Meet the Planner: Liane

As I talked about in this post, connecting with your wedding vendors on a personal level is important when you're going to spending a lot of time with them. So, I thought it would be good to let you all get a peek into our lives outside of the wedding world. And we'll start with me (Liane) since I do most of the blogging anyway. Julie says I'm the tech saavy one, and she's the artsy one- it's so true!

I'm 25 years old, and I've been married to my wonderful husband Eric for 4 and half years. Yes- I was a baby bride! ;) Getting married at 20 wasn't something I expected, but when you meet the perfect guy for you at age 17, and he's five years older and got his life together- well, it was hard to wait. And I've never regretted that decision- I still finished college and did all sorts of fun things, I just did them with Eric!

Speaking of getting married- I LOVED planning our wedding! But I suppose you probably assumed that right? Planning my own wedding in 2005/6 was my first foray into the wedding world in Western New York, and my mom and I had a blast. I did so much research and really thought out every decision that we made. I am a planner by nature (it's in my genes, ask my mom), and I love to be organized. So I went around with my trusty binder, pulling together all of the details that I wanted included in our big day. And I was so thrilled with the result. My favorite detail of our wedding day? The cake!!! I didn't want to cut it, I wanted to take it home and keep it. :) Here it is!

It was OVAL (for some reason I had to have it oval) with swiss dots, and that fondant made to look like draped fabric- oh I just loved it! And see our monogram up top? Eric designed that himself (he's a mechanical drafter/engineer) on AutoCAD and had it made at the shop where he works. I still have them- someday I swear I'll make a shadowbox with them or something!

So here we are, four and a half years later, and I'm planning weddings with Julie. I had started dabbling in wedding planning after numerous friends asked for help with their own plans, wanting things to be as organized and smooth as my own wedding! Then Julie and I were seated at the same table at a wedding two summers ago, got to talking, and decided to combine forces and plan weddings together.

Outside of the weddings, the other thing that consumes my life right now is being PREGNANT. :) Yes, we are expecting our first child in April- just two months from now! It's a little girl, and her name is Evelyn Clara. We are so excited to be adding to our family, and I will admit that while my daydreaming used to be mostly about gorgeous, no-budget weddings, it now shares space with baby nursery decor and meeting our little girl. In case you're curious, her nursery is ladybug-themed, red, black, and white. And also in case you're curious, here's me- pregnant.

Yes, not quite the same as that awesome headshot photo up top (props to Lindsay DeDario for our photos!), but what do you expect for 7 months pregnant? :) Eric takes a photo of me every week on Mondays, to document my growing belly. You can check them all out on my personal blog, The Baby Roy.

So, those are the highlights for now... stay tuned for more glimpses into the life of me, as well as some posts from my partner Julie- which I will have her write and then I'll post on the blog, because I'm the techy one. ;)

More 2011 Pantone Colors!

Have I mentioned that I love color? Because I do. :) Pantone released their color of their year, Honeysuckle, a couple months ago, and now with Fashion Week they've come out with their color report for Fall 2011. I find Pantone's color reports to be a great resource for the latest and greatest wedding color trends. I could go through and spell it all out for you, but one of my favorite color palette sites did such a great job, that I'm going to just link up to her. Check out The Perfect Palette's detailed summary of the Fall 2011 Color Report!

Wedding Signage

Signs can be both practical and beautiful- a creative way to extend the theme of your wedding, while getting the job done of directing your guests. Here's the low-down on ways to use signs for your wedding day.

Outdoor wedding locations often benefit from signs to direct guests where to go. Use them to point your guests towards the ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, and more. Having a rustic, beachy theme? Use driftwood and white paint to evoke the seaside. Simple woodsy charm more your style? Have your stationary company design signs incorporating your wedding flowers or other symbol.
Chalkboards are all the rage on the wedding scene these days- they fit with a variety of wedding themes and locations- from farms to wineries. Use a chalkboard to tell guests which table their sitting at, what the menu is for the evening, or as a fun prop that guests can personalize in a photo booth!
Fancy, personalized signage can add to the elegance and feel of your glamourous wedding. Use signs to let guests know about your signature drink at the bar, or to instruct them to take a favor home at the end of the evening. Signs can designed to fit any theme- I love the one in the lower righthand corner above that looks like an old-style movie poster! It's subtle enough not to be tacky, while still evoking a specific style.
Graphic designers are geniuses these days, with all kinds of technology at their fingertips and all kinds of creativity in their heads. So go crazy with signs- we love them!

(click on the above image for photo credits)

2011 Wedding Trend: Rustic Chic Weddings

Last year, backyard weddings gained popularity as brides looked to tie the knot at home. This year, the location has expanded, and the feel of a "rustic chic" wedding has been more clearly defined. 2011 brides are looking to evoke the feel of down-home goodness and barnyard fun, while still maintaining an elegant air to their special day. How can you get the rustic backyard feel for your wedding day?

Location: The easiest way to bring a certain feel to your wedding is to reflect it in your ceremony and reception location. Consider local farms with gorgeous barns, wineries that offer their facilities both indoors and out, or old farmhouses that have been turned into bed and breakfasts all may be willing to host your wedding.

Decor: Subtle touches in your decor can reflect the rustic feel- try using chalkboards as your table numbers, or to detail the menu for the evening. Also, clotheslines are a very "barnyard" way to display anything from your placecards, to photos of you and your new hubby. I also like the idea of mixing in photos of other loved ones' wedding days- like parents, grandparents, friends, etc.Photos: How to get the rustic feel in your wedding photos? Let's go back to location. :) When exploring the area around your ceremony and reception location, look for things like abandoned barns, old style wood or metal bridges, farmhouses- even a tractor in a field can make your photos feel more rustic! Using a field as a background can do the job, but adding these extra "props" can really enhance the feel. Just make sure you ask permission first before you use someone's personal property in a photo.

Food: One of the most fun ways to make your wedding rustic chic is through the food you choose to serve. Instead of the standard "steak or chicken" choices, consider homestyle fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, and other home-cooking specialities. Consider using local vendors to provide homemade goods- and serve iced tea and lemonade to cool your guests during the ceremony. And for dessert? One of the biggest trends we've seen for wedding dessert is PIE! Having a buffet of different-flavored pies can definitely remind your guests of being down on the farm- while still being delicious!

(All photos nabbed from the photo galleries over at Style Me Pretty)

Meet the Planners

Like our new header? :) Well we have our lovely and talented photographer friend Lindsay DeDario to thank for both the photo and the graphic design work- so thanks Lindsay! And as part of a renewed effort to keep up on blogging, I've decided to get a little more personal with our business blog. Nothing too crazy, but I think it's important that readers feel connected to the writer- just like I think it's important for brides to feel connected to their wedding planner. A wedding planner isn't a "behind the scenes" vendor, as maybe a florist or invitation designer might be. A florist is an important part of your special day, and their work is on display for everyone to see- but you don't spend countless hours with them pouring over details until your eyes go blurry. Sure, it's great if you and your florist click personally. But is it a neccessity? Probably not.
However, we feel that it is important that you click with vendors like your photographer or wedding planner(s). Why? Well, you probably WILL spend hours pouring over details with them! Plus you spend your entire wedding day with them by your side. And wouldn't it be more fun if you actually liked them? And wouldn't it be easier to hand the reigns of your big day over to someone you respected and trusted and knew that they just "got" you? We think so too. :) And while a face-to-face meeting can never be replaced, a blog is a little slice of personality, and maybe this blog will help a bride out there get to know us better as she's searching for help to make her wedding day perfect and stress-free. If that's you- hello bride! This is us.

It was bit windy the day we did our photo shoot- made for some fun hair situations. :) Stay tuned for more one-on-one, up close and personal chatter from both myself (Liane) and my partner Julie. And tell us what you think- is it important to "click" personally with your wedding vendors?

Pantone 2011 Color of the Year

You know how we love color here at Forget Me Knot Details- so I've been waiting anxiously for Pantone to release their Color of the Year!! Last year it was turquoise, a calming aqua shade to help soothe us after a stressful year (so says Pantone). This year they've chosen a vibrant shade of pink to embolden us!! Again, so says Pantone. ;) Anywho, the Color of the Year is.... Honeysuckle!

Here's a link to the full description at the Pantone website- I can't wait to see this flattering shade used in 2011 weddings!!

2011 Wedding Trend: Local is the New Organic

Being eco-friendly and "organic" came in strong with the year 2010, with brides planting trees in honor of every wedding guest and insisting that the meat at their wedding be from grass-fed animals. For 2011, supporting your local economy is chic!

Going local usually means you're also getting organic products, as you're buying from the farm around the corner instead of around the world. And, using locally made products for things such as favors and decor supports your hometown and adds a sweet, intimate charm to your event.

Some ideas for going local for your Western New York wedding (which can easily be translated to any town you may be getting married in)...

• Wine from a local winery in the Niagara region or the Finger Lakes
• Chocolate from a local business like Fowlers (we love Truffaloes!)
• Local products included in your OOT guest bags- such as Frank's Hot Sauce
• Favors produced by a local shop, or even roadside stand (candles, soap, etc.)