HELLO WORLD!!!!!!!! I HAVE ARRIVED!!!!!!!!

Greetings Wedding Planner World!!

Let me start by introducing myself. LaKeisha Cotton was the name that was given to me at birth, but in 9 DAYS……that’s right………..9 DAYS (9/26/09), I will be LaKeisha Johnson (it kinda has a ring to it). I have been given this wonderful opportunity to blog about my experience in planning my beautiful, romantic, breathtaking, extravagant, eye popping, FABULOUS WEDDING (yeah…all that). I can truly say that my experience with planning my wedding has been bitter sweet. Everyday, I will blog about certain issues that I encountered during the process and helpful information that I think would have been beneficial to me if I would have been informed in advance. Also, I will be counting down until my BIG WEDDING DAY giving you detailed information on how I am preparing. Get your note pad out and pen because this is going to be GOOD!!!


WEDDING PLANNER OR DO-IT-YOURSELF (DIY)

I have been planning my “LOVE IS…” themed wedding since February 2008 and I can tell you that it has been a long time coming. Initially, I was set on the fact that I didn’t need a wedding planner. I thought that wedding planner’s were expensive and since I was extremely organized I could do it myself. WRONG……The most organized anal person could not deal with all this. When I actually sat down and saw all that needed to be done, I was sold on getting a planner. Also, who would I get to help the day of the wedding, my family? WRONG AGAIN. Family is not reliable and since they are not under any signed contracts, they are not guaranteed to be there. I would be ashamed if I relied on my cousin Tosha (not a real person) to bring the linens and she decides that she’s not going to do it the day of the wedding. Now I am stuck with guests sitting at white round tables with no linens (smh).—not cute

MY SEARCH FOR A PLANNER

Now I did mention that I am organized, which I am, and I am not one to procrastinate and in order for you to be considered as a planner for me, you had to be on top of everything. When I started my search for a planner, my venue, wedding colors, wedding dress, and bridesmaids dresses were already picked out (I don’t procrastinate…remember). I went to The Knot website and I actually sat down with almost every wedding planner in Houston. My problem with some was that they wanted to limit the amount of phone conversations we had (CRAZY). If I have an emergency and need your assistance, I should not have to worry about how many phone calls I have left….. Others wanted to change my vision and wasn’t very accepting of my ideas….are you serious…IT”S MY WEDDING. There were some who I couldn’t see myself getting along with. Then I came across a wonderful woman that owns DeVine Choices and my mother and I was sold. Tannie was very accepting of my ideas; she had wonderful ideas of her own, and we clicked instantly. I can actually say that this is the first time that my mother and I didn’t have to discuss anything; we were convinced that we were hiring her.

POINTS TO REMEMBER:
-Do not be sold on the idea that you can do it yourself. There are too many details and the smallest thing that you can forget, you will.
-Do not let anyone alter your vision….IT’S YOUR WEDDING.
-Wedding Planners are not expensive!
-Interview lots of planners until you find the one that YOU like and that works well with YOU.
-Please DO NOT rely on family and friends to coordinate your wedding. I have seen it and it is not pleasing to the eye!
-REMEMBER……to check the blog everyday for my wonderful wordsJ

THE COUNTDOWN:

DAY 9

I can actually say that we are FINISHED with planning…. Yesterday I was so excited because I don’t have anything else to do in regards to my wedding, but have my seating chart printed. We all know that when everything is going right and you are having a good day, someone always messes it up. I received a phone call from my florist that is doing my personal flower that really didn’t sit right with me. She called and asked me how many roses did we discuss would be in the bridesmaids bouquets? I informed her that we discussed 8-9 roses per bouquet. She then took it upon herself to inform me that she quoted me the wrong price for the bouquets and I would have to pay the difference to have the extra roses added. Blog family, I was angered. I booked this florist August 2008 and she had been paid in full since March 2009. Why would she call me the week before my wedding? She then went on to tell me that the bouquets she charged me for would only consist of THREE (little, small, tiny) ROSES……..Now these are bridesmaid bouquets, not jr. brides. I immediately called, my planner, Tannie, and they were able to solve the problem without me coming up with additional money. This is another good reason to have a planner. Tannie was professional. If myself or my mother would have spoken to the florist…..it would not have been so professional……

Until tomorrow Blog Family. It’s been fun.

Guest Blogger...The Day in the Life of a Bride .. One week to go!

Hello there!

We here at DeVine Choices are sooo excited to announce and introduce one of our favorite brides this week as our guest blogger. LaKeisha Cotton will be getting married next Saturday and will be blogging up until her big day!! She will be sharing her thoughts and ideas and even suggestions that she has experienced while planning her big day! I now introduce to you LaKeisha!

You are invited!

You are cordially invited to DeVine Choices & Keisha's Kreations Open House

Date: August 22, 2009

Time: 2 - 5 p.m

Location: 12999 Murphy Road, Suite B-6 Stafford, Texas 77477

Vendors that will be in attendance:

Ral's Fine Catering

Dancing Dj's 2000 Entertainment

Kakes Excetera

Divisi Strings

Linens by Lisa

Tanya Robertson (Houston's finest Make up Artist)

Tawana Cox- Photography

Francisco Perez of Houston's Party Photo Booths

We hope to see you there!!

Great Tips for Attending Bridal Shows

You are coordially invited to a Bridal Show!!

Stop by our Booth #1409

Please come out and visit DeVine Choices, LLC at the Bridal Extravaganza Show this weekend.

Date: Saturday: July 25, 2009 10-5

Sunday: July 26, 2009 11-5

George Brown Convention Center

Enter Exhibits Halls B- C

Downtown, Houston, Tx

Tips for Attending the Show!

• Set up a separate email account. There are so many services, consider setting up a wedding account through services such as, yahoo, gmail, or hotmail. This will very convenient because only wedding communication will flow though this account. You will also be able to use this account later in your planning process when offering your guest a way to RSVP to your event.
• Print Address labels at home. Save yourself time and money by printing them yourself. Most vendors at the show will want and need to collect your information . Each label should have the Names of both the bride and groom, your mailing address, the wedding email account address, your wedding date and your contact telephone number. Note: Keep in mind once you leave this label with the vendor you have given them permission to contact you regarding their services. If you are not interested in their services then please by all means do not leave your label with them.
• Two bag system . Have two separate bags, Possibly one that you carry and one that your assistant (MOH or MOB) carries. In one bag, place the information that you are truly interested in and intend to research further. In the other bag place the things that you may need to sift through at a later date for last minute items or can possibly pass on to the next friend that gets engaged.
• Be prepared to make decisions and put deposits down AT the show! Most of the vendors will have their appointment books handy to set up appointments. The most prepared will actually complete the consultation on the spot AND offer on the spots discounts. (Please make sure that you have thoroughly researched this company beforehand because most retainers are non refundable!)
• What to wear? Wear very comfortable walking shows as there will be a lot of walking. If you are planning on purchasing your dress, make sure that you wear something that can be removed easily. Also have fun by wearing some personalized t-shirts designed that identifies you and your bridal party as the bride and their roles as well.
• Who should attend? This is a tough question. If you are just browsing and the girls just want to have fun, then invite the entire bridal party. If you will be making major decisions, then bring the major decision makers,Groom, parents and possibly the MOH or your BFF.
• And lastly, please come with an open mind. This is your wedding, and there will be so many new ideas that every couple can add to their plans to truly make it a unique event. Some of the most talented and creative designers, florists, cake artists, wedding planners, gown designers, decorators and accessory designers participate in the show. They are all on the cutting edge of the "latest and greatest." Expect to see lots of new, exciting and beautiful elements to make your wedding day as special as the two of you.
  

source: Wedding-planning.suite 101.com and Bridal Extravaganza Show.com

To ask for Money or NOT?

I have been asked numerous times lately.. " Tannie is it proper for us to just ask for money?" My answer then, was always a resounding NO! I use it think that is was just plain ol' tacky to ask your quests for money. To me this was like saying... " hey guys, you are invited to a great party(ie..your wedding) but you will have to pay for your meals and drinks, parking, music, wedding cake.. OK you get the idea.

Well, since times have truly changed and couples are getting married at a more mature age, (medium age for couples to now marry is 26.7 according to askville by amazon.com) I have actually changed my thought's about this subject.

Now please don't take my word or thoughts on this subject.. let's dig a little further and get some wedding experts opinions that names I am sure you are familiar with.

Emily Post: According to Post, it's okay to ask for money as a wedding gift, however, it is extremely important to do so politely. Here are some of Post's suggestions:

• If money is the gift you would most appreciate, get the word out to family and close friends.


• If you are asked point blank what you would like, you might say, "Whatever you want to give us is wonderful, the choice is yours, but money is at the top of our wish list."
  
• It's also a good idea to state the intended purpose. Perhaps you are saving for a down payment on a house or your honeymoon. Guests will then know how their gift may be used. (Source .www.emilypost.com/weddings/weddings.)
  

The Knot: The Knot has a whole page dedicated to this subject which would lead me to believe that would be a YES! Here is what I found was most information from them.

How to Spread the Word
If you decide to set up such an account, or simply want your guests to know that you'd prefer checks -- let your parents, close relatives and friends, and wedding-party members know that when guests ask, they can tell them that. But don't completely forgo some sort of traditional registry. Give guests a choice -- some may really want to give you something material, rather than just writing you a check. (Source. www.wedding.theknot.com/online-wedding-registry/bridal-registry-tips)

Rebecca Black: Asking your guests to contribute to any part of your wedding isn't polite; it is like asking guests to pay for the party. But, if they ask, then you may suggest this as an alternative. (Source , Etiquette Now )

So there you have, Two in favor and One and a half (the half would be me ..sorta of) Not in favor!

I guess this is going to have be left up to each individual couple and their families. I would love to hear what everyone else thoughts are about this subject..

To Ask for Money or NOT?

What is your vote??

Yes or NO?

Let's hear from you!!

Happy 4th of July

Have a safe and Happy 4th of July from DeVine Choices Wedding & Event Planning and Staff!!

We will be closed until Tuesday as we enjoy our Holiday!

Flower Free Wedding???

I have been asked recently during several consultations .."Tannie , What do you think if I don't want any flowers at my wedding and reception?" My answer has always been the same to each and every question that is posed to me during consultation's about my thoughts. "What do YOU think?" I understand that with the economy in a downturn couples are thinking outside the box to find ways to cut corners. I personally love the no flowers idea and have actually blogged about it before in regards to alternatives to bridemaids flowers. The Knot recently wrote a article addressing this issue and here are a few great ideas that was suggested as well as points to consider.

What is you reason for NOT wanting flowers? Do you have an averse feeling towards flowers , is it because of a budget constraint or do you just have a desire to do something that's completely different? Once you have answered this question honestly then we can get going in the right direction.

What are the options to no flowers? There are endless options to no flowers and I will name a few just to get your creative juices flowing that we here at DeVine Choices have used with success in the past.

• Candles packages ...This is popular Choice here at DeVine Choices It is less expensive than flowers and is normally a plus with the limited amount of flowers that are selected.




• Paper Lanterns... When hung and placed in the right area these inexpensive lanterns make a a great decor' statement as well as adding additional lighting. Just make sure that you facility allows ornaments to be attached to their fixtures







• Colorful fruit.... How about lemons/apples/pears/oranges in a jar for a great eclectic centerpiece? We have used this at countless events and it has always been a crowd favorite.

Anything goes; most items that are beautiful to you it will also look great on your tables.

Note to the wise: Make sure you do a test run at least weeks before the event to make sure that you are pleased with you choices.

Source: The Knot Texas Fall/Winter 2009 edition