Rachel & Kevin

Ceremony Location: St. Patrick's Parish, Brighton

Reception Location: Laurel Manor, Livonia

Wedding Colors: Black & White, with touches of Red

# Guests: 250

Emergency Kit Items Used: Sharpie, Stick Lighter, Scissors

Bride Rachel's (I say this of course because my name is also Rachel!) day began at her home for hair & makeup. The ladies in the bridal party took care of their own hair and makeup, but Rachel's was done by her cousin Heather who was also a bridesmaid and is a former bride of mine. Heather has done my makeup in the past and is fabulous! Rachel looked beautiful!

My day for Kevin & Rachel's wedding started at Laurel Manor where I got to work getting all of the wedding items together and placed. Lots of red rose petals and votives! I also chopped the stems off of quite a few dozen red roses and poked them in to the existing Laurel Manor centerpieces to add a bit of color, and placed the escort cards, lottery ticket favors on each of the approximately 250 place settings, and a few other items.

Laurel Manor provided virtually everything else as part of their package (including cake, centerpieces, lighting, GOBO, and linens), so very few outside vendors were used. The room was ready for all of the final touches when I arrived. Red up-lights and lots of floating and votive candles illuminated the room.

Guests arrived at 6:00 pm to enjoy cocktails and vegetable snacks. A special surprise speech was prepared for the couple by both of the fathers, and then guests were served a plated dinner with cake for dessert.

Kevin & Rachel's first dance as husband and wife was also made further special as it was sung and performed by their best man, Kevin, who did an excellent job. After the father/daughter dance, mother/son dance, and a special dance with the couple and Kevin's grandparents, tunes were further spun by DJ Lawton Lunce of Sweet Sounds. The couple ditched the traditional garter/bouquet events in favor of getting the party started and keeping it going. The guests at this wedding really knew how to party!

Photographer Michelle Binge of Studio Blue (888-556-7510) was also on top of capturing everything that day ~ Looking forward to seeing the finished product!

Thanks so much, Rachel & Kevin! I've said it before and I'll say it again: You rock!!

Table settings with favors:

Unique V-shaped head table:

GOBO monogram on wall:

Yummy cake!

Floating candle centerpieces:

Whole room:

The other centerpiece:

Stephanie & Gabe

Ceremony Location: Holy Cross Hungarian Church, Detroit MI

Reception Location: Laurel Manor, Livonia MI

Wedding Colors: Dark purple & silver

# Guests: 160

Emergency Kit Items Used: My vehicle ;) , scissors

Another toasty but great summer day began with Stephanie and her girls getting dolled up by a family friend Debbie doing the bridesmaids' hair, and Kristen from Bridal Beauty On Location doing Stephanie's hair plus makeup for she and her mom. Stephanie's hair was mainly down and it looked just gorgeous; I love it when brides choose this over an up-do if they normally wear their hair down most other days!

This couple opted for our 8-hour reception package while a family friend handled the ceremony at Holy Cross Hungarian Church in Detroit. So, our day began a couple of hours prior to reception start time at Laurel Manor. When we arrived, Heather from MPE Events and her crew really transformed the space in to something spectacular! Half of the centerpieces were birch tree branches holding purple roses and small votive lanterns, and the other half were purple roses submerged in varying heights of cylinder vases which we surrounded with small votive candles. They had hung an ivory backdrop with deep purple swag behind the head table, and strung twinkling lights across the front. Adding to the ambiance were purple uplights around the entire room, and table numbers in lead crystal frames. MPE also did the chair covers with deep purple satin sashes, and all of the florals for the ceremony and reception.

Stephanie & Gabe's favors were personalized shot glasses with assorted candies inside, each in a cute box tied with purple ribbon. We also set up the place cards, and a small children's activity table complete with a tea set and a basket of various activity books and crayons. The children at this reception, however, seemed to enjoy the dance floor most of the night!

When the reception room doors were opened, guests were treated to cocktails, and a lovely table of hot and cold appetizers. Famous and fan-tabulous photographer Amanda Williams of Amanda Williams Photography, and videographer John Kerfoot of Tri-Foot Productions arrived with the bridal party after off-site bridal photos and our night began!

Guests enjoyed a plated dinner and then cake by a family friend Kathey Fox for dessert. Later, DJ Aaron of A-Team Productions got everyone out of their seats and on to the dance floor!

We did have a little bit of drama later in the evening, but it was on purpose! In order to celebrate their Hungarian heritage, the couple opted for something similar to a dollar dance but with a little more background. Stephanie and Gabe danced with guests as their maid of honor and best man collected the dollars on plates. At some point. our bride was "kidnapped" by a male guest and was held ransom, while Gabe and his groomsmen enjoyed a shot at the bar and got a game plan together. The money from the dance was taken from the plates and used to "buy back" the bride. Once she was rescued and brought back in, the groom broke the plates and together the couple swept up the broken pieces. Reading more on this part of it, I found the following from this source:

"This tradition has its roots in two superstitions; that chips bring happiness and the newlyweds show a will to cooperate by jointly sweeping the chips away and their marriage will therefore be harmonious"

With all of that excitement over, guests then danced the night away and enjoyed the rest of their time together.

Thank you so much for finding us, Stephanie & Gabe, and trusting us with your day! Congratulations and good luck!