Engaged: Janelle and Brett

Oh man do we love this couple! You got a sneak at their design plan already but here is a good look at their adorable faces!! Holy cuteness am I right!?! Great work as always by Benfield Photography.

How did the two of you meet?

Brett and I met at Sams Club, where we both worked in January of 2011. It was nice to get to know each other by working together before we began dating.

Tell us about one of your favorite dates!

Janelle- Brett surprised me on Valentine ’s Day with 3 dozen roses and a night out. I didn’t know where we were going, but I knew I was supposed to get dressed up. Half of the fun was the element of surprise! We went to Touch for dinner which was wonderful because neither of us had ever been. We loved it so much we are using Touch to cater the wedding and rehearsal dinner!

Brett- Janelle surprised me for my birthday with Royals tickets. It was fun for us to explore Kansas City together. We enjoyed shopping at the plaza and eating good food. Kansas City is now one of our favorite places to go.

When did you know it was the real thing?

Janelle- When Brett took me to meet his family after a month of dating. That showed me that he already cared about me as much as I cared about him. I just remember instantly feeling like I fit in with them and knew I would love to call them family one day.

Brett- I knew early on that it was the real thing because we both wanted the same things out of life.

Was the proposal a surprise? How did it happen?

We looked at rings and talked about marriage quite a bit so it was hard for Brett to pull off a surprise. On Friday, April 25^th Brett asked if he could take me out on a date. Little did I know, he had been trying to propose for weeks but with our hectic schedules, nothing worked out.  As we were walking out of the house to head to our favorite sushi place, Brett got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. We celebrated with a sushi dinner, just the two of us, before heading downtown to celebrate with all of our closest friends. It was a night neither of us will forget.

How do you envision your wedding day?

We envision our wedding day to be filled with love, family, friends, and centered on God.

Janelle, what are you most looking forward to on your big day?

I’m looking forward to every part of the day! I can’t wait to spend time getting ready with my very best friends. Being a daddy’s girl, I can’t wait for my father daughter dance.  I can’t wait to walk down the aisle to Brett and say my vows. And I really can’t wait for the moment I get to put on my amazing wedding dress!

Brett, what are you most looking forward to on the big day?

I’m looking forward to the actual wedding ceremony. I’m excited to say my vows and begin the rest of my life with Janelle. I’m also excited to spend the day with family and friends.

Behind the Scenes: Reception Layouts

Hi friends! Y'all love learning more about layouts! This post has been the most popular one we've had by far in the last 8 years. 

Our business has rebranded from Abby Mitchell Events to Hired Hostess Event Co. and we actually offer a stand alone package to create an event layout for any venue in any location. Feel free to peruse   our current website here or just send me an email at abby@hiredhostess.com for more info.

Original post continued:
Oh man are layouts important! From someone who LOVES a good game-plan, I can barely function without having a layout of an event space. It is what I start each event with.

Here is a behind the scenes look at how we create a layout to coordinate with a wedding design and how we use them to communicate with venues, vendors, and our lovely brides! We start with a layout for each event for many reasons. The main reasons are to see what is possible in the space and what the best locations are for items to create a good flow. It is all about maximizing space. 

We often run into difficult space issues; having a layout is crucial to use to overcome the dilemma. For example, columns are tricky! These couple of layouts helped us know how to strategically place tables to fit the most guests in the space. The final results are possible because of the ability to create a game-plan with a layout!

We also use layouts to help with our design plan. Once we know what will fit in the space, we can assign table numbers and make sure our different centerpiece designs are accurately dispersed. These next two are color coded to help determine centerpiece locations and quantities.

This reception had some complicated centerpieces, so we labeled each table for the florist to know what was what. You can see the differences in the photos below. 

 The final two depict the different linen colors to be used for the rental vendors. For example, lilac on rectangle tables and violet on rounds. And then below, black on all service tables and grey on guest tables.

If you need help with a layout for your event, or have any other planning questions, please feel free to give us a shout! info@abbymitchellevents.com

Happy planning! - Abby

Engaged: Malorie and Jon

Meet Malorie and Jon! 

They will be getting hitched in Springfield, Missouri in July!

1. How did the two of you meet and how long have you been together?

We originally met in college at Drury University, on the Sigma Pi patio.  We had a lot of mutual friends in college, but we never dated, or went to any fraternity or sorority dances together!  It wasn’t until several years later, that a mutual friend of ours had dinner with Malorie, and told her that Jon was moving to Bentonville, AR.  At this time Malorie was living in Joplin, MO, a short distance away.  Malorie invited Jon to come visit Joplin whenever he was able.  Within weeks, and after a 10 hour drive from a trip to Austin, TX for New Years, Jon visited Malorie in Joplin.  We have been inseparable ever since!

2. Tell us about one of your favorite dates!

We both agree, our favorite date was when we decided to spontaneously go to Eureka Springs for the night one fall evening.  Jon had never seen the Crescent Hotel Ghost tour, so we decided to up and go!  We did the tour, and had an amazing dinner at Ermilio’s. At the end of dinner we thought it would be a lot of fun to stay the night.  But a fall weekend in Eureka Springs, made rooms impossible to find.  We started calling around, and eventually we both called the same place! Malorie barely beat Jon to the punch, and found (what we think) was the last room available in town.  To top it all off it was a HONEYMOON suite!  We had a blast! This was also, the first time Jon told Malorie he loved her.  Needless to say, it’s a date we never will forget!

3. When did you know it was the real thing?

For Jon: It was after the first weekend they were together.  Jon had never had very many long term relationships, and immediately with Malorie everything was different and felt natural.  Being a Christian, fun loving, and outgoing; Jon knew Malorie was the one!

For Malorie: Jon has a personality unlike anyone Malorie had ever met.  He is dedicated and passionate.  Knowing Jon drove 10 hours after a trip to Austin to come visit her, something beyond special was here (although she did not admit that to him right away J).  For Malorie, it too was shortly after they started dating.  Being a man of faith, strong values, and a sincere personality, Malorie knew Jon was the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with!

4. Was the proposal a surprise? How did it happen?

The proposal itself was a surprise! Even though we had been looking at rings for a little while, I had no idea when it would happen.  It was the first day of Christmas vacation.  Jon and I had planned to go to dinner that night to celebrate the holidays.  However, when I got to Bentonville and was getting ready for dinner, Jon suggested that I pack my bags so we could go up to Springfield after dinner in Eureka Springs.  I was really confused, but at this time in our lives we were driving between Springfield, Bentonville, and Joplin constantly, so it wasn’t out of the norm to change plans. With bags packed we headed to Eureka Springs for dinner at Ermilio’s, where we had one of our first dates.  Jon and I always promise not to get each other gifts for Christmas, and we do a small weekend trip together instead, but this time Jon brought a present the size of a book to dinner. “What’s that?” I said, rather upset because I didn’t get him anything for Christmas so I felt foolish.  Jon explained, “It a two year/Christmas/together present”.  I was still uncertain, but he brought it inside for dinner. The restaurant had a special table for us when we arrived (Normally, you can’t make reservations at Ermilio’s). We had dinner, and as we were rounding out dessert Jon asked if I wanted to open the gift.  I said OK! It was an IPad!  As happy as I was to receive it, I was still a little upset that he gave me such a nice gift when we promised not to exchange.  “Wow babe! This is really nice, thank you! If it’s for both of us, can we split the cost?” Jon laughed and said, “Ha-ha, well, I made something for you on here to watch”. It was a video with most of the pictures from our past two years of dating, with some of our favorite songs narrating in the background!  It was beyond, thoughtful and took a lot of time to prepare! At the end of the video was Jon standing on the porch of the Sigma Pi house at Drury (where we first met), holding signs WILL YOU MARRY ME?Jon got down on one knee at the restaurant and I said YES! Jon then told me our bags were packed to stay over at a Bed and Breakfast for the evening.  We started calling our friends and family immediately!  It was the perfect way to start the holidays! He did so well!

5. How do you envision your wedding day?

A day full of celebration with love and happiness! 

6. Are there any fun family traditions or special details that you are planning to incorporate?

Jon is planning to make an isle runner for the ceremony with pictures of him and Malorie through the years. We hope to bring a special day to pay attribute to our family and friends who have supported us through the years J

7. Bride, what are you most looking forward to on your big day?

The look on Jon’s face as I walk down the isle in my wedding dress!  And taking a new last name, of my very best friend!

8. Groom, what are you most looking forward to on the big day?

Marrying my best friend!  

9. What are we both looking forward to?
Being surrounded by loved ones.  Seeing all of our family and friends together for a wonderful celebration!