The Wedding Voicemail Mystery – Lisa + Darren

For weeks many of my friends and family heard my detailed voicemail message of what to do if “you’re calling regarding the Brown-Benbow wedding…” Who are the Brown-Benbows everyone wanted to know. The suspense was killing them. Ah yes, I had a secret. I was working with a fabulous couple – both native New Yorkers who had settled and reconnected (via MySpace no less) in Atlanta. They have one of those cool love stories where they dated as teens so they can reminisce about the teen hangout of their day (the Landmark theatre is it?). I’m sure that’s wrong. Both of them went their separate ways (partly by choice, partly by life), grew in their careers, strengthened friendships but never lost their love for one another. I don’t know. I think those love stories are cool. True love withstands time and distance and so forth and all that cool jazz and R&B.

Fast forward to the summer of 2008. I’m walking in Ulta make-up store (which I don’t frequent) and am blinded by this woman’s engagement ring. Once I get partial vision back I ask her if she’s engaged. She beams a yes, we talk about their story (mentioned above) and the rest is wedding planning history. They were delightful to work with for so many reasons. Due to Lisa’s busy schedule with Smashbox I worked primarily with Darren, the groom. It was very interesting to work on a wedding where the groom managed more of the logistics. They also were focused on their guests having a good time – a very important element for Tempest Bleu weddings. We helped them craft creative methods for bringing NYC flair to Southern elegance through the menu, décor and music.

Check out the slideshow from their wedding. Hopefully you’ll get an idea of why we enjoyed working with them so much!

Lisa and Darren’s Wedding

Sound the Trumpet Awards

Venetia and I had the pleasure of producing event décor for the 2009 Trumpet Awards earlier this year. In between managing a two-year-old and new baby (Venetia) and trekking to DC for the inauguration (me); we managed to turn around 100 favors in the shape of blue trumpets and blue handbags. In addition, we had too much fun coordinating red chocolate heel centerpieces for the “High Tea with High Heels” luncheon preceding the awards ceremony.

We also had the opportunity to attend the Trumpet Awards and see some of the best of the best in politics, business, arts and entertainment. The Trumpet Awards recognize black men and women as a valuable resource to this country – their contributions and accomplishments, including the part they play to ensure the continued vitality of the nation’s economy. This year celebrated numerous honorees including Pastor Paula White, Chris Tucker and Earvin Magic Johnson. Check out The Trumpet Awards, Sunday 8:00 PM EST on TV One. Check your local listings for stations and exact times, including re-broadcasts. Check out me and Venetia in the audience and definitely watch out for Chris Tucker’s trumpet dance!

Tempest Bleu Featured in Points North Magazine!

Check out the April issue of Points North Magazine for a full feature on Tempest Bleu. In the article we reveal wedding planning secrets that you’ll never get from simply watching J. Lo at work in “The Wedding Planner.”

Special thanks to writer Lissa Harnish Poirot, art director Shannah Smith and photographer Steve Glass for making us look good. Also, thanks to Redfish: A Creole Bistro, for hosting our impromptu photo shoot. The gumbo is fabulous and you haven’t lived until you’ve tried their oreo beignets!

Let us know your thoughts on the article. You can pick up a free copy at various bookstores and restaurants on the north side of town or check out the magazine’s website for additional locations.
Michele

Trust the Creative Process: A Tale of Hollywood Meets Not-So Hollywood

All professionals have notable milestones in their careers. For surgeons, it may be the first time they perform a surgery as lead; for pilots – the first flight alone and for firemen the first time they make a rescue. Often for wedding planners, it’s the first time we begin to work with clients other than family and friends. While Tempest Bleu reached this exciting milestone years ago, there’s still the thrill of building a relationship with a new couple that neither Venetia nor I know at all. Add to that the milestone of working outside of the city you’re headquartered in and it makes for an exciting time.

In late March, we had the opportunity to assist May Lugemwa and Kenneth McKether in planning their Birmingham wedding. You may think, an Atlanta based company planning a Birmingham wedding – where’s the adventure in that? Here’s the catch. The couple resides in LA, the sister of the bride in New Jersey and both the bride and groom’s family were located all over the US. Needless to say this kept us busy. Yet, we had a blast coordinating all of these parties from our headquarters in Atlanta.

Our first wedding in Birmingham proved to be as interesting and enjoyable as the Lugemwa and McKether families. Using “Hollywood Glam” elements (both the bride and groom work in Hollywood) proved to be as exciting as it sounds. From an actual red carpet with paparazzi (wedding guests) and a life-sized cut out of the bride and groom for photos to entertainment by a former American Idol contestant and gourmet popcorn as favors – this wedding was all things glamorous!

While everything had elements of Hollywood, the bride and groom were anything but. They were one of the most laid back couples we’ve worked with. All they wanted was an organized, stress-free and creative atmosphere. Beyond that, they trusted us and the bride’s sister, Petronella (who spent countless hours working with us to coordinate many of the pre-wedding details), to manage the myriad elements for the big day. I wanted to bottle their calm and store it in cases for distribution to future couples who may not be so serene. May and Ken are an example of how you can be madly in love, have numerous elements of creativity and surprise, supreme organization and take it all in stride. Encore May and Ken! Encore!

Check back for more wedding details and photos, including photos from the couples Kwanjula Ceremony in Uganda!

At Last

As a wedding planner I've seen many first dances in my day -- some lovingly awkward, others as choreographed and organized as the couple themselves. No matter what I happen to be doing at the time (and a wedding planner never stops moving or working at a wedding), I always pause for a few seconds to watch the first dance. This year, however, there will be many first dances overshadowed by this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7Jwm9yCf08

M