You’ve heard us say their names, but they have yet to be introduced! Danielle and Amanda are two of our wonderful lead wedding and event planners! All four of us sleep, dream, live wedding and event planning thoughts! I can’t remember the last time I went somewhere and I didn’t think about whether or not it had event space potential! haha! With wedding season in full swing, we wanted to help you get to know Danielle and Amanda a little better! Enjoy…

Meet Danielle:

Dayna Schroeder Photography

How did you decide you wanted to get into wedding & event planning?
Danielle: I decided to get into wedding and event planning at a very young age, if my friends Barbie and Ken doll wanted to get married, I was the one they would bring them to. I would beg my mom to buy me wedding magazines even before I could read! Wedding planning has always been my dream job and I am so blessed to be doing it!

What do you love about weddings?
Danielle: What I love about weddings is the magic that fills the venue and the groom’s eyes when the bride walks down the aisle, seeing a couple’s vision turn into the wedding of their dreams. I love every planning moment from a blank piece of paper with a bride spilling her ideas to the moment when the last guest has left…and of course cake : )

How would you describe your dream wedding?
Danielle: My dream wedding would be a winter wedding in Banff on Lake Louise with sleigh rides and a hot cocoa bar.

What do you like to do in your free time?
Danielle: In my free time I like to read, kayak, do yoga, and try new restaurants with my boyfriend.

Fun tidbit:
Danielle: I only eat Kraft mac and cheese if the noodles are shaped like characters.

Meet Amanda:

Dayna Schroeder Photography

How did you decide you wanted to get into wedding & event planning?
Amanda: After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, I got a job working for couture bridal designer, Monique Lhuillier in Los Angeles. Hearing the brides talk about their engagement and planning the details, I became infatuated with weddings! To me, it’s not a job, I look at it as hobby. I have so much passion about each wedding or event I am involved in.

What do you love about weddings?
Amanda: What’s not to love about weddings!! I would say the number one thing I love the most is the first step the bride takes down the aisle. It’s the big moment we both have worked so hard towards for the last several months.

How would you describe your dream wedding?
Amanda: My prince charming hasn’t road in on his white horse yet : ) but when he does my dream wedding would be candlelit at this beautiful church in Bel Air, CA. It’s on top of a hill that over looks all of Los Angeles and is absolutely breathtaking. For the reception, I would love to have it in a indoor/outdoor venue in Santa Monica or Malibu. Photos on the beach are always amazing and so peaceful.

What do you like to do in your free time?
Amanda: I love staying active by hiking or going to a pilates class as well as spending time with my family.

Share a unique/fun fact or two about yourself:
Amanda: I have my own jewelry line that I hand make, Simply Jo Designs and I have an obsession with Christian Louboutin shoes.

You’ll love working with Danielle, Amanda and the rest of our staff! We are so excited for wedding season to be in full swing and to be a part of your special day!!

Cheers,

Mandi, Rachelle and the Champagne team

The best things in life are free? I think it’s most definitely true! That is why we offer a no obligation, complimentary initial consultation where you are able to get to know us and tell us more about your wedding plans, as well as learn if hiring a wedding planner is right for you! We offer packages from day of to full service planning! Planning your wedding day should be as fun and enjoyable as you always imagined it! [We also have special packages for the bride who is planning from a far or the destination bride] We look forward to hearing from you!

Planning a wedding can be stressful, it can be the best time of your life and consuming at times! Often times you may even have to remind yourself to take a day off from wedding plans and go on a date with the reason for the occasion, your fiance! One of my best friends gave me a book for my Birthday the other day called 1001 ways to be Romantic by Gregory J.P. Godek. Some people may be romantic naturally, but to be able to write a book of 1001 ways to be romantic? That’s pretty incredible! Here’s a few ways to be romantic from Gregory J.P. Godek’s book:

1. Send five large flower arrangements to her at work, timed to arrive one per hour, beginning at one o’clock. Write a five part love note, with one part accompanying each flower arrangement.

2. [This is so cute] During their first date she picked up a penny for the ground and said, “A penny for your thoughts.” He shared his thoughts and she paid him. [He saved the penny.] As they continued to date they often gave each other pennies as special little love tokens. One day, two years later, he presented her with two ring boxes. As she opened them he said, “A penny for our thoughts…and a diamond for your heart. Will you marry me?” They named their first daughter Penny. On their tenth anniversary he gave her a rare nineteenth- century penny made into a pendant…

3. Prescription for Romance #1: Compliment her. Repeat every four to six hours.

4. From the weird & wacky section: Greet him at the door with confetti, noise-makers and party hats.

5. Another from the weird & wacky section: Practice “Leap Year Romance.” When February 29th rolls around, take the day off work and declare it your own personal “Romance Day.” Give the gift of time- twenty-four hours worth!

What is the most romantic thing someone has done for you?

Cheers,

Mandi, Rachelle & the Champagne team

I just got a new camera for my birthday and we just picked up our new business cards from Studio Olivine [Julie is AMAZING, We L-O-V-E her work!!!], between the two, I’m quite obsessed! I decided to play with my camera and take some pictures of our new business cards. We worked with Julie at Studio Olivine to come up with a new design that continued our branding, but had a little more… spice! We loved our coasters, but needed something different. We loved our cards, but the hole punch never worked quite right. Well let me introduce to you, the newest addition to Champagne….yes, our business cards! haha! I’m sorry, I told you I was obsessed!

We are dying to hear what you think of them and can’t wait to start handing them out!
Would you like a pair of our coasters to use in your house? Email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) your address and we’ll send them to you! Want more to give to your friends? Just ask!

Starting soon on the blog we will have another addition of “30 days of vendors”, but this time it’s going to be focused around the Central Oregon/Bend area!

Cheers,

Mandi, Rachelle and the Champagne Team

Yesterday we shared with you an inspiration board that Danielle put together for Amanda’s “dream wedding” [See yesterday’s post here] and today we’re sharing with you the board that Amanda put together for Danielle! You never know how many times a girls wedding dreams will change through out their life before their wedding, but it’s so fun dreaming up different designs! Enjoy!

Here’s part of what Danielle described to Amanda…
“Winter is my favorite season, so naturally I want a winter wedding in a chateau on a lake, complete with a hot chocolate bar and sleigh rides. My favorite color is pink, I want light pink flowers and bridesmaid dresses, with white or off white with a very vintage feel with pearls and lace. I love the idea of candles and flowers everywhere. I adore very full open flowers like mums and garden roses; I picture pink glass wear and plates, with pink lighting to soften the room.”

Here’s what Amanda put together:

I love seeing how different every one of the inspiration boards that we put together for clients turns out! Weddings are unique and very much a reflection of the couple and their relationship! Everyone has a different vision of what they’d want their wedding to look like and that’s one of our favorite parts of our job! Even when we have 2 clients that are describing something very similar, they turn out to be completely different!

Cheers,

Mandi, Rachelle and the Champagne team

Did someone say giveaway? Just last night I saw the preview for the new Sex and the City movie, which premieres May 27th! I can’t wait to see it! Portland Style Unveiled is giving away the umbrella that Sarah Jessica Parker picked out from Bella Umbrella to use in the movie… see more details here!

The other day Rachelle, Amanda, Danielle and I all got together to talk about some upcoming stylized photo shoots we have in the works and got a little side track when we starting talking about what Danielle and Amanda’s dream weddings would be! We decided that Amanda would make an inspiration board based off of what Danielle described would be her dream wedding and Danielle would make an inspiration board off of what Amanda described as her dream wedding and we’d share them with you! Today I’m going to share with you the inspiration board that Danielle put together for Amanda! Enjoy!

Here’s part of what Amanda said while describing her dream wedding,

“I would love my wedding to be in the spring time with a color scheme of black, white and a grass green. Somehow I would like to incorporate black and white stripes, whether it be the table cloths, drapery or the ribbon on my bouquet.  My vision for bridesmaid dresses would be a black strapless, empire waisted, cocktail length dress with a green sash. I picture a whimsical wedding, with chandeliers, lots of candles and white/silver butterflies hanging from the ceiling. I love shopping at Anthropologie and would love a touch of that thrown in. My dream dress would be a Monique Lhuillier gown, that is full, fluffy and fairy tale like, with a pair of sparkly pair of Christian Louboutin heels. For flowers, I would want white (maybe yellow and orange too) roses and tulips with green leafs surrounding the bottom of the vase.”

Here’s what Danielle put together:

We’ll be sharing Amanda’s inspiration board for Danielle tomorrow! It’ll be interesting to see how their vision changes over time… Do you think it’ll be the same for their real wedding? What was something that inspired the design for your wedding?

Hope you’re enjoying this blustery day!

Cheers,

Mandi, Rachelle and the Champagne team