Special Offer: Save 50% on Mary Dann's Mentorship Program in Ohio

Greetings,

Since 1991, Mary Dann-McNamee (www.marydann.com) has been planning weddings in Southern California, Oregon, New York, Canada, and now Ohio! She has been a member of Association of Bridal Consultants since 2003. She is extending a once in a lifetime opportunity for near by wedding professionals to follow her around while she plans and executes a 150 person wedding in Chagrin Falls Ohio, in 2 months.

A three-day Mentorship Program for those of you who are seriously invested in improving your professional event planner skills. Shadow Mary and learn first hand for a full day of pre-planning details (January 14th and 15th in Chagrin Falls, Ohio), at the rehearsal and welcome reception (February 25th) on an actual wedding day (February 26th ) . The experience encompasses, but is not limited to, the following:

Pre-planning Day (January 14th) at the Venue, Hillbrook Country Club

Learn how to put together contracts, budgets and detailed wedding checklists for clients

Begin to understand the process of event day timelines, which list all pertinent information required for a flawless event

See a sample Selected Vendor Referral List, learn about the dynamic between vendors and planners and how to maintain a successful relationship with them

Observe the way Mary handles her business with the venue, vendors and menu tasting

View samples of printing - Save the Dates and Invites, ceremony seating cards, etc.

See how Mary keeps client files in order by organizing vendor info, correspondence, notes, etc.

Rehearsal Day:
Meet and greet with the bridal party and their families at the wedding ceremony location, St Joan of Arc Church

Help collect all wedding day items ie. Guest book, toasting glasses, programs, placecards, etc.

Observe Mary as she organizes the bridal party, music, ceremony details

Observe Mary as she manages the Rehearsal Dinner and welcome reception at The Hillbrook Country Club



Wedding Day:

Observe Mary's direction of bridal party, family and guests as the day progresses

Assist in transportation of bridal party and guests ie. Shuttle services and schedules

Help oversee setup of ceremony site ie. Programs and guest book in place, name cards on chairs, special items for ceremony in place

Understand the process of the day's setup and timing ie. vendor arrivals, ceremony setup, reception completion

Get an overall view of the behind-the-scenes action and how Mary prioritizes where to be and when to be there

In the bridal suite, help Mary get the bride get into her dress and veil

Understand the importance of how to accommodate and ensure the comfort of each guest

Greet guests as they enter, making sure they feel welcome and taken care of

Help manage the photo guest book making sure pictures get taken, guests are signed in, etc.

Watch Mary as she organizes the bridal party and gets everyone down the aisle on time

Assist in setup of reception site ie. Placement of menus, placecards and favors, make sure tables, chairs etc. are arranged according to diagram, etc.

Guide guests to the reception site once ceremony has concluded

See Mary coordinate special dances and toasts, making sure that important people ie. Family members, photographer, videographer are present when they take place

Secure and pack up all extra items at the end of the night ie. Extra favors, menus, programs, placecards, etc. and put gifts in the proper location

Help decorate bridal suite with candles, petals, bubble bath, cake, champagne, etc.

Mentoree to provide own airfare and accommodations. In addition, contact Mary Dann-McNamee directly for more information at m@marydann.com. This offer is only open for the next week and will be accepted on a first come first serve basis. The mentorship fee is $1,500. (1/2 due once you have been approved and the remaining balance due 2nd week of February).

Much Gratitude,

Mary Dann-McNamee

The “Must Haves” for Every Personality Type

Photo by Jay Goldman Photography

The best way to reduce anxiety as you plan your wedding is to pick one “must have” and relish in the fact that you have one dream item. Grieve the loss of not having everything you want early on, so you can enjoy the planning process!


Personality Trait:
A person that gets overwhelmed with details, design and organization

Must Have:
A Professional Wedding Planner. You can find one through the Association of Bridal Consultants (www.bridalassn.com) or your local luxury hotel. Most coordinators on the referral list of a luxury hotel are proven professionals.

Personality Trait:
Uncomfortable with people looking at you

Must Have:
A beautiful dress, something that makes you feel beautiful! Professional hair and makeup that comes to you on your wedding day is a plus.

Personality Trait:
Love dancing

Must Have:
2 pairs of shoes. I invite you to splurge on 1 pair…remember you can wear shoes over and over again, even if you lose or gain weight. A great DJ and/or band and custom dance floor are great “must haves” for the dancing types, too!

Personality Trait:
Concern with what people think and the need to be perfect

Must Have:
A professional planner that can execute your dream. Keep in mind something will NOT be perfect, no matter how much you spend or worry. If you go into planning knowing that this is true, you will most likely walk away with the feeling of being overwhelmed with love and beauty on your wedding day. The strong need to be perfect will also increase stress, and a great therapist can help you through accepting your own flaws and imperfections.

Personality Trait:
Difficulty making decisions

Must Have:
Professional planner that has experience (over 200 weddings). A couple usually makes 1000+ decision throughout the wedding planning process. It is imperative that they hire a seasoned and professional planner that can be able to see the wedding day backwards and forward with many back up plans. This can only come from experience!

Personality Trait:
“Outside of the Box” Thinker

Must Have:
Look for a unique location, perhaps an estate location (a private estate). This is a great option for couples wanting to do something different.

Personality Trait:
Sentimental and like documenting memories

Must Have:
Invest in a professional photographer and videographer. A photobooth is a unique guest book idea that encourages your guests to share more from the heart on paper along with a fun snapshot.

Personality Trait:
Love entertaining and are inviting guests from out of town

Must Have:
Invest in a luxury hotel for ceremony & reception. A key element to a great wedding is make logistics easy for you and your guests!

Personality Trait:
Super particular about food & beverage
(Aka “Foodie”)

Must Have:
Choose a location that allows you to bring in your own caterer (and/or bartender!).

Much Gratitude,
Mary Dann-McNamee

Mary Dann Behind the Scenes!

Thanks to Godfather Films for the video and editing!

My Speaking Tour

I just returned from a world wind of book signing and speaking presentations! I had such a blast!! My first stop was the Bahamas with WPIC (The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada).
I presented to over 200 planners on a subject near and dear to my heart: Staying Physically, Emotionally, & Spiritually Balanced As You Navigate The Planning Process. It was an amazing 5 days of book signings, speaking and career counseling--and I spent the last full day renting a cabana at the exclusive Cove Beachside Resort at Atlantis! I am so grateful that Danielle and Tracy, the founders of WPIC, asked me to be a part of the event. Enjoy some pics below!

My next stop was Phoenix, for the ABC (Association of Bridal Consultants) annual conference. It was a full day of book singing and I presented on “Hot Wedding Trends, Gismos, and Gadgets” with Elise Enloe to kick off the convention! Here are a few pics from the event:

My final stop was speaking at The Party Goddess, Uncensored Event at The Palomar Hotel in Hollywood. Marley Majcher of The Party Goddess was there, and a panel of us shared insights and gave tools for dealing with two different personality types: the leader and the follower. It was such a fun time! Below are some images, taken by Jen O Sullivan. More to come!

I had such an amazing time at all of these events, and I feel so grateful that I was able to be a part of them!

Much Gratitude,
Mary Dann-McNamee

Wedding Wands by Mary Dann

Wedding Wands are more popular than ever! They were recently featured on Cupcakes & Cutlery, a blog that features great items and party ideas. Be sure to check out the post and click here to see more colors and purchase the wands on Stylecology! Pictured below is the "Pretty in Pink" wand, one of my favorites!

Much Gratitude,

Mary Dann-McNamee

Photo by Asgeir Fotographica

Wedding at Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills

On September 25th, I had the pleasure of working at the incredible Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. Everything turned out so lovely, and I could not have done it without such a fabulous couple and hard-working staff. Special thanks to everyone at The Beverly Wilshire (especially Monica Bewak, Director of Catering) for contributing to the event’s success. The ceremony was held outdoors on the Rodeo Terrace, and it was such a gorgeous, sunny day. Following the ceremony, there was a cocktail hour on the Terrace. Many thanks to Mariea Antionette of MAH Productions, Walter Molina of Molina Flamenco, and Amick Byram for providing the beautiful music for the ceremony and cocktail hour. The reception took place in the stunning Grand Trianon ballroom. Fabian of Level 4 International did an amazing job with décor, lighting, and rentals, and the flowers by Nisie’s Enchanted Florist were out of this world. Another special touch was a photo booth for guests to take pictures and leave them for the guest book. A big thank you to Bryant Sentosa of Photoboothless, for making that such a success! Guests were taking pictures all night long. Other vendors who were so amazing include: DJ Tom Chandler of California Sounds for keeping people dancing all night, hair by Trina Duarte of The Studio Agency (Kristien looked phenomenal!), Abloom Media, and Felicia Perry Photography for capturing the event and providing the images below! Enjoy the sneak peek!!

The Happy Couple

The Head Table

The Lovely Centerpieces

The Amazing Cake!

A Ballroom Shot

Much Gratitude,

Mary Dann-McNamee

Las Ventanas 'Bride's New Beginning Ritual'

I'm so excited to share about this new opportunity for bride-to-be's and her bridesmaids to have a special sacred ritual before the wedding day! The Spa at Las Ventanas Resort in Los Cabos, Mexico now conducts an inspirational and spiritual ritual for the bride-to-be and her bridesmaids as a pre-wedding blissful experience. It sounds absolutely incredible!! The ritual includes a Holistic Twilight Ceremony, massages, and take-home gifts!! The focus is positive energy and eternal love. At such a beautiful resort, this sounds like the ultimate way to relax and enjoy time with your bridesmaids before the wedding! Enjoy the pictures below and for more information, check their website!

Much Gratitude,
Mary Dann-McNamee