Wedding Blog

Who better to kick off our new ”Ask The Expert” feature, than wedding expert Darcy Miller, Senior VP and Weddings Editorial Director for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia!  With 15+ years behind one of the most inspirational wedding magazines, Darcy has probably seen and done it all when it comes to weddings. So we’re thrilled that weddingbee readers had the opportunity to ask their pressing wedding questions, and tap into her expertise!   

What do we have to look forward to as the Martha Stewart crew helps plan the Today Show wedding this year? Will it follow the same format or will there be some new twists? 

While the excitement of the viewer voting and planning continues as in years past, this year Martha Stewart Weddings is giving a personal touch to every element of the wedding. As we get to know the winning couple, Cody Helgeson and Jessica Mapel, our own experts are collaborating with The Today Show staff to personalize their wedding. We’ve enlisted help from Contributing Floral Editor Matthew Robbins and Caterer Peter Callahan, who has also contributed to Martha Stewart Weddings over the years, to throw the wedding of their dreams.

To vote each week go to http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/13083094 and for more ideas and information, visit our Web site at www.marthastewart.com/weddings or our blog, “The Bride’s Guide”.

What do you love most about your job? If there is something you would change about your own wedding, what would that be? 

I’ve been at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia for more than 15 years and still to this day I learn something new every day. As the wedding industry evolves each year, my job is still new and exciting. I never know what tomorrow will bring. We started with a magazine, then we added a TV show and then our internet site. And now I’m hosting a radio show on SIRIUS Channel 112 (Wednesdays at 12 p.m. EST on Martha Stewart Living Radio) and a blog, The Bride’s Guide and working with the Today Show on the “Today Throws a Martha Stewart Wedding” series. There’s never a dull moment!

As for my own wedding, I wouldn’t change anything about it! I was so thrilled to have met my husband after so many blind dates, that I made sure to never lose sight of having found the man of my dreams. Sounds corny – but it’s true. With that in mind, I was involved in every aspect of my wedding and I was able to organize it just as I wanted. And not to say I did not focus on every detail. For the last few weeks before the wedding, I hired a wedding planner and had great help from my friends at Martha Stewart Weddings. In the end, I was able to sit back and enjoy my day.

How do you choose what weddings are featured in MS Weddings? Do couples apply with their own wedding photos, or does the staff find weddings in advance? 

There is an application process for the Real Weddings section in our magazine and we pick weddings to be featured that fit with what we are working on at the time in terms of style, location, theme, etc. However, we’re always interested in having couples submit their photos because we use them in various other sections such as “What I learned.”

And don’t forget that I host the “Weddings Hour” every Wednesday between 12 and 1 p.m. EST on Martha Stewart Living Radio, SIRIUS Channel 112. You can call me directly with your questions!

What tips would you give a bride who is considering a career change into the wedding industry? How did you get started in weddings? What are your words of wisdom?

The first thing is to try and get your foot in the door and to learn through hands-on experience. Working in the wedding industry takes a lot of hard work and you have to work many weekends. But just remember, as with your own wedding, you are creating someone’s dream day. You get to meet a lot of really interesting people from vendors to brides to families.

Obviously, I got great experience getting to work so closely with Martha from the beginning. She has been a great mentor to me. But even before that, I freelanced for industry experience. I remember freelancing for New York party event designer Robert Isabel. I would spend three hours just placing and lighting 3500 votive candles and then waiting until the event ended at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel to blow the candles out and collect them. It’s not always as glamorous as it all looks.

With your constant professional focus on weddings–do you ever get burned-out on the subject? Ever get tired of one more bride asking the same old question?

To be in this industry, you have to be very passionate about weddings. Each wedding is personal and you’re part of each unique situation. Also, as the industry evolves, there are more and more choices from flowers to fashion. It never really gets old.

There are SO many details in a wedding, and while details are important, it’s easy to get too caught up in them. What do you think are the most important elements in a wedding which deserve the most attention and effort?

Don’t neglect any one area however; focus on what’s most important to you – whether it’s the flowers or the music. Most importantly, make sure you’re picking choices that reflect you as a couple and those you think guests will enjoy. Your wedding should be a reflection of you as a couple. But it is also about your families. Don’t forget that a little compromise goes a long way – as it is such a collaboration between many people. No matter who is paying for the wedding, it is still about two people and two families coming together.

You probably get asked all the time to predict the next big wedding trend. But trends come and go. In your opinion, what are some color schemes, dress styles, and details that will *never* go out of style?

Although the industry and wedding publications push trends, there are still many traditions that remain timeless. Over the past decade, we at Martha Stewart Weddings feel that the trend of personalization has never gone out of style. Small trends pop up, but it’s really about making the wedding personalized and not cookie-cutter.

Can you provide any suggestions on making a reception look luxurious, without breaking the bank?

The use of color always goes a long way. For example, colored table cloths make a statement without the abundance of flowers. Also try beautiful DIY centerpieces such as making tissue paper flowers and arranging them in vases or hanging tissue paper pom poms over tables. You can get both of these in easy kits from Martha Stewart Crafts. I honestly love these kits. They are inspired by beautiful and well thought-out editorial ideas from the magazines. And now they have been made easier for you by selling all of the materials and instructions in one place.

What are some new color palette trends you are seeing? Do you see any movement away from the chocolate brown plus [insert pastel color here] trend?

Brighter colors are now more acceptable such as bright pinks, greens and reds. There are also many more interesting color
combinations. We have a color palette story in each issue of Martha Stewart Weddings. Some of the recent ones we’ve done are pink & poppy, turquoise & red and marigold & pewter.

What are some of the best/most creative favors you’ve seen? It’s so challenging to find something personal that a guest will really enjoy and use! 

Favors are best when they are very personal to the couple – such as making a CD of the couple’s favorite song or wrapping fudge from their hometown confectioner. If there isn’t something specific a couple really wants to give, then it’s fine to skip the favor too. You should never do anything at a wedding that you don’t really want to do but only feel like you have to.

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A huge thanks to Darcy Miller for being our first featured expert.  We’ll definitely be featuring more industry experts and innovators, so stay tuned!