Happy 15th Valentine's Wedding Anniversary to all my Mohegan Sun Brides

In 1997, I entered the world of event planning in a way I had never imagined.  While working as the Director of Advertising and PR at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, I was approached with an idea by a local radio station (WKSS 95.5FM) to conduct a mass wedding in the central lounge of the Casino on Valentine's Day.  Here, 95 couples would simultaneously say "I Do", having been married and blessed by the tribal chief and medicine man.  I thought they were nuts.  Then, I thought I was nuts that I agreed to this massive promotion and undertaking.  In the end, I would have been nuts not to agree to this idea. 

On that day, I watched so many couples come forward - some to renew their vows, and others to tie the knot for the first time.  Regardless, all came forward with excitement on their faces, and love in their eyes as they shared in a truly magical experience.  Yet our goal was to make them feel like the event was just for them, even though it was en masse and even though we were not bonafide wedding planners either.   My staff and I had such fun creating their individualized receptions with Brunch for the couple and their invited guests, and individual mini wedding cakes created by the masterful pastry chefs.  As most planners specialize in, we stretched the minimal budget and turned the ordinary into an extraordinary for a stress free and memorable afternoon.   The wedding bug bit me big time that day. 

So when people ask me how I got started in this business, and can I handle a large wedding filled with lots of emotion and details, I wryly smile and think back on this day and think, "Yes, I DO believe I've earned my planner badge". 

Now fifteen years later, I often wonder how these couples are doing.  I wish I would have taken a photo!  Alas, these were the days of the brick sized cell phones...and as a Casino Director and a very young one at that, I was more worried about what my boss thought of the PR & marketing, then of a future blogpost (blogs weren't around then either).  So alas, all I have is this news article written by the Hartford Courant re: the very same event we did the following year on Friday the 13th.  95 Couples simultaneously marry. 

Happy 15th Anniversary to these special couples!  And thanks to all my Mohegan Sun pals (you know who you are) who helped me pull this event off.  I could never have done this without you.

2012 - Year of the "Blog"

My New Year's Resolution - okay, so I'm a month behind give or take - is to get back to my blogging which nearly went the way of the dodo last year.   And now with our new found love in Pinterest, this could be a dicey commitment.   Yes, an event planner with commitment issues - doh!
One of the hurdles was the time it took to post everything in separate spots.  On the blog, link to site, link to Facebook, now Twitter, etc. etc.  But now I do believe I've stumbled upon the key to having it all update automatically.   Ah, the power of apps on Facebook.  

Fun Bits and Bites

Since today is Tax Day and paying taxes, well, 'bites' why not take the bite out and enjoy a little yummy like these that are not only beautiful, but can really add visual variety to your dessert offerings.  Better yet, they're portable!

Brownie Bites as featured on RealSimple.com

Banners are a Banner idea!

Banners are a banner idea!  How cute are these on Etsy?  They can work to decorate the gift table at the wedding, the car when driving away, and later be hung over your new home's fireplace.  Awwwwwwwwww. 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/71048939/love-sweet-love-custom-banner-for-brebee?ref=cat2_gallery_15

Unique Twist on Traditional Guest Books

We are loving this unique twist on the traditional guestbook, featured on Wedzu.com.   How fun is this?
http://wedzu.com/products/guestbook-fingerprint-heart-trees

Wedding Faire this Weekend, 3/20! Are you prepared?

If you're headed to the Bridal Faire this weekend at the Reno/Sparks Convention Center, we look forward to seeing you!  Look for us in booth #703, right by the runway stage.

To ensure your afternoon is productive vs. overwhelming, here is a list of suggestions and tips to help facilitate your experience:

• Bring Labels!  Pre-printed address labels, with your name, address, phone, email and date of your event will help your hand tremendously with all of the fabulous drawings and prize giveaways your likely to enter.  If all you have are the freebie address labels you get in the mail, bring them!  Those will work to provide the majority of details, and then you can just add in the missing few details - still saving you that hand cramp!
• Are You Gellin'®?  Proper footware is key.  Be it inserts, comfy socks, tennis shoes, or sandals, wear your most comfortable pair of footwear so your focus stays on your wedding, not your feet!  
• Camera:  Be sure to bring either your cell phone with camera fully charged, or a digital camera with you to snap all the fabulous ideas you'll see.  While you may have a photographic memory, after 75+ booths, your ideas will start to blend together like an Impressionist painting. 
• Calendar:  Either on your cell, or a printed version, you'll want a calendar handy to book consultations, and other appointments for your big day.  
• Tote:  Your bag will become heavy quickly from all the information and giveaways you'll be receiving, and those little plastic handles can start to dig into your hands quickly.  Bring a tote bag that is comfortable for you to carry all of your loot in. While you're at it, bring another smaller, separate tote to place inside the main bag.  Place ONLY the info. from your preferred vendors in this smaller, hidden tote to help make sorting through the sea of information after the show a bit easier.  
• For some added fun, make totes for each member in your party with a blank canvas tote, some fabric paint and some rhinestone bling!  
• Colors/Theme:  Bring color swatches and pictures of your theme/vision with you to help generate  ideas with the vendors you speak to.  This is your opportunity to gain free ideas and advice.  The more visual aids you have, the better, and the easier it is to talk to the booth personnel and gain valuable information.  

Enjoy!

Are you a DIY bride?

Lee Meszaros Merit badges featured on Etsy.com

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A consistent wedding trend is the DIY bride, aka:  the do it yourselfer.  While there is a definite euphoria associated with doing things yourself and accomplishing a seemingly unconquerable feat - especially at a significant cost savings, a wedding is perhaps not the ‘best’ time to earn your ‘DIY merit badge’ so to speak.  Worse yet, you have photos to prove just how exhausted you made yourself staying up late tying little bows on little favor bags, or folding programs.  

Some believe the way around this technical difficulty is to enlist family or friends on the unpaid work detail, with or without their consent!   Nothing says 2:00AM argument the night before the wedding like affixing 150 escort cards to clothespins to hang from ribbons that aren’t sticking on a ribbon frame because the paint is still wet.  While these loving souls may have initially agreed to help you through thick and thin, the reality is this is not their wedding.  

Weddings are an emotionally charged, once-in-a-lifetime event that require the bride’s full attention and energy.  So whether you are a DIYer that ‘Prefers to do it yourself because you enjoy it’ OR, you believe you ‘HAVE to do it all yourself because you can’t afford not to,’ we recommend keeping your DIY projects to a realistic minimum, and do as much in the months prior to your event as possible.  Also keep in mind DIY projects can spiral out of control and become more time-consuming and often cost more in the end than originally anticipated.   

Our solution to this dilemma is simple: consider hiring a wedding planner, like us at Forget Me Knot Events, for the tedious and time-consuming tasks.  Wedding planners can often SAVE you money due to significant discounts they are able to obtain through their extensive vendor relationships, and in the TIME it will take to complete a task.  So take the time to consider what your time, and your sanity are worth and earn that DIY badge for something else instead, like decorating your first home together.  For that, you can earn the 'smart cookie' badge. 

Smart Cookie Badge by Lee Meszaros on Etsy.com.