Real Wedding 2009 | Leah & Ryan

Leah & Ryan's wedding was one Kate and I have been anticipating for months! We have been planning the behind the scenes stuff - time lines, budgets, vendors, etc. and left all the designing in the hands of Jon of Gerych's. We had the distinct pleasure of working with the entire team at Gerych's who created every single design element you see here (Except the cake, which was created by the very talented Bella e Dolce).

Leah was certain of the gorgeous blue dresses for her bridesmaids (which I blogged about), so all we told Jon was blue linens, mahogany chairs, bright, modern flowers, and THIS is what he designed for Leah & Ryan. Guests commented on the amazing flowers all night long! We were in awe ourselves, and I completely feel in love with cockscomb, the pink flower in the bowl in the last photo.

All the candy on the buffet is from an Michigan favorite, Kilwin's. Yum - I did sneak a chocolate-covered pretzel halfway through the night, but the candy bar was bone dry when we packed up. The caramel apples looked amazing!

Because Karrn & Ken of Lotus Photographic knew I'd be itchin' to blog these, I received a boatload of detail shots this morning. They are a fabulous husband - wife team and we enjoyed working with them SO much - Karrn will be blogging more of the wedding party & family on her own blog in the coming days. A HUGE thank you to Karrn & Ken :)

[all photos copyright Lotus Photographic]

Tangerine & Gray Wedding Inspiration

There are amazing blogs out there that put together wedding inspiration boards but the Pearls Events blog isn't one of them. We do, however, love to post boards we find inspirational. The board above is from White Dress Events - Laura has an eye for pulling together fabulous color inspiration to share with her readers. I would love to plan a tangerine & steel gray wedding - I'm seeing traditional gray silhouettes with bold orange accents.

[Phone, Invitation, Glasses, Bicycle, Dresses, Earrings, Bouquet, Vase, Rock Candy]


Here is The Perfect Palette's take on the same color scheme. I like how this one lends a fall vibe. Two similar color combos, but completely different events.

Real Wedding 2009 | Leah & Ryan

Couple Leah & Ryan, 8-22-09
Pearls Events service Event Planning
Ceremony St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Parish
Reception Walloon Lake Country Club
Photographer Lotus Photographic
Videographer Captured Productions
Florist, Linens, Rentals Gerych's Graziella
Band Brass & Electric, Mike Eyia
Pastry Chef Bella e Dolce
Rehearsal Dinner Cava
Sunday Brunch Sagamore's

To say this weekend was amazing is an understatement. Kate and I have been working with Leah & Ryan on their wedding for months. With the couple living in Chicago, us working from West Michigan, and the wedding UpNorth in Petoskey, it's been quite a journey. Leah's mother, Diane, was very involved and with all of us working together - this weekend was nothing short of fabulous.

Kate and I arrived in Petoskey Friday afternoon. After checking on the bride & her 'maids at The Spa at The Inn at Bay Harbor, we headed over to church and then the country club before meeting the entire wedding party for rehearsal. Kate and I enjoyed dinner at Thai Orchid right downtown - it was delicious, and it is always fun to enjoy a ladies night on the town.

Saturday morning we made our way over to the Lakeside Cottage to meet up with the ladies. We also popped into the club to check on set-up, and to also (finally!) meet Jon of Gerych's, the talented florist who created quite an event for Leah & Ryan.

The wedding ceremony was full of emotion, tradition and love. It was awesome watching this sweet, sweet couple get married in the ornate, Catholic church. After the ceremony, everyone made their way to Walloon Lake Country Club to enjoy cocktails on the patio. Guests made their way inside to enjoy dinner, four amazing toasts, and dancing the rest of the evening.

I look forward to showing you photos from Lotus Photographic and a bit of video from Captured Productions in the near future!

Enjoy Your Weekend

This week has been a whirlwind - even Olive is dead tired, as you can see above. On a personal note, Greg and I have a new nephew in the family, Devin. And on a business note, Kate & I are headed Northbound today for a Petoskey wedding. I also committed to attending Engage 09, The Encore in Vegas, and have my flight & roommate all set (THANKS LINDSEY!)

No Weekend Eye Candy today - I didn't make time to put together a post full of lovely photos.

I do hope you enjoy your weekend - summer is slowly creeping to an end already! How are you spending the last few weeks of summer? I know I'm looking forward to spending Labor Day weekend at our favorite campground in Michigan - Leelanau State Park. Yes, that means a lot of wine tasting and shenanigans with our friends - ooh, and s'mores too!

Enjoy YOUR weekend, whatever you do.

Planning Tips | Uplighting Your Event

It's amazing what lighting can do for your event. At the recent wedding of Jammie & Aaron, the groom made sure the lighting was perfect for his wedding reception. This particular ballroom has gorgeous overhead light fixtures, however they could not be dimmed at just the right level, so instead, he decided to bring in orange uplighting.

It was perfect for this room and the overall look & feel of the reception. Amy of Amy Carroll Photography used the light to her advantage while capturing these great detail shots for the couple.

Pearls Events Press | Jan & Dan and Kathryn in Brides Michigan

I’m thrilled when editors feature our brides on the pages of their magazines. Imagine my excitement when we were asked to share Jan & Dan’s vegan menu from their recent June wedding with Brides Michigan. The couple served their guests an amazing, unique meal, followed by a slice of heaven, also known as vegan cake. I will tell you that it was the most original wedding menu I’ve ever seen, and also one of the yummiest I’ve tasted. A huge thank you to Chef Butch of Ryke’s for creating this custom menu for our clients.


Knowing that Kathryn, a fabulous 2008 Pearls Events bride, had a great routine, I asked her to send us her workout & beauty regimen, which we submitted. It was perfect for the story and there is a great breakdown of her routine in the newest Brides Michigan. Kathryn, thank you again for sharing your successful routine with everyone!


Added bonus - Imagine my surprise when Dee Mitchell, one of three Michigan florists featured, showed off the flowers for Jan & Dan’s wedding we designed. I was beyond happy to see Jan’s peony bouquet and Dan’s orchid boutonniere. Thanks, Dee, for loving our client’s weddings just as much as we do!

Photos of Jan & Dan copyright Amy Carroll Photography. Photo of Kathryn copyright JK Photography.

Weekend Eye Candy

I've seen the work of Lynn and Andy of West Park Photography around and was thrilled when they sent over the recent wedding photos of Cara & Nick, which took place on the shores of Lake Michigan. I'm in love with the lighthouse photos and from the looks of the dancing photos, this party went well into the evening.

Thanks to West Park Photography for submitting this wedding. Don't miss their blog for the latest and greatest. Ooh, and I'm not going to lie - I have a little logo envy...who doesn't love their cute little tree logo?!

Ceremony Sacred Heart of Mary of Dowagiac
Reception The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center
Event Management Outstanding Weddings & Events