You're Invited...........Bridal Showcase!

I would like to keep you aware of the Bridal Showcases and Expo's that are in our area that may be helpful to your couples!! 

Bridal Showcase

Sunday, April 5, 2009

10:00 am - 1:00 pm

St. Pete Beach Community Center

7701 Boca Ciega Drive

View the beautiful Boca Ciega ballroom with ceiling swag decorations and mock reception tablescapes.  Visualize a ceremony on the edge of Boca Ciega Bay.  Meet with the best of the Bay Area's caterers, chocolatiers, photographers, DJ's and more!

COST:   FREE

All registered guests will be entedred to win a 4 hour rental to the Boca Ciega room for a rehearsal dinner, shower, or reception!  Hope to see you there!!

Making Memories - Touching Lives - Brides Against Breast Cancer

Brides........now is the time to think about getting your wedding gown, and what better way to shop than to know it is for a very worthy cause! Come to the Making Memories Bridal Gown Sale. Making Memories' mission is to grant wishes and memory-making events to terminally ill breast cancer patients and to educate the public about the best practices to prevent metastatic breast disease.

Their goal is to provide individuals and their families with a special time together, away from the realities of the disease and financial concerns. We desire that everyone losing their fight against breast cancer, pass from this world comforted by the joy of having left one final beautiful memory of his or her family.

Last year, my husband Dave and I, volunteered for the event, we moved gowns by the truckload to a central area and put them on racks in anticipation of the brides arriving the next day to get some great deals! There are hundreds of gowns to browse through, exquisite, name brand and designer wedding gowns, $99 to $799 donated by manufacturers, retailers, designers, and individuals valued up to $8,000. This is a WIN - WIN situation, brides are able to get a beautiful gown at a reasonable price, or brides can turn in their used gown for tax deduction purposes, and all proceeds benefit the Brides Against Breast Cancer.

This is a wonderful event for brides, bridesmaids, mothers of brides, aunts and counsins or brides, EVERY woman who every loved wedding gowns, and professionals who want to come and help volunteer for this worthwhile event.

Here are the details:
March 5, 2009 VIP night from 6-9 pm ($50)
March 6, 2009 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
March 7, 2009 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Location: Howard Johnson Travel Plaza
111 West Fortune Street
Tampa, Florida

Website: www.BridesAgainstBreastCancer.org

If you would like to be involved contact Krissy Messer at 727-343-0800

Pre-Marital Preparation Course for Florida Residents by Loving Unity

One of the opportunities for couples in Florida to receive a $30.00 discount off their marriage license - which is currently approximately $93.00 is to participate in the four hour marriage preparation course. As an ordained Minister, I am an approved provider to give this counseling to the clients that I have an agreement with to conduct their ceremony. This marriage preparation is not affiliated with any religious organization or denomination. It is an educational and interactive program that will allow your couples to enjoy the activities and games involved and will help them to become more familiar with each other through in depth discussions, and it will help them facilitate discussions on topics such as managing finances, and raising children, just to name a few. It is a pleasure for me to be able to offer this valuable course to my couples, and also to help them to receive a discount on the cost of their marriage license. I do not charge for my services for this counseling, it is my gift to them. Couples may contact me through LovingUnity.com or enjoy my wedding blog at http://lovingunity.blogspot.com

Guest Post from Cindy Stonehouse of StoneHouse Events & More, Inc

Wedding Planning Advice…

I began wedding planning because first things first I am a planner. I have to know who, what, where, why, when and how. It is imperative that I know the answers to these questions for anything that I do so I can always plan accordingly. My love of weddings began much later when I realized how much the process had evolved and how many decisions and options were now available to you that I felt like I could genuinely help. Plus, I must add that I love LOVE and being apart of two people's lives on the day they say "I do" is so special that words just can not describe. It is inspiring!

There are so many choices and decisions that every couple must make for their special day that a wedding planner becomes essential. My goal with each couple that I work with is to make this process as easy as possible because I understand that it can be very overwhelming and stressful. I guide my couples through every step of the process and are there along the way for support and confirmation. When I refer a vendor, I try to match up each couple's unique personality with the different vendors I recommend, which is especially important for your photographer, videographer and DJ and officiants. It is important to me that you feel comfortable with who you are working with especially since it is over the course of months.

I am sure by now you have realized that you definitely need a wedding planner. So when you sit down with one and try to decide who you want to work with, I always say to go with your gut. Do you feel the person you are talking to will be easy to work with or difficult? Do they listen to your ideas or do they tell you exactly what you should do and who you will work with? Do they seem to know what they are talking about or does something just not add up? Does she/he have references or reviews from previous clients? Do they carry at least $1,000,000 in general liability insurance? Pay attention to your gut and really listen to what each planner you interview is saying and hopefully the decision will be easy to make from there.

One of my favorite things about planning someone's day is seeing the end result because I have already created in my head a vision of how everything will look after all of our conversations and seeing it come to life is breathtaking! It is amazing and one of the most gratifying moments of my job. But my absolute favorite thing about helping plan my couple's special day is the responses from them about how I made their day so spectacular that they could never thank me enough. That is the most gratifying moment of all and means the world to me!

Thank you Cindy! I know that of the weddings that I am involved with, things sure go much smoother with a professional wedding event planner!!! They are able to have a stress free event!!

StoneHouse Events & More, Inc.

P.O. Box 46836

Tampa, FL 33646

Ph: 813.973.9835

www.stonehouseevents.com

The Portable Photo Booth - What fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I so enjoyed meeting Gary and Candy Terringno at a recent bridal show.  Their company, Serendipity Photobooth - was such a fun and unique idea to bring some life to your parties!!  I had the opportunity to have my photo shot in the booth and I will try to get it posted on here for you to see, but it was quick and easy, and the quality output was great!  The photo booth provides fun for everyone!  It's the fun of a traditional photo booth in a new sleek and modern design and it will be a hit with each and every guest.    Because this new booth is so portable it makes it available in an area where full size photo booths can't go.  You can choose between traditional Foto Fun Strips, a unique Foto Cube, or the classic Portrait Studio outputs.  Each can be customized with a graphic design of logo to make the event even more personal and memorable.

The Portable Photo Booth is an ideal addition for any special occasion both large and small.  Some that come to mind are Weddings, Graduations, Bar/BatMitzvahs, Sweet 16, Birthday Parties, Anniversaries or even Corporate Events.    There are also Photo CD's available to commemorate the event.

One of the ideas that I liked most was that the guests could have their photos taken, and then placed in the scrabook along with their comments for best wishes for couples. That truly makes it personal.

Serendipity Photobooth
16607 East Course Drive
Tampa, Florida 33624
Email: gterrigno72@msn.com
Phone:  813.963.6054