See Why Having a Wedding Video is Important!

Couples always tell me they don't think they want a video for their wedding, and I always reply the same way.  Why don't you look at one, so you know what you aren't getting. Just about every time they change their minds.
Video is so different from photography (no matter how fabulous the photographer), it's capturing everything that happens between the clicks of the camera. Once you experience that, then you'll see why it's so important to have both mediums.

Here's what I mean.....

Here's part of the first look moment from Sarah and Anthony's wedding in a great shot (among many others) from www.jason-gina.com

Here's the video trailer from Rising Moon...you can feel his nervous excitement to see her!

Sarah + Anthony Trailer from Rising Moon on Vimeo.

Both so different, both beautiful, and I believe both necessary!   Be sure to save a little room in your budget for videography...not having a video is the one regret most couples have, don't be one of those couples! You'll be so happy to relive your day again and again.

Have you seen this Amazing Wedding Music Video?

I've watched this video so many times recently, I just had to share it with you.....I love it! I want to do this!

It's a "parody music video of “The Time (Dirty Bit)” by the Black Eyed Peas that was filmed at the real wedding of Joya and Emre at the Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA" done by filmmaker David Robin.
Be sure to wait for the last few seconds of the video...



Anyone up for creating their own music video...I'm in! Let's make it happen!

Top Five Myths About Hiring a Wedding Planner Debunked!

It's too expensive, you can do it all yourself, the coordinator will take over and you'll miss out, you want to do it yourself, the venue has its own event manager...

Ah, the myths about hiring a wedding planner. Nicole Relyea from The Examiner takes a close look at these questions, and goes to the experts to find the truth!

Classic Creations' Creative Director, Julie Gambrell, was honored to be one of the the Wedding Planning experts included in this article. If you're currently on the fence about whether or not to hire a wedding planner, take a look at this article! Then, check out the variety of services Classic Creations can help you with on and before your big day!

"There are a lot of big choices and decisions to be made when planning a wedding. When and where to get married, what to serve at the reception, and, most importantly, who to hire to help you. One of the biggest mistakes many brides make is not hiring a wedding coordinator to help plan and run their big day."

Read the rest of this article at Examiner.com!

Classic Creations in the Style Me Pretty Little Black Book!

We've said it once, and we'll say it again... we are obsessed with Style Me Pretty's wedding blog. For years they've been inspiring brides and planners alike with unique wedding ideas and fantastic photographs.

One of the most useful servies Style Me Pretty has is their Little Black Book. Style Me Pretty’s Little Black Book is a highly edited collection of wedding service providers – from mom and pop boutiques to A-Listers. "Bottom line, these vendors are the best of the best," they say.

Classic Creations is excited, honored, thirlled, blushing, ecstatic...you name it... to have recently been added as a featured vendor in the Style Me Pretty Little Black Book.

The process to become a Little Black Book member is actually quite extensive. To be added, a vendor must first be recommended by a SMP reader, a recent bride or an industry professional. Second, SMP dives head first into the vendor’s business. Their portfolio, their experience, their time in the industry. And finally, after feeling completely confident that a particular vendor is fabulous, they invite them to be a part of the book! It’s an invitation only book that truly prides itself on it’s commitment to quality above all else.

Thank you so much Style Me Pretty for adding us to your book! 

Classic Creations featured on THE LIST

Classic Creations is now a featured event planner on COUTUREcolorado's THE LIST! 

COUTUREcolorado, a one of a kind Colorado wedding inspiration blog, posts daily articles that help guide and inspire couples as they plan their Colorado weddings. Hand-picked by Laura Dombrowski, the editor and founder of the site, THE LIST is a resource of the "most talented and passionate local wedding professionals"

"Think of COUTUREcolorado like that small boutique shop that you love to go shopping for something unique and special," says Dombrowski.

We are ecstatic and honored to be featured on THE LIST, and we can't wait to blog about our seventeen years of experience being a Colorado wedding planner!

Real Wedding Wednesday - Sarah & Justin

When Brides Against Breast Cancer rolled through town earlier this year, we were given the privilege to meet a wonderful couple. As part of the event, Sarah & Justin won wedding consulting services, and when their original wedding planner was unable to help, Classic Creations came to the rescue!

Sarah & Justin tied the knot on July 10, 2010 at the Augustine Grill in Castle Rock, Colorado. A romantic outdoor ceremony in the venue's flower garden was followed by an incredibly fun ceremony catered by the venue and DJ'd by the bride's brothers! Personal and quaint, Sarah & Justin's wedding was a perfect compliment to the couple's personality and an absolute pleasure to work on.

Here's what Sarah had to say about her big day.

I wanted a relaxed, classy and outdoor feel to my wedding. I love being from Colorado and love the mountains. We picked a mountain venue first, but it started to get logistically complicated and expensive, so we changed it to Augustine Grill in Castle Rock, since we're both small town people and it's home. It gave us the outdoors, aspen trees and pine trees, and it was simple. The gardens and fountains made it beautiful and peaceful.

What was your favorite part of the day? Wow... the WHOLE day! But the highlights were getting pampered with manicures/pedicures with my girlfriends in the morning, seeing Justin for pictures before the wedding because he got tears in his eyes and he was the nervous one, not me! We had such a special private moment and had glasses of champagne and drove over to the ceremony yelling, we're getting married!! The second best thing was walking down the aisle and seeing everyone I love the most.

What advice would you give to someone planning a wedding now? Keep things as simple as you can, because it really is about you and your husband... not all the wedding magazines, websites, to do lists. Make it personal. Make it you. Justin and I set a simple goal of writing just three lines for wedding vows. We finished them a DAY before the wedding, and it made it so personal and special and let people know more about our relationship and what we've been through.

Classic Creations helped make my day special in so many ways. Julie asked me questions about what was important to me. Little design details like pinecones on the tables, the unity candle lighting with our mothers involved and helping with microphones and sound... it made it so everyone could really enjoy the whole event and it all went so smoothly. I just got to enjoy it!

We're so happy for Sarah & Justin and thrilled we were able to help them enjoy their wedding day. We wish them the best in their marriage and their life together! Congrats guys!

Real Wedding - Katie & John's Mexico Wedding

At Classic Creations we're gearing up for a September jam-packed with some fantastic destination weddings. We're so excited to share some of these upcoming, inspiring weddings with you, but you'll have to wait!

While we're hard at work hammering out the final details for these brides-and-grooms-to-be, we bestow upon you some stunning photos from a wedding Classic Creations worked on all the way back in May! You may remember the photos from Katie & John's pre-wedding rehearsal, cocktail hour and pool party. If you thought those photos were impressive, we have some seriously good stuff for you today (you can click on the images for larger views). 

Katie & John held their ceremony in a beautiful church in a tiny town in Mexico, where outside, chickens ran around on the streets. After the knot was tied, guests returned to the elegant Playa Rosa where the couple held an outdoor reception. Signature cocktails greeted each guest, as did a heart shaped bottle of local tequila - which helped this celebration lasted until the wee hours...


Cheers!

Incredible, no? Katie & John make an absolutely gorgeous couple, and had a gorgeous wedding to match. A huge thanks to the talents of Fer Juaristi, Mexico Wedding Photographer, for capturing these incredibly special moments.

If you are looking to create a special destination wedding event like Katie & John's, Classic Creations can help! Give us a shout - don't hesitate to e-mail us for a free consultation. Let's get married in Mexico!

Cassic Creations Named a Top Colorado Wedding Planner

The votes are in! After thousands of votes were cast throughout July, Classic Creations came out as a diamond winner in the Colorado Wedding Style poll for the top Colorado wedding planners. Thanks so much to everyone who voted, this truly is an exciting honor!

Today, Colorado Wedding Style posted a fantastic spotlight feature on Julie Gambrell and Classic Creations. Click here to visit the article, read what Julie loves most about being a fabulous wedding planner, and view photos from some of the most memorable Classic Creations weddings.

Congratulations, Julie! Thank you for making so many couples' days beyond beautiful!

What You Missed at Fall 2010 Bridal Fashion Week

The bridal designers sent their latest looks for Fall 2010 down the runway in October.
Here are some of the bridal trends they have in store for us!

-The ballgown is back! Tight torsos and full skirts....love it! (This one by Carolina Herrera)

- Pockets! Now you can keep that tissue handy!
-There are crisp fabrics, lots of texture, laces, beads, sequins....

(The first is by Amsale and the second by Monique Lhuillier)

-Short hems- picture that perfect after party dress!

-How about a little black detailing? Love these sophisticated touches! (By Vera Wang)

-Fabric Rosettes (by Amsale) -Off the shoulder (also by Amsale) -Layers of tulle (more from Vera Wang)

Ah ladies...so many dresses....how can you pick just one?

New Colorado Venue- Spruce Mountain Ranch

Spruce Mountain Guest Ranch- The Open House

I had been for a tour of this great facility that's just outside of Larkspur, but couldn't wait to see it set up for an event. Above is a photo of just one area you can use for the reception. They had all the areas set up for ceremonies and receptions. Including lovely floral arrangements. We had a great time at their open house, complete with a carriage ride! This is one option brides can choose for arriving at their ceremony.Spruce Mountain Guest Ranch is just a stunning facility, with so many options for ceremony and reception locations. If you are looking for an amazing outdoor ceremony and unique setting, you have to check this out! You get that great mountain feel, without the long drive.

I'm a Rockstar Wedding Planner!

Actually...I'm also a Rockstar Wedding Legend!

I belong to a great wedding group called Rockstar Wedding Planners, and within this group there are a few of us who belong to the Mastermind Group called Rockstar Legends. In August, we all gathered in Canada to talk about our business, and help each other brainstorm fabulous new ideas.

What an amazing time and setting! Although, it took a bit to get used to the fact that the sun didn't set until like 11:00pm?
The Chateau Lake Louise....an amazing place for a destination wedding or honeymoon. The glacier lake is just stunning, eh?

It wasn't all work and no play! We took time to tour Banff and the Banff Springs Hotel. Another amazing destination venue. Some of you may think it sounds familiar....yep...this is where an episode of The Bachelorette was filmed.

Me & Ciara Daykin- our fearless Rockstar Leader.

Love my fellow Rockstar Legends! Such fab ideas and amazing women! Although it's been a couple months, I still finding myself saying "eh" a lot, eh?

Destination Wedding Etiquette

(The day this blog posts I'll be in El Careyes, Mexico for a stunning destination wedding...and Thursday is my birthday! What a fun way to celebrate! This week's blogs are all about destination weddings!)

Destination Weddings - Etiquette
Do you dream of marrying on a beach in a foreign land? On a mountain top outside a rustic lodge? Destination weddings are increasing in popularity and size. They are one of my favorite styles of weddings to plan!

It used to be the destination wedding had 10-15 guests, mostly family and friends watching you say your I Do's. That size has grown greatly recently. It seems most of the destination weddings I work with are 60 people and more.



So what's the destination wedding etiquette.....it really is pretty similar to planning your wedding at home, read on....



Who do we invite?
You can invite the same people you would for your wedding at home, but usually it's narrowed down to the people you REALLY want to have there. Think about it, who are you comfortable asking to spend money to come to your big day! Family (obviously) & close friends are the ones who usually attend. Some really close co-workers and bosses often make the trip too.


Who pays for these guests?
Each guest is responsible for their own travel and accommodations. So keep that in mind when you are selecting your resort. Also, keep in mind if your guests have children, many resorts are adults only. I know many brides think that the majority of their guests will spend a week at their destination of choice. In reality it seems most guests will have a 3-4 day stay.



Keep the guests up to date!
With a destination wedding you'll want to get your guests notified about your plans much earlier than you would if you were planning a wedding in your home state.

You'll want to notify your guests ASAP about your plans so that they have time to request vacation, save money, and get passports. You'll also want to give your guests some information about the resort, any group activities you have planned (costs for these if you're not covering them), and an indication of the level of formality....are you wanting them to go barefoot on the beach? There is no absolute rule that a destination wedding has to be informal.

Showers, parties, etc...

Since you really are only inviting people to your shower who you are also inviting to your wedding, you may consider skipping that big invite out to everyone to attend your shower. They may consider it rude and that you are asking for gifts. Consider throwing an after party when you return to share all the great pics and funny stories.

Rehearsal dinners....I would say the majority of the rehearsal dinners I do for destination weddings are 50/50 on inviting everyone. It's very dependent on the size of the group who traveled. Smaller weddings try to include everyone, while larger groups seem to stick to inviting only the bridal party (but gather with everyone later on for a drink). So here you have to see what's right for your group, and of course the groom's parents if they are paying.

What's so great about a destination wedding, and why are so many people having them?

The best thing about destination weddings is that your celebration lasts 3 days (or more) and everyone really gets to know each other! It also can be much more cost effective than putting on a wedding at home.

Of course a wedding consultant experienced in this type of event can be super helpful in guiding you through the etiquette and destination wedding plans! ;)
Give us a call!
303-471-0082

Fab Trip to Cali!...our party was crashed!

Photo of the Week - Photos from Rockstar Wedding Planner Live

Here's quick recap of my amazing trip to LA for Rockstar Wedding Planner Live. It was full of content for changing the way you do business, my head was crammed full of ideas. BUT of course being wedding planners we have a great time too!

Me and Ciara Daykin (our hostess)

For those of us that were the first 6 to sign up, it started with a limo ride, and great lunch at the Ivy. The Ivy is the place to lunch and be seen for the famous. We pulled up in the limo and the kids were so excited thinking it was a movie star getting out, sorry kids!

I've heard so much about the crab cakes and they didn't disappoint! The portions were HUGE!How many people did they think were going to eat this?

After a busy morning session, we had a lovely lunch outside, with great decor and beautiful flowers. I loved the chairs from Chameleon Chairs, and of course stunning linens from Wildflower Linens (also our lunch presenter).

Enjoying the LA sun with my roomie, Lauren, a fab wedding consultant in NY.

Our closing party was a blast! Our DJ was hysterical and taught us many a new dance move. He pulled me out to do some impromptu Thriller choreography. There was a lot of dancing, after all how often do wedding consultants get to cut loose at the party!?!?!

Stunning florals, an old-fashioned candy bar (that's cotton candy in that pic), yummy cake...it was a great party! Wedding consultants know how to throw a bash.....our party was even crashed by a wedding. That's a first I think!?!?! We didn't mind at all. There was a little boy that had more energy than the energizer bunny and kept us entertained with his dance moves.

Overall and exhausting and energizing week (not sure how that's possible?), educational and so much fun!