New Website and Blog, all in one

I am SO EXCITED to announce today the release of the new Engaging Events by Ali Website! The blog has also been incorporated into the site so please go there for your one stop shop on Great Chicago Weddings!

Click here to see the new Engaging Events by Ali Website and Blog!!!

Ali Phillips Presents at Weddings with Wow in Indianapolis

On Wednesday, January 20th, I was asked to be the Speaker for ISES/ABC Weddings with Wow Luncheon in Indianapolis. I felt so welcomed by my host, Lee Johnson of Chair Covers. Inc. The luncheon was so gorgeous I really did say WOW! when I walked into the room. Different designers and florists designed tabletops which were so impressive. I did a presentation on the Top Weddings Trends for 2009, supported by many pictures of past events I have done. It was a lively discussion and people had some great questions following my presentation. Below are some pictures from that event. I have to remember next time to have someone snap a picture of me when I am presenting.

Lee Johnson of Chair Covers, Inc.
Gorgeous table done by Gene Huddleson at Details and Design








Here was a nice note about my presentation from Gloria Boyden, the Association of Bridal Consultants State Coordinator in Indiana.
"Today we had the joint ISES/ABC wedding Wow lunch and it was a Wow. Besides beautiful tables designed by planners, caterers and florists, we had a fabulous meal. Then the piece de resistance was the wonderful presentation by Ali Phillips. Her presentation was timely (some photos from Jan. 20), she was engaging and so enthusiastic, and had great command of her subject matter." Gloria Boyden.

Ali Phillips in Chicago Tribune

I was so excited to see the article I was interviewed for by Emilie Le Beau for the Chicago Tribune this past Sunday in their Smart Section! We had talked about the best things to have in an emergency kit for any mishaps on the wedding day.

Click Here to see the article.

Ali Phillips Speaking today at ISES/ABC Weddings That Wow! in Indianapolis

I am in Indianapolis today to speak at the Weddings That Wow International Special Events Society and Association of Bridal Consultants luncheon. I will be sharing some GREAT Chicago weddings I have done and the new trends for weddings in 2009.

I look forward to sharing my insight with my fellow colleagues and thank Lee Johnson, Monika Richard and Dee Haddad for inviting me to speak today.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas to everyone today and Happy Holidays. May today bring you close to your family and friends as you celebrate this Holiday Season. I am just back from a lovely trip to Jamaica (9 whole days of golf, sun bathing and relaxing)!

Looking forward to sharing with you in 2009 fabulous weddings from the summer and fall and some great ideas for your upcoming wedding!



(Ali and Jon Rafting on the Rio Grande)

Happy 4th of July

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Holiday!

Fine Living Article

I was recently interviewed for Fine Living online's article about pairing wine with your wedding meal. Wine is one of my favorite things to talk about (other than weddings that is). But what better than talking about wine AND weddings!!!!

Click here to read the article.

Also, Fine Living's website is a great place to read about everything entertaining, travel and house design and decor.

Ali on NBC News In the Morning

This is such exciting news! I was most recently asked to be on the NBC Chicago news last Sunday morning, May 25th at 6:24am on NBC Channel 5 Chicago. It was so exciting!

Alex Perez and Elle Pai Hong are the weekend anchors and could not have been nicer to me when I arrived into the news set. I had not been on live TV ever and Alex was super nice and offered some great tips right before we were on air LIVE!

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!You can see the news clip here.

Jenna and Henry

I had nothing to do with this wedding but I loved Jenna Bush and Henry Hager's wedding day! It was so cute, so down to earth and her wedding dress was so perfect for the setting! Oscar De La Renta was quite the master in designing the perfect dress for her.

Engaging Events OFFICE

I am so excited to tell everyone this, I could hardly wait to post this. I have signed a lease for an office space today! It is SO CUTE! It is in Bucktown in Chicago. The address is 2045 West North Avenue, Suite 2A. Just West of Damen Avenue and on the South Side of the street. It is a little corner office and a conference room to host meetings. I can not wait to get my design hands on this place, put in a plant and set out some gorgeous wedding pictures.

What a cute area as well. Spring Restaurant is literally right next door to me! Feast, one of my favorite places for lunch (you have to try the chicken skewers and hummus, so yummy)is just down the street.

I am so happy this all worked out. I will be sharing the conference room with good friend and "noted photographer, Ms. Rosalind Van Tuyl". You have to look at her famous work on her website.

But don't worry, I will still have the home office so if you live close we can still meet there if that is convenient for you.

I will post some pictures tomorrow when I can of the empty space! Can not wait to make it cute!

The Daily Bride

I have recently be asked to be the "resident" expert on the new and amazing wedding tv show, .The Daily Bride. It is Chicago's first online wedding show and a great place for new brides and grooms to look for vendors and get some great wedding tips. There is also a forum section where you can chat with other brides in Chicago!

The Daily Bride is the first of its kind in Chicago, a weekly show that features vendors from all aspects of the wedding industry and offers newly engaged couples the unique opportunity to shop from the comfort of their own home.

This new site is a unique site to Chicago and a wonderful site for new brides to check out venues and vendors. Check it out today!!!!!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! What a wonderful day to stop and tell your special loved ones how much you really love and appreciate them!! Have a wonderful day!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Please travel safe and sound as you head out to see your families.

I recently saw this link to some historical information about Thanksgiving on the History Channel and found it fascinating! Click here to read all about Thanksgiving past and present.

Jon and I are heading up to Kohler, Wisconsin to
The American Club with my parents for some relaxing, shopping and eating turkey!

Enjoy yourselves this weekend and remember all that you have to be thankful for!

David Tutera at Association Of Bridal Consultants

I was recently 1 of 450 wedding consultants from around the globe that got to see David Tutera from Get Married TV speak at the Assocation of Bridal Consultants Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida last week.

David was honored in 2006 as on the the "Top 25 Trendsetters of the Year" and recently launched his website and tv show, Get Married. It can be seen at 6:30am every weekday morning on the Lifetime network. Set your DVR's and Tivo's ladies, this show is NOT to be missed.

He was so fabulous and inspiring to all of us and we thank him for spending 40 extra minutes answering our endless questions about his events, what gives him inspiration and what makes him tick!

Thanks David for attending our conference, it was the highlight of the week for me!

Style Me Pretty Blog

I am excited, pleased and flattered to announce that Abby Larson of Style Me Pretty has chosen me to take part in her Little Black Book of vendors in Chicago for the event planner category! The Little Black Book is Abby's "one stop source for the best wedding vendors in your city" and I am so pleased I was picked to take part in this website!

Her "daily inspirations" has inspired thousands of brides to save her wedding style blog to their favorites and read her great blog every day! I myself love looking every day at the fabulous events done but vendors in all parts of the country!

Engaging Events by Ali, Inc. voted BEST Wedding Planner in Chicago

The Knot.com recently released their newest magazine, The Knot Best of Weddings 2007. The magazine features the best of the best wedding vendors in the United States.

I was flattered to learn that Engaging Events by Ali, Inc. topped that list with the highest score out of all the wedding planners in Chicago!!

Licensed to Wed movie premieres July 4th

Premiering on July 4th at a theater near you, Licensed to Wed!

License to Wed follows newly engaged Ben Murphy (John Krasinski) and his fiancée, Sadie Jones (Mandy Moore), in their quest to live happily ever after. The problem is that Sadie’s family church, St. Augustine’s, is run by Reverend Frank (Robin Williams), who won’t bless Ben and Sadie’s union until they pass his patented, "foolproof" marriage-prep course. Consisting of outrageous classes, outlandish homework assignments and some outright invasion of privacy, Reverend Frank’s rigorous curriculum puts Ben and Sadie’s relationship to the test.

Check out the trailer at http://licensetowedthemovie.warnerbros.com/