Your Wedding Vision

Welcome Back! I have neglected the ENVI Weddings blog for awhile, but I am glad to be able to come back and share some industry tips, ENVI special tricks, and just anything and everything wedding or events related with our readers.
I'm in the process of planning a few events and with every client the first question is: What is your Vision? Vision? What is that?
Well, the vision is what do you see. Just like with your eyes you are able to see where you are going, your event or wedding for these purposes should have a vision as to what you see and how you want your guests to feel while they are there. Do you see romance, love, fun and frills or even a goth theme (yes, there are those who would LOVE this type of wedding)? Before you hire a bunch of vendors and contract a venue, you should know ultimately where you want to end up. For example, if you see a clean lines space with pops of color, then you wouldn't want to book a venue that has all black walls (unless you plan to drape the entire space in white chiffon like Kandi and Todd did at Le Fais Do Do) However event drapery for an entire room can cost a lot of money, which is not in the budget for everyone. 1. Write down what you want to see. All of your ideas can flow more freely once you are able to get them out on paper. 2. Use Social Media sites like Pinterest and Instagram for ideas. Pinterest is an event planners BFF! I'm on Pinterest day and night, for event decor, home remodeling, even recipes! You can search for photos by color palette, get ideas from what other people are doing and using, as well as organize your ideas onto different "Boards" to keep all ideas in tact. 3. Have fun! It is YOUR day (and your soon to be spouse). Enjoy it and plan it the way YOU both see it. Do not allow anyone to come in a steal your day from you. Until next time..... Happy Planning! Morgan N. Scott, CWP

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King on Wedding Day

Dr. Marting Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King were married on June 18, 1953 on her parent's lawn in her hometown.

Don't they look lovely???

Wedding Heirloom Keepsakes

Your wedding day is a day that you will remember for the rest of your life. There are always keepsakes to commemorate that special day. Preserving your gown, engagement shoot blow up photos, even an engraved cake knife (really will you ever use that again?).

Here is something else that is so intriguing it is basically ingenious! The cake table is adorned with everything keepsake - knife, champagne flutes. How about this for creativity..... bride & groom personalized cake plates!

Our friends at Paloma's Nest have created such a wonderful idea and I'm sure brides all over the country will be adding it to their collection of must haves for their special day.

Something Blue....

I was browsing one of my fave blogs earlier today, Celebrity Floral Designer Preston Bailey, and saw something absolutely creative and breath taking.

How about this for a something blue???

Ice Blue Plates!!!!

Not too over bearing but adds a hint of awesomeness.

Here is an idea for you!

Until Next time,

ENVIExec

Summertime Bridal Shows ~ How to Work a Show!

Summertime is here and in between vacations, family reunions, weekend cookouts, there are tons of Bridal Shows for Bride-to-Be's to venture out on the weekend. So this task may be daunting or may be fun for others, but there is an art to tackling the Bridal Show. How to work a show you may ask? Well here are 5 tips of how to strategize and make the most of your time at these types of events.

1. Make Labels!
There are sometimes close to a hundred different wedding vendors ready to grab your information, add you to their rolodex, and give you terrific information with hopes of you contracting them for your wedding day. Do you really want to leave after 3 hours of walking through a huge facility with Carpel Tunnel syndrome in your right arm from writing your name and address all day? Of course not! Take some pre printed labels with your Name, Address, Phone Number, Email Address and Wedding Date. It's so much easier to peel and stick. 5 seconds and you're done!

2. Bring a friend!
There's nothing more special than taking a bestie with you to a Bridal Show. Whether she be your mom, sister, BFF, or cousin, it helps to be able to bounce ideas off someone, or get a second opinion about a vendor that you may be considering. They may see something that you didn't see or hear something that you tuned out.

3. Bring 2 Bags!
One for your definite callbacks and one for your everything else. There is so much information and freebies to get at Bridal Shows that it becomes overwhelming. What will happen is that everything will start to run together and you will forget who said what and where they were. If you can separate while you are there, it will keep things in perspective for you later.

4. No Pressure!
Don't feel pressured into signing contracts at the table the day of the Show. Treat it as a First Date. First Impressions count. I tend to shy away from overly pushy vendors.

5. Dress Appropriately!
Just as you are trying to see if these vendors are a good fit for your wedding day, they are assessing you as well. Make sure you dress appropriately to conduct business. It may be casual, but it is still a first impression - MAKE IT COUNT!


I hope these tips will help you move forward in your wedding planning venture.

Until next time...

Morgan Nichole
"Making your Happily Ever After Dreams Come True"

The Not-So Traditional Valentine's Day

The Not-So Traditional Valentine’s Day
By: Morgan N. Scott, CEP

Valentine’s Day, or so affectionately called by men, “The Woman’s Holiday”, is right around the corner and every year men get antsy as to what to buy, how to surprise, or how to distinguish this year’s special day from last year, and of course top themselves in the process.

Ladies, how about let’s spin the tables a bit in 2011 and do something extra special and spicy for your beau, to show him how much he is appreciated. There are many things that we can do for our Valentine, that can tickle the fancy of a man.
While we love being showered with gifts of chocolate covered strawberries, dining in the city’s hot spots by candlelight, or even romantic dinners at home, we all know these can be a tad cliché for our men. For most men, the key to their heart is food…..and sports! Why not surprise him with tickets to your local NBA team ‘s home game, if not on Valentine’s day, close to it? After the game, what’s wrong with hoping to an open bar and have some drinks? It doesn’t have to be an early night, let your hair down and have a great time and I’m sure he will appreciate the fact that you thought about him on this “Couple’s Day.”

Now of course, this can be two-fold, because you may hate basketball and your idea of a fun time might not be downing Henn and Coke like you’re one of the guys, so the something spicy can be a Couple’s day at the spa for His and Her massages the next day. Life gets us all a little tense, so there is nothing wrong with a little winding down to take the stress of life off and just enjoy each other’s company in the process.

Whatever you do this Valentine’s Day, make it extra special for your extra special love!



Morgan N. Scott is the Owner and Creative Director of ENVI Consulting & Associates, Inc., a boutique Event Management and Consulting Firm specializing in Weddings and Special Event planning in the metro Atlanta area. She has over 10 years of Event Planning experience and loves creating wedding masterpieces for her clients, while sharing her money saving tips and tricks of the trade. Visit her online at www.enviconsulting.com and http://enviconsulting.blogspot.com

Sonya + Roman November 6, 2010

I witnessed a beautiful Catholic wedding ceremony today of one of my dearest friends, Sonya Scott and her new hubby Roman Doss. This was a pure example of true love and how two people can know each other for a lifetime and God bring them together later in life and it is absolutely stunning!

The wedding was gorgeous, the bride was beautiful and the ambiance was great!

A few pics to come of just how beautiful the wedding and reception were.

Until next time...

ENVIExec

Grand Atrium at 200 Peachtree

Native Atlantans are familiar with the old Macy's building downtown. Marble floors and columns. Oversized chandeliers. Open white space. Absolutely marvelous. The building had been closed for awhile, until this past June when it has reopened under new management as an Event Facility. Check out some of the photos below to see the absolutely breath taking creative space that the new owners have re-opened to the public in Atlanta.

I truly believe that this will be a premier space in Atlanta in the upcoming months.

**All photos are courtesy of Grand Atium at 200 Peachtree**

If you are interested in using this space for any upcoming events, contact their Sales Manager at 404.281.9550. I'm sure they would love to have your event showcased in their portfolio!

Ventanas ~ An Event Space

The ENVI team was fortunate enough to share in an ISES-Atlanta fundraising event back in May. This event was held at a nice location called Ventanas (windows in Spanish) and boy is it a gorgeous space! We are going to highlight a number of event spaces across the city that may be well known or hidden gems, but are some that we love to frequent!

This week's highlight is Ventanas!

Ventanas is a rooftop event space that overlooks Centennial Olympic Park. It is full of picture windows and has a breathtaking view. Can you imagine attending an event here as the sun is setting??? To die for!

All photos are courtesy of Ventanas. For more information about the venue, check them out online at Ventanas Atlanta.

Planning a Surprise Party......in less than 72 hours!

The ENVI team has been busy at work and we have not been blogging as much as our readers have liked, however....we're back!

We recently planned a surprise dinner birthday party and here's the catch.....we pulled it off perfectly in less than 72 hours!

We are here to share the secrets, some do's and don'ts so if you have a surprise party you want to plan you can do it stress-free, with ease, and enjoy yourself in the process!

The daughter of the special guest contacted our office for expertise in planning this type of shindig in a short amount of time....3 days to be exact!

Well, how do you do that?

1. Book it!
The venue that is. When searching for your venue for a party, you first have to have an idea of how many guests you are expecting. In a short time frame of 3 days, you would like to keep it to a minimum, it's easier to manage that way. Not only do you keep the guest list to a minimum, but search for a place that has all amenities included so that you have less to worry about. For this event we had a guest list of 15 people and our venue was Kiku at Camp Creek, a Japanese Steak House.

2. Spread it!
The word that is. Now it's time to let your guests know about the plans and share all the details. After you have gathered phone numbers and email addresses of all invitees and quickly start dialing and / or sending evites out to let them know about the plans. Don't forget to let them know the time of arrival for guests and the time of arrival of the special guest. The worst thing would be for your guests to arrive at the same time of the honoree!!! Not only do you have to inform your guests of the plans, but you have to stress that it is a SURPRISE and designate someone to get the guest of honor there.

3. Theme it!
Depending on the vibe you are going for with the party, you may want to have a theme. For this party, we didn't have a theme per se, but we did keep a certain color scheme of pink, orange, and gold. Also the dessert plates were the same color scheme with a damask print. It was absolutely gorgeous.
4. Wrap it!
Wrap up the details and get ready to have fun! Final details include ordering the cake, providing ideas for gifts to the guests, and taking care of any loose ends. Make sure that you are there as the party host early enough to greet the guests, especially in the case of using a restaurant. Sometimes restaurants have you in a special party room and other times, especially on busy nights, as in the case with Kiku you will be seated once the entire party gets there. Stress the importance of timeliness and you will be set to go!

The party at Kiku was a great success. The honoree was thrilled, super surprised, and had a wonderful time with her family and friends.

Toss out Tradition.....Glitter Your Cake Topper!

A few years back, the phrase "bling" was a big name in music, fashion, and everyday life. The glitz, glam, and bling has even moved to weddings. Aside from embellishments on dresses, shoes, headpieces, and jewelry.....now we have bling on your wedding cake topper.

Toppers with Glitz have allowed many couples to personalize and add some flair to their Wedding Cake....with an inexpensive yet personalized Wedding Cake Topper.

Here are a couple of their designs:

U.S. Congressional Mayor's Gala

Just a quick post:

I happened to be walking through the National Building Museum on yesterday as they were preparing for the U.S. Congressional of Mayors Gala. Everytime I walk through the Museum there is something going on. The setup was gorgeous and of course when I want to take a picture the battery in my camera is dead completely, so I snapped it with my camera phone.

Simply beautiful!

Black linens, Gold Chiavari Chairs, simple centerpieces (Ivory roses cut low and in a round vase), Gold Chargers. Very Chic.

Are Client Appreciation Events Necessary?

In the world of corporate event planning, there are some planners who strictly specialize in a certain niche area: Trade Shows, Conferences, Meeting Planning, or Corporate Social Events. There are others who are the jack of all trades and have their hands in a little bit of everything. In today's economy, everyone falls under the consumer umbrella in some capacity or another. To thrive, build referrals (especially in a referral based business), and to continue to show your clients that you appreciate all that they do (spend their hard-earned money with you instead of with the competition), it is necessary to let them know!

Well, how would you do such a thing?

Many companies are trying to cut costs in every arena to make sure their profits continue to stay at the same level or get higher. So here are a couple of low-budget ways to show your clients you love them and have them continuously choosing you over the competition.

1. Summer picnic or barbecue.
2. Holiday parties held either in your home or at a local restaurant or hall.
3. Golf outings.
4. Theater parties.
5. Sporting events such as baseball, basketball, and football games.
6. Afternoon or evening cruises on local rivers and lakes.
7. Fishing tournaments.
8. Movie nights at local theaters. A variation: In summer, rent out part of a local park or meadow, rent a screen and projector and invite customers to movies under the stars.
9. Ice skating and roller skating parties. If you’re near an indoor ice rink, stage the ice skating party in summer.
10. Circus parties.
11. A day at the zoo.
12. Croquet or badminton tournaments in local parks.
13. Ice cream social.
14. Apple-picking parties.
15. Excursions to museums and botanical gardens where you provide transportation, admission, and lunch.
16. Cooking demonstration at a local restaurant.
17. Wine tasting.
18. Block party.
19. Nature walk, followed by a picnic.
20. Retro dance party with a local band. Have an instructor show people how to dance.
21. Talent show-karaoke night.
22. Treasure hunt.

Also, there are always direct mail campaigns that keep your customers thinking about you! Just shoot them over a little note to say that you were thinking about them.

List of Customer Appreciation courtesy of REALTOR Magazine Online

Red & Gold Holiday Decor Inspiration

On Christmas Day, we felt it befitting to give a little holiday decor inspiration. These are some photos that get us warm and fuzzy inside to celebrate the Holiday! Enjoy and Have a Merry Christmas!

These photos were taken courtesy of HGTV and the Entertainment guru Sandra Lee decorates a couples brownstone in Harlem.

How to Throw a Holiday Bash without Breaking the Bank

As the holiday season approaches, songs, food, and good cheer are our primary source of enjoyment during this time. Some people, who have annual Holiday gatherings with friends, family, and co-workers, are feeling the crunch in today’s economic times. They are tasked with how to continue the tradition of throwing a Holiday Bash, without breaking the bank. In just a few short steps, we’re going to outline how to create the greatest shindig, without emptying your pockets to do so.

1. Decrease your Guest List
We have been known to throw the best party in the city for the last 10 years. However, this year, our finances just aren’t allowing us to have 100 guests at our home to entertain and feed them all. The first way to cut back is to decrease the number of invitees. It may be hard, but sometimes you have to just include those who are closest to you to share in this special occasion. It will be a more intimate setting and allow everyone to mix and mingle with each other.

2. Simplify your Menu

Instead of having a full course dinner to serve to your guests, try picking a few passed hors’devoures and a dessert selection. I am a fan of signature drinks, so try working with your fave bartender and create one just for your holiday party. This will save on the amount of alcohol you have to buy as well as the other additives that make mixed drinks so very appetizing! Make sure you have some juice and sodas for your non-alcoholic guests.

3. Illuminate!
I absolutely love decorating! It’s something that is a bit therapeutic for me. However, it can become costly to decorate your home or event space to create the ambiance you are looking for. One of my favorite cheating tips is to illuminate! Dim the overhead lights and increase the number of candles you have. Votives in the window seals, votives as your centerpieces on a mirrored glass, it creates a space that looks expensive to make, but really costs little to nothing.

4. Utilize Electronic Invitations!
The last point is to save a few dollars on your invitations by utilizing an electronic invitation system. Whether you decide to create a document in Microsoft Word, PDF it and email it to your list and wait for the email responses, or use an automated invitation system like Evite, which can real-time your guest list as well as let you know who has received, opened, and/or responded to your request. Either way it saves money on printing and postage.

Use these four handy tips to create the holiday bash that you and your guests will enjoy, without breaking the bank to do so.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The ENVI Consulting & Associates, Inc. team would like to wish all our friends, family, and clients a Happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful beginning to the Holiday 2009 Season. We are looking forward to our office wide Thanksgiving soiree, but had to come and leave a note for our many supporters. See you on Monday!

Until next time....

ENVIexec

Matrimonial Mondays: It's All in the Details

Here at the ENVI design studio, our resident blogger has decided to create a special theme for specific days of the week. Debuting today, Monday, October 26, 2009, we will start to cater our blog directly to these specific themes.

Matrimonial Mondays: All about weddings....it's all in the details.

One of the newest trends in Wedding Gowns for the end of 2009 and 2010 is 50's chic. Have you noticed that the fashion of the 50's is sparking around us in all areas and facets of life? Tea Length skirts, Tulle, and high necklines make way for a 50's flair all around.

Photo Courtesy of The Knot

An Evening of Bridal Luxury

On September 27, in midtown Atlanta, the Atlantan Bridal Magazine hosted An Evening of Bridal Luxury at the Hotel Palomar. Many of the top professionals in the wedding industry were in attendance. Atlanta's award-winning photographer, Jaxon, was the photography partner for the event.

Here are some of the photos from the event....absolutely stunning!

Will You Be My Bridesmaid?

Having your closest friends, family, or girls to stand next to you and support your nuptials is something that all brides anticipate for their wedding day. Choosing them is half the battle. NOW, instead of just sending a quick text, email, or a phone call away as most friends are, brides are using cute and innovative ways to ask these special ladies to stand beside them and support the marriage they are embarking upon.



I was browsing around on ETSY and found a picture of a Bridesmaid invitation that I thought was so cute I just had to share:

Isn't that just the cutest? It is for sale here for $3.00/ea .... Plus you can add some embellishments like Swarovski Crystals, Ribbons, and Flowers for about a quarter each.

Wise-Brooks Wedding

This past Saturday, October 17, 2009 on Sweetest Day, I had the pleasure of finally seeing a year long vision come to fruition! The nuptials of Wendy Wise and Harris Brooks, Jr.

In Atlanta, Georgia at Lambert Place (800 Lambert Drive, Atlanta, GA) the lovely couple exchanged vows at 11:30 a.m. Their colors were mocha and sage. It turned out beautifully!

Here are some of the photos: