The Engagement Party

More huge prizes than I can count on 2 hands

VIP Swag Bag to Advance Ticket Brides & Registrants!

I can not believe how generous these amazing wedding professionals are!  Prizes will be awarded to The Grand Wedding winners, the finalists, and attendees from all of the below and more.  And we're not talking about $25 gift certificates.  We're talking MAJOR prizes.  Tickets available here: TICKETS

Casa Ybel Resort
Astrid & Rene Photography
Ashley Brockinton Photography
Signature Florals
Weddings by Socialites
Audrey Snow Photography (who took the picture above!)
Impressions Photography
Tie the Knot Couture
I Heart Films
Pro DJs
Jennifer King Makeup Hair & Makeup Styling
Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center
Hope Henderson Artistry
Luminaire Foto
Joann Frazier Beauty Consultant
Nick Adams Photography
Hotel Indigo
Customized Wedding Creations
Kakes by Karen
Frey Valet
Frank Jean, LMT

From the planners point of view

Photo by Impressions Photography

Planning a wedding for someone who doesn't know it yet it a bit of a daunting task. Nevertheless, I've done it once, and I signed on to do it again!  We had such a fantastic time planning Sara & Nicks wedding at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center and it turned out to be a perfectly beautiful and grand affair. What was great was that Sarah & Nick were just thrilled to be getting married and they trusted all the amazing wedding professionals that were selected to do their jobs.  That was the key factor, and because they allowed each professional to "do what they do best", everyone went above and beyond what was expected of them.

You can see images from the Grand Wedding 2010 in the current issue of Brides Florida and the fall issue of Weddings Illustrated (due out next month).  Also, you can watch the highlight video by Cinema Chic by clicking here.  In the meantime, here's a sneak peek at a couple photos from my blog.

I hope to see you on Sunday October 3rd!  We're still looking for applicants (link above) and have a few tables left for wedding professionals. Today until 10am Early Bird Tickets are on sale---so get 'em quick!

A Special Thank You From Mr. & Mrs. Nick Mau

Hey guys,

Photo by Deborah Cull

This is Nick and Sara Mau. We wanted to express our gratitude to everyone that was involved with The Grand Wedding 2010. The entire experience, from winning the contest to our special day was absolutely amazing! It was an absolute treat to work with all of the great vendors that were involved. Everyone went above and beyond to make sure that we were happy! There was not a single detail left out. Although the process was a whirlwind 6 weeks, we couldn’t have asked for more out of the experience.

All of the planning and preparing culminated beautifully on February 21, 2010 when we were married in a gorgeous service on the steps of The Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center in downtown Ft Myers. The service, the reception, the food, everything was marvelous. We were able to celebrate with our close family and friends, all thanks to everyone involved in the process.

Gratefully,

Nick and Sara Mau

The 2010 Grand Wedding Professionals:

Audrey Snow Photography www.AudreySnow.com Kakes by Karen: www.kakesbykaren.net Floral Artistry: www.FloralArtistryofSanibel.com Red Salon & Spa: www.redsalonandspa.com Impressions Photography: www.Impress-Photo.com Vanderbilt Strings: www.vanderbiltstrings.com Ashley Brockinton Photography: www.ashleybrockinton.com Clint Wiley None Other Band: www.clintwiley.com Rivers Edge Photography: www.riversedgephoto.com Sarah Heart Invitations & aisle runners www.sarahhearts.com Bubba’s Roadhouse & Saloon: www.bubbasroadhouse.net The Edison: www.edisonfl.com Signature Florals:www.signature-florals.com Crystal Connelly Photography: www.crystalcphotography.com DJ Slinky: www.gerardist.com Caloosa Tent & Rental: www.caloosatent.com Eventz Inc: www.eventzinc.com Frey Valet: www.freyvalet.com Hotel Indigo: www.hotelindigo.com Extraordinary Eventz: www.extraordinaryeventz.com Sidney Berne Davis Art Center: www.fl-arts.org Irresistible Confections:www.irresistibleconfections.com Calligraphy by Jennifer: www.calligraphybyjennifer.net/ Cher Hanna Photography: www.cherhanna.com Casa Ybel Resort: www.casaybelresort.com South Seas Island Resort: www.southseas.com Deborah Cull Photography: www.deborahcull.com Tonya Malay Photography: www.tonyamalay.com Spatini: www.spatinidayspa.com IntegraLife Spa: www.integralifespa.com Vino de Notte at Hotel Indigo www.hotelindigo.com Kelly McWilliams' Weddings by Socialites: www.weddingsbysocialites.com

You are invited to The Engagement Party 2010!

Before

The Grand Wedding 2011

Meet the best of South West Florida's Wedding Professionals at the

Engagement Party

A Luxury Bridal Showcase

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Last years event was spectacular and this year will certainly be no less!  Attend the party to meet face to face with wedding professionals of the highest caliber and reputations and of course to...

win The Grand Wedding 2011!

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Big News ::  Bring as many friends and family with you as possible because one lucky couple will become a prize winning finalist at the event.  Everyone who attends gets a vote, so invite as many "voters" as you can.  Plus, you’ll want all your family there to see you win like Sara & Nick (The winners of TGW 2010)!

Finalists & Grand Wedding winners are announced at The Engagement Party

Sunday October 3rd, 1-4pm

Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center

historic downtown Ft Myers (Lee & First St)

Tickets are available HERE for $10 (early bird thru 9/25), $12 in advance, $15 at the door (cash only, based on available space). 

The mission of the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is to nurture excellence and innovation in the visual and performing arts through education, presentation, and community outreach.  The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, located in the magnificent 1933 Neoclassic-style building which, once completed, will present more than 23,000 square feet of exhibition & classroom space.  Here, artists and audiences will be brought together to celebrate and promote the development of the Southwest Florida cultural experience. Florida Arts, Inc., a 501(c) (3) organization established in 1997, relies on gifts from generous organizations, corporations, and individuals.  Gifts are tax deductible to the extent of the federal law. Contact your accountant to ascertain compliance with existing tax laws. The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Division of Historic Preservation, the City of Fort Myers, Visit Florida® and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Do you want to win the Grand Wedding this year?

I think you will after you see last years wedding...

Thanks again to Kat from Cinema Chic productions who produced this awesome video! If there's one thing I've learned from all my years of wedding planning its that having a wedding video is the number one "thank goodness I got video" that my clients repeat over and over.

Applications for The Grand Wedding 2011 will be available to engaged brides and grooms beginning Saturday at 11:59pm.

Thank you in advance!

Tomorrow is the big night, but I wanted to say thank you in advance to everyone who is making this years Proposal Party such a Grand Event!

If you haven't rsvp'd yet, we're just a tiny bit under capacity- so you can still register by clicking here.

BIG NEWS! Those who attend tomorrow will have the opportunity to reserve their space for the Engagement Party Bridal showcase at a discounted rate.  Keep in mind however that we have a strict 35 space limit inside the Grand Atrium & Conservatory for the Engagement Party (Oct 3rd, 1-4pm).
***YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO GET THE DISCOUNT***

Because we love to deck the tables out...

and Dale at Connie Duglin Specialty Linens knows that we do.  It just wouldn't be the same without the linen loveliness and this is where she could for sure help out.

So how excited am I that Connie Duglin will be covering all our tables this Wednesday? VERY excited to say the least.  When you have a moment, be sure to check out all the very cool new offerings they have on their website.

My new favorite...Metro Circles

I hope you've RSVPd for the Proposal Party already!  If not, what in the world are you waiting for? Click Here NOW!

Proposal Party Pretty

Perfect tulip centerpieces! Photo by Tonya Malay Photography

Anyone who knows me knows that I adore flowers.  So I am thrilled that Signature Florals has stepped forward to make some fabulous creations for this years Proposal Party!  Sue has designed some of the most striking centerpieces for us over the years, including the flowers from the 2010 Grand Wedding Bridal Luncheon and rehearsal dinner.

If you have not RSVP'd for the Proposal Party yet, please do so fast!  There are only 50 rsvps remaining for the party.  At the party, we'll explain how and why you should participate, and we'll of course celebrate the success of the 2010 Grand Wedding.

Get your picture taken!

We certainly did have fun with all the photos at last years Proposal Party, and this year I'm sure will be just as awesome. Who do we have to look forward to smiling at?

The oh so sweet and talented Audrey Snow! Make sure you RSVP today to so that you can be in on all the fun, celebrate last years successes and learn all about why you should participate in this years Grand Wedding events.

Come hungry!

If you were fortunate enough to attend the Proposal Party last year, then you know how good the chef at Casa Ybel is.  The great news is that Thistle Lodge is back again as one of the caterers for The Proposal Party!  Thank you to Jen Dube of Casa Ybel weddings for making this happen!

We're still looking for the following Proposal Party Contributors:

• Photographer
• Additional Catering
• Florist
• Linens
• Lounge Furniture

Contact Kelly by calling 239-673-9620 or email by clicking here.

The Party is coming together!

What's your favorite Beatles song?

We're thrilled to announce that The Nowhere Band will be performing at The Proposal Party!  If you love the Beatles, you'll love this tribute band.  Special thanks to Paul at Tal-Ent Productions for their help in securing this band for us!

Would you like to showcase at The Proposal Party?

If you are a business interested in showcasing your product or services to the professionals attending this event.
This is the perfect opportunity to show off what you have to offer to the best special event and wedding professionals of Lee and Collier counties.

We're still looking for:
Catering
Linens
Music (Band or DJ)
Entertainment (Photo Booth, Cigar Roller, etc.)

Business to business is welcome as well!  Printers, Insurance, Marketing & Promotion, Health & Beauty, etc...