Category Archives: Uncategorized

real wedding sneak peek::a boardwalk wedding at shadowland ballroom

When I first met Jessica and Marc I knew their wedding was going to be a unique event that guests would not soon forget!  Jessica shared with me that she wanted to create a beach boardwalk themed evening that would keep guests happy and full all night and she definitely succeeded!  From cake and gelato to cotton candy and a late night pizza snack, there wasn’t a hungry soul in the room.  Guests were not only treated to delicious snacks, but a photo booth complete with props, carousel rides, and a special guest—Sparty, the Michigan State University mascot!   Sparty’s grand entrance threw the groom and his family (all Michigan fans!) into an uproar and their wasn’t a face in the room without a smile.

It was the little details that brought everything together though. The table numbers gave history of different places in St. Joseph and the escort cards were carousel ticket stubs — so cute! Jessica’s final touch was the lighting. Mod Events completely transformed Shadowland Ballroom’s blue walls and created the warm intimate setting the bride and groom wanted.  Check out some of the beautiful moments of the day captured by Jennifer Mayo!

shadowland-ballroom-michigan-wedding

Thank you Jessica+Marc for letting us be a part of your special day.  We had a blast with you!

Posted by Brittany Johnson (Event Planner)

real wedding sneak peek::mix and match bridesmaids

On Sunday, Jessica+JT tied the knot at the Veranda at the Whitcomb, after a beautiful beach ceremony in St. Joseph! We’ve had some sketchy weather this summer, but it couldn’t have been a more gorgeous day for a wedding on Lake Michigan! There were so many things I loved about this wedding: The bride and groom….a super cool couple. The color palette…gorgeous. Flowers…stunning. And those bridesmaids dresses…one word.  AMAZING! I absolutely love mix ‘n match ‘maids dresses, and this is a perfect example of how letting everyone choose their own styles can really let their personality shine! So if you’re looking for a less traditional approach to your bridal party attire, then you pick the perfect color palette, and let your ‘maids go out and pick the perfect frock to rock your wedding!

mis-matched-bridesmaids-dressesSneak peeks after the wedding are the best! This one was made possible by the gals at  430Studios

now hiring::fall 2011 interns

Michigan is famous for it’s beautiful Autumns, which set a perfect scene for the numerous Fall weddings Stella Event Design has been asked to plan. We are now accepting applications for Fall interns (Event Assistants) to assist us during our 2011 Fall wedding season, September 9-December 9. (November 9-December 9 work is remote, no driving necessary!)

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! Office hours assisting planners throughout the week are also available for the right candidate.

Who We’re Looking For :: We are seeking junior & senior level students pursuing a degree in a related field (public relations, communications, hospitality & tourism, 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 approximately 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 on weekends.

What You’ll Get :: This is an unpaid internship and must apply towards college credit. You will walk away from this internship with 10 weeks of 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 Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Interns will be scheduled to work for a 10-12 week period September 9-November 9 and will assist with 8-12  events. From November 9-December 9 you will assist us with “behind the scenes” work, online from your home.  We are happy to take schedules into consideration if given proper notice at start of season. Interns will also be assigned “pre-event” tasks each week, which can often be completed online from home.

How to Apply :: If you’re interested in joining the Stella Event Design Team for our Fall 2011 season, please email your cover letter and resume (.pdf format, please) to intern@stellaeventdesign.com. We will be accepting applications and conducting interviews through September 15! If you have additional questions, please email intern@stellaeventdesign.com (no phone calls, please).

your perfect ceremony begins with a great officiant

During wedding season I tend to have some pretty crazy dreams…everything from missing brides & grooms to exploding wedding cakes, bands who show up in cut-off tshirts…you name the wedding nightmare and I have had a crazy dream about it! The other night I dreamed that I was not only planning a wedding, I was also officiating it. Even worse than officiating (which I don’t do)…I didn’t realize I was supposed to be officiating! I stood up front and had no idea what to say. I fumbled my way through vows and when it came time for a scripture reading, I had to pull out my iphone to look up the verses.  At one point there was a 5 minute lull while I sorted through papers and attempted to figure out the order of the ceremony. All around it was a complete nightmare for someone like myself, who has absolutely no desire to do public speaking!

Rev. Bonnie Corondan

Obviously this is a scenario that will never happen to me, as I don’t officiate weddings and have no desire to do so in the future. We work with some really amazing officiants and I respect how much preparation time, composure, experience and training goes into becoming a top-notch officiant. But it does remind me of the importance of a great officiant, and I can’t stress enough that it is COMPLETELY worth the $300-400 you’ll pay for an experienced officiant. Trust me, it’s not just about hiring someone who is ordained—anyone can do it online these days in an effort to make a few extra bucks.  It’s important to hire someone who will get to know you; is an excellent writer, so they can craft your personalized ceremony; and most importantly, is an excellent speaker.  An experienced officiant will also be able to give you some great suggestions on ways to incorporate your personal story, style and beliefs into your ceremony.

While your ceremony may only be 30 minutes long, you can trust me that it will be a 30 minutes everyone will remember if you have an officiant that struggles through the ceremony, incorrectly pronounces your names (or forgets your names—eek!) or fidgets, stammers and fumbles their way through your ceremony.  So do your research—meet with potential officiants in person, ask for references, and get to know them—you’ll be glad you did!

Photo by Ben Pancoast Photography

real wedding sneak peek::a lake michigan beach wedding

Amy and Tony tied the knot June 10, 2011 outside on the beach despite many threats of storms.  I was literally checking the weather more than once an hour up until the arrival of the ceremony chairs!  We could not have pulled off this beach ceremony without our awesome team of vendors—  430 studios beautifully captured the treasured moments of the day, Crystal Springs Florist created the colorful gerbera daisy bouquets and aisle decor, and harpist Carl Payne set the tone for an intimate family-centered ceremony.  My favorite part of the ceremony was the horse-drawn carriage that whisked the bridal party away for a short ride after the ceremony.  Such a cute and fun idea!  Thank you Amy and Tony for letting us be a part of your special day, it was a pleasure!

lake-michigan-beach-wedding-ceremony

Posted by Brittany Johnson (Event Planner)

Tips on having (or not having) children at your wedding

Many brides and grooms have chosen to have their receptions be “adult only,” in other words, no children! Some do it because it saves money, or keeps the guest count low and others do it because they just don’t want to have to worry about the screaming or crying that comes along with little kids in uncomfortable formal wear.  Below are some tips on how to approach the “adult-only” reception, and how to accommodate children if they do attend!

In the Invitation…

Opt for inner and outer envelopes, and when addressing them, put only the adult names on the inner envelope. Hopefully, this should be a red flag that children aren’t invited.  However, some people will write in their children’s names anyway and send it back to you, so if this is the case, then a polite phone call is best, explaining that it is an adult only reception.

Bring on the Babysitter…

If the parent’s still want to bring their children with them, especially if it is long distance, think about providing babysitters. At Stella Event Design, we have provided brides with recommended babysitters that can come to the hotel to take care of the kids for the night, whether it is a babysitter per room or a couple of babysitters for all the children of the guests. It gives the parents the opportunity to bring kids along, while still enjoying the party!

Kids Table…

If you do want children at your wedding, consider having an all kids table. This can be a lot of fun for you to create as well as for the little guests. I see it as butcher paper instead of a rented table cloth and crayons (wont mess up little dresses or suits). You can also provide each child with their own container of games, coloring books, and other knick nacks. This will provide hours of entertainment for the little ones and the activities in the fun kit can match your wedding colors and theme. Even though entertainment is provided, there are always the children that have separation anxiety and will sit by their parents no matter what. If your venue offers a separate space, you can even think about having kids in a separate room with their own party…kid-friendly foods, games, entertainment, and of course childcare, so mom and dad can enjoy the “adult” reception!

Kid friendly food…

Ask your caterer if they can make special meals for the children attending such as macaroni and cheese, chicken fingers, etc. How many children really want roasted chicken and seasonal veggies? They’ll get to eat what they like and you’ll get to save on your food costs!

Posted by Kayla Weems (Event Assistant)

real wedding sneak peek::megan+anthonys lake resort wedding

Meet Megan+Anthony, one of the sweetest couples we’ve had the pleasure of working with, and an absolutely adorable couple! These two kicked off our summer wedding season with their beautiful Lake Michigan wedding held in Harbor Country’s quaint Union Pier. They couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day—it was the epitome of a perfect summer wedding with a ceremony on the lawn, delicious dinner overlooking Lake Michigan (very important to these two talented chefs),  tons of dancing with the Matt Stedman band (one of our favorites), a late night gelato cart and twilight photos on the beach! Southwest Michigan wedding photographer Ben Pancoast shared a few sneak peeks, and I can’t wait to share a full recap of this beautiful wedding soon—there were so many great details! And the dress….GORGEOUS! Megan & Anthony, congratulations on your special day and thank you so much for letting us be a part of it!
lake-michigan-beach-wedding-harbor-country

real wedding::shannon+dave at the veranda at the whitcomb

Back in September we shared a sneak peek from Shannon+Dave’s August 2010 wedding in St. Joseph. But it was such a fun wedding and such a wonderful couple, I wanted to share more details on their day, as well as some more eye candy courtesy of Kelly Powers Photography! One of my favorite details of this summer wedding at the Veranda at the Whitcomb in St. Joseph was the desserts! Shannon wanted to share pies with her guests instead of wedding cake, so what better way to have her centerpieces do double duty—each table featured a pie on a porcelain cake stand, wrapped with a garland of flowers! It was adorable (smelled wonderful) and was such a cute and personal touch. Shannon and Dave cut their own pie right at their table! I love mix and match bridesmaids dresses—Shannon had all of her bridesmaids choose a black dress, and it was a great way for each of them to show their own style. After a beautiful beach wedding on a picture-perfect Michigan day, guests enjoyed a beauitufl outdoor reception at the Veranda at the Whitcomb.

veranda-at-the-whitcomb-wedding-st-joseph-michiganAnd their signature cocktails? The “Matrimo-tini” and “White Wedding Sangria.” Too cute. I also loved the escort cards—-each name was attached to a tiny drink umbrella which we put in shallow wicker trays filled with sand and shells–they were bright, beach, and held up to the light breeze! Unique escort cards are a great way to spice up your wedding details. Remember, if you can write or attach a name to it—it could be an escort card—so get creative!

basilica monday::ken+katy’s notre dame wedding

Happy Basilica Monday! For those of you not from the SW Michigan/NW Indiana area, Basilica Monday is an exciting day when brides hoping to tie the knot at The Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the Notre Dame campus, get to vie for their 2012 wedding dates! For alumni, students and parishoners, it’s THE day to secure a ceremony spot at the basilica! So good luck to all of the lovely ladies out their hoping to get their perfect wedding date today! In honor of Basilica Monday, here’s a basilica blast from the past, Ken+Katy’s 2009 ceremony at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, followed by a beautiful reception at the Heritage Center in St. Joseph, Michigan.  Photos by Southwest Michigan wedding photographer Ben Pancoast

notre-dame-sacred-heart-basilica-wedding

hiring::2011 event planning internships at stella event design

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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 2011 wedding season.

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!

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 approximately 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 on weekends.

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 Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Interns will be scheduled to work for a 10-12 week period (approximately June 1-August 15 or August 1-October 15) and will assist with 10-14 events.  We are happy to take schedules into consideration if given proper notice at start of season. Interns will also be assigned “pre-event” tasks each week, which can often be completed online from home.

How to Apply :: If you’re interested in joining the Stella Event Design Team for our 2011 season, please email your cover letter and resume (.pdf format, please) to intern@stellaeventdesign.com. We will be accepting applications through February 17th  and will be conducting interviews in late February! If you have additional questions, please email intern@stellaeventdesign.com (no phone calls, please).

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What past interns said about their summer with Stella…

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brittanyblog “… 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, Former Event Assistant and current Stella Event Planner

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meganblog“…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, Former Event Assistant


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