Economic Bruising.....

Ouch....

First it's fighting the gas prices and trying to organize car pooling to avoid driving.......now the economic 'cloud' has been felt in the wedding industry. Many of our brides are contemplating delaying their wedding because of financial uncertainty. Should they go with the Spring 2009 wedding which is their first choice, or should they opt for late Fall 2009 in order to save more?? Do they select the Prada shoe......or do they order online through a discounter? The parents that promised to pay for the daughter's wedding in full, are suddenly faced with the harsh reality that dad lost his job a couple months ago and can't fulfill his promise.

It's SUCH a tough call. A recent wedding of ours expected 175 guests (as they invited around 250) and were a little bummed that the reception showed 116. Many of the guests were quite apologetic but knew they couldn't pay thousands for flights, and the common economical 'drive' wasn't quite so economical any longer. It's sad and we at WATC make every effort to work with our couples and give them the AMAZING day for which they have dreamed of......while constantly trying to stick to the suggested budget and work every penny for all it's worth.

Meet Cortenay Matters!!

We are so pleased and excited to announce the newest member of Weddings and the City, CORTENAY MATTERS!

Here are a few tid-bits on this sassy mom of TWINS, Taylor & Hannah - 2yrs!

Why she is an asset to Weddings and the City...
* LOVES DETAILS...considers herself a perfectionist.
* Tremendous background; specifically regarding food and beverage.
* Crunches numbers and finds creative ways to work those budgets.

What she loves about the wedding...
* Exceeding bride & groom's wedding day expectations.
* Delivering on a promise.
* Father/Daughter Dance.

On top of everything else, Cortenay is also currently serving as the President of the Charlotte Chapter of NACE (National Association of Catering Executives)!!! GO GIRL!!

MyCharlotteWedding.com

As planners, we always look for fabulous avenues in order to help select prime vendors for our brides. For those of you who do NOT know about the website MyWedding.com, please allow us to introduce it - it's FABULOUS!

And we are now Proud New Members!!

Tons of resources on there and it competes neck and neck

with other popular sites.

Be sure to click on image to check out the site... let us know if you have any questions or would like to speak further about your OWN wedding details!!! It's your day to have ALL your dreams come true - we are available to execute just that.

~ Happy Planning!

We aren't ready to say goodbye!!!

The ONLY bad thing about the actual wedding day is.......... IT'S ALMOST TIME FOR US TO HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE TO OUR BRIDE/GROOM AND FAMILY!! We feel a sense of abandonment during the honeymoon as we don't get the daily calls/emails from our sweet couples. Separating is TOUGH!

WATC just has the BEST brides.... Lindsey Clark and Derrick Morgan proved that point.

What a FUN couple....did I mention they are both just gorgeous too?

Lindsey and Derrick married at the Dairy Barn in Fort Mill...outside under the big oak trees draped in white paper lanterns.........the guests had a BEAUTIFUL view as it overlooked a rolling pasture. The rain was so kind to hold off until most everyone was in the reception!

Another perk to Lindsey and Derrick.... ROBIN! (the vivacious jewelry guru mother of the bride who I initially thought was her SISTER!!) Then there was TWO BEER TOOL MAN TOM - the Father of the bride. We love you guys!

This couple is surrounded by love and smiles and it made our job seem so easy. They get the prize for the MOST COOPERATIVE bridal party EVER!! (except for when groomsman Tripp hijacked the reception centerpiece.......)

~ Congrats to Lindsey and Derrick Morgan ~

You were truly a favorite to work with....

All images courtesy of Kristin Vining Photography

Decor & More...

We have recently become OBSESSED with Style Me Pretty. Be sure to check out the latest on Paper Lanterns, Parasols and more...

Luna Bazaar - FUN STUFF!!!

Fun with Save the Dates!

So, you just got your ring and you've set the date! Why not share it with all your friends and family!? Sending Save the Date cards is a FABULOUS way to begin setting the tone for your special day and it allows your guests to clear the calendar to ensure their attendance.

TIPS...

- Use fun ideas and be creative.

- Make it PERSONAL!

- Don't feel like you have to send 'typical' cards or stick to a certain 'look'.

- Send smaller notes/sizes to save on postage!

- Use fun fonts and bright colors!

- Use picture montages from your engagement shoot....

don't feel like you have to use only one photo!

Another fun personal idea is used with stamps!

YES, you can actually upload your own photo

to a stamp with a short message! Your guests will love it!

Another great trend is MAGNETS!

You can include calendars on the personalized magnets too to help

your guests count the days until your event!

Happy Planning!

Cover Party!

We LOVE parties...especially when they are
a celebration of success!

We hosted our first 'mixer' at the studio on April 22nd.
A special thanks to all of the vendors who participated;
La-tea-da's Catering, Cheesecake, Etc, Party Blooms,
Classic Party Rentals, SFS Productions,
Kristin Vining Photography.

AND an extra special thanks to the parents and
grandmother of the Cover Bride, Kali Cofer-Daetwyler,
for stopping by! Kali & Ralph are currently in Chile,
but we all had a drink for them!

All images are courtesy of Kristin Vining Photography
Delicious!The Weddings and the City girls, Heather & Jill!Kristin Vining & her husband, Ken...with their 8 month old twins, Bray & Addy!Scott with SFS Productions holding Bray. Casey with Casey Cunningham Photography and Bray. Little dude made his rounds!
LOVE THE HAIR GUYS!