Wedding planners have one major thing in common with brides: One size doesn’t always fit all. Just as there are brides with big and small budgets, there are wedding planners who do a little and wedding planners who do a lot. Now that you’re on your way to becoming a certified wedding and event planner (or maybe you’re already an LWPI graduate!) it’s time to think about what services you will offer. You may be interested in working with brides who only want a full-service coordinator, and we can understand that desire. Afterall, that’s where the money is! But there are many brides out there who don’t have the budget to hire you full time, but they do have the budget to hire you, perhaps, part-time. Here is a quick rundown of the typical services that wedding planners offer.

Full-Service Planners. This type of planner is for the bride with too little time for her professional life, much less the time needed to plan her wedding. She wants you to plan every little detail, and she’s willing to pay you for it. While there will be times you’ll want the bride’s input she expects you to make the decisions and plan a fabulous event, all the while putting “her” signature touches into the details! If you go this route be careful of a few things. First, don’t take on more weddings than you can handle in a month! Second, planning a wedding takes time, and time is money so don’t undercharge. And third, make sure the client is someone you can work with because you’re going to be communicating with her a lot.

Partial-Service Planners. A partial-service planner is there for the bride who wants to do most of the planning herself but may need a little guidance along the way. She may hire you to take care of the food and schedule of events at the reception. Or she may want your advice when it comes to choosing the right vendors for her money. Again, time is money so be upfront with how much time the bride wants you to work and charge her accordingly. (You may want to set a minimum, too, to make it worth your while.) You’ve worked hard and pounded the pavement to fill your head with All Things Wedding, and it’s important that you market yourself accordingly.

Week-Of and Day Planners. Let’s be honest: The week leading up to and the day of the wedding are the craziest times for brides, regardless of whether they have a planner or not. However, the brides who are smart enough to hire week-of and day-of planners can be nervous without letting it get the best of them! In our opinion, a day-of planner is especially worth his or her weight in gold. A good planner will take control of any situation that arises without letting the bride even know that there is a situation. A day-of planner should ideally be in communication with the bride at least a few weeks before the big day to make sure the details are taken care of. After that all the responsibility falls on your shoulders! A flat fee for week-of or day-of services would be a good idea. That way all parties know what’s involved and what is to be expected. The only caveat? Being a week-of or day-of planner puts a lot of trust in the bride. If she didn’t cross every T and dot every I it could be you, her wedding planner, who’s left holding the bag. Tread carefully in this type of business relationship and choose your brides carefully. You may even want to consider a face-to-face meeting before you accept this job, where you can ask all the questions pertinent to making a bride’s wedding day something you’d be proud to be a part of.

Whatever services you offer remember one thing: You’re worth the price, whatever it is. You’ve been well-trained (hint, hint) and you know your stuff. So strut it! Be the best coordinator in your area, and you’ll be taking on only full-service brides before you know it! Word-of-mouth marketing is the best kind there is!

Photo courtesy of We TV

While we must admit that it would be amazing to be a bride featured on WE TV’s Platinum Weddings, it’s also pretty darn cool when you’re a featured wedding planner on the show, too! That’s what happened to LWPI graduate Aimee Wendell of 2Chic Events and Design, who is a featured planner on season five of the hit show. Aimee runs her company out of Sacramento, Calif., and was pleased as punch to be working with Frank and Charity, whose nearly $1.5 million wedding is featured on Platinum Weddings. We know that many of you are following your dream of becoming professional wedding and event planners by becoming certified through the Lovegevity Wedding Planning Institute. Aimee’s story is proof that dreams can come true! We wish her - and all of you - continued success! Be sure to check back soon for a full interview with Aimee, but in true wedding-planner fashion she’s super-busy right now as wedding season is in full swing! Until then check out these links and learn more about Aimee’s amazing experience with WE TV.

* Read all about Frank and Charity’s amazing wedding.
* See a list of their vendors (including Aimee!)
* Read an article about the experience in Sacramento Bride and Groom.
* Aimee’s website, blog and contact information.
* Follow Aimee on Twitter.

Many of you out there are current students or recent graduates of Lovegevity’s Wedding Planning Institute. You’ve taken the time to build your skills set by learning from Lovegevity’s experienced instructors, and you’re doing the research (such as reading this blog!) to stay on top of wedding-industry trends. For example, you’ve learned here about going green, choosing invitations, and creating perfect, seasonal weddings. But we all know there is more to it than reading magazines and blogs and designing top-notch budgets for every kind of bride. There is the simple fact that you have to get your name out there. Here are a few tips on just how to do that:

1) The number one way to attract more business is, simply, to do a good job. This might mean for some of you that it’s time to brush up on your people skills. The success of your business will depend on how well you work with clients of all kinds. And in many instances your success will be a direct result of how cool you stayed in some very stressful situations. Maintaining a cool head in every situation - and easing the mind of the bride - will be something she never forgets. And it is sure to be something she tells her friends who may be looking for a wedding planner right now!

2) Consider posting your business name - or website - in your car window. Vinyl decals are easy to come by on such sites as etsy, and etsy shop owners usually have no problem taking custom orders. Plus you often get to choose the font and color, which is a great way to set the tone for what kind of business you offer.

3) Take part in bridal shows, and be sure to have advertising materials to hand out. Get creative! You have plenty of opportunity to show your creative side with your business cards and pamphlets. You don’t want your materials to get forgotten in the bag of swag that every bride gets at such shows. Work hard to stand out!

4) We’ve talked about it before: A wedding planner is only as good as the vendors she suggests to her bridal couples. A good, strong network of vendors is a wellspring of recommendations if they trust you, and you trust them in return. There is no shame in asking if they’ll set out your business cards by the register or if they mind recommending you to bridal couples who come in on their own.You do the same for them, don’t you? In the business world there is a mantra we all know: Scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours.

5) Social-networking sites are here to stay. So your business (and pretty face!) should be on them, too. Be sure to set up business profiles on Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and any other sites you can think of. We’ll say it again: You’ve got to put yourself out there to get noticed!

6) Don’t be shy. If a bride tells you - after her own fabulous wedding - the she has a friend who would be a perfect client for you, you have to FOLLOW UP! Referrals are like gold! Use them to your advantage; we all listen to what our friends have to say when it comes to any kind of business we hire, and brides are no different.

7) Do you have a website? You should. And you should include a section on it for a portfolio filled with A) personal recommendations from brides; B) gobs of pictures because let’s face it: that’s what wedding planning is all about, and C) plenty of easy ways for brides to contact you.

These tips are just a few ways to help get your business off the ground. A lot of you out there are experienced wedding and event planners with lots of advice to share. What helped you grow your business? Are there advertising avenues to avoid? What are the strongest ways to get your name out there?

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.

Ah, spring. Everything is green, and there is a feeling of newness in the air. The flowers and trees are loaded with blossoms, and color is everywhere. It’s no wonder that this is the most sought-after time of the year for weddings. Brides have more inspiration than they can handle! The same goes for Lovegevity’s certified wedding and event planners. Everywhere you look there is a new idea to jot down. Here are some of our favorite ways to inject spring into your weddings.

* The most obvious inspiration is color. The cherry trees are in bloom everywhere you look so consider the ways you can create a pink, cherry-blossom motif. Invitations are an obvious choice. Aren’t these beautiful? The invitation sets the tone from the get-go, and from there you can take the cherry-blossom theme into programs, bridesmaid gowns, decor and especially the cake!

* Add green as a color. Green means new and fresh, which is exactly the thing many brides are going for. Consider green hydrangeas or hints of green in the reception flowers. Grasses can be very dramatic in centerpieces, and the bonus is since they’re usually considered “filler” they’re less expensive! Green bridesmaid gowns can even be gorgeous, especially when paired with beautiful pink or blue flowers.

* When it comes to food at a spring wedding think fresh! Think picnic! Think whimsical! Pink and yellow lemonade in big, glass pitchers would be a cute addition to any table. While everyone thinks of eggs in the spring you don’t want the choice to be too obvious. Use them within appetizers, such as deviled eggs with smoke salmon on top, which would be an elegant but spring-like choice. Salads are an obvious choice, but don’t go the usual green or Caesar route. Consider adding springtime berries, such as strawberries and blueberries, to the plate. A good caterer will know what’s fresh and in season for the spring - pick their brain for advice! Consider asparagus wrapped with prosciutto; custard-filled phyllo cups; or mousse with sliced strawberries on top. Fresh is best in the spring!

* As for favors consider candied bird nests filled with jellybeans, colored to match the wedding theme, or Easter egg candies, which won’t be hard to find in the spring! You can also go with tiny flower pots with packets of seeds, tied with gorgeous grosgrain ribbon to match the bridesmaid gowns. Or if your bride is in fact getting married near Easter weekend just go traditional: Chocolate Easter bunnies for everyone!

There is little doubt that as a certified wedding and event planner you’ll be planning a lot of spring weddings. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year in the wedding business. Follow the trends, and incorporate the most spring-like ideas into your weddings. Keeping things fresh will keep the brides coming. And with everything new springing up around you this won’t be a problem!

Wedding and event planner Nadia Digilov is back with Lovegevity’s Wedding Planning Institute to share more of her excellent planning tips. Want to read more? See her first guest post: Top 10 Wedding Trends for 2010.

10 Secrets to Feeding Guests without Eating Your Budget!
By Nadia Diglov

One of the biggest checks that you will cut on your wedding date will be on the cost of catering. Food and alcohol can really eat up your budget and typically accounts for roughly 40-50% of the overall wedding cost.

Hard to believe, isn’t it?

To put this into perspective, think about going out for dinner: the cost of a medium size dinner for one at a major city such as New York is about $30 per person with tax & tip and not including much alcohol (perhaps 1 glass of wine). If you take this number and multiply it by 200 people the total comes out 6,000. Not that scary yet? Well, take into account that most guests will have more than 1 glass of wine (more like 2 or 3), a cocktail hour and a full Viennese table for desert. This number now doubles!

Want to cut a few corners and still keep your guests full and fed? Below are the 10 ways to feed your guests without breaking your budget. Using just the right fusion of psychology, imagination and practicality, you will be able to impress your guests without spending a fortune.

Here are 10 secrets of a luxury wedding dining experience without spending a fortune:

1.) Know your guests: the first step to designing an quality and budget friendly budget is to know your people! What are their priorities? Are they more drinkers or eaters, or both? What is more important, a bar that will have a variety of top shelf alcohol or 5 entrée options during main course? Your answer to this question will drive the rest of the decisions that you will make.

2.) Make a great first impression: One of my mentors once told me “you have only one time to make a first impression.” With experience I also realized that a first impression is really hard to break. A lesson in psychology for you: make a great first impression on your guests as soon as they arrive to your wedding! Set the tone with an immaculately dressed server greeting guests as they arrive to your wedding serving Champagne Bellini’s at the door! This will set an environment where your guests will feel welcomed and comfortable at your wedding, or in other words, at this time you will need to begin breaking a first impression of comfort and joy which most of the time will be hard to do.

3.) Cocktail hour: If you are having a cocktail hour, consider having the servers hand pass the pricier items such as shrimps and scallops. This will typically save an average of 30% of your catering budget.

4.) Not all seafood is priced equally: Calamari are about half the price of shrimp, make your choices for cocktail hour and reception keeping this in mind. Ask your caterer a lot of questions!

5.) Know your seasonal foods: Some dining options are perfectly affordable during a summer season and are expensive during the fall and vice versa. Scarcity of a particular food will increase the cost by up to 40%.

6.) Discount options: If you will have children at the reception, choose the caterer that offers 1/2 price for children up to the age of 16. This will save tons of cash especially if you have a huge family.

7.) Mix it up: Depending on the evaluation of your guests, consider a tasting menu that will offer up to 8 mini courses for your guests.

8.) Mix up the alcohol brands: Certain brands of vodka for example are pricier than others. Mix up expensive brands for guests that will inquire on brand and have your bar tender use the less expensive brands for guests that do not have a preference. This little trick will save you about 30% of the cost of alcohol.

9.) Close the open bar an hour earlier: Begin serving coffee and tea approximately 1 hour before you party will end. This will have tons of benefits by default. First, your guests will have a chance to sober up before leaving your party and second, it will save you up to 35%!

10.) Fore-go the full Viennese table: Go for a 5 tier over the top cake, with a chocolate fondue station and bite sized desserts that will be passed around. This will save you about $15 per person and that’s about $3,000, a nice chunk of change that you can use towards your honeymoon or (depending on your area of residence) a few months rent on your new apartment!

ABOUT NADIA DIGILOV & CELEBRATING IN STYLE:

Nadia Digilov is Manhattan’s premier luxury wedding expert and the founder and CEO of NYC event production firm Celebrating in Style. After seven years on the trading floors of the largest investment banks on Wall Street, her passion for production led her to begin creating luxury events that leave a lasting impression. Since 2002 Nadia has created weddings, corporate events, concerts, trade shows, and marketing events in major cities around the world including New York, Miami, Moscow, Tel Aviv and St. Petersburg.

As a certified wedding and event planner you are trained to be prepared for everything. This means unexpected pops and rips in gowns; unexpected tardy caterers and florists; and even unexpected requests from wedding guests. The point of a wedding is for couples to begin their new life together but to also begin it with their friends and family. They want their wedding to be beautiful and touching, but they also want it to serve as a gift to the people they plan to call on as they grow as a couple. This means that no matter what a guest needs their request should be taken care of. When you first meet with a couple and begin to plan their special day it’s a good idea to ask if anyone in either their wedding party or anyone on their guest list has special needs.

1) Do they have someone attending the wedding who is hearing prepared? Will they need an interpreter or special equipment made available to help these guests take part in the ceremony? This is an easy request to plan for, and it makes it easier on you - and the guest - if you know about what they need in advance.

2) Will there be guests who are unable to walk, or walk up steps? Make sure that the venue you choose has entrances made specifically for those with disabilities. It would also be a good idea to choose, perhaps, a specific usher or groomsman to help these guests to their seats. Grandparents are often a special part of the ceremony, and sometimes they need more help. Having a plan in place, including accessible parking, restrooms and reserved seating will make things go a lot smoother when guests begin to arrive at the wedding.

In addition make sure that their seats at the reception are accessible - not too high. This may mean a special, reserved table is required. When it comes to helping them at the reception try not to attract too much attention. Find out if they have a caregiver or relative who plans to help, and discreetly explain what has been set up for their convenience. Buffet tables could be an issue, too, so let the person know in advance what they’re dealing with.

3) Dietary concerns are an issue at every wedding no matter who is on the guest list. There are guests who vegetarians, guests with dairy and gluten intolerances, and guests with allergies. A well-planned meal with a few options that can please everyone is often in order. The bridal couple should know who and what type of preferences they are planning for, but remember to ask! They have a lot on their minds, and since planning a reception for possibly hundreds of people is stressful enough, remembering all the special requests they have is even more stressful.

4) And lastly, as always, plan for the unexpected. We know this seems counter-intuitive, but while your bridal couple knows about the people they’re inviting they don’t necessarily know about their guests’ dates. Thanks to most state and federal laws most buildings are handicap accessible in regards to walk-up ramps and restrooms. If your couple is planning to say their vows on the beach, however, you want to have a plan in place in case someone arrives who needs help. Organization and preparation are the keys to every successful wedding and event planner, and that means you! You know what they say: Expect the unexpected!

Do you have any tips for planning for the unexpected? Have you learned from experience what a wedding and event planner should be prepared for?

We know that as graduates of Lovegevity’s Wedding Planning Institute you dream of having a successful wedding and event-planning business of your own. Just like in any part of life it’s helpful to gather hints and learn from people who are living the dream! We welcome today’s guest writer, Nadia Digilov, a celebrated wedding and event planner in New York City. She has great insight into the trends for 2010, which you can pass on to your brides and clients this year as you plan their festivities!

Top 10 Wedding Trends for 2010
By Nadia Digilov, the founder and CEO of NYC event-production firm Celebrating in Style

Whether you are planning an ultra classic or a super modern wedding you can implement some elements of the trends that are happening this year in to your wedding day. Here are some of the latest styles in catering, decorations, flowers and much more!

1-Reception Venue: Transform a restaurant dining room into an ultra chic reception with the creative use of the right lighting. No longer do you need a family country club or a local catering hall that has already been used over and over again by friends and family!

2-The After Party: The after party is a great marriage of the old and new at one significant event. During the reception you will have traditional wedding customs such as your first dance and in some cases some religious traditions. The after party is pure music and dance and is usually held at a separate room that is transformed into an ultra chic lounge.

3-The Decor: The natural trend is still going strong this year, with the use of trees being a unique way to replace the traditional flower decorations. Candles hanging from the trees are a wedding classic, however, this year why not get creative and mix in a feeling of whimsy by add in ribbons and wind chimes.

4-Seated Dinner Twist: Consider serving some dishes family style and having your caterer arrange the platters on a couple of different levels. Serve your guests food rich in color, which adds a feeling of abundance, color and life to your wedding tables.

5-Late Night Surprise: Your guests will love you for some late night snacks after they dance up a storm and a hefty appetite. Just when the guests thought the food, was done have the caterer bring out some late night snacks like mini hotdogs, cheese and crackers!

6-The Bar: Last year we saw a whiskey and bourbon trend, the year before it was champagne, and the 2010 trend is tequila! Margaritas anyone? Impress your guests with non-traditional cocktails like cool refreshing blackberry mint or grapefruit basil martinis.

7-Cake Top: The classic bride & groom cake top has some competition this year. The trend of the year is to substitute the good ol’ cake top with gorgeous symbolic flowers, custom made by your florist at the cake top of your wedding cake.

8-The Wedding Dress: Add some color to your wedding dress with the use of flowers, head-pieces or jewelry. Check out the line of unique jewelry from Marie-Lise Lachapelle which incorporates real flowers such as orchids, pansies, and roses covered in gold, silver and lacquer to preserve the shape and color of the actual flower. These unique pieces can be worn as necklaces, earrings, or even pinned into the hair for a boho-chic look: http://marieliselachapelle.com

9-The First Dance: Many of brides are going back in time to the 1940’s for the music and are choosing the romantic classics such as “I’ll Be Seeing You Again” and “Moonlight Becomes You.”

10-Dessert Table: A candy table in place of a full Viennese table is a very hot trend for 2010. The traditional Viennese table is filled with heavy cakes, while a candy table is fun and arouses a feeling of adventure and youth in your guests! Who wouldn’t like that?

Nadia Digilov is New York’s premier luxury wedding expert and the founder and CEO of NYC event production firm Celebrating in Style, www.celebrating-instyle.com. After seven years on the trading floors of the largest investment banks on Wall Street, her passion for production led her to begin creating luxury events that leave a lasting impression. Since 2002 Nadia has created weddings, corporate events, concerts, trade shows, and marketing events in major cities around the world; including New York, Miami, Moscow, Tel Aviv and St. Petersburg.

One of the top reasons that brides turn to Lovegevity’s certified wedding and event planners is because they have great relationships with vendors. These relationships can equal big savings for couples, and they expect their wedding planner to know all the best vendors in the area. One of the hardest parts of planning a wedding is researching and interviewing vendors so that brides know they’re getting a good deal. As a wedding planner this is your job so it’s important to have a long list of friends in the wedding industry! Here are a couple of tips for establishing relationships with the wedding vendors in your surrounding area.

1. First things first. Get out and introduce yourself! Sure, phone calls are a great way to talk to someone, but a vendor is much more likely to trust you if they meet you face to face, or, put a face with a name you might say. Make a list, check it twice, and hit the pavement, including local bridal shows. If vendors know you and know you’ll bring them business they might carry your cards in their store and refer you to brides who stop by on their own. It’s a win-win situation.

2. Put your best face forward. In other words, act like a professional! Dress the part and talk the part. Research each vendor before you make contact with them. Know what their philosophy is. Know what their prices are. Ask them for pamphlets that you can keep in your folder. Professionalism goes a long way, and vendors will be more likely to recommend you if they know you’re serious about what you do.

3. Think beyond the obvious. You need to have a deep list of florists, caterers, photographers and musicians to recommend - the more you know the more likely you’re to have the perfect vendor for any bride’s budget. But there are other vendors to consider because you never know what a bride will request. Do you have any of these in your area? Consider ballroom-dance instructors, travel agents, insurance agents, and financial planners among others.

4. Make (and keep) appointments. Vendors are unlikely to turn away any bride who comes into their business, but it’s a lot easier on them when they’re expecting you. Consider giving them a bride’s budget in advance so they can prepare their presentation. They’ll appreciate the advance notice, and the bride is sure to get the best options for her day when everyone comes prepared.

5. Take notes. Some business people say there is no better advertising than through word-of-mouth. Referrals go a long way in the wedding world because every vendor-client relationship comes down to one thing: trust. When you work with a vendor for the first time take notes about their performance. What were their strong points? Weak points? What kind of bride do they work best with? All of this information can be invaluable when it comes to matching brides to vendors.

Good, strong vendors are the lifeline for every certified wedding and event planner. Knowing your area’s business community is the first step to planning a fabulous wedding.

What other suggestions do you have for the newest graduates of Lovegevity’s Wedding Planning Institute? What questions are important to ask? Do any of you experienced planners have any stories to share?

Gray and Yellow Palette for 2010

One of the first ways a bride sets the theme of her wedding is with her invitations. Everything about that single piece of paper conveys a message about a bride’s style: colors (classic or funky?); fonts (simple, whimsical, dramatic?); shape (horizontal and traditional? square and modern?); and even wording (funny? romantic?) As a certified wedding and event coordinator it’s a good idea to be up on wedding-industry trends, especially in the world of invitations. It shows a bride that no matter her style you know what’s what in the bridal world. Plus having suggestions at the ready for every style bride is a great way to show you’re, you know, coordinated!

Wedding Paper Divas, a leader of premium, personalized wedding stationery, has recently announced the top stationery trends for 2010. From the save-the-date cards to the post-wedding thank-you notes there are new themes and color choices to be had! Among the newest trends are:

Enchanting Forest for an Ethereal Feel

* Enchanting Forest: These invitations have an ethereal feel, with earth tones and pastel colors. They would be a gorgeous addition to any outdoor wedding. With their simple branches and birds they would give guests an idea that a bride is trying to achieve a natural setting; perfect for an early spring ceremony!

* Old Hollywood: Imagine a bridal party made up of Old Hollywood Glamour - pin curls and waves, bright red lips and form-fitting gowns. There’s a reason that Mad Men is all the rage right now, and brides can have a retro wedding but still fill it with glamour and class.

* Fresh color palettes: We’ve already discussed that turquoise is the IT color of 2010, and the perfect accompaniment? Orange! You can also expect brides to ask about violet (again with orange as the perfect accent), as well as paler colors such as champagne, pink (with vintage gold accents. *Sigh*) We at Lovegevity also expect a rise in a gray and yellow palette. Vintage is all the rage right now, and these two colors fit right in!

Old Hollywood Brings a Touch of Fun and Glamour

There is definitely a distinct business side to being a wedding and event planner. You have to know how to budget and how to find brides. There is definitely a fun and creative side to wedding and event planning, too! The instructors at the Lovegevity Wedding Planning Institute can teach you everything you need to know, but it’s up to you to stay on top of the trends (but this falls into the fun category!) There will always be traditional, classic weddings to plan, but there are brides who like to run with the pack and ones who like to forge their own path. Keep these great new ideas in mind as 2010 weddings start to take shape. An invitation is the perfect place to begin working out a wedding theme, and all the choices in stationery make this a fun place to begin. Help your brides get their creative juices flowing with some of these great ideas!