Wedding Blog

I can’t recall the last time I put an exclamation point in a headline. That should tell you how enthusiastic I am about these boutonnieres.

Many, many times throughout the years, I have walked up to a groom or groomsman to pin a boutonniere on their lapel only to be met with a wrinkled facial expression and a smart comment about not wanting to wear a corsage. A lot of men don’t like to wear flowers! I have always been in search of really cool, non-floral boutonnieres. A few weeks ago, I stumbled on a website that made me dance in my seat. Check these boutonnieres out.

I spoke with Erin Rosenow, the creative mind behind these gorgeous boutonnieres. She said that she was inspired to create these unusual boutonnieres because she felt that the boys and some girls too, didn’t want to always wear a rose or an orchid. “Weddings always seem so geared towards the bride and I thought something personal for the groom would be really sweet.” Rosenow said.

The price ranges for the boutonnieres vary between $30-$125 depending on the materials needed and Rosenow says she loves custom requests.

“That is pretty much what most of this business is all about,” Rosenow said. “I just finished a wedding where the groom loved this certain cartoon from Japan in the early 80’s so I had to track down something that would work for him. It was tough but in the end they were really happy.”

You can check out more of these cool boutonnieres at http://www.rosenowfloral.com/frittsrosenow/

If you have questions or comments on this or any other wedding related topic, please leave a post for me here or email me directly at susan.southerland@pwg.com.

Your partner in perfect planning,

Susan

I had the privilege of working with an amazing couple this past weekend. We met for the first time on Thursday and managed to produce a gorgeous wedding this past Saturday.

Most of the credit has to go to the bride and groom and their families. Justin Lehman, a producer with RKL Productions, Inc. in New York City and Jenna Bayles, a cardiac sonographer planned to get married on May 2nd in Mexico. Just a few short days prior to the time when guests were due to hop on a plane for the wedding, the calls started coming in. “Ninety percent of our guests were nervous about going to Mexico thanks to the flu,” Justin said. “Some of them said they wouldn’t go.”

It was a tough decision, but Justin finally approached Jenna about changing the wedding location. “Jenna panicked at first,” Justin said. “But after a few minutes of worry, we dug in and started plan B.”

Justin and his father produce television commercials, and find themselves at Universal Studios Orlando very often. Justin started reaching out to contacts there. They pointed them to Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. He said that once that location was booked, everything else fell into place.

By the time I got involved, they had booked all of their vendors. I was there to organize, and make sure the day ran smoothly. Jenna and Justin were so happy to be in Orlando. So were their guests. Everyone was relaxed and excited.

The only snafu that came about was with the gift bags. The family purchased beach bags and personalize beach towels to give to the guests upon arrival in Mexico. The bags had been shipped to the resort in Mexico before the location changed. The resort shipped the bags to Orlando, but they arrived two days after the guests had arrived. The family just gave them out as favors at the wedding.

The wedding day was gorgeous. The weather could not have been better. The florist did an amazing job. Everything went perfectly.

I stood with Jenna and Justin while they were waiting to be introduced into the reception. I asked them if they had any regrets. The both replied, “Not one. The wedding day goes by so quickly, why should we waste anytime worrying about what might have been? Now is the time to relax and have fun with our family and friends.”

The doors opened and the couple was announced. They danced to “One Love” by Bob Marley. That song really captured the mood of the evening. It was lighthearted and upbeat. I will share the photos when they arrive. It truly was a beautiful evening.

I share this story with you because I cannot imagine a more stressful situation for a couple than having to relocate their wedding at the last minute; especially when it involves not only moving a wedding from one distant location to another, but having to change 65 airline tickets as well (by the way, bravo to American Airlines and Continental Airlines for treating the guests so well). The bride and groom let all the stress go and they had an amazing celebration — not as they originally planned, but just as special.

Try to keep Justin and Jenna in mind when the small mishaps on your wedding day come up. Let the mistakes go. Relax and have fun. Your wedding day only happens once. Don’t let anything spoil it for even a second.

If you would like to comment or ask questions about this topic or any other wedding related topic, please post them for me here or email me at susan.southerland@pwg.com.

Your partner in perfect planning,

Susan

Good afternoon everyone.

I wanted to share an article by Jean Patteson of the Orlando Sentinel. It is very cute!

orlandosentinel.com/features/lifestyle/orl-livgroomzilla26032609mar26,0,4662486.story

OrlandoSentinel.com
Watch out, world — it’s Groomzilla!
JEAN PATTESON

SENTINEL STAFF WRITER

March 26, 2009

So you think Bridezilla is scary, what with her tears and temper tantrums?

Just wait till you meet her opposite number: Groomzilla.

He’s bigger, bolder, louder. And increasingly, he’s muscling in on territory previously ruled by the bride, her mother and possibly a wedding planner.

“We’re seeing grooms becoming more involved in the wedding plans — everything from choosing the venue down to the minutest details,” says Rob Johnsen, 38, co-owner of mywedding.com, a leading online wedding guide.

“It’s the rise of Groomzilla,” he says. “We thought it would be fun to find the biggest Groomzilla in the country, so we launched a contest.”

That was three weeks ago, and the entries are still flooding in. There are grooms demanding specific color schemes, flowers, food, china patterns and officiants. Others are vetting the bridesmaids dresses — and even the bride’s choice of bridesmaids.

The contest deadline is April 21, but already several likely finalists are emerging — including one from Central Florida.

“I don’t see myself as Groomzilla. I think of myself as a concerned fiancé,” says David Taggart of Casselberry. He was entered into the contest by his bride, Bethany Haneline, an administrative assistant in Altamonte Springs. The couple plan to marry in November.

“Bethany gave the wedding plans a few shots, but got frustrated. So I embraced the challenge,” says Taggart, 36, owner of Innovative Party Rentals in Altamonte Springs.

“What I do for a living probably has an impact on the demands I have for a perfectly coordinated event,” he says. “I do have an attitude, but I don’t think I’m mean.”

Still, he did reduce a prospective photographer to tears. And he became so impatient with the cake designers, he stormed out of the bakery vowing to bake the wedding cake himself.

As he explains it: “We talked to the bakery people for about 30 minutes, back and forth. Eventually I grabbed paper and pencil, did a sketch, chose some colors, and the cake was designed in 30 seconds.”

Yes, he admits, “I ripped them apart. I’m very sorry. But when I’m paying a fee, I expect perfection.”

Had he gotten married when he was in his early 20s, no way would he have taken charge of arrangements. All he cared about then was “cold beer, hot women, and who the L.A. Lakers were playing.”

But now, “I plan events every day of my life. My goal is to make [the wedding] the best event ever.”

Overall, his bride is grateful for his intervention. “My mom is planning my sister’s wedding in July. She has no time to help me. I quickly became overwhelmed. David could see it, so he took over,” explains Haneline.

“He’s hard to deal with, but he gets the job done. He just wants to make it perfect for me and for himself. Basically, everything he’s chosen, I’ve loved. I feel like the luckiest girl. I just have to say, ‘Yeah, I like that.’”

Only the wedding seems to bring out the ‘zilla in him, she says. “He supports me totally in my personal and professional decisions.”

Still, she was surprised when her Groomzilla changed the wedding venue and signed a contract with a musician without consulting her. And when he approved only two out of seven of her menu choices.

She did select the colors for her bridesmaids’ dresses. But her fiancé will have a say in the styles “since he can’t pick the bride’s dress.”

Not that he hasn’t tried.

“He takes my brides magazines and crosses out what he doesn’t like. He took me to a bridal show, and when a model walked out in a certain dress, he said, ‘I want you to have that dress.’”

But that’s where Haneline is drawing the line. “I will take into account his likes, but I’m not ruling out my taste. The dress will be my choice,” she says.

Grooms started morphing into Groomzilla about a year ago, says wedding consultant Susan Southerland, owner of Just Marry! in Winter Park.

“I think partially because some brides have busy jobs, other times it’s because the groom wants to keep the budget in line. I also think grooms want to have the day reflect their personality — maybe not with flowers and linens, but certainly with food and music and oddly enough, cake. That seems to be huge with grooms.”

Johnsen points out that today’s grooms are older — the average age is 29 in the United States. They have been in the workplace awhile and are used to calling the shots.

“And if a guy is paying, he’s going to want to control the outcome,” says Johnsen.

“It’s a new generation getting married. It’s less taboo for a guy to enjoy his wedding. It’s not all about the bride anymore.”

Jean Patteson can be reached at 407-420-5158 or jpatteson@orlandosentinel.com

Copyright © 2009, Orlando Sentinel

If you have any comments or questions, please post it here or email me at susan.southerland@pwg.com

Your partner in perfect planning,

Susan