Great Start Up Advice

I left a comment on the Start Up Princess blog about the best start up advice I had ever received and guess what?!? I didn't WIN the contest, but Anita Campbell of Small Biz Trends said my comment was outstanding!! OMG!! Here is what I said:

"It IS a real business.”
For a while, I was just thinking my boutique wedding planning firm was just small potatoes because I was new to the industry. . .and I treated it like a hobby. Now I spend more time working on the business than in the business and I am flourishing. Exhausted–but excited. For that person to tell me that was the push that I needed and I always remember it.

The context of that conversation went something like this:
Me: OMG! Guess what?? This couple contacted me from another state to plan their wedding. They really liked my blog, so they called me. I can't believe they contacted me! It's like I have a real business. . .
Him: What do you mean? It IS a real business.
Me: {Lightbulb moment}

To read the rest of the post and get more excellent start up advice, click HERE.
And to the person who said that to me--thank you. I love you and appreciate you more than you know. Part of my success belongs to you.
Photo Credit: Start Up Princess

Pearly Perfection on Your Wedding Day

Shining, pearly whites that stand out in your wedding photographs is a goal for many brides. Whiter teeth can really brighten up a face and make you look fresher, healthier and younger. So what bride wouldn't want to get her teeth whitened before her big day?

As a wedding planner, I have a small confession to make. I'm addicted to white teeth. Thus, I'm addicted to Crest White Strips and any other form of teeth bleaching. It had gotten so bad that my dentist started to refuse to whiten my teach in the office,

Although secretly seething on the inside, I bowed down to her professional opinion. Dr.Aileen Helton has been my BDE (Best Dentist Ever!) and I have been with her over four years! I've followed her from Eagle Creek to Carmel and neither of the sides of town were mine--that's a testament to how wonderful she is!

And in her awesomeness, her practice, Dentristy on 116 is donating teeth whitening to a lucky bride-to-be with wedding dates in September, October, November or December of 2008. The winning bride will get custom fitted trays for her teeth to wear overnight with the whitening agent, Nite White. Most brides will see results after using it for about two weeks.

Per Dr. Helton, if you eat or drink foods or liquids that have a tendency to stain teeth, like coffee, tea, red wine, gatorade, or smoke--then the whitening won't be as effective. So stay away from these scene stealers in the four to six weeks leading up to your wedding! A side effect of whitening is tooth sensitivity. It is very common, and the office has certain products that can help. The good doctor always recommends people use a sensitivity toothpaste two weeks prior, during and two weeks after they whiten. Pregnant and breastfeeding women CANNOT whiten their teeth. Brides who want to whiten their teeth should whiten about four to six weeks before their wedding date. It takes four weeks for the color to settle and they can touch up closer to the date. Any sensitivity issues can be addressed weeks prior to the wedding. As you can tell--I have had good results with teeth whitening and Dr. Helton even uses it herself.













Other services offered at Dentistry on 116 include Invisalign, Oral Sedation Dentistry, Veneers, Bonding, Smile Makeovers and much, much more. Her office is a full service dental office where personalized service and attention to detail is truly given! Please visit her WEBSITE for more information and make an appointment. You'll be so glad you did!

The Good Part
So--how do you win this free professional whitening? All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog about your current vice (food, drink or other) that stains your pearly whites. The contest will close on Friday, August 8th at 12 Midnight and you must be able to travel to Dr. Helton's Carmel office for delivery of the custom trays.

I can't wait to read the comments and I will start with my own: Welch's grape juice.

Link Love!

This is the first installation of the updates to my blog roll. Since I can't seem to get my Google Reader to less than 500 since I was on vacation two weeks ago, I have come to the realization that there a quite a few wedding industry and small business blogs that I love! It is my plan to have all the links to the inspirational blogs that I love updated on my site within the next two weeks.






Part Une:
Bliss Blog

Cynthia Martyn Events

Perez Photography Blog

Ritzy Bee Blog

Southern Weddings

Sparkliatti by Sasha Souza

Square Root Designs

The Entrepreneurial Mind

Weddex

Wedding Chicks

Photo Credit: Source

Edited to read: Southern Weddings; 7/29/08; 11:48pm

Stop. Think About It.

*sigh*

I just found this article on MSN.com.

Men (or women) who decide to get on bended knee: Be warned. You could find yourself on both knees, facing a judge instead of a justice of the peace.

That’s what happened in Florida this week, when a woman was awarded $150,000 after suing her former fiancé for calling off their wedding.

For the full story, click HERE.

I don't know which action is more reprehensible. Definitely food for thought on both ends.

Please Excuse Our Dust . .

We have some exciting new changes coming here at K Sherrie+Company. Everything from website re-design, introduction of new staff and additions of new, couture services for the smart bride on-the-go. Here's a sneak peek at our updated "logo."

I can't wait to roll out the PINK carpet! Please stay tuned!

EAD Library

If you have been reading wedding blogs only for a few days, you will have seen the great new tool that has been launched: the EAD Library. Chock-full of resources including wedding vendors everywhere, the EAD Library is a labor of love of the extremely talented Ami Elizabeth and Rebekah Anne of Elizabeth Anne Designs. In their own words:

Hello readers!

We are incredibly excited to announce our new project, The EAD Library. After months of development and research, we are launching a new resource for brides. The Library is filled with hundreds of useful links, from photographers to shops to stationers. Our goal is a simple comprehensive list that will help every bride, no matter her location, find the vendors and inspiration she needs for a beautiful event. In addition, we’ll be interviewing recent brides for reviews on the site.

Love,

Rebekah Anne and Ami Elizabeth

And guess who's listed in the Library including a sponsored listing??? Yes, that's it: K Sherrie+Company Wedding and Event Planning! Their site is so pretty and beautifully put together, I am beyond thrilled that I could actually be a part.

Why Don't You. . .Buy Some Cool Wedding Products??

Garner extra VIP treatment when you fly off for your honeymoon by using these JUST MARRIED Luggage Labels from Smythson. They come in packs of 10 and are die-stamped with
Name
Destination
Contact Info and
JUST MARRIED
Flash the tags to the airline agent and maybe you can snag some first-class seats or extra peanuts or something.


Another precious item that I found while browsing Smythson was this absolutely cute wedding planner! The Panama Wedding Planner comes in my favorite color: fuchsia and is indexed to include tabs for
Dress
Invitations
Guests and Gifts
Service
Reception
Flowers and Other
Going Away and
Honeymoon


Small enough to fit in the most fabulous designer handbag, this pretty little planner is bound in lambskin leather, the pages are gilded in silver and the satin ribbon will make sure you pick up right where you left off. And what's more, it can be personalized with a name or motif! SWOON!

This would be the best present for your fashionista friend who is planning her own wedding. Even if she, being the smart gal that she is, has a wedding planner, she can definitely keep up with all the details in high style. And what could be better than that? As a matter of fact, can somebody buy me one??

Grand Opening Celebration for Lucas Oil Stadium

It's the pride and joy of Indianapolis. It's the major factor in our winning the Super Bowl 2012 bid this year. It is an exquisite work of art for a football stadium. It's Lucas Oil Stadium and you can be a part of the Grand Opening Celebration.

See below for details:

Celebrate the grand opening of Lucas Oil Stadium (LOS) on Thursday, August 14, 2008 and join key customers and sponsors of the Indiana Convention Center (Indianapolis who's who and industry-insiders!!!) at LOS.

Starting at 6pm, this event will showcase the club and suite areas and offer buffets of American, Italian, Caribbean and Asian cuisine. Two-hundred-fifty dollars can get you in on a first-come, first-served basis and all proceeds will go to the underwriting of this event. Reservations will be taken until August 6 by visiting the event's website at www.LOSCelebration.com.

Live entertainment will be provided by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra with a cheerful mix of pop, rock and classics on the LOS Plaza. Joe Theismann, a former NFL quarterback of University of Notre Dame fame, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening.

At 8pm, enjoy the musical sounds of Stephen Stills, Voices of Unity Youth Choir and Marnee Shaffer. Also included is a showcase parade to salute the customers of LOS and Indiana Convention Center. Attendees of this grand opening will have the first experience of seeing the stars as the retractable stadium roof is opened for the first time!

And, if you couldn't tell by the grandioseness of the event, cocktail attire is suggested. What, exactly, is cocktail attire?? That's another post for another day.

Please visit www.LOScelebration.com for more information and to secure your reservation. Email inquiries can be sent to celebration{at}simplyhospitality{dot}org. Will K Sherrie+Company be there? We shall see. . .
Photo Credit: Source

Clay Wedding Flowers

Clay wedding flowers seem to be finding their way into the spotlight. I was at an industry event a few months back and a vendor was there with mock-ups. She had an enthusiatic response from the crowd there. I'm not quite sure if I'm sold on this idea, but the flowers can be beautiful. . .



What do you think about clay wedding flowers?
Photo Credit: DecoClay, DkDesigns, Flickr

Wedding Planning Quandry

This question came into my inbox yesterday and it's a question that comes up often in wedding planning. So I thought I would share it with you, dear reader, then share my answer.

Dear Katasha
Is it of proper bridal etiquette to provide food for the live band and or DJ? Does it depend on the time length of requested service? Is this something that is negotiated in their rate? How is this usually discussed? Is this part of the "breaks" in their contract? Where would they eat? If another [place] setting needs to be arranged and you're limited on space, how would you handle?
T.J.

Hi T.J.
Those are some great questions! I'm glad you asked. This scenario comes up more often than not during the planning of a wedding. It is very appropriate (and in my opinion, almost necessary) to provide food for the musicians at your wedding reception. The musicians are working very hard for you and are the linchpin in your quest to have a fun, dance-all-night wedding reception. Do you remember how you feel when you haven't eaten in quite a while? Would you want someone who feels that way playing live music for your wedding?? It is essentially common courtesy to feed all of the vendors who are on hand, working at your wedding. This would include the photographer(s), the wedding planner and assistants, the videographer(s) and the musicians.

Now--if you're serving sea bass and petit filet, don't feel that you have to serve this costly meal to your vendors. It could be something as simple as a boxed lunch and a drink. The vendors do not have to sit in the main dining area, if space doesn't allow. Many times, there is an ante-room where the vendors will sit and eat while the guests are eating. Musicians will eat during this "break" and you should make sure they have back-up music playing--either a CD or a solo musician. Generally, this is discussed when contracting with the musicians and it should not affect their rate. I'm saying--don't ask for a discount because you are going to feed them. Provisions for meals is in my contract for me and my assistants, but all wedding vendors may not have it in theirs. However, whether it's in the contract or not, I think it's the right thing to do.

Yours In Exquisite Weddings,
Katasha

Do you have any wedding quandries that you have been dying to ask about? I would love to help you out. Please email any questions to info{at}ksherrieandcompany{dot}com and I'll be sure to steer you in the right direction.
Photo Credit: Source

Mind Your Manners

Having just spent a week attending formal dinners, galas and dining at fine restaurants and being a wedding planner, great manners and etiquette is always at the forefront of my mind. Consequently, the topic is always on my to-do list for blog posting. While I was catching up with my Google alerts and Google reader, I came across a wonderfully written post on table manners. It was written so well by Lily Beth of What Would Jackie Do?, I don't think I could have said it better.

An excerpt:

Is it ever okay to touch a waiter?

Not unless he/she assaults you with a wine bottle. Don’t. Touch. The. Staff. This rule goes first, before anything else, because that’s what I see people doing most often. Even a polite touch of two fingers to the wrist is unacceptable, to say nothing to reaching out and grabbing an elbow as they pass. These people are providing a service for you. They are in the service industry. For that, you should treat them with the utmost respect.

Click HERE for the full article.

Now here comes the fun part! Have you ever seen an absolutely reprehensible display of table manners at a wedding? I'd love to hear your stories, then I promise I will share one of my very own.
Photo Credit: Source

Mmm, Mmm, Good. . .

Do you love cheesecake??

I don't, but this was too good not to share!

To commemorate their 30th anniversary, The Cheesecake Factory is offering a yummy special. This just in directly from their website:

Celebrating “30 Delicious Years,” The Cheesecake Factory is serving up several sweet initiatives throughout 2008. To kick-off the anniversary celebration and in commemoration of National Cheesecake Day on July 30th, 2008, The Cheesecake Factory restaurants will offer every delicious slice of its more than 30 varieties of cheesecake with a dollop of nostalgia by featuring all cheesecakes at $1.50 per slice, limit one per guest, dine in only, on that day—as they were when the restaurant first opened in 1978.

With the rising popularity of cheesecake wedding cakes, you can definitely use this opportunity as a "tasting" to decide what flavor you may want to serve at your wedding reception. What is your favorite flavor of cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory?
Photo Credit: Source

Centennial Celebration

My beloved sorority is 100 years old. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. made history this week by celebrating 100 years of sisterhood, scholarship and service in the largest international conference in the history of the sorority (23,000 registered attendees).

Thanks for bearing with me with the absolute lack of posts while I was attending the celebration and conference. I have hit the ground running and will be back in the swing of all things weddings in very short order!

Live a Luxe Life for Less (and Help Your Wedding Budget!)

With times as hard as they are now and the "R" word always lingering in the background, it's hard not to be worried about the cost of your wedding. Everyone wants their wedding to be unique, personal and memorable, but many times that comes with an added price tag. If you still have some time left and you are early in the wedding planning, you can do a few simple things in your everyday life to stash some extra cash for your wedding. And you can do it without being any less fabulous!

1. Downgrade on Technology--Do you really need a cell phone AND a home phone with all the deluxe features like three-way calling, call-forwarding, special ring feature and caller ID? What about your cable? Do you frequently watch all 1000 channels or will basic cable serve you just fine? All these extras add up and can drain your checkbook. Downgrade.

2. Cut Back on the Couture Cocktails--I love a vintage and expensive wine just as much as the next gal, but sometimes an Arbor Mist Chardonnay or a FishEye Merlot will do the trick. And every time you imbibe for less, just calculate how many extra siggys you'll be able to pay for at your wedding reception.

3. Don't Let Hunger Fuel Your Grocery Bill--Everyone knows when you go to the market hungry, your cart tends to fill up more. Everything looks so darned delicious! Curb your grocery bill by curbing your appetite before you go shopping. And shop with a list and coupons.

4. Kibosh the Brand Name Medications--You can almost cut your medication bill in half by going generic. And don't worry, they work just as well. Heck--I make my grandmother get generic and I don't think I love anyone more than I love her!

With gas topping $4 a gallon, I know you savvy brides have more creative ideas on ways to save. Please share your budget-saving ideas with us.
Photo Credit: Source

Siggy of the Month

Hi Friends!!

I'm back from family vacation, fresh, well rested and with a new attitude about life. . .kinda. . .
Thanks for being patient and all the well wishes. I'm so glad to be back in the blogosphere, although it is requiring catch up of 300+ blogs in my Google Reader. So, I'd better get started!

xoxox,
ksb


July Siggy of the Month: Grapefruit-and-Mint Mojito
Add a refreshing minty mojito to your summer smorgasbord as a signature cocktail for your wedding celebration. Ruby red grapefruit gives an added twist to this southern classic. And the color is just oh-so-festive! Follow these simple instructions and keep you guest sipping and sitting pretty at your summer shindig.

1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. packed fresh mint leaves
1 ruby red grapefruit
3/4 c. white rum
3 c. ice
1 c. seltzer

Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add mint leaves. Steep for ten minutes then strain through a fine sieve into a small bowl and let cool. Do not reuse the mint leaves.

Remove the zest from the ruby red grapefruit using a vegetable peeler. Place in a large glass and add rum. Cover, let stand for thirty minutes then strain through a fine sieve into a large measuring glass. Discard the zest.

Segment the rest of the grapefruit and place 2-3 segments in a tall, slender glass. Top with 3/4 c. ice. Then stir in three tablespoonfuls infused rum, 2 tablespoonfuls mint syrup and 1/4 c. seltzer in a measuring glass, then pour over ice. Garnish with mint sprigs and add a swizzle stick and, voila!. Makes 4 drinks.

Whew! It can seem to be a time intensive endeavor, but the reward is so great! What clever names can you come up with for this siggy?

For all past posts on our siggys of the month (and for the explanation of why we call them siggys), click HERE.

If you have any great suggestions for signature drinks, please share in the comments section. We'd love to hear and try new drink combinations!
Photo Credit: Martha Stewart

On Vacation. . .

Dear Reader--

I am going on a family vacation. It is much needed and I'll be back in short order.

Sincerely,

Katasha

Photo Credit: Source

Vera Wang Trunk Show

You're invited to celebrate the simplicity and sophistication of Vera Wang

July 11 & 12
VERA WANG
BRIDAL TRUNK SHOW

VERA WANG CHICAGO
34 East Oak Street
2nd Floor

View the current collection featuring romantic, sensual, and luxurious styles. Receive special savings on your special order gown, and $100 off a veil and headpiece.

By appointment only | 312.787.4696

L, M, N, O, P. . .Queue

The letter Q. We like it. It's the 17th letter of the alphabet. It looks good capitalized and written in cursive. It's quirky, quaint and quixotic all at the same same. The letter Q. . .

The word Queue. . .not so much. And we definitely don't like queues at your wedding celebration. Neither will your guests. You can keep both of us happy by minimizing the chance of queues forming at your party. Try some of the following:

Don't put the guest book right in front of the main entrance. This will definitely cause a human traffic jam. Place the guest book somewhere IN the room and place food and drinks (butler-passed hors d'oeuvres and cocktails) in between the guest book and the entrance. If your guests have something in their hands and mouths, they won't line up all at once to write your well wishes.

Hire more than one bartender. Who wants to wait forever in line just to get a whiskey sour? The general rule of thumb is that you should have one bar with two bartenders for every 100 guests. If you can swing it, have two bars. Position one of the bars far away from the entrance and be sure not to have any bars in the passage-ways of the guests and waitstaff.

Ditch the receiving line. No explanation needed.

If you are having a buffet style dinner, guests should be able to pass on both sides of the buffet if they are serving themselves. Have the waitstaff call a few tables up at a time. Another thing you can do to avoid a queue is to have a server at each dish. The dinner service will certainly go faster and an added bonus is to your budget because the portion sizes are controlled.

Can you think of some other ways to avoid long lines at your wedding?
Photo Credit: PicasaWeb