hdz 2012 calendar wallpapers

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not the size you’re looking for, or want to print? here’s the calendar on its own:

2012 calendar

have a great year and happy planning!

the notables:
l.a. wedding planner mary dann was referred to me by another vendor. she called me to ask for some vendor suggestions, which i was so happy to provide being that she didn’t know area wedding vendors. i kept in touch with mary as she planned the chagrin falls wedding from california. i was excited and honored she asked me to help on the day of as her local planner, along with assistance she received from cincinnati planners kathy and annette from your dream day.

the moments:
the ceremony
mary prepares sherise’s dress

© new image photography

the altar at st. joan of arc

ushers

ceremony!

the always entertaining jonathan taking formals

the family photos

heidzilla and the famous mary dann!

jonathan of new image and me with mary

© new image photography

the couple definitely got their dream winter wedding here in ohio!

© new image photography

the reception
vendors pre-reception! left to right: john of godfather films, kathy and annette of your dream day, our wonderful bride and groom sherise and tim, mary dann, heidi of heidzillas, and dj larry kopinske. just missing jonathan of new image!

© new image photography

mary goes through final details with the dj

cake

wedding planning by mary dann

the beautiful room

wedding planning by mary dann

gorgeous arrangements by heatherlily

wedding planning by mary dann

placesetting complete with godiva chocolate favors

wedding planning by mary dann

bar

wedding planning by mary dann

announcements of bridal party

wedding planning by mary dann

first dance

wedding planning by mary dann

the congratulations:

it was such a pleasure to be able to help a well-known  veteran of the wedding world, mary dann. it was great to see her experience in action and see how our styles were so much the same! it was also great to work with the famous godfather films, along with his local assistant of the weekend from red bicycle media. i loved getting the chance to be a local resource for the bride and groom as well, with the groom originally from the chagrin falls area, and hosting the bride’s family, many of whom had never been to ohio. thanks for the opportunity, mary, and ohio hopes to have you back again soon!

the links:
mary’s wedding recap complete with a day-of video recap!
photo recap by new image photography

Engaged volunteers needed!

I am looking for volunteers for a study of attitudes towards marriage and parenthood among engaged couples. The study consists of a 25-30 minute online survey. To qualify for the study, you must be 20-35 years old, live in the U.S., and plan to marry or have a commitment ceremony within the next 365 days. You and your romantic partner must not have children, and this must be the first marriage for both of you.

You can:

-Help a doctoral candidate;
-Increase the pool of scientific knowledge;
-Support research on marriage and families; and
-Spend some time thinking about your relationship!

I am working with Dr. Charlotte J. Patterson, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia. This study has been approved by the University of Virginia Institutional Review Board #2009025800.

If you and/or your romantic partner are interested in participating or want further information, please email me at survey.couples@gmail.com. I will send you a link that you can use to access the study.

Thanks!

Cristina Reitz-Krueger
Doctoral Student
University of Virginia
(434) 243-8558
survey.couples@gmail.com

cupcakes & refreshments

thanks to momZILLA for baking some more sweet treats!

j talks skin care leading up to your wedding day…

stella and dot display for trying on and mixing and matching!

the something white set up complete with fun dresses to discuss.

r talks about “captivating with color”, making “old new again” and “from i do to let’s dance!”

bride courtney helps r out by modeling a “getaway dress”

j helps r as a model of the bird cage veil

bridesmaid alicia tries on a headband with bling

heidzillas assistant b tried it on too and checks herself out! (love!)

thanks to everyone who made it out for the first party! it was a blast!

there are dozens of books on the subjects, countless blog posts from jaded wedding planners trying to get respect and hundreds of other wedding vendors who have their opinion on planners. i’ve stepped back from the jaded industry to answer a 13 year old, who is eight to ten years ahead of me on knowing she wants to be a planner. i’m not sure how many other overzealous youths read my blog, but i thought i’d share my general advice for anyone who is a hopeful, inspired youth at heart trying to follow their dreams of becoming a wedding planner.

Dear Heidi,

Hello my name is Sarah and I am 13. I know you think this is weird that a 13 year old girl is emailing you, trust me I don’t blame you. But, I want to be a wedding planner when I grow up. I was wondering when you have time you can give me advice on how to be a wedding planner.

Thanks A Million,
Sarah

Hi Sarah,

Thanks for the email! You’re about 10 years ahead of me on knowing you wanted to be in the biz! So that helps. Every planner finds their own random way into the business. I personally was always involved in school organizations such as student council and class officers. At my school, we got to plan dances and school-wide events. That’s really where my love for planning started. I also think that being in art class and music classes (choir/band) helps, too. It is a must to be a well-rounded student for wedding planning since there’s general design, floral knowledge, stationery, musicians to hire, and so on! Don’t only excel at one class, there are so many more things you need to be fluent in. For instance, math classes help too since you manage budgets and have to have a good business sense. In general, I suggest trying as many classes as your school offers and after school programs too.

In college, I actually majored in Advertising and Marketing. In those classes I learned how to execute creative projects and interact with clients all while managing several vendors. I do think it would have been helpful, of course, to have majored in Event Planning – which is often categorized under Family and Consumer Studies at many Ohio colleges. Again, in college I was involved several student organizations where I held events or marketing chairs. There I was able to help the organizations plan events, manage volunteers, and coordinate the events. Business classes again are very helpful since you’re running a business while being a planner. And, being great with people is a must!

There are several main characteristics of a great wedding planner: someone who is responsible, attentive to detail, very personable with families (weddings are very emotional days for everyone!) and a great leader and team member with the wedding vendors. It’s also someone who can think quickly on his/her feet all while staying calm if anything out of ordinary happens (which is quite often on wedding days!) Most of all, I do have to stress that I don’t think movies like “The Wedding Planner” or shows like “Bridezilla” or “Platinum Weddings” truly depict a planner’s job. In the Ohio market, most weddings cost a fraction of what those weddings on TV cost, and they aren’t half as melodramatic as those shows edit them to seem.

I must note, planners are very dedicated, hard workers who often work 60+ hours a week, since it’s hard to hold a 9 to 5 schedule. I’m often in the office from 8 am to maybe 2 or 3 pm and then meet vendors and brides (who work during the day) through 6… 7… 8… even 9 pm at night. It’s also a job where you don’t have your weekends free – reception set up and rehearsals are usually Fridays. Then I work from early in the morning until the very last dance at weddings usually until 11 pm or 12 am at night on most Saturdays. This timing information isn’t to discourage you from being a planner, but only to explain that it’s a loose schedule to keep – and only for the most disciplined people.

I hope this helps you as you continue your schooling! Best wishes with your quest to be a planner.

Sincerely,
Heidi

do you agree? disagree? what other advice would you give a 13-year old on her journey to become a wedding planner?

previous posts:
dear heidzilla: what anti-perspirant?
dear heidzilla: best way to make payments?
dear heidzilla: 831 photography?
dear heidzilla: officiant hiring?
dear heidzilla: favorite photo?
dear heidzilla: first event coordinated?
dear heidzilla: is it a no-no?

see “OH SO IN” on his blog today.

“PEAKING IN POPULARITY“  & ”OUT! GOODBYE!” will follow!

why shouldn't you believe me about trends!? clearly i'm fashionable... by the way, mustache-going-away-parties are IN. (mark and me, nov 2009.)

previous posts:
the knot ohio – spring/summer: part 1 of 3
jennifer & robert – vendor preview
jennifer & robert – part 1: rehearsal
jennifer & robert – part 2: ceremony
jennifer & robert – part 3: reception
jennifer & robert – part 4: testimonial

Is it a no no to include the registry info as an insert…

to be entirely honest and pro-etiquette with this answer: other than if your shower host includes it in your shower invitation or you link the registry on your wedding website: NEVER NEVER NEVER!!!! if people want to know, they’ll ask, or can easily search online store registries. trust me!

But, we have old family members and are scared they won’t know.

then they’ll ask you or your parents or bridal party members. they’ll also be the FIRST ones to know wedding etiquette. AND if all else fails, older family members love to give cash. win-win?

This is the debate in my house!

okay so you don’t believe me… here’s what a few other people think, too:
good housekeeping: registry etiquette
brenda’s wedding blog: registry etiquette
wedding aces: shower invitations
wedding aces: wedding invitations
elizabeth anne designs: gifts & registering
elizabeth anne designs: etiquette 101: the registry
master piece weddings: invitation etiquette

previous posts:
guest blogger: tara’s ultimate registry list
heidzilla helps: thoughts on registering

dear heidzilla: what anti-perspirant?
dear heidzilla: best way to make payments?
dear heidzilla: 831 photography?
dear heidzilla: officiant hiring?
dear heidzilla: favorite photo?
dear heidzilla: first event coordinated?

dear heidzilla, what was the first event or wedding you ever coordinated?

hmm, well where to start on answering this one. i have experience coordinating events all the way back to high school and college… i don’t claim that time as years of experience with my wedding coordination business although i learned a lot about event coordination and utilize that experience at every wedding i work. in my college days at my beloved kent state university, i participated in many several student organizations and helped to coordinate countless events – large and small – including organizing new member mixers, first ever formals, annual homecoming events, multiple organization co-meetings, speaker forums and more.

one of the largest events i was involved with filled the m.a.c. center at kent state (over 6,300 seats) in 2004. i had the opportunity to coordinate nearly 3 dozen volunteers who assisted with the event along with the kent state employees who did all of the event production. the event was sold out, while hundreds of people outside the facility also  clammering to get in. it was one of my first events that gave me the event coordination bug!

previous posts:
dear heidzilla: what anti-perspirant?
dear heidzilla: best way to make payments?
dear heidzilla: 831 photography?
dear heidzilla: officiant hiring?
dear heidzilla: favorite photo?

these come from who else but my own wedding photographer and friend, corey ann:

What is your favorite wedding picture ever?

hmm. well i’m just going with my own wedding photos to answer. i think it’s a tie between these two:

What do you want for your birthday?

my birthday has since passed, but i did get what i wanted! a chicago-style pizza shipped in from giordano’s pizza in chicago, il.

How much snow is too much?

umm, well… we’re getting there. here’s a photo of my driveway from this morning.

do you have a question for me? email me at heidi at heidzillas dot com.

previous posts:
dear heidzilla: what anti-perspirant?
dear heidzilla: best way to make payments?
dear heidzilla: 831 photography?
dear heidzilla: officiant hiring?

If you aren’t having your wedding in a church what should you look for in your wedding officiant?

the first question i’d ask myself is “what am i looking for with all of my vendors?” what personality type are you and your fiance? how do you envision your ceremony to be? when you talk about your ceremony to friends and family in the future, what are the adjectives that you want to be able to use to describe it?  are you looking for someone whose service is more solemn and serious? relaxed and witty? romantic and light-hearted? religious or spiritual? next, talk to all of your prospective officiants – in phone or in person, you know email doesn’t always translate personality types! -to see who clicks with you both just in conversation.

also consider the actual ceremony format from start to finish. does this person provide every single portion in written form for you to review? how much input do you want to have with your officiant with the ceremony or how much are they willing to let you have? do you want them to pick  readings or bible verses or do you want to write the entire thing with them? do you need to integrate more than one faith or cultural aspects? have they done that before? how will you work it all out? find out the process and paperwork and see if it fits with how you plan.

of course a few other basics need to be met:

1. this person is available on your wedding date 
2. his/her fees are within your budget and you agree with the contract terms
3. this person IS ordained and knows the state’s wedding license procedures
4. he/she has experience in officiating weddings like yours
5. this person has made time to meet with you to develop the ceremony… considering it’s the whole point to the day!

coincidentally, the today’s bride blog covered this a couple of weeks ago here.

do you have a question? email me at heidi at heidzillas dot com! i might answer your question on a future blog post.

previous posts:
dear heidzilla: what anti-perspirant?
dear heidzilla: best way to make payments?
dear heidzilla: 831 photography?