veiled events

Twin Cities Wedding

2011-07-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

St. Paul, Minnesota: Amy + Jeff

Take a peek into a periwinkle~celestial wedding. They wanted subtle touches into their personalities and their love of Star Wars, Star Trek and super heros! The cake, the invites, the programs and their logo all spoke to their plan.

We had a blast working with Amy and Jeff, along with their families preparing for, and pulling off, their big day. Everything went off without a hitch. It must have been written in the stars...

Congratulations!

Wedding Planners: veiled events

Ceremony: The Church of the Assumption - St. Paul, MN

Reception Venue / Catering: University Club Downtown Clubhouse - St. Paul, MN

Photography: Donae Cotton Photography - Minnesota

Floral: Forever in Bloom {Shelli DeBilzan} - Vadnais Heights, MN

Transportation: Chauffeured Elegance - Minneapolis, MN

Wedding Dress: The Wedding Shoppe - St. Paul, MN

Bridesmaid Dresses: Posh Bridal Couture - Minneapolis, MN

Tuxes: The Men's Warehouse

DJ: Complete Music and Video - St. Paul, MN

Videography: Complete Music and Video - St. Paul, MN

Cake: Buttercream - St. Paul, MN

Invitations: Funvitations - Eau Claire, WI

Twin Cities Weddings

2011-07-05T12:06:00.000-07:00

Press Release:
veiled events is now WeddingWire Rated for 2011

Minneapolis, MN - July 6, 2011 - WeddingWire, the nation's leading wedding technology company, is pleased to announce that veiled events is WeddingWire Rated 2011 for wedding planning services. WeddingWire Rated is an annual award program that distinguishes wedding vendors across the country for their excellence. Based on hundreds of thousands of recent wedding reviews, WeddingWire Rated is the most recognized and trusted brand among engaged couples looking to find the best local businesses for their wedding.

veiled events has 5 reviews on WeddingWire. Reviews by our newlywed clients include detailed ratings and insightful descriptions about their experiences working with our business and staff. Our reviews provide transparency for potential clients, assisting them in making the most informed decisions for their big day.

"We are delighted to unveil the 5th annual WeddingWire Rated program," said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire, Inc. "veiled events has made a commitment to capturing their clients experiences on the nation's leading wedding review site."

As the largest site for wedding reviews, WeddingWire empowers engaged couples with the most comprehensive and trusted review system available. The WeddingWire Rated program provides veiled evetns with a simple platform to capture customer feedback from their wedding planning experience. Newly engaged couples can easily access all of the reviews for veiled events on WeddingWire.com. We would like to thank our newlyweds for our WeddingWire Rated 2011 recognition.

For more information, please visit veiled events on WeddingWire at http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/veiled-events-saint-paul/8c750a5174c3eef0.html.

For more information on WeddingWire Rated 2011, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

Minneapolis / St. Paul Wedding Planning

2011-04-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

Wedding Inspirations

Looking for a little inspiration for your wedding? Looking for that jumping off point to center your logo, decor and overall feel? Check out these boards. So much fun!

Enjoy!!!

Twin Cities Wedding Planning

2011-03-04T09:18:00.000-08:00

New Wedding Resource for Brides and Grooms

Hey Brides and Grooms there is a new, and fantastic site in town to help you plan YOUR Wedding! Forever-TV has launched {you can watch it at www.forever-tv.com}. This is the ultimate online destination for engaged couples to use as a resource to lean all about planning a wedding in a fun, video-based platform. Think of it as internet television for couples planning their wedding. Shows you can watch on your schedule, with a click of the mouse.

The host, Amanda Day, says it best, “This is Your Wedding”. That is the focus of Forever-TV, YOUR wedding and YOUR marriage. All of the content is geared toward the couple and making their day as memorable and special as possible.

The episodes are chock full of information from cakes and flowers, to what to look for when hiring professionals that will make your big day special. There is advice on picking the perfect dress, invitations and even the importance of setting your budget.

Every week Forever-TV will launch a new episode, so the content is always fresh. Plus, you are able to reference previous episodes. The site also lists trusted vendors in town, therefore you have a great place to start your planning.

"How much does it cost", did you ask? Well…nothing. It’s free! {no really, it is} You can subscribe to Forever-TV, too {yep, also free}. By subscribing you will be kept in the loop of new episode launches, Forever-TV events, and the events of its partners. Don’t worry, there is no spamming and Forever-TV does not sell your information.

So, give it a try, but warning….you’ll be hooked.

Twin Cities Wedding Planning

2011-01-17T18:00:00.000-08:00

Passion before Profit

{Hiring Wedding Professionals}

Getting married is exciting! Gathering information about vendors from friends, wedding fairs, magazines and the internet is a lot of fun You want the amazing dress, flowers, photos, cake…well, everything. But the tendency is focus on price.

Certainly you should be concerned about costs as it pertains to your budget. But cost is only a part of choosing a wedding professional. Passion for their job and weddings is what brings you value.

Of course your wedding professionals want to make a living in their profession. However passionate professionals love weddings and are honored to be a part of your wedding experience. They understand that your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event, that can’t be recreated or redone.

We have seen {too many times} wedding professionals whose true focus in the price and timeline. The photographer who’s schedule rules, not the events of the night and the great shots they could be getting; the DJ who only wants to play what they like, and not worried if the guests are having fun; the florist whose own ideas overrule the bride’s.

When researching your wedding professionals take the extra step to meet them in person, hear their story, find out why they do what they do. Really pay attention to how they listen to your story and desires as well. This face-to-face meeting will definitely give you insight into their passion for their job and their desire to make your day unforgettable.

A great way to find all of your vendors is to start with one you trust and really understands you and your wedding. Then ask them who they recommend. There isn’t any advertising more valuable than a referral. And because the person giving you the recommendation is concerned about their reputation, the will only refer you to those they trust the most.

Hiring a passionate wedding planner before any decisions are made is the easiest way to cut through the long lists of vendors available to you. A wedding planner not only has their preferred vendors, they know their personalities, styles and approaches to weddings. This also helps when it comes to your budget. The wedding planner will recommend only the passionate vendors that bring you the most value that also fits in your budget.

Just remember this is your investment and your wedding. Make sure you hire wedding professionals that remember it, too!

Twin Cities Wedding Planning

2010-11-22T12:14:00.000-08:00

Heather + Mike

This couple is a lot of fun. They both LOVE to golf and both have small town backgrounds. Creating a Brand Plan for this couple was a little challenging in that they wanted to bring in golf as a vibe without it feeling like a golf-themed birthday party. They also wanted to honor their upbringing and make everyone feel at home, whether from the “big cities” of Minneapolis and St. Paul or from small-town Iowa.

We were able to create a logo for Heather and Mike that was inspired by the golf ball. They chose the lower-case “b” to give their logo a modern touch. We also brought in the golf inspiration on the candy buffet. The couple had tees made with their names and date on them. We spread these around the candy buffet table for guests to take and hopefully use on their next round of golf.

Their roots were well represented as well. The wedding and reception venue is a little bit country. The hotel, The Wildwood Lodge, offers up a modern-country motif. The Pavilion {wedding/reception location} has exposed ductwork with rough-sawn wood. Their cocktail hour was held just down the hall in a farm themed space. It worked perfectly as a transition space between the wedding and reception. Even the escort cards had got in on the act, as cows, chickens, carrots and smiley faces to indicated meal choice.

venue & catering

Wildwood Lodge - Lake Elmo

floral

JJO Flowers - Jan Joseph

photography

Kristina Lynn Photography & Design

harpist

O'Meara Music - Serena O'Meara

Complete Music and Video

cake

Dorothy Ann Bakery

linens

Deckci Decor

candy buffet

veiled events

Tiffhanie + Kevin

2010-11-17T19:04:00.000-08:00

{donae cotton photography}

Blank Canvas!

This bride hadn't ever been to a wedding prior to getting engaged and planning her own wedding. {how cool is that for this planner?}

{donae cotton photography}

The two things Kevin and Tiffhanie knew when they began the planning process was that they wanted to marry each other and they wanted to get married on the University of Minnesota Campus. {they met each other while attending the University of Minnesota. Go Gophers!}

{donae cotton photography}

Tiffhanie is an American born Chinese and Kevin is a Chinese born American. We created a “fusion” themed wedding. They wanted to mix in both cultures with a modern flare.

{donae cotton photography}

It was veiled events’ pleasure and honor to be part of Kevin and Tiffhanie’s wedding.

venue

McNamara Alumni Center - University of Minnesota

caterer

D'Amico Catering

photographer

Donae Cotton Photography

flowers

Forever in Bloom

ceiling decor

Richfield Flowers and Events

Northern Lights DJ

videographer

Complete Music and Video
officiant

Rev. Matthew Wright - Affordable I Do's

Winette + Karim Wedding

2010-08-09T13:36:00.000-07:00

veiled events had the honor and pleasure of being Wilnette and Karim’s wedding coordinators for their wedding on July 25th. This very sweet couple had been dating for six years and finally decided to tie the knot.

Hair and make-up was in the artistic hands of Stephanie Domrose.

Beautiful colors pool blue and guava adorned the event.

The ceremony was performed by the bride’s grandfather. This added a very personal and sweet touch.

A Mariachi band played the recessional music and kept the celebration going through the social hour.

Enteraining the guest into the night was Matt Sherry of Complete Music and Video in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Venue

Embassy Suites – St. Paul, MN

Entertainment

Mariachi America 2000

Complete Music and Video

Videographer

Complete Music and Video

Wedding Cake

Buttercream, St. Paul

Photographer

Steve Rouch – Choice Photo

Catering

Embassy Suites – St. Paul, MN

Floral

Sweet Peas

Going Green has Gone to the Gowns

2010-07-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

It has become very chic to go green for just about everything, including your wedding. At veiled events, we offer our eco-lovely services to turn your wedding and reception into a beautifully green event.

Being eco-friendly for your wedding doesn't usually include your wedding dress {unless you buy a previously worn dress}. But now, you have the opportunity to wear a brand new, couture gown that is totally eco-lovely!

Our friends at Posh Bridal Couture recently added Foat Design wedding dresses to their collection.

Using reclaimed silk, tulle and other materials from old bridal gowns, Foat Design creates one-of-a-kind wedding dresses that are absolutely gorgeous. Foat Design is a Minneapolis-based company comprised of two sisters. One living in San Francisco and the other residing right here in Minneapolis.

Foat Design Dress

{image used with permission from Posh Bridal Boutique}

Posh also carries Adele Wechsler gowns. Her "ecocouture" line is also very beautiful and unique. Adele uses organic hemp and silk, vegetable dyes, and remnant fabrics to make her gowns. This offers brides an eco-friendly option for their gowns and still having a luxury, couture dress.

Adele Wechsler Dress

{image used with permission from Posh Bridal Boutique}

If you have not had the chance to check out Posh Bridal Couture...you really should go! Posh is located in the Semple Mansion on Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis. "Posh" is exactly what you experience the moment you walk through the door. Marie and Stacy truly love what they do and that shines through in their service and how beautiful their boutique is. When you are there you feel like a VIP because their one-on-one attention is unmatched. The gown selection is extraordinary. They carry lines not found in other shops in the Twin Cities {i.e. Foat Design}.

100 Franklin Avenue - Suite 200

Minneapolis, MN 55404

Marie (612) 599-5759

Stacy (612) 599-4628

http://www.poshmn.com/

Jill + Brad

2010-04-18T19:54:00.000-07:00

We feel very honored and lucky to have been chosen as wedding planners for Jill + Brad. The wedding and reception took place at the Carlson Towers Rotunda in Plymouth, MN on a sunny and beautiful April afternoon.

The colors of the wedding were peacock blue with red and black accents. We think the favors were fantastic and reflected the event perfectly. Two glass coasters for each guest with L-O-V-E spelled out in black and white block squares. The centerpieces were made up of the bridesmaids floral arrangements in cylinder vases and larger vases filled with curly willow, vines with red beads, water and a floating candle. Simple, yet beautiful.

To tie in with the theme, the cake was a white 3-tier cake with red velvet cake hiding inside. Buttercream of St. Paul really did a fantastic job with this cake.

Jill + Brad are a very cool couple. He has a bit of good 'ol southern boy in him, and she is a sweet midwestern girl. Together they make a great pair. They definitely are loved by their family and friends which was evident by the love and warmth that eminated throughout the night.

Congratulations to the Happy Couple!!!!

{a few details photos we shot ourselves, can't wait to see the photographer's photos}

Knit-n-Jules

2010-04-11T19:53:00.000-07:00

These are FABULOUS!!!

Knit-n-Jules began as a passion for knitting. Julie began to knit before she could write...learning to use needles before age five. She was fascinated seeing older women at church knitting. She begged them to teach her how to knit, and every week would ask to learn a new stitch. She continued to knit throughout her childhood, finishing her first sweater out of Red Heart acrylic yarn in third grade. In home economics in high school, students were required to learn basic knitting. Since she already knew the subject beyond her years, Julie fought off boredom by helping friends learn to knit. During 10th grade, she injured her knee. Unable to take part in her other hobbies, knitting provided entertainment and a source of comfort to her. With that passion Julie "Jules" has created quite a business knitting sweaters, tanks, lingerie...and best of all {at least to us} Bridal Wraps.

Julie likes to use local materials or sustain women industries in South Africa when purchasing her yarn and each piece is hand knit. She loves to design and create something wonderful to surround the bride with warmth and love that will be able to be worn over and over again and become a timeless treasure.

{joyful girl photography}

{minnesota bride magazine}

cuff detail

shrug example

Please be sure to check out all of her work on her website:
http://www.knit-n-jules.com/

Cake Toppers

2010-03-24T08:58:00.000-07:00

~~ Attention Brides and Grooms, or ANYONE with something to celebrate ~~

I would like to draw your attention to some fabulous cake toppers. I know Christa McKibben of Tippy Top Creations {http://www.tippytop.net/} through the Twin Cities Wedding Professionals networking group I am involved with. She does amazing work! They are by far the most creative and unique cake topper I have ever seen. Why not replicate yourselves for fun? And it becomes forever keepsake.

~Weddings
~Retirement Parties
~Birthday Parties
~Corporate Events
~Confirmation
~First Communion
...the possibilities are endless!

Plated vs. Buffet

2010-02-01T14:57:00.000-08:00

Buffet vs. Plated Dinner. Personally, I think both are fine, depending on the size and overall feel of your event. If you are hosting a black tie event, typically a plated sit-down dinner is most appropriate.

But, if you are having, maybe, a little non-traditional event, buffets can fit perfectly into that plan.

Buffet Stations are also a great option. They tend to have a more "high-end" feel. A station style buffet is one where the food is spread out in different "stations" around the room. There may be one area that is a carving station, a pasta station, an hor d'ouevre station, dessert station, etc. This is done for several reasons: one it prevents a long line from forming at the buffet table and two it encourages mingling amongst your guests. They can grab a few things at one station, eat them, head back out for more and run into a whole new group of people that time. Food is the great common denominator. If you offer some unusual food options, your guests will share in their new culinary experiences. You can also work the stations into your overall "theme" of your event. For example, an East meets West event can have one station be Asian food, another can be American fare, then the third station can be a fusion of both cultures. This is also a great segue if you are to a dessert buffet instead of the traditional wedding cake.

Whatever you choose, we wish the happiest of events.

A Destination Wedding

2009-12-09T09:54:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I was lucky enough to be a GUEST at a destination wedding. I don't remember the last time I was a "just a guest". It was a blast. The wedding took place in Carmel, California at the Highlands hotel. I took one look a the place and said, "Why wouldn't you get married here?".

It is set on the hillside amongs cypress trees overlooking the Pacific Ocean crashing into the cliffs. The hotel was deocrated for the holidays with garland and poinsettias everywhere. Oh yeah - and a GIANT tree in the lobby.

The couple mimicked this look on the gazebo where they got married. Intertwined in the gazebo structure was pine garland with white roses. Also, hanging from the sides of the gazebo were cylinders with floating peonies. It was a beautiful frame for the ocean backdrop for the ceremony. The rest of the flowers for the ceremony were stunning. Take a close look at the bouquet bottom right. Each of the daughters in the wedding had a cute bouquet of flowers, but cleverly tucked in was a Christmas Sucker. Fantastic!

After the ceremony we headed indoors for a cocktail hour followed by an amazing meal in the wine room. Yep, I said wine room. Two walls are glass cabinets filled with wine [can you say heaven?]. The couple opted out of the traditional wedding cake for a fabulous dessert. Peanut Butter + Chocolate.....yummmmmm!

Congrats to my cousin and his new wife!

How much does a wedding cost?

2009-12-01T09:07:00.000-08:00

I love my job, and I really love it when I find information that makes my job easier! I get the question all the time of what does a wedding cost. Where I can see in my head and know what each item costs, it is nice to have backup and resources.

Today I was on a website that I heard about on and online forum. It is www.costofwedding.com. Because I live in Woodbury, MN I typed in our zip code and here is the result.

"On average, couples that live in Woodbury, MN 55125 spend between $31,821 and $53,035 for their wedding. This does not include cost for a honeymoon or engagement ring."

So, where does that money go? Keep reading....

Wedding Planners

Even though there are many levels of service provided by veiled events, a good rule of thumb is to plan for 5% - 15% of your budget to go toward your wedding planners. Our packages run begin at $500 {day-of coordinator} to $3,000 and up for full service.

Fashion

5% - 10% of your budget. O yes, the lovely and important wedding dress. But what about the groom? If renting a tux is part of your wedding, the groom usually receives his rental complimentary if the rest of the wedding party rents their tux from the same company.

{Krzystyna Harber Photography}

Food & Venue

50% of your budget. This varies depends on the complexity of your menu and the location you pick. Remember, time of year can impact the price of venue rental and having your event on a Friday or Sunday and save you significant money on your venue.

{Harriet Island Pavilion}

Flowers

10% - 15% of your budget. This amount depends on both the total budget and what the bride wants. Some brides want a TON of flowers, others really don’t care for them, or if you don't really need decor flowers becuase your wedding/reception are in a garden location. Keep in mind that this accounts for all the bouquets, corsages, and centerpieces.

{Krzystyna Harber Photography}

Photos

15%-20% of your budget. This is an area that is near and dear to our hearts. You can't redo your photos and you can't recreate events so your photographer can "get a second chance". Professional photography is priceless! You can hire a cheapter photographer, but what you may end up getting, grainy images, out of focus, no album. Photography, good, professional photography, should start about $3000-$3500 (and could go up to more than $5500). And you will have amazing images and priceless moments caputered for you to cherish for forever.

{sara-jayne photography}

Fun

2% - 5% This would be the entertainment. The band or DJ would come out of this percentage. A DJ, on average, is about $100+ per hour per person attending the job, so if you have 2 DJ’s then the price would typically be $175-$200 per hour.

And really, the rest is cake, and some miscellaneous items, invitations, really an extra 20%-25% of miscellaneous stuff.

Now you math people out there, I realize these aren't hard numbers, and don't totally equal 100%, but with all the variables, this is a really good guideline for your wedding.

Happy Planning!!!

Sati Coffee

2009-11-11T10:51:00.000-08:00

I know, not your normal wedding planner blog, BUT we feel like we need to give a little shout-out to our favorite coffee shop. Once a week Emily and I meet at Sati to discuss veiled events business. We try to get our favorite spot in front of the fireplace and drink our delicious drinks. I am a creature of habit and I always order my iced tea. Emily, however, changes it up a bit. She does love her vanilla latte, however.

In addition to delicious drinks, Sati also offers baked good AND CREPES! Yep, fresh crepes. They are amazing! You can smell them when you walk through the door.

The next time you are in Woodbury, please pay a visit to our friends at Sati.

572 Commons Drive
Woodbury, MN 55125

Ok, next blog will be soley on event planning....promise!

Lori

{all photos - http://www.satiusa.com/}

Winter Weddings

2009-11-05T11:06:00.000-08:00

Yep, winter is on its way. Now, if you are like me {Lori} then you aren't a big fan of the cold. I am a freeze baby. But enough about me...ok one more thought. I do think winter is BEAUTIFUL after a new snow fall or when icicles form and gleam in the sunshine.

With all that natural bling happening, winter is a perfect inspiration for one of our Brand Plans {that is what we like to call our inspiration boards, because they are so much more than just inspiration}. Imagine your logo, or monogram, glittering like fresh flakes in a crisp sunny morning atop your silver cake... Getting married in the winter can be a bit chilly, but with glittering elements and warm love all around, winter is a fantastic time to get hitched! {maybe in a horse drawn sleigh}

Gorgeous Black + White Wedding

2009-10-19T08:36:00.000-07:00

We had another fabulous wedding this weekend. The wedding was held at St. Ambrose Church in Woodbury, MN and the reception was held at Harriet Island Pavilion in St. Paul, MN. It was a fantastic event. The sun sets early this time of year here in Minnesota, but with the wedding at 5 pm the photographers were able to take all of the pre-wedding photos outside! {ok, it was a bit cold but the payoff will be amazing!} Check back soon for photos of the wedding. We can't wait to see what the photographers captured through their lenses.

We were able to transform Harriet Island

from a simple brick building to a

soft and warm room with lots of fabric and candlelight.

The head table was draped with black tablecloths.

This table's runner was comprised of chair sashes and ribbon.

Take a close look at the pics - you won't be able to tell they were chair sashes.

Each guest table was draped with a black tablecloth and a Dandy Damask table runner.

All tables were illuminated by lots of candles, and the guest tables had tall cylinders containing submerged hydrangeas and a floating candle.

Keeping those flowers from floating to the top was tricky...but well worth the effort!

The Candy Buffet was a huge hit!

Plain and peanut M&M's, Mike & Ikes, Skittles,

Gummy Bears, Licorice, Hershey Kisses and an assortment of Wonka candies

made up the yummy candy buffet menu.

Many refills throughout the night kept it a poplular spot for young and the not so young!

Congratulations Matt and Erin on a beautiful event and your new life as Husband & Wife!

Oohs and Ahhs! ~ Event Lighting

2009-09-30T17:21:00.000-07:00

When planning your event, consider lighting as part of your décor scheme.

Décor lighting is a wonderful way to create a truly original event. You and your event planner can work with a lighting designer to create a package that fits your venue and budget. When it comes to lighting the options are endless.

{Top Left} {Top Center} {Top Right}

{Left Middle} {Middle} {Bottom Middle} {Bottom Right}

You can use specialty lighting for outdoor and indoor events. Wedding, receptions, dinners, fundraisers. Whatever your event lighting can be customized just for you. For a wedding reception, image your couple logo {part of your Brand Plan} illuminating your dance floor or behind the head table. And for any event, you can customize your lighting for the perfect ambiance.

Wedding in Newport

2009-09-29T09:06:00.000-07:00

To Tent or Not To Tent

Outdoor weddings are always a little tricky. The wedding in Newport was no exception. Hurricane Bill decided to show up this weekend just off the Rhode Island Shores. The surf, humidity, heat and chance of rain were up. The couple decided to tent the ceremony site with hopes they could quickly remove the cover if the weather held. On the day of the wedding, at about noon, the bride (who had been envisioning the outdoor wedding - NOT under a tent) decided to keep the tent up. "Whew!" Even though it didn't rain, the shade was welcome. Through the overcast sky the sun was doing its best to heat things up and the tent cover helped keep the intensity to a minimum. The sides of the tent we kept off so the sense of the ceremony was still the beautiful outdoors with all the gorgeous blooming plants and tall grasses still visible and present.

The whole event was beautiful and the rain held until the end of the night when everyone was under the reception tent breakin' it down on the dance floor.

{photos by Krzystyna Harber - Providence, RI}

Congratulations Julia & Chad!

Yep, we are blogging!

2009-09-29T08:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome! to our veiled events blog!

Check back often for updates on recent events , tips for your event, featured vendors and any other ideas and tips that cross our plates that we can pass on.

Check us out on Facebook! Don't forget to become a fan. We can't wait to see you there.

Tip for the day: When creating a budget for your wedding, don't forget to include tips for your venues and vendors.