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Category Archives: Wedding/Event Planners

I am excited to announce that Regalo Design has started a proposal planning service! They successfully pulled off their first proposal on April 26th at The Bridge Building! Sarah and Damon of Regalo Design were on News Channel 5 last night May 21st, at 6pm to discuss the details of this great new service! Watch Here!  I couldn’t resist sharing the details of their first planned proposal! 

From Regalo Design: When we decided to start offering proposal planning as a new service at the beginning of this year we had big dreams as to what we would be able to help men do as they planned their perfect engagement.  We pulled together a game plan of how we would structure the packages, what questions we would ask to ensure we captured the essence of the relationship in a single moment, and then began to market the service in hopes that Nashville would have a need for what we were offering.

Since that time we have had the opportunity to walk through the planning process with multiple guys, and this past Friday, April 26th, 2013, we finally got to experience our first proposal that came about as a result of our efforts.  And what a night it was!

Kevin called us on April 18th and filled us in a a little plan that he was hatching.  He is an executive in Chicago and he and his girlfriend were flying in on the 26th to run the Music City Half Marathon with some friends of theirs.  They had decided they wanted to fly to a few races away from home this year, and Nashville was the first destination on their list.  They had never been to the city before, and Pamela, Kevin’s girlfriend, had a finger, that needed a ring, that needed a setting to be presented in.

His request was simple… I’m getting engaged, we’ve never been to Nashville before, and I need this to be memorable.

With one week to plan we immediately began calling venues and vendors to see what we could make happen.  The final three were narrowed down to Centennial Park, The Ryman Auditorium and The Bridge Building.  We called fireworks companies to find out if we could get clearance in the downtown area to do a display. We called laser light companies to discuss shooting “Congrats Kevin and Pamela” on the side of LP Field for a little post-proposal effect. We contacted the race director for the Music City Marathon to work on approval for fireworks in the parking lot of LP Field and a special “congrats” message pre-race for the newly engaged couple. We contacted restaurants in town about special reservations and room availability.

When all of these items were handed over to Kevin we decided on the following…

Kevin and Pamela arrived late afternoon (later than expected due to flight delays) in Nashville and headed for their downtown hotel. Rain had not been forecast for Friday until that morning, so plans were made on our end for the rain strategy.

At 6:30 PM they departed their hotel for the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge and we received the text, “we’re on the way” at 6:47 as they hit the bridge.

Just after 7PM they entered “the new restaurant in town”, The Bridge Building.

As they walked in they were greeted by Don, who sat them at a table for two.  Surrounded by red roses, candles, navy blue pintuck linens (blue is Pamela’s favorite color), blue uplighting all around, Italian string lighting overhead, and a beautiful gobo pattern on the floor, they sat to take in the breathtaking Nashville views from the main dining room at The Bridge Building.

Now the question was, how will we get the ring?

As the main course was served (from the pre-decided menu) the chef came out along with Lesa Neff, one of the building’s event managers, for a picture.  As the picture was being setup, the ring was handed off to their waiter, Don.  Don came to the back and the ring was promptly put in a box that we had on hand for the occasion and placed on a white platter for delivery later.

As the main course was being finished up the rain began to head our way. So we sent Lesa out to deliver a message.  ”The view from here to downtown is beautiful and I would hate for you to miss it because of the rain. Would the two of you like to step out on the patio to take in the view before the weather prevents it?” The answer was, “yes!”

The couple headed outside to a bistro table that was placed in the perfect location for what was to happen next. They made small talk for a few minutes and then the cue was given.  Kevin got down on one knee and Don made his way to them with a white platter adorned with a small black box. Kevin took the box from the platter, opened it, and that was our sign for the final piece. As the box was opened, and Kevin mentioned that he had been waiting on a sign for the right time to pop the question, the words “Pamela, will you marry me” popped up in lights on one of the main supports of the pedestrian bridge.

When she finally pulled her hands from her face she knelt down, lifted Kevin up, and kissed her new fiance.

As they come back into the building the music began playing and they had their first dance as a newly engaged couple.  Their friends arrived shortly after to enjoy dessert.  And it didn’t end there.

They departed The Bridge Building for The Wildhorse Saloon. Shortly after their arrival the LED screens that line either side of the stage lit up with, “Congrats Kevin and Pam. She said yes! What was she thinking? Oh well, let’s party!” and the band gave a shout out to the couple.

The following morning, as Pamela made her way across the start line of the Country Music Marathon, she was greeted with another surprise.  The announcer called out her name and said, “a special good luck wish goes out to Pamela Elizabeth. Her new fiancé Kevin says ‘have a great run and he can’t wait until you become his wife.”

And that my friends, is what we call a picture perfect proposal!

Just before posting this blog we received an amazing note from Kevin and we wanted to share that with you…

The weekend was fantastic, and aside from the rain for the race, we could not have asked for a better time.  They did make the announcement at the start of her race.  I’m very happy you were able to get the change made.

I truly want to thank you and your team for everything they accomplished on our behalf this weekend.  Trying to setup and coordinate a proposal that I wanted to be very special was hard enough, but trying to do it in a city I have never been to seemed impossible.  However, you were able to make great suggestions on everything from venues to schedules and pulled it all together to make it look like I had spent weeks in Nashville setting it all up.  The attention to detail and managing last minute changes were truly impressive.  You made my new fiance Pamela feel incredibly special, and made me look like a million bucks. 

I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all that you did, especially in such a short time frame.  It will be a story she will probably be telling forever, all while giving me a tremendous sense of pride.

Thank you again.  My only regret is that I wasn’t able to have a celebratory drink with you and Sarah after it was all done.

As always these of things don’t happen without the help of amazing people and we’d like to thank the following…

The Bridge Building and their amazing staff:

• Lesa Neff
• Mimi Mayo
• Don (the waiter)
• Tabor Luckey

Reed with Nashville Audio Visual
The Wildhorse Saloon

• Jen McKell
• Jill Moody

The Country Music Marathon

• Malain McCormick

If you or someone you know is getting engaged and you think we can help, please let us know!  We’d love to be a part of their special day. Take a look at the service here.

Today’s vendor crush belongs to the fabulous Regalo Design! They are one of our new event planners and decorators here at Wedding 101. So, the proper introduction would be me crushing on them and their amazing work. After you read this blog, you will be crushing on them too.  Read more…

After months of meticulous wedding planning, no bride expects her wedding to look like a hot mess. Nevertheless, it’s been known to happen because a theme ran amuck!  Camie Steiner, event planner and designer of Camie Occasions, has a thought on the subject to avoid disaster and to accomplish divine. Read more…

I think whether or not you invite children to your wedding is a major concern for many brides so I wanted to share her thoughts and add a little tidbit from one of our wedding planners to boot. Read more…

Today we’ve got a fabulous guest post by Camie Occasions. It’s a great Q & A session that will help you get to know one of our newest members of Wedding 101.

Q: Tell us a bit about Camie Occasions

A: Camie Occasions is a Nashville based Wedding Planning and Design Boutique creating
artistic event designs and custom planning solutions. Read more…

I hope you had a wonderful weekend full of all the lovely things you enjoy. My hubby and I spend the weekend doing a few very small projects around the house, baking, and enjoying a day of fun together. Marry Me Weddings, of Columbia, SC, sent over this enchanting outdoor wedding to share with you. I adore the subtle colors of the flowers against the bridesmaids pop of blue, the vintage plates, and the plantation venue. Enjoy! Read more…

I am a little obsessed with being organized. Okay, okay… I am a lot obsessed with being organized. I thought I’d share a couple of things that can help keep you organized while planning your wedding. Read more…

Celebrity Wedding Planner David Tutera is creating a 6 city promotional tour for 2012! A Magical Affair is rallying troops here in Music City to show support and get him here! Nashville would be honored to have our city as one of the 6! Read more…

Finally our last post covering The Pink Bridal Show! We know there were so many vendors to choose from at the show. This post will go over our other favorites in the show! They are all Wedding 101 members and we feel so privileged that these wonderful vendors are a part of Wedding 101! Here we go: Read more…

One of our lovely planning teams, Decadent Details, recently did a great tablescape shoot at beautiful Cajun Lake Lodge. They couldn’t wait to share their ideas with our readers. Read more…