Photo by Darby Elizabeth We have asked one of our favorite wedding blog writers, Liene with Blue Orchid Designs to answer our dynamite friends interview. Check out the answers below to learn more about Liene and be sure to visit her blog at BlueOrchidBlog.com.
1. My favorite wedding trend right now is… the demise of the strapless wedding dress. I don't think brides realize how often they pull their dresses up after they inch their way down throughout the course of their wedding. There are tons of otherwise perfect photos that get tossed because of those awkward moments and videographers have a tough time editing around the constant adjusting. Plus, strapless really is only flattering on a select few body types so I love that brides are starting to choose dresses that make them look their best and designers are now offering more options for that.
2. If I could get married anywhere in the world, it would be… It's funny because even though I am a wedding planner, I actually don't think about what my own wedding would be like that often. I think I should probably meet whomever the lucky guy will be before I start making any plans.
3. Three blogs I stalk, besides Dynamite Weddings, are… The Weddex by wedding industry guru and friend, Rebecca Grinnals. Every wedding professional should make it a point to read her blog and attend her Engage! conferences. She is in a league all her own when it comes to industry expertise.
Kenzie Kate's Something Old Something New by Mackenzie Sala - Mackenzie has attained a high level of success in this industry, both with her stationery business and her blog and has kept a level head about it. There is no ego on her part and I really appreciate and respect that.
Kelly Ashworth Design . Kelly is amazing, hands down. Both in her design talents and just as a person. Plus her humor cracks me up and her posts never fail to bring a smile to my face.
4. The item most commonly forgotten at a wedding… One of the groomsmen will inevitably forget socks. We always keep a few pairs of nice black trouser socks in our emergency kit for those instances (purchased on the cheap at Ross or TJ Maxx because we do not ask for them back at the end of the wedding - that would be gross!)
5. The biggest lesson I've learned since starting in this industry… There is no magic wand for success. No one advertisement or media placement or big name client will open the door to everything you want. You have to work hard, be persistent and take giant leaps of faith.
6. The best piece of advice I can share with brides planning their wedding… Wedding planning theory is very different than wedding planning reality. Take most of the checklists and timelines in the magazines and toss them. Most (not all) are written by people who have only ever planned one wedding - their own. Also, trust your vendors. If you did your research and hired pros, then let them be professionals. You're paying them for a reason, so trust their expertise.
7. The song I can't get enough of… If You're Out There by John Legend. Not a wedding song, but I've been listening to it non-stop recently. I love its message.
8. 3 things instrumental to a successful wedding are… - A skilled wedding planner, at the very least for day of coordination so that your family and wedding party can relax.
- Food served on time so that it is hot and guests don't sit around hungry and a good band or deejay. These two elements can make or break your reception.
- The bride and groom getting married for the right reasons. Sounds like a given, but some people are more invested in the wedding than they are in the marriage. These are always sad to work on and I am fortunate that 98% of my couples are in it for the right reasons.
9. The one item of clothing I can't live without… dresses - I wear them all the time. I love dresses because they are low-maintenance in that they are one piece of clothing and it looks like you made an effort.
10. My favorite wedding element (flowers, photos, the food, linens, etc.)… I love love love fresh flowers, but my favorite wedding element would have to be the photos and video. These are the two things you have to keep after the wedding is said and done, so invest accordingly.
11. One thing readers may not know about me… four of the radio presets in my car are hip hop stations. This always seems to surprise people.
12. The best website and/or blog for planning a green wedding… Eco-Chic Weddings by Emily Anderson.
13. The best gift I've ever received… I LOVE gifts, so this one is tough! They are right up there on my five love languages along with quality time. The gifts I love most are ones that have some sentimental value attached to them - a cozy scarf one of my best friends crocheted for me, a vintage bicycle from an old boyfriend, a coffee mug a friend brought back from a cute shop in Bahrain - things like that.
14. I tend to blog… My blogging style is more pragmatic as I tend to tell it like it is. I don't have much patience for pretense or fluff, so I like to be honest and funny and just myself when I write. I like to think that I speak the same way on my blog as I would over a cup of coffee.
15. If I wasn't planning weddings I would be… working with the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa, specifically in crisis and cross-cultural counseling for the ex-patriate aid workers. Too many volunteers burn out quickly because emotional coping mechanisms and methods are ignored in the organizations' training processes. This is actually tied directly to what I studied in college and I pretty passionate about it, having experienced some of it myself while working overseas.
1. My favorite wedding trend right now is… the demise of the strapless wedding dress. I don't think brides realize how often they pull their dresses up after they inch their way down throughout the course of their wedding. There are tons of otherwise perfect photos that get tossed because of those awkward moments and videographers have a tough time editing around the constant adjusting. Plus, strapless really is only flattering on a select few body types so I love that brides are starting to choose dresses that make them look their best and designers are now offering more options for that.
2. If I could get married anywhere in the world, it would be… It's funny because even though I am a wedding planner, I actually don't think about what my own wedding would be like that often. I think I should probably meet whomever the lucky guy will be before I start making any plans.
3. Three blogs I stalk, besides Dynamite Weddings, are… The Weddex by wedding industry guru and friend, Rebecca Grinnals. Every wedding professional should make it a point to read her blog and attend her Engage! conferences. She is in a league all her own when it comes to industry expertise.
Kenzie Kate's Something Old Something New by Mackenzie Sala - Mackenzie has attained a high level of success in this industry, both with her stationery business and her blog and has kept a level head about it. There is no ego on her part and I really appreciate and respect that.
Kelly Ashworth Design . Kelly is amazing, hands down. Both in her design talents and just as a person. Plus her humor cracks me up and her posts never fail to bring a smile to my face.
4. The item most commonly forgotten at a wedding… One of the groomsmen will inevitably forget socks. We always keep a few pairs of nice black trouser socks in our emergency kit for those instances (purchased on the cheap at Ross or TJ Maxx because we do not ask for them back at the end of the wedding - that would be gross!)
5. The biggest lesson I've learned since starting in this industry… There is no magic wand for success. No one advertisement or media placement or big name client will open the door to everything you want. You have to work hard, be persistent and take giant leaps of faith.
6. The best piece of advice I can share with brides planning their wedding… Wedding planning theory is very different than wedding planning reality. Take most of the checklists and timelines in the magazines and toss them. Most (not all) are written by people who have only ever planned one wedding - their own. Also, trust your vendors. If you did your research and hired pros, then let them be professionals. You're paying them for a reason, so trust their expertise.
7. The song I can't get enough of… If You're Out There by John Legend. Not a wedding song, but I've been listening to it non-stop recently. I love its message.
8. 3 things instrumental to a successful wedding are… - A skilled wedding planner, at the very least for day of coordination so that your family and wedding party can relax.
- Food served on time so that it is hot and guests don't sit around hungry and a good band or deejay. These two elements can make or break your reception.
- The bride and groom getting married for the right reasons. Sounds like a given, but some people are more invested in the wedding than they are in the marriage. These are always sad to work on and I am fortunate that 98% of my couples are in it for the right reasons.
9. The one item of clothing I can't live without… dresses - I wear them all the time. I love dresses because they are low-maintenance in that they are one piece of clothing and it looks like you made an effort.
10. My favorite wedding element (flowers, photos, the food, linens, etc.)… I love love love fresh flowers, but my favorite wedding element would have to be the photos and video. These are the two things you have to keep after the wedding is said and done, so invest accordingly.
11. One thing readers may not know about me… four of the radio presets in my car are hip hop stations. This always seems to surprise people.
12. The best website and/or blog for planning a green wedding… Eco-Chic Weddings by Emily Anderson.
13. The best gift I've ever received… I LOVE gifts, so this one is tough! They are right up there on my five love languages along with quality time. The gifts I love most are ones that have some sentimental value attached to them - a cozy scarf one of my best friends crocheted for me, a vintage bicycle from an old boyfriend, a coffee mug a friend brought back from a cute shop in Bahrain - things like that.
14. I tend to blog… My blogging style is more pragmatic as I tend to tell it like it is. I don't have much patience for pretense or fluff, so I like to be honest and funny and just myself when I write. I like to think that I speak the same way on my blog as I would over a cup of coffee.
15. If I wasn't planning weddings I would be… working with the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa, specifically in crisis and cross-cultural counseling for the ex-patriate aid workers. Too many volunteers burn out quickly because emotional coping mechanisms and methods are ignored in the organizations' training processes. This is actually tied directly to what I studied in college and I pretty passionate about it, having experienced some of it myself while working overseas.
2 comments:
Ditto on the dresses and the black socks!
Lovely write up with Liene!
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