Lovegevity’s Wedding Planning Institute is excited to announce the newest venture for Michelle Bromley, an instructor of wedding and event-planning certification through LWPI at Austin Community College.

Click on the photo to see a gallery of amazing photos from Allison's Events.

Bromley, a full-time event planner with 14 years of experience, has worked with such businesses as venues, catering companies and a charter cruise ship in the Austin, Texas, area. She has always believed that her talents were best suited for weddings, and as the new owner of Allison’s Events she will oversee the execution of entire events for many clients. The previous owner of Allison’s Events, Nancy Allison, says she is “thrilled that Michelle is taking the reins. She is an eager and skilled friend, who I am confident will succeed in any endeavor that she undertakes.”

According to the company’s website:

“Allison’s Events is Austin’s premier wedding consultation, coordinating and event planning service. (They) are experienced and dedicated to designing individually styled weddings, gala events and corporate affairs that reflect your personality and style down to the last glorious detail. Allison’s Events was founded after 30 plus years in full service catering, hotels, restaurant and special event planning. Nancy Hoffmann-Allison, (the former) owner of Allison’s Events, was the founder and president of a full service catering firm for 19 years. During her career, she has designed hundreds of weddings and events. Michelle Bromley joined Allison’s Events in 2008 as their wedding specialist. Both have extensive experience, creativity, energy and knowledge, are award winning event planners.”

Bromley has served on the board of directors for the Austin Chapter of International Special Events Society since 2005. She was awarded the chapter’s Spirit of ISES award in 2006 and 2009, and has won scholarships to the organization’s annual educational conference. In addition to being a full-time wedding and event planner, Bromley is an instructor through Lovegevity’s Wedding Planning Institute at Austin Community College. She trains students in several fields, including venue owners and catering managers, and also those people who are interested in planning weddings and other events.

To learn more about Bromley’s classes at Austin Community College, contact her at (512) 267-4544 or michelle@allisonsevents.com. Interested students can enroll in her class at http://www.certifiedweddingplannertour.org/austin.html.

Here are some of our favorite wedding-related links, finds and stories from the week:

* Talk about going all out for your one true love. Have you seen this amazing projector ring? It “contains a tiny photographic slide paired with a lens. When illuminated by an equally small light source—Jerram says even a candle will work—the couple will have four adorable images of themselves projected wherever they go,” according to gizmodo.com. Sounds like it’s a one-of-a-kind deal, but we think it would be a great inspiration piece for planning a wedding. Think vintage photos, projector reels, old pieces of film as decor….

There is inspiration galore in Disney's Alice in Wonderland.

* An LWPI student recently posted some ideas for a Cinderella-inspired wedding in the student-blog section for the Preston Bailey Design course. We loved her vintage, Audrey Hepburn ideas so when we ran across this Alice in Wonderland themed wedding we were immediately smitten! The decor - including “eat me” and “drink me” labels on the food and drinks are adorable. Check it all out here, on bridesmaid.com.

* Some brides are hard-pressed to get their grooms to take part in filling out the registry, but that’s probably because a lot of men have a hard time getting excited about china, vacuums and pillow shams! That’s where The Man Registry comes in. (Yes; for real.) It’s a place where guy stuff reigns supreme: sports-related home items and memorabilia; gifts for the griller and outdoorsman; and yes, of course there are tools to be had, too. We know a lot of brides like to grill and user power tools, too, but adding them to The Man Registry is a sneaky way to get the groom involved!

* What are the best honeymoon locations on earth? Denise and Mark Duffield-Thomas have the dream job of discovering just such places. The Irish Times held a contest to find a couple willing to act as honeymoon testers, and among 30,000 applicants those two got the job. You can follow their adventures on thehoneymoontesters.com, nicknamed the ultimate couple’s travel blog. Where have they been so far? Jordan, Malta, Ireland and Mauritius just to name a few spots. Some people have all the luck, don’t they? (If you think YOU have the luck apply here to be next year’s testers!)

Have you ever sat down to think about what makes a business successful? Ebay was able to take online auctions - a new idea at its beginning - and allow people all over the world to take part for little upfront money. Etsy prides itself on promoting crafters and handmade items. Amazon, simply put, is huge, and it brings all types of vendors from all over the world right to its users’ fingertips. Wedding planning doesn’t have to be any different. If every certified wedding and event coordinator sat down to figure out his or her strong points, then marketed them, they’d be likely to find huge success, too.

In other words you need to find your niche and make it work for you. This will set you apart from your competition, and it will let certain brides know that if they’re looking for a specific kind of wedding it’s your company that they must immediately turn to. What do we mean? Consider these specialties, or niches:

* Second-time (or more) brides.
* Ethnic, multi-ethnic or international events.
* Bisexual, lesbian, gay or transgender weddings and ceremonies.
* Extra-large weddings. (Those with 500 guests or more.)
* Non-traditional services. (Those without a religious aspect and not held in a church)
* Beach weddings.
* Quirky weddings and events. (Think scuba enthusiasts, for example!)
* Bed and breakfast-type events. (Where you own the venue and do the planning.)

Finding your niche and sticking with it doesn’t mean that you turn away brides who are looking for your expertise. If you’ve done a good job in the past you’ve probably built up good word-of-mouth advertising, and new couples will search you out to make their event special, too. Finding your niche does mean that you’ll be known for a certain type of event and that you’re the expert at planning them.

Have any of you found your niche? Are you trying to incorporate your niche into your business?

A big baseball diamond, that is!

Imagine planning a wedding - with hundreds of guests - at the last minute. OK. So maybe this wasn’t your typical wedding: the bride wore a veiled baseball cap and instead of a bouquet she carried, what else? A baseball bat! It was a special day nonetheless, meant to bring two people together before the groom headed out on another deployment. It’s great to see the community come together to help make a dream come true - even if it is on a baseball diamond. It’s something this couple will never forget!

So there you have it. Just a feel-good story to get the week started. It’s stories like this that help to remind us that wedding and event planning might be our life, but there is always a lot of love behind what we do! Have you seen any last-minute weddings at unexpected places?

Graphic courtesy of Marry Me Productions, which has done some legwork finding a few (free) wedding websites. Check out their list!

Much like the decline of the newspaper industry, the bridal-magazine industry is feeling the effects of a change in advertsing, with advertisers choosing monthly plans for less money, and the pressure to adapt to a changing world that includes some pretty powerful social media. Blogs and online magazines come immediately to mind, but Facebook and Twitter are also playing a big role in how brides and certified wedding and event coordinators are planning weddings.

Says eWednews: “According to the study findings, 47% of businesses five years old or less are finding business better compared to 32% of businesses over 20 years old. The discussions rage on, as organizations like Conde Nast finally announce changes thanking past business models that served them welll but now look forward to the future. “Conde’s desire to follow a new business model focused around digital connectivity, technology development and consumer insight clearly speaks to the fact the time to change is long over due,” according to competitors and sources familiar with the intentions and storyline.”

EWed also finds that older, established businesses are having a harder time giving up The Way They’ve Always Done Things and adapting to a rapidly changing business climate, as compared with businesses that are only 5 years old or younger. All of this is direct proof that LWPI’s graduates have an immediate need to incorporate social media and technology into their business plans and marketing proposals. Facebook and Twitter are great ways to gather new business and show off the work you’ve already done, but it’s important that you keep your online life professional. Making connections on Facebook and Twitter is great, but you want to be sure that you follow up immediately with any complaints - preferably privately.

It’s hard to imagine a day when every bride you know doesn’t have a pile of dog-eared bridal magazines in her back seat or piled on her coffee table, and there is of course a chance that it will all turn around. But with an Internet full of easily searchable files, and blog writers who have made their name by identifying the top wedding trends each year, it’s possible that future brides will be more plugged in than ever. And that all means that, in turn, wedding and event coordinators have to be plugged in, too! LWPI believe that magazines still have a role to play, but our company is also ahead of the curve when it comes to incorporating the Internet into business and wedding planning, and our instructors pass on that information to our students, too.

We’d like to know: What are your favorite Internet tools for wedding and event planning?

There is no question that these days in wedding fashion - anything goes. Brides everywhere are trying to be “different”, whether it’s through their venue choice, musical selections or bridal fashion - especially bridal fashion. We’ve talked before about the growing popularity of colorful wedding gowns, pink and red come to mind, but what about the length of the gown? More and more brides are going short and showing off their legs - and fabulous shoes, of course.

When we say short you may immediately think of the 1980s, when supermodel Stephanie Seymore went short for “November Rain.” Pamela Anderson’s short, tight wedding gown may also come to mind. But what about the 1950s, when short gowns were in fashion and the silhouette of choice for many brides? Back then it was a full, ballgown skirt and a tiny waist, which guaranteed a sweet flare. With the popularity of vintage and retro touches on modern weddings it’s really no surprise that shorter wedding gowns are in vogue again.

It’s not uncommon to see second-time brides sporting shorter gowns because they’re often trying to achieve a less formal look. But this fun, flirty, shorter style is catching on with brides of all ages. The benefits are obvious. Shorter gowns lengthen legs, cinch waists, and keep spring and summer brides cool. They’re easier to dance in, and until the trend really catches on - they’re still a little “different” - which is something many brides crave. Retro fashion is all over the runways right now so it’s not unexpected to see it influencing bridal gowns.

What do you think? As certified wedding and event coordinators, have you seen many short gowns, or are they still unexpected where you live?

DRESS SOURCES: 1) BCBG Floral-Applique Taffeta Dress ($398.00); 2) David’s Bridal Tea-Length Satin Gown with 3D Floral Details ($449); 3) Melissa Sweet “Maddie” at Priscilla of Boston ($3500 to $4000); 4) Vera Wang “Edie” (Contact stores for prices)

There are obvious places to save money when you’re planning a wedding with a tight budget: fewer flowers; fewer guests; a sit-down dinner instead of buffet; fewer attendants; a D.J. instead of a band; and the list goes on. But have you ever suggested that your couple focus on their venue as a cost-cutting measure? A venue that acts as a gorgeous backdrop is a venue that needs little decor to make it fabulous.

Courtesy of Serendip Vacations in St. John, V.I. (A fabulous place for a destination wedding!)

We love beach and lake-side weddings, especially if the ceremony takes place as the sun sets. You can’t get much more beautiful than that, and the colorful sky will look glorious in the couple’s photos. And while church weddings aren’t every couple’s first choice they’re often a good venue because for one, they’re often free or come with a low fee, and two, they’re often filled with gorgeous lighting and architecture. Those last two are things that bridal couples can pay a fortune for if they’re not careful.

When it comes to decorating these venues go with the mantra that Less Is More. Focus on the parts of the ceremony where guests will focus their attention: the altar. Extraneous decor down the aisle and on benches and chairs is pretty, but it’s often bought with money that is better used elsewhere. And make the flowers work double-duty! A certified wedding and event planner is always thinking ahead and knows that those arrangements can be moved to the reception. All it takes is staying a step ahead of the guests, and most of them will never know that the arrangements are “recycled.” You can also use the bridesmaids’ bouquets at the reception. They make adorable table arrangements when popped into crystal vases, and they’re a nice addition to the cake table, too, when laid around the cake in a circle.

Saving a couple’s money is something that they’ll thank you for forever. Everybody wants to have a beautiful wedding no matter what their budget is. A wedding coordinator can only do so much - even when he or she is super-creative - but having a fabulous venue in their back pocket is a guaranteed way to pack a lot of punch into any wedding.

Photo courtesy of mongabay.com. (Destination wedding, anyone?!)

* We love Green weddings. Weddings are an easy way, some say, to waste resources, but it’s not hard to turn them around and make them much more eco-friendly. In honor of World Sea Turtle Day, which is June 16, “the 237-suite Marquis Los Cabos resort introduces a new Green Wedding Package that includes eco-friendly décor, organic food, local Baja wine selections, Green Turn Down service, and, most excitingly, the opportunity to assist in the release of baby sea turtles.” We know many people who plan to some day help release baby sea turtles, but we’ve never thought of it as a wedding event. It does sound memorable, however, and watching those little babies waddle toward the ocean to begin their new life is a great metaphor for marriage!

* It was a super wedding. Literally. You see, Batman recently married Wonder Woman. The PowerPuff girls stood as the bride’s maids. The best man? Robin, of course. And none other than the Joker served as the officiant. Who needs tradition? Even the guests got in on this theme wedding! (Iron Man was there!) Extra! Extra! Read all about it! (Sorry; we couldn’t help ourselves.)

* We all know that planning a wedding consumes every bit of free time a bride has. (But that’s why brides need you guys - certified wedding and event coordinators - right?!) But did you know that 90 percent of brides to be plan their weddings at work? That’s right, one survey recently found that 9 out of 10 women use company time to plan their big day, but only a third of them think it negatively affects their work performance. Vendors report that lunchtime and Mondays are when they see the most traffic on their websites. Well, we guess that planning your wedding is one way to get over that Monday hump.

* We’re all about planning ahead, and you know that when planning a wedding it’s imperative that vendors and venues are booked well in advance of the big day. But this has to be one bride - if you can even call her that - who is taking the whole organized thing to a new level. You see, she has a venue. Her dream venue. And thus, she has a wedding date. But there’s one big kicker: She has no groom. And now she has a project, Project Husband, in which she’s marketing herself on TV and the Internet to find potential grooms. So far, she’s been on 46 dates. Who needs a dating service? It looks like all a single girl actually needs is a wedding date. “I’m really hopeful,” she said. “I will know in my heart who the right person is as I get closer to the date.“

This cute book available from Prezzy Box.

We’ve all heard the old adage that word of mouth is the best form of advertising. And it’s true: People are much more likely to visit a restaurant their friends recommend. Brides are much more likely to book vendors recommended by you, their certified wedding and event coordinator. And vendors are much more likely to recommend you to their customers if they’ve happily worked with you before. But when you’re first starting out, or you’re trying to beef up your business, it can be hard to spread the word. Here are some great ways to go about it:

* Share and share alike. Like we said above, vendors will recommend you if you recommend them. Build solid relationships with your favorite vendors. Some brides go straight to florists and bakers without considering hiring a wedding planner. If you have a good relationship with those florists and bakers they might highly suggest that the bride give you a call. They might also set your business cards out by their register. Remember: Scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.

* Quality matters. Don’t take on more work than you can handle, or the quality will suffer. Know your limits. Make sure you listen to a bride and know exactly what she want so you can deliver it. Use vendors you know and trust. You’re only as good as they are in the end. And afterall when it comes to wedding and event planning it’s all about the end result.

* Network, network, network. Those vendors can’t recommend you if you don’t know them. Go to networking events and talk it up. People have to know you’re out there, and have access to your website, to refer you to their clients.

* Do good. What do we mean? Get out in the community and show you care. Integrity goes a long way in the business world. Get involved with pro-bono wedding projects. Throw out some free services, but don’t do half as good a job just because you’re doing the work for free. Showing the business community that you care enough about your job to do it great - even when it’s free - shows that you’re serious about what you do.

* Go above and beyond. Sure, you have the testimonials and photographs to show that you know what you’re talking about. But every bride has a certain expectation of how her wedding will look. It’s up to you to exceed that. How can she not refer you to all of her engaged friends when you go beyond what’s expected? Always give 110 percent!

* Never drop the ball. Answer the phone politely and professionally. Return calls and emails in a timely manner. Dress for success. Do you research before meetings so you never look like a deer caught in headlights when a bride asks certain questions. She’ll appreciate your hard work and professionalism, and that goes a long way.

* Get noticed. This is probably the hardest part, but in today’s technological world it’s easier than ever - if you do it right. Facebook, Linked In and Twitter are the obvious choices. They can connect you with people you may have never met otherwise. Utilize your local newspapers and magazines. Creating a strong, local base of business is the best way to get started. From there you can spread your wings.

It may seem obvious, but doing your best no matter what is the best way to get noticed. Customers appreciate a well-prepared planner. Wedding guests appreciate a well-planned wedding. When they ask a bride how on earth she planned such a wonderful wedding she’ll be beaming when she mentions your name. And like we said before, that’s the best kind of advertising there is!

AP Photo/Genevieve de Manio Photography

America has had a love affair with celebrity weddings for years. Consider the popularity of actress Grace Kelly’s fairytale wedding to the Prince of Monaco in 1956. It started with photos of her showing off the 10-plus carat, emerald-cut engagement ring given to her by Prince Rainier, and it continued on to the wedding and eventually the birth of her children. (LIFE has a fabulous gallery of Kelly wedding photos, by the way.) Americans not only love a reason to celebrate, they love a good wedding, and celebrities are able to give that to us and more.

As you all know, Chelsea Clinton was married over the weekend at an exclusive estate in New York. Like many other first daughters, America got to watch Chelsea grow up in the White House, and her wedding plans had been setting the web on fire for almost a year. The weddings of presidents’ daughters are just as fascinating as those of Hollywood celebrities, and many of us eat up the details - especially wedding and event coordinators, who love to pick out the trends and figure out how to emulate them for their clients. Here are a few of the details from the Clinton-Mezvinsky wedding, according the The Associated Press and The Washington Post.

* Several sources reported that the wedding was to be a $3 million affair. Now that the wedding is over, however, guests are saying it was more like “a family affair” and the seven-figure number was unlikely.
* The wedding site was a Beaux Arts riverside estate called Astor Courts, which was sealed off from the public.
* Chelsea wore two gowns. Her first was a Vera Wang strapless gown with a silk organza skirt, a diagonal tulle bodice and an embellished belt. For the reception, Chelsea changed into a silk tulle Grecian gown, also by Wang, that crisscrossed in the back and had a narrow black grosgrain belt.
* The Mother of the Bride, Hillary Clinton, was dressed in a plum-colored Oscar de la Renta gown.
* Chelsea carried a bouquet of all-white flowers.
* There were at least 12 bridesmaids and as many groomsmen.
* The bridesmaids wore wedding gowns dyed a plum color to match the flowers. (The bride reportedly couldn’t find any bridesmaids gowns she liked.)
* The ceremony was officiated by a Methodist minister, for Chelsea, and a Jewish Rabbi, for Mr. Mezvinksy.
* The guests, of which there were about 400, arrived in black tie for the men, and long gowns for the women.
* There were only a few photos of the wedding released (which you can see here), and none of the reception, which kept going until 4 a.m. with an after-party on the tennis courts.
* The couple performed a choreographed dance to the Etta James classic “At Last” during the reception.
* An 18-piece ensemble performed big-band music, and the father-daughter dance was to The Way You Look Tonight.
* The caterer was the St. Regis Hotel in New York, and the food was reported to be: short ribs, Atlantic char, a vegetarian option, and gluten-free rolls. The gluten-intolerant bride also selected a gluten-free cake from La Tulipe.
* The flowers were all roses and hydrangeas, in hues of pink, purple and blue.
* President Clinton gave one toast, guests report, welcoming Marc into his family and thanking him for “evening the playing field.”

All in all it sounds like a traditional wedding that any bride would be lucky to have. It’s obvious from the handout photos that the bride was thrilled with the way things turned out and happy to be a newlywed. We think the simple ceremony and summery color scheme sounds perfect, and the architectural backdrop was fitting for a presidential wedding!