Our recent Moulin Rouge inspired event at The Venue Scottsdale was nothing short of fabulous, just like the real Moulin Rouge,  thanks to the many people who helped to make it an evening to remember. We are so anxious to share our adventures with you!

It all started with a buzz about the invitations from Celebrations in Paper… the red feather, vintage aesthetic and fishnet detail made them gloriously flirtatious. The RSVP’s came rolling in!

The Venue Scottsdale was the ideal location for our event since it has distinct areas- we used the main courtyard for the large and raucous party, the bar nooks (otherwise known as the catacombs) for the more intimate entertainment and the Billiards room for dining . This is the main party hall with a dramatic high ceiling and a stage we couldn’t resist.

This is Ashley Richardson of Ashley Gain Weddings and Events. This gal worked her tail off to make our event as spectacular as it was and we are so grateful to her. She always looked at ease which is quite a trick when planning an event of this magnitude!

Here are the girls- this is probably the ONLY time they sat all night! Aren’t they a gorgeous crew?

On to the party!

The linens and centerpieces elicited oohs and ahhs- you can see why!

Here is our much admired Publisher, Fran Samuel, alongside our Marketing and Sales Director Jennifer Rabito, who is always a crowd favorite. Below them is Bob Messinger of Applause Entertainment who acted as MC for the night and provided us with the entertainment for the entire evening. It was quite spectacular- the catacombs of The Venue Scottsdale were occupied with all sorts of eccentric talents such as Lip Readers and Tarot Card Readers. And of course, not to be forgotten, we had an aerialist, can can dancers and a crooner in the main courtyard!

Of course there was food…oh the food!

Photographer Sarah Hagerty of Hagerty Photography was able to relax a little, then it was back to work capturing more beautiful scenery and people!

We ended the night the best way we know how- with chocolate! Bedazzle my Bon Bons made these decadent and sparkly delights especially for our event and they were completely sinful…

Here we all are! The Phoenix Bride and Groom Team thanks all of the vendors who gave so generously of their time and talents to make the Moulin Rouge Event a success. It was wonderful connecting with so many wedding industry professionals and we can’t wait for the next party!

We also enjoyed a Live Photobooth by Keith Pitts- these are always so fun!

Here is a slideshow from Hagerty Photography that shows even more pictures!

If you enjoy time lapse videos, you are going to like this quick one of our set-up created by Serendipity Videography:

Phoenix Bride & Groom Timelapse by Serendipity Videography from Serendipity Videography on Vimeo.

We could not have enjoyed ourselves and entertained our guests without the following people/companies. Their contributions and hard work made this THE event of the year!

Thank You…

The Venue Scottsdale/ Ashley Gain Weddings and Events/Hagerty Photography/Serendipity Videography/Celebrations in Paper/BBJ Linen/Wildflower Linen/Quest Drape/Sound Lighting F/X/ Events by Showstoppers/ Classic Party Rentals/Designer8* Furniture Rental/ Applause Productions & Entertainment/ Encore Creative/Heidi’s Events and Catering/Fabulous Fine Food Catering and Events/Santa Barbara Catering/Marcellino Ristorante/Creations in Cuisine Catering/Ciao Baby Catering/Bruce Brown Catering and Events/My Goodness Cakes/La Dolce Pesca/ Creative Cappucino/Honey Moon Sweets/ Bedazzle My Bon Bons/Live Photobooth by Keith Pitts/Lip Story

(Photo By: Eyes2See Photography)

(Photo By: Chris Richards Photography)

Many couples plan for children to be at their weddings and I am all for it. Families are blending, flower girls and ring bearers have wedding duties and children love a party just as much as adults do but how can you keep kids happy and entertained so they don’t become unruly? You must be very clever and plan ahead.

(Photo By: Marriott Photo)

(Photo By: Chris Richards Photography)

During my years in the wedding world, I have seen couples plan fabulous fun for the kids and I have seen couples shun this idea (only to pay the expensive broken vase price later). Check out these ways to keep kids (or even adults) busy:

1. The kids table! I loathed being banished to the kids table at Thanksgiving but if you make it a fun and kid-friendly table, I’m sure you won’t hear any complaints

(Photo By: Phyllis Lane Photography)

(Photo By: Jennifer Bowen Photography)

2. Activities are key; even the littlest ones can play I Spy (with the help of someone who can read of course), Word Finds and Wedding Word Scrambles

(Photo By: Jennifer Bowen Photography , Concept By: Victoria Canada Weddings and Events)

(Photo By: Marriott Photo)

Crossword puzzles keep all ages occupied

(Photo By: Sergio Photographer)

3. Go super-creative and set up a kids’ game station. This Tic Tac Toe game from our Seven Canyons photoshoot in Sedona can easily be modified to fit any wedding decor.

(Concept By: Sedona Luxury Weddings and Events, Photo By: Sedona Bride Photographers)

If you plan to entertain several children over the age of 6 and you want to go down is history as the VERY best wedding hosts, bring in a portable Game Truck. The kids will go in to play all kinds of games but I must warn you: you probably won’t see them the rest of the night!

(Photo Courtesy of Games2U)

4. Instill a little competition: by posting trivia games at the table, you are appealing to kids’ competitive natures. This is appropriate for older kids and adults depending on the trivia. Include a prize for the most correct answers and you will really get them going!

(Concept By: Butterfly Petals, Photo By: Ten West Photography)

5. Set up a separate kids dance floor. You can use your own ipod pepared with kids dance music or even bring someone in to be the kids’ DJ- they can do the chicken dance, hokey pokey, etc. Don’t be surprised if some of the adults wander over to “check on the kids”!

(Photo By: Something Blue Photography)

6. And finally, keep them fed! You know how cranky you get when you are hungry? Kids are the same way! You can offer easy to eat kids’ food like mac and cheese or chicken fingers but if you want to really keep the kids happy, set up kid friendly food stations like a taco bar, hamburgers and hot dogs or a pasta bar. And of course, don’t forget a sundae bar.

(Photo By: Jennifer Bowen Photography)

Surely these happy kids had some fun at the wedding…and behaved too!

(Photo  By: Chris Richards Photography

Chatting Soon~Kelly

First, let’s talk airbrush tanning. Come on, we all know you do it or want to do it! Is it a good option for your pre-wedding prep? Absolutely. But do you know who to go to so you don’t end up looking like a creamsicle? Check out this properly airbrushed gal:

Who’s work is this, you ask? Sarah Sanmarco, professional makeup artist, who’s work has been seen all over town, especially at weddings. Now, did you know there is an organic airbrushing option? I had no idea so Sarah and I had a little discussion. Here’s what you need to know about Organic vs. Non-Organic Airbrush Tanning:

SS: The whole reason I started Tanning with Organic Solution was to offer everyone, including myself, a safe way to have a nice & natural tan w/out harmful UVA/UVB rays that are damaging to our skin & without using harmful chemicals. I was just in a tanning salon this morning & asked the owner a few questions about his solution & his take on Organic vs Non. He said, “the only difference is there are no preservatives in Non- Organic Solutions & are the same other than that.” This is simply not true.

Organic Tanning Solution does not contain alcohol, perfume or preservatives which some people can have a reaction to. This type of solution is primarily odorless, eliminating that smell you detect when using self tanners. The natural ingredients are plant derived, containing no artificial chemicals. Also this type of solution is safe for the face.

Regarding Non- Organic Solutions, the government regulates DHA and they allow several contaminants in the solution: lead, arsenic and mercury. According to a news organization, arsenic and mercury are allowed because they were originally approved to apply topically. It was not meant to be in contact with your lungs, membranes (which will get the contaminants into your bloodstream), and lips.

Sarah makes a pretty good case for Organic, doesn’t she? She is mobile so she can come to you and your bridal party, you will want to book her 1-3 days prior to the wedding day, each person takes about 10 minutes total, and she customizes the color so you will look naturally tan, not orangey. At $45 per tan, this is an excellent way to treat your bridal party and get them picture ready!

Another option that is totally guy and gal friendly is teeth whitening. Your bridal party is sure to smile bigger and with more confidence when they know their teeth look great so offer a treatment that will brighten their teeth and remove stains immediately. Denis Belusic, who uses the DaVinci Teeth Whitening System, runs a mobile operation so you can relax at your own place, whether it be a resort or a home, while he works his magic! Call Denis for more info and to book your appointment: 623.322.5029

Is your bridal party a group that likes hands- on activites? How about scheduling a cooking class for the entire group? We are so lucky to have AndyFood  right here in Arizona. It’s a demonstration kitchen where you get food talk, hands-on kitchen time and tastings all under the guidance of Andy Broder. I have taken several classes at AndyFood and the delights that come out of Andy’s kitchen are amazing! Besides, cooking can be a bonding experience so it’s great for bridal parties or families that may not know each other well. Andy tells me “we customize each event and make suggestions that are specific to a group. For example – if everyone is coming from the east coast a Southwest theme is nice.  At a rehearsal we can suggest a plan that gets opposite sides of the family working on the same recipe.”

And this next activity should be mandatory for any bridal party: yoga. Everyone is busy with wedding stuff, you are preparing for the biggest day of your lives, emotions are running high…who couldn’t use some downtime? Yoga studios such as Zenergy Yoga offer private yoga classes for all skill levels so there is no need for anyone to be intimidated. Center yourselves and reflect on what lies ahead…

One more thing that visitors to Arizona should experience is hiking so why not do a guided group hike? The person you need to know for this is Suzi DeMaio-Donovan. This personal trainer and fitness instructor hosts group hikes anywhere in AZ and trust me, she is the person you want to show you the trails. Suzi is an avid outdoorsman and offers a range of  hiking packages for 2-10 people. She meets you at the start of the trail and provides water, snacks and backpacks if needed. A favorite feature of mine: she does sunrise, sunset or even MOONLIGHT hikes! Can you imagine how beautiful that would be (and great for summer)? She says you don’t even need flashlights because the moon is so bright during these hikes. And if you are really into adventure, she even does moonlight Stand-Up Paddling.

It’s a given that you are going to spend some time with your bridal party before the wedding so why not do something different? When you offer activities, your besties get to hang out together and bond a little. Besides, they need some pampering too!

Chatting Soon~Kelly

Today’s confession is that I am utterly, unabashedly, completely addicted to popcorn. I grew up eating it every night after a well-balanced dinner during TV time with my family. Sadly, many nights I sat solo at the dining room table glaring at my cold carrots in the dark watching the rest of my family nosh on their popcorn happily.

Clearly, I have an emotional tie to the crunchy stuff so when Phoenix Bride and Groom Magazine celebrated 10 fabulous years last summer and included a popcorn table, I was smitten. It was a bit embarrasing how I hovered, claiming to be helping keep the table stocked up. This popcorn was special and needed tending to.

The evening’s theme was a Sophisticated Circus and popcorn was a natural choice. As Victoria Canada of Victoria Canada Weddings and Events explains,

“To me, the circus is fun and a celebration so that fit the 10th Anniversary occasion but also, the wedding industry can be a bit of a circus…we all juggle many balls!”

Also, this wedding planner with more than 10 years experience likes to mix things up. I think she’s actually allergic to doing something the same way twice (unless it’s good planning practices!) so instead of a traditional Candy Bar/Buffet, which is very popular and with good reason, she added her own twist and presented a Popcorn Bar.

Popular flavors Churro and (surprise!) Pineapple Jalepeno were accompanied by vintage circus themed signs from Celebrations in Paper and sweet popcorn bags found at Etsy. 

We had a ball at the Circus, I mean, 10th Anniversary Party. Thanks to those who lent us their creative genius to make it so special!

Chatting Soon~Kelly

Images courtesy of Sedona Bride

Popcorn Bar set-up, stylized and provided by Victoria Canada Weddings and Events

Prepare to be impressed and inspired at the  Party & Bridal Experience next month at the W Scottsdale.

Phoenix Bride & Groom is delighted to partner with Sensational Events in the production of a fabulous event designed to ease the planning process for the Valley’s discerning brides and grooms.

From cakes to caterers, this event has you covered!

On April 25th from 11 to 4, the W Scottsdale will become a bridal wonderland.  This intimate show boasts an diverse array of premier wedding and event professionals, ready to answer your questions and jumpstart your journey down the aisle.

The Party & Bridal Experience will showcase vendors such as Tri-Rentals Event Specialists, who transform any venue from ordinary to extraordinary, the floral stylings of Angelic Grove, Avant-Garde, Sugar Magnolia and Your Event Florist, and entertainment vendors who will make your heart sing.

Check out the event website at www.partybridalexperience.com for more information and to purchase tickets. This is a must-attend for any couple planning a wedding in the Valley.  And be sure to visit our fabulous advertisers at the show – BBJ Linen, BQ Photography, Ciao Baby Catering, Robert’s Catering, Special Events Table Linens, String Serenade, Twirl and United Parking Systems.

Photo credits:  Header – Sensational Events; Hors D’oeuvres – M Catering by Michael’s; Cake – Exclusive Cakes by Nancy Ray, image by Justine Miller Photography; and Floral Design – Angelic Grove, image by Sedona Bride.

Amy Wahl and her team set us up for some great memory-making with a computer that films and produces these nifty books in about 90 seconds.  They can make 40-50 flipbooks in one hour!

I can’t stop looking at the two books I made at our party and remembering what fun we had. Ours were imprinted with our 10th anniversary cover–they would look so great with your monogram and wedding date in your wedding colors.

Images by Sedona Bride.