Thanksgiving....a joyous occasion at your home

Or wherever you would like to host Thanksgiving Dinner!

An Amazing Affair offers full coordination services for your Thanksgiving celebration.  And it does not start at the dinner table....it ends there.  The plan for decor and atmosphere begins with the view from the road as your guests drive up, the walkway to the front door, the entryway, and the rest of the entertaining area for your party. 

If you have the food covered, we will do the rest.  If the thought of creating the feast leaves you breathing into a paper bag, we will introduce you to caterers that will make your mouth water and your guests politely requesting take aways. 

We offer a wide variety of Thanksgiving looks - from a fruit-filled Colonial Williamsburg style to a cool silver and white modern vibe to a rustic autumnal explosion, we take your personal taste and style and create Thanksgiving in your own unique style.

But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves - let's talk about the invitations!  With the advent and implementation of evites and email and events on Facebook, many people have gotten away from sending personal invitations.  Our clients' guests will have their day brightened when they receive their thoughtfully created invitations either in the mail or delivered to their home.  Why not have the celebration begin as soon as the invitation is uttered?

If your Thanksgiving plans will be exclusive to your immediate family this year, your design and atmosphere can take on even more intimate expression of your family.  Think of the memories you will create for your parents, your children, and loved ones.  Most importantly, you will have the time to be with your family, rather than exhausted by preparing for the day without sacrificing the beauty and ambiance created by a beautifully decorated home.

There are several additional planning details that we craft with you for the big day.
*  A schedule for the day
*  Place cards and seating arrangements
*  Arrange for wait staff/bartenders as needed
*  Music suggestions or a play list for the day (available in a wide variety of genres)
*  Suggested activities (especially if young children will be in attendance)
*  Suggested movie list
*  Thoughtful gesture suggestion list ~ for a little bit of added depth to your holiday
*  If appropriate, introduce you to performers
*  Assess Parking and plan accordingly
*  Creation of original artwork or design pieces
*  Any other concern or request you may have!

Why not try something different this year?  Contact Bridget Ann Dooney at bridgetanndooney@anamazingaffair.com or 310.909.6769 for more details and to schedule a consultation.  

Candles and ivy nestled in among white and cream pumpkins are lovely.

What does a Bridal Consultant actually do?

Aaaahhhhhh......the romantic life of a wedding planner.......surrounded by love, and happy families during one of the happiest days of their lives.  It's all cherubs and rainbows and fluffy clouds accompanied by a harp played by an angel, right?

Well, there are definitely moment like that, but the nuts and bolts of coordinating a wedding is a complex juggling act between the bride and groom, their families, vendors, mother nature, and random acts of nuttiness.  We have had several people ask what we do for our clients that want full service.  I thought I would share an outline of what we do as bridal consultants on a regular basis.

Cutting Edge Consulting & Communication

• We offer expanded access 7 days a week to Bridget Ann Dooney for the Bride and the Bride’s Mother.  (I am ready for the occasional 3:00 a.m. phone calls!)
• Face to Face Consultation Appointments (as needed) customized for your individual needs (these are limited in number at our other levels of service)
• Ongoing Consultation via telephone, text, chat, or email from time of hire through the wedding 
• Creation of a customized Wedding Countdown Schedule for the Bride, Groom, and all decision makers and critical bridal party members 
• Creation of a wedding website
• Wedding Workbook Pro account accessible to decision makers and bridal couple.  *This allows instantaneous access on any computer or iPad for up to the minute updates on the event. - preventing a lot of the aforementioned 3:00 a.m. phone calls!) 
• Etiquette Advisement 
• Monthly reviews of the Wedding Countdown, Schedule, and Task List

The Venue 

•  Ceremony and Reception Venue Referrals  
• Arrange and attend Venue Tours – videotape of initial tour will be provided  
• Accompanied Ceremony and Reception Venue Tours after identifying top choices 
• Site Inspection at Venue to confirm design, access, layout, sound system, lighting, load in/out process, parking, valet, security, insurance, regulations, etc. 
• Site Inspection of the Venue within three weeks of wedding

Cuisine & Cake

• The food at your wedding can be such an enjoyable expression of you and your family.  We work closely with you to make sure that the style, presentation, and quality of food, cake and drink is to your specifications.  
• Menu Tasting with Caterers.  Assistance with Menu Selection and Details
• Communicate with the chef, banquet captain and catering staff to ensure superb, timely dinner service 
• Cake tastings and meetings.  Assistance in selecting cake. 
• Oversee cake delivery and set up 
• Consider weather and temperature factors for cake display area

Vendor Management

• One of the most important skills for a wedding coordinator is the ability to negotiate and execute contracts.  Bridget Ann Dooney has 15 years of negotiating, contract creation, and implementation experience.  At An Amazing Affair, we get the best and the most for our clients. 
• Unlimited Vendor Referrals in all Vendor Categories of only the Finest, Most Reliable Vendors in the Industry
• Arrange and attend all Vendor Appointments.  
• Accompanied Full “Vendor Appointment Days”
• Review of all Venue and Vendor Contracts and Arrangements – digitally storing all receipts, contracts, orders, and agreements for clients 
• Verbal and written confirmation of schedule and agreed upon services with each vendor one week prior to event. 
• Distribute your Final Wedding Day Itinerary to all vendors 
• Supervise all vendors as they load in/load out 
• Distribute final balances and gratuities to the vendors on your behalf

Vendors include, but are not limited to: Caterers , Officiants, Photographers, Videographers, Florists, Security, Valets, Sound & Lighting, Bands, Musicians, DJ’s, Transportation, Tailors, Printers, Press/Media, Rental Companies, Bakers, Dancers/Performers, Artists, Bridal & Tuxedo Shops, Travel Agents, Hotels.

Décor & Ambiance

• Full creative design for your ceremony and reception space with Max Gough and Bridget Ann Dooney.  
• Initial floral design meeting with sketching. 
• Preliminary floral design meeting with prototypes of centerpieces, bouquets, and other floral elements.  
• Prototype of tablescape 
• Meeting to adjust floral and décor design •Integrate sound, lighting, floral elements, pictures, art, design, music, color, and décor to create an overall feeling and mood 
• With Max’s experience in interior design and production, we can take your fantasies and dreams and make them real for your special day.   

Production & Music

Have you ever been to wedding where you were not able to hear the vows, or the Officiant?  Your guests will hear you loudly and clearly – we even have an in-house Sound and Light Production Manager, Bob Dooney. This is often an overlooked aspect of the coordinating process.  We think it is critical to your day.

• State-of-the-Art sound equipment to ensure that you will be heard.  
• State-of-the-Art lighting at the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception so that you will be seen!  This is also an important element of ambiance. 
• Coordinate with the photographer and videographer so that they will get the shots desired without interfering with the experience of the guests 
• Work with the couple in selecting processional, recessional, bridal party announcement, and first dance songs, along with any other song list requirements.
• Verify that ceremony musicians have the correct music for guest arrival, family seating, processional and recessional musical selections  
  Attend performances by any band or artist that will be considered for your event

• Sound and Light Production Manager will assess the quality of the sound equipment being used by the bands or musicians hired to ensure that they are up to our quality standards for sound.  

Style

• Complete Wedding Day Style Recommendations 
• If requested, one or more members of our creative team will accompany the bride for gown selection appointments, even out of town.  (*Two included in fee; there may be additional fees if more visits are required with air travel involved.) 
• Kevyn Emanuele, our Style Consultant, will work to bring the bride’s vision for the overall makeup artistry and hair for the wedding. 
• We will assist in the overall look of the formality of the wedding party, the Mother of the Bride and Mother of the Groom, and any other needs involving the fashion of the day. 
• Assist the Bride in determining rehearsal outfit, if there will be a second gown for the reception, or a going away outfit. 
• Advice on accessorizing for the Bride and Bridal Party available as well

Bridal Party Support 

• A phone meeting with the Maid of Honor, as well as one with the Best Man. Responsibilities of the position are reviewed, and any special requests of the bride or groom relating to the showers or Bachelor/Bachelorette parties are relayed tactfully.  
• Verify that Bridesmaid gowns are ordered by the deadline. 
• Verify that measurements are taken and tuxedos are ordered by the deadline.
• If desired, will assist with Bachelor and Bachelorette parties, and any showers planned. 
• Emergency Kits for Bridesmaids at Rehearsal and Day of the Wedding. 
• Daily communication via email messages to all Bridal Party members the full week before the wedding, and phone calls as needed 
• Make certain that everyone scheduled to give toasts, or blessings are cued and prepared

the Extras

• Negotiate with local hotels of your choice for a block of rooms and a special wedding rate 
• Assist with planning for events the day before and the day of the wedding for out of town guests.  
• Schedule limousines for any guests that need service 
• Assistance with Creative Welcome Gift Basket for Out of Town Guests
• Assistance with Day After Breakfast or Brunch  
• Decorate the Honeymoon Suite on Your Wedding Night if venue is within reasonable radius

the Rehearsal

• Oversee and run the rehearsal of the ceremony (as needed by the Officiant, or in the event the Officiant is unable to attend) 
• Refine and confirm the schedule for the ceremony 
• Finalize detailed outline of the Schedule for the ceremony 
• Line up the bridal party at Bride’s request 
• Confirmation Site inspection of the ceremony venue after rehearsal 
• Review seating responsibilities with ushers 
• Make note of any absent bridal party members and schedule to review with them prior to wedding

Day of the Wedding Services

We could write an exhaustive list of all the things we do on the day of the wedding.  Suffice to say that we do it all – from parking for the vendors to making sure no one drives impaired to making sure the dance floor is full.

• Site Manager 
• Vendor Manager 
• Schedule Manager 
• Bridal Party Support 
• Quality Control 
• Guest Greeter and Resource 
• Design Supervisor 
• Security Liaison 
• Emergency First Responder! 
• Atmosphere Monitor 
• Bride, Groom, and Parents Right Hand! 

Essentially, the first to arrive, the last to leave, and the point person for the entire day.

This is a basic outline of the services included in the Ultimate Wedding Package.  Of course, we tailor each bridal consulting package to the specifications and production needs of each and evey bride.  There may be more, there may be less.  

Your engagement is a once in a lifetime experience.  At An Amazing Affair, we will focus on making the entire engagement period, as well as the wedding event itself, a wonderful time to remember for you and your family.  We strive to take your visions and dreams and turn them into reality for your own unique occasion.  With our Ultimate Wedding Package, you can rest assured that we will handle every detail of your event and experience.  We will be there with you each step of the way from sketching of the preliminary ideas to the day of coordination to the champagne waiting in the Honeymoon Suite.

Contact us for pricing, and for even more details!  Email me at bridgetanndooney@anamazingaffair.com to start turning your dreams into reality.