Your Fantasy Affair Trendsetter

The Hot Seat: How to pick a Florist

2009-08-18T18:26:00.000-04:00

In The HOT Seat: Aaron Vieri, Flowers of Winter Park "Aaron, What tips would you give brides that are starting the florist search?"

When it comes to choose the flowers of your wedding day, there are various facts to consider:
Color scheme.
Are the flowers I want available in those colors?
Are they in season?
What is the expense for a peony? Rose? Hydrangea?

Let’s begin with choosing the florist for your wedding. Do your research! You usually will hear about a great florist from a friend or perhaps experienced someone’s work at a wedding you attended. Call or email the florist to set up an appointment. Once it’s time to meet with your floral designer, bring pictures, sashes, or even a color palette of the flowers you are interested in. These tips will make the meeting process easier and more fun because your florist will get an idea of what you are looking for and the idea you want to portray.
In your first meeting, make sure to ask to see photos of their previous wedding work. This will ensure the capabilities of your florist. Feel out the vibe the florist gives you. If your florist pays attention to your wants and needs, you are probably in good hands.
If your florist says your choices are no good, not available, or out of season, without giving you options; perhaps take a second look elsewhere.
Your florist should make you feel comfortable. They should aid your ideas and expand them with a professional touch. Never let a florist take over. Remember, it’s about blending your vision with theirs to create a unique event. If the flowers you seek are not in season, make sure you’re given options that can be substituted and yet create a similar look. Be realistic about your wants and needs in terms of your wedding budget. Mention to your florist you have a specific total budget and they will work it out with you. You do not need to spend an exorbitant amount of money to create the florals for your wedding as long as you are realistic. A small centerpiece can still be beautiful and create a statement.

When you do receive a proposal from your florist, ensure that you have details of everything from the flowers that will be used, colors , rental items, and that delivery/setup/strike are mentioned. This will help eliminate a miscommunication.

Once you made the decision to book your florist make sure you or your coordinator keep constant contact. If you were recommended a florist, like their work, and you click well – book them. If you wish to shop around, pick the floral designer that gives you options and a good price. A few tips from a professional:
1- Take consideration that some of your wedding colors may not have a “perfect match” in flowers. However consider creating some contrast with coordinating flower colors to mix and match.

2- If your big day is going to be outdoors in the middle of summer (you might think it is crazy bit it really happens!) make sure your florist gives you the best choices for a hot summer day. Your look should be unique, but not wilting in the heat. Select long lasting blooms.

3- Sometimes brides react with a laugh, and say, “that’s too much” or “that’s outrageous.” I’d like to provide the behind the scenes reasons why your floral budget may have you bummed. First, many brides do not take into consideration the “labor” of their project. Brides see a bouquet in the magazine and they think they’re paying for some blooms and that’s it. Unfortunately, sometimes preparation for a wedding can takes hours and even days. Take this into consideration when you see the bottom line. Perhaps ask your florist how much labor will be required to pull together your dream wedding and be understanding if you have a unique design. Most florists will also charge a delivery and setup fee to ensure the floral pieces are perfectly in place and ready for the big show. They also may be on site to accurately move ceremony décor to the reception. If you do the math, think of what you save by reusing flowers. Any florist that will not move flowers isn’t interested in your business. Many of your items are not purchased either. Rentals account for much of a centerpiece or ceremony setup. Vases, candles, accessories are things that are rented, while the flowers can be removed at the end of the evening to share with guests.

When You Wouldn't Hire A Wedding Planner....

2009-08-13T12:51:00.002-04:00

Very interesting article sent to me by the fab Jeffrey Stoner. Check it out.....

http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20090813/ST%20GEORGE/908130313

READ ALL ABOUT IT: Marine finds Love

2009-08-11T16:45:00.004-04:00

Run, don't walk, to your nearest bridal store to pick up the latest copy of Central Florida Bride! Inside, you will find a feature on fabulous couple, Jamie & Mike; married this year at the Ballroom at Church Street. Click here to read all about it on the Central Florida Bride site.

Fav Etsy Find of the Week

2009-08-08T18:56:00.006-04:00

A few months ago, I was introduced to Etsy by my creative, incredibly chic, and undeniable cute bride, Meagan (now bka Mrs. Jackson!). Ever since then, I have been engulfed in the pages of Etsy as I find more and more unusual and unique handcrafted jewels. Today I am featuring a fab Etsy find I came across. Check it out!

Serendipity Beyond Design

Newspaper Invite or STD:

Bachelorette Party Invite in Vegas:

Passport Invite:

Who said you have to be traditional?

2009-07-30T12:31:00.003-04:00

I would love to hear thoughts on this one......

Real Weddings: Jessica & Darren

2009-07-12T15:02:00.000-04:00

"From this moment" Jessica & Darren are husband and wife. We must extend a huge thank you to this wonderful couple for including us on their special day. The team at Puff n Stuff did a wonderful job, and the Ballroom at Church Street looked fabulous. ...but not nearly as fabulous as Darren's gorgeous Jessica. Boy oh boy did the Langleys & Lowes have a great time. Take a peek and see for yourself:

Photography by Brandy Burridge

Real Weddings: Ronit & Scott

2009-07-06T15:00:00.001-04:00

Keisari Silverman's Wedding Trailer from A Magic Moment on Vimeo.

Fall in love with Ronit & Scott, just as we did.

YFA Trendsetter Nominated on WeddingChannel.com

2009-06-30T10:57:00.002-04:00

The Your Fantasy Affair Trendsetter blog has been nominated for the "best blog" award by WeddingChannel.com. If you're a YFA fan, log on and give us your vote!

Style House on Small Business TV!

2009-06-29T10:28:00.003-04:00

Tune in today, and today only, to see event designer and coordinator, Sarah Pickar Sleeth, interviewed on Small Business Television!
http://www.sbtv.com/

The HOT Seat: Finding a Wedding DJ

2009-06-23T19:09:00.009-04:00

In The HOT Seat: Celebrity DJ Carl

"Hey DJ Carl, What tips would you give brides that are looking for a top notch wedding DJ?"

Planning a wedding is a lot of work and one of the most daunting tasks is securing a reputable and entertaining music source. Due to the vast number of disc jockey's serving Orlando, it can be difficult to narrow down the selection and choose the one who will provide a unique experience for your special event.

In any professional field, there are those who excel and those who act unethically; disappointing the client and ruining the event. Awareness and knowledge are the key to finding the right professional in the wedding entertainment field. It is important to do research on every DJ that you are considering. After gathering all of the necessary materials needed to make an educated purchasing decision, there are a couple of important questions you should consider asking your prospective disc jockey.

1. Meet the prospective DJ in person. A simple meeting will help in determining whether the DJ has the personality and most importantly entertaining style to manage your reception in a professional manner.

2. Ask the DJ/MC to vocalize how they would announce your wedding party introductions. Give them a couple names and have them prove to you that they can generate excitement and introduce your friends and family in an appropriate way.

3. Discuss the DJ's typical interaction with the guests. Ask them to explain how they involve your family and friends in the celebration. Ask about specific instances where they have encountered "unresponsive" wedding parties and how they revved up the energy of the party.

4. Ask the DJ how they typically work requests, dedications or special announcements into their program. Are they flexible during the reception? Think of different scenarios and have them explain their ideas and styles in working to keep the party moving smooth and effortlessly.

5. Ask about the music transitions. The DJ is vital to the flow of your reception music. A great DJ not only plays a variety of music, but the DJ should also play the right music at the right time. A great DJ can mix the music seamlessly and never allows any dead air unless someone is giving a toast or blessing.

Keep these 5 points in mind when meeting with all prospective DJs and you should feel confident in your final selection. The most important factor is that you feel comfortable and at ease while working with your DJ. Remember, it is your celebration. A professional and responsible disc jockey always respects and appreciates that and will go out of their way to help throw that perfect celebration!

photo of DJ Carl by Garrett Nudd photography

DJ Carl Williams is a highly sought after professional disc jockey and music trend specialist. He has been involved in the music industry for over fifteen years as a leading professional DJ and top Nightclub Entertainment Consultant. His extensive music industry knowledge and entertainment experience are extensive and well known in the industry. Learn more about Carl at http://www.djcarl.com/.

Introducing: The HOT Seat

2009-06-13T18:48:00.000-04:00

As Sharia and I were chatting this week, we decided that the hot summer months would be an excellent opportunity to open up our blog to our favorite vendors. We're calling these guest blog entries our "HOT Seat." A chance for us to grill our favorite vendors on their expertise in their field. We've chosen several of Florida's finest and we can't wait to hear what they have to say. Stay tuned for tips on music, videography, flowers, decor, photography, and picking the ideal location.

WHAT'S HOT: Let Them Eat Cake!

2009-05-27T12:45:00.018-04:00

You can have your cake and eat it too! When it comes to wedding cakes these days we expect the unexpected. There is pretty much nothing you can't get away with and the options are endless! From cakes adourned with flowers, cupcake towers, and individual mini cakes, the only thing that's really expected is for your cake to taste good!

Is your future hubby feeling left out? Surprise him or let him go crazy with his own groom's cake!

"Can't Help Falling In Love" with Katie & Jason

2009-05-13T09:57:00.013-04:00

May 9 brought us the wedding of Katie Brandon & Jason Farmand. Everything this couple did for the entire weekend was full of love.

Ceremony was held at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in College Park. Expert guitarist, William Colledge, played acoustic "Can't Help Falling in Love" as the bridesmaids and groomsmen entered the chapel, and switched tunes to "God Only Knows" for the bride's entrance. Aaron from Flowers of Winter Park did a fabulous job of decorating the church and reception. Reception was held at the Winter Park Civic Center. Katie and her mom, Pam Brandon, had a distinct vision for turning the civic center into a wedding reception dream. Puff n Stuff created tasting stations with such delights as Satch salad with flat breads, braised short ribs and mashed potatoes, shrimp and grits with fried green tomatoes, and a mediterannean cous cous with lamb that would knock your socks off. The family's love for food was seen everywhere, including the 5 tier masterpiece from celebrity pastry chef Erich Herbitschek of Disney's Grand Floridian. A big thanks to David Burke and his assistant John for sharing these images. David & John did a wonderful job covering Katie & Jason!

WHAT'S HOT: Textured Bouquets

2009-04-28T09:53:00.012-04:00

It seems that the days of the solid single flower bouquet are over. We're noticing a trend with personal flowers that includes mixing up colors, flowers, and textures and we love the results. Want the bold look that's outside the box? Add in things like feathers, berries, or bling to your bouquet to give extra va-va-voom!

What's HOT: Trends for your best maids!

2009-04-07T15:26:00.000-04:00

Who doesn't love bright colors for spring and summer? Why not dress your 'maids in something vivid to make your affair sizzle with the seasons? Go ahead and spring for those fuchsias, sunshine yellows, and vibrant greens!

Or if you want something a little more understated, pastel colors can also be an elegant touch to your affair.

Having trouble choosing one hue that you love? Let your girls doll up in chic black or "2009 must have" pewter, then use their bouquets and accessories to make the statement.

Pattern dresses may help eliminate the "bridesmaids-ey" look if it's not your thing, and the style is HOT HOT HOT! Your wedding can set the trends by stepping outside the box. It will also add an extra touch of fun to your photos as well.

Pick a few of your favorite colors, and let your girls add their own piece of personal flair. We're all for a little extra sass!

Your Fantasy Affair Announces: STYLE HOUSE WEDDINGS & EVENTS

2009-04-01T11:13:00.003-04:00

Look out Your Fantasy Affair fans, we're taking our company and brand to a whole new level. We feel that over the past few years, our technique and style has outgrown our name, so we are proud to introduce to Florida and the World:

Keep an eye out for our new and improved website with the Style House Weddings & Events name and logo. Same Company, Bigger Style.

YFA Wedding Featured in Destination "I Do" Magazine

2009-03-30T11:11:00.007-04:00

The long awaited feature on British footballer (soccer) star, Liam Rosenior, to Erika Quinones is finally here! Destination "I Do" Magazine did a great job on showcasing this couple and why a wedding in Central Florida can be so magical. Click the link below and read on...

PDF of Destination "I Do" Article on Erika & Liam Rosenior

Your Fantasy Affair announces: NEW OFFICES!

2009-03-30T11:05:00.002-04:00

Your Fantasy Affair is MOVING ON UP! Beginning March 30, Your Fantasy Affair will be "enjoying the view" from our new offices above Dexter's Restaurant in Winter Park. Please make a note of our new business address. We hope to have you visit soon!

558 W. New England Ave.

Suite 230

Winter Park, FL 32789

Miggie & Matt are Married with 007 Style

2009-03-26T09:15:00.014-04:00

The very long awaited wedding of Miggie & Matt has finally come to pass and all we can say is, "WOW." Miggie was nothing less than stunning in her Justina McCaffrey silk gown, her new husband, Matt, looked like he walked right off the set of the latest 007 James Bond movie. A big thank you goes to Castaldo Studio, the Grand Bohemian Hotel, Edgar Montero, First Presbyterian Church of Orlando, & O-Kartz for a job well done!

Miggie and Matt Wedding, by Orlando Wedding Photographer Domenico Castaldo from Domenico Castaldo on Vimeo.

What's HOT: Custom Pillows & Baskets

2009-03-10T15:41:00.000-04:00

Who says you have to go to Michael's or David's Bridal to get your flower girl baskets or ring bearer pillows? These little accents can make a big "wow" in your ceremony, so don't settle for what every department store carries -- get creative!

An antique pail instead of a basket...

Or a hand sewn purse for petals...

Adorn her basket with bamboo, moss, or flowers...

Or forgo the petal tossing for an adoarble floral pomander...

For your little guys, adorn their pillows with embroiderly, quotes, and a little extra "bling"...

Create a pillow made out of miniature buds...Or forgo the pillow for something that's much more "him" like a baseball glove accented with florals...

Most of all, let your little ones have fun and enjoy the wedding too!

Meagan & Dwayne sizzle with Miami heat!

2009-03-02T14:52:00.001-05:00

On Febuary 7th, our favorite girl from Miami, Meagan Owens, gave her hand to the debonair, Dwayne Jackson in a candlelit rooftop Orlando ceremony that brought many guests to tears. Brian & Richard from Flourish divulged the bride’s wishes with draperies, candles, and sparkle everywhere for her ceremony...

...then Flourish let flowers overflow and melt in gorgeous tall vases. Lead coordinator, Sharia Riley, played up the bride’s love of damask prints and bold color to accent the couple’s South Beach style. Can we say: Pistachio Crinkle Taffeta, Damask Velvet Linen, Chameleon Chloe Chairs, and Damask Plates? YUMMY!

The Grand Bohemian staff was on call for every guests’ wish and need, and served them well with a late night ice cream bar! Not to mention, DJ Carl, whom kept the beats pumping and the guests dancing.

Mercedes of the amazing, Bake Me A Cake, built a damask confection for Meagan!

A special thank you and "shout out" to Karla Fountain Photography for the amazing images!

Your Fantasy Affair on LIFETIME'S "Get Married"

2009-02-27T12:53:00.000-05:00

Calling all YFA fans: Watch Your Fantasy Affair's Lead Coordinator, Sharia Riley, on Lifetime's "Get Married" TV show this Spring!

AIR DATES:

March 17
March 25
April 7
April 24
April 27

Tune in at 7:30 AM to hear Sharia's tips for Wedding Day success!

WHAT'S HOT: Chairs! Chairs! Chairs!

2009-02-24T16:30:00.023-05:00

Your reception tablescapes are one of the most important parts of your decor and more often than not there is more focus on centerpieces, linens, flatware, and chargers than the overall table style. But in reality, one of the main things your guests notice is where they park at the table so why not accessorize each guests with a chair that pops? Chairs and furniture like these can really add to the overall aura of your fantasy affair:

A sleek cocktail lounge...

A casual outdoor affair...

Ballgowns aren't just for the bride anymore...
Chaircaps add extra flair to chiavari chairs...

Chiavari covers can make your colors pop...

Looking for something casual yet extra fun? Try a Far East theme with your guests sitting indian style....

The ever popular ghost chair doesn't interfere with line of sight... A YFA favorite: The Chameleon Chair...

Celeb for a day....

2009-02-22T18:17:00.016-05:00

Every bride should be THE celeb of the day. Whether in LA or NY (or Orlando!), a typical starlet wedding consists of a stunning designer dress, breathtaking flowers and decor, a fabulous wedding planner (hint hint!....), and show stopping jewels (bka...bling).

The first three are relatively easy to accomplish. A Monique Lhuillier, Reem Acra, or Vera Wang is as close as your nearest couture bridal boutique. Before now, it has been hard to glam up that jaw-dropping gown with celeb worthy bling. However, Adorn Brides has been able to make accomplishing that glamorous look a lot more achievable.

Adorn Brides has given brides access to beautiful diamonds usually reserved for those gracing the covers of Vogue, People, and InStyle Magazines. For a mere rental fee, you can accessorize with several carats. Adorn Brides has necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, rented as a set or individually, at several price points.

This 18K White Gold 3-Stone Marquis Diamond Pendant totaling 1.5 carats retails for $7,050. Brides can rent this sparking beauty for $240.

This 6 Carat White Gold tassel diamond necklace retails for $17,100 but rents for $570. The site has diamond necklaces available for rent starting at $100. Here are a few other blingy accessories you may be interested in.....

Sapphire and Diamond earrings

Retail $6,000 Rent For $200

Three dimensional diamond earrings

Retail $5,250 Rent For $180

White Gold Diamond Bracelet

Retails $2,900 Rent For $110

7 Carat 4 Strand Diamond Bracelet

Retails $15,500 Rent For $520

One last hint......you can reserve your bridal jewelry as early as you would like. These pieces go quickly so reserve early!

Bridesmaid's sets and Mothers' jewelry are also available!

2009 Bride's Choice Awards

2009-02-16T12:28:00.004-05:00

Congratulations Team YFA!
WeddingWire.com has selected Your Fantasy Affair Weddings & Events as a recepient of the 2009 Bride's Choice Awards. This award recognizes YFA in the top three percent of the WeddingWire network for demonstrating excellent quality of service, responsiveness, value of cost, and level of expertise in the wedding industry.

We must thank our loyal brides and grooms who voiced their opinions on WeddingWire.com. This award belongs to you as much as us. CONGRATS!

Emille & Nick in BRIDE'S Florida Magazine

2009-02-11T12:24:00.003-05:00

Keep your eyes pealed, YFA fans, the gorgeous wedding of Emille & Nick will be featured in the upcoming issue of BRIDE'S Florida Magazine! Get all the juicy details on this adorable couple, and how YFA turned their wedding wishes into the Bride's Fantasy Affair.

FALLing in Love with Emille & Nick

2009-02-02T14:02:00.024-05:00

Emille & Nick met while in college at the University of Florida. Nick was a kicker on the football team, and Emille had a long love for sports and the outdoors. They came to the ladies of Your Fantasy Affair requesting an outdoor wedding where they could let guests share their love for Florida’s natural beauty, and have a GREAT time.

Flourish Floral Productions left no detail untouched. The bride’s white lush bouquet coordinated with the groom’s calla lily boutonniere.

The groom gave his groomsmen personalized baseball bats as attendant gifts.

Ceremony was set at Paradise Cove, with a gorgeous lake backdrop, bamboo rattan chairs, and cypress trees and tall urn arrangements framing the altar. The aisle was accented with a monogrammed runner and shepards hooks with mini daisies in the bride’s fall theme of colors.

Guests howled when the groom accidentally dropped the bride’s ring in the sand. But their love of the couple only grew with the mishap. (Note to brides: Marriage isn’t perfect either!)

After ceremony, guests were greeted by caramel apples with paper leaves that enclosed guests’ names and table numbers.

Cocktail hour was set with a cigar roller, jazz duo, Arthur’s Catering passed appetizers, a stunning lake sunset, and twinkling lights overhead.

Guests entered a reception pavilion covered with twinkle lights, chocolates, and burnt oranges. The low multi-colored arrangements by Flourish were accented with cracked glass candelabras and tons of votive candles for extra romance. Zoet Cakes delicious confection was accented in coordinating fall florals…

For fun we brought in a photo booth along with a tiki torch/ribbon display area with clothes pins so guests could display their film.

We had trouble keeping the adorable flowergirl out of the PhotoMagic photo booth.

As guests feet began to swell from dancing to the Leonard Brothers, they migrated to our beach lounge with sofas, fire pit, cigar roller, and smores station. For a fun touch, Kaleidiscope added the couple's monogram to the sand.

ALL PHOTOS BY ROOT PHOTOGRAPHY

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read All About It!

2009-01-29T14:49:00.004-05:00

Brides, Grooms, and Your Fantasy Affair Fans: Head to your favorite local vendor to pick up the newly released Spring/Summer issue of Central Florida Bride Magazine!

Inside you will find features on the weddings of Melannie & Ricardo (August 8, 2008) and Tanya & Darrell (February 16, 2008). PLUS!

Once more, the editors at Central Florida Bride called on us to lend our wedding expertise to local brides. So turn to page 60 for "9 Tips To Initiate The Planning Process;" written by Sarah Pickar Sleeth & Sharia Riley.

HOT trend to try...

2009-01-21T12:16:00.000-05:00

If you're planning a winter wedding, skip the traditional after dinner coffee and spring for an enticing Hot Chocolate Bar! In December, guests dropped homemade marshmallows in flavors like Vanilla Bean, Peppermint, and Chocolate Chipetta in their fresh hot cocoa and devoured the results. We also added a shots stand with Kahlua, Amaretto, Peppermint Schnapps, and flavored syrups to give our guests some dancing fuel.

Destination We Do!

2009-01-15T22:46:00.000-05:00

Orlando is synonymous with sunshine, family fun, and romantic getaways. To no surprise, with everything this city has to offer, Orlando is THE spot for destination weddings. The girls at Your Fantasy Affair have created a perfect solution for those out-of-town brides who want to say their nuptials stress-free and IN STYLE!

Introducing our Couture Destination We Do Design Package

Especially designed for intimate weddings, our Orlando destination wedding package covers all the essential elements. Ceremony location....check! Officiant....check! Beautiful bouquets....check! Photographer....check! FABULOUS wedding coordinator.....double check! The only thing missing is you and your honey.

Your Fantasy Affair has been deemed Destination Wedding gurus! Put your fears aside and trust THE wedding coordinators who know destination weddings in Orlando and abroad.

Walking in a MODERN Winter Wonderland…

2009-01-12T13:45:00.017-05:00

For her December 20th wedding, OB/GYN doctor & bride, Pamela Cates wanted to welcome her Indiana family and friends to a modern winter wonderland wedding reception set in Florida. But how do you host a winter themed wedding for snow birds from the North, without freezing temperatures, ice, and actual snow? Hire the ladies at YFA of course!

For their ceremony, Pamela & her fiancé, Dominic, wanted to engulf their guests with romance. The lights of the Omni ChampionsGate International Ballroom were turned down, dozens of pillar candles lined Pamela’s aisle, and Raining Roses built a candle topped altar that didn’t leave a dry eye in the house.
Lead coordinator, Sharia Riley, tossed the standard winter idea of all silvers and frost and challenged Pamela to go “modern bold” with sapphires, peacocks, and lots of white fur! We brought the snow to Florida; and guests entered a snow falling modern winter wonderland with live harp music.
Sharia brought up the final challenge to her team: Why do one tablescape when you can have five? The YFA ladies put our heads together to create 5 distinctly different tables that left every guest feeling like a VIP. No table was alike, not even the stemware, chargers, or flatware!
Long banquet tables with silver burst chargers and iridescent paillette chair covers and a runner.
Round tables with iridescent peacock linen and arrangements bursting with white orchids (a la Raining Roses). White velvet napkins and silver sparkle chargers.
Sapphire square tables with dark helix chargers, snow fur chair caps and napkin bands accented with sapphire brooches for the guests to take home.
Custom canopies were created for the Bride & Groom’s family. Inside the VIP tents hung a crystal chandelier, white cloth-back chairs, and each guest’s place setting held a bowl stuffed with white fur and a full bloom red rose (the Groom’s favorite color).
Close friends of the Bride & Groom sat at Vegas style booths near the dance floor. Instead of an expected arrangement of fresh flowers, Raining Roses and Wizard Connection froze a bouquet in a solid block of ice. Half of the guests sat at custom Room Service banquet booths, half sat in the trend setting ghost chair. Pamela & Dominic sat at their own custom built sweetheart table, covered in white satin and adorned with hanging crystals.
DJ Carl mixed R&B music from behind the couple's custom ice bar; and celebrity photographer, Damon Tucci, was on hand to take record of the whole evening.

Attention Frequent Shoppers!

2009-01-11T19:23:00.000-05:00

So very often I get a call from brides telling me about a recent trip to __________ (fill in the blank with your fav arts and crafts store). Usually the conversation goes from a great sale on cylinder vases to a 20% off coupon used on .99 cent glass rocks. Every now and then, I also get a mix of fish bowls, floating candles, and tulle circles. Now....do not get me wrong. Used the right way they could look great. However, there is a special aspect to wedding design (or decorating) that one must always keep in mind: Shop smart and with a PLAN!

Your wedding should be about YOU and the GROOM. A shopping spree at the local ___________ (fill in again!) with no plan of action or list of essentials is usually a blasé wedding mishap waiting to happen. Here are some tips for creating a beautiful AND unique wedding!

1. Pick a couple items you LOVE and not what you like or think would look nice.

2. Just because your wedding is chartreuse does not mean you have to buy every chartreuse ribbon, candle, and vase you see. Find ESSENTIAL decor items and make those pop!

3. Think of the big picture. Decide on your ideal look and work from there. NEVER go into a store and buy a lot of stuff that you are hoping will fit together later.

4. Consider purchasing unconventional elements. Just because you usually do not see it at weddings does not mean you shouldn’t! Most guests have seen the typical vases and marbles. Find a substitute that is in the same price range but will give a bigger WOW!

I have equipped you with the tools; your hubby-to-be will equip you with the card :), so now you are officially ready to go shopping!

Add ART to Your Envelopes & Wedding Reception

2009-01-06T11:18:00.000-05:00

We can't contain our admiration and love any longer. The work of Sarah Hanna is nothing short of stunning, and we adore how it adds a flair of the extraordinary to envelopes, menu cards, and other wedding stationary.

Miss Hanna, a third generation artist, founded her company on the belief that attention to detail must be extraordinary. She forgoes traditional calligraphy pens for artist's paint brushes, and each name is written by hand with care. All inks are custom mixed to ensure her extraordinary result.

Forgo Favors for Charity!

2009-01-01T16:53:00.000-05:00

How many weddings have you been to where a candle or piece of chocolate is given to you as a wedding favor? In this day and age, those that were hurting before are hurting worse now and American’s are now less able to give to charity. Our solution? Instead of the traditional favor make a donation in each guest’s name to your favorite charity. I think it’s important to note that we may plan plenty of weddings each year, but we’re also guests to many as well. For us as guests, we are just as happy seeing a charitable contribution as we are with a yummy Godiva chocolate bar!

Visit http://www.idofoundation.org/ for more info!

How to pull off black and white...

2008-12-26T16:24:00.001-05:00

Black and white weddings are all the rage, but there's a key to pulling off this classic combo with style. Want our secret ingredient? Use black and white as a pattern, but then pull in your favorite color to make the black/white pattern pop! Need inspiration? See below...

Your Fantasy Affair is *NSYNC with the Holidays!

2008-12-17T17:23:00.008-05:00

At YFA we do all we can to give back. This year, we took it upon ourselves and our interns to help families in need and the Fatone Family Foundation. We brought in new toys, gift certificates, and cash for the foundation along with donating our services to one lucky bidder. Parties are our fortay, so we had a great time helping out our favorite *NSYNC bandmates!

YFA coordinators Sarah Pickar Sleeth & Sharia Riley with *NSYNC member, Joey Fatone

Sharia & Sarah with *NSYNC bandmate, Chris Kirkpatrick

Pick a color, any color!

2008-12-15T16:14:00.007-05:00

Love bright colors? Don’t be scared to use them in your wedding color palette! A bold color can brighten up any room and look amazing in your photos. Plus, any color can be chic if your wedding planner knows how to use them. And of course, the gals at Your Fantasy Affair are the masters of color!

Finding Inspiration

2008-12-08T00:50:00.000-05:00

Just recently, Sarah and I were talking about how wedding designs are born and if there is ever a point, after planning hundreds of weddings and events, when you "lose" the magic. I know a huge part of keeping the magic is keeping styles fresh and even more importantly, finding inspiration.

Every wedding is like a blank slate. After getting to know who the couple is, what they enjoy, and what sparks their fire, I start envisioning every detail that embodies the couple's dream wedding. Being honest, it takes a couple days for me to really have that "big picture" in my mind. But.....when it hits me, it HITS me! Usually when it does, it comes from a little piece of inspiration that is completely foreign to the wedding world.

The "ah ha" moment has overcome me in the most interesting of places. When planning Jamie & Jeff's winter black tie wedding, I designed every element based upon a wall painting I saw in a model home while shopping for my new house. The moment I saw the painting I knew exactly where I wanted to go for Jamie. Our fun and funky bride, Jessica, has a wedding inspired from a sample bedding display AND a lamp often seen on the Ruby Tuesday commercial! The patterns and contrasting colors sparked fireworks for this fabulous, bubbly couple. (Keep checking back to see how this all comes together!)

Every bride should look for inspiration in what gives them that tingling feeling inside. I always suggest to not only browse wedding magazines. Peruse home decorating magazines, fashion magazines, and leisure magazines. A favorite spot I go to for inspiration is the mall while window shopping. :) Window displays have beautiful setups that are often unappreciated.

Transforming your wedding look is easy with a little inspiration!

Happy Birthday Christina!

2008-12-07T10:37:00.000-05:00

A very happy birthday to our favorite Rosen School of Hospitality Management intern,

Christina Acosta!

(photo by Castaldo Studio)

Christina has been working with Your Fantasy Affair since August, and is learning what it takes to become a celebrity event planner and designer.

A Green-Come-True Wedding!

2008-12-07T00:44:00.002-05:00

Our society has become environmentally conscious and is taking a stand to go green! We have also witnessed this shared belief among our earth-friendly brides. Green weddings are the hot new thing! With eco-friendly weddings entering the mainstream, there are thousands of resources that present all things natural, organic and recycled. Don’t let the idea scare you, here are some helpful tips from the ladies of YFA…

Eco-Friendly Invites
Contribute to a better earth with 100% recycled paper invitations and thank-you notes. Search for stationary that utilizes an eco-equipped printing studio. Earthly Affair specializes in just that, http://www.earthlyaffair.com/. Other alternates to consider are to skip the extras, minimize your mailing and creatively seat your guest paperless.

Go Green Décor
You can still create that ambiance with candlelight by using soy candles. Not only is it romantic, but its energy efficient. They are made from a renewable source and burn longer than regular candles. You can find them in almost any size, scent, shape and color.

Food
When choosing a caterer, consider an organic company that uses locally sourced ingredients; you will be supporting local farmers. And for that flair, you can serve up your signature drinks mixed with organic wines and spirits. When you're done, donate any unused food to shelters or food banks. Check out http://www.localharvest.org/ and/or http://www.slowfoodusa.org/.

Transportation
It might sound cheesy, but set up a vanpool from the hotel for out of town guests to ride to the ceremony and the reception. Share with your guest your go-green mission and they’ll be sure to appreciate your vision, along with them saving some gas dollars. Another element of weddings, that is most stressful on the environment, is carbon emissions from your flight travels and long distance drives. Consider purchasing carbon offset credits to mitigate this.

Try these ideas and your wedding is sure to be Naturally-Ever-After!!!

Hot Trend of the moment...

2008-12-04T16:18:00.000-05:00

Here's a hot trend we have to share: At your wedding our next major event, consider booking a photo booth. Brides, grooms, attendants and friends will have a great time taking cute and funny pictures. And here is the clincher -- you get a copy of everyone's silly photos! Now you don't have to worry if your photographer will capture a photo of each of your guests.

The newly married Mr. & Mrs. sneak away for a private photo session...

their guests keep the good times rolling with cigars in the photo booth...

and are able to take their own photos home as a souvenir...

and the bride doesn't miss an opportunity to pose with her brother...

...and even the YFA team jumps in on the fun as a special surprise for the bride and groom!

Portraits from Damon Tucci Studios...

2008-11-25T10:46:00.000-05:00

Our love goes out to Damon Tucci and his team for shooting our new "About Us" headshots. We left it up to Damon to capture our personalities and personal style, and we're thrilled with the results.
Your Fantasy Affair's Owner & Lead Event Designer, Sharia Riley

Your Fantasy Affair's Event & Marketing Coordinator, Sarah Pickar Sleeth

Damon Tucci Studios has built up their business to be one of the best, especially with their hot studio office. We're excited to see what they'll do next!

Holiday Parties...

2008-11-05T09:59:00.000-05:00

We DO love weddings but Your Fantasy Affair knows how to make a holiday party burst with style! Book us today for your holiday event...

Halloween trees by Decorating Services

Your Fantasy Affair MAKES STRIDES Against Breast Cancer

2008-10-20T12:15:00.000-04:00

At 8:00 AM on October 18th the Your Fantasy Affair team headed to Lake Eola in Downtown Orlando to MAKE STRIDES for a cure! Our team was comprised of our fabulous wedding coordinators, family, friends, and our brides/grooms and their loved ones. There were over 50 of us in all, and we’re especially proud of our Brides & Grooms that came out to support such a special cause.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all our friends, family, and wedding industry insiders that supported our team. With your credit card and cash donations, the Your Fantasy Affair team raised over $2000 for the American Cancer Society. Thank you for your support in raising awareness about this devastating disease.

However the 5k walk didn’t start and end with walking and fundraising! We had a great time laughing with our brides and friends, and talking about what else? WEDDINGS! We can’t wait for next year where we hope to raise over $5000 for breast cancer research!

YFA Newlyweds: Marcus & Ashley Watkins w/ Bride, Jacque Robinson

Bride, Jacque Robinson, brought along her HS Varsity Volleyball team to "Make Strides"

Grooms against Breast Cancer!

3 of the YFA team: Heather Rodriguez, Sarah Pickar Sleeth, & Sharia Riley. What did your shirts say? "Brides Against Breast Cancer!"

The MAKING STRIDES cheerleading squad roots on our walkers and brides!

Thank you friends & family of the Rileys for coming out!

Brides & bridesmaids rest in the park after crossing the finish line...

AT THE FINISH LINE!

Upgrade Your Wedding Style

2008-10-01T15:30:00.001-04:00

Don't let your budget hold you back! Take it from Ashley & Marcus who wed at the Sunset Harbor Yacht Club in Daytona Beach. They added style tips from lead coordinator, Sharia Riley, to their own ideas and turned their everyday affair into extraordinary. Here are a few quick tips to upgrade your wedding style:

1- Go for colored linens! Chair covers or rented chairs (chiavaris, cloth backs, etc) are a must.

If you want your "WOW!" don't scrimp when it comes to big items in your reception room. Throw a colored linen on the table that will make your guests "ohh" and "ahh." For Ashley's desired fall theme, Sharia suggested a iridescent fire orange pintuck. And don't forget to cover up or replace those ballroom chairs. It will make all the difference in your pictures!

2 -If you want a "white bouquet," go for it! But don't use ALL white flowers. Consider incorporating light pinks, light peaches, ivories, and light greens into your assortment to give your bouquet depth.

3- Don't skip the kids. Yes, sometimes they don't behave perfectly, but try and tell us that this flower girl isn't precious! Sometimes budget and formalities don't permit children to the ceremony and/or reception, but reconsider throwing out the flower girl and/or ring bearer.

4- Can't afford a $15,000 Vera Wang? Take a tip from Ashley and hit the sample sales to look for a stunning gown that would normally be outside your budget. You can upgrade your look without upgrading your credit card debt!

5- Skip the tuxedos. Modern weddings have the groom and groomsmen in attractive day suits instead of a formal tuxedo... and we love the look!

6- Add style to your table numbers! Hit your local craft store or scrap booking shop and look for stylish numbers, die cuts, and embellishments to spice up your tables.

7- Personalize, personalize, personalize!

For Ashley & Marcus, we skipped using the traditional names for their popcorn bar, and instead incorporated names and places that were important to the couple. Want pizza popcorn on your bar and the groom is from Chicago? How about you name it, “Chicago Deep Dish?”

Think about also personalizing for your guests. For Ashley & Marcus, each guest had their own thank you note sitting at their place setting that was personalized to them by the note and the name.

Photos by Elton Anderson Photography.

Your Fantasy Affair helps fight Breast Cancer!

2008-09-17T13:27:00.000-04:00

Our owner and lead coordinator, Sharia Riley, has always been an advocate for community involvement and recently the team at YFA has become aware of the upcoming Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in downtown Orlando hosted by the American Cancer Society. On October 18th, the coordinators of Your Fantasy Affair, along with their fabulous brides will walk for a cure. As the wedding industry is dominated by estrogen, we felt this would be an excellent opportunity for YFA to work towards a cause that affects so many women and the family and friends who love them so much.

We invite you to join us on our quest to find a cure! Whether you’re a Bride, Groom, Mother of the Bride, Maid of Honor, or Wedding Vendor, we ask you to join Your Fantasy Affair and participate in the walk. We are handling all sign up fees and giving a donation on behalf of our company and walkers. All we ask is for your support by coming in October to walk with us. All are welcome as we stand up to cancer and fund research for the cure!

If you are interested in walking, please email us so we can add you to our team. Everyone will get shirts to show that you stand up to cancer. Also, for those that can’t make it but would like to make a contribution, we invite you to make a donation to our team.

Here is all the information....

Date: Saturday, October 18, 2008

Time: 8:00 AM

Location: Lake Eola Park (Downtown Orlando)

Please help us any way you can. This cause has become more and more close to our hearts after we found that Sarah Pickar Sleeth's sister, Dr. Amy Pickar Abernethy (Duke University), was recognized as one of the lead doctors in fighting for a cure to breast cancer. Help Dr. Abernethy and other leading cancer research doctors around the country find a cure for this devastating disease.

Thank you in advance for all of your support!

What's HOT for Ceremonies

2008-08-19T14:34:00.000-04:00

Take it from the planners at Your Fantasy Affair, what's hot at outdoor Floridian ceremonies are colored parasols and asian fans. But to add extra spice to your parasol favors and pictures, consider decorating with paint pens. Your monogram, wedding date, initials, or a cool pattern design will do the trick!

Tips for a Successful Wedding at Home

2008-08-13T16:27:00.000-04:00

If this isn’t your first wedding, or your budget is on the outs, you may be thinking that having your wedding at home is your only option. If you’ve explored other possibilities, and a home wedding is what you want, we have some tips to follow to ensure HOME WEDDING SUCCESS!

Take it from Melannie & Ricardo who recently married on August 8th (8-8-08)… home weddings can be fun, as long as certain guidelines are met:

Tip #1- Unless your home looks like it was taken out of “Beverly Hills 90210”, keep your guest list small and simple. Close family members and those that would have been bridesmaids/groomsmen only. Trying to squeeze hundreds of people into a typical size home isn’t realistic and you’ll end up blowing your budget by having to move things out or renting a tent. For Melannie & Ricardo, they stuck to the essentials and invited the 42 people that meant most to them. Parents, siblings, close relatives, and a handful of friends.

Tip #2 – Don’t scrimp on the linens, table rentals, and florals. Just because your wedding is at home, doesn’t mean it has to include plastic silverware, plates, Costco flowers, and people sitting on furniture all around the house. Use an area of your home to be a blank canvas and build the couture wedding of your dreams!

For Melannie, we used her parents’ pool patio as her wedding ballroom with one long banquet table and several hi-top tables for cocktail mingling. We accented the color of her non-white fuchsia dress (Who says the bride has to wear white anyway?!) with fuchsia napkins, chair ties, and place cards and tied this together with Apple Green bengaline table linens and chair pads.

We brought in more of her favorite bright summer colors with mango oranges in her centerpieces, along with more fuchsia, apple green, and white flowers.

Also remember, just because you’re at home doesn’t mean you have to resort to your PC’s printer. For Melannie & Ricardo, we enlisted the work of Sarah Hanna, artist and calligrapher to the stars to finish off her intimate look with silver inked fuchsia place cards.

Tip #3- If you’re trying to save on budget, try to have your wedding on an off-day and not a Saturday evening. You vendors are more likely to cut you great deals to book business on an “off-day” because that’s just extra money in the bank for them. Most vendors would rather be working than sitting at home, so be bold like Melannie and Ricardo and say “I do” on a Friday. Don’t worry your guests will still be there! Remember, a small guest list means that these people are the most important to you, and they won’t miss you becoming a Mrs.! …P.S.- We hear that 9-9-09 is on a Wednesday next year.

Tip #4 – Don’t try to cook a meal or bartend yourself. There are plenty of great companies out there that can come in and provide a lovely meal and can keep the party going at the bar. By hiring a professional catering company, you will keep down your own stress, and your wedding will have a much more professional, and seamless timeline.

Caterers Tony & Onofere and their masterpiece Paella!

Tip #5- If you ask Melannie and her family they’ll reply, “Hire a wedding planner!” With all the money you save on location rental fees, consider putting this towards a wedding planner to help with all the details. Having a wedding at home can be tricky; especially when you’re the only person that understands the location. Enlisting help of a professional coordinator will eliminate wedding day phone calls asking where you want tables set up, and annoying questions about deliveries and time schedules. Plus, like Melannie, you may find a way to squeeze space out of places that you never thought possible.

Read all about it!

2008-08-12T18:43:00.000-04:00

Amongst all the hustle and bustle of wedding planning and room designs, we find some time (very little!) to write articles about the ins and outs of weddings. Just recently, an article we wrote, Time Check, has been published in Central Florida Bride. Make sure to pick up a copy of this fab magazine or click HERE to read the article online as it is the featured article on the magazine's website.

Also as a BoNuS......the wedding of one of our favorite couples, Leeya and Jeff, has been featured in this edition as well! Check it out!!!!!!!!!!!

An inside look...

2008-08-10T20:04:00.000-04:00

Be swept off your feet as you watch Erika & Liam say I do... CVP did an amazing job of capturing the allure of this gorgeous couple!

Grab a box of tissues and watch:
http://www.cvpexperience.com/features/erica_liam.htm

Details, Details, Details!

2008-07-25T14:43:00.000-04:00

When the Brits invaded this 4th of July holiday, a new type of bold wedding emerged that Americans had never seen before. The wedding of native New Yorker, Erika Quinones, to British raised soccer phenom, Liam Rosenior, took Central Florida by storm. During the summer of 2007, Your Fantasy Affair began working with Erika on a wedding design that would knock her guests’ socks off. We dared her to be BOLD. We dared her to show her guests an event that had never been done before, and one they would not be likely to see again. How did we pull it off?? Attention to DETAIL and thinking out of the box.

How many ballroom weddings have you been to that consist of a room filled with square and/or round tables with some ivory linens and a simple arrangement of roses? We encouraged Erika to get creative, so instead of circles and squares we went to the next dimension – OCTAGONS! Tables, crystal risers, and the dance floor were all shaped as octagons, with crystals dripping from everything we could keep held down. Seen columns before in a ballroom? Sure you have… Now how about this: Ever seen a column of open air Plexiglas risers, dripping crystals, and exotic lush florals? Ah hah! We got you! Your Fantasy Affair and the team from Raining Roses worked hard to implement designs that would leave guests talking for decades (not years) to come.

Yearning for more details? How about the new ice chiavari chairs… some covered in white shimmer sheer and white payettes, and the others with custom tied turquoise ribbon and crystals? Half our tables had silver iced branches with dripping candles; the other half had a bold modern arrangement of solid gerbera daisies and hydrangea.

How did the Ritz-Carlton play to Erika’s need to be different? They implemented two completely separate menus of course. One menu of decadent poached lobster tail and filet mignon for our guests from the UK, and another Latin fare of plantain encrusted Chilean seabass and jerk chicken for Erika’s family of Puerto Rican descendants. “Let them eat cake?” Nah… the Ritz added zest to their service by a full fondue station with homemade marshmallows, fruits, and Erika’s favorite macaroons.

Of course we didn’t skip the tradition of a wedding cake. We do have SOME wedding standards… but did Erika and Liam have your everyday white cake with accenting florals? I think you know the answer. Bake Me a Cake created a masterpiece confection of layer upon layer of uniquely custom designs that towered over the couple. Raining Roses finished this off with a custom cake canopy of Asian rice paper and suspended crystals from the canopy center.

How did we spice up the ceremony? Raining roses created custom Plexiglas risers with engraved monograms and led lit candles.

Bands of hydrangea and gerbera daisies were hung from the beautiful Ritz-Carlton wedding gazebo, along with tied back sheets of shimmer sheer fabric. Forget “Here Comes the Bride,” Erika entered her ceremony to a quartet playing the famed Italian ballad, “Con Te Partiro.”

How do you change entertainment from your regular DJ or band? How about an illusionist that performed mind boggling tricks and fantasies while guests enjoyed cocktails, fireworks, and an outdoor swanky lounge?

Erika and Liam also loved the Asian themed clubs from the U.K. so an after-party was created in this image with separate grooves and beats to keep guests guessing what was to come next. Famed disc jockey extraordinaire, DJ Infrared, turned the Ritz-Carlton Tuscany ballroom into a swanky lounge straight from the London underground.

All of these details and more created the “It Factor” that makes Your Fantasy Affair one of the top design and coordination companies in the country. However, what wowed guests most were the dazzling bride and her doting new husband. The love of Erika and Liam filled not only the enormous Ritz-Carlton property, but spilt all over Central Florida. When all is said in done, Erika & Liam’s guests will never forget the way Liam’s eyes filled with tears as he snuck peaks at Erika as she entered the ceremony; how her eyes filled with emotion as they said, “I do;” and the pure moment of joy when the couple enjoyed that first kiss in front of God as man and wife.

Your Fantasy Affair has to thank the amazing vendors we worked with that made this event possible:
-The Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes
-Raining Roses
-Damon Tucci Photography
-Bake Me A Cake
-Kids Nite Out
-Room Service Rentals
-Quest Drape
-American Audiovisual
-Dragonfly Custom Design
-CVP Videography
-BBJ Linen
-Uniquely United’s Reverend Randall Miller
-Famed illusionist, Guy Bavli
-Panache Rentals
-Dale Dees Hair & Make-Up Design
-DJ Carl
-DJ Infrared
-Absolutely Fitting of Winter Park

-The Collection
-Beautiful Music

**Keep an eye out for a feature on Erika & Liam’s wedding in the upcoming issue of top magazine “Desination I Do” **

Save Your Budget

2008-07-23T11:38:00.000-04:00

The situation with the U.S. market economy is bad; and at the moment the light at the end of the tunnel is still beyond reach. Lucky for the wedding world that whether the market is good or bad, people keep getting married! However, as the housing and stock markets continue to plunge, we’ve seen a few squeezes on our bride’s budget. As planners, I think the most important thing that needs to be conveyed to brides and hosts is not to panic. Just because your budget has been diminished a bit, doesn’t mean that you can’t have a fabulous wedding and trick guests into thinking you spent twice the amount. Here’s a few tips:

1 – “BIGGER ISN’T ALWAYS BETTER.” This little saying applies to weddings in more ways than one.
First off, keep in mind that with each person invited/attending your budget will significantly rise. So let’s use an example of a bride that originally planned to spend $35K on her wedding, but because her fiancé and dad had some stock market troubles, they think it better to not spend more than $25,000. For a total budget of $25K, you will expect to spend about $12,500 on the reception. Most of this will go towards catering. The difference of 10 people at a wedding is the difference of: 10 meals with beverages (typically $100 per person for a country club wedding or nicely catered outdoor affair), a full table of rentals (chiavari chairs for 10 ≈ $90; chargers, flatware, and place settings for 10 ≈ $100; linens: table cloth, napkins, and chair pads ≈ $90 = $280), and centerpieces ($75 to $150+). When the bride, groom, and family can eliminate 10 people from their guest list, the savings can be around $1400 or possibly more. At Your Fantasy Affair, we’re seeing more and more small lavish affairs for 100 guests, as brides are becoming less willing to compromise on their beautiful designs to accommodate Dad’s business clients. With the U.S. market issues facing all Americans, occasional friends and acquaintances are more likely to understand why they missed the invitation due to wedding budget constraints.

“Bigger isn’t always better” with your arrangements as well! Yes, we’d all love to have lush florals that reach the sky, but the more bloom power on your table the higher your cost. Tall vases will require larger arrangements, so take a tip from the pros and spring for gorgeous bud filled low arrangements and fancier linens and lighting. When looking at your reception room the first major impacts will be the color and texture of your tables and the way light plays up the drama of your event. Secondly the eye will go to the arrangements, so don’t scrimp but don’t blow all your budget on floral.

2 – DOES THE RECEPTION HAVE TO BE ON A SATURDAY EVENING? The cost of dinner is much higher than the cost of a Sunday Brunch. The cost of a Saturday wedding is also much higher than the cost of a Thursday. If you’re able to discuss your date with your most important people (close family and bridal party), and those that love you most will come no matter when the wedding is held; consider booking a weekday wedding or Sunday Brunch.

By having the wedding on an “off” day, you most likely will also eliminate the extra guests that aren’t crucial to attendance. For instance, Mom’s boss is more apt to stay home with his wife and kids on a Thursday evening than stay up late boogying on your dance floor. If you still want to make sure everyone can come, than Sunday Brunch is a great alternative. Your guests won’t be working over the weekend, and any out of towners can fly home Sunday evening.

3 – TYPICALLY WEDDINGS AT HOME DON’T SAVE MONEY. Unless you’re envisioning a backyard barbeque with hotdogs & hamburgers, a la George Banks (“Father of the Bride”), typically a wedding at home will end up costing you more money than if you had rented a nice space close by. Why’s that? Think of the logistics: 1- Most homes aren’t equipped with enough bathrooms for all your guests. So many home weddings have to bring in port-o-pottys. 2 – Most rooms in a home won’t accommodate more than one to three tables, so if you have more than 30 people you will have to move the wedding outdoors. 3 – When playing with the weather and a backyard wedding, it’s often recommended to rent a tent which can eat at your wallet. 4 – When trying to accommodate guests in a home, you’ll often have to move around furniture or even move it out. Even though the housing market is down, the cost of moving companies is not. At the end of the day, you’ll also find the ease of keeping the wedding out of your home was worth the $750 rental fee of popular close by location.

4 – WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, JUMP ON A PLANE.

Ever dream of getting married on a mountain top in Aspen? Or maybe having your first kiss as man and wife under an olive tree in Tuscany? Well what’s stopping you?

If your budget is being squeezed, but you still want to have the event that’s talked about for years to come, consider a destination wedding. I know you’re thinking, “But then my parent’s neighbors and high school friends won’t be able to come.” It is a legitimate concern… but remember: those friends and family that love you most, will be there no matter what. At the end of the day, those you spend the most time with on your wedding day are close family members and your bridal party. Why not enjoy a whole weekend with them without interruption and distraction?

Celebrity Wedding Under the Stars...

2008-06-09T14:31:00.001-04:00

Every once in awhile, we are honored when a celebrity chooses us to coordinate their wedding… and while we will keep the names of the bride and groom “to protect the innocent” we cannot help but gush on the beauty of this event and the undying love the couple had for one another.

The bride and groom couldn’t stop looking at each other, nor stop giggling the entire evening. Guests came to Cypress Grove and were greeted by white gloved service of lemonade and ice tea. They then were seated among the trees and a rose petal carpeted aisle for a ceremony filled with love and devotion. Flourish built a rose, orchid, and dahlia chandelier for the couple to say, “I do” under; and stunning floral arrangements paved the aisle way. To beat the heat, YFA and our bride provided Asian parasols and fans to guests.

Now the reception…just picture it, the sun going down among the cypress trees and lake… hot oranges, reds, pinks, and lime linens that shone with the setting sun. A stunning bride dressed in Monique Lhuillier lace. Flourish outdid themselves with low centerpieces of roses, dahlias, orchids, and daisies. Instead of your typical tent, YFA and our bride opted for South Beach looking umbrellas and lounge furniture with colored up-lighting on the cypress trees. Guests tore up the dance floor to the Latin salsa beats of Orquesta Los Soneros, and took breaks by snapping photos in a unique custom picture booth. To beat the heat, Puff ‘n Stuff served guests with ice chilled lavender oil towels. It was a wedding that any celebrity would be jealous of, but Your Fantasy Affair took a posh event and made it welcoming to folks of all ages and backgrounds. Stay tuned for more pictures to come from NuVision!

Our 'Family' is growing right before our eyes!

2008-05-11T22:34:00.000-04:00

Just another update on a growing part of our extended 'family.' Baby Ashton (who isn't such a little baby anymore!) is the adorable son of one of our favorite couples, Jessica and John. They stopped by the amazing Meg Baisden's and ended up taking some great candid photos of their beautiful family.
Thank you for letting us continue to be a part of your growing family!

Visit us on Facebook & MySpace!

2008-04-21T18:22:00.001-04:00

Your Fantasy Affair joins their brides in the online networking supernova!

Visit YFA on Facebook and become a fan:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Orlando-FL/Your-Fantasy-Affair/9698466635

Or become a "friend" of Your Fantasy Affair and our wonderful planners by visiting us on MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/yourfantasyaffair

Don't forget to post your comments and love on our wall!

Dare to different, you'll be so glad you did!

2008-04-10T17:27:00.001-04:00

For most of your wedding guests, the engagement photos will be the first glimpse they will get of you and your new fiancé! Not only that, but most couples these days are sending them out as part of their ‘Save the Dates’ and invitations so these unique shots can help get your friends and family even more excited about your BIG day! For this reason (and many more!), we are loving the great new ideas some of our favorite photographers (Castaldo Studios and Meg Baisden) are using to create these truly original engagement photos.

There are many ways to showcase yourself in your wedding, so why not start by showing off your love for the outdoors, a favorite beach or even the place you met your 'soon to be!'

To pull off these candid shots, our tip to you is: Don't take yourself too seriously! Enjoy each other and the love that brought you two to this place in your lives!

Now the key to these types of shots, is that you can't be afraid to stand out in the crowd! Be open to being a little wild and you'll find that being spontaneous can sometimes produce the best photos. In these instances these couples found themselves in the middle of city streets, and atop laundry carts! Dare to be different, you'll be so glad you did.

One thing the ladies here at Your Fantasy Affair strive to do, is to bring in personal touches of the couple in every aspect of their wedding. Bringing things that you love, and those things that make you the couple that you are, can make a huge difference in creating completely personalized photos.

Good luck in creating your engagement shots that are uniquely you!

Sondra & Nic - March 9, 2008

2008-04-07T11:13:00.000-04:00

On March 9, Sondra and Nic tied the knot is a charming Jewish ceremony at Lake Nona Country Club. About 80 guests watched as the couple said “I do” under the chuppah; then ate, drank, and danced the night away to the musical mixes of DJ Carl. Domenico Castaldo was there for all the action and we had to share some of our favorite shots!

Make A Great First Impression!

2008-03-27T18:23:00.001-04:00

The saying "first impressions are lasting impressions" is true in many arenas and especially important when it comes to weddings. All to often brides and grooms try to opt for inexpensive routes when deciding on wedding stationary. However, they tend to forget the first impression their guests will have of their wedding is the wedding invitation. So much time and effort is spent on choosing perfect floral arrangements, linens, and details (or what we call the "IT" Factor) and so little thought goes into the quality and style you would like your invitation to project of your wedding.

I challenge couples to go above and beyond the traditional ecru square. Try textures, colors, shapes, and dimension to spark blah into WOW! When thinking of this post, I put in a call to the fabulous Lindsey Luxa of Dragonfly Custom Designs for some smashing invitations to show. Not only does the invitation give the information you want to convey, it speaks volumns beyond what's written!

Dale wins Gold!

2008-03-07T11:28:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to our beloved Dale Dees!!

Dale is our highly coveted hair stylist for our brides. He recently won the gold medal at the World Championship HairWorld international conference held by the National Cosmetologist Association in Chicago, bka the Hair Olympics. He competed with the best hairstylists in countries such as Italy, Spain, France, South Africa, Japan, Korea, Ireland, and more! His gold medal shows his superiority in Ladies’ Street Fashion hairstyles. Go Dale!!

Dale does a bridal run-through with our bride to be Erika

New to 2008!

2008-02-29T09:47:00.000-05:00

New to 2008, Your Fantasy Affair is featuring FREE custom websites with all Couture and Wedding Management Packages. Custom websites are a great way to let out of town guests know about hotel room blocks, and can get out information about your registry without breaking typical etiquette rules. With so much technology at our fingertips, we’re able to put together a sexy website that meets all planning and information needs. To see one of our website’s in progress, check out the November 2008 wedding of Emille & Nick at http://www.emilleandnick.com/.

Plus brides that sign up for a Couture Design or Wedding Management Package will also receive our hot new Bride’s Planner to help keep your big day organized and stress free!
This is THE planner to have while bouncing around from a vendor appointment to a dress fitting and then your tasting! There are 24 Sections! There’s nothing we haven’t though of, your event is covered from A-Z. A zippable clear plastic pouch is included to hold fabric swatches, along with sheet protectors for business cards and contracts. With the Your Fantasy Affair Bride’s Planner your whole wedding will be at your finger tips.

Sections of the Your Fantasy Affair Bridal Planner include:
Your Fantasy Affair Advice to the Bride, Contacts – To keep all your vendors and VIP at your fingertips, Wedding Location(s), Wedding Schedule – To keep you on task as the months and days count down, Registry, Budget, Attendants – To keep all names and addresses easy to reach, Guest List, Invitations, Wedding Dress, Tuxedo, Rehearsal, Ceremony, Showers, Favors Menus, Wedding Cake, Flowers, Music, Photo & Video, Hair & Make-Up, Floor Plan, Rentals, Transportation, & Honeymoon

The Brits are Coming, The Brits are Coming!

2008-02-26T15:54:00.000-05:00

Look out Orlando! Erika and Liam are getting married and it’s going to be a doozy!

British born Liam Rosenior, professional footballer for the UK’s Premier League, has chosen Your Fantasy Affair and the Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes for his summer wedding to longtime girlfriend, Erika Quinones. The couple has also hired Raining Roses to help create custom plexiglass risers with crystals for their Wedding Gazebo ceremony. Instead of sitting in the regular garden chairs the hotel provides, Erika is going for custom benches for her guests. Flowers will be everywhere! They’re also creating custom tables in the shape of octagons, and topping that off with an octagon vinyl dance floor.

Erika is all about entertainment so we’re in talks of bringing in Cirque Du Soleil and a top band like Boys 2 Men. To satisfy the groom, the couple is also hosting an elaborate after party with an eclectic Asian theme. This is going to be quite the wedding folks! We will be sure to keep you updated with fab pictures from their coveted photographer, Damon Tucci! Stay tuned…

Tanya & Darrell: A Wedding To Remember

2008-02-20T16:27:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday, Your Fantasy Affair (YFA) had the privilege of throwing one of Orlando’s hottest weddings in history. Tanya and Darrell were married at First Baptist of Orlando in a gorgeous white flower draped ceremony, and the reception followed at the stylish Omni Orlando Champions Gate Resort.

The wedding was everything that would remind you of Tanya and Darrell! It was elegantly set in black and ivory, with tall glass candle vases, tons of hydrangea, and a black vinyl dance floor for Darrell to boogie with his Kappa buddies. Flourish went above and beyond in creating a scene to wow the senses!

Special to their day, the YFA girls threw together the most amazing popcorn bar (Tanya’s favorite snack) with 10 types of popcorn(!); and guests were seated by votive candle escorts that twinkled almost as if on cue.

The couple also insisted on a chocolate fountain which was devoured by the 25+ children that had an absolute blast at their children’s table. To top it off, the couple’s 3 year old daughter stole everyone’s hearts in her adorable flower girl dress, dancing to the beats of DJ Carl and DJ Infa-red.

But no one could steal the spotlight from the beautiful Tanya who was the spitting image of Eva Longoria in her wedding gown from Something Blue. She was the very definition of elegance, poise, and couture.

Damon Tucci and his assistant extraordinaire, Sarah, were there to take in all the visual delicacies and to capture the love of this extraordinary couple.

Leeya and Jeff

2007-12-17T17:19:00.000-05:00

This past weekend we were so excited to see our featured couple on the homepage of our website, as many of you may have seen, exchange vows at the beautiful Omni Orlando Resort. This wedding was a merge of Leeya's Japanese heritage and traditional American wedding customs. I felt so privileged to learn and be a part of this amazing wedding.

Leeya was stunning in her hand beaded and embroidered gown as she walked down the aisle on her father's arm. The fabulous Domenico Castaldo was there to capture every moment with his unique artistic style of photography.

During the reception, guests were invited into a room adorned with floral arrangements designed my Greenary Productions which coordinated perfectly with the eggplant colored linens supplied by BBj Linen. More importantly, guests from all over the world danced the night away to the music played by DJ Dave of JC Entertainment.

Congrats Leeya and Jeff!

Rustic Love!

2007-11-12T19:34:00.000-05:00

Down a long, long scenic route, the YFA girls and I headed to Steinhatchee, FL to a quaint, rustic location that allowed for the a magnificent wedding weekend Robin & J.R.'s guests would never forget. The resort served as the perfect location for the couple's rehearsal dinner, which ended with a bonfire as guests watched a fireworks display, and ceremony. The fantastic Meg Baisden was there to capture all the fun!

Got good shows?

2007-11-10T11:12:00.000-05:00

Is anyone else getting a little bothered by this whole writers strike? I can say that I completely understand why they writers are striking. Look at all the great shows out these days, they would be nothing without those writers and they should be compensated accordingly. Unfortunately the longer this lasts the longer it will be before they start filming new episodes. I know it won’t be too many more weeks before some of my favorite shows start airing re-runs. I already checked my TiVo and its not looking good for the next few weeks. However, I did hear a rumor that could put my mind at ease about not having new episodes of Law & Order (and Nikki's Grey’s Anatomy) to watch. It is being said that Big Brother is, for the first time ever, going to air a spring edition starting in February! I’m usually waiting in agony by the time the summer rolls around and now I might get it 4 months early. This can also be said for Biggest Loser which will air a January season and Survivor that will begin in February sometime. I can’t wait!

Holly and Robin

2007-10-08T20:44:00.000-04:00

How wonderful must it be to marry your best friend for elementary school? This weekend we coordinated the wedding of Holly and Robin as they made their 15+ year friendship/relationship "official"! The couple exchanged their vows at the beautiful Downtown Baptist Church. Shannon Caine of Beautiful Music orchestrated the classical music during the ceremony. Immediately following, the couple danced the night away with family and friends at the Rosalind Club. Many years before, Holly's parents exchanged vows and celebrated their nuptials at the Downtown Baptist Church and Rosalind Club.

Puff 'n' Stuff did a fantastic job on the food and, my personal favorite, the smoothie bar. Domenico Castaldo took amazing shots of the couple as usual and Complete Music and Video did a great job keeping the guests on the dance floor!

Frequent Flyers

2007-09-30T20:59:00.000-04:00

During the next few weeks, we have gotten the opportunity to do a little traveling. During the month of October and beginning of November we are packing our bags and planning weddings throughout the south! Now I know we might be exhausted and ready to sleep in our own beds by the end of this stretch, but we are so excited about these amazing upcoming weddings. First stop is Fort Lauderdale with Sarah and KC and then we are off to Steinhatchee with Robyn and J.R. Lastly, we are going to live it up jazz style (and definitely visiting Cafe Du Monde) in New Orleans with Sheri and John. In between we will be back home for some local weddings but these trips are going to have us living out of our suitcases. See you when we get back!

Stop and smell the roses

2007-09-25T09:55:00.000-04:00

Ahhh….do you feel that small glimpse of fall weather approaching? It’s about time! This time of year there are so many great things to get out and do; I personally am looking forward to all of the art festivals all throughout Central Florida. It’s such a great time to experience a little culture and creativity. Even though I don’t paint or do photography I think of what I do is design as well. I hope you find time to enjoy a weekend outing, this is definitely the time of year for a good picnic!

BB Part II

2007-09-20T02:23:00.000-04:00

So to continue with my love of Big Brother I can say that I am so upset that E.D. won!!!! I am in utter shock that he and Danielle actually pulled it together and were the last two standing. My fellow Big Brother lovers may disagree and say that they earned it by their tactics but I just can’t get past it. I tend to be more of the ‘may the best man or woman win’ frame of mind!’ In other news, we have a lot of great couples whose weddings are quickly approaching. The last few months have been full of implementing all of our new design ideas and concepts to ensure that every wedding and event fulfills its greatest potential. Were really looking forward to all the beautiful events to come!

We are hot...literally!

2007-07-30T13:57:00.000-04:00

For those of you who live in or have ever been to Florida, you know that this time of year is just astoundingly hot. I, however, chose to be here of my own free will, am I crazy??? Being from Atlanta by way of Philadelphia I am a little more used to the weather that we have down here, in the very aptly named ‘Sunny Florida,’ but some days it just takes your breath away. So with the height in temperature we are getting a few weekends off each month. Most brides couldn’t fathom sweating all their makeup off in the first 10minutes and having those curls fall out of their updos so we take this tiny bit of ‘free time’ to be creative and research all of the new trends in theworld of weddings and events! We’ve been busy drawingup designs and giving our couples all the customized and personal design we can. We will be putting up some new pictures of all of wonderful newly-weds and hopefully you will take this time to be inspired to be creative.

America's Next Top Model

2007-07-25T06:26:00.000-04:00

I have to say that this little has to be the cutest kid! So.....I may be a little biased since this is the love of my life, my son Jordan, but I know it's true. Just a couple of days ago, I stopped by the NEW studio of Damon Tucci and had the master do an impromptu photo shoot. Everyone who is remotely familiar with wedding photography in Florida (and beyond) is very knowledgeable of Damon's work. However, I was very impressed at how his many talents extend far beyond the wedding market. My husband and I are already thinking of when we are going for our first family portrait session! Now, who do I call to get this handsome face in the next big ad?

Welcome Baby Ashton!

2007-07-13T18:19:00.000-04:00

As promised....I am so happy to update everyone on the birth of baby Ashton to Jessica and John. I can not wait to meet the new little one and I am sure the entire family is basking in excitement. Of course, I had to get the first set of pics from the amazing Meg Baisden! Congrats Jess and John!

Big Brother is back!

2007-07-05T21:28:00.001-04:00

Now I know most people come on here to read about wedding "stuff." But, since this blog is a little bit of me as well as a little bit of wedding I just have to share this tid bit.

I am an self-proclaimed, full fledged Big Brother fanatic! Anyone who knows me well knows that I LOVE 2 television shows; first and foremost Young and the Restless and second Big Brother. Unfortunately, BB only comes on during the summer every year so when a new season starts I am happier than a my son in Dylan's Candy Bar.

Recently, I have recruited Kristy Chenell, Senior Wedding Sales Manager for the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes, to the Y & R Fan Club while chatting up the daily Young and Restless gossip over lunch. Now, I am looking for some faithful Big Brother fans to join my club.

Just in case you don't know...tune in tonight at 8 to CBS...let the games begin!!!!!!!

Remember to CELEBRATE life!

-Sharia

Jessica's a mommy!

2007-06-26T14:10:00.000-04:00

This morning I opened my inbox to receive a pleasant surprise. Sheree Porter, mother of the now Jessica Kerr, emailed me a link to Jessica's new maternity pictures. You have probably seen a few pics of Jessica throughout the website from her wedding this past December 30th.

She was one of the most beautiful and photogenic brides I have ever seen. The amazing exchange between the camera and Jessica was captured by the phenomenal Meg Baisden. Not only did Meg photograph Jessica's bridal shoot, engagement shoot, and wedding, she also shot Jessica's maternity photos. By far, Meg is one of the BEST photographers I have ever met. She even shot my wedding!

When all the wedding plans have been executed and the big day has come and gone; it really means a lot when we are still able to keep in touch with the clients and families we have grown to care about. I am very excited to welcome baby Kerr to the YFA family. If this baby is anything like her mother or grandmother I am sure she will be beautiful, humble, and amazingly kind. Here are a couple of pictures from the photo shoot:

Glowing isn't even the word to describe Jessica. As soon as baby arrives I will post more pictures of the happy family.

BTW, Sheree if you are reading this let me know when we should start planning the shower!!!!

Congrats Jessica & John!

New site is UP!!!!

2007-06-21T12:19:00.000-04:00

Today I am so excited to finally have the new site up and live. Our staff has worked so hard compiling pictures (all 70+!), writing content, and brainstorming the best concepts. I am so proud of the final product and thankful to all the individuals who made it possible. In comparison to the last site, you will see the bold, bright, and fabulous change of colors which was the brainchild of the amazing Lindsey Luxa of Dragonfly Custom Design. Big THANKS to Lindsey!

I hope everyone loves the site and will visit often.

Remember to always celebrate life!

-Sharia

Here we go!

2007-06-15T22:40:00.000-04:00

First and foremost I would like to say thank you for visiting my blog and taking some time to read my thoughts. Growing up I always had a diary and this seems like the new millenia's version of a diary. Anyone who knows me knows that I love relate to others (hence all the stories!) and have open dialogue about life. Therefore, I anticipate this forum to be reflective of me and my personality. If you take the time to visit often I promise you will get to see a side of me that is very personal and candid.

Besides me gushing my heart ;) look forward to hearing about all things in the wonderful world of creative, unique, and illustrative weddings and events. I am always on the search for the biggest trend and interesting edge to throwing amazing fetes. I live by the motto "Anything is Possible!" Your dream wedding is only limited to how creative our minds will go. This blog will definitely take you to destinations you have never imagined...buckle up!

To start this journey off I think it would be of utmost importance to tell you, especially those who do not know me personally, about me and my family. I have been absolutely blessed to have an amazing and supportive husband (Sherman) and the greatest gift ever given to me, my son (Jordan). In the midst of my busy world there is always a calm that soothes my soul...the thought of my guys!

Here is a picture of us taken by the amazing Meg Baisden:

On my (few) weekends off, we are always on the go with Jordan; whom is a sports fanatic. This year Jordan will be 4 years old and loves to talk about his "pretend" little sister...do you think he's dropping hints? (Eyes rolling!) I am a huge believer that people naturally have talents that manifest into their livelihood and lifestyle. When I was a child I would dress up dolls and have pretend weddings (really). Well, I think my son was born with a ball in this hand. He knew how to make basketball shots on his mini-hoop before he could walk.

Enough about me (for now)! Come back for more as we submerge in the amazingly world of WEDDINGS AND EVENTS!!!

Remember to Always Celebrate Life!

-Sharia