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Full Event Planning,
Destination Weddings & Honeymoons
30 years experience in turning dreams into a reality. We will take the anxiety out of event planning letting you relax and enjoy your celebration -
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we are touring Sandals & Beaches resorts all over Jamaica
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About 
ABOUT US
WHAT SETS " A Gracious Event" APART FROM OTHER WEDDING PLANNERS
WEDDINGS, EVENTS, AND BRIDES HAVE BEEN MY FULL TIME JOB
FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS -
NOT A PART TIME EFFORT
Laurie Beckmann
Our Team: Diana, Amber, Laurie & Sue
Myself and my assistants are members of The Association of Bridal Consultants -
I believe in the value of education as well as experience. Attending yearly conventions for ABC, Idea-Solutions and other event seminars is important to keeping up with what is new and fresh. It also creates a fabulous network base to allow us to give you guidance anywhere in the country and internationally.
Orchestrating weddings for the past 30 years had been my passion. I started with my love of cooking and even catering some of my first weddings including spending a summer on the French Riviera as a private chef on a yacht. Attending Carnegie Mellon for Psychology and than moving on to help the opening of a café in Pittsburgh to coming to Albany as a banquet manager where I was involved in fabulous events including a Governors Wedding prepared me for purchasing an historic home with my husband that we converted to a Bed & Breakfast in 1983. Besides orchestrating weddings I have just earned master accreditation with ABC. My specialty is helping brides work with off site caterers and unique venues
whether it be an historic location ,rustic barn , unusual venue or your own romantic lawn to create an amazing experience from beginning to end.
Laurie Beckmann, ABC™, MWV™
Hello Laurie-
I know we thanked you the night of the reception, but we wanted to take time to write a special note of appreciation for everything you did to make our evening so memorable.
We were amazed at how beautiful the room looked in the candlelight. The tables looked wonderful with those beautiful centerpieces. You do really know how to "put it all together"! We got SO MANY compliments on our choice of venue......one guest commenting that "this was the best kept secret in Albany".
Joel and Chelsea and her parents really relaxed and had a great time --- and thought it was beautiful.
Thank you for all of the coordinating you did that evening..........not to mention all of the assistance you gave us in the 'planning' stages. We feel really blessed to have worked with you.... and as you can imagine --- we will highly recommend the Appel to anyone who asks! (as a matter of fact, some of our friends are already talking about planning their next event with you).
What more can we say.......... we have really enjoyed working with you. Please feel free to use us as a reference if you have a need to in the future.
Happy Holidays to you and your family.
Paul and Renee
Destination Weddings Destination Weddings
Sandals & Beaches
Luxu ry Inclusive
Destination can be anywhere - From the all inclusive luxury resort or
a round the corner to around the world.
We are here to help you find your spot on the mountain top or to put your toes in the sand on a private islands or local lake.
Looking for guidance to an all inclusive resorts
in the Carribean or Mexico - We can give you the sand, sun and romance -
you just add your passport
Dreaming of Tuscany, Napa - the top of a mountain -the French Riviera or a location with no passport needed?
Let us create your vision and an experience of a life time for your family and friends
Not just a Wedding Reception but a Wedding Event
Elopements at The Appel Inn - Destination without the Plane Ticket
Click picture to watch the video of Cirita and Wayne Featured on: News Channel 13
Sandals Honeymoon Not just an ordinary all-inclusive.
Sandals is Luxury Inclusive at an Amazing Value!
BRIDES Magazine, the #1 Bridal publication in the USA, partnered with Signature Travel Network, a group of more than 6,000 top travel agents in the United States, to conduct a survey on the
World's Best Honeymoon Destinations and Resorts.
Voted #1 Caribbean Resort
Sandals Emerald Bay
Voted #1 All-Inclusive Brand
All Sandals Resorts
click on sandals picture
We at A Gracious Event are certified Sandals Consultants - requiring education as well as personal visits to the Sandals properties
Just Returned from St Lucia to become one of the first weddingmoon specialists in the Capital District
LET US HELP YOU PLAN THE HONEYMOON OF YOUR DREAMS
Whether you're getting married, renewing your vows, or going on your honeymoon, Sandals is the perfect place to do it.
Choose from our collection of wedding themes by Martha Stewart, take the vows, throw the bouquet and then dive into the honeymoon of a lifetime.
The Beach is a given but what about: Your own Butler Scuba Diving every day Golf fees included Plunge Pool
ASK ABOUT SANDALS AMAZING BRIDAL REGISTRY PROGRAM
services 
why Why Hire an Event Planner
Dream about what you would like,
but let a trained professional help your wedding dreams come true -
on time and under budget!
Our behind-the-scenes professionals can manage the hard work for you, so you can spend more time with your family and friends -
and truly Be a Guest at Your Own Wedding.
Why A Gracious Event
Experience, Experience, Experience!
Be sure to trust one of the most important and possibly one of the most expensive events of your life to someone with experience, accreditation and reputation .
Wedding Director Wedding Director
You have already created your plans and hired your wedding professionals - Now hand your day over to someone so you can relax and enjoy yourself knowing that a professional is orchestrating all of your plans into perfection.
Creating a beautifully flowing wedding team so that you and your family and friends can have the time of your life creating beautiful memories without a hitch.
Let A Gracious Event take over the reins as you and your fiance focus on the beauty of the day and each other.
We start with a complimentary meeting and then start a month before with final details
starting at $ 850.00 with our team
Service Full Planning
Can you imagine just walking down the aisle with nothing to worry about but the joy of the day ahead.
Everything has been planned to perfection so you and your family can relax and enjoy every precious moment of the day knowing that all has been taken care of by A Gracious Event .
Your first step into married life will be nothing but a joyous occassion from the start of your dreams to helping you turn your vision into a reality to the final hugs at the end of the evening.
We want every step of the way to be fun, fabulous and romantic
as well as on budget.
We take a limited amount of full plannings a year to assure complete attention to detail starting at
$2,500 with my team and customizing to your needs.
Guidance Just need some Guidance?
Overwhelmed - New to the Area - No Idea where to start ?
Let A Gracious Event help send you in the right direction
Let us be your "eharmony" guide
Meet with us and we will use our experience and knowledge to clear the cobwebs so you can go on with your plans, having fun and enjoying being engaged -
not overwhelmed with all of the directions the Internet can send you
Let us Help -
we are also creating a new guide to
help same sex marriages -Congratulations
From $250.00
Imagine walking down the aisle with nothing to worry about but embracing every moment with your sweetheart, family and friends - That is what the joy of having a fabulous wedding team behind the scenes is all about.
- why
- Wedding Director
- Service
- Guidance
Boutique 
Your invitation is
the first introduction
to your event -
It is what sets the tone
and gets your guests
excited.
Be sure to get them
excited with a fabulous
first impression!
Expand Down 
Alfred Sung at A Gracious Events Elegant Trappings visit our boutique
Flash Contact Let us know what you are interested in
- Event Planning
- Honeymoons
- Destination Weddings
- A meeting for some guidance
We are here to help with all of your planning & event needs
590 Route 146
Altamont, New York 12009
518 861 6557
laurie_agraciousevent.com
Sister Company: www.appelinn.com
