What a wonderful day for the the girls at EP! We are excited to announce that we are officially Wedding Wire rated for 2012! We are thrilled to be starting off the 2012 wedding season with a bang. Thank you to all of our amazing brides for showing us the love this year!

Here are just a few of our newest reviews from some pretty outstanding brides. We are so happy that we could be apart of making your day perfect!

Read all of our Wedding Catering, Wedding Coordinators Reviews at

Make sure to check us out on Wedding Wire & read all of our reviews!

The Bride's Guide to Plan B

In the spirit of the inches upon inches of rain mother nature decided to bless the southeast with this past week, we figured it was the perfect time to blog about something all brides should be aware of: Plan B.

We're talking about B, as in back up plan, & its something every bride should have. It is always smart to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. We've put together a few tips so you can have smooth sailing on your special day, rain or shine!


1. Location: choose a location that will beautiful, rain or shine.
2. Venue: If you are having an outside reception, make sure there is enough room in your rented space to bring in a tent, just in case of any last minute showers. 

3. Have an idea of where you will hold the ceremony if rains. Do some research, and look for a place close to your original ceremony location so it will be convenient for guests.

4. Invitations: It is never a bad idea to include a rain card with the invitations, or put the alternative ceremony location on the lower right-hand corner of the invitation.

5. Most importantly: DONT panic. (Tears dont mesh well with make-up :) Rain on your wedding day does NOT mean your marriage is destined to fail (dont believe us? Take a look: http://www.dasinfo.com/rain-on-wedding-day) See, told ya :)

We dont like to accept this unfortunante fact, but we cant control the weather. In that case, just be prepared, take a deep breath, and have fun with it! Happy planning!

It always helps to hire an awesome wedding planner like The EP ;). We always have your back. This is from  on of our weddings on a rainy weekend. In case you were wondering, the bride and father stayed dry. Tammy? Not so much haha

Much More than Maids

Show your bridesmaids some love! 

I'm sure many of you saw the motion picture "Bridesmaids" this year. Though we laughed at the ridiculousness of each situation and enjoyed the comedic talents of an award winning cast, did you find the situation relatable? Many of us have been that bridesmaid. No, your bridemaids will probably not get food poisoning while dress shopping, and we can HOPE that no one in your wedding party gets tackled by an air marshal and detained in an airport, but don’t be fooled. Weddings can be stressful on your bridesmaids, and it's important to remember those special ladies who work so hard to make your wedding perfect. 

Bridemaids gifts are a perfect reminder of your appreciation for their time and attention before AND after your wedding day. While shopping, keep each individual maid in mind by choosing imaginative and stylish gifts that come from the heart that will fit each of their personalities. Here are some unique ideas to get your wheels turning. Happy shopping!

Getting your bridesmaids something that they can wear or use on your wedding day is especially popular. 

Bridesmaid's survival kits are great gift ideas. They are customizable and show just how much care you took into putting together each gift. 

Find these towel wraps along with many other personalized accessories at http://www.exclusivelyweddings.com/Weddings/Wedding-Party-Gifts/Bridesmaid-Gifts

Adorable custom invites from the talented Ms. Paige Burton. Visit her Etsy page to order and make your invitations one of a kind, just for you! 

Fun & Fabulous Springtime cocktails

It's YOUR day so why not have a signature cocktail that screams YOU?! Fun, refreshing & delicious, these springtime cocktails just can't go wrong.

http://blog.purentonline.com/index.php/2010/04/30/champagne-and-vodka-berri-sophisticated-cocktail-recipe/

http://www.drinkoftheweek.com/drink_recipes/mixology-monday-strawberry-basil-mojito/

http://www.marthastewart.com/350012/ginger-margarita

"Best of" event planner on the Emerald Coast

THANKS TO ALL READERS OF EMERALD COAST MAGAZINE WHO VOTED THE EVENTFUL PLANNER BEST EVENT PLANNER FOR 2011. WE ARE THRILLED TO BE HONORED AND REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED US THIS YEAR!

Choosing Your Wedding Party

Many brides struggle with deciding which friends to have in their wedding party. Here are a few tips to make it a little easier. Consider the size of your guest list when deciding on the number of bridesmaids you want. If you’re having a small, intimate wedding, you don’t want the bridal party to be almost as big as the guest list. And if you’re on a tight budget, don’t forget that you will be paying for each of their bouquets. Remember, that just because you were in someone’s wedding, they do not have to be in yours. You can always have other close friends do readings or hand out programs. True friends will understand if they are not asked to be a bridesmaid!

Tips for Tipping

When the big day rolls around, many brides are left wondering what is considered an appropriate gratuity for each of their wedding vendors. Here is a helpful guide for tipping the people who help make your wedding a success:

Hair and Makeup Stylists- 15 to 25% of the service bill, similar to any hair salonOfficiant- a donation to the officiant’s church is a kind gesture and the typical protocol.

Musicians or DJ- $15 to $25 is typical, depending on the service. A reception musician would normally perform for a longer period than the ceremony musician and should receive a proportional tip

Delivery and Setup Crew- $10 for each staff member is appropriate. This includes anyone who delivers or sets up any rentals, florals, etc.

Wait Staff- $20 to $25 for each waiter or bartender is a reasonable amount. You could also tip as a percentage (15 to 20%) of the total food and beverage bill, just like you would in a restaurant.

Photographer- Though this is not a standard tip as many photographers are the studio’s owners, $50 to $200 is general tip range.

Transportation- 15 to 20% of the total bill

Of course, gratuities depend on the quality of service, but is always a nice way to thank vendors for their contributions. A nice note or gift can also be appropriate, especially when you are using family or close friends as vendors. Hope you find this “tips for tipping” helpful!

Aces & Eights Fundraiser

This is where we started when decorating the airport hangar for our first annual Aces & Eights event last weekend out at Destin Jet. After 2 days of work and lots of help from volunteers:

I had such a blast working on the committee for this event. Special shout out to my other commitee members and their websites:
Kim Moore ~ http://www.linensbythesea.com/

Lauren Gall ~ http://www.lgall.com/

Erin Drake ~ http://www.eeidesigns.com/

Daralyn Chase ~ http://www.destingroupevents.com/

Prebble Q Ramswell ~ http://www.prebble.com/

Also thanks to the Destin Fire Rescue Foundation members and all the volunteers and attendees that made this THE event to be at in Destin last weekend! Be sure to check out http://www.destinpokerevent.com/ in the next couple of weeks for more pictures and I hope to see everyone again next year!

Aces & Eights Fundraiser

Hey everyone,
Check out the Aces & Eights fundraiser in Destin on February 27th. I am on the event committee and this is going to be THE Destin event to attend. We'll have a poker tournament with the grand prize valued at $5000, plus a silent auction, blackjack tables, red carpet arrival, go go dancers, live entertainment and much more! Tickets are $100 for poker players, $50 for everyone else and that price includes food and beverages. It is going to be a great time so visit the link at
http://www.facebook.com/#/pages/Aces-Eights-February-27th/233578556137?ref=ts
See you there............