Frozen Music Studios Photography

Fargo Wedding Planner: Bliss Events

Hope everyone had a great weekend!  Another two days of beautiful Spring weather!

This morning I would like to introduce you to Alicia Weigel of Bliss Events & Weddings!  Alicia is a talented wedding planner based in the Fargo/Moorhead area.   (If you are newly engagaged, I highly recommend you give her a call!  A wedding planner is an awesome asset to your wedding, no matter how large or small.)  In order to get to know more about her and Bliss Events, I asked Alicia to answer a few questions for us, so read on and enjoy...

How long have you been a Wedding Planner?  

I coordinated my first wedding in May of 2006 after I planned my own wedding for over 500 guests. I always knew I wanted to be a event coordinator though – I have always enjoyed finding a reason to throw a party for friends or family – now I get to do it all the time!

 

How did you get started?  

I planned weddings for free J I wanted to make sure this was something that I did in fact enjoy doing and that I was good at, so I offered my “services” to friends, co-workers, and friends of friends to get hands on experience. Once I had done several events, I decided I was ready to try marketing my skill set. I spoke with local hotel management staff and got some great advice on what their clients were asking for and tailored my services to meet the Fargo/Moorhead area’s need for coordinator services.

 

What inspires you?  

I am inspired in life by God, my family and goals I set for myself. In my craft, I am inspired most often by my clients! They come to me so excited and full of energy! They have so many ideas and it’s my job to find that really shiny one, the one they’ve had stored away since they were little that they want to portray on their big day and make it come to life. And then, I go to Hobby Lobby! J I can be found there weekly wandering the aisles, playing with merchandise, creating little centerpieces on the shelves. I love to use unusual items in my place settings too – pulling in things you wouldn’t expect to see adds a little conversation for the guests.

 

When you're not working on wedding plans, where can we find you?  

At the softball fields or at the lake! We are an avid sports family, so we can be found on any of several ball fields throughout the FM area between T-Ball, little league and adult softball.

  

What's your favorite part about the business? 

Never having to do the same thing twice. I love that each couple wants something different and that no two events are ever the same. I also love that the sky is the limit on creativity and I am working on pursuing other aspects of the industry to create even more options for my clients. Look for updates on our website!

 

Do you implement any green practices in your business? 

I offer rental services that allow brides to reuse my items instead of purchasing their own – saves them money and the environment! I’ve also recently started purchasing inventory that is made of more energy efficient items – like LED lighting for head-tables and backdrops, and more.

 

What are some of the benefits of hiring a Wedding Planner? 

Having someone in charge of finding your vendors is a big plus. I get some discounts the average person isn’t going to get because I can offer repeat business and I also know what vendor will fit into a price range, saving time calling people that aren’t going to be an option in some cases. I also hear from my clients that it is such a relief knowing that they don’t have to put a family or friend in charge of their day. The stress can be a lot for one person, and me and my team take that off the couple and give them the freedom to completely enjoy their day. 

 

What’s one thing you wish you would have known when planning your own wedding?  

Where to start! I was so confused with what to book and when I needed to have it booked by. Now I have checklists to make it easier for my clients along with budgeting outlines that take the guesswork out of where their money is being spent.

 

What should couples come prepared with when they meet with you for the first time? 

A date is a good thing! I can work with them having nothing else in mind, but I do need to have a date at least tentatively set.

 

Anything else you'd like to add...

Clients call us from all over, so even if you don’t live in the area, we can still work with you – I have worked with couples who are planning a wedding in Fargo/Moorhead or a surrounding area, but live in other states or are even stationed in another country. This is a particularly tough situation for these clients since they may no longer be familiar with what is available in the area or the newest vendors in town and they don’t want to put this responsibility on a friend or relative. I started this business to help people with all budgets enjoy one of the most special days of their lives and we’ll work very hard for each client, no matter what the situation.

 

You can reach Alicia at Bliss by phone (701)261-4730 or via email at info@blissweddingsfargo.com

www.blissweddingsfargo.com

Song Three:Four Wedding Invitations

As a wedding photographer, I get a chance to meet and work with a wide variety of wedding vendors.   I also know that as a bride, it's not an easy task weeding through all the different vendors out there to find one that matches your style, personality and budget.  So I will be sharing on the blog some of my favorite wedding vendors in the Fargo-Moorhead area that I think have a style that many of my brides are looking for, and are really great people to work with.

Last week you got to meet Kindra Hall, the Wedding Writer.  This week, I would like to introduce to you Lindsay and Ty Hagerott, the creative minds of Song 3:4.  Song 3:4 works with couples to create gorgeous custom wedding invitations and save-the-date cards.

I asked Ty and Lindsay to answer a few questions so you all can get to know more about them and Song 3:4!  So, here we go...

What's your style?

Custom, Custom and Semi-Custom. We each have our favorite style...Ty loves what he calls "vintage inspired retro-modern" and Lindsay loves simple & clean designs. As far as style for invitations, the possibilities are endless and that is why we say "custom," we can make anything happen.

What inspires you?

So many things...our marriage, our baby boy, seeing other people's art work, reading books, chatting with engaged couples...

How long have you been designing invites?

This is our fourth year in the invitation business.

How did you get started?

A good friend asked us to design her wedding invitations. We had never done invitations before (except for our own), but she begged and pleaded. We fell in love with custom invites and word started to spread.

When you're not working on Song 3:4 projects, where can we find you?

Ty is a graphic designer by day for a local business and Lindsay is at home with our son, Simon. We are home most evenings and love to spend time as a family before Simon has to go to bed...afterwards we work on Song 3:4 projects. We also love to relax at local coffee shops. 

What's your favorite part about the business?

Our absolute favorite part is meeting new people. We love to get to know the couples we design invitations for and develop something unique to each bride and groom. Ty also loves the challenge of creating new art.

Do you implement any green practices in your business?

We love people and the environment! Our invitations are printed with soy based inks which are biodegradable and make for an easier process when recycling paper compared to traditional petroleum based ink. Additionally, our printers take great efforts to reduce harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in their factories thus protecting their employees and the environment. On the back of every Song 3:4 invitation is a sweet little recycle icon.

In our home we recycle: paper, plastic, aluminum, and glass. We also use cloth diapers on Simon.

How soon should save the dates and invites be sent?

Save the Dates should be sent out 6-12 months before the wedding. Invitations should be sent out 6-8 weeks before the wedding.

What should couples come prepared with when they meet with you about a custom design?

First, we would like to say that couples can purchase any of our existing designs featured on our web site. We will tweak colors on any of the designs without considering it custom. Couples who want a custom design should come to us with an idea or theme in mind. Things that help us come up with a design are: a picture of something they have seen before and like, photos of the wedding dress, bridesmaids dresses, flowers, cake, etc. or even descriptive words. The more we can get to know a couple and what they have planned for their wedding, the easier it is to make a the perfect custom design.

Anything else you'd like to add...

Although one of our favorite parts of our business is the opportunity to meet with couples it is not essential. We have worked with couples in Texas, Minnesota, California, Iowa, and in various locations across North Dakota. We can create custom invitations and communicate through email and phone.

Thanks Lindsay and Ty!  If you'd like to see more of their work or get in touch with them, please visit the Song 3:4 website!