Wedding Venue Spotlight ~ Ravella Lake Las Vegas

Lake Las Vegas holds a special place in my heart.  In the early days of my relationship, we would escape from the city and Strip for weekend getaways, walks through the village, or even just a quick dinner on the water.  We have continued to return together year after year, falling in love all over again with the community and each other.  From a professional standpoint, I have also had the pleasure of both planning and attending weddings throughout the community, all of which were personal and gorgeous in their own special ways.

So I was truly thrilled when I was invited to visit the newly opened Ravella Resort.  Originally built and operated by the  Ritz Carlton, the property is now owned by Dolce Hotels.  Catering Manager Michael Eggink was my host for the afternoon, touring me through the gardens, bridges, and beaches they offer along side their chapel and ballrooms.   

With Mediterranean architecture, sweeping views of the Lake, and expertly manicured gardens, Ravella Lake Las Vegas exudes the charm and elegance of an old-world European village.  

Lake Las Vegas is a destination in itself, for local Las Vegas brides and those traveling in  seeking something truly unique.  Photos courtesy of Ravella Las Vegas.  Enjoy!  

Always...A

Wedding Planning with the Experts - Where to Begin

Those first days and weeks of engagement are sure to keep you and your fiance in a dizzying state of excitement and love.  You have hired a wedding planner, and are about to meet for your first consultation.  It is finally time to design your day.

Where to begin...

First, you and your fiance need to decide on the type of wedding you want.  Walk through your senses.  What do you want it to feel like?  When you look back on your wedding, what memories do you want to have?  Do you envision a grand affair, complete with black tie tuxedos, champagne, and an orchestra?  Or do you dream of something more intimate, where you are surrounded only by your closest family and friends?  This is the time to let your mind wander. Don’t limit yourself to one conversation or idea.  Consider all of your options, and be prepared to bring your top ideas with you to your first planning session.

Daydreaming and designing is the fun part.  Financing the event, that’s the practical side of planning.  Even if you have been together for years, you still need to have an open and honest conversation about how much money you will be able to invest in your wedding.  

This is also the time to discuss your vision and the budget with your families.  Tell them what you are thinking , and give them an opportunity to share their ideas as well.  Yes, your wedding is about the two of you, but it it also a public declaration of your love, and the joining of two families.  Each set of parents brings with them their own unique ideas and hopes for your wedding.  By giving them the opportunity to discuss their feelings now, without judgement, you will save yourself an immeasurable amount of heartache later.  This is also a time to discuss whether or not either side will be contributing financially.  Do your best not to bring any expectations with you to this conversation, and remember that a financial contribution (or lack thereof) is not a reflection of love or support. Be gracious, no matter what the outcome.  

And, lastly, in order to start planning your wedding, you need to have a working idea of how many guests you will be hosting.  Using your original vision and budget, begin drafting a list of guests whom you would like to invite.  Ask each family to do the same, and edit accordingly.  On average, 10% - 20% of your guests will send their regrets, but you need to plan as if each person you invite will be joining your at the ceremony and reception.  This number will impact everything from your venue search to your menu planning.  Expect to make adjustments as you go, but aim to develop a solid, working list.

Weddings are living, breathing organisms that change and grow as time goes on.  Expect to make adjustments and changes, and then more changes, as you refine your ideas and make decisions along the way.  But by arming your wedding planner with an overall vision, a budget, and a guest list, you provide your design team with all of the things they need to bring your vision to fruition!

Happy Planning!

Always...A

Love Note ~ Heather & Mike

Heather & Mike Wedding Ceremony, Wynn Las Vegas

First and foremost,  I want to thank one person for making my dreams come true on such a special day as my wedding, for which could not have happened with out you!

Andrea you exceeded every expectation and vision that I had though of as a fiancée and made possible on the day I became a bride! Not only was the planning with you so fluid, professional, elegant but you also treated us like family.

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart that without you that day would not have been possible.....
We love you!!!!!!!

Heather & Mike

Enter the Planner

Wedding Planners are featured front and center in pop culture (who didn't see Father of the Bride, The Wedding Planner, Bride Wars, etc.) and in real life.  No longer a luxury service reserved only for the rich and famous, hiring a Wedding Consultant is considered to be an essential part of the wedding planning process.

The average wedding takes more than 300 - 500 hours to plan.  With a completely blank canvas,  and unlimited options, designing the perfect day is a daunting task for anyone, let alone a couple also trying to enjoy their engagement while balancing family, friends, work, and life in general.  There are themes to be determined, vendors to seek out, interview, and negotiate with.  Dresses need to be tried on, fashion decisions tied together, stationary to print.  The list goes on and on.

Enter the Wedding Planner!  Hiring a Wedding Planner will immediately alleviate much of your stress.  They can take as large, or as limited, of a role as you would like.  Fear not that a Wedding Planner will take over, making the wedding more theirs than your own.  Quite the contrary, a good Wedding Planner allows you to dream, and then relax and enjoy watching those dreams come true right before your eyes.

After getting to know the two of you as a couple, your Consultant will be able to draft and present you with a series of ideas and themes for your big day, and provide assistance as you edit your ideas and refine your vision.  Inspiration boards will be crafted, budgets will be defined, and a selection of vendors will be presented to you for consideration.  Your Wedding Consultant's years of experience with various members of the wedding community, scheduling, and negotiation allows you access to the best the industry has to offer, along with the peace of mind that comes only from having a professional at your side to guide you through the planning process.  Everything from florals to photos, menus, music, decor and more can be processed through your planner, and coordinated in such a way so that it appears to be a cohesive, balanced, highly stylized affair that speaks to your guests, allowing them to share in your love.

Beyond the basic, logistical aspects of planning for your wedding, hiring a Consultant provides you with emotional benefits as well.  Now, there is a place and a person you can go to with anything, no judgement.  Your Wedding Planner will not tire of listening to you.  She (or he) can empathize, and offer suggestions with everything from how to deal with a renegade bridesmaid to your mother, future mother in law, and even your fiance.  At times, you may feel as if your Wedding Consultant has become one of your best friends.  And that's because she has.  As a Planner myself I can tell you that the bond that forms is real.  In fact, I count a number of my former brides as friends, keeping in touch with them about life and love, marriage and kids, and all things in between.

When seeking out any wedding professional, but most importantly a Wedding Planner, the most important thing is that you feel a true connection.  You will be spending a tremendous amount of time with one another on the phone, in person, and via email. More than that, you need to have complete confidence in the person you entrust with this task.  Discuss their educational background, experience, and review testimonials from previous brides.

After you have done all of this, relax and enjoy knowing that the hardest part of the planning process had been handled!

Always...A

Destination: Las Vegas

Congratulations ~ You have successfully and stylishly announced your engagement!  Family and friends swoon as you proudly show off your sparkler, recounting every touching moment of your beautiful proposal.  They naturally ask about wedding plans, and you excitedly tell them that you will be getting married in Las Vegas.  Friends and family are (mostly) thrilled, but you still get the occasional "Vegas?  Really?"

Las Vegas had long been synonymous with quick and easy weddings, devoid of the glamour and artistry associated with other major metropolitan cities.  This thinking dates back to a time in the early 1940's and 50's when we had only a handful of chapels, playing host to a mere 20,000 weddings a year.  

Today Las Vegas proudly serves as the backdrop for over 115,000 nuptials annually.  What the city offers is virtually limitless and unmatched anywhere in the world!

• Over 140,000 beautiful hotel rooms, 4 & 5 Star Resorts
• 9.8 million square feet of resort function space
• James Beard Award Winning Chefs
• World-Class Catering Departments 
• Award Winning Wedding Planners, event designers, photographers, florists, DJs, and other professionals
• Entertainment in the form of gambling, shows, nightclubs, etc.
• Over 60 Gold Courses throughout the valley
• Convenient travel for friends and family spread far & wide

Today, a Las Vegas Bride walks down an aisle lushly covered with rose petals, to the sounds of a live harpist, and recites her vows surrounded by friends and family under amber lighting.  “Rubber chicken” wedding meals have given way to meticulously planned tasting menus and wine pairings. Master mixologist create cocktails unique to the couple, served in fine crystal.  Florals and linens are imported, lighting is set, and musical options include everything from celebrity performers, DJs, live bands, and jazz trios.  

So, as you plan your Las Vegas destination wedding, close your eyes and envision a candlelit aisle, rich woods, and lush floral displays.  Design a menu featuring your favorite comfort food served alongside avant-garde chef specialties.  Can't decide whether you should have a big-band entertainer or a DJs take the stage? Book both, and delight in knowing that they will work together to give your guests the biggest party they have ever seen as your custom designed monogram swirls across the dance floor...

With each and every detail looked after and cultivated by some of the most talented individuals in the world.

Too much?  Perhaps you're choosing Vegas to escape the pomp and circumstance of a traditional wedding, and your idea of romance is just the two of you (and an Elvis impersonator) outside of the courthouse.  Well, if that's the case - Don't worry.  We still do that, too.  

And we do it better than anyone anywhere else in the world.

Always...A

An Announcement

As soon as I finished writing the The Art of Engagement I thought, “Well, that’s only half of the story...”  

After the Art of Engagement comes The Announcement.  

After all questions have been asked and answered comes the excitement of telling those closest to you the good news.  Even if, unbeknownst to you, they have been in on it all along, the telling of your story is a chance to share the infectious excitement with those around you.

Years ago, engagements were announced formally, complete with engraved stationary and a feature in the local paper.  I, personally, still love the formality of a papered announcement, but with today’s technology (and sometimes complicated social structures) it is more likely that your friends and family will find out through a mass text, Facebook posting, or TwitPic!  

Your parents and siblings should be the first to be told (in person if possible).  Once you have announced it to them, you can ask that they spread the word to extended members, such as aunts, uncles, and cousins.  

To share your news quickly (and appropriately), consider the following:

*Upload a video and email to your friends and family.  You may choose to do this via text, as well, if you aren’t near a computer and just can’t wait!

*Send an e-Card with a short note.

*Create a wedding website.  No need to get elaborate - Just select a layout, upload a picture, and sent to friends and family with a note saying that there is more news to come.

*If you can stand to keep the secret a for a day or so, call friends over for an impromptu party and announce the news during cocktails.

*When making your announcement to at work, similar etiquette applies.  Tell your boss privately first and ask their suggestion on the most appropriate time to announce.  Everyone will want to see your ring and hear all of the details, so you want to make your announcement at a time that will interfere least with work.

One of my favorite engagement announcements took place as a part of an elaborate proposal!  It involved an enterprising groom who proposed privately in a hotel suite, and then lead his fiance to dinner, where a handful of family and friends were waiting as a sweet surprise!  

And, of course, you may wish to simply not say anything, and let the sparkler speak for itself!  But I warn you, it will be a hard secret to keep!

Enjoy!

Always...A

The Art of Engagement

This one is for the boys...Or, in some cases, the girls!

I have had the extreme honor of helping a group of amazing, romantic men propose to the women they love.  Setting the stage for these magical proposals has meant the world to me.  What gesture is more romantic than asking someone to spend the rest of their lives with you?

So often we focus on the bride, on the ring, on the dress.  Well, if the wedding is “the Bride’s Day” then the proposal, in many ways, is the Groom’s.  The very act of asking has become an art form, and seeing men so dedicated to being a hero in that moment for the women they love is breathtaking.

Some proposals have happened quickly.  I was once called on a Thursday by a groom-to-be who had staged a faux-girl’s weekend for his love.  With the best friend in on it, we lured her to a private balcony, a carpet of red rose petals, and table for two overlooking The Strip.  Others proposal have taken longer to orchestrate.  For example, on one occasion the ring wasn’t quite ready in time for Christmas.  My fast-thinking groom decided not to propose without the bling, and presented his girlfriend with a trip to Las Vegas instead, complete with special dress to wear to their dinner.  Several months later, she put on that dress, and when they arrived at their destination we had recreated Christmas for them, complete with a tree, twinkle lights, tinsel, and a very sparkly, be-lated gift!

And one proposal that, admittedly, I had little to do with, took place over a Thanksgiving Day dinner with my best friend proposed to his now wife, because she was what he was truly thankful for!  I may have missed out on the proposal, but I got to plan the wedding!

Planning a proposal is not unlike planning a wedding.  Put thought into where and how you are going to ask the question.  Guys, know your audience!  And by that, I mean, your girl!  If she is shy and hates to be the center of attention then having the ring brought out on a platter with dessert in the middle of a 5 Star restaurant is probably a bad idea.  Does she come from a tight-knit family that means the world to her?  Then proposing at a family affair (after asking her father’s permission) may be perfect.  In all cases, see if you can get someone to take a few sneaky snapshots or video for you.  You’ll love looking back on the moment together, and it can serve as amazing inspiration for your engagement announcements, wedding stationary, or even theme!

No matter how long, how elaborate, or how personal the proposal, the true beauty is that for a moment there is one man loving a woman enough to do anything to make her happy.  

And a moment (or two) later...there is a woman who just says “Yes!”

Always...A

Telling Your Love Story

Every couple has a love story.   The who, what, when’s and where’s of their life together.  The little things that turned a “you” and a “me” into an “us” and a “we”. 

But how do you tell that story?  

The most obvious way is through your program, with each of your contributing a short paragraph about your relationship.  And then there are the vows, where you may blend the traditional “love, honor, and cherish” with the personal “I vow never to attempt xyz again”.

Subtle peaks into your history create conversation and leave a lasting impression on your guests.  Pull from your day to day life, and turn Are you classic movie buffs?  Print black and white pictures from your favorite film noir, place them in elegant silver frames, and set in unexpected places such as the bar, rest rooms, near the guest book and cake.  Wine lovers who fell in love during a trip to Napa Valley?  Contact a local sommelier and book them for your cocktail hour.  They can set up a tasting table, providing samples and education to your guests as they mingle and enjoy hors d’oeuvres.  Art buffs may bring in a local sketch artists, or hang blown up prints of their favorite works as wall decor.  Avid readers may have their favorite passages printed on everything from menus to napkins and more.  

When my mother married my father, their traditional Italian-American wedding kicked off with a cocktail reception featuring a raw bar with lobsters dressed as Carmen Miranda - and ode to having met in Puerto Rico, and foreshadowing the honeymoon they were taking in Acapulco.  It’s been nearly almost 40 years, and people still talk about that one little detail.

The opportunity to personalize your wedding is as limitless as your love for one another.   

This is your love story.  Tell it your way.

Always...A

And so it begins...

Welcome to Andrea Eppolito Weddings & Events.  

I'm so glad you found me...Thank you!  

The days and weeks leading up to your wedding will be all about you.  But I firmly believe that in order to work together, we need to get to know each other, to like each other, and understand one another.  I want you to feel completely comfortable with me.  And so, today, I thought we'd start with me.

Today I am in my office, proudly drafting my first blog entry as the Founder and Chief Designer of Andrea Eppolito Weddings and Events. Today, my two year old little boy is chasing the dog on his scooter, trying to carry more than 3 cars in his arms at a time, while singing about dinosaurs.  Today, I have been sharing my life with his amazing father for 5 years, 10 months, and...22, 23, 24...24 days.  Yes, I can pinpoint the moment I fell in love with almost everything in my life...

I fell in love with weddings at 15 years old. I had been planning my Sweet 16 for two years, carrying my Inspiration Book everywhere, obsessing over every flower, every linen, every favor. One day a friend's mother asked if she could see it.  As she flipped through the pages, she smiled and said, "This is good.  You should be a wedding planner."

A wedding planner?  You mean I could do this...For a living?  Forever?  When I was offered the chance to work the reception desk at a wedding event, I jumped at the chance. 

That was all it took.  I was hooked.  

That was (gasp!) almost 20 years ago, and weddings have been my passion ever since.  I fell in love with every aspect of weddings.  The engagement.  The jewelry.  The flowers and photography, menu and music. The vows.  I love the vows.

But most importantly, I fell in love with the love stories, and how each wedding told a different one. Each detail like a secret, whispering something about who these two people were and are, and who they hope to become together.  

A wedding is not just a wedding.  It’s a love song.  A wish.  A prayer and a meditation.  

Andrea Eppolito Weddings & Events is my dream, two decades in the making. And so it begins...

I have realized my dream.  

Now, it’s time to focus on yours...

Always...A