Engage!15 Nizuc ~ The REAL experience straight from the gals!

From the incredible swag, amazing location and all the fabulous people you get to spend three amazing days with Engage!15 absolutely took our breaths away. "We finally get what everyone was talking about...(light bulb moment)!" 

Let's be honest, the crowd and line up of speakers alone is a lot to take in but Kathryn Arce and Rebecca Grinnals make such a welcoming environment it is hard to stay nervous! The next thing you know you are running back to your room getting ready for another insanely chic event and all you want to do is look through your notebook, pinch yourself and say, "Umm... you're not crazy, you actually just sat and listened to the best of the best in the event planning and entrepreneurial world give you a road map of advice on how to succeed? Wait a minute, I need to make sure I take this all in before the motivation and inspiration disappear!" Lucky for us, it never disappeared... if anything the more you listened, observed and reflected on the careers of these successful geniuses - something begins to happen - pure confidence and bliss. By the end of the trip, you're taking selfies with Event World Celebrities who happen to be our idols! The best thing is...they are REAL people and they care about your questions and concerns and want to help make an impact on your business in either a small or large way. When you work together, not against, share ideas, and support each other as industry professionals, that's when the stars align and everyone wins. 

Welcome to Engage!15 

Marcy Blum, Karen Tran,  and Mindy Weiss 

Fiesta Party!

Marcy Blum in a late night chat with Stephanie Crona and Kimberly Gosselin               

Engage!15 Day Two 

Dine-A-Round and dessert Party "Black & Bling" 

ooooh wait did we forget to mention Salt N Pepa decided to drop by... No Big Deal 

Clover Girls taking a few selfies with the incredible Jeff Leathem 

Engage!15 ~ Clover Girls Arrive!

Buenos dias! 

We are so excited to begin this amazing adventure to learn, mix, and mingle with the "who's who" of the wedding industry as well as leaders from the world of luxury, business, and entrepreneurship. Here are some shots of our first day at the Nizuc Resort and Spa before we get down to business! Check out our Facebook, twitter and Instagram to keep up with the Clover Girls. 

"Adios"

Southern Comfort Engagement Session featured on Style Me Pretty!

 

Twice in One Week!  The Clover Girls are absolutely ecstatic to have one of our amazing couples, Alexandra and Luis's engagement session featured on Style Me Pretty.  The couples amazing weekend oasis is a 125 acre private family ranch complete with a stunning custom two story barn and romantic creek. This couple looks simply idyllic. These breathtaking moments were captured by the one and only Amalie Orrange of Amalie Orrange Photography and Hair and Make Up done by the amazing Anna Dutko of Style Hair and Makeup, this shoot will leave you begging for more. The Best is Yet to Come for Alexandra and Luis! We are so excited for you both and are honored to be apart of your special day. Make sure to check out the entire blog on SMP! 

Venue - Five R Ranch Arcadia, Florida 

We've Been Featured on Style Me Pretty!

We are SO excited to share that one of our weddings has been featured today on Style Me Pretty! Check out this gorgeous Tampa Yacht and Country Club wedding here and leave us some Clover Love comments on the SMP blog!

Venue ~ Tampa Yacht and Country Club

Decor ~ Botanica International Decor & Design Studio

Photographer ~ Justin DeMutiis Photography

Wedding Cake ~ Chocolate Pi

Grooms Cake ~ Outrageous Cakes

Band ~ The Easy Posse

Hair and Makeup ~ Lasting Luxe

Officiant ~ Sensational Ceremonies

Photo Booth - Foto Box

Martinis & Bikinis Fashion Show

We were honored to participate in the 2015 Martinis and Bikinis annual fashion show and art night held at The Museum of Fine Arts and hosted by Heels to Heal, a non-profit dedicated to raising money for the treatment of domestic violence victims.  The event to benefit CASA, was a sold out success featuring an amazing fashion show produced by Cerulean Blu and Heavenly Heels!  In addition to the fabulous fashions, guests were treated to delicious martinis from the best of the best on Beach Drive!  The Beach Drive Martini competition consisted of bartenders from 400 Beach Seafood & Tap House, Tryst, Parkshore Grill, Lundy's  and The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club.  Jimmy Giles, famed Tampa Bay Buccaneers player and ambassador of C1 Bank was the Honorary Martini Judge and chose the bartender from The Vinoy as this year’s winner! 

All event net proceeds were donated to CASA which is an extraordinary St. Petersburg based organization that provides essential resources for victims of domestic violence.  CASA takes a holistic approach to treating victims of domestic violence.  Medical assistance, legal assistance, shelters, job training, and transitional housing are just a few of the facets of the unparalleled services CASA provides. 

The Clover Girls were overwhelmed with the support from their Community Vendor Partners and this event would not have been a success without each and every one of them!  On behalf of the Heals to heel organization board of Directors, Melissa Mihok and Desiree Noisette and CASA, we THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts!

Thank you to Paige Crider and all the beautiful models for your dedication and participation for this amazing event. 

Alisha & Stephen's Engagement

We are so excited to feature the beginning of this special couples journey as they prepare to spend the rest of their lives together. 

Here is a little bit about the couple  

How they met... 

The Bride: I was new to the area, actually doing my residency as a Pediatrician, and since my job did not allow much time for meeting people, I decided to give online dating a try and I met Stephen! (October 2011) 

First Date... 

Groom: We went to Vino Y Past and when we arrived there for our first date the restaurant was actually closed, but the owner was still at the restaurant and opened it up early just for us, and we had the whole place to ourselves… it was a pretty cool first date. 

Proposal Story... 

Couple: Stephen decided to take Alisha back to the same spot where it first began… Vino Y Past but this time instead of it being just the two of them, there were both sets of parents seated at a table and a big diamond ring write as Alisha walked through the front door.

The Couples Style...  

Outdoors, rustic with a spin of traditional glamour (thanks to Alisha!) “We love good food and red wine and watching to sunset… hence the location of our engagement shoot, it was our first date spot.” 

What is the most important element for your guests that you want your wedding to showcase? 

Bride & Groom: That they share this memorable experience of two people starting their new life together - we also want them to dance their pants off and enjoy a great PARTY!

The Bride is most excited about... 

“Building a life together, starting a family, and having someone that I can count on forever and ever. As they say.. .Happiness is being married to your best friend”

The Groom is most excited about... 

“Spending the rest of my life with my best friend” 

The Clover Girls would like to extend a huge thank you to Jeff with K & K Photography for capturing these gorgeous pictures. Stay tuned as the best is yet to come for this couple! 

Hair & Make up - Anna Dutko 

Why is St. Patrick's Day so special to the Clover Girls?

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! This day has a very special meaning to us as this was the day that brought The Clover Girls together. Stephanie had the honor of planning Kimberly's wedding which just happened to be on St.Patty's Day! We incorporated just hints of the holiday without going overboard. The wedding was held at The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota so come on...we could not be cliche with leprechauns and such!! We had the perfect sophisticated touches of an authentic Irish Bag Piper, monogrammed programs, coasters and gobo that all incorporated the four leaf clover.

On top of what was a dream wedding for Kimberly, Stephanie happened to just given birth to her first born son, Jackson, 10 days prior. Naturally, he had to take a sneak peek of the gorgeous bride getting ready! Kimberly and Stephanie's bond goes far beyond just business or Event Planning. We feel as though we are family as both of the Clover Girls at a very young age, experienced the loss of parents. Kim lost her Father to a lengthy battle to cancer and Stephanie lost both of her parents unexpectedly.

However, with the lows comes the highs and the Clover Girls have been fortunate enough to experience many highs!  We love our brides, grooms, corporate clients and vendors! Most importantly, we love each other and that's what makes us different and successful! We don't need luck because we have each other!

Happy St. Patty's Day to All!

All Photos Courtesy of Djamel Photography


Tanya & Edison ~ The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club Sneak Peak

Wedding Planner:  Clover Girls of Course! Ceremony/Reception Venue & Catering: The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort  Florist: The Bride's Bouquet Photography:  Gandy Photographers Videography: Voila Cinematic Hair & Makeup: Rachel Artistry Linens: Kate Ryan Linens Ceremony Chairs: Signature Event Rentals Officiant: Sensational Ceremonies DJ: Grant Hemond Photo Booth: Photogenica 

This Seasons Forecast...What's Trending for 2015?

Cascading Bouquets 

Nowadays when someone mentions the words “cascading bouquet” you think of the 1980’s and Princess Diana. However, these masterpieces are making a come back. Just like those high wasted jeans you’ve hung on to for the past 30 some years, the cascading floral bouquet is back and better then ever! A Cascading bouquet solves a lot of heartache for a planner and her bride because you always want the brides bouquet to standout! Even for a small wedding that might only have one or two attendants, the bride should always be distinctive. The Clover Girls think this is definitely a trend we will be seeing much more of this year. This bouquet is perfect for the modern bride trying to define her classical romantic theme.  Done right, this bouquet can beautifully achieve an unparalleled whimsical feel to fill the night with romance and magic. 

Succulents are like Burberry Raincoats...

Personally, succulents are like a Burberry raincoat that you can wear both during the summer or winter and look completely in season and classic.  For some reason I have always associated succulents with a spring or summer look but certainly not fall. I’m telling the world that I was wrong. 2015 is going to open up succulents to the whole world because of one major color trend…. “Marsala.” The new color may seem perplexing and dark but the color has been around forever!  I love it because it is a bold combination of burgundy, purple, and red. In my opinion, Marsala is the IT color for this year and I cannot wait to explore the multitude of ways to creatively integrate both this color and succulents into our weddings. Now back to where the succulents come in. With this dark bold color is a stunning accent to this color scheme!  Incorporate succulents, pull in some lighter accents and this amazing color and flower can turn “marsala” into a sophisticated, soft but at the same time bold theme equally appropriate to have in any season.  

Floral Crowns are making a Come Back

To be completely honest, when I think of a “floral crown” I think of hippies or a very bohemian bride who made a floral crown with lazy susans she found in a field. However, they seem to be making a turn toward the lux bride who wants to be different and make a fashion statement. When done right by a talented florist, floral crowns can bring a bride to life. I would consider myself more of a traditionalist when it comes to my personal bridal style so a floral crown might be a bit too scary a risk for me.  However, for those of you brides out there that share my opinion...fear not! You can have your cake and eat it too! By incorporating a floral crown into your engagement photos, having your bridesmaids adorn them or perhaps ditching your veil at the reception. An understated floral crown is just the solution for us traditional girls!  

Well thats all for right now... Be on the look out for HOT TRENDS from the Clover Girls 

A Sophisticated Fusion Wedding

Rita & Jack  

Our lovely couple, Rita and Jack met online via Sparkology.com and hit it off right away!   Rita and Jack live in the Northeast but knew they wanted a warm weather wedding and thought that Florida would be a great place as it's easily accessible for their family from the Northeast and Jack's family from Atlanta. Rita became obsessed with places that had banyan trees and stumbled on Banyan Street in Boca Grande and The Gasparilla Inn & Club. When she showed her Groom the location, he was shocked because it was the same place he vacationed with his family as a child. He had many fond memories of being there with his grandmother as a child so it was really kismet! When they went to visit The Gasparilla Inn & Club they fell in love with the venue and could really see themselves having the perfect wedding there for both their ceremony and reception. 

It is tradition for Chinese brides to have more than one gown….and Rita had THREE! There's always at least one red dress as red is the color of good luck and celebration. In addition, Brides typically have one western style white gown for the ceremony and a cocktail dress for the end of the wedding.  Rita first found her white gown and her Mother actually had her red dress custom made in China!  Then Rita happened to be searching for her rehearsal dinner dress and found her third gown! The bride thought it was so pretty but a little too fancy for the rehearsal so she decided to keep it as her "cocktail" dress to end the evening! 

In keeping with the theme of tradition, Rita and Jack also had a Tea Ceremony.  The tea ceremony is a tradition where the married couple is offering their elders tea as a sign of respect. Typically the tea is presented and the elder/s will present the couple with gifts and words of wisdom on a long and happy marriage. It's significant as it is the moment where the couple is united and presenting their respect to their new families. 

Being that Rita and Jack are extremely sophisticated, we wanted to incorporate their class and elegance throughout their wedding.  Of course we enlisted Botanica International Décor and Design Studio to execute the vision and they knocked it out of the park! We definitely did not want to go “beachy” but rather complement the gorgeous venue.  We tented their reception and infused teal, magenta and gold throughout the space.  For the tables, we created a mixture of square and round tables adorned with gold sequin runners and a collection of modern turquoise glass with stems of orchids.  The bride wanted loved candles so we added a heavy assortment of candles throughout all of the tables to add just the right amount of romance and glamour! For the personals, the bride’s bouquet consisted of a simple yet loose clutch style bouquet of transitioning colored magenta and white florals consisting of vandas, cattelaya and cymbidium orchids.  The groom’s boutonniere was the perfect complement to the bride’s bouquet as it consisted of a single white cymbidium orchid with a raspberry center. 

Thank you to Amalie Orrange Photography for capturing this couples essence and love! Also a huge shout out to DJ Felix for keeping the party rocking all night! We so adored working with this couple and we loved their wedding!!!  Next up for this sophisticated couple…..A BABY!!!!!!  Congratulations Rita and Jack!!!!!

A note from the bride on why she hired a Wedding Planner:
I realized there were many many things I didn't know, nor would find time to learn. I wanted someone on my side that I could trust to give me unbiased advice based on their expertise in the wedding business. My decision to hire a wedding planner was the BEST decision I made for my wedding. Stephanie was always there to answer my questions and keep me on track throughout the planning process. She was absolutely critical to keeping my wedding running smoothly on the day. There wasn't a thing that I wished happened differently, that's the difference Stephanie made. 
What people tell you about the wedding day just breezing by too fast is absolutely true. Without Stephanie, I don't think me or my wedding party would have been able to fully enjoy the wedding because we would have been too worried about the logistics. And honestly, I went to a wedding this past week where the wedding planner was very hands off and it was still lovely but noticeably disorganized. 

Wedding Planner:  Clover Girls of Course! Ceremony/Reception Venue & Catering: The Gasparilla Inn & Club Florist: Botanica International Design and Décor Studio  Photography:  Amalie Orrange Photography Tent/Dance Floor/Lighting: U.S. Tent Rental Hair & Makeup:  Femme Akoi  DJ: DJ Felix Event Productions

 

 

LOVE is LOVE!

LOVE is LOVE!

The Clover Girls typically do not like to discuss their political affiliations nor politics in general but this blog post is not about politics.  It’s about LOVE and we will always support love and are extremely proud of the State of Florida for finally allowing same sex couples the legal right to marry.  All human beings, regardless of their sexual orientation are just as deserving of marriage rights as anyone else. More than 216 million Americans, 70% of the country, will now live in a state with Marriage Equality!  The Clover Girls are proud to live in one of those states! LOVE is LOVE!     

Xoxo,

The Clover Girls – Proud Supporters of the LGBT Community and Marriage Equality!

Brides, Brains, and Business

Now you know the Clover Girls but do you really KNOW them? Brides, Brains, and Business! This post is dedicated for you to get to know the Clover girls better and see how they manage to conquer the 3 B's with style, poise, and professionalism. Event planning is no cake walk. In order to become a success in this industry, not only do you need experience but you also need the brains as well. 

Step 1 - Getting to know the Girls 

Stephanie graduated from Florida State University and immediately entered the Hospitality Industry as the Hospitality Operations Manager for a luxury real estate developer.  Stephanie was responsible for the coordination and execution of lavish events all over the country and the Caribbean for high profile clientele.  She soon experienced firsthand the creativity of wedding planning during her own wedding planning process and her love of events only grew stronger. Having been featured in The Knot Magazine, Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty Florida, June Bug Weddings, Brides Florida, and Tampa Bay Weddings Magazine just to name a few. 

Kimberly attended Florida State University majoring in Business Marketing and Political Science and then transferring to the University of South Florida to capitalize on a once in a life time academic opportunity. An honors graduate, Kimberly was selected to intern at the Supreme Court of the United States in Washington D.C. After her internship she attended the University of Massachusetts Law School at which time she decided to pursue her passion to take the spotlight in the corporate world of Public Relations and Event Planning. She then transferred to Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, the mecca of event planning the following fall. She graduated with honors and received her Masters of Business Administration from JWU. Kimberly prides herself on her innate ability to combine the most classic elements with the newest trends. Her unique vision continually enables her to always produce a one of a kind event. And her extensive educational background from the private sector to the public sector ensures perfection.

Step 2 - The Magic Combo 

Stephanie's impeccable reputation and experience rivals the best of the best in event planning. However, she is humbled and is often quoted as saying "Every time I plan an event, I learn something new." Kimberly's extensive educational background is paramount to running a successful business. If you’re thinking Clover is a "cookie cutter" event planning business, particularly when it comes to weddings...think again! It is essential to learn through your experiences with your Brides and that no two brides are the same, so why would their weddings be the same? Showcasing a client’s personality is of the utmost importance in this business and to the Clover Girls. 

Step 3 - How to conquer the 3 B's

No we're not lawyers, on Wall Street or in politics but if you think about it…. having a background in these areas is an integral quality for an event planner. 

Case in point, negotiations, contracts, or infringements upon intellectual property law correspond almost identically to event planning. As professionals, it is our job to make sure our clients get what they pay for.  If a venue or a vendor is not providing or performing the agreed upon services, you need someone to set up and go to bat for you. There are plenty of elements that involve IP law when planning an event such as giving proper credit to photographers or perhaps creating a unique symbol, monogram or logo for an event.  You better make sure the item does not belong to someone else when checking on the internet, absolutely no screen shoots here!

In closing, Event Planning is all about associating yourself with the right vendors, networking, branding, image and exhibiting professionalism in front of your customers and competitors alike. So next time you are dreaming about becoming Colin Cowie, Preston Baily or hiring someone who is just your average “weekend wedding planner,”  the Clover Girls ask you to think again and make sure you have the three B's covered! 

Clover Celebrity

Arguably one of the most crucial elements to the success of Wedding Planners are the relationships we build with our fellow vendors. We pride ourselves on the impeccable reputation that Clover & Company Weddings and Events has built with its most valuable vendors. This week as we are putting the finishing touches on our website, we knew we would have to post some pictures of ourselves (after all we can't remain mystery girls forever). LUCKY us, we got to work with Djamel Ramoul of Djamel Photography - who is not only an extraordinarily talented photographer but also a genuine colleague and friend! Djamel's work has appeared in numerous national and international publications.  A native of France, he spent ten years in Santa Barbara, CA, New York and Florida working as a Photo Editor and Photographer in the fields of Editorial, Fashion, News and Arts photography. Elected twice as The Photographer Of The Year by the Florida Magazine Association, he has repeatedly won best color photography and best black and white photography among numerous other awards as well as working with the incomparable Grace Ormonde. In Djamel's words, "Wedding photography involves a fine balance between documenting and actively helping to get the best out of your special day. At times, I will be more involved, creating classic, elegant and fun poses for your family and entourage."  Of course we thought of him when we needed new headshots as the Clover Girls gear up for an incredible 2015!  We are so excited to announce our First Clover Celebrity and its is only fitting that we bestow that honor upon Djamel! (xoxo) 

 Here is a little peak into The Girls of Clover & Company exclusive coming Friday!! 

 

 

Becoming a Big NO NO..

One of my best friends, Amanda, got married in late August. She wanted a very very tradition beginning to her day where ALL the bridesmaids get ready together at her parents home spending our last TLC moments with the soon to be Mrs. We were all wearing matching shirts and looked so adorable so naturally I started snapping away and posting to Facebook and Instagram (of course trying to limit Amanda's exposure in her pre wedding gear but none the less she happened to be in the back ground of a picture). 

Ton's of couples, 55% actually, request that guest share any moments from the nuptials to their #hashtag but what about the rest? Believe it or not its considered poor form to post pre-wedding and wedding moments without explicit instructions from the bride and groom before hand.

Shocking in this world of lets take a SELFIE phenomenon but it makes so much sense. By blast photos all over social media when your not the star of the day (no matter how awesome your makeup came out)... should be left to the discretion of the newly weds. Its so crazy though how programed we are to snap a picture and post it, and most of the time subconsciously. 

How do we feel about this clover fans?? 

Everybody could use a little Sparkle

The Clover Girls are going to take the Bay Area by storm. Get ready Florida here we come!