Veils and Fairytales

Why Hire Veils and Fairytales?

2012-01-20T22:22:00.000-08:00

I've always had lots of questions about myself and my company, how I got started, what other services I offer, do we book more than one event per day, etc. So I decided to compile all sorts of questions and turn it into an interview with myself as if the Client or Bride was interviewing me and asking why she should hire me and my team to help plan her wedding.

You can also find this interview on our website here.

Here is a client interview with Leslie Velazquez, owner of Veils and Fairytales Weddings & Events:

Client: How long have you been doing wedding and event planning and how did you start?

Leslie: We have been planning fabulous weddings and events since 2007 and established our company, Veils and Fairytales, in 2009. Veils and Fairytales began as an aspiration for me. Planning and coordinating family gatherings, school events, and including my own wedding has brought this passion for wedding and event planning. Seeing every detail come to fruition exactly how I dreamed it to be gave me such an overwhelmingly joyous feeling; I just fell in love with the idea of planning such grand events! It was after planning my own wedding when it finally occurred to me...the passion I have for doing this encouraged me to start a business! So, Veils and Fairytales was born.

Having a design background within the architectural field, the industry demands one to be very detail-oriented, which I have excelled. Being a project manager and in this business for over 10 years, I have also mastered managerial duties such as budgeting, time lines and deadlines, and overseeing large projects. My experience has tremendously helped me be articulate and organized and have the confidence of doing what I love doing best.

Client: We love your description of wedding and event services and your gallery of photos, everything sounds fantastic...but can you tell me what sets YOU apart from other planners?

Leslie: "It was such a relief to know that Leslie was there to handle every detail and mishap. She went above and beyond to make my day stress free." ~Laura T. 7/17/09 Wedding at Mission Inn Hotel & Spa

Relieving stress and anxiety is our specialty! Our team goes above and beyond to make sure you fully enjoy your day blissfully. During and throughout the planning process, the bride can think of us as her best friend, her confidante, her personal assistant and her adviser, along with being her wedding planner/coordinator. We know this is YOUR special day, and we are here to assist you with whatever you may need, as well as to make sure that everything goes smoothly on the day of your wedding. We cater to YOUR dreams. We listen attentively to all our clients and assist you plan your wedding or event the way YOU want it to be. We are here to make sure that what you dream for your special day is exactly how you envision it. We are all about details!

C: Do you only specialize in wedding planning or do you offer planning for other events or offer other services?

L: We do specialize in weddings but also do other events such as engagement parties, morning-after-wedding brunches, bridal/baby showers, anniversary celebrations, kid's parties, birthdays, corporate events, and family reunions. Our event services start at $499 depending on the type of event services you require (candy/dessert buffets excluded).

We offer candy and /or dessert buffet services as well that can be added to any wedding planning package or as a stand alone service. Please visit our sister site for detailed information on this particular service. www.vandfcandybuffets.com

C: This all sounds so wonderful, but also sounds expensive, are we going to be able to afford this?

L: Definitely! Our wedding packages start at just $699 depending on the package you select. We will definitely work with you to make any package suit both your needs and budget. We also offer customized planning packages that can create the perfect wedding planning package that is just right for you. We only require a 50% retainer to hold/book your event date (which is non-refundable) and the rest of the fees are due 30 days prior to your event day. Financing options are available, so we can work out a payment plan that is perfect for you. Think of this as an investment towards your freedom and ability to be stress-free on your wedding day.

C: Do you take credit cards and/or can we have a payment plan?

L: Yes, we take all major credit cards via PayPal or Square Up, we also accept checks. Yes, we can incorporate a payment plan that is just right for your budget, including, but not limited to, monthly, bi-monthly, and/or quarterly payment plans until your payments are paid in full (all payments must be paid in full 30 days prior to event date). Of course we also accept early or full payments paid at any time prior to your event.

C: Do you take/book more than one wedding per day?

L: No, we do not double book or book more than one event per day. Once a date is booked (with signed agreement on file and initial retainer payment made), the date is fulfilled and will not allow to be booked by any other event. We do this to accommodate our clients and to be there for our clients 100% of the time. We devote the entire day just for you!

C: Will I lose control of my wedding if you are planning it for me?

L: Absolutely NOT!! YOU are in control of the planning and decision making 100% of the time. We are here for you as much or as little as you need us to be. Some brides do most or all of the planning with us just here to answer any questions, refer vendors, call and make appointments on their behalf or just give them direction of what to do next. Other brides need us to be there every step of the way, including accompanying them to meetings, sending reminders of meetings or phone calls, budget assistance, event and/or theme design, etc. We are here to ASSIST you plan your wedding, not take over (unless you want us to!).

C: Will you work with vendors I've already found/hired or ones that I want to work with?

L: Yes, we definitely work with your hired vendors or ones you want to work with. We love meeting and working with other wedding professionals we haven't worked with because this also allows us to find new vendors that we can potentially refer to future clients. So it's a win-win for everyone!

C: Who do you work best with?

L: We work best with clients that are willing to allow us to help them in planning their event. Those that will take and heed our advice, our professional opinions and suggestions and are willing to allow us to do the job that they hired us for. We are a team of professional women that take much pride in what we do. So we work best with anyone that trusts us enough to do our job completely, professionally and exquisitely.

C: Who is not going to benefit from your help with planning a wedding or event?

L: Unfortunately procrastinators, someone that has a hard time making decisions or selections, someone that doesn't allow to trust others, ones that can't express themselves or have a hard time expressing their wants or desires, someone that may have too many of others opinions that they can't think for themselves, someone that needs to have things repeated over and over again or those that know exactly what they want and know how to plan a beautiful wedding on their own may not benefit from our help in planning a wedding.

C: This all sounds like everything we're looking for, what happens next to start the process?

L: The next step is for you to call me at 951-442-3941 or email me to set up your 'get-aquainted' complimentary consultation. I want to hear about your needs and see if we are a good match and to learn what package fits your personality, style and budget most.

You can also take a look at our previous client testimonials here right now.

C: I/We have a few more questions before getting started, may I call you to discuss further?

L: Yes, in fact we highly encourage and require all potential clients to schedule a complimentary consultation so we can get all your questions out of the way and answered and make sure we're a great fit for one another. Again please feel free to call me with any questions you may have, 951-442-3941, or you can email me to discuss your needs and desires.

Hope this answers any/all questions or concerns you may have about us and why you should hire us. If you still have further questions, please don't hesitate to contact us!

Happy planning!

XOXO,

Leslie V.

Fave Pinterest Picks Post #1

2012-01-13T14:58:00.000-08:00

I just can't stop raving about Pinterest! I just love, love, love this site; it's so addicting!! I've created like over 20 boards (and still counting...!). This site is SOO great for brides to select photos and create inspirational boards and just get ideas from everywhere on the Internet right at one place!

So, what I am going to do over the next few weeks is blog about my most favorite Pinterest picks. This is going to be so hard because of course I pin what I love most!! But I will pick several pins from each of my Pinterest boards to feature and feature at least two different boards per blog post.

This should be fun! The photos I pick will be random but favorites from each of my boards. You can let me know if any of your favorites got picked!!

So, here above are my first picks and what I love most about them. This first collage is from my Exquisite Wedding Couture board which seems to be a favorite board for many (seeing that I get a lot of repins from this board constantly and have lots of followers of it). I selected these because they are just gorgeous, aren't they!?! These photos represent what I would have loved for my own wedding (if I had an enormous budget!!). Did your favorite pins get selected here?!? Let me know!

This next collage is from my Couture Balloon Wedding Decor board on Pinterest. Balloons are starting to pick up more interest and momentum on being used for weddings. What are your thoughts? Would you use balloons to decorate your wedding ceremony or reception?

Stay tuned for future favorite Pinterest picks!! And if you aren't already following, come follow my Pinterest boards on Pinterest and choose your favorites! Have you joined Pinterest? If you need an invite, please leave a comment that you would like an invite and I will send it to you!

Happy Planning!

XOXO,

Leslie V.

We Made MomentVille's 2012 Wedding Pro Hot List!

2012-01-10T14:37:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited because Veils and Fairytales made MomentVille's 2012 Hot List for the 2nd year in a row!

You can read the press release announcing the award here or below. Thank you MomentVille!!

Veils and Fairytales is Named to the 2012 Wedding Professional Hot List

2 Jan, 2012 - MomentVille.com one of the worlds leading wedding websites, is pleased to announced that Veils and Fairytales has been selected for the 2012 Wedding Professional Hot List.

The annual Wedding Professional Hot List recognizes excellence within the wedding industry, as determined by reviews from tens of thousands of brides and grooms. Veils and Fairytales was among the best reviewed vendors in the past year.

"The Wedding Professional Hot List recognizes best of class wedding professionals." said Geoff Evason, MomentVille's CEO. "Highlighting the success of the top wedding professionals is an exciting way to spread the word and help newly engaged couples find the right professionals for their own weddings."

About Veils and Fairytales
We love "Happily Ever Afters" and "Fairy Tale Endings" but most of all we love making them come true for you! Allow us to plan your unique event and you'll see that with us, fairy tales DO come true!

About MomentVille
MomentVille.com offers engaged couples and wedding enthusiasts a one stop place for planning and sharing a wedding. Offering free wedding websites, wedding planning tools, a gorgeous gallery of wedding pictures a searchable list of reviewed wedding vendors, and lots of helpful and inspiring wedding content, MomentVille helps newlyweds with all aspects of their wedding. For more information contact media@momentville.com

Wedding Planner/Coordinator Fees

2012-01-03T19:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!! Welcome 2012!! I hope you all had an awesome holiday season.

Here's to a brand new year, brand new outlook and excited for new things to come!

So I recently read this passage on another wedding coordinator's facebook wall and thought that I just had to share it on my blog:

"About a Wedding Coordinator's Fees: A lot of hours go into planning and coordinating a wedding, so take the amount a coordinator has charged you, divide that by the amount of hours you think it would take to plan and coordinate a wedding (typically 150 hours or more) and decide if you yourself would work your job at that hourly rate. Many people do not consider this, but it will allow you to appreciate your planner all the more when you think from that perspective."

This is so true. There is so much that goes into planning a wedding, then coordinating on the day of the wedding. There are hours of extensive research for a bride searching for vendors, their prices, finding the right vendor that fits within her budget or just negotiating with a vendor to get them to charge for their services or products that fit within a bride's budget.

There are also vendor meetings, meetings with the bride and her fiance or mom or whole family. Meetings with photographers, DJ's, florist's, caterers, venue coordinators, and the list goes on. All this takes time, hours, minutes.

A coordinator takes away the stress it takes to plan a wedding. And if the bride is maybe still in school plus working a full time job, the only time she really has to plan a wedding would be maybe on the weekends or late in the evening. This really doesn't leave any time for anything else. Things may get pushed, procrastinated or even forgotten.

And this is just a small dip into what a wedding planner/coordinator can do for a bride. Don't think of a coordinator's fees as just that, a fee, but think of it as an investment. An investment towards your freedom; to enjoy your engagement, your life with your fiance and not stressing about planning your beautiful wedding. What cost would you put towards less or no stress and not having to worry about anything? And if you have a year or more to plan your wedding, just think of all the hours that will get put into planning it. Just as the quote above states, would you work your own job at that hourly rate?

Hopefully brides will understand why we charge what we do and why it's hard for us to negotiate lower fees or to even lower our prices at all...

Happy planning!!

XOXO,

Leslie V.

Roly Poly Santa Cookies Recipe

2011-12-22T17:01:00.000-08:00

I've been so into the Christmas spirit these past few days! I finished all my shopping, wrapping all presents, watched my favorite Christmas/Holiday movies (i.e. Charlie Brown Christmas, Elf, A Christmas Carol) and cozied up by the fireplace with my love. Only thing left to do is to bake!!

So today I dedicated myself to baking. I made Magic Cookie Bars, Coffee and Cookie Brownies, Raspberry Thumbprint sugar cookies and these Roly Poly Santa cookies! I thought they came out so cute (and yummy, yes I did taste one!), I just had to share this recipe with you! And they would be so fun to make with kids (if you have kids old enough to help you bake)!!

So here's the recipe:

Prep: 50 minutes
Oven: 325 degrees F
Bake: 12-15 minutes per batch (or until browned at the edges)

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar (I did taste them and I think you could add a little more sugar so they are more like sugar cookies, they aren't as sweet as they could be, but up to you.)
1 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2-1/4 cups of all purpose flour
Red paste or gel food coloring (not the liquid kind!)
Miniature semisweet chocolate pieces
*Snow Frosting (see below) or white cookie decorating icing that comes in a tube with tip (I used the decorating icing)
Red Cinnamon candies

1. In large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in milk and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. (Or just use your hands to mix the dough, that's what I did) Remove one cup of the dough. Tint the remaining dough with red food coloring and mix in color (I also did this with my hands and boy were my hands all pink! LOL).

2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. For each cookie, use the red dough to shape one 1-inch ball and five 1/2-inch balls and the plain dough to shape one 3/4-inch and four 1/4-inch balls (or just eyeball it to what looks good, like I did, lol). Place the red 1" ball on an ungreased cookie sheet; flatten until 1/2" thick. Attach the plain 3/4" ball for the head; flatten to 1/2" thick. Attach four red 1/2" balls for arms and legs; attach the plain 1/4" balls for hands and feet. Attach the remaining red 1/2" ball for a hat and shape as desired. Repeat with remaining dough, placing cookies 2 inches apart. Add chocolate pieces for eyes and buttons.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Carefully transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool completely.

4. Decorate cookies with Snow Frosting (or cookie decorating icing) as desired. Attach cinnamon candies with dabs of frosting for noses. Let stand until frosting is set. Makes 12-15 cookies (depending on overall size; I ended up with 15 cookies).

*Snow Frosting: In a small bowl beat 1/2 cup shortening and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Gradually add 1-1/3 cups sifted powdered sugar, mixing well. Add 1 tablespoon milk. Gradually beat 1 cup sifted powdered sugar and enough milk (3 to 4 tablespoons) to make a frosting of piping consistency. Use decorating bag and star tip to add frosting to cookies.

Tip: Press the balls of dough against each other as you flatten them so they won't separate after baking (I had an arm fall off because of this, lol).

To Store: Place cookies (do not decorate if freezing) in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months; thaw and decorate as directed in Step 4.

Enjoy!! I hope you like 'em as much as I did!

Merry Christmas!!!

XOXO,

Leslie V.

Koyal Wholesale Couples Contest Collaboration

2011-12-15T20:57:00.000-08:00

I have a big announcement! We at Veils and Fairytales have collaborated with Koyal Wholesale in their couples photo contest!! We are giving a $200 dollar discount for either our partial or full wedding planning packages to the engaged couple who wins their photo contest as well as $25 dollar gift certificates for a wedding gown preservation kit to 2nd & 3rd place winners!

Any and all couples, either engaged or married may enter! Please see Koyal's Blog for all the details of the contest. Engaged couples, be sure to tag Veils and Fairytales on your photo as well, so we know you are trying for our $200 dollar credit or the gown preservation $25 gift certificates!

Be sure to let your friends know to like both Koyal Wholesale and Veils and Fairytales pages to get more votes on your photos! Any questions, please email me at contest@veilsandfairytales.com. Good luck!!

*Winners must be getting married within the 2012 calendar year and not on any of our black out days or dates where we are already booked. Please email us at contest@veilsandfairytales.com to inquire about black out and booked dates. The gown preservation gift certificates are only redeemable through Veils and Fairytales.

Newly Designed Blog!

2011-12-14T19:08:00.000-08:00

Hello folks!

In gearing up for a new year, I'm in the process of updating my websites and my blog! My main website has been updated, and I've just recently finished our candy/dessert buffet website to match. Have you seen it?

And now for a new blog look! I'm really liking this new look. I tried to find something that would somewhat match my main site; and I think this one does. Tell us what you think!

As for it being almost 2012, wow! Time sure flies! Here's to new exciting things to come!

May you have a wonderful holiday season. Merry Christmas and cheers to a Happy New Year! We'll see you in 2012!!

XOXO,

Leslie V.

Black Friday/Cyber Monday Specials

2011-11-27T14:02:00.000-08:00

For those of you who follow my blog, I want to let everyone know that I have extended my Black Friday specials through the weekend 'til Cyber Monday!

You can save 40% off any of our 3 wedding planning packages as well as get a wedding gown preservation kit to preserve your beautiful wedding gown for only $99 (reg. $149)!! Take advantage of these awesome deals as they will be gone before you know it! You have until Monday, 11/28 to email, call or text me letting me know you're interested and you can take advantage of great deals! You have until 12/3 to actually book.

Please visit my website for all the details on our specials.

Happy Planning!

XOXO

Leslie V.

New Engagement Season, New Photos, New Site!

2011-11-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hello All!

Hope you were able to read my last post of the vintage photo shoot that I posted yesterday! I was quite excited to finally see the final product. Mariela did a great job, didn't she?!

Well, a new season has come around once again... Autumn, Fall, Thanksgiving...Christmas?? Yes, those too, but I'm talking about engagement season!! It's the time of year that many boyfriends everywhere take advantage of this time of year to propose to their girlfriends. Yes, it's my favorite time of year!! ;)

So with that said, I wanted to officially launch my newly redesigned website!! I have redesigned my website for easier viewing of photos, and ease of navigation. I hope you all like this site better than my last. I was going for the less verbiage, more photos, cleaner look. I think/hope I reached my goal...

Go visit my site, take a look around and let me know what you think. I look forward to hearing any and all feedback!!

http://www.veilsandfairytales.com/

Thanks a bunch!

XOXO,

Leslie V.

Chic, Modern, Vintage

2011-10-31T21:22:00.000-07:00

It was a sunny, warm and beautiful afternoon at the Europa Village Winery in Temecula, one of Southern California's newest wineries, which was the setting for this fabulous chic, modern, vintage photo shoot. The location is gorgeous! The sunset was beautiful to watch in the background as Mariela Campbell snapped away, taking photos of the lovely decor, provided by some extremely qualified wedding professionals.

As the two models, Laura Baker and Moses Carillo, who really are in love (they are a real couple), just be themselves, they made it so easy to be photographed. The beautiful Laura's make up was precisely done by Stephanie Carillo. Mariela did an awesome job of photographing all the details of this shoot, meanwhile her husband, Demetris Campbell, captured everything with video. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing the video soon!

Each of the participating wedding professionals did such a great job, they made this photo shoot so easy to style and coordinate. Koyal Wholesale provided most of the wedding decor on the table and a few places elsewhere. The flower pom pom's were graciously provided by Dress My Cupcake.

All floral arrangments were beautifully done by Oceanic Flowers. The yummy-looking candy buffet was exquisitely designed and displayed by Lavinia Picazo, owner of Picazo's Art of Candy and Cake Pops. SDezigns Weddings provided all stationary, including the invitations, the menu and table number. And Cultural Intrigue provided other wedding related products.

A huge thank you to all of you that were apart of it! I look forward to working with you on another photo shoot and many events in the future!

I must say, in bringing together each of these wedding professionals, these photos most certainly demonstrate all the awe-inspiring talents that ensued from it. What do you think?

If you'd like to contact any of these vendors for your own wedding or event, please click on any of their names (links) above. Please do let them know Leslie of Veils and Fairytales referred you or that you saw/read about them on my blog!

To view more photos, please visit our facebook page or click on the title link above.

'Til next time!! Happy planning!

XOXO,

Leslie V.

Feelin' Scrambled?

2011-10-27T13:33:00.000-07:00

Hello dolls! What's a great way to take a break from staring at that computer screen all day at work? Give your eyes (and hands, ears and everything else) a rest and have a bit of fun! Even if it's for 5 minutes (or maybe 10).

Let's play a game! Unscramble all the wedding-related words I post on Facebook and Twitter each hour today and tomorrow, just for fun! And if you're a bride-to-be, unscramble all the words I post today and tomorrow (keep track of each one!) and then email them back to me in the order that they were posted, and if all words are correct, you could win $200 off our wedding planning services! How sweet is that!? Just for having some fun...

Is your brain tickled yet?! So come on! Let's go have some fun! Follow us on twitter: @VeilsFairytales and Facebook: www.facebook.com/VeilsandFairytales and keep an eye out for the scrambled words! Keep checking back each hour today and tomorrow.

Emails must be received no later than 11/1/2011. The first email that lists all words correctly, in the correct order will win! Winner will be notified by email and once confirmed, will be announced on Facebook & Twitter.

Ok, now for all the legal lingo...

*All words will be posted between the hours of 10am-8pm, Thursday 10/27/11 & 8am-6pm on Friday 10/28/11. Winner (bride-to-be) must be getting married between 1/1/2012 thru 12/31/2013 and book our Fairytales Come True wedding planning services to get the $200 discount. Winner must be 18+ years old and reside within Southern California and wedding must take place within Southern CA.

GOOD LUCK!!!

XOXO,

Leslie V.

Pinterested??

2011-10-14T16:39:00.000-07:00

So, I have a new found love interest... Yes, I can't deny it any longer... No! It's not what you think! I found this especially interesting, fun, exciting, new (well, new to me) website called Pinterest. I'm sure you've heard of it, if you're not already on it or having fun with it.

I can't tell you how much I love this website and how giddy I get when I go to my bookmarks and see this link. If you don't know what it is or only heard of it and never been to it, it's a website where you can share photos and videos and absolutely ANYTHING (well with the exceptions of vulgar things of course). You have to request to join the site, but you should hear back from them within about a week (if not less). Once you join, you can create boards and start pinning!

I currently have 13 (pretty creative, if I don't say so myself) boards and counting! All, except one, are somehow wedding-related. These are the one's I currently have:

And, last but not least, my personal (non-wedding related) board, Ideas for {Future} Baby, which is a board just for me and my inspirations for mine and my husband's future mini-me's. ;)

Here are a few photos I have on some of the boards named above. If you like what you see, come join the latest craze of Pinterest and follow my boards. I promise they won't disappoint. Enjoy!!

From my Exquisite Wedding Couture Pinterest Board

XOXO

~Leslie

Vaughn D. Fahie - Saxophonist

2011-09-28T13:59:00.000-07:00

Hello followers! Here I am again with another blog... Sorry it was a delay between blogs, but I've been trying to gather wedding vendors to interview.

Today's blog is all about Vaughn Fahie (pronounced "Foy"), the saxophonist. He's a great saxophone player I met at a unique bridal show at the Eagle Glen Golf Club a couple of months ago. He is awesome! You must go to his website to hear some of his wonderful music. But first, learn a little more about him and his band. If you'd like to reach Vaughn to request that he plays in your wedding or event, you can reach him at his website or facebook page. All of his sites are listed below and are linked, so click and it will take you to him! Enjoy!!

Q. How long have you been playing the sax?

A. I have been playing the sax for 24 years now since 11th grade.

Q. How did you get started playing the sax as a business (within the wedding/event industry)?

A. I officially began my business, Sax 4 God Productions, in 1999 after I had been hired to play for weddings, receptions and banquets 5 years prior. My background is in event planning specializing in audio/visual equipment. Before going full time as a saxophonist in 2004 I spent 12 years as a set-up person,

a/v tech, building operations manager, event planner and finally an Associate Director for Operations at CSU Fullerton's Student Union. My focus was always making sure someone's event had an inviting atmosphere...and good live music does that. Through a series of circumstances and a big kick out of the

"comfort zone nest" I left Fullerton and pursued sharing my gift & passion.

Q. Have you played for any celebrities or interesting people?
A. I opened for the Smothers Brothers, played for a wedding on a yacht where Byron Scott was the best man, opened for Alvin Slaughter, played with Marilyn McCoo & Billie Davis, Jr., several mayors and city/state officials.

Q. What is the most memorable occasion where you have played? Where did you play? Did you play for anyone in particular at this memorable occasion?
A. My most memorable concert was recently (May 2011) at Raquel's Jazz Lounge in Rialto. I did a live recording of my Jazz Trio, S3 (Sax, Skins & Strings), and my dad sat at the front and center table. The song arrangements were his style of jazz and I wanted him to enjoy the concert up close & personal. He is one
of my biggest constructive critics and I wanted him to be proud of me. HE LOVED THE CONCERT and was impressed on my musical growth. It meant the world to me and the live CD is my personal favorite!

Q. What would you like others to know about you and your business?
A. I am in the business of musically filling the atmosphere, setting the mood and relaxing the environment. I am passionate about people experiencing the saxophone and adding class to their event. I strive to provide P.E.A.C.E.ful music - Professional, Enjoyable, Appropriate, Captivating and Elegant. I have a jazz quartet that is available for banquets, concerts and events as well.

"Just a few notes and your event will never be the same"!

In addition to playing saxophone I am a music producer and engineer at S4G Studios where I produce my CDs along with other artist/musicians' CDs. I specialize in mixing and mastering and have produced radio commercials, audio books, cheerleading and professional dance mixes, custom ringtones, video voice overs and custom answering service messages. I give private saxophone lessons to young & young at heart students.

I am happily married to my wife of 12 years and we have a talented son (drummer). I love to fly kites in my spare time and I enjoy teaching, helping and encouraging others to be the best they were created to be.

You can get 2 free downloads on his website music page to listen and enjoy. Either "Inward Jazz" or "Do You Breathe".

Wow, such an interesting man! And very talented, I must say. He plays at local Chick-fil-A's around the Inland Empire as well as some other local restaurants and venues. Check out his itinerary on his website.

If you'd like to obtain more information about Vaughn, check out his websites and YouTube videos!
http://www.vaughnfahie.com/ or http://www.sax4god.com/
www.facebook.com/vaughnfahie
www.facebook.com/vaughnfahie.sax4god (musician page)
www.twitter.com/vaughnfahie
www.linkedin.com/in/vaughnfahie
YouTube Video #1
YouTube Video #2

Thanks for the interview Vaughn!!

'Stars Above' Balloon Decor Interview

2011-08-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

I would like to introduce to you Wendy Salazar, owner of 'Stars Above' Balloons Decor. If you are ever in need of balloons for your child's birthday party or any occasion for that matter, you must call Wendy. She is fabulous at making very creative balloon masterpieces!! She took a few moments (out of her busy schedule) to allow me to interview her so YOU the reader can get to know her and about her business a little better. Take a look at some of her work and read more about her business below.

Q: What is behind your business name, what does your business name mean?
A: The name of our company is Stars Above Balloons which primary stands for my daughter "Citlali" which means "star" in Aztec and she was sent to us from up above! And so was this great business.

Q: How long have you been in the balloon business and why did you start it?
A: I've done balloons for 5 years now helping out family and friends at their own party's. Before my daughter was born I knew I wanted to stay home with her and still bring income home, so I decided to make it a business.

Q: What's the most creative thing you've made from balloons?
A: Their are so many designs we've done that its hard to pick just one but I do have to say that the last event that made us proud was an Alice & Wonderland themed party with sculptures & themed arch!

Q: What is your favorite thing to make with balloons?
A: My favorite thing to do with balloons is "make people smile"! Anything we make, whether a small bouquet or a big piece, they make people smile! And we love that!!

Q: What else would you like others to know about you and your business?
A: We are a balloon decorating business that does all orders custom and we don't ever do two party's the same. We try to add a special yet different touch even if it's a theme we do constantly. We book at least 6 weekends ahead of schedule and for events during a weekday, two weeks is more than enough time to book us. We do our decor on-site so we ensure the balloons look fresh and untouched! We are also a family run business and all employees are trained and attend classes regularly to keep up with the new balloon ideas out there!

Get in touch with Wendy by phone at: 562-762-5406 or by email: starsaboveballoons@gmail.com for any questions or for a quote. She is based out of Eastvale, CA (near Mira Loma/Norco/Corona area) and services locally but may be willing to travel in and around Southern CA. Please contact her for more information or visit her website (click the title link above).

Wedding Gown Options

2011-08-24T16:53:00.000-07:00

The wedding is over, you're back from your honeymoon and starting your (normal/regular) life together at home, so now what do you do with your beautiful wedding gown? After all, it took you a good 5 months or more to find the perfect gown to wear on your wedding day and another few weeks to get it tailored just perfect for that fabulous body you worked so hard to get and/or maintain so you fit into your gown. So now what?

I know some brides may work their wedding gown in a "Trash the Dress" photo shoot, others may try to resell it for some extra cash. But then there are those girls that will want to cherish it forever because it has such special meaning and significance. My advice, just don't leave it hanging in a closet somewhere in your new home without first getting it cleaned.

Whatever the option you choose to go with, if you do want to preserve it forever, the sooner the better! Time allows stains (both visible and invisible) to set – making future cleaning and preservation far more challenging. A good rule of thumb is to have your gown cared for within 2-3 months after the wedding. On GetMarried's blog, they suggest some great ideas on what to do with your gown right after coming back from your honeymoon. Check it out.

If you'd like to get your wedding gown cleaned and preserved, shoot me an email. I am an authorized dealer for the Wedding Gown Preservation Company, which has been preserving wedding gowns since 1913! If you are local to the Inland Empire (CA), I can hand deliver your kit to you or I can ship it, whatever is more convenient for you. Traditional Line Kits are only $149!

Get your beautiful wedding gown cleaned and preserved so you can enjoy the wonderful memories it signifies for a lifetime.

Here We Go Again!

2011-08-22T13:49:00.000-07:00

Hello all! So I'm going to take a stab at this blogging thing once again. This time I promise to blog more often about things that come up or just about stuff I want to share with all of you. So here goes the first post...

I actually have a few new things to blog about! Firstly, I want to share with all of you, if you don't follow me on facebook or twitter (which you should, I post to those more frequently!), I now am an Authorized Dealer for the Wedding Gown Preservation Co and I offer wedding gown preservation kits for only $149! I currently have 3 kits on-hand ready to go if anyone is interested. I can hand deliver locally within the Inland Empire (CA) or I can ship it to you (shipping costs will have to be added). You can email me for further details at: leslie@veilsandfairytales.com.

Another thing I wanted to share with you is that I now am on Pinterest! Come follow me and/or my boards and find some "pinteresting" yet fabulous photos that will inspire you!

Last, but not least, Stars Above Balloons Decor has featured us on their blog! She "interviewed" me and has posted our interview here. If you'd like to learn a bit more about me, what I do, our mission and what I truly believe in, go over to read about the Veils and Fairytales team!

Follow us on Tumblr!

2010-11-10T09:39:00.000-08:00

This blog doesn't get updated as often, but please visit our tumblr blog! That one is easier to update since we can update from our blackberry too! Click the link above to follow! The tumblr blog will constantly be updated! Thanks and see you there!!

New Website!

2010-07-12T18:37:00.000-07:00

I know it has been too long since I've written on my blog!! So sorry if I have followers out there that keep up with me this way. I promise I will try to start blogging more often!

I have some news if you didn't already know. We have a new site specifically for our candy and dessert buffets! Come visit our new site and take a look at our photo gallery. Click the title link above to take you to our site.

We offer delish, yummy desserts and candy (your choice!!) for every occasion. From bridal showers, to birthday parties, to baby showers to weddings. A dessert or candy buffet can be a beautiful decorative display and serve as favors for your guests! Inquire for availability for your event! Email or give us a call.

New for 2010: Candy and Dessert Buffets

2010-01-06T11:47:00.000-08:00

We are happy to announce that Veils and Fairytales now offers candy and dessert buffets!! Beautifully assorted glass vases and dessert trays will hold yummy varied candy and desserts at your event for your guests to enjoy or take home!

With a wide variety of colors and flavors, our candy buffets allow you to choose the type and color(s) of candy that goes with your theme or just select your favorite color(s). Our candy buffets include set up, clean up, scoops for the candy, as well as favor bags (your choice of color).

Our dessert buffets offer mini-cupcakes and chocolate covered strawberries along with candy, which is displayed quite attractively, it will entice your guests to go back for more! These yummy desserts will be a conversation starter at any event! We offer chocolate, white or strawberry flavored mini-cupcakes, with your choice of cream cheese, chocolate or vanilla flavored cream toppings. Please inquire about custom flavors and designs. The dipping colors we offer for our chocolate covered strawberries are milk chocolate, white chocolate or pink chocolate. Upon request, the strawberries can also be drizzled with one other color on top (of the 3 colors offered).

We offer several packages to suit your event. Please see our website for packages offered and pricing. As we always say, with us, fairy tales DO come true!!

I look forward to assisting you with all your wedding or event planning needs!! Email us or visit our website for more info!

Bridal Crate Magazine

2009-12-28T13:04:00.001-08:00

We were recently a featured wedding planner on Bridal Crate Magazine, which is a brand new online and print magazine that was just released and announced the first of December!! The first print magazine will be available after the New Year.

I was approached by Kay Starr, one of the founders of Bridal Crate Magazine, for an interview to talk a little bit about our company. She claims she found us thru an online search! Wow!! I was honored to be approached and requested for an interview. I sent my bio over to them along with photos. Some of our photos are also featured on their "Inspirational Pictures" section on their website! You can find the interview here along with our photos on their website!!

Our thanks go out to Kay Starr and the rest of the group at Bridal Crate Magazine!!

Here Come the Brides...The Elegant Bridal Experience

2009-12-19T14:06:00.000-08:00

Come visit Veils and Fairytales at the Here Come the Brides Wedding Expo on January 16, 2010! The first one of the new year!! Come get ideas, find vendors and taste yummy cake!

Visit our corner booth #24 and find some fabulous discounts and goodies!

Invite your girlfriends, moms, future mom-in-law, and drag your fiance along too!

Admission: $10 at the door or $8 with advanced registration online
Go here to register: http://www.herecomethebrides.net/registration.php

BUT you can get in FREE through me! Download your free entrance coupon from our website to get you and your friends or family in FREE! Go to: http://www.veilsandfairytales.com/ to download and print your free pass (print as many as needed).

Also, if you register early, the first 250 brides in with my free entrance coupon get a FREE matching wedding band set valued at $600!!! WOW!!!

When: Saturday, January 16, 2010

Where: Crossroads Church, 2331 Kellogg Ave., Corona, CA 92881

Time: 12:00pm to 4:00pm

Stop by and say hi! We will see you there!

Tips to Survive This Economy

2009-07-28T09:06:00.001-07:00

So, I understand the hardship many people are going thru with the economy being the way it is right now... Believe me, I've been there myself. Having been laid off of my "day job" after just under 10 years of being at this company; right before I was to get married, literally, one month before our wedding...and all the while, in the process of buying a home. I was in tears in my bosses boss's office telling him how I didn't know what we were going to do because we were in the middle of buying a home, and getting married the following month. He sympathized, but yet gave me the slip to sign and send me on my not-so-merry way because he still had a stack of slips to hand out. Yeah, it was pretty bad...

So being without a job, in the middle of looking to purchase a home, well, the two didn't go together. So we had to put that off for a bit. I started scrambling to find something, but with so many companies facing the same problems, it was so hard! This time was supposed to be the happiest time for us, planning our beautiful wedding and future life together, looking forward to our honeymoon, and coming back to live in our new home... But no, I was only getting more discouraged and depressed. I had to think of something and quick.

And I'm not telling you this for you to feel sorry for me... oh no! I want to share my story so it helps someone else out there.

Here are a few tips that I personally learned (some the hard way) thru my own experiences:

Start saving money even before you are engaged. I started to do this the moment I knew that mine and my husband's (well, boyfriend back then) relationship was getting more serious and I knew that he was "the one". Even if you just begin to talk about your future together, its a good idea to put even just a little bit aside for a "rainy day". If things don't end up working out, hey, you will have your savings to splurge on that new outfit, new hair style, those cute shoes you were eyeing, etc. to make you feel a little better...just in case!
Sign up on all the many wedding websites that are available to you and don't forget to chat with other brides in the community forums. They sometimes have some really great and unique ideas and give tips on how, where and/or what about them.
If you have the luxury (of time) to shop around, DO! And don't be afraid to ask if a vendor can lower their price or beat prices you've seen advertised. All they can say is no, then you keep looking.
Know what you want ahead of time. By doing what I said in #2 above, this will help greatly in deciding what you want for your wedding. Vendors love brides that know exactly what they want, it makes everyone's job much easier. And by knowing what you want, this will also help greatly in setting your budget (because you did what I said in #1 above).
Be organized!! Cut out pictures from magazines, print out pictures you found online, jot down your thoughts and keep all your ideas in order. Get one of those bride binders, or better yet, create your own binder! Go to Wal-Mart and buy a 3-ring binder, the kind where you can put your own label/picture in the front with a see-thru pocket. That way you can print a picture out of the two of you and put "Your Name's" Wedding. JC Penney also has a great binder with everything you would need just for this purpose, if you register with them for wedding gifts. (Just register online, even if you don't plan to use it, so you can get your free binder!)

I personally did each of the listed ideas; and it worked out great for me!! This is why I'm passing along this info.

Coming back to the end of my own story, just to tell you that there was light at the end of my tunnel...and to never give up hope.

I was literally on my knees praying for a miracle. Even my husband (fiance at that time) was looking for a miracle. We talked it out and tried to think of what we can do. The only thing my husband could think of was to be in prayer, hold onto our faith and leave it all in God's hands (we are Christians). He told me he was literally going to fast for 3 days and prayed that I would find something. This was serious! The last thing we wanted was to start our life together with me not having a job and being in debt! I was still paying school loans and I didn't want to leave that burden on him.

You won't believe how quickly God answered our prayers!! The next morning, I received a phone call from the same company that had just laid me off a few weeks earlier, asking me to come back as if I was never laid off! They were even going to give me my 2-1/2 weeks of vacation (that I had previously requested for our wedding and honeymoon) AND allowed me to keep my severance pay!! WOW!! It was a miracle! So I did go back to work, we had our beautiful wedding, went on our honeymoon and we bought our home; everything turned out ok.

So don't give up...there are always other ways around difficult times. I know this from personal experience. Good luck and happy planning!!

Exciting Updates

2009-07-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

Here are a few exciting updates we'd like everyone to know about!!

Our contest to win personalized toasting flutes has been extended to August 31st!! I wanted to allow those brides that met with us at the Bride World Expo this past weekend the chance to enter to win our giveaway! But don't wait too long, as dates are filling up for the rest of this year and into next year. Schedule your FREE consultation soon so you can be entered to win! (Please visit our Contest blog for all the details and information)

We have updated our website; you will now notice a tab for our new online store! We will be launching it in the coming weeks; look out for our "Online Store Launch" blog! Another element we've added are links to our affiliates and preferred vendors. Also included on our site is our privacy policy as well as terms & conditions. You will find this information on our "About Us" page; links to both will be found at the bottom right corner.

For all our clients' convenience, we now accept payments thru PayPal (the safest way to pay on the internet) directly on our site! You will find the "Pay Now" buttons at the top of each of the individual "Services" pages. You can click the buttons and they will each take you directly to PayPal so you can make your payment for whichever service you have purchased. (*Please note, you must click on the button from the page of the service you purchased. Because there is an initial 50% booking deposit, the PayPal buttons on our site will only charge 50% of the total cost.) It's just that easy!!

In other news, beginning August 1st, we will start to circulate a quarterly newsletter with insider information such as special promotions, discounts and seasonal tips and trends that only subscribers will have access to! Our newsletters will be collaborated with our partner, Unforgettable Events, so we will have lots of information for those who wish to subscribe! We will also be featuring a (preferred) vendor in each newsletter (email us if you'd like to be featured). For now, we only offer 4 newsletters a year (quarterly), but in the near future, we will also offer subscriptions to topic-specific newsletters. Click here to Subscribe now!

Ok!! Whoa, lots of info and updates!! We are excited to be growing and expanding into new levels of our business thanks to all of you!! We hope you will find everything you need on our blogs, website, {future} online store, and the rest of the media we have available. Our business is to help you! We hope we are!! Until next time...

Happy Planning!!

Leslie V.

Bridal Shows

2009-07-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

Whew, I've been so busy this past week and weekend, sorry I didn't blog sooner! I've been getting things ready for the Bride World Expo coming up this Sunday (July 19th) in Ontario, CA at the Doubletree Hotel all the while, catching up on my DVR'd episodes of Get Married last night and this particular episode was talking about Bridal Shows. They had some very interesting and true facts about them and it occurred to me to point out a few in a blog today. (Don't forget to take our poll this week located here ------>)

When a bride is planning her fabulous wedding, all the while maintaining a full time job and all the other things that keeps her life busy (i.e. errands, walking the dog, maybe going to the gym to maintain that figure to fit into that dress, etc.), she doesn't have too much time to be shopping from florist to florist or from wedding gown salon to wedding gown salon looking for each and every little thing she wants and needs for her wedding. So where can she go where she can find it all in one place??

A BRIDAL SHOW!!

Yes ladies, there are so many bridal shows that go on throughout the year, its the best place and a one-stop shop for everything you need. There are vendors for everything! I loved going to bridal shows when I was engaged, not only for the free cake samples and the fashion shows, but you can get so many creative, and wonderful ideas from it.

Not only the freebies are fun, but you can find significant deals and discounts for almost everything! And some you won't find or get at any other time. Most vendors will drop their prices so low, it's unheard of! I've seen some vendors have contests or drawings where you can enter to win from honeymoon trips, to your designer wedding gown, to free bridal bouquets, to your bride and groom toasting flutes and I'm sure anything in between! If you really like something you see, you may even be able to book or buy whatever you need right then and there! So don't forget your checkbook!

So, brides, grab your mom, girlfriends, sisters, and heck, even your fiancé (if he'll go with you to this kind of thing) along with your bridal tote, a notepad and pen, and get ready to come and find amazing deals, awesome discounts, and awe-inspiring ideas for your dream wedding!

If you're in the area, come visit us and our collaboration partner, Unforgettable Events, at the Bride World Expo this Sunday.

What: Bride World Expo
Where: Doubletree Hotel
222 N. Vineyard Ave.
Ontario, CA
When: Sunday, July 19th
Time: 10am-4pm

Happy planning!

Leslie V.

Budget=What?!?

2009-07-06T11:57:00.000-07:00

Getting engaged is so wonderful! It's a happy time for the couple to share the big news with family and friends! But once the news is shared and the excitement has settled a bit, it's time to start the daunting task of planning...(insert scream here)

Where to start?? I always hear everyone say, "first thing the bride and groom should do is set a budget". But it's kinda hard to set a budget when you don't even know how much things are going to cost you. And nowadays, it seems as though the prices for everything have either gone up or maybe (hopefully) have gone down too. You will have to do some initial research. So where to begin?

When my husband and I got engaged and picked a date, we were like, ok, what's next? Now to set a budget... Huh?!?!!? How do we know how much to set a budget for, when we've never planned a wedding before? How much is it all going to cost us?

I would advise the couple to start by making a list of all the things that are the most important to them, in aspect to your wedding. How many guests do you anticipate inviting? Do you have a large or smaller list? Ok, so for the sake of an example, lets say you anticipate inviting 150 guests. You kinda start there, but everything is tied somehow to everything else. This was my initial frustration.

To be honest, your determined budget will come down to your guest count. Guests=how many tables you will have, which will also determine your venue size as well as how many centerpieces you will need as well as favors, etc. See it all come together now?

So, take into consideration what the most important aspects of your wedding are. Will it be the decor, your wedding gown, floral arrangements, the food, your photographer/videographer, the venue, wedding cake, etc.? Try to make a numbered list of whats the most important thing to you (starting at most important down to least important) and once you've determined this, then this may help you decide how much of your budget you are willing to spend on each item. Then you can start to do research of what it may cost you. Remember, this is only your initial research! And don't forget to ask around to friends or family that may have just gotten married and are willing to share how much they spent. This can also help you with setting your budget.

Once you've figured out how much everything will cost, and how much you are willing to spend, you can decide on and set your budget and STICK TO IT!

Another option to consider is hiring a wedding planner to help you with all of this and relieve you of some of the stress that this may cause! We're here to help! :)

Take our poll and let us know which is/was the most important aspect of your wedding. Good luck and happy planning!!

Honeymoon Getaway

2009-07-01T08:19:00.000-07:00

With all the hustle and bustle of planning the wedding, sometimes the "honeymoon" can be compromised; either by lack of planning or even the lack of funds. Don't let this happen to you! Remember, the wedding is only one day, but the honeymoon is the start of a beautiful life together. Why not plan it from the very beginning, same as when the planning starts for your wedding?

When I started thinking about planning for my wedding, I didn't forget to research various honeymoon hideaways; to me this was just as important, if not a little more important than the wedding itself. It meant to me the start of two people uniting together as one and just enjoying one another's company. It's a wonderful thing!

I, being a bit old fashioned, didn't travel anywhere with boyfriends where we'd have to stay overnight. So our honeymoon was the actual first time ever in my life that I spent with a man overnight anywhere! Yeah, I hear you laughing, but it's true!! And to me, that's the beauty of it. I believe I enjoyed it so much more!

OK, so enough about me and my morals...

Anyway, there are a lot of great deals right now for various places. Take Hawaii, for example. They have some significant discounts on flights to the tropical islands as well as hotels deals. But don't put off those all-inclusive trips just yet! You may think because the food, drinks, hotel stays and such are all included, that it's probably way to expensive to afford.

Think again. Some all-inclusive resorts have considerable reductions that you may not hear announced too loudly. Take the Sandals All-Inclusive Resorts (@sandalsresorts on twitter, where they announce some of their deals), which is where my husband and I spent our week-long honeymoon getaway (in St. Lucia). They had a 50% off sale when we booked our trip! We booked a honeymoon suite that was cozily nestled in a very tropical setting and we even had our very own private pool! (Pictures below)

Check out their website for more information and sun-sational sales. So, research and search and search some more! They're out there, you just have to go after them. Good luck and happy planning!!

Wedding Chaos

2009-06-29T10:38:00.000-07:00

We assisted our (collaboration) partner, Cristina from Unforgettable Events, this weekend with a wedding in San Clemente, CA. The bride called her to request a quote, literally, on Friday morning for chair covers and bows. This is all the bride requested and hired her for. It was a last minute rush and Cristina couldn't make it herself and asked us to help. We gladly accepted to help her out, so my assistant and I went to this wedding to set up the chair covers and sashes.

Cristina gave us all the information we needed including our contact person, which was the bride's brother. When we got there, I asked around for Thai (our contact go-to person and “coordinator”) which was nowhere to be found. Cristina gave us strict rules to accept payment before we began work, but our contact person was not there!! Time was running, and I called her to let her know this and she said to go ahead and start anyway and find our contact person later.

We had only 2 hours of set up time! The wedding started at 4pm and we had from 1pm-3pm to set up 170 chairs. Unbeknownst to us, there was chaos everywhere! The chairs were not set and placed; they were scattered everywhere! It was told to us it was not our job to set up and place the chairs, only to put the chairs covers. But there were no table linens on the tables, and no wedding coordinator in sight!

All other vendors that were arriving didn't know where to set up what they were hired for either. Each one (cake deliverer, bar set up, DJ, florist, etc.) came over to ask me where they needed to be set up. Being a wedding coordinator myself, I really wanted to guide these men, but I was not hired to do this!

Being that all vendors had only 2 hours to set up, and as they arrived, no one was there to coordinate, it turned out to be a mess.

We later found out that the caterer was providing the table linens and it was almost 3pm and still no caterer to be found!!! The cocktail hour was to begin at 3:30 and the reception at 4:00pm.

So we were finally through with setting up all chair covers and sashes at exactly 3 o'clock on the dot and were getting ready to leave. We talked to our contact person (that finally arrived late) to request payment so we can be on our merrily way, and he had no idea what we were talking about!

Cristina told us that the bride assured her that her brother (our contact) would have our payment. But he had no clue! So we made phone calls but couldn't get a hold of the bride. Her brother told us that he would have to go to an ATM to pull the money out to pay us, BUT, he had no car. He had to wait until his friend arrived with his car so he can go to the ATM. We had no choice but to wait.

Well, as we waited, guests started arriving!! What was so sad about it all was that the caterer was so late, they still had no table linens or anything (place settings, favors, etc.) set up on the tables as the guests arrived. The centerpieces were all over the place and nothing was where it was supposed to be. And worst of all, no professional wedding coordinator to help with any of it! The bride's brother was the “coordinator” and still didn't know much about what to do.

Well, we finally got paid about ½ hour later and left.

Being a wedding coordinator myself, this experience truly affirmed my reasons as to why it's so important to consider hiring a professional coordinator, at least for the day of your event, so this won't happen to you!

CONTEST!!

2009-06-23T09:24:00.000-07:00

**Deadline has been extended to August 31st!!**

Brides that visit our blog or website to request more information and schedule a free consultation will be entered in our drawing to win the beautiful pair of personalized bride and groom champagne glasses shown below!

Personalized Bride and Groom Champagne Goblets

**Contest begins June 23, 2009 and ends at 11:59pm on August 31, 2009. NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS CONTEST. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. You must be 18 or older to enter. Only brides with a confirmed wedding date in 2009 or 2010 will be eligible to win. Your confirmed date must be available and not already booked by Veils and Fairytales to be eligible for the prize. Only one winner will be selected by a random drawing. The prize is not transferable and no substitutions will be allowed except by Veils and Fairytales, which reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value or nature if advertised prize is not available. Drawing will take place September 5th, 2009 and winner will be notified by email. Winner will have to claim their prize by contacting us within 2 weeks and provide the names and wedding date wanted for the personalization. If the prize is not claimed within that timeframe, a new winner will be randomly selected.

Can I afford a wedding coordinator in these difficult economic times?

2009-06-18T14:31:00.000-07:00

Actually, the question is, can you afford not to? Because of the difficult economic times we are facing, it would actually be very beneficial to a couple to hire a wedding coordinator. During the engagement period and planning stages of a wedding, a coordinator could help a great deal in saving money for the bride and groom.

A planner has plenty of resources and well-recommended vendors that she can provide to the bride and groom. A planner can also negotiate monetary costs on behalf of the bride for the services needed for the wedding day, in turn saving an abundance of money for the couple.

Think of a wedding coordinator as a bride's assistant. A coordinator will be there for the bride for any and every thing she needs during the planning period all the way up to the wedding day. A planner is the bride's "go-to" person and mediator for all vendors, so all the bride has to worry about is enjoying her engagement time and enjoy a stress-free wedding day.

At Veils and Fairytales, we offer full planning services which assist the bride and groom from the very beginning; helping with setting a budget, selecting a venue as well as all vendors needed, and coordinating everything the day of the event with a flowing timeline. We also offer day-of coordination for those brides that want to handle all of the planning themselves, but would like assistance with coordinating everything on the day of the event only. We will work with any budget! (Please visit our site for further information)

Regardless if you are a bride that knows exactly what she wants, or one that doesn't know the first thing in planning a wedding or maybe just doesn't know where to begin, a wedding coordinator can help alleviate the heavy load and just be there for you from the simplest of matters to the complexity of the substantial details.

Hello World! Allow me to introduce myself...

2009-06-17T11:28:00.000-07:00

Hello world!! This is my first post! I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Leslie and I am the owner of Veils and Fairytales. We are a wedding and event planning business. I started this business recently and I'm collaborating with a friend of mine that owns Unforgettable Events. Together we will offer wedding/event planning, floral decor, linens, drapery decor, rentals and much more! Please visit our sites! We both are also on facebook and Twitter!! Follow us on Twitter: @veilsfairytales and @un4getablevents. Search and be our fan on facebook!

I am super excited to be starting my own business. I have always wanted to, but didn't find the right time. After having planned my own wedding, I fell in love with being able to plan such a grand event! I loved to see every detail put into action and seeing it all come together so beautifully. I would love to do the same for another bride! It's just the greatest feeling to be able to make someone's fairy tale happily ever after come true; and this is why I decided to do it.

So, I will try to post a blog at least once a week; obviously about something wedding related! If you are looking for advice on themes, colors, or need a planner to help you, I would hope you would consider Veils and Fairytales. Visit our site for more info and contact us for your free consultation. We look forward to assisting you plan your next event!!

~Leslie V.