Samantha and Dalton Rahl

Samantha and Dalton Rahl

“I don’t think there are actual words to describe how delightful it was to work with Donna at Creative Joy Events. We chose to go with her full service offering, and it was honestly the best thing to happen to our June 2019 wedding.

Throughout the process Donna listened to what we wanted as a couple and helped make our visions come to life! She never hesitated to go above and beyond to make sure our day was exactly how we wanted it. Whether that meant fielding the million questions/texts I was sending her way (it was seriously a lot), or handling any curve ball in the planning process like a pro – she was there and ready to make things go smoothly (which she did, every time). On the day of the wedding, I was not stressed AT ALL because I knew Donna & Brandon had everything covered from the décor to keeping us all on schedule.

Everything came out beautifully and it was all because of CJES. So thank you Donna, for making our wedding vision come to life and for taking something traditionally stressful and turning into something wonderful – you are a ROCK STAR. I HIGHLY recommend going with Donna and the CJES team for your wedding, you definitely won’t regret it (especially for her extremely reasonable & fair pricing).”

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Ania and Christian Gunderson

Ania and Christian Gunderson

“When we first started planning a wedding, we were on the fence about a wedding planner. Being new to wedding planning, we kept asking ourselves, “should we get one?” and “do we need one?”. We asked ourselves these questions over & over, and then we met Donna. There are NOT enough good words to describe Donna but I will start with what we think describes her best and that is genuine. When I first started reaching out planners, Donna was the first I talked to and the last – the moment I talked to her we knew instantly that this girl and company would make our dream become a reality and she did.

Donna truly cares about you and your day just as much as you do. It was evident when planning for our special day and evident the day of. She came in ready to go and held our hand throughout the entire process – I was definitely freaking out a few times (and that’s an understatement!) and every single time she was there cheering me on, supporting me, getting me whatever I needed, etc. During our rehearsal dinner, Donna stood in front of our families and bridal party and said “Starting right now, Ania & Christian know nothing, and I know EVERYTHING!” I didn’t that we could love her more until she said that. It was SO evident how much she wanted us to enjoy our day and how stress and carefree she truly wanted to make it. It was SO evident that our family and friends noticed it too.

Before Donna left for the night, my dad went up to her as well and thanked her. He told us that night “She really cares about you I saw it all night” and we knew that too ☺ The whole day and night when smooth and I owe it to Donna. A wedding is scary, nerve wrecking, and stressful. With Donna, all of that is gone. We are truly sad that our wedding is over because that means we won’t be talking to Donna as much although I am positive we will remain friends as she was just too important to us for us to let her go!

For all the brides and grooms out there, your wedding is your one special day where everything is about you and there should not be ONE thing getting in your way – Donna will ensure that happens. We love you Donna!!!

Love always, Ania & Christian”

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A Summer of Opportunities

This summer has been amazing for Creative Joy Event Solutions! We are growing and growing and the opportunities are flowing. (See what I did there!) I am absolutely so grateful for the folks I've been working closely with. The couples, the vendors, the venues, and everyone in between have been wonderful and so unbelievable trusting.

When I officially began CJES last year, I had no idea what would come of this small business. But I did know that I was passionate and would be fierce in my pursuit of helping clients have beautiful, dream-worthy, and stress-free weddings.

Some of my couples ask why "Creative Joy Event Solutions"?

  • Creative: This is my creative outlet. With my technical background, I knew there was a large part of my life and ability that was untapped. 
  • Joy: It's not an emotion, its a choice to be joyful and it's a gift to have something to be joyful about. So, it's my absolute joy to work with loving couples to make their wedding day stress-free and hopefully make new friends in the process.
  • Event: Surprise! I plan events of all types.
  • Solutions: I like to combine this word with creative to make creative solutions. A lot of event planning is just problem solving to make an outcome happen when you're facing challenges. That's what gives me pride with my couples, facing an obstacle and finding a solution that is in budget, because that is key.

If you're reading this and wondering if you truly need a wedding planner or coordinator, I get it! This is your day, maybe your budget is tight or you don't want to relinquish any control. With my process, you make all of the decisions with none of the stress, and I think you'd be surprised with how budget-friendly my packages and services are. Reach out today to set up a free consultation.

Megan and Scott, Twenty Years of Love, and Wedding Etiquette

Twenty years is a long time... think about your life twenty years ago or maybe try to predict where you will be twenty years from now. It's hard to do that, there are so many variables that make life unpredictable. Megan and Scott have known at least one constant over the course of the last 19 years and on their 20th anniversary as a couple, they will be tying the knot.

An intimate, formal wedding will mark their 20th anniversary as they celebrate their past and look forward to the future. In order to keep their guest list small (and the feel a bit more formal) they've decided not to invite kids. This is one of many ways to keep the guest list more private and the budget more cost-friendly. Plus, smaller guest lists call for more intimate venues to really make your event special. Megan and Scott have chosen the beautiful Gates of Heaven on the edge of Lake Mendota. This historic Madison-proper synagogue has been restored and maintained by Madison's parks department as an events venue. 

You may be thinking, what's the etiquette around not inviting kids to my wedding? How are my guests going to react to that request? And most importantly, how do I tell them? These are tough questions but the thing to remember is that your guests are coming to celebrate you two as a couple to help you start your married life together. Hopefully, it is clear to them that you are not trying to put them out, but rather, create a special atmosphere for your big day. 

Below are a several recommendations for communicating your adults-only request to guests:

  1. Make sure to only address invitations to the actual guests invited. Don't address your invitation to "The Smith Family" if only "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" are invited. Also, try to include an "Adults-only reception" tag in the corner of your invitation if possible.
  2. Update your wedding website to reflect those general guest-list details. A note that reads: "The reception will be adults-only" in a public place will go a long way. This is also a good place for details about dress code.
  3. Never underestimate the power of word-of-mouth. If your close family knows that you're having an adults-only reception, whenever they have conversations about your event, they will help spread the word informally.
  4. If you have out-of-town guests and you want to be extra accommodating, think about hiring a babysitter to watch kids during the event to make sure adults can relax knowing their child is being taken care of close by.

Ultimately, you will want to read your families and determine the best way to communicate sensitive details. If you have wedding etiquette questions, or want to know how to navigate a tricky situation, reach out to me personally via phone or email, I'd be happy to talk through any questions you may have.

Welcome to the CJES Family Kalia and Kirby!

My design home base.

My design home base.

I am absolutely thrilled to announce that Kalia and Kirby have joined the Creative Joy Event Solutions family for their fall 2018 wedding! They are a wonderful couple who want a simple, elegant, and joy-filled day that won't break the budget. Pinterest has been my home-base for collecting ideas and keeping track of theming options for each of my CJES couples.

Kalia and Kirby want to focus on greenery to enhance the natural beauty of their venue. This will be easy-peasy because they are getting married at Sugarland in Arena, WI. The centerpiece of the 19th century country estate is a giant oak tree where Kalia and Kirby have decided to share their vows. 

Do you have upcoming nuptials? There is no shame in needing help with the wedding planning game. I am here to help couples enjoy their unique engagement period and most of all, their wedding day. No one should fret (yes I said fret, I'm from the south) on one of the most important and memorable days of t heir lives.

Reach out anytime via my contact page to schedule a free consultation! I would be happy to talk through my services, packages, and pricing.

The majestic oak.

The majestic oak.