I can’t believe I am JUST sharing this blog with you guys now. It’s been a crazy summer as I’m sure you can tell if you follow me over on Instagram ( if you don’t already, see what I am up to @eventsbycarianne).
This one is near and dear to my heart because I had been planning this surprise party for my sweet husband, Christian for a whole YEAR! Shortly after we moved to Boston last June I knew I had to get the ball rolling on a save the date since 99% of the guest list were friends and family from upstate NY. I wanted as many people as possible to be able to come so I had to get the date out there asap ( and start saving money secretly ).
Well we had a great turn out , over 30 of Christian’s closest family and friends came out to celebrate him turning the big 30!
On the day of the party, my best friend Janelle and I were “headed to target” in the am ( or so christian thought). Meanwhile we were actually setting up everything at the brewery and greeting guests as they arrived.
I had planned every single detail very careful and had walked on egg shells for a whole year hoping that nobody would let the secret slip and the moment was finally here. What I did NOT think through was the fact that christian would want to eat lunch BEFORE we went “brewery hoping” ( this is what he thought we were doing ). As I sat there panicking as he slowly ate his leftover Chinese food, all I could think about was all the guest and a table full of BBQ waiting for him at the brewery.
When we finally arrived at Exhibit A, I couldn’t wait any longer. I walked right into the back room where christian proceeded to yell , “car you aren’t supposed to be in there! I said extremely frustrated ,” Just follow me !’
“SURPRISE!” everyone yelled. The secret was finally out and I could finally breathe again!!
Christian was a mixed bag of feelings and emotions. Confused, excited, shocked, overjoyed. The look on his face truly was priceless. Now that the guest of honor was there ,the party could begin!
I loved being able to DIY all the decor for this party, I had so much fun designing and creating all the little details . I hope this inspires you for your next party !
Calligraphy + invite design by Molly Grace Makes
I added a touch of fresh hops on top of the cake for a pop of color.
Planning + Design – Events By Carianne
Photography – Chelsea Saxby
Venue – Exhibit A
Greens – The Frugal Flower
Invites- Molly Grace Makes
caroline + mike
"My husband openly admits he originally thought hiring a wedding planner seemed like an unnecessary expense, now he’s is the first to say how wrong he was. Every detail was intentional and special. I had mentioned to Carianne my dad loved ice cream and before he passed away, we would always have special ice cream dates together. Carianne proceeded to make all my dreams come true and helped create a custom ice cream cart at our wedding. It meant the world to me and my family. Carianne is such a special person with an amazing gift for planning events. My husband and I are grateful for everything Carianne has done for us and we look forward to continuing a lifelong friendship with her."
"Carianne is the fairy godmother of weddings!"
ainslee + eric
"While Carianne helped us plan our wedding, she made sure to listen to every idea and was never afraid to tell us when something was unrealistic or if she felt there was something that would add to our vision. We are so grateful for the kindness and patience she showed. She worked to take the stress off of us and our families. We have no regrets from that weekend and we have her to thank for that. We don’t know what we would have done without her!"
"We don't know what we would have done without her!"
kelsey + ross
"Carianne's strength is definitely executing on a wedding vision! With our busy, growing careers it was great to have her to touch base with vendors and bring so much peace of mind the day of. She has an eye for design!"
"Carianne's strength is definitely executing on a wedding vision!"
abby + chris
"My husband and I are NOT big wedding people... we ended up eloping last minute, 4 months before our wedding date! Carianne was so excited for us and went with the flow. She took everything in stride! She helped us plan and execute our local wedding reception and gave us so many great ideas and tips. My entire family gushed about her the next day! I am certain that we couldn't have pulled off the most perfect wedding reception without her help. I think every bride needs a coordinator, and I'm recommending Carianne to everyone!"
"Carianne was so easy and wonderful to work with!"
Savannah + Mijamin
“ I came to Carianne with only three months left to plan my wedding and in need of some serious help! She asked questions I didn’t think of and her ideas were magical. During the process, she made sure things were going smoothly and stayed within my budget while still making my Pinterest dreams come to life! My parents are forever grateful for her coming and taking a huge weight off their shoulders. It was the best day of my entire life and Carianne made that happen!”
"It was the best day of my entire life and Carianne made that happen!”
Meggan + Kyle
"From the moment we met Carianne, we knew we trusted her to help us execute our perfect wedding day. She was so helpful throughout the planning process, checked in frequently, and even helped us find vendors. When our wedding weekend arrived, she was so helpful and stayed to work out every detail the day before the wedding. I knew I didn't have to worry or even think about how a thing because she took care of everything. It was such a help to myself, my husband, and our families to have Carianne there to take care of all the details. You would be crazy to not hire Carianne for any event you may have!
"I knew I didn't have to worry or think about a thing..."
