A Newport Wedding Planner: Raina Dawn Events

I am sorry I have been MIA this week & that this week we are skipping "FridayPHOTOGRAPHY." There are some big weddings I am working on in Newport coming up and some amazing clients on the horizon it has been super busy here! Things are going amazing and we are just loving every minute of it : )

Being A Newport Wedding Planner it calls for me being up in Newport for this beautiful weekend...it's tough ; ) I have the amazing job of spending the weekend with a fabulous couple who are getting married this October at Belle Mer! I mean talk about a delicious tasting that rocked today...more on that this week.

So I need to focus on my clients and I promise I will be back next week with lots of great blog posts, a Friday Photography with Lux Photo Studios and some great tips & advice from my wedding planning weekend in Newport!

Enjoy the weather & the weekend!!

Photography by Onne Van Der Wal

A Newport Wedding Planner: Raina Dawn Events Platinum Weddings on WeTV

Raina Dawn Events goes Platinum on WeTV!!

The SECRET is out & the news that arrived on my birthday is revealed...

Platinum Weddings on the WeTV Network filmed my most recent wedding in Newport, Rhode Island just a few weeks ago. This is the first and only Newport, RI Platinum Wedding they have ever filmed...actually the only one in all of New England!

I feel honored to have been featured as THE Platinum Weddings Wedding Planner for Newport, RI. Most of all I feel so lucky to have planned and had the opportunity to coordinate such an amazing wedding and weekend of events for Michelle & John!

I can't wait to share with you all of my SECRETS in planning a Platinum Wedding, why this wedding was so special, who the Newport Platinum vendors were and lots, lots more.

So I have to send a big thank you to Emily...you rock & if you ever decide you want to leave producing and do wedding planning you must let me know ; )

Chris, Issac, and Christine (our crew from LA for 4 days) you were awesome...thank for your patience, for making us all look fabulous and for being part of such an exciting weekend!

Platinum Weddings and WeTV thank you for showcasing the elegance, caliber and sophistication that Raina Dawn Events brought to Michelle & John's wedding and that we pride ourselves on bringing to every wedding we plan!!

Most of all I want to thank Michelle & John, The Cassidy's & The Bannon's!!!

Stay tuned for lots more on my Platinum Wedding, the gorgeous and amazing bride & groom, all the Newport Wedding Planner SECRETS and of course all of the stunning photos to come...

A Newport Wedding Planner: Raina Dawn Events in Full Force

Hi all...

I have not forgotten about you. As A Newport Wedding Planner, it is high season and things here at Raina Dawn Events are just jam packed with planning, new clients, a huge Newport wedding this weekend and so many exciting things happening we can't wait to share with you.

After this fabulous wedding in Newport, Rhode Island this weekend is complete & the bride and groom are on their honeymoon, I promise to be back in action with TONS of Newport, RI info, planning tips, exciting news about Raina Dawn Events & much, much more blogging excitement!!

Stay tuned and I will be back next week!!

__________________

Here is a sneak peek at my birthday on Aug. 10th at a fabulous restaurant in DC called Oya. These are taken with my brand new Nikon camera (one of my birthday gifts I got that I just absolutely LOVE !!!).

I also can't wait to tell you about the other amazing birthday gift that came on my birthday...you will have to stay tuned ; )

There I am making a very important birthday wish...it's a SECRET!

I will say...

Life is about celebrating and enjoying every moment...not only the big occasions, but all the precious little moments in between.

I want to send a special thank you to my amazing clients, my dear friends, my loving family and of course my special Guy...for all your love, support & birthday wishes..."Life is good"!!

A Newport Wedding Planner: Raina Dawn Events Press

I am so excited about the photo shoot we did this past week for La Bella Bride Magazine!

We joined with the talented & amazing Castle & Pierpont to design a stunning table scape for the next issue of La Bella Bride.

My fabulous friend Rori from Castle & Pierpont is such a talent an I feel so lucky to have teamed up with her on this project. We had such a great day at a stunning location right outside of NYC called Wave Hill...we had never been and were blown away by how gorgeous it was..the grounds are phenomenal!!! I can't wait to suggest the venue to my clients.

To top it off my friends at Haute Papier custom designed the menu and table number cards...a sneak peek at those to come soon.

Ruth Fischl provided the stunning furniture and Broadway Party Rentals provided the table settings.

You are just going to have to wait to pick up the next issue of LaBella Bride to see what we did!

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BTW check out a little sneak peek on LaBella Bride's Blog:

La Bella Bride loves this venue…….

We just had to share the best kept secret in the Northeast. Wednesday we shot our New York Photo shoot at a venue namedWave Hill. Thirty minutes from Manhattan, Wave Hill is a 28 acre public garden and cultural center in the Bronx overlooking the Hudson River and Palisades. Its mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts. If you are ever in the city, please make an effort to visit this spectacular place!



Above are great shots of Wave Hill…..

Michelle from Main Event Weddings, working hard at shooting the best images for our 2010 issue of La Bella Bride Magazine.

Raina from Raina Dawn Events with Rori of Castle and Pierpoint, finalizing the plan for their table scape.

Newport & Destination Wedding Photographer- Carrie Rodman

I am so excited about today's Friday PHOTOGRAPHY with my dear friend and amazing wedding photographer Carrie Rodman Photography! Carrie is sharing her SECRETS with us and a gorgeous recent Newport Wedding she photographed .

Carrie and I go way back to our NYC publishing days...she is passionate about her weddings and brings NYC talent to Newport!

Carrie shares her SECRETS behind wedding photography with us, along with Meghan & Jason's wedding at the Regatta Place June 21, 2009

Meg and Jay were a joy to photograph. They have a little boy Owen who was just precious in his seersucker suit. What was endearing about this couple, their devotion to each other and Owen. Their wedding was a fun celebration

of the family they had already started long before the vows were said. I was honored to be a part of their special day.

Carrie's SECRETS...

When I first sit down with a potential client, it is a mutual interview. I really know having a connection with my couples is fundamental.

It establishes a level of trust, allowing me to capture a wedding in a very intimate way. An emotional bond not only elevates the work, it ensures that we will have a fun day.

Basically, I love photography and my brides . That sentiment resonates in my work, pure and simple.

What I tell my couples is common sense, when it comes to selecting a photographer. You really need to like your photographer, just as much as you like their work. If you love both, even better.

I am an art director just as much as a photographer. The "candid" moments that people gravitate to in my book, are usually crafted by me in someway.

Good art direction encompasses things like knowing how to make people comfortable, being sensitive, moving and motivating people,what angles are flattering, collaborating with my couples and wedding planners, it is knowing when to move on if something isn't working, etc.....

Art direction is one of my fortes. It is a skill just like taking a great picture. The combination of the two have allowed me to be successful in both my commercial and wedding careers.

Check out Carrie's gorgeous studio in Newport, RI LightWave Studio...yes I know, it looks like a loft in Tribeca!

Newport & Destination Wedding Vendors- Sayles Livingston Flowers

Today I am thrilled to feature my friend and fabulous florist Sayles of Sayles Livingston Flowers!

If you are looking for stunning floral and decor ("and unusual arrangements") for your Newport wedding you MUST make sure to hire Sayles!! She is one of the best floral designers in Southern New England, not to mention has been in the wedding and event industry for over 15 years and is truly a delight to work with!

Don't forget to follow Sayles blog at "Fresh Cuts".

Sayles has shared a few of her "SECRETS" with us...

1. One of my “secrets” is that designing flowers is just like interior design and a good designer must not be afraid of interesting color combinations or textures!

2. Also, every wedding is a new and unique experience. We treat each client like they were the first and only one. A wedding is a very emotional and special day and the bride and groom should be well taken care of with a calm and thoughtful approach.

3. Never hire a vendor you don’t trust!

A Newport Wedding Venue

If you are considering having a Newport, Rhode Island Wedding check out these stunning photographs of venues you can get married in!!

The talented Newport photographer, Peter Silvia has shared these with us...thanks Peter (don't forget to follow Peter's blog to see wedding photography from these venues).

Enjoy!

Rosecliff Mansion

Rosecliff Mansion at Night

Astor's Beechwood Mansion

OceanCliff Hotel

Glen Manor House

Aldrich Mansion

The Chanler at Cliff Walk

The Chanler at Cliff Walk

New York Yacht Club

New York Yacht Club Tent

Castle Hill Inn