When planning one of the most important days of your life, you need to surround yourself with people who know weddings inside and out. When it comes to expertise in the field, look no further than your own backyard. Here are three professionals in Maple Grove that can make your wedding spectacular.
Forever Yours
Charles Eide and Michael Danielson are not only wedding experts in their own right; they expose their master resource guide of experts via online television at forever-tv.com. Headquartered in Maple Grove, forever-tv.com is the ultimate resource for brides seeking info in any and all areas of wedding planning.
Forever TV is a homegrown success. Since launching earlier this year, they have received more than 240,000 hits and log 65,000 minutes of episodes viewed. They have been welcomed with open arms by the Twin Cities wedding market, including the Twin City Bridal Association, Guthrie Theatre, Jaclyn Elizabeth Events, Hotel Sofitel, Nicollet Island Pavilion, Windows on Minnesota at the IDS, and press from KARE 11, among others.
With a new episode each week, Eide and Danielson have become the go-to guys for the ultimate local wedding information. Current episodes of the shows “Your Wedding” and “Do It Yourself Design” cover topics anywhere from picking the right dress to being prepared for marriage. Planning, design, the flowers, the video—they cover it all.
“I'm planning an outdoor wedding and handling all the details myself,” says soon-to-be bride Kalsey Larson. “Forever TV has been my wedding coordinator. It’s so nice to have someone walking you through every detail so you're certain you do it correct yourself!”
The Forever TV team has years of experience in the wedding industry that shines through on each episode. “This is all about the bride,” says Eide. “Her special day is what matters to us. We help her find the hidden gems of her city that she may not know about.”
The shows weekly featured wedding business is chosen, not because they are the biggest in the market, but, through word of mouth and strong referrals. This aspect of the show saves a bundle of time by allowing brides to get to know local vendors instead of suffering a series of meetings with each.
When it comes to planning the big day, Forever TV is a local treasure. They already have plans for nationwide expansion, so brides in other cities can make the most of their own local area experts and plan the day of their dreams.
Forever TV
763.898.3223
forever-tv.com
theforeverblog.com
facebook.com/forevertv
twitter.com/theforevertv
Bee The Buzz
Maple Grove resident Bea Mulawarman, owner of Bee The Buzz Event (BBE), masterminds weddings in a way that provides a sustainable platform for the couple, as well as their environment. “Most planners will help you plan the wedding from the beginning up to the wedding day,” she explains. “We go beyond that. We plant trees for every event on behalf of the client.”
Establishing new plant life is a small part of a “green” philosophy that provides one way of making decisions in planning a wedding that leaves a lighter footprint on earth. “There are about 2.5 million weddings held in the United States every year, and each wedding produces about 60 tons of carbon dioxide and 500 tons of garbage,” says Mulawarman. “That is a lot of waste!” She suggests ways to limit waste and works with a few “green” vendors.
On top of eliminating waste from weddings, Mulawarman prides her business on being an “event GPS” that navigates couples through their planning journey. After completing an MBA and working in several corporations, Mulawarman started planning weddings in 2009. But it is her stylish mother she credits with teaching her the importance of detail in crafting a memorable event.
Karen Davidson asked Bee the Buzz to help with her daughter Amanda’s wedding. “Instead of spending the day all flustered and worrying about all those last minute details, I was able to totally enjoy the day and not worry about a thing,” says Davidson. “Everything went flawlessly, and if there were any last minute glitches, Bea dealt with them, not me.”
Malawarman loves thinking “outside the box” and she isn’t shy with color. Her creativity is an invaluable resource for couples. “Last year I had my first public ‘thank you’ from the groom,” she says. “That was very special to me.”
Bee the Buzz
763.639.8037
beethebuzzevent.com
beethebuzzevent.wordpress.com
facebook.com/beethebuzzevent
twitter.com/beethebuzz
Catering Queen
More than a decade ago, Kendra Stoeckman began as a server at Rush Creek Golf Club. She realized how much she loved planning weddings only after helping shape her sister’s special day. When the catering coordinator position became available, even though it wasn’t in her career major, she accepted without hesitation.
Now, Stoeckman along with co-planner Lisa Albers handles the details of more than 70 weddings a year. Her involvement varies with each wedding, but, because dates at this much-sought-after venue are booked a year or more out, she has a lot of time to get to know couples. She refers them to vendors such as bakers, florists and DJs; helps detail decor and place settings, menus, reception timing and anything else the couple needs.
Rush Creek often hosts the ceremony as well, providing yet another opportunity for Stoeckman’s expertise to dazzle. She says the biggest challenge arises when the bride doesn’t know what she wants and has a hard time making decisions, often because there are too many choices. Stoeckman and her team understand this. Because they get to know the couple so well over time, they can offer fitting recommendations that help narrow the options.
New bride Julie Maassen had the misfortune of scheduling her Rush Creek reception during a tornado warning. But thanks to Stoeckman’s clutch planning, Maassen now reflects on the detour like it was a highlight of the day. “They let Trevor and I know first that we needed to go downstairs,” Maassen remembers. “Servers brought drinks for our guests, and our DJ even brought down some music. Kendra and her staff let us know the status of the tornado warning. After an hour, we were told we were in the clear. When we arrived upstairs, the main course was served. The food was still hot and tasted great, even after the long delay.”
A superb planner and service-oriented staff can reduce an unseen disaster to a mere blip. And, it doesn’t hurt that the venue itself—with tall ceilings, beautiful fireplaces, windows that overlook a golf course and give way to a walkout terrace—serves as beautiful backdrop to the more precious moments of the day.
Rush Creek Golf Club
763.494.0400
rushcreek.com
facebook.com/rushcreekgolfclub
twitter.com/RushCreekGC
Sage Advice
for the soon-to-be-betrothed:
Forever TV
“Get educated! Learn what is right for YOU. We have vendors tell the industry secrets, hidden issues and potential frustrations to avoid in every aspect of the wedding. A lot of our shows also offer special discounts for watching Forever-TV.” —Charles Eide
Bee the Buzz
“Take a weekend or two off from planning and go somewhere to reconnect. I am here not only to help you plan a wonderful wedding, but also to make sure your marriage is full of happiness and bliss.” —Bea Mulawarman
Rush Creek
“Planning your wedding can be an overwhelming process, but don’t let it get the best of you. Remember what got you two here in the first place. Don’t be afraid to hand some tasks off to others that are willing to help you.” —Kendra Stoeckman
