danielle pasternak, wedding coordinator, wedding planner, scranton

Just Julia | On Enjoying the Moment

03.29.2012 / Etsy Finds / 2 comments

A few weeks ago, we introduced you to our new assistant, Julia, who is also a December bride. After that, she talked to us about the decisions of seating charts vs. escort cards. Today, I wanted to share a story that she sent to me about “enjoying the moment”. It’s something that I believe we all struggle with from time to time, and hopefully it reminds you to take a step back and evaluate.

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From Julia:

I don’t know about any of you but this gorgeous weather sure has gotten me out of the house and in a pretty spectacular mood.  There’s nothing quite like driving down the road, blaring some 90s pop and belting along at the top of your lungs.  I was doing just that the other day and I didn’t think there was anything that could bring me down – until I hit every single red light on the road.  And not only did I hit these red lights, but I got stuck behind these awful slow drivers who didn’t know that as soon as the light switched they needed to giddy up.  Green means go drivers!

It was at one of these infamous red lights, stuck behind one of these awful motorists, when I had a revelation.  Just enjoy the moment Julia!  Not only are you healthy, have a car to drive around, are surrounded by incredible friends and family members, and the weather has been breathtaking – you have found an incredible man who loves you to the moon – why try rushing through life when you should be slowing down and enjoying it?

maybe we should snag this beauty from etsy seller, onelifejewelry

I am smack dab in the middle of planning my special day and I can honestly tell you not a day goes by where I don’t wake up and rush to my computer to check my Knot countdown (as if the number that greets me would be anything other than one less than the day before!).  I’ve gotten so caught up in checking things off my to-do list that I feel like I’ve missed out on so many incredible moments, moments I should’ve been enjoying.  So that is my advice to you, fellow fabulous brides: when you’re getting so stressed out and are absolutely hating the whole wedding planning process, take a second and remember why you’re putting yourself through all this.  Soon you will be a happy Mrs. and I encourage you to enjoy every second leading up to that day (and every second after)!

And I would like to remind you that one fool-proof way of being able to enjoy your wedding day and the entire planning process is by working with Danielle Pasternak.  So give us a call and say “hello” to peace-of-mind.

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That being said, ENJOY your Thursday everyone!

xo,

2 comments
  • Katie @ Lovebird Productions March 29, 2012 4:04 pm

    It is always nice to hear brides advice. Julia’s advice is even better because it applies to every day life. Such a treat :)

  • Stephanie Elizabeth {Fab You Bliss} April 4, 2012 1:04 am

    Really, really great advice…for wedding planning and for life :-)

    • Vote to send Danielle to this year’s Backstage Bridal Pro Academy

    03.29.2012 / Inspiration + Ideas / one comment

    Today, I’m asking you for a favor. I recently entered a scholarship contest to attend a educational workshop this Fall out in California. The program is called Backstage Bridal Pro Academy and it’s offering a 4-day experience full of courses, learning, networking, growing and all-around greatness.

    The contest was to create a photo shoot based around the words “Fabulous + Graceful”. The shoot had to include some type of sparkle and we couldn’t spend more than $500.

    With the help and collaboration of several local (and amazing) creatives, we came up with a great concept that I’m truly proud of. The team consisted of Kim Winey taking the beautiful photos and Maggpie Vintage Rentals providing the space and the stunning props and furniture. Kristy Rice of Momental Designs provided creative stationery, Central Park Flowers donated a beautiful centerpiece and bouquet, and Julie of Frosted made some super-cute mini-cakes and cake pops. She also made us some cupcakes to take home that I squeezed into the shoot because they were awesome! My kick-butt Mom also made some delish cookies for our Milk+Cookies station and my assistants, Audra and Julia, were a HUGE help all day. Kim was also able to invite two of her previous clients, Emma and Paxton, to be our mini- bride and groom – who were ADORABLE!!

    To see more of our shoot and (most importantly) cast your vote - head over the BBPro blog and simply leave a comment. As of the moment I’m writing this, we’re at 120 votes and I’m so proud of that. Voting closes Thursday, March 29th at Midnight EST and counts towards 20% of the final decision. The winner will be announced on Monday, April 2nd so make sure you head over and leave your thoughts!

    xo,

    one comment
  • Mike March 29, 2012 3:55 am

    Love the new site!!! Very modern and sheik!!!

    • Welcome to the new DPNAK.

    03.28.2012 / Uncategorized / 5 comments

    “The time has come,” the walrus said, “to talk of many things: of shoes and ships and ceiling wax and cabbages and kings. And why the sea is boiling hot and…

    THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE NEW WEBSITE + BRAND!

    It has been months since we first announced we were working on a big rebranding process and it feels AMAZING to be finally showing it to you. Along with the hard working team at Flosites, I present to you the new look of Danielle Pasternak. Since September, we’ve been working on a new logo, brand, and website. I know I’ve been leaking little peeks to you here and there (because I’m so impatient) but this is everything… in action, baby!

    Feel free to poke around and check out all of the pages. A lot of time, thought, blood, sweat and tears (ok, maybe not blood) went into this project and I would really (REALLY)  appreciate your feedback.

    xo,

    5 comments
  • Simply Designed March 28, 2012 9:45 pm

    Beautiful new site! I love the colors, patterns and feel of everything. Well worth the wait. I can’t wait to see this grow for you! xoxo Congratulations!

  • Malia {Something Navy} March 28, 2012 10:27 pm

    Ahhhh, it looks amazing! Absolutely love the colors :)

  • kiss me awake (Elizabeth) March 28, 2012 10:28 pm

    So I’ve poked all around, and everything looks BEAUTIFUL! I love the cohesive, fun, and modern design. The pics by Crystal are gorgeous, and everything looks super professional yet still down to earth. You done good, girl!

    • danielle March 28, 2012 10:29 pm

      thank you so much! :)

  • Jessica March 29, 2012 6:02 pm

    Love your new site! Organized, beautiful…and soo you!! Best wishes, you go girl!

    • Can I get a doctor’s note? And who’s with me???

    03.22.2012 / Personal / one comment

    Greetings dear friends and loved ones.

    As you may have noticed – ok, you’ve noticed, and I heard about it from some of you – I’ve been a little absent on the blog lately. Bad danielle, I know.

    Unfortunately, around the end of February I started getting some incredibly painful jabs in my stomach area. I won’t get into the crazy details (although I was, and still am, burping a lot) but one blood test led to an ultrasound, which pointed me towards a HIDA scan followed by a CT scan. Needless to say, apparently my body has managed to create a little kidney stone in my right kidney. Ok, cool. Totally passable and I will live to see another episode of SMASH. Phew.

    But while they were testing for the source of that crazy pain, I also mentioned the other pains I’ve been having specifically while and after I eat. It’s been a pain I’ve had for years (not exaggerating) and have had countless tests for. I’ve been told it was IBS, acid reflux, heartburn, just flat-out gas (lovely). With each diagnosis over the years came a prescription for another medicine that I would take for the recommended duration, there’d be little to no change whatsoever to my pains and I’d stop.

    Finally, a few weeks ago, the doctors performed a full HIDA scan followed by a CCK. Apparently, my gallbladder has only been functioning at 11% (a woman my age should be at 75% or better and anything under 35% is considered failing). The official diagnosis is Biliary Dyskinesia, which I have to admit is a pretty cool word to say out loud. The fix is a simply surgery to remove my gallbladder and I’m hearing SO many awesome stories of how much better people have felt after having theirs removed. Needless to say, I’m very excited about it and it will be happening in the upcoming weeks.

    So, with all of this excitement going on, I’ve been prioritizing certain things and letting the less-important items sit on my to-do list for longer than I’d prefer. Clients emails and phone calls came first and the blog fell low on my list. However, we are a few days (days!!!) away from unveiling our new site and I’m going to have plenty of amazing eye goodies to look at when it does go live. In the meantime, I’m going to continue resting and eating things like pears and applesauce (fun fact: pears are incredibly good for anyone struggling with a gallbladder. I’ve managed to stay almost drug-free throughout this recent adventure with the help of my heating pad and a boat-load of juiced pears).

    All of this excitement within my body has, admittedly, caused me to look more closely at what I’m eating. More importantly, what I’m not eating. I’m not a big veggie eater. I LOVE carbs and could eat a bagel, stuffing sandwich, and pasta all in one day without thinking it was that bad. But, when it comes down to it, I love my body. I need to start fueling it with the right ingredients. I’m not talking about going on a diet, I’m talking about changing my lifestyle and eating habits. Time to start eating less carbs (I could never cut them out completely) and start incorporating more REAL foods. I could say that I’m really excited about this, but in fact, I’m not. It’s not going to be an easy transition and I really like eating junk food. But, at the end of the day, I want to be healthy for as long as possible and ignoring what I’m fueling my body with is just not acceptable.

    So who’s with me? Are you up for changing your eating habits with me? Do it for your family, your friends and most importantly, yourself.

    {photo: Etsy}

    one comment
  • Audrà March 22, 2012 7:26 pm

    Feel better! I’m also really excited to see this new website. :)

    • Real Engagement: Jacque and Mike by Blake Street Creative

    03.21.2012 / Real Weddings / 2 comments

    A favorite part of my job involves bringing the right couples to the right creative professionals. In this case, my bride, Jacque, was in need of a photographer that matched her style, budget and had the availability for her upcoming wedding in April. I was so happy when she fell in love with the style of Danielle Coons from Blake Street Creative and I couldn’t be more happy to share their recently taken engagement pics in Downtown Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania.

    This will be the first wedding we’ll be working with Blake Street Creative and after seeing these photos, I know I’m going to be very excited to share some of their wedding pictures, as well. Stay tuned!

    Cheers!

    2 comments
  • Katie @ Lovebird Productions March 21, 2012 11:21 am

    They are too sweet! I cannot wait to see your talents at their big day! :)

  • Elizabeth March 22, 2012 4:15 pm

    Lovely! I especially like the one of her standing on the cement bump looking down at him!

    • Q&A: How can I incorporate our wedding registry information on our invites while staying proper?

    03.19.2012 / FAQs / 2 comments

    How can I incorporate our wedding registry information on our invites while staying proper?  

    Let me start by saying it is never ok to imply any assumption that your guests will be giving a gift, money or otherwise, on a wedding invitation. You are inviting your guests to come to your wedding, not to bring you a gift. But most guests do bring a gift, so how do you let them know all your registry information? There are two ways that this can be done. One is through word-of-mouth via your family and friends. If Aunt Sally isn’t sure what you need, she’ll call your Mom. Or maybe she’ll use Facebook, depending on Aunt Sally’s computer skills. The second option would be to create a “wedding website”. Don’t get scared. You don’t need to know any fancy HTML, CSS, or ABC’s – well, knowing your ABC’s might help – but there are many websites out there that can help you create free sites from pre-made templates. All that you have to do is enter your information, some pictures, directions to your venue, and… (wait for it) all the information for your registries. That website link can then be included on all of your stationary. Guests that are even somewhat computer-savvy can browse all around your website and find all the information they need. And just in case Aunt Sally isn’t computer savvy, she’ll still likely call your Mom. By the way, registry information on your bridal shower invite is completely OK, because you are not the host.

    Some great companies that offer free or inexpensive website options for your wedding:

    eWedding – Offers free websites or packages for added features (up to $14.95 a month) including a free domain name.

    WeddingWire – Over 120 designer templates, plus apps and a mobilized site for brides on-the-go.

     The Knot - Great for members of the Knot.

    Nearlyweds – First of all, I love that term: nearlyweds. And they collaborate with designers to match your stationary. Pretty nifty.

    {lovely photo by Swoon Over It}

    2 comments
  • Wendy {Weswen Design} March 19, 2012 11:13 am

    Good post and advice! I get asked all the time where people can put it on their invitations….. no no no! Love your thoughts.

    • Danielle March 19, 2012 11:17 am

      thanks wendy.It is definitely a common question and not enough know how much of a “no-no” it is.

    Adventures with Anna: she is getting married in four months!

    03.05.2012 / Tips + Advice / 3 comments

    A few months ago, a lovely bride named Anna contacted me for her upcoming June wedding. Her and her man chose a killer venue, a great team of creative professionals (Birdhouse Productions + Maggpie Vintage Rentals = sweetness) and I couldn’t be more excited to be working with her. So far, she has not only been a complete JOY to work with, but I’ve definitely gained a great friend in the process. And when I say so far, I have no doubts in my mind that she will only get cooler as they next months come and go.

    On our journey of working together, I asked Anna to share some of her insights with me on how her adventures have been going so far and she happily obliged. I didn’t even have to twist her arm… that hard.

    an adorns (yep, I said it) engagement photo by Sara Renee of Anna and her self-proclaimed lovah, Matthew

    From Anna…

    “My name is Anna and I’m getting married in four months,” is often my mirror self-affirmation in the mornings. I have to say it everyday to even believe it’s true! My lovah, Matthew, and I have been engaged for 14 months, but it feels like 14 days. How has so much time passed?! It’s truly been a wild ride (with lots of ups and downs), but it’s been the most interesting and exciting 14 months of our lives.

    Planning a wedding takes a lot of work and creativity (and blood and sweat and tears). Gearing up for our wedding has been especially interesting since we’ve graduated from Penn State, gotten new jobs, and bought a house all in the span of one year! On top of all of these incredible life-changes, planning a wedding tends to get stressful.  Generally, though, I try to keep it as light and fun as possible. Some of my favorite parts of planning are the moments I get to spend with Matthew talking about our ceremony and envisioning our reception. For instance, we like to read Bible verses aloud in hopes that one will capture our ceremony perfectly. We also like to go to the flea market together to search for vintage tea cups, and it ends up making every one a special piece of our wedding day. I’m so excited to see all of the little details come together and know that we worked so hard to bring it to life.

    photo from Maggpie Vintage Rentals, Anna’s vintage rental company of choice (and mine!)

    And while I’m SO happy that vintage DIY weddings are all the rage right now (because you’ve never met a 22-year-old who is so granny-chic), it’s really collecting and constructing things that make it all so ideal for us. Our wedding day will be a perfect reflection of who we are: a mix of old and new, created and collected, rust and chrome, etc, etc. That’s really the best part of weddings, isn’t it? Looking around and knowing that the bride and groom chose everything by hand for the people who love them the most, to celebrate their beautiful union. That’s going to be my favorite part of our wedding, for sure.

    Planning our big day has strengthened our relationship in ways that I did not foresee. Working toward a common goal is such an incredible way to start a marriage and I’m so grateful I have the opportunity to share this experience with such a wonderful man. A wedding isn’t about things; it’s about a union. Remember my chant? It was “…and I’m getting married in four months,” not “…and I’m having a wedding in four months.” Sometimes it’s easy to forget, but as long as I keep my motivation in check, I know our wedding day will be absolutely perfect.

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    Check out all of the killer engagement shots taken by Sara Renee down in good ole’ Tennessee of Anna and Matthew.

    And stay tuned for more adventures

    3 comments
  • Katie @ Lovebird Productions March 5, 2012 11:29 am

    This is such a GREAT post! I think a lot of times brides feel the planning is all on them. I love how Anna shares how their relationship has grown as they worked together. Such a great story and a positive reinforcement for planning couples :)

  • Stephanie Elizabeth March 12, 2012 11:35 am

    It’s so great when clients become friends…love it!

  • Real Weddings | super-duper Sweet review from Anna and Matt | danielle pasternak July 17, 2012 8:42 pm

    [...] Sweet review from Anna and Matt 07.17.2012 / Real Weddings / no comments You may remember Anna as the self-proclaimed granny-chic bride when she told us about her adventures in wedding [...]

    • Etsy Find: and a perfect gift for your bridesmaids (oh, and yourself)

    03.03.2012 / Etsy Finds / no comments

    For those of you that have been in the bridesmaid seat before, you know the role is one of honor, laughter, and responsibility. As a bride, it’s important to thank your girls for standing up for you on your wedding day as it is something of major importance. With some creativity, I think you can create a really fun gift bag with these beauty goodies from Le Petit Refuge. Le Petit Refuge offers body scrubs, lotions, and more for your skin’s glowing desires.

     

    Think of it like this: as your bridesmaid, they are going to be in quite a few pictures on your wedding day. And you want them looking fresh and great, right? Treat them with a goodie bag full of loveliness a few weeks before the big day. Include a sweet note with “Bride’s Tips for Beautiful Skin”. Maybe add a tagline of “do it… or else.” Put your favorite beauty routines on a list and ensure them beautiful skin for the day of your wedding.

    Of course, to ensure that they don’t look more stunningly amazing than you, be sure to order yourself some goodies, too!

    no comments