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/.

Celebrity weddings are all about personalization and absolute attention to detail. Nothing can be overlooked and every opportunity to make the wedding personal to your celebrity client is what is expected from the wedding extravagant clientele.

The celebrity clients that I have dealt with are always looking for the “Wow Factor” when it comes to entertainment and décor for their weddings. Thinking in new media and layering décor concepts are how to please the tastes of this client.

Using light is an important aspect of obtaining the ambience and visual touches that will make the décor really pop. With large budgets spent on floral arrangements, I never miss the opportunity to have them pin spotted. Use of plasma screens to display portraits rather than traditional prints and incorporated music videos and multimedia presentations by the specialized entertainment are all additional ways to cater to the luxurious tastes of celebrity weddings.

And lastly, a professional Master of Ceremonies is always on my list of must-haves for my clients. True professional entertainment is the best way to ensure a harmonious incorporation of planning and entertainment. They are the director to our craftily composed wedding reception.

Chad Wandel is a classical violinist, an award-winning videographer, the founder of Artistic Image Weddings in Arlington, Texas, President of the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter of the American Disc Jockey Association, and a Certified Wedding Planner and Instructor for The Wedding Planning Institute’s How to Become a Wedding Planner certification course at the University of Texas Arlington.