Summer 2013

I am so excited that one of the weddings that I had the pleasure of being the wedding planner for is in the new Fall/Winter 2013 issue of The Knot Michigan (pages 120 and 121 to be exact). It was an incredibly elegant and beautiful affair at Camp Tanuga in Kalkaska, Michigan. I actually cannot believe that it has almost been a year at this point and that Jeffrey and Rachel will be celebrating their one year anniversary shortly. Congrats you two! Check out the images below.

Check out even more images here......

http://www.theknot.com/weddings/album/an-elegant-simple-wedding-in-kalkaska-mi-125998 

Camp Wedding

This past August, I had the pleasure of assisting a couple get married at Camp Tanuga in Kalkaska, MI. Why Camp Tanuga, you may ask? Well, Rachel and Jeffrey met at Camp Tanuga as kids and knew it would be the perfect location to get married.

It was the perfect weekend of fun, love, laughter and activities. Friday night they kicked off the weekend with their ketubah signing followed by the camp ritual of meeting at the flag pole for flag lowering continued by a rustic rehearsal dinner in the "mess hall" and closing the night with bonfire and smores!         

Saturday, during the day guests were able to utilize the amazing camp grounds and do activities (from arts & crafts, water skiing, regatta sail boat race and much more).  Saturday lunch was a "Camp Lunch" Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup- a camp lunch classic and our favorite.  The couple wanted their guests to experience what they had been able to experience for many summer of their lives. 

Finally, the night had come. They had a cocktail prior to the ceremony on the "reck-deck." Guests had light bites of Mediterranean style (our favorite type of food) as well as Caprese Kebob, Butternut Squash, Stuffed Mushroom, Garlic Bruschetta with Fresh Tomatoes. During the cocktail hour guests could sign our "mad lib" guest book or look at the window sills of love. During the cocktail hour they had live music- cello and violinist.

The decor was "naturally charming" for ceremony and party! Simple as they just added to the natural beauty of camp grounds - with twine branch with lavender, white flowers and small daises (white roses, white mini flower pots, yet with a splash of lavender, mercury glass votives and vases) to give a more elegant feel.   As the ceremony took place at sundown on the waterfront peak right off the lake- tea lights and candles were hung from the large pine tree centered behind us, candle lanterns lined each side the rose pedal aisle. Finally they were married under the chupah at dark, the ceremony was magical - you could feel the warmth and love!

 The party went late into the night- or rather... early sunday morning. They had late night pizza from the local pizza place "G's" - ordered as a late night snack. (G's Pizza was is a Tanuga staple for camper birthdays, special occasions etc). The talented band, Fifty Amp Fuse kept everyone on the dance floor all night!  It was a perfect weekend with their closest friends and family celebrating where their love began.   

Hello Again!

Oh my gosh, I cannot believe how long it has been since I last wrote on my blog. It is so crazy to think that enough time has passed since my last entry that I had a baby girl who will actually be two years of age this July. Crazy!

In honor of her, I would like to ponder the idea of princesses. My daughter has just recently discovered the world of princesses. In fact, a couple of weeks ago her daddy bought her the Disney Princess Classic Collection (all 12 of them) and she is obsessed with learning who they are and their names. She loves to look at the dolls and I often wonder what she thinks about them.

I know as a 33 almost 34 year old (yikes), I loved the thought of princesses as a child too whether it was dressing up like one, reading about one or even just dreaming about one.

Then, I had my own kind of princess day when I got married. I know that for many, many brides their wedding day is the one day where the fantasy can actually come true. As a planner, I love being a part of that world. I love knowing that I am in a field where I have a small part in making a brides inner child dream come true. Thank you to all the brides out there that have allowed me to be a part of such a special day. I look forward to many more of these days.

Bar/Bat Mitzvahs

Bar/Bat Mitzvahs

I am gearing up for a Bat Mitzvah that is taking place this month and am getting quite excited for it. As with a wedding, the planning process can be anywhere from 6 months all the way up to 1 or 2 years prior to the event date. The steps to planning such an event are also quite similar to a wedding in that a venue must be found, vendors must be hired, the décor and theme must be devised, invitations must go out, the menu must be created, and so on. The main difference, of course, is the momentous occasion being celebrated with one being the right of passage of adulthood and the other being the celebration of a couple joining together in matrimony.

Now, the two biggest factors in planning a Bar or Bat Mitzvah are the type of function you want to hold such as a kids only party or a kids & adult party and the activities or theme. With so many different venues to choose from in Michigan, you can really create the Bar/Bat Mitzvah of your son or daughter’s dreams. Here are some theme ideas that seem most popular in the area:

1.) Sports

a. Ski Party

b. Outdoor Adventure (Rock Wall Climbing)

c. Indoor Pool/Gym/Inflatable

2.) Movie/Music

a. Imax Theater (3D Movies)

3.) Dance

a. Dinner/DJ/Theme Band

As I mentioned there are some great venues to choose from in the area, so do your research or as always seek out the help of a professional planner to guide you through the process. Also, if you are looking for a non-traditional party, your planner can provide you with some great ideas on how best to accomplish that goal.

Bridesmaids Dresses

I was having dinner with a friend of mine whose sibling is getting married next fall(congrats again, by the way) and the talk turned to bridesmaids dresses. I love that brides have so many wonderful choices in terms of colors and styles when it comes to selecting a bridesmaids dress. In fact, it is completely acceptable to have the party wear the same color, but different style of dress to best match a body type and/or sense of style. Here are some pointers, however when you are giving your bridesmaids the power of choice:

1.) Select the same fabric that best reflects the time of year of your wedding

2.) Select the same shade of color (unless you want your maid of honor or junior bridesmaids to stand out)

3.) Select the same store to purchase the dresses

4.) If possible, select the same brand or designer

These perimeters will provide your brides with direction they need to find the right dress for your special day.

Be Different

A year ago, I joined the Junior Leagues of Birmingham to not only meet new people, but to get more involved in the community. This past weekend, we held our annual Mistletoe Event at Cloverleaf Fine Wine in Royal Oak which was a huge success. While it was a new venue for the league, it turned out quite well. The two story space has a modern loft feel to it with exposed pipes and beams which supported our cocktail event. Along with a wonderful band and plenty of wine and appetizers, there was a silent auction with a large array of wonderful items to choose from.

The reason I am mentioning all of this is that there are so many great places in Michigan to hold an event and that if you really want to be creative and different, you can absolutely make your wedding or special event something to remember. I challenge you to think differently for your next big event. If you have any examples of doing something a little bit different that you would like to share, please e-mail me at mrosenthal@merrittrosenthal.com . I look forward to your responses.