{Kari herself, on her wedding day!}

Today's sponsored post is from Kari, of The Handmade Event. Kari is one of our sponsors that's been reading APW for a long time. She planned her wedding, got married, told us all about it, and then decided to use the lessons that she learned to start a sane and affordable wedding planning business. Rad. I'm beyond delighted to see all the no-nonsense wedding planning businesses that are growing up around APW.

Day Of Coordination Services

The Handmade Event is located in New York City, and Kari is more than willing to travel to work on your wedding. Her Day of Coordination services are epic: she meets with you twice, creates your wedding timeline, deals with vendors for you, and manages the rehearsal and the wedding day... all for $500 in Manhattan. Nope, that wasn't a typo, that was a price you can't beat. Kari says that on your wedding day, "You should be carrying flowers, not a to-do list," and I heartily concur, no matter how you choose to make that happen.

Craft Concierge Service

But Kari isn't just a DOC. She also offers a Craft Concierge service, where she acts as your crafty best friend. She'll help you with your craft projects, she'll do projects with you, she'll Do-It-Together with you (y'all: she used the term DIT in her pricing packages.... and I made up that term years ago. That's how APW she is). In Kari's wedding graduate post, she wrote about how she made everything for her wedding herself. And while she loves crafting, she now wishes she'd had help. So now, she's in the business of making sure you have help. Craft Concierge service starts at just $100 or $30/hour, but for APW-ers she's offering this deal:

I would love to offer APW readers a helping hand with those craft projects (or whatever they need to get ready for the wedding)  so for any APW reader that books day-of services for 2011, I will include 5 hours of craft concierge assistance (they could also use my time for planning visits/resource help if they don't want to go the handmade route).

Kari put it this way, "Maybe you don't want to store a rubbermaid tub of embroidery thread in your house.  Well, I have one in my apartment - so if we need to monogram something, I can help. You need a paper cutter and an eager friend to go to Micheal's craft store with you to find the right paper- I'm in!" Excellent.

The Handmade Event Philosophy

Because I think it's really important to be on the same philosophical page as your wedding planner, I asked Kari to write a bit about The Handmade Event's affordable New York City wedding planning philosophy, and she told me this:

The words "wedding planner" gives rise to a stereotypes that doesn't really reflect who I am. While I am perfectly capable of going with a bride and her mom and her 23 bridesmaids to multiple dress fittings and cake tastings (I do like cake), that's not really what I want to do, or the wedding I want to work on.

I want to work with people like me, and like the typical APWer. I was reading APW long before I became a sponsor (in fact APW was mostly the reason I started my business) and I think of myself as a member of Team Practical.  The APW reader is usually someone who has an idea about what they want their wedding to be—and they know the marriage is what's important—and the invitations aren't going to make or break that.

I want to work with couples who want their day to be great - because there is no shame in wanting a beautiful day with tiny details just right and someone (me!) executing your vision, and still wanting their marriage to be greater. And while I can't do anything about your marriage, I can make the day go as smoothly as possible.

Honestly? All the little details, and the scheduling and the emergencies won't ruin your wedding day.  Nothing should be able to, but I want it to be my job to handle all of those things so that you can enjoy your time with friends and family a little more stress-free.

So New York City and East Coast ladies? Check out The Handmade Event's blog and website, and then contact Kari, if you're feeling the need for some help with organization and/or crafty-madness. Making your wedding less about stress & spreadsheets and more about relaxing & joy? Well, you can't beat that.

Pictures: First picture Kari herself! The rest are from The Handmade Event's portfolio

Posted at 9:30 am

Categories: Sponsored Posts