The 10+ Year Club: First Coast Weddings and Events

We're excited to be starting a new blog series! Over the next several weeks, we'll be spotlighting local wedding companies that have been in business for 10 or more years. And naturally, we'll start with ourselves! Here are the questions we'll be asking other wedding professionals, and our answers as given by our owner, Heather Canada. What year did you start your business? 2002

What was your motivation? I had worked in theme parks, country clubs, and hotels for several years after college. I knew in college I wanted to be an event planner, but I saw myself working for a corporation planning their shareholder events, training seminars, and trade shows. Working in catering, I began doing weddings and eventually fell in love with the variety and personalization that weddings offered. I wanted a chance to work more closely with my brides and grooms than I was able to in a club or hotel setting, so First Coast Weddings was born!

How has your business changed over the years? My initial vision was to do a mix of corporate events and weddings - but over the years, I have focused our marketing and attention solely on weddings. We'll do the occasional corporate dinner or social event, but it's usually a spin-off from someone who knows us from the wedding world! We have also grown in size - I started with one assistant coordinator, and now our team includes six planners/coordinators.

Looking back, what do you wish you had done differently? Of course, there are always decisions that you'd like to change - but overall, I'm very happy with where we are today!

What are you most proud of? I'm most proud of earning my Master Bridal Consultant designation in 2012, and I'm also proud to provide educational opportunities and apprenticeships to members of the Association of Bridal Consultants.

Why do you think your business has made it while so many other small businesses fail in the first five years? For wedding planners, there are really no barriers to entry to this industry. It's easy for someone to have fun planning their own wedding, and think they can do it as a career. It's much harder to take someone else's vision and make it a reality - and then multiply that by 15 or 20 brides at once! I think that we provide excellent service to our clients, and we maintain close relationships with other wedding professionals. Referrals are always our number one source of new business! I also attend at least one continuing education conference each year to stay up on the latest trends and products.

What advice do you have for a business just starting out in your industry? Join ABC! I have created amazing friendships, opportunities, and connections over my 11 years as an ABC member. And I know that I have a network of other incredible planners around the world that I can count on when I need something. I also suggest interning or apprenticing with a seasoned planner before  jumping in. And be sure all of your financial and legal ducks are in a row before you hang out your shingle.

Do you have a most memorable wedding or funny story you'd like to share? I have so many wonderful memories! I think one of my favorites was from the photo below. It was after Kimberly and Victor's wedding in 2008; I had spent over a year getting to know Kimberly and her family - both of her parents attended almost every meeting, and were part of every decision! They are a wonderful family full of love and caring. Usually at the end of the reception, we send the bride and groom off in a limo or Rolls Royce or horse and carriage... but Victor and Kimberly and her parents were there in the ballroom long after all the guests had left. Part of it was exhaustion, part of it was just enjoying reveling in the beauty and love of the day. I loved that they took a few minutes to relax and talk on the fuzzy pink lounge furniture before Kimberly and Victor went off to begin their life as husband and wife. So sweet!

The Groom's Cake

The Groom's Cake is a tradition popular in the South, but where did this tradition come from?

In the Victorian Era, the groom's cake was a dense fruit cake. Small pieces of cake were put into boxes and given to the single women at the wedding. The women put the cake under their pillow to bring dreams of their future husband.

While that tradition has gone away, the groom's cake is still generally darker or denser than the wedding cake. Popular favorites include chocolate cake, carrot cake, or cheesecake. And it is still popular to box the groom's cake and give it to your guests as a wedding favor.

We see lots of our couples serve the groom's cake at the rehearsal dinner rather than at the wedding. Usually, the cake is designed with the groom's interests or hobbies in mind. The fun cake pictured here is from Jenna and Andy's wedding, and was created by Classic Cakes and photographed by Fox Fotography.

So do you have to have one? No, it's your wedding - do whatever you want to! But it is a fun way to incorporate a touch of the groom's personality into the wedding day.

Ashley and Matt - TPC Sawgrass Wedding, Ponte Vedra Beach

Ashley and Matt had an amazing wedding at TPC Sawgrass, complete with a little lightning before the ceremony and some spectacular fireworks during the reception!

The bridesmaids' dresses were an amazing shade of blue - paired with the green and white flowers, the girls looked stunning!

This was quite possibly the closest weather call I've made in my 14 years of doing weddings. I made the call to go ahead with the outdoor ceremony, despite a few rain cells on the radar. Minutes before we were supposed to start, TPC's golf course sirens were going off, alerting golfers to nearby lightening! But, we made it without any rain - but you can see the impending storm approaching in this photo!

This was a first at a wedding reception - I don't think I've ever had a groom do a handstand!

And of course, who doesn't love fireworks at a wedding!

Be sure to check out Tonya Beaver's blog for additional photos and details from this beautiful wedding!

Venue: TPC Sawgrass  //  Photographer: Tonya Beaver Photography  //  Videographer: Visual Power Cinema  //  Cake:  Classic Cakes  //  Florist: Rose of Sharon European Florist  //  DJ: DJ Shane  //  Fireworks: Santore & Sons  //  Ceremony Music: Wehner Weddings

Premier Wedding Expo Bridal Show - This Sunday!

Looking for a great way to meet lots of wedding professionals in one place? Stop by the Premier Wedding Expo this Sunday! We have been proud to help produce these great events for many years, and they keep getting better.

• Over 100 exhibitors
• Great discounts and prizes will be available for brides planning their weddings
• Each bride gets a bridal bag when entering the show

The event runs from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the UNF University Center (12000 Alumni Drive). Tickets are $10 at the door, but if  you purchase the online in advance they are only $7! Be sure to visit the show's website, www.PremierWeddingExpo.com, to learn more.

A Great Father-Daughter Dance Song: "Cinderella" by Steven Curtis Chapman

Are you looking for a unique father-daughter dance song? I heard Steven Curtis Chapman's song, "Cinderella" on the radio the other day and absolutely loved the idea of using it for this special moment between a bride and her dad.

You can check out the video here, and here are the lyrics:

She spins and she sways To whatever song plays Without a care in the world And I'm sitting here wearing The weight of the world on my shoulders

It's been a long day And there's still work to do She's pulling at me Saying "Dad, I need you

There's a ball at the castle And I've been invited And I need to practice my dancing Oh, please, Daddy, please?"

So I will dance with Cinderella While she is here in my arms 'Cause I know something the prince never knew Oh, I will dance with Cinderella I don't want to miss even one song 'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight And she'll be gone...

She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed She wants to know if I approve of the dress She says, "Dad, the prom is just one week away And I need to practice my dancing Oh, please, Daddy, please?"

So I will dance with Cinderella While she is here in my arms 'Cause I know something the prince never knew Oh, I will dance with Cinderella I don't want to miss even one song 'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight And she'll be gone

She will be gone

Well, she came home today with a ring on her hand Just glowing and telling us all they had planned She says, "Dad, the wedding's still six months away But I need to practice my dancing Oh, please, Daddy, please?"

So I will dance with Cinderella While she is here in my arms 'Cause I know something the prince never knew Oh, I will dance with Cinderella I don't want to miss even one song 'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight And she'll be gone

Jenna and Andy - Nocatee Crosswater Hall, Ponte Vedra

How adorable are these two? The smiles on their faces says it all - yep, we're in love! We had a great time coordinating Jenna and Andy's wedding in June.

Jenna and Andy also got to see a sneak preview two weeks before their own wedding, when one of Jenna's bridesmaids got married at the same ceremony venue! The girls shared many of the same vendors, so Jenna and Andy knew she didn't have a thing to worry about on the wedding day.

And speaking of vendors, we got to see one of the coolest things ever at a wedding reception. Visual Power Cinema actually edited footage from throughout the day, and showed the highlights AT THE RECEPTION. You heard me right! Not more than three hours after the ceremony, we were watching the video. Amazing!!

It happened to be the father of the bride's birthday, so we brought out this adorable cake while everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to him!

From the stunning decor to the delicious food to the sparkler send-off, it was certainly a night to remember!

Ceremony Venue: Ponte Vedra Concert Hall  //  Reception Venue: Nocatee Crosswater Hall  //  Caterer: Catering By Liz  //  Photographer: Fox Fotography  //  Videographer: Visual Power Cinema  //  Florist: Rachael Kasie Designs  // Chairs: A Chair Affair  //  Cake: Classic Cakes  //  DJ: Skip Kelly Productions  //  Photobooth: Photobooth To Go   //  Beauty: Paulina Perez

Lindsay and Jordan – TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach

Lindsay and Jordan's wedding was simply stunning! We love getting to work with such sweet couples and their families. I had the pleasure of getting to know Lindsay's mom as we wrapped up the final details for the wedding since Lindsay and Jordan live in Tampa. All the hours spent on each little touch were well spent. Check out even more images on our Facebook page, or on Ron B. Wilson Photography's blog!

Venue: TPC Sawgrass  //  Photographer: Ron B. Wilson Photography, Inc.  //  Florist: Arlene's Designs  //  Stationery: Celebrated Occasions  //  Cake: Classic Cakes  //  Calligraphy: Well-Written Hand Calligraphy  //  Favors: Flippin' Good Cookies  //  Band: Atlanta Rhythm & Groove

Spotight: Hair & Makeup By Paulina Perez

In 15 years of doing weddings, the number one cause I have seen of getting off schedule is found at the beginning of the day: hair and makeup. There are so many reasons to hire a professional hair stylist and makeup artist. But one of the top reasons is staying on schedule! The talented artists that do weddings every weekend (not just work in salons) know how long it will take to do each girls' hair and makeup, and they are great at working with the brides to schedule enough time to get everyone done before the photographer is ready to shoot formal portraits.

One of our favorite companies to work with is Hair & Makeup By Paulina Perez.  Our brides love working with Paulina and her team! We constantly hear how wonderful they are. In addition to doing fabulous hair and makeup, the team is fully licensed and insured - something that is very important these days! They also have an office in Savannah now, and are on their way to world domination.

I personally had Paulina do my makeup for my recent headshots, and I concur! Not only did my makeup look amazing, it lasted for hours in the heat and humidity of a Florida afternoon! Here's a little interview with Paulina where she shared all sorts of great tips and tricks!

What makes your team different from other hair/makeup artists? I think the main thing that makes us different from every other artist in town is that we are literally a one stop shop for our clients and most vendors that refer us! Not only are we all licensed estheticians and cosmetologists but this is a team of some of the hottest artists in North Florida! I think clients and vendors like that they know they can refer our team for hair, makeup, and tanning services and that they know the chances of us turning them away due to not having enough artists is most likely not going to happen!

Also we pride ourselves in the fact that we do have some of the best artist in this region all under one roof! Although the company is named after me (when I started out I never imagined getting to the point of having a team, so the name made sense) I am blessed to not be the only “name” in the company. The girls on my team all have a resume on their own that would be extremely competitive to any other freelance artist. My girls have done hair and makeup for the Emmy’s and the Golden Globes, for contestants on the voice, featured in national and international magazines, are staple artists for Wal-Mart, and even were seen in Russia’s Next Top Model which was filmed while we were doing Miami Fashion Week! We are really blessed with the talent on the team and all get to learn from everyone’s personal experiences which keeps our team continuing to grow! Their sweet personality is just the icing on the cake! ;)

What's your favorite beauty product that you personally use? I have two tools that I can’t live without!!! The first is my Clarisonic brush!! I keep it in the shower and use it with my face wash everyday!!! It really keeps my skin glowing and keeps it from getting dull!! If you don’t have this little device it will make an amazing Christmas present this year!!!! The first time you use it your face will feel like a clean you have never felt before!! I know that sounds weird but to the people reading this that have one they are probably nodding their heads….and now laughing at how true this is!!!

My second favorite tool is my Beauty Blender Sponge! I use it to apply and blend my foundation. I kept hearing about this sponge from all of my makeup artist friends and finally caved in to this…..well, sponge! I was skeptical as I had been taught to only apply foundation with a foundation brush and how sponges are the worst for foundation application. I read how this sponge was SO DIFFERENT and life changing! I read how it was patented and how it wouldn't absorb your foundation like most sponges do. I finally put it to use…. And let’s just say it was like a little piece of heaven on my face! I loved my foundation even more with this little pink egg of a sponge….. and I loved taking picture on Instagram…..with NO FILTER! I swear! They sell these sponges at Sephora just in case you wanted to run….. I mean pick one up!

What is the most important thing brides should consider when choosing someone to do their hair and makeup on their wedding day? Aside from the obvious like making sure you do a trial and are happy with the end result….. also make sure your artist is professional. An easy way to do this is by reading their contract. If they don’t have you sign a contract that would raise an immediate red flag! Two other really important factors to consider is to make sure your makeup artists is at least an esthetician and that your hairdresser is a cosmetologist! These licenses are required BY LAW. Last making sure they have liability insurance. You want someone who takes care of their business as it shows how they will take care of you. If your artist knows all the legal ins and outs and requirements of his/her business and is licensed and insured then you know it is someone who is looking at this for the long haul and not to make extra money on the side as a hobby. Professionals will take the time to invest in their company.

What should brides avoid in the days leading up to their wedding? Honestly in a perfect world the bridal party would not be hung over from their rehearsal dinner and would come wedding day with 8 hours of sleep….. but let’s get real! Rehearsal dinners are full of friends you haven’t seen in years that flew in, family your fiance has not met, and and a family reunion that has not happened since Aunt Carol got married 10 years ago! There will be a party the night before and nothing or nobody will stop that! Hopefully your artist comes prepared with either a hydration mask (depending on the severity -LOL), tons of moisturizer, and if need be oxygen infused facial mist…. My favorite is from Bliss! This with the right formula concealer will make you look like you got 8 hours of sleep you were hoping for!!!

As far as facials go…… most spas will not (or maybe I should say SHOULD NOT) give you a mud facial the week of. Any facial where your impurities are being drawn out WILL and I repeat WILL break you out! Other than that if you just go in for a relaxing facial or massage you should be fine! Just let them know your big day is coming up and you don’t want anything that will bring unexpected friends to the surface!! But go ahead and pamper yourself that week!! With all the wedding duties you have had you deserve it!!!

We Won! 2013 Wedding Industry Expert Awards

The results are in for the 2013 Wedding Industry Expert Awards. We're honored to be selected among the top wedding planners in the country again this year! Winner: Best Wedding Planner - Jacksonville Winner: Top 5 Best Wedding Planner - Jacksonville Winner: Top 10 Best Wedding Planner - Jacksonville Finalist: Best Wedding Planner - Florida - Ranking: 3 of 3 Finalist: Top 5 Best Wedding Planner - Florida - Ranking: 3 of 5

Invisalign - A Wedding Gift For Yourself

I had the privilege of meeting with Dr. Don Alexander this week, and he had a great idea! Why not invest a little cash on yourself as you plan your wedding? Now is definitely the time to do it, before the house and kids and career really take over.

Dr. Alexander offers Invisalign®, but his practice is unique. It's one of six offices in Jacksonville that have the technology to show you your anticipated results in just 15 minutes! The nifty computer screen you see pictured here is what makes it possible. And the mouth you see on the screen is mine! Granted, I had braces as a kid, and my teeth are still fairly straight, so you don't see a huge difference. But in some of the cases Dr. Alexander showed me, even six months of Invisalign® can make a significant change in your smile. It just takes a few minutes to have your mouth scanned, and then it magically appears on the screen and makes the adjustments.

Dr. Alexander is offering our clients a great discount on Invisalign®, plus free teeth whitening for both the bride and groom. I was surprised to hear how affordable it is, even without the discount! Contact our office to get a special invitation to visit Dr. Alexander's office for a complimentary consultation.

Multi-Cultural Wedding Tips

I had the pleasure of attending the Association of Bridal Consultants' Central Florida East luncheon yesterday. The guest speaker was Yehudit Steinberg, the founder of the Jewish Interfaith Wedding Network. She specializes in creating ceremonies blending religions and cultures, incorporating both families' traditions and beliefs. Yehudit shared some tips that you may want to consider when planning an interfaith wedding.

1. Don't rush. Long engagements aren't a bad thing, especially when it comes to blending two cultures or religions. You'll want to explore your families' traditions, and decide as a couple which traditions to incorporate into your wedding, and your marriage.

2. Open communication. Encourage your families to be a part of your wedding preparations, especially in terms of the ceremony.

3. Address ceremony options first. Especially when you are considering marrying in a house of worship, you will want to secure the date with your officiants before planning any other aspects of the wedding.  In other words, don't book your reception venue and then find out it's Yom Kippur and no rabbi will marry you!

Be sure to visit the Jewish Interfaith Wedding Network website for more great information!

Signature Drinks Featuring Pearl Wedding Cake Vodka

At last year's Association of Bridal Consultants' conference, I was introduced to Pearl Wedding Cake Vodka. What a great addition to a signature drink! They have lots of great recipes on their website, but here are two they featured at the conference.

Blushing Bride (shown in photo)

2 oz Pearl Wedding Cake 2 oz Cranberry Juice 1/2 oz Prosecco

Chill champagne glass. Pour ingredients as listed. Garnish with a fresh strawberry and serve.

Tropical Wedding

2oz Pearl Wedding Cake 4oz Pineapple Juice

Pour Pearl in chilled martini glass. Add pineapple juice. Garnish with pineapple wedge.

Do you have signature drink recipe you'd like to share? Post it in the comments below!

Spotlight: Wine and Canvas

Last weekend, Kari and I had a blast creating works of art over cocktails and conversation! Thanks to a Groupon deal, we signed up along with Kari's mom, sister, and a few friends, and were introduced to Wine and Canvas. The premise is simple: you sign up online, then show up at the bar or restaurant where the event is scheduled. You get a blank canvas, paints and brushes, and even an apron to keep you somewhat clean. Everyone paints the same picture, and an instructor paints along with you so you can watch what to do. (That part is definitely easier before the cocktails!) Here's the before:

It's a step by step process, and our class lasted 3 hours. At the end of the event, we all took our paintings with us - some to be displayed prominently in our homes, some to be donated to a charity thrift shop near you.

Not only is this a super idea for a night out, it's a great idea for a Bachelorette Party! We've heard from a lot of you that say you want a fun night out with your friends that doesn't involve a fake veil and strippers. Wine and Canvas offers private parties which could be held at any number of restaurants that have private event space. Plus, you'll have a souvenier of your night with the girls!

Check out the Wine and Canvas website or Facebook page for more info:

Wine and Canvas Website Wine and Canvas Jacksonville - Facebook page

Jacksonville Wedding Venue Tour

We had a great time last Sunday participating in the first Jacksonville Wedding Venue Tour, hosted by our friends at The Wedding Loft. The premise is that brides and grooms visit four venues, all set up as they would be for a wedding, and they get to enjoy food and entertainment while meeting great wedding professionals. It's like a bridal show on wheels!

We were at The Carling, which is an interesting historic venue in Downtown Jacksonville. The building was formerly the Carling Hotel/Hotel Roosevelt, built in 1925; now it's home to gorgeous apartments! Restored architectural features include Palladian windows, terrazo floors, and a beautiful marble staircase to the private event space.

Thanks to J'Adore Studios for the fun photos! To see more photos from the tour, check out Liz's blog post.

The Jacksonville Wedding Venue Tour attendees on the bus!

At the entrance to The Carling

Design and florals by Blush 129

Cake and cupcakes by Choux Bakery

Food by D'Vine Cuisine

Spotlight: The Engagement Ring Studio

This week, I had the opportunity to meet the lovely ladies at The Engagement Ring Studio. As a small studio, they offer a personal approach to selecting the perfect engagement ring. They work one-on-one with grooms to select the ideal ring for his bride, or custom design one if nothing is "just right."

Rather than a sea of glass cases, the studio has open displays where the rings can easily be viewed, touched, and admired. In addition, they have a selection of earrings, necklaces, as well as non-diamond options.

I was impressed that they are dedicated to designing a ring that not only the bride will love, but the groom will be comfortable with price-wise. Before they even start looking at diamonds, they look at budget. Much better than the guilt-trip guys often get at the major chain stores!

Already have the ring? The Engagement Ring Studio can also help with custom-designed wedding bands and bridal party gifts.  Also, check out their seminars, "Beer, Wings & Rings" where guys can learn how to buy the perfect engagement ring.

Celebrating 10 Years

In November, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of First Coast Weddings and Events. I put together a small dinner party for our team, and I'm excited to finally share the photos with you! There were so many gorgeous images from Kris Graham Photography that I had a hard time narrowing it down!

Thanks to Rose of Sharon European Florist, D'Vine Cuisine, Kirby Rentals, and Classic Cakes for making it all happen. And of course, to Emma, Melanie, Kari and Ashleigh for being such an amazing team!

Happy Holidays!

2012 is almost over - can you believe it?! We've celebrated our 10th anniversary, we've added two amazing ladies to our team, we've moved to a new office, and we've celebrated the weddings of some spectacular clients! We wanted to take a moment to thank you for your friendship and love this year, and we look forward to many more joyous celebrations in 2013.

How Long Should My Wedding Reception Last?

We often meet with clients that think their wedding reception should last ALL night long. And in some cases, they are right. But more often than not, less is more when in comes to wedding receptions.

Here in Jacksonville, the typical wedding reception lasts between 4 and 5 hours.  There are some factors that will influence your reception length:

• The type of meal being served. If you are serving a 5-course meal, your dinner will last longer than an hors d'oeuvres reception.
• How long your cocktail "hour" will last. Many couples have a "cocktail hour" that lasts longer than an actual hour.
• Your guest list. If most of your guests are from out of town, and are staying at or near the reception venue, they may be more likely to party later.
• Venue restrictions. There may be sound ordinances you need to comply with, or your venue may have a limit on the number of hours in your rental fee.

Some reasons to end your reception a little earlier include:

• The send-off. If you'd like to have a grand exit, you'll want to leave before all your guests do.
• You'll be exhausted. You've spent a year planning every detail of this day, and the butterflies in your stomach may not let you sleep the night before!  Plus, you'll usually be up very early on the wedding day to start hair and makeup.
• It's easier on the budget. The longer your reception lasts, the longer you will have to pay for food, drinks, and entertainment.

If you'd like a longer reception, consider staging an "after party" in a different space at your venue. Create a unique setting, and have different entertainment. Or, keep the post-reception casual by meeting at a nearby bar. Just be sure everyone has safe transportation home afterward!

November In A Nutshell

So... I haven't been blogging very much this month. Sorry! But here's what has been going on this month. First, we celebrated our 10th anniversary. We had an amazing company dinner at a beautiful riverfront home at sunset. I don't have the professional pics yet, but here's a little sneak preview:

Huge thank-yous to D'Vine Cusine, Rose of Sharon European Florist, Kris Graham Photography, Classic Cakes, D'Land Productions, and Kirby Rentals for making it all happen.

A day later, I left for Colorado to speak at the Association of Bridal Consultants' Business of Brides conference. I always love getting to see my fellow wedding planners and friends at the annual conference. We got to hear great ideas from industry leaders Donnie Brown and Rebecca Grinnals, see new products and trends, and learn about all sorts of topics. I met a wonderful woman, Yehudit Steinberg, from the Jewish Interfaith Wedding Network, who specializes in creating custom interfaith ceremonies for brides and grooms. Plus, I attended a session called, "Special Needs Weddings for Visually, Hearing, and Mobility Impaired."

To make it an even better trip, I got to spend a few extra days in Colorado, enjoying Estes Park and Vail.

Before I knew it, Thanksgiving was here, and now it's already November 30th! This month has really flown by - I hope yours was as great as mine was.

We're 10!

Today is a very special day - it's our 10th birthday! Sometimes it feels longer, sometimes it feels like just yesterday. It was November 8, 2002, when our corporate paperwork was officially filed and legal. We've seen hundreds of weddings, lots of our couples have children now, and some of our brides and grooms are doing amazing things! We love to keep up with everyone, and it's so much easier with Facebook and Twitter.

We've worked with so many talented wedding professionals over the years that it would be impossible to name them all. Having a great team really makes our job a lot easier!

And we've added to our own team over the years - including a some babies of our own. We're celebrating with a small dinner party this evening, but we'll be sure to share photos soon. It's been an amazing 10 years, and we look forward to many more! Cheers!