Kara + Jan-Michael's Wedding

FRENCH - JAPANESE INSPIRED WEDDING
JUNE 18 2016 | IDAHO BOTANICAL GARDENS | OWYHEE PLAZA

When you have an iffy forecast, sometimes you have to make decisions on the fly... oh how bad did we want our ceremony in the gardens, but thunderstorms were moving through the area for a couple days and we had 30 mph winds headed our way... so, up went the tent and a quick change to our Rainy Day plan! It worked out well and we are glad we made it happen. As the Bride entered the tent, gusts of wind started up and while it wasn't rain... it was a lot of wind. Thank you Tates Tents and Events for getting this up for us!

Peyton Lind, Ira + Lucy

The Reveal....

This was thee moment mother-of-the-bride, Kathy, and I had been dreaming of and working so hard for. Kathy was a dream of a mother to work with! Her creative talents were inspiring and bouncing ideas off of one-another was such a special experience. I'm so proud to have done this beside her... Kathy, I'll never forget this moment and I'm so excited we were able to keep the dance floor a HUGE surprise! Thank you Sound Wave for working with us and the many many revisions we did to get the dance floor and lighting just right!

“I hope you know how wonderful the night was for us! Like I told you that evening, it was like a dream! When I asked Kara what she thought during dinner she said she felt like she was at a celebrity wedding. Jan-Michael said he wanted to do it all again but experience it as a guest! Really, we are so appreciative and I am sorry it has ended too. I know it will be a day that all of us will remember fondly and it wouldn’t have been nearly as wonderful without you! If I could afford it I would have given you your weight in GOLD!!!”

— Mother-Of-The-Bride, Kathy

Peyton Lind, Ira + Lucy

Peyton Lind, Ira + Lucy

Peyton Lind, Ira + Lucy Team

Peyton Lind, Ira + Lucy

VENDORS

Ira + Lucy, Coordination and Design
Idaho Botanical Gardens
The Owyhee
Open Table Catering
Tates Tents + Events
Just So. Event Floral
Rhodes Entertainment
Amaru Confections
Shawna Hines Hair and Makeup
Double Take Photography
Sound Wave Lighting, Dance Floor, Photo Booth

Katie + Craig's Warm Springs Wedding

ST. JOHN CATHEDRAL | WARM SPRINGS | JUNE 25TH 2016

“To love is nothing. To be loved is something. But to love and be loved, that’s everything.”

— T. Tolis

“..they are so happy..and so of course we are so happy. What a wonderful wedding. You were incredible and you are so gifted at what you do. Have anyone call me anytime if they want to visit with a past, very particular “mother of the bride” …my reference will be shining and for very good reasons. Thank you for making the day go so smoothly and so beautifully. While we did this for Katie and Craig, I can’t help be pleased when the compliments keep rolling in..the food, the flowers, the décor, the venue, the staff, the music, the …….you should be very proud! Cheers to you Heidi…our love and admiration for a fantastic job so very well done.”

— Mother of The Bride, Patty

“I know Patty said thank you, but I wanted to echo that sentiment. Obviously, we are pretty fond of Katie and Craig. You really made their special day perfect. You, and your staff, were wonderful to work with and fun to be around. Taking all those organizational tasks off our hands allowed us to relish the occasion, what a blessing.”

— Father of the Bride, Derrick

“You are really amazing. You are passionate about what you do and you poor your whole self into it. My favorite comment was that people ‘could really feel the love’ during the whole event! Isn’t that the coolest?

Some other comments:
“They moved a LOT of people through the event and it never felt like it”
“ The decorations were incredible”…people were so impressed with every detail…
Loved the farm tables
Loved the bars
Loved the pics
Loved the table settings
LOVED the tent
Loved the DJ
“The food was remarkable” – everything here was perfect and people were wondering how you fed so many without any food being dry or cold. Wow. “The staff was really professional and worked so hard”. Everyone was jealous of the ear pieces. “There were a lot of photographers. Those pictures are going to be amazing” –”

— Mother of the Groom, Teresa

It's with bittersweet emotions that I share Katie and Craig's beautiful wedding day! It took almost a full year's work to plan, design and manage their wedding and I have come to care very much for Katie and Craig and their families. I consider myself extremely blessed by the clients and the friendships formed from the relationship we build and so sometimes when it's all over.... it can be a little sad. I know that the emails and texts and meetings will become memories, but they are cherished memories. Katie and Craig have thee biggest hearts and are two of the most kind individuals I have ever met. This was truly a labor of love! Thank you Katie and Craig, Patty and Derrick, Teresa and Jeff... thank you for sharing this intimate and cherished time in your family's lives with me and allowing me and my team the honor to create a remarkable and memorable wedding I know we will all cherish. Blessings! - H

VENDORS

Ira + Lucy Wedding Coordination and Design
Let It Shine Photography
Just So. Event Floral
Open Table Catering
Stevi Raff Cakes
VCI Audio, Sound and Lighting
Tates Tents + Events
La Tavola Fine Linen
Behrens Artistry
The Grove Hotel
St Johns Cathedral
Boise Shuttle Service
Boise Township Tours
2nd Shooter, Vlad, Radion Photography
 

Sammie + Beau's Boho Wedding

Sammie + Beau

Still Water Hollow | April 29th, 2016

Yet everything that touches us, me and you,
takes us together like a violin's bow, 
which draws one voice out of two separate strings

- Rainer Maria Rilke, "Love Song"

The Design

Custom wedding design by Ira + lucy
 

View fullsize

Sammie shared with me a love for moody jewel tones and wanted to be sure it didn't feel too "girly" or too "country rustic". We focused on giving some boho vibes and playing up the jewel tones with a softer blush hue in the mix to add some depth to the palette. Pheasant feathers were a must for Sammie and Just So. Event Floral did a beautiful job incorporating them into the Bridal bouquet and Groom's boutonnière. I pulled away from a country vibe by adding a dramatic textured black and white print linen, from La Tavola Fine Linen, for the large head table. Adding vintage brown bottles, brass candlesticks with black tapers, gold geo shapes, air plants and ferns helped create a WOW focal point. Last minute, I decided to surprise Sammie with stunning calligraphy place cards from Sarah Pearl Studio. I requested them on black paper with torn edges and white text to add to that edgier vibe I wanted. 

Authentic Mexican Equipale chairs made for the perfect Bride + Groom special seating and after dinner we pulled one out for the garter toss! I'm so excited about these new chairs now a part of our rental collection! The Honey Harvest Rattan Chargers pulled in the warm wood hues  seen in the chairs, the brick backdrop and flooring.

Custom Projects

Sammie is going to school full time for nursing and truly, just didn't have the time or capacity to plan a wedding. Not to mention, just a few months before the wedding, her original venue canceled all their booked weddings, so we had to scramble to move the wedding to a new venue. At that point Sammie gave me full rein and told me to just take total creative and logistic control and pull her wedding together. It was pretty incredible to be able to have so much creative freedom and then get to surprise Sammie and Beau with all the little details we planned for them. The week of the wedding Sammie and her Mom wrote me in a panic that they forgot about a ring bearer pillow! So, I chatted with Kara, the florist and we put our minds together and I created the ring pillow and she made the flower girl baskets to match!

Farm House Tables

Our NEW Farm House Tables making their debut!!! They were incredible and made for the perfect special seating for the reserved family tables! Aren't they gorgeous pushed together for a dramatic tables cape and they pair beautifully with Tates new cross back chairs.

Team Member Pic by Peyton! Cake by Stevi Raff, Design Ira + Lucy

Ira + Lucy Team Member Pic, by Peyton. Sarah Pearl Calligraphy. Just So. Event Floral

“I’ve just been crying since last night and still can’t stop. I am in absolute awe. Thank you just does not do it. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude... I don’t have the words to thank you. That wedding was something out of my wildest dreams. You guys are miracle workers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!””

— Bride, Sammie

This was one of those "get you in the feels" weddings and couple. When Sammie and I first met in person there was an immediate connection, one of those God moments where you know you were brought into one another's lives for a bigger purpose. I won't got into the specifics, as it's personal for both Sammie and I, and we don't need to get too weepy eyed in our blog, but I'll forever feel connected to Sammie and giving her her dream wedding was a joy. I know all the vendors went above and beyond to love on this couple and I couldn't be more proud of our team and showing why we do what we do! To bless others! Love you so much Sammie! xoxo

VENDOR TEAM

Ira + Lucy Full Coordination + Design
Just So. Event Floral
Still Water Hollow
Open Table Catering
Stevi Raff Cakes
Hair by Shawna Hines, Bride + Bridesmaids HMU
Bridal Makeup, Blush by Jamie Rose, Bride's Sister-In-Law
Radion Photography and Blue Chip Media
VCI Audio
Tates Tents and Events, Chair Rentals, Dishwater
La Tavola Fine Linen Rentals
Plum Pretty Sugar Robe, Gifted to our Bride
Vera Wang Gown, David's Bridal
 

Hiring a Wedding Coordinator and What That Means For Your Wedding Day

"Getting Ready"

BLOG SERIES | PART 1

I'm going to bounce around a bit in the next few blogs about why hiring a wedding coordinator or planner is a benefit for you. It'd make sense to start with discussing planning, vendor negotiations, logistics etc, but we're going to jump in first with chatting about your wedding day, in particular, the getting ready part.

As your Wedding Coordinator and Designer I want nothing more than to know that my Bride and Groom are free of stress, relaxed, being pampered and know that everything is handled so that they can enjoy their time with their closest friends and family as they prepare to walk down the isle. I adore this image of our Bride, Megan, as she and her bridesmaids look out the estate windows overlooking the property and watch as our team hustles around the property setting up. We are submitting Megan and Kaleo's wedding for publication, but I realized that some of these behind the scenes pics don't make publication galleries, but they are also such a HUGE part of what we do. These images are awesome in telling the benefits of having a coordinator. Here is our bride with her best friends relaxed and enjoying seeing it'll all come to life.

When I sit down with couples, and often those consultations include the Mother of the Bride, when we start talking about what are their hopes, how they envision their day I always hear about what the bride and mother want for what happens BEFORE the ceremony. I want you to think about that as well. For my own wedding, I didn't budget for a wedding coordinator and that is with major regret... instead my sisters, mom, aunts and even grandmother were not with me in my hotel room helping me prepare for the happiest day of my life. They were out in hot summer temps running around trying to set up our wedding. They were dealing with stress and vendor frustrations and trying to figure out how to set up the wedding decor to fit my dream I had worked hard planning... They then had to rush into the bridal suite moments before the wedding to day they loved me and to quick change into their dresses for their part of walking down the isle... REGRETS.... When we first started many of my couples didn't hire a coordinator, instead they just hired us to set up the wedding and leave. Ohhhh.... how many times did I see the repeat mistakes that I had made... frustrated, exhausted, irritated, hurt moms, friends and family members who, yes, had volunteered to set up and were happy to volunteer... but, they had no idea what amount of work and stress they had signed up for AND what they would miss out on come the wedding. It is VERY rare for it to go otherwise.

A MOMENT THAT LASTS A LIFETIME

Instead, what I had wished happen and what all of my clients share they desire is a different experience. Instead, you, the bride, are surrounded by your closest girlfriends and women in your life that are there with you in a peaceful and joyous state. Refreshments and small bites are available to keep each of you comfortable and relaxed. It's a quite time to give gifts to your bridesmaids if you wish. You can share quiet time reflecting on your vows and relationship and what this day means to you and your family. Your best friend and mom can help you into your gown. If you have a summer or winter wedding, you can all be indoors in a temperature controlled environment. You're not just feeling your best as you have your hair and makeup done, but so are these incredible women you cherish. Megan gave each of her bridesmaids a special clutch. They laughed, they enjoyed watching the set up, they helped one another dress. It was peaceful and perfect. Megan's mom then helped her into her gown. A moment that we talked at the very beginning about being a priority.

Creating time for the bride and groom allows flexibility. Here, we were able to have the officiant take some one on one time with Megan and Kaleo beforehand to review any ceremony details. This also alleviates any last minute stress about the ceremony flow and specifics. This reassurance can calm nerves and allow the bride and groom to enter into a headspace that is more relaxed and able to take in the moment better.

And we're not JUST talking about the girls. The guys too, should be hang'n out, relaxed and enjoying some guy time and not stressed about anything else. Kaleo and his best friends played air hockey, ping pong, watched some football, enjoyed snacks and refreshments. This also allowed our photographers to have time to shoot getting ready pics for both the gals and guys without issues.

Think about how you want to feel on your wedding day, especially in the moments leading up to the ceremony. Who do you want with you? What kind of environment do you imagine? A Wedding Coordinator makes this happen. We work hundreds of hours leading up to this moment to bring that vision to reality and maybe even better! Stay tuned for more of this blog series!

FROM THE BRIDE...

"I want to start off by saying that I was always the girl who NEVER needed a wedding coordinator. I knew “exactly” what I wanted my wedding to look like, and I’ve always been a natural planner, so why would I need someone’s help? Once upon a time I even dreamed of being a wedding planner myself, so I felt like planning my own wedding would be a piece of cake. A few weeks in to the planning stage and my head was spinning while trying to find 300 of the perfect chairs, a task that I thought would be so simple. Turns out, planning your own wedding isn’t easy. Pinning gorgeous photos to your “Fairytale” pinterest board may be a dreamy no-brainer, but it doesn’t work that way in real life. It’s a lot harder than one might think to pull together a luxurious seating lounge or take 50 of your carefully thrifted bowls and vases and turn them into collaborative centerpieces. And lets not even get started on the not so obvious details- linens for breadbaskets, reserved seating signs, extension cords??? There is more that goes into planning a wedding than I ever could have imagined. 

I first contacted Heidi because my mom wanted to hire someone who could take the stress off of the wedding day set-up and tear-down. But after hearing about what she could offer in the coordination department and after seeing the beautiful work on her site, I could not help myself but get lost in the idea of having someone rescue me from my never ending planningchallenges. Right from the moment that I met Heidi and her assistant Molly, I felt like 300 pounds were lifted from my shoulders. They knew exactly what needed to be done to make my dream day come true and they were just as excited about it as I was. They gave me a strict to-do list and a firm deadline to make decisions while they got busy calling vendors and pulling together the seriously impossible. They put together a vision board that was absolutely perfect for me and finally I was able to start enjoying the whole process. It wasn’t long after that when I told my mom the best thing I had spent my money on so far was my wedding planners. They worked like crazy making sure that I could have everything that I envisioned for my day. Not only did they make the planning process so much easier- they made it so that I could spend my wedding day focusing on all of the important parts. The night before my wedding I was able to go home and relax and get my rest. The morning of my wedding I was able to spend the day with my bridesmaids and my mom at the salon getting our hair, makeup, and nails done. I didn’t have to worry about a thing but just showing up and looking pretty. I knew without a doubt that their team would have everything under control and that everything would get done just how I wanted it and in plenty of time for my walk down the aisle. I didn’t stress. My family didn’t stress. Everyone was able to enjoy the day just as they should have. 

I look back at my dream of becoming a wedding planner and I can’t imagine ever thinking that it was something that I could do. It takes a special kind of person to not only be able to work that hard, but to want it so much for someone else. Heidi is that person. That is what her team stands for and I couldn’t be more grateful that I chose them to help me with my wedding." - Megan
 

Nate Perkes Photography
Ira + Lucy Wedding Design + Coordination
Open Table Catering
Blooms Flower Studio
VCI Audio
Tates Tents and Events