Amanda + Kyle's Union Station Wedding

We had a wonderful time helping Amanda plan her wedding to Kyle at Union Station Indianapolis over the past year! We love working at Union Station as they offer impeccable service and a great experience for clients and their families. Amanda has great spunk and a kind heart! She was a joy to help and we will miss having her as a client! Amanda is part Phillipino so it was really fun to find ways to incorporate her heritage into their beautiful Catholic ceremony at St. John the Evangelist. Amanda also has the sweetest son Brayden who came to most of our meetings and was along for all the fun on wedding day! He kept us all laughing and enjoying every moment. He also kept Amanda and Kyle on the dance floor most of the evening! See all the pretty details below from her wedding! 

Vendors: 

 

Photographer: Conforti Photography

Planner & Designer: Plum & Poppy Weddings

Videographer: IndyVisual

Band: My Yellow Rickshaw

Florist: Accent Floral Design LLC

Cake: A Piece of Cake Greenwood

Caterer & Reception Venue: Crowne Plaza Indianapolis-Dwtn-Union Stn

Hair & Makeup: La Dolce Salon & Spa

Transportation: Aadvanced Limousines of Indianapolis  

Ceremony: St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church

Guest Blog: The Importance of Organization

We have a guest blog this week from the team at Honeyfund! See their thoughts below on the importance of organization. 

The Importance Of Organization On Your Wedding Day

The closer you get to your wedding, the more you seem to have to do. This cannot be avoided and it is not just you. You are trying to coordinate guest, vendors, deliveries, caterers, entertainment, travel arrangements, a photographer, and a bridal party to magically come together at a particular time.

Every person and every company have their own issues to deal with to ensure they are at the appointed place at the appointed time. Failure is not an option.

First things first

The number one thing you need to do is hire a wedding planner. Even if you are able to do everything yourself, you will not have time. Even wedding planners need to hire a wedding planner when they are having a wedding.

Next, you need to contact a dress supplier like Azazie. They are unique in that they will let you pay a small (really small) deposit and send bridesmaids dresses to you to try on at home.

You can save a lot of time and money taking advantage of online services. The sooner the bridesmaid dresses are out of the way, the more you can focus on you.

Set up your Honeyfund account. This is your free online bridal registry which will help you in your planning and funding of the wedding.

You do not have to have everything clear in your mind to get started. You can add items (like special honeymoon dates and candle light dinners on the beach) later when your plans are more final. But set it up early so you will not miss any opportunities.

Finally, get a business binder with clips and sections and organize every phase of the wedding. Keep all of your receipts and contracts in this binder and guard it with your life. If something goes wrong, you will need to refer back to those papers.

Assign duties

We want to stress the importance of remembering that your bridal party is made up of people you love and people who love you.

No matter the stress level, remember to be kind, thoughtful, and polite. Bridezilla might be a funny show, but it is a sure way to be lonely in real life. However, the function of a bridesmaid is to attend to the needs of the bride. While the majority of the duties fall on the maid of honor, each member of the bridal party should be willing to assist.

Whether that means mailing invitations, arranging flower donations to a nursing home after the wedding, or choosing candy for your candy buffet. Ask your bridesmaids to help you and assign them duties as they have time to help.

Being organized for your wedding is not just a good thing, it is a critical thing. The organized bride has everything she needs at hand when she needs it.

She is not searching for a stylist or a DJ at the last minute. She is not freaking out because she forgot to order champagne for the toast, and she rarely has to limp down the aisle because she did not actually try on those 5” heels before the big day.

For a less-stressful and more fun experience and for beautiful wedding photos and almost no one gets their feelings hurt due to misunderstandings, get organized.

Make sure the organization includes the honeymoon and travel. The wedding is not over until you are being carried over the threshold of your own front door.

Robyn + Nick's Wedding Video

Robyn + Nick live in NYC so helping them coordinate the details of their day from a few hundred miles away helped them to relax and enjoy the process. We were so happy they chose to come home to celebrate their love for each other with friends and family in Zionsville! Their wonderfully talented family also shoot beautiful wedding videos! We are so happy to share this beautiful Spring day from Robyn + Nick at The Barn in Zionsville! Thank you to The Siegers Photo + Video for the beautiful video! 

Jacquie + JJ Costello 6.17.17 Scottish Rite Cathedral

We loved helping Jacquie + JJ plan their wedding in just 4 short months at the Scottish Rite Cathedral! It was a whirlwind but so much fun! Jacquie's Uncle is the Vice President of United States so that added some tricky planning complications to the day. We worked with Secret Service for the first time and navigated that with few speed bumps. The groom even got a call morning of the wedding from the President which made for one surprised and happy groom! Jacquie and I worked along with her mom to plan a formal and elegant day which came together perfectly! From their fun, fast paced first dance to the great band, guests were on their feet all night! Jacquie + JJ had the sweetest families and they made for such a fun day!  See all the beautiful images below and a vendor list at the end. 

Vendors: 

Photographer: SB Childs Photography

Planner & Designer: Plum & Poppy Weddings

Videographer: Eyenamics

Florist: Pomp&Bloom

Ceremony: St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church

Reception: Scottish Rite Cathedral Events

Caterer: Thomas Caterers of Distinction

Band: Toy Factory

Cake: Heavenly Sweets Cakes

Hair: Leslie Hair and Makeup

Makeup: Danielle Laffey

Transportation: Aadvanced Limousines of Indianapolis

Ammar + Haseeba's Wedding Reception at the Scottish Rite Cathedral

We loved helping Haseeba + Ammar with the second day of their weekend long celebration! Their kind and generous family joined in the planning of this stunning day to make sure it was perfect! Ammar + Haseeba wanted a neutral palette to ensure the day felt elegant and polished.  The Scottish Rite Cathedral in downtown Indianapolis was the perfect backdrop to this stunning day! It was so fun to plan all the beautiful details you see below! It was a day full of family from near and far and lots of great food! This was the first time the caterer had ever made Pakistani food so we did extensive recipe and taste testing to ensure it turned out perfectly which it did! Thank you to all the vendors who made this day a big success! See full vendor list at the bottom.

Vendors:

Photographer: Jessica Strickland Photography

Planner & Designer: Plum & Poppy Weddings

Venue: Scottish Rite Cathedral

Caterer: Thomas Caterers of Distinction

Videographer: Indy Visual

Hair & Makeup: Karen Hall & Co

Cake: Confectioneiress

DJ: Naveen Productions

Florist: McNamara

Lighting: NBE Event Group

Ammar + Haseeba's Mehndi at the Ritz Charles

We loved helping Ammar + Haseeba plan their fun two day affair! Ammar comes from a large Pakistani family that lives locally and they made me feel like family as I helped them plan their wedding! It was such an honor to be along for their journey. We had just a few short months to pull everything together so we had many meetings in a short time frame to keep things on track. On wedding day their non-traditional style led to a vibrant party that kept guests dancing till the end. Friday started at the Ritz Charles Garden Pavilion in Carmel, IN with fun and colorful flair! See some stunning pictures below as well as a vendor list.

Vendors:

Photographer: Jessica Strickland Photography

Planner & Designer: Plum & Poppy Weddings

Videographer: Indy Visual

Hair & Makeup: Karen Hall & Co

Decor: Atmosphere's Indy

DJ: Naveen Productions

Venue: Ritz Charles Garden Pavilion

Colleen + Matt's Wedding Published on Borrowed & Blue

We loved helping Colleen + Matt coordinate every detail of their Spring wedding at the Omni Severin Hotel in Indianapolis! Colleen was one of our brides who knew she wanted a coordinator well in advance. She was detail oriented and has impeccable taste! This all lead to a beautiful wedding day that ran flawlessly and ahead of schedule (we loved when brides get excited like we do about being ahead of schedule)! We're thrilled to now see it published on Borrowed & Blue! See all the beautiful soft, feminine, and Chicago Cub loving details here! 

Vendors: 

Photographer: Jennifer Van Elk Photography

Coordination: Plum & Poppy Weddings

Ceremony: St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church

Videographer: Toast Wedding Films

Reception: Omni Severin Hotel

Cake: Heavenly Sweets

Florist: Violets Are Blue

Transportation: Indy Trolley

Photo Booth: Freeze Framez

Invitations: Jupiter & Juno

Getting To Know The Team: Sarah

We want to share a bit more about each of the planners within our company so our clients can get a better sense of each of our personalities. We're going to start with our owner Sarah Bennett. Find out a bit more about her below!

I rarely remember to get pictures at weddings with our amazing clients but below are a few favorites that some great photographers helped capture over the years.

·      Tell us a little about you.

I’m born and raised in Indiana. I am a married to a wonderful man named Nate. I have two kids Lily & Scarlett and a cute little cat named Nuni.

·      What’s your go to coffee order?

I am usually a black coffee drinker. Iced or hot just depending on the day.

·      What’s your favorite part about being a wedding planner?

I love helping people. I always am most satisfied when we have truly helped remove a burden for our clients and they have been able to find joy in planning their wedding instead of stress.

·      What’s your favorite place to travel?

Southern Italy. I’d pick up and go any day if I could! I love the relaxing pace of life there. You move from coffee to pizza, walks around the small towns finished with wine and gelato. It’s perfection!

·      What’s your favorite part of a wedding day?

I love the moment when couples walk back down the aisle after getting married. The pure joy on their faces is something truly magical! It’s a joy to see.

·      What’s your favorite place to have dinner out in Indianapolis?

I love Napolese pizza so much! I could eat it probably every day. It’s my go to for lunch or dinner out. A new favorite is Good Omen in Zionsville.

·      What’s your best advice to couples on their wedding day?

To try your best to soak it in. It goes by so fast, so try to really be present in those special moments.

·      What’s your favorite memory from your own wedding?

We had a small wedding at our favorite place, Lake Wawasee. Soaking in the magical day with our closest family and friends surrounded by lots of flowers was my perfect day!

Jacquie + JJ's Blog Post from SB Child's Photography

We loved helping Jacquie + JJ plan their beautiful Summer wedding in just four short months in downtown Indianapolis! Jacquie + JJ's big day presented us with some unique security concerns that we had never dealt with before but we always love the opportunity to learn! The day was unlike any other but full of so much love and so many warm hugs from this fantastic family! We're thrilled to relive it all over again on SB Child's blog! See all the dreamy images here! Thank you Eyenamics, Thomas Caterers of Distinction, Scottish Rite Cathedral, St. John's Catholic Church, Pomp & Bloom, Leslie White Hair & Makeup, Advanced Limousines, and Bella Bridesmaids! 

Paige + Matt June 17, 2017 D'Amore Wedding

We LOVED helping Paige + Matt with their wedding at D'Amore! It was a beautiful Summer day with stunning city views from high atop Indianapolis on the 48th floor of the Salesforce Tower! Paige & Matt were one of our many couples this year who live in California full time. This always present a bit of fun in scheduling phone calls with a 3 hour time difference but we know we can bring these couples so much peace of mind while they plan things from far away. We love that they chose to come back to their family in Indianapolis to have their most special day! See their stunning images below from Gabrielle Cheikh Photography! Full vendor list below.

Vendors: 

Photographer: Gabrielle Cheikh Photography

Coordinator: Plum & Poppy Weddings

Venue: D'Amore Events of Indianapolis

Band: Standing Room Only

Caterer: Thomas Caterers of Distinction

Florist: cs accoutrements llc

Staci + Nate April 8, 2017 Wedding at Le Meridien

We loved helping coordinate Staci + Nate's beautiful and intimate wedding at Le Meridien Indianapolis! Le Meridien offers one of the most personal and unique wedding experiences in Indianapolis. Quite literally everything can be personalized with them which makes the day all about the couple which we love! See their fun and perfectly personal images below from Nicole Speer Photography!

Vendors: 

 

Photographer: Nicole Speer Photography

Coordinator: Plum & Poppy Weddings

Venue: Le Meridien Indianapolis

Florist: Wild Heart Blooms

Dress: LUXEredux Bridal

Cake: Classic Cakes

Hair & Makeup: Karen Hall & Co

Diem + Tyler July 2, 2017 Union Station Wedding

We had the best time working with Diem and her family to coordinate her Scottish Rite & Union Station wedding in Indianapolis! She was very detail oriented which we LOVE! Diem was one of our brides who books coordination a year in advance because she and her mom knew they wanted the peace of mind of having a coordinator! We loved helping bring them that peace of mind on Diem and Tyler's big day! Diem wore a killer dress and stunned us all day long with her beauty and generous spirit. You can see all the beautiful details and vendor list below.

Vendors: 

Photographer: Conforti Photography

Coordinator: Plum & Poppy Weddings

Hair & Makeup: Something Blue Stylists

Florist: Accent Floral Design LLC

Ceremony: Scottish Rite Cathedral Events

Reception: Crowne Plaza Indianapolis-Dwtn-Union Stn

Dress: Marie Gabriel Couture Bridal

Cake: Classic Cakes

DJ: Event One DJs

Videographer: MK Wedding Story

Transportation: Aadvanced Limousines of Indianapolis

Wedding Day Magazine Cover Shoot

We LOVED putting together this fun cover shoot for Wedding Day Magazine! We had just a few short weeks to pull together this beautiful shoot. They came to us with the theme of Urban Tropics and the rest was up to us. This was such a fun and different concept for us to get to work on. It's always a challenge to push your boundaries creatively and work on a different idea. We absolutely love how it came together.   See the beautiful cover and feature below :) Thank you to the entire team who made this stunning day possible!

Natalie + Chris' Wedding June 10, 2017

We spent a little over a year helping Natalie + her sweet mom Kelli plan her dream wedding! At the end of the wedding day it was one of those times where I knew I was really going to miss this sweet family! See how stunning their day turned out below. Full vendor list at the bottom.

Vendors: 

Photographer: Conforti Photography

Planner & Designer: Plum & Poppy Weddings

Video: Unique Heart Productions

Dress: Marie Gabriel Couture Bridal

Ceremony Venue: St. John's Catholic Church

Reception Venue: Hyatt Regency Indianapolis

Hair & Makeup: Something Blue Stylists

Florist: Accent Floral Design LLC

DJ: Track 7 DJ

Cake: Classic Cakes

Our First National Magazine Cover

We are over the moon to have our first national magazine cover! See the cover and inside of the magazine article below as well as all the vendors who made this magical day possible!

Vendors:

Photographer: Conforti Photography

Planner & Designer: Plum & Poppy Weddings

Videographer: Unique Heart Productions

Florist: Accent Floral Design LLC

Wedding Gown: Marie Gabriel Couture Bridal ( Amsale)

Rehearsal Dress: Bella Bridesmaids

Invitation Designer: Jupiter and Juno

Invitation Printer: Just Invite Me {by JBDESiGN}

Wood cut outs & table #s: Just Invite Me

Linens: LGi Linens

Chair Rental: A Classic Party Rental

IN Hair: Theodora Bickers

MI Hair & Makeup: Something Blue Stylists

IN Dinner: Indy Fresh Catering

Rings: Moyer Fine Jewelers

Ring box: The Mrs. Box

IN Wedding night hotel: The Alexander

Officiate: Dan Gruber

IN Dinner Hostess/Host: Jeryl Hallett & Tom Hallett

IN Ceremony Music: Jill Pitz, Harpist

MI Ceremony Music: Brook Xiao

Groom's Tux: Ike Behar

Custom Calligraph: Katie Jones Emerson

Flatware & Candlestick holders: Violet Vintage

Reception Playlist: Jim Cerone

Hair Accessories: Hair Comes the Bride

Bridal Robe: Plum Pretty Sugar

IN Ceremony: Lincoln Park

MI Ceremony: Windermere Point

MI Reception: Chippewa Hotel Waterfront - Mackinac Island, Michigan

Lauren + Ben's Wedding May 26, 2017

We loved helping Lauren + Ben plan their beautiful wedding in just a few short months! They are two of the kindest most in love people I've ever met! It was a joy to be apart of their wedding planning and big day! See all their stunning images below as well as a list of vendors :) 

Vendors: 

Photographer: Lauren Koleff Photography

Planner & Designer: Plum & Poppy Weddings

Videographer: MK Wedding Story

Venue: Mustard Seed Gardens

Hair & Makeup: Something Blue Stylists

Florist: Accent Floral Design LLC

Caterer: Mills Catering

DJ: Event One DJs