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Thanks so much for following me on this blog. Please visit my new company, Michele Butler Events here and my new blog here.

I look forward to seeing you there!

A Top Fab Find for January 2009

Cotton Candy!

Think carnival.  Think getting in touch with your inner child again.  You can do it!

How fun to have a cotton candy stand at your reception or after party.  You can even theme the colors of the tasty air like candy to your wedding.   And just think of all of the energy it will give your guests to keep dancing until the wee hours.

2009 Just Marry! Favorite Wedding Ideas and Vendors from A to Z, L is for Lee Forrest Design

Love Lee Forrest Design.  Wow, is all I can say about Lee.  Talented and just one of the coolest people in the industry.  I truly love hanging out with him as a friend.  I must do that more often.  Talent wise, he’s so creative and just one of a kind.  I am always so over the moon with his designs.  He makes me look so amazing when I refer him.  After all, I’m only as good as the team that I put together.

It was just last year that I was looking to Lee to assist me with really jazzing up a room when a local country club double booked the ballroom and we had to move into a much smaller room.  Lee and his staff came through with flying colors.

Here’s some samples of that wedding:

http://www.halwade.com

http://www.halwade.com

http://www.halwade.com

http://www.halwade.com

And a picture of Lee:

And here’s some amazing decor that he did for us when we partnered together for the Ritz-Carlton, Orlando Grande Lakes show.

http://www.damontucci.com

http://www.damontucci.com

http://www.damontucci.com

http://www.damontucci.com

2008 Favorite Wedding Ideas and Vendors from A to Z, K is for Kids

Yes, I said kids.  I love kids at weddings.  Well behaved ones, of course.  Those are usually attached to caring and in control parents.  One of my favorite parts of a wedding ceremony is when the kids walk down the aisle.  They are just so adorable and you really never know what they will do.  But, there will most certainly be laughs, Ooh’s and Aah’s.  They will break the tension and they are great at helping the bride relax and get into a festive mood.  And I really love when the bride and groom really think about the kids experience at the wedding.  Great things come of that.  Well, mostly, happy kids.  Here are some neat ways to make kids feel special at the wedding.

1.  Include them in the ceremony, whether it be as a flower girl, ring bearer or JR bridesmaid or groomsman.  They can also be helpful in attending to the guest book or handing out programs.  If you have young kids involved in the ceremony, be sure to have somebody for them to sit with during the ceremony.

2.  Arrange for a kids party complete with activities and their own kid friendly food.  You can have a clown, video games, their own DJ for music and games.  How about a caricature artist to draw pictures of the kids?

3.  Keep them as part of the main reception party, but give them plenty to do.  After all, their kids and they have such short attention spans.  The best option is a kids table complete with butcher block paper and coloring crayons, pencils and markers.  A kid friendly centerpiece completes the look.  Create a mini kids buffet with some of their favorites.  What about a make your own sundae bar or a decorate your own cupcake?  If the kids will be seated with their parents, then be sure to give them a goody bag filled with some fun things to do when they get bored dancing!

Thanks so much to some of my wonderful photographer friends who gave me the following images.  I had such a hard time choosing, so I’m afraid this post may be a bit image heavy.  Kids take the greatest photos!

Images from Scott Watt Photography.

Images from Abby Liga Photography.

Image from Derek Smith from Sunshine Photographics.

Images from Michael Wise Photography.

Images provided by Limelight Photography.

Top Five Fab Finds for November 2008

Ah the trends of the wedding world.  Always fun keeping on top of what’s cutting edge.  I love it!

Here are my Top Five Fab Finds for November 2008.  Hope you enjoy!

1.  Fall Flavors, such as squash, pumpkin and turkey.  How about a mini squash bisque at your cocktail hour?    A pumpkin cheesecake as one of your cake flavors.  A deep fried turkey carving station.

2.  Carnations are cool again.  They can really make for beautiful centerpieces and bouquets.  And they aren’t the most expensive flower.

3.  Out of the box ring holders.  It doesn’t always have to be a ring pillow.  Boxes and shells and moss covered boxes, oh my.

http://www.faycullen.com

http://www.etsy.com

4.  Clay flowers as decor.  So delicate and elegant.  And a great keepsake for your guests.

http://www.estiloweddings.com

5.  Serve your guests flavored water infused with cucumber or varied types of fruit.

2008 Favorite Wedding Ideas and Vendors from A to Z, J is for Jesus Rodriguez and Raining Roses

J is Jesus Rodriguez and Raining Roses. The genius himself along with his design associate Chris Giglio really can do anything. They design weddings with floral chandeliers and bar mitzvahs with halloween and soccer themes. I just don’t know where the ideas come from, but they never seem to run out! Thank goodness. They can also cover dance floors and place gorgeous custom designs and logos on them. Here’s also to never forgetting Jesus’s partner and Chris’s good friend, Jonathon Panczuk who brought Raining Roses to Orlando along with Jesus. We miss him and I assure you that we think about him often and remember the fun banter and the beautiful decor that he brought to our lives.

Here’s some of the amazing events that Raining Roses has done throughout the years:

http://www.davidwillems.com

http://www.damontucci.com

http://www.damontucci.com

http://www.nuvisionsinphotography.com

http://www.sterlingphotography.com

2008 Favorite Wedding Ideas and Vendors from A to Z, I is for Ice Cream

I is for ice cream at a wedding. We all love it! How can you not? Unless your lactose intolerant, I guess. Then, I do hope there’s a yummy soy ice cream out there, just for you!

Here are some cool ways to have ice cream at your wedding.

Ice cream created on site with nitrogen.  You choose your flavor and they put it all together with the cream and then use the nitrogen to freeze it quickly.  What a presentation.

A Coldstone approach with each guest being able to choose their fixins. Truly my favorite way to eat ice cream. I love the sweet cream with strawberries and pecans. That’s my indulgence.

Ice cream as a favor. Check this out on my blog. Certainly a bit more pricey, but if you can swing it. You know it’s one of those favors that won’t go to waste.

Mini ice cream cones butler passed around the edge of the dance floor. What a perfect way to cool off after dancing so hard to “Funky Cold Medina”.

The following photos provided by Rebecca at Limelight Photography.

Just Marry! Vendor Spotlight on Ricky Sylvia with the Buzzcatz

My spotlight this time is on Ricky Sylvia and his talented band, The Buzzcatz.  This is an amazing band, period.  They can do anything.  And for those of you out there who have worked with bands in the past, this one is a breeze.  No large headed ego maniac for the band leader.  Just a really great all around guy.  These guys make my life so much easier at a wedding and I always come off looking like the most amazing wedding coordinator when I’ve referred my clients to the Buzzcatz.  Why, do you ask?  Because they are so great to hear and I often have to look at the stage to see if that really is Ricky up there singing or if Bobby Darin has come back just for this one set.  If you haven’t worked with the Buzzcatz, then you must find a reason to.  They are one of a kind!

Here’s some great photos of Ricky and the band.  The first one is from one of my recent weddings, the Morales/Katta wedding. Thanks nu visions in photography for the image.

http://www.nuvisionsinphotography.com

And here are a few more that the band shared with me.

Let’s get to know Ricky with the Buzzcatz a little better.

How did you get started?

I started as a kid in 1975. I was 11 years old. I auditioned for the U.C.P. telethon in Orlando and got the gig. My second gig was the Central FLA Fair that year.

Where do you get your inspiration?

ELVIS. I know I can be just as cool if I keep working at it and feel that I am just as good looking! 🙂

What’s your favorite part of the wedding day?

Watching the father of the bride sign the check!

What’s your favorite movie?

Hmmmm….lots of them…AMERICAN GRAFFITTI, SCARFACE, and KING CREOLE.

What’s your best wedding story?

How about my WORST?….we had a guy die on the dance floor while we were playing “Young At Heart”.

What in your opinion is the coolest trend right now with weddings?

Band AND deejay combos…makes my night alot easier and we don’t have to learn all kinds of useless songs!

If you could give brides one piece of advice, what would it be?

HIRE THE BUZZCATZ…they’re the best!

What is one thing that you want everybody to know about you?

I know how much your wedding night means to my brides and their families… it is an honor that I do not take lightly.

Do you have any pets?

No…I am allergic!

What is the best color combo for weddings?

PURPLE AND GREEN.

What are your favorite blogs/websites?

www.thebuzzcatz.com, www.tributesradio.com, www.justmarry.com !

What does the future hold for you?

Dinner & a movie tonight with my incredibly beautiful wife, resurrecting my tribute to ELVIS and learning a few more BOBBY DARIN songs.

What do you do in your spare time?

Search Ebay for vintage clothing and look at Elvis related websites.

2008 Favorite Wedding Ideas and Vendors from A to Z, H is for Hanna, Sarah Hanna

H is for Hanna, Sarah Hanna. My utmost favorite calligrapher. Her calligraphy is truly art! Yes, each and every 200 invitations that she calligraphed for my Morales/Katta wedding last month were sheer art. And she also assisted with the table names and place cards. And a good friend of hers, Eliza Pineau handled the graphic design on the guest seating charts. You really have to love a vendor that can roll with the punches. My clients always seem to take it right up to the deadline and yet both Sarah and Eliza manage to pull it off. I really value working with both of them, so much!

Here’s a sample of a table card that Sarah did for the wedding.  I love it!  Thanks to nu visions in photography for the great photos.

http://www.nuvisionsinphotography.com

And here’s a sample of the elegant place card that she did for each and every guest at the wedding.

http://www.nuvisionsinphotography.com

2008 Favorite Wedding Ideas and Vendors from A to Z, G is for Getting Away for Your Wedding

G is for Getting Away For Your Wedding.  Destination weddings continue to be the craze.  They allow you one on one time with those closest to you.  And you can even do some fun activities as a group at your chosen location.  How about sailing in Santorini, Greece or climbing Dunn’s River Falls in Jamaica?

Here’s some pictures of one of our couples who were married in Italy.  The photos are courtesy of our good friends at nu visions in photography.  Curt & Stephanie.

http://www.nuvisionsinphotography.com

http://www.nuvisionsinphotography.com

http://www.nuvisionsinphotography.com

And here are some photos of another bride and groom, Jessica and Chad who were married in Colorado Springs, Colorado at the Garden of the God’s.  These photos kindly provided by our talented photographer friend John Unrue.