Black Tie Events ~ Wedding Coordination

2011-02-14T05:09:00.000-08:00

Indianapolis, Indiana – February 14, 2011} - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce Black Tie Events has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding Planning and Management!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Black Tie Events stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Black Tie Events for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that Black Tie Events is among the very best in Wedding Planning and Management within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011.

For more information on the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011, please visit http://www.weddingwire.com/.

Warm Wishes,
Sara & Lisa

Dream Weddings ~ Sara & Brent

2010-08-21T07:05:00.000-07:00

Totally in love…those are the first words that come to mind when describing Sara and Brent! Every single time I met with them, you could see how much they loved each other and how excited they were for their wedding day to arrive! They had a perfect day surrounded by all of their family and friends at the beautiful Westin hotel in downtown Indianapolis. Guests were greeted at their ceremony by breathtaking floral designs from Kathy’s Kloset and the wonderful live sounds of The Village Trio. After they were pronounced husband and wife, everyone moved into the reception room. From the flowers to the uplighting, everything was stunning and the gorgeous wedding cake by Classic Cakes added the perfect centerpiece to the dance floor. Sara and Brent’s special day was perfectly captured by the amazing Cindy Wagner of Wagner Photographics and John and Jennifer Moon with Northernlight Filmworks. Special thanks to Cindy Wagner for referring this fabulous couple to us because it was truly a pleasure to work with them! To Sara and Brent, we wish you many years of happiness and love! Thank you for sharing your special day with us!

Warm Wishes,
Sara & Lisa

Ask the BTE Wedding Expert...

2010-07-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

I am getting married in three months and I’m unfortunately dealing with a situation that I never thought I would have to handle. My fiancé and I were very careful about selecting our wedding party and only chose close people to us. My maid of honor has been my best friend since we were in middle school, so it was obvious to me that she should have that honor. At first, everything was great. She attended every meeting or wedding outing that was planned and I even bragged about how she deserved an award for the best MOH ever! However, it all went downhill for some reason. She completely missed the last fitting, she has made no effort to plan my shower or bachelorette party and now I can barely get a call back! I don’t want to fire her because I still love her, but I don’t know what else to do! What should I do? – Stressed-Out Bride, Jackie (Plainfield, IN)
Hi Jackie! Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! Thank you for taking the time to write us with your question and I hope that we can help!

I am sorry to hear that you are dealing with an issue such as this when you are preparing for one of the biggest days of your life. It is never easy when we feel we have been let down by someone that we love, but it happens in life sometimes. Weddings can be very stressful anyway and the last thing anyone ever wants to deal with is a rift in the bridal party because it just piles on more stress.

My advice is this…talk to her and then go from there. I know it sounds like a simple answer, but until you find out why she has suddenly stopped being the backbone of your planning support team, you can’t make an informed decision. Let her know how you have been feeling and ask her if there is something she is upset about that you are aware of between the two of you. You have obviously been friends for a long time and it sounds like you want to continue the friendship, but you just need her to step up to the plate and be the kind of MOH you need. Remind her that you are upset but still love her and you would do the same for her when her time comes, and be clear as to what you expect from her. I am a firm believer that most things can be worked out if you just can get the dialog going between each other and be honest about your feelings.

Once you talk to her and find out the reason, if it is just a matter of not having enough time to hold that position in your wedding, then you might want to consider asking her to participate instead as a bridesmaid. Simply explain to her that you feel that the best decision for everyone involved would be for her to move to a bridesmaid and allow someone else with less time restrictions to step in, but reassure her that you still want her to be part of your special day. Sometimes people don’t mean to let us down, but life for them has just become too hectic at that time.

However, if she doesn’t seem to care that you are upset when you talk or things continue to go the way that they are, you might be left with a very hard decision on your hands. The bottom line is that this day is about you and your fiancé and nobody has the right to intrude on that. If you don’t feel like she cares about your feelings, then maybe it is time to look for a replacement, especially since time is a factor with you getting married in three months! You have to look at it like this, do you really want someone there on your wedding day that doesn’t genuinely want to be there and participate? Of course not! You deserve to have your day filled with nothing but love, encouragement and support from the people you are surrounded by as you start your new journey in life. Unfortunately in life we are faced with situations that we never thought possible, but you have to weigh it out and see if it’s better to work it out or cut your losses and move on.

I really hope that you and your MOH will be able to work everything out, not only for your wedding, but also for the sake of what is obviously a long-time friendship. Try the open and honest approach first, but in the end do what is best for you both and will cause you the least amount of stress over the final months of planning. You might be surprised how much can be worked out! Thank you again for taking the time to write and I hope that this helped guide you a little with your next steps in making your decision!

Warm Wishes,
Sara & Lisa

The Fountains Bridal Show

2010-05-17T05:02:00.000-07:00

Please join us at

The Fountains Bridal Show

presented by

Your Wedding Indianapolis Magazine

Sunday, May 23rd, 2010
12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Fountains Banquet Center
502 East Carmel Drive
Carmel, Indiana
46032

*Register to win a FREE WEDDING!!!

Dream Weddings~Jessica & David

2010-04-28T11:39:00.000-07:00

The first time I met with Jessica and David, it was very easy to see that they were both very excited to become husband and wife. It was clear how much love they had for one another and they were ready to make it official! When their special day arrived, Jessica was breath-taking and David couldn't wait to make her his wife! The happy couple exchanged vows of marriage with the love and support of their closest family and friends at Zion Evangelical United Church of Christ in Downtown Indianapolis. After the ceremony, everyone moved over to The Rathskeller, also in Downtown Indianapolis, where they were surrounded by thousands of twinkling lights, gorgeous candlelight and beautiful colorful centerpieces. After dinner, Scott Stars with J Ryan Entertainment kept guests dancing and having a blast all through night. Megan Gregory of M.E.G. Photography beautifully captured every moment of Jessica and David’s special day. Congratulations to Jessica and David! Thank you so much for sharing your wedding day with us!

Warm Wishes,
Sara & Lisa

Ask the BTE Wedding Expert...

2010-03-09T13:04:00.000-08:00

My fiancé and I have seen eye-to-eye on almost every part of our wedding planning, except in one area--the bar! He strongly feels we should have an open bar, but since we are mainly paying for the wedding ourselves, with a little bit of help from our families, I would like to save some money where we can. I would just like to know what other options there might be for the bar and if you have any suggestions to help us save money in that area. What should I do? Please HELP! Thank you!

Samantha (Greenwood)
Hi Samantha! Congratulations on your upcoming wedding and I am glad you decided to write us.

I want to commend you on the fact that this is the first area of your wedding planning that you haven’t been able to agree on, because that means that your planning has gone pretty smooth so far. So, KUDOS to you and your fiancé! No worries…we are here to help you figure it all out!

You can obviously have a full open bar, but you can even cut down your cost for that as well. Opting to have a full open bar with “call” or "house" liquor brands as opposed to “premium” liquor brands, will save you several dollars per guest and no one will be the wiser. This way, you still have the open bar, but can cut down on some of the cost of top-shelf liquor. Most venues have great alcohol packages, which can often save you money in the long run, when you have a large amount of your guests who will drink liquor.

Another option you have, is to have a more restricted bar of only beer and wine, and you can even add a specialty drink or two. This is also a great way to make the wedding more personal about you both as a couple. You can select your favorite wine, or a signature drink, that is special to you; maybe from somewhere you have traveled together or a fond memory of a special date. If you decide to go this route, I do suggest selecting a beer that you feel most of your guests will like, because not everyone will drink wine or the signature drink, and that way everyone is happy.

You do have the option of having a “consumption” bar where you pay for what the guests actually drink. I will ONLY suggest this option if you are sure that most of the people on your guest list do not drink very much alcohol. The only problem with this option is if your guests end up drinking more than you originally thought, then you could end up with a hefty bar tab at the end of the night and you might have saved more money with a package since you only pay a flat fee per guest with a package.

If you are having a reception where the majority of your guests are not drinkers, you can also consider having only wine with dinner. You can pick your favorite one or two wines, and put a few bottles on each table to be opened during dinner for everyone to enjoy.

Also, a few things to remember: Early weddings and Sunday weddings tend to have less drinking during them, while receptions that run late into the evening usually means that more of your guests will let loose and possibly drink more. With an early or Sunday wedding, your guests may only have on average 1-2 drinks, but on a Friday or Saturday evening wedding your guests on average may consume 3-4 drinks. Be sure to consider your budget, the type of wedding you are having and the time of day your wedding is occurring, as well as your guest list before you make a final decision about what type of bar to have at your wedding reception.

Good luck with your decision and we wish you the best as you begin your new life together!

Warm Wishes,
Sara & Lisa

Dream Weddings~Letitia & Ryan

2010-03-02T12:04:00.000-08:00

Planning weddings everyday for wonderful couple’s is the greatest career in the world, but when the couple also happens to be long-time friends, it is even more special for our team. When Letitia and Ryan got engaged we were thrilled for them! Letitia made one of her first official wedding decisons selecting Black Tie Events to help them plan their wedding and we were very touched. Plus…we had so much fun planning with them! After a year of planning, their wedding day arrived and Ryan couldn’t take his eyes off of his gorgeous bride! She was stunning and they both looked so completely in love! They exchanged vows of marriage in their home church, Calvary United Methodist in Brownsburg, Indiana, with the loving support of their family and friends. Once the ceremony was complete, guests moved to Prestwick Country Club in Avon, Indiana to celebrate the couple’s union. Their guests enjoyed wonderful live music by the band, Generation Gap, while the couple danced under a canopy of white lights. And when it was time to relax and cut loose, the band had almost every single guest on the dance floor! Megan King from Megelaine Images perfectly captured every moment of Letitia and Ryan’s special day. Fabulous shots Megan!! Thank you so much to the vendors for helping to make this an incredible day for Letitia and Ryan! Thank you especially to Letitia and Ryan for letting Black Tie Events be part of your wedding day because it was an honor! We know you have a lot of love and happiness ahead of you as a married couple!

Warm Wedding Wishes,

Sara & Lisa

Proud Winner of the 2010 Bride's Choice Award! (Press Release)

2010-02-09T11:06:00.000-08:00

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced Black Tie Events has been selected to receive the WeddingWire 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards™ for Wedding Planning!

The annual Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and celebrates excellence in quality and service within the wedding industry, as determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 500,000 newlyweds.

Black Tie Events is among the top five percent of all vendors in the WeddingWire community, which includes over 100,000 wedding professionals across the US and Canada. Awards were given to winners across 19 different service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers.

“We are excited to recognize and honor the success of the top wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “The annual Bride’s Choice Awards program has given us the unique opportunity to highlight the best wedding professionals in each region as reviewed by brides and grooms who have utilized their services in the past year.”

We are happy to announce that Black Tie Events is among the very best companies for Wedding Planning within the WeddingWire Network, which includes WeddingWire, Best City Weddings and Martha Stewart Weddings. We would like to thank our past newlyweds for nominating us for the 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards.

For more information, please visit our website at http://www.indyblacktie.com/ or our WeddingWire Storefront today at WeddingWire.com.

We would like to thank our past newlyweds for nominating us for the 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards!

Warm Wishes,
Sara & Lisa

*Please join us for Wedding Planning 101 on Saturday, February 20th!

2010-01-25T08:20:00.000-08:00

Presents

Wedding Planning 101!

Did you get engaged over the holidays and don't know how or where to start planning your wedding? Or have you already started planning, but still seek ideas, resources and vendors that can help make your wedding dreams come true?

Come ready to learn the "I Do's and I Don'ts" of wedding planning at Wedding Planning 101 and get all your questions answered by knowledgeable wedding vendors willing to help. No high-pressure sales, only vendors offering rescources and information.

Bring your wedding party, friends and family! And don't forget your planner and calendar for those special notes and appointments you will want to make!

Event Includes:

- Free gift for EVERY Bride!

- Fashion Show

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- Amazing Door Prizes

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- Chocolate Fountain

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AND...SO MUCH MORE!!

Click here for more information and to pre-register: Wedding Planning 101

*Pre-register for this fabulous event and your $25.00 fee will be waived!!!

We hope to see you there!

Warm Wedding Wishes,
Sara & Lisa

Ask the BTE Wedding Expert...

2009-12-28T14:45:00.000-08:00

My fiancé and I recently decided that our reception will be for adults only and children will not be invited. We made this decision because our reception will run until midnight, which is very late for kids, plus we needed to take a little out of our wedding expenses and this was an area where we could cut back. I am not for sure how common this request is, so how do I let my guests know that children are not invited without offending anyone? ~Amy (Noblesville)

Hi Amy! Congratulations on your engagement and upcoming wedding!

A reception where the guest list consists of only adults is actually becoming more popular than you may think. Many couple’s have started requesting that wedding guests not bring their children for some of the exact reasons that you and your fiancé made that decision.

The best way to handle this is to start making your guests aware now. Let the people closest to you, like family, friends and wedding party, know the type of event you wish to have and ask them to put the word out if they talk to any of your guests. This will save you a lot of headache over everyone being surprised because most of your guests will have already heard about the type of reception you are having before the formal invitation even arrives. Also, if you have created a wedding website, make sure you include that the reception is only for adults when you list all of the wedding information. You can even write an explanation about why you and your fiancé came to this decision if you would like.

As far as the wording on your invitations, you really only have two options. You can say “Adult Reception” or “Adults Only Reception” on the invitation. Putting “No Children” or “No Kids” on the invitation is NEVER acceptable and considered poor etiquette.

However, if your guests still have some concerns about your wedding reception, just explain your reasons and be honest with them. Most parents will probably appreciate a “date night” since your wedding will run late into the evening. And who doesn’t understand about financial cutbacks these days?

In the end, you have to do what makes you and your soon-to-be-hubby happy and comfortable. Just be prepared that you may have a guest that decides to bring their child regardless of your wishes and in that case you will have to grin and bare it a little, because it’s not worth ruining your big day.

We hope that this has answered your question and helped to make your planning process easier! Best wishes and thank you for your submitting your question, Amy!

Warm Wedding Wishes,
Sara & Lisa

Dream Weddings~Michelle and Adam

2009-12-21T05:31:00.000-08:00

Michelle and Adam are the type of couple that makes you feel happy and warm when you are in their presence. From the moment we met this couple, I don’t think we ever saw either one of them without a smile and because of their bubbly personalities, they wanted a wedding that truly expressed who they are as a couple. They fell in love with their wedding location even before they were engaged and they never had a single doubt about their venue decision. The couple chose to travel down with their closest family and friends to Brown County State Park and exchange marriage vows in the tree-lined woods of the Abe Martin Amphitheater. The beautiful ceremony music by Deb Shebish and her husband of Wedding Music Indiana, added a very elegant touch to their ceremony. The brightly colored bouquets were the amazing work of Angela Jacobson at The Painted Daisy and made everything really POP! After a gorgeous outdoor ceremony, guests settled into the Abe Martin Lodge for a fun-filled reception where every detail had a personal touch about the couple. The reception had a warm fall feel and everything was decorated in burnt orange and hot pink with adorable pumpkin and gerbera daisy accents. Even the room had the aroma of spiced pumpkin in the air! The beautiful wedding cake by Kristie at Icing On The Cake was lined with gerbera daisies, roses and butterflies and surrounded by flickering votives. The guests enjoyed wonderful food and great music, and were chanting at the end of the night for Mike of Michael Krug’s Windsong Entertainment to play one more song! Every moment of Michelle and Adam’s special day was captured through the incredible photography and videography work of Tabitha and Armondo of Astra Creative. Thank you to everyone who assisted with Michelle and Adam’s wedding, and especially to the newlywed couple for allowing us to share in your day!

Warm Wedding Wishes,

Sara & Lisa

*Professional photos from Astra Creative coming soon!

Do you have a wedding question or topic? Ask the BTE Wedding Expert!

2009-12-19T06:14:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had a planning question that you wish you could ask a wedding professional? Well, Black Tie Events is excited to make that possible for you through the "Ask the BTE Wedding Expert" section of our blog! Since our blog is devoted to giving couples professional guidance, we figured the best way to assist you, would be to take some of the topics directly from you. If you have a question or topic that you would like for us to discuss, please don’t hesitate to contact us by email at blacktie@IndyBlackTie.com!

Please be sure to put "Ask the BTE Wedding Expert" in the subject line. We look forward to hearing from you!

Warm Wedding Wishes,

Sara & Lisa

Dream Weddings~Ashley and James

2009-12-19T05:28:00.000-08:00

I received a phone call many months ago from a wonderful mother of the bride, saying that her gorgeous daughter was marrying an amazing man and she was looking for a wedding coordinator to help her plan their dream wedding! When I met with Ashley and James, I quickly realized what an amazing dynamic that they had to their relationship and what an honor it was going to be for Black Tie Events to share this special day with them and their family. The bride knew exactly what her vision was for the day and we went to work to make it happen! After months of planning, the BIG DAY finally arrived and to say that Ashley was radiant, is an understatement and I know that James would agree! The couple chose their home church, Park Chapel Christian Church in Greenfield, to exchange vows of marriage while surrounded by over 200 of their closest family and friends to support their union. After the ceremony, guests moved to the Indianapolis Zoo Dolphin Gallery for a fun-filled evening of dinner and dancing. The room was STUNNING!! The very talented Angela Jacobson, owner of The Painted Daisy, provided the breath-taking floral decor. Stephanie Smith of Executive Creations designed all of the beautiful stationary needs for the wedding. We decided to drape the poles with gorgeous white fabric from Dale and Judy Brewer of DB Event Designs with yellow uplighting. DJ Brian Whitis did an amazing job of keeping the crowd on the dance floor and the guests were begging for more songs when the party ended at midnight! Go Brian!! Lauren and Robbie, owners of OpenField Photography, beautifully captured every single moment of the day. Thank you to Ashley and James for letting Black Tie Events participate in the planning of your beautiful wedding, but beyond that, thank you for letting us share in your special day! It was an honor! You and your families will always hold a special place in our hearts! To the vendors, you are ALL spectacular and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping us to make this a flawless wedding!

Warm Wedding Wishes,

Sara & Lisa

We're Engaged! Now What?

2009-12-16T05:30:00.000-08:00

You're engaged…CONGRATULATIONS!! This is a very exciting time in your life, but newly engaged couples often are not for sure what their next few steps should be to get the wedding planning process started. We compiled this list to assist you and your fiancé with the beginning steps to get you going in the right direction.

1. Enjoy the process! Your lives are about to take a journey that you will never do again, so have fun and savor the planning process. Show off your ring, look through bridal magazines, try on dresses, have lunches with your bridesmaids and enjoy all of the fun events that will happen while you are planning your big day!

2. Tell your family and friends the big news! Decide how you both want to go about telling everyone and then begin with the people closest to you. Usually couples tell any children they have first, if there are any, followed by the bride and groom’s parents, grandparents, siblings, other relatives and close friends. Couples usually make the announcement to these family and friends in a more personal manner such as in person or over the phone, depending on distance.

3. Tell the rest of the world the big news! Couple’s have a few options when deciding how they want to let everyone else know about their upcoming nuptials. You can put the announcement of your engagement in the newspaper and/or send out formal announcements. Having an engagement party is another nice option that gives the most important people in your life an opportunity to get to know your soon-to-be spouse and their family better. A large percentage of couple’s have started creating a wedding website to announce their engagement and then continue to update it to keep guests informed.

4. Get the planning process started. Your first major set of wedding decisions that you will need to make as a newly engaged couple is to determine your date, wedding budget and bridal party. Sit down as a couple with your parents to decide the best date, who will contribute what amount to your wedding budget, and who will be a part of your bridal party. Also, begin researching different wedding trends and styles to see what you both like.

5. Begin interviewing wedding planners. Start a fact-finding mission to determine what planner will be right for your wedding needs. Take time to research different planners to find out their accreditations, services offered, view their previous work and read over reviews of their company. Make sure you find the planner that is best for your personality and needs because you will be spending a lot of time with them. At Black Tie Events, we firmly believe that a positive client/planner relationship is essential to a successful outcome when the big day arrives to ensure your dream is complete.

We hope that this article has helped you get started planning your unique wedding day. Best wishes as you begin your planning journey!

Warm Wedding Wishes,
Sara & Lisa

Ask the BTE Wedding Expert...

2009-12-03T12:04:00.000-08:00

When I was a young girl I asked my childhood best friend to be in my wedding, but over the many years since elementary school we grew apart and only talk from time to time. Now that I am getting married, I want a wedding party filled with all of the closest people in our lives, not one’s we only see maybe once a year. The problem is when I announced my engagement she assumed she is still in the wedding! How should I handle asking a childhood friend NOT to be in my bridal party? ~Callie(Avon)

Hi Callie! Thanks for writing and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

As young girls, most of us dream about how we foresee our wedding day; in a beautiful church, a giant five-tiered cake and a gorgeous white gown with a long train. So usually when we first think of our wedding party, we plan to include our childhood friends. However, by the time your grade school years pass, we often have lost continuous touch with those friends. Most of the time we assume that promises made as children, don’t necessarily apply as adults. But, if your childhood friend still feels like she should be in the wedding party and you are not in favor of that happening, my advice is honesty is the best policy. You really have two options when you are faced with this scenario, either you can put your friend in a less crucial wedding role or you can ask them to only attend as a guest. Invite your childhood friend out to a girl’s lunch or shopping trip where you can have some time to discuss everything in more relaxed surroundings. Explain how you and your fiancé feel about your members of your wedding party. Make sure you take the time to explain that you are not throwing her out of the wedding party, just focusing on family and friends who you are closer with at this time in your life and you would rather have her step into another role or attend as a guest, whichever you and your fiancé have decided. Just remember to keep her feelings in mind because you don’t want to lose an old friend in the process. Good luck with your decision, Callie!

Warm Wedding Wishes,
Sara & Lisa

Welcome to the Black Tie Events Blog!

2009-12-03T11:37:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Black Tie Events blog! We are very excited to launch our new blog and to be able to assist bride's better. This blog will make it easy to get planning advice, wedding trend tips, view our events and get to know the Black Tie Events planning team. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or blog topics you may have because we always enjoy assisting bride's in any way we can! Please visit our website at www.IndyBlackTie.com for more informations about our services!

Warm Wedding Wishes,
Sara and Lisa