The Amazing Jesse Nolan

...Ok, maybe I'm biased.

But Carolyn's right, the website is taking shape. Jesse (of engagement ring fame; see below) has dedicated many hours of unpaid work to build us our dream website, and also dealt with our demanding to change it every 5 seconds. Someday soon, it's going to be perfect. We're still working on content to add to it, and the layout has changed recently.

Anyone have thoughts or suggestions? Keep in mind - it's nowhere near completed.

www.aneventlessordinary.com

At long last!

Big news! Amy and I had a "for realsies" meeting yesterday! We sat at Panera for hours and (in between judging the girl who yelled at the staff and filling my tiny water cup 18 1/2 times) we came up with all of the content for the website, a tag line, and we purchased our certification program. That will certainly be the kick-start we need and will give us a lot of direction.

We didn't even care that we were missing an America's Next Top Model marathon, we just toughed it out, ate our Bacon Turkey Bravos, and got down to brass taxes (an archaic expression I simply love). I'm so proud of us.

Also, I came across this idea in my internet perusal: organic catering. Isn't that a fabulous idea? I think it's brilliant. So not only will you be different and not force your guests to have yet another chicken kiev or smelly fish meal, you'll also be giving them healthy dishes! I'm not a health nut by any means, but I really think this is a great concept.

Check out Greg Christian. He was my favorite. Very elegant. Wouldn't that be so much better than mushy potatos in a buffet line??

stay fab,

carolyn

I'm totally stealing this.

I don't know much about cake. I don't even really eat cake, actually. I haven't done the cake thing for my own wedding yet, but I'm starting to research them. Look at this:


I think that's so different and interesting! (I found it on weddingbee.com, ps). You see so many boring cakes at weddings...this just screams that Emily and Chris are interesting people. Super cool idea.

ps.

Our website, www.aneventlessordinary.com, is coming soon.

um...wait, what's the point of this again?

You may be wondering why you stumbled across this pretty pink blog where a couple of pretty ladies post pictures of pretty things. Let's back up.

Let's say, for kicks, that you just got engaged. Yay! Call your family and friends! And....then what? Well...you might want to consider hiring a wedding planner to help you. Scratch that - you might want to consider hiring Carolyn and me to help you. ;) But first, ask yourself these questions:

Do you have a small panic attack every time you think about your wedding?
Do you hate being in control of things?
Do you have lots of great ideas for your wedding, but you're not sure how to organize them?
Do you lose things a lot?
Would people call you scatterbrained, flakey, ditzy, etc? (I certainly hope not...that's mean.)
Are you not a big list-maker?
Are you sick of people asking you how your wedding plans are going, because they're circling the drain, and you're not sleeping at night?

Yeah...you should probably call us. We can definitely help you.

And let me tell you, I am a total crazypants list-maker. I have lists of my lists. I have a wedding binder. I have a wedding Excel spreadsheet. My fiance thinks I'm insane. I am so on top of my wedding planning it hurts. But you know what? Sometimes I think it probably would have been smart to hire a wedding planner to help me out. Even me - the Control Freak.

Email us at aneventlessordinary@gmail.com, and invite us to plan your wedding!


crazypants (amy)

Rules? Well. Sometimes.

I have some rules of fashion. I feel that every girl does. That's where your style begins, right? There naturally have been several changes and fluxes in the rules (I used to balk at skinny jeans, what?!), but these four have remained the same for the last decade or so:

1. Wear white every time of year as long as the fabric is appropriate.
2. Overalls are never - EVER EVER IN LIFE - okay. Ever.
3. Jean skirts are never accepted by me. Not even with leggings and especially not with a t-shirt and flip-flops. UGH.
4. Anyone over the age of twelve wearing Tweety Bird, Winnie-the-Pooh or similar anywhere on their person has a serious problem.

That's just me.

However, I have NO rules when it comes to your wedding dress. Now, I'm as far away from my own wedding as a girl can get. I don't have a serious boyfriend, I'm not looking for one, and as far as I'm concerned, it looks like I will be planning other people's weddings for WAY longer than I will my own. However, I can't help but get a little wistful sometimes and start perusing wedding gowns. I found this absolutely stunning creation here. It's so pretty I can't stand it. I am ALL about wearing color as you walk down the aisle. Just look at this dress!

Could you die? I did a little.

Sigh.

stay fab,

carolyn

Creative Expression

I have a confession to make.

I tend to balk at tradition. Hard core. In fact, there is a rebellious teenager somewhere inside me who hears a rule and says "Absolutely not, you are not doing/wearing/saying that." It may not even be a rule, per se, it may just be something someone else does.

I suppose I'm what you call a non-conformist (unless I like what I'm conforming to, anyway). So I am always thinking of different ways to do things that aren't traditional. I have to admit...seeing a bride in another strapless, poofball gown with a veil in the middle of her head might send me into a fit of hysteria. Sure! It's pretty (ish)! But where are YOU in that wedding? Where's YOUR style and input?

Which is why I love, adore, cherish, admire and...other words portraying infatuation... ETSY.COM. If you have not yet discovered this magnificent site, GO. NOW. I don't know why you're still on this blog, you can read it later!

I first fell in love with this site when my boss' wife bought things off it, didn't love them and handed them to me. Are you kidding? Free ACCESSORIES? I love this job!

I digress. I think that a lovely way to make your wedding really shine through your style is by cool accessories (which I'm obsessed with anyway). Here are some great things I found on etsy:

This belt across your wedding dress? It would be something blue! You can get it here.


How about this beautiful creation in your hair instead of a traditional veil?



Or this fantastic-ness?



Okay, that last one might not be for everyone (you can find them here), but I think you get the idea. I like to shake things up, and I value personal style. Amy and I are here to help you find yours!

stay fab,

carolyn

Men! (and the women who tell them what they want)

Just thought I'd share...

As long as we're talking about weddings, we might as well start at the beginning.

http://www.mmartinjewelry.com/

This is a lovely little place in Jewelers Row in downtown Chicago. It doesn't have the look of a jewelry store, ala Kay's or Zales, but let me tell you - they will make you whatever you want, it will be gorgeous, and you won't be forced to go on welfare in order to get an engagement ring.

Martin made this gorgeous-ness, which now resides on my finger. (That's right: Carolyn blogs about fun wedding accessories, I brag about myself. Yeah...well.)

This ring is a perfect replica of the Tiffany Legacy, seen here, but for a fraction of the cost. He will make anything you want him to, and it will be perfect. Oh, and did I mention that diamond is a Harry Winston? Yeah, Martin's not messing around.

Ok enough gloating. Enjoy!

amy

I hope not sporadically....

I thought we could stick with the movie quote theme. Why not make it fun, eh?

Hi! I'm Amy, and I felt the need to write this because Carolyn is currently showing me up. She will continue to, because she is much more clever than I, but we'll try this anyway. This is my first "blog"! I can be funny...sometimes...so...be on the lookout for that happening.

I've lived in the city for almost 2 years, having originally moved here to attend graduate school, but later decided that wasn't the best track for me. I've recently gone back to my old stand-by, administrative work. I have a strange obsession with planning, organizing, scheduling, and the like, but I didn't realize what I might be able to do with it until I began planning my own wedding a year ago. I knew that Carolyn had the same wacky OCD thing that I have, and that we've both embarked on career paths that are, let's say...less than glamorous, so I mentioned to her one day that we should plan weddings together. And....done.

I'm excited to share with you, our dozens of screaming fans, the process of starting our business. We're having what we like to call a "for realsies meeting" (as opposed to a "meeting" where we end up sitting on the couch watching Real Housewives of Orange County and judging) tonight, so hopefully we'll have something much more fabulous to share later on.

happy trails.

amy

Somewhere over the...crazy AQ dress!

"I could see that it might be desirable to grow up one day and it would be awful sometimes, more painful than my darkest dreams, but it might also be, now and then, a bit lovely." - Susie Boyt, My Judy Garland Life

Sigh. I admit, I'm a musical theater nerd and was enamored with Judy Garland growing up. Susie Boyt has written a magnificent memoir that details her life "with" Judy. You can find it here. And if that quote isn't the truth, I don't know what is! The process of growing older and wiser can be taxing, but when you find yourself enjoying one of those lovely moments, it makes the whole progression worthwhile.

Especially when Amy and I are involved in those lovely moments, and they happen to be part of your wedding day. :)

In other news, we are signed up for an internship that should really help us figure out what really goes into a wedding/event planning business. And ladies and gents, there are a ton of bridal expos going on right now! That should keep us busy and up to date.

And can we please discuss this?


This is a creation by that talented maniac Alexander McQueen. I fully believe he is magnificent, but completley out of his head. It would take a VERY special lady to pull this creation off on her wedding day! Although, do you remember the dress Carrie fell asleep in the hotel room in Paris? When the Russian was late? Very reminiscent. He is an artist, that's for sure.

stay fab,

carolyn

PS: Amy just started a new job, but will introduce herself very soon!

Can you ever just be whelmed?

I think you can in Europe!

Welcome to (those of you who I hope will become) our fabulous blogoshpere friends! Amy and I are embarking on a very exciting, albeit confusing, adventure...we have decided to start our own wedding planning business in the city of Chicago.

I don't know about you, but I have never tried to start my own business. Amy and I have a psychology degree and almost a theater degree respectively, and know nothing about business at all. She and I met doing an amateur production of Grease and became fast friends. Shortly after the show ended, we looked at each other and said "We're hyper-organized, super-stylish and love a good party...why not plan other people's events, too?"

Okay, so maybe that's not verbatim, but that's the way it started...ish. Then we bought books. And took a couple of business classes through the city. And have researched ways to get certified. But we're floundering for some direction. It's been nearly a year since we began talking about this, and I figured starting a public record of our journey from 20-something assistants to marvelous event planners extraordinaire would help kick us in the butts to get moving.

What's that you say? Who are you, anyway, and why should we care? Ah, well, I shall tell you.

My name is Carolyn (it was almost Anna, but I looked like a Carolyn, I guess) and I've lived here in the Chi for about 3 1/2 years. I love this city and love exploring everything it has to offer. I also love shopping and shoes and singing karaoke and talking to my girlfriends. I have been doing theater since I was little and love every minute, but it's not the most realistic dream. I think my flair for the dramatic will certainly help in the event planning business. I am single at the moment, and happily so, and am so so excited to get this business started! I also love my subscription to Vogue, my old fatty cat, and my skinny jeans with heels.

So that's a little about me, I'll let Amy summarize herself. But if I may brag about my business partner a scoch, I adore her, she's hilarious and strong and beautiful and so smart and classy and stylish...she's the wonderful.

Along the way, we'll be posting fun photos and links in reference to weddings that we heart. Here's a cake I found that is just GORGEOUS:
This is by Ron Ben-Israel and he's out of NYC. This is Pucci inspired...I LOVE Pucci! The patterns! So good. Sigh. If only I could afford designer clothing...

I hope you'll hit that "follow" button over there and follow us on this scary, interesting, and fabulous journey! We're thrilled to have you along for the ride!

stay fab,

carolyn (+ amy)

PS: Ten points if you can tell me what the "whelmed" quote is from!