The Perfect Fête

Destination Deals

Last year I enrolled in a rigorous educational training course and became certified to coordinate and plan destination weddings. This course was well worth the high price of enrollment, because it has established me locally as one of the leading experts on destination weddings. I know, I know, that sounds a little cocky however, I have to toot my own horn here because of the fabulous deals I have been able to negotiate for my destination couples.

While I cannot divulge all the details, I can give a general sense of some of these “deals” - but in order to do this let me establish a little background into the steps I have taken to begin the entire destination process for my couples.

I am not a travel agent nor am I trained to act as a travel agent, so I have met with and interview many travel agents with varying years of experience. Hiring an agent has huge benefits to groups and individuals wanting to plan a vacation or group tour. Agents work with suppliers, aka vendors associated with huge travel industry resources like FunJet, American Express Travel and Sandals Resorts who because of the sheer volume of bookings, can offer discounts and upgrades to individuals or groups.

An agent will also comparative shop for the best deals. Many of these deals offer great discounts and are unpublished to the general public. Agents can negotiate discounted rates for hotel rooms, land excursions, transportation and sometimes seats on airlines.

If anything goes wrong with your travel plans - gee that happens daily - a reputable and experienced agent will fix the problem or work on your behalf to make alternate plans so your trip isn’t a disaster before it begins.

Right about now I’m betting you are wondering why I am tooting the horn of travel agents…it’s because I believe they do serve a very useful and necessary purpose many times - however through the power of persuasion and my shrewd bargaining skills I have been able to negotiate destination deals that no travel agent, supplier or group room discounter could obtain.

These deals are during peak winter season and not just off-season when everyone is offering discounts. The rates I negotiated are over $300 per day less than any agent offered including online booking agents like Orbitz, Hotels.com and Travelocity. Yes these sites are actually travel agents who offer their services online.

Besides the discounts, I have obtained complimentary room upgrades, discounted food and beverage for the wedding and complimentary wedding night stay for the bride and groom. These discounts add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars, depending on the property. I have yet to find a travel agent who could match the deals I worked out.

So, if you are considering a destination wedding, first consider calling Fete Perfection at 952-929-4281 to schedule a complimentary consultation. Tell me about your dream destination and I will tell you about the possibilities of making it a reality.

Happy dreaming…

Posted on August 22nd, 2008 by Amy
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Everything OLD is NEW Again

While catching up on reading my favorite blogs from friends and wedding planner colleagues (note their links in my right margin) I came across an amazing and totally unique style of wedding documentation. This old-style-old-world super 8 film is making a comeback and is apparently huge on the west coast.

Click this link to Parisian Party and scroll down to A Parisian Wedding Captured on Super 8

I don’t want to spoil the experience so sit back and enjoy - by the way, turn on the sound…you will be happy you did.

Thanks to Kimberely Petyt of Parisian Events a planner friend lucky enough to live my dream in Paris.

Posted on August 11th, 2008 by Amy
Filed under: General Discussion | No Comments »

Four-Three-Five-One

My Fete Perfection staff and I just concluded a fabulous fun-filled weekend of four events over three days and all completely planned in just five months for one dynamic couple.

Because of the logistics and details we hired two completely different photographers - one to document the weekend of events, the activities, family, friends and of course the couple from their perspective and the other to document our perspective from the planners side of things. I can’t wait to see both perspectives and honestly to relive some of the weekend with pride. My team pulled together to handle and oversee every last detail and they seemed to instinctively anticipate potential problems or glitches to make sure they didn’t occur.

I can’t wait to see the photos but in the meantime, I’m off to the Florida Keys - my favorite place to relax and rest my aching feet which I’m sure have an additional eighty gazillion miles after this weekend.

Posted on July 20th, 2008 by Amy
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So Many Useful Tips in One Location

One of my colleague friends, Jody TaylorSmith of Good Taste Events formerly of Rochester, MN and now a highly-sought-after planner in the Seattle area was featured on another planners site called The Smart Planner which offers business resources and coaching for professional wedding consultants with all levels of experience.

Until today I had never heard of this website, but I’m always on the lookout for informative educational perspectives from other planners and after spending just a few minutes reading The Smart Planner I realized this is a treasure-trove of invaluable information and just knew I had to share. The author, Leine Stevens is owner and lead consultant for Blue Orchid Designs a wedding planning firm in Scottsdale.

Although I’ve been planning events for over ten years, I recently became a business owner having started Fete Perfection in 2006. Leine has links and recommendations to Business Resources such as Legal Forms and Documents, How to Form an LLC, Wedding Consultant Certification, Insurance, Taxes and Licensing. She offers resources in Work Flow such as My Fax - Send/Receive Faxes by Email or Event Brite, Event Registration. She also offers tips and links to Marketing Resources and Tech Support such as Spam Arrest and numerous recommendations for web hosting or other “techie” products and services not in my realm of comprehension or vocabulary.

The Smart Planner also offers links to Wedding Industry Experts, Business Experts and Networking links…which brings me back to the beginning of my story - once weekly Leine writes a Meet the Planners Series and Jody TaylorSmith was most recently featured for her sassy sense of humor, uber sense of style and a killer smile with dimples to match. I’m certain her dimples alone could have secured her a feature listing but it helps to be the real deal and Jody is just that.

So for anyone looking for informative reading and helpful links to setting up or running your business check-out The Smart Planner For anyone looking for planner extraordinaire with an extraordinary flare for humor and style contact Jody TaylorSmith of Good Taste Events And to be bedazzled in the Scottsdale area, contact Leine Stevens of Blue Orchid Designs . You will not be disappointed.

Posted on July 14th, 2008 by Amy
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The “A” Team

From the left Amanda ~ Amy ~ Mai Lor ~ Casey ~ Anna The only other team member we’re missing is Marla.

At our last wedding we had a little down time before the guests arrived so we decided to mug it up for the camera. With the exception of Amanda our 2008 intern, this group of fabulous women have been working me since we opened. I call them the “A” team because they are our first-round-draft-picks and it shows. I love to look around on wedding day and see their smiles and energy. It’s contagious actually.

We work together in an efficient and cohesive fashion and we practically read each others minds. When I am about to ask a question about the status of set-up, for example, one of them answers before the question is asked.

We’ve added two additional assistants who will make their debut at our next big three-day-wedding which comes up in the middle of July. The logistics and details are too numerous to under staff that weekend so after meeting many applicants, we chose Allissa and Amy to the team. With Anna, Amanda, Amy, Allissa & Amy I think we can call ourselves AAAAA rated.

Posted on July 1st, 2008 by Amy
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Bridal Gown Trends?

This is the latest ad from Delphine Manivet and it made me wonder if the Laura Ashley style is making a come back? I personally love the romance and nostalgia this gown depicts but I’m not certain what the ad is trying to say -

Posted on June 19th, 2008 by Amy
Filed under: Wedding Resources | 1 Comment »

Why I Love My Job

Last week, while Minnesota was still trying to make up it’s mind about what season it’s in, I had the good fortune to travel to Puerto Rico with one of my new destination couples, who I have to say, kept me in stitches the entire time I was there. Joe & Shelley are a fun loving couple with quick wit and playful personalities. Oh did I mention they’re seasoned travelers…when I say seasoned I mean, they traveled to Micronesia for scuba diving in Jelly Fish Lake and that is where they became engaged. Their engagement picture is a riot, them mugging it up for the camera with masks, regulators and the whole nine yards. I don’t have that photo to show, but this is them hard at work trying to figure out what tropical drink to order next.

We flew into San Juan then traveled to the northeast corner of the island, initially to an area called Rio Grande - we were guests at the Gran Melia which is a lovely property with spectacular views of the Caribbean right outside our room. Their restaurants were excellent and the service impeccable. Joe and Shelley were very excited to see the property and consider it for their wedding, until they viewed a couple other properties.

Our tour guides were fellow ABC members, John & Sari Skalnick of Tropical Weddings. They were perfect hosts, providing us with the ins and outs of this part of Puerto Rico. Together they coordinate and oversee over 200 weddings a year so have wonderful relationships with some of the top venues in the area. We toured Rio Mar in Rio Grande and in Farjardo, the Farjardo Inn. Both had many wonderful benefits to having a wedding in Puerto Rico. Here’s the view at Farjardo Inn which is hard to resist

El Conquistador was our next stop. Although this resort is located on the cliffs overlooking the Caribbean, it offers outstanding views and a private island for the exclusive use of their guests. “Conqui” as the locals call it is a five star property which is much like a self-contained village complete with spa, marina, multiple ballrooms, restaurants and boutique style shops. The basic hotel room was over-sized, recently renovated and very affordable which puts “Conqui” as one of the leading contenders for Joe and Shelley’s wedding next year.

We also toured old San Juan and specifically El Convento which as the name implies was home to a convent of nuns over 100 years ago. Here is a photo of the open air center courtyard where ceremonies take place.

Our last stop of the day was the Intercontinental Hotel which again, is a beautiful hotel in the heart of San Juan. With so many choices I’m happy I don’t have to decide.

My deepest gratitude to John and Sari for being our gracious hosts for the five days we were there and my thanks to Joe and Shelley for making this trip one of my most memorable and side-splitting scouting experiences of my career.

Posted on June 9th, 2008 by Amy
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Find Your Inner French Girl

One of my Coordinators Corner colleagues, Kimberely Petyt has a blog titled Parisian Party…tales of an American Wedding Planner in Paris. She and I share a common love of all things French, however she is lucky enough to be living MY dream in the city of lights. She recently posted a quiz titled “Find Your Inner French Girl” and since my overall theme for Fete Perfection is french, I thought I would repost and see how many kindred spirits are out there…. So here goes:

Is there an inner French girl lurking inside my baggy sweats and carpool mom facade? Could I too wear the perfect scarf and tie it just so — a skill I’m convinced is genetic in female Gauls? If you’ve asked yourself these question like I have, then you’re ready to take this quiz to check if you’re a chic-lette:

A. My accessories. Do I –

1. carry a tiny purse-size spritzer of perfume;
2. wear a scarf knotted in the perfect French way;
3. carry a knock-off Birkin bag (Jane Birkin made Birkin bags famous when Hermes designed one for her); or
4. try to make that rubber band around my wrist look fashionable?

B. My makeup essentials include –

1. tube of mascara somewhere on my person;
2. another tube of mascara just in case;
3. blush;
4. magic marker from a close encounter with a two-year-old.

C. My purse essentials include –

1. a rope of pearls, just in case;
2. a man’s phone number;
3. Kleenex;
4. a magic marker confiscated from a two-year-old;

D. My shoe collection includes –

1. a pair of boots with Louis heels;
2. a pair of cowboy boots;
3. flip flops
4. crocs.

E. My lipstick is –

1. red;
2. fuschia;
3. Urban Decay’s pink punk;
4. Chapstick.

F. My perfume is –

1. Chanel No. 5;
2. something floral with “eau de” in the name;
3. citrus atomizer;
4. eau de baby wipes.

G. In my closet can be found –

1. black jeans;
2. that vintage jacket bought in a flea market;
3. clamdiggers hitting above my ankles;
4. something a size too small that I keep telling myself I’ll wear someday.

H. My agenda is –

1. An Hermes planner;
2. A little Moleskin leather planner;
3. A Palm Pilot;
4. The back of the grocery list.

I. I am often heard –

1. quoting a line of Proust;
2. Humming a bar of Sinatra’s “My Way”
3. Singing along with the car radio to Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me with Your Best Shot”
4. Asking, “Where are my keys?”

Now add up the numbers associated with your answers, and score yourself as follows:

19 or less — Congratulations, you have found your inner French girl!

25 or less — You’re on the road to your inner French girl, but you haven’t found her yet;

35 and up — like me, you have a long road to travel to find your inner French girl.

When I saw my score, a bit daunted, I realized I needed to do some work on my inner French girl. In the bleachers at my son’s lacrosse practice, I wondered: how do French women enter a room, projecting an elan most of us can only dream of, and tackle the foie gras without gaining a waist size? How do they look put-together on a shoestring budget? How do they run down the Metro steps without breaking a sweat? Go to restaurants with perfectly behaved children? Make time for weekly facials?

The stunning revelation I came to is that one must attain the Frenchwoman’s inner — and I stress inner — ease in one’s skin. My friend Anne-Francoise is the perfect Parisienne. No snacking between meals; a spritz of eau de parfum even for a vist to the corner boulangerie; wearing heels even to the commisariat when her apartment was burgled; a focus on quality, not quantity in her wardrobe (one good handbag or coat). But also — a love of passionate debate, an intense interest in the world.

Maybe those last things explain the “je ne sais quois” that Frenchwomen project and explain how I, an American woman, can attain it. Like Anne-Francoise — evenings spent with friends, lunches with her family on Sundays, taking in the latest exhibition, seeking culture and knowledge, and always making room for the sensual side. As Coco Chanel put it: “There is time for work. And time for love. That leaves no other time.”

My score when I cheated was 11 - I could sense the correct response of a truly French woman, however my back-to-reality-American-Minnesota-woman score…an embarrassing…31 - yikes…well I guess I better keep trying.

Posted on May 26th, 2008 by Amy
Filed under: Humor | No Comments »

Disney Weddings

After becoming Destination Wedding Certified through the extensive training program offered by Wedding Solutions we have been fortunate to be involved in planning some wonderful and exotic destination weddings. It’s always thrilling to leave Minneapolis and head off to a beautiful Caribbean Island or the coastal regions of Mexico, a US territory or the Magic Kingdom.

Wait - what…the Magic Kingdom where all your dreams come true? That’s right, we are working with a lovely couple whose dream is to be married on the steps of Cinderella’s Castle and to celebrate their day with a Disney Couture Wedding designed by David Tutera.

This is definitely a new experience for all of us at Fete Perfection but one that will hopefully provide an insiders look into the secrets of Disney. Our first planning session begins next week at Franck’s Studio - of Father of the Bride fame - at Disney’s Wedding Pavilion…too funny - I wonder if Franck will be there?

We’re meeting with a Disney Wedding representative who will show us the options for locations for the ceremony and reception. Unfortunately our brides dream of being married on the steps of the castle is not to be - no body gets married there, not EVEN Mickey & Minnie…

Oh well, there are plenty of other fabulous and enchanting options to choose from.

Speaking of options, one wish that can definitely come true is riding in Cinderella’s coach - it looks just like the one in the movie.
Although this will be a quick three day trip, I’m betting we’ll learn all there is to know about Disney Weddings but were afraid to ask. Watch for periodic updates - this ought to be a blast!

Posted on May 13th, 2008 by Amy
Filed under: Event Planning, Wedding Resources | 1 Comment »

Grace Ormonde Platinum Listing

We were thrilled this morning to receive an invitation from Grace Ormonde Wedding Style magazine to be listed as one of their Platinum wedding resources. This is high praise and recognition from one of the preeminent wedding experts in the industry. The only other Platinum resource in Minnesota under wedding and event design is Mother of the Bride so we feel very fortunate to be in great company.

We will be featured locally and for destinations to Hawaii, Mexico, Caribbean and as far as your dreams will take you. We will be online for the rest of 2008 and in print and online in 2009. Thank you to all the fabulous couples who helped make this dream come true for all of us at Fete Perfection.