This past weekend, Olivia and Michael were married in the Ault Park Rose Garden, and we could not have had a more beautiful day! Their reception followed at the Metropolitan Club in Covington, which has a beautiful view of the Ohio river and the Cincinnati skyline. Below, left to right: A through-the-garden look at their ceremony, a beautiful centerpiece by Ruttle and Neltner florist, the delicious cake by A Spoon Fulla Sugar, and the bride and groom’s first taste of the cake!

When I was a college student and just starting to get interested in event planning, I remember being so frustrated at how difficult it was to find an internship, and how grateful I was when I finally found someone who was willing to let me assist at events and gain some hands-on experience. When I started my own company, I knew that I would do what I could to give experience to those who are seeking it.

Each year, we have interns join our team for the busy summer season*. It is never an easy task to choose final candidates from our great pool of applicants, but this year we somehow managed to narrow it down to two very talented ladies. So now, in their own words, I’ll let Bethany and Samantha introduce themselves and explain a bit about their interest in event planning!

Bethany Kauffman: I first found a love for event planning when I took on the responsibility of planning a dance marathon fundraiser for a friend in need. Spending every second of my free time collecting donations, persuading the local businesses to get involved, and detailing the evening’s itinerary, I lived for that dance marathon. Even though I felt prepared for the evening, nobody could have warned me for the chaos that was about to ensue – the DJ arrived late, the lights wouldn’t turn down, and the food went much faster than expected! And I loved every minute of it. This summer with Aviva Events I hope to learn the secrets of planning events, from weddings to corporate meetings. I want to interact with the variety of vendors we will work with and gain each and every perspective of the event. I want to polish the skills I already have, learn those that I do not, and build upon my excitement for starting a career in event planning. There is an art form to perfectly planning a wedding (or making it appear to be perfect), and I want to begin learning it from Alison and everyone at Aviva Events.

Samantha Schanz: Hi! My name is Sam Schanz and I’m from the Westside of Cincinnati. I will be a junior at Indiana University this fall. I’m majoring in Tourism Management, with a focus in Event Planning, and minoring in Business. I love the fast pace, creativity and excitement of event planning. I can’t wait to learn more about planning weddings, help on site at the events, meet new people and of course have fun!

*This year we’ll be accepting one Fall/Winter intern as well. For information on how to apply, please check the Employment page of our website. The deadline for applications is June 15th, and the opportunity is open to current college students only.

This past weekend, Lindsay and Chris were married at the beautiful Collier Chapel in Xenia. The reception followed at the Schindler Banquet Center, and the entire day was just gorgeous. I can’t wait to share with you the professional images, but in the meantime, here is a sneak peek via my iPhone of flowers, flowergirls and cake!

From left to right – one of the bridesmaids’ stunning bouquets by The Flower Shoppe; our Associate Wedding Coordinator Hannah keeping the flowergirls distracted pre-ceremony; a surprise for the groom — a Reese’s themed (and flavored!) groom’s cake by Frosted; the gorgeous six-tier wedding cake (also by Frosted).

One year and one day ago, Emilee and David were married at the Kumler Chapel in Oxford, Ohio. As I was remembering their anniversary yesterday, I realized I never did a recap of their beautiful wedding! So here we go, a little anniversary reminiscing in honor of Emilee and David :)

Emilee and David had planned a beautiful morning ceremony at Kumler, followed by an afternoon reception at the Belwood Country Club. Emilee was confident about her reception going smoothly but was concerned about staying on track and on time in the morning and through the ceremony, and we were able to accommodate her by customizing a “ceremony only” service to help fill in the gaps of that morning.

We arrived that morning as Lyndsey of Glossa was beautifying the bride and bridesmaids and Rachel and Ted of Linczak Photography had already started their “getting ready” photos. After checking in and “boutonniereing” the boys (yes, that is a technical term), my assistant Laura and I went to the chapel to make sure everything was in place. After hiding a few dusty music stands in a back closet and finding a hidden home for a very tall (and very out of place) old ladder, we greeted the florist (Robin Wood Flowers) for their deliveries, set up the programs and guestbook and awaited the guests’ arrival!

It was a beautiful morning; the ceremony went smoothly and the Midnight Rose Trio provided the perfect musical accompaniments. Post-ceremony, Laura and I took some of the miscellaneous items (guestbook, extra programs, floral arrangements) over to Belwood to be re-purposed at the reception and then we were on our way! While it certainly felt strange for us not staying at the reception (we’re used to not going home until midnight or later) it was SO nice to know that we had taken away that small amount of stress and worry for Emilee so that she, David, and their families could relax and start off the day with nothing but excitement.

Emilee and David, I wish you a very happy (one day late) first anniversary!!

All images © Linczak Photography