Another New Beginning…

Beginnings has been my “baby” for almost 15 years now. Before I took my little “break” from the business Beginnings was just what I wanted. I had just as many brides as I felt I could manage by myself with a school aged child at home. Times change and we have to change with them. The school aged child is in college and I am ready for a brand new adventure.

Karen Brown & Summer Hutchens-Colgin of the fabulous “For Your Memories” Wedding Consulting & Coordinating Firm have invited me to join them as part of their team. I am honored and excited. I’ve known and been friends with Karen almost as long as I’ve been in this industry. Summer I met shortly after she joined “For Your Memories” and now I can’t wait to work with her.

So as I make this transition over to “For Your Memories” you can reach my on my cell( 832.453.2219) or email me at Pamela@thebeginningbride.net.

I think my only regret in all this is not using the beautiful new logo that Brandy Oliphant designed for me.

I am so excited though about this move and I can’t wait to get started.

For Your Memories

http://www.foryourmemories.com/

1901 Post Oak Blvd. #1506
Houston, TX, 77056
Phone:
713-532-8100

All the best

Cleaning for a Reason

When I decided to change the way I was posting to my blog, I decided that on Fridays I would try to pass along some worthy charity event or organization that was doing a “very good thing” for our community. Yesterday I received an email from my lovely niece and I just had to share this information with you all right away and not wait for Friday. Cleaning for a Reason is an organization who will provide house cleaning services to someone who is undergoing chemo. What an amazing idea!! If you know someone who could use this assistance have them check out the Cleaning for a Reason website. If you are a chemo patient or a loved one of a chemo patient you have to sign up, send them confirmation from your Dr that you are receiving chemo and they will pair you with a maid service in your area. I understand that you will then have your home cleaned once a month for four months while you are receiving chemo treatments. There is a map on the website indicating the cities where this service is currently available. Houston is on that list.
What a wonderful idea!! ” Fighting cancer is difficult enough but living with it is even tougher” I am sure if you don’t know someone who can use this service you can pass it along to someone who does.

All the best,

Planner, Coordinator, Consultant, what’s in a name?

I met with a really sweet young bride the other day( on another matter other than her wedding.) who is a family friend. We were discussing her upcoming wedding and where the ceremony and reception were going to be held. Her younger sister had encouraged her to hire Beginnings to assist her (Way to go Katie!!) The bride informed me that her wedding was being held at a local country club and that they had a “wedding coordinator”.

Over the years there have been many conversations in our industry about just this subject. Let me just say that I have been a church wedding coordinator and I have a great respect for them and for coordinators who work for the venues.

Having said that I want to clarify for brides, grooms and their families that a wedding coordinator at a venue or a church is NOT the same as a full service wedding planner that you hire to work with you to plan every detail of your wedding.

Wedding coordinators who are employed by a venue to assist you with your wedding day are just that… employees of the venue. An independent professional wedding planner who has been hired by you works with and for you.

Let me give you an example I recall from a previous bride of Beginnings. The bride, her mother and I went to meet with the wedding coordinator at a country club. The bride and her mother and I had discussed previously the budget and that there wasn’t much leeway in this budget. In our meeting, the “coordinator” encouraged the bride to go for upgrades that undoubtedly would have been nice but didn’t fit into the budget. I was there to help the bride weigh those options and bring her back to the budget. That was my job!!

Venue and church wedding coordinators are there to “run the day”. To make sure that the vendors arrive on time, that the sites are set up for your ceremony and or reception and “send you down the aisle”. Venue coordinators remain at the reception and make sure all “have to’s” ( cake, cutting , bouquet toss etc) happen and happen on time. For brides without a professional wedding planner these people are invaluable.

My job includes working with the bride to develop her budget, finding the very best vendors for the bride according to personality and budget, venue selection, event design advice and assistance and the list goes on and on. Last but not least is the on site day of coordination that we provide.

This post not a condemnation of venue and church wedding coordinators!!! It is simply an explanation of the differences in our roles in your wedding.

Grace is…

By “guts” I mean, grace under pressure”
Ernest Hemingway

Brand New Look

Yeah!! Finally our “rebranding” or redecorating of Beginnings is finished. Brandy Oliphant of B.Persnickety has done a wonderful job with our new look. She listened to what I had to say and who I was and gave me a look that I am very proud of. Be sure to check out our website before you leave.

Thank you Brandy!!

Don’t Get Married Without Me

I was checking out a wedding venue a few weeks ago and as I looked over at the videographer I discovered a very old and dear friend. We had such a nice visit and of course I rushed home to check out his website and his work. Now I just can’t wait for the opportunity to work with Rob Cross.

I watched Rob work at the wedding and interact with the guests and bride and groom. I was sure that he was going to have a beautiful result. I was thrilled to watch the videos on his site. So not only have I found an old friend, but I’ve found an excellent videographer. I am proud to introduce him to you!!
Don’t Get Married Without Me I could go on and on about what a great guy he is and how great his work is, but I think I will let his work speak for itself.

Grace

“I do not at all understand the mystery of grace – only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us.”
~ Anne Lamot

New Look for Beginnings

I am really excited for you to see the start of a new look for Beginnings.(Take a look at our gorgeous new header) I know that “rebranding” has been over used but that’s what we are doing with the help of Brandy Oliphant of B.Persnickety. For the next few days our website will be down as we make the changes. It has been such an pleasure and adventure working with Brandy. Be sure to check out her site B.Persnickety for some of her really lovely wedding invitations.

Check back soon for the finished website.

Grace

“Grace is available for each of us every day – our spiritual daily bread – but we’ve got to remember to ask for it with a grateful heart and not worry about whether there will be enough for tomorrow.”
Sarah Ban Breathnach

Paloma’s Nest

Every once in a while, as I am reading a dozen other planners blogs, searching the internet to find unique ideas and items to offer to my brides, I come across a real treasure.
That’s what happened when I became aware of Paloma’s Nest just up the road in Austin. Caroline Colom Vasquez is the artist and designer who has created these unique modern heirlooms — “pieces for the home and the heart”.
From the most amazing ring bearer bowls
to a lovely custom tile to be tied to the brides bouquet.

I think one of my favorites would be a perfect gift for the bride and groom. This lovely bowl is custom made with the couples vows. What a lovely piece for their new home and what a wonderful reminder of that special day.

Visit Paloma’s Nest online for many more lovely possibilities for your wedding and for gift ideas. Also be sure to check out their holiday items too.