How to Find Your Theme

Sometimes it's about what you have planned for since you were a little girl and sometimes it is based on your creativity. Mine was based on what was in front of me. I was never a person who dreamt about my wedding and had big ideas about what I want and must have. I was opposite. Every since opening my business, everyone always asked me, "You must have been planning your wedding for years and want to help others." And that was so far from what my truth was. I got into the business because I love planning parties and am extremely organized. I have a very creative brain that has been doing engineer work for a long time. I got sucked into Wedding TV shows and went to a few weddings that I thought could have used some help. So, I decided to use my creative and organized brains and go to work.

This is true when picking a theme, and we all have a theme. Whether it's shabby chic or modern elegance, it is still a theme. Some people go with a more dramatic presentation of a theme, like myself. So here is my process for picking our theme:

Carlos and I are pretty dramatic, we met doing theatre, We also love movies. He worked at a movie theater once and I was a film major in college. So, we knew from the start that some of those elements may creep their way in. Our first order of business was finding the reception space. I knew I wanted a more northern type wedding with a sit down dinner and open bar. I also knew from doing so many weddings that I didn't want to deal with rentals and having to do a lot of set up and tear down on our part. I do that all the time and it is not my favorite part of the job, especially when the bride and groom have to chip in. We also knew that we loved the "downtown" feel, being on a rooftop or overlooking Nashville. So we stuck to either downtown venues or one's up in the air. The first one out of the box was perfect. It was a hotel close to downtown with a Penthouse ballroom with a patio overlooking downtown Nashville.
Now this is how we chose our theme. Since I am  penny pincher, I asked questions about what is included like tables, chair and linens. They offered black or white linens and napkins and the chairs were red. Boom! I already pictured it, black table coverings with white napkins folded and draped with the red chairs with only red flowers and centerpiece.

Then it all fell into place. We wanted to do come really dramatic engagement photos using a Film Noir theme. These photos were used in our save the date cards that set the tone and theme for all that was to come.

So start early and set the tone. It really doesn't take much to have a theme. But don't get overwhelmed by a lot of ideas. It is really hard to have a hiking, dog, movie, modern theme. Keep it simple, keep it relevant to the couple and make sure that you can keep it in budget. Our save the date postcards were made on vistaprint and were free for 100 of them. We had to only pay for the artwork to be placed which was about $1.49 per picture. Some great themes are Old Hollywood/Movie (which we used), Beach theme(especially if you are on a beach, go with that theme) a color theme(use a color to describe your theme), a location theme(like where you are from, where you live or a favorite place), a hobby theme(like sports or music). Everything falls into place when you have a goal.

Our Wedding Featured in Ashley's Bridal Guide

Check out a blog of our wedding featured in Ashley's Bridal Guide.

I was so excited to share our wedding with our Nashville wedding community, especially with Ashley. We have met on several occasions and love her blog and site.

Being A Guest at a Wedding

This week I am taking a break from being the bride and planner and went on a week long wedding adventure, My husbands long time friend and groomsman in our wedding, Michael, got married to Courtney in the Outer Banks, NC. The had started planning for their wedding in May of 2010 and settled on what was an idea that was not only a great vacation, but a beautiful wedding. They rented a house in Corolla, Outer Banks, which is in the Northern part. The house was huge and was called The Ritz Palm.

It had 9 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms and 3 half baths and sleeps 28 people. Not only did more that 28 people stay there (kids slept on air mattresses in parents bedrooms), but this was the location for the rehearsal dinner and wedding reception with the ceremony on the beach that connected to the house.
Now, to being the guest part. You have to understand that being a guest at a wedding like this you understand full well that you will also be asked to help in any way possible and we all did without a bat of the eye. Now, this may not work for those who have family or friends that do not get along, but this couple truly have people who love and care about them. What we did as guests: The guys, especially 2, made the funfetti cake.

 A few girls staying at the house set up tables with linens including 2 high beach tables in the pool (1 foot area). Guys set up chairs and sound system on beach, while I came over and set up the remaining chairs around the tables for dinner around the pool area. I also made sure certain things were set up correctly and was there to help in any way. I just couldn't not help, I am a wedding planner. I also organized the beach chair transport to pool area. The food was fun and appropriate. Mini-sliders and chicken fingers with sweet potato fries and au gratin potatoes and pasta salad. Drinks were beer and wine and soda and lemonade. It was the perfect beach wedding. At the end of the night everyone chipped in and tore down the tables, chairs, centerpieces and set up the pool area to how it was originally.
The couple were appreciative of everyone's hard work and the guests were so happy to be able to be a part of it. The week did have some stresses for the couple as well as the parents. With so many people staying in a house, they didn't have any alone time or time to think about anything. But the family executed a fun filled week of activities including a couples shower followed by bachelor and bachelorette parties, a Princess and Pirate Pizza Birthday Party for mother of groom and best man, and  a shrimp boil rehearsal dinner. Over all a great week away to share with friends and family.

What Next!

Even though my schedule got too busy too keep this blog up and running, I wanted to come back and really go over with a fine tooth comb my experiences. It is very important to me that brides in particular understand that there is no perfect wedding. Even being a planner and owning my own company, things just can't go as you expect them to go.

Don't get me wrong, my wedding was perfect to me. It was everything I wanted it to be, but because of the times we live in and economic issues facing us, some things just can't happen. Or what your job is, or mine as a planner, is to come up with the most economic and creative way to pull it off.

So, I will in the future be more vigilant about not only coming back around to my own wedding planning experience but bring you my new adventures in building up my clients again and relaunching in a way, the new Debbie and what I expect out of my business.

As I was overwhelmed with my own wedding, holding down a full time job and trying to not only be the planner but the bride, I got myself involved in another venture that has been a great fit for me. A few years back I did a series of "How To" videos based on wedding planning. I think there are some 30-40 out there. My last series was done at the Belmont Mansion in Nashville, TN. I saw a post on Facebook from the Director of Weddings that he was looking for an event coordinator and I jumped at the opportunity. Not the best timing, but it has been amazing none the less. Right before my wedding on August 27th, I received a phone call saying I was promoted. I am not the Assistant Director of Weddings and Events at Belmont Mansion.

So, from here on out, I will do my best to update my blog and make sure I have helpful times to make your wedding as special as mine.