Last Minute Planners Blog

Delectable Desserts and Chocolate Fountains

2011-11-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Chocolate, yum! As a female, I am positive that God has us in mind when he created cocoa beans, wouldn't you agree?
I am going to take the blog to show off my hubby a little, Dante Floyd owner of Signatures Catering. During this past year he has had several events who have wanted more than the traditional dessert option of cake and are therefore bringing in everything from truffles to chocolate bars. Here are some pics to make you a bit hungry...

This wedding/reception was held at Ariel in downtown Nashville, the bride served cocktails and desserts, it was delish!

Truffles galore! Signatures loves to be creative was desserts, if you say "we would like a variety of flavors" you will not be disappointed.

This display is fruit skewers that have been prepared to meet the chocolate fountain. this works well for smaller fruit options that may otherwise be lost in chocolate

Yum two times! What girl would not love this strawberry platter to go? Again, all of the above items were prepared to be served along-side a chocolate fountain

The above is a mini chocolate fountain at a baby shower, between the chocolate fountain dippables and the mini cheesecakes on the table, everyones sweet tooth was taken care of.

The above "retro" fountain dippables were prepared for a teen sweet 16 ball, the whole table was empty in approx 30 mintues of course :-)

And then of course, for weddings, more elegant and delicious options are also available. This was at the Governor's Mansion in Brentwood, the bride here loved her chocolate, so a chocolate fountain bar was the perfect option for the reception.

So, are you craving chocolate yet? If you are in need of desserts and/or a chocolate fountain for an upcoming wedding or event, please contact Dante at Signatures Catering 615-390-8637 or you can email me for food and other vendor recommendations as well lastminuteplanners@yahoo.com

Sweet 16 Masquerade Ball

2011-11-02T20:55:00.000-07:00

Hello all- I am terribly behind on my blogging :(
I wanted to try to get back on track with this fun event that I had the pleasure of coordinating for Miss Jaclyn Baughman's Sweet 16th
The event was held at the Assembly Hall in Cedar's of Lebanon State Park, which I love for both the blank canvas and the price

From the decor to the attire, the entire evening was postively dramatic and enchanted

Our guest of honor sharing the first dance of the evening with her father, Rob Baughman

Her colors were bright purple and kelly green with damask accents and lots of silver tossed in, along with candlelight. The above is a perfect example of a fun centerpiece that is again very affordable while maintaining the overall decor scheme

Party guest dancing the night away below the Last Minute Planners White Chandelier and Lg Purple Paper Lanterns

Even the gift table was festive!

The birthday party was a fantastic success! All we were missing is the Phantom :-)

Emily & Brandon, Real Nashville Wedding

2011-01-18T23:07:00.000-08:00

Emily and Brandon were married this past September on a beautiful

private property in Alexandria, TN.

Emily is the oldest friend of my sister, so coordinating her wedding

was a lot of fun for all of us, here are some pictures of their day...

Flowers done by Ms. Aubrey Price (our in-house florist)

They were married under our Garden Pergola

Love this picture!

Brandon, myself (and baby Zoe) and Emily during the reception.

Thank you Emily and Brandon for allowing us to take part in your day,

we wish you the best!

Elegance Bridal Gala 2010

2010-08-16T10:42:00.001-07:00

Elegance Bridal Gala from Baughman Media Works on Vimeo.

Elegance Bridal Gala

2010-06-16T19:12:00.001-07:00

Come see us at the classy Elegance Bridal Gala!

Pre register today for your tickets online www.elegancebridalgala.com

Last Minute Planners

2010-06-09T09:07:00.000-07:00

About Me

2010-06-08T15:24:00.000-07:00

One of my fabulous vendor friends ask me these questions for their blog and I thought maybe you would like to see these on here as well :-)

1. WRITE A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY AND WHO YOU ARE
Last Minute Planners is a Full Service Wedding and Event Planning Company.
Yes, we do lots of "last minute events", but can also plan your full wedding from the moment you are engaged.
My name is Austin, I am both the owner and senior planner at Last Minute Planners and have been planning and organizing longer than I can remember now. My father still likes to joke about when I was 4 years old walking down the shopping aisles with my mother and organizing the shelves. I was born to organize :-)

2. WHY YOU DO WHAT YOU DO
There are so many couples who really do not know what their options are when planning their wedding or event and may not realize what it requires to execute a successful and stress-free event day, this is where we come in. We have the experience in these specific areas and love to help navigate through these exciting times. Planning/coordinating truly is my passion, I genuinely love what I do! And I think my clients can see that.

3. FAVORITE PROJECT? (CAKE, FLORALS, EVENT??)
The details of the events themselves would be my personal favorite, the little touches that just make the day work. For instance, we had a wedding where the groom was a film producer, so instead of table numbers, we had famous movie director's names as "table names".
Another couple recently opted to have a cookie bar at their reception rather than a groom's cake, because his favorite dessert is his mommas cookies- and to go a step further, we had mini old fashioned milk jugs with the couples motif sticker on each jug, talk about cute! The guests loved it!
4. WHAT YOU DO ON A TYPICAL WEEKEND?
Weddings ... on a non-wedding weekend, I am with my family usually enjoying some sort of recreation. We are a big boat and swim family.

5. FAVORITE SUPER HERO?
Wonder Woman of course

6. THINGS THAT MAKE YOU SMILE?
My 2 and 4 year old. Every time I watch a groom's face as the bride enters the church for the ceremony or the Pastor says "you may now kiss the bride" - have to smile there.
Coffee!

7. BESIDES YOUR WEDDING/EVENT BUSINESS, WHAT DO YOU FILL YOUR FREE TIME WITH?
Family and friends. I also teach dance classes.

8. ANY ADVICE/TIPS FOR YOUR SUBJECTS/CLIENTS?
1- Pick a budget before purchasing anything and stick to it. Then find out how a wedding planner can stretch your budget!
2- Take a deep breathe and remember that the most important thing in planning your wedding is the marriage that comes after the wedding day and focus on building that foundation - I promise it is more important than what color tux the groomsmen wear and you will be a happier couple because of it.

9. ANY CURRENT SPECIALS OR PROMOTIONS??
We have a very limited numbers of 2010 wedding dates, but we are $100 OFF any package booked right now! Call me today to setup a complimentary consultation
lastminuteplanners@yahoo.com 615-485-8078

Sarah and Scott, Real Nashville Wedding

2010-05-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

April 17th, 2010 we had the pleasure of coordinating the wedding of

Sarah and Scott at the beautiful Belle Meade Plantation.

Fun, comfortable and trendy are words I would use to describe the

over-all style of their wedding. The weather could not have been any more perfect

for their outdoor garden ceremony and carriage house reception.

Brides bouquet. Scarlett, Lime and Chocolate were their colors.

Bridesmaid bouquet

My team draped ivory sheer linen with lights to create a dance floor in the
center of the Carriage House.

We placed curly willlow bundles with deep red tulips and roses at every doorway

(*Obviously, Tyler did not take this picture below :-)

Garden Ceremony facing the Belle Meade Plantation Mansion

A fun way to encourage your guests relax, Sarah supplied flip-flops for her guests.

The basket was empty before the evening was over.

Sarah and Scott choose a candy bar for their guest favors.

The evening was beautiful, and they all dance the night away!

The incredible vendors we worked with:

Floral: Aubrey Price

Photographer: Tyler Andrews

Caterer: Signatures Catering

Ceremony Trio: Blue Tones

Reception DJ: Mid South Mobile DJ

Transportation: Signature Limo

Thank you Sarah and Scott, my team enjoyed working with you both!

Chase and Drew, Real Nashville Wedding

2010-05-11T14:58:00.000-07:00

This is a wedding I have been waiting to blog about, as it truly was

a Last Minute Planners wedding!

Chase and Drew were married on Thanksgiving weekend

at the Church of Christ in Brentwood, TN.

The wedding was on a Saturday and the bride

had only hired Last Minute Planners the Monday the week of the event,

after a disastrous fallout with a previous planner...

As with all weddings, certain attention to the many details must

be paid for a successful event, and I am proud to say that we

were able to turn this almost canceled event around for a fabulous evening!

We worked with Hillary of Brocade Designs for floral and other decor touches

A relieved couple make it to the alter.

Chase with her girls

Drew and his guys

McCoy Made was the fabulous photo duo that provided amazing pictures

The fantastic cake provided by The French Confection

Chase and Drew with their family, too cute

"How sweet it is..."
We had guest favors prepared of Caramel and Sour Dipped Apples

from the Apple Barn and attached the matching monogrammed labels.

Their first dance

Their guests seen them off with sparklers, it was so much fun!

Thank you Chase and Drew-we truly enjoyed working with you!

Love is in the Air Bridal Show

2010-02-18T08:56:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who came out to see us at

the Love is in the Air Bridal Fair today!

We look forward to working with you soon!

Julie and Adam, Real Nashville Wedding

2010-01-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

This past September, 2009 I had the pleasure of coordinating

a wedding for Julie and Adam, the unique thing about this incredible

couple is that they were both in the Army and were being deployed 1 week after the wedding.

They were originally going to elope, however, her girl-friends

would not hear of it, which is when they contacted my team!

The ceremony was held at the beautiful

Union Station Hotel in downtown Nashville

It is not every day that you see a bride at the ATM

The flowers were arranged by our fabulous

in-house florist, Ms. Aubrey Price

Julie and Adam were married under our Mahogany Pergola

by Nashville Pastor, Ralph Griggs

(who actually also married me and my hubby)

It is official!

Photography compliments of Ms. Katherine Poytheress

Reception was held at the fantastic, Bound'ry Restaurant in Nashville

Yum!

I have never seen such a powerful display of love

and devotion as there two demonstrated on their day!

They truly savored every moment!

Adam and Julie, we wish you the best! Come home soon!

Lisa & Steve, Real Nashville Wedding

2010-01-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

Lisa and Steve were married this past summer at the Cheekwood Botanical Gardens

Ceremony: Herb Garden

Reception: Pineapple Room

Ceremony Pew Markers

I love this picture. Father and daughter, very sweet.

Her colors were Pink, Black and White. Very classy

Beautiful Wedding Cake by Signature Cakes by Vicki

Their guests showered them with bubbles

From the Signature Limo SUV to...

A surprise private helicopter exit as a gift to the bride from the groom.

With both Lisa and Steve's careers involving airplanes, this was a ideal exit.

Congratulations Lisa and Steve!

Anna & Will, Real Nashville Wedding

2010-01-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

2009 Was a fantastic and busy year, that said

we are a bit behind on posting our wedding blogs... Enjoy!

Congratulations Anna & Will!

The festivities took place at Jamison Hall in the

Factory at Franklin

Floral, Simply Chic Creations

Signatures Catering, Carving Station

Signatures Catering, Pasta Station

Wedding Cake, Signature Cakes by Vicki

The Groom's Cake, Puffy Muffin

The Toast

Last Minute Planners crew cutting cake and

having too much fun, as usual

"All the Single Ladies" Bouquet Toss

One of the last moments of their evening, the garter toss.

Thank you for letting us coordinate your beautiful day

Wedding Planning

2010-01-04T06:30:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

It is January 2010

Exit the Sleigh Bells...

Enter the Wedding Bells!

Call us today to schedule your personal consultation and begin planning

your wedding the most efficient and cost effective way possible!

Sonya Isaacs & Jimmy Yeary, Real Nashville Wedding

2009-12-31T07:00:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, December 20th, 2009 I had the pleasure of coordinating

the wedding of Sonya and Jimmy and wanted to share some pics with you!

Congratulations to Nashville Singer and Song Writer Couple,

Sonya Isaacs and Jimmy Yeary!

_____________

Sonya and Jimmy both love Christmas and there would be no better

theme for the wedding than a traditional Christmas at the renowned Hermitage Hotel.

The couple arrived in town a few hours before the wedding

(both were out on tours) so we had the rehearsal when they

arrived in town on the day of the wedding.

Sonya and Jimmy debuted their newest song they had written together

at the wedding, during the ceremony-this is their rehearsal.

"Feels Like Christmas"

Ceremony Alter, by OSHi

This black lantern is one of our many in-house rental items

Brides Bouquet, by OSHi International

Guest book table

Decor for the room provided by Last Minute Planners

The groom's cake was made by a family friend-too cute

This wedding cake was beautiful, it even had it's own sleigh stand.

by Mrs. Heather Noble (Covered with Icing)

1 of the 3 centerpiece styles. There were red berries and

mini silver jingle bells on top of the greenery as well

The couple exited to bubbles outside the hotel

And off they go, drinking hot cider in their horse drawn carriage.

I enjoyed working with the following fabulous wedding professionals:

The Hermitage Hotel

Paul Wharton Photography

OSHi International ~ Flowers

Baughman Media Works ~ DJ and Video

Mr. Taylor ~ Carriage Ride

GET MARRIED FREE !!!

2009-12-08T08:23:00.000-08:00

Registration to win ONLY goes through JANUARY 15TH!!!

We also have 5 fabulous runner-up prizes!

VISIT http://www.getmarriedfree.com/ TODAY!

The Haven Open House

2009-10-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

PLEASE RSVP BY OCT 23RD:

lastminuteplanners@yahoo.com
or 615-485-8078

Wilson Living Holiday Expo

2009-10-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share info with you about a fun event that Last Minute Planners has been ask to coordinate, Wilson Living Magainze's 2009 Holiday Expo!

The Holiday Expo is November 6th Noon-9pm and 7th 9am-6pm

At The Mill in Lebanon TN

The best part-admission and parking is FREE to the public!!!

Bring the whole family!

You can even ride the Music City Star to Lebanon

(it is directly across the street from The Mill)

There will be a Special Prize Drawing for those who pre-register online!

Victoria & Dustin, Real Nashville Wedding

2009-09-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

Victoria & Dustin were first introduced to me by a mutual friend,

who was also the Maid of Honor in their wedding, June 13th, 2009.

They are an incredible couple and I was honored to be a part of the beautiful wedding.

Thank you!

Cake: Wedding Cake Designs

The Dress

The Shoes!

Ceremony: Cathedral of Incarnation Nashville, TN

Photographer: Bledsoe Photography

Flowers: Last Minute Planners Florist, Aubrey Price

& Simply Chic Creations

Colors: White and Watermelon

Reception: Traveller's Rest Plantation Barn and Grounds

Catering: Signatures Catering

Congratulations Victoria and Dustin!

Shannon & Torry, Real Nashville Wedding

2009-08-28T20:20:00.001-07:00

I met Shannon & Torry at the Fish's, Love is in the Air Bridal Show,

and within a few weeks we were busy bringing their dream wedding to life.

Shannon & Torry were married at the courthouse in January 2008,

but they decided to plan a traditional ceremony and reception

for May 2009 to share with their close family and friends.

Ceremony: Woodmont Bible Church, Nashville, TN

Colors: Mocha and Latte with accents in Greens, Pinks and Ivory

Florist: Aubrey Price, LMP in-house Florist

Photographer: Deshun Smith Photography

Baker: Wedding Cake Design

The First Dance!
Music: DJ Crisis

Reception: The Foundry, Nashville, TN

Caterer: Signatures Catering

Possibly the cutest ring bearer and flower girl ever!

After the incredible food and cake were finished off, the guests all danced the night away!

Thank you Shannon & Torry!

We sincerely enjoyed working with you both!

Elegance Bridal Gala

2009-08-28T19:22:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can not believe that I have been planning the success of Elegance Bridal Gala for over a year and in one night-it was over! What an incredible evening!

I will be posting pictures of the event within the next few days and will have a video up on the Gala's blog http://www.elegancebridalgala.blogspot.com/ and website to show off what took place at the first annual experiential bridal gala!
Stay tuned...

Anniversary Dinner and Dance

2009-08-09T12:55:00.000-07:00

Hello! I just picked up my pictures from the most incredible anniversary dinner I have had the privilege of planning for the most deserving couple that I know-Chuck and Misti (aka Dad & Mom) and I couldn’t wait to share the story with you!

We decided to do it big, a surprise formal dinner and dance.
July 31st, 09 was their anniversary and mom’s birthday so one thing we had to have was dessert and lots of it! This is one reason why it is helpful to be married to an incredible cook, love you honey!

Dante prepared 5 different types of cheesecakes, Signatures Chocolate Fondue and lots of fun items to dip in the fondue. All of the dishes you see are assorted dessert plates from various sets of china that I borrowed from family friends for a unique touch. In all we had about 7 different patterns. (Thank you ladies!)

Each table had a different picture of mom and dad in a silver or black frame, a centerpiece of white roses and curly willows (done by in-house florist and sister, Aubrey Price) and lots of votive candles on black tablecloths. Each chair had a black cover and silver tie.

The guest of honor table is shown above with a black tablecloth base, silver and black damask overlay, pillar candles, a white rose and curly willow centerpiece and their original wedding picture. We also added their names to the cutest vintage car place card holders that said “Just Married” on them.

Talk about that band!!! Jeremyck Smith and his guys (which you can see at the Elegance Bridal Gala this Thursday!) really made the atmosphere perfect! I would recommend them to anyone wanting a fabulous event. Their style was old school jazz meets new school funk. It was incredible! We knew they were good, but didn’t realize they were that good until the event started! They also learned some special pieces for us, which we truly appreciated.

Ashley Sanders (A.S. Photo) was our camera diva and got some incredible shots!

Megan Brandon (White Out) made mom's dress-it was a surprise so mom didn't know about the dress until the day of the event!

All in all, the night couldn’t have been more perfect if I planned it myself! (that was a joke :-)

Really, thank you everyone who made the night unforgettable for my parents and my family!

Elegance Bridal Gala

2009-07-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Come see what's new, hot and experience all your potential wedding

vendors have to offer at the new luxury bridal show,

Elegance Bridal Gala!

Last Minute Planners does not have an actual booth in the show (because we are part of the Bridal Show Coordination), however, we will be doing a giveaway and have an incredible discount on the Exclusive Bridal Bucks card that will be GIVEN to each bride that attends the show!

The attire is little black dress and with complimentary valet parking,

a professional fashion show and a mini cocktail hour, it is destined to be incredible!

Purchase tickets at www.elegancebridalgala.com

Wedding Planner Packages

2009-07-07T08:16:00.000-07:00

Discounted Rates for Available 2009 Wedding Dates!!!

For any remaining available 2009 wedding date packages booked before August 15th, the discounted rates will be as follows, regardless of your wedding budget!

Complete Planning Package $850
Partial Planning Package $650
Two weeks prior, Rehearsal and Day-of $450

To see what each basic package includes, please visit: http://lastminuteplanners.com/wedding_services

Contact Austin today to schedule your complimentary consultation!

Unique Wedding Decor Tips

2009-06-29T19:54:00.000-07:00

I was ask to be a guest blogger for Lotus Blossom Photography today and wanted to share with you ;-)

Use your creativity and your resources…
Every bride I meet with usually has an idea of a feel, theme, color selection, etc. to start with, no matter how early in the planning process she is.

For example, I am currently working with a client who would like to keep her January, 2010 wedding simple, chic and vintage!
For her wedding we will be using cobalt blue vases with white flowers for centerpieces. Each vase is different in size and shape, they each cost between $2-$4, purchased at local flea markets and will double as bridal party gifts after the wedding.
She also purchased mini cobalt blue votive holders to continue the ambiance.

For the cake, she is in love with the simple elegance of this white iced cake with the matching blue ribbon and beautiful vintage brooches.

We will be taking the brooches a step further by pinning similar styled brooches on blue ribbon, with a “thank you” note attached and tying the ribbon around napkins for napkin rings. The brooches have been purchased in bulk from eBay.com and will again, double as guest favors after the ceremony.

When you are meeting with your planner, florist or person in charge of decorating for your special day-find out what can be double purposed. You have two amazing ceremony centerpieces, could they be placed on your appetizer tables immediately after the ceremony?

Do you want everything to match exactly? A lot of times, as with the wedding above, using mix and matched items in the same color scheme and/or style will look just as amazing. Visit your local flea market for some incredibly unique décor items.

Use what you already have. I have an October bride who coaches college baseball and we are incorporating used baseballs in some cylinder vases as part of her centerpiece tablescape for a unique, “Fall Classic” feel.

Hire a Planner! This will save you lots of money by helping you find those perfect ideas without driving all over town and then give you direction to know who you should have on your team to put those ideas in motion. If you are looking, but haven’t found the planner for you yet, you can reach us at 615-485-8078 or lastminuteplanners@yahoo.com

Last Minute Planners

2009-06-29T14:06:00.000-07:00

Hello-welcome to first actual blog of Last Minute Planners!
I thought it would be appropriate to talk about who we are and what we do in this intro blog…

Last Minute Planners is a wedding and event planning company.
We plan all types of weddings and events and can begin planning from the point that you set a date or come in at the “Last Minute” to make everything about you day sail smoothly along as you originally envisioned it to be.

We not only plan, but also are there on the rehearsal and day-of (and sometimes day after ;-)

to flawlessly coordinate all of the hundreds of little details that will make your day beautiful and complete.

If you think your day may be complete already, but do not have a coordinator, think again!

The only bad thing about having a “Type A, Can-Do” personality is that I was my day-of coordinator-NOT a good idea! You, your groom, your mother, sister, maid of honor, bridesmaids, etc. should be able to equally enjoy this amazing celebration by letting someone else handle the nitty gritty and sometimes complex details. Let Last Minute Planners be that “someone else” for you!