What's in a Name: The Fairytale Effect

 

 I came up with the name The Fairytale Effect as a way to describe what I would like to achieve with this project.  The name came to me when I considered the Butterfly Effect.  Most people know of the movie, but as a summary, the Butterfly Effect is an example used to explain the sensitivity dependence on initial conditions in chaos theory.  Basically the theoretical theory states that a hurricane can be formed by a butterfly flapping its wings several weeks before the storm.  So another way of explaining it, a seemingly minor event (butterfly flapping its wings) can lead to something of greater significance (a hurricane). Now how did I apply this theory to weddings and fairytales?  I wanted to inspire and encourage all couples to live the fairytale 'Happily Ever After' by finding couples that are an inspiration for many and creating their fairytale wedding.  I wanted not only the couple, but also all their guests to be changed by their story and their Happily Ever After.  So, again, a seemingly minor event  (attending a wedding) can lead to something of greater significance (being inspired to live your Happily Ever After).
  If you believe that you are or if you know of a well deserving, inspiring, loving couple with a budget of $5,000 or less and live in the Austin/Central Texas area, please email me at austinbudgetweddingplanner@gmail.com or call 512.657.7209.

Changes

  

  I'm sorry its been so long since my last post, but, as you can see, there have been a few changes.  The new name (same web address) of the blog is only the beginning of the changes yet to come.  As I slowly dip my toe back into the wedding industry, I decided to put together a plan that's been brewing since my very early days of wedding planning; The Fairytale Effect.  This new endeavor has multi-level phases, but the first phase is what I want to focus on for this post.
  The idea of The Fairytale Effect came from watching Live with (at the time) Regis and Kelly.  Every year around Valentine's Day, they would throw a wedding for a loving, well deserving couple.  Being a giving person, I decided I wanted to contribute this idea with my wedding planning.  I also happen to be a big dreamer with grandiose ideas and imagined a worldwide effort complete with an ABC reality TV show (don't know what I was thinking!).  My first attempt at this project was a total disaster! (And I'd be happy to tell anyone about the fiasco; just send over an email to austinbudgetweddingplanner@gmail.com.)  It was so much so that not only did it discourage me from continuing anything like this, but it also made me reconsider my career choice.  It has taken me a long time to move on from this failure and it is still very emotional for me to even think about it, but after a lot of growth and development, I realized that this hurt was only holding me back.  This was a defining experience in my life and I had the choice of letting it define me in two different ways.  I could allow the situation to control me by forcing me out of a career that I loved and that I am extremely good at.  There are so many people out there that are stuck in careers that make them miserable and in which their talents are wasted.  When I was first dealing with this turning point, I decided that I could find another career.  I could be great at something else.  But then, through the relationships that I've developed recently, I realized that the way I am treating this situation is wrong.  When asked why I would never get back into wedding planning I would respond with, "I believe that God is shutting this door in my life," followed up by a summary of the doomed charity project and how my meager attempts to reestablish myself in the industry had failed. And then I thought to myself, is it God that is behind my failed attempts or am I letting the hurt define my life?  Am I unconsciously sabotaging my attempts out of fear?  The answer was a big YES.  So I decided that I could take back control of the situation and instead of letting the failure define me as that, a failure, I am going to turn into a success and do it the right way.

  In that revelation, I decided to come back to The Fairytale Effect, but to do it the right way.  Phase One of The Fairytale Effect is to find loving, well deserving couples that are pillars in the community and have a limited wedding budget ($5,000 and lower).  Pillars in the community is to be defined as socially and spiritually offering encouragement, support, and love to all individuals that they meet.  As is the same way as good deeds won't get you to heaven, good deeds will not get you a free wedding planner.  This is the mistake that I made the first time around.  I learned that just because a person looks good on paper, it doesn't mean that that is a good person.  Please contact me if you are interested in this project (austinweddingplanner@gmail.com) and we will sit down and meet.  I will tell you about my qualifications and guidelines and then after we meet, I will conduct a background check to make sure everything is as it seems.  If you are selected, you will receive a free wedding planning package.  I do ask one thing in return, if you are satisfied with the work I do (and you will be), please tell everyone you know and everyone you don't know.  A fair price, I think, for free wedding planning.  I know that there are good people out there, deserving people that are a positive influence to everyone they meet. I want to find you and I want to hear your story!  Let me create your Fairytale Effect.

What is a Wedding Planner: The Initial Consultation

Now booking weddings for December and 2013.  For a free initial consultation email or call, austinbudgetweddingplanner@gmail.com or 512-657-7209.  Wedding planning services no higher than $750!!

 Our babysitter has shown interest in the wedding planning industry and yesterday when she was watching the kids, I briefly explained to her what the job entails.  I got to thinking, there are a lot of people out there that just really don't understand what a wedding planner is or why you would hire one, so I decided to do a series of posts detailing the entire wedding planning process.  Of course, for those full service wedding planners the amount of work is dependent upon the time in which they are hired and how much they were hired for, but for this purpose and since I am now only doing day of service, we will discuss, in detail, the role of a day of wedding planner.
  After I am contacted by a bride, I immediately set up a free initial consultation.  This will take place at a convenient location, usually a coffee shop or something similar.  At this meeting the bride and I (and anyone else that might attend the meeting) sip on a beverage, munch on some snacks and talk about the wedding.  When I got married, I felt as if I was the only one that truly cared about the event and I'm sure I'm not the only bride that has felt that way.  I desperately wanted to talk about all my plans, but didn't want to bore my friends and family.  As a wedding planner, I care about the wedding nearly as much as the bride.  I want to know every detail, every vendor hired, every bridal party member, family dynamics, decor, and logistics.  I want to know it all and that is what we talk about at the initial consultation.  We start off by discussing the solid aspects; who, what, when, where, and why.  Who is in the wedding party and what other family members play an important role?  Are there any family dynamics I need to know about?  What is the look and feel you are wishing to establish at your wedding?  We'll then go through all of the vendors; we'll talk about who you've hired and who you still need to hire.  I'll ask questions about the vendors your still looking for so I will be able to point you in the right direction of a great match.  Do you like light and fluffy desserts or rich and decadent (for cake)?  What types of food do you and your fiance enjoy (for caterer)?  Are you modern in design styles or more romantic (florals)? Etc, Etc.  We'll go over a very informal agenda and talk about the flow of your wedding day.  We'll talk about your venue or discuss possible venues and talk about their guidelines and the amount of time your allowed for set-up and breakdown.  Then we'll discuss your budget...what are you willing to spend on and what are you willing to save on?  We'll wrap everything up with a discussion of my services and why you would hire a wedding planner.  It makes for a very fun day!  So if your ready to set up a free initial consultation, drop us an email....austinbudgetweddingplanner@gmail.com.

The Dos and Don'ts of DIY: Part Two- The Don'ts

Doing things yourself is a great way to personalize your wedding and save money, but what is appropriate for you and your family to take on and what projects will haunt your dreams and make your perfect wedding a disaster waiting to happen? Inspired by an article on theknot.com, here is a guideline to steer you in the right direction.

The Don'tsThe Cake- I think this one's a no brainer....it is SOOO easy to mess up a cake and SOOO difficult to fix it. There are so many stressers concerning taste, decorating, and transporting the cake that its just not worth it.

Photography- Photography along with videographery are the lasting impressions of your special day. Its important to get all of the shots that you need to remember every last detail. The only way to guarantee this is to hire the pros.

Coordinating- Your wedding is all about you! How can you be the guest of honor and the coordinator at the same time? Doing the coordinating yourself does not give you the oppurtunity to relax and be the bride. Instead of getting your makeup done, you will be wondering if your florals arrived on time. Not to mention that coordinators will be able to set-up and breakdown. Who wants to work on their wedding day?

Centerpieces- Okay, so I don't completely agree on this one. I think it is perfectly acceptible to do candle centerpieces and stems in vases. Anything that can be done before the wedding and set out by your coordinator is fine (especially if they supplement the big extavagant floral arrangements). With that said, you should leave large arrangements or anything else more complicated to the pros. Its just too much work for you to have to worry about.



Caterering- I think this one's another no brainer and most facilities will not allow you to do this. There is to much risk of contamination. Also, what it the food runs out? Who will be taking care of the serving and the bussing? Who will clean up and put away the left over?



Music-  Your entertainment is one of your most important vendors. Your DJ or band will make or break the party. They get your guests dancing and enjoying everything and they will make your wedding memorable. They know how to make announcements, direct your guests, and cover awkward moments. They will also be able to judge the crowd and cater towards their likes. If there's something that doesn't work, they can quickly change it and get the party going again. Not so with an iPod or a friend acting as a DJ.  Leave this one to the professionals.

For different ideas on the same topic go to
http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/diy-do-it-yourself-weddings/articles/diy-wedding-dos-and-donts.aspx

Featured in Tribeza: Royale and Anderson

Author: 

 S. Kuo

Images by: 

 Tyler Schmitt

Issue: 

 August 2010

Topic: 

 Austin Look Book

Date: 

 Thursday, September 1, 2011

For Royale Pence and Anderson Price there is much more to Valentine’s Day than kitschy cards, long stem roses, and boxes of chocolate. For them, the holiday marks their first date, the proposal, and their wedding. Although the pair met while they were both juniors at the University of Texas, they remained only friends until the spring of their senior year, when they had their first date, on Valentine’s Day. “That’s why the holiday is particularly important to us,” the bride explains. After a spontaneous, yet seemingly predestined proposal on Valentine’s Day of 2009 at Green Pastures, the two selected the Smith Family Chapel, where the bride attended services as a girl, for the ceremony. Staying true to tradition, the couple held the reception at Green Pastures, and the bride incorporated Valentine’s Day into the event. She explains, “I wanted to play up the Valentine theme but not in the typical pink and red, hearts and flowers way.” Instead, she perched a vintage Valentine’s card at each place setting, and used violet and silver in place of the conventional colors of love, accented by tasteful touches of lace, feathers, and rhinestones.

The Dos and Don'ts of DIY- Part One: The Dos

Now booking weddings for December and 2013.  For a free initial consultation email or call, austinbudgetweddingplanner@gmail.com or 512-657-7209.  Wedding planning services no higher than $750!!

Doing things yourself is a great way to personalize your wedding and save money, but what is appropriate for you and your family to take on and what projects will haunt your dreams and make your perfect wedding a disaster waiting to happen? Inspired by an article on theknot.com, here is a guideline to steer you in the right direction.

DIY Dos:1) Wedding Day Makeup:
Many of my brides are very leery about having a professional do their make-up. Who wants to look like a completely different person on the day of their wedding? Another option; have a trusted friend do your make-up for you.

2) Ceremony Decor:
Many times the ceremony site is already beautiful without additional decor. For a church you may only want to mark a few pews with ribbons and stems. You can even do mini pomanders. If you have an outdoor ceremony, nature is your decor. I would define the aisle with large candles in cylinders or petals, but a lot of decor is not necessary. For anything more I would leave it to the pros. I can't imagine a bride in a tree hanging flowers and votives three hours before the wedding. You should definitely include this decor in the reception area. Designate someone to transport before hand to make sure this task gets done.

3) Your Favors:
The work can be done a month before the wedding and this can easily add a personal touch. Procrastinators and busy brides beware: Creating favors can be laborious...I suggest having everything completed by two weeks before the wedding. You do not want to spend your last night of being a single women cutting, pasting, and filling favor boxes!

4) Your Invitations, Programs and Save-the-Dates:
Again, a project that will be completed months before the wedding. Now-a-days you can purchase price friendly invitation kits. I love the ones at Target! I also suggest vistaprint.com for save-the-dates, but remember to allow time for delivery.

For different ideas on the same topic go to
http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/diy-do-it-yourself-weddings/articles/diy-wedding-dos-and-donts.aspx

Stay tuned for Part 2: The Don'ts

Testimonial: Laura and Clark

I would highly recommend Rachel to any bride I know.  I wasn't planning on using a wedding coordinator because I didn't think it would fit in my budget, so I did a lot of the initial planning myself. Needless to say, Rachel stepped in at the perfect time! She helped me tie up all the loose ends, and worked out the timing of my wedding and the layout perfectly!

My wedding went off without a hitch, and I know it was due to Rachel and her team! She is very reasonably priced (much lower than other places in Austin I looked into), and she offers all the services they do! In my opinion, you get way more from her than you pay for. Rachel offers peace of mind to every bride, at an affordable price.

Elements-

Venue: Vista West Ranch

Flowers: Petal Pushers

Photography: DCM

Cakes: Old Pecan Street

Music: Parachute Adams

Wedding Planner: Rachel Stepanov