Cancun Destination Wedding?? My Fave's

ON THE RIVERIA MAYA

I am going to indulge myself with this post, my favorite places at Cancun on the Riveria Maya. This is a beautiful area for a destination wedding, on the beach or at a venue inland. And I apologize for the length of the post, but there is so much to tell and show you.

My favorite resorts are NOW Sapphire, NOW Jade, and Dreams Cancun. These resorts are top notch, beautifully designed and offer fabulous wedding planning packages. With their on site wedding planners, you have everything at your fingertips for your dream destination wedding.  These all inclusive resorts are owned by Amstar along with many others, Zoetry, Secrets, Breathless, Dreams, NOW, and Sunscape. They are all different from family oriented,  over 18, and adults only. Fabulous resturants, bars and entertainment are at your fingertips. Check out their site at http://www.amresorts.com, for all descriptions of all their resorts world wide.

Pool area

Beautiful Sunrise

Setting up for the reception

Gorgeous beaches

Here are a couple of off beach venues for an off the chart wedding.
Hacienda La Esperanza, an amazing outdoor venue that has space for up to 3000 people in a banquet situation. The staff at this venue can arrange for indoor and outdoor events, music and entertainment, whatever you are looking for. The venue offers a large green garden area with a lake, gazebos and meandering walkways, horseback riding displays in their arena, fountains, pool and jacuzzi, outdoor covered amazing Palapa a thatched roof open "gazebo". When you enter the Hacienda La Esperanza, your mouth just drops, we were welcomed by beautifully dressed women in costume on horses and waiters with drinks and appetizers. It just got better as we moved through the area and to the Palapa for dinner. Peacocks wander the grounds, there was even a pure white peacock! For more information please go to their website, www.hacienda-andalucia.com.

The Palapa was an amazing space for dinner and dancing
Photos by Paul Retherford

Entrance at Hacienda la Esperanza
Photos by Paul Retherford

Na-Ha Jungle Venue, this fabulous experience out in the jungle. We walked through the jungle, up and down pathways, bridges over cenotes, until we reached a very cool old hacienda where we had dinner and then a Mayan warrior fight and dance. Go to these websites for more information nerea@corporativogourmet.com and carlos@gourmetevents.com.mx. This would be a great place for a company to have a teambuilding event. 
But remember to wear sturdy or low heel shoes.

Our Hacienda in the Jungle for dinner from Gourmet Events

Mayan Good vs Evil Tribal Dance

Good Mayan Warrior wins!

Okay so we've talked about different wedding and event venues and resorts with their on staff wedding coordinators. When your away for a destination wedding not everyone can attend but they can enjoy it by seeing a fabulous video from your wedding. Eduardo Gomez is an incredible cinematographer, he has an amazing eye for catching the feel of your wedding in such an incredible way that everyone would feel as if they were there with you. Please contact Eduardo, my good friend, through his website, www.eduardogomez.com.mx/corazon,  or on  facebook at;  http://facebook.com/videodeboda. This is where you can see his work. He really catches the essence of your big day.

Eduardo Gomez

There are photographers all over Riviera Maya, but I would look up Del Sol Photography known for their underwater trash the dress shoots, in the very cool cenotes or in the ocean. They are so talented!
Please check in with them at http://www.delsolphotography.com. You can also check out their facebook page where you will their amazing photos. Just a little tease, showing some of their photos.

What a stunning photo

One of the underwater photos

Amazing 

Just Gorgeous

WOW

Such a cute phot

so intimate

And last but diffenently not least is Planner 1 Events, an outside company who can work hand in hand with the resort planners if needed. They can provide more options if you are not finding what you need on the resort. I have been to a few of their events and they are true visionaries! You can contact Planner 1 Events at, http://www.planner1events.com and on their facebook page Planner 1 Events.

Del Sol Photography

I will apologize to those vendors who I have forgotten, but believe me if you work with any of these 

companies they will lead to the others you will need. I hope this is helpful to all of you planning your 

destination weddings.

 -- Tami Zachman

Inspired Events by Tami
PHONE (309) 256-4950
EMAIL tami@inspiredeventsbytami.com
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“Cake is happiness! If you know the way of the cake, you know the way of happiness! If you have a cake in front of you, you should not look any further for joy!” ― C. JoyBell C.

Cake is happiness, cake is love, cake is an addiction. SO................ with your wedding cake, what will you top it with?

There are so many ways to make it your own. Don't feel as if the standard bride and groom on top, unless that is what you like. Like I said, make it your own, it's your day, it's your cake.

For example, I was working with a young couple on a very limited budget. They were having a hard time picking a cake topper. I then found out that the groom to be's nickname was squirrel, because he liked to hunt. I just smiled really big, and said, "What about two straw squirrels from Pier One, Crate and Barrel or Pottery Barn. This last year they had the cutest squirrels for the fall and they would fit perfect either one a full sized cake or a sweetheart cake. The bride to be, immediatly jumped on it. She loved the idea, all they need was to add a couple of emblishments to the actual squirrels to dress them up.
And the guests got a big kick out of it.

Now I'm not say that this is for everyone, but it was perfect for this couple. And I want to take the time to show you some different ways of topping your cake with the some are not so mainstream.

Here is some fun ideas for your wedding cake top decoration. I hope you enjoy this small collection of
cake top ideas. There are so many more out there so don't stop here!

 

Swarovski Crystal

Flowers, Birds, and Jewelry made of
Molding Chocolate and Sugared
Flowers

Sugared Flowers

A good Google search................ Etsy, Concerta Cake toppers, Weddingstar, Wedding Cake Toppers, Swarovski Crystal, and The Knot are a few great sites to find Wedding Cake tops. Or as an alternative have your Wedding Cake bakery make sugared flowers, jewelry, any fabulous Wedding Cake baker can make anything you heart desires for the top of your cake. Personalize it, make it yours, It's Your Big Day!

-- Tami Zachman
Inspired Events by Tami
PHONE (309) 256-4950
EMAIL tami@inspiredeventsbytami.com
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Dazzling Party Drama from the Purple Pug

There is this great site that offers handmade, custom made party products for weddings, showers, birthday partys..... You get the idea!

This site has the coolest custom made banners for all types of events. No two are the same and so stinking cute! They also offer other handmade items too! I love the "She Said Yes" banner.

They also carry other personalized items too! Check out the site for all the goodies!
www.thepurplepug.com

Hope you enjoy the cute items they have!

-- Tami Zachman
Inspired Events by Tami
PHONE (309) 256-4950
EMAIL tami@inspiredeventsbytami.com
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"The Cotillion Room", one of the most coveted venues in Peoria is re-opening soon!

The most coveted reception venue of Peoria was, and is soon to be, the Cotillion Room at the Marriot Pere Marquette. It can exude old world romance, classy black tie galas, or the ever so popular "Gatsby" themed receptions.

Thank goodness that the new owners of the Historic Pere Marquette Hotel realized that the beauty of old world opulence needed to remain. The new owners, Marriott, will be updating many areas of the hotel to add a more modern look to the building. They are also keeping many of the historic components of this building, including the sprucing up of some of the original treasures.

The old lobby

Grand Hallway

The Cheminee room and LaSalle room are both still available and these two beautiful rooms look out over the horse carriage stand on Main Street.

The Cheminee and LaSalle rooms have been updated too,
but also keeping the old world archetecture

The Marquette Room got a much needed face lift from the original design.

The updated Marquette room




BUT The Cotillion Room, a true gem of times past, is kept intact with the original design. 

Even before the renovations the Cotillion Room was spectacular

Renderings for the new Cotillion Room, updated a bit but did
 not take away from the beauty of the room

The OPENING of the new Pere Marquette Peoria Marriott is set for June 2013, and I know many a bride who are anxiously waiting for information on the the reception venues in the hotel.


Here is the contact information for the Pere Marquette Peoria Marriott -

Amy Hawkins – Director of Hotel Sales
p: 309.637.6500x5
c: 309.210.8345
e: amy.hawkins@marriott.com w: www.peoriamarriott.com
They will be able to send you more information on reception packages and renderings of the different reception rooms, plus capacity for each of the reception rooms.

For me, it is with a heavy heart that I no longer am planning weddings and will not get to see these amazing pieces of history of our grand city the way I used to.

The Pere Marquette is a grand ole dame from the days of "Will it Play in Peoria" and I am sure even with change the Pere Marquette will still play her very important part in the beginning of new lives together.

-- Tami Zachman
Inspired Events by Tami
PHONE (309) 256-4950
EMAIL tami@inspiredeventsbytami.com
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First things first when planning your wedding

                             

10 Things No One Tells You About Getting Engaged

No matter how long you and your fiance dated or how many times you've been a bridesmaid in your friends' weddings, there are some truths you just don't find out about until you get engaged.

1                                            

You'll have a big zit on your chin the day he proposes.

Okay, maybe you won't (or didn't). But the point is that whatever fantasy proposal you had dreamed up (at the most romantic place in the world, wearing the most perfect dress, with the best hair and complexion you've ever had) isn't reality.

Our Advice: Your proposal story -- whether it happened on the couch in your PJs with no makeup on, or in the middle of the Caribbean in a hot swimsuit -- is more important (and special) than that fantasy proposal you might have had in your head. Why? Because it's your story and no one else's.

2

You won't be able to quit starting at your hand.

Maybe you went ring shopping together and picked it out yourself, or maybe it was a total surprise. Either way, there's a big difference between imagining it on your hand and actually seeing that brand-new shiny ring on your finger.

Our Advice: Everyone is going to want to see the ring, so get a manicure (and be careful gawking at your hand while driving or crossing busy intersections!).

3

You'll have to tell your proposal story a million times.

As soon as you get engaged, one of the first questions people will ask is how he proposed. Get used to it. Telling and retelling the story is part of the fun of being engaged.

Our Advice: To make it easier on yourselves, write down your proposal story (put it on your wedding website and in your online wedding planner) and send friends and family the link so that they can get the full details.

4

People will ask you about a wedding date and location before you've had a chance to 

think about it.

You know how it goes: Everyone is excited. But before you've even had time to sign up on TheKnot.com and start your checklist, your family and friends are already asking for details.

Our Advice: If you have no idea where and when the wedding will be, come up with a blanket statement you can use whenever someone asks. Say something like, "We're so excited just being engaged right now. I'm sure there will be plenty of time to figure out the logistics in the coming months." They'll take the hint.

5

There might be a few sours.............

There's usually at least one friend or family member who may not come off quite as supportive or elated as the rest of them. If this doesn't happen to you, be thankful, because you're in the minority.

Our Advice: A not-so-positive reaction to your good news is a reflection of that person (not you). Don't dwell on negative feedback. Focus on the positive -- you're getting married!

6

...But your friends will be there for you

You'll know the people you can count on. They're the ones who post five-exclamation-point messages to your Facebook wall the minute you announce your engagement; they're the ones who take you out for drinks the day after you get engaged to celebrate; they're the ones who tell you they're ready to help you with whatever you need.

Our Advice: Lean on the friends who express excitement for you (and celebrate your newly engaged status often!).

7

Recently married friends will suddenly become wedding planning experts and give you (oftentimes unsolicited) advice.

There are plenty of reasons this happens. Some friends may be going through the "postwedding blues" and miss the excitement of planning their own weddings. Others may just think they're doing you a favor.

Our Advice: If a friend offers wedding planning advice (say, "You shouldn't invite kids to your wedding," or anything else that starts with, "You should/shouldn't..."), take it in stride. Graciously accept it as a sign of their friendship (there's no need to get defensive). If you agree with the advice, take it; if not, thank them and move on with your plans.

8

You'll watch wedding movies and TV shows differently.

Whether you've seen dozens of Say Yes to the Dress episodes, or you wouldn't be caught dead watching a "cheesy wedding show," you might now find yourself a little (or a lot) more interested in wedding movies and shows.

Our Advice: Rent Father of the Bride, My Best Friend's Wedding and Rachel Getting Married -- and don't feel bad about sitting through and enjoying a TLC wedding special or two. This is one of those guilty wedding pleasures that you're totally allowed to indulge in while you're engaged.

9

You'll have a hard time not jumping into wedding planning right away and will find it difficult to "just enjoy being engaged."

Sure, you recognize there's a long road ahead of you and there's plenty of time to plan out a wedding. But after the shock wears off, the next natural step is to start working out wedding plans.

Our Advice: It's okay (and good!) to get started early -- just be sensitive to him. He more than likely just spent a lot of money and time planning out the proposal. So give him a little time to relax if he needs it. A few things you can get started on right away: planning out the guest list (at least your family and friends) and documenting your proposal story.

10

Your relationship will feel different (even if you've been living together for years).

A marriage proposal is exciting, but it's also serious. You've just agreed to commit to one another -- for forever.

Our Advice: Work out the nitty-gritty details you may have only touched upon when you were dating. Decide what you'll do for holidays every year, whether you want kids, where you want to live long term. Make actual plans. Even if they change, it's good to know where you both stand on the big topics. If you're not required to through your church or temple, consider signing up for prewedding counseling, where you'll be led through the process by a pro. Having worked out hard-to-make decisions together will make the wedding ceremony that much more meaningful.

Compliments of The Knot

Read more: Just Engaged - 10 Things No One Ever Tells You About Getting Engaged http://wedding.theknot.com/getting-engaged/engaged/articles/just-engaged-advice-tips.aspx?page=3#ixzz2Qb0DONPE




-- Tami Zachman
Inspired Events by Tami
PHONE (309) 256-4950
EMAIL tami@inspiredeventsbytami.com
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