Happy Holiday's from Happily Ever After Weddings

We wanted to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas from all of us at Happily Ever After Weddings. I wanted to share a picture of my VERY best friends who are also my wonderful assistants. I don't know where I would be without my girls, they each bring something different to my business and always put a smile on my face, no matter what the situation! I love them dearly...pictured from the left..Tricia Wiegand, me (Lisa Ragan), Melissa Koch, & Lisa Tyler.

We had our Annual Girl's Night Christmas Party last night, the one time a year that I break out the china and crystal...but oh so worth it. But then I have to hear my husband say "Why don't you go all out for me?" "uh........cause you don't squeal with excitement like they do?" :)

And remember you can easily jazz up your Christmas Party dinner with menu cards, chocolates, ribbons, place cards.....you can print your own menu's and layer them on colored card stock. It's inexpensive and adds a personal touch to any dinner party, not just Christmas.

Happy Holiday's to you all! And to Lauren and Grant Essig & Cory and Michael Cripe...enjoy your first Christmas together as husband and wife!!

-Lisa K Ragan

Bridal Show at the Peoria Civic Center

I am thrilled to announce that I will be a part of the Wedding of a Lifetime Bridal Show at the Peoria Civic Center on January 6th. Doors open at 10:00 AM with bridal style shows at 11:00 and 1:30. The show will take place in the new Ballroom on the 2nd level, this will be a great opportunity to check out all the new renovations at the Civic Center, especially if you are looking for a Venue for your upcoming wedding.

The most exciting part for me is working with Heaven on Earth, they graciously let me apart of this wonderful experience...and in return I have River City String Quartet coming to play and Pam Cooley coming to take some great details shots of the booth and flowers. Us girls can never have enough pictures of our work! haha So a SPECIAL thank you to Jane Hoffmire from River City String Quartet and my wonderful friend Pam Cooley! What a fun day we will have! If you plan on attending, please come by our booth and say HI - we would love to tell you about our services and how we can make your wedding day as perfect as you always dreamt it would be. HAPPY PLANNING!

Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Michael Cripe!!!

Another beautiful wedding took place this past weekend, ice and all! Cory Crusen and Michael Cripe became husband and wife at 4:30 Saturday evening at Jubilee Historical Site by candle light. It was the most beautiful, romantic ceremony I have ever seen. The bride was beyond stunning in her ivory beaded satin gown..not to mention her floor length white fur to keep her warm. Heaven on Earth did an amazing job on the church decor, it was exactly what the bride had dreamt of!!

Then off to the Packard Plaza for a beautiful cocktail hour, including a red holiday signature cocktail and appetizers galore! Later the guests were moved up to the Ballroom for the dinner reception including more appetizers and a plated dinner. And I have to admit this is the first reception I have ever been to where the dancing started BEFORE the dinner was served. However, if you had this band at your reception, you would have been dancing too...Encore... out of St. Louis, MO was AWESOME!!!! The ambiance of the room was breathtaking, candles everywhere, had to have been 100's of them, the room was glowing....my pictures do not even do it justice.....Scott Schilling will be sharing some of his photo's with me so that you can see how amazing it was...every bride's dream come true! Gregg's florist did the flowers and decor for the reception site....a hundred rounds of applause for them, they transformed that room in a day...so much fun to see!

Again, it is always sad when a wedding is over, I get so attached to my Bride & Groom..almost like they are family....but the great news is...I wont have to leave them completely, I will be doing Cory's sister Kristen's wedding in Chicago in September of 2008...I am very very fortunate...these two families were simply beautiful people inside and out, thank you for the HONOR of being your wedding coordinator, I will never forget the memories!

I wish Cory and Michael all the world holds for them...love, happiness, health and a lifetime of great moments together!! LOVE YA BOTH!!

Wait till you see what we are up to now!

My dear friend and wonderful photographer, Pam Cooley came to me with a fantastic idea. And since we are VERY alike, I jumped on it! Myself, Pam, Heaven on Earth, and I-Do Events are working together to create some beautiful table decor ideas for area brides. Some might say that this type of Reception Decor is only done in big cities....WRONG, the options are here, right here in Peoria and we are going to show you exactly what can be done! And it doesn't always have to be costly, you can achieve color and beautiful design in many ways! We are all very excited to show you what we come up with....stay tuned!!!

Few more Pics to share...

Okay, okay....I had to share more pictures from the wedding this weekend.....I just loved this cake stand.....you must check out Heaven on Earth for their amazing selection of wedding rental items....LOVE THEM!!!!

And the picture table of the Bride & Groom ........this can add a beautiful element to any reception venue. Just wanted to share a few more......I LOVE MY JOB!!!!

Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Grant Essig!!

This past weekend Lauren & Grant were married at St. Mark's Lutheran church in Washington, with a reception at the Pere Marquette in Peoria. The event was beautiful from start to finish!

I wanted to share a few pictures from the reception, my assistant was able to get some great shots before any guests arrived...every hour as the set-up went on...the more beautiful the room became, once the candles were lit....it was breathtaking!!

Lauren had a vision for her wedding and no detail was left unturned. Everything from Silver Candelabras, silver cake-stand, printed Menu cards, the picture table, to the hand-dipped pretzel rods......every detail was perfect!

To see pictures of the Bride & Groom, visit Pam Cooley's blog for a preview. More pictures will be available on my site as well as Pam's shortly.

It was a pleasure working with Lauren, Grant and their families....I am always sad when a wedding is over, I form a bond with my clients and I think a part of them will always be with me.....its like leaving a handprint.....I wish you both a lifetime of love and happiness!!

Top Notch!!

As a Wedding Coordinator, its my job to lead my Brides in the right direction. Whether it's simple and classic or upscale and elaborate, its my job to find the vendors they need in order to make their wedding a dream come true. Last week I went to the most wonderful florist who had the most BEAUTIFUL candelabras, vases, pillars, cake stands, and on and on - ALL available to rent. We were all blown away and I had to about tie my Bride down, she was so excited! And the longer we were there, the more nervous the father of the bride was looking! :) My client who had very specific tastes and wants, found exactly what she had been looking for. Please stop in and see what Heaven on Earth has to offer, I promise you, you wont be disappointed!!
Heaven on Earth -4700 N. University - Peoria, IL 61614. Phone number 309-692-2871

And on another note, a musical note....River City String Quartet is a MUST if you are looking for something special and unique for your wedding or reception. You and your guests will be enchanted as the music fills the room...call them for more information, they are wonderful to work with - they come highly recommended. (309) 369-6429

We have a WINNER!!

Rachel Dremann who just booked with Memories by Michael won the Wedding Day Special! Congrats Rachel, I am so excited for you and can't wait to meet! Rachel is getting married in Eureka on June 14, 2008 - CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

Memories by Michael's Brides - Wedding Day Coordinator Special!

For all you brides that have already booked with Memories by Michael....this special is just for you! For $300.00, you will receive....make sure you read all the way to end....-

3 hours of meeting time prior to their wedding to discuss all the details of your wedding day.-Unlimited email and phone time to help answer any questions you might have or any issues that arise.
-Contact all of your vendors to ensure everything is as ordered.
-Create a Wedding Day Timeline for your family & bridal party.
-Create a timeline for your vendors.
-Attend your rehearsal the night before (approx 2 hours) to ensure a timely rehearsal to answer any questions.
-Take all of your items (guest book, programs, etc) the night of the rehearsal so that you don’t have to worry about those details on your wedding day.
-8 hours the day of your wedding:
-Make sure all vendors have arrived and set-up.-Make sure ceremony and reception site are set-up as expected.
-Help photographer with pre-ceremony pictures (create a picture list) to ensure no moment goes un-captured.
-Keep you and your bridal party informed at all times
-Get you and your bridal party down the aisle on-time and flawlessly.
-Attend your reception for 2 hours to ensure everything is moving smoothly and you have the perfect ending to your perfect day.

THE FIRST BRIDE TO CONTACT ME WILL RECEIVE ALL OF THIS FOR FREE!!!!!
Offer expires August 1st - email me at lisar@h-e-a.biz or call me at 309-264-7286.

Whether your wedding is 3 weeks away or 6 months away, having a Day of Wedding Coordinator can be the best money spent. You and your family should spend the day getting ready and enjoying the special day, not worrying about all the details - leave that up to us!

Wonderful Brides!

I have met with some of the most wonderful Brides! Kari who is getting married in June of 2008, she is all girl and we are having so much fun working on colors, flowers, cakes, and on and on. And this past weekend I met with Cara who is having a beautiful January 5th wedding full of Christmas trees, wrought iron lanterns, and lots of candles. I am so excited to start working on these wonderful events!

COOKIES~COOKIES~COOKIES

Cookie Favors are ALL the rage right now. Anything from simple to very ornate! Check out these ideas from Martha Stewart.com. And I love the idea of having several cookies jars set on a table, an assortment of cookies, cutsie bags, and then let your guests pick their own cookies to take home with them as a favor. Stay tuned....I am working with a gal who is getting into the cookie business, she could be a great asset to my brides!

Congratulations Kari & Myles - YOU WON!

Wow - what a great response I got...but Kari was quick on the draw! I will be assisting Kari and Myles with their June 2008 wedding, and I am just thrilled!!! CONGRATS TO YOU BOTH!
The $300.00 special is still running and stay tuned as more specials are bound to be popping up!!!
Hope everyone had a great 4th of July with your family & friends!

Attn ALL Pam Cooley Brides!!!

Whether your wedding is 3 weeks away or 12 months away, let Happily Ever After Weddings make your wedding a dream come true! It’s our job to make sure your wedding day is as perfect as you planned it. This package allows you to spend the day with your family and friends, while we do the work! For all you brides that have already booked with Pam Cooley Photography....this special is just for you! For $300.00, you will receive....make sure you read all the way to end....
- 2 hours of meeting time prior to their wedding to discuss all the details of your wedding day.
-Unlimited email and phone time to help answer any questions you might have or any issues that arise.
-Contact all of your vendors to ensure everything is as ordered.
-Create a Wedding Day Timeline for your family & bridal party.
-Create a timeline for your vendors.
-Attend your rehearsal the night before (approx 2 hours) to ensure a timely rehearsal to answer any questions.
-Take all of your items (guest book, programs, etc) the night of the rehearsal so that you don’t have to worry about those details on your wedding day.
-8 hours the day of your wedding:
-Make sure all vendors have arrived and set-up.
-Make sure ceremony and reception site are set-up as expected.
-Help photographer with pre-ceremony pictures (create a picture list) to ensure no moment goes un-captured.
-Keep you and your bridal party informed at all times
-Get you and your bridal party down the aisle on-time and flawlessly.
-Attend your reception for 2 hours to ensure everything is moving smoothly and you have the perfect ending to your perfect day.
THE FIRST BRIDE TO CONTACT ME WILL RECEIVE ALL OF THIS FOR FREE!!!!!
Offer expires July 23rd.

Very exciting!

I am very excited after talking to my friend Lynn, the owner of Scrapadoodle in Peoria. They are going to be launching an Invitation divsion. For weddings, showers, birthdays...etc. I was so thrilled to hear this great news!! The most recent wedding I helped plan, I designed the invitations and they came out to be exactly what the Bride was looking for. (see attached pic) Handmade invitations with several layers of cardstock and two different ribbons. And I also designed her Bridal Shower invitations (see pic) with a top layer black piece of lasered cardstock that I had designed and made at a local Scrapbook Manufacturing Co. And had LeBakery do her cake in the same scroll pattern - it turned out beautiful. What ever your style, custom invitations are the way to go! I recently read in a Bride's magazine that Formal Invitations are OUT and Handmade Inviataions are SO IN! So brides, use your imaginations, dream up any idea, and then make it happen! Whether you are into Monograms, flowers, ribbons.....etc. Your guests will love it and so will you....plus.. dont you want to be set apart from the rest?? I will keep you updated as soon as Scrapadoodle give me the go ahead! How fun!

My First Blog!

Well, here it is..I am blogging for the very first time...kind of takes me back to my diary days in grade school. I am so excited to launch my new business, Happily Ever After Weddings. The moment I planned my wedding, the obsession started and that was 4 years ago. And after assisting my friends with their weddings, I decided that my passion lies here. So I became "official" through the Association of Bridal Consultants. Its been a whirlwind of excitement meeting with area vendors and getting my business off the ground. I have met some amazing vendors that I can not wait to work with! Pam Cooley Photography - check out her beautiful site - her work is amazing!
Today I met with the most amazing florist - Michele from Michele's Floral Events...talk about talented. She does everything from georgeous linens to lighting to top-notch floral design - check out her site too!
Right now I am in the process of planning a Wedding Professionals Networking Session for the Peoria area. Stay tuned to the Blog for more details.......