We’ve talked before about Lovegevity’s Green Wedding Planning course, and we’ve even discussed why it’s important to go green. Have you decided to take the plunge? (Pun intended, of course!) Or are you still wavering? Lovegevity’s Green Wedding Certification Course comes from a class designed by Kate Harrison and her book, The Green Bride. Harrison graduated from Vassar with a major in Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Development. She wrote The Green Bride after she and her husband, Barry, planned their own green wedding in 2007. According to Kate:

“With 46% of couples looking for green options, there has never been a better time to go green as a wedding professional. There are so many reasons to take the Green Wedding Professional certification class, but I think this Ripple (above), hosted by Andre Yap, might be helpful. For additional information, see the Green Wedding Planning Certification class page.”

As professional, certified wedding and event coordinators you’re expected to carry every available tool in your tool belt. Becoming certified as a green wedding coordinator is just one more way to grow your business and show your clients that you’re on top of things. If you’re still unsure of the reasons why to go green be sure to watch Kate’s video above. It will answer a lot of your questions about the green wedding industry, and how you can be a part of it!

In today’s wedding world it’s all about one thing: creativity. Do you have bridal couples just oozing with the stuff? Or do you have couples depending on you - their fabulous, certified wedding and event planner - to be creative for them? Here are some of our favorite creative wedding ideas. Take them and adapt them to match your couple’s style. Switch out the colors. Personalize the backdrops. And get the couple involved! The creative process is the most fun part, and we’re sure your brides have tons of ideas. But it’s up to you, their creative, organized planner, to sift through the ideas and make them sing for each couple.

Photo courtesy of The New York Times

* Go on a trip to Candy Land. Literally! Remember how fun it was to visit the candy store when you were a kid? The awesome colors everywhere you looked. The sweet smells of every type of candy you could imagine. Now imagine all of that as part of a couple’s engagement photos. And if the couple wants to incorporate the Candy Land theme into their wedding consider these ideas: Have bridesmaids carry colorful, oversized lollipops! Incorporate candies into the decor, such as candy garlands and licorice sticks in flower arrangements. Create a trendy, always-popular candy buffet for the guests at the reception. Done the right way a Candy Land wedding can be both adorable and classy.

* Make it vintage. Going green, and going vintage, is huge right now. Couples are doing everything they can to make their wedding special yet earth-friendly at the same time. This couple found the perfect backdrop for their engagement photos: a flea market! With the right clothes (and hats!) and the right lenses these photos will look like they’re right out of your grandparents’ photo album. And that’s the point! What a great way to showcase the couple’s vintage style and earth-conscious attitude.

Photo courtesy of Offbeat Bride

* Ahhhh, the fairytale wedding. The dress, the cake, the flowers - in a fairytale wedding whimsy abounds! But why not take it to the next step? Pick a specific fairytale and draw inspiration from it! The obvious choice? Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, of course. This couple got it all right: the clothes are reminscent of the fabulous land of Wonka, and they even incorporated the Golden Tickets into their invitations. (Want to see more photos of the fabulous wedding? Visit their Flickr page for a slideshow!)

Okay, we’ll be the first to admit that not every bride is going to go for these ideas. But again, that’s the point! There are bridal couples out there who want to wow their guests, be themselves, and be funky all the while. These ideas definitely fit that bill! As certified wedding and event coordinators you have to be prepared for every bride that crosses your path - funky ones included. Besides, you can’t spell funky without fun! And these ideas are just that - loads of fun.

Have any of your brides had some off-the-wall ideas that turned out to be a lot of fun to create?

Are you an aspiring wedding and event planner in the Akron, Ohio, area? Heather Porcella is already running a successful business, and she can show you how it’s done.

Heather Porcella considers it an honor to create a spectacular wedding that brings her client’s vision to life. As the owner of Truly Your Events, Heather was voted the “Best Wedding Planner for 2008” in the Akron/Canton Ohio area by the MyFoxCleveland.com Hot List. Her company has coordinated numerous events of various sizes, budgets and styles.

After graduating from Kent State University with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design and a minor in Business Administration, Heather worked in Residential and Commercial Interior Design as an art teacher and as a floral designer. Her experience planning showers and weddings for friends combined with her education led her to create her own event-planning business in 2003. Truly Your Events offers the latest in wedding-planning trends including eco-friendly designs, full event coordination, and free initial consultation to provide clients complete planning services to help them save time and money and alleviate stress.

After becoming an LWPI Certified Wedding Planner in the spring of 2008, Heather agreed to share her knowledge and expertise with students in the Wedding Planning Institute’s certification course at the University of Akron. Heather will be teaching aspiring students how to become successful wedding planners by bringing personalized attention and creativity to every client’s occasion. “In today’s busy world, trying to plan a special event can be very stressful and time consuming. By providing solutions to the demanding needs of event design and coordination, you can allow the client to enjoy a stress free celebration,” Heather writes.

Candidates for the wedding-planning certification course at the University of Akron can register by calling Cheryl Beckwith at 330-972-6460 or by visiting http://www.uakron.edu/ce/schedules/WeddingPlanCert.php. The Spring 2010 session is scheduled to begin April 12, 2010, and will meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 to 8:30 p.m. for eight weeks. Tuition is $795 and includes classroom instruction, textbook, six months’ online curriculum and support access, and post-graduate job-placement assistance.

Emily Meyer has always loved the idea of planning the most important day of peoples’ lives. She was the go-to person for friends and family when it came to planning social events and birthday parties. Each event was executed beautifully and flawlessly. It is when she began planning her own wedding that she knew this is what she was meant to do. With everyone around her getting engaged, she took it upon herself to offer them wedding-planning services by researching vendors within their budget and coordinating the processional for the ceremony. This is when Emily took a more serious approach to wedding planning and design.

She enrolled in the Wedding Planning Institute as her passion grew deeper for creating a fairytale ending.  After researching the best wedding vendors in Oklahoma City and completing the necessary training, the Wedding Planning Institute proudly recognized Emily as a certified wedding planner.

After six months of working closely with other wedding planners, Emily opened the doors to a whole new wedding experience. She started her own business in September of 2009. Her company, Chandelier Weddings, was a huge hit in the Oklahoma City area. After executing three weddings in her first month of opening, a high reputation and word of mouth from clients and vendors became her best marketing tools.

A unique aspect of Emily’s business is catering to not only high-end weddings, but also to weddings of couples who cannot afford an extravagant wedding. Emily says, “Every little girl dreams of that day where she will walk down the aisle to meet prince charming. For rich or for poor, I feel that every girl deserves to not only dream that wedding, but have that wedding.”

Emily was excited to find that the Wedding Planning Institute was looking for instructors in her area. She knew this was something she needed to pursue. With her ambitious attitude and strong passion for wedding planning, teaching what she loves would be an absolute joy. Emily was offered the position at the University of Tulsa and is eager to begin this endeavour as a new instructor with the Wedding Planning Institute. She looks forward to other teaching opportunities and sharing her knowledge and passion with other soon-to-be wedding planners.

“Becoming a certified wedding planner is one of the most rewarding jobs that could ever exist. Because you are certified, a bride and groom can trust you so much more. The best part of the job is when you see that bride walk down the aisle and the look on the groom’s face the first time he sees her. It is priceless. It is at that moment when you know that you have just turned a little girl’s dream into a reality and created a fairytale ending where this couple will begin a new chapter in their lives.”

The next Wedding Coordinator Certification courses taught by Emily Meyer at the University of Tulsa will be held from Feb. 8, 2010, to March 31, 2010, on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuition is $795 and includes text book, online access in addition to classroom instruction, testing and national certification from the Wedding Planning Institute. To register, contact Frances Najera at the Office of Continuing Education at frances-najera@utulsa.edu or 918-631-2937.

Without realizing it at the time, Jessica Moore had been groomed since childhood to become a Wedding Coordinator Instructor. She grew up in the wedding industry as she watched and assisted her parents run their video-production company, which had deep roots in wedding videography. Not only did this experience provide Jessica with powerful background knowledge in event execution, but she also learned intimate lessons in running a small business while watching her parents’ business grow.

Growing up behind the scenes, Jessica learned that it was executing the small details that made a successful and stress-free event. It wasn’t until her friends started asking such questions as “When should we do the toast?” that Jessica realized she had unique knowledge! What was second nature to her was an invaluable resource to many friends who were now brides. Encouraged by friends and family, Jessica launched Something To Celebrate in March 2005 with enormous success.

Under Jessica’s direction, Something To Celebrate’s weddings and events have been published in numerous national and local publications. In The Knot’s inaugural Best Of magazine in 2007, Something to Celebrate scored 100% – the only wedding-coordinating firm in the nation to receive a perfect score from The Knot’s surveyed brides. Although The Knot no longer publishes grades for vendors, Something To Celebrate is proud to be included in the exclusive magazine every year. Jessica is repeatedly quoted in the media on wedding trends and is serving consecutive terms on the board of directors for Austin Wedding and Event Coordinators (AWEC).

Jessica is a graduate of Trinity University, where she studied education, and has 10 years of experience as a teacher. Through her role as Instructor with The Wedding Planning Institute, Jessica is able to marry (pun intended!) her roles as business owner, wedding coordinator and teacher into the perfect combination for her students as they take that important step in their wedding-coordinator career. Jessica recognizes the importance of obtaining your wedding-coordinator certification.

“Pursuing your certification sends a powerful message to your future clients and vendors. You didn’t just wake up and decide you wanted to be J-Lo (God forbid!), you made a well thought-out and researched decision to invest in a career, helping clients execute flawless events. When you register for this course, you’re demonstrating your commitment to excel in this profession,” she says.

The next Wedding Coordinator Certification courses taught by Jessica Moore at Texas State University will be held Feb. 1, 2010, to March 3, 2010, on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7 to 10 p.m. and March 16, 2010, through April 15, 2010, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 to 10 p.m.. Tuition is $855 and includes classroom instruction, textbook, six months online curriculum and support access, and post-graduate job placement assistance. To register, contact the Office of Continuing Education at 512-245-2507 or continuinged@txstate.edu. Register online at http://www.txstate.edu/continuinged/.

We’re excited to announce that Pam DuVal, a Certified Wedding Planner and Instructor at Carteret Community College in Morehead City, North Carolina, has been given a 2010 Bride’s Choice Award! Pam’s company, Promised Hearts Inc., has been chosen for this award, which recognizes the top 5 percent of local wedding professionals from the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service and professionalism. The Bride’s Choice Awards are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds through extensive surveys and reviews, which means Pam’s past clients have spoken on her behalf and chosen her to receive this honor.

“We are excited to recognize and honor the success of the top wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “The annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program has given us the unique opportunity to highlight the best wedding professionals in each region as reviewed by brides and grooms who have utilized their services in the past year.”

Everyone at the Wedding Planning Institute is extraordinarily proud of Pam for the excellent work she is doing for her wedding planning and rental clients, as well as the incredible lessons and example she provides for Carteret’s certification students. It is especially impressive that this award was determined exclusively by surveys and reviews from actual newlyweds.

You can contact Carteret Community College about upcoming sessions at 252-222-6204 or learn how to become a wedding planner online. For more information for interested vendors or brides, you can contact Pam DuVal at 252-671-6939. Congratulations to Pam on her much deserved recognition and continued success in all of her endeavors.

When Pam DuVal, Certified Wedding Planner and Instructor at Carteret Community College in Morehead City, North Carolina, opened Promised Hearts, Inc., she turned her lifelong passion for weddings and events into a successful business helping countless couples realize their “Day Of” dreams.

Promised Hearts Inc

In recognition of her excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost, and flexibility, WeddingWire, a leading wedding technology company, has awarded Promised Hearts their 2009 Bride’s Choice Award™. Out of over 100,000 wedding vendors in the WeddingWire community, Pam’s business is rated among the top three percent nationwide.

Everyone at the Wedding Planning Institute is extraordinarily proud of Pam for the excellent work she is doing for her wedding planning and rental clients, as well as the incredible lessons and example she provides for Carteret’s certification students. It is especially impressive that this award was determined exclusively by surveys and reviews from actual newlyweds.

Brides Choice Awards 2009

“We are excited to launch this annual award program to honor high-performing vendors based solely on the experiences of our WeddingWire community,” according to Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s CEO. “This year’s recipients have set the bar high, exhibiting excellent service and expertise in the wedding industry.”

Although Pam’s current classroom session is well underway, you can contact Carteret Community College about the upcoming summer session at 252-222-6204 or learn how to become a wedding planner online.

Pam is hosting the Lejeune Bridal Gala in Jacksonville, North Carolina on Sunday, February 15, 2009. For brides attending the show, there will be many door prizes, including:

·         Spa Day Pass and teeth whitening session courtesy of Planet Beach Contempo Spa

·         Two $300 Gift Certificates courtesy of MM Digital Photography

·         12”x18” sheet cake in a variety of flavors (Serves 50) courtesy of Kathy Canby Cakes

·         Gift Certificate for an engagement, bridal or portrait session with an 8×10 fine art print courtesy of R. D. Decker Photography

·         Certificate for a custom aisle runner courtesy of Chapel Runners

·         Cake knife & server courtesy of Promised Hearts

·         11 x 14 photo frame courtesy of Uniquely You Photographs

·         Wedding music CD & songbook courtesy of The O’Neil Brothers

In addition to the growing list of door prizes, the first 100 brides to attend will receive a free goody bag filled with tons of gifts and saving from our vendors.

For more information for interested vendors or brides, you can contact Pam DuVal at 252-671-6939 or visit www.LejeuneBridalGala.com.

Congratulations to Pam and her husband and partner, Joe, on their much deserved recognition and continued success of all their endeavors.

Lejeune Bridal Gala

Pam DuVal has had a passion for weddings and events for as long as she can remember. After years of planning events for friends and family, she decided to make her dream a reality and start her own business, Promised Hearts Wedding Planning.

Prior to becoming a wedding planner Pam was business office manager for nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the New Bern, North Carolina area. She gained invaluable knowledge in dealing with people in stressful, complex situations. Her experience with finances as an office manager has helped her to plan and manage her business as well as plan events with any type of budget.

Working almost every wedding with her husband Joe, Pam recently expanded their business by opening a retail/rental shop in downtown New Bern. By constantly searching for new and unique items, Promised Hearts Inc. carries everything a wedding planner needs for their next event; rental items, candelabras, specialty linens, candy stations, unique gifts, wedding accessories, anniversary items, and more.

WPI Instructor Pam DuVal

Pam is a Professional Bridal Consultant, co-director of the New Bern area networking group, an active member in the New Bern Chamber of Commerce, and a certified Sandals expert. Pam’s main goal is to teach students that by providing an exceptional level of personal care, they can help their clients have a memorable and enjoyable experience from the time they start planning until the big day, regardless of the event size or budget.  

As an Instructor for The Wedding Planning Institute’s How to Become a Certified Wedding Planner course, Pam strongly believes having a professional certification in the wedding planning industry gives her students “the training and credibility to become a trusted planner. Brides especially, must have confidence in their planner,” she says.  “You will be spending a lot of time together and you must be able to have that level of trust.”

“Wedding Planning can be a great career that is fun and extremely fulfilling. It is exciting to see all the pieces come together the day of the event,” Pam adds. “To see the happiness on the bride’s face and to know that her big day has been a dream come true makes me happy. I just love what I do!”

Candidates for the Wedding Planning Certification Course at Carteret Community College can register by contacting Kris Workman at 252-222-6204 or krw@carteret.edu and by visiting their website at:

http://www.carteret.edu/CCedhome/schedules/viewdetail.php?courseNumber=534&classIndex=906

The spring 2009 session is scheduled to from January 14, 2009 to March 18, 2009 and will meet Wednesdays from 5:30pm to 9:30pm for ten weeks. Tuition is $795 and includes classroom instruction, textbook, six months online curriculum and support access, and post-graduate job placement assistance.

Nancy Hoffmann-Allison has turned a lifelong love of art and cooking into a successful business that began as Hoffman & Company Catering and then evolved into Allison’s Events, a full service wedding and event consulting and design company that has won awards from The Knot Magazine, Austin Wedding Day Magazine, and the International Special Events Society of Austin, Texas. After studying Art and Art History at the University of Arkansas, Nancy began her career by learning banquet and club management while working for Hilton Hotels.

Turning that experience and her mother and grandmother’s cooking lessons into Hoffmann & Company Catering in 1989, Nancy spent most of the next two decades planning, designing, cooking, and presenting her catering menus at thousands of events. Along the way, she mentored students from local high schools and culinary arts schools. Many of her employees started their careers as her apprentices.

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In an ever changing and fast-paced world, Stephanie Kass is proof that good choices and thorough planning equal success. After a few years planning events for the United States Navy, America Online, and Hewlett-Packard, Stephanie created Aphrodite’s Event & Meeting Planning in the San Jose, California area. As the owner of an independent event planning business, Stephanie has successfully coordinated corporate and private events ranging from intimate weddings, her specialty, to large speaker platforms for over 10,000 attendees.

Stephanie draws from the age-old tradition of exceeding expectations without exception while utilizing up-to-date procedures and strategies, cutting-edge technology, and current styles and trends for event planning that ensure maximum efficiency while minimizing the possibility of errors. Through consistent professionalism, Stephanie teaches her staff and her students to provide worry and hassle-free events at reasonable prices while giving clients the individual attention they deserve.

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