Fashionable Tales of a CIncinnati Wedding Planner

Cincinnati Wedding Magazine

I found one of Elegant Event's wedding in Cincinnati Magazine.  I wanted to share.  Pictures by one of my very favorite, Broadway Photography.  
Lovely couple!

 

nationbridalmart.com

Love going to Bridal Market!  Visit Bridal Market.  It is so worth the trip.  You get  sneak peek into the bridal market, new trends, what's hot.  And who doesn't want to spend a few days in Chicago!   

Perfect Holiday Picture

I rarely do personal blog entries but this pic I had to share.  This is my nephew and I am in love with the expression on his face!  Don't you agree.  Elegant Events will be taking a bit of time off over the next couple of weeks.  Here's to wonderful parties, safe trips, and time with family!

I haven't made it up this early in the morning to watch this but I might have to now.  I have already mentioned before how much I love Colin and now he will be hosting Get Married!

tastebook.com great wedding shower gift

Love this!  Perfect shower gift.  I'd love to make one of these for each of my siblings of our mom's and grandmother's best recipes! 

 

We started with a very simple idea—to remix the cookbook. As a group of food-loving, culinary junkies who aspire to become great cooks someday, we set out to create the perfect cookbook:

• A personal cookbook that reflects individual tastes, cultures, and culinary aspirations.
• A fresh cookbook that's never frozen. You can add more recipes whenever you want.
• A collaborative cookbook that's made with a little help from your friends.

We knew we had something, except for one small detail—where would the recipes come from? Sure, we all have a funky folder in our kitchen with our tried-and-true recipes. But how would we turn those recipes into cookbooks and how would we get our online faves from the computer screen to the printed page?

The answer was easy: Partner with top chefs, cookbook authors, and some of the best recipe web sites, including Epicurious, Allrecipes, Food Network, MyRecipes, Better Recipes, Food & Wine, and Better Homes and Gardens. TasteBook now features more than 100,000 tested recipes from professional chefs and home cooks alike, and magazines such as Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Cooking Light, Oxmoor House, Sunset, Southern Living, and Coastal Living.

And then we took it one step further. Why not pair up with cookbook authors, editors, and bloggers, call them Guest TasteMakers, and have them create TasteBooks anyone can order or remix themselves? Oh, and yes, we definitely wanted to be able to add recipes from that funky folder. Now that's tasty.

Introducing TasteBook - the easiest way to collect, organize, and share your favorite recipes so you can create stunning personal cookbooks.

Colin Cowie Wedding Chic- love this new book

Had a terrible crush on this most gracious man for over 10 years now.  He is incredible talented but truly so gracious.  Just had the opportunity to hear him again in Newport Beach CA in November.  I think that is maybe 5 times for me now, maybe 6.  Can't get enough of him!  He had his new book there too, called Colin Cowie Wedding Chic.  It's a must have for my wedding book collection! 

"Brimming witht he kind of stype that has made Colin the number oone wedding planner in the world, Colin Cowie Wedding Chic finally gathers alll of the options in on edazzling place.  With photographs of more that 1001, gorgeous details, it  is simply the most comprehensive, varied, and beautiful resource a bride-to-be could ever wish for- regardless of her budget."

Historic Brown Hotel

Got to tell you...love the Brown Hotel in Lousiville Kentucy.  If you have never been, you shold make a trip to see it.  And Thursday night they really pulled out all stops for the Kentucky branch of the Association of Bridal Consultants. What a great time we had!  And the food was amazing. Thank you Jeri stewart at the Brown for giving us such a wonderful evening.  It was the perfect way for the Kentucky ABC to end our year!  I just love spending time with other professional planners! 

It was nice taking the EEE (Elegant Events by Elisa ) team down this time too. They worked hard for EEE this year, especially this past fall and a night of celebration was well deserved.   Good luck to all of us for 2009!!! 

Bagettes.com Great bridesmaid gifts

I just think these are way to cute...I want one!
"Find a photo of you with your bridesmaids as kids and a more recent picture for the 2nd side of the make-up bag, add a personal message and It's sure to be a big hit. Whether they scream or cry, you'll know you've have created something very special for your Bridesmaids gifts."

Friday night home

First Friday night home in a long time.  I am already curled up under the blankets and plan to stay that way as long as I can...the end of a good week.  I did book a wedding this week of someone in the industry.  It'a always a special honor when you get to work for someone in the business.  I got a lovely e-mail from my last bride thanking Elegant Events for our all we did.  I heard from my second to last bride that she is back from her honeymoon and her groom has a job interview. And now, I am enjoying a bit of Scotch, a gift from 3 father of the brides' ago.  All such lovely memories.  All is well in my little world  of weddings...now for some rest.

PajamaGram.com

Okay...don't know why but I love the idea of sending or receiving pagamas in the mail.  How cute are these?  What a great gift idea!  Check out pajamagram.com .  They have some really cute stuff for the holidays too. 

Master Bridal Consultant (tm)

A true hight light for me personally and professionally at the conference was achieving the distinction of Master Bridal Consultant(tm) by the Assoc. of Bridal Consultant.  It was quite a process to put together my presentation.  I had to sit before 3 other master consultants and present a wedding I had done in the last 3 years.  I had to show my skill set, submit letters of recommendations, show budgets, time lines, contracts and pictures pertaining to the specific event.  Before I could even present before this panel I had to submit a portfolio showing all my marketing materials and proof education, training, etc.  This documentation is judged by a point system and to try for my master I had to document over 100 points in specific categories.  Once this portfolio was approved then I was eligible to present at conference.  It was an extremely tense process.  I was in the hot seat.  "So Elisa, tell us why you feel you deserve the prestigious title of master bridal consultant?"   I had never been more relieved when the presentation was over and then had to wait a day before being told whether or not I had made it.  (Yippee!  I have to say, it's been a long time coming.  I joined ABC in 1997, got my PBC (professional bridal consultant) distinction in 2000, my CSEP (certified special event professional) through ISES (the international special event society) in 2003, my ABC (accredited bridal consultant) in 2006 and now my master!!!  I owe so much to many that mentored me and that continue to inspire me today.  Two that I must mention, Teddy Lenderman MBC(tm) and Frank Andonoplas MBC(tm).

I am thrilled that the ABC 2009 Business of Brides Conference will be in Indy!!! What a great town and since it is so close, many of us midwest ABC members will be able to attend.  I was thrilled to be able to come back from CA pre-registered for myself and my lead assistant Debbie-it was a surprize birthday present to her.  After 10 years will Elegant Events, I am looking forward to taking her to conference as my guest. 

2008 ABC conference in Newport Beach

What a great time we had!  Conference is always so much more than the education classes!  I did attend many of them and will be blogging about them in the next few days but the best part of conference is the pure "inspiration" I recieve from being there with so many in my industry. 

We are from all over the world, all different levels of experience but we all have one thing in common...we love weddings!  I get such a charge answering questions from eager new novice members who just can't wait to get their businesses going, who want to learn, who want to do it right, who are there to get the education to become true professionals.  (Sort of opposite of so many so called planners you run in to that just did their kid sister's wedding and now claim to be a wedding planner.  They may be able to claim planner but not professional and that's what this industry supports, professional, trained, qualified wedding planners.)

I too love the opportunity to sit with the seasoned pros!  (Can't believe I find myself apart of this group, now with over 10 years doing this professionally) They are an amazing group of people that share they experience, their expertise, and their continued passion for the industry.  I love knowing many of these people and am honored to now call many of them friends.  Imagine, to learn from the best of the best, that is my true inspiration.