Collection of 2015 Professional Moments

Hi Friends, Family, Clients, Creative Partners, and Internet Peeps,

I have been missing blogging on here so much.  Please forgive me.  I hope to continue consistently blogging more in 2016 ~ who needs sleep right? In all seriousness it was a whirlwind of a year.  I hope to slow the train in this coming year, and really focus on doing less, but doing better, ya feel me?

 It was a BIG promotional year for J.Starr Stylized Weddings...which did amazing things for my business, that I'm incredibly grateful for.  However, this upcoming year is already filled with MORE bookings, therefore I'll be doing less promotional projects, AMEN.

Before I let this new year start....I did want to take a quick moment to reflect on all of the amazing celebrations that happened this year....(note, some are professional photos some as candids as I'm awaiting the professional ones to come in)


2015's Professional Moments:


Styled Phoenix Bride & Groom Magazine Bridal Booth

Styled/Coordinated the Grayhawk Cover Shoot for Arizona's Finest Wedding Sites Magazine

Styled/Coordinated the San Marcos Cover Shoot for Arizona's Finest Wedding Sites Magazine

Assisted Fellow Wedding Planners and Venues with a total 5 Weddings

Styled/Coordinated the Arizona Biltmore Cover + 4 Page Editorial Shoot for Arizona's Finest Wedding Sites Magazine

 
J.Starr Styled Wedding for: Lacey & Jarred

Styled/Coordinated the Chateau Luxe Venue Styled Photo Shoot

Launched New Website

 

Styled/Coordinated 3 Covers for Phoenix Bride & Groom's 15 Year Anniversary Magazine

J.Starr Styled Wedding for Ashley & Brian

 
Styled/Coordinated: Phoenix Bride & Groom Magazine Summer Bridal Booth

Styled/Coordinated:Seville Golf & Country Club Summer Bridal Booth

Served as Co Chair NACE Gala

Served as Event Chair for WIPA Summer Event

J.Starr Styled Wedding for Amanda & Nate

J.Starr Styled Wedding for Taylor & Justin

J.Starr Styled "Great Gatsby Styled" Bridal Shower for Marissa

J.Starr Styled Wedding for Cassy & Vincente

J.Starr Styled Wedding for Marissa & Michael

 

 

J.Starr Styled Wedding for Maryrose & Peter

And those my friends were just the professional "highlights"...I also mixed in many networking events, client meetings, vendor meetings, bridal open houses, was a vendor at the I.DO. Wedding Charity Auction, was the Featured Winter Designer for Classic Party Rentals Display Room, and was named "Style Editor" for Arizona's Finest Wedding Sites and Services Magazine Blog. 


In all honesty, creating this post has made me want to take a nap...wow, for like a long time. 

I'm slightly in shock that this was the year that I lived.. growing babies and growing a business. It was a wild and crazy ride, but I'm so thankful for all the many opportunities, amazing clients and creative partners I got to work with this year.  This just goes to show with the support of family and friends, many things are possible. 

I'm also excited to share at this point in time, I'm 60% of my booking goal for next year.  That means I'm only accepting a small handful of additional clients for the 2016 fall season!  There was honestly a time not that long ago that I worried I would never book a client, thankfully I didn't listen to my inner critic.

At last, but certainly not least.  I don't want this year to end without giving a big shout out, a hug and kiss to my biggest supporter, my best friend, my husband Justin.  Justin you are my "rock steady" I love you more than you'll ever know.  Cheers to an even better year ahead. 


Happy New Year Friends, thank you for allowing me to share my world with you. 

Confessions of a Wedding Planner, Vol. 1

Confessions of a Wedding Planner ...

(Photo By Still Life Studios, Floral by Flower Bar, Linens by Southwick Linens)

Rewind to nearly 9 years ago… to the day I was in charge of running my very first wedding ceremony.   I had been working at a private golf club and had been recently promoted to the Private Events Department as an Assistant!  We had two weddings on property that day; they were just about 30 minutes apart from each other, however, on different sides of the venue.

This was my time to shine as I took on my own wedding ceremony. Everything was up to me this time.     To say “I was nervous,” is a complete understatement! However, there was a slight ease of pressure knowing that it was a vow renewal rather than a first time ceremony.  The couple was older, much more relaxed, and much easier going than, say, a first time bride and groom. 

I was so proud of myself; I had my checklists checked and completed, I had all of the guests seated… Everything was going perfectly.  There was only one issue… This particular client wanted to be brought in with her husband (remember: it was a vow renewal ceremony) by golf cart to the far off side of the ceremony.  This took quite the extra shuffling on my part because it required me to get all of the attendants down the aisle and then run (behind the scenes, I might add) around the building to where my couple was stationed in the golf cart and then drive them up to the ceremony site.

But I knew I could do it. I’ve got this thing, I told myself.  Well it turns out I was so focused on my shuffling that I forgot to check for one very critical component to a ceremony (…wait for it!)

So there I was, so relieved that all was going according to plan, everything was going so smoothly. I was driving the golf cart, slowly creeping up on the ceremony site, and awaiting the last bridesmaid to take her spot before pulling up with the bride & groom when all of sudden my bride says to me… “I don’t see the minister…” 

My heart stopped, my stomach dropped… I didn’t see the minister either.  As a matter of fact, I had never seen the minister. We had never even had so much as a conversation, and I had no clue if he was even on site (rookie mistake, a BIG rookie mistake.)  I quickly searched the grounds and, nope, no minister! That’s when I remembered there was another ceremony that had just finished on the other side of the venue.  Keep in mind; all of the guests are still awaiting the bride & groom to make their way down the aisle.  And worse, I had already sent the entire party down the aisle and they were all standing up there waiting.  They were waiting for what seemed like an eternity to me.

At that point, I had made contact with my coworker (the lovely, Erin Rohr) and she remained incredibly calm, collected, and reassuring (an absolute MUST as a planner). Together, we located the other minister on property who had just finished the previous ceremony. We threw him, somewhat forcefully, into the golf cart; poor guy!  He agreed to perform the ceremony… although he fudged a little on the names! (To which the bride & groom laughed hysterically at, thank god!)

Long story short, I survived, and I’ve NEVER made that same mistake again (knock on wood!).  After that incident, I became a watch dog on ministers. I make sure they check in and out with me before they so much as use the restroom. (I’m kidding… Kind of.) 

Minister, What Minister?