Our CEO Suzette, goes live with Tara of the National Society of Black Wedding & Event Professionals. Take a look at the discussions as they talk about black culture, wedding traditions and trends and what makes black weddings different.

​#blackhistorymonth #blackweddings #blackculture

​Our clients, The Williamsons, celebrated their silver wedding anniversary in high style with a few family and friends (153 to be exact), and celebrate they did! Their weekend-long affair kicked off on a yacht that left out of Annapolis, Maryland on August 5th. Guests arrived dressed in white, excited and ready to party. Non-stop dancing, reminiscing and celebrating happened aboard the Watermark vessel as decades long relationships reunited. We literally had to tell guests that the yacht had docked and they had to disembark. They reluctantly obliged. 
 
The following night, The Williamsons hosted a black-tie anniversary dinner at the Hotel at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland, where big surprises unfolded. Including a surprise vow renewal ceremony officiated by Cherylann's sister Sharon, and a live performance by the couple's favorite award winning Percussionist, Vinx, who flew in from France to perform. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.
 
On Sunday, we ended the fan fare with a brunch like no other at the home of The Williamsons in Bowie, Maryland, where the food and fellowship was EVERYTHING.  Chef Aaron went OFF on the food. I'm still craving the grits and all other items made fresh to order. When we say that we had a time, we really had a time and we were honored to be a part of such a wonderful celebration of their marriage. We worked and also enjoyed ourselves, which is a double prize for us.

VENDOR TEAM (click to connect):
Event Designer/Producer: Envisioned Events by Suzette, LLC
Suzette Spann Scarborough

Event Assistants:  Rasheida Washington & DeBorah Heyward

Anniversary Cake: A Taste of Sweetness Cakes
Simone Proctor

Yacht Catering: Xquisite Catering
Felicia Covel Rami

Brunch Catering: Chef Aaron Edwards

Comedian/MC: Meshelle Foreman

DJ/MC: DJ Ricky Richard Young

Florist: LaVon Williamson

Hairstylist: Natural Hair Mentorship Academy
Kirigo Kabuga

Makeup Artist: Conceptual Beauty
Christin Birckhead

Photography: Trisography Flix & Art Designs
Tristian Johnson

Rentals: Dalissa Events and Party Rentals

Transportation: Excellent Tours
Cecil Smith

Vessel: Watermark Cruises

Videography: C Spot Media
Cecil Cupid 

​Happy New Year and congratulations to all newly engaged couples and couples planning to get married this year! Industry researchers, The Wedding Report, has projected that 2022 will see the most wedding since 1984. They project that 2.5 million weddings will occur in the United States alone. Wow! The events industry is excited because on the heels of having to shut down in 2020, we are returning to levels we haven’t seen in almost four (4) decades.
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With so many weddings on the horizon, I’ve been thinking about engaged couples and how I could help them navigate this exciting time. So, as a Wedding Planner Fairy Godmother, I developed a Wish List for them to spread across the land. My list is both practical and fun because you need both on the journey to matrimony. So, here it is:

1. Give yourself some grace – Planning a wedding and life together with someone isn’t something you’ve done before so be gentle on yourselves. Even if this is your 2nd or 3rd marriage (no judgement here), it’s your first marriage to your partner so give yourselves the space and grace to learn and figure things out together. You don't know what you don't know, but you can figure it out together.
2. Love your friends and family and hear the business practices of the professionals – Family and friends want the best for you. They are your ride or dies and down for whatever. But you have to create space in your mind and heart to hear what’s feasible and what’s not from the professionals. Believe me, we want to make it happen for you. We want to see you WIN. We just need you to hear the variables involved with doing it. The truth is important, so that you can make an informed and well planned decision.
3. Fat Joe’s infamous quote that “yesterday’s price is not today’s price,” is true. Chicken wings use to cost $1.99/pound. Today, they are running $3.90/pound and more. Florists use to get white roses $.80 /stem. Today, the price has more than doubled and white roses are scarce. The price of everything has increased substantially and if you want what you want, it is going to cost more. That is the sobering truth. I want couples to know that wedding professionals want to help you and run a successful business. In order to deliver the product or service you want, the price may be more than you budgeted. But see it as a business decision for the company, not an attempt to take advantage of you. There is always going to be somebody cheaper, but the experience won't be the same.
4. Confident, calm, and experienced wedding vendors bring that same energy to your wedding day – This combination of soft skills makes the difference every time. Having wedding vendors who know what they’re doing because they’ve had a wealth of experience and pass that invaluable experience onto their clients, is the game changer. These vendors are not going to be the cheapest, but couples who recognize their value will be pleased with the results. How can you choose vendors with these skill sets? Ask them to talk about their business values and client experience. It will resonate through what they say. You’ll also see it in their client reviews and hear it when other vendors talk about working with them.

I can’t tell you how excited I am for 2022 and the couples coming through. Wedding planning is stressful, no doubt.  There are lots of moving parts. But as your Wedding Fairy Godmother, I’m here to support. Let’s “rock the bells,” wedding bells that is.