What to do when you see or hear...GOING OUT OF BUSINESS!!!

I am writing to the brides that have sadly experienced this with vendors during or after their wedding. In the last year, I have witnessed several brides lose deposits or full payment on photographs, video, venue location and even favors. This has been shared on The Knot, The Wedding Channel and several other websites regarding wedding dilemmas. I know I am not the only one who feels so disheartened about this reoccurring situation. We can call it bad economy, but in the wedding and event industry our business is thriving at its best right now. The big question is what do you do when a situation like this occurs? While most start up businesses go out of business before or by the one year mark, there are ways to protect yourself from mishaps. It's really about being proactive and not reactive. The first thing you want to do is provide yourself with enough viable material about any vendor you choose to work with. It's about asking the RIGHT questions that provide a substantial reference to your vendor of choice. Here are some great questions you may want to jot down prior to a meeting: 1. How long have they been in business? 2. How were they trained? Do they have a speciality? 3. A valid list of references? 4. Ask for photos of their work 5. What is the policy for back-up if they are a one man show? 6. What is their policy on a clients dissatisfaction? 7. Is there a clause in the contract that protects "you" the client? 8. Cancellation policy... 9. Are they licensed, bonded and insured? 10. Do they have vendors that refer them? Who are they? As there are so many other questions to ask, I have found that these are a great starting point. It's very easy to fall in love with a beautiful book of pictures. It's easy to get caught up in the moment by a vendor who offers you everything you want for 1/2 the price. It's even easier for you to loose your deposit or full payment by someone who is NOT credible. PLEASE brides, pick your vendors with caution. This is not about trust this is business. The only one who is going to watch out for you once you sign on the dotted line is YOU! There are a few companies that offer Bridal Insurance. I think this can be a great idea depending on how the coverage works. If you are a bride who is currently going through the courts to retrieve lost deposits etc...You may want to check with your homeowners policy. This may be covered. Forms of payment can also be a way to protect yourself. If you charge your down payment with a AMEX, MC or Visa, most companies have a semi insurance clause that will reverse the charges if a service has not been provided or you are not satisfied. I would highly recommend working with businesses that have different payment policies. You can always check the Better Business Bureau to see of others have had similar or any complaints about your vendor. If you are one of the "victims" of fraud or bankrupt business issues, you may want to share this information with your vendors. They may have an idea on how you can still have the wonderful things you wanted for the same price, without having to pay more. On the East coast, we had a terrible situation with a company called Celebrations Studios. They not only took several deposits from brides who had upcoming weddings a year from now, but took payments in full from brides who were already married and did not give them their photos. Several brides lost the only tangible product from their wedding. The one thing they could look back at and remember for the rest of their lives. There was no solution for these individuals. Even if some did receive their money back, they still had nothing in the end. Maybe some friends took photos, some were lucky to get the negatives after the court hearing. Again, the outcome was appalling and saddening. The wonderful thing about our industry is that there are so many wonderful companies that came to the rescue for the brides who still had an upcoming wedding and now no photographer and a deposit lost. These fine businesses ate the amount of what the brides gave and still issued them the same program as what they were promised. It makes me proud that I am affiliated with several of these companies. I just wanted to thank the vendors for being there for so many brides. I hope this information helps those who are in the process of planning their wedding. Just remember, you are the ONLY one that can protect your investment. It is NOT about trust. It's not just about the quality of ones work. If it sounds amazing, it's probably too good to be true. Most importantly, take your time in signing with a vendor. If they rush you, continue to mark down the contract if you sign TODAY, be VERY leery. If a company is that persuasive, ask yourself why didn't they offer you this price from the start???? Negotiation is one thing...A persistent salesperson is also completely different! That is a form of salesmanship. Desperation is COMPLETELY different. You can always just call a credible planning agency if you have a question about a vendor. I know we are always good for a few hundred referrals!

What A Weekend! We Are Pooped Literally!

I tell you, September begins and you might as well rent oxygen for the amount of running we do in the wedding industry. I think I should add this to my contract for 2009. I am not complaining, I do like being busy. I just do not take the time to breathe when I am! We had a fantastic weekend! It was a rough week with rain/no rain...But the weekend could not have been more beautiful. I would like to send our congratulations to Senator Joe Vitale who married Miss NJ this weekend by the shore. It was a lovely affair and we could not have had better weather! I certainly will ask for permission to display some photos on our site! We also wanted to celebrate the weddings of Vanessa and Tim and Michelle and Sean! I have to tell you guys, you were crazy fun to work with! I only wish I had more time in a weekend to personally attend every event we do! I am so excited our team was able to provide exceptional service. Tim I will not mention what your bestman said....LOL...Promise (I heard through the paper this morning! JK)...I love the blackmail! Anyway, I wish you all the very best and thank you for trusting us with your special day! I also wanted to say congrats to Maureen Buti a very sweet young lady in Chicago that was going to have her wedding in Chicago on Saturday night. I went to highschool with Maureen. Although we did not "hang" together, she is a delightful person. See photo above! I LOVE that you have several eligable men around you! You get them you sexy goddess you! The wedding was called off months ago and she decided to turn it into her 40th birthday bash! She had a cake shaped like a healed shoe, she wore her wedding dress and she registered too! I hope you received everything you asked for and GOOD FOR YOU FOR MOVING ON! There is nothing worse than living with something painful that you have no control over. Life has weird twists and turns, we all have to roll with them unfortunately. I really wished I could have been there to see things through with you! I am glad you had a "rocking" time. Oh yes..She named the party "Oh Hell Yeah"! It is now Sunday night and I am finally catching up with things I like to do....Like write! I have been playing with wrinkle creams all weekend and I have decided that Loreal's Wrinkle Decrease wins hands down. It looks like a tube of super glue...But it works. That's this weekend. I am sure I will be suckered into something new by Wednesday. What else is new? I tried to be a good mother this weekend and buy some nutritional foods for my daughter and for all of us. She likes the rice crispy treats already made. I was at Costco on Friday and bought these organic rice crispy bars in both chocolate and peanut butter. They looked exactly the same as the other ones. She said to buy them and I did. Then she said they tasted "yucky". I was pretty much done with trying the healthy route...Until I tried one tonight. I am sorry Sydney, they really do taste like SHIT Mommy is sorry! LOL! What was I thinking? Stay away from healthy foods moms..If the kids don't like it there is probably a good reason why. I taped another portion of my own show this weekend! AHHHHHH I did not tell you, we have a few networks that are interested in my own show. Soooooo I am taping the pilot now. I know I have not blogged about this BUT, I am so excited with our footage. I have never laughed so hard. All I can say is that it is a "VERY" day in the life of Samantha along with wedding planning. My poor husband! You guys are going to love it if they follow this format and well in show biz...They do what they want or you do not have a show. We will have to agree to disagree on that subject! I am having so much fun with this! I have also been working with Bloomingdale's as their celebrity headliner for East Coast locations and we are working on the (Midwest) Chicago market possibly very soon also. We've just completed the Short Hills NJ store. It was a success and a great turn out! The next location will be at the King of Prussia Mall in PA on Oct 2nd. I hope to see you there! Please go to www.bloomingdales.com for more info on times and vendor participation. I will blog about this very soon! I do have good news about other Bloomies locations! I am coming to MA in Nov! NY is scheduled very soon as well! It was been a fantastic experience and the brides have been so welcoming! The women and men who work the registry departments at some of the stores are AMAZING! I have never experienced such wonderful customer service in my life. It is almost as though they stop whatever they are doing to ensure you have everything you need and know things that you thought you did not need but do. Go there ladies! It will be a great experience, I promise you! Keep the scanner away from the grooms....I remember when Andrew and I were registering at Bloomies and he took off with the gun and started to scan things we would never need or even want. I think he even registered for boxers? I could not believe he registered for a coffee maker that neither of us know how to use. We hate coffee! Now people come over for dinner and ask for coffee!! I then take them outside to show them how to get to Starbucks one mile down the road. What part of Domestic don't you get? OOH I am not Domestic, well yes that is true. But I do try. Last year I tried to vacuum my car and broke my nose doing it. Don't ask, I was laughed at in the ER and at the surgeons office 3 days later. I tried and well, I should of let the pros do it. What matters is I tried and that is the most important thing, right? So here we are the start of a new week. I will start taping a new season with Style Season(9). I cannot believe this will be my 6th season with Style! So for those of you who call and get Dana she is not screening you, I really am out of the office but will try my best to call you with in 24 hours as always. Oh and THANK YOU for those who answered my last post!!! I PROMISE I am not going to post your emails. I am so glad I am not the only one in the crapper from the ACAI wonder weight loss method! I will say I received 37 emails! Someone has to let me at least leave it anonymous! Some of the emails are hysterical! Don't you want to make someones day? I do have to mention one of my planners Cathy is also on this miracle cleansing system and she has also mentioned the series of bathroom visits! I am so glad I am not alone. You guys I have now lost (drum roll) 6 pounds in the last month plus....YEAH! But my stomach is not doing too well. It does not look very good either. I see flab and that is not pretty. What's going on here? I will keep you posted on taping this week. Let's pray for a season with less drama! Let's just have fun! Be well! Be happy! And MOST importantly brides, do not let ANYONE ruin your planning! This is the one and only time where it is about you and your partner! Make it that way! Focus on your relationship! The party, it always works out just fine! xoxox Samantha

Brides Who Gain Weight Before The Wedding & Brides Who Lose it!

I know brides who gain weight have their own thoughts about brides who lose it. Let's be frank here. No one whose had ever had a weight problem could possibly understand how hard it is for people who are always thin. When we stress, it comes right off of us. I have worked with 100's of brides who are so stressed and lose weight like the snap of a finger. I was a bride once too...I had the dress "fitted" quite a few times. I remember in High School I wanted to find a way to gain weight. I was a twig, not super developed (no boobs lets be honest) and wanted more bulk. While most would say that was crazy, it was a personal insecurity. I know there are several of you who know how I feel. I'm not really sure who I recieved the skinny the genes from. I continuously ask my mother if she adopted me. I think that my mom had the hots for the Mailman and he could possibly be my dad. His name was Bob (how appropriate for a Mailman). She won't tell me his last name. She would kill me for writing this Ha! My dad swears he saw me come out in delivery. It's a personal joke I have with my mother. She just doesn't know I think it's true. We all have our mother issues right? Enough said! OK. The point of this post is to relay valuable information which could be crucial to what you gain or lose before the big day. I have been doing a lot of reading on changes with in the body internally that happen with age and or lifestyle. I have no idea why I am so interested in this. Maybe it is because I am turning 40 in a few months? I have noticed weird changes with my stomach and arms. Thicker in the upper arm and muffin top belly...Where did this come from? It's not genes. You don't just suddenly take after someone in your family after 40 years. Sadly, it comes from STRESS! We have so much more stress in our lives today. It was not like this in the 50's. I have had long conversations with my Grandmother about how things were. Was it really like the Leave It To Beaver show? It sure seemed like it was. The women had amazing bodies and extra curves were ok. We are so critical of ourselves and our bodies. All this does is provide more stress. We don't need it. While we envy women whom always seem to stay thin without working out, it is not always a benefit. When they stress, it comes off in MEGA pounds and you see it almost immediately. If you have weight issues you tend to gain more just by looking at a snickers bar. Based on what I have read, Cortisol is the main culprit as we get older. It stays in our tummies, it converts our stress into fat. Sometimes we can deplete it and can gain a lot of weight due to levels along with metabolism being too high or low. They actually work together. When we stress, our levels increase. This in turn slows everything down from metabolism, burning fat and energy levels. Makes sense right? Lets talk about people who eat when they are stressed. I know I have several friends who do this. This is just how you cope. This is not the best way of relieving stress. However, it is NOT always what you eat that causes you to get the muffin top belly, flabby tushes or thicker arms either. They say the best way to burn fat is to eat 6-8 little meals all day long. I have to tell you this is not bad advice. I truly believe that I trained myself to eat less at mealtime and have more little meals throughout the day. I look back to how I grazed growing up and how I wished I could take in more at breakfast, lunch or dinner. I never realized this was the right way to eat. This last year I have gone through some pretty heavy changes internally and externally. Being ill for almost 1/2 the year has changed my energy levels and my weight. Not to mention the effect this has had on my moods. I just could not give in to this. I am not going to be the first one at the plastic surgeon when they come up with a quicker less invasive way to lose weight or at least stay tone. I will be the second one! Seriously...Again...Back to research. What to do?? I am not happy with my body why not try a natural approach? I am sure you have all read about Oprah and the new weight loss miracle she has been working with the "Acai berry cleanse". For as much as I laughed at this, like every other false claiming miracle quick fix, this is something to look into. I love the Vitamin Shoppe. I have no idea why, but I do. Anyway, I was shopping one day(like I do everyday) and I came across this 32 ounce bottle of Acai juice. I checked out the ingredients and it sounded delicious so I bought it for $20. It has added juices such as Blueberry, pomegranate and cherry. It basically suggests you drink 2-4 ounces per day in the morning and that's it. It's quite tasty! After about a week on the juice, I noticed I had more energy no weight loss. The second week I noticed my skin looked brighter but no weight loss. I just felt good which I have not felt in a long time. It really wasn't until the 3rd week, where the detox issues REALLY began. I do not want to get graphic here but I am REALLY regular. I have searched on line for information on how many times a person can poop daily. Did you know that some people actually crap 2-3 times a day and that's normal? Wow! I am going to tell you in all honesty, I have been on this juice for almost 4 weeks now. I have lost 5 pounds and it's NOT water weight. I have not been stressed and I notice the loss is definitely in my stomach and upper legs. I do not see any difference in my upper arms yet. This I am disappointed about. I may actually have to lift weights which I hate. I always like to share new products that I have tried that work. It may not work for everyone, but I know it can/may work for some. Give it a try. If anything, it has great antioxidant properties. Stress can make us sick too! It doesn't hurt to at least protect against that. If you are going to try this, I highly recommend you try the liquid before the pills. I am weird with taking pills. I don't trust what's inside of a capsule. Especially with a company I have never heard of. I would suggest investing with a company you trust. I would also recommend based on my experience with "toxin removal" which by the way is still happening, that you not do this the week before your wedding. I would start a few months before. You do not want to have this issue when you are at your reception. I have had brides who have tried the juice fast (something totally different) the week of their wedding...NOT a pretty site! If anyone has tried the Acai Berry....Let us know. I am curious to see what other great things this fruit has done! Good Luck!

72 Pairs Of Black Shoes & Nowhere To Go

I have just realized as I am cleaning out my closet that I own 72 pairs of BLACK shoes!! I am so pathetic! How many pairs must once have in order to know we have enough. I thought I would start a Polaroid collection and take the photo and glue it on the outside of every box. I would know what I have and try not to buy duplicates. RIGHT. This did nothing. It was a waste of film and certainly showed me what a rotten photographer I am. I cannot even decipher what the heck the shoe is. All I can say is most of them looked like strap heels and flats with a chipped pink nail in front of the photo. At least it's consistent! I told my husband Andrew I am stocking up for the Winter. I know you guys are savvy of buying black. We wear them in the Winter they get salt stains and we dump them. So when shoes go on sale...which just so you know... Secret#1...Best sale months...January after NYE....July 15th and after October at end...November the Wed before Thanksgiving and December 18th.... Why you ask? Why ask why? Just trust me...I was told especially the Wed before TG. The stores need the revenue and no one shops on these days for any gifts. Plus this years retail statistics stink! Ask any and all stores if the have any coupons behind the counter. Even if you see Nada in your mailbox ask. They always have an extra 15-20% something. The do not have to advertise all promos. Speaking of Sales!!!!! Secret #2...EVERYTHING even if this is in contract form for your wedding is negotiable. Getting married in 2009 at the end or 2010 in the beginning? Talk about your budget with the vendor and ask them what you can do with what you have allocated. Listen, like I said every business is looking for business now and promotions are getting better daily. Get the big dogs like photography, video and floral done now. Ask each vendor if you sign today will they give you an extra 10-15%off?? Even better, if you pay in cash....What can you get an extra 5-10%?? Say you are having a bad day and an even worse one if you can justify buying what you did. The coupon at least lessens the blow right? If you do not ask you will NOT get. I have never been afraid to ask and I will tell you half the reason why people hire my team, we fight to get you what you can afford and do not make any promises on what you can't. Happy Shopping! If you find any GREAT deals pass the word...I will post it..We receive anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 views a week at times. You are bound to find trunk sales, sample sales and other goodies I find along the way here on the BLOG...My goal is to give you the best...I will also ask vendors for their promos to post as well! How is everyone doing this week? We have 4 weddings this weekend. Congrats in advance to Vanessa and Sean. John and Marie, Carina and Carlos and Michelle and Greg! Best wishes to you all! I am so proud of all of you...So calm..So on top of things and honestly just ready to party! I am looking for the deals ladies! Pass them along..We are in this boat together and If I should happen to find some great shoes you always know where to come! xo Samantha

The "Pre-Wedding" Wedding Party September 10 2008 6-8pm Short Hills Mall NJ

Please join us for an extraordinary evening at Bloomingdales located at The Mall in Short Hills (NJ) September 10th 2008 from 6-8pm. You will be welcomed by celebrity event planner from Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?, Samantha Goldberg who will be giving tips on the bridal timeline as well as sharing the newest and hottest trends with registering. Plus enjoy hors d' oeuvres by Frungillo Caterers (fabulous treats!) absolutely amazing florals from A Touch Of Elegance, tastings of delicious cake by Mrs. B's Cakes and Enjou Chocolate. Enjoy a restful and SWANKY style decor from our favorite furniture rental company "Jersey Street Furniture" Designing with the hottest trends of purple and gray! While Visions lighting enhances the room while playing some vibes your sure to dance your feet off too! Photo presentations by Stephen Taylor Photography one of the only urban chic photographers located in NJ. Don't forget before you leave to visit Bellisimo the 18th largest basket company in the USA. Winning several awards for developing gift baskets for any occasion and any price point! Think of this as partying with a purpose! Please say I do RSVP: (973) 548-2393

Wedding Planning Course October 24 2008 Updates!

I have great news about our next course CAES 100. As you are all aware this class was going to be cut off at 16 students. We have decided to expand to 30! We now have a rooms that can hold more and the best news is..... The location is at Skylands Manor New Jersey Botanical Gardens! This castle is amazing! http://www.frungillo.com/frungillo_new/skylands/index.htm Not only do you get to experience one of the most prestigious properties in NJ, but we are now including an overnight stay with your class at n/c! There are no strings attached! The fee has not been increased it is $850! Anyone who has already signed up for the class is able to take advantage of this offer! Please let us know so we can make reservations for you! Space is limited and overnight accommodations can only be used for the night before the class or the day of the class. We have 12 openings left in this class. This will be our final class for 2008! The next class will not occur until March 2009. The fee will be increased to $995. Sign up today! Save some money and get a taste of a great venue! Time is ticking and the tri-state area is going to need some fresh faces for the newly engaged! Did you know that 20% of engagements happen around Thanksgiving through New years? Now is the time to refresh your memory or change careers! This may be your ticket to happiness!

To Gift and Re-gift...Is It Wrong?

I have been asked time and time again, how do I feel about getting gifts at weddings or even worse being re gifted. I completely understand that many people are against registering. They think it is cold or rude to ask for anything. However, if the couple does not want the gift, they most likely are going to throw it away or...RE-GIFT ha! This is what starts the 6 degrees of separation. With my luck, it would end up at a friends home. The same friend who bought it for us! Can you imagine? My question to you wouldn't it be better to get a couple what they want instead of buying something you like and hope they like it? When I was engaged, my MIL threw my husband and I a beautiful shower in Philadelphia. She invited friends of my husband and of course friends of his parents. We had not registered at this point, so I was not expecting to receive any gifts. To my surprise we had many gift givers...Some were fantastic and others left me speechless. As much as I was thankful, all I kept thinking about is how are we going to lugg all of these gifts back to Chicago? This included the gifts we did not like and had no way to return them. If we follow Peggy Post about manners she would say it is proper etiquette to bring the host a gift when invited for a party or a dinner. I always like to bring a bottle of wine, a cute cooking book maybe even a dessert. I feel lost without having some token of appreciation. Do you ever feel that way? Anyway, (my selective ADD is coming into this story)after the party was over, my husband and I began to open gifts. I felt like it was Christmas and we were two eager children who could not wait until the morning. While some gifts were extremely thoughtful or creative we had a few that made me say "How did this jump out at you"? Does fresh dirt always come with a new vase? Maybe I am missing something here. I realize these guests did not know me and to be honest, I would not expect a gift from anyone regardless. However, since they insisted on giving something, wouldn't be fair to ask someone what we may want or need? We must have had about 60 gifts which was overwhelming by itself. I will never forget the moment I opened this fantastically decorated box and to my surprise there were 2 acorn shaped mini candy dishes. I held them up and my fiance' suggested maybe they are antiques...I looked at him and said OK you have to be kidding me. These were not antiques they were used goods. After staring at the tarnished set, I muffled I think we have been re-gifted. I remember his mother being adamant and saying they have to be something special. I know they(her friends) would never re gift a used item. They have to be antique. I felt pretty secure with what my gut was telling me. I suggested we go to an antique store and see what type of antique they were. Maybe we were holding onto a treasure worth millions. Well if something that was tarnished and had an engraved date of 1993 is considered an antique we would be in really good shape! I need to clean out my closets! 1993 here we come! So how did we get this gift? Did they shop around their home? Did they go through the closet inventory and say, I know Samantha and Andrew would love this acorn dish let's give them something that has brought us great joy? I hardly think so! I am sure you know by now, I had the gift checked out and yes...They were nothing more than extremely tarnished acorn dishes! Sadly, I do not have the heart to dump them and I could never re-gift them knowing my luck they would ask for the receipt to return them! After 8 years, I still have the acorns! Have you ever been re gifted? Even better have you ever been gifted an item that was used? What did you do? Please join us in celebrating the "The Little Stuff" If you email us a great story you can win a free hour consultation on how to plan your wedding or ask any questions you like? It will be the most productive 60 minutes you will ever have! You can use this time in any way you choose! We can design a spreadsheet to keep you organized. There's always the acorns if you don't want to use the consultation! Good Luck! Samantha