Stella Event Design :: Michigan Wedding & Event Planner »

It’s that time of year again—wedding season is around the corner and Stella Event Design is accepting applications for interns (Event Assistants) to assist us during our 2012 wedding season.

Who We’re Looking For :: We are seeking junior & senior level students pursuing a degree in a related field (hospitality & tourism, public relations, communications, etc.), who are excited about learning the ins-and-outs of event planning. Weddings can be a stressful and emotionally charged time for a bride & groom and their families—the ideal candidate is hard-working, friendly, calm under pressure, and a great communicator! Most of our events are located in the St. Joseph/Benton Harbor/Harbor Country area, which is approximately 45 minutes from Kalamazoo, 70 minutes from Grand Rapids, and 45 minutes from South Bend. You must be able to travel to Southwest Michigan for events on weekends.

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 ceremony management, assisting vendors as needed throughout the day, ensuring time lines are being followed, trouble shooting problems that arise, communicating with vendors & bridal parties, ensuring accuracy of layouts, and much more.  Event Assistants are always working alongside an experienced Event Planner or Coordinator who is there to direct & teach you! Some assistants will also have the opportunity to work in our office on a weekly basis. You will have the opportunity to assist us with various projects including: assisting with the design and execution of photo shoots, collaborating on design projects, contacting vendors, sitting in on client meetings, learning to create timelines, room layouts and other logistical pieces, and a variety of other tasks that go into the planning of our events. We highly recommend office hours to those who are available, and desire a well-rounded learning experience!

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 West Michigan.

When You’ll Work :: Weddings are scheduled primarily on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Interns will be scheduled to work for a 10-12 week period (approximately May 15-August 15 or August 1-October 15) and will be scheduled to assist with weddings most weekends.  We know summers include family obligations and the occasional vacations, so we are happy to take schedules into consideration if given proper notice at start of season.

How to Apply :: If you’re interested in joining the Stella Event Design Team for our 2012 season, please email your cover letter and resume (.pdf format, please) to intern@stellaeventdesign.com. We will be accepting applications through February and will be conducting interviews in February and March! If you have additional questions, please email intern@stellaeventdesign.com (no phone calls, please).

Every once in a while, we love to give everyone a “behind the scenes” look at what we’re up to at Stella Event Design. Aside from being in full swing of planning a whole season full of fabulous 2012 events, we have also had the pleasure of assisting with Wish Upon A Wedding, a non-profit that has given us the perfect opportunity to give back. Wish Upon A Wedding is the worlds first non-profit organization dedicated to providing weddings to individuals facing terminal illness and other life altering circumstances, regardless of sexual orientation. The goal of the organization is to pull together wedding vendors to help grant weddings to couples facing terminal illness, who wouldn’t otherwise have the time or opportunity to do so, because of long-term illness, treatments and hospital time. We get to work together to help them have this one very important day that they deserve.

I (Jessica) have had the pleasure of serving on the founding board for the Michigan Chapter and assisting as PR & Media chair for the last year or so.  The last two weeks, leading up to the launch of our chapter, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with newspapers, radio stations and even got to make my first on-camera appearance (nerve-wracking!) on Fox 17, to share the news about Wish Upon a Wedding and the launch of the Michigan chapter. Last week we got to see everything come to fruition as the Launch Party took place at The Crofoot in Detroit, and we officially launched the Michigan chapter.

Wish Upon A Wedding Michigan Board Members

The launch party took place on Tuesday, so Brittany, Kayla and myself hit the road to Pontiac and took part in a very exciting night that was filled with amazing event professionals, a gorgeous venue, incredible band, lots of information about the organization and getting people involved, and lots of Pure Michigan inspired goodness! We were so thrilled to get to be a part of such an amazing organization and such an exciting night. Now that the Michigan chapter has launched, we will officially begin taking applications and start to grant wishes.

Jessica, Kayla & Brittany at the launch party

You can find more info on the organization at www.wishuponawedding.org, including ways you can be involved, how businesses can sign up to become wish granters and you can watch videos of some of the wishes that have already been granted around the country (grab some tissues, you’ll need them!)

See more photos of the launch party here! All photos are courtesy of JLB Wedding who was the official photographer of the night and did a fantastic job!

Starting soon, we’ll be featuring our very first video blog series (yes, you get to see our smiling faces) called “Ask the Planners,” which will feature us answering wedding-related questions from brides, grooms, family or friends! This time of year with lots of you newly engaged, it’s the perfect time for us to help out by answering some of your burning questions— from budget issues, to DIY projects, etiquette concerns, vendor issues, design questions, and more!
So SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS on our Facebook page, and each week we’ll answer them here via video blog. Your location doesn’t matter and you can ask anything—no question is too big or too small. We can’t wait to hear from you!

SUBMIT A QUESTION

This time of year (engagement season!) we get all sorts of new readers—so first, we want to say CONGRATULATIONS to all of you newly engaged brides who are visiting the blog! Secondly, if you’re new to the Stella Blog, we want to give you a quick overview of everything the blog has to offer…we’ve got lots of great resources and inspiration!

On the blog you can….

• Read all of our posts by clicking on the ‘BLOG’ link in the pink menu bar. we blog several times a week about real weddings we’ve planned, inspiration ideas, our favorite Etsy Finds (every Tuesday), planning tips, and more!
• Looking for posts on a specific topic? Click the ‘FAVORITES’ link in the pink menu bar, and you can see all of our posts by category, like Real Weddings, Beach Weddings, or specific venues.
• See REAL WEDDINGS by clicking the link in our pink menu bar! You can check out all of the weddings we’ve worked on…from vintage to modern, there’s lots of inspiration to be found!
• Learn more about Stella Event Design and what we’re all about by visiting the ABOUT page!
• If you’re newly engaged, check out all of our “Planning Tips” posts to help you get started! Some of our favorites are below:
  • The 5 W’s of Wedding Planning
  • The Reality of a Backyard Wedding
  • Bridal Parties: What Size is Right for You?
  • Getting Your Groom Involved in Planning
  • Easing the Wedding Clutter

We don’t normally post on weekends, but because today is New Years Day, and a great time to reflect on the year, we’re making an exception!

2011 has been a fabulous year at Stella Event Design! Here are just a few things that made 2011 one of our best years yet:

• We were thrilled to help plan, design and coordinate 33 Michigan weddings for amazing couples from all over the country. Thank you to each and every bride+groom that let us be a part of their special day!
• Planning the 2nd Annual Lake Shore Wedding Walk–the areas most unique bridal event–was a ton of fun and continues to get better and better each year! Thank you to all the venues & vendors who support this event, and all the brides & grooms who stopped by to visit!
• We designed a beach-inspired photo shoot for InFrame Bride Magazine that took us up onto a dune (literally!) You can check it out on the blog this week!
• Jessica got the opportunity to assist an amazing non-profit organization—Wish Upon a Wedding–as PR & Media chair for the new Michigan chapter, which is officially launching on January 17, 2012!
• We had 2 events featured on WeddingChicks.com: Brittany’s ‘Garden tea party inspired’ photo shoot with Bradley James Photography and Katie+Jack’s fuschia+turquoise wedding designed by Jessica at Millcreek Barns
• We contributed to the April 2011 issue of BRIDES Magazine’s “Party in the USA” feature, talking about what makes Midwest weddings (and especially those on the Michigan shore) so special! (p. 268)
• We had another amazing group of interns this summer & fall…a huge thank you to Kayla, Blair, Lexie and Stephanie for helping to make our busiest season yet run so smoothly!

A huge thank you to all of the venues and vendors that made our jobs a lot easier! We have amazing local wedding vendors in Southwest Michigan and we can’t say how much we appreciate all of our favorite vendors that bend over backwards to make our couples’ days amazing! We’ve got tons of great stuff coming up for 2012, so keep checking back (or subscribe above) and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook for exclusive planning tips, giveaways and photo galleries!

Back in June, this happy couple said “I Do” in beautiful Southwest Michigan.  Their intimate church ceremony was followed by an anthropologie-inspired reception at The Veranda @ The Whitcomb, where guests enjoyed a delicious meal form CK Catering and a band that kept them dancing all night long. One of my favorite things about this wedding was how unique everything was. Each and every one of the guest tables was completely different.

We used a huge collection of milk glass, vintage bottles and silver pieces to create an eclectic mix of centerpieces. A huge thanks to Crystal Springs Florist for pulling it all together! Another detail we just loved was the cake topper! The bride and groom both love owls and their cake topper was two owls in a nest – so cute! The burlap runners added a nice touch of texture to the tables while still keeping the tables bright and clean looking–simplicity was definitely the key to this one!  A huge thanks to the girls at 430 Studios  for capturing the beautiful details of the day.

Today is our last day in the office before taking off for Christmas break, so we want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays! We hope you have a wonderful time with your family, fiance, and loved ones! We’ll be back in the office on January 2nd, but no worries—we’ll have new posts up all next week–so you won’t even miss us!
We would especially like to wish a lot of love this holiday season to all of our 2011 couples — Krista+Luke, Megan+Anthony,  Lindsey+Kevin, Amy+Tony, Faith+David, Lyndee+Aaron, Lacy+Matt, Amanda+Keith, Meaghan+Bruce, Lucy+Matt, Kristy+Matt, Kate+Kyle, Kim+Dan , Katie+Jack, Scott+Ashley, Jill+Ryan, Devin+Dave, Kate+Evan, Sarah+Paul, Jessica+JT, Sarah+Bill, Jamie+Mike, Jessica+Marc, VA+Rich , Carol+Jeff, Sarah+ Jeremy, Dawn+Nick, Catherine+Sean , Laura+Joe, Jenny+Nick, and Kendra+David—thank you again for letting us be a part of your special day, and we hope you enjoy your first holiday season as husband and wife!

When the weather gets cold, I can’t help but start to think about tasty hot beverages. I don’t drink coffee, but I’m a huge fan of hot cocoa! Which got me thinking about the fun ways you could incorporate it into your holiday entertaining.  Start with some delicious gourmet hot chocolate, and then provide as many delicious garnishes as you please!

Tasty topping ideas:

• Peppermint sticks
• Cinnamon sticks
• Homemade marshmallows
• Ginger snap cookies
• Chocolate chips (or mint chocolate chips, even better!)
• Marshmallow fluff
• Rock candy sticks
• Homemade biscotti
• Chocolate dipped spoons
• Whipped Cream
• Nutmeg, cinnamon and other spices to dust on top
• Candy crumbles: toffee crunch, peppermints, candy bars
• For the adults: Peppermint schnapps, Kahlua or Baileys

I think a fabulous assortment of cookies would be the perfect accompaniment to a hot cocoa bar, and you could even create some “take home” mugs for your friends and family to enjoy later. Include a keepsake mug, hot cocoa mix and a chocolate spoon, and wrap it beautifully.

Google “mustache wedding”…go ahead…we’ll wait here while you check it out! Over the last year or so, we’ve seen faux-staches make appearances at weddings. At first, it was in photo booths…they’re a cute prop. Just throw on a pair of glasses, a fake ‘stache on a stick and a bowtie, and you’ve got a ready-made photo booth alter-ego. Then, they seemed to make their way onto groomsmen gifts and bachelor-party wares…mustache beer mugs, mustache flasks, t-shirts, invitations and more! I mean, what groomsman wouldn’t want his bachelor party tagged as “A ‘Stache Bash?” It’s pretty catchy. And a total guy thing. I think it’s pretty cute.

(Moustache flasks, ‘stache bash invite, cufflinks, escort cards)

But now, the ‘stache seems to be making its way even further into wedding garb..showing up .on escort cards and even in wedding portraits. Beautiful brides with fake mustaches held in front of their faces, bridesmaids photos, photos of the happy couple kissing (each with their ‘stache)…and this is where I start to sit on the fence.

I really want to like this trend, because I think it’s clever, and it’s definitely something that gets a laugh. I think fake mustaches on a stick for photo booths are super cute. But I have to admit when I see bridal portraits of a beautiful bride in an elegant dress, with a big fuzzy mustache, I get a little creeped out. I mean, where is that photo getting put some day? I imagine 15 years from now, kids will see these faux-stache photos and say, “ewww, mom, what’s on your face? Is that what you did at weddings back then? That’s weird.” But love them or hate them, it’s an offbeat wedding trend that doesn’t seem to be going away for the 2012 wedding season, so if you have some wedding ‘stache in your future, check out etsy and all of the fun ‘stache-related goods that the crafty people of the world have come up with for your wedding!

So if you think I’m crazy and mustache weddings rock your world—or you agree with me and aren’t quite sold on the ‘stache bash—leave a comment and vote:: mustaches on your wedding day—cute or creepy?

Stella Event Design is one of Michigan’s premier wedding planning firms, specializing in Lake Michigan weddings. We work with couples from around the country as they plan their perfect wedding in Southwest Michigan. Stella Event Design has a talented team of event planners and is happy to assist brides getting married throughout Michigan and Northwest Indiana.

I was chatting with one of our fabulous 2012 brides the other day, and she had a dilemma that I think a lot of other brides out there probably share, so I thought I would share!

The dilemma

Choosing a color scheme, when she doesn’t have a “favorite” color, or anything in mind. There are just so many colors to choose from, she doesn’t know where to get started!

Tips to Find Color Inspiration

Take a cue from your closet:: You may have some favorite hues, and not even realize. Take a look in your closet—are there any colors that you see stand out? Is there a color you wear and always get compliments? Perhaps emerald looks amazing with your hair or wine red is the perfect color for your skin tone? Take a cue from the colors that look great on you—you’ll be surrounded by those colors all day, from dresses to linens to flowers!

Venue inspiration:: If you don’t have any favorite colors in mind, consider choosing a color palette that complements your venue. Is there a piece of artwork at the venue you could pull color inspiration from? Does your venue have a subtle color scheme you can take inspiration from?  Does the venue have beautiful upholstered vintage chairs? Consider working your color scheme around elements already present at your venue!

Professional design help:: If you need some help, you can turn to a wedding planner or event designer to help you come up with inspiration for the perfect color palette. We love helping brides & grooms design their perfect days—from the color palette to all of the details, if you’re struggling with the aesthetics of your wedding day, a professional can help take the stress out of the process!

Stella Event Design works with couples from around the country as they plan their perfect wedding in Southwest Michigan and we look forward to helping you make your very own one-of-a-kind memories! Stella Event Design has a talented team of event planners and is happy to assist brides throughout Michigan.