Stella Event Design::Michigan Wedding & Event Planner »

(Invitations by Earthly Affair)

You may not realize all of the paper used in the process of your wedding. Save the dates, invitations, response cards, menu cards, place cards, escort cards, table numbers, programs, wedding announcements, thank you cards and all of those envelopes can add up to a huge tower of paper that will go to waste after the wedding.

Here are a few suggestions to lighten the paper load of your wedding:

Save the Dates::Send out a postcard-style Save the Date so you can ditch the envelopes

Invitations::If you make your invitations you have a whole array of earth friendly products available to you from partially recycled papers to 100% recycled! If you’re purchasing, use an earth-friendly company such as Earthly Affair who uses recycled materials and has green business practices! Set up a personal wedding website where guests can rsvp online and you’ll cut down on fuel usage by cutting out the mail drop for that RSVP card!

Place Cards::Use alternatives to paper such as beach glass, river stones or reclaimed wood with guests names! This isn’t only earth-friendly, but also unique and beautiful!

Programs::You can make a big dent in your paper pile by cutting out programs all together!

Planning::You can use a huge amount of paper just in preparation for your wedding. We’ve all seen a bride with a 4 inch thick binder of printed materials! If you’re thinking about printing it, save it instead! Think twice before printing out pictures, emails or spreadsheets and make sure everything is a final copy before it hits the printer!

Have your own green wedding tips? Share them by leaving a comment below!

LEARN MORE AT BRIDE2BE  UNIVERSITY:

Class: Green Weddings 210::Creating an Eco-Friendly Wedding

Class Description: Planning a “green” wedding doesn’t have to mean growing your own flowers or wearing a gunny sack dress. We’ll go over creative, chic AND realistic ways to make your wedding day more eco-friendly, and it’s easier than you think! Class will include an additional 15-30 minute Q+A portion!

How to Register: Visit the Bride2Be University website, and click RSVP!

If you were at Wedding World on Saturday, you may have heard my seminar on how to get your wedding planning on track with the first 3 steps in planning your wedding—determining your budget, creating your guest list, and choosing your venue & date. And you also heard me talk about a fun new program called Bride2Be University, and as promised, we have a special for those who attended Wedding World 2010:

Sign up for one of our Bride2Be University classes for only $15! Bride2Be University Classes are fun & intimate small-group sessions that will get your planning on track! Enjoy a glass of wine, sit back and relax…we’ll help you feel confident in planning your wedding! Spaces are limited, so visit the website to see class topics & RSVP soon! (Please mention Wedding World on your RSVP to receive the special rate! Offer good until March 1, 2010)

The deadline is fast approaching for our 2010 summer internships! If you’d like to apply, please submit your cover letter and resume by January 30th—-read the full details below!

What You’ll Do :: Event Assistants will assist with all day-of wedding tasks including: setting up decor at ceremony and reception sites, assisting vendors with deliveries (ie. cake, flowers, linens, rentals), assisting with the ceremony, assisting vendors as needed throughout the day, ensuring time lines are being followed, trouble shooting problems that arise, and much more. Event Assistants are always working alongside an experienced Planner or Event Associate who is there to direct & teach you!

Who We’re Looking For :: We are seeking junior & senior level students pursuing a degree in a related field (public relations, communications, hospitality & tourism, design, etc.), who are excited about learning the ins-and-outs of event planning, work well with a team, and exhibit a high level of responsibility. Weddings can be a stressful and emotionally charged time for a bride & groom and their families—the ideal candidate is friendly, enthusiastic, calm under pressure, and a great communicator! Most of our events are located in the St. Joseph/Benton Harbor/Harbor Country area, which is 60 minutes from Kalamazoo, 90 minutes from Grand Rapids, and 45 minutes from South Bend. You must be able to travel to Southwest Michigan for events.

What You’ll Get :: This is an unpaid internship and must apply towards college credit. You will walk away from this internship with hands-on experience in event planning & execution unlike anything you can learn in a classroom. This internship puts you in the action, working with real clients, professional vendors and beautiful locations throughout Southwest Michigan.

When You’ll Work :: Weddings are scheduled primarily on Saturdays, with some events on Fridays and Sundays. Interns will be scheduled to work 6-10 events throughout the wedding season (May-September) and we are happy to take schedules into consideration. Interns will also have the opportunity to work in-office during the week (hours flexible) to gain more experience in the planning that takes place prior to the wedding date!

How to Apply :: If you’re interested in joining the Stella Event Design Team for our 2010 season, please email your cover letter and resume (.pdf format preferred) to intern@stellaeventdesign.com. We will be accepting applications through January 30th and will be conducting interviews in February! If you have additional questions, please email intern@stellaeventdesign.com (no phone calls, please).

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What our 2009 interns said about their summer with Stella…

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“… I learned not only about event planning and coordinating, but also about how to work with vendors, what to do when things go wrong, and how to work with your clients in order to make sure that they get what they want. This internship gives you the opportunity to gain hands on experience as well as the opportunity to learn from a professional in the field.

One thing that surprised me about this internship was how much fun it was, even though I had to work hard. There are a lot of things that have to get done for each wedding and going into the internship I knew that I would have to work hard, but I had to work even harder than I thought I would! However, I also enjoyed the work that I was doing even more than I thought I would! Every day that I went to work, I was excited for what we were going to be doing. The effort we put in always paid off. At the end of every wedding we were able to reflect on the day and see that we had been successful and this was extremely rewarding.

My favorite part of this internship was working with the Stella Team. We had a great chemistry and it was easy to work together. This made accomplishing what we needed to at each wedding possible. The team that we had allowed us to get things done while having fun at the same time. I also loved working with the couples. Seeing them happy and satisfied with our work was exciting. Through this internship I really gained a love for weddings, an even greater love for planning, many new ideas on how to be creative, and great relationships with the women I worked with….” -Brittany Johnson, 2009 Event Assistant

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“…Interning with Stella Event Design was an incredible experience! When I first met Jessica, I fell in love with the passion that she has for planning exceptional weddings and her excitement and willingness to include me in the process. Each wedding that I worked on provided me with the opportunity to further understand what went into planning a wedding in addition to gaining valuable hands-on experience. I was continually surprised with the different experiences that each wedding provided and have learned first hand that no two weddings are the same. From working with other coordinators at churches to making sure every last detail at the reception is exactly what the bride wanted, I was never without something new and exciting to work on.

The most challenging part of this internship was learning to work with all varieties of people. From the delivery guys and caterers, to the mother of the groom, you definitely need to be flexible and willing to adjust to whatever situation may arise. At the end of an exhausting wedding day, the most rewarding part of the internship was being thanked by the bride and groom for such a wonderful experience. Knowing that everything turned out the way they they wanted it, and knowing that I was a direct part of that was incredible! I would definitely recommend interning with Stella Event Design to anyone who has a willingness to learn, can take challenges as they come, and has a passion for event planning!” -Megan O’Hara, 2009 Event Assistant

Last week I had a really fun and productive 2 hour consultation with a 2010 bride and her mom. She and her mom were feeling overwhelmed with wedding planning and wanted to sit down and talk over some things to help get them on track! We had a great conversation and covered topics ranging from the flow of the day and menu ideas to invitation wording and room layouts!

The bride and her mom left feeling back on track and relieved, and I loved that I got to help them relax and offer them professional planning advice. I know there are a lot of people out there that need help getting started, or a little guidance as they plan, and for those brides we’re offering a special 2 hour consultation for only $125, now through January 30th. The only hitch is that your consultation must take place Sunday-Friday (evening appointments are available M-F) at our St. Joseph studio! You can use your 2 hours to discuss anything, and we can help you get your planning on track! So come into our studio, enjoy a glass of wine or hot cocoa, and fire away—we’re looking forward to answering your questions and helping you to get your wedding planning on track for 2010!

If you’re interested in setting up a 2 hour consultation at this special price, email jessica@stellaeventdesign.com.

Imagine yourself sitting in our Event Design Studio, on a cozy couch with a glass of wine, learning how you can plan an amazing wedding.  After an hour of learning & discussion with a professional wedding planner and fellow brides, you have the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about planning your dream wedding….welcome to Bride2Be University!

Bride2Be University is a unique approach to planning your wedding! Based on the idea of learning in small groups while having a great time, B2BU offers professional wedding planning at an incredibly affordable cost. Designed for the DIY bride, B2Bu offers classes in a range of topics, from the basics of planning your wedding, to tips on creating an Earth friendly event.

Each class is intimate & fun, and includes an hour long learning session focused on a particular topic, followed by a Q+A session. With classes costing $20-$30, this is a one of a kind opportunity to obtain professional planning advice, no matter your budget!

For more info on Bride2Be University, and to check the class schedule for February & March, visit the Bride2Be University website! Each class is designed to be an intimate learning experience with only 5-10 brides, so be sure to RSVP soon!