Constance Curtis Events

Baby Girl Shower by Southern California Wedding Planner, Constance Curtis

2012-01-25T08:50:00.000-08:00

I love planning any kind of event! Weddings are my first love but I jump at the opportunity to plan baby showers, kids birthday parties, and bridal showers. They are so much fun! Over the past couple months I put together a little something special for my sister and my niece, Lola Rae, who is arriving in March :) It was fun and relaxed and more importantly, done inexpensively for those on a budget! Take a peek below and enjoy :)

Desserts were done by Sweet and Saucy! and Linens provided by Elegant Designs Specialty Linens. The rest of the decorations I made :)

XO,

My 5 Favorite things of 2011 by Southern California Wedding Planner, Constance Curtis

2011-12-21T12:17:00.000-08:00

I have a lot of favorite things from my 2011 weddings but here are my top 5 (OK, maybe 6 :) It was hard to narrow it down!!)

#6: Video shot on Super 8 Film. I had a few 2011 clients love this and even more 2012 clients! It's so super neat! Unfamiliar with what I'm talking about? Check out some videos from Shark Pig.

#5: Lighting! It's probably the number one thing that is overlooked which is such a bummer because it can change the entire look and feel of a wedding. I especially love this Violet/Chocolate brown lighting we did at our Big Canyon Country Club wedding!

#4: Coral/Peach! I cannot get enough of this color right now!! A few images of flowers from my 2011 weddings! I hope I get a few more 2012 clients that want to incorporate this color because I'm not quite ready to say goodbye :)

#3: Wood Tables! I love rectangular tables but I especially LOVE wood ones! Wood tables at our Malibu wedding:

#2: Vintage Furniture! Vintage furniture can be expensive so it's not for every client but it's so super neat to incorporate when you can! A picture of a shoot we did on the beach with vintage furniture from Ribbons and Rust!

and my #1 favorite thing from my 2011 weddings... I bet you can guess it... Dessert Bars!!! This is my #1 because I'm not a huge cake fan. I like to nibble on a lot of different desserts :) and guess what?? This trend isn't going anywhere! Yippe!! A couple of my favorite dessert bars we did this year:

Thanks and Happy Holidays!!!

2012's Biggest Wedding Trend.... Dresses! by Constance Curtis, Southern California Wedding Planner

2011-12-02T08:08:00.000-08:00

If someone asked me a few months ago what would be the biggest trend in the 2012 wedding gown collections, I would have said long sleeves (thanks to Kate Middleton). I was definitely not expecting Vera Wang and other designers to push the envelope so far as to introduce a black wedding gown line. Yes, that's right. Celebrity wedding gown designers such as Monique Lhuillier and Vera Wang have added blush and black dresses to their Spring 2012 Wedding Gown Collections!!

In 2011 we saw less and less traditional weddings as couples began personalizing their weddings with their own unique style. And now in 2012 brides are going to take it a step further with wearing black and blush dresses. Is it too much? Are there some wedding traditions we just shouldn't touch? Or should we embrace the change?! I want to hear your thoughts!

XO,

Halloween Inspiration by Southern California Wedding Planner Constance Curtis

2011-10-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

It's Halloween time!! Can you believe that? Where did the year go? Ready or not, holiday season is here! I'm actually not a huge fan of Halloween decorations because black and orange is probably my least favorite color combination. But I did manage to find a little inspiration :) Enjoy! XO

Love how neutral these are!

The little girl is probably the cutest :)

These I DIE for!!!!!!! So my style!

Who doesn't love lace?!

Thanks for reading :)

Destination Wedding, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Southern California Wedding Planner

2011-08-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the delay in these pictures! Wedding season is in full effect and the past two months have been extremely busy! As seen on Style Me Pretty, our June destination wedding in Cabo San Lucas Mexico! Here are some of my favorite pictures! I love this couple! Enjoy :)

Pictures by Aaron Young Photography

XO,

Why Hire a Wedding Planner?

2011-06-14T10:16:00.000-07:00

I recently returned from Cabo Mexico where I successfully planned my first international destination wedding!! My bride, Rebecca, was kind enough to draft up the below advice for other brides considering hiring a wedding planner. Read below to get Rebecca's insight on working with a planner. Thank you Rebecca for taking the time to put this together for future brides! xx

"Eleven months ago, my husband and I got engaged and began the journey of planning our wedding. As we listed out all that needed to be done, we became overwhelmed and unsure of where to begin. That’s when a good friend of mine referred me to Constance Curtis Events. Within minutes of our first phone conversation I was at ease as she made wedding planning sound completely manageable. Days later my husband had the same experience at our first meeting. Constance assured us that she was there to help with each step, from locating our venue, to choosing vendors, to narrowing down décor. To get us started, she sent us a personalized month-by-month checklist of everything we needed to get done leading up to the wedding. Then, she took our total budget and created a detailed breakdown of her recommendations for how much to spend on each area so we knew exactly what we were working with.

One of the most valuable aspects of hiring Constance Curtis was having someone to locate venues and vendors within our budget and narrow them down to the best options. This prevented us from spending countless hours of our own research and teasing out vendors who were out of our price range or couldn’t provide what we needed. Since my husband and I both work full time, this was monumental! We found it tremendously helpful having someone navigate and compare the many contracts. My husband is a businessman, so he could have easily taken on this task, but what we didn’t know was what we didn’t know! For example, how many weddings does the venue allow per day? Will there be a coordinator that the venue provides on the day? Does the venue refuse or require outside vendors for certain things? Do they have a site fee or just fees for what is used? Furthermore, when all the contracts are finally compared, how in the world do we create a spreadsheet when they all bill things in different ways? The answer was that we didn’t have to because our coordinator did the job for us!

After sorting out the venue and the main vendors, it was time to start tackling some tricky projects. When I showed Constance a photo of my dream dress that was far beyond my budget, she linked me to a dress maker who gave me excellent advice to purchase an inexpensive, basic dress that was the frame of the original dress and then have a tailor reconstruct it into the dream dress. It turned out perfectly and was a tenth of the price of the original gown! When I let her know about my challenge finding the perfect bridesmaid dress, she sent me several links to bridesmaid dress designers I had never heard of before which helped expand my search. When I explained my thoughts for our table décor, including handmade table cloths from my mom, antique vases I had collected, and various flower arrangements, Constance took all of these ideas and made it come together perfectly. When we faced transportation issues in getting our guests from the airport to the resort and from the resort to both the welcome and rehearsal dinners, Constance arranged for a concierge company to set up a private website for us so guests could arrange their own transportation from the airport to the resort and we could arrange buses to the dinners. These were just a few of the countless situations in which we were able to rely on our coordinator to find the best solutions.

Once the wedding weekend arrived, we were not surprised to find that every detail was taken care of. When we arrived at the rehearsal, Constance handed out printed out instructions for each person to follow, including a detailed timeline of the wedding day, locations and times for family and bridal party photos, the ceremony outline, seating and standing charts, and reception outline including speeches and dances. Our family and friends held onto these like road maps for the next 24 hours, which saved me from hunting guests down and answering their many questions. Beyond leading the rehearsal, Constance acted as a guide and point person for our guests throughout their stay.

On the wedding day, she spent the entire day monitoring the vendors and making sure they followed the specific instructions for the table arrangements, reception setup, placement of décor items, specific lighting instructions, and so on. In between all of that, she was checking on my bridesmaids and I in the bridal suite, making sure we had lunch, advising me on what to tip the hair stylists and make-up artists, coordinating with the photographer, passing off payments to vendors, and making sure that everyone kept on schedule. She even handled details I hadn’t considered. When I was ready to change into my reception dress, she went to my room to get it, brought it down for me to change, and then returned my wedding gown to my room so that I wouldn’t miss any of the reception. After the receptions, she meticulously packed up every item we wanted to save and took it to our room so that we could immediately continue onto the after party. She even arranged a meeting for the day after the wedding so that she, the resort’s wedding coordinator, my husband, and I could review the bill and make sure everything matched our contract.

Of the million decisions we made surrounding our wedding, the best decision, hands down, was hiring a wedding coordinator. I looked in my “wedding” email folder just before the wedding and found over 600 emails from Constance in response to those that I had sent to her over the last year. These emails provided us with a wealth of information and meant that we didn’t have to spend our time researching things that we knew nothing about. We were continuously impressed with her knowledge of vendors and professionalism in working with them, her timeliness in responding to our calls and emails, her determination to make our wedding work within our budget, and her ability to quickly locate answers for us so that we could keep checking things off our list. After the last eleven months with Constance, I would recommend to any friend of mine going through the wedding planning process to hire a coordinator right from the start. Having Constance allowed us to relax and enjoy our engagement and provided us with a great sense of security that we were making educated decisions, saving money where possible, and making our dream wedding come to life."

Thanks for taking the time to read!

XO,

Wine Barrel Chandelier from Restoration Hardware

2011-05-12T09:48:00.000-07:00

My new love of the day :) A wine barrel chandelier! Kind of obsessed...

Found here on Restoration Hardware!

:)

Cinco De Mayo Inspiration

2011-05-04T11:42:00.000-07:00

We are super excited Cinco de Mayo is almost here! I will be celebrating in Las Vegas with a skinny girl margarita, chips & guac!! How will you be celebrating? Planning a party? Here is a little inspiration to get you in the fiesta mood!

From the one and only Martha Stewart:

Ran out of time to play Martha?? We know how it is!! So here are some fun items you can download and print yourself! They are super easy, just make sure to allow for extra time :)

From Blush Printables:

From Paper and Cake:

Wishing everyone a happy and safe Cinco de Mayo!! Ole!!!

Hiring a New Summer Wedding Planner Intern!

2011-04-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

Constance Curtis Events is currently seeking a summer intern! Interviews begin next week and the position starts the week of June 6th. This is not an opportunity you want to miss if you want to learn about wedding production! I am very sad my current intern, Chelsea, only has a few weeks left! This semester flew by! I wish Chelsea the best of luck in the future!

Read here what Chelsea has to say about the internship:

I (Chelsea) have been interning in Constance’s office since February after having worked a few weddings with her last summer. Coming with no prior experience, I am walking away with a wealth of knowledge and almost feel ready to run my own show, but it also made me realize how much I still have to learn and how complex the business really is!

The job of a coordinator is more intricate than I could have ever imagined. I got a first taste of this when I began to work on wedding day timelines, which are laid out with every detail of the day to ensure communication between all the players in the event is at its highest. I know that Constance’s attention to these details is what makes her so successful.

As an intern, my days were never the same, and along with developing timelines, my duties included creating checklists for brides that ranged anywhere from 3 months before the wedding to 13 months, researching hotels, ordering rentals, creating price comparisons, and so much more! I was able to attend design meetings that brought together the brides, florists, venue staff, and other vendors that all create a cohesive team managed by the coordinator. I was also able to help produce and got to work with some big shot vendors whose blogs I had been following! I was slightly star struck, and I can’t wait until the shoot gets published.

My favorite part of the internship was of course the weddings! I have been living in Southern California for four years now, and in the past few months I have seen more beautiful venues than I ever even knew existed. Along with the venues, she also works with some really talented photographers, DJs, dessert companies, florists, designers, and so much more. Constance produces first class weddings.

Something I’ve learned from Constance when it comes to the day-of production is that no matter what, always stay calm and smile. As a coordinator, we are there to eliminate any stress from the wedding party and family, not to create it. No matter what curveball is thrown, Constance is always there to knock it out of the park with a smile on her face. With that said, because of her careful preparations, she has already mitigated any surprises before they arise. Before working with her, I always questioned whether people really do need a planner and if I would really have a job, but after working with her, I don’t see how people produce weddings without one. It is so physically and mentally challenging, and no family member should take on that task when they are trying to enjoy the event.

The preparations that go into it would be so much more time consuming for someone that doesn’t know every in-and-out, all the options available, the lingo of the wedding vendor world, and that doesn’t have all the connections. The knowledge Constance can give you off of the top of her head is amazing, and she is so willing to teach. My only regret is not having asked her more questions and picked her brain a little more. Many lessons, though seemingly miniscule, are things that will prove useful to me forever. For example, she taught me that when ordering linens, you take into account that all tables are 30” from the ground so when ordering linens for a 60” round table, you add 60” for the extra 30” on each side of the table and order 120” linens. No, that is not all I learned, but a million little things like this could save a bride and her family from the research and headache!

Constance, thank you for allowing me to take up your time and space and teaching me all about the world of coordinating! It has been a great experience, and I wish it wasn’t so short-lived!

If you are interested in an internship please forward your resume to constancecurtis@constancecurtis.com

Thanks,
Chelsea
Intern for Constance Curtis Events

Looking forward to receiving your resumes!
Thanks,

Destination Weddings in Cabo San Lucas!

2011-03-01T20:17:00.001-08:00

Hola Amigos!! If you follow me on Twitter, then you've seen I'm in Cabo San Lucas researching venues for destination weddings! The past two days have been extremely busy for me and I'm excited to share what I've been up to here on my blog!

Day 1:
As soon as I landed in Cabo, my surreal experience began. Julia from Terramar was kind enough to send a car service for me to take me to my hotel, Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar. Terramar is a new edition to my vendor team and I couldn't be more happy about it!! In the picture below, Julia and Gaby (from Terramar) treat me to a welcome cocktail!

As I said, I am staying at the Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar, the home of my client's wedding in June. I LOVE this hotel!!! The prices are great and I love the authenticity of it. Here are some pictures I took. Please excuse the quality. I own a Sony Cyber-Shot that I got about 10 years ago ;)

The location of my clients reception:

Night 1:
The first night in Cabo we headed to Bar Esquina. Bar Esquina is a restaurant in the heart of downtown Cabo that is owned by a good friend of mine from Manhattan Beach. It's been open for about 3 months and I highly recommended it for a rehearsal dinner location!! Here are some pictures of the restaurant.

To the left is Justin, the owner of the restaurant and to my right is Rodrigo, the catering manager at The Sheraton

Outside view Bar Esquina:

The menu displayed on chalkboards!

Fun chandeliers that hang from the ceiling inside the restaurant:

And then we all went out for some fun!

Day 2:
A day of site tours!!!!!! First up.... Las Ventanas! Words cannot describe how nice this resort it. However, given that it is on the pricier side (rooms start at $1,000 US Dollars a night), it's a perfect destination wedding location for a unique client. After the tour I had a ceviche and tequila tasting!! A very nice treat :)

Next I went to Cabo Azul Resort. Cabo Azul has a younger vibe and is recognized by those who live in Southern California because it's the home of the famous Javiers. My favorite aspect about Cabo Azul was it's chapel. The chapel has amazing pews, fire torches and waterfalls along the walls!

Event Space:

One of their suites:

My third tour was at Marquis Los Cabos, another beautiful resort. Circe and Sandra, the resorts catering managers, could not have been more kind!! I'm very much looking forward to working with them in the future.

My last visit of the day was at the incredible One and Only Palmilla. The decor and feel of this resort was by far my favorite!! The mexican tile and hand painted walls is definitely my style!! You feel like you're in Mexico and I fell in love with everything about this resort including their famous chapel!

My clients arrive tomorrow!! and then the real fun begins :)

Adios Amigos!

Inspired Engagement Party on the Beach for Kara and Jason!

2011-02-23T07:18:00.000-08:00

Many of you probably saw last weeks engagement shoot on Green Wedding Shoes that I created for my best friends Kara and Jason! I'm excited I can now share my favorites with you here! I know there's a lot, but Aaron Young makes it hard to choose just a few images! Take a peek below at my favorite decor shots of the day!

Overview shots of the "engagement party!"

LOVE these signs!

These napkins are from Anthropologie :)

Including sangria in the shoot was a no-brainer since Kara makes the worlds best sangria!! Warning: only have a few glasses :)

I loved our flip flop station! The cart from Ribbons & Rust could be one of my favorite pieces! And the sign that Chanel Schafer, Visual and Graphic Design created to go along with it is too cute!

Cupcakes Couture of Manhattan Beach created the cupcakes! I had them create oversized jumbo cupcakes with Kara and Jason's initials along with medium size cupcakes with the date of their future wedding!

Close up of the flowers created by Aly from The Vines Leaf! Aly also created the fabric that outlined the backdrop behind our table.

A huge thanks to my talented Vendors:
Design and Production: Constance Curtis Events
Photography: Aaron Young Photography
Flowers: The Vines Leaf
Cupcakes: Cupcakes Couture of Manhattan Beach
Rentals: Ribbons & Rust
Signs and Graphics: Chanel Schafer, Visual and Graphic Design

Thanks,

My favorites from Bhldn's New Wedding Line!

2011-02-15T11:13:00.000-08:00

Anthropologie's new wedding line, Bhldn, has officially launched and I have my favorites! Although everything is to-die-for, unique and FRESH... If I were to get married tomorrow (which I'm nowhere close to ;), here are my picks!

My top 3 favorite gowns! The first two are a little more traditional and the last one is just plain fun!

I would choose this first dress for my rehearsal! Breathtaking! and I'd probably put my sister in the 2nd dress (although when it comes down to it, I probably wont have much say in what she wears! ha! That's OK though.. she has fabulous taste :) )

I absolutely LOVE long bridesmaid dresses. Always my first choice. So these first two are my favorites but the short one is super cute too!

Accessories, accessories, accessories... yes please!

To see the entire line, click here!

Thanks,

Super Bowl Party Inspiration!!

2011-02-03T13:21:00.000-08:00

If you like to entertain, then I know you love throwing a Super Bowl Party! How can you not?! This is probably the one party your husband, boyfriend or guy friends will be excited to attend! Take the biggest game in football and then combine it with an excuse to throw a party.... YES PLEASE!!! Here is some inspiration for your Super Bowl Party! Enjoy :)

How cute is this taco bar?! Although the Jets did not make the Superbowl this year...

Table Inspiration:

These super duper cute banners can be purchased on Etsy.com!

You know the guys will have beer galore... so why not decorate it?! ;)

Treats!!! A must have! How cute are the cupcakes at the bottom??!! If you don't have the decorating skills, just buy cute wrappers!

Cheers to a great Super Bowl Party!!! Go Packers!!!

Our First Wedding of 2011, Wayfarers Chapel, Palos Verdes Wedding

2011-01-11T09:29:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to kick off wedding season this week!! My first wedding of 2011 is almost here and what better way to start then at Wayfarers Chapel, a beautiful glass chapel that overlooks the ocean in Palos Verdes, California!! Living and working in Hermosa Beach, California, I am lucky this beautiful Chapel is in my backyard!!

Thanks for stopping by!

XO,

Birthday Party Fun, Manhattan Beach Event Planner

2010-12-15T08:15:00.000-08:00

I love all parties... not just weddings! So when my sister asked me to help plan my nephews 4th birthday party, I of course couldn't wait! Below are some pictures from his Surf's Up Party!

Thanks :)

Happy Thanksgiving!! Giving Thanks To All My Vendors!!

2010-11-25T06:43:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Today we take the day to give thanks for everything we have and everyone in our lives (something I don't get around to doing enough!!) There are so many things/people I am grateful for, not only in my life, but in my work as well. I want to take this time to highlight a few of these people and let them know how appreciate I am of them.

I pride myself on being able to tell my clients I not only work with the most talented people in the industry, but good hearted people as well. I put my vendors on a pedestal and expect great things from them and every time, they go above and beyond. Bottom line... my vendors make me look good!! and I'm so thankful for them and their professionalism.

So in case I don't say this enough, THANK YOU to JL Designs, The Vines Leaf, Hidden Garden, Nisies Enchanted, Oz Visuals, Aaron Young Photography, Sarah Yates, Shark Pig, Tiffany Monday, Make-Up by Berit, Mimio Papers, Paper and Thread, Cupcakes Couture and many many more!!

Have a Fabulous Thanksgiving!

La Valencia Hotel, La Jolla, Charming Hotel for Weddings and Events

2010-11-12T10:52:00.000-08:00

I'm very excited to be heading to La Jolla, California this weekend for a mini vacation! I'll be joining my sister and 6 of our cousins at the La Valencia. "Overlooking the Pacific since 1926, La Valencia is a charming boutique hotel offering a tradition of elegance and unparalleled service. Situated atop La Jolla Cove and just steps from miles of stunning coastline, world-class museums, shopping and galleries, La Valencia is a perfect blend of location and recreation. The Mediterranean inspired architecture and décor, including beautiful courtyards, hand painted murals and exquisite Spanish mosaics, evokes old-world charm." La Valencia is not only the perfect place to relax and enjoy great company, but its charm makes it one of my favorite venues for weddings and events!

Have a Fabulous Weekend,

50's Themed Beach Engagement Shoot by Manhattan Beach Wedding Coordinator

2010-11-05T13:58:00.000-07:00

I'm super excited for my 50's themed beach engagement shoot I have coming up in December for my clients Rebecca and Duncan!! They have been such a joy to work with and the fun continues!! I am styling the shoot and it will take place in Manhattan Beach. The fabulous Aaron Young will be shooting! Here's a peek at our vision board:

:)

Mexico... the Perfect Location for Destination Weddings!

2010-10-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

Mexico has always been one of my favorite places to vacation. The people are friendly, the beaches are beautiful and the atmosphere guarantees a good time! I recently was given the opportunity to travel to The Riviera Maya and Cancun to explore the area, resorts and vendors for destination weddings. I had the most incredible time and I'm excited to share it with you!

The resorts in Mexico are magnificent and the views are beyond belief. I feel privileged that I got to tour and meet with catering managers at over fifteen resorts including The Ritz-Carlton, Le Meridien, The Palace, The Marriott, Le Blanc and Hotel ME Cancun. From glass chapels on the beach to gazebo ocean views, each resort offers its own unique qualities. I'll let these pictures speak for themselves!

A large portion of my stay was geared towards meeting vendors and building valuable relationships that will benefit both me as well as my clients! I was particularly impressed with one vendor who sat in front of me and crafted the most amazing art. You will see in the pictures below, this photo booth background is to die for! The detail and time that went in to creating this is so unique!

Another reason Mexico is fabulous for destination weddings is because of its activities for your wedding guests! From swimming with dolphins (which I am doing below) to The Mayan Ruins, your guests cannot help but have the best time!

Here, Jeff Hendlin (Publisher of Bridal Guide Magazine), my mother and I head to Xcaret Park for a show!!

This is only a sneak peek into what Mexico has to offer. For further information on destination weddings and events, please do not hesitate to contact me! I am very much looking forward to planning many events in this paradise that is conveniently located so close to home!

Thanks,

Halloween Inspiration for your house and parties!

2010-10-18T08:35:00.000-07:00

Halloween is around the corner! Here is a little decoration inspiration for your parties!

Thanks,

Old Venice, Point Loma, California... A New Favorite Rehearsal Dinner Spot!

2010-10-13T10:42:00.000-07:00

I recently had the honor of planning my sister Candace's 30th birthday dinner! When I first started planning, I wanted to do something extravagant for her (it was her 30th birthday after all and I'm an event planner :)) but she quickly nixed the idea!! Unlike me, she doesn't like lavish parties thrown in her honor! So my search begun for a restaurant in the San Diego area with the perfect ambiance that would represent her. Thanks to city search, I came across Old Venice in Point Loma, California. The pictures online looked great and we heard amazing things about their food from friends who had been there. We had such a fabulous time and the restaurant now ranks on my top 5 for dinner rehearsal locations in the San Diego area! Here are some pictures from the evening!

My sister Candace and I

Fabulous desserts courtesy of Cupcakes Couture, Manhattan Beach!

Real Wedding, Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel

2010-08-06T12:51:00.000-07:00

It's always such a treat working at the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel! Not only is the resort absolutely gorgeous, but the staff is so great. A special thanks to everyone who contributed in making the wedding a success, especially John from Iris and Light who so kindly sent me these pictures for a sneak peek!

Inspiration for The 4th of July

2010-06-21T17:04:00.001-07:00

I hope you all are enjoying your first day of summer! Can you believe The Fourth of July is less than 2 weeks away?!?! Today I began planning my Fourth of July party. The invites went out and now I'm putting together my vision board and beginning to think of what food and cocktails I'll serve! When planning my own parties, I always turn to the amazing Martha Stewart for inspiration. See my vision board below! Hopefully it will inspire you for your 4th of July party!

(all images from Martha Stewart)

Happy Summer :)

Unique Escort Card Ideas!

2010-06-10T14:09:00.000-07:00

To all my lovely brides.. you don't have to do a typical fold over escort card to inform guests what table they are seated at. Being creative with escort cards adds a fun detail to your wedding and is cost friendly! Think creatively! Here's some inspiration:

Thanks for visiting :)

Amazing Bridesmaid Gifts! One-of-a-kind clutches from Sara Lloyd!!

2010-05-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday Everyone! Hope you all had a fabulous weekend and are ready for a new week! I am :) As a Wedding Planner, I am constantly looking for new ideas for my clients. Whether that be new design concepts for their table scape or a creative way to display placecards, I am constantly trying to better myself with unique ideas for my clients! I often times get asked "What's a great gift for my bridesmaids?" One of my favorite gifts for a bridesmaid is some sort of accessory that they can wear on the wedding day and then keep and wear for years to come. I actually still have my pearl bracelet my sister got us for her wedding and love it!! Picking out the perfect accessory can be tough though since all your bridesmaids have different tastes. So when I came across these one-of-a-kind clutches by Sara Lloyd, I instantly fell in love! Sara works with the bride to create clutches that fit the personality and style of each individual bridesmaid. Not one clutch is the same. So not only do each of your bridesmaids get a fabulous clutch, they get a gift from you (as the bride) that was specially designed for them with love. Fabulous idea right?? Check out the clutches below!

Pictures Provided by Zeke Smith and Lauren Rayner

Love these bags and want one?? Click here to contact Sara!

Thanks for reading :)

New Blog, New Weekend, New Wedding!

2010-05-14T07:51:00.000-07:00

Oh what a week!! First I am thrilled to have my newly designed blog!! Like it?? Hope so! Ellie at Rainy Day Templates is so sweet and she was so patient with me during the entire design process. Thanks Ellie :) Oh and she's a Wildcat!!

Another weekend is upon us. For many of you this means play time!! For me however, during this busy month of May, it means another wedding! Today I have a rehearsal for a wedding tomorrow in Los Angeles. As I go through the timeline, it brings me back to all the little decisions we've made along the way. There are so many details that go in to this special day and I'm so honored to be able to make a couples vision in to reality! Below is a little inspiration from my bride and groom for their wedding tomorrow. They love manzanita branches and flowers submerged in water :)

Have a fabulous weekend!

My favorite holiday is almost here!! Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

2010-04-28T08:02:00.001-07:00

I've always had a special place in my heart for Cinco de Mayo!! I don't know if it's the chips and guacamole or the fact this it is the only day I can get away with wearing an over sized sombrero....but every time May 5th rolls around, all I want to do is sit outside and enjoy margaritas and cervesas with mi amigos!!

How are you celebrating Cinco de Mayo this year?? Below is a little inspiration to get you in the fiesta mood!

Here are some decor ideas for your fiesta!!

Very Traditional:

Martha Stewart's version of Cinco de Mayo:

Easy to do, homemade pinata!

Don't stress yourself out in the kitchen. Enjoy your fiesta. Having a taco or nacho cart at your fiesta will impress your guests and make your life easier!

Margarita Madness!! Lets face it... we all love Cinco de Mayo because it's the one day we can splurge on a margarita... guilt free!! Now although I love my skinny girl margarita from time to time, a fiesta is not a time to count your calories. So treat your guests to a variety of flavors such as strawberry and mango!! Yum :)

Details Details Details!! Such a cute touch:

Squeezing 1,000 limes for ONE margarita can be a little tough on the hands and time consuming...(trust me, I have gone that route and it's not worth it!!) If you have a big guest list, order a margarita machine to do the work for you!

Or even better.. The Margarita Man :)

And last but not least, if your budget allows for it, splurge on a mariachi band!! Your guests will LOVE this and you'll feel immersed in the Mexican culture!

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!!

:)

Easter Decorating Ideas!!

2010-04-01T11:04:00.000-07:00

From my family to yours... Wishing you all a very Happy Easter Sunday!! Below is a little inspiration for your Easter parties! Enjoy :)

A special thanks to Martha Stewart and Southern Living for continuing to inspire me! More ideas can be found on both their websites!

:)

Splashes of color for Spring!!

2010-03-31T07:38:00.000-07:00

Have you brought color in to your life this Spring?? Whether it be in your house, at your wedding or with your wardrobe... let there be color! Here's a little inspiration from my four favorite colors from Pantone's Spring Collection for 2010!

:)

Constance

Inspired by all things Monique today!!

2010-02-22T09:17:00.000-08:00

I have always been a huge fan of Monique Lhuillier's designs but her 2010 collection has inspired me beyond words and I'm a bigger admirer of her work now than I ever was before. I can't get enough of her lace, the detail to her beading and how she makes a simple dress stand out from the rest. Her style is classic!! You can't help but fall in love....

These dresses are more simpler than the other dresses in the collection. They are not over the top and are perfect for the classic bride wanting to feel like a princess on her special day!

Like I said... I can't get enough of her lace!! The dress on the left screams romance. The shoulder caps are sexy and playful.. probably my favorite dress from this collection!

There's always the fashionista bride who wants to make a splash at her wedding. These dresses are perfect for her! You have to have a great amount of confidence to put on one of these dresses... but if you do, you're sure to be a show stopper and will leave your guests talking about your dress months after your big day!

Monique even nailed it with her bridesmaids collection! Sexy, sofisictiacted and dare I say... I could even wear the dress again! :)

Which dress is your favorite?!?!

All images of the dresses and more can be found on http://www.moniquelhuillier.com/

:)

Helloooo February... The Month of Love!!

2010-02-01T14:13:00.000-08:00

Love is in the air! We've been surrounded by our loved ones during the holidays, you've probably had a friend or two get engaged recently, you've even probably had a good friend fall in love... and all in time for February.. the Month of Love! The majority of us are planning to celebrate this love on Valentines Day with cliche gifts.. dinner and flowers. Or perhaps maybe even chocolate?? Too unoriginal for you?? It is for me!! Are you secretly hoping inside that your "certain someone" puts some thought and time in to your gift?? Perhaps does some thinking outside the box?? On the bright side, if you know they wont, you can always send them the link to this blog :)

Gentlemen... Time to think outside the box!! Dinner and flowers are nice, but we want to be wined and dined all the time. And flowers are best enjoyed on days when we don't think we'll be receiving them. Plus, roses are marked up and overly priced for Valentines Day. So save your money and put it towards something we'll really enjoy. Like...

A Couples Massage!!

This is really a win win situation because men rarely treat themselves to massages. So YOU get a massage and your girl is ecstatic because she one, gets a massage and two, gets to spend it with the person she loves most. Doesn't get better than that!

or perhaps cooking classes!!

This is perfect for the woman who loves to cook. If she loves to cook, I'm going to predict she loves cooking for you... and perhaps even maybe WITH you???

Ladies.. you are not off the hook. Valentines day is not a day for you to be spoiled by your man. You have to give too!! And your man doesn't want flowers or a romantic love CD you made. He really probably just wants to spend the evening having a beer and watching the game because chances are he hates Valentines Day... most men do! So give him something he'll actually enjoy... stumped??

Tickets to a sporting event

He wants to spend the evening watching the game at home?? One up him.. take him to the game!

After all.. it is the trendy thing to do isn't it??

He prefers to watch the game on his 60 inch flat screen TV??? Then take him golfing or buy him a round of golf lessons.

Not a big golfer??? It's ok.. he's probably not a big cook either but he got you cooking lessons. Ladies, just drive the cart and have a bloody mary! oh and smile and say "good shot" from time to time!

All kidding aside, whatever it is you decide to get your loved one, put some thought in to it. If they really are dying to try that new restuarant, then take them, but please just don't buy flowers and take them to dinner because "it's Valentines Day and that's what you're supposed to do.." :)

Thanks for reading!! Now start shopping.... 13 days and counting :)

XOXO
Constance

I Love Couture! Especially Sweet Couture!

2010-01-20T08:58:00.000-08:00

The cupcake trend continues in Los Angeles and I'm excited one of the most exquisite cupcake boutiques is in my backyard in Manhattan Beach!! Cupcake Couture in Manhattan Beach takes cupcakes to the next level. Their design is one of a kind, making indulging in them all that more sweet! Their talented designers will also create the perfect couture cupcake for your couture event! Cupcake Couture goes beyond decorating your cupcakes with just the color of your event. Provide them with a custom monogram or design and they will create a one of a kind cupcake for your one of a kind event. Their edible flowers and jewels also add a special touch to your cupcake display!

A few of their treasures below..

Sunday Mimosa: Champagne cupcake filled with blood orange curd topped with a citrus frosting

Pucker up: Champagne Cupcake filled with a blood orange curd topped with a mascarpone citrus frosting garnished with blood orange caviar

Love Spell: Moist chocolate cake filled with house-made raspberry jam and white chocolate razz frosting

Glitz and Glamour: Roasted Vanilla Bean cake with a creamy vanilla frosting garnished with candied madagascar vanilla bean

24 Karat Ginger: Carrot cake with crystallized ginger baked in topped with a lemon cream cheese frosting garnished with 24 karat gold flake

Nutellalicious: Chocolate hazelnut cake filled with a crunchy praline center topped with Nutella frosting

Simply too sweet to pass up!!

For more information on couture cupcakes for your couture event, please contact the owner of Cupcake Couture, Jenine, at 310-372-9200

:)

Constance

Motivated for Crossfit!, Time to get in Shape!

2010-01-11T13:31:00.000-08:00

It's the new year! And for the past 2 months I've been trying to get in to shape (key word there is trying). I try to eat well during the holidays (again key word try)... but I am a total sucker for eating bad during the holidays. So today I start my PIP (Personal Improvement Program)!! I've joined a CrossFit team and tonight is my first workout!! So what exactly does a CrossFit work-out entail? First off, there are a lot of different exercises from which to choose. A typical training session might blend power lifting, gymnastics and sprinting. Exercises are done using free weights, kettle bells, body weight exercises and more. The exercises are done hard and they're done fast with little or no rest in between sets. Here is a very basic beginner's CrossFit routine: A 400-meter Jog/run; Dead lift; Push-press; and Squats. OH MY!! What have I got myself in to!?!?! I'll be sure to post my progress along the way. Wish me luck!

This will be me soon:

:)
Constance

Happy New Year!!! Turquoise Inspired for 2010!!

2010-01-05T21:07:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone had such a great new year! 2010 here we are!!!!! What do you have planned?? I am working on creating a new look and feel for my company. I am working on branding Constance Curtis Events across the board. Of course when I think of my new vision, I'm truly inspired by anything turquoise!! I LOVE Turquoise!! I am working with the Miss Fabulous Kellee from Be Inspired PR to create this "new look". Last night I had to create a vision board. As I was creating this vision board, I realized I know exactly what I want my future office to look like..... WELL SO I THOUGHT!!!!! :) There are so many cool things you can do with Turquoise!!! I'm so inspired. See pics below! Hopefully I'll be inviting all of you over soon for a little office warming party :)

And of course with a new office... new shoes is a MUST :)

:)
Constance

Thankful Thursday Blog Post... better late than never! :)

2009-12-18T14:40:00.000-08:00

"Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy -- because we will always want to have something else or something more."

This quote hits home for me because I am always wanting more!! It's so easy to take for granted all that I already have and all that I've already accomplished. I took a leap of faith a couple years ago by leaving a great corporate job with a dream to start Constance Curtis Events. After two years of training with Mary Dann, I'm finally ready to grow myself and my business!! As I take time over the next month to put together my plan of attack for 2010 :) I want to thank a few vendors and friends that have helped me thus far along my journey. A special thanks to Mary Dann from Mary Dann Wedding and Party Coordinators for her training. I've learned so much working at her side over the past two years. Thanks to Leila from Be Inspired PR who was the first one to show me the ropes and give me the low down on the "who's who" in the wedding industry. She continues to inspire me today! Thanks LK! Thanks to Danny from Epic Imagery for his continued support. Danny you are such a joy to work with! Thanks to Carissa from JL Designs who helped me with the design of one of my first weddings under Constance Curtis Events. Her work is fab! And last but not least, thanks to Oz of Oz Visuals. Oz and I have just begun working together and I think it's going to be a great partnership in 2010! There are soooo many more individuals and vendors that have helped me to grow.. you know who you are :) Looking forward to a fabulous 2010... great things to come!!

Thanks for reading!!

:)

Constance

Turquoise... the color of 2010, Wedding Wednesdays by Constance Curtis

2009-12-09T20:30:00.000-08:00

I was absolutely thrilled when I heard Pantone announced Turquoise as the color of the year for 2010!! I'm inspired by everything turquoise and it is the main color for Constance Curtis Events. I even one day hope to use it at my wedding.. one day :) Turquoise is the most sexiest and playful color that comes from the blue family. It's the color of the most beautiful oceans in the world. I cannot wait to see how it's used in 2010!! It's going to be a great year :)

:)

Constance

Accomplishing what people say you couldn't, Motivational Monday Blog Post, Constance Curtis

2009-12-07T18:30:00.000-08:00

For those of us that live in Southern California, today was an extra motivated Monday.. it had to be right?! How else do you get anything done with its rainy and cold outside? The majority of us probably wanted to snuggle on the couch with an oversized blanket and hot cup of hot chocolate! Was that you?? Well that was me ☺ But we didn’t… we kept on working! And all to achieve a dream…

Last Friday I posted the quote “The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.” This got me thinking of all the great leaders of the past who have felt this pleasure!! And I don’t mean those that have felt the pleasure in doing something a parent told them they couldn’t or perhaps proving a boss wrong who said it would never work. This quote gets me thinking of leaders such as Columbus when he discovered the unknown world, Copernicus when he discovered multiple worlds, Henry Ford when he dreamed of a horseless carriage, Thomas Edison who dreamed of a lamp operated by electricity and the Wright Brothers who dreamed of a machine that would fly!!!!! Those are the great men who really have had the pleasure in doing something others said they couldn’t! All of these “great achievements was, at first, and for a time, but a dream.” Wow! Makes you feel like you can accomplish anything right?? Well you can. If you have “definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.” “If what you dream of is right, and you believe in it, go ahead and do it! Put your dream across, and never mind what “they” say if you meet with temporary defeat, for “they,” perhaps, do not know that every failure brings with it the seed of an equivalent success.“

I hope this motivated you to be GREAT!

☺

Constance

Motivational Monday, Financially Free Vs. Mediocre Success

2009-11-30T14:35:00.000-08:00

Monday is back… and it’s an extremely busy one!! The majority of us took off the last few days to relax with family and friends and enjoy another fabulous Thanksgiving. Emails, mail, and phone calls all piled up and now today we are paying for it! That’s OK though.. because the few days we had off were well earned and deserved. I like to tell myself that anyways!

Today I was inspired by the following quote… “A few who do are the envy of the many who only watch.” – Jim Rohn. This quote got me thinking… whom do I envy?? Along the course of the past year, I have come across a lot of motivated people. A handful more motivated than others and few from that handful that I will most likely see become the most successful people I have ever met. I will use the terms “financially free” and “mediocre success” to compare these two types of motivated people. Those who are financially free have multiple cars, multiple houses in difference cities, they want to fly on private planes and they definitely take more than one trip a year with their families. They do not stress over money and they are able to give back as much as they get. People with financial freedom are the most driven of all the successful people whom I’ve ever met. They have taken chances in life and won’t let failure get them. And then there are those who have mediocre success. Mediocre successfully people have one nice house, a nice car, don’t mind flying commercially and one family trip a year will suffice. I know A LOT of people who have mediocre success or have come from parents who have mediocre success and this is great. I do however also know people who are financially free. I could name and touch people in my life who fly on private planes and would prefer a Bentley to a BMW. And then it clicked to me… I want to be financially free because those people are the people I envy. That’s the level of success I am striving for. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with mediocre success… success is success!! Just make a decision on what your definition of success is and what level of success you want to achieve and make it happen. Be one of the few that the many are envying!

☺

Constance

Thanksgiving has come and gone but gratitude lives on!

2009-11-27T10:39:00.000-08:00

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone and we all (hopefully we all) spent all day yesterday counting our blessings and giving thanks for all we have. But now it’s the day after Thanksgiving and there are no longer facebook status updates of people expressing what they are thankful for. The chances that we woke up today and thanked our loved ones for being in our lives are probably less than yesterday. It’s sad this is the case, and you may be thinking this isn’t your case, but for the majority it is. Why does it take a government declared holiday for us to realize how grateful we are for all we have? This is just another reason I started “Thankful Thursdays!” Don’t wait till next years Thanksgiving for you to give thanks… make an effort to give thanks everyday!! I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving and thanks so much for your support! I leave you now with this quote… “There is no such thing as gratitude unexpressed. If it is unexpressed, it is plain, old-fashioned ingratitude”. ~Robert Brault

And lastly….a little Thanksgiving history lesson courtesy of Wikipedia…

Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day, presently celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, has been an annual tradition in the United States since 1863. It did not become a federal holiday until 1941. Thanksgiving was historically a religious observation to give thanks to God, but is also celebrated as a secular holiday.[1]
The first Thanksgiving was celebrated to give thanks to God for helping the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony survive the brutal winter.[2] The first Thanksgiving feast lasted three days providing enough food for 53 pilgrims and 90 Native Americans.[3] The feast consisted of fowl, venison, fish, lobster, clams, berries, fruit, pumpkin, and squash. However, the traditional Thanksgiving menu often features turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie.

:)

Constance

Don't let failure get you!!!, Motivational Monday Blog Post, by Constance Curtis, Manhattan Beach Wedding Coordinator

2009-11-23T18:03:00.001-08:00

It's Monday!! My favorite day of the week because I'm the most productive and driven to get things done!! And even more so this week due to the holidays coming so fast... lots to do in a short amount of time... tic toc... time to get moving!!

I was passed along the below message this morning and found it extremely motivating so I want to share. Take time to not only read it, but understand what you're reading!!

"Most failures could have been converted into successes if someone had held on another minute or made more effort. When you have the potential for success within you, adversity and temporary defeat only help you prepare to reach great heights of success. Without adversity, you would never develop the qualities of reliability, loyalty, humility, and perseverance that are so essential to enduring success. Many people have escaped the jaws of defeat and achieved great victories because they would not allow themselves to fail. When your escape routes are all closed, you will be surprised how quickly you will find the path to success." - Napoleon Hill (one of my favorite authors. look him up.. know him!)

May you be motivated to be greater than you already are.

:)
Constance

Thankful Thursday, Giving Thanks, Manhattan Beach Wedding Coordinator Blog

2009-11-19T22:06:00.000-08:00

LOVE Thankful Thursdays!!!! I cannot begin to express all the things I have to be thankful for... family, friends, my job, freedom, a car to take me to work, a roof over my head.. thank you, thank you, thank you! If you feel like things aren't going so well in your life, take a step back and look at what is going well in your life. What do you have to be thankful for?? Start giving thanks for what you do have and you will start to see the things that aren't going so well start to change! "You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you.” — Sarah Ban Breathnach

The Secret Daily Teaching I Want to Share: It is important that you are grateful for everything in your life. Many people focus on the one thing they want and then forget to be grateful for all the things they have. Without gratitude you cannot achieve anything through the law of attraction, because if you are not emanating gratitude from your being, then by default you are emanating ungratefulness. Be proactive and use the frequency of your being to receive what you want.

Thank you for reading!! Much Gratitude

:)

Constance

Motivated in all aspects of life today!!

2009-11-16T18:28:00.000-08:00

Today was an amazing day and I'm extra motivated not only in a business sense but to get my body in shape!! I had a great workout with my friend Jason, a certified personal trainer to athletes and many of Hollywood's elite. As we were working out, we were chatting about how if you want to see different results, you have to do something different! This is not only true with working out, but with life in general. You cannot keep doing the same thing and expect to get different results. You must do something different! We are all on the same boat. We all have the same economic issues, political issues, health issues, etc. But some of us don't let the "bad economy" get to us. We simply set our sails a different way. Don't sit around and complain about the economy, or the government or how you hate being overweight. Make a decision today to get motivated and make a change!! Change the set of your sails!! Trust me, you will get a different result :) I leave you with this quote... "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit." Aristotle

Hope you all had a fabulous day!!

:)
Constance

Hesitation, Motivational Monday Blog Post, Manhattan Beach Wedding Coordinator

2009-11-09T21:01:00.001-08:00

Good evening everyone! I can't believe the day has flown by! I'm here now winding down with my motivational Monday blog post!! Sorry it's late :) I started off today with the following quote, "The shores of time are littered with the bones of those who hesitated, and having hesitated; lost!" - which got me thinking... why do we hesitate?? We hesitate everyday with making decisions, getting tasks done but more importantly we hesitate in bettering ourselves and our lives. I'm sure you would consider yourself a good person who has achieved a lot in life. But is that enough?? Are you as great of a person as the leader you look up to?? Can you be greater?? By "greater" I mean "more successful", "more kind", "more respected by your peers", etc... Whatever you consider the good about yourself to be... can it be greater?? The majority of us will answer this question yes. Yes, I can be greater, more successful, more respected, or more kind. Then what's stopping you from achieving this greatness?? Why are you hesitating?? I'm leaving you tonight with that question. Think about it and then tomorrow make a decision not to hesitate any longer because as the quote says, "having hesitated.. lost!"

Thanks for reading!!

Have a successful week!!

:)
Constance

MyVideoMyVoice, Video Wedding Albums, Manhattan Beach Coordinator

2009-11-04T18:48:00.000-08:00

Wedding Wednesday!

In the world of weddings, as in the world in general, we see trends come and go from year to year. When I started my business, photobooths, candy stations, and sparklers were a “must have!” We’re (wedding planners) constantly looking for new and innovative ways to give our clients a “one-of-a-kind” wedding experience! A day that that is unique to them! Well I am proud to say that about three months ago I discovered the new and greatest wedding trend. I’m actually not even sure if I sure put it in the same category as “trend.” This product, created by AmeriChip (same creator of the singing greeting cards), will revolutionize wedding videography in the next year. I’m happy to present to you… MyVideoMyVoice!

MyVideoMyVoice has designed a line of products that allows brides and grooms to capture the magic of their wedding celebrations in live video and download it into beautifully appointed Video Wedding Albums, Video Memory Books and Video Invite/Save the Date Cards (the designs are BEAUTIFUL!) These products can hold up to 45 minutes of audio-video content, have 5 push buttons to tell the entire story in different chapters and have a built in mini-usb jack that allows the batteries to be charged over 500 times. Copy and paste the following line in to your internet browser to see the entire line!

www.myvideomyvoice.com

Copy and paste the following link in to your internet browser to see the very first Video Wedding Album unveiling from the Freedman-Williams wedding on August 8th, 2009. Take a look at how the bride and groom reacted to this wonderful lifelong keepsake

www.weddingvideo.com/videos/pelican-hill-resort-newport-coast-same-day-edit-video-book-distribution

☺
Constance

Financial Freedom - Success Blog Post, Manhattan Beach Wedding Coordinator, Constance Curtis

2009-11-02T21:09:00.000-08:00

“I do not know anyone who has gotten to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but it will get you pretty near.”~ Margaret Thatcher

Everyone wants to be a success! But what is success to you? To me it is Financial Freedom! Freedom!! The ability to have time to spend with friends, family, travel the world, etc.. Financial Freedom to me is not being a Vice President of a corporation and working 12 to 15 hour days but rather working for myself and building my own business. Whatever success and financial freedom are to you, know this… you will not reach them if you’re not willing to put in the time and effort.. HARD WORK! You cannot coast down a hill until you first climb it. The uphill climb is the hard work but once you begin to climb, you may learn to enjoy the process of building your character, helping others, and improving much more than just the financial part of your life!

Are you willing to put in the time and effort to achieve your financial freedom and success?? It won’t be easy but the benefits will be better then you could ever expect.

Cheers to financial freedom! Wishing you all the success in the world!!

☺

Constance
The Wedding Planner
Manhattan Beach, California

Thankful Thursday, Referrals, Manhattan Beach Wedding Coordinator Blog Post

2009-10-29T18:58:00.001-07:00

Thankful Thursday is here!! Gratitude Time :)

Over the past two years, especially the past six months, Constance Curtis Events has grown tremendously due to word-of-mouth. Word-of-mouth is the most lucrative form of advertising. Referrals have and will continue to largely contribute to the growth of my business over the next few years. There is no better feeling then being referred by a past client or friend...its an absolute honor!! So today I am grateful and want to give thanks to my family, friends and vendors who have referred me clientele over the past two years. Whether it be casual introductions or direct referrals, I want to highlight a few people. First to Jenny Behrstock (who's wedding I also coordinated) for referring Sabin and Katie! Thanks Jenny :) To Kristine Saysay for the referral of her sister Venice and Dan! Thanks Kristine :) A huge THANK YOU to Danielle Lemmerman who referred my newest clients, Lisa and Tony, who will be getting hitched in August of 2010. Also, a special thanks to all my family and friends for any upcoming referrals. I am so very appreciative!!

Hope everyone had a fabulous Thursday!! Don't forget to give thanks today!

:)
Constance

Motivational Monday, Setting Goals, Manhattan Beach Wedding Coordinator Blog Post

2009-10-26T18:44:00.001-07:00

It’s Motivational Monday!!! My favorite day of the week ☺ Last Monday we talked about dreams. Now I ask you… What are you doing to turn these dreams into reality?? Is what you’re doing today, bringing you closer to living out your dreams?? Make a decision TODAY to make your dreams come true!! This can happen with a little thing we call goal setting! ☺

Step one: write your dreams down! A dream is just a dream until you write it down and then it becomes a GOAL! Don’t take setting your goals lightly. Goals determine what you’re going to be. Many people who set goals for themselves never achieve them. It’s partly because they don’t clearly understand how to set goals. In the words of Denis Watley, "The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don't define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them." So when you write your goal down, make a commitment to yourself to reach it!!

In order to be able to reach a goal there needs to be a specific deadline/date set. Goals are dreams with deadlines. When do you want to accomplish this goal by?? There are three different types of goals to consider when setting your deadlines. The first is a short-term goal. This is a goal you want to achieve by the end of the day, the end of the week or in the next 30 days. The second type of goal is a mid-term goal. This is a goal you want to achieve in the next year or 2. And lastly there is a long-term goal. This is a goal you want to achieve in 5, 10 or even 20 years. Be realistic when you set your goal dates. To say “I want to earn 10 million dollars by the end of month” is not realistic and the chances you will reach this goal are extremely slim (unless you’re lucky and win the lotto!). But if you said, “I want to earn 10 million dollars by the time I retire in October of 2020” I would say that’s a great goal and if you truly set your mind to it, you will accomplish it!

Next, think about how you plan to reach this goal in this timeframe?? What steps are you willing to take?? What are you willing to give up?? “Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.” Fitzhugh Dodson.

If you do not have a book or a notepad with your goals written down, you better start writing ☺ Don’t just have them in your head, write them down!! Read them everyday and motivate yourself to achieve them.

Please please share a goal you have with us on this blog!!! I would love to hear! One of my goals is by August 1st of 2010 I will have opened an office for Constance Curtis Events in Manhattan Beach, CA ☺

Thanks for reading!

☺
Constance

Thankful Thursday, Gratitude, Manhattan Beach Wedding Coordinator Blog Post

2009-10-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

Gratitude: the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful. "Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy — because we will always want to have something else or something more."- Brother David Steind-Rast

All too often we rush through life without giving thanks everyday and we take all we have for granted. Many times it takes a disaster for us to realize what we have to be grateful for. It'll take Hurricane Katrina or Los Angeles wildfires for us to give thanks we have a roof over our head. It'll take one friend's disloyalty's for us to realize how great and true our other friendships are. Or it'll take a close friend losing their job for us to realize how grateful we should be for being employed.

You may not be the norm. You may give thanks everyday for everything you have. If that's you, I admire you! I know I am guilty for not giving as much thanks as I should. I am making it a personal goal though to give more gratitude..especially every Thursday on this blog :)

Take time today to write down 10 things you are grateful for. Then make sure to express it. Tell someone how appreciative you are of them or say thanks out loud for something you have and are grateful for. You never know when it may be gone...

I am signing off today with a quote I found and love... “Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.” -Margaret Cousins

I hope you all have a wonderful day!! and THANK YOU for reading my blog!

Much Gratitude,
Constance

Wedding Wednesday!!, Manhattan Beach Wedding Coordinator Inspired by Dessert Extraordinaire Amy Atlas

2009-10-21T20:08:00.000-07:00

I recently had the honor to attend Mindy Weiss’s “The Most Ridiculous Wedding Event Ever!” and it was quite a treat. Wedding extraordinaires’ from across the country shared inside tips with other vendors and brides-to-be! Although I enjoyed listening to them all, there is one particular vendor I was thrilled to meet! Amy Atlas of Amy Atlas Events has been “recognized as the person to turn to for a unique and fabulous dessert table or candy buffet.“ She has taken a trend that in my opinion has been played out in the wedding world and made it fresh and chic and a must have at any party or event! Below are pictures of her creations! May it inspire you to be creative when planning your next dessert table!!

Constance

Motivational Monday, DREAM BIG, Manhattan Beach Wedding Coordinator Blog Post!

2009-10-19T13:37:00.000-07:00

Look what came to visit us again…. Monday! Many people dread Mondays, especially Monday morning. Mainly because it’s the beginning of another long work week. But Mondays don’t have to be all that bad and they’re especially not bad if you’re working your dream job and living your dream life! Which brings me to today’s topic… dreams! What are your dreams? Have you taken time lately to think where you want to be tomorrow, next month, next year and in 10 years? When you picture your dream life, where are you living? What’s your dream house? What’s your dream job? What car are you driving? Have you accomplished and achieved all you want in life??

It’s extremely important to realize what your dreams are because dreams are the MOTIVATING factor behind an individuals desire to achieve everything they’ve ever wanted in life. So dare to dream big. The bigger you dream, the more motivated you will be everyday to turn those dreams into reality. As Pope John XXIII said, “Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.”

Anyone who knows me well, knows I have big dreams I want to achieve in my life. I’ll share them with anyone who asks and you should too! No dream is too big! You’ll meet individuals along the way who may put down your dreams but I feel sorry for those people because if you don’t have dreams, you wont accomplish much in life. So as Mark Twain once said, “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”

I challenge you this week to think about your dreams and what you want to accomplish in your future. Visualize your life in 5 years and again in 10 years. Share these dreams with a friend, a relative, or a co-worker. Or share them with us on the blog!!

Next Monday we’ll talk about the first steps to turn these dreams into reality!!

Constance

Getting Started.... My First Post! :)

2009-10-12T21:40:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my first blog post! It's been a long time coming!! I'm excited to be finally getting my blog up and running. My goal is to blog at least 3 times a week... (Motivational) Mondays, (Wedding) Wednesdays and (Thankful) Thursdays!

Mondays always motivate me for the week ahead. One of my favorite things to do on a Monday morning is search for words of inspiration. Over the years, words from The Secret, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln and many many more have inspired me to become who I am today. I am a strong believer of "To see it, I must believe it" rather then "I'll believe it when I see it." I hope to inspire and motivate my readers to not only dream big, but to then turn that dream in to a goal and make it reality!

Wednesdays will be dedicated all to Weddings!! Since that is of course the main reason why I am here! I've asked opinions on this subject and I've received some great tips from many friends! Some Wednesdays I'll focus on real weddings and others Wednesdays will be focused on wedding tips, etiquette, etc. Of course I'll be blogging on Constance Curtis Events' upcoming weddings as well :)

I think it's extremely important to give gratitude and thanks everyday so this is where Thankful Thursdays comes in to play!! Whether it be thanks to my amazing family and friends for their continued support or thanks to my outstanding vendors who I couldn't pull off a successful event without.... this is where I'll be giving thanks and highlighting individuals who I am grateful for!!

Thanks for all the support... I hope you enjoy

Constance