The wedding of Jason and Rachael was as awesome as I hoped it would be. They are a great couple and they deserve the very best, due to that I recommended Whitehall Estate, Celebrations by Cara for wedding coordination and photographer Joylyn Hannahs. I don’t even know where to begin, it is so different to be a guest as well as a vendor. I always have very high expectations of myself and all the vendors I work with. Actually seeing us all in action all day long and then sitting back as a guest puts a completely different twist on the whole event. It was a huge treat and a very big test. I can not help but scrutinize every single portion of the event including my flowers, I just cant stop myself. In truth I am very proud to say as critical as I am of myself and yes my fellow vendors whom I consider very good friends, we rocked. I do not think the night could have been more perfect and it had to be, as the bride was the daughter of one of my dear friends. Every portion of the night was amazing and I am so proud of the service that was provided to this wonderful family.
Whitehall Manor is always so beautiful and I enjoy a very comfortable and fabulous relationship with the whole Celebrations team. Every time I come for a event, and I mean every time, I am so impressed by the attention to detail, the perfect grounds, the pristine appearance of the manor house and the very charming staff. I have been fortunate enough to be a guest several times at a wedding that was catered by Celebrations Catering but it has been several years. I was so glad for this chance to reevaluate the team. The service, the food and the overall flow of the event is just plain spectacular it is the epitome of a perfect venue. The staff of Celebrations and Whitehall are as solid as can be and they make the night just magical. Its rare when you are at a wedding and the staff is as happy as the guests. Consistently you can count on the staff to make the guests feel welcome and at home. The food was just perfect and so not your typical wedding food. My 11 year old son was raving about the scallops and bacon this morning. Lets admit thats not a typical favorite of a 11 year old. I was also just blown away by the look of the estate in the evening. You see I normally leave the event, in the middle of the day, before the tables have been set, before the candles are lite, I take that beauty of Whitehall for granite as I am at the mansion so much. When I came back to a completely ready reception it was if I had never seen the mansion before, I was literally drop jawed. I can not believe how this estate absolutely glows. Perfect, perfect,perfect.
Joylyn Hannahs Photography. What a amazing woman and I love her sidekick Laura. Laura by the way is responsible for the lay out and display of her albums as well as a additional photographer at the wedding. These two girls bring so much energy and excitement where ever they go. I hate to have myself photographed, I just cant stand it for some reason, because of that I know how important it is for the bridal party to be comfortable with the photographer, I suspect that her ability to make people feel at ease is a huge part of her success. I arrived at the church to find Joylyn across the street in down town Round Hill actually taking pictures in the village with the whole wedding party. I actually saw her pose the bride in the middle of the street with the church in the background, she literally stopped traffic to get her shot. How cool is that! I watched her all night as she searched for the perfect shot it was like watching a tracking device. I could see her scoping out the whole room finding those special moments. I can not wait to see these pictures. What a great, great team. My friends will surly have a priceless album to cherish all of their lives.
Celebrations by Cara, wedding coordination. Seeing Cara at a wedding is always a pleasure for me, she just lights up a room. She is a constant source of comfort with a unbelievable skill for organization and flow. Cara was actually my bride over five years ago. Today in a addition to being one of my favorite vendors she is one of my greatest friends and truly one of the best perks of my business. Like all the other vendors I am used to working with her before the event, getting that very detailed time line and even though she is my friend, my reminder as to where I am supposed to be and when. So hard for me to swallow some days because I always know I will be on time and in place and yet its amazing to me how many times I need her help. Just yesterday before we went to set up the reception, I realized I had deleted the layout of the room, I certainly was not calling the bride and her mom. A quick call to Cara and I had the papers and info I needed. I could count on Cara to make sure everything was completed while we were all at the church. Its interesting to me how many times a night someone will come up to her and ask, when is this happening, can this happen now, where is my bouquet, where are my children, why am I sitting her its like she is a endless supply of answers to questions you never imagine will be asked. I often tease her about wanting to be a coordinator and in truth I can make awesome referrals. I do know the best vendors and venues in the area. However being a wedding cord, is not about referrals its about being able to keep everything calm and organized. I am way to artistic and yes hyper to be a event planner. I am the kind of person who is consistently loosing her car keys. My mind is off in a million directions, inventing new looks and ideas. Watching Cara work makes me realize just how much goes in to coordination of a wedding and how important it is to have her on the team.
Now about the flowers. This family gave me the awesome gift of creative freedom. Which means I was actually allowed to imagine,create and dream up designs that came from my heart. I was told red and chocolate, which I have to admit was a great start. Red can be very typical and common. The introduction of brown made everything unique. I had so much fun using elements I have never used before. I loved every design we made. Her bridal bouquet was actually my favorite piece of the day.
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