The Merry Me! Team enjoyed every minute transforming a beautiful home into a haunted house; from creepy crawlies to rhinestone-covered skulls this party was a ghoulish success! Merry Me! left no (grave)stone unturned when planning and designing this glam gala.

Setting the tone for this event, black boxes with fingers inside were sent to the invitees. Driving up to this haunted gala, guests were welcomed by vampire valets, followed by a candlelit walkway leading to the front door, where the vampire butler greeted guests. Inside the guests danced to Shawn DJ-ing and enjoyed the many tricks (special effects) by ProShow, which added to the new ghoulish décor that now adorns the home. Those who dared continued on to eat creative treats by Chic Eats and drank Vampire Kisses.

Check out the photos below of the Ghoulish Gala!

Forest River Inc. Appreciates their Clients

Merry Me! had the grand opportunity to be part of this annual corporate event. In this down economy, how refreshing it is to work with Forest River, Inc. As one of the leaders in the RV/ Manufactured Housing Industry in Elkhart County, they wanted to show appreciation to their clients and dealers for the successes of the past as they look forward to a great future.
This 1500 person event took place at their corporate offices where an 80' x 180' tent was staked. Together with Aay's Rental, McIntosh Greenhouses and ProShow we created an inviting and welcoming atmosphere for those who gathered. Their guests were entertained by two local bands who put on a fabulous show! Catering was provided by Elkhart's own 523 Tap and Grill for fabulous eats.
We look forward to partnering with them in the years to come! Thanks for the opportunity!

Caitlin Nish weds David Pearson 09.12.09

The week's forecast called for a 40% chance of rain and storms. I really didn't want anything more disrupting this couples' wedding plans! We pre-planned it all with back up tents and side
walls, but were hopeful that the weather would change. This area is notorious for a 'change in the weather'. By mid-week it all turned around. The prediction was sunny and 78. Perfect!

You may have heard the reviews and dissatisfaction of some brides recent experiences at Willow Harbor. Admittedly, this was a large concern for us as well. A little over a month ago, we joined Caitlin and Dave for one last site visit before their big day. Disappointment in what they saw was an understatement. We promised that we would do all we could to be sure their wedding was spectacular! We came prepared with over 100 plants and foliage, buckets and pine sol to clean, a shop vac and our toolbox in hand. However, as we arrived mid-afternoon Friday for our preliminary set up, my jaw dropped in pleasant surprise! Willow Harbor looked BEAUTIFUL!!! The grass was lush and green, no longer patchy and brown and freshly mowed and trimmed like a golf course! Staff was busy cleaning the interior of the tent. The dance floor had been replaced with a brand new one... we didn't have to do a single thing to clean anything!

Although the experience was challenging, Willow Harbor is back on our preferred vendor list to being a great choice for your wedding ceremony and reception venue.

Bob from CK catering continues to be one of our top picks for catering. They did a superb job on presentation and taste as they served guests efficiently. As always, their staff is a pleasure to work with.

Charlie from The Liquor Locker equipped the bar with the couple's choice of spirits. Willow Harbor staffed the bars in the Polo Barn and in the main tent with professional bartenders who also did an excellent job.

'Cakewalk' for the beautiful cake... lavender lemon flavored. Yummy! Alexis Davis is consistently making stunning cakes that taste great!

And certainly last, but not least... MAC DADDY rocked the dance floor! Neither Caitlin nor David had seen this band preform prior to their wedding. They completely relied on our recommendation. Shortly after the first set, Dave came to me with sheer excitement and said "this band is great!" A full dance floor all night long proved the fun provided by this top notch band!

Wonderful Whitcomb Tower

I've been meaning to catch up on some of these weddings... well now is the time. We've got another wedding coming up at Whitcomb and I must share how much we enjoyed

our last experience there. David and his crew with CK Catering as the exclusive caterer to this hot spot, make a great team!

Although the night got chilly, Cindy and John didn't let that ruin their night. We actually decided to move the entire party indoors. With the help of her bridal party and the Merry Me staff, we swapped the outdoors for the indoors.

This is a great venue to consider when selecting a Harbor Country wedding.

Beautiful Bride (and groom...) cont.

here are some more images:

One Beautiful Bride = One Fabulous Wedding

Ok, so I'm a little bias on this one. OUR Ashley (can i say that?!) recently wed the lucky Brian Joines. The ceremony and reception will be one to remember.
The Challenge:
Trying to come up with a new concept that Ashley hasn't seen. She's worked with me for several years now and has helped create some pretty amazing events for Merry Me. How could we out-do and produce something beyond the 'been there, seen that' experience for this very special young lady?
The Plan:
We were determined as a team to do as much as we could without her knowing and to design some one-of-a-kind custom decor with never been used color combos, lots of textures and styles to make it uniquely her own. We put on our creative thinking caps and got to work.
The Result:
Fabulous!
I will never forget the overwhelming feeling of joy when Ashley and Brian entered the tent. Ashley began to giggle and smile and giggle some more as she was surprised and excited all in one. We were once again able to accomplish the wow factor kind of event we had aimed for.

Take a look at some of my favorite shots. Amanda Fales and her husband Andy outdid themselves with the photography they captured that day. Alexis Davis of CakeWalk designed irresistible and delicious cakes. Matterhorn catering prepared a flawless and fantastic meal. The Historical Oliver Gardens hosted the event with outstanding hospitality! A team of professionals who together, despite the rain surprise in the middle of the day, pulled off one fantastic soiree.

Check out one of our newest custom designs... we call these the "Ashley Chandeliers". Innovative decor made in-house with our team of designers thinking outside the box! We'd love to help create your fairytale...

Rain Rain Go Away!

This year has been quite the year for rain... but why is it that rain falls only on those days that we have amazing events planned?! Ughhhh. Thank goodness for back up plans.

Yesterday, despite the weather, our couple had a great day celebrating their wedding. They traveled from afar- from New York to Florida and all the way from California. Their destination wedding took place at The Basilica of the Sacred Heart at The University of Notre Dame. We love planning and designing weddings held at the Basilica!

The sounds of Ireland were heard as our bagpiper piped away while guests began to arrive. Although we've done many weddings at Notre Dame over the past 13 years, the sounds of a piper continue to be a memorable favorite to these Irish weddings! Another favorite of ours is the sound of a trumpeter in the choir loft. The old wooden doors open to the sound of Trumpet Voluntary as we present the beautiful bride. This introduction still sends chills through me.

Brian and Kate invited all their guests for a celebration in one of South Bend's finest and oldest venues. The Studebaker Mansion, Tippecanoe Place hosted the evenings' festivities. Cocktails and hor' douevres were served on the third floor bar while Kennedy's Kitchen played Irish tunes in the background.

The main level was set for a fabulous dinner. Guests had their choice of Prime Rib, Herb-Crusted Chicken, Filet Mignon or Baked Tilapia. The intimate crowd was thrilled with the top-notch service and delicious meal.

Despite the change and re-organzing of plans to accomodate the rainly weather, we had to use our rain back-up plan. Dinner on the main then dancing in the lower level. The teamwork necessary to produce a successful event was crucial. Everyone pitched in to help and we appreciated such willingness to do so.

We added our part by designing and planning the affair perfect to the couples' style. A very clean organic and botanical look added to the beauty of Tippecanoe Place. Fresh bamboo, moss, grasses, snake grass and polished black river rock gave the couple a relaxed sense of what they had wished for. The unique bouquets are certainly one of our favorite looks this year! Fantastic texture and dimension gave the unique and personalized touch for our nuptials.

Following dinner, friends and family gathered to the lower level to be entertained by The Matt Young Band. This was our first encounter with this group. We really enjoyed their team approach as well. Matt and his group did a great job while guests enjoyed dancing all night. S & S Photobooth was also there allowing guests to have fun while posing with unique costumes at hand.

Thanks to all who worked hard to produce this event! But most of all, congratulations to Brian and Kate!