New NAWP Chapter President

 Have you heard the news? Our founder, Mercedes Dos Santos is the new 2015 President for the National  Association of Wedding Professionals (NAWP)  Miami-Dade/Broward Chapter. Mercedes has served on  the board for the past 2 years and has  been actively involved with NAWP since 2009. She was nominated  by her peers to lead the organization  that is dedicated to  recognizing the important of  high standards and  professionalism within the wedding  industry.

The National Association of Wedding Professionals (NAWP) is the first Association to cover all aspects of  the  wedding industry with a particular focus on education for its members.

Mercedes hopes to bring NAWP to the next level by incorporating educational experiences and hosting fun  events in out-of-the-box venues for all members and wedding professionals in South Florida.

Please join us  in congratulating Mercedes on her new endeavor!

For more information on how you can become a member, please visit our website at www.nawp.com or email the NAWP Miami-Dade/Broward Chapter at:nawpboard@gmail.com

The 7 Things To Do When You First Get Engaged

What a special moment it is when you first get engaged. It is such a blissful time and you want to be sure you enjoy it before you dive in to all the pre-nuptial drama. Therefore, here are seven things to do to get you started after you have gotten engaged.

First, announce your engagement and share the good news with family and friends. You can make it a festive occasion by planning an engagement party or keep it simple by either sending out an email or posting it on your social media page. Oh and don’t forget to change your status on Facebook. Next, sit down with your fiancé to select a wedding date this is the most important step, it will set the tone for the entire experience. Whether you choose a special date that is significant to the both of you or you go with a catchy calendar date like 5/10/15, be sure you give yourself enough time to plan your perfect big day.

Once you have set the date, schedule your engagement photo session. Engagement photos are a big wedding essential and you will have a blast doing them. You can use the photos for several different things as you plan your wedding, such as your save-the-dates, on your wedding website, on your Facebook profile  and of course to display at your wedding reception.

One of the most crucial steps in planning a wedding is setting your wedding budget, having a clear understanding of your expenses will help you select the services that are right for you. Your wedding budget should follow these guidelines:  Reception – 50% / Transportation – 5% / Entertainment – 10% / Flowers – 10% / Attire – 10% / Photography – 10% / Stationary – 4% / Extras – 6% (these can be adjusted if you feel you want to splurge on certain things).

To help you with all of these details, hiring a wedding planner is an investment that you will be glad you made. Having a coordinator on your side will give you peace of mind and allow you to actually enjoy the planning process, not to mention they will know how to save you time and money.

Selecting a location is next. When choosing a wedding venue, there are countless things to consider to ensure that you are selecting the best venue for you and the type of wedding that you’d like to host. It is important to align the vision and plan that you have for your wedding day with your wedding venue in order to determine how it will suit your needs.

Last but not least, you will want to create a wedding website. This blog or page will serve as the center of all the information you want your guests to know when it comes to your wedding. Such as important dates & times, locations, hotel accommodations, special moments, how you two met and how he proposed. Keep it updated and encourage family and friends to share comments and special memories they have with you on the site

Follow these seven tips and we promise the rest of the process will be a breeze. However,  if you get overwhelmed or nervous along the way, call MeKaSo Creations and we would be more than happy to assist you in any way we can.  – Happy Planning!

xoxo — Mercedes

 

Top 10 Wedding Trends For 2015

As 2014 comes to a close we look forward to what will be trending for Weddings in 2015. Many couples will be celebrating the biggest day of their lives and will be searching, pinning and posting the latest trends. But where do you start planning your big day and how do you incorporate your personalities? It’s all in the details, of course! Here are the most noteworthy wedding trends we’ve got our eye on this year.

1. Top Blooms: English roses, peonies, hydrangeas, dahlias and ranunculus continue to be go-to favorites among brides. Their dramatic and romantic feel are perfect for whether you’re planning a traditional affair or something more relaxed.

2. Green with Envy: Herbs like rosemary and mint, lemon leaf, magnolia leaf, ivy, smilax and baby’s breath are being strung together and used in surprising ways. Guests will be green with envy when they see how you use these as table runners or chair ties, to frame cocktail menus or to give chandeliers a soft edge.

3. Extra Sparkle: The use of buttons, ribbons and gems on invitations and stationary are wowing guests! Couples are adding attention-grabbing details to their invitation suite with shimmery cellophane, decorative paper, fancy ribbon, leather rope, baker’s twine and studded with crystals; or adorned with dried flowers. What will really be huge this year will be the laser-cut invitations. 

4. Champagne with a Twist: The Champagne tower has returned in a big way – and for a more casual, colorful option try adding in fruit purées to create a signature cocktail that matches your palette.

5. Sip and Savor: Let your guests enjoy flights of craft beer, shots of different bourbons, wine samplings, a sangria palate or even a soda bar. This is a great way to show off your personal tastes while letting guests sample an array of beverages, not to mention the added bonus of helping you keep your bar budget in check.

6. Family-style Dining: The overall guest experience is a big goal for today’s couples. And nothing gets a conversation going quite like a meal served family style, with guests passing beautifully plated entrées and sides.

7. Tiny Tastings: Tasting stations have taken over the cocktail hour allowing couples to show off samples of their favorite foods. From sushi bars and mac-n-cheese bites, to make-it-your-own taco stands or local food trucks, the idea is to surprise your guests with an unexpected assortment of fun food.

8. Favorite Flavors: Try choosing cake flavors that are rooted in your hometowns or family heritage, where you began dating each other or your favorite vacation spot. Flavors such as chai latte, honey lavender and key lime are just a few. Combine these flavors to create the cake that’s perfect marriage of the both of you.

9. Picture Perfect: Photo booths with an artistic twist will be hot this year. By incorporating custom props or a specially designed background to make it personal. These pictures will be a memory of your wedding so you’ll want to add a little flare to this guest favorite. Consider hiring an onsite silhouette artist as well. This is another way to personalize the photos for your guests.

10. Cake Couture: Over the top lace patterns, pleats, geometric shapes, and textured buttercream frosting remain strong trends for brides.   A deluxe cake has become one of the most important elements of the wedding.(Photo credit: TheCakeBlog.com)

 

Welcome to our blog!

Hello & Welcome to our blog!

MeKaSo Creations Weddings & Events specializes in creating unforgettable memories for one of the most important days of your life. MeKaSo Creations will handle any aspect of your wedding day or special event from beginning to end. Our services include Full Service Wedding Planning, Partial Planning, Month of and Day of Coordination, Event Design and additional à la carte services designed to assist you in creating your magical day.

Here’s a little insight on the “creators” of MeKaSo Creations:

Meet Mercedes, Katarina & Sofia

MERCEDES: Founder and Lead Wedding Planner & Designer, I have been planning events for nearly 20 years, perhaps since I was just a little girl… so my grandma says. She tells me that when I was a little girl she would take me with her when she worked at the local church and that I would love to take all the flowers in the church and rearrange them. Hmmm…Well, it has been a long time since those days but I guess you could say, I am still kinda doing the same thing! I still love playing with flowers & I truly enjoy designing, decorating, adding a splash of color, enhancing events with personal details, thinking outside of the box, coming up with new ways of doing things & making visions come alive.

KATARINA: Our behind the scenes Marketing guru & PR specialist. A recent graduate of the University of Central Florida she brings a fresh view on what is trending and current, not only in weddings but in fashion and pop culture. Kat (her nickname) has been with our company from the start & has contributed tremendously to our overall style and brand.

SOFIA: Our newest member & aspiring wedding planner “wanna be”.  Sofia is without a doubt a representation of our future & is being molded to continue our legacy. She is extremely creative and imaginative, oh…and just as corky as our founder.

In case you were wondering “MeKaSo” stands for “I am getting married” in Spanish however, to us it is a combination of the first 2 letters of our first names. Undoubtedly, it was meant to be!

Thank you for taking the time to visit our blog. Check back regularly for current wedding trends, inspiration, DIY tips or just to see what we’ve been up to. We would love to hear from you so be sure to leave your comments (only good ones of course)!

– Mercedes 😉