Jillian's Engaged!

If you follow me on Twitter, you probably know this. And if you don't, you'll be excited to to find out that my beautiful assistant, Jill, got engaged on Tuesday night. And the best part is I was in on the scheme!

Jill has the most amazing boyfriend {now fiancee!}. His name is Chris and he lives in Toledo, Ohio where he attends medical school. Jill and Chris have been dating for many years and I can attest to the fact that she was getting pretty antsy waiting for the ring and proposal :).

Chris called me a couple weeks ago and asked if I'd be in on the scheme of sending Jill on a 'site visit' to scope out a new venue. When Jill arrived at the site, with camera in hand, she was given the key to photograph the honeymoon suite. When she opened the door, there was Chris on one-knee amidst a room of candles and rose petals! In true Jill form, after Chris proposed she asked if she was still supposed to photograph the property! Now that's dedication!

Jill will now be planning her June '10 nuptials and she wants to share the process with you. She'll be guest-blogging right here and you'll get to enjoy the process with her.

Congratulations, Jill. We love you!

~Jodi

PS - Yes, that is a picture of Jill's stunning Tacori ring!

Fun Find: Felix Doolittle

Today, as I quickly thumbed through my new Better Homes and Gardens magazine to see what was happening in the world of, well, better homes and gardens; I came across this! Calling cards for kids by Felix Doolittle.

I know this has absolutely nothing to do with the world of event planning. But, could there be anything cutier in this entire world? I mean, really, if I had seen these five years ago when I was scheduling play dates, I would so have had them for my kids! And none of my friends would have been surprised by them because they would have said, 'That's so, Jodi!'

To my pleasant surprise, Felix Doolittle carries the most beautifully whimsical wedding invitations and stationery with darling illustrations . You've got to take a peek and tell me what you think. You can't help but fall in love with it.

~Jodi

{photo courtesty of Felix Doolittle}

What a Night!

Good Morning, All! It's almost 11am and I'm just starting to come to life. What an Open House we had in honor of the grand opening of A Modern Event! Over 300 people attended and we were all blown-away by the enthusiasm and excitement!

I fell into bed at 12:30am this morning completely exhausted. But my mind was still racing with thoughts and excitement. And I couldn't fall asleep. What a dream come true this new boutique is. And I'm honored to be a part of it and to bring something this cutting-edge to Grand Rapids.

I should have photos later today and will post them as soon as I can. I'm taking the day off to get a mani/pedi and renew. Have a wonderful, wonderful weekend!

~Jodi

It's Here! It's Here!

After weeks of preparation, the Grand Opening of A Modern Event has arrived! If you live in the greater Grand Rapids area, stop by tonight to see what we're all about. The Open House will begin at 5pm and go until 8pm. The boutique is located at 125 Ottawa NW, Suite 170. We've got lots of great food, amazing decor and a display we lovingly call, 'The Great Wall of China.' You're going to be blown away by everything you see tonight! {And if you're lucky, you might get to meet my mom and dad who currently beam with pride!}

Looking forward to seeing you tonight!
~Jodi

Things that Make Me Happy

So tonight, I'm going to share 10 things that have made me happy lately. It's such a cold, wet day here in Michigan so it's a great time to think about happy things. Here goes:

1. Grande, decaf, skinny, no foam, lattes from Starbucks
2. My kiddos in their cozy pj's after a warm bath...they smell so good!
3. Beth Moore bible study on the book of Esther every Monday night
4. Spring flowers breaking through the ground
5. Spring/Summer issues of all my favorite wedding magazines on the newsstand
6. Talbot's 60% off spring sale
7. The slew of new hard-covered wedding books I bought
8. The new shipment of Smock goodies
9. A cleaning lady who does all the laundry
10. The grand opening of A MODERN EVENT in two short days!

~Jodi

Keep Reading for the BIG NEWS!

Good Morning! Only have time for a quick blog post since there's enough on today's to-do list to last me 36 hours. This might create a problem since there are only 24 hours in a day!

Jenn and I worked until midnight in the boutique last evening preparing for the grand opening of A Modern Event on Thursday, April 23 from 5-8 pm, {Don't forget to rsvp!}. For those planning to attend, you're going to be blown-away by what you see! And the gift bags you'll each receive are spectacular! I'm so excited about them. Don't miss out on this open house. It's going to be a wonderful evening and we want everyone to celebrate with us.

Just wanted to remind you all to add A Modern Event to your Google Reader's. If you're not the Google Reader type, be sure to check out the blogsite every day. I'm responsible for all Monday posts and today I'm going to introduce you to the first invitation line we'll carry at A Modern Event. I'm in negotiations with a variety of companies for additional lines and can't wait to tell you about them in the coming months.

In addition, {okay, this is the BIG NEWS}, I will be starting my own letterpress invitation company! All of the details are still under wraps, but I think you'll all be very excited when you see what we have cookin'! We're still several months away from the official unveiling, but I promise the wait will be worth it!

Have a wonderful Monday!

~Jodi

Ask Jodi Wednesday...The Design Process

I received a lovely, lovely email from a reader in sunny Florida today. Kate is an up and coming event planner that wants to know about my design process. She is curious to know how involved I get with the overall look and design of my events. Apparently, the florists in her area take responsibility for the design process and the planners recommend vendors, give advice on saving money, and coordinate the wedding day activities. Kate is wondering how I handle this.

Kate, it's a fantastic question and I'm so glad you asked. I'm going to give you a call tomorrow so I can talk more in depth about your situation and circumstances. But, I'd like to give the semi short-version answer on my blog because I think others may benefit from it.

I take full design responsibility for events produced by In Any Event. For me, it's the best part of the job. There are a number of event planners/coordinators in my area who manage details and give recommendations just as you described. And they're all super talented and great at what they do. But what makes me different is that I design each and every detail. From beginning to end.

In fact, my favorite florist will tell you that I almost always pick out the containers for the floral arrangements and bring them to her so she can design the centerpieces. I don't do this because I'm a control freak. But rather, I do it to keep the entire look and feel of the event consistent. I am responsible for the big picture. Each vendor has a part in the big picture but in the end, those parts all need to come together to make a whole. And I need to make sure the pieces all fit so the whole looks perfect.

The most memorable events are those with details that retain the same style, color and feel. If I'm using a certain ribbon on the programs, you can bet that I'll be dropping an extra roll off at my florist's studio so that she can use it to collar the bouquets.

Kate, I want to encourage you to be true to your need for design. I have that same burning desire to design, create, implement and coordinate. Some planners don't, and that's okay. But, you'll be most fulfilled if you become a planner that does what you're good at. That is, creating environments and experiences.

~Jodi

Introducting...The BluePrint Plan

With the launch of the new website, you may have noticed a new program we're offering called The BluePrint Plan. I designed this plan to meet a very specific need. That is, a highly stylized and detailed event on any budget. By hiring us to blueprint your wedding or event, you will receive a rock-solid concept and design and be given all the tools necessary to implement the plan.

Here's how it works. Once you've hired us to design and stylize your event through The BluePrint Plan, we'll send you a ginormous questionnaire to fill out. After we've reviewed it, we'll set up a time to meet with you to talk about your day and how you want it to look and feel. From there, we'll design your look and present our ideas in a hand-made portfolio that can be used throughout the entire planning process. Included in the portfolio will be a list of vendors for you to contact based on your budget and style as well as unique ideas and details that represent who you are. All this will be done at a follow-up meeting over chilled Perrier {with a slice of cucumber!}.

Does this program sound like something you're interested in? If so, contact us at info@in-any-event.org. And be sure to visit our website to learn more.

~Jodi

I'm Back...with a Tan!

I've missed you! And I'm so glad to be home. What an amazing week we had. The weather was beautiful, the family time was priceless, and the girlfriend time made me realize how important Betsy, Kristi and Suzanna are to me and how I need to make more time to spend with them no matter how busy I am.

Morning coffees and evening drinks {with a whole lot of laughing in between} brought me back to the days when we all had newborns, no one was working or busy with school activities and we leaned on each other to get through the days. All this musing to say, friends like these are gold and this trip was a good reminder how much I love them! And how I can't lose touch in the wake of a growing business!

This week brings a myriad of meetings and planning for upcoming events! I think I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that we're booked solid until September. We've got some great events in the works and I'm so excited to share concepts and ideas once they come to fruition.

Have a wonderful Monday!
~Jodi

I'm Goin' on Vacation!

Bright and early Monday morning, the fam and I are taking a much needed vacation to Florida. And I'm not taking my computer with me! Which means my blog is also taking a 7-day hiatus.

I desperately need to unplug and enjoy my husband, children and our friends. We're going down to Palm Coast with three other families. We are so blessed to have this group of dear friends. We've watched each other get married, buy starter homes, remodel them, have babies, buy bigger homes and raise families. We've been friends with this group for more than 14 years. And I couldn't think of anything more enjoyable then spending time with them!

So, here's to warm wishes and tan dreams. I'll catch up with you all next week!

~Jodi

PS - Don't forget to mark your calendars for the Grand Opening Celebration of A Modern Event on April 23 from 5-8pm. We've got some amazing things in store for the evening including swanky gift bags, wonderful food to nibble on and a cake cutting ceremony! It's gonna be fabulous! RSVP right now at events@amodernevent.com.

The New Website!

I'm so excited to tell you that we have a new website! You may have noticed it up on Monday morning but we have been making 'tweeks' to it all week. I tried hard not to call attention to it while this was going on. But, I'm happy to report that the changes are made, the site is stable and ready for your viewing pleasure!

Take some time to look through it and tell me what you think! In the coming days, I'll talk a little more about the site and the amazing new program we're offering called The Blueprint Plan. This plan now makes our design services and expertise available to many more individuals.

Anxious to hear what you think!

~Jodi

Broke-Bride-2-Be

I gained an interesting Twitter follower yesterday. And when I clicked over to her site I thought, 'Well, that's interesting!' She's calling herself the 'BrokeBride2Be' and she's asking people to donate $1 to help her pay for her wedding. She says it's an experiment and 'giving a sister a dollar towards her wedding is good karma.'

Not quite sure how I feel about this. On one hand the word 'tacky' comes to mind. But on the other hand, she's collected a lot of money in 24 hours which makes her pretty brilliant. In school, we would have called this a publicity stunt. But what I would hate, is for thousands of brides to start blogs asking for money. It's an interesting experiment once, but after that it becomes ridiculous.


You'll have to check out her blog and let me know what you think. Tacky or genius?


~Jodi