On May 14, 2011 I was able to work with one of my most favorite couples EVER – Beth and Chris. And now that their love story and wedding has been shared with all of St. Louis via Alive Magazine (woohoo), I can finally take the time to write about them for my blog! Yay!

Chris proposed to Beth on May 14, 2010 and we spent exactly ONE YEAR planning their perfect wedding day. Their wedding had it ALL -  fire breathers, a confetti cannon, a unity painting and one amazing couple. I’m so grateful that Beth and Chris allowed me to be a part of their big day! And photographer extraordinaire, Lisa Hessel caught it all on film!

Christmas comes early to the Dishy gang…and it brings with it a fancy new title! I found out a couple of weeks back that Dishy Event Planning was selected for The Knot Best of Weddings 2012 and I couldn’t be more excited and honored! What’s the best part you ask? Knowing that the selection was made based on my reviews from past brides!

2011 was kind of a whirlwind year for me (in more ways than one), so I’m grateful that all my hard work was so well received, not to mention I got to send several happy couples down the aisle! I’m raising my glass this holiday season to my 2011 brides and looking forward to many more amazing weddings in 2012, 2013, etc…you get the picture!

Look for the official announcement to come out on January 23, 2012 from The Knot! Hip hip hooray!

And congrats to my fellow planner and good friend, miss Kristin Weis, on her selection too!

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Since Halloween is just a few short days away and I haven’t blogged in FOREVER, I thought it appropriate I take this time to blog about some Halloween wedding ideas. A Halloween wedding is ONLY for the BRAVE of heart. I can’t say I would do it, but hey I did find these ideas kind of cute nonetheless. Take a look at how you can turn your wedding night into All Hallows Eve!

Hey readers! I’m back on a blogging roll and ready to share some tips and tricks for you brides and grooms out there! I attended a wedding on Labor Day weekend that made me think of guest etiquette that people don’t usually consider. It’s about the length of the break between your wedding ceremony and reception and trust me, what you choose makes a big difference.

The average break between a ceremony and the cocktail hour/reception is one to two hours. Any less is a bonus for your guests and any more can be quite the doozie. Now, I am without a doubt always down for having time for great photos but I’m not always down for a three, four or five hour break. I try to advise my clients against it because finding filler activities for that long can be quite difficult AND people start to poop out after a while, YOU and the guests!

If you’re considering a longer than average break time between your ceremony and reception, here are a list of tips to help ensure your guests don’t lose their steam:

• Provide a List of Activities. If you’re like most couples, their wedding guests come from all over the country to celebrate their special day. If you have a lot of out of town guests, be sure to share a list of activities and places they could visit during that break.
• Host an Open House. Have a lot of out of town guests? Maybe a family member or close friend would consider having an open house to entertain your guests during that time. It’d be a great way for people to start to mingle and enjoy themselves!
• Pick a Nearby Hotel. If your guests end up getting a little tired/bored during the break, it’s always nice to have planned ahead with a wedding block at a nearby hotel. Guests that are staying there  can simply head back to their room to relax or take a nap!
• Consider an Earlier Cocktail. Starting a cocktail reception a little earlier with drinks and hors d’oeuvres is a nice touch for your guests. Plus, it’ll get them a little pumped and ready to start the party for when you arrive!
  

Now I know that some breaks are unavoidable…I’ve been to/worked a few Catholic weddings in my day so I know they have set ceremony times. But if you’re considering a long break for photos only, then I usually recommend that you get some photos in before the ceremony. Plus you’re guaranteed some great natural light at that time anyway!

So that’s that…some advice from little ol’ me. Remember to be courteous of your wedding guest, especially those from out of town! Cheer!

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Well it’s been a while since I’ve blogged and I’m so sorry for being away so long! I thought I’d come back with a post on some things I’ve seen lately that I absolutely love for weddings! I’ve been keeping track of all my faves on Pinterest, so if you’re no on there I’d highly recommend it to keep track of wedding inspiration, ideas and all that fun stuff!

From fabulous chair sashes, to cupcakes to go…I love it all! Special note to Austin Wedding Blog (where I found a lot of these) and Style Me Pretty. And away we go!

The St. Louis Wedding Planner is a web site dedicated solely to helping brides and grooms learn more about the fabulous wedding ceremony and reception venues available to them in the St. Louis Missouri area. I started the site in 2010 and it’s a MUST SEE!

The STLWP is really all about providing couples with as much information as possible to help them find the wedding venue of their dreams! I provide estimated pricing (when given), venue capacities, wedding package inclusions, preferred vendors, maps and all that jazz. And how do I it, you might ask? By literally touring the sites for you myself! I pack up my camera, grab my list of questions and hit the road. I try to visit a new venue at least once a month and am always looking for more great venues to tour add to the site.  It’s as simple as that!

With 23 venues already on the site, and many more to come, I have toured locations all over St. Louis – from Chesterfield to Downtown. Check out a few of my favorites including the Kemp Auto Museum, The Coronado Ballroom, Lumen Private Event Space, the Danforth Plant Science Center, the City Museum and even the fabulous Fox Theatre.

Check out a few of the photos from venues on the site!

If you have suggestions on venues I should tour or if you just want to let me know what you think about the site (good or bad), please feel free to reach out to me! Cheers!

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If you’re in St. Louis, you know there are a plethora of wedding planners in town to suit brides and weddings of all styles, sizes, budgets, etc. There are a lot of us. We know it and you know it too, especially if you’ve paid a visit to the Knot Coordinators section any time recently. But what you might not know is that picking the right planner is really about picking the one that best suits YOU and YOUR wedding!

It’s more important than you might realize to pick the right planner, not only for your peace of mind but honestly for ours as well. Some things to keep in mind while planner hunting…

Many (or most) of us have been in weddings before. And maybe some of you even own several bridesmaid dresses, 27 perhaps?!? Well, if you’ve ever been in or planned a wedding, you know that the wedding rehearsal is an critical part of any wedding day! No this is not crazy talk here, just throwing out some logical knowledge. Wedding rehearsals are the best way to get your wedding party and family members up to speed on where they need to be and when for your wedding ceremony.

I highly recommend you have one and trust me, you’re the odd one out if you don’t! If you’re looking for a few tips on how to get started, that’s what this post is here for!

I first met Carol and Jason in January 2011, a mere 6 months before their wedding date! I was beyond excited when they decided to have me on board to help plan their wedding. From the very beginning, Carol and Jason were so laid back and easy going, traits which I really love!

Fast forward six months to June 11th where friends and family gathered from across the globe (literally since Jason is from Australia) to join the happy couple in the perfect outdoor ceremony! Thanks Mother Nature for cooperating! Afterward, we hopped on buses to Union Station Marriott where Carol, Jason and guests rocked the dance floor all night, including an impressive “hava nagila.” All in all a fabulous day and I’m grateful I could be there to help make it a reality!

Here are a few quick shots taken by coordinator, Amanda. But be on the lookout for the REAL photos from one of my St. Louis faves, Stephen Seward Photography!

Normally this post wouldn’t be up so soon, but because of the amazing work of Kelly Park from Kelly Park Photography, the photos are in and ready to be shared with the blogospehere!

Amy and Monte (the Babingtons) met in college at Mizzou and found themselves in St. Louis not too long after graduation! Several years later, Monte proposed and they moved to NYC just a few weeks ago! So as you can imagine, they’ve been busy! I was fortunate enough to be a very big part of their wedding day and I wouldn’t change it for the world! Congrats to Amy and Monte who are enjoying the newly married life in Costa Rica right now! And now on to some photos!