What I Know For Sure About Using a "Day Of" Coordinator For Your Wedding...

Because of the uniqueness of my work, I have probably been involved with more wonderful weddings than most Wedding Coordinators or Consultants.

And here is what I know for sure about the possibility of hiring a "day of" coordinator for your wedding day:

- If you are having a wedding with more than 75 guests and you do not have a dedicated friend/family member who oversee all details and activities of the day, seriously consider selecting and hiring a Day Of Wedding Coordinator. This wonderful person can assist you with specific pre-planning details but most importantly, he or she is your "air traffic controller" on the day of your wedding - absorbing all tangible and intangible tasks to insure that as a couple, you don't have to worry or fret about who, what, where, when and why.

I fully recognize this is an extra piece for the budget. And in my personal experience, I would invite you to cut costs in other places that really don't matter as much so you can have more joy and peace of mind on your wedding day - and perhaps before!

Is you would like a referral to a Day Of Coordinator, please email me at anne@annemariejuhlian.com

And a big hello to Gabriel and Jaime Angeles in the picture above! I was so fortunate to marry Gabe and Jaime last May at Thornewood Castle - truly an amazing couple in so many ways!

Annemarie

A Big Tip: The "30 Minute" Start Rule For Your Wedding Ceremony...

Michael & Christi Vacarro, Alderbrook Resort, 2006

Even if we never work together, here is significant wedding ceremony planning tip that will hcreate more ease and elegance around the start of your wedding ceremony.

If your wedding ceremony is to start at 6:00 p.m., put 5:30 pm. on your invites.

If your wedding ceremony is to start at 3:00 p.m., put 2:30 p.m. on your invites.

Why?

By creating a 30-minute buffer around the start time of your ceremony, you are immediately doing a couple of things:

- Since many people aren't personally familiar with wedding venues, they often show up right at the start time of a ceremony or a little late. This creates stress all the way around.

- By creating a 30-minute buffer, people arrive and are greeted in a more relaxed manner - rather than rushing in and finding a seat.

- And most importantly, by creating some wiggle room of time, a bride and groom immediately create a more welcoming environment where everyone is more relaxed. Plus, when you start "on time," this also protects the integrity of your food which in most cases you have spent good money on.

If you have any questions on this, please email me at anne@annemariejuhlian.com

What Our Beloved Dog, Ms. Aimee, Taught My Husband and Me About Love, Courage and Grrrr...."

Ms. Aimee, February 9, 1994 - January 5, 2007

My husband, Greg and I, lost our Aimee 10 days ago.

Beautiful Aimee came to us from neglect and abuse when she was about 2-3 years old. And she lived with us for 13 years.

Aimee was a ferocious little dog. She was a cocker spaniel/lhasa aphso mix and her big job was not only guarding us, but guarding the house. She loved her walks and car rides.

For me, Aimee brought much joy to my life. And she taught me so much about the courage to live, being protective and that several "grrrrrr's" a day are a very good thing.

In the rescue and rehabilitation work that I do with dogs, many animals have passed thru my life. Aimee was supposed to stay for a day or so and move on. That was 13 years ago. She passed peacefuly with grace and dignity after deteriorating from kidney disease and a tumor on her left hip.

I miss you, Aimee. So much.

With love forever,
Annemarie

YOUR WEDDING VOWS - Traditional, Contemporary...Or Very, Very Unique!

Chris & Ponzi, Bellevue Harbor Club, December 9, 2006

There was no better place for me to be on the evening of December 9th but at the Bellevue Harbor Club to officiate Chris and Ponzi's wonderful wedding ceremony.

Not only was this couple lovely to work with but one of their close friends playfully shared with me that this was the "geek wedding of the year!"

And keeping true to their passion for technology, Chris and Ponzi shared their wedding vows from small laptop computer screens - to the laughter and delight of their 200 happy family and friends! And while it made for a very appropriate and fun presentation of the vows, the content of of the wedding vows that Chris and Ponzi shared with each other was indeed very poignant and beautiful.

Here's what I know for sure about creating beautiful wedding vows:

- There is "no right or wrong." I work with couples of all faiths and traditions and encourage my brides and grooms to share vows that "feel" best for them. And there are many ways to do this - some of my couples write their own vows or I often write and create a unique set of personalized vows for my couples.

- Long or short doesn't matter. It doesn't matter how long or short your vows are. What matters is that the content is yours and yours alone and that your vows reflect your genuine intention and commitment to each other and to yourself.

- Vows don't "trend" like other pieces of a wedding. There are so many "trends" within the wedding industry but one piece that rarely trends are the wedding vows. While I have been upfront and personal to some very unique vow presentations (wedding vows by song, wedding vows in a comic voice), my couples tend to lean toward what I call "traditional contemporary," i.e., a unique blend of wedding vows that are familiar/traditional and comfortable - and often with a twist of uniqueness. Yes, it sounds like a cocktail of sorts but I think you have a sense of what I'm talking about! If not, please email me at anne@annemariejuhlian.com with your specific questions and let's chat.