Luxury Wedding & Event Design by Muse

Recipie for Love in the Kitchen

Taram Trump — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 15:30:27 +0000

Does your fiance do all the cooking? Think they might like some help with the meal planning every now and again but you just do not have the skill set to make something edible (other than mac & cheese of course)? Consider couples cooking classes. It can be a great idea for doing something together that forges a transition into your new life together.

There are TONS of cooking classes and they are available in every city across the nation (and even internationally). Just look it up online, check out Yelp, post it on your FB pages that you are looking and I’ll bet you find some of your friends have done the same.

Here are some spots local to Portland, Oregon:
Hip Cooks: http://portland.hipcooks.com/class/schedule/
Culinary Workshop: http://midwestix.securemytix.com/events/12985
Parties That Cook: http://www.partiesthatcook.com/cooking-classes/
In Good Taste: http://www.ingoodtastestore.com/

Still lost? Why not at least make their job easier and prep up some meals for them at a place like one of these meal preparation locations:
Dream Dinners: http://www.dreamdinners.com/main.php?page=locations
Dinners Ready: http://www.dinnersready.com/ChooseAKitchen.aspx

We’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave us a comment. Please feel free to share our blog!
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Website: http://www.weddingsandeventsbymuse.com

Color of the Year

Taram Trump — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 16:30:07 +0000

I’m not a big fan of green – although emerald is my birthstone, and I certainly wouldn’t turn down a gem – I can’t wear it. I’m Italian, and it makes me look like I am deathly ill, unfortunately. If it’s a true jewel tone, I can sometimes get away with it, but otherwise, I am out of luck. With Pantone announcing that green is the color of the year, I am sure I am in for some fun challenges this season!

That being said, here are a few greens I can totally live with….

How Do I Create an Inspiration Board?

Taram Trump — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:30:10 +0000

We get asked all the time how to design an inspiration board for an event. Here’s a few tips to help get you started:

1. Decide whether you want to make a physical board or a virtual board

2. Start somewhere – It doesn’t even have to be an overall vision to start with. You can start with just a color, or a mood, or a single photo you like.

3. Add to it as things inspire you – They can be pictures of events, or just pictures that speak to you somehow. They can be of physical items you want at your event or overall pictures of things that “feel right” to you. Don’t worry at this point about whether there is a complete vision or if it all fits together.

4. As your vision becomes more defined, clean up your inspiration board – add to it pieces that are missing to convey your overall vision, and take away items that no longer express your consolidated event.

5. Share it. Even before you finish it – show it to those planning the event with you and you’ll find it inspires, guides and morphs as you go!

6. Stop adding to it at least 2-3 months away from the event. Realistically, you should start the planning process with this, and then let it go. The event will take on a life of it’s own from there and you don’t need to update the inspiration board. Do take head though to the advice not to keep adding design elements all the way up until your event. You’ll go crazy!

Recipe for A Blissful Wedding Day

Taram Trump — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:00:09 +0000

We believe that Bridezillas are made, not born, and all that stuff you see on TV is staged. So, how to have a nice, relaxed bride on the day of her wedding? Follow our recipe for a blissful wedding day:

Ingredients:
1 night Good Sleep
1 Excited Fiance
1 Awesome Best Man
5 Supportive Bridesmaids (or 2 or 7.. add to taste)
1 Relaxed Mother of The Bride
1 Glass Champagne (substitute favorite coffee drink or beverage as desired)
1 Pair Broken in Shoes (and a pair of comfy shoes to change into!)
A handful Of Amazing Vendors
1 Professional Wedding Coordinator

Directions:
1. Those amazing shoes you’ll be photographed in, you’ll want to break them in at least 1-2 weeks prior to your big day.

2. Let your fiance’s excitement rub off on you – marinate in it! It’s infectious, so go along for the ride. Don’t worry about all the details, that wedding coordinator you hired will take care of it!

3. Enjoy yourself the night before your wedding, but make sure you get a restful night of sleep – it’s a long day in front of you and you’ll want to be ready for it.

4. Let your mom know how she can best help you on the day of – you’ve grown up and she might not know what drives you crazy, so in whatever way you communicate best with her, let her know what you need on the day of. She wants the best for you!

5. Those bridesmaids you asked to stand with you, they are not just there for pretty photos – they have a job! Not sure what it is? They might not know either: Duties of the Wedding Party & Duties of the Maid of Honor. The more you let them support you, the better your day will be. It’s your day to let go and be pampered, but remember to be the thankful friend you always are!

6. The bestman’s job is to take care of your fiance and the guests, so that you can sit back and primp and prep yourself. Let him be in charge of those pieces.

7. Go ahead and indulge in your favorite drink that morning. Not 5 of them, but one will help you enjoy that hair and makeup process and having all your ladies around you. So, if you love a skinny latte, make sure you have someone pick one up for you that morning!

8. You’ve chosen your vendors and you love them – now is the time to sit back and trust that they know your vision and are fabulous at their jobs. That fabulous wedding coordinator will pick up the slack and preserve your vision and handle the timeline from there!

9. Let it all go. What actually matters? That you are marrying your fiance. Just enjoy. Go ahead and smile. It’s your wedding day!

Top 7 Tips for Destination Weddings

admin — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 15:00:16 +0000

7. Choose a destination based on three things: 1) time of year - remember it rains and gets really hot in other parts of the world at different times, 2) accessibility for you and your guests - you don’t want a two-day flight on either end of your wedding experience, 3) somewhere that has some relevance to you as a couple – which will make it personal and memorable.

6. Use a wedding website as a one-stop information center for your guests where they can access all of your relevant information as well as details to make their vacation more enjoyable.

5. It’s a destination event, and by being so, is meant to be a vacation for you as well. Being in a different location means some unexpected surprises and some non-traditional procedures. You have to remember to remain open and flexible so that you can enjoy yourself and your time before and after your wedding day.

4. Understand that by choosing a destination event, you will have guests who are unable to attend. Make certain you make planning choices to include these special guests, such as professional videography, photography and possibly even streaming your ceremony.

3. Use a travel agent for all your bookings – that way when something goes wrong, you have someone to correct it for you and get you there or back home quickly and safely.

2. Work with a planner who knows the area or at least has contacts in the area. Remember that many countries do not work off of traditional contracts and agreements, and trying to do it all yourself just means you’ll have to fill in the gaps and see to everyone else’s needs once you get there and are on vacation, which you do not want to have to do!

1. Know the laws of the country you are getting married in and what it means to your status as a married couple in the United States.

-Christina, Muse

How Do You Know What To Get Your Fiance as a Wedding Day Gift?

admin — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 14:00:16 +0000

What do you get him for Christmas? What do you get her for her birthday? For valentines day? Be yourself. Of course you want it to be lasting, but sometimes what they need on that day is just a small reminder that you know them better than anyone else in the world. An assurance that even though you are not there by their side through all the craziness of the day (that is until that first look or walk down the aisle), that you are thinking of them and love them.

In light of that, stop and think of them. What is something that would say to them “I know you” or “I really do love you more than anything else” or… maybe you can think of that one thing they kept saying during the whole planning process (joking or not) that they wanted on their wedding day. Give them that. Even if it just makes them laugh, it will be the ultimate gift because you listened.

-Christina, Muse

Step-by-Step Solution to Finding the Right Caterer

admin — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:00:48 +0000

We all remember the food from the events we’ve attended – that and the entertainment! It’s a known fact that food is something that creates our memories of significant times in our lives. When you stop and think back to your childhood, you’ll find that food makes its way into many of your memories even if it wasn’t a show stopper. What we know as well, is that if the food was exceptional, our memory turns positive. On the flip side of that, if the food was horrible or made us somehow uncomfortable, our memories are tainted.
So…. how do you end up with an event that inspires great memories? Go all out with your food! That doesn’t necessarily mean going into debt over it, but fall in love with a great caterer and let them be the expert. Here’s a few steps that will help you in finding the perfect caterer for your event:

1) Be reasonable with your budget. Remember that food is just a portion of the cost when it comes to catering – there are rentals, and service, as well as service items and of course, the bar!
2) Understand your guests needs and make sure your caterer does too. 50% of the time that food goes wrong is due to poor planning. Think about the time of day you’ll be serving, special needs of your guests, and what they are expecting based on your invitation, and how exotic you can get.
3) Don’t be afraid of the unique. Everyone has had chicken. What else can they offer? Does the caterer bring some ideas that get you excited about your event?
4) Know what style of service you think you might want – that might change, but going with someone who is an expert at the style of service ensures great timing, hot food, and excellent presentation!
5) Let them inspire you. You might come in with a set idea of what you think you want. Don’t worry about it if it changes. You don’t have to go with their pre-set menus, or what was served at the last event you attended (even if it was fabulous). Caterers love to create – let them create you a one-of-a-kind experience for your guests.
6) Fall in love with your caterer – They should understand your vision and you should feel 100% comfortable with your meal in their hands, from menu to service to all the details.
7) Then, sit back and let them do their job. Make sure you communicate your timeline and any changes that occur, as well as your final guest count, but after that, let them be the ones in charge. You’ve chosen someone you feel you can trust, now you do exactly that.

-Christina, Muse

Top 5 Reasons to Have A Clear Vision for Your Event

admin — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 14:45:01 +0000

5. It will help you choose your vendors (those who will help you pull your vision together) because you know what you are looking for.

4. You can create a vision board or inspiration board that will allow you to create a visual overview to give to everyone involved so there are no questions about what you want for the event, from color, to textures, to style of formality, to ambiance.

3. Searching for items becomes 50x easier.

2. It’s more fun!

1. You get to put a bit of yourself or your company into the process instead of just being pulled along for the ride as decisions take place around you.

-Christina, Muse Events

Riviera Maya, Mexico

admin — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 14:30:02 +0000

We just returned from the Riviera Maya, near Cancun, this last month for an event that was truly one of the best events I have had the pleasure of being a part of. We were hosted by The Iberostar Grand Resort, who did an exceptional job with presentation and service.

Not only were we pampered and fed like kings and queens, their service was unparalleled and never have I seen finer organizational efforts in over 14 years of coordination. The event was decked out to the nines and truly one-of-a-kind. If are considering Mexico as a destination for your honeymoon, next corporate retreat, or destination wedding or event, I would highly recommend this resort, which is the Iberostar Paraiso Maya hotel. It is located in Playa Paraíso, between the well-known Caribbean resort towns of Cancun and Playa del Carmen, on the Riviera Maya.

Experience it for yourself and take a quick look at what we experienced,

Best Wedding Planner… Ever!!

admin — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 14:00:07 +0000

Muse saved our lives. My mom and I met Christina at her event nine months before the big day. Between our work schedules and the vision we had, we all knew we were going to need some help. Christina met with us and was able to capture our desires and worked tirelessly to make them happen. We had a very unique dream of what our day would be like and Muse embraced everything about it. On the actual day, Christina and her team were the backbone to the success of our happily ever after. The groom and I (and the rest of our families) didn’t have to worry about a thing other than our vows, our guests and having the time of our lives. We still hear about our wedding from our friends and family who tell us it was “what a wedding was supposed to be like; fun, fancy and fabulous!” We take such pride in the memories of our day but know that it wouldn’t have been nearly the event we were hoping for without Muse. Her ability to fulfill and exceed our desires and expectations was out of this world. We recommend Christina/Muse to any and everyone who is even thinking about a wedding coordinator as she can adapt to any level of planning doing as much or as little as you want her to. We couldn’t have done this without her. We are forever grateful to her and her staff… Thank you!!!

-Claire Crosby, Bride