Tamika Johnson Events

Couture Celebrations, A day in the life of wedding planner divas.: Wish Upon A Wedding -Save The Date- Join Us for Our National Fundraising Gala

2011-09-07T21:09:00.000-07:00

Couture Celebrations, A day in the life of wedding planner divas.: Wish Upon A Wedding -Save The Date- Join Us for Our National Fundraising Gala

I Can Do It Too...

2011-08-09T21:52:00.000-07:00

Looking for a garden themed wedding like this...?

Or fairy tale wedding like this...?

Call Preston Bailey...if you are in New York. ;-)

If you are in Dallas, call Tamika Johnson Events at 866.569.7618.

Wild About Cupcakes

2011-06-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Are you wild about cupcakes? Do you enjoy sinking your teeth into a moist and flavorful little treat? I found the perfect bakery if you are located in Jersey City, New Jersey be sure to visit Delightful Sweets, call them at (973)493-4973 or you can visit them online at delightfulsweets.com.

Planning a Party Can Be Easy as ABC and 123...

2011-06-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

So my son graduated from Junior Kindergarten and I wanted to celebrate him in a BIG way so I planned a special graduation celebration for him.

For a more impactful table display, I placed all things "graduation" and the food on one table. Fresh fruit and mini sandwiches were perfect for my little guy and his friends.

For less mess and less stress, rather than serving cake, serve cupcakes. No cutting necessary.

Adding clusters of helium balloons and large alphabets cut-outs made it more festive and fun for my little guy.

To really celebrate him, I made his graduation photo the centerpiece. I placed the photo on a rotating base. I also made little tent cards with his name on them and placed them on each cupcake.

To celebrate in style I served sparkling cider and punch.

To add the finishing touches, I made thank you cards that complimented his invitations and cupcake toppers.

Asian-Fusion Makes a Great Inclusion

2011-04-25T09:23:00.000-07:00

Planning an Asian-Fusion themed wedding was fun. I must admit…it is hard to confine Asian-fusion to one mold, since there are so many inspirations and elements.

Photo courtesy of Dare to Imagyn Photography.

If you or your fiance are of an Asian decent and want “Double Happiness”, you can combine some Far East elements with any other cultural elements to have a truly unique event.

Korean nuptials are one thing…Japanese and Chinese, quite another. But Asian-fusion events tend to borrow the best from the Far East whether it be colorful paper parasols, shoji style paper lanterns, bamboo plants, cherry blossoms, the lotus flower, orchids in gorgeous sprays or any other loose blooms.

When it comes to that mother-of-all eye candy…the cake, you might find an artful celebration of dragonflies, lotus blossoms, cherry blossoms, orchids or even koi fish. In the case of Michong and Michael’s wedding, Christy (Sweet Creations by Christy) used cherry blossoms.

Photo courtesy of Dare to Imagyn Photography.

If you are planning the decor for a wedding, tranform any ceremony venue by using oversized paper lanters to line the aisle, and fill the space between with rose petals. At the reception, use hanging parasols.

You may also consider paper cranes, which are traditionally folded by the bride and groom before the wedding. Cranes are said to bring a marriage good luck. You can thread them onto cord and hang them from a focal point, like the branches of a tabletop tree.

Photo courtesy of Dare to Imagyn Photography.

Nothing gets across the feel of a Zen wedding like having your ceremony in a garden or having the sound and sight of gently moving water.

Photo courtesy of Dare to Imagyn Photography.

If you are not able to have your wedding in a garden, why not create one. Try floating orchid blooms in a small battery-operated fountain. Line a banquet table with small bamboo plants and stones.

For a simple, striking centerpiece, fill low, square bowls with black and white stones and a single white pillar candle, tossing loose orchids, spider mums or Asian lilies. Place these on bamboo or tatami mats, or large banana or palm leaf fronds for maximum visual appeal.

Instead of traditional floral bouquets, have your bridesmaids carry silk or paper parasols.

As your guests leave, help them keep the memory by sending them off with an Asian-themed parting favor such as personalized wedding favor boxes with monogram, chocolate dipped fortune cookies or personalized engraved chopsticks. You can get such items from BeauCoup.com.

Bling Bling

2011-04-12T09:57:00.000-07:00

Make your wedding day sparkle with diamond embellishment like Diamond Wrap Rolls from Koyal Wholesale. At $3.33 per foot, this a popular way to add "bling"" to centerpieces, bouquets, candles, vases and more.

Can You Afford a Wedding Consultant on a Budget?

2011-03-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

Skilled wedding consultants, like Tamika Johnson Events/The Experts Event Planners and Wedding Coordinators are trained to work within a variety of budgets. While it's true many times we are hired on a soup-to-nuts, start-to-finish basis (which can get expensive), we can facilitate wedding planning in other capacities too.

You can schedule a consultation with us. We will provides a blueprint -- usually a preparation guide and a list of trustworthy, talented vendors we frequently work with. We will oversee things on the evening before and actual day of the wedding. We can also work with you on a freelance basis (to scout out a location, and advise on catering firms and florists, for example), in which case you would select our "I NEED SOME HELP" package or our "BRIDAL BOOTCAMP" package. These selective services run quite a bit less than full-service.

To see a list of all our packages, please click here.

When is Enough...Enough?

2011-03-24T09:00:00.001-07:00

I have 1 maid of honor, 1 matron of honor, 10 bridesmaids, 5 junior bridesmaids, 3 flower girls, 2 bestmen, 10 groomsment, 5 ushers, 1 ring bearer, 1 bible bearer, and 1 paige boy...

Things can get out of hand if the wedding party is too big. For one thing, you'll want to be sure there aren't more people standing up at the altar than are sitting in the pews! It's true that you want your wedding party to be somewhat proportionate to the size of your guest list. You should really consider the logistics -- finding a dress (or even a few styles) that ten women will like, making sure everyone gets fitted, and so on. Even the closest of friends sometimes find their relationships strained over this sort of thing. All that said, the truth is, the number of wedding party members you have is solely up to you. If you have 10 dear friends and you want them all to stand up for you at the wedding, so be it. And it really doesn't matter if you have more women than men in the wedding party; symmetry is not required. Also consider this -- you can have your bridesmaids (and groomsmen too) walk in the procession and then simply sit in a row in the first pew. They don't have to stand up the entire time. (You and your groom will probably want to have your maid of honor and best man standing next to you however.) This way, everyone you want to honor gets honored, but it won't get too crowded.

Content Courtsey of The Knot

http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-questions/picking-bridal-party/qa/how-many-bridesmaids-are-too-many.aspx?MsdVisit=1

Now, How Much Did You Say That Cost?...

2011-03-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

Your wedding budget is one of the biggest factors in determining a lot of your wedding decisions, so it's important to make a clear budget early in the planning process. If you're worried you'll have to cut too many corners because you're planning a wedding on a budget, don't despair! You can find tons of great tips and advice for throwing a gorgeous wedding on a budget on our Budget Weddings message board, plus we've got tons of ideas from real weddings on how to make the most of your wedding budget. First, determine your guest list. Cutting the number of people you invite to your wedding is the quickest way to cut costs in wedding budgets. Next, decide what you're willing to splurge on for your budget wedding. It might be fabulous photography, delicious food, or a stunning wedding dress, but you should know up front what you definitely don't want to sacrifice. As you continue planning a wedding on a budget, consider DIY-ing certain elements to save money. Creating your own escort cards or wedding favors, for example, can give you some wiggle room in your wedding budget -- and allow you to splurge on other things, like a knock-out wedding cake. Choosing the right wedding venue can also help you save when planning a wedding on a budget. Outdoor weddings don't require as much decor, meaning your budget wedding can be stunning without the sticker shock. To avoid unexpected budget busters, check out this article on hidden wedding costs to help save even more on your budget wedding. Looking for sample wedding budgets? See how top planners recommend planning a wedding for under $10k.

Content Courtesy of The Knot

http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-budget.aspx

What's Hot and What's Not

2011-03-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

Your wedding colors are one of the first wedding decor decisions you need to make. Not sure where to start? First, determine your wedding style. Why? The vibe you choose will have a lot to do with the wedding colors you choose. Do you love bold, modern looks? Search through our wedding color combo slideshows for bright colors like aqua and chartreuse. Or choose an oversized pattern in black and white for your wedding motif and pair it with one signature color. Do you prefer traditional wedding styles? Then choose wedding colors like gold with pale pink or navy blue with silver accents. If you already have a general idea of what colors you want, use our wedding color combo slideshows to figure out the perfect accent color. Obsessed with bright orange? Our orange gallery of wedding color combos can help you decide whether to pair tangerine with aqua or sienna with a deep red. Love the idea of a blue wedding? Check out our blue gallery wedding color combos to determine if you prefer navy and gold or baby blue and chocolate. Our slideshows and articles can help you avoid wedding color chaos and select the perfect wedding colors for you.

Content Courtsey of The Knot
http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-colors.aspx

Cherry Blossoms and Fleur de Lis

2011-03-04T21:31:00.000-08:00

Congratulation to Michong and Michael. Seven days till the BIG DAY!

What is the difference between a Wedding Planner and a Wedding Coordinator

2011-03-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

Wedding Planning and Wedding Coordination are two different services:

WEDDING PLANNER:

Wedding planning is choosing vendors, reception sites, dresses and other wedding service areas.

WEDDING COORDINATOR:

Wedding coordination is having a certified coordinator attend your wedding activities, including the rehearsal to make sure everything goes as planned.
Wedding coordinators take care of all the big and small details, such as making sure the vendors are doing what they are paid to do, flowers are fresh, the right photos are taken, the bridal party is announced, and all wedding details are in place. Most important, the wedding coordinator’s job is to be sure everyone, especially the bride and groom are happy.

Selecting The Right Color For YOUR Wedding

2011-02-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

Creating a truly unique and elegant wedding theme and color scheme is easy. Following are some ideas for color schemes for you:

If you like purples try ...
Lilac, Lavender, Periwinkle, Purple, add Sky Blue as an accent.

If you love bright pink try...
Hot pink, Fuchsia, Light pink, Red, add Lime or Tangerine as your accent color!

If you adore warm oranges try...
Tangerine, Coral, Red, add soft Violet, Sky Blue or Fuchsia as your accent color.

If you like burgundy try...
Dark Green, Golds, Champagne, Creams, add any of these as your accent.

If you love blues try...
Deep Ocean Blue, Navy Blue, Sky Blue, Periwinkle, add Tangerine, Silver or Sandy Brown as your accent.

Spring Is In The Air

2011-02-17T08:15:00.000-08:00

If you are planning a day wedding, try something new...instead of your bridesmaids wearing the traditional floor lenght, solid color gown, try a short strapless floral flat taffeta dress or maybe a chaffon floral print. Your bridesmaids will thank you because of comfort (short and cooler fabrics), and because of versatility (they will be able to wear it again).

Your "TIP" For Today

2011-02-11T09:48:00.000-08:00

With so many wedding expenses, gratuities can add up...

Although tipping is thought to be a voluntary thing, there are still areas of your wedding that require tipping. You can certainly use your discretion, however, we want to offer the general rules for tipping.

Wedding Transportation
Again, check your contract, as gratuity is usually included. If it isn't, plan to tip provided they show up on time and don't get lost!

Protocol: Expected
The Standard: 15 - 20% of the total bill
When to Tip: At the end of the night or after the last ride. If you used a separate company for the guest buses, designate a bus captain to hand the driver a tip, otherwise, this duty falls to the best man.

Wedding Hair Stylist and Makeup Artist
This is one area where a gratuity is definitely expected. Tip between 15 - 20 percent just as you would in a hair salon, and consider giving a little extra if there's a crisis, like one of your bridesmaids http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-resources/wedding-photographers.aspx or videographer doesn't own the studio, consider tipping each person (or give a certain amount with a thank-you note to disperse to staff). http://wedding.theknot.com/bridesmaids-mother-of-the-bride/bridesmaids.aspx> has a meltdown over her updo and it requires a redo at the last minute.

Protocol: Expected
The Standard: 15 - 25 percent, depending upon the quality of service
When to Tip: At the end of your service

Wedding Delivery and Set-up Staff
Slip a few dollars to anyone delivering important items to the site (wedding cake http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-cakes.asp , flowers, or sound system). And if a lot of gear needs to be brought in and set up (tents, chairs, or port-a-potties), the workers deserve a tip too.

Protocol: Expected
The Standard: $5 - $10 per person
When to Tip: Drop off cash envelopes the day before the wedding to the catering manager so the person accepting deliveries can turn the tip.

Wedding Ceremony Officiant
If your officiant is affiliated with a church or synagogue, you're often expected to make a donation to that institution. If you're a member you'll probably want to give a larger amount than if you're not.
However, if you're getting married there and they're charging you to use the space, feel free to give a smaller amount. If you're using a nondenominational officiant, no tip is required because they will charge you for their time.Protocol: Expected
The Standard: Donate $500+ to the church or synagogue, or, for a nondenominational officiant, an optional tip of $50 - $100 When to Tip: Most ceremony fees are required prior to the wedding. Otherwise, have the best man pass the cash envelope at the rehearsal dinner if the officiant is in attendance.

Wedding Reception Staff
This type of staff includes the on-site coordinator, maitre d', and banquet manager. A service charge (typically 2 percent) is almost always built in to the food and drink fee, so check your contract. If the
gratuity is not included, tip as follows.

Protocol: Expected
The Standard: 15 - 20% of the food and drink fee (based on labor, not
the cost), or $200 - $300 for the maitre d'.
When to Tip: If it's covered in the contract, the final bill is typically due before the reception. Otherwise, have the father of the bride or best man hand the envelope to the maitre d' at the end of the reception since you will need to know the final tab to calculate the percentage.

Wedding Reception Band or DJ
Whether you hire 12-piece swing band or grooving to a DJ, tipping musicians is completely optional. (Depending on the quality of the job and how willing they were to follow your ideal playlist!) And don't
forget about any sound technicians they bring with them. Protocol: Optional, yet preferred

The Standard: $20 - $25 per musician; $50 - $100 for DJs

When to Tip: At the end of the reception, by the best man.

Wedding Reception Attendants

When it comes to bartenders, wait staff, parking, bathroom, and coat-room attendants the rules of tipping are dictated by your contract. If the service fee is included, consider doling out extra only if the

service was exceptional. If it's not included, ask ahead of time how many attendants will be working your wedding and calculate on a per person basis.

Protocol: Optional, based on contract

The Standard: $20 - $25 per bartender or waiter; $1 per guest for coat

room and parking attendants; $1 per car

When to Tip: Although tips are traditionally passed out at the end of the event, you could alternately distribute them at the beginning of the evening, to encourage all the workers to give you great service.

Wedding Ceremony Musicians

If you worked with a mini orchestra to come up with the perfect score for your service (and they pulled it off flawlessly), consider showing some monetary thanks for their talent. However, you probably don't have to tip the solo church organist who was required to play.

Protocol: Optional

The Standard: $15 - $20 per musician

When to Tip: At the end of the ceremony.

Wedding Planner

Wedding planners won't likely expect anything; however, if yours did a great job you can always offer a token of your appreciation. (Note: Non-monetary thank-you's like professional photos of the wedding for the planner's portfolio can go a long way too.) Approximately 50 percent of couples do tip their planners -- typically those with more opulent weddings.

Protocol: Optional

The Standard: Up to $500, or a nice gift

When to Tip: The bride should hand off the envelope at the end of the reception, or, she should send a thank-you note with photos or a check after the honeymoon.

Wedding Photographer/Videographer

You're not expected to give your shutterbugs any dough beyond their normal fees. Yet if the wedding photographer.

Protocol: Unnecessary, unless the photographer is not the studio owner.

The Standard: $50 - $200 per vendor

When to Tip: At the end of the reception.

Writer: Celeste Perron

TheKnot.com

http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-budget/articles/wedding-vendor-tipping-cheat-sheet.aspx

Deal or No Deal?

2011-02-04T07:39:00.000-08:00

Bridesmaids may soon be forced to sign contracts agreeing not to put on weight or get pregnant before a friend's wedding. One in five brides-to-be is so concerned that her bridesmaids might let her down that she would ask her maid-of-honor to sign a written "pre-nuptial agreement", according to a new poll.

A bridesmaid contract is the latest American-style trend for brides. Despite the fact that 61 per cent of brides picked a best friend as their choice of bridesmaid and 49 per cent chose their sister, 48 per cent would sack a bridesmaid who failed to stick to the rules. The survey of 1,000 women, commissioned by You & Your Wedding magazine, asked women which clauses they would put in their contract. It found that respondents' biggest gripes were with bridesmaids who put on weight, became pregnant or changed their hairstyles before the big day. A series of suggested clauses included that bridesmaids should not consume more than 10 units of alcohol or make any advances towards "inappropriate male guests" - or the groom.

Many women who had already married reported stories of their bridesmaids letting them down on their big day. One woman said her maid-of-honor left her dress at a service station on the way to the wedding after deciding she didn't like it, while another revealed a bridesmaid had left 30 invitations unsent in her desk drawer. Colette Harris, editor of You & Your Wedding magazine, said: "Planning weddings can be a stressful time for brides and while our contract is meant to be tongue-in-cheek, the survey demonstrates that issues with bridesmaids are of concern to many readers. "Perhaps official contracts are the way forward for brides struggling to keep the peace."

Siobhàn Craven-Robins works with hundreds of brides a year in her role as wedding planner and has organized the weddings of celebrity clients including Joan Collins and Barbara Windsor. "There has been a spoof contract like this on the internet in recent years but I'm not sure if the brides I know would actually use the real thing," she said. The bridesmaid's contract is the latest American-style trend for brides. It follows the opening in Berkshire of the country's first bridal boot camp for women determined to shape up to fit into their dresses.

Trudy Dixon, the director of Bridal Boot Camp, said while many of the bridesmaids that work out at the boot camp had complained about the color or style of the dresses chosen for them, few brides she knew would resort to such draconian measures to keep their ladies in line. "I've been a bridesmaid several times and if I was presented with a contract, I would suggest they found another friend to do the job" she said.

Article by Aislinn Simpson of http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1577490/Bridesmaids-may-have-to-sign-weight-contracts.html. Posted 02/04/2008

The DREAM Scholarship Program

2011-01-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

D.R.E.A.M.
Distinguished, Respectable, Empowered, Accomplished, Marveled
Scholarship Program and Cotillion

The Experts Event Planners and Wedding Coordinators have established the D.R.E.A.M. Scholarship Program, which will offer educational scholarships to deserving graduating high school seniors.

In partnership with the African American Museum, The Experts Event Planners and Wedding Coordinators will conclude the D.R.E.A.M. Scholarship Program with a Cotillion Ball, which is to be held May 31, 2013.

The D.R.E.A.M. Scholarship Program was established to offer educational scholarships to deserving graduating high school seniors and enhance the development of our youth.

This is an outstanding opportunity for young ladies to experience a wide array of cultural, academic and social activities, while at the same time, gaining career development guidance and scholarship funds to support their college career. Our mission is to develop distinguished and respectable young ladies, who will be empowered to accomplish D.R.E.A.M.s, through maintaining academic excellence and integrity, while being marveled by society. We want to encourage each participant to be uniquely empowered and to remember that they will always find the strength within to succeed.

Each debutante will participate in activities designed to equip her for the next level in her life. These activities include, but are not limited to, workshops in self-enrichment, personal and professional etiquette training, cultural events attendance, ballroom dance training, and attending church services. This is opportunity for the selected participants to learn about themselves, prepare for college and future careers, and cultural diversity.

Young ladies under the age of 19, graduating from high school in 2012, who have achieved high academic standing, contributed positively to the milieu of their school, and who are actively involved in the community, are encouraged to apply for consideration. This is truly an experience that will remain in the hearts of each young lady.

The participants of the D.R.E.A.M. Cotillion are selected based on community and Foundation's recommendations. In order to be eligible to participate, the young ladies must possess a GPA of 3.0 or greater (based on a 3.0 scale conversion to calculate grade point average of a 4.0 scale equivalent), must be in good moral character and must provide three letters of recommendation. The D.R.E.A.M. Cotillion Foundation committee will review and choose participants.

Twenty remarkable young ladies will be selected into this outstanding program and will be presented into society as Distinguished, Respectable, Empowered, Accomplished, ladies to be Marveled for their academic, social and community involvement.

Awards are also given to participants in other areas of participation, including but not limited to, their collection of monetary contributions of advertisements submitted in the D.R.E.A.M. Cotillion souvenir book as well as total revenue generated for overall ticket sales.

We anticipate this annual event with great excitement!

Sincerely,

Tamika M. Johnson

Chairperson

2012/2013 D.R.E.A.M. Cotillion Scholarship Program

To Enroll please visit www.theexpertsinc.com/DREAM.html

Summer Love

2009-02-13T17:03:00.000-08:00

Please join me in congratulating Mikesha and Marion on their upcoming wedding (7/25/09).

Mikesha and Marion have chosen butter yellow and celadon as their wedding colors. I love these colors for summer because they are very soft and delicate. Mikesha plans to bling out her special day with lots of crystals and rhinestone diamonds. This is going to be a fabulous affair.

Purple Passion

2009-02-13T16:58:00.000-08:00

Please join me in congratulating Deedee and Ken on their upcoming wedding (5/2/09).

Deedee and Ken have chosen many shades of purple. With this variety of purple their wedding will be a royal event.

Love Is In The Air

2009-02-13T16:50:00.000-08:00

Please join me in congratulating Ubong and Nate on their upcoming wedding (5/2/09).

Ubong and Nate have chosen fabulous colors...gold and olive green. They will have an American wedding with a Nigerian flare. With over three hundred guests and a Nigerian dance company this event is sure to be phenomenal.

I Need A Favor

2008-10-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

Planning a fall wedding and looking for unique wedding favors, try a recipe booklet. Come up with some romantic meals and share them with your guests. Everytime they make one of those delicious meals, they will think about you and your sweetheart, and the love they shared with you on your special day.

Why Hire The Experts To Plan Your Next Event

2008-09-23T19:16:00.000-07:00

Save valuable time:
You are provided access to a portfolio of area photographers, caterers, bakers, ceremony and reception sites, musicians or anyone in the wedding service community. A wedding consultant is your researcher who helps you to find the service professionals who will meet you style, taste and most importantly your budget.

No stress and worries:
An average wedding can take more then 200 hours just to plan. Ask yourself if you can afford that time away from your school/work. A professional wedding consultant has the knowledge and experience to take your ideas and dreams to make them into a reality in order for your wedding day to be complete.

Save money:
You are given a comprehensive budget analysis that allows you to determine your estimated cost. The knowledge acquired by the consultant’s years of working with the professionals allows you to choose someone who will work with your budget giving you the best service available. Wedding service retailers know the consultant will continue using their product and services only as long as they provide quality at a fair price.

Keeps your event flowing with ease:
The wedding week is full of last minute details that must come together- not by chance- but by clear, unemotional decisions and orchestration. Keeping everyone on task for the wedding day is stressful for the bride and family, but it's a normal day’s work for a qualified wedding consultant. We are here to advise and direct with our expertise.