Christina Marie Events & Floral

Christy & Joe ~ November 26th

2012-01-02T09:41:00.000-08:00

What a gorgeous wedding this was, very lavish & bold. I met with Christy and right away knew she has a beautiful vision for her wedding day. She was very precise in the rose choice we would go with for their bouquets and wanted the centerpieces to be simple yet make a statement. The main color palette for this wedding was black, gold and soft hues of pink. Every detail was adorned with some sort of glitzy gold or jewels!

For the girls flowers we did a hybrid rose in a soft pink and fully opened. They were stunning up against their black dresses. For hers we accented with rhinestones in the bouquet to compliment her gorgeous dress and hair piece. The flower girl carried a rose pomander ball.

At the church we did aisle cones filled with cream carnations and a alter pieces with cream flowers and gold twigs!

For all the centerpieces & decor accents were gold tree's that we attached pink spray roses to on the tables and for the place card & guest book there were crystals dangling. I loved the candy cafe table and cake table that were accented with vintage gold pieces and pink flowers!

Congratulations Joe & Christy on your beautiful wedding, I was very happy to be apart of helping design such a beautiful wedding.

Shawn & Jazelle ~ November 11th

2012-01-02T09:25:00.000-08:00

11/11/11 - What a special date for a wedding! This was a fun wedding for me to design for as it was family! The bride & groom are anything but your typical modern bride so it was fun to play around with color's and flower types! We settled on Cumbia & Leonidas roses accented with red hypericum berries! The centerpieces was a DIY project that consisted of ceramic Taj Majel purses filled with greens!! All of the colors and unique aspects fit well with the white and gold decor of the Calhoun Beach Club. Congrats Shawn & Jazelle, hope you have a lifetime of happiness.

Wolske/Zwart Wedding ~ September 23rd

2012-01-02T05:46:00.000-08:00

At the end of September I had the pleasure of working with Ria to help decorate her wedding at Stonebrooke golf course in true fall colors with the added fun element of white pumpkins. This was such a fun wedding to design as I love working with rich fall colors mixed with some lighter hues of peach & celery green. We used a mix of Asiatic lilies, burnt red & peach roses, orange spray roses, a variety of mums, deep purple calla lilies, celery green spider mums and red hypericum berries.

The flower girl basket & centerpieces were one of my favorites to play around with. The complimented fall colors and the white pumpkins made for a stunning statement on the tables! We accented around the pumpkins with mini gourds, pumpkins and other harvest elements and of course lots of candle light.

Emily & Richie ~ September 17th, 2011

2011-11-30T17:46:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful wedding at the always enchanting Calhoun Beach Club. I had so much fun working with the talented and adorable Emily on helping to create a stunning look for her wedding day! For the bridal flowers we kept to a elegant white design filled with anemone's, hydrangea, roses and freesia.

For the ceremony & reception decor we splashed the cream and gold rooms at Calhoun with a variety of magenta blooms. We lined the aisle of the ceremony with magenta orchids in tall cylinder vases and decorated the alter area with a combination of pink pomander balls on pilsner vases, gathered roses and bunched tulips!

The centerpieces were a bold & colorful mix of magenta and lime green. Each centerpiece was a circular vase lined with aspidistra leaves and filled with roses, daisies, dahlias and mums!

Congrats Emily & Richie ~ I can't wait to see your professional pictures!

Heidi & Jon

2011-11-05T10:38:00.000-07:00

What a fun vintage wedding for this year with such an adorable family. When I met with Heidi & Jon to talk about their floral designs and decor they brought their adorable son Harry!! I think he had more fun running around my studio and trying to escape up the stairs as we did talk about fun flowers to compliment their very fun style!

The ceremony was at the Loring Pasta Bar in which we did floral cones to hang on the chairs lining the aisle. I handmade each cone out of a stylish white, black and gray designs and accented with black feathers and satin ribbon. I then filled them with the baccara roses and deep purple hues that we used in their bouquets! They complimented the Pasta Bars chair and deco great!

For her bridal bouquets I would have to say they may be my favorite designs of the this year so far. I used a mix of baccara and black magic roses, deep purple calla's, fire celosia, purple tachelium, lithanius, freesia with black feather accents. The mix of deep hues created such a warm and unique feel. I can only imagine how they looked paired with her deep ivory dress and her red bridesmaid dresses.

The reception was at the charming and decorative Varsity Theatre. We once again did cream ostrich feathers centerpieces to compliment the decor in the theatre very well!

Congratulations Heidi, Jon and Harry! I had so much fun working with you all and have no doubt your love for each other is everlasting! I can not wait to see th talented Natalie Finazzo's pics!

Rose & Yoni ~ Sept 3rd

2011-10-19T20:03:00.000-07:00

What a fun unique wedding this was! Rose & Yoni hired CME&F for both Day of Coordination & Floral services. I was so excited for this wedding all year for a couple of reasons, 1. It was at the Round Barn Farm in Red Wing which proved to be a beautiful unique location 2. The elements of their wedding spoke so clearly to who they are and were so much fun to decorate with 3. I got to work with orange & yellow's in their bouquet designs, I LOVE working with yellow in flowers 4. They are such a fun couple

Yoni records music and Rose comes from a Russian background which made for a eclectic group of friends and family. There were talented musicians everywhere and lots of Russian traditions, food and talk going on. I have never seen a kitchen as packed and yummy as the kitchen of the Round Barn B&B was that day!

The details that spoke to them and were most clever with the old cassette tapes as place cards, the thumbprint tree as the guest book, the old wagon as the gift spot, the old hankies and CD mix as the program were ceremony compliments. We decorated the barn with TONS & TONS of flowers, there were tin cans with sunflowers hanging in the opening in the barn, yellow paper flowers in every window sill, fun arrangements on each table, ceremony aisle lined with shepherds hooks and lanterns filled with full blooms and then anywhere we could fill flowers or artichokes we did. No space was undecorated! There was so much food everywhere the cocktail hour was covered with Russian spreads on the tables and yummy homemade sangria!

And then let's talk about the dessert table, I have NEVER seen a dessert table such as this one. We couldn't even put out all of the desserts until some were eaten without adding another 8 foot table. It was filled with wedding cake, macaroons, chocolate homemade cakes, pie pops, chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate dipped pretzels, more pastries than I could count, a fruit covered cake and an extra large fruit bowl. Oh and I forgot about the candy table for everyone to take home in their all you need is love bags!

For the bridal party flowers we did a mix of orange, yellow and pale pink ranunculus, billies, mums and dahlias! They were stunning against their yellow dresses!

Thank you so much Rose & Yoni for hiring CME&F for your planning & floral needs, I had an absolute blast working with you both and being part of such an amazing day and venue! I wish you both unending years of happiness, music and LOVE!

Amy & Bob ~ August 27th

2011-10-15T18:07:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun working on both planning and flower designs with Amy & Bob on their beautiful garden ceremony and evening reception at Brit's. The intimate ceremony was held at the Japanese Garden in the Como Park. The weather and sunset could not have been more perfect for this evening ceremony. The celebration then continued at Brit's pub with a candlelit hors d'oeuvres reception.

We decorated the pub with tons of candles inside complimented with bright colored flowers especially on their fireplace. We did 2 sizes of lanterns with river rock and pillar candles on the outside patio area overlooking the lawn bowling, they were the perfect compliment for this space! For her bridal party flowers we did a mix of deep pink, purple and a splash of green, they complimented her black bridesmaids dresses and Bob's daughters pretty pink, purple and green dresses perfectly!

Congrats Bob & Amy, I had so much fun working with you as you are such a fun and warm couple! Many years of happiness to you both!

Rick & Sarah ~ August 20th

2011-09-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun designing Rick & Sarah's very purple flowers for their boat wedding! For the bouquets I used a mix of purple roses, calla lilies, lithanthius, freesia and feathers. Sarah's was distinguished with white calla's instead of the purple.

The mix of purple shades looked great against their purple dresses, all of the guys had complimenting white or purple calla Bouts!

The centerpieces were a surprise for the groom with his favorite Birds of Paradise in each, along with orchids, looped grass and river rock. They turned out great and he was very happy with them!

Congrats Rick & Sarah and Holden :) You are such an adorable family!

Matt & Heather ~ An Easter Wedding

2011-08-24T17:30:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Matt & Heather on a wonderful Easter Wedding. The weather could not have been any better for this April wedding when there was not a whole lot of nice weather to be had. CME&F incorporated a lot of the spring time flowers into their designs. Tulips, lily's and cherry blossoms were everywhere. Here are a couple pictures that I took of the bouquets and centerpieces!! When we get the professional pictures I will post as I am sure they are amazing!

Bryan & Jenni~ July 23rd

2011-08-21T20:18:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Jenni & Bryan on their beautiful July wedding at Lord of Life Christian Center. I have never had a wedding at quite an amazing place as this. The chapel was all white and very quaint. The splash of hot pink complimented all of the white and the cobalt blue dresses perfectly! CME&F did pew cones with hot pink alstromeria to compliment the very hot bouquets! At the Northland Inn we dressed the tables in cobalt blue, black & white paisley and centerpieces with submerged white tulips. Simply beautiful. Hope you had a wonderful celebration, many years of happiness to you two.

Happy Anniversary!!!

2011-05-20T17:28:00.000-07:00

Happy 6th Anniversary to my wonderful husband Jon!!! Once again I am celebrating in the company of my wonderful girlfriends as the Army has him captive over our anniversary but non the less I couldn't be more happy or blessed in my marriage and now with our growing family of 3 (well 4 if you count Jersey) At least this year I will get to celebrate a day later with Jon before he leaves our home for a year long deployment to Iraq................. again!

I remember our wedding day so vividly and am always asked by my brides if there was something I could change about my wedding day 6 years ago what would it be........... well the obvious is that the trends are a lot different so it would be easy to say I would have a dress with sleeves and not so poofy and would love to have the glitz and modern designs in today's decor.... but then I wouldn't be fortunate enough to say I have been married to my loving husband for 6 years because those are today's trends..... So in short I wouldn't change a thing because we made our wedding about us and in the end you can not change anything about that!

Relay for Life Participation & Event Information

2011-05-04T15:01:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for plans on Friday May 6th and like to support wonderful causes, plan to be at the Relay for Life/Silent Auction at Bethel University from 5pm-9pm.

Christina Marie Events & Floral has donated a $250 gift certificate to this groups "wedding basket" that they will be auctioning off. There are other great wedding offers/vendors included in this basket:

1 night stay at The Covington Inn Bed & Breakfast
$100 gift certificate for a Bridal Up do at Studio 4
$35 gift certificate for a hair cut for the groom from Studio 4
Engagement session with Daniel Dinsmore Photography
Wedding Invitation package with Aquamark Design
Custom design kitchen cutting board from Select Surfaces
$250 gift certificate for a flower order with Christina Marie Events

They will also have these baskets available for auction:
- Music basket (CDs, T-shirts, Sweatshirts, Posters)
- Health and Beauty (Skin care products and make up)
- Movie basket (Movies, snacks, 2 tickets to AMC movie)
- Tupperware
- Bethel University Apparel/Campus Store (Sweatshirt, T-shirt)
- Book basket
- 2 engraved rocks ("welcome to our home")
- $500 gift certificate from Select Surfaces + Custom Designed kitchen cutting board

Get out and support a wonderful cause!!

Bethel's Address is:
3900 Bethel Drive
St. Paul, MN 55112

Destination Weddings - Sandals Montego Bay/Royal Caribbean

2011-04-04T16:35:00.000-07:00

I recently had the opportunity to be a guest at the Sandals Montego Bay & Royal Caribbean resorts in Jamaica to tour and meet the wedding planning staff. Christina Marie Events & Floral is so excited about the great relationship that has been created with the Sandals organization for our destination weddings. I am so impressed with their resorts and the services they offer, there is no other all inclusive resorts that has so many beach & water activities included in their pricing. The people in Jamaica are so friendly and accommodating that you feel welcomed & relaxed the entire time you are there. Their motto of "no problem" really carries into the wedding requests and level of service they provide!

Sandals has recently partnered with Martha Stewart weddings to create wedding packages that include everything you would need for your destination wedding. The packages include everything from the flowers, decor, and cakes to reception set up and really FUN centerpieces.

For the week I was there I watched over 15 weddings take place all over the resort and each one was so personal, beautiful and accompanied by great service. I saw every style of wedding from just the bride & groom to a guest list of 30 and everything in between. Every wedding was beautiful, well organized and romantic.

This is one of the gazebo's that has about a 40 foot walk out on the pier to get to it (ceremonies here are so remote and beautiful right on the water)

This is one of a few resorts out there that has a catholic church on it's grounds to accommodate those church services indoors. It is beautiful inside and out.

If you are looking for a beach side resort there are so many spots to choose from on the sunny warm sand!

There are so many benefits to doing your destination wedding at an all inclusive and with the assistance of a wedding planner. Sometimes the details between cultures, resorts, # of guests and expectations can be lost in translation. This is where the working relationship that I now have with both resorts and all of their staff will be so helpful and make the planning from afar easier. I am really excited about destination weddings at either of these resorts and can't wait to go back!

If you would like more information on the Jamaican Sandals resorts I visited please feel free to contact me at: christina@cmaries.com

Photo credits: sandals, mthreestudio, CME!

MN Bride Best of 2011 ~ Please vote for CME!!!

2011-02-03T14:18:00.000-08:00

February is here which means voting has opened for MN Bride's best of awards!! We would love it if you would take a few moments to vote for Christina Marie Events & Floral in any or all

Top of the Tiara

Best Florist

Best Planner

Click here to get to the voting form

NOTE: You must vote for at least six categories for your vote to count. Only one vote per individual will be counted.

Thank you so much for your continued support, I absolutely love what I do and it is such an awesome feeling when Christina Marie Events is nominated or wins awards based on feedback from clients, other wedding professionals, friends and family!!

Awesome Award ~ Press Release

2011-01-31T19:13:00.000-08:00

It is always such an honor to receive this award year after year for a couple reasons. First off only 5% of wedding professionals in the MN market win this award. And secondly because this is an award that is given based on previous clients reviews or feedback!! This is the next best way to start a new year besides all of the engagements and new couples I get to work with!!

Dave & Natalie ~ August 27th

2011-01-28T07:34:00.001-08:00

Check out these amazing photo's from one of our Weddings this summer. Thanks Amber Procaccini Photography for sharing, you did such a great job capturing their beautiful August wedding!!

LOVE Engagement Season!!!!

2011-01-09T10:09:00.000-08:00

There is no better time of year to come back to work full time from maternity leave than engagement season. My email is filling up with excited new brides and our dates are filling fast for both planning and flowers! I am so excited about all the new couples we have booked and the new ones inquiring!! I have a feeling 2011 & 2012 are going to be our best years yet!!!

Back from Maternity Leave!!!~ Happy New Year!!!

2011-01-04T10:22:00.000-08:00

I have now entered the world of there is no better feeling than the love & smiles from your children!! My husband and I welcomed our son Lincoln Robert Anderson unexpectedly on October 7th 2010. This was an entire month earlier than planned! Of course I flirted with my timeline of my last wedding booked for 2010 with it being October 16th!! While it was quite the challenge it went off without a hitch! The flowers were beautiful and the couple was so happy with their flowers and reception decor!! I really enjoyed having Lincoln down in my studio while I worked to get everything done a week after birth. We are so blessed with this new addition to our family, and couldn't be happier with our new life!

(Lincoln in my studio 1 week after being born)

Back to work!!!!!!

It feels so wonderful to be back working on weddings full time again!! Unlike the corporate world when you go on maternity leave I was still working somewhat on upcoming weddings, new client meetings and launching our new site while "technically" on leave, I used nap time efficiently because I was so excited and getting ramped up for ENGAGEMENT SEASON!! I am so looking forward for the 2011 wedding season!

Introducing Lincoln Robert Anderson

Born October 7th, 2010

5lbs 13.5ozs ~ 19 inches

Abbey & Joe ~ October 16th

2010-10-22T08:12:00.000-07:00

Unlike any other wedding I have ever done!! Well mainly because surprise my son decided to show up a month early when I only had one wedding left for the season before taking some much needed time off with my newborn!! It was a challenge but in the end it all worked out so well and the bride was in tears talking to me about how much she loved her flowers and decor!! This is truly why I LOVE what I do!! Abbey & Joe's wedding was all about bold fun colors in hot pink, cobalt blue and a mix of hot orange and bright green! Both their ceremony and reception were held at the Hilton Garden Inn in St Paul! While I was unable to go and set up (a big THANKS to Kelly and Mary for making this happen) the room was absolutely stunning in pictures.

Abbey wanted a all pink rose bouquet and her bridesmaids to have a mix of all the bold colors against their bright cobalt blue dresses!! The groom and groomsmen all had orchids and family had a mix of calla's, roses, dahlias and daisy's all in a variety of colors!!

We did a couple different centerpieces the first being these cobalt blue wine bottles with a 3 simple stems of Gerbs in hot pink!!

The others were our votive stemmed candles with piled rose petals at the base in orange and pink!

She wanted to do a different style for her parents tables so to mirror the votive candles we used an enlarged version of these on their tables with floating candles and flowers!!

Lastly they went with the harvest style head table and I always suggest to my brides to do a large centerpiece of some sort being these tables are so big and can look bare with just the bouquets or something simple. I LOVE how this head table turned out with the new candelabras that CME got this season!!!

Congrats Abbey & Joe, thanks for letting me help create such a beautiful wedding! Have a blast in Mexico. More pictures to come from the professional, can't wait to see them :)

Here is my little assistant only a week old helping me work on flowers for their wedding

Awesome Wedding Video!!

2010-10-22T07:56:00.001-07:00

Check out this amazing wedding video John Hoel with Vibrant films shot of one of my August weddings!! Christina Marie Events did the flowers and decor for Natalie & Dave's Arboretum Wedding and Varsity Theatre reception. This video brought me back to their amazing wedding day!! LOVE IT!!

Natalie + Dave from John Hoel on Vimeo.

Matt & Miranda ~ September 10th

2010-09-20T14:33:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful fall wedding at an absolutely beautiful outdoor location. When I met with Miranda 4 months ago she was very adamant that the flowers and centerpieces all be centered around fall. For the brides and the bridesmaids bouquets I did a mix of rich fall colors in flowers such as cremons, roses, dahlias, Asiatic lilies and then used some curly willow to have the branches coming out which complimented the centerpieces. Her bridesmaids were in Navy and I must say I loved the color combo with the fall colors they really looked more vibrant against their dresses.
For the centerpieces we altered between 2 different styles. For the tall one we did a mix of pine cones and leaves in the base of the cylinder and then did willow branches out the top. They had such a dramatic affect and really complimented the view out onto the river and trees very well. The smaller version we did 3 different cylinders with 1 floating candle, 1 filled with pine cones and the other with a floating mum.
I love the Mississippi Dunes location for a an outdoor wedding and then the views from the reception room. More pictures taken by Cheryl Neuth to come especially of the ceremony!!

Congrats Matt & Miranda and thank you for letting me apart of your beautiful wedding day!!

Natalie & Dave ~ August 27th

2010-09-02T14:13:00.000-07:00

WHITE WEDDING!!!!! What a FUN wedding to do, I had so much fun working with Natalie on creating a wedding that complimented her style and I think we hit it right on the head! For her bouquet I used mainly Anemones and then filled with ranunculus and fully blown roses.

We also incorporated the Anemone flower in Dave's boutonnière and had them cascade down the cake!
For the bridesmaids I did a mix of Hydrangea, ranunculus and roses all in white to accent their beautiful purple dresses.

The pomander balls added so much to their garden wedding at the Arboretum not only lining the aisle but as alter accents with a few of our candelabra tree's we acquired this year. Even though they are extremely labor intensive pomanders are so stunning at a wedding and really give it a romantic feel! To top it off we did white ostrich feather centerpieces at the Varsity theatre which not only complimented the space so well (even the owner of the theatre was intrigued by our centerpieces) but they truly spoke the theme of this wedding. Glamorous, vintage, white!!!

Congratulations Natalie and Dave, I hope your day was everything you imagined and more. Thanks for letting me help you design such a beautiful wedding!

Michaun & Tim - July 10th

2010-09-02T13:43:00.000-07:00

Here is a follow up from our July 10th wedding of some professional shots of Michaun and Tim's wedding at Centennial Lakes and The Profile Event Center! I had a lot of fun playing with the summer colors and pinks in their flowers!!

Thanks Steve Siefried for the images!

Soooo behind on blogging

2010-08-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

I can not believe it is mid August already and that summer is coming to an end. (the state fair commercials have already reminded me of this) Although I can't say I am super disappointed this year as being pregnant and working events in the heat has been rather challenging. I look forward to cool fall days, football and fires so I am ready for fall.

Christina Marie Events & Floral has had a busy spring & summer with not only our weddings but also getting the new studio finished, being apart of some of my good friends weddings, trying to enjoy our cabin and also getting ready for a baby this fall. I am so excited about my new office space that has been a ton of work but will be well worth it. It is such a great mix between a actual office for meetings and a workspace for our floral business. I have had the pleasure of having a few bridal meetings amongst the chaos and I can't tell you how great it is to have displays, flowers, ideas, books, reference etc at our fingertips to help our brides plan their wedding day and design their flowers.

I apologize for not being better on blogging most importantly our weddings but also happenings or fun tidbits I come across. I am hoping after August is over I can go back and post them all. We have a busy end to August with 4 weddings one if which is in Portland and a few in September and October before Maternity leave starts!! Check back this fall as I update our blog and website with the pictures from our amazing weddings this year!

Enjoy the last days of summer!

Here are a few pictures of my chaotic office that is in the middle of being finished and while prepping flowers for a wedding. Notice my helpers for the evening? (Husband a few animals, if only a dog knew how to make a boutonniere my life would be a little easier) Once the office is complete I will post a start to finish of this project, it has been quite the transformation.

Tim & Michaun - July 10th

2010-07-28T18:59:00.000-07:00

What a FUN wedding to be apart of! Tim and Michaun are 2 of most energetic and fun spirited people I know and their wedding would be nothing but that! The bride looked like a princess in her beaded top and full skirt dress!! Christina Marie Events did a mix in shades of pink with white for her bouquet using gerbs, calla lilies, roses and hypericum berries. For the bridesmaids we went with bright pink, green and orange colors to compliment the eccentric pink hue! The wedding was at the Centennial Lakes park amphitheater. I would highly recommend this location for an outdoor wedding to those couples looking. We then moved the reception to the Profile Event Center with a fun golf themed party! All 270 guests seemed to be loving the party and the newly married couple. Instead of clinking glasses to get the bride and groom to kiss guests would instead have to make a putt on the green that was set up in front of the head table!

Congratulations Tim & Michaun, I was so honored to be apart of your special day and enjoyed designing your flowers and decor!! Have a blast on you honeymoon! Love you

CME did a variety of centerpieces, we mixed a tall cylinder with gold balls at the bottom and a colorful mix of Gerb's coming out the top.

The second style we did was the 3 varying sized cylinder vases, tall with limes, medium with golf balls and small with a pillar candle. All vases were wrapped with simple black or pink satin ribbon.

The last centerpiece we used was a simple bubble bowl with a floating flower head and petals around the vase!

More pictures to come from the photographer!

Memorial Day!!

2010-05-30T11:22:00.000-07:00

Christina Marie Events & Floral wishes to thank the brave men and women of the Armed Forces, and remember those who have lost their lives defending liberty. God bless you and your families
Have a safe and happy Memorial Day!

Being a military wife is it very important to me to recognize past and present soldiers in all branches of the military. It is especially important to remember those that have made the ultimate sacrifice that preserves the freedom we enjoy today. We will never forget the price that has been paid.

If you have a family member or friend that has lost their life in combat a way to honor them on your wedding day is by using red poppies. You can add them to bouquets, use as boutonnieres, do as the memorial vase or hang off an open chair in honor of the person that could not be there. Enjoy the pictures below from military weddings, these weddings are so moving and powerful to be a part of!!

History & meaning behind the Red Poppies (Wikipedia)

In the United States, it is common practice to wear "Buddy (Red) Poppies" (artificial, paper or plastic versions distributed by the Veterans of Foreign War) during the weeks preceding Memorial Day, the last Monday in May to commemorate the sacrifice of veterans in the various wars.

Exciting News!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-05-26T17:00:00.000-07:00

I always told my husband whenever we start a family it must be around the busy wedding season. Well as we all know there is really no way to plan a baby like you can the details of a wedding. However it worked out that way for us!! Jon and I will be welcoming our first born baby by November 5th this year. We couldn't be more excited about our growing family. With this being said all of my dates from October 1st, 2010 through April 1st, 2011 are either booked already or are now blocked off for the baby. I have a few dates remaining in 2010 for Day of Coordination or Flowers if you are looking to book yet. August 20th & 21st and September 24th & 25th. If you are interested please contact CME.

In celebration of the wonderful news I will be offering $150 off my Day of Coordination and $100 of your flower order for all Weddings in 2011. Reference the Baby special when booking!!

What an Honor!!!!

2010-05-16T06:03:00.000-07:00

Christina Marie Events is listed as the #11 of the top 25 Event Planners in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal!! Not only do we plan Weddings but we also love doing all sorts of corporate events. We help plan everything from sales meetings, holiday parties, charity events, award banquets, product launches and golf tournaments.

I am really excited and honored to be listed in this publication!!

Suzanne & Tom

2010-05-03T17:04:00.000-07:00

CME's busy wedding season is officially under way! Congratulations to Suzanne and Tom on their May 1st Nuptials! This was such a simply elegant wedding done right on a budget! Their ceremony was in the Lakewood Cemetery Chapel in Minneapolis and man is this an amazing chapel with hand laid mosaics and a dome ceiling. The reception was in the stars room on Windows of Minnesota in the IDS tower. So beautiful. CME did a simple lime centerpiece with floating candles and their colors splashed in petals. I LOVED doing her bouquets as greens and pinks seem to be my favorites this year, we mixed 2 types of Hydrangea with HOT pink & light green roses!!

Congratulations again and Best wishes Mr. & Mrs.. Such a cute couple! More pictures to come!

ISES Star Awards

2010-04-05T18:19:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun attending the MN Star awards last Friday night. Even though we didn't take home the award in our category it was still a big honor to be a nominee with other Minnesota event planners such as The Wedding Guys, Event Lab, Eve Events and Edgproductions. The winner in our category was Event Lab for their Wonderland Wedding, Congratulations to you!

The theme of the night was Ritmo Caliente! The MN chapter of ISES did such an remarkable job pulling the theme throughout the night. The social was adorned with old crates, exotic flowers and colored candles. The party following the award ceremony had a live salsa band, performers on stilts and AMAZING food! Even Christopher Straub from Project Runway made an appearance to present an award. Here are some pictures from Coppersmith Photography from the night. I had so much fun mingling with everyone and enjoying the show! Maybe next year we will take home the win.

Vendor of the Month - Baker

2010-03-11T16:07:00.000-08:00

March's vendor of the month is the lovely Terri and her crew and Queen of Cakes. I had the pleasure of working with here on multiple weddings in 2010!! Not only are her cakes AMAZING, her designs are beautiful but she is so knowledgeable and creative with all of her confections!! And she is a blast to be around!! Enjoy reading up on Queen of Cakes and their wonderful staff!! As always Thanks Terri!

Website: http://www.queen-of-cakes.com/

Phone: 952-942-7628

Address: 7104 Amundson Ave. Edina, Mn 55439

Do you customize cakes, or are there designs brides can choose from?

We have lots of great style and design books that can help inspire a couple for their wedding cake design. Sometimes they'll choose directly form a book or a picture they found on their own; But we take pride in helping make each cake special and significant for each couple by customizing with details from the wedding gown, the invitations or any ideas they may want to incorporate.

What flavors and fillings are available?
Our cake flavors are: white, chocolate, marble, yellow, lemon, red velvet, german chocolate, spice, carrot, pumpkin. Our fillings are: MOUSSES: choc, strawberry, raspberry, tripleberry, lemon, amaretto, bailey's, mocha. COOKED FRUIT: raspberry, strawberry and lemon. BAVARIAN CREAMS: chocolate and vanilla. Other good stuff: Cookies and Cream, Classic german chocolate, Deluxe cream cheese, ganache.

If you require a deposit what are the requirements?
We require a $50 deposit to book your wedding cake. We take Visa and Mastercard.

When is the balance due?

Balances, any changes and all final details are due 15 days before the wedding.

Do you offer a cake tasting session? Is there a charge? How many people can come to the tasting?

We offer tastings (Wedding Cake Consultations) Mon-Fri from noon- 8pm Saturdays 12-5pm and Sundays 1-4. They are free of charge. We mostly see couples, but our New Design Studio is big enough to accommodate larger groups, parents+planners and such.

Can couples change their minds on flavors, design etc, if so when does it need to be finalized?

No problem on changing designs, flavors or count. We just need finalization on these details by 15 days before the wedding.

Will you preserve the top tier for their first anniversary?

We provide a box for the top tier "anniversary" cake. But if you really want to freeze it for a year, chill it,get it out of the box, wrap it in plastic wrap, then foil, and put it in a plastic Tupperware or similar container in the bottom or back of the freezer.

Do you work with the florist to make sure the details match?

We are happy to field calls from florists who need details on cake shape, size and style. We are also happy to place your fresh flowers when we arrive with the cake, providing they are left at the cake table. If the florist had a particular placement in mind, we can do that if they leave us a note or sketch.

Do you supply cake toppers, cake stand, cake knife and server? Are there extra charges for these items?

We do have centerpiece cake stands for rental, (we mostly loan them out, especially on large orders). But no other stands or servers at this time.

If the bride & groom has special dietary needs can you accommodate?

We can do a Vegan cake (I recommend it for a few servings only. it's not you typical wedding cake taste.) Or a "gluten-free" option: our Chocolate Truffle Torte. This is best used as a "back-up cake" or groom's cake. Too heavy for tiers.

What sets you apart from other bakers?

Our customer service and dedication to every detail that our customers have their hearts set on is where Queen of Cakes really shines. Our business is mostly by referral, and we count on our relationships with our brides, grooms and their families as a basis for our business.

How many weddings do you average in a year?

We average about 350 weddings per year. This year we will exceed that number. That's a lot of wedding work when God only gives you 52 Saturdays in a year!

How many will you commit to on a Wedding Day?

During wedding season we average approx 15 cakes per weekend, between Fri, Sat, and Sun. How many we commit to on a particular day depends on the complexity of the design, delivery location and who books first.

What is one free tip you would give couples out there researching bakers?
One tip: Ask enough questions to find out how much your cake REALLY costs. If your baker is working with your venue to provide a cake as part of your package, you may get a better price by going to a baker directly. We would rather give a discount to our customer, the bride, than to discount to a venue or other vendor who will mark the cake up to the bride.

Suggestion: Do a little homework before your consultation, it will help us serve you better. When you ask us specific questions we can pinpoint styles and prices for you.Come in with ideas or pictures to show us, call ahead to tell us specific flavors you like (or don't like!)

Anything they can do ahead of time to help ease the stress of planning this service or detail before the Wedding day?
Ease the stress of your cake order: get your details in on flavor, design, and delivery specifics BEFORE the 15 day deadline. Then it's easy to just call in serving count at the end. We'll be more able to give your order special attention if the details are not coming in "under the wire".

25 Random things about Queen of Cake

Roller Derby is the official sport of Queen of Cakes. Our Team is the Rockits
We all love to cook and share lunch every day pot luck style
Our shop opened in 2003 with 1 employee-Terri
Katie is an avid (and successful) bow hunter who bags her deer every season
Jessica is a musician
Brynn is an avid gamer
Alyssa "teeny cakes" refuses to break a sweat
Patty owns a lovable rottweiler
Katie's boyfriend is an award winning roller skater
We have cupcake decals on our company vehicle
Only place in town that has teeny cakes
Our mascots are: phil the rubber chicken/pheasant, and Midge, the half-doll
Midge has her own facebook page
We've been known to pull practical jokes on each other
Our bakers are tiny
Brush with fame cakes include Gov Arne Carlson
Our favorite customers bring US treat
Our store is the size of a bathroom
We play wedding movies during our consultations
Our Cocktail Cakes really do taste like the drinks they are named for. Its 5 oclock somewhere
Our largest single order to date was 4000 servings of cake for the MN Orchestra
We can write "happy birthday" on a cupcake
All the calories leak out of our cakes when you cut them
Favorite shows include anything on the Style network: Clean House, How do I look? and yes, Keeping up with the Kardashians
Our store is also known as the estrogen bakery. Someones always yelling, someones always crying. Usually its the same person. Terri

Nominated - Best Social Event Award

2010-02-22T10:15:00.000-08:00

So Excited!!! We were notified today that Christina Marie Events along with Mintahoe catering was nominated for a prestigious Star Award through ISES. We were selected for Best Social Event on a Wedding that took place last September. CME was hired by the bride & groom for wedding coordination, decor design and bridal flowers. We transformed the FIVE Event Center into a swanky Island styled wedding that was full of ocean colors, feather flair, details and food that made this event beautiful, fun and eccentric.

I am so excited to attend the award ceremony at the end of March, my fingers are crossed that CME & Mintahoe will take home the award, however just being nominated with this class of other wedding professionals is a great honor!!

To be recognized for doing what I love while working with such wonderful couples is truly icing on the cake in my job!

Here are some pictures for the amazing island themed wedding! (thanks SoulCam Photography)

Justin Alexander Trunk Show!

2010-02-19T11:57:00.000-08:00

Amazing dresses at a great bridal salon, if you have a chance go check them out next week! Appointments are required ~ 952-846-4496

Bridal Accents Couture
4401 CR-42 W
Savage, MN 55378
(952) 846-4496
www.bridalaccentscouture.com

VOTE ~ "Best of 2010"

2010-02-16T14:17:00.001-08:00

Let your opinion be heard by voting for your favorite Minnesota Wedding vendors!! Be sure to vote for at least 6 vendors in order for your nominations to count!!

Voting closes on March 1st

Wedding Registry Event

2010-02-12T19:21:00.000-08:00

Check out the Crate & Barrel Wedding Party! Feb 28th 9:00am-11:00am

Plan your new home together, get advice from their design and registry experts, meet other couples, and make merry with food, drink and fun. Space is limited, so RSVP today at a Crate and Barrel store near you. Events will take place February 7, 14, 21 and 28. Find out more at crateandbarrel.com/weddingparties.

event details
when
Feb 28, 2010 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM (1 day event)

where
Galleria in Edina

3503 Galleria Edina , MN 55435

cost
FREE

homepage
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/weddingparties

MN Bride Magazine ~ Ask the Expert

2010-02-01T05:23:00.000-08:00

Over the past year I have been honored by being asked to contribute expert information on all aspects of wedding planning for Minnesota Bride Magazine. Recently a bride wrote in with the dilemma of compromising on the number of bridal party participants with her groom. I see this frequently with couples trying to decide on the right combination of friends & family to have stand up for them. I was excited to respond with examples from past couples of mine and how we overcame this hurdle in their planning.

Click here to read our featured article on MN Bride

Uneven Bridal Parties

This was the brides response! I LOVE to see this :)

"Wow - this is a really helpful response. Thank you! We really like the idea about simply keeping the bridesmaids and groomsmen uneven and how to make the processional still look good. Huge problem solved!

Keep the questions coming, feel free to email with your major wedding concern ~ Christina@cmaries.com

Brides Choice AWARD ~ 2010

2010-01-26T17:08:00.000-08:00

We were notified today that Christina Marie Events was chosen to receive the Brides choice award from Wedding Wire for Wedding planning. What an huge compliment to receive an award that comes straight from your past brides reviews!!

Here is the link to read what some of our brides have had to say about our Wedding planning, rental and floral services!!!

Wedding Wire Bride Reviews

I love what I do and receiving honors like this is more vindication that our love & passion for Weddings comes out in our recent brides reviews!

Happy New Year ~ CME Floral Announced!!

2010-01-20T10:18:00.000-08:00

With the New Year here I have resolved to become a better blogger!! As I am finally finding the time to "catch up" I realize there were some wonderful weddings that I did not showcase from 2009 nor all the fun ideas and thoughts I had throughout the year to share with you all. In 2010 I will be more devoted to setting time aside to blog and provide more information to those couples planning a wedding, keeping up to date on CME and other Wedding vendors.

2009 was such a great year for CME!! We grew exponentially from last year, I added more rentals to my decor pieces, and a few wonderful invitation vendors to expand the collection I can offer to Brides. Most notably the best thing that happened to me this year was I discovered a talent and passion in floral design. CMaries Floral was born in 2009. I had so many brides this past year on tighter budgets with the economy and job losses and this was just one area they didn't want to break the bank on. A bride of mine in May asked me to take on the challenge of doing her flowers so I graciously agreed with disclaimers. I armed up with a license and a few educational classes and went to work!! I ended the year designing flowers for 5 of my weddings. Each was so different and fun and I LOVED doing it!! So with that being said I have officially added doing floral design for those brides who are looking for great flowers at a fraction of the cost. Please feel free to contact me for pricing, ideas etc!! There will be discounts with both planning and flowers if they are booked through CME.

To kick off the new decade I will be offering 2 promotions for engaged couples

Wedding Planning ~ $100 OFF Day of Coordination
$250 OFF planning packages from $1,500-$2750
$500 OFF our FULL Planning package ~ unlimited planning hours & meetings $3,500

Flowers ~ the first 10 brides that sign contracts in the New Year will receive a $50.00 credit on their flower bill as part of a 2010 promotion!! Toss bouquets are included in all of CMaries orders.

I am so excited to see what 2010 will bring for CMaries and even more excited to meet all of my new brides and clients! I am truly blessed the be able to do what I love and that is working with such amazing couples and being able to make their Wedding Day everything they dream of!! I also LOVE all of the vendors I get to work with on every event. There are so many amazing vendors out there who love what they do as much as I do!!

Thank you to all of my 2009 Clients, vendors and support system for making this past year one that I will never forget!!

My first order of business this year will be to bring back the much loved Vendor of the Month

Happy New Year and Best wishes to you all in 2010!

Charity Campaign - Renew 2010

2010-01-02T15:15:00.000-08:00

Christina Marie Events will be renewing our Charity campaign in 2010, this was such a rewarding program for not only my clients but for me as well. Making a difference in others lives is what makes me so happy and this is a great way to give back while planning fun Weddings.

I will also be extending this into CMaries Floral business as every new contract signed I will donate $20 to a charity of their choice in their name!

Charity Means Everything Christina Marie Events is excited to unveil a Charitable Campaign for all new contracts signed in 2010. For any planning package booked this year CME will donate $100 to a Charity of the couples choice in their name! CME believes in the importance of giving where you can and this way the couple will be able to feel as if though part of their wedding
cost supports a cause that means something to them!

The trend of donating to a charity in lieu of a guest favor is on the rise with couples throwing a Wedding Celebration! This is another way that a bride and groom can feel as if though they are supporting a cause while planning their wedding. In these tough economic times it is important to give to those who are in need! Please join me in this effort!!Another neat way to incorporate Charitable giving into your wedding is to register for it! Check out Just Give that has a Wedding Registry link in the bottom left http://www.justgive.org/CME has high hopes that his campaign will be prosperous and that it will be a continued practice with our planning packages!!

Thank You for your support and we look forward to working with you!

"You will find, as you look back on your life, that the moments that stand out are the moments when you have done things for others." - Henry Drummond

Phyllis & Geoff - October 25th

2009-11-08T17:51:00.000-08:00

BEAUTIFUL!!! One word to describe this purple and red filled wedding! Phyllis was a very busy out of town bride and was in great need of a wedding planner!!! I had a lot of fun working with her and helping to create her vision into a reality. The Carousal at the Crowne Plaza downtown St. Paul has such an amazing view that adds so much ambiance to a Wedding reception. Christina Marie Events not only planned the wedding but we did all of the flowers and decor for this wedding!! We alternated between tulip and rose centerpieces to compliment the all purple linens on the guest tables, the contrast was so beautiful!! Phyllis & Geoff are such a charming couple and their family & friends energy was so much fun to be apart of. Thanks Mr & Mrs Johnson for hiring Christina Marie's for your wedding planning and flowers services! Hope you had a wonderful time in Maui.

Vendors

Wedding Planner ~ Christina Marie Events

Ceremony ~ Grace Lutheran Church - St. Paul

Reception Site ~ Crowne Plaza - St. Paul

Photographer ~ Studio J Photography

Florist & Decor ~ Christina Marie Events

Transportation ~ City View Limo

Mike & Mary - October 3rd, 2009

2009-10-25T10:27:00.001-07:00

What a fun Wedding to be a part of, Mike & Mary did not skimp on anything including their guest list 0f 400 people. This was the first Russian Orthodox Wedding I have be a part of and the ceremony is absolutely beautiful!! There are many parts to the ceremony that make it so neat the crowning, joining of right hands, the walk and candles. From the Ceremony they were off to the Graves to continue the celebration! Their dance floor was unlike anything I have ever seen, there were guests out there all night and was jam packed with great music by both Metro Jams and the Balalaika band. Thank you Mike and Mary for hiring me to be a part of your over the top wedding. Love your SS (haha)

Vendors

Wedding Coordinator - Christina Marie Events
Ceremony - St Mary's Russian Orthodox Cathedral
Reception - The Graves 601 Hotel

Photographer - Studio J - Judd Sather Photography

Florist - I Do Flowers

Bands - Metro Jams & Russian Balalakia Band

Transportation - Renee's Royal Valet

Check out the link from the fabulous staff at Studio J!

www.studiojphoto.com/album/mikemary

Matt & Tina ~ September 11th

2009-09-20T11:20:00.000-07:00

Vendors

Wedding Coordinator ~ Christina Marie Events
Ceremony & Reception Location ~ The Gale Mansion
Officiant ~ Affordable I Do's Rev. Susan Lee Wright
Photographers ~ Stormi Greener and Tom Wallace
Florist ~ Sweet Pea Floral
Cake ~ Queen of Cakes
DJ/Music ~ First Choice Entertainment ~ Matt Kotefka
Candle Rentals ~ Christina Marie Events

Tina & Matt contacted me in February after just having gotten engaged on the beaches of Florida. They were ready for this wedding back in February. They quickly set the date for 6 months out and we got working! We had so much fun putting this wonderful wedding together. They decided on a candle lit ceremony & a heavy hor d'ourve type reception. This wedding was so romantic and beautiful!! Tara at Sweet Pea's floral did an amazing job on all of the flowers and decor, the mantels were gorgeous and the candelabras that framed the alter and adorned the parents tables were breathtaking. This is the second wedding this year that I have been apart of that have replaced the unity candle ceremony with the stone blessings, such a neat idea and really brings in your guests to your ceremony!!

A few of my favorite vendors helped to make this a wonderful wedding to be apart of. Nothing however could replace the fun I had planning with Matt & Tina EVERY TIME we got together for a meeting.

Congratulations to you two, thank you so much for hiring me to help you plan a unforgettable Wedding. I wish you the best of luck and many year of happiness together!!

Call me when you are back from Cabo for wine & cookies!! (hopefully you got the kitchen aid to make massive amounts of those yummy cookies)

More pics to come from Stormi!

Sharla & Jeremy ~ September 5th

2009-09-12T09:48:00.000-07:00

Vendors

Wedding Coordinator ~ Christina Marie Events

Ceremony Location ~ Cafe Lurcat

Officiant ~ Affordable I Do's Rev. Susan Lee Wright

Reception Location ~ FIVE Event Center

Photographer~ Soul Cam Photography

Flowers & Decor Rentals ~ Christina Marie Events
Linens ~ Linen Effects
DJ ~ DJ Mixwell (he RoCKS!!)
Cake ~ Cupcake

Specialty ~ Traveling Photo Booth

Sharla & Jeremy hired me for a full planning package over a year ago and have we had fun planning this wedding. Sharla was so much fun to be around with her easy going, eccentric personality. From the beginning of planning Sharla knew she wanted a Wedding day that was fun, new and playful. We searched high and low for a ceremony location that was different and fun downtown, she decided on Cafe Lurcat downtown across from Loring park. The location could not have been better for this couple!! The reception then moved to the sheik FIVE Event Center which is a renovated Precinct, every where you turn in the building has amazing texture, design and decor!! I can not wait to see some of Soul Cam's shots from their reception!

Christina Marie's ventured out into a new branch of the Wedding industry, we did all of the bridal flowers for this Wedding! Sharla was a bride who was simple in her flower taste and did not want to spend a fortune on getting the look she wanted!! So CME took on the challenge. I am extremely excited on how they turned out and everyone loved them! CME Floral is open for business for other brides just like Sharla. CME also did all of their decor and rentals.

Because of Sharla's sassy flair we decided on Ostrich feather centerpieces and boy were they a hit, I think at one point in the night I saw someone holding one up to cheer on the bride and groom as if it were a sports finger!! I loved how well the Gold linens from Linen Effects complimented this rooms style and colors, it added a very rich and classy tone to the decor!!

Her bridesmaids dresses set the tone for the colors and style of this wedding, they were absolutely adorable and every one of these girls looked fabulous in their dresses!!

Sharla & Jeremy also decided on booking the Traveling Photo Booth to replace their guest book and guest favors!! All night people were enjoying the uniqueness that the photo booth offers. I have yet to be at a Wedding were guests don't rave about having a photo booth!!

Congratulations Sharla & Jeremy it was such a pleasure working with you both and your friends and family! I had so much fun on your Wedding day I wish we could do it again!!

More photo's to come once I get a few from Soul Cam!!

2010 Wedding Trends

2009-08-22T19:21:00.000-07:00

Every year I follow, find and predict what the next years Wedding trends will be so that my brides can have a fresh new trend to incorporate into their Wedding if they would like!! Here is the list I have compiled over the few months!

Shorter Engagements ~ I think the standard year is on it's way out! Brides are more eager than ever to get married sooner!! If brides are open to dates for their Wedding day I think they will have 9 months or shorter engagements. There will still be those brides that have the perfect date in mind and will stick to it!! Fridays & Sundays will become more popular than ever based on the cheaper rates and the couples who are looking to save a buck.

Letting the Maids dress themselves ~ While this was on the rise in 2009 I think brides will take it a step further in basically allowing their bridesmaids to pick out their own styles and color (but with in "some" guidelines of the bride) I recently had a wedding where all of the bridesmaids had handmade dresses that were all sorts of styles and colors and were made of the crushed iridescent fabric. They were absolutely adorable!

http://www.weddingbee.com/

Iridescent and unique fabrics ~ See ya plain satin and organza material make room for a iridescent Taffeta, metallic colors, chiffon's and lace. You will see more bridesmaids wearing these fabrics as well as more veils in a lace or vintage look on the bride!

http://www.peridress.com/

Photo booths or Photo Guest Book ~ Throw out the classic Guest book with a guest name, address and short message. The common theme most couples look for is personalized and lasting fun memories. What better way then having all of your guests individually photographed and writing you a fun personal message in a scrapbook that can easily be displayed on a Coffee table. Contact CME and we can refer an awesome photo booth or help you set up your own guest photo area!!

Natural Centerpieces ~ Expect to see more natural or landscape type themes on your guest tables this next year!! Think tree bark, moss, willow branches, fresh herbs, potted plants, or wild flowers!!

fioreblossoms.blogspot.com

Grooms Cakes are back!!! ~ Ask you groom for his very own opinion on a cake that resembles him the most!! Ladies this is be the one decision he definitely gets to make on his own! Have fun with this southern tradition and anticipate what your husband to be will choose = )

cake channel
cakesbysam
pinkcakebox

Hot Colors ~ Metallic, Vibrant Oranges, yellows, pinks, blues, greens and as always the staple color Black!

http://www.onewed.com/

to order this invite or to view other designs please contact CME - info@cmaries.com

Backyard Weddings ~ More couple will be choosing to have their celebrations either in a family members back yard or a more private outdoor location. This promotes more togetherness and personalization.

http://www.zimbio.com/

Fondant is out - Bring back the tasty butter cream frosting!! Because most bakers can now create cakes in the design that only Fondant used to offer expect to see butter cream make a prominent comeback.

Jennifer & Darius - August 15th

2009-08-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of working with Jennifer & Darius to help execute their Wedding day according to all the plans they had made over the last year. They hired me for Day of Coordination and a few decor rentals! The Day of Coordination qualified them to participate in CME's Charity Campaign where we donate $50 to a charity or organization of their choice!! CME was very excited to donate to such a great school such as Face 2 Face on their behalf.

Both the bride and groom were full of energy and smiles which was highly contagious amongst their guests!! They had a very unique guest book as it was a Polaroid camera and scrap booking materials for their guest to help create their personalized guest book.

The Cinema Ballroom in St Paul has such a gorgeous setting for your Wedding reception, the ball room is surrounded with mirrors, hard wood floors throughout and a balcony to over look all of the action. They also throw in dance lessons to help make your first dance perfect, and a dance instruction for your guests if you would like. Ask for Dustin he is awesome!! I highly recommend this location if you are looking for a stunning ballroom that lets you bring in your own cuisine and alcohol! Candlelight and dimmed lights is the way to go with this location!!

Wedding Vendors!!

Wedding Coordinator - Christina Marie Events
Reception Location - Cinema Ballroom
Caterer - Taste of India

Kid's Meals - TST Creative Catering
Photographer - Melissa Zimmerman

Florist - Lorel Street

Baker - Cupcake (love them!!)

Band - YoJimbo Jazz

Thank you Jennifer & Darius for having CME help coordinate your special day!! We are so excited to be donating $50 such a great organization such as Face 2 Face Schools on your behalf!! You both rock =) Many congrats to the Mr. & Mrs !

Vendor of the Month

2009-08-10T18:57:00.000-07:00

Christina Marie Events will be bringing back the highly anticipated Vendor of the Month to our Blog in October with a Baker!!!

Check back to see who we love!!

Arik & Katie - July 11th

2009-07-20T14:23:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a resort to host your wedding festivities that is not far from the Twin Cities? I would highly recommend the Tagalong Resort in Rice Lake , WI. Katie & Arik's Wedding is one to remember, the unique details they incorporated into the 100 person soiree made this a very intimate wedding. The resort is about a 2 hour drive from Minneapolis and has great amenities for you and your guests. The resort sits right on Red Cedar Lake and has a 18 hole golf course. The Ceremony can be held right on the main lawn overlooking the lake.

The reception can either be held in the banquet room of the resort or if you are having a smaller wedding you can fit a little over 100 guests down right on the lakeside as Katie & Arik's Wedding was. This picture was taken from the boat looking at the resort. The stone building in the center has a common room and a bar!

The resort offers all sorts of rentals for you and your guests to be able to enjoy the lake!!

Here is their website if you are interested in having your event at Tagalong!
http://www.tagalonggolf.com/bizweb.asp

Congratulations Katie & Arik

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

2009-06-22T09:38:00.000-07:00

Charity Means Everything

Christina Marie Events is excited to unveil a Charitable Campaign for all new contracts signed in 2009. For Wedding Packages that are booked in the remainder of the year Christina Marie Events will donate $100 to a Charity of the couples choice in their name! CME believes in the importance of giving where you can and this way the couple will be able to feel as if though part of their wedding

cost supports a cause that means something to them!

The trend of donating to a charity in lieu of a guest favor is on the rise with couples throwing a Wedding Celebration! This is another way that a bride and groom can feel as if though they are supporting a cause while planning their wedding. In these tough economic times it is important to give to those who are in need! Please join me in this effort!!

Another neat way to incorporate Charitable giving into your wedding is to register for it! Check out Just Give that has a Wedding Registry link in the bottom left
http://www.justgive.org/

CME has high hopes that his campaign will be prosperous and that it will be a continued practice with our planning packages!!

Thank You for your support and we look forward to working with you!

"You will find, as you look back on your life, that the moments that stand out are the moments when you have done things for others." - Henry Drummond

Catching Up & Corporate Events Galore!!

2009-06-16T06:27:00.000-07:00

Wow, has it been a crazy different start to what should be the busy Wedding Season only it hasn't been filled with Weddings. CME has been busy helping corporation's with organizing team building retreats, launch events and attending seminars on business events. It has been a learning and growing curve kicking off spring and summer with Corporations rather than Couples but we loved every minute of it!! Once we have some pictures and release information from the companies please check back to see these exciting events.

Onto the Wedding Season, most of 2009 is booked for CME leaving only THREE weekends open for the rest of the year,7/30-8/2 and 8/21-8/23. Fall is completely booked and one weekend at the start of the Winter remains open 12/4-12/6.

2010 is starting to book up with anxious newly engaged couples so if you are looking to hire a Wedding Planner for 2010 I would suggest interviewing and inquiring SOON!!!

May VOM - Studio J Photo & Video

2009-05-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

May's Vendor of the Month is Judd Sather of Studio J Photography & Videography. Christina Marie Events LOVES working with Judd and his crew! They are all so talented and so much fun to be around! I truly believe when it comes to a photographer that not only the talent and quality is important but also that you like them. They are around you all day. You want your photographer to be good at getting the right shots but not be in your face and noticeable. Studio J does a fantastic job at balancing all of this! They offer great package prices and really neat albums!! Check him out!

Vendor: Studio J
Service: Photographer & Videography
Location: Stillwater, MN

Contact Info: 651-762-8452 http://www.studiojphoto.com/<

Years of Experience - 8 Years

CME ~ How would you describe your Photography Style? -

Judd ~ Documentary – Natural, fun style with minimal posing.CME ~ What sets you apart from other Photographers? Judd ~
PERSONALITY. We really like to have fun with our clients!!
Also our fine art products such as albums, canvas prints, etc!!

CME ~ What is the cost of your average package for couples?

Judd ~ Studio J – Averages $2,000 for a photography package of 8+hours on the day of, fine art albums and CD with photo copies

Judd Sather Photography – Averages $4,000 for a photography package of 8+hours on the day of, fine art albums and CD with photo copies

CME ~ How many weddings to you average per year?

Judd ~ 2008 – 43 2009 - 50

CME ~ What is one unique idea you would like to throw out there?

Judd ~ Trash the Dress shoot after the wedding!! Great way to do something fun with the dress that ends up in a box for life! As Judd takes some of these shots we will come back and post them!
Studio J also has introduced Fusion HD video & camera. We are able to capture video at the same time as photos to combine them.

CME ~ What are some of your favorite shots to take?

Judd ~ Candid, documentary “telling the story” shots with long lenses, people don’t always know the macro detail shots you can get. Shots of details, rings, etc.

CME ~ Any suggestions you have for couples researching Photographers?

Judd ~ Photographers personality is more important than you think – your expressions will mirror how you are feeling. You will spend most of your day with your photographer as any one else. Being comfortable and having fun is how you should be when it comes to the photography on your wedding day.

CME ~ How long will it take to get proofs and does the couple own the photo rights?

Judd ~ We are the fastest studio to my knowledge with 5 day turnaround for 90% of weddings including artistic editing and fine art album design with online release on our blog. Delivery depends on the timeliness of the couple's decisions on revisions. Albums are printed in Italy and take about 4 weeks to print and bind by hand.

Special Bonus!! If you are a Christina Marie's bride and you book Judd's services in May you will receive a free hour with Studio J (value $300)

Thanks Judd for meeting with me, as always it was a pleasure!!

25 Random Things About: Judd Sather

1. My bald head makes me look 10 years older than I am
2. I have 3 cloned kids (or so people say)
3. I played baseball in Sweden for 3 years
4. I taught math in India for 5 months and went on a camel safari for 3 days (was a mistake)
5. I’ve lived in California, Iowa, and Minnesota
6. The only other place I’d live besides MN is Colorado or Switzerland
7. I tried out for the NFL as a punter
8. I wish I would have known about Christina Maries when I got married
9. I met my wife on a blind date
10. We had a BBQ at Pioneer Park in Stillwater for our reception
11. I’ve skied in Austria
12. Pepperoni Rolls are almost as good as a Zone of your Own Calzone
13. I own 3 remote control airplanes
14. I shot a Wedding with a German WWII dagger as their cake knife
15. The only time I don’t wear Crocs is at Weddings
16. I am a self taught Photographer
17. My favorite item on the Old Chicago menu is a Zone of your Own with Hamburger,
Pepperoni, and pineapple with a tall single neck
18. I am not addicted to my blackberry
19. but…. My highest score on brick breaker is 13,960
20. I grew up in California as a 49ers & Raiders fan
21. We launched our Senior photo & Children/Family division
22. Studio J has 12 employees
23. I love to quote 80’s comedies
24. My favorite part of a Wedding is the toasts
25. I still carry my senior picture in my wallet…… because it was the last time I had a full head of hair

Until next months Featured Wedding Vendor ~ Ceremony Location

25 Things About CME!

2009-04-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

I have seen these pop up everywhere and think they are very fun!! So here goes Christina Marie's 25 Things I am sure you are dying to know = )

1. I love to eat out and try new cuisine's

2. I love the way fresh laundry, a boat on the lake and fresh cut grass smell

3. Animals make me smile.. especially my cat & dog

4. I planned weddings at the age of 5. I would dress my poor dog Gigi up in a dolls dress with flowers wrapped around her collar, play music and have her come down the stairs for her entrance!!! I taped these moments with the largest video camera you have ever seen.

5. I love all types of music, country, alternative, jazz, rock you name it!!!

6. My favorite place in the world... well besides Fiji is my Cabin

7. I love to make homemade soups

8. If I weren't a Wedding Planner I would be a scuba instructor in Fiji or own a vineyard in Napa Valley.

9. I have WAY TOO many magazine subscriptions, I LOVE them

10. My favorite colors to pair are deep purple & oranges, Brown and light or teal blue, or Champagne and or pink with Brown....

11. I grew up in a farming family.. until we moved to the BIG city in 3rd grade = )

12. I love to run, I do many 5k & 10k's.

13. My favorite part of a Wedding is watching two sets of family & friends come together and have a blast, Oh and that moment when the groom sees his bride come down the isle... tear!

14. I love to golf (not really that great at it but love to do it)

15. My favorite time for a Wedding is Dusk or a candle lit ceremony!

16. I use too many exclamation marks when I write!!!

17. People tell me I am genuine and I smile a lot.

18. I love Sundays!! Paper, coffee, walk the dog.. and reminisce about my weddings the night before.

19. If I had 3 wishes they would be: 1. Never have to sleep 2. That the service industry would restore itself back to the level consumers deserve and pay for 3. World Peace

20. My husband is a dedicated soldier in the MN National Guard, we are a proud Military family

21. I LOVE football.... (GO Cowboys..... and well the hometown Vikes.... can they get a worthwhile QB please?!?!?)

22. I love my girlfriends, they are the best!

23. My least favorite part of a Wedding is saying goodbye to the bride & groom whom have become my friends and I realize I won't be hearing from them once a week anymore.

24. I do mood boards for all my weddings and events!! They are pretty neat!

25. My favorite corporate event to plan is Christmas or Holiday parties

April Vendor of the Month - Molly's Flower Studio

2009-03-24T17:12:00.000-07:00

Christina Marie Events is proud to announce our monthly addition to our blog titled: Vendor of the Month. Around the first of each month check back to see which Wedding Vendor has been highlighted for their outstanding products and services. Each month will be particular to a different type of service!

April's Vendor of the Month is Molly Hiller of Molly's Flowers. Molly is extremely talented in floral design and has one of those you just gotta love her personalities. I always enjoy working with Molly and can't wait to see the designs she comes up with for some of my brides.

Molly goes by the motto "Take craft to the level of Art" And she clearly lives by this in her designs.

Vendor: Molly's Flowers
Service: Florist
Location: Minnetonka, MN
Contact Info: 612.770.0322 ~ Molly@mollysflowerstudio.com
Years of Experience - 8th year

CME ~ What style do you specialize in? - Molly ~ Artistic, my niche is really in Peonies

CME ~ What sets you apart from other florist's? Molly ~ I feel it is really important to listen and interpret the brides ideas to help create their visions into a design and reality. I also have a knack for coming up with unique centerpiece ideas. Here are a couple of ideas provided by Molly:

To lively up white linens, add a colored or patterned napkin ironed flat and placed in the center of the table under the centerpiece flowers. This can set the tone for your color scheme and provide a base for the rest of the centerpiece.

For even more "girly" flower girls, add some hair flowers to your order.These are green dendrobium orchids pinned into the girls' hairdo.

For a swanky event, have your caterer provide martini glasses and fill each with one a wide open rose bud for the cocktail tables. Tie the stem of the glass with ribbon in your color scheme to add more flair. A few petals and candles on table and you are set!

CME ~ If a average budget bride were to walk in here today what would her expected budget be with Centerpieces on 20 tables, Ceremony flowers and 4 Attendants on each side cost? Molly~ A small to average bride in this range would be looking at $1,500-$2,000

CME ~ How many weddings to you average per year? Molly ~ 40+ per year.

CME ~ What is the process or your suggestions for a couple booking your services? Molly ~ Settle on your main decisions first to create a base for the floral design. This being your Venue, dresses and color scheme.

CME ~ Anything they can do ahead of time to prepare for meeting with you? Molly ~ Research! Pull pictures from magazines or books for style, specific flowers and inspiration to help work off of.

CME ~ What is one unique idea you would like to throw out there? ~ Molly A unique centerpiece. For Brides looking to do the individual cakes at their guests table incorporate a glass bowl flipped over as a cake plate. Place flowers underneath the glass vase to create a beautiful and stunning cake plate with a touch of flowers! Molly posted an entry with pictures to help bring this idea to life. The cake is provided by the extremely talented Queen of Cakes. Check it out ~ Cake Stand Centerpiece

Molly provides a very warm and friendly home studio for you to meet her at and start with the idea's. She is wonderful to work with and comes highly recommended by Christina Marie Events. Tell her we sent you!

Special Bonus!! if you are a Christina Marie's bride and you book Molly's services you will receive a toss bouquet for free.

Thanks to Molly for meeting with me and showing me such sweet hospitality!!

Until next months Featured Wedding Vendor ~ Photographer

It's all in the DETAILS!!! Alex & Bridget February 28th, 2009

2009-03-02T17:36:00.000-08:00

Mr. & Mrs. Young sure know how to throw a party that is 100% them. Cabin style was the theme for this outdoor Wedding on February 28th, 2009. The venue fit perfect - The Horse and Hunt Club in Prior Lake provided a cozy and warm environment for the 155 person guest list. The ceremony was held outdoors on a snowy path lined with pine cones and luminaries that led to a lighted pavilion. While the temperature was hovering around 21 the pavilion was filled with warmth and love... and warm cider and coffee!!

From the beginning to the end this couple was determined to provide their guests a unique experience and that was so well connected with their relationship and lifestyle. The guest favors were smore people that were personalized to each individual guest. The centerpieces were hand made out of birch trees from their lake in Wisconsin. They showered their guests with 25 lbs of Chocolate, Carmel, hard candy and more. Instead of the dollar dance this couple introduced a game to many called Hammershlagen which includes a large piece of tree trunk, nails and a hammer, I could over hear guest raving about this at a wedding and how fun it was. Couples being creative with typical wedding traditions yet molding them around who they are is what makes your wedding so uniquely your own. At the end of the night they incorporated their family tradition at the lake with smores you could make yourself around the campfire out side. This wedding was so much fun to help plan and I am so thankful to Alex & Bridget for letting me be apart of their special day.

Congratulations Alex & Bridget I had so much fun working with you. CME wishes you the very best in your bright and cozy future together.

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Happy Holidays from Christina Marie Events!!!

2008-12-11T18:16:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of the Holiday Season CME is offering a discount of $150 off all planning packages and $75 off the Day of Coordination package.

We will also include a set of personalized toasting flutes FREE!!

Contact us today to build a package that suits your Wedding planning needs. info@cmaries.com 952-233-1813
***Signed contract & deposit must be received by December 31st, 2008 to qualify for these specials.

Christina Marie Event's wishes you and your family a Safe and Happy Holiday Season!!

A BIG THANKS!!!

2008-11-28T18:15:00.000-08:00

It never fails this time of year always sneaks up on us and the next thing you know it is almost the New Year. The holidays come especially fast when you are wrapping up a very busy wedding season like this fall. It appears more and more of today's couples are choosing the September/October wedding than the July/August wedding.

As this year comes to a close there is so much that Christina Marie Event's is Thankful for. We are growing at a very exciting rate, CME doubled it's Weddings this year and has also added a few helpful services for all our couples to benefit from, such as Centerpiece Rentals, Candy Cafe Rentals, and Linens. CME is grateful for the wonderful couples and vendors we worked with and along side this past year. It is always such a pleasure to meet new couples and hear about their exciting ideas and vision for the Big Day.

There are also some truly talented and wonderful vendors out there that help make your special day come together and perfect. We worked with many of our preferred vendors we already know, but also had the opportunity to meet many new and great vendors that are awesome!! Our vendor library has multiplied in the last year to offer our couples confident options for all their Wedding Planning needs. We have several new & exciting ideas and plans for the 2009 year and are extremely eager to share them all with you!!

Thank you to all of our amazing couples we worked with in 2008 and the extraordinary vendors that are as enthusiastic & dedicated as Christina Marie Events is in making the Bride & Groom's Wedding Day so Distinctive!!

Heidi & Keith, October 11th, 2008

2008-10-14T18:09:00.001-07:00

Absolutely Stunning!!! That is how I would describe this wedding. Heidi & Keith are so extremely fortunate to have had the beautiful day they did for their Oct 11th outdoor wedding. The trees were in their peak and the temperature was perfect. I started working with the two of them over a year ago on the vision of a wedding that was full of nature, warmth, and that was truly exceptional. We definitely achieved this with the tranquil garden, sugar spun cake, and a head table glistening with crystal trees and satin linens. They were such a fun couple to be around, their ideas were open and creative and it was well displayed on Saturday! The colors were immaculate, their friends & family knew how to party, the Ceremony location serene and the reception so elegant. This was such a Beautiful day and I am so grateful that Heidi & Keith had me apart of it!!

Congratulations Mr. & Mrs Brenner (and Buckley B), please keep in touch!!

I will post more pictures as I get them, these are from my camera!!

Open Dates for 2008

2008-10-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

As I review my calender for the remainder of the year I have the following weekends still open for Day of Coordination. Contact me today if you are looking for some assistance at your Event!

November 22nd, 2008
December 6th, 2008
December 13th, 2008

The Economy & Weddings

2008-10-05T11:03:00.000-07:00

I was recently interviewed by the Star Tribune on how the economy is affecting the wedding industry. It got me thinking a lot about the state we are in and how it will affect the newly engaged or those in the middle of planning!

The biggest thing I have seen in the last couple month's are couples who are very budget conscious and that are reallocating where they are spending their money or cutting things out completely. I think now more than ever it is so beneficial to have a Wedding Coordinator to help you find the most for you money, cut back on costs and help keep you with in your budget. Some see hiring a wedding planner as an extra expense when in all reality the expertise and knowledge that we have on the industry and the vendors that are out there you can actually reduce your costs.

So much time is spent researching venues, vendors, decorations, invitations, etc and comparing them to figure out who is offering what and what seems like the better deal. A good coordinator will get to know you, your style, vision and budget and should have a handful of recommendations that fits all of these topics. This results in you not paying more than you planned on or end up with a vendor because it is convenient and you are going cross eyed trying to decide between them....

As the uncertainty of the economy is upon us there are still celebrations to be had and to their fullest. Planning a wedding you have always dreamed of does not have to change based on the economy and rising prices. There are many ways to still incorporate your vision and dreams without having to shell out all the dollars.

I would love to hear from you!! How are you being affected? Are you worried your planning or wedding will be? What are you doing to side step some of the high costs? Let is know if you are in the process of planning your wedding, just getting started or are already married. Feel free to email me at info@cmaries.com
Subject: Economy and Weddings.

Don't stress, you can still spend less and have a phenomenal wedding!! (especially with the help of a wedding planner)

Mel & Linny September 20th, 2008

2008-10-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

Wow was this group too much fun!! There were Bridal party members, family and friends from all corners of the Country. I had a blast with you guys! I met Mel and Linny over a year ago when they signed up for a full Planning package and I enjoyed every minute of planning with them. The ideas were endless and when it all came together a few weeks ago it was such a special day with lots of laughs and smiles. The pink and black was splashed everywhere and gave the room and detail such a loving feel. Highlight of the day was trying to round up the Wedding party for their Grand March and looking out the window to see a bridesmaid digging in the pond with her hair in the water..... don't worry the Bride's shoe was recovered. This bridesmaid sure did know how to live up to her duties and then some!

I had a blast with you ladies up to the end!! Mel - I may have to call your Dad and hire him as an assistant = )

Congratulations Mel & Linny

More pictures will be posted soon!! Stop back!

Ruth & Rick August 23rd, 2008

2008-10-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

The weather was perfect, the wedding party a ton of fun, and the couple in love and ready to be married!! And who would have guessed we had to switch their Reception location 5 weeks out from their Wedding date. With the Jeune Lune announcing its decision to close the doors, the uncertainty of service and quality was too great of risk to take on such an important day! To our surprise Hazeltine golf course had it's doors still open for their August 23rd date! I think Ruth & Rick would agree with me that their Ceremony and Reception were exceptional at this pristine location and I doubt they even thought once that day about where it should have been!!

Congratulations again Ruth & Rick, I enjoyed your wedding, friends and family so much!

PS. Those cakes were Awesome!

Kristen & Dan - July 19, 2008

2008-10-05T09:01:00.000-07:00

I had a blast at this wedding and working with such a fun laid back couple!! I first met Kristen and Dan about 7 months out from their wedding!! Both of their families were wonderful and knew how to have a good time. Their ceremony was at a very neat church in Minneapolis and their reception at the Nicollet Island Pavilion. I love this spot for Summer and Fall weddings right on the river and it gives your guests so many areas to mingle inside and out. Kristen was an absolutely stunning bride!

Congratulations Kristen and Dan, I hope your first few months of Marriage have been exceptional. Keep in touch = )

Photography by: Stephen Geffre

Destination - Riviera Maya, MX January 18th, 2008

2008-10-05T08:54:00.000-07:00

Mya & Joel - January 18th, 2009

This was such a exciting wedding to be apart of and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to spend it down there with them. It was not only being on the beach of Mexico in sunny warm weather in January but to see two people so in love and that show so much compassion for each other that made this Wedding one of a kind.

The Ceremony took place at the Oasis resort in the Riviera Maya on the roof over looking the ocean. The scenery was breathe taking as some dark storm clouds were coming in off the ocean, the colors were magnificent and the weather was great. The rain held off all day until the party moved inside for their dinner and dance. The food was delicious and the entire group of 40+ all had a blast together. The bonding that happens amongst you and your guest while traveling makes destination weddings so intimate.

The destination wedding is such a neat way to express your style and creativity. Most destinations have multiple options for packages that make it easier for your guests to decide what works for them. Typically you can offer 3, 5, 7 and 10 day packages that allows your guests to plan properly. Make sure if you are planning a destination wedding that you try to allow at least a year for your guests to start making arrangements. Get those save the date out there early so they know what dates to ask off from work, find sitters, and start saving for your Destination Wedding! Cmaries does offer Destination planning services that help make planning from a distant easier, if interested please inquire about our package!

Thank you Mya and Joey for asking me to be apart of your very Special day!!

Ceremony site on the roof!

The Blogger's World

2008-09-30T07:18:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Christina Marie Events Blog. This has been on my to do list since Spring, the only barrier was I was so busy working with Weddings and some social events that my time was stretched thin. So here I am breaking into the blogging world. I hope to make it a common practice to get on here as much as possible and let future clients or newly engaged couples know what's new in the Wedding industry, fill you in on my recent work and share any insight or stories I may have that day!!

When 2008 started I had made a commitment to myself to only allow so many Events this year as my Husband returned home from Iraq after a 22 month deployment. Being that most events happen on the weekend I wanted to make sure I had some "QT" time with the hubby! Now that the year is almost coming to a close I look back and think what happened to this year already. Oh that's right I took on more events and weddings than had intended as I LOVE doing this so much it was hard to say "No" when a bride would call and want to tell me about her wedding and all the fun plans & visions she had. As well as the excitement of being a part of a social event or in the fast pace lane of the corporate event planning.

Planning Weddings & Events is truly my passion and I am extremely fortunate to be doing my dream job day in and day out. I am a very thankful person for all the joy in my life! I decided since I could be here for days writing about all of the wonderful people I have worked with this past year, I would show case some of my most memorable Weddings and Events this year and then make a commitment to be as regular on my postings as possible.

Now on to the fun stuff... All of my packages are customized around my clients needs, mainly because I have yet to see 2 brides come to me and want the same amount of service or have the same budget. I offer a complimentary Consultation in person or via phone to come up with a planning package together that makes sense for you. Feel free to contact me with more questions or to see what type of package we can get started on for you. 952-233-1813 info@cmaries.com

Please come back often as I plan to update this as much as possible!! Welcome to Cmaries official blog = )

Christina Anderson
Owner