Are you ready for the BIG news?

It could change your life and touch the lives of many others. Do I have your attention? More to come next week!

Well, 2009 is right around the corner and to celebrate, we created an entire year of inspiration boards for your big day. Take a look at all of the months and let us know what you think! Did we miss a color or theme that you’d like to see? Let us know! Your’s may be chosen as one of our future inspiration boards.

January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

We have a Facebook Page! Be our friend and become a fan. This is a one-stop-shop for blog updates, twitter feeds and all sorts of other goodies. We will be posting upcoming events, specials & deals, groups and so much more!

I finally updated our “Preferred Vendor” page on the website today and thought it would be great to share with our readers. So head on over to our website to check it out!

One of our fabulous 2009 brides, Amy, emailed me today saying that she got some of her engagement pictures. What else can I say? They are gorgeous! Dionne Haglund, The Shooting Gallery, took these amazing pictures in and around Cranbrook . Definitely check them out and if you have an opportunity to meet Dionne, do it! She is just as great as all of the fantastic photos she takes. Please check out more of Amy & Steve’s photos by visiting The Shooting Gallery’s Blog.

Congrats Amy & Steve! I can’t wait for your big day!

Another beautiful day and another amazing and adorable couple. I can’t say enough about how cute Kelly & Brian are. Their beautiful wedding really reflected the love and fun personalities that these two have. I had so much fun working with Kelly over the last few months and really enjoyed getting to know her hilarious personality and learning all about her visions for the perfect wedding day. I seriously cracked up at every meeting.

There were a couple tiny issues, but for the most part everything went off without a hitch and all worked out perfectly. Kelly & Brian were all smiles while getting ready, taking pictures and dancing the night away as husband and wife. I am so glad that they chose me to be there and allowed me to share in their special moments. Their friends and family are a blast to be around and really helped make this a memorable event. The only items I had to use from my emergency kit were safety pins, bobby pins, scissors and tylenol! The whole day was laid back and calm and there was very little stress and anxiety. I couldn’t have been happier with how things turned out. The “Old Detroit” theme that the couple chose was perfect. From the photos of old school Detroit celebs, to the old newspaper articles and Detroit landmark table frames… I absolutely loved it and I know the guests did also. Jim Coffman, The Party Doctor, set the mood with some motown cocktail music and a fabulous mix to keep the party going all night.

Thank you so much, Kelly & Brian, for including me in your special day. It was a joy getting to know both of you and I can tell that you are going to have a great life together. I couldn’t imagine either of you finding a better match! I hope you enjoyed your wedding day as much as I did and look forward to hearing about what happens next! Congrats!

Bliss Weddings Package: Pure Simplicity, Ceremony: St. Ambrose Church in Grosse Pointe, Reception: Blossom Heath in Saint Clair Shores, Entertainment: The Party Doctor, Photography: Studio 41, Linens: AECC, Flowers: Viviano’s, Cake: Elite Sweets

**Note: This post will stick to the front page until December 2008. All new posts will carry on under this one.**

We all LOVE seeing photos of real weddings, don’t we? Why not celebrate the fabulous photographers out there with a good old fashioned contest!

Announcing Bliss Weddings’ First Annual

Wedding Photo Of The Year Contest!

The details are simple. Just send a photo, our readers will vote, and a winner will be announced on December 1st, 2008! Whether you are a photographer, a bride, a mother of the groom, or just a big fan, send us your favorite photograph from a 2008 wedding to amanda{at}yourblissweddings.com. We will randomly chose 5 of your favorites and post them during the month of November. The votes will be tallied and the winner will be announced on December 1st, 2008. Please also include the photographer’s name, company, website and contact information so we can let our readers know where to find the creator of the fabulous work of art. Also include the date and location of the event, the names of the bride and groom and anyone else that deserves credit. All photos must be entered by November 1, 2008 to be considered. Good luck!

There is always a point during a clients’ wedding where I get lost in the moment and just watch two amazing people really interact with each other in an inspiring and loving way. Saturday’s moment happened when the ceremony ended and I watched Stacy & Jonathan walk back down the aisle after being pronounced husband and wife. I have never seen such joy on someone’s face and it was completely obvious that they had very supportive and caring family and friends there to share in their special moment. As they walked back down the aisle toward me, Stacy & Jonathan had giant smiles and made it a point to shake hands, hug and kiss almost everyone who came to watch. When they reached the steps up to their private area, I found myself wiping away tears and had the biggest urge to give them a hug. The music throughout the ceremony was touching and sweet, the friends and family clapped in unison the moment the newlyweds kissed and everyone was grinning as they made their first walk and Mr. & Mrs. Schwartz. Stacy’s father walked into the private area after the ceremony and it was obvious he had been crying too. As soon as I saw his face, I lost it all over again. Ugh… I am such a sap!

Message from 30 North

30 North was such a beautiful back drop for the evening’s events. We were able to begin setting up early and the staff was fantastic. (They even pumped up my flat tire… yes, I got a flat tire. Not the greatest part of the night.) The building is a restored bank, complete with vaults and teller areas. The classic ceiling was the perfect match to the chocolate brown, ivory and french blue color scheme and the giant windows let in amazing natural light. Fletcher from Music Box Productions kept the dance floor moving all night with some really fun music, Lynn from Clever Bumblebee provided the beautiful flowers, Pronto! created a delicious cake, and Tapestry made the really tasty food. One of the best details of the day had to be the weather. What a perfect day!

I finally had the opportunity to work with Jess and Nate from Mod 4 Photographic and let me tell you, they are as awesome as everyone says they are. I have been stalking their blog for months and I was completely ecstatic when I found out that they would be photographing Stacy & Jonathan’s wedding. They are the perfect mix of fun and professional and seemed to get every necessary shot without being obtrusive or overbearing.

The Happy Couple

Overall, the wedding was perfect. Everyone had a blast and even when the night was ending at 1 in the morning, there were still people crowding the dance floor. I helped clean up and headed out the door around 2 AM. I was completely exhausted but drove home with a smile and thinking about all of the intimate and sweet details that rounded out the perfect day.

Congrats Stacy & Jonathan! I am so happy that you chose me to be there on your big day. I couldn’t imagine being surrounded with a more loving couple and their amazing friends and family. I wish you both the best and really hope that we run into each other again. You two are fantastic and made this one of the best weddings I have ever been a part of. XOXO

**Update: Check out Mod 4′s blog for a sneak peek of Stacy & Jon’s pictures.**

Couple: Stacy & Jonathan; Bliss Weddings Services: Customized Pure Simplicity; Venue: 30 North; Cake: Pronto!; Music: Music Box Productions; Photography: Mod 4; Flowers: Clever Bumblebee; Catering & Linens: Tapestry; Valet: A1 Valet; Chair Covers: Hana Ayer

I love Sundays. Have I mentioned that before? They are a day to relax, put my feet up, edit photos, blog weddings and get caught up on anything I may have missed during the week. Today is no different. Last night I had the BEST time coordinating Kelly & Bruce’s big day. I had so much fun, that I could barely even function when I woke up this morning. :) I have been working with Kelly, Bruce & their families for a little over 7 months and provided Month-of coordination & a more.

The gorgeous girls.

Their wedding day began with the girls getting their hair done at V Salon, makeup done by Clinique and some nice down time before the beautiful ceremony. This wedding was so great because everyone was extremely calm. On the day of the rehearsal, the girls all went out for mani’s and cocktails while I headed over to JoAnn’s to pick up some decor for the cocktail tables. I found some great ideas and headed to the rehearsal. The bridal party was laughing the entire time and Rev. Buck was keeping everything fun with his humor. The feeling must have rubbed off on me, because I left feeling calmer than I ever have the night before a wedding.

Saturday morning started off without a hitch. The flowers had been delivered, I met with their photographer and videographer and came up with a game plan that would work for all of us, and the weather was beautiful! Kelly and the bridesmaids all arrive with smiles on their faces and filled with excitement for the days events.

::Sigh:: The ceremony. In one word… romantic. Kelly and Bruce did not stop looking into each others’ eyes and sneaking in little grins. There was even an adorable moment during the ring ceremony that sent them into a little laughter. It was pure perfection from beginning to end.

Table set up.

As soon as the ceremony was over, I headed over to Fox Hills to begin set up for the reception. When I arrived, the cake was in the process of being set up, the chair covers had arrived and my two fabulous assistants were all ready to get started. The evening was shaping up to be as great as the morning.

To summarize the reception, the music was perfect, the food was phenomenal, the drinks were flowing, the dance floor was packed and there was not a sad face in the crowd. Bruce & Kelly did a great job speaking to all of their guests and enjoying every second of their special day.

I stayed all night (making it a 13 hour day) to help with clean up and I am so glad I did. The staff of Fox Hills is amazing. We had the entire place broken down and packed into cars in less than 30 minutes. That has to be some sort of record!

On the ride home, I couldn’t help but be a little sad that their wedding was over. I have had so much fun working with Kelly, Bruce, Kelly’s sister Jessica and her mom, Donna (and everyone else who helped out). I seriously wish I could bring them everywhere with me! Not only are the a genuinely happy family, but they are great for the ego! They must have come up to me at least 25 times that night to say “thank you”. No Smith family…. Thank YOU! Thank you for being so much fun to work with and for being the most calm and together family I have ever been around. I hope your honeymoon was fabulous and that you enjoyed every second of your perfect day.

XOXO, Amanda

Couple: Kelly & Bruce; Colors: Purple & Green; Venues: Fox Hills & FUMC Northville; Photographer: Bruce Szopo; DJ: Andrew from Mike Staff; Cake: Pastry Palace; Transportation: Entertainment Express; Linen Rental: All About Elegance; Flowers: The Little Flower Shoppe; Beauty: V Salon

Photo courtesy of Nicole Blair

Yesterday was one of those days that I was reminded of how lucky I am to be working in a job that I absolutely love, with clients that are simply amazing! I began working with Melinda in September of 2007 and she had this beautiful vision for how she wanted her special day to look and feel. This ended up being one of the very few weddings I have been a part of that has ran almost perfectly. There were no major issues, thanks to the wonderful group of professionals she hired to take care of every last detail.

The day started very early and very rainy, with the girls heading to Luminosity Salon & Spa for hair and makeup, and then moving on to The Townsend Hotel to get ready. The Townsend was also where the reception was  held. The weather held up and the sun peeked through the clouds for beautiful ceremony and formal photos at St. John’s Armenian Church. I fell head over heels in love with all of the beautiful paper products created by Jess at Saultations! Their fabulous photographer Nicole Blair, was an absolute joy to work with and I was very impressed with her professionalism and excitement for wedding photography.  We were lucky that the weather finally cleared up just in time for the ceremony and photos! Video Magic provided the videography for the evening. Amazing flowers, linens and decor were created by the always oustanding Emerald City Designs. The dance floor was moving all night, thanks to the sounds of L’USA. They even had a cigar roller to round out their fun filled and elegant evening. Here are a few photos from Melinda & Jason’s big day!

I am so glad that Melinda & Jason chose me as their Day Of Coordinator. I had a blast working with the two of them and their families and really feel lucky to have been a part of their big day. It is such a great feeling when you know you have worked hard all day and at the end of the evening you see two people, so in love with each other, wearing giant grins on their faces!

Photo courtesy of Nicole Blair

Update: Check out the fabulous professional photo preview on Nicole’s Blog!

I thought it would be a great idea to have some of our current and past brides share some perspective on what it is like to plan a wedding. I asked our most recent bride, Nikki, to share a little about her experiences. Thanks for sharing this with us Nikki and enjoy your honeymoon!

You can see photos and a review of her lovely wedding here.

Our Planning Experience

I’m a very organized person and I like to do things myself. I have a difficult time delegating projects. I would advise any bride to relax and enjoy the planning and the big day. It all goes by so fast and before you know it, you are saying your goodbyes at the end of the reception. The wedding planning was stressful at times and yes, some things did stray from original plans, but that’s OK, everything worked out and it was perfect. Plans may change and things may go wrong, but ultimately everything will come together beautifully. 

My advice:

1. Be flexible

2. Be organized

3. Make decisions carefully

4. Delegate projects – no bride can do it all by herself!

5. Take advantage for wedding sites such as theknot.com, theweddingchannel.com, weddingwire.com, etc. – they have great tips, ideas, and advice.

6. If you like this sort of thing, create a wedding website for your friends and family to view pre-wedding and post-wedding – it really does help keep those that live out of state updated and informed about wedding details and it’s fun for everyone.

7. Relax the day of the wedding – everything will fall into place

8. Trust your friends, family and vendors – they are all there for you

9. Remember to stop and breathe during the stressful moments

10. Have fun and enjoy the whole wedding experience

I just wanted to say Happy Belated Anniversary to Faye & Brian. These two were such a blast to work with and seriously, could they be any hotter? Ha ha! It is hard to imagine that it has already been a year.

The Mr. & Mrs. celebrated their one year anniversary on June 9th! Congrats Faye & Brian!