The Ritzy Bee Blog was originally developed by wedding planner Maria Cooke of Ritzy Bee Events as a way for her brides to gather daily wedding inspiration, but it quickly became a must-read for brides across the globe. Featured in the Winter 2010 issue of Weddings Unveiled, Ritzy Bee is one of our all-time favorite wedding blogs, brimming with ideas and fantastic content, from the inspiration boards to our favorite Vintage Wednesdays posts, featuring vintage-inspired niceties of all kinds. Read on to learn more about Maria, the creative mastermind behind The Ritzy Bee Blog and one of the web's most beloved and inspiring wedding bloggers.Maria's wedding planning and production firm, Ritzy Bee Events, is based in Washington DC. You can contact Ritzy Bee Events by calling 703.508.7132 or visiting the Ritzy Bee website. Follow Ritzy Bee on Twitter.Weddings Unveiled: Tell us a bit about Ritzy Bee.Maria Cooke: Ritzy Bee is all about the details in weddings & events.WU: How did you decide to start a blog?MC: I started the blog over two years ago with the intention of giving my brides a place to stop by for daily wedding inspiration.WU: Describe your average work day.MC: I normally start the day by making sure my blog posted correctly, check out a few of my favorite blogs, answer emails and then usually start my real job running my event planning company, Ritzy Bee Events. I end the day the same way as I started, making sure my blog post is ready to go and checking out other blogs too.WU: How do you keep Ritzy Bee's content fresh for your readers?MC: From the beginning I have always used as my compass to just post what I love and find inspiring - I do try to be unique and luckily there are always new brides reading so it's okay to repurpose things from time to time.WU: Describe your style.MC: A bit sophisticated, a bit vintage and a bit timeless all wrapped into one!WU: What inspires you?MC: Design magazines and blogs!WU: What do you look for in a real wedding feature?MC: Although we tend to concentrate on featuring details versus real weddings, any wedding that is detail-focused is what we love. From the save-the-dates to the detail of attire, we love a wedding that is tied together beautifully!WU: What was your favorite real wedding feature and why? MC: My favorite wedding of late is Eunice and Daniel.WU: What are the most important elements for a great wedding design?MC: A cohesive look is most important! You don't have to spend a huge amount to make things tie together. Subtle details that belong together are what is key.WU: Tell us three things you can't live without.MC: iPhone, my car GPS and coffee!WU: What are some of your favorite online shopping and resource sites for brides?MC: Besides wedding blogs, I would say J.Crew for bridal party attire, ForYourParty.com for printed items and Etsy of course!WU: What is the best advice anyone has ever given you?MC: I love this quote from Preston Bailey and try to remember it always: "Every single guest in any event you do is a potential client. It's up to you to give them an unforgettable event."WU: What is the best advice you can give to an engaged couple? MC: At the end of the day, when the wedding is over, all you have left is your memories and your photographs...so try to let go of stress and enjoy your day and also invest in the best photographer you can afford!WU: Tell us about some of the biggest moments of your career.MC: The inauguration in January 2009 can not be topped...amazing experience for any person in the events industry. From working the logistics to interacting with that many celebrities in one place...I still sometimes can't believe I was a part of it!WU: What does the future hold for you and Ritzy Bee? Are you working on any upcoming projects?MC: We are excited to be launching our new studio space The Hive at 1511 and will be offering workshops in the space for brides and others. We have lots of great weddings in 2010/2011 and can't wait to share them!
