Bonne Inspiration: A Thoroughly Thoughtful Mood Board

I really enjoyed reading today’s post from Sarah at True Events. I really like her creative process and the collaborative effort she shared with her bride Erin in the creation of Erin's Wedding Mood Board. Also, I like the fact that Erin started a journal/blog but most importantly that she understood that besides being a memory keeper the blog was also a marketing tool for her wedding event. Erin understood the need for a designer/planner. After reading Erin’s blog, I came away knowing Erin was overwhelmed and wanted help to harness her mind full of ideas. When planning a wedding whether small and intimate or large and encompassing several venues, get and hire a good planner. There's just too much wedding minutiæ for a lay person to handle. 

Sarah read Erin’s blog, and heard “Simple Elegance, Romantic, Rustic, Vintage, and Whimsical". Then the designer implemented her good design process along with the brides written inspiration - (French Provincial meets Paris Chic, vineyard but not too wine focused, fall but not overkill of oranges and yellow, soft & warm lighting, browns, dark blues, dark purples, flowers but not too flowery, candles, lanterns, and the list goes on...). The designer/planner whittled the bride’s musings down to:

“Rustic Chic Inspiration” and the creation of:

A "Thought Filled" Mood Board.

Here's to Bonne Planning

Joanna

Via Source

Vintage Bonne Papier & Ribbons: Alice in Wonderland & Paris' Printemp Windows

The wedding planning inspiration behind today's blog entry is "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and my tiny collection of two vintage Lewis Carroll books that we kids read growing up in LA. As my family’s default librarian and photo keeper; and a cinema junky I am so looking forward to rereading the books (pulled both volumes off my library bookshelf last night and started to read them both again - easy reads. The two 1936 books: "Through the Looking Glass and What Alice found there" and "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland") and seeing Johnny Depp in “Alice in Wonderland" the movie.

Johnny and Alice have inspired my wedding planning DIY bridal vintage find today. Please trot on over to Esty and shop online at Pinkcherrymama. Her product pics are so believable I want to pick each and every vintage tag off the screen. As a crafter, Pinkcherrymama has loads to offer a Vintage DIY bride. She has “old world eyes” and designs vintage, well-used objects with well-loved style. She embraces all things distressed and apparently is entertained and has loads of fun recreating the vintage looks in her own paper crafts. See you soon at her Esty Shop.  Now don’t go away.

Take a looky at Paris’ Printemp Department Store's window displays and their homage to the film “Alice in Wonderland”. 

Here's to Bonne Planning

Joanna

Accoutrement: Bespoke Boutonnieres Fritts Rosenow

This is the spot for you guys to go that don’t want to wear posies and flowers on your lapels – I know you and have met you. Some have expressed their flower overload. Gentlemen, please express yourselves, pop on over and lay you eyes and hands on Fritts Rosenow Bespoke Boutonnieres – here the proprietor allows men to display their own unique personalities. Each boutonniere is created with the individual male in mind. Your dream wedding may involve yachting, skateboarding, moose hunting, and butterflies? 

Compromise and create a custom boutonniere that captures your spirit!



Joanna

Bonne Planning - Sunday Wedding and Event Planning

Hi Friends,

How is your week faring? Have you planned each day Monday through Sunday and jotted down each appointment (yourself included) (in pencil), for your exercise, family, kids, hobbies and have you blocked time for your work in your agenda/planner? People have asked me, now that I am an entrepreneur, a wedding planner and designer and out of corporate life, how do I spend my days? My gosh - shock set in. Is it not clear and obvious what i do? I guess not – they don’t see me any more running to my car to be at work and on time, nor carrying my bag of lunch that is bobbling for a spot on top of my briefcase.   You know what?  They need to see my agenda/planner.

It took "some time" to know how to "spend my time" in my business. In the beginning I was “reacting” to bookings, consultations, appointments, lunches, instead of planning for them. Looking back, I wish I had put all my systems in place beforehand. Since those first days I have now become a master organizer, my thinking is clearer, sharper, I focus on each project with deep concentration. I do not allow interruptions. Have more energy, and I look forward to each and every day. How? My agenda/planner.

I update my agenda each Sunday.   I am a visual type so I keep my agenda in paper format (Moleskin). I also keep a handheld electronic (Blackberry) calendar that I update on the road but then transfer to paper when back at my office. By Sunday evening around 5:00PM I know where I am going to be for the following week, if not the entire month. I leave open several blocks of one hour time slots for last minute client consults and changes in time for client meetings. Some juggling does occur – but I try not to juggle too much.

My days are busier than ever as I am doing “everything” to grow my business. That includes keeping my agenda/planner current.  I am self motivated and self propelled each day.  I find I do a lot of positive self talk in silence, out loud and in the car and between meetings and projects. I have learned to be “tough minded” – something I learned to do and practice from a former “great boss of mine” (thanks Tim).  To be an entrepreneur you have to be tough on yourself – and you have to write everything down – somewhere – let’s start with your agenda/planner.  Are you tough minded? 

This is how my agenda looks most days - like you, I need an hour of some type of aerobic exercise, some lifting. Household chores and errands I get out of the way in the AM and then right about 9:30AM I start with phone calls for a couple of hours, lunch is with a vendor or with a client and after lunch I go straight to my calendar and review my “chunked schedule”. My calendar consists of an hour or two for Vendor Meetings; Marketing Meetings: sales, networking, database management, Client Management; Research and Merchandising; Web and E-Commerce and Publishing: Blogs, Web, Twitter, Ning. E-Letters, etc. In the PM: Networking; Studio Kitchen (when we have a catering job) Client Dinners, Event Management. By the end of the day I spend an hour on reflection and gratitude.

So now a have a solid schedule I can proudly share with my friends – they have stopped asking me what I do all day.

Guess What?

They now all want to work for me. To be continued….

Here's to Bonne Planning!

 

Joanna

P.S. I like Google Calendar

Friday Star Blogger: Mints Design - San Francisco

Mints Design is a design studio and a blog dedicated to wedding & event design as well as all forms of beautiful things. Mints is known for East meets West in Style, blending contemporary European and exotic Oriental elegance into floral art.  Their style is intoxicating, new, fresh and stylish.  Thinking outside the box since 2007 this is Mints Design.

Merci Mints for the Inspiration.

Joanna