Sometimes we all need a little encouragement so Wednesdays will be encouragement day on the One of a Kind Events blog. I am starting a little tradition that will be called "Wednesday One of a Kind Wisdom". I love to read and I have quite a few quotes from people far more learned than I that I will be passing along to you every Wednesday. Hopefully, they will encourage and inspire you not only in your wedding planning but in your daily activities. So here goes with week #1.

"You only live once - but if you work it right, once is enough." Joe Lewis

The same can be said of weddings - if you plan it right, hire the right vendors to help your dream come true - once is enough.

Color Me Beautiful

If I had to describe one trend in weddings it would be color. Yet many brides are afraid of color. Here is a way to make sure you don't "overdo it". Choose a main color - probably one of your favorite colors. Some brides choose a color that they think their bridesmaids will look good in for their main color. But your bridesmaids don't have to be in your main color. For example, you may want your bridesmaids to be in very classic black tea length dresses. But your favorite color is pink. Go with different shades of of pink in all the decor, flowers and accents.

My biggest hint to making a fabulous looking wedding? Don't be afraid of accent colors. They can make a ho-hum wedding take on a WOW factor! One saavy bride I had a consultation with this week chose wisteria and plum (shades of purple and lavender) for her bridesmaids gowns. She was wondering if it was okay to go with a soft blush pink, green and creamy yellow for her flowers. Absolutely!! What great accent colors! That way in pictures her bouquets won't fade into the dresses and the green, blush and cream will make the lavender and purple tones in the dresses shine even more.

The other hint I have for you today is use color intensity to impress your guests. Using the same colors, you can keep the shades softer and more formal at the ceremony by using lighter shades of the color and mixing in white or ivory. Then at the reception, step it up a notch - add another hot accent color and use brighter shades of the color for the PARTY! Your guests will think they know the color scheme for the wedding when they enter the church but when they get to the reception, there will be no doubt - we are here to CELEBRATE!

If you are still unsure of colors and accent colors, get with a professional planner, decorator or florist to bounce ideas off of us. We have been in the color combining business for a long time and can tell you what works and what doesn't. More about color in future posts but for now - be creative and have fun!!

Spring flowers are here!

Spring is officially here today!! And what could say spring more than beautiful tulips, freesia and hyacinths. After a long hard winter it is one of my favorite things to see the first buds of my daffodil and hyacinth plants peeking up through the dirt in my flower beds. But, I have good news for you this morning - tulips and freesia , once thought to be only spring time flowers are now available for your wedding throughout the year! With the advancements in growing, harvesting and shipping, you can now have these beautiful flowers whenever you get married. I designed a gorgeous all white tulip wedding for a bride who married in September!!

As you are looking at blooms for your big day also remember fragrance. Freesia give a soft wonderful frangrance and come in a variety of colors - white, bright pink, lavendar, and yellow to name a few. Other very fragrant flowers include lilies, hyacinth, stock, roses and carnations. Mix a few of these sweet smelling fresh flowers with non fragrant ones and you will have a wedding that uses all the senses - sight, smell, touch, sound, and taste. Think through all of these five senses as you plan your entire day so your guests will be wowed by the experience.

I would love to talk to you and see what your favorite flowers and colors are and see how we could incorporate them into your wedding flowers.

The Perfect Day... Your Wedding - Your Way

What a wonderful time of year it is as planning for spring and summer weddings is in full swing. My days are filled with meetings with brides who are in love, excited and dreaming of their incredible day. But those same brides sometimes feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and ready to have the whole event over! Does that sound like you? Here are some tips to keep your sanity:

1) Decide which parts of the wedding are the most important to you and oversee only those items. Delegate whatever else you can to others as early in the process as you can.

2) Choose who you delegate to carefully. As you plan your wedding you will have MANY people who want to give you advice and help. Although they all mean well, it is still YOUR day and needs to be done your way. People who help need to understand your vision and be willing to take on tasks the way you want them done.

3) See if your budget will allow you to hire professional planning help. Most of our brides are amazed at how much smoother and happier they are with a professional at their side. A good wedding planner knows what needs to be done and takes the stress off of you. She will also run interference for you when others become overbearing and the time pressures become overwhelming. I become the best friend of most of my brides during the planning process because, I make sure all the details are covered while still making sure your day is your own special "one of a kind' event.

At One of a Kind Events, we help each of our unique brides get the most for their money AND keep their sanity. You need to sit back and enjoy your day instead of worrying about everything getting done. After all, you are the BRIDE!

Brides from Fort Wayne and all over northern Indiana have benefitted from each of our planning packages - from a full service planner (for that busy bride who wants a dream wedding but doesn't have time in her own busy schedule to make it happen) to our "panic packages" (for the brides who have most of the planning done but need help pulling the final details together.) We can also help the bride who just wants the rehearsal and wedding day coordinated so she can enjoy her guests. We offer FREE no obligation first consultations so visit our website http://www.oneofakindevents.org/ and contact me to see if we can give you "The Perfect Day... Your Wedding - Your Way"