding were at the Holy Ghost Catholic Church in downtown Denver. During the rehearsal a man slipped into the back of the church and was going through purses. He grabbed the bride's wallet and left, with the bride's father and brother in close pursuit. They caught him and held him for Denver's finest to take. Oh, I didn't mention that the bride's dad is Chief of Police in Broomfield and her brother is also a policeman!

This wedding was a bit different in that we did two ceremonies, the first was the Catholic ceremony at Holy Ghost and the second, a Jewish wedding, was at the Ritz Carlton. This was followed by a wonderful reception.

The Ritz, as always did a wonderful job making everyone feel special.

The music for the ceremony was provided by Levitt Music, who does beautiful wedding stings. We had a violin and cello.

Our flowers were designed by Elizabeth Eberly of Delilah's Flowers of Denver. What a magnificant job they did. They truly turned the ballroom into something special.

Makeup was provided by Danica Jardien. Danica did a beautiful job on the wedding party.

John Hudetz Photography, who I work with a lot, has captured the day with all it's drama (he was at the rehearsal), and emotions of the day. John is wonderful to work with and really listens to what his clients want.

Sky Focus Pictures did the videography. What I've seen of their work is certainly leaving me waiting anxiously to see the wedding! Parish and Chris were super to work with and I'd highly recommend them.

For transportation - actually shuttles from the hotel to church, we had a 1936 touring car, provided by Ambassador's Rolls. They have a fleet of antique and unique cars. Can't wait to see the pictures of the wedding party looking over the opened top!

JSAV took care of the beautiful uplighting we did in the ballroom. They always do a great job creating a feel and anticipation!

It's been a great year! If you have questions about any of the vendors, or want to discuss your plans, I still have a few dates available for next year. I'm currently working on an Orthodox Jewish Wedding, which I'm really looking forward to being a part of!

Check out my website www.weddingsbytanya.com then call or email me to set up a visit to go over your plans. It's not to early to start planning!

A donation will be made to the Denver Rescue Mission for any Full or Partial Plan contract signed in November.

Wedding Pink - Giving Back

I have the wonderful opportunity to be part of a group of wedding vendors, working in tandem with TC Decker of Muse Events, who will be providing a wedding for a beautiful couple. The bride is a breast cancer survivor. Their story is below. Our hope is to be able to provide a wedding, once a year for a bride who has had or has a family member who has fought breast cancer.

Cheryl Ungar, of Cheryl Ungar Photography, herself a breast cancer survivor, initiated this idea and has pulled it all together. If you are looking for an exceptional photographer, check out Cherylungarweddings.com.

To read this couple's story, go to http://www.cherylungargives.com/winner-of-the-wedding-pink-2/.

Our congratulations to Melissa Zannis and Jeff Childs!

Wedding Planning - 101

I've just listened to a segment on Rachel Ray's TV program, about a mother and daughter and the problems they are having planning the daughter's wedding. What came to mind was what they needed was a wedding coordinator. Why? Because we are an impartial third party who can help with coming up with compromises.

Planning a wedding, under the best of circumstances, is extremely stressful, especially for the bride who has had the wedding of her dreams in her head since she was a child. Putting these dreams into reality can be a real challenge, especially if the bride is working with a specific budget.

What may be very important to her, may be frivolous to her mother. Enter the wedding coordinator! Speaking from a personal standpoint, since I can't speak of how other planners work, I like to establish, early on, what are the most important aspects of the wedding. Is it the food? The wine? The music? The flowers? Once this is established then we all have a start in the direction the wedding planning should go as well as the budget. WEDDING PLANNING GUIDE, A Bride's Workbook (c), is a very easy step by step workbook to help you plan your wedding. This is a great guide for both mother and daughter. (Available at www.weddingsbytanya.com.)

Mothers and daughters have a very special relationship and they want to be speaking when the wedding is over! Having a wedding coordinator makes this possible, because we become the "go-to" person for both. They can each speak to me in confidence and know their comments are safe. Often, by just speaking about a problem, the mother or daughter is able to work out the answer to the situation. This is why a good planner needs to be able to listen and not be quick to give advice.

Brides need to keep in mind that a wedding is not a parents' responsibility, but is a gift from their folks. When a parent has a specific amount they can afford to spend, the bride needs to respect this and try to work with it. If her wishes and dreams are larger than the budget, either she and the groom can contribute or possibly the groom's family would be willing to help out, as long as it's not something extravagant and just for "show".

Mothers need to keep in mind their daughter's vision may not be theirs. Many mothers have the tendency to vicariously have the wedding they didn't have, through their daughters' weddings. This is where compromise comes in. If mom wants the bride to wear her veil, but it doesn't match the dress, consider how you can still incorporate it into your wedding wear. If it has lace, perhaps the lace can be attached to a handkerchief the bride is carrying, or maybe it can be wrapped around the flowers and attached with a special pin.

A wedding coordinator is no longer a luxury, we are a necessity. What should you look for in a coordinator?

1) Probably the most important thing is do you "click" with this person? You are entrusting one of the most important days in your life to this person and you want someone you feel comfortable talk to and can trust.

2) Do they have references? If so ask for a list then call a couple of brides to get their input.

3) Do they fit what you want? If you want a destination wedding, will they travel? Can they go to the destination site ahead of time to check things out and start the planning process?

4) Are you limited in time? Personally, I feel it takes as long as it takes to plan a wedding. This is why I don't limit my brides to four hours of planning and eight hours on the day of the wedding. It's not unusual for me to be on site, at the wedding, for 12 or more hours. I don't want brides not calling me with a questions because they are worried it's going to be deducted from their planning time. My clients have full access to me whenever they need me.

5) What services do they offer? Do you need someone to bounce ideas off of? Do you need assistance just finding vendors? You might just want someone who does hourly consulting. If you are going to school full time and working two jobs, you may need a full coordination package. If you have a good start and idea of who you want to work with then a "Partial" plan may work best for you.

6) Do they accept "Kick-backs"? This is a fair question to ask because if they do, chances are they have specific vendors they will direct you to and won't be as objective in finding vendors who may better fit your needs. (For the record, I do not accept "kick-backs". My clients pay me a fee for my services and I direct them to vendors who will do the best job for them.)

Hopefully, these points will help you find just the right coordinator for you. For more information about my services, visit http://www.weddingsbytanya.com/.

HAPPY PLANNING!

Colorado Wedding - The Wedding Pink Give-a-way

I have the honor of being involved with Cheryl Unger Photography in helping to produce a wedding for a well deserving couple. Here's the details:

Details

To enter The Wedding Pink giveaway, send in your personal story, telling us how your life has been recently touched by breast cancer, a little bit of information about yourselves and how you met. Include your contact information and a photo of yourself with your fiance. Email everything to: cheryl@cherylungarweddings.com.

Submission Guidelines:

• Your life must have been recently touched by breast cancer. The experience is not limited to the bride, but could be with the bride or groom's extended family.
• You must be engaged at the time you submit your story.
• Deadline for submission is August 20, 2010.
• Winning couple will be selected by September 10, 2010 (wedding will take place during 2011 in Denver, Colorado).
• Winner will be chosen by a panel of judges; all decisions are final.
• Cheryl Ungar Gives retains the right to publish excerpts from submitted stories plus any and all photographs from the engagement session and wedding.

The Wedding Pink will include:

• Venue - Mile High Station
• Wedding planner - Muse Events and Weddings, Etc.
• Catering - Biscuits and Berries
• Photographer -Cheryl Ungar Weddings
• Videographer - Mares Video Productions
• Cake -Kelley Kakes
• Florist - Fleur Decor
• Wedding dress - Anna Be Bridal Boutique
• Wedding dress alterations -CH Studios Custom Clothier
• Tuxedo - Al's Formal Wear, Cherry Creek
• Officiant - Anne Mansfield
• Invitations - Crested Butte Events
• DJ - Elements DJ
• Hair/Make-up -LesliesArts and Face F/X
• Suite at The Magnolia Hotel the night of the wedding
• Fun bridal accessories - Girl ExtraOrdinaire
• Something fun from Todd Reed Jewelry

Additional Information:

• The wedding venue can accommodate approx. 125 guests, including the bride, the groom and the bridal party.
• The wedding couple will be responsible for the catering staff fees, taxes and all alcohol.
• The couple will be responsible for bridal accessories and shoes, and all clothing and accessories for the bridesmaids and groomsmen.
• The couple will be responsible for their own travel arrangements to Denver not only for the wedding, but also the dress shopping, the dress fitting and the engagement session etc.
• In lieu of favors the couple shall donate the money to a Colorado breast cancer facility or resource center of their choosing.
• We are finalizing the details with a decor and event rental company. Once we have that information available, we will post here what additional costs will be associated with this.

Copyright © 2010, Cheryl Ungar, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Please feel free to contact Cheryl Ungar Gives.com to apply.

Weddings in Colorado

July 4th brought one of the most rewarding weddings I've worked on. Each wedding I do, is special.

This wedding was one for the books! It took place on a ranch, that is a beautiful equine therapy ranch. We had the patios all tented as well as a tent on a grassy area, to accommodate the guests. Just before the ceremony started, it started to rain then hail. This passed, the sun came out for a time, long enough for the lovely ceremony.

The ceremony started with fireworks being set off, signaling the groom and groomsmen, who arrived on horseback. They road up to the guests and tipped their western hats, then after tying up the horses came to the staging area and were then lead by Michael Lancaster - a Bagpiper to the altar. The men were followed by the bride's attendants, dressed in Onyx, two beautiful flower-girls and another beautiful young girl leading Annie, the bride's dog, who fully outfitted with wings and floral neck piece was the ring-bearer.

With a "you bet ya"! response to the vows, the couple were married.

Looking over the patio, one can see the entire Denver Metro area. It's a view that's almost beyond belief. The view lasted through the ceremony and a few pictures afterwards, then the clouds returned and it started to rain.

We got through the dinner and the rain got harder, making it necessary to move the five wedding cakes into the house. Yes, five! These cakes were each a different flavor, and each told a story. The wedding cake was a two-tiered cake that was decorated to match the bride's dress. Another cake had mountains and horses on it, topped with their brand; the third had beautiful sugar flowers on it as the bride loves to garden; the fourth had a beautiful silver, sugar horseshoe on it, and the last one was decorated for the 4th of July with fire-crackers, and sparklers. These were all designed and created by Chef Janusz of Elegant Bakery in Denver, CO.

Because of the downpour, we had to move everyone into the house for the cake cutting. All in all, the food was delicious (provided by Chef Greg Boynton - Haute Touch Catering), tents by The Wright Group (they do tents all over the country for big events like the Olympics etc.) DJ was Tony Cummins (Sound Master Entertainment; Valet/shuttle service Lone Star Valet, Royal Restrooms provided a VIP trailer for the guests comfort; Leslie Snyder or Lesliesarts.com provided the lovely hair/make up for the bride/mothers/attendants; Alicia Schwede (Bella Fiori) did a spectacular job with all the flowers and tent decor. The photographer Peter Dendrinos (Dendrinos Fine Art Photography) and Miguel Hernandez - Videographer, did a fantastic job capturing the many special moments of the day. Prettywriting.com did the calligraphy for the invitations, so the addresses matched the font used on the invitations. All these wonderful vendors helped to make the day special and memorable.

Colorado weddings are special no matter where they are, but there's just something about the mountains that is special. Whether you want your wedding to be on a ranch or in one of the beautiful resorts, Weddings, Etc. LLC is available to help plan the day of your dreams. We offer services ranging from hourly consulting to Full Wedding Planning to Planned Elopements. Check out our website at www.weddingsbytanya.com for more information about us. We specialize in helping destination brides.

How to direct a wedding when you aren't a coordinator?!

I have been asked by many people, mainly relatives, photographers, caterers, etc. who have be

been asked by the bride to perform the duty of being their wedding coordinator, just how to dothe job. This can be anything from getting the bride down the aisle to the timeline for the reception.

Because of these inquiries, I now have available, through my website,www.weddingsbytanya.com

an ebook titled

How to coordinate a wedding

When you aren't a wedding coordinator

This Ebook will take you from choreographing the rehearsal through the timeline for the r

reception. It's very detailed in order to make your job easier and help put the bride at ease.

Should you be in a situation where you need to assist the bride with full planning, the book W

WEDDING PLANNING GUIDE,

A Bride's Workbook

is also available through my website. This book takes you through the entire wedding planning process, start to finish and is really a must have for any bride or anyone planning a wedding.

Should you have questions about either of these books, you can always contact me direct at

tanya@weddingsbytanya.com

HAPPY PLANNING!

Wedding Coordinators - Are they necessary?

It's a sunny day here in beautiful Englewood, Colorado! I've been reading quite a few articles on whether or not it's worth the money to hire a wedding coordinator, so thought I'd put in my 2 cents!

Let me explain the difference between a hotel, resort, venue wedding coordinator and me.
In a nut shell, they are there for the venue and I'm there for you, the bride, the groom and your families. Many venue planners will tell you they can handle everything, but what you need to ask them is will they help with a stuck zipper? Will they sew on a button? Will they help do last minute hemming? What if the bridesmaids dresses don't make it to the ceremony? What will they do? What if Aunt Jane wears a dress that a pin-on corsage won't work, can they make it into a wrist corsage? If divorced parents aren't getting along, how do they handle the seating situation? IF the strap on a shoe breaks, will they fix it?

These are just a few of the things you need to ask them. Chances are, they don't. I'm also reading that some DJ's and photographers consider themselves coordinators. Yes, they may be able to get you down the aisle, but will they also take care of the above mentioned problems? You have hired them, and probably paying pretty good money, to have them do their job, not to act as your coordinator. How can they be fixing a button, and taking pictures or setting up for the ceremony music at the same time?

I'm not trying to pick on anyone, but just want you, the bride, to think through what you need. I've been handling and solving problems for over 20 years, which includes, sewing hems, fixing zippers, finding black socks, coming up with bridesmaids dresses when they didn't show, and even handling a ceremony when the officiant didn't show. These are just a few things to consider when deciding whether or not to hire a wedding coordinator. I take care of you so your other vendors can take care of their business.

Whether you hire a wedding coordinator to do full planning, partial planning or for day of, there's someone out there who can meet your needs. Ask yourself the question, can I really afford NOT to hire a good wedding coordinator?

To see more of what I can do to make sure your day runs smoothly, go to http://www.weddingsbytanya.com/ or email me at tanya@weddingsbytanya.com

Spring time in the Rockies

Can you believe it's April already? There's nothing like Spring time in the Rockies! Flowers are starting to poke their heads through what's left of the snow, and the grass is turning green.

The end of March, I planned a party for myself, which my children hosted. Thought I'd share a couple of pictures because they show what these fabulous vendors can do, not only for private parties, but for weddings.

Encore Style (Kirsten Rodriguez) did the flowers and centerpieces

Haute Touch (Chef Greg Boynton) did the catering - along with his very capable staff

Elegant Bakery (Chef Janusz) designed and made the fantastic cake

The Wright Group (Brittany) did all the linens and rentals

The Perfect Blend (Ruth Most, Sally Robertson, and Mary Witt) a fantastic trio, gave a fabulous 30 minute concert that everyone enjoyed.

(Unfortunately, the picture of the room is fuzzy, but you can get the idea.)

I chose to use white with turquoise colors, which worked beautifully with the Victorian floral arrangements.

Spring was welcomed in style! If you are planning a private party or wedding, I can help! There's a lot of information on http://www.weddingsbytanya.com/ that will help you in your planning, or you can contact me at tanya@weddingsbytanya.com.

Here's wishing you all a Happy Spring!

A Love Story- one of hope, inspiration and motivation

I have the distinct honor, of working on the wedding for two incredible people. Their wedding will take place on a beautiful ranch, overlooking the city of Denver.

Involved in a horrendous motorcycle accident in 2002, Kate Dendrinos-Ricket was left close to death. Doctors were convince that if she did live, she wouldn't ever talk or walk again. In just the next three months, Kate proved all the doctors wrong.

From the beginning Shawn stayed at Kate's side through her stunning recovery to the stupendous decline which lasted for the next six years. With Shawn's never ending faith, hope, love and devotion, he helped Kate return once again from the brink of death to a full recovery.

Today this beautiful couple give back. They facilitate an equine therapy program for those with disabilities at the Big View Ranch in Golden, Colorado.

If you have a family member or friend or yourself need inspiration, motivation and hope, then you need to read their book "I Am Not Supposed To Be Here". This is a book that once you start reading, you won't want to put it down. It's great for anyone who have experienced head injuries sustained in accidents or in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. It gives hope!

For more information visit http://www.Iamnotsupposedtobehere.com/.

Weddings, Etc. LLC in the news!

Want to learn more about Weddings, Etc. LLC? Go to www.weddingsandpartynetwork.com/blog/spotlights/weddings-etc-consultant.

I'm in the spotlight!

It's been a great week as the phones are ringing off the hook! It's nice to be recognized and wanted! I've booked with three great couples this week. I still have a few dates available as I have to limit the number of weddings I do since I do each and every wedding/event myself.

I'm also booking elopements, which I enjoy doing as well.

It's hard to realize that February is almost over! A donation will be made to the Heart Association, this month, in the names of the new clients I've signed.

The charity to receive donations for March will be The Boys and Girls Club.

Winter Park, Colorado wedding

Hi everyone! It's a snowy day in Colorado. I did a wedding in Winter Park, Colorado, at the Devil's Thumb Ranch. With the snow on the mountains, and coming down, it was a wonderland, if you didn't have to drive in it!

I'd like to tell you about this wedding. It was the perfect wedding! The bride arrived in a horse-drawn sleigh (with wheels) to the church. The snow was softly falling, which made for a beautiful picture. (The sleigh was provided by Aspen Carriage and Sleigh (Sandra Dieterich). There were two of the most beautiful Percherons I've seen pulling the sleigh.

The photography was done by two very talented photographers from Salida, CO, Wild Iris Studio (Kristy Watts). I understand they do portraits as well.

The ceremony was at Our Lady of the Snow, Catholic church, in Granby, CO. The priest, Father Bogdan Siewiera, and the pianist DiAnn Bourget both came from their home church in Salida.
The bride's beautiful bouquet, of deep red roses and the reception decor was provided by Pick Me Floral in Winter Park. Rami Carter did a fabulous job. 970-531-2479.

After the ceremony, the reception was at Devil's Thumb Ranch in The Barn, which is a historical barn, worked into the Ranch and a beautiful place for a reception. The cake, beautifully done, by Paula Thomas of Tea Cup Bakery. The bride, her family and attendants stayed at the beautiful Snowy Mountain Ranch (also a YMCA).

What made this a perfect wedding? Let me back up to the day before the wedding. I met with the bride and groom to finalize any last minute changes, which is the norm. It was then I found out that the seamstress, hired in July of last year to custom make the wedding and bridesmaids dresses, hadn't accomplished the project! The bride had the foresight to purchase a backup dress, but had expected the bridesmaids dresses to arrive, along with the seamstress, the day before the wedding. They didn't get done! There were NO bridesmaids dresses.

We immediately went into action to find a solution. Being aware of what most of the bridal shops in the area (meaning Denver 100 miles away) carried in sizes in their samples, I immediately called Lisa at Celestial Bride (8262 S. University Blvd, Centennial, CO 80122 720-529-2000. Lisa agreed to reopen her bridal salon to my clients late that night. She did go to the shop, but received a call from the bridesmaids telling her the weather was just to bad they weren't going to make it b y 10:30 pm! Lisa did agree and did open the salon Saturday morning (the day of the wedding) and met the bridesmaids there around 7:30 am. (Talk about going over and above!!!!) When the bridesmaids arrived back at the ranch, each had a dress to wear.

While the overall picture wasn't her vision, and she could have been upset all day about it, she wasn't. (One of the things I cover with clients is that you are dealing with humans and anything can happen!) She was truly a princess in all meanings of the word. She was gracious, smiling, and above all, enjoyed her day.

We stayed at the Olympia Lodge in Winter Park. This lodge is owned by Albert and Carol Gasienica, who I might mention were great hosts! The rooms were very large, extremely clean and very comfortable. They include a continental breakfast along with the room. http://www.olympialodge.com/. 970-726-8843. This Olympia is within walking distance of restaurants, and just a short drive from the slopes. I highly recommend this lodge if you are staying in the area.

The point to my writing this is that while things can go wrong, the bottom line is "YOU ARE GETTING MARRIED"! As long and the officiant, bride and groom (and hopefully me :-) are there, nothing else matters...it's all icing on the cake.

In closing, (1) if you are working with a coordinator, let them know at the first sign that something may not be going right. We are there to help solve problems. Trust us to do so.
(2) If something goes wrong, let it go. You probably can't do much about it. It will certainly make your day memorable! (3) Enjoy your day, even if it's not quite the dream you had, few weddings are!

For help planning your wedding, call me! I not only travel in Colorado, but I do destination weddings anywhere in the world and US you want to go! http://www.weddingsbytanya.com/ or Tanya@weddingsbytanya.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

Destination Colorado

Ever wonder why people want to come to Colorado to get married? Rather you are wanting a full wedding or eloping, these are some reasons to consider Colorado.

Whether you want to get married by a lake, casino, on a steam engine, or downtown Denver, I can arrange it.

Check out my website at http://www.weddingsbytanya.com/ for more Real Weddings.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Mature and repeat brides deserve to be princesses!

Just because you've been married before, doesn't mean that you can't have a beautiful wedding! Many couples want to get married in a house of worship with their friends in attendance and then have a lovely, elegant reception. In days past this was frowned upon, but not today!

If you want to wear white, go ahead! (However, do fore go the veil if you are a repeat bride.) This is still a special and beautiful day, whether you are 25 or 85! Dream! What do you want your day to look like? Allow yourself to be giddy. Be the princess you are entitled to be!

I love working with older and second (or third) time brides! They have been through this once and still have the same questions that a first time bride has. They also know what to expect and thus realize more than most the value of a wedding coordinator.

This is all the more reason to hire a wedding coordinator. I am available to take your dream and make it a reality. You've had the pressure before, let me take that burden to allow you to be a guest at your own wedding!

If you don't want a big wedding, let me help you plan a romantic elopement to a beautiful, luxurous Colorado mountain Spa and Lodge, or an all inclusive week or week-end in the Mexican Riveria, or the Philippine Islands.

I enjoy working with mature brides! Contact me at Tanya@weddingsbytanya.com or www.weddingsbytanya.com

Lodge and Spa at Cordillera, Vail, Colorado

The Lodge and Spa at Cordillera, Vail, Colorado, is offering a fantastic offer, good now through April 15, 2010.

If you are considering eloping to Colorado, and want a LUXURIOUS place to get married and stay, then this is the place!

This couple chose the "Luxury Elopement Package" that included me as officiant, a cake, bouquet for the bride and boutonniere for the groom; toasting glasses and cake knife and server and a plume pen to sign your marriage license.

We added a photographer and they had a beautiful wedding package.

I can do the same for you, not only in Vail, but anywhere in Colorado or the world!

IF you stay three nights, you get the fourth one free!
$50 credit on the Mirador Dinner Menu
Free shuttle to Vail and Beaver Creek
Ski Club Access to Vail and Beaver Creek.

Call 303-779-0395 or tanya@weddingsbytanya.com to book your date and I'll help you with all your arrangements.

Keep the anticipation growing!

January will soon be gone and so will another month of planning!

One of the things I like to do, when assisting a couple with their planning, is to make the wedding day exciting for them and their guests.

I like to start with the ceremony music. Perhaps it's the pipe organ in the century old church, or a string quartet, an acoustic guitar paired with a flute or violin to set the mood for the ceremony.

Next, for the cocktail hour (you need "white noise") so you can carry over the some of the strings, guitar or have a DJ play background music.

For dinner, select music that is going to again be background music. If you have a band, such as the Nacho Men, they can entertain, while keeping the level at one where your guests can visit and not have to yell across the table. If using a DJ, ask them to keep the level low. Check out www.amusicplus.com for all your music needs.

For the dance, the music changes again and this time it's one to get your guests up, out of their seats to start the party! For more excitement, consider a combo of band and DJ. This way you don't have down time and you keep your guests on the dance floor for the entire evening.

Keep the temp changing and the anticipation building for your guests. You want them leaving wanting more and not wondering when it's going to get over!

When selecting your your music, be sure to let the DJ/band know what songs you want played AND what you don't want played.

To assist with your planning, my book, WEDDING PLANNING GUIDE, A Bride's Workbook, (the Colorado version) has a list of reliable, professional vendors in the back to help with your planning. There's also a national version (without vendors) to make your planning a breeze!

Whether you want a DJ, local band or nationally known band, I can help make it happen. Check out my website www.weddingsbytanya.com for additional wedding planning information and to contact me direct.

Ranch weddings

Many couples, either from Colorado, or planning a destination wedding to Colorado, want a more "Colorado" look. A new venue, located just 63 miles from DIA, and about 35 miles from Colorado Springs, offers one of the most beautiful Ranchs for weddings.

The Spruce Mountain Ranch, at the foot of the mountain is just such a venue. This facility has everything you would want in an elegant western style venue. Their fees include everything you need from the venue including AV, ceremony sites and reception sites. The couple has exclusive use of the property for a period of 10 hours. The facility can handle up to 400 guests comfortably. The location of the Ranch, allows for a beautiful, elegant, ranch wedding without worrying about altitude.

Check out their website at www.SpruceMountainWeddings.com. I'll be happy to facilitate a site inspection and help you plan your elegant wedding at the fabulous venue.

If you are interested in beautiful cattle, then Spruce Mountain Ranch Cattle Company is a must see. They are recognized for their Angus seed stock.