Finding the One

You already found the perfect guy, and you have the perfect ring on your finger, so now it's time to find the perfect venue to host your wedding celebration.

You'll find the same theme throughout our blog, but we'll say it again...

No piece of a wedding is one size fits all. Each element should be a reflection of who you are as a couple, including your venue.

Here are our top tips to keep in mind when choosing your venue:

• Have an idea of what type of venue you would like to consider for your event such as hotel, country club, banquet hall or specialty venue.
• Set a budget, inclusive of the space, and likely the food & beverage.
• Know the size of your guest list. Don’t forget that every person you will invite will not necessarily attend.
• Always visit the property, and take a site tour,before making your final decision. Pictures and websites can be deceiving.
• Read reviews of the venues you are considering and check with your friends and family to see if they have attended an event at the facility.
• Plan what time of day your event will be taking place. Pricing is considerably different between lunch events and dinner events
• Food service style: pricing is different between plated, buffet and family style service. Some venues do not offer all three types of service.
• Special features: Have you always dreamed your wedding would have natural light shining through floor to ceiling windows, sky high ceilings, outdoor gardens to stroll through, etc. Identifying, and finding these features can assist in narrowing your selection.

Have further questions? Contact a member of our team who can help make your venue selection easier.

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

Did You Put a Ring on It?

Congratulations to all off the newly engaged ladies who have undoubtedly been staring at their left hand quite often. Are you in love with your ring? We hope so. Soon you will likely start talking to your beloved about your wedding band. Do you have a dream band? Is your engagement ring part of a set? Will your bands match? Which brings me to my question today…


Is your guy wearing a ring?

It made news last year when Prince William decided not to wear a ring. Honestly, it didn’t send up and red flags for me. It’s not like the entire world didn’t know he was married. Many of us work early/stayed up late just to watch it! I know men who don’t wear their wedding rings on a regular basis, some not at all. They do this for a variety of personal and professional reasons. If their partner is ok with it, who am I to judge?

Looks like love to me!

Male Engagement Rings

On the far other end of the spectrum, it seems more guys are wearing engagement rings. These rings are given as a gift from a bride-to-be to her groom. Often, she gives it as a gift after he’s already asked her but some women are choosing to propose to their guy. Many grooms wear these rings up until their wedding day, and then put on a new wedding ring.

Ladies, can you imagine your guy wearing an engagement ring? What happens to it when they switch to a wedding ring? I can’t imagine them stacked the way women’s rings work. Or, are you ok with your guy wearing no ring at all?


Please share photos with us of your beautiful engagement and wedding bands as well!



BBFN (Bridal Bliss For Now),
Olivia

Wedding Trends for 2012

2011 was an amazing year for the Oliveaire team, but as the year turns, it’s out with the old and in with the NEW.

Here are 5 things we are looking forward to seeing at weddings in 2012:

1. Lollipop Hors d'oeuvres
Couples are making their cocktail hour food simpler for their guests to enjoy, with a touch of whimsy. You’ll see everything from lobster, to cheese and sweets.

2. Food Trucks
They hit the road strong in 2011, and we’ll see them pulling up curbside at many weddings in 2012. Have them stop by for a cocktail hour surprise or late night treat.

3. Crystals
Her marriage may not have lasted but Kim Kardashian’s wedding style has influenced design requests for 2012. We’ll see lots of sparkle and shine this year

4. Botanical Design
Brides are asking for simplified designs, made mostly of plants and greenery. Whether they found inspiration from the Royal Wedding or their overall movement toward a more eco-friendly lifestyle, we like it.

5. Lace
Romantic touches are being added to gowns, table linens and aisle runners. This is also a great way to incorporate family heirlooms.

We're excited to see how you incorporate these ideas into your big day!
Cheers to a New Year!
Olivia

2011: A Year in Review

Thank you and congratulations to all of our Brides & Grooms from 2011!
It was such an honor to be part of your special day. Thank you for trusting us to bring your visions to life. It is an amazing experience to get to know you and your families so well through the planning process.

2011 was an exciting year with many new trends and décor pieces being introduced.

Here are a few highlights from some of the extraordinary themes that were presented:

Romantic Red

Garden Zen

Lush Lavendar Elegance

Heaven on Earth

Special thanks to R.E.M. Video and Photography for their photographs, as well as the Hyatt Regency O'Hare, Westin Lombard Yorktown Center and Intercontinental Chicago O'Hare.

Check back next week to see what we’re predicting for 2012.

Cheers!

Olivia

Meet the Team: Sr. Event Archtiect Mahvish Bhatty

We are very thankful for our team. Today I'd like you to get to know another of our Senior Event Architects, Ms. Mahvish Bhatty. Mahvish came to Oliveaire with event planning experience, and has impressed her clients with her professionalism and expertise.

What is your favorite part of planning a wedding?

My favorite part is picking out décor with the client. I love to see the wonderful stages and center pieces.


How would you describe your style? Has it changed since you started working in the event industry?

My style is to work closely with the client so I am on top of every detail throughout the wedding planning process. However, this does change when the client wants to take full control.


What has been your biggest challenge in planning a wedding or event?

Getting information on time has been my biggest challenge. The other challenge is making multiple changes too close (less than 2 weeks) to the wedding.


What one piece of advice would you give a newly engaged couple?

Wedding planning can be very stressful and it’s overwhelming when there are many decision makers. Make a plan with your fiancé and families and make one contact person. The less people involved the better, prioritize making yourselves and your parents happy and don't worry so much about the distant relatives.

Put a budget in place and stick to it.

Also, work with your planner and ask for their candid opinion prior to hiring a vendor. We have experience working with vendors and can make suggestions on who we have both positive and negative experiences with. Listening to us and that will make your planning smoother and successful.


Do you have a favorite wedding moment or event (i.e. first dance, when the groom first sees the bride, parents reaction, etc.)?

I love the entrances and all the announcements. The ambiance is very vibrant and energetic. The couple and the family is entering to their favorite songs and doing a little dance. I love it.


How would you describe what you do everyday?

I not only do I plan the weddings/events, but I also try to advise the clients and to keep them relaxed so they can enjoy this process. Being organized is very important as we’re managing multiple weddings at the same time. I interact with all vendors, develop the wedding paperwork (which consists of timeline(s), checklist(s), menu, diagrams, bridal party entrances, and much more. It’s a very busy position, which is fun but also requires great organization and time management skills.

If you you are interested in speaking with Mahvish about your wedding or special event call her at 847-885-3200 or e-mail her here.



Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, we hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend with your friends and family.

Cheers!
Olivia

Sending the Right Message

Often the first impression guests will have of your wedding will be when they receive your invtiation. To make sure you are sending the right message to your guests we turned to paper expert JoAnna Gibbons of J.Invites and asked her to share a few words of wisdom. Take it away JoAnna...


People say the first impression you give should always be your best and should really say something about you. This guideline holds true for your wedding. Before you see the beautiful bride walking down the aisle, before you walk into the reception to see the fabulous decor, it's the invitation that you see. The invitation is the very beginning of your wedding. It is a glimpse into what your guests should expect, from the colors to the ambiance to the formality.


The invitation should speak volumes through its designs and reflect not only your event but also you - the couple to be married. Below are a couple invitations that do so.

This wedding invitation suite is for a more casual wedding, which is represented by not only the wording and style, but also the layout. A formal invitation usually has only the ceremony information on the main card, whereas this one includes the reception information with the cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing all represented by symbols. Also, the RSVP card is a postcard which is usually less formal than an envelope. This invitation speaks volumes about the couple. They're such a laid back pair, and origami cranes really played a large role in the beginning of their relationship. One year for Christmas when Emmitt didn't have the money to splurge on a gift for Katie, he made a bunch of origami cranes and scattered them all over the house with sweet sayings in them. Ever since, cranes have held a special place in their hearts. They chose this as the focus of their wedding decor.

This couple is very elegant and traditional, but at the time very organic. In this invite, the organic nature of the couple is offset by the whimsical look of the tulle and the graphic elements. The colors, fonts, and wording bring an elegant feel to the invite.

Lastly, Kathy and Andrew wanted their invites to look traditional yet rustic. They used cotton papers and letterpress printing, which are very traditional, along with rustic and graphics. Together, these elements show who they are as a couple.

Thanks again to JoAnna of J.Invites for sharing some invitation design tips with us today. As with all other aspects in your wedding, make sure your invitations are a reflection of you as a couple!

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

Meet the Oliveaire Team: Sr. Event Architect Adel Domingo

It takes a team to provide all of the services we offer at Oliveaire, all of us have our unique roles, personalities and styles. In the coming weeks you will have the chance to meet the team that makes the Oliveaire experience.

Enjoy getting to know Adel Domingo, Sr. Event Architect with Oliveaire. If you’d like to talk to her about planning your wedding or special event contact her at 847-885-3200 or e-mail her here.

What is your favorite part of planning a wedding?
It’s that moment when my bride and groom start trusting me. That means all will be well because we can tackle anything at that point. That trust between the clients and me is vital.

How would you describe your style?
As a planner I love taking care of my clients by simply listening, responding with a real, relaxed enthusiasm, and executing patiently. I’m a calm person and I think my clients and vendors feel it and they stay calm. I do love researching what my clients like and don’t like, I take great interest in each client I work with. After I’m done with an event, I keep a few notes and photos in their file to remind me how unique they are.

What one piece of advice would you give a newly engaged couple?
The wedding of your dreams is possible, just be realistic with your time and budget.

Do you have a favorite wedding moment or event?
It would have to be when I see the couple’s body language when they are announced as husband and wife. They are just so relaxed and relieved that the main part is over. You can feel everybody exhaling.

How would you describe what you do every day?
It’s sort of this crazy job but it takes a sane person to do it. Most of the time during the planning and creative process, it seems like my day is full of phone calls to vendors, email correspondence, reading, research, and making appointments. Creating time lines takes great focus and sometimes I like to do them in the middle of the night when it’s quiet. Despite what people see in the movies, it’s not always glamorous and easy. Time goes fast for planners; we know how much time a task takes even while a couple does not. We treat time like gold. I also know I can’t take being a part of an important event for granted so despite being laid back and calm, I get very serious and nervous and double check everything leading up to an event.

What advice would you give someone who wants to start working in the event industry?
If you don’t like people, don’t do it. Plan several personal events on your own, take a course, get a great pair of comfortable shoes, and work as an intern. When you want to take the plunge, try it out for a year and see if you still love it. If you can answer an emphatic YES, then it’s for you.

What did your wedding meal look like?
My husband and I were young and did not have the wisdom in planning menus and picking a good caterer like we do now. Our wedding meal was a buffet of mediocre roast beef, Spanish rice, and I don’t remember the rest. I do remember our hazelnut-flavored wedding cake being delicious and the German wine was great.

If we ever do plan a menu for a future wedding anniversary party, I would probably do an authentic mixture of Asian and Mexican fare, my favorite kinds of food, with great bottles of wine and beer and a mojito bar.


Thanks Adel for the great interview.

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia