The Wedding Showcase: The Hilton Orlando

Recently, I had the pleasure of attended The Wedding Showcase, hosted by The Hilton Orlando. I, along with a select group of local wedding planners, was treated to a weekend of pure relaxation and indulgence. Aside from touring the property which has recently gone through a $385 million dollar renovation, we were able to witness (first hand) the level of service that each guest experiences when having an event or staying at the Hilton Orlando. Their brilliant team of chefs thoroughly planned and executed each meal that was provided for us throughout the weekend. Everything was so unique....DELICIOUS....and definitely not your typical "hotel cuisine." (I think I gained 3 pounds in 2 days, just in case you were wondering). You can see from the photos below how much effort was put into this fabulous event. It was such a rare treat to be spoiled like this, especially at the start of the busy wedding season. Thank you so much to the Hilton Orlando!

Photography by Amish Thakkar of Fine Art Productions

Solutions Bridal: WHITE Fashion Show

Last week, Solutions Bridal Designer House hosted their WHITE fashion show at one of the hottest venues in St. Petersburg, NOVA 535. Food, drinks, and FASHION....now that's my language! I love drooling over gowns by some of the most talented couture designers in the biz, such as Kenneth Poole and Badgley Mischka. Most of the gowns truly knocked my socks off, but there was one in particular that cast a spell on me. After the show, I just HAD to try the stunning (*sparkly*) Badgley Mischka gown on for size. No, I'm not getting married, but a girl can dream can't she? HAHA!

A huge thank you to Solutions Bridal for the fabulous event and Carrie Wildes for the beautiful photos! For more photos and information on the event, check out Carrie's blog.

Yours truly, posing with Andrea McMahon of Paper Presence,

one of the most sought after invitation designers around.

I know, I know...I'm a MESS! ;)

Brook Palmer (one of my favorite "planner" friends) & Newell Fox

(owner of Solutions Bridal), getting in on the shenanigans.

The Knot "Best of Weddings 2011"

It is truly an honor to be selected AGAIN as The Knot's "Best of Weddings 2011." This prestigious award is presented annually to those wedding vendors whose commitment to excellence ranks them far and above their peers as rated by the brides. I feel so blessed to have a job that I absolutely love and feel so passionate about.....and to be awarded for it is just indescribable. Thank you, thank you, thank you to my amazing brides and The Knot!

Engage10 The Breakers (Day 2+3 Highlight Video)

Encore, Encore, Encore? Okay; I heard you! And that is why I'm hitting you with this......

Engage '10 {Day 2 + 3} from Cloud Nine Creative on Vimeo.

Engage10 The Breakers (Part 3: The Finale)

Okay, I know what you are all thinking...enough already! I swear that I'm not purposely dragging this thing out like a high school history lesson....there's just THAT much I want to share with you all. The Engage10 Farewell party was CAH-RAZY! The "chandelier of hanging champagne flutes, which were served to us by stilt-walkers," pretty much sums up the evening. As if the delicious dinner party wasn't enough, The Engage gals and The Breakers hit us with one hell of an after party. The food, the decor, the entertainment, and the company were all "out of this world." Thank you again to Rebecca Grinnals, Kathryn Arce, and the staff at The Breakers for one amazing event.

Incredible Photography courtesy of Sara Kauss.

Engage10 The Breakers (Part 2)

Day 2 of Engage10 was filled with so many details that I absolutely LOVE! After a morning of education and inspiration courtesy "the industry headliners," we were treated to one of the most spectacular lunches EVER! The exquisite circular ballroom gave me the same feeling as I had when visiting The Vatican for the first time. The beauty of this room was just unbelievable! Then the music began and my heart almost skipped a beat. An amazing string quartet performed a dynamite play list throughout lunch which included some of my favorite artists like Coldplay and The Dave Mathews Band.

The Yummy "boxed lunch" was the most creative way to display the delicious lobster salad sandwich, tomato soup, truffle fries and devilled eggs. And it tasted just as great as it looked. The smock paper box (which I brought home with me) now holds all of my Engage memorabilia which sort of makes me feel like a stalker. The day ended with a dinner dine-around as well as a fabulous dessert (and dancing) party on The Breakers lawn.

And yes, there's more....stay tuned for the final recap of my Engage10 experience!

Amazing Photographs courtesy of Mel Barlow, DVB Photographers, and Sara Kauss Photography.

Engage10 The Breakers (Part One)

Last month, I had the pleasure of attending my 2nd Engage event, which was held at The Breakers in Palm Beach, FL. I am being totally honest when I say that I DO NOT even know where to begin (which is one of the reasons why it has taken me so long to post this). It seems almost impossible to put into words what I experienced in just a few short days at Engage. Rebecca Grinnals and Kathryn Arce of Engaging Concepts (as well as the fabulous staff at The Breakers) put together one stellar program. Every single detail equalled PERFECTION!

The line-up of guest speakers read like a "whose who" of the wedding and event industry. Celebrity planners Mindy Weiss and Marcy Blum (both of whom I have looked up to for years) delivered humorous insight into their long-lasting careers in the biz. Event designer, Brian Ranfanelli, gave us the low-down on THE most talked about wedding this year. Chelsea Clinton's lil shindig.....you may have heard somethin' about it. Sylvia Weinstock, the "Queen of Cakes" gave us a design lesson with one of her edible masterpieces. She still remains as one of the most fascinating, entertaining and down-to-earth women in my book. And for those of you who are keeping tabs (sound of crickets) yes, that does make twice in one year for me and Mrs. Weinstock....woot woot!

I could go on for days and days about the fabulosity that each of the speakers brought to the table. There were dozens! I can honestly say that I took something away from each and every one of them. My fellow "Engagees" oozed passion, and I feel absolutely honored to be amongst this group. I can't wait to see you all at the next one!

Stay tuned for the rest......

Engage 10 {Day One} from Cloud Nine Creative on Vimeo.
Amazing photographs courtesy of Mel Barlow and DVB Photographers.

Our Inspiration Board featured on the Get Married Blog!

There are just so many exciting things happening around here that I often forget to blog about them. This weeks post triggered my memory (because of the color scheme). One of the inspiration boards that I created for the Olivier Events blog was featured on Blogger Brides (the Get Married blog). How exciting! As I said earlier in the week, I just LOVE the Navy and Pink color scheme. Click HERE to see the Get Married post and click HERE to see my original Navy and Pink Inspiration board.

Best wedding vendors based in Polk County

It is so rewarding to be recognized for doing what you love to do, and working hard at it! This article in The Ledger newspaper was such a nice surprise. We are extremely flattered to be one of the five companies listed!

Today's brides agree: five Polk County wedding vendors are among the best to use if you're getting married on Florida's west coast.

The Knot, a one-stop online resource for wedding planning, http://www.theknot.com/, asked thousands of recent Florida brides to rate their vendors for its Best of Weddings 2010.
Lake Ashton, a gated community spanning Lake Wales and Winter Haven, ranked as one of the top wedding reception sites, alongside Don Cesar Beach Resort in St. Petersburg and the Tampa Marriott Waterside.

Robyn Lynne, the Lakeland bridal and formalwear shop, was listed for bridal salons; and Flowers by Edith, also in Lakeland, was listed for wedding florists. Entertaining Designers and Olivier Events, both also based in Lakeland, were mentioned for wedding planners.

Tricia Adams, director of activities and community relations for Lake Ashton, said being recognized by The Knot is a huge honor and does a lot to boost reputation.
"The Knot is the ultimate resource that brides are looking at for everything about their weddings," Adams said. "It enhances our image."

Frannie Ambrose, Lake Ashton's banquet manager, works closely with bridal parties. She said they are attracted to the setting, customized menus and the Grand Ballroom. "When I meet with the bride, I give my word that everything is going to be perfect," Ambrose said. "I treat it as if it were my own daughter's wedding and I attend each and every wedding." Despite its lack of advertising, Lake Ashton hosts an average of 20 weddings each year, Ambrose said.

Vicki Waymyre, owner of Flowers by Edith, said she was blown away by the honor of being included on The Knot's list. "We just felt very honored to be listed because we've worked very hard to build our business," Waymyre said. She added that it was even more special because the business was the only florist listed from Lakeland. "A bride wants that," Waymyre said. "She wants to know she can have confidence in the person providing the flowers for her wedding."

No one from the other Polk businesses named on the site was available for comment Thursday.

The Knot's Best of Weddings 2010 list was published in the July edition of its monthly magazine and is also available on its website,. The complete poll results cover bridal salons, wedding cake bakers, caterers, DJs, bands, florists, photographers, videographers and transportation companies.

Read full article HERE.

Olivier Events on Grace Ormonde's 2010 Platinum List

I am VERY honored to be included in Grace Ormonde Wedding Style's 2010 Platinum List. Members of this invitation-only directory are granted membership based on the style of their work, the quality of their services and a sincere commitment to excellence and customer service.

Grace Ormonde Wedding Style's goal is to present their discerning readers with choices among the best wedding professionals in their respective fields. Criteria for inclusion in the Platinum List include making available a portfolio of work, maintaining a professional website, providing client references and testimonials and maintaining a reputation of good business practices and ethics within the industry.

Click Here to view the Olivier Events profile on the Platinum List.

2010 NACE Experience

Last week I attended the 2010 NACE Experience in Austin, Texas....AMAZING! For those of you who do not already know, I am an active member of both the Tampa and Orlando chapters of NACE (National Association of Catering Executives). This organization is geared towards all professionals in the wedding, event and hospitality industries. It really has been such a great networking tool for me and has connected me with so many of the amazing vendors that I work with today. The "Experience" is an annual conference for NACE members throughout the country. Educational seminars, key-note speakers, networking lunches/dinners and a market place/trade show are just some of the highlights that took place over 4 fun-filled days. Our Tampa chapter was nominated for "Best NACE meeting" as well as "Chapter of the Year." Although we did not take home either trophy THIS year, it was such a HUGE honor to be nominated!

Since there is so much that I want to share, I have decided to break it up into several posts (plus, only some of the photographs are accessible at this time, HeeHee). The Opening-Night Gala took place at the historic Driskill Hotel (which is absolutely beautiful). The theme was Rhinestone Cowboy...very fitting for Texas. As you can see from the photos below, it was such a neat event and an absolute blast. Stay tuned for more posts on this unbelievable experience!

Tacy with Meritage Events, and Cindy with Red Velvet were responsible for this fabulous event. Photographs courtesy of Eric Hegwer Photography.