Ten Steps to Start Planning Your Wedding

Now that you are engaged and we have told you a few things to keep in mind before you begin planning, I'm sure you are wondering where to begin. Planning a wedding, no matter how large or small, is a production like no other. Unless you are an event planner or someone who just enjoys this sort of thing, it will quickly consume your life and you will be quickly counting the days for it to end, simply due to the overwhelming feeling that you are feeling. I know it is easy for me to say because I plan events all the time, but as long as you stay on top of things, it will be smooth sailing!! But before we can get to the end, we must start at the beginning. So, here are ten steps to start planning your wedding….

1. Set a budget- This is the first and most important step. Unless you are blessed with a bottomless Tory Burch, Michael Kors, or Louis Vuitton, you must have the conversation with your parents, your family, your fiancé, etc. to decide who will be contributing and how much. There is no reason to begin looking at anything without knowing what you have to spend.

2. Choose 2-3 possible dates- To be safe, it is always important to have a few potential dates chosen. Base your date on an important date to you, a preferred time of year, vacation plans, etc. Even football season here in the South can deter guests from attending a wedding unless you're planning to show the game at your reception.

3. Begin your guest list- Even though you may want to invite everyone you have every known, your guest count is important for multiple reasons. For starters, your venue capacity, catering menu (per person costs), stationary budget, the list goes on and on. Knowing who are "must haves" and having that count will help to determine how many "wants" and "sorta wants" to invite.  For example, if your list already contains 100 "must haves" and your budget is $30,000, you theoretically have $300 to spend per guest. Once you take other expenses (your dress, flowers, band/dj/ photography, etc), that number will lessen and you will easily see how many people you can comfortably add.

4. Decide on the style/feel of your wedding-  I know the word "theme" sounds so cheesy and sends people running for the hills, but everyone has a distinct wedding style and there are so many to choose from. Whether it is a style (glam, preppy, rustic, southern, etc.) or based on a specific color scheme, there is a vision you have in mind for your wedding. You don't have to plan each detail, but have an idea or focus of what you want so that you can move forward in your planning.

5. Decide what is important- Most checklists tell you to book your venue here. While that is a very  important and logical next step, we at Over the Top want you to take a moment to discuss with your fiancé what is most important to y'all. Sometimes it is the venue, but sometimes it is the photographer, the videographer, the caterer, etc. One local videographer I have worked with can be booked almost 2 years out. Securing one vendor may determine the date for the wedding and if you book a venue too quickly, it may result in missing the one vendor that is the most important thing to you.

6. Start researching- Once you have decided on steps 1-4, it is time to start doing some research. Start researching the thing (vendor) that is most important to you, as well as top venues (if that is not the most important thing) and begin scheduling appointments. These are the most important things to have booked- contacts signed and deposits made- before proceeding with the remainder of your wedding planning.

7. Keep researching- If you have not considered hiring a wedding planner at this point, now is a good time to consider it. Wedding planners can be invaluable to you. Many consider it to be an extra cost, but it should be factored into the budget, just like flowers and food. I will be posting about this soon, but for now I will leave it at that.

Moving on, now is the time to begin researching and interviewing your remaining vendors to round out your wedding day needs. These typically include: florist, baker, entertainment, caterer/liquor, photographer, videographer, rentals, transportation, stationary/invitations, tux rental, hair/make-up, favors, etc. Each vendor tends to have their own style and something to offer. Use word of mouth and references to help guide you, in addition to your own research. It is a general rule to thumb to never interview more than three in any one category. Once you meet with a vendor and know what they have to offer compared to what you want and need, an easy decision on who to hire usually follows.

8. Hire your remaining vendors- Once all meetings are done, it is time for decisions. Continue on with signing contracts and making deposits. Some of these must be done in order. For example: you can't visit a rental company before you know the venue and what you will need to rent. You probably can however visit a rental company before you visit the bakery because adding a cake stand later tends to not be a big deal. But you can make sure the said rental company isn't already renting out to four other weddings in town on your wedding day.

9. Design Details- Now that vendors are booked, they are going to start wondering exactly what they are going to be doing, especially the ones who are expected to create something. Now is the time to begin looking deeper into your initial wedding style for specific inspiration and details you want. Pull pages from magazines, make a new boards on Pinterest, anything you need to do to start your collection to show. Vendors can't read your mind and everyone's own definition of a single concept can end up in disaster and an unhappy bride. Visual cues and inspiration help to keep everyone on the same page.

10. Wedding Dress Shopping- The day every little girl dreams of! Well, most every little girl…. My piece of advice to you- be choosy about who you take with you when shopping. Your mother is not going to want to miss this day and it is good manners to also invite your future mother-in-law. Your sister(s), future sister(s)-in-law may appreciate an invitation, and best friend/maid/matron of honor also may like to come, but bringing your entire bridal party tends to be unnecessary for multiple reasons. You don't want to take away from the special-ness of the moment with your mother, but you also don't want to open yourself up to 25 opinions by having a posse with you. A way to include everyone in this is to invite your bridesmaids to a fitting once the dress is decided upon. It is your choice who to invite, but it is important to think it through before issue invites freely. Wedding dresses typically take a long time to come in and almost always need alterations, so it is a good idea to start on this task early.

Remember that no matter what step in the process you're at, take a deep breath and take one step at a time. It will all come together and will work out beautifully!!!

XO,
Brittany

Wedding Season is Upon Us

Now that I have spent some time and a few blog posts focused on a super fun and super girly clamping party, I want to devote some time to the basics of wedding planning. Over the course of the next few weeks and over multiple posts, I hope to help those of you who are newly engaged and about to begin the exciting journey from Miss to Mrs.

My first post will focus on 10 things that are important to know (and to not forget) before starting and to hang on to while planning your wedding.

1. You don’t have to hire vendors that are all in the same immediate location that your wedding is occurring in. Most cities have other cities/towns that surround them, right? In Fairhope, most of us have the mindset to use only vendors in Fairhope and there are some great vendors here. BUT depending on your needs, you may need to look to Mobile, Pensacola, Mississippi, or even New Orleans for vendors. Often times, vendors will travel up to a 45-mile radius without an extra charge and depending on how much farther it is, there may be little to no extra charge incurred.  

2. You want to hire vendors who you feel close to- who feel like they’re your friends. You’re going to be spending a long time with them- you want to be comfortable and have fun with your vendors! Well, I didn’t even consider this when hiring my vendors… BIG mistake. Fun shouldn't be a deciding factor when hiring vendors. It is true that you want to feel comfortable with your vendors, but there are more important factors to consider, such as professionalism, experience, style that matches your vision, and ability to properly communicate your needs and wants. 

3. When researching vendors, you can’t compare “apples to apples”. Why not? Because everyone is different. Everyone has different levels of experience, different services, different packages. Yes, it makes it tough to make a decision, but if you end up comparing “apples to apples”, you’re doing yourself a disservice, because you’re most likely going to end up with the short end of the stick. For example, you may hire a photographer because they were the cheaper option out of everyone you meet with. Yet you will still ended up paying what the others were priced at by the time everything was said and done. 

4. Know your options! It’s totally fine to meet with a few different vendors- you need to know your options so you can make an informed decision! Don’t feel bad about it. But at the same time, don’t get too carried away with the options. A good rule of thumb: do your research first, and then schedule consultations with your top 3 options.

5. Having a huge bridal party isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. Yep, I said it. And this new trend of "honorary" bridesmaids is just an excuse to add more bridesmaids to an already high number. Having more members of your bridal party does not guarantee that you will have more helpers. In fact, it can almost always ensure a bigger headache trying to coordinate them all.

6. Read your contracts! Yeah, I know- it’s kinda boring. But when you don't, you may not have a photographer to capture your exit or your wedding planner may not be on site at your ceremony. Make sure what you’re expecting is what you’re actually getting. Which leads me to…

7. Communicate with your vendors. The thing is, you want to communicate with your vendors- about everything. Share with them what your vision is for your wedding. What you are expecting out of them, and how you want your wedding to be. And you know what? If anything, it helps everyone involved in your wedding! 

8. Prioritize….and DON'T Procrastinate! When you first pick a date or are trying to decide on a date or are beginning with your budget in mind, always start with the thing that is most important to you and your fiancé. It may be the location, the food, the photography. Whatever you feel is the most important and you can't live without, book that first and work around that. Also, as your wedding gets closer, whatever you can do ahead of time- do it! Don't wait to do anything that can be done earlier. The closer you get, the faster time will go!

9. Don’t be afraid to do things differently. Do what you want- what reflects YOU. Don't be afraid to think outside of the box, even for little things like menus and favors! They will end up being your  favorite things about your wedding because they were your ideas that you was able to create and reflected you!

10. First looks are GOOD things. Seriously. You will cherish these moments and photos for a lifetime. While the wedding and celebration with family and friends are amazing, the real point of the day is the marriage of the two of you. Don't miss out on capturing this. 

Glamping Party

Finally….Here are the setup and layout pictures from the Glamping Party in January for a very special 7 year old's birthday party!! I know y'all have anticipated the final product after the other posts regarding the initial planning stages and tent how to…. Well, here it is! :)

Location-  The Lodge at Oak Hollow, Fairhope, AL

Food- Dinner: Pizza from Papa John's, Fairhope, AL
          Breakfast: Cereal Bar and Milk

Cake- Wendy Hays, Spanish Fort, AL

Favors: Tents, made by me and Personalized Appliquéd Pillowcases, made by The Royal Princess

Activities: Beauty Bar for hair and nails, Mani/Pedi Station, and S'Mores

All paper goodies (invites, trail mix labels, tent tags, birthday banner, framed signs) and s'mores kits made by Over the Top Events (me!).

I can't emphasize how much fun this party was!!! The girls and moms who stayed had a blast!!! Enjoy! :)

XO,

Brittany

Julie and Jonathan's After Rehearsal Dinner, Wedding and Reception

I guess I have been so busy with work that I have gotten behind on posting! Here are photos from an after-rehearsal dinner, wedding and reception we were privileged to be a part of in November 2013. When we were contacted in September for an initial meeting, a date had not even been set. We met with our potential bride on September 12 and in 9 short weeks, Julie and Jonathan were married on November 16!! Julie aspired to a very glamorous French themed wedding with a neural color palette and I think we achieved just that! While there were traditional elements, there were quite a few things that she wanted that were unique, such as a crepe cake at her reception. This is by far one of the most beautiful weddings I have had the honor to work on and it turned out beautiful, if I do say so myself. I have been doing this for a long time and judging by the photos, I would bet that people would never believe that we started from scratch and made this happen in just 9 weeks. Enjoy :)

After-Rehearsal Dinner:

Location and Catering:
Tamara's Downtown, Fairhope, AL
Flowers- Fresh Market, Daphne, AL

***Photo Credit- In the above collage, JFay Photography- First row, Second photo, Second Row, second and fourth photos, and third row, second photo.*** 

Wedding and Reception:

Location and Catering- The Venue, Fairhope, AL
Bakery- Sweet Beach Bakery, Gulf Shores, AL
Photography- JFay Photography, Robertsdale, AL
Rentals- Port City Rentals, Mobile, AL
Draping and Lighting- Southern Sounds, Daphne, AL
Entertainment- Rockin' Dopsie and the Zydeco Twisters, New Orleans, LA
Florist- Southern Veranda, Fairhope, AL

 ***Photo Credit- All Photos in above collage by JFay Photography.***

XO,

Brittany

Glamping Tents

I survived the glamping party!! We had 24 girls at the party (which was much higher than the typical attendance rate!) and they all had a BLAST!!! I will be posting more photos and other details later, but for now, I want to focus on the tents as I promised in my last post. I succeeded in making each girl their own tent! They were able to sleep in them and take them home as part of their favor. Their other favors were trail mix, personalized pillow cases, and flashlights, all of which were huge hits at the party!

Here is a panoramic shot of the tents before the girls arrived

Now, on to the most important part- how to make these tents!! It really was easy.... Well, as easy as sewing and drilling can be. So, lets get started!!

Here is what you will need for a tent:

(roughly) 2.5 yards of material (44" wide, 85.5" long)
coordinating thread
4- 5" long x 3/4" wide elastic strips
4- 1"x2"x48"whitewood moulding pieces
1- 3/4"x 48" dowel rod
drill with 3/4" spade bit
Household extras: measuring tape, pencil, sewing pins, iron, scissors

Now.... Let's get started!

1. Choose your fabric. Most fabrics come 44" wide. Make sure to measure your length to 85.5 and cut accordingly, as straight as possible.
Here are the fabrics I chose to use to match the invitation and other elements of the party:

2. Once your fabric is at the right length, it is time to pin the edges in preparation of sewing the hem. I am not a sew-er, so I find it much easier to iron the edges before pinning for maximum straightness. A one inch hem on either side is good for these and most times, I would fold half an inch, then fold over again another half an inch to make sure it was straight before I pinned it because the cuts were usually not straight. Here are a few photos of this taking place:

3. Once pinned, you are ready to sew! Now, it is just a basic straight line on the sewing machine. Once all four sides are sewn, attach your elastics to each corner. These will be used to attach to the 1x2s used as the legs of your tent. There is no special method for sewing these other than just going back and forward multiple times to ensure they are attached extremely well. 

4. Now that the tent cover is done, time to move on to the frame of the tent. This is very important--- From the top of each of the 4 1x2 whitewood pieces, measure across and mark at 1" and measure and mark 6" down with your pencil. This should give you a center mark 6" down and indicate exactly where you should drill. Now, put on your safety glasses, pick up your drill, and get to work! 

5. Once your holes are drilled, place two of the whitewood pieces on top of each other with the holes lined up. Push the dowel through the holes-- Warning-- it will be a tight fit. You may need to use a rubber mallet to help it through. Be very careful if you need to "help" the dowel in and DO NOT use a hammer. Repeat this on the other side. Then spread the tent legs to desired width. Due to our tents being on concrete, we added a screw on both sides at the top, right at the "X" where the "legs" cross to hold it at the desired open width. 

5. Now, put your tent cover on and slip the elastic through the legs of your tent and ENJOY!!

XO,

Brittany

Glamping Party Planning.... The beginning

We at Over the Top Weddings and Events hope that all of you had a very Merry Christmas! We all did and are still playing with our kiddos and recovering from the madness. Now that the Christmas rush is over, it is time for me to focus my attention to Annaleise's 7th birthday party! For all of you parents of little ones with January birthdays, you feel my pain here. About the time that we are able to catch our breath from Christmas, we have to go into full on party planning mode. For me, I stay in that mode due to the career path I chose, but it is different when it is your own event, I promise! I usually try to begin my planning mid-summer (I know, I know! It's the event planner in me!), but in between finishing up grad school in 16 months (graduation just happened on December 14! Whew!) as well as running my business- both the wedding and event side and our new stationery side, and the holidays that seemed to sneak up on me this year, I am running a bit later than normal. But, back to the matter at hand- the impending birthday party! Just like every year, I am so (so, so, so, so, so) excited about the theme! This year, we will be Glamping! What better theme for 6 and 7 year old girls?! I have a vision of a huge slumber party that involves hair, make-up, s'mores, a hay ride, tents, and lots of giggling and fun. I will be posting over the next few weeks to take you all step by step through my planning for this party. The main components are already taken care of- date, time, and theme. Moreover, I have already designed the invitation (preview below), which almost always sets the color scheme for my events. I also have the perfect venue booked, but more on that later!

At this point, I think we will be inviting about 35 girls. A good rule of thumb is around half will show up. I typically plan for about 75% because people are not the best at RSVPing and siblings tend to get added in, especially at a co-ed party. Last year at the Carnival party, my philosophy was the more the merrier. This year... not so much. Notice that I gave a deadline on RSVPing on the invitation. I do this a lot on my own events because I usually include personalized elements. Sometimes this helps, sometimes it doesn't. But it doesn't hurt to add it on there. This year, I have a lot of great ideas, many of them personalized, and my head count matters. I'm afraid I will be "that mom" that sends texts, emails, or makes a quick phone call to try to get a close as possible at least a week before the party. 

First up is one part of the favors! As I have stated many times, the favors are probably my most favorite part of a party. I love to have a memento to take home with me to remember a grand event, but I also love one that is either theme oriented or functional. This time, I am striving for both. I am (attempting) to make each girl their own A-frame tent as part of their favor. These tents will be made in a variety of fabrics that match the color scheme, as well as provide decoration at the party. They will be set up prior to arrival and will be the perfect size for each girl to unroll their sleeping bag inside of to sleep in as the night winds down. It will also serve as something fun to take home to play in and "camp" at home. I am planning to begin these tomorrow, so watch for my next post with pictures to see how they turn out and how easy (I hope!!) they are to make!

I also plan to take you through other elements of planning as well. Other favors, selection of other party elements, and all the fun things that will make this glamping party take shape and come together. I have a massive checklist and less than a month to complete it all. Please wish me luck and plenty of sleep filled nights! Or at least lots of caffeine!

XO,

Brittany

Backyard BBQ Engagement Party

This engagement party was thrown for one of the coaches at Crossfit Eastern Shore and his bride-to-be.  It was a co-ed engagement party with a backyard BBQ theme. BBQ with a nacho bar was served and mason jars with personalized koozies were given as functional favors to the guests.

Venue- Crossfit Eastern Shore, Daphne, AL
Catering- Moe's BBQ, Daphne, AL
Lighting- Southern Sounds, Daphne, AL
Rentals- Port City Rentals, Mobile, AL
Flowers- Fresh Market, Daphne, AL
Koozies- Alter Ego Screen Printing, Fairhope, AL

Baker Halloween Spooktacular

We had so much fun with this party! It was a Halloween party thrown for the Baker's children and their friends, ranging in ages from 10-13. While the idea was to be spooky without being super scary, it was a fun decorating project for us. Lots of ravens, pumpkins, and skulls were the inspiration. The party included pumpkin bowling, a bonfire, and a hayride.

Venue and Catering- The Lodge at Oak Hollow, Fairhope, AL
Photo Booth- Magic Memories, Mobile, AL

Positive Changes are Happening!

Here at Over the Top Weddings and Events, we have some very exciting changes taking places! Not only have we added custom stationery to our company, but we have launched a new website! We will continue to update this blog with our events and other information, but will we also begin to add insider tips, trends, and tricks for wedding and event planning. Additionally, our new website will combine our events and stationery into one place. So, here is an easy break down on where to find what you are looking for:

• Our new website: www.overthetopfairhope.com- 
• This site will have all of our wedding and event information and packages, as well our our event portfolio photos. It will also have our stationery with printing prices, which is available for local pickup or shipping. At some point in the (hopefully near) future, we will add a digital file option should a customer want to print their own. 
• We are trying our best to upload stationery to this site as quickly as possible. If there is something you want that is not posted, please contact us. We also create custom orders.
• Our blog: http://ottevents.blogspot.com-
• This blog will have all of our wedding and event information and packages, as well as our portfolio photos. We will begin to add tips and tricks to event planning and trends. There will be links to our website and Etsy page on our blog.
• Our Etsy page: www.etsy.com/shop/overthetopextras-
• Currently, our Etsy page has stationery available in the form of digital files only for you to print yourself or take to a copy shop to print. At some point in the (hopefully near) future, we will add a printing option, but presently, this page focuses only on digital stationery files. 
• Once we complete the "construction" process of our new website, the files on our website will be identical to the files on our Etsy page. The only difference (for a time) may be use printing the product for you (our website) vs. you purchasing the digital file (Etsy). 

Of course, we are more than happy to answer any questions or help direct you to make sure you find exactly what you are looking for! Please email us (ottweddingsandevents@gmail.com) or call (251.786.0597) and we are happy to assist you.

We are very excited about what lies ahead for us and look forward to better serving our customers in the future.

Laura's Baby Shower

Location- Private Residence, Daphne, AL
Cake- Couture Cakes, Daphne, AL
Paper Products (Invitations, Favor tags, banner)- Over the Top Extras, Fairhope, AL

Favorite Things Party- The Perfect Girls Night In!

Alright, y'all.... This has been one of my favorite parties of all time. I have attached the photos from it and I hope you can tell how much fun we had!
Here is how it works: Each person picks their favorite things that is $6 or under. Once the item is chosen, each person brings 5 to exchange. Upon arrival, you add your name to the martini glass 5 times. Then someone starts by telling why they chose the item they did, as well as draws 5 names for those people to receive the item. The last person to be drawn goes next and so on.
We had a blast!! This party will definitely be repeated!!

Exciting News!!

Hello Everyone,

I am very excited to announce that Over the Top Weddings and Events has now expanded to paper party goodies! Please check out our shop on Etsy. We are adding new things each day and are happy to accept custom orders. Most items are digital, which allows you the freedom to print where ever and how ever many you want!

I have made no secret that my favorite thing at a party/event is the favor, so of course we have favor tags, invitations, water bottle labels, thank you notes, etc. Please check us out, tell a friend, and give us a holler if we can create something just for you!!

Love,
The Over the Top Team

Sarah and Tim

Ceremony- St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Mobile, AL
Reception and Catering- The Country Club of Mobile, Mobile, AL
Photographer- Jeff Tesney Photography, Mobile, AL
Entertainment- Musical Fantasy, Mobile, AL
Florist- Ron Barrett, Zimlich Bros., Mobile, AL
Bakery- Rose Pollman, Mobile, AL
Lighting- Showbiz Theatrical Services, Mobile, AL
Rentals- Port City Rentals, Mobile, AL
Photo Booth- Snaps Photo Booth, Mobile, AL
Transportation- Gulf Coast Tours, Mobile, AL

Under the Big Top Carnival Party

Location- Private Residence, Fairhope, AL
Rentals-
     Bounce House, Tables, Chairs, Linens, Food Supplies- Gulf Coast Party Rentals, Daphne, AL
     Other (Concessions, red/white tables, ticket booth, etc)- Over the Top Events, Fairhope, AL

Brooks and Laura

Location- The Old Place, Gautier, MS
Caterer- Naman's Catering, Mobile, AL
Rentals- Port City Rentals, Mobile, AL and ABC Rental, Ocean Springs, MS
Photographer- Lisa Tilley Newman, Ocean Springs, MS
Music (Ceremony and Reception)- Nightshift Sounds, Ocean Springs, MS
Cake- Buzzin Bees, Ocean Springs, MS
Florist- Walter and Debbie Mansfield, Gautier, MS
Favors- Lindsay Wilson, New Orleans, LA

Brittany and Sarah

Brooks and Laura's Rehearsal Dinner

Location- The Old Place, Gautier, MS
Caterer- Naman's Catering, Mobile, AL
Florist- Walter and Debbie Mansfield, Gautier, MS
Rentals- Port City Rentals, Mobile, AL

Brittany and Sarah

Memory Lane 30th Birthday Party

Location- Private Residence, Fairhope, AL

Lisha/Brittany

Jake and the Neverland Pirates Party

Location- Private Residence, Spanish Fort, AL

Kristen

Pink Lemonade Party

Location- Lavretta Park, Mobile, AL

Sarah

Butterflies and Bugs

Location- Lavretta Park, Mobile, AL

Sarah

Welcome to Candyland!

Location- Private Residence
Cake- Wendy Hays

Brittany

(Non-traditional) British Tea Baby Shower

Location- Private Residence
Cake- Wendy Hays, Spanish Fort, AL
Food- Mary Ann's Deli, Fairhope, AL

Brittany

Ashley and Matt's Wedding

Ceremony Location- Fairhope United Methodist Church, Fairhope, AL
Reception Location- James P. Nix Center, Fairhope, AL
Caterer- Chef Rob, Mobile, AL
Florist- Belle Bouquet, Mobile, AL
Photographer- East Hill Photo, Pensacola, FL
Bakery- Betty Weber, Pensacola, FL
Music- Musical Fantasy
Rentals- Blue Rents, Mobile, AL
Liquor Services- Mark Kidd, Mobile, AL

Brittany/Kristen

Karli and Jacob's Wedding

Location- Fort Conde Inn, Mobile, AL
Photographer- High Cotton Weddings, Clanton, AL
Florist- Becky at Winn Dixie, Fairhope, AL
Catering- Creative Catering by Sean, Mobile, AL
Bakery- Andree's Wine, Cheese, and Things, Fairhope, AL
Rentals- Miller's Grand Events, Fairhope, AL
Ceremony Music- Dr. Peter Wood and Mr. Robert Holm, USA, Mobile, AL
Reception Music- Clinton Allen, Troy, AL

Photo by High Cotton Photography


Photo by High Cotton Photography

Photo by High Cotton Photography


Photo by High Cotton Photography


Photo by High Cotton Photography


Photo by High Cotton Photography


Photo by High Cotton Photography

Brittany/Candace

Under the Sea Paint Party

Location- Paint Slingers, Spanish Fort, AL

Cake- Wendy Hays, Spanish Fort, AL

Brittany

All for the Little Ones: Wedding Joy - Mobile Bay - Mobile Bay Bride 2012 - Alabama

Check us out in print!!


All for the Little Ones: Wedding Joy - Mobile Bay - Mobile Bay Bride 2012 - Alabama

College Graduation Party- Go Jags!

Location- Private residence, Fairhope, AL
Caterer- Ben Jr.'s BBQ, Fairhope, AL
Cake- Wendy Hays, Spanish Fort, AL
Inflatable- Drop Zone Inflatables, Fairhope, AL
Koozies- AlterEgo, Fairhope, AL

Brittany

Ann Taylor and Dan's Wedding

Wedding location- St. Mary's Catholic Church, Mobile, AL
Reception location- Magnolia Manor, Mobile, AL
Caterer- Bay Gourmet
Florist- Zimlich Brothers
Bartending Services- Amos L. Kidd
Photographer- Keyhole Photo
Videographer- Lifehouse Productions
Rentals- Port City Rentals
Cake- Cakes by Judi
DJ- David Wilson

A highlight clip provided by Lifehouse Productions (www.lifehouseweddings.com)

 
Ann Taylor + Dan Extended Highlight Film from Lifehouse Productions on Vimeo.

Brittany/Candace

Welcome 2012

Hello to all,


With each new year, we are all excited and optimistic to see what will be in store for us. I wanted to take a moment to reflect on how blessed we have been to be able to do what we love and to assist in giving each bride her dream day. Now that the holidays have passed us once again, many newly engaged couples are optimistic about their future together and wedding dreams have begun. I wanted to include a little information for brides to consider as they begin their planning to show the benefits of hiring a wedding planner/producer to ensure that they have a fairytale (and stress-free) day.

Do you need a Wedding Consultant?

Planning a wedding can take months or just one phone call. Using the services of a wedding consultant sounds like a good idea, but do you really need one? Can you afford one?

First, consider the basic tenants about weddings and wedding planning:

§ Planning a wedding is vastly time consuming.

§ The details! Invitations, vendors, dresses and tuxedos, budget, contracts, etc.

§ Many people will want their opinions and preferences considered.

§ The budget will balloon if not properly managed.

§ On your wedding day, the person who coordinates the details will spend the day working, not enjoying the festivities.

Considering these things, here are some guidelines for you to consider when deciding whether or not to hire a wedding consultant.

Timing: When time is short, you need many helping hands and shortcuts as you can get. Because wedding consultants are specialists, they have many resources you need at their fingertips- which will save you time and headaches.

Advisor: As an expert, the consultant knows weddings. From invitations to the design of the reception, a consultant is with you every step of the way to provide insight and advice to make your day perfect.

Budget: With weddings for over 100 guests averaging about $30,000, managing your budget is critical. Some couples may question whether they can afford a wedding consultant, but in many cases a consultant is an investment that pays for itself. Here’s how: Consultants can help you create expensive looks that don’t cost a fortune. They are also objective budget managers who can help you effectively track and adhere to your established budget.

Family Structure: Most families today are a complicated jumble of ex-spouses and stepfamilies, many of whom will be represented in the wedding. Managing the social etiquette of a complicated family tree can be daunting, and wedding consultants are a valuable, independent resource for maintaining protocol for seating, photography, and more.

With a wedding consultant on board, you will have the resources of an expert who knows trends, tradition, and protocol, and who can help put the pieces together to bring your dream wedding to life. Once plans are in place, your consultant can handle many of the details, allowing you and your family to enjoy the months preceding your wedding and more importantly, enabling you to relax and enjoy your special day.

Your wedding day truly goes by quickly and you should relish every moment of it. Consider the advantages of hiring a professional to ensure your day runs smoothly. A bridal consultant can be the best gift you give your family- and yourself. We at Over the Top Events plan every last detail.

Our wish to you is love, happiness, and to have a wonderful 2012.

The team at Over the Top Events

Halloween Party

Location- Private Residence

Candace

Laura and Joey's Wedding

Location- Old Louisiana State Capital Building, Baton Rouge, LA
Caterer- Clementine's, Baton Rouge, LA
Cake- Baum's Bakery, Baton Rouge, LA
Flowers- Billy Heroman's, Baton Rouge, LA
Photography- LesAmis, Baton Rouge, LA

Brittany

Breakfast at Tiffany's Bridal Shower

Location- Private Residence

Brittany

Kellie and Thomas's Wedding

Wedding and Reception- Private Residence in Spanish Fort, AL

Catering- Chef Rob and Co., Mobile, AL
Cake- Fleur De Lis Confections, Mobile, AL
Photographer- K Rae Photography, Saraland, AL
Flowers- Petals/Connie McMullen, Semmes, AL
Rentals- Miller Grand Events, Fairhope, AL

Brittany/Candace

Come on Barbie, Lets Go Party!!!!

4th Birthday Party for one very lucky girl! It goes without saying- we had a BLAST with this party!

Brittany

Memorable Events

Here is a photo album displaying our memorable events in the past. Enjoy!