A couple of months ago I began an exhaustive search for a fabulous video production company to film an equally fabulous event we are producing. Thanks to a recommendation from one of my trusted vendors, I got in contact with Anton Lorimer, the creative force behind Lorimerworks; an amazing videographer based in San Francisco.
After speaking with Anton at great length and reviewing many of his wedding and event productions, I settled on Lorimerworks to produce the perfect video for my client. And I can't tell you how excited I am to introduce you to him!
Anton was voted 2007 Videographer of the Year in the San Francisco Bay Area. And it's no wonder! Just take a look at the amazing wedding trailers he has posted on his website. They are truly works of art.
I'm anxious to post the trailer from our upcoming event, so stay tuned. It's sure to be fabulous!
~Jodi
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Introducing...Lorimerworks
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Over the River and Through the Woods
...to Grandmother's house we arrived! After sitting on the runway for what seemed like an eternity, we finally arrived in Minneapolis. And guess where our first stop was? A baby boutique to buy our 5-year-old son a new 'blankie' {the kind with silky sides and minkie fur} to replace the one that's sitting on our kitchen table back in Michigan. I had to shell out $35 for the darn thing. And it's no bigger than a 10" square. Nearly killed me!
Needless to say, I'm looking forward to just a couple days of down time. Can't take too much time, though, since we have an enormous event just a few short weeks away. Which is exactly why I'm thankful for a mobile office, a Blackberry {did I tell you I got the new Storm for Christmas? It's a little slice of heaven on earth!}, and my in-laws recent WI-FI installation!
I do want to finish this post by wishing you all a very merry and blessed Christmas! May we always remember the reason we celebrate this holiday and the ultimate gift that was so lovingly given to us!
~Jodi
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
A Career for Seth?
For the past two days, I have been on-location overseeing the filming of a video for an upcoming event. It's been a fascinating process watch. The lighting. The set. The cameras. The monitors. The moving of plants and lamps so they don't look like they're coming out of people's heads. All fascinating to watch and be a part of. And all courtesy of Coastline Studios.
Today, before filming began {and before Seth had to go to school}, Jay of J.Irwin Films asked Seth if he wanted to see what it was like to be a cameraman. Of course, he jumped at the opportunity and quickly put the headphones on. And John grabbed his camera and took these adorable pictures.
Trend Watch...Edge Painting
*photo courtesy of Impress Ruber Stamps
I did a little searching and found this amazing set of pearlescent chalk at a shop in Seattle that I frequently purchased from. The colors have come a long way since I last used chalk. And there were no fancy applicators back then either. Just good old-fashion Q-tips! This set sells for a mere $17.25 and will give you just what you need to add that high-end touch!
Happy Edge Painting!
~Jodi
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Walking in a Winter Wonderland
Yesterday, we had the opportunity to design a winter wonderland for a Christmas luncheon at Cascade Hills Country Club. It was a beautiful, beautiful day. The sky was so blue and the sun shone all day. {A very rare occurance for a Michigan winter day} It made the blanket of snow outside sparkle and glisten and look so pretty.
The event began at 11:30am with champagne cocktails and didn't end until 2:15pm. It was a privledge to be involved in this delightful event and we look forward to designing something even more wonderful next year!
This beautiful arrangement was designed by Modern Day Floral. What I love about this design is that the products used are not expensive but because they're masters of design over there, it looks like a $100 centerpiece. Brilliant!
Here's a look at the escort cards we designed for the event. I LOVE the way they turned out. We started with dried magnolia leaves and glued on a pine cone. Then we spray painted all 225 of them white. After they had all dried, we glued in the pine bough and the white birch branches. So easy but yet so effective.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
How To...Make Wax Seals
One of our lovely readers recently asked if I could explain how I made the wax seals for my sister's wedding. Well, I'm happy to oblige because they were so darn much fun to make!
The process is really quite simple. Here's what you need:
- Low-temp glue gun
- foil
- wax sticks
- wax stamp {look for one with a heavy brass bottom so you get a good impression}
- Place a wax stick into your glue gun
- On a piece of foil, squirt a nickle-sized circle of wax
- Immediately place your stamp on the wax and leave it there for approximately 20 seconds
- Lift your stamp off the wax by pulling straight up
- Allow your seal to cool completely before removing it from the foil {I found that if I removed the seal while it was still warm it had a tendency to fold-up on the edges. The wax needs time to set so that it holds its shape}
There are a number of places to buy wax stamps. I found the one for my sister's wedding at Michael's. But if you want a gorgeous custom stamp, I recommend Wax Works. They have a large variety of beautiful handles and they do a great job engraving the brass.
And there you have it. A step-by-step process for making your own wax seals. Have fun!
~Jodi
Sunday, November 30, 2008
The Winner!
I just realized I've forgotten to announce our book winner! The winner of that deliciously wonderful book by Sylvia Weinstock is......
Innocence Lost
My kid's lost a tiny bit of their innocence today. I didn't mean for it to happen, but it did. You see, CPA said he needed some bad polyester clothes for a 70s-themed management meeting this week. I'm sure you're thinking I'm going to write something light-hearted and up-beat based on that information. And I wish I could. But unfortunately, that's not where this story is going to take me.
It was after church this morning that we went to Goodwill to find a perfectly awful outfit for that meeting. As we were browsing through the racks, my attention was taken away from the clothes and to a mother and her four small children; two of which appeared to be twin boys not much older then three.
As all kids do, they wanted to play in the toy section. And one of the twins started to head in that direction. Instead of the mother asking him to stay by her, she grabbed him by the ear and pulled him so hard his feet left the ground for a moment. I was horrified. He started to cry because he hurt. He really hurt. She told him to shut-up and if he didn't she was going to 'whoop' him.
My kids looked at me in complete horror. But at that moment my concern wasn't for them. It was for that little boy. My heart raced and so many thoughts ran through my mind I didn't know how to process them all. Should I say something? Should I walk away? Should I call someone? If so, who? Who should I call to protect this little boy? Lord, help me, what should I do?
I stayed close pretending to look at infant clothing. But I really wasn't. What I was doing was trying not to wrap my arms around that little boy. I was trying not to reach inside my purse for a Kleenex to wipe his tears. What I was doing was trying not to cry.
Once again, she pulled the boy's ear so he was right next to her. Those tears that had started to dry up now re-appeared. And again, my kid's looked at me in horror and with fear-filled eyes. And my thoughts turned to them. Because in their world, parents don't do that to children. In their world, a mom loves, comforts and protects. A mom disciplines in love and always gives a hug followed by an 'I love you,' after a punishment. In their world, scenes such as this aren't played on any stage. Scenes such as this aren't even written.
The tears began to flow. They poured outwardly from the little boy and inwardly from me. The mom looked at all four of the kids and said, 'Come on, we're leaving. You kids cry everywhere we go!' She began to march them toward the front door. And that's when I said it. ' You know, it might help if you didn't pull them by their ears.' 'EXCUSE ME?,' she said. I repeated myself. 'They probably wouldn't be crying if you weren't pulling them around by the ears. No decent mother does something like that.' 'Well,' she said, 'they my kids and I can do what it is I want!'
My kids got really close to my legs and I realized I had opened Pandora's Box. In a loud, booming voice, she told me I better mind my own business or else. At this point, I felt scared and the kids and I went to find CPA. As we walked away, she continued to mutter expletives at me and told me just where I should go with my comments.
I've replayed this scene over and over in my mind today. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut and walked away. Maybe I should have whisked my children away so they wouldn't have witnessed such behavior. Maybe I shouldn't have let my attention escape from the clothing racks.
But the reality is, I did say something. The reality is I questioned something I thought was wrong. And I can't regret that. Because maybe it was the first time someone had stuck-up for those kids. And maybe they'll always remember the lady who dared to question their mom's right to pull their ears.
Do I wish some random mother at Goodwill hadn't robbed my children of a bit of their innocence? Yes. But at the end of the day, I think I did what God expected of me. I think I showed six little children - her four and my two - that no one has a right to treat a child that way. I think I showed six little children what it means to stand-up for what is right. And for that reason alone, I'm okay with the innocence my children lost today.
~Jodi
Monday, November 24, 2008
Ode to...Smock
Allow me to introduce you to Smock. Smock is a wonderful letterpress company in New York that prints amazing products on bamboo paper. They offer a variety of different products including wedding invitations, social invitations, thank you cards, wrapping paper, gift tags and more. Their designs are inspired. Their color selections remarkable. And their prices simply amazing. Do check them out!
~Jodi
Out of the Mouths of Babes
'Mom, this chicken is exceptional!' Umm, huh? This from my seven-year-old who hates everything I make. It all became clear when she later asked for a Nintendo DS.
~Jodi
There's Still Time!
There's still time to win this lovely, lovely book by Sylvia Weinstock! I'm going to make it a little easier for you, too. Just leave a comment on the original post to throw you name into the drawing. No blog suggestions needed. The winner will be selected at 11:01pm tonight!
~Jodi
Friday, November 21, 2008
Fall/Winter '09
So why am I thinking that far ahead, you ask? Well, good news! Our August '08 wedding was just picked up by The Knot for publication in the Fall/Winter '09 issue. Even better news is that it's a feature wedding which means a three to four page spread of loveliness!
It seems that the NYC executives at The Knot read Jen Kroll's blog {yes, she's that cool!}. They spotted the photos, contacted her and asked if they could publish the wedding. Our lovely bride, Liz, graciously agreed, and she and I have been feverishly working on the paperwork ever since!
We're told that the issue will be on the newsstands in April. I'll let you know as soon as I see it.
~Jodi
Cupcakes
Two days in a row. Yep, that's right, just call me the world's best mom. Because for two days in a row, I have baked my kids cupcakes for their after-school snack. And even made Sylvia Weinstock's butter cream frosting for their cute little tongues to lick {bet you didn't know you could freeze her frosting did you!}.
So, in the spirit of all things sprinkles and frosting, I'd like to announce the latest give-away from In Any Event. Oh, and it's a good one! Hot off the presses, it's Sensational Cakes by Sylvia herself. And let me tell you, the book is just that, Sen-sa-tion-al {with a capital 'S'}!
The best part about this hard-cover beauty is that Sylvia shares a ton of her recipes! I mean, seriously, that's enough to give one a sugar rush just thinking about it!
So, with all of that said, here are the rules. Leave a comment and tell me what you'd like to have me blog about this winter {I've got a case of blogger's-block}. Do you want more tricks of the trade? Do you want a weekly column? Should I muse about my kids and CPA? Or do you think I do such a darn good job I should just keep doin' what I'm doin' {kidding people, just kidding!}.
I will close this contest on Monday, November 24, at 11:00pm EST. And my lovely assistant Jill will mail your prize on Tuesday morning! Oh yeah, and I'll be using random.org to determine the winner.
Good Luck!~Jodi
Sunday, November 16, 2008
How I Spent My Saturday Night
Okay, you simply must visit my dear friend, Jen's blog. Seriously, I cracked up when I read her entry today! It's a wonderful play-by-play of our adventures together on Saturday night. It's good stuff!
~Jodi
Pay it Forward
Do these flowers look familiar? They may not in their current state but you might recognize them when I tell you where they came from. You see, we at In Any Event hate the thought of centerpieces from our events landing in dumpsters the following day. Turns out, so do our friends at Modern Day Floral. Which is why you see 75+ vases of hand-tied bouquets made from the centerpieces from that lovely wedding we did a couple of weeks ago.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Beautiful Kara
Kara is beautiful. A simple, yet powerful statement, I know. Call me bias, but I think she's one of the most spectacular looking brides I have ever seen. Yes, she is my sister. Yes, I'd lay my life down for her. And yes, I could cry just thinking about how much I love her. All that doesn't change the fact that she was a knock-out on her wedding day!
Remember all of those wax seals I told you about making several months back? Well, here is one gracing the front of her program. And it's tied together with a yummy double-satin swiss ribbon. Ooohh, I love me that double-satin ribbon!
I picked out Kara's necklace and earrings from Swarovski. I love this photo because it highlight's Jen's creativity. Can you tell what it's laying on?
A must-have detail for Kara; the hand-painted aisle runner. It turned out just lovely. And Kara was so thrilled with it. Special thanks to my ever-so-talented painter, Liz Jansen, for yet another stunning runner!
The flower girls holding their pomander balls. My Gretchen is the peanut in the middle!
Here's a little closer look at the table setting. We used deep brown pintuck linens, taupe lamour chair covers, and ivory bichon napkins and chair ties. It was just gorgeous!
The gold beaded chargers came from Special Events Rental in Detroit. Love that company!
Here's a really great detail. Kara's husband loves to do crossword puzzles. So, I found this company on line where you simply write a question and then the answer and it will automatically generate a crossword puzzle. For free! This was such a hit that when guests were seated there was instantaneous silence as everyone tried to work through the puzzle. Kara and I came up with fun questions about the two of them so that guests could get to know more about them as a couple as well as individually. Also, if you look closely, you'll be able to see what we had engraved onto the gold pencils {which were all lovingly sharpened by my 5 year old and 8 year old!}.
The gorgeous cake by the gorgeous Barb of Sweet Cakes Design. Thanks, Barb, for another stunner. You outdid yourself on this one!
Here's a closer look at the detail on the cake!
There were free-flowing mimosas at the brunch. And they were yummy! I had Bella Figura letter-press coasters with the recipe on them and they were passed out when the mimosa's were first served. Very fun!
And now, my beautiful Kara! She's as kind and gentle as she is gorgeous. LOVE YOU, Kar!
The Get-Away
Monday, November 10, 2008
Exhale
Yes, life has been a whirlwind. Both personally and professionally, there has been non-stop activity since the end of last year. And today, for the first time in months, I got a chance to exhale. Mind you, it was only for a day because tomorrow it's time to gear up for another big event. But today, was just about the exhale...{in between loads of laundry, though, since no one in the house has clean underwear!}.
The groom affectionately calls his bride, 'mole.' So his one request to me was this; have a mole cake made in honor of her that's as cute as she is! Well, thanks to Barb and her crew at Sweet Cakes, the mission was accomplished! Is this not the best groom's cake you have ever seen! At the 11th hour, while lying awake in bed thinking about everything that needed to be accomplished the next day, I thought about how cute 'she' would look sitting in wheat grass. Enter Modern Day Floral to help make that midnight brainstorm happen for me!
Some special details to note: her pink fingernails, her diamond ring, and the M+R that's drawn into the tree stump! Brilliance, Barb, sheer brilliance!
And last, but not least, the ice screen. Yes, you read that right. There was a screen frozen into the ice and we projected a slide show onto it. My amazingly talented assistant, Jill, designed this sculpture {along with the most amazing martini luge you have ever seen} and worked with our friends at Ice Sculptures, Ltd. to bring it to life. Way to go, Jill! It looked as good in real life as it did in your sketch, girlie! :)
Stay tuned for my sister's wedding!
~Jodi
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
More Luscious Photos
There was 4,500 yards of sateen fabric used in this room. No, I'm not kidding! What I love about this fabric is the way it absorbs the color washes. And leave it to Odyssey Lighting to pull out another stellar lighting job for me! I love working with this company. Lighting is an art form to them and their end product always proves that! The room would not have looked nearly as beautiful without their help.
Look at the depth in the florals. My favorite part was the gorgeous hanging ameranthus. I also loved the pops of saffron with the cherry brandy roses. Sheer genius thanks to Modern Day Floral!
Those who know me well will be able to easily spot my favorite part of this picture! Can you guess what it is? Well, it's how perfectly straight all of the chargers and chairs are, of course!
Ahh, the cake! The gorgeous cake was lovingly made by Barb Hoek and her crew at Sweet Cakes. Even more spectacular then this cake - if that's even possible - is the groom's cake. I can't wait to share a picture of that with you when it becomes available!
There's more to come. So, once again, stay tuned!
~Jodi
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
What a Weekend!
Amazing. That's all I can say to describe the entire weekend...just amazing! I've finally caught up on some much needed sleep and feel ready to take on the world again. I'm going to try to re-cap the weekend step-by-step over the next couple of days.
Stay tuned! There's a lot more on the way. And trust me, you won't want to miss it!