Best of 2013 Dejanae Events Style!

What an amazing year 2013 has been for the Dejanae Events Team! 

The year started off with us learning that Dejanae Events was named Best of Weddings 2013 in the wedding coordinators category for the 4th time!  I can't thank our clients enough for the wonderful reviews!  Then we went right into the planning the kick-off of Inspire Smart Success Experience Tour in Chicago at the InterContinental Hotel in mid-January.  This was the seconded time Stacie Francombe, the Founder of ISS, entrusted us in bringing this awesome educational experience to Chicago.

Then we headed into February as the event planner for Wedding Guide Chicago's annual industry event called, WEDBash.  What an honor to bring over 250+ industry professionals to Pinstripes Oak Brook to celebrate successes and prepare for the upcoming 2013 wedding season.  I'm so thankful to the 22 sponsors that assisted in making the event a total success!

Just as the planning of industry events came to an end, the first of 19 weddings took place on March 9th and continued with the last being held on Sunday, December 15th.  And then the Editor of Pretty Pear Bride featured the wedding of Michael and Hareder in their spring issue and the features just kept coming!  The Real Wedding of Nikkol and Dion was featured in Chicago Style Weddings in July and the Real Wedding of Amaka and Hugh was featured in Wedding Guide Chicago in December.   And if it couldn't get any better than that, I was afforded the opportunity to work with an amazing team of vendors to bring my Partyscape, Urban Tranquility, to life!

But the BEST part of this year...was being named Best of Weddings 2014 in the Wedding Coordinators category which now places us in the The Knot's Hall of Fame with 5 wins!!!  And last, we held WEDologyEDU - Winter 2013 at Flossmoor Country Club and it was our most successful workshop yet with the launch of the new coursebook! What an amazing 2013!!!  I'm just so thankful!!!

Keep your eye out for plenty more useful wedding planning posts and Real Wedding features in 2014!!!

Until next time...Happy New Year and WEDologize!

Color of 2014: Radiant Orchid

Once I heard it from Pantone, I was elated!  The Color of the Year for 2014 is Radiant Orchid and works perfectly into wedding planning and design.  It's a great color in florals and attire and you will actually see it pop up in wedding accessories even more.  Take a look at the inspiration board we put together in celebration of this gorgeous color...Radiant Orchid!

And check out some of the colors that pair beautifully with the gorgeous color of 2014.  I especially love the combo using Pastel Yellow and Coral.  Which happen to be your fav?

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits: bouquet - weddbook.com; gown - agapage.com; centerpiece - theknot.com; cake - pinterest.com; toasting flutes - Wedgewood for Vera Wang; tablescape - recycledbride.com; color chart - pinkchocolatebreak.com)

2014 Postage Rate Increase

Get your Forever stamps for Save The Dates and wedding invitations before the postage rate increase takes effect on January 26, 2014.  The First-Class stamp is not increasing by one cent but by THREE CENTS!!!  See the details below:

• Letters (1 oz.) — 3-cent increase to 49 cent.  This stamp will be used for most Save The Dates and the reply card envelope.
• Letters additional ounces —  1-cent increase to 21 cents.  This stamp will be on the outer envelope for most wedding invitations.  So the cost will go from $.66 to $.70 to mail a complete invitation suite.
• Letters to all international destinations (1 oz.) — $1.15
• Postcards — 1-cent increase to 34 cents

STOCK UP NOW!  Just think, if you are mailing on average 100 wedding invitation suites w/ a reply card and envelope, the cost will be $1.19 per household/invitation for a total cost of $119.00 just on postage.

Until next time...WEDologize!

CSW Article: Wedding Consultants Inspire

When it comes to planning a wedding, plenty of details can be overlooked when you don't have a professional wedding planner on board to assist throughout the process.  I was asked by Chicago Style Weddings to offer a bit of advice to couple planning on of the most memorable days of their life.  Check it out:

Last May, Dejanae Events planned a "Winter Wonderland" wedding with a royal blue, platinum and white palette that colored the attire and linen selections.  Crystals and exquisite white flowers lavished the table centerpieces, blue up-lighting and soft organza fabric adorned the walls and gobo snowflakes glowed on the dance floor.  Often, the invitation sets the tone for the these and other stationery continues the motif.  For the Winter Wonderland event, petite snowflakes graced the invitations, ceremony programs, place cards, table numbers and menu cards.  "Following a theme gives couples an avenue to funnel ideas, " says Desiree Moore Dent, president and lead planner of Dejanae Events.  "It also can alleviate the stress of filtering out to many suggestions, especially with so many websites presenting a plethora of possibilities."

 
Until next time...WEDologize!

CSW Real Wedding: Niki and Dion

The DE Team is so excited to share the Real Wedding of Nikkol Palmer and Dion Turley featured under the Vendor Spotlight in Chicago Style Weddings.  I was delighted when the lovely Niki hired Dejanae Events to plan her and Dion's September wedding.  But what was most exciting was their color palette of Tiffany blue, apple red and white.  Take look at how it all came together at Flossmoor Country Club:

Below are some addtional photos of thise gorgeous wedding color scheme:

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits - Rush Event Photography and Video Productions)

...I Found It, You Pin It...Friday

Now you talk about adding a monogram to your wedding!  Go BIG or go home is the idea behind these gorgeous trimmed shrubs symbolizing this couples union.  What a unique...heck AWESOME idea!  WOW Factor indeed!

 
Until next time...PIN IT and WEDologize!

(photo credit - Martha Stewart Weddings)

Riding From Your Wedding in Style

Planning your wedding ceremony or reception exit?  Well don't forget the vehicle you depart in can become an awesome photo op.  Yes, the transportation is important, but what about decorating it with whimsy to showcase your wedding style.  Take look at some of these fun ideas that in some cases, you could even make for yourself with a few sheets of cardstock, ribbon and a hot glue gun.  Enjoy!

 
Until next time...WEDologize

(photo credits - Etsy.com; Weddbook.com; Birds of a Feather; Peach and Pearl; Martha Stewart Weddings)

Wedding Weekend Fun!

The days of one celebration for a wedding are long gone.  Most couples find themselves planning and attending several activities over the wedding weekend.  From a welcome party to rehearsal dinner or even a tour of the city, putting together an itinerary of all activities will keep guests informed of times, dates and locations.  Plus they make a nice accent to welcome bags. 

Take a look at a few varieties of wedding weekend itineraries and what should be included:

The addition of fun icons with brief text, makes this wedding itinerary
signature and extremely easy to read and understand.  It's compact size makes it
easy to punch, attach ribbon and tie to the handle of your welcome bags.

This detailed, booklet-style wedding weekend itinerary includes everything
from activities to transportation options.  Also note that the websites are
included to make "registration" easy for the guests. 
This would make a wonderful addition to your wedding invitation suite.

A more detailed, one-page itinerary to include hotel accommodations,
plus a map noting the various locations for activities.  This could be tied with some
nice ribbon or raffia and placed into the welcome bags.

Until next time...WEDologize

(Photo credits: JetFete Blog; ScottiCline Designs; Luster Designs)