Come Together! |Cincinnati Event Planner|

Argentenian tango dancers accompanied by the world's best bandoneon player (he recorded with Shakira this year). A troupe of drummers circling an aerial acrobat. A rock show accompanied by a string quartet. Phenomenal hand balancing gymnasts. As I walked through the incredible video, the stunning lights, and the pumping rhythm, I felt privileged to be part of such an impressive show, let alone being part of producing it.

In September, we had an incredible chance to do a spectacular event for 800 people at Procter & Gamble: the North America Brand Building Awards. The celebration brought together 4 business functions and recognized the extraordinary work they accomplished together. Nine awards were given that night, and fabulous entertainment was intermixed throughout the evening.

The concept for the performances: a suite of acts revolving around the Beatles' "Come Together" (also the theme we chose for the event). They seemed incongruous when performed separately, but when combined, they became something entirely greater than the sum of those parts. It was a visual metaphor for what teamwork looks like in action, and it was inspiring! It was a gift to work with these talented artists. I'll let the photos speak for themselves!

Opening act to begin the show

Areialists and guitarists

The photo below is probably my favorite image. Such beauty and grace captured!

Amazing hand balancing gymnasts. I couldn't believe their strength.

My favorite act: the tango dancers. You could truly feel their passion.

The finale brought all acts performing together. The energy was amazing!

The entire event was inspiring! I loved seeing a company "come together" to recognize and celebrate teamwork... and having the opportunity to creatively express their message "strong individually, stronger together" was an honor!

Thanks for staging such a great event for P&G marketers on September 22. I was really impressed with the event – as usual, you think of all the details but bring it to life in a way that entertains and delights. I had a great time and wanted to make sure you knew how much we enjoyed it. Chris K. P&G

All images Kortnee Kate Photography

Artists: Aerial Experience

Original music & Creative: Steve Manuel

Musicians: Robbie Reider, Dave Eberhardt, Steve Manuel, Carl Larson string quartet

A/V Production & Lighting: Prestige, Steve Brock

Video: Ben Nicholson, Bill Poff, Patrick Buescher

Venue: Duke Energy Center

Small Business Day Promotion!

Thank you to everyone who supports their local small businesses!

We appreciate your continued support!
Small Business Saturday is Saturday, November 27th!

As a thank you for supporting Viva Bella Events, a Cincinnati small business, we would like to give you a gift! Call, email or Facebook us on November 27th, schedule your complimentary consultation and if you book your event with us, we will give you free event design services – valued at $500! Let us help you take your event to the next level with our design services that will create memories that will last a lifetime.

info@vivabellaevents.com

513.792.2298

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An Afternoon with David Tutera | Cincinnati Wedding Planner

Last week I attended the Association of Bridal Consultants Annual Conference in Phoenix! Our keynote speaker was David Tutera, the host of WeTVs My Fair Wedding.

I have blogged about David before, when he was one the show, Celebrity Apprentice. The Apprentice featured him in a less than favorable light (on the show, he quit on the job, working with Joan Rivers), so my opinion of him was...well... a bit uncertain.

During an open Q&A, I have the opportunity to ask him about his experience on the show... I asked him what takeaways he learned from the experience. My question flustered him (poor guy!) as he rolled his eyes and sighed as he considered what happened on the show.

According to David, the producers were interested in drama and created a no-win situation for him to succeed. I believe it. Reality TV is nuts! He told us behind- the-scenes version of the story with great humor and charming charisma, which we all ate up with laughter! He is a funny guy. In the end, to answer my question, he said his take away from the experience that even bad PR is good PR because the exposure on the show increased his household exposure and google rating.

So, my opinion of him was redeemed (like it really matters!?) and his presentation was wonderful. He showed us pictures of the beautiful work he does and shared with us his best tip to be a successful wedding planner....

BE A GOOD LISTENER.

Listen to your bride and groom, find out who they are and tell their story through each detail of the wedding. FANTASTIC advice, I say.

So, everyone, I'm all ears!

Latin Fusion... in Cincinnati! *Cincinnati Wedding Planner*

At some point during the wedding planning process, my client and bride-to-be asked me "Have you ever planned a Latin wedding before?" I paused to think. She immediately responded, if you have to think about it, then you haven't!" And she was right.

So, here's the story of Nicole Portal and Andres Velarde May 2010 Latin wedding... full of passion, surprise and PEOPLE!

***

Serendipity is how Nicole describes meeting Andres in 2007.

Both Nicole and Andres are Miami, Florida natives and Nicole always envisioned herself being married in the city she loved. But life had other plans, as it always does!

Andres was offered a position with Procter and Gamble that he could not turn down. Nicole and Andres’ new life together would begin in Cincinnati, so they thought the best way to celebrate their new beginning was to be married in the Queen City... Miami style!

Nicole and her planning team of mom, Gloria, and sister, Lizette, traveled to Cincinnati to ensure a flawless plan. Nicole wanted her wedding day to be an affair that would be remembered by each and every guest. And her mission was definitely accomplished! Nicole and Andres’ special day was stunning, full of emotion, and of course, memorable for all. And we were thrilled to have been a part of it!

The bride wore a Rosa Clara gown embellished with custom crystals. Cincinnati master-hairstylist, Sam Hills of the High Five Salon, created a classic style to match her personality. Gerri from Saks and Brideface made Nicole glow, with their finishing touches.

The result... stunning!

Nicole wore custom jewelry designed by Giancarlo Jewelry Designs to compliment the detail in her dress and hair piece.

Beautiful bouquet accented with white feathers.

Below, Nicole and her entourage of bridesmaids... yes, 11 of them! The bridesmaids were custom designed dresses of charmeuse, chiffon, and crystals.

Steve Lyons captured this day beautifully in his photos. I love this one of Nicole. Classic beauty with just a touch of sass, as she waits for her moment to walk down the aisle.

The ceremony was held at Holy Trinity in Norwood. With a wedding party of 33 (!) people (11 bridesmaids, 12 groomsmen, 1 junior bridesmaid, 1 junior groomsmen, 3 flower girls and 3 ring bearers and of course, the bride and groom!), the processional alone was 20 minutes!

The ceremony was full of tradition! Pictured below, Nicole and Andres were draped by a mantilla (bridal veil). They also participated in the tradition of the Arras, which are coins exchanged during the ceremony. The coins are presented by the groom to the bride as a sign that the man is giving to his bride all that he possesses and with the promise that he will use it for her support. The woman then gives them back to him to accepting her duty to protect their riches.

Immediately following the recessional, Nicole and Andres released 12 doves as they left the Church as a symbol of their love for each other.

In platinum wedding-style, Nicole chose the Hall of Mirrors at the Hilton Netherland Plaza for her reception, with Hanna Minor managing the many reception details.

Nicole worked closely with Neil Leeson from Akron, Ohio to create truly one of a kind centerpieces. The final result was a fairy-tale wedding with an abundance of flowers, crystals and fun personal touches. The centerpiece below was my absolute favorite. Gorgeous!

The centerpiece pictured below anchored the 4 corners of the room. I had never seen anything like it! It was about 20 feet high. It felt like Miami Heat to me!

Another beautiful creation by Neil. I love the crystals draping over just one side.Nicole's cake was a six tier, hexagon shaped masterpiece. The cakery used the piping to match the texture of the bride’s gown and custom crystals as trim to match the bridesmaids dresses. The cake was topped with Lladro Doves, to compliment the theme of the wedding.

Below was one of the highlights of the reception for me... the first dance. Nicole and Andres were so playful during their dance - you could really see their friendship and enjoyment of one another come through.

Another reception highlight (not pictured) was a beautiful poem Nicole recited to her mother. It was “I carry your heart with me” by E.E. Cummings. Nicole wanted her mom to know that even though they live apart now, Nicole will always have everything her mother instilled in her, especially her love. How sweet to honor her mother this way at her wedding!

Studio+Z Films presented their Same Day Edit of the ceremony and reception, gave a little back-story on the couple and even spotlighted some events of the week leading up to the wedding. Here is the happy couple enjoying the video during the reception.

Nicole and Andres know how to throw a party! With the majority of their guests coming from Miami (we were on our toes managing the seamless transportation for all of those guests!), they wanted to make sure everyone ate, drank and danced all night long. And with the help of Mark McFadden mixing up great music, they did!. After dinner and cake was served, the guests enjoyed an espresso and cappuccino bar from Coffee Emporium. Once the dancing started with "I got a feeling," mojito shots were passed to kick off the fun. Later guests could enjoy a midnight cupcake bar (from Abby Girl Sweets) and the Hilton's delicious late night (or morning?) 1 a.m. burgers. All this was planned to keep surprises coming and to keep guests energized all night on the dance floor. Nicole and Andres danced away with their guests until 3AM!

What a day!

Take a look at Studio Z's amazing Same Day Edit video that was showed at the reception. Guests were buzzing about it for hours afterward!

Studio Z Films : Award Winning Wedding Filmmaker » Nicole and Andres: Enhanced Same Day Edit

Best wishes to Nicole & Andres and their new life together in Cincinnati!

All images courtesy of Steve Lyons.

Learning from the Best

Pictured above, Colin Cowie and me in November 2008 at the Association of Bridal Consultants annual conference

Have I told you lately that I love my job? Sometimes my job is about the planning and executing weddings and events, sometimes it's about keeping up on current trends and fashion and sometimes it's about learning from the best in the business.

Almost two years ago, while I was attending the Association of Bridal Consultants annual conference, Colin Cowie, one of the top event designers in the world, was the keynote speaker. I was all ears to hear him speak! His work as a designer is incredibly creative, inspiring and influential. Hailing from South Africa, Colin Cowie is a published best selling author and his client list includes A-list celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Tom Cruise, Jennifer Lopez, John Travolta and you name it....the list goes on and on. You can say that I'm a fan of his work! :)

During his speaking session at the conference, he surprised (and delighted!) everyone when he announced he was going to auction off a personal apprenticeship that would involve working on location with him at one of his events (with proceeds going to a charitable organization within the Association of Bridal Consultants). Wow.

I was determined to win that auction. I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to learn from the top in my field... someone who I consider the best of the best. And so, I won the auction. :)

Tomorrow, my adventure begins. I'm flying out to LA to work with him and his team on a large corporate event. I hope to be inspired but also learn practical things that I can apply in my own business that will make me better at what I do.

I'll be posting updates about how the trip is going on the Viva Bella Events Facebook page, if you'd like to follow along!

I can't wait to share everything I'm going to learn. Have I mentioned I'm excited?

More to come!

A Miami Merger

"When two hearts beat as one and both attended Miami, it's a Miami Merger."

Amber and Michael are a classic Miami Merger. Legend has it that two students who kiss under the lantern of the Upham Arch at Miami University at Midnight are destined to be married.


Their destined wedding was last November in Cincinnati, Ohio. Amber incorporated the historic lantern into the theme of their wedding. She and her mother, Mary, chose a silhouette of the lantern for the invitations, ceremony program, escort cards and with the popcorn favors for the guests. It was all done with just the right touch!

Below is Amber, pictured with her mother, getting ready for the big day!

Sam Hills, hair stylist extraordinaire of the High Five Salon, was on hand to make sure Amber looked her best. Amber's make up was done by Brideface.

Pictured below is Amber enjoying a moment with her bridesmaids.

I've mentioned before that I love, love, love Amber's dress. It is a Romona Keveza and made our favorites list this year. It was unique yet simply elegant.



Amber and Michael were married at the historic Plum Street Temple in downtown Cincinnati. If you have ever been there, you know it is absolutely stunning inside. Leppert Photography did an awesome job capturing the beauty of the Temple.



The couple had a a custom Ketubah created by Julie Staller-Pentelnik of JSP Judaic Art. Just one of many personal touches that made their day so special!



The reception was held at the Hall of Mirrors in the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza. Another spectacular, historic location! The fall colored flowers (Sprouts Floral Design) and lighting (Goodwin) brought the room to life.

The cake (Dessert Works) was delicious as was beautiful!

This couple knew how to have fun. I think the Hora (a traditional Jewish dance of celebration) went on for 45 minutes!


It's always nice to see the bride and groom (and their families) happy at the end of their special day. It makes all the planning, fun, and stress worth it when the day goes exactly as planned. I wish Amber and Michael a wonderful life together!

Below is a highlight of their day produced by Lifetime Films.

An Epic Wedding Trailer from Lifetime Films on Vimeo.

The Hollywood Report

My little family of 3 (plus our sweetheart babysitter!) made our way to LA last week to venture in an exciting opportunity for my singer/songwriter hubby, Stevie.

Long story short: Stevie and his buddy Jeff created a story for a made-for-TV family movie called The Jensen Project (airing July 16, 2010 on NBC, 8/7c.). That, in itself, is so exciting for us! Then to make things even sweeter, Stevie was given the opportunity to write a song for The Jensen Project soundtrack, being produced by Randy Jackson. Randy liked the song Steven wrote (called Anything is Possible), so we headed to California!

Below is Stevie recording in the sound booth. My heart was beating fast for him as he sang for one of biggest music moguls around. He did fantastic job and there were high-fives all around when he finished. Randy complimented his vocal range citing that most men can't sing that high. Go Steven!

(Below) Steven and Randy (a REALLY nice guy) in the control room. Randy is an interesting and interested (in others) person. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I met him, but I was surprised and impressed how real and down to earth he is. He's also an insanely talented musician and producer. One thing is for sure, he didn't get to where he is now by accident.

Keith, the sound engineer, is in the background. Also, a REALLY nice (and talented) person.

Talking to Randy, below. We were actually talking about event planning! He told me I had the hardest job and shared stories about event planners he knows having to deal with celebrities (their tardiness and crazy requests) at events... I'm not quite there.. yet, at least! ;)

Below is one of the actresses, Alyssa Diaz, from The Jensen Project. She was in the studio that night recording a song for the movie soundtrack. Everyone said we looked like sisters, but she insisted we looked like cousins instead, which became a running joke that night.

Baby Joy, Emilee (our terrific babysitter!) and I headed back to Cinci a day early because I had a wedding to be home for. It was a quick, tiring but FUN trip. These are good times in the Manuel home!