After "YES," Before "I DO" and Everything In Between

To all of our previous and future clients, WE'VE MOVED! While our roots and so many of the spectacular events we've planned have been in the New Jersey / New York area, our new home base is beautiful Charlotte, North Carolina.   We are still getting settled, meeting new vendors and visiting event locations, but excited about this new adventure and how we'll be able to best serve Queen City brides!  But rest assured, we still love to travel and will be working events in the northeast often, in addition to planning weddings in as many other fabulous locations as possible. Cheers & Many Thanks, XoXo

Today's post is #600 since our debut  on August 20, 2007 (yay) ... and along with that, The Bridal Party has a NEW look on the web! To better serve prospective clients, our all new innovative website features a modern and clean design, user-friendly navigation and the latest in media tools ... plus a ton of gorgeous event photos right at your finger tips. We love it ... and hope you will too   ♥ www.RashanaAnderson.com

Awesome News Everyone!! Due to popular demand, I'll be teaching the Wedding Planning Certificate course again at Union County College this Fall, and I couldn't be more excited!  If you're interested in entering the wedding industry as a planner / consultant or if you already have lots of experience but would like to add certification to your list of qualifications, this is the class for you. Register today and/or share this opportunity with any family-member or friend who has a passion for wedding planning.  Visit the Union County College Continuing Education Department or simply call (908) 709-7600 option 3 to sign up.    HURRY, classes begin on September 18th ! - - - - - - - - - - by Rashana Anderson Founder & Managing Director, THE BRIDAL PARTY LLC

November 26 is a big day for everyone at THE BRIDAL PARTY LLC .  Why?  It’s the 2nd annual Small Business Saturday®, when people across the country come out and shop to support their favorite local businesses!  And as an extremely proud small wedding planning business in the great state of New Jersey, we are thrilled to spread the word and rally support.   Plus, in honor of all the wonderful small businesses we adore working with, we're offering an extra special promotion of  50% OFF to all prospective clients who submit inquiries on Small Business Saturday® and decide to invite our participation in their upcoming weddings and events. We are excited to offer such an exclusive offer in support of Small Business Saturday® and hope, overall, you're sure to frequent your favorite local, non-chain businesses on this special day.  Show them your appreciation and support your local economy ... they deserve it! - - - - - - - - by Rashana Anderson Fo...

We announced earlier this week that an LWPI certified wedding- and event-planner course is starting soon at Union County College and the instructor is our Founder & Managing Director, Rashana Anderson.  So many of our friends, family and supporters have congratulated Rashana on this spectacular opportunity, but it's also a wonderful opportunity for all of you out there in New Jersey who dream of entering the wedding/event planning business yourselves.   The hands-on program covers everything a wedding and event planner needs to know, including contracts, etiquette, flowers, music, day of services, marketing, industry business practices and application.   The program will provide students with all of the tools necessary to become a professional wedding and event planner. Students will also have the opportunity to participate at real local weddings and events for additional hands-on experience and graduates will receive an internationally recognized ce...

Awesome news New Jersey!  An LWPI certified wedding- and event-planner course is starting soon at Union County College and the instructor is none other than our own Rashana Anderson, Founder & Managing Director of THE BRIDAL PARTY LLC . We couldn't be more thrilled!! As many of our readers and clients know, Rashana (a Professional Bridal Consultant™) is a wedding singer-turned-wedding planner with over 11 years of experience in the wedding industry as well as in marketing, film/television and project management.  She built and established her business from the ground up in 2007 and has been successfully helping brides, grooms and their families create tremendously memorable events ever since.  Now, in partnering with The Wedding Planning Institute, a division of Lovegevity founded with the sole purpose of providing aspiring wedding planners with the best possible education, Rashana will share her experiences and knowledge with aspiring wedding/event plan...

Chances are, you've already met us and we've wow'd you with ideas, design suggestions, advice or even came to the rescue on those last-minute wedding day errands.  But just in case you haven't met all of our acquaintance, we'd like to introduce our fabulous core team!  After all, what's a wedding without THE BRIDAL PARTY ? Rashana Anderson Founder & Managing Director Professional Bridal Consultant™ As a wedding singer-turned-wedding planner , Rashana Anderson brought 11 years of experience in marketing, project management, film and television to the event planning industry when she founded THE BRIDAL PARTY LLC in 2007.  She is a seasoned Professional Bridal Consultant™, graduate of Rutgers University, an active member of the Association of Bridal Consultants as well as a Distinguished Graduate of their prestigious professional development program and the proud mother of boy/girl twins. Two people Rashana would love to have as guests at a dinner...

Several years ago I discovered an ongoing scam targeting wedding industry vendors (where an "overseas couple" reaches out to U.S. based photographers, videographers and wedding planners to help execute a wedding on their behalf, they mail an international cashier's check exceeding the agreed upon cost and ask the vendor to send back the difference, but after the check is cashed and found to be fraudulent the vendor has actually ended up sending their own money to the scammers).  Sad to say, I am still contacted by these international couples every now and then.  However, scams are also targeting brides more and more now.  Here's an article (courtesy of The Huffington Post) and video on a recent case being investigated by the FBI concerning a fraudulant bridal show. Brides, be careful and always do your research no matter what. BOSTON — Scammers set up a Web site advertising a fake bridal show billed as the "biggest and most extravagant" and used it to s...

Dear Rashana, I'm an up-and-coming videographer slowly breaking into the wedding industry.  Right now, in addition to acquiring clients, I've been focusing on setting up a proper and fair business model through market research and networking.  But one issue I'm still a little wary of is if it's ever OK to turn down a potential client's business?  I read in your interview on the Think Splendid blog that celebrity event planner Preston Bailey gave you the best piece of business advice you've ever received ("No matter how afraid you are or how unqualified you might feel, never walk away from an opportunity...").  But does this mean you'd never turn down business? - Video Girl * * * * * * * * * * Dear Video Girl , When I first began building a foundation for THE BRIDAL PARTY I never planned to turn any potential clients away.  I was eager and anxious to take on all inquiries.  I realized fairly quickly however, I could not run an honest and m...

I just read an awesome post over at Sparkliatti that I could not help but share with my readers. Sparkliatti is a blog headed up by San Francisco based celebrity event planner Sasha Souza, and she recently shared some inside info that many of us planners are all too familiar with: new/up-and-coming planners using sneaky tactics to uncover and copy established planners' business models/plans/prices. These newbies actually "shop" you and it can really get out of hand. Here's Sasha's article (which deserves a big "AMEN" at the end): Over the past few weeks, I've been shopped by other planners no less than twice - and those are the planners that I actually caught doing it. I have my suspicions on three other info requests as well which we are handling with kid gloves. Let me give you a bit of advice regarding pricing both yourself and figuring out who is charging what... It Does Not Matter What I Charge : Why? Because YOU are not ME. Your...

We announced in October The Bridal Party was in the process of opening doors to a brand new office/planning studio, and I'm proud to report we're nearing the finish line. I'm one super-duper perfectionist, and to say I'm taking my time and painstakingly pondering almost every detail is an understatement, but we're about 75% there. Our space is small but so extraordinarily charming and adorable. I'm really pleased. And before 2009 says "farewell," we'll be ready! And since I promised to keep you posted, here's a sneak peek. - - - - - - - - - - by Rashana Anderson Founder & Managing Director, THE BRIDAL PARTY

As everyone's aware, there's no place like home ...thus we're thrilled to announce The Bridal Party is in the process of opening doors to a brand new office/planning studio! Our new space will provide a professional yet inviting comfort to our current and future clients. We've partnered with a close colleague/friend to bring forth a remarkable presentation, providing the very best to our brides and grooms to-be, such that it's an understatement to say we are truly overwhelmed with excitement. While it's a little too soon to provide a confirmed open-date, being that there's still LOTS of work to do, we'll be sure to keep you posted. - - - - - - - - - - by Rashana Anderson Founder & Managing Director, THE BRIDAL PARTY

A good friend brought a fabulous new bridal boutique location to my attention recently. The ladies of Designer Loft , Paulette Cleghorn and Liz Sellassie, have expanded their roots from NYC to NJ! Their new location, Designer Loft West , is located at in the heart of South Orange Village at 7 Sloan Street. They are quoted as having said they took "a leap of faith opening a new store in the middle of a recession, but aren't nervous because brides still want to look gorgeous as they walk down the aisle." And although the original shop on 37th Street in Manhattan has been in business for eight years, the new location also houses an in-house designer in addition to world-famous designers such as Yumi Katsura and Jenny Packham. So brides-to-be, add a stop at Designer Loft West to your wedding dress shopping itinerary! - - - - - - - - - Rashana Anderson Founder & Managing Director, The Bridal Party

I was very excited to have met Colin Cowie at The Wedding Salon's NYC bridal show in March. I was all the more excited to have received an email from Colin shortly thereafter thanking me for my support.  But none of that compares to how appreciative and humbled I am that Colin has decided to list After YES, Before I DO & Everything In Between as a noteworthy blog over at Colin's Blog: Life At 120 Miles Per Hour ! This is truly an honor, for Colin Cowie's dedication over the years to designing beautiful events AND providing exceptional service as an arbiter of style is second-to-none. As I expressed in my reply back to Mr. Cowie's email, his accomplishments have been an inspiration in that I will always be "passionate about my work and remain a 'student'...[focused to] continuously challenge myself to learn and evolve, [which] I believe is crucial in providing top-notch service" to the clients of THE BRIDAL PARTY . Thanks so much again...

Sobitart Photography penned a new blog post today about the photo shoot they did for RashanaAnderson.com 's redesign last Fall. Chad, the owner and lead photographer, is phenomenally talented. He is also a very good friend of mine. The photo shoot was SO MUCH FUN!  When the time came for our web designers, Onyx Code , to start laying in photography it was really difficult choosing shots. Read a little about it here .

I don't usually jump on a soapbox when blogging, but this has been on my mind so I've decided to share. Often, I come across posts from my fellow wedding consultants where they shake a finger at those who fail to take our business seriously as a BUSINESS and not a hobby. Many are frustrated by the idea that a bride who planned her own wedding should automatically assume she can become a professional in the field. Many are also frustrated by ill-prepared wedding consultants giving those of us who have honed our creativity, studied and worked hard a bad name by providing shoddy service and dropping the ball. Why? Because this is serious business and there is really little room for error when you're dealing with a client's once-in-a-lifetime event. A hired planner must be ready...there are no test-runs. However, some of the same consultants who complain are, in my opinion, enabling the behavior they claim to disapprove of. How? By offering "how to be a wedding planner...

Abdominoplasty, calf augmentation, collagen injections, liposuction...yes, all huge trends among celebs and even us regular people too. Let's face it, in this day and age you must be willing to adjust and update yourself, right?  Well, guess who'll be adding to those revampment statistics, sort of .  Instead, we're tearing it all down and starting fresh. Stay tuned for The Bridal Party 's website redesign...courtesy of none other than  OnyxCode !

Hello & Welcome! My friends and family have known for many years that event planning is truly a labor of love for me; something I absolutely revel in and enjoy. However, I had not decided to officially establish my event planning business until now. With that said, it’s my pleasure to present The Bridal Party … specializing in extravagant experiences and stylish soirées! Services of The Bridal Party are of tremendous value to brides, grooms and their loved ones … providing top-notch planning, management and consultation for ceremonies, receptions, engagement parties, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, bridesmaid teas, wedding-eve gatherings, post-wedding brunches, destination weddings and much more. I am so very excited to be getting started! Rashana Founder & Managing Director of The Bridal Party LLC http://rashanaanderson.com