One very small check off my extremely long list!!!

Divas!!! I'm so totally excited. Okay, I was ready to walk out of the door because my dryer decided not to work. I was on my way to the beauty supply store and as I walked outside the door, a box was leaning against it. I opened it and this is what I found!!! Oh, I'm over the moon!!!

#1 is Azalea Pink with Gold Metallic envelopes and Azalea Pink Response Envelopes

#2 is Gold for the envitations, Azalea for the invitations envelopes and Gold for the RSVP envelopes

I plan to mix it up. I've ordered 50 of each. It will be Azalea invitations, Gold envelopes and Gold RSVP cards for 50; then Metallic Gold invitations, Azalea envelopes and Azalea RSVP return envelopes. What do you guys think?

I won't start on my ivitations for a while, but I got those at a really great price and I just couldn't pass up on it.

Akitten, DaughterRhonda, Olga and MrsJ, thank you so much for the compliments. As you all know, my colors are Dusty Rose, Merlot, Champagne and Gold. That's why I chose the Azalea and Gold Petal enclosures to accentuate better.

Pamcrow - Thanks for the compliment. You know, I bought the stamp and then I did a mock up and didn't like the way it turned out, so I'm dropping that idea for now.

MrsKeepUp - Diva, I've done the Pocketfolds and in the beginning, I was so gung ho about them. Then I did 4 weddings and my brides insisted on having them because those weddings were referrals and they liked the Pocketfold invites I did previously. Girl, I grew tired of making them to tell you the truth. Then I remembered how beautiful your petal enclosures looked, so thanks for the inspiration. I'm still designing my invites, and so far, I'm not very happy with the lack of progress on my part. I just don't like what I've come up with so far.

Turiya - No Diva, when I placed the order on Saturday, the sales clerk told me that they were on back order and that I wouldn't get them for 4 - 6 weeks. So imagine my surprise to received them a few days later.

Thank you so much everyone!!!

Thanks SWEETP, as my wedding is 95% DIY Projects, this is just one in a very long list of projects.

Yes I am doing Save-the-Date cards. I've already done them and I'm just waiting for the appropriate time to send them out. Thanks for asking CMT

DaughterRhonda - Thanks for the compliment. It's so easy to do when its from the heart and honest.

Shaz - How is it going my newbie sister - ok in reply to your inquiry:
1. Save-The-Date - I'd posted mine already, but that was a while back. Now that I've changed the wedding date, I have some tweaking to do and will repost for you to see.
2. Pictures of me and FH - girl very sore subject with FH. See, we have a lot of individual pictures, but none together. I have a lot of pics of my baby but they're all in uniforms as he's an ex Army and Air Force, recently retired. We decided to take engagement pictures back in April right. Ok, he found the photog and we decided to go back to Miami since that's where we had our first date and where we became engaged. It was to be a couple of hours on Bayside. Everything happened according to schedule. We were due to receive proofs in a week and pics another week after that. Bad news though, his studio got flooded and the poor man lost everything. He felt so bad that he offered to reshoot for free as soon as he clears things with insurance and buys new equipments. We said ok because we like his work and he's a friend of FH, but you know the poor man was devastated. We were going to flood our website with pictures, use some to create our Guestbook (DIY sister) and pick one for our save-the-date as well. We plan on redoing it as we don't live in the same sstate and we see each other every weekend,but I also hate to get my pictures taken, but we've rescheduled the engagement pictures and will be posting as soon as it's done.
3. Yes, child, at last count, I had 78 weddings all over the place that'll take me clear through Sept of 09.
4. Yes, my wedding is 95% DIY projects. My vibride sisters got me started and now I'm hooked. As for time, my wedding is not for a while yet and I'm anal when it comes to sticking to a schedule. I have a list with all my DIY projects, start date and completion date.

Mrs080908 - Thank you so much for the compliments sister!!!

FutureMrsKeepup ~ No prob, I'll post a few things this weekend after I've crossed out a few names (lol)

You see MrsKeepup ~ I have a huge problem saying no especially if those clients are referrals from previous weddings I've done. I have different packages and perform different tasks. What I try to do is schedule only within my coverage areas, and the weddings occur on either Wed, Fri or Sat. I currently have 56 full wedding coordinations of which 27 are in Florida. I also have 17 half coordinations (NY, NJ, PA) and 5 Day of Coordinations. Totalling the 78. Some of those weddings were booked 2 years in advance, so, I've been working on most of them for a while now. Girl, it's lots of phone calls, e-mails, texts and teleconference calls, not to mention a lot of traveling. When I'm in any town, I try to handle all that I need to handle for my couples of that state. It's a lot of work and I have wonderful people that are affiliated with me in th states that I cover. I'm stretched to the limit and I'm busier than heck and I wouldn't have it any other way!!! I'm extremely well organized and anal when it comes to details. I give my all to every single one of my clients.

Thanks for the compliments sensationablyhappy!!!

Mrskeepup, I found a few for you. I have so many picture CDs of my work, it's hard to find the time to sift through all of them.

I think the first one is a broom I've done a few months ago

Decor

Edible favors yes those are beach sandals ~ my inspiration - great baker

Invitations and cupcake favors

This is something that I'm currently working on ~ miniature bouquets that will serve as pew decor

I hope that will get you started. There are some that I cannot post as picture quality was not so great. I will keep going through my picture CDs and post as often as I have the time.

FutureMrsKeepup, I just remembered that I have pictures of a few pocktfolds to share with you. Take a look at those.

This has been the end of my extremely long day. Hope you enjoy the pictures. As I've said before some of them the picture didn't come out too great, but I tried anyway.

Thank you so much MrsJ!!!

Shaz ~ sanity? What's that? (LMAO), but seriously,FH asks the same thing.

Yes, the 27 are in Florida, however, they're between Tampa and Tallahassee. Tell you what though Diva, Just as soon as I book a weddng in South FLorida between Miami and West Palm Beach, I would love to extend you the invitation to shadow me. Truth be told though, it might be a while because I had to put a freeze on new bookings (remember the contract FH had me sign?, that was part of the conditions. Girl, I still laugh when I look at that thing.) Anywhoo, I had to put a freeze on new things in order to fulfill the contracts that I currently have, breathe, regroup, and only book 1 event a week (LMAO, Wish me luck though, because I'm a workaholic!!!). I also need to slow myself down enough to have the time to work on my own DIY Projectsfor my wedding, with the same dedicattions I give to all my clients.

As far as diversity,I've done a few Italian weddings, a few interracial weddings as well, but most are for my nubian kings and queens - African Americans. I always pick up my phone when it rings and I don't decline an appointment as it may turn into a contract. So my advice to you is always go prepared whenever you have an appointment to meet with a perspective client.

Shaz, honestly, I try not to be a vendor to my clients whenever possible. However, if they ask me for something and I have the time to do it perfectly, why not? It's a little extra added to my fee. Besides, I always give the Bride and groom a personal present from me, like a DIY Guestbook (of course you know the back has a business cardlike info about my business), an aisle runner, or any little small trinket that will help them remember their special day and the wonderful job I've done for them (hence where word of mouth helps my business).

You're having a destination wedding? How truly romantic, but could be costly for your guests, so do your research sister. Where is it to be? FH and are are inviting 150 people, but we're hoping that about 130 would attend. In any case, we've budgeted for the entire 150.

I must admit that I'm affiliated with an extremely talented group of people and building such a relationship takes time and patience. If you have that type of relationship with your vendors from the beginning, they will always throw a few things your way. Example, my reception hall, I got at 1/2 off. Flowers ~ originally, I have this Florist in brooklyn that I use for my NY weddings(sensationablyhappy and Mrs00908 have both booked their flowers from them) and she was going to do my wedding at discount, however, I have this young lady, who works with me, equally talented. So she offered to do it all for me (bouquets, centerpieces, flowers for the church, etc...) all I have to do is buy the materials. And my Baker ~ Personal friend, but we've been working together now for the past 3 years and she doesn't even mind traveling with me. She's so extremely talented, so she handles the cakes for my clients exclusively. She's making all 3 of my cakes (wedding - 5 tier, Rehearsal Dinner cake, and shower cake). I posted them a while back.

Yes, there are some major perks to our chosen profession, however, you must nurture a solid friendship with your vendors from the very beginning. That way, if you're in a bind at the last minute, they will always bail you out.

Hope I've answered all of your questions Diva Shaz. Oh, and shoot me your info in an e-mail so I can keep them in my records.

LMAO - girl pamcrow, remember what happened to Star Jones? No vendor really gives you everything for free. There's always an exchange and if something happened that prevented you from keeping your end of the bargain, their word of mouth could ruin you. Girl, I've worked too long and hard to risk loosing it all on some freebees. I don't mind working. I would rather have just a little and be satisfied, then to be pushed by greed and risk being ruined. In this business, your word is your bond. I can't risk that.

As for the pics, girl you know I have a great cannon digital camera (birthday present, cost about $1,300) nice zoom lens. As to the latter child regarding us taking our pics ourselves, you need to speak with FH about that child. I suggested the same, but he's not having it. He wants pro pics, so, I don't really care. Not something to make a huge deal over. I learned to pick my battles and this is so minor and besides, I hate having my pics taken, so it was an easy thing to compromise on (LMAO).

The thing is in this business you don't really control who your clients choose to do business with. I make it a point to provide my clients with 3 to 5 vendor choices and they review their portfolios and make the choices that suits them best. The only people I use exclusively are my florists, my baker, my decorator and they're already throwing their services to me for free (well, just a mention of their work here or there). I usually tell my clients that I have an inhouse florist, baker and decorator, so they always get the business.

As for the rest of my vendors, it's the luck of the straws really. They don't really get much business from me as the clients are the ones to choose. Once in a while, they go with my other vendors. I would feel funny asking for freebees when they're not exclusive to me.

Pamcrow, shaz ~ I didn't take offense in what you said. It's just that I've seen people ruined in this business for a whole lot less, so I'm extremely careful.

Shaz ~ I know, but those 78 are not all in one day and I will not be waiting until the last minute to start and do my DIY Projects. I have more than a year to do them and I'm meticulous when it comes to my schedule. I've never not kept my schedule. You know Shaz the drama you describe does exhist, I won't lie to you, but you get use to it and good at mediating, believe me. The rest, you must be extremely well organized and demand the same from everyone around you or else, it will not work. You'll run yourself ragged. I remember my first year. I must've cried from frustrations every single day after a session, but the end result, seing the smile on the bride and groom's face and that genuine hug that they and their family give you in appreciation, is much worth it. Hang in there though, it does get better. I'm living testimony of it.

I'm so blessed and grateful to have such wonderful sisters on this site. Thank you so much for being so genuinely concerned about my health.

I want to apologize ahead of time as next week will be an extremely heavy week for me. I have 3 weddings in PA, but I'll be in touch with you Divas the following week.

Remember Shaz, the only way you will ge through as a planner is to be anal and meticulous. Don't spread yourself too thin. Affiliate yourself with vendors you can trust and delegate certain tasks if you must, but be anal enough to stay on top of everything without driving everyone around you crazy.

Gosh, I'm gonna miss you Divas next week!!! Thanks for the support all.