Thank you for helping to support your fellow wedding professionals in Middle Tennessee.

Angie Commons (President) and the TWESA Board of Directors.

The Bake Shoppe Nominated for CATIE Award

The team at The Bake Shoppe has had an entry nominated for the Best Celebration Cake of the Year at CaterSource this year.

The prestigious CATIE Award will be handed out March 10, 2010 at the Paris in Las Vegas.

The cake was designed for the Nashville Ronald McDonald house with the theme The Patchwork of Life.

Here are best wishes and a HUGE round of applause for the team at The Bake Shoppe, Amy Witcher, Shelly Santana, Nicole Wolfe, and Dawn Stoika

Photos by Gray Photography

Chartwell Hospitality

In 2008, construction began on the Residence Inn, Franklin, Tennessee, the Homewood Suites in Denton, Texas and the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Naples, Florida. These three hotels will open summer 2009.

Email

Website

Phone Number: 615-550-1270

Address: 2000 Meridian Blvd, Suite 200

City : Franklin

State: Tennessee

Zip: 27067

This post was submitted by Amy Brodrick.

A Catered Affair

Catered Affair has become one of the most recognized caterers in the Middle Tennessee area. This widespread recognition is no doubt, due to the clockwork precision Kellie and her team incorporates into each event.

We offer a wide range of menu options. You are not limited to the sample menus listed. Our culinary team is an integral part of the planning process and is always happy to create a menu specifically for you. On an average week, approximately 50% of the events are clients who have selected one of the sample menus and the remaining clients have had custom menus created. We understand that everyone has tastes and preferences - so we will create a menu to fit your tastes.

Upon retaining our services to help with your event, you will receive a complimentary initial conversation. We will then provide as many planning sessions and on-site consultations as needed to design your event. We want to understand all the details surrounding your special occasion to ensure that your every desire is fulfilled.

The Team at A Catered Affair will assist you with planning and creating an itinerary, so your event flows perfectly. During your event, your Personal Event Coordinator will work with you to ensure that your itinerary is followed and your plans are fully carried out.

As a full-service catering company, we will also handle coordination and ordering rental items such as linens, china, tables, chairs, lighting, tents, etc. as needed.

We do have many packages that include china and glassware – we have upgrades available in many different styles and colors.

Please take a look at a sample of what we offer. Be sure to contact us for our most current offerings. We are always happy to customize to fit your event.

Email

Website

Phone Number: 615-321-2394

Address: 1418 Church Street

City : Nashville

State: TN

Zip: 37203

ACA.JPG (83 KB)

This post was submitted by Amy R. Witcher.

Zig Zag

Party and dance like you’ve never done before with Zig Zag, the premier Nashville 60’s and 70’s rock ’n’ roll band.

We specialize in making every event an unforgettable musical experience by bringing back the musical memories of a truly unforgettable era.

Move to the sounds of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Hollies, Eric Clapton, Journey, the Kinks, Santana, Bad Company and so much more.

A good rockin’ time is guaranteed for all ages and any event.

Listen to Zig Zag at www.myspace.com/zigzagnashville

Contact:  Jonathan Kasper

Phone:  615-383-8516

Email

Website

HOT DAMN! Photo Competition Winner

Lad and Lassie

M. Couturier just had two winning entries in the “HOT DAMN!” photo competition sponsored by Simply Canvas™ and took two of the four available prizes with these two images.

M. Couturier has won multiple awards from Simply Canvas™ at WPPI and DWF each year for the past three years.

M. Couturier offers a diverse line of stunning canvas products by Simply Canvas™.

An intimate moment in the wine cellar.

The Art of Photographic Serendipity

Recently, I have had two different fledgling photographers ask me with great concern why they seemed to be missing a lot of great shots at weddings.  I suspected I already knew the answer, but after some questioning it was clear that it all boiled down to a lack of experience with weddings themselves.  Each had done less than ten weddings total, one only four.

I explained that they did not yet fully understand the wedding itself, not just the traditional aspects of ritual and formality, but those things that one can only discern and anticipate by having been around a LOT of weddings, not to mention the many different faiths, denominations, customs, indoors, outdoors, rainy, hot, dark, etc.  This experience gives you an intuition.  A knowing.  I often know what is about to happen moments before even the participants themselves know.  Having done well over 1,000 weddings in the past 15 years has heightened my sense of anticipation.  Having a heightened sense of anticipation allows one to be ready in advance and able to capture that fleeting moment that will escape those who only realize 3 seconds after it is over what has just happened.  Anticipation allows preparation.  I never have to re-stage anything because I capture it when it actually happens.  It looks more natural that way.  ;)

Serendipity.  Making fortunate discoveries by accident.  All very nice, but as a wedding photographer you will come away with very few great images if you are just waiting for ‘accidents’ to happen.  I’m not talking about forced or phony moments, but about being prepared.  A quote from a movie that I have always remembered - “chance favors the prepared mind”.  You will be much more apt to be able to capture those serendipitous moments if you understand weddings and what is going on around you.  You will then be able to anticipate, some times minutes ahead, but usually seconds, what is about to happen so that you are in the right position, have the right lens on the camera, the right shutter speed, the right aperture. Sadly, for those in a rush to get to the top of their field yesterday, that only comes from experience.

Mike and Erin’s Wedding in The Country

All pictures were taken by the wonderful Jack with Silent Light Images!
1)  This wedding took place on a beautiful private farm in Woodbury TN right outside of Murfreesboro.  After the ceremony the bride and groom arrived by carriage, very appropriate being on a farm!

2)  As the guest entered the driveway, the initials of the bride and groom hung on the rock posts (done by Chase Rivers with Eye Design).

3) The bride loved her bouquet .  She wore her mothers veil, shown in this picture.

4)  Bride and Groom walking to their reception.

5)  The bride and groom share their first dance under pink and white lanterns done by Blake Chaffin with Nashville Event Lighting.

6)  This captures the centerpieces and baby pink crinkle linens provide by Jill Cole at Southern Events.

7)  This tent pictures really shows off the beautiful pink lighting and drapery done by Janet Cato with Draping Designs.

All pictures were taken by the wonderful Jack with Silent Light Images!

PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING CAN HEAL WEDDING HURTS

PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING CAN HEAL WEDDING HURTS

With the marriage barely two weeks old, the bride sat sobbing in my office. It seems that immediately after the wedding ceremony, as the couple joined the minister to sign their license, the bride commented, “The ceremony was so meaningful. I feel so married!” The groom, in response said, “I didn’t need all of this.” Before any further discussion could take place, the minister asked for their attention to the license, and then the couple was whisked off to their reception.

Crushed, the bride sobbed two weeks later, “I feel so betrayed. I thought we had planned a beautiful wedding together. I gave in to him, so he would feel his wishes were respected. I kept my mama from taking over, so it would be “our” wedding. I was extra nice to his mother, so she would feel included. And then he said he didn’t want any of it! I can’t even look at him. Everything has been awful. I hardly talked to him on our honeymoon, and since we’ve been home, all we do it argue.”

I asked her to say more about her groom’s comment, “I didn’t need all of this.” What did he mean, exactly? What tone of voice did he use? What was his body language? And lastly, would the groom join her for a counseling session.

The following week a sullen couple sat across from one another. Despite their misery, they were able to articulate what they appreciated about one another. Then, the groom asked to clarify what he meant.

“I didn’t mean to hurt her,” he began. “I wanted her to know that I didn’t need a big wedding to make transform my commitment to her. The ceremony didn’t make me love her more. I became committed to her long before I asked her to marry me. .

“I’m sorry I said what I said. I could have said it differently. I wish I could take it back. And, I wish she would accept my apology and hear that I love her and appreciate all she did to make our wedding great.”

Helping a newly married couple soothe wedding hurts is a definite challenge to those helping to make their special day a success. Had the minister been paying closer attention, he may have picked up on the problem and helped facilitate a better understanding immediately. Or perhaps, if there had been a wedding consultant in whom one of the couple could confide, she could have intervened.

To this couple’s credit, they sought help quickly and reconciled their relationship. To those of you in the wedding industry, your encouraging couples who have conflicts to seek professional counseling early can make a difference in their future happiness.

Rhonda Borman, LCSW

EVENT PLANNING 101

EVENT PLANNING 101
By Krista Chapman, Event Professional

Planning an event whether it is a small gathering among close friends, large fundraisers communicating an important message or a once in a lifetime event like a wedding, can seem overwhelming and confusing.  The following will break down the basics of creating a stellar event that will impress any guest and make you look like seasoned professional.

Why are you planning an event? Secondly, what are you planning?  These can seem like silly questions but they are key to determine what services you will need, the timeframe that makes the most sense and all the other elements of the event.  Planning a small business meeting, class reunion or rehearsal dinner will demand different traditions and expectations from your guests.  The purpose of your event will also help with deciding the most important parts and what you should focus on.  While business professionals will expect there to be enough power outlets to plug in their laptops during a meeting and comfortable chairs, wedding guests may be more focused on the variety of food and where the bathrooms are located.  Trust your gut, drawn from your own past experiences and rely on professionals to guide you.  We have all been to a bad event… think about what was “bad” and how can you do it differently.

Set the date.  Before you can reserve any space, book any vendors or really commit to the event, you need to pick a date.  Your schedule, vendor availability and potential conflicts are all-important elements to consider.  Don’t plan a luncheon in downtown Nashville during the Country Music Marathon… you are setting yourself up for disaster and a lot of stress.  Have you dreamed of an outdoor garden wedding your whole life?  Avoid July and August when your guests will bake under the hot sun.  Pick a date in October for a fundraiser for a women’s shelter, as this is Domestic Abuse Awareness Month.  Will you have a better turnout if you plan a fundraiser on a Thursday evening, when weekend conflicts are less likely?  Every event will have different elements that determine what dates work best.  Weigh the pros and cons to figure the best case scenario.

The Human element.  Face it, there is not a party without people.  This is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle and should remain as an underlying element of all your decisions.  The best-laid plans will be created with your guests in mind.  First and foremost, how many guests are coming?  Before you can determine the amount of space needed, the food you will serve, the number of bathrooms on site, available parking, etc, etc, etc… you need to figure out how many people will be invited and attend your event.  This will also be a key factor in determining a realistic budget as more people = more money, bottom line.  Plan on approximately 75%of your invitees attending your event.  Also, keep in mind how many guests will have to travel, other conflicts (numerous holiday parties to choose from), annual events with steady guest counts and particularly now, economic restrictions that may prevent people from attending.

Show me the Money!  My best recommendation is to determine how much you can afford to spend and then determine what are the most important elements of your event (food, entertainment or location).  Then go with your gut… event vendors all sell their products differently and price as they see fit.  As a result it can be difficult to accurately compare apples to apples.  Essentially all event contracts, regardless of the product, are promises to deliver a future service.  Who makes you the best promise?  Who comfortable fits your budget?  Figure these details out and the rest is easy.  Future Blogs will break budgets down further as I detail what type of costs you should expect for particular services and most importantly, how you can get the most bang for your buck.

Finally, Don’t rush perfection.  It is never too early to get started, at least collecting ideas and information.  As with any project having to-do lists, a timeline of tasks and enough time to research, meet with vendors, send out invites and organize your plans, is key to planning a flawless event.  Just a important, a central location to keep ideas, notes, contracts and deadlines will help to keep you on track to produce a successful and impressive event that will “wow” your guests.

But most of all, don’t go it alone.  Thousands of people make their living producing events, endless books and other blogs like this one exist, loaded with endless advice.  I would never attempt to tear apart my sink and fix a leak, rather depending on a professional to, at the very least, act as a guide.  The vendors you choose will become valuable resources for all your questions, concerns, wonderment’s and logistical limits.

Have questions for the author?  Need specific event planning tips?  Contact Krista Chapman at krista.chapman@ourclub.com.

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