Affairs Remembered

Baby Shower given with love; round 1

2010-08-29T11:28:00.008-04:00

Although I don't spend too much time planning showers, some have have been given with love for very special people in my life. One of them being my best friend Adrienne.

Adrienne and I met in elementary school. We immediately clicked and were inseparable from the first day of school. We both planned our lives out together. We promised each other that we would be each others maids of honor, our children's god mothers and share every special moment of our lives and fortunately it has worked out in that very same way!! When she first announced she was pregnant together we cried, we laughed and we immediately began to plan the long awaited baby shower. She decided early on that she would not find out the sex of the baby (yes I went off on her a few times, but had to respect her decision) so this made the color choices a bit challenging. Knowing that I would not let her down she gave me some leeway as to the decor and here's what I came up with...

Some of the details not shown here:

Every guest received a home made cupcake along with a personalized note thanking them for joining in our festivities.
The packaged cookies were shipped from California (Mothers brand) and assembled the night before the shower.
The cake was a marble chocolate and vanilla cake covered with fondant, made by both Adrienne and I.
Each table had a different name to it like, baby cry, baby Gomez, bottle feed, nursery etc.
We also had a scavenger hunt with disposable cameras in which the guests had to photograph baby related items.

The baby shower was a huge success and the result was a beautiful bouncing baby boy!

Baby shower pictures by Leiani Prieto

Family photo by UDS Photo

Additional foot note: Adrienne is now carrying baby number 2. We have already began to plan a fun filled round 2!!

What to wear?

2010-08-16T10:40:00.005-04:00

I find it interesting how some guests are really not aware of what to wear for a wedding. I ask myself, perhaps they have never attended a wedding before, or if they have attended one it was their cousin Jean's wedding back in 1971.

I found this suggestion list on a website and thought it would be nice to share.

Dress up for the ladies:

•Informal Daytime(meaning not Black tie)morning or early lunch event: Short dress or suit (business attire OK for morning weddings)
•Informal Evening (meaning not black tie)late lunch, dinner: Cocktail dress
•Semi-Formal Daytime: Short dress or suit
•Semi-formal Evening: Cocktail dress
•Formal Daytime: Short dress or suit. Hats and gloves optional.
•Formal Evening or Black-Tie: Long or dressy short cocktail (beading, bling accessories, wrap, high heels)
•Ultra-formal or White Tie: Long gown, extra glitz (furs, diamonds, etc.)

Do'and Dont's for the ladies..

•I find it totally ridiculous when a guest wear white or ivory so please, don't wear white because it competes with the bride. There are plenty of other colors available.
•Don't wear black or sequins during the daytime unless the event goes into the evening.
•Don't worry about wearing the same colors as the bridesmaids or mothers. You can't possibly coordinate with everyone in the wedding party.
•Do wear something feminine and appropriate, out of respect for your hosts. Club wear, overtly sexy clothing (strapless, see-through, etc) doesn't belong at a wedding. If you have to ask if it's appropriate, it probably isn't.
•Don't wear opera-length gloves (to top of arm)or any gloves in my opinion, with anything but sleeveless or strapless gowns.
•Do take off gloves to eat or drink (why wear them in the first place??).
•Do use good judgment if the invitation doesn't specify the formality of the event. A pastel suit or soft floral dress for daytime or a little black dress for evening (after 6 p.m.) should be appropriate enough.

Wedding gear for the gents..

•Informal Daytime: Dress shirt and pants, preferably a sports jacket.
•Informal Evening: Suit (not necessarily a tie)
•Semi-Formal Daytime: Suit
•Semi-Formal Evening: Dark suit
•Formal Daytime: Dark suit and tie
•Formal Evening: Tuxedo (if invitation states "black tie") or dark suits if women wear short dresses.
•Ultra-formal Evening or White Tie: White tie, vest and shirt.

Do's and Don'ts for Him

•Don't try to get cute with a tuxedo. A black tux with white shirt and black bow tie is the best way to go. If "Creative Black Tie" or "Texas Formal" or some sort of other vague formal description is used, then going with a tux and black shirt, no tie, might be acceptable. Also, trendier cities like Los Angeles and New York might be more accepting of breaking with tradition.
•Do wear a dark suit, with a tie if the wedding is after 6 PM, and doesn't say "Black Tie."
•Don't wear a tuxedo during the day time, regardless of the formality of the event.
•Do use good judgment if the invitation doesn't specify the formality of the event. A dark suit and conservative tie will make you look elegant and fit right in!

Courtesy of www.about.com

Hottt weekend for weddings!

2010-08-03T10:49:00.004-04:00

The media (and Vera Wang) must have been going crazy this past weekend with so many celeb weddings and events going on.

We all know that Chelsea and Marc tied the knot in a high end wedding which can easily be translated into an upscale production in New York. Chelsea wore a beautiful dress by famed designer Vera Wang while Marc, Bill and all groomsmen wore an elegant suit by designer Christopher Bailey. A very stunning and elegant Hillary Clinton wore a beautiful designer gown from Oscar de la Renta. The flowers included shades of lavender and carried the traditional monochromatic design by renowned florist Jeff Leatham. The wedding was said to be of royalty caliber.

We then learned that Alicia Keys and her beau, Kasseem Dean better known as “Swizz Beatz” tied the knot on a private mansion in Corsica, overlooking the mysterious Mediterranean Sea. Alicia also wore a Vera Wang Dress while Swizz Beatz wore a white jacket tuxedo by designer Tom Ford.

Last but not least reports say that rapper T.I. better known as Clifford Harris and long time girlfriend Tiny (real name Tameka Cottle) also tied the knot and in the very beautiful sunny weather of Miami (I agree the weekend was stunning and full of love). Reports say their ceremony was held on a private mansion on Star Island, however, a close insider advised that the actual ceremony took place on a lavish and exclusive mansion in Homestead, Florida (about 45 minutes south of South Beach). Guests lists included Usher, Jermaine Dupree and Rihanna – which held a concert in downtown the same night. The couple and friends then went on to celebrate their after party at Cameo’s on South Beach!

Miami Rescue Mission

2010-07-31T11:06:00.006-04:00

On Thursday July 29, I took my kids to the Miami Rescue Mission Women’s and Children Center. The purpose was for them to see what a homeless shelter looked like and learn to appreciate what they have at home which, they so often take for granted.

Prior to my arrival I called to make sure I was allowed to take my children and the donations I had collected. There was a very kind lady by the name of Michelle that explained that due to the privacy I would not be allowed to tour the facility but that I could remain in their lobby and turn my donations in. When we arrived, there was a woman waiting for the door to open. She was thirsty and wanted water. I almost broke down. I then met with Michelle and gave her the clothes and children’s book I had gathered from my house. She went to the back and spoke with a case manager. The case manager met with me in the lobby and introduced herself. She then allowed me to go on a mini tour to see their common areas. While touring, we met a little girl with her mom and my daughter gave her one of her drawings (I had the kids make 6 drawing each for girls and boys, not know they had 20 kids in total!!).

The cafeteria had 6 tables with chairs and their library/tv room was in the same vicinity but had wall dividers. The furniture in the media room was covered in plastic, there was only 1 television set and there were cribs and changing tables for the babies. There was a very nice play set in their backyard which was very well kept and the sleeping rooms which were located upstairs. Michelle mentioned that they currently had a full house and usually had to turn down 3-4 women with children daily. That really broke my heart.

Needless to say the ride home was in complete silence. I could tell in my children’s eyes that they were silently praying and counting their blessings. I made a promise to myself that I would take them back on a regular basis and volunteer our time.

For more information on how to become involved please visit www.miamirescuemission.com

Attire for trendy MOB's and MOG's

2010-07-23T16:31:00.006-04:00

Sometimes when we think of the attire our moms are to wear for a special occasions like "YOUR" wedding we immediately think of an outfit that pairs them up with their age! Thankfully fashion has changed and most moms have kept up to speed with it. In research of our latest fashion trends, we found some pretty amazing dresses that scream modern MOB/MOG! What accessories would you pair these up with and is your mom daring enough to wear these? Check these out and let me know your thoughts

Hawaii Wedding - a true paradise!

2010-07-20T18:15:00.013-04:00

For some that don't have the beach as your backyard, often dream of having a romantic beach side wedding. The top choice is usually Hawaii, but if your budget doesn't extend towards a lavish soiree on the island then opt to have the island brought to you!

We often think of seashells and sand as a centerpiece for a beach themed wedding but why stick to the norm? By extending your creativity you can come up with your own design and add your touch of island flair to your affair!

Some thoughts may be to include some bamboo and vibrant colors such as orange, hot pinks, yellows and greens. We found this arrangement on Pacific Weddings!

As inspiration we also found these vases/pots that are made from bamboo and would look just absolutely amazing with large banana leaves and some colorful orchids.

Some favor ideas can be these bamboo placecard holders from Kate Aspen and a tropical lemonade mix for your guest to enjoy at home!

We also found this board that carries an island feeling and wont make your wedding look like a home style luau!

A suggestion for the cocktail hour is to use pre-recorded Hawaiian music and have live dancers interacting with your guests as well as serving traditional Hawaiian drinks using fresh fruits. Because the Hawaiian palate blends in several cultures, there is an array of foods that can be incorporated into your menu to make it more traditional. The most commonly seen is the pulled pork. You may find that some guests may not eat pork so you may want to substitute with chicken or beef . Fruits play an important part on the island so you may want to include some chutneys on your proteins to introduce some tropical flavorings. Poi is the traditional island starch (for most of us its either rice or potatoes!!). Its a mixture of taro roots with water to make a mash (similar to mash potatoes), you may wish to add some garlic or parsley for additional flavors. For dessert you may want to serve anything that includes coconut, pineapples, guava or just simply fresh cut fruits!

Our intentions are not to reinvent the wheel but just help you push our creativity to the next level and save you some money along the way!

Affairs Remembered is back in the kitchen!

2010-07-15T23:28:00.007-04:00

Our heart has always been in the kitchen, after all, our business started with cakes and desserts (Bakes n Cakes - our sister company) and later developed to what we are today, an elite Wedding and Event Planning firm . We are proud to introduce My Picture Cookie by Affairs Remembered. These delicious vanilla and chocolate cookies can be customized to include any chosen picture, logo or message and cost as low as $.99* each. Considered to be a wonderful party favor, this gourmet cookie can be used for weddings, showers, corporate functions and promotions as well as any other memorable event you may be planning! The icing for vanilla cookies include vanilla and key lime flavors while the chocolate cookies includes vanilla and mint flavors.
Although you have a choice of flavors, the icing is always white. We find it is the best canvas to create vibrant full color images.

The quality of the images that are reproduced are as close to perfection as possible. My Picture Cookie by Affairs Remembered uses an FDA approved state of the art technology that is guaranteed to ensure the best and tasteful quality available.

Ordering is simple and the best part about it is that you design and approve your final product online and receive it within 2-3 days. Freshness is always guaranteed and each package is carefully sealed to ensure freshness and avoid any unnecessary breakage.

Click on the picture below and place your order today!

* must purchase 360 or more to receive this price per cookie

Color of the day... BLUE

2010-07-13T18:07:00.005-04:00

BLUE

My ultimate favorite color! Blue reminds me of happy times with an overwhelming feeling of calmness and serenity! In my opinion it is best paired with yellow (hence the very beautiful sunflower being my FAVE flower!!) and white. Check out this inspirational board for ideas and ways to combine the two while making a fashionable statement!

Color of the day...GREEN

2010-06-22T20:03:00.006-04:00

GREEN... not just going green but using it!

Who knew that green would turn out to be such a fantastic color to combine with! Check out these boards which use green as both the main color and as an accent element. I'm loving the color combo of green, white and black.
Lots of brides are going green to make a bold statement, however using the color is not a bad idea either! Do you have any funky green color combos you wish to share?

photos courtesy of project wedding

Color of the day.....PURPLE!

2010-06-14T15:49:00.009-04:00

Purple...

photo courtesy of project wedding

When I think of the color purple, the thought of lavender scented flower fields comes into mind (I know that sounds super corny but soooo true!!).

Although the color may not suit everyone, pairing it up with the proper accessories can make you look like a million bucks. I find that party guests are being a bit more daring and making a statement by wearing bold colors.

photo courtesy of project wedding

European magazines suggest that different shades of purple (violet, magenta, lilacs) is the latest in party goers fashion!!!

Flower Power

2010-06-02T10:26:00.003-04:00

Including local flowers can minimize your expenses when it comes to decor. Check out the local flowers for these locations...

Italy-Cyclamen

France- Fleur de lis (Iris)

Ireland-Shamrock

Japan-Cherry Blossom

Vermont-Red Clover

Colorado-Columbine

Georgia-Cherokee Rose

Florida-Orange Blossom

New Hampshire-Purple Lilac

Nevada-Sagebrush

Hawaii-Hibiscus

New York-Rose

Kansas-Sunflower (MY FAVORITE!!)

Resource: www.50states.com

Coral Gables Restaurant week

2010-06-01T11:17:00.005-04:00

Coral Gables celebrates its 3rd annual restaurant week

Fraga - Rizo Wedding

2010-06-01T09:34:00.007-04:00

Cindy and Roger currently live and study in North Carolina. Their family is here in South Florida while they are away working on their careers. Their love story began back in high school where Cindy had a silent crush on Roger. It was after they graduated that they reunited at the FIU library and this brings us to this magical day!!

When I first began conversing with Cindy about her wedding vision, she insisted that it had to reflect a "Country style" wedding. For a minute I thought to myself, how in the world am I going to pull this off - in Miami none less.

The hardest task was finding the location, hence budget was a factor, however, Cindy required it to have a barn - country feel to it. So the search began. From the Florida Keys to Central Florida. Endless calls, emails and inspecting various sites until we came across the Comber Hall. It was convenient (adjacent to the church), it was elegant and even better.....affordable.

Due to Cindy not living here, the planning process required a lot of emails and conference calls. Luckily she had her mom here and most of our meetings took place in my office with Cindy on the phone.

Saturday May 29, 2010, was a beautiful morning! The bride woke up in her suite at the Biltmore Hotel and had a scrumptious breakfast. Her niece, Jenny spent the night with her and began working on her hair in the early afternoon. When the Rolls arrived to pick her up to take her to the church, she looked like a porcelain doll. As Cindy walked down the aisle with her brother Ricky by her side, Roger was overwhelmed with joy. The ceremony was absolutely beautiful and heartfelt.

Once the ceremony ended, the guests conveniently walked next door to where the festivities continued. The place card table had miniature metal containers filled with moss which identified the guests place of seating. Adjacent to this table was the sign in which I thought was unique.. It was a tree in which the guest had to use their thumbprint (as leaves) and sign their names on it. This was a bit messy but very creative! When the guests entered the ballroom, they were magically transformed to a barn-like venue filled with an abudance of candles inside mason jars, hanging curly willow resembling dried out trees and garden containers filled with colorful Gerber daisies and green hydrangeas. The theme was carried throughout the wedding with the favors. The favors alternated with strawberry jam filled mason jars and small burlap pouches filled with the couples favorite chocolates. The tables were named rather than numbered and each name represented a location in which the couple had visited throughout their courtship.

Cindy and Roger's wedding was a night filled with love, admiration and passion. Everyone in attendance was overjoyed for the couple and expressed their feelings accordingly. The couple will be honeymooning in Italy for 2 weeks and will then go back to live in North Carolina until they both complete their studies!

Professional pictures by Manolo Doreste coming soon....

Cynthia and Roger from Alan Button on Vimeo.

YOUR picture on edibles????

2010-05-23T12:25:00.006-04:00

This product is so adorable, I just had to share! They can print almost anything you want on sweets! I received samples last week and cannot get over how perfect the pictures look and not to mention that it is all edible!!!!! Custom Candy can print just about anything you want. Some of the samples I received included a vintage photo of a couple celebrating their 50th Anniversary, my logo and pictures taken from this very BLOG! I was very very satisfied with the product and would highly recommend it. Click here to go to their website and tell them Alice sent you!

Eros Ramazzotti

2010-05-16T13:04:00.006-04:00

If you have absolutely no idea who this man is then you are missing out! Eros Ramazzotti is an amazing and talented Italian singer that has had a successful career for over 20 years. His voice is definitely unique but his lyrics will make you fall in love. He recently visited Miami and held his concert at the James L. Knight Center. I am pretty familiar with all his songs and even sang along with the ones he sang in Italian (Lord knows what in the world I was actually saying...), however, when I heard the lyrics of this song,I immediately made a note of it and said to myself this is a PERFECT song for a first dance (oddly enough my mom turned to me and said the EXACT same thing!!). The song is called I Belong to you .

For a list of his upcoming city tours (including Altos de Chavon in the Dominican Republic on May 22), log onto to his website.

Enjoy and Happy Planning!

A day in beautiful Key West

2010-05-16T12:29:00.006-04:00

I am lucky to consider the Florida Keys part of my backyard. Over the weekend, my family and I took a drive to Key West. I have planned a lot of weddings in Key West and very familiar with the island. I created a photo album with the "must see/do" locations and the very popular wedding locations.

In order to view my photos and read my comments, you must log onto to my FACEBOOK Fan page (Groups - Affairs Remembered). Please feel free to leave comments and any any locations you also feel are a must in the keys!!

Enjoy!

Sees Candies Favor Boxes

2010-05-14T14:06:00.008-04:00

I first heard about Sees Candies through my husband. He grew up in LA and woulld constantly tell me about his adventures to this store. During our trip to California in 2005, I couldnt help but stop at See's Candies and see what the buzz was all about. After buying 4 boxes of assorted chocolates and stopping twice before boarding the plane back to MIA, I was hooked. I introduced my kids to these yummy chocolates as well and although we do not have any local stores out here, i have continued the tradition of buying the decorated easter eggs for my husband (dont tell him I just told you that!!!)

This month I received their catalog and I saw these adorable favor boxes. They make a great wedding favor, after all who doesnt enjoy a deliciously rich piece of chocolate?

You too can start a tradition in your family by going on their website at http://www.seescandies.com/ or if you happen to be on the West coast stop by one of their quaint stores -make an experience out of it- decorated in all white and often has a checkerboard floor.

Photo by Michael Rosanes

Happy Planning!

Pantone Wedding Colors

2010-05-13T19:22:00.006-04:00

Choosing a color theme for your wedding can sometimes be nerve wrecking not to mention very stressfull. The Dessy Group has come out with their 2010 Pantone Wedding guide which include 194 color swatches! You can order your color guide on The Dessy Group website for just $35 + shipping and handling. My order is already in... dont stay behind and order your today!

Happy Planning!

I DO Originals!

2010-05-13T18:43:00.004-04:00

I DO Originals is a whimsical and unique company known to sell personalized creations. In the beginning stages of my business, I came across this company as they were known for selling customized aisle runners with the couples monograms. They have now expanded their product lines to include candles, beautiful parasols, table runners and much more. You can order online and have your item at your doorstep in just a few days! Check them out and tell them Affairs Remembered sent you!

Happy Customizing!!

Calling ALL Brides to be!!!!!!!

2010-05-07T13:19:00.008-04:00

Add a little funk and uniqueness to your event by renting a photobooth! Color Me Photo Booth has just announced their first contest to win a FREE photobooth rental for your wedding! The rules are super simple...

1. You must register to become a fan on their FACEBOOK page

2. Your wedding must take place before 12/31/10 and in Miami Dade County

3. HOUND ALL of your friends to vote for you - but remember they can only vote 1 time, multiple votes may disqualify their entry!

Get ready...... set..... REGISTER!!!! Good Luck

New Beverage Trends

2010-05-04T16:09:00.006-04:00

What's a party without drinks??? Still a PARTY!!!

The cost of having a premium full bar - meaning all types of name brand liquors- can be quite costly! Although having a signature or welcome drink is not a new trend, it continues to maintain its popularity! Signature drinks are a great way to diminish crowds at the cocktail bar and is a fun way of introducing your favorite spirits to your guests.

If your significant other happens to love beer and you cannot live without a daily glass of wine yourself, then this is a perfect excuse to serve just that... Beer and Wine! You may want to make it a bit more upscale by exclusively serving bottles from your favorite vineyard or your favorite brewery! If your budget allows, consider hiring a Sommelier. He or she can go around answering any questions your guests may have on a particular grape or region. This will allow interaction within your guests and they may learn a thing or two! On a more casual note, you can have a wine/beer tasting session where your guests can enjoy products from different countries.

Serving beer and wine doesn't always mean you are trying to cut cost, most of the time it comes down to preference. So the next time you are planning an event,consider some of the fun suggestions above and remember to have fun trying to come up with a name for your chosen drink!

New Catering Trends

2010-05-04T13:42:00.006-04:00

So.. the first thing that is most commonly heard lately is I want an elegant, stylish dinner menu for 300 guests under 10k!! Although its almost impossible to guarantee you can certainly work your way around it!

One of the things to think about is going green. You can be so creative and unique by going green. Disposables are a great option and I am not just referring to foam plates and cups. There are trendy disposables which are biodegradable and can be found at Sweet Flavor. Looking online is a great option and sometimes more economical however, always consult with your caterer prior to purchasing in order to make sure it goes well with your selected menus.

Another up and coming trend is to have a chef bar*. This simply means you come up to a bar (that has 4 or 5 attending chefs) and order your small plate from a list of menu options. It's almost like ordering a la carte! This is a wonderful option for a rehearsal dinner or casual reception. Your guest will get a kick out of watching their meal being prepared before their own eyes!

*Note: if this serving style is an option for your event, please make sure you have enough bars around for all the guests to enjoy their meal in a timely manner. I would really be annoyed if I had to wait 30 minutes in line for a small plate that only takes 30 seconds to devour!!

Another idea to having attended chef bars is to create a unique theme with it! For example, if you travel around the world and wish to incorporate your destinations into your event you may want to label your event Stops around the world. This would mean having 3 or 4 stations with different traditional plates from each country. Another label can be Continents. Having meals from each continent (think about the adventure and time you would be putting into creating this event! How fun, exciting and memorable this will be for yours guests!!)

Sushi Bars - I have to admit I love sushi and get excited whenever a client decides to include this in their menu, however, it can be a bit overrated. Sushi bars have been a hit for a while in the event scene but as a guest it can get pretty annoying having to wait for the chef to make the rolls, cut the rolls and adorn the rolls! A clever alternative to having a live sushi bar is to having small plates with assorted sushi rolls and perhaps even some nigiri preset for the guests to pick up, eat and place down.

One of my favorite details to include at my events is a "to go" container. This can be anything from mini donuts, churros (a Hispanic tradition often accompanied by hot chocolate) to your favorite cookies, even an extra piece of cake. If you welcome your guests with a drink, why not send them off with a treat? Besides, they can always use it to soothe their stomach after having that last drink.

My final thought for this post is to try and put more emphasis on your venue and or caterer to support your local grower. Many times the condiments and vegetables they use to prepare the meal you are serving can be purchased locally. This in turn, may eliminate unnecessary shipping costs and any fees incurred at customs. You may come across some caterers that stern in their ways and may not be willing to alter their recipes this way but at least its worth giving it a try!

Biz Bash Expo 2010

2010-05-04T11:22:00.010-04:00

Celebrating their 10th year in the business, Biz Bash is the leading trade media for the event industry. They cover events in the hippest and chic cities in the world. Among these are
Miami, New York and Los Angeles to name a few!

Last week they held their first Expo in South Florida. I was among the fortunate to be invited to participate in such a lavish trade show.

The day started off with 2 educational sessions. The first one was focused on top female executives and how they got to be where they are at now. Among the panelists was Kelly Murphy, president of Panache, A Classic Party Rental. A prestigious and recognizable rental company which carries "out of the box" rentals. Maria Elena Rubio, general manager of the Mondrian Hotel , a Morgan's Group hotel, located on the West side of South Beach. It is the first hotel on South Beach that has an all female executive team. These professional females shared their experiences and how difficult it was to run a successful business in the corporate rat race.

The second session was geared towards catering and covered the current trends. Among the panelists were Warren Dietel, president of Puff n' Stuff catering company from Central Florida and Bonnie Fimiano president of Cafe a la Cart .

Mr. Dietel was kind enough to share some of his recent creations such ad the Deli Station. This may sound a bit odd at first but once I saw the pictures I immediately captured the concept. This type of approach goes well during a cocktail hour, casual rehearsal dinner and a bar/bat mitzvah. Different deli meats along with imported cheeses were presented in a refrigerated display case. Behind it was a chef serving the food as if you were at a NYC deli! There were condiments and sweet bread rolls so that each guest can create their sandwich to their liking. This is a very clever idea and economical at the same time.

Ms. Fimiano stated that it is much more cost effective for both the venue and the client to outsource their coffee. In the recent months, the price of coffee has increased tremendously. This in turn, has reduced the amount of coffee served nationwide. I have personally noticed that many venues are not setting a cup and saucer as part of the tablescapes unless specifically requested. Coffee is now being served upon request. I also learned that the corporate planners are paying up to $110 for a gallon of coffee for their meetings! For an average of $600 you can rent a gourmet coffee station that will serve approximately 100 guests -not bad huh!

After our morning sessions, we moved to the Biz Bash hall of fame ceremony and to hear the renowned planner, Colin Cowie. The stage, designed by Everlast Productions . It was absolutely amazing! It looked like a runway show! It had LED screens everywhere whcih projected sceneries and they were playing fantastic music (yes- I was dancing in my seat).

The ceremony began with an opening act which included a dancing tree (Designs by Sean) and absolutely amazing flute player and a dazzling singer which delighted us with the tune of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. They then moved on to introducing the award recipients. Adrienne Arsht Philanthropist and Business leader, Mona Meretsky from Comcor Events and Lee Schrager from Southern Wine and Spirits and founder of South Beach Wine and Food Festival. After much anticipation, Mr. Richard Aaron, president of Biz Bash Media introduced Mr. Colin Cowie.

Mr. Cowie owned the stage! His words of wisdom included his take on how the economy has affected the industry. He also shared 3 of his outstanding events and went into detail as to how he constructs every event and never duplicates one!

Our lunch session covered the topic of branding and how important it is to identify your product. This was conducted by Dr. Joanne Leoni and Dr. Maureen Lloyd James both from Johnson and Wales University. It's amazing how far a jingle or a logo can take you!

I then moved on to the trade floor. I must admit, it felt great to reconnect with colleagues I had not seen in a while! The Donut Divas were rocking their donuts and candy apples while the ladies at Passion for Pastry had the most unique display EVER! They decorated an antique iron tricycle in which they had buckets of mouth watering mini cupcakes (red velvet, chocolate, vanilla and carrot cake), bowls of delicious frostings- buttercream, fudge and cream cheese and hanging pots of assorted toppings, needless to say I hung out with them for a while!

The decorations around the room were superb! Petal Productions did a fantastic job throughout the floor with the florals . From amazing bar decorations to outstanding decor at the VIP luncheon!

Nuage Designs displayed their unique and lavish furniture throughout the registration and education lounge, while Room Service /AFR adorned the main display on the trade floor. Amazing lights, custom gobos and even rain was recreated by Uplyte (I'm very excited about using this at one of my upcoming events!!). There were several recognizable linen companies that displayed their latest trends and new local and upcoming venues that are sure to be the "hot spots" in the months to come.

I had an amazing day reconnecting with well known and respected individuals from the industry. Sometimes when you have business for a long time, like myself, you find that you need a bit of motivation to re-stimulate your creativity and this is exactly what I needed. At the end of the day, I was truly exhausted and had a splitting headache but it was so well worth it, after all it gave me another story for my BLOG right!

Thanks for allowing me to share and I hope you have an opportunity to visit the fabulous businesses I have listed above!

A special thanks to my friend and colleague, Irene Coroalles, for the pictures.. as usual I forgot to pack my camera!

Pre-Summer sale going on at AR!

2010-04-26T13:12:00.004-04:00

Spread the word on our pre-summer sale!!!

Book our services before August 1, 2010 and receive the following:

50% off our FULL service package

15% off our Intermediate package

$200 off our Month of package

10% off ENVELOPMENT orders

50 complimentary "thank you" notes

$100 0ff rental of Color Me Photobooth (http://www.colormephoto.com/)

Email us at alice@affairs-remembered.com or call us at 305.432.4455 to book your complimentary consultation!

My favorite cookies!!!!

2010-04-26T10:42:00.004-04:00

French macaroons (not the chocolate dipped coconut ones....) are my ultimate favorite cookies in the world! I first discovered them while at a tasting at the Ritz Carlton South Beach. I immediately fell in love...... it was beyond love at first sight, it was magical, my palate was experiencing a parade of fireworks........(I know...I know a bit dramatic.. but totally true!)

Throughout my search for new and fun things... I found a website that delivers them!!!

Panna Dolce www.pannadolce.com

These colorful and tasty macaroons serve as delicious treats or favors as well as a magnificent compliment to your gourmet coffee!

Check them out and tell them you found them at Affairs Remembered!
Indulge your taste buds.. they will be thrilled!

Gigi Garces turns 15!

2010-03-25T12:50:00.007-04:00

Gigi Garces turns 15

Allow me to share with you a story on a very special girl, Gigi Garces.

I first met Gigi in August 2008 while working on Annette and Isidro’s engagement party. Upon her arrival, she immediately came up to me and kissed me hello and gave me a very warm and friendly hug. At first I wondered who she was and then figured out she was Annette’s cousin.

During the party she came up to me a few times to hug and kiss me and even danced with me!! Throughout the planning process of Annette and Isidro’s wedding I had the opportunity to see Gigi a few times. It was at their wedding rehearsal and the wedding day (May 2009) that Gigi really stood out to me.

She was given the responsibility of junior bridesmaid in which she played the absolute best role! Gigi was excited to be walking down the aisle and show off her new beautiful dress! Throughout the wedding she participated in all the festivities and by midnight she was pooped (poor thing) and was taken to her room at the Mandarin.

After the wedding Gigi and her family attended another family wedding in which I planned. I was as delighted to see Gigi as she was me (I was so happy that she had remembered me)! I spoiled her the entire night with lots of chocolate dipped goodies from the chocolate station and hot glazed doughnuts – YES her mother wanted to shoot me!!!

Gigi has been a blessing to the Garces family. She brings a smile to everyone’s face and is filled with so much love and charm you automatically want to hug her and be a part of her world!

I am so happy that I had an opportunity to meet her and share this wonderful story with you!

Here are a few fun details on Gigi – provided by her mom, Maria Eugenia Garces

Gigi was born in Miami, Florida. Baptist Hospital on January 17th, 1995 to Gaspar and Maria Eugenia Garces
Gigi attends Atlantis Academy, she is in 9th grade.
Gigi loves to read and her passion is the American Girl Doll Collection. She has the entire collection including the pets, books and accessories.

Gigi recently celebrated her 15^th birthday in New York’s Waldorf Astoria

Although I did not take part in planning her celebration, I wanted to share what this incredible mom planned for her little girl!

Gigi loves to travel, to meet new places, loves to shop online, loves New York, and loves to have parties and celebrations. The party took place at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Gigi’s closest family members flew in to participate in this intimate celebration.

The flowers were made by Floralia, the florist of the Waldorf and given to her as a gift from her godmother. The dinner was set on an ambassador table. The cake was a chocolate Opera cake of (picked by Gigi herself). We had an amazing harpist playing, which happened to be the musician chosen to play at Ivana Trump’s wedding! Prior to the seated dinner, they had a ceviche bar and passed Hordeouvres.

Her dress was made by the well known and lovely designer Victoria Lopez-Castro. Her hair and makeup was done at the Kenneth Salon (located at the Waldorf) and her makeup was touched up by her lovely sister Giselle Garces.

Prior to this fabulous dinner, they had a week filled with entertainment thanks to Gigi's Godmother and aunt, Beatriz, which traveled twice to NYC to ensure the plans were moving along as expected. Gigi saw Mary Poppins, Mamma Mia on Broadway and even had another party at the American Girl Café!

I would like to extend a personal thank you Martha Ramirez from UDS Photo for taking the amazing shots of Gigi and her family!

Barbados Page and Enchanted Brides

2010-03-24T15:23:00.005-04:00

I am so thrilled to finally share this news with you!

My Weddings in Barbados page is finally up on the website!
It took me forever to put together, but it's finally up and running! Be on the lookout for my featured story on Barbados on the next Enchanted Brides magazine .. coming out soon!!!!!!!!

Let's plan a destination wedding on a beautiful island.. BARBADOS!

Click here to read my story on Barbados

Pauline Ferry and Luis Torres

2010-03-23T16:45:00.005-04:00

An absolutely beautiful couple tied the knot on March 13, 2010 in the historic Coral Gables Congregational church followed by a stunning reception at the Alfred I. Dupont building located in downtown Miami.

Pauline is very detail orientated and was very specific on how she wanted her dream day to flow. She tends to run "fashionably late" often, so this day I made sure she she stayed on task! Luis is very handsome and polite and catered to his family and guests while awaiting on his nervous bride! He arrived to the church on time and was in awe when he saw his absolutely beautiful "Pauly" walking down the aisle.

The reception took place at the elite Alfred I. Dupont building in downtown Miami and was catered by Mena Catering. The fantastic moments of the evening were captured by Alex Rodriguez and Artistry Wedding Films. The crowd was entertained by DJ Hiram Bernal and Grupo Swing. The stunning table decor was provided by Petunia Flowers and the lounge rentals by Event Outfitters.

Thank you Pauline and Luis for allowing me to be a part of your special day. I wish you lots of love and luck on your wonderful journey!

Goenaga - Gutierrez Wedding

2010-02-20T10:06:00.010-05:00

Ingrid and Franco were the most laid back and easy going couple I have had so far! Their only requirement were that everything looked nice, the music was pumping and the liquor was flowing! The wedding took place on Saturday February 6 (Superbowl weekend) and this couple sure made it a festive weekend!!!! The ceremony was held at Coral Gables Congregational and the reception at Dadeland Marriott.

The guests began dancing as soon as the ballroom doors opened! The room was glowing with ambient amber lighting and lit candles all around the table. The Victorian centerpieces were provided by Teresita Arias while the lighting and music were provided by Ubi's Music and Lighting production. Photography was done by Alvaro Salazar for Studio 40. Lourdes Ramos from Dadeland Marriot was wonderful to work with as well!

This couple was fabulous to work with and has wonderful family!

Congratulations and may you enjoy the ride!

Coasters as favors!

2010-01-31T13:03:00.005-05:00

I have used this small but memorable detail in several weddings and thought it was such a cute idea I had to share....

These are paper coasters that have several uses. In my case I have used them as hanging decals to be placed on the rear view mirror of your guests vehicle, by the valet personnel at your venue. You can personalize it to say just about anything like "Sweet Dreams" "Safe travels" or just a simple "Thank you for sharing our day". They are very inexpensive and come in an array of colors. You can check them out at http://www.myownlabels.com/.

Figura - Stern Wedding

2010-01-31T12:58:00.005-05:00

Emily Figura and Jeremy Stern have been dating for 10 years! After a decade of fun, traveling and dedicated love, they decided it was time to tie the big fat knot!

January 30, 2010 was their chosen date. It was a beautiful sunny day in Coconut Grove while Emily and her girls got ready at their suite. The ceremony and reception both took place at the Mayfair Hotel.

The chuppah and florals were adorned by Avant Gardens while the memorable moments were captured by Marlyne Alexander Photography and Artistry Wedding Films. The entertainment was provided by Chase Music and the delicious cake was mastered by Elegant Temptations.

Melissa Muniz and Cesar Nieto

2010-01-31T11:36:00.007-05:00

January 9, 2010 was one the coldest day yet of 2010 with 39 degree weather.... This did not stop this beautiful couple from tying the knot!

Nancy (Melissa's mom) and Melissa had been planning this spectacular event for what seemed to be forever. All the details were so well thought of and selected with such care, that it truly made it a signature wedding.

The ceremony took place at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Miami Beach followed by a remarkable reception at the Alfred I. Dupont building in the dazzling downtown of Miami.

The bridal party was transported by the City of Coral Gables Trolley while the amazing photographer, Carlos Baez - http://www.carlosbaez.com%20and/ and the talented Julien from Merge Studios http://www.merge-studios.com/, joined in on the fun ride. The guests were greeted with a delicious glass of sangria and delectable hordeouvres from Barton G, while the amazing Fito Espinola played his Spanish guitar.

Upon entering the dining room, the overwhelmingly beautiful floral arrangements designed by EC Florals took everyones breath away. Each table had a tree of its own accompanied by an assortment of candles and personalized menus. VoxBlue welcomed the guests with their upbeat music and very rapidly had them all on the dance floor.

After a night full of love, dancing and laughter the guests were bid goodnight with hot chocolate and churros. Once the guests entered their cars they were surprised to see a hanging decal on their rear view mirrors with Melissa and Cesar's picture wishing them a safe drive home!

Reyes - Conde Wedding

2010-01-24T09:46:00.003-05:00

The beginning of the year started great for us. On January 2, we had a beautiful wedding at Deering Estate. Maricelis and Luis had been planning this spectacular wedding for the past year. Maricelis knew exactly what she wanted and did not hesitate to make decisions. Luis is a music guru and chose the music for each section of the night, very carefully.

The day began with a hair and makeup and a very excited bride to be! The ceremony took place on the perfectly manicured lawn overlooking the beautiful and tranquil bay, followed by the cocktail hour. Maloman and their team did a fabulous job in whisking the bride and groom away to take the magnificent romantic portraits with the sun setting in the background! As the cocktail hour came to an end, the guests were escorted to the courtyard for dinner.

Before the newlywed couple entered the courtyard adorned by Roman Cusco and AB Cover Designers to begin their first dance, the guests were treated to a great video montage put together by Ever Clear productions. As the couple walked through the historic door leading to the courtyard, there was so much love felt in the air you can certainly feel it. As the night went on, the guests enjoyed the delectable meal from Joy Wallace Catering, the most delicious bite size cupcake favors by Bite Size Creations and then moved in doors to enjoy the tunes played by Ubi Marrero.

As the guests enjoyed the dancing, the bride and groom cut the delicious guava and cheese cake by Elegant Temptations. We must not forget that the cake was well accompanied by gourmet coffee from Aroma Espresso (it paired up perfectly with the cold weather and the home made "coquito" prepared by the bride herself!!)

Mari and Luis had the wedding of their dreams in which both families put so much time and effort in. Thank you for allowing Michelle and I to be a part of your special day and may the rest of your life be a pleasant dream as well!

Below please find a teaser provided by Ever Clear Productions.... Enjoy !!!!!!!!!

Mari and Luis Wedding Teaser Trailer from Ever Clear Productions on Vimeo.

New year.. New things..

2010-01-14T08:17:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year! So many new and exciting things have been going on at Affairs Remembered I haven't had much time to update my blog.

The summer of 2009 was dedicated to building awareness on breast cancer and raising money for my Breast Cancer Empower to ride bike race which took place in Las Vegas. That was an amazing and unforgettable experience.

Once I returned from my trip, we had back to back events and before we knew it we were in the holiday season. I love the holidays and enjoy spending quality time with my family and friends but the time goes by soooo fast.....so this brings us to the 2nd week in January.

Stay tuned for the latest trends and happenings at AR.....

Passion Parties

2009-08-03T20:26:00.011-04:00

I am soooooo excited to share with you all!!!!!!!! I recently became a Passion Party Consultant. In case you are wondering what a passion party is here is some key information....

A passion party is a direct-to-consumer sales channel in which I, as an independent Passion Consultant™, sell Passion Parties products through an in-home presentation called a Passion Party®. I arrange for people to have these parties. They are called the hostesses. All the hostesses receive a free gift and have the ability to get her favorite items at a discounted rate and in most cases absolutely FREE!!!!! The Passion Parties Hostess invites friends and neighbors to come to her home and see my product presentation, learn intimacy enhancement tips and techniques and enjoy some casual conversation. For your Hostess and her guests, it’s The Ultimate Girl’s Night In®.

RomantaTherapy™ is an exclusive line created by Passion Parties that includes sensual bath products such as: body lotions, shower gels, bath salts, parfums and body scrubs. Passion Parties has a wide selection of sensual touch, passion edibles, lingerie, passion toys and the exclusive Pure Satisfaction™ UniSEX Enhancement Gel.

This is an absolutely great idea for bachelorette party or just an all girl get together. Some of the advantages of hosting or attending a Passion Party are......you avoid the hassle of looking for parking spaces, you get all your questions answered and don't have to deal with embarrassing moments at the store. You shop in a comfortable and fun atmosphere and share fun stories with a "hip" crowd!

For more information on how to host your passion party or to purchase products, please contact me at 305.401.7001 or send me an email at alicevillar@yourpassionconsultant.com

Stay tuned for my online shop at www.alicevillar.yourpassionconsultant.com

Thanks for stopping by!

Garage Sale = Great Success!!!!

2009-08-03T20:23:00.002-04:00

We had our first garage sale this past weekend benefiting Breast Cancer. We raised almost $2300.00 in one weekend! I am so happy and excited to share such great news! We had a great supporting team not to mention all the great friends and family that donated valuable items. I will be posting pictures soon!

Thanks for letting me share!

Garage Sale ALL proceeds benefit Breast Cancer Research

2009-07-24T13:14:00.003-04:00

As many of you may know, I am well involved in raising money for a few charities. Breast Cancer Awareness and Make a Wish Foundation being my top 2!

Throughout the month of August and September, I will be hosting garage sales through Miami Dade in order to raise money for Breast Cancer Research. The money raised, will go towards my Empower to Ride (http://www.ride.networkofstrength.org)/TEAM NAME: SECOND CHANCE FOR LIFE. Taking place in October in Las Vegas.

Please join me on Saturday, August 1 and Sunday August 2 as I host a garage sale in which all proceeds will benefit Breast Cancer Research. I will be selling BRAND NEW wedding items (shoes, purses, tiaras, stationary) as well as lightly used clothing, purses and much more.

Please pass by and show your support!

Every penny makes a BIG difference!

Location of Garage Sale:
1071 SW 93 Avenue
10am to 4pm

Stay tuned for our next garage sale and we look forward to your support!

Fast Facts about Breast Cancer

2009-07-04T22:19:00.002-04:00

Did you know.......

In 2003, it was estimated that 211,300 new cases of female invasive breast cancer would be diagnosed.
In 2003, it was estimated that 55,700 cases of female non invasive cancer would be diagnosed.
Breast cancer was expected to account for 32 percent of all new cancer cases among women in 2003 and a new case will be diagnosed every two and a half minutes.
This year, 39,800 women are expected to die of breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the leading overall cause of cancer death in women between the ages of 20 and 59.
A woman will die from breast cancer every 13 minutes.
Over 1 million women in the United States have died of this disease since 1970.

Source: National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations

Locks of Love!!!!

2009-07-04T20:45:00.002-04:00

My 5 year old daughter, Macy has agreed to cut her hair to donate it to Locks of Love! I am so excited!!!! I sat her down and explained to her the importance of giving back to the less fortunate and she agreed (with conditions of course....) lol..lol..

I will be posting pictures as soon as I can! Thanks for letting me share :o)

www.locksoflove.org who knew they are in our back yards!!!

Mohring / Vivero Wedding Deering Estates

2009-07-04T10:15:00.008-04:00

On February 28, 2009, the very beautiful and sophisticated Gisela Mohring married the love of her life, Dr. Richard Vivero. Gisela and I began planning this wedding in early 2007. She had a clear vision of what she wanted and what she liked. From the very beginning stages, Gisela had chosen her colors and knew that her style was geared towards what she called "Vintage Glam".

The celebration took place at the breathtaking Deering Estates. The ceremony area overlooked the bay and tall palm trees. The dinner area was neatly arranged in their intimate courtyard and the dancing took place inside the historic mansion. It was a night full of love, glamour and incredible shining stars in the sky!

Thank you, Gisela and Richard for allowing me to be part of your special day and many thanks to Brett Tyler for the outstanding pictures!!

Second Chance PROM Breast Cancer Fundraiser

2009-07-01T21:39:00.004-04:00

HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL OCTOBER 2009.. STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN THIS EVENT!

A Second Chance at Life with the Second Chance Prom
Time to pull out your old high school prom dresses out of the closet and relive your prom with the First-Ever 93.9 MIA Second Chance Prom at the James L. Knight Ctr on

Saturday, July 25th.
Whether you went to your high school prom or not, whether it was the best night or your life or a complete disaster…Relive your prom with music by DJ Magic Mike, performances by Tavares (More Than A Woman, Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel), The Jets (Crush On You, You Got It All), and Expose (Point of No Return, Come Go with Me, Let Me Be the One, Season’s Change).
Dress to impress as a Prom King and Queen will be crowned and a photographer will be on hand to take your pictures. So whether you come alone, with a date, or with friends the

Second Chance Prom is for you.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and tickets are $25, $35, $50 for Limited V.I.P. (includes a gift bag, complimentary 5x7 photograph per couple, and access to the dance floor) and are available at the James L. Knight Center box office and through Ticketmaster.
For more information, please contact ticketmaster at http://www.ticketmaster.com/ or Ticketmaster charge by phone!

Thank you for your support.....

Pink Votives for sale SUPER DUPER CUTIE!!!!!

2009-07-01T21:28:00.004-04:00

These adorable cute pink tea light candle holders are for sale!!!! They compliment any elegant table setting and add the romance to any affair. There is a total of 30 for sale....Please contact Lorna Acuna at l.acuna@hotmail.com for more information!

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training

2009-07-01T21:18:00.002-04:00

My past bride and dear, dear friend, Giselle Penate Sanchez is a true hero in my eyes. She is training to participate in a Full Marathon as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. Everyone in her Team In Training is raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives.

Giselle will be hosting several events in the next few months to raise money to meet her goal. Please follow up with her calendar of events so that you can help make a difference!!!

Please check out her team page. It would be wonderful if you can participate by donating at least $5.00.

Thanks for your support!

http://pages.teamintraining.org/sfl/nikesf09/gpenatesanchez

Pre-owned Wedding Dresses

2009-06-05T19:55:00.002-04:00

I recently came across this website and I immediately thought I had to share...

Not everyone can afford the $4000 dress. This is a great way of recycling your dress and not breaking the bank while you are at it. You can sell yours or buy online!!!
Check it out and spread the word.. noone will ever know where it came from unless you tell of course!

www.preownedweddingdresses.com

Proud mommy moment!

2009-06-04T19:38:00.004-04:00

It with joyous tears in my eyes that I share with you all, that I now have a kindergartner and a second grader! Wow even writing it seems weird!

My daughter Macy, 5 years old, just graduated from PreK and will be entering Kindergarten in the Fall. She is so knowledgeable and so prepared for Kindergarten I am almost scared to see what feedback the teacher will provide me with!

My son Andy, soon turning 7 years old (incredible how fast time flies by...) just graduated from first grade and will be entering second grade. Andy is a smart but somewhat lazy boy! He is currently reading at grade level but what a struggle that has been! Geeshh... On the other hand he can recite the words to every Thomas the Engine book/movie and Cars (the movie).

I am so grateful to have such a blessed family and healthy children. They are my life and although parenting and having a career is often a challenge I wouldn't give it up for anything in this world!

Thank you for allowing me to share my more "intimate" and "family" moments!

My Shadi Indian Bridal Show

2009-06-04T18:26:00.004-04:00

On Sunday May 31, Affairs Remembered participated in its first Indian Bridal Show. It took place at the Hilton in Deerfield Beach, Florida.

The show was sponsored / produced by Desh-Videsh a local magazine geared towards the Indian community. There were over 30 vendors that attended the show. In collaboration with Avant Gardens, Elegant Temptations, Alain Martinez Photography, Elements and Accents and Rodrigo Varela Photography, we all had an excellent response!

Avant Gardens designed 2 spectacular floral centerpieces with coordinating linens and chairs. I provided the personalized menus and offered information on my services. As a thank you to the guests of the show, I handed out these adorable little elephant placecard holders.

In addition, with the help of my assistant Michelle Garcia, we created a very inspirational and motivating bookmark to hand out as my business card.

My Shadi bridal show will be producing another show in the fall in Orlando. Affairs Remembered plans on attending that one as well and will have more information available in the near future.

Thank you Alain from Alain Martinez photography for providing awesome pictures from this event!

Thanks for visiting!

Brides Against Breast Cancer

2009-06-01T23:48:00.004-04:00

Brides Against Breast Cancer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Saturday May 30 and Sunday May 31, 2009

Every year, Affairs Remembered participates in a number of charity events. This is our 2nd annual volunteering in this fundraising event. They sell name brand bridal gowns at a very discounted price with proceed benefiting breast cancer research.

Unfortunately, I was not able to personally attend this year due to a wedding, however, my assistant, Michelle Garcia and her mom represented Affairs Remembered.

For more information on gown sales and how you can volunteer your time, please visit http://www.bridesagainstbreastcancer.org/.

Thank you for taking the time and giving back to your community!

Rodriguez / Ferrer Wedding

2009-06-01T22:18:00.004-04:00

On Saturday May 23, 2009, Annette Rodriguez married the love of her life, Isidro Ferrer. I had the pleasure of getting to know and working closely with the Rodriguez family for over a year.

Their festivities began with an amazing Engagement party in August 2008 at the Biscayne Bay Marriott. The guests were greeted to an overflow of ambient lighting, several lounge set ups and photo booth! Excellent music was provided by a family friend and the food consisted of Kobe burgers, mojo-marinated pork and freshly fried plantains! The theme was traditional Latin with a flair! As the wedding plans continued, the planning of the bridal shower was not forgotten! Carefully orchestrated by Annette's mom, Ana Maria Rodriguez and her close friends, the theme was Breakfast at Tiffany's. From embroidered napkins to matching table cloths, tea sandwiches to customized mini bundt cakes, no detail was left unnoticed. While the event took place, the original movie with Audrey Hepburn played in the background.

The Rehearsal dinner took place on Thursday May 21 at the Riviera Country Club. Hosted by the Ferrer family, the close family and friends in attendance were greeted with live music and passed hordeouvres. They were then escorted to the formal dining room for a sit down dinner and a couple of speeches. The best man performed a beautiful song dedicated to the bride and groom and the anticipation for the wedding day was at it's fullest!

On the day of the wedding, the weather was not very cooperative. It was cloudy and rained on and off. This, however, did not put a damper on the blushing bride. As the antique car waited outside and the guests boarded the charted buses, Annette walked down the stairs to meet with her dad for the very first time dressed as a bride. It was very emotional for them both, but a moment neither of them would ever forget.

The Catholic ceremony took place at the historic Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables, Florida. The church was quickly filled with 300 guests by 6pm anxiously awaiting the procession to begin. All women were greeted with a personalized hanker chief and all men were given a boutonniere for their lapels. Promptly at 6:30pm the procession began. Isidro, nervous and exited, Ana (MOB) anxious and emotional and then the bridal party. Once the gates closed and Annette and Julian (FOB) took their places, the guests all stood and the bridal march began. It was such a magical moment for everyone! Annette was walking on a cloud as Julian silently cried his way down the aisle.

After the beautiful ceremony the celebration continued at the Mandarin Oriental for a spectacular reception. Everyone walked in to a magnificent flower arrangement that displayed their seating cards and enjoyed an hour of cocktails and hand picked appetizers. Once inside the ballroom, the guests were overwhelmed by the look of the room. The lighting, the lounge set up, the florals, the elegant linens and magnificent 18 piece band were just incredible. There was an array of entertainment going on throughout the night, among them were Brazilian dancers, a midnight buffet consisting of Kobe mini burgers with french fries and assorted milk shakes. In addition to the cold milk shot glasses were home made "Mexican wedding cookies" displayed in personalized cookie jars.

Annette and Isidro's wedding was a great success and I deeply thank all of the vendors involved.

VIP Wedding Planners Trip to Barbados

2009-06-01T21:09:00.006-04:00

I must share how honored and privileged I feel to have been 1 out of 5 wedding planners nationwide to have been selected to visit the absolutely gorgeous island of Barbados. At first, I must admit, I thought it was another hoax. I mean come on, how often do you get to travel completely for FREE to a land of paradise?

The purpose of this trip was to see the island firsthand in order to be able to sell it as a magnificent destination wedding location. We were taken to the best restaurants and locations on the Island and experienced a true royal treatment.

Most of the pictures you will see are in the order of which each location was visited.

Day 1 Wednesday May 13, 2009
Well, I honestly did not believe it until I was on the plane! On Wednesday May 13 at 9:45am, my plane took off from MIA destination Bridgetown Barbados! Upon my arrival I was greeted by a Barbados Tourism authority representative and gathered with my FAM group. We were then escorted to our fabulous hotel (Colony Club hotel http://www.colonyclubhotel.com/) Once we all settled in, we were then take to the Coral Reef spa for some R & R! For dinner, we were taken to the Fairmont hotel where we met with the Catherine, the catering manager. Catherine was wonderful and answered all of our questions without any hesitation.

Day 2, Thursday May 14, 2009
Our day required an early wake up call as we headed to the famous Sandy Lane resort for a 5 star breakfast buffet. From specialty made omelets to fresh fruit smoothies our palates were going wild! We then toured the amazing properties and were then taken to the Country Club Golf course. This is where Tiger Woods got married. The view is so amazing and serene it makes you want to stay there and enjoy nature all day long! We then moved along and visited several properties on Sandy Lane. These multi-million dollar privately owned homes are rented out for private events. It is surprisingly affordable and some homes even come with a personal butler and chef!!!!! (http://www.aaaltman.com/).

After we visited the properties, we were taken to Lonestar restaurant. The view here is breathtaking (as in most places we visited) and we were fortunate enough to meet Corrie Scott a local socialite that enchanted us with her graciousness and surprised us all with a personalized piece of art! We then moved along to visit the other properties owned by Elegant hotels (http://www.eleganthotels.com/) and headed back to our hotel for a quick shower! In the evening we had cocktails at the Cliff restaurant. This location is absolutely amazing!!!!!! In order to properly appreciate it, it is only opened for dinner and private events. It is surrounded by gas torches which give this property the ambiance you immediately feel by just entering the door. It is independently owned and very highly recognized all over the world. You can find more information at http://www.thecliff.com/. After some really yummy appetizers and champagne, we were taken to Daphnes for a very formal dinner. Here we had the opportunity to meet some very important people from the Island. Among them was Emma from Events Unusual, the event planner that worked closed with Sandy Lane in planning Tiger Woods wedding. We had a fabulous dinner with excellent company!

Day 3, Friday, May 15, 2009
We had an early drive to the East coast. We visited the pristine resort called The Crane. This is a resort in which once you check in, there is absolutely no reason for you to leave (until it's time to head back home of course). Here we were presented with a panel of very interesting people. We met a local photographer, employees of the magistrate and Avril from the BTA. We were able to ask may questions on civil weddings, local vendors and how they operate on a daily basis. They were kind enough to set up a mock up wedding so that we could experience what a wedding at their resort would look like!

Once our time at The Crane was up, we were taken to other areas in the island that were of interest. Among these, was an abandoned house once owned by Harry Smith. This house was once amazing and must have been a very secluded area to live in. One of the cool spots we were taken to was Bathsheba. Surfers come from all over the world to surf these waves! For lunch we were taken to the astonishing, Hunte's Gardens. This location almost resembled a natural dollhouse. We were greeted by the owner, Mr. Hunte and taken to his "green house" for a catered lunch. We then toured the property and enjoyed some delicious English tea. After lunch we toured St. Nicholas Abbey. This is a rum distillery that was built in 1660 and located in the northern parish of St. Peter and owned by architect, Larry Warren.

After a very long day of long distance driving and sightseeing, we then headed back to our hotel for a quick shower and prep for dinner at the Tides. The tides offers a wonderful array of seafood in a very romantic and quaint setting!

Day 4, Saturday May 16, 2009
Our day began early as we headed to St. James Parish Church. Here we were able to experience a wedding about to take place. It was decorated with orange fabric and a beautiful display of pew decorations. We then visited Fisherpond House. This home is owned by Mr. John Chandler (the Preston Bailey of Barbados). We were warmly greeted by John's wife, Rain Chandler. She gave us a tour of the estate and shared wonderful stories of all the celebrities that have visited her home. Among them are Prince Harry, Prince William, and Tony Blair just to name a few! After a cup of rum punch we then said our goodbyes and moved on to downtown Bridgetown. We did some shopping and went to visit the ONLY Synagogue in Barbados. After learning about it's history we then went to have lunch at Champers. An absolutely beautiful restaurant with the ocean as it's backyard. Voted number 1 in the 2009 Barbados guide.

After about a 40 minutes drive back to the hotel, we had the afternoon to our leisure. I actually relaxed by the ocean and had a seaside massage! In the evening we then headed over to a very casual dinner at Groots! That was definitely a great "local" experience. This restaurant reminded me so much of Key West! We actually got to write on the walls like back in my middle school days!!!!! After multiple rum punches and hours of laughter, we headed back to our hotel and called it a night!

Last day in Barbados, May 17, 2009
We actually got to "sleep in" and had breakfast in our hotel. We had to pack our goodies and head out to the airport. Before we began our 40 minute drive to the airport, we stopped at Cove Spring. This is were Mariah Carey recently got married to Nick Cannon. This private property is absolutely breathtaking. It is known for hosting spectacular weddings and has a guest list which includes Oprah Winfrey and Simon Cowell.

As we all rode in very quietly (and saddened to leave) in the bus, I had a vision of what my first wedding here in Barbados would be like. I envisioned bringing to life a little girl's dream of a picture perfect beach side wedding to the man of her dreams in a picture perfect place!

Thank you so much for allowing me to share this wonderful experience with you all and I look forward to returning to Barbados in the very near future, hopefully with one of you!

Indian wedding at the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne

2009-06-01T20:56:00.003-04:00

On April 26 K and V (the couple requested their names to be kept private) tied the knot in a traditional Indian ceremony. The groom arrived on a very well trained gray horse to the sound of a beating drum. as the bride's family greeted him at the hotel lobby. They were then all escorted tot he lawn area where the Mundaap awaited them. The ceremony was simple and picture perfect and incorporated all the traditional Hindu rituals. After the ceremony the guests were asked to join the couple at the cocktail hour and then escorted to the ballroom where they served traditional Indian food. This couple was great to work with as they were both relaxed throughout the planning process and enjoyed their evening to the fullest!

Arias / Shah Ethnic Wedding

2009-06-01T20:15:00.004-04:00

Melissa and Aram came to me well over a year ago to help them plan their intercultural wedding. They each had a clear vision of what they wanted and what their expectations were. Melissa was very detailed and precise and great with making decisions. Aram's only request was that the barat (entrance of the groom) was to be on an elephant! After much research and leg work, the elephant task was accomplished and my team and I moved on to the next item on our checklist.... permits from City of Miami in order to allow the elephant to lead the procession!

Their celebration began on April 3, where Melissa and Aram wed through the Catholic church. The intimate ceremony took place at their local church in Miami Lakes and was attended by 30 family members.

On Friday April 4th, the Mendhi program took place. Prior to the official festivities, there were several prayers and ceremonies that took place at the Shah residence. In the evening, the celebration continued at the Pembroke Falls Country Club. The bride and groom were greeted by their family members and chanted to many dances and rituals. There was traditional Indian food served and the ladies had their henna tattoos placed on their hands and feet.

On Saturday April 5th, the traditional Indian ceremony took place. The barat began promptly at 10am at the parking lot of the Woman's Club on Bayshore Drive (parking lot next to the Grand).
The streets were closed as the off duty officers took their place in order for the procession to begin. As "Judy" (the elephant) paraded down the street towards the Biscayne Bay Marriott, the ladies danced and sang their traditional Indian chants. Once the bride arrived to the hotel, she was brought in through the back so that no one would see her. She was then taken inside the hotel and placed inside a "Dolley". Once everyone took their seats and places onstage, Melissa was introduced to the ceremonial altar. This part of the ceremony was very emotional for both Melissa and Aram as they saw each other in their traditional attire for the very first time!

The ceremony took over one hour and a half. The Indian culture has a lot of rituals and ceremonies within the ceremony. Once it came to its conclusion, the guests were lead to the ballroom level for a buffet style lunch. After the lunch the guests were then chartered back to their hotels for some relaxing time off. Later on in the evening, the guests returned back to the Marriott for a very formal dinner reception. There were dances and speeches that entertained the guest throughout the night. In the evening the choice of food was traditional Punjabi delights and a delectable display of Indian desserts. The evening was filled with happiness and joy for the newlyweds!

On Sunday April 5th, the celebration continued with a civil ceremony at the very beautiful and historic Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. The ceremony began at sunset and Melissa looked absolutely amazing dressed in her traditional American wedding dress. Melissa resembled a princess as she glided down the aisle alongside her uncle Frank. After the ceremony on the casino mound, the guests were escorted to the cocktail area. There was a flamenco dancer and guitarist entertaining the guests while the bride and groom were whisked away to take their formal portraits. Once the cocktail hour was over, the guests entered the amazing tent on the east side terrace. The blue lights and chandeliers had the tent glowing. The centerpieces were amazing and the overall details and decorations were impeccable.

Each celebration had over 350 guests in attendance and with much love and support were all a great success.

I am eternally grateful to everyone that participated in this glamorous and exciting event!

Cancer and Weddings dont mix...but this is a must read!

2009-05-06T21:08:00.002-04:00

Britta Aragon, past client forever friend, has experienced some roller coaster emotions throughout her life. She is a cancer survivor and while planning the wedding of her dreams, lost her dad to the horrible disease. This was a very tough time for her and her family but fortunately her spirits remained positive and her ambition to live allowed her to move forward. She has dedicated herself to research and helping cancer patients through tough times.

Britta has created a website called Cinco Vidas, (Five Lives) in memory of her dad. This BLOG lists information on how to ease the pain that is accompanied by cancer and is a great source for finding answers that may not always be available from your doctor.

Take the time to read www.cincovidas.com the beauty of cancer survival ,and please share with others!

Wedding Dress FOR SALE!!

2009-05-06T21:01:00.002-04:00

The Tara Keely Collection represents the bridal industry's hottest styles and enchanting fashions. These gowns are ultra chic with delicate crystal accents, offering eye-catching
use of color and luxurious silk fabrics. The Collection also combines an alluring array of
silhouettes from sleek A-lines to elegant sheaths. The Collection inspires glamour and sophistication for the Tara Keely Bride. The Tara Keely Collection is a division of JLM Couture Inc. Blush Silk Satin modified A-line gown. Sleeveless draped V-neckline, crystal brooch detail, double thin straps, front and back draped dropped waist bodice. Covered buttons at back bodice, inverted pleat at back skirt, chapel train. Material: Silk Satin Size/Color: 12 / Blush
Condition: Brand New and Unaltered – still @ store waiting for pick up!

Gown Measurements: Bust 37.5" Waist 29.5"
Hips 39.5"
Original Price: $2,550.00
Asking Price: $2,200.00 o.b.o.
Email: WEDDINGDRESS@ME.COM
WEB: www.sarayandjuan.com

So... you want to be a photographer????

2009-03-30T16:09:00.006-04:00

As some of you may know... I absolutely LOVE the camera. I love taking pictures and having fun while I am at it. Yesterday the very talented and good friend, Martha Ramirez (http://www.udsphoto.com/) had her monthly photography seminar and asked me if I wanted to model for the students. I probably said yes before she even asked me....

The students only had 5 minutes to take as many pictures as possible. They had to be creative (I must admit I know my better angles so I helped them out) using different poses, chairs and backdrops. Here are some of my favorite shots they took!

If you are interested about learning more about this seminar please contact Martha Ramirez or Oly Trigo at 305.668.7171. Their magnificent and cozy studio is located at 6321 Bird Road and their breathtaking website is www.udsphoto.com. Please tell them I sent you and always remember to have fun and most importantly LAUGH!!!!

Mansion in Fort Lauderdale

2009-03-27T11:11:00.002-04:00

This morning I received and invitation to a networking event at a new location and I thought it would be a great idea to share with you all! I frequently receive calls from out of town brides wanting to have their wedding at a private home with an ocean view. This (from past experience) has been a major challenge. Either some locations have a lot of restrictions or noise ordinances or just want way toooooo much money for the rental.

You may want to check out this absolutely beautiful mansion located in Fort Lauderdale (about 30-45 minutes from South Beach). It has a great intercoastal view and luxurious space for an event. www.flmagicalmansion.com. Dreams can come true and maybe having your event at this mansion will help!!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Professional pics from Key West December 2008 Wedding!!

2009-03-26T17:45:00.009-04:00

Shan Renee from Addison, Texas, did a fabulous job capturing Cara and Chris's exciting day. She was also nice enough to provide me with absolutely stunning pictures for my BLOG and website. You may also see some of her work in a very well known magazine.. but.... that is yet to come! Enjoy some fun shots here and look on my site for additional "Captured" moments!

How adorable is this text???

After all (it rained in the morning) it was such a glorious day!!

This was one of favorite things... the guests threw paper airplanes at the couple while dancing their first dance!!!!!!

Wedding Planner gets quoted on the Palm Beach Post!

2009-03-25T11:18:00.003-04:00

This wacky and crazy economy has everyone on their tippie toes, however I find that events and wedding are still going on! Most of my clients are still having the wedding of their dreams but at a smaller scale. They have modified their guest count, rearranged their menus and settled for a low key decor package in order to still enjoy their special day. I am also finding that the planning has been cut down to a couple of months instead of years! I often get phone calls that sound like this "Ohh by the way I am getting married next month"!

The Palm Beach post recently wrote an small article and quoted me.. Check it out!

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/business/content/business/epaper/2009/03/24/a6b_weddingbiz_0325.html

Richelle and William Pena

2009-03-14T10:20:00.002-04:00

I had to wait a little bit (a year and 3 months) to receive these absolutely gorgeous pictures from In Focus studios but they were well worth the wait!

Richelle and William became husband and wife on December 15, 2007 at the beautiful St. Patrick's Cathedral in Miami Beach followed by a dream come true reception at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.

During the wedding planning process, this couple moved from Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco. I mostly planned everything with Tessy (MOB) and constant email with Richelle. This family was absolutely great to work with and made sure their daughter got the wedding of her dreams.

Please be sure to view more pictures of this fabulous wedding on my gallery page!
Enjoy!

Winter Delight at the Mandarin Oriental Miami

2009-03-02T20:49:00.002-05:00

On January 17, 2009, the Mandarin Oriental Miami was transformed into an absolutely beautiful winter delight wedding location! The Schultz and Perkins family united underneath a beautiful chuppah covered in orchid garlands and hanging crystals, while the aisle was adorned with stunning white clustered callas. It was a dazzling night with a spectacular city view!

While the ceremony was taking place under the stars, the final details were being added to the main ballroom. The floral centerpieces were an overjoyed delight of phelanopsis orchids, a variety of roses, hydrangeas and cymbidium orchids to name a few. Each place setting included a detailed menu of the very carefully selected meal and cymbidium orchid to compliment the tablescape.

The florals for this event was carefully orchestrated by the very talented Gil Sosa. My expertise was used in coordinating the elements that made this event turn out fabulous along with the collaboration of Jackie Ohh Events and her staff.

To view this event please go to PAGE 3 on my galleries. May your eyes enjoy their journey!!!

Wedding Planner receives recognition!

2009-01-16T11:20:00.002-05:00

Alice K. Villar has been recognized by the Wedding Planning Institute for being a contributing editor, for being an expert in the industry and for teaching the class. Alice originated the class in South Florida and continues to teach it at Miami Dade Community College. Please see note below from the Director of Certification, Raquel Madson.

"I would also like to bring your attention to the 2009 version of our textbook, "Professional Wedding Planning". You will notice your name listed as a contributing industry expert on the acknowledgement page. We appreciate your feedback in 2008 and look forward to your continued contribution to the industry as you continue to instruct aspiring new wedding planners through your college classroom"
Racquel Madson
Director of Certification
Lovegevitys Wedding Planning Institute

Kelly Maragni and Damian Aguirrechu

2009-01-14T13:58:00.002-05:00

Check out Kelly and Damian's Dream wedding

www.ligaphotography.com/slideshows/aguirrechuwedding/

Kelly and Damian united in marriage on Saturday, December 13, 2008. Their ceremony took place at the beautiful St. Patrick's Church in Miami Beach, Florida. The walk down the aisle was filled with excitement, wild nerves but most important love. The expression on each other's face when they saw each other for the first time was truly priceless.

Their reception was held at the historic Alfred I. DuPont building in downtown Miami. The guests arrived to the flashing lights of a paparazzi style photographer where their photo was taken on the red carpet. They were then directed upstairs to the cocktail hour where they were greeted by chilled champagne and friendly waiters. The cocktail area displayed pictures of both the families and a dazzling monogram of their initials.

As the cocktail hour was coming to an end and the group photos were complete, the guests were then escorted through the golden gates into the main reception room. The amber lighting was overflowing creating a romantic look and the floral centerpieces were done to perfection.

As the bridal party was being introduced, Kelly and Damian were anxiously awaiting to be announced. They had a surprise for their guests that only the DJ and I knew about... they had a special salsa dance they were going to perform!

Once the formalities were over, the guests were invited to enjoy the delicious buffet. The aroma in the room was incredible as the plates were being filled with gourmet dishes! The rest of the evening was dedicated to dancing and having a great time.

Kelly and Damian made sure that throughout the wedding planning process every detail was covered and that each guests were well taken care of. Working at the DuPont building was a challenge because of all the requirements and regulations it has, but I must say that it was a wonderful experience and having them as my clients was an ultimate delight!

I wish them both a lifetime full of love and happiness and patience :o)

Cara Collier and Chris Helmrich Key West, December 2008

2008-12-09T19:45:00.006-05:00

Check out the link to their slide show here...

http://www.shanrenee.com/ChrisCara/

This past Saturday, December 6, I had the pleasure of working with the nicest couple ever! Cara and I met through the Internet! She is from Florida but living in Texas with the majority of the guests flying in from all over the country. Our business relationship began with an email, then some occasional phone calls and then back to emails!!! She mentioned once or twice that the theme of the wedding was airplanes (in case you are wondering .....the groom is a pilot). I had my doubts until I actually saw the favors! She had already hired all of her vendors and needed me to help her out with all the last minute details.

I began my drive down to Florida's paradise early in the morning after dropping my kids off at school. My hubby and I enjoyed a delicious breakfast at our favorite diner in Key Largo and then proceeded with the long drive (my hubby deserves a medal.. I was on my lap top the whole time and would occasionally say a word or two!!!). Once I arrived, we checked in at the Casa Marina. Our room was beautiful and although it wasn't a full ocean view, we were able to catch a glimpse of the serene and calm ocean.

After settling in, I went to personally meet with my bride. She was a doll!!!! We chatted for a few minutes and then met at the hotel lobby to begin the rehearsal. All of her attendants were very efficient and courteous and were very accommodating. The rehearsal went well and everyone then gathered up to attend the rehearsal dinner.

The next day (Wedding day) we woke up to a very cloudy and wet morning. I checked in with Cara to make sure everything was going well. She was hopeful with the weather as I secretly prayed for the sun to come out... (and it did... yipppeeee!!!). The preparations went well and all the vendors complied with their duties. The room was completely set up in time for me to go and freshen up! As the guests arrived for their sunset ceremony, they were greeted with flip flops and a ceremony program. They were also greeted by the beat of steel drums.

As the procession began, everyone was thrilled to see the beautiful bride walking down the aisle with her two dads (real dad and step father). The ceremony was short and sweet but most of all.. it was perfect! After the ceremony the guests were escorted to the outdoor cocktail as the bridal party was whisked away for pictures.

The bride and groom then joined the bridal party for their formal introductions. Their joy was overwhelming as they danced with each other for the first time as husband and wife. The toasts given by Casey Helmrich (Chris's brother and BM) as well as Carol Hale (Cara's friend and MOH) were heartfelt. The food was delicious and was a mixture of Caribbean, traditional and Key West!!! The guests enjoyed the music played by family friends and overall had a fabulous time spending time with each other and sharing Chris and Cara's love!

Congratulations Cara and Chris....I look forward to a long lasting friendship!

Please excuse my poor quality pictures (ha ha ha ha ), I look forward to receiving professional ones soon which will be posted on my website.

Lilyvania and Thomas Wedding

2008-12-04T14:52:00.004-05:00

On November 1, 2008 the very beautiful Lilyvania Gomez married her dream guy, Thomas Mikultski. The lovely couple met on Eharmony and knew that this realtionship was going to be a serious one the moment they officially met!

The religious ceremony took place at Gesu catholic church in downtown, Miami and their reception at the Sofitel Hotel. Their reception reflected a glamorous vintage style era decorated in black and white with hot pink uplights surrounding the ballroom.

The black linen napkins were adorned with pearl necklaces and a mint box as a favor. When the dancing began we distributed black top hats for the men and oversized pearl necklaces for the women along with feather boas. The couple danced until their feet hurt and extended the party until 2am. Everyone had a great time and felt the love these newlyweds had to offer!

Winsome Chin's spectacular birthday celebration...

2008-12-01T19:50:00.002-05:00

When you reach a special milestone in your life you often want to celebrate with style along with close family and friends... that is exactly what Winsome Chin did!

At the age of *0 (the number remains a mystery but I can guarantee even if I told you, you would NEVER beleive me) and looking absolutely fabulous, Winsome decided she wanted to celebrate and in a grand way. The spectacular birthday celebration took place on Saturday, November 29 at the Hyatt Bonaventure in Weston. The Diva (as often referred to throughout the night) greeted her guests in a beautiful sequenced short gray dress. He heals were rocking and her legs seemed endless. Once the guests were seated the formalities began by introducing her only daughter with her 4 grandchildren and baby great grandchild, in came the magnificent Winsome in her very stylish couture red dress. The authentic Jamaican band that was flown in the night before, welcomed her to the beat of Lady in Red!!!!

Winsome had a wonderful time celebrating her birthday and never once sat down to rest her feet (keep in mind she was wearing 3" heels!!!). Have a wonderful *0 birthday Winsome and may God bless you with many, many more!!!!

Many thanks to the fabulous vendors that allowed this event to run smoothly....

Cory Green @ the Hyatt and his fabulous banquet staff

Rosie Cunill (cake) Elegant Temptations

Esmeralda Londono (lights and draping)

Gil Sosa (florist)

Ruffhouse (musical entertainment)

FINALLY!!!!!!!!! My secret is out....

2008-12-01T19:39:00.002-05:00

I am uberly excited about my new addition... to my website that is!

Check out the new video recap just recently added to my website. It's like seeing the wedding of your dreams right before your very eyes. Please share with your friends and family to enjoy. Thank you for your support and just imagine....... your wedding could be featured next.

http://www.bakesncakes.com/weddings.html

Happy Holidays and Many blessings to all.

AKV

Exciting news.............

2008-11-17T13:34:00.002-05:00

Something BIG and EXCITING is coming to my website.. hopefully by the end of this week!!!!!!!!! Stay tuned for the updates... this project has been in the making for over a year and it is FINALLY complete and will leave you in AWE!

Thanks for your love and support!

AKV

Al Lamberti Victory Party

2008-11-17T13:05:00.008-05:00

So as we all know.... November the 4th will be remembered as a crazy day in the history of the USA. That doesn't mean that parties will not go on....

I had the priveledge of working with Ms. Danielle Wills in assisting her and some volunteers at McDivots Restaurant in Margate where Al Lamberti's victory party was held. This was my first time assisting with a victory party and the experience was awesome!

Upon my arrival I was found with over 1000 balloons that needed to get filled and a pretty blank canvas ro decorate. There was a stage, some round tables, buffet station and that is it.. I quickly got to work and with the help of very efficient volunteers, we were able to transform the room into an exciting place where everyone's focus was on one thing.. winning the elections!

All the local television stations were on board and exclusive photography coverage was provided by the magnificent Broward resident, Amy Hill (http://www.amyhill.net/). Amy did an amazing job taking pictures of people's reaction and excitement. She also took a few pictures of my great friend and mentor, Michael Calderin. Michael Calderin has a very close relationship with Al and was his number one supporter!

Throughout the night I met fabulous people and I felt very honored to have been a part of history!

Congratulations Sheriff... "our sheriff", Al Lamberti

Baby Shower / Baby Girl favors

2008-10-24T18:49:00.002-04:00

Ok... so in placing an order for a client I made a HUGE mistake on the quantity and received over 200 of these adorable little baby girl frames. I would prefer to get rid of them rather quickly and will donate all proceeds to the Make a Wish Foundation, South Florida division.

They sell for only$3.00 each!

Guests can use later to frame wallet-sized photos of the new arrival! Frame measures 2" x 2.5" and is made of resin.

If you wish to see them in person, please feel free to stop by the office! Otherwise please send me an email (alice@affairs-remembered.com) stating the quantity desired and mail your checks (payable to Make a Wish Foundation) to

Affairs Remembered 7220 Bird Road Ste 200, Miami, Florida 33155.

Like always....thanks for your support!!!!!

Bridal accessories BIG SALE!!! 100% of all proceeds benefit the Make a Wish foundation

2008-10-17T09:52:00.004-04:00

Affairs Remembered is having a HUGE bridal accessories sale. We carry dye able shoes, evening handbags, tiaras, brooches and couture veils. All proceeds will benefit the Make a Wish foundation, South Florida chapter. I have added some pictures below for you to see! Please stop by to see our inventory, we have selected shoe sizes and with their unbeatable price….they are going FAST!!!

This sale will continue through December 15, 2008.

7220 Bird Road, Suite 200 (Above Avant Gardens) 305.432.4455 or my cell 305.401.7001

Thanks for your support and PLEASE spread the WORD!!!!

Make a Wish Foundation Toy Drive

2008-10-12T11:23:00.003-04:00

I can't believe we are already in mid October... where has 2008 gone??

The time is getting near where Affairs Remembered will host it's 2nd annual Toy Drive for the Make a Wish Foundation of South Florida. Once again we will be collecting toys and disposable cameras to give to the less fortunate children and their families. Please stay tuned for further information and once again we appreciate your support!

Alice K. Villar

Pin Me Up Photography

2008-10-11T11:08:00.004-04:00

Ok, so some of you may have already heard my utmost content with this company... The story goes like this.... Marilyn Sanchez is a former student of mine from the Wedding Planning course taught at Miami Dade Community College. She is an excellent event planner that decided that she needed to add a "kick" to her career. After taking photography classes, she realized what her true passion is.... PHOTOGRAPHY! I built up the courage and took her up on the offer of having my pictures taken. The only reason I hesitated was because I am overweight and although I feel pretty, weight will always be a factor....

During the shoot, Marilyn made sure to make feel as comfortable as possible. She brought along great music and although it was early in the morning and there was absolutely no champagne involved (lol..lol..lol..) the energy in the room was overflowing!!!! She reminded me of how beautiful I am and I can honestly say that her comments allowed my confidence level to rise up to the sky. Marilyn was very patient and accommodating throughout the shoot. Her style is to bring out your natural beauty and to make you feel sexy no matter what the size....

So here is just one of the many AMAZING shots she took.....

Marilyn Sanchez website is www.pinmeupphotography.com her email is info@pinmeupphotography.com and her number is 305. 878.0221

Tell her Alice from Affairs Remembered sent you!

Good luck being a DIVA for a day.. or two!!

New Designs from Bonnie Style Press!!!

2008-10-11T10:11:00.010-04:00

Bonnie's style press is a stationary company that designs whimsical and fun invites for all occasions. Come to our office to check out their latest designs.... or just click on to our website at http://www.affairs-remembered.com/ for more...

Baby Showers....

Bat / Bar Mitzvah, Bridal Showers

New home announcements...

Bachelorettes, Girls night out...

Thank you notes

Their holiday collection is totally spectacular and definitely my FAVORITE!!!!

Make sure to place your order before the holiday rush is here!!!!

Thanks for stopping by.... We have lots of goodies in our office. Be sure to stop by or call if you have any questions!

Walk for a cause!!

2008-10-07T15:20:00.003-04:00

On Sunday, October 12, I will be taking part in a walk that will take place in Coral Gables for down syndrome. Affairs Remembered will be representing TEAM NIKO. Please join us!!!!!

Take a look at the flyer and donate a little bit of your time to this cause!

http://www.dsaom.org/docs/MiracleWalk2008_Flyer.pdf

Thanks for your support!

Team NIKO and Affairs Remembered!

Massage Therapist

2008-10-03T15:51:00.003-04:00

My wonderful and dear friend Maribel Yartu has just recently passed her state exam for Massage Therapist. She is an excellent therapist and starting to build up her clientele. Please contact her at 305.989.1557 . She has great introductory prices!!! Also check out her myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/exhale48. Please let her know you received her information from Alice @ Affairs Remembered.

Thanks for reading and have a great day!!

Event Planning Class Miami Dade West Campus

2008-09-30T12:19:00.002-04:00

After a long break from teaching, I am back in the game! Today I begin teaching the Event Planning Class which will take place at Miami Dade West Campus (Doral). The classes will be held every Tuesday from 6:30-9:30pm. If you wish to enroll, please contact Yvette Crichlow at 305.237.8914.

Wish me luck!!!

Pictures of me!!

2008-09-30T12:08:00.007-04:00

Last week I truly felt like a DIVA!!! I had the pleasure and honor of working closely with Martha Ramirez from UDS Photo. When I approached her for my pictures, I advised I had never really taken any pictures of "just me" before. I really had no idea what to do, where and how to stand etc.. Martha made me feel great and was a pro at calming me down! Her professionalism and friendliness allowed me to pose naturally in order for her to capture my best shots!

For me, communication is the key to everything and I feel that allowing my clients to see the "real" me is crucial. I consider myself a very professional being but at the same time I make it a point to enjoy life, my family and what I do...

I have received many compliments on the pictures posted above. Many people say that it resemble the "true Alice". I agree, for those that know me, they know I LOVE to laugh and loud may I add.. Life brings your great challenges and our job is to face them and be strong!

Thanks for stopping by!!!!!!!!

Pamela's voyage on the Titanic

2008-09-18T14:20:00.007-04:00

On August 2, 2008, Pamela Castillo celebrated her 16th birthday at Jungle Island. The theme was Titanic. For those of you that know me well, you know that Titanic is my favorite movie ever! I have seen it probably more than 50 times (I am not kidding). When my client came to me and told me that she wanted her birthday to include something with a ship.. I said of course.. it has to be a Titanic theme! I immediately contacted my friend Mark Baez at Fairytale Designs and shared my crazy ideas with him! He did a fabulous job in interpreting and converting my vision into reality. From life size rescue boats to capturing the logo of the white star on the wall, every replica was done to perfection.

Throughout the months of planning, I did my research well and found some pretty amazing things! I made sure I purchased memorabilia that looked original and truly represented the Titanic era. A couple of weeks prior to the event, I went to Las Vegas and visited the Titanic exhibit. I was so honored to have seen everything that I saw and read all the articles that are included in this amazing and breathe taking exhibit. This really allowed me to make Pamela's event even more creative and unique.

The foyer area at Jungle Island, represented a museum that included pictures, artifacts and boarding passes that included most of the passengers names that boarded on the ship. Once the guests entered the ballroom, they were greeted by amazing floral arrangements done by my great colleague and friend, Jorge Nevot. The linens and chairs were provided by AB Covers and the stage and lighting were provided by Fairytale Designs. The music was provided by Ubi's Music Production and the DJ was accompanied by the magnificent percussionist, Eugenio Doria. Once the guests took their seats, there were two oversized projectors on which the Titanic Movie played throughout the night.

The choreography was done by Liz Sanchez and the young couples did a total of 3 dances. After the choreography was done, the first course was served. During the meal, there was a slideshow with pictures of Pamela growing up with her friends and family. The party began with great music and positive energy. Towards the middle of the party, the guests were suprised with the thrilling beat of brazilian drums and the fascinating brazilian women. Everyone had a fabulous time at the party and could not beleive that so many emotions could be felt in on one very special night!

Hawaiian Cocktail Party in our office

2008-07-04T09:56:00.012-04:00

Luis and Magnolia (Utopia Video productions) proudly holding a cup of my "special drink"lol..lol.. and Manolo Doreste - in the back laughing as usual (In Focus studio)

Here I am with Michael Calderin

This is Eduardo from Petunia Flowers. I absolutely love this picture.. he is hilarious!

Here is Miguel (Miguel Irias Photography) showing off his sexy Hawaiian skirt with Tara (photographer) and a very pregnant Amy Hill (photographer)!

Here I am with Christy (UDS Photography) as she is helping me place my coconut bra on!

Ok at this point we all have some of "special drink" in our systems (except Amy of course) from Left to right... Junior (Jr.s Prods. ) Bruce and Deborah (Biltmore) Me and Rodri (Rodrigo Varela Photography) Gonzalo Villot (photographer). Next to Jr, Patricia and Rick (Avant Gardens).

Miguel Irias, Rodrigo Varela, Cat (photographer), Jr, Me and Pilar (Miro Studios)

Me and Rodri

Every month we make it a point to gather our closest friends and have a networking / cocktail party in our office. This past month we decided to celebrate summer and have a Hawaiian themed cocktail party. Everyone had a great time and is excitedly awaiting our next party! Enjoy some pictures..... Make sure to Laugh!

Freestyle Summer Jam Concert

2008-07-04T09:25:00.001-04:00

On Saturday, July 26, 2008 at the James L. Knight center we will have the concert of the summer! Taking you back in the days of Casanovas, Club Decos, Club 1235 and Hot Wheels! Live performance by Lisa Lisa, Stevie B, TKA. Lisette Melendez and a surprise performance with over a decadein the making!

Please contact ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com) for further information. Doors open at 6:30pm. Come early and enjoy the music of well known DJ's and giveaways~

This is a must see concert.. dont miss it!

See you there....

Summer sale going on at Affairs Remembered

2008-05-29T10:06:00.002-04:00

Wedding Planning
Sign a contract for our full service package and receive 10% off (a saving of over $450)!!.
You must sign our contract prior to August 1, 2008 and this discount cannot be combined with any other promotions or applied to any existing contracts. This is only valid on the full service package for wedding coordination.

Invitations
Receive a 15% discount of all ENVELOPMENTS invitations. We will also waive all set up fees and ink charges. This discount is not valid on orders already placed and is only valid until August 1, 2008.

Favors
Receive a 20% discount on all preassembled favors and a 10% discount on favors that require assembling. Choose from Kate Aspen (www.kateaspen.com) and Hortense B. Hewitt (www.hbhwedding.com)

Please inquire about other sales going on for the summer!

Thank you and have a fabulous SUMMER!

Bobba / Lund Wedding

2008-05-29T09:45:00.002-04:00

On May 3, 2008 at the elegant and historic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida Anthony and Vera tied the knot!

This young and energetic couple (as well as myself) experienced a crazy whirlwind when planning their wedding. Their original location fell through 6 weeks before the wedding date which made us all scramble. Thanks to the wonderful energy this couple releases (as well as good planning and excellent contacts) we were able to secure the Biltmore hotel and proceed with the last minute details of planning.

The day of the wedding was a beautiful sunny day in Coral Gables. Vera looked stunning in her designer dress and anxiously awaiting Anthony to pick her up so that they can go and take portraits around the city she grew up in. After all the pictures were taken it was then time to arrange the bridal party and send everyone down the aisle. Vera and her dad were nervous and I assured them I would not let them walk down the aisle until they have each taken 3 deep breaths. Once down the aisle, Tony's face lit up and I could almost see some tears!

After the ceremony the professionals at Miro Studios took the bridal party and family around the property for some additional portraits and fun pictures. The cocktail hour took place in the hotel lobby and guests were delighted by the musical sounds of Fito Espinola and the rolling of "authentic" cigars by Mya Handmade Cigars.

Once the guests were welcomed in the ballroom, they were wowed to see the transformation the room had taken. Avant Gardens provided beautiful floral centerpieces as well as 4 over sized floral arrangements for the buffet area. The guests were to pick and choose their favorite table and take their seat (there were no assigned seats, instead they were all cocktail tables). Their sign in consisted of an actual photo booth. All guests were required to take pictures and leave their well wishes on a guest book. During dinner, Tony surprised Vera by bringing in the renowned "Three Waiters" performance. They sang soprano and interacted with the guests for about 30 minutes.

After everyone enjoyed the delicious meal, the music kicked off and the party began. It all ended very well and the bride and groom were elated!

It was a pleasure working so closely with Tony and Vera and I am so lucky to consider them very good friends!

Generoso / Nyugen Wedding

2008-04-23T14:31:00.002-04:00

Monday evening weddings are not commonly seen or often heard of, however, when it came time for Aimee and Cuong to book their dream location in South Florida availability during a weekday was not an obstacle.

The couple tied the knot on Monday April 21, 2008 at the historical and spectacular Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. While setting up, we encountered stubborn rainfall and mild winds. Aimee and Cuong called me several times during the set up to check in on the weather. I assured them that everything was going to be ok and that they would have their ceremony outdoors as planned. When Aimee arrived she looked drop dead beautiful! She looked like a fairytale princess coming out of the rolls. We carefully escorted her to her place and the began what seemd to be everlasting trip up the stairs to the mound. Cuong's face lit up immediately once he saw his beautiful bride walking towards him.

The amazing ceremony, conducted by Revd. Michael Calderin was about 35 minutes long. Immediately afterwards, the guests were escorted to the east side terrace to enjoy gourmet cocktails served by Mena Catering and his efficient staff.

The tent facing the bayside was adorned with white and pink lights and had an outstanding chandelier hanging above the dance floor. The bottom dock area was adorned with garden benches and the added touch of a candy and dessert buffet stations. The building was washed with hot pink uplights and the garden were lit up with strung lantern lights.

Once the guests were seated, they were greeted by DJ Ubi and were delighted by Aimee and Cuong's choreographed first dance. The formalites followed and the dinner was served. Soon after they enjoyed their plated meal, the party began and the guests began to dance until I literally had to escort them to their shuttle bus.

The one thing that I think the bride and groom enjoyed the most was that they chose to take their portrait pictures the day after. Although Rodrigo Varela did a fabulous job capturing all the formal family portraits, the couple was able to enjoy their cocktail hour and not have to worry about missing out from spending time with their friends and family!

This wedding was very rich and filled with love and carried their cultural background with yet a modern chic style!

Blason / Aguilar Wedding

2008-04-15T12:19:00.003-04:00

On Saturday, April 12, 2008 Mercy Blason and Ruben Aguilar became husband and wife in the beautiful Key West, Florida! This dazzling couple couldn't have asked for a more beautiful and perfect day.

The rehearsal dinner took place the friday before and was held at Margaritaville! What a fun and loud place. Neil was great to work with and made sure the area was available well ahead of time!

The religious ceremony took place at the amazing St. Mary's star of the sea followed by delightful reception at the Casa Marina Resort. The ceremony was heartfelt and spiritual and was attended by Mercy and Ruben's closest friends and family. Upon arriving at the church (in an antique rolls, provided by Keys Limo) Mercy looked spectacular and was accompanied down the aisle by her brother.

After the ceremony the guests proceeded to the Casa Marina where they enjoyed a full cocktail hour outside by the newly renovated patio area. The ballroom looked like a dream as it was filled with amazing floral arrangements done by the very talented Gil Sosa. The employees of the Casa Marina (including Ronnie Rupe himself) are not used to seeing such spectacular floral arrangements and beautiful linens, as the traditional decorations for a Key West wedding are more tropical and exotic arrangements, so we had "employee traffic-admirers" for at least a good hour before the party began.

The guests were greeted by the talent of Tradison Band. Lucy Grau did a fabulous job in welcoming the guests to their seats and introducing the newlywed couple. After the traditional dances, the guests were served their appetizer consisiting of shrimp cocktail laying on a wedge of watermelon followed by the traditional ceaser salad and the main entree, Lobster tail and Filet Mignon. By that time, the guests were ready to party and they did just that!

After dinner, Mercy changed into a second dress and Rodrigo Varela took advantage of the spectacular sun setting scene by taking the the most romantic and talented pictures ever!

I must say, at this wedding I did something I had never done before... As soon as the couple arrived at the hotel, I escorted them into the ballroom (so that they can take a peek) and I had them do their cake cutting pictures / video. This saved us time while we were able to capture them while they still looked fresh and happy and not tired and "sweaty"! This worked out great for the timeline and they were able to enjoy their party time to it's fullest.

It was an extreme pleasure working with Ronnie and the Casa Marina. Although prior to the wedding working with him was a bit stressful (it's a general Key West attitude), on the day of everything worked out and went out without a glitch!

Thanks to all the wonderful vendors who took part in this celebration and most importantly.. thank you Mercy and Ruben for allowing me to be a part of your special day!

FREESTYLE Music Awards 2008

2008-03-28T22:35:00.005-04:00

On Wednesday March 26, 2008, the first annual Freestyle Music Awards took place at the Dade County Auditorium in Miami. I had the pleasure of working closely with Lily and Leonard Bolden from Bolden Productions, Ovidio Santiago from Clear Channel and Latif Mercado from LA Entertainment. I was in charge of making the VIP area look spectacular and ensuring the event went off without a glitch….. and that is exactly what I did!

On the eve of the awards there was a private –invite only party at the Hyatt in Downtown
Miami to celebrate the upcoming festivities. I was honored with an award for my hard work, passion and dedication to the event. I also had the pleasure of meeting first hand Lil’ Suzy (she is such a nice - genuine person), Coro, Johnny O, Angel and Debbie Deb to name a few.

The day of the event started off with a lot of running around, non-stop phone calls, last minute issues and so on… I was the go-to person with all questions and issues.

We literally converted the parking lot into a VIP tent that looked phenomenal! Gilbert Villela from Christina’s Party Rentals provided all rentals including portable a/c for the tent, oversized generators, over a thousand feet of red carpet, crystal chandeliers and then some… Prior to the award ceremony, the guests were greeted by the oversized and amazing floral arrangements provided by Avant Gardens and the gourmet hordeouvres display provided by Chris Bulgarin from Delicious Catering.

The actual show was spectacular! The performers did a fabulous job taking us all back to the “old” days. It was great seeing everyone come together under one roof. They saved the best for last which was TKA aka K7. They ended their show with their renowned song.. Maria! After the show, the VIP tent was packed with positive energy and happy people!

Many thanks were given to Lily Bolden, Ovidio Santiago and Latif Mercado for their hard work, dedication, passion and constant belief in these artists! I am extremely proud to be a part of such a wonderful event. As stated by Lily many times, “this is only the beginning, next year will be bigger and better” and I am lucky to be a part of that.

May FREESTYLE live on forever!

Almonte / Jirtian Wedding

2008-03-16T11:09:00.005-04:00

On Saturday, March 15, 2008, Vilma and Mark were blessed by an absolutely beautiful and amazing day!

The wedding celebration took place at the Double Tree Ocean Point in Sunny Isles, Florida. The ceremony started promptly at 4:30 pm and was officiated by the renowned Reverend Eddie Rodriguez. As Rev. Eddie rang the commencement bells, the guests admiringly turned to receive the bridal procession. As Vilma walked down the aisle accompanied by her older brother, Pedro Almonte, Mark's smile was genuinely glowing!! They performed the sand ceremony which consisted of sand from Santo Domingo (Vilma's hometown) and Boston (Mark's hometown) . Each container of sand was carried and presented by Brian (Vilma's son from a past marriage) and Andres (Mark's son from a previous marriage).

After the ceremony, while the guests enjoyed their outdoor cocktail hour, the couple proceeded to the sandy beach where professional photographer, Maria Baiz took advantage of the moment! She captured the couple running in and out of the water and just having plain old fun!

Once the cocktail was over the guests were escorted to the main dining area and were greeted by the beautiful flowers provided by Gil Sosa and the fabulous tunes provided by Albert Gil from Vision DJ's. The lovely couple danced to a medley of Billy Joel's "Love you just the way you are" and Mana's "Bendita La Luz". Following their dance, the bride danced with both her brothers, "Hero" by Mariah Carey and was concluded by the groom dancing with his sister, "What a wonderful world" by Louis Armstrong. The traditional formalities continued to take place by having speeches and then their first course.

After dinner, the party began and the guests danced until their feet ached! Vilma and Mark seemed to happy to have each other and their families join them on such an important day! It was a true pleasure to see two families come together and share their happiness!

Brides against Breast Cancer

2008-03-09T11:54:00.002-04:00

March 7-8, 2008, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

On Saturday, March 8, I (along with 6 of my fabulous and hard working students) had the pleasure of volunteering at the Brides against Breast Cancer Gown sale (www.makingmemories.org) . This took place at the Embassy Suites in Fort Lauderdale. We had the entire ballroom full of beautiful designer dresses ranging in prices of $99 up to $2000. With all proceeds going towards finding the cure for breast cancer, it was a delightful experience helping brides finding the "one". Within 2 hours of the show we had already sold 2 dresses and had 10 brides in the dressing room. It was very exciting to know that my students and I were having fun while helping out the community.

This is definately a great bargain for the brides and I feel it allows them to feel good about the purchase knowing that the proceeds go towards good use. I look forward to continue volunteering my time and expertise.

This event was coordinated by the very talented Lori Patterson from a Memorable Affair and Liz Gomez from Liz Gomez Events. Thank you ladies for being active and for allowing this event to place!

Puente / Gomez Wedding

2008-03-09T11:20:00.003-04:00

On March 7, 2008, Janet Puente and Oscar Gomez tied the knot! The church ceremony took place at St. Hugh's Catholic church in Coconut Grove and the wedding reception was held in the Merrick ballroom at the historic Westin Colonnade in Coral Gables.

It was a beautiful day outside. The sun was shinning and the girls were all in the bride's room getting their hair and makeup done. Kevianno excelled in making the girls beautiful and glamorous with his make-up techniques. The hairdresser (whose name I will not release) was the total opposite. She, herself, was 2 hours late (we had a total of 8 people to do their hair) she had sent in an assistant which started some of the girls off, however her presence was needed. As the day progressed, the issue with the hairdresser seemed to have worked out. The girls looked absolutely stunning in their couture bridesmaids gown. Janet looked amazing as she was going down the historical staircase towards her awaiting antique Rolls Royce.

Once at the church, photographer, Claudia Cebrian and videographer, Carolina Bonnelly were awaiting Janet's grand arrival. The groomsmen were in place, the procession was neatly organized as the doors opened and Janet began her procession alongside her proud father, Mr. Ignacio Puente. Oscar's smile lit up the entire church, when he saw his beautiful bride walking down the aisle. The ceremony went by smoothly and the guests began to depart to the reception location.

Upon arrival at the Colonnade, the guests were greeted with drinks, assorted passed hords. and a wonderful Jazz Trio (friends of the bride and groom) . The sign in "book" was a personalized platter and was placed on a beautifully decorated table containing candles, orchids, neatly placed rose petals and various cylinders all product of Gil Sosa. Once the guests were allowed to enter the ballroom, they were wowed by the wonderful sound of Tradison band.

After the formal introductions the salad course was served. Soon to follow was the main entree. During dinner, DJ Ubi provided music selections like bossa nova, light jazz and some spanish guitar selections.

The dancing soon began as Tradison opened up the dancefloor with their traditional and genuine spanish sound! The dancefloor, quickly filled and remained that way until 2:00am.

Overall, the entire event was flawless and thhe bride and groom had a wonderful time at their wedding. The positive comments received from the guests were very rewarding and although it was a very long day/night for me I was exstatic to have yet another happy client!

Marenco / Goldberg Wedding

2008-02-18T09:53:00.008-05:00

It was a very rainy and cloudy Sunday afternoon on February 17, 2008 when Ruby and Ken tied the knot! The ceremony and reception took place at the beautiful Deering Estates. Everything was to take place outside when the downpour began! At this point it was not very pretty. The staff provided by Mena catering was extremely efficient and willing to help in every which way they could. Jennifer (assistant event coordinator from the DE) and Aldo (security supervisor) were extremely helpful and pleasant and made every effort in assisting us to their fullest capacity.

Once we agreed that the ceremony was to take place inside the Richmond Building and the ketubah was signed, Rabbi Kanter and Father Frank took their positions and the ceremony music began. Ruby looked stunning and was escorted down the aisle by her father. The ceremony was brief but beautiful. Immediately after, the guests were treated with hordeouvres in the (still wet) courtyard. After all the formal portraits were taken by Stacey Brandon, the couple and their families joined the cocktail hour. The formal living room of the estate was transformed into the dining room and although it was a bit tight (15 tables) the room was glowing with flowing orchids and beautiful curly willow provided by Sandra from Flowers by Sandra.

Upon entering the room, the guests took their seats and enjoyed the first course followed by the main entree which consisted of a dual plate of succulent Beef Tenderloin with fresh Sea Bass. The traditional and funny speeches were done by the Maid of Honor, Carolina (Ruby's sister), the Best Man, Ben (a very nervous and good friend of Ken..lol.. great job Ben! ) and both sets of parents. Immediately after the main course was done and the delicious cake (filled with the traditional dulce de leche filling) was served, we did away with some tables (in order to create a larger dance floor) and allowed the MAGNIFICENT band, Libido, to do what they do best! They were amazing and were constantly receiving raves from the guests.

Libido did a great job in performing the Horrah (traditional Jewish dance) and made sure to invite all the guests in joining the bride and groom on the dance floor. The rest is history. They were non stop for the rest of the evening. Although the afternoon was every brides nightmare (horrible weather) the evening turned out spectacular and Ruby and Ken could not be any happier! Thanks to Alan from Artistry Wedding Films, Ruby and Ken will be able to relive this evening for many years to come!

A special note to Ruby and Ken......... thank you for allowing me to be a part of your special day. It was an honor to participate on such a joyous ocassion!

Richards / Goldrich Wedding

2008-02-18T09:21:00.004-05:00

On Saturday Feb 16, 2008, Alexa and Jeff tied the knot! All festivitites took place at the historic Douglas Entrance in Coral Gables, Florida. Alexa looked even more beautiful than what she already is and Jeff looked very handsome and extremely happy at all times! The ceremony was performed by the magnificent Michael Calderin in the downstairs area in front of the fountain.
The cocktail also took place outside and the guests were surprised by Mariachis. Once it was time to enter the dining room, the guests were escorted up the grand staircase. Their reaction was extremely rewarding! They were awed to see the room look so spectacular! Ubi Marrero provided the lighting (both inside and outside) and he did a magnficent job! The dining room was glowing with amber lighting. The centerpieces looked amazing thanks to Jorge Nevot and the tables looked spectacular thanks to AB Cover Designers and Alexa's gold chargers, personally handmade menus and table numbers!

Once the guests were seated, they were presented with a beautiful display of mixed greens. Following the salad, came the main entree. Mena catering did a fabulous job in getting the food out on time and most importantly... hot! Both sets of parents made a beautiful toast to the bride and groom and along with Jeff and Alexa, made sure to thank all of the guests that traveled to join them on that specal night. The father /daughter dance was very touching as was the mother / son dance was. Aside from the beautiful and yummy Ana Paz cake, there was a special chocolate table. These fine chocolates came from South America (Alexa's mom is from South America) and were displayed in beautiful silver trays. Needless to say they did not last long on the beautifully arranged table! After all the food was over and done with the real party began. DJ Ubi did a FABULOUS job with the music selection and best of all, Alexa hired a percussionist to join Ubi. He also did a fabulous job. They both did a magnificent job in keeing the dance floor alive until 1:00am.

Overall, this evening turned out beautiful and I am sure it will live in both Alexa and Jeff's memories as well as each and every one of their guests for a very long time.

I thank Alexa for allowing me to work with her on such a special day in her life!

Luxurious Wedding

2008-02-10T21:16:00.002-05:00

I am proud to announce that Affairs Remembered has been accepted onto the Luxurious Wedding website. This is a website that caters to the affluent bride and only allows elite wedding vendors. They will also be featuring an editorial on my company and my credentials!
I'm very excited and extremely happy to be able to share this with you!

You may view the website at http://www.luxuriouswedding.com/

Wedding Planner Classes

2008-02-05T18:51:00.000-05:00

Ok so I am back in the game. I have just taken over the Saturday wedding planning classes that are being offered over at the Aventura Campus for Miami Dade. The classes will be held every Saturday from 2:30pm to 5:30 pm and I beleive it runs until April 5. It is given through the Wedding Planning Institute. These courses are being offered through Miami Dade Community College all around town. Please visit www.weddingplanninginstitute.com for additional information.

In addition I will also be teaching the Event Planning Course that is being offered at Miami Dade West Campus (Doral). This class will be held Mondays and Wednesday from 10:00am to 12:00pm. The semester is set to begin on February 25.

I am looking forward to teaching again (it's been about a year since I stopped teaching due to my crazy schedule and my 2 little ones) and look forward to having receptive and wonderful students.

Thanks for allowing me to share!

Affairs Remembered

2008-02-03T10:35:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog!

Here you will find information on my upcoming and recent events as well as new featured items in my showroom.

I encourage you to visit often and leave your feedback whenever possible.

Thanks and happy blogging!!!