Renee's 40th Birthday Bash

Every single event, celebration and wedding that I am a part of holds a special place in my heart. I am a sentimental broad, I will not tell a lie. Now I will admit I didn't know Renee until the moment she walked into her 40th birthday party but I spent plenty of time talking to her boyfriend, Kevin and her BFF, Lori, who happened to be the one and only Miss Taylor, my third grade teacher, my fourth grade teacher and my favorite teacher of.all.time. Ask anyone in their 30's that went to Union Elementary and they will tell you she is the best! What I think is so great is that Miss Taylor is now principal at Union and some of my schoolmates actually have kids that go to Union- and it is like we have come full circle. Again, Ashlee, with the sentiment. But, I can't help myself.
So I was contacted about this party approximately 2.5 weeks before go time. The group needed a venue, theme, decorations, cake, entertainment- you name it! So Signed Sealed Delivered Events to the rescue!
Our team consisted of cake by 10th Street Bakery, Poptions Popcorn, linen, centerpiece and backdrop rental from A1 Party and Wedding, candy bar display and candy provided by Next Door Finery, candy bags ordered from Unique Moments, music, photobooth and uplighting by Complete Music and of course all planning, coordinating and guaranteed good time by Signed Sealed Delivered Events which we hosted at DoubleTreee Collinsville
Thanks again for choosing SSD Events! It was an absolute blast and pleasure to be a part of this evening!
Happy Birthday Renee and here's to many more!

 

Nick Proposes to Ashlie

Folks say that girls spend years dreaming up their weddings. This may be true... but first they dream about the boy and then they dream about the proposal. And then the wedding. 

Proposals are one of the most intimate, heartfelt, most vulnerable, you-are-my-life-and-I-cant-spend-another-minute-without-you moments. The adrenaline, the nerves, the excitement. Carrying around the ring and worrying that the love of your life will find out its there before you are ready. 

I'm a sucker for romance flicks, books, stories, poems, songs, sayings, embroidered pillowcases, personalized ornaments, hallmark cards... you name it I guarantee I will tell you: Awww that is soooo cute! Which is the most overused phrase in my vocabulary next to: Aren't you sooooo excited???? I am soooo excited for you! 

Here is one of my most fave proposals of all times: 

The Demanding Proposal

And I could not have been more honored to be a part of the proposal below. 

When one of my past bosses Nick mentioned that he was going to propose to his girlfriend Ashlie, I of course was all eyes and ears. Now to meet Nick in person, he is pretty serious, get-the-job-done kinda guy, you never see a whole lot of sensitivity or joking right away. So you can imagine my excitement when he got giddy like a school boy when we about his ideas, when and where, the ring, etc. My last question after hearing him go through his plan of action bit by bit was: did you hire a photographer?

He said, no, I was just going to take my camera and ask someone to take pics for me...

And boy am I ever glad that I staged this intervention! 

First off, Nick was planning on proposal outside in the evening in a dimly lit area.... it was imperative to have a skilled professional behind the camera who could be there in advance, test the angles, lighting, etc. 

And that we did. 

After several emails, texts, phone calls, and checking the weather, we set forth a time and Michelle with Green Wall Studio and I loaded the car with layers and layers of winter gear and road tripped to Augusta, Missouri to the Annual Christmas Light Walk. 

I will cut out the boring part where we scoured every part of the town for options and finally settled on the park, lit by a Christmas tree made out of green wine bottles (hey, it is Missouri wine country out there) and text back and forth with the highly anxious Nick. 

We waiting in a building across the street from the park and waited till we saw them enter the clearing when we casually walked over the the snap shooting began...

part one no words, just squealing

part two no words, just tears

part three, she nodded yes 

and if given the chance to take your pic
with Santa, you would wouldn't you? 

And he is impressed... VERY impressed! Nice job Nick!

Here Nick was telling Ashlie how he asked her dad and her brother

I loved this quiet moment- this was actually a garden at a local bed and breakfast

This entire night filled my heart with joy.
Thank you Nick for letting us be a part of it.
I couldn't be happier for the two of you and wish you a lifetime of uncontrollable laughs, never ending happiness and moments like this which you will cherish.
xoxoxoox

The Magic of Winter style shoot

I believe that I am one of the few who truly LOVE winter. L.O.V.E. it. I love bundling up in hats and scarves and mittens and big puffy coats, drinking hot chocolate, boots with the fur (the whole crowd was lookin at her.. just kidding I won't start that again) and crunching through the snow. 

You do know when I say winter I am referring to everything covered in crisp clean white. The soft fluffy kind that kisses your skin, not leaves your nose and ears burning with the wind. No no no, just the good kind. Where it's 32 and the snow falls and it is complete stillness, yet you can hear it. To me, that is peace, that is possibility, and that, that it totally romantic! 

I've dreamed of a winter wedding since I popped out of the womb wearing heels and sipping champagne as my mom would say... but let's be honest, I have dreamed of every type of wedding. Anytime I meet/date a guy I imagine what kind of wedding we would have... There was St. Nick with the country barnyard reception, boys in jeans and vests, girls in creamy lace and cowboy boots (yes even the bridesmaids), a photo where the bridal party is shooting off guns - and this was the wedding I planned in 2005.

Then there was the city wedding from 2008 where my very dapper groom Doug would have gone Gatsby, me and the ladies in dark lined lips and birdcages, the room strewn with chandeliers in silvers and golds and boys in fedoras... a Michael Jackson Smooth Criminal choreographed dance, I was thinking the old post office. 

But my most favorite wedding I've dreamed of but haven;t quite placed the right groom is the outdoor winter wedding. I am determined to make it happen and what better way than to have a practice round via style shoot!

The team consisted of Elegance in Bloom Florist with flower extraordinaire Angie Lopez whom I met 1.5 days prior to the shoot and fell in love and said you MUST come! Bridal head piece from Champagne and Lace Bridal. 10th Street Baking Company baked the most perfect winter donuts and cupcakes and 8 tiered naked red velvet cake! We had two photographers Sarah Cress Photography and A Bushel and a Peck Photography by Amy which was great as just like a wedding we got a few different angles and styles. And again the rental by Next Door Finery and styling and coordination by Signed Sealed Delivered Events.

Our adorable and very gracious model couple are Stefani and Dan Cheseldine who were married on September 1, 2012 and have not only remained friends since I coordinated their wedding but have been one of the most memorable couples to work with. Once you meet them, you know why. 

I couldn't have pulled this all together with out my most amazing mom who can take my million visions of sugar plums dancing in my head and make them a reality. 

Here are some of the images that aren't featured on the facebook previews. 

Sarah Cress's images below.

An Afternoon at the Grafton Winery

I met the owners of the Grafton Winery a few years ago and now consider them friends. Mike and Lori are easy going, down-to-earth and have a passion for the vine incomparable to most. And it's not just the wine that they have the love for, it's the people who come to the Grafton Winery. They have regulars, harley crews, ladies nights out, date nights, family get-togethers, book clubs, and even the folks who come to sit alone and enjoy a glass of wine over a good book, just to get away, to be still.
The views are breathtaking, the service is great, the food is outstanding - even their wraps and sweet potato fries were like Thanksgiving to me, I couldn't stop eating even when I was full, the wine is YUM!
When I met with Mike and Lori about opening the venue up to wedding receptions on a more regular basis my first thought was: we have 1.5 weeks max before the gorgeous colors of fall are gone and we MUST get a couple up here and a photographer to capture this space. And that we did!
Our photographer is Michelle of Green Wall Studio, cakes and desserts from 10th Street Baking Company and theBAKERios. Bride and groom models are Alicia and Justin Powers married October 26, 2013- they were fresh off their honeymoon and looking as happy as ever. Props and style design by Next Door Finery and Signed Sealed Delivered Events.
Enjoy a few of our favorite snapshots of our afternoon at the Grafton Winery and definitely go check them out for yourself. We are looking forward to coordinating weddings there in 2014!