In Any Event

Knowing Your Limits

2012-02-07T14:09:00.000-05:00

We all have limits. Each one of us. Sometimes we 'push our limits' to better ourselves and our craft. Other times we 'hit our limits' only realize that we can do no more. And, then it's too late.

It took me quite a while to learn how to push my limits without hitting my limits. There's definitely an art to this science. And I've hardly perfected it. But, I do like to think of myself as a recovering 'limit hitter.' It's taken a lot to get here. But, it's feeling really comfortable and good now. And I don't want to ever go back to that place I was 2 years ago when work had no boundaries and the 'extraneous' took my life over only to prove, in the end, to be harmful and hurtful.

Here is an example as to how I'm implementing this today. This year we have four wonderful weddings and one social party on the books. These clients all deserve the very best from me. And by accepting any additional business, I would be taking away from what they deserve which is my very best at all times. That's why I have decided to close the books on 2012. I will not take on any additional work this year. By doing so, I would only be taxing myself, my staff, and my family. And this is not something I'm willing to do any more.

Think about your limits. Set them. Then, stick to them. As a recovering 'limit pusher' I can tell you that it feels pretty wonderful to be on the other side!

~Jodi

A New Year...A New Begining

2012-01-26T10:13:00.002-05:00

It's been so long since my last post that I literally had to stop and think about who the host of my blog is and what my password was! You know it's been too long between posts when that happens!

I can't hardly believe it's 2012 already. In fact, in just a few short days In Any Event will celebrate 5 years in business! That doesn't seem possible. What a whirlwind these past 5 years have been. I remember that first event under the In Any Event umbrella like it was yesterday. To think that was almost 5 years ago....wow.

I've learned a whole lot in the past 5 years. I'm a much smarter business woman then I was in 2007. So many of the things I learned was through trial and error (or baptism by fire, if you will). Sometimes, that's the best way to learn. I wouldn't trade those 'trial and error' learning experiences for anything. They sharpened my skills and have made this company what it is today.

As with any small business, the first several years are spent building the business and developing an identity. They're spent 'figuring out' who you are in the industry and what you want to do. I'm quite sure my jaw would fall to the ground if I could calculate the hours that have been spent in my office over the past 5 years making this company a 'go.' But, it's all been worth it! Every bead of sweat. Every tear that's been shed. Every gleeful smile. And excited shrill. I would do it all over again to realize this dream!

I've always loved the saying, 'Work smarter not harder.' And in 2012, that's exactly what I'm going to do. I'm going to work smarter then I ever have before. Because, truth be told, I need to reclaim my personal life. Sure, those hours needed to be spent these past 5 years to get to the point we're at now, but those hours weren't spent without sacrifice. My personal life has really suffered and I'm ready to make it mine once again. I'm ready to do all the things I once did and found such enjoyment in.

Here's just a small list of what I want to do in 2012: read more Karen Kingsbury books, re-design our master bedroom and bathroom so I have a true 'sanctuary' (I've even started to create a Keynote presentation for the room remodel just like the ones I create for our clients! Since I have no one to present this to other than my husband, who really doesn't care much about decorating, please let me know if you're interested in seeing it because I'd be happy to share!), pull out my sewing machine and teach myself how to make ruffles and piping and then create some throw pillows for every room in the house, stop at the thrift store once every couple of weeks to look for great vintage pieces I never knew I needed (this one will thrill my husband), plan a wonderful 40th birthday party for said man in my life, and make it to my yoga and zumba class every week!

I've got a lot of work ahead of me in the quest to work smarter and not harder. But I have complete faith in myself and I just know I'll be able to accomplish this in 2012.

Happy New Year!

Jodi

On Social Media

2011-07-07T07:37:00.002-04:00

I recently made the following statement to my staff, 'You know, I'm really tired of twitter, facebook, blogs and the whole kit and caboodle! I think I want to take everything down and be done with it for good.'

I got some blank stares. And a, 'I don't think that's a good idea, Jodi.' But, the statement still holds true. I hate what social media has become in the wedding industry. I hate reading passive-aggressive statements from locals and wondering if I'm the target. I hate reading about how perfect everyone's business and life is when we all know that no one has a perfect business or life. (I surely don't!) I'm just so exhausted by it all lately that I wonder if it is time to pull the plug and get back to the basics?

I recently took a new direction on this blog and began writing about the issues that affect us with the idea of specifically targeting wedding and social event planners. What I write it is truly from my heart. But what I have come to realize is that my words can be interpreted in whatever voice the reader chooses to use. A very benign statement can be misconstrued as arrogant or haughty even if that is not the voice that was used when writing. This is the very thing that I am struggling with right now. How can you make someone read a post in the voice it was written in? The answer is, you can't.

A highly respected social media expert once told me that it's important to maintain a presence should you ever want to write a book or engage in public speaking one day. Publishers will look at your stats to confirm that you have a 'following.' It's always been a goal to a.) write a book b.) speak on the topic of luxury wedding planning and c.) teach event planning at the college level. But I'm wondering if these should continue to be goals if social media is going to make me second-guess myself all the time?

This post has been brewing in my head for a number of weeks now and I wonder how you, my readers, feel about this topic? Do you share the same feelings and thoughts? Do you struggle with the same issues? Please, make me feel better and tell me I'm not alone! :)

~Jodi

Who You're Serving vs. Who You Should Be Serving

2011-06-14T19:58:00.014-04:00

It's impossible to make a square peg fit into a round hole. We all know this to be a fact and recognize this to be true. Yet we continually try to 'prove' this wrong and force that square peg into a stubborn round hole. We twist and turn that peg and try with our might to shave those sides off in an effort to make it fit. Often, we're able to make the two come together through our pushing and prodding. But, it's never the good and proper fit it should be.

Most of us in the wedding industry have spent much time thinking about the type of client we want to serve but not enough time thinking about the client we do and should serve. Too little time has been spent asking ourselves if our skill set matches the clients we're striving for. It's like making a square peg fit into a round hole. We may want to serve a certain client but we may be ill equipped to do so. Hence, the lack of that good and proper fit mentioned above. And the risk of having a frustrated and disappointed client in the end.

I am a luxury wedding and social event planner. I know that about myself and my business. I'm not a non-profit planner nor am I a meeting planner. It's not what I'm good at or passionate about. I am definitely not the right fit for everyone. In fact, I'm a bad fit for most. I freely admit I could not properly serve a DIY bride, for example. It's not the type of bride that I would be comfortable working with.

I want to challenge you to look closely at who you are and where your skills lie before you write your next proposal or accept that next job. It's easy to talk about who you want serve but harder to recognize and accept who you should be serving. Be true to who you are and intimately know and understand where your gifts and talents lie. By doing so, you'll be a perfect fit for your clients and their needs. And you won't be that square peg trying to fit into a round hole.

~Jodi

For My Sweet Jilly

2011-04-07T23:08:00.004-04:00

Many of you know that Jillian is an awfully important person in my life. I first met Jill over three years ago when I was a one-woman shop and doing the day-to-day tasks on my own. Jill started working for me part-time shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and within months, joined me full-time.

For many years, it was just Jill and I doing everything it took to run a growing business. And in that time, Jill became so important to me and my entire family. I have a love for Jill that transcends the boss/employee relationship. She's so much more to me than that. I can't even describe how I feel about her because I love and adore her that much. My kids wouldn't know what to do without Jilly in their lives!

Jill tragically lost her brother Eric yesterday. We have spent countless hours talking about him over the years. She loved him with every fiber of her being. Eric and her older brother Nick mean the world to Jill. She's the baby of the family and looked up to both of them as any little sister would.

As I sit on the sofa inside our rented condo in Florida tonight, I find myself wishing I was anywhere but here. I want to be back in Michigan to hug Jill and tell her that it's going to be alright. That God promises to us that He will never give us more than we can handle. I want to hug her and tell her that I've amassed a group of prayer warriors that are pounding down the gates of heaven for her and her family. I want to hug her and help comfort her pain and wipe her tears away.

Jilly, if you're reading this tonight, I want you to remember that God knows your pain. He loves you so much and He will be your refuge and strength. Find comfort in His promises and the knowledge that Eric loved Him as much as you do!

You are loved!

~Jodi

Our New Venture!

2011-03-23T14:03:00.008-04:00

You read that right! And I'm so excited to share this news with you. This process has been months in the making but I wanted to wait until the time was just right to tell everyone. The time is right. And we couldn't be more excited! In Any Event has officially become a full-service event planning firm offering in-house event floral to all of our clients!

We've been flying under the radar with this for some time now. Quietly, we've been working with our 2011 clients to develop the perfect floral 'look' for each of them. And I couldn't be more thrilled with the results. Since this is such a big change for the company, I wanted to get everything in good order and steady our proverbial 'sea-legs' before we made this transition known to the world.

I have hired the most amazing floral designer! Her name is Tracy Knoth and she comes to In Any Event with years of floral design experience. By trade, she's a gifted illustrator that developed a passion for European floral design many years ago. Tracy's floral concepts and ideas are breathe taking! And when she and I start talking about design, you can literally feel the energy in the room. It's infectious, for sure!

Adding in-house floral design has long been in my business plan but I was waiting for the right time to add it to the mix. Over a year ago, I added an invitation company and now that this business is up and running so smoothly, it was time to embark on this new adventure in floral. And what an amazing adventure it has already been. In a short amount of time, I have learned so many things about the industry. But, what many may not know about me is that floral is in my blood.

My father has been the Professor of Horticulture at a Michigan university for almost 40 years. Additionally, my parents owned and operated a very successful retail greenhouse business in northern Michigan while I was a child. I spent many summers running the cash register and helping the customers. I'm a master when it comes to transplanting geraniums and I was the only child on my 3rd grade field trip to the nature preserve to correctly identify a 'Quaking Aspen' tree! {True story.}

I do want to take a moment to publicly thank Jennifer Ederer and her entire team at Modern Day Floral for the amazing {!} product and service they have provided to In Any Event and our clients over the past three years. Though this transition comes with great excitement for me, it also comes with a bit of sadness because I count Jenn as a friend. She has always been an amazing supporter of my company {and I of hers!} and will continue to be a fantastically talented friend and peer in this industry.

So, there you have it! The secret we've been keeping close to us that we now get to share with you. I'm looking forward to this new adventure and to the future that lies ahead for In Any Event!

~Jodi

Have You Got a Friend?

2011-01-19T21:24:00.009-05:00

I love friends.

I love having them and being one. I love how they challenge me. How they make me laugh. And how they comfort my pain.

I love how they lift me up. How they cheer me on. And how they always have my back. My friendships are truly one of the greatest blessings of my life.

But, there's one friendship in particular that I have grown to depend on and love. That's the friendship I share with another event planner who also works in the luxury market.

Why has this friendship become so important to me? Because there is no one who knows better the challenges I face on a daily basis. Or the joy I feel when the client says, 'Thank You!' at the end of an amazing night. She's a sounding board of reason. A grief counselor. And a fan. She's an amazing dynamo in her own right. And she's my event planner friend.

Too often event planners can be caddy, territorially and unkind to one another. So, finding that 'someone' you click with is sometimes like finding a needle in a haystack. But, there is no greater comfort to me than being able to pick up the phone and call my event planner friend and say, 'Hey, how would you handle this situation?'

I want to encourage each one of you to find that kind of friend within your industry; be it photography, floral, pastry, etc. Spend time developing that friendship and leaning on one another. No one will know better what to say to you in both good times and bad than that special friend who knows your job as well as you!

~Jodi

PS - Thank you for being my event planner friend, Lish!

The General Contractor

2011-01-17T19:23:00.014-05:00

Hello. My name is Jodi. And I'm a General Contractor. If you're an event planner and you're reading this post, you're a General Contractor, too. And you're responsible for all of those sub-contractors you've hired to get the job of a 'wedding' done.

Chances are, some of you have never thought of yourselves this way. But, you are. And with that title, you've earned yourself a whole lot of responsibility. And liability. Yes, that's right. You are liable for your vendor recommendations. Let me say that again. You ARE liable for the vendors you recommend. And should you have a client that isn't pleased with the way a vendor performed at an event, you better be ready to open your pocketbook up and reimburse your client for a mistake that had absolutely nothing to do with you!

Why am I telling you this? Because, I learned the hard way that when a vendor screws-up and makes a client unhappy, the General Contractor gets to pay. And pay handsomely I did. But, my job is to keep my client happy. And my client had every right to be angry about the way the vendor performed. This vendor failed my client and was unwilling to make it right. Yes, it's mind boggling. But, there are vendors out there with no integrity that have no problem watching the General Contract {that's me!} take the heat for their mistakes. And then pay through the nose for it.

If you're new to the business or thinking about going out on your own, have you stopped to think about the amount of risk and liability you take on as someone recommending vendors? Even if you aren't signing contracts on behalf of your clients, did you know that your professional recommendations do, in fact, hold you legally liable in the face of vendor failure? Are you prepared to assume that risk?

They say there are many costs to doing business. This is one of those costs for us event planners. And if I had to guess, I bet there are a lot of you who have never thought through this. If you're one of those individuals, run, don't walk, to an insurance agency. Tell them what you do and that you need to protect yourself in the face of vendor failure. The future of your business may depend on that coverage!

~Jodi

10 Things I Learned in 2010

2011-01-13T09:17:00.013-05:00

It's hard to believe we're already 13 days into 2011! Where did 2010 go? The year feels like a bit of a blur to me. So many things happened in 2010. Some good and some bad. But all-in-all, it was a great year with a lot of blessings and a whole lot of 'lesson's learned'.

I thought it would be nice to share with you the Top 10 Things I Learned in 2010. From the standpoint of business ownership, 2010 was the toughest year to date. February marked the four-year anniversary of In Any Event by Jodi Bos. And with it came challenges that have shaped me into a better business woman.

I will admit, the past year has changed who I am and the generous spirit I once had. My husband says that's good. But it does sadden me because it doesn't feel like 'me.' But what I have discovered is that who I am as a business woman can be a little different than who I am as a business owner. Business and personal must be kept separate. And admittedly, I have blurred those lines for too many years.

So, with all of that said, let's take a look back at the Top 10 of 2010. My hope is that you, as event professionals and business owners, can learn from some of the mistakes I've made and save yourself a whole lot of grief in the end.

I WISH I HAD LISTENED MORE CLOSELY TO MY HUSBAND - I can think of 4 situations that occurred this year that my husband warned me would happen if I didn't make changes. Image my horror when I had to tell him, 'You were right!' on four separate occasions! The words tasted like vinegar but in every instance, he deserved to hear them. The cool thing about my husband is that he thinks with the left side of his brain and I think with the right. Instead of fighting his advice, I learned I need to celebrate the fact that together, we're thinking with a full brain!

A CIRCLE OF THOSE YOU CAN TRUST NEEDS TO BE REALLY SMALL - Don't allow too many people to become intimately involved in or have knowledge of your inner-company workings. You'll be awfully hurt/mad when you get seriously burned. And it will ruin relationships.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A ROCKIN' ATTORNEY - If you could see my attorney bills from 2010, you'd want to cry. Things I thought would never happen did, in fact, happen. My attorney was always calm, in control and had my best interest at heart. He gave me amazing advice. Tightened the screws on some things that were a little too lose and became a member of that really small circle of trust I mentioned above. Does it stink that I shelled out thousands of dollars to him this year regarding numerous issues? It does. But, he was worth his weight in gold if only to help me re-focus on running my business and not letting it run me.

MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT ALL THE NECESSARY INSURANCE COVERAGE - You can't anticipate the crazy things that might happen. So you better have a lot of liability coverage AND worker's compensation coverage. Here's a great example. I have my staff running errands for the business all the time. If one of them gets in an accident running to one of our vendor's offices, In Any Event is liable. Doesn't matter if they're contract or employee-status. Make sure you are FULLY covered!

DON'T EMPLOY YOUR FRIENDS - Let me repeat this. Do NOT hire friends. Feelings will get hurt and friendships will be ruined. Trust me when I say this, I thought I was above this sage advice when it came to hiring friends. But I learned the hard way that I wasn't. Keep your business separate from your personal.

ONLY HIRE VENDORS THAT ARE FINANCIALLY HEALTHY - The question begs itself; how do you know they're healthy? The answer isn't easy because it's not like you can ask a potential vendor to open their books up for you. So, hire those who have been in business for a while. Hire those who have good references. Hire those who can prove to you they have coverage. Ask new vendors how they would resolve conflict and/or compensate if a client is not happy. At the end of the day, if you are not hiring stable companies and you're the one signing contracts on behalf of your clients, you're going to end up compensating an unhappy client for a mistake caused by a vendor!

TREAT THE HIRING OF PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR YOU VERY SERIOUSLY -Check references, check references and check references! In the words of my husband, 'People don't get fired from jobs because they were good.'

DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE POLITICS OF THE INDUSTRY - 'Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.' Whoever came up with that saying was an idiot because words DO hurt. They hurt really bad. Stay above the fray. Remove yourself from situations that only cause you anxious feelings and an unsettled heart. It's hard enough to run a healthy business in this economy without allowing what others think and say to influence and affect you. I know this is easier said than done. So take baby steps. Stop reading blogs that make you crazy. Don't follow people on twitter who make you feel bad about yourself. Take the power away and you'll instantly start to feel better. I promise, it works! :)

LIVE BELOW YOUR MEANS - I have been fortunate to operate in the black since starting out 4 years ago. I made purchases as I could afford them. I didn't buy a company cargo van until I could write a check for it. The basement of my home is currently under massive construction to accommodate both my planning business and my letterpress invitation business. This, after 4 years of 'making-do' until I could pay cash to make these professional-grade renovations. I'm so glad I did it this way. But I will admit that I did covet beautiful office spaces. And it took everything in me not to jump the gun and over-extend myself. But now I get to have the beautiful work spaces and my business is healthier for not making any rash decisions before I could afford exactly what I wanted.

DON'T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER - Some of the situations that I experienced this year were so painful that I wanted to close the doors to the business and 'be done with this crap!' {Yup, those words came out of my mouth about 100 times this year.}But, what I see now, after coming out the other side, is that these challenges were blessings that have smoothed the rough edges of my business. They've made me smarter. They've made me ask different questions. And they've shaped me into a stronger woman. The bathwater can get pretty murky sometimes but the baby is still beautiful and worthy of life!

~Jodi

Arrogance

2010-10-29T10:20:00.004-04:00

Be warned. I'm about ready to write a controversial blog post. And I'm likely to offend some with my thoughts. But, like the Elephant in the Room, it's time to address the arrogance I'm seeing in the wedding industry.

I'll be the first to admit, I love what I do. Starting this business from the ground up and watching it grow over the past four years has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I look forward to stepping foot into my office each morning. And I love watching my staff grow and develop in their roles, too.

But as my mom always says, 'Let's call a spade, a spade.' Planning weddings and events is not rocket science. And I'd hardly compare myself to the amazing men and women who are saving lives every day or fighting for the freedom of this country. Is what I'm doing important? Of course it is. I'm not trying to diminish that at all. But, outside of the wedding industry, no one really knows who I am. I haven't developed a cure for cancer. And I'm hardly a celebrity. Frankly put, I'm hired help. Just as all people in this industry are. Albeit, I try to be great hired help, but nonetheless, I'm hired to do a job and that's what I do.

I'm rather disgusted by so much of the arrogant behavior that I see within this industry by many planners, florists and photographers. Whatever happened to doing a job because you love it versus doing it for fame and notoriety and bragging about it all over the world wide web? I don't see anything wrong with setting yourself apart from the competition, but I do have a problem with people acting like they know it all and turning their noses down at those who they deem less important in this industry. And I especially don't like those who won't give you the time of day because you're not on the 'cutting-edge' of this industry.

Everyone, take a deep breath. We're talking about planning weddings, here. People have been getting married for hundreds of years and somehow they managed to do it long before companies like mine existed or before there were blogs and books and websites. So, let's all stop taking ourselves so seriously. Let's recognize that we have value to others and what we're doing is important. But, it's nothing to be arrogant about.

~Jodi

Lisa Kae Photography

2010-10-26T09:20:00.011-04:00

So excited to share these images with you today! This past summer, I had one of my favorite Michigan photographers, Lisa Kae, take my kids out on a little 'excursion' to capture their loveliness. I had a chance to look through all of the proofs yesterday and I had a terrible time picking out my favorite ones because they all ended up in my 'favorites' folder!

I can't say enough wonderful things about Lisa! And I truly mean that. Because she's a mom, too, she has this wonderful way with my kids that can only be described as 'a mom's touch.' When my kids say things that make me want to turn the color of a beet, she blows it off and says, 'Don't worry, my kids say the same stuff.' I can't tell you how wonderful that is to hear when I'm about ready to crawl under a rock!

Thank you, Lisa, for these cherished images. I look forward to many more summers of photo shoots!

~Jodi

The Elephant in the Room

2010-10-18T10:40:00.008-04:00

It's time to address the elephant in the room. But before I get started, I want to preface this by saying that I've watched the elephant 'work the room' for a couple of years now and have always bit my tongue. But, the problem seems to be getting worse instead of better. And for that reason, I've decided to address it.

You see, a couple of months ago I wrote a post about how I was changing the direction of this blog to give a more frank account of the joys and challenges of running a planning firm as well as a letterpress invitation company. So, true to this new direction, I'm going to address the caddy behavior and jealousy that I see amongst wedding industry professionals and especially within my own local community.

I'm sure I'm going to ruffle some feathers with this post. But that isn't my intention. Instead, I hope this gives everyone some food for thought and makes each one of use reflect on how we act and treat other vendors within our local wedding community and within the wedding community as a whole.

I've had a couple of really tough months professionally. I have had some significant internal issues that have needed swift and immediate attention. This, on top of a full event dance-card, have made these some of the most difficult since opening the firm 4 years ago.

But, I can honestly say they have also been good months, too. I have learned many things about myself and what I want for my businesses. And I have decided to start running the businesses instead of letting them run me. Sometimes, you can't come to these realizations until you've experienced some tough times.

So, what's my point in telling you this? The point is, some have seemingly enjoyed watching me struggle with these internal issues. It seems that I'm a target for unfounded rumors and false assumptions. Through various ways, I've seen people 'buddy-up' and support poor behavior. And I'm calling it out.

I have worked very hard to get to where I am. I am passionate. I am a hard-worker. And I am dedicated. By the sheer grace of God, I have been blessed with an amazing business that I love passionately. I have been blessed with a success that I never dreamed I would have. And I will never take that for granted. Never.

But, there are planners out there who are not happy to see success. In fact, they'd really like to see failure. And I find this deplorable. The thing is, I don't just see this problem amongst wedding planners. I also see this among other wedding businesses like florists and photographers. Instead of celebrating everyone's success and the great things that the success does for the industry as a whole, false rumors are generated as a way to 'bring them down.'

Chances are if you're not in my local market and you're reading this, you're thinking, 'Holy cow, everything she's saying is applicable to my area, too.' So here's the thing, let's all put a stop to it! Let's celebrate one another's successes and STOP celebrating struggles and failures. Or worse yet, starting rumors that cause struggles and failures. What's good for one florist is good for another. And what's good for one planner is also good for another, too. If we allow it, successes can work together to elevate every single one of us.

So, let's stop the jealousy and the back-stabbing! Instead, let's use the energy that's being wasted on negativity and apply it toward positive advances. Let's not be afraid to admit to one another where we struggle for fear that it will be used against us. But, let's readily admit areas of weakness and help one another succeed.

Now that I've 'outed' the elephant, it's time for everyone in my local community to start playing nice! And I want people in your local community to start playing nice, too. Celebrate each other's successes and stop tearing successful businesses down. It hurts us all!

Phew, I feel better, now. How about you??!!

~Jodi

PS - If this post rings true for you, please feel free to re-post and help me start a 'play nice' movement within the wedding industry!

Notes From the MRS! (OUR WEDDING, PART 2)

2010-09-11T15:45:00.009-04:00

Let's go ahead and jump right into the next round of photos...

Ahhhh...the ballroom. There were tears. Plenty of happy tears. And I probably hugged Jodi at least a hundred times.

The sweet little faces of my Flower Girl and Ring Bearer....

And probably my favorite detail of the night, our "Breakfast at Midnight" late-night snack. Which included a beautifully-designed cereal bar (a nod to Chris and I's favorite food), savory mini breakfast sandwiches, and adorable french toast shooters. How fun is that?

Many, many, many thanks to the following vendors: In Any Event, Modern Day Floral, Jen Kroll Photography, Coastline Studios, MiraBella Confections, Handbags by Jen, Cascade Country Club, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Julie Strating Makeup Artist, Erin Brown from A Davis Brown Salon, Rumplestiltskin (the band), Peter Spickenagel (classical guitarist), Grand Rapids Trolley Company, and the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel.

Every time I see these photos, I end up looking at them forever in awe. It makes me so happy to finally be married to my favorite person in the whole world after five long years. Thank you to our friends and family for being there to share our day with us. Without you it would have not been complete. And of course, thank you to Jodi. You made this day absolutely beautiful. We love you very much.

~ Jillian

Notes From the MRS! (OUR WEDDING, PART 1)

2010-09-11T15:44:00.006-04:00

Hello friends! Wow, I have missed you all for the past couple months! So here we now are, and the big day has finally come and gone. CHRIS AND I ARE OFFICIALLY HITCHED! And at last, I am a "Mrs". Can I just stop and tell you how blissfully happy it makes me to be able to say that? These past 2 months being a newlywed have been a blessing. It's truly been great. And I don't know about you, but these past couple of months have also completely flown by. It's like I blinked and all of a sudden, fall has begun.

After returning from Chris and I's beautiful Hawaiian honeymoon, we hit the ground running over here at In Any Event and Gwyneth Paige. We have some spectacular events in store that are right around the corner. But before we jump into all that, I need to finally share the photos of my wedding! I know, I am a little behind on getting these posted, and for that I apologize. But I am so happy to be revealing our wedding to you all because I am completely speechless over it ...still.

To Jodi and all our vendors, I cannot find a big enough way to express my gratitude to each one of you. I love you dearly. You helped make our big day a dream come true for not only myself, but for my husband, our family, and all of our beloved friends. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

And to our readers, thank you for following me on my wedding planning journey. I loved being able able to share some planning tips, some sneak peeks, and some of my experiences with you. Please enjoy the first round of lovely photos below (taken by Jen Kroll...who captured our day perfectly.)

So many beautiful moments...

And the ceremony begins, with our dear bridal party of 16 {yes, SIXTEEN!} by our side...

Stay tuned for the reception and more special details in the next post!

~ Jillian

496 Unread Blog Posts

2010-08-27T16:39:00.006-04:00

Yes, that's what my Google Reader told me this morning. What it should have said was, 'So sorry you've been too busy to visit lately.' For that matter, my sister recently sent a comment, ' Why have I had to read the same post for the last few months!' Okay. Point taken.

I do promise, I will resume to regular blogging later this fall. But in the mean time, it's gonna be 'spotty' while we work to produce the events for ArtPrize as well as two very spectacular weddings for Diana and Tony and Andrea and Michael. Both very different but equally fantastic! The fabulous Jen Kroll will be shooting both weddings as well as the ArtPrize events, and I can't wait to see what magic comes out of her camera!

So, since the last post two months ago, my assistant Jillian got married. Her husband, who is in his last year of medical school, has been placed in Grand Rapids for his rotations. {Yes, my lovely assistant is living in a different state then her husband right now! Bless her heart, the girl actually likes working for me and told her husband she wasn't moving to Toledo because of her job here in Grand Rapids! I swear. I didn't bribe her to stay but I would of if that was necessary!}. All of our Gwyneth Paige binders were shipped to their respective stores and within two days of their arrival, we had our first store sale to a major, in-the-news-a-lot celebrity. We added another part-time employee to help manage all the goodness around here. Her name is Betsy and we love her so! We enlisted the help of an interior designer to re-design the office to accommodate our growth and needs. Construction will begin in November and we'll be posting a slew of photos! And I finally came to the realization that I am not an invitation stylist and have hired one to 'style' the photo shoot for the release of Gwyneth Paige: Baby and Child and Gwyneth Paige: Bar and Bat Mitzvah.

Jill wants everyone to know that she's going to be posting all about her wedding next week. You'll get photos and details and all kinds of great information. But, since I haven't let her leave the office before 9:00pm this entire week, you can appreciate why she hasn't posted anything yet.

Finally, since all blog posts really should have a photo {even when they don't have stellar content like this post!} I'm going to leave you with a photo of my kids and our dogs!

Have a great weekend!

~Jodi

What if this is the last wedding I design?

2010-06-17T15:30:00.000-04:00

Have you ever thought, 'What if this is the last wedding I design?' I have. In fact, I think about it a lot. You probably wouldn't have guessed that but it's true. I'm constantly critiquing my art and wondering if I'm good enough. And if I'll be hired again.

Most people think I'm as confident as the day is long. And there is a lot of truth to that. But, I do have a very vulnerable/insecure side. A side that only my family and closest friends know exists.

I said to a dear friend one time, 'Is it normal to think 'What if I don't get hired after this job is complete?' Her response was brilliant. She said, 'It's not only normal but it's healthy. It means you're not resting on your laurels and you're constantly trying to better yourself and your business. It means your business will thrive.'

Do you question yourself, too? Are you wondering if you're good enough? If so, I think it's a good thing. My friend convinced me of that. And now I embrace that insecurity. I don't let it paralyze me. But rather, I let it strengthen me!

~Jodi

Notes From the Future "Mrs." - Sneak preview of my Etsy wedding elements!

2010-06-11T18:00:00.007-04:00

I don't want to give away too much before the big day, but I had to share these lovely details with you. So let's jump right into the fun!

A while back Jodi blogged about a shop that she found on Etsy called Milkpod Studio. This artist makes the most incredible fabric bouquets and boutonnieres that you have ever seen. So of course I fell in love with her designs the second Jodi showed me her stuff {anything that has textural elements like that, I am all over it!} This is hand-craftsmanship at it's best. And Milkpod Studio was just featured in this June 2010 issue of Brides magazine! The article is called "The Great Pretenders". Be sure to check it out and see more of her amazing work.

So what is my second great Etsy find, you may be wondering? Well, it is a shop called Brydferth. The designer creates the sweetest fabric rosettes, and makes them into rings, necklaces, shoe clips, hair clips, headbands, and more. She makes them in a wide variety of colors, too. Honestly, I probably could have ordered just about everything in her shop. But ultimately I pulled the reins on myself and I had her custom-make my hair piece for the wedding and matching shoe clips. The hair clip is a rosette trio with ivory, white, and champagne rosettes. Check out the photo below, isn't it fantastic? The rosettes that clip onto my shoes are ivory and match perfectly. It doesn't stop there, either. For my flower girl, we had a headband made with three white rosettes on it. She will look so adorable. And, of course, everything will coordinate beautifully.

~ Jillian

Is That the Highest Priority?

2010-06-10T00:05:00.000-04:00

As a business owner, I need to know what my staff is doing on a daily basis. Now, don't get me wrong. I trust them and know they're working hard. And I truly have no interest in being a micro-manager. But, there are times when certain tasks must take precedence over others. And if I have not properly communicated this to my staff, then we're operating under different assumptions about what is important. And that's how mistakes happen.

That's why approximately 6 months ago, I implemented a new system in the office. Here's how it works. Every morning, I receive an email from each staff member with a list of projects they will be working on that day. The list looks something like this:

Highest priority...first thing to work on
Medium priority
Lowest priority
Only if I finish #1, 2 and 3, will I consider this task!

Once I review the list, I take the opportunity to talk with each person about the day ahead. This two-way communication also gives me the chance to re-prioritize tasks on their lists if need be. {This hasn't happened often, but it has happened.}

This task may seem elementary and even a little silly but there really is a good reason for the exercise. Actually, two good reasons. The first is reassurance each morning that the highest priorities for both businesses are being met. And that there won't be any surprises when I think a task is being worked on {only to discover it's been given low-priority status}. I don't like surprises and this helps eliminate them.

The second reason for this exercise is to keep my staff {and myself!} on-task, motivated and accountable. This usually isn't an issue when we're swamped and trying to survive! But, it does become an issue when we're slow and not driven by an event {or two, or three!}. It helps all of us use our time wisely and efficiently.

I really like what this system has done for us. Not only has communication improved, but I think it's empowered each person to fully embrace their position in the company and understand how vital their role is to our success. And frankly, I think there is no better employee than an empowered one!

~Jodi

Delegation = The Answer to Time Management

2010-06-08T13:45:00.008-04:00

It's been long. Too long, I know. Since returning home from the National Stationery Show, my life has been nothing short of chaos. We've added two new pups to our home. {And our cat intensely hates them both!} My children finished the school year. I've added a new employee at Gwyneth Paige {welcome, Betsy!}. An intern at In Any Event {welcome, Audrey!}. And we now have 15 stores in seven states carrying the Gwyneth Paige line. All this in one month's time!

One of the things I've been thinking a lot about these past few weeks is how I can better manage my time and all of the demands on it. I've come to the conclusion that there's not much I can do that's not already being done. However, one thing I can do is rely more heavily on the good people that work alongside me.

Delegation has never been my strong suit. It's my perfectionist, type-A personality that causes this problem. My husband says you'll never run a successful business and be a good employer if you can't delegate. And you know, he's right. It truly is the answer to properly managing my time.

So, I'm trying to delegate more. I find that this is allowing me to work at a higher-level during the day. And empowering those around me to make good decisions. It's a great feeling. Things seem to be humming right along. And though I feel the stress that only a business-owner does, it's nice to divide the other stressors amongst friends!

How are you doing in the delegation department?

~Jodi

PS - I've decided to take this blog in a new direction. {Okay, let's face facts. There hasn't been much direction at all!} I'm going to focus on the 'raw truth' of owning a luxury planning firm and a couture letterpress company. In a sense, this blog will become my new 'public' journal. And I'm going to hold nothing back. You'll get to see the confident side of me as well as the vulnerable one. You'll discover what stresses me out on a day-to-day basis and what invigorates me. I think that this direction will really give me a lot to talk about and inspire my posts. I'm really excited for the future of this blog and its sustainability!

Notes From the Future "Mrs." - Wedding Invitation Photos!

2010-05-28T14:45:00.013-04:00

Hello friends! Wow, has May really come and gone already? With us having such an eventful month, including a week at the National Stationery Show in New York, my mind has been blissfully preoccupied with all things Gwyneth Paige and In Any Event. So much so that I almost didn't realize I am less than ONE month away from getting married {insert the anxiety attack here}. That's right, a month from now I will officially be "Mrs. Clark" and will be exploring Maui with my hubby.

This next month is the home stretch for getting all my wedding details wrapped up, and it is sure to churn out some good blog post material. But before we move forward on any of that, I have to share my wedding invitations because I have been dying to show you what they look like! They were delivered a few weeks ago, and I would be lying if I said that I didn't nearly injure myself trying to get the box open because of how uncontrollably excited I was. Right away I took some super quick photos to post up here {but please forgive the awful photography work, I only had my iPhone camera on hand}.

The design suite that we chose for our wedding invitations is called Claire. Ahhh...our sweet and shabby Claire! We used fuchsia and champagne ink to customize it to my wedding color scheme. We also used ivory ink for the quilted background, but the ivory is subtle and referred to as a blind deboss because you don't necessarily notice the ink. It's just used to highlight and show off the beautiful, deep impressions in which letterpress is known for. Mmmm, delicious!

{Invite and Envelope with Liner}

{Reply Card}

{Web Card}

Another great detail to notice? The offset printing on the backs of my invitations, reply cards, and web cards. It adds a beautiful "pop" of color in an unexpected way. And our brilliant Andrea recommended that we create small, business card-sized web cards for my guests, telling them to visit our wedding website instead of printing accommodation and direction cards. This was a huge help because it is a great way to save money {and paper} on the invitations. Plus the cards are so darn cute.

{Offset printing on back of Invitation}

{Offset printing again}

Before mailing them out, I secured together each suite {meaning each invitation, reply card, reply envelope, and web card} with a beautiful, deep fuchsia satin ribbon and a hand-made wax seal for the finishing touch. I hope my guests enjoy them as much as I do!

~ Jillian

National Stationery Show Recap

2010-05-24T10:49:00.010-04:00

We're home! Back in our office and back into action which {to be honest} feels great after a whirlwind week in New York City. We were busy little bees last week exhibiting our new invitation company at the National Stationery Show; which took place at the Jacob Javits Center. I could not be happier with the response we received there. Truth be told, I'm already looking forward to next year! {Can anyone say: Gwyneth Paige Baby & Child and Gwyneth Paige Bar and Bat Mitzvah?!}

We were so fortunate to meet some very talented people including retailers, bloggers, and fellow exhibitors. I especially loved the fantastic collaboration that is Ladies of Letterpress. And as if spending 4 days with other wonderful wedding vendors wasn't enough, we received a surprise visit from our very good friends, Jen and Alicia. They flew all the way out to New York to support our grand debut. Honestly, aren't they the best?! Truly amazing women who will be lifelong friends.

All in all, the trip was better than I expected and now I am ready to dive, head-first, into the busy months that lie ahead. Working with our 12 new Gwyneth Paige retail stores, preparing for ArtPrize events, and working on several amazing weddings {including one next month!} will keep all of our plates full. It's going to be a very good summer.

~ Jodi

Gwyneth Paige Featured

2010-05-05T12:17:00.004-04:00

Today, Gwyneth Paige is featured on the amazing blog, Oh So Beautiful Paper! We're so excited to be a sponsor on Nole's beautiful blog and we can't WAIT to meet her at NSS in 10 short days!

Can you believe that Gwyneth Paige's national debut is just around the corner? I have pit in my stomach just thinking about it! I've got an array of emotions cursing through my veins: excitement, nervousness, anxiousness and sheer joy. How can one have so many emotions at one time, that's what I want to know!

Needless to say, we're knee-deep in gray and ivory spray paint, frantically searching for proper clip-on lights for our booth, mailing out invitations to stores and media, and proofing the look-book before it goes to press. There truly is no rest for the weary!

Be sure to pop over to Nole's blog and check out our new ad!

~Jodi

Making Little Girl's Dreams Come True

2010-05-04T10:45:00.010-04:00

I received an email from a dear friend this morning. We had talked in church on Sunday and she had asked how my week had been. Well, last week was a horrible one. The realities of running a growing business and the tough talks and decisions I had to make wore heavily on my heart. It felt like one thing after another and I was extremely burdened.

My girlfriend's lovely email was a note of encouragement for the week that lies ahead. And one of the things she wrote struck me. It said, 'No matter how tough things get remember that you make little girl's dreams come true.'

Attached to the email was a copy of the interview that she conducted with her adorable 6 year old, Jenna, last year. It is so precious that I absolutely had to share it with you. Here goes:

Tell mommy about your wedding {by Jenna, age 5}

"I am going to marry Derek because Derek is the name of the prince in The Twelve Dancing Princesses. No, I am going to marry Ben because he is my boyfriend and boyfriends usually marry their girlfriends! Ben is so handsome. He makes my eyes sparkle like diamonds. I love him.

I am not sure hold old I will be when we get married. We will get married at Fredrick Meijer Gardens, where the butterflies fly. I will wear a shimmering white, light pink, and light blue dress with no sleeves. I will wear a sparkly glitter veil, a necklace and earrings. My bouquet will be made of sparkly pink roses, white daisies, pink lilies, and yellow daffodils. Ben will wear a black and white tuxedo. He will be a marvelous husband.

Rosie and Sophie will be bridesmaids. They will wear yellow dresses with flowers in their hair. Mommy will wear a beautiful golden dress and daddy will wear a pretty tuxedo. Kaitlin and Chloe will be flower girls. Kaitlin will wear a beautiful silver dress. Chloe will wear a light pink dress with a little ribbon and light blue flower buds on it.

Our cake will be made without peanuts. It will have lots of sweet stuff in it like sugar, flour, and baking soda. On the cake there will be butterflies, green grass frosting, a sun and pink flowers for the butterflies to land on. It will also say "Love". Statues of Ben and I will be standing in the grass frosting.

Whoever catches my flowers will get to be married next!!!"

Is that not the most precious thing you have ever read?! What a great reminder what a dream it is to do what I do!

~Jodi

A New Addition to our Team!

2010-04-29T10:07:00.005-04:00

I am so excited to make this wonderful announcement! As many of you know, we launched a letterpress company not too long ago called Gwyneth Paige {Couture Letterpress}. You may also know that this company has an amazing Creative Director by the name of Andrea Reynolds. What you may not know is that Andrea has been holding down a 'day job' while also working for Gwyneth Paige.

I'm so excited to report that we've seen such amazing response to our letterpress company that I've offered Andrea a full-time position! She has resigned from her day job and now devotes 50+ hours per week to Gwyneth Paige. In addition, she will also handle the social media, public relations and marketing strategy for In Any Event. {But that won't start until after NSS!}

Please join me in welcoming Andrea to our little family! She's an amazing individual who's wildly talented and completely wonderful!

~Jodi

Internship Opportunity

2010-04-27T12:13:00.003-04:00

For the first time ever, In Any Event will be accepting resumes for a summer internship! We're looking for one individual interested in working two days per week in our office. This position will be unpaid but the right candidate will gain a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience in the luxury wedding and social event planning field. This individual will also get hands-on experience working on a luxury event during the month of June.

The right person for this position will assist in the day-to-day operations of both In Any Event as well as our sister company, Gwyneth Paige {couture letterpress}. This individual will work directly with and report to my personal assistant, Jillian.

If your are passionate, hard working, accurate and willing to do what it takes to get the job done, please send us your resume. Resumes will be accepted until Friday, May 14, 2010. We will then review each one and call individuals in for an interview. We would like to have our new intern to begin working the week of June 1, 2010.

Please send {do not email} a cover letter and your resume to:

In Any Event by Jodi Bos, LLC
P.O. Box 2352
Grand Rapids, MI 49501
Attn: Jodi Bos

~Jodi

Two New Doggies!

2010-04-26T15:05:00.006-04:00

Meet the newest members of our family! Tessa and Leo will be joining us in six short weeks. We weren't in the market for two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels but it just seemed to work out that way.

Tessa is the mother of the puppy we selected last week for our home. Unfortunately, that puppy died on Saturday from 'failure to thrive.' Since Tessa only had two pups and the other pup was spoken for, that meant our dreams of a blenheim cavalier pup weren't going to come true anytime soon.

Our amazing breeder gave us the following four options:

Receive our money back

Select from the two tri-color puppies available from another mother named Gretta

Wait for her third dog, Aida, to deliver her first litter... with puppies available in mid-September {not an option for us since In Any Event has 6 big events on the books this fall!}

Purchase Tessa since she clearly isn't a good breeder but would be an amazing pet

Well, we decided to go with option #2 and #4 and we are so excited! You should have seen our kids faces when we told them we were getting two dogs! You would have thought the house would explode from all the yelling of excitement.

So, stay tuned for more updated photos! I can't wait to be a puppy and a 1 year old doggie mama!

~Jodi

ArtPrize in Michigan Meetings + Events

2010-04-07T10:20:00.003-04:00

Last week we went out and picked up the newest Michigan Meetings + Events magazine to see the featured spread of the ArtPrize 2009 Closing Gala. In Any Event loved being a part of the ArtPrize events last fall, and could not be more thrilled with the turnout of the Closing Gala event.

We mentioned before and described in detail the three different rooms that Jodi created for this event: the Organic Room, the Modern Room, and the Swanky Room. Each room was fantastic and unique, and the guests had a great night. When Michigan Meetings + Events told us they wanted to feature this in their Spring 2010 edition, we were more than happy to share this fun design with all their readers.

To get a sneak peek of the spread, you can check out our Press section on our website. But be sure to grab your own copy of the magazine today so you can read the full article.

~ Jillian

We've Arrived in Florida!

2010-04-05T08:58:00.003-04:00

Greetings from sunny Florida! Thought I would hop over to the blog and say 'hello.' I hope you all had a wonderful Easter! We definitely did. We found an amazing church to attend yesterday for Easter worship here in St. Augustine. What an uplifting service it was! Great preaching and a wonderful praise & worship band. Couldn't have been a better day.

Not much on the agenda today other than relaxing on the beach. The husbands will be heading over to Ron Jon's Surf Shop today to buy all the kids some boogie boards. I promise I'll bring my camera down to the beach today to capture the 'thrill of victory and the agony of defeat' as the kids tackle the waves. And I'll post some of the images tomorrow.

Have a wonderful day and I'll be in touch soon!
~Jodi

She's Got It! Most Creative Bride Contest

2010-04-01T10:45:00.002-04:00

I am so happy to announce that Jodi will be a judge for the "She's Got It! Most Creative Bride Contest", which kicks off today. The contest is simple. Just share your most creative wedding ideas, and then get your family and friends to vote for your idea. If you make it to the second round, judges will select the final winners and those winners will receive some fantastic prizes!

Here are the prizes (There will be 3 contest winners):
1. Photo Shoot: Abby Rose Photography & chance to be on the next cover of InFrame Bride
2. Weekend Getaway: Grand Traverse Resort
3. Makeover: Design 1 Salon & Spa

So be sure to check out the contest site and start submitting your great ideas. We can't wait to see the new and fresh concepts you come up with!

~ Jillian

We're Connected!

2010-03-29T16:53:00.004-04:00

ARGH! We have been without phone and internet service since Thursday morning and I'm thrilled to announce that once again, we have re-entered the land of the digital age! Can I tell you how much I missed internet access? I really didn't mind having the phones down but not having the internet was crippling {my husband's adjective}. Really, it was!

So, what have we been up to over here? Well, working on the stationery binders and the booth construction for Gwyenth Paige's debut at NSS in 6 short weeks! We're all getting mighty excited over here. It's gonna be a great show, I can feel it!

I'm also preparing to go on vacation this week. We're taking the kids to Florida for Spring Break and going with our dear friends. We have condos next to each other right on the ocean. You can only imagine how excited the kids are. We're leaving Friday and returning home the following Sunday. Should be a great trip. And we're all looking forward to it!

Have you marked your calendars for ArtPrize, yet? If not, you need to. I've got some amazing things in the works for the closing ceremony this year. Seriously, you'll be blown away! And the best part is that the closing ceremony is free and open to the public. So, there's no excuse not to attend! ArtPrize opens on Wednesday, September 22, and the closing ceremony takes place on Thursday, October 7. Make your plans to attend now!

~Jodi

Many thanks for the Gwyneth Paige support!

2010-03-23T08:55:00.006-04:00

Just wanted to thank everyone for their wonderful emails and words of praise/encouragement on the launch of the Gwyneth Paige website. What a day yesterday was! I felt a combination of relief and excitement all day long; relief that we finally launched and excitement for what lies ahead for this new venture.

This week I'll be playing 'catch up.' Nathan and I had a fantastic time in Mexico last week. The weather was wonderful and it was so much fun to reconnect and spend uninterupted time with my husband. We decided we need to make the time for a trip like that every year!

Now it's time to tackle the piles on my desk. Slowly but surely, I'll dig out!

~Jodi

We're Live! We're Really Live!

2010-03-22T08:45:00.003-04:00

You read that right. The Gwyneth Paige website is live!! It's been a massive undertaking and a true labor of love. And I owe a very, very special 'thank you' to our Creative Director, Andrea, for all of her amazing work on the site. She had amazing vision for the site and I couldn't be more thrilled with the outcome.

Another 'thank you' goes out to Jen of Jen Kroll Photography for the AH-mazing photos of our suites. She patiently shot and re-shot until we achieved the perfect images. What can I say, Jen is the best!

So, now you need to hop right on over to the Gwyneth Paige website and tell me what you think! I'm anxious to hear your feedback.

Best,
Jodi

Notes From the Future "Mrs." - Introducing my vendors and venues

2010-03-19T21:00:00.000-04:00

As I have been tying up all the loose ends for my wedding planning, it occurred to me that I have yet to introduce all my wedding vendors. Grand Rapids has some of the most talented people, and when I started to work in the wedding industry, I was blown away to learn all the wedding wonderfulness that is available.

Since I have many friends planning their own weddings right now, I get asked a lot about which vendors I am using. Therefore, I thought I would just share with everyone. So here we go...

RECEPTION VENUE: Cascade Hills Country Club

CEREMONY LOCATION: Westminster Presbyterian Church

WEDDING PLANNER AND EVENT DESIGN: In Any Event {Like you didn't guess this already, right? Wink, wink.}

FLORIST: Modern Day Floral

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jen Kroll Photography

VIDEOGRAPHER: Coastline Studios

CAKE: MiraBella Confections

INVITATIONS: Gwyneth Paige {Couture Letterpress}

BRIDAL GOWN: Rivini, purchased at Ultimate Bride in Chicago

BRIDESMAID DRESSES: Vera Wang, purchased at Vera Wang in Chicago

GROOM/GROOMSMEN ATTIRE: Calvin Klein suits

TRANSPORTATION: Grand Rapids Trolley Company

This is quite a winning combination of talents if I do say so myself. And honestly there are a handful of other fantastic wedding professionals that we have here in Michigan that I wish I could add onto the list. But you obviously have to have limits in wedding planning, and overall I am very, very happy.

June 26th cannot come soon enough!

~ Jillian

Clutch beauties for bridesmaids

2010-03-17T13:00:00.000-04:00

I don't even have to say it, because you can see if for yourself. But we all know that I am going to say it anyway. These clutches are lovely, lovely, lovely. And perfect for a bridal party to carry.

Aren't we always thinking of ways to tie everything together anyway? I think this could do the trick. You can coordinate the fabric color to your wedding colors, and then surprise your bridesmaid with a beautiful clutch of their own. And then they will all look in sync with one another to boot. Check out this Emma Gordon shop for more info on this fantastic little purse option. A perfect wedding day detail, indeed.

~ Jillian

{Photo Credit: EmmaGordonLondon}

Notes From the Future "Mrs." - Back in action and makin' progress!!!

2010-03-12T13:45:00.000-05:00

Right off the bat I am going to admit that I kind of went on a wedding planning hiatus recently. Why, you ask? Well, because sometimes it is important to just spend time with friends and catch up with family without making everything wedding-related. And since I have all the big details taken care of already, I took a 'planning break'. Which is fine. There are definitely lull moments in the wedding planning process for everyone, and it's normal. But after putting things on the back burner, I wanted to kick my planning back into gear.

So these past two weeks I have finally jumped on a few things, and thought I would share my progress:

1.) The groom and I officially decided on the suits for him and the groomsmen. They will be sporting beautiful black suits by Calvin Klein. The ties and other pieces are still up in the air though.
2.) We had our food tasting at the reception venue. The filet there is so good you can cut it with a butter knife, no joke. Currently we are debating between a lovely chicken with artichoke sauce or the jumbo grilled shrimp to pair with the filet. Yum!
3.) As we mention on our main website, In Any Event offers beautiful rendering boards to their clients. So I have started my sketches of the event design for my wedding. I can't wait to you all these renderings as soon as I am finished!
4.) We {Jodi and I} have been collecting wonderful items at local antique stores. But obviously the details of exactly what we have been buying shall remain mum because I don't want to give away too much ;)
5.) And last but not least, I have been working on more of the specifics for the rehearsal dinner. Because we can't forget to make the rehearsal dinner fabulous!

Next week, I will spill the full list of vendors that we have selected to use at the wedding now that final decisions have been made. So anyone planning a wedding here in the Midwest {or anywhere, really} can see some wonderful talent that we have in this neck of the woods!

~ Jillian

The GR Wedding Experience, a success!

2010-03-11T12:48:00.008-05:00

Let me just say, participating in the GR Wedding Experience was a great way to spend this past Sunday. Being able to debut Gwyneth Paige was something we have been eager to do since... well, honestly since the idea popped into Jodi's head a long while back. And now we finally got to opportunity to show people what the line is all about.

We would like to send out a huge 'thank you' for all the support from the brides and fellow vendors who attended the show. We could not be more grateful for all the wonderful compliments said about our new letterpress invitation company. I am happy people are loving the collections as much as we do!

For a recap on the show, and to see more of the lovely photos taken by Jen Kroll, please hop over to our Gwyneth Paige blog to read more. Next stop for us, the National Stationery Show in New York City!

~ Jillian

Recipe box goodness, don't you love it?

2010-03-10T14:18:00.008-05:00

This recipe box is too adorable for words {and, conveniently, comes in two of the colors that I want for my future kitchen}. My lovely maid of honor, or matron of honor rather, found this Martha Stewart recipe box at Macy's and we fell in love with it. It is cute, cute, cute.

But what's more fantastic than the actual box, is the way my MH is going to use it at my bridal shower. Every shower invitation that was sent out included a vintage-inspired recipe card and a request for each girl to write down her favorite recipe to help start my first recipe box. I can tell my MH really has it in her mind to personalize my shower, because this is so me {I secretly aspire to be a fantastic cook...Giada De Laurentiis is kind of a hero of mine, not even going to lie}.

Don't you want one of these too? Mine is the blue one shown above, and it's real pretty. And the fantastic idea of incorporating this into a bridal shower is definitely one to steal. So steal on friends!

~ Jillian

{Photo Credit: Macys}

The Wedding Experience at the Amway

2010-03-04T10:45:00.003-05:00

As Jodi mentioned in her post yesterday, there will be a fantastic bridal show this weekend being held at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in downtown Grand Rapids. It is called The GR Wedding Experience, and we are looking forward to seeing all the vendors and lovely brides that will be attending.

We are especially excited to finally show everyone the Gwyneth Paige {Couture Letterpress} up close and personal. I know you have heard us rave about it a lot lately, and we hope you forgive us for that. We can't help it. The collections truly are stunning, and we are so happy to be able to offer luxurious letterpress stationery to brides. Come down and sneak a peek if you are in the area!

Here is the show information if you are interested in attending the show...

The GR Wedding Experience
Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
227 Pearl Street, NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Sunday, March 7th, 2010
12pm - 5pm
(Tickets are $10 per person)

Hope to see you there!

~ Jillian

The Black Screen of Death

2010-03-03T10:31:00.003-05:00

Yes, that's what I've dubbed yesterday. The day of, 'The Black Screen of Death.' For some reason my laptop decided it was the perfect morning to bite the dust. And of course, it happened at the most inopportune time. Doesn't it always go that way!

So, yesterday was spent buying a new computer, retrieving files from my on-line back-up service and shipping the new computer out for all the necessary installation work. ARGH! What a pain this has been. All I can say is that I'm thankful this didn't happen in the middle of a huge event. But, I'm gonna be without a computer for a couple of days and that doesn't make me too happy.

So, did anyone watch the Bachelor on Monday night? Yes, I'll admit that I've watched all 14 seasons of that stupid show. It's my guilty pleasure. And I'll also admit that I didn't like Jake's pick. At all. I was a huge Tenley fan. She was so darn adorable and I appreciated everything she stood for. {I can't believe I'm even admitting this to you all! Please don't think less of me!}

While we're relatively slow over here, Nathan and I decided it would be a great time to steal away for a couple of days and head to the sunny beaches of Mexico! We're leaving in 11 days and I'm so excited. This is our first vacation together without any kids in 6 years. And it's long over-due. I see a lot of books, walks on the beach, snorkeling and trips to the spa in the near future!

If you live in the Grand Rapids area, be sure to visit the Gwyneth Paige booth {our sister company} at The Wedding Experience this Sunday at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. We thought we'd get our feet wet prior to the NSS show. We'll be located in the Imperial Ballroom; my favorite room in the hotel.

Hope you're all well. And that you each have a great day today!
~Jodi

Weddings 101: The Etiquette of Gift-Giving

2010-02-24T13:25:00.003-05:00

Most people know that when you are invited to a wedding, you should buy a gift for the happy couple. What most people don't realize is that when you purchase the gift, it should be mailed to their house. Which means that ...yes, you guessed it... you technically aren't supposed to show up to the reception with the gift under your arm.

So how did this whole "gifts-at-the-reception" begin? Well, back in the day, brides and grooms actually used to open gifts at the wedding reception. Hence the reason guests started bringing them there in the first place. However, we all know that is not a common practice anymore and the wedding gift-giving process is much different today.

That leads to the following question: Should you ship your present to the couple's home vs. bring it to the wedding? In a word, yes. If you are able to. I mean I doubt there could ever be a scenario where giving the bride and groom a gift at the wedding would be unappreciated {after all, it's the thought of giving the gift in the first place that counts anyway}. BUT if you want to be helpful and save the couple the hassle of having to haul back a whole slew of presents from the reception, sending gifts directly to their home is the way to go.

~ Jillian

{Photo Credit: Puddy Toad}

Are You Giving Validation to Others?

2010-02-23T10:18:00.012-05:00

While catching up on all the fantastic blogs that I missed in the past week, there was one in particular that really caught my eye. The all-too-fantastic Leila Khalil of Be Inspired PR tapped into a great topic on her Inspired by This blog last Tuesday. The title of the post was "What To Do When You Have Been Mis-Credited or Left Out of Press You Deserve". Did you see this already? Well if not and you are a wedding industry professional, I recommend you read it.

This is a situation that {sigh} most wedding vendors deal with at one point or another. It relates to us on the receiving end, and the giving end {'cause let's be honest, it can be just as easy for you to slip on giving someone else credit as it is vice versa}. But accident or intentional, skipping out on recognizing a vendor for something they did is a big no-no. When someone pours their heart and soul into their work, they deserve to be noted for it. Plain and simple.

When you are submitting event photos for magazine publication, blogging about someone else's work, or even tweeting about something you saw and liked, are you keeping in mind that someone else's blood, sweat, and tears was behind it all? Hopefully you are. Because beyond the fact that it's the ethical thing to do, and even beyond the fact that readers deserve to know which vendors the work belongs to, it will damage your own reputation if you don't credit people where it is due. You could burn bridges. And fast. Trust me, you don't want to walk that fine line. Being respected by others in this industry is huge.

So remember, it only takes 3 seconds to give validation to something that took someone else hours upon hours {upon hours} to make beautiful and successful. Take that extra minute to double check and make sure anyone involved in the event is covered. And hopefully people are doing the same for you.

Definitely check out Leila's blog to read her entire post. As a PR pro, she includes great tips on how to deal with these potentially sticky situations. They are not fun, but they happen. And they can affect your business, so read up.

~ Jodi

Love these flower pots. Let's just chalk it up to that.

2010-02-22T12:45:00.000-05:00

It is no secret that brides love a great DIY project. With good reason, too. Doing-it-yourself saves some money while still adding a personal touch to the big day. And, in my humble opinion, I always feel like it adds a little bit of extra love to your event when you have hands-on details.

So today I decided to share this little gem of an idea with you: An adorable flower pot, painted with chalkboard paint (love that!) and a hand-written 'thank you' on the front. Then, to top it all off, it's filled with lovely fresh blooms. Seriously, is this cute or what? And the best part is that it is very simple and inexpensive to make. To check out the easy instructions, hop over to My DIY Wedding Day and read the whole blog post.

Couldn't you see this as the favor for a warm-weather wedding? Or better yet, as a lovely bridal shower favor to send home with all your closest gals? I can definitely see it. And honestly cannot think of a more appropriate gift idea with spring right around the corner.

~ Jillian

Etsy Goodness Week: The Garter Lady

2010-02-17T09:27:00.008-05:00

Today's etsy find is something I'm excited to share with you. It might have to do with the fact that I'm not a real fan of the whole garter thing. I've seen some pretty tasteless acts occur surrounding the garter and its inevitable toss. And I'm sure you have a story or two to tell as well. But, my thoughts shifted when I came across the Garter Lady. Her garters are so pretty and elegant and classy. And everything a garter should be!

Don't you agree?

~Jodi

Etsy Goodness Week

2010-02-16T06:11:00.000-05:00

So, I was a wee bit ill last week which is why you didn't hear from me. The highlight of my week was definitely the 7 hours that I spent in Urgent Care on two IV drips under 8 blankets from that oh-so-heavenly blanket warmer that only hospitals have. It was awful, for sure.

A massive sinus infection coupled with a serious case of strep throat was the final diagnosis. It wasn't until Saturday afternoon that I started to feel somewhat human again. So, needless to say, the piles are high-and-deep on my desk and a whole bunch of appointments have to be rescheduled. If you're one of those people waiting to hear from me, hang tight. I'll get to ya! I promise. :)

There seems to be more and more amazing goodies popping up on etsy. That's why I've decided to name this week the official 'Etsy Goodness Week' . Each day this week, I'll show you something a little bit fantastic for your eyes to gaze upon. {How fun is this gonna be!}

First up. A 1920s flapper fringe inspired clutch. Yum. Yum. Yum! I love every little square inch of this beauty. I can just feel my fingers running over the fringe. You must agree, it's pretty fantastic, huh?

I'll take a couple, please!

~Jodi

{Image Source}

New Found Love: Mercury Glass

2010-02-15T10:45:00.000-05:00

I can't put my finger on it, but every time I see something made of mercury glass it completely catches my eye. Maybe that is because it is true "glass art" and created mainly for artistic purposes. And it shows. Not only have I seen mercury glass for wedding accents, but I have also seen it a ton in home decor items lately.

Personally, I have fallen in love with these votive holders that I found at Jamali Garden. Lets face it, most people use votive candles on their tables at weddings, and rightfully so because nothing beats the soft glow of candlelight on your guests' tables. But with these, you can really add some extra flare, and because they come in several colors, you get even more pops of color on the tables. What's not to love about that?

As for home products, I have been swooning over these vases, which I would of course buy in a heartbeat to put in my house. In fact, I put them on my registry because they are so great. Wouldn't you love these on your kitchen table or nightstand? They are absolute perfection in my book.

~ Jillian

{Photo 1: Pottery Barn, Photos 2 and 3: Jamali Garden}

Monogram Hangers: A Steal-worthy Idea

2010-02-11T13:00:00.007-05:00

Don't you just love when someone tips you off on a great wedding idea? Well, yesterday that is what happened when a friend informed us of her new Etsy shop. Meghan used these lovely monogrammed hangers for her bridesmaid dresses, and has now posted them on Etsy. Each hanger has the bridesmaid's initial at the top to add that perfect, personalized touch. A very steal-worthy idea, indeed!

We got to know and work closely with Meghan on the ArtPrize events this past fall, and she is fantastic. And I must say, her wedding was fantastic too. Filled with many adorable details like these hangers. Don't they make such a stellar photo? Not to mention how much your bridesmaids will love it.

Be sure to check out her site and see all the details. Thank you for sharing the wealth Meghan!

~ Jillian

Notes From the Future "Mrs." - Onto the Wedding Invitations

2010-02-05T11:30:00.005-05:00

We are still months away from even thinking about sending out our wedding invitations, but that is not stopping me from ordering the invites already. After all, we selected which ones we wanted a while ago. So understandably, I cannot wait to have them in my eager little hands!

You remember my Save the Dates, right? Well, they are only a small morsel of goodness compared to the actual invitation. The invitation is heavenly. And yes, I reserve the right to swoon over them because they were not designed by me (...only in my dreams!) Our talented Andrea designed them, and if she didn't live in New York, I would be giving her the most gigantic hug right now for creating something so spectacular.

If you have been following our Gwyneth Paige blog this week, you probably caught the photos of some of our invitations on Wednesday's post. Of the select handful of Gwyneth Paige designs that were posted, you will see the Claire invitation. And she is the one. She is my invitation and is known as the "quilted beauty". When I saw her it was love at first site. Hop over to the post to see for yourself what I am talking about.

Stay tuned, there will be even better pictures of Claire to come. I cannot wait to show you ours when they arrive!

~ Jillian

Vintage Button Bookmarks

2010-02-01T22:37:00.009-05:00

I've been doing quite a bit of reading lately. I've always enjoyed a good book but had reserved that pleasure for vacation only. How silly, right? In January, I read a total of 5 books. And my favorite was definitely Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. The runner had to be Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury. Both were fantastic and I couldn't put them down. In fact, Redeeming Love was so good I read the entire 500-page novel in 36 hours! And if you're wondering how that's possible, well let's just say no housework was accomplished and pages were read at stop lights while driving. {Yes, true story!}.

I promise, this post isn't a plug for the benefits of a good book but rather to introduce you to these lovely little bookmarks I found on Etsy. Since we all know about the soft spot in my heart for vintage buttons, you can only image the {happy sigh} that occurred when I stumbled upon these beauties. Don't you love them, too?

~Jodi

Follow up to Friday's Post on Bridesmaid Dresses

2010-02-01T12:00:00.004-05:00

As I shared in my Notes From the Future "Mrs." post on Friday, this past weekend was all about bridesmaid dress shopping in Chicago for my eight beautiful friends. Fortunately we lucked out and found the perfect dress! And I just had to take a quick moment to show you. I could not contain myself and wait until this Friday to post about it! So, without any more delay, here is the winning Vera Wang dress...

Don't you just love it? It is simple yet romantic, and very pretty. The back has some beautiful fabric detailing, too. We ordered it in the lovely champagne color that is shown above. I can't even tell you how glad I am that we went to the Vera Wang bridal store. This dress is exactly what I wanted.

Having two of my bridesmaids with me was a big perk. When shopping for a dress that multiple people will be wearing, its good to make sure that the dress looks good on more than one girl. And I have no doubt it will look stunning on all eight!

~ Jillian

{Photo: Vera Wang on Weddings}

Notes from the Future "Mrs." - Bridesmaid Dress Shopping {Finally!}

2010-01-27T14:26:00.008-05:00

So, off I go to Vera Wang. Today, I'm in Chicago for another dress shopping adventure! Only this time the dress hunting is not for me. The "hunt" is for my eight (yes...you heard me right, eight) lovely bridesmaids.

After toying-around with different color options for their dresses, a decision has finally been made. Well, sort of. The girls will be wearing either a champagne or taupe colored dress. It depends what looks best on Theresa and Ashley {two of the eight} when we try them on.

Originally, I planned on navy dresses. But as the planning propelled forward and as the overall design developed, I dropped the navy from my wedding completely. I think it's a good decision and I'm confident the end result will be exactly as I had envisioned. I'll be sure to let you know how we did when I return on Monday!

~Jillian

PART 3: ArtPrize Room #3, "The Swanky Room"

2010-01-26T17:30:00.000-05:00

We have now arrived at our third and final room. And I'm not afraid to say it, I LOVE this space! It was my favorite to design because the colors are so fabulous. With all the rich purple draping, velvet linens, ice sculpture pedestals and overall swanky feel, I think it turned out marvelously!

Once again, I need to send huge props out to my favorite three musketeers over at Special Events Rental {yep, that's you Larry, Mike and Todd!}. These guys work tirelessly for me. They make my visions come to life and are just fantastic to work with.

In this room we offered all kinds of wonderful sweets. Can you think of a more perfect way to end an evening than with delightful desserts catered in by the Amway and lovely signature cocktails from Martha's Vineyard? Me either!

Plans are already underway for the 2010 version of this party! I've got lots of ideas swimming in my head and am anxious to spend some time in the next few months scouting a perfect venue for these ideas!

~Jodi

PS - Once again, I need to thank Jen Kroll for her amazing work photographing these events! Girl, you rock!

PART 2: ArtPrize Room #2, "The Modern Room"

2010-01-26T16:00:00.000-05:00

Now, onto the second room. After the guests left 'The Organic Room,' they were introduced to a crisp, clean area. This room had an unexpected and uniquely fun color palette of blue and yellow, and was spiked with clean white and grey accents. This is the space where the guests danced the night away.

What were some of the unique details, you might be wondering? Well, the first thing worth mentioning is the full-sized custom ice bar. Which was created by our favorite guys over at Ice Sculptures Ltd. They always do a fantastic job for us. Always. And the ice bar was awe-inspiring. The second detail that we loved was the sea of George Nelson bubble lights, which hung above cocktail tables draped in blue suede linens. Yes, I did say suede! How fun is that.

The floral accents were simple but full of impact. And added just the touch of warmth the space needed!

My favorite room is up next....Room #3!

~Jodi

PART 1: ArtPrize Room #1, "The Organic Room"

2010-01-26T13:40:00.000-05:00

Okay, first up is the room guests entered when they arrived at the sponsor party. It was the room I called, 'The Organic Space.' This room had a lot of potential when I first scouted the space. It had beautiful original wood floors, an amazing built-in wood bar and gorgeous exposed brick. It only made sense to decorate this room with as many natural elements as possible.

Great arrangements courtesy of Modern Day Floral.

We had fun food stations in this room including a roasted nut station, candied apple station and a gourmet popcorn station. The guests loved it!

Don't you love the texture of the linens! I've been in love with this linen since it first came out and this room was the perfect excuse to use it.

More proof as to why lighting is so important. In addition to the custom chandeliers that we made for this room, we also had Odyssey Lighting do some amazing washes from the ceiling to create even more ambiance.

Seriously! Can you even believe this floral pieces! The brainchild of the ever-so-fabulous Jenn, owner of Modern Day Floral. The products she uses never ceases to amaze me. They're spectacular.

Beautiful boxwood hedges and brown leather furniture helped set the mood and feel of the room. Honestly, I don't know what I would do without Special Events Rental and their amazing ability to make my visions become reality!

Next up? The 'Modern Space.' The color palette I selected for the space was grey, turquoise, marigold and white. There was a lot of blue lighting. And a whole bunch of ice! I'll see you back here in a couple of hours for those photos!

~Jodi

PS - The photos you'll see today were all taken by the amazing Jen of Jen Kroll Photography. She never ceases to amaze me!

ArtPrize Photos in Full: Intro to the Mini Series

2010-01-26T13:33:00.026-05:00

Okay. I screwed up. Jill wrote this lovely post for you to read prior to the reveal of the first room. So, please read through and take a look at the space before the transformation occurred. ~jodi

Remember how we mentioned during Christmas break that we had never-before-seen ArtPrize photos? Well, they are finally ready to be shared with you.

Let me back up for a quick second to say a few things. Maybe I said it before, but it's important to reiterate this point. ArtPrize 2009 was amazing. Amazing for Grand Rapids, amazing for Michigan, and amazing for artists around the globe. And the opportunity to be a part of ArtPrize was, in a few words, wonderfully insane. I don't think Grand Rapids anticipated the kick-off year for this world-wide competition to be as huge as it was. But it was truly a smashing success. Thank you to everyone involved. The creators, vendors, artists, the community... everyone.

Like so many other people who were on-board to make this grand concept come together, we were able to lend our hands to this event. And true to form, we did so in our own special, In Any Event, kind of way. In other words, we got to seriously deck out the ArtPrize parties! And we loved it. Transforming spaces into something spectacular is what we live and breathe for around here.

In particular, it was the private party that followed the closing ceremony of ArtPrize that we indulged ourselves in. And this is the party that we are unveiling to you now. Because this party was a collection of three different rooms, with three completely different styles, we figured what better way to share it with you than in a blog series!

We have three rooms to show you. Room number one is on deck ...but first, take a peek at the space before it's transformation.

Real pretty, right? Stay tuned.

~ Jillian

Follow along on Style Me Pretty!

2010-01-26T11:45:00.002-05:00

Our very own (and loved-to-pieces) Andrea was featured on none other than, drum roll please... Style Me Pretty! Style Me Pretty is one of the most fan-flippin'-tastic wedding blogs out there. And Andrea, who is the main voice behind our Gwyneth Paige blog, was asked to be their guest blogger. We are thrilled, thrilled, thrilled! Yep, that is three times thrilled.

Remember the heavenly July beach wedding we did this past summer? The one that you could stare at on a cold day like today and feel happy instantly? That is the one. Andrea has posted up all the gorgeous photos captured by Jen Kroll for your enjoyment. The calm, beautiful beach and the amazing flowers will warm you right up. I promise.

Yesterday, both the first and second posts went up. And there are more to come, so keep watching!

~ Jillian

That's Market Research?

2010-01-22T14:26:00.005-05:00

I just read the most wonderful post over on Sasha Souza's blog, Sparkliatti, and I had to share it with you.

This very thing has happened to me three times in the last 6 weeks and it's so disappointing. What many of these people who 'inquire' about our services don't know is that it's pretty easy to track down who the request is coming from. And I do know who you are. However, I have graciously given out the information because really, it's not a trade secret.

Here's the thing. I'm an honest, straight forward kinda girl. If you want to know what we charge, then just ask. BUT, and this is a capital B-U-T, as Sasha said, 'I'm not you, and you're not me.' We've got different business models , different gifts and different levels of experience. We all do things a little bit different and that is good because we're all perfect for someone. And not perfect for everyone.

Do read her post. I had the chance to meet Sasha last year at a conference and she's one of the most honest people we have in this industry. And it's refreshing!

~Jodi

Notes from the Future "Mrs." - Luxury is in the details

2010-01-22T10:16:00.001-05:00

When I ordered my Save the Dates, I also ordered liners for my envelopes. This was a detail that we decided was a "must have". There is something about beautifully lined envelopes that feel so luxurious. And I knew I wanted to start my wedding off with gorgeous Save the Dates enclosed inside beautifully lined envelopes.

Sometimes, the more detailed you get with any element in your wedding ...the deeper you have to dig into your pocket. This includes invitation add-on's (like envelope liners, for example). What is the solution to this budget-pressing problem? Make your own liners! Sure, it takes a little time and care, but the result is beautiful and your options are endless. Just a trip to the craft store and you can have any colored or printed paper that suits you. Your guests will love receiving these in the mail!

For a step-by-step tutorial on how to line your envelopes, check out the following:
1. Wedding Crafter
2. Bird Cage Cards

And to purchase an envelope liner template kit, visit Paper Source.

~Jillian

photo credit - Smock

Adding Flare to Wedding Shoes {No design skills required!}

2010-01-19T15:10:00.000-05:00

I have been tirelessly searching for the perfect shoe to wear on my wedding day. And can I just tell you that finding that "perfect wedding shoe" has felt next to impossible? Sure, there are plenty of great designer shoes out there {Stuart Weitzman is always a fave}, and even some decent finds on Ebay. But nothing seems to be floating my boat these days.

My original thought was to settle for something basic. And that is when the thought of a customizable option came to mind. Naturally, I hopped onto Etsy to see what I could find. And as luck would have it, I found these. Adorable, ruffled clips that you can add onto any simple shoe. How perfect are they! Especially since I have ruffle details floating all throughout my wedding.

Now, I know not every bride or client wants ruffles. But not to fear! There are tons of options. Some with a little bling, some with texture, some with fun colors, and some that are just flat-out pretty.

Whatever your preference, there are truly enough styles to go around. These are even great to switch up the style on your basic pumps. You know, the ones you have in your closet that you have worn over and over {and over} again! The ones you absolutely refuse to toss out. How great is it that most clips costs less than $25? That is a lot less than buying a brand new pair of shoes. And you can change them from one pair of shoes to the next. Flats, heels, even sandals ...you name it. Sounds like the perfect win-win situation to me.

~ Jillian

Kara's Bridal Tea

2010-01-18T15:18:00.023-05:00

When my sister Kara got married, I threw her a wonderful bridal tea party. It was full of lovely details, including my much-cherished tea cup collection as well as my milk glass and vintage plate collections. And since I never got a chance to share the photos with you before, I wanted to show you now. {Seriously, the girl just had a baby 7 weeks ago and I think I did this shower over two years ago!}

Are you playing hostess anytime soon? Maybe it will spark some an ideas for a shower you are throwing, or even just a gathering with your favorite friends.

~ Jodi

images: ryan prins photography
floral: modern day floral
cake: sweet cakes design

BREAKING NEWS!

2010-01-17T21:50:00.003-05:00

Two posts in one day? Shocking, I know! But this was just too good to wait and announce on Tuesday! You remember that other company that we've been working so hard to develop? You know, the one called Gwyneth Paige {couture letterpress}? Yeah, that one! Well, if you follow that blog, you know what a fantastic job our Creative Director, Andrea, does with all of her posts. She's a natural, our Andrea. And we love every ounce of her!

I'm so excited to announce that Andrea will be a weekly guest blogger on Style Me Pretty on behalf of Gwyneth Paige {couture letterpress}. Yes, you read that right! Beginning today, she'll post twice a week for the amazing Abby over at SMP. We've known about this for a little over a week now but have had to keep it under wraps. Andrea applied for this opportunity about a month ago and amongst hundreds of applicants, she was one of just a few that was asked to write for this ultimate wedding blog.

You can only image how excited and proud we are. Andrea is such a vital part of Gwyneth Paige and who we are as a company. Andrea loves this company as much as I do. We all give 110% and I could not tackle this ginormous venture without her.

Please join me in congratulating Andrea!

~Jodi

Be a Beautiful Bride

2010-01-17T21:30:00.007-05:00

Nathan and I went out for dinner on Saturday night and stopped in Barnes and Noble to look around {one of our favorite things to do together}. I, of course, bolted to the wedding section and Nathan went to the religion section. Amongst a lot of not-so-good wedding books, I found this gem! I know, the title is as corny as they come. But I'm not kidding you, this book is genius!

What is it about, you ask? Well, let me quote the back of the book jacket:

'Every bride wants to look great on her big day, but where do you start? Packed with invaluable advice on everything from dresses and veils to jewelry and shoes, this book will show you how to walk down the aisle in style.

This book was written to help you find the perfect dress for your coloring and figure; discover the makeup and hairstyle best suited for your face; pick out stylish accessories to complement your look; determine what shape bouquet works best with the style of dress you've chosen; and how to pick the ideal color and style for everyone in your bridal party.'

I'm a tough sell when it comes to wedding books but this one is invaluable. I love it! And it's a perfect complement to the other resources that sit on the shelves of my ever-growing wedding library. So, whether you're a bride, a planner, or a vendor responsible for wedding styling, this is a book you need to buy. It's worth every penny of its $15 cost!

~Jodi

Fresh off the press!

2010-01-13T11:20:00.007-05:00

- KARA -

- SOPHIE -

- OLIVIA -

- GABI -

If you are wondering what we have been up to these days, look no further than Gwyneth Paige's blog! We have been busy, busy bees.

I must say, this new venture has had quite the productive week this week. Most of the invitation suites have been shipped to us (woo-hoo!) and the final batch will come off the printers on Friday! I won't even deny the fact that we have been doting over these treasures all week. Absolutely loving on them. The development of this invitation line has been a non-stop process of tweaking and perfecting details ...and then tweaking and perfecting some more. Everything has to be 110% perfect. No exceptions. And we are loving every minute of it!

In case you have not had the opportunity to catch all the sneak peek photos on the other blog, we invite you to feast your eyes here. These are just a few items of many items. So be sure to follow us as we will surely lend some more gaze-worthy photos to you soon!

Enjoy.

~ Jillian

Have You Pre-Ordered?

2010-01-12T00:22:00.004-05:00

So, it's no secret that Tara Guerard of Soiree, Inc. in Charleston, South Carolina, is one of my industry heroes. Her style speaks to me and I'm inspired by her work and her amazing eye for the aesthetically pleasing.

I'm really excited about her second book due to hit the stands at any second. This book, Weddings by Tara Guerard, is the much anticipated follow-up to her first book, Southern Weddings. I loved her first book so much that when pre-orders for this new book opened up on Amazon, I purchased it immediately!

If you enjoy feasting your eyes on yummy wedding details with gorgeous brides and amazing decor, then I'd really recommend her books to you. I don't think you'll be disappointed!

~Jodi

Ariya Shah Vanderploeg!

2010-01-09T09:47:00.008-05:00

Since many of my friends and family read this blog, I thought I would use this post to tell everyone that my beautiful brother, Jeff, and his equally {okay, MORE!} beautiful wife, Purvi, had their first baby last night!

Ariya Shah Vanderploeg weighed in at a whopping 8 lbs. 3 oz. and 20.5 inches long. This is significant since my sister-in-law is a size 2 on a bad day! She might be my new hero. She pushed Ariya for 3 hours without drugs and finally had to get an epidural because she just had no energy left. After the epidural, she still had to push for another 2 hours. She's a better woman than I! I was screaming for drugs at a 6!

These are the times that I wish more than ever that we lived closer than 1,000 miles apart. But, I'm planning to fly to Connecticut in the next couple of weeks with Gretchen and Seth so that they can meet their new cousin and I can meet my new niece!

Congratulations Jeff and Purvi! We love you guys and we're so glad Ariya is healthy and beautiful. What a blessing! We're also pretty confident Ariya will be the most well-adjusted child on this planet since you're both Ph.D. level Psychologists!

~Jodi

Notes From the Future "Mrs." - Trying out a unique registy!

2010-01-08T04:00:00.004-05:00

Christmas vacation was the perfect opportunity to get wedding stuff done. And that "stuff" included updating our wedding registries. Finally. About two months ago, Chris and I set up three different registries. All which desperately needed to be tweaked. Two of the registries we chose are more conventional options (Bed Bath and Beyond and Pottery Barn)...and the third one is just a little different from the norm. We selected a honeymoon registry, which was created on Honeyfund.com.

Here is my favorite part of this unique registry. Even though most honeymoon registry sites take a percentage of the monetary gift given to you, Honeyfund is truly free to use. Plus, the money gets sent directly from your gift-giver to you. So you can rest assured knowing that money is only changing hands between you and people you trust. No third parties to worry about. To find out more about how this all works and to see samples of the insanely fun activities you can register for (Sunset Cruise with Champagne, anyone?), click here and check it out!

I'll admit, the honeymoon registry is kind of experimental. I do not know anyone personally who has done one, so I thought "Why not give it a try?" After all, traveling together is our favorite thing to do. So it fits. Many couples these days are branching off and really starting to write their own rules when it comes to weddings. And registries are no exception to this change. So here's to hoping our guests bite at this new idea!

The way I see it, your registry is just one more way to personalize things and show your guests what's important to you as a couple.

~ Jillian

Found on The Knot's Blog

2010-01-05T20:10:00.004-05:00

What a nice surprise! I recently found out that one of my menu card ideas was featured on The Knot's blog. This menu card was designed for the Bride and Bloom photo shoot that I did last March. The image wasn't selected for publication so my photographer, Jen Kroll , knew it was fair game when Rebecca, The Knot's photo editor from NYC, asked if she could use the image on the blog.

Thanks for taking such a great photo, Jen. And thanks for the wonderful compliments on the idea, Rebecca!

~Jodi

The BluePrint Plan - ON SALE!

2010-01-04T08:24:00.008-05:00

Happy New Year! Here we stand at the start of a promising 2010. It's not just a new year, but a new decade too. And I'm so excited for what lies ahead this year!

Many, many people will become engaged over the next couple of months. In fact, January and February are the two months out of the year that generate the most inquiries for our event planning services. Unfortunately, we're not always the perfect fit for many brides and their grooms. That's why I want to tell you about our BluePrint Program.

You may remember that we added this service about six months ago as a way to assist couples in the design process. In fact, you can read and learn more about our BluePrint Program here. This really is a spectacular service and we'll work together to design a fantastic and memorable affair. I'll give you all the tools you need to implement the plans I put in place for you.

This service normally costs $1,500, but during the month of January I am offering the service at the reduced rate of $1,000! I've never done this before but I've been so blessed in this business and want to be a blessing to others. Weddings truly are my passion!

Here's the fine print. You must book this service by 11:59pm on Sunday, January 31. You must be available to meet during the months of January and February and all BluePrint Plans will be completed and delivered no later than Sunday, February 28. {However, I reserve the right to change the 'delivered date' based on the popularity of this offer. :) }.

This really is an amazing offer and I hope that I'm able to help many of you design and stylize an event or wedding that truly reflects who you are! If you're interested, please email me at jodi@in-any-event.org.

Looking forward to hearing from you!
~Jodi

Happy 2010!

2010-01-02T13:45:00.000-05:00

We have so many things that have blessed us this past year here at In Any Event. We want to thank all of the amazing vendors and clients that we were fortunate enough to work with in 2009. These special people are the reason we love what we do. Here's to wishing a wonderful 2010 to everyone, and we look forward to all the fantastic things that the New Year will bring!

~ In Any Event Team

{Photo: Courtesy of Seeing Red}

Notes From the Future "Mrs." - Going to the Chapel with Modern Day Floral

2009-12-25T22:40:00.000-05:00

{Photography by Jen Kroll}

Although Jodi and I may be cherishing every minute of our precious (and rare) vacation time, I cannot resist following all my favorite blogs from home during the break. And this week I am hoping you are all doing the same. Chris and I were featured on Modern Day Floral's lovely blog and I encourage you to check it out.

What can I say about Modern Day Floral? They do the most phenomenal design work. Honestly, it's beyond fantastic. Every time I see one of their fresh, new designs, I find myself staring at it going "How in the world did they make that?" I consider myself very lucky to be one of their clients. You can't help but fall in love with their outside-the-box approach in floral event design. Seeing the flowers at my wedding for the first time... well, let's just say I cannot wait to see what they bring to the table. Literally.

If you have a minute, please pop over to their "Going to the Chapel" post and read our story. And if you have a little more time, be sure to check out the galleries to see all of the incredible work done by the Modern Day crew.

Hope you are all enjoying your holiday break!

~ Jillian

On Vacation!

2009-12-22T22:06:00.003-05:00

Hello, dear blog readers. I will be taking a two-week vacation from all work including blogging. I need some time to refresh and renew and spend quality time with my family. I will resume posts on Monday, January 4. And I promise to come back with some great stuff. Including never-before-seen photos from the ArtPrize events we designed and produced back in October.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

Until 2010,
~Jodi

Enhancing Your Holiday Season

2009-12-17T15:40:00.001-05:00

Although our busy season has come to a slow, there is much to look forward to around this time of year with friends and family. Festive holiday parties. Gorgeous winter weddings. Fun theme parties. New Year's Eve celebrations. All kinds of delicious fun awaits. And yes, the holidays can bring much stress into our lives along with all the good things. I know that, believe me I know. But we won't even go there. 'Tis the season to focus on the blessings, I always say.

What will you be doing this holiday break? Hosting Christmas dinner for all of your family? Baking cookies with your kids? Going out to a swanky New Year's Eve party with old friends? Whatever the event, may you be inspired to do it bigger and brighter than last year! Remember, a little bit of design and decor around your holiday party, around the house, or even just around your dinner table adds a lot to your holiday season. Your friends and family will look up to you like you hung the moon.

To all the industry professionals: Here's to keeping the creative juices flowing through the planning season!

~ Jillian

{Photo: Courtesy of Cornerstone Events, LAist, Country Living}

Tuesday's Tidbits

2009-12-15T09:08:00.005-05:00

Happy Tuesday morning, everyone! For some unknown reason, I feel lively and energetic this morning. This is an unusual thing because I am not a morning person. In fact, I hate the mornings. It dates back to birth, my mom says. I've just always had a hard time getting started in the morning. But with this new found energy, I'm sure a lot is going to get accomplished today!

Last night, my husband and I attended a beautiful Christmas party hosted by one of my most treasured clients. I'll tell you the truth, though. I felt a little like a fish out of water. I'm usually planning these types of parties, not attending them. I felt like I should have been working! But alas, I was there to celebrate the holidays and enjoy their company. And it was wonderful! {Thank you, dear client, for inviting us and for your confidence in my work! You're such a joy to work for. It truly has been a blessing to know you and your amazing family!}

We're rockin' and rollin' over at Gwyneth Paige. I will tell you that starting a letterpress company is not for the faint of heart or wallet! It's a tremendous amount of work to produce designs and finished products that scream, 'COUTURE!' But what a labor of love it has been! Though there have been trials to make everything perfect-o, it's worth every minute! This will truly be a special company!

So, there's a lot I want to accomplish today. I need to get Christmas presents wrapped and sent to Nathan's family in Minnesota. I want to get some artwork framed for my office. I need to run to the grocery store to pick up all of the ingredients for my traditional holiday peppermint pattie making with the kiddos. And of course, there's the trip to Verizon to deal with BlackBerry issues that I've been putting off for too long. I just might feel energetic enough to endures their lines! I can't tell you how lovely it is to have a break in the event-action to work on these things. It's long over-due and much needed!

Hope you all have a wonderful day. Be sure to add the Gwyneth Paige blog to your Google Reader so you can keep up on the latest happenings. Our Creative Director, Andrea, is a blogging genius and always has such relevant information to share. It really is a lovely blog {if I do say so myself!}.

~Jodi
{source and disclaimer: photo has nothing to do with this post...I just like it!}

Notes From the Future "Mrs." - Our Save the Date Cards!

2009-12-11T10:00:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I got a chance to post my Save the Date cards on the Gwyneth Paige blog. But I just couldn't resist showing them off today as well on my weekly post for In Any Event. In case you missed reading my other post, I want to make sure you are properly introduced to my obsession: Couture Letterpress.

Gwyneth Paige has been a labor of love. To see the hard work behind this company come to life gets me all squirmy inside with excitement. Now to be ordering the product for my very own wedding is thrilling. And I have to speak the truth here, which is that my Save the Dates are beautiful. That is a fact. Well, I guess it technically is only my humble opinion...but I feel it's an agreeable one. The details and everything about these cards are nailed to perfection. They have been created with the utmost care, and I cannot wait for my guests to receive them in their mailboxes.

Maybe it's the deep, artistically-placed impressions. Or maybe it's the fact that it's a process that has been around for ages, but there is just something about letterpress stationary. Nothing compares to the touchable and tangible quality of it. Nothing.

Feeling slightly addicted yet? Welcome to the club.

~ Jillian

Fabric Bouquet

2009-12-10T00:18:00.008-05:00

SQUEEL! I'm in love! I think this is the most fabulous fabric bouquet I have ever seen. I came across it on Etsy and I'm completely overwhelmed by it! Offered by the amazing Milkpod Studio, this bouquet speaks directly to my inner-crafter and I'm going to do my darndest to find the perfect bride for this bouquet!

In addition to bouquets and boutonnieres, Milkpod Studio also sells fantastic fabric garland for decorating fireplace mantels and door frames. It's all so fabulous!

{happy sigh}

~Jodi

Kumquat Cupcakery

2009-12-09T14:19:00.007-05:00

While in Connecticut a couple of weeks ago to attend my sister-in-law's baby shower, Purvi mentioned how excited she was to share her favorite cupcakes with me. She's a self-proclaimed 'cupcake connoisseur.' She's tested all the famous cupcake shops and has determined that her absolute favorite is Kumquat Cupcakery.

Located in NYC, where my SIL hails from, Kumquat offers only miniature cupcake goodness. This is a good thing because you don't feel too guilty eating them but a bad thing because they seem to pop in your mouth one-after-the-other!

The owner, Keavy Landreth, offers some pretty fantastic flavors. And some off-the-wall combinations too, like Maple Bacon! But I can attest that the ones I had at the shower were absolutely amazing. And you can bet we'll be visiting Kumquat when we're in NYC in May for NSS!

~Jodi

The Thankful Post

2009-12-06T23:36:00.010-05:00

Thanksgiving has come and gone. And Christmas is just around the corner. But, I never took the opportunity to tell you some of the things I'm thankful for. So, as we draw near to the end of another year {and a decade!}, I thought it would be a good time to share. I'm thankful for:

A loving husband and two wonderful children. I wouldn't be the same person without these three people in my life.
Amazing parents and three fantastic siblings. They're the ones who've known me the longest and have always had my back. They've been my rock and my soft-place to land.
The opportunity to practice my art and to be financially rewarded to do so. What a blessing.
HGTV and the WE Network!
Amazing industry friends who support me, challenge me and encourage me.
A brand new company {Gwyneth Paige} and all of the possibilities that she holds.
Tums anti-acid tablets :)
My assistant Jillian, who somehow manages to keep my life running smoothly from day-to-day {a BIG task!}
My housekeeper who can do laundry and clean the house at the same time!
Good health, good friends, and a good life!

~Jodi

Notes From the Future "Mrs." - Engagement Photos are Here!

2009-12-04T10:45:00.009-05:00

Receiving these was like getting an early Christmas present. When Jen Kroll emailed me earlier this week, I could hardly wait for today to come so I could post them on the blog and share them with you!

But first, let me just mention a quick side note before sending you off to view these little delights. Reading and studying wedding magazines has occupied 90% of my alone time for the past four years. I am also an avid blog reader. Therefore, I can't even begin to estimate how many engagement and wedding photos I've seen. Well, you have no clue how different it feels to actually be the one in front of the camera. To be the one trying to creating the poses. Being the photographer's muse. Let's just say Chris and I are no professional models. Thankfully, though, Jen knew how to handle us well. And we ended up having way more fun than we expected.

Anyone getting professional photos taken, whether it's wedding-related or not, you need to let yourself enjoy the experience. Trust your photographer. That is what they are there for. Just be sure to prepare yourself for the occasion. We brought props (well actually just balloons, but still), a few different sets of clothes, and of course a pair of nervous smiles. Fortunately, the 'nervous' part faded away after the first handful of shots. Just as Jen had promised they would.

Having said that, I invite you now to Jen Kroll's blog to see her lovely little post with a closer look at the photos, as well as many more shots to enjoy!

~ Jillian

2009-12-01T21:39:00.005-05:00

If you haven't picked up the latest copy of The Knot Michigan {Spring/Summer 2010}, be sure to do so. My lovely sister's wedding has been published in the current issue in a four-page spread photographed by the amazing Jen of Jen Kroll Photography.

There's also a beautiful wedding in this issue photographed by the uber talented Ben and Laura of Harrison Studio. I'm lucky to count Ben and Laura as dear friends and their work speaks for itself. I hope we're lucky enough to work on an event together in 2010!

~Jodi

'Are We Doing Enough?'

2009-11-29T19:21:00.012-05:00

My husband and I saw an amazing movie last night. So amazing, in fact, that I can't get it out of my mind today. Truth is, it's made me realize that I'm not doing enough. I live an extremely comfortable life in the suburbs. I've got an amazing business, my husband has a fantastic job and our children go to private school. But is that enough?

We saw The Blind Side. And my husband really didn't want to go. I believe his exact quote was, 'What stupid movie are you dragging me to tonight?' He wasn't saying that after the credits rolled. Today I asked him, 'Do you feel like we're doing enough?' His response was, 'No.'

I've never made it a secret that I'm a Christian. And my family and I live by a different set of rules and values. But it's not enough to just say that. I need to show it in different ways, too. I need to be open for uncomfortable situations that I can respond to in a Christ-like way. Situations that take me outside of my comfort zone.

Tomorrow, I'm going to pick up the telephone and call an organization in town that's been on my heart for many years. And I'm going to offer some of my time to them. And I'm going to pray that my time makes a difference in someone's life.

~Jodi

He's Arrived!

2009-11-22T20:51:00.010-05:00

After 40 hours in labor and delivery, my amazing sister, whom I love with every ounce of my being, delivered a healthy beautiful baby boy this morning! Lucas William weighed in at 9lbs 4 oz and 20.5 inches long. Not bad for a first baby! I can only imagine how much baby #2 is going to weigh!

Lucas is absolutely perfect! His skin was so pink and I was able to see him within 20 minutes of his birth. Kara saw both of my babies within 20 minutes of their birth, too. And it felt so special to be able to do the same for her.

{Disclaimer: I'm no Jen Kroll, but I did my best to capture this bundle of wonderfulness!}

~Jodi

Notes From the Future "Mrs." - The Official Launch of Our Wedding Website!

2009-11-20T11:40:00.014-05:00

{Photo: Courtesy of WedShare}

Remember when I made a post a while back about creating a wedding website? Well, great news! After being under construction {for what seems like forever}, our wedding website is finally up!

Many months ago, I took time to scour the variety of templates available out there. And boy oh boy, there are a lot of options. Truthfully, it's almost overwhelming. But after hours of shopping around, we eventually narrowed it down. The final choice for our site came from WedShare.com. Why? Well, for one thing their site templates are overflowing with feature options. WedShare was able to provide us with my "must-have" feature, a flash site {simply put, they just look impressive, don't they?} Another great thing is that the page design of our selected template, in my humble opinion, is just plain adorable.

And the final big selling point? Being able to customize the design with our wedding colors. When I said I want everything in my wedding to coordinate, I meant everything.

So, if you are planning on creating a website, I highly recommend this one. This particular site does have a small monthly fee, I should warn you. But there are many free templates our there if you can't bare the thought of putting money into a wedding website. Check out these other sites I found. The $14/month is more than worth it for me though.

Now, I welcome you to pop onto our new wedding website and take a gander! We still have some tweaks to do here and there. But I'd love for you to check out the progress we've made so far!

www.chrisandjillian.com

~ Jillian

Wednesday What-Not's

2009-11-18T13:00:00.011-05:00

Can you believe it's Wednesday already?! I returned home from Connecticut earlier this week and I've been playing some major catch-up; mostly as it relates to Gwyneth Paige. All 12 invitation suites are complete and on press right now! We will have everything in our hands right after Thanksgiving. Then, we will begin the task of assembling binders in preparation for NSS. And we'll also start sending out samples to our favorite bloggers and magazine editors. It's all so much fun!

In other news, we just had a pretty fancy little telephone system installed in the office. We're all pretty giddy about it over here. In addition to four lines, we also have a new toll-free number. And as soon as the voicemail boxes and the auto-attendant is up and fully running, we'll get those new numbers posted for you.

I also need to share my love for Paper Source with you. Oh yeah, and Midori. These two companies have amazing products that will be incorporated into the Gwyneth Paige invitation line. I'm so excited to be working with both of them and I can't wait to show you all of the goodness that we're using.

In case you missed the 'sneak peek' of the invitation line over on Gwyneth Paige's blog, I thought I would show you here, too.

What do you think? Of course, this is just a small sample of what we'll offer. These invites have some amazing coordinating pieces like custom envelope liners for the invitation and response card, amazing save-the-dates and more.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

~Jodi

Notes From the Future "Mrs." - Crucial Lesson Learned

2009-11-13T12:10:00.006-05:00

Dress shopping last weekend was everything a girl could ask for. Ultimate Bride was like being in a candy store. Only for an adult. An engaged adult. There were tons of beautiful gowns. And I had fun trying them on.

After trying on several dresses, I found my perfect dress. When I put on the ivory, Rivini gown, I lit up. My mom and girlfriends cried (yes, we got a little sappy), and I was completely content with my choice.

Well, then the next morning hit. Big difference from the day before. My mom went down to the hotel lobby to get Starbucks. That is about the time that I decided to lock myself in the hotel bathroom and sob. I was dead-set on buying an A-line dress but it didn't happen. When I tried on that style, it didn't work on me. I found a different cut that was much more flattering on my body type. It was a smart move. But I purchased a dress that was not my original vision. Stressed that I had bought the wrong dress, I had a private meltdown.

The reason for sharing this embarrassing story is because I learned a crucial lesson. Being stubborn about a dress that doesn't fit you well is a problem. If you are a bride, don't do this. Please, for your own sake, don't do this. Don't narrow your options. Go into dress shopping with an open mind.

You may have already heard this a million times. But now I can attest to how true that statement really is. You have no idea what is going to look best on you. You don't want to get so stuck on having a specific gown that you are too blinded to see what really looks fabulous. It's fine to narrow things down, but don't get so specific that you can't fully appreciate a gown that was truly "meant for you".

Now, it's been a couple days and I am thrilled about my dress. Honestly, I can't stop staring at the photos of it! But still, that morning after episode is not something I recommend for other brides to set themselves up for. You don't want to go there. Trust me.

~ Jillian

PS. I am dying to show you the photos of my dress! But, it can't happen. You will just have to wait until June 26th to see...

Greetings From Connecticut

2009-11-13T07:56:00.007-05:00

Greetings from West Hartford, Connecticut! Yesterday morning, I left the great state of Michigan for the likes of quintessential New England. It's a short trip but a much needed one. My brother, Jeff, and his lovely wife Purvi live here. They're expecting their first baby on January 12 and I flew down with my mom for their baby shower.

Aside from the shower tomorrow afternoon in Manhattan, the trip is all about shopping, going out to great restaurants and antiquing. I can't remember the last time I've been this relaxed. I found myself dreaming about event design last night while dining at Besito. What a fantastic restaurant and the decor was so inspiring.

In just a few moments, we're heading to my sister-in-law's favorite couture stationery shop called Plimpton's. Can't wait to scope it out as a future site for Gwyneth Paige. Then, it's off to Louis Vuitton to buy the wallet I've had my eyes on for quite some time. And tonight, we're going to Gouveia Winery to taste all kinds of loveliness!

Have a wonderful weekend, all. Jillian's up next with her latest installment of 'Notes from the Future Mrs.' Until next week.....

~Jodi

Meet Our Newest Member

2009-11-09T22:51:00.004-05:00

Introducing the newest member of the In Any Event team! She was purchased last week and I feel like one proud mama! If you see her around town, be sure to honk!

~Jodi

Swooning Over Ruffles

2009-11-09T21:05:00.011-05:00

One of the hottest trends for Spring 2010 is ruffles. The frilly, girly kind. The kind that I love! The kind that, no matter what it's on, makes my hands reach and touch. So, in the spirit of all things ruffly, here are some inspirational photos that make me {swoon!}.

~Jodi
{photo 1, photo 2, photo 3, photo 4, photo 5}

Notes From the Future "Mrs" - Dress Shopping this Weekend!

2009-11-06T11:44:00.008-05:00

Wow, is it Friday already? This week I spent a lot of my time hiding under my covers. My #1 mission was to get rid of this annoying cold. And my second goal was to avoid the H1N1 virus, A.K.A the Swine Flu, which decided to grace Grand Rapids with it's horrible presence. Normally, I would try to plow right through my illness and forgo the rest, but this week was no time to be taking chances. This weekend is officially my dress shopping weekend. Wedding dress shopping, that is!

Back in July, I mentioned my plan to go dress hunting in late August. Well, I lied. Deciding to reschedule after we get through our busy season at work was a better idea. So here we are, in November, and I finally get to take a trip to Chicago and pick out my dress! The hotel room is booked. The dress fitting appointment is set. The champagne is purchased. My 'Something Blue' Lolita champagne glass is packed (courtesy of my MH). My mom has flown home. And my Matron of Honor is waiting patiently in Chicago for our arrival, along with my other bridesmaid Ashley. All the plans have been made and we are ready to go! And I cannot wait to finally meet the lovely Stephanie, my consultant, at Ultimate Bride!

So, let the dress shopping commence! Wish me luck.

~ Jillian

MiraBella Confections

2009-11-05T17:53:00.013-05:00

I've been hearing rumblings around town about 'the new pastry chef' for some time now. Truth be told, we were so busy in 2009 that I didn't have time to contact Ken at MiraBella Confections until a few weeks ago. But when I did, I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I was extremely impressed.

As a planner, a crucial part of my job is to know 'who's who' when it comes to vendors. I need to be able to present the best-of-the-best to my clients so that they can decide who they would like to work with. Each client has different needs and I need to meet those needs, not matter what they are. And that means being able to offer options.

Well, Ken is a new option! To say that he is one phenomenal pastry artist would be an understatement. His cake is absolutely fantastic. It's so melt-in-your-mouth moist that you can see the moisture on your fork! And his decorating skills? Let's just say he creates things you'd see come out of Chicago and NYC.

A couple of days before Seth's 6th birthday party last week, I called Ken and asked him to make a Scooby-Doo cake for his birthday party. I didn't give any direction other than Seth likes Scooby Doo. The photos you see above is what he presented to me! My husband, who's a pretty low-key guy and doesn't get too excited about a lot of things, was completely blown-away by this cake. And the party guests didn't believe it was even real until I cut into the cake in front of them!

Thanks, Ken, for a fantastic cake!

~Jodi

Etsy Find: Virginia Geiger Jewels

2009-11-03T20:42:00.005-05:00

I recently stumbled upon the most wonderful shop on etsy! I was immediately captivated by not only this exquisite necklace, which might I add is so reasonably priced, but by the combination of the charcoal dress and the champagne pearls. I think this might be one of the most elegant color combinations I have seen. And I'm captivated by its timeless beauty. I keep dreaming of a winter wedding with a palette consisting of bright white, charcoal and champagne.

Happy Winter Thoughts!

~Jodi

{source: Virginia Geiger}

Notes from the Future Mrs - Are Your Vendors the Right Fit?

2009-10-30T15:00:00.011-04:00

Choosing the right vendors. This may be one of the most important decisions for a bride. And a difficult one, to say the least. My friends always tell me, "Planning your wedding must be so easy because you work in the industry", and "You're so lucky you work for a wedding planner". Well, to be honest, it's not so easy. And it doesn't always feel so lucky. Only being able to choose a few vendors from the sea of talented people that I have met in the past year is hard. Really hard. And to be perfectly frank, I have hit points where I just want other people to make the choices for me so I don't have to.

Here is the honest truth. Having every vendor I know be a part of my big day would be like a dream come true. That's impossible, yes, but the truth. Is that greedy? Maybe a tad. Alright, alright, maybe a lot...I know. But the arts that people master in this industry blow my mind every single day. You can't really blame me for wanting them all there, can you?

At the end of the day though, it's important for me as a bride to remember a couple things. One, I simply cannot afford everyone's service (I do have a budget after all). And two, just because I like someone's work, it doesn't mean it's the right match for my wedding.

So what's my point to this whole rant? My point is that this is true for any bride, not just me. No bride should go into debt trying to afford certain vendors. No bride should get sucked into hiring a vendor that they know is not the best fit either.

Being on both ends of the wedding planning spectrum {vendor and client}, I learned something. Vendors should not bend their entire business trying to fit with the wrong client. Nor should the clients bend themselves to fit a specific vendor. The results are never pretty and no one walks away feeling good. Either you fit, or you don't. And it's okay if you don't. It's being able to identify what works for you that really matters.

Here's to hoping brides {and vendors} keep these thoughts in mind when making tough decisions. I know I'm not the only one out there facing these challenges.

Good luck,
~ Jillian

The Debut of Gwyneth Paige

2009-10-28T09:05:00.009-04:00

It's up. It's up. The blog is up! That's right everyone. The Gwyneth Paige blog went live this morning. And she's real pretty, if I do say so myself!

Please swing by and take a look at her. She's been a labor of love for Andrea, Jillian and myself. And we're pretty proud of our newest addition.

There's a whole lot to come in the weeks and months ahead so be sure to become a follower of Gwyneth Paige's blog and keep track of her on Twitter, too!

~Jodi

The Monster Mash!

2009-10-27T15:00:00.000-04:00

In the spirit of love and the celebration of Halloween, my lovely brother Jeff created this masterpiece on JibJab in honor of my family. Please make note. My husband is the 'vampire' and my sister's husband is the 'werewolf'.' Our son Seth is the 'mad scientist,' Gretchen is 'frankenstein,' and I, well, I'm not quite sure who I am but I've got some awfully fantastic hair!

Enjoy!
~Jodi

Husband vs. Deer

2009-10-26T09:37:00.007-04:00

Last night/9:00pm

{RRRRINNNNGGGG}

'Hello?'

'Jodi, bad news. I just hit a deer.'

'Are you kidding me? You know that's not funny. I just got the car back from the body shop on Thursday fixing the damage from the lady who rear-ended me!'

'No, I'm not kidding. Can you call the police and tell them I'm at 76th and Hanna Lake?'

'Crap. You're not kidding!'

'No, I'm not.'

'Are you okay?''I'm fine but your car isn't. And it's leaking fluid everywhere. We need to take it right over to the body shop.'

Today/8:00am

'Towne and Country Auto Body, this is Alden.'

'Hi Alden, it's Jodi Bos.'

'Why Jodi! Long time no see! I loved all the fur on your front bumper! Fantastic work.'

'I swear, Alden. This one was my husband's fault!'

'Well, we're looking at about 2 to 3 weeks in the shop to repair all the damage. And it just might be totaled.'

Fantastic. Just fantastic. This is exactly how I like to start a week!

~Jodi

Notes From the Future "Mrs." - Engagement Photo Teaser

2009-10-23T12:06:00.006-04:00

Recently, I have been on a little blogging "vacation". Saying that these past few months were busy would be an understatement of the century. But now that we're through all the incredible events that we've participated in this fall, I am back on track! And my wedding planning hiatus has come to a end. Finally.

Below is sneak preview of my most recent accomplishment. I can now proudly announce that I have checked "engagement photos" off of my to-do list! Chris and I spent last Saturday exploring downtown Grand Rapids with the extremely talented Jen Kroll of Jen Kroll Photography. Anyone who follows In Any Event's blog is no stranger to the fact that Jen photographs most of the events for In Any Event. Jodi actually has a long-standing joke that "Jesus lives in her lens". It's true. Her work is unbelievable, and I am thrilled we are able to have her as our photographer.

For the shoot, we went to various spots including Rosa Parks Circle, St. Cecilia Music Center, and Jen's own studio space. Our day, although a little chilly, turned out great. And I think Chris actually enjoyed himself, which is a big "wow" because you couldn't hand-pick two people that are more uncomfortable in front of the camera than us. But Jen managed to handle it all with grace.

Many thanks to you, Jen, for spending your Saturday with us and making the whole process a fun (and painless) experience!

Hope you all enjoy these!

~ Jillian

Fox 17 News Wedding Special on the Morning Show

2009-10-22T10:34:00.005-04:00

Last week on Wednesday, Jodi was able to team up with Kelly Stroburg, from the Grand Rapids Bride, to appear on the morning show for Fox 17 News. They got to dish about weddings and highlight the all-too-fantastic bridal show, Grand Rapids Wedding Affair.

If you missed the show on Wednesday, be sure to check out Kelly and Jodi as they discuss their thoughts on wedding trends and give all the details on West Michigan's most elegant bridal show.

It was honor for In Any Event to be invited along on this segment and a fantastic experience. Many thanks to Kelly and Fox 17!

~ Jillian

My Baby Brother's Wedding

2009-10-21T12:00:00.007-04:00

It seems like a lifetime ago. My brother Jason's wedding, that is. But it was only a short month and a half ago. A lot has taken place between then and now. Many events have filled our calendar. But this event was a special one because it was for my baby brother.

There were so many amazing vendors who worked on Jason and Jen's wedding. Modern Day Floral blew us out of the water with their amazing interpretation of 'Orchard Chic.' Special Events Rental rocked out the tent, custom fabric draping, chandeliers, and the china/stemware/flatware. And Jen Kroll captured the day perfectly as only she could.

Please enjoy the amazing slide show put together by the uber fabulous Jen Kroll!

~Jodi

Gwyneth Paige

2009-10-19T16:12:00.006-04:00

Remember the post a couple of months ago about our new letterpress company, Gwyneth Paige? Well, some exciting things are happening. First, we'll soon launch a blog dedicated to Gwyneth Paige and all the things we love about her. The blog site is in the hands of the designer right now and our goal is to issue the first post mid to late next week.

We're also putting the finishing touches on our first set of designs. I couldn't be more excited about them. Our Creative Director, Andrea, has done an amazing job capturing the look and feel I dreamed for Gwyneth Paige.

So, you're probably wondering about the photo above. Well, this is the sign that has been lovingly designed and hand painted for our booth at the National Stationery Show by Paula of Castle and Cottage Designs. Seriously, don't you love it? It makes me so incredibly happy!

So, stay tuned for more on Gwyneth Paige. And be sure to follow the new blog!

~Jodi

Ten Things You Need to Know

2009-10-17T09:55:00.004-04:00

I receive emails and phone calls on a daily basis from girls who want to explore the possibility of becoming a wedding and event planner. Many want to meet with me over coffee to discuss the path I took that got me to the place I am today.

Unfortunately, I'm rarely able to fulfill these requests. Not because I don't want to. But because I have a precious family, a demanding business, and girlfriends I don't get to spend enough time with. There just aren't enough hours in the day.

That brings me to the point of this post. The requests for internships, shadow appointments and coffee dates seem to be at an all-time high these days. And as I was laying in bed a few nights ago, the idea of putting together a post for prospective event planners came to me.

So, for all of those wonderful girls who have contacted us, sent your resume, and tried to make an appointment to meet us, please know that I appreciate you all and your enthusiasm for this amazing line of work. This post is written just for you in hopes of inspiring, encouraging and educating.

Ten Things You Need to Know if You Want to be an Event Planner

This is tough work. Not just physically but also mentally. Be prepared to blow the sweat dry from your hair with a blow dryer 15 minutes before your guests walk in. And be prepared to deal with clients that you will never make happy. No matter how hard you try. You need tough skin in this line of work. You need to be able to set healthy work boundaries. And you need to be willing to walk away from the wrong client when your gut tells you something is not right.
You don't get to where we are overnight. Don't expect to graduate from college and land the event planning job of your dreams. You must be willing to start at the bottom and work your way up. Nothing good in life ever happens without blood, sweat, and tears. This year marks 16 years in the industry for me. My first couple of years out of college I was a copy writer at an advertising agency. I learned all about design, production, printing, and account management. Those years were immensely valuable to me and laid a crucial foundation. The bulk of my career was spent at a private college, first in the special events office managing space around campus and facilitating events. Then as the sole event planner to the President of the college and the myriad of events he hosted at his home and across the country. There I learned the nuts and bolts. I learned how to squeeze blood from a turnip when it came to stretching a design dollar. I wasn't given a lot of money to work with but I created magic with what I had. During those years I dreamed of having my very own event planning firm. But, I knew then that I wanted to do the big, fancy stuff. And I was willing to wait until I had the experience I needed and the established reputation to become a viable competitor in the market. All this to say, please establish yourself before you hang your shingle out. Nothing irritates me more than an individual with an entitlement attitude. It's not attractive and it says to me that you're not in it for the long haul. If you're not willing to perfect your skills doing jobs that aren't so glamorous but necessary for the knowledge bank, then you only bring the industry that I love down. And that's not fair to those of us who have worked so incredibly hard.
Can you solve 10 issues in 30 seconds without second-guessing yourself? If your answer is 'yes,' then you're on your way. This work is not for an indecisive individual. You need to be able to make a decision and move on without a second thought. This skill is crucial to your success.
Organization is King. Enough said.
Know your limitations. You may be a fantastic details-person with execution skills like no other but struggle in the area of event design. Be sure to find someone to work with who's got an eye for design then. I happen to have been blessed with an innate sense of design and the ability to execute details. But this isn't the case for everyone. So, be sure to celebrate what you're good at and ask for help at what doesn't come as easy.
Volunteer. Volunteer. Volunteer. There are so many amazing non-profits out there who do fundraisers and are dying for assistance. Find an organization that you're passionate about and work your tail off for them. Turn your energy into a grass-roots effort to build your skills, knowledge and resume.
Learn to write. You're going to be doing it all the time in this business. There are proposals to get the job. Invitations to pen. Speeches to craft. Thank you letters to send out. And the list goes on. If this is something you struggle with then take a business writing class.
Align yourself with the best. One of my dearest girlfriends often says, 'If you lie with dogs, you're bound to get fleas.' I love this quote! Surround yourself daily with the greatest in the industry. Read all the books out there. Follow the amazing people on Twitter and read great blogs. But don't just limit yourself to event specific literature. Read and study anything that's of interest to you. Chances are, it will translate itself into one of your events.
Always persevere. When the chips are down and you're feeling like you're never going to reach your desired goal, stay positive and remember that slow and steady wins the race. Keep your chin up and remember why you're doing what you're doing. And don't lose sight of that goal.
Passion is not something that can ever be taught. It needs to burn in your belly. Integrity can't be learned either. You need to have both to be a success in this industry.

Best wishes to each one of you who dreams of becoming a successful event planner. The work is hard but so rewarding!

~Jodi

Still Chuggin' Along

2009-09-28T11:38:00.009-04:00

Remember that post on Monday? You know the one titled 'Full Steam AHEAD.' Well, I'm still chuggin' along. And moving forward at warp speed. I'm coming down with a cold and taking serious amounts of motrin to mask the symptoms. Seriously. As if I have time for such a thing as a fever and stuffy nose. Pffft.

We've got two events going on this week. One is an ArtPrize event for the sponsors and top 10 artists and the second is a wedding with uber-chic decor. The color palette is white, grey and yellow. It's clean and modern. Chic and organic. I'm really excited about it and can't wait to share images with you.

I'm working with a new photographer on this event. Wojtek Dabrowski is a local photographer{and ArtPrize contestant} who happens to be the bride's cousin. He's got amazing style and I'm looking forward to working with him on this event.

My dear friend of a million years, Suzanna, stopped by the office today so we could work on the concepts for her 40th birthday. We've decided on a color palette of pink and spring green. We're going for a Lilly Pulitzer look and feel. If you know Suz, you know this is the perfect theme for her. She's a true girly-girl. And I'm excited to pull this party together in honor of her!

Time to sign off. I still have a lot of things to do tonight before I can call it a day. Until I have time to post again. :)

~Jodi

{photo credit: Lilly Pulitzer}

Full Steam AHEAD!

2009-09-24T23:53:00.007-04:00

ArtPrize is in full swing! People are everywhere downtown and the city is a buzz. Last night was the big opening ceremony in Lyon Square. It was a fantastic night and I'm looking forward to more amazing events over the next 10 days.

Tonight, my husband and I took the kids out for a couple of hours to visit some of the artist exhibits they've been so excited to see. Though we're hard at work preparing the events for this amazing thing called ArtPrize, I told myself I would take time with my family to look around and enjoy what's happening to our city.

To say I was blown away by what I saw tonight would be an understatement! I love the arts. How could I not. I'm not just an event planner, but an event designer. There's a tremendous amount of creativity that goes into what I do. Event design is my form of artistic expression. And I love to see how others express themselves. If I could, I'd visit all 1,262 exhibits!

So, over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to be sure to take an hour here and an hour there to see as much as I can. I'm going to drink in the richness of our city. I'm going to marvel at the reaction of my children as they interact with the artwork. I'm going to share my love of art with them in hopes they will grow to love and express art, too.

Don't miss this! The opportunities are just too rich.

~Jodi