A Very Special Announcement…

I know I’ve been a bit on the quiet side lately.  Part of this is because I have been taking some recuperative time; I somehow managed to have a long (3 month) break between major events.  This wasn’t by design, actually, but it did happen to coincide with the hottest weather we’ve had this year (thank goodness!).  I actually had a couple of events scheduled that for various reasons ended up being un-scheduled.  Nothing bad; it just happens sometimes.  Financial situations change, minds change, etc.  But in this case I really do think it might have been the finger of God or Fate or the Universe or something…  Because not a week after my big rainbow-colored birthday bash (which will be shared soon, I promise) I was sitting at my day job and started feeling really dizzy and exhausted.

I went home that day after barely sitting upright at my desk for the rest of the afternoon, convinced I had the flu.  My entire office had had it.  I must have gotten it.  I think I slept something like 16 hours the next day, and 14 or 15 the day after.  I was dragging!!!  I was feeling a bit nauseous too, had a bit of a headache, and body aches all over. I decided not to take anything, though, because I was afraid that it would aggravate my nausea.

It didn’t even occur to me until late that day that perhaps I was feeling sick for another reason…  And then it did.   I took a test the next morning.  And then the following week, we brought these over to my parents’ house.

Cute, huh? 😉

Yup, it’s official.  I’m going to be a mommy!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!! 🙂

But, of course, what does this mean for my business?

Well, first off, I won’t be taking any new clients except for limited Design Only or Stationery Design for the first 7 months of 2013.  I did have to let two Spring 2013 clients know that I wouldn’t be able to do their weddings (and I’ve helped them find other options).  It was especially tough to do this because I was scheduled to be the Coordinator for a longtime friend and vendor’s wedding in April, but it’s taking place two weeks after my due date.  So I’ll be in no shape, physically or mentally, for working a wedding day.

Beyond that, I have a sort of half-formed plan.  I’d actually decided earlier this year that I wanted to take next year a little easier, too.  May, June, and July were exceptionally busy for me, and while I loved every single wedding and shoot I was involved in, I don’t think I could continue that breakneck pace next year.  I have three weddings scheduled this Fall (2nd trimester energy – hooray!) and did decide to decline a fourth once I found out (I found them a great replacement too), because I wanted to give myself the ability to focus on the ones I’d already booked and an extra couple of weeks’ rest.  Next Fall and Winter I’ll be going back to a modified event schedule; I already have a couple of potential clients in the works and am SO looking forward to their weddings.  I’ll probably take on another 3-4 weddings on top of those I’m already talking to, late next year, as well as doing a few shoots that I’ve been designing. I plan to take on several 2014 weddings as well!

I will stay active in the San Diego wedding community, networking and meeting new vendors (this is another area where photo shoots are invaluable, as it gives me the opportunity to work with people I wouldn’t necessarily, otherwise, meet), as well as actively blog (perhaps not as often as I was during the summer, but hopefully with decent frequency; I still have SO much to share from earlier this year too!).

And I will be working on a Wedding Consulting package too (details should be worked out by early December)!

I’m so thrilled to be able to share with you the secret that’s kept me pretty quiet lately.  I know it will be life-changing in many ways.  But I also know that event planning and design is where I want to be, so I will be working hard to continue to provide excellent service and value for my clients!

 

 

Emma + Chris’ House of Blues Wedding Featured on Style Me Pretty!

It’s been quite the summer for Events by Elisa.  I’ve had more amazing weddings, fabulous photo shoots, and incredible features in just a few months than I thought possible.  Last weekend I designed a table at my local Classic Party Rentals showroom, to be featured for the next two months and seen whenever anyone goes to pick out their linens or tableware.  I’m hard at work designing an invitation for my cousin’s wedding early next year, in which I’ll also be bridesmaid.  And I’ve had a grand total of FOURTEEN features on all sorts of lovely sites since June.  FOURTEEN!!!

Including today.  Yup, it happened again.  This time on Style Me Pretty California.  Emma + Chris’ House of Blues Wedding is featured today!!!

If you’ve read my four blogs about this wedding, you’ll know how much I love these two.  And how proud I was of all we accomplished on our extremely modest budget.  And how much I adored the stationery that I designed!  This wedding ended up being an extremely personal labor of love for me.  And I was so, SO proud to work with some of my favorite San Diego wedding vendors to make this special couple’s wedding day unforgettable.

That’s why it was such an honor to have it featured on Style Me Pretty!!

See?  Aren’t these two gorgeous???  Not to mention those drop-dead flowers from Penny Blooms Floral Design!

See the entire feature on Style Me Pretty California today, and while you’re there, check out the whole Gallery for even more fabulous photos!!!

Oh yes, and now I get one of these nifty things to put on my website… 😉

***

And on a completely unrelated note…  Four years ago was my wedding day.  Celebrating my anniversary tonight with my sweetheart and looking forward to a fabulous fifth year!!!

(Photo by Beverley Woodward; I’d link to her site but she’s no longer in business!)

Emma + Chris’ Whimsical Music-Themed Wedding at House of Blues San Diego Wedding Details:

• Venue: House of Blues (Ceremony at Naval Station San Diego)
• Planning, Design, Stationery, Reception Florals, Styling: Events by Elisa
• Bouquets: Penny Blooms Floral Design
• Boutonnieres: HBixbyArtworks
• Hair Flower: PetalBlushLove
• Cake: San Diego Desserts
• Catering: O’s American Kitchen
• Photography: We Heart Photography

Save the Boobies!

I want to interrupt my otherwise-event-and-wedding-related blogging to bring you a very special announcement.

My friend Shannon at Sage and Time Designs has created a fun, edgy stationery collection to promote breast cancer awareness and to raise money for breast cancer research.  She’ll be donating 1/3 of the cost of each card purchased toward breast cancer research!

As you can see, these aren’t your average pink ribbons.  I’m so proud of Shannon for her creativity, passion, and drive – and for creating these awesome designs!!!  Check them – and the story about why she created them – out on her blog and order some for yourself!

 

Where’s My Red Pen? Words I Wish the Wedding World Would Use Properly

Today’s post is a bit of a rant…  A list of pet peeves, if you will.  About word misuse and misspelling common to the wedding industry.  I’ll be the first to admit I’m not always the best at proofing my own posts…  But between my background in Copyediting and my English teacher mother, well…  I’ve been known to let the owners of small stores know when their signage was spelled incorrectly.

So this post has been brewing for a long time.

Behold, the list of common wedding word mistakes!!!

• Stationery/Stationary: The word for wedding paper goods ends in “ery” not “ary” (that’s the word for “not moving/staying in one place”). Therefore, please use “I’d like to order my stationery” and, if necessary, “Our guest book will be stationary that night; it won’t be passed around.”  For the record, I saw this used incorrectly at Walmart last week.  I had to fight the urge to call over an associate and tell them to correct that six-foot long, professionally printed and hung sign.
• Vow/Vowel: I’m really not sure how this one started, but a “vow” is a promise.  A vowel is one of five special letters of the alphabet that are spoken with an open vocal tract.  Use “We’re writing our own vows to use at our wedding” versus “I love using vowels in my poetry.”
• Aisle/Isle: An “aisle” runs down the center of a church or concert hall.  An “isle” is in the middle of an ocean or lake (it’s another word for island!).  So use “The bridesmaids will walk one-by-one down the aisle” but “We’re spending our honeymoon on a tropical isle.”
• Palate/Palette: Here’s the thing.  These can both be valid words in the wedding world.  It depends on what you’re trying to say.  A “palate” is technically the name for the roof of your mouth, but the term is often used to discuss someone’s tastes in food.  So you could say “That wine was a little grassy for my palate.”  But a “palette” is literally a paint mixing board, and is a term used in graphic design to denote a group of colors used in a design.  So you’d say “The palette for my wedding is blush and bashful.”  The version with the “e” and extra “t” is the one most people use in conjunction with wedding design.
• Petal/Pedal: A “petal” is part of a flower.  A “pedal” is something you push down on, like your car’s accelerator or the dampener for a piano. So unless you’re talking to your musician or limo driver, you’ll want to use the version with the “t” in it!
• Bridal/Bridel: Puh-lease spell this right!!! It’s “bridal,” with an “al” at the end.  End of story!  Likewise “vendor” is correct (“vender” is not).
• Monogram/Monagram: Yet another case of the same.  This is misspelled a lot!  Use an “o” in this word.  End of story.
• Altar/Alter: I almost lumped this one together with the last one… But considering that “alter” is actually a word that can be used in the wedding industry, I figured I’d clarify.  To “alter” something is to change it.  So if you need your dress shortened, you’ll want to take it to the seamstress so she can alter it.  But an altar can be found in a place of worship, such as a church.  It’s often the area where a couple will get married, in a religious wedding.
• Voilà/Walla: We’re talking expressions here…  “Voilà!” is a French expression basically meaning “See, there!” or “Look at that!”  “Walla” is the first (or last) half of a name of a town in Washington.
• Effect/Affect: This problem isn’t unique to the wedding world, but I see it a lot here.  But here’s the thing.  There’s actually a huge difference between the two.  Starting with the part of speech.  “Effect” is a noun.  “Affect” is a verb.  Again, this is a situation where either could be correct, depending on the context, but you’ll need to know you’re using them properly.  So you’ll use branches lighting to create the effect of being outside in the ballroom, since the impending rain is sure to affect your ability to hold the reception outside.
• There/They’re/Their: I know this one isn’t particular to the wedding world either, but I see it all the time.  So wedding people…  Take note!  “There” refers to a place.  For example, “Please put the cake server there on the cake table.”  Use “they’re” in place of “they are” – so you’d say “They’re getting ready to cut the cake, so put the server on the cake table!”  In contrast, “their” is possessive – use it in the context of talking about someone’s something…  Like “I have to put their cake server on the cake table.”
• Aww/Awe: This is another case where either could actually be right.  Use “awe” in the case of overwhelming feelings (as in “I felt awe when looking at the gorgeous room”) and “aww” as an expression, like “Aww, that’s so cute!”  Or, you know, just leave them out.
• Funky French Words: Just…  Pay attention to spelling these, ok?  They get butchered all the time (and truthfully I have to look them up from time to time myself).  Watch them, though, because misspelling them looks horrible.  The groom wears a boutonniere, you carry a bouquet, and you serve hors d’oeuvres (pronounced “orderves,” just to complicate matters further) at your cocktail hour.  Or just call them “buttonholes,” “flowers” and “appetizers.”
• {Please} RSVP: I’ve been guilty of this more than once myself.  It happens.  You’re rushing to finish writing invitation copy and don’t think about it.  After all, you want someone to RSVP, but you’re nice about asking for it!  Only, RSVP is short for the French phrase “respondez s’il vous plait,” which translates to “Please Respond.”  Which means that when you’re asking someone to “Please RSVP” you’re asking them to “Please Please Respond.”  Which is kind of redundant.  Don’t you think?

I know that there are other additions that could be made to this list….  But this is a good start…  Keep your eye out for these common problems, whether you’re a couple, a vendor, or a blogger.  These are some important ones!  Special thanks to the ladies of Wedding Pros Serious About the Biz for your suggestions!!! 🙂

What are your wedding world word pet peeves? (Try saying that sentence ten times fast, too!)  Add them in the comments!!!

Vendor Table at the Inspired Bridal Bowl!

Desiree of Penny Blooms Floral Design and I not only shared an Inspiration Table at last November’s Inspired Events {San Diego} Inspired Bridal Bowl, we shared a vendor table too!  I had to share some pretty photos of our vendor table (featuring Desiree’s florals and linens by Classy Covers) with you, taken by Sunday Romance Photography! 🙂

There was a fantastic caricature artist set up at the show, Julia of JK Expressions.  She offered to sketch some pictures for us!

First, myself and my Assistant Rachael!

Aren’t we cute?

And then me with Desiree. 🙂